Fade to Red (24 page)

She answered on the second ring.

“Roxie? Hey.”

“Hey, Beckham. What’s up?”

He couldn’t tell for sure if she was any more annoyed with him than usual.

“I was wondering—would you guys meet up with me at the Rockefeller ice skating rink?”

It was quiet on the other end.

“You still there?” he asked.

“No.”

“Sounds like you’re there.”

“Well, yes, I’m here, but no, we’re not going skating with you.”

“Rox, I promised Leo I’d show him a good time while he’s on this trip. Let me do that.”

“He’s having a great time, believe me.”

“Lighten up, okay? It’s just one afternoon.”

“Don’t tell me to lighten up! Beckham, look … I know you won’t believe he’s not yours until you have proof, but that being said—I don’t have to hang out with you. And I don’t have to make sure Leo is around you all the time right now either. When you hear what you need to hear, you can come find me and give me the apology I deserve. Until then, I’ll see you onstage.”

There was a long pause until he said, “Come on, Roxie. Just come skate with me. I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk. Truce for a day?”

She was quiet. Finally: “You’ve been an asshole, Beckham.”

He laughed in spite of his embarrassment. “Fair enough. I’ll dial back my asshole for the day.”

Silence.

“Roxie?”

“Okay. I guess.”

She hung up on him and he scrambled around the room, throwing on a shirt and sweater. He pulled on a knit cap, sunglasses, and took off, not sure when she was even coming.

He skated about twenty minutes before he saw them, getting on the rink. They both were wearing bright blue and looked like a vision. Leo was talking and Roxie was laughing at whatever he was saying. Her hair was down, the long waves looking like gold against her blue jacket; it always took his breath away when she wore it like that. Her smile faded when she saw him and he felt a sword jab directly into his heart.

His body and heart kept betraying him where Roxie was concerned. Giving his hat a tug, he groaned and plastered on a smile.
Just have fun
, he thought.
Don’t let her suck you in and don’t even look at her lips. Or ass. Or hair.

“Hey, you two! Thanks for meeting me out here!” he said. Funny, he felt extremely happy to be with a girl who was twisting him in knots. “Leo! You’re looking pretty good—you look like a pro already!”

“Mom and I go skating a lot,” Leo said proudly. “She’s really good. I don’t do the fancy stuff like her, though.”

Roxie and Leo’s cheeks had two red circles in the center of them. It made their eyes even brighter. Beckham stared at them for a moment and thought:
This is exactly what I want. Right in front of me. Both of them.

To his mortification, he felt a knot in his throat. His eyes watered, but he hoped he could attribute it to the brisk air.
What the hell is happening to me?
He cleared his throat and gave them both a lopsided grin.

“You gonna show us whatcha got?” Roxie said lightly.

He could tell she was trying hard to be polite and he was relieved.

They did a lap around.

“Do a twirl, Mom!”

“Oh no, that’s okay.” She laughed. “I’m not really feeling the twirls today.”

“Come on, I wanna see!” Beckham pointed to the center of the rink. “Right out there.”

“I’m hungry already,” Roxie said.

“No changing the subject!”

“Oh, okay,” she huffed, “but just a couple. I’m not kidding about being hungry!”

She began skating to the center of the rink. Leo and Beckham stopped, both watching her every move.

“She’s beautiful,” Beckham said to Leo. “You know your mom is beautiful, right?”

Leo nodded solemnly. “I know. I see her.”

“I see her too, buddy. You’ve got a good one.”

They looked at each other, having a moment. When they looked up, Roxie was going around the rink, turned backwards and did a double axel. They both clapped hard.

“That was perfect!” Beckham yelled. “Do another one!”

“One more,” she said, “and then food!”

She gathered up speed and as she turned to go backwards, someone skating by sped up and bumped into her, knocking her down. There was a sickening thud as Roxie fell hard. Beckham and Leo rushed over to her, along with a few other people.

She looked up at Beckham and Leo, dazed. “That’s what I get for showing off,” she said softly.

