Cheaters Anonymous (7 page)

“Time has done you well, Julia.”

I felt my brows narrow. His eyes were familiar and so were his cheekbones – but definitely not the nose.

“Bradley Watson. From high school? Come on, I’m not that forgettable, am I?” He leaned his head in closer, and I let out a shaky breath. Okay, at least it wasn’t someone I had screwed in a hidden corner of a restaurant. Yet his presence didn’t ease the tension in my shoulders. Brad had tried to take advantage of me at his own birthday party our last year of high school. And that would explain the different nose – Scar had punched him and broke it. For the rest of the school year, Brad ended up wearing a ton of bandages while it healed, making the star football player an easy hit for piglet jokes.

“Right – Bradley.” I moved a little further away when his arm brushed mine. Was this a friendly visit? His confident body movements and a slight smirk kept me on the edge and put my instinct to stay on red alert.

“I don’t work here, if you’re curious.”

I wasn’t.
Not too sure what to say, I kept my lips on the straw of my drink.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

I pulled my lips away, lifting the glass. “I already have one.”

“Oh, come on. Let me buy you one and we can call it a truce. What have you been up to?”

Scar, where are you?

I wasn’t one to lose my cool around men, even during the past year of recovery. But something about Brad kept my guard up as strong as the Great Wall of China. He appeared to be fucking every inch of my bare skin with his gaze, and I adjusted my small black dress, dragging it lower to my thighs. But that only caused more of my cleavage to show and for his eyes to rest on my boobs. While Brad was a good-looking man, his entire demeanor was totally off. And I didn’t like it. Maybe if I agreed to a quick drink, he’d leave sooner? Hopefully before Scar got here and broke his nose all over again.

“I’ll have another round of a bloody Caesar.”

“So, what’s up Doc?”

“How did you know I’m a doctor?”
Has he been stalking me?

“I don’t. It was just a figure of speech.”

Oh.

“But good for you. I guess Kirk was wrong about you being nothing more than a whore.”

“Okay, I think you’d better leave.” At this point I was praying that Scar would return – and then I’d contact every doctor I knew not to fix Brad’s newly broken nose. Unfortunately, I was sitting against the wall and Brad was blocking my exit.

“I’m just kidding. Don’t get your panties all twisted. Please, let me make this up to you. I can be a gentleman.”

I highly doubt that.

The last thing I wanted was to make a scene at Scar’s nightclub. The way I saw it, I had two choices. One, to give him a chance, have my drink, and hope he’d leave me alone. Or two, to stand up and leave the strip club. I didn’t want to do either one, but at this point I was praying that Scar would return in a few minutes.

“You know, I’m here with Scar.”

“Scar Wagner?” Disgust covered Brad’s face, and I couldn’t help but gloat on the inside. Yet there was something else that crossed his face, and I couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Yeah, the guy who broke your nose.”

“Yes, I know who Scar fucking Wagner is. I got a free nose job because of him. Looks better, doesn’t it?” He grinned.

Arrogance had no bounds for men like Brad, but I couldn’t argue with what he’d said. The new nose did compliment his face.

“Look, I’m sorry. I can come off as a jerk when I get nervous around beautiful women. Please forgive me. I was a stupid kid back then, and I’m sorry about what I tried to pull that night. I appreciate you guys not going to the police on me.”

Was he actually apologizing? “It was a long time ago. In fact, I haven’t thought about that night since.”

“Ouch. Well deserved. I understand. Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad I ran into you, because I’ve been wanting to apologize for a long time.”

Wow, maybe he had changed. Though if I were to bet, Brad was playing some game I wasn’t aware of. He appeared way too comfortable. What did he really want?

“Are you and Scar together?” he asked

“No, just friends.”

“Interesting. I’m engaged, if that eases your worry.”

It sort of did and didn’t.

“Congratulations. Where’s your fiancée?” I asked.

“By the bar. Which means I should get back to her. I just wanted to say hello, Julia. No harm done. I hope you enjoy your drink.”

“If you didn’t slip any HCB in it, I will.”

“Touché.” He brought his hand to his chest, pretending to be hurt. “It was nice seeing you again, Julia.”

