Catch My Breath

I stayed out on the terrace after everyone went back inside. Stars shimmered and glittered their way through thin tendrils of clouds in the night sky. A soft breeze tickled my skin. This was the closest I’d been to experiencing pure serenity in months. I wanted to bottle up this moment of peace and solitude forever.

“What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

I turned, surprised to see my sister.

“Admiring the view.”

“What view? It’s pitch black out here.” Dayna gathered up her dress and stood next to me.

“I was looking at the stars. I don’t get to see them much in Orlando with all the light pollution.”

“I know what you mean. We don’t see them in London either.” She flicked a strand of my hair behind my shoulder.

“Why aren’t you inside mingling with everyone?”

“They won’t mind if I’m spending quality time with my big sister,” she grinned.

“I know that look. What do you want?”

She sighed. “We haven’t really talked since the break up. Is he still harassing you?”

The one person I could never lie to was Dayna. Sure, Stephanie could read me like a book, but Dayna knew what was on the page before it was written.

“Not anymore. Well, not since I moved. There’s a guard stationed at the entrance gate, so he couldn’t get in even if he tried. Plus, I have an alarm in my apartment.”

“How about the texting and calling?”

“That cooled off last week.”

“Are you sure he still doesn’t have someone tailing you? He’s a sneaky fucker.”

I had to smile at Dayna’s pissed off expression. It clashed so fiercely with her sparkly veil and wedding gown.

“You look like a demented bride with that grimace,” I giggled.

“Lia, come on. I’m serious.”

I leaned my head back, inhaling the crisp, fresh air. “There’s nobody tailing me. There’s no more harassing. I don’t know what it means, but hopefully he got bored and moved on. Although, I wouldn’t wish him on any girl.”

“Guys like that think they own the world just because their bank accounts are bigger than their dicks. He’ll find some willing gold-digger to boss around and tell what to wear and who to talk to. I’m just glad you finally saw him for who he really is.”

We both turned our heads to see where the blast of music was coming from. Andrew had opened one of the French doors, waving to us.

“There you are. You coming back inside?”

“In a minute,” Dayna answered. Her new husband nodded and closed the door.

“Go back to your reception. I’ll hang out here a bit longer.”

Bright blue eyes lingered on my face long enough to make me squirm. I really wish everyone would stop fussing over me.

“I know we’re an ocean and a time zone apart, but if you need anything, anything, you call me, okay?”

“Dayna—“

“Just because you’re my big sister doesn’t mean I don’t worry about you. We Meyers girls have to stick together.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks, Cinnamon.”

“Ugh, you and Dad with the nicknames,” she groaned. “Don’t ever use it in front of Andy. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“I make no promises.” I smirked.

Dayna pulled me into a suffocating hug before returning to the reception.

* * *

I sat quietly on the cushy bed in my room, flipping through a magazine. The reception ended a couple of hours ago but people were still laughing and walking through the hallway. My sage dress rested on a chair by the window with the pair of sparkling heels next to it on the floor. I have to pack at some point. Now is not the time.

Leaning back against the pillows, I stretched my legs, wiggling my French manicured toes. Letting out a big sigh, I grabbed the magazine again. Nothing was coming into focus on the pages. It was all jumbled words and blurry images. According to my cell phone it was barely one in the morning. I idly wondered what Alastair was doing.

A stupid smile attacked my lips. Really? I thought back to what Stephanie said about my ‘needing’ this. She might be right but I wasn’t ready to jump into something physical with anyone. Although, it could be fun. He is awfully sexy.

The door swung open, smacking against the wall. "Jesus, Stephanie. You just about gave me a freaking heart attack."

"Relax. I didn't do anything. These doors are so old and heavy, I had to push really hard.” Stephanie kicked off her heels and flopped on the bed. "What were you thinking about so intently that I scared you so badly?"

I sighed, annoyed. "Nothing."

“Liar. You’re thinking about your guy.”

“He’s not my guy.”

