Wicked Heart (17 page)

Josh looks down at me. “Not necessarily. Have you not noticed the major heat between Angel and me tonight? I’m still predicting she’ll dump Quinn’s moody ass and come
over to Team Josh.”

I laugh and hug him. “Your unwavering optimism is one of the many reasons I love you.”

After we dance to a couple of songs, Angel comes over and taps me on the shoulder. “Okay, time for a swap. Despite lessons, Liam’s already trodden on my toes three times. I’m
hoping Josh is more graceful.”

As Angel takes Josh’s hand and leads him away, he raises an eyebrow at me and mouths,
“See? She wants me.”

I laugh. When I turn around, Liam is there, waiting. He holds out his hands. “Shall we?”

I give him a skeptical look. “I don’t know. Angel tells me you’re dangerous.”

“I promise, I’ll be gentle,” he says as he takes my hands. “Right up until you beg me to be rough.” His mischievous smile does nothing to diminish how my body
reacts to that statement. I put one hand on his shoulder as he winds an arm around my waist, and when our palms press together, I can’t help an audible intake of breath. He freezes as
well.

“Is this okay?” he asks quietly.

I nod. “Yeah. If it’s okay with you.”

He pulls me a little closer, but makes sure to keep distance between our bodies. “So far, so good. But it’s been a while since I danced with you, so anything could happen.
You’re a little taller than I remember.”

“Yes, high heels are a wonderful thing. Unless you try to walk in them. Or dance. Last chance to sit this one out and save yourself.”

He smiles down at me. “Not happening. They’ll have to pry you from my cold, dead hands. Let’s do this.”

We begin to sway. It’s awkward at first, but as we get used to touching each other again, we begin to relax.

“See?” he says, a little breathless. “Nothing to worry about.” He glances over at Angel and Josh. Angel’s laughing and Josh is glaring. Surely they’re not
still talking
Star Trek
. “So, I take it Josh now knows the full story about us?”

“What gave it away? Him calling you an asshole?”

He shrugs. “It was subtle, but I picked up on it.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. I deserved it. To be honest, I expected something like that way before now.”

He adjusts his hand around mine, and I notice how much softer his fingers are these days. No construction work to create calluses, I guess.

“Just so you know,” I say, “those were Josh’s words. Not mine.”

“You don’t think I’m an asshole?”

“No. Like Angel said earlier, you can’t help who you fall in love with. And she’s an amazing woman. I can see why you’d choose her.”

For a second, his fingers tighten around my hand, then they release. “That’s a pretty mature attitude. Can’t say I’d be as understanding if I were in your
position.”

“Sure you would.”

His expression turns dark. “I really wouldn’t. Trust me. I’m still recovering from you having a boyfriend. Well, ex.”

Before I have time to ask what that means, he sighs and gives me a smile. “Anyway, let’s see how you cope with me taking this dancing thing up a notch. I have moves that will blow
your mind. Brace yourself.”

He takes a step back and spins me under his arm. I clumsily follow his lead, all the while cringing at my complete lack of grace.

“Not bad,” he says as he wraps his arms around me from behind. “I give you points for effort.” He grabs my hand and pushes on my waist, and I spin out before he pulls me
back in again. Then, as I’m busy trying to regain my balance, he dips me. The action is so unexpected, I squeal and lose my footing. Just when I’m sure I’m going to face-plant
into the dance floor, his arm tightens around me to stop my descent. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He smiles as he holds me nearly horizontal to the floor. “And
what’s more, I’ve finally found it.”

“What?” Still nervous about being dropped, I grasp his arms as he leans over me.

“The one thing you suck at. And I thought
I
was a terrible dancer. I’m freaking Nureyev compared to you.”

I slap his arm. “Hey.”

His eyes sparkle in the low light. “Just keeping it real, Liss.”

He pulls me up into a standing position, and I grip his biceps until I regain my balance on my heels. Once I’m steady, he loosens his grip. “Okay, well. Clearly that needs some
practice. Want to try it again?”

“I don’t know. Are you going to insult my technique again?”

“That depends on whether or not you continue to suck. So try not to, okay?”

I can hear Josh and Angel laughing as Liam guides me through the sequence again. Soon, I’m laughing, too.

