“So what do I do now?” Crystal exhaled loudly. “I have one man wanting me back and another one running from me.”
“It’s quite simple.” Lydia grinned. “Which one do you want to catch you?”
Gwen twisted her lips, looking the definition of devious as she said, “Actually, you don’t need to do a thing, Crys. If Mark is who I think he is, then he’ll come to you and your ex-husband will as well.”
“But I don’t need two men in my life,” Crystal cried. “I just want one guy, the one who can give me what I need without me having to beg.”
“Well, don’t tell us.” Mia chuckled evilly. “Tell it to Twitter.”
• • •
Lydia left for a meeting after they returned from lunch. Crystal worked steadily for the next few hours before blowing out a long, frustrated breath and deciding that she needed a break. She got up and shut her office door before returning to her desk and Googling “booty call quotes.” Even though Mia had encouraged her to tweet something at Mark, she’d been hesitant. That wasn’t exactly the mature approach, was it? Scanning through the page, she read one that seemed to apply to how she was feeling about the previous night.
So, before she could talk herself out of it, she replied to Mark’s last tweet with “If you get a booty call at three a.m., you probably weren’t first on the list.” Unknown. #Angel. Then she dusted her hands off in satisfaction. It took approximately sixty seconds for her to regret her impulsive social media slap down. She frantically pulled up the Twitter page and could hardly believe her eyes when she tried to log back in. Sorry, we’re overloaded. Please try again in a few moments. “Shit!” she hissed as she desperately tried to enter the Twittersphere. Crystal had been pressing REFRESH for what seemed like hours with no luck, when she heard her office door open. Her head jerked up and the blood drained from her face. Mark stood there and if the way he was scowling was any indication, he’d already read her tweet. “Oh crap,” she murmured.
He took what looked like carefully measured strides into her office before turning to close the door quietly behind him. “Good afternoon, Angel,” he said in a neutral voice. “Having a good day?”
“Um, sure,” she mumbled. His words were polite, but there was something about his eyes. They seemed to blaze down at her behind his careful veneer. “How about you?”
He strolled closer, stopping just inches from where she was sitting before propping a hip on her desk. “It was going well—until my assistant burst into my office to share something with me.”
Should I beg for forgiveness or go the defiant route? Or maybe just act dumb for a bit longer and attempt to defuse the situation.
“Well, whatever it was, I’m sure the person meant no harm. Sometimes people say the first thing that pops into their head and then regret it. The person might even attempt to take it back, but is unable to.”
Mark raised a brow as he studied her in silence for a time. Finally, he said, “Is that so? My question in that instance would be why say it to begin with? I’ve always found that unfiltered thoughts tend to contain the most truths.”
Frustrated by his calm wordplay, Crystal snapped, “Oh, for heaven’s sake, admit you’re mad at me for dissing you on Twitter! I can’t take much more of this civilized bullying.”
She shut her eyes, waiting for him to blow. When nothing happened, she opened one eye, only to find him grinning at her with what almost looked like delight. “My Angel has claws. I’ve seen the evidence of that on my back—but I wasn’t convinced until now. Even when you’ve been a bad girl, you still come out swinging. I like that—a lot.”
Holy cow . . . I think I just had an orgasm—or wordgasm. Huffing, she could only manage an inelegant “Whatever” as he stepped close enough to trail a finger along the seam of her mouth. Without thinking, she parted her lips and touched her tongue to his digit, causing him to roughly inhale.
He leaned down, until his mouth was next to her ear. “You’ve no idea how much I’d like to pull you to the end of your chair then part your legs, remove your panties, and lick you until you scream my name.”
“Yes—please,” she babbled in an aroused daze.
Mark gave a sexy chuckle that sent shivers down her spine. He sucked the sensitive skin of her neck, whispering, “Would that be considered a booty call, Angel? If I had you on my tongue, and then fucked you on your desk—is that what it would be to you?”
“Who cares?” she groaned, wanting to experience exactly what his velvety-smooth voice was describing.
