Second Time Around
Yvonne Michaels
Copyright 2013
http://www.yvonnemichaels.com
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Chapter 1
Are you at that stupid Japanese restaurant again?
Erica shook her head at her mother’s text message before placing the phone in purse. She was grateful it was a text and not a phone call. Tonight was a celebration and she wasn’t in the mood to argue about why she hadn’t found another boyfriend. Glancing up, Erica noticed that the large party in front of her had been seated and the hostess podium was vacant. Stepping forward she scanned the dining area of the Tokyo Hibachi Grill and Bar. Sure, the bright red decor and vast array of kimonos on the walls were a bit over the top, but they knew her here and it gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest. It was a homecoming of sorts.
“Erica, darling.” An older Japanese woman appeared from behind the golden beaded curtain that led to the kitchen. “I was wondering when I was going to see you. I was hoping maybe you found a new man.”
“Not you, too.” Erica groaned. “Mary you are supposed to help me celebrate being single not harp on me about it.”
A teasing smile crossed Mary’s face as she patted Erica’s shoulder. “Come.” The small woman motioned to follow her. “We are very busy but I have seat for you.”
Moments later she was sitting at a hibachi grill/table with six other people. The seat beside her was either being reserved for someone or the person on the end didn’t want to sit beside a perfect stranger. A little girl sat on the opposite side of the table. She looked to be about 3 or 4 years old, dressed in jeans and a pink sweater. Erica watched as the girl chatted animatedly to no one in particular all the while tugging on what appeared to be her mother’s arm. Soon she was jumping up, running from one adult to another. From what Erica could make out from bits and pieces of conversation, the group was a mixture of grandparents, aunts, uncles and the munchkin. Erica waved to the blond curly-haired girl who waved and squealed in return. The waitress appeared to hand out drinks. The little girl turned to go back to her seat and ran straight into a pair of rather expensive-looking slacks. Her eyes grew round and her lip began to quiver until she looked upwards to find out who the legs were attached to. Erica watched the fear turn to childish joy as an excited squeal rent the air and small arms flew upwards begging to be picked up.
Erica looked up to see who had brought such joy to the little girl’s face. Her breath caught as she recognized the crystal blue eyes and blonde hair. The boyish look she remembered was gone and in its place was a more chiseled jawline. His hair was shorter than before. It barely reached the top of his ears. Of course the designer suit he was wearing was a far cry from whatever sports uniform he had worn from one season to the next. His broad shoulders and tapered waist were nothing new; although she was sure he stood taller than she remembered. Mmmm, I wonder if that washboard stomach is still there. A lazy heat spread across her thighs and her stomach tightened. Erica closed her mouth before drool had a chance to escape. She had been an inexperienced sixteen year old when they had last seen each other. As a grown woman her fantasies were definitely more torrid than her memories.
Thankfully the chef came forward with his cart to begin cooking. Erica nodded hello to the grandfatherly man with the chef’s hat. She knew most of the cooks by name and they knew her by sight if not by name. Erica shifted in her seat as she tried to ignore the people getting up from their seats to welcome him to their dinner. Concentrate on the food, not on him. She felt herself smile as the chef called off the orders to each person so that he could place a face to the correct meal. Soon the clang of utensils on the stainless steel grill along with the aroma of stir fry vegetables filled the room. God, it’s hot in here. Erica removed her jacket and draped it over the back of her chair. Erica watched the artistic flow of how one meat and then another was cooked and chopped to perfection before being slid onto each person’s plate. The familiarity warmed her heart.
The air turned thick and suffocating when she felt him slide into the chair next to hers. Does he even remember me? What does it matter, Erica? That was a long time ago. You’ve moved on. Immediately her hand went to her hair. The moment she grabbed a strand to twirl it she froze. Placing her hands palms down on the table she resisted the anxious habit. Stop it. There’s no reason to be nervous.
“Amazing isn’t it?”
The warm breath grazed her ear causing her to jump and knock her wine glass into her lap.
“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He handed her his napkin.
Erica felt her face burn knowing that it was turning red. Rubbing at her skirt with two napkins, she wanted to crawl under the table. “It was an accident. I shouldn’t have put my wine glass so close to the edge. Oh God, this skirt is ruined.” She kept scrubbing but the fact that her panties were wet from daydreaming about the man next to her only solidified that napkins were not going to help the situation. She felt tears gather. I will not cry, I will not cry. My one night to treat myself and it's ruined. Do not let him see you cry. Swallowing hard, Erica dropped the napkins on the table. Managing a reassuring smile for the rest of the table she snatched up her purse. “It’s not a big deal. If you’ll excuse me, I believe this skirt has seen its day.”
“Wait.” The Greek God from her past grabbed her arm.
Heat travelled up to her chest revealing an ache to be touched that she hadn’t felt in a long time. Erica stared at his hand and then up at him. Even at her stature of 5’9” this man seemed to tower over her. “I need to change. I can’t sit in a wet skirt for the next few hours.”
“I . . . I just hate that I’ve spoiled your dinner. Let me . . .”
