It’s not long before things take a dive. Glenn clearly works out—a blind nun from a hundred miles away could see that—but still, he feels the need to go on and on about it. Even after I tell him my daily exercise is walking from the couch to the fridge.
I can’t concentrate on the conversation as Tate stands behind Glenn and does a hand job imitation. Without thinking, I giggle out loud as Tate wiggles his eyebrows before making his way back behind the counter.
“You all right?” Glenn asks.
“Sor . . .” I clear my throat. “Sorry, what were you saying? Something about lifting?” I bite my lip, trying to stifle my laughter.
Glenn continues to go on and on about himself. All I hear is lifting, squats, protein, CrossFit, reps, sets . . .
I tilt my head as I stare at him. He could be my distraction. So he’s a little confident. Okay, he’s as arrogant as a . . . as arrogant as a . . . he’s arrogant. I could ignore it.
As I study Glenn and his potential, I can feel Tate’s eyes on me. He’s a little bit frustrated and a lot annoyed. I need to quash this. I shouldn’t feel guilty. So what if there’s a mutual attraction there? It doesn’t mean anything. I’m sure Tate has ‘mutual attraction’ with plenty of women.
He is a fun guy. We get along easily, and I like him and respect him. I don’t want to end up feeling about him the way I do about Aiden or the many who came before. We both deserve better than that.
To reaffirm all my thoughts, a tall redhead enters the café and her eyes immediately go to Tate. My gaze follows her path across the room. She walks around the counter to meet Tate behind it and I can instantly see how comfortable she is here. As if she holds some kind of authority.
Tate’s face drops as soon as he sees her, and he wraps her up in his arms. On closer inspection, her eyes are red and swollen. She’s clearly been crying and is quite upset. Even with smudged mascara and ruined make-up, she is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Not a lot different from the Amazon blonde who was in here last week—just less made up and not so fake.
Tate holds the woman for what feels like forever and I sit frozen and watch on, not even trying to hide it, while Glenn continues talking about himself, taking no notice of my diverted attention.
Tate holds her close and she leans right into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Their closeness is obvious and they undoubtedly know each other well. I pull in a deep breath as Tate pulls back and kisses the woman’s forehead.
My chest tightens and a lump forms in my throat as I watch him comfort her. I will not cry. Tate is exactly who I thought he was. This should be no surprise to me and definitely not a disappointment. I shouldn’t care; it shouldn’t bother me. But it does.
When he flirts with me, shows me attention, declares his sweet words, I hope I’m the only one. Hope I’m special enough to keep all his attention. I’ve jumped onto this rollercoaster, well aware of all the turns, all the ups and downs, and yet when it does a loop-the-loop, I’m shocked. Shocked, disappointed, and upset.
I need to get off this ride.
“Shall we get out of here?” Glenn’s voice pulls me from my daydreams.
“Excuse me?”
“Fuck? Do you want to go fuck?”
My eyes widen in horror. I know a lot of guys use online dating to get laid, but I wasn’t expecting anyone to be so forward. Had something been said earlier I missed while I was immersed in my own thoughts? Something that led him to believe I was interested in going home with him?
I stare at Glenn intently before I quickly glance at Tate, only to see him leading the beautiful redhead back to the kitchen, his hand on the small of her back. I need to get off this ride. I need to do this.
“Sure.” I grab my purse and stand to leave. I need to get out of here before I change my mind. Distraction. Just a distraction.
Glenn’s eyes fill with lust as he stands with me. He’s so confident and cocky, as if he knew he was a shoo-in. “Well, let’s go, beautiful.”
He places his hand on my lower back, quickly moving it to rest on my ass as he ushers me out.
As we walk through the café, my eyes meet Tate’s as he rushes out of the kitchen. He stills mid-step as he catches me leaving with Glenn. We don’t take our eyes off each other, Tate’s stare flashing with some unnamed emotion.
I try to swallow the lump in my throat as I look away from him. I don’t know what to think anymore.
