“Don’t most people value those things?” He runs a finger down my cheek as I nod. “What characteristics do you value?”
“Honesty. Humor. Intelligence. You?”
“Work ethic, leadership, and confidence, among others.”
I mentally note that they’re all work-related, which makes sense for someone who runs his own business. I was hoping to get more of a personal insight into him through this conversation, though. “For yourself or for others?” I ask.
“Both.” He focuses his eyes across the room as he talks. “I surround myself with people who hold those traits as values. It’s what’s made my business so successful so quickly.”
“Yet you’re dating a woman who takes summers off.”
He laughs. “That doesn’t mean you don’t have a strong work ethic. My cousin is a teacher. I see what you go through. You deserve summers off.”
“Thanks,” I mumble, never sure how to respond when people compliment my profession rather than me personally. I close my eyes. It feels so good here in his arms, so warm, and my body is so exhausted from our night together, from three orgasms in the span of a few hours. I drift off to sleep.
Fingertips slowly ascending my thigh, so slow and full of anticipation I think I might die of need. Lips clashing, tongues battering, hearts pounding. We’re so close that I feel the beat of his heart against my breast hammering as hard as mine. But why? Is this different for him the way it is for me? Raw, unfiltered passion. Hands groping, gripping, grappling. The taste of beer on his tongue, cold and bitter, mixed with peppermint, and the chill of the cool liquid splashing into my belly button before he laps it up with his tongue. Fingers twisting in my hair, pulling as I come, come, come. He comes next, thick, hot ropes erupting from him and onto his fist, onto the naked flesh of my pubic bone. Then it all starts over again, the seduction, the foreplay, and finally the main event. Again I come, come, come. This time I come so hard that I come undone.
I wake with a jolt.
“You okay?” a voice whispers in the dark.
“Yeah,” I whisper back. It’s a lie.
I’m not okay.
I’m not even close to okay.
Brian holds me, pulls me more tightly against him as he worries about me—my needs, why I woke with a jolt in the middle of the night, if it was because of a bad dream.
It wasn’t a bad dream. Far from it.
It was a dream that pressed a needy ache in my core and dampened my panties. A dream of a night that did happen, a replay of the events—that one night I still wish wasn’t limited to just one night. One night that satisfied every need I’ve ever had—until it was time to leave. One night that meant more to me than it did to him.
Guilt blooms in my chest as the reality hits me.
It was a dream of another man.
* * *
Brian and I see each other nearly every night when he isn’t working. He texts me throughout the days, little messages here and there to let me know he’s thinking about me. On the nights when he doesn’t have dinner meetings, we go to dinner, sometimes along with Jill and Becker and other times alone. On the nights he has to work, he comes by afterward and almost always stays until morning.
Each day that passes pushes my one-night stand further into the past. The memory should be starting to fade by now, as memories do, but it hasn’t. I’m still consumed by what happened.
I avoid Vail. If a song comes on the radio, I shut it off. If I happen to see his name in my Twitter feed, I scroll right by without allowing my eyes to focus in on the words.
After an entire month has passed, I unfollow him and the band on Twitter. I unlike the Vail Facebook page. I delete him from my Instagram. I ask Jill not to show me articles of him, not to share any news related to him with me. It’s easier this way. Deleting Mark from my social media has helped tremendously. It’s made it so there isn’t a constant reminder of him feeding the obsessive beast in my mind, and it’s allowed me to start relegating him to the past while I focus on my blossoming feelings for Brian. I’m halfway between lust and love, and I’m pretty sure love is starting to win.
On one particular Wednesday morning after we’ve been seeing each other for almost a month, Brian groans as the alarm wakes him too early. He stays with me most nights and gets up at the crack of dawn so he has enough time to go home and take a shower before work. It seems silly. He could probably sleep another hour if we went to his place, and I could just get up and go home whenever I was ready since my summer schedule is so flexible.
I finally ask through the morning haze of sleep, “Wouldn’t it be easier to stay at your place?”
It’s a question I’ve been itching to ask. After a month, he still hasn’t invited me to his place. At first, I worried that it was because he was hiding another woman, but with the amount of time we’ve been spending together when he isn’t working, it seems highly unlikely.
He brushes me off with a non-answer as he sits on the edge of my bed and pulls on his shoes. “I’ve got too many roommates at the moment.”
I sit up and pull the sheet up to cover my naked chest. “Why?”
He tugs the sheet from my fingers and allows himself an unobstructed view of my naked chest. “I don’t have my own place. I’m still house hunting. Between nights here and work all day, I haven’t had much time to look at places.”
He reaches for my breast, and my line of thinking is completely shattered under his touch.
It isn’t until much later that I realize I asked the wrong question.
I asked him why he has so many roommates. I didn’t ask him who his roommates are.
Chapter Thirteen
“To the Fearsome Foursome,” Jill says, and I roll my eyes.
