Riding into Love (3 page)

Chapter 4

D
rew reminisced about the way Alana had arrested his attention when she arrived at Blake's house the other night as he danced with Stacey. He remembered how her lips curled when she smiled, and those long sexy legs hidden beneath smooth stockings. Then, he envisioned Alana driving away at the end of the night. He had wanted to go with her for a nightcap. She intrigued and scared him at the same time, challenging his player status by causing him to desire her. Admittedly, he'd worked hard to avoid being caught up when they had dated before, because he couldn't imagine leaving her behind while he traipsed across the globe and he couldn't expect Alana, as dedicated as she was, to walk away from her profession.

Drew picked up his cell phone to call her and paused as his finger hovered over her name. Tossing the phone aside, Drew shook his head. What was he doing? Barrington men didn't chase women. Picking the phone back up, he called Hunter instead.

“What's up, Drew?” Hunter answered.

“Not much. Got any plans? I keep hearing about this new restaurant and lounge downtown on Atlantic. Let's go check it out. I'll have you home at a decent time so you can get your rest. I know you and Blake have a busy week coming up with this new case.”

“That sounds good, but let me check with Chey first. I think she had something planned.”

“Oh.” Blake mentioning Chey made Drew think of Alana. He wondered what she was doing. “Hey, don't let me impose on your plans. You'll just have to take me there before I leave in a few weeks. It will be your treat for making me wait. Ha!”

“It's always my treat when I hang out with you.”

“Well. You are the oldest.”

“Yeah. Whatever, lil brother.”

“Alright, Hunt. I'll catch up with you later. Tell Chey I said hello.”

“Cool.”

Drew put his phone aside and sat back in his black leather recliner. He looked around the four-story brownstone and noticed for the first time how barren that space felt. He'd purchased the home right after he had signed his first multimillion-dollar racing contract but only stayed there during the off-season. He spent most of the year at his homes in England and France, where he resided from March through November. Europe offered him a number of conveniences. Most of his races took place there. His time spent in the States was split between Brooklyn and his parents' sprawling home on the north shore of Long Island. He had inherited his proclivity to acquire interesting homes from his parents, who enjoyed dabbling in real estate as well.

Drew thought about calling Blake but figured he would also be spending this cold afternoon cozied up with his bride-to-be. Suddenly, he felt like the odd man out. He reached out to his cousin Lance, but the call went to voicemail. His other friends were scattered across the States and abroad, leaving him no more local options. The thought of calling Stacey came and went so fast it could have been a figment of his imagination. Drew looked at his phone, huffed and dialed Alana's number once again.

“Hello, Drew. How are you?”

“Well. Weren't you supposed to call me and let me know you got home safely?”

“That was two days ago.”

“Well, you didn't call.”

“You're too much. So what's up?”

“Nothing. Are you busy today?”

“I'm in for the afternoon. Why?”

“How about dinner?” he asked. Alana didn't respond right away. “Hello?” Drew looked at his phone to make sure that the call hadn't dropped and that she was still there. “Did you hear me?”

“Thanks for asking, but I don't think that would be a good idea.”

It was Drew's turn to be silent. He couldn't think of any reason why going to dinner with him would be unwise. “Why not?” His confusion splayed across in his tone.

Alana sighed. “I just... It's not a good time.”

“Since when has that made a difference?” Drew tried to keep his disappointment out of his voice.

Alana waited a beat before responding. “I'm sorry, Drew. I just can't go. I hope you understand.”

“Sure,” he said, even though he didn't.

“Take care, Drew.” Alana hung up before he could answer.

“What the hell just happened?” Drew asked aloud.

Unaccustomed to rejection, he was puzzled by her snub. Women didn't turn him down. Even after their rendezvous, Alana had never refused to hang out with him. He tried to come up with a sensible explanation, but after tossing several scenarios across his mind, he still couldn't figure out why she'd brushed him off. Then he thought back to Friday night at the party. Had he done or said something to Alana to offend her? He couldn't recall and he hadn't been intoxicated enough to forget.

Drew got up from his recliner, grabbed his coat and the key to his newest SUV. Casually, he rode through residential streets of his coveted Clinton Hill neighborhood until he hit DeKalb. After driving a few blocks, he pulled up near the entrance of a crowded sports bar. Preferring not to be alone, Drew went inside, ordered a beer and settled right into the midst of the rambunctious crowd taking in the football game playing on several flat screens throughout the bar, which resembled a sports fanatic's recreational haven. NFL and college team paraphernalia covered the walls to the point where you could hardly see the wood panels. Sturdy tables stood erect in the center of the restaurant, flanked by green leather stools.

