Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2)

by Aubrey Bondurant

  I shook my head and pulled out the desk chair to set it in front of the closet mirror. I’d often had hopes that this could be the sort of thing my sister Addison and I could have shared while growing up. But she’d never once asked me for help with clothes or makeup, always opting to go with her friends instead of spending time with me. Not that I could completely blame her as we’d never been terribly close. Then after I’d found out I’d been adopted at sixteen, I’d spent a lot more time keeping to myself. “Nope, I don’t mind at all. Is there a spark between you two?”

  She shrugged. “If I’m being honest, Will is great, but I feel like I can be completely myself with the other guy. He and I are friends first. I know it sounds corny, but I don’t have to put on a pretense with him. I know he genuinely likes to spend time with me, laughs at my jokes, and gets where I’m coming from.”

  I knew exactly how she felt. Her brother was one of the few people who I’d let in over the years. It made me nervous, however, that even he hadn’t seen the real me, the one I kept hidden from everyone.

  Brian had questioned what was keeping me from saying yes. The answer I could never give him was fear. Fear of him seeing me vulnerable and finding out about my anxiety disorder. But he was only asking to see me every two weeks, which meant I’d still have my life, and he’d have his. If I thought about it that way, it was a lot less intimidating.

  I went to work on Kenzie’s make-up, and we chatted more about fashion and other things.

  Hearing another knock, I smiled when I opened the door to reveal Brian. His hands automatically reached for my face and his lips were inches away from mine, when I suddenly pulled back remembering his sister.

  “Are you here looking for Kenzie?” I asked, wishing he could have landed that kiss.

  His raised brow conveyed his surprise. Then he glanced beyond me, and it dawned on him as to what I was talking about. He dropped his hands on a sigh. “Yes, um I was looking for you, Kenzie. To let you know that mom, your dad and Benjamin arrived.”

  I noted that they both displayed the same sour face. Was their family really that bad?

  “I don’t suppose Rebecca got the stomach flu and is puking her guts up back home instead of here polluting paradise with her toxicity?” Kenzie asked, looking hopeful.

  They laughed, and Brian shook his head. “I wish, but unfortunately, she’s here, too. Your makeup looks nice, sis.”

  Kenzie grinned. “Sasha is going to sex me up.”

  I winced at the sharp look coming from Brian, then shrugged. “She’s a grown woman.”

  He let out a breath. “Do me a favor and don’t make it too sexy. This is a wedding, not a frat party.” He looked at both of us while he said it. “See you ladies downstairs in about twenty minutes.”

  When the door shut, McKenzie turned towards me. “Sorry. I was only joking.”

  “You’re fine. Believe me, it wouldn’t be the first time that I irritated your brother.”

  ***

  Dinner brought the first glimpse of the happy couple. I gave Haylee a big hug, delighted to see her.

  Last year when Haylee had been working for Josh, she’d given me a huge break by incorporating my idea of a vintage jewelry angle into her fashion shoot for Cosmo magazine. She’d garnered the cover as the model and I’d made my client very happy during the pivotal first couple months in my new role as vice president. She was one of the few people I’d met who didn’t have an agenda and simply did nice things for people.

  Then she’d introduced me to Catherine. I’d gone from having Juliette as my only female friend to now having a circle of them, all who would do anything for each other. It was something I’d never thought to have, considering the first impression I made on most women was especially rough.

  “I’m happy you could make it, Sasha. I love your dress. You always look so incredible,” Haylee greeted.

  I’d dressed in a print wrap dress which was chic and cool for the tropical air. “Thank you. You look amazing and happy.”

  She did, in a classic dress that most likely was a vintage design.

  “Thank you,” she replied and promised to talk later. She welcomed other guests while the groom-to-be came up and kissed me on the cheek.

  “Nice to see you Sasha,” Josh said.

  “You, too. The resort and island are beautiful.” Josh Singer might be the owner of the company and my boss’s boss, but during this weekend I was going to think of him as my friend’s fiancée.

