The Wrong Man (Love Unexpected) Read online

  Cold. She hated that word. She wasn’t cold or unfeeling, no matter what he thought. It bothered her that he found it skeptical that she could be seeing someone. As if she couldn’t find another man if she wanted to. Because he didn’t want her, he thought her undesirable. It hurt but made her angry, too.

  “Shows how much you know. I have a man.” The lie tumbled out easily, because if Carter could move on, then dammit, so could she.

  “Oh really?” Carter mocked, looking around. “What’s his name, and where is this mystery man?”

  Silence descended on the group, and with all eyes on Talia, she froze. Heat rushed up her neck. Her mind went blank and she couldn’t think of a single answer. Within minutes the day had gone from bad to worse. First, chewed out by Maybeth, and now she was about to be embarrassed in front of all these people.

  “I’m right here.”

  Her heart jumped when she heard a deep voice speak up, one she never expected. Like everyone else in the room she swung in the direction of the sound. Tomas came forward, his walk slow and cocky. She barely managed to refrain from hugging him with a rush of gratitude.

  He stopped beside her, and as she looked up into his brown eyes, her muscles relaxed and the weight of embarrassment eased from her shoulders.

  “That’s right,” she said, her voice more confident.

  She placed a hand on his arm and her heart jolted. She’d never touched him before. He had big man hands and arm muscles so rigid she thought he could crack nuts in the groove of his elbow.

  She ignored the shock on the faces of her friends and their guests and relished Carter’s dumfounded expression. She couldn’t have picked a better replacement than Tomas. Younger, virile, large and muscular, anyone could see the improvement.

  “When did this happen?” Carter demanded. His gaze flitted from one to the other.

  Tomas moved closer and slipped his arm around her back, plunging deeper into his role in the deception. His hand landed low on her spine. A little too low. So low he grazed the top of her behind. She stiffened at his touch, though at the same time it triggered warm sensations in the lower half of her body and sent her pulse into a riot of movement.

  “We don’t owe you an explanation,” Talia replied, “but it…it just sort of happened.” Residual nerves from the contact with Tomas still shook her, and the inviting smell of him filled her nostrils. Bergamot and lime.

  “Yes,” Tomas agreed. His eyes mischievous and twinkling, he added, “You could say it…happened out of the blue, no?”

  Talia nodded her head vigorously. “Yes, that would be a good way to sum it up.”

  “You have some nerve talking about me when you’ve already moved on yourself,” Carter said through gritted teeth. His eyes flashed angrily at Talia.

  Talia lifted her chin triumphantly. “What did you think? I’d be sitting at home, twiddling my thumbs and pining away for you?”

  Carter laughed, an ugly, contemptuous sound. “You know what, Talia, I’d hoped we could take the high road and find a way to get along, but that’s simply not possible with you.”

  She left the semicircle of Tomas’s arm. “You don’t know anything about the high road,” she hissed. “Once I got the job you wanted, you couldn’t wait to end our marriage because of your insane jealousy.”

  A muscle in Carter’s jaw flexed. “You think I cared about the VP position? The problem with you,” he said, jabbing a finger in her face, “is your entire life revolves around success and work. I swear if you could have sex with your job, you would. Our marriage was over long before you got that position. You’re heartless and selfish, and this guy better know what he’s getting himself into because he’s in for a rude awakening.”

  “Watch your mouth when you’re talking to her,” Tomas said, a menacing undertone to his voice. He stepped up beside Talia.

  “Trust me, buddy,” Carter said, “you’re going to regret ever getting involved with her, because all she cares about is her social standing. She’s a selfish, inhumane bitch, and she doesn’t have a warm bone in her body.”

  Talia didn’t realize she was about to slap Carter until her hand landed across his cheek with a loud crack, leaving red marks on his skin. In the next instant, he lunged at her with pure fury in his eyes, fist raised. She cried out when his hand caught the top of her blouse, but the fabric slipped between his fingers as Tomas pushed her out of the way and grabbed Carter by the neck, slamming him into the wall.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Tomas growled into Carter’s face.

