by Sam Crescent
When it was time for dinner several hours later she’d written a great deal of the opening of the story. She opened her inbox and quickly typed a letter to her publisher. Sara gave a general outline to see if they’d like the idea of her story. Once she finished, she changed out of her wrinkled clothes and into a denim skirt and black shirt.
Andy stood outside of her door waiting for her.
“How have you been?” he asked.
“Working.”
“I heard.”
She saw he held two cups and another one of her books. “Where were you?”
He pointed to the wall by her bedroom door. “I was waiting. I heard you typing and muttering as you went along.”
“You waited outside my door for me?”
Andy shrugged. “I wanted to.”
He offered her his hand, and together they descended the stairs to the dining room. She was seated next to Dylan, and Andy was placed between her two oldest brothers. Sara scowled at her father but took her seat without argument.
Why was her family trying so desperately to put her with Dylan? She knew he came from a good background and their parents were good friends, but this was ridiculous. Her heart lay with Andy. No matter what her family tried to do she’d be forever devoted to him.
She rubbed her temple when Dylan’s hand stroked her leg.
Grabbing his hand she pushed him away from her.
“Don’t,” she said, muttering to him.
Her feelings for Dylan were starting to turn to hatred.
“So, Andy, what do you think of the books I’ve been leaving you?” Tracy asked. Her sister shot her a wink.
“I really enjoyed them. I’ve been trying to find out the author, but there is nothing about her,” Andy said.
She watched him scoop some potatoes onto his plate and then hand them to her brother. Tracy sniggered.
“The author is sitting right in front of you,” Tracy said.
Sara felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She wasn’t ashamed of what she wrote but couldn’t believe her sister had just told him so brazenly in front of him.
“You wrote that book?” Andy asked.
Nodding her head, she took the bowl from Dylan. She filled her plate with enough food to sink a ship.
“You’re an amazing writer. I can see why you decided to fulfill your dream.”
His foot stroked her ankle under the table. She smiled over at him. “Now you can understand why I encouraged you to open your clubs. Cube is my favorite though.”
He laughed. The joke passed between them.
Her brothers tried to get him to talk more about business, but her mother wasn’t having any of it. Dylan kept his wandering hands to himself. She and Andy stayed with her family until it was time for bed.
She showered and dressed and waited for his knock on her door. Thirty minutes after she heard her parents go to bed Andy rapped on her door.
Running to the door, she shushed him up then pulled him inside. Before she’d closed the door he’d pressed her against the wood and kissed her.
Sara melted against him. His touch ignited a flame inside her.
“I need you,” he said.
Pulling him toward her bed she removed her gown. Their friendship was going to do just fine.
Chapter Eleven
Sunday came, and Andy was never more thankful to see the green of the countryside behind him. Her family was incredibly hard to like. He understood that Sara was the youngest of all of them, but the way they treated her it was like she was still in her mid-teens instead of mid-twenties.
“Go on, we’re away from prying ears and wandering eyes. What did you think of my family?” she asked.
He’d pulled the roof down on his convertible. Sara wore a pair of dark sunglasses and left her hair down. Andy took a quick glance at her before turning his attention back to the road.
“They’re very protective of you,” he said, choosing his words with care.
“I think they’re irritating and make it hard for me to breathe at times. When Tracy went travelling all over Europe our parents reminded her to wear sunblock and a hat. When I suggested travelling they were prepared to order an armed guard to follow me around.” He saw her shake her head in exasperation. “I’m surprised they don’t add extra security at the apartment building I’m staying at.”
Andy wasn’t about to tell her that until she came they’d never had a security guard on the front door. Thinking back, security had been improved in the apartment building when she arrived. He kept his lips firmly closed. Sara was searching for her independence. Her family was merely being supportive—extremely supportive.
“I admit your father is a little scary. I can’t believe he offered me a check.”
“I can. You should be thankful they didn’t do far worse. I’m so grateful for you, Andy. You made this weekend easier.” She placed her hand on top of his on the gear stick. “I wouldn’t have made it through this weekend without you. You’re my rock.”
He chuckled. “I’m pleased I came with you.”
They travelled along the main roads heading back into the city. The anticipation to get her alone was killing him. He wanted a bed and all the time in the world to explore her gorgeous body.
“I was thinking we could go to one of your clubs tonight when we get back,” she said.
“Why?” he asked. She rarely offered to go to one of his clubs.
“You can meet up with your friends and have some fun. I took you away from them, and I feel like dancing. Can I organize a few friends to come with us?” she asked.
He frowned. “I thought all your friends had moved away? I haven’t seen any of your girlfriends in months.”
She blushed. “I, erm … kind of keep them away from you.”
“Why?” He was asking that question a lot just lately.
