Authors: Dawn Stanton
Chapter Sixteen
June 2015 - Marcus
I love dancing with Hailey. Actually, I love anything that puts her in my arms and anytime her ass is grinding against my cock it’s a definite bonus. Her back is pressed against my front and she's wrapped in my arms and I'm overcome with love for this girl. She has had my heart for the last ten years and maybe even longer than that. Sometimes, I think I have hers too, but then something will happen to make me doubt her feelings for me. This whole situation with her working with Cory has me nervous as fuck. She has had a crush on him since she was twelve and after what happened between them five years ago, I worry there are still unresolved feelings there.
Speak of the devil....
I notice Cory sitting at the bar with Hailey's brother Jake and some trashy girl is hanging all over him. He's not paying any attention to her though...he's too busy staring at my girl. He's staring so intently at her; he doesn't even notice me watching him. God, I hate that piece of shit for what he did to her. I still owe him an ass kicking for it but it would only upset Hailey and in the end, I only want to make her deliriously happy. One of these days she is going to realize that she loves me and only me. All of this waiting I've been doing will pay off and we'll be together always. There's nothing in this world I want more.
Chapter Seventeen
June 2015 - Hailey
The weekend passed by way too fast and once again Monday is here and I've been buried under papers that Cory needed me to file for him. Personally, I think he just likes to watch me bend over
- perve.
I swear I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my black dress pants and as much as I want to hate him, for some reason I just can't. Maybe the fact that he saved me from drowning all those years ago means he will always hold a special place in my heart. Whatever the reason is, I find myself in a never-ending battle against my attraction to him. I don't want to have this desire to climb into his lap and kiss him senseless. It's frustrating and gets in the way of my plan to despise him forever.
I have to work late tonight because Cory has a new client coming in tomorrow morning and there’s a lot that needs to be done in order to be ready for him. He gave me a list of documents to print, copy and collate, which wouldn’t be a big deal if our copy machine wasn’t ten years old. I have to make up a bunch of packets because this guy is the president of some big corporation and he may show up with half his board members. Cory said it's better to be safe than sorry and though I don’t agree with him on much, I do happen to agree with him on this.
I print out all the copies I need and carry the tall stack of papers to the boardroom so I can use the large table to make the packets up. There are thirty freaking pages in each packet and he wants me to make up twenty all together. I start the long process by organizing each pile according to page number so I can just grab each one in order and staple at the end. I'm about fifteen minutes into my project when Cory walks in with Chinese takeout.
"Oh my God, please tell me you got chicken fingers and Lo mein," I say with my hands clasped as if in prayer.
"Who said I got you anything?" He teases.
"Ha-ha, after all the years you've been around me, you know better than to keep me here late and not feed me."
My mood is sometimes affected or I may get really angry if I go without eating for too long. Marcus says I get hangry and he's right. I really do. When that happens everyone should stay the fuck away from me.
The aroma wafting out of the cardboard containers has me almost drooling and I grab a container and open it to see what's inside.
"Chicken fingers, yum." I say pretty much doing a happy dance. I grab a plate and add some chicken to it, before looking around for the duck sauce.
"You did ask for extra duck sauce, right?"
"Yes I did. I know you would bathe in that stuff if you could."
"Eww, that would be a sticky mess."
"Mmm, I'd personally take it upon myself to lick every bit of it from your body." I roll my eyes and look for the Lo mein. By the time we sit down to eat my plate is filled to the max as I ambitiously dig in.
"There's no way you can eat all of that Hailey," Cory gestures at my heaping plate.
"Not only am I going to finish every last bite, I'm going to lick the plate clean."
"Can I watch?" He says wagging his eyebrows at me.
"You're incorrigible." I tell him as I shake my head.
"So I've been meaning to ask you, what's the deal with you and Marcus?"
"What do you mean, what's the deal?"
"Is he your boyfriend?" He tentatively asks.
