Modern Arrangements: Complete Trilogy (Modern Arrangements #1-3)

by Sadie Grubor

  "I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave," he yelled when I walked away. Twisting around quickly to scowl, he slammed his empty shot glass onto the bar. Turning back away from him, I repeated my do not smash bottle chant.

  "This is really going to be fun tonight." Celia said sarcastically into my ear.

  I rolled my eyes. "Nothing like overgrown frat boys getting loaded."

  Fifteen minutes later, overgrown frat boy was definitely loaded.

  "Sweetheart! Hey, baby!" His meaty hand slapped at the bar.

  Taking a deep breath, I moved back to his end of the bar. Grabbing a towel along the way, I wiped up the spills.

  "More shots?" I focused on wiping down the bar not mister tall, drunk and spikey.

  "You can just leave us the bottle," he winked.

  "Great," I didn’t hide my sarcasm. "No problem." Forcing a smile, I placed the bottle on the bar. Before I could pull back my arm, his hand reached out and grabbed me. "Let go."

  "Not until I get your name," he smiled sleazily.

  "Let go," I said more forcefully, yanking at my arm.

  "Oh, how rude of me," he slurred, "I’m Tylor. What’s your name?"

  "Lilli, now, please, let go!"

  "Maybe…if you give me a kiss," he leaned across the bar. Placing the palm of my left hand over his sweaty face, I pushed him back.

  "Back off!" Celia came up from behind, peeling his hand off me.

  He put his hands up in the air, a shit eating grin on his face and a shrug of his shoulders. "Sorry."

  Rubbing at the red mark on my arm, I turned to walk away. The sound of glass smashing on the floor brought my attention back around. Before I could turn completely around, a sting spread over my ass followed by a tight grip.

  "What the—?" I spun and screamed.

  All in his attempt to grope me, Tylor leaned completely over the bar causing a shot glass to fall behind the bar. Before I could say anything, Tylor’s body jerked backward.

  "Who the fuck?" Tylor bellowed.

  "Do not touch her again!" A familiar voice snarled.

  "Who the fuck are you to tell me—?"

  Tylor meet the floor.

  "Her fiancé, asshole!"

  My eyes widened at the threat made clear on Aidan’s face. James and Oscar applauded while Dixon’s uncontrollable laugh floated over the crowd.

  Tylor tried to stand.

  "Stay down, asshole or you’ll meet her best friend next." Aidan motioned to Dixon who rubbed his fist in his palm. Aidan looked to me and Dixon stood over Tylor in full intimidation mode. "Are you okay?"

  I nodded, still in shock of the scene that just unfolded before me. With my hands flat on the bar, I leaned forward to see Tylor still on the floor.

  "Lilli?" I looked back to Aidan. His angry eyes focused on me. "Where the hell is your engagement ring?"

  "Uh...um..." Biting on my lip, I furrowed my brow.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Plans, plans, plans

  Lilli

  "It’s back in my room." I answered, hesitantly.

  "Why isn’t it on your finger?" He grabbed my left hand. "Did that asshole make those marks?" Aidan’s eyes focused on where Tylor grabbed me minutes before.

  "I don’t wear it to work," I shrugged, ignoring the question about the marks. "I’m afraid I’ll lose it in a blender or something." I tried to explain.

  Aidan glared and his grip tightened on my hand.

  "You wear the ring." He growled, letting go of my hand and sitting down at the bar.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  When that asshole grabbed her at the bar, I lost it. Then, she wasn’t wearing the engagement ring. It pissed me off. We were engaged, regardless of the circumstances.

  I sat there drinking and watching men ogle her the entire night. That fact just made it even more important that she wore the damn ring. She was mine now and she needed to make sure people knew. Having never been so possessive about a woman before, I wasn’t sure where these feelings were coming from. Regardless, possessing her took hold deep inside me. The world should fucking know and they would.

  Once everyone started to take off for the night, I stayed waiting for Lilli to finish up. We needed to talk. When she slid over the bar with her purse, I surprised her by being there waiting for her.

  "Aidan, I thought you left with—"

  "Nope, I waited." With my curt response, I grabbed her hand and walked her toward the door.

