by Hayes, Lane
I set the glass on the coffee table and turned to face my host with a friendly smile and a parting thank you, but I froze. I couldn’t remember what I was going to say. He was closer than I’d counted on. And the look in his eyes wasn’t the kind you walked away from easily. It was demanding, frenetic, and hungry. Or maybe I was seeing things. I licked my bottom lip and then bit it experimentally.
Wes’s eyes darkened as his lips curled in a devilish twist that made my mouth water. There was enough heat and sex in the gesture to alter the temperature in the large room. It made our close proximity to the fireplace almost unbearable. It was too warm. And dangerous. I was right. He was a predator. I liked to think I was too, but without saying a word, he made it obvious he was out of my league.
I stared at his full lips and gulped before slowly inching into his space. I was careful not to touch him. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, and I doubted he’d help me out. My nostrils flared as I leaned in closer still. I could feel his breath on my cheek now and the slightest brush of his stubbled chin against mine. I shivered then set my hand on his knee and closed the distance to press my lips to his. We stayed like that for a long moment, locked in a feather-light connection that was a heartbeat away from exploding into something ferocious and possibly out of control.
“What are you gonna do now, Nicky?”
I let out a savage growl before tilting my chin and driving my tongue between his parted lips.
Fuck, he tasted amazing…like rain and wine and firelight. And he smelled incredible too; musky and manly, like expensive cologne, red wine, and something uniquely his. It had been far too long since I’d been with a rugged, masculine man. I tended to go for men, and women for that matter, who were smaller than me. Wes was easily my height, and though he wasn’t overly muscular, he was strong. He held my head between his hands with ease and deepened the connection, plunging forward and practically sucking the air out of my lungs. Then he glided his tongue alongside mine and pushed his fingers through my hair. I moaned as I tried to get closer still.
Wes was ready for me. He slid his arms down my back and pulled me against his chest. Then he pushed me backward on the sofa and flattened himself over me. I let out an oomph of surprise, but I didn’t miss a beat. I wrapped my legs around his waist and lifted my hips to grind my painfully hard shaft against his. I needed friction. I was consumed with desire now; coherent thought was not on the menu. Writhing with a stranger wasn’t the craziest thing I’d ever done, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it wasn’t a good idea. Then again, maybe it was all part of the same broken-engagement-and-wine experience. Maybe it was the universe’s way of righting the ship. A reward for correcting the karmic balance.
Whatever it was, it felt too incredible not to enjoy. I splayed my fingers over his broad back and arched upward just as he slipped his hand under the elastic of the sweatpants and squeezed my bare ass. His hands were warm and big and damn, it was nice to be with someone who knew what he was doing. He pulled my cheeks apart and widened his thighs, giving himself enough room to trace my crack while he devoured my mouth, licking and sucking with abandon. I bit his lip and chin then buried my nose in the crevice between his neck and shoulder and breathed him in.
“Feels good,” I hummed.
Wes rocked his hips against mine and purred into my ear. “You’re a hot little fucker, Nick. I want to suck you dry, stick my fingers in your ass, and then fuck you ’til you can hardly walk. I want—”
“Ay, Dios mio!” Geordie gasped.
Wes scrambled to sit up and glared at his friend. He looked thoroughly debauched with swollen lips, mussed hair, and his shirt half-untucked. And he looked highly irritated with the untimely intrusion.
“Geordie…”
“I know! I’m sorry to interrupt, but Nick’s car is here. That is Nick you’re humping there and not just a pillow, right?”
“Right, Geordie. You can go now,” Wes snapped.
“I’m going, but tell him the agent needs his signature. They won’t leave the rental car without it.”
“Got it.”
“And can I just add…you make a handsome couple,” Geordie gushed before leaving the room.
Wes gave his friend a harsh stare and watched him leave the room. At least, I assumed he was leaving. I was still flat on my back and couldn’t see over Wes. When I pushed his knee, he looked down and grimaced.
“Timing is everything,” he said, leaning in to kiss my forehead before he shifted sideways and stood. “You okay?”
