[Forever After 01.0] Marry Me for Money

by Mia Kayla

  “Caroline, don’t you know? Beth doesn’t date coworkers, so there is no way she could have been waiting for me.” Brian gave me a wink, breaking the awkwardness.

  I silently thanked him and awarded him with a small smile.

  “I’m going to order the next round. What are you guys drinking?” he asked.

  After we gave him our requests, Brian headed toward the bar, and I watched his broad shoulders move under his fitted T-shirt.

  “Beth, look at all that hotness! If you only gave in a little…” She hiccupped. “Quit being so uptight, and live the life. Plus, you two would make the cutest couple.”

  Before I had a chance to snap at her for teasing me one too many times, Jeff grabbed her beer bottle.

  “You’re cut off,” he said before giving her a kiss on the lips.

  “Aw, why?” she whined, trying to reach for the bottle. She slumped against his arms when he tipped her drink all the way back.

  “Because you had too much to drink, that’s why, and when you have too much to drink, you have no filter.”

  I lifted my beer bottle to tap against Jeff’s in thanks. “Yeah, you’re a mean drunk, Caroline.”

  She looked me deep in the eyes with her sad Caroline pout, jutting out her lip. “I’m sorry, Beth. I was just telling you how it is.” Her arms draped around my neck, and the next minute, she started crying, confirming that she was officially drunk.

  I wrapped my arms around her lower back. “It’s okay, Caroline. I forgive you. Plus, you’re my one and only girlfriend in Chicago, so I’m not left with much of a choice.” I said, patting her back and giving Jeff a small smirk.

  When her sobs accelerated, Jeff gathered her from my arms. “Okay, babe, this is our cue to go home.”

  I gave him a hug as he held her by the waist, and I watched them move toward Brian, who was surrounded by a bunch of bankers. Leaning against the bar, he was in conversation with the others, making them laugh. He was probably telling them some joke. I’d only seen Brian in the office, and he seemed very professional. I hadn’t been out on a customer call with him, but I’d heard customers loved him because he was easy to talk to, and he made everyone in a room feel at ease.

  I watched Caroline tiptoe to give him a hug, and then Brian reached for Jeff’s hand to signal good-bye. When Brian’s eyes caught mine, I looked to my beer bottle and tipped it back. When I glanced back up, he was making his way toward me.

  “So, you having fun?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Everyone at the bank is pretty cool.” I took another swig of my beer.

  “How many is that now?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure—three or four maybe.” Suddenly feeling shy, I looked at the beer bottle in my hand.

  “Just so you know, I hate when she teases you and me. It makes me uncomfortable. It’s not like I don’t think you’re cute. It’s because we work together,” I said, looking up into his clear baby-blue eyes. The way our eyes caught stir butterflies in my belly that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

  He chuckled lightly and lifted a finger. “Waitress, another Corona, please,” he said, speaking over the noise. “You’re more honest when there is liquor in you. Let’s see how far this can go?” He squared his shoulders to face me directly. “So, Beth, what’s the worst that can happen if we start dating while we work together? Making out on the copier?” He gave me his boyish grin. “You think too much. Just live in the moment. Who knows? I could be your future husband, and you’re turning me away. How are we going to have our six kids in uptown Manhattan?”

  I blushed at his comment. It really took all my power not to gravitate toward this perfect man in front of me. After all, I was only human, and he was the ideal male that I was sure everyone pictured in their storybooks. He was good-looking and hardworking, and he was able to provide for a family in the future.

  “Uptown Manhattan?” I asked, breaking into my own thoughts.

  “Yeah, I’m trying to get placed as a corporate banker there. I had a couple of leads, but that’s a tough position to score.”

  The waitress approached with our beers, and I tipped mine back as he talked about New York and how he always wanted to live there but life had just landed him in Chicago. I asked him about his family to deter the questions from myself and because I was generally interested.

  Both of his parents were working professionals. He had grown up in the Midwest with three sisters who had loved to dress him up as a child. His face lit up as he talked about them, and I laughed as he reminisced about his childhood.

