A Million Tiny Pieces

by Nicole Edwards

  Surprisingly, they both laughed, which eased some of her tension.

  “I’d have to agree with you there,” Tarik commented. “I’ve been on him for years to get them fixed.”

  “Do you live there, too?”

  Tarik nodded, but he didn’t elaborate, so Mia didn’t question further.

  Knowing they would be back at her — no wait, Phoenix’s — condominium building very soon, Mia decided to ask a random question. One that she hoped would make them believe she was uninterested, although she knew that wasn’t the case, no matter how much she wished it were. “Since you own the building,” she began, looking at Phoenix, “you probably know most of the people in it.”

  “Some of them, why?”

  “There’s this guy,” she said hesitantly, unable to look him in the eye as she spoke. “I haven’t actually met him, but I saw him in the lobby and again in the coffee shop next door. I think I’d like to … you know … meet him.” Hoping she didn’t sound as silly as she thought she did, Mia dropped her gaze, studying her hands folded in her lap.

  “You’re gonna have to give me more to go on,” Phoenix stated, sounding slightly amused.

  Mia looked up then, his eyes meeting hers and holding.

  “He’s a runner, I believe. The day I saw him, he was wearing a hoodie and running shorts,” she said, feeling incredibly stupid for bringing this up but knowing she had no choice but to see it through.

  “That describes quite a few men in the building,” he replied. “What else do you know about him?”

  “Not much. I heard someone call him Coach.” The car stopped before Mia could say anything more, leaving her feeling a little strange about where she’d been going with the conversation. Luckily for her, the driver was out and around to the door before either man asked her anything more.

  She took Phoenix’s hand and allowed him to help her from the car, Tarik following right behind them. To her dismay, Phoenix didn’t release her hand once she was on her feet. Instead, he turned to speak to the driver.

  “Anything else tonight, Coach?”

  Mia knew her mouth was hanging open — something she seemed to be doing a lot of this evening. She also knew she had turned beet red, but she couldn’t do anything about it. This guy … was that guy?

  No way.

  She was praying for a strange coincidence, but she knew the name wasn’t all that common.

  Oh, God.

  When Coach … er … Phoenix turned around to face her once more, Mia saw the mischief in his glimmering green gaze at the same time she heard Tarik’s gruff chuckle. They’d known all along that she was talking about him.

  “I’ll walk you in,” Phoenix said confidently.

  She wanted to refuse him but couldn’t. Mostly because she couldn’t get words to form at all.

  And now she only had one more question, one that he wouldn’t possibly be able to answer.

  Why was this happening to her?

  Chapter Eleven

  PHOENIX FOUND THE fact that Mia was speechless a little amusing. However, he did try to hide his reaction as he led her through the lobby and to the elevators, which, according to Mia, left something to be desired about the building. That statement had cemented his interest in the woman.

  Not only was she incredibly beautiful, she was also straightforward and blunt. Characteristics he found quite appealing. Most women told him what they thought he wanted to hear, certainly not what was on their mind the way Mia had. It was refreshing, to say the least.

  “So, this guy you’re looking for … the one you’d like to meet…” Phoenix began when the doors to the elevator opened, unable to hide his grin.

  “Shut up,” she said softly, stepping in as he put his hand on the small of her back.

  He chuckled as he turned and hit the button for her floor, Tarik moving in to stand behind her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were the same guy?” she asked as the elevator slowly began its ascent.

  “How was I supposed to know you were interested in meeting me?” Phoenix asked, trying to avoid staring at her sweet lips.

  Tarik laughed but otherwise continued to remain silent. Thank God for small favors.

  “I’m not interested,” Mia said adamantly, glaring at them both.

  Phoenix knew she was lying through her teeth, but he didn’t call her on it. For whatever reason, Mia was trying to throw him off. She’d purposely led him to believe she had an interest in another man, but now that she’d found out he was that same guy, she was back to being as standoffish as she had been before the conversation had started.

