Touched By You (The Touch Series) (20 page)

“Hey Chloe, how are you?” She asks.

“I’m doing pretty good. How are you and Riley?” I ask.

“Actually that is why I’m calling.” She says.

“Why? What’s wrong? Are you two okay?” I start to ramble off in question mode worried that something has happened.

“No silly, Riley and I are great. I just wanted to let you know some stuff that is going on here and it involves Riley’s sister Emma and Derrick.

My heart starts beating out of my chest and I have to sit down. Emma and Derrick, what could she possibly mean?

“Chloe, you still there?” She asks.

“Umm, yeah I’m here. What’s going on with them? Are they dating?”

Char starts to laugh on the other line. It gets to the point she is now laughing so hard that she puts the phone down and I hear it hit the table. What the fuck is going on?

“Chloe, hey it’s Riley. What the hell did you do to make her laugh like that? I think she ran off to the bathroom before she pissed herself. Damn it woman.”

“I have no clue. All I know is she wanted to tell me about Emma and Derrick. What’s going on Riley?” I ask getting more pissed off the longer I wait for someone to answer me.

I know I have no right to get angry if Derrick is seeing someone else, but shit it hurts like hell.

“Oh, is that it? Why the hell is she laughing like a fucking hyena?” He asks with a chuckle.

“I don’t know. I asked her if they were seeing each other.”

Riley starts to laugh as well, but not nearly as bad as Char

“Sorry Chloe, but that’s some funny shit. Hell no they are not seeing each other, that’s my big sister were talking about. Plus that douche bag is still all hung up on you.”

A smile spreads across my face and then I hear Char taking the phone back and yelling at him to shut his mouth.

“Sorry about that. I just fell into a fit of laughter and couldn’t stop. That was pretty funny though. Now to clear things up, no Emma is not seeing Derrick…eww that is kind of gross. Besides she has enough shit on her plate to deal with. That being said there was some issues down in North Carolina with her husband and Riley asked her to come and stay up here. Since Derrick has the extra room we asked if she could stay there. I just wanted you to know.”

“Oh, so she just moved in?” I ask.

“Umm, well not exactly. She actually moved in a few weeks ago, like the beginning of February.”

“WHAT!” I scream. “She moved in months ago and you’re just telling me now?”

“Relax Chloe, she’s just living there. It’s not like they are screwing each other. Not like it’s any of your business.”

I take in a deep breath and let it all out.

“I know I have no right to be freaking out like I am but it really sucks that a part of my life no longer exists. It still bothers me that we’re not together. I’ve been doing really good about not mentioning him to anyone and trying to forget. It’s just really hard Char.”

Tears start to flood my vision and I can barely see the wall in front of me. I miss him so damn much.

“Well since you’re already upset and crying I think I should mention one more detail.”

“Oh god, now what?” I say.

“Please don’t yell or scream in my ear again. I know for a fact that Derrick hasn’t started a serious relationship with anyone since you broke up, but he has been spending a lot of time with the one junior partner from the firm. I know it’s mainly for case purposes, but I thought you should know.”

My throat has completely closed up at this point and I can’t even utter a sound. I hit the end button on my phone and quick type a text to Char so she doesn’t go into panic mode and fly out here.

Chloe – Sorry, I’m fine…just can’t talk right now. I need some time to digest the fact that maybe he is moving on without me.

I toss the phone onto the couch and run into the bathroom. Spilling out my guts I cry into my toilet. This can’t be happening. I thought he was my forever. This is all my fault and I’ll never find my way back to him…no matter if I’m here in LA or back in Boston.

Fuck my life.

“I think we should celebrate!” Trisha shouts down the hallway as I come out of my office.

“Oh yeah, why is that?” I ask walking toward her.

“Well only because we have won the past five cases we worked on together.” She says with a wink.

“Okay then. I completely agree with your point. What do you have in mind?” I ask wanting her to decide what we do.

The past few weeks we’ve been working together here at the firm or at my house after hours. Together we’re a hard core team that seems to be quite invincible, but honestly that’s all it is for me. I can tell her feelings are getting more intense and at times things may have gotten a little heated for us. I also know that there’s no way I want to jeopardize my position at this firm for one night of sex.

“Why don’t you come to my place tonight? You and Emma have been such great hosts to me over the past few weeks. I think it’s only fair that I repay the favor.” Trisha inches her body closer to where I stand so that she can reach out and touch my tie. She runs the fine silk through her fingers tips and with her closeness I can smell her perfume. Trisha is an exceptionally attractive woman, but I have to draw the line with her advances.

“Look I would like to celebrate our winning streak with you, but going back to your place isn’t such a good idea.” I try to tell her taking her hand from my tie and placing it back to her side.

“Come on Derrick. I promise I’ll behave and we can make dinner together. No inappropriate actions on my part, I swear.” She says as she makes a cross against her right breast.

She watches me as she trails her finger over her body and I have to blink ten times to regain my train of thought. I’m horny as hell and in need of a good fuck, but not with her.

“Fine. As long as you keep your hands to yourself.”

She holds up her pinky and moves it closer to me. “Pinky swear.” She says.

I accept the gesture knowing very well she is standing in front of me with her ankles crossed. I laugh at her deceit and figure what the hell. Damn this woman is sly.

“Let me go get my things and I’ll meet you back out here in a few minutes.”

