Undone: A New Adult College Bad Boy Romance (Mature Young Adult Fun Contemporary Romance) (14 page)

Chapter 2

“Auggie please, oh please! I need you to do this for me.” Jake’s hands were clasped tightly, his eyes shining bright in humor.

Auggie sat back, arms crossed and trying to keep her laughter at bay. Watching Jake beg was hot as hell and amusing. Watching him beg her to be his date,
excuse me
, his escort for the Annual Gala for Education, was priceless. “Why exactly would I want to do that?” She would have loved to provide the desserts for that shindig though.

He blinked those long inky lashes slowly, exaggerating every flip of his lids. “Because I’m your best friend in the whole world and you love me and would do anything for me?”

Truer words.
“All true.” His smiled widened. “But not good enough. Keep going.”

Because I want to take you on a date but I’m terrified you’ll say no
. “How about because for five years you’ve gotten a free ride while I—your very dearest and best friend—have had to take the most vain and vapid women in town who couldn’t hold a real conversation if their lives depended on it. And sadly you realize your time is up.”

She laughed at that statement and at him. “Oh is it, now?”

He nodded. “It is your fate. You must deal with it.” He grabbed her hands in his. They stared at each other with wide eyes at the jolt that ripped through them at that touch. “I’ll sweeten the pot by getting you a new dress. On me.”

She snatched her hand back. “I’m quite capable of getting my own dress Jake.”

He frowned, confused by the ice in her tone. “I know that Auggie, but since I really want you,
need you
to come with me it’s only fair I foot the bill for all your…lady business.”

“Lady business?” She snorted a laugh at his long suffering look. “Are you offering to get me a diamond encrusted tampon or a dress?”

He cringed. “Come on Auggie, don’t talk about that stuff. Gross.”

“Gross? Did we go back to seventh grade?”

He shrugged and she laughed. “Fine damn you, I’ll be your escort. I’ll even let you pay for everything, like an escort.” She mumbled the last part and immediately felt bad as his smile dimmed at her words.

“Hey!”

“Sorry.”

Story of my life
.

***

Jake had spent the past fifteen minutes staring the ballroom entrance in search of Auggie. He sat at the table reserved for Stone Industries, his family company, talking to his parents so she could spot him easily when she arrived but also to ward off the throngs of single women looking to snag a rich husband. Jake was under no illusions about his own attractiveness. He was handsome, could be charming when he chose to be so and he was rich as sin. But he was more than that and these women just couldn’t seem to see that.
Except for Auggie
.

Yes, except for Auggie. She not only showed an interest in his life’s work but she was willing to learn to play a game just to help him out. She was a pretty amazing woman and tonight she was all his. He looked to the doors once again and the image he saw stopped his heart. Auggie was a vision in gold.
Sweet holy hell, she was breathtaking.

He stood for a better view. She was wearing a gold dress that hugged the curves she normally kept hidden behind a pink and green striped apron. It looked see through in some places and that idea had his dick hardening beneath his pants. The sweetheart neckline accentuated her ample breasts and her auburn hair hung in sensuous waves down her back. She looked like a real life fucking Jessica Rabbit.

Finally she spotted him and when she started walking his knees almost buckled underneath him. Every step brought her closer to him but the way her hips swayed back and forth had every male eye in the room on her.
Goodness, was that damned dress painted on?

“Hi.” She sounded breathless as she looked up at him with those gold flecked green eyes.

“Wow Auggie, you look…fucking…just breathtaking.”

He saw her skin flush at his compliment and that smile knocked him for a loop. “Thanks Jake. You look pretty hot too.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Hot?” He preened a little, flattening his lapels against his chest. “Well thanks Auggie, I spent hours getting ready.”

She rolled her eyes at his antics. “Well it was definitely worth it. I, on the other hand,
actually
spend hours getting primped, waxed, buffed and polished to look human for tonight.”

Waxed?
He instantly conjured up an image of her bare pussy spread, wet and throbbing beneath him. That was definitely not an image he needed in his head right now. “Well you look superhuman to these eyes.” He smiled and clasped her hand, leading her to the seat next to his. “Mom, Dad, you remember Auggie?”

“Augusta you look phenomenal in that dress!”

She blushed prettily at his mom’s words. “Thank you Mrs. Stone. You look stunning in red.”

Jake and his father laughed aloud when his mother blushed at Auggie’s words. She never could take a compliment and in that way she and Auggie were the same. He stood and held his hand out to her. “Let’s dance.”

Auggie stood up in surprise and placed her hand in his. She gasped at the rush of electricity that sparked off between their fingers. “Well come on, then!”

One the dance floor Jake was beginning to think the chance to hold Auggie was ill-advised. The moment he pulled her into his arms and his hand grazed the bare skin on her back a fire started burning deep within him. Her small hands on his body sent his thoughts flying in all sorts of dirty places, places where they were both naked and writhing in ecstasy. Their bodies moved fluidly as one across the dance floor while a song played about unrequited love. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, “You feel so good in my arms Auggie.” She shivered at his words. He smiled.

“Thanks. It feels good to be here.” She smiled up at him bright and sincere, trying to hide how her heart rate sped up and her body reacted to those words. It felt way too good to be in his arms.
It’s just a dance and you’re doing him a favor, this isn’t a date.

The song ended and Jake wrapped his arm around her waist and led her out to the gardens outside the hotel. They were lit with fairy lights, giving the impression of a garden wonderland. “It’s so gorgeous out here.” Her voice was husky and his body reacted as he knew it would.

“You’re gorgeous Auggie.”

