by Amber Heart
“Everybody cheer for him. He needs some encouragement,” Gina yelled. “Where’s the bride? Call her so that we can show her our lovely gift,” Lily exclaimed and rushed to wrap a fur scarf around him. “Stop this right now,” a low thunder roared out of Mr. Hot Stripper Pants. “Hey, we paid you to entertain us, not growl at us,” Sandra, one of the other bridesmaids said in a slurry voice. It was clear that most of the girls were drunk now. Just then Avery emerged, stowing away her phone. “Girls, we need to …” she began to speak as we all spurred at the same time, “Surprise, surprise!” and gestured at the sexy stripper who was now wearing a load of fur shit and ribbons.
Avery’s face turned pale and both her hands went to her mouth. “Come on, Avery!” Sandra encouraged her. “Oh my God! Aaron?” Avery said in a small voice. I looked to and fro between my best friend and the sexy as fuck man who struggled with all the ribbons around him. “Aaron, you are here,” Avery rushed to him. “Girls he is not a stripper. Step back,” she cried and then was next to me, helping him out. I signaled the bartender to turn down the music volume.
“I am so sorry, Aaron. These girls thought you were the stripper,” Avery said to Mr. Hot Pants as he was back to himself with all the furs and ribbons and other stuff gone from him. “I figured that much out,” he said and his eyes stopped directly at me. “Girls, this is Aaron Maxfield, Quinn’s best friend and his best man for the wedding,” Avery made the introduction and my heart almost stopped beating. Oh holy shit, Aaron Maxfield, manwhore, best man, stripper, what have I done? “This is Cassandra Levant, my best friend and maid of honor,” Avery introduced me and he gazed at me with an unidentified expression.
Why the hell was I feeling embarrassed? It was just a mere misunderstanding. I was expecting a stripper for the bachelorette party and if any other man would have entered the hall, I would have thought he was a stripper. “That was really embarrassing. I hope you don’t mind,” I placed my fake smile back and extended my hand for a shake. He peered at me intently and I began to feel like an idiot. Before I could pull my hand back, he took it in his larger one and squeezed it in a gentle shake. That famous jolt of current that I read in every damned book, ran through my own veins at his touch. Holy Smokes! They wrote it right. I pulled my hand away and ran it in my shoulder length hair, smoothing the knots. I guess that’s my nervous habit.
“Does Quinn know that you are here?” Avery asked. Aaron finally took his fierce gaze off me and turned to Avery to answer, “No, I was planning to surprise him.” He gave me another quick look. Yeah, that turned out to be some surprise. I thought. “Oh he will be so thrilled. He was really upset that you couldn’t make it here. He is just three doors down in the hall with all the others. Cass can show you,” Avery gestured at me and I gaped at her with wide eyes. She fluttered her eyes innocently. What was she thinking? He could strangle me in the middle of the corridor for all I know. “That will not be necessary. I’ll find it on my own,” he said in a curt tone. Giving Avery a small nod, he turned and left the room. What a first impression I gave to the man whom I was supposed to sit next to for the next two days. Holy cow! How will I last until the end of the wedding? And how was I supposed to keep my composure?
Chapter 2
Aaron
I adjusted my pants before entering the hall where Quinn’s bachelor party was being held. I couldn’t take another series of events like that again. My attention was already stolen by that that platinum blonde, Cass Levant. She had the audacity to try and strip me in front of all those women. It was always, always the other way round. Women stripped for me. It was so weak and unmanly of me to let her tug at me like a puppy and show me off in front of a bunch of drunk ass girls. One of them even squeezed my butt! Real loser, motherfucker. I don’t know why I let her do all that. I could have stopped it before it even started. But inside I knew why I couldn’t stop her, because I was thinking with my dick instead of my head. Her little sexy dance with that stunning body. The combination had never appealed to me before but standing right there, looking at her, my only reaction was the straining of my manhood. Her perky ass and full tits that jumped out of that narrow strapped pink shirt made me want to drag her over to the nearest couch and have some fun with her. And how she dragged me by the tie, my need to have some fun with her sky rocketed when I imagined her in a leather corset with fuck-me heels on. And how she stripped off my jacket like some dumbstruck fool. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I gritted my teeth in rage and then pushed the door open.
