Light My Fire (13 page)

“Please don’t be.” I couldn’t hide the emotion in my voice.

She fixed her hair. She wouldn’t look at me. When she opened the door and stepped out, I followed her.

“Prudence?”

“Hmm?” She walked to the front door. When I saw the Lamborghini in the driveway, I wanted to break the window. How could she cuddle with me then walk inside and fuck this guy?

“What’s going on?” I hated to be a girl but I had to ask.

“I’m sorry for being…clingy with you.”

Clingy? “You aren’t.”

She pulled out her keys then put them in the door.

She had her own keys?
So she was officially living with this guy. That made my blood boil. I really meant nothing to her.

“I’m sorry I’m bothering you. I’m sure
you have a life to get back to,” she said.

“And so do you,” I snapped.

Prudence got the door unlocked. “Good night.”

“Night.” She still had my jacket but I didn’t ask for it.

She shut the door in my face.

I stood in front of the door, my hands on my hips. My limo was still in the road, waiting for me to return. I replayed the evening in my head. We didn’t even discuss business.
Neither one of us brought it up.

What the fuck just happened?

Chapter Twenty-Three

♬

Prudence Clearwater

I didn’t go to bed. Instead, I sat in the living room.  Cash’s jacket was still over my shoulder. It smelled so good, like
him, that I didn’t want to take it off. Then the tears fell.

I loved being held by him. It brought back so many memories. And being in the back of that limo made me want to relive them. Cash was a gentleman and didn’t push me off, but I doubt he wanted to hold me. I was so pathetic. I wish I wasn’t in love with him. Or better yet, I wished he loved me back.

Dean came downstairs and gave me a sad look. He was wearing his flannel bottoms with no shirt. “What happened?” he asked gently.

“Nothing…”

“Then why are you crying?”

I wiped my tears away. “Nothing happened. Really. And that’s why I’m crying.”

“I’m not following.”

I shook my head. “A stupid part of me hoped he’d want me back. I gave him every advantage to kiss me. I got all dressed up for him, did my hair the way he loved, and I sat in his lap for three hours. He didn’t do anything.”

Dean sat next to me but didn’t touch me. “But did you really want something to happen? If he doesn’t love you, it’ll just hurt all over again.”

“I guess I hoped he’d tell me otherwise.”

Dean sat beside me and gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry.”

I stilled my lungs and closed my tear ducts. “Every time I’m with him, I fall for him all over again. Just a few hours with him and I’m head over heels. Ugh. I hate this.”

Dean patted my hand. “Did you discuss his contacts and appearances?”

Oh. I completely forgot about that. “It didn’t come up…”

“Then what did you talk about?”

“Nothing, really.”

“Well, that was productive,” he said with a laugh.

“No. I got my heart broken again. That’s somewhat productive.”

He shook his head slightly. “I’m starting to really hate this guy.”

“Why?”

Dean sighed. “He has the love of the most wonderful woman in the world and he doesn’t even care. This guy has his head shoved up his ass.”

“He’s just been hurt…”

“That’s no excuse,” he said firmly. “Maybe when we get married, he’ll realize the error of his ways.”

“I would prefer it if he realized it beforehand.”

“I wouldn’t put much faith into it,” he said bitterly.

Why did Cash have to do this to me? Why did he have to be so beautiful, so perfect? And I could never have him. “I’m going to bed.”

“Okay.” He watched me walk up the stairs. “I’m across the hall if you need me.”

“I know.”

♫

I was just as depressed the next day. Nothing could get my mind off the ordeal I had. I slept in nothing but Cash’s jacket because I was so obsessed with him. The smell made me feel better.

Dean made breakfast today because I wasn’t up to it. He shoveled the pancakes onto my plate. “Cheer up.”

“No.” I poked my pancakes.

He sighed. “It looks like we have to start over.”

“I’ll always be starting over.” I ate a few bites of my pancakes even though I wasn’t hungry. I didn’t want to be rude to Dean, who had been a great guy since the moment we met.

A knock on the door made us both flinch. It was too early in the morning for visitors.

“I’ll get it.” Dean wiped his hands on the napkin then opened the door. A moment later, he came into the kitchen, a man in a suit behind him. “What’s this about?”

I stood up when I realized how serious the conversation was. “What’s going on?”

“You’re Prudence Clearwater?” The suit didn’t even introduce
himself.

“Yeah…”

“According to immigration affairs, you’ve expired your three months in the United States. Without a filed work permit, school permit, or marriage license, you are to be deported back to England.”

What?

Dean looked alarmed. “She does work. She’s a musician.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “You need to go back to England and fil
e the paperwork before you can return.”

“But that could take a year…” This couldn’t be happening.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t seem sorry at all. He handed the paper over. “Consider this a warning. You have two weeks to get your affairs in order and leave. If you choose to stay, we will escort you out of the country. And I recommend you avoid that.” He nodded. “Have a good day.” He walked out the door and didn’t close it behind him.

I collapsed in my chair. “This couldn’t get any worse.”

Dean sat across from me and read the letter three times. “Fuck. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know,” I snapped.

He put the letter on the surface and sighed. “We have to get married.”

“What? I still have to go back to England.”

“No.” He turned the page toward me then pointed at the line. “If you have a marriage license, it’s completely different. You can stay in the states as long as you pass the audit.”

“The audit?”

“They want to make sure your marriage is genuine, not just a way to get a green card.”

“Oh….”

“I don’t see any other way. If you’re deported back to England, it could halt your music career—permanently.”

Why did shit like this always happen to me?

“I don’t see any other way, Pru.”