“I kept them away from you because there was a time when you slept with anything that walked. I never want to have to pick between my girlfriend and you. It would be wrong for me to do so. Besides, you’re mine now.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
God help him, he loved the way she said those words. Possessive women never appealed, but being claimed by Sara held a whole new meaning to it.
“If I’m yours then you’re mine,” he said.
“Well that goes without question. We can own each other.”
He laughed and picked up his speed. “Do you have your eye on one of my friends?” he asked.
“Of course, Travis is simply dreamy.” She chuckled. “No, you big ape. I’ve only got my eye on one man.”
Andy drove to their apartment. He didn’t stop off for food. Champion was sleeping in the back. His dog had spent the whole time either in the garden or in his room. Sara reached in the back to stroke his ears. “I think this weekend wore him out.”
“He’s a lazy dog.”
“He lives with you, so what do you expect? Champion has learned from the best.”
He shook his head containing his smile.
“You’re an excellent writer,” he said, changing the subject. “Your hero reminds me a little of me.” He watched her turn to look out of the window.
“The characters in my books are from my imagination.”
“I can see. We’ve had this argument many times about fiction and fact. For instance, your hero goes and makes a complete fool of himself in front of her entire family to prove his love. No guy would do that even for the woman he loved.”
Andy knew his statement would get her to look at him. The glare she shot his way made him laugh.
“You’ve got the emotional capacity of an—”
“Apple pip. I know. I’m just teasing you. Your writing is perfect, and I wouldn’t change a word you wrote.” He meant every single word.
“You’re going to keep me on my toes.”
“Always.”
She sat back in her seat, and he glanced her way. Her lips were swollen from his kisses. Last night sneaking into her room had be
en amazing. He’d spent the whole night with her asleep in his arms. He’d watched her sleep until the early hours of the morning. Did she know she was the first woman to sleep in his arms?
He drove in silence. The classical music played in the car as they travelled along.
When they got to their apartment he made his way to the underground parking area. Andy parked the car then grabbed the suitcases out of the trunk. Sara held her laptop case and Champion. They made their way up to her floor to drop off her cases. He took Champion from her then made his way to his own floor.
Opening his apartment door he glanced around the room. After spending the last three days inside the house where Sara grew up, he found his small apartment a welcome relief from the everyday hustle and bustle of work.
He opened the doors to let Champion out and to air the apartment. The weekend’s worth of dust got sucked out. He quickly unpacked the few items of clothing. Andy paused when he saw the check lying at the bottom of his case. Sitting on the end of his bed, he looked at the amount made out to him. Her father’s signature was along the bottom.
Champion padded through to his room. He watched his dog sit back on his hind legs staring up at him.
“Can you believe the amount they’re offering for me to get out of their daughter’s life?” He showed the amount to the staring dog. “This amount would pay off my loan and set me up with another few clubs. My entire future would be fixed, and I wouldn’t want for anything.”
Andy let out a sigh looking at the amount. He thought about Sara. His mind played images of her like an endless video. He saw her on the stairs, her face red with embarrassment, with her pile of books all over the place. Andy saw her laughing face, the way they made dinner together and joked over movies or their days.
He saw her dancing at Cube, her body encased in a tight black dress as she looked up at the lead singer. He remembered the jealousy and need he’d felt to keep Sara all to himself.
Staring down at the check he thought about all of his future that could be planned out with the money. It would be easy for him to walk away from Sara and have a future without worry, but the thought of never seeing her again made his heart ache. The hurt in his chest was tangible. He’d held Sara in his arms and watched her come apart.
Walking away from Sara wasn’t an option. He’d never been a man to take the easy way out. He gazed down at the check then tore it in half. Andy kept tearing the check until it fell to the floor in little pieces.
He felt much better for doing so.
His cell phone buzzed, and he saw it was Travis calling him. He took the call and arranged to meet his friends at Cube that night. Andy intended to take Sara out on a date. They’d mingle with his friends, and then he’d bring her back to his apartment. He intended to spend the rest of the night making love to her.
****
Sara leaned against the door. Her heart pounded inside her chest. None of her family had scared him away. She closed her eyes thankful for Andy’s strong reserve. Most of the men she’d gone out on a date with had taken what her family offered, and she never saw them again, so the relationships never went anywhere. When Andy wasn’t around, she’d argued with her brothers and parents, demanding they treat him with some respect. Andy meant the world to her, and she wouldn’t have a problem walking away from them. She understood why other guys had taken the money and never took their abandonment personally. If Andy had taken the check she knew she would have been hurt.
He was different from all the other men. She opened the heavy curtains and started to air the room.
Once she was done, she fired her laptop up to see if her publisher had emailed her. When she checked her email she grabbed her phone and called a couple of her old friends from college. She’d not seen them in a while.