I huffed. “The rush of blood from my dick back to my brain may take a few minutes, but I’ll survive.”
“Good. Um…” Wes tucked his shirt in and then raked his hands through his hair. The dark ends stood up, making him look boyishly sexy.
He was stalling. I couldn’t blame him. This was quickly turning into the awkward “morning after” moment minus the sex. I wasn’t sure how to make a graceful exit, but really…what difference did it make? I’d probably never see him again.
“Can I borrow these? I’ll wash them and—”
“Keep them. Or better yet, give them to me next time I see you.”
I wiggled my foot in my damp shoes and gave him a funny look. “Unless you send me wine I didn’t order, I don’t know when that might be.”
Wes nodded and stuck his hands into his back pockets. I gathered my ruined clothes and moved to stand in front of him, preparing my thank you and good-bye. I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t find the words. He was so handsome, but more than that, he was commanding. I had a weird thought I wasn’t going anywhere until he released me. And as warped as the image was, it made me sorry there was someone waiting with official paperwork and a set of keys at his front door. I wanted Wes Conrad. Badly.
“You know where to find me.” He yanked me against him and licked the corner of my lips. Then he smacked my ass and stepped back. “Bye, Nicky.”
I turned to leave but immediately pivoted back to face him. “How do I get out of here?”
“If I know Geordie, he’s waiting outside the door. Take care of yourself and…try not to be so damn reckless. Not everyone is as nice as me.”
The wolfish gleam in his eye and his teasing half smile invited me to laugh at myself and relax. And why shouldn’t I? My day from hell hadn’t ended so badly. Sure, my Range Rover was totaled, and over a thousand dollars’ worth of wine was gone with it, but after a tumultuous year, I had a feeling I’d been granted my reset. I could finally begin again.
Chapter 3
Eric popped his head into my office the following Wednesday morning. He looked tan and fit and very fucking happy. I pushed away from my desk and hurried to wrap him in a giant bear hug. I eased my hold when he gave me a halfhearted punch in the gut then went limp in my arms.
“Can’t breathe.”
I snickered as I released him. Then I took a step backward and gave him a thorough once-over. Eric Schuster was undeniably the best man I knew. He was an ordinary guy who knew his limitations. He was five foot ten with brown hair, brown eyes, and pleasant, even features. He was never going to be the tallest or hottest man in any given room, but his impressive collection of Armani suits, like the well-cut charcoal-gray one he was wearing today, and his multiple degrees from Stanford University gave him an edge most people noticed. He was smart and friendly, but above all, he was kind. Eric had a way of putting others first that I’d mistakenly thought of as naïve when we first met in college. I’d later come to realize it was one of his greatest strengths.
“You look good. Actually, you look amazing. And happy. Are you happy? ’Cause if you’re not, I’m gonna kick Zane’s ass,” I joked.
Eric’s grin widened. I chuckled at the telltale flush of pink on his cheeks. He was so freaking easy to read. He’d obviously had sex a couple of hours ago and was reliving the memory. I bristled with a faint envy I’d had a hard time shaking since Eric and Zane had announced they were seeing each other at the beginning of the year. I told myself i
t was normal to grapple with occasional bouts of jealousy, but none of the other guys in our circle of college friends seemed bothered in the slightest. However, that was probably because they hadn’t been lovers once upon a time.
“I’m happy. Bora Bora was unbelievable. We sailed around the…”
I gestured for him to sit in one of the guest chairs in front of my desk. I took the one next to him and let him bora bora me with details about his tropical honeymoon. The turquoise water and endless blue skies. I studied Eric’s mannerisms as he talked. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning. He literally oozed cheerfulness. I wanted to pinch his cheeks and steal his new shiny toy to mess with him. I couldn’t decide if all this bliss made me happy or a little queasy.
“It sounds amazing. Almost as amazing as the wedding,” I commented indulgently.
“It was incredible, wasn’t it? A beautiful ceremony, a kickass party and ten days in paradise. Thank you,” Eric gushed.
“What did I do?” My forehead knit in confusion.
