Heartless Read online

  Shocked, he realized he might actually have a chance with her. Holy hell.

  "So, what do you do?"

  "I'm a student. I finish up in the spring."

  "Any plans for after you're out?" He wanted to ask what her major was but he didn't want to push his luck.

  "I don't like to plan ahead. Life is too unpredictable. I've learned over the years it's easier to take it one day at a time. You're less disappointed when you watch everything you've planned crumble at your feet." Her eyes moved to the table and they no longer held his gaze.

  Sam could see pain behind her eyes before she looked away. He wondered what life experiences she'd had to make her feel that way. "That's not a very optimistic philosophy, and doesn't it keep you from dreaming?"

  "Never saw a point in dreaming. I just live in the here and now." The cynicism in her voice broke his heart. He didn't know what else to say, so he took a long pull of his drink.

  ♥♥♥♥♥

  She knew she made him uncomfortable, but she was just trying to be honest. She only hoped it wasn't enough to scare him off.

  "So, what do you do?" She played with her cup to keep her mind focused on anything but the nerves that crept up when she was near him.

  He made a face as he looked at the stack of papers in front of him. "I'd rather not talk about my job. My boss is a dick, and the last thing I want to do is be Debbie Downer."

  She understood what it was like to avoid certain things and didn't push. Her phone vibrated on the table but she ignored it.

  "You going to get that?" He motioned toward her phone.

  "No." Her phone vibrated on the table twice more, one right after the other.

  "Looks like you're pretty popular."

  "Something like that." She had a feeling it would keep going off unless she checked it. She picked it up to see three texts from Jules.

  Hey birthday girl. Don't plan anything for tonight.

  You and I have a date.

  Ignoring me is not going to save you. You aren't getting out of it, so don't try.

  She shook her head and tossed her phone face down onto the table.

  "Trouble in paradise?" He asked.

  "I just don't like people making a big deal out of nothing." She shook her head.

  "Maybe it's because they care." Sam tilted his head and looked optimistic.

  "Possibly, or because they enjoy annoying the hell out of me." Charlie let out a sigh, annoyed.

  "Well, hopefully for you it is the former and not the latter."

  They exchanged an awkward smile and looked down at the table. She tried to play it cool but her nerves were still on edge.

  "I really hate surprises, and I hope they're not dumb enough to try one tonight."

  "Special occasion?" he asked and his green eyes came up to meet hers.

  "It's my birthday. As far as I'm concerned, it's just another day and another year gone," she said and rolled her eyes.

  "Well, I guess it's a good thing someone bought you a birthday drink then, huh?"

  "Thank you, by the way." She laughed and picked at her finger nails.

  "It was my pleasure." He grinned and when his dimples showed, she melted.

  Her phone rang, and she knew if she didn't answer it, Jules would continue to call her until she did.

  "Do you mind?" She gestured toward her phone.

  "No, not at all. I can give you some privacy." He scooted his chair back and stood up. She reached out and touched his arm to stop him. Their eyes locked and she quickly removed her hand.

  "That's not necessary. You're fine." A shiver shot through her body the instant she touched him.

  His skin was warm, and it took her breath away. She answered her phone.

  "Hey." She couldn't keep her eyes off of Sam.

  "Hey, why are you ignoring my texts?" Jules sounded annoyed.

  "I'm busy."

  "No you're avoiding me because it's your birthday."

  "Believe it or not, Julian, my life doesn't revolve around you." She rolled her eyes.

  "Whatever. You need to be home in a half hour, or I will come hunt you down."

  "I don't want to do anything tonight." Charlie huffed but knew she wasn't going to win the battle.

  "Well, tough shit. Be here in thirty. I already spent a ton of money, and you're coming. Goodbye."

  She hung up and looked at Sam apologetically.

  "Boyfriend?" he asked like he didn't want to know the answer.

  "Best friend."

  "Is there a boyfriend?"

  She blinked at him "Uh, no. I gave up on that a long time ago."

