Push & Pull (2 page)

“You enjoyed it,” he whispered,
brushing his cheek against my neck. The bristle of his beard made my skin crawl
with desire but I pushed him away. Before he had a chance to change my mind I
grabbed my jacket and ducked out of the closet. If I moved quickly, I could
still catch Lucca. More bodies had flooded into the already busy restaurant
obstructing my view of the table we once occupied. When I finally broke through
my heart sank. He was gone.

3

I missed my mark. He was right in
front of me, prime for the picking, and for some reason it wasn’t good enough.
I’d never had a guy slip through my grasp in the last five years and Lucca
shouldn’t have been any different. Damn, Liam. If he hadn’t of gotten in the
way this could have been different. It would have been different. My fingers
trembled anxiously on the keys of my telephone as I dialed Jill’s number. I
should offer another pass, mention that he seemed distracted and that maybe he
was pissed she’d blown him off. But as I rationalized the scenario to myself I
realized he was in the best frame of mind. He should have gone for it.

“Hello?” Jill’s voice sounded
confident on the other end, as if she already knew the answer.

“He didn’t go for it,” I sighed. I
hoped my tone conveyed relief instead of the disappointment clouding my
judgment. She let a considerable amount of silence pass before she cleared her
throat.

“Good. I didn’t think he would. Lucca
is a good man. You’ll see.” She didn’t sound convinced and I sure as Hell
wasn’t. “Tell me how it happened.”

Reluctantly, I obliged explaining in
detail how the bar scene ensued. I tried to keep Liam out of the story because
the last thing Jill needed to hear was that I got distracted. Occasionally
she’d interject with something snide about him knowing better and the
conversation shortly became unbearable.

“Look,” I snapped, “If you trusted
him so much why did you ask me to do this in the first place?”

“You needed a challenge,” she said,
her tone cool and ripe with conceit.

“I can make a second pass at him if
you think he’s so pure.”

“Claire. Let sleeping dogs lie.” For
a moment, a hint of uncertainty betrayed her. “We can meet up and talk about
this later. I’m about to go into a meeting.”

“Fine. I have to go anyway. Talk to
you later,” I replied, hanging up the phone before she had another chance to
speak. I was late. Another prospective client had called me that morning to
schedule a chat. Punctuality wasn’t my strongest point, but I rarely missed the
opportunity to help someone.

As I smoothed down my coat and slid
my hands into the pockets something caught my attention. A note. No. A business
card in my right pocket belonging to, none other than, Liam. He must have
slipped it in my pocket the night before. Sly bastard. As much as I hated to
admit it, I quite enjoyed what had transpired in the janitorial closet because
I rarely indulged in
me
time. Well, unless you counted loving of the
battery operated persuasion. He hadn’t turned me down, but Lucca had. In all of
the years of doing this, I’d never planned for failure. What happens when a
mark doesn’t take the bait? It hurts like a bitch and it’s hard to not take it
personally because it is personal. Someone, whether betrothed or not, basically
says, “I don’t want you.” Lucca didn’t want me. He had Jill. I waited for the
happy friend feelings to return and when they didn’t I called and canceled my
appointment.

It never crossed my mind that perhaps
this was a bad idea, that I should stay home, cool off, and call my appointment
tomorrow. Resume life as usual. The previous night kept looping in my mind as I
dialed the number on the business card.

“Liam speaking.” His voice was the
same smooth, arrogant tone I recalled.

“I bet you didn’t expect to hear from
me,” I said, testing the waters to see how many women he’d given this card to.
He probably cast the net wide and even though I was hurting for the attention,
I wasn’t about to be a number.

“Claire,” he replied, without missing
a beat, “I knew you’d call.” The confident smirk emanated through the receiver.
I paused too long and showed him all of my cards. “We should talk in person.
Can you swing by?” No appointment. No plans.

“Sure.”

