More Than One Night (5 page)

Stifling a yawn, she glanced down at her dog. “You may have gotten a full night’s sleep, but I didn’t.” Beth grimaced as she lowered her body to the floor, leaning against the cabinet. Long forgotten muscles protesting.

Rosie scrambled into her lap. “You understand, don’t you, girl?” Beth absently stroked the dog’s soft fur. “I mean, I’m not a bad person or anything. I had a magical night of sex with a man I barely know.” Images of Jake assaulted her again. What had she done?

Broken a six-month dry spell, that’s what. She chuckled. She’d done that all right, with a gorgeous sexy man who’d showed her a side of herself she’d never acknowledged. “It was almost like I was someone else last night.” Her Yorkie whined softly. “Okay, who am I kidding? Jake is sexy as hell and he made me feel sexy and wanted. It was perfect for me. For him?” She shrugged her shoulders. “Probably just a release of sexual frustration.”

Rosie snuggled closer and Beth let out another sigh. Sitting here on the kitchen floor wasn’t going to help her. Keeping Rosie in her arms, she stood and made her way into the bedroom.

She stared at her double bed covered with her favorite faded blue comforter. When she’d woken early this morning in Jake’s arms, she’d panicked. Gently, she slipped from his bed, gathered her clothing, dressed quickly in the living room and left. She couldn’t have handled him waking up and telling her it was time for her to leave.

Was she more like her mother than she thought? No, she refused to believe that, yet a memory surfaced. Her mother’s high-pitched voice insisted Beth hurry up, they had to leave. Now. At six years old, Beth didn’t understand why they had to leave in the dead of night, it was cold outside and she wanted her warm bed. But her mother had snapped at her to shut up and come along, it was time for them to leave. Later, Beth understood. Her mother had been upset because her lover had kicked them out.

Beth pushed the memory away. Leaving Jake was different. They weren’t in a relationship. They were two people who needed a bit of sexual release. Curling up on her bed, Rosie settled down next to her.

Sleep. Everything would look better after she rested. The second she closed her eyes, her mind was assaulted by images of her and Jake, the way their limbs tangled together and how well they fit together.

Even now she could feel his palms caressing her skin, teasing her into a frenzy. She shifted on the mattress. Then there was his lips, they found erogenous zones she never even knew about. And when he had pinned her hands above her head and told her not to move, her pussy had tightened with anticipation.

A groan left her mouth and she turned over. What possessed her to think she could handle a single night of hot sex? She knew better. She’d only had three relationships in her life, but none of those had rocked her to the core. Losing her virginity at seventeen in high school had been no big deal. There was a three year relationship with a bass player that saw a natural death due to indifference.

And then there was Don. She sighed. She’d wasted two years with that loser. Two years she couldn’t get back. Don couldn’t handle Beth’s devotion to her mother. He didn’t understand how she could stand the woman who went from lover to lover, he didn’t understand that her mother had always made sure Beth had what she needed, even if it meant going without for herself. Beth couldn’t turn her back on her mother in her time of need.

Sitting up, she rearranged the pillow, then flopped back down, pushing thoughts of Don and her mother away, only to have thoughts of Jake invade her mind again.

Beth licked her lips, swearing she could still taste Jake’s salty skin. Her fingers flexed acknowledging of the strength of his muscle that played beneath them as he made love to her. And then there was the way his tongue traced the beads of water from her skin when they were in the shower.

Damn, this wasn’t good. She wasn’t cut out for a one-night stand, not at all. It made her vulnerable, left her emotions exposed. Kicking the covers off because she was too hot, Beth rose to her feet.

A cold shower should cool her overactive imagination. Except it wasn’t imagination, it had really happened. She had to stop thinking about Jake. Once inside her bathroom, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the small shower stall.

She shivered as the cold water stung her skin, but it was doing the job helping her get rid of the images of Jake and their magical night together.

****

Beth stepped into Calabria’s at four for the evening shift. A smile crept over her lips upon hearing the cook and Pietro, the owner, arguing in the kitchen. Too much garlic. No, not enough. On and on they went, as always. The heat in their voices caused Beth’s smile to widen.

