Secret Regrets (Living For Today #2) (3 page)

“Bryant, don’t you do it!” I screeched, hoping to intimidate him a little. Placing his knee between my legs, he gently positioned himself between me and rested his weight on my hips, effectively pinning me completely.

“Why, Rose, I think you started this little game,” he chastised, running his lips along my jawline.

“Bryant,” I chided.

“Rose,” he mocked back at me.

Damn him.

The hand holding my hip squeezed a bit tighter, causing my hips to buck against him. Rearing back, Bryant laughed, obviously knowing I was defenseless beneath his lean muscular frame.

“What’s wrong, Rose?” Bryant teased as he nuzzled against my neck, rubbing it with the bristle of his five o’clock shadow.

Before I could answer, he came down onto the hollow of my neck, growling and nibbling as his hand that had been on my hip worked its way up to tickle me, leaving me a withering, squealing pile beneath him — defenseless against his attacks.

“I give, I give,” I gasped out.

Laughing his carefree, beautiful laugh that made my heart melt, Bryant shut the television off before scooping me up and carrying me up the steps to our room as he continued to nuzzle my neck and place soft, delicate kisses behind my ear.

“What about dinner?” I squealed.

“Let it burn,” he growled as he tossed me onto our bed and began devouring me instead.

My body instantly changed gears for a night with the man I loved with all my heart.

CHAPTER FOUR

T
HE WEEK WAS OVER BEFORE
I knew it; I had been running around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to get things perfect for Leslie. I felt like I needed to go above and beyond the call of duty since I’d ruined the first wedding. My phone rang, just as I was pulling out of the bakery parking lot to check on her four-tiered cake that had more flavors than a Ben and Jerry ice cream store. After digging into my purse, I pulled my cell out just in time then answered without even seeing who I’d be speaking to. “Hello?” I asked into the phone. Hearing no reply, I pulled it away from my ear to look at the screen. Blocked number.
Odd.
“Hello?” I tried again, letting my exasperation come across. The call was disconnecting, so I dropped my phone back into the passenger seat.

Heading home to get ready for the bachelorette party we had planned tonight, I went over my mental checklist Leslie had given me.
Bridesmaid dress, check. Florist, check. Bakery, check.
My phone rang, and I looked down to see the blocked number calling again.

“Hello!” I bellowed into the phone, irritated at the nuisance. “Hello, Ms. Barnes?” A nervous female voice came back over the line.

“Um, yes. This is Ms. Barnes. Who is this?” I asked, pulling in a deep breath to calm myself back down.

“Yes, this is Becky from Ingram Elementary. Principal Sullivan just asked me to call you and see if you had a moment to speak with her?” she asked, her cheerful voice coming through as the nervousness eased away.

“Of course!” I animatedly replied, crossing my fingers in hopes that this was the call I had been eagerly awaiting.

“Okay, hold one moment. Sorry for calling so late in the day. I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Becky said, letting the tension creep back in on her.

“Not at all. When you had just called, I didn’t hear you, and the number was blocked, so I thought I had some kids prank dialing me or something. I am very sorry if I sounded cross,” I apologized, feeling bad that I had been so terse with Becky. Thank goodness, it hadn’t been the principal herself calling. That would have been embarrassing.

“No worries at all, Ms. Barnes. I forget the number comes across as blocked when I pull an outside line. Hold one second for Principal Sullivan, and between you and me… congratulations,” Becky whispered the last part.

My excitement grew inside of me, taking away the butterflies that had been fluttering in my stomach.

“My lips are sealed. I’ll be sure to act surprised. Thanks, Becky.”

“You’re welcome, hun. I look forward to seeing to back here soon! Oh, and, Ms. Barnes, don’t go ruling out a prank caller yet. I only rang once. I’m transferring you now. Take care.”

Becky’s voice was gone. As the pit in my stomach tightened into a knot, the phone rang once before a tight, stern voice came on the line.

“Ms. Barnes, I’m glad we could reach you today. I had planned to notify you earlier, but we had some issues arise that demanded my attention,” Principal Sullivan began, and I thanked Becky for letting me in on the secret because this woman was brutal. “However, I would like to offer you the job here at Ingram Elementary. You will need to be here for a staff meeting on Monday and start preparing your classroom for students. Do you accept?” she asked with a pregnant pause.

