Fair Play

by Madison, Dakota

  I’m surprised when the bartender comes back with the check. “Did you both have fun?”

  “We had a great time,” I say a little too enthusiastically because the liquor is really starting to hit me.

  “Should I call a cab?” he suggests.

  “I can drive,” I insist.

  The bartender shakes his head. “No, you can’t.”

  “I don’t like being told what to do.” I glare at the bartender.

  He glares right back at me. “I don’t care. You, Princess, are not getting behind the wheel of a car.”

  I gulp. There’s an edge to this guy that actually scares me a bit and I’m not easily shaken. And in a weird way, it’s even a bit of a turn on.

  “Why don’t you call that boyfriend of yours to pick you up?” the bartender suggests.

  “I already told you I don’t have a boyfriend.”

  “Yeah, that’s what you said.” He sounds unconvinced.

  When I glance over at Roxie, her eyes are narrowed. “You have a boyfriend?”

  “I don’t have a boyfriend,” I insist.

  “Why don’t you text the guy who’s not your boyfriend to come and pick you up?” the bartender prods.

  “Hell of an idea,” Roxie agrees. “I want to see this guy who’s supposedly not your boyfriend.”

  When the bartender and Roxie high-five each other, I heave a sigh.

  “Fine, I’ll text him.”

  I look at my watch and I’m actually shocked to see it’s only a little after six. It seems much later. But that’s what happens when you start drinking in the early afternoon.

  I grab my phone from my purse and text Evan.

  Me: Where are you?

  Evan: Where are you?

  Me: The bar at the hotel where I stayed for graduation.

  Evan: Are you drunk?

  Me: Maybe a little.

  Evan: You want me to pick you up?

  Me: Roxie too.

  Evan: Who is Roxie?

  Me: You’ll see.

  Evan: I’ll be there in 10.

  “There,” I say as I put my phone back in my bag. “Are you happy?”

  “You made my day, Princess,” the bartender says and I know he’s making fun of me.

  As the bartender heads back to his place behind the bar, Roxie turns to me and asks, “So who is this guy who’s not your boyfriend.”

  “His name is Evan,” I reply.

  “Is he hot?” she counters.

  I think about the question for a moment. “Yes, very.”

  Roxie’s eyes narrow. “Have you done the nasty?”

  I suddenly feel uncomfortable talking about Evan with Roxie and I’m not sure why. I had no trouble talking to her about Aaron.

  “Yes,” I say quietly.

  “But he’s not your boyfriend?” Her expression is puzzled.

  “No, he’s not my boyfriend.”

  “Why not? Doesn’t he satisfy you?”

  “Believe me, we have no trouble in that department.”

  “So let me get this straight.” She points to her index finger for emphasis. “You have a seriously hot guy, who’s great in the sack, but he’s not your boyfriend.” She points to her middle finger next. “And you’ve got another hot guy, who you think you’re supposed to be with, who happens to be engaged to someone else.” Then she points to her ring finger. “For some reason you don’t want to be with the hot guy, who you’re actually screwing because you want to be with the other hot guy, who is screwing someone else.”

  I nod. “That pretty such sums it up.”

  “You are one fucked up skinny ass chick. Are you sure you don’t want your own reality show?”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “Pass on what?” I turn to see Evan walking up to our table.

  Roxie catches my attention with a look that says Evan is hotter than she expected.

  When Evan glances at Roxie, I see a look of recognition sweep over his face.

  “How do you know one of the Trailer Park Trio?” Evan asks me.

  “Roxie and I are in the MBA program together,” I reply.

  “Nice to meet you,” Roxie says as she puts out her hand.

  Evan shakes it. “I’m Evan Warner.”

  “I’ve heard a lot about you,” Roxie states as she sneaks a sideways glance my way.

  Evan grins. “All good, I hope.”

  “Very good,” Roxie taunts.

  “So, you girls need a ride home? My chariot awaits.”

