by Sarah Tork
My fucking clutch!
“Forgetting something, princess?” Liam grinned, holding out the clutch. I marched up to him and tried to grab it but he pulled his arms back, holding it up into the air. Around 6’3, he towered over me even in my six-inch heels.
“Give me my property!” I snapped, flailing my arms anyway, making a statement that even though he’s tall, it wasn’t going to stop me. “I won’t stop thrashing you until you give it back!”
He smiled snidely, as if he knew something I didn’t. “You think you can tire me out? Think again!”
“Not only can I tire you out, but I’ll kick your ass in the process too!” I jerked my body closer to his, trying to pay no mind that his dress shirt was still ripped at the side, showcasing his sculpted stomach.
I just won’t look there. It’ll be hard, but I think I can…I hope I can. “You might as well give up right now; it’ll be easier for the both of us.”
I jumped up, but his arm extended higher. My body came dangerously close to smothering his. The potential situation was very dangerous. But I couldn’t give a shit if my entire body collided into his, feeling every ripple, every obviously-hard muscle, having my entire body melt into his.
Yeah, I don’t care if that happens. I had one mission on my mind, and that was to retrieve my clutch.
“Easier for you, you mean,” Liam stated, amused. “I was actually just going to hand it to you, considering the foul statement you made upon leaving the car; but now that I’m thinking about it, I think a punishment would be more suitable to that horrendous lie you belted out in public about me. You’re lucky I don’t pursue a more suitable resolution; but after dealing with my brother, I’m feeling a little generous, and will give you this one time.”
I jerked my body closer to his, feeling that if there is less distance between us, I’ll have a better chance of grabbing the clutch out of his hands.
“Give me my shit back,” I hissed. “Now!”
“Your shit?” Liam repeated, as if he thought it was funny. “Is that any way for a lady to speak?”
“Yeah, well, like I told that psychopath Demetria back at Xander’s hotel room: I’m no lady!” I panted, on the brink of collapse. Liam was barely panting, actually, not panting at all. He stood comfortably while I did all the work.
This fucking asshole was chilling.
Tall people have it easy! There, I said it.
“You’re so lucky you’re tall, or else…” I panted, barely jumping a few inches. My feet were killing me now.
Liam smirked, not lowering his arm. “Or else, what?”
His smirk had me angrier. I felt a burn electrocute my legs, giving me the push I needed to get my clutch back.
“This!”
I hurled my body up with such ferocity, Liam’s surprise had him stumbling back to keep the clutch out of my nearing hands. He smirked at me mid-air, knowing I’d failed again. As soon as my heels touched the ground, something went wrong. My foot slipped, and I stumbled forward into Liam’s hard, muscled chest. My hands instinctively clasped onto his shoulders for stability. He grabbed my waist with the clutch still in hand.
“Whoa there,” Liam murmured as I stared at him, feeling flustered. His deep-blue eyes hardened; it wasn’t an angry expression, but something else, something that traveled deep inside me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, inches from his face, his hands not letting go of my waist.
Snap out of it.
The seconds that went by were making this into a bigger problem than I needed. I did not need to be feeling all hot and bothered over another Barns. They’re related; the menace gene was probably in the both of them.
I don’t even know him and this is happening. Shit.
And the award for the most stupid girl in the world goes to… Me!
My hand lets go of his hard shoulder and I held onto the car for support, as my body painfully detached itself from his warmth.
“Sorry,” I said again, not looking him in the eye. Letting go of my waist, he pushed himself back up. When we’re both standing, my clutch was returned. “Thanks.”
“I’m sorry too; that behavior was out of order. I was…it’s just been a long night. I’m sorry for holding your bag away from you,” Liam apologized.
My eyes connect with his soft ones. I felt every ounce of myself melt. My entire body wanted nothing more than to attach itself back onto his.
I subtly shook it off; whatever this was, it wasn’t going to happen, not in this lifetime. Liam Barns was Xander’s brother; those two came from a different world than mine. They were leaders (despite Xander’s hobbies, it had nothing to do with making money), and I am what I am: A work in progress.
And that’s okay with me. I’m okay, even if something beautiful stands before me, with eyes that seem to ache as badly as my own.
Maybe he wanted it too.
It’s a bad idea. We’d both obviously been through so much tonight; our thoughts aren’t processing the way they normally would. We’re not all there tonight, and that’s why it seems like anything could happen.
Anything.
But it couldn’t.
And that sucks from a purely fantasy aspect. We’d all had those moments when our body wanted something that the mind disagreed with, knowing how bad of an idea it actually was.
I glanced around the place we are in for any bystanders watching the show. The street had few cars except for the odd taxi, and the sidewalks are empty. It’s getting late, and this area of downtown Ottawa doesn’t have many people walking about casually at this time of night. We are all alone.
“It’s been an eventful night to say the least, with the both of us affected to the maximum,” I told him softly, with a hint of amusement. “It’s okay. We both said stuff, and did stuff, that wasn’t appropriate.”
“Me more than you; I practically kidnapped you. It’s just, I don’t know who you are and what you were doing with Xander; he’s known to have something up his sleeves at all times. I’ve just had enough of his games,” Liam said, clearly exhausted.
