Now or Never

by Nyora René

  “Sounds good. let me know if the restaurant is any good, I’ve been thinking of going there since it opened a few months ago,” Ruby said.

  “What are you going to wear?” Amethyst asked her.

  “I was thinking about the Hervé Léger one-shoulder red dress that Ruby bought me for my birthday. I haven’t worn it yet, and this seems like the perfect time to wear it,” Crystal said, sitting back on a sigh. She was fat full and ready to go to sleep.

  “That would be a perfect choice, especially with your body. Your curves are more pronounced now that you’ve taken to working out with Brendon,” Amethyst complimented, making Crystal smile.

  “He’s a taskmaster when we train. I’m kind of dreading tomorrow because I didn’t work out once while in Costa Rica.” Crystal bit the bottom corner of her lip.

  “Taskmaster, huh? I wonder if those kinds of people are like that in the bedroom,” Amethyst said, a faraway look in her eyes.

  Crystal sat taller. “You have anything you want to tell us, sis? Who are you thinking of?”

  Amethyst shook her head and cleared her throat. “Nobody…what shoes are you pairing the dress with? I think your black bow tie crystal Aquazzura heels would be the perfect shoe for that dress.”

  Jade straightened from the pillows behind her. “Yaaaassss! Those shoes are fire and perfect for that dress. Very understated until you turn around and see the bling. Plus the height of the heel will have your ass sitting high and your thigh muscles flexing when you walk. Dudes love that shit.”

  Ruby rolled her eyes. “Despite Jade’s potty mouth, she’s spot on about those shoes and the way they enhance your attributes. They won’t compete with the dress. The whole look is understated. It’s your body that will take the outfit from demure to sexy. I’d say straighten your hair—”

  Amethyst’s eyes widened. “Ohhh, put some of those Veronica Lake curls in with your hair swept to the side, exposing your bare shoulder—”

  “With a nice dangling earring, something to call attention to your shoulder and the curve of your neck. You want him to be intrigued the moment he sees you. I’d suggest having your back to the entrance to keep the air of mystery, so that first image of you sparks his attention,” Ruby finished.

  Throughout all of her sisters’ comments, Crystal nodded, an image forming in her mind’s eye. “The dangling earrings…I just bought a pair of dangling diamond earrings set in white gold a couple of weeks ago, and he hasn’t seen them yet. I could do that, but no necklace. Between the hair and the earrings and the neckline of the dress, a necklace isn’t necessary. A simple tennis bracelet should suffice.”

  All three of her sisters nodded in approval. After answering a few questions about her trip, Crystal disconnected the call. Gathering the remains of her meal, she dumped everything in the trash and took the bag out of the can and placed it in the big trash can that she kept in her garage. She couldn’t have the container outside because of HOA rules, so she kept it on the far side of the garage and only brought it out on trash day.

  Walking back into her kitchen, she grabbed her all-purpose bleach cleaner and wiped down the table, ridding the room of the seafood smell. Once the kitchen was back to its previously clean state, Crystal washed her hands in the half bathroom, then went to her bedroom. Plugging her phone in, she pulled back her comforter and slid between the cool sheets, spreading her arms and legs like she was making a snow angel.

  Smiling, she grabbed her phone and shot off a text message to Brendon.

  Crystal: I’m turning in for the night, but I just wanted to thank you again for the seafood boil. It was exactly what I needed. You’re the best!

  “Alexa, turn off master bedroom lights and turn on air,” she said, snuggling into one pillow as she wrapped her arms around another, the comforter pulled up to her chin. Her lights turned off and the air conditioning turned on.

  Her phone screen lit up the room from an incoming text. Freeing one arm from the warmth of her comforter, she picked up the phone and read the message.

  Brendon: You’re welcome. Get some rest, you’ll need it for tomorrow’s workout since I know you didn’t do anything in CR, slacker. Sweet dreams.

