Pants On Fire

by Lacey Black

  I glance over at Bridget, who’s wearing a cat that ate the canary grin as she sips her champagne. Her husband whispers something in her ear, making her smile widely and nod. I probably don’t even want to know what he said, so I just give her a wink and reach for Cricket’s purse.

  “We’re going to head out,” Cricket says casually, her friends giggling.

  “I bet,” Jenna replies, standing up and giving Cricket a hug. It’s the first time I realize Danny and Ellen aren’t at the table.

  I shake hands with the two husbands and give friendly hugs to Jenna and Bridget. We all make plans to sit together tomorrow morning at brunch before waving goodbye and heading toward the exit.

  “I’m going to use the restroom quickly,” she says, leaning up on her tiptoes and kissing my cheek.

  I smile like the smug son of a bitch that I am as she walks to the nearest ladies’ room. There are a handful of people milling around the hallway as the music inside starts to kick up a few notches. Any other night, I’d stay and find a few more classmates to catch up with, but tonight? No, tonight is all about Cricket and the things I want to do to her body.

  Dirty, dirty things.

  Over and over again.

  “I didn’t realize sparkles was your thing.” I already know who’s standing behind me before I even turn around. Danny’s holding a glass with amber liquid, his eyes a little glassy, and the strong stench of alcohol seeping from his breath.

  I glance down at the little sparkly clutch in my hand. “Oh this? Yeah, I’ve had it for years. Black goes with everything,” I tease, smiling over at my old friend.

  He doesn’t smile back, however, as he sips his drink. “You two seemed awfully cozy out on the dance floor.”

  “Yeah?” I rock back on my heels, trying not to fidget too much under his scrutiny.

  “Yeah. I have to say, I was a little ticked off when I found out you two were fucking. I mean, you’re my best friend, right? And now you’re fucking my girl.”

  I turn to fully face the man who’d been my good friend way back when, guilt spiraling through my entire body. “First off, she’s not your girl anymore. She hasn’t been your girl in more than ten years. You left her, remember? The text when you were how many states away already?”

  Danny rolls his eyes. “Semantics. Besides, just because we weren’t together then, doesn’t mean we won’t make our way back to each other now.”

  I stand up straight.

  “Yeah, did she tell you she’s interviewing with my station in LA? They want us to work together. I’m pretty sure she won’t be able to turn away from the offer they’ve prepared, which will keep her in California. With me. And you’re, where again? Kentucky?”

  “Tennessee,” I reply, my stomach dropping down to my shiny black dress shoes.

  “So far away,” he replies with a tsk.

  My stomach churns as jealousy courses through my body. I’ve known all along Cricket wasn’t mine to keep. She’ll return to California after our time is over. Even dragging it out a few more days isn’t going to quench this thirst I have for her. In fact, it’ll probably make it that much worse. I’m going to send her home in six days, and quite possibly right back to her ex.

  Reality has a dreadfully bitter taste.

  Movement out of the corner of my eye has me turning to the ladies’ room. Cricket walks out, that fucking amazing gold dress hugging her curves and sending my blood southbound to Boner Town. Her eyes meet mine and light up like fireworks on the Fourth of July, and suddenly everything around me just…disappears. Danny and his insistent big mouth. The looming deadline on our time together. Ellen and her wandering hand. It’s all gone, leaving just her and me.

  Together.

  I glance back at my friend and see his eyes so full of regret and longing as he stares at the approaching woman. “I can’t predict the future, Danny. Whatever happens between Cricket and me could change tomorrow, the next day, or a year from now. I’m just enjoying the hell out of spending time with a stunning woman, who wants to spend time with me too. I’m sorry if that hurts you. It was never our intention.”

  “Sure it wasn’t,” he snorts, taking another sip of his liquor.

  I guess, in a way, he’s right. It was Cricket’s intention when she told him we were dating. Maybe not to hurt him, exactly, but she wasn’t being honest. There was nothing between us until she told him we were dating and jumped into my arms. From that second on, I was helpless to stop this freight train, even though we’ve both had ample opportunities to end the lie.