The small restaurant had built its reputation for the best Italian food in all of North Beach and the cook wasn’t about to let Pietro forget who made it that way.

Angelo, one of the waiters and the backup bartender, grinned when she walked behind the bar. “You’re early.”

“I thought you might need a break.” She was the one who needed one, a break from thinking about Jake.

“Hmm.” His brown gaze zeroed in on her.

“What?” She squirmed under his scrutiny.

“I don’t know. There is something different.” He rubbed his chin. “I can’t put my finger on it.”

Praying he didn’t guess the truth, Beth sucked in a deep breath. “Sure you can, it’s called overindulgence, you do it all the time.” There was nothing she could do about her kiss swollen lips and her glowing cheeks, or at least that’s what she had told herself before she left her apartment.

“No, not overindulgence.” His gaze narrowed. “I’ll figure it out, but later.” Angelo disappeared into the back room.

“If you only knew,” she muttered, grateful he hadn’t guessed. Of course, if he did, she’d never hear the end of it. Angelo loved details and was worse than the devil himself when he wanted them.

Beth slipped on her apron and began to hang the wine glasses. A flash of red caught the corner of her eye. Glancing over, she forced back a groan. Carla was here and marching toward her like a woman on a mission. And darn it, there was no place for Beth to hide.

“Hi, birthday girl.”

“Don’t call me that.” Beth wrinkled her nose.

“Why not? Today is your birthday and from the glow on your face I’d say the hunk from last night agreed with you.” Carla slid onto one of the bar stools.

“It’s just the light in here.” First Angelo and now Carla. Beth turned back to her task with the glasses, but her friend didn’t get the hint that she didn’t want to talk.

“So…what did you and the hunk do last night?” asked Carla, leaning forward onto the bar.

Beth grabbed one of the towels and began wiping down the already clean wooden bar.

“Let me see,” Carla started, as she tapped her nail against the wood. “Turtleneck sweater in September, that means you’re either trying to hide a hickey or whisker burns, so which is it?”

Without thinking, Beth tugged at the collar of her sweater, then scrunched her eyes shut. Dead giveaway.

“Oh my goodness.” Carla waved her hand in front of her face in a fanning motion. “I’m not leaving until you tell me everything that went on between you and the hunk.”

“This isn’t the place to talk.” Beth glanced over when Angelo rolled a keg of beer out of the storage room.

“Angelo, would you be a sweetie and watch the bar while Beth and I have a girl talk?” asked Carla in a voice so sweet it made Beth’s teeth hurt.

“Only for you, my Italian beauty.” Angelo kissed the back of Carla’s hand. “But I want to know all the juicy details, later.”

“What makes you think there are any?” Beth threw the towel down next to the sink. These two were not going to leave her alone.

“I’m a man, I know there are.” He gave her a toothy grin.

Beth rolled her eyes and maneuvered out from behind the bar, then crossed the high polished floor to the back door that led to the courtyard.

Outside, she took a deep breath. The sweet scent of roses filled her senses. The back door swung shut with a bang, then Carla took her by the arm and led her over to the wrought iron table and chairs. “Sit and spill.”

Beth sank down onto the chair, squirming until she found a comfortable spot all the while ignoring Carla. Beth loved the courtyard. Since her apartment was above the restaurant, she’d spent many a summer day out in the courtyard reading until it was time to go to work.

With a sigh, she faced her best friend. “I slept with him.”

“What?” The surprised look on Carla’s face almost made her laugh, until her friend, reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “My goodness, Beth. When you let go, you really let go.”

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone, and I mean
anyone.
” Beth squeezed Carla’s hand. “This has to stay between you and me.”

Lord, what a mess she’d made of things. She should have just danced with Jake and bid him a good night. Instead, she’d slept with a man she barely knew and now her emotions were all in a jumble.

“Of course.” Carla’s hand tightened. “I won’t say a word to anyone.”

Beth inhaled, trying to calm her racing heart. “Have you ever been swept away by passion so strong you didn’t know what to do except ride the wave and pray you found the beach?”

Carla grinned and her eyes sparkled. “Oh, yes. My Tony does that to me. All he has to do is glance in my direction and I go up in flames.”

