by Durand, Anna
"No. At uni, I realized I'm pretty good at business too, especially marketing and advertising."
"But you still think you don't want a relationship with any woman."
Here, tonight, with Arden... I'm beginning to reevaluate what I want. My realization from earlier today comes back to me, and I know without any doubts that I want more than sex with this woman.
"Never mind, I'm being too nosy," Arden says. She grabs a fresh paper plate and puts two slices of apple pizza on it. She holds the plate between us. "Time for dessert."
After we eat the apple strudel pizza, we watch two movies on television, then it's time for bed. Arden asks if I want to sleep with her---just sleep, no sex---but I say I'd rather sleep in my own room. It's a lie. I'd much rather crawl into bed with her for the night, but I don't trust my willpower.
I walk her to her bedroom door.
She kisses my cheek.
"There's something I need to tell you," I say.
"Go on."
"I want to date you, Arden."
She stares at me, her gaze nailed to mine. "Date? As in... date?"
"Yes."
"Isn't that kind of what we've been doing all day?"
"Sure, but I want to make it official." I hold out my hand like I want to shake hers, realize that's a stupid thing to do, and clasp her hands instead. "Let's get to know each other for the rest of the two weeks until the wedding. No sex, just dating. Are you interested in that? With me?"
"Of course I am." She smiles shyly, the way she did right before we had sex for the first time. "I'd love to date you, Reese."
"Brilliant." I kiss her forehead. "Good night, Arden."
"Good night."
She goes into her room and shuts the door.
I'm dating. Me. Dating. It's a precursor to a relationship, and I'm volunteering for it.
And it feels bloody fantastic.
Chapter Twelve
Arden
This morning seems brighter and more beautiful than ever before. Reese and I are dating. For the first time ever, I feel like I'm with a guy who doesn't want my trust fund or my body. Well, not only my body. Reese asks about my family and the things I like to do. He lets me drag him through museum after museum and even seems to enjoy it.
I love being with him.
Okay, I've known him for barely more than two days, three counting today which has just begun. I don't love him. But I can love being with him and love the way he makes me feel. Reese is surprisingly sweet, given his reputation as a player. And his determination to not have sex with me only makes me like him even more.
Despite the fact I want to climb all over his naked body.
I've decided to give him the rest of the week for just dating. After that, I want him. If I have to prance around in my undies all day and all night to get his attention, I will do it. Maybe I'll try walking around buck naked in the apartment. He can't resist that, can he?
I climb out of bed, stretch, and yawn, while I think about what Reese and I can do together today. I haven't shown him the art museums yet. Or Central Park. Or Coney Island. Ooooh, so many wonderfully fun places to take him.
Today, we are going to make out. No sex does not mean no kissing, and I'm in desperate need of his lips on mine and his tongue in my mouth.
But I'd really love his tongue somewhere else...
I put on panties and a bra, then by habit I open the bedroom door. I don't like being shut in all the time, and I'm used to living alone. Reese's bedroom door is shut, so I assume he's still sleeping. I start doing tai chi, relaxing into the sequence of gentle, easy movements. The peacefulness of the routine sends all thoughts drifting away, so for once, I'm free of lustful fantasies about the sexy Brit sleeping across the hall.
Out the corner of my eye, I see the door to Reese's bedroom swing open.
And there he is. The reason for my insanely intense lust. Standing there with nothing on but a pair of black briefs. Sure, I've seen him naked and explored every inch of that body, but something about Reese in those tight briefs makes me start to tingle all over in the best way. It feels decadent and naughty.
He saunters across the hall to my room and leans against the doorjamb, tipping his head to the side while he regards me with nonsexual interest. "What are you doing? I don't know much about yoga, but that doesn't look like what you're about right now."
Looking at him makes me lose my concentration, so I give up on finishing my routine. "It's tai chi, which is very relaxing and steadying. Some people call it meditation in motion."
"You meditate?"
