Applying for Pleasure

by Jade James

  "It gets better,” Sean stated sarcastically. “A whole lot better. Not only was she arrested for DUI, but the same night she was hauled in, she was charged with attempted manslaughter. She'd hit a twenty-three-year-old man crossing the street that night. A miracle, the man survived the injuries, but he required several operations to repair the damage done."

  "This can't be. She can't be the same person."

  Ariel closed her eyes at the displeasure in his voice. She wished she'd told him. Perhaps it would have changed everything they'd experience together, preventing anything from ever happening. And she wouldn't have blamed him one bit. She couldn't stop the hitch in her breath, and the tears from flowing. Why did she ever think this wouldn't come back to haunt her?

  "Her uncle is a judge. I suspect he helped get her records sealed once she served her two-year probation. I also think his pull extended to the amount of punishment she received. But our private investigator called in a few favors for me, and here it is. All the details and even a photo of the victim. Your injuries do look painful. It was in fact a miracle you survived this."

  There was no way she could have heard Sean correctly. It was a miscommunication. But now she remembered when she'd first heard John's name. The sense of deja vu, and knowing in that minute, he was linked to her in some way. She'd ignored it then, had forced the feeling away as if it were nothing. And now she regretted the foolish impulse. If she'd only listened to herself, she wouldn't be caught in a predicament that would only result in her heart broken into a million pieces.

  "I suspect she knew from the very beginning who you were. She could have killed you that night. I could have lost you.” Sean's words squashed any doubts she had that it couldn't be true.

  Oh God, could this get any worse? It was a fluke, a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence she would have never seen coming. Bile rose up her throat, and she forced down the need to puke. How could something like this ever happen? Was this a cosmic joke? Or was the world a really small place after all? She couldn't handle this. The dread she'd felt earlier multiplied and now weighed heavily in the pit of her stomach. This was something she never saw coming.

  But she had heard Sean correctly, and suddenly she remembered every second of that horrible night. She'd drunk too much and swore driving home would be a breeze. She'd arrogantly steered the streets, racing to get home before her parents arrived. She had seen John crossing the street, and had forced the car to a stop by pressing heavily down on the brakes. It had been too late. She hadn't been sober or fast enough, and the sounds of him bouncing off her car, landing on the pavement would forever be etched into her memory. She'd almost killed him, ended his life over one horrible judgment call. He'd recovered fully from his injuries, and she had been elated upon finding out. But none of it washed away the horror, the emotional wreck she had become. It had taken her years to force away the guilt...years to forget the shame. She'd never had another drink again, because the thought of what John had gone through sickened her.

  She'd appeared in court and had pled guilty. John had been too injured to attend. But she'd seen his picture in the paper back then, and she could admit there were similarities such as the dark hair. But there was still enough of a difference between then and now in his appearance.

  Karma was a bitch. She should have known she was due to pay for the pain she'd caused him. She just never would have guessed in a million years, it would have been this painful. There was nothing she could say or do that would ever make up for the hurt she'd caused him. And still, she couldn't make herself walk, leave his office to never return. She wiped her tears. She had to get a hold of her emotions before she broke down completely.

  "How could this have happened?"

  John's tone was like a splash of cold water. He must be feeling a thousand horrible things about her. She couldn't blame him one bit. She wanted nothing more than to rush in there, to make sure he knew she hadn't planned this. But how would he receive her? How would seeing her at this moment make it better somehow? It wouldn't, and she knew it never would.

  "She must have known who you were from the name on our site, and sought you out,” Sean replied. “Maybe in her weird way, her fantasy was an apology to you. Sicker things have happened in this world. I warned you the end result wouldn't be to your favor."

  Sean was making her sound like some twisted being. Anger gave way to the need to defend herself and then warred with the need to run. She never knew what exactly made her feet move to the office, what pulled her to open the door to confront them both without so much as a knock in warning. And even now as she stood before them, emotions rushing through her, she could still feel how much she wanted and needed John. As she stared at his surprised gaze, in that moment she realized how much she loved him. But with the realization came the hard truth: because of their past they would never work out.

  Her gaze settled on him. She tried to memorize every detail, knowing this would be the last time she'd see him. How was it possible for her heart to physically hurt from such emotional pain?

  "Ariel? What are you doing here?"

  John moved around his desk, closer to her. But she raised her hands. She couldn't read the emotions in his face, and that in itself made her want to run.

  "I came by because I wanted to surprise you...speak with you. But then I heard what you and Sean...” She stumbled and swallowed against the ball of emotions rising in her throat. “I heard you and Sean outside your office door."

  "Wait, Ariel,” John interjected as he took a step toward her.

  "No"—she shook her head—"please, I only need a few minutes of your time. I heard everything your brother said. But there is one thing I want you to believe. I never knew you were the same person from that horrible night.” She thought she had control over her tears, but they began to flow once more. “When I first read your name, I immediately thought how it always brought the memories forward...and how unlikely it was that you could be the same John I had injured. What were the possibilities that we would both end up in the same city? And what were the chances we would ever cross paths? And if I had known it was you after all these years when I applied to Capture Inc., I would have apologized a million times to you before walking out. I never intended to hurt you then, and I have no intentions of hurting you now."