“Well, that’s what happened to me last night with Jake.” A shiver slipped up her spine, as she remembered the way Jake’s mouth loved her early this morning while she held her hands above her head at his orders. She bit her lip. She had to stop thinking about him and last night. Nothing could come of it.

“Jake who?”

“Jake Masters.”

“You slept with Jake Masters?
The
Jake Masters.”

“I think the whole world knows now. Keep your voice down.” Beth waited until Carla nodded, then asked, “What do you mean by
the
Jake Masters?”

“You don’t know who he is, do you?” Mischief danced in Carla’s eyes.

“If I did I wouldn’t be asking.” But already her stomach was turning summersaults. Nothing good would come out of this.

“Jake Masters is the owner of Masters’ Electronics. You know, the place that makes those fancy little hand held units and games with wireless capabilities.”

Beth shook her head. She was lucky enough to figure out her home computer.

“Never mind.” Carla waved her hand. “Anyway, Jake was voted one of the most eligible and richest bachelors in San Francisco. He’s met the president, for goodness sake.”

The more Carla talked, the more Beth’s stomach tumbled around. A bitter aftertaste filled her mouth. What the hell had Jake been doing at Raven’s last night? It wasn’t a rich man’s hangout.

“Damn, how stupid can I get?” Beth muttered almost to herself. She saw his apartment, she knew from everything in it, it meant he had money. But instead of listening to her head, she’d followed her libido and gone wild with a millionaire. Hell, he was probably a billionaire.

“There’s nothing stupid about what you did,” Carla said in a soft voice. “Only reckless if you didn’t use a condom and it wasn’t like the group of us didn’t push you into it.” Carla ducked her head. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Beth tried to smile. “No matter what, it was my decision pure and simple. I could have walked away.” Right, tell yourself you could have left that sexy man on the dance floor without seeing how good a lover he was.

“When do you see Jake again?”

“I don’t” Beth rubbed her cheek. “It’s over.”

“A one-night stand.”

“Yes.” Beth pushed back from the table and stood. The sooner she went to work, the sooner she could push Jake from her mind.

“I wonder what Jake is thinking,” said Carla as they strode toward the building.

“He was probably glad I left this morning before he got up.”

“What?” Carla grabbed her arm, pulling her to a halt. “You mean you left before he woke up.”

“Yes.” Beth frowned. “What is wrong with that?”

“Oh, Beth.” Carla’s head went from side to side. “If there’s one thing I know about men, it’s they don’t like to feel like they’re being used.”

“But it’s okay for them to use us,” she shot back.

“We expect it, men don’t.”

“Too bad.” Beth extracted herself from Carla’s hold, opened the back door and marched inside. Within minutes she was behind the bar. When she glanced up, her friend was at the hostess station and scowling at her, then the door opened and a young couple walked it.

In an instant, a smile spread over Carla’s lips and she welcomed the couple to Calabria’s. Beth admired the way Carla stepped into her hostess mode with little effort.

Picking up a champagne flute, Beth remembered how surprised Jake had been when she’d know what kind of champagne he’d given her. She also remembered how sweet his lips tasted when they kissed. And later how he dipped his fingers in the liquor and traced her nipples with it before slowly licking it off.

The glass started to slip from her fingers, but she caught it before it could make contact with the bar. She had to stop thinking about Jake. It was just one night. And why did she have to keep reminding herself of the fact? Enough! Having hot wild sex with Jake was not going to complicate her life, not if she had anything to say about it.

Putting the flute in its place, she reached for a mug and then the coffee pot. Pouring herself a cup, she sipped the dark brew. Determined to forget about Jake, about his money and the incredible way he’d made lover to her. Even if it killed her.

****

On Monday morning, Jake sat around the large redwood conference table, not paying one iota of attention to what his friend and business associate, Greg, was saying. All Jake could think about was Beth.

The way her nutmeg hair flowed over his pillow, how her legs tightened around his waist as he made love to her. The soft cries when he brought her to climax. The way she obeyed his orders to keep her hands above her head while he licked her pussy. He rubbed his forehead. He didn’t want to be in this meeting or even at work.