  "Well, maybe your luck is changing," he said with a sexy look.

  She was impressed how he'd turned her own words around on her.

  "I hate to cut this short, but I have to get going before they come hunt me down."

  She got up and leaned over his shoulder. "Until next time," she whispered and started to walk past him.

  Sam reached out, grabbed her hand, and stood as their eyes locked. Neither of them were able to look away.

  "Will I get to see you again?" he asked under labored breath.

  She wanted to say yes but didn't want to blurt it out.

  He rubbed his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. She gazed back up at him and realized she was holding her breath. She exhaled and put her other hand on his chest as she raised onto her toes.

  Her mouth was just below his ear and she whispered "Maybe."

  She pulled out of his grasp and disappeared outside and into the rain. She was breathing so hard she thought she was going to hyperventilate. The smell of his cologne still lingered in her nose, her hand still tingled where he'd held it, and her heart felt like it was ready to explode out of her chest.

  Charlie climbed into her truck and sank back into her seat.

  What the hell just happened?

  ♥♥♥♥♥

  Charlie pulled past Jules' car in her driveway and parked. The rain had slowed down and it was barely a drizzle. She strolled inside and pulled off her wet boots in the kitchen and headed up to her room. Jules was in her closet rummaging around and there were three dresses laying across her bed.

  "I told you, I'm not going anywhere and I'm definitely not dressing up." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the door frame to her closet. Jules jumped and whipped around.

  "Jesus, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He held a hand over his heart and breathed heavily.

  "Nope, you leave those to me." She pushed off the door and walked over to her bed. Charlie picked up the dresses, held them up, and wrinkled her nose. Callie.

  "I'm not going."

  "Yes you are, and you'll like it." Jules picked up the dresses and shoved them into her arms.

  "Enough with bullshit. Give me one good reason." She stared at him with her arms held out and waited. When he didn't answer, she dropped the dresses Callie had smuggled into her closet on the floor for dramatic effect.

  Jules pursed his lips and said, "Florence."

  Adrenaline coursed through her veins and butterflies danced in her stomach. Charlie flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him hard.

  "Get off me, heifer," Jules grunted and swatted at her.

  She let go and smacked him as hard as she could on his arm. Her palm stung from the contact. "That's for calling me heifer, asshole." Charlie walked over to her closet and looked at the dresses she had.

  "What's wrong with these?" He picked the dresses up off the floor and walked over to her.

  "Seriously? You're taking me to see Florence And The Machine and you think I am going to wear that shit?"

  "Well, excuse me. As long as your aren't wearing jeans and a t-shirt, that's all that matters."

  "You're wearing jeans," she challenged him with a raised brow.

  "Uh, I am wearing a nice button down shirt, for one, and two, I am a dude, so I get to wear jeans. Plus they are dark wash, so they are considered dress jeans."

  "W
ow, thats really scary, Joan Rivers."

  "Oh, Bite me."

  "Nah. I'd rather not die from rabies." Charlie looked at him straight faced.

  He caught her off guard and shoved her into the closet and closed the doors. "Don't come out until you look like a girl."

  "What is the deal with having to be dolled up? It's a concert."

  "It's an unplugged set... in a small venue. You are supposed to get dressed up, dummy."

  Charlie flipped on the light next to the door and went right for the dress she knew she wanted to wear. She pulled out a sleeveless, two toned, black and nude thigh length chiffon dress. She wrinkled her forehead as she held it up against herself and looked in the mirror. She pulled it on as Jules opened the door and stood at her with his mouth agape.

  "Is this okay?" she asked, with an apprehensive look.

  "Charlie, you look ..." he paused and took a breath, "like a girl."

  She frowned, turned away and didn't say anything.

  "Hey what's wrong? You look beautiful." Jules touched her shoulders and turned her toward him. Her eyes were cast down, she didn't want to look at him.