“It was amazing,” Beckham whispered, leaning over her. “Are you okay, Rox? Where does it hurt?” He brushed the ice off of her face.

“You okay, Mama?” Leo knelt down by her.

“I’m okay. I think everything is in one piece...” She tried to joke. She waved at everyone. “I’m fine,” she said.

A girl asked if she needed anything and Roxie thanked her and said no. Everyone slowly skated away. She moved her legs and took Beckham’s hand, slowly sitting up.

“Ugh. This is gonna hurt.” She winced as she stretched her arms. “I’d like to punch the girl who plowed into me.”

“Yeah, the thought crossed my mind too.” Beckham looked around the rink. “She didn’t even stop to see if you were okay.”

“She just came out of nowhere! I didn’t even see what she looked like.”

Beckham didn’t bother telling her that he didn’t either, because while she was falling, he’d come to the realization that he’d fallen even harder and would never get over her.

When Roxie stood up, every muscle in her body hurt. She was used to getting sore from all the torture she gave her body dancing, but this was a little more extreme. She moved tentatively to the side of the rink.

Leo and Beckham both looked so worried about her she had to smile. “I’m okay, really, just … ow.”

“Here, let’s take your skates off and get warmed up.”

They shuffled off of the rink and found their shoes.

“I have an idea. How about you come back to my room and we can order room service. You can stretch out and eat at the same time.” His smile was so kind, the ice cubes around her heart began to thaw just a tiny bit more.

“I love room service!” Leo held onto Roxie’s hand and reached out for Beckham’s.

She was going to get an ulcer, with how nervous it made her to see Leo and Beckham together. Leo liked him so much already. They had immediately bonded and there seemed to be nothing she could do to stop it. She hesitated, but they both had such hopeful expressions that she caved. It would help to have a few days at home soon. She’d get her son unattached to this guy later, something she’d have to figure out for herself too.
Later
being the key word. For now, she just needed to balance out her libido vs. her feelings.

“This must be a really nice room. You keep trying to lure us there,” Roxie teased.

“You’ll see.” He raised a cocky eyebrow at her. “Taxi!”

They had maybe a four-minute cab ride.

“I totally could have walked that,” Roxie argued.

“Yeah, maybe if I carried you,” Beckham teased back.

“Well, I didn’t hear you offering.” She looked at him, daring him to come back with something.

He looked down at her lips and subconsciously licked his lower lip. When the taxi driver asked for his fare, Beckham was startled.

“Yeah, thanks, here you go. Come on, let’s get you people some food,” he yelled.

“Wow!” Leo said over and over as he ran through the suite.

It was gorgeous. She should have known it would be. This was the kind of room she used to imagine Beckham in, back when she thought about him all the time, and okay, even this morning. Royal blue and red with lime green touches decorated the room and it just felt
good
in there. Cozy and cheerful.

“Ooo, I love that!” She pointed up at the mahogany ceiling.

Beckham nodded. “Me too. Here, stretch out on this bed. I’ll grab the menu for you.”

“Thanks.” She sat on the bed and leaned back. “Ahhh,” she groaned, “a feather bed. I just
thought
I was tired of my bunk.” She laughed. “I could get used to this!”

He walked into the other room and she heard him showing Leo how to start the video games.

“No shoes on the couch, Leo!” she called out.

“They’re off, Mom!” he called back and she giggled.

Beckham stopped mid-stride on his way back to her. He saw her watching him and seemed to snap out of it. He came the rest of the way, sitting down beside her. Her hair was fanned out on the pillow and he pushed a few strands the rest of the way back.

Without thinking it through, she reached up and touched his lower lip. She couldn’t seem to stop herself—her eyes were always drawn to his mouth. She wanted to sink into those lips and bite …

She yanked her hand away.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I-”

He took her hand and put her fingers back on his lips. “Don’t stop.” His eyes crinkled up when he smiled.

Those chameleon eyes. They looked dark grey and smoky at the moment.

He was sexy as hell. And apparently he would always be her downfall.

