Bears of Burden: STERLING

by Candace Ayers

  "I'm not kissing you, you piece of shit. I don't even like you touching me. Let me fucking go!" I managed to pry one of his fingers free but it didn't make any difference, the other hand only gripped me that much tighter. "You're hurting me," I told him, a little louder. "Let go!"

  In the near distance, a car door slammed. "Hey!" A man's voice screamed across the lot. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

  I looked over and saw Aiden Cooper running towards us. Rory let go of me so quickly that I fell back and landed on my butt. When I looked up again, Aiden was in Rory’s face.

  "What the fuck is the matter with you, man?" Aiden screamed, pushing Rory's chest. "I heard her saying no from a hundred yards away."

  Rory shrugged, a smirk on his face. "Sometimes a woman don't know what she wants till it's already in her, know what I mean?" He pushed Aiden back and before I knew it the two of them were scuffling on the pavement.

  I wasn’t sure what to do. Should I go look for someone to break it up? When I saw that Aiden had the upper hand, I figured maybe I’d just let it play out. It didn't exactly bother me to see Rory get a taste of his own medicine. Aiden slammed his fist against Rory's nose and blood gushed out. Aiden let him go and Rory scrambled out from under him looking a bit dazed. He seemed to come to his senses a little, though, and instead of throwing another blow, he held his hands up in a gesture of surrender and backed away. Aiden and I watched him until he turned the corner out of sight.

  Aiden took several deep breaths and turned towards me.

  "You ok?" he asked, holding out his hand to help me up. I took it and warm electricity surged through my fingers and up my arm.

  "Yeah," I replied. "Thanks."

  "No problem. It felt pretty good to hit that asswipe. Can I give you a ride home?”

  I didn't know what was wrong with me. My body was responding to the narcotic power of his voice and eyes with an overwhelming onslaught of raw physical desire. His voice was like a warm rain pounding against my skin causing moisture to pool between my legs. I wasn't sure I could trust myself around him.

  "Sure. Thanks.” I wondered if there was the remotest chance that he didn’t recognize me from earlier.

  “My car is just over there," he said, pointing towards a cherry red Porsche. "Just promise not to puke all over it." He recognizes me.

  "I’ll do my best," I mumbled, blushing. Would I ever live down the embarrassment of throwing up all over Aiden Cooper? He opened the passenger door for me and I slipped into the seat beside him.

  Chapter 3

  Aiden's Porsche sped along the road. I clung to the door handle as his tires raced over the pavement, keeping my eyes closed at first, then finally opening them when I heard him chuckle.

  "What?" I asked. "Something funny?"

  "You’re tough as nails inside a locker room, but look at you. Terrified of a little fast driving."

  "I just don't want to crash," I said. My heart was pounding against my chest. Something about the way Aiden drove—hard, fast, but completely in control of the powerful machine—made me think he'd be a fantastic lover. My phone vibrated and I looked down at the number. Troy. I turned it off. The last thing I wanted to do right now in front of Aiden Cooper was to get my ass handed to me by Troy.

  "So, where are we going?" I asked, suddenly aware that we were nohere near my home.

  "Home," he replied. “My home. That okay?” he asked.

  I glanced at him, "Your place?" Aiden probably thought he could have any girl he wanted. Did he think I was just gonna hop into bed with him because he was Aiden Cooper? Probably. After all, he was the hottest man to ever grace the cover of sports Illustrated, I would bet he didn’t suffer many rejections.

  "I assure you, I’m nothing like Rory fucking Shelton. I might appreciate the company of a beautiful woman, but I also respect her choices.”

  And, there it was.

  “Besides," he replied, “My place is closer than yours.”

  "How could you know that? I never told you where I live."

  "Yeah, but I live in Beverly Hills." He said it with the complete arrogance of a hot, sexy, talented, wealthy asshole who thought the world revolved around him. His brash ego made my blood boil, but every time I turned to him to say something that might cut him down a peg or two, I kept picturing his naked body in the locker room. Especially the long, thick cock that had lain against his thigh. I was pretty sure that tonight, despite his arrogant demeanor, my choice was gonna be yes.