  “Good. I’m glad you like it. And I’m happy you could make it.”

  When I glanced over at Haylee and back at him, I nearly sighed at the way his eyes tracked her every move. I wondered what it would be like to have that type of peace and contentment in a relationship. It was a powerful thing to witness.

  “Everything okay?” I asked when I noticed Josh’s eyes narrow while watching a group arrive.

  He hesitated but then met my eyes. “Can you do me a favor?”

  I nodded. “Of course.”

  “Can I trust that if you hear about anyone saying anything that could be hurtful toward Haylee, you would let me know?” His voice was low and the intent was clear as his eyes landed on Brian’s brother and sister-in-law, Benjamin and Rebecca greeting Haylee across the way.

  “Sure. They don’t call me Sasha-B-Fierce for nothing.” I sipped my drink and smiled at his look of surprise that I was aware of my nickname.

  “I hope you know it’s a compliment. Although my first choice was always Sasha Ice as you are the Ice Man of the advertising pitch. Nothing rattles you.”

  “Did you just Top Gun reference me?” It was amusing to see this side of him.

  He chuckled and then winced. “I did. But on a completely different topic, let me apologize ahead of time for what’s about to happen. Picture an exuberant golden retriever who hasn’t learned any manners and isn’t housebroken. He’s harmless but still jumps up, pees on the carpet, and, unfortunately, has no sense of boundaries.”

  I looked at him like he’d lost his flipping mind until a handsome, younger version of Josh walked up with eyes only for me and dimples that should be illegal.

  “Big brother, you’ve already got a beautiful, not to mention extremely patient, wife-to-be, so please introduce me to this vision you’re talking to,” he sweet-talked.

  Ah, now the golden retriever comment made sense. I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the analogy.

  “Sasha Brooks is a friend of Haylee’s and is the senior vice president in the New York office of Gamble Advertising,” Josh introduced. His tone made it clear to keep it professional. “Sasha, this is my younger brother, Colby Singer.”

  I extended my hand to his, thinking we were going to shake, but instead he brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it. Good Lord, he was laying it on thick.

  “Nice to make your acquaintance,” he said smoothly.

  Josh offered me an apologetic smile.

  “Uh, yours as well, Colby. Talk to you later, Josh. I should probably get to my seat,” I excused, intending to break away.

  “Wherever you’re sitting, I’m taking the chair next to you. Lead the way,” Colby insisted.

  Turning, I arched a brow at his presumptuous self-invitation. This typically intimidated most men but not Colby, who only chuckled at the challenge.

  “I’ll be honest, my first impressions aren’t always great,” he admitted with a wink.

  In spite of finding him slightly obnoxious, I smiled because I knew the feeling.

  ***

  Brian had acted strangely during the meal, giving me possessive looks and watching every move once Colby had taken the chair next to me. Josh’s younger brother flirted mildly, but I’d mostly talked with Catherine, seated on the other side of me, about her upcoming trips.

  I’d been anticipating the knock I heard on my hotel room door later that night, but when I opened it up, McKenzie was there.

  “Hey, are you alone?” she questioned, looking unsure of herself.

&nb
sp; “Yeah. Come on in. Why would you think I’d have company?” I wondered if she had clued in about Brian and I.

  “Colby was into you tonight. I can’t blame him because you’re gorgeous, but you should know that he’s a total player. He never commits. Besides, he’s in LA working with all of those actresses and always has droves of women after him.”

  Holding up my hands, I clarified quickly, “Whoa, whoa, slow down. I’m not interested in Colby whatsoever.”

  The relief on her face spoke volumes.

  “Oh, shit, he’s your—” I didn’t get a chance to finish when another knock interrupted. “That’s probably your brother looking for—” I opened it and—Ah crap, it was Colby.

  His brow arched. “Uh, judging by your face, I’m guessing you don’t want to take a stroll down on the beach?” Something told me he wasn’t accustomed to a look of dread on a woman’s face.

