A Tangled Web (A Books We Love Erotic Romance) (2 page)

Erin
swallowed the last of her Cosmopolitan and looked over the rim of her glass at the bartender. He had his head turned and she managed to read his name badge.
Derek.
A nice name with a suitably masculine sound.

Derek must have felt her gaze because he looked around and, half-smiling, plucked a cherry from the bowl on the bar and, laving it with his tongue, held
Erin
captive with his gaze.

If he can do that with his eyes, imagine what he could do with his…other body parts. Like the one currently nestled inside his pants.

* * *

Erin
arrived home from Club Rendezvous feeling mellow from Happy Hour drinks and an orgasm she'd induced in the car. It had been dark in the parking lot and she'd been so near to coming when she'd left the bar, and the bartender, she'd just closed her eyes and recalled him licking that cherry and let her imagination run wild. It only took a few strokes of her fingertips on that hard, damp nubbin before she climaxed, gasping from her lustful thoughts.

After dropping her keys in the Oriental vase on the table in the foyer, she headed up the curving staircase to her ivory and peach bedroom suite. She'd much rather have reached satisfaction with the guy who'd caused her desperation, but she wasn't the patient type. Besides, she was Mitch's woman. And since she wouldn't be seeing him tonight, she'd taken matters into her own hands.

The bartender probably wasn't that great at fucking anyway, and he was obviously a flirt, so it wouldn't do to get involved with him. Besides, most women would kill to have a boyfriend like hers, she reminded herself. Mitch's athletic lifestyle had built muscles and endurance while keeping his body trim and supple. She'd never been a sports fan before they started dating but she certainly appreciated the prowess athletics seemed to bestow. The only drawback was that his fervour took a lot of the time she'd rather he spent with her. Besides all his baseball, he went to the gym after work twice a week. She'd have thought that managing a sporting goods store would wear him out on such stuff.

Erin
took off her beige slacks and top. Wearing the same colour head to toe made her look taller, as did the spike-heeled sandals she hadn't yet removed. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she examined her body in black lace bikinis and a matching demi-bra that exposed the tops of her rounded breasts. They weren't big but they were still firm and with a push-up bra she showed appealing cleavage. Beneath the panties was the still tingling vagina of a woman who'd been too eager for an orgasm to wait until she got home to use her vibrator.

The bartender at Club Rendezvous had set her hormones into a frenzy, but he was sexy in a totally different way from Mitch. A down-to-earth sort, Mitch was hot wings, French fries and Budweiser Beer. Derek was suave and…she closed her eyes and pictured him in a restaurant, his face illuminated by candlelight…prime rib, hearts of romaine and scotch.

How did he like his women? She looked at her slim body in the mirror. She was still as petite as when she'd made out with Mitch in the back seat of his Mustang in their high school days. She'd heard other girls talk about screwing and she'd wanted to know what she was missing. She'd always had a strong imagination but that wasn't enough when it came to something that was supposed to be wonderful but she'd never tried.

Now, she loved Mitch and planned to marry him. He'd been her first lover and he would become her last if he asked her to be his wife. She picked up her pink vibrator and fondled it, considering making herself climax again, but decided to wait and see if she was horny when she went to bed.

Downstairs in her bisque and black kitchen,
Erin
poured herself a glass of Chardonnay which she carried to the living room. Settled in her favourite cream-coloured, cushioned armchair with the newspaper and her drink, she sighed when the phone rang. It was too early for Mitch to call. After a kids' game, he took his daughter, Dakota, home and then went to his place to shower and settle in with a Budweiser before phoning.

Some things had changed over time. He used to go to bed early the night
before
a ballgame and party afterwards. Now he went to bed early
after
a game, even if he was just coaching. Some things stayed the same though. He still drank the same kind of beer. Still had the same great package he used to show off in his Speedos.

"Hello?" She spoke into the receiver.

"Well,"
Erin
's mother, Barbara O'Brien, huffed, "it certainly took you long enough to answer. Is that man you're engaged to there with you?"

"No, I'm alone."
Erin
shuddered at the reference to the lie she'd told her parent. "I was in the kitchen fixing a cup of tea."

There I go again. Why do I always feel it necessary to lie to my mother?

"Why isn't he with you if you're engaged?"

"He had a ballgame. He coaches a Babe Ruth team, which is the older kids' division of Little League."
Erin
leaned her head against the cushioned back of the chair and yawned. 'Mellow' was turning to 'tired'. "He doesn't sleep here, Mother."

