Closely Guarded Secret (12 page)

“I want you so much,” he murmurs against my lips, pulling me so close, an atom couldn’t penetrate the space between us. His tongue plunges into my mouth, deepening the kiss as his pelvis grinds against mine, and matching his rhythm, my hips move on their own accord. The feel of his hard cock digging into me, screaming for release, stimulates my unwavering desire for him.

My chest thrust out as his hand moves under my shirt, kneading my breast through my bra with gentle strokes. When his fingers twist and pinch my nipple, an electric current shoots straight to my clit and we both let out an exaggerated moan.

His tongue glides down the side of my neck sending tremors throughout my body, my skin hypersensitive to his touch. A strong awareness of my own racing heartbeat pushes my body temperature past its limits, and like the energy from a single lightning bolt, it feverishly radiates through me. Oh fuck, what a sensation that is.

Both our eyes fly open when we hear a voice calling out from downstairs, “Bryce. Are you here? Bryce?”

Bryce jumps up off the bed, bringing me with him. “Looks like my mom’s home.” His lips turn down into a pout. He’s acting like a schoolboy who almost got caught banging his girlfriend. We both almost got caught. I internally giggle at the thought.

“Yes, Mother. I’m upstairs,” he calls out, his voice is anything but pleased. He adjusts himself before sitting back down on the bed and crossing his legs. I hear footsteps coming up the stairs. I fix my clothes and smooth my hair before grabbing my camera off his desk, trying to get my composure back.

“Bryce, what a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect to see you here today,” his mother says as she walks over to the bed, placing a kiss on his cheek.

“Some of the pictures didn’t come out, so we’re re-shooting. Mom, this is Alixandra Quinn, the photographer. Alixandra, this is my mother, Lori.”

I hold out my hand and shake hers. “It’s nice to meet you,” I say nervously, wondering if I look guilty.

“We have a few more shots to do,” he tells her. I think he’s hoping she’ll leave.

“Oh, of course. I’ll leave you to it then, and will see you downstairs in a bit.” When she leaves, huge sigh passes his lips and he gives me a sideways grin.

“Things were getting interesting, don’t you think?” he asks while his fingers glide down my cheek.

“Things were getting out of hand. Maybe it’s a good thing she showed up.” I didn’t want my first time with Bryce to be in his childhood bedroom, but at the same time, I wonder what would have happened if she wouldn’t have interrupted us.

“Oh, I think I had quite a handle on the situation,” he says, his mouth slowly turning upward, flashing his perfect, toothy smile.

“Shall we finish what we didn’t start? I need to get these pictures done while I still have the light.”

After twenty minutes, I finally finished. I want to get back to the office and upload these to Jodi before six p.m., so she can have a restful weekend. We make our way downstairs and his mom is the living room waiting for us, when his dad walks through the front door.

“Bryce, it’s good to see you son,” his Dad says as they shake hands. He turns his attention to me. “Who is this lovely young lady?”

“Dad, this is Alixandra Quinn, the photographer for The Bridge magazine.”

“It’s good to meet you, Ms. Quinn.”

We shake hands. “It’s good to meet you.”

“Did you get the pictures you needed, Ms. Quinn?” his mother asks in a sweet voice.

“I did, thank you, and please call me Ali. You have a beautiful home.” I look to Bryce, hoping he can tell by my expression that we should leave.

“Thank you,” she replies.

Before she has a chance to say anything else, Bryce says, “Mom, Dad. We need to be going. I need to drop Ms. Quinn at her office and I have some ends to tie up before my trip.”

“I wish you didn’t have to leave so soon, but I understand.” She pulls him into a tight embrace. “When you see Raleigh next week, tell her to give us a call. We know she’s busy, but we miss talking with her.” Bryce nods in agreement.

“It was nice meeting you, Ali.” They both shake my hand again.

“It was a pleasure meeting both of you.” Bryce can’t get me out the door fast enough.

Once back in the car, he looks over at me. “That was close.” I don’t tell him how I have mixed feelings about his mom coming home when she did.

