“What now?” she said out loud as she went to answer the door.
Nick was standing on her step.
“I almost forgot to give you my card. It has my office number in New York. My assistant can reach me wherever I am, and I have also written my private cell phone down for you, as well as Toby’s and Teddy’s. You know, in case you need to get in touch with us about anything.”
She took the card, her fingers barely touching his. She felt a tremor pass through her body that made her take a step back. Nerves, she thought.
“I doubt that will be necessary. I have the phone number for the maintenance man your aunt kept on call in case of emergencies.”
“Oh, you must be referring to Mr. Wyler. We let him go. He’s pretty old, and he told us he was retiring anyway. You’ll have to contact us if you have any problems.”
“That’s just great,” she muttered.
“Excuse me?” he said innocently.
“Nothing.” She smiled brightly before she shut the door, wishing she had the nerve to slam it in his arrogant face.
Chapter Two
Brianna enjoyed working at the call center. There were always new products to push, and she had learned not to take it personally when some of the potential customers she called were downright rude. She understood they felt she was invading their privacy, but she was making a living, and now that she didn’t have to pay rent, she was saving more money each week. Eventually she hoped to have enough saved so that she could take a couple classes. Her supervisor, Tony, had told her that when she was ready, to let him know, and he would schedule her shifts around her classes.
Tony had been a drug addict too, but he had over ten years’ clean time. He was an inspiration to her. When Amanda had died, he had taken her into the break room and closed the door. He had wanted to be sure she was okay. She assured him she was, and she meant it. If anything, she felt stronger now than she ever had that she would never go back to her dependency on painkillers. She and Tony weren’t close, but she considered him part of her support system.
It had been Annie, her counselor, that she had run to after Amanda’s nephews had given her options, as Nick Richards had put it.
“Amanda wanted you to feel like you had a home and that you were safe. Five years is a long time, and by then you should be moving on anyway. You knew you couldn’t live there forever, right?”
“I knew that, but I didn’t think Amanda was going to die so soon after I got to know her. She understood me. She knew what I was going through. I miss her so much.”
“I know you do,” Annie had said softly. “She had faith in you. Take the kindness and wisdom she gave you, and use it to make you stronger.”
“It has already,” Brianna said tearfully.
That had been the truth then, and now a few months later, she was using Amanda’s words to help her stay calm and not take out a hit on her departed friend’s nephews. It wasn’t like she would do that or even knew anyone like that, but the thought brought a slight smile to her face.
She had worked the midnight shift again making international calls. When she had come home exhausted, all she had wanted to do was curl up in her bed and sleep. However, the workmen were still putting the finishes touches on the new pool, and the construction crew were still renovating the house. Their hammering and sawing were making it impossible to sleep. She had even gone out and bought one of those white-noise machines, but it wasn’t able to drown out the noise. Sometimes it sounded like they were right outside her bedroom window.
She had lost count of the times she had looked at Nick Richards’s business card, wanting to call him in hopes she would wake him out of a sound sleep. But each time she started to dial his number, she stopped herself. She wouldn’t give. It would serve no purpose other than to give them the satisfaction of knowing they were bothering her.
Finally she drifted off into a restless sleep. When she opened her eyes, it was dark, and the pounding had stopped. She was surprised at how many hours she had slept. She pulled herself out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. When she returned to her bedroom, she parted the curtains to the window that gave her a full view of the big house and now the pool.
The outside lights were on. She could see they had filled the pool and even placed patio furniture around it. She had to admit, it looked pretty. The pool was Olympic size, with a diving board, and there was a smaller pool that she surmised must be a Jacuzzi. The lights shimmered off the water, making it look very inviting. She peered closer and was surprised to see that the contractor’s equipment was gone. Could they finally be finished?
She decided to take a quick shower before she headed out to a meeting. She knew how important it was to make as many each week as she could. She did share on occasion, but she did more listening now and gave support to those recovering addicts that were struggling with their journey to stay clean. Helping others gave her a great deal of satisfaction and only served to strengthen her resolve to someday be able to give back on a much higher level. Annie was happy with her progress and had even cut down her counseling sessions to every other week.
She had talked to Annie about what had now become her dream of becoming a drug and alcohol counselor. She almost had a year clean now, and there was a college nearby that offered a degree program. She knew it would take time, but it was a goal she was determined to eventually achieve. Annie was supportive and told her she would do whatever she could to help her.
When Brianna arrived at the meeting, she immediately poured herself a cup of coffee before taking a seat in one of the aluminum chairs that had been set up in the basement of the church. She looked around and smiled as she saw some familiar faces. The leader of the meeting began with a prayer, not to a specific god, but to a higher power. She closed her eyes and let the serenity that was hers for the taking wash over her. By the end of the meeting, she knew she wanted to personally speak to one of the young women who had shared with the group. She hadn’t seen her there before.
