Secured Secret (2 page)

“Okay. Which way are we headed?”

Genie gave Weave directions to her house and settled in for the ride. They rode in a comfortable silence, and she sat sideways in her seat so she could watch him as he drove. The lights from the dashboard cast a glow across the lines of his face, and she found herself clutching her hands in her lap to keep from reaching over to brush her fingers across them. She felt this strange need to see for herself exactly how soft his skin was. It was odd that a sexy man propositioned her once tonight and she balked, but now found herself wishing this man would make her the same offer, because she wasn’t so sure she’d be able to say no. Which just goes to prove that everyone wants what they can’t have.

“Just to recap, so far tonight you have passed on a game of pool in order to stay with me. Drank only water, I’m assuming, just in case you needed to be the sober driver, and now you’re stuck having to drive me home while your friends are out picking up drunken chicks at the pancake house.”

He glanced over at her briefly before switching his gaze back to the road. “You make me sound so boring.”

“No. You’re more like a knight in shining armor.”

He stayed quiet for so long that she wondered if she unintentionally insulted him. Finally, he said. “What a twisted view you have of me.”

He pulled into the driveway of her small house. Jumping out, he circled the truck and opened her door before she could get the chance to. A short sidewalk led to her door, and he walked next to her in silence, both hands shoved in his pockets. She dug her keys out, unlocking the door and cracking it open before turning to say goodbye. He stared past her shoulder into the darkened house. “Just for the record, I skipped out on the pool tournament because I’m selfish, and I knew I’d have you to myself if I did. I drank only water because I’m a recovering alcoholic,” he met her eyes, holding her gaze. “I have no desire to go out and pick up drunken chicks since anyone I found would be a poor substitute for you.”

He leaned forward setting his lips over hers, and she felt as if the world dropped out from beneath her feet. Everything tilted on edge, and she found herself clutching at his shirt as if she were reaching for a lifeline. His tongue brushed hers and she was pretty sure she was purring. He pushed her through the front door and kicked it closed behind him. She found her back shoved against it as all rational thought fled the scene. They fought for dominance and she tried climbing up his body. He tugged at the hem of her shirt and the sound of material ripping rent the air as a few buttons went flying. She tugged just as violently at his t-shirt, forcing him to lean away for a half a second while she yanked it over his head. He returned to her mouth and she felt her bra fall away beneath his clever fingers as she worked on his belt. When her bare breasts brushed the hair on his chest for the first time, she moaned at the sensation.

At the sound of Genie’s moan something inside him snapped. He couldn’t wait a second longer to be inside of her. He lifted his head, searching the room with his eyes, realizing they had come in through the kitchen. Bending at the waist he quickly jerked the rest of her clothes away before sweeping her up into his arms and setting her up onto the edge of the kitchen table. She managed to set free his erection and stroke her fingers down the length of him. He gently brushed her fingers away positioning his self at her entrance. She fell back onto her elbows at the motion and he surged forward, his knees nearly buckling at the feel of her tight heat surrounding him. Gripping her hips between his hands, he pulled her against him as he moved inside of her using her sighs as his guide. When he felt her begin to spasm around him, he leaned forward sucking her nipple into his mouth and calling on all his will power to draw her pleasure out as long as he could. He could feel the tension building, and suddenly an orgasm ripped through him, stealing all the oxygen from the room. It seemed to go on and on unlike anything he could ever remember experiencing before. Resting his forehead against her collarbone, he sucked air into his lungs, trying desperately to catch his breath. When he regained his strength, he lifted his lips to hers briefly before glancing around the room “Where’s your bedroom?” She lifted her hand pointing towards it. He lifted her into his arms. He was nowhere near being finished with Genie Cook.

Weave set her gently on the bed, and Genie curled onto her side watching him as he stripped out of the rest of his clothing before joining her on the bed. Turning on his side to face her he used his arm as a pillow. They just stared at one another. Genie knew she should probably be embarrassed, or feel at least a little ashamed, but she only felt a strange sense of rightness. Weave just sort of appeared out of nowhere knocking her on her ass. Meeting him was a lot like being side-swiped by a bus.

