by Helen Cooper
“By the way, the Troy idea was epic,” Sally said in a low voice and leaned even closer to me and whispered. “It sounded like TJ was pissed.”
“Oh, he was so pissed.” I grinned. “I just wish that Troy was real.”
“About that…” Sally looked sheepish. “I have something to tell you.”
“What?” I asked her suspiciously.
“I did something that will make everyone believe that Troy is real.” She grinned and my eyes narrowed.
“What did you do?” I asked, but then I hushed her as I saw TJ and Barbie approaching the car. Troy disappeared from my mind and my stomach dropped as I gazed at her. She was beautiful, almost like some picture-perfect image of a Cinderella princess. Why did she have to be so good looking? I was starting to doubt that I could convince TJ to go with me when he had someone like her. Grr, why did he have someone like her?
“Hi,” I said with a wide—albeit fake, but still wide—smile to the buxom blonde as she got into the back seat.
“Hi,” she said, her face looking sour.
“I’m Mila.”
“Like Mila Kunis?” She looked up at me in interest.
“Well, I guess, but I’m just Mila.”
“Not Mila Kunis?” Barbie asked me and I shot TJ a look of surprise. Okay, maybe it was more a cross between, ‘who is this dumbass?’ and ‘I’m really trying to be nice here.’
“No, just Mila,” I said. “What’s your name?”
“Barbie,” she said and I watched as she flicked her long blond hair.
“As in Barbie and Ken?” I asked her softly, but she just looked back at me with a dumb expression.
“Hi, I’m Sally, Mila’s best friend,” Sally spoke up next, her voice seemingly really happy to be meeting peroxide Barbie.
“Mila Kunis’ best friend?” Barbie asked her, looking excited, and Sally looked at me with laughing eyes as she shook her head.
“I’m afraid not. I don’t know Mila Kunis or any Hollywood stars, to be honest.”
“Oh, you just said you’re Mila’s best friend.” Barbie looked confused.
“She’s talking about me,” I said, a slight attitude in my voice. “The Mila you just met.”
“Oh.” Barbie looked at me with a bored expression. “I see.”
“I’m not sure you do,” I said under my breath as I watched TJ get back into the car, his expression not giving his thoughts away.
“Everyone okay?” he asked with a smile as he looked around, and I looked away from him. I had nothing to say. I didn’t want to seem like I had sour grapes, but I had no idea what he saw in Barbie.
“Ken, honey, I thought I was going to be sitting in the front seat with you?” Barbie said in a soft, sweet voice. I turned around to face the window so that no one could see the look on my face. Barbie and Ken, my ass. I bit my lower lip to stop from laughing and then TJ spoke up and I turned around.
“Aww, sorry, babe,” he said in a tone I’d never heard before. My jaw almost dropped as I listened to him and then saw Barbie’s face looking all soft and sweet. I was feeling confused as I looked at her almost angelic face. What had happened to the sour-faced shrew who had been talking to Sally and me? Barbie was looking like a different person as she batted her big blue eyes at TJ. I bit on my lower lip as I stared at her, all beautiful and flowery, and waited for TJ to ask me to switch seats with his latest paramour.
“But, babe?” She pouted, sucking on her lower lip as she gazed at TJ.
“Aww, next time,” TJ said and gave me a quick wink. “Mila isn’t the sort of girl who likes to give up the front seat.”
“Yeah, I’m not.” I looked at Barbie with a small smile and shrug. “I’m sure Mila Kunis doesn’t like to give up her seat either, if that helps.” I saw Barbie’s lips twisting at my words and I turned back around and turned on the radio. “Let’s go, James,” I said to TJ. “We don’t want to be late!”
***
The drive up to the lake house was pretty quiet. Normally, Sally and I chattered on about what we were going to do, but we were both pretty focused on our own thoughts.
“So, when will Cody arrive?” Sally asked as we pulled off of the exit. We were about ten minutes away from the cabin and I knew everyone was ready for us to arrive.
“He said tomorrow morning. He’ll join us for breakfast,” TJ answered as he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “When will Troy be arriving, Mila?” He looked at me casually and I just smiled sweetly. That jackass knew that there was no Troy arriving.
