“Have to get dressed for dinner. Catch you later.”
“See you, man.” I end the call, now filled with a smidgen of hope for what's to come.
Later that evening, I arrive at Buddakan first. As soon as I walk through the door, the scents of mouthwatering Asian cuisine hit me. I’ve already seen the menu and can’t wait to try an entree.
The decor is breathtaking, with its cream-colored walls, high ceilings, and extravagant chandeliers. It's a wonder that my ex didn't make me take her to this place before. The pricing seems up her alley. She never offered to pay or split the bill ever. It's not that I couldn't afford to take her out; it was merely the thought that counted. This is one of the reasons why Bethany is such a wonderful woman. She offered to take Jared and me to this restaurant, not expecting either of us to foot the bill. Perhaps she felt as though she owed us something. Dinner between the participating individuals is not a requirement to be filled prior to consummation. In fact, everything that we've done so far isn't necessary at all.
Beth has always been kind like that. I could tell she had a big heart from the moment I saw her, and her smile could melt the polar ice caps. She had me wrapped around her finger and didn’t even know it. I have to tell her everything, eventually, but for now I’m going to keep quiet until absolutely necessary.
“How may I help you, sir?” the host asks, bringing me out of my musings.
“I’m,” I check my watch, “about ten minutes early. Phillips, party of three.”
“Ah,” he nods. “We received a call from a Mr. Carrington. He said to tell you that he had a late meeting and couldn’t attend. He also said to tell you, umm … you’re welcome.”
I shake my head. Only Jared would do something along these lines.
Pulling out my phone, I shoot him a quick thank you text but decide not to check the response.
“Right this way, sir.”
After following the host through the dining area, he pauses at a tiny cream table with a sleek decorative lamp that has a square shade sitting on top. Since the lighting of the dining room is dim, this makes sense. Most restaurants use candles when faced with lighting issues, but with the design of this place, a candle would probably lessen the beauty.
“Have a seat, sir. Your waiter, Charles, will be with you shortly.”
Nodding, because apparently that’s all I can do these past few minutes, I take my seat. When Charles finally arrives at my table, I order a glass of the house Chardonnay to calm my nerves. I’ve never been alone with Beth like this, so I’m bound to have foot in mouth disease at least once while I speak to her. About five or ten minutes pass by before Beth is brought over by another hostess. It feels like it took an eternity for her to get here, but as soon as I see her, I forget why I was so nervous in the first place.
Breathtaking is the only way to describe how this woman looks tonight. I don’t know where she bought her black dress from, but as soon as I find out, I’m buying stock in the company.
The shell of the garment accentuates the curve of her hips and the shape of her breasts, the lace overlay adding to the mystique of her figure. My eyes trail up and down her, pausing mid-thigh, causing me to zero in on her bare legs. I can't wait to run my fingers along her smooth skin, eventually getting them in-between her legs. I love it when she puts her hair up like she has today. It reminds me of the first time I saw her that way. God, she is so fucking beautiful, and I want to pounce on her. Of course, my dick wholeheartedly agrees.
“Ms.?”
She turns around to face the hostess, and holy mother of god, all the blood rushes from my brain to my already aching dick. I imagine myself, pulling down the zipper slowly; the sound of the metal would drive me insane. And Jesus Christ, the ass on her. I’m going to need to claim that shit in the next couple of days.
“Okay, thanks.” She finishes up with the hostess and turns around. I have no idea what was said in the past few minutes because I was focused on other things.
Taking her seat, she asks me, “Jared isn’t coming?”
“Appears not,” I say, feigning calm. I signal the waiter over to order another glass of Chardonnay. Before he arrives, I ask, “What’s your poison this evening?” She grins, licking her plump lips. I don’t believe she meant it to be sexy, but my eyes drop to her mouth, focusing on the sultry way her tongue moves. What I wouldn’t give to trace my tongue along the seam. I take a huge gulp, finishing the last of my wine when the waiter arrives.
