by Ruby Forrest
He glowered at his manager, knowing very well that he knew how he hated chemical products.
His manager lifted up his shoulders and shrugged in an ‘I don’t know' motion. Blaire sighed gruffly as he lay down on the bed and propped himself up.
“Can you do a sexy smolder and also turn over to the side a little, so we can get a glimpse of that tat on your back? Women go crazy over that.”
Blaire obliged, and the man paused to stare at him. He stroked his chin thoughtfully before snapping his fingers.
“Sienna!” he called out.
Blaire froze as he saw the woman he had been thinking about every so often come out and halt in her tracks as she spotted him.
Blaire behaved as if he hadn’t seen her in a long time, when in reality it probably wasn’t that long, but 5 years can feel like a lifetime sometimes.
Her chestnut brown hair was longer than he remembered, and it was no longer shoulder length. It was almost down to her waist, she was still tall and lean, but she had filled out a bit, making her look all the curvier.
His blue eyes met her weary hazel ones, and for a minute, it was like all the years between them melted away, and they were back on campus standing frozen in the middle of a throng of people rushing by.
An involuntary smile made its way to his lips as he stared at her, her lips curved up, and she almost smiled back, but then she frowned and strode forward purposefully.
Blaire tried not to notice the way the jeans clung to her hips, or the way her shirt showed off her impressive form.
She stood in front of him and hunched over. “Close ups?” she called out to her boss.
“You got it,” he responded.
She began to chew on her bottom lip as she studied his features carefully. She circled him a few times before finally coming back to the front and giving him a small smile. “Just try to relax.”
Yeah, how hard how could it be to relax around the only woman he had ever really loved, and whose heart he had broken so many years before? How was he supposed to do that when she was looking at him with those eyes that he swore could see straight into his soul?
It wasn’t hard, not one little bit.
Sienna
Sienna gulped as she swallowed back the nerves and attempted to squelch the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She knew that it was hard seeing an ex the first time after so long apart, but she knew it wasn’t just that. Seeing him again brought back all those memories of nights spent staying up until dawn talking, kissing till she was dizzy and debating which was better Harry Potter or Star Wars.
Back then Blaire had been a little arrogant, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle, and she knew that secretly he had a heart of gold, but he didn’t like people knowing that. He always shrugged it off when she asked him, claiming that it was easier to be detached as a guy.
Might be easier, she had thought, but was it worth living?
She quirked an eyebrow and tilted her head to the side, partly to get a better feel for the shot, and partly to take in his toned physique. The last time she had seen him he was in shape, but this was completely different. He was all hard-sinewy muscles and toned in all the right places.
She avoided meeting his gaze unless it was through the camera, but even with a camera between them, the heat of his gaze didn’t escape her. His blue eyes had turned a stormy blue that was piercing right through her.
She called out instructions as she snapped a few pictures here and there before going through her camera. She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully as she tried to figure out what she felt was missing. She snapped her fingers and strode towards him. She wove her hands through his hair knowing that the stylist would probably kill her for it later, but Blaire was too coiffed and made up for the bedroom scene. She needed him to look more like he just got out of bed and less like he was posing for a billboard.
She heard Blaire’s quiet intake of breath as her hands began to shake out his head. She tried not to think about how soft it felt, and how different things had been the last time they were in this position together.
“Blaire,” she shrieked as she kicked out with her legs, “Stop!”
Blaire loomed over and grinned as he poked her sides, “Never.”
“You need a hobby.” She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. He stopped his merciless attack on her sides and gazed down at her, an amused smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
“Need a new hobby, do I?”
She nodded, “Yes, you do.”
He pretended to think for a second. “What if you’re my new hobby?”
Sienna blushed as she playfully shoved him backwards. “Aww look at you being all cheesy,” she teased.
He mock gasped as he clutched his chest, “Me? Cheesy? Never, I am Blaire Hamilton, basketball God, I am never cheesy, I am a big tough man.”
Sienna rolled her eyes and mocked him. “Big tough manly man, I am Blaire, me man, you woman.”
Blaire tried to fight off the grin that threatened to erupt onto his face, “Are you mocking me?”
Sienna feigned nonchalance, “Me? I would never.”
“I would never,” he imitated her. Sienna playfully scowled at him as she pinched his arm. He raised both eyebrows as he watched her try to get him to yelp.
“What are you doing?”
Sienna grunted in frustration. “Trying to tickle you.”
An ear splitting grin erupted onto Blaire’s face, “Oh, really? And what makes you think you’ll succeed?”
“Well,” Sienna faltered for a second before regaining her composure. “Aha!” she exclaimed as she finally found his sweet spot. He yelped in surprise and inched back as he eyed her carefully.
“Now, we agreed that we wouldn’t play dirty, you can’t tickle me.”
Sienna stood up and pretended to brush imaginary lint off her pants, “Did we now?”
“Yes, we did.”
Sienna’s hazel eyes met his blue ones, and they were filled with mischief, “And yet you’ve been playing dirty for the past half an hour.”
