Imperfect Love: Not Her (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Julia Bright

  “Of course we don’t mind,” Baxter says before he steps away.

  I follow, unsure what else I can do. As we climb the stairs to the second floor my eyes fall to the way Baxter’s pants fit his butt ever so nicely. My throat dries out, and I wish I had my drink in my hand, but climbing the stairs while drinking was dangerous. Besides, I would need a lot more than one mojito to be okay with this cluster of a mess.

  Baxter opens the door to a room, and I pause. “How did you know this was the room we’d be in?”

  “I’ve been coming to their home for years. This is always my room when I’m here.”

  I nod absently. “Oh, okay.”

  I step in, and Baxter places our drinks on a table in the corner. He turns and shakes his head.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Panic races through me. I don’t want him to know I snore, if I do snore. My God, I snore, I know I do.

  “Did you know we would be sleeping together?”

  “No, I had no idea. They have enough rooms, but my parents, they don’t like to sleep together.”

  “That’s odd, I mean, if we were married I’d be—” I blow out a breath before moving to the table to grab my mojito. I slam it back like it’s water on a hot summer day.

  Baxter chuckles and pulls a pair of slacks from the closet. I crane my neck, seeing my clothes hanging beside his.

  “Why are my clothes in there?”

  Baxter shrugs. “David always unpacks for me.”

  “Oh God, my underwear.”

  Baxter lifts his brows, and the corners of his lips tilt up.

  Panic fills me. “Shut up.” I roll my eyes and stomp into the bathroom then turn back to face him. “Good Lord, I need my clothes.”

  “Do you want me to step out into the hall?”

  I was being ridiculous. I hadn’t seen Baxter in years, and we weren’t dating. After one week, I would never see him again. He didn’t like me, not in that way. I had nothing to worry about.

  “No, you don’t have to step into the hall, but face the other way so I can grab my underwear and put it somewhere else.”

  Baxter’s chuckle turns to full blown laughter. My face heats as I open the dresser drawer and see my pale pink, black, and cream underwear mixed in with his boxer briefs. Then realization dawns. The naughty lingerie which had been sitting in my suitcase was somewhere. Horror washes over me and my brain buzzes.

  “Are you okay?” Baxter is facing me, his arm outstretched. I shove the underwear into the drawer and let out a squeak. Baxter grabs my arm and pulls me to him. “Heather, what’s wrong?”

  I shake my head and my face heats. “Nothing.”

  “Something is wrong, I can see it on your face. Tell me, maybe I can help.”

  A bark of laughter escapes. He pulls me close which makes it worse.

  “I want to help you.”

  “You’ve always wanted to help me, but you missed the—never mind.”

  Baxter pulls away and narrows his gaze. “What?”

  “Nothing. Forget I said anything. Like really.”

  He shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong, but you made a weird noise then looked like you were about to pass out.”

  I draw in a shaky breath. “It’s embarrassing.”

  “Tell me.”

  I shake my head. I can’t tell him. It’s impossible.

  “Please.”

  My breath comes out in a whoosh. “I had no clue anyone would unpack my things.”

  “Did you pack a vibrator?”

  I slap his arm as my body heats even more. “No, of course not.”

  “Why not? I think it would be sexy.”

  A volcano would be cooler than I am. “Oh my God. Shut up.”

  “What’s the big deal?”

  I shake my head and try to hide my face. “Now I’m truly embarrassed.”

  “Just spill.”

  I press my lips together. “I didn’t know. And your parents have been such assholes. Anyway. They’ve been so mean to you, and it was an act of rebellion or something stupid like that.”

  “What did you do?” Baxter’s voice is low, his eyelids narrow.

  “It’s nothing. I just, I packed some lingerie. It’s stupid, and I shouldn’t have.”

  Baxter freezes. “Wait, why did you pack sexy lingerie?”

  “I didn’t say it was sexy.”

  “Okay, why did you pack your oh so non-sexy lingerie?”

  “Like I said, your parents have been so mean. I was just going to put it on in private. I had no clue you would be in the same room as me. I had no freaking idea anyone else would unpack my luggage other than me.”