She called Samantha and Tiffany from her college days. They’d been art majors and were fighting in the artistic world to make a stand. They all agreed to meet at Cube that night. When she was finished she called Andy to make sure he was still on for that night. He grumbled about having her all to himself, but she remained firm. They were going out on a date with his friends. She wanted him to dance with her. He’d taken plenty of women out on dates. Now was her time to enjoy in the pleasure of his company.
“Can’t we stay in like the old times?” he asked.
“No, I want you to take me out dancing. If you play your cards right we can do something fun afterward,” she promised.
“You’re going to test me, aren’t you?”
“Yep. Be ready to pick me up at seven.”
He agreed, and then she hung up the phone. She spent the afternoon pampering herself. Sara soaped her body then made sure to shave her legs. Waxing was out of the question. She had tried to wax once before, and the memory was a constant nightmare to her. How women could wax more personal areas was beyond her. No way would wax get anywhere near the apex of her thighs.
She soaped her hair then took the leisurely time to wash and dry her body. Her skin was delicate, and any rushing would make her skin red and puffy. Rummaging through her wardrobe, she found the perfect tight fitting black dress. She had to be careful not to clash with her red hair and always settled on black. Black went with everything.
Next she found a pair of heels to match with a reasonable heel that wouldn’t cause her to embarrass herself while walking.
Women were supposed to be graceful in heels whereas she turned into a bigger klutz when she wore them. Suitable heels were a must in her book.
Sara took some time with her makeup then eased the dress over her body. By the time Andy knocked on her door at seven she was pushing her foot into her heel.
“I’m coming.” She walked to her door satisfied with the way she looked. Her hair was bound on top of her head. She wore a diamond necklace that was a gift from her parents.
Opening the door, he took her breath away. Andy wore a pair of jeans with a crisp white shirt. He dressed simply, but the outcome was dazzling.
“Wow,” they said at the same time.
“You look stunning,” he said. Andy opened his arms, and she went into them willingly.
“I can say the same to you.” She kissed his cheek then wiped the lipstick off.
“Are you sure you want to go out? I’ve got a few tricks I could show you.”
She smiled even though she wanted to moan at the promise in his words. “I’d love to keep you to myself, but I think mingling with others would be ideal.”
Their relationship had changed. There was no mistaking it in the way they touched each other. The heat in their eyes danced between them.
“The guys are meeting us at Cube.”
“And so are the girls.” She grabbed her purse off the counter.
“You don’t need your purse. This night is on me.”
She threw the purse into her apartment and locked the door. Andy took her arm in his. A taxi was waiting for them outside of the apartment block. The security on the door bid them a good evening, and then they were in the back of the taxi that was taking them to his club.
His arms surrounded her filling her with warmth. She locked her fingers with his, staring out at the passing city.
“I love my family, but I’m so thrilled not to be living in the same town as them. They take everything over. It’s probably really awful of me to say when your parents are no longer with you.”
Andy shrugged. “Families are what we make of them. My family was nowhere near as possessive as yours.”
She laughed. “I think that is an understatement of the century.”
They travelled in silence. Sara took in every part of the night life. She couldn’t believe she’d spent most of her nights locked away at her computer desk.
The taxi pulled up outside Cube. The queue to get inside was huge.
“Do we need to queue?” she asked.
He shook his head. “You’re going in with the man that owns the place.”
Andy took her hand leading her inside. The place was ab
uzz with people. The heavy beat of the music filled her ears. Andy wrapped his arm around her waist leading her into the main room.
The way his body pressed against hers made her hot all over. She moved her body against him, and he growled against her ear.
“Stop tempting me,” he said.
Chuckling she glanced over at the bar and saw her friends.
“The guys are here.”
“So are the girls.” She pointed where her friends were standing with his.
“They’re already trying to pick them up.”
She laughed, and together they made their way over to where their friends were standing.
Chapter Twelve
Andy shook hands with each of his friends while Sara hugged her own. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t fail to notice the way his friends eyed her as well. In the tight black dress she wore he saw every delicious curve on display. Not less than twenty-four hours ago he’d been buried deep inside her feeling every curve up close.
Sara handled the introductions while he ordered them a round of drinks. He pulled her close to his side as they all talked. His fingers stroked her hip, feeling she’d not bothered with any underwear. Sara had a teasing side he couldn’t wait to explore.
She smiled up at him. The wicked glint in her eye went straight to his cock. He didn’t know how he was going to survive the night keeping his hands off her. Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind he talked to his friends.
“I’m going to go dance,” Sara said. Her hand touched his arm. The electricity that bounced between them was undeniable. He wanted to chain her to his side and never let go. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. The promise in that one kiss kept him on edge.
“I’ll be here keeping your drinks safe.”
He watched her go with her friends onto the dance floor.
“What did I tell you? He’s seriously whipped,” Travis said.
Turning to his friends he saw the shock on their faces. “What?”
“I would never have believed it possible, but you’ve fallen for her,” Lenny said.
His friends looked from Sara on the dance floor to him.