But why do I feel it’s true?
Never mind. I liked her, but I wouldn’t let myself feel more than lust. She seemed young. Maybe too young for me.
Pushing her away from my thoughts, I grab the basket. Fuck, seriously, I made a gift basket.
June owes me something. I’m done with her crazy list. Only four more days and I should be done with all the shit she wants me to do.
If I’m lucky, her neighbor isn’t at home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she’s a pleasant person, but I seriously judge her taste in... everything.
Who needs wine, cake, cookies, and candy for her first day at work?
Sweetheart, if you don’t love your job, why apply for it in the first place?
Knocking on the door, I look at my arm, where I wrote the lines June gave me.
This is a little token to make your first day easier. Enjoy, but don’t gorge yourself. Maybe just give it a taste, not that I’d want to know. Or we can just binge a show.
Seriously, I hope she doesn’t think I’m here to binge something. Will June call her to stream something online? I should’ve asked her to explain what she meant by all this shit. She told me to keep my calendar open. Mind you, she’s the only one who adds shit to it.
I knock on the door, hoping no one will answer.
“Who is it?” I hear the voice, and it’s sweet and familiar.
“I have a delivery for Hannah Satan’s Mistress,” I say, trying not to laugh.
“Yeah?” She opens the door and looks at me—a familiar pair of big doe eyes staring back at me wide and surprised. I can’t help but smile.
“Alexander Spearman,” I say, handing her the basket. “Pisces, single, and free for the next couple of hours.”
She laughs and looks at the present I prepared for her per June’s instructions. “Save your lines, Alex. I know who you are.”
I gawk at her. “You know me?”
“Hannah,” she introduces herself. “June’s best friend and confidant.”
The last word implies so much more than I care to think. She knows me. My sister has told her more than I’d like any woman to know.
“You should give me a crash course on Hannah, so we’re on equal ground.”
She laughs. “Wouldn’t you like that?”
Her laugh is just as soft and sweet as her voice. And, God, I’m so terrified she’s going to fuck me up. But what scares me the most is the thought of never getting to touch her.
Everything is against me. This is June’s best friend, and my little sister would castrate me if I tried anything. Hannah doesn’t look like the kind of person who just hooks up. She doesn’t do casual. She’s a good girl. The one who wants a wedding at a chapel, dinners with her family, and the whole white picketed fence dream.
Yes, I'd very much like to get to know you and touch you, but I won’t.
When you’re too physically and emotionally broken, you walk away from a woman like this one.
Looking at my arm, I choose June’s rage. There’s no way I’m staying for a couple of hours to keep her company if that’s what my sister expected. Hannah can rant to her parents, even to June. Not to me.
“Anything else I can help you with?” she asks. “Because I’m busy and—”
It happens within seconds. One moment, she’s kicking me out, and the next, she’s pushing me out of the way and yelling, “Draco, come back right now, you evil feline!”
I follow right behind her. I’m not sure who is faster, Hannah, or the furball she’s chasing.
“Draco Meowfoy, you better stop running, or I’ll confine you to your carrier for ten minutes!”
“Ooh, that’s harsh,” I say sarcastically.
“This is your fault!”
The cat jumps up on the railing and looks at Hannah. His face is innocent yet challenging. If he could talk, he’d say, Come and get me.
“Do not jump into that tree, Draco,” she warns him.
I swear I see him smile before he jumps to the branch and walks further away from the railing. When I burst into laughter, she turns around and pokes me in the chest. “You better get my cat back or...you’ll regret it.”
Five
Alex
Two and a half years ago …
The last time I climbed a tree, I was ten and playing with my brothers. We challenged each other to see who’d get to the top of it first. Or at least, who’d get to the tallest branch. Every time, I won. Back then, I was shorter, skinnier, and faster. This time, my challenge wasn’t beating my brothers but a cat. Draco likes to jump from branch to branch. He is vocal about everything. The little fucker keeps meowing at me.
“Come on, buddy, she’s going to kill me if I don’t get you.” I try to reason with him.
“Meow,” he answers, jumping to the next branch.
I listen to her rich laughter and like magic, the constant tightness in my chest loosens up. Climbing a tree to chase the cat feels almost as fun as it was twenty-some years ago.
Once I secure the troublemaker, I say, “I win.”
“If you say so,” Hannah says from upstairs. “I’m sure this round goes to Draco.”
When I arrive at her apartment, she’s leaning against the door. Her smile is beautiful, and she changed her clothes. Her outfit is sexy and cute. Yoga pants and a sweatshirt.
“That was interesting,” she says, biting back a laugh.
“You should train him,” I say, feigning anger, but in fact, I had a lot of fun.
“I haven’t had much time, he’s just a kitten,” she explains. “A very active but fun kitten.”
She takes the cat and hugs him. “You’re going to learn someday, aren’t you?”
“Congratulations on your new job,” I say, because I’m not ready to leave yet.
She frowns. “New job?”
“This is your first day at work, isn’t it?”
She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m a college professor. It’s the beginning of the semester. Aka, my first day back to school.”
