Assets (Balance Sheet #1)

by Shannon Dermott

  “We had a fight.” I drank the rest of my coffee. I didn’t want to blame her for what happened, but I knew once I told her, she was going to feel really bad.

  “He was the one with you that night. I’m sorry, Bails.”

  “It’s okay. You couldn’t have guessed.”

  “Matt told me he was going to talk to you. So I assumed you two came to your senses and were having excellent monkey sex.”

  “Nope,” I said. Then I told her the story. All of it.

  “Man, I’m jealous,” she said wistfully. Tossing a throw pillow at her, she giggled then sobered. “I know this was my fault, but I can’t help but say you can’t blame him.”

  Groaning, I said, “I know. But it pisses me off that he didn’t even give me a chance to explain. He just judged me and walked out.” I looked up at the ceiling hoping I wouldn’t cry.

  “Is this pride, or do you really like him?” she asked.

  Thinking about it for a second, I said, “Both.”

  Nodding, she added, “I think he’ll be back.”

  And just like that, my phone chimed from inside my purse. Lizzy smirked like she was psychic, and said, “Speak of the devil.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Walking over to get my ringing phone, I talked myself out of it being Kalen. He’d made his position clear. Instead, it was most likely Scott. He’d called me several times since I’d left him, sounding very drunk on voicemail, begging me to take him back. He had used someone else’s cell to get to me because I’d blocked his number.

  Pulling out the phone, what I saw was Unknown Caller. “Hello,” I said when I accepted the call with a touch of the green button on the screen. Lizzy got up, gesturing that she would go to her room to give me privacy. But I waved her off and walked back towards my room. This was her place, after all. I wouldn’t inconvenience her and give her cause to want her solitude back.

  “Lass,” a rough masculine voice said. He was breathing heavy and I wondered what exactly he was doing. Incidentally, I was also grateful he used the endearment lass and not sweetheart.

  “Why is your number blocked?” I blurted. Nervous tension coursed through me at what potentially he was about to say. So I fell on my defensive technique with him, throwing out a question to keep him off balance.

  “It’s always been that way,” he said, matter-of-factly. His sexy voice sounded more like a Highlander from some of my sexy historical romance novels than a real man.

  Closing my door, I walked over to my bed and sat with the phone held up to my ear. His breathing was increasing and I heard muffled thumbing noises in the background. “Where are you?” I asked.

  “In my gym,” he said. It did sound like he was working out. Then why was he calling me?

  He didn’t sound drunk or seemed like the type. “What are you doing?” I asked, wondering why I was the one taking the lead on the conversation.

  “Using a punching bag to try and forget about you,” he said.

  Okay. I wanted to be pissed off by the comment, but his voice was like lava burning me inside and out. “Calling me certainly isn’t helping,” I tossed out.

  “Just tell me one thing. Is this Matt guy your finance?”

  “No,” I said, quickly staring up at the ceiling because I should possibly apologize but I found that I couldn’t. “And now that that’s cleared up, I’ll let you get back to working hard to forget me.”

  My finger hovered over the end call button when he spoke. “I need to see you tonight.”

  “No,” I asserted.

  “Why not?” he retorted and several rapid thumping sounds came through the line. I could only imagine his body dripping with sweat as he circled a punching bag.

  “Because it will only lead to sex and that seems like the only thing that keeps us coming together.” The word sex and his sexy brogue were doing a number on my underwear.

  “I want to get to know you better,” he said.

  Laughing, I leaned all the way back on my bed and covered my head with my forearm. “I doubt that. You already seem to have passed judgment over me. I’m surprised I’m not in your cast out pile.”

  “Me too.”

  “Goodnight, Kalen,” I said flatly in response to his thoughtless comment.

  “Wait,” a pause. I should just hang up. “Let me take you out to dinner?”

  Shaking my head even though he couldn’t see, I then said, “No.” And I ended the call. Not wanting to be tempted by answering if he called back, I put my phone on silent, not vibrate. I went back to the living room and noticed that Lizzy was gone and sighed. I cleaned my mug and got my stuff and headed back to my room. After a hot shower, I was able to close my eyes and fall asleep quickly.