“Most certainly. I look forward to meeting the other staff and starting on Monday,” I quickly answered, trying to come across as professional and happy as possible. After discussing a few questions I had and Principal Sullivan telling me exactly what she expected of me, we hung up just as I was pulling into the driveway.

Climbing out of the car, I let out an excited squeal and did a little happy dance, shaking my hips and prancing on my feet in a circle while punching my fists in the air in celebration.
Finally! I got the job I wanted, I
am
home, my best friend
is
getting married, and we
are
partying it up tonight!
How could my life get any more perfect? Completing my circle and opening my eyes, I caught sight of our Grant and Leslie watching me from their car parked in front of our house.
Damn!
They had not been there when I pulled in.

Smoothing my blouse out and composing myself, I half-heartedly raised my hand as Grant doubled over in an all-out belly-shaking, tears-streaming-down-the-face laugh.

Walking up alongside him, Leslie gave me a smile and then whacked him in the stomach, seizing his moment of enjoyment. She winked at me in a moment of girl-power triumph.

“Hey, guys, I didn’t even see you pull up,” I started.

“Apparently,” Grant shot back, earning him a smack upside the head from Leslie.

“Hey! Did you get the job?” Leslie excitedly asked, moving to me and giving me a hug.

“I did! I’m thrilled. I was pretty confident, but still, hearing it confirmed has made my day.”

“Well good. You will be even more fun tonight. We can celebrate my poor life decision to marry this ass along with your new job.” She scowled back at Grant as he visibly tried to contain his laughs.

Once inside, Leslie and I decided to head upstairs while Granted planted himself on my leather couch and turned on the large TV. We obviously kept ESPN in business.

Padding up the carpeted stairs, Leslie ran ahead to get herself in my closet as my designated wardrobe specialist.

Lord help me.

I let myself sink into the king-sized bed. I heard the hangers slide on the metal pole as Leslie muttered to herself, “No. No way… uh-uh, oh my… maybe? My goodness, woman, what are you? Eighty?”

I let out a chuckle. Leslie and I had never seen eye to eye on styles and fashion.

Coming out with a few choices on her arms, Leslie looked irritated at my slim pickings. “Okay, so this is what I’m thinking — although, if I had time I’d run home and grab you something else from my closet.” She let out a long sigh to cement her displeasure as she set out her choices on my comforter.

I pushed myself back up to my feet and stood then turned to look at what she had laid out, thinking she was having me get pretty fancied up. On my bed were four choices. Immediately, I tossed to the side two of them, leaving a red satin dress with an asymmetrical line that went over one shoulder, and a navy-blue bandage dress that dipped dangerously low in the front that Leslie had bought me a few years back for a sorority event. Beside me, I could see Leslie’s smile growing as I’d apparently made the choice she was hoping. I gave in, since it was her night, and pointed toward the blue dress and raised an eyebrow at her in confirmation. Nodding emphatically, I picked up the three losers of the night and hung then back in my closet.

Leslie ran down to Grant’s truck fast to grab her outfit she had brought with her and was back before I could blink. We had two hours to get ready before the rest of the girls and limo arrived, and, according to Leslie, we’d need every second of it.

Not wasting a second, I hopped in the shower and lathered my hair, letting the hot water wash away my day and prepare me for a crazy night.

I heard her before I saw him. “No, no, no! Bryant, we don’t have time!”

The bathroom door slung open, and my hunk of a fiancé was standing there raking his eyes over my body.

Leslie tossed her hands up and stomped from the room, hollering back, “Y’all got five minutes, and I’m dragging her out by her wet brown hair!”

Laughing, Bryant stripped off his white button-up uniform shirt and tossed it to the side, giving me my first mouthwatering glimpse of his chiseled chest and six-pack abs. His hands slid down to his pants ever so slowly, my eyes following obediently. As he slid his pants off, my eyes couldn’t help but trace the deep
V
muscle that I adored and paid homage to each time we made love.

“Hey, you. Eyes up here,” Bryant called out to me with a laugh.

I quickly averted my gaze and moved it back to him. I locked on to his honey-colored eyes twinkling in the light as he closed the gap between us and stepped in the shower.

“Hey,” I whispered as he brushed his lips against my own.

“Hey,” his husky voice replied. His lips sealed over mine, and his tongue licked inside my mouth. Bryant scooped me up and effortlessly wrapped my legs around his hips, the action forcing me to let out an involuntary moan as my body caught up to my pre-event celebration at home.
Who needs
a
skimpy blue bandage dress?
His big strong hands trailed down my ribs, and, my body tingling, I rocked myself against him.

