I shrug. “All right. I’ll answer all of them so I don’t get drunk. We have to make a good impression tonight, Sam,” I laugh.
“No way! You have to play right. We won’t get drunk, don’t worry. Here, I’ll go first.” She presses her lips together and looks at the ceiling. “Who was the first girl you had sex with? And how was it?”
I snicker just thinking about it. “Her name was Missy Goldstein, and she was my high school girlfriend. We lost our virginities together on prom night. And then the next day, she broke up with me and told everyone I had a small penis and that I sucked in bed.”
Her mouth drops open before she bursts into laughter. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry for laughing, but why? Why would she do that?”
I shrug. “She was a popular girl, but she didn’t have any money. And back then, everyone was doing it. She hadn’t ever done it, but everyone thought she had. I think she wanted to make herself feel more important.”
“That’s a horrible story. How could you even smile at that?”
“After she told everyone I had a small dick, I told everyone she was overused—that sex with her was like throwing a hot dog down a hallway. Not my finest hour by any stretch, but I blame it on idiotic adolescence.”
She gasps, but it turns into a laugh. “And what did everyone think of that?”
I shrug and pick up my drink.
“Oh, come on,” she begs.
I swallow down the Scotch in my mouth and place it back on the table. “Tell me about your first time.”
She runs her delicate fingers along the rim of her glass. “It was with a boy named Jonathan. We had been dating for the summer, but we both knew that he had to leave. He wouldn’t be going back to our school because his mother had gotten a better job in Florida. She was a single parent, so income was tight for them. She couldn’t turn it down. So on his last night in Chicago, he walked over to my place and picked me up. We walked around the city, talking and laughing, just enjoying our last night alone together. We got dinner from a food truck. We had hot dogs and ice cream. At the end of the night, he gave me a goodbye kiss. But I’d had such a good time with him that I didn’t want to let him go without…you know. I just felt so close to him. My mom was working the late shift that night, so I brought him upstairs to my room.”
I grin thinking about a teenage Sam—so full of passion, fire, and determination. “And?”
She shrugs. “I mean, at the time I thought it was magical. I thought he’d love me and maybe even want to carry on a long-distance relationship until we were both eighteen and could be together. But in all honesty, it was horrible. He didn’t know how to put on the condom. And because it was also his first time, had no idea what foreplay was. It hurt and it was uncomfortable. And I had daydreamed this whole big speech at the end of it where he professed his love and asked for something long-distance. What really happened was the minute he finished, he left me hanging. He got up, put on his clothes, and gave me a quick kiss goodbye. Haven’t talked to him since.”
I laugh. “Ouch.”
She nods and takes a drink anyway. “Yep. Tell me about the last girl you were with.”
I roll my eyes. “Nothing special there. I met her at a club, took her to the restroom, and bent her over. After it all, I paid her bar tab and left.”
Her eyes grow wide. “Seriously? You were a pig.”
“Were?” I ask, wondering when she suddenly decided I was no longer a pig. I haven’t exactly changed my morals since then and turned into Prince Charming.
She picks up her glass and finishes it off, refusing to elaborate.
“How long has it been since you were in a serious, committed relationship?” she asks, and I can see the corners of her mouth lift slightly, but she holds off the smile.
I take a deep breath and think back. “Never, I guess.”
“Never?” she nearly yells.
I laugh and nod my head. “There have been lots of women.” My eyes grow in size just thinking about them all. “A lot of women, but I wouldn’t say I was in a relationship with any of them. I think the closest I ever came was back in college. There was this one girl. Her name was Stacy, and we kept things casual in our shared department. She slept with whomever she wanted, and vice versa. But I did take her out to dinner on occasion, and we went to a few parties together.”
“What happened?”
I let my head fall as I shake it back and forth, now focusing on my drink. “She got mad when she walked into my room to find me with another girl.”
“I thought it was casual?”
“Me too, but I guess she’d been playing along hoping I’d fall in love and change my mind.”