"I'm not really sure why that would be any of your business Cory."
"I know it’s not, but just humor me?"
"Officially we aren't together. We are best friends and we have an arrangement of sorts. I'm sure some people would consider us to be in a relationship and who knows, we may end up together for the long haul."
"So you guys are fuck buddies?"
"We have sex, lots of it, but it's deeper than a friends with benefits arrangement. We actually love each other, I'm the one that's not ready to commit fully."
"Hmm, that's a switch," He smirks.
"What are you talking about?"
"You're like the dude in the relationship and he's like the girl. You're the commitment-phobe and he's the one that wants to be in a relationship." He raises his eyebrow as if he's waiting for me to disagree.
"As weird as what you just said, there may be some merit to it." I finish my last bite of Lo mein and take a long sip of ice cold water.
"Wow, that was so delicious. Thanks for getting my favorites."
"It was the least I could do since I'm keeping you here late. Now get back to work. Those packets aren't going to take care of themselves."
It only takes me about an hour more to assemble the packets, so after that I help Cory organize his PowerPoint presentation. We're seated side by side at the conference table with his laptop in front of us. I've pointed out a couple of areas that I think need adjusting and it feels really great to actually be contributing in a meaningful way and not just doing busy work. Cory shifts in his chair and I can smell the scent of his musky cologne. It’s a different scent than I remember him wearing in the past. It makes me aware of how closely we are sitting to one another. I can feel the body heat of his leg next to mine and that realization is like an alarm going off in my head.
I need to go home and get away from him before I do something I'll regret. I glance at the time on my phone and notice it's after nine o'clock.
"It's getting late, so I should head home."
"Yeah, I need to do the same, actually. I'll be in early tomorrow and I can double check everything then."
We pack up the food and clear off the table, placing all of the packets I made in Cory's office. I grab my purse and head towards the elevator.
"Hailey, wait up," He yells from his office. I stand there waiting for him but inside I feel as though I should run far away from him. He rounds the corner with his briefcase in hand, looking so professional in his navy blue suit and white dress shirt. His tie is now off and the top two buttons of his shirt are undone. He looks extremely sexy and I hate myself a little for noticing.
The doors open and we step into the otherwise empty elevator. Cory pushes the button that will take us directly to the garage and waits till the doors close before placing his briefcase on the ground. He turns to face me and the next thing I know his body is pressing me against the side wall of the elevator. He grabs my hands with one of his and holds them both above my head, quickly leaning in for a kiss. I turn my head forcing his lips to land on my cheek. He doesn't seem bothered by me shunning him as he continues placing slow, soft kisses down my neck and to my collarbone.
"Cory, you need to stop." I manage to gasp out as his lips send tingles throughout my body and directly to my core.
"Relax Hailey, I just want a little taste." His deep voice whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine as he licks the spot where my neck and shoulder meet. He is the devil incarnate and I can't let myself fall for his bullshit.
"Cory," I say putting more force behind it.
He raises his head, looking at me.
"Let me go. I don't want to do this with you." He releases my hands and steps back from me.
"I'm sorry Hailey," he shakes his head from side to side and looks lost in thought. He rakes his hand through his hair making the front stand up and look sexily tousled.
"I shouldn't have done that. It won't happen again." Although he seems sincere, I can’t help doubting him.
The elevator doors open after a few seconds of silence and I quickly make my escape. I need to keep my distance from him and this powerful attraction between us somehow needs to be extinguished.
Chapter Eighteen
June 2015 - Marcus
Hailey sent me a message earlier that she was staying at work and would be late. She didn't mention Cory, but he's with her, I’d bet the bank on it. I was in the middle of work myself, when the text came in, so I just sent a quick reply. I try not to use my phone when I'm on the clock and when you are trimming someone's rose bushes it's kind of difficult to text. I've been working for a buddy of mine doing landscaping for the past month, since school let out. I'm hoping to make enough money that I won't have to work in the fall and I can concentrate on my second year of graduate school and my internship with a top notch architectural firm, here in Boston.
