by Lynn, Janice
“No, we’re going to bring this guy down like he deserves. Bring him to his knees where he’ll never callously hurt another woman again. Think about it. What could be a more just revenge than to make Jude Layman fall in love and then trample on his studly, fickle heart?”
All three women stared at her.
“That’s what you want? To bring Jude Layman to his knees and trample on his heart?”
“Oh yes.” Avery smiled. “Making Jude fall in love and then walking away with his heart is the ultimate revenge for a man like him. His ego couldn’t stand it.”
“You can make him fall in love?”
“Fall in lust? Definitely. Love?” She shrugged. “I can make him think he loves me. Jude wants what he can’t have.”
What man didn’t?
“He can’t have you?” Doubt radiated from Courtney.
“No, he can’t. The guy’s a user of the worst kind. Worse than Scott.”
“Whoa.” Randi glanced up from the laptop. “I’ve never heard you say that before.”
Avery made a face. “Never met a man like Jude Layman before.”
“I agree with Courtney. We just need to ruin this guy so Mandy can get back into her father’s good graces, and then, we get out. We can set up a fake account and records of him making deposits over the past six months. Make it look like he’s been embezzling from the magazine.” Randi snapped her fingers. “Or we can make it look like he’s taking bribes from other magazines.”
“Good. Good, but not enough for this guy. There’s no telling how many hearts he’s broken over the years. I met Miss January today.”
“And?”
“She’s totally in love with the jerk and he wouldn’t even see her.”
“The asshole.”
“She cried all over the place. I felt so badly for her. I wanted to tell her not to worry because Jude was going to get his come-uppance, but of course, I didn’t.”
“Crap,” Randi cursed and went to hitting computer keys as quickly as she could.
“What is it?”
“BigBen is beating me,” she screeched, tapping keys wildfire fast. “No F-ing way. I’ve never been beaten. Not at Day of Reckoning.”
Randi blew most of the computer game players out of the water. BigBen must be a total computer geek to have Randi on the edge. Especially since Day of Reckoning was her current favorite.
Randi’s shoulder sagged and she stared at the screen unbelievably. “He did it. He beat me.”
All four watched the laptop as if they expected it to burst into flames.
“I got dissed by a man, and now this.” Randi threw her hands up. Perhaps Randi was what was going to burst into flames? “I’m outta here. Anyone wanna go hang at that Irish pub off 5th? I need to get rid of some steam.”
Avery and the other two TGEA girls looked at each other and shrugged. Why not?
* * *
“I can’t believe I let you drag me to another bar,” Marcus groaned as Jude set a beer in front of him.
“I can’t believe you’re still whining about me dragging you out of your miserable apartment.” Jude slid into the booth, one he’d purposely chosen because of its view of most of the bar. He had it on good authority Joy Long hung out here on Tuesday nights. He wanted to make sure they didn’t miss her arrival.
He wasn’t exactly sure how his buddy would take to seeing his ex-wife flooze herself around a bar. Marcus needed to move on and it was going to take something drastic to snap him out of his obsession.
Hello drastic.
“Now I know why you dragged me down here,” Marcus said, glancing at a group of women who’d just entered the pub.
Jude was the one in for a surprise.
Because in walked Angela Greene with three gorgeous women, one of which looked familiar. The redhead. The one from the bar the night he’d vowed not to have sex until Marcus got laid. What had her name been?
What was his assistant doing with the redhead?
Was it just coincidence that the two women knew each other?
Odd that he’d meet them both within a few weeks time.
What was his angel doing in a pub? Because if she were looking to pick up a good time, he’d volunteer.
“Man, was that redhead a set-up?” Marcus asked, reminding Jude exactly why he couldn’t volunteer.
“You tell me,” Jude advised. “I’d never seen her before that night at the bar.”
“She’s here with your assistant?” Marcus looked intrigued. “That’s weird.”
“Tell me about it.”
“You going to invite them to our table?”
