Work Like You Don't Need the Money (5 page)

She hesitated, but once more her body obeyed the command from his eyes. Her hand slipped between her legs and she stroked herself for him. She moaned as the heat intensified in her belly.  She felt him grow harder in her hand, his eyes fixed on her fingers stroking the little nub between her legs. She guided his glistening head toward her opening, moving him against her rhythmically. She gasped as she slid the very tip of him inside her then out again.

Pete breathed hard as he watched her. He let her go for a moment as he reached for a condom, quickly rolling it on. Then he grabbed her hips to hold her in place as he thrust up inside her. Holly went from having total control over both their bodies to being completely at his mercy as he pounded into her, pulling her down to receive each thrust of his hips. She felt him tense and they both gasped as she tightened around him until he exploded, taking them both over the edge.

Eventually they lay still, still connected, breathing hard. Pete ran a hand down her back then grasped her ass cheek.

“Good morning, sexy lady!”

“Good morning, Mr. Bigshot,” she smiled as she rolled off him. “And after that performance, you can't deny that's your name.”

Pete laughed and drew her towards him, “I guess not. But since you made it so clear that this was a one shot deal, I had to make it a big one.”

Holly's heart fell. She'd been so lost in the moment, she'd forgotten that this was it. That now they would get up, get dressed and go back to real life. That her time with Pete was over, not just beginning.

“Well, you certainly did that, but now it's time to head back to reality, don't you think? If we leave soon, I can still get back in time to open the store up myself.”

“Or,” Pete held her closer to him, “You could let your people open up, I could cancel my meeting and we could see where this day takes us?”

Holly looked into his eyes, inches from her own. How she would love to see where this day might take them, but no, she knew where it would ultimately end. There was no point. She pecked his lips with a quick kiss.

“Much as I would love to, I'm no Bigshot like you. I'm just a small time, small business owner who needs to get back to work. You may get away with ordering the world to stop to suit your whims, but I don't play in the big leagues. That's why we need to accept that this night was our one and only night. Nothing else would work.” There. She'd said it. Spelled out that she knew and understood how different they were, that he was out of her league.

Pete just stared at her. She could see his mind working. She hoped that he would come up with something to persuade her that she was wrong, that she could, in fact, play hooky with him.

“But, Sweetheart...” His eyes were back to that beautiful intense violet color. They burned into her own. She held her breath. He smiled. “Whatever you say. I'd never be one to keep a woman from her work. So, I guess it
is
time to go. You want the first shower?”

Holly let out the breath. What had she expected? Everything she'd said made sense. She knew it. He was only agreeing with her. Still, she felt the disappointment settle in the pit of her stomach.

“Sure.” She sprang from the bed, eager to be away from him now that she could no longer be close to him.

Pete watched her rounded naked little ass disappear into the bathroom. If he hadn't just come so hard he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from following her in there. But she seemed determined that this was it. He had to respect that. She was right, it really was for the best, wasn't it? She'd already gotten under his skin after only one weekend. All he wanted was more of her. Every time he had her he wanted her more. It was best to stop now. Be glad they'd had this one night and leave it at that. Besides, he really didn't need to be canceling this afternoon's meeting with Bowers.

                                                      **********

By five o'clock, Pete was leaning back in his chair, feet on his desk, fingers steepled together under his chin as he stared out the window at the LA skyline. Bowers had been in a great mood. The meeting had gone well and they'd managed to get past the last few stumbling blocks. Yet his mind kept straying back to Holly. He'd dropped her off at her little store just before ten. She'd left him with another of her sweet kisses and a smile.

“See you around, Bigshot,” she'd said, eyes dancing. She'd been laughing at him, but he'd laughed with her. She was real, not just beautiful. She was hot, smart, and strong, the kind of woman he would want in his life. And, as she had pointed out, trying to pursue anything further would be crazy. He wasn't ready to make room for someone special in his life yet. Holly was nothing if not special. Yeah, the sex was awesome, but she stirred something deep inside him, Deep inside his being , not just in his pants. He smiled as felt the beginnings of life down there now.

His cell phone buzzed. It was Jack.

