LAUREN

 

The first thing Tyler did when he greeted me off the plane was look down at my shoes. I had chosen the sturdiest pair of boots I owned. They were black and plain and boring in every way.

“Those are what you’re wearing?” he asked, turning on his heel and striding away before I could respond. Despite being annoyed by his abruptness, a wave of guilt washed over me when my eyes dropped to his backside and the way it looked wrapped so nicely in dark trousers, but I quickly told myself there was no harm in looking. And that was all I was doing. Looking.

I followed him out of the terminal and over to his car. Tyler held the door open for me. There was a package resting on the seat.

“I got something for you.”

“For me?” I asked.

“I just said it was for you. Must you question everything?”

“Do I?” I replied, letting a smirk cover my face. Tyler’s expression softened, and the smallest of smiles appeared in the corners of his mouth.

“Oh,” I said. “You can smile.”

“Occasionally my muscles may spasm into what could be considered a smile, but I assure you it’s not. Get in and open the package.”

“Yes, Mr Thornton,” I replied and got into the car, careful to lift the package onto my lap first. It was a simple cardboard box. No marketing packaging surrounded it. There were no words on the side. Curious, I lifted the edge and peered inside. I couldn’t see anything but darkness.

“Just open it,” Tyler said.

I ripped the tape holding the box together and pulled the sides open.

“Boots?” I said, looking down at the now open box.

“Sturdy boots for walking around a construction site.”

“So kind of you,” I said dryly, bending down to remove my less-sturdy boots. The new ones were brown and had steel caps over the toes.

“Do you like them?”

I couldn’t tell from Tyler’s expression whether he was serious or not. “Honestly?” I asked.

“Why would I want you to lie?”

“They are rather ugly.”

Tyler snorted. “They aren’t supposed to be pretty. They are for safety purposes.” He shifted down a gear as he turned off the highway. “What are you doing for dinner tonight?”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because I know your flight doesn’t leave until later and you will need to eat.”

“I hadn’t really thought about it. I’ll probably just grab something at the airport,” I said, struggling to tug on the new boots.

“I will take you to dinner.”

I stopped tugging to look up at him. “To dinner?”

A flicker of amusement crossed over Tyler’s face. “Yes. To dinner. You will need to eat at some stage, as will I. You can ask for permission from Gabe, if you wish. Would you like to call him now?”

“I don’t need permission,” I said, roughly jerking on the final boot with a grunt.

“You don’t?” Tyler smirked and lifted a single brow that brought images of Gabe flashing across my mind.

“I don’t,” I confirmed, reaching down to tuck the cuffs of my jeans into the boots and then frowning at the result.

Tyler’s phone rang and Billie’s voice filled the car. Hamish and Billie lived in the city most of the time and I hadn’t told her I would be here. The thought of being dragged around city shops with Billie terrified me. I hated shopping at the best of times. I still had images of blocking doors and begging to be taken home while my mother and Morgan leisurely strolled from shop to shop.

“Billie,” Tyler said, his voice showing no sign of emotion. “How can I help you?”

“You’ve got to help me,” Billie wailed. “I can’t go to your father. I just can’t.”

Tyler didn’t hesitate. “What do you need?”

“Well,” she began, taking a deep breath. “I thought I’d just pop to the mall and do a little shopping. I found this gorgeous dress. You would love it. It’s black but sparkly.”

Tyler looked at me, his eyes widening at her continuous chatter.

“Actually,” Billie continued on speakerphone, “I’m thinking of using a similar material in my new line. But anyway, I’m getting distracted. The dress turned into two dresses, and then I had to add this gorgeous pantsuit, and a top and a couple of pair of tights. It’s all research really. And then I saw these boots. Oh, my goodness. I simply had to have them.”

Tyler sighed deeply. “And you called me, why?”

“Well, I got to the counter, and wouldn’t you know it? I had left my wallet at home. I can’t call Hamish because he’d just go on and on about it, how I ruined his schedule. You know what he’s like. And the staff at the store are refusing to let me leave, even though they know I’m good for it. Would you pretty please come and pay for it? I just can’t do it to your father. Not again. Not after last time. He got so annoyed and went on about it for days.”

