by Hunt, Evelyn
“I hear years even.”
“Yup. Years.”
Veda got up from her chair, again in Will’s shirt and straddled him. “Well, I guess I’ll be here for a while.” She spread her legs wide across his lap and grinned.
Will picked her up and put her on the table laying her on her back.
“Looks like we will be busy.” Will groaned and decided to take her again.
***
[Hope you liked the story and don't forget your 8 complimentary books, which you may find a download link to on the last page of this collection, just after the 11th story ends. Now, on to the next story!]
Displaying Fireworks
by
Cynthia Conley
Having no idea how many times I had hit my ‘snooze’ feature on the phone’s alarm, I tumbled out of bed and grabbed my robe. As a virtual assistant, I was late logging on to chat with Mr. Peterson.
Running for my kitchen, I grabbed a banana and quickly logged onto my system. Pulling up the document, I had just bit into it when the chat window came alive. I froze with the end sticking in my mouth.
“Oh, damn… that’s a sight for sore eyes! Am I interrupting something?”
Still groggy, I almost shut the window down right then. Instead, I bit the chunk off and chewed it up quickly before setting the remainder aside while blushing furiously. Even though I knew he couldn’t detect my blush over the pixilated image, he laughed, “Oh, please. Don’t mind me.”
I smiled politely, “Hello, Mr. Peterson. I have two documents almost completed. I just have to make sure everything…”
“How many times have I asked you to call me Rex?”
As he spoke, I realized that I hadn’t even looked in the mirror this morning. I probably looked like a hot mess. I shrugged my self-consciousness along with his request off but nodded quickly. I’d been smitten with this handsome devil for over a year but I hid that secret with every fiber of my being. He probably had numerous women sharing his sheets.
He suddenly tilted his head as a shrewd look flew over his face, “Sophia, which end of that banana did you open?”
Dumbfounded, I picked it up and showed him. His eyebrows flew up before he nodded, “I thought so. You’re the only other person that I know that opens them that way.”
My own eyebrow rose as I distractedly nodded back at him, wondering why he was asking about my stupid banana. He finally asked, “Where’d you learn to open it that way?”
My attitude slipped through, “Um… those hairy creatures that love bananas which live at the zoo.”
Dimples leapt to life, “Alright, smart ass. There’s been a change of plans. My plane is actually coming in at noon so…”
My heart leapt when I realized I might be able to make the fireworks show. My mother had purchased me two tickets but refused to let me in on the other party. I realized that it was already nine o’clock. “Oh, Mr. Pete… Rex… I have to leave now. It takes me two hours to get to the airport!”
“Well, hit the road!”
Before I could answer, the chat was closed. I growled in frustration and ran for the bedroom. Anxiety danced in my stomach at the prospect of finally meeting my employer of two years. Dragging a brush through my hair, I threw on jeans and a T-shirt but broke my bra strap in the process.
Groaning loudly, I rummaged through my clothing and realized my only other bra was in the dirty laundry. Going without wasn’t an option because I was on the large side of a size-C cup. Unfortunately, that meant special order or visiting a boutique which was too damn expensive right now.
Tying the strap as best I could, I grabbed my purse and ran out the door. I put my phone on speaker and called my mother, “Mom, can you at least give me a hint?”
“No, Sophia. It’s time to quit hiding. The accident was five years ago. Mandy was so excited when we got those tickets. Don’t you dare hurt her feelings. Besides, you need to go have fun.”
“It’s Mitch, isn’t it?”
“Sophia! Stop it.”
I hid my feelings and gave in to her guilt trip. She beamed through the phone, “That’s my girl! You’ll see. It’ll be a blast.”
I rolled my eyes when she laughed at her own joke. Normally, I wasn’t so disrespectful but this time of year always made me depressed and edgy. I’d always loved fireworks but had avoided the huge Fourth of July event since Ryan, my fiancé, had died in a car accident almost five years ago. The wreck had happened the week after my birthday. Mom told me goodbye and hung up as traffic came to a grinding halt.
Shoving the wave of memories out of my head, I finally arrived at the airport to pick up Rex. He’d shocked the hell out of me yesterday when he’d told me I was to pick him up. There was some type of conference in town so no rental cars were available. Rushing to his gate, I made it just as he walked through.
His angular stubbled jaw and rough handsomeness drew immediate attention as he moved through the line. The woman that checked his ticket gushed over him. I nervously shifted from one foot to the other. He spotted me and grinned, making my breath hitch when perfect teeth and dimples lit his face. The uniformed woman shot me a look of pure envy.
My whole body tingled as I wiggled my fingers at him. I tried my best not to cringe at the fact that I was a shabby hot mess compared to his polished presence. He carried a single bag on his shoulder and dropped it to stick his hand out to mine, “Hello, Sophia. Damn, you’re gorgeous without the pixels.”
