Part 3 (1/2)
”Screw you.”
”Something tells me you'd still like to be s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g her.”
”That's the thing,” he admitted, ”I don't just want her naked in my bed, I think I want a lot more with her and it scares the s.h.i.+t outta me.”
Aiden's eyes widened in surprise and he opened his mouth to comment before closing it again as he stared at his brother thoughtfully. It was clear that he was surprised by Eric's statement and wasn't sure how to reply to it. With a sudden laugh, Aiden said, ”Well, f.u.c.k. You're so screwed, bro.”
”Instead of enjoying yourself at my expense, why don't you tell me what's been going on with you.” He smirked, and watched his brother as he squirmed.
”I'd rather not.”
Eric bet he'd rather not as well. Aiden had never been one for talking about himself. He had a reputation for being a ladies man, but he'd never once talked about any of 'his women' or admitted to the reputation that followed him around. He sure as h.e.l.l deserved credit for that because some f.u.c.kers couldn't keep their mouths shut.
”If you're not going to open up, brother,” Eric smirked, ”then tell me why the sudden visit to see Dad and Lucia? It's not like you to just turn up.”
”I'm tired.” Aiden sighed. ”When I'm over there it's constant. No privacy and, in truth, I hate that part of it.” He threw his head against the back of the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. ”I think I've finally grown up, Eric. I think I've finally had enough of living out of hotel rooms. Of not being able to take a woman on a date without having cameras shoved in our face. I think I'm starting to want peace, and the only place that I can think of getting it is Montana.”
”I don't know what to say.” And he really didn't. Aiden had always been the one brother that he thought would never throw in the towel. But he guessed none of them were married, so what the h.e.l.l did he know.
”I might feel differently after I've spent time at home, but only time will tell.” Aiden drained his coffee and leaned forward to place the empty cup onto the coffee table. ”I'm going to head off. My flight leaves in a few hours. I just wanted to see you first.”
Eric stood and pulled his brother up and into his arms for a brotherly hug. ”You know where I am if you need me, right?” he whispered.
”Yeah,” Aiden replied, his voice strained. He cleared his throat, and added, ”Go after your woman, Eric. Life's too short to let things slip by.”
After Aiden had left, it took a long time for him to settle with his brother's words still ringing in his ears.
Chapter Six.
Sylvia tried to stretch out her aching muscles while she sat on the yoga mat in the living room of her apartment. The small s.p.a.ce was shared with her best friend, Talya, but it never felt cramped like it was right now. She just needed to clear her head of the note she had found in her locker last night, which had been forgotten once she'd been with Eric.
Finding the note had shocked her because it meant that whoever had slipped it into her locker had easy access to backstage. At first, the notes hadn't bothered her, but with the frequency they were arriving, they'd started to frighten her. The writing that had started neat, had begun to look scrawled as though he was angry with her. Talya urged her to tell Yuri, but she hadn't.
At least her worry over the note had managed to take her mind, albeit briefly, away from Eric and her mad dash to get out of his apartment this morning before he woke. The night they'd spent together had been amazing-the best s.e.x she'd had-but when she'd woken up it hadn't looked good, and her heart had felt battered. No matter how much she wanted it, she knew she'd just become another notch on his bedpost. Or had she? Eric had seemed awfully p.i.s.sed and possessive over her job at Poles, which gave her pause as to what he really did want with her.
Her head spun with everything on her mind as she tried to relax in the child's pose position; drawing in deep cleansing breaths as she did. Nothing was working to clear it.
She just needed sleep to hopefully put everything into perspective.
Sliding into the downward dog position, her head pointed toward the floor, she caught sight of her friend coming out of her bedroom with a yawn hidden behind her hand.
Talya was her best friend and confidante, and she just wished that Talya would confide in her as to what was bothering her. Sylvia had a feeling it was Yuri, the Russian owner of Poles and a few other businesses around Lexington.
Her friend wouldn't talk until she was good and ready, though. She'd always been like that. Talya had admitted once that it all stemmed from her upbringing, which she never spoke about.
”So,” Talya drawled, stretching out on the sofa, ”what happened to you last night? Or should I ask who?” She grinned.
