Consensual

by Livia Jamerlan

  “Braelynn,” Peyton said.

  My knees weakened and sweat began to form on the back of my neck. I spun to face him. Gus cleared his throat, reaching down for my hand.

  “Peyton,” I said, my voice barely audible.

  “That’s three times in one day.” His eyebrows lifted slightly.

  I nodded politely, rambling in my head, trying to come up with any possible thing to say.

  “Haas, aren’t you going to introduce me?” Her annoying fake voice matched perfectly with her fake tan and fake breasts, which were out for the world to see in her revealing silver sequined dress.

  Who wears sequins to a charity event?

  Jealously wasn’t a feeling I was used to, but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t have him, but I didn’t want anyone else to either. There was no other way to put it.

  “Braelynn … and I don’t think we’ve met.” He extended his hand to Gus.

  “Gustavo Ortiz,” Gus answered, shaking his hand. I wrapped my arm through Gus’s bent elbow, holding him close for support.

  “Pleasure. This is Mandy.” Haas directed his head toward the bimbo.

  “Sammie,” she quickly corrected.

  I tilted my head slightly to the right and looked at Peyton. He didn’t even know her name. A small smirk appeared on his face and he shrugged, not caring that he’d said the wrong name. He didn’t correct himself or apologize to her. He continued to stare at me as his eyes traveled down to my left hand, which was intertwined with Gus’s. He lifted his eyebrow, silently questioning who Gus was.

  “So how do you know Haas here?” Sammie questioned. Her hand traveled up higher on his bicep before she leaned her head on his shoulder. Claiming her territory. A part of me wanted to claw her eyes out with her own fake fingernails. My eyes met Haas’s, and I returned the same questioning look he’d given me moments before.

  “Braelynn is an attorney for a case I’m working on.”

  “What? What do you mean a case? A case of what?” Sammie batted her clumpy eyelashes at him. Gus chuckled under his breath.

  “It’s work related,” Peyton said, barely concealing his annoyance.

  “Well, we should really find our friends. It was a pleasure meeting you, Samantha. Peyton,” I pulled on Gus’s hand.

  “It’s just Sammie.” She tilted her head.

  I smiled at her, then turned toward the silent auction, letting Gus lead the way. I was pulled back by Peyton’s hand on my elbow. I released Gus’s hand and turned slightly to view Peyton’s bright eyes.

  His lips grazed the side of my earlobe, his heavy breathing tickling my neck. “I don’t like to share,” he said in a low whisper.

  I don’t like to share either! “Good thing you don’t have to. Sammie looks very content having you to herself.” I pulled my arm from his hold and smiled.

  Gus tugged me next to him, placing his hand on my lower back and guiding me through the crowd. I left Peyton where he was and didn’t look back, my heart racing a mile a minute. When I knew he could no longer see us, I stopped and grabbed two glasses of champagne. I handed Gus one and downed mine in three large gulps. Then he handed me his and I downed that too.

  “You okay?” Gus asked, taking the empty glasses from my hands and setting them down.

  “I’m fine. He just does things to me.”

  He grabbed two more drinks from a passing waitress and quickly handed me another glass. “Seriously, the sexual tension between you two … I felt uncomfortable just standing there.”

  I inhaled deeply before polishing off my newest glass of champagne. Finally, my mind caught up with an errant thought. “Why did you call him the McAlister heir?

  “You don’t know?” Gus asked. I shook my head in response. I had no idea who McAlister was, let alone his heir. “You Google every person possible, but you haven’t Googled him?”

  “No, Gus. Kennedy showed me some articles on him, but I was freaking out at the time and didn’t register who he was, okay? Spit it out already.” I exchanged my empty glass for a full one as another waitress passed by. I was probably drinking a tad too much, but I only knew how to calm my nerves with ice cream. Since there wasn’t a freezer I could attack, champagne would have to do.

  “That’s Peyton Haas McAlister. His family has their hands in everything from hotels and casinos to real estate. They have businesses in Dubai, Italy, New Delhi, Rio, and I think he was featured in Forbes as one of their ten most eligible billionaire bachelors.”

