Mad About You: A Box Set

by Pamela Ann

  “Is Jared planning on working things out with you? Did you just discuss it even?” Vivienne quietly asked as I casually smiled at the passersby going back and forth into the garden and back inside the house.

  Without glancing at them, I shook my head, feeling the weight of darkness settle on my chest once again. “We did discuss it, and no, he’s not planning on anything with me—well, apart from running away from me as far as he could possibly imagine, I guess.”

  She let out a hissing sound, peeved. “So…the whole sex thing tonight…Is it just a once a year birthday thing, then? I don’t fucking get why, Gi. Why the fuck are you holding on to a man who has no interest in being with you? Sure, he loves to fuck you once in a blue moon, but where is he now? He’s most likely back with that Rose chick. He’s back in her bed. So why the hell are you holding on again?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” I understood Vivienne’s argument. It wasn’t unfounded. Truth be told, I, too, had the same reasons, but tonight had changed it all. He only needed to touch me, and I was his again. Sadly, it seemed Jared knew it, too. Based on his ardent lovemaking earlier, he couldn’t get enough of me. But this was Jared, after all. Mercurial as ever. He could very well change his tune any time of the week, depending on his ever-shifting mood. “He wants me, but he doesn’t want to want me. It’s the same spiel since we got married. Nothing’s changed…on his part, still.”

  “Fucking hell, Gisele. You’re hopeless as hopeless gets.” Vivienne wrapped her arms around me before kissing the side of my head. “You’re the ultimate package—hot as fuck, models envy you, you’ve got the brains to back it up, and not to mention you’re mega rich—and even with all that, you’re not rich where it counts most.” She sighed, her arms winding around me more tightly. “If all else fails, you have Blair and me to distract you for the rest of your life. So fear not, my dearest babe, we got you.”

  After she released me, Blair shoved a newly filled champagne glass at me before she granted me an appeasing gaze. “Sooner or later, you have to decide, Gi,” she succinctly pointed out. “You can’t go on for another year living in this hell. Waiting on a man who doesn’t see your worth only leads to devastation—your very own destruction. Next time he fucks up, just let it go. If he comes back, then renegotiate terms, but if he doesn’t, just forget you’re married to him. You keep forgetting this is a business deal. Jared sure hasn’t. If you want to stay afloat and not drown, you’ve got to think like him. Think like a man. Fight fire with fire. I’m sorry, but sometimes, being a pseudo-doormat isn’t all that appealing. Not even to me. Most especially with his kind of breed. They thrive on the chase, but you’ve never ever let him chase you because you’re already laid out like a six-course meal, ready whenever he comes knocking on your doorstep. Seriously, Gisele, get a fucking grip! I love you, but this is beyond pathetic. He’s supposed to be eating out of the palm of your hand. The only sure thing he’s eating is your fucking confidence. You’ve got to get back on the saddle, or you’re going to be left behind, Gi. It’s time to take the blindfold off, babe.”

  “Amen to that,” Vivienne readily agreed. “We all adore Jared, but he’s been leading you nowhere. If he doesn’t come crawling back to you after you guys tangoed, it’s time to ditch your heart and move on.”

  Tentatively, I smiled without it reaching my eyes. “Of course, I totally agree. Just give me time. I’ll eventually get there,” I murmured, knowing full well they were speaking with sense. They only wanted me happy…

  They’d supported me since, but I knew this one-way love made me pitiful in their eyes somehow. Maybe that was why Blair seemed surprisingly obliging towards my revelation of Wyatt. She knew where my heart belonged. She also knew I wasn’t going into a relationship with Wyatt knowing such a fact. I was stuck in a rut, but I was giving Jared one last chance. Japan should be a game changer. Good or bad, a decision had to be made.

  While Blair and Vivienne continued discussing other matters, arguing about gatecrashers and what not, I spotted someone familiar.

  “Ginny! You came!” I greeted my research partner for Robotics, whom I invited at the last minute since the woman had hardly warmed to me.

  She seemed hesitant as she cautiously eyed the themed surroundings, unmistakably uncomfortable. When her light blue eyes found me, she appeared confused for a moment. “Oh, my gosh! Gisele?” She blew out a breath. “Wowzers, you were pretty before, but gosh! You totally could pass as a supermodel. Who thought you were hiding such big tits underneath the sweaters?”

