by Marilyn Lee
He gave me a wary look. "I told you what I wanted from you."
His quick answer disappointed and annoyed me. "You’ve been caressing my ass during this entire conversation so forgive me if I’m a little confused."
He shook his head and released me. "I have no interest in getting involved in a serious relationship and I won’t insult you by trying to treat you like my latest easy lay."
"So you’re only interested in friendship or casual sex from a woman? Can’t a woman be both your friend and your lover?"
"I prefer to keep the two separate."
"Why?"
"I’ve never met anyone capable of meeting both needs."
He was letting me know up front he had no long-term interest in me but maybe I could tempt him into a sexual affair. But as hard as he clearly intended to make me work for it, if I managed to land in his bed I was not settling for one damned night.
The lights dimmed suddenly. When I glanced around I saw Deandre heading in our direction.
"What the hell does he want?"
"I think he wants me," I said.
"Fuck!"
"Actually, I’m hoping that’s what he has in mind," I said, trying to get a rise out of John.
"Why?" He stared at me. "I know a few guys I could introduce you to. You don’t have to settle for his shit."
"I don’t consider him settling, John."
His nostrils flared. "It is if he makes you chase him."
"Isn’t that what you’re going to do?"
Before he could respond, Deandre paused in front of us and smiled at me. "I believe this is my dance, Amber," he said and extended his hand.
My heartbeat quickened. There was an unmistakable glimmer of romantic interest in his gaze. Finally. I smiled and placed my hand in his. "I believe you’re right."
I heard John inhale sharply and turned to look at him. He’d lowered his lids but clenched his teeth so his jaw looked like a rigid line. The sexy darling was definitely in the grip of the green-eyed monster.
I was torn between slow dancing with Deandre and staying with John. But only briefly. I’d worked too hard for this moment with Deandre not to take full advantage of it. "Be right back," I said as Deandre drew me into his arms.
"Not right back," Deandre corrected.
I liked the sound of that.
"Don’t rush on my account."
Noting the cool tone in John’s voice, I glanced over my shoulder as Deandre swept me onto the dance floor and away from John. Oh no. I stifled a sigh as I saw John turn and quickly walk out the French doors and across the patio.
Damn. Mom had been right. I couldn’t buy Deandre’s interest until he’s seen me in a lip lock with John who had now flown the damned coop. Call me greedy but now that I had Deandre’s attention, I wanted John’s. I wasn’t sure if I wanted it instead or in addition to Deandre's. I just knew I wanted John's interest.
"Please don’t tell me he’s your boyfriend, Amber," Deandre said, drawing me into a closer embrace.
Oh hell yeah. He was a big, attractive male with miles of smooth dark skin, a sexy baritone and bedroom eyes. Finally, I was on the receiving end of his charm. "As a matter of fact, we were discussing that possibility tonight," I said.
"I understood you weren’t dating anyone seriously."
I resisted the urge to ask where he came by that understanding. He'd clearly been talking to Grace. "He’s nice to be around."
"Please tell me you’re not seriously considering dating him."
"Why shouldn’t I? He’s single, straight, and handsome." Like you.
He frowned and I just knew I was not going to like what he said next. "Because he clearly doesn’t think much of you."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I know it’s none of my business, but he stuck his tongue down your throat and fondled your ass in public. Those aren’t the actions of a man who respects a woman."
My cheeks burned and I struggled to conceal my embarrassment. He made my out of control behavior with John sound like what it was—shameless. I took a measure of comfort from the fact that jealousy probably prompted Deandre's words.
Still I found myself at a loss for words.
He drew his upper body away from mine and frowned down at me. "Don’t sell yourself short, Amber."
"I never do."
"I think this time you have because you must know you deserve better than to spend your time with a man who thinks fondling you in public is the way to treat a lady."
If John hadn’t treated me like a lady, it was probably because I hadn’t conducted myself like one. "Well you’ll be happy to know he’s left."
"I’d be happier still if you gave up the idea of dating a man like that."
Great. He and John had one thing in common—they both thought the other wasn’t the right man for me. "Why would I do that, doctor?"
"So you’ll be free to turn your attention to a man more worthy of you."
"Oh? Do you have someone in mind?"
He shrugged and smiled down at me. "I might and now that he’s gone, I’ll be happy to entertain you without groping you in public, Amber."
His holier than thou attitude towards John grated on my nerves. Especially since I'd instigated the behavior he found so objectionable. Still, determined to make the most of the night, I smiled. "And what about the woman Grace paired you with for the evening?"
He looked surprised. "I’m dancing with her."
I blinked. "Grace paired us for the evening?"
He nodded. "She called me last week and asked if I’d mind. Of course I said I’d be happy to spend the evening with you. Didn’t she tell you?"
I didn’t know whether to be surprised or annoyed that Grace had apparently paired me with two men for the night. "No."
"Then I hope the news is as nice a surprise for you, as it was for me."
