by MK Harkins
Todd continued to kiss his way up my neck. With each touch of his lips, more unexpected responses came from me. Was I moaning? Fletcher scoffed, receiving the message loud and clear. I began to move away now that Fletcher had gotten the hint, but Todd grabbed my hips and pressed against me. With one hand on my back, the other on the nape of my neck he leaned in. I stiffened, preparing to object, but his lips found mine before a single syllable was uttered.
His lips. Soft and searching, robbed me of all thought. I was lost. What was I doing? What was he doing? Wait, I didn’t care. I wanted more. It felt so good. Those hands, his hands were caressing my back from my hips to my shoulders. I pressed against him, needing to get closer. His fingers slid into my hair, tugging a little to give him better access to my mouth. His tongue glided in and met mine. That did it. Any control I thought I had, or hoped I had, disappeared. My fingers found their way into his soft, wavy hair, and I pulled him to me. He groaned before he deepened the kiss, and I was gone, gone…sinking further into him. His scent, his touch, the feel of his insistent lips on mine—they enveloped me in a warm blanket of desire, so strong, I was at his mercy.
Fletcher huffed and stomped off. We could quit kissing now. Except, I didn’t want to stop.
The kiss escalated. I forgot about Fletcher. I forgot about Todd’s disinterest in me. His body, his fingers, his lips set me on fire. Moving his hands to both sides of my face, he peppered small kisses over my eyes, nose, forehead, and cheeks. His lips moved down my neck and he whispered, “Tiffany”, over and over.
As I gathered my strength to let him go, he brought his lips back to mine and made me forget. This time, the kiss was slower, gentler.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Todd said, so low and quiet, I almost couldn’t hear him.
The warm heat of his lips tenderly brushing against mine caused goosebumps to form all over my skin. The hot and passionate kiss about did me in, but this? His slow, soft caress of my lips was heavenly. I’d never been kissed like this. Ever. The strong attraction pulled me toward him in a way I couldn’t resist. I let my feelings for him—the ones I’d denied and locked behind some invisible wall—flow free. I couldn’t help it. I was powerless.
He continued his slow, lazy kiss as his hands roamed over my waist, back and shoulders. The more he explored, the more demanding his kiss became. Within moments, we were right back at hot and almost desperate. We sighed in unison as our tongues danced and our bodies attempted to fuse together. I couldn’t get enough. His roaming hands searched the back of my dress for a zipper, but when he gripped the slider and tugged slightly, everything…came to a halt. Todd took a step back. His glassy eyes darted around, confused.
“What the hell?” he muttered to himself, but I heard him.
“I’m so s…sorry,” he stuttered. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and took a deep, uneven breath. He continued to shake his head. “I shouldn’t have done that. That was a mistake.”
My nerve cells on fire a moment ago, turned to ice. A cold numbness washed through my veins. A mistake? Now I was a mistake? I thought when Fletcher insulted me it was bad, but this felt…much, much worse.
Before he could witness my complete and total meltdown from embarrassment, I turned on my heels and left.
***
Todd
I’D HAD A plan. I’d kiss her and work her out of my system.
She smelled of lilacs, fresh and clean. I let my lips graze the graceful column of her neck, kissing my way to her mouth and paused. There would be no going back. I stared at her lips, so soft and generous. Dear God, I’d known in that moment I didn’t have a choice. I’d started this, and was incapable of stopping. Too many fantasies, too many daydreams prevented me from not touching her, tasting her.
Emotions were conflicted and mixed. Stop now repeated over and over, but it didn’t make a difference. Go, go, go won the internal battle, so I went.
All I could do was feel. I wanted to touch every inch of her. Before my brain intervened, I unzipped her dress about an inch, desperate to caress the soft skin on her back. That’s when I’d snapped out of the fog that had taken over every single one of my senses. I took a step back, met Tiffany’s eyes and apologized. I’d blown it. She was angry. I’d overstepped our friendship and she looked irate.
Damn.
