Compulsion: Magnetic Desires (6 page)

The thwack of the cue connecting with the white ball was followed by its disappearance into the corner pocket. I ran my hand through my hair. Never had I thought I’d see the day a woman would distract me from my game.

"Two shots for me then." She chuckled, one eyebrow raised.

I conceded the table to her, and drained my beer. The game had gotten interesting.

When she sunk six balls in two shots, I wasn’t sure I could turn this game around, but the idea of her up against my car while I buried myself in her was a good reason to lose. Stepping up behind her while she lined up her shot, I ground my hips into her ass. I’d distract her, as she had me. She hit the felt with the stick causing the white ball to jump across the table and smash the black ball into a pocket.

"Should we go to mine?" I slid an arm around her waist and nibbled on her ear, ready to follow through on our wager.

"How about we play another round? I’ll make it worth your while."

How could I say no? She was sexy as hell, and filled me with curiosity over what she would wager next. "Do you want a drink?"

Sashaying around the table, she started racking up the balls. "I’ll have a beer."

I ordered our drinks and leaned against the bar, staring at her. She was here for the same reasons I was, and that was enough for me. My phone buzzed and I checked it. It wasn’t Clo, and I berated myself for the way my heart picked up when I thought it might be. My thumb hovered over her name in my contacts list. It was only a matter of time before I gave in, but not tonight, not when I had a more accommodating woman to talk to.

Setting the beers on the table, I took a seat and pulled her between my legs to ravish her mouth. Her fingernails dug into the skin on my arms as she swept her tongue over mine, taking control.

"What are you wagering this time?"

"If I win, you tell me why you’re here, with a girl like me." She set up her shot and broke the triangle of balls, sending them spinning into the pockets.

"I’ll tell you anyway, sexy. I’m just looking for some fun."

Chuckling, she chalked her cue and surveyed the table. "No one is ever just looking for some fun. Don’t you know; if you’re single, you must be broken?"

Maybe I was. I hadn’t thought of it like that. Yeah, perhaps I was fucked up since I was unable to move on from the redhead who took my heart. "What about you?"

Her hair cascaded over her shoulder while she set up her next shot. "Hmm, never met anyone I liked enough to want to fuck more than once. So are you willing to wager?"

She’d proven she was good, but I knew it now, so she’d be no match for me. "Fine."

Mellie stalked around the table, focused on sinking every ball one at a time. All I could do was sit and watch her win while I drank my beer.

The game finished, she placed the cue in its holder before reaching for her beer. "Okay, let’s hear it."

I shook my head and wound my arm around her waist. "I’m going to need more alcohol, let’s go to my place."

Luscious curves, and the sway of her hips, had me wishing I’d lost the first wager instead of the second. Doing her on the hood of my truck was appealing, especially when I noticed the parking lot was deserted.
Patience, you’ll get what you want.
I opened the door for her and stared at her ass as she climbed in. I’d be holding onto that while I fucked her before the night was through.

On the way home, she turned the stereo up and sang along to the radio. She had a voice and the lungs to belt out Bon Jovi with confidence, and I joined her in the chorus. This was the kind of girl I should be looking for something serious with. I’d have to pull out all my tricks and see if I could get her to stick around for more than one performance.

Opening the door, I held it open for her. "What do you want to drink? I’ve got beer, scotch, or bourbon."

"Scotch." She shucked her heels at the door, and followed me into the kitchen. "Then you’re going to tell me your story."

I poured out double measures of scotch. "Coke?"

She drained the glass. "Neat."

"You don’t want my story." I pulled her into my arms and swayed to the music still playing in my head. "You want to go to bed with me."

"I want everything, including another glass of scotch." She pushed me away and poured another double.

I picked up my glass and slammed the shot down before getting a refill. "Okay then, I better start at the beginning."