“Are you nervous about seeing him tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Oh my God,” she snorted. Stephanie knew. Stephanie always knew when I tried to hide my feelings. Sometimes, being her best friend was a curse as much as it was a blessing. “Did I tell you Darren’s company is hiring a graphic designer? He says I should apply.”

“That’s exciting. Isn’t that your dream job?”

“Yeah, but I thought I’d be doing it in Orlando.”

“You have to go where the opportunity takes you. Otherwise, you’ll be cutting hair for the rest of your life.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Apply. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“You know if I do, Darren will make certain I get hired,” she fretted, her face turning white.

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Well,” she shrugged. “Not really. I mean, I have a built-in friend and stuff, but … I don’t know.”

“Do it. Darren wouldn’t suggest it if he thought you weren’t up for the challenge.”

Stephanie’s ice blue eyes lit up. I knew she couldn’t back down from anything that remotely resembled a challenge.

“Maybe I will, Amelia Grace. That way, you can move here with me and go on fabulous dates with one Alastair Holden.” She started digging through her purse. "What time are we getting up tomorrow? Will I have time to pack after breakfast, or should I do it now? I want to get to Glasgow at a decent hour. Darren's expecting us by mid-afternoon."

"There’ll be time to pack in the morning. We'll catch the one o'clock train and be back in Glasgow by three. No worries."

"Perfect. I'll see you at breakfast. Sleep well.”

Stephanie bounded out of the room as exuberantly as she entered. I leaned my head back a little too abruptly, hitting the headboard.

“Honestly,” I grumbled, grabbing for my phone to set the alarm. It beeped the second I touched it.

1:06am I hope you had a cracking time at the wedding. I’ll meet you at 8 tomorrow night. Wear something sexy.

1:07am Don’t push your luck, Holden.

1:10am Fair enough. Good night, Amelia

1:11am Good night

I set the alarm and tossed the phone on the nightstand. Curling up under the blankets, I let my mind run a bit, thinking about what was in store for tomorrow night.

Sleep? Not possible.

CHAPTER FIVE

The cocktail bar was crowded when we arrived Saturday night. It looked very chic with its rich purples, deep grays and cocoa browns draped over velvet couches and leather booths. The whole room gave off a very seductive, captivating vibe. I was wound up tighter than a drum and needed something to take the edge off. Darren and Stephanie ended up coming too. His company was invited, so they took it as an excuse to have a fun night out. I followed them to a reserved table.

“Fancy a drink? I’ve already got us a bottle of Riesling.” Darren motioned to the table.

That was more than enough for me. I poured a generous amount for myself and downed it. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Easy on the booze tonight, Lia. I know how you get when you’re pretending not to be nervous.”

Ignoring the ferocious tremor of nerves in my stomach, I poured another glass and took a sip. “I’m not pretending.”

Some of Darren’s co-workers joined us, saving me from Stephanie’s scrutinizing glances.

“Lia, Steph this is Cassie Zanor. She’s one of the graphic designers at the agency,” Darren said.

Cassie smiled warmly and greeted us. Petite and curvy with dark cocoa skin, she was adorable. Stephanie chatted with her about the open job position. Another one of his co-workers took a shine to me right away. He seemed nice enough. I think he said his name was William, but it could have been Jack for all I knew.

Three minty flavored martinis later I was laughing at everything Bill-Jack said. He was cute in a scruffy way. His features were a bit too delicate for my taste, but he had extremely kind brown eyes. He’d recently gotten a buzz cut and was quite keen on getting me to rub his peach fuzz head.

“I bet you’ve never felt a head like this before. Give it a go.”

“I don’t want to be responsible for messing up your hair,” I smiled half-heartedly.

“Ah, good one.” He angled toward me. “Just once.”

Christ. “Okay. Just once.”

I brushed the palm of my hand across his head quickly. It tickled a little.

“See? Feels good right?” His eager smile made my skin crawl. Your scruffy cuteness is fading, Bill-Jack.

“Can I get you another drink?”

“I think I’m going to get the next one myself, but thanks. I need to stretch my legs a bit.” I smiled at him and went over to the bar. While I waited for the bartender, I whipped my phone out. Nine. I’ve totally been ditched. Or was it stood-up? Either way, this wasn’t a real date so it didn’t matter.

