Third Chances

by Smoak, Ivy

  "There they are," Kristen whispered. "Awesome, there's one seat open next to Professor Hunter. I call dibs." She quickly brushed past me.

  I saw James lean over and whisper something in Rob's ear. Rob immediately nodded and stood up. I felt frozen as he walked toward me, his eyes completely fixed on me. They traveled from my feet to my face in the most primitive way possible. Sex wasn't off the table despite what he had said. He was clearly undressing me with his eyes. Not that there was much left for the imagination. This dress was completely ridiculous. The fabric crisscrossed along the front and the back, leaving so much skin exposed I wasn't even sure it could be classified as a dress.

  "He's totally checking you out," Layla said.

  "Thanks, Captain Obvious."

  Layla laughed. "I didn't realize how confident you were. Go get 'em, girl."

  I wasn't trying to be rude to Layla. I just couldn't think of anything normal to say when I was staring at Rob the exact same way he was staring at me. He was wearing a freshly pressed gray suit. He wasn't sporting a tie and his light blue dress shirt had the top few buttons undone. Even though I had already seen him without a shirt, I found myself wanting to unbutton it with my teeth.

  Get a grip. I had never been someone who wanted something just because they were told they couldn't have it. But right now, I wanted to jump him. He was like the forbidden fruit. And I knew he was going to taste so fucking good.

  "All the niceties have to wait one second or else my brother is going to kill me. You might want to pull your dress down, gorgeous." He winked at me.

  "What?" I put my hand over my chest. He seriously wanted me to reveal more of my cleavage? I wasn't even sure that was possible unless I didn't mind having a nip-slip. Which I did mind. We were in public. "What is wrong with you?"

  Rob laughed. "Suit yourself." Before I knew what was happening, he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me over his shoulder.

  "Put me down," I hissed and hit his back with my palm, while my other hand gripped the back of his suit jacket tightly so that I wouldn't fall headfirst onto the floor. Oh my God! Damn it! He meant pull down the bottom of my dress so I wouldn't be showing my ass to the entire freaking restaurant. I was a mooner. I was a public menace! "Please, Rob, put me down." My voice was more desperate now than upset.

  I felt him pull on the bottom hem of my dress. He kept his fingers on the edge of the fabric, insuring that it wouldn't ride up anymore.

  "Is that better, beautiful?" he asked in his stupid charming voice.

  "Don't call me that." I tried to squirm out of his grip, but it just made him hold me tighter.

  "Beautiful?"

  "Yes, beautiful. It's unnerving."

  He laughed and placed his hand firmly on my ass.

  "What are you doing? You can't just touch my ass without my permission."

  "Well, if you're okay with mooning the whole restaurant..."

  I lifted my head to see people staring at us from their tables. I knew what he meant. If he didn't hold my dress, it would lift up when he set me back down on two feet. Bastard.

  "Fine."

  "So, let me just make sure I get this right. You're giving me permission to touch your ass?"

  "It's not like an ongoing invitation. It's just this one time so I don't moon everyone."

  "I'm going to need to hear you say I can touch your ass at least two times tonight before I agree to these reckless shenanigans."

  I was beginning to realize that not only was Rob the sexiest guy I had ever met, he was also the most exasperating. "Fine. Whatever. You're such an asshole." I needed his hands off of me immediately. When he touched me, my whole body felt alive. Knowing my luck, my desire for him was dripping down my exposed thighs for the whole restaurant to see.

  He laughed and placed his hand on my ass again as he bent down and sat me into a chair. Rob's face was an inch from mine, but the distance didn't last long. He placed a soft kiss against my lips. "I'm afraid I can't stop calling you beautiful. It's just a fact, Daphne." He sat down in the chair next to me as I tried to even out my breaths.

  I wish I just felt light headed from him holding me over his shoulder like a terrible two year old, but it wasn't that. He made my heart race. And my stomach churn. It was like I was on a terrifying rollercoaster and I was getting close to the part of the ride where they make you freefall hundreds of feet to what sure seems like your death. Please don't let Robert Hunter be the death of me.