“That poor girl.” She picks up her glass and takes a swig. “Have you ever run into her since?”
“Nope, but I have checked up on her, as stalkerish as that sounds. She graduated, and got hired on at a law firm. Now, she’s married and has three kids. Dodged that bullet,” I joke.
She rolls her eyes. “One day, Mr. Styles,” she says, moving to sit on the edge of the table directly in front of me, “someone will worm their way into that stone-cold heart of yours.” She offers up a flirty smile and stands, walking out of the kitchen and leaving me alone.
I can’t help but watch her go, completely fascinated and amazed—wondering if she’s the woman she’s warning me about.
Chapter 11
Samantha
I feel like I’ve left him hanging, and a part of me likes it. I like knowing that I’m getting to him, teasing him, and maybe even opening his eyes a bit about what an actual grown-up relationship is like. It’s not just about sex. It’s about friendship, trust, and communication. All of which we’re building.
I feel like I need to give him a moment alone, so I slip into the bathroom and start to fill the tub before I begin getting ready for our big dinner date with his client. I guess my efforts on my appearance this morning were wasted since we didn’t even meet the client yet.
Tonight, I want to look the part, but now I think that faking this relationship won’t be as hard as I’d been envisioning. I do feel closer to him than I did yesterday, and I can’t ignore this feeling in my stomach that begs to me lean in and kiss him—to caress his cheek, or jump on his lap and ride him until my entire body is spent.
As much as I’d like that, it also scares me. I know that it wouldn’t mean anything to him yet. I’d just be another one of those girls who didn’t make the cut. And I’d hate to be another Stacy—to feel like I’m winning him over only to have my heart broken.
A deep sigh leaves my lips as I let the warm water envelop me. I lean my head back and close my eyes as I sink a little lower into the bubbles. All I see is him. My stomach tightens as I imagine him stalking up to me, face full of determination. In my daydream, I’m frozen, unable to move as he reaches out for me and pulls me to his chest. He whispers something, but I can’t make out what it is over my pounding heart. And then, his lips land strongly on mine. With a hand cradling each side of my face, he leans me back, deepening the kiss. My shaking hands wrap around his neck, pulling myself closer. I can practically taste the flavors of Scotch and mint on his tongue. The smell of his rich cologne washes over me so strongly, it’s like he’s actually standing right next to me.
“Samantha!” he yells, pulling me from my daydream.
I sit up quickly, causing water and bubbles to splash out of the tub as I look up at him with panic written across my face. “What is it?”
He grins. “Man, you were really out there. What were you thinking about?” He slides his hands into the pockets of his dress pants.
“Nothing,” I say, afraid to admit it. “Why are you in the bathroom?” I gasp as I quickly move to cover my very naked body.
“Dinner is in one hour and I need a shower too. If you wouldn’t mind speeding it up?”
I nod, breathless. “Okay, I’ll be out in a sec.”
He stands back and lifts his chin, silently challenging me to do so while he watches.
I roll my eyes, knowing he’s only joking, but also wanting to tease him even more. I lean forward and pull the drain stopper, then stand—naked and soaking wet as bubbles run down my body. His eyes double in size as I step out of the tub and wrap the towel around myself. I don’t say anything as I step past him, but I make damn sure to keep eye contact. His jaw is flexed and every muscle is hard like he’s forcibly holding himself back. At the last second, I see him shake his head as his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat.
I snicker as I walk down the hallway to the big walk-in closet to dress for the evening.
After blow-drying my hair, I style it in loose curls that hang down my back. I apply some makeup, giving my eyes a light smoky look, and top it off with a deep red lipstick. I walk up to the hanging bag and unzip it to reveal a sexy-yet-tasteful black dress. I pull it up my legs and look myself over in the mirror. I can’t reach the zipper in the back, but I slide my feet into a pair of black heels as I look myself over. The dress is flat black and ends just above my knee. It’s form-fitting, but still holds a lot of class. It’s not a dress I’d wear to a club, but perhaps a fancy dinner, if I had ever attended one before.
