Private Show (The Private Series)

by Torella, Danielle

  “Tess…”

  I hold up my hand to stop him and his eyes widen, “Look, I don’t know how serious you and Erin are and this is none of my business, that and who your friend may be. But you are in the wrong right now, Mark.”

  He quickly looks over to the woman who is now on her way over… damn it, can this get any more awkward? She stops next to him and puts her hand on his arm. He frowns at me and looks ashamed. Damn straight, tuck that tail between your legs…

  “I gotta get going, baby, I’ll see you later tonight right?” The talk platinum blonde bats her eyelashes. I am assuming she is doing this to make sure I hear that she is with him. Well, hunny, I wouldn’t be caught dead dating a cheater, and if you only knew…

  He kisses her cheek and nods. She glares at me and walks out of the coffee shop. Mark drops his head, “Look… I could ask you to not say anything to Erin, but I know you will. I planned on breaking it off a while ago, but damn, that girl is hot between the sheets.”

  I can’t believe he just said that to me and I can’t believe he expects me to let it slide either. I stand up, get close to his smug face. I am not one who likes confrontation, but when it comes to my best friend and you are downright bragging about sleeping with other women and telling me that you are only staying with her for the sex…

  I smack him. Hard.

  He stumbles back in pure shock and I was able to turn his head with my swing. I once again have an audience in a Starbucks. Damn… I better stop this, before I can no longer show my face in another one… He looks back at me and he looks pissed. Oh, shit. He closes his eyes stretches his neck and I can see him push his tongue to the left side of his cheek, making it look like he has a ball in his mouth.

  He takes in a deep breath, points at me and says, “You’d better keep quiet, unless you want to hear all about what Ben’s been up to.”

  Whew. I thought for a second there he was going to hit me back. Wait, what does he mean about what Ben’s been up to? I take a look around the shop and people quickly turn away. I am so pissed off and my wrist is killing me. I grab my jacket and bag and head out the door myself.

  I stop at the corner store below my apartment building to grab a quick sandwich and a small bag of ice for my wrist. Who knew that slapping a guy would make you so hungry.

  At home, my phone beeps. I look and it’s Erin, crap. On my way over. Around the corner.

  A minute later my intercom buzzes. I let her in and she is livid. Uh-oh, did Mark tell her about our little run in at Starbucks?

  She storms right through my door, stomps to my sofa and throws her purse on it. She rips off her jacket in anger and the jacket resists, giving her a fight.

  I say nothing, and neither does she as she makes a beeline to my fridge and grabs the bottle of rum I have in there. She slams it down on my counter top, turns and grabs a shot glass, fills it and slams it back… and then another.

  I cautiously approach her, kind of like approaching a horse so you don’t startle it and then it kick you. Yeah, when Erin is pissed you just watch out and right now she is really freaking pissed. I slowly pull away the bottle.

  “What the fuck?” she snaps.

  I push the bottle back. Oops.

  She does one last shot, only because she has finished off my bottle. She stands up, but not gracefully. I think the three shots are hitting her.

  Tears start to fall freely and my heart swells for my best friend. I drop the baggie of ice I forgot I was holding to my wrist and I hug her. She wraps her arms around me and lightly sobs, when she pulls away she notices the ice at our feet.

  “What are you doing with that?” She gives me a slurred third degree.

  “I hurt my wrist.”

  She takes it in her hands to inspect it. It’s a little swollen, but fine.

  “What happened?”

  “Why are you so upset?” I put the empty bottle in the sink and look at her.

  “Mark” is all she says. “He just called me.” She starts to tear up again and I wait for her to go on. “Just when I finally start to really like a guy and I mean really like to the point of falling in love with him, be breaks up with me over the phone! What douchebag does that? Everything seemed fine this morning when I left his place.”

  My face goes flush. Shit. I have to tell her. “Um… Erin… I kind of ran into Mark at Starbucks a couple of hours ago and…”

  “And…”

  “I saw him with a woman having coffee.”