“Hi. My name’s Brianna. I was touched by what you said, Megan. I wanted to tell you that I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. I guess I really unloaded a lot of shit. Sorry.”
“There’s no sorry here. You needed to talk, and we needed to hear you.”
They talked for a few more minutes, and Brianna gave her a hug before she went and talked to some of the regulars. She wanted to say more to Megan, but she also knew that coming on too strong would only push Megan away. She hoped she saw her there again.
When she returned home, it was late, and she knew she should try to get some sleep. She had a morning shift, and she didn’t want to oversleep, not that she ever did, but it was a constant fear since her schedule was constantly changing.
She pulled on a T-shirt and short jersey shorts and was going to go downstairs and watch television, when she glimpsed the pool from her window. She had told Nick she wasn’t much of a swimmer, but for some reason she had lied, maybe because she had been angry with him and his brothers. In high school she had been on the swim team. She had been happy and carefree then.
The pool seemed to be beckoning her. She knew she shouldn’t, but no one was around, and she hadn’t been swimming in years. She put on a pair of flip-flops and walked out of the house and toward the pool. She stuck her toe in, and although the water was cool, it wasn’t cold. Before she lost her nerve, she slipped off her shorts and T-shirt. She couldn’t believe she was doing this, but before she could change her mind, she dove into the water. Initially her body was shocked, but she recovered quickly and began to swim laps. She kept it up until she was too tired to continue. It was exhilarating.
She hung on to the side of the pool to catch her breath, thinking there was a time she could have done twice or three times the number of laps she had just struggled to do.
“And you said you weren’t much for swimming,” a familiar male voice said from above her.
“What are you doing here?” she scream
ed, losing her grip on the side of the pool. When she came up sputtering, Nick Richards was laughing at her
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said insincerely, bending down on his haunches so he was almost eye level with her.
“Why don’t I believe you?” she gasped, both angry and mortified that she not only got caught swimming in this man’s pool but that she was naked.
“I brought you a towel,” he said calmly, his eyes roving downward to her breasts that were barely covered by the water.
“Just give it to me.”
“You didn’t say please.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No. I’m not. I’ll be over there in the chair with the towel when you’re ready to say please.”
“You’re not a gentleman,” she yelled at his retreating back.
“May I remind you,” he said sitting down, “that you’re the one swimming naked in my pool.”
“You said I could use it whenever I wanted.”
“I did. And I’m even offering you a towel. Your T-shirt and shorts are here on the table too.”
“Will you please bring me the towel and my clothes?” she asked sweetly but without sincerity.
“You know,” he said leaning back in his chair, “that was the lamest please I’ve ever heard. For that, you’ll have to come get them.”
“You bastard,” she said glaring at him.
She could just swim to the other end, get out, and run to the carriage house. However, he was throwing down the gauntlet, and for some reason she didn’t want him to think she was afraid of him. Not that she was, but a warning voice went off in her head that maybe she should be.
Her pride won out as she lifted herself out of the water and onto the side of the pool. She could see the goose bumps on her body as the air hit her. She began to shiver. Without looking at him, she walked to where he was sitting and held out her hand for the towel he was holding.
“Please, may I have the towel?”
“Sure,” he said.
But instead of handing it to her, he stood up and wrapped it around her body, bringing her closer to him.
“You’re quite beautiful, Brianna. Your breasts are magnificent. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a woman with such long, hard nipples. And those eyelashes with droplets of water still hanging on to them…are they real?”
She jerked away from him, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible, as she wrapped the towel around her body. “Stop it this minute. Don’t try to intimidate me,” she said sharply, knowing that was exactly what he was doing to her. “I’m not moving.”
“You know, I’m thinking that you living in the carriage house might not be such a bad thing after all. And now that I know you like to swim naked,” he said and laughed, “I think I’m going to really enjoy having you for a neighbor.”
“Well, think again,” she said, her eyes flashing. “I won’t be using your pool ever again.”
“No? That’s disappointing.”
“Now if you’ll excuse me,” she said brushing by him to reach her clothes, “I’ll be going. I’ll make sure your towel is returned after I wash it.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said, quickly blocking her from her clothes. “I don’t want you to wash it and return it. Just give it back to me now. You can put on your clothes while I watch.”
“Are you for real?”
“Very real, I assure you,” he said gruffly, drawing her eyes to his hand that had inched downward to the bulge in his pants.
“You’re disgusting,” she choked out, trying to get around him to her clothes.
“You’re quick, but I’m quicker,” he said grabbing her towel, which he tore off her with one tug.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. This game he was playing was quickly becoming something more, and she wasn’t sure she was prepared for where it was headed.
“I’m sorry,” she said, not moving to even cover herself, although she wanted to badly. “I shouldn’t have used your pool. Please stop this and let me leave.”
“Relax, Brianna. I like my women willing, and believe me, they always are.”
