Chapter 11
KEATS
My pace is steady until I’m close to the Stansbury mansion.
One block up, the lamppost where I almost got arrested comes into view.
I laugh and walk faster. Hope isn’t something that I’ve felt much lately, but it’s ballooning in my chest like it lives there.
I’m already envisioning my Spark bounding out of the house, wrapping her arms around me and kissing me like we were always meant to be.
It’s not been a great day, but she’ll be the highlight.
I charge ahead, not able to wait any longer to hold her in my arms again.
I stop just shy of the light from the lamp hitting my feet.
“Breathe, Keats.” I laugh. I’m acting like a fifteen-year-old going on his first date.
But when I give myself more than a second to think clearly, I’m not surprised.
Not only did I not see this girl coming, barging into my life like it’s hers for the taking, but she already has me wrapped around her finger.
I was never impressed by wealth or the people who hoard it before, but she was right last night.
She’s nothing like them. I suck in a breath and close my eyes, seeing the way Sosie’s eyes crinkle in the corner when she smiles.
She showed me who she was from the minute we met.
From her lips to those eyes, the way she moves within her body, her wit, and her smile . . . damn, she’s spectacular.
What am I doing wasting time out here when I can be with her again? I square my shoulders and walk past the lamppost, ignoring my breath fogging in front of my face and charge forth.
The large gate in front of me doesn’t feel as imposing when I realize my heart rests on the other side of it.
I glance up at her window in the upper left corner and grin.
I’d climb that trellis like a fool in a romance novel if she asked me to, especially if the reward was a kiss.
I’m not a greedy man, but I can’t wait to taste her lips again.
I push the buzzer, too anxious to hear her voice. It’s also as cold as the North Pole out here. Warming up in each other sounds like paradise right now.
There’s no response, which is strange. I would have imagined an entire team of employees on standby at the Stansburys’ every beck and call.
It’s not late, just past eight, but I find myself checking the time on my phone again to confirm it.
I’m good. I hold down the buzzer longer this time.
When I release it, I shove my hand back in my coat pocket, a case of nerves sneaking in to ruin the reunion as I run my fingers over her phone.
“How can I help you?” The man’s monotonous tone has me thinking he’d rather be doing anything other than answering my call. But I’m too determined to see my girl to let it sidetrack my mission.
“Hi,” I reply, staring at the intercom like a video of Sosie will suddenly pop up.
Although there are no screens for me to see her pretty face, I’m confident there are cameras on me.
As soon as I spot one on the corner of the house, I straighten my posture and raise my chin to look the part of someone worthy enough to date the Stansburys’ daughter.
“I’m here to see Sosie.” I clear my throat. “Sosie Stansbury.”
“She’s not available.”
The response is so quick, I wasn’t prepared for it.
“Oh. Um . . .” I glance at her window again.
The light is on in her bedroom. This time, I study it more intently.
Light escapes the edges of the curtains as if someone is in there.
Am I imagining things, or was that on before?
I return my glare to the intercom, wondering if this guy is lying to me to cover for Sosie.
No, she’d tell me to my face if she didn’t want to see me.
I grin, liking how straightforward she is with her wants and needs. So fucking sexy.
But does that mean this guy is taking it on himself to keep me from seeing her? Not going to happen. “When will she be available?”
“No comment.”
I laugh, taken aback by the change in his tone from indifferent to brusque. “No comment? I’m not the paparazzi. I went on a date with her, for fuck’s sake.” Fuck. I shouldn’t have sworn. That’s not going to get me anywhere with a family like hers. “Listen, I just want to talk to her—”
“If she wants to contact you, she will.”
The intercom goes silent—no further exchange, no feedback. Only silence exists between me and this damn house. I push the button and lean in closer. “Can I leave a message for her?”
“I think it’s best if you return another time after you’ve received an invitation to be on the property.” And here I was stupidly thinking the intercom might not be working properly. It’s working, and this guy seems to be doing overtime by standing between my Spark and me.
I glance down at my feet, and reply, “I’m not on the property.