I wished I could say the same. As soon as he left the table, I leaned back and let out a breath of relief.
That
had been the weirdest conversation I’d had in a long time. I contemplated whether I should tell Scar about Brad’s sudden visit, but I didn’t want our night to be ruined. Brad was lucky he’d left before Scar returned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing. Everything’s fine.”

I didn’t want to worry him about a guy from the past we both hated. “Is everything okay? You didn’t look too happy about that call.”

“Yes, I’m sorry I took so long. Some douche misplaced liquor bottles during inventory. It’s the beauty of running your own business. Hopefully, one day I won’t have to spend my weekends here, but I doubt it.”

“Do you not like working here?”

“I love it. But the girls get to me sometimes, and I feel like a piece of bloody meat in the middle of an Amazon river full of hungry piranhas.”

“Are you surprised? I mean, look at you. You’re all buffed and hard as stone.”

And oh, so kissable!
I definitely would love to be the piranha that got the first dibs on his meat.

Oh, my! What am I thinking? If we’re going to try this friend thing, I can’t have thoughts like these around him.

“Was that a compliment?” he asked.

I felt my cheeks heat, saying, “Yes, it was.”

“You’re thinking something else, Jules. What is it?”

Could he see through me that easily? And was that drool I felt in the corners of my mouth? “You do realize how good you look? Don’t you? I mean, can you really blame all the women?”

“And have you looked in the mirror recently? The soft skin that turns pinkish when you’re embarrassed. Your gorgeous eyes glimmer with kindness, and you have a body to die for. You’re irresistible, Jules. Someday you’re going to make one man happy.”

“I doubt that will happen, but thank you.” I looked up and around the club. “This place is really beginning to fill.”

“Which brings me to my other bad news.”

Had he seen Brad too?

“One of the bartenders got sick, and I have to jump in behind the bar for the rest of the night.”

“It’s a shame it wasn’t one of the dancers,” I joked.

“I can always accommodate a private dance for you, Jules.”

I would definitely keep that one in my back pocket. Thinking about Scar maneuvering his slick body against the pole, I imagined him as the star of Magic Mike. I pictured tight boxers hugging his generous curves while he rubbed himself against the metal, slid down, and began grinding on the floor. I just wished I could be there with him.

“Whatever you’re thinking, my answer is yes.” He startled me. It appeared that Scar had been watching my face with intent as I lost myself to my thoughts.

The line by the bar extended by a handful of people. “You better get going, Scar. Don’t worry about me. I had a long day anyways, and I’m trying to switch to day shifts, so I think I’ll call it a night.”

“Let me walk you back to your car, then.”

“Thank you.”

As I got up from the table, my purse dropped to the floor, spilling out its contents. Scar crouched to help me gather my makeup and business cards, but when he held the little pink flashlight-like contraption, I froze. There it was: my pocket rocket in Scar’s hands.

“What’s this?” he asked, pressing the little button. The vibrator buzzed and my cheeks heated. Nope – my entire body heated and hummed with longing at the familiar sound. As recognition set in on Scar’s face, and I flushed with embarrassment.

“Better keep this one in a zipped pocket, Jules,” he winked.

“Ahm, thank you.” I got up and found myself in his arms. He tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear, leaned in, and whispered. “Does it take you long to come using it?”

What?
My entire body responded to his words as if he were asking it to show him.

“Too personal. Why are you asking me that?”

“I want to know whether my fingers have worthy competition.”

Nothing could compare to Scar’s fingers, not even the best vibrator in the world. Of course I couldn’t tell him that. “I love that you’re the same old Scar I knew back home.”

“There’s a small difference though, Jules.”

Why did I feel like I was falling into a trap asking my next question? “What is it?”

“I’m much more experienced.”

Drip, drip.
That was probably the repetitive echo in my panties.

Scar took my hand and walked me out to the parking lot. A warm gust of summer air carried the smell of ripened fruit. Or maybe it was just my imagination?