  "Hey," James said, making me jump.

  Whenever I interacted with Rob, I seemed to forget about everyone else around us. I tore my eyes away from Rob and turned to his brother, who was sitting right next to me. I could feel Kristen's death stare without even looking at her. Rob had placed me in the only seat next to James. Mason was sitting directly on the other side of him.

  "Hey," I said. "James, right?" Rob and him looked very similar. Except Rob was a little shorter and he had shaggy hair whereas James' hair was short. I had seen James around campus before, even though I had never taken one of his classes. His hair was usually perfectly styled, but in the humidity it was a little wavy and unruly looking. I knew why Kristen was attracted to him. He seemed so poised, so together. Yet he had this air of danger about him. I couldn't explain it exactly. Like a nerdy bad boy. He was even wearing glasses tonight, which added to the whole look.

  "Yup." He smiled and shifted slightly away from me in his seat. Clearly my staring at him was making him uncomfortable. I hadn't even meant to stare. Rob's hands on me had just been so damn arousing that now I was acting completely inappropriate. "I'm the asshole's older brother," James added.

  I laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

  "Oh, no, you're good. Rob is definitely an asshole."

  I laughed. "I know, right? He's...infuriating." Infuriating? It was the first word that had popped into my head to describe Rob.

  James smiled. He seemed amused by what I had just said, but he didn't say why.

  "Well, this evening is off to a great start," Rob said from the chair on the other side of me. I felt his warm hand fall onto my thigh, making my whole body shiver in contrast to its heat. Or maybe it was just because of him.

  I looked up into Rob's eyes. His brother was handsome, but despite what Kristen believed, I thought Rob was more attractive. All I wanted to do was run my hands through his shaggy hair again. He had scruff on his jaw line that I knew would prickle my palms in a sexy, rugged way. He just had this carefree attitude that I didn't understand and envied. He was still finding himself. And despite what I had thought before this vacation, I was still finding myself too. I wanted to find myself over and over again in his bed.

  Calm down. No sex, remember? But I didn't agree to that!

  He put his other hand on the bottom of my chin and lifted my face toward his. "Now, if I hadn't been in a rush to fill that seat next to my brother, I would have said you look amazing in that dress. The green matches your eyes perfectly."

  I smiled. "I haven't noticed you staring at my eyes that much."

  "Oh, did I say eyes? I meant breasts. Sorry about that. And I meant this color," he dropped my chin and ran his fingers along one of the triangles of exposed skin the dress left on me.

  I laughed. "You clean up nice yourself. No tie, huh?" I didn't reach out and touch him. Apparently I had no self control, so I couldn't risk it.

  "I can't wear ties. It makes it feel like someone is strangling me. Whoever invented them is the asshole. Not me."

  "It's probably the same person that invented high heels."

  "The worst human being who ever lived."

  I laughed. "So, you never wear a tie? Not even for a super fancy occasion?"

  "You mean my brother's wedding? Yes, I'm being forced to wear a tie to that. But as long as I can help it, I avoid them. If you ask me, there's only one good use for a tie."

  "And what is that?"

  He smiled, as if the fact that I didn't know the answer was humorous. He leaned closer, until
I could feel his warm breath in my ear. His hand had slid slightly up my thigh. "Has no one ever tied you up before?"

  There was so much innuendo in his voice. If he had said, "Ties only look good on hippopotamuses," I would have been turned on. But even what he said was sexy. I crossed my legs under the table, accidently sandwiching his hand between my thighs.

  The waiter had just arrived, so fortunately I didn't need to answer his question. But my heart was racing. I hadn't even looked at the menu. It was hard to read through the items even as I opened it. Rob's hand felt like it was burning me. His intensity was too much. Or maybe mine was too much.

  If I hadn't trapped his hand, it might still be ascending. I could imagine his hands gently spreading my thighs under the table as they dipped under my dress. His fingers would brush against my thong, and he'd feel how wet I was for him. He'd know before he even pushed my thong to the side and touched me.

