Craving Sugar

by Elena M. Reyes

  “Sorry.” Could feel the blush overcome my face, and I looked down toward my own food. Meek, it came out low, and I paused just as my fingers touched the fork beside my plate.

  This man, who I’d barely known for more than an hour, was turning me into a blushing fool. A bumbling teenage idiot, which I wasn’t.

  Never had been.

  We ate in silence while my mind ran. Nothing, not one of the things Zoe had prepared me for had happened thus far.

  He approached me. He set up this meeting. He wanted to dominate the negotiations...

  “Something wrong with your food, Beau? Not to your liking?” That time his condescending tone rubbed me wrong, and I glared. Who did he think he was?

  Our meeting wasn’t going to work.

  “Do us both a favor and quit telling me what to do or how I feel,” I spit through clenched teeth. Whiplash was a bitch, and our interaction thus far had thrown me off my horse. One second, I lusted over him and the next, I wanted to turn and run.

  “Did I upset you?” A corner of his top lip curled into a sinful smirk. “Were you expecting something grander than a gastro pub and beer?”

  My brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

  “Just that maybe this isn’t luxurious enough for you.” Hendrix waved his hand around the space.

  And that’s when it hit me. He was judging me for being on that site even though he was too.

  Won’t deny that it’d hurt.

  “Have a good day, Mr. Parker.” Placing my napkin down beside my food, I slid from the cozy booth and took two steps. This placed me just beside his clenched fist atop the table. Mimicking his earlier move, I fingered the smooth edge of his gold watch. “It was nice to meet you, but I believe our ventures just won’t match. Good luck in your future endeavors.”

  With more grace than I thought I possessed at that moment, I walked out. My knees shook and stomach clenched with each step I took, but on the outside, I was confident. Head held high.

  Hendrix Parker was not about to make me feel ashamed about the recent choices I’d made. Fuck him.

  The closer to my car I drew, anger turned into sadness.

  Digging into my purse, I grabbed my keys and with a trembling hand pressed the fob to unlock my car. Fingers had just touched the latch when a large male hand grabbed my arm and turned me around.

  “The hell,” I yelped, my knee coming up to hit my attacker and missed. Fight or flight, I reacted and threw a punch that landed square on a strong jaw. “Ouch.” That had hurt. My hand throbbed. Nothing deterred him though, one hand held tightly onto my arm while the other squeezed my hip. “Let go!”

  His breathing grew labored, a low hiss escaping the back of his throat.

  My eyes tried to focus through the tears forming. Ignoring them, I blindly threw another hit.

  “Enough of that.” Hendrix’s voice carried through my panic, and at once I sagged in relief. That feeling of calm lasted a minute before the ire took ahold once more.

  “You need to—”

  “Calm down, woman. No need to draw an audience,” he growled low; his face twisted into a scowl. And while his words were said with a tinge of anger, his touch remained gentle. “Just give me a few minutes of your time.”

  “No.” It was the first thing that came to mind. I’d never thought in a million years that he would follow me out of the pub.

  He didn’t seem like the kind of man that chased.

  Hendrix loosened his hold on my arm, his hand finding purchase on the other side of my waist. Fingertips flexing, he pressed me back. I was at his mercy.

  Was how I realized just how close we were.

  His lips touched the shell of my ear; his exhale caused my breath to catch. “We need each other.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mr. Parker.” It left me on a whimper.

  “Call me Hendrix, Beau.” Thumbs running soothing circles over my lace-covered hip bones, he breathed in deep and let out another happy hum.

  “Hendrix, I—”

  “Shhh...” He placed a single finger over my lips while smiling down at me. Gone for the time being was the jerk from inside. This stranger was the man I let lead me toward our table and I found irresistibly handsome. “You feel that?”

  “Yes.” Couldn’t deny it. Insane, intense, and a whiplash-inducing desire that had me doubting the world around me.

