AIDENIwatched Layla get ready, even though she kept making faces at me in the mirror and telling me to go watch TV or something. I couldn’t help it. She was always beautiful, but as she did her hair and makeup and slid into the dress that fit her like a second skin, she transformed into something ethereally sexy.“Ethereally sexy,” she repeated with a laugh when I told her so. “I don’t think those two words were meant to go together.”“Lots of things aren’tsupposedto go together.” I wrapped my arms around her. “But sometimes they work anyway, right?”Her smile softened. “Right.”I wanted to tell her then that I’d heard everything she said earlier–about coming back at Christmas, about telling her family. I hadn’t said anything because the prospect of telling Jack twisted my guts out of shape, but we were on the same page. More and more, being unable to tell the world that I was in love with Layla Davis felt worse than what I imagined Jack’s reaction would be.“I love you,” I murmured
LAYLAIf I hadn’t felt Blake’s eyes on me like leeches, I would have been impressed by the event. The ballroom was beautifully appointed with gilt and crystal chandeliers, plush velvet settees, and a dance floor that gleamed under the biggest chandelier of all, the one suspended just in front of the stage by swooping, glittering ligatures. A string quartet was playing a mix of classical and pop.I wanted to just dance with Aiden and forget why we were here, but that wasn’t an option. It seemed that just standing beside him, taking on the brunt of the shop talk together, wasn’t even an option. Somehow, he always ended up embedded in conversation with someone else. And increasingly, I ended up in conversation with Blake.And only Blake.“Let’s dance,” he urged.I laughed awkwardly, stalling for time. The first time he asked, I’d made the excuse that no one else was dancing. That had changed though. Seven or eight couples were moving across the floor in time to Sia’s “Chandelier.” “I don
We danced out the rest of the song in a strange, mute communication. I was wondering what the hell was going on in his head as he continued to smile down at me, gray eyes revealing nothing of his intentions. If I were even the slightest bit less sure of myself, I’d think I’d made it all up. He was a consummate flirt. He probably didn’t even realize he was doing it.But Iwassure. There was just a shadow of amusement that told me he was playing a game. Maybe he always had been. Maybe this was who he really was, and the vain, cocksure character from before was just that… a character.As the music ended, Blake stepped back immediately. I breathed my first full breath. I had been sure he’d let his hands linger and press me into another dance. Maybe he hadn’t been so indifferent to my news about having a serious boyfriend after all. I turned automatically to look for Aiden, but to my surprise, I didn’t see him.“It looks like they started without us,” Blake said.I looked back at him, bewil
AIDENThis asshole Stanton had managed to convince me to take my eyes off Layla. I knew I should have stayed right where I was until she was off that dance floor and away from Blake Morten, but like an idiot, I thought,we’re in a crowded room. What can he do?I stepped into the private back room reserved for the VIPs to meet Holly Bernstein–and when I came out two minutes later, Layla was gone.“Relax,” Stanton said as I began searching the room for her. “I’m sure she’s in the bathroom.”If I could have found Blake, I might have relaxed. If I’d spotted him ingratiating himself with some up-and-coming producers or talking to the Netflix executive, I could have believed Layla had just gone to the bathroom. But I circled the ballroom twice, bisecting it multiple times, and neither of them were anywhere to be seen.Stanton had disappeared during my search, but I didn’t bother trying to find him. If he knew where Blake and Layla had gone, he wasn’t going to tell me.Instinct propelled me o
LAYLAThe conversation with my father was strange and distorted in my memory.“He’swhere?”“He didwhat?”“Where is this Blake Morten mother fucker now?”My dad was usually mild-mannered, but his Irish side came out swinging when his family was threatened.“He’s… I don’t know. I think they took his statement and let him go.”“They let the asshole who assaulted you go and they arrestedAiden?”I don’t remember how I answered the questions. At one point, my mom took over, and I heard the sounds of my dad furiously packing his overnight bag. Her voice was soft and soothing, but I couldn’t remember a thing she’d said after we got off the phone. Except that they were both coming.I went back to the hotel room in a state of shock. I couldn’t believe that just a few hours ago, Aiden had sat on that bed and watched me get dressed. I was so sure when we left this room that when we came back, he would help me get undressed. Now I twisted my arm behind my back and pulled the zipper down myself. I’
AIDENThe next week passed in a hellish blur. It was a series of worst-case scenarios, all linked together on one endless chain of torment.First, Jack bailing me out of jail, his jaw set and his eyes burning. I knew without having to ask that he knew. He didn’t say a damn thing about it though. He just nodded tersely at me as I walked toward him, holding the envelope they’d sealed my phone and wallet into. Then he turned on his heel, pushed through the precinct’s front door, and was gone by the time I got out to the sidewalk.I took a cab back to the hotel and wasn’t surprised to find that Layla had completely erased herself from the hotel room. There wasn’t a spare earring back to prove she’d ever been there. I looked around and felt the pit in my stomach deepen.The next link on the chain was the story that broke by that afternoon. It was centered around Blake, which made sense because he was the one with the most name recognition. What blew my fucking mind though was how sympathet