  "And you, ma'am?"

  Oh, shit. "Um...water."

  I drowned out everything at the table as I let my fantasy overcome me. I could imagine his fingers touching me for the first time. It was easy to feel his warm breath in my ear again, encouraging me to spread my thighs more as his thumb found my clit.

  "Uncross your legs."

  It took me a second to realize it wasn't just in my head. Rob was whispering in my ear. My heart started racing even faster.

  "I'm thinking about it too." His voice was so seductive. "It's all I can think about. You're driving me crazy. You make me so fucking hard."

  Holy shit. No one ever talked to me like that. I looked down at his lap, but it was covered by the tablecloth. The tablecloth was covering my thighs. No one would be able to see. I knew he wasn't lying about being hard. I had felt him against me twice. Once this morning in the hotel and once this afternoon underneath the waterfall. I aroused him just as much as he aroused me.

  "Let me feel how wet you are, baby."

  I immediately uncrossed my legs.

  His hand slid slightly up my thigh, higher and higher. His fingers paused right before they reached where he wanted to be. There was a low groaning noise in his throat and he immediately moved his hand off my thigh. So fast that you would have thought something had shocked him. He picked up his menu and leaned back in his chair without another word.

  What? Apparently it was not where he wanted to be. Just where I wanted him to be. I crossed my legs again and gripped the sides of my chair. I couldn't have something more with Rob Hunter. This whole thing was just a power game to him. One that he was clearly winning. He just wanted to see if I wanted him. And I spread my thighs. Who does that after knowing someone for less than 24 hours? I could feel my cheeks turning red. That wasn't me. I wasn't that type of girl. I wanted love. I stared down at my menu. The buzz of conversation was all around me, but I couldn't really hear any of it. And the words on the menu didn't seem cohesive. I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath.

  "So, I know you like younger woman," I heard Kristen say from across the table. "Tell me more about that."

  My eyes snapped open. Was she seriously going to hit on a man who was about to get married?

  I looked over at James, who seemed to be looking everywhere but at Kristen. I could feel how uncomfortable he was. Why couldn't Kristen see that?

  "I don't like younger women," he said, more to Mason who was beside him then to Kristen.

  "Yeah he does," Mason said with a wink.

  Kristen laughed. "I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Attraction is a natural thing. I don't think anyone should apologize for who they find alluring." She leaned forward, clearly trying to expose more of her breasts which were already barely covered.

  James didn't even look at her. Instead he lifted up his menu, like he was studying it. "But an apology may be due when the attraction is not reciprocated," he said slowly.

  I pressed my lips together. I almost wanted to laugh. If that didn't shut Kristen up, I didn't know what would.

  "I don't know," Kristen continued. "Sometimes people just need a little persuading. Don't you find me alluring, Professor Hunter?"

  Oh my God. It was easier to focus on this than my own turmoil. I turned to James. "Tell me about Penny."

  James smiled and set down his menu. "She's the love of my life."

  I swallowed hard. I wanted someone to feel that way about me. Which is exactly why I should have trusted my gut around Rob. I needed to run away from him and this uneasy feeling in my stomach. I needed to find something real, not fleeting. "How did you know that you loved her? I mean, did you know right away? Did it take awhile?"

  James glanced at his brother for a second and then back at me. "I think I knew right away."

  "You think?" I smiled.

  "I wasn't really in a good place when I met Penny. My divorce wasn't final yet. My whole life was just kind of up in the air. But when I met her, I felt this peace that I had never felt before. She just has this way of making me only see her. Like nothing else in the world matters. She grounded me. I guess you could say she's my balance. I'm better because of her. And she loves me despite all my flaws."

  I always thought that you needed to be content with yourself before you found your partner. That's what I was lead to believe. But it was almost the opposite for James. It almost seemed like he found himself in Penny. That thought was even more romantic. "And do you love her despite all her flaws?"

