Pleasure Extraordinaire 2 (PURSUIT)
Copyright © 2014 by Liv Bennett
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Read an excerpt from THE PURSUIT OF PASSION
FOR MATURE AUDIENCE ONLY
T
aylor, Adam, and I climb into the stretch limousine Michael sent for us for the engagement
party he’s organizing for Chloe and her boyfriend. Even though I now own a new metallic-white
Audi Q5 that drives like a dream, I prefer not to be behind the wheel tonight because
I’m a nervous wreck about the upcoming hours.
I slide beside Edric while Taylor and Adam get the seats across us. Edric offers his
hand to Taylor while his eyes are plastered on Adam. “Wow, you both are a delight
to look at. I’m sure you’ll make some absolutely gorgeous babies.”
I jerk my head toward Taylor to see if Edric’s words hurt her. They’d hurt me if I’d
gone through what she did, but she smiles almost shyly and looks up at Adam. I have
to roll my eyes and focus my attention on somewhere else, because the two seem to
be getting into some kind of hypnosis session with their lovey-dovey stare, and I’d
rather not be exposed to it.
Edric nudges my elbow, leaning to my ear, but his voice is loud when he says, “Why
the hell haven’t you told me about the existence of such a sexy guy in your family?
Does he have a single brother or a cousin who looks like him?”
Right! How could I forget Adam is a magnet for any woman and apparently gay guys too?
Before I can tell Edric to shut up and mind his own business, I hear Adam laughing.
“I have four crazy sisters whom I’d readily exchange for a brother or two. But I’ve
got none. No cousins either.”
“Shoot.” Edric waves his hand toward him, his cheeks flushing, making him look absolutely
adorable.
“Do you know anything about Chloe’s soon-to-be fiancé?” I ask in an attempt to change
the topic.
“Of course, I do. It’s not just my job. His name is all over the Internet. His father,
Clark Berenson, used to own the Berensons Country Club Taylor and Adam are now converting
into a residential area under Michael’s contract. They were never on good terms before
the sale and it got even worse afterwards. You have no idea how furious Michael was
when he found out Chloe was dating his enemy’s son.”
“Oh. But that’s water under the bridge now, right? Otherwise Michael wouldn’t want
to host the engagement party at his house,” I point out. Taylor is intently listening
to our conversation, and I have an idea why. She once told me she was concerned about
Chloe’s unusual friendliness toward Adam, but the news about her engagement plans
must have taken that worry out of Taylor’s heart.
“If there’s one thing you should learn about powerful men—” Edric says, pulling me
out of my thoughts. “—it is that they don’t forget or let go of things as easily as
an ordinary person would do. He’s still not given up on the hope of Chloe breaking
up with Dylan.”
I shift in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position in the red, satin dress
I’m wearing, hoping it won’t tear apart with my moves. It cost five thousand dollars;
it should survive at least today for the amount paid for it. “If you ask me, he’s
right to hope so. I wouldn’t trust my daughter to my competition’s son, either.”
“I’m glad you’re on the same side with Michael on this matter. That’s the right attitude
to have as his girlfriend.” Edric laughs, elbowing me.
I blink several times, uncomfortable by the title Edric labeled my relationship with
Michael and work hard to cover up my uneasiness. To my rescue, the car pulls up and
the doors open on both sides.
I look out of the door to study the immense mansion ahead of me. I’ve never been to
Michael’s house. Hell, I’ve never seen even a picture of it. It’s so intimidatingly
large, I’m sure running around the entire building would count as a marathon. As soon
as I get out, Edric whispers in my ear, “Lindsay, can I have a word with you about
the new project?”
I glance at him, frowning, then at Taylor and Adam. “You guys go ahead. I’ll see you
in a minute.”
After Taylor and Adam disappear behind the majestic French doors of the house, Edric
grabs me gently by the elbow and guides me to a corner, where we can be alone without
people bustling around us.
“What’s the problem” I ask, suspicious about his need to be discreet about our conversation.
Is it about Michael or the contract?
“I received your bill from Pleasure Extraordinaire earlier today.”
I cringe at having to talk about my sexual life with a colleague I barely know. “Was
it very expensive?”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s pennies for Michael, but hey, two escorts in one afternoon?
You know how to use Michael’s money on good deeds, or should I say dudes?” He winks
with a naughty smile flashing across his lips.
Two escorts? “There must be a mistake. I was with one only.” I immediately remember
that horrible day, where Zane came close to death for licking coconut oil off of me,
then paid me a surprise visit to deliver his incomplete service. As much as I enjoyed
our sex to the point that I flew to the moon and back with the orgasm shooting in
me, I felt disgusted for allowing Michael’s son to use me that way. Where did my work
ethic go?
