by J. S. Cooper
“Penny for them?” The guy looked at me and his eyes looked all-knowing, like he knew exactly what sort of pervert was standing in front of him.
“Penny for what?” I said, feeling flustered. Where the hell was Pierce? And who was this guy who was flirting with me so dangerously, making me want to both hit him and kiss him at the same time?
“You know.” He winked at me and my face flushed as I resisted the urge to hit him.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said in my most haughty tone. Did he know that I thought his lips were luscious? As luscious as his ass was?
“You have no idea about what?” He tilted his head and looked at my face with a sexy smile. His eyes fell to my chest and stayed there for at least thirty seconds.
“Excuse me,” I said finally, my face hot. I couldn’t believe that he was blatantly staring at my chest. What sort of asshole was he?
“Excuse you what?”
“Can you stop staring at my chest? That’s so rude.”
“I’m rude?” He laughed, a deep chuckle that reverberated through the whole room as he glanced at me with an amazed look.
“You don’t think so?” I stared back at him with narrowed eyes, my heart racing. Shit, but he was sexy.
“I don’t think I’m rude. At least, not if you don’t think you were rude.”
“How was I rude?”
“You were staring at my ass.” He shrugged. “I was staring at your chest.”
“So you admit it. Ha!”
“It would be hard to deny, right? Those beauties are right there.” He winked at me again and shock ran through my body at his words. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Oh, my God, did you just say that?” My jaw dropped open. “I don’t believe you.” I shook my head. “You’re absolutely disgusting.”
“Really?” He looked perplexed. “I’m disgusting because I admitted to enjoying staring at your chest? Or for calling them beauties? Would you rather I’d have said that they were ugly?”
“I’d rather you’d have said nothing.” I glared at him. “I’m here waiting on Pierce.”
“I know him.” He nodded. “Very well.” He smirked.
“How?” I questioned him, wanting to know exactly how they were connected. I wasn’t sure why.
“If he wanted you to know, I think you’d know.” He licked his lips and I watched the tip of his pink tongue as it glided back and forth, my heart racing fast. I wasn’t sure why this guy affected me so much, but I just couldn’t stop myself from feeling attracted to him.
“Whatever.” I looked away from him, feeling frustrated. “I’m going to go and wait in the living room.”
“As you wish.” He shrugged, his expression showing that he didn’t care if I left him or not.
I turned around quickly, feeling flustered once again, not really sure why I was letting this man affect me as much as he was. What was his problem? What was my problem? Was I really letting my brief attraction to him make me think/feel something for him that I shouldn’t be? What was my problem?
“I’m Evan, by the way.” He said his name silkily, sexily, and I felt something in my stomach rumbling as he stood behind me. Way too close.
“Jess,” I said and gave him a quick look. “I’m Jess.”
“Nice to meet you, Jess,” he said. This time his mouth was closer to my ear and I could feel a thrill of excitement run through me as I felt his warm breath against my skin. I should have known in that moment that Evan was danger. I should have known that I was playing with fire by just speaking to him. Just being around him wasn’t good for my body. There’s something about men with confidence. Something about men who have charisma. There’s something about older men. They don’t play games and they aren’t hesitant. They go after what they want and sometimes they don’t care what or who is in the way. Certainly Evan didn’t. He didn’t care at all. And ultimately, I didn’t care either. I didn’t care that I was jumping head-first off of a giant cliff. I didn’t realize it that night. I mean, yeah, I knew I’d found him attractive, but there are a lot of attractive men in the world. I knew he was obnoxious, but there are a lot of obnoxious men in the world. I knew I wanted him and that there—that there should have told me what I needed to know, but sometimes we’re dumb. Sometimes we don’t listen to our own voices. I didn’t listen to my inner voice and that’s how I ended up in the most tantalizing scenario of my life. And when I say tantalizing, I mean in the most scandalous sense of the word.
