“Yeah, this is not really my scene, Viv,” Theo remarked, leaning in close so I could hear him over the commotion.
I nodded, feeling foolish for suggesting it in the first place. “Let’s just have a drink and then bounce.”
I waited for the bartender to see us when I felt eyes burning a hole into my back.
I turned toward the far end of the bar and saw a pair of hooded, dark eyes regarding me.
Of all the bars in all of the world. . .
Cole had four empty shot glasses turned over in front of him. His eyes bored into mine and slowly he lifted the full shot glass in his hand and tossed back the contents.
Theo put his hand on the small of my back, breaking my staring contest with Cole.
“What do you want, Vivian?” he asked, dipping his mouth in close to my ear. I looked back at Cole and was startled by the furious expression he wore. His mouth was set into a firm line and his eyes sparked across the distance separating us.
I turned to Theo slightly, though I kept my eyes on the caged lion on the other end of the bar. I could feel his angry aggression from here.
“I’ll have a Lemon Drop,” I said.
A woman dressed head to toe in black leather sat down beside Cole and leaned in to speak to him. He inclined his head in her direction but his gaze never wavered. Her arm curled around his shoulders, her fingers playing with the longer strands of his hair.
She was speaking to him but he wasn’t responding. He was too busy hurling nasty eye daggers my way.
Why was he so pissed to see me?
What the hell had I ever done to him?
“It’s so loud in here,” Theo yelled. I tried to smile but I felt like it was more effort than I was suddenly capable of.
Theo tucked my hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing down the side of my neck. “Can we go back to your place for a while? I can barely hear myself think,” he asked, his eyes heated.
I sipped on my drink and my eyes, of their own volition, crawled back to Cole.
Only he wasn’t there anymore. And neither was the slut who had been talking to him.
My stomach knotted up and plummeted to the floor. I knew exactly where he had gone.
I finished my drink, feeling the alcohol burn my throat and gave Theo a blinding smile. “Sure. Let’s get out of here,” I said.
Theo waved down the bartender so we could pay our tab and I looked around the crowd, my head bobbing in time to the beat of the music.
Someone wrapped their hand my waist, fingers clutching the silky material of my dress. And then I was being yanked around.
“What the hell?” I retorted angrily, only to stare up into the furious eyes of none other than Cole fucking Brandt.
“Cole,” I breathed out. His arm was tight around my middle, my chest pressed against his, our faces dangerously close. I could smell the liquor on his breath. And from the flush of his cheeks and the wild glint in his eyes, I knew he was loaded.
“Who is that?” demanded, inclining his head towards Theo, who had his back to us.
My irritation sparked and I pulled out of Cole’s retraining grip.
“None of your damn business!” I bit out.
I started to back up and knocked into Theo who turned around to give me a kind smile. His expression turned curious when he saw a very angry Cole breathing fire in his direction.
“Who the fuck are you?” Cole asked him. Theo looked over his shoulder, as though Cole were talking to someone else.
“Excuse me?” Theo asked, glancing at me.
“Why are you with my girl?” Cole demanded and my eyes widened.
His girl? Was he serious?
“I think you are mistaken. I’m on a date with this woman,” Theo argued reasonably.
“You’re what?” Cole roared, garnering the attention of everyone around us.
“Cole, enough! You’re drunk and you’re acting like an idiot,” I hissed, pushing him squarely in the chest. He stumbled back a step but then steadied himself as much as he was able to, even if he was still swaying on his feet.
“You’re on a date with this douchebag, Viv? Are you kidding me?” Cole started laughing maniacally, clutching his gut as he bent over in hysterics. My rage started to mount.
“Vivian, do you know this guy?” Theo asked, watching Cole with growing concern.
Cole righted himself and took a menacing step toward Theo. “Oh she knows me, man. She knows me intimately. She knows how it feels to have this dick inside her pussy.” He grabbed himself crudely before taking another step forward.
