Now and Forever: A BOX SET OF STANDALONE NOVELS

by Ann, Pamela

  “Why are you smiling like that?” Wyatt’s eyes rested on my face before they generously traveled to my ample cleavage then lingered on my mouth as I bit into a strawberry. The tip of his tongue curled on his bottom lip, aroused at the sight of me.

  I mockingly glared at him, amused at his reaction. “You’re such a pervert, Wyatt.”

  Such opinions only thrived when it came to the likes of Wyatt Rinaldi, grooming himself to be a notorious playboy, closely following his father.

  “You’ve teased me for weeks on end. When will you properly have me, hm?”

  I threw him a mocking look. His roguish grin grew wider. I rolled my eyes before feigning a frustrated groan. “You say it as if you’re not nursing my rejection with your usual sort of disposable ladies.”

  He leisurely sipped on his champagne before looking across the table with incredulity. “Because you insisted on it. Tell me why again?” His dark, fathomless eyes stayed grim.

  Taking a steady breath, I plucked up the mother of pearl spoon, scooping a great amount of Sevruga gray caviar before I carefully placed the savory beads on my middle finger and slipped it into my mouth. Pressing my tongue against the ceiling of my mouth, each flavorful bead exploded like ambrosia on my taste buds. I moaned with gusto. But before I indulged in another, I sat back and gazed at the man sitting humorlessly across from me.

  “I told you about my disastrous fling with Jack and my feelings for Jared. If I wanted to enter another relationship, I want to be sure this time, Wyatt. I’ve stressed this on many occasions. It’s also why I unfailingly remind you we should keep dating other people. You’ve been around the block several times over, while I’m new to this whole scene. It’s fair to say it’s my turn to explore the dating pool.”

  “I understand all of that, I do, but your obsession with Jared is so unhealthy. What are you hoping to gain? He’s your guardian, and I doubt he’s going to see you any differently even if he partially lives in the same house as you. I get it. Maybe it’s your pride or the idea of being rejected fucks with your head more than it should, but you have to know when enough is enough, Gisele. It’s really stupid when my sister and Vivienne encourage you, too. It’s fucking hopeless.”

  Damn it, Wyatt. His lectures were becoming so tedious. “I’ll get there when I get there, okay? Pressuring me to be with you isn’t helping this at all.”

  He shrugged. “All I’m saying is…there are a lot of guys like me out there, Gi. You have no idea how many guys want to come knocking at your door to ask you out, but are reluctant to. That time will eventually come, and I don’t want to be at the back of the line.”

  Like I cared about any of it. “Wyatt, you’re worrying over nothing. We have to go. Blair hates it when I’m late.”

  I was about to push my chair back when Wyatt directed a curious glance at me. “What?”

  “You’re still going to tell Blair tonight, right?”

  My best friend would flip her shit. The thought of it already made me antsy. “Yes, I’ll definitely try.” I wasn’t sure how it would unfold. But one thing I was definitely sure of was how I couldn’t go on keeping my friendship with somewhat of a benefit with Wyatt secret for long.

  With Wyatt by my side, we strode out of the house. My mind immediately drifted off to Jared and what he might be doing at the moment. I could still feel him inside me, throbbing as he angrily penetrated my untouched depths. He yielded to his body’s desires even though he was against it. Why tonight of all nights?

  Was it the jealousy that drove him to succumb to me? I truly believe jealousy was one of the main pivotal points, but there was more to it. Jared hid a lot of himself. Deciphering his intentions proved to be futile. And even though a newfound hope surged within me, the uncertainty of my future with Jared remained as sinister as ever. Taming him was out of the question. The man would only yield when he willed himself to do so, but until the time came, he was satisfied leaving me to my own devices while he observed from a great distance.

  Was that the kind of man I wanted for myself? The kind whose loyalty shifts whenever his body hankered for a different kind of thrill?

  The grounds were filled with students from Stanford dressed from Romy and Michele to Star Wars’ Jar Jar to Dracula’s mistress. The variety was astounding, and it seemed everyone was enjoying themselves. On top of celebrating my birthday, Blair intended for this shindig to introduce herself to the rest of the business law students. Our first month had been a success, and although I hadn’t seen Blair and Vivienne on campus often since my schedule differed from theirs, our friendship remained as strong as ever.