She left the staging area and, I assumed, back to our table. I wondered if I should follow her. I’d decided, no. By the looks of her, it would take a while to cool off. Why did I kiss her like that? You know why. Selfish. I was a selfish bastard.
A small smile formed at the corner of my mouth. It was so worth it.
Chapter Seven
Tiffany
“WHY ARE YOUR cheeks so flushed?” Jain asked.
I returned to the table and attempted to look nonchalant. I guess an Oscar wouldn’t be in my future.
“I just kissed Todd.” My hand slapped over my mouth about two seconds too late.
“Todd? You mean the same man you’ve been telling me you have no interest in? The same man we’ve been trying to set up with all our friends?” Her eyebrows lifted, and she sat forward, waiting for my response, or better yet, my excuse.
“Yeah. About that. Well, it was more of a pity kiss,” I explained.
“This should be good. Why in the world would you give Todd a pity kiss? I know he wasn’t happy about our set-up with Monica tonight, but I don’t think you needed to kiss him.” Her expression remained amused.
“No! He gave me the pity kiss.” This was a long story, and I didn’t know if I wanted to go into details yet. “I’ll tell you all about it after the auction. I think they’re almost ready to begin.” I didn’t want to miss the bidding for the brownies.
Jain gave my back a little rub. “Whenever you’re ready.”
This was what I loved most about Jain. She always listened whenever I needed to talk. She never pushed or tried to get me to divulge anything I wasn’t comfortable giving. Although, lately, I’d been telling her everything anyway. Every detail. I trusted her like no one I’d ever met.
People jokingly refer to Jain and me as the Scientist and the Socialite. We’d been working side by side for the past year, creating a non-profit foundation for people who struggled with the financial effects of ALS. My degree in social work and my parents’ connections were the ideal match with Jain. She was passionately involved with all things ALS-related because she’d lost her mom to the disease when she was eighteen. Our pairing was a match made in heaven.
In a little under a year, she’d become my best friend. Along with Colin, of course. They were a package deal.
In an hour’s time, the auction wrapped up. Braydon bid and won the brownies for Jain. I hadn’t doubted he’d do anything but win. It was a sentimental gift he’d put a lot of thought into, but the amount he spent surprised me—fifty thousand dollars! He laughed it off and said the money would go toward charity anyway.
It was heartwarming to see a couple so in love. I watched the way Braydon caressed Jain’s back and stared at her throughout the evening, like she was the most beautiful woman on the planet. Jain and Braydon had something special, something missing from my life.
Enough. I would never have that type of love. I couldn’t even get a decent date. Fletcher might be partially right. My dad didn’t seem intimidating to me, but to other men? I’d never thought about it. I always assumed something about me was off-putting. I almost felt relief thinking it might be my dad. Although, blaming my dad wasn’t realistic. It was tempting, though.
I scanned the large room again. Where was Todd? Had he left? It wasn’t like him to leave early. He always stayed until the end, making sure every last detail was completed to his satisfaction. He had a great work ethic.
“Did you scare Todd away?” Jain smiled.
I gave her a playful swat on the arm, “No, he’s probably roaming around somewhere.” Or at least I hoped so. Or maybe not. Sitting in a haze of lust and mounting anger, I mourned the feel of him, especially hi
s lips, but I also wanted to slap him.
“Oh, look. Here comes Erik,” Jain said, waving him over.
I remembered Erik. He was a doctor who worked with Jain at Bastion Medical Research. They partnered up and were close to finding a cure for ALS. When Jain and Braydon broke up last year, Erik had made a play for her. I was surprised Braydon didn’t insist she get another research partner, because he was the classic alpha male when it came to Jain. But they overcame their trust issues, and it changed them for the better. Braydon realized Jain needed to keep her working relationship with Erik in order to achieve what she spent her entire adult life striving for. Jain’s mission was to honor her mom’s memory and find a cure. She also wanted to prevent any more suffering. I couldn’t be more proud of her.
