THIRTEEN
RIFT
This was new for me. Usually, when I was trying to seduce a woman, I did so without her significant other’s eyes all over us, but thanks to Mitchell and his stupidity, every time I was with Gwyn, he was there, as well.
First, with the dinner party, where she had looked so sexy I had to collect my thoughts before I even spoke to her. Even then, that didn’t stop me from basically telling her I wanted to taste her sweetness.
And I wanted to.
I didn’t usually give the women I was targeting that kind of pleasure. It seemed too … personal. But Gwyn was like a sweet cinnamon candy I wanted to suck on all night, and I knew once I had her in my bed, I would devour her like a man denied of sugar for many years.
Needless to say, I wasn’t angry when Mitchell suggested another night out. I’d take as many as I could get. Being around Gwyn gave me plenty of opportunities to whittle her down.
I hadn’t been to a bowling alley since I was seventeen, but the room was loud, filled with chatter and the sounds of heavy bowling balls rolling across the wooden floors before slamming into the pins.
Lost in thought, I was waiting for my turn when Gwyn approached me with one of the girls who had attended the dinner the weekend before.
“Chelsey, this is Rift. Rift, this is Chelsey,” she introduced us.
I smiled up at Chelsey.
She was cute, her long curly hair pulled into a blond topknot and her makeup fresh and minimal. She had green eyes that popped with excitement and an attractive smile.
She wasn’t really my type but very curvy and sweet to look at.
“Chelsey, it’s a pleasure,” I said, reaching out and taking her hand.
She blushed sweetly like they all do. “You, as well. You’re friends with Mitchell?”
I nodded. “That I am.”
I lied through my pearly whites.
The truth was, there was no way in hell I could ever be friends with a person like Mitchell. His clear selfishness. The way he treated the people he supposedly loved.
Nope.
I had cleared my life of people like him long ago. Now, the only reason I surrounded myself with the Mitchells of the world was for the paycheck.
“Chelsey here was just saying how she would like to get out and start dating again,” Gwyn said brazenly.
I schooled my expression to keep from laughing.
My mark was actually trying to hook me up with her friend. Everything was new when it came to Gwyn. It was hilarious in its own way.
First of all, because I wouldn’t be caught dead ever dating again. And secondly, because she was the only woman currently who would receive any of my attention.
I grinned. “Is that so?”
Chelsey blushed and smacked playfully at Gwyn’s arm. What were we, fucking high schoolers?
“Oh my God, seriously, Gwyn! Could you be any more obvious?”
Gwyn giggled, her face lighting up with such beauty I had to look away briefly.
“What? He’s a single guy. You’re a single woman. I just figured maybe you guys might find things in common.”
So this was how she wanted to play it?
Fine.
Luckily for me, I’d already seen Gwyn’s desire for me in her eyes. And if I knew one thing about the opposite sex, it was that jealousy ran rampant among women. They were always competing in some way or another with each other.
Knowing this, I bathed Chelsey in my most obvious flirty gaze and smirked up at her.
“I’m sure we can find something in common,” I said, letting my eyes drop down over her neck and chest. “Do you live around here, Chelsey?” I asked, turning my full attention to her and blocking Gwyn out completely.
“Yeah, I do. I live a few blocks over from …”
I stopped listening at that point and went into conquering mode.
I talked to Chelsey for the rest of the night, only half listening to her go on about her job and the new puppy she rescued. I stopped talking to her only when it was my turn to bowl. I could feel the burn of Gwyn’s eyes on my skin, and I glowed inside, knowing my plan B was working wonders for her.
Ignore Gwyn.
Smother Chelsey with attention.
And be as flirty and sexy as possible.
I flirted so hard with her that even Mitchell noticed.
“Rift, I’m not paying you to fuck Gwyn’s friend,” he gritted at my side when the girls were up bowling.
I turned his way and grinned. “Trust me. Fucking Chelsey is the last thing I want to do. Let me ask you something, Mitchell.” I turned his way. “Do you really know anything about women?”
He nodded, his brows pulling low. “Of course, I do.”
“Then you’d know how much women always want to be the center of attention.”
He shook his head. “Not Gwyn. She’s not like that.”
Bullshit.
All women had that side to them, including Gwyn.
I pulled him farther away from the girls, my fingers digging into his arm a bit out of frustration.
“Listen, I know what I’m doing, okay? Women are competitive creatures. I spent the night at the engagement dinner flirting with Gwyn and looking at her like she was a well-cooked porterhouse steak. Tonight, that attention is going to Chelsey, and Gwyn will hate that and respond the way I want her to.”
“Wait. You were flirting with Gwyn at our engagement dinner?” he asked, smiling down at me.
