Marie Harte - Enjoying the Show

She wore some kind of perfume, nothing floral, but a sensual scent that made him think of sultry nights and slick sheets. He groaned and stepped into the shower, turning the water on cold, his dick still throbbing as he envisioned Hailey from top to bottom.

The first time he’d seen her, he’d fallen in instant lust. She had a centerfold’s body—large breasts, a trim waist, long, long legs and a firm, round ass. And her face…high cheekbones, almond-shaped amber eyes and lush lips he’d imagined time and time again wrapped around his cock.

He groaned and began soaping his body, his arousal almost painful. How was it he’d finally found a woman who interested him, and he’d had to force her into a date? The thought might have been depressing had he not caught her watching him. He smiled, aware she’d been one of his admirers from day one. Hell, that’s why he’d strutted around his apartment while being ogled by a bunch of women in the first place.

It didn’t hurt his ego that most of the women across the way were attractive. The redhead he’d seen enter Hailey’s house that day had been interesting, but not nearly as much as Hailey. A woman who looked that good should have been married, or at least attached to someone. But, from all accounts, Hailey shot down any guy stupid enough to ask her out. For that reason, he’d bided his time, encouraged she’d at least liked the look of him.

But after several months of still no contact, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Confronting her had been difficult, his surprising fear of rejection making him wonder just how the woman had gotten to him so hard, so fast. He didn’t really know much more about her than that she didn’t date, and that she was hot as hell. But something he’d seen tonight in her eyes, a shaky wariness, made him think twice, forced him to slow down when all he’d wanted was to shove her up against the wall and fuck her brains out.

He groaned at the image and finally allowed himself some relief. Grabbing his painfully hard shaft, he began pumping. His large fist clenched tight, and he found his rhythm, easily envisioning Hailey’s hand, then her mouth, wrapped around his cock. Her tongue would slide smoothly across the head, licking at the come gathering at his tip.

She’d suck him deep, stroking, unrelenting with those cherry-red lips as she played him with her seductive tongue.

And she’d be naked, her breasts round and soft and white. Her nipples would be stiff, arousal flushing them pink as she fingered herself, as hungry for his cock as she was for climax. He panted heavily, his hand quickening as he envisioned her crying out, her orgasm intense as she sucked him harder, deeper into her mouth, then fondled his sack with her soft hands…

“Shit,” he rasped and shot hard, his orgasm intense. He closed his eyes as he came, ropy jets of come marking the blue tile. Damn, but if she was half as good as his fantasies, he’d never take another woman in his life.

As he rinsed off and toweled dry, he wondered just what it would take to penetrate the icy wall surrounding Hailey. She had a thing for his body, that he knew. But what the hell did he need to do to get her to open up to him?

He grimaced. He knew he was good in the sack. There he could persuade Hailey to give him a chance. But how to get her there? His poor rapport with the opposite sex not withstanding, he knew he came across as the rough type, less than a gentleman for sure.

But hell, he wasn’t like the twins, his older brothers. Both of them could pass for Romeo, held doors for women, and knew every which way to compliment them. He, however, did his best work with his body. His mouth had a tendency to screw up even the easiest of relationships.

Frowning, he threw on a pair of shorts and grabbed a frozen dinner from the freezer.

After nuking it nearly inedible, he wolfed down the cardboard-tasting meatloaf and gritty potatoes and decided to make it an early night. He’d worked his ass off today, nearly finishing the trim work inside their latest project. Derrick would have a hell of a time criticizing the work he’d accomplished.

Smiling at the thought of finally muting his outspoken brother and business partner, he lay back in bed and folded his hands behind his head. Studying the ceiling, he idly noted a few cracks needing repair around the light fixture as again his thoughts lit on Hailey.

Sighing, he decided to seek help from the sources closest to him, and prayed they’d help him reach the flesh and blood goddess who’d finally fallen right where he wanted her.

“So, I still don’t understand,” Sydney said, swallowing another mouthful of Zinfandel. Sydney, God bless her, liked to indulge. Wine, chocolates, men. It was a wonder the woman didn’t weigh four-hundred pounds and have six kids. But she possessed great genes and had a head when it came to the opposite sex. Unlike Hailey.

“He blackmailed me to go to dinner with him. What’s to understand?”

“Why you didn’t offer to take him to dinner as an apology. He had to blackmail you into it? Honey, something is definitely wrong with you if you need to be forced to date that man.”

Hailey blushed. “I’m not good at men. You know that.”

“You’re not good at believing in yourself,” Sydney began, making Hailey sigh. Not this again. “Your mother didn’t do you justice. Too many men and not enough time for her daughter. Trust me, I’ve been there.” Anger glittered in Sydney’s green eyes. “But that’s another story. Don’t think you can distract me from a date with Mr. Tool.”

“His name is Gage.”

“Gage what?”

“I don’t know.” Hailey frowned and took a sip of wine. A sip, a nibble of a cracker, a forced date with her fantasy man. She sighed. She and Sydney were as different as night and day. “That’s another condition of our date. He won’t press charges, and when we’re done the date, he’ll tell me his last name.”

Sydney hooted and choked on her next swallow. “My bet is Gage has the hots for you, like any other guy with a pulse. And I think it’s telling he didn’t do anything to you in his place. He could have tried something, you know. But instead he’s meeting you at Kincaid’s. That place is awesome.”

“And expensive.”

“Like you can’t afford it,” Sydney snorted. “You don’t spend money on anything else. When’s the last time you bought some new clothes?”

“I just bought some hose yesterday.” Ha. Take that, Sydney.

