LAUREN

 

 

Tyler’s eyes never left me as Sadie, Madi and I succumbed to the hypnotic beat of the music. Madi moved freely in the middle of the dance floor as Sadie and I kept her from latching onto random strangers that happened to encroach on her personal space. One dance turned into two. Another drink got pressed into my hand and soon I found myself face to face with Gabe as he danced closer to me, a wicked grin on his face.

I was aware of Tyler’s gaze, but I still danced with Gabe. I didn’t get close, I didn’t touch him and he didn’t touch me, but he stayed near. I was filled with drunken bravado and out to have a good night. I no longer cared what either of them thought. Or so I kept telling myself.

After taking a swig of his beer, Gabe leaned forward, trying to communicate over the deafening volume of the music. “I quit,” he shouted.

“Quit what?” I yelled, leaning forward just enough to speak the words into his ear.

“Thornton Industries.” Gabe lifted one brow and grinned. “I realised I wasn’t exactly there for the right reasons. I was trying to be someone I’m not, so I quit.”

“But what are you going to do now? Are you staying in the city?”

He nodded his head over to where Jake and Tyler leaned against the bar. Jake’s posture was relaxed, his elbow propped against the counter, drink held casually in his hand. Tyler stood straight, eyes creating a piercing line in my direction. The muscles of his jaw clenched as he watched. There was something appealing about seeing him like that. Something that told me in spite of his cold shoulder since I spent the night, his mind had not been free of me.

“I’ve got a job at a coffee shop just down the road for the meanwhile,” Gabe was saying, “But Jake and I are going to open a gym together. We’ve got a place in mind and everything. We’ve just got to come up with the start-up cash. Hence, Jake’s black eye.”

“Sounds great!” I shouted enthusiastically. “But what’s money got to do with Jake’s black eye?”

Gabe attempted to answer, but his words were lost to the music.

“What did you say?” I shouted, leaning closer to Gabe than before.

Grabbing my shoulders, Gabe pulled me close so he could speak into my ear. “I miss you,” he said. “I miss us.”

“Gabe don’t.” It was strange to shout the words. I usually spoke them so quietly, so softly as not to hurt him. Gabe had been good for me. He helped me see myself in a way I had forgotten. But he wasn’t who I wanted. We weren’t meant to be. “You know it’s over between us.”

“Yeah,” he shouted back. “But I wish it wasn’t.”

A hand snaked around my waist and pulled me back against a hard body. “Are you purposely trying to drive me insane?” Tyler’s low growl brushed against my ear. His hand was splayed across my stomach possessively, my back pressed against his chest, my head pulled into the crook of his neck.

For a moment I was trapped between the two. Tyler’s body warmed me from behind, his hands firm and covetous. Gabe’s eyes bore into mine, pleading, begging for me to pull away from Tyler. It would only be a fraction of a movement. Forward or back. Gabe or Tyler.

I leaned into Tyler’s body, relishing the comfort and excitement it brought even as the hurt registered over Gabe’s eyes. As Tyler moved me through the throng of people, his legs guiding, pushing against mine, his hand snaking its way up my torso and crushing my breast, Gabe gave me one final glance before retreating. Madi found him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Without looking back, Gabe encircled her waist and threw back his head in laughter.

“You shouldn’t do that,” Tyler growled once we were in a more secluded part of the bar. “You know what it does to me.”

“Oh, so you’re talking to me now?” I shot back, inwardly cringing at the bitchy tone to my voice, but outwardly unable to stop it.

Tyler spun me around to face him, a frown creased between his brows. “What are you talking about?”

“A couple of nights ago ring any bells? You seemed quite content to fuck then forget.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He pulled me tight against him, his mouth moving over my neck as he spoke, his breath hot. “You were the one who broke up with me, remember? I was simply following your lead. I was desperate for you that night, just like I am desperate for you right now.” He moved from where his lips brushed over my neck and pressed his forehead on mine, his eyes blurring to darkness from the closeness. “You are the one who chose this, not me. I would have been content for you to drive me insane with jealousy for the rest of my life.”

His hands gripped the flesh of my upper arms. His eyes bore into mine. My heart raced erratically, and in that moment, I couldn’t remember a single reason why I had broken up with him. The words he had said to me that morning after, raced through my mind. “Kiss me,” I dared.

Tyler didn’t need any further invitation. His hands clasped my cheeks, his mouth crashed onto mine and I lost myself in the sensations of lust that rippled through me. His hands found their way into my hair, bending and melding me to his mouth. His tongue wrapped around mine and desire burned between my legs. I needed this man. I wanted this man.

I tore away, breathless. “Take me home,” I panted. “Fuck me.”

Smiling slowly and taking my face in his hands again, Tyler said, “No.”

