by Ali Parker
"Why doesn't he know that you're from Texas? Why lie to him about where you came from, Olivia?"
"Stop saying my name like we still know each other. We don’t." She tightened her grip on my hand as her jaw locked.
"Fuck me," I mumbled and released her hand to reach up and grip the side of her face. "How many nights have I laid awake wondering where you were, and you were right here. Right under my nose."
"Don't do this. I'm not that girl anymore. You made sure of that." She pushed against my chest. "Luke doesn't know where I'm from because he never asked. We're lovers, Caden."
"Don't remind me, please. You're better than him."
"You don't know shit." She cupped her hand over mine, turned and brushed her lips by my palm, leaving me an inferno for more of her. "Don't talk to me again tonight. I'm not taking the job."
"Of course you're not. You're just a cute little cheerleader from the country trying to play with the big boys." I pulled my hand back and shrugged. "Nice to see you again. Take care of my brother, whatever he is to you."
I turned and walked off the dance floor. She'd not only take the job, but she'd be in my face later that night or the next day at the latest. Either would work. As long as I didn't lose her again. I might be a glutton for punishment, but having fate give me another shot at something as precious as what we had... I wasn't wasting it. Not for anyone.
Chapter 9
Olivia
You're just a cute little cheerleader from the country trying to play with the big boys? Oh fuck no he didn't.
"Hey! There you are." Dana reached out and grabbed my arm before stopping dead in her tracks. "Oh no. What's wrong? Something happen?"
"Yeah. You could say that." I tugged my hand from her and walked to the bathroom to try and get myself together. He looked like sin in his pressed black slacks and dark blue button down. Everything about him left me wet and aching for more than I'd ever have again. And I hated myself for even considering a future with him.
"Hey. I'm your best friend and this isn't junior high. Tell me what's going on." She moved up beside me as I tugged a paper towel from the dispenser and wet it. I pressed it to the side of my neck and took a shaky breath as I glanced up.
"I just ran into Caden Taylor. It’s just been a long time. I knew it was going to be hard, but shit."
"Oh shit, boo. I’m so sorry."
I turned back toward the mirror and closed my eyes as I worked to pull air back into my lugs. "I never wanted this moment to happen, no matter how bad I might have wished for it. In reality, I never wanted to come face to face with him again. He tore my fucking heart from my chest."
"And you tore his out too, Olivia. You know a lot of what happened was heresay." She brushed her hand over my back and moved closer. "Jake told me that Caden never said anything to the football guys about you two having sex."
"Then how did they know?" I turned and pinned her with a hard stare. I wanted to believe her. To believe Caden's best friend, Jake Isaac, but there was no way. The story had too many holes in it.
"I don't know. It was six years ago. Is there any way-"
"No," I barked out as tears blurred my vision. "No. There is no way I will ever get over it. He was supposed to love me forever. Someone fucking redefined forever for me. You have no clue how bad it hurts to know I'm not with the one person that was for me."
"Hey. It's okay." She reached out and brushed my tears off my face as a sob left me.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm going home. You can come with me, or grab a cab if you want to stay. He's an asshole, and if he hadn't proved that all those years ago, he just did again with his fucked up antics on the dance floor. I'm not staying here."
"You listen to me, and you listen good." Dana forced me to turn toward her and cupped my face. "He's not winning this thing. I don't know that I believe either of you were at fault, but you're Olivia Desmant. You graduated at the top of your class from NYU and have been taking the finance world by storm. You don't tuck tail and run. You didn't back then when shit came up, and you're not doing it now. Clear up your tears and show that bastard who you are. Don't run from this. Don't. You'll regret it more than anything else that's happened over the years."
I nodded and took a deep breath. She was right, though I hated like hell to admit it. Moving back, I wiped at my eyes and tried to fix my make-up in the mirror.
"You're right. I'm going to have one hell of a cry tonight when we get home, but for now, I need to show him that he doesn't matter." I took another deep breath and turned to face her. "Is it obvious that I've been crying?"
