by Kailin Gow
“Is everything all right here?” I said in my most professional voice. My glance rose briefly to see Bobby pacing on the sidewalk just outside the restaurant.
“Yes. Everything is fine.”
“Is Bobby feeling ill?”
Taryn tilted her head to the side. “Do you know my brother?”
Nodding, I smiled. “We knew each other in college, and we’ve had a little friendly rivalry going between Red Hots and Sam’s.”
“Oh. He didn’t say anything about that.”
I was a little disappointed. So Bobby hadn’t even mentioned the fact that he knew me, or that we’d gone to school together. Was I so far off his radar that I wasn’t worth mentioning to his sister?
Before heading back to the kitchen, I glanced at him one last time. Even at a distance, it was easy to see that he was hurt by the actions of this girl Lilly.
Was he still in love with her? Clearly. But that wasn’t the Bobby I knew. The Bobby I knew went from girl to girl to girl, never even bothering to learn their names half the time.
Back in college, virtually every girl I knew had gone to bed with him. I, myself, had been tempted. Who wouldn’t be? He was sexy, charming, and when he looked straight into my eyes, I just wanted to melt into him.
But I was strong enough to resist him, and smart enough to know that all that charm was just an act. It was the bait he used to reel girls in, but he wasn’t going to reel me in, not unless he’d truly changed.
I checked in on various stations in the kitchen, and, satisfied that everything was running smoothly, I headed back to the dining room, but Bobby and his party had left and a sudden sense of sadness and loss settled over me. This new side of him intrigued me and made me want to explore the possibilities further.
“Get over it,” I mumbled to myself. I shook it off and made sure the rest of the night ran smoothly.
It was only an hour after closing, when all the employees had left and I meandered between the tables reflecting on the success of the night, that I heard a scratching sound at the door.
I looked up, and my heart jumped to my throat. “Bobby,” I whispered. Had he come back for another passionate late night kiss? More importantly, was I ready for it? The last kiss had stayed with me for days, bringing new shivers to my body every time I thought about Bobby, which had seemed to happen every other minute.
Straightened my shoulders and lifting my chin, I mentally prepared for the confrontation.
He waved me over and I took a deep breath before walking to the door. “What do you want?” I said in my harsh, professional tone.
“Open up.”
My heart raced as I turned the lock and opened the door. “What is it, Bobby?”
“I lost my phone. I was hoping someone had found it and turned it in.”
I tried to hide my disappointment. He actually had a real and legitimate reason for coming back, and by the look on his face, he had no intention of repeating our passionate kiss.
“I didn’t see anything in the lost and found box, but I could go check again,” I managed to said.
He looked over my shoulder to the interior of the restaurant. “Do you mind if I come in and have a look around?”
Pursing my lips, I let out an exasperated sigh, anything to mask the heated flush I felt rising to my cheeks. “Sure, come in.”
“Thanks.”
“You sure left in a hurry earlier. I hope it wasn’t something you ate.” I knew it was a feeble attempt to get him to open up about what was troubling him, but I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to know more about the relationship he’d had with that girl.
He offered me a dry chuckle as he headed to the table he’d shared with his party. “Everything was great. I can see now why this place is such a success. You’ve really got something good going here, Red. Oh, and thanks for making an exception for Taryn. She really loved the spicy dish, but said the baby wasn’t so thrilled with it. Somehow you managed to make the tamer version just as tasty without all the heat.”
I was floored. He’d always given me the impression of a young man who was concerned with no one else but himself. There was something so appealing and adorable in seeing him so concerned and protective of his sister. “I’m glad I was able to satisfy her needs. So… you’re going to be an uncle. Fancy that.”
“Yeah. Uncle Bobby. Sounds pretty good, huh.” He looked up at me and flashed me a smile. It wasn’t the charming smile he pulled out when he wanted to get into a girl’s pants, but a warm and heartfelt smile.
I let out a silent sigh. Who was this new Bobby?
He frowned as he ran his hand over the chair where Taryn had sat. Once again, his eyes filled with the sadness that had haunted him earlier. I wanted to talk to him about it… about her. Who was this Lilly and how had she managed to win the heart of one of New York’s most notorious bachelors? I was tempted to bring it up, but didn’t want to admit that I’d eavesdropped on his conversation.
“You know, when you came in here, I expected you to throw your great review in my face. I mean, you must be pretty proud of yourself.”
“I read the review you received from Beth. She had a few good words to say about you, too.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“But I’ve never been asked to appear on Good Morning Sunshine. That’s quite a coup.”
“I’ll go take a look in the men’s room. Maybe it fell out of my pocket or something.”
His heartache was painful to watch and it would have been so easy to reach out and console him. Instead, I bit my lip and watched him head off to the men’s room.
What did she look like? What did she do for a living? What did she have that was so special? The questions ran through my head with growing frustration. I would probably never have an answer to any of them.
Silly, but I almost felt a sense of jealousy towards this girl I’d never met, this girl who’d stolen Bobby’s heart only to turn around and throw it back at him as she fell into another man’s arms.
