by Anne Rainey
Trent’s eyes bored into hers, a muscle in his hard, masculine jaw twitching angrily. Suddenly he looked at his parents and said, “Sorry.” Then, as if she were so much baggage, he was hauling her off.
Soon they were back in the dark confines of his car. It wasn’t until he’d driven her back to Mollie’s apartment that Crystal came to her senses. “How dare you embarrass me that way!”
Trent stared at her for several long seconds, then he cursed a blue streak—loud enough that she was sure everyone in the next county heard. He shoved a hand through his hair and then spoke so softly she very nearly missed his words. “Jesus! I’m sorry. I was taken by surprise when you announced that you were leaving and I simply acted on impulse. But that doesn’t mean you have to go. I want you here, Crystal, with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Move in with me,” he gritted out. “You haven’t found a place yet, and I have more than enough room.”
Crystal’s face softened. Damn, this would be a lot easier if she hadn’t already fallen head over heels for him. She reached her hand up and stroked a finger over his lips. He grabbed her wrist and placed several small kisses in her palm, melting her heart further. “That’s sweet, Trent, but it’s not right. I can’t just. . . live with you. I need my own place. My own life. Besides, I need to know a man for a long while before I take such a huge step like moving in together.”
He released her hand and looked out the windshield. His face shut down so fast he looked like a complete stranger to her. “I can provide for you,” he said, his voice soft, but no less insistent for it. “I’m a wealthy man, as you no doubt have figured out by now. You will want for nothing.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’ll ‘provide for’ me? What exactly are you proposing here?”
His gaze landed on her once more. “All your bills, your clothes, everything. I will take care of you. I want you to stay with me.”
Shattered. With a few well-chosen words, he’d managed to shatter her heart and soul. “I can’t believe you just offered that to me.” She shook her head and opened the door. “You’re a fool, Trent.” Crystal started to get out, but he wasn’t quite through digging at her heart.
“You care about me, damn it,” he muttered. “Don’t deny it.”
He’d just offered to keep her, as if she were a high-priced whore, and she was supposed to just swoon? But something about his tone made her think that he was purposely pushing her away. Crystal hadn’t expected that. She’d thought he would fight the issue a little harder. He didn’t seem the type to give in so easily. Unless, of course, he really didn’t care for her. Had it all been about sex to him? That’s when the truth struck Crystal, as if it were a fist in the gut. She really had been nothing but a good time for him.
“Yeah, I care about you. But I care about myself, too. I won’t be a doormat for any man. Not anymore,” she muttered. With that, Crystal fled from the car, determined to be out of his sight before the dam broke. She wanted to turn around. She really did. She ached to hurl a few insults right back at him. To slap him for doing this to her. For making her fall for him. But she knew that if she started, she wouldn’t be able to stop until she was empty. Moreover, she’d regret it later. So instead, she turned, entered the apartment, and waited until he’d driven away before letting the tears fall.
When she reached her bedroom, it took three tries before she managed to open the door. Once inside, she dropped onto the bed and let go completely. She’d never cried so hard in her life. It was as if a vital part of her had just been taken away by the cruel hand of fate. Sometimes life really did suck.
She had no idea how long she’d lain there. Twenty minutes, maybe longer. When she finally stood, Crystal looked in her mirror and saw her swollen eyes and red, blotchy cheeks. She pictured Trent’s large form filling the car, anger filling his normally kind eyes.
Crystal pried her eyes away from the mirror and headed to the bathroom. When Richard had served her with the divorce papers, it’d been like she’d been handed a new lease on life. She’d invested time in the relationship. Energy. Only to have two years of her life wasted on Richard.
Trent was a far different story. Being with him made her feel like a woman. Vibrant and adventurous. Scared and happy. She’d wanted to experience things with him, the good and the bad. She’d let her defenses down. Now she was left a bleeding mess. She wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
An hour later, Mollie came home. When she saw Crystal on the couch scarfing down a tub of ice cream she said, “Oh no, that can’t be good.”
