A Playboy's Love Affair (11 page)

She giggled imagining Alex’s expression. She couldn’t resist teasing him and not without purpose, Carly wanted to know if he at least felt a tiny little something for her. She stared at her screen, anxiously waiting his response. After a few minutes, Carly thought he probably wouldn’t respond, when his instant message bleeped.

A St. Jones:
Darling, the only one you’d ever have out of this world sex with is me. And I’ve been in L.A. all week, so there’s no way you were having sex with your boyfriend.

Huh? What did that last mean? No. No way she’d ask him to clarify that last. No, no. Could it be though? No, definitely not. Alex hadn’t meant anything by it. It was time to direct the conversation elsewhere.

Carly M:
What are you doing right now?

A St. Jones:
I’m half listening to the most boring conference call.

Carly M:
So, you decided to IM me instead? Is this the secret to your success?

A St. Jones:
The secret to my success is my brain. Well, my charms are the golden bow on top. LOL…Sweetheart, I messaged you because I’ve missed you not to get me out of my boredom.

Carly M:
Ooh the Alex St. Jones misses me… If you keep saying that I’ll end up drinking your Kool-Aid. What are you doing tonight?

There was no harm in finding out what his plans were for the night, was there? Carly wished to have the guts to ask him straight out if he’d go as her date to her client’s grand opening, instead of beating around the bush. But she didn’t.

A St. Jones:
This call will go for another hour if not more, and I have another engagement later. U?

Ouch, and that was the reason why Carly hadn’t had the guts to ask him straight out. Another engagement? Curiosity and jealousy ate at her but it wasn’t as if they were in a real relationship and she’d expect him to take her to his engagements.

Carly M:
Same here. I’m meeting a client later tonight. In fact, I’m already running a little behind.

A St. Jones:
Hey, can I see you tomorrow? I’d like to talk to you about something.

He wanted to talk, what about? Carly debated for a moment, but let her heart win over her head, yet again.

Carly M:
Only if you pick me up at 1pm and feed me.

A St. Jones:
You got it. And honey? I’ll more than just feed you. XX

Carly blinked a few times when the chat window beeped as Alex left their conversation. She sprang to her feet and left her office in a flash. The thought of seeing him tomorrow was enough to put her spirits up and get her through the night. Carly headed home to get ready for her evening event, after all Jay would be there too given that he was a close friend of her client. Suddenly her evening had brightened up.

Carly stepped out of her sapphire blue M6 convertible as the Valet guy opened her car door. The black tank dress with a deep V neckline in both front and back had been definitely the right choice for this event. She ran a hand down her long locks tied into a low ponytail. Her lip curled forming a sweet smile as her gaze met Jay’s, who walked up to her and embraced her in a friendly hug.

She allowed Jay to lead her through the double doors past the club bouncers and security, as he guided her through the lounge. Carly always gave her best on all her projects but this one topped them all. This spectacular place was her creation and the new would be hotspot for the rich and famous. The lounge sported leather upholstery and oversized tables, accentuated by the flickering candles suspended from glittering walls. As if that weren’t enough, the main lounge opened up to a lavish garden where drapes and palm trees bordered couches providing their guests with some privacy should they need it. Ah and the bar was everyone’s dream, and all credit was due to her, she’d created this dream.

Carly had been at the club close to two hours, and had had her fair share of strawberry mojitos. Her client wouldn’t stop giving her kudos for the terrific job she’d done. Carly was even more ecstatic that the grand opening by invitation only had been a smashing success. Carly was having a fabulous time and planned to stay for another hour or two even. It was Friday and she could sleep into the hours of the morning the next day. She was in an animated conversation with Jay and other partygoers, when she thought she’d seen Alex’s ghost—except there was no such thing as a ghost. The ghost was Alex in the flesh, who just so happened to have his hand on the lower back of his companion, who was none other than a very well-known super model.

“What the hell?”

