Foreign Affair (16 page)

He stood still a moment longer before he threw himself into the trance music. They blended right in with the wave of movement on the floor.

A few songs passed before Tyler grabbed her hand and leaned in close to her.

“I need some water,” he shouted into her ear. “You coming?”

Lena nodded and let her body slow to a standstill. Tyler dropped her hand and started to make his way toward the bar.

She went to follow when an arm snaked out and weaved around her waist, dragging her back toward the dance floor.

Lena turned to see who had grabbed her and encountered a rather large man.

He smiled at her and yelled something in French.

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head and sent a furtive glance toward Tyler who hadn’t noticed she’d stopped. “I don’t speak French.”

“Ah, you are American?” He laughed and grabbed her hands. “I tell you that you are a very beautiful woman and you must dance with me. I am Mortimer.”

“That’s very sweet of you, but—” She got cut off as another loud, pulsing song came on and drowned her out.

He jerked her around with the music, and she groaned, feeling a little bit like an oversized stuffed animal. How the hell had she gotten herself into this situation?

She closed her eyes for a moment and, when she opened them, Tyler’s amused expression came into view. He lifted his water in a salute and went to sit down at the table.

He didn’t plan on rescuing her? She made a face and kept dancing. She burned out quick and, after a moment, she couldn’t bear it anymore. She pushed herself hard away from the French man and made her way back to the table. She had almost reached it when she noticed a lithe woman in a sleek pantsuit place herself next to Tyler.

Lena froze and watched for a moment to see what would happen. Jealousy stabbed deep as he smiled at the woman, then appeared to get into a quick conversation.

She watched for a moment, expecting Tyler to look for her on the dance floor, but he seemed engrossed with the woman.

Her stomach clenched, and she took an unsteady breath. The initial hurt faded, and a slow burn of annoyance replaced it.

She turned and went back to the bar, deciding to buy herself a drink.

“I can’t believe this,” she mumbled under her breath. “I get all dressed up and instead of him going nutty over me, he finds someone else to flirt with.”

She reached the counter and smiled at the bartender. “One lager, please.”

The bartender turned to get her drink with a nod.

A hand closed over hers, and her pulse jumped. She looked up, expecting to see Tyler. Her stomach sank and she bit back a sigh. Not Tyler.

The man who stared back at her was attractive and seemed very interested in her.

“Hello.” The man had an English accent. “Can I buy that drink for you?”

She started to decline, but happened to catch a glance at Tyler. The woman now laughed and had placed a hand on his shoulder. Lena’s teeth snapped together, and she found herself turn back to the man in front of her.

“Sure, why not? My name is Lena, and you are?”

“Absolutely in lust,” he replied, running his gaze over her. “My name is Edward.”

Ugh
. Lena gave an inward groan. Was that supposed to be a turn on?

“Edward, thanks for the drink.” She flashed him a bright smile.

Edward made a hum of interest, and she nearly rolled her eyes. Instead she turned her head away.

Her gaze connected with Tyler’s. Ah, now he was looking. The steel in his gaze sent a tremble through her body. He really didn’t look happy.

She raised an eyebrow and glanced at the woman beside him, then back to him. He gave a slight shake of his head, but his expression didn’t change.

If he wasn’t interested in the woman, than why didn’t he just walk away? Not liking the hot irritation bubbling inside her belly, she gave a hard shrug and turned away.

“Edward,” she said brightly. “Would you dance with me after you have that drink?”

What the hell kind of game did she think she was playing? Tyler watched Lena parade some love-struck looking guy onto the dance floor, and his hand clenched around the beer bottle so tight it almost snapped.

The woman next to him droned on and on about a man she knew in the United States, and maybe if Tyler might know him.
Right.
Because, after all, the United States was so small.

He hadn’t been able to shake her since the moment she approached. She’d been hitting on him in a not-so-subtle way, but he had done nothing to encourage her flirting. When she’d even been so bold as to reach out and stroke his shoulder, he’d shrugged off her hand and repeated that he’d come with someone else.

