Promise Me (16 page)

I hear the porch door swing open, breaking me out of my thoughts of Tyler's gorgeous body and I remember that I'm going to have to deal with this sooner than later. My mom comes to stand on the porch as I'm just getting out of the car and make my way up to the front steps with a huge smile on my face. I waltz right by her to see my dad sitting in his favorite chair reading his Sunday paper. He pokes his head just above it and mumbles something close enough to decipher as "good morning" and goes right back to reading.

Walking down the hallway, my mom is right on my heels when I reach my room and open the door. She follows and closes the door behind her while I go straight for my old dresser drawer. Rifling through the clothes that I had unpacked just a couple of days ago, I feel my mom's stare boring holes into the back of my head. When I eventually turn around with a few selections in hand and go to make a grab for my carryon bag, she finally can't keep quiet.

"Where are you going? More importantly, where have you been?"

I let out a heavy breath, trying to keep from having to remind her that I'm twenty-eight years old and have been living on my own for the last ten of those before I explain anything.

"I was just catching up with an old friend… we were drinking so decided that it was probably safer just to stay put instead of driving home."

Not one to be fooled anymore by my pretty weak delivery of this half truth, she keeps on staring at me with that look that only a mother can give. You know the one that makes you feel like you've swallowed a bottle of sodium pentathol and can't wait to spill every little detail? Yeah, that one.

"Sabrina, what are you not telling me? And before you say anything else, you should know that I went down to the grocery store first thing this morning and the word around town is you were with
that
boy, Tyler Anderson."

I mentally plot out my next words so that they seem less confrontational than how I really want them to be. Because I need to defend Tyler, but I know I have to do so carefully.

"Mom, when I told you the other day about what really happened with Chris and Lisa, well, I left out the part in the story where Tyler stepped in and took care of me that night and made sure I got home safe," I say and go to sit on my bed.

She comes over to sit next to me and asks, "What do you mean he took care of you? I know about that boy and the trouble he used to get into around here."

I shake my head and tell her I heard the same things all my life growing up but that he's not like that. I begin to recount exactly how Tyler comforted me that night and drove me home. How all of these years later I've wondered about him and as it turned out he's been wondering the same about me. I tell her about last night, the run in with Chris and the altercation with Lisa, and how Tyler was there again to make sure I was okay. I can't believe it, but before I can stop my mouth from running, I'm telling her a little about what happened in his hotel room. To which, she tries to quickly hide the smirk on her face before I go on to add that nothing actually happened.

"He is and always has been a complete gentleman with me, Mom," I say to her finally. "He invited me to spend a couple of days with him in Philly, and I'm going to go. If I don't, I'll always wonder what it would have been like."

She takes my hands in hers and gives me a reassuring smile. "This is the first time in a long time I've seen or heard you this happy, Sabrina, so I want nothing more than for you to go and have a great time with this boy. But I want you to be careful and if you need anything, your father and I will be here to help you."

"Thanks, Mom."

She kisses me on the top of my head and goes to leave my room as I stand up and continue packing, eventually settling on a few different outfits since I have no idea what his plans are for the next couple of days. I take the quickest shower in the history of the world, or at least for me and start getting dressed. I briskly put on my make-up, which consists of just a little mascara and lip gloss and then start blow drying my hair. Ten minutes later, I'm zipping up my bag as I notice the time and realize that I'm ahead of schedule to meet back up with Tyler by noon at his place. I dole out goodbyes to my parents and plant a kiss on my mother's cheek before heading out the door.

The drive goes by rather fast, and before I know it, the GPS is telling me that I'm "arriving at my destination". I recognize Tyler's car parked on the street while I'm looking for a spot. At the sight of it, a tingle rolls up and down my spine while thoughts of what could possibly happen tonight form in my mind. And now, instead of just trying to find a spot, I'm a ball of nerves.

Finally, and not a moment too soon before I hightailed it back to my parents' house, I find a parking spot about a half a block up. With my legs feeling like two stalks made out of jello, I shakily get out of the car and grab my bag from the trunk to walk back towards his building. When I approach the door to his apartment building, one of the other tenants comes out and holds it open for me, saving me the trouble of having to buzz him to let me in. The closer I get to the second floor and to his door, I swallow the big lump that is now in my throat. As calmly as possible, given my anxious state, I stop in front of his door and give myself a quick pep talk, remembering my conversation with Julia from earlier today.

Just when I'm about to knock it opens to reveal a woman standing on the other side. She's a young brunette with a perfectly hour-glass shaped figure. Dressed in only a tight black tank top, low slung hip hugging jeans and a pair of flip flops, she is beyond gorgeous. For a moment I think I must have knocked on the wrong door until I hear Tyler from somewhere inside say something about closing the door behind her. Her crystal blue eyes look me up and down conspicuously as she plasters a halfhearted smile on her face and extends her hand to me.

"Hi, you must be Sabrina," she says and I take her hand then see Tyler coming to the door behind her.

He props the door completely open and I know he can tell from my face that this was not what I was expecting. He goes to rub the back of his neck as he says, "Sabrina, this is Ava, she's a friend of mine."