I hadn’t formally met Erik yet, so Jain did the honors. “Erik, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Tiffany.”
When I lifted my hand to give him a little wave, he captured it and placed his lips softly on my wrist.
We locked eyes and he said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Oh. Erik was a bit of a flirt. I glanced at Jain, and she gave me a little wink. Feeling flustered in that moment, I blurted, “My dad’s name is Gerald Thompson.”
He lifted an eyebrow and said, “My dad’s name is George Harper.” A slight smile graced his lips.
I already made a fool of myself, so I decided to keep going. “My mom’s name is Clara Thompson. I’m an only child, and I still live at home.” That should do it. If he still wanted to flirt with me, he’d been warned.
Erik’s eyes warmed, and he laughed. He had a great laugh that started low and seemed to take over his entire body.
At that moment, Todd joined our group. He greeted Jain and introduced himself to Erik then leaned toward me and said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“No,” I almost shouted. Squaring my shoulders back, and crossing my arms, I gave him my best don’t-mess-with-me glare. Even though I embarrassed myself in front of Erik and Jain; I didn’t want to leave the conversation. Especially if it meant I would miss the ‘why I’m a mistake’ explanation. I could do without that for tonight.
Jain rested her hand on Todd’s shoulder, and asked, “Tiffany, can I talk to you for a moment?” Then she mouthed to Todd, “Is that okay?”
He nodded once.
Great. Jain loved Todd and she would try to talk me into pursuing a relationship with him. I could clear it up in short order, but it would mean I’d have to rehash the unpleasant reminder Todd wasn’t interested in me.
I leaned closer and whispered, “If this is about Todd, I’ll talk to him later. I don’t want to talk to him now be—”
She cut me off. “No. It isn’t about Todd.”
I turned to the two men. “Please excuse us. We need a moment.” I took Jain by the arm and maneuvered her to an unoccupied table, where I let out a deep breath. “This has been the most bizarre night of my life.” I smiled because, even though it turned out to be an eventful evening, nothing horrible happened. Well, except for Fletcher’s comments and Todd’s rejection. But that kiss…no, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
“It’s about to get a little more bizarre I’m afraid.” She shrugged.
“What now?”
“I think my water just broke.” Her smile made it to her eyes, and she let out a hysterical giggle.
We had this all worked out. Both of us knew, when the time came, Braydon would freak the heck out, so Jain put me in charge of the details. Right now, with my mind frozen, I realized this was a bad planning strategy. My breath came in short spurts. The word “hyperventilating” came to mind. A paper bag. That’s what I needed.
“Shit,” I croaked out.
Jain’s eyes grew large. “Tiffany! You don’t swear!”
“I do now. No, never mind. Pretend you didn’t hear that. Shoot. Okay? Let’s go…no, you stay here. I’ll get Braydon.” I was falling apart right before her eyes. For some reason, this didn’t seem to stress her out.
She’d put her hand over her mouth and continued laughing. “If you’re like this, I can’t even imagine what Braydon will be like!”
***
THANK GOODNESS BRAYDON and I reversed roles for the evening. While I fell apart, Braydon stepped up to the plate. He calmly called his personal assistant, Julie, and asked her to go to their home to retrieve Jain’s suitcase. He arranged for his driver to come pick them up, and they zipped to the hospital within fifteen minutes.
Charlie cut his trip short because his father called with some business emergency, and Todd stayed behind to supervise the charity event to conclusion. That left Colin and I to wait, not so patiently, at Swedish Hospital.
“Coffee?” I asked.
“Sure. I think we’re going to be here a while. What was the last report from Jain’s nurse?” Colin asked.
“Five centimeters. So, I guess that’s halfway?” It probably didn’t work that way, but I thought it would make Colin feel better.
He laughed. “Sure, let’s go with that. That would mean the baby will arrive in about two hours.”
I handed Colin his coffee and blew on mine to cool it down.
“Life is so weird,” I said, in a rather philosophical mood.
