Size Matters (17 page)

He leaned into her again, taking her mouth with his, holding her tight. Her body so close to his, the sweet scent of her wrapping around him. Their kiss deepened, a soft moan escaping her lips. Oh damn. His dick tingled and twitched, turning into a full-on erection. And then she just had to rub herself on him. Complete torture!

Bryn pulled away, the hunger of a starved lioness in her eyes.

He shook his head, not able to control his own grin. “You just had to do that, didn’t you?”

“I like that I get you all hot and hard so fast.”

“Are you sure I can’t come in?”

She shook her head, that devious smile still there. “Two days. Just imagine how much more you’ll want me by then.”

“I think I might explode before then.”

Laughter filled his ears, a sound he hoped to enjoy for the rest of his life. “The wait will make it better. It took us how long to do it the first time? And look how good this afternoon was.”

It had been the most intense moment of his life. And he looked forward to trying to top it. “Okay. It’s gonna take some major willpower, but I think I can wait.”

She kissed him again, just a teasing little nibble and flick with her tongue, and then stepped back. “Good night.”

He let her slide out of his arms, and even with the warm summer night air surrounding him, he felt frigid. “Good night.”

Bryn stepped back inside and he kept his gaze on her face every second until she closed the door, the click of the dead bolt ringing in his ears. He watched her shadow walk away from the door and the foyer light flick off. Forty-eight hours. He’d gone a hell of a lot longer without sex before, but this felt like an eternity. Every second away from Bryn felt like an hour. That’s just how it was when it was real love.

CHAPTER
Twenty-nine

C
OFFEE,” BRYN
heard from behind, a raspy unrecognizable voice.

Terror surged through her body until she realized it was just Troy. She turned to find a zombielike creature walking toward her, hair in twenty directions, clothes disheveled.

“On the counter.” She pointed across the room. “Cups in the cabinet above.”

He trudged over and poured a cup, then plopped onto the chair across from her. “What happened last night?”

“You don’t remember?”

He shook his head and sipped. “All I remember is being pissed off after leaving that fuckin’ nightmare of a place you dragged me to and meeting some guys at the bar. I had a few drinks with them and woke up here with a massive headache.”

“I think it’s safe to say you had more than a few. Like maybe a few dozen.”

“Ha. Whenever I hang out with those guys it turns into something like that.” He chugged some coffee. “How did I get here?”

“A cab. You showed up on my doorstep.”

“Was I an asshole?”

“Yeah.”

He shrugged. “Sorry.” And went back to his mug.

Wow. That’s all she was gonna get? A lame, insincere apology? So glad it never went very far with him. She stood with her coffee cup. “I have to get my kids up and ready so I can get to work.”

“I need to go, too. Can you give me a ride back to the bar?”

“Yeah, but you have to wait until I get the kids ready.”

“You can’t just leave them here and run me over there?”

Troy had zero experience with kids, but seriously? “That’s a no. They’re too young to stay home alone.”

He let out an irritated sigh. “Okay. Maybe I’ll just call a cab then.”

Bryn rinsed her mug and filled a travel cup with more coffee. “Suit yourself.” She left the room. She’d babysat Troy enough the night before. He was the reason she didn’t get to have more wonderful sex with Eli, and she was definitely not going to bend over backward to help him.

She went upstairs, coffee in hand, and pushed open each kid’s bedroom door. “Time to get up. Let’s go.” The boys could get their own clothes, but Cammie couldn’t reach the things in her closet. Bryn pulled down a cute dress and the matching capri leggings to go with it. “Get movin’, Baby Bean!”

Bryn walked back to the hallway and heard her front door open and close. Good. Troy was gone. But she still hadn’t technically broken it off with him. Did she even need to say anything? Surely there was no way he could think they were still an item. Why would he even want to be? Obviously he couldn’t handle a relationship with a woman who has kids.

Twenty minutes later they were out the door and Troy was sitting on her front steps.

“Oh. You’re still here.”

“Waiting for my cab.”

Bryn pressed the button and the minivan door slid open. The kids ran and climbed in.

“I can take you to the bar now,” she said.

“Cab should be here any minute. But thanks.” He stood and met her gaze, those damn sexy eyes staring back at her. “And thanks for letting me crash here.”

“No problem.” Was he actually being sincere?

“Can I call you later? Maybe take you out to dinner?”

“I can’t.”

“Okay. Maybe tomorrow.”

“I’ve got the fashion show tomorrow. I’ve got a lot going on right now, so . . .” This breakup thing shouldn’t be so difficult, but there she was tiptoeing around it.

“I almost forgot about that. I’ll see you there.” The cab pulled up and he headed toward it, waving as he opened the door.

