Hopeless

by Cheryl Douglas

  His voice was raspy when he asked, “Are you in bed?”

  Oh God. His sexy voice was bound to be her undoing. Within seconds he could have her spilling her deepest, darkest secrets. “Yes.”

  “I wish I was there with you, baby.”

  She closed her eyes and tried to think about what it felt like when she was lying in a hospital bed, sick and weak. She had to hold on to that memory if she had any hope of resisting him. “I don’t think we should—”

  “I can still taste your lips on mine. God, you tasted incredible.”

  Her tongue darted out to lick her own lips. “Jay, I—”

  “Let me come over. I need to see you.”

  She turned her head and imagined his big body filling the other side of her double bed. It was too tempting. If she had him once, she’d never be able to get enough. “Uh, not a good idea.”

  “I can’t stop thinking about you, sweetheart.”

  She knew the feeling, but she could never admit it. “We should both get some sleep.”

  “I want to fall asleep with you in my arms, Victoria.”

  A sigh escaped her lips when he said her name. God, this man was irresistible. “You know that’s not possible.”

  “Are you tellin’ me you’ve never thought about what it would be like to make love to me?”

  Only every other minute of every day. “You’re my boss. I can’t. We agreed…”

  “I don’t care.” She could hear his shallow breathing. “Baby, I need you.” His voice sounded so raw, so damn sexy.

  “Please, don’t do this.”

  “Do you know what it did to me, lyin’ in my bed, waitin’ to hear my brother’s goddamn headboard pounding against my wall, knowing he was the one loving you instead of me?”

  Victoria knew Mike and Jay were next-door neighbors, which was the reason she’d refused his offer to go back to his place for a drink after the movie. She was terrified she might run into Jay and he would demand answers she couldn’t give.

  “Did you let him kiss you tonight?”

  How was she supposed to answer that? If she told him they hadn’t kissed, he’d know their relationship was a farce and their cover would be blown, but she couldn’t stand the thought of lying to him either. “I don’t feel comfortable talking to you about this.”

  “Did he kiss you the way I kissed you?” He groaned as though merely asking the question cost him an ounce of pride. “Please tell me he didn’t.”

  She hated what this was doing to him. “No, he didn’t.”

  “Thank God.” He sighed. “I know I’m pushin’ too hard, too damn fast, but I can’t help it. I haven’t felt like this about a woman in… hell, who I am kiddin’? I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I feel like I’ve known you forever.”

  Victoria felt the same way. He was everything she’d never even known she wanted. He was sweet and gentle, but he also had a tough and sexy edge that made her melt. He shared her passion for karate, and he could turn her on with just one kiss. She’d lived long enough to know it didn’t get any better than him. “I think you’re a great guy...”

  “If you’re plannin’ to give me the ‘friends’ speech, I’ve got to warn you, I just might put my fist through the wall.” He chuckled. “With any luck, it’ll connect with my brother’s thick head.”

  She smiled. “I wouldn’t want that. So, I think I’ll just say good night instead. Jay…”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “Thanks for coming to the doctor’s office with me today. You don’t know how much it meant to me.”

  “I think I have some idea. Sweet dreams, angel.”

  “Bye.” She was still sitting there gripping the phone long after he hung up, wondering what might have happened if just this once, she’d acted on impulse and let him come over tonight.

  Jay knew he should put on a happy face for his little sister’s birthday party, but the thought of Victoria being there with his brother had him twisting the doorknob to his father’s house with a fierce scowl on his face. She should be there with him, as his date, not on his brother’s arm, trying to pretend what she was feeling for him was real.

  His father walked up and pulled him into a hug. “Hey, glad you could make it. I know how busy you are with the new studio.”

  He forced a smile. “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. Where’s the birthday girl?”

  “She’s out back.” Josh frowned. “You okay? You don’t seem yourself.”

  “Yeah, I’m good. Just tired, I guess. I’ve been runnin’ like crazy lately.”