  I sipped my fourth glass, looking back to where Peyton was. “But he has his own law firm and he’s very hands-on with his cases. If you were that loaded, why would you work close to eighty hours a week?”

  Gus kissed my forehead. “Do your homework, Braelynn. He’s a pretty good guy and donates a lot to charity, this one included. He has a big heart when it comes to helping kids.”

  I took another sip, hating even more that I couldn’t be with Peyton. Of course he was perfect. I needed to stay far away from the perfect, wealthy, charity-supporting heartthrob. My career was on the line. “Come on, let’s go find Kennedy and Caleb.”

  Gus and I walked toward the silent auction. With each step away from Peyton, my heart ached with both fear of being away from him and fear of being in the same room with him. I couldn’t help myself. Every opportunity I had, I scanned the room to locate him and Sammie. I only needed a glimpse, a quick fix for my addiction.

  “You know, if I were your boyfriend, I would be really jealous since you can’t stop looking for him,” Gus whispered to me right before we approached Kennedy. I shoved my elbow into his ribcage, and his hearty chuckle brought a smile to my face.

  “Did you guys find anything that caught your eye?” Kennedy asked.

  “Braelynn did. Well, not something, but someone,” Gus said.

  “Gustavo!” I pulled away from him.

  “Who?” Kennedy questioned.

  “Peyton Haas is here with someone, and I’ve asked Gus here to act like my boyfriend so he backs off. No lecture, okay? Let’s enjoy our night.”

  “Got it. No lecture.”

  We made our way to the next room and found our seats. We shared pleasantries about work with Caleb’s friends and coworkers while the first course was being served. I had to force myself not to look around the room for Peyton, and Gus pulled his chair closer to mine—he had the overprotective boyfriend act down pat. Every once in a while he would wrap his arm around my back, lift a loose strand of hair away from my face, and kiss my temple or my bare shoulder. Being friends for so long, it was an easy thing for us to be close and comfortable.

  Before dinner was served, the band announced that the dance floor was open. When everyone at our table rose and wove through the crowd toward the dance floor, I looked over at Gus.

  “Don’t you dare object, Braelynn.” Gus stood and pulled me right into his arms. He kissed my cheek before whispering in my ear. “Act calm. Peyton is sitting at the table behind us and has been watching you all night, so don’t panic when you see him.”

  I looked up into Gus’s deep brown eyes and brought my forehead to his lips. “Thanks, babe.”

  Gus took me by the hand as I forced myself not to look at Peyton. But the second I saw him in my peripheral vision, my heart began to pound in my chest. I held my head high and reminded myself that no matter how much I craved his touch, he was off-limits. Gus twirled me around before bringing me back to him. He rested his hands on the lower part of my back and led the way.

  The dancing and music took my mind off Peyton for a few minutes, but an unexpected tap on my shoulder startled me and I whirled. An elderly woman was smiling brightly at me. Her aqua-blue eye shadow was the same color as her dress.

  “May I cut in?” she asked.

  “Of course.” I moved my hand from Gus’s shoulder. “Be careful with him. He likes to twirl.” I smiled before I walked away.

  Not wanting to wait for the song to end, I decided to head back to our table. I was beginning to feel the effects
of the alcohol, and my skin was tingling again.

  “May I have a dance, or will your boyfriend object?”

  Caught with my breath stuck in my lungs yet again, I looked for Gus, but he was too busy on the dance floor to save me. I looked for Kennedy too, but she was nowhere to be found.

  “It’s one dance, Braelynn, in the middle of a dance floor filled with people. I won’t bite … this time.” I met his perceptive eyes, and he smiled devilishly at me.

  Oh, what the hell. When my hand met his, an electrical charge rushed through me. “One dance, Haas.” I felt like Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming at the ball.

  He led me toward the swaying crowd and pulled me tightly to him. “If you want this to be innocent, doll, don’t call me that,” he growled low in my ear, and goose bumps rose on my body. “Cold?” he joked. His fingers encircled my bare skin.

  We swayed side to side, his intoxicating cologne invading my senses. I attempted to hold my breath so I wouldn’t accidentally bring my nose to his neck and sniff him, but it was pointless; I wanted his scent spread all over me. Wanting to focus my wandering mind, I broke the silence between us. “Should I call you McAlister instead?”