  A banging noise woke me and the time on my clock read one a.m. Fluttering my eyes, I tried to figure out if the noise was real or a remnant of my dream state. Hearing the banging again, I truly woke up only to hear Lizzy’s voice. I couldn’t make out what she said. But whatever it was, she’d said it loudly.

  My door opened and light spilled into the room from the hall. “You can’t just barge in here,” Lizzy called. I turned over to face the door.

  There he was, all six feet three or four of him. He wore jeans and a sweater that clung to his muscled chest. He was heaving in breaths and looking around like he expected to see something or someone else.

  And that just pissed me off. Frowning, I said, “Why are you here?”

  “Yes,” Lizzy added from behind him. I couldn’t see her. His massive form hid her presence. “Why are you here?” she added.

  Promptly, he stepped in and closed the door in her face, stalking over to me. My breath hitched. My pulse raced. My body immediately came alive. “You don’t want me,” I weakly protested. It was one thing to make a stand over the phone. It was another to try that in his presence.

  “Are you okay?” Lizzy called out through the door, cutting into our conversation.

  “Yes,” I cried back, because even though he looked dangerous, I didn’t think he would hurt me. “It’s okay, Lizzy. Sorry about this.”

  Grumbling loud enough that I could hear, she stomped back to her room and closed the door loudly. I sighed. She wasn’t mad at me, but this was my fault.

  Standing between the window and my bed, my preferred side of sleeping, he changed my focus. All thoughts of Lizzy were gone. He stepped closer to me and took my hand, turning me towards the direction he stood. When he pressed my hand against his firm erection, my mouth went wide partly in protest at his forwardness and partly in desire. “My cock says otherwise,” he answered my ‘you don’t want me’ question as if Lizzy hadn’t interrupted.

  Feeling the moisture grow between my legs, I snatched my hand away and managed to say, “It’s always about sex between us.”

  “It’s not,” he said. But his next words seemed to disprove this. “I’ve had a hard-on since I heard your voice and it’s not going away. I can’t sleep. I can’t think except about being buried inside you. I have the worst fucking case of blue balls.”

  “And I suppose you think that’s romantic?” I asked, looking up at him as I rolled on my side to prop up my head with my arm, fully awake.

  “No, I’ll give you what’s romantic. Just agree to have dinner with me on Friday and I leave with my blue balls intact.”

  “And if I don’t agree?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  His heated gaze was like Superman’s x-ray vision, it lasered to my core. “Then I’ll have to persuade you.”

  “But if I agree, you’ll go?” I asked, confirming his terms.

  “Yes,” he said with sincerity in his face.

  All the talk about his rock hard dick had my eyes wondering downward. “You see something you like?” he asked cockily.

  Flushing, I used my free hand to cover my face. There was just nowhere to look. Pulling my hand free from my face, his eyes were hot on mine. When he drew me up, I didn’t protest. I found myself sitting on the side of my bed staring directly at his
very large erection.

  “Unzip my pants,” he commanded.

  Not lifting my head completely, I looked up at him with only my eyes, knowing my face was filled with contempt. “You show up, uninvited I might add, and now you order me around.”

  His hand took a fist full of my hair and tugged back firmly but not roughly. A gasp escaped my parted lips. Then his other hand reached down to cup my breast, kneading my nipple. “There is no need to play games. We both know you want this as much as I do.”

  Not wanting to be easy prey, I just stared at him. “If you don’t, I’ll leave,” he announced. And like that, his hands left my hair and my breast.

  I was pleased and pissed at the same time. Pleased he’d gotten the message. Pissed because he was right, I wanted this. It was foolish of me to think I could ignore this man. Our chemistry spoke to each other on a molecular level. So maybe that was all we had. Why shouldn’t I enjoy this part of me? God only knew if another man would ever make me feel this way. At least we were honest about what we wanted. No games.

  My hand made quick work of the fly of his jeans, realizing he was commando underneath. Pushing his pants down to his knees, I’d trapped him in a sense. With my legs on either side of him, I was also open to him in a way.