  "I can't wear this, it's prettier on the hanger," she mumbled, and chewed on her lip. He drug her over to the floor length mirror and stood behind her.

  "Charlie look at yourself. You look incredible. This is just a different version of you but you're still in there."

  She looked at herself in the mirror rubbed the back of her neck. "Can you see them?" She turned toward him. When she looked down she could see her scars in her cleavage, but she didn't know if it was only from her vantage point.

  He stepped back and looked at her. "Bend forward."

  She wrinkled her nose and gave him an ugly look. "For what?"

  "Just shut up and do it."

  She bent forward and realized he wanted to see how far the top moved when she did.

  "No, it's fine. I just think you can see them looking down. But even like that, they're all covered."

  She took a deep breath and walked past him into her bathroom.

  "Where'd you get that, anyway?" He followed her and sat down on the edge of the tub.

  "Oh, I found it at this vintage shop in Oklahoma."

  "It's pretty. Now go do something with your mop and your face, even though there's not much hope for it."

  "You sure know how to make a girl feel special." She smacked his cheek lightly and walked into her bathroom.

  Charlie curled her hair, turned her head upside down, shook it and flipped it back. It fell around her shoulders in soft waves. She put on her make-up, looked at Jules, and shrugged.

  "This is as good as it gets. You ready?"

  He stuck out his bottom lip and nodded his head yes.

  "Don't forget shoes." Jules walked down the hall and left her in her room alone. She grabbed a black pair of pumps out of her closet and slid them on. Charlie stopped in front of the mirror and watched her reflection staring back her. Wow, maybe I can do this.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Jules took the exit ramp and pulled up in front of the club. The valet opened Charlie's door as Jules climbed out and waited behind him impatiently. The front of the building was wrapped in red and white brick. She strained her neck at the glowing marquee above the doors with Florence & The Machine on it.

  "We're V.I.P. We don't wait with the commoners," he said and flicked his wrist toward the people in line. Charlie snorted and glanced back at the line that wrapped around the building. Jules wasn't what she would consider smooth and wondered how he pulled off something that epic. They stopped in front of a bouncer with a velvet red rope and a clipboard.

  "Montgomery," he said to the bouncer with pride. The bouncer looked at the list, marked it, and nodded as he lifted the rope and let them in.

  "You're the best fucking friend on the planet." She squeezed his hand as an usher greeted them and guided them up the stairs.

  He smiled. "Oh, I know I am."

  The balcony wrapped around the room and railings were covered in white twinkle lights. Small tables sat spread out across the space with dim lanterns hanging above small flickering candles. The usher showed them to a table at the edge of the railing dead center of the small wooden stage with white drapes covering it.

  "Impressed I pulled this off, aren't you?" Jules wagged his eyebrows up and down.

  "I don't think anyone can ever top this. How'd you do this?"

  "I'll never tell," he said with a laugh and motioned his head to the bar in the corner.

  "Do you want a drink? I'm buying, even though you're the millionaire."

  Charlie rolled her eyes. "You're an asshole, and I'll take a Shirley." She gave him the stink eye.

  "Dirty Shirley?"

  "Like they'd serve you one anyway."

  "God, you're such a dud," he said and headed toward the bar.

  ♥♥♥♥♥

  Charlie sat down at the table and glanced around the room. People were dressed to the nines and finding their way to their seats. She figured Jules would get their drinks and be right back but he was nowhere in sight. What's taking him so long? She turned back and scanned the bar looking for him. He looked like he was in deep conversation with some guy.

  She shrugged, and turned back around as someone walked toward her. Recognition washed over her the closer he got. His dimples sank in his cheeks when he smiled at her, and she blinked.

  Sam. She started to sweat.

  Oh my God. Take a breath before you pass the fuck out.

  Sam pulled the chair out next to her, spun it around, and sat down with his forearms resting of the back of it.

  "I'm really starting to think maybe I should file a restraining order," he said with an amused smile.

  "Well, I hate to poke a hole in your stalking theory, but I was invited here and didn't drive." She mimicked his smile.

