After All These Years (One Pass Away #2)

by Mary J. Williams

  “Got a problem there, mister?”

  “It’s nothing new. I’ve had it before. Knock wood—no pun intended—I’ll have it again.” He began to slide the material over his hips, then paused. “This is only a preview. What you are about to see is strictly window dressing. For tonight, think of my dick as a shiny toy you can’t play with until Christmas.”

  “It’s September, Sean.” Riley licked her lips. “That Christmas reference better be your attempt at a clever metaphor. I’m not waiting four months to have—” Naked Sean made her lose her train of thought. “Holy crap.”

  “See something you like?”

  “That is one big ass, adult toy you’re sporting, my friend.”

  “Hands off,” Sean warned when she started to reach out. “Play by the rules or I’m taking my balls and going home.”

  “Didn’t your parents teach you to share?”

  “Yes. And I will. Eventually.”

  Riley sighed. “Earlier, you called me a woman. I wasn’t one before.”

  Sean settled into the tub. Her expression was so earnest. Her blue eyes filled with emotion. Taking her foot, he placed in onto his chest, smoothing his hand over the instep.

  “Are we going to talk about it? Now?”

  “We never have. This seems like a good time.”

  “Stripped bare, so to speak.” Sean gave her big toe a light kiss. “It was five years ago, Riley.”

  “Eight.”

  “Eight? You would have been…?”

  “Seventeen.”

  “I had no idea.”

  Sean looked mystified. Truly surprised—much to Riley’s relief. His pity had been hard to handle when she was twenty. Three more years of it, even though she hadn’t known at the time, would be hard to swallow.

  “I’m going to tell you a story about a girl who decided, with one look, that she was in love. It isn’t terribly flattering, so please keep that in mind. She was young and possessed with a stubborn kind of tunnel vision only found in a determined seventeen-year-old.”

  To her surprise, it didn’t take her long. She always thought of her former Sean obsession as epic and far reaching. In truth, the whole thing could be recapped in ten minutes. Less, if Sean hadn’t asked a few questions along the way.

  Riley wasn’t sure how she felt. She hadn’t padded or embellished the facts. Suddenly, something that had occupied her life for so long had been reduced to a few succinct paragraphs. If written out? Two or three pages.

  Funny. It took saying it aloud to finally put it in perspective.

  “Sad? Pathetic? Creepy? Please check one of the above.” Riley tried to make light of it, but she was on pins and needles waiting for Sean’s reaction.

  “I pick D.”

  “Ah. A wildcard answer.” Riley took a deep breath. “Go on. Hit me. I can take it.”

  “Flattering.”

  “No, Sean. Don’t let me off that easy. I was obnoxious.” Riley cringed thinking about it. “I was a crazy kid. Filled with the odd idea that you would love me because to me, it made sense. A smart man would have run in the opposite direction. Instead, you tried to be nice.”

  “By putting my foot in my mouth.” Sean shook his head. “Why are you beating yourself up? Especially at this late date?”

  “Why aren’t we having sex?”

  “You lost me.” Sean soaped up a cloth, making it nice and sudsy. Slowly, he ran it along her calf. He wasn’t washing so much as caressing. It felt nice.

  “What you did earlier? I’m all for it. Cartwheels and lollipops all around.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Hold off on the self-congratulatory back-pats, buddy. I’m adding a major but to that sentence. I want sex. Full-on, sweaty, mind-blowing sex.”

  “Riley—”

  “I want your big, shiny, mouth-watering dick inside of me. I’ve been very, very good. I deserve my treat. Now.”

  “I…” Sean didn’t know what to say. Yes, he did. “I’ve slept with a lot of women, Riley.”

  “No shit, Sherlock.”

  “You think you know. The truth is, you have no idea how many. I’m reluctant to admit that I lost count a long time ago.”

  “STD?”

  “No. I’m clean. I’ve always been extra careful. And I regularly get checked by my own doctor. That isn’t something I would want to come out during my team physical.”

  “Then I don’t care, Sean.” One or one thousand. What difference did it make?