“He’s going to call me tonight and let me know,” I answered.
“Who’s Troy?” Barbie said, speaking for the first time since we’d left. She’d spent most of the trip playing with her hair and looking at herself in her compact mirror.
“Troy is Mila’s boyfriend,” Sally spoke up. “And I think he’ll be her fiancé soon.”
I wanted to groan out load at Sally’s words. I knew she thought she was helping me, but I knew that what she was actually doing was digging me into an even deeper hole.
“You have a boyfriend?” Barbie said, sounding surprised as she looked at me up and down. I knew I didn’t look my best, but there was no need for her to be so rude.
“Yes,” I said stiffly and looked at TJ, who had a weird smirk on his face. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” he said and then I felt his hand on my knee for a brief second. “Absolutely nothing.”
“Hmm,” I said, but didn’t get into it further with him.
“So how’s business, Richie Rich?” Sally asked TJ, changing the subject.
“As good as it can be in this economy,” TJ said, his demeanor changing. “I want to introduce some changes to the company, bring our customer service back to the United States, increase the number of plants we have, change the automation system, and bring in a new marketing company, but Dad is resistant.”
“Oh, sad,” I said, and Sally also made an ‘I’m sorry’ noise. I was sure that she, like me, wasn’t really sure what he was talking about. “Why won’t your dad make the changes?” I said and gazed at him curiously.
“He’s a cheapskate.” He sighed. “He’d rather save the dollars now. I’m telling him that we need to spend more to make more. That’s how business goes. And especially now, we need to expand.”
“Yeah, my dad won’t listen to me either. I’m trying to convince him to import this new line of rugs from Morocco,” I said with a sigh. “What’s the point of me working in the buying department if I’m not actually allowed to make any large purchase decisions?”
“I forgot you got moved from being a receptionist,” TJ said. “How’s the change in department going?”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” I frowned. “Not great. I still have no real responsibility or real money coming in.”
“You just graduated, Mila. Be patient,” TJ said with an indulgent smile. “It’ll happen. I didn’t get to where I am overnight.”
“What is it that you do, again?” Barbie asked curiously, and I smiled. If she didn’t know what he did, they couldn’t be that serious.
“TJ works for Walker Enterprises,” I answered for him and turned around to look at Barbie.
“Okay?” Barbie shrugged. The name Walker Enterprises meant nothing to her.
“His dad is Hudson Walker,” Sally said. “The Hudson Walker.”
“Hudson Walker?” Barbie said and then her eyes lit up. “Hudson Walker, the famous billionaire who dates all those actresses and models?”
“Yes,” I said with a smile. “The very same one. He might even have dated Mila Kunis.”
“Mila.” TJ gave me a look that indicated how annoyed he was, but I didn’t care. Let him deal with gold-digging Barbie. She would try to get her clutches into him even deeper now that she knew how well-connected he was.
“Yes, TJ?” I said softly and then squealed as we pulled off Old Harris Road and drove through the woods towards the lake. “Ooh, we’re nearly there.” I
lowered my car window and stuck my head outside and closed my eyes as the cool breeze caressed my face. I took a deep breath and breathed in the air. “Can you guys feel and taste the nature right now?” I sighed in contentment.
“I can’t taste anything,” Barbie said. I didn’t respond.
“You really love the lake house, don’t you?” TJ said softly as he pulled off and stopped in front of my family cabin. I turned to look at him and I could see an affectionate look on his face. It was a rare sight; normally, TJ and I spent so much time sparring that we didn’t really express any other sort of positive emotion towards each other. I smiled at him, happy in my environment and at my plans for the weekend.
“I do, I feel like it’s this magical place. My own private Narnia.” I grinned at him and then hopped out of the car. I ran up to the front door and lifted up the big red plant pot and grabbed the front-door key. I opened the door and ran inside, happy to be here, finally. I really did love the lake house. It was the only place that made me feel like I was one with the earth. It was also the only place where TJ and I had once had a moment that had made me feel like maybe, just maybe, there could be something between us. It had only happened once and it had happened so fast that I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined it, but the fact that it was even a possibility in my mind was enough, for now.
