A Designed Affair (4 page)

Mike was enjoying having Loren in his arms. For a moment after he asked Loren to dance to the slow song, he regretted doing so. He knew he should have let her go back to the table, but instead he did what his first thought was instead of listening to his mind which was telling him to back off. His mind was reminding him that this was his best friend’s little sister and if anyone was off limits to him, it was definitely Loren. Why he didn’t listen to that rational thinking, he didn’t know. Now that he was here, on the dance floor, dancing this close to Loren, he couldn’t turn back. She felt so good in his arms. He was getting lost in the feel of having her in his arms. This was not good, he thought to himself again, because this was the sister of his best friend. In his mind he sounded like a broken record, but he needed to keep the reminder fresh.

Duron was a best friend who knew how often and how many women he was currently connected to sexually. He was that one person who would prefer that Mike were like a protective brother figure for Loren and not a bed companion. Duron was that best friend who Mike was sure would kill him if he knew the thoughts that Mike was having at this very moment Loren and this not good. His mind was screaming for him to stop and head back to the table, but his body was doing a happy dance, finally having her close even if it was just for a dance.

Loren noticed Mike looking down at her as they danced and she could tell something was different in the way he was looking at her. She had never really paid attention in the past at how he looked at her because they had always been in settings where other family members or friends were around. It had never been just the two of them and they had never been in such an intimate setting as they were now.

The lights in the restaurant were dim, the music was soft and mellow, the atmosphere was one filled with love and seduction and Loren found herself falling victim to her surroundings.

She looked down away from his stare and thought she fought doing so, she looked back up into his handsome face and straight into his piercing eyes and the draw to him was real; the attractive couldn’t be denied. What scared her more was she knew what her look meant, but now she could see there was more to his look than just simply looking. She wasn’t the only one with vivid thoughts of them doing more than just dancing. She could read it all over his face. The thought both frightened and aroused her.

Loren felt like they were in a space where no one else was invited except the two of them and they could freely explore whatever they felt for each other. She was beginning to feel less like a friend to Mike and more like a woman who desired him and whom he desired. There was nothing friendly about the way he was making her feel. She should feel ashamed, but she didn’t. What she felt was a need pulling at her to be bold and tell him what was on her mind.

Mike was dying a slow death. He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to stand on the dance floor holding Loren thinking of how sexy her lips look and how he’d like to know how good they tasted. He was imagining his head dropping down lower until he was a mere whisper from her lips. Before she’d have a chance to react, he slide his tongue out and run it along the crease of her closed lips until she gave in and opened for him. When he began to feel like his head was about to move in that direction on its own, he broke the stare and looked over her shoulder to get his mind and body in check. He had to stop and he knew it. No more looking in her eyes because he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Loren saw the look right before Mike turned away from her and stared off around the room. She wasn’t sure what was going on between the two of them, but she did know it was not safe territory. Safe or not, he felt good and she felt good being with him. She was starting to relax a lot more and without thinking, she leaned more into him. Without thinking too much about it, she slid her arms up from his arms and placed them at his shoulders. He was so tall, over six feet tall, that Loren couldn’t get her arms around his neck, but even this was a very intimate position.

Loren wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she had not been intimate with a man in a long while or if it was the remembrance of the many dreams she’d had about him, but with all things combined, her senses were on overdrive. As soon as she’d placed her arms up and grabbed on to his shoulders, Mike drew her up against his body as they continued to sway together to the music. They danced just like that for the remainder of the song with neither of them making any move toward anything more than just a dance.

When the song ended they drew apart and turned to clap, as others did, for the band. When the band announced they were done for the evening and music would be played for the rest of the night, Loren followed as Mike led them back to their table.

When they sat down across from each other, something in the air had changed. Loren wasn’t sure if Mike realized it, but she did. There was suddenly an electric energy in the air around them that wasn’t there at the beginning of the evening. Loren didn’t look away when, without saying a word, they stared at each other as if they had just recognized each other for the first time.

Mike didn’t know what he should say next. He knew if he spoke what was on his mind that they would be someplace locked in kisses that would steal both of their breaths away.

It was too much, Loren thought. The look she was getting from Mike was hypnotic. She needed to get out and get home before she reached a point of no turning back. One of them had to do the right thing and it looks like it was up to her.

“Mike, I think I’m going to head out. It’s getting late and I have a few ideas I want to put together tonight for your house while they’re still fresh. Thanks for thinking of me and I’m excited about the plans I’m thinking of for your space.”

Mike didn’t say anything. What he wanted to say was he didn’t want the evening to end. He didn’t want her to leave. He didn’t want this time to be over just yet. He didn’t think he would ever have this chance again, to spend this kind of time with Loren, though that’s what he wanted to do. He didn’t know how to respond to her desire to leave.

“If you’re not ready to leave yet Mike, I can get Jase to have one of the guys walk me to my car.”

Mike wouldn’t have that. He cleared his foggy mind and focused.

“No, I’m heading out too so I’ll walk you out. Let me go up to the office and speak to Jase for a minute and I’ll be ready to go.”

Loren shook her head in acknowledgement and pretended to be preoccupied with something in her purse. She needed the distraction, even after he had walked away.

When Mike got to Jase’s office, he was on the phone, but quickly got off as Mike entered.

“Hey man, you heading out?”

“Yeah, it’s been a long day, Loren is ready to leave and I need to make sure she gets home okay. I wanted to thank you for the dinner tonight. It was incredible as usual.”

“That’s cool man. You know when you guys come here I can’t charge you,” he said.

“Thanks man and I’ll be in touch before I move to Cali.”

Mike started to leave and Jase stopped him.