I sit down on the bed. "Yeah. Why are you so surprised? Aren't crazy people allowed to seek a higher state of consciousness?"
"Well, yes, of course." He ambles over to the bed and sits down beside me. "I've never seen anyone actually doing meditation or tai chi or anything like it. My family isn't into that sort of thing. Elena has Chance doing yoga, but I think he only goes along with that so he can use it to seduce her. I wouldn't mind watching a sexy girl twist her body into all those yoga poses."
He winks at me.
"Down, boy," I say. "Afraid I don't do yoga."
"We can invent our own version."
He's got that look in his eye, the one that makes me shiver in the most enticing way. But I agreed to celibacy, which was his idea, so he has no call to be looking at me like he wants to tickle my tummy and rip my clothes off.
And he really has no right to be so hot and British.
"You'd better stop talking," I tell him. "Your accent makes me horny, and I'm trying to stick to your no-sex plan. Better put on some baggy pants and a big old sweater too."
His sizzling bod in those black briefs is making my mouth water.
"I didn't bring any clothes like that," he says. "The weather's too warm, love."
"Yeah, but I'm still obsessed with screwing you. Can't help it. You look so damn good in... everything. So it's really your fault I'm obsessed with sex."
"I see." He slants toward me until his shoulder bumps into mine, and his voice goes all deep and sexy. "I can grow a thick beard if that will help."
"That will take too long, and besides, I doubt it would alleviate the problem." I slide my fingers along his jaw, loving the scratchy feel of it. "You're way hotter with morning stubble. A beard would probably turn me into a wild animal."
"But I might like that."
I smack his thigh. "Cut that out. No more flirting until you're ready to get naked with me again. Capisce?"
"All right, have it your way." He gets up and stretches, giving me a fantastic view of his body and the lump in his briefs. "What should we do today?"
"Let's play it by ear." I stand and shoo him away. "Go get dressed, you steamy hunk of man candy."
Reese grabs me, hauls me into that mouthwatering body, and plants a firm but brief kiss on my lips. "Anything you want, Luscious."
Then he saunters back into his room and shuts the door.
We make breakfast together---which, with this guy, means we spend more time laughing and kissing than actually cooking---and afterward we head out to my favorite art museums. It's the start of a week-long adventure consisting of visits to everywhere we can think of that sounds like fun. On day four, we visit Coney Island and have a total blast there. Bumper cars with Reese makes me laugh so hard my eyes water. On the roller coaster, I shriek and cling to Reese. He grins the entire time, keeping his arm around me.
After that, we play games like Whac-A-Mole and Water Racer---and I win a stuffed giraffe, which I give to Reese. He does a formal, courtly bow when he accepts my gift. And of course, he kisses me---though he keeps it PG rated.
I've never had such a good time. Ever.
We go shopping too, and Reese buys me a Cyclone T-shirt to commemorate the day we rode that roller coaster together. I buy him a shirt with a mermaid on it. He promptly whips off the shirt he's been wearing and pulls on the new one, spreading his arms and grinnin
g. I get that glowy sensation in my chest again, like I had the night we did the deed, the one that feels good and weird at the same time. At the aquarium, we watch the sea lions and the fish and all that stuff, but then Reese pulls me into a dark corner and kisses me. It's slow and sensual and not at all in line with his plan for celibate dating. At least, it seems that way to me. I love it anyway. Not only does he have a magic dick, but he's also got a magic mouth.
Reese insists on buying me dinner at a pizza restaurant, which is delish, then we walk along the boardwalk hand in hand while we watch the sun dip lower and lower in the sky. Once it's dark, we head for the Wonder Wheel. I haven't been on a Ferris wheel in ages and ages. When I told Reese that earlier, he insisted we must ride one today. After we climb into a car, he slips his arm around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. It feels nice and comfortable, like we've known each other for months instead of days.
As soon as the wheel starts moving, Reese nuzzles my cheek and whispers, "I'm not afraid of having a relationship with you."