  We passed through a wrought iron gate that opened at the click of a button and he pulled the porche up to a beautiful stucco mansion crafted in a hacienda style of architecture. There was a fountain in the center of the wide, circular drive, and beautiful stone archways. I was awed by the size and splendor of his home.

  "Nice," I said before I could stop myself. I didn’t need to give his ego any more stroking.

  Aiden ushered me into the kitchen and poured us both a drink.

  "Thanks." The scotch was expensive, like everything else about this place. I couldn’t drink it, but that was none of his business. So, when he wasn't looking, I dumped it in the sink.

  "Why are we here?" I finally asked. I wasn’t good at games. My style was blunt and forward. Got a question-ask it. One of the qualities that made me so good at my job.

  Aiden raised an eyebrow. He looked a little taken aback. “You don’t want to be here?”

  “I didn’t say that. I’m simply curious about your intentions.”

  He grinned widely, clearly amused, and walked towards me. "Because I wanted to get to know you better.”

  “You… wanted to… You mean you wanted to fuck me.”

  Aiden coughed, choking on his scotch. “Wow,” he said, “Okay, yeah, I’ll admit it, you’re hot.”

  “You want to fuck me after I tossed my enchiladas all over you? What, are you some kind of freak?”

  He threw his head back and roared with laughter. “I said I wanted to get to know you better.” He set down his scotch and stepped closer, “You barreled your way into the mens locker room, then barely flinched when I flashed you, even though all eyes were on you. Then, the way you stood up to Rory ‘sexual harassment’ Shelton, was impressive. What are you all of about 120lbs? And, no, I could have done without you gifting me your stomach contents, thank you very much. I just never met anyone like you. Like I said, I wanted to get to know you better."

  He was inches from me now. I could feel his breath on my face. "Say the word and I'll take you home, but I don't think you want to leave. Not yet anyway."

  He cupped his hand under my chin and tilted my head back. I was breathing way too fast. I knew this was a gigantic mistake—it had to be—but when his hand touched my face my discretion forgot itself.

  His lips pressed against mine and I gave in to the bold caress of his tongue. Relax relax relax. Only I couldn't relax, not with Aiden's fingers sliding under my shirt and up my back. His hands were surprisingly tender yet strong. My bra snapped open and my breasts spilled out. Aiden pulled my shirt over my head and stepped back to look at my ample chest.

  “Beautiful,” his voice was husky with desire. He lowered his mouth to my nipples, swirling his tongue around one then the other, sucking gently. I moaned softly and my whole body seemed to convulse with need. My hormones were insane. His tongue moved faster until it left my breasts, sliding down towards my skirt.

  Aiden lifted me off the floor with startling ease and sat me atop his kitchen counter. He buried his face between my legs, his mass of golden hair tickling my thighs. Pulling my panties off with his teeth, he ran his tongue over the length of my pussy before circling my clit. Holy shit. I arched my back and threaded my fingers through his hair. His hands slid over the outside of my legs as he worked his magic with his mouth, sliding his tongue in and out of my pussy, before running it up to encircle my clit. He continued the pattern moving faster and faster until a familiar tingling started deep in my core. I moaned softly. He was so in tune with my responses,
that he instantly dropped his pants to the floor and next thing I knew, he had rolled a condom over his rigid dick and was inserting himself inside me.

  It happened so fast I didn't even realize what was going on until his hands grabbed my ass and slid me off the counter on onto his thick length. His cock entered me an inch at a time until I felt completely full. He gave me a moment to get used to his girth before he turned us and slammed my back up against the opposite wall as he thrust into me again and again sending me into a state of sheer ecstasy. I clawed at his back and at one point I think I heard my moaning become screaming. He didn’t stop. He knew what I needed. With each push and thrust, my body released the tension and anxiety I'd felt building up for the last week. My heels dug into his ass and my fingers dug into his shoulders. He groaned, but it seemed to turn him on.

