Obsession (7 page)

“What about Walt and Denny?” I asked.

Marnie laughed. “I think they’ll be fine without me.”

We exited the bathroom. I glanced around, but didn’t see Peter anywhere. I frowned. “I don’t see him.”

“He’s got to be around somewhere,” Marnie said.

“You know what—let’s just go.”

“What?”

“He’s not here…maybe that’s a sign.”

“But he could be in the rest—”

“I’ve made up my mind.” I wrapped my fingers around Marnie’s forearm and steered her toward the club’s exit. Now that Peter was nowhere to be found, I was taking the chicken’s way out.

“Oh, all right.” Marnie sounded disappointed.

“I thought I was ready, but…” My voice trailed off. But what? Why was I running?

The answer came to me in the next instant. I was running because I was afraid of the intense reaction I was having to Peter. How easily a man who wasn’t my husband turned me on and made me want to get naked.

A man who was a stranger.

When we stepped outside, the air was warm and moist, but far more refreshing than the sweat-filled air in the club. My head swayed a little, reminding me that I’d had too much to drink. Marnie offered me her arm, and we began to walk.

We strolled past the various clubs along City Walk, passing giggling groups of young women in skimpy clothes. Their night was just beginning, while I was headed home.

Sexually frustrated.

“Sophie!”

Marnie stopped abruptly. Her face lit up. “Did you hear that?”

I did, and my stomach jumped. Slowly, I turned, secretly excited that Peter had followed me out.

But when I saw who’d called me, my stomach jumped again—this time from fear.

“Oh, my God,” I muttered, dread rushing through my body. I suddenly got the sense that something terrible was about to happen, the way I had the night everything had gone so horribly wrong with Chad.

The night he’d taken my virginity against my protests.

“What?” Marnie asked.

“That’s not Peter. It’s the guy from the bar. The buff guy who was hitting on me.”

“No big deal,” Marnie said.

“I told him I wasn’t interested,” I said, turning around. “I told him I was married. So why’s he following me out of the bar?”

I didn’t give Marnie a chance to answer, and instead began walking briskly, taking her along with me.

“Maybe he’s a little drunk,” Marnie said. “You know guys with liquid courage. I’m sure he’s harmless.”

“He’s reminding me of Chad.”

“Chad?” Marnie asked, sounding shocked.

“Yes, damn it! Chad.” Every fiber in my being was saying that this guy was trouble. That I’d taken my flirting with him too far and now I was going to pay for it.

“Sophie!” He sounded closer.

I let go of Marnie’s arm and started to run. More of a jog, really, considering my high heels.

“He’s not Chad,” Marnie said. “Don’t freak out.”

Marnie didn’t understand. She hadn’t been raped. I had, and the same instincts I’d ignored that night were telling me to run like hell now.

Suddenly, Teddy was in front of me. I jolted to a stop. Before I could turn, he grabbed me by my upper arms.

“Sophie,” he said, slightly out of breath. “Why the hell you running away?”

“I told you, I’m
married,
” I said, stressing the word as I shrugged out of his touch. “Will you please just leave me alone?”

“I only want to talk to you.”

“What part of ‘leave me alone’ don’t you understand?” Marnie asked. I guess she finally realized this guy was more of a pest than I needed to deal with, even if his plan wasn’t to rape me.

“I’m not talking to you,” Teddy said to Marnie. Then he turned back to me. “I want to get to know you. Maybe take you for a drink. I’ll take things slow.” He bit down on his bottom lip as lust pooled in his eyes. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

I didn’t say anything. I stood, paralyzed, Teddy’s words making me remember the night with Chad. How it had started out as a date with someone I liked, but ended with emotional trauma I wasn’t sure I’d ever lose.

“Go home, buddy,” Marnie told Teddy. “Sleep it off.”

“You’re not really married, are you?” Teddy asked me.

“All right,” Marnie said. “Enough. We’re leaving.” She took hold of my arm and started to move.

But Teddy grabbed my elbow, yanking me backward with so much force that I actually cried out.

“So what the fuck was that in the club?” Teddy demanded, clearly feeling I owed him an explanation. “Were you just being a cock tease? That it? Get a guy hard, then leave him hanging?”

Marnie stepped between us. “Now you’ve crossed a line. Get the fuck out of here, asshole.”