  Josh led him into the kitchen. “You really should think about hirin’ an area supervisor to help you manage all the studios, especially if you’re thinkin’ about opening another one next year.”

  “Yeah, I know. I will.”

  Victoria would be perfect for that job. They’d spent the better part of the day discussing their marketing plan and interviewing part-time instructors and it seemed she was born to the task. As he sat behind his desk listening to her question potential employees, he let his mind wander. He imagined what it would be like to have her as his business partner… as his life partner. He’d never dated a woman who was as passionate about martial arts as he was, and the thought of working side-by-side with her, realizing his vision for his business, made him want it all the more.

  “Hey, I hear your brother’s new girlfriend is managing the new studio, huh?”

  Jay turned around, scanning the crowd of family and friends for the woman he’d left mere hours ago, yet missed already. “Victoria’s here?”

  “Yeah, your mother’s got her cornered out on the patio.” Josh laughed. “I think she’s trying to nail down a date for the wedding.”

  “Like hell,” Jay muttered, pushing past his father. He stepped out onto the patio and saw his mother, Victoria, Derek, and Mike standing in the corner talking and laughing. The cozy picture would have been perfect, had he been the man by her side instead of his brother.

  He watched them, trying to resist the urge to pull his brother aside and demand to know what kind of game he was playing with Victoria.

  Trey came up behind him and stood quietly by his side, watching the small group.

  Trey Turner had been one of his father’s best friends for years, and despite his success in country music, he was one of the most down to earth guys Jay had ever met.

  “Hey, man,” Trey said quietly, inclining his head toward the group. “What’s the deal with Mike’s date? Is it serious or what?”

  “I sure as hell hope not.”

  Trey grinned. “It sounds like there’s a story there.”

  “I need a drink.” Jay glanced at the soft drink can in Trey’s hand. He was a recovering alcoholic who had been sober since he reconciled with his wife, Sierra, years ago. “Sorry, man, I didn’t mean—”

  Trey held his hand up. “Believe me, in my line of work, I’m around the stuff all the time. It doesn’t bother me.”

  There was a makeshift bar set up outside, with beer bottles positioned in an ice chest. Jay wasn’t a big drinker, but he sure as hell needed something to take the edge off tonight. He reached for one of the bottles. “How’s Sierra and your gorgeous daughter?”

  Trey smiled. “They’re good.” He looked around the expansive backyard. “They’re around here somewhere.”

  “I saw Alisa the other day. Man, you’re gonna have to keep your shotgun on hand.” Jay wasn’t kidding. Trey and Sierra’s daughter was already stunning.

  Trey rolled his eyes. “Don’t I know it? She says she wants to be a model. Can you believe it?”

  Actually, he could, but given how overprotective Trey was of his little girl, he couldn’t see it happening. Alisa was turning fifteen and Jay knew if her daddy had his way, she wouldn’t be dating until she was thirty. “Let me guess, you’re tryin’ to talk her out of it?” Jay twisted the top off his beer bottle and tossed it in the nearby garbage can.

  “Hell, yeah. Can you blame me?”

/>   “No, I guess not.” Jay wasn’t ready to think about becoming a father. He assumed it would happen someday, but he was in no hurry.

  “Man, you wanna talk about predators and perverts,” Trey said. “And they say the music industry is bad.”

  Victoria finally spotted him and waved her hand in a shy greeting.

  If she was like most of the women he’d dated, she’d be a little star struck tonight. He’d already spotted Ty, Nikki, and the newest addition to Luc’s team, Tori. He never thought of them as multi-platinum selling artists; they were just the people he’d grown up with.

  “Man, she sure is a cutie, ain’t she?” Trey said, grinning at Victoria.

  Jay knew Trey was a happily married man, but it didn’t stop him from experiencing a twinge of jealousy when Victoria looked at Trey with a trace of hero worship in her eyes. “Yeah, too damn good for my brother.”

