Dirty (2 page)

“That’s fantastic news! Simone, I’m so proud of you. You always seem to accomplish whatever you set your mind to. I remember when we were kids and you talked about moving out of the rinky-dink little town we lived in and you did it. You worked for some of the top fashion houses in New York and now you have one of—no,
the
hottest new store in the city. You have people ordering your exclusive designs, not to mention you plan on participating in next year’s Fashion Week. That’s incredible.”

Simone smiled, not quite comfortable talking about her achievements. It wasn’t that she didn’t realize all she’d accomplished, it was that she was finally living her dream and she felt that one day she would wake up only to find that she’d imagined it all. After being told most of her life that she would never amount to much by the one person who was supposed to support her, she lived in constant self-doubt. Most people didn’t notice that about her because Simone had become an expert at masking it. “Well,
you
would know about success. Look at how your bakery blew up. You were on the morning news, featured on a handful of cooking shows, not to mention how you’re shipping items across the country now.”

Noelle chuckled. “I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this without Paul. He’s a godsend. Speaking of him, I was saying earlier that I’m worried about him.”

Simone clenched her hands in her lap so Noelle wouldn’t notice any change in her demeanor. Her attempt to stir the conversation had been futile. “Oh? Why are you worried about him? He seems capable of taking care of himself.”

Noelle shrugged. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but besides his appearance, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing… but…”

Though Simone didn’t want to ask, curiosity got the better of her. “What’s wrong with his appearance?”

“Nothing, actually. In fact, if I weren’t a married woman, I’d probably have a crush on him, which is crazy considering I’d never looked at Paul that way before. I guess it’s mostly because when I met Paul, I only had eyes for James. You haven’t seen him lately, have you?”

Simone shook her head.

“Well, he mainly wears his contacts now and when he does wear glasses they’re really hipster-ish. They look like the kind that all the nerds wore when we were kids but now they’re trendy. He’s shaved his head on the sides and in the back and slicks down what’s left of his hair. He even sported a full beard for a while. It’s gone but he has that five o’clock shadow going. The girls at the bakery can barely get anything done when he’s around.”

Simone shrugged and attempted to inject a casualness in her voice she didn’t feel. “So he had a makeover. That’s no crime.”

“I suppose you’re right, but a few times, he’s come to work sporting bruises, and once he had a black eye. He says they were gym injuries but I don’t believe him. Not to mention he’s been really aloof lately. I don’t know what to make of it. Every time I offer to talk to him, he kind of just brushes me off.”

“I’m sure you’re worrying for nothing. He’ll talk when he’s ready.”

“I can’t be certain of that. He’s been acting this way for the last few months. If something is going on in his personal life, I can respect that, but he’s been in a foul mood that’s carrying over to business. He’s been really short with the staff lately and…I just wish he’d open up to me.”

“If it’s really serious, I’m sure he will.” Simone glanced at her watch. She’d only been at Noelle’s house for a little under an hour but the turn of conversation was too much for her to handle. Even talking about Paul flustered her. He represented everything she once wanted but could never have. “Look, I hate to cut this visit short but I have a lot of work to do. I need to go over some designs with my production manager.”

Noelle frowned. “But it feels like you just got here and we haven’t had lunch yet. I barely get to see you anymore.”

“I know, and I miss you too, but you and I both know how hectic it can be to run a business.”

“At the very least let me fix something quick. We still have so much to catch up on.”

Noelle didn’t bother to disguise her disappointment, and Simone couldn’t let her cousin down just because she was too much of a coward to talk about a man who brought back memories Simone had tried to suppress.

With a sigh, Simone slouched in her seat. “Okay. A quick bite.”

“Great! Do you want to help me in the kitchen?”

“Sure.”

Noelle’s house was more of a mansion, with its marble floor in the foyer, double winding staircase and crystal chandelier. Despite the opulence of the dwelling, Noelle had placed her own special touch to make it more inviting and homelike. The kitchen in particular was one room that got a lot of use and it showed. Simone admired her cousin for being able to take care of such a large house with minimal staff.

Simone sat at the counter, as Noelle grilled chicken for a salad when the doorbell rang.

“Hey, do you mind getting that?” Noelle asked over her shoulder.

“Sure no problem.”

Simone walked toward the door. Whoever it was, her cousin didn’t seem concerned. There was a security guard at the gate so it was probably a frequent visitor. The massive oak door didn’t have a peep hole to look out of so when Simone opened it, Simone froze.

A lifted brow was Paul’s only indication of surprise. “Hello, Simone.”

Chapter Two

Paul silently thanked his ability to maintain a neutral expression when he came face to face with the woman who’d starred in a countless number of his wet dreams. It had been a few months since he’d been this close to Simone but she was just as beautiful as he remembered.