His hand dropped to her thigh, stroking the smooth skin exposed by her dress. “I do, baby. When Denny tells me that you feel demeaned because of the way I handled last night, then I figure we need to clarify a few things before I have you again.”
“O . . . kay,” she managed to answer as he continued to drive her crazy with his maddening touch.
“Listen to me carefully, Angel,” he instructed. When she nodded her agreement, he said, “You were my first choice. I waited for you to arrive as planned, and then when you blew me off, I came to you.” When she opened her mouth to protest, wanting to point out that she’d had an upsetting evening, he tapped his finger against her lips. “No talking yet. Just give me a nod if you’ve heard and understood what I’ve said so far.” She did as he asked and was rewarded with a “Good girl. Now, as I was saying, we agreed to spend the evening together, so I just made sure that happened when you didn’t follow through. Although I’ll admit that I didn’t handle your revelation about your ex well.”
Crystal gathered her wits enough to say sarcastically, “Ya think? If you’ll recall, you kept questioning me. I didn’t just start unloading everything without encouragement.”
Suddenly, he pulled from her the chair and into his arms. “I know, Angel,” he admitted. “I’m sorry about that. I’m just—not used to something like that happening.”
“Like what?” she asked absently as she snuggled closer, subtly inhaling his spicy, masculine scent. She wasn’t sure if it was cologne or Mark’s natural scent—but it was delicious.
He sighed. “I know this will sound bad, but I’ve never really cared what’s going on in the life of the woman I’m having sex with.” When she went stiff, he rubbed her back soothingly. “You know that I don’t have relationships—at least I haven’t until this point. What I’m trying to say—and I’m making a mess of it—is that everything about you and our time together is new to me. I’ve never had to deal with feelings such as jealousy. Apparently, it turns me into a bit of an asshole.”
Her eyes widened as she stared up at Mark’s rueful expression. “Really? You were jealous? I mean, the girls thought that you might be—but I didn’t believe it. I mean you’re—DeStudo.” Why, oh, why must I say one stupid thing after another? Crystal thought to herself as Mark started laughing.
“We need to pause this conversation until later on this evening, Angel. I’m afraid it’s very close to getting out of hand, and I don’t know how Jason Danvers will feel about your vocal explosion during office hours.”
Wrinkling her nose, she asked, “My what?”
He kissed her briefly, before setting her away from him. “When you come, your voice hits levels that would put an opera star to shame, Angel.”
Before she could reply, there was a knock on her door and Lydia stuck her head in before Crystal could call out to stop her. “Wanted to let you know I was back,” the woman said before her voice trailed off as she noticed Mark. Crystal smothered a grin behind her hand as Lydia straightened, and then brushed a hand over her hair. “Hi, there,” she said in a breathy voice. Apparently, even her boss wasn’t immune to Mark’s considerable charm.
He extended a hand to her. “I’m Mark, and you are?”
“Oh, I know,” she whispered dreamily, before seeming to get a grip. “I—um, I’m Lydia. Nice to meet you.”
“Lydia’s my boss,” Crystal said. “I believe she’s met a colleague of yours, Jacob.”
Mark looked at Lydia cu
riously. “Jacob’s my right-hand man.” Shooting Crystal a pointed look, he admitted, “He’s doing a lot of my travel now as I’ve found—well, something that’s keeping me home more.”
“Tell him I said hello,” Lydia said brightly before a mortified expression crossed her face.
“I’ll do that.” Mark smiled easily, then turned to Crystal. “I need to get back to my office. I’ll see you at my house tonight around six?” It was phrased as a question for Lydia’s benefit, but Crystal knew it was anything but. He didn’t expect a repeat of last night—nor would he tolerate it.
“Okay,” she accepted. “See you soon.”
When he was gone, Lydia shut the door behind him and held her hand up. Crystal slapped it in a high five, and they both did some juvenile dance moves. “I swear, don’t take this the wrong way, but sweet Jesus, that voice, those bedroom eyes—he’s Mr. Big come to freaking life at Danvers.”
