Dangerous Curves Ahead 2
Road Block / Detour
By Arabella Quinn
Dangerous Curves Ahead 2
Copyright © 2013 by Arabella Quinn
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Dangerous Curves Ahead 2
Men like Jake didn’t date women like me. He was handsome beyond imagine and he just oozed self-confidence. I had guarded my heart for years and still, one moment of weakness- one moment of hope- had led to this soul crushing heartache.
~~~
Jenna stood at the door to Krista's apartment and rang the doorbell for the third time. She still felt guilty about ditching her friend the night before at the bar, but it had been for Krista's own good. Without a firm push in the right direction, Krista would have given up without even trying. But she hadn't answered her phone all morning; so finally, Jenna had decided to make the ten-minute trek over to her friend's apartment to make sure she wasn't too angry with her and Sarah.
She knocked loudly on the door. "C'mon Krista, open up. I'm not going anywhere until I talk to you."
The door swung open. Krista beckoned her in. "Sorry, I was just getting out of the shower. I must not have heard the bell."
Jenna's eyes narrowed as she followed Krista into the kitchen. "Your eyes are puffy."
She saw the slight frown on Krista's face before her friend turned away. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"
Jenna sat on the barstool at the counter. "No thanks. I've already had breakfast and ran my five miles. So, whatever happened with that hunky cowboy from last night?"
Uh-oh. She could see the look of anger burning in Krista's eyes. "You mean, Jake?"
This didn't sound good. Krista's words had come out in a sarcastic sneer. "Yeah, I guess. What happened? The last that Sarah and I saw of you two, you were lip-locked on the dance floor. You made quite a hot scene together. I thought someone was going to have to break out a fire extinguisher and hose you two down."
"Well, after you guys ditched me, I was forced to bum a ride home off him." Krista poured herself a cup of coffee and began adding sugar to it.
Jenna prompted, "And?"
Krista arched an eyebrow and then looked downward. "And, that's it. He left. I won't be seeing him again." She raised her coffee mug to her mouth to take a sip, but Jenna distinctly heard her mutter, "Thank God."
She was clearly not getting the whole story. "Wait a minute. What did Jake say or do that got you so riled up? Was he an asshole to you?"
Krista seemed defensive. "He just drove me home and that's the last of him. Can we just drop it now?"
Jenna put her hands up in surrender. "Sure. No problem."
A single tear streaked down Krista's cheek before she quickly turned away and angrily swatted at it with her hand.
"Whoa, Krista. What's going on? Are you upset that you're not going to see him again?" Something was wrong and Jenna wouldn't rest until she figured it out.
Krista was much too forceful with her reply. "No! I never want to see that liar again!"
They stared at each other for a few moments, Krista obviously regretting her outburst. Jenna was concerned. "Krista, I'm your best friend. Tell me what's going on. Please."
A few moments of silence lingered before Krista answered. “I let down my guard with him and I got burned. Well, I certainly learned my lesson and I’ll never let it happen again.” Krista’s eyes blazed with a fiery anger.
Jenna felt sympathy for her friend who was obviously in pain. “You have to take chances in life every once in a while or you’re not really living. Sometimes you lose, but you’ll never know if you don’t try. Tell me, what exactly happened that was so awful?”
Krista started wiping at imaginary crumbs on the counter as she talked. “He drove me back here and we really hit it off. We had great chemistry. I ended up having sex with him. Which I never would have done without all the needling you guys gave me last night.”
Jenna saw the accusation in her friend’s eyes. “Krista, there's nothing wrong with having sex with a man you’re attracted to. You've got to let all that sex guilt go. You're both responsible, consenting adults. There’s nothing- Oh my God, is he married?”
“No. Well, actually I don’t even know. He could be. But, after he got what he wanted, it slipped out that he had overheard our conversation in the booth.”
Jenna tried to remember the conversation. “What were we talking about? What did he hear us say exactly?”
Krista groaned. “That I was desperate. That I hadn’t gotten laid in forever. God, I forgot about that until just now. But even more humiliating, he heard that I had never had an orgasm with a man. And I guess he made it his special mission to change that.”
Jenna had to suppress a smile. “Well, that’s a little embarrassing, but it’s hardly devastating. So did he succeed at his mission?”
Krista’s mouth dropped open. “That’s not the point. The point is that he knew how desperate I was. That I was an easy target for a quick no-strings fuck.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you wanted too, Krista? I don’t see what the big deal is…” Jenna’s voice trailed off when she saw the look of pain flash over Krista’s face.
Krista frowned. “It wouldn’t be a big deal if I hadn’t allowed myself to think that he might just be interested in me. That he could ever be interested in a girl like me for even a moment. I was so stupid.”
Jenna studied her friend. “What do you mean – a girl like you?”
“I mean, fat. Don’t give me that look, Jenna.” Krista began wringing her hands. “You saw him. He was gorgeous.”
Sighing, Jenna spoke carefully. “You’re gorgeous, too. You’ve got a killer body, Krista. Lots of men prefer voluptuous and curvy over boney and stick-thin. Your real problem is all in your head, girl. It’s your self-esteem that needs work. Trust me, I saw the way Jake looked at you; he was definitely interested.”
