Seduce (Beautiful Rose 0.5)

by Missy Johnson

  “Where the fuck have you been?” he barked. I rolled my eyes, unfazed by his attitude.

  “It’s two in the morning on a Sunday. I’ve been busy,” I sighed, surprised he was still up. And who calls someone this late?

  “Fine, I need to see you today. Meet me at Calare’s at five.”

  “Fine,” I replied. If anything, it gave me an early exit from lunch at Luke’s house. I threw my phone on the bed and went back out to the living room. Belle wasn’t there.

  “Belle?” I called, glancing around. The balcony was untouched, the door still locked. My flat was small enough that there weren’t too many places she could hide. After checking the laundry, the spare room, the bathroom, and the pantry, it hit me she had left.

  Her bag and clothes were gone too. My top and pants, which she had been using as pajamas, were sitting neatly folded on the seat of the sofa. I put my hands behind my head, trying to process what the fuck was going on. Things had been going well…I leave for a second and she disappears? I didn’t think there was a woman in the world who was immune to my charms. This chick had to be messing with me.

  Angry and frustrated, I downed a glass of scotch and went to bed.

  Chapter Nine

  It was the third alarm that woke me, the one that told me I was already running late. I rolled over, still reeling from the night before. The night had been unexpected, yet amazing. She had left me wanting more, a feeling that scared the hell out of me and excited me at the same time. Then just like that, she was gone. I just couldn’t let it go. One minute she was into me and the next she had gone. It just didn’t make sense. She was treating me the way I treated everyone else, and I didn’t like that.

  Why was it that the first woman I felt a connection with in ages was turning out to be some chick only after a quick fling? I’d been with enough women to know when something just wasn’t right, though usually it was the clingy ‘I’m in love with you’ women who bordered on stalking when I didn’t reciprocate the desire to continue the relationship. Well fuck that, this was exactly why relationships didn’t suit me. There were plenty girls that were more than happy to receive my attention, so I wasn’t about to waste more time on this one.

  I threw the covers back and climbed out of bed. Grabbing a towel, I headed for the bathroom. I turned on the hot and cold taps and waited for the water to reach temperature—hot, but not scorching—before stepping under the stream. I soaped up my chest, my hand running down over my cock. All it took was one simple thought back to her rounded breasts, and I was rock hard.

  Forgetting Belle was going to be more difficult than I thought. Every time I closed my eyes I was met with the image of her naked body. My fingers closed around the shaft of my cock, and slowly began to ride the length. My other palm rested against the wall, while my fist pumped harder and faster until my fist was covered in my juice. Fuck. I needed to forget her.

  For the first time all week I was glad to have the distraction of Luke’s lunch today. This had been planned for weeks, and for weeks I’d been dreading it. I had nothing against Luke or Sally, but I had the sneaking suspicion that they were going to ask me to be a godparent.

  I’d be fucked if I was going to let that happen. I didn’t want kids of my own, let alone having to worry about someone else’s. And why the fuck anyone would trust me with their kids, I had no idea. I was sure this was more Luke’s idea than Sally’s, but even so it was stupid. That being said, telling them I didn’t want the job was going to be difficult.

  Stepping out of the shower, I grabbed a towel and flung it around my shoulders. I walked back into the bedroom and grabbed the pair of jeans and shirt I’d set out to wear. Luke gave no indication of whether this thing was supposed to be casual or formal, so I was going with casual.

  I hadn’t met Sally’s parents before. I’d seen them at the wedding, but frankly I’d been too drunk to make much of anything good that night. All I remember is the next morning waking up two bridesmaids in my bed who were apparently Sally’s cousins. That was almost five years ago.

  When Luke had told me he was engaged, I’d been shocked to say the least. Who the fuck wants to commit themselves to one woman at the age of twenty? If there was one thing that my parents’ relationship that taught me, it was getting involved wasn’t worth it, not for anyone. And nothing in the past five years had suggested otherwise.