Jill, Becker, Brian, and I are standing at the bar after a Cirque du Soleil show the boys took us to when Jill says the cheesy toast. The four of us have started hanging out whenever the boys have free time. Brian and Becker even carpool on their way over to our place on occasion. When Brian and Becker aren’t working late, the four of us often have dinner together. Sometimes on the weekends, we’ll sprawl on the furniture in our family room and watch a movie together with a glass of wine and a bowl of popcorn.
Jason is tending to business in Chicago, and I wonder if he and Tess are still casually screwing. She went to Colorado to visit her family and I haven’t talked to her in weeks. Brian’s business is booming, and he’s headed out of town to Houston for work tomorrow morning. I considered going with him, but he’ll be working the entire time he’s gone. I promised my mom I’d drive home to Phoenix sometime this summer, but I never said when. This could be a good time.
After a few drinks at the bar, we head home. Tonight, the furthest thing from my mind is another man. I’m focused solely on Brian and the way he makes me feel.
When we get back to my house, I lead him to my bedroom. He doesn’t attack me the minute we close the door behind us like he usually does. Instead, he gives me a sensual kiss that makes my toes curl.
He backs away and clears his throat as he unbuckles his belt. “I don’t really want to go to Houston.”
“I don’t really want you to go.” I step out of my heels and set them in my closet.
“I didn’t bring a condom tonight.” His voice is low when he speaks, and I freeze for a beat inside my closet as I wonder if this means no sex tonight or if he’s getting at something else.
I step out of the closet. “We used all of mine. I can ask Jill.”
He slides his pants down his legs and steps out of them. He goes to work on the buttons on his shirt next as he shakes his head. “I didn’t bring one on purpose. I want to feel you, Reese. All of you. I want to go to Houston with the sweet velvet memory of being inside you, no barriers, just us.”
A seed of worry plants in my mind, but he alleviates it. “I’ve only been with you for the past month. I’ve exercised disciplined responsibility before you.” He finishes undressing then steps toward me, and for the first time, he’s
tentative.
“Is this okay?” he asks.
I nod, and then he takes his time to show me how he feels about me as his body moves tenderly over mine.
Just before I fall asleep in his arms, I hear him whisper, “I’m going to miss you so much.”
I’m going to miss him, too.
* * *
I’m bored and lonely without him. I physically felt his love the night before he left, and he’s gone almost an entire week. He texts me often, calls when he can.
I didn’t go to Phoenix. Instead, I stayed home and caught up on some reading and spent time volunteering at my local library. This week’s task was organizing books in the children’s section, and by the time I left today, I felt great about my progress.
It’s the night before he’s scheduled to come home that something changes. It’s a little before ten, and I’ve had two glasses of wine that made me sleepy. I text Brian.
Me: Going to bed soon. Just wanted to say goodnight.
I expect a text back, but he my phone rings a few minutes later instead.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Hi,” he says.
“How’s work?”
“Productive. I wrote three new contracts this afternoon and I’m out now with some clients.”
“Isn’t it almost midnight there?”
“Yeah. We’ve been out for a few hours. You know, wining and dining.”
“Having fun without me?”
“Never.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.” His voice is low and husky.
“I’ve been thinking about you all week. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait for the other things we’re going to do tomorrow.”
My heart flutters as I think about what that might mean. I’d be content with just a kiss. My body aches for him, and more than once I’ve thought about reneging on our deal to wait for each other before we tip the scales of pleasure again.
“Fox? You coming?” A woman’s voice calls from the background. She sounds much more sultry than a business associate should sound.
“Shit,” he mutters. “I need to go.”
“Who’s that?” I can’t help myself from asking.
“My secretary.”
The blood in my veins freezes. He doesn’t say her name, but he doesn’t need to for me to know exactly who it is. “You didn’t mention you were traveling with a woman.”
“It’s not like that.”
“It seems kind of like that when you don’t mention her.”
“Fox!” I hear the voice again.
He sighs. “I have to go.”
“Fine,” I snap. I hate the jealousy in my voice. We never labeled what we have as exclusive, but I sort of assumed we were after how much time we’ve been spending together. And just because his secretary is there doesn’t mean he’s sleeping with her.
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what?”
“You know what I mean. I can’t have this conversation now.”
I press my lips together. “Fine.”
“For the record, it’s kind of hot that you’re jealous of my secretary.”
“I’m not jealous,” I mutter. I’m totally jealous, though I’d never admit that. I hate Kelsey and I don’t even know her.
He laughs. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Fine. Bye.”
“That’s the third fine you’ve thrown at me in the last ten seconds.”
“I thought you had to go.”
“I do. I’m sorry, Reese. It’s just you. Okay?”
“Okay,” I say.
“That’s better than fine.”
I chuckle.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hangs up first, and I stare down at my phone for a minute. I’m not typically a jealous person, but knowing sexy and sultry Kelsey is with him in Houston while I’m back here at home is enough to put me on alert. I think back to the conversation we had about her—the one where he said he hadn’t noticed how pretty she is.
If he hadn’t noticed it, then why didn’t he mention that she was going with him to Houston?
Chapter Fourteen
“Lizzie?” Brian says, his jaw dropping. He pulls a pretty woman with dark hair into a hug. “What the hell are you doing here?”