  My mind drifted to Kendy. I missed her so much that my heart ached. Talking to her every day hadn’t been enough. I missed the physical Kendy—the person I could tell my deepest darkest secrets to, the person who I didn’t have to pretend with, and the person who knew everything about me, including my past and what I wanted for my future.

  As I guzzled my drink, I felt the cold beer move down the back of my throat. My body began to warm as my mind began to haze over. I didn’t know how long we had been sitting at our table, but when I glanced up, all of our coworkers were long gone. Listening to the bar music, I was sure I had a goofy, drunk smile all over my face. Brian was so animated when he was drunk that I laughed even louder.

  A cheeky grin hit my face when the music changed to “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake. It brought back memories from the good old days.

  “Come on, let’s dance.” I grabbed Brian’s hand and pulled him toward the dance floor.

  After tossing his beer back, he took my hand. “Just so you know, this white boy can dance,” he said, pointing to himself.

  “Sure!” I yelled over the music. “And just so you know, this girl was on the pom team in high school,” I said, bobbing my head to the sounds.

  His hands moved to my hips as we made our way to the dance floor. Turning to face him, I bounced slowly to the beat and nodded my head to the music. We both started swaying to the bass echoing through the bar. I felt tingling sensations where his hands met my body. Inching closer to me, he started to let loose. Brian could dance. I put my arms on his shoulders and shifted toward him, swaying my head from side to side as our bodies moved in unison to the music.

  When he looked at me under hooded eyes and dropped his head, I held my breath. He brushed his lips against mine, soft as a whisper and just barely touching, as if his lips were asking for permission. I let his lips linger a little longer than what I should have allowed. I wanted to blame it on the alcohol, but every part of me wanted to kiss him back, especially with his hands all over me, causing my insides to heat up to immeasurable temperatures.

  My no-business-and-boys rule rang in my head, and I slowly backed away.

  Brian eyes peered down at me. “What?” A smile slowly crept across his face.

  Before I crossed the line any further, I shook my head, pivoted, and headed toward the bar. “I need another drink,” I said, trying to calm my raging hormones.

  He followed me and ordered us both drinks. We sat on the bar stools, silently watching the crowd moving to the beat of the music on the dance floor.

  When I finished my drink, I stood. “It’s late. I think I should go.” I just needed to distance myself, especially with this much liquor in me. I couldn’t think straight, and I didn’t want the night to progress into something I would regret later.

  “Hey, I’ll walk you home.”

  “No, it’s fine. It’s only a couple of blocks. Plus, I have this,” I said, taking out my mace from my back pocket. “See?”

  “That thing is not going to save you against a six-hundred-pound ogre. I’m taking you home.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the bar.

  A little past one in the morning, we walked in silence back to my apartment. Downtown Chicago was vacant, except for a group of drunken partygoers lingering at a bar down the street. Our hands were linked together, and I knew I should pull away, but I didn’t. When we were in front of my apartment, I reached up to give him a hug. When I released him, he dro
pped his head and kissed me. This time, my self-control was shot. I let him do it—again.

  His lips were soft and gentle. He tasted of hard liquor and beer. I was buzzed, but his mouth moving against mine awakened all my senses. My whole body leaned into him, wanting more, even though I shouldn’t because I was breaking my own rule. But it felt so good. I hadn’t been kissed in such a long time. Pushing through the haze of liquor, I painfully pulled away from him and took a deep breath.

  I shook my head slowly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you do that,” I said, my voice not very convincing. “Listen, Brian, we work together.”

  “So?” he said, coming down for another kiss.

  I pulled farther away from him but was still locked in his embrace. “Sorry, I shouldn’t lead you on like this. Seriously, I don’t want to complicate things at work,” I said, finally finding my voice.

  “It won’t,” he said, his arms still wrapped around my lower back.

  “I’ve worked very hard to get this job. I don’t date coworkers because I don’t want to be the talk of Financial State.” I finally pulled away from our entanglement, instantly regretting my temporary lapse of weakness from his irresistible lips.