“Will, give her some money for the dry cleaning and let her be.” The older man at the table spoke up.
A deeper blush rose from her neck. The thought of this man giving her money and dismissing her as he had all those years ago was mortifying. His hand released her. The blue eyes hardly blinked and never left her own. Will raised his voice, “Actually I’m going to escort her out to the parking lot.”
Her surprise must have been evident because a smile spread across his face. Pushing in his chair he stepped away and gestured towards the door, “After you.”
Erica hurried past him hoping that he wouldn’t try to keep up and simply sit back down. He hadn’t worried about sticking around all those years ago so maybe she would be lucky this time and he would go back to his family. Erica felt the eyes of the restaurant patrons following her out of the door. Surely everyone was staring at the huge wet spot on her cream-colored skirt. Flashes of the high school cafeteria, her white skirt and discovering that no one had told her that her period had started only increased her embarrassment.
“Wait up.” Will’s voice came from behind her.
The only thing she could think to do was to get into her car and disappear before panic overtook her. But the sound of his voice awakened the dormant need buried deep inside. It screamed at her to stop running. She hadn’t seen him in so long and the crush that had once ruled her life was long from forgotten. The sensitive flesh that felt every movement from her silk bra to her cotton panties wanted Will to offer to take off her skirt and lick the wine from her thighs. Oh my Lord. Where did that thought come from?
Stepping out into the cool night she made a beeline for her car. It wouldn’t be just physical with him. There’s just too much history. Who are you kidding, Erica? He didn’t care that you existed then and he sure as hell doesn’t know who you are now.
“I really would
like to pay for the dry cleaning.” Will caught up before she could get into her car.
“That’s a great offer, but I don’t need your money.” She leaned back against her blue sedan.
“Actually,” his voice deepened, “I was sort of hoping that I could get you to have dinner with me tonight.”
Erica shook her head. “So you want me to go home, change clothes, and then have dinner with you?”
He shrugged, “Something like that.”
Temptation warred with anger, “Do you still get everything you want? Surely a man like you would have a wife or at the very least a girlfriend. Wait, maybe you have both.”
It was his turn to look puzzled. “What do you mean do I STILL get everything I want? Do we know each other? “
Oh hell. “We went to high school together, William. I was a few years behind you.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t recognize you.” His gaze swept appreciatively over her.
Duh, Erica. Your hair wasn’t short or red and your wardrobe was far from designer clothes. “Erica. Erica Mayer. I dyed my hair blond back then and I wasn’t exactly in your circles.”
“My what?” he looked genuinely confused.
“To put it simply, you were popular and I wasn’t.” You didn’t even know I was alive for more than a moment. Or that I had a giant crush on you. She shivered. “Look I appreciate that you want to help but I am freezing here so I’ll just go.”
“You’re leaving without finding out if this chemistry is going anywhere?”
That got her attention. A shiver of excitement rippled through her body and settled between her thighs. Stop it. He’s just an asshole in the disguise of Prince Charming.
Slipping his jacket off, he wrapped it around her shoulders. The warmth eased the chill in her bones. The suit smelled like cologne and a bit like coconut around the lapel.
“The least you can do is invite me back for coffee.” His voice was playful, boyish. “Since we know each other and all.”
He was so close it took all of her willpower not to melt into his arms.
“You’re insane.” She shook her head resisting a grin that tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“Tell you what. Give me your address. You go home and change and I’ll stop for coffee. It’s the least I can do after the dinner fiasco.”
“Tell YOU what. I will get my own coffee and my own dinner. You go back inside to your family.”
Erica waited for him to say something more but he seemed to have run out of arguments. Dismissing him from her mind she unlocked the car and yanked open the door.
“Wait.” He grabbed the top of the door. “At least give me your number so that I can find out how much the cleaning bill is.”
Erica laughed, “That is a really lame pickup line.” She couldn’t tell if the twisted up face he made was from being offended or irritated.
“Consider it compensation for not noticing you in high school.”
“Fine.” Erica dug around in her purse. She was pretty sure she was going to regret this but curiosity got the better of her. “Here’s my card. It has my office and my cell phone number.”
Chapter 2
“Will, hello, Will?”
Will shook his head as his brother waved a hand in front of his face. Maybe if he shook his head hard enough he could get the daydream of a certain redhead spread out naked on his bed out of his mind.
“Sorry. What were you saying?”
Cameron rolled his eyes. “We were discussing the Robinson case. Sam wants custody of their kids.”
“Sole custody?”
“Yep. The last thing he wants is to have to shell out half of his salary for child support.”
Will stared at his younger brother. The chestnut brown hair showed no sign of grey and the expensive grey suit was tailored just for him. The charming smile hid a layer of ruthlessness that only a select few knew about. The vision of a particular beautiful woman faded and he heaved a sigh. “What’s wrong with their mother?”
“Other than she’s a frumpy mess?”
William resisted the urge to groan. “So she’s a drug dealer or she spends the whole day playing video games ignoring her children? Do the kids go hungry or days without bathing?”
