“No
pink sheets, Lucky.” Zane squeezed my hand. “Please no pink sheets.”
“I’m
not a little princess, you know.”
“You’re
my princess.” He purred and I punched his arm. He grabbed me around the waist
and pulled me towards him, and I squealed as I pushed him backwards. He held
onto me as he fell back and we both landed on the queen-sized display bed that
was behind him. “Lucky, I know you want me, but we’re in public.” He grinned at
me as we lay on our backs.
“You
wish.” I shook my head and tried to sit up. He pulled me back down towards him
and kissed me hard and I melted against him, enjoying the warm sweetness of his
lips on mine.
He
smiled as he pulled away from me and licked my lips. “You taste like honey.”
“It’s
maple syrup.”
“Well,
it’s good.” He leaned towards me again and ran his tongue over my bottom lip
slowly. I stared into his eyes, and we laid there for a moment, just gazing at
each other.
“Excuse
me, excuse me! You guys can’t be on the bed doing that.” I looked up,
embarrassed, and saw an elderly lady staring at us with a shocked expression.
“You two need to get up off the bed. This is a reputable business, not a
brothel.” She glared at us and I jumped up off of the bed quickly. Zane stood
up slowly and smiled at the lady.
“Sorry,
ma’am, my whore and I got a little carried away.”
“Zane!”
I gasped and noticed the lady’s face turn red. She turned away from us mumbling
something about how rude this generation was.
I
turned on him and hissed, “Zane, how could you say that?”
My face was still flushing a deep red
and I wanted to sink into the ground.
“You
know you’re not my whore, but what did that busybody expect after saying we
thought this was a brothel?” He grinned and grabbed my hand. “Now let’s get
these sheets and get out of here. I don’t think I’m made for Ikea.”
“You
don’t even know Ikea.” I shook my head. “I didn’t know you were an elitist
about where your sheets came from.”
“I’m
not. I just want to be somewhere a little less crowded with you.” He ran his
hand down to my ass and I swatted it away.
“Zane,”
I protested quickly. “Let’s not get kicked out.”
“I
don’t mind if we do.” He looked sheepish.
“You’re
bored, aren’t you?” I laughed. “Let me choose something and we can leave.” I
spotted a green duvet cover with circles on it and rushed over. “Oh, look at
this. I love it. Don’t you love it?” I grabbed the package and stared at it
before eagerly showing it to Zane.
“Not
really,” he grimaced.
“What
do you like?” I put the package down and walked over to a plain sky-blue cover.
“Something like this?”
“No.”
He shook his head and walked over to a black striped set.
“No
way.” My voice rose, and this time it was me shaking my head. “There is no way
I’m sleeping in a death bed.”
“A
death bed?” He looked amused.
“The
color black in a home is not for me,” I said. “It’s too gloomy. I prefer bright
colors. Don’t get me wrong, though, I’ll wear black clothes.” I laughed loudly.
“I do like the slimming look.”
“You
don’t need any help looking slim.” He purred and I hit him in the arm.
“You’re
such a suck-up, Zane.”
“And
you love it.” He paused. “I mean, I’m sure you loved it when I gave you super
big tips.”
“You
did that on purpose?” I turned around and gasped. “I mean, of course you did it
on purpose, but did you do it to suck up to me?” I laughed at his ‘you-got-me’
expression. “I guess I should say thanks. You saved me from getting evicted
many times.”
“You
were that broke?” He frowned.
“Yes,”
I sighed, remembering all the stress from the last year. “My parents didn’t
have an insurance policy when they died. I had to use my student loans and
credit cards to pay for the funeral expenses.”
“Couldn’t
you use money from the estate?” He looked upset and I shook my head.
“There
was no estate. My parents were in pre-foreclosure.” I sighed as I remembered
the stress they had been in before they died. “They were fighting just to keep
the house.”
“I’m
sorry.” His voice was tight. “I don’t want you to worry about money with me,
Lucky.”