Krista laughed bitterly. “Jake. His real name is Neil. He just used a fake name to get laid. Then he slunk away afterwards when he got what he wanted.”
Jenna shook her head in disbelief. “What? That doesn't make any sense. That man doesn't need gimmicks to get a woman into his bed. Are you sure, Krista?”
Krista walked over to the trash can and opened it. She pulled out a familiar looking cowboy hat and handed it to Jenna. “Jake must have forgotten this during his mad dash to escape last night. Read the inside.”
Jenna took the hat and read the faded words: For Neil, With Love Forever: Cassie. “So, maybe he’s not with this Cassie anymore and he just kept wearing the hat. He’s not necessarily a cheater. Did you ask him?”
Jenna was busy pulling some ripped up pieces of paper out of the hat while her friend answered. “He gave me a fake name! I don’t care how great the sex was; he overheard our conversation and swooped in for an easy lay. He’s a liar and probably a cheater. I’m just mad that I let myself get played so easily.”
“So he was great in bed? Did he give you that elusive orgasm?” Jenna smiled at her friend’s exasperation.
Krista groaned as she headed over to the coffeepot to refill her mug.
“Several of them. And now, on top of everything else, I know what loser guys I’ve been dating.”
Jenna put the two halves of the miniature envelope together recognizing the name of the local floral shop. She attempted to piece together the shredded card that came with it and could read only a few bits: …big misunderstanding. Please let… Call me. Jake.
“If he was that terrific in bed, maybe you should at least talk to him. Give him a chance to explain?”
Krista whirled around. “No! I never want to see him again. He humiliated me and used me. I just want to forget it ever happened. And don’t tell Sarah about it either.”
Stuffing the papers surreptitiously into her pocket, Jenna answered. “Okay. Okay. I won’t mention it to Sarah. But don’t let this one guy sour you on the whole male species. At the very least, you got some good sex from him.”
“It was too good. Now I’m just going to scrub him from my mind somehow and I mean it, Jenna, I never want to hear his name again. Whatever the hell it actually is.” Krista picked up the cowboy hat and dumped it unceremoniously back into the garbage can.
****
Still no call. Jake was surprised that he was so anxious for her phone call. They barely knew each other. He had to at least admit to himself that he had been looking for some mindless sex to drown his sorrows. Her accusations were absolutely correct. But spending time with her had been enjoyable. And the sex had been… well, sexy. Not cold and mechanical. Her body had responded to his every touch, and what a fantastic body it had been. Just thinking about it now made his groin ache with renewed need.
When he had blurted out that stupid comment about no man being able to give her an orgasm, he saw the absolute shock and humiliation wash over her face. God, if he could only take that back. He could understand how upset she was, but if she would just let him explain, he was sure he could convince Krista to give him another chance.
But she wasn’t calling. She must have been really hurt and that didn’t sit well with him at all. He had never intended to hurt her. Even the expensive flowers, which almost always worked to patch things up with other women he knew in the past, didn’t seem to do the trick. Krista wasn’t impressed by money or gifts. She was more impressed by a person’s character. And he had blown it.
What would he do if she didn’t call? He wasn’t a man to sit idly by and wait for someone to act. He liked to take things into his own hands. But he didn’t know her phone number; hell, he didn’t even know her last name. He could show up on her doorstep, but that seemed too much like stalker behavior. He could hang around at the bar and see if she ever dropped in again, but that just seemed pathetic.
No, if she didn’t call him, it was her decision. He would just move on and find another woman. But she had shown him one thing; he would look for a more sincere and genuine woman- like her, not the cold and calculating trophy wife types that seemed to move in his social circles. And of course, one that had a luscious body, with curves that could bring a man to his knees, just like Krista’s.
Jake groaned with frustration. Giving up was not in his nature, especially with someone who turned him on as much as Krista. The chemistry between them was unmistakable. He would find a way.
When his cell phone rang thirty minutes later, he didn’t get overly excited until he saw the unknown phone number register on the screen. Could it be her?
He smiled to himself when he felt the butterflies flitting in his stomach. “Hello?”
He couldn’t believe the bitter disappointment he felt when he heard the voice. It wasn’t Krista. “Hello. May I speak with Neil, please?”
He sighed, “No, I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number.”
The woman read out his phone number. “Is that the number I called?”
Jake sank onto his couch. “Yes, that’s correct, but there’s no Neil here.”
“But, that’s the number he gave me. Who are you?” She sounded suspicious.
The phone call was getting tedious, but he felt a little pity for the woman who was probably tricked by some guy giving out a fake number, so he didn’t hang up right away. “I’m Jake. Look, I’m sorry-
The woman interrupted. “Jake! So that is your real name. Krista said your name was Neil.”
Now the crazy woman had his full attention. “Krista? You know Krista?”
“Yes, I’m her friend, Jenna. The one who was sitting next to her in the booth.”