His gaze honed in on Lena and the other man on the dance floor. Was she jealous? Is that why she’d sought out another guy? It seemed the only plausible answer. And it didn’t please him.

He had no time for women who played games. His ex
-
fiancée had been a master at them, and now Lena pulled the same shit.

And the longer he watched her, the more certain he became that she was setting out to make him jealous.

Unfortunately, she was doing a damn good job of it.

Why the hell had she ever thought this was a good idea?

Lena groaned as Edward dragged her body against his. She gave him a tight smile and pressed her hands against his chest, trying to put some space between them.

He laughed but gave in and let her have her way.

A little more relieved, she glanced again toward Tyler. He still watched her with that cold gaze, but now seemed to be ignoring the woman.

Why didn’t he brush her off? Tell her to get lost?

Edward leaned forward and said something in her ear. Although she still couldn’t hear him, she smiled, just to give Tyler the impression she was having fun.

It worked a little too well. Tyler shook his head and stood up, striding out of the room.

Her stomach took a nosedive.
Shit, you went way too far, girl.

She thrust away from Edward and took off after Tyler.

What on earth had she been doing? To provoke him like that? It all seemed too petty now. Especially when she watched the woman who’d been preying on him move on to another guy.

Not seeing him in the other room, she bolted out the door of the club. The frigid night air hit her lungs like a brick, and she took shallow gasps before hurrying down the sidewalks.

“Tyler?” she called out. Where had he gone? She hadn’t been that far behind him.

The only response was her echo in the dim streets. She spotted a man walking fast further on down the road, and she squinted, trying to see if it could be him.

“
Lena
.”

She spun toward the voice.

Edward stepped out of the shadows and gave her a quizzical look. “Why did you run out so quick?”

God, he’d followed her? She gave an irritated sigh and shook her head. “I
have to go.”

He took another step toward her and placed a hand on her arm. “Hey, what’s the rush?”

“I
really
have to go.” She pulled her arm back, shuddering at the sleaziness of his touch. What on earth had possessed her to flirt with him? To deliberately try and make Tyler jealous? What was she, sixteen?

“Let me get you cab or something.”

Lena groaned. Maybe she should just take him up on that.

“That would be great. Thank—” She gasped as he gave her a violent shove into an alley. “Hey, what—”

Edward slammed her against the side of the brick building, and his hands closed around her throat.

Fear raced through her veins, and she gasped, reaching up to try and pry his fingers away.

Oh, God, why didn’t I take that self defense class
with Stephanie last year?

Edward leaned close, fumes of his alcohol breath smothering her. “You Americans sure like to tease. Coming on to a bloke and then just walking away.”

“I’m sorry, please let me go.” The words were hard to get out—his hand was wrapped around her neck too tight.

His other hand made a grab for her breast, and she slapped it away, bringing her knee up between his legs.

“
Fuck
.” He released her and bent over, grabbing his crotch. Lena slipped around him, her heart pounding, and ran back toward the street. She spotted the streetlamp at the end and increased her pace.

The hand on her shoulder jerked her backward, and she rolled to the ground, tearing her nylons and scraping her knee.

One moment he reached for the front of her dress, tearing the fabric, and the next he flew backward across the alley.

Lena struggled to stand up, her body shaking. Relief spread through her when she spotted Tyler. His fist slammed into Edward’s jaw, and the other man stumbled backward. He regained his footing, seemed to consider hitting Tyler back, and then spun around and ran down the alley in the opposite direction.

Tyler turned around to face her, his gaze one of concern. “Are you all right?”

Her eyes welled with tears, and she shook her head. She didn’t deserve his sympathy. Not after what she’d just pulled.

“We need to find the police. Report this.”
 

“
No
.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Please, just take me back to the apartment.”

He slipped his arm around her and escorted her out of the alley.

“I’m so sorry, Tyler. For the way I acted in the club.”

He didn’t reply, just hailed a passing cab and helped her inside before climbing in next to her.

He kept an arm around her, comforting her, but she could tell that he was not happy with her.

