Beguiling Briley

by Allie Standifer

  Ten minutes later, he felt marginally human again as he faced Briley’s two guard dogs. “How the hell did you get in here anyway?”

  The shared a look that annoyed the hell out of him before Brock. “I have some skills.”

  “Great.” He laughed then clutched his head as the tap dancing assholes began an encore. “Feel free to show yourselves out the same way. I need coffee.”

  Like he knew they would, the two men trailed after him all the way downstairs to the kitchen. Automatically, Carter went through the motions of grinding and measuring the coffee, then stared at the pot, willing it to hurry.

  “Carter, I know we don’t know each other that well, but I’m a decent judge of character and I’d never have pegged you for an asshole.” Brock broke the heavy silence as they all listen to the coffeepot make it’s magic life-giving fluid.

  “I’m an asshole…why?”

  “You made Briley cry for one.” Ethan’s low voice warned him not to push it. “Shoved her out of your house in the middle of the fuckin’ night for two and third—”

  He didn’t get to number three because Carter was in his face. “I didn’t make Briley do anything. I tried to get her to come back into the house, but she refused. I didn’t know she’d started crying, but she made her choice to leave when she did. I asked her to stay. Hell,” he pushed back and ran a hand through his already messy hair, “I told her I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and she hauled ass out of here. So take your accusations and shove ‘em.”

  Brock leant against the light pine cabinets, arms crossed causally across his chest. “See that we didn’t know, but you still should have waited to make sure she got a ride or something safely.”

  Carter let out a rumble of pure aggravation. “Trinity picked her up within twenty minutes with some god awful music blaring from her little red car. I know because I waited outside the damn coffee shop until they left. Anything else you boys want to throw at me.”

  “Jezz, Eth, and he’s supposed to be the nice one out of us?”

  Ethan shrugged, not looking too concerned as he opened cabinet doors looking for mugs. “That’s what they told us.” Finally finding the right door, he pulled three large green mugs down and offered them to the other men.

  “Make yourselves right at home, why don’t you?” Carter mumbled while grabbing a cup.

  “Why, thank you. I think we will,” Brock said, shoving Carter aside to pour the first mug for himself before offering the pot to Ethan.

  “Thanks.” Ethan held his cup out while Brock filled it to the rim.

  “Anything else you two want, maybe some cookies or sandwiches to go with your coffee?”

  “Nah, we ate before coming over. Thanks anyway,” Brock responded.

  Growling, Carter filled his own cup before replacing the now dangerously low pot. He ignored the two men as he almost inhaled the dark liquid. By the end of his first cup, not dying didn’t seem so bad.

  He filled his mug a second time before finally turning to look at his unwanted guests. “So why are you really here? To beat the shit out of me for making Briley cry?” Which he already felt like roadkill over, even though she’d been the one to leave him. “For falling in love with her?”

  Ethan cleared his throat nervously, shot a wary look to his partner in crime. “We, Brock and I, thought something else might have gone down. More than what the girls told us.”

  “Told us nothing.” Brock barked out a laugh. “Recee had some strange ass doll dressed up with a laptop and glasses. Trinity was on the phone with the Mandarin police talking about who knows what. My innocent little Emma was on the Internet shopping for industrial blenders,” both men shuddered at that, “and Olivia had M on the phone telling him to ban you from the club then take you out back and ‘talk’ to you while she took pictures.”

  Carter didn’t let the females’ various plots of revenge bother him. He knew Briley’s friends were not playing on the sane side of the road. He wanted to know about the one woman they didn’t mention. Where was Briley in all this plotting and scheming?

  “She didn’t say a word,” Ethan offered up, somehow already knowing exactly who Carter thought of. “She mostly sat there and drank coffee, not speaking even when Trin starting cursing in Cantonese or whatever in the hell language it was.”

  “Shit.” Carter grabbed the back of his neck and pulled as helpless fury filled him. Briley didn’t sit on the side lines and watch others plan the destruction of the planet. His love wanted in the middle of the battle plans and chaos. “Shit, shit, shit…just shit.”

