Pretty Bitches (17 page)

He strolled over in his sexy swagger and spread his hands over my face and licked my lips before he swept my mouth. I actually swooned and he caught my arms with a devilish smile and sat me on the stool.

He took a moment to scan me from head to toe and puckered his pink lips. “I’m going to burn all your clothes so you will be forced to wear mine. It’s fucking ridiculous, Gemma.” He stood back shaking his head.

I stood and playfully wrapped my leg around his waist and roughly ran my hands through his sweaty hair before I sealed his lips with mine and licked every surface in his mouth.

He began to get a little too involved and Alick cleared his throat.

I pulled back grinning. “Go take a shower and hurry up because I want to kick your ass in poker.”

“Oh love, don’t say things you can’t possibly achieve.” He smiled and I smirked. “It gets really lonely in losers circle, but I’ll visit, I promise.” He turned, laughing the whole way to the bedroom.

I stood and walked to the bar gripping the bottle and pouring about six ounces into my glass.

Alick’s musical voice shot out from the corner. “Two, please?”

I mimicked the action in another glass and walked it over, placing it in his very eager hand. He turned back to the food preparation, which left me looking around for something to do.

My phone.

I’ll check my messages because it’d been nearly three days. That thought had my mouth dropping. I’d never gone more than twelve hours without checking my work.

I walked to the entrance where my purse lay on the corner table. I flipped it open and rummaged through the contents closing my fingers over the shiny metal object.

I slid the lock: forty-nine missed calls and eight voice messages.

Fuck.

I carried it back to the kitchen and began at the bottom.

Pamela left two messages regarding a problem with the proofs for Anchorage. After she rattled on in her second message she ended exasperated saying the problem was fixed.

A few calls from Marriett letting me know everything was good and a scathing message from Lila. I could basically feel the venom oozing through the receiver. I definitely owed her an apology for the drink—for certain—but she deserved every single verbal beat down I handed her. It would be a while before I was ready to speak to her, for sure.

I opened my email and breezed through deciding nothing was 911 worthy and slid the phone back on the counter.

I looked over at Alick studiously working on the snack tray.

“Can I do anything to help, Emeril?”

He snorted. “Flattery will get you nowhere here pretty lady.”

I was silently shaking with laughter as I touched the glass to my lips and felt the warm burn glide down my throat. Then a pair of warm hands wound around my waist and I felt like my skin caught fire. He nestled his face in the side of my neck covered with damp hair. I smelled his woodsy-spiced soap and that did all kinds of gooey things to my body.

Cailen walked around me swiping his hand across the top of my ass and grabbed a tray of food carrying it to the living area. Alick followed and asked me to grab the beers.

I jumped from my seat. Drink in one hand bucket of beers in the other.

When I walked around the corner Cailen let out a whistle. “Sexiest fucking sight on the planet, Gemma.”

I curtsied and sat the beer on the poker table.

Cailen pulled my chair and they each lit up a cigar. I cleared my throat looking at them questioningly.

Cailen piped up. “What? Don’t like the smoke, love. I can duck it.” His brows furrowed.

I rolled my eyes. “I was saying it is rude to partake and not offer one for your guest.” I shook my head and twisted my hand in front of him. “Er, your future wife.”

His eyes bulged and he nearly dropped the cigar from his mouth. After he blinked several times he threw his head back laughing.

Once he recovered enough to form words he said, “You are incredible. Fuck. Just when I think you’re perfect you do something else to smack me on my ass.”

He shook his head and reached into a humidor on the shelf and pulled a Cuban cigar stretching it across the table to me with a lighter.

I smiled. “That’s better, bagpipe. Thank you.”

I lifted an eyebrow as I took the cigar between my teeth and slowly twisted it as I lit the end. When I had a good flowing burn I took a nice long draw and closed my eyes enjoying the flavor for a brief second before I blew the smoke slowly between my parted lips.

When I opened my eyes and looked around I stifled a laugh. Alick was staring at me in true appreciation smiling and Cailen looked as though he wanted to rip my clothes off and check the sturdiness of the table by humping the shit out of me.

I cleared my throat and prompted the deck of cards in front of Cailen. He shook his head smiling and picked them up dealing our first hand.

I threw down four hundred dollars from my wallet and Cailen matched it. Alick threw in five hundred giving me a wicked grin as he passed the chips around.

And then it began.

An excruciatingly bad beat down.

I won every single hand.