When they reached the apartment, he let them in and firmly shut the door, sliding the lock into place. He urged her onto the couch and placed a blanket around her before standing up and walking into the kitchen.

He turned on the faucet and filled up a glass of water before returning and handing it to her. Never saying a word.

She accepted the glass from him, her hands still unsteady. She took a small sip and glanced out of the corner of her eye.

She took a deep breath. “Please talk to me, Tyler.”

His jaw clenched, and he went to stand by the window. “Do you even realize what could have happened to you?”

“Of course,” she whispered and bit her lip to keep tears from filling her eyes again.

“Why were you even flirting with him?” His tone roughened. She stood up and went to him, placing her hands on his tense shoulders.

“I just saw you sitting so close to that woman… I think I got jealous.” Shame flooded through her at her words, and she paused, closing her eyes. Then she admitted, “And I wanted to make you feel the same.”

“Am I supposed to be flattered? That you’d get jealous of some random woman who attempted to hit on me?” He gave a humorless laugh. “Damn, Lena, I don’t know what to think right now.”

“
No
. I don’t want you to be flattered. You have every right to be mad. I acted stupid, and I’m sorry.” The tears did flood her eyes then. “What happened in the alley—”

Tyler spun around, dragging her against him. His arms wrapped around her in a crushing embrace, but she didn’t mind. Turning her head against his chest, she let the tears fall.

Tyler groaned, his words harsh. “You have no idea the fear that went through me when I saw him attacking you.”

She drew a ragged breath in. “If I hadn’t flirted with him—”

“This isn’t your fault. Don’t try and take the blame for some asshole who should be locked up.”

“That’s just it. I don’t know
why
I flirted with him. It’s not at all like me.”

Tyler grasped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Do you want to know if I felt the same, Lena? Got jealous?”

Lena’s stomach clenched and she shook her head. “No, please. Just let it go. I should never have—”

“You’re
damn right
I got jealous. I wanted to pound the crap out of him, and that was
before
he attacked you.”

Lena’s pulse quickened. “Tyler…”

“And do you want to know what the craziest thing of all about this is?” His gaze bored into hers. “Why I should even care at all. We’ve known each other for less than a week.
A week
. Why the hell
do
I care so much, Lena?”

She blinked, wanting to deny it, but she felt the same.

He rubbed a hand down her neck. “From the moment I met you, everything changed. I’m playing an entirely different game this time, and I have no idea what I’m doing or if I even like it.”

Lena swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. “Tyler, we shouldn’t be saying these—”

“And you sit there pushing me away. Demanding I treat you like some stranger.” He shook his head. “Well, I just can’t do it anymore. I’m sorry.”

The blood seeped from her face, and she swayed in his arms. Would he leave her in Paris? Call it off? The idea of it almost crippled her.

“I won’t do it.” He rubbed his thumb across her mouth. “I want to know everything about you—not just how to touch you to bring you to orgasm. I want to know everything
.
I want to know what your favorite movie is, what really pisses you off, your favorite color. I want to know about the cat you had to put to sleep when you were twelve.” He took a deep breath in. “I want to
know you,
Lena.”

Chapter Thirteen

Tyler waited for her to respond, his chest tight. Would she push him away again? Tell him they were through? Her stare seemed both surprised and hesitant. She looked down, and drew in a shaky breath.

“I didn’t have a cat,” she said huskily. “I had a cocker spaniel we had to put to sleep. And I was fifteen.”

Hope sparked inside him. That maybe she’d absorbed some of what he said.
 

“Lena, do you understand what I’m saying?” He tilted her chin up again so she had to meet his gaze. “I don’t know if I can look at this as a vacation fling anymore. Somewhere along the line I started to care for you.” He paused, before throwing caution to the wind. “And I need to know if you feel the same.”

She stared at him, her blue eyes still shiny with tears. He could sense the inner conflict raging within her. The confusion. When she didn’t answer, he convinced her in the only other way he knew how. He covered her mouth with his owns, brushing her lips in the softest kiss.