by Natalie Ann
She might have met Jack at a club and had a bit too much to drink that night and several of the times they were together, but she wasn’t a slut and didn’t sleep around. She’d thought what she and Jack had was the start of a budding relationship.
She was right. It was a relationship. Just a shitty one that was going to tie him to the rest of her life.
“Needless to say,” she said, “she wasn’t happy and wanted to know what my status was with you.”
He laughed. “She used those words?”
“Not exactly.” No reason to tell Reed that Natasha was eying her like she could swat her away with a slip of her finger. That she’d even said she could have Reed back if she wanted to, but she didn’t. That Taylor was welcome to him. Words from a woman scorned.
“So what else did she say, then?”
“Do you have a birthmark on your left cheek?” she asked him quickly to see his reaction.
He turned his head. “Does it look like I do?”
She grinned. “Your other left cheek.”
He winked at her. “I might have one there.”
“Which means some of what Natasha was saying was true,” she said matter of factly.
“I’m not denying we’ve slept together. You didn’t ask me that. I didn’t date her though.”
“Excuse me for misunderstanding,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Like I told you, it was a bad point in my life.”
“So noted. You aren’t the only one that has gone through something in their life, but not everyone uses and disregards women.”
“I see you want to believe everything you’ve heard after all,” he said.
She hadn’t meant to say that to him at all and regretted it. So far they’d been getting along just fine and there was no reason to be pissy. It’s not like they were in a real relationship.
Not like she didn’t love the feel of his hands on her waist as he held her tightly when they were dancing under the rising moon.
Or his warm breath on her neck when he was whispering in her ear.
The way her body wanted to involuntary sway into his and grind against him.
Yeah, it’d been way too long since she’d been held, let alone felt a strong male against her. She hadn’t realized how horny she was right now.
It was no wonder the two women that approached her tonight didn’t believe they were just friends. If she’d had a mirror to see them swaying together with Reed’s hand gliding up and down her back, his fingers trailing on her arms, she might think there was more going on too.
“I’m sorry. That was completely wrong of me to say that. As much as I find this whole thing funny, I understand your reasoning too. You’ve been upfront and honest with me and it was uncalled for what I’d just said.”
“No worries,” he said “That’s why you’re perfect for this. You’re not afraid to say what is on your mind. I can’t tell you how refreshing that is for me.”
“Women aren’t upfront with you?”
“Nope,” he said. “They all say they’re good with casual, but when it comes down to it, they all want that big diamond on their finger. Hell, I had one woman tell me it didn’t have to be a diamond, just a gold band would do.”
She burst out laughing. “Seriously?”
“Yep. When I told her that wasn’t happening, but thanked her for the good time we’d had for a few weeks, she slapped my face and called me a nasty name.”
“Were you honest with her about what you were looking for when you first met?” she asked, assuming he was.
“Of course.”
“Then you can’t win, can you?”
“Nope. Which is why I need a wingman. So you said women, not woman. What else happened?”
Since he’d said she was upfront and honest, she was going to be again. “When I was in the bathroom before we left, someone pulled me aside and said they’d heard from Rachel we were just friends and she wanted to know if that was true.”
“Who asked you that?”
“I didn’t get her name. I didn’t think it mattered. Either way, she’d been watching you. I saw her. Enough that she wanted to know what was going on with us and approached your sister. You’d have to ask Rachel who it is if you really want to know.”
“Nope, don’t care,” he said. She believed that too. “So you told her we were friends?”
“I did. Then she asked if I would introduce the two of you.”
“Since you didn’t, I’m going to assume you said no.”
“Isn’t that part of my job for today?” she asked, grinning. If the urge to snap at the woman to get a life and leave Reed alone had been present in the bathroom, Taylor wasn’t admitting because then it’d come off as if she was jealous, and why would she be when she was just doing a favor for Reed?
“It sure is. So then what happened? You came out of the bathroom without a hair out of place, so I’m assuming there wasn’t a cat fight.”
“You’d probably eat it right up if there was a cat fight in your honor.”
“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he admitted.
Figures it’d happened before. “I told her no. She wanted to know why and I said because I didn’t like her dress.”
This time he laughed so hard he started to cough. “You didn’t?”
“I did. It was ugly. If you were going to go out with someone they should have better fashion sense. It’s as simple as that.”
He turned and looked at her, his eyes soft, lingering on hers, then traveling the length of her dress that was spread out on the seat around her in the truck, all the way down, Reed leaning over to check out the heeled sandals she’d had on. “Yeah. She should look more like you,” he said softly.
If her heart started to race with that comment, she wasn’t admitting that either.
Stoop That Low
He didn’t just say that to Taylor in his truck. How stupid could he be? Would she think he wanted something more with her now?