Okay, fine. I’m a terrible dancer. So sue me. Yet another reason I’m backstage, not onstage.

We swap partners again, and dance for a bit longer, but the wine and the exertion soon take their toll. Angel starts yawning, and it’s not long before we all join in. It’s been a big
week for all of us.

After we agree to call it a night, Angel texts her driver, pays the bill, and we head down to the street. We’ve barely stepped out the door when a barrage of flashbulbs hits us.

“Dammit,” Liam mutters. “Everybody, run for the car.” He pushes through the throng of photographers, then holds the car door open and ushers Angel and Josh inside. My
short legs and high heels make sure I get there last. I’m about to climb inside when I’m shoved hard in the shoulder by a burly man who’s jostling to get shots of Liam.

“Elissa!” Liam reaches for me as I stumble back on my heels, but it’s too late. I trip over the curb and make a grunting sound as I fall heavily onto my hip.

Dammit. That’s going to leave a mark.

I’m awkwardly trying to navigate around my tight skirt to get myself upright when I’m nearly blinded by machine-gun flashes, right in my face.

“Back the hell off,” Liam growls before the owner of the flash is hauled backward. A young photographer in a baseball cap hits the wall with a thud, and I scramble to my feet to see
Liam tear the camera out of his hands.

“Hey! Give that back!” The pap reaches for his equipment, but Liam yanks out the memory card and pockets it before throwing the camera to the ground. The pap howls in dismay.
“That’s a three-thousand-dollar camera, asshole!”

“Bill me,” Liam mutters. He shoves more bodies out of the way to get to me. “Get the hell away from her!”

He leans down and searches my face. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Embarrassed more than anything.”

The photographers yell at him to look in their direction, but Liam ignores them all as he wraps his arm around me and guides me toward the car. I limp around the pain in my hip.

When we’re safely inside, Liam yanks the door shut so hard, the whole car shakes. Flashes continue to light up the interior as the paps press their lenses against the window.

“Get us out of here,” Liam says to the driver. The engine revs as we pull out into the relentless New York traffic.

I lean back in my seat and exhale. “Well, that was a bracing way to end the evening.”

“Are you okay?” Angel touches my shoulder.

“Fine. No permanent damage.”

“Fucking animals,” Liam says as he examines my arms for scrapes. “They behave like that and then wonder why we get pissed.”

Angel gives him a disapproving look. “Still, you shouldn’t have broken his camera. You know that sort of reaction is gold to them. You’re going to be splashed all over TMZ
within the hour.”

“The bastard was taking photos up Elissa’s dress,” Liam says with disgust. “He’s lucky I only broke his camera.” He pulls the memory card from his pocket and
snaps it in half. “At least those pictures won’t show up on some sleazy Web site.”

Angel nods. “He’ll come after you for damages.”

“Let him. He won’t be the first. Or the last.” He sits back and stares out the window, and I can still feel the anger coming off him in waves.

“How did they know you were at Bella Vita?” Josh asks.

Angel turns to him. “One of the staff probably tipped them off. It happens all the time. Paps pay good money to people who call in celebrity sightings. Before you know it, one pap turns
into two, and two into three. Then there’s a whole swarm of them. They’re like piranhas. The merest smell of a famous face and they go into a frenzy.”

Josh studies her. “Unlike Quinn, you seem pretty calm about the whole thing.”

She shrugs. “I’m a senator’s daughter and my sister is America’s favorite journalist; I’ve been getting papped for most of my life. I’ve developed a more
philosophic approach than Liam. I see the paps as a necessary evil. Like it or not, they help keep our profile high, which makes us more valuable commodities. They’re sort of like a barometer
for our popularity. The day they stop foaming at the mouth to get our picture, I know our fairy-tale ride in Hollywood is over.”

Liam looks over at her. “Sometimes, don’t you wish for it to be over so we can live normal lives? Or is that just me?”

Angel stares at him for a second, and I feel like I’m intruding on a private moment between them. A wistful expression passes over her face, and Liam gives her the smallest of smiles.

Angel glances briefly at me and Josh, then looks out the window. “Sometimes.”

Liam’s quiet for a moment, then he turns to me and gestures to my hip. “Does it hurt?”

“A little.” When he presses his fingers against it, I wince.

