Consensual

by Livia Jamerlan

  “Haas, baby, I’m so glad you called,” she said as she entered my office.

  I stood, meeting her halfway, and laid my hand on her lower back. “Thanks for coming,” I said, giving her a swift kiss on the cheek.

  “Anything for you, baby. You know that. I was scared I did something wrong since you disappeared at the gala,” she said, taking a seat. Her squeaky voice annoyed the fuck out of me.

  I perched on the edge of my desk, looking down at her. “I had some business to attend to,” I lied. “I asked you here so I could apologize for that and maybe make it up to you.” I extended my hand and rubbed my thumb over her small, firm lips. They were nothing compared to Braelynn’s, but they’d soon be wrapped around me, helping me escape the mind fuck that Braelynn had become.

  Like a good girl obeying her master, her nipples hardened under her dress. Nodding her head, she eagerly reached forward. “Yeah, baby, anything for you.” She leaned in and rubbed my cock through my pants, awakening it with her palm. It didn’t jerk like it did when I thought about Braelynn, but I was a man, so it only took a few seconds for Sammie to get it up.

  “Come on, let’s go grab lunch.” I tugged on her hand, leading her out of my office. It was my typical routine—feed her, fuck her, and leave her. Sammie knew it would never go any further than that, and she seemed okay with it.

  Sammie and I walked into the Boat House, my Blackberry glued to my hand as she rambled on about some yoga class she’d taken. Nodding as if I agreed with her, we followed the hostess to the table. The waiter approached to inform us of the specials for the day. It was the first time I looked away from my phone and up at Sammie. She was stunning, but her brown hair and brown eyes were not what I wanted. The caked-on makeup, lack of personality, and sub-par intelligence just didn’t do it for me.

  “Is a bottle of wine good?” I asked.

  She batted her lashes at me. “Yeah, of course.”

  As I finished ordering the wine, a group of people walked by. I didn’t get a glimpse at all of them, but I noticed the person who trailed behind, with his head low and focused on his phone.

  Gustavo.

  I watched as the hostess directed him back to his group. He turned the corner, and though I wasn’t able to spot where they were sitting, that didn’t stop me from looking for her. When the waiter reappeared with our wine, ready to take our orders, I informed him that I was on my lunch break and asked him to speed up the order. I winked at Sammie, letting her think I needed to get to her quickly, but the reality was I needed to see if Braelynn was with that group.

  After the bill was paid, I wrapped my arm around Sammie and hugged her to my side as we walked toward the back of the restaurant.

  “The exit is that way, baby,” she whispered, kissing my neck. She was buzzed and ready to fuck, but I couldn’t leave. Not until I checked if Braelynn was there.

  “I know. I just saw a friend I need to say hi to before we leave.” I looked down and kissed her lips. “Just a few minutes. I promise.” Pulling herself in closer, she nodded.

  Once I located Gustavo and Caleb’s on-again, off-again girlfriend Kennedy, I saw her hair shining brightly in the sunlight. Braelynn’s back was turned to me as I approached. I couldn’t keep away from her. As much as I fought to stay away, I simply couldn’t.

  “Peyton,” Caleb called out. He pushed his chair back and stood, sticking his hand out for mine.

  “Caleb, long time, my friend.” I cleared my throat as I looked at the round table. Braelynn sat between Gustavo and Kennedy, and I wondered again if she’d been telling me the truth about her and Gus not being involved. She turned her head to the side, facing me, and I caught the slight uptick in the corners of her mouth as her eyes met mine. When she noticed Sammie on my arm, those eyes changed for a split second before her expression turned neutral.

  “Braelynn, nice seeing you again.”

  She set her glass of water down. “Yes, very nice to see you too. Hi, Samantha.” Her eyes narrowed in my direction, and what I assumed to be jealousy flashed through them.

  “It’s Sammie,” I corrected, shooting a pointed look in Gustavo’s direction.

  “That’s what I said.” She shrugged her shoulders and turned to face the window.

  “What are you doing here?” Caleb asked, pulling my attention away.

