My Rival Darling Page 7

  “Come on in,” I said and shut the door behind her after she stepped over the threshold, still holding my hand. I realized then that perhaps inviting her to my apartment wasn’t such a good idea. She might take it as an invitation to be affectionate with me and I didn’t want that.

  “Nice place. How long have you lived here?”

  I thought about her question and then shook my head. “I think about five or six years now. Is it bad that I can’t remember?”

  “No. You’re comfortable here, so that’s really all that matters.” She released my hand and then turned to look at my furnishings. “Good. You don’t have that teeny, tiny minimalist stuff most of my female customers seem to like these days.”

  My eye went to the pieces she was looking at – a fairly heavy hutch in the living room and then a matching bookshelf. “No, those are classics from my grandmother and I don’t have the heart to part with them.” I patted the dark oak hutch. “Minimalist is alright, but I prefer stuff that lasts. They don’t make furniture like they used to.”

  “Well, the mass producers don’t, no. You have to go to a real artisan to get things like this.”

  “You mean I’d have to go to someone like you?” I batted my eyelashes at her and she chuckled. But then she did the unexpected. She moved in closer and draped her arms around my waist.

  “Is this alright?” she asked. When I nodded, she continued. “I heard something about you and me.”

  “You did?” My heart pounded in my chest. That damn rumor. I should have realized it would get back to her, somehow.

  She tilted her head and smiled down at me. Too bad her wholesome good looks were wasted on me. “And while it sounds very appealing to do all sorts of things to you in my kitchen, I don’t think I know you well enough for that yet.”

  I let out a breath, followed by a thin laugh. “Neither do I.”

  “Good. I’m glad you know I’d never, ever do that to you. I don’t know who started that gossip, but if you’ve heard it, I’m sorry.”

  I rested my hands on her shoulders – enough of a touch to show interest, but not enough to be intimate. “You don’t have to be sorry. People see two other people together – two known people – and then they do the math and start talking. It’s not your fault. It’s just nosy jerks with nothing better to do with their time.”

  “I’m glad you agree with that, because I don’t jump into bed with a woman on the third date or even the fifth date. And even if I do want to drag you away to my cabin, it won’t happen until we both know it’s the right time.”

  Shit. She was…

  “…too nice,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  “Krista.” I bowed my head and clutched at her shirt. “You’re too damn nice for me.”

  I felt her let out a breath and then her body trembled with laughter. “Good, because you’re too damn slick for me.”

  “What?” I jerked my gaze back to her face.

  “I mean, uh…” She let go of my waist and rubbed at the back of her neck. “Not, you know, sexually. Jeez, Alexis, can we sit down and talk?”

  Once again, my heart leapt. I could see a break-up coming from a mile away, but this? Unexpected.

  “Krista, I know what you’re going to say.”

  “You do?”

  I nodded. “You just want to be friends, don’t you?”

  To my surprise, a blush rose to her cheeks. “I… I… Yeah. You see, there’s someone else I like and I was hoping you could, um, introduce me to her.”

  “Holy shit.” I clapped by hands to my mouth and couldn’t stop the grin that pressed against my fingers. “Who?”

  “Um, her name is Shane Woodward. I’m pretty sure you must know her, because she works at a magazine, just like you.”

  After a few moments, I caught my breath and took her by the hand. “Krista, let’s sit down and eat, and figure out how to get you hooked up with Shane, because if you want to meet her, I can introduce you at a party this week.”

  Chapter 20

  The Buff launch. Just what the world needed – more cosmetics for women who thought they needed to cover their natural beauty. And why did everything have to have four-letter names? Glow. Buff. What was next? I wondered if I could open a sex club and call it “Jizz,” but that would probably just be in poor taste.

  Not, however, in as poor taste as Alexis strolling over to me and Shane with her date, the country girl lumberjack, or whatever she was, and introducing the two of them. And, to add insult to injury, Alexis had managed to steal Shane away from me. Now the three of them stood in a cluster, admiring the products on a table and chatting about them like friends.