He clinched his fists at his sides to keep from reaching out to touch her, if only to see if she was real. Her full pouty lips seemed to beg for kisses, and large, thickly lashed dark brown eyes seemed to promise many hours of wicked pleasure. Everything about her was pure perfection, from her silky mahogany skin to the dark curls that framed a heart-shaped face. In Paul’s opinion, Simone’s body was one of the wonders of the world, a proverbial brick house. Not too slender, her hour glass figure was enough to bring any red-blooded man to his knees.

Paul could feel the blood rush to his cock. It had been a few months since he’d seen her face to face but she still had the same effect on him. When Simone had rebuffed his advances, he’d tried to be gracious by giving her space. It was a bit of a blow to his ego because he couldn’t have imagined the way she looked at him, or the spark that had generated when they’d touched. He was certain Simone felt something as well but for reasons known only to her, she kept him at arm’s length.

He’d accepted her excuse of wanting no involvement because he understood the intricacies of running a business. Paul had told himself that he would eventually try again until he discovered Simone’s secret. It was then when he threw himself into making the bakery for him and his partner Noelle an even bigger success. While Noelle handled the daily operation and product creation, Paul took care of finance and sought expansion opportunities. In the space of two years, not only were they going to open a second bakery, but their goods were also available for sale in several local chains, and they had created an online presence that garnered orders from around the country.

But no matter how much he worked and how many other women he dated, Simone was the one he couldn’t forget. He didn’t care about her past. He wanted to be in her present and future for however long it took to work her out of his system. She was a fever in his blood and the only cure was having her. Seeing her again and wanting her as badly as he did, Paul decided right then and there, he would.

“Paul…uh, hi.” Simone’s greeting sounded slightly breathless. The sound of her voice was yet another thing about her that turned him on, its low husky timbre kept his imagination running wild. It made him wonder what she’d sound like screaming his name in the throes of passion.

A smile tugged one corner of his lips as he raised a brow. “So are we going stand here staring at each other or will you let me in?”

“Oh, sorry.” Simone stepped back opening the door wider to grant him access. “I didn’t expect you to show up today.”

“Would it have made a difference to you if you had known?” As Paul stepped over the threshold, he made a point to brush against her.

Simone jumped back as if she’d been scorched. “Of course not!”

The rushed reply gave her away but he didn’t dispute the words that were clearly a lie. “Is Noelle around?”

“She’s in the kitchen.”

Paul was familiar enough with the house to find his way there. When he walked through the swinging door of the kitchen, Noelle raised her head and smiled. “Hey! You’re just in time for lunch. It’s nothing fancy. I was just going to make some chicken salad sandwiches.”

He stole a glance in Simone’s direction. She seemed to actively avoid his gaze. He’d already eaten but if this was the only way he could talk to Simone then he’d feign hunger. “Sure. I won’t turn down a free meal.”

“Great. Then you can set the table. Simone, can you finish chopping up the celery?”

“Well…actually. I forgot I had a meeting that I need to get to. I think I’ll have to take a rain check.”

“You never mentioned a meeting before. In fact, you said your afternoon was free. Don’t rush off now. We don’t get to see each other that often.”

“I know but, I have a potential buyer for one of my designs and she wanted me to contact her this afternoon.”

“Did she give you a specific time?” Noelle probed.

“No but—”

“Then stay.”

“I can’t. Look, cuz, I’m really sorry but this meeting is really important to me. As a business owner, I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course,” Noelle sighed, not bothering to hide her disappointment. “I guess you have to do what you have to do. I guess it’s just me and Paul for lunch. You are sticking around, aren’t you, Paul?”

It would have been quite obvious something was up if he said no. He did come over to discuss business with Noelle so there was no graceful way to bow out. “Of course, but first I’ll walk Simone to her car.”

Simone’s eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. “No! That’s not necessary.”

“Maybe not but I’m going to do it anyway…unless you find my company repulsive,” he challenged.

She cut her gaze away from his. “Of course not it’s just that—”

“Then it’s settled.” Paul gently grasped her elbow. “I’ll be back in a sec, Noelle,” he threw over his shoulder before guiding Simone toward the kitchen door.

“Bye Simone. Call me when you get a chance, okay?’

Simone nodded, as she nibbled her bottom lip.

When they made it to Simone’s car, she snatched her arm out of his grasp. “You didn’t need to escort me out here. I was quite capable of making it to my car by myself.”

“I’m aware of that, Simone, but you and I both know that isn’t why I’m out here with you now. It’s about time we had that chat that’s been a long time coming.”

Simone narrowed her gaze and flared her nostrils. “And you think this is an appropriate place to have it? In front of my cousin’s house?”

“Here’s just as good a place as any, considering you’ve gone out of your way to avoid me since the gala. What exactly are you afraid of? Scared that I might call you out over what I saw, or that it wasn’t the only time I saw you with some random guy?”

She took a step away from him. “What I do is of no concern to you, Paul!”

“That’s right. My name is Paul. It’s the first time you’ve said my name since we met. At first, I didn’t notice that you would never call me by it, and when I did, I couldn’t figure out why. Now, I know. I make you uncomfortable.”