Teddy gave Marnie a shove, knocking her to the ground.

“Marnie!” I screamed, just as Teddy grabbed my arm and yanked me against his hard chest. But just as quickly he let me go, his eyes bulging in surprise a moment before he whipped his head around.

In an instant, I saw why.

Peter.

Peter had grabbed Teddy by the collar and jerked him off me. He glowered at Teddy, asking, “Why are you bothering the lady?”

Even though my heart was pounding, I couldn’t help smiling. And being grateful that Peter had come looking for me.

“Who the hell are you?” Teddy asked.

“The person who will be your nightmare if you touch Sophie again.” Peter rammed both of his hands into Teddy’s chest, and he stumbled backward, nearly falling.

Teddy’s hateful eyes landed on me, then he turned to Peter. “You want her? Fine. A woman like that—she’s nothing but trouble. Fucking cock tease!”

Marnie, fuming, came to stand by my side. Her hands were balled into fists and I suspected she wanted to kick Teddy’s ass for touching her. “Touch me again—no, say another word—and you’ll live to regret it.”

I smiled at her, thankful for her guts. I wished I had half of her bravado.

Peter stared Teddy down, emphasizing Marnie’s threat. Teddy tried to look tough, but I saw a hint of defeat in his dark eyes. Peter was at least six foot two, a good two inches taller than Teddy. Even though Teddy had more weight on him, there was no mistaking the very serious look on Peter’s face that said not to mess with him. Teddy clearly got the message, and began backing up.

But his eyes were on me, menacing. An unspoken threat.

Then the jerk turned around and marched back toward the club.

With Teddy gone, Peter slipped his arms around my waist. I was surprised at how much comfort his touch gave me, considering I’d only met him tonight.

“Who was that guy?” Peter asked.

“Someone I met in the club. I guess he was hoping to take me home.”

“Asshole,” Marnie quipped. “A guy wants you but you don’t want him, he turns into a prick.”

I glanced at my friend, shooting her an appreciative look. Marnie never failed to come to my defense. The night everything had happened with Chad, she’d wanted to rip his eyes out—literally. I hadn’t wanted to tell anyone, but she’d gone to the dean of our university on my behalf, and while Chad hadn’t been arrested, he’d been questioned and reprimanded.

“Peter, this is my best friend, Marnie. I didn’t get to introduce you in the club.”

“Hello,” Marnie and Peter said in unison.

Peter returned his attention to me. He looked a little confused as he said, “You left without me.”

I glanced down, embarrassed.

“Were you planning to come back?” Peter went on.

I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. But I did feel foolish for having run out on him.

Marnie cleared her throat. “Sophie?”

I turned to look at her.

“I’m gonna be going now, okay? Are you coming with me, or…”

Peter’s fingers tightened on my waist, a silent plea. I gazed into his eyes, and knew I was going nowhere but with him.

“Or,” I replied with a smile.

The edges of Marnie’s lips curled. “Call me when you get where you’re going. And Peter, so you know—my boyfriend’s a cop.”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to treat your friend very well.”

Marnie smirked. “I’ll bet.” She mimed putting a phone to her ear and said again, “Call me.”

She started off.

“Wait,” Peter said, and Marnie turned. Peter fished out his wallet and produced thirty dollars. “Here—for a taxi.”

Marnie narrowed her eyes in confusion.

“If you get to your car and realize that you’re not okay to drive, call a taxi.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t drive if I can’t. I’d sleep it off in the car if necessary. And I’ve got cash.”

“Take it,” Peter told her, and pressed the money into her palm. “This way, I won’t feel guilty for taking your friend away from you tonight.”

Marnie shrugged. “All right. But you still have to call me, Sophie.”

“Of course,” Peter and I said at the same time.

As Marnie strolled away, I once again thought of how different Peter was from Andrew. Andrew would never,
ever
give Marnie thirty bucks for a cab.

I liked that Peter wasn’t frugal when it came to his cash.

Peter said, “Looks like it’s just you and me.”

I met his gaze. “It looks that way.”

“So. What do we do now?”

I glanced over my shoulder in the direction of the Hard Rock Hotel, but didn’t mouth my suggestion.

Peter followed my line of sight. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

I licked my bottom lip, stalling for time. Wondering if I would go through with making my fantasy a reality.