She didn’t want Troy at the show, seeing her in skimpy lingerie. But was there any way out of it? Bryn couldn’t think about it now. She had a million other things to worry about.

FINALLY, BRYN
made it to the shop. “What took you so long?” Mia asked.

“Sorry. I had Troy to deal with. It was a disaster.”

“Troy?”

“Yeah. He came to my house last night completely trashed. He slept on my couch.” She set down her things. “Anyway, forget about that. We need to concentrate on the show. How is everything here?”

“So far so good. We fielded a few calls this morning, easy stuff. Catering confirmation and Gilles checking in.”

“Good. Did you end up hiring a female model from the agency?”

“Nope. I decided I’m gonna do it,” Penny said.

With everything going on in Penny’s life, modeling in a lingerie fashion show was last on the priority list. “You sure?”

“I need to do it. Take my mind off that asshole. And who knows, maybe I’ll meet someone there.”

“You do know a lot of the men will be gay, right?”

She sighed. “I forgot. I was really hoping to find someone to take home.”

What? The expression on Bryn’s face must have showed her shock.

“Oh yeah,” Mia chimed. “Forgot to mention. She’s in the anger-bang, revenge-sex phase.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

“Very good,” Penny answered. “I just want to forget the last five years of my life happened. Start fresh. And I think I need to just fuck for a while. Good fucking. Like, crazy, wild, head-banging-on-the headboard stuff.”

“All righty. Good for you. Just use a condom.”

“Ha.” Bryn didn’t like the sound of Penny’s sarcastic laugh. “Jack couldn’t knock me up. I’m sure no one else will be able to, either.”

Her eyes were glassy, so Bryn put her arm around her. “You don’t know that.”

“I need to accept that kids might not be in my future.”

She looked so sad. Bryn needed to change that. “Well, I think his sperm just wasn’t good enough for your egg, and your uterus was killing those fuckers to avoid you being stuck with a dickhead for a dad. I say fuck your brains out with every cute guy you find, but have him wrap it up just in case he’s got diseases.”

Penny wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater and smiled. “Sounds like a great plan to me.”

Bryn squeezed her once more then let go. “Okay, what’s next on the agenda?”

The women got to work, packing everything they needed to take to Club Paradise. Posters, banners, postcards, business cards, all kinds of swag and party favors. They reviewed the lineup for the show and amid laughter, did some practice walks across the shop. They actually weren’t all that bad. These nonmodels might actually pull this off and maybe look kind of good doing it.

The door chime sounded and all three women stopped giggling and looked up. Bryn’s breath hitched. Eli. And an uncontrollable goofy grin spread across her face. She knew she looked ridiculous, but she didn’t care.

“Hey, you,” she said, and wrapped her arms around him. He’d been completely sexy in his uniform, but now, in just cargo shorts and a plain tee, he looked even better. And she could actually feel him when she touched him, the definition of lean muscle instead of the stiffness of his vest.

“Hi,” he said back, a flirty little smile just for her. Then he looked up. “Good afternoon, ladies.”

“Hi, Eli,” they answered in singsong.

He turned his attention back to Bryn. “Can we talk? In private.”

“Sure.” She tried to minimize her excitement. Would there be a repeat of their office rendezvous from the day before? She hoped so. But she had pants on. It would be a bit more difficult. She took his hand and led him toward her office.

“Not so loud this time,” Mia yelled, then giggled as they stepped through the doorway.

The door shut and right away Bryn was all up on him, her hands inside his shirt, rubbing over the muscles she’d been longing to touch.

But he pulled his luscious lips away from her. “Wait. We need to talk.”

“Oh. That wasn’t code for make out? You actually need to talk?”

And that smile just made her want to ignore whatever he had to say. It could wait, right?

“I just have something quick to say.”

She moved her hand down his body, rubbing up and down the length of him, already pretty damn hard. “Can you say it while I’m touching you?”

“Possibly. I can try.”

“Well, hurry up, ’cause I don’t know how much longer I can stand here without putting it in my mouth. I
know
you won’t be able to talk once I start doing that.”

A groan rumbled his throat. “I’ll talk quick then. I don’t want you to model in the show.”

That made her libido take a dive. And kinda pissed her off. They were hardly even an official couple, and already he was telling her what to do? She stepped back, hand removed from his cock. “Why?”

“I just don’t think it’s safe.”

“How so?”

“You’re gonna be up there with all those guys staring and trying to grab you. I see how these assholes act in the clubs when I work security. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to pull drunk jerks away from girls.”

“So, it’s a safety thing?” She supposed she could understand that.

“Of course.” He stepped to her.