  “No, that’s my family’s name.” He pulled me closer and slid the tip of his nose across my cheek.

  “Why do you go by Haas?” The skin on my cheek was tingling from his proximity.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?” he asked, pressing on my lower back and bringing my chest flush with his.

  “You first.”

  He moved his hands lower on my back, just above the curve of my ass. “You negotiate like a lawyer.” He laughed. “McAlister was my family name, but I changed to my mother’s maiden name when I turned eighteen. I didn’t want it to help me get into Harvard or shape my future. I wanted my grades to stand for themselves, to be my own person, and to become successful on my own. And since my father doubted I could, I worked harder to accomplish it.”

  “So you’re the McAlister heir?”

  “Yes, as well as my younger brother and sister. But enough about me. Your turn.”

  “Gus and I have known each other for a long time. We met in college.”

  “I don’t care about that, Braelynn. I asked if he was your boyfriend. I don’t like to share. I won’t share. And I want you. So don’t lie. Is he your boyfriend?”

  “Why would I lie? And besides, you’re here with someone else, are you not?” I pulled away from his grasp, stepping back so I could stare straight into those captivating eyes. “Let me make myself very clear to you, Peyton. I’m not yours to share.”

  His hand lifted, coming up to push my hair behind my ear, but he stopped short, letting it drop to his side without saying a word.

  “Baby Brae?”

  I snapped my head up and looked over to Gus. “Yes honey, I’ll be right there.” I turned to give Peyton one last look, raising my eyebrow at him. “Thank you for the dance, Haas.”

  Gus and I walked back to our table with my legs wobbling. “Thanks for the save,” I managed to breathe out. The few minutes that I’d spent with Peyton were enough to have my core aching with desire. It was so intense, anyone looking at us could tell. The fact I could lose out on furthering my career didn’t even cross my mind. When his hands were on me the only thing that mattered was Peyton Haas.

  “At first I thought about not doing it. You two were so into each other that I felt like I was intruding,” Gus said as he pulled out my chair for me.

  “No, it was a good thing you did. Nothing can happen between us.”

  I washed away my nerves with a glass of wine. Kennedy was so happy to be around Caleb that she didn’t notice my distress. Not that I wanted her to. It was rare for her to be so publicly affectionate with Caleb. Plus, with the long hours she had been putting in at the hospital, the last thing I wanted was to have her worry.

  Gus made a quick stop at the bar and returned with two vodka and tonics. “Something a little stronger to get the party started.” I didn’t tell him I was already feeling buzzed from the champagne and wine as I took the vodka tonic and sipped it from the delicate crystal. Gus sat and dug into his filet mignon. I tuned the rest of the table out as I enjoyed the lemon butter sauce on my halibut.

  “Brae, you have to try this Madeira sauce.” Gus brought his fork to my mouth and I opened for him. Kennedy said something that caught his attention at that same moment, causing his head to turn and the fork to jerk. I couldn’t react in time to prevent the sauce from falling onto my gown.

  “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”

  I patted my napkin on the spot, but it didn’t help. I couldn’t afford another dress like this, nor could I afford the dry cleaning bill to clean a dress like this. I pushed away from the table. “I’ll be right back. I need to clean this up before it sets.”

  I rushed to the bathroom, trying my best to hide the small blot on my upper thigh. The line outside the women’s restroom was not moving, as if that was a shocker. There were only a few people in front of me, but I began to panic.

  “Ma’am, is there another restroom I can use?” I asked the attendant. I had never been in a restroom where the sinks were all inside the stalls. What if you just wanted to wash your hands?

  “Yes.” She smiled politely. “Go through the great door and up the flight of stairs. The restroom is on the right-hand side.”

  I thanked her and darted out of the bathroom. I took the stairs, struggling to get up them fast enough with my gown. I saw the private door for the restroom. I pushed it open and headed straight for the sink. Taking a hand towel from the pile, I wet it before caressing the stain. Over and over again, I repeated this process until the dark smudge became lighter. Nervously, I applied a little bit of soap to the hand towel and massaged it into the fabric. “Please, God. Please don’t let this stain.”