"Nope." She adverted her eyes and smiled.
"Fucking liar." I pulled her into a tight hug. "Go get the scoop on him. I want to hear what he's been up to later tonight."
"You're bi-polar. I thought we were going to hate him."
"We are, but only on the surface. He's playing a game, and I can't let him win. I'm not sure working for Luke is going to work anymore because it would kill me to be around Caden all the time, but I'll take things one day at a time, or try to." I shrugged. "What else can I do?"
"Do you love Luke?" She reached out and squeezed my hand.
"I don't know. I love the idea of what he represents, but true love where my heart flutters around him, and every cell in my body lights on fire because of him? No. Not even close."
"Then why are you settling?" She released me and reached up to fix my mascara.
"Because, Dana. No one will be who I thought Caden was going to be. Not even Caden has a chance of being that guy anymore." I turned back to the mirror and checked myself one more time.
"Then you need to get over it. You're the only one suffering by the decision to shut every man out of your life. You're comparing them to a boy that doesn't exist anymore."
"Yeah he does." I smiled and walked past her. "But only in my dreams."
"Oh Lord. Here we go." She laughed and walked through the door as I held it open for her.
I glanced around and found Luke talking to a large group of people.
"I'm going to go take my place beside the boss man. Find Caden and see what you can find out?" I gave her a tight smile and walked toward Luke, grateful that Caden was nowhere to be found. His crude comment wasn't heartfelt at all, but a jag to pull me in closer. I hadn't seen him in six long years, but I knew his tricks backward and forward. Now I just had to work hard at not falling for them.
"Hi, beautiful." Luke extended his hand toward me as the crowd parted a little.
"Hey you." I moved up beside him and wrapped an arm around the back of his waist before smiling up at him.
"Guys, this is Olivia. She'll most likely be joining us at the firm. She's brilliant and beautiful, no?" He smiled down at me and turned back toward his groupies.
"The question is what she's doing with you?" A handsome blonde guy chuckled and extended his hand. "I'm Jeremy, remember? From the poker tournament we played for Luke together?"
“Good to see you again, Jeremy.” I shook his hand.
"I'd love to know what she’s doing with you too, Luke." Caden walked up on the other side of me and snorted as he moved into the circle. "Seems like she chose the wrong brother, hm?"
Everyone laughed and took turns introducing themselves. I ignored the tension coming off of Caden and wished for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. I could put up a brave front with Dana, but standing beside him left me weak and ready to run for cover.
The crowd disbursed, and I turned toward Luke and wrapped him in a hug as Caden stood just beside us, watching closely.
"Are you coming home with me tonight?" He leaned down and kissed my lips a few times.
I pulled back and shook my head. "I can't. I need to spend time with Dana."
Caden turned back toward us and lifted his beer. "To you two love birds. I hope you enjoy each other."
"We always do." Luke took my hands and led me back to the dance floor. "You look stunning tonight. Come here so I can put my ha
nds on you without looking like a sex starved man in front of my staff."
"I was rather hoping you were starved. I like feeding you." I turned and slid my hands up his chest as my stomach soured. I wanted to shove my relationship in Caden's face, and yet there was a huge part of me that ached at the thought of being the one on the side of the dance floor watching him be pawed at by someone. I glanced his way and was glad to see him and Dana talking off to the side. The sweet smile on his handsome face reminded me so much of the boy I'd grown up with. The one that taught me to fish and took me to all the school dances.
"I wish you would change your mind." Luke leaned down and kissed the side of my neck as his hands squeezed the top curve of my ass.
"About what?" I turned my face a little to brush my lips by his temple.
"About coming home with me. I got some new toys I want to try out on you." He pressed his lips to mine and breathed in deeply.
A soft groan left me, and I moved back a little. "Behave. I'll come over this week sometime and we can see if you invested wisely at the sex shop."