  Our class started super early. Sweater and jeans were the accommodating wear that could match my unpleasant mood. Early riser, I sure wasn’t, but it was the last slot available, so I was left functioning like a retarded robot until caffeine kicked in, which unfortunately tended to take effect half an hour after boosting. Ginny had learned to cope on her own until then.

  I beamed before throwing her a massive heartwarming hug. “You mean a super hooker, right? Thank you for coming. Most of the people here are from school, but I hardly know any of them. You’re the first friendly face I know.”

  She pushed her thick black-rimmed glasses back, prickly as she warily glanced towards Blair and Vivienne hovering behind me. “I’m kind of obligated to drop by since you’re, like, the only friend I have in school.” She awkwardly grinned. “Sorry I didn’t come dressed as something or someone. It’s hard to dress a two-hundred-pound beluga and pass it off as something non-humiliating.”

  My face contorted at the sound of her criticizing herself. She did this, quite often, too. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling yourself that, Ginny? Berating yourself won’t make you feel any better. As for dressing up, don’t worry about it. It’s Blair’s idea, not mine.”

  Vivienne and Blair came over to greet Ginny. They’d met a few days ago at the coffee shop where Ginny works right outside the school. Ginny was still hesitant to warm to the girls she categorized as “superficial Barbies.” She cataloged me in the same category up until two weeks ago when she and I became research partners. She’d had to live with bullying from the likes of us, and I couldn’t truly blame her for it. Blair sure did give off the vibe, so it was truly understandable. Hopefully, the more she and I got to know one another, the more she’d see that not all privileged kids were a hateful bunch. My friends and I most of the time took things for granted, but we weren’t unkind. True, Blair had the tendency to go off screeching like a banshee, but she was good where it counted the most.

  At first, Ginny appeared critical as she eyed my friends, but the more Vivienne cajoled her to try little sips of different alcoholic beverages, the more they bonded. We knew that if one of us befriended someone, we’d automatically welcome them with open arms. So, after an hour of her arrival, Ginny began to loosen up and warm to them. Her smiles became genuine, and she even laughed at Blair’s usual flair for sarcastic puns. Therefore, when Wyatt and Ethan came round to join us at one of the cozy sectional outdoor settees, we were all enjoying the party. Wyatt sat on the sofa’s armrest right next to me. He kept his distance but remained close to me for the rest of the evening.

  Blair, drunk as she was, even had the audacity to get on top of a table and scream her heart out, halting the entire party before ordering everyone to sing a happy birthday to me.

  It was heartwarming to feel loved by the people closest to me. After all, they were all I had. With my father’s passing, everything had been a blur. However, my friends had kept me grounded, always reminding me that I wasn’t alone. That no matter what happened in the future, I could always count on them for love and support. Little did they realize, but I sort of teared up a bit. It wasn’t a major ugly crying moment or anything, but my eyes glassed with moisture, beyond appreciative to have them at the most delicate time in my life, when I was in dire need of warmth and affection.

  Right around one in the morning, after seeing Ginny off, Wyatt quietly followed behind, ready to take me back to my house.

  “Let’s
go for a walk.” It had been ages since I felt bubbly, and I wanted to savor it with each passing second.

  Wyatt cocked his head before pasting an amused smile on. “It’s your birthday, so your wish is my command.”

  Three inches of heels didn’t deter me from walking a long stretch since most of the homes around here were estates. The air was crisp, the world asleep, and the comfortable silence of the night assuaged my troubled mind. Tall and willowy trees ensconced our well-lit path. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but all of a sudden, I overwhelmingly began to brazenly strut as if I were on a runway before pivoting on my heels and sashaying back towards Wyatt while he applauded, hooting his approval.

  We were laughing when he suddenly pulled me into his arms, stopping us both, as we stared into each other’s eyes. My throat ran dry seeing what I found in his depths. I barely managed to take a sharp breath before his lips dove to capture mine.

