Turn Me On (16 page)

“I don’t lie.” But one look at his stony expression and she might be
tempted to bend the rules a little. Yet they’d gone too far for that. And what
did it matter anyway? He’d made it perfectly clear that he was more than ready
to end what was a temporary business transaction.

He’d changed since the night they’d got married. Become harder, cooler.
The epitome of someone forced into a situation he hated but had no option but
to carry through to the end.

It wouldn’t really matter if she told him the truth, except it might
make things more difficult between him and his cousin. Ethan was working on
Reed’s building. For all she knew they had a permanent arrangement and she
didn’t want to put that in jeopardy by stirring up trouble where it wasn’t
needed.

When she remained silent, he continued to glare at her and for long
moments the air buzzed. Then before she knew what was happening, Reed grabbed
the folder. “Nobody makes a fool out of me, princess.”

“It isn’t like that.”

“No? What, it simply slipped your mind to mention that you’ve been
fucking my cousin?” His eyes narrowed again. “Did you dump him for Zutini? Or
was it the other way around?”

She swallowed, but forced herself to meet his hard glare. Her throat
squeezed shut and the muscles of her ribcage froze so that she could barely
draw in any air.

At her silence, Reed’s shoulders drew back and the skin across his
forehead stretched tight. “Damn it all, Lissa. Just how many fucking men have
you screwed?”

Hurt pierced her chest like a poison-tipped arrow. “I don’t deserve
that. Perhaps I should have mentioned about Ethan—”

“
Perhaps
?” He almost spat it
out. “You agreed to marry me and yet you think that
perhaps
you should have told me you’d screwed my cousin?”

“It was only once.”

“Yeah. Fine. That makes it okay then.” He ran his hand through his hair
and dragged in a long slow breath as he looked away from her. “So what about
Zutini? Was he another one night stand?”

“Yes.” And her stomach continued to churn as she realized she had to
come clean. “Look, Reed. I didn’t plan it. It just happened.”

He looked back at her. “What? You didn’t plan on first night shags, they
just happened?” He gave a humorless laugh. “Not sure why I’m so surprised. You
let me fuck you on the first night.”

That hurt more than she’d imagined anything could, but she pushed it
aside to stand her ground. “Technically, it was the second night. We’d already
met at Ethan’s wedding and I didn’t let you fuck me then.”

He huffed out another laugh. “I wasn’t trying that hard. Maybe I should
have found a secluded tree and gone for it.”

She shook out of his hold. “You’d have been wasting your time.”

“Yeah? You put out for my cousin and his buddy at first meet, but not
me, is that it?”

“I told you, it just happened.”

“Two one night stands just happened? I’m supposed to believe that?” When
she hesitated, his eyes darkened and he drew his shoulders back. She saw the
moment he put it together. “Shit. You did them both. Together.”

Since it wasn’t a question, Lissa didn’t respond.

“A fucking threesome?” His mouth stretched into a thin line, then he
shook his head as if to get some clarity. “That explains why you were so
interested in my take on threesomes on our wedding night.”

“Reed—”

 
“What, princess? You want me to
go back in and get Ethan so we can get some action going?” He widened his
stance, planting his feet as he faced her with a thunderous expression. “Is
that what does it for you? Two cocks, one pussy?”

She might have felt bad about keeping it from him, but she wasn’t about
to let him insult her. “Don’t you dare, Reed.”

“Just stating a fact. You like sex. I know that firsthand. If you like
experimenting with group sex—”

“Oh, I see,” Lissa’s temper snapped at his imperious expression and the
insulting way he sneered at her. “It’s okay for Ethan and Marco to indulge, in
fact you’ll probably pat them on the back in some sort of bizarre male
solidarity thing. But when a woman indulges her sexual needs and desires it
makes her some sort of slut, is that it?”

