Several drinks later, Jeff and I make jokes as Dana dances with some clean-cut college guy when someone taps me on my shoulder.
“Fate has a way of putting you in my path,” she says, unable to stop from smiling.
I have to shake my head when I glance up to see Lexa.
“I’m starting to think you’re stalking me.”
Good-naturedly, she says, “I can say the same.”
She sips at a frosty drink in a martini glass, and her eyes drift over my shoulder. For a second, she stares at Jeff, then quickly back at me.
“I’m going to check on Dana,” Jeff says to me and disappears into the crowd.
“What brings you here?” I ask.
I find I don’t mind Lexa. She’s fun, and I have to give her points for being independent enough to go out alone.
She takes another swallow of her drink. “Someone at the hotel told me a local band was playing here tonight. With nothing better to do, I thought I would give it a try. Plus, tomorrow is my thirtieth birthday.”
“Happy birthday.”
“Not yet.” Her eyes hold mind. “But maybe you can help me celebrate.” Grinning, I shake my head, not at all surprised at her boldness. “No, I get it. You aren’t available. But I’m stuck here in this city knowing no one. It’s kind of sad. I would love a wingman for the night. Or maybe you could hook me up with your friend.”
“You mean Jeff?”
I hadn’t introduced her to my staff, and Jeff typically stays in the bay. He’s not a people person.
“Yeah, he’s hot in a silent broody kind of way.” Sighing, she adds, “Not as hot as you, but…”
I ignore her comment, not wanting to encourage her.
Deflecting, I say, “Sure. I’ll introduce you when he gets back.”
She shrugs. “And thanks, by the way, for fixing my car. I didn’t get to see you when I picked it up.”
The part had come in, and she’d dropped it off.
“Jeff did all the work,” I tell her.
“Then I owe him.” She winks, and I’m sure Jeff will get the ride of his life if he’s interested.
What I don’t tell her is that I’d gotten her the part, sold it to her at wholesale, and gave her a discount on the labor.
“Now, are you going to join me tomorrow or not?”
I might not be ready to give up on Jenna, but hanging out with friends is better than sitting at home.
“Sure, why not.”
Twelve
JENNA
Week one AK—after Kenneth—as I’m calling it, is considerably stress-free. No worrying about wedding plans. No discussions with Mom about dress hunting. No stomach distress over covering up the fact that the thought of not marrying Kenneth is the greatest relief, especially when all I can do is think about Brandon. Except—now all I’m doing is fantasizing over Brandon and what his mouth can do to me. Why do I have to be the nice person and do what’s right all the time? Why couldn’t I just go for it with him and say to hell with it? Kenneth did with Horace. But no. I have to be respectful. Or am I? Is it respect, or am I worried about what people will say about me, and am I being disrespectful to Brandon?
My phone buzzes, jarring me from my meandering mind.
“Jenna, what are you doing?”
“Hey, Sam. I’m sitting here feeling sorry for myself.”
“Maybe this’ll perk you up. Guess who I ran into last night.”
“Who? And just so you know. I hate the guessing game.” Cate used to drive me nuts with this, on purpose. And I’d want to kill her.
“Don’t worry. I won’t torture you. I happened to see your friend Brandon. That really hot guy you introduced us to that night we all went out.”
“You did,” I breathe.
“Uh, yeah. And he was looking fine, too. The man can sure wear a pair of jeans.”
“Yeah, he can.” Sam doesn’t know it, but she’s slowly torturing me to death, even though she promised she wouldn’t.
“Did you see him with anyone?” I’m not even sure I want to know the answer.
“Not that I noticed. Too bad you weren’t there.”
“It sure is. But I wasn’t invited.”
“Sorry about that. My friend, Berkeley, called at the last minute. But hey, a bunch of them are going out tonight. You should meet up with them. You met them all, remember?”
“Yeah, I do,” I admit.
“Why don’t I text Berkeley your number and you can figure out a plan. You need to get out. It’ll do you some good.”
