Because I Love You (2 page)

“I will do my best to be home for the holiday. I'll cancel what I can, and let you know when I can be there.”

She went quiet. “Oh.” There was nothing quite as satisfying as surprising his mother. “Well, that would be lovely. Yes. Good. I'll be . . . I'll be very pleased to see you, Tristan.”

“Jesus Christ!” The raspy female voice behind him brought an immediate smile to Tristan's face. He was fairly certain Leah was going to scold him for not waking her up.

“Why the hell didn't you wake me?” She didn't disappoint.

“Who's that?” Mum asked.

“A friend,” he replied. Damn.

Leah was dashing about the apartment, frantic, her movements not having any rhyme or reason. “Did you take my thong again?” she snapped. “This isn't funny, Tris. I'm not going home commando.”

Nope, Leah had no idea he was on the phone.

“A friend, is it? Sounds like she has quite a problem.”

“Mum, I'll call you back in a bit.”

Immediately, Leah's eyes were trained on him, horror spreading across her face.

“Tristan?” his mother inquired with a chuckle. “Be a gentleman and help the young lady find her knickers. She must be chilly.”

“Right.” This was embarrassing. “Speak to you soon.” He ended the call before she could ask another question. “Sorry about that.”

“Your mother?” She turned away from him and rubbed her hand on the back of her neck.

“She calls every Sunday.”

“Perfect. Well. It's not like I'm ever going to meet her . . .”

True enough, she probably wouldn't, but hearing her brush it off like that forced a knot to form in his chest. “Of course, but I still should have let you know she could hear you.”

“Fabulous.” The way she looked down told him Leah, for all her bluster, was modest. “Do you know where my thong ended up this time?”

“Check the chair next to the armoire.”

She left, and he wished he could find a way to keep her here. He really wanted to talk more about . . . well, he wanted to talk to her about everything. He liked spending time with her. When she returned to the room, she was tugging her dress over her hips.

“I can't believe your mother was on the phone,” she mumbled.

“Hey, you won't have to field her questions. At least I can tell her you found your knickers.” He was hoping for a laugh for that, but he didn't get it. Nothing. Not even a raised eyebrow.

“No, I'm going to have to field my own parents' questions. I'm meeting them for brunch at eleven and I'm probably going to be late. I'm never late.”

“Not meeting them for mass, then?” he responded, taking a sip of his coffee. It earned him a cold stare, but the corner of her mouth ticked up slightly. Okay. That was better.

“No. Not
mass
.” She looked at her distorted reflection in the microwave, messed with her hair, and then spun on him. “I'm barely going to have time to go home and change. But if I don't I'm going to show up in the same dress they saw me wearing last night.”

Normally, that probably wouldn't have posed a problem for the lovely redhead, but she and Tristan had left her brother's house together after dinner, and her parents were well aware of it. She was worried, rightfully, that they'd recognize the emerald-green dress.

And then they would have questions.
Many questions
.

What he wouldn't have given to watch Leah squirm.

“Fortunately, you don't live far.” His Tribeca apartment was about a thirty-minute walk from her place in the West Village. Fine on a nice day, when she wasn't pressed for time, but considering she was wearing mile-high heels, as well as the cold snap, he was going to get her a car.

“Right.” She grabbed for her purse and headed for the door. “Thanks for . . . ahh . . . for a nice time.”

“Wait.” He grabbed a pullover and slipped his feet in a pair of shoes he'd left in the living room. “I'll get you a taxi.”

Her hand gripped the doorknob as she glanced back. “I can get my own cab.”

“I know you can.” He opened the door for her. “But I was raised to act like a gentleman. I'll see you out.”

“It's not . . .”

He silenced her with the touch of a finger to her lips. “Yes, it is.”

She acquiesced, reluctantly, but Tris enjoyed watching the struggle. This was an independent woman, one who liked control in all things. However, in bed, she melted at his touch, and purred like a kitten. Because she was so assertive, he was shocked when she let him take the lead in bed. He wasn't complaining, because he couldn't remember ever having a better time, but he was surprised at the trust she'd put in him.

The elevator in his building was painfully slow, and Leah was leaning against one wall while Tris stood in the middle. She wasn't looking at him and he couldn't figure out why.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“No.” She still didn't look at him.

“I don't bite, you know.”

Turning her gaze to him, she grinned ever so slightly. “Actually, you do.”

Now he couldn't resist. Stepping toward her, Tristan brought her fingers up and lightly grazed his teeth over her knuckles. “Only when the circumstances are right.”

“An elevator is not the right time or place.”