  Roxie laughs. “Aren’t you a charmer? I can see why Keira likes you.”

  I kick Roxie under the table and she kicks me right back. Then we both get up and I feel much weaker in the knees than I expect. Before I take a tumble, Evan grabs hold of me and steadies me.

  The heat of his body against mine starts my juices flowing and when I inhale a slight whiff of his cologne, my desire continues to pique.

  “Where do you live?” Evan asks Roxie.

  When she gives him her address he nods. “Good, it’s on the way.”

  ***

  Thirty minutes later we’ve dropped Roxie off at her McMansion in a nouveau riche section of town and we’re headed to Evan’s place.

  “Aren’t you going to take me home?” I ask.

  “You’re coming back to my place,” he states.

  “Why?”

  “Because you obviously need someone to take care of you. You’re falling down drunk. You probably haven’t eaten a thing all day. And I want to make sure you’re okay.”

  The thought of someone wanting to take care of me makes me smile. I’ve never had anyone take care of me before except if they were being paid. My parents were too busy to give a shit about anything except maintaining their image. They wanted a daughter who was model perfect in every way, that they could show off to the world. And they hired a legion of nannies, tutors, maids, cooks and personal assistants to make sure every one of my needs was attended to so they wouldn’t have to deal with them.

  Evan is right. When I try to step out of his car, I nearly fall on my face. He hurries over and grabs me and I fall into his arms instead.

  “I guess I had more to drink than I thought.” I can feel my speech is still a little slurred because my lips feel like Jell-O.

  What happens next shocks me and I’m rarely shocked. Evan lifts me into his arms and carries me to his doorstep. I think he’ll let me go when we get to the door but he somehow manages to unlock his condo and get us inside with me still in his arms.

  He’s massive and I’m tiny, so to him I’m probably like carrying not much more than a large doll but just the thought of him wanting to make sure I’m safe and cared for makes my heart flutter a bit.

  I nestle myself against his chest for a moment and he pulls me even closer. I breathe in his scent which is still vaguely like the cologne he wears, although much of it seems to have worn off throughout the day. I like the smell of him; it’s clean and masculine at the same time.

  “I don’t deserve you,” I mumble. “I don’t deserve this.”

  I don’t think he hears me, my voice is so muted against his solid chest until he says, “You’re probably right. But I still want to do it.”

  Then he places a soft kiss on the top of my head which sends little shivers through my body.

  “Are you cold?” he asks as we cross into the bedroom.

  “A little,” I reply.

  He places me carefully on his enormous bed. “Wait here,” he says as if I’m going to try and make a run for it at any moment. It’s probably not an irrational fear given my penchant for fucking and running, although I get the feeling I won’t be doing either of those things tonight.

  Tonight is about something completely different. There is a part of Evan that is good. I know that. But he can also be as cold and cruel and calculating as I can. I think there’s also a part of him that is trying to do whatever it takes to make me fall for him.

  And I hate that it’s totally working.

  Evan ret
urns with a huge glass of water, which he hands me, along with two aspirin. “Try to drink as much of the water as you can otherwise you’ll get dehydrated. Do you feel like having some toast?”

  I shake my head. The thought of eating anything makes my already queasy stomach twist and roll in protest.

  “One piece?” he asks again.

  The toast seems really important to him, so I agree.

  Before he exits again, he goes over to his dresser and removes a tee shirt and a pair of boxer shorts and hands them to me. “Put these on.”

  I stare at his clothes for a moment wondering how they’ll fit.

  “Do you need help getting out of your clothes?” he asks.

  I look up at him and lift an eyebrow.

  “Get your mind out of the gutter,” he says. “I’m just talking about helping you get changed. It wasn’t a come on.”

  “I think I can handle it.”

  “I’ll go make you some toast,” he states as he exits.

  “One piece,” I remind him.

  A few minutes later, I’m swimming in his clothes but I also like wearing them. They make me feel close to him and I kind of feel like I’m his.

