“You are quite a mystery Lila, and that was one hell of a kiss.” He turned on a heel, whistling as he left, sauntering down the path leading back to the main house.
She wasn’t sure if she was pleasantly surprised, or furious. Eventually anger won and she swore softly under her breath. Who does something like that? Just kisses someone? She stood then, smoothing down her dress and made her way into the other wing of the house, careful to avoid Ray at all costs. The biggest problem was she wasn’t sure who she was mad at more. Him for kissing her or herself for liking it.
Ray
“I don’t understand why I am being suspended for three games. The asshole had it coming.” He knew getting angry wouldn’t help his case, but he didn’t care.
“Ray, finding a guy in bed with your girlfriend is hardly a reason to beat the guy into the emergency room. You have to get a handle on the anger man.” His agent, Carter managed to get out.
“It had nothing to do with that, and she isn’t my girlfriend anyway… you know what fine. How much of it is leaking to the press, can you tell me that much?”
“None as far as I can tell. This guy wants to sue, but his lawyer is advising against it. I doubt it will get very far Ray, just take the time off and stay with your mom a bit until it blows over… but I meant what I said about the anger man, I tell you this as a friend.”
He tossed his phone on the counter top and with a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair. The whole situation was bigger than just some woman, but he didn’t feel like going into it, not with him anyway. He had already been there a week and although he knew his mother would like him being there, and the time spent but he knew himself. If he stayed too long he would have Lila in his bed in no time, and she would get moon-eyed over him like others he had known. He smiled, he may be wrong about that last part. Oh, he was sure she would be in his bed; she had kissed him back after all. There was something there, something untapped in her. He wasn’t sure about her being moon-eyed though, she really seemed to not like him very much.
He smiled, thinking about the kiss once more. She was a giver, just like him, he could tell that. It would be something good when it happened, and it would. She had a boyfriend, or so she said. He would figure that out first. After the situation with Angie, he didn’t want to mess up her life if she had something good going. But then she could have made the whole boyfriend thing up. All he did know is that she had been avoiding him for a week. Soon, he would know. Even now his hands itched to run over the perfect roundness of her hips, and pull her into him and bury himself deep inside her. She was more than some meek and mild model, and far more delightful than a viper like the one he had left behind.
He made his way down to the living room, and found his mother there, laughing lightly with Jeannie.
“Oh Raymond, I was just telling Miss Jeannie here about the time we all went camping and you fell into the lake.” She fell into a fit of laughter.
He couldn’t help but join, “I don’t remember it being quite that funny, mom. I had an awful cold for weeks after that.” He laughed with her and smiled when he heard his mother’s buzzer going off once more. He waited, knowing she would be there soon.
She carefully avoided his gaze when she entered the room, her hair piled up high on her head. He wanted to pull it down and spread it around them like a blanket when he made love to her. She flicked her eyes his way for a brief second before turning away once more. Yes, he had definitely had an effect on her. Once she was finished, she sat down with his mother and he watched the way she took care of her. He felt something different stir inside him, something he quickly tamped back down. No, no way would he get emotionally invested. He couldn’t help but smile as his mother told another story, something she loved to do.
As the afternoon went on he watched her laugh and relax, something he had yet to see her do. She was careful to keep her distance from him, only confirming that she had felt it just as much as he had that day in the garden. Only once did he notice anything afoot. At some point her phone rang and she had left to take the call, coming back her face ashen and tight. He knew something was wrong, he would find out later.
“I am feeling tired Lila, be a dear and help me to my room. I think I’ll take a nap.” She gave her a smile and a pat on her hand.
She smiled and did as she was asked. He waited.
Lila
She wouldn’t let herself cry, not over him and not now. She squared her shoulders before heading back into the room where they were sitting. There was something about Ray that she wanted to avoid at all costs, and she had done a decent job of it to over the last week, until today. He had been watching her across the room and it left her unsettled. It was obvious that he was used to getting whatever he wanted and whenever it suited him, and she wouldn’t be added to that list. Especially now that Andre had told her they should see other people.