Progress. Yes. “Do you want me to invite them to our table?”
“Yeah. I want to meet the woman you’ve given up the Hummingbird for. I barely got to say hello to her yesterday before dragging your sick butt to Dr. Reinholt’s office.”
“I told you I haven’t given up the Hummingbird.”
“Yeah, well, you haven’t exactly been buzzing from flower to flower the past month, either.”
“I’ve known the woman for two days. I did not give up the Hummingbird for her or anyone.”
Marcus took a sip of his beer and blatantly watched the four women. “They’re an odd looking four, aren’t they?”
Jude frowned. “What do you mean?”
“All beautiful, but different as night and day. The short blond one looks like she could kick my ass and not think twice about it. Then you have the hot redhead who was all but jumping in your pants the last time we saw her. There’s the classy looking one who watches them as if she’s not quite sure she belongs, but really wants to, and then there’s your temp watching over them all mother hen like as if she’d fight to the death to protect the others.”
Jude watched the women, impressed with Marcus’ quick assessment, a talent that made him such a fine lawyer. Impressed that his buddy’s shoulders weren’t sagging. He was also hopeful Marcus would take interest in one of the women. Just not Angela.
“You should ask her to dance.”
He wasn’t impressed with Marcus’ suggestion since holding Angela in his arms would only make him want her all the more.
“No.” He took a sip of his ice cold beer. “Not yet.”
Some bar room fly flittered up, asked Angela to dance.
“Looks like you better hurry or someone else is going to be sipping the nectar from your flower.”
“Shut up.” He supposed he should be mentally hi-fiving that Marcus wasn’t crying in his beer, but damn it, he hadn’t planned on seeing Angela tonight. Hadn’t been prepared for her in those tight-fitting jeans, cowboy boots, and snug t-shirt with its strategically cut rip at the cleavage.
For the first time in the past month, Marcus seemed to be having a good time. Too bad it was at Jude’s expense.
Angela shook her head, laughed at something the fly said, then nodded. Damn it. She was heading to the dance floor with that lounge lizard.
“Man, you’d better get to buzzing because we both know you want to pluck that particular flower’s petals.”
“Shut up,” Jude repeated. He couldn’t leave Marcus alone. What if Joy chose that particular time to show up? His buddy shouldn’t have to face that without backup at his side.
The fly’s arms slid around Angela’s waist and he whispered something into her ear, making her laugh again.
Damn it.
Jude slid out of his seat.
That fly wasn’t going to sip a damn thing from his flower.
* * *
“Oh hell. Is that who I think it is?” Courtney asked, her eyes huge.
Randi turned from the guy chatting her up to see who her friend referred to. Jude Layman, wearing snug black jeans and a black button down, headed toward them with a determined gleam in his eyes. O hell was right.
“What the F is he doing here?” she swore. She stood, forgetting about the stud she’d been considering letting take her to his place. She shook him off when he protested. “Where’s Cass?
”
“On the dance floor with some yuppie dude who works on Wall Street. Her type, really.”
“We’ve got to get out of here.”
“Too late. He’s headed straight toward us,” Courtney warned.
Randi picked her clutch purse off the bar and turned to come face-to-face with Jude Layman.
“Hi,” she smiled into his unsmiling face.
“I need a favor.”
What the?
“What kind of favor?” She eyed him suspiciously, once again impressed by his good looks. The total bad boy in a hot package. And totally not interested in her.
Too bad because she bet he could work steam off with the best of them.
“See my friend over there?” He pointed toward the guy he’d been with the night she’d met him. His best friend from Princeton. Marcus something or other.
“I see him. So what?” she challenged, her hands on her hips. Was he going to throw her at the guy again? Puh-leeze. She totally didn’t need this.
“His ex is going to show up any minute and she’s a total number. Screwed him over real good and still plays mind games with him. I don’t want him alone when she gets here.”
“So what are you doing over here talking to me?”
Jude’s gaze went to the dance floor and the way he looked at Avery was total predatory.