“You’ll need to ice it. It’ll probably be stiff and sore for a few days.”

I nod. “So this is just a normal night for you guys, huh?”

Liam nods. “Unfortunately. We’re like exhibits in a zoo.”

“Yet another reason I’m glad I’m in theater and not movies. All that attention on a regular basis would freak me out.”

Liam doesn’t say anything to that, but he frowns and crosses his arms over his chest. He stays like that until we pull up outside my apartment building.

“I’m going to help Elissa upstairs, okay?” he says to Angel as he opens the door. “I’ll be right back.”

“Of course. Take your time.” Angel leans over and hugs me. “Take care of yourself, honey. I’ll see you on Monday. If you need anything, let me know.”

She says good-bye to Josh with a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushes and mumbles “Good night” as Liam helps me out of the car.

Liam holds my arm, and after some minor hobbling, I make it to the sidewalk.

Josh watches with concern. “Liam, I can help her upstairs if you want to go.”

Liam waves him away. “I got it.”

Without any more discussion, he scoops me into his arms and follows Josh into the building. Our apartment might only be on the third floor, but I still marvel at how Liam can carry me up all
those stairs without breaking a sweat. It’s not normal.

“This really isn’t necessary,” I say, uncomfortable at how right it feels to be in his arms again.

“It is necessary. It’s my fault you got hurt.”

“Actually, the guy who pushed me over looked nothing like you, so—”

“I should have known they’d be there. Taken you out a different way. Protected you.” He shakes his head, angry with himself.

“Liam, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I’ve never seen you angry like that.”

He looks down at me, and his expression relaxes a little. “Those assholes have no right going after you. I signed up for this life. You didn’t. I never wanted you to be a part of
it.”

We reach the door and Josh unlocks it, then holds it open for us. “You can put her on the couch. I’ll get an ice pack.”

Liam walks over and lays me gently on the couch, then sits beside me. When Josh hands him the ice pack, he presses it against my hip.

I lie back and watch as he frowns in concentration. “You know, I can do this myself.”

“Quiet. The doctor is working.”

“It takes a medical degree to apply an ice pack, does it?”

He raises an eyebrow. “If you want to do it right.”

“Are you guys okay for a second?” Josh asks as he tugs at his tie. “Because if I don’t get out of this monkey suit, stat, I’m going to lose it.”

I give him a smile. “Go. ‘Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman’ seems to have things under control.”

Liam nods at Josh. “Damn straight.”

Josh shakes his head and disappears into his room.

Once he’s gone, Liam turns back to me. “You should also elevate this.”

“It’s on my hip. How do you suggest I do that?”

He grabs a pillow from the end of the couch and then pushes a hand beneath my butt. I make a noise as he lifts up my pelvis with one hand and shoves the pillow under it with the other.
“Like that.”

“Well, this is elegant,” I say, my chin pressing into my chest while my knees point to the ceiling.

He looks at me for a moment. “You’re making it work. But then again, you’d look good in full traction, so . . .” He smiles at me, and I smile back, and it makes me crazy
that I can miss him so painfully even when he’s sitting right beside me.

After a few seconds, his smile fades and he glances at the door. “Well, I’d better get going. Angel is waiting.”

“Yeah.” I want to take his hand, but that’s not how we are now. Instead, I give him a smile. “Thanks for the lift. Both up the stairs and with the pillow.”

“No problem. Next time we go to dinner, I’ll try to make sure my lifestyle doesn’t damage you.” He gives me a final smile, then gets up and heads to the door.

I struggle to stand, and follow him. When he notices, he holds out his hand. “Hey, stop. I can see myself out. Back onto the couch, lady.”

I wave him off. “I’m going to bed. If I have to have my ass in the air, I’m at least going to be in the appropriate setting.”

Oh.

Shit.

Liam’s eyebrows just about disappear into his hairline. “And on that note—”

“Okay. So, ignore that. Wow.”

I put my hand over my face, but he gently takes my wrist and pulls it away. “I love it when you blush around me. Always have. Always will.” I look up at him, and his thumb brushes
over my pulse. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

I nod. “I’ve had worse. Once a twenty-pound light fell on my head. I ended up calling the show with a concussion. I’m a tough nut. You should know that.”