“We’re on our way,” Tyler said, turning off at the next intersection.

“We?” Billie asked.

I looked to Tyler, eyes wide and shook my head. “I’m not here,” I mouthed.

“See you soon,” Tyler said to Billie and pressed a button on the dash, cutting the call off. “Not a Billie fan?” he asked me.

“Huge fan,” I said sarcastically. “Just in very small doses. I’ve already heard from her three times today and I kind of didn’t tell her I’d be in the city.”

We pulled up to the construction site and Tyler got out to open my door. “I will be back here at six to collect you for dinner.”

“Six?” I repeated as I climbed out.

Tyler’s jaw clenched. “Yes, six. I know it is a little early but I will need to get you to your flight on time and I don’t want to feel rushed.”

He must have noticed the nervous concern cross my face. Gabe didn’t like Tyler. I hardly imagined he would be fine with me going to dinner with him.

“It’s just dinner,” Tyler said. “There is nothing to be afraid of.”

“Afraid?” I replied. “Why would I be afraid?”

“You tell me,” Tyler said, walking back to the driver’s door. “By the way, the boots look good. Very Tomb Raider.”

* * *

Jimmy followed me like a puppy around the construction site, constantly chatting as I took shot after shot. I think he enjoyed talking more than he enjoyed working, so accompanying me around the site was more of a break than a chore.

The progress was impressive. Concrete slab walls had appeared on some of the lower levels, and the building was beginning to take shape. Jimmy’s eyes lit up as he listed off the restaurants, theatres and stores the development would house. One restaurant would be right at the top, the needle point of the building, and would afford magnificent views of the city, especially at night. Jimmy told me how it would be a revolving restaurant, slowly turning, its walls made only of glass so the diners would get a three hundred and sixty degree view.

When Tyler arrived at exactly six o’clock, Jimmy and I were in the middle of trying to manoeuvre our way through a particularly complex part of steel framework. There was an angle I wanted to get, looking straight up into the sky through the network of steel. When we finally managed to get where we needed to be, Jimmy gave me a high five, but his smile dropped when he turned and saw Tyler leaning against a concrete wall, arms crossed and glaring at us.

“Are you ready?” Tyler asked, his voice dripping with annoyance.

“Sorry.” I gathered my gear. “I lost track of the time.”

“Obviously.” He lifted himself off his leaning post, his left arm and shoulder grey with dust, and walked over to Jimmy. “You were scheduled to finish work two hours ago.”

Jimmy’s face reddened. “Sorry, Mr Thornton. I was just helping Lauren and we kind of forgot the time.”

“So she said. You may go now,” Tyler instructed.

Jimmy nodded quickly at me, his eyes showing the slightest hint of fear at Tyler’s stern tone and quickly disappeared.

“He was just helping me out,” I said, slinging my pack full of equipment over my shoulder.

Tyler took the pack off me, carrying it himself. “I didn’t realise you needed help. I would have come back, had I known.”

“I can’t expect you to do that. I’m sure you have far more important things to do than play my assistant.”

“I know how to prioritise. It’s something I learned at a very young age.”

“And I’m a priority?”

“Yes.”

By this stage, we had reached his vehicle. He placed my gear in the back and then held the door open. “Shall we?”

“I’ll just make a quick call first,” I said, ducking to the side and pulling my cell phone out of my pocket. I had meant to call Gabe earlier while Tyler was away but I got so involved in taking photos it had completely slipped my mind. It took a long time for Gabe to answer. When he finally did, music and laughter filled the background.

“Hey,” he said, his voice in a slow drawl. “How’s it going up there?”

“What’s going on?” I asked. “It sounds like you’re at a party.”

Gabe laughed. “Nope. Just me and the boys taking some time off. You know, chilling, relaxing.” Gabe laughed again.

I stepped further away from Tyler so he couldn’t overhear our conversation. “You’re stoned,” I said.

“Yup,” Gabe replied gleefully. “Delightfully so.”

