Catching my breath and feigning confidence, I strutted along with Chris. One of the frat brothers standing on the outside opened the door and looked me up and down and said, “Nice.” I think she’s a ten. We’ll reserve her for Brandon.”
“Did you hear what he said,” I tugged at Chris’s blouse.
“Don’t pay any attention to him, he’s only a freshman.”
I stood with Chris until someone directed us into the main room where most of the girls in our senior class were sitting, dancing, and drinking. Their eyes converged on me as we entered. I read hate, envy, and hurt. They wished they could hurt me physically. I know that’s an emotion that’s hard to read but I could imagine what they were thinking of doing to me. Perhaps cut my hair and beat me to a pulp. I wanted to run. I thought I would have a new start but it appears I was back at school with the same mean girls gazing in my direction, and this time with their mouths wide as if they were wolves getting ready to devoir a harmless little rabbit. I could imagine how I looked to those predators.
“They can’t believe it is the little brown mouse looking hot in those designer clothes,” Chris said looking at me. “What?” Chris said locking eyes with them. “I know what they’re thinking. See, I told you they would be stunned and mortified,” she continued reaching for my hand and pulling me out of the line of fire, as I stood like a deer caught in the crosshairs of a hunter’s gun.
“By the expressions on their faces they are more than stunned. They look like they could stone me given half the chance,” I mumbled to Chris, as I took small careful steps along with her.
“I must say they are capable of more than that,” she said to me. I shot her a worried glance. “You can handle them,” Chris added.
“Don’t be so sure,” I said standing like a statue and sweating like a wallflower at the prom.
The crowd of girls whom I had much disdain for stopped what they were doing and circled me and Chris. And one murmured, “Well I see you brought your protégé along.” It was Allison the leader of the pack of she-wolves who spent her days at the school trying to drive me insane. I wondered what they would think up next to make my night out a living hell.
Chris shot a glance to Allison. Allison’s tactics had no bounds. From cutting girls’ hair to arranging hookers to sleep with her friends’ boyfriends. She stopped at nothing. But for some reason there was a deference to Chris.
“Look Allison,” Chris said, her wide eyes now narrow. “We are going to have a good night and you are going to take your fake boobs, hair extensions, bad nose job, false teeth, and loose cunt and leave us alone.” She paused and looked Allison in the eyes. “If that is too much to ask for, then I will have to call my father. And you know what that will mean.”
Chris’s head shifted to the side and then she turned her back and twirled me around. The circle magically opened up and we went on our way into another room with another group of girls of a different socioeconomic level. This room appeared reserved for the blonds and we were the only two who were not. For some reason Chris was welcomed everywhere.
These girls I had never seen at the school and they appeared to be a bit older than Chris and I. She walked around the room and introduced me. And although they didn’t care for me they never showed their dislike. These girls looked through me and away from me. They wore smiles as if nothing threatened them. They were in their own worlds of excess and beauty.
“Hi Chris. Glad you could come. I didn’t know you were bringing someone with you?” I turned to the smooth musical voice. He spoke in a soft melodious tone with perfect English. It was the sound that most Americans thought was English and Englishmen knew better. I turned to look into a handsome face and gaze on a devilish smile. It was a face I could spend my life just watching and adoring.
It was a face I wanted to see on my first born male child. It was a face I wanted to wake up to every morning of my life.
I met his gaze. The arousal and excitement flowed through my body like torrential rain on a summer day.
Scanning his bluish green eyes, his mouth slightly turned up, he burst into a full smile with impossible straight teeth, which had never been abused by coffee or tea. My eyes washed over his body and my mind screamed—hot. He stood staring in a casual beige pullover with some kind of rich man’s design on the pocket. An expensive belt held up his dark brown slacks which caressed and molded his lean athletic hips.
