Almost Forgotten (Contemporary Erotic Romance) (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 2)

by Carey Decevito

  She looked perplexed. “You do?”

  I nodded. “Very.” She searched my eyes, trying to see if I was lying. “Let me show you.”

  One minute, it was sweet and gentle as I teased her slit with the tip of my dick, and the next, I plowed into her hard, making her scream, “Oh God, yes!” Her core gripped me like a vice and her back arched off the bed.

  “I think someone likes it rough,” I said in a singsong tone into her ear, rooted to the hilt and unmoving.

  “Don’t stop!” she scolded. “Fuck me hard, Jacob. I need you so bad.”

  I looked down into her pleading eyes and smirked. “You don’t have to tell me twice.” I pulled back so my tip remained inside her before thrusting until I had her filled again. I felt her clench my cock harder this time around. Oh fuck, yeah!

  Our bodies lay spent and glistening with sweat. It had been the best damned sex I ever had. The minute I regained my breath and my wits however, the regret was waiting for me as I’d predicted before losing my head.

  What had I done?

  Why was I so weak when it came to her?

  Why was she here of all places?

  What did she want?

  Where were we...? The screech of a record being scratched sounded in my head. We? There wasn’t a we. There wouldn’t be an us. Fuck! Without a word, I got up, left Danica in my bed, and headed for the bathroom.

  Distance — I needed distance.

  Chapter 15

  After a shower and a whole lot of thinking, I returned to my bedroom, my emotions still reeling. I was on a downward tailspin to crashing and burning, again.

  I must be a glutton for punishment.

  In my bed, Danica slept, the sheets around her torso, covering her gorgeous assets, her hair strewn across the king-sized pillow and her lashes brushing her cheeks. What was I going to do? A woman never spent the night. I never spent the night with a woman before — not since Danica.

  Had it been any other woman, I would have woken her up and called her a cab home, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that with Danica.

  I was quick to realize that there were a lot of things I couldn’t bring myself to do or prevent from doing around the bewitching woman and that was the crux of it all, wasn’t it?

  Instead, I slid onto my side of the bed, covered up and lay soldier straight on my back. I shut my eyes and prayed that sleep would take me.

  And it did.

  I woke up in the early hours of the morning to find myself wrapped around Danica’s back. The comfort and warmth of our position made me want to savor it longer and I dozed off.

  When I roused next, signs of Danica were nowhere to be found. Well, not in my bedroom anyway.

  I got up and went in search of the coffee I could smell. My head hurt from the drink, but it seemed like it would have hurt more had I not had an animalistic frolic last night to burn off most of the alcohol in my system.

  When I got to the kitchen, a pot of coffee was brewed fresh and a note lay on the counter beside the percolator.

  Jacob,

  I’m sorry I couldn’t be here when you woke. I had to get back home. Last night was… well… you were fantastic.

  Nica

  I smiled at the note but I couldn’t deny the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that her absence left.

  Questions began to run amok in my head. What did she want from me now that I had fucked her seven ways to Sunday? Was it a one-time thing? God knows that leaving it at that would be the smart thing to do. Did she want more? Did I want more?

  I groaned. An intense run would be useful but with the pounding in my skull, there would be none of that for me today. I settled on a day filled with a whole lot of sulking, nursing my self-induced pain and a whole lot of nothing.

  Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I headed straight for the couch, plopped myself down on it and surfed the channels for something to watch. I settled on an old black and white western that didn’t require much focus.

  A few hours later, I heard the front door open and close, startling me out of a doze. Not many people helped themselves to entering my house and I knew just who it was when I saw two feet come to a stop beside me. I rolled onto my back and Paxton hovered above me.

  He shook his head, sporting a smirk and louder than necessary, he said, “Looks like someone had one hell of a night!”

  “Tone it down, will you?” I sat myself up and realized I was still in my boxers when the couch throw fell to the floor.

  “Jesus! Put some clothes on!”

  “Just give me a minute, all right?”

  “Coffee?” he asked.

  “It’s a few hours old but help yourself to brewing another pot,” I said as I made my way toward the stairs.

  It wasn’t until I slid my t-shirt over my head that I realized that Danica’s letter still rested beside the percolator. What were the chances that Paxton would miss it?

  None. I sighed.

  As I walked downstairs, I prepared myself for a scolding or some kind of wisecrack.

  “What’s this?” I heard as my feet hit the landing at the bottom of the staircase.

  A mistake. I ran a hand down my face as Pax held the note in his hand, waving it like a flag as he took a sip from what appeared to be a fresh cup of steaming coffee.

  “Nothing,” I mumbled and headed to fetch myself another cuppa.

  “Nothing? Really, Jake?” he asked with incredulity. “Sure looks like someone indulged in another someone last night and she spent the night. I thought you had a rule against that, no?”

  “Pax, just leave it, all right?” I was far from thankful of his reminder that the one person I allowed to spend the night had disappeared on me the first chance she got. She’d left me again.

  “Alissa told me that you two had a run-in at Rex’s last night but she didn’t mention that...”

  I cut him off. “It’s not like that.”