By the end of my cigar they were both broke and the beer was gone. I stood with a victorious smile and walked to the bar to refill my glass.

When I returned they each wore equal looks of shame on their faces. I couldn’t help it I doubled over laughing.

Cailen finally smiled then it turned into a dazzling show of teeth before he conceded, “You were right, Gemma. You embarrassed the shit out of us. I’m wondering if there is anything you
can’t
do. These are things I need to know before you walk down the isle so I can be prepared.” He finished with the same blinding smile and reached for my hands.

He was right whether he meant it or not.

There were things we needed to learn about each other, things that needed to be laid out on the table. That familiar feeling of seclusion began creeping up my spine. That need to distance myself in preparation for the inevitable explosion.

I didn’t realize I was frozen still until he placed his hands on my hips and dipped his head to meet my gaze.

“Oh no you don’t, Gemma. Stop the wheels right now. I can see that look in your eye that tells me you have a hell of a storm brewing in your mind. What are you afraid of, love?” His tone rising.

I opened my mouth but the words just stalled in my throat. I averted my eyes to the ceiling thinking.

I couldn’t tell him because I didn’t fucking know. I didn’t know what I am scared of. I didn’t know why I was freaking out. I finally just shook my head and fisted his shirt as I lay my face into his chest. He rested my head under his chin as he made long strokes down my back.

After a few minutes I pulled back and forced a smile to my lips.

“You’re going to have to be patient with me. I freak the fuck out easily and have a tendency to expect the worst, which has me in protect mode most of the time.”

“I can handle your shit, love. Matter of fact, I am probably the only one on earth equipped to do so.” His smile was infectious.

For a moment I had hope. I tried to build that little spark into a fire. He deserved the very best I could offer and I had to get my shit together, because it was not an option to live without him again. We hadn’t shared near as much as we have up to this point and even then it was like dying.

I couldn’t imagine the pain now.

I let out a shaky laugh. “Christ I hope you are right.” I half laughed—half shrieked the words.

He led me back to the table and pulled my chair. I sat and Alick slid my glass closer to my hand.

“I think you need to drink more, sis.” Alick teased.

Cailen began shuffling the deck.

“Where in hell did you learn to play like that, Gemma?” His eyes pierced me across the table.

“My dad and granpy, of course. Two card sharks. My dad made a big name for himself in Atlantic City once we moved to NYC. He played nearly every weekend, we were flown in by helicopter and put up in the best suites.”

I rested my hand under my chin and stared into space remembering. “Damn, we had a lot of fun. He was amazing.” My voice trailed off in thought. I missed my dad so much it hurt.

Cailen rubbed his foot over mine under the table. That small gesture brought a smile.

“Alright, deal so I can kick your ass already.”

He snorted a laugh and muttered, “I can only hope so.”

“Brother, must you reference your ridiculously good sex life every wanking minute? I mean some of us are not so lucky.” Alick said thumbing his cards and separating the suits.

Cailen huffed. “Sorry bro, but when you got it celebrate it.” He turned to wink at me.

“I’m hoping you’ll give me something to celebrate.” I teased.

I heard his cards drop and as if it was slow motion he had me out of the chair and tossed over his shoulder in seconds.

I burst out laughing and pounded his back. “Put me down Damnit.” I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my cheeks. “Cailen!”

He made a theatrical gesture of carrying me to the bedroom doorway before he finally sat me on my feet and nothing but humor and desire was dancing in those artic blues.

I cupped his face and placed a tender kiss to his lips and whispered, “Love you.”

He grabbed me around the waist lifting me in the air, twirling me once.

“You better because there will be a lot of angry women out there now that I am officially off the market.”

“Touché. You will have your work cut out for you when we get back to Manhattan.” I giggled still laughing over his theatrics.

“I can handle those wankers any day.” He pulled me back to my chair.

We played until the sun came up and we ran out of alcohol. Alick yawned and fisted his brother on the arm before placing a kiss to my cheek as he made his way to his room rubbing his hands through his hair.

From the look in Cailen’s eyes there wouldn’t be sleep for this girl anytime soon. I sighed and reached for his hand pulling him toward the bedroom. Perhaps this time I’ll let him lead the show.

I
woke to loud laughter muffled through the door. I blinked the blurriness from my eyes and searched for a clock. What the fuck? Does he not believe in time here? I swung my legs over the side and took a few extra seconds to ease my poor sexually ridden body from the bed.