Evening With the Enemy: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (#MatchMade Book 1)

by Emma Tharp

  When Oliver’s eyes roll over me, they widen and a gorgeous smile brightens his entire face. It happens again, those familiar flutters that grab hold of me at his scrutiny.

  Hot water rains down my body as I take in every inch of Oliver’s strong, muscled frame. Fire builds in my belly as he stalks toward me.

  “Good morning,” he rasps, seconds before he clutches me in his arms, grinding his erection into me.

  “I woke up and you weren’t there,” I whisper, hating how the words make me sound—insecure and needy. But they spilled out anyway.

  “I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere,” he says and crushes his mouth against mine, making me forget any doubts I had.

  Gripping him tightly in my hand, I fist his cock and stare into his lust-filled eyes. He closes them and moans my name as I move my hand up and down his length. Resting my foot on the side of the tub, I ease him inside me in one quick motion.

  His eyes are like saucers. “I’m not wearing a condom. But I’m clean.”

  My jaw goes slack. I was so swept up in the moment, I didn’t even think. “I am, too,” I breathe.

  Oliver nods, palms my ass, and hitches my leg over his arm. He takes control and pounds into me, stroking me and working me over from the inside. I’m dizzy with desire as steamy water splashes around us.

  Pressing me against the wall, Oliver overloads my senses. He pulls one of my nipples into his mouth and I whimper and writhe against him. “Yes!” I scream out.

  Gripping his shoulders, I cling to him as he thrusts into me. His fingers find my clit, stroking it in delicious circles, sending desire coursing through me. This man knows all the right spots to turn me on. He pins me with his stare, his eyes heavy-lidded as his breathing quickens.

  He’s close and so am I.

  I moan and Oliver pumps into me harder, giving me exactly what I need. There’s no holding back as I come apart around him. He thrusts into me a few more times before he tenses and lets go with me.

  We grasp each other and Oliver pushes my wet hair out of my face. “Now that’s how I like to start my day.”

  “Me, too.” God, me, too. I’ve had sex before, really good sex, but being with Oliver has surpassed any of my other experiences.

  “Want to get washed up?” He lifts the soap and rubs it in his hands, creating foamy suds. “Then we can go to breakfast and maybe golf after?”

  I shrug and grab the shampoo. “Sounds great. I’m starving.” From all the exercise last night.

  Oliver takes his hands, covered in soap, and scrubs them over my body. My heart squeezes at the smile on his face. This classifies as the best shower ever.

  We dry off and I go to my room to get dressed. I packed an outfit for golf, a pale blue striped polo and white skort. I meet Oliver in the kitchen. He looks dapper in a navy blue golf shirt and charcoal shorts.

  We get in his SUV and head to the country club for breakfast. This way, afterward, he can teach me how to play golf. I’m excited to give it a try. I’ve been a few times with my dad when I was in high school, but I’ve never taken the time to really learn how.

  It’s a short ride to the golf course. The hostess at the country club is warm and welcoming, with a big smile and a strong Southern accent. It’s a large facility that reeks of old money, families dressed to the nines for brunch, elderly men, and those that have a corporate executive or tycoon vibe. We’re seated outside with a perfect view of the well-manicured eighteenth green.

  A waitress stops by and takes our orders. Oliver is having a Bloody Mary and eggs Benedict and I’m going for a mimosa and chocolate chip pancakes.

  “When did you start playing golf?” I ask, staring at my painfully good-looking date for the weekend.

  “I was young. Seven or eight. My dad signed me up for a beginner golf league. It’s a fun hobby for me.” His eyes meet mine. “I don’t get out and play half as much as I’d like to, but when I’m on assignment, I try to work in nine holes if I can. What about you? Will you kick my ass today like you did in darts?”

  I giggle. “I surprised you that night with my mad dart skills, didn’t I?”

  He chuckles and shakes his head. “You have no idea. I thought I’d be teaching you how to play. Oh, how wrong I was.”