“Aaron! Shit, you are here!” it was Quinn’s voice. “Hey, man. Is the party still going?” I grinned at him as we gave each other a half armed hug and smacked each other on the back. Quinn is one of the only people I care about in this world. There are not many people that could get me to abandon work to attend a wedding at a fancy destination. My initial flight was scheduled for tomorrow evening, but I had planned to give him a surprise visit for his bachelor party. Only to end up at his fiancé’s bachelorette party first.
“I’m glad you made it here early, man. The party is just getting started.” he said to me as we both sat at the bar and drank a beer. “Couldn’t have missed your party, buddy,” I raised my bottle at him. Quinn was a good man. He deserved the best and I sincerely hoped that Avery was the right girl for him. I had met her briefly, when Quinn had brought her to one of the company’s events. She was younger than him by a good amount but they looked good together. I hoped it went deeper than just looks – for the sake of my friend. Because I didn't believe in the words love and happily ever after. My rule was fuck ‘em and leave ‘em. It had worked miraculously well for me and I was pretty content with my life. And I was looking forward to pinning a few more points on my scoreboard during this short holiday. The most appealing thought right now was to drag that platinum blonde who was three doors away, up to my room and teach her a few basics before having my way with her. She will be the one doing the stripping, not me.
**
I woke up from the irritating buzz of my phone that kept on going relentlessly. I thought of ignoring it, but then reached out to pick it up. “Better be something important,” I muttered sleepily. “Get your ass down here for the breakfast, Maxfield or I am sending someone up there to whip you before dragging you down,” it was Quinn’s mother, Aria. I chuckled at her crude tone. She was always like that. And I loved her for it. “Yeah, yeah. Send your best at me,” I challenged her. “Don’t challenge me, son. Get down here in five or you’ll be sorry,” she said and ended the call. I groaned and then got out of bed. My body ached from all the exhaustion of last night’s activity. Throwing my phone on the pillow, my gaze fell on a pink material that laid next to the night table. I picked it up. It was a thong with a piece of paper attached.
Call us when you want to meet us again. XOXO
Lucy and Lulu.
Scribbled down was a mobile number. What the fuck? I threw it away in a corner. I’d find someone else if I wanted another quick one. I rarely went with the same girl twice. The only rare cases were those who were outstanding and there had only been two women who were honored enough for that; Jasmine and Elsa. These Lulu and Lily or whatever their names were, they were one timers. I had picked them up from the hotel’s public bar after leaving Quinn’s party, brought them up to my room, fucked them senseless and then kicked them out. I wanted to get that platinum blonde, perky assed woman out of my mind and had succeeded with these two giggling girls at my service, willing to do anything and everything.
Changing into a gray T-shirt and blue jeans, after a quick shower, I went downstairs to the tables where Quinn’s and Avery’s families were settled for breakfast. “Ah, here he is. Aaron, my boy,” Aria hugged me tightly and I returned it. She was a second Mum to me. I had spent more of my childhood in her backyard instead of mine. “How is my favorite Mrs. Robinson?” I asked her grinning from ear to ear. She swatted my back. “Get to your seat so we can start with the breakfast. I haven’t let them touch a thing,” she said to me and then turned to th
e rest of the members at the table. “My other son is here so you may as well begin the breakfast,” she announced and blew me a kiss. This woman was spectacular and I would do anything for her.
