Had Enough Read online

  Without an ounce of hesitation, I reached for her hand and pulled her firmly away from the douche she was talking to, not even offering an apology or explanation, just taking what was mine.

  I did notice, with great pleasure, she didn’t object. She linked her fingers with mine and went with me willingly. I also noticed her hand in mine felt like the most natural thing in the world, as if it belonged there.

  I led her straight to the dance floor and pulled her to me once we’d reached the middle, keeping her hand in mine and placing the other on the curve of her waist. Luckily a slow song was playing, so my excuse to hold her against me was legit.

  “Hello, Justin,” she said, her smile wicked. “Usually men ask me if I want to dance before they drag me to the dance floor.”

  “I’m not most men,” I replied, my voice raspier than I expected.

  “No, I don’t suppose you are.” She tilted her head just slightly and the smile fell from her lips.

  We danced silently for a few minutes and as time passed she slowly relaxed, letting her body press against mine more and more with each passing moment. I took advantage, wrapping my arm around her waist, holding her to me, breathing her in.

  “Hadley, this dress is incredible,” I finally said, my mouth close enough to her ear that I didn’t have to speak above the music. “You look phenomenal.”

  A shiver raced down my spine as she lifted her mouth to my ear, her cheek brushing against mine

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “You look pretty sexy in this tux.”

  “Oh, you noticed? It looked like you were trying your hardest to ignore me.”

  She pulled back and gave me another wicked grin. “It worked, didn’t it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Although, for future reference, you can’t just drag me away from someone I’m having a conversation with.”

  I pulled her even closer, making sure she could feel me against her. “It worked, didn’t it?”

  She didn’t reply, but I held her close anyway, enjoying the dance.

  The songs continued, but we never broke apart. I wanted to let my hands roam, to feel her, to memorize her curves—and she had phenomenal curves—but I kept myself in check, hoping for more opportunities later. The only thing that finally forced us apart was the music fading away to a man’s voice who was standing on the stage.

  The whole room shifted, moving toward the stage for the auction portion of the evening. I’d seen Riley running around, looking frazzled, but I knew Camden had gone after her. They both seemed occupied, as did everyone else in the room.

  “Are you planning on bidding on anything?” I asked Hadley, still holding her close to me, unwilling to let her break away.

  “No,” she said on a shaky breath.

  I unwrapped my arm from her waist but kept her hand in mine and pulled her through the room, against the sea of people moving toward the stage. She followed without question or argument. I didn’t know exactly where I was headed, just hoping to find a room where I could get her alone. I led the way down a hallway where I saw doors to restrooms and one more door with a sign that read Employees Only.

  Perfect.

  I opened the door and pulled her inside, never so glad to see a custodial closet in my life. I knew she was on the same page as me for after I shut the door and turned back around, it was her hands that pulled my face to hers.

  Our lips met, for the first time, and a tidal wave would have been less force, less moving. Everything paled in comparison to the shock sent through my system at the touch of her lips against mine. It had been weeks and weeks of teasing, innuendo, playfulness, but nothing was playful about the way her supple body pressed against mine, or how her hands moved back into my hair.

  It took a second for my mind to catch up with my body, but I finally registered it was Hadley I was kissing in a closet, after so much time, so much longing, and I nearly lost control. I growled as one hand slid down her waist to grip her ass, finding it just as round and plump as I’d always imagined. My other hand slid up her front, grazing over her breast and reaching the base of her throat. I gripped her gently there, holding her where I wanted her, using my hands to make sure she knew in that moment she was mine.

  She didn’t seem to mind the way I claimed her, whimpering as she tangled her tongue with mine, her hands moving to touch me wherever she could find purchase.

  I walked her backward, pressing her against the door, practically ripping the dress from her body when she lifted one leg and hitched it up on my hip, making it so easy for my erection to press against her center. I’d never hated clothing more than I did in that moment. I wanted her naked and open for me, spread out on my big bed, waiting for me to memorize her entire body.

  I slid my hand behind the knee of her raised leg and used it as leverage to grind my dick against her and I couldn’t hide the grin when she moaned into my mouth at the contact.

  Fuck. Yes.

  She wanted this just as badly as I did.

  The slit up the side of her dress left it wide open and even though it was dark, I could imagine the way she looked propped open, dress falling away.

  I wanted Hadley more than I could remember ever wanting another woman, but I did not want to fuck her in a broom closet. I didn’t want a rushed encounter and I didn’t want to give her a reason to fuck me and walk away, thinking that was all I wanted, all I needed. No, I wanted more than just a quick dip.

  All those thoughts evaporated when her hand closed over the bulge in my pants, gripping me through the fabric like it didn’t exist. I broke the kiss, my breath hissing out of me while she continued to run her hand up and down my cock.

  “Fuck,” I said on a breath, my forehead resting against hers.