  She stares at me blankly before speaking, “I am sure she was a co-worker or maybe a sister…” She doesn’t even believe her own words, which I can clearly see on her face.

  I shake my head slowly. “No, Erin, she wasn’t. His hands were all over her.” Judging by her blank stare, I don’t think she believes me. Or maybe she doesn’t want to.

  “Does he know you saw him?” I hold up my wrist and she gasps. “Oh, my God, Tess! Did he hurt you?”

  “Other way around, actually.”

  “You hit him?” Now she is shocked.

  I try to hide a smile, but fail as usual. “I did. But not just for seeing him with another woman. He said some things that really got to me, so I let him have it.”

  “What did he say?” Her voice is so monotone that I don’t know if she is pissed, scared or hurt.

  I bite down on my lower lip. “His exact words?” I test the waters and she nods yes. “His exact words were, that you were too good between the sheets to let go, but he didn’t want anything serious with you.”

  Then she does something that I didn’t expect. She laughs. “Well, I am pretty damn fucking great between the sheets.”

  “I wouldn’t have doubted that. Oh, he also told me to keep quiet, unless I wanted to know what Ben’s been up to.” I add.

  Erin’s face shifts from pink from laughter to white, as if she’s seen a ghost. “What?” She asks.

  “Exactly what I thought. Do you think Ben is keeping something from me?”

  Erin chews on her lip in thought, “Ben has his past and a month ago I would say, yes he is probably fooling around on you, but now? No way, I see the way he looks at you.”

  “It gets hard when his past pops up though.” I admit to my best friend.

  She grabs her drink takes a sip, “I can imagine.”

  A couple hours later we have Chinese food and Edward Cullen lightening our mood. You really can’t go wrong with my original book boyfriend. But then my real ultra-hot boyfriend calls me.

  “Hey Punky, what are you up to?” Ben’s alluring accent fills my head and my heart.

  “Celebrating my first slap.” I tell him.

  “Excuse me?” His voice is low and deep, almost a growl… and fucking hot. “Who slapped you?”

  “No! My first slapping of someone.”

  “You slapped someone? Who?”

  “Mark.”

  He gasps, “Red’s boyfriend?” I love how he has a nickname for Erin. He may act annoyed with her sometimes, but I know he loves her too.

  “Yeah, I saw him with someone else and he said some nasty things so I hit the bastard.”

  He lets out an exaggerated breath. “Are you all right? Did he try to hit back? Were you alone?”

  I tell him the story.

  Ben lets out an airy laugh, “Anyways, I need to ask what you are doing tomorrow, say in the morning?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Good. Be ready at eight.”

  “What are we doing at eight in the morning?” I ask.

  He sighs, “It’s a surprise. So be ready, wear jeans, sneakers and a few layers on top. No more questions, you surprised me as of recently, and now it’s my turn. I love you, go take care of Red.”

  When I click the end button, I turn to see Erin looking at me from the couch. “What? Was my phone call more interesting than the Volturi?” I tease her.

  “It’s over and I got bored. You know, you got it pretty bad, don’t you?” She raises her eyebrows.

  “Yeah.” I hug my phone t
o my chest like a total cheeseball.

  Erin starts to sing, “Ben and Tess sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love… well, no, wait first come cherry-popping. Then comes love, and then comes marriage…”

  I cut her off with my obscene laughter; I throw a pillow at her.

  I am glad that I told Tess to wear layers. It is pretty damn chilly this morning, but I had to pick a day that had no rain in the forecast. I myself am wearing my thickest jeans, undershirt, thermal Henley and a thin black zip up track coat. I heat up my GTO as much as I can, so she can get as warm as possible on our way to her surprise.

  I raise my right hand to knock on the door and she flings it open. She has the biggest smile on her face and she rushes me full on with a body-crushing hug. I actually grunt out when she makes contact, because she takes me so hard. I am pleased to see her enthusiasm. I back her up into her small studio and kick the door shut. Bringing my hands up to her face I look into her bright blue eyes, which are in full contrast with her pink streaks framing her face. God, I love how refreshing she is compared to any woman I have ever met.