Nah. No way. She was almost more cynical than him, he could tell.
She wouldn’t be interested in someone like him even if she was looking for a man. He’d bet she had relationship on the brain even though she was denying it. She saw him as the type to be out for a good time only.
But she’d been helpful to him today and that’s what it was all about.
Now he wanted to know more about her though. Why she made that comment about having something tough happen in her life. Though she didn’t specifically say it was in her life, he knew it was. He needed to know what it was.
He wondered if that was why she was quick to say she wasn’t going to do this all the time. Either way, he’d find a way to spend more time with her if for no other reason than he had fun today.
More fun than he’d had in five years with any woman. With even any man out on the town.
He’d had a few beers tonight, he’d stayed sober, and he’d been cordial.
Hell, he’d even been polite and it hadn’t killed him to do that.
But what did almost kill him was the fact that not only had Taylor been hit on tonight, but he’d also seen as many wandering eyes in her direction as she claimed were sent in his.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like he wanted to put his fist through a wall with jealousy, and when he realized what that emotion was, he started to head toward the beer.
But there was Rachel. Always around and watching him like she’d done most of his life.
“So you’re really just friends?” his sister had asked him.
“She told you that, didn’t she?”
“I’m asking you though.”
“My answer is the same. I need someone to keep you and the single ladies away. She wasn’t lying when she said it. Why don’t you believe it?”
“Oh, I believe it,” Rachel said. “I just didn’t think even you’d stoop that low.”
“It’s not low,” he’d argued. “It’s smart. Now Taylor can weed anyone out.”
“Hmm,” Rachel said.
“What’s the hmm for?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
“The fact you said weed someone out and not keep them away. That makes me think you’re interested in trying again.”
“Get over yourself, Rachel,” he said, laughing, and walked away to see Taylor sitting by herself, sipping her wine.
He’d watched Taylor on and off after that when he wasn’t by her side. He hadn’t really known what to expect with her, but she held her own.
She was beautiful, there was no doubt. Not in the trashy way he was always looking for since Whitney’s death. Not even in a classy way like Whitney was. But in a natural way. Deep down he’d always been a sucker for that.
Everyone always said he and Whitney had nothing in common, and he should have listened but he didn’t. He was so in love with her in high school and she’d never given him the time of day. When she came back to the area after law school and they bumped into each other out one night, he knew he was still infatuated with her.
They’d had one too many drinks and gone home together that night. All his teenage fantasies about the hot chick in school had come true when she ended up in his bed. He was on cloud nine.
He should have remembered she’d gotten around in school, that she’d been known to find another guy before she ended things with the current one.
But he didn’t. He figured they were both adults and could be honest with each other.
He’d figured wrong.
Just because none of his friends and family cared for Whitney didn’t mean they couldn’t make it work.
Reed wanted to say he was the only one of the two of them that wanted to make it work, but in all honesty, he had let himself deny the truth. In that last year, he had suspected something was going on and just didn’t want to believe it.
He didn’t want to think he could be made into the fool. He’d always told other men it would never happen to him.
It did happen to him and he swore to never let it happen again.
That he wasn’t going to allow himself to fall for another woman.
That love wasn’t in the cards for him, only sex.
Why not find a hot woman, roll around in the sheets, and get some action, then both go on their merry way?
Because deep down he’d never thought he’d be the person he’d turned into, but he wasn’t sure he knew how to change or if he even wanted to at this point.
“Why do you say that?” Taylor asked after a few minutes of silence. Enough silence with his mind wandering that he wasn’t sure her meaning.
“What?” he asked.
“That a woman should be more like me. I’m nothing special.”
He grinned at her. It was the only thing he could think to do. “Now I’ve got to know why you would say that. Have you looked in a mirror lately?”
“So it is all about looks with you?” she asked, her hand going over and slapping his thigh playfully. The minute she did it, he could see she regretted it. He didn’t though but knew enough to pretend it didn’t happen.
“Not at all. You’re hot. Of course you are and you know it.” She winked at him. Honest and not modest either. “But you tell it like it is. I like that more than I thought I would.”
“You’ve spent a few hours with me and think you know me, but I’m telling you right now, you don’t have a clue about me,” she said.
“Maybe I want to though.”
“I don’t think so,” she said quickly and turned her head away to look out the window.
He wanted to think she was going to play hard to get, but he didn’t believe she had it in her to do that. He didn’t think she’d be anyone to play games at all.
The only thing he knew right now was she was a complete mystery to him and he couldn’t wait to find out more.
It didn’t take long for them to get to the parking lot where her car was. He parked his truck but didn’t shut it off. The air conditioning was lightly blowing with a few strands of her hair floating around and catching the moonlight.