  I rinsed the towel and kneaded it against my dress one last time before walking over to the hand dryer and bringing my dress under it. I stood and waited, watching the round wet spot slowly dry off. Ten minutes later my dress was dry and the spot that was once a small brown circle was now completely gone. Thank goodness. I used the restroom and washed my hands, then took one last look in the mirror before deciding to head back down.

  I opened the bathroom door. Peyton was approaching, fire burning in his eyes. I stopped short, but he wasn’t slowing down. He reached for my hand, taking me with him as he continued to walk. I didn’t protest or object; my body willingly obeyed his request. He continued to move, taking long strides down the hallway as I jogged behind him in my four-inch heels.

  “Where are you taking me?” I questioned.

  He stopped walking and punched in a few numbers on a keypad lock, then opened a door to a small conference room. The lights immediately turned on as we entered. As the door closed behind us, Peyton pulled me to him.

  He brought my body against his, and his hard erection pressed against my abdomen. “I don’t like being teased.” He brought his hand to my chin, pulling my face up to meet his eyes. “I don’t like sharing. I don’t like half-ass answers. But God knows I need to be buried deep inside of you.” My lace thong moistened with arousal as he continued. “Making you squirm … making your body convulse.” He lowered his lips to my neck, kissing it softly. “I want you, Braelynn. Let me have you. Let me take you.”

  My conversations with Kennedy and Gus flashed through my head, but I couldn’t deny my hunger. My career didn’t matter. The case didn’t matter. All I cared about was how he would make me feel. I nodded. “Take me, Haas.” My body was aching for his touch. “Please.” I heard him growl, firmly biting on my neck, and the pain only intensified my desire for him.

  He guided me to the table and grasped my chin, moving my face to the side and exposing my neck. His breath caused goose bumps to rise, and my breath caught in my lungs. Peyton’s hand was on my backside, cupping my butt firmly, and his lips softly grazed my neck before his tongue left a wet trail. Unable to control my breath
ing, I gasped for oxygen, which had apparently left the room the moment we’d entered. Moving his hands up my spine, he bit down on my collarbone, causing me to whimper under his touch.

  Peyton’s hand played with my zipper before he slowly lowered it, and my skin ignited as the draft hit my exposed back. I met his gaze and his lips found mine, caressing my tongue with his as my dress fell to the floor. The thought of my expensive dress getting ruined was no longer a concern.

  He pulled away to look at me. “Fuck … You’re fucking gorgeous.” I thanked Victoria’s Secret for the black lace strapless push-up bra and matching lace thong.

  “Are you just going to stare?” I questioned, smiling at him.

  He lowered himself in front of me, taking my thong down with him. I held on to his shoulders as I stepped out of them, and he shoved my thong in his back pocket, the same way he had at Quay. I shook my head, smiling at him. He slid his hands up the back of my thighs, cupping my ass. Bringing his nose to my small strip of trim hair, he inhaled deeply.

  “God, I want to take my time with you, learn everything that drives you crazy.” He gradually rose, placing feather-soft kisses over my body as he did. “But tonight I need to know if you’re lying to me.”

  Before I had time to register what he was saying, his mouth crashed down on mine. A whimper escaped me as I opened for him, his tongue exploring mine. He tasted of whiskey and mint. Reaching my arms around him, I splayed my fingers through his hair and tugged gently as I opened my mouth wider for him. My body was submitting to him with every kiss he gave, his mouth and tongue tantalizing me. He moved from my mouth down to my neck, pushing my body backward until my thighs hit the table.

  Perched on the edge of the cool cherry wood, I opened my legs for him. Peyton pulled a small plastic packet from his back pocket before lowering his pants and boxer briefs. I leaned back, admiring his long, thick length, and my mouth watered as my vaginal walls pulsed for him, begging for him to ease the ache I felt. I held my breath, waiting impatiently for him to ease deep inside of me. He tore the gold plastic wrapper, pulling the latex out and sliding it down his shaft. Seconds felt like hours as I waited, ready for him.