“Calm down, girl,” Crystal said soothingly before a giggle escaped. “I had no idea you were such a pervert. This is a whole other side of you, and I’m kind of digging it.”
“Well, honey, you were a bit repressed when we started working together, and I was kind of screwed up over losing Brett, so I didn’t bother to rock the boat. But now you’ve gone from sitting on the shore to swimming with the sharks, and I’m finding that I’m thrilled to live vicariously through you. Heck, I’m even acknowledging my lust for Jacob. Maybe this year we’ll both shake off the past and do something that makes us happy. Or at the least, have a lot of meaningless sex along the way.”
Impulsively, Crystal stepped forward and gave the other woman a quick hug. “I like your plan. And if Jacob has even a tiny bit of intelligence, he’ll be knocking down your door to take a walk on the wild side with you.”
Lydia looked thrilled by her comment. “I’m going to do my best to make that happen. And I don’t think you have to worry about that with Mark. The man couldn’t take his eyes off you, and he didn’t give a damn if I noticed it or not.”
“It’s just sex, though.” Crystal felt compelled to clarify things. “He’s interested because I’m like the most inexperienced woman he’s even known.”
Lydia looked at her as if she was crazy before shaking her head. “I can’t predict the future, but all I have to say is if I had the attention of a man like Mark, for whatever reason, I wouldn’t squander it. Go forth my child, have sex—the dirty kind—and live in the moment. People come into our lives for a variety of reasons, and if we’re smart, we take advantage of what they have to offer. Sometimes all we can do is grab on with both hands and enjoy the ride.”
The words struck a chord inside Crystal as she acknowledged to herself that she was constantly trying to fit Mark into some neat category that she could label. Lydia was right; what she had with Mark might not last forever, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t be good for each other. He’d said several times that she was different for him, and that was certainly true for her. What was wrong with just enjoying the company of a man she desired without expecting fancy words or heartfelt declarations? Happily ever after hadn’t worked out so well before. She’d just do the very opposite of her marriage with Bill and base her nonrelationship with Mark on sex. If nothing else, it would drive her mother insane.
Chapter Fourteen
Crystal drove straight to Mark’s house after work. Before she could knock on the door, it was flung open by a beaming Denny. “Hey—hey, Crystal. Come on in.”
Unable to resist, she smiled back. Something about Denny’s demeanor was infectious. He was a good-looking guy, but that wasn’t his appeal to her. It was the fact that he always seemed so happy. Maybe if she spent more time with him, it would rub off on her. “Good to see you again,” she replied as he shut the door behind her. Then she saw a sight that had her gawking in shock. Mark was standing at the kitchen island in well-worn jeans and a T-shirt, chopping vegetables as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Close your mouth, girl.” Denny smirked as he walked to a barstool and plopped down.
Mark glanced up, giving her a sexy grin. His look went from relaxed to downright scalding as he took in her cut-off jean shorts and fitted tank top. She’d figured since they were staying in tonight that she’d dress for comfort. If the way the cousins were looking at her was any indication, they approved wholeheartedly of her casual attire—possibly a bit too much. “Hungry, Angel?” Mark’s searing gaze let her know he wasn’t just talking about dinner.
She shifted her knees together before she could stop herself. “I—um, could eat.” Shit, they’re still staring as if they’ve never seen a woman before. “So . . . what are you making?” she asked brightly.
“Stir-fry,” Mark said, before adding huskily, “Now come give me a kiss, Angel.” She looked at him uncertainly, chancing a glance at Denny. Mark turned to the other man and snapped, “Go get something from the car.”
“Like what?” Denny asked, clearly playing dumb to harass his cousin.
Mark put his hand on his hips, rolling his eyes. “I don’t give a fuck—just walk out there and stand for a while.” Denny grumbled under his breath, but Crystal could tell it was just for show. He looked vastly amused as he was essentially kicked out of the house. Mark turned back to her and crooked his finger. “Now come here so I can touch you. He’ll be back soon just to be an asshole, so unless you want an audience, hustle, baby.” That got her attention. She crossed the room, and before she could blink, he had her turned with her back pressed against the granite island. “You smell amazing,” he murmured as his tongue licked up her neck. Mark, she’d discovered, loved tasting her.