Cameron knocks on the door and I turn my head to greet him with a smile. “Care to zip me up?”
He removes his hands from his pockets and closes the distance between us like a big cat stalking its prey. Slowly, and with his eyes meeting mine in the mirror, he pulls up the zipper, letting the tip of his finger drag softly up my back. The soft touch sends shivers up my spine.
“Thank you,” I whisper out of breathlessness as I turn to face him.
Our faces are so close, his hot breath blows across my lips. “You’re welcome,” he whispers back as he slowly moves in for a kiss.
I lean in just as slowly, lost in this trance. His dark eyes are on mine as we’re pulled together by some unseen force. His hand rises slowly, landing on my cheek just as the space between our lips disappears. His mouth presses to mine, and we both let out a relieved breath. His tongue demands entrance, and I can’t deny him. As my lips part for him, his tongue snakes its way inside. My hands wrap around his neck, pulling him closer as I deepen the kiss, completely unaware that I even needed this so much. My knee bends as I pull it up to rest on his hip, and his left hand drops down to my ass, pulling me closer. A deep growl escapes his chest as he picks me up against him and moves us across the room. He sets me down gently on a small dresser in the room, and his hands are free to travel around my body, only making me need him more.
This kiss is different. It’s not like the first one we experienced—there’s no “testing the waters” or putting on a show for someone. This is borne out of pure lust and desire.
His touch is firm but soft at the same time, and his kiss is hard and passionate. This feels better than I’d imagined. He’s a man of many talents, this being the top: seduction. I’ve forgotten all about dinner. I’m not thinking about my hair and lipstick that are probably all kinds of fucked up now. All I can think about are his hands on my body and his lips on mine. His tongue dances against mine, caressing and darting in and out of my mouth as his lips cover my own. The kiss grows deeper with each thrust of his tongue.
I break the kiss to gasp for air and a soft moan escapes my swollen lips. That sound only seems to fuel him. His mouth moves back to mine, but this time, the kiss is much more forceful. His hands move up my thighs, and under my dress, to brush against my aching clit. When his thumb applies pressure to my sensitive nub, a spark shoots through me and I jerk.
“Oh, Samantha, you’re going to make our living arrangement so much harder than it needs to be,” he says against my lips. “You’re supposed to be the voice of reason. You’re not supposed to let me do this,” he says, and it almost sounds painful.
My hand on the back on his neck moves up into his hair, and I tighten my fist, pulling hard, which causes him to break the kiss.
“I want this as much as you do, Cameron. No strings. No attachments. Just,” I shrug, “working each other out of our systems.”
He grins. “Should I change the contract?”
“Fuck the contract; this is just pure lust,” I say, pulling his mouth back to mine. When I’m sure he’s not going to pull away from my kiss, I release his hair to push his suit jacket down his shoulders. He lets it slide off easily, but before he can reach for me, a buzzing sound fills the house.
We break apart. “What’s that?” I ask, breathless.
“I think it’s the doorbell.” He quickly looks at his watch. “It’s dinnertime,” he says, clenching his jaw in frustration.
I stand up and adjust my dress back into place. “Well, we can continue this later. Let’s get to work.” I move across the room to fix my makeup.
He picks up his jacket and pulls it back on just as the buzzing starts again. “I’ll wait for you downstairs?”
I nod, glancing at him in the mirror. He reaches down and tries to adjust the massive erection that’s tenting the front of his pants.
“And Sam?”
I stop applying my lipstick and turn to view him. “Yeah?”
“I think you should use this interruption to really think about what you want out of this situation. If you say no strings, I expect no strings.” Without another word, he turns and leaves me alone.
I sit at the vanity and take a deep breath as I look myself over in the mirror while thinking about his words. I stare at the giant rock on my left hand and spin it around nervously. He’s been burned this way once before, and I have a feeling he’s not willing to let me in to allow the relationship to go any deeper. But I’m not looking for a relationship. Right now, all I’m looking for is to get him out of my system. These daydreams have only fueled the fire burning inside of me.