  “He’s taking me to lunch,” Sammie stated, and I thought again of how her high-pitched voice annoyed the fuck out of me.

  At her comment I shook my head at Caleb. “I didn’t get to speak to you at the benefit last week. When I saw you walking in, I wanted to say hello.” I made the excuse up as I went along.

  “He had business to attend to that night. That’s why he left me behind,” Sammie said, digging her long nails into my waist.

  From the corner of my eye, I watched Braelynn shake her head, disagreeing with Sammie’s comment. I thought of the real business I’d had to attend to, and I knew Braelynn was thinking the same.

  “That’s funny. Braelynn had business to attend to that night as well,” Gustavo said to the group, a hint of suspicion coloring his statement.

  Her face went crimson before she kicked Gustavo in the shin underneath the table. At least I assumed she did because his face flinched in pain. “It wasn’t business. You”—she pointed to Gustavo—“spilled sauce on my dress and I needed to get it out before it settled.” I couldn’t help but smirk as I looked down at her.

  The waiter appeared with two bottles of Moët. “Do we need more glasses?” the waiter asked, looking at Caleb and me as we stood at the head of the table.

  “No, we have plans,” I answered when Caleb looked at me for a response. “Are you celebrating something specific?”

  “Braelynn just finished her last class of law school. Her graduation is next week,” Kennedy stated excitedly.

  Laying my hand on the same shoulder I’d bitten when she came over, I felt her shiver under it. “Congrats, Lynn.”

  “Thanks.”

  After we said good-bye to the group, I left the Boat House with Sammie on my arm, but I couldn’t clear Braelynn from my mind. It had been five days since I’d last seen her, and though I tried to bury the memory of her, I couldn’t. I drove to my house, then stood quietly as the elevator rose and Sammie rubbed my cock the fabric of my pants. I remembered the last time I was in here, with another woman. Sammie was nowhere near as delicious as Braelynn. She seemed desperate, needy, and not at all intriguing like Braelynn. Braelynn was smart, beautiful, and had a sharp tongue. Sammie’s arms wrapped around my bicep as she continued talking, though I had no fucking clue what she was going on about.

  When the doors opened to my foyer, Sammie walked in but I didn’t budge. She wasn’t worth the fuck to forget Braelynn. I’d be better off jerking off in the shower than wasting time with Sammie. She wasn’t what I wanted.

  “Haas, baby, you okay?” She stood in front of me, her eyes wide.

  “Sammie, I suggest you take this elevator back down. Nothing is going to happen between us. My cock is craving a different pussy, one I can’t seem to forget,” I said, kicking off the wall.

  I didn’t look back as the doors closed behind me.

  I walked into the office of Goldstein, Pierce & Wallis. I didn’t have a reason to be here. Except her. I didn’t need any information on the case. Hell, I didn’t give a shit if I lost the case. Drew was not my friend. In fact, I hated the egotistical asshole. He was a womanizer, a liar, and a thief, and on some level I wanted to lose. If my old man hadn’t called and asked me personally to take Drew’s case, I would be on the other side looking at every possible way to make him pay for all the crap he’d done.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Haas,” the receptionist called out as I walked through the door.

  Walking over to her desk, I smiled. “Is he in?”

  “No, I’m sorry, but he’s away with family. He does have his Blackberry on him.”

  “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to bother him while he’s away. I’ll ju
st leave these files with his assistant,” I said as I walked to the back offices.

  Walking through the closed floor plan, I ignored Victoria’s office and went searching for Braelynn. I circled cubicles until I spotted her golden hair up in a loose bun, held up by a pen through the knot. She was on the phone when I approached her. Not wanting to startle her, I sat on her desk and waited for her to look at me. Her eyes widened when she looked up.

  “Hey, Lo, I’ve got to go,” she said quickly before hanging up the office phone, never taking her eyes away from me as she spoke. “Hi.” Her voice was low and her eyes closed slowly before opening again.

  “You know, if you worked for me I would have you in an office, not a cubicle,” I stated, looking at the small, generic cubicle she sat in. I leaned in, bringing my nose mere centimeters from her ear. “I would walk into your office after lunch, close the door behind me, then lay you on top of your desk and have you for dessert.”