Bryce brings my hand to his mouth, kissing each finger from my pinky to my thumb. I’m nervous because I’m afraid he’ll see the scar in the middle of my palm. Over the years it’s faded but the definitive line down the middle is still visible. Like the other scars, it’s a constant reminder of the trauma I once endured. For a moment I think back to my dream last night. Is it a warning I shouldn’t let him get too close? I’ll check for Dr. Hunter’s call when I get back to the office, but for now, I put it out of my mind.

His tongue trails up and down my palm as he stares at me, my legs clench together and my fears disappear, replaced once more with fiery desire. I take a deep breath, and he grins. We sit in silence on the ride back to his office. I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but he would be shocked at my thoughts. I’m shocked at my thoughts.

“What are you doing tonight?” he asks softly, while still holding my hand.

“Steven and I are going out.”

“Oh? Where?” he asks.

“To a bar. Tonight’s Karaoke night.”

“Karaoke? You sing?”

“Well, I wouldn’t call what I do singing. We’re competitive, so we’re both always trying to out do the other. He and I each pick songs the other has to sing. There’s lot of shots, beer, and a little money involved.” A huge grin plasters my face as I think about how much fun I’m going to have tonight. “Have you ever done it? Oh, wait, I guess you wouldn’t. A man in your position.”

“My position?”

“Have you ever heard an upstanding CEO sing Karaoke in public? No? I didn’t think so,” I tease and he bumps me with his shoulder.

“Can I come with you?” He sounds as though he really wants to.

“No. What will happen tonight won’t be pretty. When I say we’re competitive, I mean it. It can get ugly. Besides, you have to get ready for your trip next week.”

“I’m all ready to go. I said that to get away from my parents.”

“Oh. Well, the answer is still no. Besides, we’ll see each other tomorrow, remember?”

“Yes.” I can tell he’s disappointed.

We arrive at his building and stop near my car, which I had parked across the street. Bryce carries my things to my car and helps put them in. “Are you sure I can’t come tonight? This is something I’d like to see.”

“Bryce, I don’t think you would have any fun. That’s all,” I say softly, hoping his feelings aren’t hurt.

“Why don’t you let me decide what I find fun and what I don’t?”

“I’m sorry. That came out all wrong. I didn’t mean for it to sound like that. This is something Steven and I do together, our ritual if you will.” Is that why I don’t want him around me tonight? I feel it’s an intrusion? I brush my lips against his as a peace offering. He envelops me into his arms, as he returns my kiss.

“I want us to spend time together before my trip next week, but I understand.” He kisses me again, which does nothing to quell the burning ache raging within me. We hold each other for a while but as much as I don’t want to break our embrace, I do.

“Bryce, I need to get these to Jodi before she leaves.”

“I’ll call you later. Have a good time tonight.” We kiss one last time before I get in my car and speed off.

With camera in hand I rush into my office. As I start the upload process, I’m ecstatic how wonderful the shots turned out. The natural light was perfect. After an hour, they’re all uploaded and I send off the ZIP file to Jodi. There, that should do it.

All packed up and as I turn to leave, I run into Jodi who is standing in the doorway. She doesn’t say anything, but pulls me into the biggest hug she’s ever given me.

“Jodi, what? What is it?” I ask anxiously.

“Ali . . . You’re the best lifesaver ever. The pictures are fantastic. Perfect. But how?”

“I called his assistant, explained what happened, and asked her to find out if we could do a quick re-shoot. I guess he wasn’t busy since I was able to get them.” A little white lie to Jodi won’t hurt.

“I still can’t believe it. When we go big, you’re getting a huge raise. I have to get back to my office to process the photos and determine what goes where in the article.”

“I’m glad I could do the save, Jodi. Have a good weekend.” I don’t think anything could wipe this grin off my face.

I’m about to walk out of my office when my work phone rings. I answer and am met with silence. “This is Ali. Hello? Is anyone there?” I repeat a couple of times. The person on the other end of the line hangs up. At least they could have said they had the wrong number.