Was she a blond bombshell? A wild sex kitten?
Bobby clearly wanted to marry this girl, the thought of which made me smile. The notorious bachelor was capable of committing after all.
When he didn’t return, I went in to meet up with him.
“Find it?” I called into the men’s room.
His hands to the counter, he leaned in to look at himself in the mirror, not with the cocky grin of a man happy with what he sees, but with the dark questions about his time with that girl.
Over the course of the past few years, I’d heard a lot about him and knew he’d broken a lot of hearts himself, and I could have been happy to finally see him get a taste of his own medicine, but I wasn’t. I hated seeing him like that.
“Well, I looked around here and didn’t find it. I guess someone found it and decided to hang onto it.” He headed to the door and I followed him out.
“Do you want me to call the number? We’ll hear it ring if it’s still here somewhere.”
He shook his head. “The battery was almost dead when I left Sam’s. It’s probably out by now.”
“No harm in trying.” I went to my purse on the counter just outside the kitchen and pulled out my phone. “What’s your number?”
“Why are you being so nice?”
“What do you mean? You’re a client of mine, Bobby, and I’m treating you as I would any client. You lost something here in my establishment, and I want to do what I can to help you find it.”
He gave me his number which I punched into my phone. “It’s ringing.”
We waited. Nothing.
“Like I said, the battery is probably dead. Thanks anyway.” He turned away and headed to the door.
I didn’t want him to leave, but I couldn’t find anything to say except, “If it comes up, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, Bobby,” I called out as he reached the entrance. “I’m sorry I was so hard on you the other day. I guess I was just frustrated with how you
treated me back in college and wanted… I don’t know. I wanted to get back at you.”
“How did I treat you back in college?”
“You know… your player reputation; going from girl to girl. I guess there was a time back then when I thought we were growing close, but… well, I later found out you’d been with Barbara, Vanessa and Helen… all in one week.”
“Is that why you never wanted to give me the time of day?” A small smile curved his lips.
“You were bad news, Bobby. You were a walking heartbreak.”
Grinning, he nodded and pushed the door open to leave. “I’ll catch you later, Red.”
Barely an hour after he’d left, I drove to his place and rang the doorbell. Biting my lip, I wondered if I wasn’t too late. It was well past one in the morning and I hoped he wasn’t already in bed.
He opened the door, his torso nude and a pair of green and black plaid pajama bottoms barely clinging to his narrow hips. I gasped and took a full minute to pry my eyes off his chest to meet his eyes.
“Alyson,” he groaned, his voice thick with sleep. “What’s up?”
“I found your phone,” I said, pulling it out of my pocket.
He looked at it without smiling.
“Maybe I should have waited to bring it to you tomorrow morning. I just thought you were really eager to get it back.”
“I am. Thanks.” He ran his fingers through his hair and I was struck once again by how good he looked. “I’m sorry. It’s been a rough day. Why don’t you come in a minute?”
Handing him the phone, I walked in and followed him to the kitchen. His apartment was clean and in order which surprised me. I’d imagined the wild abandon of a bachelor pad.
“How ‘bout a coffee or something?” he said.
“Sure,” I said, even though I never had coffee past eight o’clock. So I’d be up all night… no big deal.
I tried to read his expression as he prepared the coffee.
“So what has you so glum, Bobby? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”
He set his hard, intense eyes on me, his gaze so steady, a shiver of uncertainty sped up my spine.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “Did I say something wrong?”
He took a step toward me and my breath caught in my throat. His movements were fierce and determined as he came up to me, snaked his thick fingers to the nape of my neck and pulled me in for a fiery kiss.
I melted and sighed and instantly gave in to the heat that enveloped my lips. His hands traveled over my body with such hunger, it was impossible to keep cool. I was turned on and I wanted him. I wanted him like I’d wanted him all those years ago, when that crush had consumed me until I’d realized the type of man he really was.
I’d refused to be just another notch on his bedpost back then. I didn’t want to be just another slut he slept with and forgot about the moment he got out of bed.
But now… I couldn’t deny I was attracted to him, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. The kiss he’d surprised me with a while back still haunted me, still made me hot between the thighs. But how did he feel about that kiss? Where did I fit into his life? Just a girl to offer him rebound sex?
As hungry as my body was for his, I pulled away from the kiss and cleared my throat.
“Bobby,” I whispered. “I think you're going through a lot, and I’m not sure this is the best way of dealing with it.”
Frowning, he looked at me and returned to the preparation of the coffee.
Chapter 7
Bobby
Maybe she was right. Maybe sleeping with her to forget about Lilly and her upcoming nuptials wasn’t the best idea, but at that very moment, it was what I wanted; to forget, to erase, to fill my head with something else… someone else, and Red was a pretty good someone else to share my bed with.
Debating whether to tell her about it, I looked at her. Her big green eyes were no longer filled with anger as they had been during out past meetings. Compassion now filled them. “I just found out that the girl I loved is going to marry her childhood sweetheart,” I finally said.