“Men suck.”
Mollie sighed and sat down beside her, then plucked the ice cream out of her hand. “Some men do, yes. But not all of them.”
“I’m convinced your Alex was the last good one left on this earth.”
Mollie cocked her head to the side. “Wait, are we mad at Trent or Mac? Or both?”
“Trent. Mac didn’t do anything wrong. He’s been wonderful, actually.”
“But Trent stuck his foot in it, huh?”
“He offered to have me move in with him. He seemed to think it was a good solution to my lack of a permanent home.”
“Okay, so far that doesn’t sound horrible.”
“When I told him I wanted my own space, he added the kicker. He offered to pay to keep me.”
“Oh snap, he did not,” Mollie gritted out. “What the hell was he thinking?”
“I suspect he wasn’t thinking with the right head,” Crystal replied. “The jerk.”
Mollie handed her back the ice cream. “Go ahead, you need it.”
Crystal smiled as she went to work on the double fudge. “I’m going to hate myself later, but to hell with it.”
“Crystal?”
“Yeah?” she said around a mouthful of creamy deliciousness.
“Are you in love with Trent?”
“I’m ninety-nine percent sure I’m head over heels for both of them,” she said, admitting it for the first time. “I’m sorry for being such a Grumpy Gus. I’m lucky to have a friend like you. I really mean that, Mollie.”
“We’re lucky to have each other,” Mollie said as she patted her on the shoulder. “Now, what are you going to do about this little quandary?”
Crystal frowned. “Eat myself into a sugar coma?”
She chuckled. “You could do that, but you need to think about something else before you head down that depressing road.”
“What?”
“Look, I’ve seen the way Trent looks at you. The way Mac looks at you.”
Crystal wrapped her hands around the cold cardboard carton. This was one of those moments that was sort of like ripping off a bandage: she needed to get it over with fast and with as little pain as possible. “I’ve made love to both Mac and Trent. At the same time. More than once. And it was fan-freaking-tastic. But that doesn’t mean Trent wants more than sex from me. I’m convenient, that’s all.”
Mollie blushed. “Okay, that sure does paint a picture. Still, I don’t think Trent thinks of you that way. If he only wanted a convenient sex partner, he could have his pick at Kinks.”
Crystal slumped, feeling awful as she thought of Trent moving on to someone else. “Yeah, there’d be a line of women if he snapped his fingers. Damn it.”
“So, do something about it, then. Get that man back,” Mollie said as she swatted Crystal on the thigh.
Crystal wondered if she even should. Did Trent truly care about her, or had it just been a fun time for him? “What do you propose?”
“I don’t know, but I’m sure if we put our heads together we’ll think of something.”
“Damn, this is all so complicated. It was supposed to be one night. Something wild and fun. But now I think I’m in love with them. How crazy, right?”
Mollie squinted at her. “Ah, so that’s what’s bothering you. It’s unconventional to love them both at once.”
Crystal shrugged and toyed with her spoon. “I’ve alw
ays imagined falling in love and having kids, then living all happily ever after.”
“You can have that with both Mac and Trent. It’ll be difficult, but what relationship is easy?”
Crystal frowned. “This isn’t just difficult. This is a mess.”
“What’s the alternative? Walk away and miss out on something amazing? I know what it’s like to be lonely, Crystal. It’s no fun, believe me.”
“You mean because of Alex passing away?”
“Alex left me devastated. I didn’t think I’d get through it. With the help of friends like you, I did. But it’s still painful at times.” She took a deep breath and said, “Don’t let some old-school idea of what love and marriage should be ruin a good chance here. Talk to Trent. In fact, you should tell them both how you feel.”
Crystal stared at her melting ice cream. “I’m so scared, though.”
“You’re letting Richard influence you, sweetie. You need to take a chance on these guys. They aren’t cut from the same cloth as your ex.”
