Don't Let Me Be Yours

by Kimberly Reese

  I give a small wave, fixing my smile in place. “Hi.”

  “Your friend here says you were looking for a good time. Want to get out of here?” hot guy states, eyes shamelessly roaming my body. I fight a shiver. Okay, so his looks are better than his manners. Good to know.

  I can feel Sterling’s amusement like an annoying fly buzzing by my ear, and I shoot him a glare. His lips are pressed together as he fights back a smile, and his eyes are dancing with enjoyment.

  This dude. Sterling Montgomery has jokes. He probably expects me to not go home with this guy. I mean, as hot as he is, his creepster vibes are off the charts.

  I mull it over for half a second before coming to a decision.

  I accept hot dude’s outstretched hand and ignore the unpleasant goosebumps that spread along my skin. I am not about to back down right now. Sterling probably thought he would win this one. Wrong.

  “Sterling, it’s been, well, it’s been something,” I say sweetly, eyes shooting daggers at his smug face.

  His smirk transforms into a smile, and he waves a hand at me. “It’s been a little more than something.”

  “Thanks for the company,” I force out as blue eyes roam my face.

  “I’ll be seeing you around, Perrie,” he promises.

  I let creepster slash hot guy lead me out of the bar, but as soon as the cool night air blasts my face, I pull away, wish him a goodnight, and take a taxi home alone.

  My lady bits are screaming at me for it, but that’s what vibrators are for. As I reach my climax, body humming with mild satisfaction, sharp eyes and scruff flood my senses. So wrong, but so effing worth it.

  Huh. That probably describes our newfound friendship to a T.

  So wrong, but so effing worth it.

  We never did finish our game, but the fun is far from over. It’s only just begun.

  6

  Sterling

  As soon as Perrie sets eyes on Chadwick—he’s as douchey as he sounds, but he’s harmless—I know she isn’t going to follow through and go home with him. A casual acquaintance who I’ve run into a time or two while out on the town with the guys, I knew he’d fit the bill once I spotted him across the bar. At first glance, he’s everything she claims she’s searching for tonight: single, available, handsome, and not looking for anything past a tumble in the sheets. Unfortunately, Perrie doesn’t know what she really wants, or she just refuses to acknowledge it.

  I’d be willing to bet a considerable amount that outspoken, outgoing, assertive Perrie Ayala wants a man who’ll take charge and show her who’s boss. My gut tells me she wants a man who doesn’t need to be brought to her but will take the reigns in pursuing her. I’d also be willing to bet that as much as she might say otherwise, one-night stands aren’t her thing. Her current predicament and the fact that she didn’t know what would happen when she came on to me earlier speaks volumes about her inexperience with this type of thing.

  Still, she seems determined. It’s cute.

  I watch on in barely restrained amusement as Chad eye-fucks her and holds out his hand to whisk her away, and I catch the barely subdued shiver that vibrates through her tight little body. Instead of shrinking away or telling him off, she stands up straighter and places her hand in his before hitting me with a glare that’s at odds with her sweet words.

  Challenge accepted, her actions say.

  My lips spread easily into a smile; I’m excited by our exchange and know my instincts are right. She looks irked by my reaction, and I watch as Chad leads Perrie away after we say our goodbyes. Once they’re out the door, I start to count out loud under my breath.

  “Five, four, three,” I count down, confident in the outcome. “Two, and one.” No sooner does the last number leave my lips than Chad is entering the bar again; I’m not surprised in the least to see he’s alone.

  Our eyes meet across the bar, and he shrugs his shoulders. He doesn’t have to say it, but his meaning is obvious and confirms my prediction: Perrie bailed on him. Not one to get down about the loss of a conquest for the night, he immediately makes his way over to another group of women.

  Satisfaction courses through me at knowing I was right. My wealth and family legacy notwithstanding, I didn’t get to where I am today by not being an excellent judge of character. Seeing Perrie surprised me, and our banter and newly labeled friendship was a refreshing change to what would have been an otherwise predictable night.