“Yeah, I’m fucking sure. He attacked Layla.”Maureen was quiet, like she’d been waiting for me to confirm that. “Is she going to testify to that, if she has to?”“Of course she is.”My response was knee jerk, but beneath it, the pit was widening, deepening, darkening. I couldn’t see the bottom or feel the sides anymore. I was hollowing out.WouldLayla testify for me?HadI been mistaken? Why wasn’t she returning my calls? Where the hell was she?I went by her place at least once a day, but she was never there. At least, she never answered her door. I even slow crawled past Jack’s house, but there was no sign of her car. Then, on Friday night, six days after my world went to hell, it went away. Blake dropped the charges. He released a statement about it being a misunderstanding. He apologized to the unnamed woman who had been involved. He was going to work on himself and figure out how this could have happened.Astounded, I called Layla again. I was so sure that now this one thing had fal
LAYLAI spent the week in my childhood bed, staring at the ceiling. Cross Media’s HR had put me on a week-long leave of absence, and I was grateful. I kept my hands folded over my abdomen as though if I kept them there long enough, eventually I would believe there was a real baby in there. My baby. Aiden’s baby. Apparently, the three pink plus signs on the pregnancy tests I still had lined up on my bathroom sink weren’t enough proof.Even if my brain wouldn’t accept it though, my body wouldn’t let me forget. The sudden nausea and exhaustion made so much sense now, I didn’t know how I hadn’t seen it before. I suppose because I hadn’t wanted to. I’d fallen in love with Aiden before I had the chance to rationalize it. With Christian, I’d done my legwork. I’d gotten to know him. I’d ascertained that we both wanted roughly the same thing–to establish our careers, then have children. With Aiden, just like with this baby, my body had succumbed before my brain had a chance to catch up.As far
“Mmm,” she bit her bottom lip and gripped the sink.“Don’t look away from the mirror,” I whispered in her ear. “I want you to see how much you love my cock tonight.”I lifted her ass higher and pressed myself inside her folds. She was wetter than usual as if her pussy was ready for this exact moment. It squeezed and pulled me all the way in before I could even think to tease her with the tip.A small gasp escaped her lips, “Jared!”“That’s it, baby girl.”I pressed myself deep inside her and looked at her in the mirror. The juices from her pussy glistened on her inner thighs. Her mouth moved into the shape of an “o” as she let out soft grunts of pleasure while I pumped inside of her. I moved one of my hands to the front and reached for her clit. She tightened around me and closed her eyes.“I said watch,” I slammed deep into her.She opened them again and let out another whimper.“This is your apology for me, remember?” I grabbed one of her hands and moved it to her clit. “Play with y
"Now," I ordered.She jumped and stared at me for a moment before pulling her skirt down and tossing it to the side.I jutted my chin toward the sink. "Lean against that."She pushed her ass against the porcelain and spread her legs to reveal her already-soaked thong. I licked my lips and lowered myself between her legs. She shivered under my touch and stared at me with a hint of embarrassment."This can be the start of your apology."I pulled the thin cloth away and slid a finger between her folds, teasing her entrance. Her breath became ragged as she spread her legs wider for me. The scent of her made me want to taste the sweetness inside, but I held myself back. This was her punishment and my pleasure.“Please,” Kim moaned out.“Not yet,” I growled.I slid a finger in and curled it inside her. She grew wetter from my touch, which made me want her more. Keeping myself from fucking her now was just as difficult as it would be for her. I added a second finger, twisting and twirling th
JAREDI paced around the foyer, trying to get ahold of myself. I had never exchanged that many texts in one evening with someone, let alone talked about fucking someone. It was exciting and filled me with a sense of youth I hadn't felt in a long time.With everyone suspecting something was going on, I couldn't chance us being caught another time. I made sure Jessica paid for our room under an alias, while I ordered the car to pick Kim up.I glanced at my watch. She should be pulling up soon, but I hadn't heard anything from her since I sent the location and sent the car to pick her up. I tried to not get anything too inconspicuous, but I also didn't need her coming here in an old car. A Mercedes was the perfect option and one of the only options out in the area that I could trust."Maybe she didn't understand the message," I muttered as I stared out my window. I could clearly see the front of the hotel from where I stood on the balcony. But if I saw an incoming car, I could make my wa