Not wanting to push her, because they were
friends
, Tristan didn't know how to tell her he wanted to take her to bed again.

Shit. He needed medication or something. She was driving him crazy.

“I enjoyed being with you, Leah.”

God, he sounded like a pansy.

“It was fun.”

“I'd like to see you again,” he ventured cautiously.

She cocked her head to the side. “Well, I'll see you Tuesday. When we usually meet for burgers.”

She was right, of course. How was he going to do this?

“I thought maybe we could change it up. I could take you out someplace nicer than the diner.” This wasn't going to go
well.

“Aren't you supposed to buy me an expensive dinner
before
we have sex?” She waggled her finger at him. “You're slipping.”

In a quick move, Tristan pulled her away from the wall, and when he tucked her into his side, he saw the tough attorney soften once again. “No need to be flip with me. I'm not looking for strings, but I don't see any reason we can't do something different.”

She hadn't looked at him, instead focusing her eyes at their joined hands. “I like the way things are. Why change?”

“Think about it.”

Everything he'd heard about her said she was a loner by nature. He could see how her abrupt style could put people off, but he found her wickedly funny and her sharp wit kept him on his toes. Now he just had to convince her that throwing in dinner at a nice place, or an occasional bout of hot sex, would be good for both of them.

“Sure. I'll think about it.” That was the last thing she said until he settled her into a taxi. “Thank you, Tristan. For, um, being a gentleman.”

“You're welcome.”

He closed the door of the car and waved to her. A weak smile broke through the stoniness of her face. Lo and behold, the smile was lovely and sweet.

Tris got the sense that Leah's edginess wasn't so much arrogance. Something told him there was a story behind it, a wound that went deep. He didn't know why she struck him that way—the woman was formidable—however something in the green-gold depths of Leah's eyes told him she'd suffered a world of hurt, but she hadn't shared it with him.
Yet
.

It made him wonder about her, made him think. Friends. Right. It was time he started learning more about his friend. He had a mystery to solve.

She was late. She was so damn late. Normally she should have been able to get out of the city without a problem, but the tunnel was closed, so she had to go downtown, over the Manhattan Bridge, and weave her way through Brooklyn and Queens.

She'd bought the car when her mother was going through chemo so she could make frequent trips to Long Island without worrying about train schedules and cabs. In truth, having a car in the city was an expensive pain in the ass, even though in her case it was necessary. As soon as she was sure Mom was better, she'd sell it and cut her losses.

It was another full family gathering, including her brother and his now obviously pregnant bride, her sister, her parents, grandparents, Sally . . . Jesus. Leah didn't know how she was going to explain herself except to say she overslept. Which wasn't a lie, but it wouldn't wash with her father, who'd been up since five.

Ever since her mother's cancer diagnosis, her father was far less forgiving regarding anything that might make her mother tense or unhappy. Leah's “attitude,” as he called it, was something he brought to her attention at every turn. She loved Da more than life, but he was a stubborn Scot and he loved her mother beyond measure. It was probably why Leah hadn't settled down. How was she ever going to find love like her parents'? She thought she had, once, but she'd discovered that kind of connection was a rare jewel.

It was unlikely Leah would ever find it. Especially with her
attitude
. Da said it like she was a fucking teenager. Drawing a deep breath, Leah tried to focus on her mother. She had to calm down, she wouldn't do herself any favors if she walked in ready for a fight.

It was a really nice day, even though it was cold. The sun was bright and the leaves were turning all sorts of beautiful colors. The water on the harbor rippled from the stiff breeze and made Leah glad she'd added a sweater to her outfit.

Grill was an upscale restaurant that sat perched on the edge of Huntington Harbor. At night it served some of the best steaks on Long Island, and was the place to take someone you wanted to impress. But they were also known for their wonderful brunch, gorgeous views, and signature drinks. Leah didn't care about signature anything. She needed food and she needed caffeine. There was a good chance if anyone annoyed her she might do violence.

Pssht. Da would call that her
attitude.
He'd be right.

The valet opened her door and she dashed up the front steps of the restaurant, ignoring the way his gaze drifted to her ass as she walked away from him. Normally, she'd give the kid an earful, but she just didn't have time to tell some hormone-addled twenty-year-old to act like a gentleman.

A gentleman
. Leah audibly sighed. It didn't take a second for her mind to find its way back to Tristan. She'd had such a wonderful time. The man was sex appeal personified, but more than that, he was so damned nice. He'd been a perfect gentleman—kind, gentle, considerate. It didn't get much better in bed.

