Sheryl Lister - Still Loving You

“True. And when your boss asks you to be someplace, you go.”

“Exactly.” Lauren examined herself in the full-length mirror in the corner of the room. “I keep telling myself that I’ll be in a room full of people and, even if our paths cross, it’ll just be a polite hello and keep it moving.”

“Lauren?”

“Huh?”

“I know you’ve dated since then and your relationship with Jeffrey was pretty serious, but are you truly over Malcolm? Could you honestly say you felt nothing when he kissed you?”

She dropped down on the side of the bed and blew out a long breath. How she wished she could lie and say she’d felt nothing. That the kiss didn’t make a blip on her heart meter. But it would be a lie. He’d had her heart beating at a pace that could be considered dangerous and sensations flowing through her body that should be outlawed. “No, I can’t,” she mumbled. “I told myself I was over Malcolm, and I am.”

“Are you sure, sweetie?” Valencia asked. “What you and Malcolm shared was pretty deep. And it’s hard to forget the first man you truly loved. Hell, if my first love showed up and kissed me, I’d probably succumb right then and there.”

Lauren stuck her feet into a pair of black sandals with four-inch heels, fastened the ankle straps and chuckled. “You are crazy.”

“Did you or did you not just tell me you kissed the man back? I rest my case,” she added with a laugh before Lauren could respond.

“Shut up.”

“Anyway, what are you going to do?”

“My job. It’ll be easier for both of us.”

“And if he wants more?”

“He doesn’t.”

“So you say.”

“The man told me he didn’t want me working there, so if that’s not a clear sign that he doesn’t want anything to do with me, I don’t know what is.” Hearing herself say the words, she knew this would be the best way, no matter how well Malcolm kissed. “I need to finish getting ready. Thanks for listening to my rant.”

“Hey, you’ve done the same for me countless times. Let me know how it goes.”

“I will.” They talked a moment longer, then Lauren hung up. She applied light makeup, took one last glance in the mirror and, satisfied, left.

The gala was in full swing when Lauren arrived at the popular chain hotel. The grand ballroom was elegantly decorated, large chandeliers hung from the ceiling and a rose brocade pattern adorned the walls. She spotted several players, the GM and, on the far side of the room, Malcolm and one of his brothers. She couldn’t remember which one.

“You made it.”

Lauren turned at the sound of Mr. Green’s greeting.

“Hi, Mr. Green.”

He escorted her over to a small knot of people and introduced her to his wife, the team owner and his wife, and two more of the front office staff. “I was telling Mr. Lawler how much you’ve accomplished with the players in two short weeks.”

The team owner, Mr. Lawler, nodded in agreement. “I’m impressed, Ms. Emerson, and I’m looking forward to having healthier players this year.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Green and Mr. Lawler. I appreciate your confidence.”

Soon they took their seats for dinner and the awards portion of the program. Lauren listened as Malcolm and his brothers gave short speeches. However, it was the one given by a man she didn’t know—Cameron Hughes—that pulled at her emotional strings. He spoke of losing his wife and children in an accident and, unable to bear the pain, ending up homeless. But he also expressed gratefulness to his wife’s best friend, who happened to be Khalil’s wife, for not giving up on him.

Afterward, the music started and couples took to the floor, including Mr. Lawler and his wife. Lauren stood, intending to use this opportunity to go to the bathroom.

Mr. Green stood and helped her with her chair and waved at someone. “I know you’re still meeting with players, but have you had a chance to meet Malcolm Gray yet?”

The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. Before she could respond, she felt the heat and, without turning around, knew it was Malcolm.

“Congratulations, Malcolm,” Mr. Green said, shaking Malcolm’s hand. “Have you met Lauren Emerson? She’s going to be a great asset to the team.”

Malcolm stared down into Lauren’s eyes. “Thanks, and yes, we’ve met. Hello, Lauren.”

That’s one way to describe it. “Hi, Malcolm.” She had only seen photos of him wearing a tuxedo, and those pictures hadn’t come close to capturing the raw magnetism he exuded standing next to her. She couldn’t decide whether she liked him better with his locs or the close-cropped look he now sported.

“Well, my wife is going to have my head if we don’t get at least one dance in, so I’ll see you two later. Malcolm, can you make sure Lauren gets acquainted with everyone?”

Lauren’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’ll be fine. I’m sure Malcolm has some other people to see.” She looked to Malcolm, expecting him to agree. To her amazement, he extended his arm.

“Shall we?”

With Mr. Green and his wife staring at her with huge smiles, she couldn’t very well say what she wanted. Instead, she took his arm and let him lead her out to the dance floor. She regretted it the moment he wrapped his arm around her. Malcolm kept a respectable distance, but it didn’t matter. His closeness caused an involuntary shiver to pass through her. And why did he have to smell so good? The fragrance had a perfect balance of citrus and earth that was as comforting as it was sensual. How was she going to make it through the next five minutes?

Malcolm must have sensed her nervousness. “Relax, Lauren. We’ve danced closer than this, so what’s the problem?”

Lauren didn’t need any reminders of how close they’d been in the past. “I’m fine,” she mumbled.

A minute went by and Malcolm said, “Smile. You don’t want everyone to think you’re not enjoying my company.”

She glared up at him. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

He grinned. “I’m holding a beautiful woman in my arms. What’s not to enjoy?”

Mr. Green and his wife smiled Lauren’s way, and she smiled back. As soon as they turned away, she dropped her smile. “I can’t play these games with you, Malcolm,” she whispered harshly.

“This is no game.” Their eyes locked for a lengthy moment, then he pulled her closer and kept up the slow sway.

Lauren fell silent and tried to maintain her composure. The softness she saw reflected in his eyes gave her pause, given that it had only been a few days since their confrontation. She figured he was just being polite because they were in a room full of people, but deep inside, a small piece of her wondered if it was something else. Common sense said to let it go, but she couldn’t. “Why are you doing this?”

Malcolm’s brows knit. “Doing what? I’m just dancing.”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “You know what I mean. Five days ago you wanted me gone. Now, tonight, you’re acting like you don’t hate me...almost like you care or something.”

“I don’t hate you, Lauren. At least not anymore.”

She gasped softly.

“I won’t lie. For about six months afterward...let’s just say you weren’t at the top of my favorite-persons list.” He shrugged. “Now...” He let the sentence hang.

“A lot of time has passed, and we’re not the same. I’ve changed and so have you.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. “That’s true. But there are some things that are still the same.”

The last notes of the song faded, and he led her off the dance floor. “What are you talking about?”

Malcolm stopped near her table. “Your kiss.” He pivoted and walked off.

Lauren stood stunned and unconsciously brought her hand to her lips. Realizing what she’d done, she snatched it down. She turned and saw Morgan glaring at her from across the room and hoped to escape a confrontation. She didn’t need one more thing tonight. After locating upper management and a few of the players and saying goodbye, she left the ballroom. If Lauren were lucky, she’d make it out of the hotel and to her car without any problems.