“Yeah, don’t we all. What kind of friend would I be if I let you get off the hook that easily? You don’t talk about your mom very often. What happened Saturday?”
I shrug, and pick at the food on my plate. “Nothing much. She was her usual judgmental self, putting down what I wear and how I live.”
“Ignore her. If I had a rack like yours I’d show it off, too. What else?”
“Really, it was nothing out of the ordinary for her. Next, she launched on her regular man-hater campaign. Ending, of course, with her favorite diatribe on my father.”
A look of sorrow crosses my best friend’s face, exactly what I’d hoped to avoid and why I don’t normally open up about my mother. “I’m so sorry, Carla.” She reaches across the table for my hand and I resist the urge to pull away and reject her sympathy. I don’t want her pity. I’m not my mom.
I must have mumbled part of that last thought because she says, “Of course you’re not your mother—not all men are like your dad, either.”
A jolt spikes through my heart and I clench my hand on the table. Heather feels the movement and looks at our joined hands. Is that why I’ve become content to be alone? Because I secretly fear the man will walk out on me in the end? Unable to voice such raw emotions, I attempt a smile. “Thanks, Heather. I know you’re right—but I also know, I don’t know what I want.”
“The first step is to stop trying to control every interaction and just be yourself for a change.”
I nod. I’m too afraid to speak and reveal more than I’d like. And what if I do as Heather suggests and the man still walks out on me? The devastation almost killed my mother. Would I survive such a loss any better?
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. A familiar pair of shoulders and bright blue shirt slides between people. Is that Andy? He wraps an arm around the torso of the striking brunette at his side. He leans in to place a brief kiss on her cheek, a soft smile curving his mouth.
Blood turns to ice in my veins as I watch the couple walk out. He gives her a big hug and opens the door to her dusty sedan parked in front of the restaurant. He strolls away as my lungs remember how to work and I suck in a sharp breath.
“What’s wrong?” Heather asks. “You’ve got the meanest look on your face.”
Cold settles over me as I lock down the growing interest I had in my heart for the rat bastard. Guess what we had was just sex for him. I thought what we shared last night was different. Did he spend the day in her bed when I refused to go back to his place after the bar? Disappoint swells inside and I scrunch it down, refusing to acknowledge the feeling. “Nothing.” I force a brittle smile onto my face. “Nothing at all.”
*****
By the time I get back to my apartment I’m numb. I can’t believe I almost let Heather talk me into thinking this “thing” with Andy could be something more. I never would have pegged the quiet unassuming man as the type to have multiple women on the line, but then again, I also thought he’d be a boring lover, so what the hell do I know?
I can’t decide which hurts more, being right or wishing I was wrong.
My phone rings. I glance at the display, it’s my mom. “Crap.” Today is her actual birthday and I forgot to call. Might as well get the painful conversation over with as soon as possible.
I swipe the unlock on the tiny screen and click answer. “Happy Birthday, Mom.”
“Hmmph. Not so happy when I had to call you. Did you forget?”
“No, Mom,” I quickly lie. “I was working late and just got home.”
“I heard from your sister.”
“Good,” I try to steer the topic onto something brighter, which in this case is my little sister. “How’s Julie doing? Did you see her this week?”
“No, she’s traveling with work. Said she’d come up this weekend. But she and her rich boyfriend did send me a nice flower arrangement.” She snorts. “Julie never had any taste so I’m guessing the hot-shot property developer picked them out.”
“That’s nice.” Geez, what is with this woman that every nice gesture is turned into something bad with her retelling it?
“Want to place bets on how long their relationship lasts? I’m betting another month, tops.”
“Mom! That’s pretty cold. She’s in love. Can’t you just let it go and be happy for her?”
Another miserable grunt greets me over the line. “Love doesn’t last. You just wait and see.”
The burning pain inside me at seeing Andy with that woman at the restaurant makes me hold my tongue. I want desperately to argue with her, to make her see how negative she’s being, but a big part of me fears she’s right, so I keep quiet. Thankfully I only have to listen to her for a few more minutes and then we hang up.
Facing Andy at work tomorrow is not going to be easy. Wish I had some dumb stud in bed to distract me. Maybe I’d even call in sick or take a mental health day and go shopping. With inspiration hitting me, I call the guy I went to dinner with last night, before I saw Andy. Sure, he might have been a little boring, but he won’t break my heart.
“Hey, Brian. It’s Carla. Are you free for lunch tomorrow?”
“I’ve got back to back meetings. How about Monday?”
Resolve hardens my heart as I think of Andy and his other woman. “Sounds great. I’ll see you then.”
Chapter Ten
Andrew
Carla has alternated all day between avoiding me like the plague and staring at me for minutes on end during two meetings. I swear the woman doesn’t know what the hell she wants. She won’t talk to me, and according to Outlook, doesn’t open my emails unless there are other people CC’d on them.
When she refused coming back to my place Wednesday, I shrugged it off. I could tell by her reaction she’d never had an experience like the one I showed her and I thought perhaps she was still feeling torn on what to do. Should she keep searching for the man with the exciting career who must be wild in bed, or take a chance with the guy she only thinks of as a friend? And then I took off on Thursday to see my mom. It’s like I came to work to a whole new person.