  The pace I set had us reaching my car quickly. She jerked her hand out of mine the minute we stood next to my dark silver Lexus.

  "What?" I said, irritated.

  "You aren’t driving," she ordered.

  "I’m fine," I argued.

  "Oh really?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Then you can go by yourself." She turned and began to walk away. Grabbing her around the waist, I pulled her back against the car.

  "Aidan," she protested.

  Placing my palms on either side of her body, I stepped close. The heat from her body penetrated through my thin white button down shirt. Her scent surrounded me, warm vanilla and exotic flowers. Arousal burned through my veins, causing me to sway a little closer.

  "Aidan," her warning barely a whisper.

  "Here," I held out the keys. She took them, hesitantly.

  After a quiet drive, with the windows down to cool my need to pull her in the back seat and fuck her like a teenage boy, she parked in my reserved spot in the complex garage. We made our way up to the apartment and she was halfway up the stairs. I didn’t want her to leave me yet. I brought the subject of the ring back up.

  "I want you to wear the ring, Lilli. Not leave it in your room." I instructed.

  "Whatever." She said without stopping or turning around.

  "I’m serious," I said louder.

  She stopped.

  "Fine," she spoke like a disobedient teenager and went into her room.

  Collapsing on the couch, I hadn’t been aware of how tired I was until I closed my eyes.

  Groaning, I covered my head when loud music filled my throbbing ears.

  "What the fuck." Groaning, again, I sat up and saw the clock. "Christ!" I’d slept in.

  Moving as quickly as my hangover would let me, I went upstairs. The music was killing me, pounding in my head.

  At the top of the stairs, I realized it was coming from Lilli’s room. I slammed my bedroom door behind me and winced.

  Showered, shaved and brushed, I threw on a suit and headed downstairs for work. On my phone, talking to my secretary, I halted at the bottom of the steps.

  There was Lilli, bent over—ass up. I groaned internally, taking in the curve of her ass, her forehead pressed to her shins, arms wrapped around her calves. To make the situation even more unbearably perfect she wore shorts so short I could just make out the beginning curve of her bare ass and the tiny bra looking top exposing her bare mid-drift. In an erotic trance, my secretary rambled on about something. I couldn’t even comprehend with the sight before me.

  Did she do this every morning? Her ass is just…damn…it’s perfection.

  Then she moved. Lilli stood upright, her hands stretching into the air, slightly pushing back. Her breasts pushed outward. I started to harden and bit my lip to hold in the moan threatening to erupt from my mouth. Using my free hand, I adjusted the growing discomfort within my black suit pants.

  "Mr. Iverson?"

  Shit!

  "Yes, I’m sorry. I was distracted for a moment." I had no clue what my secretary had said. When Lilli heard me, she snapped around quickly. "I’ll be in shortly." I hung up.

  "I thought you were gone." Her arms crossed over her stomach, pushing her breasts together.

  Just when I didn’t think that it could get any hotter in here, she bit her lip and blushed.

  Fuck me! Please! If I had to see this, even occasionally, there’s no way I’m going without sex for four years. Hell, she’s lucky I didn’t bend her over the couch right now.

  It took me a
moment to collect my thoughts.

  "I passed out on the couch and slept in this morning. I’m leaving now." Walking toward the door, I grabbed my keys and quickly headed out before I acted out my desires.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  With thoughts of Lilli and a raging hard on, trying to focus on work all morning was torture. During each meeting, I drifted off to the curve of her ass, the slope of her lower back, her breasts pushed forward.

  By the time four o’clock rolled around, I was ready to explode. I’d been too long without sex. I contemplated telling Lilli flat out that she needed to make sure I was out of the house before she did her exercise shit. But the selfish, sick bastard in me wanted to see it—every morning. Thinking about it, yet again, had me hard against my thigh.

  Finally, having enough, I told my secretary to hold my calls for the next twenty minutes and not to disturb me. Channeling my inner sixteen year old boy, I went straight to my private bathroom.

  Attempting to calm myself with cold water didn’t work, I just couldn’t erase the image or the fire lit by my arousal. Closing the bathroom door, I undid my pants, letting them pool around my ankles along with my boxer briefs. Taking my hard length into my hand and closing my eyes, I let the images of Lilli flood my mind.