“Zane told me our honeymoon was your gift to us. It was over-the-top and wildly ostentatious, but I loved every second. Thank you for being the best best man ever.”
“You’re welcome. Hey, weren’t you supposed to be home yesterday, slacker?”
“I told you our flight got delayed.”
“Oh. I probably missed your text,” I said with a shrug.
“I didn’t text you, dummy. We talked. You must have been in the lab. Did you finish?”
I shook my head and sighed. “Not yet. I’m going back now. I figured I should check in here first.”
“Barb would tell you if you were in danger of missing an important meeting. How did it go with Finn, by the way? You didn’t call me back, which I thought was a good sign until I saw an email from him this morning.” Eric pulled his cell out of his pocket and scrolled until he found the entry he was looking for. Then he cleared his throat and cast a pointed glance my way before he began reading. “ ‘I spoke with Nick about pricing for new equipment, but he insisted we wait for you to return to discuss details.’ ”
“Yeah well…he came on to me, and it was either fuck him against the wall in the conference room or wait for you to deal with him. I chose you,” I pronounced with a self-satisfied smirk.
“Good choice. I’ll call him. He mentioned something about having information that might be beneficial to us with the Byzantine deal. Any idea what he means?”
“No, but I think it may be underhanded. Something salacious, if you know what I mean.” I waggled my eyebrows to emphasize my point.
Eric frowned. “Huh? Like a scandal or something? We’re staying out of drama. I’ll tell Finn we aren’t interested in—”
“Hang on.” I grabbed his elbow when he started to stand. “I agree, but let me see what he’s up to first.”
“Nick, don’t,” he said in the serious voice he reserved for the highest degree of effect.
We’d been good friends for over a decade and even lovers for a while. I knew the difference between his casual “Come on, Nick,” or “That’s not a great idea, Nick.” Once upon a time, it promised anything from a cold shoulder to sweaty, passionate man sex on any available surface. Now it promised bodily harm and a distraction I didn’t need when I was about to head back to the lab.
I put my hands up in surrender. “That’s why I made the responsible call and told him to talk to you. I learned my lesson. No more mixing business with pleasure.”
Eric cocked his head and gave me a suspicious look. “You sound like you’re quoting someone else.”
“Like who? You? Maybe I am. It doesn’t matter. I handled it well if I do say so myself. I took the card he gave me and said good-bye.”
“A business card?”
“Nope, an invitation to a gentlemen’s ‘party.’ ” I used air quotes and winked to give him the extra clue he needed.
“A strip club?”
“No, a private gathering for men who are looking for the company of other men.”
“Like for sex? No, don’t jump to conclusions. It might be to discuss business or politics or—”
“Don’t be naïve. Finn doesn’t want to talk politics. He wants to go someplace private but neutral, ply me with alcohol and sexual favors then see what I’m willing to spill about EN Tech’s top secret projects.”
“I’m glad you didn’t go or—you didn’t go, right?” Eric’s brow furrowed impressively.
“No Dad, I didn’t go. I was a good kid. I went up to Napa to return the wine.”
“Oh. That is good.”
“Yeah, except I got into an accident and long story short…I don’t have the wine or my Rover anymore, but—”
“Accident? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I’m fine. I have a rental car for now and…whatever. I’ll deal with big kid stuff, like transportation, after I nail down this equation. Don’t worry about me.”
“I can’t help myself. Old habits die hard.”
“Hmph. What should we do about Finn?”
“I’m not sure, but I’m curious about his motivation. This can’t be for a deal on pricing. Twenty percent is less than ten thousand dollars on the EN Tech product he wants to purchase. That hardly seems like enough money for a reseller to risk his reputation.”
“Do you think Norm Wilson is involved? They do a lot of business together.”
“I don’t know, but whatever you’re thinking, stop,” Eric warned me as he shoved his phone into his suit pocket. “You deal with your project. I’ll keep an eye on Finn. And Norm.”
“I’m not going to do anything dumb.”
“That’s what you always say,” he grumbled under his breath.