***

T
he smell of bacon invaded my nostrils, and my stomach turned. Opening one eye, I glanced around and clutched my head to keep it from splitting open. I remembered leaving the pub with that girl I’d played pool with. Couldn’t quite drag her name to the surface. Kelly, maybe, or Miley.
Mmmmm,
I rolled it around my mouth until her name came to me, Mellie. Everything past that point was a blank. I crawled out of bed and went to the bathroom. It stank of bleach, and I heaved over the porcelain. Oh God, if I was this sick, how bad had I been last night?

Yet she’d stuck around? Had I even been able to perform? I couldn't have been much fun, if at all. Getting into the shower, I twisted the tap and let the sting of the cold water blast the last dregs of sleep away. It helped, but it would take more to get rid of the hangover.

Finding a clean T-shirt and jeans, I dressed and made my way to the kitchen. Mellie had made herself at home, wearing nothing but one of my T-shirts. She was singing as she flipped the bacon. "Are you hungry?"

"Mellie, isn’t it?" I grabbed water from the fridge before reaching for the bottle of painkillers.

She chuckled. "You had too much scotch. Still feeling like shit?"

Last night she’d matched me drink for drink, and yet here she was, vivacious and with not a hint of the hangover that was killing me. "Sorry about last night."

She slid breakfast onto plates. "Don’t worry about it. Confession is good for the soul."

"But, that wasn’t why you came home with me. I have to assume I wasn’t... a great ride."

"Never mind, come eat. It’ll help with the hangover."

We settled at the counter and she wolfed down her food, while I mangled an egg, the yolk pouring onto the bacon. If I put it in my mouth, I’d gag. I had to be the worst one-night-stand she’d had.

"You were still up for it last night, after you told me everything?"

I put my fork down. "Everything?"

"Your entire life story." She eased off the stool and fixed coffee. "I’m not what you need. At least not like that."

"Then why did you stick around?"

"Because." She pushed coffee into my hand. "You need a friend."

I had friends, but not like her, not ones I could confide in. "So we’re friends?"

She nodded, her impish smile dancing over the rim of her cup. The sound of banging on the front door put a halt to our conversation, and I went to find Mike standing outside.

"Have a big night last night?"

"Do you need to ask?" I shuffled back toward the kitchen, him following behind, a pile of papers under his arm.

"Do you have company? Should I come back later?"

"Yes and no. Mike, this is Mellie. She was nice enough to take care of my drunken ass."

Mellie was still wearing my shirt, and he ran his gaze over her several times as though he was committing her to memory before clearing his throat. "Hello."

"Hi." She dumped her cup in the sink and headed out of the kitchen. "I’m going to go take a shower, Orion, if that’s cool?"

"Help yourself." The coffeepot was still hot and I refilled my cup, getting one for Mike as well.

Mike’s entire body swiveled in her direction as she left the room. "That’s your company?"

"Yeah, but nothing happened."

"Nothing.” He gaped. "You didn’t..."

This was new. I’d never seen Mike react like this. "We didn’t."

"But she’s...wow. You’re serious?"

I clapped him on the shoulder and handed him a cup. "Mellie and I are friends. I’m pretty sure that’s how it’s meant to be. If you want to take a shot at her, then go ahead."

"Maybe I will."

We settled around the kitchen table and he placed the paperwork in front of me. "I’ve got your contracts for the two acre block, and I’ve been through them. All you have to do is sign at the tabs and the land is yours."

Both of us grinning like fools, I took the pen he offered and started signing page after page.

"Can you call me a cab?" Mellie entered the kitchen wearing last night's dress as I set the pen down.

"Don’t worry about it." Mike jumped from his seat. I was leaving myself. I can give you a ride home."

"Thanks, that would be great."

I was sure Mike hadn’t been planning on leaving. I’d never seen him show this much interest in a female. The way he was taking to her surprised me. She was one hell of a woman, and I wished him luck.

"I
lasted five days and three hours before I gave in and called Clo. It hadn’t been a matter of whether I would, but of how long I could hold out before I gave in to my desire to see her. Being around her was both euphoric and crippling."

June 2009

"Hey, glad you could make it." Clo reached up on tiptoe to kiss my cheek.

I offered her the bottle of wine I brought.