“Well, you’re such an easy target.”
“Sexist.”
“Hey now, I’m all for women’s rights,” Blaire held up his hand in mock surrender as Sienna backed him into a corner.
“Oh, really?”
“Really, after all I do love women.” Blaire’s gaze turned heated as he began to peruse every inch of her body.
“Oh, is that so?” Sienna tried not to let his gaze affect her as she reached out to poke him. Before she could though, he captured her hands with his and lifted them over her head. He brought them up and around his neck and slid his hands down, so they rested on her waist.
“Oh, yes women have all sorts of assets.” He cupped her ass and squeezed it firmly causing a jolt of desire to sing through her veins, “and I love every single one,” his voice had dropped an octave lower, the register turning into that husky sound she loved so dearly.
“Mmm,” She responded as his hands slowly glided across her back before they rested on her shoulders and began to massage them gently.
A soft ‘Oh’ escaped her lips as she tried to remain in control of the situation by sliding her hands downwards and making Blaire chuckle in spite of himself.
“Now, now Ms. Hummel, if you don’t stop doing that, I’m going to have to punish you.”
“Just exactly how would you do that?” Sienna breathed as one hand traced the curve of her neck while the other was splayed out on her stomach.
“Like this.”
In a second, Blaire had shifted them around, so she was pressed up against the wall, and he was pressed up against her. He hovered over the pulse point in her neck as one hand moved down and hooked her leg over his.
Sienna’s entire body thrummed in anticipation as she wondered what he would do next. He grinded against her, and she could feel his erection pressed up against her, and it made her moan and claw at his back.
Blaire laughed near her ear and pulled back. “Impatient, are we?”
Sienna raised an eyebrow at him, “You wish.”
“I don’t wish, I know.”
“Oh, is that so? Well, just remember that as much as you affect me, I affect you.” She brought one hand up to rest on the front of his pants and stroked lightly.
His blue eyes darkened as he licked his lips. She moved her hips suggestively, and Blaire thrust forward in response. Sienna smirked at him as she jumped up and wrapped her legs around him. She leaned forward, and Blaire’s lips parted in response but before she pressed her lips to his, she whispered, “Just remember, I know too.”
Blaire groaned as he captured her lips firmly with his. He maneuvered them, so they were heading towards the couch. He gently lay her down on it and hovered on top of her.
He momentarily pulled back to toss his shirt somewhere in the room, and Sienna took the opportunity to take off her shirt as well.
Blaire began to massage her breasts gently as he pressed himself closer to her, both of them needing the friction. Sienna fumbled with the zip of his pants, and Blaire groaned as he helped her pull them off.
He reached behind her back and undid the clasp on bra, her breasts stood proud and erect and Blaire hungrily took one in his mouth while he massaged the other one.
Sienna arched back and groaned as her hips began to move of their own accord.
“Too many layers,” He grumbled as he yanked his mouth back and began to kiss his way down her stomach.
He paused and eyed her carefully as one hand slipped beneath her underwear. Sienna shuddered as she pressed herself closer. Blaire’s finger circled the sensitive nub back and forth until he was sure Sienna was completely ready.
He slowly, without breaking eye contact, lowered her sweat pants. He began to kiss her again, sweet at first, but soon their tongue began a battle for dominance as Sienna slipped her hands down to yank off her underwear.
Blaire was soon doing the same until there was nothing between them at all.
Blaire wrenched his mouth away and pressed his forehead to hers as he positioned himself. He gave her a quick kiss as he thrust into her quickly and swiftly.
They both moaned at the impact, and Sienna began to buck her hips as Blaire began to take her at a steady even pace.
Sienna’s hands stayed on his back as she dug her nails in. She placed both hands on his hips and pushed him harder. Blaire responded by gently nipping on her neck. He began to move faster and faster until both of them were riding out their high together.
Sienna shook her head as a voice floated at the edge of her conscience, “….maybe we’d better take ten?”
She blinked slowly and noticed that the whole room had stopped and were moving around except for Blaire who was staring at her from across the room.
She gave her colleague a thumbs up and took the phone out of her pocket. She made a quick phone call and tried not to acknowledge the tingling she felt because of Blaire’s eyes burning holes into the back of her head.
“Can we take a walk?” Sienna wheeled around in surprise as her hands went up to her chest.
“Jesus, don’t do that.”
“Sorry,” he grinned sheepishly.
Sienna eyed him for a moment before nodding, “Okay.”
He gestured for her to follow him as they made their way outside while a crowd of onlookers began to whisper and giggle. She knew what they were probably saying. They probably thought she was another conquest. They had no idea that Blaire and her had history. She knew him before he was the notorious womanizer with a bad boy attitude, tats and a motorcycle.
The tension between them was palpable as they walked around in silence for a minute.
Blaire finally cleared his throat. “So how have you been?”
“I’ve been good, you?”
“Good, good, so um,” he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, a gesture that she had always found endearing. “You’re a photographer now?”
“Among other things.”
“What other things?”