She turns slightly to look up at Tyler behind her then puts her hand on his stomach and lets out a light laugh; a motion that is way too familiar for my liking. When she turns her attention back to me, she winks and says, "Well, I also work for him, but friend works too."

"Ava, enough," is all Tyler says while he keeps his eyes on my face that must look crest fallen.

"It was
so
nice to meet you." She saunters down the hall until she's completely out of view. I can tell already, I hate this girl. Whoever or whatever the hell she is to him, I hate her.

"Aren't you going to come in?" He asks while still propping the door open.

"I thought you said you were single."

"I am, I wouldn't lie to you, ever. Please come in and I'll explain," he says.

When I don't budge, he lets go of the door and comes out to stand right in front of me in the hallway.

"Not sure if this was a good idea," I mumble while my eyes go down towards the floor. He takes my face in his hands, which forces me to look into his penetrating gaze. I swear his beautiful eyes will be the death of me since I can't think straight when he looks at me like this. It feels all consuming, as if he can see right into the heart of me.

"Yes, she works for me at the restaurant. Yes, in the past year we've spent some time together in more than a friend type of way. But, she is
not
my girlfriend," he stops for a brief second before he adds, "I'm not a choir boy, but I'm not lying to you about this."

"Why was she here?" I ask unsure if I want to know the actual answer, but if he's willing to share, why not.

"I don't know why she showed up here today. When she called me last night I didn't answer," he says with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I didn't invite her over here, if that's what you're thinking," he adds quickly.

The calls from last night. That's who was calling him while we were at the hotel. I ask him as much and he nods.

"I don't like her," I blurt out.

Tyler laughs a little at my jealous outburst but I promptly try to back pedal. I attempt to find the words to say something else to him when he grins and inches forward.

"I told you last night, I've waited a long time to see you again, nothing and no one is going to get in the way of that. Don't worry about her, okay?"

I manage an all too breathy "okay" back to him before he brings his lips to mine and places a tender kiss there.

"Are we good?" He asks softly. I nod before he says, "Good! Now would you please come inside?"

Whoa. That's the first word that comes to mind at my first look at his apartment. Everything is open and flows beautifully from one room to the next. I make my way into his living room, taking in the rich, masculine decor of the space when his cell phone rings.

I'd be a liar if I didn't admit to myself that I feel a slight panic at the sound of his phone ringing now. I would have to be naïve to think that he didn't already have someone or several someones in his life. He probably has women fawning over him everywhere he goes. Hell,
I
would fawn at him if I didn't know him. What could he possibly see or want with me? I mean, even I think Ava is off the charts hot in comparison.

"I have to take this call," he says hesitantly.

"Of course, go ahead," I say trying my best to hide the fact that I'm hoping it's not Ava. I must not be doing a very good job of it when he answers the phone abruptly by telling the other person to hang on a second.

Striding towards me, he grabs me by the nape of my neck lightly and says, "It's not what you think."

"It doesn't matter," I answer while my eyes dart everywhere else but his face.

"Of course it does. Why would you say that?"

Letting go of my neck he pulls my chin up with his thumb and forefinger so that I'm forced to look at him. By the way his dark eyes are drilling holes into me right now I'd say he's upset about something. Ugh, I
knew
this was a bad idea from the moment she opened the door. I should have run when I had the chance.

"Look, you don't owe me anything, Tyler. Maybe I should just go home."

"Stop it." His authoritative tone catches me off guard for a second.

"What?"

"You heard me."

My mouth opens but nothing comes out. He takes the opportunity of rendering me completely speechless to kiss me on the lips quickly then turns on his heel to leave the room with a smirk on his face. I'm left standing there in a daze wondering what just happened when I hear him talking on the phone to someone named Jimmy… definitely not Ava.

God, I'm an idiot! What is wrong with me? Technically, I have no claim on him and it's just a couple of days, right? Then I'll be going back to Miami and will want to be able to look back at this time with him as drama free.
So
… s
uck it up, Sabrina
!

Taking a long calming breath, I can still hear Tyler on the phone in the other room when I turn to look out the expanse set of floor to ceiling windows that overlook his street. In the distance I can see the famous Benjamin Franklin statue resting atop the city hall building. The view is really spectacular, I think to myself as I make my way to his kitchen which is completely open and just as large as his living room. While I'm eyeing the state of the art Viking stove, Tyler sneaks up behind me and wraps his arms around my stomach. He kisses me just below my ear lobe causing me to giggle out loud.

"Are you ticklish?" He asks amused at my reaction while continuing to kiss the hyper sensitive spot just below my ear.

"No," as another giggle comes forth, "or at least I thought I wasn't."

He keeps kissing my neck and the funny part of it is all gone as my body starts to react to him on its own. I lean back into him and my right arm snakes up his neck so my fingers can grab onto his hair and keep him in place. He lifts his head and takes his index finger to move my chin closer to his face and starts to kiss me passionately.

When he breaks the kiss he stares at me with such intensity in his eyes that it almost makes me forget about the Ava encounter… almost, but not quite. Turning me in his arms, he picks me up without any effort on his part and puts me down on the countertop. He steps in between my legs and purposely keeps his hands down on either side of me like he's being extra careful not to touch me.