  The waitress stops by and drops off our drinks.

  “I like that.”

  Oliver takes a drink of his Bloody Mary. “What do you mean?”

  Sitting back, I fiddle with the napkin in my lap. “I guess that we both had misconceptions about each other. I thought you were going to be a total asshole and you’re just not.”

  This really gets him laughing. He tilts his head back and puts a hand on his stomach. “You thought I was going to be that bad?”

  “Are you telling me you didn’t think I was going to be awful?”

  “I didn’t know what to expect, but I wasn’t looking forward to dating you,” he admits and takes my hand in his. “I’m glad the dating service hooked us up. We’re way more compatible than I could have ever imagined.”

  I sip on my mimosa. “Agreed. You know, I could get used to this.”

  He raises a brow. “The country club and the money?”

  “No, being with you.”

  “Are you saying that you’d like to see me past our three date contractual obligation?” Is that hope in his voice?

  Who knows where all this honesty is coming from, but it feels right. With his eyes on me, taking me in with a panty-melting smile on his face, I know here and now that I am starting to fall for him. It might be too soon, but I’m already there. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. What about you? Do you want to see me again?”

  I hold my breath.

  “Absolutely.”

  Sixteen

  Oliver

  Work is dragging this morning.

  I would’ve taken the day off if there weren’t a huge meeting today. My mind is all over the map. Lily has taken over my every thought.

  Where can this go? That’s what I’ve been asking myself since I dropped Lily off at her place last night after our weekend together. And this morning when I was getting ready for work. All I know is that I want more than three dates with her.

  Every minute we spent together on Hilton Head was great. She’s easy to talk to, smart, and funny with just the right amount of sass. And the sex. It was mind-blowing. But unlike when I’m with other women, I don’t want to leave after we sleep together.

  I like to spend time with her. And I want there to be more time with her.

  Isn’t that an epiphany?

  A loud rapping at my door pulls me out of my Lily-centric haze.

  Before I can even answer, Brantley barges into my office and comes straight to my desk. "How's the assignment coming with the dating service?"

  I have to give Brantley credit; he never minces words and cuts right to the chase. "It's going great. I just had my third date."

  Brantley tilts his head and cocks a bushy eyebrow. "For a man who was extremely skeptical, look at you now. Dare I say, you’re happy."

  It's too damn hard to hide it, so why bother trying? "I am.”

  "Well, the magazine is not paying for your next date."

  I shrug, resting my forearms on my desk. "No problem. I'll pay." Even though Lily and I don't have plans for our next get-together, there will be another date, and hopefully many more after that.

  Brantley waves his hand in the air, acting as if he couldn’t care less about anything that happens past the third date. "Whatever. Just write up the piece on the first three dates. I'll need it ASAP."

  Just then, over Brantley’s shoulder, I catch a glimpse of brown flowing hair, styled in loose curls like she always wears it. It's without question Lily.

  Her entire body stiffens, every muscle rigid with tension. It's as if I can hear her armor clinking into place.

  Shit.

  I don't know what she heard, but this clearly isn’t good.

  Brantley glances down at his watch and makes for
the door. "It's time for the meeting. I'd like that piece in my inbox by the end of the week." Then, he's gone.

  Jolting out of my chair, I take off and push past Brantley toward the conference room. Lily is nowhere in sight. A gnawing feeling in my gut puts me on edge.

  Once inside the conference room, my eyes bolt around the room, searching for Lily. I'm relieved when I see her and there’s a seat right next to hers. As soon as I sit, Lily flinches and crams her notebook into her bag.

  "Hey,” I say.

  She won't even look at me. Instead, she bolts upright, grabs her chair, and wheels it down between two other people. They both stare at Lily, who’s currently making a scene. They give her dirty looks like she’s lost her mind. Lily apologizes, but manages to squeeze her chair in between theirs.

  The sick feeling in my gut only intensifies. She heard Brantley and me talking about the assignment and now she thinks that I was dating her simply for work. Initially, that's exactly what this was, but now, it's more than that. So much more.