I took a deep breath. “I thought you were meeting me at the airport tonight. You dropped me off, remember? I don’t have a car.”

“Shit,” Gabe said. There was a muffled sound and then Gabe’s voice came back through the speaker. “Sorry, I dropped the phone. Would you be able to get a taxi home tonight? I’m in no state to drive.”

I looked over to where Tyler waited, leaning against the car, glancing down at his watch.

“I’ll sort something,” I said, trying not to get annoyed. “I’m just heading out to dinner with your brother.”

“Jake’s there?” Gabe asked.

“No. I’m going with Tyler.”

Gabe fell silent. All I could hear was the music in the background and the shouts and laughter of his flatmates.

“You there?” I asked finally.

“What?” Gabe almost shouted.

“I’ve got to go,” I said. “Tyler’s waiting.”

“Okay.” Gabe was distracted. “Rather you than me. Catch you tomorrow.” And then he hung up.

“Everything okay?” Tyler lifted himself off the car and held the door open again. “Did you get permission?”

“I never asked for permission and Gabe is fine.” I climbed into the car, my eyes falling to the sturdy boots and jeans I was wearing. “I’m hardly dressed to be going out for dinner though.”

Tyler walked to the driver’s side and hopped in. “We aren’t going anywhere fancy.”

“And yet you’re dressed like that?”

Tyler was still wearing the black suit from earlier in the day. Despite a day’s work, he looked impeccable. Not one strand of his slicked-back hair was out of place.

“What’s wrong with the way I am dressed?” he asked.

“Nothing. It’s just on a whole different level than where I’m at. Mind you,” I added, my mouth curving into a smile. “I’m not covered in dust, despite having spent the last few hours at the site. You, on the other hand, were only there minutes.”

The restaurant he had chosen was just a small house on the banks of the river. It didn’t look like a restaurant. It looked like someone’s home. But sure enough, when we walked inside a blackboard was placed at the entrance with ‘Today’s Menu’ written in white chalk across the top. Tyler ushered me down a narrow hallway, his hand resting on the small of my back, and to a quaint outside dining area that held only five tables. None of them were occupied. I tried not to take notice of the heat radiating through my body from Tyler’s touch. But when he removed his hand to pull out my chair, the coldness left behind made me shiver. Dust still covered one sleeve of his suit jacket and I ran my hand over his arm, trying to rid it. Tyler’s eyes snapped to where my fingers brushed against him, his body stiffening at my touch.

“Sorry,” I murmured, unsure of his reaction. “You were still covered in dust.”

Our table looked over the river, with people floating in long boats down the lazy water, the courtyard covered in strings of drooping lights and paper lanterns. Soft guitar music played in the background and bowls of citrus fruit sat on each of the small tables.

“It’s beautiful here,” I said, as another long boat passed below.

“Not many people know about it.” Tyler picked up a glass of water and took a sip. “I’ve been coming here for years. Maria, the woman who lives here, does all the cooking herself and only employs a single server to assist her. There is only ever capacity for five tables of two and Maria serves whatever she feels like on the day. You can’t get better food. She is truly talented.”

I thought of Mana’s, the restaurant back home where I adored the pasta and doubted that Maria would be able to beat it. But I was willing to give her a chance.

The waitress came over and poured some wine into our glasses. Tyler held his up, tipping it slightly in my direction. “Here’s to talented people,” he said.

I mimicked his action and took a sip of the red. “So? No menu? No choice?” I asked.

“I find it relaxing to have the choice taken away. And I have tried dishes that I might have never tried before if Maria hadn’t introduced me.”

“But what about personal taste? What if she serves you something you despise?”

“Such as?” Tyler asked.

“Such as…” I paused trying to think of a food I hated. “Such as beetroot. I don’t mind the taste of it, but I hate how it stains other foods. What if she serves me beetroot?”

“Then we shall change plates.”

“She doesn’t make everyone the same dish?”

Tyler shook his head. “Everyone's is unique. Maria has developed quite the reputation. I assure you, you won’t be disappointed.”