"Something about hearing you come leaves me looking for imaginative ways to make it happen." He pulled me in tightly again. "We need to stop. My dick is rock-hard and quite noticeable I'm sure."
"I would say so." I brushed my stomach against his erection and touched the side of his face. "Have fun tonight and I'll see you tomorrow. My stomach is killing me."
"No. Don't go yet. You just got here." He touched the side of my face as his expression hardened.
"Don't whine. I hate it when you do that." I winked, moved back and walked toward Dana as she and Caden laughed about something loudly.
"I'm heading home. You coming or getting a ride?" I forced a tight smile and focused on Dana only. The weight of Caden's stare left my pulse spiking, my stomach tightening.
"No, I'm coming with you." Dana turned back to Caden and gave him a quick hug. "It was good to see you, old friend. You still talk to Jake?"
"Sure do. The old bastard up and moved to Maine." He shrugged, looking impossibly cute. "He's a junior high coach up there now. Loves it."
"I thought he was going to fire training," I butted in, momentarily lost to the conversation.
"He finished that up too. He just volunteers at the local station." Caden's expression softened. "Hey, about what I said out there on the-"
"No. We're good. Nice party. Thanks for the beer." I glanced down at Dana. "You ready to go drown our lust in a bowl of ice cream and old stories?"
"I sure am." She turned to Caden. "Take care."
"You too, Dana." He lifted his beer and turned his attention back on me.
I wanted to break the stare, but I couldn't. I needed to search his face, to find the boy I loved in the man that stood in front of me.
"All right. Let's go." Dana pulled me back.
I turned and walked to the door with her, ignoring the deep throbbing in my chest. I glanced down to ensure my heart wasn't lifting my blouse with the intensity of its thumping.
"Fuck," I mumbled and pushed the door to the club open.
"Yeah, that was... intense." She shook her head and glanced back at me. "What if he didn't do what you think he did all those years ago, Olivia? What if someone pulled the wool over both of you? To break you up?"
"Who would do that? And if so, why the fuck wouldn't he be man enough to confront me?" I handed the valet my ticket and glanced back at the club. "It doesn't matter. I have much bigger problems than a handful of what-ifs from the past where Caden is concerned."
"Like what?" She put her hand on her hip.
"Like the fact that I'm dating his brother."
"Who you don't love."
"That's irrelevant. This isn't a fairy tale and I'm not a princess."
"You act like one at times." She wrapped her arm around my back and pressed her head to my shoulder. "We'll figure it out, but don't close every door. Not yet. Not when fate is softly knocking."
Chapter 10
Caden
I danced with a few of the girls from the office and took my leave a little early too. After a long night of tossing and turning, I finally decided to get up. The apartment was quiet and a little chilly in the early morning light.
After fixing me a cup of coffee, I pulled down my old yearbooks and sat at the kitchen table, mulling over all the great shots of me and Olivia. She hadn't changed much other than to grow into being a woman. A gorgeous woman that should have had my ring on her finger and our first baby in her belly.
"Shit," I mumbled as I closed our senior yearbook and sat back. "Why? Why didn't I just go after her? Demand to know what she was thinking spreading that shit about me. All those years and she turns on me our senior year. Why?"
I leaned forward and pressed my palms to my eyes. Seeing her the night before had been the biggest elation I'd had in years, and yet I was completely messed up inside over it. I hadn't been lying on the dance floor when I opened myself up to the truth. I'd been looking for her everywhere since the minute I left home for college, regardless of the fact that I had no clue that she’d come to New York as well. The last year since getting her resume had been hell. I couldn’t go anywhere without searching the faces with a franticness that I hated.
"And now I've found you." I brushed my hand over the yearbook. "And you belong to the one man I'd never hurt... my brother."
I let out a long sigh and got up to get dressed. I was meeting Luke at the golf course in an hour as I did every Saturday morning. It's where we did our best thinking - or tried to.