  “For some reason, I do.” Leaning to his right, Sean touched a button. Bubbles began swirling around them. Riley felt the cooling water begin to heat. “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed every hedonistic moment. It isn’t that I want to turn back the clock or alter the past. Instead, I want this—us—to be different.”

  Riley felt her breath catch.

  “I like different.”

  “I think I do, too.”

  “I want you to know, Sean. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

  “I need to prove it to myself.”

  Before Riley could blink, Sean turned her so her back rested against him. His erection was still at full staff.

  “Isn’t that uncomfortable?”

  “It’s… different.”

  “If I move a little I could—”

  Holding her still, Sean laughed. Riley thought it sounded a little strained. She stopped squirming. She didn’t agree with Sean, but it was his thing. She would respect it—and try not to make it harder on him.

  “Want to share the reason for that lovely laugh?”

  “Have you ever noticed? When you have sex on the brain everything is a double entendre?”

  “Words can be a minefield.” Sean put his lips near her ear. “If you have a dirty mind.”

  “Please.” She playfully rapped her fist on the side of his skull. “I’m only borderline dirty.”

  “Stick with me. I’ll push you to the next level in no time.”

  “I’m good where I am, thank you very much.” Riley pulled Sean’s arms around her waist. This was nice. Warm, frothy water and a big, strong, sexy man to share it. If she weren’t careful, she would fall asleep.

  “I should go home.”

  “Or, you could stay the night,” Sean whispered, his hand covering her breast.

  It wasn’t sexual. Though it felt very, very good. It was sweet. Dare she hope, loving? She was tired. For now, that kind of thinking had to stay buried. Riley was tempted to stay. However, Sean was right. Slower was better.

  “Another time.”

  Sean didn’t argue. He helped her from the tub, leaving her to dry off while he retrieved her clothing. When he returned, he was wearing the same jeans with a fresh white t-shirt. It was a good look on him. Then again, what wasn’t?

  “Are we good?” he asked, holding out her shirt.

  “I’m not leaving because I’m angry.” Riley pulled on her jeans. Topless, she slipped her arms around Sean’s waist.

  “You have the softest skin.”

  “That’s why.” Reluctantly, she eased far enough away to slip on her shirt. “You keep touching me. And making remarks about my skin or how I taste.”

  “Bad Sean.”

  “Laugh all you want.” Gripping his arm for balance, Riley slid on her shoes. “You want to be a good boy. I want to rip your clothes off. Chances are, if I stay, I’ll compromise your purity before morning.”

  Later, after he walked Riley home, Sean stared at his bedroom ceiling, a grin plastered on his face. Yes, his sexual frustration was higher than he could remember. And sure, it would be better if Riley was here—in his arms. But damn. That woman could make him laugh.

  Sexual purity, indeed. Closing his eyes, Sean took a deep breath, his body relaxing. Only Riley. He drifted, sleep closing in, and smiled again.

  Only Riley.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE TWO WOMEN, one blond, the other brunette, drew plenty of attention. This was a sports bar. On most days, the clientele was ninety percent male
. On Sundays, the women who ventured in usually came with their husbands or boyfriends.

  The crowd was raucous and focused on the game. However, when the final whistle blew, things changed. Fast. Especially when the Knights won.

  “Put your money away, ladies. There is a line ten deep of men wanting to buy your drinks.”

  “What do you think?” Claire asked Riley, her eyes filled with laughter. They were at the bar in the same seats they occupied throughout the game.

  “I think you should tell the men thanks, but no thanks.” Riley handed the bartender a twenty. “We want two more drafts. Period. Whatever’s left, keep for yourself.”

  “Will do. But I warn you, these guys hate to take no for an answer. Give me a signal if anyone gets out of hand.”

  “Why do men think all women are looking for male companionship?”

  “Ego and too much cheap beer?”

  “Mmm. Maybe we should have watched the game at your place.”

  The Knights were in New York this week. It was the featured game on Sunday night. A five o’clock start in Seattle.