He tilted his gorgeous head filled with dark brown hair to the side, and raised an eyebrow and said, “What is your name?” he said it so quiet and self-assured that my breath ceased. He exuded sex in his voice, and his words although ordinary, were voiced in an obscene way. I knew from one look in his eyes, he could see the pent up sexual frustration running rampant throughout my body. He was a sexual predator in heat.
And I was his prey.
In those few seconds, I fixed my stare on his lips when he asked my name. I began to imagine him kissing my neck, kissing my breasts, and kissing where I needed him the most. My face flushed when I realized that he wanted to know me. My cheeks turned an unusual red and I felt my lips swelling and responding to the erotic nature of his face, body, and voice, which sent a message to my body. My reaction to this man was uncanny and alien to me, and I wanted him—bad.
His bluish eyes narrowed. By the look on his face, I could tell that he was affected by my presence and by me because I oozed desire from every pore. My entire body felt wet. I couldn’t release myself from his pull if I wanted to. I knew that if we didn’t separate from this impossible pull we had on each other, we would both be sorry in the morning.
His stare could cause any girl or woman to disrobe and fall at his feet. He knew it, and I knew what control he had over me, and he wouldn’t let me go until he was ready. I saw it in his eyes and it scared me. I was his for the taking and I could do nothing about it.
His intense glare caught Chris by surprise, and she swiveled around to gaze at my face and she became a conspirator to the death of me—Tyler Burns, my father’s little girl.
“Her name is Tyler?” Chris blurted out. “And she’s visiting me for the night. I have to get her home early.” Chris appeared agitated when that profoundly handsome man asked my name. Maybe she knew something I didn’t. Of course she did.
“She can answer the question herself,” he said not breaking his gaze from me but responding to Chris. I stood still looking into his heavenly blue green eyes unable to find a word. “You can speak? but if you can’t that will make it so much the better,” he said with a closed smile.
“My name is Tyler and your name?” I tried the sophisticated route. I’m sure he wasn’t fooled. He could look through me and my girlish behavior.
“I thought you would never ask. It’s Brandon Charles.” I didn’t give him the reaction he expected. Did he think his name was important to secure a place in his bed? He didn’t know that if women were falling over him it wasn’t because he was rich but because he looked like no other man I had ever seen living or dead.
I’m sure you have heard of me.”
“No.”
“Well, have you heard of my family?”
“No,” I said still locked in his gaze.
He grabbed my hand and led me away from Chris. She stood standing looking at me with a worried glance as Brandon Charles led me into another room. Some of his friends were drinking and watching a game on the newest eighty inch Samsung television. He waved his hand and they filed out of the room and he walked behind the bar and handed me a drink. I shook my head and refused it. He drank a shot of liquor.
“If you continue to refuse my drinks, I will have to drink them myself. And I’m already drunk.”
“I don’t want you to get drunk but I won’t drink.” He laughed loud and downed another shot.
“What are you doing here if you aren’t going to drink or engage in sexual debauchery?”
“What?” I said surprised. He tilted his head. “I know what debauchery means,” I said.
&n
bsp; “Yes, but are you up on sexual intercourse?” I felt like slapping him but then he would know.
“I think we covered that in health class,” I said defiant. Brandon downed another drink and began laughing uncontrollable.
“I can’t believe you. I’m going to close my eyes and when I open them,” he paused placing his fist under his chin and gazing at me, “and if you’re still here I will know that you are real.” He closed his eyes as he had said and then opened them. “You are real. Now what are you doing here?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “Don’t you know what goes on here? Christina knows.” I had no answer and he continued. “Oh I get it, you’re a virgin,” he said tilting his head and raising his eyebrow in Chris’s direction.
“I’m not,” I protested. Another laugh came from Brandon and he took another drink and then stumbled. He grabbed my hand and led me to the brown leather couch facing an old fashion brick fireplace, burning wood. It had been lit even though it was a balmy seventy degrees. We stood looking at the ambers dance and glow. Brandon then pulled me down next to him on the soft leather couch and laid his head on my shoulder.