The word struck me like a whip. “No?” I repeated. “Why not?”

“Because you’re drunk.”

“I was drunk the other night and it didn’t stop you.”

“True,” Tyler mused. “But you weren’t this drunk and you weren’t babysitting your niece.”

Even though he was smiling, even though he was being sensible and responsible and I knew it, his refusal still pissed me off. Probably more from the alcohol flowing through my system.

“Well, fuck off then,” I said, pushing against his chest.

“No,” he said again, though this time his infuriating grin was gone.

“Leave me alone,” I ordered. “There is no need for you to be here.”

“How are you getting home?”

“I will call a taxi.”

“Don’t be stupid,” he snorted.

“I’m not being stupid. I don’t want you here, Tyler. I was doing just fine before you waltzed over here and put your hands all over me.”

“I’m not leaving,” Tyler said firmly. “I’m taking you and Madison home.”

“No!” I took a step back, crossing my arms over my chest in defiance. 

“Lauren,” he warned, advancing on me.

I took another step backwards and banged into someone, sending me sprawling to the ground. Tyler reached for me but I jerked away from his touch. “Just leave, Tyler Thornton,” I shouted.

Tyler glanced around the crowd, nervous of the attention I was drawing, and waited as I found my feet. “I’m only trying to look after you, Lauren.”

I wanted to stop the words coming out of my mouth but I couldn’t. The alcohol had some strange power over my actions and words that I couldn’t control, despite inwardly cringing at my behaviour.

“I’m going to find Gabe,” I yelled. “At least he knows how to let loose and have a little fun once in a while.”

“Like fuck you are. This is why I can’t stand for you to be around him. I don’t know what you’re going to do.” He reached for my hand but I jerked away violently.

“You don’t know what I’m going to do?” I almost shrieked, then I glanced around the room, becoming aware of all the eyes watching. It was the casino opening night all over again, only this time I was the one doing the yelling.

Tyler pulled me close, pressing his body against mine. I could feel the slight surge of his hardness and I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, but I didn’t pull away.

“What are you afraid I’m going to do, Tyler?” I asked. “Is it based on past behaviour? Because I don’t recall ever once fucking Gabe after we broke up. Not once. I didn’t hold his hand. I didn’t kiss him. I didn’t do anything but love you, Tyler Thornton, and you made me feel like shit for it. You knew I had a relationship with Gabe when you pursued me and yet you never forgave me for it.”

I glared at him, anger colouring my expression. Enough was enough. Sure, I had made a mistake by not telling him about that one time I danced with Gabe, but other than that, everything had been initiated by Gabe. I had not instigated, or been a willing participant in any of it.

Tyler’s chest heaved. His eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and lust. We stood facing each other, not touching, but standing dangerously close. So close that I could feel the heat of him, inhale the scent of him.

“Fuck,” Tyler cursed. “I'm powerless against you, you know that?” And then his lips were on me again, his hands wrapping around my waist and falling to cup the cheeks of my backside. He held me against his body before tearing himself away once again.

“We’re leaving,” he instructed. And before I had the chance to respond he took my hand and pulled me after him through the crowd. Tapping Madi on the shoulder, he jerked his head towards the door, letting her know we were going. She hugged Gabe then clutched onto Tyler’s arm, looping her own through the crook of his elbow and followed him outside with me reluctantly dragged behind.

“Where the fuck is Sadie?” Tyler said. He stood in the entrance, eyes scanning the heads of the crowd with Madi and I either side of him. The surge of adrenalin the alcohol had given me before was beginning to fade. Swaying with the power of the music, I breathed deeply again, hoping the increase of air to my lungs would dull the sudden wave of nausea.

Disengaging himself from Madi’s grasp, Tyler pulled out his phone and called Sadie. After getting hold of her, he dragged us both outside. “Sadie’s staying with Jake,” was his only explanation.

Madi, still perky and bouncy, jumped into the front passenger’s seat while Tyler helped me into the back. I lay on the cold leather, counting my breaths. In and out. Slow and steady.

The rolls and sways of the ride home did little to quell my sickness and I was grateful when I looked up at the familiar streetlight outside my house. It had a piece of its cover missing and the exposed patch of light shone brighter than the rest.

Cold air blew over me as the door was opened and Tyler’s hand tugged on my legs. “Come on,” he said, more gentle than he had been at the club. “Let’s get you into bed.”

I was hoisted into the air and found myself in his arms. Pathetically kicking my feet, I told him to put me down, but he insisted I wouldn’t make it to the door, and when I saw the steps, I had to agree.

The next place I found myself was flopped onto my bed. I closed my eyes as the sound of the stretcher getting dragged across the floor faded. The bed dipped and Tyler sat on the edge, tugging his boots. The movement made my stomach lurch.