  Goose bumps rose on her neck. She inhaled deeply and shook her head. “Professor Goldstein is on vaca—”

  Cutting her off, I dropped the file she’d given me back on her desk. “I know. I just want to give you this.” I slid the file to her.

  Opening the folder, she looked up at me perplexed, her eyebrows pushed together. “These are the files I gave you.”

  “Yes, and now I’m returning them. Figured you might need them.” I raised my eyebrows and smiled at her.

  “They were copied. You can keep them.” She smirked as she closed the file and pushed it back to me.

  “I figured, but then I wouldn’t have a reason to come see you.” I winked, and her face flushed. Her innocent side was surfacing, the one that drove me insane.

  Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair and looked up at me. “How’s Samantha?” She was trying to gain the upper hand, but I wouldn’t let her.

  “I don’t know. She never made it off the elevator.” I shrugged my shoulders and grinned slyly at her.

  She took a moment before she responded. “Losing your game, huh? I thought you were Mr. I Always Get What I Want?” She threw my words back at me.

  I positioned my hand on the armrest of her chair, pushing it against her desk. I brought the tip of my nose to hers, subtly taking in the scent of her perfume. I spoke slowly so she wouldn’t miss one word. “I figured it was fucked-up to have her over since I still have your come splattered on the floor.”

  Shocked, she pushed against my chest. “Have a good day, Peyton.”

  Caressing her cheek, I looked into her dark green eyes. “Take care, Lynn.” I turned and headed for the exit. This between us—the back and forth—wasn’t done. It was just the beginning.

  I needed more of her.

  I would get more of her.

  I pulled out of my garage with the top down; it was close to eighty degrees and I needed to get the hell out of the city to distract myself from the busy workweek. Gripping the steering wheel, I headed south on Fifth Avenue. I’d be out of the city and on an open highway in no time.

  The engine purred when I stopped at a red light a few blocks from my house which was when I happened to notice her blonde hair. The car in front of me blocked my full view, and though I couldn’t make out her features, I knew it was Braelynn. She walked down the next block, presumably heading home. I knew her address but had never driven by. As the light turned green, I decided I’d pay her a friendly visit before I left town. I’d tried to stay away, but it was difficult since she always popped up when I least expected it.

  I pulled up in front of her brownstone and sat on the hood of my car as I waited. She strolled toward me. Aviators covered her eyes, a graphic T-shirt was glued to her body, and her jeans hung low enough to show her midriff. What I wouldn’t do to rip her clothes off and fuck her raw on the hood of my car. But it wasn’t just about fucking her; I wanted to see her.

  Fixing my semi-hard cock in my pants, I watched her approach. When she noticed me, a look of surprise followed by a bright smile appeared on her face, and she sat next to me on the car, mimicking my pose. Crossing her arms over her perfect rack, she looked up at the trees and soaked in the rays of sunshine beaming down on us.

  “So now you’re stalking?” She tilted her head back at me. She seemed relaxed today, cheerful. It was a new side of her, and I liked seeing it.

  “Not stalking. I saw you walking, so I decided to stop and say hi.”

  “Sure,” she said sarcastically. “Where’s the limo? I thought you were too cool to drive yourself around.”

  “I usually just use the limo when I’m in the city,” I admitted.

  “Where you heading?” She pushed her glasses on top of her head, and her eyes gleamed.

  “No destination yet. Want to come?” I bumped her shoulder. Her eyes searched mine. Is she considering this? “Howard is out of town, and we’ll be out of town. Who would see us together?” Her teeth grazed her lower lip, biting it gradually as she seemed to weigh the possibility. “Come on. You gave me one night and all I got was a couple of hours of fun and a cold bed when I woke up.”

  “Will we be back by two tomorrow?” she asked, pushing off the car and walking backward. The sheer happiness I saw in her eyes … I was sure I had her convinced.

  “I can have you back anytime tomorrow.” I followed her as she walked up her stairs. “Is that a yes?”

  She looked back at me, a wide smile on her face. “Yes, Haas. Come up and give me ten. I think your car should be okay here.”