My breath catches. Dating is one thing, but a relationship would take us to the next level. Is he really prepared for that?
I turn my face toward him, and our eyes meet. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Depends what you think I'm saying." He drags his fingertips down my cheek. "I want to get involved with you, Arden. Seriously involved."
My voice refuses to work. Stunned speechless? Me? Wow, it's hard to believe.
Reese brushes his thumb over my lips. "Do you want that?"
"A relationship? With you?" I smile. "Yes, I'd love that."
He smiles too, but it's no exuberant grin. It's sweet and tender.
"Don't relationships involve sex?" I ask.
"I, uh, guess so." He bows his head, scratches the back of it, then looks at me again. "But we shouldn't. Not yet."
"Okay, fine, we'll stick to celibacy." I slump on the seat and throw him a sideways glance. "It's not fair to be so irresistible when you refuse to have sex with me."
"I'll make it worth the wait, I promise."
Our car reaches the ground, and we climb out of it.
Reese slings an arm around me. "How about ice cream?"
Yeah, that's what I'm hungry for right now. Ice cream. Sheesh. Maybe if I get to lick it off him...
But we stay platonic for the rest of the evening and go to sleep in our separate rooms.
Damn.
Chapter Thirteen
Reese
Spending this much time with Arden has proved a hard test for my willpower. She's so sexy, even when she's shoving huge bites of pizza into her mouth. To survive a week with her, I've had to put up some walls between us. Real walls. The kind that separate my bedroom from hers.
Why can't I shag her again? I know there was a reason, but it's fading from my memory.
Did I actually tell her I want a relationship? Yeah, I did. And I meant it. Dating seemed like a huge step, but a relationship feels like jumping off the Empire State Building. I love that feeling. It's the best high in the world, next to making love to Arden. Which I can't do. Because I said we shouldn't.
Why did I do that?
I get a reminder the next morning when Chance rings me---to check up on me, naturally. I can't be trusted not to deflower every virgin in New York City.
When I answer my mobile, I speak before Chance can. "No, I'm not having sex with Arden."
"Good day to you too, Reese."
"Don't pretend you aren't ringing me to make sure I've kept my randy paws off your fiancée's best friend."
"Maybe I am, but that's not the only reason I rang you."
I sigh, leaning my head back against the sofa. I've been sitting here while I wait for Arden to wake up and emerge from her room. "What else do you want, Chance?"
"Elena needs Arden in New Hampshire on Wednesday instead of Friday. She needs help with some sort of wedding dress crisis. It sounds like nothing to me, but Elena's having an anxiety attack."
"Aren't you loving all the feminine bollocks that comes with a wedding?"
"What would you know about it? You've never proposed to a woman in your life---and proposing a one-night stand doesn't count."
I scratch my neck and my cheek, because I've suddenly developed itches all over my body. "You make me sound like a right bastard. If you think I'm such a dick, why haven't you flown over here to drag me away from Elena's best friend?"
"Relax, Reese, it was a joke. You're not a dick." He hesitates before asking, "Do you like Arden? Really like her?"
"What, are we children now? Do I like her. What an asinine thing to ask." I have no idea why the question makes me uneasy, or why I get snarky with Chance because he asked it. I also have no bloody clue why I say, "Do you think Elena would mind if I wanted to, um, date Arden?"
Since we're already in a relationship, why do I need to ask permission? If Elena vetoes the idea, I won't stop dating Arden.
But I want to know what my brother thinks of it.
Yes, I'm an idiot.
"Date? You?" Chance laughs, but it doesn't sound like sarcasm. "Never thought I'd see the day. I'll ask Elena."
I hear a noise like he's holding the phone away from his face, then he shouts his fiancée's name.
"Chance, I didn't mean you should actually ask her---"
But it's too late. He's not listening to me anymore, and I hear Elena's lovely laughter when he asks her, "Would you mind if Reese dates Arden?"
