by Fields, MJ
Angry. He is angry. Why?
I open my mouth to ask, and he starts to advance on me before I get a single word out. He wraps his hand in my hair at the back of my head and tugs hard. Then, he slams his lips on mine. This kiss is not like the one before. This kiss is wild and claiming. I open to him, and he starts to back me up until my back is against the far wall. He bends, and I follow as he places his hands on my waist and hoists me up. My legs instantly wrap around him. We are all hands and mouth and friction. I can feel his weight between my legs as he pushes deeper into me. I don’t understand what is happening, but I do know that I don’t want it to stop. I never want it to stop.
He wrenches his lips from mine, and he watches as his hand moves down the front of my halter top and across the silk bodice at the top of my breasts. My chest is rising and falling to meet his hand. He gently tugs the ribbon that is tied around my neck, holding the top in place, and it falls, exposing my lacy corset bra. He bites his bottom lip as he runs his knuckles across the swell. Then, he hooks a finger into the edge and pulls it low enough for my breasts to spill over the top. He dips his head and gently takes a nipple into his mouth. Oh my. I groan as pleasure shoots through me at the contact. He licks and then lightly blows a hot breath across each breast until my nipples are hard pink peaks. Then, he nips and sucks one breast as he kneads and caresses the other. He switches his attention from right to left. I am lost. No one has ever touched me this way.
I’m writhing in his arms. I can feel pressure building in my center and a fierce need pulsing through me. I arch my back, and I start to move back and forth, reaching for connection where I need it the most. He places his hands under my ass and lifts me higher till we are hip-to-hip, and finally, I’m where I want to be. I can feel him hard beneath me, and I start sliding against the seam of his trousers, using the wall at my back as support. He still has his mouth at my breasts, and the combination is mind-numbing. I start moving faster, reaching for something else and not knowing exactly what that is. He feels my need getting more and more urgent, and he moves his hand around and under my skirt.
He growls, “Fuck, Gabby. You are wet for me, baby.”
For a moment, I wonder if that is a bad thing, but I’m too far gone to care. I start moving against his hand and whimper. I need his hand to move. I need him to touch me. I need. I need. I need.
“Shit, baby, it’s okay. I got you,” he whispers as he pulls the hem of my panties aside and glides his finger through my folds.
It feels so good, and I think I might come right out of my skin. Then, he moves his thumb to the bud that is throbbing and gives it the attention it is seeking.
“Yes, Cross,” I say shakily, “right there. I need you to—” My words die on a moan as he applies more pressure.
Then, he slides a finger inside me and starts to swirl it so deliciously. I rock on his hand. Reaching for something. My entire body is reaching. Then, he adds another finger, and it happens. I crest the wave that I have been riding. All of a sudden, my legs start to shake around him, and an explosion of sensations starts rocketing through the lower half of my body.
“That’s it, baby. Take what you need,” he says softly.
Then, he covers my mouth with his as I scream out his name in pure pleasure. Nothing has ever felt this good. Nothing could ever feel this good again.
He holds me tight against him until the quaking subsides.
We stand there, quiet, with nothing but the sounds of our racing hearts and the mingling of our heavy breaths.
“Fuck,” he murmurs into my hair. Then, after a few heartbeats, he leans back and booms, “FUCK!” as he drops me on my unsteady legs.
He backs away and starts to pace with his head down and his eyes closed tight.
“Fuck, this can’t happen, Gabby.”
Tears prick the backs of my eyes as I take in the panic on his face. This did happen. Did he not want it? Does he not want me?
“I shouldn’t have pulled you in here. I saw you dancing with that asshole from the springs, and I just lost it. He had you in his arms. He was holding you way too fucking close, and you were letting him,” he accuses.
“We were just dancing,” I whisper into the room as he continues pacing and ranting.
“I didn’t like it. I don’t like other men looking at you like that. I don’t like them thinking they can touch you that way.”
“He wasn’t touching me in any way, Cross. We were just dancing.”
“He wants to touch you.”
“Doesn’t mean he gets to.”
“But he can. He can ask you out and take you to dinner and the movies. He can hold you, dance with you, and kiss you when he brings you home. I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are seventeen and I’m twenty-five and your brothers would kill me and I wouldn’t blame them.”
I can feel my lips quivering as the weight of what he is saying settles between us. He thinks I am a child, and whatever this was, was just his reaction to Dante.
I have to get out of this room. I have to get out of the room right now.
I fly toward the door as he tries to stop me, and I burst into the hallway. I need air. I need somewhere private to let the tears out. I run toward the back stairwell and down to the ladies’ locker room. It’s empty, so I let my emotions loose. I sob for what feels like forever, and I realize I’m too exhausted to go back out there.
I went from elated to broken in a matter of minutes. I think I am partied out, and I just want to go home and curl up in my bed. I gather myself and fix my hair and makeup as best I can. I head back upstairs to find Adi and tell her I’m leaving.
I silently make my way toward the front of the club and back around to the staircase. I want to get in and out as quickly as possible, and hopefully, if I keep my head down, no one will notice my disheveled appearance. As I get to the bottom of the steps, I see a group of my brothers’ friends congregated together.