“She knows how it feels when I fuck her over a table and how it feels to have my tongue between her legs. So yes, she knows me. She’s known me in every position, all night long.”
Cole leaned down and ran his tongue along my cheek. “Mmm. I love me a mouthful of Vivian.”
That was it. I had had enough. I clocked Cole in the jaw, knocking him on his self-important ass. My hand throbbed and I hoped I hadn’t broken something.
“Don’t you ever talk about me like that ever again!” I screamed, standing over him, cradling my hand against my chest and glaring down at him. Cole rubbed his jaw and grinned up at me.
“You’ve got one hell of a right hook, baby. Now come here and let me kiss it and make it better,” he leered. I kicked him in the leg. Hard. With the spike end of my shoe.
“Ouch! Why’d you do that, Viv?” Cole yelled, trying to get to his feet. But he was so drunk he could only stumble to his knees before collapsing on the floor again.
I reared back to kick him again but Theo put a hand on my arm.
“What are you doing, Vivian?” he asked, looking appalled. I looked around and realized we had a circle of people surrounding us, watching with avid interest. Once again, Cole and I had become a sideshow.
I lowered my foot to the floor. “I’m sorry, Theo,” I said regretfully, hating how he had seen this very ugly side of my personality.
Theo looked absolutely repulsed by the entire situation. “Is this the guy you were talking about at dinner?” Theo deduced. Cole was still trying to get to his feet. Finally some biker dude took pity and helped him up. He swayed a bit but otherwise stayed upright.
I didn’t bother to answer Theo. I figured it was obvious by this point.
“I’m sorry, Vivian. I’m so, so sorry,” Cole appealed, scrubbing his hands down his face.
My anger dissipated marginally. I had never heard Cole apologize for anything. That alone was enough to make me wonder if we had entered the Twilight Zone.
When Cole pulled his hands away from his face, his eyes were wet and red. He looked as lost as I had ever seen him.
“Don’t hate me. Please,” he begged, reaching for my hand. I let him take it and he curled his fingers through mine, pressing our joined hands over his heart.
“I couldn’t stand it if you hated me the way the rest of them do. Not you. Never you,” he whispered and I had to lean in close to hear him.
His fingers squeezed mine and I could feel the erratic beat of his heart beneath my skin.
“I don’t hate you, Cole,” I told him honestly and the naked relief on his face left me speechless.
We stood like that for a while, with Cole’s hand clutching mine, pressed to his chest, while I looked up at this sad and broken man who had always seemed so untouchable. I had never thought I’d see the day where anything wrecked him.
But that day had come.
“Vivian. We need to go,” Theo said, snapping me out of my Cole induced stupor. I pulled my hand from Cole’s and backed away, all too aware of how this must look to Theo, who looked anything but happy. He was staring at Cole, who had dropped his head, his chin colliding with his chest.
I didn’t want to leave Cole like this. Despite everything, I just couldn’t.
“This is why you didn’t want to go on a date with me. You’re still hung up on this guy,” Theo said, as though he couldn’t understand what I was thinking.
“No. Th
at had nothing to do with it,” I lied.
“Look, I’d rather know this now then get into something with you and have my heart broken. If you’re still in love with this guy, then just say so.”
Whoa! Who had said anything about love?
Oh that’s right. I had at dinner. Way to go, Vivian!
“It has nothing to do with me not being over him. I just can’t leave him when he’s like this,” I countered.
Theo shook his head and reached out to take ahold of Cole’s arm. Cole tried to pull back and almost lost his footing again.
“Let go of me, jackass!” Cole seethed.
“We’re going to get you home. Chill out,” Theo said with annoyance.
I blinked in surprise. Theo looked back at me nonplussed. “You coming?” he asked.
I nodded and followed Theo as he pulled a barely walking Cole out to his car.
The ride to Cole’s apartment was tense, even after Cole had passed out and started to snore.