  I grabbed my jacket and the nice bottle of red I had taken from my cellar and walked out the door, slamming it shut after me. I threw the wine on the seat next to me and climbed in the car. Luke and Sally lived on the outskirts of town, about a twenty-minute drive from my place. The drive out there was nice, but I didn’t get out there as often as I’d like. Too much to do and Luke was always more than happy to meet me and the guys in the city for a drinking session.

  I pulled into the driveway. Luke made a decent wage, as had Sally before she left for maternity leave. It showed in their home. The double story brick house stood on a large property with stunning gardens, and even a tiny little creek. Even I had to admit that this was a great place to raise kids: laid-back suburbia, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Not my idea of paradise.

  I made my way towards the door. Rosebushes lined the stone footpath, right up to the porch, where two cane chairs sat, overlooking the gardens. The whole scene was like something out of a gardening show and it made me miss the concrete slab that was my balcony.

  Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. The voices inside became louder as footsteps neared the door. Finally, the door opened. Luke stood there, looking casual in jeans and a shirt, his blonde hair messy and his wire rimmed glasses framing his face.

  “Hey man,” I said. “Sorry I’m late. I’d blame it on the traffic, but you know that’s bullshit,” I chuckled. I handed him the wine.

  Luke laughed and patted me on the back as I walked inside. “Don’t worry, dude, we know you well enough now to never expect you to be on time.”

  I rolled my eyes and followed him into the living room. Harsh, but true.

  “Hey, Sally,” I said. She looked up from talking to who looked like her mother and smiled at me. I glanced around the cozy room. The fire crackled away in the corner opposite the oversized suede sofa, which looked very inviting. Two recliners sat at either end, scattered with throw cushions. The place was nice: it felt homely and inviting. Much different from the sterile environment I grew up in. White furniture when you have two young boys? Come on, that’s asking for trouble.

  “Jack, hi! Long time no see. I’m so glad you could come.” She walked over and hugged me.

  “Yeah, there’s no way I’d miss this.” I gestured to her bump. “How’s the baby going? When are you due again?”

  Sally smiled, her hand caressing her stomach. “Six more weeks,” she said. I could hear the excitement in her voice. Luke, who stood beside her, was smiling too. Unlike me, he’d been ready to become a father the moment he got engaged. It’s like he was born for this shit.

  “Sorry I’m late,” I added, making a face. I felt out of place around all these happy, friendly faces. People who were satisfied with their lives depressed me.

  Sally laughed. “It’s fine. Believe it or not, you’re not the last one here. My sister’s late too.”

  “Your sister. That’s right.” I thought back to their wedding night. Vague flashbacks shot through my mind of the young girl running around on a sugar high, screaming for more candy.

  Sally’s mother smiled at me. “Nice to meet you again, Jack.”

  “It’s lovely to meet you again, Mrs. Gale,” I said smoothly, as if we were old friends. I reached forward to shake her hand, her face lighting up as I turned on my charm.

  “So what have you been up to, Jack? Are you still working for your father?”

  I had forgotten that my father and Sally’s parents knew each other. They ran in the same circles and attended the same functions.

  “Yes, still working for Dad. I’m now CEO of the London Company, which
is fantastic but it doesn’t really be much time to myself.” I laughed and made a face, not feeling the least bit guilty about making myself out to be a workaholic. Luke smirked and rolled his eyes at me, knowing just how hard I played. Sally and her mother disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Luke and I alone with her father.

  “Did you want a drink?” Luke asked. I nodded. Fuck, I was dying for a drink.

  “Ah, yes that would be great. A beer?” I said, pretty sure Sally’s father would frown upon me having scotch at eleven in the morning. Luke disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Sally’s father. We eyed each other awkwardly, neither of us speaking. Well, this was fun.

  “So how have you been?” I asked easily, taking a seat on the couch. I may have felt nervous, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to show it. Jack Falcon never gave anything away.

  “Not bad. You know how it is, I’m sure. You work hard, and then you work even more!” he laughed heartily at his joke, obviously finding his own sense of humor quite amusing. I laughed politely.