His own silence inflamed her more. “You know what, Reed? You’re a damn
hypocrite. You bang a woman, promise her marriage if neither of you are married
by age thirty, then you find the quickest, easiest way to dump her by bribing a
woman you don’t know or love to marry you and use her as your get-out clause.”

Still he said nothing, but only glared at her.

“I went to Papa Niko’s that night because I needed a distraction. Ethan
and Marco happened to be there and I was attracted to both of them. I needed
what they could offer me and you know what else? They treated me a damn sight
better than you’re treating me right now.”

“Yeah. I bet they treated you like a real lady.”

“They did.”

“So much so that you felt compelled to avoid them both at Ethan’s
wedding.”

“Of course I did. How do you think they might have felt if they saw me
there? Ethan was just married and Marco looked to be in a steady relationship.
There was no way on earth I was going to spoil the day for them in any way.
They’re nice guys.”

“I’ll bet.”

“For God’s sake, Reed.”

“So you didn’t think to avoid the wedding completely? Didn’t the names
of the bridegroom and best man alert you to the fact that your ex lovers would
be in attendance?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Oh yeah? And how was it, princess?”

Since there was no way to avoid answering, Lissa drew in a breath. “I
didn’t know their names and they didn’t know mine.”

He stared at her for a moment and she chilled at the contempt in his
eyes. Then he ran his hand over his mouth. “I have to go,” he said tightly.
“I’ll take a look at these and get back to you.”

Lissa’s temper rose with the curt brush off. “If you need anything else
you know where to find me.”

“I won’t.” He slapped her file against the palm of his hand, his eyes
angry slits as he looked down at her. “I don’t need anything else.”

He didn’t need her, that was what he meant. They were done. No doubt
he’d want Jack to draw up the divorce papers as soon as possible. Any hope she
might have harbored that they could continue some sort of relationship after
their divorce had been severed because of her past with Ethan and Marco.

Well, she wasn’t going to apologize for it. She damn well wasn’t going
to apologize for anything. If he had a stick up his backside about it, that was
his problem.

Her only regret was that she’d gotten herself involved with a
Neanderthal who thought it was okay for men to experiment sexually, but not
women.

When he started to turn away, she felt her temper hike. “You know Reed,
you’re like something out of the dark ages.”

He glanced back to her. “Was there anything else? I’ve got to get back.”

She dug into her bag for her car keys, then hoisted the strap of her bag
onto her shoulder. “So you said.” Aiming the remote at the car, she yanked open
the driver’s door. “Well, don’t let me keep you.”

She didn’t look back at him as she drove away. She didn’t even know if
he stood watching after her or had simply walked away. Right then she didn’t
care.

And if she did, it was her own stupid fault. She couldn’t believe she’d
let herself get hooked up, even temporarily, with someone so chauvinistic.
Egotistical bastard.

Oh, it was okay for him to experiment with her. Okay, if she let him do
just about anything he wanted with her and she with him, but heaven forbid if
she actually went experimenting long before she’d even met the stupid idiot
man.

Her one time, she thought scathingly as she drove back along the coast
road. One time.

Most of her sexual adventures before the damn threesome had been of the
vanilla variety. The couple of men she’d hooked up with had been strictly
“On your back, darlin’ and spread your legs.
Let’s see if I can come in two seconds flat and leave you totally unsatisfied
and frustrated by the whole experience.”

Which wasn’t entirely true, Lissa thought as she cracked open the window
for some much needed air. But her experiences hadn’t been anything like the
erotically satisfying one she’d had with Ethan and Marco.

And Reed
.

Oh, God. Reed.

Her heart squeezed around the ache in her chest.

Not that she would allow it to affect her for too long. Okay, she’d
fallen for Reed, but she wasn’t going to let him treat her as if she had
something to apologize for.

She’d carried out her end of the bargain, now it was up to him to carry
out his.

When he confirmed that he had everything he needed from her to do that,
she would demand the divorce papers, sign them, and throw them in his arrogant
face.