Her fingers swept across his upper lip, following the curve and then feeling bolder, she pressed down on his lower lip until he opened his mouth.

His grin was mischievous as he let her touch and then when she was least expecting it, his tongue came out and circled around her finger. She went completely still. He teased her finger a little more, waiting to see what she would do, and then without warning, he leaned down and…

“Beck? My game stopped working. Can you turn it back on?” Leo asked softly. His eyes veered between the two of them. “Whatcha doin’?”

“Oh just making sure your mom … feels better.” Beckham’s eyes widened at Roxie, but she didn’t try to help him out. He stood up. “What’s going on with that game?” They walked out of the room with Leo telling him in great detail how he’d tried to get it working.

Roxie turned on the side that didn’t feel as bruised and willed her heart to calm down. She was playing a dangerous game, one where she and Leo would be devastated, but today, the pull to Beckham felt stronger than her anger and self-control. She closed her eyes and imagined the kiss he would have given her if Leo hadn’t walked in, and fell asleep.

She woke up to voices in the other room. It sounded like Sierra with Leo. She sat up and forced herself to get out of bed.

Leo, Sierra, and Beckham looked up from the couch when she walked in the room.

“Hi, Mama!” Leo said, taking a bite of a hot fudge sundae.

Beckham and Sierra had ice cream too. He looked guiltily at Roxie as he took a bite. “Come here, we’ll share. And we can order you one too. Were we too loud?” he asked, bopping Sierra with a throw pillow. “It’s her fault!”

“No, it’s fine … I can’t believe I fell asleep!” Roxie said sheepishly. “You act like me and Chloe … I need to check on her, by the way.”

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Sierra said, shyly, silently offering up her own truce. “Chloe was having her own fun with Taz. She’s fine, trust me.” She smiled.

“Looks like I’m missing a party in here,” Roxie said with a grin. “I’m not usually around you both at the same time.”

“I know! My brother’s been hogging you and Leo!” Sierra pinched Beckham. “I was gonna come skating today, but sounds like it’s a good thing I didn’t—I heard you took a bad fall. You feelin’ it now?” Sierra asked.

“I’m so sore,” Roxie admitted.

“Beckham texted me and I picked up some Motrin on the way over…” Sierra pointed at the bag of medicine.

“Thanks! Perfect timing.” She opened the bottle.

Beckham handed her a bottle of water.

“You guys are quite the team,” she said.

Beckham and Sierra looked at each other.

“We’ve fooled another one,” Sierra said.

“Come on, you know you love me.” Beckham got in her face. “Come on, say it, say you love me!” Sierra was about to take a bite of ice cream and bumped the spoon so it landed on her chin.

Leo laughed his belly laugh and had to set his ice cream down so it wouldn’t spill.

“Oh, you’ve got someone on your side now, don’t you?” Sierra said, laughing. She put a big dollop of ice cream in Beckham’s hair.

Leo’s eyes got huge and then his laugh took over. He stood up and tried to catch his breath but couldn’t stop laughing.

“Wait. Stop! Stop. Can’t breathe. Oh my goodness. They’re crazy, Mama!”

Roxie was laughing almost as hard. “I know it!”

Beckham stood up. “Oh, you think we’re crazy, huh?” He put the whipped cream on Leo’s nose. There was so much that the cherry stayed upright in the whipped cream.

Leo started the duck dance, trying to keep the cherry on his nose.

They all lost it then.

Sierra and Leo were playing Mario Kart and Leo kept winning, much to Sierra’s aggravation. While they were battling it out, Beckham motioned for Roxie to come in the other room. He leaned against the doorjamb and touched her cheek.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m feeling better.”

“Good. I’ve gotta get ready to go see Fallon in just a little bit here, but I’m wondering … would you want to come with me? I’d love for you to meet Jimmy. He’s great. Leo’s good here with Sierra. She mentioned earlier she was free to watch him, if we wanted. Or if you don’t feel like getting out, would you … stay … here? With me? I’ll be late, but we can watch a movie when I get back or something.”