Chapter 3
Jess
Pierce Oliver. He’s the kind of guy that every girl wants to be with. Charming doesn’t even begin to describe him. But, I mean, you know that, from our first meeting at the bar. He has charm and confidence and, well, lots of other good qualities. And he’s cut. His chest is like a work of art. Six-pack alert. Hot hot hot. Maybe not as hot as Evan, but more classically handsome. Not that that matters, anyways. I wasn’t even sure why I was comparing Pierce to Evan. Evan was nothing to me. He was just an arrogant prick friend of Pierce’s that I didn’t even really know. Back to the six-pack. Pierce’s six-pack, not Evan’s. Honestly, I’ve never dated a guy with a six-pack before. Not that we’re dating. We’re going on our first “official” date tomorrow night. I’m excited, of course I am. I’m just hoping that we won’t have more Ethiopian food. I mean, if he takes me out for Ethiopian again then there will not be another date. There will be no making out. There will be no groping. No dry-humping. No secret whispers and tugs. No chance of possible nooky for either of us. Which, if I’m honest, I’m surprised he hasn’t been pressing a little harder for. I wasn’t even really sure Pierce would call after our first couple of meetups after the night we met at the club. We’d made out a bit and I knew he wanted more, but I’m just not that kind of girl. I wouldn’t mind being that kind of girl, but for some reason I just can’t do casual sex. At least not with Pierce. It’s all those years of Sunday school. And my mom telling me that good girls don’t have sex on the first date. I couldn’t care less about being a good girl, but picturing my mom’s stern face still makes me panic. I thought I’d blown it with Pierce, honestly. I mean, the way we’d been going on at the club, I’m sure he’d thought I’d be a sure thing. I’d even thought I was going to be a sure thing that night and I’m not that sort of girl. It had really surprised me that he wanted to see me again, especially as I’d thought that he only wanted sex and, well, he hadn’t gotten that from me. But turns out no sex didn’t mean no more dates.
I think I’m a challenge to him. Men love challenges. Especially from girls who seem like they might be a sure thing, as I had in the club. I’m an enigma to him, I think. I’d left the club with him quite easily that first night; I’d even surprised myself at how eager I’d been as we’d fumbled out the doors while kissing. I’d had a few drinks and we’d danced to a couple of songs and I’d let myself get carried away. He’d pulled me into the alley next to the club and I’d let him press me back up against the cold brick wall and start kissing my neck. His lips had been warm as he’d sucked on my skin and his hands had run up and down my body in a haphazard way. To be honest, I’d been surprised by his lack of finesse. He hadn’t really excited me in that carnally explicit way I’d expected. His fingers had run over my breasts and I’d almost been nonchalant. I mean, yeah it was hot, but not as hot as I’d thought it would be. Not hot like in those movies. Or pornos. Not that I wanted to be in a porno, but you know what I mean. I was expecting heat factor multiplied by twenty. When you’re in the kind of situation where you are leaving a club with a hot man, you shouldn’t be thinking about what sort of panties you have on and if the bouncers might possibly catch you in the act and call the police. When you’re in that type of situation, all you should be thinking about is how much you want to be taken and how you can’t wait to get your legs up and wrapped around his waist so he can fuck you as hard as possible. I can’t say that I was thinking that and that is probably why he wasn’t able to seal the d
eal. Instead, we’d left the alley and went to get some cheap pizza and I ended up going back with him to his apartment, where we watched some crappy movie on Netflix while I let him run his hands up and down my thighs before I fell asleep on his chest, my hand resting on his semi-hardness before I fell off into oblivion. So yeah, I was surprised that he’d asked me out again. I was also surprised that he seemed to be so taken with me so quickly. I didn’t think that was how these things normally went. Guys as hot as him generally didn’t waste time with girls like me who didn’t even really know what we wanted. But that’s always how life goes, right? We always get the guys we don’t really care about that much, and the ones we really want can’t even be bothered with us. At least that’s how my life always goes. Just for once I wanted to be in a situation where I felt a little bit of excitement for and from a guy I really, really wanted to be with.
Pierce arrived home about twenty minutes after I’d left Evan in the kitchen by himself. I have no idea what Evan had been doing in the kitchen during that time, but I know that he didn’t come out to the living room to check on me.
