“Oh, no you don’t. You’re over that worm, remember?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m finished with him.” I shoot a mean eye to Cat Alice who still has her mouth fused over his like she’s trying to resuscitate him. She might need to when I’m through with him, but that’s not the point.
She swore she didn’t want anything to do with Will—called him pig vomit when we started going out and now look who’s lapping it up?
“I have to go. Trust me, it’s a good thing, like lancing a wound to get all the puss out.” Cat Alice is one infection I want out of my system now and forever. “I’ll meet you in class.”
“Sorry, sister, but something tells me you’ll need back up—and maybe a hose.” Baya traipses behind me, struggling to keep up.
“Well, what a shocker!” I shout in an effort to pierce through their grunting. And, sadly, instead of sounding ironic in a pissed off sort of way, the words warble in the wind making me come across as genuinely surprised and pathetic.
Will jumps back. His face bleaches out, pale as plaster as he blinks at me like a startled child. He always did make it a point to let me know he couldn’t stand her. It’s pretty obvious that was just a cover.
“It’s not what it looks like.” He holds up a hand.
“As if I care.” The words struggle from my throat as I fight back tears. “Let me guess”—I shake my head trying to control my breathing—“you don’t even like her.” I mock the tone he used repeatedly when he said those words. “And you”—I seethe at Cat—“my own fake flesh and blood. I would never bone that twerp.” I do my best to imitate her. Yes, she, too, pretended to loathe the very sight of my then boyfriend. “Aren’t you two a pair? Is this the part where I’m expected to woman up and give you my blessing?”
They exchange perturbed looks. If I had to guess what they were saying it would be: Cat Alice— She’s in on our secret. This is as good a time as any to fess up! And, of course, Will’s response—I still can’t see myself associated with your rank ass.
I take in a sharp breath. “Oh, my God!” My eyes flit from Will to Cat. “You two have been at this for a while haven’t you?” I bet they’ve been fucking for years!
A stunted silence takes over our tense little circle.
“Oh, shit,” I hiss. “Wait a minute.” I cock my head toward Cat. “You were the one that introduced me to Will. You said he was a very special friend of yours.” My jaw goes slack. “You were already seeing each other at that point, weren’t you?”
Deafening silence. Nothing but their gaping pie holes staring back at me.
I swallow hard, putting together the shit pieces. I growl at Cat Alice. “You were together the entire time I was with him, weren’t you?”
Cat opens her mouth, and I give a hard shove to her chest.
“That was fucking rhetorical!” I scream right over her face. “And you!” I glare at Will who’s red in the face, and I can’t tell if it’s because he’s angry or embarrassed, but right about now I couldn’t care less if he was choking to death. “You weren’t even man enough to get out of one relationship before getting into the next! What’s the matter? Are you ashamed of her? She a little too real-world to show off to your country club friends? Or are you just following in your daddy’s footsteps by keeping your trash on the side?”
Baya pulls me back by the arm. “I think we should go.”
“I’m not done.” A laugh gurgles in my throat as I see Cat Alice in a whole new light. “So you’re the girl he slept with before me—you’re the owner of the tainted twat?” I lean in feeling a little nastier than usual. “You do realize it was your poor hygiene that had him faking an allergy!”
Her hand flies to her lips as she gapes at him in horror. “You said it gave you hives!”
“You both give me hives!” I roar so loud my body reverberates. “I hope you choke on one another’s tongues!” I jump back in a fit of anger. “You’re nothing to me, Cat! Don’t you ever even look at me again! You’re nothing but a slut. The reason he kept you as his dirty little secret is because he would never go for anyone like you!” I turn to the idiot in question. “And by the way, William Angelica Richie, you’ve got a little dick!” I scream so loud my throat burns. I take off toward the business department so fast I swear I hear a sonic boom.
“You are going to regret this!” Cat Alice screams into the wind, but I don’t care. I regret nothing. Finally, and at last, I feel a strange sense of peace.
Baya catches up and swivels me into her.
