Desire Me

by Kayla C. Oliver

  I heard her snort. Very unladylike. “Yeah, no kidding. It sucks because all I really wanted was a sister, and then I got one. Talk about more than I bargained for.”

  We stepped out again and ooh’d and ahh’d over each other’s dresses. Hers was green this time and absolutely perfect on her.

  “The worst part?” she continued, ranting about her wicked stepsister. “She’s in town.”

  I winced. “Jesus, seriously?”

  She nodded solemnly. “No bullshit.”

  “Well, then we will just have to avoid her the whole time you’re here.”

  Grinning at me, she nodded. “Hell yes. This is why you have always been my favorite. You make so much sense.”

  I laughed. “Likewise.”

  “Now let’s get these absolutely fabulous dresses and move on to the shoes.”

  “Agreed.”

  Chapter Ten

  Trent

  We ended up taking longer than ten and twenty minutes to get ready. An hour and a half later, Sarah looked like a million bucks in a shimmery liquid-looking silver dress and dangling earrings. Her face was framed by deliberate curls, and her eyes were outlined with dark mascara, while her lids were smeared with a glossy silver that matched her dress. Her heels put her taller than my shoulders, and I swear she even added some glitter across her shoulders.

  She was a knockout, and I was proud to take her out for the evening. I was also feeling a little protective, because she was like my little sister and I didn’t like the idea of watching a bunch of bumbling idiots try to drunkenly hit on her.

  Still, she was a big girl, and I wanted her to find her happiness—away from Callum—so I reminded myself to tolerate a little flirting.

  “Hands stay above the hips!” I shouted at a man who was trying to see how far his fingers would travel down her leg.

  Instantly, his hand snapped away from Sarah. He muttered something to her, then shuffled away like a kicked puppy.

  Sarah rounded on me and scowled. “Really? You’re fucking killing me, Harvey!”

  I waved her off. “Don’t be ridiculous. He was an ass. I was saving you from a boring night with a boring individual who wouldn’t have even remembered your name.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re a pain.”

  “You love me.”

  “Doesn’t mean you’re not a pain, just that I’m a very patient, good person. Saintly even.”

  I laughed. She had a good sense of humor, and I loved her for it. “There was never any questioning your sainthood.”

  We headed over to the bar, pushing through the throng of people, to order some drinks. The club was one of those rooftop bars where the lightshow was as impressive as the drinks and the natural outside air helped keep out the smell and the heat. It was the best of everything, and it was one of my favorite places.

  Sarah ordered for us, batting her long lashes at the bartender, who laughed a little and pushed a couple of drinks at us. He was a friend of ours mostly in passing and had a soft spot for Sarah. I briefly wondered if that friendship was worth pursuing for her, but didn’t push it. I didn’t want to play matchmaker; I just didn’t want her hung up on Callum.

  She handed me one of the drinks, and then the two of us turned so that our backs were to the bar and we could watch the craziness of that many bodies pushing together to dance. It was like watching one huge entity with many moving parts.

  Creepy, but kind of cool, too.

  Sarah shouted something at me, but I didn’t catch it.

  “What?”

  “What’s so special about her?” she tried again.

  I blinked. It took me a minute to realize who she was talking about, but when it clicked, it clicked fast. Courtney, my sexy secretary. “Nothing!” I shouted back at her.

  She made a face at me, then leaned closer so she didn’t have to shout as much. “Don’t be an ass. I’m not an idiot. You’ve never been this hung up on a woman before. Not since…” She winced and looked briefly like she wanted to redirect where she was taking this, but ended up finishing with, “Well, not since high school.”

  Instantly, I remembered.

  High school. The bullshit that came with it, but also the good parts. My grandmother telling me to take pride. Callum walking into my life like a million bucks. And her.

  I couldn’t see myself in the mirror, but I didn’t have to to know that my expression had darkened. I could feel it in the tightness of my shoulders, the hard clench of my jaw, and the way my teeth felt like they were trying to crush rocks.