“Another glass, sir?” I nod, my gaze still focused on her.
“And you Ms.?” he asks her.
“I’ll have the same.”
The server departs, and there’s a beat of silence between us until she breaks it.
“So, I guess it’s just you and me,” she says, stating the obvious. Her face appears nervous and she fidgets a little.
“Is there something wrong with that?” My voice is low and sensual because I’m trying to get a reaction out of her.
“No, of course not,” she replies, her tone equally as breathy. “I am disappointed. I thought it would be good for all of us to relax before Friday, and what better way to do that than a candlelight dinner.”
“Hmmm ... I see your point, but you're forgetting something.” Leaning forward I reach out to touch her face running my fingers slowly along the smooth skin of her cheek, my thumb pausing at her sexy mouth. I want to kiss her so badly, and the hitch in her breath tells me she wants it too. How did this go from zero to one hundred in a matter of moments? “You don't need both of us to, as you say, relax. I'm just as capable as he is of relieving any tension you might have. Would you like me to show you?”
Smiling, I give her a challenging look, daring her to make a move. Her eyes go wide as she thinks about what I just said. My body is tender from the experience at the salon earlier, but my mouth and hands work just fine.
She paused before responding to my suggestion. I almost glide my hand down somewhere I shouldn’t in public until she says, “It’s probably not a good idea since Jared isn’t here. I want to experience both of you together for the first time and maybe afterward we can explore your ability to remove tension.”
I smirk, then incline my head to study her. Beth’s eyes are filled with erotic heat, burning so hot; it causes my erection to go rigid. Everything about this woman turns me on. It’s like she’s the remote control connected to my dick—the sway of her hips, her sexy tits, and that mouth, the power button, that brings it to attention.
The waiter returns with our drinks order and then proceeds to take our entrée selections. I order the black pepper beef rib eye steak, while she orders the Alaskan black cod.
While we wait for the food, she takes a sip of her drink and asks, “Are you ever going to tell me how you and Jared know each other?”
I knew this was coming, but I’m still not prepared to tell her. How do you let someone know you’ve wanted them for years, that you’ve fantasized about a moment like this so often that it became real in your mind? I don’t want to come off as a crazy stalker because I’m not. I didn’t follow her, and I don’t have creepy pictures hanging on the wall. What I do have, though, is a long memory.
“Why is that so important you?” I ask, not really interested, but stalling.
“I always feel like you and Jared have these silent conversations, and I want to be a part of them. I think if I know your history, then we could connect more as individuals, and it might heighten the effect of our experience.”
“I'm all for increased pleasure, Beth, but I'm not ready to let you in on that part of myself. Let's just say me and Jared have been friends for many years, and he's helped me through a lot of tough times.”
She bites her lip as if contemplating whether she should continue with her line of questioning. A small part of me just wants to say fuck it and tell her my name is Cooper and I've been in love with her since I was sixteen. That might freak her out though, especially since she only saw me once in high school. I doubt she would
remember the scrawny kid with glasses and a huge nose. An injury, plastic surgery, and a whole lifestyle change courtesy of Jared made me the man I am today, so what does it matter who I was back then?
“That’s not really an answer,” she replies, rolling her eyes. “I’m sure there are plenty more details.”
“Maybe,” I smile coyly, “but you’ll have to wait until I’m good and ready to give them to you.”
“What if you’re never ready? What do I do then?” Her piercing stare is so powerful, I almost buckle under the pressure. However, I remain steadfast, reminding myself that I’m so close to having her.
“Let’s make a deal, Beth. Go out with me on a real date, and I’ll tell you anything you want.”
“Isn’t this real date?”
I shake my head. “Nope. This is more of a pre-meeting, and it was initially supposed to include Jared. I’ll take you on our own date at another time of my choosing.”
Beth lets out an exaggerated sigh and it's too cute. “Okay, fine. But you have to tell me everything, and I mean it. I want your deepest, darkest secrets, Cooper Whitmore.”