Mandi leaned over to glance at my phone." So, who's the guy? You keep seeing him, but none of us know who it is."I shrugged, "Guess it'll remain a mystery."Mandi pouted and walked away to join the dancing again. I was thankful she managed to snag the entire club for us for the evening. I didn't want to know the cost, but it was well worth it to see everyone happy and not getting harassed all evening though I did miss Jared.Mmm I would kill to be there with you.We could always plan our own later.He wrote back quickly,I probably wouldn't be able to keep our clothes on long enough to dance with you.Oh?Again he wrote back right away, he was getting good at this texting!If I was there right now I'd make sure to claim you so everyone knew you belonged to me.I blushed and put the phone down. I wasn't expecting him to say that, but I also wasn't against it. My phone buzzed again with another message from him.You'd be begging me to take you as I continue to fuck you until the morning
A single blue sedan pulled up to the front of the resort and we all crowded toward it before the driver could roll his window down."Please," Amanda gasped as she pushed to the front of the group. "Please tell me you're here for us."The driver picked up his phone, "Party for Amanda?""Yes!"A sigh of relief escaped all of us at once."There are others coming, right?"He narrowed his gaze and then pointed behind him, "Should be following me. Might be stuck at a red light."As he finished his statement, two other cars pulled up behind him. Each, the same shade of blue. I almost wanted to cry from joy at the thought of going into some nice air conditioning and prayed the sweat wasn't going to stick on me for the rest of the day.We all climbed into different cars at random. I chose the one closest to me to get out of the heat as quickly as possible and wipe the sweat away."Looks like you lot are planning a fun evening," the driver said and adjusted his rearview mirror to look at the ot
KIMI splashed some water on my face and stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Mandi was already asleep in the room, leaving me feeling sexually frustrated once again, and alone with my thoughts.“Fuck,” I grumbled.I had hoped after dinner to meet with Jared and enjoy a nice evening, but Mandi had drunk so much that I needed to stay here with her.“Kim!” Mandi shouted from her bed. “Where’d you go?” Her voice came out as more of a whine than anything.“I’m here,” I said with a sigh, and peeked out from the bathroom. “You doing alright there?”Mandi nodded and closed her eyes again, “Can you keep it down?” She groaned. “My head hurts.”There went my plan to at least relieve myself with music and the shower again. Nothing was going according to plan.I sat on the bed and unlocked my phone. The evening was the most fun I had in a long time and dad was right about one thing, if I wanted to keep my standards high, I would have to find a guy willing to spoil me, but also one I co
Maurice turned to me and furrowed his brow, “I doubt this could be a common spoiling. Even that’s a little—“Before he could finish his sentence, the waitress walked over, “Thank you all for the wait. Would you all like something to drink?” She pointed at the wine menu in Kim’s hands.“I’m not too picky. What about you Kim?”She clicked her tongue and pointed at something on the menu, “Could I get a glass of this and a water?”The waitress nodded and wrote something on her pad before turning to the others.“Make her drink a bottle for the table,” I smirked at Kim and turned to Mandi. “I’ll cover our bill here.”The waitress didn’t argue with the request and left to gather everyone’s drinks.“You didn’t have to do that, dad.”I shrugged, “Maurice made a point that whomever she ends up with will need to spoil her here at least once. I need to make sure that bar stays high for Maurice’s sake.”The four of us continued to talk and enjoy the evening while the bride and groom sat at their o
The rest of the day was fairly quiet with most of it taken up by me wandering around and enjoying the sun next to the pool. There weren’t many kids around, which kept the place quiet and calm outside of the occasional giggling couple running off to enjoy one another. It made me miss Kim even more now.My watch buzzed to let me know the rehearsal dinner was coming up. Another benefit of Jessica adding my entire itinerary to my calendar so I received notifications in advance now.Everyone gotin separate vehicles this time instead of the oversized vans. A compliment from Jessica I imagined after complaining about it to her. Though the driving service framed it as a wedding gift for everyone, so Mandi didn’t suspect it had anything to do with me.I sat in one vehicle with Maurice and another man I didn’t know, who stayed in the front of the car talking to the driver.“So are we sharing a giant table again for dinner?” I asked to break the ice between myself and Maurice.He shrugged, “They
“No, I’ll head over there.”“Are you sure? I can call a car for you if you’d—““It’s walkable from here. Let me enjoy the nice weather. It’s been a while and I don’t need more attention brought to me. If Mandi knew the paparazzi were trying to squeeze their way out here, I’d never hear the end of it.”Jessica sighed, “If you say so, sir. Just don’t complain.”“Trust me, a walk is far better than being stuffed like sardines inside a van, with a bunch of men.”“I take it you’re not enjoying your vacation?” She typed away at something. “I can get your jet out there so you can go elsewhere for the rest of the week.”I chewed on the inside of my cheek, “No, let’s hold off on that. I might take you up on the offer later with a few extra passengers.”“The girl?”“We’ll see.”She let out a low hum then clicked her tongue, “Just let me know and I’ll have whatever you need taken care of as soon as I can.”“Thank you, Jessica. You’re great as always.”“You pay me to be that way.”I ended the cal