“Hey, you going to get your own bags or do you expect me to be your man-slave?” TJ shouted into the house as he walked in and looked around the large living room with the massive wood-burning fireplace right in the center.
“I expect you to be my man-slave,” I said and walked up to him, my eyes laughing at him. “Just because you’re the son of a billionaire doesn’t exempt you from your duties.”
“Hmm, my duties?” He cocked his head to the side. “What do I get from you in return for fulfilling my duties?”
“You’ll see,” I said softly and stared into his eyes. “Maybe something wonderful.”
“Wonderful?” he said with a small smile and we gazed at each other for a few moments, saying nothing. I moved closer to him and was about to lean in for a kiss when he frowned. “There’s nothing you can give me that is good enough for me to become your man-servant.”
“Whatever,” I said, my heart dropping as I stepped back and walked out of the front door, thanking God I hadn’t embarrassed myself by going for a kiss. “I’ll get my own bags, lazy-ass.”
“I’m not lazy.” He grabbed my arm as I walked out and pulled me back to him. His fingers gripped my wrist and I looked at him with an angry, hurt expression. He stared at me for a few seconds and then let go. I turned back around and walked to the Range Rover, my heart thudding. What had just happened there? That had been an awkward moment and I didn’t know what it meant.
“Is this where we’re staying?” Barbie looked at me with another surly look. I swear, I wished the wind would hit her as she was pulling one of those expressions so that her face would stay that way.
“What do you think?” I snapped and looked at Sally, who was trying not to laugh. “We just parked in front of the cabin. I went and got the key and opened the front door. Did you think I was doing it for shits and giggles?”
“I was just asking a question,” she said, looking irritated.
“Uh huh, dumbass,” I said quietly, but obviously my voice wasn’t low enough because she gave me a deadly look.
“Let’s grab our bags and choose our rooms,” Sally said quickly and she grabbed her small duffel bag. “And maybe you can call Cody, Mila, see what time he plans to arrive.”
“Yeah,” I said and grabbed my small suitcase. “I’ll do that.” I walked towards the front door, feeling irritated, annoyed and out of sorts. Maybe this weekend wasn’t going to go as well as I’d hoped. I wish I’d known that peroxide Barbie was going to be joining us. I couldn’t imagine what TJ saw in her. She had no redeeming qualities, but then maybe the only quality she needed was to lie on her back and keep her mouth shut. A dart of jealousy spread through me as I thought about TJ and Barbie having sex. I tried to shake the thought from my mind as it made me want to throw up and die at the same time. I didn’t want to think about TJ with anyone else. I knew he wasn’t a virgin, I knew he wasn’t saving himself for me, and I was okay with that. But just the thought of him being with someone like her killed me. Especially after having wanted him for so many years and saving myself for him.
“Wow,” Sally said, interrupting my thoughts as we watched TJ bringing in Barbie’s suitcase. I could feel my face going red with anger and even more hate and jealousy as I watched them talking and laughing together. “Let’s go grab our room.”
“Yeah,” I said and we walked along the corridor. “I don’t know what he sees in her. She has no redeeming qualities.”
“Who is she, anyway?” Sally said. “Talk about a bimbo. I didn’t think she was his type.”
“I don’t know.” I sighed as we walked into the bedroom and I closed the door behind us and locked it. I fell down onto the bed and groaned. “Do you think I should even go ahead with my plan this weekend? It seems like it would be a waste of time. I don’t even know when I’m supposed to try and seduce him if she’s here.”
“Girl, you have to go ahead with it,” Sally said and dropped down on the bed next to me. “Do you think Cody is going to bring someone as well?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed and turned to face her. “Are we the biggest idiots in the world?”
“Maybe.” She grinned, her smile a little sad. “We’ve been crushing on these guys forever and, well, I just don’t know that either of them have even noticed us.”
“I know.” I chewed on my lower lip. “I feel like, in their eyes, we’re always going to be the immature little girls that they remember from high school.”
“Yeah,” Sally said. “But at least you have a plan. Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you what I did with Troy.”