Oh damn, girl. You’ve finally hit the jackpot. Even as I congratulated myself for finally garnering his attention, I realized I’d felt freer flirting with John than I did with him. So I decided to err on the side of caution. I smiled and let him make whatever he chose of my silence.
Chapter Three
John
I got as far as my car before I managed to wrestle my temper under control. And just where the hell do you think you’re going? You spent nearly twenty years on Wall Street swimming with sharks. You can certainly handle a little competition from a man too stupid to appreciate having a desirable woman chasing his useless ass.
Sure I could deal with competition but did I really want to? She had handled me as effectively as any pretty woman I’d ever met. I’d gone from wanting to be friends to wanting to bed her in a manner of minutes. Just maybe I should leave well enough alone and go home to take a cool shower.
Too hell with that. Maybe you should go back, take her home with you, and let him go home alone for a cool shower. I constantly admonished my nineteen-year-old son not to let his cock lead him astray. I knew that’s what I was doing when I took a deep calming breath and went back to Grace’s house. I knew it and I didn't care.
When I walked in through the French doors, I saw Amber happily dancing with Dr. Don’t Know Shit.
I stormed across the room and tapped him on the shoulder. "I believe this is my dance." Without waiting for his response, I nudged him aside and whirled Amber into my arms. I couldn’t tell if she were pleased or annoyed to see me. Given the way she’d stared at him earlier, she was probably pissed that I’d interrupted her slow dance with him. Too damned bad.
"John."
"I'm flattered you remember me." I knew I sounded pissed. Since I was I made no effort to hide the fact from her.
"Of course I remember you."
"Even in the presence of Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome personified?"
"You’re memorable in any company."
Okay. So maybe I was vain because her remark not only softened my irritation but it also placated the hell out of me.
"I’m glad you came back–even tho
ugh I’m not sure you’re in a good mood."
My mood had been fine until she’d ruined it by making it crystal clear that I was second best. "Can I take you home?"
"I don't think you're in the mood to make that a pleasant proposition for either of us." She flashed a brief, insincere smile and turned away.
Oh no you don’t. I caught her hand.
She turned back to look at me with a cool look in her eyes. "Problem, John?"
Not if I got my way. I shrugged. "May I take you home?"
"Considering the first impression I gave that's probably not a good idea."
"That might be true had you made a bad impression. You didn't."
"No?"
"I’m far more impressed in a good way than I want to be."
She smiled.
And I wanted to kiss her until we were both gasping for breath. "So? Can I take you home?"
She hesitated and I half expected her to look around for him. "Yes."
The relief I felt was almost palpable. After staring down at her for several moments, I walked her to the French doors.
"Wait a minute," she said tugging on her hand.
I stopped and turned to look at her. "You said I could take you home."
"Yes, but I didn’t mean now." She drew her hand away from mine.
"I want to be alone with you," I admitted.
"I’m flattered Johnny mine, but dinner is in half an hour."
My hunger wasn’t for food. "So?"
"So I starved myself all day so I could enjoy it," she said with a complete lack of self-consciousness that I found charming. "Now you want to drag me away before I’ve even had so much as a single bite?"
Just like a woman to want to take things slow when a man was revved up and ready to hop into the sack. "We’ll stop on the way and pick up something."
"We could do that. Or we could have dinner here and–"
"I believe I already mentioned the fact that I wanted to be alone with you."
"Why?"
"Why does any man want to be alone with any woman?"
"Why don’t you tell me why you want to be alone with me and we’ll take it from there, John?"
I want to kiss, lick, and bite you all over before I fuck you. "I thought we could renegotiate the terms of our friendship."
"I think maybe we should actually become friends before we worry about renegotiating. Don’t you?"
"No. I don’t."
"So you’re interested in an easy lay with me after all?"
"No!"
"Then what’s to renegotiate?"
Damn but she was starting to annoy me with her pointed questions I wasn’t prepared to answer. So I didn’t. "Did you drive?"
"No. I got a ride."
"Then can we go?"
"You didn’t answer my question, John."
"You’re right. There’s no need to renegotiate. Now can we go?"
"You’re surprisingly easy to flirt with, but I should make it clear that flirting is all I’m prepared to engage in tonight."
She wanted to play hard to get after the way she’d kissed me and told me her ass was mine? A woman could drive a man insane with very little effort. "Fine. I can handle that."
"You can?"
I nodded. "I’m not some boy who can't take no for an answer."
She smiled. "I think we’ve already established the fact that you’re a man."
I offered her my arm.
She slipped hers through mine.
"Amber?"
We both turned to face Dr. Don't Know Shit.
"Are you leaving?"
Damn right she was.
I felt her tense but she nodded.
"Can I speak to you for a moment before you go?"
I gave him an annoyed look. Few things were sadder than a man who didn't know when he'd lost.
After a brief hesitation and a quick look at me, she nodded. "Would you excuse us for a moment, John?"
I barely resisted the temptation to say no and walked over to the French doors to wait for her. I watched them both pull out their cell phones and enter numbers before she smiled at him and walked over to join me.
