Conspiring (2 page)

With that, I turn towards Val and give her the look. The one that says call and make sure I’m okay tomorrow. She winks and mouths, “He’s hot.”

I nod my head in affirmation.

When we are out of the building, I’m still not sure where we are going. “So, your place or mine?” I ask.

He turns to face me and crushes my body against the building. His hands are on the bricks, and his delicious arms are so close to my head that I just want to turn my head and lick them. As he pushes his hips into me, part of me is worried about ruining this fabulously sexy dress that has done precisely what I bought it to do, but the other part of me wouldn’t care if he ripped it to shreds.

Where has Bradley Banks been my entire life
? I peer up into his eyes, and despite the darkness of the night, they gleaming at me; the lights of the building are causing them to sparkle. Before I can open my mouth and say another word, his lips are on mine, and the desire I have been feeling towards him is raging full force in my body. He doesn’t hold anything back, thrusting his tongue through my lips. I grip the bricks beneath my palms.

Maintain control, Veronica
. I turn my head to the side breaking our kiss. Instead of him pulling back at the break in contact, he takes the easy access to my neck and continues to kiss and nibble, sending sensations shocking through my body. Despite my internal thoughts, I can feel all control and will power where he is concerned melting along with my insides.

He grunts as he pulls back, and I am a panting mess. I have yet to find a single word since his assault began on me. His eyes are hooded, and I’m thankful he seems to have some self-control. “Veronica, where do you live?”

I stare at him baffled. Who the hell wants to make small talk after that? That’s certainly a damper, and I am a little thankful because it makes forming words a little easier. “Suwanee, why?”

His lips form a sideways smirk. “Then, it’s my place. Let’s go. Now.” He grabs my hand and pulls me behind him towards his silver Nissen 370z. His long legs are taking such quick strides that I’m practically am running in my Minalos. This is not the car I would expect him to be driving, but it suits him. He’s so damn hot. I take the opportunity to regain some control where he is concerned. I point to my car. “I’ll follow you,” I say confidently.

He turns his head cutting his eyes at me and then laughs. Nothing about that statement was funny. I stare him down, determined for him to either say something or go back to getting in his car. Our eyes are locked, and it’s like we’re bulls about to charge each other. The longer I look into those sapphire eyes, the more I see red. He shakes his head as he closes his mouth. It’s obvious he’s dismissing whatever was about to fly out of his mouth. I already can tell he has a smart mouth. His actions let me know that he’s also a smart man.

The longer we stare at each other it’s as if we are both paralyzed. I’m sure it’s only been seconds, but it feels like the world has just stopped, and nothing else exists. Our lips curve into seductive smiles, and he points to his car. “Follow me, then, just as long as you don’t back out.” His voice drops, and he is gripping his chin between his middle finger and thumb, brushing those delicious lips with his pointer finger. My mind is being controlled by other organs at this point because all I want is that finger in my mouth, in me, on me.

I want him.

He surveys me up and down just barely moving his head from side to side. “Damn, I can’t get us there fast enough. The way you’re responding just to my eyes alone tells me that we’re going to have a very good time tonight.”

I thought I had been doing a good job of keeping myself together. Keeping my game face on, but clearly I am transparent when it comes to the things he already does to me, to my body without so much as even a touch. “Cocky, much?” I harrumph as I glance down at his pants. It’s obvious that he’s just as much affected by me as I am him.

“Oh, you have no idea. Are you following me or are we going to get arrested tonight for indecent exposure when I rip that little thing you probably call a dress off of you?”

I run my tongue over my lips because I know that drives men crazy. “I’m following you, remember?”

He mirrors my action by licking his top lip. “It’s probably good we’re taking separate cars. Let’s go.”

The anticipation running through me is almost more than even I can bear. I climb in my car and despite the cold weather, I’m on fire. I’m on fire for Bradley Banks.

June 2010

Wednesday before Cade’s Wedding

I climb out of Bradley’s bed and lean down to pick up my clothes. “So, where are you going again this weekend?”

He is leaning back on his elbows, hands behind his head watching me get ready.

“Charleston.”

I slip back into my panties and then fasten my bra back, trying to act casual, like I’m shooting the breeze. “And what are you doing there again?”

“My cousin’s getting married. I’m a groomsman.”

“Are you taking a date?” I peek through the opening of my blouse as I pulled it back over my head. I can’t believe I just asked him that.

He tilts his head to the side and gives me that sexy as hell crooked grin of his. Then he takes it a step further and combines it with that single raised eyebrow, and it takes everything in me to not climb right back into that bed with him. But my mood is quickly spoiled by his response. “And what do you think?”

Yeah, I knew the answer. I guess I had hoped that after all this time that maybe it was starting to change. I shrug my shoulders. “Well, I am available if you don’t have a date.”

“Thanks, but you know I’m not interested in dating anyone.”