Sam is right. Getting out of these four walls that keep closing in on me is what I need—or at least it might help get my mind off things. I give her the go ahead and am actually looking forward to a night with the girls.
We all meet at an up-and-coming bar on upper King Street, and everyone is just ordering a round when I arrive. Berkeley waves me over to their table. As Sam said, we’ve all met before, at parties and, of course, Sam and Ben’s wedding, but a little time has passed since we’ve all seen each other. There’s Hayley, Lauren, Carrie, Britt, and, of course, Berkeley.
Without warning, Berkeley blurts out, “So Sam told us of your predicament, and we’re here to help you drown any sorrows or what you might consider to be feelings of hesitation over going out to have fun.” Everyone, including me, raises our glasses to this.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that,” I admit.
Berkeley adds, “She did it again.”
At my perplexed look, she continues. “Sam. She obviously forgot to tell you that I say pretty much whatever comes to mind. So don’t take it personally or to heart. I don’t filter much. And for what it’s worth, you’re much better without the douche. Good thing you caught him fucking around now than after you were married. Better late than never, right?”
Hayley nods, saying, “You can say that again. And that’s coming from someone who likes to fuck around a lot. Well, maybe before the little drummer boy. Now she has a single-track mind. And I mean one boy, namely Kylian.”
“Kylian?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Hayley says. “As in the hot little drummer boy. But in all fairness, he’s not little at all. But I’m of the belief he knows how to wield his stick. Or sticks, I should say.”
All the girls laugh, including Berkeley. “That he does,” she admits with a wink. “And just for the record, I’m not the cheating kind of fucker.”
That gets a laugh out of all of us.
“No, she’s not,” Lauren says. “She’s a faithful fucker, for sure.”
These girls are right up my alley.
Berkeley holds out her hand. “But this isn’t about me. Our girl, Jenna, here, she needs some uplifting. So let’s do some lifting of our glasses to her.” Everyone raises theirs, and we do a toast.
“Hear, hear,” Britt says. “Don’t they say all is fair in love and fucking?”
This group of women makes me laugh, and I find myself smiling more than I can remember lately.
Carrie calls out, “That’s not how it goes. It’s all is fair in love and in bed.”
“Thank God,” Berkeley says. “I thought you were going to say something respectable. For a minute there you had me worried that I was going to have to clean up my act.”
“Impossible,” Lauren declares. “Well, wait. I’m going to retract that because ever since Kylian, you have totally calmed down.”
“I have to check this Kylian out,” I say.
“I don’t think Berkeley will let you get anywhere near him,” Carrie claims. “She’s like a pit bull on steroids when he’s around.”
“I am not,” Berkeley huffs.
All of a sudden Britt leans in and yells, “Hot dude alert! Hot dude alert at one o’clock! Holy mother of all thigh clenchers. Would you get a look at him?”
By this time, I turn to see who the hottie is and find myself ogling the man of my dreams. Brandon stands twenty feet from me, with his employee, Jeff, and the redhead I saw him entangled with in his office. The redhea
d, who’s wearing a tight black dress that leaves nothing to the imagination, leans into Brandon and says something that makes him laugh. Jeff also laughs. And me? I grab my drink and toss the entire thing back, trying to calm myself, because right now, I want to shove my fist through that woman’s face.
Only didn’t he warn me? Didn’t he tell me he might not be there waiting for me? And wasn’t I the fool to keep him hanging for all that time? My drink wasn’t enough, so I call the waiter over and order a round of shots and another drink. When they arrive, I down mine, wondering how long it will take the Herradura to calm my emotions, which are scraped raw.
“Jenna, you okay over there?” Berkeley asks.
“Um, yeah, I’m good. Maybe I’ll be better in a while.”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she says.
“Yeah. You got that right. That’s THE GUY.” Although I haven’t explained it, they get it and nod. “I treated him like a ghost when I should’ve been clear and precise about how I felt toward him. Obviously, I fucked up.” I down my next drink. Berkeley grabs the waiter as he passes by and orders me another round. Then she follows the direction of my gaze.
“Hmm. Is he attached to her?”