I ignored the sarcasm and jumped to my feet to pace toward the windows overlooking my expansive view of the Santa Cruz mountain range. When I felt like I could translate my thoughts into words, I spun around and snapped my fingers.
“I have to fuck Finn.”
Eric busted up laughing. He smacked his hand on his knee and shook his head before moving to meet me at the opposite end of the room.
“What did you just say about mixing business and pleasure?”
“Bad idea. I know. But this is different. I’ll—”
“No, it’s not. Grow up, Nick. You can’t use sex to manipulate people or situations. You did it with me and then Lisa. Finn is—”
“Nothing to me and vice versa. I cared about Lisa and you know I love you, little buddy…so it’s not the same. Why not see what Finn thinks he has? If I get laid in the process, fantastic—if not, no harm, no foul.”
“How can you say that? Something will go wrong. And then what? We lose our reputation along with a giant deal. No thanks. Keep your dick in your pants. Go out with someone for the fun of it and not because you want something from him or her. You shouldn’t have to work that hard in a relationship.”
“I don’t want a relationship, Eric. I want the Byzantine deal.”
“We’ll get the deal the old-fashioned way. We have a superior product than Wilson and we’re a well-respected firm with principles and integrity. And we’re going to keep it that way. Sleeping with a reseller who claims to have an inside scoop is morally reprehensible. Don’t even think about it. Understood?”
Eric stabbed his finger at my chest meaningfully and gave me a no-bullshit look. The kind of look that used to lead to sex. It wasn’t going there with Eric, but Finn was a definite possibility. I grinned at the thought, but the visual morphed before it solidified. Suddenly it wasn’t Finn bent over my enormous desk with his pants around his ankles begging me to fuck him while my staff was going about their business on the other side of the door. It was me…with Wes and—damn. I licked my lips and brushed my hand over my nose.
“Don’t worry.”
“I’m not going to worry because you aren’t going near him. Promise me, Nick.”
Eric held out his pinky finger and tilted his chin. He reminded me of the twenty-year-old kid I’
d met in college. Earnest and a tad naïve but smart as hell. I wrapped my pinky finger around his and squeezed.
“I promise.”
My sardonic expression didn’t faze him. He nodded before moving toward the door. He turned before he opened it and tossed a Cheshire cat grin my way.
“Sunday football at our house. Come early so we can bore you with wedding pictures.” I rolled my eyes and pointed toward the door, but he wasn’t finished. “Feel free to bring a date.”
I wouldn’t bring a date, but it was strange that the first person who came to mind was Wes Conrad. This was getting ridiculous. We made out. That was it. Sure, he was hot as hell, but we were never going to happen. I had to stop thinking about him and remind myself he was a link to an unfortunate decision in my past. Nothing more.
I huffed in exasperation then walked over to the door and yanked it open. “I’m not inviting anyone to my newly wedded friends’ house to eat pizza and throw Cheetos at the big screen TV when the ’9ers lose again. Thanks anyway.”
“First of all, Zane will kill you if you throw food at the flat screen and second, I would never serve Cheetos. Don’t bring a date, but try going out on one. You need a diversion to keep you out of trouble, Nick.”
“Hmph. Welcome back, hard-ass.”
“I missed you too.” Eric leaned in to punch my arm and at the last second kissed my cheek. “And thanks again. I don’t care what anyone says, you’re a good egg, Jorgensen.”
I chuckled at the inside joke before turning back to my desk. I had things to do. I couldn’t waste my morning thinking about Finn or—hang on. There was more than one way to get information from the sexy Irish guy and still keep my promise to Eric. I just needed a little assistance. God, I was a genius.
* * *
“Where are we going again?”
I glanced at my friend across the darkened interior of the Suburban I’d hired to drive us to Russian Hill. According to my connection, the exclusive residence was home to this weekend’s mostly hush-hush private party. And yeah, my connection was Finn. However, I wasn’t going to this shindig with salacious intent. I would never go back on my word to Eric. I said I wouldn’t screw around with the guy and I wouldn’t. But that didn’t mean Josh couldn’t.