Cameron scoffed, “No. She went from being sleek and sexy to being a size 10 and her life revolving around her children.”
“So we should take her children away from her because Sam doesn’t want to pay child support?” Will ran a hand through his own brown hair.
“Yes.”
“What if we ask for joint custody?”
“You honestly think that will work? They have to pass the kids back and forth and arrange weekly pick up times. That’s insane. A man like Robinson doesn’t have time for things like that.”
“So, screw the fact that she might win Mother of the Year, we just give him the kids so he doesn’t have to give up the money?”
“Pretty much.”
“I’m not doing it.”
Cameron sat forward, his hands resting on top of William’s desk. “Do I need to remind you that Sam Robinson is our client, not his wife?”
“That doesn’t mean that we have to completely devastate Mrs. Robinson.” Why did Cameron and their father insist on doing whatever the clients wanted and refusing mediation of any kind?
Cameron stood, checking his cell phone. “I’ve got a lunch date. We can discuss this later. And just so you know, our job is to get our client the best deal possible. You should have never joined the firm if you were going to be such bleeding heart.”
“And I had so many choices when Dad had his heart attack.”
Cameron’s phone chimed several times. He clicked a few buttons before his mouth fell open, “Damn!” William was sure he saw drool coming out of the corners of his mouth. “You better go before your hot date finds someone else.”
“It appears that her girlfriend is keeping her company until I get there.” He grinned.
“Go. Please. We’ll discuss the Robinson case when you get back.” The last thing he wanted to hear about was his brother’s adventures in the bedroom. With his money and looks, Cameron had women throwing himself at him on a regular basis.
The click of the door reminded William he was alone in more ways than one. Pulling the lavender business card from his wallet, he flipped it over a few times. Erica Mayer, Interior Decorator
Why can’t I remember her? Maybe she was a late bloomer. High school had been all about sports and wanting to stay away from the family business as much as possible. Not that it did any good in the long run. How could he not remember a beautiful woman? Maybe he was too distracted with Cheryl at the time. Bitch. He shook his head. The only distraction he had now was the way the wet skirt clung to Erica’s thighs in that parking lot. William had noticed her sitting next to the empty seat and quietly inquired with his family as to who she was. When it was established that she was alone and simply sharing the table he was even more intrigued.
Once he had sat down, William watched the obvious joy on her face as she sat mesmerized by the cook. How could anyone over the age of 5 get so much enjoyment out of a hibachi cook? Erica’s joy had been contagious. That led to whispering in her ear and now to having her as a constant enticement over the last few days. Cold showers were becoming the norm. Guess it’s time to do something about that. William picked up the phone and dialed the cell phone number on the card. He took a deep breath just as the ringing stopped.
Chapter 3
“I took your jacket to the cleaners with my skirt. It’ll be ready in a few days.” Erica perched on the edge of the deep brown leather chair. Her nerves were pulled tight. One hand gripped a paper coffee cup while the other smoothed out her brown and teal gypsy-style skirt that brushed her ankles.
William grinned, sipping the small black coffee in his hand. “You didn’t have to do that. I’m sure it wasn’t dirty.”
Oh but the look in his eyes was very dirty. Erica could feel the blush creeping up from
her chest. Hopefully the bright teal color of her tank top was hiding the redness creeping up to her throat. I should have worn a different bra. The lace teased against her nipples and did nothing to hide her arousal from prying eyes. Distract him, Erica.
“The little girl at the restaurant was very happy to see you. Is that your daughter?”
“No, my niece. I don’t see her too often. My sister and brother-in-law live in Maine. Living in Georgia keeps us apart. Then, of course, work takes up most of my time so no room for kids. What about you? Kids?”
“No.” She swallowed hard pushing the emotion out of her voice. “Like you said, just too busy.”
“Do you always have dinner alone or did your boyfriend stand you up?”
Erica rolled her eyes. “Why can’t a woman have dinner out alone without everyone feeling sorry for her? No. No one stood me up.”
Silence.
“If you have to know, I go to that restaurant every year to celebrate my divorce from the most self-absorbed, egotistical, jerk I have ever met.” Actually he probably rivals one other jerk I knew.” I tried and tried to get my then husband to take me there to dinner. He absolutely refused because if it wasn’t meat and potatoes then he wasn’t eating it. So the day our divorce was final I spent half the night there sampling food. The last two years I have gone to remind me that I am completely free from any man telling me what to do.”
William choked on his coffee. The scowl on Erica’s face deepened at his silence. “Hey, I’m not the bad guy. And for the record, the only woman I boss around is my secretary.”
Erica chuckled. “I’m pretty sure you never had to boss around any woman. They all did your bidding without even being asked.” She laughed, “Even me.”
“I’m getting the distinct impression that I missed quite a bit in high school.”
Erica watched his eyes travel over her from head to foot. She was sure he was trying to place her, to trigger some memory of her. The lack of recognition hurt. “That’s what is so sad. I remember so much and you dismissed me without a second thought.” The anger in her voice was subtle but she was sure he heard it.
Second Time Around (Yvonne's Naughty Story Collection) Page 1