Almost Broken Up (Almost Bad Boys) (6 page)

Two days later Ali is sitting in my office, moaning about her
terrible wound
, as she describes it. She cut her hand yesterday while preparing some fancy dinner for Ashton. She wanted to impress him, but only managed to smear the cutting board with blood. They ended up at the ER where Ali got stitches. Now she pledges to never cook again.
 

 
“The only
terrible wound
you suffered is to your damn self-esteem, girlfriend. Your hand will heal in no time.” I briefly roll my eyes and continue typing an email to one of our new members.
 

“Ash must be thinking I’m such a klutz. We spent half of the night at the ER,” she complains.
 

“I don’t see why he would think that. Anyone can cut their finger while chopping veggies.” I shrug. “So, are you two becoming an item?”

Ali makes a little
eh
noise that I interpret as a
kind of.
I look up from my computer screen. “Not sure yet?”

“I don’t know. We’ll see. For now we are not exclusive, and I prefer it that way.” She shrugs.
 

Ali doesn’t like to rush anything. She’s been subscribing to the sex-buddy philosophy for a while, and Ash is finally the guy she starts to treat more like boyfriend material. But if she says they aren’t exclusive, then it means she still hasn’t made up her mind. So I decide to drop it for now. She will tell me when she’s ready. Or, more precisely, when she knows herself where she’s heading with this relationship.

“I’m going to look through those resumes.” Ali gets up and walks to her office. We are looking to hire help, since the business totally rocks. It becomes too hard for just the two of us to handle all our customers.
 

My phone rings, and I pick it up. “Strong Connections, this is Natalie,” I say in pleasant voice with just a touch of perkiness to it
.
 

It’s Esther Bosarge, our customer from hell. For months I’ve been bending backwards, trying to accommodate her taste in men, finding her the best possible matches, but nothing works. She always finds something wrong with everyone—even if there is absolutely nothing wrong with the guy.
 

She finally lets me go, and I put the receiver down. I bury my face in my hands, resting my elbows on the desk. We need to let her go; refuse our services. There is nothing Strong Connections, and probably
any
dating service, can do for Esther.
 

I’m having a crappy day as it is, but this phone call puts me on edge. I stand up with resolve to take action. I walk to Ali’s office. Esther is my client, so it is my decision how to handle her, but I want to discuss with Ali first.
 

Ali reclines in her chair with her feet propped on her desk, talking on the phone. There is a huge smile on her face, and her eyes look dreamy. I instantly know whom she’s talking with and can’t help but smile. She’s head over heels with Ash, no matter how hard she denies it.
 

She motions me in and ends the phone call, promising to see Ash tonight. I’m happy for them. Ali’s fuck buddy concept has been completely overridden with this relationship. It’s so much healthier for her to have a real boyfriend, especially one like Ash—sweet, honest, and caring.
 

“What’s wrong?” she asks.
 

I growl and shake my head, exasperated.
 

“That bad, huh?” She takes her feet off the desk and sits up, leaning toward me. “What’s happening? It’s not Colin, is it?”

“Esther.” There is no need to explain anything to Ali. The name speaks volumes.
 

She groans. “What does she want now?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know. She’s driving me crazy. There is nothing more I can possibly do for her. We need to get rid of her.”

Ali nods. “Okay. No argument here. I told you that a long time ago.”

“I know. I just hate giving up.” I sigh.
 

“She’s a nutcase. Send her our standard letter, just spruce it up a bit.” Ali shrugs.
 

I cross my arms over my chest and look into the distance.

“What?” Ali asks.

I sigh.
 

“What is it? Come on, Nat. We need to concentrate our time and energy on the other customers. You’ve been giving her everything and then some. Stop torturing yourself, Miss Perfect.”

“Yeah… I’m not arguing. I’m just having a shitty day, so making any kind of decision feels like moving mountains.” I chew on my lower lip and feel my brows pull together. I make an effort to relax my forehead muscles, but they don’t want to obey me. Ah, screw it.
 

“You don’t need to do anything today, sweets. Look, I’m pretty much caught up, just need to read two more resumes. Do you want me to take over some of your stuff?” Ali’s voice is soft.

I look at her, and the sincerity in her face makes me want to cry. What’s happening to me today? “Ugh, I must be PMS-ing. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay. And… thanks.” I manage to smile, although I’m not sure how happy that smile turns out. I stand up to go back to my office.
 

“Go have some lunch. I’m eating in,” Ali says.
 

“Okay. I will. Getting out of the office might help clear my head.”

“And call that hunk of yours!” Ali hollers after me. “He needs to work his charm on you.”

I smile, and this time I feel better. Ellen, our receptionist, giggles at Ali’s remark. I turn to grin at Ellen. We both shake our heads and roll our eyes.
 

I text Colin, and he calls me right away.
 

“Hey! Guess what?” he sounds excited.

“You got a promotion?” I try to guess.
 

“Nah. But I’m in Bellevue, so let’s meet up for lunch. Are you free?”

“Yes.” Omigod, how does he always know to be around when I need him the most? My mood immediately improves.
 