I didn’t know whether he was joking or not but, throwing caution to the wind, I let attitude shine through, “Hello, Mr. Peterson. Isn’t technology a wonder?”
I had been trying to find a different job for about a month but lacked the time. He seemed as if he wanted me on call (24/7). For the last year, his mood had jumped from class-A Prick to overly friendly. Working for him was turning me into a nervous wreck.
Barely breathing, I took his hand which he immediately brought to his lips as my eyes widened. Kissing the back of it, he grinned, “Rex… okay? I feel ancient when a Mister is applied to my last name.”
His breath over the back of my hand threw goose bumps chewing up my arm. I inadvertently gasped and tried to cover with laughter but the, “Ancient… right!” would have landed me a job in a porn film.
Surprise then arousal slammed his face before a single dimple appeared in a one-sided grin, “I see you brought your sexy attitude with you.”
I kept my mouth shut, feeling my heartbeat accelerate and my pulse go wild. I tugged my hand but he wouldn’t let it go. Instead, he laced his fingers through mine as he picked up the bag. I was accustomed to the flirty or growling states but this lusty expression threw me for a loop. Wishing he would let go of my hand, I motioned toward where I was parked.
Trying to will my blood into cooling, I asked him which hotel he was staying at while we headed back toward the entrance. He shook his head, “This was a surprise to me, too, so I didn’t have a chance to book a room yet. Do you have any recommendations?”
“I have no idea what’s even around here.”
He nodded and finally dropped my hand, “Hold up. Let me ask.”
After a brief conversation, he came back to me, “Well, it appears that the hotels are filled due to the conference. I guess I should have realized when there were no cars available. Any suggestions?”
“Um… Did you bring your Kevlar vest with you?”
He picked up on my tone and grinned, “Uh-uh. What about your place? Do you mind a roommate for a bit?”
My eyes widened, wondering just how long he meant by ‘a bit’. I squeaked out, “You want to stay with me?”
He shrugged, “We’re going to be spending most of the time together anyway. What do you say?”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out in a blast as my heart leapt into my throat, “Okay. I have an extra bedroom but you’ll have to excuse the mess. I left in a rush.”
In truth, my place was spotless but I was hoping to deter him. The longer that I was physically near
him, the hotter my blood boiled. I didn’t like this one bit. He shrugged, “It’s better than getting shot.”
We climbed into my car and headed out for the long drive home. I asked if he was hungry and he shook his head. I suddenly remembered my plans for the night and reminded myself to call my mom in order to apologize when I arrived home.
Before I got the chance, my mom called about thirty minutes away from home. She informed me that the surprise date had been Mitch (my brother) and he’d just informed her that he wouldn’t be able to make it.
“That’s okay, Mom. I actually had something come up, too. Thanks anyway.”
After I hung up, he frowned, “Am I interrupting a hot date?”
“No. My brother was supposed to be arriving for a fireworks show tonight.” Shrugging it off, I continued, “It’s no big deal.”
He was silent for a minute so I glanced over to find him staring at me. I started to ask him what was wrong but snapped my mouth shut when his gaze dropped to my lips. Pulling his cell phone out, he quickly checked something before laying a hand on my arm which shocked the hell out of me, “Damn it, Sophia. It’s your birthday!”
I winced, “How’d you know that!?!”
I received a withering look, “I’m very organized. Why didn’t you say something?”
I frowned as my attitude sharpened it’s claws, “I’m not the type to inform people of such.”
He stared at me before saying, “So… fireworks for tonight, huh?”
The way he growled it made me nervous, “It’s okay, Mr… um, Rex… there’s always next year.”
“No, it’s not okay! It’s your birthday. Twenty-five, right?”
Surprised all over again, I braked way too fast, “Yeah.”
He nodded but remained silent. After parking, I started to get out but he said, “Since your plans were wrecked, allow me to treat… okay?”
“That’s really not…!”
He’d already jumped out of the car. I wanted to slap the steering wheel but swallowed my frustration and climbed from the vehicle. Opening the front door of my home, I spotted my half-eaten banana still sitting by my computer and quickly threw it in the trash. My stomach growled at the sight of it.
“You haven’t eaten anything since molesting that banana, huh?”
I tried to shrug off the hunger as well as his banana mumblings but my stomach betrayed me. His gaze flew over me as he laughed, “Uh-huh. You don’t need to miss any more meals.”
Suddenly self-conscious, I crossed my hands over my chest to glare at him. His dimples sprang to life as he brought heated blue eyes to my face in challenge, “When do the fireworks start?”
If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was blatantly hitting on me. I decided that I must be going nuts from hunger and told him at seven. He suddenly asked, “Do you have proper attire to go to a nice restaurant?”
My eyes widened as I burst out laughing, “No. I don’t really…”
“Uh-huh. Overworked, no time…” He nodded before saying, “Where’s the nearest boutique or whatever around here?”
