Forbidden Curves (Steamy Taboo Romance)

by Day, Talia

  And what was I supposed to do now? I was stuck down here until Zach or someone finally came down. Time seemed to tick by slowly as I waited in the cellar, twisted up with anxiety.

  Finally, after five minutes that felt like an hour, I heard a firm knock on the door.

  "Who is it?" I asked tentatively, my voice wavering and hanging thin in the cool, damp air.

  "Zach. I've got your shirt." I felt relieved. He walked down the stairs carrying my blouse, and I covered myself back up, relieved.

  All of a sudden I was pissed at him.

  "What the fuck just happened?" I hissed.

  Zach put his hands up defensively. "Hey relax! Okay, my dad's pretty pissed, but we can still stay here."

  "I thought he was working on a business deal!"

  "He is. He and Donny, that other guy, are ironing out the details at the country club right now."

  We walked back up into the house, as if he were done with our conversation. I wanted to grab him and turn him around, but all I could do was follow his hasty retreat into the kitchen.

  "He fucking saw me stealing his wine—shirtless," I said accusingly. This was probably the absolute worst way I could have met Zach's family. Suddenly, our little romantic retreat looked like it would turn into the most awkward weekend from Hell. "You should have let him know we were coming."

  "Jesus fucking Christ," Zach said, his voice suddenly whiny with annoyance. "We can still stay here at the house. It's not the end of the world. You're freaking out about nothing."

  "Zach, this isn't the way I wanted to meet your family!"

  Zach groaned and headed back up the stairs. I followed angrily.

  "What are you doing?! Don't ignore me!"

  Zach slammed the door like an angry child as I raged outside.

  "Give me my phone," I practically screamed at him through the door. "I'm calling Alyssa to come get me."

  After a few infuriating seconds he finally opened the door and handed me my phone. I wheeled around and headed back downstairs. I hated how disappointed I was, but I couldn't help it. This stupid weekend was a total letdown, after everything we'd planned.

  I sat down on one of the deck chairs outside and called Alyssa, my best friend and college roommate. As soon as she heard my voice, she knew something was wrong.

  "Is everything okay?" she asked with concern in her voice.

  "I can tell you later, right now just come and get me."

  I poked around on Facebook as I waited for her, wasting time in a frustrated stupor. I wanted to leave immediately. At least in a couple of hours I'd be on my way back home.

  After a few minutes I put my phone away. My thoughts kept wandering back to those few seconds I had stood there dumbly with Laird. It was scandalous just thinking about it, but I was so angry with Zach that I didn't care. It was insane the way my body still reacted when I thought about that big, powerful man standing there with lust in his eyes. It made wetness pool between my thighs and my breath catch in my chest.

  Of course, it was wrong thinking about him. And he was Zach's dad, which made thinking about him all the more pointless.

  God, if only Alyssa could get here faster.

  Hurry up, I texted her before walking aimlessly back out onto the deck.

  Laird

  That body of hers! I couldn't get it out of my mind, even as Donny jabbered on at the clubhouse about his firm's equity, and how their corporate culture would integrate seamlessly with my company’s mission and values. Or whatever.

  It was all so tiring and tedious, the way Donny was trying to promote himself to me, shamelessly attempting to get a little slice of my wealth by selling the company he had spent the last twenty years of his pathetic life building from scratch.

  Thankfully, the incident with the topless girl stealing a bottle of wine from my cellar had gone unspoken about, as if Donny had never even seen it. What the hell was wrong with him? He was so nervous and wound-up about selling his company that he didn't have a single word to say about that pretty face with those big, ice-blue eyes and pouty red lips, or her body with its heavy tits, curvaceous thighs, and that bouncy little ass--everything about her so plump and voluptuous and perfect.

  It made my balls ache just thinking about it. Didn't Donny have balls?

  And goddamn that little fucker Zach! The one I had unfortunately spawned with Rita, my latest ex, the last in a long string of failed relationships. My two other sons and my daughter had grown up to be successful and hard-working, good, proud Americans who had built up their own fortunes. Hell, even my stepson Ash had built his own house.

  But not Zach. No, I had no clue what went on inside that boy’s idle mind. What the hell would possess him to be so lazy, or so obsessed with music? That anyone, let alone someone related to me, could enjoy even three minutes of the sort of pointless noise he listened to was at once perplexing and infuriating. At least he was out of the house and I didn't have to ever hear it again. Could that gorgeous girl back at the house really be his girlfriend?! The one he was always complaining about? He was always whining that she was fat, and that she didn't fit in with his obnoxious hippy friends, and so on and so forth. For once in my life I was jealous of the spoiled brat.

  He hadn't told me just how drop-dead sexy she was! I could still feel the electricity that had crackled between us as she had so boldly exposed her naked body to my hungry eyes.