  "In that case, I have to say," he paused and gazed at her "you look beautiful."

  A chill radiated through her. "Thanks. Florence warrants getting dressed up." She glanced up at him.

  "Would you like something to drink?"

  "No thank you, Jules is already getting it."

  Sam looked back over his shoulder. "Well, I better get out of here before your friend comes back and kicks my ass. I just wanted to say hi." He stood to go and Charlie's eyes darted behind him to the bar where Jules was still lost in conversation.

  When she looked back he'd started to walk away. She didn't know what came over her, but she stood and reached for his hand. "Stay."

  With heels on, they were at eye level and neither of them could look away. Charlie held her breath as his fingers brushed against her cheek to push back a stray hair.

  "You make it very difficult for a man to say no." He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed them softly against her skin.

  Flustered, she pulled him back to the table and sat down, never letting go of his hand.

  He turned her wrist over to inspect her script heartless tattoo. Sam traced his finger over it with a feather's touch and goosebumps raised on her skin.

  "Heartless... is that how you feel about yourself or someone else?" He met her gaze again.

  "It's just a reminder." She hoped he would let it go because she didn't want to dampen the mood with that conversation.

  "Do you have any other reminders?"

  "A few." She laid her other wrist face up on the table.

  "Lifeless ... pretty heavy reminders."

  She saw a sadness behind his eyes, which she was hoping to avoid. "Something like that."

  He tilted his head, and his eyes glistened in the flickering candle light. Sam brought each wrist to his lips and kissed them tenderly. Charlie held her breath as he kissed them, unable to take her eyes off him. She knew she was sweating bullets and hoped he wouldn't notice. Oh shit, are my palms sweaty too?

  She caught someone coming toward them out of the corner of her eye and turned to look at them. Jules had their drinks in hand and a smirk on his face. Her body w
ent rigid and Sam must have picked up in the shift in her body language because he pulled his hands away from hers. They dimmed the house lights three times, to let everyone know the show was about to start, just as he rose from the chair.

  Sam leaned over to her with his mouth just below her ear and her heart skipped a beat as she anticipated his breath on her neck. "Until next time."

  When he spoke, his lips brushed against the bottom of her ear lobe, and her body came alive. Charlie breathed heavily and tried to keep her composure.

  He disappeared and she was left reeling as she processed the last ten minutes. Jules sat their drinks down on the table with his lips pursed."What the hell was that about? What about that Sam guy? You already move on ya' hooch?"

  "That... that was Sam," she said, breathless.

  "What?" He smacked the table with his palms, "How did he know you were here?"

  "He didn't, how could he? I didn't even know we were coming here." She glanced back over her shoulder but didn't see him.

  "Good point." Jules slid her drink over to her.

  The house lights went dim, leaving only the light above the tables on. The crowd cheered and clapped as the curtains opened revealing the band, quartet and back up singers. Florence Welch walked on stage and her presence was mesmerizing. As soon as she started the first song, Charlie laid her head in her palms and was sucked in to the performance.

  The lights for intermission came on and Jules was gone. She turned around in her chair to look for him and he was no where to be found. It didn't surprise her he took off and didn't say anything. He'd always done things like that. After a few minutes she texted him to make sure he was okay.

  She banged out a quick text. Hey where'd you go?

  Her phone vibrated a few seconds later.

  Sorry saw an old friend when I went to the bathroom

  Same guy from the bar?

  Yeah

  Are you coming back?

  I'll be over in a few

  The lights flashed again and she knew intermission was over. Charlie sipped on her drink and waited for Jules to come back to the table, but he never did. As soon as Florence sang the first note of "Never let me go," Charlie crossed her arms on the banister rail in front of their table. She laid her chin on them watching as the singer closed her eyes and poured her soul into every word she sang. She felt hands on her shoulders, brushing her hair to the side and stiffened. Sam's voice was low in her ear and his breath was hot on her neck.