“Mike, I did want to mention one other thing to you.”

Mike turned back around.

“What’s that?”

“You’re playing with fire so think again before you strike?”

Mike knew exactly what he was talking about, but he played it off like he didn’t.

“What fire?”

“Mike, man you know what I’m talking about.”

Jase looked out of the glass window that overlooked his club and looked right at Loren who was sitting at the table waiting. Mike followed his line of sight.

He continued to play it off like the comment meant nothing.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Mike, really bruh? I have known you for quite a few years. I’ve seen you come through here with many, many women, but tonight was the first time I’ve ever seen you take such care with one. Come on man, it’s me. I think you have a mighty big issue on your hands and it’s one I don’t think you are really ready to deal with. All I’m going to say is be careful. You and Duron have been best friends for a lot of years. You need to be very careful when it comes to his sister. You and I both know how he feels about her. Not that you are a bad guy or anything, but that’s Duron’s sister. You are Duron’s friend and he knows you better than I think he knows his own brothers. If you are planning to make some kind of move on her, I suggest you think long and hard about that decision. Duron would kill you and you know it. I know he thinks of you as his third brother, but with the stories I’m sure you two have swapped over the years about women, I doubt if he would be too open to you moving in Loren’s direction. I’m just saying be careful.”

Mike understood exactly what Jase was saying. Not only could his friendship with Duron be in jeopardy, but his relationship with the entire Knight family could be jeopardized if he decided to act on the thoughts floating around his head about Loren. He definitely wanted her, there was no doubt about that and if Jase could see it from watching them for a couple of hours, others would be able to tell as well. He needed to tame that.

Jase was a good friend and Mike didn’t need to lie so he admitted defeat.

“Thanks bruh. I admit I think she’s beautiful and I’ve found myself attracted to her much more than on a friendship basis. I also hear what you’re saying about Duron. He’s knows all of my secrets and he’s the one person I’ve told all of my stories to about women and there have been a whole lot of them. So I hear you and I’m going to keep my distance. I have to because too much would be at stake.”

“I feel for you man. Just know that you are not the only one who has given Loren a second look.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jase knew it was a mistake. Mike gave him a look that said he needed to rethink his next words.

“Whoa Mike,” Jase smiled. “No need to act all aggressive with me. I’m not saying I have a thing for Loren or that I’m even remotely interested. I like my life too much to test Duron’s patience because he knows my secrets too man. I’m just saying, a man would have to be dead to not recognize how beautiful Loren is inside and out. Don’t do something temporarily stupid that could lead to permanent damage to family and friendships. “

Mike understood his concern and turned away to glance at Loren again through the window of the office.

“I see the wheels turning while you’re staring at her right now and I’ll say it again, you’re playing with fire. Duron would serve your head to you on a platter.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ve got this,” Mike answered.

Jase wasn’t so sure.

“Are you sure about that? Are you sure about your next move because I don’t think you are. Think about this, how many women have you been with in this past month? Better yet, how many in the past two weeks? On top of that, how many have you told Duron about? Now think what you told him about those encounters and ask yourself if you could see yourself telling him you have a think for his baby sister. It’s a death sentence. Back off Mike and just walk away.”

He didn’t even bother answering Jase. His answers to those questions were not pleasant. If memory served him right, he’d had his last sexual encounter with a sex buddy of his over a week ago and he also remembered he told Duron the saucy details. He got one last glance at Loren looking beautiful sitting at the table waiting for him and he turned his attention back to Jase.

“I hear you man. I hear you. I’m heading out to make sure Loren gets home okay. Thanks for the advice and the wake-up all. I’m officially backing off.”

He gave Jase a handshake and headed back down to walk Loren to her car.

Loren sat at the table anxious to leave. There was something about her being with Mike tonight that wasn’t sitting right with her. Maybe all those sleepless nights of thinking and dreaming about him were coming to the surface because the air between them tonight was unlike any other time they had been around each other.

If she were not mistaken, when they were dancing, Mike had been making circles on her back in a caressing motion, which in her mind was a very intimate move. Maybe he did it without thinking, but it had an effect on her that got her body tingling with want, stronger than she’d ever remembered having before. Being so close to him, her body immediately reacted.

The mixture of his cologne, how close he was holding her and the way he was crooning in her ear, had her thinking about sheets, nakedness, passion and screaming. She had managed to keep her body in check for most of the evening and neither of them made mention of the phone conversation they had that could have meant a few things. She was both hoping that he would and that he wouldn’t bring it up. She wanted to clear the air and let him know how attracted she was to him, but she didn’t want to be the only one who felt that way.

Loren wasn’t sure they could go beyond friendship and keep the friendship intact. When he’d walked away to speak with Jase, she had hoped to get herself in check before he came back. She was doing a good job of it until she looked up and noticed him returning and those warm, fuzzy feelings returned. She needed to get out of the restaurant and away from Mike. Just thinking about him had her close to exploding. She needed release of the worse kind, but now was not the time to walk herself into trouble and then end up with Mike helping her with her release. She watched him return and the closer he got to her, the hotter the temperate in the room seemed to get. Her last thought before he reached her was that she was in trouble.

Mike made his way back over to the table to get Loren.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked.

“Yes I am.”

Mike helped Loren stand and placed her hand in the crook of his arm as they made their way through the crowd to the front entrance.

“Where did you park your car?”

She pointed across the street to the parking garage.

“I’m parked on level three in the garage.”

“Good, I’m in there on level one,” he said.

Mike escorted Loren across the street and up the elevator to level three to her car.

When they reached her car he said, “Drive me down to my car so that I can follow you home to your condo. I want to be sure you get in okay since it’s very late.”