  I followed her up the stairs. My arms wound around her waist and I pressed my pelvis against her lower back as I waited for her to open the door. She hit me in the rib with her elbow as she groaned. “Haas, not here.”

  My lips found her ear. I bit down tenderly on her earlobe, licking her earring stud. “You’re going to pay for that, Lynn.”

  Her ass pushed back on my cock as she whispered, “Promise?”

  “Open that door now or I’ll take you right here on these steps.” I plowed my fingertips into her waistband. Braelynn kicked the door open and I followed her into her home, sliding my hand out of her pants as we went. She tossed her keys in a nearby bowl, then looked back at me, eyes blazing. I wanted her so much that I didn’t care to notice her home.

  “On your knees,” she commanded.

  “What?”

  Her laughter filled the room before she covered her mouth and spoke. “What?” She giggled. “I thought that’s how we greeted each other at the door.” Her face was carefree, the same way it was at DiCosmo’s that day she was there with her friend.

  I closed the gap between us, pinning her to the wall behind her. I brought my mouth to hers and her laughter vanished as I tasted her tongue. Breathless under my touch, she wrapped her arms around my neck and my hand tangled in her hair as I kissed her deeply. I pulled away slowly, biting her lower lip. “Go get your bag now. If you don’t, I’m locking us in your room for the rest of the day.” I growled against her soft lips as my pelvis pressed against hers.

  She moved past me as soon as I released her. “There are drinks in the fridge. Remote is on the coffee table. Ten minutes. Promise!” she shouted as she ran down the hallway.

  Braelynn

  My overnight bag, packed with nothing but sexy lingerie and short dresses, was slung over my shoulder as I walked out of my apartment and followed Peyton to his car. I was doing this. I was giving in to these feelings I had for him. I was going against everything my brain told me and following my heart, even though I was still skeptical. I told myself this wouldn’t get in the way of the case, but I knew it was a very big possibility. We needed to set some ground rules before we went any further.

  I stowed my bag in his trunk, looking at him as he closed it. “Can I drive?” I asked. I knew men had sentimental issues with their toys, especially their cars. Boys and their toys. So I was surprised when he moved past me and headed for the passenger door. A childish smile spread on his face. “Seriously?”

  “Why not? I think it’s se
xy as hell having all that horsepower under you,” he stated, tapping the seat for me to sit. I walked to the driver side and opened the door. Sitting, I adjusted the seat and looked at him for the key.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Keys, please?” I stuck out my hand.

  Placing his hand between my thighs, he squeezed firmly; shocks of ecstasy shot up my body. “Do you know what kind of car you’re driving, sweetness?” His thumb rubbed up and down on my soft jeans, causing my heart to flutter.

  I exhaled slowly from his touch. “Uh … a sports car?” My eyebrows furrowed.

  “I’m going to have fun teasing you on this ride,” he promised. Leaning forward, he pushed my hair behind my ear and placed a seductive kiss on my neck.

  His fingertips on my thigh and the kiss on my neck were all it took for me to realize I couldn’t drive this car. I wanted nothing more than his hands on me, and I wouldn’t be able to focus on driving. Pushing my door open, I hopped out of the car and marched over to the passenger side.

  His eyes followed me, and the devilish smirk on his face told me he knew how susceptible I was to his touch. “Nope, not happening, Haas. There is no way I’m driving your fancy-shmancy car with your hand between my legs.” I pulled his door open. “Come on. Up you go.”

  Once we were both seated, he pressed the start button on the dashboard. Duh, why didn’t I see that? The car came to life, its engine purring, and I wished that I hadn’t changed my mind after all.

  “Where to, doll?” he asked, pulling onto the street.

  I lowered my cheap aviators from my head to cover my eyes. “Surprise me.”

  Peyton pulled into the valet parking at Revel Casino in Atlantic City. Once we were out of the city, I blasted the radio and we both enjoyed the two-and-a-half-hour drive down the Garden State Parkway. Peyton kept the top down and my hair blew in the warm spring air while I admired his sexiness. His five o’clock shadow begged to be licked, but I tamed myself.