The Panthers rise to the playoffs had both excited and pissed off the hard-core New York fans that frequented the place. Collectively they weren't happy about the fact that neither their Jets nor the Giants made it to this point in the playoffs. The spectators cheered, cursed and joked about the plays being made. Drew joined in the fare, making fast friends. The camaraderie helped him forget about his earlier rejection. However, when the game was over and the chicken-wings-and-fries-eating crowd thinned out, it all came crashing back to him.

Drew wasn't quite ready to go home to all that quiet. Instead, he maneuvered down Atlantic Avenue to the Conduit, hit the Belt Parkway and found himself sitting in front of Alana's condominium in Long Island. Drew could tell she was surprised from the look on her face when she opened the door.

Drew stood before her, ignoring her perplexed expression while taking in the curves behind that tank top and sweatpants she wore. As casually as she was dressed, she still looked sexy enough to Drew to elicit a slight response from his groin area. Distancing himself from her allure, he refocused. He needed to understand what happened on the phone earlier.

Drew tilted his head to the side. “Did you actually say no to
me
?”

Chapter 5

A
horn blew and Alana looked at her watch. Cadence and Blake were right on time. Ever since Cadence had told her about the evening's plans, Alana had been overcome with giddy merriment. She had stopped by her favorite boutique on the way home from the office to pick up the perfect outfit. Tilting left and then right, she now assessed her attire in her dressing-room mirror. Satisfied, she trotted down the steps in her spacious townhome, grabbed a full-length mink from the front closet and threw it across her arm as she headed out the door. She was so excited she barely felt the cold. It was as if her strapless jumpsuit were enough to shield her from the frigid air.

Alana could hardly believe she was on her way to a movie premiere and exclusive after-party. The lead was played by Christian Jacobs, her all-time-favorite actor, whom she thoroughly enjoyed fawning over. She knew he was married but wondered if his wife would allow her to give him a kiss if she got close enough. Alana laughed aloud at herself as she headed up the walk.

Alana whistled as the driver walked around and opened the door for her.

“We're traveling fancy tonight,” she said as she ducked her head inside.

Her next words caught in her throat when her eyes landed on Drew reaching a hand in her direction to help her in. She hadn't thought to ask if Drew would be joining them when Cadence had invited her to the premiere. Nervous bursts of energy erupted in her stomach.

Alana cleared her throat and fixed a smile on her face. “Hey, Drew. How are you, Blake?” Her smile faded. “Cadence.” She greeted her friend stiffly, upset that she hadn't given her prior notice—even a text—about Drew. Alana gave Cadence
the eye
, a look that was code for
we'll talk about this later
.

Cadence sunk into her shoulders just a little and smiled guiltily.

Drew
. Alana took a breath and feigned another smile in his direction as the driver took off. Wasting no time, Drew slid over next to Alana.

“I know you received my many messages.” He stressed the word
many
. She'd left all his calls and texts unanswered since the day he showed up at her door.

“I've been really busy.” Though the interior of the car was already dim, Alana averted her eyes as she spoke.

“All lies!” Drew exclaimed.

Alana whipped her head in his direction. She couldn't believe he called her a liar—even if she did just tell a blatant untruth. Drew sported a wide Cheshire grin. Alana shook her head, glad that he was teasing.

“What's wrong? Do my good looks and charming personality make you uncomfortable?”

“Oh please!” She rolled her eyes. Both Blake and Cadence snickered.

“So why are you avoiding me?”

“I'm not avoiding you, Drew,” she lied again. “I'm a busy girl.” Another excuse. The night he showed up at her door, she'd told him that she wasn't feeling well in order to get him to leave. It worked. When he left, she'd laughed, tickled by how baffled he was at her refusal to go out with him. Drew was so unaccustomed to rejection that he couldn't comprehend the reality of that situation. He had still looked confused as he walked away that night.

“Okay. I'll accept that...this time.”

Alana took a deep breath and turned to Blake. “Thanks so much for inviting me. This is so exciting. I don't think I've actually been in the midst of celebrities before.”

Before Blake could respond, Drew jumped in. “You're welcome, but you've been around me thousands of times so what would be different about tonight?”

“Wait! This wasn't Blake's doing?”