It was yet another reason she had to be careful around Tris. He could make her forget all the promises she'd made to
herself to stay out of relationships. His humor, his gentle touch, his presence. Yup. No doubt about it. He could make her forget it all.

But no matter what kind of little fantasy Leah was falling into, Tristan was not interested in a relationship. And why would he be? He was assuming a partnership position in one of the fastest-growing firms in the tech industry, investing millions of his own money. He was going to be plenty busy, and while he may want companionship, and friendship, a real relationship wasn't on his radar any more than it was on hers.

She heard her family as soon as she entered the restaurant. The sound was pure joy. Talk, laughter, good-natured teasing. Her father's booming Scots brogue carried through the room like a rumble of thunder. As always, he was engaged in a battle of wills with their Irish housekeeper, Sally. She expected, as usual, Sally would win because that's just the way things worked in her family.

Her older brother, Nate, and his new wife, Jenna, were at the far side of the table, watching Da and Sally spar. He and his bride had that particular posture assumed by newlyweds; Nate's arm was draped protectively over the back of Jenna's chair and she was turned into him. They'd whisper to each other, smile—he'd kiss the top of her head. Truthfully, she'd never seen her brother happier or more content. Leah's natural skepticism still didn't let her believe Nate and Jenna were truly a match made in heaven. But Jenna had won over everyone, and there was a baby on the way, so Leah was doing her best to be pleasant in spite of her misgivings.

When the family first found out about Nate and Jenna's quickie marriage, there was a lot of concern. Leah, however, was the one who went on the attack, and as a result Jenna and Nate had the first major crisis of their marriage three days in. It all worked out, and they came out of it stronger. Leah wasn't proud of the strife she'd caused, but she had to be sure her very sweet brother hadn't been caught in some fortune hunter's trap.

Leah knew how it felt to be used, and she didn't want it to happen to anyone she loved.

God, she hated being this way. Hated wondering about every new person in her life. It was isolating. Lonely. Which was why she enjoyed her growing friendship with Tris. He didn't need anything from her.

“There she is!” Her sister, Amy, spotted her coming toward the table, and all eyes were on her.

Amy had been the only one who hadn't taken her to task over the mess she'd caused between Nate and Jenna last July, probably because Amy didn't like Jenna's marriage to Nate any more than Leah did. But she hadn't blasted her disapproval all over the Hamptons. That was Amy—discreet to a fault. She was the only one who knew why Leah had turned into herself, why she'd gotten so hard and cold.

“Finally rolled out of bed, did you?” her father teased. He was a big man, and as he rose from his seat to greet her, his size was more apparent, towering over the people nearby. When he wrapped her in his arms, she felt the same warmth and safety she had when she was a little girl. Then, there was nothing her Da couldn't fix.

Leah wished that was still true.

“You're late,” he said, drawing attention to the obvious. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes. I just overslept, and the traffic out of the city was horrible. I should have taken the train like I did yesterday.”

Leah made her way around the table, saying hello to Sally, her sister, and cautiously greeting her brother and his wife. Things still weren't right between them, although she was trying. Last, she leaned over and kissed her mother.

“You could have stayed at the house last night,” Mom whispered. “Unless, of course, you got a better offer.”

Gobsmacked
wasn't a word Leah used often, but the words that just came out of her mother's mouth did just that. Unable to respond, Leah locked eyes with her mother, and in the crystal-blue depths, she could see her mother already knew the answer. How did she do that? Was there some psychic tie between women and their children—their daughters specifically?

“I probably should have. Remind me next time, okay?”

It was the best nonanswer she could give. Yet her mother still grinned knowingly. But there was no way. None.
Jesus. She did not need this.

The only seat left was one between her mother, at the end of the table, and Nate. At least her mother would talk to her. Since the blowup over the summer, Nate, whom she'd always been close to, had barely spoken to her. Not that she didn't deserve it. She did. She deserved every bit of the cold shoulder he dished out. But this was hurting both of them, it was hurting the whole family, and she didn't want it to go on any longer.

Nate nodded a greeting and passed her a plate of sticky breakfast buns. She could smell the cinnamon and sugar in the glaze.

“So,” he said with a wink, “did you have a better offer?”

Her brother and his wife had seen her leaving with Tristan. And unlike the others who just saw their casual exit, Jenna and Nate saw Tris pulling Leah to his car.

“I don't know what you mean.” Leah shrugged. Taking a bite of the sticky bun, she chewed happily, unable to answer.

Her brother's eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Fine. If you want to play it that way, go ahead. I
will
find out.”

She swallowed before engaging. Nate had barely spoken to her in four months, and now he was going to be the protective big brother?

