I’d been staring at my phone for two hours and seventeen minutes. I knew because the minutes kept changing on the clock. Like they do. Every minute.
Every fucking long and annoyingly indecisive minute.
It shouldn’t be hard to pick up the phone and dial his number. It shouldn’t be hard for me to apologize for being a dick, but it is. It is because it means admitting that I was wrong.
And fuck, I hate being wrong. Much less admitting it.
Four sharp knock at my door pulled me out of my trance. I frowned and got up. The moment I opened the door, Ivan’s lips crashed into mine. Shock stroke me as suddenly as his kiss just did, and I grabbed his arms to stop myself from staggering backward.
He kicked the door shut and dropped his bag without releasing me. His hands threaded into my hair, his tongue flicked ag
“Why was your day so bad?” I asked, resting my hand on his stomach.“Two big shoots—one this morning and another in the afternoon. Both with self-righteous, stuck-up bitches who think the world and its mother owes them everything. It was a level of Hell Dante missed.”“Fun. And I take offense at you calling other women bitches. That’s my name.”He laughed loudly, his body shook, making me smile. “Oh, Brenda. You’re not just a bitch. You’re my bitch. My flighty, irritating bitch.”“It’s good to know that you have such a high opinion of me.”“Cuddle me properly and I’ll switch out the irritating.”With a sigh, I laid my arm over his stomach. Instinctively, I snuggled in closer. His arms tightened around me a little more.“There,” I whispered. “Happy?”“Yes.” He kissed the top of my head.
“We’re going to dinner.”I looked up. Dayton was standing in my doorway, her hands on her hips and her eyes glued to me. Slumped on the sofa, like usual.“We are?”“Yes. We are. And we’re going now.”I looked at my fluffy, blue slippers. “I’m really not dressed for Aaron’s standard of restaurant.”“So get off your ass and get changed.”I swung my legs around with a huff. My eyes glanced over at her—she was wearing skinny jeans, but they were teamed with a loose, sheer blouse, a fitted blazer, and a pair of darling Chanel heels. I knew because I’d been staring at them lovingly online for weeks.“And if I don’t?”She rolled her eyes. “Then you won’t hear about Aaron’s fun, new project.”“I need to hear about it?”“You do. It’s important. So move.” She
“She learned it all from me.” I smiled as our dinner was placed in front of us. “You do have more details, right?”“Stop fucking with him.” Ivan laughed. “Aaron, just tell her everything. Then she’ll shut up. If not, I’ll shut her up.”My heel connected with his shin.“Bitch,” he hissed.I smiled sweetly.“Well,” Aaron began, a smile teased his lips, “it’s not a huge building. But there’s a fair-sized bar with a dance floor and plenty of space for tables. I have a designer working on something now—she’ll have it by the weekend—and it should take around three weeks to remodel. I presume that’s enough time to give notice at your current job.”I swallowed my salmon and pointed my fork in his direction. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet, buddy, and that’s not enough information. Cocktail bar—
“Prick!” I snatched my wrists from him, but he was quicker.His arms circled my waist and crushed me against him, flipping me over and laying me back against his car. His lips took mine in a rough kiss as his body covered me. My hands were grabbed by his and pinned above my head.My head was screaming at me to make him let go, but my body was softening, molding to his will.“You could learn how to cocktail-shake all fancy on Google or Wikihow, you know.”Ivan pushed his hips into mine, his erection just millimeters away from my center. “If I’m shaking anything, it’ll be you, babe. Not a motherfucking cocktail.”“Then I don’t see the problem.”“The problem is you.” His voice was low, his mouth hovered just above my ear. There was a scratchy tenderness to his words—a dangerous one.“I don’t get it.”“You never do.” He
I was wearing the dress.And I was late.And I was not particularly caring at all, because Ivan in a suit was the sexiest thing this side of the mother-fucking universe.The deep-navy jacket was tailored to him and hugged him perfectly while his matching pants were perfectly pressed but still showed the curve of his tight ass. From shiny shoes to a perfectly knotted black tie, he looked fucking hot. Really sexy. Handsome. I didn’t even know.“Are you done looking yet?”“No.” I drunk him in with my eyes once more. “I think I might have to go commando. You and a suit together should come with some kind of panty-wetting warning.”A smug smirk curled his lips. “Get in the car, Brenda.” He opened the door and it bumped me into his body. “And we’ll see if I can’t do something about those wet panties.” He practically shoved me into the back seat and pressed a button on a
He led us through the room and straight to the bar. Sparks were still shooting through my body from his words and his touch, and I thought I was accepting this as a natural, automatic feeling to him. I was pretty sure that, if the man looked at me just right, he’d make me cum on the spot.“You look flustered,” Dayton whispered in my ear, wrapping her arms around me. “Wine?”“Wine? Get me some fucking tequlla.” I released her and straightened, accepting Aaron’s brief hug. “Congratulations,” I said to him. “You’re quite the badass now.”He laughed. “Shh, Brenda. Don’t tarnish my previous reputation. I don’t want my employees to know I’m really a soft bastard.”I grinned. “Oh, damn. I forgot to tell the baker not to put that on the cake.”He laughed, and Ivan wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into him. For a second, I closed my ey
And I hated how right she was. That was why you should never have a best friend, for the record. They see the bullshit you don’t and they can tease you into believing with your words.The only problem was that, while staring at that handsome British man slowly trying to step away from the woman across from him, I wanted to. Believe him. I wanted to believe every word he whispered in my ear and mumbled against my lips. I just wish it weren’t so hard to give someone your everything when a part of you believed you’re their nothing.Mercifully, the song ended and Ivan finally disengaged himself from Brunette Bitch. He crossed the room forcefully, determinedly. When he reached me, his hands find my back and my neck. He drew me to him, his mouth hot against mine. Certain and determined. Knowing and seductive.I melted into him. There was nothing else I could do. My hands curled around the lape
Ivan slid me back with a gentle bite on my bottom lip. “Looks like you’re saving that one for later.”I was ready to slap him, to slam him back in the chair and demand he finish me off… But I couldn’t. Here, I had no control. I didn’t want any control. I wanted to be controlled.So I grabbed my purse and followed him from the car without a word. My body was trembling, begging for the finish, and my clit was aching so painfully that I was tempted to turn around and finish myself off.“Don’t even think about doing it yourself,” Ivan ordered like he could read my mind. “I want to know that, when you cum later—because you will, I promise you—you’ve been waiting for it. I want to know your orgasm has been building for as long as I’ve wanted it to. I want to know that, when you cum, Brenda, it’ll be the best fucking orgasm you’ve ever had.”My mouth dried, and