Walking toward my office, I shake my head at her actions. There’s no doubt in my mind that she is willing to take this relationship to a sexual level.

The image I now have in my mind is making it difficult to walk and I need to shut my door to adjust myself in my pants. My body is starving for the attention of a woman, but my heart is screaming at me to stop. I don’t know how long I can let this go on. I think about Chloe every day. There are so many times I want to pick up the phone and call her, tell her I love her and beg her to quit her career and come back to me. But I know none of that will ever happen. Maybe I need to move on…has she?

This whole situation sucks. Part of me wants to wait forever for the one girl I love and can never have again and the rest of me wants to fuck my partner into next year. I look out the window at my view from my office. Everything I have worked so hard for up to this point has been to make me and Chloe happy. Now that she’s gone I’m miserable. I know I’ll never get her back because she is not coming back here to live.

Does that mean that I need to cut the apron strings and bite the bullet with Trisha? Damn it to hell, I say fuck it I’ll see what happens. I’m a man in need of a good lay and I have a woman right here that is willing to give me just that.

That’s it decision made. I’m throwing all discretions out the window and letting this night take me where I should go…here’s to a night of celebration.

I pick up my stuff from my desk, shove it into my briefcase and walk out of my office closing the door behind me.

Trisha is standing by the elevators waiting for me with a grin on her face.

“Ready to go?” I ask.

“I was born ready to go.” She replies and gives me a wink.

Damn it, I’m in for trouble tonight.

I follow Trisha to her house going through all the reasons why I shouldn’t sleep with her and why I should. As a guy I feel like handing in my man card because as much as I need this as a release I also have two things that matter more than that…my job and my love.

We turn into a gated community and I see that she is telling the guy at the booth to allow me through as well. Driving past I give him a nod and follow her Mercedes around a bend and into a covered garage.

This place looks nice and it’s not that far from the city.

I take in a deep breath and tell myself I can do this, even though I have no clue what I’m about to do. Trisha walks over to the door of my BMW and I get out following her to her condo.

Her place is nice, from what I can see. She keeps things neat and in order which is just how I am too.

For dinner we decide to grill out some chicken and vegetables. While I get the grill and food ready, Trisha pours herself a glass of wine and opens me a beer. Once again we work in sync with one another and barely have to utter a word.

A few times I can feel her hand graze my arm, my back and even at one point I could swear her hand was on my ass. With all of her touching I don’t feel a spark, not a bolt of electricity or a hint of warmth when our bodies are close.

The weather is perfect outside so we choose to eat dinner out on her deck. After we’re finished we decide to clean up and have another drink inside.

Trisha excuses herself for a minute and I take a seat on her white leather couch, beer in hand. Closing my eyes I play back my thoughts from earlier today. The need I have to be with a woman again, the love I have in my heart for a girl I’ll never give it to and the concern that when I’m with Trisha I don’t feel the vibe I always did with Chloe.

I hear her coming back out to the living room and feel the dip of the couch as she sits next to me. I open my eyes and see her sitting next to me holding her glass of wine.

“You look beat.” She says in a soft voice.

“To tell you the truth I am. The past few weeks…no really months have been draining. I need a vacation from life for a bit.”

“Well I can’t help you with a real vacation, but I can help you relax.” She purrs.

I scoot myself back into the couch to a taller seated position and she brings herself into my lap. Watching my reaction she brings her hands up to cup my face and slowly kisses my lips. My heart is pounding, my palms are sweating and the bulge in my pants is growing.

There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m attracted to this girl. I deepen the kiss and pull her face closer to mine. She lets out a moan and grinds down on my growing erection. I can feel her hot pussy through my dress pants and I want so badly to flip her on her back and fuck her senseless.

“Derrick.” She says breaking away from our kiss. “You have no idea how badly I want you right now. Please tell me you want me too.”

I look into her beautiful blue eyes. As much as I want to tell her yes I want you too, I can’t. This isn’t right. I have to stop this now. I’ve been playing a tug a war with my feelings about this for far too long and I have to put an end to this now.

“Trisha, you’re absolutely beautiful and if the rock hard cock in my pants is any indication of how turned on I am right now I would gladly take you back to your room. But, I can’t. What we’re doing is so wrong on so many levels. I’m sure I’ll punch myself for this another day, but we can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

She slides off of my lap and lays her head on my shoulder.

“You’re the first guy that has ever apologized for not wanting to sleep with me.” She says with a giggle. “That Chloe girl, better get her ass in gear fast. If not, soon I won’t take no for an answer.”

I laugh at her comment and swing my arm around her.

“You are amazing. Do you know that?” I ask.

“Yeah? Well if I was so amazing you wouldn’t have stopped us and we would be in my bedroom by now.”

“That’s not it Trisha and you know it. Yes Chloe is still a big part of me, but think about how things would be at work if we did sleep together and then things didn’t work out.”

“I guess you’re right. Thanks for being such a good guy, Derrick. Chloe is one lucky lady.” She says sitting up and walking toward her door.

I get up to follow her and pull her into a hug.

“I know this is lame to say, but we need to still be friends. You’re a rock solid partner and I don’t want to lose that.”

“No worries there Derrick, I’m all yours at the office.”

“Thanks Trisha, see you Monday.” I tell her and walk out to my car.