Chasing Happy (Texas Desires #1)

by Rylie Roberts

  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he’d taken her bareback; his first sexual experience without protection. The sensations were unlike anything he could have imagined. Hell, she was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. When her teeth sank into his shoulder, he lost all focus. The orgasm he’d been holding back came crashing forward, knocking him off balance. The gentle control he’d used abandoned him. His body pitched forward, driving mindlessly into hers as his seed shot forward in sheer, unadulterated ecstasy. With one final thrust, he buried himself into her tight passage. His legs gave out, knocking into the wall, keeping them both in a somewhat upright position.

  He dropped his head, until his forehead hit against the sheetrock. Reed had no more doubts; Lara was his perfect match. She fit him on every level, and he wrapped his arms tighter around her slight body, hugging her closer to his chest. She clung to him like her life depended on their intimacy. Damn, she was a sexy little thing.

  She stirred first, moving her head off his shoulder to land backward with a quiet thud. He kissed her neck and tried to move his head, but those sated sex feelings stopped him. He needed more time to recover.

  Her arms loosened around his neck and her legs lowered, causing him to fully slip free, severing the single most erotic connection they shared. He didn’t let her go as she stood on her own.

  “I knew you would be worth the wait,” he said quietly against her neck.

  “Hmm…” she said, her voice still a little husky, but fuller now.

  “Meet me upstairs when you get off,” he said, glad his legs held when he stood straight.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Her voice was stronger now. How did she recover so quickly from the magnitude of what they’d just shared?

  “I live upstairs.” He lifted his head and brushed the hair out of her face. Her heavy makeup rubbed free, probably onto his T-shirt, exposing that flawless skin and clean look he’d grown so fond of. He kissed her lips, but she didn’t reciprocate. He drew back. She’d been so perfect. Surely she wasn’t one of those women who didn’t like to be touched after such a pleasing time.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea if I see you anymore,” she said firmly. The words were clear, but made no sense. When she started to slide away, he put a hand out to stop her. He wasn’t ready to lose the contact. She wouldn’t look at him, and he forced her chin up to meet his gaze.

  “We’re good together. That doesn’t just happen every day.”

  “This isn’t who I am. I don’t do these things.” Of course she didn’t. That was another in the long list of things that made her so appealing.

  She tore free this time, moving away from him, and went to her desk. She gathered something out of her drawer as she worked at straightening her clothing. He moved with her, staying less than a foot away, watching her intently. When she reached under her skirt, he finally looked away to give her some privacy. He shouldn’t have done her bareback like that. She wouldn’t be able to clean herself stuck inside this office. He chastised himself for the stupid move, but dammit, she did crazy things to his head, made him forget where he was and who he was as a man.

  It didn’t take long to put himself back inside his blue jeans and button everything in place. He stood there close enough to touch her, but denied himself that opportunity. He missed the intimacy they’d just shared. He wanted to cuddle or at least have her back in confines of his arms. He turned to see her wiping her face, removing the makeup smudges. A small mirror was perched on a corner of her desk. He picked up the hair clips he’d removed and took them to her.

  “I want to see you again,” he said close to her ear while placing the clip next to the brush on her desk.

  “I can’t do this. And I need you to respect the work boundaries necessary for me to continue in this job. I can’t even imagine what they think’s going on in here.” She never looked his way, but started raking the brush through her hair until she grabbed the long mass up and twisted, making a severe bun out of the silky tresses. What a waste.

  “So you won’t continue this without what? You want real dating involved?” They had just shared too much. He’d seen the connection in her eyes when he was buried inside her. The frustration of the morning had been wiped away in those few minutes only to come back full force right now. It was unacceptable to him that they wouldn’t be doing this again. His sole focus turned to what he did best in life—finding the obstacles and then conquering them in order to get what he wanted…and this time he wanted her.

  His tone must have conveyed his irritation. She looked over at him for the first time since he’d come inside her and there was venom in her stare. “I’m not the kind of woman that has sex with her boss in a corner of the office. I don’t do things like that.”

  “Apparently you do,” he shot back. He’d just had the best sex of his life, and she was making light of what they’d shared. Hell, she was making it dirty and cheap. It was anything but that.

  “No, I don’t. You need to stay away from me. You have dozens and dozens of women to choose from. They’ll hike up their skirts for you anytime. Not me. I don’t act like this.” She dropped her brush back in her purse and the tissues she’d used were gathered and tossed in the trash.

  “How do you act? Wait, let me guess. Someone like that medical student takes you out, buys you dinner a few times, buys you tickets to the movie, then you spread your legs?” His brain told his mouth to shut up, but he didn’t listen. He was angry now. She wasn’t giving an inch or explaining what he had to do to make this right.

  She didn’t answer his question, but shrugged her ugly suit jacket on. She went for her office door, but he stopped her with a palm slapped against the wood, blocking her exit. She was trying to run from him…again.

  “Meet me later, Lara. You felt too good. I’m not ready to call it quits.” He’d never heard himself come so close to begging. He drew her up against his body. Ran his nose along the length of her neck. “I didn’t use a condom. Are you on the pill?”