  The truth is: I didn’t want to end the lie. The prospect of Cricket being mine was more appealing than confessing our sins. Danny and I haven’t actually spoken in nearly two years. It’s been even longer since we’ve seen each other. When my dad died, I texted him to let him know. It took him two days to reply, and even then, it was a quick sorry. He hasn’t initiated a conversation between us since he left. It’s always been me to call or text or send an email. When he left Cricket, he, in essence, left me too.

  He’s been a shitty friend.

  And I’m just now realizing it. In fact, there hasn’t even really been a friendship since college, at least not one that I’d consider a friendship. There was sporadic communication, but that’s it. That realization is both sobering and saddening.

  I glance back to the approaching woman. Her eyes are skeptical as she comes to stand before us, a small grin on her dark lips. “Ready?” she asks, looking from Danny and myself.

  Calmness takes over. I know I have a choice right now between Danny and Cricket, and it’s an easy one. I choose her.

  We were nothing more than friends back in the day, but now, I can see myself falling completely in love with her. Even if every second we’re together leads us toward the end, I’ll savor every single one of those seconds as if they were our last. There are no guarantees in this life, so I’m going to hang on to as many of those moments as I can to last me a lifetime.

  “Ready,” I tell her, taking her hand in my own.

  “It was really good to see you, Danny,” I tell him honestly, because at the end of the day, it was nice to catch up. Our lives took us in different directions. That’s okay. We’ve moved on, our friendship not what it once was. I’ll always wish the best for him, and hope he’d do the same for me.

  Danny sways just a bit as he downs the rest of his booze.

  I take a step closer and whisper, “You have to speak tomorrow at the brunch. Might want to lay off the alcohol a little.”

  He looks up and smirks. “That’s right I do. I get to brag about how fucking successful I am, and how amazing my life is. I’m Danny fucking Ohara.”

  I’m pretty sure that’s the alcohol talking, but then again, it’s Danny and his immeasurable ego. “You are.”

  He slaps me on the back and watches a blonde with a very short black dress and caked-on makeup exit the restroom. “If you’ll excuse me, I think that woman needs to be shown a good time in the supply closet.”

  And then he’s gone, heading over to the woman and kissing her knuckles. Within a few seconds, he has her on the line and is making her laugh. She glances over his shoulder for a second before taking his offered hand and trailing off behind him. Off to the supply closet.

  And that, my friends, is the real Danny Ohara.

  “Well, I guess that answers the whole Ellen question, huh? Everything okay?” Cricket asks as we make our way to the front entrance of the hall.

  I hand over my valet ticket and wrap my arm around her lower back. “Everything is perfect.”

  She smiles that heart-stopping smile. “It is.”

  I want to kiss her, but refrain. I know once I start, I won’t be able to stop until those kisses turn to more and she’s screaming my name in ecstasy, which I’m hoping happens no less than four times tonight. That’s why I keep my lips to myself as we wait for my SUV to be pulled around. My hand, well, that’s another story. I can’t help it if it slowly creeps lower on her hip, my palm cuppi
ng the side of her ass.

  We wait in silence for about five minutes before another couple comes out to the valet stand. They instantly start talking to us about the dinner, Cricket joining the conversation easily. I, on the other hand, am wound like a fucking clock. I smile politely, but don’t engage in the speaking of the words. I can’t. My brain is going a thousand miles a minute.

  Taste her skin.

  Hear her moan.

  Slide inside her wet body.

  Don’t stop until she’s coming.

  And you can imagine what’s going on in my pants, right? It’s no secret I’m wildly attracted to this woman, and the thought of getting naked with her is messing with my brain. As in, it’s not firing correctly. Like a gun that’s misfiring, unable to even think about anything but sex. I haven’t been this crazed since I was thirteen and found out what that thing in my pants was really for.

  Realizing I’m going to embarrass myself if I don’t get my raging hormones under control, I take several deep breaths and close my eyes. The September night is warm against my skin, the air carrying a hint of garlic and marinara from the restaurant across the street.

