The Client: Short And Steamy (6 page)

N
o matter
what I'd done, I hadn't been able to sleep last night. My brain kept running through the entire day, over and over. Everything from the moment I'd arrived at the Forbes' house, to how much I'd enjoyed spending time with Dorian and his father. And, of course, what we'd done after.

The memory of his hands and mouth on my body, how he felt inside me, all of it made me want him again. But then I'd remember the rest of what happened. The things he said, the way he behaved.

It had made me sick to my stomach, and I was still feeling nauseous the next morning when I headed to the gym. It was only sheer stubbornness on my part that made me go in. Not because I needed the money, but because I wanted to prove to Dorian that what happened meant no more to me than it had to him.

If only I could convince myself.

I didn't know what it was about Dorian that drew me to him, that had made me so completely forget myself, but I didn't like it. I wasn't a control freak, but I considered myself to be the sort of person who thought things through. I didn't behave impulsively. Or, at least, I didn't until I met him. I'd taken the job as his trainer without much thought, but I'd written that off as needing the money. I told myself that stopping things with Tyrell had been about needing space, but then I had sex with Dorian the very next night.

Unprotected sex. My gut churned and I reminded myself that I was already planning on getting tested right after work.

And then I was going to look for a better job, one where I didn't have to struggle to keep myself from either slapping or kissing my boss.

I showed up even earlier than usual, but mostly because I had too much nervous energy, and if I'd stayed in my apartment, I would've ended up pacing. Here, at least, I could stretch and warm up.

I'd only been stretching for a few minutes when Tyrell came over. I greeted him with a smile, and then immediately felt bad for the way his eyes lit up. I knew I didn't need to feel guilty though. I'd made it clear to him that I wasn't interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. If he read into me being polite, that was on him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the front doors open and Dorian walk in. My stomach flipped, and I immediately bent down to touch my toes. I didn't want Dorian thinking I was looking for him. I could feel Tyrell's eyes on me, and wondered if Dorian was watching too.

“How are things looking for your fight?” I asked as I straightened. I was genuinely interested, but I couldn't deny that I was mostly asking because I needed something else to focus on instead of Dorian.

“Good,” Tyrell said. “Paul says I'm in the best shape of my life. We're heading to Vegas tomorrow so I can adjust before the first fight.”

I flipped my braid over my shoulder and smiled up at Tyrell. “That's great. I really hope you do well. You've worked hard and deserve it.”

“Thanks.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Listen, about the other night–”

“I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression,” I jumped in, forcing my eyes to meet his. “It'd just been a long time since I'd gone on a date and I wasn't sure what I felt and–”

“It's okay.” He reached out and took my hand. “I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but it's okay. Sometimes great chemistry translates into romance, sometimes it's friendship.” He squeezed my hand. “And that's what I'd like, if you're okay with it. Just because we don't work as a couple doesn't mean we can't still hang out.”

Apparently, I was getting my signals all wrong. I thought Tyrell still wanted me, but now he was saying he'd be content with friendship. I thought Dorian had been interested in me as a person, but all he wanted was sex. I hadn't realized things with Gordon had gone so wrong until I caught him cheating.

I knew I was as much at fault for what happened between Dorian and me as Dorian, but I hadn't stopped to think about how last night wasn’t the first time my judgement had been skewed. I'd written it all off as my attraction to Dorian, but now I wondered. Maybe that wasn't the case entirely.

Maybe I was just an idiot when it came to men.

I suddenly realized that Tyrell was still waiting for an answer. “I'd really like us to stay friends,” I said. “My head's a total mess right now.”

He smiled. “I get it.”

Before either of us could say anything else, the sound of a door slamming caught our attention. Actually, it caught the attention of everyone in the entire gym. I saw the surprise on a few men's faces, but then they went back to what they'd been doing as if nothing happened.

“Well, Dorian's pissed about something,” Tyrell said. He looked down at me. “I don't envy you having to train him when he's like that.”

“Does he lose his temper often?” I asked.

Tyrell shook his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “He's always been intense, but he never really snaps at people. It was one of the things that made him such a great fighter. He could focus all that intensity, but he never lost his temper and did something stupid.”

Until last night.

But I didn't say that. I did, however, know that it was my fault, and I needed to fix it.

“Wish me luck,” I said, hoping my voice sounded light.

“Luck,” Tyrell said as I walked away.

I paused outside the door to Dorian's office and took a slow breath. I was pretty sure I looked outwardly calm, but my insides were still twisted into knots. I knocked.

“What?” Dorian barked.

I managed to not scowl. “I just wanted to let you know that I'm ready to start whenever you are.”

Silence for a few seconds, then Dorian spoke again, “Go home.”

I clenched my jaw, then forced myself to relax. “We can reschedule for later if you'd prefer.”

“No.” His voice was clipped. Cold. “I'm no longer interested in what you have to offer.”

I stared at the door, hurt and shock mingling with anger at his words. When he told me to come in this morning, I assumed that he would pretend like last night never happened. I'd been willing to accept that.

