Take This Man

Chapter Ten



Adam looked at his watch, then at the clock on the kitchen wall. Eight-fifteen. No, seventeen. And Elyse had promised to be home by seven o"clock.

He tossed aside the dish towel he"d used for wiping up. That"s what he"d been doing while waiting for her, compulsively cleaning, in between trying to reach Elyse on her cell and constantly checking the clock. The oven was on warm, but the pork roast he"d cooked over an hour ago was probably as dry and tough as shoe leather. The scalloped potatoes meant to accompany it were crusty and hard, the green beans limp and gray.

F*ck it. He"d wanted everything to be special tonight, perfect, especially after the last couple of nights. He was going to lay it all on the line this evening, tell Elyse how much he loved her. Ask her to stay with him—not for just a week, but forever. If she wanted, they could move in together, live together, get married, whatever. He was ready to go as fast or as slow as she wanted. All he wanted was her. But he should have known she"d blow him off.

All week long he"d wanted to tell her how he felt, and she"d managed to cut him off at the pass every time. Now she pulled this crap.

He looked at the table he"d set with his mother"s good crystal and china, and real cloth napkins. He"d placed a centerpiece of roses on the table next to a bottle of that pink wine she liked—white zinfandel.

Adam shook his head in self-disgust. What an almighty f*ckhead he was.

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He slammed open the oven door and pulled out the roasting pan, dumping the pork into the garbage, tossing the pan into the sink. It spattered grease on its way, and rang with a satisfying clank as it landed. The potatoes were like glue, so they went into the garbage, pan and all. The green beans followed.

Grabbing the wine bottle, he uncorked it with a few angry twists, saluted the roasting pan in the sink, and took several deep swallows. The wine did nothing to cool the rage blistering his guts. His mouth twisted at the sweetness of the wine. He"d have pretended to like it for Elyse"s sake, but there was no need for pretending now. She wasn"t here.

No use in pretending at all. He knew where she was, and she knew he knew. She had not turned her cell off accidentally. She was still punishing him, still trying to make him pay for what happened two years ago.

She was with Jason. Her best friend.

Jason"s hands touching her, grasping Elyse"s hips as she moved on top of him. Elyse shuddering as her climax hit unexpectedly…

The memory hit Adam like a punch in the gut, almost doubling him over. A sour burn rose in his throat, and sweat popped out on his upper lip.

This was bullshit. He was not going to hang around here like some f*cking dickless wonder, waiting for her to come home, imagining the worst.

Hell, no.

He wasn"t waiting any longer. He was going to track her down and have this out, once and for all.



****

“I don"t think oatmeal cookies and gin are such a good combination,” Elyse said, brushing some crumbs from her shirt.

They were back at the hotel again, in Jason"s room, lounging on his bed and getting wasted on 106

what they scavenged from the mini-bar. Elyse was alternating sips of a G&T with bites of her cookie.

“Try it with the whiskey,” Jason told her, lifting his own glass. “It"s not bad.”

She frowned. She was semi-drunk, and Jason had emptied a lot more bottles than she had. “We should slow down.” Meaning he should.

“Nah,” he answered. “Still a lot more of those little soldiers to kill.”

“You"re gonna clean out the mini-bar?” Her eyes bugged.


“That"s the plan, sis.”

“It"ll cost a fortune. It"d be cheaper to go down to the bar and drink there,” she reasoned, although her faculties were rather muzzy at the moment.

“They might cut me off. I want to drink ?til I pass out.” He drained his glass and clapped it on the nightstand. “Blessed oblivion.” Jason closed his eyes and laid his head on the pillow, his left hand splayed on his chest. They sank into silence. Elyse thought her friend had fallen asleep, until he spoke again. “He could come after me, you know.”

“Who?”

“Coop. Legally, I mean. What I did could be considered assault.”

Elyse looked at him. “Throwing a drink? Nah.”

“If it had been hot, he might have been burned.”

“But he wasn"t.”

“No. But if it had been, it wouldn"t have stopped me. I was that angry,” he said. “I wasn"t thinking.”

