Man Candy (14 page)

“Good luck, sweetie,” she shouted to Rissa on her way out.

“You ready?” I stood up and pulled my keys from my pocket.

She opened her mouth to object and taking a cue from Tanner, I grabbed her hand and dragged her from the bar.

“I don’t believe this,” she bitched when we got closer to the parking lot.

“Believe it. You want to know what he’s up to and you need a ride to do it.” I opened the car door and pushed her in.

When I got into the driver’s side, she had her arms crossed and she was glaring at me. “You do realize that you can just take me to my house and I can get my car.”

I shrugged and backed out of my parking spot.

“Seriously, Ben. Take me home.”

Stopping at the exit, I looked over at her. “Which way?”

“We aren’t doing this. You aren’t doing this.”

“Which way, Clarissa?”

She kept her arms crossed but glared out the windshield, ignoring me.

“I can wait all night,” I told her. I put the car in park and proceeded to do just that. If she wanted to be stubborn that was fine with me.

A car pulled up behind us and honked its horn. I ignored it and kept waiting. Eventually, she would have to break or the car behind us would have to go around.

When they honked a second time, Rissa huffed and said, “Are you going to move or what?”

“Told you I’ve got all night, so until you tell me left or right, I’m not moving.”

“Fine, go right. Just go!” she yelled at me.

I couldn’t contain my smug grin as I put the car in drive and turned right.

The tree-lined street she directed us to screamed suburbia with picket fences and swings hanging from trees. It was the third place we went looking for Scott. The first two had been his friend’s houses. When he wasn’t at either, she reluctantly told me where his wife’s house was.

My guess? She knew he was probably there all along and was either afraid to have it confirmed or didn’t want to know the truth. I hoped it was the former.

“It’s right over there. The yellow house,” she murmured.

We pulled up to the ranch style house and Rissa slammed her hand down on the dash.

“Hey, careful with my baby,” I semi-teased her.

“That’s his fucking car.” She seethed from the passenger seat.

“Huh.” My grip tightened on the steering wheel, and I fought the urge to go in there and beat the shit out of the sorry bastard. How could he throw away someone like Rissa? He never should have started it with her in the first damn place.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“You sure you don’t want to find out what he’s doing? It could be perfectly innocent.” I didn’t believe that for a second, but I didn’t want to force my opinions on her either. Right then, I was in a precarious position. She could either be grateful I was there as a shoulder to lean on or she could be embarrassed by the fact I was witnessing this moment. I was hoping by showing her that good guys did exist she’d be more grateful than embarrassed.

“I’m not going to go up there and knock on the damn door, Ben. Besides I’m sure Sheila would love seeing the damn mistress that ruined her marriage. Or didn’t by the look of things.” She motioned towards the window where two figures were now embracing behind the shades.

I started the car and put it in drive. Before pulling away from the curb, I looked over at her and saw her eyes were wet. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She sniffled and let out a humorless laugh. “I’m just pissed at myself for being so damned stupid. Can we just go?”

“Sure thing.” I stepped on the gas and we shot from the curb. “Where to?”

“I’m sure as hell not going home. Bastard has a key.”

“I could hang out until he gets there and kick him out?” I suggested. It would have been my pleasure actually.

“No. I don’t feel like even seeing him tonight. Just take me to Meredith’s.” She wrapped her arms around her chest and rested her head on the window.

“Um, Riss?” I really hated to bring this up but I had no choice.

“What?” She sounded tired all of a sudden, which only made it worse.

“Tanner is at Meredith’s. You sure you want to go there?”

“Fuck.” She cursed. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I guess you can take me home.”

There was no way in hell that was going to happen. If that ass showed up and sweet talked her I would never forgive myself. “I’ll take you to my house.”

“Nope. Not going to happen. I don’t need any more trouble tonight,” she bit out.

“Hey, I’m offended by that statement,” I said with an edge to my voice. I was trying to help her. The least she could do was be nice about it. Not a jerk.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like you were trouble. I just... I can’t deal with another man tonight. Not after what happened earlier and then the Scott thing. I just want to be alone.”