Heat radiated from Peter as he stared at me. Excitement warmed every inch of my body. I wondered what it was about this man that made me so hot with a single look.

“I know I want you,” I said.

He trailed the pad of his thumb along my bottom lip. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I answered, my hesitation gone.

I was attracted to this man, and I was going to go for what I wanted, no guilt.

He ran his thumb across my bottom lip again. I wanted to open my mouth and lave my tongue over his thumb, give him an idea of what I would do to his penis later.

“I don’t live far from here,” he said. “My place is comfortable. I’ve got a big bed…. We don’t have to go to a hotel.”

I was trusting this man enough to get naked with him, so it didn’t really matter where we ended up in bed. After a night of hopefully fantastic sex, I’d be on my merry way. Simple as that. Without him knowing where I lived, there’d be no future contact unless
I
wanted to see him again.

I placed my hand on his chest, and could feel his heart beating beneath my palm. “All right, then,” I said. “Take me to your place.”

Smiling, Peter took my hand. It was warm, and a little moist. I wondered if he was nervous, or if he routinely took women home.

Again, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t concerned with commitment—just sex.

And evening the score, as Andrew had so eloquently instructed me to do.

Peter lived in a sprawling apartment complex on Orange Blossom Trail, just down the road from the Florida Mall. With very few exceptions, unless an apartment was on the beach in Florida, it wasn’t a high-rise. Instead, apartment complexes consisted of several low-rise buildings, two to three stories high, with probably four to six units per building.

Though it was dark, I could see that Peter’s apartment complex was very attractive, with lots of bushes and colorful flowers and pristine lawns. The buildings themselves were peach in color with orange or red California shingles. That I’d be better able to see during the day.

Peter pulled into a parking spot in front of a building that had a large number 9 emblazoned at its highest point over the stairwell. He killed the engine, then looked at me.

“Do you have condoms?” I found myself asking.

A slow grin spread on his face. “Yes.”

“I know I should have asked before….” I didn’t finish my statement, figuring there was no point. I was still tipsy from the alcohol I’d consumed, and from this point on, I’d be better off concentrating on extracurricular activities as opposed to talking.

A gentleman, Peter opened my car door for me and offered me his hand to help me get out. It made me think of Andrew, how he didn’t do that for me anymore.

Again, he held my hand and walked with me. I liked that. This building had two levels, and Peter lived on the second one. At the top of the stairs, he went to the first door on the left.

That was when he let go of my hand to go about opening the door. Something made me turn, look over my shoulder.

I saw no one.

What was I concerned about—that someone Andrew knew would bear witness to me going into another man’s home? It wasn’t like I didn’t have my husband’s permission to fuck someone else.

My thoughts fled my brain as Peter enveloped me in his arms and pulled me into his place. He gave the door a shove to close it, then covered my lips with his.

I started, surprised at the sudden action. But a moment later, I melted into the kiss. Peter wasn’t shy, or hesitant. His tongue entered my mouth hungrily and tangled with mine. He kissed me with the kind of passion that said he’d wanted to do that all night long.

Heat spread through my body, and my vagina began to throb.

Peter broke the kiss and took a step backward. The air touched my moist lips, making them feel cool where a moment ago they’d been warm.

“Would you like a drink?” Peter asked me.

“No. I’m fine.” I’d definitely had enough for the night.

“You don’t mind if I have one, do you?”

“Of course not.”

My permission granted, Peter started off for the kitchen. My eyes swept over his place, checking out the abstract paintings on the wall. The place wasn’t what I’d expected. It was very neat, and unlike what I’d expected of a bachelor, he had a sense of style and color. The walls were white, but the leather sofa and armchair were a warm beige. The carpet was cream colored and I couldn’t see even one mark on it.

“You have a nice place,” I commented, Peter out of earshot.

The next instant, he rounded the corner from the kitchen, a Coors Light in hand. My stomach fluttered as I saw him again. He really was attractive. More than attractive—he oozed sex appeal.

He tipped the bottle to his lips and sipped, and for some reason I found myself wondering how his tongue might feel on my pussy…

The thought jarring me, I sat on his sofa. He eased himself down beside me. He took another quick pull of his beer, and before he even moved the tip of the bottle from his mouth, he curled his fingers around my neck and pulled me close.