Great. So much for getting out without being seen.
I dart to the side, out of sight, to come up with a new strategy when I catch a hint of their conversation.
“I don’t know, man. That kiss looked like more than just a friendly Christmas kiss to me.”
“Yeah, it was pretty hot. Looked like you were into it. For a minute there, I thought you might throw her over your shoulder and carry her out of the place.”
“Hey, that’s my sister you’re talking about,” I hear Stavros interject.
“Come on, Stav; you saw it. Your little sister doesn’t look too little anymore in that dress, and I think our man Cross here noticed, too.”
I know they are just teasing, but it’s dangerous to tease one of my brothers. They can be volatile, and I worry a brawl is about to break out.
“Shut up, Conti. I only kissed her to save her from embarrassment after you jackasses pointed out that mistletoe. You guys know, she is like a sister to me, too. And don’t get it twisted. I know she is just a little girl playing dress-up in that dress. Stop being stupid and acting like it was more. The thought actually makes me sick.”
Every word out of his mouth hits me like a physical blow. I move slightly, so I see them better to make sure it is actually him saying these horrible things. His eyes fall on mine as I step out of the shadow, and I freeze. Just for a few beats. I stare at him, and the mortification washes over me as my heart breaks in two. I turn calmly on my stilettoed feet and make my way to the entrance of the club.
I have to get out of here right now.
Nine
Brie - Present
Bradley called Kels and begged her to go to dinner with him and talk. She had been ignoring his calls all day, and they had been coming in about every thirty minutes for hours. She’d finally picked up and told him to come get her at six.
Dawn starts to protest, but Kels just holds up her hand.
“I have to face it eventually, and it might as well be tonight. I am not stupid, Dawn. I know when I’m being lied to
, but I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. I haven’t decided if I can or will forgive him. Whichever I choose though, you will have to accept it and do the same.”
Dawn groans and walks over to tightly squeeze her best friend. “I’ll follow your lead on this one even if I don’t like your choice. But, if I accidentally kick him in the balls as we pass in the hall one morning, you will have to accept it and move on as well.”
I can see Kelsey’s shoulders shaking with laughter, and I know, whatever she decides, they will be just fine. I really hope she walks away now. I can tell Dawn doesn’t trust him anymore, and if she were honest with herself, Kelsey probably doesn’t either. In my experience, your friends are usually a better judge than you are when blinded by your feelings, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to let go. Trust is something we give pretty freely, but once someone destroys it, it takes an act of God to repair.
I talk Dawn into getting out of the apartment, so she won’t be tempted to do her kicking-balls-in-the-hall trick when Bradley comes to pick Kels up. She accompanies me to the country club, so I can check out the lay of the land.
It is a beautiful club. A bit larger than the one we are members of in New York. It has a couple of enormous and elegant ballrooms for events, a restaurant, a full bar, large outdoor patio space with options for dining, his and her locker rooms for members, an indoor pool, two outdoor pools, four tennis courts, and an impressive golf clubhouse, pro shop, and pristine golf course.
Everything the upper echelon of greater Los Angeles could want in a club.
I find my employee locker and pick up the parking pass for my assigned space. Then, we grab dinner. I can’t wait to get started tomorrow night. It has been a while since I lost myself in any good physical activity, and this is the perfect way to get back at it. Being paid to do so.
“Are there any famous members here—you know, like movie stars?” I ask.
“A few.” She shrugs. “To be honest, if they are famous enough for you to know who they are, then they probably have all the amenities this place has to offer at their own home.”
“Makes sense.”
“You aren’t one of those creepy celebrity stalkers, are you?” she asks with wide eyes.
“No.” I throw a grape at her. “Unless we are talking Jason Momoa because I’d climb that man like a tree. I wouldn’t even mind paying the bail money.”
“Touché,” she agrees, and we clink our wine glasses.
* * *
As we are leaving, we are stopped by a guy who obviously knows Dawn.
I learned on our way over that Dawn and her parents have been members of the club for as long as she can remember, and apparently, so are Kelsey and her mom and Uncle Matt and Daniel.
Great, just my luck that I get to work for them.
Not really. Kelsey’s mom is the only one who has any interest in tennis, but the point is, I will be wearing an employee name tag, and they will be wearing swimsuits and lounging by the pool. It’s crazy how the tides in your life can switch directions so drastically. Luckily, I’m sure my friends will never make me feel beneath them in any way. Besides, Daniel worked at the club as a lifeguard for a few summers when he was in high school to earn extra cash. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
“Hey, Jake. This is our new roommate, Brie. She is the club’s newest tennis instructor, so we came by to let her get a look around before she gets started tomorrow after class. Brie, this is Jacob Mason. He is the son of Oscar Mason, the producer, who happens to be the president of the club’s board.”
Jake takes my hand. “It is very nice to meet you, Brie. Good to see that Cloniger is hiring a few people in our age group to liven the old, stuffy place up a bit.”