“I’ll pick you up from your office in fifteen minutes. Would that work?”

“Sure. I can meet you downstairs, so you won’t need to look for parking,” I offer.
 

“Cool. See you in a bit. Love ya.” He hangs up.

I say quietly, smiling, “I love you too.”
 

I tell Ali and Ellen that I’m leaving and will be back in a couple of hours. Ali smirks when I say that Colin’s taking me to lunch.
 

“I’m sure you can call
that
lunch.” She giggles.
 

“Shut up. We are going to eat,” I pretend to sound indignant.
 

FOUR

“Sex alleviates tension and love causes it.”

Woody Allen

A few minutes later I wait at the curb right by our office building. Colin pulls up, reaches across the front, and opens the passenger door for me.
 

I get in, and he immediately pulls me close and kisses me long and deep.
 

Hells on wheels, my heart pounds in my chest as if this is the first time we kiss. I must be super sensitive to his pheromones or something.
 

Colin whispers against my lips, “I want you. Now!”

I laugh and playfully push him away. “I thought you were hungry.”
 

“Yes. For you.”

“O-kay. So what’s the plan?” I ask.
 

He grins at me. His smile becomes more voracious, and I know exactly what’s on his mind.
 

“Whoa! Where are you taking me?” I laugh when he peels off the curb and turns around toward downtown Bellevue.
 

“You’ll see.” He shoots me a quick look full of mischief.
 

Soon he turns into the Hilton hotel parking garage, and I look at him, my eyes round.

 
“No way.” I laugh. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely.” He parks the car, and then runs around the back to my side to open the door for me.
 

“You’re insane, Mr. Hampton.” I take his hand and swing my legs out of the car.
 

Colin helps me out and closes the door. “I am, and you love that about me.” He grins suggestively.
 

“You’re so full of yourself.”

“Let me show you how to have a good time.” He pulls my hand, and I almost have to run to keep up. Damn five-inch stilettos.
 

It takes Colin about four minutes to get a room, and soon we are upstairs, opening the door with a plastic cardkey. He picks me up, pushes the door open, and then closed, and strolls straight into the bed. I squeal in delight when he throws me down and I bounce on the mattress.
 

Slowly, Colin crawls over me, his eyes on mine. He’s smiling in that sexy, predatory way I love. He pulls my dress up and straddles me. I run my hands alongside his muscular thighs and all the way to his zipper, where his bulging erection pushes out, wanting to be set free.
 

He leans over me, supporting himself on his outstretched palms and kisses me. I open my mouth to welcome him in. I want him so badly, that nothing else matters now. We manage to get out of our clothes, and soon my naked legs and arms are tightly wrapped around him. His fingers explore my sex, setting me on fire.
 

“Colin, please,” I beg.
 

“Shh. Soon, baby.”

His lips are on my nipple, mercilessly sucking and tugging. Two long fingers are inside me, rubbing and circling the very place that I need him to attend to. He gently bites my nipple, and that’s all I need to find my release. I cry out, while my muscles clench around his fingers. The sensation is overwhelming, and I thrash under him, wanting more of him inside me.
 

“My Natalie. My beautiful girl,” he murmurs against my opened in elation mouth.
 

“Please, don’t stop. I want more.”

“I won’t stop, baby. You will get more. Much more.”

When the last tremors of my orgasm fade away, he moves down, tracing with his tongue a line between my breasts, along the length of my stomach, and all the way to my burning with desire folds. Soon, I move rhythmically against his mouth. I climax again and cry in helpless abandon.
 

Colin sits on his heels and spreads my thighs wider, resting them over his. He pulls me upward toward his hardened core, until I feel it pressing against my pulsing clit. I bite my lip and try to push forward to have him inside me, but Colin restrains me.

 
“So impatient,” he scolds impishly. With his hand he guides his cock up and down over my cleft, teasing but not entering.
 

His tongue sneaks out of his mouth and slowly moves alongside his upper lip, his eyes on me. He circles my over-stimulated clit with the tip of his penis, and I’m about to explode, when in one swift motion he’s inside me, pounding ruthlessly.
 

I hear my own scream, but I don’t feel my throat making any sounds. The only thing I feel is Colin’s length stretching me, filling me. I come and can’t stop. It goes on and on. I rake my fingernails over the sides of his thighs, and he lifts my hips higher, never stopping his hammering.
 

When he grunts and stills, I entwine my fingers with his. He’s still holding onto my hips, pulsing inside me and breathing heavily. His rippled stomach glistens with sweat, and his hair is playfully tousled, giving him a delicious just-fucked look. He lowers me down and pulls out, collapsing onto the bed next to me.
 

I turn my head to look at him. His eyes are squeezed shut, and there is a tiny smile, playing on his beautiful lips. I lean forward and kiss him. He opens his mouth, and his tongue sneaks out to tease mine. We kiss deep and slow, as if nothing around us exists; as if time stands still; and for what I know—it actually might.
 

I forget about my PMS and about Esther Bosarge. It is only Colin, his arms around me, and his rigid, lurching length, pressing against my stomach. That is all that my completely relaxed mind takes notice of now.