An Illicit Pursuit (5 page)

“Give me a minute. I have to finish cooking.”
I hurry to strain the water out of the noodles, place them in a
baking pan, and spread the cheese sauce over them before shoving
the pan into the oven.

Once I’m ready, Zach scoops me up and takes
me to the bedroom. I spot a Victoria’s Secret bag on the bed. He
puts me down in front of the bed and gestures toward the bag. “I
bought you a little something.”

I open the bag to find a silk, cardinal-red
baby doll. I grin, shaking my head, as I pull it out of the
bag.

“Won’t you try it on, baby?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t it for skinny
girls?”

He sits on the bed and crosses his legs yoga
style. “Put it on. I want a fashion show.”

I grab the baby doll and disappear into the
bathroom to put it on. It’s extremely short, barely covering my
buttocks but gathers up my breasts nicely. I look down at my
cleavage and smile at how my boobs look like a huge, separate
entity slightly attached to my body. I take off my panties and walk
out to find Zach lying on the bed.

He jumps down to his feet when he sees me.
“Oh, god, baby. You’re so hot.”

“I don’t know. It’s really for thin
girls.”

“Are you crazy? A thin girl would get lost in
it. A real woman needs to have curves like yours.”

“Yeah, right.”

“You think I’m lying to you. You think this
cock is lying. Look at it.” He pulls down his sweatpants and boxers
and holds his hard-on in his hand, pointing it toward me as a proof
of its stiffness. “Look how hard you make me.”

I can’t help but laugh.

“Come on here, ma sexy lady.” He releases his
cock and pulls me toward him to press it between our bodies, while
giving me an urgent kiss. “It’s a pity you’re gonna have to take
off your present so soon.”

Sliding the straps down, he showers me with
kisses on my neck, my shoulders, and the top of my breasts. I laugh
some more because of the tickles his kisses are giving me. Step by
step, he pushes me backwards, his lips and hands roaming across my
body, until the backs of my knees hit the bed. I fall head down, he
right along with me and settling between my thighs.

“I want to give you everything,” he whispers,
releasing my breasts from the baby doll, and starts sucking one and
kneading the other with his hand. My breath hitches with the
intensity of the moist pressure on my nipples, and I moan, writhing
around. With need, he rubs his erection on my thigh. I lean down,
palm it with a firm grip, and begin rubbing it up and down.

He releases my breast to growl. “Baby, you’re
gonna kill me.” He grinds his erection inside my hand, reaches up,
and crashes his lips onto mine with a rush. I feel him shift,
without breaking our kiss, and hear the sound of the drawer
opening.

Pulling himself up, he tears apart the condom
package and rolls the rubber down his penis. “I love you, sexy
lady. I’ll always love you.” His dilating eyes and the need in his
voice make me squirm with the same need. The need to have him, love
him, to be one with him. He slips his hands under my thighs and
cups my buttocks to lift my hips and slides into me.

I raise my head and grab his neck to catch
his lips while he rocks and pumps into me. I close my eyes to
completely focus on the sensation of the explosion building up
inside me with the friction. I clench my inner muscles around him,
knowing how it drives him over the edge. He moans my name and
continues telling how much he loves me, until he pours his release
into me, pushing me over the edge with him.

Opening my eyes, I notice the tears blurring
my sight, rolling down my temples. I can’t leave Zach. I love him
too much. At that point, I decide I won’t call Adam. He’s done for
me for good.

The next three days, I keep my phone close in
case Adam or the producer from Diamond Records calls. I’m
determined not to take Adam’s call, particularly if Zach is around.
But, my phone remains annoyingly silent throughout the three
days.

On Saturday afternoon, Zach and I make plans
to see a basketball game of his department team against another
department. Zach insists that I should wear the UCLA Bruins t-shirt
he bought for me, because apparently the blue and the yellow bring
out the blonde of my hair and blue of my eyes. His words, not mine.
But, more than that, I think he’s proud of studying there.
Reluctantly, I put it on along with a pair of jeans and a blue cap
to protect my face from the strong sunrays.