  “Then what’s it like? Danica left the girls before they were willing to call it quits, saying that she had to get home. This,” he waved the page for emphasis, “tells me she never got there.”

  I blew a long drawn out puff of air, annoyed that my best friend was putting the blame on me. “I didn’t make her do anything if that’s what you’re getting at. She did it all on her own.”

  “Then explain to me why my best friend, who’s been hung up on this woman since we were kids, who’s told me time and time again that nothing would ever happen if she popped into his life…” His voice trailed off. “Just tell me why you’d do this to yourself? I mean, I love Danica as a sister but come on! She wrecked you the first time around, aren’t you a little terrified that she’ll destroy you this time around?”

  “Because it was only once!” My words jarred the pounding in my head. “It was just sex. Fuck, man, I didn’t proposition her. I left the bar and came home to end up drinking until I passed out. She showed up here with plans of her own.”

  “Whoa! What?”

  I dropped my ass in a chair at the kitchen dinette. Paxton took a seat across from me and I started from the beginning.

  I mentioned how I felt embarrassed about her finding out about my exploits through a hostile Nicole. It seemed like my abundance of experience had appealed to her so much that in her drunken haze, she had sought me out.

  “What do I do?” I asked, as I sat leaning forward, my elbows on the tabletop with my face resting in my hands.

  “What do you want?” Paxton asked.

  “I don’t know,” I said at a near whisper. What did I want? That was the million dollar question, wasn’t it?

  Danica, I heard myself thinking. Fuck! So much for thinking that one night of passion would help erase the urge to be wrapped around her and buried into the heat of that luscious body of hers.

  “Dude, you’re really fucked,” Paxton said.

  “I know, man, I know.”

  He sighed. “Here’s what I think.”

  “Do I really want to hear it?” I asked.
r />   “Probably not, but you’re going to hear it anyway.”

  Ugh! Here goes.

  When all was said and done, Paxton had stuck around for some football and overdue guy-time.

  I wasn’t pleased with my best friend’s suggestion from earlier and thus his words hadn’t done much for my already grumpy mood, but I couldn’t disagree with him. Despite my urge to have her again, I knew it wasn’t healthy and until I knew where the both of us stood, I couldn’t allow anything physical between us to happen again.

  After my mentioning it, Paxton had thought that the coffee date was a good idea. Talking was a definite must but he also stressed that all he wanted was to see me happy again, no matter what it took.

  Being stubborn, I argued that I was happy. The man shook his head and told me that I had tricked myself into thinking that I was. As always, Pax was better than looking in the mirror to see things for what they were.

  After last night, I knew for a fact that I wanted Danica in my life; no matter what. She was a beautiful person, inside and out. Selfless, loving and passionate about everything she undertook; of every relationship she garnered, which is why I had been so hurt fifteen years ago.

  It hadn’t been like her to just up and leave or to make a decision that involved us without running it by me. Before we dated, we were close friends — the best. Even then, she felt the need to consult with me and Paxton prior to making her mind up about anything.

  I needed to find out. I needed to know what happened all those years ago. And when I knew, then I could decide what my next move would be.

  I got to bed early, knowing that I had one hell of a week ahead of me. Soul searching with regards to Danica had led to me forgetting about what I intended to do about my job.

  One thing was for sure though, starting tomorrow, things would change. It was time that I grabbed on to my life and shaped it into something I was happier with. I never realized how out of control things had gotten and my love life was one of a few things affected.

  I may have been living the dream, one I had come up with after Danica’s desertion but that dream had evolved into a nightmare and it was high-time for me to act and put a stop to it.

  Maybe it’s time for me to go off on my own.

  Darkness came and so did my erotic visions of a certain beauty who had wreaked havoc on all of my senses less than twenty-four hours before.

  Chapter 16

  I had a day of hell to contend with.

  First up was my lunch meeting with Stan. His forgiveness was instantaneous as he sunk his teeth in the foie gras he ordered for himself. I indulged in a coq au vin which I’d heard was one of their specialities. The reviews were right, it was delicious.

  “As much as this has been pleasant,” Stan began, “I wanted to talk to you about my contract with Blake, Davenport, Smith & Michaels.”

  “What of it? You know you’re not going to get a better price than with us, Stan.”

  “It’s not that.” He took a sip of water. “After hearing of your firm’s involvement with The Spalding Corporation, I’m not sure that my company and your firm are a good fit.”

  My fork stopped mid-way to my mouth. “What are you saying?”

  “I’ve made my successes based on honesty and hard work.” He wiped at his mouth with his napkin and set it down. “It’s nothing against you, Jake, but I’ve started looking for new representation.”

  Just like that, I was losing my biggest client.

  It was in that moment that I made a life-altering decision. It may have been a tad impulsive but something niggled at me that this was the time for me to take my shot.

  “Stan, hear me out.” And I went on and presented my case as if I was in front of the toughest judge in the county.

  I spent the last three quarters of an hour in Blake’s office by the time Robert realized that he couldn’t change my mind.

  I was leaving, opening my own practice.