  The electric sparks in my core began to build, and every time he thrust his rigid cock into me until our pelvises met, the sparks grew more intense. My head felt like it was floating, a light, airy feeling that grew brighter and bolder until I was flying amongst the clouds. My head rolled back as wild, delicious waves of pleasure enveloped my body climaxing in a tidal wave of bliss. My pussy pulsed with orgasm as Aiden let loose his own climax.

  When I opened my eyes, he was smiling. "I thought that might be what you needed. I think you could use a little more, though."

  Chapter 4

  I woke up with my head pounding and my stomach in knots. Ugh! Unfair- I hadn't even had anything to drink last night. I lifted my head off the pillow and surveyed the bedroom. Aiden was gone. I picked up my phone to check the time and realized I'd never turned it back on last night. It lit up when I pushed the power button and I saw that I had fifteen missed phone calls from Troy.

  "Shit," I murmured. I held the phone to my ear and listened to one of his voicemails. "Skyler, where the hell are you? Do you know how much you screwed up tonight? No interview? What the hell was I thinking when I hired you?"

  And another, "Skyler, dammit! You call me the second you get this, you hear me. The second!"

  I wasn't stupid. I knew that most of Troy's anger stemmed from our personal issue rather than my blowing the spot with Aiden. I wondered what he would think of me now if he knew just how up close and personal I'd interviewed Aiden last night. The thought made me chuckle.

  "Morning," Aiden said when I entered the kitchen. He stood at the counter wearing nothing but a pair of low slung sweatpants that showed off his perfect abs. Day-um.

  "Good Morning.”

  "I can call you a cab when you’re ready," he offered.

  A cab? My smile faltered slightly. So much for morning-after etiquette. I didn't expect him to be falling all over himself, but jeez, a cab seemed kind of crass even for Mr. Arrogant.

  "Gee, thanks," I said.

  "I've got a press conference this morning, so I don't have a lot of time. There's coffee ready if you want some," he told me.

  "I know about the conference; I'm supposed to cover it. Coffee would be great, thanks." I stood by, waiting for him to get me a cup, but he barely looked up from his phone. I rolled my eyes and started opening cabinets until I found the right one. I poured a small amount of coffee into the mug— I knew pregnant women weren't really supposed to overdo the caffeine but I figured a cup wouldn't hurt. It was mostly milk and sugar in the cup anyway.

  I stood awkwardly near him, not exactly sure what I'd expected, but certainly not this. Okay, whatever. I was a big girl. I could handle the brush-off. But, if he thinks he’s gonna call me a cab, he’s mistaken. I’ll call my own fucking cab.

  "So," I said, "I guess you're not much of a morning person, huh?" I smiled sweetly not willing to let him see me irritated by his behavior.

  "I'm just looking up some of the scores from last night. There are other hockey teams out there you know, and I was little preoccupied last night." He shot me a glance.

  Preoccupied? Is that what he called it? Okay, asshole, you wanna play that game?

  "Some would say that the Knights aren't much of a team," I said flippantly, and was delighted to receive the response I'd been hoping for. His brow creased and he looked up from his phone. "The Stanley Cup isn't even a glimmer in your eye right now," I added.

  "Some people are idiots who don't know what they're talking about," he said through gritted teeth.

  "Well, my Dad was a huge hockey fan, and his buddies still are. He's the reason I love the game. Unless you played for the Original Six, your team barely counts in their eyes."

  "The Original Six huh?" he said, grinning. "What do you know about the Original Six? Name the teams."

  I lifted an eyebrow. He had to be joking. This was basic hockey trivia. "Red Wings, Blackhawks, Rangers, Canadiens, Bruins, and Leafs. They sort of symbolize the game for hockey fans across North America. You've gotta give me something harder than that."

  "Okay," he said, setting his mug down. He actually seemed interested now. Yes, Mr. Full-of-himself, I am in the room. "First fifty goal scorer."

  "Easy. Maurice Richard. Scored fifty goals in fifty games in the 1944-45 season. I thought I told you to give me something hard." My lips curved up at the corners and Aiden grinned at me.

  "You know more than I gave you credit for," he said.

  "Typical," I told him. "People figure 'cause I'm a female reporter I must not know my stuff, but that's gender-biased bullshit."