I've always been interested in architecture. It may stem from the fact that my dad is an architect and shared his love of old buildings with me as a child. Before he and my mom divorced, that is. These days he lives in California, where he moved to join his college buddy's firm as a partner. They're located in Los Angeles so they get many A-list actors and actresses as clients. Dad's done really well for himself. He loves to ask me when I'm moving to Cali and joining their firm. I typically just laugh because I have no interest in living on the west coast, especially having spent four years of college there. I'm an east coast boy through and through. I do usually make it out there for a visit each year though and we always have a great time while I'm there. The last couple of visits, Hailey has come with me. My dad and his wife Mary adore Hailey, but then again, most people do.
I glance at my watch and notice it's coming up to ten o'clock and she's still not here. I haven't received any messages from her either which is unusual. Even at her busiest she always takes the time to say a quick hello. I can't help but let my imagination run wild as I picture them in a passionate embrace. I'm making myself nauseous with these crazy thoughts so I grab a beer from the fridge and lay down on our couch to watch some ESPN.
I must have dozed off for a few minutes because I'm woken by the sound of the front door closing. I can hear keys being placed on the table in the foyer and the sound of shoes hitting the floor as Hailey removes them. I smile to myself at how much of a creature of habit she is and how well I know her after all these years.
The instant I see her face as she walks into the living room, I know something's wrong. I decide not to ask her and see if she will open up on her own.
"Hey baby girl, how was your day?" I ask, as I sit up, making room for her to sit next to me. She sits at the other end of the couch, dropping her head back on the cushion behind her and groans. "My day was long and busy. All I want is to go to bed but I'm too exhausted to move right now."
"I saved you some dinner. Do you want me to heat it up for you?"
"No thanks. We had Chinese food while we worked. I don't think I could eat another bite." I grimace at her mention of "we."
I know exactly who she is referring to, but I don't let on that I know.
"Who did you have to help tonight?" I ask innocently.
"Cory." She says, just his name and nothing else. I'm quiet at her reply, still waiting for her to offer some sort of explanation. Now I know in my gut that something happened between them, tonight. I've got good instincts and I trust them and they are telling me to leave it alone for now. I need to give her an opportunity to tell me on her own. It will mean more if she comes to me with it than if I force her to talk about it.
“Do you want to watch a movie with me?” I ask.
“No thanks,” she yawns. “I’m going to bed, I’m beat,” She says as she gets up, leans over to kiss me briefly on the lips before she heads into her bedroom. She closes her door and I take that as a sign that she doesn’t want company tonight. We both have our own rooms, but we spend most nights together, sharing one of our beds. Some nights she likes her space and I don't push it. Tonight seems to be one of those nights and I really dislike that Cory is the reason for it.
I’ve been in love with Hailey Morse since I was thirteen years old. My feelings for her have never wavered or changed. She owns my first kiss, my first time making love and my first heartbreak. They all belong to her just like my heart forever does. It’s been hers for a long time, but what really sealed my fate with Hailey’s was when we made love for the first time. It was perfection and even though I’d dated a few girls during my college years and been intimate with them, I’d never found what she and I shared with anyone else. There’s a feeling I get when I’m buried deep inside her, it’s all encompassing and it goes way beyond sexual pleasure. It’s as if my whole body is engulfed with love for her and it washes over me like a wave of flames. It leaves me flushed and fulfilled and yet I am always craving more from her. I’m never fully sated no matter how many times I take her. In the year that we’ve been involved my desire for her hasn’t waned at all. If anything the more I have Hailey, the more I need her. Sometimes I fear my dependency on her. I try to play it cool because she is skittish and I don’t want to scare her off by revealing the depth of my feelings, but I think she knows. How could she not, when I pour my soul into every passionate exchange we have?