Aroused (Taming Himself Book 1) (9 page)

Chapter Fifteen

J
upiter’s hadn’t changed much since I’d last visited. It had been so long it was hard to recall when I was last here, maybe a year ago? It had been a bit of a hectic year for work with investments. I paid the cab driver and greeted the mistress, Wanda.

              “Mr. Zilch,” she purred. “It’s been a while. My girls began to think that you had forgotten about them.”

              “Never,” I smiled charmingly and pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

              “Your table is inside on the left. Most of your companions are already very drunk and not far from being cut off from the bar,” she smiled. I could only imagine the state of what the groom and his groomsmen were in. I had been to many of these and they drank as if it were their last night of freedom.

              “Already?” I laughed. “All right, I will go sort them out.”

I walked past the security guard and greeted him. The strip joint had a light blue glow through it. On the left of the door, as Wanda had already said, was the rowdy bunch of my companions tonight. The dull electric blue above them made their skin look a ghastly pale.

              “There he is!” Tom, the groom, greeted me and stumbled to stand. Instead of a handshake he gave me a bear hug. “I’ve missed you so much, man.” He sounded as if he were about to cry. “What’s it been, like half a year?”

              “I’m sorry I’ve been busy,” I said. “What are you drinking? I’ll make it up to you.”

              “She cut me off,” he sobbed. I smiled and looked at how many other’s drinks were empty. Fuck it, I’ll just buy everyone a round.

              “You leave the bartender to me,” I said with a smile and gestured for my old friend to sit back down. There were six of us all together. Gregory was already half tanked himself.

              For a Friday night though it was rather quiet. Only another table of men watched the women dance who were on display. Then again it was only eight. I tapped lightly on the counter as I waited for the bartender to walk around. She was new. She wore jeans that highlighted her toned legs and firm tight ass. Her white top contrasted with her olive skin. Her straight blonde hair and perky cheekbones grabbed my attention first. I knew her.

The woman paused for a moment and stared at me in disbelief. “Hayden Zilch?” she said in shock. “Oh my gosh, how long has it been?” she walked over and pocketed the tip she just received into her back pocket. I looked over her again, so shocked that still after all these years she looked the same.

              “Megan Granture?” I said, her name rolling through me.

              “Give me a hug, you old thing,” she said. She leant over the bar and embraced me. She smelt sweet as I inhaled her unintentionally. Megan Granture, when had I seen her last? Her sister Clover and I were close friends in college. I was always fond of Clover; she was beautiful, clever and witty. She was a woman who I always felt was too good for me and out of my reach. No matter how many women enjoyed my company, she had only ever seen me as a friend. Megan pulled away from the embrace. I was now looking at the baby sister of my very old friend. Her attitude hadn’t changed much as she stood across from me with hands on hips and a smug expression.

              “Still in Ithaca? I thought at least one of us would have gotten out of this town,” she mused. “You’re a Mr. Big Shot now, aren’t you? Good on you. Mum and I have read a few articles over the years. You’ve really done everything you said you would,” she beamed with proudness.

              “How have you been?” I asked. “What on earth are you doing working here?” I looked around now, very unsettled that the baby sister of my once best friend worked behind a bar at a strip joint.

              “It’s not that bad and I’ve only been here for a month, still on trial. I like it, everyone is nice and I can look after myself. And well, I’m a mother of two and still live with Mom.”

              “Wow, mother of two? So you and that guy…” I couldn’t remember his name but by her ‘ah’ expression she knew who I was talking about. “Is he the father?” I asked, recalling the guy who I was far from fond of back in the day. If I recalled correctly, I told Clover I wanted to floor him a few times for the way he spoke to Megan.

              “Yea, it didn’t exactly work. He is their father, and still comes and sees the boys now and then but… Well, you gotta love a violent alcoholic,” she brushed it off. ‘Violent alcoholic’ rung through strong. I swallowed down the thought of my miserable childhood of abuse. I regretted that she had to go through something similar. I smiled, brushing it off as she did.

              “Well, you deserve far more than what he ever had to offer,” I said sincerely, happy that she was able to get out of such a poisonous relationship.

              “And what about you, kids? Married?” She asked, cleaning over the bench with her tea towel. I couldn’t help but look at her breasts as she leant over. I instantly looked away, ashamed that my eyes focused on that. Clover had always said her sister was off limits, and I promised her that. Besides, when we were all close, we were practically family.

              “Still looking,” I said, sounding defeated. She poured a shot of tequila and offered it to me.

              “That rough huh? That one’s on me,” she said, offering me salt and a piece of lemon. “I doubt that you would have any real issue of finding someone with the line-up of women you probably have throwing themselves at your feet. My god, look at your arms. You haven’t changed a bit since college.” I threw back the shot, enjoying the harsh burn of it, followed by the taste of lemon.

              “I’ve recently discovered it’s harder to find someone to settle with other than to just have some fun with.” I looked at her sceptically. Why am I opening up to her like this? “I don’t know why I am telling you all this, I don’t usually speak so freely to people. To be honest, especially when they have a set of boobs.” She laughed at that and poured another tequila shot.

              “C’mon, we go way back. If Clove can find someone, I am most certain you can.”

              “Clover settled down with someone?” I asked sharply. Clover never settled for anyone, no man could keep her attention for more than a few months. Megan shot me a very knowing smile. I suppose my admiration of her sister was widely known.

              “Some big shot magazine tech guy. She’s been with him for half a year now. She sounds really happy. Some Damon Brogardt guy, apparently his sister is the CEO of some smanshy magazine. Oh, and she’s doing travel journalism finally.”