If he was a romantic type of guy, he’d say this was a night he’d been dreaming about for years. That Taylor was almost mystical on top of being mysterious and he’d always loved a challenge.
“Thanks for coming with me tonight. I really do appreciate it,” he said.
“Not a problem. I actually had fun and it was nice to see you in a different light. Of course it’s not like I see you much at all at work to know one way or another.”
Was that a hint that she wanted to see more of him? If he asked, she might say no, so it was best to let it go for now. “Like I said, don’t believe everything you hear.”
She nodded her head, then fiddled around like she wasn’t sure what to do, but finally unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door.
He did the same and jumped out to walk her to her car. Not that it was far to walk, but for some reason he wasn’t quite ready to let her go just yet. He wouldn’t dare tell her that though.
“It’s getting late,” she said.
“What are your plans tomorrow?” he asked before he could stop himself.
“Why? Do you have another party to go to?”
“No,” he said and wished he hadn’t when he realized her train of thought.
“Then you don’t need me tomorrow.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her how much he needed her tonight. Only that thought was starting to scare him silly.
The last time he wanted a woman like this...felt he needed one...was with Whitney. Though he’d never had ice water dumped on his head, he imagined that the thought of his ex was causing the chill to overtake his body.
“I didn’t say anything about spending it together,” he said, laughing, trying to make it sound like she was assuming something he had no intention of saying.
“That’s true, you didn’t. Either way, I’ve got plans.”
“What are they?” he asked.
“Nothing to do with you,” she said, tilting her head.
“Fair enough.” She turned to walk to her car, but he reached his hand out and laid it on hers, saw the shivers her body had and the chills on her arms, knowing he had them too. Not from the thoughts of his ex this time, but rather the touch of her body. “Thanks again,” he said.
“You’re welcome.”
Then he did what he said he wasn’t going to do. He kissed her.
The Rest Was History
The next morning Taylor pounded on her pillow one more time. It wasn’t enough so she did it again and then threw it against the wall.
How the hell did she let Reed kiss her last night?
Why had she let him do it?
Who was she kidding? There was no how or why about it. They were like two magnets being held apart all night long and then the minute they got close enough...snap! Their lips met and the rest was history.
It’d been over three years since she’d felt a man’s hands on her body, even through clothes. All she could be thankful for was the fact he didn’t comment on why she was sweaty. Or even why she was clingy because she was positive he might have had to pry her hands off of his shoulders. Talk about mortifying.
What was she going to say? “Sorry, you’re making me hot? You’re rock hard body and angelic face have been haunting my dreams and forcing me to wake up wet in more places than one?”
Nope, not happening. The last guy she made a similar comment to put a baby in her belly and took off.
So why was she lying in bed beating the crap out of her sheets and comforter? After all, the pillow was limply lying across the room wondering what the hell it’d done to her.
Because Reed Chapman thoroughly turned her on even though she wanted no part of it. And no part of him.
He was no better than Jack at the heart of it.
That was wrong and she felt guilty even thinking that.
Jack was an ass who lied and made her believe things were going to be completely different than they were.
Reed was as upfront as she’d been...for the most part.
She wasn’t stupid and knew he was hinting around and trying to find out why she couldn’t spend more time with him. She hadn’t lied when she said she had plans. She hadn’t really lied to him at all. She just wasn’t forthcoming.
Yep, nice exciting plans to clean her house, walk the dog who was currently lying at the end of the bed staring at her like she was nuts, and doing some laundry.
It felt like all she did was clean when she had a free moment. If she wasn’t being a mom, she was being a maid.
How the hell did her life turn into this? From a twenty-five-year-old woman partying with her friends to almost twenty-nine and wondering what to make for dinner that her daughter wouldn’t mind eating without a royal battle ensuing.
When her phone rang, she reached for it automatically on the nightstand only to see it was her mother calling. Just great. Another way to ruin her morning.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Taylor, how are you doing?”
“I’m good,” she said around a yawn. No use saying she was exhausted. Her mother would just remind her that she’d had it worse with six kids and working full time. One kid was a piece of cake. Not!
“How’s Angie doing?”
The fact that her mother asked that question second made up for all the lectures she’d gotten in the past three years. “She’s good. I hope. She’s with Jack this weekend. Or I should say probably with his parents.”
Her mother snorted on the other end. The lecture was on the horizon. “Aside from his money, what did you see in him?”
Taylor ground her teeth. “I’m not money hungry. His money had nothing to do with us being in a relationship. I didn’t even know he had money when we first met.”
Thankfully Taylor hadn’t been living at home at the time or her parents would have known she’d spent the night with Jack that first time they’d met in the club. That would have been just one more lecture she wasn’t in the mood for.
“I admit he’s a handsome young man. Even charming when he wants to be. Who would have known he had such little balls.”