  Then I have to remind myself that I don’t want to be Evan’s girlfriend.

  I want to be with Aaron.

  Everything with Evan is temporary. Just for the day. Or just for the night. He knows it and I know it. But if that’s true, why do I have to keep reminding myself?

  When Evan returns with the slice of toast, he gives me a little grin. “I love the way you look in my clothes. You’re tough as nails but still vulnerable.”

  He sits down on the bed next to me and hands me the toast. I take a small bite but the piece gets stuck in my dry throat and I gag a little.

  “Did you drink any water?” Evan asks as he grabs the still-full glass from the nightstand.

  I shake my head.

  Evan hands me the water and I take a small sip.

  “Drink up,” he says. “Did you take the aspirin?”

  I nod and take another bite of toast. This time it goes down a little easier. Evan gives me a kiss on the cheek.

  “Did you get to eat?” I suddenly remember that Evan picked me up right from work.

  “I’ll get something later,” he says dismissively. “I want to make sure you can keep that toast down first.”

  “You don’t have to take care of me.”

  “Maybe I want to.” There is so much warmth in his eyes it tugs at my heartstrings a bit.

  I take another bite of the dry toast.

  “Do you want to watch some TV?” Evan asks and it occurs to me that in all the time Evan and I have spent together over the years, we’ve never actually just spent time together without it involving sex.

  “Okay,” I agree although it feels strange.

  “Why don’t you get under the covers?” he suggests.

  Evan’s bed is so inviting, with his thick comforter and overstuffed pillows, I dive in. Evan grabs the remote and clicks through the stations until he finds a movie channel. Pretty Woman is playing.

  “Romance movie?” he asks.

  “Is that what you really want to watch?” I ask skeptically.

  He furrows his brows. “I like romance movies. The Notebook is one of my favorites.”

  “You like The Notebook,” I scoff.

  “Why is that so hard to believe?” He actually sounds a little hurt.

  I feel a twinge of sadness that there’s so much I don’t know about Evan. I know his reputation as the womanizer, Evan the Conqueror, which is well-deserved and I know quite a lot about how he performs in bed, which usually borders on amazing. I know about his family and all of the things that they want the world to know about Evan: that he’s a champion skier, that he graduated from an Ivy League school with Honors and that he now works for one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the world.

  How can I know so much about Evan but not really know Evan, the person inside?

  “Let’s watch Pretty Woman,” I agree.

  Evan hops into the bed with me. “Come here,” he says as he taps his chest.

  I rest my head on his chest and he puts his arm around me and pulls me close. I snuggle into him and it feels comforting and scary at the same time.

  I’ve never actually been held by a guy when it didn’t involve sex. It’s a new feeling to just relax into Evan’s strong arms. Before I know it, my eyes start to feel heavy and I fall asleep.

  ***

  I bolt awake and realize I have no idea where I am or what time it is. I have a vague memory of being in the hotel bar with Roxie drinking my face off then passing out in Evan’s arms.

  Then the memories flood back to me: Evan bringing me back to his place, making me toast, holding me until I feel asleep.

  I scan the room in search of a clock. It’s 3:00 a.m. I seriously consider making an escape until I remember that Evan drove me here and my car is still parked in the hotel lot.

  “Are you okay?” Evan mumbles half awake. “Do you feel sick?”

  “I’m fine,” I whisper. “Go back to sleep.”

  “You can’t leave,” he says. “You don’t have a car here.”

  Did Evan plan it this way? Was this a plot for him to get me to spend the entire night with him? He knows better than anyone my fondness for making a quick exit.

  I heave a sigh of defeat. It looks like Evan is going to get what he wants this time. It also occurs to me that maybe it’s not such a bad thing when what he wants is me.

  “You’re letting all the warm air out of the covers,” Evan complains and I have to smile. He’s like a big kid in some ways and I find it oddly endearing.

  I slip back down into the bed and Evan grabs me by the waist and pulls me toward him so that the two of us spoon together.