“S'up, partner?”

“Yo Bro! Wanted to see how you got on with Bowers.”

“Yeah, it went great, he signed off on pretty much everything. He's meeting with his board tomorrow and we'll talk again Wednesday. It looks like we should be ready to roll early next month.”

“Great, we can go over it at weekend. You are coming up Friday, right?”

“I am. Just cause you've got a wedding to organize, doesn't mean I don't still have a house to build.”

“No worries there. I've been talking to Meyers this morning. I'm meeting with the crew tomorrow and we're ahead of schedule all round. We'll be killing two birds with one stone this weekend though.”

“How so?”

“Em wants to get everyone together to talk wedding stuff. You're going to be here, Dan's coming too and he's bringing Laura again. Since we'll have the whole wedding party together, Em wants to talk details and organize us.”

Pete laughed, “You ready for all this, Bro?” He was still surprised, though pleased at how hard and fast his partner had fallen for his childhood friend, Emma.

Jack laughed too, “I am. I still can't quite believe it myself. Seriously though, you know I'd do anything to see her happy and she's dreamed of this wedding at her Gramps' place since she was a little kid. I'm going to make damned sure she gets what she wants. If anything, it'll probably be me marching round with a clipboard, taking care of details.”

“Ha! You know, when she was still in scared little mouse mode, wondering whether she dared take a chance on you, I told her you were a detail guy when it comes to the things you care about.”

“Well, you got that right, and there is a detail I want your help with this weekend.”

“Fire way. You know I'll help if I can.”

“You know how I said the whole wedding party is coming up here? The only one missing is Holly. Em said she was going to drive to the city and pick her up, but that seems crazy to me since you're coming anyway. Would you mind bringing her with you?”

Pete felt himself grin. “It'd be my pleasure.”

“You want to elaborate on that?”

“Not particularly.”

“Hmm. You two seemed to be getting along well this weekend. Anything I should know?'

“She is a fascinating woman.”

Jack laughed, “So, you're telling me you're fascinated?”

“I'm telling you nothing, Benson. Other than, yes, I will do you a favor and bring her up there with me on Friday.”

“Are you sure it's
you
that's doing
me
the favor?”

Pete laughed, “Whatever. I was going to come up Friday morning, but I don't know if Holly will leave before Saturday, is that going to work?”

“Let me talk to Em. She really wanted everyone here Friday night. And I suspect you may be able to use your considerable powers of persuasion to get Holly to do as you say?”

Pete smiled to himself, thinking of ways he might do just that. “I'll call her.”

“Okay, I'll let you know what Em's thinking.”

Pete laughed.

“What's so funny?”

“This conversation. You and me arranging our weekend around what a couple of women want.”

Jack laughed too, “Yeah, it would've seemed pretty farfetched not so long ago, huh?”

“Still seems it now,” said Pete. His intercom buzzed, “I gotta go, Bro. Judy's after me.”

“Later.”

                                                           **********

Jack pulled into Emma's driveway and sat for a moment, staring out at the lake. He still found it hard to believe how much his life had changed in the last couple of months – how happy he was now. Phoenix, the construction company he and Pete had built up over the last ten years, had been the main focus of his life. He'd spent most of that time traveling, overseeing projects around the country. Driving himself into the ground if he was honest. The last year had been different. Pete had effectively grounded him in LA. Although that brotherly attempt at making him slow down had no doubt saved him from complete burnout, Jack had never been happy in the city. LA was too harsh, too superficial, too fast and too brittle for his taste.

Then he'd met Emma. She'd changed everything. She was such a contradiction, this beautiful, self-assured woman, who was also so playful, goofing around with Pete, and so scared, as he'd discovered when he'd begun to pursue her. Jack was pretty sure now that, for him at least, it had been love at first sight. Especially since his first sight of her had been seeing her wiggling her backside at Pete before she'd barreled into Jack himself and literally knocked him of his feet!

Now, now they were getting married.