“Hey, you,” Pierce said as he entered the apartment and gave me a huge smile. “Sorry I’m late.”
“That’s okay.” I sat on his couch awkwardly, wondering if I should stand up and if it was appropriate to try and hug and kiss him, as if I hadn’t just been partially ogling his friend. “Where were you and how were you able to buzz me into the building?”
“The buzzer is connected to my cellphone so I’m able to buzz anyone in from anywhere.” He shrugged. “You should be happy about that, right? At least you didn’t have to wait outside for me.”
“I’m not complaining, was just curious.” I shrugged and stood up as he headed towards me. I gave him an awkward hug and he went for a kiss on my lips but got my cheek instead as I turned my face at the last moment.
“Did you miss me, then?” he asked, not seeming to realize that something was off.
“Yeah,” I lied and looked at him with an awkward smile. What the hell was I doing in this situation? Feeling uncomfortable and weird with this guy I thought was attractive, but a little off.
“We don’t have to go out to eat if you don’t want.” His hand fell to the small of my back. “We can just eat here.”
“Oh?” I said, wondering if he was going to cook for me. That could be romantic. “What would you make?”
“I wouldn’t make anything.” He looked confused. “My body is already here and so is yours.”
“Huh?” I frowned, looking confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“We can eat here or in my bedroom.” He winked.
“Oh.” I just stared at him. This was almost worse than if he’d taken me for Ethiopian food. Did he really think this was on? Inviting me to dinner, getting me excited for free food, making me wait twenty-plus minutes, subjecting me to his hot friend and then basically cheapening out and saying he wanted sex? And not even after some food. What the hell was going on here?
“I don’t think Jess is down for that plan.” A deep voice entered the room and I froze. Evan was back. Not that he’d gone anywhere, but he was back in the same room as me.
“Oh, you’ve met Jess?” Pierce turned around and looked at Evan.
“Yeah, we just met. While you were out.” Evan nodded and walked towards us, his eyes glittering as he stared at me. “She was surprised to see me.”
“Yeah, I forgot to tell her you were here.” Pierce nodded. “Well, I didn’t realize you’d still be here. I thought you had a business dinner?”
“It got cancelled.” Evan shrugged. “Figured I’d stick around the city for the night, but maybe I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
“Of course not.” Pierce shook his head. “Wanna join us for dinner?”
“In your bedroom?” Evan raised an eyebrow and looked at Pierce and winked before he started laughing.
“Haha, yeah right.” Pierce laughed as well and they both looked at me with animated faces as I stood there uncomfortably, wondering if this was some sort of test. Maybe Pierce had deliberately put me in this position to test me. Maybe Evan had been waiting in the kitchen on purpose. Been deliberately provocative. Maybe they were hoping for some sort of kinky threesome. I could feel my skin warming as I stared at the two handsome men in front of me.
“You have the wrong girl, fellas,” I said, my voice indignant.
“Sorry, what?” Pierce looked at me in confusion, but I could see that Evan’s eyes were alight with mischief. He knew exactly what I was talking about.
“I’m not that sort of girl,” I said louder this time as I took a step back from Pierce. “I’m not interested in that sort of thing.”
“What sort of thing?” Pierce asked me, scratching his head.
“A ménage à trois.” I glared at him. “You must have thought you’d gotten a good one at the club the other night, but I am not that sort of girl. I’m shocked you haven’t realized that yet. Actually, I’m not shocked.” I shook my head.
“Why are you not shocked?” Pierce looked even more confused as he studied my face.
“Because you took me out for Ethiopian food two times in a row.”
“So?” He pursed his lips and looked even more confused. “Did you want Ethiopian again tonight? Is that what this is all about? We can go out. Don’t get your knickers in a twist, I was just teasing you.”
“No, I don’t want any horrible Ethiopian food.” I glared at him. “This is what I mean. I’ve told you two times now, I don’t like it. I don’t want it. Ever.”
“Oh, okay.” He shrugged. “We don’t have to get it. I only suggested it because you brought it up.”