  “Ready?” Cricket asks.

  When I open my eyes, I see my rental in front of us, the driver holding the passenger door open. “Definitely,” I reply.

  I take her to the door and help her in, passing a ten to the valet attendant for his assistance. We’re both silent as I make my way to our hotel. The vehicle is full of anticipation, desire, and maybe even nerves. The fog gets heavier the closer we get to our destination, the buzz of excitement practically audible. Fortunately, it’s not that far of a drive, and we’re pulling into our valet just a few minutes later.

  I’m out, my key left in the ignition, as I hand the attendant my slip and another folded ten. Seconds later, I’m at her door, holding it open when she shimmies out of the passenger seat. Her dress is hiked up a little, giving me a good view of her thighs. They’re tanned and toned and make my cock weep with joy.

  “My eyes are up here,” she says softly, her voice low and deep.

  When I glance up and find those beautiful green eyes, they’re filled with heat and mischief. My lips can’t take it any longer. I kiss her. Hard and quick. Just enough of a tease to let her know how badly I want to be with her and how crazy her body in that dress is driving me. I take her hand and whisper, “Let’s go.”

  Silently, we walk through the lobby and head for the elevators. There are a few other guests waiting to board, so we fall in line with them and shuffle in slowly when our car arrives. I move her close, her body shielding mine from anyone who may glance down and spot the baseball bat I’m smuggling in my pants. Of course, the vixen that she is, leans back just a little and wiggles her ass against my erection. I have to bite my tongue to keep the groan from slipping out.

  We stop at each floor letting passengers out, until we’re finally arriving on the fourth. Another man gets off before us and heads in the opposite direction. Thank God. She leads us off the elevator, her hand still nestled in mine. The moment the door closes and we’re alone in the hallway, I spin her around and press her against the wall. “You’re driving me crazy,” I tell her, running my lips along the hallow of her throat.

  “God,” she groans. “Me too.”

  “Let’s take this inside.”

  She nods but doesn’t move. She’s still pinned between my body and the wall, her eyes so full of trust and desire. “Inside. Now.”

  I already have my keycard out of my pants pocket when we reach 415. I slip it into door, impatiently waiting on that little light to flash green, and push the door open. The moment we’re inside, she spins around and plasters herself against my chest. Our lips meet in a flurry of hunger and need. She’s moving back, dragging me along until she stops moving altogether.

  I open my eyes and find us in the bathroom, her ass pressed against the vanity. Cricket holds my gaze and reaches down, hiking up the hem of her dress and revealing a very skimpy thong underneath. The very one I had in my hand earlier when I moved her things from her room to mine.

  With my hands under her arms, I lift and set her on the vanity top. Her legs instantly wrap around my waist, drawing me toward her body. Fuck, I can feel the heat from her pussy through that tiny scrap of material, through my suit pants and boxers. My mouth waters for one little taste, though I know one taste will never be enough. I want to dive into an ocean of Cricket and never come up for air.

  “This dress…” I shake my head. “This dress is going to be the death of me,” I say as I caress the soft skin of her shoulder and gently remove the strap of her dress. Before I reveal anything, I glance up and gauge her reaction. Her eyes are watching my movement, following as I lower the side of the dress and expose the top of her strapless bra.

  My tongue burns with the need to taste her skin, so while the left hand lowers the other side of the dress, I caress the exposed swell of her breasts with my lips. The scent of her perfume wraps around me as her chest rises and falls with each breath she takes. When both straps of her dress reach her waist, I pull back just a bit to look at her beauty.

  “You are without a doubt, the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen.”

  She blushes an even deeper shade of pink and gives me a grin. “You should see me without this dress on,” she sasses, throwing a wink my way.

  “Oh, sweetheart, I plan on it.”

  Reaching around, I unhook the clasp at her back and the bra falls away. Her breasts are perfect for my hands as I gather them in my palms and gently cup them. Her nipples are already hard as I roll them between my fingers. Cricket’s head falls back and a gasp of pleasure spills from those luscious lips.