Crystal bit her lip, still unsure. “But what will people think? What will my mom think?”
Mollie waved the words away. “I’ve met your mom. She might have a hard time with it at first, but she’ll get over it. She loves you.”
“You’re right,” Crystal said with a smile. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Mollie said, a naughty grin coming over her face. “And I have an idea.”
Crystal snorted. “Should I be concerned?”
“You and I are going to go to Kinks. And we’re going to flirt.”
“Jealousy?” she asked. “Isn’t that a little juvenile?”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but it never fails.”
“And if it does fail?”
“We’ll buy more ice cream,” Mollie promised. “Lots of it.”
She laughed. “Thanks, Mollie. I love you.”
“Back atcha, sweetie.” Mollie stood and pulled Crystal to her feet. “Now, go shower. You look like shit.” She snagged the ice cream out of her hands and headed toward the kitchen.
Crystal snorted. “Gee, thanks.”
“What are friends for?” she called over her shoulder as she left the room.
Crystal headed for the bathroom, her steps a little lighter now that she had something of a plan. If it failed, well, it wouldn’t. She’d see to it, because losing Trent was too suckish to consider.
13
For hours, Trent had sat at the small round table in the kitchen of Kinks while Mac grumbled about decisions they were making over the new club they planned to open. Frankly, Trent didn’t see what the problem was. Everything was going according to plan. They’d made good, solid choices as to the building they planned to lease and the renovations that would need to be done before they could move forward. Mac should be in a good mood, instead of bitching at every turn.
“What gives with you today? You’re in a shitty mood. Did you have a fight with Crystal?” Trent asked.
Mac stood abruptly and paced around the room. His agitation puzzled Trent. It worried him that Mac was so obviously bothered. He’d thought Mac and Crystal had been getting along great—unlike the way he’d bungled everything with her. But if that was the case, then what was up Mac’s craw today?
“Okay, spit it out. What is it you aren’t telling me?” The instant Mac turned around, Trent knew he’d hit a nerve. There was something Mac was not sharing.
“What the hell is going on?” Trent prompted further.
Mac came back to the table and sat, then shoved his fingers through his hair. He’d never seen his good-natured friend so stressed. His own words to Crystal came back to haunt him. Damn, he hoped they hadn’t both fucked up with her. Wouldn’t that just be a kick in the teeth?
“I told her I love her,” Mac muttered as he stared at the tabletop.
Trent was dumbfounded as to why that would put Mac in a foul mood. “That’s great, right?”
“She never said it back. Now I feel like an idiot.” He paused then added, “I mean, I know she cares, but that asshole of an ex-husband of hers has really done a number on her. I’m worried she may never let herself be that vulnerable again.”
Trent shot to his feet, every muscle in his body pumped and ready for a fight. “That bastard deserves to bleed for the way he treated Crystal.”
“You’ll get no arguments from me.” Mac shook his head. “He’s called her a couple of times, did you know that? It’s really pissing me off.”
“He showed up at Mollie’s apartment one day, too. If I hadn’t been stopping by, Crystal would’ve been alone with him.” Trent balled his fists at his sides, wishing he’d knocked some sense into the guy when he’d had the chance. “Exactly when were the phone calls?” When Mac told him the dates, Trent cursed. “That means he’s contacted her even after I sent him away. Persistent bastard, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. It worries me. I don’t think he’s just going to disappear,” Mac answered.
Trent willed himself to stay calm. Nothing would happen to Crystal. It couldn’t. “We need to keep an eye on her.”
Mac’s jaw went rigid, and his eyes grew cold. “I’m not letting him within spitting distance of Crystal. Hell, now I’m thankful she didn’t find an apartment yet. At least she’s not alone at night.”
“I may have a minor problem keeping an eye on Crystal.”
Mac frowned. “Why?”
“She’s pissed at me,” he grumbled.
“What the hell did you do?” Mac asked as he glared at him.