“Okay. But it’s too late. We don’t have time to find models now. And besides, we’re expecting mostly women and gay men. I assume they won’t try to get all up on us anyway.”

He didn’t look convinced.

“Would it make you feel better if we hired extra security?”

“Maybe. I can get a couple guys from the department.”

“Good. So is this settled?” She put her hand back on his crotch.

“Yes, ma’am.” He leaned in to kiss her, the protrusion in his shorts hardening beneath her touch.

Knock knock!
“Sorry to interrupt.” It was Mia. “But we have a situation out here.”

Bryn let her head flop onto Eli’s chest. “Sorry. Duty calls.” She looked up. “Rain check?”

“Of course. Do what you need to do.”

“Be out in a sec,” she yelled to Mia.

He adjusted himself and she fixed her shirt. Ready to go, she quickly kissed his lips and he patted her ass on the way out the door.

“We’re back here,” Mia called from the break room.

Eli followed her, and once there, found Penny in a bra and panty set that wasn’t exactly staying on too well.

“Oh. Geez.” Eli quickly spun around. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were in here nearly naked.”

“It’s no big deal. I gotta get used to it if I’m gonna walk a catwalk in this getup.”

“What?” He turned back and looked right at Bryn. “That’s one of the outfits for the show? And I use that term loosely.”

“Yeah. It’s a lingerie show. What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Nightgowns and stuff.” He pointed at Penny. “That’s practically see-through.”

Mia laughed. “You should see what Bryn’s wearing.”

“What exactly are you wearing?”

“Not much!” Penny added, laughing with Mia.

Eli walked to a wheeled garment rack, each section labeled with the names of the models. He pulled out a hanger with a tiny florescent yellow bra and a matching thong. “This is what you’re wearing?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh hell no! You’re out of your mind if you think you’re going up onstage in that!”

Heat rose in Bryn’s body, not the good kind, as she crossed her arms over her breasts. “Oh really? And why exactly do you think you can tell me what to do?”

“I thought we were starting something here. Don’t you think it’s just a little disrespectful for my girlfriend to be up onstage letting the whole world see her ass and tits?”

“I’m a grown woman and I do what I want. I don’t have to be your girlfriend.”

That sure as hell shut him up. Bryn noticed Mia and Penny just standing there, eyes wide, mouths agape.

Jaw clenched, Eli inhaled and let it out. “I think I should go.”

“That’s a good idea.”

He walked out of the room, and a few seconds later the front door chime sounded. Who the hell did he think he was?

“Can you believe him?” she asked her girlfriends.

“Um . . . Wow.” Shock still on Mia’s face.

Penny reached for her robe. Due to all her cheating-husband weight loss, the bra she wore was so loose her boob almost fell out. “Yeah. That was . . . unexpected.”

Bryn’s heart pumped like a jackhammer, and the heat in her face drained as her hands began to shake. She felt light-headed and reached for a chair, which caught on the leg of the table. After a few awkward attempts, she yanked it out, her knees so jellied she almost fell over. Tears stung her eyes as she sat down.

“What just happened?” Ten minutes ago they’d been in her office, happy and horny, on the cusp of starting something new and exciting and real. But now? Had it all just gone up in flames? “Was I wrong to get so upset?”

Mia was first to answer with a definitive, “No. Absolutely not. You do not need some guy telling you how to live your life.”

“I don’t think that’s what he was doing,” Penny said. “He loves you and he doesn’t want everyone seeing parts of you that are meant just for him.”

“Your parts are yours to show off if you want,” Mia countered.

Bryn breathed deep. She understood what both friends were saying, but neither took away the pain of knowing she might have just fucked up the best thing to happen to her in a long time. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to forget this happened and go on with the show,” Mia said. “You can’t let one comment, by a guy who has no right to make any kind of demands on you, change what you do.”

Penny had her two cents, too. “But he loves you and you love him. That has to count for something.”

Mia turned to her. “You just found out your husband cheated on you and knocked up his mistress. Shouldn’t you be all kinds of jaded about love right now?”

Penny’s eyes were back to being teary. “Yeah. Probably. But I still believe in love. I just happened to pick an asshole who didn’t know the meaning of the word. I think Eli really loves her.”

None of this was helping Bryn, aside from making her more upset. And more confused. Had she just thrown away a great guy? And if not, was she ready to give up doing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted? She knew from her own experience that marriage and relationships needed compromise on many things to work properly. Johnny certainly hadn’t agreed with every word out of her mouth.

And with that thought, Bryn was forced to accept the realization that even he would have had major issues with her parading around in lingerie for a nightclub full of people, even if most of them were gay. He probably would have reacted the same way Eli did.