  “Uh Eth, is this the way brainiacs meltdown ‘cause I have to tell you, it’s freaking me out?”

  “I think our buddy Carter finally figured out exactly what we knew walking in here.”

  “Oh cool, then can we leave? I’ve got to stop Em from buying those blenders. You need to get a handle on your girl before she hires the camera crew and God knows someone needs to pull the plug on the other two nut jobs before we all end up in some United Nation’s prison.”

  Ethan visibly winced at his friend’s reminder. “Yeah, we should get going. There’s only so much Hunt can do alone, even if he’s a doctor.”

  Carter bristled at the mention of another male’s name. “Who Hunt?”

  Ethan and Brock shot him identical looks of surprise. “Briley didn’t mention Hunt?”

  “No.”

  “Huh,” Stroking his chin, Brock smiled a shit eating grin. “Might not be sporting of me to inform you of any competition.”

  With his heart and stomach somewhere near his feet, Carter swallowed the last of his coffee. “Already seeing someone else?” Shit, it’d been less than twenty-four hours. How could she have possibly found a new man already? Not that he didn’t think men would be lined up around the block for a chance to spend time with someone as beautiful and smart as Briley, but so soon?

  “Hunt’s been in their lives for years. He’s a sneaky bastard, been waiting for his chance to make a move on his girl, but something always seems to come up,” Brock explained, sorrow deepening his voice.

  And this Hunt—stupid fucking name—would use this minor break between Carter and Briley to insert himself deeper into her life and possibly Briley’s bed. Stomach churning again, Carter dropped down into the nearest chair. “Why are you telling me this?”

  Ethan didn’t say a word, but with Brock along, he didn’t have to say much. “Like I said I’m a decent judge of character. I like you. I think you know how badly you screwed up. Since I made a similar mistake once upon a time, I’m feeling generous and offering a little helpful advice.”

  Ready to grab onto any excuse, Carter nodded. “What should I do?”

  The two friends flanked Carter as they sat. “I’m glad you asked,” Brock said, a conspirator’s grin splitting his lips.

  Chapter Eleven

  Six weeks had passed since the fateful night Briley had stormed out of Carter’s life. During that time, she’d heard nothing from him. He stopped showing up at the club, no messages were left on her phone and her laptop found its way home by way of courier. She’d called under the pretence of asking for a bill, but only got his voicemail. Feeling too foolish to leave a message, she hung up and told her assistant Kira to take care of it with a purchase order.

  Currently, Club Botticelli looked like a secret hideaway for lovers with heart shaped purple and silver balloons dancing across the ceiling. A silver draped runway divided the club as banners hung across the cavernous ceiling announcing Club Botticelli’s first annual Bachelor auction.

  It still amazed Briley that Olivia had managed to pull this together so quickly, but then again, her friend could have give Napoleon a run for his money. The converted warehouse had filled quickly with the town’s movers and shakers all eager to part with their money. As promised, Briley had donated a romantic weekend getaway to Mexico, complete with airfare and hotel. Trinity donated his-and-hers erotic nightwear while Recee had designed one-of-a-kind matching l
overs bracelets.

  “Looks like Livia outdid herself, as usual,” Trinity said taking a seat at their reserved table.

  “She’s a miracle worker, all right,” Briley agreed, taking note of her friend’s silver and amethyst curve-hugging gown. “Great dress, new line?”

  The blonde grinned as she fingered the sleeveless toga-type top. “Yeah, I got inspired, you might say.” With a professional eye, she looked over Briley’s twenties-style flapper dress. “Damn, I’m good. That dress looks even better than I imagined it would.”

  Running a hand down the silky purple material, Briley couldn’t help but agree. “You are a genius.”

  “And don’t forget it.”

  They saluted each other with their drink glasses and settled back in to watch the show. The lights flashed on and off, warning everyone to take their seats as the main event was about to start.

