London Falling (4 page)

I smiled to myself. This was going to be so much fun. The man needed excitement in his life and I was just the right woman to give it to him. He had no idea what he was in for but he’d love every minute of it, once I got past his reserved nature.

“I asked if you were hungry.” Dylan smiled wide when he found me sitting on the bed in his guestroom.

“Sorry, you caught me daydreaming. Yes, famished. What did you have in mind?” I stood up and took one last glance at the journal I’d been reading when the memory overcame me. No more thoughts of James today. Time to have a little fun.

“Oh, I’m open. You’re the guest.” His gaze skimmed my body so quickly I almost didn’t notice it. His breathing became labored. Every so often he’d take a deep breath. Desire filled the room like a hazy smoke around him. He wanted me. It was a heady feeling knowing a man wanted to mate with you.

I tilted my head to the side and gauged his vibe. Telltale waves of his desire prickled the hair on the back of my neck. Oh, it was going to be fun getting him to loosen up. Besides, best way to get over a man was to get under another. At least that’s what I kept telling myself. When I was with a man, feeling his pleasure, receiving my own…I wasn’t alone anymore.

“What if I told you that I was hungry, but not for food?” My hands found their way to the tie at my neck holding up my halter dress. I pulled the string and let the fabric fall, exposing my bare breasts. I slid my hands over each globe massaging and tweaking the nipples to elongate and darken them. His eyes filled with heat and need.

He groaned. “Uh, uh, shit!”

The inability to form actual words versus caveman-speak was a good sign. He was interested. And I deserved a little slice of relief and distraction. The man wasn’t gorgeous but he was very good looking. Tall, handsome and he had a great big heart. I’d enjoy his body, help him find his way, fix his disastrous home and be gone in four weeks.

His green eyes sparkled when I shimmied out of my dress, leaving only a wisp of lace covering my lady parts. “How about this? Let’s satisfy one hunger and then I’ll let you buy me a fat bowl of pasta! Whaddya say?”

His head moved up and down as he licked his lips. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Well, believe it buddy. It’s time you had some fun.” I climbed on the bed and lay down. “Come here big guy; show me what you’ve got.”

After we’d sated one hunger, he took me to a little hole in the wall, mom and pop Italian restaurant. The food was served ’family style’ which I appreciated, not ever having family style dinners at the Bright-Reynolds home. Mom and Dad were not the type to sit around a table and share a meal. They had servers and perfectly polite dinner conversations each night as if it was pre-planned and read from ’The Guide to High Society Eating.’

My sister Aspen and I railed against the debutante lifestyle. My brother Rio, on the other hand, was the perfect little rich boy snob, making my Mother’s crusty heart swell with pride.

Out of all of us, Aspen was the impressive one. She was worth billions but currently was on the outs with Mommy Dearest due to her choice to live out of wedlock with a country boy from Texas. I didn’t blame her. Hank was hot and loved her enough to move to New York to be with her.

Thinking of Aspen reminded me how much I missed my sister. I hadn’t seen her in weeks. She’d had a falling out with Hank then reconciled a couple months ago. I felt bad for not having reached out to her sooner. I’m sure Hank and work was keeping her very busy. An uncomfortable feeling crept up my spine reminding me to reach out to her later this evening.

“So, do you always do what you, uh, did?” Dylan pulled me from my thoughts. He seemed nervous, which was funny seeing as we’d just licked and kissed every surface of one another’s body less than an hour ago.

“Do what? Sleep with my clients?”

He looked down at his bowl of spaghetti. His face turned beet red. “Yeah.”

I laughed long and hard. “No. Not all of them. I have many clients. I’ve had sex with a few over the years. If I’m interested, they’re unattached, and it feels right, then sure. Why not? I’m pretty sure you had a good time.” My lips twitched, remembering how his body arched and tightened with release.

“Fuck, yeah!” He half-yelled.

I smiled. He was already losing some of that reserve. Profanity was only the tip of the iceberg.

“I just didn’t know how this works,” he continued.

“Well, let me explain it to you. I spend the next twenty six days living with you. I follow you around, figure out your likes and dislikes, in the home and in your life. It helps me design a space that will provide you with what you need to add more value to your inner being. Today, you needed to get laid and I wanted to get laid. That was a bonus.” I shot him a wink and he grinned. “There’s really nothing more complicated than that.” I took a big swallow of my water and waited for him to respond.

“So does this mean we’re dating?”

