Authors: Emma Hillman
“Yeah.” He smiled. “What do you want to do? Go to my place or back to theirs?”
It was clear what he’d prefer. Even without having known him for long, she still
could read the signs. “We can follow them if you’d like.”
“You’re not too tired? You don’t want to get changed or something?”
“I’m fine.”
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“Great.” He squeezed her hand and off they went, signalling to the other couple
in the car parked opposite them that they’d follow.
* * * *
It took a good thirty minutes before they finally parked in front of a large house
set in an even larger garden. Leah stared at her surroundings and gulped. She was so
out of her league. But then, she should have expected it. She was dating Apollo
Hamilton after all.
“Come on, babe, let’s go. We’ll leave the bags in the car, just let me know if you
need something, ‘kay?” She nodded as she stepped out of the truck and smiled faintly
at Mia. The woman who could be her twin. Well, if she was a few years younger but
still… This was freaky. She felt a shiver of apprehension run up her spine and forced
herself not to react. Stop being stupid, Pearson, she admonished herself. Maybe both
men had the same taste in women? What did she know?
Nothing apparently, she thought to herself as she stepped into the house and
followed the laughing trio to the kitchen. They all took seats, as if they’d done this a
hundred times before, and she stood in the doorway feeling out of her depth.
“Come in, Leah, come in. I’m sorry, we’re babbling like crazy and you’re probably
wondering where you’ve ended up.” Mia gestured towards her, a wide smile playing on
her lips. “So how did you meet Nick?”
“Mia!”
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“What? I have the right to know.”
“No, you don’t,” her husband countered. “Leah, you don’t have to tell her
anything. She’s just being nosy.”
“Hey!” Mia slapped Kevin on the shoulder. “Be nice.”
“I am nice,” the dark-haired man replied, wriggling his eyebrows as he patted her
butt. “Always.”
“Kev, not now,” his wife admonished.
Leah looked at Nick, only to spot the frozen smile on his face. It didn’t last long
however, and he was back to his cheery self before she could wonder why he’d looked
like that. He gestured her forward and she obeyed, more because she had no idea what
else to do. The other couple was talking in hushed voices and she tried to hear what
they were going on about, but Nick’s hands were suddenly palming her waist, dragging
her forward until she was standing between his legs. And just like that, he kissed her.
She had no idea what she was doing here, in this house. With him and his
friends, feeling so out of her depth. And the damn guy found nothing better than to eat
her mouth! She tried to pull away but his hands slid up until they were cupping the back
of her head, holding her into place. His tongue twirled around hers, his chest hard
against her soft breasts. She felt herself fall under his spell, leaning more and more
against his tall frame. He seemed to like that as he sucked on her tongue, dragging a
surprised moan out of her. And that’s when he stopped.
He pulled away from her and propped his elbows on the counter at his back,
sending a quick smirk to his friends while he was at it. And she stood there, wondering
what the hell had just happened and why she felt as if she had been used.
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“So,who is she?” Kevin asked as soon as they’d stepped outside.
“My girlfriend. Didn’t I already tell you this?”
“Come on, Nick, you’ve seen what she looks like.”
“And?”
Kevin sighed as he stared at his friend. “Don’t be like this. She could be Mia’s
twin!”
“I did say I wanted someone like her, didn’t I? It’s nothing new.” Nick ignored his
friend’s disbelieving look and walked towards the other end of the terrace.
“You’re still in love with her, aren’t you?”
Nick whirled around. “What?”
“Mia, you still love her. I thought you were past it, Nick.” He didn’t answer, forcing
Kevin to step closer and add, “I know it was my fault that you got stuck in the middle of
our marital problems, but Nick, it’s gotta stop.”
“What does?” Nick didn’t look at him, his gaze stuck on the horizon. His hands
were clasped on the railing in front of him so tightly his knuckles went white.
“You’ve gotta let her go. She’s my wife.”
“I know that! She’s my friend as much as you are, that’s all.”
“No, Nick, don’t you see? You’re dating someone who looks just like her! You’ve
never liked curves before and now look at your girlfriend!”
“So, what? My tastes have changed. I have changed.”
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“You have and that’s a good thing but man, please stop thinking about Mia.”
Kevin took a deep breath before saying, “She wanted to be the one to tell you this
but…she’s pregnant, Nick.”
That made him react all right. Whirling around, Nick looked at his best friend, fear
in his eyes. “Mia’s pregnant.”
Kevin nodded. “She’s due around Christmas. You do see how this changes
everything, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” came the strangled sound.
“I’m sorry, Nick. I know you thought it’d happen again, but it won’t, man. It just
won’t.”
Unable to hide what was going through his head, Nick stalked off, ignoring the
older man’s shouts. He needed to be alone. He needed to think.
* * * *
Leah sat on the bed, her eyes unseeing. Nick had been gone for hours and no
one knew where he was. She’d been asked if she wanted one of them to drive her to his
house, to wait for him there. But she didn’t know the place, had never been there. It
would just feel weird to be in his house on her own. So, she’d opted to stay here
instead, in this house where his best friends lived. She didn’t know what had happened
with Kevin, but the conversation had ended with Nick running away. Oh God, she
prayed for the dozen time, please make sure he’s all right. She hoped he hadn’t fallen
somewhere or hurt himself. The couple, albeit friendly, had forbidden her from going
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after him, telling her he needed to be alone. That he’d had news he needed to digest
first –whatever that meant.
She listened to the sounds of the old house creaking around her, wondering what
she should do. It was the middle of the night now, and she was still sitting here, unable
to sleep. She’d retrieved both their suitcases from Nick’s car and had even changed into
the nightie she’d intended on wearing for him. Although she hadn’t been sure she’d
have the courage to sleep with him straight away, it was a comfort somehow to be
wearing it now, waiting for him. Hoping…
A shuffling sound made her head jerk up. What was that? It sounded like
something was being dragged outside her door. What the hell? Panic rose inside her.