  My mouth doesn’t want my hands to have all the fun. Bending down, I suck one nipple into my mouth, running my tongue around the hard nub and drawing it farther into my mouth. She wiggles, pressing her chest out and resting her hands back on the counter. I pinch the other nipple between my fingers, drawing out another long moan. I cover it with my mouth and lavish it with the same attention I gave the first.

  “You’re wearing entirely too many clothes,” she says, reaching for my tie.

  I kiss between her breasts, running my tongue all the way down the valley between them. “If I take off my clothes, then this will be over before I’m ready. My clothes are the only thing keeping me from ravishing you right now.”

  Cricket pulls on the necktie. “What if I want you to ravish me? What if I don’t want slow and nice.”

  My balls start to throb. “What do you want?”

  Her fiery eyes gaze up at mine. Her lips are partly open. Her legs tighten around my waist, and her pelvis gyrates against me. “I want you to fuck me, Rueben. Not slow. Not easy. Not this first time.”

  “The first time?” I ask, the corner of my lip turning upward.

  “The first time,” she confirms. She runs her hands up the tie loosening it. “Something tells me you’re a guy good for a few rounds.”

  I can’t help but smile. “You’re going to be worn out and sore by the time I’m through with you,” I tell her, ripping off my necktie and tossing it on the floor. Her fingers are already working the buttons on my dress shirt, so I unclip my cuff links and toss them on the counter.

  Nimble fingers practically claw at my belt, frantically trying to get it undone to lower my pants. I reach for my wallet, praying I still have that condom in there. It might have been almost a year since my last relationship, but not so long ago I have to worry about the rubber going bad. I’m pleased to find two condoms stuck in there. I guess the Gods of Random Sex With Your Friend were looking out for me this weekend.

  “You know, I woke up this morning with this pressed against my ass,” she says, reaching behind my zipper and cupping my cock. “I could feel how long and hard it was, and all I could think about was finding out exactly what it looked like.” She takes my dick in her hands and squeezes. “And felt like.” She strokes it. “And tastes like.”

 
I can feel precum dripping from the end. There’s no way I’m going to last, not with her hands on me. Ripping open the condom wrapper, Cricket pushes on my pants and boxers, sliding them down my hips. They gather at my knees, but I ignore them. Instead, I focus on the strip of material blocking the Promised Land. My fingers slide along the wet panties, gently moving them to the side and stroking her soft, bare flesh.

  “You particularly fond of these?” I ask as I push a finger into her body. It’s wet and warm and makes my blood hum with anticipation.

  “The panties? No.”

  With my other hand I grab the thin material and give it a tug. It’s not as easy as you’d think, but I manage to rip the lace off one hip and sliding the mangled material down the other leg. “They had to go.”

  She nods in agreement. “Definitely.”

  Cricket hikes her leg up on the vanity, and it’s the first time I realize she’s still wearing those heels. I grab the condom and slide it down my length. She reaches down and gently touches herself, her long finger sliding easily through the wet, swollen flesh. My brain practically explodes as I watch her move a single finger down her clit, disappearing altogether into the place my finger just was.

  “Fuck,” I groan, my eyes riveted on her movements.

  “Yes, please,” she replies, removing her finger and spreading her thighs even farther. She scoots until her ass is nearly hanging off the counter. I reach down and grab her ass, angling her pussy upward. Her legs hitch high on my sides, the bite of her shoes dig into my flesh, but I ignore it. My cock is so fucking hard, it doesn’t move very easily as I line it up with her body.

  Gazing down at where we’re about to join, I revel in the pure beauty of this moment. This incredible woman is giving me her body, giving me her pleasure. It’s all I can do not to weep in joy. Instead, my eyes find hers and I gently push forward. Her body is tight, like a warm glove wrapping around my cock, and I make little thrusts as she adjusts. It doesn’t take long before I’m fully seated inside her, my blood boiling with need, the tornado of desire forming in my stomach.