  It was possibly the idea of being wanted after enduring the lectures tonight, the mere fact that I was inebriated, or also how I felt quite happy after weeks of mourning. Whatever my reason was, I kissed Wyatt back with the same hungry, debilitating force. In the back of my mind, Jared’s words echoed deafeningly, but I couldn’t resist Wyatt’s kiss. He was here. He wasn’t fighting his desire for me. Surely, that counted for something, right?

  As our kiss deepened, we forgot we were in the middle of the road in the wee hours of the morning. I can learn to love him, my mind jolted me awake, shocking me with its unconscious thoughts.

  “Can I stay with you tonight?” Wyatt paused, our lips barely touching as he cradled my cheek. His body possessively held me. His desire heavily pressed against my stomach.

  “I don’t know…Will you be able to behave?” I’d promised Jared no more men…and yet, I was beyond tempted to say yes. The thought of going back home to an empty house, a dark bedroom, and a cold bed felt anticlimactic for such a lovely evening.

  A teasing smile stretched his lips. “I can try, but no promises.”

  “Maybe next time, then,” I said hesitantly.

  The wicked smile merely deepened. “Let’s get you home first and decide from there.”

  My mind ran all sorts of scenarios as I complacently let him lead the way back to my home. His arm was secured around my hips as we trotted along the road. While he happily whistled, I weighed my options. Although sleeping with Wyatt was absolutely out of the question, indulging in a night filled with cuddling wasn’t a crime, either. Had Jared not emotionally pushed me away, confusion wouldn’t rule my brain. But alas, the man crisply stated he was keeping his distance, even though he acted rather jealous about Wyatt having his wicked way with me.

  Minutes passed until we finally reached the gate. I had to use the intercom on the access control pad to connect me to the security station, which was hidden behind the tall quaking aspen trees close to the gate’s entrance.

  “Hello?” I croaked out. “It’s me, Gisele. Buzz me in, please. Thank you.”

  “Right away, Miss Weber.” Mike’s voice echoed out of the control pad’s speakers.

  “Thank you, Mike.”

  “Have a good night and a happy birthday as well,” he thoughtfully added before wide, expansive, dual wrought iron and wood gates began to automatedly open.

  “Good night to you, too, Mike.”

  Wyatt’s arm hadn’t lessened its grip around my hip as we casually strode towards the long driveway leading to the house.

  “Can I sleep over, or are you still contemplating?” Wyatt asked the second we stepped into the foyer. The dimmed surroundings made his voice rather too intimate as he placed his other arm around my hip, fully encircling me with his body. Dark eyes gleamed with anticipation.

  Trepidation seized me as I pondered my present predicament—Wyatt and my promise of disengaging from this massive flirt. And yet, it was this man who was here, ensuring that I was home safe. The same guy who had done his best to take my mind off my father’s demise. Jared had been absent for the past month, only resurfacing back into my life when it suited him, and he retreated whenever he got the inclination to do so. So why must I put Jared first when I was at the very bottom of his? Was I so heartless that I could begrudge Wyatt this tiny innocuous request?

  One look at Wyatt’s familiar face cemented a decision for me. “Tonight. That’s it. No more sleepovers after this, got it?” I reluctantly said, “And we’re not going to do anything sexual, so if you’re thinking otherwise, you can shove it somewhere else, thank you.”

  “I’ll be the perfect gentleman,” he swore as we began to stroll towards the lift.

  While Wyatt was pleased with the outcome, my guilt gnawed at me. My promise to Jared couldn’t even survive a full twenty-four hours. Frankly, I felt horrid about it. But the mere thought of being alone tonight simply daunted me.

  This whole sleeping dependency only surfaced the moment Jared had shared my bed every night for a straight month. His warmth and the absolute sense of security and protection he provided during those nights had left a mark on me. Hence, my reluctance tonight.

  Chapter 19

  Jared

  “St. James.”

  “Sir, I’m calling for the update you requested earlier tonight.” Mike’s stern, clipped voice filtered through the phone’s speaker while I continued encoding the prototype Peter hadn’t completed before his parting.

  With unparalleled concentration, my eyes darted back and forth across the screen as my fingers rapidly keyed in data. “Go on.”