His apartment building looked like a high
security prison with a sleek, modern design and brilliant onyx gating. He had
sent me a text with the address and gate code. The cynic in me felt he may be a
bit too trusting. Or desperate. Both? Parking was sparse but socially revealing
as I passed row after row of Mercedes Benz, settling on a narrow spot towards
the back of the garage. He was on the forty second floor, the top floor, I soon
realized as I pressed the elevator button.
Great
. What kind of
self-indulgent asshole was I getting involved with now? As the elevator rolled
to the top I began to rethink my decision. It wasn’t too late to turn back.

The elevator opened slowly revealing
a doorway to the first apartment. The only apartment on the whole floor. My
stomach started to turn anxiously as I rapped on the door. Laughter sounded
from inside. Did I have the wrong apartment? Was he not alone? Before I could
double check the address the door opened with Liam standing there in business
casual attire.

“Claire! What took you so long? Did
you get lost?” He smiled, gently taking my hand and guiding me into the foyer.

“I couldn’t choose whether I wanted
to park by a Beamer or a Ferrari,” I teased. A deep chuckle came from behind me
as Liam took my coat but it wasn’t his laugh. He wasn’t alone. Another man
emerged from the kitchen with a beer in hand, dressed similarly to Liam.

“I’m sorry. Did I come at a bad
time?” I asked, standing motionless as I assessed this new stranger. He was
olive complexioned with light, golden hair. His body moved gracefully beneath
the clothes he’d clearly purchased from the big and tall store and he easily
stood at six and a half feet. He had a well-maintained physique and gentleness
to his eyes. Deceptive. I knew he could break me.

“No, this is perfect.
Claire, this is Andrew Lawson. He’s a co-worker of mine and a long time
friend,” Liam said. I extended my hand to which Andrew gave a firm, lingering
shake. “I invited him over to meet you,” Liam continued as he placed his palm
on the small of my back. “I think you two would get along well.”

It was difficult not to
feel awkward as Andrew proceeded to undress me with his eyes and Liam’s hand
moved below my shirt.

“I’m not sure I
follow,” I lied, “Are you trying to set me up with Andrew?” The men shared a
familiar laugh.

“Not quite. Would you
like a drink?” Liam asked as he guided me into the kitchen. Andrew remained in
the foyer.

“Yes. Yes, I would like
a drink. And an explanation,” I spat in a hurried whisper, hoping that Andrew
couldn’t hear me. “What the Hell is going on?” The scotch that he poured
glistened in the sunlight warning me that it was probably too early to drink.
Advice I ignored as I downed the glass in one shot.

“Let me watch,” he said
suddenly with a wanton groan. Slowly, he poured me another glass, extending his
other hand to brush the hair off of my shoulder.

“Watch…what?” I
persisted. At this point my confusion was genuine until I felt another pair of
hands along my waist. Easing up my sides with thumbs curling the length of my
spine while Liam’s fingers traveled down, encircling my breast. Andrew moved
the hair from my neck and brushed his lips along my shoulder. I took another
swig of scotch allowing the alcohol to yank me back to reality.

“No. This is crazy,” I
cried, stepping away from both of them. “I hardly know either of you. What kind
of woman do you take me for?” The words burned me as they left my mouth. What
kind of woman was I? The kind who seduces another woman’s man and hides the
pleasure she gains from it under a business name. That’s what kind. My
conversation with Jill returned to me. Cringing at the thought of Lucca’s
rejection, I took another swig. Maybe I was out of touch. Maybe I was
forgetting it was all a game and I needed to be retaught the rules. Liam and
Andrew continued to stare, unabashed by their plans to have their way with me.
And I couldn’t believe for one second that I was entertaining the proposition
until Andrew unbuttoned his shirt.

“Yes.” The words barely
tumbled out before Liam had me pinned against the refrigerator. His mouth
pressed firmly against mine, parting my lips so he could get a better taste.
Andrew peeled off his shirt and started unbuttoning my jeans. His hand slipped
down past my waist band. Instantly I was wet. This was happening. My mind was
running through every scenario as Andrew’s fingers probed the thin jersey of my
thong. Liam stripped off my shirt and began flicking his tongue across my erect
nipples. I stifled a moan but Andrew caught it just in time to sneak past my
thong and sink a finger inside of me. My body quivered and I bucked my hips
against his hand.