Donning a proud smile, Drew shook his head. “I invited all of you. This is what I called you for, but you wouldn't answer.”

“Well, then, thank you, Drew.” Alana stopped there. She didn't want to make a big deal about her excitement now that she knew that this was Drew's doing. His ego was big enough without her efforts.

“Is anyone else joining us tonight?” Alana asked. She felt like she'd been duped into a double date. She noticed how unusually quiet Blake was. It was obvious that she was the last to know all the details about the evening's festivities and she was more than a little annoyed.

When the car pulled up in front of the theater on Broadway in the heart of the theater district, Alana was the first to get out. She didn't even wait for the driver to open the door. She stood to the side until all the others climbed out of the car and then hung back to walk behind them at a distance. Alana was determined not to look like she was on a date with Drew. But, gentleman that he was, Drew gestured for her to walk ahead of him. Taking quick steps, she was on Blake's heels, creating as much space as possible between her and Drew. Excited spectators stood behind stanchions, screaming and snapping pictures with everything from high-quality cameras to cell phones. Alana was too busy focusing on how far she was from Drew to enjoy the celebrity treatment. She assumed those onlookers would end up deleting their pictures of her once they realized they didn't know who she was.

Under the bright lights inside the theater's lobby, Alana noticed how ruggedly handsome Drew looked in his well-fitting tuxedo. She also noticed how women stole glances, smiled coyly or winked at him. He took it all in stride with the charm of a skilled player.

A stunning gentleman with sharp facial features and long, dusty blond hair spotted Drew, raced over and swallowed him up in a bear hug. Drew introduced the fellow as his friend and new Delgado team member. He was also the brother-in-law of one of the actors in the film, and the person who had invited Drew to the evening's festivities.

“Follow me,” Sean said, leading them inside the theater. His French accent made it hard to understand what he said at first.

Drew and Sean chatted cheerfully as they walked down the aisle. Sean waved them into a row of seats near the front. Excitement bubbled inside of Alana as she recognized all the celebrities around her, mingling, talking and finding seats. She felt like a little girl on her first trip to Disney World. People whom she'd watched on big and little screens for years smiled, nodded and even waved as she made her way to their seats. She forgot about avoiding Drew until he plopped into the seat next to her.

The lights flickered, indicating that the movie was about to start. The cast entered the theater from the stage doors on either side of the screen. People cheered. Alana actually held her breath to keep from screaming when Christian Jacobs entered, made eye contact, smiled and nodded before being seated with his cast members along the front row. He had been within twenty feet of her. She wanted to fall into her chair but had too much poise to allow that to happen.

The lights went out. The screen lit up and music filled the theater. Alana put her hand to her chest and exhaled. This was certainly a night she'd never forget.

When the movie was over, they were ushered to their limos and taken to the private after-party at an enclosed rooftop venue overlooking Lexington Avenue. Alana was a born and bred New Yorker with a few well-established corporate connections, but she had never heard of or seen this place before. Alana looked around in awe at the all-white walls, furniture and carpet. As the place filled up, she wondered how the floor stayed clean. Several crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and sparkled in their reflection against the wall of windows that boasted a magnificent view of New York City's famous, glistening skyline. Servers in black bottoms, white shirts and white gloves passed champagne and canapés throughout the room.

Blake, Drew, Cadence and Alana found a comfortable spot to sit, eat the canapés and sip their champagne as they took in views of the skyline. They talked about how great the movie was and how lucky they were to have been able to see it before it hit theaters the next day. Music flowed and Alana was finally relaxed enough to really begin to enjoy herself. She still worked to keep her distance from Drew no matter how many times he parked himself by her side. She made sure her body language clearly told him to stand back.

Applause started as a low rumble and expanded until everyone in the room stood, clapped and cheered while the cast entered. Alana's breath caught for the umpteenth time that night as Christian and his stunning fellow cast members entered the room. All of them looked more exquisite in person than they had on the screen. Christian's wife was also stunning. Alana wanted to ask where she'd gotten her shoes and figured it was probably in another country. They went through the crowd slapping high fives, giving hugs and laughing as they greeted and thanked their guests and supporters, including Alana, Blake and Cadence.

Christian approached them and took Drew's hand. He pointed as recognition hit him. “You're Sean's buddy, right?”

“Yeah.” Drew's smile was charming.

Christian pulled him in for a hug. “I saw you race last year in Qatar. A few of us came out to root for Sean.”

“I remember.”