I sure as hell wasn't going to accept someone talking to me like that.

Spinning around, I headed for the door, feeling eyes on me as I went. But I didn't look at any of them, not even Tyrell. I didn't care about the clothes I'd left here or the fact that I needed the money this job provided. All I cared about was getting as far away from Dorian as possible.

I didn't even realize that someone was standing right outside the door when I pushed through, and even then, it took my brain several seconds to catch up to what I was seeing.

“Gordon?”

Coffee-colored hair. Blue eyes. Dimples.

It was him.

My cheating ex-fiancé.

“What do you want?” I snapped. I was aware that I didn't need to sound so sharp, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with anymore shit right now.

“I came to–”

The rest of his sentence was lost as someone grabbed my arm from behind and spun me around. I had a moment to register those near-purple eyes, and then Dorian's mouth was on mine, the kiss as fierce as the one we'd first shared last night. It was reckless need, the sort of thing that led people to do stupid things.

Like we'd done last night.

The memory was like a splash of cold water, and I pushed against his chest, the movement catching him off guard enough that I was able to break free. I took a step back, my shaking fingers curling into fists.

“Don't touch me.” My voice was steadier than the rest of me. “You made your feelings about
what I have to offer
perfectly clear.”

An arm went around my shoulders, and I smelled Gordon's familiar aftershave. A few weeks ago, I would've found it comforting, but now it made my stomach turn. Still, at the moment, it was better than staying here with Dorian.

“Come on, babe.”

I let Gordon lead me to a cab, not looking back when I heard my name. I couldn't do this. I thought I could, but it was impossible to be around him. Not if he was going to be an ass one minute, then try to kiss me the next. At least with Gordon, I knew where I stood now.

I didn't listen to Gordon giving the cab driver an address, and I didn't look out the window when we pulled away just in case Dorian was still standing there. For the first minute or so, things were fine. Gordon stayed next to me but didn't say anything. I'd take a few minutes, get myself together, and then make sure the cabbie dropped me off at home before he took Gordon wherever he wanted to go.

I was still trying to clear my head when I felt Gordon's hand on my thigh. I resisted the urge to slap it away, but rather picked it up and put it back in his lap.

“Look, Gordon, I appreciate you helping me out back there, but I'd prefer if you kept your hands to yourself.”

He scowled. “Come on, babe, don't be like that.”

My eyebrows went up. Was he serious?

“I kept my distance to give you a chance to cool down.”

“Cool down? This wasn't a fight over you leaving the toilet seat up. I caught you having sex with a woman while her husband watched. In my bed.”

I felt the cab driver's eyes on us now.

“I told you that you shouldn't be so uptight about sex.” He half-turned, his body effectively trapping mine against the door. He threw a glance over his shoulder, then smiled down at me.

A chill ran through me. I didn't like that smile.

He reached for me, one hand grabbing at my breast, the other going between my legs.

“Get off me!” I twisted, but there wasn't much room for me to maneuver. “Stop the car!”

“Keep going,” Gordon ordered. “I'll give you something good to watch.”

“Stop, Gordon!” I tried to shove at his hands, but I couldn't get him off me.

Suddenly, the car jerked, throwing us both off balance. I reached behind me, fingers scrabbling for the door handle. I heard the click a moment before the door gave and I was tumbling backwards.

I didn't try to stop myself, knowing that it would only jar my hands. Instead, I rolled into it, using the momentum to somersault backward and then push myself up on my feet. I didn't hesitate, didn't wait to see if he'd come after me. Instead, I just ran.

T
he moment
I told her to leave, I regretted it, but by the time I got to my door, she was already stepping outside. I ran after her, not caring what anyone thought, only knowing that I needed to stop her before she disappeared. I had to make things right.

I knew I should've said something when I grabbed her arm, but no words would come. Instead, I did what I'd been thinking about all night.

I kissed her.

I hadn't even noticed the other guy until he was escorting her into a cab. Part of me said to take what happened as a sign that I really wasn't supposed to be with her, that she didn't want me. Except I felt it in her kiss. She wanted me. She was just pushing me away because I hurt her.

I wanted to make that better, to apologize.

I flagged down a cab and gestured in the direction the other cab had gone. I didn't know what I was going to say or do, only that I couldn't let things stand the way they were. We'd only gone a couple blocks when I saw the cab ahead of us jerk suddenly, then pull over to the curb. I was already reaching for the handle when the back door opened and Sara came tumbling out.

Shit.

Something was wrong.

I was out of the cab and running down the sidewalk before we’d even come to a complete stop. I heard the cabbie yelling after me, but I kept going. The man who'd been with Sara was out of his cab as well. She was running away from him, cutting through the crowd the same way she did when she was running from me that first day. The big guy was following, shoving rather than trying to move around people.

Adrenaline flooded through me and I followed him. My gut said that even though Sara had willingly gotten into the cab with him, whatever was happening now wasn't good.