Grinning, I nod just as dinner arrives. We eat in silence for most of the meal, with the occasional small talk about her job and my son. By the time dessert comes around we decide to call it a night. I escort her to the cab first, giving her a kiss on the cheek. I want a real lip lock, but change my mind at the last minute. I'll have more chances on Friday, and plan to take advantage of all of them.
As I ride home in the cab, I think back to the accident that changed my life. Jared and I had been fooling around somewhere. I don't even remember the name of the place. It happened the summer before senior year. There was a spot near the cliffs where kids would swing on a rope and fall into the water—a place fairly popular with the teenage crowd in our town. That summer, it had been particularly hot. I don't recall if it was considered a drought, I just remember wanting to cool off that day. Jared suggested that we go to the point, and I agreed. When we arrived, there was no one in the area, so no usual line. Jared and I flipped the coin to see who would go first, because as teenagers it made sense at the time. I distinctly remember feeling uneasy about jumping in, but I shook it off. To create momentum, I ran as fast as I could, catching the rope in my hand, and swinging in one swift motion. As soon as I let go of the rope I knew that I was in trouble. Instead of falling into a deep body of water, usually eight to twelve feet, I fell into a shallow pool of considerably less. There were some spots where the jagged rock protruded from the river, which wouldn't have normally been there, had it been at the proper level. Upon landing, I broke my leg in three places, had some broken ribs, and one of the rocks somehow managed to score across my nose. The cut was so deep that I needed to have reconstructive surgery. The doctor ended up giving me a nose job that I am ever so grateful for. After the surgery, I looked completely different.
Jared felt like shit afterward, so he reinstated his mission to ‘remake me’ if you will. He'd brought it up at the end of our junior year, but with finals and other school commitments, it was put on hold. He gave me pointers on sex. I lifted weights and became a little more polished. I ended up being homeschooled my senior year because of the broken bones and recovery time. I never saw Beth again.
The taxicab arrives at my apartment, and I get out after paying. As I walk to the front door, I think about how much my life has changed, and how lucky I am to have a second chance with this woman. I’m eagerly looking forward to experiencing everything with her. Two more days and, she’ll be mine.
Chapter 6
Three's A Crowd
Jared
I consider myself a calm man, never letting anything get to me. Cooper, on the other hand, is a ball of nerves. I haven't seen him this unglued since high school.
It started when he called me the morning after their dinner. He kept going on about how he just wanted to tell her, and how shitty he felt about lying. I told him to calm the fuck down and continue with our charade until after, reminding him of what’s coming next. I didn’t spend time in a sex shop picking out toys for him to back out now. I understand his reluctance to let the lie continue, but I have faith it will all work itself out. To give him more time to work his shit out, I offered to install the sex swing in the hotel, as well as get everything else ready. I asked Cooper to meet me there at six, while Beth isn't due to arrive until eight. It made sense for him to arrive at an earlier time. Apparently, my thirty-one-year-old friend needs a pep talk.
A knock at the door signals the arrival of our attendant Ben, Brian, Bob or whatever the fuck his name is. I’d called down to the front desk for extra towels, and he’d offered to bring them personally. Usually the maid staff are the ones who complete that task, however Brice insisted.
“Here are your towels, Mr. Carrington,” Bray offers. He shoots a quick glance over my shoulder as if looking for someone.
Clearing my throat, I garner his attention again. “Did you need something else, Byron?” I give him a pointed look and wait for a response.
“Bradley, sir,” he corrects me. After hesitating for a beat, he then blurts, “I was wondering if Mr. Whitmore would be arriving today?” His blush is obvious, and it makes me curious what the hell Cooper did to get this room.
“He'll be here in about twenty minutes.” I give him an honest response because I'm generally interested in what he'll say next. “Did you want to wait for him?” Biting his bottom lip as a sign of contemplation, Barry lets out a sigh and nods.