This wasn’t a horror movie just waiting to happen, right? Shoot, she really had to get her
imagination under control!
That sound again! A gasp left her throat and she found herself clinging to the
bedspread underneath her. She was scared, pathetic as she was. “Nick?” she couldn’t
help but call out.
The sound stopped abruptly.
Then the handle turned and the door opened.
Her breath hitched, shadows forming in the doorway. Shadows that suddenly
revealed a dishevelled Nick.
“Thank God!” she cried out, jumping to her feet and rushing to him. “Are you
okay? What happened? Nick!” She threw her arms around his neck and hung on tight.
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He stood there, unmoving, until she finally realized something was wrong. Really wrong.
“Nick?” she repeated. “Nicky? Talk to me.”
He shook his head as if coming out of a deep torpor, his eyes focusing on her
face. “Baby?”
She closed her eyes. “Thank God.” She opened them again just in time to see
his face harden. Two seconds later, she found herself flat on her back. Her nightie was
pushed up her thighs, his fingers harsh on her soft skin. “Nicky?”
He drew a breath at the sound of his name and it was as if a dam had collapsed.
He became a whirlwind: taking his clothes off, pushing her further up the bed, spreading
her legs open as if they’d done this before. But they hadn’t!
She should say something, she knew. But he appeared crazed and somewhere
inside her, she realized he needed this. She still didn’t know what had happened during
his conversation with Kevin, didn’t know what’d happened to make him react in such a
way, but he was hurt. That was clear as day.
So when he dragged the thin strap down her shoulder and arm, revealing a pale
breast, she didn’t say anything. When he bit on her nipple, hard enough that it hurt, she
didn’t say anything either. She just held his head against her and let him have his way
with her.
He needed this. He needed her.
So be it.
It was only when he thrust into her, her insides dry without any pleasurable
foreplay, that she winced. Her back arched as if her body wanted to move away, but
Nick didn’t even notice. He was too busy pumping inside her, getting himself off whilst
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she lay underneath him. She grabbed his shoulders and held on, her eyes never leaving
his face. And when he stilled, eyes closed, lips parted, she watched him come. He
strained above her, his face a rictus of pain and pleasure mixed together.
It was only when he groaned out a name, the name of his best friend’s wife, that
she realized that maybe, just maybe, she shouldn’t have come here in the first place.
* * * *
Nick came back to himself as he slumped onto the soft body spread underneath
him. He could feel her breath against his neck and knew he was too heavy, that he
should move. But he couldn’t. Not yet. She felt too good.
He loved being close to her like this. Had always relished it. She’s pregnant, a
tiny voice clamoured inside his head. Hold on a second. Kevin had said it’d never
happen again so what was she doing here?
He drew himself up onto his elbows and looked down at her. Only the bedside
lamp was lit, the rest of the room in darkness. He blinked but no, the hair curling around
the pillow wasn’t exactly the right color. Her eyes were shut but he could clearly see the
tears tracking their way down her cheeks, spilling into her hair. “Leah?”
She snorted. Her eyes opened, and she stared straight up at him. “So, now you
remember my name?”
He drew back, appalled. “I…I…” He climbed off the bed and looked around him.
This was the bedroom he usually stayed in, but now there were two suitcases. He could
see them clearly now. His and…Leah’s. Fuck! He turned around to see she’d moved to
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her side, her back facing him. He could easily imagine what she was going through right
now. He’d used her. He’d fucked her as if she was another woman. Had even cried out
Mia’s name, he was pretty sure of it. “Fuck!” he repeated but this time out loud. “Leah?”
“Go away, please Nick.”
“No. Just…let me explain.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” she mumbled into her pillow. “I understand quite
clearly.”
“No, you don’t. You can’t. You don’t know anything at all.”
“I don’t wanna know. I just…Let me go to sleep and I’ll head home in the
morning.”
He couldn’t deal with the other couple on his own! That was the first thing that
went through his mind. He needed her here, he needed her support and her affection
and…he needed her as a buffer too. He needed to show them he was past it, that he
didn’t love Mia anymore. That he understood she was Kevin’s and always will be. And
he knew that. He did. His heart just needed time to accept it. “I’m sorry, Leah. I’m so
sorry. Please forgive me.” He sat down on the side of the bed and laid his hand on her
back. “Please.”
She shook her head, refusing to turn around and hear him out. So he did the only
thing he could think of: he seduced her.
* * * *
She was weak.
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He’d settled behind her, his body spooning hers as if he had every right to be
there. As if he hadn’t just taken her, as if he hadn’t just cried out another woman’s
name. And yet, she hadn’t pushed him away. Oh, she knew she should. She wasn’t that
stupid. She now understood the look that’d swept across his face earlier in the day: he
loved his friend’s wife. He loved Mia.
So why was she here? Why had he pestered her until she’d agreed to a date with
him? Why was he so bent on her being his girlfriend if he loved another? Thoughts left
her head as his lips brushed the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Her back
arched at the intentional caress, her fingers tightening around her pillow.
His mouth travelled up the length of her neck until it stopped briefly near her ear.
He whispered, “Let me love you.” before biting the lobe for a few hot seconds. Her lips
opened on a silent moan, and she was quite proud of herself when she realized she’d
kept it inside. She didn’t want him to know how he was affecting her. It was just too
easy. Far too easy.
Except his hand found a way beneath her arm, cupping her left breast from
behind. She’d put her nightie back to rights when he’d pushed off of her, but the
material was so thin that she could clearly feel the warmth of his palm. Her nipple
beaded. Sweat formed around her hairline.