Trent threw up his hands in surrender. “Look, I love Crystal, too. I’d make her my wife if I could.”
Mac’s eyes lit with amusement. “Since you tend to bury your emotions under a ton of concrete on a good day, I take it she doesn’t know how you feel, am I right?”
“Pretty much,” Trent admitted, wishing he could undo all the damage he’d done between him and Crystal. “Right now she would rather I stick my head in the nearest toilet.”
“Damn, what’d you do?”
“I asked her to live with me.”
“I’m not following you. What is so wrong in that? A lot of couples live together.”
“Yeah, but when I did it, I offered her money. Offered to pay her expenses and shit.”
Mac’s eyes shot wide. “Like a mistress? Shit, Trent, it’s a wonder you can still walk!”
“I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. She was leaving and I panicked.”
Mac arched a brow at him. “Gee, you think?”
“I want her back,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “She’s everything I could ever want in a woman. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
“I know the feeling, but what if she decides she doesn’t want either one of us?”
“I still need to try,” he replied. “I knew it the instant she walked into Kinks, that she was different. Somehow the three of us . . . it works. I never thought it would, but it does.”
Mac smiled. “She really is something. This type of relationship is always tough, but she fits us. Like the piece we’ve been missing.” Mac’s eyebrows pulled together as he asked, “So, you’re certain you’ll be content never sampling another woman?”
The answer to that was easy. “My desire is only for Crystal. I imagine her pregnant with my child and the image doesn’t send a shiver of fear through me like it once did.”
“The very idea of becoming a father would’ve caused my manhood to shrivel at one time, but not now,” Mac confessed.
Trent cocked his head and looked at Mac. “We both love her. Did you think that would ever happen?”
“No, I didn’t,” he admitted. “But if you want to keep our trio intact, then you need to do some serious apologizing.”
“Yeah, that’s what I figured. Got any ideas for me?”
Mac stroked his chin and grinned. “Not really.”
Trent wanted to strangle him. “You’re enjoying this too much.”
Mac chuckled. “
Hey, she might decide we’re both too much damn trouble. I wouldn’t blame her, either.” They were both silent a moment before Mac finally said, “Maybe you should send her a big bunch of flowers, then get on your knees and tell her what a fool you’ve been. Don’t women sort of dig that kind of romantic crap?”
“Am I a fool for loving a woman who would rather see me strung up by my ears?”
“Yes, but men have been making fools of themselves since Adam and Eve. Why stop now?”
“True.” Besides, if she laughed in his face, then he’d think of something else to do to win her back. If he knew one thing about himself, it was that he had a stubborn streak a mile wide. One way or the other he’d get her back.
By the time Crystal and Mollie had arrived at Kinks, she was having some serious second thoughts. “What the hell was I thinking wearing this thing?” Crystal hissed as she and Mollie walked into the club. “I feel like I’m wearing a freaking tube sock.”
Mollie winked as she looked her friend over from head to toe. “Yeah, but you look really hot. He’ll have to drag his tongue off the floor once he gets a load of you. You’ll see.”
Crystal groaned, suddenly not so sure about anything. “And what about you, huh? I didn’t even know you owned a dress like that.”
“I have a wild side, girlfriend. I just don’t let it out to play very often.”
“I can see that.” Crystal looked at Mollie again. The dress she wore was black, strapless, and short enough to stop traffic. She could see Mollie’s cleavage, though she didn’t realize her friend even had cleavage until tonight. Mollie looked sexy and wild with her hair piled on top of her head and little tendrils falling down around her shoulders. With Mollie’s large, almond-shaped eyes and full, ruby-red lips, she could have passed for a gorgeous starlet. Crystal hadn’t realized Mollie could look so incredible.
Not that what Crystal wore was anything less than drop-dead gorgeous. The narrow strip of cream silk that wrapped around her body was the most lethal thing she’d ever worn. It left her feeling exposed, as if she were on display in a department store window. It was disconcerting, to say the least.