Chapter 13
It’s six in the morning, and we don’t work today which means Anne will sleep until noon. But I plan on a morning run in Central Park and the sightseeing I’ve always wanted to do in New York.
And so I tuck a long sleeve T-shirt into my running shorts, tie my Nikes, and head out.
West and I always meet in the lobby of whatever hotel we find ourselves in, and there he is leaning up against the front counter watching the bustle of patrons moving around, doorman hailing cabs, and bellcaps in their uniforms. I use the time he doesn’t know I’m looking to check out his sleep-messy hair, his grey and white track pants, and his black Under Armour shirt.
Still watching the crowded lobby, he bends over to scratch his knee, and Daffy Duck boxers peek out of his waistband. He wasn’t kidding.
On an adjacent wall near a seating aread, a TV plays the news with two reporters sitting opposite each other on couches.
The view changes to a video clip from last night featuring a black-tie gala in Washington, DC, attended by celebrities, politicians, and numerous others.
Though the camera’s focused on the President of the United States, I focus on the background where Grayson stands beside a man in his early thirties with light hair—Noah Riley.
Laura, I have someone who wants to meet you…
Suddenly I can’t breathe.
West turns then and catches sight of me. “Hey.”
I force a smile. “Hey.”
He surveys my clothes. “Luckily, it’s not too cold out. You should be fine. Let’s get to it.” He takes off toward the front door.
On TV they’ve moved to another story. Slowly, I follow behind West.
Noah Riley. Has Grayson told him that I’m missing?
Oh, I hope so. However, given they were at that gala together, maybe not.
So then where does Noah think I am? Brynn would know but I can’t risk contacting her.
I do have a Google Alert set for my real name, however in the time I’ve been gone, nothing has popped up.
It’s like I’m not even missing.
“Eve?” West says, and I blink out of my thoughts to see we’re standing in Central Park. “Where’d you go?”
“Nowhere. Sorry.” I motion to our surroundings. “Overwhelmed, I guess. I mean, look at this. It’s like the city disappeared.”
“I love it here.” The sky thunders then. “Let’s see how far we can get before it pours.” He takes off in a slow, warm-up jog, and together we build our pace.
A few wet drops hit my body. Overhead, gray and gloomy clouds cling.
“Come on.” West takes off in a fast run. “Gazebo up ahead. We can wait it out under there.”
Sprinkles become splatters and rain pours.
West sprints and I race after him, my shoes slipping on the wet grass, and with a splash, I land in a puddle.
Lightning cracks then, jerking me upright, and in a quick flash I see someone standing across the lawn in the line of trees. But just as quickly, the person’s gone.
There’s nowhere you can run that I won’t find you.
Grayson’s venomous words ricochet through my head as another streak lights up the sky and rain streams down my hat and over my shoulders to soak through my long sleeve tee. I stare hard into the woods, searching from tree to tree in a snapping panic.
“Eve!” West yells from the gazebo. “Get up here!”
I ignore him and focus hard on the tree line, my heart banging so hard it feels as if it’s about to split my ribs. Did I really see a person?
“EVE!”
Jerking away, I race up the slope toward West.
“You okay?” he asks as I duck into the shelter. “What did you see?”
“Nothing.” I wipe the rain from my neck.
“Another minute and you would’ve been a piece of sizzled bacon,” he jokes.
I conjured that person’s image. This is what I tell myself, convince myself of. Seeing Grayson and Noah on TV filled me with fresh paranoia, that’s all. If Grayson’s team had truly located me, they would have taken me already. They wouldn’t just be following me. That’s not Grayson’s style.
Still, uneasiness moves through me.
West steps into my line of sight. His brows furrow. “What’s made you so sad?” he quietly asks.
Sad. He used that word before, and I don’t know how to respond. I don’t even know where to start, or what to say. I don’t want to be sad and lug around the heaviness of the past. I really don’t. I want to be adjusted and happy, all the time, and one day I will. One day.
He reaches a hand toward me, and gently he runs his thumb over my cheekbone.
A soft moment passes, filled only by the sound of the rain, his breathing, and my nervous heart.
He inches closer and his other hand goes to my hip, making the air punch from my lungs.
One more inch and our bodies will be completely together.
I tune into his searing hand there on my hip.
His dark eyes become even darker, consuming.
His hand moves, the one on my hip, sliding up to my ribs. A shallow intake of air fills my lung.
“You’re really soaked,” he says, his voice deep.
Words want to come from my lips but nothing does. His thumb on my cheek moves, caressing. Would it be strange for me to lean fully in and just feel?
Then he shifts a fraction, bringing us even closer if that’s possible, and a tremble runs down my spine. Instinctual awareness overwhelms me, and I crave something. Now.
His hand on my ribs shifts again, and his fingers brush my back at the exact same second lightning cracks through the sky, and reality zaps through me. My scars! I jerk away, insanely aware I’m panting, and I fight every urge in me to run as I stagger back a step. Oh my God, did he feel them?
Suddenly, I’m hot, burning, blazing, and my throat goes raw.
I told him to be tender with you. That you’re one of the good ones. Anne’s words come back to me in a weird rush.
West backs away in silence, going to sit on the gazebo’s bench. Everything about him seems apprehensive and strained, and I don’t move as I concentrate on getting myself back in control.
Rain slows to a drizzle now and I shiver. A few joggers resume their run on the paths below. Silence hangs between us, and I can see the anxiety that I feel in him, too. I want the sensation back from a moment ago and not all this thinking.
West gives a defeated sigh, and the sound of it breaks my heart. I made that sound.
He looks at the spot beside him, silently inviting me, and I move over to sit.
I need to say something and make all this awkwardness go away.
Because…I like West. I don’t want to run him off.
He’s such a part of my everyday life now, I can’t imagine him not in it.
I can’t imagine him not being my friend.
I shiver again, and he lifts his arm to put it around me. “Okay?” he asks.
That question absolutely warms me, and I nod as he wraps his arm around me and pulls me in snug, cocooning me with all that is him. Together we watch the remnants of the rain, the sun sneaking out, and more joggers emerging.
West turns to me. “This is nice.”
I’m so glad the weirdness is dissipating. “Yes, it is. I’m… I’m sorry it’s so hard to be around me sometimes.”
“You’re worth the effort,” he whispers.
“Thank you,” I whisper back, relaxing, slowly gaining back my comfort level.
“There’s a strength in you. You just need to believe in it.”
His words stun me.
He lowers his head so his lips brush my ear, and a tremor skips down my neck. “One day you’ll really see that.”
I hope he’s right.
He toys with the ends of my short wet hair, and I simply enjoy the tugging on my scalp. True affection. No wonder people crave it. Need it. It’s wonderful.
Though I’m not ready I still say, “You ready to head back?”
“No. But I suppose we should.”
We jog back in silence as I replay what just happened between us over and over again in my head.
Finally, we reach the hotel and push through the revolving door into the lobby.
“West!” an enthusiastic fan waves.
A phone comes up, poised for a picture, and I duck and make a demon dash for the stairwell.