My head was racing. I immediately thought of Cash. How could I get married when I loved him so much? But Dean understood my love and respected it. But he still wasn’t Cash. He would never be Cash. “You’re right.”

“Did you just say yes?” He had a smile on his face.

“Did you just propose?”

He nodded. “Looks like we’re going to be man and wife.”

            
 
♫

I stayed in my room for the rest of the day. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. But I had to call Jeremy soon. If I was getting married, he had to know. And he deserved to know the restrictions I was under. Plus, I was a horrible sister and hadn’t called him—at all.

I hate my life right now.

The only comfort I had was the jacket I took from Cash. Before I said good night to him, I remembered I had it. But I still didn’t hand it over. I didn’t want to. It was my last memento of him. And I was going to breathe in all the smell until it was gone.

My phone rang on the nightstand but I didn’t look at it. I didn’t feel like talking. When it rang three times, I decided to look at the number.

It was Cash.

How did he have my number? Before I put any thought into it, I answered.

Fuck, what do I say? Why did I tak
e the call? What did he want?
“Hi…”

“Prudence.”

He used to greet me that way all the time. And the seductive sound of his voice brought back memories. “How are you…?” I didn’t know what else to say.

“Well. How are you?”

I’m freaking out. That’s how I am.
“Good…”

“I was hoping I could take you to coffee later today.”

“Why?” I blurted. It didn’t seem like he cared about me at all. I practically gave my heart to him on a silver platter and he still didn’t want it. He could have used me and took me to his house, and I would have been happy with that. But he didn’t want me.

“You’ll have to see.”

He was always so cocky.

“We didn’t discuss any business last night,” he explained. “We seemed to have both forgotten.”

I was too busy thinking about running my tongue all over his body. It slipped my mind. “Yeah…”

“Can we meet
at Peets in an hour?”

I didn’t want to be in a loud coffee shop. The blender would turn on and off, making a lo
ud noise that would hurt my ears. A nerd using his laptop at the next table would ease drop on the conversation. And not that I was used to it, but I might be recognized in public. And a coffee shop was much easier to be spotted in than a restaurant. I thought about inviting him here, but I thought that would be awkward with Dean. “Can we go somewhere quieter?”

Cash didn’t respond for a moment. “We can come to my place…”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

“Okay.” I hung up before he could say another word.

♫

Dean dropped me off at his house. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“He said he wanted to talk business.” I didn’t open the car door.

“At his house?”

“I suggested the idea. We were going to a coffee shop, but I thought I might be recognized.”

He nodded. “I guess that makes sense.”

“Yeah…”
              “Call me when you want me to get you.”

“I’m sure his driver will take me home.”

He grabbed my arm. “Call me if you need anything, Pru.”

“I know.”

He released me.

After I left the car, I reached the front door. Dean drove away before I knocked. I hadn’t been to his house in so long. Just the front door made me relive the past. I lived her
e for months and I loved every second of it.

I took a deep breath then knocked on the door.

Cash answered it a moment later. He was wearing a white collared shirt and dark jeans. His muscles were prominent under his clothes. I visualized him naked and felt the excitement course through me. I would always be attracted to him like this. It would never go away.

“Come in.” He stepped aside and let me enter.

I moved into the living room and studied it. It looked exactly the same. It even smelled the same.

“How are you?” he asked politely.

Not well.
But I couldn’t tell him that. “Fine. You?”

He shrugged. “I’m better now.”

I didn’t know what he was implying but I didn’t ask.

“Would you like to sit on the patio?” he asked.

It didn’t matter where we talked. I had no fear something would happen between us. If Cash wanted me, he’d press me to the couch and take me. And he had no interest in doing that.

I went outside and sat at the table. The umbrella shielded our bodies from
the sun. The slight breeze helped us stay cool. He placed a glass of wine in front of me then sat across from me.

When I stared at him, I felt sick. He was so handsome. It made me want to scream.

Cash stared at me for a long time. “Prudence, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said immediately.

“I know something is bothering you.”

“And why do you care?” I snapped.

Cash’s eyes widened. “You know I care. And please don’t snap at me.”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I’m just stressed.”

“About what?”

Our relationship quickly returned to its previous arrangement. I felt like I could tell him anything. He
was my greatest friend and closest confidant. “I’m having immigration issues.”

He leaned forward, becoming serious. “What’s going on?”

“I’ve expired my three months here. They’ll ship me back in two weeks.”

“Are you serious?”

I nodded.

“But you work here.” He seemed more invested than I was.

“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t fill out the proper paperwork. I’ll have to go back to London for a year before I can return. And my music career will be over.”

Cash rubbed his chin like he always did when he was stressed. His eyes darted back and forth while his mind worked in overdrive.

“The only way I can stay is if I get married. And thankfully, someone made an offer.”

His hand dropped to the table. The light in his eyes changed, becoming darker while he stared at me. His fists clenched on the table, making his annoyance obvious. “Who?”

“My agent.”

His knuckles turned white. “That guy you’re living with?”

How did he know that?
“How did you know I was living with Dean?”

He ignored my question. “Are you going to?”

I nodded.

He stood up then paced the patio. I had no idea
what was happening. He seemed so upset. “Do you love him? Or are you just fucking him?”

“Excuse me?”

He placed his hand on the table in front of me, blocking me in my seat. “Answer me.”

I glared at him. “I’m not fucking my agent and manager.” I was hurt he thought I was. I couldn’t sleep with someone else so quickly after the end of our relationship. Maybe he could, but I couldn’t.

His eyes lightened. “You aren’t?”

“No. He’s just a friend—a good friend.”

“Then why are you living with him?” he demanded.

“Because I had nowhere else to go.”