“You don’t have to stay,” I said sullenly.

“I’m not leaving you like this.”

“Where’s Madi?” I asked, aware she should be in the room with me.

“She moved her stretcher into the lounge when she realised I was staying.”

“You’re staying?” I repeated.

Tyler chuckled. “We’ve just been over this. I’m not leaving you like this.”

“You’re staying in my bed?” My voice was croaky.

“Would you prefer it if I slept on the couch?” By this stage, he had removed his shoes, socks, and shirt, and was tugging the waistband of his jeans. I twisted from the position I had been flopped down in to get a better look, and watched as his jeans slid to the floor and he was left mainly naked. The light shone in through the window and danced shadows across his smooth flesh. I moaned and Tyler chuckled again.

“Do you see something you like, Miss Greer?” he asked as he slid into the sheets. Leaning forward, he tugged the blankets out from under my body, wrestled my shoes off my feet and tossed the now freed blankets over the two of us.

I scooted across the mattress and nuzzled into his side, letting my hand roam across his chest. Tyler picked it up and removed it, placing it back next to my side. Finding a sudden burst of energy, I sat up and threw my top off then my bra, wiggled out of my jeans and left only my underwear on.

“What are you doing?” Tyler asked, his eyes glued to my chest. My nipples tightened under his gaze. I slid my hand over his chest again, caressing the smooth flesh as I trailed it over the swells of his pecs, the shadowy undulations of his stomach and followed the v-line down to the waistband of his boxers. But again, he caught my hand and held it away. “Lauren,” he breathed. But I was unsure if it was a warning or an invitation.

Moving to straddle him, I took his wrists and pulled his hands to my chest, squeezing the flesh of my breasts so it bulged through his fingers.

“My god, this is torture for me, Lauren.”

I bent down, hovering my mouth above his. “Please fuck me,” I begged.

Tyler moaned. One of the gloriously wicked moans that quickened my pulse. “You’re so beautiful,” he said in a reverent tone.

Beneath me, I felt the hardness of his erection press against my wetness. Tyler sucked in a breath, before shaking his head and holding my hand away from him again. “No,” he said. “I’m not fucking you tonight only to have you curse me tomorrow.”

“But I want you.” Something in the back of my mind told me to stop begging, attempting to remind me how I’d feel in the morning. “I won’t curse you in the morning.”

“As much as I want to take you right here, right now, I’m not going to, Lauren. No matter how much you beg.”

The words shot out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Gabe would’ve.”

Ice sliced through me.

“Fuck!” Tyler twisted his hips, tossing me from him. “Why would you say that, Lauren? What on earth would possess you?”

“Maybe it’s because I’m sick of feeling guilty for a part of who I am. I can’t change my past, Tyler Thornton, no matter how much I would want to. I slept with Gabe. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

Tyler was quiet for a long time. I expected him to get up and leave, but he just lay there, flat on his back, eyes glued to the ceiling, his chest rising and falling. “You’re drunk,” he said finally. “Get some sleep.”

* * *

When I woke the next morning with a wicked hangover and a throbbing headache, Tyler’s side of the bed was cold. I let my hand travel over the space, feeling more nauseated from the memory of my behaviour than from the drink. Pressing my face into the pillow, I let out a frustrated sigh. I was more confused than ever. It seemed that even though the sensible part of me, the practical part, told me to stay away from Tyler Thornton, the rest of me couldn’t. Nor did it want to.

A hot shower brought some life back into my body, but my stomach still cramped and my head still throbbed. Madi and Sadie sat at the kitchen table when I entered, a full array of food before them.

“Tyler went grocery shopping,” Madi said happily. Too loudly, and too perky, but happily.

“He’s still here?” I was surprised at the violence of the sudden lurch in my heart.

“Nah,” she said, stuffing her mouth with fresh melon that had been sliced and arranged on a plate. “But he did say he thought it would be best if Mum didn’t arrive to a house with no food in it and three hungover women.” She chewed loudly, the green flesh of the fruit visible in her open mouth. “I told him I was fine, though. No hangover for me!”

“I, on the other hand,” Sadie added, “am not quite so fortunate.”

“You and me both. What time did you get to bed?” I reached for a piece of dry toast, not yet trusting myself with anything else.

“I haven't yet,” was Sadie’s reply.

The lounge had been tidied. Madi’s bags were neatly stacked in the corner, her stretcher had been put away and the array of food on display was impressive.

Because of Tyler, my sister would never know of the indiscretion of Madi sneaking out. I must thank him sometime. If I saw him again.

My voice begging him to fuck me replayed in my mind. I wasn’t sure if I could ever look him in the eye again. I had begged and been rejected.