Cardinal (13 page)

“I haven’t been here in years.”

“Please,” I scoff. “This isn’t your go-to date
spot?”

He frowns until the realization hits. “You’re
trying to figure out how many women I’ve fondued.”

I laugh. “I don’t think fondued is a word. But,
yes, you’re right.”

A gentleman arrives with our wine. He presents
the bottle, uncorks it, and then pours us each a glass. When he leaves Latson
asks, “Do you really want to know how many women I’ve
fon
done?”

I smile. “Yes. I
fon
due.” Don’t ask me
why. It won’t do me any favors to know I’m one of many. However, I’d like to
know what I’m getting myself into. After Derek, it’s better to be safe than
sorry.

“I’ll only tell you if you tell me,” Latson
says. “You need to spill some secrets, too.”

“That’s fair,” I agree. “I’m sure you’ve got me
beat by a mile anyway.”

He smirks, sits back in his chair, and starts
to count in his head. He makes a show of it, squinting, then shaking his head
no as he mentally adds and subtracts. I pick up my wine and take a sip. An
image of him wearing nothing but his glasses and a pair of boxer briefs jumps
in my head.
Hello
. I take another drink.

Then another.

And another. He’s still counting.

Jesus. Does he need a calculator?

Finally, he looks at me and smiles. “I’m sorry
to disappoint you. My answer is four.”

“Four?” I set my glass down. “That’s it?”

“What did you expect?  I’m a guy from Peoria
who owns a bar.”

“You’re also Gunnar Latson, lead singer of
Sacred Sin, who dates supermodels and pop stars.”

“Ah. You’ve visited Wikipedia.”

“Well  ...” I shrug.

“Listen.” Latson leans toward me. “I’m not
saying I haven’t made out with a bunch of girls. Or messed around with them, or
flirted with them, or thought about taking them home. What I am saying is,
full-blown relationship wise, I’ve only been with four people.”

I lean closer to him. “Then why is there a
rumor going around that you don’t do commitment?”

“Because that’s what I said.” His hand finds my
knee beneath the table and gives it a gentle squeeze. “I have Oliver to think
about. I’m not willing to risk committing to someone who only wants me for one
thing. It will confuse him. Especially when it doesn’t work out and they
leave.”

I pause. His words make sense. Latson has a
huge responsibility when it comes to his nephew. “So, obviously, I’m in the ‘thought
about taking them home’ category?”

“No.” He squeezes my knee again. “You’re in a
category all your own.”

Before I can ask him what that is, we’re
interrupted by our waitress bearing our appetizer. A tray of assorted breads
and fruit is set on the table, along with a creamy cheese fondue. As I reach
for a chunk of bread, Latson grabs my wrist.

“Nope. No food until you tell me how many.”

“How many?”

“Guys,” he says. “You agreed.”

Ugh. He’s right. I have to stop assuming things
about him because, unfortunately, I’ve got him beat in this area.

“Six,” I mutter.

“What was that?”

“Six.” I look him in the eye. “The number that
comes after five.”

His eyebrows shoot up. I can’t tell if he’s
shocked or amused. I feel the need to clarify. “There were two high school
boyfriends, a couple mistakes in my early twenties, a three-year relationship,
and then the cheating douche Derek.”

Latson studies me like he’s trying to solve a
puzzle. Then, a slow smile spreads across his face. “You’re full of surprises. You
know that?”

I am?

He lets go of my wrist. “Thank you for being
honest with me.”

It never crossed my mind to lie. “It’s all I’ve
ever been.”