She blushed and pushed a few red tendrils behind her ear. “You don’t have to say that stuff Jake. I know I’m here as a bodyguard, not a date.”

Jake grabbed both of her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “I’m not just saying this Auggie.” He cupped her face so she was looking nowhere but at him. “I’ve been trying for weeks, hell
months
to keep my distance from you, to keep my hands off you. But it’s been hard. And you come in here tonight looking like a goddamn dream and it’s harder than you’ll ever know to keep away from you.”

She smiled at his unintended double entendre. “Really?”

It was her disbelief that crumbled his defenses and he lowered his head until his lips covered hers. Her tongue darted out to taste his lips and he growled into her mouth, pulling her closer and devouring her. He licked her tongue, her luscious lips and dove into her hot mouth and kissed until they were both breathless. “Damn Auggie. You make me lose control.”

“That was a hell of a kiss Jake.” Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen. Her best friend had just kissed the holy fuck out of her! Wow, she placed her still tingling fingertips to her lips. She could still taste his lips. “I, uh, I need to…go.”

He nodded and led her back inside while he went to get drinks. On his way to the bar he was intercepted several times by friends of his parents, potential investors and husband hunters. He was getting frustrated by the interruptions and cut the conversation short with a kid interested in working for Stone Cold Games and finally reached the bar.

“Hello handsome. How about a dance?”

***

Auggie returned from the bathroom and sat at the table alone. Well not alone, just not with her date. Jake’s brothers were there with dates and his parents were there as well. The entire Stone clan was there.
Except for Jake
. He said he was going to get wine for her and Mrs. Stone but that was at least twenty minutes ago. The last time she looked up, he was deep into a conversation with some silver haired man and his blonde wife. She tried to scan the room without looking like she was searching for Jake. So she turned her attention to Ryan’s date, a lingerie model from France.

“So you bake all day and you still look like that?”

Auggie’s eyebrows rose at the compliment. “Well I don’t ever eat a whole cupcake or chocolate. I spend most of the day tasting as I go.” The look on Ana’s face was priceless and made her laugh.

“Just a whiff of your maple bacon cupcakes and my ass gets two sizes bigger.” At Auggie’s confused look she told her that the makeup artist on her last few shoots always had a batch.

She smiled. “That’s great to hear for me but sounds like pure torture for you. Then again, you look like that so…” The women erupted into a fit of giggles, drawing Ryan’s attention.

“What’s so funny?” His brows were bunched up and the women looked at each other and started laughing again. “Yeah fine, don’t tell me.” Auggie stiffened when Ryan his look of confusion morphed into anger.

“We weren’t talking about you Ry, we were-,”

Her words were cut off by a few grunted curse words. “It’s not that Auggie. Never mind.” He stood up and stalked away.

“What was that about?” Ana shrugged her bony shoulders but couldn’t meet Auggie’s eyes.

Dread crept over her as she turned in the direction of Ryan’s retreating body. What she saw turned what started as a fun evening with a good friend, quickly turned into utter humiliation. It wasn’t that she was expecting roses and romance tonight, even though it
would
be nice, but she was expecting him to be around. What was the point of saving him from husband hunters if he was going to ignore her all evening?

Her heart sank in disappointment and she was angry with herself for feeling disappointed. When she finally spotted Jake his hand was wrapped around the hand of a tall blond in a royal blue dress. She was beautiful and she looked like his usual dates, tall, thin and very very blond. They walked hand in hand, laughing to the front of the room where the dance floor stood with several other couples. He stopped in front of the woman and wrapped his big strong arms around her. The same way he had not thirty minutes ago with her.

Auggie stood on shaky legs and looked around the table, at a half a dozen sets of pity filled eyes. Pity for her, she realized, because her “date” would rather spend time with someone else. She straightened her shoulders and fixed a smile on her face. “It was good to see you all again. And it was very nice to meet you Ana.” She gave everyone a sincere smile. “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“You really don’t have to Auggie.” Ryan’s furious scowl was almost funny on his handsome face.

She shrugged as though it didn’t matter. “It’s fine Ry. I’m here as a favor,” she looked to the dance floor, “that’s obviously no longer needed. So I’ll head out and be home in time for
The Daily Show
.” She grabbed the impossibly tiny clutch and walked toward away.

***

Breathless with a bright smile on his face, Jake waltzed to the table and found two seats unoccupied. He looked around for a goddess in a gold dress but he couldn’t seem to find her. “Where’s Auggie?” Jake looked into the scowling faces of his brothers, the disappointed faces of his parents and the disgusted faces of his brothers’ dates.

“She left you jackass.”

“What? Why?”

Ryan snarled. “What do you mean ‘why’? I don’t know bro, maybe it was because you left her sitting alone for almost an hour while you talked with everyone here
but
her. Or maybe it was because you took to the dance floor with another woman and whooped it up while she sat here. Alone.”

“You guys were here.” It was weak. He knew it the moment the words left his mouth.

Ryan shook his head. “Whatever. Go back to Kitty and just leave Auggie alone!”

Before his brother finished his little rant Jake was stomping out of the ballroom and straight out front to the valet station. Twenty minutes later he was parked outside Auggie’s condo, calling her. After four unanswered calls he got out and pounded on her door until it was wrenched open by an angry and beautiful auburn haired angel. “What the hell do you want?”

Jake pushed passed Auggie and began to pace in front of her TV. “What do
I
want? You’re the one who left in the middle of a date!”

Arms crossed and eyebrow lifted in question, Auggie kept her emotions in check. There was no point in showing him how badly he hurt her. “Did I?”

He raked his fingers through his hair, his frustration obvious. “You did and you damn well know it.”