  Briley looked at her watch, wondering how much longer she’d have to stay. Leaving too early would insult Olivia, but staying much longer would only depress her. She loved her friends, but watching the happiness between Olivia and Ethan, and Emma and Brock, only made her own misery over Carter that much more painful.

  “You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?”

  Briley shook her head. “Not just yet.”

  “Good, because I intend to make sure you bid on one of those sexy men up for sale tonight.” Trin winked at her before turning to the temporary stage where Olivia now stood.

  Applause greeted their friend’s appearance as the former model smiled and waved in acknowledgement. She wore a swirling silver two-piece pants set, designed by Trinity, that looked like a harem outfit, but suited the tall black haired woman’s statuesque frame.

  “Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight to support such a worthy cause. I’m sure you’re aware of how destructive this eating disorder is, but many of you may not be aware that it affects girls as young as ten or eleven. With Hollywood trying to force that vision of beauty upon the world, we need more people fighting back. We need to promote women of every size, shape and colour. Every woman is beautiful in her own way, and tonight, we’re here to celebrate those differences, by bidding on men smart enough to know real women have curves.”

  Her words were met with cat calls, sharp whistles and thunderous applause. When she held her hand up for silence, the audience regained their seats. “Tonight, I ask that you find it in yourselves to be more than generous with your chequebooks. Not that you’ll need much prodding when you get a look at the men we’ve got lined up for this.”

  “Bring ‘em on,” one woman shouted from the audience.

  Olivia smiled and nodded. “So without further prodding, I give you Dr. Huntington Windslow, a man who generously donated his time to play our auctioneer this evening. Hunt, the floor is all yours.”

  Briley saw Trinity tense at the mention of Hunt’s name and, for the hundredth time, wondered why the two rubbed each other wrong. Neither one would admit to a thing so it only left the rest of them to speculate, which they did to their own amusement.

  “Amazing he could pry himself away from the sick to help out little old us,” Trinity said as her eyes narrowed tightly on Hunt’s tuxedo clad form.

  “Come on, Trin. You know Hunt’s always there when we need him. It’s not his fault his services are in such demand by DWB.”

  Doctors Without Borders took up most of Hunt’s life, and though they worried about him in some of the places he was sent, they all knew Hunt lived to help people. He was a great doctor, dedicated and conscientious.

  “Whatever.” Trinity drained her drink and motioned for a waiter to bring her another.

  The first man up for sale, an engineer friend of Ethan’s, walked down the runaway, looking comfortable and hot, as Hunt described the man’s hobbies, interests and a list of date activities.

  “Think I should bid on him?” Briley joked, not seriously thinking of doing anything of the kind. Her heart still ached for Carter and no other man could compare.

  Sputtering over her drink, Trinity reached for a napkin then delicately wiped her lips. “You’re not serious, are you? What happened to Nerd-boy?”

  “Stop calling him that,” she said without heat, knowing the designer only did it to get a reaction out of her. “He’s avoiding me. I’ve called, thought about leaving messages, went by his shop and home and nothing. I’ve got to stop before he takes a restraining order out on me. Stalking laws are pretty strict in this state and I don’t look good in orange jumpsuits.”

  “Not with that ass.”

  “Don’t make me slap you around and embarrass Olivia on her big night.”

  “As if you could.”

  “Ladies, can I get you something to drink?” Brock broke in before the slapping could start. He looked sexy and mysterious in his black tux. The formalwear highlighted his muscular build and short blond hair. Even his facial scar seemed more romantic than frightening in the dim light.

  “Twinkie butt will have a Diet Coke. I’ll take another lemon drop, sexy.”

  Brock caught Briley around the waist before she could reach over and strangle her friend. “I will get you back for this,” she warned taking back her seat, “and your little piggy too.”

  “Hey!” Trinity’s green eyes narrowed. “don’t bring my pig into this.”

  “If you two could hold off on the grudge match until the party is over, I promise to bring the oil and popcorn.”

  “Shut up, Brock,” they said in unison.

  “Well, that’s just rude.” Emma put her hand over Brock’s heart. “Were they being mean to you again?”

