Chapter 4
Bella slipped her shades on, hiding behind the security of them as she neared the general area of the airport. Photographers would be waiting for her the moment she got there, and she didn’t want them catching the bags under her eyes that no amount of makeup could completely cover. In the last six months she’d flown around the world twice, taken millions of photos, worn thousands of outfits, walked in dozens of shows, and now she was finally home.
She was ready to go curl up in her bed and sleep for the first full week of her two-week break she’d made Mandy schedule for her. The summer heat was seeping into the airport forcing the air conditioner to work overtime and she pulled her light lace cardigan around her shoulders to ward off the chill that ran down her back. She unwound her hair letting it provide additional protection from the photographers she could already see. When they spotted her, they raised their cameras and began snapping photos, she rolled her eyes behind the shades as she forced herself to look forward and not respond to their shouts.
Tyler heard the calls as he walked into the airport. He’d cancelled Bella’s car, deciding to pick her up himself in order to spend some time with her. He’d seen her a handful of times as she popped in and out of places but despite needing her input a few times had barely managed to speak to her since New Year’s when she had flown out to her shoot. He cut through the crowd and placed himself directly in her path waiting for her to notice him.
Bella’s steps nearly faltered when she spotted the tall figure making its way through the crowd and as he moved into her path, she grinned, widening her steps eating up the distance between them. She sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged tightly, lifting her off the ground and kissing her forehead as always.
“What are you doing here?” she asked once he’d put her back down on her feet.
“I figured the only way to get time with my Bella was to ambush you,” he said taking her bag and putting a protective arm around her shoulders. “I cancelled your car and told Mandy I’d pick you up—she seemed giddy about the prospect.”
“I’m sure she did, and she most likely also tipped off the photogs that I’d be arriving now,” Bella stated. “Don’t be surprised if our picture appears all over the tabloids tomorrow.”
“I’m sure I’ll manage,” he assured her as he handed her into the car and closed the door.
She turned to him pushing up the sunglasses so she could see him in the shaded car.
“Christ Bella, you look like you haven’t slept in a year,” he said reaching out and rubbing his thumb underneath her eye.
“Six months,” she teased leaning over and kissing his cheek. “Which is why I’m here so take me home James.”
“I’ll James you,” he mocked starting the car and pulling away. “So…how’s Chrysler?”
“Chrysler?” she asked confused.
“The male model you’ve been seen all over Europe with.”
“Oh, you mean Craig, the decisivelygaymale model who’s been using me to gain fame and fortune by showing up wherever I happen to be and butting his way into photos?” she countered explaining away the appearance of the other man.
“He doesn’t seem gay to me, especially not when his hands are all over you,” he replied flatly, holding onto his jealousy.
“Trust me, he’s gay, he just hasn’t come out because he does so well with mixed company shoots. Besides he’s about twenty years old much too young for this old girl,” she teased.
“If you’re old what does that make me?”
“Ancient,” she suggested leaning back into the comfort of the leather seat letting the heat soothe her weary body into contentment. She closed her eyes basking in it and when she reopened them, she was in her bed with the covers tucked around her and the moon shining in through the open windows.
She stretched as she sat up relieved to find herself still half dressed. A low murmuring caught her ear, and she made her way to the living room, propping her hip against the doorjamb when she spied Tyler watching the news.
“Well, hey there gorgeous,” he said catching sight of her. “Hope you don’t mind I stuck around.”
“Not at all,” she replied. “I’m guessing you also carried me up from the car and put me to bed?”
“You were out cold—speaking of cold, aren’t you a bit cool in that?”
“Oh, relax Ty,” she laughed. “I’m more covered than I am in the billboard photo hanging in Times Square.”
“But you’re not sleepy eyed with hair that says you just got out of bed on the billboard,” he said growing uncomfortable with his body’s fast reaction to her.
“Seriously what’s your problem? I wear less than this on the beach and at the pool,” she threw out at him wondering if this was left over from Christmas.
“Seriously Bella you have to ask?” he retorted. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here and you’re parading in very little, when we’re in your apartment alone.”
“What do you think I’m going to do? Jump you? Relax Ty, I swear if I knew going back to modeling would make you act like this, I’d never have done it,” she sighed flopping down onto the couch across from him and pulling the throw up over her lap.
He pushed a hand through his hair and crossed the room to crouch down in front of her. “No, I’m sorry Bella—you caught me off guard. The news station was showing footage of us from the airport and then pictures of you and that joker. Then there you were fresh from bed…”