We buy ice cream and walk hand in hand at a
leisurely speed to the campus. Rather than cooling down, the
weather seems to get hotter with every passing minute. I take off
the cap because of the sweat, although I’m risking heavy sunburn.
Girls are mostly in tank tops and shorts. Which makes me feel
sweatier inside my jeans. Once we arrive at the recreational
center, I go to the restrooms to freshen up and splash cold water
on my face.

Two girls about double the size of my height,
and most likely half my weight, enter after me, both giggling. One
is blonde and the other brunette. Both are beautiful girls, but I
can’t take my eyes off of the brunette. Long, straight hair, smooth
skin, big boobs, tiny but curvy hips, endless legs. On top of that,
she’s so dry, as if it’s not 104 degrees outside. If she’s a
student at UCLA, she can’t be dumb, either. She could easily be
Miss California. It’s so unfair. I sigh, once I start to compare my
qualities, or lack thereof, with Miss California’s.

She’s got it all; brains and good looks,
while I’m mediocre in every sense. I wouldn’t even be able to get
admitted to the music department here, if what Adam said is correct
about knowledge of Italian and German songs as a requirement. I
wish I had a spare t-shirt with me, because I feel ashamed of
wearing the UCLA t-shirt.

Down and frustrated, I leave the restroom and
go to the basketball court with Zach. We find middle seats in the
middle row. Just matching my mediocrity. Miss California and her
blonde friend make an entrance, turning a lot of heads, including
Zach’s. I roll my eyes and pretend not to notice it. Who am I to
judge, though? I went on a date with another guy. What is checking
out some incredibly beautiful chicks?

As if I didn’t feel enough humiliation, the
two girls sit two rows behind us, still giggling. It must be nice
being them; that’s why they’re constantly giggling. Zach doesn’t
try to steal glances at them again, although I can see how much
effort it’s taking him not to. This must be my punishment for going
on a date with Adam. I avert my attention to the players on the
court. We’ve come to watch a game, right? Not some giggling
girls.

“So, which one is your department’s team?” I
ask.

“The ones in red. I wanted to sign up for the
team, but they are fully booked for the entire semester.”

“You should definitely go back to playing. I
like my guy with muscles.” I bob my eyebrows up and down for an
effect, smiling.

“Look who’s talking?”

“Hey, wasn’t it you who preached about sexy
women with full hips?”

He wraps his arms around me and gives me a
kiss on the cheek. “I’ll start exercising as soon as we get home. I
know a great way to burn calories.”

I elbow his ribs, shaking my head with a mock
anger on my face, and he releases me. The game starts with the
whistle from the referee. More people show up and fill the seats in
front of us. I’m not much of a sports fan. So, after two minutes of
struggling to follow the game, I lean back in my seat and let my
mind wander about my career. If the Diamond Records deal doesn’t go
through, I still have the movie. It may be a crappy one, but I may
get some recognition after it hits the theaters. Its premiere will
be in less than two months, and I’ll appear for the first time on
the red carpet. That’s something, right?

The girls’ giggles get louder, distracting
me. I have several boring minutes ahead of me, so a little
distraction isn’t actually a bad thing. I try and focus on what
they’re talking about.

“Oh, shit, look at that ass! Just makes me
want to fuck him all night long,” one of the girls say with a deep
voice, confusing me about their gender. Casually, I tilt my head
and catch a glimpse of them. The blonde friend covers her mouth
when our eyes meet, as if she’s ashamed. I smile and turn my head
back to the game to find out who they’re talking about. All the
players look good with their tall and athletic bodies. But,
suddenly I spot him and realize whose ass makes the giggling girl
go wild.

Adam.

Shoot. He’s worth each and every word the
girl has said and more. His blue jersey does nothing to hide the
thick muscles framing his beautiful body. His long, wavy hair is
pulled at the back of his head, displaying the handsome features of
his face. He’s so dazzling, so manly, my mouth pops open. Even
though I’m vaguely aware of how strange I must look, I can’t close
my mouth and instead continue staring at him like a cow watching a
police cruiser pass. The heat surging through my body is more
perturbing than the temperature outside. I fan myself with my hand.
Someone in Zach’s department scores and half of the spectators
stand up to clap. At that second, the referee blows his whistle,
announcing halftime.