  “Hey, is that my brother?” Kenzie asked, coming up behind me and sucking in a breath upon seeing her crush standing at my door.

  Colby’s face faltered. “Uh, I was—Shit.”

  While giving him an annoyed look at his pathetic attempt at a half-ass excuse, I heard Brian’s voice come up from behind him.

  “What’s going on?” Brian’s eyes flicked from Colby, standing outside my door, to me, facing him. His voice was casual, but his eyes were anything but.

  “Well, I believe we were all heading down to the beach for a bit. You ready, Kenzie?”

  Brian’s expression changed immediately upon seeing his sister. “Uh, okay. Mind if I join, too?”

  I grinned. “Of course not. Lead the way, Colby.”

  Colby was momentarily confused but went with the flow, falling into step next to an irritated McKenzie as we all made our way down to the beach.

  “Okay, boys, do you mind grabbing us some beers,” I suggested with a smile, wanting some time alone with Brian’s sister.

  The guys headed towards the bar while we girls meandered down toward the beach. We took a seat on a dock with our feet dangling over the water.

  Knowing we only had a few minutes before they returned, I was blunt. “The crush is Colby, I take it?”

  She didn’t bother to deny it. “Is this the part where you tell me how screwed up that is?” Her eyes were focused on her feet.

  I sighed. Who the hell was I to give advice about anything romantic? So I went with my gut. “Crushes aren’t about logic. It’s simply how you feel. Of all people, I’m not in a position to judge that.”

  “He was coming to your room because you’re the type of woman he wants. Sexy, confident, beautiful, polished—”

  I shook my head and interrupted. “Stop, Kenzie. Do you want to know why Colby came to my room?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Please don’t tell me some story. I’m a big girl.”

  “I know that,” I started, trying to mind her feelings. “And what I was going to say is that the reason why he came to my room is because of the challenge.”

  She looked at me curiously, and I continued.

  “Men like Colby like the pursuit of a woman who isn’t falling at their feet. You said it yourself. He’s used to these droves of girls in LA throwing themselves at him. When one doesn’t automatically do so, he’s interested for the sake of the chase.”

  She blew out a breath of frustration. “And I’ve been the pathetic girl who doesn’t pose a challenge at all.”

  I put my arm around her shoulders, hoping the gesture didn’t come across as awkward since comforting others wasn’t my forte. “There’s nothing pathetic about you, McKenzie. He obviously has a relationship with you that he doesn’t have with other women, which means he must show you another side of himself. And that makes you special to him.”

  “He does show me another side. But I always pitifully make him the priority. Maybe if I didn’t, I’d be the chase.”

  I nodded. “Now you get it. This isn’t a game per se but more of a strategy. Some men want what they can’t have.”

  “Which is why you haven’t slept with my brother?”

  Oh, boy. “That’s a bit more complicated.”

  “I’ve spilled my guts about a guy I’ve had a crush on since I was six years old.”

  I hesitated, thinking about how to put it. “Your brother is my best friend. And now he’s my boss. Adding a third element gets tricky.”

  “You’re his best friend, too. I hope you know that. He talks about you all the time. I mean, only to me, but I know that over the last year since you moved, he misses you a lot.”

  The thought warmed me. “I miss him, too.”

  “By the way, please don’t tell Brian about Colby. I think he knew about it when I was younger, but I don’t want him knowing about it now.”

  It meant a lot that Kenzie trusted me enough to confide in me. “I won’t. We’re here to have a good time, so the other piece of advice I have is that at the reception you should dance with Will as much as possible.”

  She giggled. “Oh, that won’t be a hardship.”

  We accepted the beers gratefully when the boys found us a few minutes later.

  “Everything all right?” Brian asked, looking at Kenzie and back toward me.

  Colby appeared concerned, and I knew in that moment that at least he cared about Kenzie’s feelings.

  “Yeah, things are good. I’m doing one beer and then heading up,” I said, slugging it back. I enjoyed the banter between the three of them as we sat dockside enjoying the warm evening and Caribbean breeze.