  “That’s better,” he says as he nestles his head against my neck.

  It isn’t long before I hear his breathing even out and he’s asleep again. The panic I feel about waking up with him in the morning is quickly overshadowed by the comfort I feel in his arms and the peacefulness of being in his bed.

  ***

  I feel like someone is punching my head from the inside out. And there are strong arms holding me in bed. I try to wriggle free but the arms grasp me tighter.

  “I have to pee,” I whisper, which isn’t a lie but it’s not an emergency either. I want to escape more than I have to relieve myself.

  Evan heaves a sigh and finally relenting lets me go. I squirm out of the bed and hurry into the bathroom.

  Shit! I can’t believe I spent the entire night with Evan, in his arms, and we didn’t even have sex.

  I’ve never woken up in a guy’s arms. I’ve never spent the whole night with someone. I always manage to escape.

  I want to escape now but I don’t have a car.

  I could phone a cab. But where’s my phone? I have to think about where Evan put my purse.

  I can’t believe how he took care of me and how much he seems to care about me. It completely scares the shit out of me. My flight instincts are now in overdrive.

  I remind myself how much I want to be with Aaron, how much I’ve always wanted to be with Aaron and how much it means to our families for Aaron and me to be together.

  But I can no longer say Evan is just a fuck buddy because something more is happening between us. I just don’t know what it is or what to call it.

  I find a washcloth in one of the drawers under the sink and I run it under cold water. I place the washcloth on my forehead and try to calm the drumming in my head.

  After a minute or two, I hear a light tap on the bathroom door. “Are you okay?”

  I don’t respond because I don’t really know if I’m okay. I’m definitely hung over. But I’m more freaked out about Evan.

  “Can I come in?” he asks.

  When I don’t respond, he slowly opens the door. “Keira, what’s going on?” He’s by my side within seconds. “Are you sick?”

 
I shake my head. “Just a little hung over.”

  “Would you like me to make some coffee?” he suggests.

  “Would you just take me home?”

  He looks a little disappointed but quickly recovers. “Sure, let me get dressed.”

  “Or I can just phone a cab,” I offer.

  He jaw clenches. “You’re not phoning a cab. I’m taking you home.”

  From the tone of his voice, I know not to argue. But I want to make sure he knows the score. “This doesn’t change anything.”

  He looks at me with scorching eyes. “I know,” he manages to say through gritted teeth.

  “I’m still going after Aaron.”

  He’s still staring at me, his eyes filled with emotion. I can’t tell if he’s more angry or hurt. “I know,” he says finally.

  “But I appreciate you taking care of me.”

  His eyes soften a bit. “I’ll always take care of you, Keira.”

  The emotion in Evan’s words is much more than I can handle, and since it’s too early to use alcohol to numb my feelings, I decide to do the next best thing.

  I close the distance between us and place my hands on his solid abs. I look up at Evan and lick my lips suggestively. Then I give him a sexy little grin. “Would you like to take care of me before you take me home?”

  He takes in a sharp breath and I can see a little twinkle light up his eyes.

  “Or maybe you’d like me to take care of you before I go?” I say seductively as my hand roams down toward his growing erection.

  I’m surprised when he grabs my hand and shakes his head. “We’re doing this my way,” he whispers into my ear.

  Before I can protest, he lifts me into his arms like a rag doll and carries me back to the bed. With one quick motion, he removes the boxer shorts of his I’m wearing and pulls me close to the edge of the bed. He gives me a wicked little grin and says, “I want to show you exactly how well I can take care of you.”

  Then he begins to tease me with his tongue, playfully licking and nibbling the most sensitive parts of my inner thigh. When my breath catches, I let out a little moan of pleasure. I glance down and I can see Evan looking up at me, gauging my reaction to his oral abilities. I close my eyes and enjoy the magic.

  It isn’t long before his talented tongue makes its way into my folds and I lift my hips to meet his mouth.