Foreboding trips down my spine, and a prickling dances over my scalp. I’m not accusing my father of issuing a threat, but that last statement felt…ominous.
“I’m going to be late for lunch if I don’t leave now. I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner,” I say.
“Let’s forego dinner tomorrow. Give one another space. We both have some thinking to do.”
Pain flares inside me, bright and searing. I blink against the sting of tears but refuse to let any fall. I’ve met my quota of crying in front of men who have their own agendas and priorities when I’m not one of them.
Clearing my throat, I nod. “If that’s what you’d like. I’ll give you a call in a few days then.” I glance at Justin one last time. “Justin.”
“Lennon” He takes a step toward me, his arm outstretched towards me. “Let me walk you to your car or wherever you’re headed. We have some things to discuss”
“No, I’m good.” At this moment, with my heart an emotional punching bag, I can’t handle another round of Justin’s “We Belong Together” talk. I…can’t. “And I don’t want to interrupt your plans. See you later.”
Not granting him the opportunity to object, I spin on my heel and walk off, not paying attention to where I’m going. Doesn’t matter. I just need to get away from the suffocating weight of my father’s disapproval.
Good luck since that would require somehow escaping myself.
* * *
Well,Dad ended up getting his way.
Huddling inside my coat, I stare at the majestic view of Mt. Rainier in the far distance. Through the dense border of trees, Puget Sound sparkles blue where the late October sun hits it. Boats of all sizes bob on the water, some far from shore and others docked out in our harbor. This peaceful, beautiful sight is the reason I come to this spot at the far edge of town. A tiny clearing surrounded on three sides by forest, it has one access road in, and I have to climb the small rise to reach this place. I found this slice of heaven by accident about five years ago while out driving, not expecting one of the several roads to bring me here. To what’s become my haven. Here, it’s just me, space and my thoughts. Or if I want, I don’t even need to have those.
Like today.
Sighing, I ignore the cold and sink down onto the ground. Lena and India hadn’t been angry when I bailed on our lunch date, but their concern had been evident. Especially Lena. I’d already violated our pact once with that trip into What-the-Hell-ville with King at Hunt Auto. But she didn’t have to worry. Up here, no one could reach me. Not my father. Not Justin. Not the gossip.
Not King.
“What’re you doing here?”
I bark out a sharp crack of incredulous laughter. And curse my body for perking up like, well,anyone, scenting bacon.
Isn’t he my personal bacon, though?
Tempting, fucking delicious and bad for my health.
Tilting my head back, I pretend my vagina didn’t just clench so hard I’ll have interesting bruising there in a few hours and look into the unholy beauty that is King Sullivan’s face.
“I’m minding my business. What are you doing here? Stalking is not only creepy, it’s a crime.”
His only reaction to my sarcasm is an arch of an eyebrow. But his eyes? I could get a sunburn from the intensity of that blue gaze on me.
“I own this property. Which means, technically, you’re trespassing.”
Frowning, I shove to my feet, dusting my palms on my black jeans. For a second, his scrutiny drops and lingers on my thighs, anddamn. It’s as if his long, elegant fingered hand palmed my legs, spread them wide and held me open for him to stare his fill.
My clit pulses behind my zipper and I’m dampening my panties with. One. Look.
“Since when?” I ask, covering my inconvenient lust with attitude.
I’m fighting for my pride and sanity here.
His gaze returns to mine. “Since I bought the house at the bottom of the hill.” He jerks his head in the direction of a break in the tree line. “One of the conditions of the sale was the purchase of this land and the access road for privacy reasons. I didn’t want reporters eventually finding their way up here to get pictures of not just me and the band but Gunner. My goal in bringing him here was for him to grow up as normal as possible. Every one of his moves being hawked and photographed and ending up on some tabloid site isn’t my definition of normal.” He twists and peers behind him as if he can glimpse the house and his son through the thick line of trees. “I should’ve taken care of finalizing all of the security details before we left L.A., but I thought I had more time.”
“In my defense, I’ve been coming up here a few years now. I didn’t know there was a house down there or that you’d bought it.”
He turns back around and pins me with those bright, intense eyes.