W
ith happiness comes sadness, two sides of the same coin. A dark shadow of doubt sweeps over me as I check my phone and see no missed calls from Dr. Hunter. I know he’ll call me when he can. I want to have a good time tonight, and it’s not an emergency, so I force those thoughts from my mind.

Taking off my underwear before hopping in the shower, I see the slick evidence of my time with Bryce today, and the effect he has on me brings a smile to my face instantly, erasing any doubt. Maybe I should’ve let him tag along tonight.

Dressed in my favorite jeans, linen shirt, and sandals, I’m ready to go. As I bound down the stairs I hear Steven on the phone on my way into the kitchen to grab a beer. Tonight’s not a wine kind of night.

“Hey, you ready to go? I thought we could eat there, you know, unhealthy bar food.” Steven says. I know he thinks he’s going to get one over on me tonight, but he’s got another thing coming.

“Sure. Is Sampson coming?”

“Yeah, I just talked to him and he’ll be here in a minute. I need to finish up,” he says and disappears to his room.

As I transfer the necessities I’ll need for tonight into my little going out purse, the doorbell rings. “I’ll get it,” I yell.

“Hey, Ali.” Sampson gives me a brief hug. I know he’s happy to be back with Steven and that makes me happy.

“So, what song are you singing tonight?” I ask just to tease him.

“Oh, no. I’m not getting on stage,” he answers with a horrified look on his face.

Steven appears and we head out for some competitive Karaoke. Thank goodness on party nights like this we can walk to the bar from home.

The waitress comes by and we order our first round of shots and a bucket of beer. I’ll have to run, skate and do tae kwon-do kicks for the next two weeks to work off the calories from the fried pub food I just ordered.

We sit at separate tables, going through the books of songs, picking our “poison” for the other. The moment I pull out my phone to check the time, Steven and Sampson abandon their table to come sit beside me, a teasing grin on Steven’s face. He looks at me and his expression falls.

“Ali, what is it?” Steven asks.

I show Steven my phone. “I’ve waited all day for a call back from Dr. Hunter to talk about the nightmare I had. I’ve missed his call. I’m not in the mood to stay now.”

“He’s out of the office, Ali. Don’t let your past ruin this evening or the progress you’ve made. If you do, you’ll never go forward and you might as well put up your white flag and surrender.” Steven’s words are biting but true.

“I know and I’ve been looking forward to having a great time tonight. I saw Bryce today,” I say and feel my lips form a smile.

“Did you know the second you said Bryce’s name, your entire face lit up? You’ve started to let it go and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. Don’t let last night’s bad dream get in the way of that. You know Dr. Hunter will tell you the same thing, don’t you? Can you wait and talk to him tomorrow maybe?”

I know he’s right. I don’t want anything to ruin my evening, or the rest of my life. I’m stronger than this. I make a decision right then. “You’re right, Steven. I’m not going to let it ruin my evening, especially after what I’ve planned for you,” I say with an evil grin, tapping my song list. Then I notice he and Sampson are both doing the same thing to me.

“What are you two up to?” I ask as I squint at them both.

“Oh, nothing that you’re not ready for, Doll.” Steven does love a show.

Tonight’s going to be so much fun. I can’t wait to see the look on his face. There are only two other people singing, which makes this all the more sweet. We have a rule that we each get to pick our own first song. I pick “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” and belt it out, singing directly to Steven. He gets up and sings “Beautiful.” This isn’t his usual M.O. He doesn’t usually sing Christina Aguilera songs.

Then he comes to me and says we’re doing something different tonight. “Before we get into the nasty part of the evening, you know, where you concede that I’m better than you, I want us to do a duet.”

“What? A duet? We’ve never done that. Ever.”

“I know, but I like this song and you do too. It can only be done with two people. Ali, come on. Live a little. Go outside your comfort zone here.” The devious look on his face is also out of character for tonight’s fun. He’s planning something and I know what it is. It’s something he’s threatened to do several times over the years.

“Steven, this better not end up on YouTube.” I scan the bar. “Where’s Sampson? Do you have him hiding somewhere, secretly filming?”