  “You’ve been spending a great deal of time with Wyatt lately.” Vivienne cornered me on the lavishly decorated patio (in a brilliantly gruesome kind of way). She clasped a hand on my hip, ushering me to the side the second she saw Wyatt heading to the bar, quite ready to hear me dish out whatever secrets I’d been hiding from her.

  Both of our gazes followed towards Blair’s brother at the bar. “He’s fond of me.” Fond? Was that the best I could do? Wyatt was beyond fond. He had been relentless in pursuit of me. Diverting my gaze back to my curious friend, I tried to muster a smile. “Has she said something to you?” She, meaning Blair. If she was suspicious, she sure had been taking her time in confronting me about it.

  “She noted it, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal since you’re secretly married to the unattainable CEO. We both know where your heart lies. Has there been any progress with him?”

  “Yes and no,” I said just as Blair emerged out of the crowd and immediately joined our conversation, dressed as the stuck-up Vivian from Legally Blonde. She sure had the perfect condescending manner to go with it.

  “Party’s great and all, but weeding the not so brilliant people out has been an epic fail.” She let out an exasperated sigh, disappointed with her party organizational skills. Her clever dark eyes landed on me peculiarly. “Is my brother harassing you? If he is, I’m the person to assist in filing a restraining order on him. He’s such an insufferable turd.”

  Blair was discernibly tipsy.

  “No, he’s been great. There’s no need for any of that.” I threw Vivienne a pleading look, but the woman kept cackling, so I was left on my own to figure this out. “Actually, I meant to tell you that we’ve been hanging out a great deal.”

  She arched one perfectly shaped dark brow, pensive. “Go on…”

  Anxious, I squashed my fretful mind and concentrated on what to say next—Wyatt and the budding pseudo-friendship-with-some-benefits. “You see, your brother and I—well, we’ve been…um…messing around a little…” I finished saying with a contorted look on my face.

  “Ew, you had sex with him?” Blair grimaced before she made a gagging noise, appalled at the thought of her brother doing the dirty with me.

  “Oh, shit, fuck,” Vivienne blurted out. The cackling had now spiraled to laughing hysterics.

  “No! Not that!” I glared at both of them, irked at their immature retorts. “We’ve done more than kissing; that’s all. I don’t plan on having sex with him.” That ship had sailed, most especially after promising Jared tonight.

  Right on cue, as if she read my mind, Blair’s attentiveness in my chaotic life piqued. “What happened to Jared?”

  They’d been updated on Jared, so they knew he had moved out a month ago. So far, the man hadn’t stated when he’d come home again. “He came tonight, actually.”

  “And?” they both shrilled in unison, highly impatient.

  “We had sex…”

  “Dressed as Lexi? Oh, fuck. That’s so hot!” Vivienne was beside herself, green eyes dancing with enthusiasm.

  Hot? An angered Jared flashed before me. Then the look he gave me before he murmured, “Happy birthday, kitten.” My heart thudded against my chest, feeling quite heady all over again. “Yes…I’ve never seen him so pissed off.”

  “But you guys had sex, anyway, right?” Vivienne wiggled her brows as she fantasized about Jared and
I copulating. “Angry sex is the best.”

  It fucking was. God, how that body took me to new mind-numbing pinnacles of pleasure. The high my body floated on was not going to be dispelled anytime soon.

  Blair sighed, seeming quite ecstatic for me. “You guys consummated the marriage. You’re really married to him now. Be careful, babe. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Warning heeded. But was it truly necessary to sound so doom and gloom?

  “It’s just sex. It’s not a big deal.” Great, mind-blowing sex and then some. I sighed again, wistful at the memory of him taking liberties with my body. Though sore, I craved him again. When would this end? He was a drug I couldn’t get enough of. It seemed the more I had of him, the more the addiction worsened.

  Blair wasn’t convinced, calling my bluff. “Who are you trying to kid, babe? It’s a great deal to you. As for Jared, that fucker really has to get it together, or we’ll kidnap you two and stick you both in a room until you guys figure it all out.”

