“Oh, wow. I haven’t seen you in, what, a month?” Brian helped Laurel up and grinned, pleased. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
She brushed herself off and smiled in return. “You know where I work. You could’ve stopped by.”
“Yes, well. I’ve been busy with…work. And stuff.” His excuse sounded lame, even to his ears. The truth was that he didn’t think he’d be strong enough to see her again without wanting to yank her into his arms again. “So, how’ve you been? Aside from the part where I knocked you over on the street.”
“Not bad. I’ve had work, too, and stuff. Been keeping pretty busy.” She glanced at her watch. “Isn’t it a little late for you to be running around out here? Don’t you have work in the morning?”
Brian checked his own watch. “Yeah, it is late. If you can believe it, I’m just now getting out of work.”
“Seriously? Where do you work?”
He pointed to the skyscraper a block and a half away. “In that building.”
“Man, they really keep their minions working, don’t they?” She remembered the building as the Apollus building. Did Brian work for James? Did he know Bryna? If so, she thought, the world was a small place and getting smaller by the minute.
“It’s not so bad. I love my work.” He caught the crook of her elbow as they walked. “So, what brings you out to the not-so-safe streets of the city this late at night?” When she tilted her face to look up at him, he noticed the drying tears on her cheeks. “You’ve been crying.”
His simple, quiet statement made fresh tears spring to her eyes. She’d never been a sniveler, but she couldn’t help it. “It’s nothing,” she murmured, wiping at her eyes.
“Here.” Brian pulled out a handkerchief and, stopping her steps, dried the new tears. “Wanna talk about it?” he asked softly.
It was the first time in too many years to count that someone dried her tears, and Laurel had to fight the urge to lean into him and the comfort he offered a near stranger. Then, she remembered that he didn’t even really know her name. The thought of that lie in the face of his kindness made her want to weep again.
“Hey, don’t do that,” he scolded her gently when more tears slipped out. “Come on, baby.” He wrapped his arm around her, letting her head rest in the curve of his neck. “Let’s get you inside somewhere. Then, you can tell me what’s got you so upset.”
“Brian.” She stopped him as he began to lead her down the sidewalk. “Thank you. You don’t even know me, and you’re helping me like this.”
His lips brushed over her forehead. “I know you. Now, come on.”
In less than fifteen minutes, Brian pushed open the door to his apartment and flicked on the lights. His apartment had been three blocks away and seemed the best place to take her. The only places that were bound to be open at this hour were bars, and he didn’t think they were the best place to take her when she was so upset. They needed privacy, peace, and quiet.
“This is your home?” Laurel stepped away from his side and took in her surroundings.
While it didn’t scream “Bachelor pad!”, it was still so obviously the home of a single male. The furnishings were mostly made of good, dark mahogany and the cushions of the couches were a deep green. From what she could see, the apartment’s color scheme was earthy, forest colors. It fit him, she decided.
“Here,” he gestured towards the couches. “Why don’t we sit? Do you want anything to drink? Water?”
She shook her head and followed him to the seating area. Her feet sunk into the plush carpet. “Oh! It’s perfect!” Instead of sitting, she dashed to the giant windows that framed the skyline of the city beautifully. They were ceiling-to-floor length and let the city into his home. “Gosh, you must feel like the king of the Big Apple when you look out. I love the view!”
Brian smiled at her enthusiasm, glad that her worries were momentarily forgotten. “I like it, too. It’s what sold me on this apartment.”
“I’ll bet.” Laurel returned to sit across from him. “You didn’t have to do this, Brian. I would’ve been fine.”
“Do you really think I would’ve let you wander around the city while you were so upset? I don’t think so,” he answered for her. “So, do you want to talk about it?”
She looked from his sincere face to her hands, her mind whirling with doubts and worries. What was she supposed to do? How could she tell him things were going wrong between her and James? How was she supposed to tell him anything without him realizing that she’d lied about herself? It was a bad pattern of hers, she realized. Lying to the people she met.
“I don’t know where to start,” she began.
“Usually, the beginning is the best place,” he suggested with a small smile.
She nodded. “Yeah. Usually.” A small sigh escaped her lips. “I guess it began with this man I met. Uh, we’ve been dating for about a month, but I’ve been afraid to let him get too close.”
“Does he care about you?”
At least, that was one question she could answer honestly. “Yes. Quite a bit, and, in truth, he barely knows me.”
“You said that about me, too, and we haven’t been dating for a month,” Brian said lightly. “If he cares about you, it can’t be that bad. Do you care for him, too?”
“Of course!” she replied without hesitating. “It doesn’t make any sense for me to hold him at arms-length, but…I-I’m scared.” She couldn’t believe how easy it was to pull things out of herself and give them to Brian.
He leaned forward and took her hand between his. “What are you afraid of?”
“That I’ll tell him who I really am, and he’ll run as fast as possible in the opposite direction,” she whispered and realized the words were true for Brian, too. “I don’t know what to do.”
He didn’t know what to tell her, either. “You saw him tonight?”
“Yeah, I did.” She shook her head a little. “There’s this charity ball that his company throws each year, and he wants me to be there. I told him I wasn’t sure if I was ready yet for us to be seen together like that. I care about him, but I guess I just want to be sure before I…I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t know what I think or feel. What I want.”
“I take it he was upset?”