“I teach a lit class at night for adults over in the community college.”
“Oh, that’s great, I remember your passion for literature. What else?”
Sienna wondered, why the sudden curiosity, but she thought he was probably just trying to fill the silence. “Well, I’m also taking a Spanish course.”
Blaire’s eyes shot up in surprise, “I didn’t know you had an interest in the language.”
“It’s pretty recent,” Sienna shrugged. “What about you? Big NBA star, huh?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he laughed awkwardly.
“Well, you made it. You’re living the dream, you got everything you’ve ever wanted, right?”
“Yeah,” he trailed off uncertainly before he nodded as if to reassure himself. “Yeah,” he said once more, with more conviction this time. “The fame, the money.”
“The women,” Sienna added for him.
Blaire had the decency to look chagrined for a moment before he puffed out his chest. “You know how it goes.”
Sienna smiled wryly at him, “No, I really don’t.”
“Well, it’s hard to date when you’re in the NBA, the lifestyle, the hours plus a lot of women would feel insecure because of the female fan base.”
“Not all women,” Sienna pointed out.
“True, but most women,” he conceded as they paused at a fountain and stood facing each other.
“It’s good to see you, Era, really.”
Sienna gave him a small smile, “You too, Bear.” The old name just slipped out unbidden, and it lay there in between them while Blaire stared at her carefully before striding forward.
“The truth is,” she breathed, “I came back because I had to talk to you.”
Blaire gazed at her. “Really?”
“Yes, I know that we ended things on a bad note,” Sienna saw a muscle tighten in Blaire’s jaw.
“Let’s not talk about that,” Blaire’s voice came out sounding pleasant enough, but with an undercurrent of restraint.
“We have to talk about it, Blaire. It’s been five years, and you still blame poor Mark-“
Blaire swiftly cut her off, his blue eyes blazing, “Of course I blame him, he had his hands all over you!”
“It was just a hug,” Sienna protested.
“Oh, really? Then why did it last for so long? And why did you look all cozy?” he spat out.
Sienna reeled back as if she’d been slapped. Suddenly, her calm composure fell away, and she glared at him with so much fury, Blaire took a step back in shock.
“How dare you presume to think that about me? When you’re the one who had women flocking after you all the time, and you flirting with them.”
“You know that it was just flirting.”
“Was it?” Sienna laughed humorlessly. “Your current lifestyle suggests otherwise.”
“ You don’t know anything about my life right now,” he shouted.
“Neither do you,” she retorted. They both stared each other down, breathing heavily, each unwilling to back down until Blaire strode forward in two strides, and their lips collided.
Sienna resisted for a second, unable to let go of her fury, but soon desire and love won, and she found herself responding to the familiarity of his kisses, the heat of his touch, and she tried to swallow back a whimper when he placed his hands on her chest and squeezed.
Blaire wrenched his lips away. “Is this what you came for, babe?”
Sienna shoved him back angrily, “You arrogant bastard.”
Blaire blinked, confusion written all over his face. “What the hell’s wrong with you? I thought this was what you wanted.”
Sienna ran her hands through her hair. “Of course you would think that. Is that really what you think of me? That I’m one of those women you can just use to satisfy your lust then toss them out?”
“If we both want it then why make it into something it isn’t?” Blaire shrugged as if it was the most logical explanation in the world.
Sienna stared at him dumfounded. “You actually believe what you’re saying, don’t you?”
“Well, why not? We tried to have a relationship, but it just didn’t work.”
“That’s because you didn’t trust me. First chance you had to question my loyalty, you jumped at it without even letting me explain.”
“What’s there to explain?” Blaire clenched his hands into fists. The memory clearly bothering him.
“Are you kidding me right now? There’s a whole lot to explain,” she jabbed him with a finger and shoved him backwards. She felt a little satisfaction in the fact that he stumbled back in surprise. “Your best friend, Mark, the one you’re so convinced made the moves on me, and that somehow we were sneaking around behind your back, he had cancer you freaking moron.”
Blaire stared at her, disbelief echoed all over his face. “What? No, that’s not possible. Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He was on his way to tell you that day when I ran into him, and he told me he had broken up with his girlfriend because he didn’t want her to see him like that, he didn’t want her to live with the knowledge that she might lose him and watch him slip away.”
“But Clarissa never would’ve left him if she had known,” Blaire echoed.
“She didn’t know,” Sienna said finally quietly. “He made her believe that he just didn’t want it anymore because he knew that if she had even an inkling that she would never let him go.”
“You’re lying,” Blaire said through gritted teeth.
Sienna’s eyes blazed with fury. “Am I? Go ask Mark. Who, by the way, is cancer free.”
Blaire nodded, but before he could say anything else, Sienna held up her hand to stop him. “That’s not why I came back, Blaire.”
“Why did you then?”
“I tried contacting you for so long after that, but you never returned my calls, and you moved away, so I couldn’t come see you. I wasn’t sure if I was right or not, but a few weeks later, I went to see a doctor, and it was confirmed, I was pregnant Blaire.”