“Find out what?” Did he not understand he was playing with a trained litigator? “Look, you obviously think you know something, so I wish you'd just come right out and ask me what it is you want to know.”

The look on his face was priceless. There was no way he would ever ask her about something so personal, especially in front of their parents. The man was a rank amateur, and she'd called his bluff. It was a good thing he was getting out of Reliance before the company went public. When that happened, shit was gonna get real, and Nate just wasn't the guy to deal with it. He was the perfect person to take over the family's horse farm, but he wasn't a suit.

“Well, missy. I'm glad you made it in one piece.” Sally was technically their housekeeper, but she was more like a member of the family. “So did the Brit just drop you home then? No hanky-panky?”

She shouldn't have come. She should have feigned sick and avoided the nightmare. “I'm not talking about this.” Another bite of the sticky bun.

“You said to ask straight out, so I'm askin'.” Sally would not be deterred.

Not knowing how to answer, she picked up her menu. “So have we ordered yet? What looks good?”

She knew the family was curious. Hell, she was almost thirty-one and not married—they were more than curious. It wasn't that they didn't respect her independence. That was one of the things her parents always said they most admired about her. Leah could take care of herself. Which was one of the reasons she hadn't told them the truth about what had happened at her old job. They'd be disappointed. They'd question her judgment. It would change how they saw her—they might not respect her—and she couldn't handle that. It had been three years since she'd left the nightmare behind, but she still felt the burn, the worry, that her family would be disappointed.

“So, everyone, we have an announcement to make.” Jenna's voice cut through the chatter, silencing the entire table, and all heads turned toward her and Nate. “We found out the sex of the baby!”

Nate leaned back in his chair, letting out a breath. “I thought we weren't going to tell them.”

“Oh,” Jenna said, glancing at Leah, and winking so quickly no one else noticed. “We'll keep it to ourselves, but I want them to know! I couldn't help it. I'm so happy.”

“I don't understand.” Mom was annoyed, and she rarely got annoyed. “You announced it, but you're not going to tell us?”

“Uh, yeah. Pretty much.” Jenna smiled her million-watt smile, and Leah felt a sudden affection for her sister-in-law, who had graciously diverted her family's attention away from Leah's sex life.

“That's just mean,” Sally sniffed. “What's to be served by such a secret?”

“I don't know.” Jenna shrugged. Smiled. “We could make it a game. I'll give hints along the way.”

“Och. That
is
mean,” her father grumbled. “You shoulda just kept it to yourself, lass. Sally's right about that.”

“They're never going to leave us alone,” Nate said quietly, leaning in so no one else could hear but Jenna . . . and Leah. “Why did you do that?”

“I don't know. I guess it's the excitement. Don't be mad.” The sweetness in Jenna's voice almost gave Leah a cavity.

But she had to give credit where credit was due; the woman had her brother wrapped around her little finger.

“I guess, but . . .”

A kiss. Jenna dropped a kiss on Nate's knuckles and he was putty in her hands.
Wow.

The waitress came and took their orders and sufficiently defused the situation. Leah would be eternally grateful to Jenna. It appeared that while her brother may still be treating Leah like the Wicked Witch, his wife wasn't so inclined.

It made her feel bad. Over the past few months, she'd seen pregnant Jenna at her worst and at her best. Cranky, sick, and overtired, or shining like a new penny, it didn't matter. Her brother was positively smitten, and Jenna obviously loved him. Leah's nasty words at the barbecue in July were the cause of a lot of trouble, and she'd never felt so guilty. Especially now that Jenna had run interference. “I'm going to go on the deck and breathe in some salt air. It's cool, but it's a gorgeous day.”

“I could use some air, too.” Without a second to say anything, Jenna was at her side and nudging her toward the large
glass doors that led to the expansive deck.

There were a few intrepid souls who were braving the cooler temperatures and enjoying breakfast outdoors, but what always captured Leah's attention was the deep-blue water of Huntington Harbor. The breeze stirred ripples across the surface, and sailors were taking advantage of the perfect conditions to enjoy their boats before the winter settled over them.

“It really is pretty.” Jenna leaned on the deck rail and stared at the boats bobbing in the distance and the houses on the opposite shore.

“The beach is my favorite place to decompress,” Leah added. “I don't get to go enough now that I'm in the city.”

“I think I spent half my life at Jones Beach,” Jenna added about the famous state park that claimed a good portion of Long Island's south shore. “It wasn't summer unless we were freezing in the ocean.”

“I'd go there with friends sometimes, but we spent a lot of summers on Fire Island, or in the Hamptons.”