  Claire called to see if she wanted to watch the game together and Riley suggested The Extra Point. The idea of sharing the experience with other fans seemed like a good idea. Until now.

  “You want to leave?”

  “No.” Riley clinked glasses with Claire. “The Knights won. Again. Logan had another hundred-yard-plus game and Sean caught a touchdown pass. We are going to celebrate. If anybody gets touchy-feely, you throw your beer in their face while I kick them in the balls.”

  “And that is why I knew we would be friends.”

  “Here comes idiot number one,” Riley warned.

  “Hey, beautiful ladies.” His beer breath washed over her face. He wasn’t bad looking. However, the swaying and glazed eyes were a hard look to carry off. It made his attractive factor plummet—fast.

  “One push. He’ll land on his butt and be out of our hair,” Claire murmured.

  Riley agreed with the assessment. Unfortunately, because the place was packed, the drunk was likely to take out five or six innocent bystanders on his way down. Entertaining, yes. Also, potentially dangerous.

  “It isn’t worth it. Let’s go.”

  “Hey, where ya goin’?” idiot boy protested as they walked past him. He reached for one, then the other, missing both.

  “Sorry about Ed.” A tall, thin man grabbed hold of his friend before he toppled over. “Can we buy you a drink as an apology?”

  “No.”

  Riley and Claire exchanged chagrined looks. Some guys never quit. Nor did their buddies.

  They were almost out the door without further incident when out of the corner of her eye, Riley saw a familiar looking woman. A brunette with gravity defying breasts. Sapphire, her father’s personal assistant, didn’t look happy. In fact, she appeared to be on the verge of tears. With a sigh, Riley stopped Claire.

  “You go. I’ll meet you at the coffee place across the street.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone,” Claire said. When Riley started weaving through the crowd, Claire was right behind. “What are we doing?”

  Riley shrugged. It was too loud to explain the unexplainable. She felt bad about how she had treated Sapphire. The woman had been doing her job. And she was sleeping with Gerald Preston. Hadn’t she suffered enough? If Riley could help out, she would be doing her good deed for the next month.

  “I told you, I want to go home.”

  Riley heard Sapphire’s teary words over the din.

  “And I told you I want to stay,” the man at the table yelled. “Leave. I don’t care.”

  “Fine.”

  Sapphire seemed to lose her nerve when faced with a sea of drunk men.

  “Come on, we’ll get you out of here.”

  Riley might not have been Sapphire’s idea of a savior, but she seemed to understand it was the boss’ daughter or no one. Putting the woman between her and Claire, they made their way out of the bar without incident.

  All Riley could think when they reached fresh air was, never again.

  “Men are pigs.” Sapphire cried. Her mascara ran, giving her raccoon eyes.

  “Okay.” Riley guided her across the street and into the coffee shop.

  “Why?” Sapphire flopped onto the first chair she came to.

  “Why what?” Claire asked Riley.

  “I have no idea. By the looks of her, I doubt she knows. I’ll flip you for the right to sit with her. The winner gets the coffee.”

  “No way. She’s your…?” Claire searched for the word. “Friend?”

  “Not even close, but I get the point. Make it strong and black.”

  Sapphire’s forehead rested on the table. “Your father dumped me for a younger woman with bigger breasts.”

  What was she supposed to say to that? Naturally her father dumped Sapphire. It was his M.O. It was all fun and games until he grew bored or met someone else. The two events usually coinciding.

  But bigger breasts? Sapphire’s were squished against the table. How much bigger could you get?

  “I hate my breasts.”

  Claire arrived with three steaming cups of coffee. Placing one in front of Sapphire, she said with genuine sympathy, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “One week after we started seeing each other, Gerald offered to buy me implants.”

  “Offered?” Riley doubted Sapphire had been given a choice. Not if she wanted the relationship to continue.

  “Insisted,” Sapphire admitted. “I wanted to make him happy. My body is grotesque and I’m all alone.” The last three words came out in huge, gulping sobs.