  “Okay, what are you doing next weekend?” Brian asked as a half-smile appeared on his face.

  “Did you not just hear what I said?”

  “Yeah, we can hang out though, right? Just as friends.”

  “I think you used that one before, and that went all so well,” I said sarcastically, shaking my head.

  His eyes met mine, his blue to my emerald, and I stood there under the lamppost, admiring how the light accented all his boyish features.

  “Okay,” he said, finally taking a step back. “I’ll see you at work then.”

  I paused and studied his smiling face, while a car horn blared in the background. “See you at work,” I said as I reached for the door.

  He pushed against the door, keeping it closed and blocking my path. “Just as friends.” He pointed to his cheek, gesturing for me to kiss him.

  I looked at him, shook my head, and tiptoed to plant one on his cheek, taking in the musky scent of his cologne. He put his hand on the spot I’d just kissed and sighed heavily.

  “Bye, Brian.” I laughed once as I headed into my apartment. What am I going to do with this boy?

  Chapter 6

  It read 6:30 on my computer monitor. Everyone had left work for the evening, but I wanted to get this credit workup done and ready for tomorrow’s team discussion. The sound of shuffled footsteps caused me to glance up from my screen, and I locked eyes with Brian as he strolled toward my desk.

  “Hey, I figured you were still here.” He peered over my cubicle, leaning his arms against the ledge wearing a serious face that was unlike Brian. “Uh…I wanted to ask you to dinner,” he continued as he rubbed the back of his neck.

  I started shutting down my computer, already mentally exhausted from the day, and my stomach growled at the thought of food. “Sure. Where are we going?” I reached for my wallet, stuffed it into my laptop bag, and turned off my computer monitor.

  Brian’s eyes dropped to his shoes and up again to meet my eyes. I quirked an eyebrow, wondering what he was up to.

  “Not today. I wanted to ask you to dinner this weekend.” He fiddled with his hands. “As in a dinner date.”

  I took his words in and could not help but feel flattered. This usually confident banker was nervous for once, and it was because of me. “Brian, I thought we discussed this. We can’t go there.”

  “I know what you said, Beth, but I’ve been thinking. I know it matters to you, but it doesn’t matter to me. Plus,” Brian looked nervously to the floor again, “I like you, and I’d like to take you on a date.” He lifted his eyes to mine.

  I couldn’t help the smile on my face, which I felt gave him courage as his eyes lit up. “I don’t want you to think that I’m the kind of guy who makes out with girls at the bar,” he said. “I mean, I used to be that guy who made out with every girl at the bar, but you’re not that type of girl. You’re a dinner-and-movie kind of girl.” Determination was set in his face as he stood straighter. He didn’t break eye contact. “Listen, one date. That’s it. No commitment. If you’re embarrassed or don’t want to be teased, no one in the office has to know. Like I said, I’m into you. I want to take this one girl who is funny, smart, motivated, and unbelievably cute out for a nice dinner. Come on,” he said, giving me puppy-dog eyes.

  Looking into the deepest pair of blue eyes, I knew I could fall for this guy if I let myself. Kendy’s voice rang in my head. Maybe I should live a little. Have fun and date. It wasn’t like we reported to the same boss.

  “I don’t know,” I said, doubt in my voice.

  “One date. Come on. We do have fun together, Beth, and it’s free dinner on me. How can you turn that down? I’ll pick a good restaurant, I promise,” Brian said, lifting two fingers in a Boy Scout oath.

  “Fine,” I said, exasperated but still smiling.

  His boyish, relaxed demeanor was back at my answer. “See? I knew my persistence and stalkerish tendencies would win out.” He winked.

  When he turned to leave, I smiled and put my fingers on my lips, thinking of the other night. Even though I didn’t want to admit it, I was excited about our date.

  I grabbed my stuff and pulled out my cell phone. I knew it was too late to back out of my date. I’d already accepted going with Brian. I was excited, and I wanted someone to share in my excitement. I didn’t know if it was a good idea, but either way, I was jumping up and down inside. I hadn’t been on a date in quite a while.