  After finishing my drink, I stood up, ready for bed.

  Brian got to his feet as well. “I’ll walk you upstairs.”

  “Kenzie, you staying out?” Colby asked.

  She shrugged, “Nah, I’m going to bed, too.”

  I noted Colby’s surprised look and I was proud of her for not appearing eager to spend time with him.

  ***

  Brian walked me up to my room, both of us quiet.

  As soon as I put my key in, his body crowded mine through the door.

  It hadn’t even had a chance to close when Brian seized my hips with his hands and backed me into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. “Is it just me, or has this day dragged on?”

  Smiling, I realized it had for me, as well. “It has seemed slow.”

  His hand stroked my face softly. “All I could think about was kissing you today.” He dipped his head and tasted my lips, taking his time with the leisurely kiss.

  Once my tongue met his, however, the kiss changed. Suddenly, I was pressed up against him and I took the opportunity to reach for the zipper on his shorts.

  His hands moved quickly, though, closing over mine and preventing my intent. “Not like this. We still have to ensure we’ve agreed on everything.”

  “How about we hash out the details tomorrow? Tonight, maybe we could let it happen.”

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I can’t.”

  “You’d turn down sex because these rules mean that much to you?”

  His expression was pained and he nodded.

  “Unbelievable. I’m practically throwing myself at you. This was a mistake. You don’t want me, then, fine.”

  “Damn it, Sasha. Does it feel like I don’t want you?” He placed my hand on his bulge where he was hard as steel.

  Instead of moving my hand away, I slid it down the length of him and heard him hiss.

  He threaded his fingers with mine and my mouth was ravaged again. After backing me to the edge of the bed, he eased me down, following on top. His hips aligned with mine, grinding against my throbbing sex.

  Intense heat spread throughout my body with the contact. I moaned, cradling his hard length and arching towards him. He shifted me so that we were both on our sides and his leg scissored over mine, keeping me inches from him.

  His fingers reached up under my dress, but, much to my frustration, stayed outside of my panties when he started massaging.

  “You’re right there,” I gasped,
frustrated.

  “I’m going to make you come, but I’m saving the good stuff for when I have more—”

  “Time,” I bit out, finishing the statement for him. My voice was raw, and my body was desperate for release.

  “Think of the last time you had foreplay. We’re working up to the ultimate fantasy for both of us.”

  My body had started to respond to his fingers. I moved my hand toward his zipper again. “Okay, but I get to torture you, too.” When he tensed, I argued, “We haven’t started so you’re not in control yet.”

  He hesitated but then let me proceed, sucking in a breath when I took hold of him through his boxers. “God—” He increased the pressure on me, rubbing harder and faster.

  I did the same, wishing I could feel his actual skin. As it was, he was scorching hot through the cotton material.

  My body tensed with the detonation of my orgasm. His cock pulsed, wetness seeping through the fabric onto my hand.

  His lips left mine and he kissed my forehead, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Do you feel like you’re back in high school?”

  “Back then the boys would go all the way.”

  He grinned. “Teenage boys wouldn’t have given you an orgasm.”

  “Ah, high school, where the boys didn’t know what they were doing, and the girls didn’t know enough to know better.”

  He chuckled.

  We lay facing one another, and my heart beat faster at the intimacy of being eye to eye in the same bed together. “You have about ten minutes before I’m passing out. What else do we need to discuss?” I yawned.

  “Are you willing to let me be in control in the bedroom?”

  “Would it only be there? I’d resent you if it bled into any other aspect of our lives.”

  “Yes. Being dominant during sex doesn’t mean I wouldn’t respect and value your time or forget my manners.”

  “Would I have to call you sir?”

  “Not my thing. I’d rather you say my name.”

  “What types of things are we talking? You’re not into painful stuff, right?”

  His slow smile made me shiver. “No, it’s also not my thing, but I do intend to tie you up, and we’d use toys. Pleasurable things, not painful.”