A modern-day woman, Barbara probably wouldn't care if he did, but he'd never spent the entire night although
Erin
had suggested it a time or two when Joey was with his dad.

"Have you two set a wedding date yet?"

"No, we—"

"Of course, you haven't. You're dragging your feet as usual. Well, I'll tell you that is not true of your cousin Angel. Dior proposed to her only last week, and they've set a date already."

Erin
groaned. Angel again. Dear sweet little Angel. Barb O'Brien had compared the two cousins as long as
Erin
could remember, and she was always on the unfavourable end.

Angel's ballet number was the hit of the dance recital. Angel made the National Honour Society. Angel was smart enough not to jump into a marriage that ended in divorce
.

Angel was the reason
Erin
first fucked Mitch. She remembered telling herself when he was sucking her nipples and thrusting his hard cock inside her that she bet Angel hadn't fucked yet.
Erin
remembered thinking,
She's too good. Too nice.
Too bad she's missing out on this.
And Angel was the reason
Erin
had made up the lie about an engagement. Her mother kept harping about
Erin
not being able to find a man again. So, she'd told her she was in a great relationship and she had a ring to prove it.

Ms. Sweetie Pie—yes, Angel was voted the sweetest girl in her senior class—was thirty-six and had never even been engaged, as far as
Erin
knew. And she was sure if she had been, she'd have heard about it. Sometimes,
Erin
wondered why Angel hadn't landed a man. To be fair, she was attractive and she was always nice to people, including her only cousin. They'd been friends as kids and would be today if
Erin
's mother hadn't ruined the relationship for her.

"Angel and Dior are getting married July 1."

"
Dior
? What kind of name is that?"
A delayed thought, but I didn't latch onto it at first shock.
"And they're getting married a month from now?"
Erin
smirked. "Is she afraid
Dior
will get away?"

Barbara sniffed. "She's going to call and invite you to be an attendant. I hope you'll react pleasantly when she phones, and not act snide like you are now."

"She wants me to be in her wedding party?"
Erin
's voice rose and she clutched the arm of her chair. She and Angel hadn't seen one another for several years and
Erin
had no desire to stand up at her wedding.

"Don't act so surprised. You're the only cousin she has and you two used to be best friends. So it's only natural, and I told her I knew you'd be delighted…because I thought you would be. However, she wanted to give you the news herself, so don't tell her I told you."

"Mother."
Erin
rolled her eyes heavenwards. How could she be so dense? She had to know they weren't even in contact. "What makes you think I want to be in her wedding? Sure we were friends when we were kids, but…"
Erin
took a gulp of the Chardonnay she'd set on the piecrust table beside her.

"I thought you would be thrilled at the chance to show off…what's his name…your fiancé."

She sounded smug, and
Erin
's terror shot off the charts. What name did I tell her? Did I say 'Mitch' or did I make one up? What am I going to do?

Barbara droned on. "I know
I'm
eager to see him if he's as handsome as you say, and Angel and her family are anxious to meet him as well. I haven't seen her diamond yet but Julia said it's a solitaire. What's yours like? How big is it?"

Erin
, heart pounding, stared at her bare ring finger and perspiration broke out over her upper lip. She was on the spot and it wouldn't be easy to break free. She wore her diamond from Joseph on her right hand and it was so ostentatious, everyone who'd ever seen it would recognise it.

"Mine's a solitaire too." That was the type she preferred. "What difference does it make how big it is? Angel and I aren't having a contest."

"I was just asking. Julia said Angel's is nice but modest, which I took to mean that it's small."

So she wants mine to be larger.
Erin
sighed. Barbara was always trying to one-up her sister. Angel's mother, Julia Fairchild, wasn't that way. She never bragged about Angel or competed with her sister.

Barbara O'Brien could have boasted many times if she'd opened her eyes to
Erin
's accomplishments. But all she ever saw when she looked at her daughter were her faults.

"I haven't seen this man she's marrying," Barb went on. "As I understand it, they once dated and recently found one another again. Isn't that romantic?"

Same as Mitch and me. What a coincidence.

Had her mother told everyone she knew about her daughter's engagement?

There was so little to do in White Grove where her cousin's family lived that people sat around and waited for hallmark events such as weddings and funerals. So, it was a given everyone in the village would attend Angel's wedding. Barbara and Erin were well known from their frequent visits to Julia and Walt's house, which meant
Erin
could be on the hot seat too.