  At my reply, his smile curled into a cocky smirk. “There’s a certain electrical buzz between you and I...” the fingers on my hips tightened and my eyes rolled back “...that works in our favor. Lust is a powerful emotion, and I welcome it, nymph.”

  A second ago he insinuated you were a gold digger...

  “Wait!” My hands, which had been pressed against his chest, tried to push him back. Create some space between our bodies. “Step back.”

  Hendrix did as I asked, but not before giving my hip another toe-curling squeeze. “As you wish.”

  “Thank you.” Taking in a deep breath, I tried to calm my erratic heart. Gather my thoughts while he watched me with a calculating gaze. This man unnerved me to the core, and I wasn’t prepared for his games.

  We’d never work out when all he saw in me was an opportunistic bitch.

  “Stop overthinking things, Beau. Nothing has to be complicated unless we make it so.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and raised a brow. “Says the man who insinuated I was an escort back there.”

  “I’m an ass, Beau, and make no apologies for it.” For a quick moment there was a flash of regret that danced across his features. Came as quickly as it vanished. “But, and here’s where I make up for this fault...I’m an even better business partner. Help me, sweetheart, and I’ll take care of your every need. Trust me.”

  EIGHT

  Hendrix

  “Trust me.” It’s the last thing she should ever do, but for some reason I wanted her to. There was something primal between us. A masculine hunger in me to tame the fire in her.

  Seeing her walk out; the way she held her head high after politely telling me to go and fuck myself, made me want her more. This act—being unattainable—forced my hand into walking out and chasing after her.

  Caused my dick to harden in a way it hadn’t in a very long time, and I found myself reaching down and adjusting my length. Pressed down hard enough to alleviate some of the painful pressure she’d created.

  Veins throbbing, I reacted and threw a few twenties down on the table and followed her out.

  Watched from a few feet away as she trembled, paused to take in a deep breath while almost dropping her keys.

  A pang in my chest made me act on impulse, and before she could make an escape, I had her turned around and pressed against her car. Her essence once again infiltrating my senses; I pulled her into my lungs.

  Almost fucking kissed her to verify the sweetness of those plump lips.

  “Why should I trust you?” Beau’s fingers appeared in my line of vision; she snapped them twice before tapping the tip of my nose with her index. And for some reason I found her kitten claws cute. “Give me one good reason why I should give you another chance.”

  Her touch was electric.

  Made my chest tight, and I took another step back. Beau’s mere presence had metaphorically knocked me on my ass. She wasn’t what I expected to meet today.

  Was her I have integrity act pure or false?

  “Can we go somewhere a bit more private for this discussion? I have an apartment we could use...” Beau’s arched brows and pursed lips let me know she wasn’t too keen on that suggestion so I amended “...or we could use my office? It’ll be private enough that no one will witness my proposition.”

  “Your office, you say.” She looked at me with apprehension, and I could almost make out the questions floating around in her head. Should she leave, or follow me into uncharted territory.

  “To talk, I promise.”

  After what felt like hours, she set those striking green orbs back o
n mine. Tried to find an ounce of deception in my words. “Okay, I’ll play along. You have one hour to change my mind. That’s it.”

  “Deal.” It’d take me less than that to have her bent over if I so desired. Little girl had no idea the kind of devil she was dealing with.

  She held a hand out toward me to shake. “Lead the way.”

  Taking her hand in mine, I squeezed the delicate flesh. Enjoyed for a few brief moments the way hers fit into mine. “I’m parked just a bit up the plaza.”

  “I’ll wait here,” she said in that soft, breathy voice of hers, and fuck me, if I didn’t have to bite the inside of my cheek to hold back the groan that wanted to escape. What the hell is she doing to me? Remember why she’s here.

  But it was hard when all I saw was this girl—no, beautiful woman. Felt her body close to mine. Within my grasp.

  Engorged myself in her scent.

  Her picture on the Craving Sugar website didn’t do her any justice.