“You like that?” he
groaned in my ear, moving me away from the fridge and bending me over the
island. I nodded ferociously, biting my lip to keep from crying out. The cold
marble counter top made my nipples even harder as Andrew wrapped a hand in my
hair and pushed my face down. He grabbed the crotch of my thong and yanked it
down out of the way.

Another finger slipped
inside of me. Liam had stepped away, almost nude aside from his pants which he
began to unbutton. I hoped he’d be inside of me before this was over. Andrew
jerked my head back, cramming in another finger.

“Oh, fuck,” I cried
out, placing my hands over the edge of the counter.

“Eat her,” Liam said
from across the room, so low I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined it. It was a
command. An incredible warmth spread across my body as Andrew buried his face
between my thighs. His tongue rolled leisurely over my clit before flicking it
back and forth and his fingers continued to jam in and out of me. I tilted my
hips upward, hungrily meeting each thrust, soaking in the sensation. A primal
urge took over me.

“Fuck me,” I gasped. I
felt him smirk in between licks. He pulled his head back allowing a rush of
cold air to fill the space.

“I’m sorry. What was
that?” He called, withdrawing his fingers from me.

“Oh, no…please. Please,
fuck me.” I peeked over my shoulder to see him rising to his feet. While he
removed his pants I looked back at Liam who was stroking his erection now. He
looked bigger each time his hand ran the length of his shaft. A sudden sharp
smack on my ass brought me back to Andrew. His cock hovered eagerly near my wet
folds. He’d done an incredible job prepping me for what he was about to do and
I ached with anticipation.

“Should I?” Andrew
asked, pressing his fingers into my mouth. He hadn’t intended for me to answer,
only to have me taste the blissful havoc he had wreaked on my body. His fingers
were practically drenched with my bittersweet juices.

“Turn her around. Let
me see her pussy,” Liam demanded. Andrew obliged as he wrapped his hand back in
my hair and forcefully pivoted me from the island. Within seconds, I was bent
over in front of Liam like a little rag doll. The ridges of his fingertips
scrolled carefully over the curve of my ass. My body erupted into chills. Liam
trailed up the inside of my thighs, probing a finger into my depths, before
withdrawing to have a taste.

“She tastes ready,” he
concluded with a strange laugh. His charismatic nature was practically gone,
replaced by an authoritative tone. Is this what he did for a living? Find
willing women and watch them fuck his friends? We were more alike than I
thought. Andrew reduced me to my knees, propping me carefully on all fours as
he stroked the length of my spine. His hands stopped securely on my hips,
squaring me for entry. I wanted to order him to split me open, to fill me with
every last drop, but I wasn’t in charge now. Liam was. And his eyes were locked
on mine, calculating my every move.

“Finish her,” Liam moaned,
still stroking himself as Andrew slid inside of me. The sensation left me
breathless. Every inch rippled through me slowly, filling the emptiness within
until his balls pressed against my hard bud. The tip of his shaft edged the
back of me, sending me into a frenzy. I cried out but Andrew held me still. His
hips rocked dutifully while he eased his grip on my hips and slipped a hand
down between my legs. His index finger nuzzled against my clit as he pumped in
and out of me. I bit my lip to keep from moaning uncontrollably.

“Smack her ass!” Liam
barked, giving my left cheek a stern slap. Andrew followed suit and popped me
hard causing my nether region to gush.

“Does that turn you
on?” Andrew panted in my ear as he thrusted in and out of me. “Do you like being
spanked like a naughty slut?” I bit my lip again causing another hard smack.

“Yes! Yes! Fucking
spank me,” I cried out, tilting my hips anxiously back into his. The thrusting
became subsequently harder and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. His hands
twisted in my hair as he arched my back, pounding me. I writhed with pleasure
on the cold tile floor practically begging for more. He commanded my body with
each touch and I didn’t think I could hold out much longer. I could feel my
g-spot tingle as the tip of his cock ground mercilessly on it and I cried out
his name.