“I can’t go to class,” I grunt out breathless.
“You have to.” Her face is rife with worry because it’s not just me missing class, it’s Rags to Riches missing its shining moment. “The first critique is a third of our grade, and you have all the stats.”
“I’m so sorry.” I pluck out my laptop and happily hand it over. “But I’m sure we’ll do great.” I run toward Prescott Hall and don’t stop until I’ve hit my dorm.
* * *
By the time six o’clock rolls around, I’m showered and dressed and plying over government handout forms under the duress of dim lighting courtesy of the Black Bear.
“Names and ages of your children,” I ask. I know all this in theory, but my track record with middle names isn’t so great, and, God forbid, I land a birthday in the wrong month. My head doesn’t exactly feel screwed on straight today. And if I manage to screw this up, I’m sure the government won’t mind withholding funds and landing my sweet, yet completely out of her mind, sister in an eight by ten cell. Anyway, Jemma will probably land herself there one day all on her own. This is simply deferring the inevitable.
“Aw crap.” She takes another sip of the strawberry daiquiri Holt gifted her. I, myself, refused the libation, albeit the one he offered me was a virgin. Anyway I’ve been in one serious fucking mood ever since the incident and don’t care to imbibe a damn thing. “I got a paper in here somewhere with it all written down.” She thumbs through the shoebox marked ‘portant stuff.
My phone buzzes, and I pluck it out while I wait. It’s a text from my favorite boss.
What’s up?
I text back. Helping my sister with some paperwork. At the Black Bear. In a funk.
Not sure why I added that last part, most likely because Wyatt has been such a good friend. I wonder if we were in a serious relationship if I would have confided that or just stuck my chin up and pretended everything was fine?
Stop funking around. Let me pick you up. I know just how to cheer you up.
A smile springs to my lips, first one in hours. Come quick, I start to text then delete it. I’d hate for it to be mistaken as an innuendo. Quite frankly I’m not in the mood for any of those right now either. I’d love some cheering up. See you soon. I hit send and lean back to find Jemma studying me with a stern look.
“Lover boy strikes again?” She raises her glass as if toasting him, although there’s something in her eyes that reads trouble.
“Yes, well, he’s sort of a lucky strike in general. He’ll be here soon, so we have to hurry.” I get right back to business before Jemma gets schnockered and tries to snag Wyatt as her own “lover boy” once again. I still get chills when I think of their first unfortunate encounter.
Sure enough, Jemma does have all of her children’s names, birthdates, and shockingly birth weights written neatly on a worn piece of paper. There’s not a hurdle too high that the government can provide that Jemma isn’t ready to clear. If Uncle Sam thinks he’s going to save a few bucks by denying her a single state benefit he’d better think again. Jemma has prepped harder for this dole out application than she did the SATs. In that sense you might say Jemma was simply planning ahead.
“So things getting pretty serious with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dimples? You drop your knickers yet?”
Knickers? I close my eyes a moment.
“You’re my sister. I don’t even want you to think about my knickers.”
“Just curious, you know—what�
�s he got in the bottom drawer. You got some of those naughty pictures?” She makes a grab for my phone, and I inch it out of her range. “I’d love to know what kind of equipment that boy is hauling around.”
“No, I don’t have any naughty pictures.” I’d laugh if I weren’t busy choking.
Izzy pops up and joins us. “What did I miss?” She looks from Jem to me.
“She wants all the dirty deets, but I’m not divulging a single naughty picture—so there’s that.”
Izzy makes a face. “Believe me if there’s a naughty picture of Wyatt, I don’t want to see it. These eyes are for my man only.” She clicks her nails over the table as if calling court to order. “What’s this I hear about the big blowout on campus?” Izzy lifts a brow. Sometimes it feels as if I have two older sisters. Izzy, of course, being the only technical grown-up in the equation. I give Jem an apologetic glance. “Baya told me all about it.”
“No. No blowout.” I shake my head frenetically because Izzy is about to open a can of William worms. Jemma has always warned me about Cat Alice, and, being my stubborn self, I refused to listen.