“He won"t come after you,” Elyse assured him.

“He"s not about to out himself. He"s too afraid to give Debra and her lawyers that sort of ammunition.”

“I"m so stupid,” he muttered. “So stupid to let myself do that. So stupid to fall for his lies. Again.”

“You trusted him. You didn"t know.”

“I did know. I knew two years ago when he was 107

f*cking me, telling me he loved me, while the whole time he was planning to marry Debra. He showed me who he was then. But I didn"t want to believe it.” Jason turned his face away from Elyse, his eyes still squeezed shut, but she saw the wetness gathering under his lashes.

“Come here,” she murmured, tugging at him until he rolled toward her and rested his head on her breasts. She combed her fingers gently through his hair. “He never really wanted me back,” Jason told her, his voice muffled. “He was already hooking up with guys he met over the internet. But I was the one who got away. He just wanted to see if he could reel me back in.”

“He sucks,” Elyse kissed the top of her friend"s head, and lay her cheek there. “He"s a shit.”

“What does it say about me, that I fell for his shit so easily?” Jason sat up and glared at her, his eyes red. Elyse knew he was not angry at her, but at himself. “He never really wanted me back. Having me here cramped his style—he had to sneak off to make his secret calls and arrange his play dates.”

“How"d you find out?”

“I hacked into his PC. Well, maybe hacked is not the right word. I figured out his password…the name of his dog when he was a kid. Bunky. God, the man is so predictable. Once I got in, it wasn"t hard to find out about the other men. And about the meeting today with what"s-his-name.”

“So all the stuff he"s been saying about not wanting to come out—”

“Oh, he"s still keeping it on the low—at least to his wife. But on the web, and anywhere out of town, he"s as queer as the proverbial three dollar bill.” He sighed and lowered his head to her chest again. “So now you see how low I"ve sunk. From defending the law to breaking it—assault with a lukewarm 108

cappuccino and tampering with private property.”

“I"ll make your bail,” she said.

Jason let go a long breath and squeezed her around the waist. “Thanks. You"re a real friend.” They lay quietly for a time, until a rattle at the door roused them.

“You expecting someone?” Elyse asked.

“No. Maybe housekeeping. I should have put up the Do Not Disturb sign.” Jason sat up.

“Unless…shit, it wouldn"t be Coop, would it?” The rattle turned to pounding. Jason was in no condition to get up, so Elyse made her way over, none too steady on her feet. But not too unsteady to tear Coop a new one, just in case it was him at the door. “Hold on, damn it…”

When she opened the door, Adam pushed by her and stormed into the room, his expression fierce. He stopped and his mouth fell open when he spotted Jason on the bed. The rumpled bedspread and flattened pillow provided clear evidence that another body had been beside him.

Adam"s face turned red with rage. “What the f*ck are you doing?”

Elyse gaped at him. “What are you doing here?” Suddenly she remembered—oh hell, she"d told him she"d be home by seven. He made a point before leaving this morning of telling her he was planning

“something special.”

After all of Jason"s drama with Coop, she"d completely forgotten. Shit.

“What the f*ck you think I"m doing? I"ve been waiting for you over an hour, Elyse. Nice way to blow me off. Thanks for answering your f*cking phone, by the way.”

“Jesus…” She scrabbled in her purse for her phone and flipped it open. Dead. When had she last charged it?

“I"m sorry. I didn"t know it wasn"t working. And 109

I totally forgot about tonight. Something came up—”

“What came up? Devereaux"s cock? What the f*ck were you doing in bed with him?” Jason levered himself up. “As trite as this may sound, it"s not what it looks like.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and lowered his head into his hands with a groan.

Adam"s gaze swept the room, taking in the rumpled bedclothes and the empty mini-bar bottles lined up on the nightstand. “It looks like a f*ckin"

orgy, is what.” A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stared at Elyse.