She shouldn’t have too long to wait. Knowing the way Reed conducted
business, he’d have everything signed and sealed for her within twenty-four
hours. Which meant that tomorrow night she could start making demands of her
own.

Tomorrow night she’d ask him for a divorce.

****

Reed stood with his clenched hands in the pockets of his trousers and
watched until Lissa’s car disappeared from view. His chest ached, his head
thumped. And he felt so damn tight with fury, he could barely think straight.

A Neanderthal, she’d called him. Antiquated. Well fuck, if despising the
idea that the woman whose finger you’d slipped a ring on just happened to
forget to tell you that she’d banged your cousin and his best
friend—together—made him an antiquated Neanderthal, then so be it. He wasn’t
going to fucking apologize for his reaction to the news. Wasn’t going to simply
swallow it and go merrily on his way as if it didn’t affect him.

Aware he stood in the parking lot staring off into nothing, Reed sucked
in a breath.

He was a bloody moron. He should have seen the signs. Put two and two
together on the day of his cousin’s wedding. He should have realized that
Lissa’s skulking around had a damn sight more to it than merely trying to avoid
any old guest.

She was trying to avoid the bridegroom and his best man. Two men she’d
screwed.

At the same fucking time.

His heart thumped painfully against his ribcage and blood soared through
his veins like a river free of the floodgates. Damn right he should be angry.
Wouldn’t any man be incensed by the fact his wife had indulged in a ménage with
his cousin? Damn right.

Before he could think, could reason, Reed turned and stormed back into
the building. He saw Ethan crouched down measuring something in the shell that
would become the elevator shaft. Reed marched over, aware that one of his men
called for him on the other side of the lobby. He didn’t break his stride, but
shot up his hand to acknowledge the call as he headed for his cousin.

Ethan looked up and straightened as Reed reached the shaft and walked
directly into Ethan’s personal space. While resisting the urge to knock the man
back several inches, he was unable to resist grabbing Ethan’s shirt. “You and
that best man of yours like to play on the wild side? Like to mix it, keep it
nice and anonymous and not give a damn about getting the woman’s name before
you bang her?”

As he glared at Ethan, inches away from his face, Reed wondered why in
hell that particular aspect of the whole thing bothered him so much. It wasn’t
as if he hadn’t shacked up with a woman for a few hours and they hadn’t
bothered to exchange names. Lissa had called him a hypocrite and maybe he was.
But he couldn’t shake this fury that rent his chest.

 
“You’ll want to let go, Reed,”
Ethan said in a low voice as he held his arms at his side. “I get where you’re
coming from, but you need to back off and let me explain.”

Reed continued to scowl at Ethan, the anger burning in his veins. He’d
faced off with his cousin too many times to mention, especially when Ethan had
overstepped one particular boundary, but this was different. This was an
unprecedented reaction. He’d never felt so incensed, so driven to respond in
the fiercest of ways.

The realization slipped beneath the red haze through which he glared at
Ethan, and slowly, reluctantly, he released his cousin’s shirt. “Go ahead.
Explain.”

Ethan glanced over Reed’s shoulder. “Not here. We’re drawing a crowd.”

Reed already supposed that, but right then he couldn’t give a damn. “The
bar across the road,” he snapped as he turned on his heels. “Now.”

In the bar, Reed sat at a corner table and tapped his fingers
impatiently on his thighs as he watched Ethan place two beers on the table. The
intensity of his anger had abated, but he still wanted to take a swing at
something.

Ethan sat opposite him and took a sip of his beer. “Are you serious
about her?”

Since he felt like a fish caught in a net, Reed ignored his cousin’s
question as he swigged his own beer. He’d wanted to keep the whole marriage
thing quiet, seeing as it was a temporary deal, but what was he supposed to say
to Ethan? That Lissa was his girlfriend? If so, that made it seem like
something more permanent. That she was his lover? Again, more permanent.