It was so twisted to hear him say those words and smile at the same time, but I was used to it. It was my job to be in twisted situations.
I nodded. “Hard.”
“She didn’t say anything to me about it.”
“Exactly. That’s what I was hoping for. Now quit questioning me and do as I say. Continue to ignore Gwyn.”
He pulled back in confusion. “I haven’t been ignoring her.”
I shook my head.
That poor girl.
“Whatever. Look, just keep doing what you’re doing. Be yourself and let me take care of the rest. Got it?”
“Got it.”
With Mitchell on board, I continued to flirt with Chelsey while sneaking in secret touches. By the end of our third game, I was able to see the frustration on Gwyn’s face as she sat quietly slumped beside Mitchell, a small pout pushing at her plump lips.
While I spent every second giving my all to Chelsey, Mitchell talked with everyone around him but Gwyn. It was as if they didn’t even know each other.
“Did you see the engagement ring Sawyer put on Mindy’s finger? Talk about massive.” Chelsey chatted with Gwyn from my side.
“I didn’t, but I’m so happy for them. I’d say it’s about time he proposed.”
“Speaking of,” Mitchell said, standing and reaching into his pocket. “I got this back for you this morning. It should fit perfectly now. The jeweler even looked it over and gave it a good cleaning.”
Mitchell handed over a small box and inside was Gwyn’s missing engagement ring.
It was the first time I’d seen Gwyn’s face light up tonight, and a small, uneasy feeling in the very pit of my stomach hated that Mitchell was the one who put the light there.
“My ring. Thank you.” She opened the lid and removed the silver band with the single princess cut diamond in the center.
“I was wondering why you weren’t wearing it,” Chelsey said. That made two of us.
“It was too big, and I was terrified of losing it, so Mitchell took it to the jewelers to have it sized. It took way longer than I expected, but I’m glad to have it back now.”
She slipped the ring into place and was now admiring its placement with dreamy eyes.
The first time I ran into her, I was a total dick after seeing she wasn’t wearing a ring, and now I knew it was because her fiancé had it sized to fit her.
I felt a mix of things at that moment, but I couldn’t ignore the sense of relief I felt knowing Gwyn hadn’t been trying to be sneaky about her engagement. I’m not sure why, but I felt she was better than that. I knew deep down that getting her to sleep with me would be hell. I was so conflicted.
I thought highly of Gwyn. Part of me wanted her to give in as soon as I started putting the moves on her so I could get paid and move on to the next city, but another part of me secretly hoped she wouldn’t give in.
I wanted to believe there were still good women in this world, and after meeting Gwyn, that belief was slowing taking form, but I knew the minute she gave in to me, those beliefs would crack and break away. Then I’d be left with the same hate I’d felt since the moment I stepped foot in my bedroom and found my fiancée fucking my best friend.
The girls continued to chat while we bowled, and I pulled away while still listening.
“Did you ever find a dress for the gala, Gwyn?” Chelsey asked as she picked her bowling ball up from the conveyor.
“I did, actually.” A smile as bright as the sun lit Gwyn’s face.
“Is it anywhere near as gorgeous as the one you wore to dinner the other night?” A dreamy sigh filtered through Chelsey’s lips, but it wasn’t the sound of sex on her lips that made me twitch behind my zipper.
I remembered the dress on Gwyn. The way it rode her curves and showed every valley and dip of her beautiful body. There was no such thing as a better dress, and if she found one, then I felt sorry for every man in the room she was wearing it in.
“Well, considering this is a gala and not a night out to dinner, I hope it’s not quite as simple.”
“Gala?” I spoke up, wanting to know what they were talking about in case it might help me out at all.
“There’s a grand gala being held next week to raise money for the children of Savannah Hope Hospital. It’s something the hospital does every year to help fund many things for the pediatric wing. I’m excited to see how much we can raise for the kids this year. Some of the richest men and women in the city will be there. Speaking of ...” She turned toward Mitchell. “We should match your tie to my dress for the gala. Dad says all the couples are doing it.”
Mitchell sat forward and tugged at the collar of his shirt with the hook of his pointer finger. “Damn, Gwyn, I forgot all about the gala. I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it, sweetheart. Do you think you could find someone else to attend with you?”
Her eyes went wide, her expression filling with hurt. “But I thought …” she started. “Find someone else? It’s not like I keep a slew of spare fiancés lying around, Mitchell. I don’t understand what’s so important that you can’t be there for this.”
Mitchell ran his hand down her arm and shook his head. “I’m really sorry, Gwyn. I know how much this means to you.”
“Then you should be there,” she demanded, giving him no option out.
He sat there, looking like a deer caught in headlights, and I wanted to walk up and slap the shit out of him.