“Of course, you do. You’re bringing up things you know nothing about and frankly isn’t any of your business.”

He released a chuckle and stepped closer. Simone took another step backward. Paul advanced, pinning Simone against her car. She placed her hand against his chest and attempted to push him away, but Paul refused to budge. This face-off was a long time coming and he was determined to have his say. “You made it my business when you started running. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that only makes a man want to chase you more?”

“I never asked you to chase me.”

“Perhaps you didn’t with your lips, but your eyes and body language said otherwise.” He raised his hand to trace her bottom lip with his thumb. “Do you want to know something?”

Simone raised her chin, almost defiantly. “No matter what my answer is, I’m sure you’ll tell me.” She flinched when Paul caressed her cheek with the back his hand but she didn’t pull away.

“When I asked you out, I wanted to get to know you better because I felt a spark and I believe you felt it, too. But then you gave me that pitiful excuse about not wanting to be involved, that you have no time for entanglements. Fool that I was, I tried again and the next time you weren’t so nice about it. I remember you saying you could never be with someone like me. That would be a blow to any man’s ego but I gave you your space. But when I saw you in that alley—”

“Don’t!”

“When I saw you, I noticed something wasn’t quite right, even though it appeared consensual. He didn’t satisfy you.”

Simone tried to push him away again. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about and I would appreciate it very much if you would get out of my personal space.”

A half smile curled his lips. “I’m going to be that man to give you the satisfaction you didn’t get from him,” he continued as if she hadn’t interrupted. “I’m going to give it to you just the way you like it.”

“Stop it now! What the hell has gotten in to you? What happened to the nice guy you used to be? This isn’t you.”

“How do you know? You’ve been so busy running away, you haven’t gotten a chance to know me. Maybe this is this real me. And you’re just scared because I see the real you.”

“Well, I don’t have to listen to any of this.” She managed to turn around but Paul pressed into her back. He brought his hands up to cup her breasts.

Simone inhaled sharply. “Paul, what are you doing?”

Without answering, he squeezed one soft mound as he eased his other hand down along the front of her body, not stopping until he cupped her sex. He could feel the heat of her emanating through her slacks. Paul wedged his middle finger between her legs and stroked her.

She trembled but didn’t pull away. “This isn’t right. I didn’t give you permission to touch me like this.”

Paul gave her breast another gentle squeeze as he continued to stroke her pussy. Lowering his head, he nuzzled the side of her neck. She smelled divine, like wild flowers and fresh rain. Having her in his arms, her pliant body against his made his dick impossibly hard. He grinded his erection against her ass. Simone turned him on without even trying.

“Did you hear what I said?” She asked breathlessly.

“Mmm.” He caught her earlobe between his teeth and gave it a gentle nip.

“We shouldn’t be doing this. Anyone can come up on us. What if Noelle looks out the window and sees us like this?”

“Isn’t that part of the thrill, the possibility of getting caught?”

“Not like this. Please, Paul,” she whimpered.

“All you have to do is say stop, but you can’t, can you? Because you like this. You like it when I touch your body and rub you like this. You want this just as much as I do. Be honest with yourself and admit it.”

“I—this is crazy!”

He moved his head until his lips were just against her ear so he could whisper, “You didn’t say stop.”

Her response was a soft moan. Paul reluctantly removed his hands from her pussy and breast to grasp her shoulders. He gently turned her until they faced each other. Simone kept her gaze on the ground as if she was scared to make eye contact with him.

“Look at me, Simone,” Paul softly commanded.

When she kept her gaze lowered, he caught her chin between his fingers. Damn, she was beautiful. Staring into her big brown eyes sent emotions flowing through him he couldn’t quite understand. “There’s no point in hiding that you’re a very passionate woman. I think the two of us will be very good together.”

She frowned. “I-I told you, I’m not interested in a relationship.”

“I’m not asking you to be in one. I’m talking about sex. I want you and you want me. We’re two consenting adults. There’s no reason why the two of us can’t find a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Simone poked her tongue out to run it across her lips. Paul restrained himself from capturing those lips with his own. He wanted to leave her as hungry for him as he was for her. “Paul, this isn’t a good idea. What about Noelle—”

“It’s no one’s business but ours.”

“But I don’t have time for much of a social life what with the boutique and the fashion line.”

“If what just happened is any indication of how good we’ll be together, then we’ll make the time. Give me your phone.”

“Wait…what?”

He held his hand out. “Your phone.”

Simone reached into the designer purse slung carelessly over her shoulder and produced her smartphone. She handed it to him.

Seeing that it was password protected, Paul held it in front of her to punch the code in which she did. He then programmed his number in her phone. “That’s my number. I’ll be in touch.”

She nodded.

Leaning forward he gave her a quick peck on the lips, unable to resist the temptation they presented. Quickly pulling away before he took things further, Paul turned and walked away, leaving Simone standing at her car.