  “Jake, you know that with Shouldice & Sons closing up shop last month that their clients are shopping. Seeing as their clientele was referred to us, it would be a good time for you to redeem yourself,” Robert said.

  “Are you trying to sell me on the partnership again, Bob?” I asked. Did the man ever quit?

  “You know we can’t give you that right now what with the Spalding fiasco,” Bob said, “but once everything blows over, it’s an idea worth entertaining again, provided you get your head back in the game.”

  I wanted to tell the man to take his partnership and shove it up his ass. He could offer it to some other poor sucker without a soul. I couldn’t be bought. Maybe five years ago, but not now.

  “I’m sorry Bob but I’m not changing my mind,” I said and presented the man with my hand. “It’s been a pleasure, Bob… Blake. I appreciate you guys making this place feel like home for as long as you did but I know I’m making the right move.”

  “If you’re ever looking for...”

  I laughed. “I’m a lawyer, Blake. I think I can handle things.”

  “Best of luck to you,” he said.

  I smiled, nodded my head, turned and took my final walk to my office. I grabbed my box of belongings and empty briefcase. I had packed up as soon as I’d arrived this morning.

  I took one last look around and walked away, pausing at Sally’s desk to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek with promises to stay in touch.

  “If you ever need anything, Mr. Landen, give me a call,” she whispered as she gave me a motherly squeeze.

  “Will do and the same goes for you.” I smiled. “And I think it’s time you called me Jake. Mr. Landen is my father and I’m too young to feel so damn old.”

  She giggled and I saw her eyes gloss over with unshed tears. “All right, Jake. You take care of yourself, you hear?”

  I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  I received a few well wishes and pats on the back with promises to get together for beers from former colleagues on my way to the elevator. After stopping in to wave to Brent who was on the phone at the time, I left the dream I had for so long in my life’s rear-view mirror and looked on toward my future.

  I thought that I would feel bereft, remorseful and hesitant with my decision but I couldn’t use any of those sentiments to describe the emotions I felt as I drove away. I was excited, scared and, most of all, empowered with what I had accomplished.

  No one saw my latest decision coming and it felt good because I knew that my mind hadn’t been influenced by anyone else but me. I was taking a huge risk but with Stan as my only client, I knew that it would be enough for now. His business at BDS&M could have kept me in my current lifestyle alone. Even with the massive fee reductions we discussed toward the end of our lunch meeting today, I would have no problem maintaining the same livelihood. And if money ever got tight, my caseload was so light that I wouldn’t have a problem handling a few additional clients.

  First thing was first, however, I had documents to draft up and finalize tonight for Stan’s approval and signature come tomorrow morning.

  When I got home, someone waited for me on the front step.

  I got out of the car, took my box of belongings, set my briefcase on top of it and proceeded to the door.

  “Please tell me that you haven’t gone and driven your mother’s car and it’s in a ditch somewhere,” I said, looking around for any trace of his mother’s ride.

  Jordan snorted, his foul mood apparent. And still, I felt like nothing could bring me down. “Funny.” The word came out dry. “What’s up with the box? Did you get fired? I can’t blame them you know. With the way you threw that case, you would have been gone later that day if it were me.”

  A grin spread across my face. “I quit, but thanks for your professional opinion.”

  “An unemployed lawyer and that’s a good thing?”

  “For me it is,” I said as I unlocked the front door, “and I’m not unemployed. I’m just a little dry on clients at the moment but the one I have is more than enough to survi
ve on.” I dropped my box and briefcase on the floor inside the door and came back out to sit on the step beside him. “So, why are you here? Should I be worried about the car?”

  “Shut up about the damn car already!”

  Whoa! “Hey kid, I hope you don’t talk to your mom like that?” I said.

  He smirked. “Nope, just you.” Talk about mood swings.

  I gave him a playful punch to the shoulder. “What’s up?”

  How was I supposed to know that coaxing something out of a hormonal teenage boy over pizza was going to land me in a two-hour conversation about girls, school, sports, girls again, which led us back to a girls and sports combination? Was I ever that bad at his age?

  Prior to that, Jordan confessed that he’d gotten into a spat with Danica and ran off. Still grounded for the stunt he pulled with her car a week ago, he hadn’t cared for the repercussions. I remembered similar moments in my teenage years; moments where I felt misunderstood by my parents.

  “I just wanted someone to talk to. She didn’t understand.” He looked away. “I would have talked to Granddad but he left for Austin this morning. The only person that came to mind was you, so I came here.”

  I didn’t know if I should feel honored or offended for being his last resort. I chose honored. “So what’s the deal?”

  “There’s this girl…”

  I tilted my head back and laughed. “This is all over a girl? You’re fifteen!”

  “Almost sixteen!”

  “Fine, you’re almost sixteen. Still too young if you ask me.” I knew that to be bullshit considering I had been his age when I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted his mother as more than a friend.

  “Okay, Dad!” He rolled his eyes but that was more than enough to shock me into muteness.

  A lengthy bout of seconds trickled by as I studied the boy in front of me that was a spitting image of his mother. He had her cheek dimple, her black hair but his eyes, they were a clear emerald green.