  Crystal groaned and placed the phone down, equal parts dreading and anticipating seeing Brendon tomorrow.

  “Come on Crystal, one more!” Brendon shouted across the empty gym.

  “ I’m…ti…tired…” she huffed as she raised her hands over her head, trying to catch her breath. That week off in Costa Rica was coming back to bite her in the ass.

  “Should’ve thought about that when you took a week off of training to party,” Brendon said, shrugging his broad shoulders in the Nike Dri-FIT black fitted shirt he wore.

  Crystal glared at him. “I was working, too.”

  “If you can say all of that, you have enough energy to give me one more rep, let’s go!” he barked out.

  She rolled her eyes but walked to the line and took off at a sprint, flying across the hardwood floor. Once she reached the goal, she immediately picked up the heavy ropes and rapidly lifted and lowered them as if she were guiding the reins of a horse. When he blew his whistle after thirty seconds, she dropped the ropes and sprinted back to where she started.

  Brendon walked over to where she stood, chest heaving and sweat dripping down her face. He handed her a towel and bent to grab her water bottle, handing it to her. “Good job, baby girl,” he told her, leaning against the wall in front of her.

  Crystal looked at him, cataloguing every feature of his body, from his toasted almond skin to the pecs prominently displayed by his shirt, to his trim waist and muscular calves. His body was drool worthy and her mouth was definitely watering.

  Draping the towel around her neck so that the ends covered her suddenly puckered nipples in her sports bra top, Crystal extended her arms out until they rested on either side of his waist as she stretched her calf muscles.

  “You gave any more thought to letting me set you up on a blind date?” she asked as she dropped to the floor, stretching her legs in front of her and bending to touch her toes.

  “Why should I let you hook me up with one of your friends? I’ve already met most of them, and I haven’t been impressed, especially with the ones you just spent the past week with,” he said, bending over and placing his hands on her shoulders to push her forward so that her torso lay flat against her thighs encased in black workout leggings.

  Crystal closed her eyes, enjoying his hands on her shoulders, which were bare due to the black sports bra she wore.

  “The friend I want to hook you up with, you haven’t met yet. You’ll like her. If I’m wrong, I’ll let you set me up on a blind date with one of your friends,” she said, sitting up and regretting his hands sliding away from her body.

  She stood to face him, arching her eyebrow, as she patiently waited for him to respond.

  He shook his head. “No way in hell would I hook you up with any of my friends. They only want one thing, and I’d hate to have to beat their ass for treating you like they treat their other women.”

  She propped her hands on her waist. “Yet you have the nerve to critique my friends. Whatever, I’ll owe you. Come on, B,” she cajoled, batting her eyes at him and placing her hands on his waist. He never denied her when she batted her long lashes at him.

  And he didn’t deny her this time. “You’ll owe me if I don’t like this date. I’m serious, Crys.”

  She smiled and gave him an overenthusiastic hug, plastering her sweaty body against his hard, muscular one. He returned her hug, their embrace lasting a touch too long.

  Pulling away, she cleared her throat and smoothed shaky hands down the sides of her legs. “So…um, yeah. Friday night at seven?”

  Brendon narrowed his eyes. “That’s tomorrow. How do you know ole girl will be available? Did you already set this up? I swear, Crys—”

  “I didn’t set it up. I made plans with her, so I know she’s available. I’ll explain the situation and reschedule with
her, while you two go on a date,” she said, looking at him.

  He ran a hand over his head, then crossed his arms, legs slightly spread apart. “You already told her about me? I don’t know anything about her. What’s her name?”

  Crystal chuckled nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. “I just told her the basics, calm down. Be at Dean’s tomorrow night at seven. I’ll tell her to wear a red dress. You’ll know her when you see her.”

  Brendon narrowed his eyes , but she smiled back, fluttering her lashes again until he gave in.

  “Fine, but you owe me, and I do plan on collecting,” he told her.