Jay glanced at her first then followed the direction of her gaze. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Really, I’m fine,” Carly replied, but inside her blood boiled. Believing in the remote possibility of reforming a playboy had been stupid. Her playboy was at her party with someone who wasn’t her. Ugh, but Carly had seen this coming and decided to ignore it, and now what? She pursed her lips, regaining her composure. Letting jealousy take over wouldn’t lead her anywhere, but still, seeing him there with someone else felt like a flat out betrayal and it hurt. This was absurd; she was pathetic. Carly pulled Jay to the dance floor as the DJ played Right Round by Flo Rida.

****

After taking a quick cold shower Alex had decided to take his motorcycle, an MV Augusta, for a ride to his friend’s nightclub grand opening. He’d thought of asking Carly but then thought against it. He needed to think about his pending conversation with her over lunch the next day as saying the wrong thing could send Carly away.

An hour later, Alex left his bike in the designated area by the club’s entrance and was pleasantly surprised when he came across an old girlfriend. He walked into the stylish lounge with her by his side, the last thing he expected was to find Carly with Jay directly across from him. Carly told him she was meeting a client, had she lied? What was she doing here with Jay?

Although Alex hadn’t been part of the club scene for a short while, there were people who recognized him right away, mostly women. Alex exchanged greetings with all of them, including his friend, the club owner, never once removing his gaze for more than a second from Carly. Fucking Jay. Alex handed his leather jacket to the hostess and made himself comfortable. This would be a long night. What the hell Carly? She better not be playing him or there’d be hell to pay.

Was this what jealousy felt like? Crap. He was damned. Alex took a deep breath pretending to be interested in whatever gossip his companions were eagerly sharing with him. He wasn’t even half listening. Alex didn’t even care. His self-control would give up any time now, his hands balled into fists in an effort to restrain himself from walking across the room and dragging Carly out of there after he punched Jay on the nose.

His self-restraint went out the door the moment he caught a glimpse of Carly in the middle of the dance floor, in a sensual hip-to-hip dance with Jay. “Son of a bitch,” Alex muttered.

“What, sweetie?” the super model purred.

Alex’s blood pressure shot up at the sight of Jay’s hands on Carly’s lower hips bringing her ass back up against him. Carly swirled around and tripped when Alex’s gaze held her in place.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Alex excused himself and strode with intent in the direction of Carly.

“A-Alex.” Carly stood in front of Jay.

Alex pulled her away from Jay without saying a word and landed a blow on Jay’s face. His nose bled on impact.

“Alex!” Carly called.

The crowd took notice of the happenings and closed in around them.

“What’s gotten into you?” Jay touched his nose and examined the blood on his fingertips. Enraged, he flung his fist at Alex.

Alex ducked just in time landing another powerful punch on Jay’s jaw. “She’s off limits!” Alex roared, but Jay wouldn’t go down without a fight. Jay flung himself at him in full charge and Alex’s head hit the ground.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jay settled a blow on Alex’s left eye.

Alex wrestled him. “Stay the hell away from her.” Alex topped him, pinning him down, throwing another hit, but Jay freed one arm intercepting Alex’s blow, trying to push him off of him.

“Alex, stop!” Carly cried. “Jay, please be the bigger man. Stop.”

Strong hands wrapped around Alex’s upper body as two club bouncers pulled him off of Jay. Alex raised his hands letting the bouncers know he was done fighting. His eyes searched the place without missing the photography flashes. Damned paparazzi. He turned on his heel without a last back glance at Carly or Jay. On his way out, he babbled a “thank you” to the hostess when she handed him his jacket along with a cloth to clean the excess blood he sported on his lower lip.

“Alex!” Carly called behind him. She was right at his heels when he exited the club. “Alex stop!”

He quickened his pace, and straightened his leather jacket as he straddled his bike.

“Alex, I’m talking to you. Stop this nonsense right now!” Carly halted next to his bike.

Alex looked up. “What?” He turned the motorcycle’s engine to life. “I can’t hear you.” He gestured to his ear and grabbed the helmet.

“Alex, you’re being childish. Stop!”

Alex secured his helmet over his head. “I can’t hear you.” He tapped his helmet, and ran a hand over his black jeans inspecting everything, confirming he was ready to go.

