Breaking Away

by Toni Aleo

Ugh. Reese did not want to leave her couch, but she knew Piper was on to her. She did not need her sister coming to her house and discovering that she had become one of those people from Hoarders. Ben and Jerry tubs laid all over every surface. She had been wearing the same sweatshirt since he walked out of her apartment.

  His sweatshirt.

  Ugh, she was like a heartbroken teen, and it didn’t make any fucking sense! She kicked him out, she didn’t want what he did and, now, all she wanted was to call him and beg him to come back. Why though? She didn’t want a relationship. She didn’t want a man in her life… but she wanted Phillip.

  God, she was fucked in the head.

  Letting her head fall back, she let out a breath. “I don’t know.”

  “What? Why don’t you know? You are never one to turn down a party! Come on, it will be fun.”

  “I’m being lazy.”

  “Boo whore, get up.”

  “Did you just go Mean Girls on me?”

  “To the fullest, don’t make me come over there.”

  “You’re a bitch.”

  “I love you more; see you at the Cowboy at nine! Tootles!”

  The line went dead, and Reese made a face. Tootles? Her sister was a dork. Dropping her phone, she stood up and watched as candy wrappers fell from her lap.

  Well, shit.

  With a shrug, she went to the bathroom and took a hot shower, making sure to scrub and shave before going to her closet. Standing in a towel, she looked at her many dresses. She hadn’t been out in weeks. Hadn’t done anything, and she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Maybe the reason she wasn’t letting Phillip go was because she hadn’t tried. Maybe tonight, she needed to try. She could get her a hot guy, bring him home, ride him like a horse, and not only feel better, but show her sister that she was just fine. Yeah, that was what she was going to do.

  Reaching for her favorite black lace dress, she slid it up her body and admired herself in the mirror. She had put on weight, which was inevitable with as much sweets as she had been eating, but it was mostly in her ass, which was good. The sheer black lace covered her arms, went up around her neck, and covered her back, stopping right above her ass. Black fabric made the skirt, and there was strip that went across her breast but wasn’t in the back, showing off her tattoo perfectly.

  She reached for her favorite pair of nude Jimmy Choo pumps and slid them on before going into the bathroom to finish getting ready. She was trying too hard she realized, as she straightened her hair and put her makeup on to perfection, but she couldn’t risk it. Piper saw through her like a window, and she didn’t want her sister knowing she was aching inside. Especially since it was over a guy she pushed away.

  A guy she didn’t want a relationship with, but missed. How did that even make sense?

  Blah.

  When Reese arrived at the Cowboy, she parked her car behind the building and rushed to get in. It was a chilly night and she had left her jacket, not wanting to cover up her dress. As she passed men, they looked at her appreciatively, some even hollered at her, but none caught her eye. Showing her ID, she entered the Cowboy and immediately saw her sister standing with Erik, Audrey, and Tate. She started for them but then halted in her tracks when Phillip walked up, laying down little cups of shots for the group.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  Moving out of view, she watched as Phillip threw his shot back, smiling at the group before sucking the lime in his mouth. She closed her eyes, wishing she were that lime, before letting out a soft moan that she was sure no one heard since the music was so loud. God, he looked gorgeous. Tight blue jeans with a white, button-up shirt tucked into them, a blue sports coat, and a red tie hanging loosely from his neck. She needed to walk towards her friends, but she couldn’t move. She wasn’t sure she could go over there and act like Phillip hadn’t demolished her world, and she didn’t miss him.

  “Hey beautiful.”

  Reese looked over and met the dark eyes of a very tall and handsome man. Man, he was sexy, his body tone and his face gorgeous. Sharp angles, hair dusting his jaw, and his mouth was turned up in a flirty way.

  He would do.

  “Hey, listen I’ll buy your drinks the rest of the night if you act like we are together. That we’ve been sleeping together for a while.”

  He was taken back, she could tell, but he smiled as he said, “Sure, no problem, but how about I buy your drinks and we talk about making what you just said a reality?”

  Yeah, okay.

  “Yeah, whatever, my name is Reese.”