“What makes you say that?”
“It seems strange that, this time last year, Braydon and Jain weren’t even together. Now look at them. They’re married and about to bring a baby into the world.”
“They’ll be great parents.” He looked out the window at the night sky and took a deep breath, deepening the worry lines on his face.
“If it weren’t for you,” he said, “I don’t know if they’d be together now. So, that little human about to come into the world? He or she might not even be here if you hadn’t set Braydon straight.” He reached for my hand and held it.
“Aw. That’s nice of you to say, but I can’t take the credit. They would have found their way back to each other eventually.”
“Maybe. But that crazy Angela almost ruined everything. All because Braydon rejected her. Remember the great lengths she went to? She even forged documents, all to prove Jain was only after Braydon’s money. She’s one of the worst people I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet. Whatever happened to her? I heard she left the country.”
“My mom still sees Angela’s mom from time to time. I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but she and I were friends from childhood because of our parents’ friendship. They all went to college together, and we were born within months of each other. For them, we were the perfect playmates. And it did start that way, until we turned thirteen.”
“What happened?” He leaned forward with wide, inquisitive eyes. Colin loved a juicy story.
“She changed. I didn’t help that both her mom and dad were too busy making money to acknowledge her presence. The Bartholomew’s own almost every oil refinery on the Gulf Coast. Any time she wanted anything, all she needed to do was yell and throw a tantrum. Both parents would throw money her way to quiet her down. So, she became good at getting what she wanted. So much so, I think she couldn’t handle it when Braydon wouldn’t give her the time of day. And he rejected her in front of hundreds of people. Do you remember that night? I wasn’t there.”
Colin chuckled. “Yeah. It was great. You should have seen Angela’s face when Braydon left with Jain—who she considered a plain scientist—over her. I thought she might explode right there on the spot. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone as angry without punching someone or something.”
“What she did later, though, was worse than throwing a punch. But she knew that too. She was always smart. It’s such a shame, because she’s wasting what could be a brilliant mind.”
Colin shook his head and grimaced. “She was clever all right. Braydon’s a smart guy and she fooled him with her phony documents. So, you didn’t tell me—where did she go?”
“This is a secret, so don’t say anything.”
He put his hand on his chest with an innoc
ent expression. “I keep all your secrets.”
“Okay. My mom told me, but she threatened a swift death if I told anyone.” I paused for dramatic effect. “Angela was given a choice. Either she enter the Peace Corps or volunteer at an orphanage in Romania for a year. If she refused, they told her she’d be cut off and disinherited.”
“Wow. Were they serious? Do you think they would have carried through with their threat?”
“According to my mom, they were dead serious. Angela humiliated their family, and I feel partly to blame for that. Did you know that Braydon and I went to all the gossip rags and made sure they knew the whole story?”
He nodded, so I continued, “The Bartholomew’s always liked to be in the limelight, showcasing themselves and all their good deeds, so the articles about their precious daughter had to have hit them hard. But I’m sure Angela was embarrassed as well. She was like her parents, always concerned about appearances.”
“I’m glad you exposed her. She deserved it. For once in her life, she had consequences for her behavior.” He fidgeted and asked, “Did Angela know that it was you and Braydon who exposed her?”
“Yes, and I’m sure she’s probably plotting her revenge as we speak.”
Chapter Eight
Angela
SIX MONTHS EARLIER
GODFORSAKEN.
I’D NEVER really known the true meaning of the word until today.
My mom said it once when I was ten. We’d been traveling through Greece and our car broke down in a little village by the sea.
Once we stepped out of the car, the only thing I could see was the beauty of it. Flower pots, bursting with color, hung from every corner lamppost. Small homes stood in rows of washed pastel colors of yellow, pink, and green, with white trim outlining windows and dormers. And the view, oh the view. Everywhere, crystal blue water, as far as the eye could see. At the time, I wanted to live there, in that beautiful small village. I thought life would be simpler, I could be happy.