She nodded. “Yeah, and then he brought up the fact that I haven’t let him into my life yet. He’s right, too. He, uh, he sort of gave me an ultimatum. If I go to the ball, it means that I’m going to be honest with him. If I don’t…”
“I see.” He was pretty sure he did, too. “Well, that’s quite the situation you’ve got yourself. I think I could help you figure it out, if you want,” he added. “Of course, there’s just one thing I need from you before all that happens.”
“Excuse me?”
Brian patted her hand. “Tell me your name. It’s not Eve. I’ve figured out that much from listening to you. You wouldn’t have told me your real name if you’re this nervous about people knowing who you are. So, first things first. Who are you?”
The day had come, she thought. And he deserved to know. “Laurel,” she said after a few moments. “It’s not Eve. It’s Laurel. Oh, and I wash windows, waitress at a restaurant, and a few other odd jobs. I live in a pretty dangerous part of the city as I don’t exactly earn much. If this man I told you about ever came out there, he’d get mugged before he stepped out of his car. He’s from a pretty wealthy family, and I’m afraid that he won’t want me if he sees me for who I really am.” The words came out in a rush, and she felt relieved that they were out. Now, she waited for Brian’s reaction.
He could tell she was waiting for some sort of condemnation, and he decided he wasn’t going to give it to her. “Well, Laurel. It’s nice to finally meet you. I knew a Laurel once when I was younger. It’s a pretty name, and you shouldn’t hide it.” He smiled at her and received a tentative smile in return. “I’m not going to tell you that you’re right or wrong in not wanting to tell him. However, I think that if he really feels as strongly for you as you say, he’s not going to walk away. Not even if you tell him you’re homeless,” he joked. “Now, if you said you were a serial murderer, that might push him away.” He winked cheekily before becoming serious. “Laurel, if you care about him, you need to tell him. He deserves the truth.”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I thought so.” And then, she reached over and swatted his hair. “I’m no serial killer, and I can’t believe you would use that example!”
For a moment, he thought she was seriously angry, and then he saw the look in her eyes. “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t want to date you if you got your kicks by taking lives.” He swatted her right back. “You deserved that,” he added, seeing the frown in her eyes.
“I didn’t come here to get smacked around, you know.” Laurel folded her arms and slumped back on the couch. “And here I thought you were a nice guy.”
Brian grinned playfully. “Yeah, well, even we nice guys have our mean streaks.” He moved around to sit next to her. “Feel better?” he asked softly.
She looked up into his sincere blue eyes. He was so completely perfect, she realized. He hadn’t gotten angry over the lies she’d told him. In fact, he’d been more than accepting, and then he’d turned around and given her advice about her relationship. He was smart, cute, a total goofball, and a great listener. For the first time in a month, she let herself dwell, for a moment, on what could have been if he’d asked her out before James had.
“A lot better,” she replied after several moments. Leaning her head easily against his shoulder, she let her eyes close. “I like this.”
Brushing at her hair, his lips curved quietly. “I like it, too.” He paused for a moment. “Laurel, why don’t you spend the night here? I don’t like the idea of you going out at this time of the night,” he added quickly when she jolted in surprise and stared at him.
“Brian, I couldn’t. And I live there, so it’s not like I’m not used to it.” She patted his cheek. “It was a nice thought, though.”
“No, really. I’d consider it a favor if you stayed,” he insisted. “I really will worry about you, and it would help me sleep easier if I knew you were safe.” Ha. He wouldn’t sleep if she was in the bedroom next door, he thought wryly.
Laurel hemmed. Then she hawed. Mentally. Then she hemmed and hawed some more as she debated the issue. It would be nice not to have to hop the subway at two in the morning, she told herself. Then again, she really shouldn’t impose on Brian’s hospitality this way. One look at his face, though, told her that she wouldn’t be imposing.
“Come on, Laurel,” he pleaded, giving her a pitiful, puppy dog face. “Just one night. Whenever you need to leave for work, you can get going. In the meantime, you can have the run of this place. I don’t know if there’s actually any food in the kitchen, but you’re more than welcome to whatever. Plus, there’s a great big bed in the guest room. I bet you’re exhausted,” he added, beginning to see the light of surrender in her gorgeous, green eyes.
Damn it. “Okay.” When he cheered, she frowned. “It’s not like I’m staying forever, Brian.” Though the idea sounded so very appealing, she thought, studying him. Why did she feel closer to him than she’d ever felt to James? There’d been a click—a connection—with him from the instant she’d met him on the terrace at that club. Laurel shook it off. She was fantasizing where she shouldn’t be.
“Let me show you the room, and I can get you some sweats or whatever,” he added, glancing at her soft blue dress. “You’re only a couple inches shorter than me, so they’ll probably fit you. The bathroom’s through that door,” he motioned towards a closed door in his hallway, “and that’s the kitchen,” he gestured as they passed the darkened room full of gleaming appliances. “And this is yours.”
He pushed open a door and followed her in. Laurel noted the giant windows were in this room, too, just as the plush carpeting was spread through here, too. There was a mahogany dresser and an armchair leaned against one wall. What really got her, though, was the bed. It was a huge, four-poster decorated with tons of colorful pillows and a thick, forest green blanket.
“Wow. This is pretty spectacular for a guestroom,” she commented.
Brian grinned. “I just liked the set, so here it is. I’m gonna go get you those sweats, but let me know if you need anything else.”
“Sure,” she whispered when he’d disappeared. She sank onto the bed and couldn’t stop staring, wide-eyed, at her surroundings. “I suddenly feel like Cinderella.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next one! I've got at least two and a half more chapters already finished after this chapter, so updates will come soon!