  "I love her flaws, I don't just love her in spite of them." He smiled again. "They're part of why I was drawn to her in the first place. She's stubborn and she challenges me. She never cared about who I was. And maybe that makes her naive, but it makes her her. And I love her."

  "Such a sap," Matt said. "Alina, you should tell us all about your time in Brazil."

  Alina laughed one of her uncomfortable laughs. If there was one thing she hated, it was talking about Brazil. Unless the question was about her future hubby. And then she could go on and on about it. Just like clockwork, Alina said, "It was wonderful. I actually met the guy I'm going to marry in a few weeks there."

  "Wow," Matt said. "That's a little shocking. Was he one of the guys in the performance?"

  Alina cleared her throat.

  "Matt, come get a drink with me," James said and stood up. He seemed to share my thoughts on how inappropriate it was to flirt with someone who was about to get married. And if he couldn't get Kristen to understand, maybe he could get Matt to.

  "We just ordered drinks, man."

  "Come on, it's my bachelor party."

  Matt pointed at him. "Finally ready to have fun? There's the James I know." He stood up and followed James to the bar. Alina couldn't have looked more relieved.

  I had no idea why the four of us were hanging out with these four guys. Mason was in a serious relationship and James was getting married soon. I was the only one in my group that was single. This whole night was just a terrible idea. I wanted what Alina and Bryce, James and Penny, and Layla and Ethan all had. God, maybe even Kristen and Tim. I didn't understand their relationship but I could tell they were in love. What the hell was I doing here? Putting my list aside and trying to find love in paradise? What the fuck am I doing? I made that list for a reason.

  I was just about to excuse myself to go to the bathroom when I felt something on my thigh. I looked down at the card that had just landed there. Rob was right that some of the cards were x-rated. This one said, "Get fingered."

  "You have no idea how badly I want to do that to you. But I made you a promise. I intend to keep it."

  I thought he was playing a game with me. Hell, maybe he still was. But he stopped because he was keeping his word. I looked up into his captivating eyes.

  "Unless you don't want me to keep it, Daphne."

  Chapter 20

  Rob

  I had wanted to touch her. That's all I wanted. Well, that and her lips around my cock. I wasn't sure what had happened with her restraint between the waterfall and tonight, but she wasn't resisting anymore
. She had opened up her legs for Christ's sake. She was going to let me finger her under the fucking table. I could have made her come in front of the whole damn restaurant. I could have had the only thing I wanted to indulge in since I had met her. I was going crazy waiting to taste her. And I had been so close. So fucking close.

  But I pulled back. Like an idiot. She hadn't even agreed to my deal in the waterfall, but I didn't want to break it. I wanted her to trust me. I was serious about seeing where this weekend went. I was serious about all of it.

  She looked up at me with her beautiful green eyes. She seemed to be torn. It was the same thing I was feeling. I wanted her. I wanted her so badly that my balls actually ached. But I also wanted to wait. For what? I had no clue.

  "Keep it," she said slowly. "I want you to keep your word."

  I laughed and ran my hand though my hair, watching her as she watched me. "You're quite the tease. You do realize that, right?" I put my arm around the back of her chair without touching her.

  She looked back at my arm and then back at me. "I want what your brother has."

  "A hot girlfriend?"

  She laughed. "No. Not exactly." She furrowed her brow when she was thinking. I wanted to reach out and smooth it out for her. But I was too distracted by her words.

  Love. She was looking for love. I felt far away from that. A part of me just wanted to give her whatever she wanted to make her happy, though. I liked seeing her smile. I didn't want to talk about love or anything deep right now. I just wanted her to smile. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

  Instead of smiling, she pursed her lips together. "No one that's actually meant it."

  She was trying to pull me into something deep again. Maybe I'd try to get her to blush instead. I liked seeing her blush even more than seeing her smile. "I mean it."

  Her cheeks turned rosy and I felt my dick swell even more in my pants. What the fuck was this girl doing to me? I felt like a teenager with no control over my hormones.