“Why is such a pretty girl getting her own drink?” A dark-haired man with a friendly enough rasp to his voice was standing next to me. These Scottish accents kept getting more and more attractive each time I heard them.

“I felt like walking around a bit.”

“Did you now? I’m Brent Garrison,” he extended his hand. I shook it firmly and introduced myself.

“What brings you to Glasgow, Lia?”

“Vacation.”

“How long will you be here?” He rested his arm lazily on the bar.

“I leave tomorrow morning.”

“And I’m just meeting you now? That is a shame.” He tilted his head, causing some of the wavy, chocolate brown hair framing his face to flop to the side. “What are you drinking? It’s my treat.”

“No, thank you, that’s not necessary.”

A hand suddenly found itself on my lower back. The sensation sent a crazy jolt through me.

“What’s not necessary?” Alastair looked sharply at Brent who returned his chilly stare.

“I was just offering her a drink. Problem?” He smiled tightly.

Alastair remained silent for several seconds, keeping his hand pressed to my back.

“Not at the moment,” he finally said.

Brent shook his head, chuckling.

“We were just having a friendly conversation. No need to get territorial. Nice meeting you, Lia.” He tilted his glass toward me and walked off.

Alastair positioned himself so he was standing in front of me.

“Was he bothering you?”

“What? No.” A weird sense of déjà vu crept through my body. “Why?”

“He has a habit of hitting on anything in a skirt.”

“So do most warm-blooded men.” I smiled, moving my eyes along every well dressed inch of him.

“Enjoying the view?”

I glanced up at him through my lashes. “Maybe.”

“Is there something I can do to make that a more definitive answer?” A lazy, sexy grin curled his mouth.

My heart took up residence in my throat, pounding furiously. I should be annoyed that he just showed up without an explanation for his lateness, but I liked flirting with him. A lot.

A pretty blonde server walked over and placed two drinks on the bar. One of them was the minty martini I’d been enjoying all night.

“How did you know I was drinking these?”

“I saw that guy you were with buy them for you.”

“You’ve been watching me?” Panic seized my chest.

How is this happening again? I’m thousands of miles away from home. Being tracked and stalked by another over privileged, possessive rich guy wasn’t on my vacation itinerary. The walls felt like they were closing in around me, crushing my lungs. I dug my fingernails into the velvet cushion on the barstool. He was watching me? I’ve been here for an hour and he’s been in the shadows keeping tabs...

“Lia.” His voice cut through the vacuum, snapping me back to reality. Heat radiated from his eyes, drawing me closer. It muted everything else in the room and calmed my nerves.

“I simply noticed you were here with your friends while I was sidetracked by some clients. That’s all. Your sparkly dress is hard to miss.”

He had a point. The dress did scream look at me.

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

He stared at me with an unreadable expression, making my insides twist anxiously. At least last week I knew he was staring at me out of lust. This was unnerving.

“Did you have a nice time at your sister’s wedding?”

“Yeah, I did. How was your week?”

“Typical.” He angled his body closer. “Except for the fact that I spent most of it thinking about you.”

He’s a smooth operator, this one.

“Did you?”

He nodded, running his knuckles along my cheek.

“Anything you want to share?”

Sliding his fingers down my arm, he skimmed them over my hip, settling on my waist. Goosebumps poked out all over my skin. I knocked back the martini like it was a shot. It went down much too easily for such a strong drink. My face was already a bit numb from the previous ones.

He scanned the room quickly before pulling me closer.

“There is a time and a place for sharing,” he said, dipping his head closer to my ear. “This is not one of them.”

A smile evaporated from his face as he backed away from me, leaving a chill in the air between us. Puzzled, I followed his frigid gaze. I saw nothing but people enjoying themselves.

“Is something wrong?”

Alastair didn’t answer right away. His constant scanning of the lounge freaked me out a little. It was too bad that the blonde server hadn’t been by to replenish my martini. I could have used another.