“I don’t think so. If he is, it’s happened in the last few days.”
“How badly do you want the man?”
“Very,” I say.
“Do you want him to chase you, or do you want to do the chasing?”
I look her square in the eyes. “Why do you have to ask such complicated questions?”
Berkeley lets out a husky laugh. “Because it all depends on my plan of action for you.”
“Plan of action?”
“Yes, the strategy I’m formulating.”
“Hmm. Okay, let me hear it.”
She holds up her finger and wags it. It’s then I notice all the ears at the table are tuned in. “First you have to give us the lowdown.”
This is difficult because no one—or I should say only a few select—know the truth about Brandon. But the alcohol has given me loose lips, so what the hell. “So yeah, he’s the guy I’ve been lusting after for a couple of years now—but mind you, I have never done a single thing with him, not even kissed the man. He feels the same way, or he used to. And when I broke it off with Kenneth, I told him in a month we would come out of the closet. He was a little pissed because he claims he’s been my shadow man for too long now.”
“Uh, yeah, I’d have to agree,” Berkeley says. The other women nod their agreement, too.
“I know, but I was stupid and felt trapped,” I say in defense.
“Trapped?” Hayley asks.
“Ugh, if you only knew my mom and dad.” I finger quote, “Marry the right family,” and shudder. “Mom doesn’t care about whether or not her daughter is happy. And Dad … it might be hard to please him. You know, Daddy’s girl and all.”
Lauren practically yells, “I can see why your dad is that way. Hell, most dads are that way. But your mom—that’s wrong. Totally wrong.”
“Tell me. I can’t talk to my mom about it. She thinks I’m crazy.”
Berkeley announces, “Here’s what you do. Show him you can have a great time.”
“Him?” I ask.
Berkeley uses her thumb to point over her shoulder.
“Oh. Brandon.” The alcohol is making me dense.
“Yep. We’re going to dance and show him what he’s missing by not being with you. By the time the night’s over, his cock is going to be weeping for you. And that redhead? She’s going to look like his grandma. Trust me.”
“His grandma? Then what am I? His mom?”
“Pfft. You’re his soon-to-be super sexy girlfriend. And you are the life of the party. So your ass better get ready to have some fun.”
I try, I swear, not to stare at him, but it’s the hardest thing in the world. The man is an idol. Every movement, from the way he stands to the way he carries a drink to his mouth, makes me want him more. His muscles flex and relax, and the tension it creates within me is disturbing. My lust-filled body would love nothing more than to pull him into some dark corner and molest him. But that won’t happen. Not tonight anyway.
We dance as a group and I think he sees me, but he doesn’t approach.
Berkeley pinches me.
“Ouch.”
“Act like you’re having fun. If you pouted any more, your lower lip would be mopping the floor.” Then she pulls my arm and spins me around, and soon we’re doing an old-timey disco style dance. She makes me laugh so hard, I have to run to the bathroom so I don’t pee in my pants.
When I come out, he’s there waiting for me.
“Jenna.”
The way he says my name makes me catch my breath.
“Brandon.”
“You look great,” he says.
“So do you.”
“New friends?”
Laughing, I say, “No, I know them through Sam. And,” I lean in close, adding, “they’re crazy.” Then I giggle.
“How much have you had to drink?”
“A lot,” I slur, not caring. “We had so many shots, I’m sure my head will fall off tomorrow.”
He chuckles. “I hardly think your head will fall off, but it might feel like it’s going to explode.”
I scowl. “Yeah. I probably shouldn’t have had all those shots, huh?”
“Probably not.”
“Hey, want to come back to my table with me? You know, meet my friends. Hang out.” When he doesn’t answer right away, I say, “Oh, you have a date, don’t you?”
“It’s not a date. We came as a group. But I’d better not. The month, remember?”
I give him a thumbs-up and say, “Gotcha. Better be getting back.” I fist bump his shoulder and walk back to the girls on the dance floor, where I yell out a big woohoo and shake my bootie like there’s no tomorrow. What I’d rather do is run back to Brandon, but I don’t.