  "Your tears are wasted here,” Sean replied, anger evident in the tone of his voice. “We would have never allowed you into Capture Inc., and we know what your plan was."

  Ariel forced herself to turn to Sean. There was a seething rage in his gaze, and she couldn't blame him one bit. She could have killed his brother, and nothing in this world would have been more unforgivable. But was there more to Sean's anger? It wasn't something she could handle thinking about right now.

  She glanced at John, who watched her.

  "I don't expect you to believe me. I can't blame you for what you're thinking. After today, you won't see me again. My past has come back to take a huge bite out of me, and the hurt I'm feeling right now is nothing compared to what you had to go through. I never meant to hurt you. And it's something I'll carry with me always. I'm deeply sorry for the pain I've caused you."

  She turned and walked out, hearing Sean's parting words, “Good fucking riddance,” right before she heard John yell her name, and her heart really did break into a million and one pieces.

  SHOCK, WARINESS, AND a whole other set of fucked-up emotions held John immobile. He fought between the desire to go after her, or punching the living crap out of his brother. Anger boiled inside him at Sean's careless, senseless words. John had just been blindsided with the surprising information, and all he could hear was Sean's contempt for Ariel. Sean had never given her the benefit of doubt, but instead found her guilty and punished her by hurting her with his words.

  "You're better off not ever seeing her again,” Sean stated. “And if you want to take this further, we could even bring a lawsuit against her. What a fucking con artist."

  Sean's mouth made the decision fo
r him. John walked over, lifted his arm, and in all his fury punched Sean in his mouth. The minute his fist hit Sean's face, pain shot up John's hand and arm. The violent blow sent Sean slamming into the wall, but he managed to remain on his feet.

  John watched, his chest heaving as Sean lifted his head, his lips coated with blood. The sight didn't calm the anger inside of John. What the fuck was wrong with Sean? Yes, the news had shocked John, but Sean's reaction to the information had crossed the line.

  "I get that you were worried for me and for the company. That's the only thing that's saving you from a beating. But if you ever speak one word against her again, I will sever all business and familial ties with you,” John growled before walking out of his office.

  The pain almost forced her to her knees, and it hurt to breathe, but Ariel managed to run out of John's office as if the devil himself was chasing after her. She'd fallen in love with the one man she had tried so desperately to forget. Her heart seemed to throb in agony, and she couldn't stop the tears falling.

  She was still astounded at what had happened, still bewildered at the chances of it being him after all these years.

  She somehow managed to climb into her car, turn it on, and drive home. She felt broken, her heart still aching. She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.

  Somehow she knew she'd get through this. She had no choice.

  She didn't know how she'd ended up at home, but now that she stood before her condo, there was nothing more she wanted than to just hide and forget all the myriad emotions racing through her. She opened the door, entered, then closed and locked it.

  She sent a haphazard text to Isabel, stating she'd be away for a few days, and she'd call her when she returned. She also e-mailed her boss, letting him know she'd be attending to an urgent family matter and wouldn't be in for two days. There was absolutely no way she could face anyone, and she desperately needed to pull herself together.

  John seemed to have believed the worst of her, but how could she let him know otherwise when it was his own brother who looked at her with such hatred? She couldn't compete with Sean, nor would she ever want to. A true family's love was unbreakable, and the fierceness in Sean's words only proved how much he loved John.

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  Chapter Ten

  The incessant pounding on her door drew her awake.

  "Ariel, I know you're in there. Let me in."

  She hadn't answered any of John's phone calls, and he had called plenty of times. She'd acted like a coward, leaving his office without letting him have his say, but she hadn't been ready to bear the look of disgust he must have felt for her. But she couldn't hide forever. She rose from the sofa and walked to the door.

  She could do this. She could face him. She breathed deep and then opened it. In that instant, she lost her breath and her false bravado. He looked as gorgeous as ever, and all she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms.

  She stepped to the side, and he came in.

  "I've been worried about you."

  She shrugged, hoping to hell she looked nonchalant, and knowing she failed. “As you can see, I'm fine."

  He walked toward her, stopping when he was inches away. She almost closed her eyes, relishing the heat of his body so close to hers. “Ariel, what Sean discovered surprised me. The look you saw on my face when you entered my office was one of shock. It was in reaction to the news that our past was linked this way. The chances of us ever meeting were slim to none."

  She could understand his feeling surprised. She had felt the same way, but she'd thought she'd seen loathing in his eyes. “You mean it wasn't anger and disgust?"

  He reached for her hand, and her skin sizzled at his touch. “The anger wasn't directed toward you. It was Sean and his careless words that were so upsetting. Yes, the news he told me froze me to my feet. But even before I knew exactly who you were, I long ago forgave you. You were a teenager who made a mistake. And though I could honestly say my recovery time was difficult, I never once hated you for it. I lived, and holding on to hatred for the person responsible wouldn't have been productive for anyone."

