Beau
Four hours prior...
“Why are you making things more difficult than they need to be?” Zoe asked from her perch on a chair, in her hand a bottle of clear polish as she touched up her toes. Lately, my casa is her casa. “No need to draw it out. Call him.”
We’d been at this for days.
My avoiding, and her, trying to force my hand.
“He’s an ass,” I pointed out and she rolled her eyes.
“Most men are, but don’t have his face and body attached to it. Next issue?” Another coat on her baby toe, and she closed the bottle’s lid. “Hit me with something good.”
“You read the contract he gave me! He’s insane, Zoe. It’d never work.” Looking at my hands, I tested the polish on my nails to see if they were dry. Still tacky to the touch, I sprayed them with the stuff the beauty supply recommended to speed up the process.
“Toss me that, please.” I did, and she caught it with one hand. Popping the cap, she mimicked my action: shook the can and sprayed. Putting it down beside her, she turned and gave me her full attention. “Remind me what was so horrible in those papers from that gorgeous piece of man-meat?” Was it the virgin thing or the move-in-with-me part?”
“And that’s another thing,” I yelled out in indignation. “He demanded I live with him. Just like that.”
Move in.
Quit my job.
Drive one of his cars.
Let him know where I am always.
Share a bed.
Be on his arm whenever the need arises.
“It’s not unheard of...” My glare cut her off, and she zipped her lips.
“Had he given me some time to work out the dynamics...what to tell my parents, it wouldn’t have horrified me. I’m not an idiot, chick. I get that some daddies might expect that.”
Zoe stood from the chair and then wobbled over to me on the couch. Sat beside me and placed her head on my shoulder. “He’s under your skin.”
“I know.” My sigh was heavy and full of frustration. “Can’t get him out of my head after that kiss.”
“Would it be so bad, though? To give in?” Turning in the seat, she faced me. “That contract, which I read too, wasn’t all bad. All your bills would be taken care of. Everything, Beau, for the period of this run. Hendrix asked for six months, and you’d walk away with enough cash to pay the rest of your schooling if you are a careful spender.”
“Also know that.” Throwing my head back on the couch, I looked up toward the ceiling, hoping for any divine sign. Anything to go by. “Still think he’s wrong for me. Maybe I should just go on a date with the CEO of that tech company that sent me a message this morning. Go for coffee or something and weigh my options?”
“Sure. Be my guest,” she sing-songed, her shoulder shaking from laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“No one will work, but Mr. Tall, Dark, & Yummy. Have fun failing...hey!”
I hit her square in the face with a pillow and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door in her face before she could get in and retaliate. We were going to be running late if one of us didn’t jump into the shower, and I was forced to be the responsible one.
Ruby had invited me out for drinks—to officially meet her boyfriend of six days. It was bound to be painful, and I invited Zoe to help me survive the night.
God help us all.
XXX
“And then we went on a boat around...” Since we arrived, and introduction were made, it’d been the same thing. We went here. Did this. Ate that.
Why Ruby wanted me here tonight made no sense. There was no to and fro—getting to know you conversations—it was all about her.
Not once, in the two hours I had been here, had she asked how I was.
The most she did was look at Zoe with curiosity and ask how we met. How easily the lie slipped through my lips once more.
“Bumped into each other at the library and chatted over coffee. We’ve met up for lunch once since then and had plans for tonight before you called, so we adjusted.”
“Don’t forget that I was lonely since Gustavo is out of town this weekend.”
After a short explanation that it was Zoe’s boyfriend who was away, Ruby was back to talking about her and Max.
Jesus, I needed to get away and I did, for three songs on the dance floor.
With my hands held high above my head, I rolled my hips to the beat. Closed my eyes and let the bass from the speakers dictate my moves.
Dipping low, and popping my ass on the way up.
I was a sweaty, panting—perma-smiling fool while Zoe shooed away the two guys that approached us. It wasn’t until a slower number began, and a few men seemed to be inching closer, that we ducked from the dance floor and back to our table.
“Bottoms up, ladies!” Ruby clapped as we approached. Another round had been ordered; I’d just taken what was my third shot of the night when I heard his voice.
It’d carried over to our table, and I froze.
“What is it?” Zoe noticed my reaction and squeezed my hand. Ruby, on the other hand, remained oblivious and was currently locking lips with Max, the silent, brooding jock who’d spoken one word to us all night: “Hi.”
“He’s here,” I whispered, looking in his general direction. Our eyes locked, and the butterflies erupted.
“Oh my...” Zoe trailed off, and I had to force myself to look away from him.
“What?”
“You’re screwed. See you tomorrow.”
“I’m not—”
“Don’t worry about anything. I’ll handle these two.” Tilting her head to the side, she pursed her lips. “Not that she’d notice anything outside of her perfect bubble.” There was a touch of irritation in her voice, but her smile never wavered. “Have fun, Beau, and call me when you...shit, he’s coming over!”