  The phone call went directly into voice mail.

  “Hey, this is Kendy. Leave a message.”

  “Kendy, where are you?” I huffed. “I’ve been calling you for days. Miss you, babe. Call me back.” I frowned, dropped the call, and stared at my phone. Where is she?

  I’d always shared my giddiness with her. We had been talking about boys since we were in sixth grade. Also, I wanted her advice. It frustrated me that our calls were becoming less and less frequent. I knew part of the reason was due to her work schedule. Either way, it was at times like this I missed her the most.

  Instead of walking directly home, I drifted toward Trump Tower and headed past security. Before I knew it, I was knocking at his door. I paused a little bit before knocking again. I was about to turn around when a pretty redhead wrapped in a navy silk robe opened the door. I looked at the numbers on the door and felt my cheeks warm. I was definitely at the right place.

  “Hi, um…is Kent here?” I asked shyly, squeezing my hands together.

  “Oh, yes, come in. He’s in the shower.” She pulled the door wide open to let me enter.

  I stepped in and stood by the door as she shut it behind me. I felt the warmth creep up from my neck to the apple of my cheeks as I shifted from one foot to another. My eyes scanned the area in his condo but Kent was nowhere to be seen.

  “Have a seat. I’ll let him know that you’re here.”

  I stuck out my hand awkwardly and introduced myself. “Hi, I’m Beth, Kent’s friend,” I said, drawing out the last word. I didn’t want her to think I was another one of his girls, especially when they were obviously more than friends.

  She chuckled and shook my hand. “I’m Anne. Let me tell him you’re here.” She glided into his room and shut the door behind her, leaving me standing there, wishing I wasn’t.

  I sat down on the edge of the couch and contemplated leaving, but at this point, it was too late. He would already know I was here. When she returned, she was wearing skinny jeans, accentuating her height, and a tank top, showing off her perfect figure. Kent, wearing only a towel, followed right behind her. I caught sight of the well-defined lines of his eight-pack slightly glistening, not fully dry from his shower, and I dropped my eyes to the floor.

  “Hi, Beth,” Kent said, using another towel to dry his hair.

  I glanced up and concentrated only on
his face. “Hey,” I said with a small wave before quickly dropping my hand to my lap.

  A dimple emerged on his cheek, and I felt the warmth move from my face to my ears.

  He turned to the redhead beside him. “Do you need money for a cab home?” he asked softly, walking her to the door.

  Looking at my flip-flops, I felt as if I was intruding on something intimate. At that moment, I wanted to leave.

  “No, I think I can manage. I’d tell you to call me, but I know you won’t.”

  I glanced up to see a sad smile on her face, making me feel sorry for her. She tiptoed and kissed Kent on the lips before he led her out and shut the door behind her.

  “I’m sorry. I know I should have called. I mean, it’s seven. I didn’t think you’d have company—obviously. Either way, I should have called.” I shook my head and stood up to leave.

  “It’s fine. You didn’t interrupt anything. We were done anyway,” he said, readjusting his towel.

  My eyes moved to where his hands were—right by his happy trail.

  “Seriously, can you please put on some clothes?” I angled my head to the floor, embarrassed that he’d caught me staring.

  “Stay right there. Let me change,” he said. “Don’t leave,” he commanded before heading to his bedroom.

  I sat back on the couch and ran my hands against the black leather, feeling the cool material under my fingertips. Turning to the right, I looked outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows to the amazing view of the city below.

  “So, Beth, did you need something?” he asked, pulling a gray shirt over his semi-wet hair.

  My eyes moved to his chisled hard-tone abs again and I shook my head to focus. I thought back to why I’d come here. “I’m sorry for barging in. Next time, I’ll call. I called Kendy first, but she didn’t pick up. I needed girlie advice.” I smiled.

  He sat right beside me on the couch. “Girlie advice?”

  “Why are you smiling like a cheeseball?” I asked.