  "I see that." His caramel eyes glimmered as the morning sun shone in through the picture window. "Where do you live?"

  "Mid-Wilshire."

  "I’ll drive you home."

  That’s what I’m talkin’ bout. I stifled a grin.

  "What about the cab? I thought you were too busy this morning to drive me?"

  He shrugged. "Conference doesn't start for a little while yet, so no worries."

  We hopped into his car and he headed east driving in silence for a while. His hand casually slid over my knee and I noticed the fresh cuts along his knuckles from last night's fight nestled in amongst the older ones, probably from previous fights.

  "Why are you trying to ruin your career?" I burst out before I could stop it. I had a big mouth, and sometimes a very defective filter. Or, maybe, I was just irked that he'd been prepared to blow me off this morning.

  "I'm not," he said, his jaw muscles tensed. His whole demeanor changed in an instant. He pulled his hand off my knee and gripped the wheel. "Are you still trying to get your interview?"

  "No, I'm just asking you a question. Between you and me. Off the record. You've got a lot of talent. More than most. Seems a shame to waste it."

  "I'm not wasting it," he said, his temper flaring. "I'm playing the game the best I can. Where am I taking you?"

  "Wilshire and Western," I barked, folding my arms across my chest. I don't know what I was so mad for. I was the one who had started this.

  We drove in silence a few more minutes before I opened my big mouth again. "It just seems to me that—"

  "It just seems to me," Aiden raised his voice above mine, threw the car into park and faced me, "that some people are so wrapped up in other people's lives because they're not happy with their own."

  "You have no basis to say that," I yelled back. Though it was a more astute observation than I would have thought him capable of making. After all, I wasn’t very happy being single and pregnant.

  "I'd wager that I'm happier than you are," he shouted.

  "Sure, that's why you're drinking yourself to death and engaging in bar fights every other weekend." I opened the car door and slammed it shut.

  "At least I have someone to warm my bed each night," he shot back.

  “Yeah, someone you barely know who doesn’t give two shits about you,” I yelled, furious. What the hell was wrong with me? These pregnancy hormones are crazy. I can hold my own with the best of them, but an insult like that was normally beneath me.

  He stared at me for a moment, his mouth agape before his Porsche peeled away from my apartment, tires squealing.


  I watched him go, anger and shame flushing my face. I didn't know why any of this should bother me so much. I barely knew him. Besides, he really was an arrogant fat-headed jerk. I was so preoccupied in my own emotions that I didn't even register it when he stopped his car at the end of the street and glanced back at me. I ran up the stairs to my building, lost in my thoughts. Waiting just outside the front entrance was Troy.

  This day just keeps getting better and better.

  Chapter 5

  "What are you doing here, Troy?" I demanded. I didn't even realize he knew where I lived. Then again, of course he knew where I lived. He’d hired me. He had my address on file. I unlocked the front door and he followed me inside.

  "If you're here about the interview—"

  "I'm not," he said. "Though I don't know what the hell you were thinking blowing the very first interview I gave you. It makes you look like a complete amateur.” He flopped himself on my sofa. “Worse, it makes me look like an imbecile, and I'm not in the habit of looking like an imbecile."

  I had to bite my tongue. "I'm tired. Was there something you wanted?"

  "Have you thought about what we talked about?"

  I lowered my eyes. I knew he wasn't gonna like my answer and I didn't want to see his reaction.

  "I'm not getting an abortion, Troy." My words lingered in the air. I heard him stop breathing and finally looked up just to make sure he was still alive. His face was red.

  He pounded his fist on the side table, "Why the hell not?" he demanded.

  "Because this is the hand I've been dealt and this is the hand that I'll play."

  "What the fuck does that mean?" he snarled. He spun around, throwing his hands in the air and letting out a loud grrrr that made me jump. When he turned back to me his eyes were dark.

  "Don't you dare expect anything from me, you hear?"

  "I don't."

  "If one word of this leaks out to anyone I'll personally make sure that you never work in this town again."

  "Fine."

  He stood staring at me for a long time. "For God's sake Skyler, just terminate the god-damned thing. Do you really want to let a one-night stand ruin your life? It wasn't even that good!"