  With his lower lip sticking out and puppy dog eyes in full effect, Emma’s lover looked like the perfect replicate of an abused male.

  “I don’t know why they hate me so much.” He sniffed dramatically and leant down to put his head on Em’s shoulder. “All I ever do is try and make them like me and you see how they act.”

  “Poor baby,” Emma cooed then winked at her friends. “The things you put up with for me.”

  “Damn straight, woman, and don’t you forget it.” The sad sack routine was forgotten as he straightened to his full height.

  Emma rolled her eyes. “Brock, go get the drinks before I sic Recee on you.”

  “That’s just not right, honey,” he protested, but obediently went to fetch the requested drinks.

  Emma barely made it into her seat before Trinity’s mouth opened. “Bri wants to bid on bachelor number one.”

  Wadding up her napkin, Briley threw it at her friend. Trinity swatted it away with a shit-eating grin.

  “Uh Briley, I thought you wanted Carter back?” Emma’s sweet face frowned in confusion, lines appearing between her perfectly plucked brows. “Somehow I don’t think buying another man is the way to go about proving your love.”

  “It’s over. I’ve tried everything I could to get the man to talk to me, but it’s like he’s gone into the witness protection programme. No direct contact and all that.”

  “Sweet,” Trinity chortled, “the man went underground to get away from you. Oh, that is so priceless.”

  “Trinity, how is this helping?” Emma did her best to look fierce, but fell way short of the mark.

  “I just mentioned it in passing. Relax, Em, or Brock will come storming over here to find out why you’re upset. A Brock rampage I could do without.”

  Emma twisted a lock of her auburn hair while her eyes went dreamy. “Mmm, he’s so…manly.”

  Trinity and Briley shared a look of complete understanding. Brock might joke around and act like a goof but went it came to Emma, the man took protective to a whole new level.

  “Hey, isn’t that Noah on stage?”

  The three of them turned to the long runway jutting out from the stage. Looking casually elegant and all man, Noah Newton, Olivia’s soon-to-be brother-in-law strode down the lighted runway like he owned it. He dressed casually in a pair of tan slacks with a white dress shirt rolled at the sleeves. With h
is dark tawny hair and light brown eyes, Noah captured the interest of every single woman in the room and some that weren’t.

  “Close your mouth, honey, before you make me jealous.” Brock used one finger to gently close Emma’s parted lips.

  Instead of looking chagrined, Em shrugged and laughed. “I may be taken, but it doesn’t mean I’m dead.”

  “Oh yes, it does, or at least you are to other men. I don’t share well with others. Honey, you know that.”

  “You’re so hot when you go all alpha on me.” Emma closed the small distance separating them and laid her lips over his in a passionate reminder of their own special connection.

  “Get a room, already.” Trinity yelled, throwing her drink napkin at the couple.

  “Get your own man, Trin,” Emma answered, snuggling against Brock’s wide chest.

  “I just may do that.”

  “Not the pig, Trinity. A real man that talks and walks,” Emma qualified with a smug grin, burrowing deeper into Brock’s embrace.

  “I really do hate your ass. You know that, right?”

  “Sucks to be you.”

  Laughing for the first time all evening, Briley pulled on Emma’s hand. “Come on, you two, grab a drink and let’s find the perfect man to buy for Trinity.”

  “Now you’re talking.” The couple sat down, their chairs close so they could easy touch. “I say we plot her downfall to the nth degree.” Emma’s eyes gleamed with wicked intent.

  “You two bitches try it and I’ll have you both bald-headed, micro-chipped and sent to Mexico before you can blink.”

  Knowing exactly what her friend was capable of and who she couldn’t keep her eyes off, Briley made the pretence of giving in. “You win, Trin. As much as I complain about my hair, I don’t think I have what it takes to pull off the shiny scalp look.”

  Emma, bless her quick writer’s brain, caught on quickly. “Since my Spanish is worse than my French, I’ll jump ship with Bri.”

  Looking entirely too smug for her own good, Trinity gave them a regal nod and turned her attention to Hunt and the man currently up for sale.