A few minutes later, we were parked and I was struggling with something to say.
If there was anything I could take away from this date gone wrong, is that Theo deserved more than a woman who would never be able to give him her heart. Not when it foolishly belonged to someone else. Someone who most likely would never give his in return.
“It’s okay, Vivian,” Theo murmured, picking up on my internal tirade.
“I don’t know why I can’t get over him. I mean, look at him!” I despaired, indicating Cole in the backseat, sprawled out and drooling all over the upholstery.
Theo gave me a wry smile. “We can’t help who want,” he responded sagely.
Truer words have never been spoken.
The two of us struggled to get Cole out of the car and up the stairs to his apartment. And while I rooted around in his pockets for his keys, I blushed when Cole stirred long enough to tell me to tug on his junk a bit.
Finally we got Cole into his apartment and deposited him on the couch. Theo stood awkwardly by the door as I pulled off Cole’s shoes and covered him with a blanket.
“I should probably stay. You know, to make sure he doesn’t choke on his vomit or anything,” I said, following Theo out into the hallway.
“How will you get back to your place? Do you need me to stay with you?” he asked. He really was such a nice guy. I wanted to slap myself silly for not jumping at the chance to be with him. It was time to start questioning my sanity.
But Theo was right. You can’t help who you want. The heart is a senseless bitch.
“That’s okay, thank you though. I’ll call a cab,” I said, wrapping my arms around my body. It was freezing in the hallway.
Theo dug into his pocket and pulled out some cash pushing it into my hand. “For the cab,” he said and I tried to give it back to him.
“I can’t take this,” I insisted but Theo wouldn’t hear of it.
“Please, for me,” he urged and I clutched the money in my hand.
“Thank you, Theo. For everything. And I’m so sorry this was such an epic failure,” I said, trying to smile but finding the muscles wouldn’t work. I felt like such a jerk.
“It wasn’t so bad. It’ll definitely prove a conversation starter down the road. The world’s worst first date,” he quipped and this time I found that I could smile. He was making all of this so easy.
He held out his hand for me to shake. “Friends?” he asked, though I saw it pained him to say it.
I shook his hand firmly. “Most definitely,” I promised. He held my hand a beat longer than necessary.
When he finally let go, I felt a little better and thought that maybe I hadn’t ruined everything after all.
Cole started moaning from the apartment and I knew I should get back inside.
“Good luck with all that. If you need anything, you know how to reach me,” Theo said. I nodded and watched him walk down the hallway before going back inside.
Cole was trying to sit up but wasn’t very successful. “I need to piss,” he muttered, starting to unzip himself.
Oh hell no!
I hurried over to him, kicking off my heels and hoisted him to his feet.
He was practically dead weight and I sagged underneath him, both of us careening into the couch.
“Whoopsie daisy,” Cole laughed as I tried to get us upright.
“I’ll whoopsie daisy your ass into the ground if you don’t shut up,” I warned, steering him into the bathroom.
“You gonna help?” Cole leered, using his hand to prop himself against the wall as he pulled out his dick and took aim at the toilet.
I hurried out of the bathroom, his drunken laughter following me.
When he was finished, he called my name and I helped him back to his bedroom. It was a pit. I tripped over a pile of clothes and beer bottles as I stumbled towards his bed.
I dumped him unceremoniously down on top of the covers and lifted his legs one at a time so that he was stretched out. I repositioned the pillow so that he was turned slightly onto his side, just in case he threw up in his sleep. No need for a Jimi Hendrix.
I started to stand up when Cole’s hand reached out and curled around my wrist. It wasn’t tight, but it was strong.
“Don’t leave me,” he whispered, his eyes open in slits.
“I’ve got to get home, Cole. I have to work in the morning,” I argued.
Cole’s lower lip trembled and his face started to crumple. Shit, was he going to cry? First in the bar and now here? Who was this man and what he done with the arrogant asshat I was used to dealing with?