The only chair that was empty was the one tagged with 'Best Man' printed on the back. I took the seat and that’s when I realized that next to me was the maid of honor, the platinum blonde, Cassandra Levant. Holy fuck was she hot! I had spent my night wasting on two girls just to get this woman out of my mind and here I was, seated to next to her first thing in the morning. “Good morning, Aaron,” she turned her face to me with a drop dead gorgeous smile. Her hair wasn't dead straight like last night. It was frizzy and soft, it looked natural and I wanted to take a whiff of it and touch it to know if it was actually soft or it just appeared so. “Morning.… it was Cassandra, right?” I deliberately sounded like I didn’t care what her name was. “Yes, but please call me Cass, everybody does,” she replied to me with narrowed eyes. “Cass,” I tested the word. “I think I prefer Cassandra,” I told her. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise at my words. As hard as it was to look away from those full lips, I dragged my eyes away and reached out to the pitcher of orange juice. I could feel her eyes following my moves. When I didn’t give her a second glance, she turned sharply to the other side and ignored me for the rest of the breakfast.
“Hey, Aaron, Sandra just told us that they thought you were the Stripper last night. And Cass even stripped you. Fuck man, I wish I were there to witness that. The biggest man whore of Seattle, Aaron Maxfield being stripped by a bunch of drunk girls,” Logan, Quinn’s cousin said as I was just about to get away from the table to make a few calls for work. Laughter roared out from the audience and everybody’s eyes turned to me. I heard Cassandra gasp beside me and I wanted to punch that dorks face. He was trying to humiliate me. But hey, who has given him the chance to do that? It was me. No it was Cassandra Levant. It was her who had given them an opportunity to laugh at me. “I may have been made a fool of, but how are you feeling after last nights fiasco? I saw that Mexican waitress hitting you down to your knees last night when you almost spilled your guts and begged her to spend the night with you.” There. Take that asshole. He shut his mouth and flushed with embarrassment. I had seen that waitress raising her knee to his groin when I had gone to pick up someone to warm my bed with last night. It looked like I had gotten his story just right. The chair beside me pulled back. “Excuse me, please,” Cassandra said and then left the table. I admit, my comment was a tad inappropriate, especially for a nice breakfast in front of friends. But I will not be the butt of someone else’s joke. You can say I lack a sense of humor, but I refuse to look weak in front of these people.
**
“Man, did you really? I mean … seriously?” Quinn asked me when it was just the two of us in the lounge and everybody else was in the pool. “Cut it, Quinn.” I never give details and I won’t do so now. I was forced into that situation because of her. I looked around but she was nowhere in sight. Those two girls last night meant nothing, they were just a distraction.
“Come on, boys, jump in!” Avery was waving at us from the pool. “I have a few calls to make,” I said to Quinn who was already stripping out of his shirt and getting ready to jump into the pool. “Come on, dude. Don’t be a spoil sport. You are off from work.” “Like you give a rat’s ass about it,” I raised my eyes and he grinned. Of course he thought of nobody when he was around Avery. Love turned men into stupid mindless fools. I shook my head as he splashed into the pool.
“Have Troy scan and email it to me, ASAP. I’ll sign it and send it back to you. And also put Lena Malfoy on video call with me. I’ll let you know the time I am available. It will be late noon probably,” I spoke to my assistant as I walked towards the lobby. I had to catch up with a few bits of important paperwork and needed to use my laptop. “Also see that by Monday we have everything ready for the pitch. Tell Rick to send me the initial layouts of the creative designs and do not proceed until I approve.” I turned towards the corridor and a soft feminine body bumped right into me, taking me by surprise and knocking me off guard.
“What the fuck? Can't you see where you are walking?” I growled angrily as my phone hit hard on the floor first, followed by myself and then her on top of me. “I am so very sorry,” the voice came from behind the curtains of that platinum blonde hair. The same woman who has been giving me a hard time since I stepped on this damn Island. Please don’t let it be her. I silently begged. And then the face came into view and of course … it was Cassandra, sprawled all over me, with her breasts hitting right above my pelvic bone and her mouth just above my stomach.
“You can’t seem to leave me alone, can you?” I said sternly because I hated the way my body was reacting to her. If she didn’t get off me in next five seconds, she would be witnessing something I wasn’t sure she’d approve of. Registering the fact that she had knocked me down, brought that expression on her face that said she was horrified. Better be that.
