Unstitched (6 page)

He looked incredible, dressed in a pair of black jeans, shin-high black boots, and a slate V-neck jumper that skimmed his toned chest and arms. His dark hair hung messy around his face and I couldn’t think him sexier. My stomach squirmed in a way that felt too good. Holy shit, this man, what he did to me just by looking at him.

A dazzling smile spread across his face and my muscles eased on a long outtake of air. He came to stand in front of me, his big hands resting on the back of a chair. Even bending, his frame towered over me. His cologne and the musk of his skin consumed me. I crossed my legs and wet my lips with my tongue.

His eyes met mine. ‘Anthea. It’s good to see you.’

***

Lucas

I wanted to shake my head in utter disbelief. This meeting, right here and now — serendipitous. It confirmed my belief that our lives had no choice but to cross — that what I was making happen, would have happened regardless of interception.

Anthea looked edible sitting there, looking up at me. A cute pink glow on her cheeks and those honey-brown eyes she tried to hide behind a silky shock of dark hair. As she drew in deep breaths, her chest rose and fell, plumping the creamy curves of breast teasingly peeking above her low-slung dress.

Anthea smiled. ‘Hi, Lucas.’

‘I didn’t expect to see you here on a Monday morning.’

She coiled a piece of hair around her finger. ‘I’m on annual leave.’

‘Lucky you.’

She gestured to the chair opposite. ‘Please, take a seat. If you’re not in a rush.’

I slid into the chair. ‘I’m in no rush.’

‘Good. I’d enjoy the company.’

I nodded at her book, arched my brows. ‘You sure?’

She snatched it up and shoved it into her bag. ‘Absolutely. I’ve read that countless times already.’

I motioned to the waiter and ordered a coffee then leant back in my chair. ‘So why the annual leave? You got plans to go away?’

Anthea pursed her lips and shook her head. ‘It’s a long story.’

The sadness in her eyes almost unstitched me. ‘I’m sorry.’

She narrowed her eyes, cocked her head to the side. ‘About what?’

‘Whatever has upset you.’

She waved her hand, dismissive. ‘It’s no big deal, just two shakes of stupidity on my part and a big dash of crazy.’

I laughed and she giggled. She had the most beguiling smile. ‘Well I’m glad I caught up with you,’ I said.

She took a sip of her coffee and peered at me over the rim of her mug. ‘You are?’

I nodded. ‘I forgot to get your phone number after the fundraiser. I have to confess, I rang your work today to talk to you. I spoke to your boss.’

‘Sabine?’

‘Yeah.’ I grinned and lowered my eyes. ‘But she wouldn’t give me your phone number. Privacy reasons.’

Anthea laughed. ‘So what were you after? Did I leave something in your car?’

Elbows on the table, I leant forward and inched closer. ‘I wanted to ask you out.’

‘Oh,’ she said, blankly staring at me.

I frantically searched her face, to understand this reaction. She slowly smiled and the knot in my stomach loosened. ‘Would you like that?’

She nodded. ‘I would really like that.’

My smile grew. ‘That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.’

But then something changed in her demeanour, almost like the other night at the function when she flung her hand to her chest. I observed her silently for a moment longer, waiting for her to feel comfortable enough to explain.

Anthea snapped her head up. Her eyes were glossy, red. She hurriedly blinked, but the tears spilt onto her cheeks.

Despair sank deep in my stomach as I realised I had moved too quickly. My hastiness could well have destroyed any chance I had. I opened my mouth, but said nothing. Anthea wiped at her face with the back of her sleeve, stood, and looked at the wrist watch she wasn’t wearing.

‘I-I remembered I have an appointment,’ she stammered, while working her arms into her jacket. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’ She paced to the counter and dropped a twenty on it. ‘Keep the change,’ she said to the waiter, not looking back at me, and she walked abruptly out the doors.

‘Fuck it,’ I groaned under my breath.

***

Anthea

I didn’t turn around. I didn’t want to know if he was following me, because I couldn’t explain this to him. He couldn’t possibly understand my tears. Hell, I didn’t understand them myself.

Eyes on the cracked pavement, I headed to Roslyn’s office, rain spattering on me.

Roslyn was at the front counter of the real estate’s office. Her face crumpled when she saw mine. ‘Oh, no. What happened?’