When the bridal party formed a reception line inside the church, guests would queue up to shake hands and ooh-and-aah over the bride's gown and rings. And if Barbara had told the townspeople
Erin
was engaged, they'd want to inspect her diamond as well. Barbara liked the closeness of the small town.
Erin
felt smothered by it and was glad she'd grown up in Fishers, a large suburb that had continued to grow.

She downed the last of her wine and held her head. She could picture it now. Nosey Mrs. Satterby, who lived next door to the O'Briens, would reach for
Erin
's hand and squint to see her ring more clearly. "My dear, your mother told us…" All the other little old ladies would want to ogle it as well. And the schoolmates who knew both her and Angel would inspect and compare the stones.

Only
Erin
didn't have one to show. She'd wanted to marry Joseph in Vegas and avoid that kind of thing, but Barbara had insisted on the traditional church wedding and reception so she could show off her daughter's dashing husband and her multi-carat ring. No one would forget that rock unless they had Alzheimer's, she thought, holding it up to catch the light from the table lamp.

If she took Mitch to Angel's wedding, he would impress everyone with his looks and build, but he had to ask her to marry him and give her a diamond or she would be an embarrassment to Barbara and land at the top of her mother's 'loser list' again.

Erin
shook her head hard, trying to stop the thoughts her mother had induced. Her hands shook and she closed her eyes tightly. Sometimes, a good imagination was a bad thing.

"Are you still there,
Erin
? Tell me your future husband's name. I'm sorry but I forgot it," her mother said.

Ohmigod. What should I say? If I don't get off the phone, I'm going to hyperventilate.
"I—I'm getting a beep, Mom. Someone is trying to call me and it could be Angel. I'm going to hang up now."

Erin
dropped her head back and stared at the ceiling. If Mitch didn't propose, she would have to come up with a diamond solitaire to wear to the wedding, and if she invited him to escort her and he wouldn't go…she'd need to produce a handsome man as well.

Chapter Two

Erin
waited nervously for Mitch to call her after she hung up on her mother. She'd lied to Barbara again. For some reason, that woman pushed her buttons every time.

Should she ask him to the wedding now, over the phone? Or would it be better to wait until she could invite him in person? Or maybe she should wait until another time, softening him up by fucking his brains out first. Men weren't often fond of attending weddings. Her former husband hated them except for theirs, and that had only been because he'd been deliriously happy because she'd finally agreed to marry him. She'd loved Joseph but had been enjoying their dating life so much she'd been reluctant to wed.

The thing was, she'd been right on the money preferring it. Other than their sex life, which remained terrific, he'd redirected his energies into acquiring vehicles shortly after their 'I dos'. Maybe that was what she'd been to him, an acquisition. "Meet my wife, Erin. Isn't she beautiful? Aren't I a lucky man?" he'd often said, putting his arm around her waist whenever he'd introduced her. She'd never really considered that theory before, and it wasn't pleasant to dwell on now. No woman wanted to feel like a piece of goods.

She looked at her watch. Mitch usually called before now.

Joseph's passion for finding a better-running, more attractive and wildly extravagant car that would outdo the previous one and those of his friends was fuelled by each new vehicle he bought. Their three-bay garage hadn't been adequate for a collection, so he'd had a larger building erected. When he'd moved out, she'd had that five-car structure converted into an office for Wives-R-Us. That turned out to be a good thing.

She sighed. One other very good thing…Joseph was picking up Joey at his boarding school next week and bringing him home for the summer, and
Erin
couldn't wait to have their son with her. They'd go to the Children's Museum, Indianapolis Zoo and even to King's Island, a fabulous amusement park in
Ohio
. The two of them, mother and son, would have tons of fun together.

She looked at her watch again and yawned. Mitch was really late calling. She probably shouldn't ask him to the wedding until after he proposed. He'd be more apt to go then. But she needed to know whether or not he'd accompany her in case she had to make other plans. A devastating man and a diamond ring were vital for keeping her mother happy, and neither was easily attainable. Especially the man. She could buy a ring, but that would be a tawdry thing to do and she'd feel like a failure as well as a liar.

The phone rang and she grabbed it up.

Mitch spoke before she could say hello. "Dakota hit her first home run and our team won. That kid smacked the ball like you wouldn't believe."