  The elevator finally reached her floor, and when the doors opened, Phoenix signaled for her to precede him, following behind her. As he stepped out of the elevator, he turned to Tarik. “I’ve got this. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Tarik nodded, his smirk reflecting his amusement. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mia.”

  Mia turned back to Tarik. “You, too,” she said, her tone terse. Clearly she was flustered.

  When the elevator doors closed, Phoenix urged her forward, following her as she made her way down the hall.

  “You don’t need to walk me to my door,” Mia said, digging in her purse.

  “It’s what a gentleman does,” he told her.

  “And you’re a gentleman?” she asked, incredulity ringing in her tone.

  “Have I done something to make you think otherwise?” he asked as she inserted her key into her front door.

  “Well, you could’ve stopped me before I made a complete fool of myself. That would’ve been a good start.”

  Phoenix laughed. “Would it have made a difference?”

  Not at all surprisingly, Mia didn’t answer his question, and Phoenix knew she was going to send him on his way as soon as she stepped inside. What she didn’t know was that he didn’t want to come inside. Not yet, anyway. He was enjoying this little game they were playing. More than he’d thought he would, and leaving her alone tonight would give her time to think about him.

  “Thanks for the ride home,” Mia said, turning to face him but not looking him in the eye as she spoke.

  Phoenix took a step closer, reaching out and placing his finger beneath her chin. Her skin was so damn silky and smooth, and he was desperate to find out if her lips were just as soft.

  But not tonight.

  “You’re very welcome, Mia,” he replied when her brilliant blue eyes met his. “I look forward to seeing you again. Have a good night.”

  And with that, Phoenix lowered his hand and made his way back to the elevator. He punched the call button, then slipped his hands in his pockets as he glanced back at Mia’s door. She was still standing there staring after him. He wondered if she had something else she wanted to say, but he didn’t probe her. If nothing else, Mia was incredibly cautious. Then again, she’d been married to Damien Landry, so she had every right to be.

  As far as he was concerned, they had all the time in the world, at this point. And he fully intended to show her how much she could trust him. Starting tonight.

  “Good night,” he said again before stepping in the elevator, hearing the click of her deadbolt before the doors closed and he was sealed inside the steel box once more. Entering his code, Phoenix hit the button for the penthouse and waited.

  Once he was inside his condo, he shed his jacket and made his way to the highboy that held a decanter of Glenlivet. Pouring two fingers into a glass, he headed to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out at the Austin skyline bathed in darkness. The clouds had moved in earlier, and he could see lightning in the distance. They’d be getting a storm soon, which was quite fitting for his night.

  Sipping his drink and admiring the view, Phoenix thought back to seeing her at the charity ball.

  He remembered watching her dance with Tarik, a sight in and of itself. Two of the most … stunning — maybe that was the right word — people he’d ever met, pressed up against one another. Watching them move together as one, it’
d been both erotic and sensual. Phoenix hadn’t been able to tear his eyes away from them.

  He was curious about Mia. More so than he’d been about any woman, possibly ever. And it wasn’t only a need to know what she would feel like naked and writhing beneath him while he drove his cock deep inside her, either. Although there was that. He could practically see her stretched out on his black silk sheets, her silky blonde hair spread around her as he slowly slid into her.

  His dick hardened at the mental image. And he didn’t miss the fact that he’d pictured her in his bed, a place he’d never taken any woman he’d brought to his place. That was what he had a guest room for. Although he had some rather lascivious thoughts running through his head, Phoenix couldn’t actually picture Mia in that other room. No, he could picture her sprawled out damn near anywhere else, but not there. Not where he took women he wanted to fuck for the night and send home before he went to bed.

  Why that was, he didn’t know, but Phoenix decided not to question it. For now, he had something to look forward to. Pursuing Mia was going to be interesting; he knew that for a fact.