Feeling more confident that he wasn’t about to jump her, she said, “I’m not one of your women, and I never will be, so if you’ll move, I’ll get dressed.”
“As you wish,” he said, sitting back down in the chair, his eyes traveling over her naked body with what she could see was desire.
She grabbed her T-shirt and pulled it down over her ample breasts and slipped on her shorts as quickly as she could. Without a word, she turned and walked away from him.
“Please do use the pool anytime,” he yelled after her. “Now that I know what every inch of that delectable body of yours looks like, there’s no reason to be shy.”
She didn’t run but kept walking and didn’t stop until she was in her house with the door locked behind her. She had known Nick Richards was an arrogant man, but until tonight she had no idea just what a bastard he could be, and she knew if she were smart, she’d start looking for a new place to live tomorrow. How he would love that.
She climbed the stairs to her bedroom and made sure the blinds were drawn on every window. However, before she had lowered the blinds completely on the window toward the big house, she could see Nick was still sitting in the same chair at the pool, and he was looking right her. She could have sworn he was laughing before she quickly drew the blinds closed.
Pulling off her T-shirt and shorts, she went into the bathroom. The full-length mirror on the door made her pause. She hadn’t looked at herself completely naked since she couldn’t remember when. She had avoided it because it brought back memories of a time when being naked in front of a man hadn’t bothered her at all. Malcom had been a prick, and he had used her addiction for painkillers to keep her close to him when there was nothing left between them. He had been her doctor, and she had trusted him.
He had loved her body and told her she could have been a Playboy centerfold. She had thought he loved her, but she had found out too late that he only loved himself and was using her body for his own selfish needs. He had wanted her for sex and to show off at parties. One night when his very rich wife had shown up at their apartment when he was working clinical, she had been forced to admit she didn’t know the man who had become her lover at all. When she confronted him about being married, he had laughed at her and told her she would never be able to leave him. She needed him and the drugs he provided. He had been right at first, but somehow she had found the strength to leave him even though it almost killed her.
Nick Richards might not be married, but he was in love with himself. She was attracted to him, but she’d get over it. She had no choice. All he wanted was to fuck her for his own pleasure. She hated that just the thought of him fucking her had made her body hot and her pussy wet. Turning from the mirror, she tried to squelch her unwanted desire for Nick with the mantra that she began repeating over and over in her head: I’m a strong and independent woman who doesn’t need anything or anyone to make me whole.
Crawling into bed, she prayed for sleep. An hour later, she was still awake. Damn Nick Richards for making her feel what she never wanted to feel again. Desire was powerful and could be every bit as addicting as a drug. And right now, her body was craving a man with dark curly hair and blue eyes that wanted her in his bed.
Chapter Three
“Hey, Nick. A penny for your thoughts.”
Nick looked up to see his brother Toby standing in the doorway to the study that had once been his aunt’s music room. Toby sauntered in and sat down in the chair across from his desk.
“Something wrong?”
Turning around in his seat and away from the French doors that gave him an unobstructed view of the pool and beyond that the carriage house, he shook his head, trying to shake free the image that had haunted him day and night since he had watched Brianna swimming naked. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her when she lifted herself from the pool and forc
ed herself to walk naked to him to with pride in every step. Even now all he could think about was how badly he wanted to sink his cock so deep inside her she would break apart in his arms with an orgasm she would never forget.
Clearing his throat, he said, “No. There’s nothing wrong. I was just thinking about something, that’s all.”
“Care to share it?” Toby asked.
He was about to say no when he caught himself. Why shouldn’t he tell Toby about Brianna skinny-dipping in their pool? He and his brothers had no secrets, especially when it came to women.
“Actually I was thinking about Brianna.”
“Our prickly neighbor?”
Nick laughed. “I guess you could call her prickly. However, the last time I saw her, she was naked and full of goose bumps.”
“Holy shit!” Toby leaned over the desk with a sly smile on his face. “And when exactly was that? I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on us.”
“It was the night before last. You and Teddy were still in Boston. I caught her swimming in our pool without a stitch of clothes on. She thought she was alone.”
Toby waited a few seconds. “And…then what happened?”
“I surprised her to say the least. And then I took her clothes and a towel that I brought from the house and told her to come and get them. I thought she would stay in the pool or run home, but to my surprise and delight, she didn’t.”
“And here I thought she was a bit of prude as well as being prickly.”
“She’s not a prude, but she wasn’t happy.”
“Did you eventually fuck her?”
“Nothing like getting right to the point,” Nick said knowing Toby had never been one to dance around a subject. “No. She was quite angry with me. Having a night of wild sex was the last thing on her mind.”
“But you wanted her. I had a feeling she would look good naked.”
“The description of ‘built like a brick shithouse’ comes to mind. She’s one beautiful, sexy woman even when she’s mad.”
The Power of Her Submission (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2