I’m on a public sidewalk.” Don’t play into this farce.
They know I’m not trespassing. But why is this becoming a bigger thing than it should be?
This blockade feels personal when I’m just here to see Sosie.
If she knew I was here, I know she’d come running out, even pirouetting down the steps until she was in my arms again.
The connection we share is too deep for her to sacrifice her phone and jewelry.
If a commonplace schmuck like myself feels it, I know someone who expresses every emotion that captures her heart feels it, too.
“It’s best if you leave, so I don’t need to call security.”
What the fuck is going on? I take a step back and study the gate as if I’m going to somehow get through it to reach Sosie and explain what’s happening outside her house.
But I’m not going to climb it and break in, so I’m not left with many options.
I lean in again, and reply, “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.
I have her phone.” Guess I should have led with this information.
“She left it with me, but I’m sure she’d like it back. ”
I expect to hear the lock unlatching, but as I stand there, music from a passing car is all that is heard.
The intercom's feedback startles me, and I smile. Finally. I prepare to push the gate open, but instead, the man says, “Please stay there.” See? He’s doing his job.
He can’t let just anyone in off the street.
I lick my lips and stare at the front door with a ridiculous smile on my face. I clamp my lips together and twist my grin to the side. Games are the last thing I want to play with her, but looking like an idiot in love might scare her away.
A few minutes pass, so I start shuffling my feet to stay warm. I notice nerves creeping in again, this time leaning toward the negative, compared to how excited I was earlier. It’s a big mansion. I’m sure it takes time to traverse it to find her and then for her to come down to meet me.
When I glance up at her window, I see a shadow moving across the cracks of the curtains as if the person inside is pacing. It’s her room. Logically, that should be her, but why would she still be in her room when she knows I’m out here?
I don’t sweat much, assured in the choices I make, going after what I want, and determined to make things work in my favor. I’m not feeling that same confidence right now. Did I read her cues all wrong? A few more minutes have passed, so I press the intercom button again. “Excuse me?”
This time, no one answers. The front door opens instead, and her father fills the framework.
Shit. He stands on the top step, glaring at me as if I’ve interrupted his good mood.
Watching him pull on each of his leather gloves in an excruciatingly measured gesture suggests that intimidation might be his MO in this situation.
Unoriginal, but not entirely unexpected.
What kind of father would let just anyone take his daughter out?
But once he gets to know me, I’m sure it’ll all work out.
He grabs the lapels of his suit jacket, tugging them together to keep the cold out, as he descends the steps. “How may I help you, Mr. Matthews?”
Mr. Matthews? Of course, he knows my name.
Rubbing a gloved hand against the back of my neck, I stand taller, and figure if we can share niceties, it will make seeing Sosie more regularly a lot easier.
I hold the phone in the air in surrender.
No need to go to war with the father of the woman I can’t stop thinking about. “I came to return Sosie’s phone.”
“You stole her phone?” he accuses, stopping on the other side of the towering wrought-iron gate.
The allegation stings, and I lower my arm to my side again. “No.” I steady my breath and even my tone even though the anger has managed to slice through my calmer demeanor. “She left it with me, so I’m delivering it to her.”
“Why would she leave it with you?” His eyes narrow, examining mine as if he’ll find lies hidden in there.
“She left it behind,” I reply, telling the truth. Do I want to go into the details of where and why? Not really. And I’m certain her dad doesn’t want to hear about the night his daughter and I shared. “I’m sure it was an accident.”
He’s tall, almost matching my height. Distrust filters through his expression.
I’m sure it’s a trait that's helped him get to where he is in business today. He must be shrewd and have some talent for getting his way since he’s on one side of this fence, and I’m on the other.
His hair is graying, but he still has a full head of lighter brown fighting to hold on.
The lines in his face aren’t deep. I’m sure he could pass for younger if he wanted to.
Apparently, it works quite well on other women, according to Sosie’s understanding.
“Give me the phone, Mr. Matthews.” He holds his hand out as if I’m supposed to give away my only lifeline to his daughter.