  “Dean.”

  “Okay Dean, let’s go.”

  Reese headed towards her sister, friends, and Phillip with Dean’s hand resting on the small of her back. He had huge hands, something she liked in her men, but she couldn’t enjoy them, not when the hands she wanted were feet away from her. Walking up to the table, she laid her clutch down and smiled at everyone.

  “Hey everyone,” she said as she reached over and kissed Piper’s cheek. Erik smiled and so did Tate. Reese ignored the look Audrey gave her, because she knew it wasn’t a good once since Audrey did not like her, and somehow met Phillip’s gaze. The air rushed out of her, her heart pounded with the music in her chest, and her mouth went dry. There was sadness in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up and smiled, like they were old friends.

  “Hey Reese,” he said slowly.

  Her kitten shivered, and she swore she was going to attack him. Gripping the table, she said, “Hey. How are you? Where’s Claire tonight?”

  “Good,” he said with a nod. “She’s studying; she kicked me out.”

  Reese smiled as hard as she could. “That’s great. Guys, this is Dean.”

  She brought him forward and everyone smiled, shaking his hand, except for Phillip. He turned, moving away to the bar, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He leaned against the bar, ordering another drink, as her eyes traveled down his toned legs and spectacular ass.

  “What would you like to drink?” Dean whispered in her ear.

  She shook her head, her eyes never leaving Phillip’s ass. “Nothing. I’m good.”

  “Okay, I’ll be back.”

  “Fine, thanks,” she said, her eyes traveling up Phillip’s back to the back of his neck, which he was currently rubbing as he drained the beer that was laid in front of him. She wanted to drink him up like he had that beer. Good God, he was beautiful.

  “So, how do you know him?”

  Reese tore her eyes off Phillip and looked back at her sister. Erik was watching her, a grin playing on his lips, and he shook his head.

  “What?” she asked him.

  “Nothing,” Erik said as Piper smacked him.

  What was that about?

  “What?” she asked again.

  “Nothing, jeez Reese, where did you pick him up?”

  “I don’t know, why?”

  They both shook their heads, and Reese shrugged her shoulder. “Whatever. I can leave.”

  “No, don’t. Gosh, why are you being such a brat tonight? What’s up?” Piper asked, her face scrunched up.

  “You are all shaking your head, and he’s smiling and shit. It’s making me mad.”

  Erik laughed, but Piper smacked him again. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple as she said, “He won’t smile at you ever again, okay? Let’s just have fun.”

  Looking back at Phillip, she knew there was no way that was going to happen.

  GOD, SHE was hot.

  As Phillip drained another beer, his cock strained against his jeans, wanting out.

  Wanting Reese.

  He turned to lean against the bar, to watch her, only to find that she was watching him. She looked away quickly, leaning into the penis head she decided to bring with her. Looking at the dude made Phillip want to hit something, or someone, preferably him. He hated the dude. Loathed him. Despite the fact he had no clue who the guy was, he assumed that Reese had been fucking penis head while fucking him, and it made his blood boil.

>   Another thing that pissed him off more than how mad Shea got when he hit on Elli was the fact that no matter how mad he was, he still wanted her. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Her ass screamed his name. Her legs, beautiful, toned, and hot. He wanted to come up behind her, slide his hands down her thighs, and just hold her. The dress she wore was downright sinful. That was the only way he could explain it. It showed just enough to get the blood pumping, but it hid the parts that could make a man come completely undone. And then she wore fucking red lipstick. She had to know what that lipstick did to his equilibrium. That it knocked him to the floor. All he could think about was her mouth on his cock, red lipstick getting everywhere, and his hands tangled in her hair. Closing his eyes, his body shook.

  Fuck me, he thought as he let out a breath, begging his body to calm down.

  “You coming back over there with us?”

  Phillip opened his eyes to see that Erik and Tate obstructed his view of Reese. Tate towered over both of them but, by now, he was used to it. It was good he was a giant; he saved every shot when he was in the goal, which was great for the team, but thinking about the team was the last thing on his mind right now. Reese was clouding everything. His brain, his senses, and his heart. That girl had ruined him, and it seemed like she didn’t give two fucks that she had.