“College professor?” I glance at her, confused. “You don’t look like one—I obviously went to the wrong school.”
She looks at herself and wiggles her nose. “What do you expect, an old wrinkly lady wearing suits?”
“No, but what are you, twenty-one?”
“Twenty-six,” she corrects me. “At least you didn’t confuse me with a freshman.”
I chuckle. “Did that happen to you?”
She nods and smiles, then looks at me and twists her mouth a couple of times before saying, “Thank you for the basket and rescuing Draco.”
“Harry Potter geek?”
She nods. “Dad and I used to read the books when I was young. It’s our thing, you know? We share our love for mythical creatures and magical worlds.”
She smiles widely. “When I was at my mother’s, I used to read the books by myself and wished I was at Dad’s instead.”
“So now you get to wear a unicorn necklace and look like a fairy?”
Suddenly, I see darkness pushing behind her bright face. She grabs the handle and starts closing the door. “Thank you again for everything.”
“I’m supposed to stay with you and binge watch a series or just watch a rom-com,” I say, showing her my arm where I scribbled my notes.
Her expression lightens, and her lips slip into a charming grin. Her mouth is framed by a pair of inviting dimples that enchant me.
“So, tell me about this first day,” I ask. “We could share some of the chocolate chip cookies I got you.”
She steps aside, inviting me in. “First experiences suck most of the time.”
“First kisses never suck,” I tell her.
“Of course they do,” she protests with conviction.
I brush a strand of her hair, leaning forward. “There’s always that little moment of hesitation. When everything is almost happening. Like, right when you’re about to touch her lips,” I say, my lips almost touching hers. “You wait though.”
“For her to step back or lean into the kiss.”
“What if she doesn’t move?”
“That’s my favorite,” I answer, before I brush her soft lips with mine.
She gasps as I dip my mouth to hers. This is pretty much like going down the slope at high speed. I can’t stop; I can’t hesitate. One wrong move, and it’s a bust. I have to control every movement, lead her. Lean where I want us to go. I slide my tongue across her lips, and she opens them while she wraps her arms around my neck.
I don’t rush it, though. If this is the only kiss I get from Hannah, I want it to be perfect. My heart hammers as our kiss leads to more than just demonstrating to her that a first can be extraordinary.
The small whimper she makes as I slide my hand around her waist and pull her into me gets me worked up. I hold nothing back, and she doesn’t either. I move my lips to her jawline, nibbling her soft skin all the way to her earlobe.
She tastes sweet. Like lavender, vanilla, and honey. I could eat her. Nibble every inch of her skin, drink her in.
As she pushes her hips up against me, trying to get closer, my eyes open. Our gazes connect. I want to consume her. All of her. The pain from climbing the tree is gone, replaced by desire—a hunger I’ve never come across before.
I run a hand through her hair, my fingers curl around the back of her neck, gripping her head tightly.
“Are you waiting?” she asks between shallow breaths.
I nod. “You’re in charge, do you want me to continue?”
She rises on her tiptoes, leaning closer. This time, I devour her. Our tongues tangle, and fuck, if the fire isn’t consuming both of us.
Lust and adrenaline rush through my veins. I run a hand up and down her round, tight ass. My length presses against my zipper, throbbing with need. Throbbing, needy steel that wants to slide inside her. A sexy moan escapes her lips as I move between her thighs and push her against the door.
Her legs wrap around my hips, and anything besides fucking her is off the table. There’s no restraint. For her or for myself.
I break the kiss, gasping for some air. “Are you sure about this?”
“I have this theory,” she says, “about how awkward and meh being with a guy for the first time is. Do you want to prove me wrong?”
“Challenge accepted.”
She raises her hand and touches my jaw, her thumb running across the stubble. “I bet this feels rough between my legs.”
“You want me to eat you? I bet you taste sweet.” I don’t know how I manage to remain calm. “What else do you like?”
My body is humming, my skin on fire. I press my lips to hers, and I swear I feel when we begin to melt together. This time, I kiss her soft and tender. We mold into each other, without any rush. As our tongues tangle, a surge of electricity makes its way down my spine. Our breaths mingle, and I can’t get enough of her. She kisses me harder, not getting enough of me either.
She leans, she moves, she lets me control, but she also controls our movements.
“My favorite first,” I confess, as my hands find their way to the hem of her top, and I slide under the fabric. I graze the softness of her bare tit. “We don’t have as many clothes as I thought we did.”
“I’m at home, I don’t wear underwear.”
“Fuck, you’re killing me.” My fingers travel down her chest and cross the elastic of her yoga pants.
She rocks against my hand when I reach her naked core. I grow even harder as she thrusts into my hand, going wild as she grips my biceps.
“Oh, God, please,” she cries out, her fingers digging into my skin.
I don’t say more, I let her ride my hand, thrusting three digits inside of her. She’s so wet and slick. I can’t wait to taste her. To be inside of her. Her moans become louder. She picks up the pace, rocking harder, moving faster. Until she starts quivering and mumbling words I don’t understand. And I kiss her, drinking her orgasm, moving my fingers lazily in and out.