She disappeared between two buildings, and the man was only a few steps behind. I put on an extra burst of speed, rounding the corner just in time to see the man shove Sara from behind. She tripped, stumbled, and fell, hitting the ground hard enough to make me wince.

Anger flared as I watched the man loom over her. He was shouting something, but I couldn't hear the words. I did, however, see him draw his leg back to kick her, and that was enough to tell me that I wanted to beat the shit out of him. I didn't change my speed or direction, but I did shift my weight.

When I was just a few steps away, I shouted, “Hey, asshole!”

He turned exactly the way I'd predicted he would, and my fist connected with his jaw hard enough to make my arm go numb. He dropped like a stone, and I didn't need to look at him to know he was out cold. I'd always been able to tell when I had a KO.

Sara was already pushing herself up when I stopped next to her and stretched out my hand. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at me, but she took my hand and let me help her to her feet. Once she was up, my fingers tightened around hers.

“I'm sorry,” I blurted out.

“I hope not for knocking Gordon out.”

Gordon? This asshole was her ex? I scowled down at him and resisted the urge to kick him the way he'd been planning to kick her.

“No, I'm not sorry for that.” I looked back at her. “I'm sorry for being such an ass. I was an idiot.”

She gave me a hard look, then nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?” I repeated, surprised.

She looked around. “I really don't want to have this talk here.”

I nodded this time, keeping her hand in mine as I walked us back out to the street. I caught the same cab, and when I gave the still-annoyed cabbie the address, she looked at me, surprised.

“Where are we going?” she asked warily.

“Where I should've taken you yesterday,” I said, raising her hand to kiss her knuckles. “And where I'm going to apologize to you again.”

“Would this apology happen to include orgasms?”

I choked on a laugh when I saw the driver jerk in his seat. “If you want it to.”

“Are you going to be an ass again?”

“Probably,” I answered honestly. “But I'll try really hard not to be.”

She considered me for a moment. “If you ever treat me that way again, I'll knock your ass out.”

I stared at her, knowing it wasn't even close to an idle threat.

“Now,” she continued. “About those orgasms...”

H
aving Sara spread out
, naked on my bed, was so much better than our frenzied fucking at the gym. Not to downplay how amazing it'd been, but this was better. Taking my time to explore every inch of her, knowing that once we were done, neither one of us would run away. Knowing that I could lie in bed with her all day and all night.

We had to talk at some point, work through some issues, but both of us wanted it, so I knew we'd be able to do it. For right now, however, my only focus was seeing how many times I could make her come.

I'd already given her one orgasm with my fingers, and I fully intended to give her at least one more with my mouth before sliding inside her. My cock was hard and throbbing already, but I ignored my own needs for the moment. I was eager to taste her.

She cried out the moment my tongue touched her, and I moved over her bare flesh slowly, teasing her, drawing out her pleasure until she was panting, writhing. I used my thumbs to hold her open as I dipped my tongue inside her, then slid it up to circle her swollen clit. She was so wet that she was dripping, and I moved my tongue over her, sometimes making long strokes with the flat of my tongue, sometimes tracing a path up and around her clit.

“Dorian!”

The sound of my name on her lips made my balls tighten. I'd always loved hearing women scream my name, but there was something special about hearing it from her.

“Come for me, Sara.” I flicked my tongue against her clit, then pressed...hard.

Her fists thudded against the mattress, and she pushed her hips up against my mouth. I grabbed her hips, holding her in place as her climax rolled over her. I pushed her higher, further, until she was begging me to stop. Only then did I raise my head.

I'd fully intended to go down on her until she came for a third time, but I needed her too badly.

“Sara, can I...?” I let the question trail off as I raised myself over her.

She nodded, her eyes meeting mine. Her pupils were blown wide, irises nearly black. “Now,” she rasped out, her voice rough.

Her arms went around me, nails digging into my back as I slid home in one smooth stroke. Her body molded around mine, the perfect fit. Some of it was probably biology, but I knew there was more to it than that. We hadn't known each other long, but there was something between us, something that couldn't be explained by logic or biology. It was a sense of completion, a sense of home.

I rocked against her, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. There were no hard thrusts, only slow, deep strokes, and when our eyes met, it was like I could feel everything she was feeling. The two of us moved together now like we did every time we sparred, more of a dance than anything else. My orgasm was building inside me, a slow sort of burn rather than the usual explosion.

“So close,” she breathed, her nails digging into my back.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I could feel her muscles quivering, feel her body taut with need. And then she was there, tipping over the edge, and I was falling too.

But I wasn't scared this time, because I knew she'd catch me, that I'd catch her. Nothing was perfect, and love was rarely easy, but I had no doubt that the two of us could make it.

I kept my body curled around hers as we came down and our breathing slowed. I brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her temple.

“You know,” she said, breaking the silence. “It's a good thing you apologized.”

“Oh really?” I asked, nuzzling her ear. “Why's that?”

“Because I'm pretty sure your dad was going to try to adopt me.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, he really does like you.” I pulled her closer. “But that's too bad. You're mine.”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “Yes, I am. And you're mine.”

Yes, I certainly was.