Adam walks toward the sidelines in front of
the seats along with the other players in his team. My heart pumps
a little faster with each step he takes. Sweat drops are on his
face, on his chest. My eyes roam around his body, drinking in every
inch of him, even his groin. I may not like cussing, but I’m as
dirty as the girls behind me.

“I’m off to the can,” Zach says, startling
me. I tear my eyes away from Adam to check whether Zach has noticed
my ogling. He gives me a peck on the nose and stands to leave. I
stare after him until he disappears, before landing my eyes back on
Adam’s sweaty body. He has his back turned to me and is drying his
face and neck with a towel.

“You don’t need a towel, baby,” one of the
girls behind me says. “I’ll lick everything off of you if you let
me.” The other one bursts into a loud laughter, making several
heads turn, including Adam’s. I freeze at my seat, hoping he won’t
notice me.

He stares a few seconds and gives a slight
nod of recognition to my direction. It must be for the girls, I
tell to myself. Why would he nod to me, let alone take notice of me
when Miss California is around?

Darn. Zach isn’t here. Adam will most likely
think I came here by myself to watch him. I might have, as well, if
I knew how sexy he looked sweaty in those jerseys.

“Let’s go say hi,” Miss California says and I
see them walking down the stairs toward the sidelines from the
corner of my eyes.

I tilt my head down and work on my phone,
pretending to be busy. I’m afraid, no, terrified, of raising my
head and seeing him talking with the girls. What is wrong with me?
I’m in a committed relationship. I shouldn’t care whoever throws
herself at Adam, but my blood is boiling with jealousy. Maybe I
should just go find Zach and convince him to leave. The good old ‘I
don’t feel good’ line will fit perfectly to my situation.

I lean down to collect my purse, and when I
straighten I’m taken by a pair of hazel eyes staring at me. When
did he walk up here? And where are the girls?

“How are you?” he asks and sits on Zach’s
seat.

I take a long while to register his move, his
question. His musky scent hits my nostrils, making my hands go
loose. “I’m great,” I mutter, looking at the exit where Zach left.
He can show up any second.

“You haven’t called.” His eyes are
penetrating my face. Feeling my skin turning the deepest tones of
red, I fist the laces of my bag to keep my hands from trembling.
Has he seriously been waiting for my call? Why doesn’t he hook up
with one of the really gorgeous girls, instead of wasting his time
with me?

“It’s better that way.” I look up at him,
guiltily. He’s every bit as sexy as he looked down on the court,
playing basketball and sweating. I try very hard to keep my jaw
from dropping. Didn’t I ride in the same car with him for an hour
or so? Why is my body acting as if I’m seeing him for the first
time?

“Says who?” He grins, revealing his perfect
teeth.

“Says me; who doesn’t want to be a
cheater.”

“You don’t have to cheat him. We can be
friends.”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you afraid you’ll fall in love with
me?”

I sigh deeply, a smile breaking across my
lips at his bluntness, and I shake my head. “Look, I’m here with my
boyfriend. He’ll be back any second. I don’t want him seeing us
together.”

“Okay. One more thing, then I’ll leave you
alone. My mother’s birthday is tomorrow. The singer we hired for
the party bailed on us at the last minute. My sister tried to find
a replacement but they’re all booked out.”

“You want me to sing at your mother’s
birthday party?”

“Exactly. You’ll get paid for it, and of
course you’ll be there as my guest. It’ll be just my family, not a
big event.”

I bite my lower lip, trying to decide. If it
weren’t a musical gig, it’d almost be like Adam introducing me to
his parents as his special friend. Zach took two years before I
could have dinner at his place. And, his mother broke the plates
and glass I’d used after dinner in front of my eyes. Not a very
hospitable woman, but I digress.

Miss California and her friend are glaring at
me from the sidelines. Who would have thought this turn of the
tables?

“Please, don’t give me the ‘I’ll call you’
crap. I need to know your answer now, so we can decide what to do
about the music.”

Although I’d received a good payment for my
brief appearance in the movie, enough to keep me afloat for a few
months, I just can’t decline another payment. “Okay, I’m
coming.”