Fight or flight kicked in, and I was out of my seat and heading toward the bathroom within seconds. Could just barely make out Zoe’s cackle as I pushed through the bodies taking up the dance floor.
I could feel him right behind me.
Chasing me across the bar—through the throng of people dancing in time to the sensual beat of salsa.
His scent infiltrated my senses, and a bolt of excitement ran down the center of my spine. There was thrill mixed with trepidation; a steady thrum whenever he was near enough to the touch, and I picked up my pace.
Hendrix’s breathing was a bit labored, but not from exhaustion. Wonder what he sounds like after a night of rough sex? Sweaty and panting, he’d look glorious in his euphoric peak.
“Stop running,” he growled out just as I entered the long hall where the bathrooms were found.
A door at the end grabbed my attention as two women stumbled out while laughing. They sobered quickly the closer to me they got, and I was sure it had something to do with the angry man following me.
Five steps and I pulled the door open; his long fingers managed to skim my arm a second before I ducked inside. The hairs at the back of my neck stood on end and goose bumps broke out.
Thank God the bathroom was empty, except for one drunk chick wiping her mouth on a napkin. She teetered over to the trash bin, missing it completely, the dirty wad of paper hitting the floor.
Her exit was followed by the harsh slam of the door.
Then it was just me.
“You can do this,” I muttered under my breath as I opened the faucet and wet the back of my neck. Felt flushed. The girl looking back at me in the mirror was aroused by the almost barbaric hunt he’d displayed. “Just tell him you were busy. It’s not a complete lie.”
Moreover, it wasn’t as if I were averse to letting him be my sugar; the man was glorious in his brute appeal. A well-put-together businessman on the outside, and yet, there wasn’t a single doubt in my mind that behind that exterior lay a beast.
Cocky. Sure of himself.
Completely out of my league.
Sexually, we matched. That kiss we shared back in his office had been explosive—a pussy-throbbing catastrophe.
Ruined the piece of my soul that had wished to keep this kind of relationship simple.
Simple; a word that could never be used to describe Hendrix Parker. He was the kind of perfection women read books about and dreamed of bending over for.
But then he opened his mouth and made demands.
Wanted to know everything without sharing a single piece of him.
Rule number 1: Never ask or delve into my personal life. Your interest lays with my money, not my past or future. The here and now, or we are through. No excuse.
This coming from a man that requested—no, demanded—my delving of situations from the past that held no merit in our negotiations.
He’s an asshole. A sexy, toe-curling, obsessive man that for some reason was determined to make me face him.
And he scared me. Intimidated me.
Truth was, I wasn’t prepared to see him tonight. That for as much as my mind screamed for me to tell him no, I hadn’t found a way for my heart to accept it. Refusing him, removing him from my list of suitors, didn’t feel right.
Jesus help me. I sent the silent prayer and bent a bit at the waist to splash some water on my blooming face.
The door opened once more, but I didn’t look up. Instead, I reached a hand out to grab a few napkins from the dispenser. Dried my face with gentle pats with my eyes closed.
“Breathe in and out, chick. Hold your head high. If he’s out there, explain you had other responsibilities—” Explain that you don’t think the two of you will work out and have decided to pursue other venues just like Zoe advised.
Would be the easiest route.
“Is that so?” Hendrix voice came out of nowhere and I jumped, caught unaware by his presence. Proximity. He was right behind me.
Not touching, but close enough that the heat from his body grazed my back through the thin lace of my top.
Our eyes locked in the mirror above the sink. Hazel on green. Hungry on scared.
“W-What do you think you are doing? You can’t—”
“Getting answers.” Simple as. Hendrix took the few remaining steps between us and pressed into my back. His hands caged me in, settled over mine on the sink and released my white-knuckled grip. “Seems the only way this little girl responds is with assertiveness. Forcing her to.”
“Step back.” It was a low whimper. God, he felt good. Made me forget why he was so wrong for me.
This man hadn’t followed a single rule that the website had both parties agree to. No, Hendrix made his own, and demanded that I tow the line.
“Don’t think that’s what you really want, nymph.” Hendrix’s smooth lips laid an opened-mouthed kiss right below my ear, taking advantage of the high ponytail, I’d worn tonight. His warm exhale caressed the sensitive skin there. “And you know why?”
“Enlighten me, Mr. Parker.” Why did I have to sound so needy?
I wasn’t that girl.
Yes, I liked to have fun. Appreciated a handsome man like the next girl. Enjoyed sex.
But I wasn’t ruled by a raging libido.
If anything, I was level-headed.
“Because for as much as you deny this...” his front pressed against my back “...your body screams out for me. To touch.” Slow, and with a feather-like caress, he skimmed his hand up my arm and shoulders—across my chest and up to my neck where he wrapped his fingers there. Tightened a tiny bit. “There’s a part of you that wants me, even if it’s for a single night. Stop fighting it.”