  She needed a good hard spanking for stealing that bottle, that was for damn sure. Then a good fucking. My cock was rock hard thinking about cumming inside of her tight little pussy, my cock buried deep between those gorgeous, milk-white thighs.

  How the hell could I feel lust like this? I was usually so cool, so self-possessed. Jesus Christ, the thought of her was driving me insane. I had to get back to the house, I had to have that girl.

  I cut Donny off mid-sentence as he was rambling on about the same crap. "Seventy million. I can pay you seventy million."

  I watched as his eyes widened with surprise. It was twenty million more than what we'd agreed upon as a preliminary figure, and about thirty million more than what all the internet experts and pundits claimed his company was worth.

  "So it's settled, then?" I could tell he was struggling to keep his voice even.

  "It's settled. I'll make millions off your firm, and you can go retire on some golf course." I reached across the table to shake his hand, and he grasped it limply, looking totally stunned.

  Of course, I was acting like a total prick. But right now, dealing with the usual money-grubbing bullshit was just too tiresome. I needed him out of my hair so I could think about her.

  Why the hell was Zach always complaining about his hot girlfriend? It was infuriating that I could have raised him to be such a sniveling, whiny ass. If he were more of a man, someone who was more comfortable with his own tastes and desires, he'd have no problem walking around with that luscious little minx on his arm.

  I certainly wouldn't have a problem with her, that’s for goddamn sure. And if she was patient enough to suffer Zach's constant infantile whining, then I knew she was a good woman, unlike Zach's mom and all the other crazies and gold-diggers whom I seemed to attract with my fortune.

  I paid my tab at the clubhouse bar and left, driving impatiently with my foot heavy on the gas pedal. I wanted to get home as soon as possible so I could see her again.

  Hailey

  I rolled over on the pool chair and groaned, trying to ignore the awful noise emanating from upstairs. Whenever Zach was troubled or upset, he would queue up a video of a Phish show on YouTube, and watch ecstatically as the band jammed aimlessly while the audience--always the same bunch of baby-faced, yuppie white people—threw around beach balls and danced. I usually didn't mind how pathetic he was, but I always wished he would find some better music to listen to.

  I tried covering my ears, but it was no use.

  I groaned. Maybe I could just meet Alyssa in town instead.

  After a moment of hesitation, I grabbed the ke
ys to one of the black Chevy Tahoes in the garage and drove into town. I could meet Alyssa at a coffee shop or something, and Zach could deal with the car later. Negotiating with Zach when he was deep in his 5-year-old-whiny-little-shit state was just too much.

  As soon as I got to the coffee shop, retrieved my drink and sat down, my phone buzzed with a message from Zach.

  My dad's pissed. About the wine and the car. Try to get back ASAP.

  ‘Fat chance,’ I thought. Alyssa was arriving in twenty minutes, and no way in hell was I going back to the house. When I didn't reply immediately he sent me another message.

  This is so like you. You're possibly the most stubborn, defiant, bratty person I've ever dated.

  Reading that made my blood boil. All I wanted was for Alyssa to get here as fast as possible, then I wouldn't have to deal with Zach, or anyone related to him in any way, ever again.

  My phone buzzed again. Alyssa was only one block away.

  ‘Adios,’ I thought, getting up. This stupid little chapter in my life was over.

  Laird

  Where the hell was she?! As soon as I arrived home, Zach came bounding down the stairs, babbling that his girlfriend had left and taken one of my cars.

  "Turn that music off," I groaned. Of course she had left. With that awful hippy noise blaring at a thousand decibels anybody would have left. You could hear the audience hooting at nothing in particular as the band played. Zach shut the music off and I had a quiet moment to think.

  I'd probably never see her again.

  Of course, with my money and connections, I could track her down wherever she was.

  But even if I did, she might be too freaked out by what had happened in the wine cellar to ever want to see me.

  It was hopeless. And I had just spent 20 million dollars off the cuff so I could get Donny to shut up, so I could get home earlier.

  And now she was gone.

  "Well?" Zach asked, interrupting my train of thought.

  "Well what?"

  "Aren't you pissed that she took your car?"

  "I'll find her," I grumbled, grabbing my car keys and heading out the door.

  Hailey

  I walked out into the parking lot, and squeaked with surprise when I saw the figure approaching me. It was Laird. He had just gotten out of a sleek, silver Audi and was walking along the sidewalk towards the coffee shop.

  My heart raced. Was he angry about the car? Was he going to call the cops? Even if all I'd done was drive it to the coffee shop, I knew I could probably be charged with grand theft auto, or something like that. Where was Alyssa? I had to leave, now.

  "Hailey!" I heard Alyssa’s voice call out. I whirled around to see that she had parked her beat-up Toyota into the parking spot directly on my left. I moved quickly to her vehicle and flung open the door.

  "Wait!" I heard Laird yell. He was running towards me.

  My heart raced with panic.