Stepping out into the cool air, I take a deep breath and let it fill my lungs. Am I doing the right thing? I slowly release the breath and shake my head. Why am I even questioning this? I have never questioned going home with a guy before. God, it’s how I’ve met most my boyfriends.
Oh. Well, it really hasn’t been working out for me so far then, has it?
Urghhhh, it’s like I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve never been desperate to find love. I’ve been happy with one-night stands and small flings. If we got along and I thought he was hot, I was down for some fun.
I look over at Glenn, who has flagged down a taxi and is waiting for me with the door open. He’s good looking. Hot as fuck, actually, and it is exactly what I’m looking for. Something to take my mind off Tate. Something to take my mind off how awkward things have become between us.
“Coming, sexy?” Glenn drawls.
Giving him a tight smile, I head towards the taxi. As I’m bending to get in a hard slap comes down on my butt. I yelp in surprise and a little pain as I glance behind me at Glenn. He has a sinful smile on his face as he slowly lifts his hand to his lips, placing his index finger and middle finger on each side of his mouth and darting his tongue through them.
My face scrunches up in disgust and he chuckles at my reaction before slapping my ass one more time to send me flying into the taxi.
I scramble to the far seat and fight with the seatbelt to try to get it buckled. Glenn seats himself beside me, much too close, as he gives the driver his address. Thank goodness it’s not too far.
Before I can buckle my belt, Glenn is ripping it out of my hands and throwing it back over my shoulder as he attacks my face. I say attack because it is exactly what he does.
I cannot keep up as he devours my face, licking all around my mouth and slobbering all over my chin. I’m struggling to breathe as he pushes me back against the window and I suddenly feel like a small animal, captured by its predator.
I panic as he blocks my nasal passage while thrusting his tongue in and around my mouth, and my body instantly shuts the situation down. By which, I mean I clamp my teeth shut around his tongue and bite hard.
“Fuck,” he screams, pulling away from my face.
I’m breathing heavy as I take my first full breath in almost a minute. His face falls to my heaving chest, which is covered in a light sheen of sweat.
“Fuck, baby likes it rough.”
I gag at his sleazy tone and words, but before I can respond, Glenn is all over me again. His mouth is nothing compared to his hands as they roam all over my body. Roam is probably too tame a word. He is groping me from head to toe, pulling my hair, roughly squeezing my breasts. Hey Glenn, here’s a clue; they’re fucking attached.
He continues on, grabbing and rubbing at my crotch like a horny teenage virgin.
Thankfully, it’s not long before the taxi driver clears his throat, and we are stopped in front of an apartment building.
Glenn throws some money at the driver before stepping out of the taxi, and I consider just giving the driver my address and leaving Glenn curbside. I need to get off this ride. I’m determined to do this. Sleeping with Glenn will prove I’m not that hung up on Tate.
Glenn leans back into the car, taking my hand and pulling me out of the cab and onto the footpath. He may as well be dragging me by my hair behind him as he bangs his fist on his chest.
I follow him up to his apartment, running over every possible scenario I may be in for and how in the hell I’m going to get out of here. As soon as Glenn is inside the apartment, hi
s clothes come flying off.
“Follow me, sweet cheeks.” Oh God, I’m going to vomit. Maybe I can use it as an excuse? Food poisoning or something.
With a womanly sway of his hips, he strips his clothes off, ripping his shirt open, buttons flying everywhere as he shrugs it off and throws it to the floor, turning back to me with a wink. His clothes trail a path to the bedroom and all I can focus on is how this is going to play out.
By the time we reach the room, he is completely naked but yet to face me. I stand by the door, way too nervous to enter the room.
He turns toward me and time stands still.
There he is. In all his . . . glory?
Well, let’s just say I was probably right about him taking steroids. His miniature penis proves my point.
When my eyes finally meet Glenn’s, he has a wide, proud, smile on his face. I realise I’ve probably been staring at his dick for way too long and with wide eyes, leading him to assume I’m shocked. Well, I am shocked but probably for different reasons than he thinks.