  I snickered, amused at the idea. “Yeah, he’ll go bonkers if he’s away from the company for too long.”

  Blair’s dark impish eyes sparkled. “Sounds like a fun idea.” She was wicked through and through. God help the man who dared to tame her. My best friend was not one to give up without a fight. She’d go down, guns blazing and all.

  Vivienne toyed with her wine glass, throwing us stares as though we’d lost our senses. “Sounds fun until Jared calls the NSA on your crazy ass and then what? I don’t think being Gisele’s friend would get you off the hook.”

  “Nah,” Blair rebutted. “Jared and I are great friends. That man knows I’m the person to call when he needs someone on his team in regards with Gi.”

  They had definitely gotten on with Jared at my father’s funeral. That had its benefits as well as disadvantages. Hopefully, there wouldn’t come a time when they’d gang up on me. It surely would irritate me to no end.

  “I fairly believe you’re pretty chill with him due to the fact that he might introduce you to hunky eligible bachelors. With his kind of influence and power, I’m sure his roster is quite full.”

  She rolled her eyes, exasperated. “It’s called networking, genius. You should try it some time.”

  Blair’s condescending tone didn’t go unnoticed. Vivienne wasn’t having it. “Must you always be so bitchy?” she derisively addressed the unapologetic brunette. “You finished your period last week, so there’s no excuse for this meanness. After Joao, you’ve been on everyone’s last nerve. Go get laid before you fucking explode from all that pent-up rage.”

  Out of the three of us, Vivienne was the most sensitive one, and yet Blair thrilled at provoking our friend at the most inopportune time. But Vivienne sure knew how to put Blair in her place.

  Unpredictably, instead of lashing back at Vivienne’s cutting words, Blair just settled it by muttering something under her breath. An apology, it sure wasn’t.

  Those two bickered like two old maids. One would think they’d get over it as we got older. But no, they go at it almost each time we were together. The same thing happened at my father’s funeral. They harped on everything. My birthday celebration wasn’t an exception. Sometimes, I wondered how these two survived without me as their referee. They’d most likely have murdered each other over a tedious subject, like who was wearing what color at a party. Given that our styles in clothing were alike, we had to plan ahead of schedule so that no one ended up being anyone’s second-rate doppelganger.

  “You two need to zip it. Save it for Sunday brunch, okay. You guys can have a ball insulting each other then. But for the time being, I beg of you, shut it down.”

  “Case closed,” Blair uttered, unruffled.

  Vivienne shrugged. “I second that,” she stated before drinking the rest of her wine.

  Eyes flickering between the two, a satisfied smile graced my lips. “See, silence is fucking golden, isn’t it? Now, it’s not a crime not to bicker for a week. You guys should really try it. It might be nice for a change. Gentle on my nerves and ears, too.”

  They both stared at me as if I’d lost my damn mind. Okay, I guess a truce lasting a week was just too much to ask. Never mind, then.

  “You know, I’m curious, Gi…” Vivienne glanced at me eagerly. “Tonight, when you did the nasty, did the sex make it or break it? How was he, I mean. Is he just as amazing as they said he was? Did he blow your mind?” she grilled further.

  Disclosing Jared’s sexual expertise had been vague. I didn’t like to kiss and tell. However, I managed to disclose the important bits, but I was not one to truly spill everything. I believed in preserving one’s bedroom privacy when it came to intimacy. But since Yovanna had announced to the world how Jared was the best sex of her life, Vivienne’s idle curiosity was understandable.

  “He is…um…very passionate.” The man lit me up inside. Even now, I still could feel him within my body. He’d marked me. No man could match him. “It really is the polar opposite of Jack’s, without question. And I admit, as stupid as this sounds, it’s worth it—he’s worth it. Every single time. I can’t let him go…not now…not after tonight.” Airing out my heart’s burden and how I intended to go on carrying on a torch for him made them fleetingly glance at one another. From the knowing looks they’d just shared, I could already grasp their minds swirling with pros and cons.

  “And Wyatt? Where does he stand in any of this?” It was Vivienne who voiced out her concern at my tangled web of a love life…if one could call it such.