“Seriously? You’re so paranoid. He’s in the bathroom.” Sure he is.

I look around. I can’t see him, but notice that the place has filled up. There’s not an empty table anywhere. This place gets packed on Friday nights. Most come here to drink, not many get up to sing. We wait our turn for our ‘duet’ and Sampson returns with more beer, followed by the waitress with more shots. Steven hasn’t told me the song, but said I already know it by heart. This should be easy.

We’re up next, so I down the shot and chase it with a long swig of beer. When I walk up to the stage, and see the song, I freeze. I give a puzzled look to Steven. “Bring Me to Life?” I shrug and decide to go with it. The music begins, and as I start singing, I see a familiar figure, weaving through the crowd, walking toward the stage and our table. Holy shit. It’s Bryce. Women thrust out their chests as he walks by, hoping to be the lucky recipient of his attention but he ignores them. He never takes his eyes off me and sits next to Sampson after they shake hands.

That’s where Sampson disappeared. The traitor. Still singing, I glare at Steven who has the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. So this is his game. As I sing the words, I now know why Steven picked this song. He wanted me to sing this song for Bryce, like a cryptic message. He’s also a traitor. I don’t let Bryce’s presence bother me though. He’s just another person in the bar, but as I sing the chorus our gazes lock. Steven’s a great singer in his own right and we really get into the song like we’ve done at home before.

The applause is deafening. Everyone’s on their feet, whistling and yelling. Sampson and Bryce, I think, are clapping and yelling the loudest. We take a bow and, of course, Steven has to ham it up. We get to the table where Bryce surprises me by taking me in his arms, pulling me into a long, deep kiss.

“How?” I ask as we break the kiss. I see something mischievous in his eyes. I didn’t tell him where we were going. He doesn’t answer my question right away.

“Your voice is beautiful, Ms. Quinn. It took my breath away.” His words penetrate my heart.

“Thank you, Bryce. So, how did you find us?” I ask again, enjoying being in his arms.

“Steven told me. I parked my car at your house and walked over.” He plants a chaste kiss on my lips before we sit back down, effectively ending the conversation. I glance over at the traitors, and Sampson gives me a quick wink.

Now, the fun begins. Steven’s up next to sing the first song I chose for him: “Great Balls of Fire.” He smiles wickedly as he grabs the mic. Being the animated character he is, Steven does his best Jerry Lee Lewis impression, belting out the song, not missing a beat. He should take up acting, he’s so good at it.

A few more people sign up for songs, so I have a reprieve before I have to take the stage again. We sit drinking, talking, and laughing. The periodic stares we get don’t go unnoticed. I feel the jealousy radiating off some of these women and it’s directed at me, but I brush it off.

I’m completely relaxed with Bryce like this, and he seems so . . . normal. Right now, he’s not a CEO. He’s not a man on the prowl. He’s a man enjoying himself, hanging out and having a good time with friends. He even does a few shots with us. He must not normally drink like this, so he’s pacing himself.

As I make my way to the restroom, a few of the women from earlier glare at me. Too bad ladies, he’s mine. Did I just claim ownership of Bryce? Yes, yes I did, so they can suck it. Maybe I should lay off the shots.

Once on stage, when I see the song my face turns beet red. I glare at Steven and narrow my eyes, then slowly curl my lips into an evil grin. His smile fades a little. I know his game and he knows I’m not bothered by it. I’ll do this and not miss a beat, just like he did. I start singing “Paparazzi” and Bryce’s eyes shoot up in surprise, then his expression softens as he mouths to me he’s my biggest fan.

Applause and ear-piercing whistles come from all directions after I finish. Now it’s Steven’s turn, and I grin at my wickedness. Steven bounds to the stage, and without missing a beat, begins singing “I Kissed a Girl.” Sampson looks over at me, laughing hysterically and shaking his head. We go back and forth all night, until finally Sampson and Bryce call the competition between us a draw. I look at the time. It’s only eleven thirty.

“I need to go home. I’m beat.” They all agree. When we get to the door of the bar, it’s pouring rain with no sign of letting up anytime soon.