“An orgy, huh?” Elyse stared right back, her nerves alive with fury. Where the hell did he get off, barging in, making accusations? “Well, what is it you object to? That we"re having one, or that we didn"t include you this time?” ****

It had been Adam"s idea to go out clubbing that night. He had surprised Elyse, since he generally hated those meat-market hook-up joints. The music was too loud to talk over, and Adam wasn"t much for dancing. When they went out for drinks, they usually went to one of a couple of low-key blue-collar bars Adam favored. Places where people were regulars, and everyone pretty much knew each other. Elyse was okay with that. She felt so lucky to have him in her life, she was usually on board with whatever he wanted to do.

So she"d dressed in her sexy chick clothes, wanting to look hot for him, and he approved. Then they caught cabs from one place to the next, laughing at the cheesiness of the bars and the desperation of the people. They got progressively more buzzed as the evening wore on, until they reached Baby Jane"s.

They were sitting at a little table in a darkened corner. Adam"s hand caressed her knee. Elyse moved her legs apart slightly to give him better access, and 110

he took full advantage, skimming his finger midway up her thigh and down again. Teasing her.

He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered,

“If you could do any guy in here, who would it be?” Elyse laughed. She"d had several cocktails and was enjoying herself. She felt light-headed and a little woozy, not only from the alcohol, but from the way Adam had danced with her, spinning and twirling her like on those TV dance shows. For someone who claimed to hate dancing, he was pretty good at it.

She took another sip of her vodka and cranberry.

Now what was his question again? Oh yeah. “You, of course. Duh.” She grabbed his chin and smooched him noisily.

Adam rubbed his lips against hers. “No, I mean—somebody else.”

“What?” she laughed again. “You"re crazy.”


“Come on,” he urged. “Let"s play a game. Just for fun. You up for it?”

It was their code. They often issued each other this challenge. She and Adam sometimes played little games to put them in a sexual frame of mind and get each other hot. Although between the alcohol and the way he was looking at her tonight, Elyse hardly needed any sexy games to get her in the mood.

“Bring it, Vostek.”

“Okay. If you weren"t with me. Who"d you go home with?”

She gave him a teasing sidelong look. “Who"d you go home with?”

He snorted. “No one here looks half as good as you.” His words warmed her. “Uh-uh. No fair. You"ve got to pick somebody. How about the girl at that table over there?” Elyse discreetly indicated a slim girl with purple hair and heavy black eye makeup.

“The Goth?” Adam smirked. “No thanks. There"s 111

probably not an inch of her body that"s not tattooed or pierced. I bet she can"t go to the airport without setting off every alarm in the place.”

“Well, what about the redhead sitting next to her?”

“Do I look that desperate? Her tits are practically falling out of her dress.”

Elyse elbowed him. “Don"t be disgusting. They"re called breasts.”

“You have breasts,” he murmured. “Believe me, those are tits. She"s gonna poke somebody"s eye out in a minute. Sleazy.”

She drew her fingernail up Adam"s thigh. “I thought guys loved sleazy.” He drew himself up in mock indignation.

“Please. I have standards.” He stilled her hand.

“Enough. Anyway, I asked you first.” His persistent fingers dipped under her short skirt, tickling and teasing.

They did things like this sometimes, whispered naughty secrets to each other. Sometimes they took turns naming which famous movie star each of them would sleep with, if the chance arose. Or sometimes they limited it—for example, “Which of the characters from Mad Men would you have sex with?” But these games were simply silly fun—they always made it about actors or celebrities or television characters. Never people in their circle or anyone they knew. It was the first time they"d ever played the game like this.

But Elyse wasn"t about to chicken out. Anyway, she trusted Adam. She began to relax and get into the spirit of it.

“What about the guy over there?” Adam smoothed his hand up her leg and nodded toward the dance floor to a man with spiky blond hair.

“Ugh.” She screwed up her face. “No way. He"s too into himself. Thinks he"s God"s gift.” 112

“How come?”

“Well, look at how he"s dancing. Like his partner"s not even there. He"s practically yelling ?look at me, everybody."”

“Hmm.” Adam nuzzled her neck as his hand moved to her p-ssy and his middle finger flicked her *. She drew in her breath with a hiss, and bit her lip. “What about the one near the bar?” He indicated a big man leaning against the bar with dark shaggy hair. The arms crossed over his chest looked as thick as tree trunks. Elyse swallowed hard.