He smiles again and reaches for a grape. “Let’s
eat.”

~~~~~

After dinner, back in the car, I know I ate too
much. It was hard to resist all that food. In addition to the bread, we had
salad, lobster, beef, chicken, shrimp, vegetables, and then chocolate dipped marshmallows
and strawberries for dessert. If I ever go to Geja’s again, I’ll need to fast the
whole day prior.

“I’m so full,” I say as Latson drives. “Remind
me not to eat tomorrow.”

He laughs. “Do you want to go somewhere and
walk it off?”

“Please.” Not only does moving sound good, but
I’m not ready for this night to end.

When we weren’t tasting everything on the table,
Latson and I were talking. He’s easy – easy to get along with, easy to get
sarcastic with, and easy on the eyes. We also share the same sense of humor. When
I challenged him to a duel with my fondue fork, he didn’t hesitate. Our little
war earned us some annoyed looks from one of the more romantic couples, so we
stopped fighting and cracked a few hushed jokes at their expense. From then on
we engaged in more mature behavior.

Much more mature.

There’s no denying there’s chemistry between us.
Not only did his hand find my knee more than once, his eyes found mine, his
fingers found mine, and his thumb?  It found the corner of my mouth when I had
a little bit of chocolate left there. It’s a good thing I don’t have a heart
condition, or I would have passed out when he traced my bottom lip before
wiping the dessert away. I’m smart enough to know moments like that don’t
happen very often. Like I said, I’m not ready for our date to end because I’m
curious to see what else might happen.

The longer we drive the more the city grows. The
buildings get taller and the streets get busier. I vaguely recognize the area
as the same route I took when I drove to the aquarium, although we don’t make
it that far. Soon, we’re out of the car and walking toward Millennium Park.

“Have you been here yet?” Latson asks as we
stroll along the sidewalk.

“No. My tourist stops have only included Shedd
and the beach.” I step closer to him to avoid a passing cyclist. “And the
hospital.”

He chuckles. “Yes. That’s definitely a
landmark.”

We stop at a street corner to wait for the
light. Other people join us and some continue around us as the red hand blinks
and the timer counts down from ten. Dusk has settled over the city, yet it
seems alive as ever. When traffic stops and our mob moves, Latson weaves his
hand through mine to keep me beside him. We’re headed toward two tall
illuminated structures which, once we get closer, I realize are fountains. Water
pours from the top of each tower into a large pool that extends between the two.
Adults wade ankle deep as kids chase each other and splash around.

“In the daytime the fountains have faces
projected on them,” Latson says. “Water shoots out the middle, and it looks
like the mouth is spitting. Oliver thinks it’s hilarious.”

“I bet.” It would be fun to bring him here. I
can see myself playing in the water right alongside him. We’d have a blast or,
at least, I would. “The next time you guys visit let me know. I’ll tag along.”

Latson’s hand tightens around mine. “You really
like O, don’t you?”

“Um, of course. Your nephew is the coolest
seven-year-old I know.” He’s also the only seven-year-old I know. But, he’s a
good kid. He made me a get well card for crying out loud. Aside from wandering
away from his uncle once, I’ve never seen him act out. Even when he was told to
go to bed the night of the Nerf war he didn’t complain.

“He thinks you’re pretty cool, too,” Latson
says. “In fact, I think he might have a little crush on you.”

Awww. How sweet. “You just made my day.”

Latson stops walking. “Our date did nothing for
you?”

“No.” I bump his arm with mine. “I meant it
added to my already good day.”

He smirks and we round the fountain, passing by
a building with a patio and outdoor seating. I assume it’s a restaurant. Further
along we come across a sculpture that looks like a giant metallic bean. I want
to stop and take a closer look, but we pass by that, too. I get the feeling
he’s leading me somewhere. “Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see.” He nods, indicating our stop is
up ahead.

I follow his eyes and can’t miss it. We’re
approaching a huge outdoor amphitheater. Exposed steel arches form a trellis
over the most grass I’ve seen anywhere in the city. Gigantic pieces of metal
that look like boat sails surround a massive stage to our left, and, in front
of us, people use the lawn to enjoy the evening air. Some sit on blankets,
others stand and talk. I catch a few throwing a Frisbee. We pass a sign that
says we’re at the Great Lawn, part of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

“Wow,” I breathe as Latson continues to lead me