  Long, light brown hair flowed down the middle of her back in waves. Large doe eyes the color of gems stared up at me with trepidation mixed with want. Upturned nose wrinkled each time she watched me with curiosity.

  Pouty pink lips that would look beautiful stretched around my cock.

  Get it the fuck together. She’s here for a paycheck and nothing more. The perfect sugar whore.

  That last thought was like a bucket of ice cold water being thrown over my head, and I turned around without saying another word. Could feel her eyes on me the entire way to my car, and it wasn’t until I was beside the cab of my F350 that I looked her way once more.

  Nodding at her, I pointed at my work truck, and she opened the door to her small sedan. I waited until she was behind the wheel to enter my own vehicle and turn the ignition on. From my rearview, I watched her pull out and then hit the brakes two car spaces behind me.

  “This has disaster written all over it.” Wasn’t sure if it was for her or me.

  There was no denying that I wanted her.

  “Talk.”

  “Would you like a drink?” We spoke in unison once inside my office at H. P. Builders. My building. My pride and joy.

  It had taken us twenty minutes to reach the destination and another ten to coax her up. Beau Carter was a beautiful enigma.

  Bit skittish for a woman willing to sell her time and possibly, her body, for monetary compensation.

  Then there was a miniscule part of me that wanted to say to hell with her, but that fifteen percent fought against the eighty-five that said no. Almost had no say in the matter.

  Everyone’s head had turned to look over at the beauty I guided through the space as we walked through my company’s headquarters. Most with curiosity, a few with boredom, and then there was my secretary who met us on my floor...

  Her contempt was plain as day with the snide “hello” she gave my Beau.

  No. Not mine. Just another future hire.

  Once inside and the door was closed, we sat on the opposite wall from my desk where I had a small seating area. Nothing fancy; just a small black leather couch and two arm chairs in the same material. The metal-based glass-top center table now felt like a horrible barrier between us.

  Beau had taken residence on the couch.

  Looked like she belonged there. In my space.

  She sat with her back straight and her right leg crossed over the left thigh. Her dress rose high up, and my fingers twitched—itched to feel the bare skin there.

  “You’re down to fifty-three minutes, Hendrix.” Pleasure raced down the center of my spine at the way my name rolled off her tongue. “Please get me some water and get on with this meeting.”

  “Why the animosity?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes.”

  “Listen, I’m sure you are a very successful man and can spot bull a mile away.” Beau didn’t phrase this as a question, but I nodded in agreement anyways. “Then please extend me the same courtesy. You are on the very site—have an account made—and yet you sit here and judge me. That’s hypocritical.”

  “I’m not—”

  She held a hand up and I sat back, appraising her. “Let me stop you right there, sir. Don’t lie to my face or this meeting will be over before we hit the fifteen-minute mark.”

  This girl had a backbone. Spoke her mind, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

  Getting up from my chair, I walked over to the small fridge I kept inside my office and pulled out two bottles of water. Offered her one, while taking the top of mine off and taking a few sips.

  “I don’t say this often, so don’t get used to it...” I gave her a pointed glare “...but you are right, Miss Carter. I’m not being fair.”

  “Thank you. One could just say you are a dirty, old—”

  “Don’t push it.” I grunted, which caused her to giggle a bit. Her slender body shook with amusement, the light brown waves bouncing around her bare shoulders. This attraction crap was getting out of hand. I was noticing things that never caught my attention in the past. Not since... “Let’s get back to business here, Beau. I’ll need you to look over my proposal and agree to my terms before money is exchanged. I trust you brought your medical report with the results?”

  “Of course.” Reaching for her wristlet, Beau pulled out what looked to be a folded report. She placed it on the table and pushed it my way. “That’s it.”

  “Thank you, I’ll go through it later. Mine is inside this folder as well; read it tonight along with the rest.” Taking hers, I brought it over and placed it beside my water. “Every one of my demands must be met, Miss Carter, but I am willing to accommodate the few of yours I find fair.”