  “I’m sorry, Sapphire.” Awkwardly, Riley patted the woman’s back, handing her a napkin to wipe her eyes. “For my father and for how I behaved the day we met. I took my frustration with him out on you. It was wrong.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’ve given up everything for that man. I had a nice, solid boyfriend. Gerald seemed so worldly and sophisticated.” Sapphire loudly blew her nose. “Today, I’d give anything for nice and solid. Did you see that idiot I was with? I’ve been reduced to accepting dates with athletic supporter salesmen.”

  “Can you make a living doing that?” Claire wanted to know.

  Riley wiped her mouth, trying to hide her smile. Damn, this kept teetering between tragedy and farce. After her heartfelt apology, it would be rude to laugh. No matter how tempting Sapphire made it.

  “Has he fired you?”

  “Not yet. But it’s just a matter of time. He’ll want his latest floozy close by. How do you think I got the job?”

  It would have been bad form to point out that Sapphire had just called herself a floozy. Instead, Riley took out one of her business cards.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do.” Riley scribbled her private number on the back of the card before handing it to Sapphire. “Finish your coffee. Then we’ll get you a cab. Tomorrow when you’re able to think things through with a clear head, decide if you want to have the implants removed.”

  “I can’t afford it.” Sapphire looked like she had hit bottom.

  “My father paid to have them put in, I’ll pay to have them taken out.”

  “Really?”

  “It seems fair. And don’t worry about your job. Stay if you want. If need be, I’ll help you find another one.”

  It was amazing what a glimmer of hope did for a person’s state of mind. By the time they put Sapphire in a cab, she no longer looked as if her world were ending. She even managed a smile, waving as the car pulled away.

  “That was kind,” Claire said as they walked toward her parked car. “I can’t imagine taking pity on my father’s mistress.”

  “She’s a victim. I’ve seen his women come and go. There are predators, and there are women like Sapphire, who delude themselves into believing that my father truly loves them and that they will be different from all the others. Trust me, they never are.”

  “The surgery.” Claire hit the re
mote, the car’s headlights engaging, signaling the doors were unlocked. “That was more than a friendly gesture.”

  “I’m giving her a choice.” Riley slid into the passenger side, then closed the door.

  “She chose to have those things put in, Riley. No one held her down.”

  “Love has a way of clouding your judgment.”

  Riley’s experience hadn’t been as extreme. However, at twenty-five, it was easy to say she would never let a man talk her into doing something that, deep down, she didn’t want to do. Five years ago, she didn’t know what she would, or wouldn’t, have done if Sean had asked.

  “I’m lucky to be in love with a man who likes me the way I am.”

  Riley looked Claire up and down. Tall, gorgeous, and smart as a whip. The woman was practically perfect. But a man—the wrong man—could always find something with which to tear down a woman.

  Gerald Preston was the perfect example. Riley’s advice? Run, ladies. Run hard and fast in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, her father had enough of the three Cs to pull woman after woman into his web.

  Cash. Charm. Clout. A heady combination that often spelled disaster for someone like Sapphire.

  “Think she’ll make that call?”

  “I hope so. But,” Riley gave Claire a half-smile, “it’s up to her.”

  TWELVE FIFTEEN. RILEY’S visitors, when she had them, rarely arrived after eight. She didn’t mind staying out late. However, when she stayed in, anything after ten equaled the middle of the night.

  The intercom buzzed again.

  “Yes, Stuart?”

  “He wants it to be a surprise, but I can’t let anyone up without announcing them.”

  “Who? And damn straight you need to announce them.”

  “Mr. McBride.” Stuart’s voice vibrated with excitement. “Sean McBride,” he qualified.

  Riley grinned. He must have come straight from the airport. The team’s plane had made good time. Not that it mattered. Anytime was fine with her. No hour was too late for Sean.

  “Send him up, Stuart.”

  “Right away.”

  She didn’t know who was more excited by Sean’s arrival. Her or Stuart. Riley rushed to the bathroom, checking her image. She hadn’t been asleep, only reading in bed. Still, she took the time to fluff her hair. Her mouth still felt minty fresh.