on to the grass. We stop in the center, hundreds of feet from the stage.

He smiles. “Imagine what it would be like to play
here.”

“Have you?”

He looks down, then back at me. “Maybe.”

“This is  ...” I let go of his hand and take a
few steps. “This is unbelievable. How many people can it hold?”

“Thousands. There are a lot of free concerts in
the summer.”

My eyes get big. “Did you say free?”

“I take it you’ll be adding some entertainment
to your tourist to-do list?”

“Absolutely.”

I look around some more. It would be a thrill to
play here. I hope Latson knows how lucky he is to have done it. I can picture
the view from the stage – the crowd and the lighting. I can imagine the energy,
hear the applause, and see a guitar in my hands. I can feel a pick between my
fingers and sense the anticipation of striking an opening chord. My skin breaks
out in goose bumps and I shiver.

“Are you cold?” Latson appears by my side. He
starts to take off his jacket.

“No.” I shake my head. “Places like this they…” 
How do I put it?  I don’t want him to think I’m weird. “Places like this give
me chills. But good chills. Excited chills.”

He steps closer, intrigued. “Why?”

“Because it’s music,” I say. “It’s creativity. Its
escape. It’s sharing a piece of –”

Before I can think his hands are on me. One
slides around the back of my neck while the other wraps around my waist. He pulls
our bodies together, my palms landing against his chest, and he kisses me.

He didn’t ask and he doesn’t hesitate. He just
kisses
me.

All of the innuendo, everything he’s ever said,
is delivered through his mouth and his hands. I melt into him, clutching his
shirt to bring him closer, and he responds by finding my lower lip and gently
biting it. My knees go weak and I lose track of time. This is the best kiss I’ve
ever received. Outside, under a warm, dusky night, in front of a stage with a handsome
musician. My pulse races with the perfection of it.

When he pulls back he rests his forehead
against mine. “If I don’t stop now I won’t.”

I catch my breath. “Then why did you kiss me?”

“Remember when I said Oliver had a crush on
you?”

I nod, biting my lip to suppress a smile.

“His uncle does, too.”

It’s like we just discovered kissing exists. My
back is flush against the wall outside Pete’s apartment as Latson’s mouth
leaves a warm trail up the side of my neck.

Earlier, when we left the park, I made him stop
at the metallic bean so I could get a closer look. It turns out it’s not
supposed to be a bean at all but a sculpture called Cloud Gate. You can walk beneath
it, and the mirrored surface distorts your reflection in all sorts of ways. The
unique images didn’t hold Latson’s attention like they held mine; while I was looking
up I saw him brush away my hair before I felt it. Standing behind me, he
pressed a kiss to my shoulder, then glanced up and caught me watching him. His
eyes held mine as he made a path with his lips, grazing my skin, to just beneath
my ear. When his hands circled my waist and pulled me close, I couldn’t take it
and turned around to kiss him. Since we were in a somewhat secluded spot, we
stayed there.

We stayed there until a security guard told us
we had to leave.

Now, back at the apartment, we’re all over each
other again. His mouth leaves my neck and follows my jaw, and I push off the
wall to get closer to him. As I slide my hands over his shoulders, I silently
hope my brother doesn’t appear. It makes me wonder why Latson stopped the elevator
on Pete’s floor instead of his own.

“Damn,” he mutters against me. “I should have
asked Diane to keep Oliver overnight.”

“Diane?”

“Mrs. Gibson,” he clarifies.

Oh. We’re here because Oliver is home with his
sitter. Since the sarcasm stopped once the kissing began I say, “That’s okay. You
weren’t going to get lucky after the first date anyway.”

He leans back, playful. “You’re telling me if I
asked you to come upstairs you’d say no?”

I’d
so
say yes. What is wrong with me?  “That’s
right,” I lie. “You have to work for it. The chase hasn’t been long enough.”

“Oh, really?” He zeroes in on my mouth. “I’ve
been chasing you ever since you got here.”

His admission causes butterflies to take flight
in my belly just like they did when he confessed his crush. He places a slow,
deliberate kiss on me, and my hand slides around his neck to keep him close. The
other runs down his chest, over his stomach, and lands on the waistband of his
jeans. He backs out of my reach, and my eyes fly open.

“Uh uh,” he says. “You don’t get to feel me
up.”

“I was feeling down, actually.”

Latson groans, making me laugh. He steps forward
and I step back. He sets his hands on either side of my head, against the wall,
boxing me in. “I’m tempted to pick you up and carry you out of here.”