  I lean against the bar and mull over my day, pleased that the shitstorm Rachel caused when she stopped by my office turned around when Perrie tried to proposition me.

  I wonder what she would have done if I hadn’t recognized her and took her up on her offer, I think to myself. My instincts tell me she wouldn’t have taken it any further, but the thought of what if? teases me and awakens my imagination. Perhaps she would have surprised me in other ways. I immediately shake off that thought. I have a hunch she wouldn’t really know what to do with me if given the chance, and my cock starts to stir to life at the thought of teaching her just how to handle me.

  I immediately tamp down that thought with a shake of my head, even though it sounds tempting as fuck. Although there’s an obvious attraction between us, I can’t fault her for sticking to girl code—after all, bro code is a real thing—but it doesn’t mean I can’t imagine what it’d be like to show her exactly what she’s missing out on and then some.

  A clap on my shoulder breaks me from my thoughts, and I look over at my best friend, taking in his slightly mussed hair and relaxed smile.

  “You couldn’t wait to take someone home, Coop?” I ask dryly. My best friend has a penchant for pushing boundaries in public, so I don’t even feign shock at his obvious look of contentment.

  “Not when her lonely friend is trying to cockblock me,” he says on a laugh, confirming my suspicion that he got some. “Where were you, man? One second you were there, and the next you were gone. I needed a wingman and had to take what I could get when you didn’t show. Don’t worry, though.” He smirks. “She left more than satisfied.”

  “I’m sure. As to my whereabouts, I ran into an old acquaintance. You know Rachel’s best friend?”

  “Does Rachel even have any real friends?”

  “Good point, but do you know who she claims is her best friend?”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, but I think we met briefly years back at some party Rachel’s parents were having. Are you talking about the little Latina? Dark hair, nice ass, smart mouth? I can’t remember her name.”

  “Perrie Ayala,” I say. “And yes, that’s her. She’s still the same, and she tried to pick me up.”

  Coop lets loose a loud laugh. “I knew I liked her,” he says, echoing my thoughts from earlier. “So, she tried to pick you up? Did she fail, or do you have something with her going on later?”

  “Well, once I brought to light that we know each other, she retracted her offer and threw down the girl code card. She’s being a true friend and wants nothing to do with me in that way. I guess you can say we’re friends of sorts now since I hooked her up with Chad for the night. Apparently, she has an itch she’s determined to scratch, as long as it isn’t with me.”

  “And she chose Chad? Over you?”

  His meaning is clear: no woman would choose Chad over me. It isn’t ego talking but fact. I’m a fucking catch, and I have yet to meet a man who checks off as many hot buttons for women as I do. I’m filthy rich, run in the most influential circles, am in great shape, and I’m good-looking. Not to mention, I’m an animal in bed, and the wasted years with Rachel did nothing to dull my reputation. If anything, women have come on stronger, turned on by the challenge of obtaining the unattainable.

  Too bad I’d rather chase than be chased. My mind flits to Perrie and how much I’d love to go into hot pursuit of her. The potential drama isn’t worth it, so I force that thought from my mind since it’s never going to happen.

  “She pretended to.” I smile at how she stuck to her guns
to prove something to me. “They left together, but he was back inside almost as soon as they walked out the door. She bailed on him and, I’m guessing, went home since she never came back.”

  “Damn, this sounds entertaining. Not as entertaining as my quickie in the bathroom, mind you, but entertaining nonetheless.”

  “You and your quickies. I feel bad for these women who have to settle for a short, unsatisfying fuck with your ugly ass.”

  “Fuck off, Sterling.” We both laugh. “I can assure you, there’s nothing short or unsatisfying about being with me. They get theirs, and if I really like what I’ve sampled, I’ll bring someone home so I can go over the full menu. Besides, I’m good-looking enough to hang out with you, so I must be pretty.” He holds his hands up in a V to frame his face and bats his eyes.

  “You’re such a fucking cheeseball,” I joke good-naturedly.

  “Yeah, yeah. We can’t all be California’s most eligible bachelor.”