It’s the end of the day and I’m going to push the envelope with her and see how she responds. I need to get some type of reaction from her. “Afternoon, Carla.” I lean against her cubicle wall, invading her personal workspace.
The young blonde jolts at her desk and her cheeks turn pink. “Hi.”
“What’s eating you?”
She harrumphs and returns her focus to the paperwork in front of her. “Nothing. Just busy.” Carla’s cheeks flame red and I can’t tell if she’s embarrassed or angry by what happened between us.
“Bullshit,” I say.
Her head whips up. “‘Bullshit?’ What the hell? You don’t know me.”
Shock tightens my stomach. Yup. She’s mad. I lower my voice and lean closer. “Really? I bet I know a part of you no one else in the world knows.”
The red of her cheeks joins with the red creeping up her neck, definitely more embarrassed, now. “Leave me alone, Andy. I have no intention of becoming another play thing for you.”
“Another play thing? Is that what you think?”
She turns to me, a look of steely determination in her eye. “Yes. Now, leave me the hell alone or I’ll tell your boss you’re flirting with me and I’d like it to stop.”
Heat burns in my chest. “You wouldn’t. That’s total BS. We have the beginnings of something here.”
Ignoring my last comment, she says, “Try me.”
I turn away, deciding to regroup. No way in hell am I letting that parting threat stand. But handling this at work is not the right thing to do, either.
*****
Saturday morning, after a night of drinking alone and resisting the urge to call her, I journey to Carla’s apartment. Unfortunately, she’s not home. If she had returned any of my texts last night I might not have ventured over uninvited, but I couldn’t let whatever distance is building between us to continue. She’ll push me out be
fore I get a second chance to prove myself.
She likes yoga, so maybe she’s getting an early morning workout. I grab a cup of coffee from the bodega across the street, deciding to wait and see if she returns. Luck shines on me within twenty minutes. Carla strolls up the street, dressed in yoga clothes and looking more relaxed than she did yesterday. Good, this might be my only chance.
I wait five minutes and follow, wanting her to catch another elevator before me so she’s inside her apartment. I have no desire for a confrontation in the lobby of her building—that could seriously backfire if she’s still pissed.
I ring her bell. The sound of footsteps approach the door and I assume she’s looking at me through the peephole. Silence ensues. “Carla? I know you’re in there. I can hear you. Open up.”
Her outraged huff reaches me through the closed door a split second before she opens it. “What do you want? Why the hell are you here?”
She steps back from the door slightly and I take it as an opportunity to let myself in.
“Hey!” she exclaims. “That was rather rude.”
I whip around to face her as she closes the door. “And you think the way you treated me at work yesterday was any better?”
“Oh, please.” She flounces past me and drops on the couch. “I’m sure you were working your magic on someone else right after.” She stares into my eyes, a challenge in her tone. “It’s not like what we did really mattered to you.”
“I don’t know where this crap is coming from. I miss a day at work and you’re a different person.”
“Yeah, where were you on Thursday? Was some brown-haired woman warming your bed?”
Shock drives me forward to stand in front of her. Anger vibrates through every muscle in my body. “Is that what this is all about? I take a day off and you immediately jump to the wrong conclusion? And where would I have met this mystery woman? In the bar, right after I pleasured you?”
“Did you? How the hell would I know? You probably have a little black book full of women who want to do wild things with you.”
My anger dissolves when I see she’s more jealous and hurt than truly angry. “Is that what you think?” I lower my voice and step closer. “You think what I shared with you is something I do all the time?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know you. We had one mediocre night together,” I wince at her description, “and then you start coming on super strong and sexy. It’s nerve wracking!”
I sit in the chair next to the couch, eager to reach out and take her hand, but worry the timing is wrong. “You do know me, Carla. I’ve never been anyone but me at work or anytime we’ve talked.”
Distrust flashes across her face. “Uh-huh. Sure.”
I’ll prove to her I’m not some nameless, faceless man she brings home. Six months of working together… she’s got to know a little bit about me, right? I refuse to believe she’s this selfish, spoiled brat she’s pretending to be at the moment. “Where is my favorite place to order lunch?”
She snorts. “Oh that’s easy. Every time it’s your turn to pick for delivery you go with Ray’s Pizza.” The humor leaves her face immediately. “That’s not really knowing someone.”
“Name a movie I saw last month.”
She stares off toward her kitchen. “I don’t know what in the hell this proves. You saw the latest action flick starring Bruce Willis, half the guys from the office went with you.”
“Who organized this year’s fantasy football team in the office?”
“Ugh. You did. That was annoying as hell.”
“Do I own a car?”
Her face scrunches up. “No, I don’t think so.”
“What’s my favorite color?”
“How in the hell would I know?” Her head whips back toward me. “Give me a break.”
I run a hand through my hair, unwilling to give up. “Think, Carla. You’re not some unobservant twit. You’ve chosen to be purposefully blind where I’m concerned, and you should ask yourself why.” Her expression starts to shut down and I realize I may have pushed her too hard. “What color do you see me wear the most?”