“That confident?”

“That confident,” Tyler repeated.

With that, a high wail came from the kitchen and Maria appeared in the doorway, her chubby arms held wide open. “Tyler.” She smiled and walked over to embrace him, her floured hands leaving marks on his jacket, joining the faint remnants of dust.

“Maria,” Tyler said, stepping back from where he had bent low to return her affection. “I’d like you to meet Lauren Greer. Lauren, this is the wonderful Maria I was telling you about.”

Maria took the tea towel off her shoulder and playfully flicked it at Tyler. “You are much too kind, Mr Thornton.”

“Please, I’ve asked you to call me Tyler.”

“But Tyler does not suit you,” she replied sternly. “You are Mr Thornton.”

“Well.” Tyler sat back down. “How can I argue with that? What’s on the menu tonight?”

Maria laughed heartily. “You know not to ask that, Mr Thornton. You have what you’re given.” She leaned over to me. “That’s how it works here. I don’t cook to please others. I cook to please myself.”

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Tyler said.

“You have a beautiful home.” I looked over the white walls and faded and cracked blue window shutters.

Maria looked over at Tyler and wiggled her brows. “It is nice to see you with someone. You are always alone.” She turned to me. “He is a handsome man, yes?”

I smiled at Tyler. “Yes, very handsome.”

Tyler lifted one brow, questioningly. “Lauren is dating my younger brother.”

“And not you, Mr Thornton?” Maria looked horrified.

“No, not me. Lauren is the photographer for the casino development.”

Maria shook her head and made tutting sounds under her breath. “Mr Thornton is a very handsome man,” she said. “You two would make a nice couple.”

“Gabe is—”

But Maria cut me off with a swish of her tea towel. “Whoever Mr Gabe is, he is not Mr Thornton.”

I had to hold in my laughter at her seriousness. “No, he is not.”

Maria took a step back, peering down the hallway as another couple walked through the front door. “I bring you food.” And then she was gone.

The meal consisted of six courses, each of them tiny and delicious, completely different from each other and stunningly beautiful in their simplicity. Even though I blanched a little when a plate of char-grilled baby octopus was placed in front of me, I surprised myself by not only eating it but enjoying it. Tyler wasn’t a huge conversationalist but he listened to me as I talked of what I hoped to accomplish at the casino, as well as my complaints on how dull I found my job at the café, now that I had a taste of what my life as a photographer could be.

“You just wait until the investor party,” Tyler said. “There will be many people who I’m sure will be dying to hire you once they’ve seen your work. You have a very unique eye. Just stick by me and I’ll introduce you to them.”

“I will be going?”

“Of course you’ll be going,” Tyler said. “Your photography will be displayed everywhere.”

I took a sip of my wine, the silence between us growing awkward. “So,” I said as I broke the toffee top of my lemongrass crème brulee. “What exactly is it you do, Mr Thornton.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you work for your father at Thornton Industries, you’re overseeing the casino development, but what is it you actually do?”

Tyler leaned back in his chair. “I get people to do things.”

“That is your job description?”

“Pretty much. I talk to people and get them to do what I want. I get them to buy things, sell things, build things, go to things, be things, whether it be by control or charm.”

“Charm?” I tried to mimic the one eyebrow raise that he and Gabe did so masterfully.

“I can be quite charming when I wish to be.”

I laughed. “I look forward to seeing it.”

Once I had spooned the last mouthful of crème brulee into my mouth, we called into the kitchen to wish Maria goodbye and tell her how delicious her meals were. She brushed our praise aside and I was surprised when she moved to embrace me.

“You look after him, yes?” she said, nodding to Tyler.

There was no point in correcting her yet again, so I simply assured her I would.

The night had cooled somewhat, and without the warmth of the courtyard fire, I wrapped my arms tightly around my chest for the short walk back to the car. People still floated on the long boats down the river, the eerie glow of the paper lanterns lighting their way. I moved ahead of Tyler, drawing in a deep breath as I walked to the grass bank, the lights of the city twinkling in the background.

“I’ve never really thought of the city as beautiful,” I said.