“I’m gonna make a run for it. Are you all in?” I ask, knowing it’s the alcohol talking. It’s going to be cold, but so much fun.

“I’m in,” Steven chimes in

“Me too,” Sampson follows.

We all look at Bryce. He shrugs his shoulders, “Why not?”

Taking off out the door, we all run at top speed through the cold, pouring rain. We stop briefly under a tree to catch our breaths. “Come on, it’s only a couple more blocks,” I say, as I take off again. Since they’re all taller than I am, they pass me in no time, but Bryce slows to keep my pace. I don’t know what comes over me, but I stop in the middle of the street with no shelter to protect me. He stops as well.

“What are you doing, Ali? It’s cold, let’s go.” He takes my hand to start running again but I jerk my arm away.

“No.” Standing before him in the cold, pouring rain, my drenched shirt clings to my chest. My nipples strain against the material through my bra, aching for his touch. His hand rests on my cheek as he moves a wayward strand of hair away from my face, tucking behind my ear. His fingers continue on, trailing down my neck, reaching my breast but I don’t flinch as they glide across my hard nipples. His smoldering gaze holds me in place as the heat between us intensifies. In this moment, my alcohol-induced state takes over and I can’t resist. I throw myself at him, my arms fly around his neck, while his lips find mine. We’re both soaked to the bone from the rain but I’m no longer cold. My soul is on fire for him. The kiss is desperate, deep, and wanting. I can’t get enough.

“Ali,” he whispers against my lips, then deepens the kiss. I can’t breathe, but right now I’d gladly give him my last breath. His hands on both sides of my face hold me against his mouth, his lips, his tongue. Just when I think I might faint, he breaks the kiss.

Almost breathless, I tell him, “I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you walk in the bar tonight.”

“Let’s get out of this rain,” he says, taking my hand and we start running again. A minute later, we’re on my front porch and I feel the need to explain myself.

“Bryce, about what happened, I . . .” I don’t want to apologize, but I don’t want him to think I’m leading him on.

“It’s okay. I enjoyed it. Your skin’s glistening from the rain. You’re so beautiful, Ali.” He moves my wet hair off my face. I open the door and, as he leans in to kiss me goodnight, I stop him.

“Why’d you stop me?”

“Are you leaving?”

“Well, yes, that’s generally what happens when a date’s over.” He’s such a smart ass. I take his hand and drag him inside.

“Come on. You can’t drive home all wet. You’ll ruin your car’s leather. At least stay here until you dry off. Wait here.” I go to get a robe from Steven and he and Sampson’s eyebrows shoot toward the sky. I don’t acknowledge their looks.

“If he gets out of line, all you have to do is scream and we’ll be there in two seconds. You know this, right?”

“Yes, Steven, I know. You also know I can defend myself, but thank you.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a man wanting a woman or a man wanting another man. It’s not normal to hang around as long as he has and not already gotten the prize.” Steven’s crude at times, but he has a point.

“I know this too. Bryce proved the other day that he could be a gentleman. I doubt he would try to force me to do anything that I wasn’t ready to do.”

“I don’t think so either. Just remember what I said.” Steven is so over protective sometimes.

“I will. Goodnight, you two.”

“Goodnight, Ali,” they say in unison.

Bryce takes my outstretched hand as I lead him upstairs to my bathroom. “Change out of your clothes and put this on.” I hold the robe out to him. “I’ll put your clothes in the dryer. The towels are in the closet behind the door.” We both stand there a moment before I turn and go to my room.

After changing into my baby doll pajamas and matching robe, I towel dry my hair before piling it on top of my head in a loose bun. Bryce emerges from the bathroom, looking all kinds of sexy in Steven’s silk robe. I stand there, I think with my mouth open, gaping at him. He’s one fine specimen. Even though he’s robed, I can tell he has a firm, finely sculptured torso… and those legs, my god, his legs. He has the best looking calves I’ve ever seen on a man. They’re so fucking sexy. He’s toned with the right proportions.