  “Take me in that saucy mouth of yours.” His sexy brogue was the cherry on top of the sundae and I tasted him, fully aware that I was submitting to his will. When he groaned and again fisted a hand in my hair almost to the point of pain, I took him all the way to the back of my throat. I may have been inexperienced in terms of the number of men I’d slept with, but I wasn’t inexperienced with the act itself. Scott took pride in teaching me exactly what he wanted. But with him, it was a chore. I did it mostly when I was on my period and he’d complain about how much he needed to get off. And according to Scott logic, we were going to get married anyway. So how could it be wrong?

  But this was different. I wanted this probably as much as Kalen did. I sucked his length up and down keeping the pressure of my lips firm but the inside of my mouth hollow enough so I wouldn’t graze him with my teeth unless, of course, I was doing it purposefully.

  “Fuck,” he said, voice cracking. And hearing him begin to come apart and enjoy what I was doing made me feel powerful even though I’d given in to him. My own orgasm was building. Which was crazy because the only hand he had on me was in my hair at this point. I swirled my tongue on his cock while keeping my mouth around him. He guided my head with quicker strokes in and out of my mouth. I sucked, I hummed, I licked and sucked again. “Oh fuck, I’m going to come,” he murmured.

  This was the moment of truth. With Scott, I’d always pulled away and used my hand to finish him off. But I wanted this. I wanted Kalen. I moaned around him and cupped his balls, stroking them lightly. A growl preceded his seed shooting down the back of my throat. I starred up at him as he pulsed inside my mouth. His eyes closed in rapture and I took in all his beauty.

  Tenderly, he let go of my hair and placed his hand on my cheeks. Pulling back, he freed himself from the depths of my mouth. Kneeling down so that we were eye to eye, he kissed me. And I don’t mean lip to lip. No, he kissed me deep, no doubt tasting his seed in the process. Then he took my shoulders and guided me down to lay flat across my bed.

  When my eyes widened, he said, “Now it’s my turn to feast on you.”

  I had a moment to be thankful for the shower I’d taken before all reason left me when his mouth closed over my clit. My back arched and I knew it wouldn’t take much. I’d practically gotten off just by giving him head. He licked and sucked so expertly, I fisted the sheets and thrashed about. He nipped and fingered me in the most expert way. He found that spot inside me with his finger and rubbed at it while gently biting that small bundle of nerves. I screamed out his name as I came apart. For good measure, he inserted another finger in and out as I rode it all the way through the ecstasy into breathlessness.

  My eyes were closed when he crawled up to kiss me, letting me taste myself. “You taste as good as you look.”

  And before I passed out from sheer delight, he said, “Now about dinner Friday night.”

  Nodding was all I could do. Whatever was going on between the two of us, there was no denying the incredible sex we shared. I wasn’t sure of the rest of it just yet. But damn it, I had to give this, us, a try.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Stretching like a cat, I felt limber possibly from a great round of sex. Kalen hadn’t ended the night with just his amazing oral skills. He’d awakened me to sheath his length inside me like it always belonged there.

  My eyes had opened with the tingling sensations of pleasure and closed on a moan through another amazing orgasm. This man was quickly making a mark on my mind and closing in on trying to make his way into my heart.

  My smile in remembrance vanished into a frown when I shot up in bed. Matt. Kalen.

  Looking around, I noticed two things. Neither was with me. Had Matt come home and found Kalen in his bed? No, not his bed, Matt didn’t live here. Still it didn’t stop the fact that this home was as much his as it was Lizzy’s. On top of that, Matt had confessed his feelings for me. It would be inconsiderate to have Kalen naked in bed after all he had revealed to me. No, I hadn’t invited Kalen, but I hadn’t asked him to leave either.

  Suddenly, another thought hit me. What if Matt had come home and Kalen got the wrong idea and left. Sweeping the room with my eyes, I didn’t see any evidence that Kalen had left a note. When my phone buzzed on the nightstand, I snatched it up and used my free hand to push back my unruly hair so I could see the display. Text from Unknown. Could it be Kalen?

  Clicking the envelope icon, it read I left you a note on your computer.

