Once in a Lifetime (3 page)

The women took their money back. Her thoughts drifted back to Guy, seeing him against the wall. God, she must be a sucker for bad guys. There was no way she was letting herself fall for a man who used women the way that Guy did. She would put up with him for her friends and not for any other reason.

Throughout the night the wine was flowing, and her friends even started to joke about their men in the bedroom. Emily saw through the laughter. All of her friends were completely smitten with their men. She wished she could join in, but she was not interested in dating anyone. Her breakup had only been a month ago, which had been the best month of her life. She glanced around her apartment and remembered Nathan trying to convince her to get rid of this place. Emily had put her apartment up on the market with the intention of selling it. She’d moved in with Nathan, and he’d even convinced her to quit her job as a secretary in a law firm.

Every request he made, she’d gone through with. When he asked her to lose a few pounds she’d done everything she could to do to please the fucker.

She was so stupid when she looked back, pretty much kicking herself at her own stupidity. Nathan wasn’t an all-bad guy. Being away from him made her realize the good in the relationship along with the bad. There would be a woman soon enough who liked his overly possessive ways.

Going out shopping for their week’s groceries and coming back to see Nathan fucking a blonde had been the wakeup call she’d needed. She hadn’t even been hurt by seeing him screwing another woman. If anything, she was happy they were ending the relationship because of him.  Immediately she’d packed a bag while he’d been stumbling around the place they shared. She’d called the agent who put her apartment on the market to take it off. Within a matter of hours she’d been out of his life for good. Only, he kept calling her to apologize and ask for forgiveness. He’d not become stalker-like, but she was waiting in case he decided to turn into a problem. At the moment all he wanted was her forgiveness and to see if she would give them a chance. She doubted he would cause any other problems. Nathan was a lot of things, but he wasn’t intentionally mean. Thinking about it, Emily wondered if Nathan had been with the right woman. Maybe the person he cheated on her with was his Miss Right? She didn’t know if that was the case, but it made her feel optimistic about her own future.

  “We’re going to crash here for tonight,” Dorothy said, drawing Emily out of her thoughts.

Nodding her head, Emily got to her feet and started to get the blankets out for her friends. Before she met Nathan and he took over her life she’d had plenty of sleepovers with her friends. After him, those sleepovers had all but stopped so that he was happy with her.

So stupid for trying to please a man who cannot be pleased.

She hated the way her life had turned out with Nathan, especially when she thought he was the one for her. In the beginning everything had been perfect. Then over time, life had become difficult with him. No more wasting her life on men who were going to hurt her. She put the bottle in the recycle bin as she cleaned everything away.

“You should see the way Guy looks at you,” Dorothy said, slurring her words.

Rolling her eyes, she helped her friend get out of the clothes she was wearing. “Not going to happen.”

“He keeps everyone at arms’ length on purpose.”

“I think you’re too busy looking at the good in him instead of seeing him for a player.” Emily smiled at her friend, loving how easy her life was without a man with her.

“You need to give a guy a chance, Em. You’re going to end up shriveled or something. I don’t want that.”

“Dorothy, you’re drunk. We’ll talk more when you’re not intoxicated.”

“That sounds good.”

Emily chuckled at her friend.

After she settled everyone down for the night she headed to bed herself. It had been a long night.

Not once had Nathan got your pulse pounding the way Guy had.

She pushed the thoughts away. There was no way she was going to let herself get drawn into feeling something for a man she didn’t know.

Closing her eyes, Emily fell to sleep.

Her dreams were filled with Guy and what she’d seen around the back of the bar.

Chapter Three

“I’m not going out tonight,” Guy said, lifting his box of tools and carrying them over to the counter. He created his own designs of furniture and was doing quite well. His parents had footed the bill for the shop along with the warehouse. The business was a one man operation at the moment, but he hoped to expand soon.