"Zack’s running late from work, but he’ll be home in a minute." She took the wine into the kitchen, and I followed her. The aroma of garlic, onion, and tomatoes made my mouth water.

"Still a good cook, I see."

"Actually, I’m doing catering."

"Really? What about Chemistry?" I drummed my fingers on the bench.

"Food is Chemistry," she said, "or at least science with love."

Chemistry, love, and food. It would be so easy for me to set her on the counter and drizzle chocolate syrup over her bare skin. I’d show her the true meaning of her words. Unable to meet her gaze, I picked up a teaspoon from the strainer beside the sink and tasted the sauce simmering on the range. "If this is science with love, I wish I’d studied harder."

"But you’re doing okay?" Linking her arm through mine, she bumped against my side. The connection between us was still there, but different after our time apart.

"Yeah, of course, work’s great."

Catching her gaze while I tried to make her believe my life without her had been perfect, was a mistake. It was almost impossible to break away. In fact, when she darted that pink tongue of hers over parted lips, I drew closer, unable to escape her gravity and brainlessly hell bent on kissing her. The bang of the front door startled her, making her jump and let go of my arm. Shoving a hand through my hair, I aimed to appear relaxed as Zack barged into the kitchen.

"Hey babe." He dumped his briefcase beside the kitchen door before dipping Clo into a lingering kiss. An image of his pale ass took center place in my mind, making me want to hurl, so I turned my back on them and stirred the sauce. There was no way I wanted to watch the bastard put on a show to remind me he loved her.

It didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to say anything. It was water under the bridge, and besides, after tonight I wouldn’t be seeing them. Not if I could help it, anyway.

"Dinner’s almost ready," Clo said when they came up for air. "Why don’t you get Orion a beer?"

Zack took beers from the fridge, and Clo came to stand beside me while I swirled the sauce around the pan.

"I think it’s ready." She elbowed me in the ribs. "Why don’t you boys go talk, while I get this food served up?"

Taking the beer Zack offered, I followed him into the dining room where we took seats at the table. Beer in hand I stared at the table, hoping we could get away with speaking very little if at all. In truth, if I never had to speak to him again, I would have been content. It seemed he felt the same way, as he drank his beer without saying a word.

***

"Y
ou should come see Clo more often," Zack said over dinner. "She’s been missing you. I work too much and she needs a friend."

Oh, she missed me. I didn’t know how that was supposed to help. All she had to do was crook her little finger and I was chasing after her like a puppy, and if Zack wasn’t there, I could deal with being around her.
You’re a douche, Orion. When are you going to get it through your thick skull she’s never going to want you?

"I’m busy with the business." I scratched the back of my neck. "I wish I could."

When she went into the kitchen I thought the subject was dropped.

"Come on, Orion, she misses you. She hasn’t got any friends here. You’d be doing me a favor."

What the hell was he thinking? The way he was leaning on the table and caressing the damn beer bottle in his hand had me wondering what he would get out of having me around more. It sure wasn’t about what she’d get out of it. Either he was a fool, or he was still getting up to his old tricks, because any man who was willing to let a girl like Clo hang out with a guy like me couldn’t be thinking about his relationship. "If you’re sure?"

"Great," Zack replied, relaxing back in his chair, a grin splitting his face.

Clo slipped through the doors carrying a giant red velvet cupcake, and Zack jumped up to take it from her, landing a gentle swat on her ass. Putting the cake down on the table, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.

One minute he was pushing her and I together, the next, he was showing me how much she’d never be mine. Unable to stomach more of his showmanship, or the cake, I stood up from the table. "Sorry guys, dinner’s been fun, but I have to go. I’m supposed to meet Mike to go over the quarterly figures."

"I’ll walk you out." Clo followed me onto the porch. "I really do miss you."

"I miss you too." I made it down the concrete steps before turning around. It was, perhaps, the first honest thing I’d said all night. "I’ll try not to be a stranger."

"O
ur friendship was as it had been before, and I found myself unable to deny her what she wanted. Zack hadn’t been lying when he said he worked long hours, or at least, about not being home much, which gave us ample time to spend together.