“I am sorry, Aaron,” she said, getting off me and standing up. I too got up and found out that my phone was no longer in a shape to be used again. The fuckers were useless when it came to durability. “Fuck,” anger rolled inside me. How was I supposed to keep in touch with work now? Damn it! “I am really sorry,” she began to say. “Say that word again and I’ll show you how sorry you can be,” I snapped at her. I had this pitch on Monday and here I was, phoneless. This woman, in less than twelve hours, had managed to make me a stripper, let a piece of shit humiliate me, ruin my peace of mind and now broke my phone because she can’t fucking walk straight.
“I need you to keep mailing me the updates. I broke my bloody phone and I can’t stay by this damned laptop every minute of the day,” I growled as my assistant logged into Skype and I gave her instructions. “It’s alright, Aaron. Give yourself a break. We can handle it all here without you hovering over everyone’s head twenty-four seven. Enjoy it while you are there. We’ll take care of everything here. Kelly will send you the minutes of the meetings and other stuff by tonight. You can sit back and sip martinis until then. Not all of us are lucky enough to be in the Bahamas with broken phones,” it was Mark who had joined the conference call now. “Mark,” I greeted him, toning my voice down.
He was the one man I respected without a shred of doubt. He had been the one to put his trust in me when nobody else had. He had given me wings to fly whichever direction I had wanted to fly. I had joined his advertising firm when I had graduated from university with a marketing degree in hand that held my barely acceptable grades and a gazillion ideas in my pocket. No one, until Mark, had given a shit about what I was in brains. He had offered me the job without looking at my transcript. And three months later I was handling his campaigns. As of today I hold fifty percent of the agency’s share with him.
If anyone had been able to silence me in a room, it was Mark and when he said that I didn’t have to worry about work, then it meant I did not have to worry about work. So I let it all go, stowed my laptop away, changed into my swim trunks and headed straight towards the pool. Some long laps were due.
Chapter 3
Cassandra
What does Mr. Sexy Pants think of himself? A pretty face and a sexy voice doesn’t give him any right to speak to me like that. I admit our meetings haven't been very appealing, but that doesn’t mean he can snap at me whenever he likes. As if I ran into him deliberately and broke his phone. I mean, come on, he is Aaron Maxfield, the rich asshole, he can buy himself a new phone. He is so arrogant and big headed, didn’t even have the manners or courtesy to accept my apology. ‘Say that word again and I’ll show you how sorry you can be.’ I mimicked him and walked back towards the pool side.
“What took you so long?” Avery asked me as I sat on the lounger next to her. “What else can happen today?” I took the cocktail from the passing waiter and closed my eyes briefly after taking a generous sip from the drink. Damn, it felt good to get away from reality, even if it was just for four d
ays.
“Why are you girls out and dry?” Quinn called and grabbed Avery and threw her in the pool. She squealed and splashed water at him. Smiling at them, I returned to my drink, too late to realize that Logan was trying to pick me up from the lounger. “Let’s get you wet, Cass. The pool is boring without you.” He was going to throw me in the water. Fear hit me and I clutched my nails in his bare shoulder blades. “Put me down this minute, Logan,” I said loudly. My eyes froze over the water and my heart began pumping furiously. It was inching closer. “I said put me down!” I was yelling now and struggling hard in his grip.
No water, please. I clawed tightly to him and he yelped in pain. “Jesus Christ, Cass!” Logan pulled his head back and thankfully stopped midway. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he put my feet down and I immediately took several steps away from the water, covering my chest in protection. “Don’t ever do that to me again! Ever!” I said to him and turned around to leave. A set of black eyes met my gaze. Aaron was standing right there, staring at me as if I had grown two horns on my head. Of course he had to be there whenever I got humiliated or embarrassed.
I stormed away and went straight to my room that I shared with Gina. It was a good thing that she wasn’t there. I didn’t have any tolerance for anyone right now. My blood was still full of adrenaline, it felt like my veins were going to burst any minute. I needed some physical activity to put it back to normal. Shrugging out of my shirt, I bent down on the floor and forced myself to do a quick forty pushups and did a few stretches. Yoga has really helped me out in the past, I am so glad I picked it up.
