Creative License (2 page)

“No.”

“Sharon.” Lily met her sister’s worried gaze.

“You don’t even know this guy.”

“He said it was vital to his career.”

“Okay, it’s kinda funny goody-two-shoes Lily ran off and got hitched in Vegas, but flying off to a strange city to meet a strange man is just plain stupid.”

“He’s not exactly a stranger.”

“You knew him for a weekend.”

“Yes, but…” How could she explain that it had felt like she’d known him forever? They’d talked and laughed like old friends. Old friends who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. The air between them had practically sizzled.

“What does he do?”

Lily glanced out the corner of her eye at her sister and then as casually as possible said, “He’s an artist.

Sharon choking on her drink did nothing to lift Lily’s spirits. “An artist? What? Not an actor or a would-be writer? Oh, Lily, you could have at least picked a husband with a decent career.”

“I didn’t exactly… You sound like Mom, you know?”

“He could be a pervert.”

“He’s not.”

“How do you know?

“I know, okay?”

“You have your mind made up. You’re going to San Francisco.” She shook her head. “Are you going to tell Mom or Dad? Your fiancé?”

“Stewart is not my fiancé.”

“Might as well be, both families have been expecting it for years now.”

“I know.” Lily sipped her drink and made a face. Stewart was part of her ten-year plan. Law school, an internship, marriage, children, a home office… She sighed.

“So, do I get to meet my brother-in-law?”

Lily threw the pillow, narrowly missing Sharon’s almost-empty brandy glass. “I’ll fly out there, help him out and then I’m filing for a divorce as soon as I get back to Boston.”

“A shame, he would have made an interesting topic of conversation at family dinners.”

“You shut up, Sharon, and if you mention one word to Mom or Dad, you’ll discover a million tiny bugs in your bed one night.”

“That’s not even funny.” Sharon’s face paled.

Lily shrugged. “Try me.”

“So, what does he look like?”

“Tall, a little over six foot, the greenest eyes you’ve ever seen and long dark blond hair.”

“Long hair? You married the cover of a romance novel?”

Lily swallowed. He could be on the cover. She could still remember those sculpted arms embracing her, the rigid muscles of his stomach and the provocative touch of those lips.

“Lily!”

Lily blinked. “Oh, not like…long. Shoulder length.”

Her sister continued to stare, eyes wide and then glanced at her watch, stood and picked up her clutch. “That good, huh? Damn, I’d better get myself to Vegas.”

“You’re married.”

Sharon shrugged. “Apparently, so are you.”

Chapter Two

Caleb’s heart skipped a beat as the escalator carried a brunette down toward baggage claim. Her hair framed a face so still and pale it could have been cast in the finest marble. Large dark eyes gazed impassively out on the world. Oh, but those eyes could flash and dance with passion. He took a deep breath. No doubt about it. That was Lily.

She looked impeccable in a lightweight flowered skirt and a green blouse, a stark contrast to his own faded jeans and paint splattered shirt. At the studio, he’d lost track of time, barely making it to the airport before her plane landed. He’d been lucky to have a button down flannel hanging on an easel to cover up the bulk of the paint splatters and a tear in his T-shirt’s sleeve.

He rubbed his jaw, his fingers catching the rasp of stubble lining his cheeks. Damn, he’d forgotten to shave too. Caleb watched as the escalator slowly brought Lily closer and with her, a feeling of inadequacy. He took a deep breath. Of course aside from turning him on—if he remembered correctly—Lily was fairly adept at making him feel like a backwoods oaf. He supposed it wasn’t her fault. She’d been raised among
la crème de la crème
of society. He was about as Middle-America as you could find.

Despite their different backgrounds, when they first met, he sensed a kindred spirit. Although she appeared like any upper-class woman on the outside, she had passion lurking under the surface. A passion that called to him. She had depths he was sure no one had bothered to delve, to explore. Lily was someone he could spend a lifetime learning about.

He only vaguely remembered the wedding ceremony—it was the sex before and after that stood out in his memories. Her body had fit his like a glove. A silky, glorious glove. Making love with her had felt like going home. His blood rushed south, stirring his groin at the memory.