  After leaving her bedroom earlier, I intended to go home, but instead, I found myself driving back to the headquarters to keep working on this new project. The moment I entered my domain, I immediately speed-dialed Mike to inform me the second Gisele got home because I found it impossible to resist her tonight after what she and I had just shared. My body craved her like a drug. Tonight proved my resistance was in shambles. Why keep denying what my body had been imploring to ravage unceasingly? The constricted narrow channel in between her thighs was a mortal man’s Eden. The rush it gave my body each time the head of my cock pierced through her snug opening was the ultimate nirvana. The sensation her cunt bestowed upon me as I pillaged her, greedily clamping down on my length, sucking me back into her sweet depths was absolute ecstasy. Or witnessing her abandon any inhibitions by allowing me to use her body merely as an object of pleasure. It was sheer unmitigated euphoria. Giving her up after experiencing her blooming and accepting her sensual nature would be ludicrous.

  Coming to terms with my cock-driven decision took some getting used to. However, the moment my mind took hold of the idea, I understood tremendous strength would be implemented to resolve fighting through my long-standing demons. Nevertheless, I was fairly prepared to face the ghosts of my past, no matter how agonizing it may be or in spite of the arduous mental obstacles it entailed. The cost was high—I understood as much—but I didn’t have the wherewithal to give her up anymore. No, Gisele was mine. I claimed her as mine.

  My magnificent nymph. Oh, the things I dreamed of teaching her…

  Mike cleared his throat, halting my meandering, wanton thoughts. “Miss Weber’s back, sir. She arrived fifteen minutes ago.”

  Fifteen minutes ago? I frowned. “I specifically said the second she arrives, Mike. Clearly, you’ve misunderstood me. Nevertheless, thank you all the same.”

  “No, sir, I heard you loud and clear, but my gut told me to wait before informing you Wyatt Rinaldi hasn’t come out of the house since they arrived.”

  The head of security knew I’d be ticked off about Wyatt Rinaldi. The past month, he’d been rather selective when providing me with Gisele’s whereabouts since I had all but given up on it. Now, after witnessing her being devoured like a blasted buffet on the kitchen counter, I hadn’t dared to check twice in fear of what I might see next.

  My jaw gravely clenched as I tried to rationally comprehend what Mike had just stated. “Check the recordings. Tell me where Rinaldi is right now,” I gritted
out as my hand gripped my knee, disconcerted beyond measure. She had promised. Moronic to admit, but I had actually held on to her word. Was she capable of retracting such a vehement declaration in a matter of hours?

  In the background, I could hear him typing something. Mike’s assertive voice came back on a minute later. “He followed her into her bedroom, sir. He’s definitely in there. Most likely staying the night, too. He usually does if he doesn’t leave after five to ten minutes after dropping her off.”

  Wretched fuck! How often did this cretin sleep with her?

  “Are you quite positive he hasn’t left? Check the footage again, Mike!” I sounded demented, but I didn’t give a bloody fuck. Before I did anything drastic, I urgently needed an infallible guarantee the besotted bastard was with her. This was critical—to me, anyway.

  “He’s still in there. I have time stamps. Do you need me to send the footage?”

  “No need,” I bitterly growled into the phone. “Don’t call but do text me when Rinaldi leaves—immediately, Mike. Not five, not ten, not fifteen minutes later. The second the prick steps out of the front door, you bloody well inform me!” I thundered, out of my mind and incensed beyond comprehension.

  After ending the blasted call, I mindlessly stared at the screen as images of her aroused and obliging flashed before my very eyes. Wanton and alluring, Gisele proved to be quite the raging harlot these days. Oh, how she bloody misled me!

  I love you. There’s no shame in that, she ardently promised hours ago.

  Oh, yeah, she was so bloody overwhelmed with her declarations of love that she could hardly stop herself from spreading it around now could she? In the throes of unbridled passion with Wyatt Rinaldi no less.

  “YOU DECEITFUL BITCH!” I bellowed into my expansive office space, white hot with rage, wholly consumed by her betrayal and the lies she fed me.

  I loathed believing her deceit. There was no need for promises. I sure as hell didn’t demand it. And yet, she did it anyway, and by doing so, chipped a huge chunk of my armor as I unconsciously let myself trust she’d only have me from here on out.