Randi’s wounded pride eased. He had the hots for their girl?
“Your friend needs rescued from that slimeball and I can’t leave my friend alone.”
“Seems you’re in a real pickle.” She leaned back against the bar and sized him up. According to the bulge in his crotch and the gossip from his exes, size wasn’t an issue with Jude Layman. Lucky Avery.
“What would it take for you to go and keep him company while I save Angela?”
She ran her gaze over him, liked what she saw, but wouldn’t move in on Avery’s mark. Besides, she was pretty sure Avery would end up working off steam with this particular mark. A much needed work-out in Randi’s opinion. “We’ll work something out later.”
He nodded, his attention already going back to the dance floor. “Sure, I’ll owe you one.”
The moment he walked off, Courtney grabbed her arm. “Oh my God. Did you see how he looked at Av?”
“I saw and was damned jealous.”
Maybe he was just what Avery needed, though. Goodness knew she needed to loosen up a bit. Jude Layman looked like he knew exactly where to push to loosen a gal up. Avery’s good time romp before she put the shaft to him. Oh yeah.
“I think her plan is working.”
“Come on. Let’s go baby-sit the divorcee.”
* * *
Avery didn’t normally dance with strangers in bars. Tonight a peculiar excitement stirred in her blood and she’d let the wannabe cowboy convince her to grant one dance.
Unfortunately, she kept comparing his sleeked back black hair and handsome enough face to the strong cut of Jude’s jaw, to his just crawled from bed hair to his to-sigh-for eyes.
Every time she closed her eyelids she saw him. Heard his voice. Felt his fingertip on her lips. Ached to experience more. Which was so stupid. She should want his balls served for breakfast at Tiffany’s to some stuck-up snob who would chew them to small bits.
She knew he was a heartbreak waiting to happen. Just look at Mandy Sims and Sara Brown.
“Angel, there you are. Sorry I got held up and am late.” In the blink of an eye, the devil himself slid his arm around her, gave her dance partner the heave-ho, and pulled her to him. “Been missing me?”
Had her thoughts conjured Jude?
She glanced from him to the guy whose name she couldn’t recall. He stared back and forth, trying to decipher whether or not to let Jude get away with cutting in. She refused to play into Jude’s hands. He already had too many women doing that.
She went to pull away, but his eyes met hers and were dark and dangerous.
Danger looked gorgeous on Jude Layman.
“No,” he said, before lowering his head. His gaze remained locked with hers as his lips brushed across her mouth. Warm, moist, full of heat. Soft, yet forceful.
He surprised her, caught her unprepared. She’d never seen the danger in his eyes. Otherwise, she’d have pushed him away, told him to go to hell. At least, that’s what she told herself. Instead, her arms slipped around his neck. Mainly to hold on so she wouldn’t drop to the floor because her knees had gone weak.
Wow, she thought. Jude was kissing her. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Every other thought went out of her head. Just wow.
Jude’s body--his hard body--pressed against hers. He still wore the black jeans and button down he’d had on at work. He held her so tight his silver belt buckle cut into her, but she didn’t care.
She’d known the shirt material would be as soft as goose down. She ran her fingers over his shoulders, through the hair at his nape. Never had she felt anything so silky. She’d thought it would be stiff from styling products. She’d thought wrong. She longed to tangle her fingers in the locks so fully that she’d be trapped forever, unable to logic her way out of his arms. A reason to not pull away from the intoxicating strength of his masculinity.
“I’ve never wanted a woman the way I want you,” he growled into her ear. His breath caressing her skin, causing shivers to prickle her flesh.
Avery nodded. She wanted him too. There was no use denying it. No matter how much of a cad he was, no matter how much logic said she was too smart to fall for a man like Jude or his lines about never wanting a woman more, he turned her on. Perhaps the very qualities that made him a cad pushed her buttons.
Whatever, the flutters in her belly defied logic.
“Come with me,” he demanded, staring into her eyes with sinful blue ones.