Oh no. Not a good sign. The last thing I needed was another stray following me around like a long lost puppy dog. It reminded me of the Andrew debacle all over again. Mentally I added a reminder to make sure that restraining order was still in place. He hadn’t cropped up in the last couple months so maybe he’d finally gotten the hint that he was going to go to jail if he kept up the stalking.

“No. Absolutely not. I do not date. Relationships are not an option.”

Dylan looked away and winced.

“Dylan, it’s not you. I plan on fully enjoying our time together but you cannot get attached to me romantically. Do you understand?”

“Not really. But I did have a really good time.” He smiled presenting even white teeth. He was getting more handsome by the moment. I would definitely enjoy breaking him out of his shell.

“I did, too. And if we’re going to continue to have good times like this afternoon, I have to know you understand there are no strings attached. Once our month is up, I will leave and hopefully we can continue to be friends.”

“So, you’re offering a month of guilt free sex and a redesigned home?”

“Exactly. Now you’re getting it.” I was proud of my ingénue. When I was through with him he will have matured, have a better understanding of what he needs to move forward in finding his heart’s desire. On top of that he’d have a lovely renovated condo to come home to. “Just remember, what we have is casual. You’re free to date and be intimate with whomever you want. As am I. We’re not in a committed relationship. We’re just friends…with benefits.” His brows crinkled and then a slow grin slipped over his lips. “Understood?” I had to clarify with him. I might enjoy men but I didn’t want to lead him on. Besides, a sexy Englishman’s sculpted face kept coming to mind, reminding me of new possibilities.

“Clear as day. I’m in baby. Let’s finish up; I’m ready for another bout with my newest guilty pleasure.”

“Now you’re talking!” The waiter came at just that moment. We both said, “Check please!” and laughed all the way back to his apartment. We spent the rest of the night screwing until dawn.

After the first week, I called to check in with Tripp. He answered on the fourth ring, completely out of breath.

“Hello handsome. Did you take up running in your spare time?” I asked knowing full well what he must be doing.

I could almost hear his grin through the phone. “Yeah and I’m enjoying a tall, blond, drink of water as we speak. What’s up? Kind of in the middle of something.”

“Just checking in with my best man. Anything to report on the home front?”

“Mmmm that’s…fuck yeah…right there…” He groaned into the telephone.

“Tripp! Push the blond off your cock and talk to me.”

“You’re killing me, Bridge. Hey, Baby, you gotta hold on. I need to talk to...” A rustling sound could be heard then, “Oh, fuck baby…” He started again. I decided it was easier to wait it out. “Uh…oh yeah, fuck right there, uh, uh…” A constant strand of moaning, then, “Yeah, suck it all down like a good girl.”

Holy hell, I was getting horny just listening to my best friend get off. Looked like I’d be jumping Dylan when he got home from work. I waited a couple more moments for Tripp to get his crap together.

“Tripp, you done now, Casanova?”

“Wow, uh yeah. Damn. I might have to keep this one, Bridge. She sucks dick like a Hoover.” He laughed.

I rolled my eyes. “Man-whore.”

“Takes one to know one!” he shot back. He had a point. I definitely enjoyed myself.

“Alright, enough sparring. Anything going on?”

“The dry cleaning service picked up your clothes and unmentionables. Aspen and Hank are officially engaged. Your bills are paid up for the month. Oh, and James Bond called.”

Too many thoughts scrambled for attention at once. “Pen’s getting married!” I screeched. “I knew it!” Those two didn’t stand a chance away from one another. My freak-o-meter called that connection immediately. “Oh, that’s fantastic. Did she say when? I’m hoping for next September.” New York was lovely in the fall. “Hey, wait a minute, how did you find out before me?” A sense of sadness swept across my heart squashing the excitement. I shouldn’t have waited so long to call Aspen.

“Ollie. He was bursting at the seams and couldn’t keep a secret. Aspen was yelling at him in the background as he spilled the beans.” Tripp laughed. “Anyway, according to Ollie it’s going to be fast, as in right between now and your next client. About five weeks. I wrote it on your schedule. It’s the week before the Walker design.”

My brain stopped functioning for a second. “I’m sorry. Did you say five weeks or five months? Hell, both are too damned soon. What’s the rush?”

“I don’t know. She said Hank was adamant and they were getting married at his ranch in Texas, second week in November. She’s flying all of us in her jet.”