  Since when did my beauty editor become friends with the editor-in-chief of a competing magazine? I had no idea, so I simply drank. The first beer went down smoothly, but not as smoothly as the next two.

  Why was I just standing here, letting them have their cozy little threesome? Because I was trying to figure out Alexis’s little game. Whatever it was, I knew I would catch on sooner or later, and find a way to end it.

  When she came strolling back to me at the bar, she looked perplexed. “Riley, why haven’t you joined us?” She sat on one of the stools, crossing her legs. Those long legs, encased in sheer, black stockings. I watched the movement of her limbs and wondered if I could get them wrapped around me, maybe somewhere behind the scenes as I lapped at her wet pussy. No need to get undressed – not with the short skirt and…

  Fingers snapped in front of my face and I heard her say my name again. “What?” I asked grumpily.

  “Are you going out of your way to be an antisocial asshole or what?” She nodded over her shoulder. “Just look at the two of them, would you? Like two strange peas in a pod. They started talking about wood or joining or something, and lost me.”

  “Wood?” So she was a lumberjack. At least I got something right.

  “Apparently your girlfriend is looking for some custom pieces.”

  “I’ll bet she is.” I picked up beer number four from the bar and took a long swallow. “Speaking of a custom piece, you’re looking ready for some wood yourself.”

  Alexis furrowed her brow, which only made her look more adorable. “Your come-on sucks, Riley. Do you think something like that is going to get you results?”

  “No, but I can think of other things that might get results.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like, what did I try to talk to you about earlier this week? Oh yes – throwing you down on a kitchen table to fuck somewhere in the woods.”

  “In a cabin,” she corrected me. “How many beers have you had?”

  I shook my head. “Not enough, dear heart. Does it matter?”

  “Yes, it matters.” Her voice trembled as she spoke. “You can’t be here like that, not with Shane as your date. People know you’re together. Do you want to embarrass her by getting drunk and acting like a jerk? You can’t just sit here and ignore her all night.”

  “Sure I can. She’s got what’s-her-name to talk to now.”

  Alexis turned to look at them and then fastened her gaze on me. “Her name is Krista,” she hissed, “and you’re right. Unless you go over there and talk to her, people are going to think she’s the new woman in Shane’s life, making the moves on her next, now that she’s done with me.”

  “She’s what?” I leaned in, not sure if I’d heard her.

  “It’s over. We never got even close to the ‘I love you’,” Alexis confessed, dropping her gaze. “She’s into Shane, though, so if you actually like her, you better…”

  “No.” Even through my beer-induced haze, I knew. I remembered our conversation when the whole stupid bet was suggested and now I realized Alexis had a point. We were too narrow-minded in our searching for sexual partners. If anyone had taught me that, it was Shane. She was an extraordinary person, smart, ambitious, and even beautiful. But she wasn't the woman for me.

  Alexis was.

  Only I didn't want to treat her like
a casual, forbidden fling anymore.

  “If your Krista wants Shane, then she’s an idiot,” I said vehemently. “No one can compare to you, Alexis.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “So, about the bet – you’re not going to hold me to it, are you?”

  “Hold you to it? Are you kidding?” I set the beer down and, once again, my gaze raked her body. “You conceded to me, so I sure as hell am going to hold you to it. Tonight, in fact.”

  “You’re practically drunk.”

  Scoffing, I waved her off. “That just means you’re going to have to take me back to my place and make sure I get tucked into my bed, safe and sound.”

  “Is that all it means?” she asked.

  “No. It also means I hope you’re ready for a very long night, because it’s a Friday and I don’t intend to let you sleep.”

  Chapter 21

  It felt strange wishing Krista luck with Shane, but that’s exactly what I did. Oddly enough, Riley did the same. Shane seemed oddly pleased with the turn of events, but I wasn’t surprised. Riley might have been one heck of a catch, but she definitely wasn’t the catch for her. Krista, however, might just be what she needed – a sincere, ambitious woman of good family involved in a creative endeavor. Theirs could be a strangely perfect match. Shane could certainly do good things for Krista, like getting her name out there as an artist and a maker. After all, handcrafted items were prized by wealthy people seeking unique, beautiful things.