  Baxter chuckles then sobers. He lowers his head so his lips are right beside my ear. “You can still model it for me. That way I can tell you if it’s sexy or not.”

  I pull back, but he catches me, preventing me from moving away. Our gazes lock, his sears my soul. He moves closer. I want this kiss more than air. I draw in a deep breath, and my breasts brush against his chest. He cocks up one eyebrow and laughs.

  “Just joking.” He steps away and heads into the bathroom.

  The door clicks closed, and I throw my hands up in the air. “Fuck me,” I whisper then shiver. Baxter was too hot to handle, and we were going to have to share the room. I stare at the bed, wondering how long I’ll last in that with him right beside me before I combust.

  Chapter Five

  Baxter

  Calling Heather had been the biggest mistake of my life. I wanted her too much. Or maybe, not calling her again before I left California for good had been the biggest mistake. Either way, Heather was a mistake because being near her opened a pit in my chest, and I had a sinking suspicion the only way to fill it would be to have Heather.

  She wasn’t the type of woman to have mindless sex that meant nothing. I can hardly stand myself because I want her enough to sacrifice everything. Eventually, I lift my head and stare at my reflection. I hate myself for not making her mine years ago and hate myself even more for thinking I could use her for sex this weekend. My cock strains at my zipper and I glance down, wishing away my erection.

  Wishing wasn’t going to move us forward, and my parents would expect us to be on the patio on time. I check my phone and see we have ten minutes to get downstairs, dressed and ready to be entertaining. Heather still has to dress. She was supposed to be in here getting dressed, but I’d run from her, taking her spot in the bathroom because I couldn’t stand the heat. Hell, just thinking of her taking off her clothes, her body revealed, makes me harder.

  “Double fuck,” I say under my breath. “You’re insane, Baxter. Insane.”

  When I open the door, Heather is gone. Fear hits me hard. Has she taken off? Then the door to our room opens, and she steps in.

  “I forgot my curling iron. I went to ask Lucinda if she has one, but I couldn’t find her.”

  “Your hair looks fantastic. Don’t bother with it.”

  Her lips curve up in a way that makes me even hotter. How long would she stay with me if she knew how dumb I was? What if I told her I wanted her all those years ago?

  “You can use the bathroom to dress. I’ll dress in here and wait for you in the hall.”

  She nods and moves to the closet. She picks out a dress that is as unique and beautiful as she is. Her clothes all have a certain theme. In the office, I rarely pay attention to what women wear. As long as what they wear is professional, that’s all that matters. I never mix business and pleasure, ever. Too many men have fallen in that pursuit, and I wasn’t going to get trapped in some stupid lawsuit. My ex had been perfect because she’d been benign. I couldn’t imagine Heather filling the role I’d planned on having Sandra fill. No, Heather would be all up in my business, asking questions in that voice of hers that made my heart sing and my pants tight. She wouldn’t allow me to get away with anything.

  The bathroom door closes, and I drop to the bed. The woman inspires pure madness in me. My life was tough beca
use my dad didn’t trust me. I knew, though he didn’t work at my mom’s insistence, he kept up with the office politics and everything I was involved in. People watched over my shoulder, spying on me, delivering information to my dad. I had to be sharp, and with Heather in my life, all I could think about was the length of her neck and how long it would take me to lick from her shoulder to her ear. Her breasts distracted me, and I hadn’t even touched them. The thought of sliding into her, being surrounded by her wet heat, drives me insane.

  I jump up, ditch my shirt and pants then pull on a crisp, white shirt and a different pair of black slacks. I grab my new shoes before heading to the hall. Distance from Heather was the best way to deal with this. I wouldn’t let her in. I wouldn’t allow her to get to me. I would keep myself apart from her, and she would have no hold over me. She would be gone in a week anyway, so I only had to keep this up for a few days.

  The bedroom door opens, and she steps out. My gut clenches. The words I’d told myself seconds before, the admonishments I’d given, they were all for naught. She is my kryptonite, and I have no choice in the matter. I’m hooked, no question.

  “Are you ready?” Heather asks.

  “Yes, let’s head down.”