Well, I guess I wasn’t bringing up the incident at the hotel any time soon. If she wanted not to talk and spend some time by herself, I could allow that. At least I’d still have her close by.

“You can still be alone at my house. I have an extra room and the guest bathroom has a big old tub. You can take a bath and pretend I’m not even there.”

The thought of her in my house, naked in the bathtub sent heat rocketing through my body. Maybe this wasn’t as smart of a move as I initially thought.

“You promise no funny business?” she asked with hesitation.

“Promise.”

We were almost all the way across town when she finally spoke again. I had almost convinced myself to just take her home with me, like Tanner likely would have done. Luckily I didn’t need to. “Okay. Under one condition.”

“What’s that?” I glanced over at her and raised my eyebrow in question. On the outside I was cool as a cucumber. On the inside I was jittery as fuck that she was going to be sleeping in the room next door to mine all night.

“If I decide I want to leave, you have to promise to take me home. I don’t want to have to argue with you or convince you. I just want you to stand up, grab your keys and say ‘Let’s go.’ Can you do that?”

“It’s your prerogative. Just say the word and I’ll take you home.”

“Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Rissa.”

*****

She was fifty feet away—naked, wet, and covered in bubbles—and all I could think about was how good it would feel to finally discover what it was like to be deep inside her.

I imagined myself slipping into the bathroom, undressing slowly while her eyes raked over my body, and then sinking in the tub with her. She’d climb into my lap before bringing her lips to mine. Our kiss would be hungry, both of us unable to get enough after all the almosts we’ve had.

Her hips would circle, rubbing my cock against her clit and teasing us both. And then with a subtle shift, she’d have me right where she wanted me. Staring in her eyes, I’d grip her waist and plunge into her tight, wet heat. When we were finally joined together, everything would be as it should be.

We’d move together in unison, drinking from each other. Our breaths would mingle as our tongues danced together. And when she came, her muscles clenching me would push me over the edge right along with her.

A loud noise that sounded like bottles falling into the tub came from down the hall and had me jumping out of my chair.

Shit.

Pacing around the room, I willed my dick to go down before Rissa came out of the bathroom. The last thing I wanted was for her to know how aroused I got picturing her in the bath.

A few minutes later the bathroom door opened. I took a deep breath and figured there was nothing else I could do. At least at that point, I wasn’t as hard as I had been.

When she emerged from the hall that thought was a distant memory and I was once again hard as a fucking rock.

My eyes started at her hair, piled on top of her head and then took a slow journey down her body. She wore an old t-shirt of mine from the army. It was loose but not so loose that I couldn’t make out each delectable curve—from her pert breasts to her narrow waist and hips. It stopped mid-thigh, showcasing her world class legs that I couldn’t stop thinking about wrapped around my back. Ending at her pink toes, my eyes leisurely made the return trip back up, lingering on the way her nipples poked through the fabric.

Good lord I was in so much trouble.

“How was your bath?” I managed to say through the hazy fog she had me in.

“It was good. Are you okay? You’re looking a little flushed.” She came up to me and put her hand on my face in a concerned manner.

“I’m fine. Just a little warm that’s all. I’m... uh... I need to go see to something. I’ll be right back.” Like a fucking coward, I bolted down the hall into my bedroom and shut the door. How the fuck was I going to survive her sleeping here?

Shit I had not thought this thing through very well at all. I was only a man after all and every man had his breaking point.

I needed to take matters into my own hands. There was no other way I was going to be able to function if I didn’t.

With a heavy sigh, I threw myself on the bed and pushed down my jeans and boxer briefs far enough to release my dick from its confines. Reaching into the nightstand, I grabbed a bottle of lube and poured it into my hand. Gripping my shaft, I closed my eyes and imagined it was Clarissa’s tiny hand wrapped around me. I groaned at how good it felt as I squeezed and stroked myself.

When my fantasy Rissa lowered her head and took me in her mouth, my hips bucked and my head pressed into the pillow. Within seconds, I felt the pressure building at the base of my spine and spreading throughout my body. My toes curled, and I let out a low growl as I came on my stomach in a blinding rush.