Lily stepped from the escalator and looked toward the turnstiles. She carried herself with natural grace, head held high like a gazelle. The artist in him admired the lines of her body, the firm high breasts—perfectly proportioned above her narrow waist—luscious hips, rounded ass, and long well-muscled legs. The man in him appreciated it more and the swelling beneath his zipper became more uncomfortable.

Her light-brown hair fell in gentle waves around her shoulders and her eyes… Eyes that were branded in his memory; molten chocolate with golden highlights. “Like caramel,” he’d told her once, three years before.

“Let’s get this over with,” Caleb whispered and made his way through the throngs of people toward his wife.

Lily fought not to wipe her moist palm on her skirt. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Even with the wall of windows to one side of the baggage claim area in the San Francisco airport, the room seemed colorless and drab.

The gentle hum of conversation surrounded her, punctuated by the static preceding an indistinct announcement from hidden loudspeakers. She glanced past happy faces of reunited friends and family and the occasional resigned frequent traveler until she found the correct turnstile for her flight. Suddenly feeling very much alone, she walked toward the throng of people waiting for their luggage. From time to time, a waft of perfume or cologne would overcome the faint smell of exhaust and diesel permeating the air. Why did people wear so much cologne?

Caleb said he’d meet her by the doors near baggage claim. She hadn’t had the nerve to look that way yet. Would he remember her? Did she look different? She’d touched up her makeup on the plane but nothing could make her feel fresh after six hours in a stuffy pressurized cabin. What she’d really like was a shower. An image of Caleb’s naked wet torso flashed through her mind.
Where had that come from?
It felt almost like a memory.

She still couldn’t remember everything they’d done in Vegas. Which, she admitted, was probably a good thing. The moments she remembered were more than enough to fuel her fantasies.

Lily paused behind a wall of people waiting for the machine to eject their luggage. Something like gravity prickled her spine, and she turned to look behind her. Lily’s breath caught in her throat. Caleb walked toward her. She’d never forget that sexy stride. His blond hair was pulled back, emphasizing high cheekbones and bronzed skin. The shadow of stubble along his jaw only improved his rugged good looks. Her hand itched to stroke his face, to feel the rough texture against her skin. Lily’s stomach did a quick flip and she had to remind herself to breathe. Splashes of color decorated the jeans encasing Caleb’s long legs. A white T-shirt stretched over his muscled chest but a long-sleeved flannel shirt hid his arms from view. No. He was nothing like the men she’d dated.

She didn’t have time to ponder more because, as though aware of her scrutiny, he smiled and every other thought flew from her mind. Despite her weakened knees, Lily managed a deep breath and to not wobble as she stepped toward him. “Hi.” She swallowed. A handshake seemed too formal, a hug…dangerous.

He took the decision out of her hands by pulling her into an embrace. God, he smelled good. How could she have forgotten that little fact? His scent was like an electrical impulse right to her core.

“Thank you so much.” His voice rumbled in his chest and she fought the shiver tracing her spine. It was enough that her skin had broken out in goose bumps.

He pulled away without letting go of her, his gaze roaming her face. “You’re beautiful.” Caleb glanced away. “I mean, I’d remembered you were but…but I’d forgotten how exquisite your bone structure is.”

Lily smiled and stifled a giggle, the nervousness dissipating.

“What?” Caleb looked confused.

“It’s not often I get complimented on my bone structure.”

Caleb grinned. “Well, you should. I’m an artist, I notice these things. Come on, we’ll get your luggage and grab a cab.” He took the carry-on out of her hands.

While they waited for the giant silver turnstile to spit out luggage, Lily watched Caleb out the corner of her eye. His skin was tanned and his hair had more blond streaks than she remembered, giving him a surfer look. Did he surf?

She glanced around the room, noticing he’d caught the attention of more than one woman. A fierce possessiveness surprised her and she took a step closer to him. Immediately, his spicy, masculine smell enveloped Lily and her body warmed. He looked down and smiled. Lily fought a tremor that won and rippled through her body. Just a glance from him stole the breath from her lungs. Maybe this had been a mistake.

“Lily?”

She opened her eyes. “Um, sorry.”

“I asked you how you’ve been.”

“Oh, good I guess.” Oh, God, she couldn’t even manage small talk. This was going to be a long four days.