“I think you protest too much my dear,” he said slurring his words ruining his perfect speech. “But don’t worry, you’re not my type,” he said.
“What, a brunette?”
“No. A virgin.” And his head fell into my lap.
“I think you’re drunk and I should leave.” When I made that statement he placed his hands on my shoulder and another around my waist.
He glanced up at me and said,” I don’t want to be alone tonight. Stay with me, it will be worth your time.”
“What could I possible want from you?” He reached for my hand brought it to his mouth and kissed it and my body began to tingle and my legs became weak, and I couldn’t leave him if I wanted to.
“Why are you drinking so much?”
“It’s not your concern.” He looked up at me, “let me sleep.” I didn’t like his answer and the coldness of his reply. But clearly it was none of my business and before I could answer him in my way, he had fallen asleep on my chest. My breasts were a nice size where they could be mistaken for false, but it was all me and he seemed to appreciate the cushion they provided.
When Chris came to check on me, Brandon had fallen into my lap again. I had watched two episodes of the Game of Thrones. I sat there with his head in my lap with his long arms looped around my waist and I threaded my fingers through his hair.
Chris peeped in a crack in the door. “Are you ok?” She closed the door behind her and walked to the sofa. “I guess you can’t get in any trouble like that,” she said walking around and standing facing us with her back to the fire.
“I’m doing fine. It’s not like this isn’t my usual routine on a Saturday night. I just haven’t had a man sleep in my lap before. Other than that, I’m ok,” I said.
At that moment Brandon woke, realizing where he was, he sat up. His hair tousled in a sexy way. I dreamed of marrying a man as gorgeous as Brandon. He appeared embarrassed and passed his fingers through his hair making it sexier if that was possible.
“Christina, you don’t have to worry about Tyler.” He spoke my name with a voice that heated me to my core.
“It’s not Tyler I’m worried about. It’s you.”
“What do you mean?” Brandon said staring Chris down as if they shared a secret. “Never mind don’t answer that,” he said to her.
“I came to tell you that I’m leaving,” Chris said to me. “I promised my useless boyfriend that I would meet him in New York for dinner and then go dancing. I wanted to know if you would come with us, or do you want me to drop you home? It’s only fourteen miles to Trenton.”
Before I could answer, “She’s staying with me,” he said to Chris. Brandon looked at me and I went mute.
“I can’t do that Brandon,” Chris said.
“Why not? Is she seventeen?” Brandon questioned.
“No. Of course not. I’m eighteen and today is my birthday,” I stated defiantly, pretending that I was a woman, but I had made the mistake of my life telling him my age.
“Then that does it. She’s staying with me,” he said placing his arm around my shoulder. My eyes dropped to his hands. Never had I had a man that could cradle me with his arm and I felt such intense feelings. I was like the lamb ready for slaughter. “I can drop her home,” he said.
Chris looked at me and I shook my head yes. “Are you sure?” Chris said.
“She said yes, Christina,” Brandon echoed.
“Here Tyler, take this phone. Call me if you need me for anything,” she said locking gaze with Brandon. He glanced at me with a smile. His glance and his light smile telegraphed that he never knew anyone who didn’t have a smartphone. And he probably didn’t.
“You don’t have a phone?” He questioned.
“It’s self-evident,” I said. He shook his head. I moved away from him thinking he was an ass.
“Well we will have to do something about that. I’m sending you a phone.”
“I don’t want you to give me anything. I can get my own phone.” I was just making a show. I couldn’t afford to rub two nickels together.
“I’m not giving you something. You’ve earned it.” I glanced at him suspiciously. “Anyone who can sit in one spot while I sleep, and never move, deserves my close attention and a gift.”
He walked to a wooden door, hit a button and it opened. It was a bathroom where he had his own toothbrush and god knows what else. I stared in his direction watching to see whether he had condoms and would put them in his pocket. Then I would have known I had made a mistake by not going with Chris. Maybe it wasn’t too late to catch her.