  “Probably not, I’m not sure I can control myself from beating that dude to a bloody pulp,” he said, nodding his head to Dean. “Douche.”

  “Who?” Tate asked, looking back at the table where the source of his torture stood. “The guy with Reese?”

  “Yeah, fuck him.”

  Erik laughed. “You know she brought him to make you jealous. Don’t let it bother you.”

  “What? You with Reese or something?” Tate asked, his English still a little broken despite the years of therapy.

  “Or something,” Phillip answered as Erik’s words sunk in.

  What if he was right? Hmmm, interesting. Two could play that game. Looking to his left, he saw a beautiful, dark-haired woman. Big breasts, legs for days, and an ass that you could bounce a quarter off. Before Reese, he would be on her faster than he could score, but today, not so much. Leaning towards her, he gave her his signature panty-dropping grin. She responded immediately and leaned towards him, her face breaking into a huge grin.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey,” she said back with a wide smile. She had straight, white teeth and was very pretty.

  “Want to help me out?”

  “Sure.”

  “As much as I would love to give you the world, I can’t. A girl has wrecked me, and well, she brought some other douche here, and I need you to help me make her jealous. What do you say?”

  She laughed. “Why waste your time when there are girls that actually want to be with you?”

  Phillip smiled. “You’re right, but this girl is complicated and worth it. Help me?”

  She whispered something into the girl’s ear that was beside and then came around the bar, her girlfriends laughing as she sashayed to him. Man, she wasn’t pretty. She was hot. Placing her hands on his chest, she smiled. “You’re lucky I’m a lesbian, or I would be trying to get in your pants. Even though I bat for the other team, I can’t help but think you’re sexy as hell. So yes, let’s make this girl all crazy with jealously.”

  Lesbian? Holy fuck that would be hot… before Reese. God, she had ruined him. He couldn’t even get his dick to respond to a possible threesome with lesbians. Man, this better work.

  “Is that your woman?” Phillip asked, pointing to the woman that was just as big as he was.

  She grinned as she held his gaze. “Yup, and she is fine with it. She knows who I’m coming home to.”

  “Okay cool, she won’t kick my ass though, right?”

  The girl laughed, along with everyone else, including Erik and Tate.

  “No, she’s a big teddy bear. I’m Brooke by the way.”

  “Phillip.”

  “Awesome, let’s do this. Where is she at?”

  “Right there,” Phillip said, pointing to Reese when Erik and Tate separated. Brooke took in a quick breath.

  “Shit, she is hotter than you.”

  “I know,” Phillip said sadly. “She broke it off with me because I asked her only to sleep with me and no one else.”

  “Relationship-phobia?”

  “Yeah, some dude messed her up. Now she doesn’t want relationships, but all I want is for her to sleep with only me. I get the whole not wanting a relationship; we can worry about that later. It’s been two weeks since I’ve had my arms around that woman, and it is driving me insane.”

  “Man, I’m speechless,” she said, shaking her head. Reese ran her hands through her hair, looking over her shoulder, her lips pursed as she looked everywhere but at him. He wanted to attack her and lick that lipstick right off her succulent lips.

  Taking in a deep breath, he said, “Yeah, she has that effect on people.”

  Phillip watched as the penis head slowly slid his hand down her back, resting it on her ass. Reese looked up at him and smiled, while Phillip’s body caught on fire and not in a good way.

  “All right,” she said, smacking her hands together. “Let’s do this.”

  Brooke looked up at him, and he smiled before snaking his arms around her waist. “I owe you and your woman a night out, maybe dinner?”

  “I’ll take it as a reward for making her jealous. We’ll exchange numbers later. Come on, I’m excited.”

  Tate and Erik both laughed as they walked ahead of them, Phillip and Brooke following behind. Audrey looked up and saw Brooke first, a grin on her face as she exclaimed, “Brooke! Where is Amy?”

  Huh?