  “Of course not. I don’t do this.” She was rigid in his arms.

  “I’m clean; I’m pretty certain of that. We can use a condom until you can get on the pill, but I want more of us. We’re two consenting adults. What we did wasn’t wrong.” He brought her face up to his and started to lower for a kiss until he saw the resolve in her eyes. Her body language registered. She was stiff and not participating in his embrace.

  “Please let me go.” Her voice was cool—no, cold as ice—and he dropped her so quickly she stumbled. He watched her square her shoulders and open the door. “You can show yourself out. I’ve got to run to the restroom.”

  She never looked back at him as she left the office. She’d just blown him off again for a second time. She had it all wrong. He was the one that blew women off. He wasn’t left standing to watch them leave, wanting more. He ran his fingers through his hair and left her office, aware of the stares from the staff, but he didn’t care. This was fine. He’d gotten what he wanted. And she wanted the creepy little doctor man type? Well, good for her. Then that was what she needed to go for. She was a naïve waste of time. This was the reason he went for more worldly women. Lara was a train wreck waiting to happen.

  Chapter 13

  In her apartment, Lara stared at her nude body in the bathroom mirror. Though her hair was piled on top of her head, the ends hung loose, still damp from the shower she’d rushed home after work to take. Today had gone from bad to terrible as she’d stupidly worried that everyone could smell the sex she’d had with Reed lingering on her body. If possible, by the end of the afternoon, things took an even steeper nosedive when she realized there was no way anyone could smell Reed on her because everyone gave her a wide berth. Even Jonathon wasn’t his happy-go-lucky self this afternoon.

  Honestly, maybe that had more to do with her than him. She’d stayed in a particularly foul mood for the rest of the day.

  “Princess, how about Thairrific tonight for your birthday?” K
ade called out through the door. She rolled her eyes and then stopped the movement. It wasn’t Kade or the restaurant that caused her bad mood; she loved both of them. This was why she didn’t have random, unplanned, unprotected sex. It made her feel dirty inside, like she’d been used, and she didn’t like that at all.

  “That’s fine,” she finally called out and released the large clip holding her hair in place. The tresses fell down her back and shoulders, covering one breast in the process. Her hair was long, too long, and she decided right then to cut it—she needed a makeover. Maybe something shoulder length would lift her spirits.

  She reached for the brush and started working the tangles free from the ends. The doorbell rang, and she heard Kade going to answer as she turned the hairdryer on. She dried her hair and tried to pull her emotions together before Kade saw her, but she couldn’t seem to lose the dull look she carried in her eyes. She was so disappointed in her actions today. Reed had made it clear last night what he wanted from her. She’d been strong enough to leave him then, but not today. She shook her head in disgust. All he had to do was look her way and she lost all her morals in the process.

  Lara grabbed her robe, tied the sash, and walked out to find all of the clothing she’d taken back to Neimans tossed on her bed. Everything was there. The shoes, undergarments, the dresses, even the unused makeup she’d returned—everything.

  “Why are these back?” she called out. Kade didn’t answer until he came to her bedroom door.

  “They said you couldn’t return them.”

  “Why not?” she asked, but Kade’s only response was a shrug. Lara glanced over her shoulder in confusion. That wasn’t what they’d said today.

  “I asked, but the delivery driver didn’t know.”

  She nodded, looking back at the clothes. Lara lifted the top dress to see something new.

  “But there’re extra clothes in here.” She lifted each hanger, going through all the dresses. “There’re two new ones here.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe it’s a guilt purchase. The douche feels bad. Keep ’em, Lara. It’s nothing for him.” Kade left her door, but their place was so small, she could easily continue the conversation.

  “I don’t take things from people. Besides he doesn’t have anything to feel guilty for,” she said, hanging the dresses on her bedroom door to keep them from wrinkling. She hadn’t mentioned what’d happened today. She didn’t keep secrets from Kade, but she was too disappointed in herself to say those particular words out loud.

  “He doesn’t— You sure about that?” Kade called out from his bedroom.

  “Yes. You love me and never see how things are my fault,” she answered, gathering up the other items and putting them inside her closet. She’d have to work on this in the morning. She didn’t want these purchases here. They were a glaring reminder of her own stupidity. “Let me get dressed.”

  “I hate you being sad,” Kade said again from her door as he pulled a T-shirt over his head.

  “I hate it too. Leave or you’re gonna see things you don’t wanna see,” she said, untying her sash.