  Before I managed to answer, Blair interrupted me.

  “My brother’s been fixated on you. I knew he was a disgusting tool when I found him jacking off to a picture of you two years ago, so he stands nowhere, Vivienne. Just as he should.” Blair’s discovery of her randy big brother jacking off to my photograph absolutely traumatized her. No words needed. Her priceless expression said it all.

  I choked on my saliva. “What the fuck, Blair! Give us a warning next time. Shit, man.” I couldn’t breathe. I was dying from laughter. The picture flashing in my head was too hysterical. None of us could ever look at Wyatt the same again.

  All three of us shared a good chuckle. It was nice to have a laugh again. I’d forgotten how it felt. So, for a short reprieve, the hollowness in my heart lightened its weight, letting me breathe a little freely from overburden.

  When we settled down, their interrogation was far from over. Blair, though she liked Jared, still had reservations about my overclinginess. She deemed it unhealthy. As for Vivienne, she was too curious about my odd bond with my fake husband.

  “Is Jared planning on working things out with you? Did you just discuss it even?” Vivienne quietly asked as I casually smiled at the passersby going back and forth into the garden and back inside the house.

  Without glancing at them, I shook my head, feeling the weight of darkness settle on my chest once again. “We did discuss it, and no, he’s not planning on anything with me—well, apart from running away from me as far as he could possibly imagine, I guess.”

  She let out a hissing sound, peeved. “So…the whole sex thing tonight…Is it just a once a year birthday thing, then? I don’t fucking get why, Gi. Why the fuck are you holding on to a man who has no interest in being with you? Sure, he loves to fuck you once in a blue moon, but where is he now? He’s most likely back with that Rose chick. He’s back in her bed. So why the hell are you holding on again?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” I understood Vivienne’s argument. It wasn’t unfounded. Truth be told, I, too, had the same reasons, but tonight had changed it all. He only needed to touch me, and I was his again. Sadly, it seemed Jared knew it, too. Based on his ardent lovemaking earlier, he couldn’t get enough of me. But this was Jared, after all. Mercurial as ever. He could very well change his tune any time of the week, depending on his ever-shifting mood. “He wants me, but he doesn’t want to want me. It’s the same spiel since we got married. Nothing’s changed…on his part, still.”

&nbs
p; “Fucking hell, Gisele. You’re hopeless as hopeless gets.” Vivienne wrapped her arms around me before kissing the side of my head. “You’re the ultimate package—hot as fuck, models envy you, you’ve got the brains to back it up, and not to mention you’re mega rich—and even with all that, you’re not rich where it counts most.” She sighed, her arms winding around me more tightly. “If all else fails, you have Blair and me to distract you for the rest of your life. So fear not, my dearest babe, we got you.”

  After she released me, Blair shoved a newly filled champagne glass at me before she granted me an appeasing gaze. “Sooner or later, you have to decide, Gi,” she succinctly pointed out. “You can’t go on for another year living in this hell. Waiting on a man who doesn’t see your worth only leads to devastation—your very own destruction. Next time he fucks up, just let it go. If he comes back, then renegotiate terms, but if he doesn’t, just forget you’re married to him. You keep forgetting this is a business deal. Jared sure hasn’t. If you want to stay afloat and not drown, you’ve got to think like him. Think like a man. Fight fire with fire. I’m sorry, but sometimes, being a pseudo-doormat isn’t all that appealing. Not even to me. Most especially with his kind of breed. They thrive on the chase, but you’ve never ever let him chase you because you’re already laid out like a six-course meal, ready whenever he comes knocking on your doorstep. Seriously, Gisele, get a fucking grip! I love you, but this is beyond pathetic. He’s supposed to be eating out of the palm of your hand. The only sure thing he’s eating is your fucking confidence. You’ve got to get back on the saddle, or you’re going to be left behind, Gi. It’s time to take the blindfold off, babe.”

  “Amen to that,” Vivienne readily agreed. “We all adore Jared, but he’s been leading you nowhere. If he doesn’t come crawling back to you after you guys tangoed, it’s time to ditch your heart and move on.”