She didn’t look surprised. She simply nodded and looked down to the floor.
“You already knew that, didn’t you?”
Her cheeks reddened, adding to her appeal. “I might have heard a few words from your conversation. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“So you heard it all.”
She nodded.
I shrugged and crossed my arms over my chest. Somehow the fact that she knew my heart had been broken made me feel weak… less of a man. I should be in control of my emotions. I was the heartbreaker… not the heartbreakee. Yet here I was with tears brimming in my eyes.
“You know, all this made me realize something about you,” she said with excruciating tenderness.
I cleared my throat. “What’s that?”
“That you actually have a heart.”
Snorting with indignation, I turned around, but she put a hand to my bicep, pressing me to face her once again. “I didn’t think you had it in you to love someone so much. I think it’s sweet that you can give yourself so completely to someone.”
I let my gaze settle on her face and follow the line of her nose, the curve of her lips and the depth of her eyes. “You know, I never did understand why, out of all the girls I landed in college, I could never get you. I guess I can see now that I wasn’t man enough to get a woman like you.”
She licked her lips and her eyelids grew heavy. The brief kiss we’d shared had been hot and promising, and I knew I could stoke the heated kiss into something spectacular.
I inched closer, but she beat me to it, throwing herself at me with a kiss that released all the pent up emotions. Her delicate and soft fingers played over my skin, leaving me with a tingling sensation as they ran up my arms, across my shoulders and down my back.
Surprised by her audacity, I grew hard and pressed my stiff cock against her while she drove her hands under my pajama bottoms and grabbed my ass.
“I always wondered what it would be like to be so close to you,” she whispered through the kiss. “I’ve always been intrigued by what it was that you had, what magic you worked on those girls to make them so gaga over you.”
Kissing my way to her ear, I whispered, “You could have found out so long ago.”
“My pride kept me from being just another girl in your harem.”
Cupping her cheeks, I brought her gaze to mine. “You could never be just another girl. You’ve always been special, Alyson.” I shook my head, angry with the stupid young man I’d been. “I always knew it, and I guess I wanted to show you what you were missing by sleeping around. When you turned me down that first time, I swore I’d make you regret it.”
I pulled her into my arms and smothered her with a deep kiss that filled me with a surprising amount of emotion. After Lilly, I thought I’d be alone for years to come. I thought my heart would be locked up and unable or unwilling to love again.
Sweeping her up into my arms, I brought her to my bedroom, led by my aching cock. I wanted to take my time with her, to go slow, and show her that this wasn’t just another roll in the hay, but she had other plans.
The moment I set her down, she stripped and stood before me in a dark green bra and panties. My eyes sped to her breasts as they heaved over the cups of her bra.
“You're beautiful, Alyson,” I murmured as I dove between the large, firm orbs. Running my tongue over the swells of flesh, I sneaked my tongue under the thin fabric to find a ripe nipple.
She sighed and her body relaxed beneath my touch, but not for long. Quickly regaining control, she pushed me away, then gave me a firm shove that sent me falling back onto the bed. With an expert flick of her wrists, she grabbed each leg of my pajama bottoms and pulled them off me.
“Hmm,” she sighed. “I’d always heard rumors about your size and thought they were all exaggerations. I have to admit, I’m pleasantly surprised to find the rumors were well founded.” She hungrily
licked her lips. “You might be used to taking control under these circumstances, but tonight, I’m in charge.” She jumped on me, straddling me while she pinned me down.
The minute her crotch brushed along my cock, I thought I’d explode.
“Come here,” I growled as I raised my hips to meet her crotch.
She rose slightly and took my cock in her hand. “I’ve waited for this for so long.” Nestling over my cock, she settled in until I was completely inside her then she rode me with an urgency that surprised me.
I was in heaven.
Chapter 8
Alyson
“Ly…” Bobby muttered in his sleep.
Glorious in all his nudity, I’d hoped to have one last round with him before leaving. The night had been amazing, and I didn’t want it to end, but that utterance stopped me cold.
He mumbled some more unintelligible words and then, “Ly…”
Sitting up in his bed, I looked down at him. Damn it. Why did he have to be so adorable, so good looking and so sexy? And why did he have to leave his heart to someone else? Disappointed by the outcome of our night together, I frowned and bit back the tears of frustration. I couldn’t start a relationship with him knowing his heart wasn’t really in it.
“Gla… Ma… yes… Ly… Ah…”
I slipped out of bed and reached for my clothes. Spending the night with him had certainly been an exciting adventure, and my curiosity about his prowess in bed had been satisfied, but now I had to face reality and move on.
Bobby snored, shifted over onto his side and groaned and muttered some more.
More than anything, I wanted to crawl back into bed with him, but I got dressed and slipped quietly out of the room. The minute I closed the door behind me, the tears flowed. Why had I put so much importance on this encounter? Why had I let myself get seduced by the aura that surrounded Bobby?
Glum, I looked around for my shoes. Last I remembered, I’d kicked one off in the kitchen when Bobby had picked me up, and the other somewhere between there and the bedroom.