Head Over Wheels (Steamy New Adult Romance) (17 page)

"When will that be?" He extended his reach, drawing my hands closer to the floral centerpiece. My breasts hugged the table, but his eyes clung to mine.

"If all goes well, August." I throttled the delight building in my voice box.

"Hey. We're in sync. Graduations in May. Coordinating training schedules." He looked like he'd just realized we were accidentally sitting on the same flight together.

The way his fingers were massaging my hands made concentration difficult. He certainly was affectionate. "Yup. And we'll be busy ..." I kept my voice lighter than the wings of the butterflies clawing at my insides.

"I hope not too busy." He frowned.

"I guess it depends." Why did I feel the urge to draw away from this beautiful man who was obviously interested?

"On what?" His brows furrowed deeper.

I almost blurted, "On Vanessa," but I was quickly developing self control. "I don't know. Sometimes things just pop up ... out of the blue."

Breaking the tension, and grip of our hands, the waiter delivered and poured our wine. I was thankful for the grapes and alcohol that made a beeline for my throat, hoping they'd quickly drown those damn butterflies.

"Is everything okay with you?" Indigo, who didn't immediately indulge, shot me a concerned look as he twirled the stem of his goblet between his fingers which always seemed to be busy. "Do you like the wine? Because I can order something else ..."

S
eated beside a picture window I gazed across the pier, my stare settling beyond the river's sparkling horizon. "The wine's fine. It's peaceful here. I like this place."

"I'm happy to hear that, but you didn't answer my question." From a side glance, I watched him swish the wine in his goblet before he chugged a mouthful.

"I met your mother ..." I said, noting his difficult swallow, his tightening expression.

He let out a sigh. "And she made you uncomfortable." His eyes told me he knew she could be a bitch, and he was concerned she'd gotten to me before his warning. "So where did this meeting take place?" He couldn't have looked more confused had I lifted my glass and tossed wine in his face. That was certainly something I would have liked to do Mother and Vanessa sometime. I gulped another mouthful.

"Vanessa didn't tell you?" I hoped my slow blink looked innocent.

"Vanessa told me she saw you in a coffee shop." His face drew into a scowl. "Interesting she never mentioned my mother ..."

"What?" My head snapped back. Whenever Vanessa became the topic of conversation, I had to intentionally control an instinctive growl. "What exactly did she tell you?"

"That she saw you with Pete, I guess. Holding hands." He forced that faded chuckle again, which was becoming his signature. He slugged more wine.

"Pete? When was this?" I came off as so demanding, I surprised myself. I sounded like a Bronx cop on a street corner, hassling a jaywalker.

"Yesterday." His voice was stiff.

"Did she tell you about our meeting in the jewelry department of AMA?" Mine was stiffer.

"She did not." His fingers left his wine glass and laced, like they were forged iron.

We were so getting off on the wrong foot. A change of conversation was in order, or we'd be better off calling it a night.

"Look at the barges. Do you like boating?" Hard as I tried, my voice simply could not unwind.

"I do. So what did they do to you that you'd rather not discuss with me?" His demand was more amicable.

"It shows?" Recalling the painful encounter, I forced myself to not clench my teeth, ball my fists, pound on the table. Throw my wine at
him.

"All over your face." Releasing his fingers, he brought a hand to his chin, stroking the bristling beard that spread to his sideburns. "I know what they can be like, Jewel." He smoothed a palm across his forehead, securing that sexy lock of hair that constantly shadowed half of his brow. "I can speak to Vanessa if you'd like. But my mother. She's a different story." He had nursed the remaining wine in his glass, but at the mention of his mother, he swallowed the sauvignon long and hard, down to the last drop.

"That won't be necessary. I can take care of myself ... and Vanessa." I crossed my arms.

"This isn't what I had in mind for tonight." Half lifting himself from his chair he leaned toward me, straining to reach me from across the table. I stubbornly held my ground, so our lips barely brushed. "This is supposed to be a romantic evening." His eyes saddened.

Romantic? He didn't pull any punches about his intention. I wanted to leap over the table, fall into his arms. He looked so eager to be happy, but there was definitely something holding him back. Through his attempted smile he seemed troubled. He had to be struggling with something bigger than his mother's horrible personality. I was certain his struggle ran deeper.