  Talia gaped at the unfolding events in a breathless fog, watching in helpless panic as Carter swung at Tomas, but he dodged the blow.

  “Whoa! Whoa!” Ryan jumped between both men and shoved Tomas away. At the same time, William grabbed Carter and twisted one arm behind his back. Both men scuffled until Carter gave in and stopped struggling against William’s hold.

  Heart hammering, Talia pressed a hand to her throat. Shawna pulled her close with an arm around her shoulder and squeezed. A tremor rattled through Talia at the rage her ex-husband had expressed. She’d never seen him lose control before. They’d had their arguments, yes, but not once had he ever made a move to put his hands on her, no matter how much she pushed his buttons. His reaction chilled her.

  “You see what you did, Talia? You have me acting like a maniac,” Carter shouted.

  “Let’s go,” William said. “You should have never come here in the first place.” He continued to restrain Carter and steered him toward the door. Paula followed, her gaze glued to the floor.

  “She’ll drive you nuts,” Carter yelled over his shoulder to Tomas. “You can’t compete with her lifestyle and you’ll never be good enough. Good luck. You’re going to need it!”

  The door shut behind them and an ominous silence settled over the entire entryway. No one moved. The guests were in a state of shock, mouths hung open, eyes stretched wide. A couple of parents had covered the eyes of their kids.

  Talia heard Ryan apologize and encourage everyone to go back to what they were doing. Yvonne, who had remained immobilized on the staircase, hurried down and helped him usher everyone in the direction of the kitchen.

  “Okay, folks. There’s still plenty of food, and we have a wonderful scavenger hunt planned for the kids.” Yvonne’s cheery voice receded toward the back of the house.

  “Are you okay?” Shawna whispered into the quiet.

  “I’m fine.” Talia couldn’t quite look her friend in the eye. She’d ruined the party with a horrible scene, and she was still shaking after the confrontation. “I better go.”

  “Don’t leave. Talia, take a minute—”

  “No.” She finally looked into Shawna’s worried eyes. “I’m fine. I’m sorry about all this drama. I know how you hate drama.”

  “Would you stop?” Shawna touched her arm. “You’re my friend and I’m worried about you. You shouldn’t leave now, when you’re so upset.”

  “I won’t feel any better if I stay, and I don’t want to talk right now.” The adrenaline high was wearing off, leaving her numb and empty. Carter’s characterization wounded her deeply. She covered Shawna’s hand on her arm and squeezed. “I’ll be fine.”

  “At least let one of the men walk you out in case he’s out there.”

  “He’s not going to hurt me.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “I do know,” Talia insisted. “I was married to him for ten years. That’s not Carter. He lost it for a second, but he won’t harm me.”

  “I’ll walk her out,” Tomas said behind her.

  “It’s not necessary,” Talia said, embarrassed he’d been part of the confrontation between her and Carter. What must he think after hearing all the horrible names her ex-husband had called her? She avoided looking at him.

  “I don’t mind.” The determination in his voice brooked no argument.

  “Let him walk you out.” Shawna pulled her in for a hug. “Call me. Please. Let me know you’re okay,” she
whispered.

  “I will.” She hugged Shawna tight, taking comfort in the embrace.

  She waved goodbye to Ryan in the hallway and walked out the door. William was coming back up the steps, and she gave him a wan smile before averting her eyes from his look of pity.

  All the personal problems between her and Carter had been laid bare for everyone to see. How much he despised her, how far apart they’d grown. Their marriage had started to crumble a few years ago, but the demise had come at an accelerated rate within the past year. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it happened. She only knew they barely tolerated each other toward the end, like two roommates forced to live together in a too-small house with too many memories. They hadn’t made love in over a year and had been sleeping in separate rooms for months before the divorce.