“I
don’t want your money, Zane. This can’t be about money.” My throat constricted
as I looked up at his face, which was growing increasingly angrier. “Please
understand that.”
“I
don’t understand why you won’t let me help you.”
“A
relationship built unevenly isn’t solid, Zane, and money makes things uneven.”
I stared into his eyes, hoping he would understand where I was coming from. “I
don’t want to be dependent on you.”
“I
want you to be dependent on me. I want to be your provider.” His words came out
hoarsely. “I would do anything for you, Lucky. Money means nothing to me. I
just want you to be happy and safe. And you’re not going to be safe if you’re on
the streets.”
“Well,
right now I’m in Los Feliz.” I smiled weakly.
“Yes.”
He stared at me for a few seconds and turned away. “What about this one?” He
walked over and picked up a cream duvet cover with a shiny silver pattern
running across it. I was glad for the change of subject and looked at it.
“I
love it,” I beamed. “I really love it.”
“Should
we get the matching sheet set, as well?”
“I
… uh, sure.”
“I’ll
pay.” Zane’s voice was firm.
“No,”
I sighed. “I’ll buy the duvet cover. You can buy the sheets.”
“I
don’t want you spending your money on me, Lucky.”
“Please,
Zane.” I looked at him with pleading eyes, hoping he would understand how
important it was for me to do this.
“Fine.”
He took my hand and kissed it. “You’re one in a million, Lucky Starr Morgan.”
I
blushed as I noticed the stares of those all around us, and my heart stilled at
the tenderness in his voice. Everything was going to work out. We’d figure it
out. No matter what happened, we’d get over it. Some of the worry in my gut
left me and I sidled up to him, cherishing the warmth of his body next to mine.
“Shall
we go to the bookstore next?” He kissed my cheek and a flow of electricity
passed between us.
“Maybe
tomorrow?” I didn’t want to go and look at pregnancy books today. Everything
was still so fresh and new between us. I didn’t want that additional pressure
and worry to hit us so quickly. “Let’s go grocery shop
,
so I can make a great dinner for Leonardo.”
“Oh,
yes.” He pulled away from me. “You know, Lucky, sometimes we have to do things
we think are for the best.”
“Uh
huh.” I looked at him suspiciously. “And you’re telling me this because…?”
“I’d
do anything for you, Lucky. You are more important to me than I am to myself.
Even if that means you being with someone else.”
“What
are you talking about?” It was my turn to frown and look at him. “I don’t want
to be with anyone else, and I can look after myself.”
“Well,
I beg to differ.” He smirked. “I do remember having to rescue you on a certain
dark night in Florida.”
“I
didn’t need you to rescue me.” I glared at him and pulled away. Sometimes Zane
was so obnoxious and annoying that he made my blood boil. I knew he had issues,
but there was no way I was going to let him treat me like some 50s housewife
who depended on her husband for everything. Even though he wasn’t my husband. I
could just imagine if I brought up the word
husband
to him. I bet he’d freak out. I giggled to myself, imagining what his face
would look like. Maybe it would stop him from thinking crazy thoughts and
talking even crazier.
***
“Hi,
I’m Leonardo. Yes, like DiCaprio, and no, I’m not him.” Leonardo shook my hand
and smiled warmly at me. “I had to give you that disclaimer, as I knew you were
wondering.”
I
laughed at his joke and felt myself relaxing at his warmness. I had been
silently worried all night that Zane’s best friend was going to be as cold and
as fake as the people at his party.
“Zane
didn’t tell me you could read minds.” I grinned back at him and studied his
face. He may not have been the real deal, but Leonardo was possibly even better
looking than his namesake. He had short, dark blond hair and sparkling blue
eyes. His skin was a golden tan and it positively glowed against his white
shirt. But it wasn’t his looks that drew me in, it was the warmth and honesty
in his eyes. Implicitly, I trusted and liked Leonardo. There was something
about him that made me feel special and warm.