“Don’t worry, sexy, it’ll be all yours soon.”
I pinch my lips shut to keep the bile down and nod, not sure what else to say.
“I’m going to grab a quick shower. Prepare yourself.” He winks and heads into the bathroom.
Thank God he didn’t ask me to join him.
I hear him moving about the en suite, and when the water starts, I slowly grab my purse, zip it up and secure it over my shoulder. When I hear the shower door close, I turn, and bolt.
I run as fast my little legs will carry me, faster than I’ve ever run before. I don’t slow down and I don’t look back.
Not bothering with the elevator, I jog down two flights of stairs, only tripping on the last few when I end up sliding down on my butt.
I don’t lose any momentum as I shoot back up, hardly regaining my balance before I’m off again.
I don’t even consider waiting for a taxi as I run the five blocks home. I don’t think about the time of night, about how empty or dark the streets are—I just run. I run, and I don’t stop until I have unlocked my apartment door, thrown my purse on the couch, and crumpled to the floor.
My chest is heaving and my breaths are short and fast. For the first time in ten minutes, I feel it. I feel everything.
My calves ache, my thighs burn, my chest is tight, and sweat is running all in places sweat shouldn’t be. My feet sting and I sit up and crouch over as I try to catch my breath. My head rests between my legs and I discover my feet are bare. They are dirty, sore, and scratched up. Glancing around the room and towards the entry, I don’t see my shoes. I must have lost them along the way. Small price to pay, really.
Once my breathing slows, I lie back down and stare at the ceiling, giving my muscles a rest. My mind runs over the night’s events and I shake my head. There’s a story for the future grandkids.
My thoughts go to Tate and his reaction to this. What he’d say, and what he’d think. I have the urge to call and tell him all about it. Even if he would laugh at me. It would be worth it to hear his voice.
I sigh as I close my eyes and think of his face when I left the café. I definitely saw anger there. Annoyance even. Somehow, I don’t think he’d welcome a call from me tonight. And I hate how much it hurts me.
I can’t believe she left with him.
I’m sitting in my apartment, pissed off and throwing beers back because I was too much of a pussy to stop the girl I like from leaving with a total douche. What a tool. Going on and on about himself the way he did. I can’t believe for a second Harper was at all interested in him, so why did she leave with him?
When I’d stepped out of the kitchen to make Lana a hot tea, I was shocked to see Harper walking with him. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, as much as it killed me to watch her go. Seeing his filthy hands all over her . . . If I hadn’t been so thrown off by Lana turning up in tears, I would’ve handled the situation so differently. It definitely wouldn’t have ended with Harper and him going home together.
I run my fingers through my hair, pulling hard when I even think about it, about the two of them. Harper sleeping with him. Him getting to touch her; kiss her. Fuck. Dickhead probably has a small dick with all those steroids he’s obviously taking. No one is naturally that built; I don’t care how often you work out.
I need to up my game. The whole flirting, being charming and building a ‘friendship’ isn’t working for me. I’m fighting a time deadline as other guys all vie for her attention and I need a new plan.
Why she’s being so fucking stubborn, I don’t know. It’s not like I want to marry her; just take her on a date. I know I’ve been forward and a bit over the top, and it probably does seem like all I want is to sleep with her, but it’s not like that, and apparently it wasn’t a problem tonight with Rambo.
Turning the bottle cap over and over in my fingers, I contemplate how I’m going to play this, but I’m too fucking pissed off to think straight.
Maybe she didn’t go home with him. Maybe she didn’t want to face me after I was such an asshole to her the other night. Maybe they just walked out together. I had purposely stalked back to the kitchen because I didn’t want to watch her leave with him, but now I wished I had stayed to see what happened. Did they get into the same cab or go their separate ways?
Standing from the couch, I walk to the kitchen and throw the fourth empty beer bottle into the sink. The loud clash of glass resembles my temper and I decide to go calm down in a cold shower before I call it a night.