  I roll my eyes at the title I’ve been granted the past few years, and we pat each other on the back. We like to give each other shit and joke around, and the easygoing camaraderie we share is one of the things I appreciate most about my friendship with Cooper. We keep things light and fun, but we both know at the end of the day that we’ll always have each other’s back. He’s my childhood best friend, and although Perrie and Rachel share the same label, ours is genuine and long-standing.

  “So, what do you want to do for the rest of the night?” I ask. “You still looking for someone to take home?”

  “Nah, I’m good. What about you?”

  “I’m good, too. I’ll get laid another night; seeing Rachel earlier was a boner-killer.” I don’t mention that bantering with Perrie brought it back to life. “I’ve had a long day, so I’m thinking about calling it a night.”

  “That works for me.” We make our way toward the exit and head toward our cars. We eventually part ways, but I look back over my shoulder when I hear Coop call out to me. “Hey, you down to go for a run along the beach tomorrow morning? The weather’s too nice to stay in the gym.”

  “Yeah, I’m down. Want to meet up at my place so we can head over together, or do you want to meet there?”

  “I’ll meet you at your place. Is eight too early?”

  “No, that works.” It’s not so early that I’ll be tired, but it’s early enough to avoid the crowd of beachgoers since most people will be recovering from their Friday night out. “See you then, man.”

  We tilt our heads up in goodbye, and I hop in my car to start the drive home to Laguna Beach. As I cruise along, unbidden thoughts of Perrie drift back into my mind. I’m disappointed I didn’t get her number; not to ask her out, but to ask her to hang out. All physical attraction aside, I’m intrigued by a friendship with her. Having someone else to hang out with is always nice, and if tonight was any indication, we’d have a lot of fun together. Selfishly, I also want to see if she’d come clean about leaving Chad hanging tonight.

  Too bad the likelihood of running into each other is small, especially since we’d gone so long without contact. I’ll just have to hope I run into her sooner rather than later, if at all.

  Morning dawns bright and early, and the sun peeks out lazily from behind fluffy white clouds. It’s the perfect day for a run on the beach, and the cool breeze that greets me and Coop as we head to my car will prove to be a welcome companion as we work up a sweat later.

  Traffic is light as we head to the beach, and I’m pleased to see the foot traffic on the beach itself is even lighter. We make small talk as we stretch in the parking lot, and just as we’re about to head down the steps leading to the shore, an unmistakable voice reaches my ears.

  “¡Hijo de puta!”

  My head swivels around, and my pulse starts to race when my eyes land on the source of the curse. Dressed in a pair of cutoff shorts that make her short legs look longer and emphasize the roundness of her ass, Perrie is bent over and digging around in the trunk of her car.

  Luck must be on my side, which isn’t too surprising considering I’m a Montgomery, but I send up a thank you to the powers that be for placing Perrie in my path so soon.

  I turn to Coop and tilt my head in the direction of Perrie. “I’ll meet you down at the beach in a few.”

  He doesn’t miss a beat and shoots me a look of understanding before heading down the steps. I head in the opposite direction and move closer to the disgruntled beauty who’s my newfound friend.

  “Of course I’d forget my towel,” she says, sounding pissed off and annoyed as she continues to rummage around. “Who goes to the beach and forgets their towel? Esperanza Ayala, that’s who. Maldito idiota,” she mutters into the cavern of her trunk.

  I move to stand next to her and lean my hip against the bumper of her car. “Esperanza, huh? It’s not very nice to call yourself a fucking idiot.”

  A muffled shriek and dull thump are what I get in answer before she pulls back and sees me standing next to her. “Sterling?” she squeaks, and she looks confused. “What are you doing here?”

  Her cheeks are flushed, and I can’t tell if it’s from looking around in the trunk or from embarrassment. Regardless of what’s caused it, the effect is charming.

  “Need a hand, Esperanza?”

  I tilt up one corner of my mouth in a smile and let my eyes reacquaint themselves with her body. Her hair is tossed up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing a top cropped under her breasts that says I’m not short, I’m fun-sized. I drag my eyes down her toned stomach and legs to her tiny, flip-flop-clad feet. The shirt doesn’t lie, I think. She looks like she’d be a ton of fun.