“What’s this big blowout about?” Jemma has that look that says there’s no way in hell she’s letting this one go.
“Look”—I glance over my shoulder for signs of Wyatt—“it was stupid. I caught Cat Alice making out with Will and flipped out. You were right. They were doing the nasty the entire time I was with that fool. End of story.” I sink my nose back to the grindstone and start whipping through the government landmine of information vomit.
“Hold on just a minute, pretty little sis.” Jemma carefully extracts the pen from my hand. “You mean to tell me you had a shit storm hit this afternoon, and you weren’t going to say nothin’? I thought we were close.”
Jemma’s eyes glisten with moisture, but it’s clear she’s pretty pissed. I can’t tell if she’s about to cry or take a swing at me—probably both.
“I know the words you’re looking for, and I said them. You were right. I was wrong. I swear I’ll listen to you from now on.” I hold up a hand like I’m taking an oath. And, surprisingly, it only mildly alarms me that I’ve just agreed to take my sister’s advice regarding future matters.
“I’m so sorry, hon.” Her features sag. “Come here.” Jemma pulls me in, and I take in the sharp scent of cigarettes and dollar store rose water that clings to her hair. “I don’t wanna be right about shit like that,” she says it in her soft mommy tone, and I sniff back tears. Jemma pulls back, her own eyes tearing up—on second thought, they always sort of have that bloodshot appeal. “You know what else I’m right about?” She nods as if I should be able to finish the sentence.
“That I should get a baseball bat and smash in his car windows?” Please God, let it be that.
“No, hon. The fact you’re in love—with someone else. That Wyatt kid.” She smirks up at Izzy as if holding back a laugh. “Well, I think everyone at this table knows he’s all man.”
“Ladies.”
I glance up and to both my horror and delight find a smiling—definitely all man—Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dimples smiling at me.
God, I hope he didn’t hear Jemma’s daiquiri-inspired aria regarding my love life.
I hop up and wrap my arms around him. The scent of his cologne instantly loosens me.
“You don’t know how glad I am to see you.” My lips find his for far too brief a moment. “Izzy can you help Jemma with the rest of the paperwork?”
“Not a problem.”
“Thanks, I owe you one. I’ll see you both later.” I give Jemma a stern look in the event she’s poised to espouse more theories on where my heart lies.
Wyatt leads me out of the Black Bear, into the cool, brisk evening, and I can finally breathe again. Without Wyatt it feels as if I’ve spent my entire life holding my breath. I need him around like I need air in my lungs. I spin into Wyatt, my cheeks burning with the epiphany.
“Come here.” He pulls me in tight and grips me just the way I’ve needed him to hold me all day long. God, I love him.
My eyes spring wide.
“Oh, my, God!” I whisper under my breath.
I pull back and am swept away by the warmth in his eyes, by his cutting good looks that even now have random coeds twisting into him.
This big, gorgeous man is all mine. I want him to be.
I swallow hard as tears come to my eyes. Damn Jemma.
She’s right again.
I do love Wyatt James.
Wyatt
Marley.
I can’t seem to wipe the goofy grin off my face as we drive back to the house. I offered to take her anywhere in the world, and she didn’t miss a beat when she said the ranch. Not that I mind. I’ve been craving her all day. She’s taken up residency in my mind even when she’s not around. She’s the only one I think about 24/7. Somehow, in some magical way, she’s managed to erase the hurt and pain of this long life and make it worth my while to open my eyes in the morning for something other than an eight-hour shift at Capwell. I used to worship the dollar and now all I worship is her.
We pull into the driveway and head up the walk. Marley races me to the porch and slams her hand over the door.
“I win,” she pants, slightly out of breath.
“You could have saved the energy.” I lean in and take a slow, careful bite of her bottom lip. “I was planning on letting you have your way with me.”
Marley purrs as I let us in.
“What makes you so sure I want to be in control tonight? Maybe I want you to be”—her hand glides down over my abs, lower still—“large and in charge.”