"Lovely."
Erin
wondered how Joey was doing in sports at his school. When he came home, she would try to find out. She hoped Dakota wasn't better at baseball, but since
Erin
wasn't sure Joey even played the game, she probably would be. Mitch's daughter was older so it shouldn't matter, but Joey wouldn't like it if a girl was better at a sport than he was. Males were all alike that way.

"I took her to a pizza place to celebrate," Mitch went on. "She was in a chatty mood and we had a good time."

Suddenly realising she'd missed a major event in his daughter's life,
Erin
apologised. "I'm sorry I didn't accept your invitation to go to the game tonight. I'd like to have seen Dakota's big moment."

Erin
hadn't met the girl yet. She'd seen her on the field in a practice game, but Mitch hadn't suggested an introduction. Instead, he'd said beforehand that he'd pick
Erin
up after he took Dakota home and they'd grab a drink somewhere.

"It was terrific. She and I may have more in common than I realised," Mitch said, sounding like a proud father.

Erin
could almost see him puffing out his chest like a bird fluffing out its feathers.

He seemed to have come to a lull, so she spoke. "Lea and I went to Club Rendezvous to—"

"Look,
Erin
, it's late," Mitch said. "We'd better both get some shuteye. You can tell me about your evening later. You mentioned Rendezvous. Want to go there for dinner tomorrow night? Or somewhere else? I know you're probably getting sick of Reagan's. "

She replied quickly. "Club Rendezvous sounds perfect."

Recalling Derek's sexy, brown-eyed wink, his tongue caressing a cherry and that intriguing moustache that could tickle her senseless sent her scrambling for her pink 'friend' as she climbed into bed, naked and wanting.

* * *

Erin
, chin in hands, elbows propped on her French provincial desk in the office of Wives-R-Us on Friday, stared into space. Mitch loved her. She loved him. And the crunch was on. She had to go to Angel's wedding, engaged, or lose face with her mother and everyone Barbara had told.

"I'm going to make my move tonight," she decided aloud, slapping the top of her desk. "I'm going to seduce Mitch like never before. I'll make him so horny and hot he'll decide he can't spend another night alone."

"What in hell's sake brought on that announcement?" Margo laid the catalogue she was perusing on the wrought iron table next to her yellow leather recliner.

"Easy. She wants him to propose." Lea spoke up from where she sat in an office chair behind a slender-legged, black enamel table.

The furnishings of their office were eclectic, with the three partners facing one another in a triangular grouping. An Oriental rug in shades of green, black and rose lay in the middle, bringing the arrangement together.
Erin
brought the rug, her desk and chair and some of the other pieces from her house. Margo and Lea furnished their own spaces with objects from their former homes.

"We've both remarried and she wants to join the club," Lea went on.

"Wedded life is bliss," Margo murmured dreamily.

"I told her there's a lot to be said for being single," Lea said, "especially if you're not sure you've found the right man. I can see that you're not heeding my advice," she added, directing her remark to
Erin
. Shifting her gaze back to Margo, she went on. "I told
Erin
I don't think Mitch is right for her. And if you'd seen her and the burning hot Rendezvous bartender flirting…" Lea threw up her hands. "He and Mitch are totally different types, proving my point."

"Tell me about the bartender, Erin. Was he a hunk?" Margo asked, folding her arms behind her head and grinning.

"Yes, but he's not my type."
Erin
felt her cheeks flush. Thoughts of him while using her personal vibrator had brought her to quick completion, and she'd induced an orgasm in a parking lot only hours before that, thinking about Derek. And it wasn't that Mitch wasn't good in bed. He was, but the bartender possessed animal magnetism.

"Mitch is the guy for me," she said, feeling guilty that at this moment, she tingled not only in her breasts but all along her pussy with desire for another man.

"Your red face tells another story," Margo taunted. "So why, if you were attracted to another man yesterday, are you going to make Mitch propose tonight?"

Erin
sighed. "I have to marry him or be humiliated. I told my mother I was engaged…it's a long story, but I lied to get her off my back. Now, my cousin, Angel, whom she always compares me to, is tying the knot in four weeks. All my relatives and half the people in our small town, if I know my mother's big mouth, now expect to meet my handsome fiancé at Angel's wedding. Oh, and they'll also want to see my diamond solitaire engagement ring." She held up her left hand, waggling her bare ring finger.

"You're very specific when you make up stories," Lea said. "How big is that solitaire?"