Stripping off I head into the bathroom, throwing my clothes into the hamper as I go. Leaning into the shower, I flip the cold on adding only a little hot water. Stepping in, I gasp as the cool water hits my warm skin. Hopping around from foot to foot, it’s not long before my body acclimatises to the temperature.
Unfortunately, as well meaning as this idea was, it does nothing to cool my anger or settle the tension settled on my chest when I think about Harper. Reaching for my bodywash, I pour a generous amount into my palm. Rubbing my hands together I then lather up my body, washing over my chest, across my stomach, and down my thighs.
Running my hands over my cock, I rub as I clean it, my dick twitching in response. I groan at the relief even that small touch brings. Reaching down, I gently message my balls, imagining it’s Harper’s small soft hands instead of my own. I groan, my dick now fully hard and bobbing about for attention.
Wrapping my fingers around myself, I stroke long and slow. My muscles tense as my dick hardens more and I place my other hand against the shower wall to support myself.
I think of her smile, her full red lips. I think of those lips wrapped around me. Sucking, licking, and taking all of me in.
My movements speed up as I edge closer and closer to the brink. My chest heaves with my fast erratic breathing, and I pump even harder as the pleasure builds in the bottom of my spine.
I imagine those beautiful brown eyes looking up at me as I thrust into her, and that’s all it takes as I drop my head and cry out as I come. The cool water pounding over my back has no effect in dulling the sensations.
Once I’m dry and lying in bed, I’m more tense and on edge than I was earlier. The self-medicating of beer and an orgasm did nothing in helping to tamp down all the emotions rolling through me. I roll over and decide to call it a night.
Except I don’t call it a night, because once again, I’m up thinking about Harper.
“Fucking hell.” He laughs. Saxon is laughing so hard he is bent over in his chair, holding his stomach. He is one step away from rolling around on the floor.
“Don’t you have a meeting or lunch to go to?” Brooke glares at him.
“No way.” He laughs. “No way am I missing this. What happened next?”
“I got the hell out of there.”
“You left?” Brooke raises her eyebrows.
“I didn’t just leave, I ran. I ran out of there and didn’t stop until I got home.”
“How far is that?�
�� she asks.
“He lives on Twelfth Street. About five blocks.”
“You ran, no word or anything?”
“As soon as I heard the shower screen shut, I was out of there. I was so focused I lost my shoes along the way.”
Saxon is laughing harder now. Brook glowers at him, annoyed, and rolls her eyes before looking back to me. “Have you heard from him?”
“I got a few ‘you missed out on the best sex of your life’ emails but not much more.”
“Well, maybe—”
“Please, Brooke. Not with that small dick.”
Saxon chokes on his laughter as he slaps his knee.
“Can you go find something else to do?” Brooke snaps at him. “This is girl time.”
“Oh, baby . . .” He tries to control his laughter as he stands to go over to her. “We know that’s not the reason you ran from me the first time.” He wiggles his eyebrows at her, and she giggles like a schoolgirl as he places his hands on the armrests of her chair, caging her in with his strong arms as he leans into her.
“It’s getting late; I’m going to head out for lunch. Want me to bring anything back for you guys?” I say before they forget I’m in the office.
“Oh, Harper, don’t go,” Brooke pleads. “Do you want to talk about it? I can come to lunch with you.”
“No worries.” I wave my hand over my shoulder as I turn to leave the office. “I’ve come to terms with it. I’m heading to the cat shelter tonight after work.”
“May as well grab two.” Saxon laughs and a loud slap rings out before he growls and Brooke is giggling like a teenage girl again.
I pass Ruth, who is on the phone, and roll my eyes while gesturing to the back office. She nods and smiles, knowing exactly what I’m talking about. She’ll know to give them five or ten minutes to get some hard-core making-out out of the way. No one wants to walk in on that. Trust me; I know.
Whatever You Do Page 9