  She raised an eyebrow. “I thought I owed you if you didn’t like the date,” she said, walking over to grab her gym bag with him following.

  “I changed the rules. You’ll owe me just for agreeing,” he said once they started walking to his office where he grabbed his own bag. They headed towards the exit, and he locked up the gym.

  Crystal shivered as a cool breeze puckered her nipples and goosebumps peppered her skin. When she looked over at Brendon, she noted his attention was focused on her breasts. She cleared her throat and he jerked his gaze up, a slight flush staining his cheeks.

  “Tomorrow at seven. I’ll let her know,” she said quietly.

  Brendon hesitated, and she wondered if he was going to back out, but then he nodded his head. He walked her to her pearl white Cadillac Escalade, last year’s birthday gift from him.

  “Call me when you get home so that I’ll know you made it safely.”

  “Will do,” she murmured.

  Once she pulled off, she let out a big sigh. Pressing the talk button on her steering wheel, she waited until prompted. “Call Prince Eric,” she said

  “Hey girl, what’s up?” a soft feminine voice said.

  “Tomorrow night’s a go,” she told her.

  “Yes! Okay, let’s…”

  Crystal listened as she drove home, already planning to spend tomorrow pampering herself. She and Jade made a checklist of things that needed to be done before her big date tomorrow.

  9

  Brendon walked into Dean’s, heading to the hostess stand. Following the directions Crystal gave him, he told the hostess his name and was immediately taken to his table.

  As he neared the table, his steps faltered, and a feeling of familiarity came over him as he watched the lone figure in a red dress, seated with her back to him. The lady’s hair was loosely curled and swept over one shoulder, a long dangling earring brushing her bare honey shoulder.

  “Crystal?” he asked, eyes bulging as he rounded the table and faced her.

  A smile graced her full lips and she glanced at him with those hazel eyes that never failed to draw his attention to her beautiful face.

  “Surprise!” she said, her husky voice drifting over his body and igniting an inferno.

  He sat down, dumbfounded. “Wha…”

  “March thirtieth…Crystal walked into my gym in a coral sports bra and legging workout set, and my eyes damn near bugged out. She looked good as hell. Ass plump, breasts sitting high…my fantasy come to life. I had to restrain myself from choking the shit out of my assistant manager because he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her ass, but who could blame him? Her ass was a thing of beauty. My attraction to her—”

  “Is becoming a problem,” he finished. She’d read an entry from his private journal.

  “All this time, why haven’t you said anything?” she asked him quietly.

  Brendon sat, taking in the picture she made with the soft lighting from the restaurant giving her skin a beautiful glow. One thought was in his mind…

  It’s now or never.

  “How do you tell your best friend that you no longer see her as just a friend? I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. Why are you here?” he asked, eyes glued to Crystal’s face, needing to see her as she responded to his question.

  “I’ve had feelings for you since high school, B. All these years I thought you saw me as your buddy. Lately, I thought you might have seen me as more, but I wasn’t positive and didn’t want to rock the boat…then I saw your journal, which was an accident by the way. I was looking for—”

  “You don’t owe me an apology, especially since the end result is us finally being honest with each other,” he said.

  As Crystal had talked, his heart rate had increased steadily. He knew she had a crush on him in high school, but he thought she’d gotten over it once he left for college.

  She nodded her head at him and fidgeted in her seat, clasping and unclasping her hands on the table. He reached over and placed one of his hands over hers, and lightning raced through his body. Her gasp and dazed eyes confirmed that she felt the spark between them too.

  “What do you say we get out of here and go somewhere more private to talk,” he said quietly, caressing her hands.

  “We just got here…” she said.

  He raised an eyebrow. “And? Can you honestly say that you’re hungry and will be able to have the conversation that we need to have here?”

  Crystal swallowed and he traced the movement with his eyes. “N-no. I just thought that I—us getting away—would help us have an honest discussion.”

