The Ex Games 2

Chapter 2



“So I’m looking for us to make a profit by quarter three.” Brandon’s voice was passionate as he talked about his plans for the company. “That means we’re all going to have a lot of late nights.” He looked around the room, and his eyes fell on me for a brief second before moving on. “Does anyone have any questions?”

“Will we be getting raises anytime soon?” A guy across the table asked seriously and some others nodded.

“Let’s talk about raises when we actually start seeing a profit.” Brandon’s tone was brusque. “Anything else?”

“Excuse me, Mr. Hastings.” Priscilla walked into the room and interrupted the meeting.

“Yes?” He snapped.

“Maria is on the phone again and she says it’s an emergency.”


“Ok.” He nodded and jumped up. “Excuse me, everyone. I’ll be right back.” He walked out of the room, and I sat there in stunned immobility. Had Priscilla just said Maria? It couldn’t be the same Maria, could it? Not the one he was engaged to when he was in college? My heart started racing, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. All my insecurities came flooding back and I wanted to scream and shout. Had he lied to me before? Had he really always been in love with her? I wanted to cry and bury my face in a pillow. Maybe everything I had thought we had was false. What if I had just been someone to pass the time while he tried to forget about his true love, Maria?

I stood up quickly and walked out of the room. I needed to get some fresh air or I was going to cry. I knew it by the pain in my head and the tightness in my eyes. I rushed down the corridor and to the elevator. I breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator arrived and I ran out when I arrived on the ground floor. I hurried to the outside and was grateful that I didn’t see Brandon as I made my way out. I took two deep gulps of air and pulled out some gum to chew to calm my nerves.

“Cat got your tongue?” His voice was smooth and melodic and I jumped slightly.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“I didn’t know I said anyone could leave the room.”

“I didn’t know that we had to wait for permission.” I shrugged.

“I thought you were going to quit.” He changed the subject.

“I had a change of mind.” I looked at the ground to avoid staring into his eyes. They still made my heart leap and sing, and my stomach was doing flip-flops as he stared at me.

“It’s funny how that happens.” He smiled at me and took a step towards me. “You look just the same, you know.” He studied my face and then my body. “More of a woman, but just the same.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.” I smiled and then looked him over. “You look the same as well.”

“Now, that’s a lie.” He laughed. “I’m greying now.” He pointed to his hair and I noticed a few grey streaks. However, to me they only made him look more distinguished and sexy.

“It doesn’t detract from your good looks.” I made a face at him and we both laughed.

“You always were the most honest person I know,” he said wistfully, and an awkward silence befell us at the irony of his words.

“I guess we should go back up.” I put my gum away and started walking towards the main entrance.

“Wait.” He grabbed a hold of my arm and stopped me.

“What?” I looked at his hand with a frown.

“There was a time when you didn’t regard my touch as something bad.”

“There was a time when you didn’t have a fiancée when you slept with me.”

“There was a time when I wanted you to be my fiancée.”

“What do you want, Brandon?” I sighed and pulled away from him.

“I want us to forget our past. Let’s move on.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that earlier in the day.”

“I can still feel your body shaking as I f*cked you in the bathroom.” He groaned. “It felt as good as I remembered.”

“Stop it.” I shook my head.

“Did it feel as good for you?” He wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me towards him. “Did my cock give you as much pleasure as it used to?”

I remained silent as he whispered in my ear, his hands grabbing my ass. He stared into my eyes searchingly and I just stared back, unblinking. “You’re shivering.” His lips neared mine. “You’re shivering, but it’s not cold outside.” His lips lightly pressed against mine. “You’re shivering because you want me to f*ck you again.”

“Get your hands and your lips off of me.” I pushed him away. “What would Maria say if she could see you?”

“That’s none of your business.” His eyes darkened.

“You’re making it my business.”

“Are you single, Katie?” He cocked his head and his eyes studied my fingers as I nervously played with my hair. “From your reaction, it seems to me as if you’re also seeing someone. Does that then mean that you’re no better than me?”

“Matt isn’t my fiancé.” I shot back, though I did feel all sorts of guilty. There were many things Matt didn’t know about me.