Once she bounces back from the high of her orgasm, she takes off my shirt and grins. “It’s your turn.”
Six
Hannah
Present time
My favorite time of the day is getting home, changing into a pair of yoga pants, an oversized sweatshirt, and socks.
Today, I pour myself a glass of cabernet. I open the box of snickerdoodles and break one in half. This evening feels like a Jennifer Aniston kind of night. I’ll start with that old movie she made with Paul Rudd and end up with a few Friends re-runs.
I go to the pantry to grab a can of cat food for Draco, when someone knocks on my front door. Draco runs to the door, nose pressed against the edge. He’s ready to bolt. Like I’m going to let him.
I wonder why my doorman didn’t announce I have a visitor. Then I remember Sadie was sending me Chinese food.
Grabbing my wallet, I walk to the door. Before picking up Draco, I check the peephole just to make sure I’m not handing a twenty-dollar bill to a neighbor. It’s happened to me before.
I groan when I see Alex. Didn’t I just tell him that I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him? Not today or ever. I should leave him outside. But Alex Spearman isn’t a normal person. If you challenge him, he won’t back off. Ignoring him will only feed the beast.
“What do you want?” I ask, opening the door.
He shows me the basket. At that moment, the delivery guy appears with my food. Alex takes the paper bag, shifts the basket around, while simultaneously pulling out his wallet, giving the guy money.
“It’s paid for.”
“Keep it,” Alex responds and doesn’t wait for my invitation, he just bulldozes his way into my apartment.
“Yoga pants and a sweatshirt,” he says with a seductive grin. “My favorite outfit.”
“Out,” I order, because I see his intentions in those dark eyes.
Plus, his favorite outfit is no clothing. Me bare on my bed, tied up. Not going to happen. Not today or ever. We’re done. He places the food on the counter, eats the other half of the cookie I left, and takes off his jacket.
“Why are you wearing a suit?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Whatever, I’m not playing your game.”
Alex glances around, picks up Draco’s canned food, and serves it on his bowl. I hate that he knows the routine. Even how Draco likes to be petted a few times before he starts eating.
“You love when we play,” he says, standing up and looking down at me. “Releasing endorphins might help lighten your mood.”
I cross my arms and clamp my lips. Alex always plays a two-player game. If I’m not on board, it’s over.
“As I said, use a courier next time. Please leave.”
“Is it about your New Year’s resolution? Because it sounded like a challenge to me.”
I refuse to answer. He’s teasing me, poking and prodding, trying to figure out a way to make me lose my mind, so I’ll give in. Since we met, he’s always used the same technique. Provoking the fuck out of me. The anger blinds my common sense and… we sleep together.
“In no way was I thinking of you when I wrote it,” I say with conviction. “You’re not the only man in my life.”
He ignores me, walking to where the forks are and opening the takeout.
“We got curry chicken or shrimp fried rice, and my favorite, Mongolian beef. Do you have beers from the last time I came?” he asks, handing me a pair of chopsticks and pouring more wine in my glass.
“Alexander,” I warn him.
“I like your house. The floor plan is homey.”
He glances around and makes a production of setting everything on the coffee table. “Sometimes, I wonder if I should sell my studio and buy June’s apartment. Wouldn’t it be wonderful?”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I say, my voice is sharp, edged with suppressed fury.
What am I supposed to do? Sell my place and…fly to
Seattle with my family and away from him. No, I won’t let him win.
Alex takes a seat on the couch, grabs his chopsticks, and starts eating. “Beef?”
My phone rings. Alex leans to see it and announces, “It’s June.”
I grunt and reach out to pick it up. He’s right, it’s his sister.
“Why did you send your brother?” I snap, as soon as she says hey.
“Hello to you, too,” she answers. “Seriously, I think it’s time for you to get laid. When was the last time…around Thanksgiving?”
“Not what I asked,” I respond, avoiding her question. “I thought we agreed—no more using him as your courier.”
She sighs. I knew it, and it better not be something like “I was hoping you two would reconcile your differences.” Because if that’s the case, I’d jump on a plane and go to Colorado to slap her a couple of times. She knows better.
“It’s competition season,” she explains. “It’s my turn to distract him. Why do you think I asked him to fill up two mason jars with purple and pink Skittles?”
I laugh as she explains to me what she’s made him do. I look at the basket he brought me. It has wine, small cakes, cookies, and two jars. Though, they’re filled with purple and pink jellybeans. Which he knows I love. I glare at Alex.
He shrugs, giving me an innocent smile.
“Have I ever told you that you’re crazy?”
She is, Alex mouths, sitting back and relaxing as he watches me talk to his sister.
“Takes one to know one,” she answers.
“So, what is he doing after this?” I ask curiously, because he’s wearing a suit.
“He should’ve come from a fundraiser lunch. Did he wear a suit?”
“Yeah,” I answer, looking at him. “That’s Tuesday, what’s happening the rest of the week.”
“I gave him a long list. His last task is this Friday. That’s when Jason takes over. They’re going skiing in Switzerland.”
Almost Perfect: A Frenemies to Lovers Romance Page 3