  She must have taken the word as a cue because she stopped her assault and moved her hand to the closure of my pants, opening and unzipping them in record time. I almost didn’t have enough time to stop her before her hand slid between my skin and the elastic of my underwear.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I gripped both her wrists in my hands, stilling her, trying to find her gaze in the darkened room. For a moment all I could hear was our breaths, both of us panting through our arousal.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, her hands still held captive in mine. “I thought this is what you wanted.”

  “I did. I do,” I managed, even though it sounded as though I’d just run a marathon. “But not like this. Not in a closet next to a tower of toilet paper.” I released her wrists and moved my hands up her arms until I met her rounded shoulders, then continued until my hands were resting on either side of her neck. “Come have dinner with me. Or a drink. Take a walk with me or something. Let’s get out of here.”

  She was quiet for more than a few seconds, but finally responded.

  “You want to leave?”

  She sounded hurt, which wasn’t what I’d intended, so I let out a frustrated breath and moved my hands from her neck to her cheeks and kissed her again. Slower, but still with intent. I didn’t want her thinking I was rejecting her. I wanted her, but not that way.

  “I want to spend time with you, Hadley. Talk to you. Get to know you.”

  “We’ve talked enough,” she whispered, moving her hands back to the front of my pants. And, damn it, I let her. I held my breath as she reached in and locked her hand around me, gripping me and moving her hand from the base to the head.

  “Fuck, Hadley,” I groaned, lost in the sensation, drowning in how good it felt to have her touch me.

  “Yes,” she said, as though she were leading me along. “That’s exactly what I want.”

  Shit.

  “Hadley, I can’t,” I said quickly, taking a step back and forcing her hand to release me. In the back of my mind I was grateful for the dark so she didn’t see me fumbling to put myself back together, but the darkness also meant I couldn’t see her face. “Trust me,” I said, fighting the urge to press myself against her again, from taking her mouth one more time. “I want you,
in every way, but I don’t want to fuck you in a broom closet. You deserve more than this. I want to give you more.”

  I hadn’t realized I’d felt that way until I said the words aloud. For the first time in my whole life, I didn’t want the quick, meaningless hook-up. I didn’t have time to analyze the new and strange emotion because Hadley was moving.

  I only saw her through the sliver of light that came when she opened the door and then walked through it.

  I panicked, thinking she was possibly walking away from me forever. That was enough to send me after her.

  “Hadley, where are you going?”

  “Back to the party,” she practically yelled over her shoulder, not even bothering to look back at me.

  “Wait, can we talk about what just happened?”

  With that, she did turn around.

  “Nothing happened,” she said with absolutely no emotion. “I want to fuck, you want to talk.” She shrugged. “I thought after all the chasing you’ve been doing for the past few weeks this was going to be the easiest lay ever. But, no hard feelings.” Her gaze dropped for a second to my crotch. “No pun intended.” She turned away from me again and continued on her way.

  “So, wait, because I wouldn’t fuck you in the closet you’re just going to walk away? That’s how it’s going to be?”

  “See you later, Justin. But remember, I don’t allow second chances.”

  And that was when I decided I was going to do anything I could to change her mind. She was going to let me in, and not just into her body, but into her heart. I believed her when she said she didn’t give men more than one shot to make it with her, but I also knew she’d never walked away from anyone who wanted her like I did.

  Chapter Five

  Present Day

  Hadley

  Monday night I’d gotten a call from Riley. When she called, I’d just happened to be sitting outside utilizing her very private backyard and brand-new lawn chairs. My apartment didn’t have a balcony and sitting outside with my laptop and listening to the city sounds was very relaxing.

  She said she’d called to make sure everything was fine with her new perfect house, but I knew she also wanted to talk to me. A lot had happened for my girl in the past five days and I figured she probably needed to decompress a little. So I listened to her give me a minute-by-minute, detailed, thorough play-by-play of her life as a married woman.

  I’d never heard her so happy.

  I would remind her every time she needed me to of how happy she was in that moment. I was also always going to remind her that I was the one who shouted out her last name to Camden when she was trying to shut him down. I was ultimately responsible for all her happiness.

  “And now Cam and I are just relaxing on our veranda, watching the sunset.”

  “Sounds horrible,” I deadpanned, then smiled. Riley knew I was smiling too.

  “Terrible. Worst honeymoon ever.”

  “Hey, I can totally hear you,” Camden shouted in the background. Riley laughed, which only made me smile wider.

  “You’re totally coming home pregnant.”

  “You shut your mouth,” Riley said, suddenly serious. “Why does everyone think that just because everything else happened so quickly we’re automatically going to have babies fast too?”

  “Ugh, because everything else happened so quickly,” I joked. “At this rate I don’t even think you are in control of your reproductive organs. They’re probably spitting out hundreds of eggs because they know they want to have Camden’s baby. Birth control be damned. You’re the .01 percent of women who get pregnant even though they do everything right.”

  “I’m hanging up,” she quipped.

  “No!” I said through laughter. “I’m kidding. Kind of.”

  “Speaking of having people’s babies, how are things with Justin?”