I leaned back against my car. Memories of being that girl who enjoyed one-night stands rushed back. The night always ended with me riding the high of an orgasm without having shades of promiscuity cover my cheeks the next morning. My muscles tensed and a flicker of excitement tickled between my legs, turning into beautiful pulsing. I fought everything inside me not to throw my arms around Scar’s neck and lift my leg over his hip so that he could take me. But that was the old me – the sick me that wanted to ease the pain and forget that I would spend the rest of my life on my own. I’d learned to accept it as truth. Besides, I didn’t want a one-night stand with Scar. I needed much more from him, and for much longer. And if we were to cross that friendship line, I was afraid he would disappear from my life.

I leaned in and kissed him on his cheek. Scar grasped my wrist and lifted my hand to his lips, hovering them over my skin in a ticklish way before kissing it.

“Hold on there, you sexy thing. Why do you not lock your car, Jules?”

“Nobody wants my beat up old junk.” I shrugged, and saw him lean his head to the side.

“And why do you have an old car?”

“No time for a new one.”

He simply shook his head in disapproval. Yes, I could afford a new car, but I had no time or will to shop for one. My back was pressed against the cold metal, and Scar was close enough that I could feel his erection against my belly. Or was it an erection? Actually, I was pretty sure that his regular size was that big. My every muscle begged for a release. It had been a while since I’d found relief. The biggest problem for me was that at times like these, my body didn’t care who would satisfy the ache. Over the past two years I’d been able to control the need, but tonight, after seeing Scar and sitting in a room full of half-naked men and women, where everyone’s agenda was to get laid, raised the euphoria in my veins. My arousal had been building up since the moment I’d stepped into the strip club. The throb between my legs pulsed in a rhythm as Scar’s hand slipped down my curves and onto my thigh and back up. I could smell my excitement in the air, but also saw hesitation in his eyes. It wouldn’t take long – a few strokes and I’d be done. I wanted to grasp his hand and guide him to my inner thigh and soaking panties. I imagined his fingers dragging along my skin. He’d finally reached my apex, push the fabric aside, and I’d let him slide his fingers inside me.

“You’re panting, Jules.”

I am?

“I want to touch you so badly it hurts. But if I do, we’ll cross that line we promised not to.”

I nodded, yet my mind was still lost to the feel of his body touching mine.

“Please know that I’m not complaining, but unless you want me to take you right over this hood, I really need you to stop grinding against my cock.”

Oh, my God! Am I really doing that?
My hands shook and legs felt like jelly, and I didn’t even want to think about how swollen my clit was. What the hell had just happened? How could I have slipped?

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. If there’s one person I enjoy like this, it’s you. I just don’t want you to have any regrets when you wake up tomorrow morning.”

I was pretty sure that the only regret I’d have would be not feeling his thick cock inside me. Scar took my hand and walked me to the driver’s side. Where did he get all that control from?

“I’ll see you soon. I promise.” He leaned in and kissed me on my cheek. The heat spread from there outward. This night was everything I imagined it to be. Well, except the part where Scar was actually pounding into me.

I turned on the ignition. Feeling the car’s engine vibrate my seat didn’t help my cause. I waved to Scar, who waited until I left the parking lot.

My phone buzzed soon after. I pulled to the side of the road and leaned my head back against the head rest to check my messages.

Scar:
I already miss you.

Julia:
How did you get my number?

Scar:
Don’t you know my fingers do magic? Good night Jules.

Yes, they certainly do.

Julia:
Good night.

After what had happened tonight, after what I’d let happen tonight, I knew that I wasn’t as well as I had hoped. Thinking about Scar as more than a friend was wrong.
Then why does it feel so right?
My insides twisted at the realization that I might have just thrown the last two years of progress down the drain. Agreeing to keep in touch with Scar was definitely a bad idea. Around him, my strength evaporated, and my will was squished like a little bug by a giant. I was afraid that I wasn’t strong enough to not give in. And if I did, everything would be ruined. Our friendship would crumble before we even got a chance to reconnect.

I showered that night, lathering every inch of my skin, my fingers finally finding that one spot that took the ache away. Massaging the pocket rocket over my clit, I remembered how only hours ago Scar had held my toy in his hands. When I climaxed, nothing else mattered. It was only me and the beautiful hum of water. The pleasure spread through me in bursts and spasms that took me into a world where I didn’t have to care about a soul. A world where my mistakes didn’t exist, and where men like Scar were not only forbidden but also extinct. There was nothing worse than having a man like Scar within reach and not being able to do anything about it.