”I don't know what you're talking about.” She pulled out of the stretch and sat down on the mat, bringing her legs up into the lotus position as she returned Talya's grin. ”Eric happened,” Sylvia admitted. ”It just happened. One look from him incinerated my panties.”
Talya sighed. ”I know that feeling.”
Sylvia raised a brow. ”Oh, you do? Something you want to tell me?”
”Nope.”
”Let me rephrase that. Something going on between Yuri and you?”
The teasing of their earlier conversation seemed to leave the room as quickly as the happiness faded from Talya's face.
The silence stretched until Talya turned to face Sylvia. ”Nothing is going on between us, other than us wanting each other.”
Sylvia moved and sat on the sofa next to her friend's hip.
”You know that we're both Russian, and that's the problem. Our families used to be friends and something happened a long time ago that made my otets, father, spread hate for Yuri's family throughout ours. I grew up knowing that h.e.l.l would come down on me if I had anything to do with their family. He'd be so angry if he knew that I was working for Yuri, but my father's reaction to anything else happening between Yuri and I is unthinkable.” Talya wiped at a loose tear running down her face.
That was the most she'd told Sylvia about her family, or even Yuri. It left Sylvia at a loss for words. Sylva had heard the words muttered in whispered conversation about Yuri and his family, but after she'd met him, she thought that's all it had been-talk-but maybe not.
”I'm sorry, Talya. I had no idea.” Her words sounded so lame even to her own ears.
”I hadn't told you so how could you have known? It's okay really. Most days I manage, but recently, we've seen each other a lot more than normal and it's getting to me.” She sighed. ”I'll be okay.”
”If it's any consolation, I'm ninety-nine percent sure that Yuri feels the same for you.”
”I know he does. I might not feel as wretched if I thought he didn't like me, but knowing that he cares about me as much as I do him hurts when we can't be together.” Talya shook her head and pulled her legs up to her chin as she curved her arms around them. ”Tell me about Eric, please.”
Sylvia knew her friend was ready for the subject to be changed so she allowed it. She wanted to talk to her more about her problems, but Sylvia could see just how much talk of Yuri had upset Talya. ”I'm not sure what, if anything, is happening with Eric. I had an amazing night with him, but I don't think he's looking for anything permanent,” she admitted. ”He did seem jealous and possessive when he questioned me about working at Poles.” With a heavy sigh, she snuggled down into the sofa, and told her friend, ”I want to think that he'll be back to see me, but I really have no idea. I'm not even sure that I want him to because he'll only hurt me in the end.”
”But what if he doesn't, Sylvia. I've only seen him the once, that night at Kenza. He sure as h.e.l.l was hot for you, and it obviously hasn't dimmed in the months since. I'd say to give him a chance if he shows up because you might live to regret it if you don't.” Talya shuffled from the sofa into the kitchen with her Minion slippers on her feet.
Sylvia smiled as she watched her go, and sighed. She knew without a doubt, if Eric showed up, she'd go out with him again, or just back to his apartment for more hot s.e.x.
Sylvia groaned as she walked out of the building to the bright sky outside. The weekend had flown by and the work week had quickly gotten underway. As predicted, she'd been slightly late for work and had to forgo her morning Starbucks. But after her grumpy mood all morning, Sebastian McKenzie had sent her out for a break, and he'd stipulated for her not to return until she had caffeine in her system.
Which was why she walked across the square to the Starbucks. The Lexington summer had been hot, but as they were getting toward the end of October, she found the temperatures to be more comfortable. It was still warm but the cool autumn mornings and evenings made her ready for pumpkins and hayrides. She could tell from the crispness in the air that they'd be getting snow soon, which she looked forward to. She loved the first snow of the season and being out in the fresh weather.
She smiled as she stared down at the fair skin on her arms...even in winter; she had to make a morning ritual of slathering on factor 50+ sunblock. That's what happened when you are gifted with pale blonde hair, and fair skin. The freckles that she used to be teased about at school were always more prominent during the summer months, as well. She still wasn't sure how she felt about that, even after all these years.
She pushed the thoughts away as she approached her favorite coffee house chain. The store had called her name all the way to her office on the fifteenth floor since she walked in the door.
Pus.h.i.+ng through the door, she closed her eyes and inhaled. A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips. Home.
”That's a pretty sigh.”
Her eyes snapped open.