She pushed back her squeaking chair, walked around the counter to grab my elbow, and ushered me out the back to the small tea room.

‘Was it Leith? Did he do something?’ Roslyn asked as soon as she shut the door.

I shook my head quickly.

‘Then what is it? Why are you upset like this?’

‘It happened again. I can’t believe it, but it happened again,’ I said, a long flood of words and tears.

‘What happened?’ she asked.

‘I couldn’t feel it. Again. With Lucas.’

‘You saw Lucas?’

I nodded. ‘I was just having coffee with him and I ruined it all.’

Roslyn wiped a tear from my cheek with a tissue. ‘Honey, slow down. I don’t understand.’

I told her about meeting Lucas. About him asking me out. About crying like a three-year-old.

‘For the first time in my life, I actually think I’ve met someone who’s
right
for me. And I’ve gone and made a fool of myself like some half-brained moron. Seriously, how deranged would I have looked, crying because he asked me out?’ My voice cracked as I tried to contain the tears.

‘Honey,’ said Roslyn, stroking my hair, ‘I think you’re overreacting. On all counts. You’ve got to stop beating yourself up.’

‘It was just like at the fundraiser. Everything felt so right. And then I made up a stupid excuse and ran out of the coffee shop.’

‘You ran out?’

I nodded, squeezing my lips together and pulling at my ear. ‘I know. Like I said, I’m an idiot.’

Roslyn grinned sympathetically. ‘He probably
is
going to wonder about your emotional stability.’

I sniffled and managed a giggle. ‘Yeah. I know. Or think I’m stalker material.’

‘Or escaped from a mental institution,’ Roslyn said laughing.

I sighed, my body wanting to roll in on itself. ‘I’ve blown it, haven’t I?’

Roslyn shrugged and bit the inside of her cheek. ‘Who knows? I’ll guess we’ll have to wait and see.’

There was a knock at the door and an old man with grey hair poked his head through. ‘There’s a young bloke out the front asking for an Anthea.’

I pointed to my chest. ‘I’m an Anthea.’

‘I’d hurry, love. He looks pretty anxious.’

Roslyn grinned. ‘So Prince Charming chased after his princess.’

I took a deep breath as I hugged Roslyn. ‘Thanks for being an ear.’

‘Anytime. Now hurry up, get out there and make things right.’

***

Lucas’s forehead was lined with worry, his green eyes sombre. I led him out to the sidewalk under cover from the rain before I spoke a word.

I faced him, lifted my eyes to his, and whispered, ‘I’m sorry.’

The lines on his face smoothed and his eyes brightened. He stood taller and breathed out a long gust of air. ‘What happened? Are you okay?’

I smiled despite the mad heat in my cheeks. ‘I’m fine. I’ve just been through a really shit time lately and I was…overwhelmed.’

‘So I didn’t say anything to hurt you?’

I shook my head. ‘Definitely not. You’ve been incredibly patient. Thank you.’

‘I enjoy your company, when you’re not running away,’ he said with a cheeky grin. ‘But what I’d really like is to get to know you more.’

I nodded. ‘Me, too. I mean, not get to know
me
more — get to know
you
more.’

Lucas laughed, deep and melodious and my legs could scarcely keep me upright.

‘So what about tonight? Are you free?’ he asked.

‘Tonight? Yep, I’m as free as a bird.’

‘How about I meet you at your apartment reception at seven?’

So it seemed this guy was made of sturdier stuff than I gave him credit for and willing to put up with a little bit of crazy. ‘Sounds great.’

Anthea

The foyer was silent, except for the clack of my heels across the glossy white tiles. Lucas was waiting on the red sofa, arms stretched over the back of the lounge. My heart stuttered when his eyes found mine. He smiled — two deep dimples and white teeth — melting away all my nerves. I tried not to let my eyes stray as he stood and walked to meet me, but he looked so sexy, dressed in black pants that clung to his toned arse and thighs, and a tight black jumper. His face was freshly shaved and hair shiny, though messy.

When close enough that I could smell his clean soapiness and mouth-watering cologne, he leant in, and pressed his hot lips to my cheek. My eyes closed and I dared to breathe in his heat, let it caress me with rough hands. I was breathless, desperate to taste his lips and tongue. He stepped back and lassoed me with those eyes of his. I was lost, speechless.

