Claiming Magique: 1 (22 page)

Alexa
still wanted to run, but didn’t move.

“I want to fall asleep holding you,”
he murmured, “and wake up in each other’s arms. I know there will be times when
we’ll get on each other’s nerves and argue, but that’s okay. I’ll hang out with
Tim and David to give you space. You can—”

He stopped and shook his head. “I
can’t stand the thought of you being with other men. I want you for my own. I
need to be the guy who makes you laugh, who you tell stuff to, like winning
that science award when you were nine or performing in that dance thing when
you were six.”

My god, she’d forgotten about that
recital until now. She’d been pudgy, clumsy and wore glasses. Neither her
father nor her mother had attended the show, sending her nanny instead. “You
know about that too?”

He smiled. “You were so damn
adorable.” He studied her face, his expression flooding with wonder. “I want to
know more, everything there
is
, all of your secrets,
and if you’ll listen I’ll tell you all that I can about myself. Even how scared
I am right now.”

Tears stung her eyes. “You’re
afraid?”

“Of course.
Probably more than you.”

That wasn’t possible. Her heart
couldn’t beat any faster. “This is so hard—too hard. It shouldn’t be.”

“Says who?”

All those psychobabble talk shows
she’d watched.
“What about all the guys I’ve been with?
What I’ve been doing?
Who I am.
Not
Alexa
,
Magique
. You said you
can’t stand that.”

“If it were
to continue.
Look, I wasn’t a monk before I met
you. Your past is just that.
Yours.
No judgment, all
right?”

She didn’t know what to say.

“We’ll go
slow
,”
he murmured. “We could start with lunch this coming Wednesday at my favorite
restaurant. We’ll pretend you’re following me again.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Hunt thumbed it away,
then
ran his fingers over her lips. She smiled at how they
tingled, then thought better of it and sobered.

“Please,” he said, “give us a
chance. We can—”

He stopped at the sound of a motor
outside. The flap to the tent
parted,
followed by a
young male voice
Alexa
hadn’t heard before. “Mr. Prescott,
the car’s here for Ms. Marsh.”

“Give us a minute,” Hunt called out,
then turned her face back to his. “I need an answer about what happens now with
us, whether you’ll meet me on Wednesday. Will you?”

She couldn’t say yes, she couldn’t
say no. She wanted to bitch at him for putting her into such an impossible
position, start an argument that would allow them to part with some measure of
relief. At least until the heartache hit.

Hunt didn’t seem to mind the coming
sorrow. With more courage than she felt, he waited for her answer.

She rolled away from him and left
the bed, grabbing her heels and cape that one of the escorts had thought to lay
on the edge of the mattress.

The bedsprings squeaked as Hunt
shifted his position, but he didn’t say anything.

Alexa
finally turned. Something indescribable washed over her at
how unguarded he looked, how accessible, his hair sticking in all directions
from their bed play, his beautiful eyes filled with what? Hope?
Desire?
Acceptance of whatever she was and had been,
affording her what she’d always yearned for from a man? His approval left her
dizzy and weak, scared as hell too. Her pulse beat so crazily, she was certain
he could hear it.

Outside the tent, the Town Car’s
motor hummed. Birds alighted on the top of the canvas, their wings flapping
before they settled down and broke out in song.

Hunt continued
to hold her gaze. “Tell me to leave you alone and I will. Tell me you don’t
love me as I believe you do and that’ll be the end of it.”

Her mouth
trembled. She tried to say the words, to lie, but couldn’t.

He took a deep
breath and
sighed
it out. “Then tell me you’ll meet me
on Wednesday.”

Such an easy matter to agree to and yet so difficult for
her, because she had no experience with loving a man this much.
She knew rejection, solitude,
protecting herself above all else. That should have told Hunt to run from her
as fast as he was able.

He didn’t move.

At last,
Alexa
murmured the only thing she could, “I’ll try.”

It hadn’t been Ronnie’s intent to
join Wallace when he picked up
Alexa
, but he
persuaded her it might be for the best.

“She really likes Mr. Prescott,”
he’d said, “more than she can help herself.” With his arm linked through hers,
he’d led Ronnie to the Town Car. A casual observer might have thought they were
a couple, rather than her requiring his support to walk such a short distance.

Once he’d settled her in the front
passenger seat, he’d added, “After spending so much time with him, I’m afraid
she might need you.”

No kidding.
Alexa
departed the tent like a zombie, clutching her high heels to her chest rather
than wearing them, seemingly unaware of the gravel beneath her naked feet. Her
eyes were wet, her mouth quivering as though she was trying very hard not to cry.

Ronnie figured Hunt must have
declared himself. If he’d been mean or had disappointed
Alexa
in the least, she would have worn her screw-you expression, convincing herself
that he was no different from any other guy and she was lucky to be rid of him.

She finally made it to the vehicle’s
door and simply stared at it.

Wallace leaned toward Ronnie and
mumbled, “Should I give her a bit more time to decide if she wants to go back
to him?”

“You better get the door,” Ronnie
said.

He helped
Alexa
into the backseat. She chewed the side of her thumb and kept sneaking peeks at
the tent as though she hoped—or dreaded—Hunt coming out of it.

Ronnie turned a bit more in her
seat, waiting for
Alexa
to notice her.