  The memories from this morning quickly turned into my own fantasies of bending her over the couch. Yanking those short shorts roughly down her thighs, letting my hands roam over her smooth skin. Pushing my own pants to the floor and releasing myself to immediately press against her. She wriggles against me, moaning my name, begging me to take her. I slip into her in one smooth motion, grab her hips and slam into her over and over. Her orgasm around me triggers my own.

  My satisfied groan bounces off the walls as I stroke the last wave of my self induced orgasm. Steadying my breathing, I clean up and go back to my desk. The rest of my day is much better.

  Saturday morning, when I emerged from my room, I saw that Lilli’s door was open. I stumble downstairs unsure, but hopeful to find more masturbation material. When I find the living room completely quiet and empty, I almost shed a tear.

  After making some coffee, I sat in the living room watching Sports Center until twelve thirty. Curious about her whereabouts, I was about to call her when the apartment door opened. Lilli groaned as Phoebe chirped away at her side. When both of them saw me, they stopped short.

  "Ladies," I smiled.

  "Hey," Lilli said quickly, going toward the stairs.

  "Hey, Aidan." Phoebe smiled brightly, following after Lilli.

  "Lilli?"

  "Yeah?" She turned around halfway up the stairs.

  "We need to leave by—"

  "Four. Yeah I know." She smirked and continued upstairs.

  "I only have three hours." Phoebe scoffed and grabbed Lilli, pulling her up the stairs.

  Lilli stumbled a few times on the stairs, turning around to glare at me when I laughed. Phoebe pulled her along into the bedroom.

  "Hurry up! Get in the shower qui—" The slamming of the door cut off Phoebe’s rant.

  Shaking my head, I continued to watch TV.

  Around two o’clock, I made a move to get ready. By three thirty, I was downstairs drinking bourbon and pacing impatiently in a tux. James had already called me three times, informing me of how I was slacking in my Best Man duties. I assured him I would meet him and the rest of the wedding party by four thirty after taking Lilli over to Viola and Liam’s.

  When a door opened, I looked up to see Phoebe bounding down the stairs. She smiled at me, grabbed the bourbon out of my hand and finished it. Placing the glass on a nearby table she spoke.

  "You shouldn’t be drinking before you have to drive. Plus, you’ll want to be completely sober when you see her." She giggled and then breezed out the front door.

  "Lil-li," I started to yell for her to hurry but froze when I saw her at the top of the steps.

  "Calm down," she rolled her eyes. "I’m coming." She started down the steps. All I saw was legs.

  From the flesh toned heels, up her creamy perfectly toned silky legs, my eyes drank her in. Exposed to mid-thigh, dark blue material rose up over her curves, to her collarbone. The flawless creamy skin of her shoulders and arms were bare. She looked stunning. My masturbation material just went up about a hundred notches.

  "Hellllooo…Aidan?" Lilli waved a hand in front of my face, clearly trying not to laugh.

  "Huh?" was my brilliant response.

  "Are you ready to go, Mr. Impatience?" She grinned.

  "Uh…" I looked her over again "Yeah." I collected my thoughts. "You look…nice."

  Nice? She looks like I want to lick her from ankle to nose with only a few stops along the way.

  "Uh…yeah…thanks," she blushed. "Phoebe did it." She crinkled her nose a little and smiled.

  There was an awkward silence. I swallowed hard. "Okay, well, let’s go."

  In the car, her dress rode up exposing more of her thighs. I began rethinking dropping her off with my aunt and uncle.

  Did I really want her walking in alone looking like this?

  The only thing calming me was that she will be with Viola. I did a double check of her left hand. She wore the ring, my ring. Tonight, everyone would know she was off limits and that it was me she belonged.

  "So, you’re sure you’re okay with going over with Viola and—?"

  "It’s fine, don’t worry about it." She smiled at me, and then went back to looking straight ahead.

  "I’ll be with you at the reception. We’re not sitting as a bridal party but at family tables. So…"

  "Aidan its fine, you don’t have to explain to me." She shrugged.

  We pulled up to Viola and Liam’s home.

  "Wait!" Grabbing her thigh, her eyes shot to my hand.

  Did she feel it too, this intense need? I let me hand linger too long.