“Are you going to hate me in the morning?” She joked when he stayed silent.

His bright smile slashed through the dark. “Probably.”

Her gaze traveled the length of his body as she burned the sight to memory. He was all sinewy muscle like a runner, and his six-pack made her mouth water. That just happened to be her biggest weakness. She lifted her hand, brushing her fingers along them, stealing this moment of pleasure. He sucked in his breath at her touch, and she lifted her eyes to his. “Are you ticklish?”

He seemed to be holding his breath, but he shook his head and she did it again just to see what would happen. He let out his breath in a whoosh. “Liar,” she accused.

“I don’t think it’s at all manly to admit to being ticklish.”

She giggled at his confession. “Hmm, well then, I wonder what would happen if I did this.”

Sliding down the bed, she ran her tongue over the ridged lines and she heard his indrawn breath. She smiled to herself before doing it again, and he buried his hand in her hair. Becoming more adventurous, she slid down a bit further, running her tongue over his growing erection. He rolled over onto his back and she drew him in past her lips, rolling her tongue over him before taking him as deep as she could. He moaned and gripped the sheets between his fingers. She hollowed out her cheeks, increasing the pressure before repeating the motion, and he grabbed her underneath the arms, pulling her up his body and impaling her quickly. She lifted herself up, rocking against him. He pushed against her, matching her stroke for stroke. She kissed him deeply, their tongues matching the rhythm of their bodies as they both worked towards the same goal. They exploded at the same time, and she heard herself chanting his name. She realized in that moment that this was the man she should have been afraid of. This was the man that was going to break her heart.

It was an hour before the sun would rise, and Genie slept peacefully on her side. She hogged the bed, and the covers, as well as the pillows, but it was totally worth it. He didn’t lie to her when he said he’d probably hate her in the morning. She was the kind of woman that made a man want things, and he was a man that deserved nothing. He thought he accepted a life of emptiness, and then she came along tempting him with a life he could never have, and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was to be his new punishment. Had God decided he wasn’t suffering enough so he devised a new method of torture? He watched her sleeping a moment longer, stealing just a moment out of time; a single moment of peace. He searched the room until he found some paper and a pen, and he scratched out a quick note. Leaving it on the pillow next to her head, he slipped away like a thief in the night, returning to the reality of his life.

CHAPTER TWO

Six months later

Genie hated weddings, with a passion. She hated getting dressed up and sitting in a pew until her ass went to sleep. She hated having to stand thirty minutes in a line to shake the hand of someone she saw every damn day at work just so they would know she actually showed up, even though they probably wouldn’t remember five minutes after they saw her. But most of all she hated that weddings always managed to shine a bright light on the emptiness of her own life.

Unfortunately, there was no way she was getting out of going to this particular wedding since it was Bradley and Flower’s. Bradley was her team member, she considered him to be a friend as well, and she really was happy he was finally marrying the girl of his dreams since he deserved all the happiness in the world, but lord how she hated her own life.

“Why are you looking like you ate bad sushi last night?”

Genie glanced over at Steven, her other team member and escort for the evening. “How long have we been here?” she asked, ignoring his question.

He snuck a peek at his watch. “About fifteen minutes, why?”

“Damn,” she muttered. “It feels like we’ve been here for hours. I wish they would get the show on the road.”

“I agree,” entered a new voice. “Don’t they realize everybody showed up for the open bar? The rest of this is just pomp and circumstance.”

Genie twisted in her seat to find Shannon squeezing into the empty seat on her other side.

“Hello Mr. Alfred,” he said over her shoulder. “Oh good. You wore a watch. You can keep us updated on how much longer we’re going to be forced to suffer through this.”

Steven flushed at Shannon’s words and turned to make conversation with the elderly lady seated on his other side, effectively ignoring them, but she noticed he also tugged his sleeve down nervously, hiding the watch from sight.

She looked at Shannon questioningly, but he only chuckled.

“How have you been, beautiful?” he asked, turning her attention away from Steven.

She smiled despite herself since no woman alive no matter the circumstances could be completely immune to his charm. “I’m alright, and you?”