  “God, I love you,” I tell her, and before she can reply, I plant a hard, deep and full kiss on her mouth. I feel her hands starting to reach up my shirt, and I have to regretfully pull away from her. “Hey… hey…” I try to get her attention but she is ruthless. “We have to get out of here, if we are going to make it on time.” That’s all I let her have.

  “We really can’t spare a few minutes?”

  I lean into her neck and growl. I reach my arm up to take a look at the time on my watch, when her hands travel down to my belt. Now I am done for.

  “I think you know we have a few minutes.” She tells me as she grabs my hardening dick. Fuck, I love it when she touches me. I feel myself moving my pelvis towards her hand, when I look at her she is smiling. Yeah, yeah you’re getting your way…

  “We don’t have a lot of time. The day is time-sensitive.”

  “Got it, Bond. Couch, now,” she demands. I like this side of my Punky.

  I take a large step forward and I grab her hips and move her along faster. I was serious about today being time-sensitive. I undo her jeans and slide them down her legs, panties included. I am on my knees in front of her and I lift one of her legs up over my shoulder and I attack her clit with my mouth and she screams out my name, nearly making me come before I am even out of my own pants. I stop a few moments later when I can sense that she is building, and take off my jeans in record time.

  “Turn around,” I tell her. She smiles and does what she is told. “Hands on the back of the sofa and bend over.” I reach around the front of her and I reach for her clit one more time and I play with her, she then arches her ass out further for me, inviting me in. I line myself up and I slide into her slowly at first, savoring the tight hot feeling of my love. She tosses her head back and moans. I start to pick up my pace and when I do she starts to circle her hips. Fuck me. I can’t hold it back any more. She quickly comes and I follow right behind.

  I rest my head in the crook of her neck. Our breathing is staggered and rough. We take in a deep breath together as one. Her back rises as my chest expands with the smell of her, filling my heart and soul.

  Moments later, we are dressed again and ready to go, she asks me for the one hundredth time where we are going and I obviously won’t tell her. “You know,” She starts, “I actually like surprises.”

  “Really? Most women say they hate them.” She smiles over at me from the passenger’s side as she buckles up. “Well, you are full of surprises, too,” I tell her.

  She reaches out and turns up the radio, sighs with a happy smile, closes her eyes and rests her head on the back of the seat. She is completely at ease. Good, because in a little bit she will be screaming her lungs out and having the adrenaline rush of her life.

  “OH MY GOD! ARE YOU SERIOUS?” She screams as soon as we pull into the airfield and past a big sign:

  SKYDIVING OPEN TODAY

  “Are we really going skydiving?” Man, she is really excited! Any other woman I know would have a hissy fit.

  Arms around each other, we start making our way to the field’s office.

  “Hey, Kristen, how are you?” I ask the counter woman and manager of the of the flight field. She has been here since I started skydiving, and she is pretty badass.

  “Ben! It’s about time you got that ass back in here! Where have you been?”

  I grab Tess’s hand and kiss it. “Oh you know, work and life.” I give Tess a little wink.

  I introduce them.We get done with the whole rules, safety run-through and equipment check with the guys from the team. I watch from a short distance as Roger gets Tess all strapped in and she is laughing with him. I know I can trust Roger, because he is married with three kids. I couldn’t ask for anyone better to secure my girl… okay maybe myself, but still. They give each other a nod and she walks back to me… whatever that was about.

  When we get a moment alone before boarding the plane, Tess asks me. “So is Kristen another one of your pasts?”

  I am perplexed, where did that come from? “What? No! I met her when I started coming here, but I have never slept with her Tess. Not every woman I introduce you to is someone I have shagged.”

  “I’m sorry, it just happens quite often.”

  I take her hands and kiss them, “I know and if I could take them all back, I would. If someone were to tell me I would find you one day I would have saved myself.”