That’s right. I was practically kidnapped; I should be angry, but looking into Liam’s eyes erases any sort of resentment I might have toward him for doing it. The only thing I feel about him is empathetic, and that’s because both of us have been through the wringer due to Xander’s obnoxious behavior.
“Well, I guess I just get it. I just went through twenty-four hours with your brother and his choice behaviours. I can’t believe he’s your brother. Who’s older again?” I asked Liam.
“I am, but only by ten minutes. We’re fraternal twins,” Liam explained. My eyes bulged in shock. There were two of them, literally two Xander’s?
HOLY.
SHIT!
But they weren’t the same. One came out normal, from what it seemed. Or maybe I was wrong; maybe they were both weird and perverted, and Liam was just better at hiding himself.
I knew what Xander liked doing…. supposedly, but what was Liam’s thing?
“Wow, two of you. Well, thank God, you both didn’t turn out the same,” I sighed in relief. Liam stayed quiet. “Or maybe you are the same as he is,”
His deep-blue eyes hardened again, briefly scanning my body as he leans back onto his SUV. “That depends on what different thing you’re talking about.”
A few seconds of silence pass by. I don’t know what to say to that innuendo; well no, I do know what I want to say; it just would have been stupid to.
“Well, let’s leave that a mystery now, shall we?” I smile at him, feeling the power come back. I’m not a slave to my body after all. “I’m sorry you were dragged into all of this. I’m going to go now.” I turn and walk around the car to the curb, waving my arm into the air to hail a taxi over. I feel a hand pull my waving arm down. “What are you doing?”
“Let me give you a ride home,” Liam said softly, staring into my eyes, doing things to my body that made me feel a little antsy. “I feel terrible for how I treated you.”
<
br /> I smiled and shook my head. “Dude, it’s all good. I’m over it; I get why you did it. And I would feel more comfortable taking a taxi; I mean, I barely know you.”
He stared at me for a few seconds before nodding. He didn’t know me either. I could be a Demetria in hiding, waiting to have my way with him and keep him forever tied up somewhere.
I waved a taxi over. I opened the car door and turned to Liam, but he rounded the taxi and spoke with the driver. I looked through the passenger door’s window and noticed Liam hand over some money to the taxi driver. He finished with the taxi driver and came back around, stopping in front of me.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, my insides melting all over again. That’s nice of him, even though he sort of kidnapped me earlier. I really should be demanding bigger compensation than a free taxi trip home, but I wasn’t like that. “You didn’t have to do that. I have money.”
Liam caressed my shoulder briefly, looking into my eyes. “I did something horrible; it’s the least I can do.”
I can think of a few things you can do to make it all better…a lot of things.
Don’t blurt that out!
“Okay… thanks,” I said to him softly. “Bye.”
“Bye,” Liam replied. I tucked into the car and Liam shuts the door.
“Where to, Miss?” the taxi driver asked, turning in his seat.
I gave him the address. “You know where that is?”
“Of course,” he stated, and shifted the car into drive. I looked out the window and stared at Liam. As the car pulled away, I waved, and Liam waved back.
As we drove away, I turned from the window and settled with my clutch on my lap, finally feeling able to breathe for the first time. There was only one slight problem: my body didn’t feel at ease; it felt restless and antsy.
The taxi drove away from downtown, and I wondered how the rest of the night would go. I had to wake up early tomorrow to go have coffee with Dad, but the way I felt right now, falling asleep seemed impossible.
Shit. Those Barns brothers… both a problem in their own ways.
Thanks, Liam.
*~*~*
Twenty minutes later, the taxi pulled in front of the Inn.
“It’s all been paid for, Miss,” the taxi driver said.
“Okay, thanks. Have a good night,” I told him, and pull the handle to open the door.
“You, too,” he said as I shut the door. The car drove away and I opened the front door to the Inn’s lobby. It’s quiet inside, the only sound coming from the air conditioner. I went up to the front desk where the security guard had his feet up on the desk, with his back leaned into his chair. His eyes were closed.
“Hi,” I whispered, careful not to make him jump. His eyes snapped open and he quickly peeled his legs off the desk. “I’m here to pick up my key for room 306. My name is Marisa.”
The security guard grinned. “Yeah, some lively people dropped it off a few hours ago. They were interesting.” He pulled out my key card and placed it on top of the desk.
“Yeah, they’re something,” I chuckled back, knowing exactly what he meant. I slid the key card off the desk. “Good night.”
“Have a good one,” he said back, then tucked himself back into his previous position. I headed down the long hallway to my room. I inserted my key card and opened the door, walking into darkness.
“Where is that light switch?” I murmured, closing the door behind me. I finally found the light switch, turned it on and gasped.
What?! My eyes bulged out of their sockets at the state of my room. Things, lots of things, were scattered artfully around my room. I closed my mouth and quickly marched to my bed where there was tagged clothing across.