  We got in the car and Riley was quiet, but she draped her arm around my shoulders and held me close during the ride. It was one of the perks of her position, that fancy black car with driver at her beck and call. It must have been nice to not worry about hailing a cab, but at least in a cab we could have made out without worrying about how it might look to the driver.

  Riley’s body was tense and I wondered if it was because she was holding back, behaving herself until we made it to her apartment. I wished she wouldn’t, but I also knew she didn’t need someone seeing us being romantic in public.

  Once we were in the elevator of her apartment building, though, all bets were off. At long last, what I had been waiting for – her hands on my body, her lips on mine, her slim, firm hips between my hands – was all mine. Part of me wanted to reach out and hit the emergency stop, so we would have more time in the elevator together, making out wildly. Her mouth slanted down over mine forcefully, her lips pried mine apart, and her tongue thrust into my mouth, claiming it. I couldn’t breathe. I could barely stand. All I could do was cling to her and accept that kiss. She tasted like expensive beer and her arms wrapped around me so tight, I didn’t think she would ever let me go.

  She pressed her knee between my legs, nudging my thighs apart as her lips finally released mine. And then she was kissing my neck, sweeping her tongue over the skin there and then sucking at it. It was relentless and I knew she would leave hickeys there, like an eager teenage girl. How would I explain that in the office on Monday?

  I didn’t know and I sure as fuck didn’t care, especially while I was trapped in the corner by her strong, muscular body.

  The ding of the door sliding open was a distant sound, one I was happy to ignore, but Riley stepped away and pulled me out of there. Then she muttered, “Fuck this,” grabbed my hand, and dragged me along the hallway.

  “Oh my gosh, you can’t be serious!” I squeaked. “Slow down!”

  “Walk faster.” She stopped and I heard what sounded like a door unlocking. Then she continued walking, tugging me into her apartment. I heard her apartment door slam and then she faced me.

  She had one arm locked around my waist and the other behind my neck, holding me captive. When she lowered her lips to mine, it was in another ravenous kiss that left me weak at the knees. She leaned over me, forcing me beneath her. I had never felt so desired. Or so dominated. Most women seemed afraid to treat me with a little force, but not Riley. She never had, though. Not even when we were teenagers. She had always just taken what she wanted and I always wanted to give it to her.

  When the kiss ended and I opened my eyes, I realized we were in the dining room. “Riley,” I whispered.

  “Did you and Krista…” She swallowed, her throat working, and I realized she was jealous, despite the fact that we were here together.

  “No, never, ever. Not on a table, not anywhere,” I told her.

  “Good.” She placed her hands under my arms and lifted. “Get up there.”

  I did what she said and sat on the table. Riley had an oak dining table that was long enough to accommodate two chairs on either side, but narrow enough for me to hold on to each edge.

  Her warm, smooth hand my thighs, gliding up and down them, following the curve down to my calves, then up and over my thighs again. “It’s about time we did this,” she said, her hand following my stockings down to my calves. Then her fingers curled around the bottom of my dress and lifted it up.

  I sat there, lifting myself just enough so she could scoot my dress up and expose me. If I thought this would be a quick encounter, I was wrong. Riley’s hands pressed up against my backside and gave it a squeeze. Then her fingers slid to my thong and under the waistband. She pulled it down slowly and the fabric stubbornly remained between my legs until she slid one finger forward, between my pussy and the crotch of the panties, to coax them down.

  My body responded to her touch in such an intimate place, my hips jerking up toward her. She let out a low laugh and curled her other hand over my waist as the panties glided down my legs. “Alexis, I might be drunk, but I’ve got enough self-control to make sure this isn’t over in five seconds.”