  Immediately the negotiations start in my head. I could have her, and maybe she would be like my ex. She wouldn’t interfere. I could manage this. I was a Baxter-Scott, and my family had endured for generations. Lesser men than me had come before me and not fallen. I would be tough as steel, entering this with that knowledge would give me strength. I wouldn’t cave.

  The moment we step onto the patio, my mom rolls her eyes. It pisses me off. I stop and put my arm around Heather, turning so I could kiss her. My lips brush against hers in what was supposed to be a simple kiss. My response is anything but simple. My lungs burn for air as my head spins. This woman is as intoxicating as I’d thought she would be.

  Heather pulls away, her gaze searching mine. Confusion clouds her features. I hate myself for using her. She was too special to be thrust into this position.

  “Well, if it isn’t the lovebirds,” Lucinda calls out.

  I turn and see my mother is staring out at the tennis courts below. Heather moves away from me, not even looking back once. In my parents’ eyes I may have established Heather as mine, but at what cost?

  Dinner was as uncomfortable as I’d imagined it would be. My mother made snipes at Heather that may sound like compliments to the innocent, but I heard them for the digs they were. My father’s sneer has stayed in place through dinner and deepens when he turns to face me. William and Alisha kept up the chatter. Heather barely looked my way.

  When it is all over, I’m thankful we escape fairly unscathed…until we enter the bedroom we’re sharing. The covers are turned down, which makes Heather’s spine stiffen when she points it out. She goes to the bathroom, and I open the drawer where David usually puts my pajamas. Of course, I hadn’t slept in anything more than my birthday suit in years, but for Heather, I would wear the night shirt and pants I’d brought with me.

  We switch places, me in the bathroom, Heather in this room. The air between us is stiff. I check my email and get lost in thoughts about work, forgetting Heather is here. Once I finish brushing my teeth and open the door, shock hits me straight in the chest.

  Heather is turned so I can see she’s holding up a skimpy pink piece of lace that probably wouldn’t cover her breasts fully. She glances my way while still holding up the lace thing I would love to see on her. Panic flashes in her eyes and she moves fast, pushing the lace behind her. She drops it, probably trying to put it in the drawer that is open behind her, but the lace confection falls to the floor.

  In two steps, I’m beside her. I dip low, scooping up the pink lace. Her cheeks are red, her eyes wild. I want to see her in this. My cock is screaming at me, and I’m listening. I hold up the lacey thing by the straps and look at it then my gaze falls on her.

  We say nothing. The silence stretches on, and I’m about to admit defeat and head to the bathroom to jerk off when she reaches up. For a second I think she’s going to rip the lace from my hands and yell at me, but she doesn’t. She touches my arm so softly I have to look at her hand to see if she’s truly connected to me. Her fingers trail from my wrist to my elbow. The slow speed of her movements is killing me, but I let her lead.

  Her fingers play over my shoulder then down to my chest. I drop my hands and draw in a deep breath as she pops the top button of my shirt. Her gaze flicks to mine as a moan escapes my lips.

  Her tongue slips out and slides over her upper lip. I take it as an invitation and lean in but hesitate because I want her to make the next move. Seconds tick past, and I worry that she won’t close the distance. Then her mouth is on mine, and I abandon all restraint. I pick her up and set her on the dresser as I push her dress up. My fingers search for her panties, but I find none.

  It’s too much, and I shove my pajama bottoms low and push my underwear out of the way. Our lips connect as I slide into her, sinking into her heat. Her tongue twists around mine, and I respond in kind. I’m into the kiss when her legs wrap around my waist, pinning me close. I’d forgotten what I was doing. She’d caught me by surprise and confused me.

  I slide in deeper and feel like I’m about to lose it. I can’t believe I’m inside her. I pride myself in being a smooth operator, but Heather has made me crazy. There was no foreplay, no teasing, just raw, unrepentant sex.

  The kiss ends, and I lean back just enough so I can see her face. She’s beautiful. This is the type of woman I’ve always wanted. Scratch that. This is the woman I’ve always wanted. I’ve dreamt of having her in my bed for so long I didn’t even recognize who my fantasy lover was until this moment.