Feeling refreshed, if not a little embarrassed, I cleaned up quickly before I made my way out to the living room where I found Rissa, with a bowl of popcorn on her lap, in front of the television watching some show. Her legs were stretched out on my coffee table and crossed at the ankle.

I wasn’t sure how much of a partially undressed Clarissa I was going to be able to take. My dick was stirring to life in my pants even after the workout I had just given it.

Needing a drink, I grabbed a beer before I sat down next to her on the couch.

“
Seinfeld
?” I asked when the show came back from commercials.

“You said before that you liked it so...” she trailed off with uncertainty.

“I do. Any word from Scott?” I took a handful of popcorn and popped a few pieces in my mouth. Scott seemed like the kind of conversation that could keep my mind off fucking her.

“I texted him and told him to have his shit out of the house tomorrow by noon. He tried calling but I turned my phone off. I’m not ready to hear any excuses. I just want him to get his shit and get gone. I’m done being an idiot.”

“Do you mind me asking why you stayed with him?” It had been one of the things plaguing my mind ever since I found out she was with a married man.

She seemed to think about it for a moment before telling me, “I met him at a conference for work. We started talking and he seemed like a cool guy. It was just a day thing so when it was over, I gave him my number. He called a few times before I finally decided to go out with him. It was around the time of our sixth date when he took a call from Sheila. He admitted that he was married but that they were separating because things were so bad between them.

“I had so much fun when I was with him and well let’s just say things were good between us, so I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. It was about three months later when I got a call from his wife and I learned he had been lying the whole time. We broke up for a while, but then he came back and told me he was leaving her for good and that he missed me.”

“Sounds like a world class prick to me.” Not that her staying with him was any better but I could tell she was beating herself up enough over it. She didn’t need me judging her.

“I can’t believe I was so dumb. You know I actually used to feel sorry for women like me for being weak and tying themselves to a married man. And then what do I do? I go and become one.”

“Let me ask you this. Would you have dated him if you knew he was married from the get go?” I asked more out of curiosity than my need to make her feel better.

“No, of course not. If he had his wedding ring on I would have probably had a superficial conversation with him and then moved on.”

Good answer, sweetheart.

“Then let’s place the blame on the asshole who wasn’t wearing his ring so that he could dupe a younger girl into caring about him.”

“He used sex as a weapon too,” she murmured.

“What?”

“He knew that he could get me to agree to just about anything when we were... you know. And he was really persuasive in getting me to that point,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.

“I so didn’t need to know that but it does prove my point that he’s a manipulative bastard who isn’t good enough for you. So don’t feel sorry for yourself any longer. Feel sorry for his wife for being legally tied to his ass.”

“Maybe,” she hedged. “I guess so. It still pisses me off that I was so sure that I found my happy ending only to discover that it was all a lie.”

Angling my body on the couch so I was facing her, I cupped her jaw in my hand and my thumb ran back and forth on her cheek. Why couldn’t she see what was right in front of her? We would be so great together if she would only just give me a real chance. “You need to have a beginning in order to find the happy ending, sweetheart. I could be the beginning you’re looking for.”

Her eyes closed and she pressed her head into my palm. “I want to believe that, Ben.”

“You
can
believe it,” I whispered fiercely.

“I don’t think I can. I’m not ready to.”

“I know.” Unfortunately, I was all too familiar with her need to sweep us under the rug and pretend like it wasn’t happening.

Leaning forward I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Pulling away slightly, I saw that her eyes were still closed so I kissed her again. This time when I went to move away her mouth sought mine out.

I kept our kisses chaste and tender. Rissa had something else in mind. Her tongue touched my lips, seeking entrance. With a groan, I shifted her closer and gave her what she wanted.

Using my hands in her hair, I tilted her head to the side and deepened the kiss, loving the way she tasted on my tongue.

Never breaking the kiss, she laid back on the couch, and her hands gripped my shoulders to pull me down over her. When my weight settled on her, she wrapped her legs around my waist and lifted her hips up to mine seeking out some much needed friction.