Jake vaguely remembered her. He grinned as her recalled that he had spent most of the time staring at Krista’s chest. “Yeah, I remember. So, she had her friend call me? I guess I really blew it, huh?”
“Yeah, you did. And she doesn’t know I’m calling you. She would kill me.” Jenna suddenly sounded cautious again. “Are you sure your name isn’t Neil?”
He laughed. “I’m pretty positive. Why would Krista say my name was Neil?”
Jenna answered cuttingly, “Well, you left your cowboy hat at Krista’s place. And it says inside, ‘To Neal with love forever from Cassie’. Does that ring any bells?”
Jake groaned. “Oh. That’s not my hat. I borrowed it from some guy at the bar because I heard you ladies mention that you were looking for a cowboy for the night. I know how lame that sounds right now… Wow, Krista must be really angry.”
“Uh, that’s putting it mildly.” Jenna replied.
He knew he could make Krista understand if he got the chance, but it seemed first he had to convince her friend. “So, if Krista didn’t ask you to call, why exactly did you call me?”
She paused for a moment before answering. “Because, I found the ripped up card from the florist with your phone number on it and I read the note. If you were just interested in a one-night stand, I hardly think you would bother sending flowers with your phone number attached. You did send flowers, right?”
Jake ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I sent a lot of flowers. You didn’t see them?”
Laughing, Jenna responded. “No, they weren’t in the garbage with the hat. Krista probably gave them away to someone. She would feel bad about tossing them out.”
Jake thought about his next move. This was his only chance to connect with Krista again. He thought up a million excuses for his behavior, but he decided to just come clean. “Jenna, I’d like to see Krista again. I have to admit that last night I was thinking in terms of a, uh, casual hook-up at first. But then I got to spend some time with her and I thought we really hit it off. I made the mistake of not being totally truthful with her, but I’d like a chance to make it up to her.”
He held his breath waiting for her answer.
“There’s no way Krista’s going to give you another chance. But luckily I’m a good friend. So I’ll help you with Krista, as long as you promise me you won’t hurt her.”
Jake let out his breath. “Well, I have no intentions of hurting her. I just want to get to know her better."
Jenna sighed. “Okay. So now I just have to figure out a way to convince Krista to go along with this.”
****
It had been an interminably long work week, so I was excited to spend Friday evening with a good book and a glass of wine. I had no responsibilities and no plans for most of the weekend. While it felt relaxing at the moment, I knew that tomorrow I would be going crazy, wallowing in my loneliness as my friends went out on dates or paired off with their boyfriends for romantic activities while I sat around.
I could always go shopping or to the movies by myself but the thought was depressing. Why was it so hard to meet a decent man? I didn’t need a stunning hunk of man like Jake, just an average nice guy who appreciated an average girl. Preferably one that could give me mind-blowing orgasms like Jake did.
I threw down my half-finished novel in disgust. Why couldn't I get Jake out of my head? He had invaded my thoughts all week long and despite how hard I tried, I just couldn’t shake him.
The man was a lying cheater, but despite my best efforts, my mind kept drifting back to the other parts of our meeting. T
he electrifying kiss on the dance floor. The sight of his nude body, which was mouth-watering perfection. The way he had dominated me in bed, removing all my fears and insecurities without my even realizing it. He was a master at seduction, and who wouldn’t want to be seduced by such a fine specimen? And, of course, the orgasms. Bringing me to climax over and over again during our love-making.
It had all been so magical, an absolute fantasy come true. Which made it all the more depressing that it was all under false pretenses. That Jake had only been interested in one thing. And the fake name proved it. Too bad I wasn’t into one-night stands, because it would have been marvelous for what it was. Unfortunately, the memory only proved torturous now.
I got up to refill my wine glass when my phone rang. I glanced at the phone and smiled when I saw it was Jenna. She had already tried to convince me to come out with her, but I was firmly ensconced on my couch for the night.
“Hi Jenna. Miss me already?” I could hear music in the background.
Jenna spoke loudly into the phone, “Do you have the pink fuzzy slippers on?”
I wiggled my feet as I spoke. “Yep. Nice and comfy.”
Jenna laughed. “Well, I know for sure that I can’t entice you to come out now. Actually, I was calling about tomorrow. I know you said you weren’t doing anything…”
“No plans for tomorrow. What’s going on?” I was cautiously optimistic. Maybe Jenna had something fun going on. Anything would beat sitting in my apartment mooning over the fake-named Jake.
Jenna spoke quickly, “Well, I’m babysitting my niece and nephew for the day. And they’re so exhausting and you know how I am with kids. And you’re so terrific. I’m going to take them to the park and maybe the zoo, but I don’t know if I can do it all by myself. Since you’re not doing anything, please do me a huge favor and come out with us.”
She didn’t have to do a lot of arm twisting. It only took me a moment to decide. I loved being around kids and a day out with them sounded like fun. The park, the zoo and maybe I could convince her to go for some ice cream – it all sounded like fun.
Dangerous Curves Ahead 2 (Cowboy / BBW Erotic Romance) Page 1