  Looking at my messenger bag on the floor next to my desk, it didn’t appear as though it had been touched. And how could he have gotten through the security passwords on my work-issued computer anyway?

  My eyes drifted to my desk where my personal MacBook was open just where I left it. I moved like a gazelle from incoming predators. I only had to tap a key to bring my computer to life. I’d disabled the security feature, so I had no password. Maybe I should rethink that. When the screen lit up, a Word document was open.

  Lass,

  It pains me to leave the warmth of your beautiful body. I’m sorry for it. I have an early morning meeting I must attend. I would have written you a note, but I didn’t see paper. Not wanting to wake you, I opted to leave you a note here.

  Know that you consume my every thought. Tell me you’ll see me tonight. I think you’ve spoiled me. I’ve never woken up with a woman in my arms. At least not one I wanted to anyway. And I can’t imagine waking up any other way.

  Plan on having dinner with me Friday night?

  I’ll be in meetings all day. But text me when you get this message. Here is my number.

  Kalen

  So that’s how he spelled it, with a K not a C. I’d wondered about that. Programming his number in my phone, I texted him. Something about last night had freed me. If I was going to fuck this man, I wouldn’t be ashamed of it.

  ME: Cold and Lonely, I guess I’ll have to take a hot shower and think of you while I clean off the scent from our night together.

  About to put my phone down, I stopped when it emitted a sound that let me know I had an incoming text.

  HIM: I’m in a meeting and you’ve made me hard as stone. I’ll be “hard” pressed to get up and shake hands with my business partners when this meeting is over in a few minutes.

  Giggling, I decided to tease him some more.

  ME: I’ll be thinking about that when I hook the garters to the thigh highs I’m wearing under my skirt to work.

  I waited a beat for his response and was about to give up when it came through.

  HIM: See what you’ve done to me. Then there was a picture attached. It was of his lap with a serious tent in his pants. My god the man was blessed. Looking at it, I wondered just how he’d gotten that whole thing inside m
e.

  ME: My, My, My, Mr. Brinner. Seems like you have quiet the problem. Well, I’m ‘headed’ to the shower with that picture in my mind as I take care of my own ‘problem’. Bye.

  Quickly, I set the phone down and indeed went to take a shower. I’d be late if I kept sexting Kalen. And honestly, who was this girl I’d become? I’d talked about Lizzy and other girls when they sexted their boyfriends. And here I was doing the same. I had to admit that it made me smile.

  Dressed and ready for the day, I got my purse and bag before getting my phone. On the way out, I notice that either Lizzy was asleep or she wasn’t home. Not wanting to wake her, I just headed out. In the elevator, I check my phone and did in fact have a message from Kalen.

  HIM: I don’t think I can wait until Friday to see you. I have to see you tonight.

  Using both hands, I typed him back. I can’t Friday. I’m going to Lizzy’s art showing at her gallery. But tonight sounds fine.

  When he didn’t respond right away, I headed into the subway to go to work. By the time I’d gotten there, Kalen had sent me a final message saying I’d pay for all my teasing when he saw me. I rode the smile our banter had given me throughout my day, even when things didn’t go over so well.

  Continuing my work reviewing cash accounts, I had to request copies of significant transactions that occurred to ensure they were recorded properly. So when I handed the clerk my list, I saw the fear in her eyes. I was used to it by then. Company employees saw auditors like me as a threat to their jobs. In their minds, we were here to prove they weren’t doing a good job, which wasn’t the case.

  “Here is my list of transactions I need to verify. If you could provide me with a copy of the wire or check request, documents supporting what that transaction is and a copy of the journal entry to record it,” I said.

  The brunette, who didn’t look much older than me, seemed to be wearing the same frown she had the first day I met her. “You want me to pull these,” she said while setting the list down on her desk, pointing to a group of one-dollar transactions I’d slipped into the request. Technically, it wasn’t procedure to test immaterial amounts. However, I was still within my rights to ask. My supervisor wouldn’t like it, but he’d left this afternoon for a meeting and wouldn’t be back. Thus it was the perfect time for me to make this request.