“Oh, sweetie.” A dark laugh rumbles from me as I examine her from head to toe. Marley is a sex kitten, beautiful as all hell, and challenging in ways I’ve never had a woman challenge me before. “You have no idea what you’ve just asked for.”
“Sounds like you have something wicked up your sleeve.”
“Maybe.” I head over to the fireplace. “Do we have arson on the agenda tonight, or should I start a fire the old fashioned way?”
“So funny.” She deadpans taking off her sweater. I do a quick double take. Marley is in her bra and panties before I can light a match.
“You don’t waste any time.”
“Rules are rules.”
It’s true, after we added the clause stipulating no clothes at the ranch house, Marley has dutifully complied.
Monica’s nagging voice comes back to me. They’re just after one thing. I shake my head as I get the blaze going. Who the hell cares if Marley is after one thing? That “thing” just so happens to be attached to my body. I’m sort of a package deal. Besides, I’ve had enough doubts, no thanks to my ex. That’s one fire I’m putting out.
Tonight’s the night I’m going to talk to Marley about burning that ridiculous contract. I want something more with her, and I’m hoping she feels the same.
Her arms wrap themselves around my waist before I can turn around.
“I’ve missed you, Professor James,” she whispers, taking a bite of my earlobe.
“Damn straight, you better miss me.” I turn to face her, holding back the grin that’s dying to erupt. “I haven’t seen you in twenty-hours. That’s criminal. Have you been a good girl?” I’m up for a game or two if she is. I’ll save the serious discussion for when we’re both worn out, unable to move because we’ve twisted ourselves into every damn position known to man. A smile creeps up, and I don’t stop it.
“I’ve been very, very naughty.” She lowers that forest of lashes and bats into me.
“It sounds like you’re due a punishment.” I give a quick sweep around the room for that riding crop I brought in from the barn. I meant to wash it, but I’m sure a little hay around the edges will only add to the adventure. I spot it standing erect in the corner looking ever so innocent. “Don’t move.” I hop over and accidentally catch my foot on the coffee table. Her purse knocks over and spills its contents onto the rug below. “What’s this?” I
pick up a pair of navy velvet cuffs. I think I like where the night is about to lead.
“Did those little ‘ole things just jump out of my purse?” She bites down on her lip feigning innocence. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? I’m loving this development.”
“I was sort of hoping for an arresting development.”
Gently I land a cuff over her wrist before leaning in and whispering, “You’ve got the key for this, right?”
“Yes,” she hisses so low it sounds like a sigh.
“You have the right to remain silent”—I press my lips to her ear—“unless, of course, you’re moved to scream—and I hope to arrange for that.” Carefully, I pull her arms behind her back. “Anything you say or do can and will be used against your very naked body.” I secure her other wrist into the cuff. “If you cannot afford an attorney, then—well, you’ll be trapped in my bedroom forever. Do you understand these rights as they’ve been whispered, hot, in your ear?” I take an unapologetic bite of her neck.
“I’m catching on.” A hard groan comes from deep inside her. “I’m ready for a visit to the penitentiary. Lucky for me, I’m already undressed in the event any of the inmates demand to have their way with me.”
“I’m the only person allowed to do that.” I give her lips a gentle kiss. “You belong to me.” My eyes sear over hers, and, for a brief second, we share something real, something deeper than the fun and games we’ve plunged into. I lead her down the hall a little rougher than usual, scooping up the riding crop along the way.
“In need of reinforcements?” Marley smolders like a vixen as her high heels clop across the hardwood floors.
“The only reinforcement I’ll be needing is right here.” I rub my crotch over her back as I kiss her from behind. “You ready to serve hard time?”
“Only if you’re going to ask me to bend over and pick up the soap.” Her brow arches, hopeful.
“I wouldn’t take it off the table just yet.” I press her against the bedpost and pull the cuffs back, threading the riding crop through each one until she’s effectively pinned to the bed.
Velvet Kisses Page 17