She didn’t. What in the hell had
happened in there, outside of Hunt telling
Alexa
he
loved her? Had he proposed marriage?
Children?

Wallace guided the sedan down the
incline.
Alexa
dropped her heels and turned
completely around, looking at the tent from the back window, her fingertips
touching the glass.

Ronnie exchanged a glance with
Wallace.

“Everything all right?” he asked
Alexa
.

She sagged against the seat,
noticing Ronnie. “What are you doing here?” She sat up and touched Ronnie’s
shoulder. “Are you feeling okay? You look tired.”

“So do you.”

Alexa’s
face turned a bright red. Snatching back her hand, she
pulled her fingers through her hair, combing it as best she could.

“Anything you want to talk about?”
Ronnie asked.

“I swear I won’t listen,” Wallace
said.

Alexa
whimpered.

“Stop the car,” Ronnie told him. “I’ll
get in the backseat. All right?” she asked
Alexa
.

“No. Stay where you are.” She pulled
up her legs and wrapped her arms around them like a frightened little girl.
“You should be in bed. Why did you follow me out here? Nothing happened.”

“Nothing?”

Alexa’s
chin trembled.

Ronnie murmured, “Did Hunt tell you
he loves you?”

“No.”

“You’re kidding,” Wallace said.
“What a bastard.”

Ronnie slapped his arm and turned
back to
Alexa
. “Is that why you’re upset?”

“No—I’m not upset. He wants to see
me again. Get to know me.
Go grocery
shopping.”

“He wants you to move in with him?”
Ronnie blurted.

Wallace cut in, “Maybe he wants to
get married.”

All the blood drained from
Alexa’s
face. “He wants to have lunch with me next
Wednesday.
Just lunch…to start our relationship.”

“You said yes?” Wallace asked.

Alexa
lowered her head to her knees.

Ronnie’s heart twisted. “Did you say
no?”

“I said I’d try.”

“And will you?” Ronnie asked.

Alexa
grasped her legs even tighter and didn’t answer.

Hunt stared at his computer screen,
not even pretending to read his report on a healthcare bill.
Alexa
filled his mind, especially how she’d looked during
their last moments together. Days had passed since then, but he recalled her
panic, the way she kept putting distance between them, finally fleeing the
tent.

He’d gone to its entrance and
listened to the car departing, cursing himself for wanting to run after it.
What she’d said earlier had been spot on—their relationship shouldn’t be so
hard. Once he’d told her how he felt, she should have reacted as he’d
fantasized, bursting into tears because she was
happy,
not scared, hugging him as though her life depended upon it and suggesting they
move in together.

At the very least, he’d hoped she’d
start stalking him again.

Their first day apart, he kept
glancing over his shoulder, thinking he felt her in the crowd. More than a few
women and even one guy gave him inviting smiles. He ignored them all,
wanting—no, demanding
Alexa
.

When he couldn’t stand their
separation any longer, Hunt had repeatedly dialed her number, then hung up
before the call connected, knowing he couldn’t push her. She had good reason
not to expect anything but disappointment from men. Her father had taught her
that lesson very well.

Fucking
prick.

Hunt tightened his fists, wishing he
could confront the man, preferably in front of her to prove he was different.
She could trust him no matter how long they were together. He’d piss her off
during that time, sure. That was a given since he had as many irritating habits
as she undoubtedly did, but he’d never abuse their bond. She had to know he
genuinely loved her. What man would pursue a woman as he continued to do with
Alexa
unless his heart allowed him no other choice? Given
the circumstances, he’d done all that he could, providing her with the
opportunity to continue with him. And now it was Wednesday. In a little more
than an hour, he’d know if she was willing to go forward or if he’d never be
seeing her again.

Oh shit, I can’t do this.

He broke out in a cold sweat. His
legs felt weird, as though they wouldn’t support his weight if he stood. Was he
having a stroke?
God, not that.
He couldn’t get sick
now.
To have her show up at the restaurant when he didn’t
would be more than awful.
She’d never believe anything else he would say
or—

A rap on his door interrupted Hunt’s
thoughts.
Alexa
?
Had she been unwilling to wait until their luncheon date
to see him? Was she going to allow herself to feel as deeply as he did?

The door swung open. Hunt stopped
several feet from it and glared.

David took a step back as though he
knew not to come in any farther. Tim breezed past the man and narrowed his eyes
at Hunt. “Are you going to barf?”

“Real smooth,” David muttered,
then
asked, “You going to be all right?”

“I’m fine,” Hunt lied, returning to
his chair. “I’ll be even better when both of you leave.”

Tim moved deeper into the room.
David closed the door and followed.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Hunt
said, pointing to the area behind them.

Tim sank into a chair. “The same
might be said for you.”

“We’re here for moral support,”
David offered.

“Well, I am,” Tim said, then jabbed
his thumb in David’s direction. “He wanted to start an office pool as to
whether she’d show or—”

David punched the back of Tim’s
chair. “Shut up—I did not. That was your stupid idea.”

“Don’t worry,” Tim said to Hunt. “No
one knows about today or what happened at the tent or anything else involving
Magique
.”

“
Alexa
,”
Hunt growled.

Tim drummed his fingers against his
knees. “I don’t want you to take this wrong.”

“Good. Then don’t say it.”

He sighed. “Just listen to me, will
you? My guess is she won’t show, all right?”