Adam"s finger danced up to her sweet spot, and rubbed just a little. “You think he"s sexy?”

“Yeah, but scary, too,” she answered, her voice trembling. The guy had a scowl on his face as he looked around the dance floor.

Adam leaned close again. “Maybe you like scary.” He nipped her earlobe.

She jumped. “Ow! Not that scary. He looks like he"d drag a woman off by her hair.” He dipped his hand and teased her * again.

“That could be fun.”

“Oh! Adam, don"t.” She tried to scoot her chair away from his. “People can see.”

“It"s dark, and nobody"s looking at us, anyway.” He scraped his own chair closer. “Let me put my arm around you like this. Now turn this way. It just looks like I"m holding you.”

Elyse did as he asked. Who was she fooling? She wanted to give in. It was fear of being observed that made her protest. But that same fear also sent a thrill zinging up her spine.

He had teased her to the point where she was primed to go off at any moment, and his naughty suggestions, though embarrassing, made her even hotter.

Adam thought he was in charge of this game, but 113

maybe she could change things up and turn the tables on him. As Elyse opened her legs, allowing him to play with her again, she whispered, “That dude over there. I"d do him.” Adam"s fingers faltered. “Who?”

“Sitting at the bar. In the nice suit. He"s hot. I"d sleep with him in a second.” Ha ha. Adam thought he was so clever, but two could play this game.

“Yeah? He looks kind of slick if you ask me, but if that"s what you go for—”

“Uh-huh…” She was finding it hard to speak.

Adam"s finger kept circling her * over her panties.

“You"d let him do this to you, huh? You"d like that? You"d like for him to touch you like this?” His voice was hoarse.

Elyse hid her face against his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Maybe you"d like him to do this, while I do this.” Adam pinched her * with one hand while his other hand pinched her nipple.

Elyse sank her teeth into Adam"s shirt as she came, spasms rocketing through her.

“Jesus…” she whispered, as she came back to herself.

“You"re telling me,” Adam rumbled. “I think you took a chunk outta me there.”

“Sorry.” She pulled back from him in a daze.

Though he"d made her come spectacularly, emotionally she felt off-center.

To say he"d surprised her was a complete understatement. Adam had never indicated he"d imagined her with another guy, watching her or sharing her. Her heart thudded in her ears. Was that something he wanted?

And Elyse had surprised herself as well. She couldn"t say she"d never imagined being with two guys at once, but it was only a fantasy. It wasn"t anything she"d want to do for real. It was the 114

unexpectedness of the suggestion, and its taboo aspect, that made her come so hard.

Adam was watching her closely, concern and maybe something else in his gaze. Had he been surprised as well? “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Okay.” Her voice shook as she reached for her cocktail, and swallowed the remainder of it.

Pushing her hair back from her face, she placed the glass back down on the table top, her hand trembling so she almost overturned it.

“Whoa. That was…” She didn"t know how to finish the statement.”

“We"re playing, that"s all,” he assured her, his voice low. He let his fingers thread through her hair and drift down her back.

Yes, playing. They"d just gone a little farther than usual this time. But it was all right. They could always pull back when they wanted. And she was safe with Adam, even though at the moment she felt strangely distant from him.

“Let me get you another one of those,” he said, nodding at her empty glass.

Yes. She wanted another drink. Her buzz had faded and she wanted it back. She wanted this strange feeling to disappear and to recapture her mellow mood.

“Sure.” She smiled at Adam and handed him the glass. He gave her a peck on the lips as he pushed out his chair.

Elyse shook her head to clear it. She felt shaky, but not because of too much alcohol—it was from unease, and maybe even a little fear. Adam was in a strange mood tonight, and she didn"t know what was driving him.


When she glanced over to the bar where he stood, her heart stopped. He was speaking to the man she"d pointed out earlier, the one he thought looked slick.

As though they felt her gaze on them, the two men 115

turned and looked at her.

Elyse stopped breathing. What the hell was Adam doing?

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