Avery hadn’t heard correctly. Come? Here? On the dance floor? Was he kidding?
His hand cupped her bottom, grinding her against his hardness, then brushed up her back. With his other hand he twined their fingers.
“Come with me, Angel.” He tugged her off the dance floor and toward the back of the bar where a faded wooden sign advertised the restrooms.
The moment they stepped into the poorly lit hallway leading toward the bathrooms, Jude pushed her against a far wall and ground against her. Hard.
Avery moaned, wrapped her arms around his neck and jerked his mouth to hers with a hunger that couldn’t be denied. He consumed her and she wanted to be consumed. Completely engulfed by Jude.
Her hands were everywhere. Over his shoulders. His arms. His bottom which she took great pleasure in squeezing. He really did have a tight butt that might as well have a sign on it that said “Squeeze me.”
Jude’s hands busied themselves exploring her body too. He hooked his thumbs into her front belt loops to hike her jeans up into her crotch. The denim rubbed against where she throbbed, making her want him to rub her there. His hands were busy elsewhere. Gliding beneath her t-shirt, beneath her bra. He cupped her breasts, pinched her nipples, made her feel as if they were going to shatter they ached so.
Then he breathed hot fire into the curve of her neck. Moist fire. The kind that burned way beneath the skin’s surface and singed her nerve-endings. The kind that blinded and left her writhing against the thigh that slipped between her legs. The kind that made her whimper when he pushed her shirt out of his way to caress a straining nipple which he proceeded to set on fire as well.
“Oh,” she moaned, throwing her head back against the wall and wiggling against his thigh, needing more friction against her, wanting her breast fully in his mouth. “Jude, please. Oh please.”
As if he knew what she begged for, he positioned her shirt to where the globe of her breast peeked through the slit vee and his mouth closed around her.
“Oh. My.” She dug her fingers into his hair, dug her groin into his thigh, dug the back of her head into the wall as she arched to get closer and closer.
“You want me inside you, don’t you?” he asked. �
�Right here? Right now?”
“Yes,” she admitted, not caring that he might think her easy or that there were a hundred reasons why she should never admit the truth to this man. A hundred reasons why she shouldn’t want sex with Jude.
He scooted her bottom to where she rested in the crick of where his hip met his thigh and then he rocked against her, making the most fabulous sensations shimmy through her entire body. Sensations that started at the throb between her legs and radiated out in pulsating waves.
“Jude.”
“What Angel?” he whispered against her breast, tweaking her nipple between his teeth, his hips rocking, rubbing.
Lights burst into colorful dots before Avery’s eyes and then her mind went fuzzy. Warm and fuzzy and into total meltdown. Her body shattered into a million pieces and yet amazingly stayed in one cohesive being. Wow. Oh wow. Oh wow wow wow.
“Jude Layman, is that you?” a female asked in a very New York accent, her question having the effect of a bucket of ice water dumped over Avery. Jude, too.
He straightened, his body blocking Avery from whoever the female was and giving her time to adjust her shirt and bra. He stared down at her with heavy-lidded eyes that she couldn’t read in the dim light. She didn’t need light to know what he thought.
He wanted her. He knew she wanted him. He expected it, accepted her want as a given and was quite smug in the knowledge that he’d just made her come in the back hallway of a downtown public bar.
They’d gotten caught. Had that been his intention all along? To give her the thrill of knowing someone could walk into the back hallway any moment? That someone would eventually catch them and bring whatever they started to a halt?
Randi, Courtney, or Cassidy could have caught them.
What would she have said? That this was part of her making him fall for her plan?
She lifted her chin. That was what this was, so, of course, that’s what she would have said. Right? So why did she feel so off kilter?
Jude gave Avery a wry grin, then turned to face the interrupter. “As usual, you’re timing sucks, Joy.”
“I knew that was you. No surprise that you’re back here making out with some babe.” The woman peeped around Jude to wave at Avery. “Hi, this week’s babe.”