I step to the side, allowing him to enter the room. Then, I toss the towels on the side table, near the entrance. Who knows when and where we’ll need to wipe up.
“You can wait right there.” I point to the red chair in the seating area. Heading to the bedroom, I continue to prep for our night, placing the sex toys on the nightstand and securing the sex swing perpendicular to the bed. Cooper was able to have a ladder left in the room for installation. I thought about attaching it above the bed, but logistically, it seemed to make more sense here.
Toys. Check.
Lube. Check.
It all appears to be in order. The only thing left is to make sure that Cooper has his shit together.
A murmur of voices draws me out of the bedroom and into the living room. It’s there I see Cooper in a close conversation with Barney. I take a moment to study my friend before approaching. Outwardly he appears calm to most, but I know him all too well. The slight sheen of sweat on his forehead and the tapping of his hand against his leg are telltale signs that he's nervous. Boris here isn't making things any easier by crowding him. I'm not sure exactly what he wants, but it's definitely time to get rid of the pest.
“Hey, Coop,” I greet him as I enter. He gives me a distracted chin lift, turning back to whatever Bogard is saying. The attendant is speaking so low that I can barely hear anything. I clear my throat to gain Bing’s attention since this seems to be the only thing that works with the guy.
“Have you finished with my friend?” Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I give him an annoyed glare. “Because we need to get the night’s festivities underway.” Benton frowns at me. I was fine with him waiting before, but the conversation appears to be agitating Cooper, so Bison has to go.
“I’m almost done, sir,” Brody gives a stuttered response.
“No. I think you’re done, Beauford,” I growl. Cooper shakes his head, smirking at me.
“That’s Bradley, sir,” Benjamin says, his tone uneasy. “I only wanted to ask Mr. Whitmore if he—”
I make a slashing motion with my hand shutting down Bruce. I catch a hint of petulance on his face, but he backs away, turns, and strides toward the exit.
“What was that about?”
Cooper smiles, “He was in the process of asking me on a date, but you embarrassed him.”
“I don’t even want to know.”
“Wasn’t going to tell you.”
As Butch yanks the door open, a startled Beth stands in the doorway wear
ing … Oh shit. She obviously came with her “A” game because this woman has on a brown trench coat with black heels, and my guess is nothing under it. My dick says hello as I scan her body.
Bernard says something before he leaves, but I pay no attention. Cooper has obviously seen her, but he makes no move to approach. Licking his lips, he stares at her in awe and worship, as if playing out in his mind how he will consume her.
She saunters in the room with confidence. The delicious sway of her hips makes my already hard cock turn into steel.
“I thought I’d make access ...” she pauses, “... easy.”
With that statement, she removes her jacket and lets it fall to the floor. My breath hitches as I stare at her naked body. She has an amazing figure, with her curves and legs that go on forever. I often wondered if the hair on her pussy would match the red on her head, but I guess I’ll never know because Beth decided to go bare for us. I want to go and palm her breast, lick her nipple, or something, but I’m waiting to see what Cooper does first.
“Where do you want me?”
Chapter 7
Insert Point A Into Slot B
Cooper
Where do I want her? Is she serious? Fuck, I’d take her anywhere.
The sensual tone of the woman I’ve spent a long time fantasizing about sends a signal straight to my dick that it’s on. The nerves from earlier disappear with her one sentence, and the inner sex God who has been in hiding the past few days comes out to play.
The two strides it takes to reach her feel like an eternity, but as soon as I’m right in front of her, I reach out and run my knuckles across her cheek. She bites her lip in response and grins.
The sounds of I’ll Make Love to You by Boyz II Men fill the room, and I damn near roll my eyes at Jared’s selection. Doesn’t he realize that no one listens to music when they have sex, or at least I don't? The sounds of moaning and groaning are usually my melody.
Coming For Christmas: A Sexy Romantic Holiday Standalone Page 5