  “For fuck’s sake, we can always do it again,” I said through gritted teeth. She knew I was used to getting what I wanted. Ever since high school, I was accustomed to having my demands met. My body demanded her mouth on my pussy.

  “I know, but how long has it been? I think the last time I fucked you was right after graduation. Then we went to college and we were both too busy for each other.”

  “Did it matter? You were screwing every girl on campus.”

  “And you were screwing them, too. But, yes, it mattered. Do you know how difficult it was to realize we weren’t so close anymore?”

  I rolled my eyes. For a butch, she certainly was emotional. “We stayed friends.”

  “Friends.” She scoffed as her other hand curled around my hip and she leaned over me.

  “Best friends,” I amended as I looked up into her eyes, aware that I was exposed to the air. It made me painfully aware of how aroused I was, the way the coolness wafted over my wet, bare crotch. “I tell you everything. You know that.”

  “Maybe I don’t just want to be friends anymore. Alexis.”

  I blinked slowly up at her and was surprised when she kissed me again. This time it was a slow, deep kiss that made my heart skip a beat. Was Riley trying to tell me that she had feelings for me this entire time? As teenagers, we had fucked each other simply because it was fun. We were having a good time, not to mention getting a rush out of doing something completely forbidden, since we were best friends and the same sex. After that? We went to college, and – as far as I was concerned – we sowed our wild oats. Not that there was much left after everything we did together, but it was still our chance to explore and experiment.

  What would have happened if Riley and I had been able to make our relationship public, take it out from behind the closed doors of sneaking into bed together during sleepovers? Would we have become something more than former classmates, best friends, and co-workers meeting over lunch to discuss our sexual conquests? Even though I had been one of Riley’s early sexual conquests, I never, ever expected to be the only one. Did she feel differently about that?

  “I’m done,” she whispered, her lips brushing over mine. “Done with just being your friend or some fucktoy. We’re going to do this for real now, Alexis.”

  “Define ‘for real’,” I said, looking back at her. Di
d I want to know what she meant?

  “As in you and me, together. You know we belong together.” As she spoke, her hands drifted from my waist to my hips, then around to rest on my pelvis. My body tingled with desire. I needed her to touch me – not just hold me in place, teasing me. I could feel the heat radiating off of her body. She needed it as badly as I did.

  The chemistry was certainly still there, and it was nothing like our horny adolescent fling. Our bond went beyond friendship, too. She was right about that. But being together? Exclusively? Weren’t we too alike for that, driven by our need for pleasure and instant gratification, rich, spoiled, and…

  “Alexis, don’t overthink it. We were made for each other.” Her hands finally drifted lower, brushing over my thighs. Damn, she was an awful tease. I didn’t remember that from all of our experimentation years ago. “I’ll make you stop thinking at all.”

  “Promises, promises,” I answered.

  “A promise I intend to keep.” I felt her fingers edging closer together, brushing over my crotch in a gentle touch. Would she keep doing this or would I get what I wanted from her?

  Chapter 22

  I wasn’t letting Alexis go anywhere. Oh no. Not now that I had her right where I wanted her. Of course, I did want to lay her down on that table, grab a fistful of that silky dark hair, and feast on her naked pussy like a starving woman.

  But I didn’t. Instead, I circled my fingers around her clit, coaxing a moan from her. “Unless you plan to walk out that door right now,” I told her, “you’re just going to have to stay here and take it.”

  When I felt her tremble, I grinned. I might have drunk a few beers, but I wasn’t ready to just throw her down, bang her, and pass out. Even though she was right – we could just do this again in a few hours, and we sure as hell would – I wanted to savor this moment.

  She. Was. Mine.

  “You conceded the bet, which means I won and I get you. If you think I’m going to waste this time, you’re wrong. Winnings are meant to be enjoyed.” I dipped my hand lower, between her legs, following her heat. Her thighs were already slick with arousal and I knew if I thrust my fingers up inside her, I would find her pussy wet and ready for me.