  I discreetly reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. No missed calls and no messages. I tried to convince myself that I hadn’t been expecting to hear from her, which was crap. She didn’t even have my number, but my mind had decided it was plausible that she might’ve checked the incoming calls on the phone she called from my phone the night her car broke down. I’m not crazy at all, right?

  The doorbell rang, interrupting my thoughts. Mr. Gale jumped up, muttering something to himself about tardiness and respect. I chuckled, getting the feeling that he and his daughter had a similar relationship to me and my father. I rested my head back against the seat, closing my eyes for a moment. I had one fucking hell of a headache and I didn’t think it was planning on going away anytime soon. In the hallway, I could hear Mr. Gale arguing with his daughter. I shook my head, glad it wasn’t me in his firing line. He seemed like a man who held a grudge.

  “Annabelle, this is Jack Falcon, a good friend of Luke’s,” Mr. Gale announced. I looked up with my usual smile ready on my lips, knowing I didn’t need to do much to make a good impression. If there’s one thing I did right, it was impress women. It was the only thing I did right.

  The smile froze on my lips. What. The. Fuck.

  The blood drained from my face as the realization hit me that Sally’s sister Annabelle was my Belle. The same girl I had fucked last night on the bed, in the shower, and on the kitchen bench was standing in front of me, her father’s arm draped over her shoulder, smiling sweetly at me.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said, desperately trying to keep my voice even and void of emotion.

  “Jack? Nice to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name,” she gushed, her green eyes sparkling. My eyes narrowed as I stared at her. She seemed way too calm and together.

  Fuck. This was bad.

  “I might go and check on the girls. I’m sure you two will be fine here, getting to know one another?” Mr. Gale didn’t wait for an answer. Alone in the room, I grabbed her hand and yanked her towards me. She came freely, her body now oh-so-close to mine.

  “What the fuck is this? Did you know who I was?” I said angrily, trying to ignore how fucking amazing she looked in that dress. The lining of the dress clung to her figure while the sheer black outer fabric flowed loosely around her. My god, she was sexy.

  She pulled her hand away from mine as hurt flashed through her eyes. “No! What do you think…You think that I knew who you were? That’s fucked up! And besides, you pursued me. You came into my workplace, you drove me home. You chased me.”

  My pounding heart began to slow. She had a point.

  Suddenly I thought back to my conversation with Luke in the bar the other week. He’d spoken about Sally’s sister, or more specifically, about me staying the hell away from Sally’s seventeen-year-old sister.

  Seventeen. Seven-teen. Seventeen.

  No matter how I said it, the result was still the same. What was the age of consent? Fuck, this was still really bad. This was really, really bad. I needed a drink. Glancing towards the kitchen, I quickly walked over to the bar, grabbed the first bottle of scotch I spotted, and poured myself a glass.

  “Is that your answer for everything—a drink?” Belle hissed.

  “You’re seriously having a go at me here? You are fucking minor. You’re underage and I had sex with you,” I growled. “Did you not think of how much fucking trouble that could get me into?”

  “I didn’t… It didn’t…” Her voice trailed off, as if she just realized for the first time how serious this was for me. “I’m over the age of consent, Jack. The legal age in the UK is sixteen. I’m seventeen, almost eighteen. Stop calling me a minor.”

  “It doesn’t matter! I asked you about college. You let me believe you are in your final year of college! What are you, fucking still in high school? Do you even realize or care that I’m eight years older than you? I mean, we can completely forget the fact that you’re my best mate’s wife’s sister, because there are so many fucking things wrong with this that it’s insane!” I was yelling by now, I had to calm myself down, or everyone in this house was going to know.

  Fuck this. I stormed past her and out the front door. I stood on the porch breathing in the fresh air, trying to calm myself down. I had to get through this lunch, and to do that I needed to pretend this just wasn’t happening. I would deal with this later.

  When I walked back into the house, Belle was in the dining room setting the table with Sally. Sally glanced up while Belle refused to look at me, placing all her energy into setting the table perfectly.