Tyler came to stand beside me, his hand dangling next to mine, only a breath of night air between us. I looked up to the sky but the pale glow of the street lights blocked my view of any stars.

“I would miss the stars though,” I said.

Tyler’s fingers brushed against mine. I froze, my body electrified by the slight touch. My heart beat in my chest as I felt Tyler turn, his body tilting to face mine. He drew in a breath as though he was going to say something, and I was torn between wanting to know the words about to come out of his lips and wanting to leave. I chose to leave, turning back to head towards the car.

“Lauren.” Tyler’s hand caught my wrist, and again I froze, the skin under his fingers burning. Why did his touch do this to me? Why did my heart beat so rapidly? I was with Gabe, not Tyler. I wanted to be with Gabe, not Tyler, and yet I couldn’t help the way my body responded to his.

“Lauren,” he said again. Gently, he pulled my wrist towards him and, as if an invisible thread stretched between us, my body turned.

I looked up to meet his eyes. They were burning with an intensity I hadn’t seen before. The steel-grey bore into me and I quivered inwardly under his stare.

Tyler stepped forward, my wrist still trapped by his hand, my heart still racing in my chest. He was only inches from me. I could feel the heat radiating off his body and, for once, I was thankful that his touch froze me. I was scared of what I might have done otherwise.

“I want you,” Tyler said, his voice deep and dark. “I’ve wanted you from the moment you ran into me.”

“Ran into you?” My voice almost came out squeaky.

“At the charity boxing match when Gabe fought Derek. I was there. You ran into me, and spilt beer all over me.”

“I did?” I asked, nervously laughing. He was too close, his scent too overwhelming.

“I asked your name but you ran away. I wish I had chased after you. Things might have been different. You might have been mine instead of his.”

“Tyler.” My voice came out breathless in the night. “You can’t say that.”

“I believe I just did.” His eyes pierced into mine and I wanted to melt under their burn.

“You hardly even know me.”

“That’s my point,” he said. “I want to. I very much want to. I want to know all of you.”

“Gabe is your brother,” I whispered, stepping away a fraction.

Tyler took another step forward, reducing the space I had just created. He didn’t let go of my wrist. Instead, he brought it to his mouth, tenderly brushing his lips over the soft skin. “You think I should do the honourable thing and step aside?” Tyler said.

Part of me wanted to say yes. Part of me wanted to rip my hand from his grasp. But a bigger part of me didn’t. And it was that part that had me scared.

“Why?” he asked. “Why should I step aside?”

“Gabe is your brother,” I repeated.

“I believe it is more honourable to tell the truth than to hide it.”

Tyler pulled me forward and I stumbled, falling into him. I looked up into those steel-grey eyes, my heart beating in my chest as he reached down and tucked my hair behind my ear. He looked at me with hunger and I was scared by the intensity with which I wanted to quench it. I looked down, trying to escape from his mesmerising eyes.

“If you feel nothing in return then I have not lost a thing,” he said. “But, if I say nothing and miss out on the chance to be with you, I would regret that for the rest of my life. I will not be silent out of some twisted sense of honour to a brother who despises me. I want you. It is that simple.”

Tyler bowed his head, his mouth coming dangerously close to mine before I mustered the strength to push him away.

“I can’t,” I said.

Tyler took a step back, dropping my hand. “You can’t, or you won’t?”

“I won’t,” I said firmly. “I won’t do that to Gabe. I won’t hurt him like that.”

A slow smile spread over Tyler’s face. “You never said you don’t have feelings for me.”

“I never said I did, either,” I replied, looking back at him with more determination than I felt.

“I will wait.”

“For what?” I asked. “I’m with Gabe.”

“And you’ll be with him forever?” Tyler raised that single brow again, the one that made him and Gabe blur into a sexy mess of light and dark.

I walked over to the car, wrapping my arms around my chest, suddenly feeling the cold again.

“Can you take me to the airport, please?”

“As you wish,” Tyler said. But he couldn’t help the smirk covering his face.

He had got under my skin. And he knew it.