  The smile dropped from her face. “That’s not how this works.”

  “I don’t follow rules.” Smirking, I pushed the folder I’d picked up on my way back from the fridge and angled it toward her. “I make them.”

  “What’s this?” She sneered, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop the laugh that wanted to bubble out. “Explain yourself.”

  “A contract. Or to be more specific...our contract.” After pushing it closer to her, I sat back and waited. The rest of my meetings had been cleared, and I had all day to negotiate with her. An hour my ass if she thought it’d be that simple. “Go on. Read.”

  Glare in place, Beau did as I asked and picked up the plain manila folder. Opened it and read the first few lines before slamming it back down. “No.”

  “What’s not to your liking, nymph?” Fuck, I needed to stop calling her that. Nicknames had always been a pet peeve of mine, and yet, I found myself calling her that at every turn.

  “My past sexual experiences, or to be more specific...” she mimicked me with a haughty tone “...at what age I lost my virginity? That’s none of your concern. All you should be worried about is my being tested and clean. Heck, I’ll even give you a rundown of my birth control in case the occasion was to ever arise.”

  “It will.” Wouldn’t do either of us any good to hide the kind of asshole I was. Was it necessary for me to ask certain questions in that contract? No, but male pride was a vain thing, and my ego needed to know just how many men I needed to erase from her memory.

  “Will what, Hendrix?” Her exasperation was palpable, and yet, she’d made no move to leave.

  “The occasion, sweetheart. You and I will happen.”

  “At this rate, I’ll wager on never.” Why was she playing this cat-and-mouse game? We both knew the purpose of the website, and I was willing to offer her a very beneficial package with the added perk of access to my cock.

  “I beg to differ.” Only a matter of time. “Look at it this way...for us to move forward with any sort of accord, I need to know it all. The kind of life you’ve lived thus far.” Bullshit and I knew that, but it had to be done. Something about her drew me in, and I needed to get some sort of control over the situation.

  She arched a brow. “Not buying it. Or better yet, I think we aren’t the correct mash-
up.”

  “Answer me this much.” At least for now. “What is it that you want out of this sort of relationship? Why are you doing this?”

  “Honest answer, or the bull you’d like to hear?”

  “The hell does that even mean?”

  “It means...” Standing up, she walked around the coffee table and kneeled at my feet. Motherfuck, I was hard as steel within seconds. Throbbing behind the zipper of my dress pants. “That I’ll do whatever it takes to secure my future, but play the role of a mistress. The purpose of that website is not to find a prostitute, Mr. Parker. Large cities have alleyways and certain roads for that.”

  With that she stood up and leaned over me, her face a few inches from my own. With her eyes locked on mine, she smiled and exhaled her sweet breath over my lips.

  My hands reached up to pull her down, kiss the living fuck out of her, but then she did something that for a moment threw me off my game.

  Beau Carter stood over me and ruffled my hair before walking toward the exit.

  Five steps from the door and my body reacted without consent.

  I was behind her in an instant.

  Her hand reached out for the door’s knob, and I covered hers. “We aren’t finished, nymph. Not by a long shot.” What was it about this curvy little girl that turned my rational mind into a chaotic mess? Caused me to act on impulse.

  “Hendrix, I think you are confused about what...shit!” Her back met the wall, and I stepped closer. For the second time today, I had her pinned against a hard surface. “If you’re looking for a hookup, I’m not it.” Those jeweled eyes blazed with ire. “There are plenty of apps that handle that now.”

  “Kiss me.”

  “What?”

  “That’s all I’ll need to make up my mind.” Leaning down, I nuzzled her nose with mine. Inhaled her sweet scent. “To see if we’re compatible, Miss Carter.”

  “Are you insane?” she breathed out, her head dropping back against the wooden door.

  “Today, it seems like I am.” Trailing my nose down the length of her neck, I hid my smirk at the crook. For as much as she was fighting this, the word no never passed through her lips.