              “Really?” I asked baffled, sitting back in my chair. Clover Granture had finally settled. “Well, I am very happy for her.” I said it, but didn’t fully agree with it. I once wanted more than anything to make her happy and if I had the chance, would do so now. All these years had now passed by, how much had she changed, how much had I changed? Megan flicked my forehead.

              “Oh, don’t go pouting; you are going to wrinkle that pretty face of yours,” she said with a smile. “Now what do you want to drink?”

              “Actually can I grab a round for all of us?” Megan looked over my shoulder with a glare at my friends.

              “You know I cut your friend of about twenty minutes ago.”

              “I will be his caretaker for the night. He is harmless. C’mon, he’s getting married; give him one more night to remember. Or should I say forget?” I gave her a charming smile.

              “You still think that charming smile works, don’t you?” After much thought and another glance over my shoulder, she threw her hands in the air. “Fine, but don’t come to me when he vomits all over your shoes.”

              “Thank you Megan,” I said. I grabbed my wallet out of my back pocket and waited for the tray full of various drinks. She remembered what they were drinking and plated them up. I made sure to grab another hundred out.

It was refreshing to see Megan. She was so similar to Clover yet completely different to her older sister. It’s funny how I didn’t remember that about her. Remembering Clover was hard. There were many years I watched her, knowing I never had a chance. I hadn’t seen her for so many years. I wondered whether she had changed much at all.

“Keep the tip,” I said and took the tray.

“Hey Hayden, good luck with finding yourself a woman. Truly, you deserve it,” she said with a smile before she walked over to the next customer and pocketed her tip.

Chapter Sixteen

“
Y
ou’ve been moody ever since you came back from that bachelor’s party,” Amber commented as I stirred my coffee. “What happened? Found out the dancer gave you some disease?”

I gave her a charming smile to cover up my bitter mood. “Why, not at all,” I said charismatically.

              “Oh, your fake smile,” she observed. “Well, whatever is on your mind, get rid of it. I drop you off at the airport in thirty minutes for New York. Get your head in the game.” She clapped her hands as if this was a team sport and everyone had just been dismissed.

What was on my mind was Clover Granture. I remembered what it felt like to be unable to obtain one woman I really wanted. I took a breath, trying to push Clover from my mind. She was in the past, so why was I so glum over a woman I never had anything with other than friendship?

Today was the day that I would honestly start trying to find a woman who was perfect for me, who didn’t want to just be with me for my money and reputation, but because she actually liked me. I furrowed my eyebrows and considered what I thought “me” was.

              As quickly as the thought came, I let it go. I didn’t want to evaluate myself and dip myself into some depressive hole. All I was changing was that I would take the women I met now more seriously.

              But first I had to make sure all five candidates were interested in me. It had been a while since I had spoken to Narelle. I had met her at Jewel’s Bar. It was actually Brandy who introduced us. She was in her forties, but my god was that woman experienced, and she even taught me a thing or two. I had been seeing her on and off now for two years. She worked for the navy and only came back to her hometown now and then when she had a week or so off.

              I scrolled through my phone and found her mobile number. Narelle would only answer if she was at home and I hoped that this was still her number. I dialled, hoping she would answer.

              “Hello?” her sharp voice said. “Hayden?”

              “Ah Narelle, it’s been a while. How are you?” I said, relieved that she answered.

              “Ahh, Hayden. How is my little toy boy doing?” she asked. I could just imagine her now, crossing her legs in a silky robe as she drank her morning coffee. For the first year I urged her to stop calling me ‘toy boy’ but she was determined to make it stick.

              “I am quite fine. I was actually calling to see if you were busy later this week?” I leant against the bench and crossed my arms while I spoke to her on the phone.

              “Hmm, depends; what did you have in mind?” she growled sexily. I remembered Amber warning me not to have sex straight away. Not that I had a fantastic track record on that one so far. I had to actually sit down for a conversation with Narelle, our relationship was purely and mostly just sex.

              “I was wondering if you would like to go out for dinner?”

              “Haha. Aww Hayden, you are too cute. How about this, we forget dinner, you come around to mine Thursday night, and we skip straight to desert.” I could just imagine her licking her lips as she said it to me. She was a bad influence. Yea, she was into that weird bondage and experimental stuff, but I couldn’t say I didn’t enjoy it. I loved working my ass off to please such an experienced woman who could so easily say she’d had better.

              “Hayden, you sound so shy. Be at mine at six, don’t disappoint me. I miss our games,” she teased and then hung up on me. I had to swallow hard, trying not to be turned on by her tone. Damn that woman knew how to manipulate a man into doing what she wanted.

              “Who was that?” Amber’s tone startled me. I jumped out of my skin and turned. She stood behind me with her arms crossed.

              “Holy shit Amber, you scared the crap out of me,” I said, resting my hand on my chest. “What are you, an assassin?”

              “Please, if I was an assassin, I wouldn’t be living off the wage you give me every week,” she said, pushing past me, no longer interested. She opened the fridge and grabbed her juice bottle.

              “I pay you more than the average in this role,” I defended myself and slipped the phone in my pocket.

              “Do you honestly think you pay me enough for the amount of mess I have to clean up around here?” she said with a questioning eyebrow raised.

              “Do you want my wallet, Amber?” I said biting back. And there it was: her smile, the one that always held that little bit of venom in it.

              “Oh no Hayden, I much prefer to make your everyday life a living hell. Thank you for lasting as long as you have but, it makes it so much more fun.” With a smile she walked out of the kitchen. “I’ll be waiting for you in the car.”

              That woman seemed impenetrable. I remembered Brandy mentioning a lesbian vibe, but I knew it wasn’t true. Maybe she had just been heartbroken by a man, which is why she thought such terrible things about them. I wondered if maybe it was a guy like me that once made her hate men so much. But even though she treated me in such a way, I reminded myself that surely she liked me a little to still work for me. Surely?