  Her eyes watered as his voice soothed her hurt. “How can you be so forgiving? Your brother despises me, and he probably has a right to."

  John's gaze narrowed. “Let's switch roles. If it were me who'd accidently hit you back then, would you have carried such hatred with you? Or would you have learned to forgive? Better yet, if you'd felt such a deep connection with me, would anything matter other than us finding out where it could lead? As to Sean, I've dealt with him. He had no right to speak for me or allow his own feelings to become so volatile. He will never speak about you in such a way again."

  "What did you to do to him?"

  He pulled her hand up and placed it over his chest. “His face had a run-in with my fist."

  She couldn't help the laugh that erupted out of her. He desperately tried to look innocent while he delivered his message, but as soon as she smiled, she noticed the twinkle in his eyes.

  "How could this ever work between us? How could you so easily forget how much hurt I caused you?"

  "It's in the past. I moved on from that part of my life long ago. What we've shared is worth pursuing. Don't let the past ruin the future."

  He made it sound so easy. It was a hard thing to do. Probably one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. But he was completely right. They had to move forward, and to do that she needed to let go of her past. John was worth it.

  She smiled up at him and rose to her tiptoes as she pressed her body against his. “You're right. Let's see where our hot fantasy goes."

  John sat and watched as Sean entered his office. He closed the door before sliding into the chair across from him. It had been a month since their altercation. It hurt that his brother hadn't trusted his decision to go after Ariel. And it hurt worse when Ariel had spoken to him about Sean visiting her. He had wanted to pound him to the ground for accusing her in such a manner. Instead John had decided to deal with Sean strictly on a business level. But it had hurt.

  "I was wrong about Ariel. I let my worries for you, the company, and my past history with Samantha get in the way of you finding happiness. It's no excuse, but I sincerely apologize to you and Ariel. I took the liberty of sending her a dozen tulips with an apology. I'd like to take the both of you out to dinner and start all over with her."

  He was right. It was no excuse, but the wedge of separation John had felt since their fight seeped away. He loved Sean, and it would do no good for either of them if he held a grudge because of a mistake. “I accept your apology, and I'm sure she'd love to do dinner. She isn't at all like Sam. She's not with me for my money, nor will she ever run from me. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

  Sean rose from his chair. “It's done between us. I have the future to look forward to."

  John nodded and hid his worry for Sean. He'd have to get over Sam's betrayal in his own time, but John would always be there for him. “Let's go pick up Ariel and give you a chance to get to know her."

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  Epilogue

  One year later

  Ariel moaned as John slid his cock deep into her pussy. She was wet with arousal, and her cream coated his cock. Her wrists were bound by a scarf, which was secured to the bedposts. She was powerless, pinned to the bed, forced to take his thrusts, and she loved every minute of it. The feeling of helplessness only served to heighten her desire, and as he sank his dick, Ariel tugged on the bonds, her pussy clenching around him. Her love for him, the fact he always took charge in the bedroom as she submitted to him, clogged her with emotions. He had made all of her fantasies come true, and now they dreamed up new ones together.

  "Oh John, fuck me harder,” she whispered. John growled in response as he tightened his hands around her hips. “Ariel,” he groaned as he surged upward, pushing in deeper. She whimpered and squeezed her thighs. He moved, then reached down, rubbing his thumb cross her clit. Fi
re sizzled through her womb as she spasmed around his dick.

  God, she'd missed this...missed him. He was perfect for her, and the thought of coming so close a year ago to walking away from him made her want to cry. She pushed the thought away and swiveled her hips, riding him as he continued to toy with her clitoris. Her cream drenched both of them, and she dug her nails into the bedposts, her legs tightening even further.

  "Ariel, come for me, love."

  He followed up the words with a slightly hard rub to her center as he thrust his dick high, and she broke apart, screaming his name, triggering his orgasm. She felt him shoot his seed deep, felt his cock throb and the aftereffects of their joining left her breathless.

  Minutes later, he untied her and eased off to her side.

  She turned sideways, so she was snuggled against his chest. “I've missed you,” she whispered against his chest. “I never expected you to sell Capture Inc., nor would I ever have asked you to."

  It had been two weeks since they'd been together. He'd been away on business, finalizing the sale of his portion of the company to one of his navy team members, Jack Riley.

  "The decision had more to do with our future than anything else. It was the right choice for not only me, but for us. When we're ready to have children, I'd feel more comfortable in knowing their dad did something a bit more respectable."

  He sounded chivalrous and endearing. “It just never crossed my mind it was something you would ever do. I don't want you to ever have regrets over it."

  "There will never be regrets when it comes to you. Besides, Mason has allowed me to become co-owner of Romero Investigations. And working as an investigator is something I've always wanted to try my hand at."

  A weight lingered within her. “As long as you're sure."

  He reached down and touched her face. She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “I'm completely sure. There's a question I've been meaning to ask you."