  I would never forget her, and that made me almost as angry as the fact that I’d been so hung up on her in the first place.

  I couldn’t change the past, but if I ever got the chance, she would be it.

  In a single swallow, I downed my drink, then set it on the counter behind me. Suddenly, the swirling bright lights, the pulsing music, and the undulating crowd of bodies weren’t nearly as entertaining.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sarah’s expression. Apologetic. Sympathetic. A host of other emotions that I didn’t give a shit about right then.

  She opened her mouth to apologize, but I wasn’t interested in hearing it just then. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I told her, cutting her off before she could say anything else.

  I threw myself into the crowd, an effort to not just avoid any further conversation, but also an attempt to forget the woman whose face was permanently etched into my eyelids and branded on my brain.

  I started dancing with the nearest woman, a pretty thing with wild curly hair and smooth dark skin. She shimmered and danced like nobody’s business, and for a second I stuck with her.

  But I couldn’t stay for long.

  I was still wrapped up by the woman I’d never quite let go of, and I needed something strong enough to distract me. My eyes began to scan through the crowd as I danced until they landed on a woman with ample curves but a little waist. She had ruby-red lips and hair that fell in deliberate curls around her shoulders and down her back.

  In that moment, I decided: I was going to take a woman home tonight. I was going to fuck her like nobody’s business, and then I was going to feel better. More like myself. I’d forget all about the women in my life that were causing me problems. Just like that, I’d be fixed.

  My eyes lingered on the sexy, curvy woman across the room. I moved toward her like a predator hunting its prey. Her eyes met mine, and that sexy little smile told me that she was game to be my meal tonight.

  I reached her in moments, my hands sliding automatically to her waist. It was little beneath my large hands, and the strategically placed darts in the fabric allowed my skin to brush hers. It was hot and sweaty and spoke of passion.

  Just what I needed.

  Her breasts bounced as she gyrated to the music. I fell into step with her, pressing us close together until our hips collided. Her lips parted and she batted those long lashes at me. When I saw her pink tongue slip out between those parted lips, I knew she was game for whatever I wanted.

  Leaning closer to her, I whispered hot breath in her ear, “Wanna get out of here?”

  I felt a giggle roll through her ample chest, which was plastered against my front. The contact and her body was enough to get my arousal going. I felt myself grow in my slacks and knew this would be good. It would be fun and string-free and just what I fucking needed.

  “Yes,” she murmured and nodded at me.

  I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and texted Sarah. Can you make it home on your own?

  In a minute’s time, I received a reply. Way ahead of you. Already in a cab. I don’t feel like puking.

  I grinned and shook my head. I didn’t have to worry about Sarah tonight, and that was a relief. Even being annoyed at her, I didn’t want anything bad to happen because I’d had to feed a very specific need.

  I glanced at the woman again and nodded at her. “Let’s go, beautiful.”

  She giggled again and let me lead her through the cr
owd. We made it to the elevator before my hand was up her skirt and her tongue was in my mouth. She tasted only slightly of alcohol and a little of sweat. Her skin was hot in my hands, pliant as I massaged her ample rear. She ground herself against my crotch, all but begging for me to take her then and there.

  Then the bell dinged and the doors opened. I pulled my hand free from her skirt and led her out the door to the parking garage. She slipped into the passenger seat and spent the whole ride massaging my dick through my pants.

  It was a fast ride.

  When we got to my place, I all but dragged her up to my bedroom, my clothes coming off as quickly as possible. When the door was closed, she grabbed the hem of her skirt and tugged it up. I watched as she exposed her bare pussy to my eyes. No panties and smooth, pale skin. I watched as her dress was lifted higher and higher, revealing those large tits.

  Her nipples were hard, and the underside of her breasts had that perfect curve to them.

  I shucked off my slacks, my erection already aching and ready. I reached into the bedside drawer and retrieved a little foil package for the main event. But before I slipped the condom on, my little nightclub sex kitten was on her hands and knees. Her ruby-red lips were full and parted easily over the head of my cock. I sucked in a harsh breath as she slipped me into her mouth, slowly taking me as deep as she could. She didn’t choke but pulled back when I thought I might be halfway down her throat.