All these clothes! There are jeans, shirts, skirts, dresses, and shorts, and they’re all clearly expensive. I check the tags on them; the price is cut off. But from the brands themselves, I can tell that everything on my bed could pay for my rent for the entire year. Beside the bed are three pairs of shoes: a pair of plum ballet flats, a pair of black Chucks, and a pair of leather boots with a skinny heel and a red sole.
OMG, is that what I think it is? I can’t believe this…I can’t breathe! I hold the boots against my feet; they are to the knee.
Why did he do this? Bewildered and sceptical, that’s how I felt. I glanced down beside my bed where a brand new, dark green, lush set of luggage sat. I carefully placed the boot back beside its partner.
Why had he given me all of this? I knew one thing: Xander didn’t do things because he was the generous type; that bastard wanted something from me just like he had for the makeover.
Well, he had another thing coming if he thought I’d be doing anything for him.
I placed my clutch on the desk, and sat on the chair to take off my heels. I then checked my own bag, making sure everything was still in there just in case Xander asked the three stylists to go on a scavenger hunt for some mementos.
Everything was in check, but I did a double-take and noticed a large shopping bag on the other side of the bed. I grabbed it and pulled out a leather bag.
Oh my God! My mouth dropped as I inspected the bag. It had two parallel zippers that circle around the bag, and a tassel made of leather strips that are tied together at one end.
I love it! I hugged the bag as if it were my newborn baby. I knew right then and there that the bag and I were meant to be.
We were one. And whatever that bastard wanted in exchange for it, I’d consider, if it’s harmless enough. The things we did for pretty things.
I squealed loudly; holding the bag’s strap over my shoulder. I marched to the full-length mirror on the wall to examine it in all its glory.
At first glance, I sighed loudly. So this was what love really felt like.
Screw Ben, screw Xander…and fuck it…screw Liam, too.
Thoughts of Liam and screwing took over my brain from the amazing bag.
Damn it, don’t think about that…screw and Liam should never be in the same sentence for me, not if I don’t want to combust into flames.
I grabbed my clutch and pulled out my phone. Chances were, there was going to be some texts from the bastard-king himself requesting a few favours for the booty of clothes he’d given me without me asking for them.
There as only one text. No emails.
I thought of Ben, and I hoped he was okay, even though he was the one with support from Mom and Gwen. I had no one to help me through the breakup.
I shook it off and opened the newly sent text.
Xander: 1:29am
You’re welcome again.
I want pictures…and a few other things.
But that will be discussed later…
Sweet dreams my trusted little sidekick. Tonight was so much fun.
Hug, kiss, hug…other things.
Other things?
My eyes narrowed at the last few words. What the hell did that mean? I shook my head; it didn’t matter. I was done. I didn’t owe that guy anything. These clothes and shoes and (gulp) the bag, they were given without my say so. I accepted the makeover this morning, but these things were given without my acceptance.
I’m not doing anything else for him. I’m already feeling cold down there because I’m sans underwear.
Speaking of underwear… I pulled out a fresh pair of plain black undies from my carry-on and slid them on. I carefully pulled off the dress and placed it on the bed with the rest of the clothes.
So pretty… I stared at it all, transfixed for a moment. I broke the stare when I realized that I had the bustier on. How was I going to get it off?
After a few minutes of playing with the back, I figured out a way to get it off. It’s like a bra, but with way more clasps down the back. I placed it with the rest of the clothes and walk over to the bathroom wearing only my underwear.
I carefully examined each piece of clothing before folding and placing them inside the brand new luggage.
Home tomorrow.
The weekend that co
uldn’t go fast enough had finally come to its conclusion. I put a plain black bra on with a soft green shirt and climbed into bed after turning off the lights.
Wow, what a night. My body settled into the mattress. But all of a sudden, the calm and relaxed feelings quickly vanished as my mind settled on a more problematic thought.
Liam.
Imagining his large, strong fingers skimming my inner thigh had me wet in an instant.
This was wrong and so not the plan for tonight. I just wanted to get some sleep. But I know that’s not going to happen unless I nip the lust-filled feelings in the bud so Liam will get out of my mind and I can go to sleep. I want to leave tonight here forever, before I move back to my regular drama-free life.
My hands slid down my stomach, imagining Liam grabbing them, showing them where to go. I arched my back in response. His fingers intersected mine, sliding down into my panties.
I moaned quietly, imagining his slightly ripped shirt falling off his hard muscled body, showing me every inch of his perfect body as it rested on top of me. His other hand glided over my stomach, up around my breasts, resting on my cheeks, caressing them as he stared deep into my eyes. I imagined his other hand orchestrating the symphony of all orgasms deep down in my core.
But not yet.
They moved methodically, knowing exactly what to do which had me moaning louder. I wanted each moment of ecstasy from his touch to last forever; but with each stroke, each firm caress, I was on the verge of exploding, and that’s very, very bad, because it was going to be over, and I didn’t want this to be over.
I moaned as his fingers moved deeper inside me. His face over mine, lush lips touched mine with his tongue entering. I felt a wave overtake me. Everything went white as the biggest orgasm I’d ever had shattered my body.
I buried my face into my pillow, moaning loudly as if I had no other choice, suppressing it would have only made it worse.
I had to let out the song.