Completely flustered, I shook my head, “Really, Mr. Peterson…”
“Sophia, call me Rex. Otherwise, I might just rock your world. And, I won’t take no for an answer.”
I took a deep breath as my jaw dropped, wondering what it would take to make him back down. Seeing my response, a grin swept over his face, “Go ahead and challenge me. I dare you.”
I stared at him for a moment before a groan of frustration did slip out. He laughed and jerked his head toward the door, leaving me no choice but to follow him back to my car. He swung into the passenger seat as I climbed behind the wheel. Obviously accustomed to getting his way, he asked, “What size are you?”
My eyebrows shot up before I blurted out, “Why, Mr. Peterson, you don’t have that information in your oh-so-organized phone?”
“Ah, hell. You’re something else, Sophia. You just challenged the wrong man.”
With agitation growing, I asked, “Why are you doing this to me?”
He closed his hand over mine on the ignition as he leaned in too close for my comfort, “I get the feeling that you’d just like to skip this day. What’s up with that?”
Having never met someone so damn shrewd, I shook my head, “I’m just not used to…”
He nodded, “Exactly. But, it’s your birthday, Sophia. This day is supposed to be about you.”
Practically vibrating with desire, I forced the key to turn in the ignition under both our hands. He pulled my hand to his lips again to breathe over it, “Besides, you look like you need some… attention.”
I frowned at him before shaking my head and pulling my hand back. Fresh challenge shot into his eyes but he stayed quiet as I pulled out of my drive. I headed toward the most expensive boutique in town, planning on using the high price as an excuse to not purchase anything. Unfortunately, I’d misjudged him again. Smooth-talking the saleswoman, he had several beautiful garments pulled out before I could utter a word.
After she gushed over a black lacy number that had my own eyes popping out of my skull, she dragged me back out like a trinket to show me off to him. His approving growl and roaming eyes had a blush spreading everywhere as he walked slowly around me. Pointedly tugging my broken bra strap loose, he leaned into my face, “When was the last time you indulged yourself?”
My eyes widened, “I…”
Interrupting me yet again, he declared, “Never, huh?”
He immediately handed the woman a credit card, “She needs pampering. Throw in whatever and don’t accept no. It’s her birthday.”
The woman beamed as she motioned toward the fitting room. My bottom jaw jutted out as I made my way back inside. She brought in bras and lingerie but I stubbornly shook my head, “I’m not trying on anything else!”
“Oh, I know these will fit. You’re the same size as me. By the way, he insisted on hair and makeup from next door.”
My jaw dropped before I spit out a string of curses. Her eyes widened, “I’m just the messenger, Ms. Carpenter.”
I nodded, scooping the items up and fleeing the room with the dress draped over my arm. I stopped in front of him, determined to say a full sentence and growing angrier by the second, “Okay. You got your way. But after my birthday ends, no more attention!”
Challenge flew over his face as yanked me against him to growl in my face, “No deal!”
I was so shocked by his sudden full-body contact that I squirmed against him. His lips hovered teasingly over mine as a shrewd look flashed into his eyes before suddenly releasing me. I stumbled right into the saleswoman.
With an amused look, she motioned toward the adjoining doorway that led into the salon. He followed me through and settled into a seat to watch. I sank gratefully into the chair but glared at him. His grin held a world of intention, “I heard you cussing at her. Now, let them pamper you.”
Two women appeared to block my view of him. An image of me whizzing a hairbrush at his head flashed through my mind before I was suddenly leaned backward for a shampoo. Forty-five minutes later, his heated blue eyes fucked every inch of my body. When I tried to look in the mirror, he blocked my view while jangling my keys, “I’ll drive.”
Uncharacteristically quiet on the way home, he had moved the mirrors so that I couldn’t even glimpse my image. I finally asked him, “Do you treat all your virtual assistants this way?”
He glanced at me as that sexy lop-sided grin flashed, “You’re my only virtual assistant. Besides, I need to talk to you about something over dinner.”
For an instant, I wondered what he meant before I spotted my mother’s car in the driveway. She flung open her door when she saw us. At first, I thought something was wrong because her hand flew to her mouth as her eyes widened. I jerked my door open in panic, “Mom, what’s wrong?!”
She ran over to me, “Oh, my goodness. You look wonderful.” Tears flooded her eyes, “I haven’t seen you look so good since Ryan, Sweetie
.”
Relief flooded through me, “Geez, Mom. You scare me half to…!”
Having suddenly noticed my boss, she pulled back as her eyes widened. He walked around with boutique bags in one hand and offered her the other one, “You must be Mom. I’m Rex, her boss.”
Her jaw dropped before she recovered, “Well, hello. I’ve heard so much about you.”
He raised her hand to his lips as he shot me another heated look, “I can only imagine. Nice to meet you.”
She smiled as if the sun rose and set on him while her gaze flew to mine, “Can I assume you’re treating her for her birthday?”