“Wow, I’ll have to call her. Find out what the hell is going on. I mean, I’m happy for her. She found her soul mate.” I had found mine too…then he was gone.

Shifting gears was necessary. “So what about James Bond?”

“Surprised you didn’t clue into that first.” He chuckled. I love hearing my guy laugh. “He called and was all thinking we were a couple. Tried to apologize with that sexy assed accent of his.”

“Did you set him straight?” My voice was clipped, worried.

“Pretty much. He wants to talk to you. I told him I’d share the message. I’ll text you his number. Are you going to call?”

Was I going to call? It was a damned good question. I’d thought about the man on and off for over a week now. Dreamt about him most nights, which was unusual for me. I didn’t dream often and when I did dream, it was always about James. That’s why I never talked about it. Tripp would think I was backsliding again.

That kiss last week was scorching hot. If that was a precursor to what he could do in the bedroom, we’d light the sheets on fire. I couldn’t say no to that chemistry. Just thinking about him had my blood boiling and my body coiling with tension. Yup, was definitely going to jump Dylan when he got home. Burn off some of this excess energy.

“Earth to Bridge? Hello?” Tripp’s voice cut through the line.

“Sorry. Yeah, I’ll call him. There was something about him that deserves a little investigating.”

“Investigating or sex-tigating?” He was making up words again.

“Stop it,” I teased. “Hey, how about lunch tomorrow? You, me and Pen? Think you could set it up? I’ll be home for the night tomorrow. Client has a business trip to Iowa. Not interested in hanging around while he attends boring meetings surrounded by corn fields.”

“Excellent. I’ll see what Pen’s doing…probably Hank though. That big, manly cowboy is hot.”

I giggled. “You’re right, he is. But I love how he adores her. I can’t believe they’re getting married. Anyway, find out and text me. Maybe we can eat at ’The Place’ downtown. You know those people go ga-ga over Pen eating there. It’s like they’re feeding royalty.”

“I know and I love it! We get to enjoy their worship of her by default and I’m not too proud beg!” he snickered. “Speaking of begging, the hot blonde’s beckoning me. Bridge, her legs are wide open. Mmm, she’s dripping wet…“

The door slid open behind me and Dylan walked in carrying two bags of Chinese. “Dinner?” he called.

“Gotta go handsome. I love you.” Saved by the boy!

“More than anyone,” Tripp said, breathing heavily yet waiting for my reply.

“More than anyone.”

Chapter - 3

“You’re going down, mate!” Nathaniel gritted his teeth and smashed his racket against the bright blue ball.

The ball bounced on the left wall, then the right and back toward us. I held my position, pulled my right arm back, tightened my grip on the wooden handle and smashed the ball with all my might. Tendons strained, muscles flexed and sweat trickled down my neck as my racket made contact with rubber. The satisfying
swak
echoed off the white walls.

Nathaniel ran to the side, his sneakers screeched across the reflective paneled floor leaving a gritty black smudge across its surface. He flew toward the ball, his arm stretched to the max. I held my breath. The ball swooshed past the tip of the racket as his body fell to the floor in a heap of limbs.

Instinct sent me jumping into the air in an ungentlemanly display of victory. Choking back the smack talk I felt bubbling to the surface, I dodged the ball as it bounced back and made my way over to Nathaniel’s limp form.

He had rolled over onto his back. His legs crooked up at ninety degree angles with his arms out in a wide T shape. Nathaniel’s chest heaved awkwardly as he tried to catch his breath.

I leaned over and held out my hand. He opened and closed his eyes a couple times. “Hey brother, you okay?”

“Aside from the deep mortification of losing to my older brother? Yes mate, I am.” He grinned and took my hand. I pulled him up and we did the manly hug, pat thing, reinforcing our connection.

My half-brother and I got along brilliantly. Ever since Dad died and I was forced to live with the Walkers full-time when I was a teenager, we’d been inseparable. We had two little sisters who were married off and making their lives back home. Their husbands seemed nice enough. Both hard working but one had shifty eyes, a true sign he wasn’t the gentleman he claimed to be. He made me uncertain about his intentions with my baby sister. However, sweet Emma always believed the best of all beings. Evan claimed to be a stand-up guy but Nathaniel and I didn’t buy it. I’d check in on my baby sister this weekend, make sure everything was roses and rainbows back home. Ella the second youngest was madly in love with her husband Ethan and had just had her first child six months prior. The fact that they all had ’E’ names was endless entertainment for Nathaniel and me.