  Brooke froze, sending Phillip an ‘oh shit’ look, before being wrapped up in Audrey’s arms. Phillip watched as she whispered something and then Audrey pulled back, looking up at Phillip before looking back at Brooke and then back to Reese.

  “I left her at home; she didn’t want to come out. I think her and her boyfriend are hanging out tonight.”

  “Yeah, cool,” Audrey said, shaking her head. “I’ve missed seeing y’all.”

  “Yeah, we miss you, too. We’ll come in next week. How’s Penny?” Brooke asked, speaking of Audrey and Tate’s daughter. Phillip hugged Brooke close to him as Audrey went on and on about how great Penny was.

  “Oh, I’m rambling, sorry,” Audrey gushed, her cheeks turning red as Tate hugged her into the nook of his arm.

  “How do you two know each other?’ Phillip asked.

  “She and Amy come into the cupcakery all the time. I didn’t know y’all knew each other,” Audrey said.

  Phillip looked at Brooke, and she smiled. “Yeah, he’s a cutie. Couldn’t pass him up.”

  Phillip grinned as Piper said, “Hi, I’m Piper. This is my husband, Erik.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Brooke said, but then an awkward silence fell over the table. He could feel Reese’s eyes on him, but he’d be damned if he would look at her.

  “Well, I guess since he won’t introduce me, I’m Reese,” Reese said, reaching out to take Brooke’s hand.

  “Why would I? It’s not like you introduced me to the guy you’re with,” he said, turning to look at her. Her hands came onto her hips, and she glared.

  “Because you ran off before I could.”

  “It’s okay; I really don’t give a fuck.”

  “Obviously you do, since you brought it up. Where did you find her?”

  “I could ask you the same thing, sweetheart, watch it.”

  “Whatever, you’re just trying to start something,” she spat at him. For some reason, that pissed him the fuck off. Why the hell did she care? She broke it off with him and fuck, this was childish!

  “What’s there to start? What I do is my business. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

  “Whoa, hold the phone, is something going on between y’all?” Audrey asked, leaning across the table, her eyes cutting to Reese and then Phillip
.

  “No way.”

  “Fuck no; I don’t mess with girls like her.”

  Reese whipped her head up to look at him and glared. “Yeah, I like to mess with dudes that aren’t small,” she said, holding her forefinger and thumb out a little. “If you know what I mean.”

  Whoa, did she just say his dick was small?

  Erik choked on his drink and Tate coughed, trying to keep his laughter in. Piper looked away, her face red as Brooke took in a sharp breath.

  Phillip scoffed. “Please. I’m hung like a horse.”

  “A horsefly, you mean?”

  She did not go there. With her eyes on him, she wore a condescending smile, while penis head just laughed. All right, she wanted to play dirty, that was fine. Phillip had no problem getting dirty.

  “Why don’t you go on and take your friend to the bathroom and do what you do, since you know, you’re not a one-man kind of girl.”

  Piper’s mouth dropped as everyone looked away, and Dean cut him with his eyes. He looked at Dean straight on, begging him to say something. The dude would hit the ground so fast if he did. When he looked back down at Reese, her eyes were in slits, glaring, and he swore she was going to hit him. But then, he saw a little hurt behind her anger and that made his own anger flatten a bit. He might have gone too far there, but she said he had a small dick.

  There wasn’t a small part on his body.

  Reese’s eyes never left his. He swore he saw jealously but before he could call her on it, she looked up at Dean and said, “Let’s go dance.”

  “Want me to kick his ass first?”

  Phillip couldn’t help but laugh. “Try it, asshole.”

  She placed her hand on his chest. “No.” She then looked back at Phillip. “I want to dance with someone that actually knows how to work it and keep me interested, not someone that will bore me.”

  Before Phillip could say anything, not that he knew what he would say, she walked away with Dean, her ass moving side to side in a way that made him want to fall to his knees and praise it despite how pissed off he was.

  “What the hell, Phillip? You’re not gonna get her by calling her a slut!” Piper yelled as he slowly shook his head.

  “I know! But, Piper, she called my dick small!”