“What do you mean what you did?”
“Well, I—”
BANG BANG.
“Girls, you in there?” TJ interrupted us as he banged on the door.
“Yes,” I said and Sally and I just lay on the bed and waited for what he was going to say next.
“I’m hoping you can tell me what room I should give Barbie.”
“Isn’t she sleeping in your room?” I said cattily.
“No,” he said simply and I sat up, my eyes bright.
“No?” I shouted back, grinning down at Sally.
“That’s what I said. Mila, can you please come and open the door?” TJ said, his voice annoyed.
“Coming.” I jumped off of the bed and ran my hands through my hair, trying to make it a little bit more presentable. I looked at Sally and grinned as I walked towards the door. “How can I help you, TJ?” I asked softly as I opened the door and looked at him with a blank expression.
“Take me to my bed,” he said softly with a small smirk on his face.
“What?” My heart started beating fast as I gazed into his devilish green eyes. Was he finally coming on to me? Without me having to wear my sexy suspender get-up? “You want me to what?” I said again, nervously licking my lips. Yes, I wasn’t in my right mind. If I were thinking straight, I wouldn’t have actually thought TJ was asking me to take him to his bed and ride him like the cowgirl I knew I could be.
“Take me,” he leaned forward and said even softer. His lips were a mere inch from mine and I could see the brown speckles in his green eyes as they danced in glee.
“Now?” I gulped.
“Yes, please,” he said and I swallowed hard. “I’m ready to go now.”
“Ready to go now?” I said and I jumped as I felt his finger on my cheek, lightly running towards my lips. Oh, my God, I swear I nearly came at his touch.
“Yes, please, Mila.” He grinned and stepped back. “I’d like to know where I’m sleeping tonight and so would Barbie.”
“Oh?” I said, feeling like a fool as I realized what he was saying. “But you know where to sleep.” And
then I frowned. “And why aren’t you sharing a bed with Barbie?”
“I don’t want to be presumptuous,” he said as he stepped back, his eyes searching mine. “I’m not sure your parents would appreciate Barbie and me sharing a bed.”
“Yeah, most probably not,” I said, though I wasn’t sure they would care. It was only me they seemed to worry about being proper.
“Okay, that’s good,” he said softly, bending down to whisper into my ear, “I wouldn’t want to keep anyone up too late.”
“Huh?” I said, my face burning. “What do you mean?”
“I mean the sounds of the mattress squeaking and the screams of passion and lust.”
“I don’t need to know about what you and Barbie will be doing,” I said with a frown and moved away from him.
“Who said I was talking about Barbie?” he said quietly and I gulped as I felt his hand on my lower back. “I could be talking about any one of us, right?” he continued.
“Uh huh,” I said and walked ahead of him, swinging my hips from side to side and hoping I looked sexy. I was going to show TJ Walker that he wasn’t the only one who could be a tease. Before this weekend was done, he was going to be begging me to take him in more ways than one.
Chapter Five
TJ
Friday, One Week Ago
I followed Mila down the corridor, but my mind was on her lips and her swinging hips. I was letting her get to me and I knew that I had to ignore her innocent flirting. She had no idea what she was doing by flirting with me. She had no idea that she was playing with fire. And that I had promised her brother that I wouldn’t let her do that. He knew as well as I did that I would burn her if we were to ever get involved. Not that that stopped the bulge in my pants from hardening. Fuck, she was sexy. I wasn’t sure at what point she’d become a woman, but even with her loose jeans and baggy T-shirt, I could see her voluptuous figure. She had perfect-sized breasts, a nice little ass, and long legs that could drive a man wild. And the way she kept flinging her long hair around was driving me crazy. All I could think about was the feel of her hair across my chest and face as she rode me. She needed to stop with her lip-biting and little moans. When she’d fallen on her bed and started going on about her ‘boyfriend,’ I’d wanted to fall onto the bed next to her and show her how loudly a real man could make her moan. But of course, I’d resisted. I couldn’t do that, not to her—but man, did she even know what she’d done to me as she’d rolled around on the bed, messing her sheets up?
