First & Forever (The Crescent Chronicles Book 4) (6 page)

I smiled back. “I’m actually here to see Allie. We have lunch plans.”

“Oh.” A look of surprise crossed her face. “I didn’t know you two were friendly.”

I put a hand down on the counter between us. “We’re more than friendly.” I don’t know why I added that part. I didn’t have to. Natalie was going to tell me where Allie was no matter how well I knew her.

Natalie looked torn for a second. “She’s in the back.”

“Thanks for the assistance.” I nodded before heading back around behind the desk.

Natalie nodded. “Of course.”

I walked down the narrow corridor, peeking into each cubicle and office until I saw her. She was standing by the copy machine, sorting through a pile of papers.

I quietly made my way over to her. “Ready for lunch?”

Allie’s mouth fell open. “What are you doing back here, Levi?”

“Oh, Natalie told me I could come back.”

“Oh, did she?” Her face scrunched up the way it seemed to always do when she was getting heated.

“Yeah. You ready?”

“I’m not having lunch with you.” She lowered her voice.

I wasn’t going to do the same. I raised mine. “Well, you left without letting me make you breakfast this morning, so I thought I could at least take you to lunch.”

The stares of everyone around us did the trick. She took hold of my arm, and we walked down the hall.

She stopped when we were out of view and earshot of everyone else. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I’m not having it.”

“What game? It’s just lunch.” I stood right next to her, fighting the urge to pull her into my arms.

“So, you just like humiliating me in front of the people I work with?”

“That humiliated you?” I’d been going for humor not embarrassment. And, well, I also wanted to make sure any male in the vicinity knew she was completely off limits.

“Of course it did!” she hissed. “Now they think I slept with you.”

“And that’s a problem because…” I let a small smile slip.

“Because this is my dad’s hotel. Okay, Levi? My dad’s. I don’t need my dad hearing about this and thinking his daughter is some sort of slut.”

“Being slutty would imply spending the night with lots of guys, not just one. Heck, you can even tell him I’m your boyfriend if it makes you feel better.”

“My what?”

“Your boyfriend.” Isn’t that what girls wanted? They wanted people to think they were in a committed relationship. I didn’t care what term she used as long as I got to see her again.

“Do you even know what that word means? Have you ever had a relationship that lasted more than a few days?”

“There is a first time for everything. Most girls would want to tame me.” I was pushing it, but the expression of horror on her face was worth it. Allie’s reactions were too much.

“Tame you? Oh my god, leave. Just leave, okay?”

“Not until you agree to go out with me.”

She wrung her hands at her sides. “You have to be kidding me.”

“Not at all. I have no place to be. I’m staying here until you agree.”

“Why? What angle are you playing?”

“First you accuse me of playing games and now angles. You aren’t very trusting, Allison.” She was going to break. She wanted to give in, and she would.

“It’s Allie! And you haven’t given me a reason to trust you!”

“Let me.” I ignored a few employees who were watching us while trying to act like they were doing something else.

“Okay.”

Okay? Nice. “Dinner tonight? I’d say lunch but I’d rather give you time to cool down.”

“Don’t you ever give up?”

“Never. I’m not leaving until you say yes.” I needed to see her again. I needed another chance.

She sighed. “Fine. Coffee Friday night. Then you leave me alone.”

“I’ll pick you up at 8:00 then.”

“Sure, whatever. Now leave.”

“I’ll miss you too.” I grinned. Mission accomplished.

“I think I should tell her.” I sipped my beer, feeling old as we sat at the unofficial Tulane bar, The Boot. We didn’t go in there much anymore, but I’d had business to discuss with one of the bouncers so we decided to stay for a while.

“Tell her?” Owen looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “I hope you’re kidding.”

“Why not tell her? Why wait?”

“And lose her before you even get a chance?”

“Don’t be so overdramatic, man. Not every guy makes girls run from him.” Jared took a jab at Owen’s weak spot.

Owen moved his empty beer bottle around on the table. “Most girls would run from what we are. Why would Allie be any different?”

“I have a good feeling about her.” I finished off my beer. “I think she’s the one.”