"Speaking of romance, and hand holding. I need you to be honest with me, Jewel. If there's someone else you're interested in ... it is what it is ... Just let me know ... I don't want to be mistaken about anything ..." His stare drenched mine.

It is what it is? So that's how little I mean to him?
I'd have to remind Casey about Cupid's rules of love at first sight.

"Oh my God. I'd never do that." I defended so strongly, Indigo appeared to be sorry he'd brought the subject up. "I wasn't holding hands with Pete. To be honest, after leaving your mother and Vanessa, I needed a friendly shoulder."

"You could have called me." His mouth set in a stubborn line, so unlike him, I was taken aback. "It did involve me, Jewel, even if indirectly." Was he indignant with me? What the hell?

I couldn't help but shoot him an are-you-serious look that even sent me reeling. "You hardly ever text me or call me, Indigo. Why would I turn to you? You're so elusive I ..."

He looked stunned that he'd been scolded. "I had no idea you consider me to be so neglectful." His soft voice grew defensive.

"I texted Pete but he was at an accident scene, so Casey showed up instead."

"Pete's Casey?"

"Yes. Casey met me at Kelly's. We had coffee and he made me feel better." I was emphatic, making sure my words inferred I had turned to a stranger who'd made me feel more comfortable than Indigo's mother and his best friend. I knew I shouldn't be taking my anger out on him, but I couldn't help myself.

"Casey's a guy?" The side of Indigo's mouth inched up. "That's really good to hear." He blew out a breath. "Just so we get this straight, once and for all. You're not into Pete, and I'm not into Vanessa." His eyes almost pleaded, knocking the fight out of me. "Settled?"

"As my professor would say, settled like a lawsuit." Drawing a labored breath, I let my eyes do the roll they'd been itching to do each time he'd tried to explain away his mother's and Vanessa's unacceptable behavior. "We've wasted enough time on this subject." Not entirely relieved, I sighed. "Do you believe us?"

"Let's start over." He brought his hands together with a clap, as if sealing the deal.

"Seems like I've heard that before." I raised an intimidating brow.

Easing a finger around the buttoned neck of his shirt, he looked uncomfortable. It appeared all guys weren't made of stone.

Lifting my glass, I toasted: "To starting over."

"Beginning yet again." He shook his head. "How many times can we roll back time?" Appearing worn, he drew in a breath.

The mood lightened, and with the help of the tart wine that soon tasted delicious, my high was back and stronger than ever. While we ate, we watched barges cruise the river, and a three-quarter moon on the rise peeking through wispy clouds.

"Dinner was yummy," I said after draining my fourth glass of wine.

"That it was. Speaking of yummy, how did you make out after our phone call the other night? Were you able to sleep? Because I wasn't." During the evening, he'd made it a point to play with my fingers, plucking the tips whenever they were free.

I knew I blushed, because he let out a soft laugh. I allowed my face to hide beneath my hand, and moaned, "Oh no. Do we really have to go there?" I watched him from between my fanning fingers.

"You didn't like it?" He playfully slapped the tabletop, then palmed his heart.

"I did. Maybe a little too much. That's the problem." Lifting my face, I giggled. "I've never gotten into anything like that before."

"So, you're telling me you're strictly into the real thing?" He angled his head, cocked a brow, and pinned my fidgeting fingers to the table.

My mouth dropped. "I don't sleep around."

"I'm joking. But you did a great job of raising my interest on the phone."

"Was that all I raised?"

I was delirious, disbelieving I was actually saying sexy things to his face.

"Come here and I'll whisper the truth into your ear." With a hitch of his head, he beckoned.

"Don't tempt me." My eyes bore intentionally into his.

He made a move as if to sweep his arm across the table, clearing the space from where the waiter had removed our dinnerware not five minutes before.

"Someone once told me, finding a soul mate isn't easy." My voice sounded surprisingly steady, my stare intense. The wine was doing its job.

"Sometimes, neither is keeping one." He drained his last drop of his wine and reached for the bottle, swirling the last inch around the bottom. "And this conversation is growing serious. Another glass?"

I blinked to focus on the objects around me that had begun to float. Stared out the window, where concrete tables and scroll back chairs took on the color of twinkling lights dangling over the patio. "I think I've had enough."

"Me too, I suppose. I hate to call it a night, but it's like midnight." His eyes searched my face, testing my reaction.