  Walking to the car, she heard Tomas’s footsteps behind her. She stopped at the driver’s door and felt she should say something. She cleared her throat and turned to face him. “You didn’t have to volunteer to be my boyfriend.”

  He hooked his thumbs in the loops of his jeans. “I wanted to.”

  “I appreciate it, but you got dragged into the middle of my mess.”

  “I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”

  Her eyes flicked over him. “I see.”

  “What do you see?” he asked. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  A heated flush climbed up her neck. “You know how to handle yourself in a fight, and…you know…you have big muscles.” Very big, and firm to the touch.

  “I work out,” he said, keeping his eyes pinned on her and obviously enjoying her discomfort. He ran a hand under his shirt, rubbing his stomach. “Not like I used to. I’m getting soft.”

  Not that Talia could see. She caught a flash of tanned skin and her fingers itched to run over the same area. The skin there appeared to be as firm and smooth as his biceps.

  She cleared her throat again. “Well, like I said, thanks.”

  He tilted his head, analyzing her face. “Are you sure you’re all right? Okay enough to drive?” His look of concern made her want to burst into tears. Made her want to be held and told that she wasn’t a heartless bitch.

  “Never better,” she lied. “It’s not like I’m drunk.” But she would be, once she arrived at her condo. She had a bottle of tequila and margarita mix in the freezer to welcome her home.

  He continued to study her, as if he didn’t believe her. “It’s too bad you’re leaving.”

  “Why? Because you’ll miss me?” She needed to joke around, to enjoy the normality of their banter. Their back and forth teasing always made her feel better, and she needed to feel better.

  “Miss you? No way. It’s just that I won’t have anyone to pick on when you’re gone.”

  She pinned on a happy face, falling into the comfort of their repartee. “I’m sure one of those women back there will be happy to oblige you in whatever you want.”

  “But none of those women are you.”

  She blinked. The comment took her by surprise. He didn’t mean anything by it. Did he?

  “Unfortunately for you,” she said, keeping the conversation light, “you’ll have to make do without me. Don’t be too sad. I’ll grace you with my presence another day.”

  “You promise?”

  She paused, uncertain. She looked at him, and he looked right back at her. His face didn’t give anything away, and she couldn’t tell if he was flirting or not. Was he flirting with her?

  “I…” For the second time that day, he’d made her speechless. She moistened her dry lips with her tongue. “I…um…I don’t make promises often,” she finished lamely. She found her keys in her purse and held them up. “Time to get out of here.”

  “It’s okay to turn to your friends,” he said quietly.

  She froze, staring at her reflection in the driver side window. “Is that what you are? A friend?” She was relieved he stood to the side and couldn’t see the light of hope in her eyes.

  “I am right now.”

  And that made her want to cry. What the hell was wrong with her? Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away in a hurry, fumbling for the door handle. “I’ll let you know if I need a friend,” she said, her voice husky.

  She sat in the car, but Tomas held open the door so she couldn’t pull it closed.

  Their eyes locked, and she noted the concern there, his eyes searching her face. “You do that,” he said.

  He shut the door and sauntered away. Sauntered, because he never rushed anywhere.

  She started the car and waited, not knowing why until he turned at the door and waved. She’d been waiting for him to turn around. Her heart took flight and she waved back, feeling a tad bit silly at how excited she’d become, just because he’d acknowledged her one last time.

  Even after he went inside, she didn’t drive away but sat there, pondering the events of the day. She’d never thought of Tomas as the sensitive type, but maybe she’d been wrong. First the compliment about her smile, then rescuing her from an embarrassing situation with her ex, the I’m-not-sure-if-he’s-flirting-with-me comments, and now what seemed to be sincere concern. She wasn’t sure he was the same man she’d spent the past couple of years arguing with whenever they happened to be in the same room.

  She didn’t know who this new Tomas was, but she was starting to like him.

