Page 26 of Come A Little Closer

“So as the ultimate fuck you, you left California and came out here?” he guessed. “All because of your love for horror and Anne Rice.”

I smiled, giving him another little shrug. “That’s about it. Two years ago, I arrived here with nothing but a couple hundred bucks in my pocket and an intense desire to live my own life on my own terms.”

“Well, on behalf of all of New Orleans, I’d like to thank you for choosing this city,” he said with a slight but genuine grin. “You belong here, Tallulah, even if I’m suddenly getting the sense that you’re not as sure of yourself as you try to be.”

“Some days, I am,” I admitted, deciding that this part I could be completely honest about. After all the times he’d been honest with me, I felt safe enough to give the same in return. “Other days, I feel like I’m behind in life.”

He frowned deeply. “How so?”

I shrugged again. I didn’t really know what else to do. “I’m twenty-six years old and I have no support system at all. I’ve never lived on my own and I didn’t even know I could just flip the breakers to try and fix the problem. I eat cereal for dinner most nights and this is the first real, big girl job I’ve ever had. I’m terrified of letting you down, Niall.”

For a long moment, he said nothing at all, but he suddenly looked a little bit uncomfortable as he shifted on his feet. “You’re in no danger of that. I assure you, you’re doing a great job.”

It looked like he wanted to say something else, but eventually, he seemed to decide against it. Pushing away from the counter, he strode back to the kitchen table, picking up his jacket and letting it hang over his arm.

“Do you need help with anything else around the house?” he offered. “As you can imagine, these old places come with a lot of quirks. Insofar as first places to live by oneself, you seem to have landed in the deep end.”

I shook my head. “I think I’m alright. Thanks again for coming out here to help me. I’ll remember that for the next time I break the power.”

A beat later, he managed another small grin. “You didn’t break it, Tallulah. It tripped, is all. If Derrick wasn’t afraid of the spirits being pissed at me for ripping out the old wiring, he’d have had you back on in no time. Really, don’t worry about it. I’m just happy we got it fixed up for you.”

As I stared at him from across the kitchen, I wondered what he thought of me now that he knew more about where I’d come from. I hated being the subject of pity, and I was sure he probably thought less of me now.

The sheltered little girl who’d been so controlled by her parents that she hadn’t even moved out of their house until she’d been in a relationship so serious that she’d moved in with her boyfriend instead. A relationship with a man her parents had loved more than they loved her, no less.

I sighed, wishing I could go back on having told him, and yet, I was weirdly relieved that he knew as much as he did now. Also, those eyes were fixed on mine and I couldn’t see a single trace of pity in them, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Or maybe he was just really good at hiding his emotions.

Either way, I walked him to the door. As we reached the foyer, he turned to look at me again. “I have to host a Halloween party and a haunted house at my home on Friday evening. There’s a street fair going on in my neighborhood and it slipped my mind that I’d offered to have the party at my place after. Jake suggested I ask for your help in putting it together.”

“Of course,” I agreed immediately, a tiny spark of excitement lighting in my chest that he hadn’t written me off now that he knew about my background. If he was still trusting me enough to let me handle another project for him, then he hadn’t lost his faith in me now that he knew how sheltered I’d once been. “I’d love to help.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I know it’s extremely short notice, but if you’re up to the challenge, I’d really appreciate it.”

“I accept,” I said without hesitation. “I love a good challenge and this one sounds like it’s right up my alley. We’ll get it done. Don’t worry about it.”

He nodded and I expected him to leave, but instead, his eyes remained hooked on mine and he didn’t look away. Neither of us had mentioned the kiss and it was for the best, or at least, that was what I thought until he spoke again.

“I apologize for what happened on Saturday, Tallulah,” he said, his tone gravelly as he inclined his chin at me. “Truly. It was unprofessional of me and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

With that, he turned and walked away, letting himself out before shutting the door decisively behind him. I sighed, part of me wishing it burst open and he’d come back in, stride directly to me and slam his lips into mine.

He didn’t.

In the time since Saturday night, I’d realized that I wasn’t sorry for kissing him, and that was perhaps the worst part of all this. I’d freaked out after it’d happened, but as I’d calmed down, I’d realized it didn’t matter that he was richer than me or that he was out of my league.

He’d known I wasn’t some kind of secret millionaire when he’d kissed me back, and it hadn’t stopped him. He’d also known exactly what I looked like, and that hadn’t stopped him either. Neither had it mattered that he could have any woman he wanted.

When I’d lowered myself into his lap, he’d been hard as a rock—and that had been for me. He’d wanted me, despite the money, my lack of status, my position at his company, or anything else. He’d just wanted me, and I wanted nothing more than to do it all over again—minus the part where I’d freaked out and run away.

12

NIALL

Igot home, hating that I’d just watched the spark drain from Tallulah’s eyes. She was all alone in that big house and, worse, all alone in the world.

Maybe I had been too hard on her before because I really missed that teasing, spitfire personality. I just hadn’t seen it at all since Saturday night.