“I’m sure he would love to know that you don’t feel you need to be faithful to him because he isn’t your fiancé.” He shook his head. “But I suppose you like to keep all sorts of things to yourself.”

“Is it the same Maria?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. I had to know.

“Is what the same, Maria?”

“Are you engaged to the same Maria you were engaged to when you were in college?”

“It’s none of your business.” He looked away then and my heart fell. In my heart I knew it was her. “What are you doing this evening?”

“Why?”

“I have a business meeting.” He looked at his watch. “With some Japanese businessmen. They’re bringing their wives. It would be smarter for me to go with someone.”

“Take Maria.”

“She’s in New York.”

“I see.” I bit my lip. I wanted to know if he lived with her. I was annoyed at myself. There were so many stones I had left unturned. I shouldn’t be this unaware of what was going on in his life.

“So, I’ll pick you up at your hotel at 7 p.m.?”

“I didn’t say yes.”

“You’re staying at the Diva, right?”

“Yeah,” I looked up at him in surprise. “How did you know?”

“Just had a feeling. How’d you like those purple lights?”

“Fine.” I looked away again, feeling uneasy.

“I’ll end the session today at 4.” He smiled and started walking back towards the entrance. “That should give you enough time to get ready and do your hair.”

“Who says I’m going to do anything with my hair?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’d rather you didn’t, actually. You know I prefer it wild and crazy.” He paused by the main entrance and opened the door for me. “Especially when you were riding me and climaxing. It made me feel like Tarzan, with my wild Jane.” He whispered in my ear as I walked past him. “I miss f*cking my wild Jane.”

I ignored him and continued walking to the elevator. I was not going to let him intimidate me or make me feel embarrassed. He knew how to push my buttons and was doing everything he could to get a rise out of me. I smiled to myself as a plan hatched in my mind as I walked into the elevator. I would show him who could play a smarter game. I was about to call his bluff, and I was going to enjoy doing it.



***

I walked out of the elevator and into the lobby in a long red dress. It had a plunging neckline and a high slit. I wore the dress with pride, and I knew that my accompanying stilettos made me look hot. I was going for sex appeal tonight and if the looks of all the men in the lobby were anything to go by, I had achieved the look quite successfully. Brandon was sitting on a chair waiting for me, and my heart stopped when our eyes met. I saw the look of surprise, desire and lust as he took me in. Then he smiled at me, a warm, gentle smile that reminded me of when we first met, and I was taken back to the days when we were friends and lovers.

“You look beautiful, Katie.” He stood up and reached for my hand. “I see you’re finding it easier to walk in heels.”

“Not really,” I giggled, already slightly buzzed from the two glasses of red wine I had enjoyed while getting dressed. “I may need to hold your arm as we walk.”

“That’s fine.” He held out his arm for me. “I’ll be your knight in shining armor. I’ll be there to catch you if you fall.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at him and my heart constricted as I remembered the last time he had said those words to me. We’d been in Central Park on a picnic. I’d been expecting him to pull out a blanket for us to lie down under so that we could have a quickie, but he’d surprised me by pulling out some rollerblades. “No way.” I shook my head vehemently. “I have no balance. No way I’m rollerblading.”

“Come on, Katie.” He pulled me up. “It will be fun.”

“I’m going to fall.”

“I won’t let you fall.” He pulled me towards him. “I’ll never let you fall.”

“I’m a klutz, trust me, I’ll fall.”

“I’ll be your knight in shining armor. I’ll be there to catch you if you fall.” He kissed the top of my head and I could hear his heart beating as I lay my head against his chest. I looked up at him and the sincerity and love was pouring out of his eyes. I leaned into him and pressed my lips on his. Our kiss was sweet and special and filled with promises. In that moment, I knew that Brandon would always be in my heart and I would always be in his. We were connected as one.

“Then come on.” I’d laughed and pulled off my shoes. “Let’s go rollerblade before I change my mind.” And we’d spent the rest of the day holding hands and rollerblading through Central Park, and I hadn’t fallen once.


“Shall we go?” Brandon smiled at me gently and I nodded. We made our way out of the hotel and I nearly tripped as he stopped suddenly. “I want to apologize.”

“Oh?” My heart stopped as I held onto his arm.