  Chapter Five

  The following day, Talia stared unseeing out the window of her tri-level loft. A light drizzle dampened the ground and cloaked the outdoors with an ethereal cloud, making her want to crawl back into bed. Normally she worked every weekend, but today she wanted to get her house in order.

  She’d intended to unpack ever since moving out of the house she had shared with Carter and moving here, but she hadn’t done much to make this new place feel like home. The walls were bare and boxes filled with her personal effects remained stacked out of the way. A few had been opened to retrieve necessary items, but for the most part they remained untouched.

  She reserved most of her energy for work, but it seemed from the minute her feet crossed the threshold each night, she became a listless shell. She couldn’t stomach herself anymore. Today she was turning over a new leaf.

  “I’m strong, capable, and independent,” she said aloud. Enough with the self-pity.

  Upstairs, she changed into a cream blouse, dark brown pumps, and tan slacks. The first item on today’s agenda was a trip to the hardware store to purchase paint, brushes, and any other necessary tools for the project she had in mind.

  The entire loft was decorated in modern Scandinavian design with neutral colors, mostly white. Today she would add some color.

  ****

  The long line at Home Depot set Tomas’s teeth on edge. He preferred to get in early and leave before the rush, but his mother had called from Cuba that morning and delayed his trip to the store. Not that he minded, since he looked forward to their conversations and news from home.

  She’d called to thank him for the extra money he’d sent last month, but the conversation lasted over an hour. She went into detail about the birth of his younger brother’s first son. He already had three girls, but his brother had celebrated the entire night his son was born, getting drunk and smoking cigars on the porch with his rowdy friends. Tomas wished he could have been there to celebrate. Having not seen his family in years, he longed for the closeness they’d shared. It would be good to see them in the flesh.

  The line moved and he stepped forward. Idly, he let his gaze roam, checking out the do-it-yourselfers, when a flash of cream caught his eye. His stomach curled into a knot, and he jerked his head to the right, spotting Talia before she disappeared down the paint aisle pushing a cart.

  The debate of whether or not he should say hello lasted all of two seconds before he left the line and followed in the direction she’d gone. He sidestepped a customer who blocked his view, craned his neck, and saw her stop. His pulse spiked to an unnaturally high level, but he cont
rolled his body’s outer reaction by lumbering over to where she stood in front of the paint cards.

  “Well, well, well,” he said, gliding up beside her. “Today must be my lucky day.”

  Her arched brows lifted in surprise, but once she recovered, a tiny smile—as if she tried to hide it—adorned her lips. “That makes one of us,” she said.

  “Oof.” He grabbed his stomach, as if she’d wounded him. “That hurt.”

  She giggled, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. What would those lush, soft-looking lips taste like if he ran his tongue across them?

  “Whatever,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

  “Picking up air filters for my lawn mower.” He held up the package. “And you?”

  “I’m going to paint an accent wall in my living room and one in the kitchen.” She ran her fingers over the sample cards in the red and pink family. She had neat, short nails with a clear coat of polish over them.

  “You’re going to paint?” he asked, surprised.

  Talia placed a fist on her hip. “Why do you sound so shocked?”

  He raked his gaze over her, from the top of her head—where a tortoiseshell clip held her long hair in a low ponytail—to the pumps on her feet. “You’re not dressed like the typical do-it-yourselfer. See the way I’m dressed?” He waved a hand over his paint-spattered T-shirt and jeans. “This is what normal people wear when they work on their houses.”

  “I’m not working on my house right this minute,” she said in a crabby voice, which was oddly attractive. For some reason he couldn’t help digging at her every chance he could. “When I get home, I’ll change into something more comfortable.”

  The thought of seeing her change into something more comfortable had him conjuring images of skimpy, lace-edged lingerie. She looked like the type to have drawers overflowing with teddies, negligees, and matching bras and panties. He shifted from one foot to the other to ease the ache blossoming in his crotch.

  “Have you ever painted before? Do you know what to buy?” he asked.

  Uncertainty flitted across her features. “I…”