“Everything’s fine,” he finally said. I met his eyes and was floored by the hardness in them. Even his expression was stony.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

There was something about the clipped, almost dismissive way he responded which bugged me. I sat on the velvet stool, swiveling to face the crowd. The room wiggled a bit thanks to my fuzzy martini brain.

“I have to take care of something. I won’t be long.”

“Can it wait?” I asked, turning back to him. He slid his cell phone in his pants pocket.

“No,” he looked at me coolly, “it can’t.”

I watched him disappear down a hallway toward the hotel entrance. Shaking off an unsettled feeling, I ordered another drink and went back to sit at the table.

“Having a good time, Lia?” Darren winked at me.

“Sure.”

“Did Alastair leave?” Stephanie asked, frowning.

“No, he’s taking care of something,” I said, waving my hand.

“How many of those have you had?” She eyed the glass.

“Not nearly enough,” I muttered.

A bunch of other people had joined the table, but I ignored the conversation. I had to know what he was doing. After a beat, I stood up and went to see what the hell was happening.

The hallway was quiet and empty. A handful of administrative offices lined one side. I walked down to the door leading to the hotel and turned around. Angry, I stormed back toward the lounge. First he’s an hour late, now he disappears. I’m all set, thanks. Out of nowhere, Alastair appeared, all smoldering and hot. Without saying a word, he pulled me into one of the offices.

“What are you—“

“Are you involved with anyone?” he interrupted.

“This is a really bizarre time for you to be asking me that.”

“Are you?”

I clenched my fists, blood churning through my veins.

“No. Why did you walk off like that?”

“It’s not important.”

He tensed, clearly uncomfortable with my question.

“Alastair, you can’t—“

“Leave it alone, Lia.”

The cold look in his eyes shut me up immediately. A detached, passive expression blanketed his face, rendering any charm or charisma obsolete. And this is my cue to leave, jackass. He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk to the door.

“Get your hands off me,” I hissed.

He sucked in a breath, as though he’d woken up from a bad dream. His grip on my arm relaxed but I didn’t leave. His eyes stopped me. They were pleading, apologizing for something far greater than just grabbing me.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” he atoned. “Did I hurt you?”

The culmination of all the martinis I’d had throughout the night paraded through my bloodstream with great fanfare, systematically shutting down my sense of logic and most motor skills. My legs wobbled.

“No. I’m fine. You just took me by surprise.” My face and lips vanished, causing me to speak much slower than normal. At least it felt that way.

“You’re going to pinch those right off.”

He pulled my hand away from my mouth. I’d been tugging my lip without even realizing it.

“They’re numb. You can feel them?"

He gently traced my lips with his thumb. “Yes. I hope you’re not pissed.”

“You think I’m mad at you?” I asked.

He tilted his head, grinning.

“Not mad. Drunk. I thought you said you knew British slang?”

“I do. I just…” I answered, trailing off. I was annoyed that I couldn’t feel my face and probably sounded like a drunken idiot. I should have just gone back to Darren’s townhouse.

“You really need to stop doing this. I can assure you, they are where they're supposed to be.”

He pulled my hand away from my mouth again.

“I can’t feel them,” I complained. “Stop laughing at me. Now I’m pissed.”

“So now you’re drunk?” He folded his arms, raising an eyebrow.

“What? No. I’m pissed. You know what I mean.”

Am I not making sense? Stupid alcohol.

“Oddly enough I do,” he said, stroking my cheek. “Why are you upset with me?”

“For starters, you were late. Then you were snippy with that guy at the bar. And now, this whole walking away with no explanation.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah, I guess—”

He planted a lush, wet kiss squarely on my mouth. It was quick and chaste but enough to set off a spark.

“Good. Want to get out of here?”

“This office?” A noticeable tingle buzzed through the numbness, tickling the outer edges of my lips.

“This place in general. I never liked it here.”

“And go where?”

He shrugged, grabbing my hand. Walking somewhat slower than a sloth in molasses, we made our way toward the lounge.

“You don’t like many things, do you?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you don’t like soccer, but you went to the game. And now, this place. Is there anything you do like?”