“What I did today, it was wrong. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”

“You didn’t take advantage of me.” I made a face. “I was willing and able to say no.”

“I couldn’t help myself.” He sighed. “When I saw you in the elevator, I couldn’t believe it. I’d been waiting for, anticipating even, that moment forever. And I just got caught up in myself.”

“I guess no one can say we don’t have sexual chemistry.”

“I want you to know something.” He held my hands and caressed them. “I want you to know that what Maria and I have, it’s not what it seems.”

“She’s not your fiancée?” I asked him hopefully and my heart fell as he shook his head.

“She is, but it’s complicated.” He made a face. “So tell me about this guy you’re dating. Did you say his name was Matt?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “He’s a nice guy, very dependable. Seems to like me a lot.”

“Really?” He frowned. “Close to engagement?”

“I don’t know.”

“Does he make your body tremble when he f*cks you?”

“No.” I sighed as I continued. “We haven’t slept together yet.”

“Oh.” He smiled. “I see.”

“We’re waiting, so that we can make it special. Relationships and sex are about more than some quick f*cks.” I said spitefully, wanting to hurt him.

“But sometimes the quick f*cks are the best ones.” His hands crept up my back. “Sometimes, you want your man to just push you up against the wall.” He grabbed ahold of me and pushed me back. “Sometimes, you want him to take charge and slide his hand around your waist and push himself into you, so that you can feel his hard erection against your stomach.” He pushed into me then and I felt his hardness against me. I stared up into his eyes wanting to stop him, but also wanting to see how far he was going to take this. He adjusted himself so that his leg was in between mine, and his cock was positioned by my inner thigh. “Sometimes, you dream of your man bending his head.” His lips moved to my neck and his tongue trailed to my collar bone. “And lowering his lips.” He kissed down the valley in-between my breasts and I stood there frozen, not caring if anyone was walking past us and wondering what was going on. “Sometimes you want your man to show you who’s the boss.” His hand reached up my stomach and stopped right below my breast, before slipping into the top of my dress and caressing my breast. “Because, Katie,” he looked up at me with a light in his eyes as he squeezed my nipple. “Women like to be possessed. They like to be taken. They like to feel sexy and sensual and they want to feel loved.” He leaned forward and kissed me hard as his hand pushed the top of my dress to the side. He bent his head quickly and took my nipple in his mouth, sucking it eagerly and nibbling on it as he would candy. I closed my eyes as ripples of pleasure swept through me. My hands fell to his head and ran through his hair as he sucked. I let out a whimper as he released me from his warm embrace, and then sighed again in relief as he transferred his lips to the other nipple. I felt my knees buckling and his arm wrapped around my waist and held me against him and the wall firmly. His erection pushed into me even more urgently and I reached my fingers down to squeeze it gently. I tried to unzip his pants, but he pushed my hand away and pulled away from me. He looked at me and smiled. “You see, Katie? Sometimes the quick f*cks are the most exciting and exhilarating. Sometimes they turn you on more than you seem to want to admit. Unfortunately, this is not your lucky night.” His eyes mocked me as he moved away from me completely. “Tonight, you will have to hope that your boyfriend, Michael or Tad, or whatever his name is, gets some gumption and makes a move soon. Because, little girl, tonight will not be the night that you get any from me, no matter how sexy your dress is.”

I swallowed hard as I looked at him, completely dazed. I wasn’t sure what had just happened. Minutes ago, he had been apologizing to me and I thought we were finally going to put everything behind us, but yet again he had my head spinning in anger and my body aching for his touch. I didn’t say anything to Brandon as we walked to the restaurant. Instead, I just mentally confirmed my plan for the night. Brandon was right and wrong. He was right about the fact that sometimes a woman just wanted a man to take charge and take her, but he was wrong about the fact that he wasn’t going to be f*cking me tonight. If I had anything to do with it, I was going to have him shouting my name and begging me to forgive him for all the shit he had pulled on me. As far as I was concerned, he had gotten away with far too much. I wasn’t a woman he could use and abuse like some pawn in a game of chess. He was about to find out that he wasn’t the only piece of royalty on the board, and I was about to get into the game. And this time, I was playing to win.





J.S.Cooper & Helen Cooper's books