One time. That’s all I’ll allow. I know from countless movies and books that friends with benefits never works. The more you do it, the more attached you get. But one time won’t hurt, right? Okay, maybe two or three times, but that’s it! We can have this trip, and when we return home, life will start getting back to normal. I’ll go back to work and so will he. We’ll go back to only seeing each other in the evenings for dinner. No relationship can grow out of that. I’ll treat this place like I treat Vegas: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
I push away from the vanity and rush downstairs.
Jake shuttles us from the guest house to the main house in the nicest golf cart I have ever seen. It makes my Jetta look like a heap. When we arrive at the front steps, Cam reaches forward and rings the doorbell as we both stand nervously—not saying anything. Just before the door opens, though, he takes my hand in his and gives it a small squeeze. I can’t help but notice the butterflies that flutter in my stomach at his touch. Is it excitement for what’s come? Adrenaline from the passionate kiss we just exchanged? Whatever the reason, I’m here for it.
The door swings open and a short man with a shaved head and a bushy white beard opens the door wide. He is accompanied by a petite woman with pinned-up auburn hair that’s greying at the temples. The man is grinning as he reaches out a hand toward Cameron, who says, “Mr. Smithfield, it’s so good to see you again, sir.”
“Please, son, call me Wayne.” The men shake hands with gusto as they exchange pleasantries before they turn their attention toward us.
“Wayne, Mrs. Smithfield, this is my fiancée, Samantha Fox.” They both give me a warm welcome and pull us into the house.
“It’s so wonderful to meet you, Samantha,” Wayne says as he turns toward the woman next to him. “Cameron, Samantha, this is my beautiful wife of forty-four years, Helen.” She gives Cameron’s hand a quick shake before pulling me in for an unexpected warm hug. I guess what they say about Southern hospitality is true.
We make our way through the massive entryway of their beautiful home, snaking around corners and hallways into an open-concept kitchen and dining area. “You have such a beautiful home, Helen. I just love all the windows.” I can’t help but look around in awe. The house
is larger than any house I’ve ever been in, but the way they’ve made it a home is warm and charming.
After a tour of the house and some small talk, we settle into our seats at the dinner table. I fully expect waitstaff to serve us our meal, but Helen starts bringing items out of the kitchen. “Oh, do you need some help?” I ask, jumping up out of my seat.
“No, no, dear, you stay there and enjoy some wine. I enjoy hosting.”
She certainly has a gift for cooking, because the food is delicious—crisp green beans and buttery potatoes with a maple-glazed Cornish hen. I could get used to this Southern life.
“I have to say I am mighty impressed you managed to tame this wild bachelor,” Wayne finally says as we settle in for dessert. Cam lets out what sounds like a nervous laugh as he settles his hand on my knee under the table. I flinch a little as he gives it a light squeeze.
“Well, you aren’t the only one!” I say with a big grin. “Trust me, I thought I was going to have to use a branding iron to keep the ladies away.” I smirk as I lightly jab him in the side with my elbow.
“So tell us the story, dear. How did you two meet?”
I quickly launch into the story we had agreed upon earlier, “Well, that’s a great story, so you might want to buckle up for this one.” I tell them about my job as a waitress at the Joker Club, and how one night he came in and tried to sweep me off my feet, but since I knew of his reputation, I shooed him away. Of course, I elaborate, adding in details about how Cam would show up at my work unexpectedly to surprise me with flowers and lunch dates and beg me to give him a chance.
I’m on a roll, making up details right and left as they come to me. “And then, one evening, we had a karaoke night at the club and he got up there and dedicated the song ‘Wonderful Tonight’ by Eric Clapton to me. At the end, he said in front of everyone that he knew from the moment he laid eyes on me that we were destined to be together, and that nothing else mattered in the world because he found me. He pulled me up on stage and we’ve been together ever since!”
Claimed By Him: (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 79