Berkeley leans in and says, “Good job.”
“You saw?”
“Hell yeah, I saw. You did great. Part one of the plan accomplished. He is eyeing you like he’s a man dying of thirst and you’re a gallon of water. Now, all we need to do is make him feel like he’s starving and you’re his next meal.”
I glance up and catch a movement on the other side of the room, and it’s Brandon, standing there staring at me. All I can think of is I hope Berkeley is right and that he hasn’t eaten in a long, long time.
Thirteen
BRANDON
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Lexa chides.
“I’m going to have to agree with her,” Jeff says.
Lexa has a way about her, and she’s cast a spell on my boy and opened him up like a talking book. I scowl at him.
“I’m telling you, Brandon, if you want her to respect you, you’re going to have to grow some balls. She’s got you panting like a dog. Next thing, she’ll want to put a collar and leash on you.”
Hadn’t I been thinking that very thing? Only I can’t help myself. She looks so goddamn good and too damn happy to be without me.
“Come on. Let’s dance. You got to let her know you’ll be fine without her,” Lexa encourages.
“What if I won’t?”
It’s an honest question, maybe more for myself as I stand digging in my heels, not wanting to move from my current spot.
“It’s all about appearances,” she says.
“I don’t want to play games.”
“Life is a game. And if you continue to act like your world is over, she has no incentive to be with you. She’ll think you’ll always be waiting for her.”
Jeff nods. And damn, if I don’t see her logic. I down my drink and follow her on the dance floor, far from Jenna. Jeff follows and takes position behind Lexa with me at her front. Dancing isn’t my thing. I’m more of a watcher from the wall like Jon Snow from the Game of Thrones. Lexa, however, won’t let me just stand there. The antics between Jeff and Lexa make me laugh as Jeff dry humps he
r and she bends forward, holding me at the waist. It’s all in good fun. And I remember why I wanted to come out in the first place.
A few songs fly by, and the band takes a break. But before they do, they make an announcement.
“I hear we have a birthday girl in the house tonight.”
Lexa bounces on her toes with her arms in the air like she’s trying to be the one the teacher picks for the answer. She’s had plenty to drink.
“Happy Birthday, Lexa,” the guy singsongs.
The crowd erupts in cheers and claps. I go to kiss her cheek, but she turns and our lips connect. It’s brief because Jeff spins her toward him and gives her the full-on deal. I’m about to rub at my mouth when I see Jenna. My hand drops. I shove away the guilt. I didn’t do anything wrong. It had been an accident. Even Lexa hadn’t meant to. Her eyes had shot to her hairline when it happened. It was a total mistake.
“I think we should get this party girl home,” Jeff suggests, practically holding her up.
I agree, and we move through the crowd. I don’t look for Jenna. Seeing her would only make me want to explain. So, I keep walking to the door helping to support Lexa.
Jeff gets his keys because he’s the designated driver. He’s only had one beer that I saw, so we’re good.
“Drop me off first,” I say, giving Lexa an out.
If she doesn’t want Jeff, she’ll balk. When she doesn’t, he winks at me. From what I’ve learned in the short time of knowing her, she can handle herself. Jeff is a pretty good guy. I trust him not to take advantage of her.
What I don’t expect when I walk in my front door is to find my brother screwing Kym on my couch. But that’s exactly what greets me.
My brother shows no shame. He doesn’t stop, only gives me a sheepish grin. His girl hasn’t noticed me, seeing that her eyes are closed with her head thrown back as she rides him naked as the day she was born. I glance away and head for my room.
Visions of Jenna and the way she moved tonight fill my head, pun intended. I haven’t seen action in far too long. And getting laid has never been easy for me. Cursed as I am by the gods of nature, I’m not even sure Jenna will let me fuck her if we ever get to that point. I’ve been left holding my dick so to speak on more than one occasion after a woman caught sight of the size of my cock. That’s why I’d easily slipped into a fucking relationship with Dana. She’s always been up for the challenge. Not many women are.
The Cruel and Beautiful Series Boxset Page 91