“Holy crap! Five minutes is up. Let’s go!” Leslie’s shrill voice rang out.

“Damnit, Leslie. Go. Away,” Bryant growled.

“I warned you. We have to get ready, and now you’re sending her into a lion’s den hot and bothered,” she teased.

Unaffected by Bryant’s tense body and growl, Leslie stepped closer, opened the shower door, and held open a towel, blocking her view of us but making her point clear. “Come on, honey. Time to get out.”

“Remind me why we like her?” Bryant grumped in my ear as he set me back to my feet.

I swiftly kissed him on the cheek before stepping out of the warm spray of the shower. I snatched the fluffy towel from Leslie and patted myself dry, glaring at her the entire time.

“C’mon, you party pooper. Let’s get ready,” I grumbled at her, trying to express my disappointment of her interrupting my time with Bryant.

“You just wait. There will be plenty of partying tonight!” Leslie’s bubbly voice sang out. She smacked my ass as I walked by.

Dressed and ready to go, we walked downstairs to wait for the other girls to arrive. As soon as I stepped on the landing, Bryant let a growl rumble out of him as Grant’s jaw hit the floor.

“Uh–uh.” Bryant shook his head forcefully. “No way we are letting you two out like that. Aren’t you missing a piece of those dresses… like another foot of material?” Bryant asked as he tugged on my dress, apparently trying to figure out a way to make it cover more skin.

Slapping him on the hand, Leslie tsked at him. “Oh, Bryant, she looks hot!”

Raising an eyebrow at Leslie and giving up on trying to stretch the dress longer, he turned to her. “No shit, she looks hot. That is not my concern. The fact you girls are going out alone is my worry.”

Placing a peck on his pouting mouth, I tried to ease his worry. When I gained no response from him, I bit his bottom lip and sucked it into my own until his eyes locked back on my own. “Hey, you. I am coming home to you. No man can hold my heart like you do, and if they get stupid, I can hold my own. Don’t you worry.”

Bryant pulled me into his hips and grinded into me briefly, letting me feel the unresolved tension as it seized hold of my core. I turned my head to look at the clock, wondering if I could squeeze in some quick one on one, but Leslie broke my thoughts.

“No, no, no! You don’t have time. You’ll mess up your hair and makeup. No.”

As if to fully kill my mojo, the doorbell rang, and our sorority sisters came rushing into the house, ready to party.

“Shandi! Hayley! Oh my goodness, it has been too long!” I loudly exclaimed, hugging both of my sisters from college. Stepping back, I couldn’t help but admire them deciding they looked even better than I’d remembered. Shandi was olive-complected with a long, lean athletic body, almond-shaped eyes, round pink lips, and long black hair. She’d always attracted the frat boys like bees to honey when we held parties. Wearing a red billowing top, skintight black pants, and some spiked stilettos, she looked phenomenal.

Hayley was more like me and liked to dress for comfort, but even she seemed to have put out a bit of extra effort, knowing it was Leslie’s night. She’d pulled her naturally curly blond hair back into a ponytail and added some mascara, making her blue eyes pop. Playing to her curvy assets, Hayley was wearing a pair of short shorts, a halter-top, and some nude pumps.

A groan behind me had me looking back at Bryant as he buried his head in his hands. “Go. Just go before I freak out any more,” he muttered.

Before I could rethink leaving Bryant and myself so frustrated, Leslie grabbed my hand and dashed out the door, pulling me along behind her and blowing kisses to the boys. Shandi and Hayley followed closely. The chauffer opened the door to the white stretch limo, ushering us in.

All I could do was toss up a prayer.
“Lord help me tonight!”

CHAPTER FIVE

D
RESSED TO IMPRESS, WE WERE ABLE
to bypass the line and head straight into Club Inferno. The smell of alcohol and sweat mingled together as the beat of “Crank It Up” was so loud I thought my heart had changed its rhythm to match. The beat was like a siren, beckoning us out into the laser-lit and fog-filled dance floor. We instantly started dancing together, letting the music take over our hips as we gyrated together. Several songs later, I was drenched in sweat and trying to pull my hair off my neck to get my body temperature back down. “Drink!” I screamed out to get the girls to all head to the bar.