A blue sports car pulls up, and Zane gets out of it with elegance only he can have,
wearing an expensive black tux. He looks around with confidence bursting out of his
entire demeanor, as if he’s the only person to be paid attention to in the entire
town. He wouldn’t be completely wrong about it. His beauty and the pure carnality
pouring out of every inch of his body is making my sex pulse as the memories of him
taking me mercilessly fill my mind.
Gaping at him, with my mouth popped open no less, I begin doubting myself at the correctness
of my memory of that day. Why would a man with his exquisiteness and power want to
be my escort for an afternoon? The answer to that isn’t difficult actually, considering
my fake relationship with his father. He just wanted to taste the forbidden fruit.
That can be the only reason for his desire for me. And now that he got what he wanted,
he won’t waste a second glance at me.
Edric disrupts my thoughts by lifting his hand right up to my face, waving it to pull
me back from the dirty images of that afternoon at my home that were floating in my
mind. “Hey, I get it. They were simply too good to choose just one, so you went with
both. I’d do the same if I was you, but unfortunately they don’t serve gays. At least
not yet.”
I can barely listen to Edric while I watch Zane opening the door of the passenger
side of his car. A beautiful woman, most likely a fashion model with her long legs
and size-zero body, holds out her hand for Zane to grab and help her out. I struggle
to keep the disappointment that freezes my heart on the spot, when I see the girl
sliding her slim arms around Zane’s waist while he kisses her lips with the intimacy
of a long-time lover.
“Seriously,” I mutter. “I was only with one escort.” I tear my eyes away from the
painful sight of Zane sharing a deep kiss with that woman and focus myself on my conversation
with Edric so I can keep my sanity.
Mr. Ice charged me for two men. Yes, that information should be powerful enough to
divert my attention. I should feel angry, and yes, I am indeed. That son of a bitch.
Then it occurs to me. He must have charged for the blow job I gave to him. My gesture
was mostly for his pleasure, to help him get his release. But no, he has to get paid
for being blown off. It’s working. My heart is back to pumping fast with anger at
Mr. Ice. “How much was it in total?”
I hardly notice Zane and his date strolling through the front doors. As much as I’m
angry with Mr. Ice, a part of me feels glad at his fraud for keeping my mind off Zane.
“Not much. Thirty-three hundred. Like I said, it’s nothing for Michael. Don’t you
worry your beautiful head about those insignificant details.”
“That much money?” I could have hired JJ for that amount if I knew I’d get half the
service I was supposed to get with two men. The longer I think about Mr. Ice’s rudeness,
the more rage fills me up. He’s a liar and opportunist to twist the bill of a client
this way. Just because Michael happens to have a lot of money doesn’t give anyone
right to exploit him.
I hear Michael calling for me and I turn to see him getting out of a limo parked behind
Zane’s car.
“I’ll see you later,” I tell to Edric and head toward Michael, nearly running, because
seeing Michael’s sunshine face is a pull to my usually depressed, disappointed, and
angry self. “Hey, Michael. So nice to see you.”
He spreads his arms open and wraps them around me when I’m in front of him. “Had I
known I’d be welcomed like this, I’d drive over to your place and pick you up myself.”
Leaning down, he brushes my cheek with a smooth kiss for a brief second. I hear the
click of a camera from a distance at the moment of his kiss, but I don’t see anyone
when I pull back and scan around.
“I had an urgent meeting with one of the associates,” Michael adds.
“Are you seriously giving me an excuse for sending a limousine to have me picked up?”
He holds my hand, directing me back to the stairs. A couple walks past us, turning
only briefly to greet Michael. I squeeze my hand around his as we stroll toward the
front door that a security guard holds open for us.
We don’t talk; we don’t even look at each other in the elevator that takes us to the
salon where the party is held. My heart shoots up as we step out of the cab and head
toward the doors of the salon. If no one knew about our relationship, they’ll know
it now. His family, friends, employees, business partners, and the worst of all: the
media. Edric mentioned to me a few days ago; they had invited reporters from Hawkins’
Media to get our pictures taken to be published in magazines and on the Internet.
Just before the doorman waiting in front of the salon opens the doors for us to enter,
Michael lifts my hands to his lips, with a reassuring smile on his face, and stares
at my eyes pointedly. “It’s all right. They’re all friends, and family, and people
who work for me. I’ll introduce you to some of my business associates, and then we’ll
get our pictures taken. That’ll be it.”
Once the word, “Okay,” escapes my mouth, Michael nods to the doorman, and he opens
the door for us. I’m momentarily blinded by the flash of lights as we make our grand
entrance. I’m only dating Michael. I’m not even his girlfriend, but the intense attention
we get from the guests tells me just the opposite. As if the engagement party is thrown
for us.