  The meeting drags on and on about numbers and quarterly figures. I don't hear any of it. All I can do is sit and watch Lily. Her attention is focused squarely on Brantley, and her eyes never glance my way.

  My chest aches. What if she is so upset that she doesn't want to see me anymore? I knew we couldn’t work out.

  The part that hurts the most is not knowing what we could've been. I haven't wanted a real relationship with a woman since Laura. Not until Lily. She got under my skin, making me realize I wanted things I never knew I wanted.

  As soon as the meeting comes to a close, Lily stands, collecting her things. I'm sure she'd like to make a quick exit and not deal with me, but that isn't happening.

  Approaching her, I touch her shoulder. She’s so close I can barely breathe.

  The cold look in her eyes has me taking a step back. "Are you okay?" I ask.

  She stares off to the left, toward the door. She can barely wait to bolt.

  "I’m fine. I get what all this is now. It's business." She gives me a sharp nod and heads toward the door.

  “You’re right. It was.” I follow her. There’s no denying that part. She heard us talking about it.

  Another nod, this time mixed with a sour expression. “I heard. Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

  “Well, I…I,” I sputter, sounding like a complete ass.

  She puts her palm up, facing me. “It’s okay. I get it. You don’t have to explain. You used me to get ahead.”

  "But, I… Wait," I say to her back as she rushes out of the room.

  If we weren’t at the office, I'd run after her and shout her name. I would make a scene. But not here.

  It’s clear that Lily is anything but fine. She thinks I used her and I couldn’t get my head out of my ass long enough to change her mind.

  I should have told her the truth in Hilton Head, that I was dating her for work in the beginning, but it seemed trivial then. Despite me trying to rig the system, #MatchMade set me up with the perfect woman for me.

  I really suck at dating, but there has to be a way to fix this.

  Seventeen

  Lily

  As I trudge down the road, my head pointing toward the pavement, my heart feels heavy as stone, and it actually aches.

  I just left the Enchant offices and am meeting Savannah for coffee. As soon as the meeting was over, I texted her to let her know I needed to talk. Right now.

  Overhearing Oliver and Brantley’s conversation about our dating being an assignment was like a slap in the face. A hard, blistering slap that leaves you red and raw afterward. It hurt. Plain and simple.

  When I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I asked Oliver why he wasn’t honest with me. Sadly, he couldn’t answer the simple question and didn’t even deny that he was using me. I couldn’t take another second with him.

  I need my girlfriend to talk me down from the mess my head is in.

  Entering the shop, the sweet scent of coffee doesn’t even cheer me up. Like a robot, I order two small cappuccinos and pay. The barista makes the drinks, hands them to me, and I find a seat.

  Checking my watch, I tap my foot, hoping Savannah gets here soon.

  My mind goes back to the weekend Oliver and I spent in Hilton Head. My every instinct told me to trust him, to open up to him, and ultimately share my body with him. I was so wrong. I’ve never been good at reading people and this proves that.

  A tear spills down my cheek and I bat it away. I’m upset because at some point during our three dates, I let my guard down and opened up a piece of myself that I’ve kept shielded for a long time. I told myself to never let it out again because it hurts too much to have it stomped on. But being with Oliver, talking to him, touching him, and watching the way his eyes focused on me like I was the only woman that mattered, stripped me of my defenses. I let myself forget all the old anger and resentment and a tiny shred of hope bloomed inside my chest.

  How dumb of me.

  I should have known better.

  The second I gave myself to Oliver, I knew I was in over my head, but foolishly, I sank into the sweet bliss of falling. It was beautiful in the moment, but how quickly I forgot how awful the crash landing feels. I won’t forget again.

  “Lily, I’m here.” Savannah rushes to the table, her blonde hair tousled like she’s run several blocks to get here. She takes the seat next to me and grabs my hand. “Oh, no. Tell me what happened.”