“It’s soap,” she blurted out, unable to hold a coherent thought in her head. “Plus, I used the matching lotion as well, so that’s probably what you smell. Although it could be my lip stuff. . . .” She trailed off, realizing she was rambling like a crazy woman.
Lifting his head, he said, “Angel—time’s wasting.” She didn’t need further encouragement. Going up on her toes, in a move that probably lacked grace, she locked her lips on his—and then he took over. His kiss consumed her, and even though she didn’t realize it as he was repositioning her, she suddenly found her butt on the counter and him between her legs.
Crystal shamelessly pressed her aching core against his hardness as he gave her a deep kiss full of tongue and more than a little teeth nipping. “Oh, Mark,” she moaned as she felt his hand pinching her nipple through her lacy bra. “God—yes!” she encouraged as his hand slipped into the back of her shorts before steadily moving toward the front. And for the second time that day, someone walked in while she and Mark were making out like teenagers.
A throat cleared nearby and a voice said, “Maybe you should have mentioned that you were planning to go all the way, instead of just kissing,” Denny called out. “I could have walked around the block or something. Or picked up some takeout, since it doesn’t look as if dinner is going to be ready anytime soon.”
Mark broke the kiss, and Crystal let her legs slide down his body. She could only imagine how they must look to Denny. “I knew I’d regret letting you invite yourself to stay,” Mark grumbled as he threw a carrot at Denny. They teased each other good-naturedly while she settled at the bar, listening to them bicker. They were very much how she imagined brothers would be like. Mark blustered and scowled, but there was no real heat behind his words. It was obvious that they loved each other and had an easiness between them that spoke of the years they’d spent together.
When Denny came over to throw an arm around her, she smiled over her shoulder at him. “Oh, Crystal, the stories I could tell you about the man you were slobbering all over,” he teased.
“Denny,” Mark snapped with a clear warning in his voice.
“Ah, come on. Sharing is caring. We’ve had some funny moments through the years. Crystal would really get a kick out of the chick who tattooed your name on her—”
“Denny! I swear—”
“Not h
er?” Denny continued as if he wasn’t in the least concerned by Mark glowering at him from only inches away. “How about the one who sang that Britney song during the big event? What was it? ‘. . . Baby One More Time’? No, wait—‘I’m A Slave 4 U’! Shit, that one was funny.” By this point, both men, and she used that term loosely because they were behaving more like boys, were circling around the island. Mark was yelling threats and Denny was holding his sides while he continued with his trip down memory lane. “No—no, I’ve got it, the one you caught trying to make a mold of your—ouch! Dammit, I’m telling my mom that you hit me with a spatula. Your ass is in so much trouble!”
Crystal couldn’t help it; she doubled over in her seat, laughing until tears rolled down her cheeks. “How in the world,” she gasped out, “did that girl do that?” She wheezed.
Mark glared at Denny, who yelled, “Play-Doh,” as he ran to the living room for cover.
Mark held his hands up as if trying to plead his innocence. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just messing with you.”
Raising a brow, she teased, “So you’re saying that none of that actually happened, right?”
“Whoops, looks like dinner’s ready. Don’t want to let it burn,” he said hastily as he turned away and busied himself at the stove.
“Good save,” she said lightly, letting the topic go. Oddly enough, hearing about his encounters with other women didn’t really bother her that much. When Denny sidled back into the kitchen and gave her a wink, she felt like she’d passed some kind of initiation test by not overreacting to his stories. Even Mark gave her an easy grin when he set a steaming bowl of chicken stir-fry in front of her. If not for the way his gaze strayed to her breasts for a beat too long, she might have been afraid that she was officially one of the guys now, but it appeared there was no danger of that. As she sat joking and laughing with the two of them, she realized with a pang somewhere in the vicinity of her heart that it would be far too easy to become attached to these men—in fact, she was afraid that she already had grown rather attached.