After changing into a pair of slacks and a nice shirt, I combed my hair and stared at myself in the mirror. I hadn't changed much either. What did she think of me now? She hated me for sure, but was she still attracted to me? Did her nipples bud at the sight of me? Her body grow wet?
"Stop. Shit." I groaned as my cock hardened as if on cue. I didn't have to do much more than think about her, and I'd be dangling over the edge of a caveman-like need for a long night of fucking someone. Anyone. Her. Fuck, I needed it to be her.
I rubbed my chest above my heart and walked to the kitchen to get my keys. I'd take the bike even though Luke hated it when I drove it. It was uncouth and far beneath me in his opinion, but that was half the reason I got it. I wasn't cut out to be the kind of guy that wore a suit all my life, but here I was, playing the part really fucking well.
Was my girl doing the same? Did she miss the hayfield and big lakes we used to fish on? The sound of crickets in the distance and slow dancing in her daddy's front yard? Did she miss me?
I was almost scared to find out.
***
The drive to the golf course settled me some, and the odd stares I got as I tied the Harley up next to the expensive cars that lined the parking lot were well worth the effort. Society could suck a dick for all I could care. People with money and high ideals were closed minded, and the more I hung out with my brother and his friends, the more I realized that he expected me to soon become that as well.
Never. He might have been raised high on the hog in New York from his mother's rich family, but I was a country boy stuck in a business suit. I'd learned to fit in, and would continue to, but just seeing Olivia and Dana the night before had me yearning to get back home for a visit.
"Why do you do that?" Luke rolled his eyes and held the door to the clubhouse open for me.
"Do what?" I tucked my helmet under my arm and gave him an innocent look. The smirk that tugged at my lips wasn't helping my case much though.
"You know what." He popped the top of my helmet and rolled his eyes. "You know everyone here is going to hide their wallets now. You look like a misplaced Wall Street bad boy. Hide your daughters… he’s here.”
"Then I should have worn cut-offs and boots. You’re the only bad boy in this place." I chuckled and stopped by the front to ask them to hold the helmet.
"Where are your clubs?" He tugged at the strap to his bag on his shoulder.
"I broke my nine iron last t
ime we came out here, remember? I'm using yours today." I rolled my shoulders and tried to ignore the burning need to pepper Luke with questions about Olivia. I had to take it slow in my inquiry, or it would be obvious that I was far more interested in my brother's girl than I should be.
"Let's get a cart then. I'm not having everyone here wonder why I'm golfing with a guy that doesn't have his own clubs." He huffed and walked toward the cart rental desk.
"So your woman is quite a looker. Beautiful girl." I moved up beside him as we waited.
He smiled. "She's hot as fuck. Best looking woman in the world. You should see her naked. I swear the gods carved her themselves."
I swallowed the lump that rose up in my throat. I had seen her naked as a girl. Had my hands all over her in a million make-out sessions, but that meant nothing now. I wanted to see what she'd become and explore every inch of her. Guilt racked my insides, but I ignored it. There was no way that I'd step over the line with Olivia. Firstly, she'd not allow it, but if things changed, then I wouldn’t allow it. My brother might be a scoundrel and a half, but he was still family.
"You love her?" I reached over and picked up a mint from the bowl on the counter.
"I'm not sure I've ever loved anyone." Luke pulled out his wallet and paid for the cart. "I'll ask her to marry me next year after we figure out if she fits in with the firm."
"Why wait?" I unwrapped the mint and popped it into my mouth. A peaceful confidence exuded from my tone that I didn't feel in the slightest.
"I like the idea of making sure she's right in all areas of my life." He put his wallet up and turned to face me. "You're looking for a love affair in your life. I'm a business man. I'm looking for a partner in the office, the public and the bedroom. I have her in two of those places willing and ready to jump when I say jump. I want to make sure she's that girl in the office. Then I'll marry her."
"How the fuck do you marry someone you don't love?"
"Easy, you just give her the ring, do the ceremony and that's it. The partnership is created." He shrugged and took the keys from the cute attendant before winking at her.