  "Stay here." Collecting myself, I went around the car, opened the door and helped her out. "You need to get used to that."

  "Uh…okay," she furrowed her brow.

  The front door opened before we got up the stone stairs. Mrs. Summers, Viola’s house keeper, stood with a large smile on her face.

  "Good evening, Mr. Iverson," she nodded. "Ms. Snowe." She smiled.

  Lilli smiled back warmly.

  "Lilli, I’ll see you at the church, okay?" She nodded and entered the house. "Lilli," I blurted.

  She turned around, brows drawn in confusion. "Yeah?"

  Stepping up close to her, her body tensed. I pressed my lips to hers. Savoring the taste of her lips for only a minute, I pulled back. Eyes still closed, she swayed toward me. Oh yeah, she feels it too. With a self-satisfied smile, I walked back to my car. My lips prickled with the lingering heat of her mouth all the way to the church.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Lilli

  What the heck was that? Tingling danced over my lips.

  "Lilli, dear," I snapped around quickly to see Viola coming downstairs in all her glory. She radiated classic beauty. She was in a classic floor length black dress that had a boat neck style collar and was sleeveless. The dress had a thick cumber ban style waist that showcased her 1940’s starlet curves. Her caramel hair was in finger waves that rested on her shoulder. "You look lovely dear," she smiled widely. "Aidan must have been struggling to leave you tonight." She lightly giggled.

  "I’m sure he’ll be fine." Forcing a smile, I tried to play off the left over feelings brought on by Aidan's kiss.

  "Hey, Lilli." Maggie called out as she descended the stairs, dressed in what I was learning was typical Maggie fashion.

  Geez, I need to get her and Phoebe together.

  Maggie was Phoebe's living dress up doll wet dream, prancing down the stairs in a strapless silver dress with black lace overlay. The hem of the dress whispered over her knees with a full puffy skirt. Accentuating her tiny waist, a black belt with large black rose hugged her. Black lace gloves and black platform shoes were her perfect accessories.

  "Geez girl, you look hot,"
she gestured for me to twirl.

  "You’ll have to talk to my friend Phoebe. She did it all." Looking up from my own dress, I glanced between Viola and Maggie. "You both look amazing."

  "Oh thank you, dear," Viola kissed my cheek.

  "Alright ladies, we must get going. The car is waiting." Liam appeared from a side room. He looked over the three of us. "Well, Aidan’s loss is definitely my gain. I get to enter with another lovely lady." He smiled widely.

  "Liam Iverson quit your flirting, you dirty old man!" Viola giggled and smacked him lightly on the chest. He smiled down on her with such love and adoration I felt like an intruder on their intimate moment.

  "Oh God!" Maggie groaned. "Go to your room. We have a guest here!" She rolled her eyes. Mrs. Summers arrived with coats.

  We climbed into the car and took off for the church. The church was gorgeous and once we were seated the groom and groomsmen took their places. I looked over to Aidan as he stood smiling and fighting laughter next to James. It was in that moment I saw the copper tones reflect in his hair from the light shining in through the window behind them. His skin was so perfect, almost like perfect white marble. He turned toward his family and when his eyes locked on mine he smiled and I smiled back before turning my head toward Maggie.

  Maggie was discussing the wedding and the Irish traditions that their family followed, however, I couldn’t seem to calm the fiery ache that was nagging at me and my lady parts. One look and a crooked smile was all it seemed to take for me to react to him.

  I really was a whore.

  I pulled myself together just in time to hear Viola chime in that we should get together to discuss some wedding details as well as get my dress fitted.

  "You don’t mind wearing my dress do you?" She said in a hushed tone with concern in her voice.

  "Viola, I told Aidan we could just go to the Justice of the Pea…" she gave me a horrified look. I put my hand on top of hers and tried to recover quickly. "He insisted that you wanted this, so I am more than happy to do whatever it is that you have planned." I smiled at her and she seemed to finally breathe again.

  "Well, I still want your input. Come to my house on Wednesday, can you make it?" I nodded just as the music started. We all turned to see the bridesmaids enter, followed by the flower girls. Last was the very princess like bride. Her dress was huge and I only prayed that Viola did not have that in mind for me.