“I’ve been covered up with work; which, while a good thing, has left me exhausted, and it’s hot as hell. Oh, excuse me, hot as heck in this church. When are they going to get this thing started? Good grief?”

Genie suddenly felt a little better now she realized she wasn’t the only one being affected by the great wedding effect. The wedding march began. They all stood to watch the bride coming down the aisle, except when Genie turned, the world screeched to a halt as she recognized Weave seated directly behind her. Her eyes locked with his for a split second, but she looked away just as quickly thinking she might be sick. He stared straight through her as if she were no more than a stranger, and she never hated another person in her life as much as she hated him in that moment. Everybody began to reclaim their seats, and she dropped like a rock into her own, staring straight ahead, frozen like a deer in the headlights. How long had he been sitting there? She swore she could feel his eyes on the back of her neck, and the hair stood up on her arms. It took every ounce of her willpower not to glance over her shoulder. She never heard a word of the vows being exchanged, and she didn’t even realize when it came to an end until Shannon reached over linking his fingers with hers. She looked over to find him searching her face. “Is everything okay?”

Her smile felt wooden, but she refused to let anyone see her distress. “I’m fine.”

“Your fingers are like ice,” he said, sounding concerned. “Let’s go find that open bar.”

He held her hand and helped her to stand. She followed him out without a single thought as to what happened to Steven, and she kept her eyes straight ahead in fear of even accidently setting eyes upon Weave again. As promised, Shannon skipped the receiving line and headed straight for the bar. He ordered up two shots of whiskey, and Genie tossed it back. She swiped his as well, before he was given a chance to drink it, and tossed it back as well.

Shannon looked shocked but ordered up two more, and as she was throwing back the third she heard the voice she was dreading. “How have you been, Genie?”

She forced herself to set the glass down gently and gathered her strength to face him. She managed to arrange her features into an expression of amused confusion. “I’m sorry. Have we met?” Gathering up the hem of her dark blue dress, she swept past him, not giving him time to respond, but she didn’t make it far before Shannon was on her heels. “What the hell was that all about?” She might have ignored him and continued on her way, but he sounded really pissed, which caught her off guard. What the hell did he have to be pissed about? Nobody screwed him and then snuck off in the night, never to be heard from again. She paused in her steps long enough for him to fall in beside her then continued outside towards her car.

He laid his hand on her arm, bringing her to a halt. “Are you going to tell me what that was all about?”

She looked down at his hand before slowly bringing her eyes back to his. Whatever he saw on her face must have finally clued him into her anger. He dropped his hand. “Seriously, Genie. What is going on?”

“I’m going home. That is what’s going on.”

“After three shots of whiskey you’re getting behind the wheel of a car? Are you insane?”

Her shoulders slumped at the censure in his voice, and before she could stop it, a single tear fell from the corner of her eye. Shannon groaned like a doomed man. “Oh good Lord. Come on, I’m parked over here.”

Weave watched from the doorway as Genie climbed into Shannon’s SUV. She was pissed. There was no doubt about it. He knew she would be, but he was still shocked by the level of anger in her eyes. Damn. She looked beautiful too. The dark blue dress she was wearing was cut low; her blonde hair was pulled up in the back while framing her face perfectly. Even mad as hell, there wasn’t another woman alive as drop dead gorgeous as her. He wanted to chase her down and explain everything to her, but that would be even worse. Right now, she hated him because she thought he was a womanizer, and in his mind that was a step up from what he really was; maybe even ten steps up. Therefore, as much as he hated it, he would watch her leave with Shannon. It was better this way for everyone involved.

Shannon stared straight ahead watching the road. He didn’t know what the hell just happened, but there was a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. A part of him wanted to pull over and demand Genie tell him what the hell was going on, but another huge part of him wanted to stick his head in the sand. After a few miles of driving, the tension drained some from his shoulders and he was finally able to glance over at Genie. She was staring out the window and didn’t seem to be crying, which helped ease the tension. He hated when women cried. It was one of those things he was completely inept to deal with. He loved women for all the obvious reasons, but he liked them as well. The way their minds worked always left him totally fascinated, and he liked to hear their opinions because they possessed the ability to find the most complicated path to the simplest answers, which always left him completely blown away.