We’re standing at a bar in the Aria near the entrance to the hall where tonight’s black tie networking event is being held. We’re at some media event celebrating the newest businesses in Vegas, a black tie affair with dinner and dancing, and Brian wanted to come to check things out. They’re on the short list for next year’s honorees. This year’s award recipients were selected before FDB Tech Corp officially opened its doors to the Vegas market. Brian just ordered our drinks when this woman tapped him on the shoulder.
The woman’s eyes slide over to me as Brian laces his arm around me, back to the sweet and protective boyfriend rather than the guy who made me worried he was sleeping with his secretary. I think back to that whole dumb fight. We’ve been dating for well over a month. We’ve spent pretty much every night together. I’m starting to fall for him and I’ve even relegated my one night with Mark Ashton to just one night. I still think of him often, and the emotions clouding that night are still fresh, but I’ve committed to giving myself wholly to Brian.
Something is in this woman’s eyes, something familiar and some emotion I can’t quite place. It’s not jealousy. Curiosity, maybe.
“Your secretary let me know you’d be here tonight and I thought it would be fun to surprise you. I’m here to see you and Beavis.”
Brian rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you a treat?” he asks.
She laughs and sticks out her hand to shake mine. “Since he’s not exactly taking the hint on introductions, hi, I’m Lizzie. Brian’s sister.”
A sense of relief washes over me, and I see the family resemblance that I somehow missed before. She’s tall and gorgeous with hair the same near-black as Brian’s and eyes the exact green shade as his. She even has that same imposing presence he does, like she owns the room but she’s glad you’re in it, too.
“I’m Reese. And I’ve heard so much about you,” I say as I knock her hand out of the way and pull her into a hug instead.
“You have?”
“He once told me his older sister is his secret weapon.”
“Oh?” She narrows her eyes at her brother. “In what way?”
“In training him how to treat a woman.”
Brian is mysteriously quiet during our exchange.
Lizzie raises a brow and looks at me again. “And have I succeeded?”
I nod. “He’s pretty wonderful.”
“He’s okay. Still my baby Butt-head brother.”
“Beavis and Butt-head?” I ask.
“From the nineties MTV cartoon. I’ve called them that since we were little.”
“Nice,” I say, giggling.
“Brian always hated being called little Butt-head.” She elbows him affectionately and he rolls his eyes.
I shrug. “If the shoe fits.”
“Hey,” he says sharply. “I don’t need you two ganging up on me.”
“Touchy, touchy,” Lizzie says. “Where’s Beavis?”
Brian shrugs. “Last time I checked, it wasn’t my day to watch him.”
“You can shove the sarcasm,” she says. “Aren’t you staying with him?”
“Yeah, until I find a place.”
“I didn’t know that,” I say.
Both of their heads turn to me.
“I didn’t know you were staying with your brother,” I say.
He nods. “Plus Jason and Becker.”
“You’re all living together?”
Lizzie smiles. “Beavis has a big place.”
“Will you be staying there, too?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “I’ve got a room at the Mandarin. I don’t want to stay at the boy’s club. It’s like a damn f
rat house over there.” She looks over at Brian. “Haven’t you taken her there yet?”
A room at the Mandarin. My heart beats a little harder in my chest as I remember the last time I was at the Mandarin.
He shakes his head, and if I’m not mistaken, I see a bit of pleading pass from his eyes to hers. He masks it well, but there’s the tiniest hint of desperation there—something I’ve never once seen on his face before. He’s always been so disciplined, so in control.
I watch as some sort of understanding dawns on her face, and then she changes the subject.
“So, Reese, what do you do?” she asks.
“I’m a teacher.”
“Out for the summer?” she asks.
I nod.
“Nice.”
“Is Dave here?” he asks her.
She shakes her head. “He’s back home.” She looks at me. “Dave is my fiancé. He had work to do this weekend and I needed a getaway.”
Brian glances at his watch, and I can’t help but feel like he’s trying to get me away from his sister. “We need to get inside, Liz,” he says, nodding with his head to the doorway where the event is set to take place.
“Of course. Let’s meet up after. I’ll be hanging around the casino for a bit.”
“Why don’t you stay with me?” I blurt. “We have a spare room, and that way you don’t have to stay at a hotel.”
She looks at Brian, and he shoots her that same look of pleading desperation. It’s so fast that I nearly miss it. I feel like an outsider around these two, like there’s a giant secret they’re not letting me in on.
“That’s so sweet of you, Reese, but my room is already paid for. Next time.”
“Do you come to town often?” I ask.
“More now that both my brothers are here.” She looks at Brian. “You’ve even got Mom and Dad looking at houses online.”
Both my brothers are here.
Not only did I have no idea that Brian’s staying with his brother, I also had no idea that his brother lives here in Vegas.
This entire conversation has just reminded me how very little I know about the man I’m falling in love with.
“I’ll text you when we’re getting ready to leave,” he says, and then he grabs my hand and pulls me toward the reception hall.
Love Triangle: Six Books of Torn Desire Page 52