  My eyes flicked from Laird, coming closer and closer, and then to Alyssa who was sitting in the driver's seat with an expectant look on her face, ready to take off at any second.

  I could be in a lot of trouble if I stayed. Actually, I might be in a lot of trouble either way.

  My mind was screaming at me to leave, but I forced myself to stay. I should talk to Laird, like a grown-up, instead of running away.

  He arrived a few seconds later, panting to catch his breath, his eyes flashing. "In my car," he ordered.

  I hesitated before finally opening the door and following Laird back to his car.

  "I'll be right back," I told Alyssa. My heart was pounding as I sat down in the leather seat next to him. He got in next to me, and I felt electricity race through my body. He smelled like expensive cologne, peppermint and something else, something sexy and overwhelming. I was so nervous I was practically shaking.

  "You're Hailey, right?" he asked, extending a hand.

  "Yes," I gulped, accepting it. His handshake was firm, gripping me tight.

  "Laird Buchanan. Sorry to snap at you back there. I thought you were going to drive straight back to New Jersey after that fight you had with my son."

  I let my eyes run over him. He was tall, around 6' 3", and his muscular body filled out his clothes so well they looked as if they had been tailored just for him. Was this really Zach's dad? He looked so clean-cut and athletic.

  "Mr. Buchanan, I'm so sorry--" I began, but he cut me off.

  "You're in a lot of trouble. But I think we can make a deal. I won't press charges or anything crazy like that."

  I paused. What was he going to suggest? Whatever it was, it couldn't be that bad. "Uh, what sort of deal?"

  "Just come to dinner with Zach and I. You can bring your friend along as well. My company just acquired another holding and I'd like to celebrate tonight."

  He reached across and touched my knee. The way he touched me was cool, but friendly. "Please. I'd really like to have a quiet celebration with some young people, instead of the usual bacchanal with a crowd of perverted businessmen."

  "Of course," I blurted, my heart suddenly slamming into the wall of my chest even harder. "I'd love to."

  What was it? Why did I feel so turned on? I knew he was just inviting all of us to dinner, but by the way he was acting, the way he had found me and chased me down, it felt like I was being pursued.

  And his touch, however gentle and innocuous, made me feel like I had been claimed.

  Get a grip, Hailey, I told myself. I knew I was just imagining things, but the way he looked at me, the way his eyes blazed into mine, gave me rippling sheets of chills.

  "Good," he said, smiling. His eyes lit up. "I'll meet you back at the beach house."

  I got out of the car, and to my surprise, Laird followed. His hand found the small of my back, settling there gently as he guided me back to Alyssa's car.

  That touch.

  You're mine, he seemed to be saying.

  "I'll see you in a little while," he said, his hand circling my waist and starting to pull me closer to him for a hair-raising instant before he let go and left.

  "What was that all about?" Alyssa asked, looking up from her phone as I settled back into the car. Tinny top-forty music was playing on her radio. I blushed, suddenly embarrassed by the way he had claimed me in public.

  "Uh, that's Zach's dad. He wants to take us all out to dinner."

  "Hailey! I drove all the way out here because you said it was an emergency, and that you were breaking up with Zach. Now we're all going out to dinner? What's going on?"

  "Nothing's going on! His company just went through a big merger, and he wants to take us all out to dinner. I have to go; it would be super rude not to."

  "What do you mean, super rude?! You said you never wanted to see Zach again! Who cares if his dad wants to take us out to dinner? Let's get out of here."

  She fired up the engine and shifted into reverse.

  "Alyssa!" I screamed, "stop!"

  "Fine," she grumbled, killing the engine and looking at me sourly. "You can go. You owe me for making me drive out here."

  I watched her drive away, wishing she had stayed, suddenly feeling even worse and more mixed-up about the whole situation. I climbed back into the big Chevy I had driven to the coffee shop, and made my way slowly back to the house, wondering how the night would unfold.

  ****

  Zach was quiet and well mannered the entire dinner, as if he was making an effort to be on his best behavior. Things were so awkward I couldn't stand it. Even worse was the tension between me and Laird. Every time our eyes met, it felt like something powerful was happening in the air between us.

  Was it all just in my head?

  I had never felt anything like it, and feeling the strange attraction between me and this tall, handsome stranger and myself, while my boyfriend was sitting right there next to us, was almost too much for me to process.

  After all, why would someone like Laird, who'd had several gorgeous wives and whom Zach made sound like a famous la
dies' man, want someone like me? I felt lucky just dating his son, and Zach, despite whatever charms he may have, was admittedly kind of a slob.

  "How do you like your food?" Laird asked. I had barely touched my chicken.

  "It's fine," I said, forcing a smile. The tension in the air was simply too much for me to take. "Could you excuse me for a second?"

  "Of course," Laird said graciously, and Zach stood up so I could slide out of the booth.

  I practically ran to the bathroom. I braced myself against the counter and took a good long look in the mirror as my heartrate began to return to normal.