“I need you, Viv. I really need you. Please don’t leave me. I can’t be alone. I’m so tired of always being alone,” he begged and I crumpled.
He tugged on my arm and I scooted closer.
“Just lay with me. I miss holding you.” His voice began to waver and I knew he was close to unconscious.
Making my decision, I shuffled up onto the bed beside him and curled into his side. His arm came around my body and pulled me closer so that my back was pressed against his front.
His fingers laced between mine and I tucked our joined hands beneath my cheek. I felt him nuzzle into my hair and the soft, ghost-like caress of his lips against the back of my neck.
He let out a deep breath, as if he were finally, after all this time, content. I felt his body relax and soon his breathing was deep and even and I knew he had fallen asleep.
Pinned to his familiar body, enveloped in his scent, I listened to the gentle cadence of his breaths until I was able to follow him into sleep.
I had to be dreaming.
If I was, I didn’t want to wake up.
Because the tantalizing smell that filled my nostrils was familiar and had my cock springing to attention. I could feel soft curves pressed against me, warm from sleep.
Her silky hair brushed my face, her hot breath on my skin.
I refused to open my eyes, worried that when I did, I’d wake up and find myself alone. And I couldn’t handle that. I needed this fantasy. I needed her here, lying curled against me.
I had to be asleep. Why else would Vivian be here?
And I wasn’t going to waste a perfectly good dream. I knew exactly where I needed this to go. It was my fantasy after all.
I traced my fingers along the lines of her body, taking my time as I made my way to the hem of her dress. I bunched the material in my hands and lifted it above her hips.
I ran my hand along the defined curve of her hip, slipping my finger beneath the thin string of her panties as I teased the sensitive skin.
Vivian groaned and moved restlessly as I touched her. I wanted to look at her. I wanted to see her gorgeous face flushed as she took pleasure in what I was about to do to her.
But I wanted this dream to last as long as I could make it. So I kept my eyes resolutely shut.
I found the wet spot on her underwear and grinned to myself. She wanted me. She always wanted me. I moved the insignificant piece of cotton to the side and ran
my thumb along her clit.
“Oh god!” she groaned, spreading her thighs so I had easier access. I was slow and purposeful as I coated my fingers with her arousal. She was dripping with it and I could hear her pants coming loud and fast.
Not able to put off feeling her from the inside for another moment, I pushed two fingers deep inside, moaning as her muscles clenched down hard.
“Fuck,” I murmured, moving my fingers in and out. In and out.
“Cole,” Vivian rasped and I couldn’t stop myself from opening my eyes.
And I was shocked when she didn’t go away. She was still there. Lying in my bed, her hair fanned out around her. Her dark, red dress bunched up at her stomach and my fingers plunging in and out of her sexy body.
Her knees were bent, her hips rising to meet my hand as I pressed in as far as I could go.
She was here. Vivian was in my bed and I was touching her. Finally. God, how I had wanted to do this for so damn long.
Her eyes were still closed, her head thrown back and I couldn’t stop myself from replacing my fingers with my mouth. I had to taste her.
I covered her mound with my lips and suckled on her clit until she was bucking beneath me.
Her fingers curled into my hair and gripped painfully. I smiled against her and pushed my tongue into her pussy. I lapped and licked until I tasted her coming in my mouth.
She screamed at the top of her lungs, followed by a string of curses that had my neighbor banging on the wall.
Even after she settled down, I didn’t stop. I kept licking and tasting her, not able to get enough.
I chanced a look up at her face. Her eyes were open and she was watching me between her legs. I couldn’t read her expression. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
But I knew what I was thinking. I repositioned myself and quickly got rid of my pants and boxers. I fit between her legs and grabbed her thigh, pulling her down the bed until she was lined up right where I needed her to be.
“No, Cole, stop,” Vivian said, sitting up and pulling her legs together.
Seductive Chaos Page 21