“You’ve only been out with her a few times. How would you even know?” Owen eyed me warily.

“Wait. As in the one?” Jared stopped checking out the girls at the next table long enough to comment.

“I don’t know for sure, but there’s only one way to find out.”

“How could you possibly know that from sleeping on the couch with her? You’re being crazy.” Jared finished his beer and pushed the empty bottle away from him.

“Just make sure you know what you’re doing.” Owen watched me with concern. I understood. He’d met a girl freshman year and was ready to marry her after a few months. We all told him he was crazy, but he didn’t listen. He let her in on the secret that we weren’t human, and she went as far as transferring schools and changing her number to get away from him. He hadn’t dated anyone since.

Owen wasn’t me, and Allie wasn’t that stupid girl. “This is different. This is real.”

“Real?” Jared snorted. “It’s because she’s playing hard to get. Once you bag her, the feeling will pass.”

“Shut up.” I pounded my hand into the table, splitting the wood. “Okay. We need to go.”

I nodded an apology at the bartender as I headed for the door. He knew we’d pick up the tab later.

“This is why you have to stay away from her.” Jared caught up with me outside. “She’s already screwing with your brain and you haven’t even fucked her.”

I felt my body tense, it wanted to transform. “Use a word like bagged or fuck in reference to Allie again and I’ll rip you in two.”

He held up his hands in front of him. “Chill out. Just think about it. Why are you getting so bent out of shape over her? She’s just a girl.”

“Maybe he actually likes her. Crazy concept, I know.” Owen walked ahead of us.

“Just don’t lose your head over a piece of ass. It’s never worth it.”

I resisted the urge to punch Jared. Piece of ass? Maybe when I first met her, but she was more than that now. Jared was right about one thing, she was screwing with my brain. But that didn’t mean I was going to stay away from her. It meant I was going to do the opposite.

Natalie was quick to fill me in on Allie’s room number when she never showed up in the lobby. I waited around for fifteen minutes before deciding to take matters into my own hands. Allie didn’t seem like the type to stand someone up.

I listened outside her door for a minute, trying to determine whether she was alone. I didn’t hear anything but a loud deep sigh. I was right that something was up with her. I knocked on the door.

She swung the door open quickly like she was expecting someone. Maybe she wanted me to come up and get her. We hadn’t actually discussed where I was picking her up. She wore tight gym pants and a tank top without a bra. She looked hot, but she didn’t look ready for a date.

“What are you doing here?”

She was blocking the doorway, so I walked around her. There was no reason to wait out in the hall. “Did you forget we had plans?”

“Plans? Oh, yeah, coffee, I forgot.” She took a seat on the couch and pulled her knees up to her chest.

I knelt down in front of her and made complete eye contact. I felt a pang in my chest as I thought about someone hurting her. “Hey, what’s going on, Allie?”

“You’re calling me Allie?”

“Whoa, now you’re annoyed at me for calling you Allie? Can a guy ever get a break?” I tried to keep myself calm, but she didn’t look like herself.

She shrugged.

“Seriously, are you okay?”

“I guess, but this summer has turned into a disaster.” She exhaled loudly. “Jess left and my dad still hasn’t come back. So yeah, great, I get to spend the rest of the summer all alone. Just what I needed.”

I rested a hand next to her on the couch. “Hey, don’t say you’re alone. Don’t I count for something?”

She smiled, and a weight lifted. “That’s what I was looking for. It’s going to be okay. But why did Jess leave?”

“It’s—” She stopped suddenly. “It’s personal.”

My gut told me it was about Jared, but I decided to leave it. There was no reason to make her talk about something she didn’t want to. “I’ll take that, but on one condition.”

“What?”

“Come out with me tonight. I promise I’ll cheer you up.”

She hesitated, and for a second I worried she’d say no. “Sure, just let me get changed.”

She’d just walked into her bedroom when I heard another knock. Who else would be coming to her room? I pulled open the door, ready to defend my territory, but I quickly relaxed. It was just room service.

“Just leave it. Here you go.” I handed the guy a ten, accepted the tray, and closed the door.