I decided I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of asking what that was all about. Besides it was clear they’d exchanged phone numbers.
"Your plan appears to be working," I said.
"I'm ready whenever you are," she said smiling at me.
Now that she had us both prepared to chase her she was probably pleased with herself. If I weren’t so determined not to let him have her without a fight, I’d tell her to go back to him and walk away. "Then let’s go." I led her outside and to my car. While holding the door open for her, I resisted the urge to brush my hand against her breasts or ass. I was unexpectedly horny, but I wasn’t going to engage in any more juvenile behavior that was more understandable in a nineteen-year-old boy than it was in a forty-two-year-old man.
Seated beside her in the car, I longed to lean over to nibble her ear and neck before kissing my way down to her breasts.
Almost as if she knew what I was thinking, she abruptly turned to look at me. "I’m trusting you to be a man of your word, John."
"I am." I started the engine and drove away before she had second thoughts about leaving with me.
We stopped at one of my favorite restaurants for take-out. Back in the car, I turned to look at her. "When I asked if I could take you home, I meant to my place. You knew that. Didn’t you?"
She shook her head. "How could I?"
"You might have noticed I didn’t ask for your address."
She narrowed her gaze. "And you might remember I said I’m not sleeping with you."
"I remember and I’ll keep my word."
"You didn’t ask me to come home with you, John. You asked if you could take me home. There's a sizable difference between the two."
"My mistake."
She stared at me. "Home for me is where I live not where you live, John."
"You’ll be fine with me, Amber or Grace wouldn’t have introduced us."
She frowned.
"And think how jealous Dr. Don't Know Shit will be when he finds out you went home with me for a platonic dinner."
She finally nodded. "I expect you to keep your word."
"And you won’t be disappointed," I promised. During the entire forty-minute drive to my Center City condo, I wondered what I found so fascinating about her. Why the hell was I panting for her when I could call several women who would be eager to share my bed on short notice? They were all attractive and none of them would have openly looked at another man while with me. So why hadn’t I left her at Grace’s party and called one of them?
Love the one you’re with. I glanced over at her and found her smiling at me. And I knew why I was with her and not some other woman. She intrigued me.
When we arrived, I gave her a quick tour of my four-bedroom penthouse unit. The dining and living room had floor to ceiling windows that boasted a spectacular view of the city. After our meal we moved to the living room where we talked, damn it. Well she talked while I stared at her, wondering just how big a tease she’d prove to be.
"You haven’t heard a word I said. Have you, Johnny mine?"
I liked the way her voice caught when she said my name. Hell, I even liked the way she called me Johnny mine. I brushed the fingers of my hand down from her neck to her breasts. "I beg to differ. I heard every word you said."
She removed my hand from her breasts. "I think we discussed your being a man of your word."
Given her earlier hardcore flirting, her present touch-me-not attitude was particularly irritating. "We did and I am," I said, allowing my hand to fall to my side. "I’m also a man who knows how to listen."
"I’m not sure how much listening you were just doing."
"Then let me demonstrate. You’re thirty-two and from a large blended family. You have four sisters. Two older, two younger. You also have five step-brothers, all older than you. After your mother marrie
d your step-father, you added Darkwater to Hunt to form your new blended surname. You’ve never been married but for reasons only you and God understand, you’ve had a thing for Dr. Don't Know Shit for the last year. How’s that?"
She smiled at me. "So you were listening."
I nodded. "I have a number of divorced or single friends I could introduce you to. There’s no need to chase the very dense Dr. Don't Know Shit."
"Dr. Don't Know Shit? Charming."
"He deserves it."
She shrugged. "He doesn’t think much of you either. In fact he was almost distraught at the idea of my going out with you."
"Stupid and jealous. I'd hate to be one of his patients."
"He's an excellent doctor and it wasn’t strictly jealousy. According to him I deserve better than you."
"What the hell does that mean? He doesn’t even know me."
"He thinks you don’t respect me."
I stared at her. "Where the hell would he get such an idea…" Recalling those kisses and palming her ass, I blew out a breath. "He’s wrong. I do respect you, but I can see how it might look as if I didn’t. My apologies."
She shook her head. "I can’t allow you to shoulder all the blame for something I started. Flirting with you was fun and liberating but it got out of hand all too quickly. Still, you only responded to what I started."
I shook my head. "That’s no excuse for my lack of restraint."
"Fine. Let’s agree that we both regret our behavior."
While I regretted the appearance that I didn’t respect her, I had enjoyed kissing her and palming her big round ass. I nodded.
"Now that that’s settled, let’s talk about Johnny mine Reddorn."
"What about him?"
She glanced at the mantle across the room. Several pictures of my kids covered the opposite wall and the large handcrafted mantelpiece. She rose and walked across to touch several pictures of my kids. "Yours?"
I nodded, smiling. "Jeanie is seventeen and Jonny is nineteen."
"They're gorgeous."
"They are."
She tilted her head and smiled at me. "Take after their mother do they?"
I laughed.
She touched several other pictures. "I see a family resemblance."