He remained quiet until we got back to the table. His only response was a quick squeeze of my hand before pulling out a chair for me to sit.

“Look what we have here,” Brent announced, capturing everyone’s attention. “The elusive Alastair Holden has graced us with his presence this evening for more than his requisite ten minutes.”

I did not like the tone of that guy’s voice. Alastair lowered himself onto the chair next to mine, never taking his eyes off him.

“Center of attention as usual, Garrison?” he responded smoothly.

“Don’t be jealous, Holden. You can’t have all the attention and all the…” he paused, glancing at me, seeming to reconsider his thoughts. “I’ll give my sister your regards when I talk to her this week. She’s looking forward to reuniting with you at your grandfather’s retirement party.”

“I didn’t know she was invited,” he said, in a menacingly calm voice.

“She’s quite excited to see you. Keeps mentioning how much it would mean to her if the two of you—”

“That’s enough, Brent.”

I could feel the anger and tension seeping out of Alastair’s pores. The room no longer had a defined horizon. Everything swayed and rolled as I let Brent’s words snake through my mind. When I looked around the table it hit me that Stephanie wasn’t there. Neither was Darren. I have to leave. I have to get away from this.

I stood up too quickly, sending the room into a rapid spin.

“Careful,” Alastair said, rising to help steady me. “Let’s go. You okay to walk?”

“I don’t know where Stephanie is. I can’t just leave.”

“She’s over there. Come on.”

I was finally able to make out where Stephanie was standing as we got closer. She was still talking to Cassie. Her face lit up when she saw me.

“Oh my gosh, you’ll never guess,” she exclaimed.

“What?”

“Cassie is the manager of the graphic design team and wants to see some of my work.”

“That’s great, Steph.” Warmth and happiness filled me from seeing her so excited.

“Y’all look like you’re leaving. Where are you off to?”

“Just out for a drive,” Alastair answered. “No need to worry. Have Darren text me when you’re back at his flat and I’ll drop Lia off then.”

Stephanie scrutinized him. Great. She had that over-protective-friend look on her face.

“I’ll be fine,” I said. “Go find out more about this job and fill me in later.”

“Keep your phone on,” she said, raising an eyebrow, before rejoining Cassie.

A blast of chilly night air gave me a brief dose of renewed energy when we walked outside. My brain was still much too cloudy from all the martinis though. I was surprised when Alastair bypassed the valet and went straight for an idling Mercedes SUV. What are the odds this is the one I practically fell onto last week?

I climbed in as gracefully as I could, settling into the soft, leather seat. Alastair climbed in next to me.

“Paxton, this is Lia.”

The driver turned and smiled at me. Yep. It’s the same guy from last week.

“Nice to see you, miss. Where to Alastair?”

“The cottage, please.”

Unable to fight off the boozy fatigue, I rested my head on Alastair’s shoulder for what felt like a split second.

He nudged me gently, waking me up. “We’re here.”

I sat up, looking out the window. He got out of the car and offered me his hand. I stepped onto the ground, my heels sinking into the soft earth. It was dark and quiet, with no discernible landscape. But, oh, when I looked up. The sky was a swirl of onyx and fluorite with bright stars dancing through it. I’d never seen anything like it, not even as a child at the science museum. The dark expanse was huge, stretching far and wide. Staring at it filled me with an even greater serenity than I’d felt last night on the terrace.

“Come inside,” Alastair whispered, holding my hand. He led me toward a small, two-story thatched cottage. The dark wooden front door creaked as he opened it. Once inside, I immediately felt at home. Soft lights glowed from the end tables as Alastair walked through, flipping switches.

“Make yourself comfortable.” He pointed to one of the crimson couches. “I’m going to get you some water.”

I kicked off my heels and scrunched my toes in the plush throw rug before sitting down. I heard him moving around in the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. A few moments later he handed me the bottled water.

“Is this where you live?” I asked, watching him settle onto the couch next to me.

“No. It’s just where I come when I want to get away.”

I nodded, sipping the water. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was from all the martinis. My lips were still mysteriously among the missing though. Being in this cottage had a soothing, calming effect on me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it just felt…right.