Dale, Frankie, and Wayne were inside watching him work. It was Monday, and Guy was not in the best of moods. For the entire weekend the black haired siren, also known as Emily, had invaded his thoughts. On Saturday he’d tried to pick up a woman and had even taken her back to a hotel room ready to fuck. Emily had been there at the forefront of his mind, and his cock had lost all kinds of stiffness.

How the fuck was he losing his edge at the thought of a woman? He hated it, and he hated his friends for picking Emily’s friends as girlfriends.

Wayne worked at a bank. Dale worked as a mechanic at the local shop while Frankie worked at the hardware store. They were all happy in what they did as they lived on the outskirts of a city.

“Come on, man. The women are going to be there, even Emily.”

“I’m not interested in her.” He spoke too fast. All three men went quiet and gave him a funny look. “What’s your problem?”

“We think you’re denying a little too much,” Wayne said, taking the nearest seat.

“I’m not denying shit.” His friends gave him a pointed look, pissing him off. “Fine, I’ll come out with you guys tonight. You fuckers better not abandon me if a fight breaks out with all the available pussy there.”

“Whatever, Guy,” Frankie said, flicking his phone closed. “We’ll see you there.”

They headed out the door leaving him alone to think about what he’d just agreed to. After Saturday’s disaster he’d headed home to visit his parents and not even tried to get another woman.

He spent the rest of the day in his workshop working and carving another rocking chair. The design was specified for his customer who’d requested it. He did work by requests, and he loved embellishing some of the designs. Most of the time his customers were happy with what he did, but there were some who asked him to take them away.

For the rest of the afternoon he worked on the rocking chair taking care not to injure himself. He left a couple of times to sell some of his work. By six he locked up the shop and headed on home.

The shop meant everything to him. All of his life he’d gone through odd jobs, never really finding his niche in the world. He’d worked in the mechanic shop and even a bank to find the right work for him. Every day after a hard one he would go into his garage and create something out of his spare materials. One day his father stopped by and was interested in his work. Before he knew what was happening, his father had bought this place, investing in Guy’s future.

He really did love his parents. They were so supportive of him and the choices he made.

Checking the time he saw he wouldn’t have a lot of time to get home and get back out. Looking down at himself, Guy decided he was neat enough to go to the bar.

Maybe get a woman for the night.

The more he thought about fucking a woman the happier he got. All he needed to do was lose himself inside a woman and completely forget about Emily. She seemed a little stuck-up to him.

She was fucking gorgeous, and you want a piece of her ass.

Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, he went toward the bar where he’d gotten into a fight. The bruising he’d gotten from being clocked around the face had all but disappeared in the last couple of days.

He ran his fingers through his hair, keeping his head down. Guy rounded the corner and picked up his speed. He felt his body grow tenser with every passing second. Losing himself inside a woman was the only way he figured he’d get over Emily.

Probably won’t see much of her again.

After thirty minutes of walking, he walked inside the bar. He found Wayne and Dale at their table. Considering it was a Monday the bar was heaving with activity. Tony’s place offered a good drink, music, and fun.

“Where’s Frankie?” Guy asked, sitting down on one of the stools.

“He’s apologizing to Tony for you and helping our women get the drinks.” Wayne nodded toward the bar.

The throng of people opened up. Dorothy was giggling at something someone said behind the bar.

Squinting his eyes, he saw the reason for the woman’s laughter. Emily stood up wearing one of Tony’s uniforms. The woman who’d been plaguing his thoughts was stood behind the bar, serving drinks.

“What the fuck is she doing working here?” Guy asked, turning around to face his friends. He could handle her having a drink, even avoid her, but her working where he hunted for sex was too much.

“Emily?” Dale was looking at the woman in question

He nodded. “Fuck yeah.”

“I don’t know why. She works here ‘cause she needed a job. Janet and the girls wanted to show her some support on this night. It’s her first since leaving her jerk-off of a boyfriend.” Dale kept talking, but Guy tuned out at boyfriend. She wasn’t seeing anyone?