  “Justin who?” I replied without a hint of hesitation.

  Riley groaned and even though diversion was my aim, there was a not so small part of me that wanted to confess to what had happened in Vegas. Or, at least, what I could remember. Which was very little. Although snippets of the night kept coming to me, returning in a very hazy, jumbled mess.

  “Why can’t you see that the guy is crazy for you? I don’t understand why you can’t just give him a chance.”

  “A chance at what?” My tone was curt and I realized after the fact that I may have let a little too much emotion show with just one statement.

  “A chance to make you happy.”

  “I don’t need a man to make me happy,” I said, my voice softer.

  “Oh, Hadley, trust me, I know. And I agree, you don’t need a man to make you happy, but there’s nothing wrong with being happy with a man.”

  “I’ll go out on a date with Justin when you get pregnant.”

  “That’s not fair, Had.”

  I shrugged even though I knew she couldn’t see me. “All’s fair in love and war.”

  “How would you know?” she grumbled, making me smile.

  “As fun as this conversation has gotten, I’m going to let you get back to your miserable honeymoon.”

  “Fine. Don’t forget to water the grass, especially in the front. We just moved into the neighborhood and I don’t want to be the people with the dead grass.”

  “Please, Riley, give me a little credit. I haven’t forgotten your precious yard.”

  “Okay, I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m sure you’ve got everything under control. Thank you so much for taking care of the house while we’re away.” Suddenly she was yelling, “I would have left you a list of things to do if I’d known I wasn’t returning!”

  “Shut your mouth and appreciate your surprise wedding and honeymoon,” Camden yelled back at her.

  “Sounds like you’re about to angry fuck each other, so I’m out.”

  Riley laughed, but then said, “Okay. I love you, Hads. I miss you too. Next time I go on a honeymoon, please come with me.”

  “Gross,” I said at the same time Camden groaned, “Fucking Christ.”

  “Good night, Hadley,” Camden yelled while Riley giggled, and I didn’t want to imagine what was happening over in Hawaii, but I was still smiling because the two of them were just too cute.

  I stood up and laid my laptop on the chair, then walked to the front of the house to water Riley’s new grass.

  The next day was more of the same. Same train ride, although it was minus one near-sexual assault, same coffee, same leisurely walk to my office, same office people making me smile. I’d had almost the same lunch, only I’d opted for a gyro instead of a taco. After my meeting with a designer after lunch I grabbed an Uber and headed over to the appointment I’d set up the day before to meet Alice, and to put together a bid to stage her house.

  Once we pulled into the neighborhood I took a few notes about the style and feel of the surrounding houses. I knew just by the address that the house wouldn’t be in newer development, but without doing some digging there wasn’t any way to know much more about the neighborhood, so the drive there was my first real glance, first chance at inspiration.

  It was a nice neighborhood, middle class, kids playing in the yards, people walking dogs, a park just down the street. So, immediately, anything extremely modern was out, as was the color black. People looking in this area would be couples with kids already or those looking to start a family. This was not the space for single people or college students. So, as far as I was concerned, I was going to show potential buyers how cozy and warm the house could feel. I was going to showcase every opportunity for storage, and I was going to make the house look like a great place to grow up.

  Well, I was going to do all that if the owner decided to hire me.

  The car pulled up to the address and I got out, thanking the driver. My eyes swept over the house and it fit right into my vision, perfect for a growing family.

  It was a soft yellow color, with white trim and gables on the second floor. There was stonework on the front and a red doo
r. It looked like the typical middle-class American house, which was exactly why I was going to make it stand out from all the other average houses on the market.

  I walked to the door and knocked, then smoothed down the front of my skirt and tossed the ends of my long, blond hair over my shoulders. I pasted a professional yet sincere smile on my face and brightened when the door opened.

  But once I saw who was standing on the other side of it, the polite smile fell away and was replaced by confusion.

  “Hadley?”

  Justin was clearly just as confused to see me as I was him.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, brows drawn together.

  “I’m supposed to be meeting a potential client here. At least, I think it’s here.” I turned around and walked ten feet into the yard and looked back at the house, checking the address. “This is 60125 Cleveland Street, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m supposed to meet an Alice here.”

  “Alice is my mother. Wait,” he said, obviously some sort of light bulb going off in his head. “Are you here for the house? Something to do with furniture?”

  “I’m a commercial stager,” I said meekly, for some reason wanting him to know I was more than just a girl with furniture.

  “What does that mean? What do you do?” he asked, not unkindly.

  It suddenly occurred to me that after all this time, after knowing him for months, after sleeping with him, he still had no idea what my job was. It also occurred to me that it wasn’t anyone’s fault but my own. Justin had shown interest in me and my life for quite some time, but I was always shutting him down, brushing his interest off. A little ball of shame started to burn in my belly.

  “I furnish houses on the market in order to optimize the seller’s potential for a higher offer.”

  He raised one eyebrow at me. I tried hard not to roll my eyes. He was a lawyer. I knew he understood what I’d said.