“You’re an asshole!” Carly turned around and double-timed to the valet attendant by her car. She nodded a thank you. Carly didn’t wait to get cleared or even bothered to check her surroundings for bystanders. She sped out of the place merging right into traffic missing another car by an inch.

“What the hell is wrong with that woman?” Alex backed his bike and raced after Carly, drifting a little on the back tire, leaving a mark on the asphalt as he took off at full speed. What was she thinking? At that speed she could get herself in a fatal crash.

Alex followed her through traffic, and cursed under his breath every time Carly switched lanes in an attempt to lose him. No chance in hell of that. Alex planned on letting her have an earful of how irresponsible she’d been racing through the streets. Why the heck did she have an M6? Alex was at her rear in the freeway; he tried to get next to her driver side but every time Carly pressed on the gas.

Alex gave up and followed her from a safe distance to wherever she was going. He wasn’t surprised when she pulled into her garage, and raced to it just in time before the gate closed parking his bike in the tandem parking spot behind her car. Alex hurried to remove his helmet and caught up to her in her way to the elevator. “Carly.” He was right behind her.

Carly pressed the button to the elevator which opened its doors right at her command.

Alex lost his patience and was ready to let her know so when a couple joined them in the elevator. He cursed inwardly, and pursed his lips instead. That elevator ride was the longest he’d ever ridden. Holding his tongue lashing for Carly was pure torture. The tenants happened to live two floors above Carly so Alex didn’t get a chance to tell her anything on their way up.

Alex was at her heels again when Carly exited the elevator. Allowing her the chance to shut the door on his face wasn’t an option, so he quickened his pace and made it to her door at the same time as her. Alex put his hand on the door, right above her hand.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Carly asked.

“What the fuck were you thinking driving like that? You could’ve gotten yourself killed!” Alex pushed the door open as soon as the lock clicked.

Carly walked into her condo and threw her keys on the table stand by the door. “Why should you care?” She crossed her arms. “Leave me alone, Alex! Why are you here anyway? You made it sufficiently clear you’d gone deaf over your stupid bike. What now, suddenly you’ve recovered your hearing?” She motioned to her ears and walked away from him. “You know what…I don’t care, I don’t want to hear what you have to say. I want you to leave.”

Alex strode in her direction. “Why did you lie to me?”

Carly leaned on the wall for support as she took off her heels. “I lied?” she asked incredulously, furrowing her brow. “If anyone is a liar here, it’s you, Alex St. Jones. You.” She straightened up and closed the distance between. “You supposedly had a late meeting, and later you had another engagement.” Carly tilted her head to the side. “Actually, I take that back. Now that I’ve come to think of it, you didn’t lie, you just omitted details. You’re a master at that, aren’t you?” She clapped. “Bravo! Well, you know what? You failed. I bet it never crossed your mind I’d be there too.” Carly glanced in his direction.

“Stop it, Carly! I fail to understand how is it I’m expected to give you specifics about my whereabouts. I don’t have to tell you anything.” Alex stared back at her.

“But I am? I don’t have to tell you anything, Alex. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. If I was there with Jay or anyone else for that matter, it’s none of your business. After all, it wasn’t as if you were there alone. Or, as if you’d asked me to go with you and I’d declined. You were in very good company, so why…why, humiliate me the way you did? Why, Alex?” She took a step away, turned, and walked back. “This was a big project for me, the bow on top of my professional accomplishments, and you had to go ruin it.” Carly headed down the hall to her bedroom.

Alex was right behind her. “We’re not done with this discussion.”

“I am,” Carly said over her shoulder.

“You’re not getting out of it this easy.” Trying to remain calm wasn’t working, and this argument with Carly was getting the best of him. Seeing her with Jay had been too much to take; Alex couldn’t get rid of the memory of Jay’s hands on her ass. His blood boiled at the thought. Carly was off limits to anyone who wasn’t him, and Alex wasn’t ready to let her go now or…or, anytime soon, if that meant ever, then so be it. Jealousy clouded his thoughts. Alex wanted to act rational, but every word that came out of her mouth pushed him away, and her denial of everything drove him nearly insane.