  »»»»»♥«««««

  TARIK LEANED HIS shoulder against Phoenix’s living room wall, crossed his ankles, and watched Phoenix as he stood staring out the window that overlooked the impressive Austin skyline. He didn’t make a move to join him, wanting to give Phoenix a little time to digest everything that had happened that night. As it was, he was actually surprised to see him back so early, figuring he’d surely talk his way into Mia’s condo for a little while.

  As for why he’d come up rather than locking himself in his condo for the night, he wasn’t quite sure. Part of him felt as though they’d left something unspoken between them tonight. Something that Tarik felt needed to be said. What the words were, he wasn’t sure about that, either.

  Not that Tarik thought they’d made great strides, with one another or with Mia, but he got the sense that Phoenix was spending a significant amount of time thinking about things that weren’t business-related. And that both intrigued and worried Tarik, which was why he’d returned to the penthouse rather than going back to his place, where he belonged.

  After the night they’d just had, he could understand Phoenix’s infatuation with Mia. Hell, Tarik would go so far as to say that he was having some rather interesting thoughts about her himself. She was a far cry from any woman either of them had taken an interest in as of late, that was for sure. Maybe that was part of her appeal. She was sexy and sweet, smart and witty. But above all else, she seemed genuine, if not a little flighty. From what he could tell, she wasn’t trying to play games, and Tarik didn’t get the feeling that she gave a shit about Phoenix’s money.

  However, he did get the impression she was nursing a broken heart, even if she didn’t want anyone to notice.

  But as much as Tarik thought about Mia, as intrigued as he was about her, and as eager as he was to get his hands on her, he still couldn’t stop thinking about Phoenix. He wanted to eliminate the vast amount of physical and emotional distance between them, take Phoenix in his arms, and force him to face whatever this was between them.

  It wasn’t purely physical; there was something else there. Something with a steady pulse that continued to spark between them. For whatever reason, Phoenix was fighting it. And in the same regard, Tarik wasn’t pursuing him the way he should. Not if he expected to gain ground, that is.

  After all this time, after all the feelings he’d developed for Phoenix, the truth was, he was scared shitless to let their friendship fall apart. Sure, he worked for the man, but there was more to it than that. Which was probably the reason that every time he was around the man, the words he wanted to say eluded him. Like now.

  Just when Tarik was going to call it a night and head out the door and back to his condo, Phoenix turned around, their eyes meeting across the open living room.

  “I heard you breathing,” Phoenix said softly.

  “I tend to do that from time to time.”

  “If you’re here to ensure I didn’t slip into Mia’s and have my wicked way with her, well, now you know.”

  “That’s not why I’m here,” Tarik stated.

  “Then why are you here?” Phoenix asked, his piercing gaze raking Tarik from head to toe, kicking off shock waves of lust raging in Tarik’s veins.

  Tarik shrugged. He’d been asking himself the same question.

  “No matter how hard you try, you’re not going to figure this out,” Phoenix said, his voice pitched low.

  “Figure what out?” Tarik asked, not moving from his spot as he watched Phoenix move toward the glass decanter, refilling his glass.

  “Me. This. Whatever you think I want from you.”

  Tarik studied Phoenix for a moment before he pushed off the wall and joined him on the other side of the room. He came to a stop directly in front of Phoenix. “Whatever I think you want?”

  Phoenix’s gaze slowly rose until he was looking directly into Tarik’s eyes. Moments before Phoenix spoke, Tarik saw the honesty flooding his features, knew the words weren’t going to be easy for Phoenix.

  “I don’t know what it is about her, but for the first time in my life, this doesn’t feel like a game to me. I don’t know what this strange attraction is between you and me” — Phoenix motioned between them with his glass — “but I’m not willing to risk what might come of this thing with Mia.”

  Tarik knew what he was about to do could have disastrous repercussions, but he couldn’t help himself. Taking a step closer, eliminating the gap between them, he reached for Phoenix’s glass. Setting it on the glass-topped table beside them, he inched another step forward until they were practically chest to chest. Phoenix didn’t move.