I did my best to get his attention without making it obvious to Chelsey or Gwyn. When his nervous gaze finally found mine, I drilled him with mine, silently sending him a message.
Going to the gala with Gwyn was the perfect opportunity to get close to her. It was the alone time with her that I had been trying to get. If I couldn’t ever get her alone, then I couldn’t ever get her to cheat with me.
After a brief and confusing exchange, his eyes went wide and his hand shot out toward me. “Maybe Rift’s available.” He turned my way, a grin begging the side of his lips. “What do you say, Rift? Think my best man could accompany my fiancée to the Savannah Hope Gala?”
I watched Gwyn’s shoulders slump in defeat, but when she turned toward me, she tried to hide any signs of her dismay with a fake smile. It was tight, showing me exactly how much she didn’t want me to be her date for the night.
She felt this way now, but by the end of the gala, she’d be putty in my hands, and I would enjoy every bit of her defeat.
I sat forward, my eyes drilling into Gwyn’s as I spoke to Mitchell. “If the lady will have me, I’d be more than happy to accompany her.”
All eyes were on us, shifting back and forth between our exchanges. I was able to tune them out, leaving only Gwyn and me and our silent stare down.
Gwyn jumped when her phone rang, taking the opportunity to look away at her cell phone. With a breath of relief, she held the phone up and apologized to everyone, avoiding me.
“Sorry, guys, I have to take this.” She waved the phone around and then got up.
I turned my head, watching her as she made her way toward the bar sectioned off at the side of the bowling alley. When I straightened, Chelsey was eyeing me closely. She smiled at me, no trace of guilt for watching me watch Gwyn. I returned her smile and then excused myself.
I counted my footsteps to the bar, and as I approached, Gwyn was ending her call. She put the phone down on the bar, sighed, and then signaled for the bartender.
“Beer, please.”
“Make that two,” I called out. Settling next to her, I leaned on the bar top with my arms.
She didn’t seem startled by my presence, almost as if she had expected me to follow her. We stood there in silence.
“It was terribly rude of Mitchell to put you on the spot. This is such short notice, and I’m sure you already have plans—”
I interrupted her. “My schedule is completely clear. I made sure of it, so I could be available for any wedding stuff.”
The bartender set two glass bottles in front of us.
“Thanks.” I’d already taken out my wallet and handed him a twenty.
“And thank you,” Gwyn said, pulling her beer toward her by the napkin the bartender had set it on.
She toyed with the corner of the napkin while she continued the conversation. “This is definitely not a wedding to-do.”
“Yet I’d still like to go.” I brought my bottle up to my lips and tilted my head back to take a drink.
She took a deep breath. “Why don’t you think about it and get back to me?”
“Gwyn,” I said, leaning toward her, forcing her to finally look up at me. “It’s done. I’m going.”
She held my gaze, searching for something, something that left a strange feeling tightening in my chest. “Well, thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”
I grinned. “Trust me. My motivation is purely selfish.”
Her brows pulled down in confusion. “How so?”
I leaned in, letting my breath catch the thin hairs sliding against her cheek. “I’m only doing it so I can get you alone.”
I moved back, looking over her expression to see if I could figure out what she was thinking. She looked up at me from under her lashes and took a deep breath.
“You’re flirting with me.” She stated the obvious.
I nodded, taking another pull from my beer. “I am.”
“I could tell Mitchell you’re flirting with me,” she said, her eyes moving past me toward the lane where Mitchell was laughing with the group.
I shrugged. “You could, but …”
I let the words linger between us. “But what?” she asked, her chest moving up and down with her heavy breaths.
She was turned on. I could see it in her dilated eyes and quivering lips.
“But then you’d never get to feel what I’m offering you.”
Again, a ripple moved through her, and she shivered. “And what exactly are you offering me?”
I was hoping she would ask instead of walking away from me to tell Mitchell. It was exactly what I needed her to do.
Moving closer to her, I took her free hand and moved it down between us. My back and the bar were blocking us from the rest of the bowling alley, so no one could see.
She gasped when her palm brushed over my hard cock.
“This is what I’m offering.”
“Are you guys almost finished over there?” Chelsey interrupted.
Gwyn pulled her hand away and turned her attention to Chelsey, who stood a few feet away from us, her eyebrows raised and her lips pursed in a knowing way that left a red shade on Gwyn’s cheeks.
“Yes.” Gwyn smiled, moving toward her friend without another word or glance in my direction.
I watched them walk back toward our lane and took another drink of my beer. The taste turned sour as it went down, and I wished it was something stronger.
My cock was throbbing, and I closed my eyes against the burning desire licking at my balls. I wanted her. And the truth was, it was no longer just for Mitchell. Gwyn would be trouble for me, and I had no fucking clue how to deal with that truth.