My pulse pounds. That would be okay.

Really.

“But since our places are occupied,” he leans
forward, “I’m going to go home. So I can think of ways to chase you.”

“Make ‘em good,” I tease. “I can run fast or I
can run slow. It all depends on you.”

He searches my face for a moment before
flashing his sexy smile. “Little Bird, I don’t care how fast you run. Just as
long as it’s toward me.”

My heart doesn’t know what to do with itself
and I feel a little dizzy. He kisses me again, and a thought pops into my head.
Dare I think it?

I’m sorry Ed, but you may have to move over.

When Latson walks away he does so slowly – and
backward. “Goodnight,” he says.

“’Night. Thank you for dinner.”

“Anytime.” He makes it to the stairwell door and
cracks it open. “Don’t stay up too late thinking about me. I’ll be the one
above you, all alone, in a big, cold bed.”

He attempts a sad puppy-dog face and I laugh. “You’re
the one with a kid at home.”

“You’re the one with a brother.”

Touché. “Go work on your chasing skills. I’ll
talk to you later.”

“Count on it.” He smiles before disappearing. I
wait a few seconds and when I’m sure he’s gone, I let out a sigh. A big, relaxed
sigh. A slightly dazed sigh.

A holy-shit-this-night-was-amazing sigh.

I open Jules’ clutch – yet another item borrowed
– and hunt for my key to Pete’s door. He had an extra made so I could come and
go, and tonight I took it off my key ring because I had too many keys to fit in
the purse. Where in the hell is it?  There’s, like, two pockets in here. I pull
out my driver’s license, my debit card, a little cash, my phone, and my lip
gloss. I could’ve sworn I put it in here. Giving up, I put everything back and
knock on the door. I impatiently tap my foot while I wait for Pete. When he
doesn’t answer, I knock again. He’s probably asleep. I take out my phone to
call him and when I hit the wake button, there’s a message I missed:

I’m with Jules if you need me.

Great. I’m locked out. I start to dial his
number when I remember someone else has a key. A certain someone I was just
kissing.

I make my way upstairs with a smile. Latson
will probably assume I’m lying to see him, but that’s okay. Two can chase,
right?  When I reach the top of the stairwell I open the door only to hear
voices. I stop short and peer into the hallway. Latson is talking to Heidi. I’d
recognize that red hair anywhere.

“You came here to complain?”

“You had a party and didn’t include me.” She
pouts and tries to set her hand on Latson’s chest. “What’s going on?”

He moves out of her way. “I thought Dean would
have invited you.”

“Well, he didn’t.” Heidi crosses her arms. “Has
he found out if he’s going on tour?”

“Ah,” Latson snickers. “The real reason you’re
here comes out.”

“Just tell me.”

“No. He hasn’t heard.”

“If he goes will you go with him?”

“No.”

Heidi tips her head and sticks out her hip. “It’s
because of that girl, isn’t it?  Julia or Genevieve or –”

“Her name is Jen.”

“What-the-fuck-ever.” She rolls her eyes. “Is
that where you were tonight?  With her?”

Latson looks irritated. “That’s none of your
business.”

“It is,” she insists. “You know I promised
Audrey –”

“You didn’t promise her shit.” Latson stands to
his full height. “You need to stop using that excuse.”

Heidi tries to look innocent. “She was my best
friend. I told her I’d look out for –”

“Stop.” He cuts her off again. “The only one
you’ve ever looked out for is yourself.”

Heidi steps back like his words hurt. “I care
about Oliver.”

“No. You use him to stay close to me.” Latson leans
forward. “I’ve told you before. You need to stop hanging on to something that
doesn’t exist. The band is done. I’m not going back to that life; you won’t get
your minute of fame from me. Move on.”

Heidi’s back stiffens. “Did it ever occur to
you that I stay close because you remind me of your sister?  Because I miss
her?”

Latson’s laugh is sarcastic. “Maybe you should
have thought about losing her before you did lines together.”

Heidi’s eyes grow wide. “That’s not fair!  When
she and I ... you know it was once or twice. It wasn’t a problem then. Levi is
the one who ruined her, not me.”

“And we all know who introduced them, don’t
we?”

“Why are you being so mean?” Heidi hisses. Then,
her voice turns venomous. “It’s Jen, isn’t it?  She’s putting thoughts in your
head because she doesn’t like me.”

“We’ve never discussed you.”

“She’s a bitch,” Heidi says. “I can’t believe
you hired her and I can’t believe you let her spend time with Oliver. Audrey
would hate her.”

Latson’s eyes flash. He sets his jaw and steps
into her personal space. “My sister would have loved Jen and you know it. I
won’t let you talk trash about her.”

“You won’t
let
me?” Heidi looks
unimpressed. “You don’t control me, Gunnar.”