“I brought it up because I was trying to make a point.” I sighed loudly, feeling frustrated and annoyed. Evan was staring at me with a huge grin on his face and I could tell that he was trying not to laugh, which was even more annoying to me.
“What point?” he asked dumbly and I started to wonder what I’d seen in him.
“The point about why I wouldn’t be shocked if you thought I was the sort of girl who would want a threesome with you and think I’d be down, even though it was clear from all of my signs that I was not interested in that sort of thing at all. I mean, we haven’t even had sex yet, so I don’t know why you’d think I’d be down for anything more than that. I’m not down for random-ass sex. And especially not a ménage à trois. I would never be down for that.” I wasn’t sure why I’d mentioned we hadn’t had sex yet. Maybe a subconscious part of me wanted Evan to know that. I told you, I’m certifiably crazy.
“Did I ask you for a ménage à trois?” Pierce looked at me and blinked. Then he looked over at Evan. “Am I missing something here?”
“I think it’s Jess that’s missing something,” Evan said with a straight face. I glared at him as he tapped two fingers next to the top of his head. I glared at him even harder and he started grinning at me, enjoying the fact that he was making me angry.
“You’re so rude,” I said, my jaw dropping as he spun his finger in a circle next to his head, blatantly trying to provoke me by calling me crazy.
“Sorry, what?” Evan said, his face a mask of innocence.
“You’re not sorry.”
“I never said I was sorry. I said, ‘sorry, what?’” He paused and then started speaking slowly. “I was saying ‘sorry, what?’ to indicate that I had no idea why you were calling me rude and would you be so kind as to explain to me what that reason was?”
“You really have no idea as to why I think you’re rude?” I shook my head at him. “Yeah, right?” I looked over at Pierce to see what he was going to say, but he didn’t say or do anything.
“Nope.” Evan cleared his throat. “But if you clarify, then I might have an idea.”
“It’s fine.” I pursed my lips, feeling like I was even more confused myself now. I wasn’t even sure what we were arguing about anymore. He was talking in circles and the sparkle in his eyes was making me forge
t my own name. I knew that he knew exactly what he was doing and I was pretty sure that I was making myself look like an idiot in the situation, but I couldn’t help it. “It’s fine. Maybe we just had a misunderstanding.”
“Yeah, I feel like several wires got crossed here,” Pierce said with a small smile. “Maybe we’re all just hungry.”
“Yeah, maybe that’s it,” I said with a small frown, wanting to roll my eyes, but knowing that would be childish. I wished that Alyssa were there so she could see how ridiculous the situation was. How could Pierce not see how rude Evan was? Maybe he knew, but he didn’t care or maybe he was just oblivious to it now. Maybe he’d dealt with Evan’s inappropriate comments so many times before that he felt it was normal. I don’t know what that said about him, but I knew that I should give him the benefit of the doubt. It wasn’t his fault that he had a douchey friend. And Evan definitely looked older than Pierce, so he should know better. Much better. I looked over at Evan and he still had a slight smirk on his face and I knew he was an instigator. He knew exactly what he was doing. I wonder now if he’d known from the beginning. If he’d had a plan from the start and, if not, when the plan came into place. If there was a plan, of course. Who knows? Sometimes I wonder if it was all me. Sometimes I wonder if I was the instigator, the fire-starter. Maybe a part of me had been fed up of my staid and boring life. Maybe a part of me wanted something exciting to happen. Though, I’m not sure that I would have wanted it to change that much. I wasn’t crazy. Or at least I’d never thought that I was crazy before.
“Shall we all go and grab a bite, then?” Evan asked with a small smile. “My treat, as I seem to be part of the reason for all this confusion and drama.”
“I won’t say no to a free meal.” Pierce grinned and I just stared at him. What had happened to Mr. confident and generous from the club? Where was the man who just wanted to spend time alone with me? Couldn’t he see that Evan was trouble? Couldn’t he see the sparks flying? Couldn’t he see that this was a bad idea? Obviously not.