I didn’t see any. I relaxed.
“I’m taking you to dinner. You will accept my dinner invitation, won’t you?” he asked turning and facing me.
“Well…I guess it’s ok because just about now I’m feeling hungry. I’d like a burger or pizza,” I said to Brandon.
“A what?” He leaned through the door and took off his shirt. My reaction was to turn my back. I had never seen chest and arms like that before. Totally toned. Totally hot. That said a lot about me. I felt a nervous excitement race through me. Watching that sex machine made me shiver and I knew I would stammer, say something stupid, or pass out from the thought of him wanting to fuck me.
“I’m not exactly a pizza or hamburger kind of guy.”
“What kind of guy are you?” I said trying to form a sentence. When he changed his shirt and pants and dressed in black slacks and white shirt and flung a black suit jacket across his shoulder, I turned around and it was as if a Greek god stood in front of me.
“Let’s go,” he said. I made a sound. Maybe it was the sound of my heart falling out of my chest. I looked at his hand extended to me. He held it out until I took it. Then he flashed those perfect white teeth.
“I can’t go with you looking like this,” I said looking at my jeans. He looked at me and stepped away from the door.
Then his blue green eyes fixed on mine and he said, “You are so innocent you are beautiful. You look like a princess,” he said bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing it.
“And if you don’t leave this room now, I may not be able to control my urge to take you to bed and fuck you, and forget that I’m engaged and will be married next week.”
I lost my footing at the news of his marriage. And his course language. My legs weakened and I became immobile. But why did this news come as a surprise. Any man that looked like him was spoken for from day one, and the day he became a man.
I knew I was out of my class but I thought I could dream. I held on to his arm as I steadied myself. I made an excuse to him. “I get that way when I’m hungry. And these shoes are too high.”
“You look like you could use a proper dinner and a place to rest your feet.”
“And what is your idea of a proper dinner?” I questioned him as we walked through the door where eyes were trailing behind
us. I put my head down and didn’t want to make eye contact with the she-wolves especially Allison.
“I would say Lobster stuffed with crabmeat. I know the perfect place in Maine and then we…” I interrupted.
“I can’t go to Maine.” He turned with a curious glance and a raised eyebrow as if that was unheard of in his circles. But I wasn’t in his circle and I could never be. The sheer look on his face made me feel apologetic and I confessed, “I’ve never eaten lobster before. But I’m sure I would like it if I could go to Maine.”
“Then that does it. We are definitely going there and I’m not taking no. I never liked that word.” If I hadn’t been so enamored with his good looks and sailing on a cloud at being in his presence, I would have cut and run. But I let him lead me to his expensive Ferrari, where he zoomed to a private airfield and boarded a Jetstream jet with the name Charles written on the outer side.
Chapter 3
Once inside the airplane the male attendant acknowledged Brandon with a nod and small smile and the captain greeted him when we headed in the direction of our seats. “Good evening Mr. Charles, I received your text and the jet is ready. We should arrive in the state of Maine about ten p.m.
“Very good Captain.” Brandon although polite, kept a distance between him and the hired help. The attendant showed us to a luxurious seating area. Beige leather seats wide enough to seat two people on one of its chairs. To my surprise and delight, it swiveled, and when I pressed a button the seat became a lounge chair.
Brandon sat next to me and he glanced my way with a large smile. “What’s in the rear of the plane? I mean is there another seating area because there are only eight seats and this plane is huge.”
“That area is for sleeping or…” he paused a moment. “It’s for resting,” he said with a wink and a smile.
Was he trying to do a good deed for the year by taking up with me and making my dream come true for one night? Or did he have other things in mind. Who am I fooling? He’s a young man.
“See that wasn’t so bad,” he said to me with a small smile of accomplishment. Turning looking up at the steward he said, “We’ll have two glasses of the very best champagne in the fridge.”
One Desire Page 2