Guy quickly asked Dale the question. His friend was frowning at him.

“Emily’s single.” Wayne spoke slowly.

Turning back to the other woman, Guy wondered if he should avoid fucking other women and simply settle on the one he wanted. The moment he fucked her, she’d be out of his system, and he wouldn’t have to think about her again.

“What the fuck are you planning?” Dale asked, invading his thoughts.

“Nothing.” He felt happier than he had all weekend. Fuck the woman invading his thoughts and he could go back to forgetting about women and living his life. The idea was perfect, and his problems were all solved.

“You’re planning something, but you hear me, Guy, it better not have anything to do with Emily. Janet and all the girls care about her. She’s off limits to you,” Dale said.

“I’m not going to do anything.” He watched Frankie and the women approach the table. Staring at Emily he saw her smile at a customer. Tony was standing close to her, observing her. The owner had to be close to her as he was training her. Looking around at his competition Guy liked his plan more and more.

Taking the beer from Dorothy, he smiled up at the woman. “Thank you.”

“Get that look off your face. Emily is never going to go for you.”

He kept his gaze on her. “And what makes you think I’m thinking about your friend?”

Her own gaze wandered up and down his body. There was no interest in her eyes at all. He’d seen the way she looked at Wayne. No one had a chance with this woman with Wayne on the scene.

“You’re not all that mysterious, Guy. I saw the way you were looking at her on Friday, and I see the way you’re looking at her now. Don’t fuck with her, or I’ll hurt you. She’s been through enough.” She took a seat beside Wayne and started talking with him.

Picking up his drink, Guy walked toward the irritating woman causing him problems. She was serving a drink with her back to him. His attention was focused on her, as he sipped at his bottle of beer.

When she turned around the smile on her lips fell slightly.

“What can I get you?” she asked after she finished serving one of the other men.

“Nothing. I’m just enjoying the view.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “Seriously, out of everything you can say to me that’s the best you can come up with?” Her hand rested on her hip.

He followed the movement and was struck by her curves once again. What would she look like naked? She was confident in her body. He saw it and wanted a taste.

“I’m using my best moves on you.”

****

With her heart pounding and her pussy weeping, Emily stared at the man before her. Guy Jensen, the bad boy, the player, was giving her the hungry looks. “You call those few words your best moves? How on earth do you get women in your bed?”

“I keep them there with my cock, baby.”

She’d wondered how long it would take for him to mention his man parts. It hadn’t taken very long.

“It’s not going to work. I’m not interested in what you’ve got to say.” Emily moved away to sort out another order. Tony had been hovering over her with every person she served. She wasn’t taking it personally, especially after the incident on Friday. Once she’d promised the fight had nothing to do with her, he’d gone easier on her. She really needed this job and wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize that.

When she turned around once again, Guy was still stood there, ignoring the women surrounding him, his gaze was on her never once leaving.

He placed his bottle on the counter. She noticed how long his hands were. They looked confident and sure. It was strange. She’d never really paid any attention to hands before. Nathan would shake when he was nervous, even when he wanted sex and didn’t know how to ask her.

Where the hell had she been for the last six months if she was considering a male based on his hands alone?

“I’ll have a beer and the drinks for the others. Will you be joining us later?” he asked.

“No. I’m working all night ‘til two. I won’t be having any fun tonight.” She pouted at him. He reached out, running his finger across her lips. Emily had every intention of pulling away. The jolt of awareness that filled her took her by surprise. He paused for a split second before cupping her cheek. She dropped her gaze to look at his lips. They were firm, and she knew in her core they’d give her so much pleasure.

A moan escaped her even as she tried to keep it locked up inside.

Pull back, Emily.

Instead of pulling back she felt herself getting drawn into his dark depths.

She was leaning over the bar, planning to do she did not know what, when a feminine cough interrupted their moment.

Jerking away she looked up at her friend Dorothy.

“Am I interrupting something?” Dorothy asked.