  It was his turn to nod his head. “I appreciate that, but there are some things that I need to say, that we need privacy for. I’m assuming you read more than just that entry in my journal?” he queried.

  “Yes, I must say I was surprised…and aroused,” she said, taking a sip of the water in front of her.

  Brendon shifted in his seat, his erection taking shape listening to her talk about getting aroused. “And you’ll be drenched by the time I’m done with what I have to say. Trust me, we need privacy for what I need to say…and do.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, and he was relieved.

  He’d order some food and have it delivered by the time they reached his home.

  Standing, he pulled her chair backwards, allowing her to stand. He waited while she grabbed her purse and put her phone inside. Placing his hand low on her back, he guided her to the entrance of the restaurant, smiling inwardly as she shivered when he caressed the small of her back just above where her ass was sitting high and nice in that clingy dress.

  “We won’t be staying, an emergency has come up,” he told the hostess, pulling out his wallet and handing her a Benjamin. “Sorry for your troubles.”

  He ushered Crystal out of the restaurant and towards the valet stand. They handed the attendant their tickets and waited patiently while their vehicles were retrieved. As they waited, Brendon pulled Crystal to stand in front of him, moving her until her backside brushed against his erection. He muffled a groan in her hair, sliding his arms up and down hers as goosebumps broke over her flesh.

  He kissed her bare shoulder as she entwined their hands and he wrapped them around her. Swaying slightly from side to side, they were lost in their own little world, neither saying anything. He gently nipped her earlobe, which caused her to gasp and shudder. Now that he knew she felt the same way that he did, he found it difficult to keep his mouth and hands to himself. Only when Crystal released another moan, drawing the attention of the valet attendant, did he remove his mouth from her body.

  Once their cars pulled up, he turned her to face him, dropping a too brief kiss on her lips. “Follow me back to my house and drive safely,” he told her, patting her on her ass.

  After she got inside her vehicle, he strode hurriedly to his, quickly putting his seatbelt on and pulling in front of her Escalade. He looked in his rearview mirror to see her following him and nodded. A smile eclipsed his lips until a full-bodied laugh escaped. The freedom he felt from finally confessing how he felt and knowing she felt the same was indescribable.

  Brendon used his Bluetooth to call Crystal’s favorite restaurant and ordered them meals to be delivered to his house. They assured him the food would be delivered in thirty minutes, which was just enough time for them to get back into town and to his home. He then called the
security booth at the entrance to his subdivision to let them know he was expecting a delivery, and gave the officer the name of the restaurant that was delivering. He didn’t want to have to make any stops, but he needed them both to be well fed.

  For what he had planned, they’d need the energy.

  10

  Brendon pulled into his driveway and pressed the button to open his garage doors so both of them could park in the garage. When he’d first bought his home, he’d gone with a spacious three car garage to house his Denali and his Audi R8. The third bay was used for Crystal’s car whenever she came by since she hated leaving her car parked in the driveway.

  Crystal pulled into the spot next to him and both exited their vehicles. He walked over to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her curves into his body. For long moments, neither of them moved, content to stare into each other’s eyes.

  “Are we really doing this?” Crystal asked, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his.

  His arms dropped lower on her waist until his hands rode the curves of her ass. Being this close to her, while acknowledging the sexual tension between them, was heaven on his senses.

  “Define ‘this,’” he whispered, tilting his head to nip her ear, grinning at her shiver.

  “You, me, pursuing…what exactly?” she asked, moving away from him.

  The coldness that replaced her heat was an unwelcomed sensation. Dropping his arms, Brendon grabbed her hand and walked towards the door that led into his mudroom.

  “Let’s have that talk,” he said, shutting off his alarm and pulling her into his living room.

  He sat on the dark grey couch she’d helped him pick out when he moved in. Crystal sat beside him, but she still wasn’t close enough. He lifted her and placed her on his lap, her legs moving to either side of his hips causing her dress to rise dangerously high on her thighs.