It’s times like this that he makes me feel like a cheap whore. Like a mistress. Never mind the fact that I haven’t been with anyone else since that first night at Joe’s. I start to put my skirt back on. “I know, but I thought you might like company. You know after the wedding.” And with that sentence, I inwardly cringe because that sounded very much like something a whore
would
say. We see each other twice a week on Saturday’s and on Wednesday’s. The thought of going a full week without him is making me physically sick. I don’t know what my problem is. Nothing he has said is new. I’m nothing more to him than a fuck buddy.

Bradley sits up, and I am shocked when he pulls me down to him. “But, then I’d have to introduce you to my family, and I’d have questions from them that I don’t want to answer.”

I drop my head and look down. I know he can tell I’m upset, and that’s why he pulled me back onto his lap. Not that he really cares. He’s smart with me. He knows exactly what to say or do to keep me right where he wants me. We’ve been doing this little charade for a long time now. I don’t how he can’t feel more, want more. “Are you ashamed of me to the point you wouldn’t want your family to meet me?”

“No, I don’t introduce girls to my family. I don’t want pressure to produce an heir or to get married.” He swiftly kisses me, and just like that, I know that no matter how much I hate myself for being his little sex slave, there is no way I can end this.

“I gotta get ready. I’m meeting Joe to go fishing.” He pats me on the back and asks. “We good?”

“Sure.” I know he won’t expect this. He thinks I’m just going to jump up and let myself out, but I don’t leave. I turn around and pull his head to mine. I control our kiss. It’s deep, slow, and sensuous. “Just something for you to remember while you’re away,” I whisper as I break it leaving him frozen for a moment.

“Mmm, get outta here before I take all those clothes off of you again and make myself late to meet Joe.”

“Oh, I’d like to make you late to meet Joe, though.”

He grabs my head and pulls me into a passionate kiss and then pushes me away. “I bet you would. See you for our mid-week appointment Wednesday?”

I chuckle at his ridiculous statement further solidifying what I am to him. But my chuckle is also because of the differences in our kisses. I’m not stupid. I know that was his way of saying that he is the one in control, not me. “Mid-week appointment? Well, I guess it is that. But, I could think of a lot of other sexy things to call it other than that.”
Mid-week appointment
. Saying it out loud combined with his cocky mood just pisses me off.

Bradley gets up and opens his dresser to pull out a pair of boxer briefs. Looking back over his shoulder as he walks toward the bathroom to shower, I assume, he replies, “It is what it is, Veronica. If it’s no longer enough for you, then we can just end it.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You can be such an ass.” I grab my purse and turn on my heels. “See you Wednesday. I’ll let myself out,” I hissed.

Bradley cocks his sexy sideways grin. “See ya, Roni.”

It’s the first time I don’t really care how sexy he is. I’m frigging pissed off at the way he made me feel today. I know I brought it on myself. I have never felt so used in the last year and a half. Maybe I should just tell him to go screw himself. Food for thought over the next week, I suppose.

Chapter 2

Today has been one of the worst days in a long time. I started feeling bad this morning. I don’t know if I have a summer cold, or
what
? I’ve been exhausted and cranky. Things at work are a complete mess. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the lucky kids that had parents who were willing to foot the bill for their education. I don’t come from wealth or privilege. I have worked exceptionally hard to put myself through undergraduate and law school, often working two jobs at a time.

One of those jobs happened to be a runner at a local law firm. So I know that behind every good attorney is a good paralegal. And that is the root of my bad day. Tina, my paralegal, is a nice enough girl. I understand that everyone makes mistakes. But it’s a serious problem when I have to literally send every single document on my desk back to her because of an error when we are dealing with millions of dollars for our clients. I wish it was just that she was having a bad day, like me. But this has become an everyday occurrence. It’s never easy to make the decision to let someone go, especially when the person is as sweet as she can be. Maybe it’s the fact that I don’t feel well, but enough is enough. I finally put in a request for a new paralegal.

Usually I would work late, even on a Friday, but all I can think about is how I want to go home and go to bed. I grab my black leather Channel brief case and stop as I approach Tina. As much as she irritates me, I find it difficult to be mean to her. She’s someone that I could see myself being friends with if she didn’t work for me. And after she finds out that I’ve had her fired, there will be no chance at a friendship for us then. It makes me sad to know that very soon she is going to be unemployed. But that’s not my problem. She should proof her work. I try to form a small smile forms as I mutter, “I’m headed home. Have a nice weekend.”

“I’m about to finish up and head out myself,” she says as she briefly glances up to me with a smile on her face. “Hope you feel better.”

I tilt my head, and my smile broadens. I feel like a total witch. I haven’t mentioned that I feel bad all day, yet she’s intuitive enough to have noticed. “Thank you, Tina. Goodnight.”

After I climb into my black Mercedes SLK, I toss my bag to the passenger seat, and my thoughts shift.