  “Does this feel like a game to you?” Tarik asked, keeping his voice low and even before he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Phoenix’s. When the other man didn’t pull away, Tarik slid his hands up and gripped Phoenix’s hips, pulling him forward as he thrust his tongue past Phoenix’s lips.

  He tried to hide his surprise when Phoenix grabbed him, his powerful arms sliding behind him, pulling him even closer as he crushed their lips together, Phoenix’s tongue forcefully pushing against his, an urgent, heated battle igniting instantly. Within seconds, the heat consumed them both, the kiss turning into a conflagration of energy and desperate need as they devoured one another. Tarik took what he’d sought for the last eight years from that kiss, his lust coming to a rapid boil, threatening to burn him alive.

  Tarik had waited a lifetime for this kiss, or so it felt. He’d thought about it, dreamed about it, willed it to happen, but none of those fantasies equaled this. Not even close.

  When Phoenix’s hands slid into Tarik’s hair, pulling hard enough to send shards of pleasure-pain firing down his spine, he thought for a second he was going to detonate. But then it was over as fast as it had started. Still, Phoenix didn’t move away. Not far, anyway. Just enough that Tarik was forced to release him.

  The confusion that flared in Phoenix’s eyes made Tarik feel like shit, but the frustration had built to a crescendo, and for the first time in years, he had to know whether or not there was a possibility of something between them. Something more. Something … real.

  “It doesn’t feel like a game to me,” Tarik growled. “It’s never been a fucking game. That night that you’ve conveniently blocked out, that was fucking real, Phoenix. Goddamn real.”

  The memory of that night came flooding back as Tarik waited for Phoenix to respond:

  “You just gonna sit there and stare? Or you wanna join in, too?” the woman asked, her shrill voice grating against Tarik’s ears like nails on a chalkboard.

  Her name escaped him, or maybe Phoenix hadn’t even bothered to introduce them, Tarik wasn’t really sure. What he was sure of was the blatant making out the two of them were doing on the couch only a few feet away.

  Tarik knew he should’ve gone back to his condo, given the couple some privacy, but he’d been there whe
n they’d come traipsing in a few minutes ago. He’d been waiting for Phoenix, making sure he made it home safely. Both Phoenix and the woman were drunk, he could tell that much. But that wasn’t surprising. Phoenix had been drowning his emotions in liquor and pussy for nearly a month now, his way of dealing with his grief over losing his father, Tarik figured.

  “You’re kinda cute,” the woman said, peering over at him as she straddled Phoenix’s lap, her short red skirt hiked up to her hips while Phoenix slipped his fingers between her thighs. “I wouldn’t mind if you came over here.”

  Tarik didn’t move a muscle, merely watched. The suggestion was quite tempting, but not for reasons the woman probably thought. No, if Tarik had his way, he’d be on his knees, and his lips would be wrapped around Phoenix’s cock, making him moan his name as he came down Tarik’s throat.

  “I’ve heard rumors about your wicked ways,” the woman told Phoenix. “I’ve heard you like to do erotic things, crazy things.”

  “And?” Phoenix asked, not bothering to deny the accusation.

  “You know what would be really hot?” the woman asked, her hands sliding through Phoenix’s disheveled hair as she ran her lips over Phoenix’s stubbled jaw.

  “What’s that?” Phoenix slurred, his half-lidded eyes focused between the woman’s thighs.

  “It’d be hot to see the two of you make out.”

  Tarik watched as Phoenix’s eyes slowly roamed up the woman’s body, over her impressive tits, and then met her eyes.

  “You wanna see me make out with him?” Phoenix asked, the words garbled, thanks to his intoxicated state. He didn’t sound bothered by the idea, which surprised Tarik.

  “Yeah.” The woman giggled uncontrollably and then turned her attention to Tarik once more. “Come over here, handsome. I wanna see you kiss him.”

  Once again, Tarik knew he should’ve gotten up and headed home, but that wasn’t what happened. No, when his body rose from the chair, he moved toward Phoenix rather than away from him. He lowered himself to the sofa beside the pair, his eyes never straying from Phoenix’s face.