  She angles her head, and our lips meet again in a swift peck that I turn into a deep kiss. She’s in control. I may be the one buried inside her, but she is the one with the power and I love it.

  Her channel squeezes around me and I know I’m going to come soon. It feels so good being with her like this—perfect really. Being with Heather was better than I’d imagined. Her breath hitches and she squeezes around me again.

  The pinch of her nails digging into my arm feels so good I throw my head back as I ram into her. I’m out of control and ready to come. I can’t stop. I gulp in air, but it does nothing to slow the spinning. My head is resting on her shoulder, and she’s breathing in my ear. The grandfather clock in the entryway chimes and we both shudder as we come.

  I had sex with Heather, and I feel on top of the world. This was beyond my imagination. We’d connected on a level I’d never felt before. Her fingers ghost over my shoulders and I shiver. I want more and I certainly don’t want her to ever leave.

  I pull out and reach for the condom, realizing too late I never put it on. The condoms were in my bag, hidden in a locked zipper compartment. David hadn’t unpacked them because he wouldn’t have had access to them.

  Yes, there, it’s out there. I’d wanted to have sex with Heather. I hadn’t planned this, but it was better than anything I had planned. The angle I would have taken had I not rushed in, was to slowly seduce her, maybe play a game. I’d see if she was up for truth or dare. We’d tease each other and then after she was ready, I’d beg her for sex.

  What we’d just experienced had been raw. Emotions had whipped around me like a storm, driving me closer to Heather. Her old nickname came to mind. Hurricane Heather. If she ever heard me call her that, she would take it wrong. She wasn’t a disaster. Instead, she created emotional disaster inside me and this time wasn’t any different.

  “Um, I guess we should get dressed for bed.”

  “Let’s shower first.” My voice is scratchy and thick like I’m overcome with emotions. The reality is that I am.

  Heather nods and disentangles her legs from around me. The shower had been part of my setup, but I hadn’t thought it would be a postcoital shower.

  I make sure Heather is steady on her feet before I step away and tug off my sh
irt. Heather gasps. I follow her gaze and smile. There’s a California buttercup tattoo on my ribs. My parents hadn’t seen the tattoo yet and probably never would. They would flip out if they knew I had ink.

  “A buttercup?”

  I nod and laugh. “Yeah.”

  “Really?”

  “It was important.”

  She rolls her eyes and reaches back to unzip her dress. My hand lands on her arm and I gently direct her to turn. My fingers shake as I grasp the small metal key and slide it low, revealing her perfect back. The hitch in my breath turns into a gasp as I realize she isn’t wearing a bra.

  Slowly, I trail one finger down her spine to the top of her crack. My heart is beating hard again. This woman keeps surprising me.

  “Do you remember that field?”

  “Of course. How could I forget?” she asks.

  “It made an impact.”

  “I’ll never forget it.”

  We’d been friends for a year when we went hiking. We stumbled into the field laughing, but soon we were both running for our lives when a crazy druggie started shooting at us. It was a miracle we hadn’t been shot. Before we got to the trees, she’d glanced back and pulled me close, causing me to trip. Her selfless act had saved me. We’d both been changed.

  She pushes the shoulder of her dress off, and I watch as it slides lower, revealing her naked body. No underwear, no bra. God help me.

  She turns her head, and her gaze meets mine. She lifts a brow; the challenge is thrown out. I push my pants and underwear off and step closer to her, kissing her neck. I peek over her shoulder and I spy her perfect breasts.

  “You’re so beautiful.”

  Her laugh caresses my senses. She has no clue how she affects me. The sway of her hips as she steps away from me is too tempting, and I can’t take my eyes off her.

  “Are you coming?” she asks as she steps into the bathroom.

  “I might, I just might again,” I say under my breath as I follow her. Before I step into the bathroom, I take a quick detour into the closet and undo the lock on the front zipper of my bag where I’d stashed the condoms. I would need these. Yes, it was probably pointless since my litter of swimmers were deep inside her, but I understood enough basic biology to not tempt fate. The last batch may die off before she ovulated, but the next might be strong enough to survive. This woman made me stupid, that much was obvious. I could easily be distracted enough to never think of a condom again.