He smiles a brilliant smile at me, and I have to admit, I’m dazzled for a moment. He has a chiseled jawline and sky-blue eyes. His hair is golden with streaks of light blond that I’m sure have come from the sun and not the salon. He is tall with broad shoulders, and he is in fantastic shape. Courtesy of the racket I see in his left hand I am sure.
“Maybe I should take a lesson or two once you get settled. I’m a racquetball man myself, but some time on the tennis court could only improve my game.”
I find myself liking that idea very much, which is dangerous.
“Sure thing,” is the only reply I can manage as I turn to Dawn. “Let’s go. I think we should check in on Kels.”
“Yes, ma’am. See you later, Jake. You behave yourself.”
“I always do.”
“Sure you do.”
We say our good-byes and head back to Santa Monica. On the drive back, I silently berate myself. I will not be sidetracked by a single smile.
When we arrive at the apartment, we find Kelsey and Bradley on the couch, watching a movie. I guess the talk went in his favor after all. I sure hope she knows what she is doing. Dawn is not in a very accepting mood at the moment, so after a few niceties are exchanged, she excuses herself to her room to study. Not her usual Sunday evening activity. I open a bottle of Sancerre and settle in to finish watching the movie. I figure Kelsey needs the backup, and honestly, as much as I hoped it would go the other way, who am I to judge anyone for the relationship choices they make? I just hope that Bradley uses this opportunity to get himself in check. Sometimes, the possibility of losing something you love can kick your balls into your throat as easily as a pissed-off roommate’s foot. After the movie is over, I gather our empty glasses and head to the kitchen. Kelsey follows me, out of Bradley’s earshot.
“I guess Dawn is pissed at me now. I was expecting it, but I figured she would just give us both some shit and then sit down and get over it.”
I can see the unease etched on her face, and I assume that she and Dawn probably don’t have disagreements very often.
“I don’t think she’s so much pissed off as she is worried. Well, at least, not pissed at you. She doesn’t want you to get hurt. That’s what true friends do. They worry when they think you are going down the wrong road, and truthfully, that is what you want in a friend. One who cares that much about your happiness because, if they don’t, then you end up with a friend like Tonya. I wouldn’t worry. You guys are going to be fine, and as long as that man of yours keeps whatever promises he made to you tonight, they will be fine, too. He’ll have to prove it to her, but after a while, she’ll forgive him if you forgive him.”
She smiles a relieved smile. “Thanks, Brie. I think you have gotten to know us all pretty well in the few weeks you have been here. We sure are lucky you needed a place to stay. A sane voice of reason is nice to have around.”
She returns to Bradley, and the pair of them head off to bed. She is wrong; I am far from the voice of reason. I’m usually the one making the wrong choices. Isn’t it funny how we are all so wise when dispensing advice to our friends and all shit at taking it when we are the ones in need of it?
Ten
Gabby - Past
I run across the front room of the club and toward the exit. I need to get out of here. Now. I can feel the hot, angry tears streaming down my face. I don’t want anyone to see me. When I reach outside, the valet stands from behind his podium.
“Miss Mastreoni, are you ready for your car, ma’am?”
Papa and Mamma left the party about an hour ago and sent the car and driver back for me.
“Yes, please.”
“Joe went to grab a snack across the street. I don’t think he expected you to be leaving for some time. If you wait here, I will go get him. It will be just a few moments.”
“Please tell him I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well and think it’s best if I go now. Thank you.”
I bend at the waist and start gasping in the cool air. I’m so upset; I actually feel nauseous. I hear the doors swing open behind me, and I turn to face him. I knew he would follow me.
“Don’t. Just go back inside and leave me alone.”
“Damn it, Gabby. That wasn’t what it sounded like.”
“Really? Bec
ause I’m pretty sure you just told everyone that kissing me was like kissing your own sister and that it made you want to vomit.”
He holds his hands up in a placating manner as he starts to approach me. I start walking backward so that he can’t reach me until I am up against the curb.
“Yeah, I did, but it was to protect you. They were getting the wrong idea about you, and I didn’t want them spreading rumors about you or for untrue gossip to reach your father’s or your brothers’ ears.”
“You weren’t protecting me. You were protecting yourself. You don’t want your friends to think you actually like this silly little girl.”
“That is not true.”
“You know what? You don’t ever have to worry about this silly little girl again. I hate you. You’ve ruined everything. This night was supposed to be special. I got all dressed up in this pretty dress that my papa bought me. I love it, and I feel beautiful in it even if you do think it looks like I’m just a child playing dress-up. All I wanted to do was dance the night away, and now, all I want to do is go home.”
“Don’t go. Come back in and enjoy your party.”
The car pulls up to the curb.
“Please, Gabby. Stay. Let’s sit down and talk. I know I handled it poorly earlier. I was angry with myself for letting things go that far, not at you. I just … you twist me up. I needed to get out of that room before I did something I couldn’t take back. I got carried away. Fuck, you drive me mad, and you are worth more than a dry-hump in a fucking coat closet.”
About that time, Nicco comes bursting through the doors. “What’s going on? The driver called and said he was picking you up because you were sick.”