  “Oh God no,” he declared, turning from her door. “Hurry, I’m starving.”

  ~~~

  He planned to go out tonight. The best way to get morally conscious females out of his mind was to find the exact opposite, then spend the next three or four hours doing everything she wouldn’t do. His problem with that overall plan? Reed didn’t want to be rid of Lara. Since the minute he met her, she’d been an overwhelming presence in his life. He missed her. He carried a sense of loss and he didn’t even understand how that was possible.

  He’d risked a lot with her. He gave her too much time out of his day and fucked her right there in her office. The door unlocked for anyone to walk in. He cringed at the thought. Regardless of what she said, he didn’t fraternize with the staff. He’d never done anything so bold or reckless on the job and would have fired anyone he caught doing something that destructive.

  He’d also never been this impulsive. Nothing could have stopped him today. She consumed him. She held a tremendous amount of power over him, and he had zero choice in the matter, he had to have her.

  Shockingly, he wasn’t disappointed in what happened. Quite the opposite actually.

  He’d been stunned when he first walked in that office. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what she had done to completely diminish her naturally lovely appearance, but somehow she had. He had to give it to her, she sure knew how to hide herself—too much makeup and that glorious hair tied away from her face completely changed her look. Add in the terrible-looking, box-cut clothing and she effectively concealed every bit of the striking beauty he’d come to know.

  As he poured himself a glass of Grey Goose, he contemplated her changed appearance. He needed to shower. He’d brutally worked his body out tonight trying to release the pent-up energy building inside him. If he’d had his choice, that workout would have come with Lara underneath him. He had a feeling hours of making love to her would only result in a strong need to do it all again. She’d been too alluring this afternoon. Her legs grasping him, her grip holding tightly to his shirt, and she moved along with him, urging him to take her. He could easily manipulate and bend her slight frame in whatever way he wanted her. She was his sexual dream in a tight, sexy package.

  No question, she’d be a hot little number in the right place. He bet, given time, making her feel comfortable in his life, he could talk her into just about anything. He liked the idea of being persuasive enough to get a good girl to do naughty things. He chuckled at the thought until a frown formed as he remembered the naughtiest thing he’d done this morning. How had he not used a condom? He always used a condom. It didn’t matter how protected his sexual partners claimed to be, he wrapped himself up tight each and every time he had sex. Yet not today.

  Maybe that was why it felt so good. Skin to skin, no barriers, just her wrapped around him. As risky as that move had been, he was very glad Lara shared his first time. He’d always remember that moment of sliding all the way in, buried deep inside her, free of any barriers. She couldn’t have had too many sexual encounters; she didn’t even have to say those words for him to know. Man, had she been tight.

  Reed laid a palm on the glass of his apartment’s floor-to-ceiling windows. He looked out over the night. All he saw was Lara. How naïve was it in today’s age to want to date? Those were high school dreams, not adult games. She’d have a far better chance of getting that ring she clearly wanted if she played the game correctly. She wasn’t for him. He’d known that from the beginning. Why was he still thinking of her?

  He left that thought right there. He wasn’t going to continue questioning the obvious. He pushed away from the window and headed for the shower, still undecided if he was going to break every rule he put in place and date her like she wanted or was he done? He laughed before downing the drink.

  Like he was still in control of his decision-making processes. He’d given himself the last ten hours to get right with dating her. He’d even let himself believe he had a choice in the matter. He didn’t. He had to have her until he didn’t want her any longer. That day would come, he was certain. Until then, Lara Hunter intrigued him, so he’d date her for however long he chose. Maybe it was a sign he was growing up. Dammit.

  One thing for certain, he was as far behind in his daily tasks as he would allow himself to get. He had a company to run. He had thousands of employees depending on him. He had personal goals and focuses outside of this one woman who plagued his mind. From this point forward, she was getting minimal brain energy. They’d date, he’d get laid, and she’d be put in her place. No more of the daydreams or breaks in the middle of his day just to see her.

  He was done with all that. He let an ice cube slide into his mouth as he headed for the bathroom. After his shower, he’d arrange for someone from downstairs security to take opera tickets to Lara tonight. She’d need clothing since it was the start of the season. He had box seats
that always remained empty. Now that he had a girlfriend, and he did sneer at the thought, at least he wouldn’t have to attend those boring events alone.

  ~~~

  Dinner with Kade did wonders for her disposition and turned out to be exactly what she needed. They ate at their favorite Thai restaurant and had a quick drink at JR’s, the gay club Kade regularly frequented. She always loved watching him in his element. Kade was freer there, happy, and it always did her heart good to see him lighten up. He was too serious all the time. They’d even made it home early enough that she could get a full night’s sleep. Something she hadn’t had all week.

  Walking through the front doors of her building, a security guard looked up from the conversation he was having. “Lara, this man’s here to see you.”

  “I have a delivery for you.” The guy was young, looked familiar, and handed her a sealed envelope. She took the package as Kade pulled his wallet out to tip the guy.

  “Nah, it’s good. I’m well paid,” he said, lifting a hand to stop Kade as he tried to hand him some cash. What kind of delivery guy didn’t accept tips? Lara tore into the envelope to find a single ticket to the opera with a handwritten note. There were six little words scribbled on the page.

  You win. Opera Saturday night.

  Reed

  She could feel Kade reading over her shoulder as all the humiliation of the last twenty-four hours weighed down on her. No, she wasn’t going there again with Reed Prescott. What did “you win” even mean? She stuffed the contents back in the envelope. “Stop him.”

  Kade reached out, opened the door, and whistled that loud “you have to pay attention to him” whistle. She followed him outside. The delivery guy had already made it to the street corner, but stopped, turning back in their direction. Lara jogged the few steps to him. “Please take this back and tell him no thank you.”