“Good times!” Christian said. “You're on the same team now.”

Sean walked up.

“Yep.” Drew nodded.

“Now I don't have to worry about him beating me!” Sean said, laughing.

“We'll be at a few of your races this year. I look forward to seeing you again and more partying, of course.” Christian raised his brows and smiled as if there was a lot more to the idea of parties.

Surprisingly, Alana felt a slight pang of jealousy ball in her stomach. She looked away.

“Let me introduce you to my people,” Drew said. “This is my brother Blake, his fiancée, Cadence, and my...a good friend, Alana.”

Alana didn't miss Drew's pause and wondered what he meant to say.

They all smiled and shook Christians's hand. Immediately after Alana shook hands, she and Cadence headed to the bathroom. Inside, she released the giggles that she'd held inside so she could remain poised in front of Christian and Drew.

“We shook Christian Jacob's hand,” Cadence squealed.

“I can't believe it,” Alana said. “I can't even believe we are here with all these celebrities just chilling out like regular folk.”

Cadence refreshed her lipstick in front of the mirror. Alana examined her makeup and decided that her lips were in need of freshening as well. Cadence put her lipstick in her evening bag and stared at Alana.

“What?” Alana asked.

“Did you hear Drew pause when he was introducing us to Christian? What was he about to say?”

“I don't know. I don't want to know and I don't care.”

Cadence cast an unbelieving stare. “And I don't believe that.”

“I don't have the time, tolerance or patience for Drew. I told you. I'm done with players.” Alana returned her attention to her lips, looked them over and put her lipstick back in her purse. She turned to Cadence and raised her brow. “And why didn't you tell me that he was coming? Imagine my surprise when I realized he was the one responsible for tonight.”

“They asked me not to say anything.”

Alana narrowed her eyes at her even more.

“He just wanted to hang out with you and this was the perfect opportunity. You've been avoiding him the whole time he's been home and he can't seem to understand why.”

That almost made Alana feel bad, but when she thought of protecting her heart, she refused to allow herself to be caught up in his web and brushed off that slight feeling of guilt. “You're my friend, Cadence. You should have said something.”

“I'm sorry. They made me promise.” Cadence pouted. “You forgive me?”

“Hell yeah! I'm having a good time!” Alana shooed her. “Now let's get back to this party.”

Cadence paused just as they were about to walk out of the bathroom. Turning to Alana, she pointed. “Now that you know he really wanted you to be here, stop avoiding him. You've been doing it all night.”

Like a scolded child, Alana tilted her head. “You have to be careful with men like Drew. I can't afford to let him charm me like a wild snake. Next thing you know, I'll be looking for my panties and wondering how my dress ended up in the chandelier. He's a wild one!”

Cadence looked at her for a moment before she burst with laughter. The ladies rejoined their party and had a blast meeting some of the celebrities they admired the most. Alana especially enjoyed the relaxed vibe.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Drew handed her a flute of champagne. He was at her side once again.

“Yes. This entire night was incredible. Thanks,” she said sincerely.

“I'm glad.”

Giving him the lukewarm shoulder, Alana moved to the music but didn't continue the conversation. She assumed that Drew wasn't going to ask her to dance again since she kept declining his offer each time he asked. They stood on the sidelines watching Blake, Cadence and the rest of the partygoers cut the beautiful white rug. She smiled as she scanned the room, trying to burn this night into her memory. Who knew if she'd experience something like this ever again?

When her eyes swept across the room once again and landed on her ex James, who was staring right back at her, she almost choked. Where had he come from? She hadn't seen him all night. Who was he with? Not that she cared—anymore.

Taking Drew by the hand, she dragged him to the dance floor and pulled him close. Drew looked at her suspiciously but danced with her anyway. Cautiously, he placed his hand on her waist. Alana stepped closer, shifting his hands to her backside, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Drew's head reared back in shock and he smiled. She didn't. She was too busy watching James in her peripheral vision. Alana wanted him to know that she had moved on. Finally, James turned away, peeling his glare away from Alana and Drew, but then he planted a slow, soft kiss on the cheek of the woman next to him. She tittered. He looked back at Alana and grinned. She knew she shouldn't but leaned in anyway. When her lips connected with Drew's, her stomach tightened. Drew took that kiss as an invitation to go deeper and kissed her with so much hunger right there on the dance floor that he left her breathless. Alana felt as if she had been transported to another place. When they opened their eyes, Cadence and Blake were staring at them.