They'd stayed up most of the night talking, making plans for their future, making love, and more plans. Jack watched the late afternoon sun dance on the lake and sighed a happy sigh. Life was good. As he climbed out of the old truck Emma's Gramps had loaned him, he thought of his conversation with Pete. He was grateful Em wouldn't have to drive down to the city to pick up her friend. He was curious too about Pete's reaction. Pete and Holly had seemed to be getting along well over the weekend and Pete wasn't normally coy about the women he liked. This could be interesting.

Emma appeared on the front deck. Jack's heart expanded in his chest at the sight of her.

“Hey, Mr. Benson! I was starting to wonder if you were going to sit out there all night.”

Jack bounded up the steps and wrapped her in his arms. “Hey, yourself, Mrs. Benson-to-be. I was just taking a moment to think about what a lucky SOB I am and how much I love you.”

“I love you too, Jack, so much. And now I'm over myself and my silly fears I can't wait to marry you.”

Jack pressed her closer to him. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that, Mousey. Part of me still thinks you're going to get scared again and change your mind.”

“No such luck, Mr. B, You're stuck with me now. Nothing could stop me from marrying you. And I'm so excited to plan this wedding. You really don't mind getting into all the details with me? I'm not going to drive you nuts and scare
you
off?”

“Baby, you know I'm a detail guy and there is nothing more important to me that making you happy and making you my wife. In fact, I took care of one little detail myself today.”

“What's that?”

“I asked Pete to bring Holly with him this weekend. I didn't want you to drive down there when you don't have to.”

“Oh.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course. It's great with me, I just don't know what Holly will think. I didn't really get chance to talk with her before they left.” She gave Jack a mischievous little smile. “I have to confess that I had been threatening to play match-maker for those two for a while. I don't know what they thought of each other.”

Jack grinned. “You had, huh? Well, I don't know about Holly, but I'd guess Pete is more than interested.”

Emma gave a little squeal of delight. “You would? Why? What did he say? Don't you think they'd be great together?”

“Slow down, Em. Don't get too excited. You know a relationship isn't part of Pete's plan yet and he never deviates from the plan. But he was definitely interested in Holly. Normally he'd tell me all about a woman he likes, but he was real cagey about her. Let's just watch and see, yeah?”

“Okay, I suppose so,” grumbled Emma, “But at least I'm going to call Holly and see what she has to say about it.”

Jack raised an eyebrow sternly.

“Oh, come on,” she laughed, “I
have
to call my best friend and Maid of Honor, and Pete's name is bound to come up since he's your Best Man!”

Jack shook his head, smiling.

                                                           **********

Holly poured some more of her favorite bubbles under the running water as she waited for the tub to fill. A long hot bubble bath was one of her favorite ways to relax, and tonight she
really
needed to relax. She'd been distracted all day at the store. So much so, that Roberto, her visual merchandising manager, had shown concern. Roberto was an absolute darling and a dear friend, but he was much more given to displays of camp effervescence than genuine concern. For him to react that way, she knew she must have seemed completely unhinged. She couldn't help it though. She just couldn't get thoughts of Pete and images of their lovemaking out of her mind. No matter how much or how often she tried to correct herself. They were images of sex, that's all it was. Hot, toe curling, but strings-free sex. Nothing more. So why did she also keep smiling to herself, remembering things he'd said over the weekend? Laughing about little comments he'd made? Remembering the feel of his lips on her hair as he murmured to her?

She undressed and checked she had everything she needed before she stepped into the steaming bubbles. Glass of wine, definitely needed tonight, a big bold Cab. Book, not that she thought she would be able to focus on it, but she had to try. Cell phone, she wasn't expecting any calls, was she? She certainly didn't want to talk to anyone, but it was force of habit.

She sank gratefully up to her nose in Gardenia scented bubbles and closed her eyes. Maybe now she'd able to rerun the memories of her time with Pete, then store them in a dark corner of her mind.  She would put them safely out of everyday reach, yet leave them accessible to indulge in on the nights she felt alone and wondered if she would ever find the happiness her sisters seemed to have. The happiness which, for that matter, her friend Emma had found with the gorgeous Jack. Holly sighed. Jack, Pete's partner. All the roads in her mind led back to Pete. She ran her hands down her body, wishing they were Pete's hands as she closed her eyes and remembered his touch.