"And we both have early mornings." I so did not want the evening to end. The thought of not seeing him again, perhaps for days, possibly weeks, was distressing. I realized I was in no way on the same level of importance as his mother, maybe even Vanessa, but why couldn't he fit me into his schedule? "I had a wonderful time ... Jimmy." My voice came so from the heart, had it not been mine, it might have brought me to tears.

He gave my hand one last squeeze. "So did I, Jewel. Do it again sometime?"

What the fuck? If this guy didn't stop flipping from hot to cold, I'd be the one blowing
him
off. He was dissing me ... yet again.

"Sure. I'll check my calendar." My voice chilled, along with my emotions. I had to protect myself. Maybe what I said to Casey
was
right, and this
was
a waste of time.

Things didn't feel right anymore. Indigo was capable of inflicting more agony than a thousand Nikos. And his mother and Vanessa only exacerbated my emotional turmoil.

I slid out my chair and stood, making sure to tug my clinging skirt down to my knees. When I leaned over, Indigo made no attempt to curb his gaze which lingered on my bulging cleavage. The wine had hit him too, loosening his inhibitions. He looked about ready to drool.

"Ready to hit the road, James?" I delivered the shocking blow like a pro.

His head snapped back as if I'd slugged him. He squinted with confusion. "Okay ... Of course. Yes, I'm ready. Let's go."

He ushered me out of the restaurant, into the coat room, without the aid of his hands.

Hugging my sides, I followed him out the door, into the stillness of night, to where the valet waited patiently. Indigo handed him the parking ticket, along with some folded bills.

"It sure has quieted down, huh?" I said, my eyes scanning the empty sidewalk. "Guess we just about closed the place." Attempting to clear my head, I inhaled too much fresh air, which caused even more instability. I did a sidestep.

Indigo caught me in his arms. "Come here. I want to talk to you." It wasn't a request, it was an order.

"We've been talking all night." I shook free.

He reached for my hand. "We need to straighten some things out."

His grip was strong. When he tried to back me into an alcove at the dark side of the building, once more I pulled away. His touch made me tingle, and I couldn't bear the inner struggle that was beginning to drive me insane. I just wanted to go home. Fall into my bed, let tears flow, and never think about him again. With the good came the bad, but in my case, I could never accept the obstacles standing in our way.

"Listen. I think I'll find my own way home. This isn't working, Indigo. For either of us. I can sense it. Things are too damned strained ... and complicated." Again I wavered, but managed to catch myself before he reached out to me. I stepped further away.

"What are you talking about? The night may have started off on a rough note, but in my opinion, it turned out terrific." His voice sharpened.

With each advance he made, I retreated, until my feet bordered a garden of shrubbery decorating the side of the building where my heels sunk in pine bark.

Vanessa's face floated across my mind, followed by his mother's, and I couldn't help but take my resentment out on him. "It's never going to work. We both have obligations. In your case, more than ordinary obligations. And it seems to me you're carrying baggage." I reached into my purse for my phone.

"Jewelia ..." He grabbed my wrist.

I jerked away and turned, with every intention of stomping off, calling a taxi. Before I'd moved two feet, he came up from behind, snatched my arm, spun me around and yanked me into him, backing us both into the alcove.

As his back hit the wall, our bodies jarred to a halt. My breath was snatched from my lungs. Infuriated, I stared up at him, too stunned to speak, my free hand hammering his chest. Attempting to shove him away, my out of control palm landed on his cheek. From the sound of the crack, I imagined the sting. Within moments my hand was captured by his, my arms pinned, so that I stood crushed to his chest, completely helpless.

"Jewelia," his voice was hoarse. "Hear me out, please ..." His face was beside mine, his lips in my hair, against my ear, brushing my cheek, pleading.

Unable to face his words I pressed my nose to his chest, lost in confusion. Did I want to hurt him so badly? As someone else might have done? Could I find that ounce of understanding inside my troubled heart? Or should I bring a knee to his groin ... bite him, headbutt him? Why couldn't I just tell him I'd been falling in love with him since the moment we'd met ... and his indifference had hurt me ... and now I was spooked.

He drew back, but didn't loosen his hold, repeating my name. "Jewelia, talk to me, baby. Don't shut me out ..."