  “Come on, now. Mike’s a good guy. I don’t have to tell you that.”

  Jay thought his brother was a great guy, until he started moving in on Victoria. Lately, he’d been harboring fantasies about a sparring match that left Mike battered, bloody, and begging for mercy. “He’s been pissin’ me off lately.”

  Trey laughed. “Sure, he has. He’s your brother. It’s the same with me and Marisa. She gets under my skin all the time, but anyone tries to hurt her and you’d better believe they’ll be answerin’ to me.”

  It had always been the same way with him and Mike. They always had each other’s back, which is why Jay couldn’t figure out why he’d started dating Victoria. He knew his brother could be self-absorbed, but he hadn’t exactly made a secret of how he felt about her. Even Mike couldn’t have missed the signs.

  “I get the feelin’ Mike’s not the only one interested in your new employee,” Trey said, bringing his can to his lips to hide his smirk.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You haven’t been able to take your eyes off her since you stepped out here.”

  Jay grimaced. He didn’t realize he’d been that obvious. “Sorry, man. I guess my head is somewhere else tonight.”

  “So tell me, why didn’t you ask her out before your brother had the chance? You obviously met her first.”

  “I don’t date my employees, Trey. It’s just askin’ for trouble, ya know?”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean. But come on, Jay, there are exceptions to every rule.” He smiled. “Nice thing about bein’ the boss, you get to bend the rules whenever you want to.”

  Trey was right. He didn’t give a damn about his stupid self-imposed rules anymore; he just wanted to steal his brother’s place by Victoria’s side before his mother started talking about venues for the wedding. He knew his mother wasn’t quite that bad, but he wasn’t willing to take any chances.

  “Hey, I just thought of somethin’ I need to talk to your brother about. If you’re headin’ over there, you mind tellin’ him I’d like a word with him?”

  Jay smiled. He knew Trey was just trying to pave the way so he could have some time with Victoria. “Sure.”

  Trey extended his hand. “Good luck, kid. Seriously…”

  Jay frowned as he accepted Trey’s hand. “What’re you talkin’ about?”

  “You have the same look on your face I had when I saw Sierra for the first time. It was like I’d been struck by a damn thunderbolt.” He gripped Jay’s shoulder. “I’ve never looked at another woman like that since. When you meet the right one, you just know.” He inclined his head toward Victoria. “Just don’t waste too much time lettin’ her know.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Victoria was trying to listen politely while Ashley humored her with stories of Mike’s childhood, but her gaze kept drifting to Jay. He was standing there talking to a superstar, yet she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Trey Turner could have started serenading her right there in the backyard and she didn’t think she’d notice. In a house full of people, Jay was the only one who drew her attention.

  “I guess we should head back inside,” Ashley said, drawing Victoria’s attention back to the conversation. “I need to talk to Sierra about a benefit we’re working on for the school.”

  “It was really nice meeting you, Mrs. McCall.” She extended her hand to Ashley, who pulled her into a tight embrace.

  “Call me Ashley, and believe me, the pleasure was all mine.” She nudged her son. “After some of the girls my sons have brought home over the years, you’re like a breath of fresh air.”

  “Hey now,” Mike said, raising his finger in warning. “You be nice.”

  Ashley laughed. “This one especially…” She waved a hand in Mike’s direction. “He likes the ones who go along with whatever he wants.” She winked at Victoria. “What he doesn’t realize is that he needs someone like you, who’ll put him in his place now and then.”

  The conversation had flowed easily because she wasn’t trying to impress the McCalls. Mike was her friend, not her boyfriend, and it allowed her to join in on the good-natured teasing that had the big, burly cop blushing like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

  Victoria bumped her hip into Mike’s side. “It would be my pleasure to put your son in his place whenever he gets out of line.”

  Mike put his arm around her neck and pulled her into a hug. “Careful, sugar,” he whispered in her ear. “I just might tell them it’s you who’s steppin’ outta line.”