“Zane
never tells people of all my positive qualities.” He laughed. “He just wants
everyone to think I’m just a pretty face.”
“You
wish, Leo.” Zane came up behind me and slid his arm around my waist. “I don’t
think anyone’s ever said you had a pretty face.”
“Well,
the girl last night did,” Leo began and then glanced at me. “Oops, sorry. I
forgot I was in the company of a lady and not just a Neanderthal.”
“No
problem.” I giggled and ushered him into the dining room. “Please, have a seat.
Dinner’s almost ready. I hope you like lamb.”
“I
love lamb.” Leo smiled at me warmly. “In fact, it’s my favorite meat.”
“It’s
mine, as well.”
“Okay,
guys.” Zane grabbed my hand. “Lucky, let me help you finish up in the kitchen.”
“No,
no. Stay with your guest.” I pushed him away and walked to the kitchen. I
looked back and saw Zane frowning at Leonardo and whispering something hastily
at him. Zane looked slightly upset and I stared at him in bewilderment. What
was his problem? Leo just stood there smiling, and eventually Zane shook his
head and backed away from him. I turned back around quickly and went to check
on my herb roasted potatoes. As I checked to make sure they were cooked to a
nice crisp, I frowned at what I had just seen. Why had Zane been so upset? He
couldn’t have been mad just because we had been lightly flirting, could he?
As
I went to pull the salad out of the fridge, my phone beeped and I picked it up
from the table. When I saw Leeza’s name, I smiled and opened her text message
eagerly. I felt the blood drain from my face as I stared at the words on the
screen:
Lucky call me NOW! I’m
really worried about you. I have some new information. Zane is not who he
seems. Call me now.
I
dropped the phone on the table in shock and it slammed down, making a loud
noise.
“Everything
okay, Lucky?” Zane’s voice sounded concerned as he walked into the kitchen. His
eyes looked at me with a worried expression, and I attempted to smile back at
him without showing him how anxious I was feeling.
“I’m
… it’s fine.” I nodded my head and stood there for a moment, trying to ignore
the urge to ask him if there was something he wanted to tell me. “I just need
to make a call. Can you pour the wine for me?”
“Sure.”
He stood there for a moment as if he wanted to say something else. “Let me know
if anything is wrong, please.”
“Sure.”
I hurried out of the kitchen with my phone and ran up the stairs and went into
my room. I locked the door and called Leeza.
“Lucky?”
She answered on the first ring. “Thank God
,
you’re
okay.”
“What’s
going on, Leeza?” I whispered into the phone.
“Lucky,
do you remember that guy Evan from the party?”
“Who?”
“The
guy I tried to set you up with?”
“Not
really?” I frowned. “Can you hurry it up please? I’m in the middle of a dinner
party.”
“I
saw Evan last night, Lucky, and …”
“Lucky,
everything okay?” Zane banged on the door, his voice loud and concerned.
“Yes,
I’ll be right out,” I called out. “Leeza, please hurry, I have to go,” I
whispered into the phone.
“Lucky,
Evan told me that Zane knew …” Leeza’s phone crackled.
“Zane
knew what? I can’t hear you,” I hissed.
“My
phone has bad reception, Lucky,” Leeza said hurriedly. “But be careful … Zane…
Evan said … stalking … blackmailed him …” And then the phone disconnected.
I
stood there with my heart pounding. I had no idea what Leeza had been trying to
tell me, but from the words I had heard, it didn’t sound like anything good. I
felt my blood chill and I wondered at just what I had gotten myself into. I loved
Zane, but I wasn’t sure that I really knew him at all. I stood there
uncertainly, wondering what to do. I wanted to ask Zane what was going on but
it didn’t feel right to question him without knowing the full story. What had
Leeza meant? She couldn’t have been trying to say that Zane was a stalker,
could she? I just didn’t believe that could be true. It just couldn’t be true.