  I’m wearing sunglasses, so she can’t see my wandering gaze, but I’m sure she knows I’ve been checking her out. “It’s Perrie to you,” she says indignantly.

  “Hey, I thought we were friends.”

  “Yeah, that was until you scared the shit out of me, Sterling. Besides, since when do you know Spanish?”

  I can’t help but chuckle at her aggressive tone. “I’ve been groomed to take over the family legacy since I was in diapers. It’s par for the course in my family, especially since we do business internationally. I’m fluent in a few languages.”

  “You are?”

  “Of course. Maybe I’ll teach you some of my favorite phrases later.” My words are joking, but I can’t help the husky way I say them or how suggestive they come across. I’m venturing into dangerous territory and need to abort stat. “Anyway, I have an extra towel in my car, but that’s only something I’d offer up to my friends…”

  I let my words trail off, and my lips twitch as I watch her squirm. Her mouth finally curves in a smile, and she shuts her trunk. “Well, I guess I’m glad we’re friends. Lead the way, buddy.”

  She places emphasis on the label, and I don’t hold back my laughter. “You’re extra feisty in the morning.”

  “I’m tired. Sue me,” she says as we head to my car. “I’m only here because Blake wants to do some stupid morning yoga class or something here.”

  I grab the spare towel I keep in my car and hand it to her. I don’t let go when I ask, “Oh, are you all worn out from last night?”

  “Last night?” she asks, her own hand gripping the towel tightly. Her cheeks darken further, and it takes a moment, but she quickly remembers what she was supposed to be up to. “Oh, yeah, last night. I was up late with...that guy.”

  “Chadwick?”

  “Chadwick? Yeah, Chadwick.” Her nose wrinkles slightly when she says his name. “He’s great. He and I had a nice time.”

  She gently pulls on the towel, but I don’t let go. “Did you now?”

  Her eyes rise to meet mine through my sunglasses, and her gaze is searching. “Yeah, of course we did.”

  “Did he end up rocking your world?”

  I let go of the towel, but her attention remains locked on me as we stare at each other. It’s the moment of truth. Will Perrie come clean, or will she stick to her story?

  I guess I�
��m about to find out.

  7

  Perrie

  His eyes are smug, like he already knows the answer to his own question. I narrow mine, tilting my head slightly to the side, and grip onto his towel like a life preserver. Pulling my bottom lip into my mouth, I debate on telling the truth or overembellishing the evening.

  Chadwick. I fight the urge to cringe at his name. Of course it’s something douchey and pretentious. I mean, why wouldn't it be? On the bright side, I hadn’t actually hooked up with him.

  Dodged some form of herpes with that one, Perrie, I’m sure. Score!

  “As a matter of fact, yes, my world was rocked last night,” I say with a pop of my lip, releasing it from my teeth.

  It isn’t a total lie, it’s more of a half-truth than anything. I mean, my night was rocked, just not by him. No, I rocked my world all on my own. Cue internal hair flip and mental high five to myself.

  He quirks a brow, and I quirk one back, waiting for him to say something. He doesn’t. Instead, he continues to stare at me, as if waiting me out.

  I tap my foot, ignore the phone vibrating in the front of my shorts, and tighten my grip on his towel.

  “Well, this has been something,” I huff out in faux annoyance, pulling out my phone to see a text from Blake. It’s a picture of the near-full yoga class on the beach with mats placed across the sand.

  Ugh. Yoga on the beach? I am not limber enough for this shit. I’m not even dressed for it, actually. If she hadn’t promised ice cream after, I wouldn’t have bothered even showing up.

  Okay. That’s a lie. Of course I would have. She’s my best friend, and best friends sacrifice sleeping in if it means the other will be happy. Right? No. I need my sleep, but it is too late to back out now. I shoot back a quick response, letting her know I’m minutes away from joining her.

  I look up to find Sterling still staring at me, lips spread into a wide smile.