  “Jack, I was wondering where you went,” Sally smiled.

  “Yes, sorry. Phone call.” I rolled my eyes as if random work calls happened all the time.

  “Have you met Annabelle? You probably wouldn’t remember her—she was barely a teenager at the wedding,” she laughed, hugging her sister. Belle rolled her eyes. Well that made me feel great. At the wedding when I was twenty, and fucking woman after woman, she’d been twelve! The thought made me sick. What kind of perverted freak was I?

  “Yes, Annabelle and I have met,” I said, smiling sweetly. “So what do you do, Annabelle? Are you still in school?” I asked innocently. She shot me a look.

  “Yes, I’m still in school. I’m in my last year at St Martin’s High school,” she replied calmly.

  “Really, that’s fascinating! God, high school was so long ago I can’t even remember it,” I said with a forced laugh. Belle glared at me. Sally, oblivious to the tension in the room, laughed.

  “Yes, I heard you were a bit of a player in high school. Luke told me all about you. And I bet things haven’t changed, have they? Are you ever going to settle down?”

  “What’s the point in settling down when women are throwing themselves at me?” I laughed again, taking a swig of my beer. Belle slammed a fork down on the table, her jaw clenched.

  “Excuse me,” she said storming out of the room.

  Sally shook her head, her brow furrowed. “Sorry about her, you know how it is—teenage hormones and all that,” she apologized.

  I knew how it was, all right. Something told me this lunch was not going to get any easier.

  Chapter Ten

  “So,” Luke began as Mrs. Gale slipped into her seat. We all sat around the table, waiting for Luke to continue. I could feel Belle’s eyes boring into me from where she sat across the table. I pretended not to notice, leaning in as though Luke’s next words had me on the edge of my seat. “There is a reason we asked you all to dinner tonight. As you know, little Thomas will be here in a couple of months, and we want all of you to be involved in his life.” Luke reach for Sally’s hand and then turned his attention to me. “Jack. I’ve known you for years. You’re my oldest friend, and as hard as you play and as much as you claim to hate kids, I know you’d make a great father. We would be honored if you would be Thomas’ godfather.”

  Even though I had
been expecting it, actually hearing those words was a whole other story. A lump formed in my throat. What the fuck, why the hell was I feeling so emotional? I didn’t want kids, my own or someone else’s. I knew the chances of something happening to both Luke and Sally were slim, but all the same I just didn’t need this responsibility right now. Or ever.

  “Wow. I don’t know what to say,” I stammered, reaching for my water.

  I searched for the right words and realized they weren’t there. If I was going to decline, now was not the time—not with all these people around, and especially not with Belle staring at me from across the table. I couldn’t think straight with her in the room.

  “Thanks guys, this is a huge deal. It means a lot to me that you trust me enough to ask this of me.” And it did mean a lot. It made me realize exactly how much Luke loved me.

  “And, this might come as a surprise to my favorite sister, but Anabelle, Luke and I would be honored if you would be Thomas’s godmother.” Sally smiled at Belle, who laughed and nodded.

  What the hell? How was I going to get this girl, this underage girl, out of my head if I had to see her every time something baby-related came up? The only saving grace of this whole situation was with her as godmother, chances of me ever having to fulfil my obligation became even slimmer.

  “Thanks, Sally and Luke. It means a lot to me that you want me to be a part of Thomas’ life,” Belle said quietly.

  With the formalities out of the way, the rest of dinner moved quite quickly. If anyone noticed the tension between Belle and me, they didn’t mention it. Everyone talked and laughed amongst themselves, and every now and then my gaze would meet Belle’s until one of us looked away—usually me.

  Four o’clock couldn’t come fast enough, because it gave me the perfect excuse to leave. I was meeting Dad for dinner to discuss something business-related. It was always business with Dad. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d had a conversation that wasn’t about work. Just once, I’d like him to sit down with me and talk like a normal father and son would. That would never happen though, and wishing for it would only feed the fury inside of me.