  “Jesus fucking Christ,” I muttered, laying back on my bed.

  Those red fucking lips.

  Those perfect fucking hips.

  And those tits. Large. Curved perfectly.

  I let myself go like that for a minute, indulging in her hot mouth wrapped around my length. My hands found her hair, caressing it and pushing it back from her heart-shaped face.

  Her eyes opened and looked up at me, and I froze.

  For just a second, it wasn’t the woman from the bar. It was Courtney. The red lips. The perfectly curled hair. The womanly curves mixed with that little waist.

  Jesus. I’d taken home a copy of the woman I was having wet dreams about.

  She was taking me into her mouth again, and I knew I could let her. I could let her suck me, then slide into her bare pussy without a single complaint. She’d probably tell me to take her faster and harder and I’d bottom out inside of her. All of which was incredibly appealing. But now that Courtney was in my head again, I couldn’t get her out.

  I didn’t want this woman’s body wrapped around me. I wanted Courtney’s. And that made this all very, very wrong.

  Which was why I lifted her mouth away from my throbbing dick. She pulled away with a pop.

  “What? Did I do something wrong?”

  She looked so concerned for a moment that I felt really bad.

  I shook my head, even as I eased her off the bed. “No, no. You’re great. Awesome. And sexy as hell. I just—”

  I broke off, because I had absolutely no idea what to tell her. Gee, I can’t sleep with you because I’m imagining you’re this other woman that I’d rather be with sounded fifteen shades of horrible.

  Instead, I said, “I just can’t do this. I thought I could, but I can’t. You’re great, but I need something else tonight.”

  Her face pinched together, and she looked angry. “Damnit. You couldn’t have decided that while I was still at the damn bar? Or had my fucking clothes on?”

  She wiped her mouth, then went to get her dress. She pulled it on quickly, then scowled at me. “Thanks a lot, jerk.”

  I winced. “I’ll call you a cab. On me.”

  This mollified her slightly, but just barely. I had the feeling she needed the release tonight as much or more than I had. I felt a little bad for not providing, but I couldn’t help it. It just didn’t feel right.

  I pulled on a pair of sweats as she headed out the door. I heard it slam behind her. I called the cab quickly and gave them a credit card, telling the driver to take the woman wherever she asked, on me. She could have technically driven to New York City on my dime, but I didn’t care.

  When I hung up, I shuffled down the hall to Sarah’s room. I knocked on the door. Through the wood, I heard an annoyed “What?” come through. She sounded like she was probably buzzed at the least, but I opened the door anyway.

  I didn’t say anything initially, prompting Sarah to sigh dramatically from her bed where she’d flopped face-first. “Jesus, what do you want, Trent?”

  I hesitated half a second, then just told her the truth. “I think I might be sort of in love with Courtney.”

  There was a pause, then a groan. “Christ. Well, I guess you’d probably better tell her, or you’ll never get over it.”

  And with those drunken words of wisdom, I realized what I had to do and how much I wasn’t going to like it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Trent

  It was only a couple of days since our last meeting—mine and Marnie’s—but she was upping how many of them were we having in a rather stupidly desperate attempt to light a fire under my ass and get the manuscript in her lap. Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly working. And, yeah, probably some of Marnie’s bitchiness was coming from the fact that I’d bailed on half a dozen of our meetings and left the others early. She was probably getting back at me for that, but I wasn’t having it.

  I didn’t have anything new to offer her as far as the manuscript, so I wasn’t going to parade myself through there like a dog-and-pony show just so she could say that she was trying to do her job.

  Besides, I didn’t have a lot of reason to go to Marnie’s office right now. Courtney hadn’t called me in several days, and damnit, she wasn’t at work either. When I’d poked Marnie about it, she’d nearly chewed me into bite-sized Trent bits, so I’d smoothly chosen not to bring it up anymore.