A large man pushed past her to reach down for a bag making its way around the revolving metal contraption. Lily stumbled into Caleb. Strong arms steadied her and one hand brushed her breast. Her nipple hardened into a tight little nub. She had a sudden urge to lean into that broad chest, close her eyes, wrap her arms around him and breathe in his scent.
Get a grip, Lily.

She pulled away.

“Sorry.” Caleb’s eyes softened.

“I’m okay.” She wasn’t sure if he was apologizing for the idiot who had pushed her or for accidently touching her breast. She kept her gaze on the machine steadily dropping luggage onto the turnstile. “Mine is black,” she said without turning.

Caleb laughed, a deep, throaty chuckle. “Most of them are.”

“It has a pink ribbon tied to its handle.” She glanced up into amused green eyes. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s a good idea.” They waited in silence. His body next to her felt like it had some kind of gravitational pull. She had to fight not to lean into him. Sweat dampened her forehead. Caleb rolled up one sleeve to reveal a corded forearm. Lily fought not to stare as his long fingers finished and began on the other sleeve.
Damn it, since when is that sexy?
But on Caleb, it was. Her body tingled. It remembered what those fingers could do.

Using every ounce of willpower she possessed, she turned her attention back to the carousel. In surprise, she watched her suitcase barrel down the slide and land with a loud crash, partially drowned out by the grinding noise of the gears. “That one.”

Without a word, Caleb moved forward and effortlessly picked up the suitcase. “What did you pack in here? Books?”

“Um, no. I didn’t know what the weather would be like or if I’d need to dress up…so I came prepared.” She tried to ignore the way the muscles of his chest slid under the shirt as he switched hands. Muscles she remembered way more clearly than was good for her. She shook her head. “You don’t have to be all macho. It rolls.”

He examined the suitcase. “Oh. How was I supposed to know?”

Lily pulled out the handle and tilted the suitcase onto its wheels. “Don’t you travel?”

“Yeah, down to Monterey at least once a year. I rent a car and drive…and use a duffle bag. My parents live down there now.”

Lily smiled. He wouldn’t look too bad in a wrinkled T-shirt. Then immediately, she imagined herself in his wrinkled T-shirt and warmth surged between her legs. “A taxi?” she said a little more sharply than she intended.

He gently took the handle and led her into the San Francisco sunshine.

The cab driver careened around a corner and then changed lanes. Lily thought she might be sick. Oh, wouldn’t that make a good impression?
Girl, you’ve already made an impression.
She took a deep breath, realizing her mistake when she drew in the scent of greasy food, stale sweat and something like old socks into her lungs. Didn’t they ever clean cabs? She resisted the urge to scoot closer to Caleb. He smelled good, but too good.

Hazy sunlight from the setting sun played upon the golden hair of his forearms and a strip of dark purple paint. What had he been working on? She glanced up to find him watching her. “So your parents live in Monterrey?”

He smiled, “Yeah, we used to go down there once a year or so. They retired and bought a little house there last year.”

“They like it?”

“Mom plays in her herb garden. Dad putters with flowers and builds birdhouses. Yeah, I’d say they love it.”

“That’s nice.” Lily tried to imagine her mother playing anything but croquet in the garden and failed. And her father? The only thing he built was stock portfolios. “Tell me more about this patroness of yours.”

“Mrs. Patterson.” Caleb rolled down his sleeves and looked out the window before turning the full force of his vibrant green eyes on her. “She’s an interesting lady. She’d seen some of my work and, to make a long story short, she offered to help me. Introduce me to a few people.”

“Help you financially?”

He cleared his throat and his eyes gleamed. “No. She has connections with the Weinstein galleries here in San Francisco and a few in New York. She pulled a few strings and later this fall, I’ll have my debut showing.” He paused and looked out the window again. His voice lowered, filled with an urgency that gripped her heart. “This could mean all the difference to me, to my dream.” He swallowed and then continued in his normal voice. “Anyway, she did a background check without my knowledge and then called wanting to know why I hadn’t told her I was married.” A half-smile turned his full lips. “As you know, it was news to me too.”

“But you didn’t tell her that?”

“No. I did nearly choke on my coffee. I knew what, or rather who, she meant but I honestly didn’t know what to say. I managed to tell her my wife worked on the east coast. I thought that would be the end of it but she insisted on meeting you the next time you flew in.”