I opened the Styrofoam container and found a large slice of carrot cake complete with the little sugar carrot on top. “You want to eat cake first, or do you want to get changed?”

“I’m not in the mood for it anymore. You can have it or just put it in the fridge.”

She disappeared into the bathroom, and I moved the cake from its container onto a plate before putting it in the fridge. I figured it would be a nice surprise for her later that night, or maybe the next morning, depending on when she came home.

I walked around the suite, noting how clean and orderly it was. Allie was either a neat freak or super organized. I was neither, but I wasn’t a slob. I picked up the e-reader she must have discarded when I came in. I read a few paragraphs and it was either a romance or chic lit or something. The choice surprised me. I would have expected her to be reading something more literary.

I was about ready to turn on the TV when her cell phone rang. Curious when I saw a guy’s name flash across the screen, I picked it up. “Hello?”

I heard a sound of something dropping. Allie must have heard me answer. I smiled to myself.

“Who is this? Is Allie there?” An angry male voice yelled at me from the phone.

“No, Allie’s not available right now. She’s getting changed.” Both true statements.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Who am I? The name’s Levi.” I laughed to myself. This was kind of fun.

“Tell Allie Toby’s on the phone. Her boyfriend Toby.”

“Well, hello Toby, but I’m sorry I think Allie would have mentioned a boyfriend before she spent the night at my place. Are you sure you don’t mean ex-boyfriend?” Jess had specifically said she’d sworn off men, so she definitely didn’t have a boyfriend. Either this guy was delusional or he was just so hung up on her he couldn’t accept she’d moved on. I heard her breathing from just inside the door. She hadn’t come out to stop me. Another interesting observation.

“Go to hell, asshole.”

“No, I won’t go to hell, but I’ll take a message.” I laughed out loud this time. The call disconnected. “You can come out now. I’m off.”

She opened the door slowly. “How’d you know I was listening?”

“I heard you breathing.”

“You heard me through the door?” She sounded skeptical.

“You didn’t really think you were fooling me, did you?” Like she couldn’t hear every word I said.

“Whatever. I can’t believe you answered my phone.”

“You could have stopped me at any time. Something tells me you have no problem with what I told Toby.” She liked it. She liked that I handled the ex for her. That was a good start.

“You’re right.”

“I’m sure I am, but about what exactly?”

“That I don’t mind what you said. He’s my ex-boyfriend. We broke up a few months ago and he hasn’t really accepted it.”

Bingo. The situation was easy to read. “I can’t say I blame him.” I took her in. She’d changed into a new tank top, this time with a bra underneath, and a pair of tight dark jeans. Not quite as nice as a short skirt, but when she turned around, I decided the rear view more than made up for it.

“So, aren’t we going out?” She watched me.

“Yes, the night awaits.” I held open the door, and we walked out into the hallway. This was our first time going out just the two of us, and anyway you spun it, she was letting me take her out on a date.

I picked a coffee shop right down the block from the hotel. I went generic, just wanting a quiet place to sit and talk for a while. She was still bummed about her friend leaving, and I needed to change that. We’d start with coffee and then take things from there.

I led her over to an empty table. “What can I get you?”

“Oh. Just a coffee.”

“Room for cream?” She didn’t strike me as a black coffee kind of girl, but then again, she didn’t strike me as one who read romance books either.

“Nope. I like Splenda in it though.”

“Okay.” I smiled before going over to the counter to get our drinks. I returned to the table with the coffees. I’d already stirred a sweetener packet in hers. She took a sip before reaching over to grab a second packet of sweetener from the plastic dish.

I watched her carefully stir the hot coffee. “Two?”

“I like things sweet.”

I bet she did. The words “do you like things hard too?” swirled through my head, but I wisely kept them to myself. She might like my flirting, but that kind of comment would probably get me a slap in the face.

“What really brought you down here this summer?” I’d been trying to figure it out all week. Something wasn’t adding up.

“What do you mean? Working at the hotel…”

“That’s what you say, but couldn’t you have gotten a job back home?” Was it all about that Toby guy? Was she running from him?

“What does it matter?”

“I’m just trying to figure you out.”

“Figure me out?” She leaned forward slightly.