  She takes my hand as we get in the plane and take off. Once we are at the proper altitude, she gets strapped to the front of my body.

  I am strapped to Ben’s chest with me facing out, he has his arms wrapped around my waist when the pilot announces that we are altitude.

  It’s time to jump.

  I turn my head and meet my lips to his.

  “Ready?” Ben yells to me over the plane’s engine.

  I take in a deep breath as my adrenaline starts to pick up and I feel all my muscles tighten. I hope this teaches him a lesson. “Are you?” I yell back.

  Ben nods to the open door and we jump.

  I begin to count just as Roger told me… twenty-eight… twenty-nine… thirty.

  I pull the cord which separates myself from Ben, I layout my body as instructed by Roger and I a few seconds later I pull my parachute cord. I look to my far left to see Ben doing the same and we both shoot up before falling to the earth.

  When I land on my two feet Ben is running up behind me screaming. But I am laughing hysterically. I am on a mega rush right now and I can’t believe I just did that! Man he is going to be outraged!

  “What the hell Tess?” Ben yells as he closes in on me.

  I am in a fit of giggles and in a playful mood and I detach my chute and run away.

  “Tess! What are you doing? Get back here!” Ben sounds confused and a little upset.

  I turn my head around and show him how happy I am. He smiles back at me and chasses me across the field. The cold air starts to get the best of my breath and I can’t run no more, so I drop and roll around laughing. Ben drops down on top of me, pinning me. His eyes are searing with a mix of emotions.

  “Why did you do that?” He urges.

  “What?” I playfully reply.

  “Don’t give me what.” His face is right over mine.

  My laughing subside and I tell him exactly why, “I love you, but I will never depend on you.”

  We start off to the car, after handing off our gear and I am shaking from the adrenaline. I can’t even begin to express how amazing that was and to get to do that with Ben. Hell, sex with him is an adrenaline rush… man, too bad you can’t combine the two. Could you imagine that climax? Damn.

  “So how was that?” Ben asks as we walk back to the prep building.

  “That was amazing! Thank you!” I jump up into his arms with my legs around his waist and all the guys in the area start laughing. Once at the car his phone rings and he sets me down.


  “Hello?” He is listening to whoever it is on the other end and responds, “Yeah, we aren’t that far we will be there in about twenty minutes.” And he hangs up.

  “Who was that?”

  “My dad, he wants us all together to talk about something. Looks like part two of the surprise must wait…”

  I throw my hands up in the air. “You just took me skydiving! How could you possibly surprise me any more than that?”

  He leans in and deepened his voice, his hot sexy as liquid hot dark chocolate of an English accent tells me, “Oh, I have my ways.” And he lays a hard, fast smashing kissing right on me. My adrenaline hikes back up and I can feel my head spin and my knees go weak. He must have felt my body weaken too, because he pulls away ever so slightly so he can lift me up into his arms and walks me to the front of the car. Setting me down on the hood he steps between my legs. I grab at his hips and draw him in closer.

  “Yeah! Get it, man!” Roger yells from across the lot.

  I want to die.

  Ben pulls back right away and smiles at me, but in an apologetic kind of way. He knows I am embarrassed, but that it was kind of worth it.

  When we pull up to the house, we spot Caroline on the front steps with her sketchpad. She jumps up and hugs us. I can’t help check out her hair.

  “So, do you know what this is all about?” Ben asks.

  “Not a clue.”

  “Well, let’s go find out.” Ben says and ushers us inside. We find Jack and Gwen sitting at the dining room table with cups of coffee and smiling. That’s a good sign.

  After another round of hugs and greetings, Ben jumps in: “You don’t typically call me over unless there’s some big news.”

  Jack gestures for us all to sit around the large dining table, and Gwen delivers a tray of coffee and mugs. Jack takes Gwen’s hand and gives her a warm smile. “Gwen and I would like to announce that we have picked a wedding date.”