  She pursed her lips as she swallowed a smart retort. He had her right where he wanted her and they both knew it. “I hope to see y’all again before I leave.”

  Ashley smiled as she squeezed her hand. “You can count on it.”

  “Oh great,” Mike muttered, letting his arm slide down to her waist. “I was hopin’ to avoid her.”

  Victoria’s mouth fell open when she saw who was heading in their direction. Tori Warner. She’d won an internationally televised singing competition four years ago, and Victoria, along with the rest of the world, fell in love with not only her voice, but her quick wit and grace under pressure. She went on to win the competition and had been topping the country and all genre charts ever since.

  “Oh wow,” she whispered. “I can’t believe she’s here.”

  “Yeah, lucky us.”

  Tori was even more beautiful in person than she was on TV, Victoria thought as she watched her approach. She’d never been star-struck before, and she tried to remind herself Tori was just a regular person who happened to have been blessed with an incredible singing voice.

  “Hey, hotshot,” Tori said, grinning up at Mike. “Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your friend?”

  It was obvious to Victoria why Mike didn’t like Tori. She was exactly like she appeared on TV. When most of the contestants were kowtowing to the judges, she’d been respectfully defending everything from her song to wardrobe choices week after week when they continued to challenge her. She claimed she knew who she was as an artist and she wasn’t going to conform for the masses.

  The judges told her she needed to think about her commercial appeal, and she told them she thought the music-buying public was ready for an artist who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it got her into trouble now and again.

  When Mike didn’t appear interested in taking the lead, Victoria extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Victoria Pierce. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tori. I’m a huge fan.”

  She flashed a big, white smile complete with deep dimples. She was a tiny little thing, at least five or six inches shorter than Victoria and a foot shorter than Mike, but her larger-than-life personality clearly held audiences captive.

  “It’s nice to know you have better taste in music than men.” She poked Mike in the ribs and giggled. “No offense, sugar.”

  Mike rolled his eyes. “Don’t you have anything better to do than waste your time givin’ me grief? You must be losin’ what… twenty Gs standin’ around here talkin’ to us?”

  “Awww…” She pouted. “But I’ve missed bustin’ your chops. You haven’t been
around much lately.” She put her hand on her lip. “Have you been avoidin’ me?”

  “Only every chance I get.”

  Instead of being offended, Tori threw her head back and laughed. “See, that’s what I like about you, Coop. You give as good as you get.”

  Wow. If Ashley thought Victoria could keep Mike in line, what must she think of Tori? Victoria cleared her throat when Mike scowled at his nemesis and she smiled back. “Um, I hear you’re gearing up for a new tour, Tori?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Me, Trey, Nikki, and Ty.” She took a pull from her longneck beer bottle.

  “Classy,” Mike muttered.

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “You’re just mad ‘cause I can drink you under the table.”

  Victoria laughed. Seeing someone like Mike, who usually commanded control of every situation, cut off at the knees by a little bit of thing with a southern drawl was more entertaining than watching reality TV.

  “What are you laughin’ at?” Mike asked, turning his attention back to Victoria. “She doesn’t need any encouragement to act like a spoiled brat.”

  Tori tipped her chin up and tried to look down her nose at Mike. “I’d rather be a spoiled brat than an uptight pain in the ass like you.”

  Victoria pinched her lips together to try and suppress her laughter when Mike looked like he’d like to hoist Tori over his shoulder and tan her behind for talking back to him.

  “I need a drink.” He looked at Victoria’s near empty glass. “You want anything?”

  “No, I’m good for now. Thanks.”

  When he walked away, Tori called after him. “Hey, aren’t you gonna ask me if I want anything?”

  “Get it yourself!” he shouted.

  Tori burst out laughing, doubling over at the waist. “I love messin’ with him.” She stood up and swiped at the tears collecting at the corner of her eyes. “He’s so damn easy.”