"Of course not," she says. "As long as he behaves."
"I'm afraid that's not at all likely."
"That's not funny," I say so loudly I'm almost shouting. "You two are off my Christmas list. And forget birthday presents too."
Elena laughs again, and Chance joins her this time.
The bloody pair of them. I'm seriously concerned about whether Elena and Chance mind if I date Arden, and they're laughing at me.
"It's okay," Elena says. "But Arden's the one you need to ask for permission."
Maybe I should admit to them I've already done that, she's already said yes, and we're already dating and in a relationship. No, that would be too much honesty.
Some sort of movement catches my attention out the corner of my eye, and I glance toward the hallway.
Arden has come out of her room wearing nothing but those damn plaid knickers and a bra so thin I can almost see through it.
"Got to go," I tell Chance and Elena. "See you in New Hampshire."
I hang up and jump off the sofa. "Good morning, Arden."
"Morning." She yawns, holding a hand over her mouth. "What were you yelling about?"
"Nothing. I was on the phone with Chance and Elena."
"You should've let me say hi too."
"Sorry. They were in a sarcastic mood, anyway."
Arden strolls over to the sofa but sits on the coffee table instead. She yawns again. "How's the happy couple?"
"Irritating and nosy."
She tilts forward to touch my knee. "Did you tell them anything about us?"
"If you mean did I tell them we slept together and it was the best sex ever, no." Now I'm squirming, because her hand on my knee has suddenly become the biggest turn-on in history. Her lack of substantial clothing doesn't help either. "But if you mean did I tell them we're dating, the answer is yes. I asked if Elena would mind that."
"What did she say?"
"That I need to ask your permission, not hers."
Arden smiles in that way, the one that dimples her cheeks and makes me want to drag her into my arms for a kiss so deep it'll be almost like sex. "You already have my permission, Reese, for dating and a relationship. Date me like crazy, date me like you really mean it, like you---"
"I understand." And I'm positive whatever she'd wanted to say next would've diverted all the blood in my body to one particular region. "Let's go out for breakfast this morning."
"Ooooh, I'd love that."
; "You should pick the restaurant, love. I don't know what's good around here."
She rubs her palms together, her tongue poking out between her teeth while she considers the options.
And I want to fuck her. On the coffee table.
Instead, I tell her, "Why don't you think about where you'd like to eat while you get dressed?"
"Okay." She hops off the table and heads for the hallway, but she stops halfway there to glance back at me. "I really like you, Reese. You're lots of fun and so sweet. Not at all what I thought a player would be like."
She goes into her bedroom and shuts the door.
Arden likes me.
Chance had teased me about whether I like her, and I'd gotten snarky about it. How do I feel about Arden Clover Pesti?
I like her too. A lot.
For some reason, I feel the need to change into nicer clothes, so I hurry down the hall. My old jeans and T-shirt don't seem good enough for a formal breakfast with Arden. Unless she plans to take me to a fast-food restaurant. Then I'll be overdressed.
I freeze halfway down the hall. What am I going to wear?
Oh no. I've turned into a woman.
The door to Arden's bedroom flies open.
She's standing there wearing denim cut-offs that barely cover her arse and---what do they call those things?---a tube top with the tiniest sweater I've ever seen. It covers her shoulders, though barely, and stops a few inches past her underarms. The thing looks like it shrank in the wash, or maybe it's a doll's clothing.
But it's her feet that make me choke on my own tongue.
She wears heels so slender I can't imagine how she stays upright, and so high that I think she might be taller than I am while she's wearing those shoes. They have thin straps to hold them on her feet, and to show off her lavender-painted toenails. Those high heels are the sexiest thing I've ever seen.
And I want to lay her down on the floor, toss her legs over my shoulders, and take her right here. I want that even more than I did a few minutes ago. So badly that I'm fisting my hands and gritting my teeth.
"Ready to go?" she asks. When she looks down at my feet, she says, "You might want shoes."