Christ, if this was how my body responded to a friendly peck on the cheek, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what would happen if he kissed me for real. The thought made my centre swamp with warmth. I clenched my thighs together and cleared my throat.

‘You look beautiful,’ he said.

I managed to find two words. ‘Thank you.’

Lucas’s car was waiting on the street — an Audi TT Coupe. I hadn’t noticed when he dropped me home on Saturday night what an amazingly sleek, sexy car he drove.

He opened the passenger side door for me and I sunk into the soft, black leather seat. He jumped in beside me and started the engine — a throaty rumble surrounding us. I bit down on my bottom lip to hide my pleasure. Was it possible to be turned on by a car? He pulled out and we sped away across the darkened streets.
Hellz yeah, I was most definitely turned on.

We arrived at a restaurant on the outer city-fringe and were seated at a table for two. Lucas looked incredible under candlelight as he sat across from me, only a small length of table and bulbous shiny glassware between us.

I pulled on a tendril of hair and smiled. ‘I never knew this place existed.’

‘I didn’t either until this morning. A friend of mine told me it’s great, though.’

A waitress handed us menus. I ran my eyes over mine. The prices were obscene. I had to wonder if extravagance was commonplace for Lucas, or if he was trying to impress me. Though, with a car like the one parked outside, I tended towards the first.

He poked his head up from the menu. ‘So does anything look appealing to you?’

I grinned.
Yes, you.
‘It all looks so good to me.’

In the end, we decided on the degustation menu and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

Lucas leant forward across the table and smiled. ‘Thanks for coming tonight.’

My elbows found the table and I drifted closer to him. ‘Thanks for inviting me.’

I delved into his eyes. They were incredible — a brilliant jade colour surrounded by a ring of the palest grey. And his mouth, long and full, utterly kissable. My tongue darted over my lips, and the corners of Lucas’s mouth curled upwards. I quickly lowered my eyes and madly searched for a conversation topic or I was going to have to change my underwear and Lucas was fast going to know all about it.

‘You don’t strike me as someone who’s lived in Brisbane for long?’ I asked.

He shook his head. ‘I haven’t. I only moved here from Melbourne a couple of months ago.’

‘I’ve been trying to put my finger on your accent.’

He laughed. ‘It’s a mixture of many. I would’ve been surprised if you’d picked it. I was born in London. I lived there till I was ten. My mother is Brazilian, which I guess has some influence.’ That explained the cocoa skin at least. ‘My father is Chinese-American. I lived in South Africa until I was seventeen, at which point I came to Melbourne.’

I gaped. ‘That’s quite a history. How is it that you’ve lived in so many places?’

‘My father’s an engineer. We travelled a lot with his work.’

‘And your mother?’

‘She sings too. She’s who taught me.’

I couldn’t help but smile. ‘I must admit, I would love to be able to do what you do.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. I’ve always loved music; I just wasn’t born with any sort of talent.’

He laughed. ‘Hey, I know you’ve got artistic talent. I was at that function you put together, remember?’

I shrugged. ‘Thanks.’

‘So what type of music are you in to?’ he asked.

‘No specific genre. I like all types. It just has to be filled to the brim with
emotion.
’

‘Emotion?’

‘Yeah — grief, joy, arousal — I want to be able to
feel
it. There’s nothing better than listening to a song and getting goose bumps all over my arms, or tears in my eyes, because it has hit that special place inside of me. Not everyone can pull that off. It takes a specific something.’

A hazy memory flickered across my mind’s screen, from the night I first met Lucas. I remembered listening to his sexy-as-hell voice and being consumed by an emotion — love. It wasn’t any type of love I’d ever known, but I knew it was the type of love — the Holy Grail — I’d been searching for. I remembered envying Lucas for having this love in his heart, enough to let it flow from his mouth. And I felt grateful to him for allowing me a glimpse of what that love felt like.

‘You have that ability,’ I said.

He laughed. ‘I was starting to get a little worried for a while there.’

‘You definitely don’t need to worry.’

‘Thanks. And I agree with everything you said. Music’s the same for me. I’ve lived and breathed it since forever.’ He reached across the table and clasped my hand in his: big, strong, protective. Fingers tingled from his touch; body ached for more.

‘Anthea, do you mind me asking how old you are?’

I smiled. ‘I’m twenty-three. How about you?’

‘I mind,’ he said, mouth in a tight line.