“Well…” she relaxes into the couch. “I do recall you wear a lot of bright blue ties.”
“Bingo. Because it’s my favorite color.”
Her eyelids drift lower and she fiddles with the tie on her yoga pants, “Yeah, well, it does go great with your eyes.”
A huge smile breaks across my face. “See? Was that so hard? You do know a little about me.”
She snaps to attention and straightens in her seat. “I still don’t know who you were with on Thursday.”
“I spent the day with my sister, visiting our mom.”
Her face freezes. “You have a sister?”
“Yeah, a twin. Hair and eyes the same color as mine, almost as tall, big pain in the ass…” My voice trails off as I watch the play of emotions cross her face. Understanding seeps in. “Shit, did you see me with her on Thursday night and think she was my date?!?” Horror and humor fill me in equal parts. “Date my sister? No way! Didn’t you notice we look alike?”
Mortification flits across her expression. “Uh… now that you mention it, I guess you did look a little alike.” I laugh and she cracks a smile. “You could have been one of those good-looking couples who look like a matched set together. Hey! It was an honest mistake.”
“So, you think I’m good-looking?”
A crafty look enters her eye. “Nah, it was totally your sister who made you look good.”
I laugh, the tension I’ve held the past day easing out of me. “All this could have been avoided if you’d talked to me.”
“About what? We’re not an item. We haven’t even gone on a date.”
Determination fills my soul. “I’d like to change that. Give me another chance.” She hesitates and I grab her hand, laying a soft kiss on her fingers while slowly running my thumb across the back of her hand. “You like what I made you feel in the back room of the bar, didn’t you?” She nods. “There’s a lot more in store for you… if you just give us a chance.”
She glances at her watch. “Do I have to answer, right now? I need to shower and be someplace in an hour.”
“Is it Dress for Success?”
She looks at me sharply. “How did you know?”
“Because I pay attention, Carla. You may pretend to be this prickly woman to keep men at arm’s length, but you’re not all sharp edges. You have a depth to you. I’ve seen it.”
“Well then, care to put your money where your mouth is? I’m helping to process donated items today. It’s my least favorite job and I could use a hand.”
Hope swells when I realize this could be the first brick in taking down her emotional wall. “You’re on. I’ll get us lunch while you shower.”
Chapter Eleven
Carla
The warm water cascades over me, easing the last bit of anxiety from my body. I can’t believe I thought his sister was another woman he slept with! Thank God I didn’t follow my first instinct, which was to storm up to them on the sidewalk and yell at Andy. That would have been humiliating, especially since I’m always the one preaching I don’t need a man.
What Andy made me feel on Wednesday… it’s not about need, it’s about want. My nipples tighten as I recall how liberating it felt to be blindfolded and pleasured. I want that sensation again. I want to feel more. And that cute little accountant might be just the one to give it to me.
I resist the urge to tweak my hard peaks and the overwhelming desire to pleasure myself in the shower. I hurry through my washing, worried Andy will return with lunch while I’m still in the bathroom. I pick a pair of tight jeans that showcase my ass nicely, and a snug top to display the cleavage revealed by my push-up bra. If I’m thinking more about that man than I want, then damned if I’m not going to drive him to distraction every chance I get.
I put on light make-up and give my short hair a quick blast with the hairdryer. By the time I finish, my phone vibrates.
It’s a text from Andy. On my way up. Can you let me in?
Yup.
Within five minutes, we’re seated at the kitchen island and eating. I’m hyper aware of him sitting next to me, his jean clad thigh brushing against my own. I’ve caught him stealing a few sly looks down the front of my shirt. Good. That was the goal when I picked it. If I can keep him off balance maybe I can get the upper hand on this puzzling, but attractive, man.
We clean up after the meal and leave for the elevator.
“You’ve got a nice place, Carla.”
“Thanks,” I say while hitting the button for the lobby. “You almost sound surprised.”
Andy shrugs, his hands in his pockets making the movement look cute. “My sister is a slob. I never know what to expect in a woman’s apartment.”
I laugh, the idea of Andy turning his nose up at a beautiful woman with a messy apartment strikes me as hysterical. “You’re a hard guy to figure out.”
“Me? I’m hard to figure out?” Andy coughs and it turns into choking.
The elevator opens. “You okay?” His choking stops and he glares at me. “What? You think you’re an easy guy to understand?”
“I think you’re the one who’s a hard nut to crack. Not me.”
“Me?” I say as we walk across the lobby. “Aren’t I the ideal hook-up? I like to have fun with no strings attached. What guy doesn’t want that?”
Before I even anticipate Andy might react to my statement, the man pins me against the wall near the front door. “You’re more than a hook-up, can’t you see that?” His big blues eyes stare into mine, daring me to disagree.
“I—”
His lips descend on mine, covering my mouth with their warmth and intensity. After a moment, the tip of his tongue traces along my bottom lip. His voice comes out soft, the heat of his breath fanning my face. “If you don’t expect much from the man you’re with, then why waste your time with him?” He kisses me again, this time delving deeper, encouraging my tongue to play with his. “You are worth more. Don’t ever forget it.”
Contemporary Nights Volume One Page 6