  I dialed Marnie’s number and waited as it rang. I could picture her on the other side trying to pull out her red hair and rubbing her face until her freckles came off. It was sort of amusing, though I doubted anyone else would see it that way.

  A few more rings, then Marnie answered. “Harvey, whatever it is, I don’t want to hear it.”

  “Is that anyway to greet your moneymaker?” I asked innocently.

  “Last I checked, you don’t initial off on my salary.”

  I shrugged, though she couldn’t see that. “But I sort of do. I bring the company money, and the company pays you.”

  She snorted, which was sort of cute because she did this squealing-type thing. “That would imply that you are in fact making my company money. Which I’d like to point out that you are not.”

  “But I will.”

  “Not if you don’t finish that damn manuscript.” I could hear the heat rising in her voice and imagined her face a blotchy red that matched her hair.

  “Don’t worry about the manuscript. I’ll get it to you when I’m ready.” Before she could chew my ass about the fact that it wasn’t yet ready, I pushed through. “In fact, cancel today’s appointment. It’s not done yet, so there’s no point in wasting anyone’s time. I’ll get ahold of you when I’m good to go.”

  “Damnit, Harvey!”

  That was all Marnie got to get out, because I hung up on her. She would be pissed, but she was already pissed, so I figured that wasn’t anything new. I seemed to press every one of her buttons, and I couldn’t honestly say that it bothered me much to know that.

  She called back immediately, but I ignored it. Instead, I dialed Courtney’s number.

  She hadn’t talked to me since our date, and it was eating me alive. I wanted another chance, and the fact that she wouldn’t even return a damn text message anymore was depressing me. Whatever writer’s block I’d been having was only amplified by the fact that Courtney was ignoring me.

  The phone rang just as the door opened. “Sarah?” I called in question. “I thought you were going to be gone most of the day?”

  The phone continued to ring as footsteps came up behind me, but before it could go to voicemail, a
large hand snatched my phone out of my hand.

  “Hey!” I protested, turning only to find Callum standing there. And he looked pissed.

  “Hey your fucking self.” He hung up the phone, though I supposed it didn’t matter. It was pretty clear she wasn’t going to pick up.

  Still. “What is your problem?” I demanded, reaching for my cell. But he jerked it away from me, playing keep-away. “I was in the middle of a call.”

  Callum ignored me and my attempts to grab my cell. He merely moved the phone a little farther away. “Stop being a fucking jerk to Marnie,” he told me bluntly.

  My eyebrows rose in surprise. We were friends and Callum wasn’t afraid to speak his mind when necessary, but that was a little to the point even for him. “What?”

  “You heard me. Stop being a dick. Marnie’s really frustrated about you right now, and it’s making her crazy. So knock it off. She doesn’t deserve that.”

  I couldn’t help it—I laughed.

  Callum’s eyes narrowed and he looked for a moment like he might try to crush my phone in his hands. Of course, that would probably have just ended disastrously, so I could see where he reconsidered at the last moment. Instead, he tossed it onto the couch and took a step toward me. “Seriously? What the fuck are you laughing about?”

  I waved him off, composing myself. When I’d caught my breath, I explained. “Sorry, it’s just… you’re so adorable.” This didn’t really help with his temper, so I hurried on. “Getting all protective over Marnie, being her knight in shining armor. It’s cute, that’s all. So sweet.”

  Even as I teased him, poking the bear as best I could, there was a tiny part of me nestled in the back of my brain that was jealous. He had something, something real, and it looked good on him. Like a suit tailor-made to fit him, Callum wore affection perfectly. I wasn’t sure if it was love yet, but it was heading that way quickly, and a part of me was really starting to hate him for it.

  He’d fought against the idea of being with Marnie, and now here he was, nestled comfortably in her world like he’d always been there.

  It wasn’t fair of me, but I couldn’t help it. The woman I wanted wouldn’t even return my calls, but he had his on speed dial.