“But I do,” Latson says. “Utter one more word about
Jen and you can kiss following Dean’s tour goodbye. All it takes is one call
from me and you’ll be thrown out on your ass so fast you won’t know what hit
you.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, but I would.”

Heidi’s eyes narrow. “Fine. It’s only a matter
of time before you find out what she really is anyway. I’m just trying to warn
you.”

My mind reels. What does she think I am?  We
haven’t said one word to each other since we met. The idea of her running her
mouth when she knows nothing about me pisses me off. I think it’s time to end
this conversation and put her in her place.

Stepping into the hallway, I open the door with
enough force for the two of them to hear it. Heidi quickly turns and Latson’s
eyes swing to me as I walk toward them.

“Speak of the devil.” Heidi looks smug. “Eavesdrop
much?”

“Only when I hear my name and bitch in the same
sentence.” I stop walking a few feet in front of her. “Is there something you
would like to say to my face?  Because I’m all ears.”

 Heidi looks shocked for a second. Then, she
flips her color-treated hair over one shoulder. “You don’t know who you’re
messing with, little girl. You’re in my territory now.”

Confusion creases my brow, and I glance at
Latson. “What in the hell is she talking about?”

He lets out an exasperated breath. “I don’t
know.” He brushes past Heidi and to my side. “What do you mean ‘territory’? 
Are you an animal?”

I can’t resist and clap my hands. “Oooooo!  Are
you going to piss a circle around Latson to claim him?  I’d love to see that.” I
start to open my purse. “Hang on. Let me get my phone so I can take a video.”

Latson covers a laugh as Heidi’s face turns red.
“You think you’re funny?” she snaps. “Why don’t you just tell him what you want
and save him the trouble?  Then we can all go on our way and pretend like you
don’t exist.”

What have I ever done to this woman?  Sure, I
may have given her an irritated glance or two, but nothing to warrant her shitty
behavior. “I don’t know where you got the idea that I want something. I don’t
want anything.” I look at Latson and his eyes dance. He’s clearly enjoying this.
My gaze falls to his mouth and I decide to mess with Heidi a little more.

“Wait,” I say, holding up a finger. “I changed
my mind. There is one thing I want.” Reaching over, I grab Latson’s shirt and
pull him to me. I find his mouth with mine and press my body against his. He leans
into my kiss and reciprocates, his hands sliding around my waist and down to my
ass.

“Just like I thought,” Heidi snipes. “You’re
nothing but a gold digging attention whore.”

Latson’s lips leave mine and he growls, “That’s
enough.” He steps back and takes my hand, pulling me toward his place. “Go
home, Heidi. If you want to know about Dean, ask him yourself.”

Without another word he opens his door and
ushers me inside. He lets the door close behind us, and I catch a glimpse of
Heidi’s angry expression before it shuts all the way. If she hated me before,
she loathes me now.

“Well, that was fun,” I joke. “I’m sorry, but I
couldn’t stand there and say nothing.”

Latson walks toward me. “Why were you standing
there?”

“I’m locked out. I forgot my key and Pete is
with Jules.” I reach for my phone. “See?”

He takes my cell and glances at the screen,
then gives me a sly smile as he slides it into his back pocket.

“Um … can I have that back?”

“Maybe.”

He moves closer and reaches for my purse. I
give it to him, along with a questioning look. He sets it on the table in the
entryway, then threads his fingers through my empty hands. Gently, he winds my
arms around my back and pins them there, bringing his chest to mine. “I like
how you stood your ground with Heidi.”

I look up at him. “I like how you defended me.”

He starts to walk forward, pressing me back. “I
like that you like how I defended you.”

I smile taking careful steps. “I like that you
like my like of your defense.”

He pauses and squints. “This is getting
complicated.”

I laugh.

We keep walking. As we do, I realize the lights
are off in the apartment with the exception of a lamp in the living room and a
kitchen light. As we pass the dining table, I see Latson’s jacket tossed over a
chair, and his wallet and keys next to a note. I assume it’s from Mrs. Gibson,
which reminds me of Oliver. I stop walking. “Is Oliver asleep?”

“Funny you should mention him.” One side of
Latson’s mouth quirks up. “You’re not the only one who’s been abandoned
tonight.”

He leads me over to the table to read the note,
but doesn’t let me go. Someone named Nathan is staying at Mrs. Gibson’s house,
and the boys were begging for a sleepover. Despite it being a weeknight, she
caved and will drop the kids at school in the morning.

“Who’s Nathan?” I ask.