“With your taste, control tops. Hell, Hailey, you’re verging on old age and you’ve yet to reach thirty. Grab yourself some thigh-highs and a garter belt. Go sexy and grab that fine man before someone else does.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, oh. Before someone like me grabs him,” Sydney challenged, a sparkle in her eyes. “I’ve been in a dry spell lately, and a night with Mr. Tool would definitely ease my frustration.”

Jealousy suddenly overwhelmed her and Hailey blinked, confused at her feelings.

Sure she’d dreamed about Gage for months, but that didn’t make him hers. Sydney and the others had watched him just as long. So what made her feel so possessive? And why did his hungry gaze not turn her off as so many others had?

“Sydney, let me ask you a question.”

“Shoot.”

She took a deep breath. “Do you think I’m an icy, ah, frigid bitch?”

“What? Who the hell called you that? Mr. Tool?”

“No, no. I overheard one of the sales guys at work the other day.” She repeated the conversation. “I’m happy now, with my life I mean. I have a decent job, a great new house, and wonderful friends.” She eyed her friend up and down with a grin. “And you.”

“Funny girl.”

“I’m not lonely, exactly, but—”

“You can’t help wondering what it would be like to have a special man in your life.”

“Does that make me desperate?”

“Hell no. I’m there too.” Sydney flashed her a grin. “And I’m not desperate.

Frustrated, like I said, but I’m choosy. When I find the man worthy of giving up Friday nights with my girlfriends, then I’ll know he’s someone special.” She paused. “I think you should give Mr. Tool, I mean Gage, a shot. We know he’s gorgeous, but he sounds interesting. Now most women would call him a pig for forcing you into a dinner with him. But me, I think it’s flattering.”

“I kind of thought so too, after I thought about it a while. And he could have called the cops.”

“Do you think? After all, would they believe him, or a houseful of attractive, single women?” Sydney grinned. “You have to admire his intelligence, and his craftiness. So you spend one dinner with him. It’s not sex, and it’s not forever. Relax and enjoy yourself.” For once, Hailey thought she heard Sydney mutter.

Glaring at her best friend, she took another sip from her glass.

“Are you going to nurse that thing or what?” Sydney asked, exasperated. “You’re as bad as Amy, nibbling at the pretzels. And speaking of Amy…”

Footsteps sounded outside Faith’s apartment and the doorknob rattled.

“Don’t tell them about Gage and me, okay?” Suddenly, it seemed imperative that her big date with her fantasy man be a secret.

“Fine by me. But I want every juicy detail on Sunday.”

“Deal.”

“Welcome back, ladies,” Sydney said with a mock toast as the door finally opened.

The women poured in with arms full of liquor and snacks. “Don’t worry. Hailey and I spent the past two hours being questioned by the police for being stalkers.”

“What?” Beth squeaked, and Hailey laughed.

“She’s just teasing. Now how about some Sex and the City, girls?”

Everyone began talking and laughing at once, and Hailey settled back into her Friday night routine, doing her level best not to think of the man across the complex.

Saturday morning, sitting in his mother’s spacious kitchen, Gage stared at his brother Dylan with a scowl. Derrick, Dylan’s twin, sat with a cup of coffee halfway to his mouth before he began laughing like a loon.

“You’re telling me to skip dinner and take Hailey back to my place for a quick fuck?

This from Mr. Romance?”

Dylan shrugged. “Sorry, but you asked for my professional opinion.”

“Hell no, I didn’t. I asked for advice from my brother, not Freud’s worst nightmare of a psychiatrist.”

“I resent that.”

“You resemble that,” Derrick murmured. “I’m still not quite sure. Are you gay, straight or bi? And do thoughts of our mother make you long for the professional couch, or for the Oedipal bed?”

Gage chuckled as Dylan glared at Derrick. Good. Now they were attacking each other and leaving him alone.

“I like sex, and I love people. Why do you have to label it, Derrick? Some homophobia going on in what passes for that brain of yours?” Dylan taunted.

“Yeah, I’m homophobic,” Derrick sneered. “Get away, oooh, you’re scaring me.”

“Asshole.”

“Hey, twin schmucks, hello? Remember me? I came for some advice. And if the best you have is bag and tag her, Dylan, I guess I’ll have to listen to Derrick.”

The horror on Dylan’s face was priceless. “Okay, forget I said that. You have a thing for this woman, right?”

Suddenly uncomfortable, Gage shrugged. “I guess.”

Derrick scoffed. “You guess? You’ve been trying to summon up the guts to ask her out for over six months! And you all but stalked her, talking up her friends, her coworkers and her realtor, for God’s sake.”

“How the hell do you know that?”

“I used to date Amanda, and she mentioned you’d been asking about that house on Delcourt.”

“Bullshit. I said hi to Amanda the other day, but I looked up the listing info online.

You’re the one with a thing for Hailey’s friend. That’s right,” he said as Derrick frowned.

“I saw you eyeing her like a piece of candy. And I didn’t want to say anything then, but you had one hell of a boner while staring her way.”

Dylan smirked, and Derrick shoved at Gage’s chair with his foot, making him almost fall over. “So, you two are in quite a tangle, eh? Gage wants the blonde, and you the redhead. But at least Gage knows his heart’s desire.”

“‘Heart’s desire?’ Who the hell talks like that?” Gage shook his head.

“Men who get lucky, that’s who. Instead of acting like a coarse laborer who doesn’t know his left from his right—”

“Which he is,” Derrick muttered.

“—act with some couth and compliment the woman, and on more than her tits and ass.”