  "I didn't want to do any of this.” I wish Savannah would’ve listened to me when I told her that I didn’t want to be matched.

  She eyes me through thick lashes. “Wait. The last thing you told me was that you were going to Hilton Head for the weekend. You were happy. Excited even. Everything was fine.”

  “No, Savannah. Nothing is fine. I knew exactly what would happen. There are no decent men left." I can't help the loud sob that escapes my lips. I cover my mouth and look around at the other patrons, hoping none of them heard me.

  Savannah tilts her head and wrinkles her nose, clearly concerned and a bit confused by my outburst. "Oh, honey. What did he do?"

  "He let me get my hopes up. By being perfect for me.”

  “Okay. I don’t understand where everything went wrong.”

  How do I explain to her that everything was so right between us and now it’s all crushed? There’s so much to tell her, like how I think about him constantly and the butterflies that take over every time I see his handsome face or smell his masculine, black cherry scent. How my knees go weak when he scans my body. My cheeks sting with heat remembering the feel of his muscled frame hovering over me, the press of his lips on mine, his strong capable hands all over me. But it’s painful to even think about speaking the words.

  Savannah’s eyes narrow. “Lily, what is it?”

  “He hid something from me. Did you know his last name isn't even VanDoren? It’s Gambina. He didn't want to tell me because he didn't want me to like him for his money, but I don't care about that." The words spill out of my mouth so fast I'm not sure Savannah can even follow.

  She sips her cappuccino. “I can understand how that could be hurtful to you, but don’t you think you’re overreacting? He told you the truth when he realized he could trust you, right?”

  “Yes,” I say. "That’s not why it’s over between us. I overheard him talking to our boss today when he didn’t realize I was there. Oliver didn't want me for me, he wanted me for his column. I'm an assignment." I spit out the last word.

  "You didn't want to do this at first either. Remember? Your feelings changed. That could have happened to him, too. Did you ask him?"

  I nod my head vigorously and swallow hard. "Yes. He didn’t even try to deny it. So, I left because I didn't want to hear him tell me he's sorry and we’re done because the assignment’s over."

  "How do you know he was going to say that?"

  "He didn't want anything more. Why would he? Why? Nobody else did!" I cry. "Remember that I did what you asked. Never set m
e up again. I can't do it. I'm done with dating. Done!"

  Eighteen

  Oliver

  Writing what I'm passionate about has always come easy to me. That's why it's no surprise, as I write my closing paragraph for my column about the #MatchMade dating site, I can sit back knowing it's some of my best work.

  The words just came to me. I wish they would have when Lily confronted me about what she had heard. Sadly, they didn’t. She asked me why I didn’t say anything to her about the assignment, and I clammed up and didn’t know what to say.

  Thinking about my time with Lily made the assignment feel a lot less like work. Remembering the sassy smile she used to give to me, the way she'd laugh at my stupid jokes, and the softness of her skin pressed to mine, summoned up the emotion it took to write this piece. Brantley will love it. I hope Lily does, too.

  Dylan strolls past my door. When I see his tall, lanky frame, I call for him to come in my office. Funny how the kid always seems to give me good advice. Turns out, I really need it today, and he hasn’t steered me wrong in the past.

  He walks in, shutting the door behind him with a sad, sympathetic expression on his face. “Heard from her yet?” He knows what happened. He saw it go down. The little stunt that Lily pulled yesterday, dragging her chair away from mine and squeezing it in between two others, was hard to miss. After the meeting he asked me what was up, and I told him the whole story.

  I grunt out a no. She hasn’t returned my calls or texts. It’s hard not to get discouraged when she won’t give me the time of day. It’s only been twenty-four hours since Lily walked in on the conversation between Brantley and me. It feels much, much longer. I’m not sure what I’ll do if she doesn’t forgive me. I can’t even think about it because I’m nowhere near ready to give up on her yet.

  "Have you figured out what you're going to do?" He takes a seat in his usual chair.