"I didn't say, but it probably needs to be at least a carat or two to satisfy my mom. She's hoping it's bigger than Angel's."

"You're going to learn to control your urge to fantasise one of these days, I hope," Margo said, shaking a finger at her.

"You don't know what my mother puts me through. My cousin is aptly named. Dear sweet little Angel."
Erin
stuck a finger in her open mouth and made a gagging sound.

"Tell your mom you two had a fight and broke up," Margo suggested.

"That won't make her happy."

"I know how hard it is to please a mother," Lea said. "I couldn't satisfy mine for the longest time. Daddy thought everything I did was terrific."

Erin
had heard Lea talk about this in recent years, but she hadn't realised it when they were still in school. "My dad has been dead for several years now, but my parents divorced long before that, so I don't remember much about
my
relationship with him,"
Erin
said. "I think Mom picked on him too and that's what caused him to leave. She's never satisfied."

"Maybe you should talk to Mike. He's a marriage counsellor but he's a psychologist and knows a lot about other kinds of relationships," Lea said.

"Right now, all I need to do is get Mitch to propose, buy me a ring and go to Angel's wedding and meet my family."
Erin
picked up the phone and with the other hand, flipped open a notepad with a list of people to call.

"Is that all?" Margo snorted. "You don't want much, do you?"

Erin
shrugged and dialled. It wasn't an unlikely scenario over a period of time. It was the time crunch that presented a challenge.

The rest of the day, while she fielded phone calls from clients, made appointments for Margo and Lea and did her usual office work, she thought about ways to make Mitch propose.

The first thing she needed to do was make him weak with desire for her, and after they'd fucked half the night…what? She still couldn't figure out a way to get the guy to pop the question. Bringing up the subject of Angel's wedding might inspire him and if not, as a last resort, she'd have to hint. Strongly.

* * *

A few hours later,
Erin
, selecting her clothes carefully, dressed for seduction. First, she donned a red push-up bra with a deep V to show her breasts jauntily peeking over the top. The cups were sheer with black satin heart appliqués hiding the push-up pads. A thong with a black heart strategically placed came next, and then she donned a black lace garter belt. Her stockings were fine mesh with lace at the top and she fastened them carefully. Posing before the mirror, she appraised her appearance and nodded in satisfaction.

She dabbed perfume in spots where the heat of her body would enhance the aroma, being careful not to put it where Mitch would put his mouth. But close enough to make him heady.

Stepping into high-heeled black pumps, she looked at herself again and smiled.
I could be a calendar girl if they made calendars with women my age.

Her black dress followed the lines of her body. Her breasts showed just enough to tantalise Mitch and the skirt was the right length to show plenty of leg. She brushed her shoulder-length hair until it shone. She leaned forward and then threw her head back to make her dark brown tresses look fuller and more casual.

The doorbell rang just as she finished putting on silver hoop earrings and a silver chain necklace.

"Man," Mitch exclaimed when she opened the door. He whistled and said it again. "Man. I mean 'woman'. You look burning hot. Maybe I should just come in and forget dinner."

"Oh, no you don't. I'm not letting you out of an invitation that easily,"
Erin
said, smiling at his obvious erection. "Save it for later," she said pointedly. Her eyes on the bulging fly of his pants, she hungered for the feel of his penis inside her, but she'd made elaborate preparations and didn't want to blow her plan.

The drive to Club Rendezvous was a short one and it was a good thing because Mitch's hand on
Erin
's leg made her pussy clench with longing. He roved higher and she knew where he was going but was growing too hot to stop him. When he found the supporter that held her stockings, he drew back like he'd been shocked by electricity. Disappointed that he hadn't at least rubbed her curly mound, she complained. "Be careful. You'll snag my hose."

"Sorry." They'd reached their destination and he sat still a moment. "I think I'm in store for something new. Am I right?"

She laughed, delighted now that he was so thrown by the discovery. Thinking about what was going to happen later would make him yearn for her. "Wait and see."

* * *

Derek, standing behind the bar at Rendezvous, looked up to see a vision of beauty walk through the door. It was her, the woman he'd flirted with the night before. She'd excited him then, but tonight he wanted her. God, she was sexy. The pants she'd worn last evening accented her cute ass but the outfit was otherwise modest. Tonight, she showed a lot of leg and he couldn't help thinking about what lay between those gorgeous gams. Damn, she was with a man but she wouldn't be for long if he could figure a way to move in and push him out. The lucky stiff!