Chasing Desire Read online

  After finishing up a few things, I start wrapping up for the day and then walk out to Macy’s desk.

  “Are you joining us tonight?” I ask.

  “No. I’m meeting my sister so we can go look for centerpiece ideas.”

  “You can’t stop by for one drink? Bring your sis.”

  “Thanks, but I’d rather go wedding shopping. I’m sort of obsessed right now.”

  I chuckle. “No problem. Have fun with your sister and have a good weekend. See you Monday.”

  “Be safe tonight.”

  “I will. I’m not planning to drink much or stay too long. I have plans at nine.”

  “Plans, huh? What’s her name?” Macy asks, with her eyebrow raised.

  “Denise.”

  Macy shakes her head. “I do hope you use protection with all these slutty girls you hang around with.”

  “I’m good. Don’t worry about me, sweet Macy. I got it covered. Literally.” I explode with laughter and Macy rolls her eyes trying not to laugh. “Come on, Macy, that was funny. Admit it.”

  “It was a little funny.”

  I blow her a playful kiss. “Alright, I’ll see you.”

  “Bye, Brayden.”

  I press the call button for the elevator and several people, including Brian and Shannon, join me there. We all chat about the work week and various projects we are working on. In the main lobby, we start to walk out when I see Meredith and another girl walking by. Time to make my move. I approach confidently.

  “Excuse me,” I say. “Meredith, right?”

  “Yes, that’s right,” she says, smiling big. Up close, she’s even prettier. A few faint freckles show through her makeup on otherwise alabaster skin. Her eyes are a soft green, the color of sage, and she has lined her lips in a bold red lipstick. Red hair, red lips. Fucking love it.

  “I’m Brayden James.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  Of course she knows. “A bunch of us are heading over to Altitude if you and your friend want to stop by. I’m buying.”

  Meredith looks at the girl who smiles, signaling her agreement. “Sure, we’ll stop by for a little while.”

  “Great, I’ll see you there.”

  I turn around and walk out, but look back to get another glimpse of her. Meredith and the other girl are giggling with each other. Oh yeah, she’s mine.

  Outside, a few people wait for me and then we cross the street to the bar. They have a great rooftop deck where we all like to hang out and enjoy the awesome Southern California weather. When we walk in, the bartender waves and two waitresses approach. We walk upstairs and secure the best spot overlooking the city. I tell the servers to bring the group anything they want and I order myself a scotch and soda. Sitting back on the cool, white leather couches, I listen to everyone chatting. This is the life.

  Moments later, Meredith appears at the top of the stairs. She looks around, and then spotting me, walks in my direction. I bump my coworker’s leg to move over so she can sit.

  “Hey, Meredith, have a seat.”

  She sits down next to me and runs her hands over the white skirt she wears. “Thanks for the invite.”

  “Where is your friend?”

  “Her boyfriend called and she had to go.”

  “I see. So how does a beautiful woman like you not have a boyfriend?”

  “I did. We broke up. He was a cheater.”

  “Cheat on you? What an ass.”

  She smiles. “Thanks.”

  “What are you drinking?” I motion for a waitress.

  “Margarita, please. With a shot of tequila on the side.”

  A tequila drinker. Nice. “Thanks for coming.”

  “Thanks for asking.”

  The waitress returns quickly and I watch Meredith slam back the shot. I indicate to the waitress to bring another one as Meredith sips her margarita.

  “Why don’t you have a girlfriend?” she asks.

  “Because I like being able to talk to pretty women like you whenever I want to.”

  “You’re such a sweet talker.”

  “It’s true. You’re gorgeous.” I lean over and drag my lips across her cheek. “Gorgeous.”

  “I’m sure you say that to lots of girls.”

  “I’m only saying it to you right now.”

  The waitress appears, setting down another shot. I pick up the small glass and dip my finger in the liquid then run it over Meredith’s lips. I’m rewarded with a sweet smile.

  “Why did you come out tonight?” I ask.

  “To hang out with you.”

  “You don’t even know me.”

  “Maybe I want to.” She takes the glass from me and slams back another shot.

  “I’m gonna be honest, Meredith. I’m very attracted to you.”

  She looks up with her green eyes and thick, black eyelashes. “That’s good to hear.”

  Now is my chance to move in for the kill. I lean in to kiss her and as I do, I notice the sexy scent of her perfume. God, I want to get between this girl’s legs right now.

  “You want another shot?” I ask.

  “Yes, just one more.”

  “That’s a lot of tequila,” I observe, grinning.

  Meredith shrugs her shoulders. “I like it.”

  “I like you.”

  “I like you, too.”

  I kiss her again and then motion for the waitress. I’m vaguely aware of my coworkers around me. My focus right now is getting this girl somewhere private, but I decide I better interact with a few more people. I see Matt out of the corner of my eye and wave him over.

  “Hey, Matt, have you met Meredith?”

  Matt shakes his head and extends his hand. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

  Meredith smiles as she takes another gulp of her margarita. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Where do you work?” he asks.

  “I’m interning in automotive.”

  “Oh, an internship? That’s cool.” Matt shoots me a look and I just smile in response.

  “Yeah, it’s going great. I get out of school in a couple of more months and hope I can get hired on permanently.”

  “That would be good,” Matt says.

  “Yep.” She lifts her newly delivered shot of tequila. “Cheers, guys.”

  “Cheers,” Matt says. He leans down and whispers in my ear. “She’s getting wasted.”

  “I know,” I whisper back. I turn to Meredith. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

  She sets the now empty shot glass down. “Yeah.”

  “I’ll be back,” I say to Matt.

  We stand and she sways for a second. I don’t want her to get any drunker than she is. This is the perfect state. Tipsy enough to lose inhibitions, but sober enough to know what she’s doing. We walk downstairs to the back corner of the bar. I happen to know they have these really nice bathrooms where only one person goes in at a time. Two people in this case. I pull Meredith by the arm into the bathroom with me.

  Leaning her up against the sink, my lips attack her skin, kissing and sucking everything I can get to. I peel off her blouse to reveal the sumptuous flesh underneath. Unhooking her black, lacy bra, I suck her hardened nipples into my mouth, while she wraps a leg around my waist, grinding her hips into my erection. Running my fingers through her hair, she throws her head back so I can suck at the delicate flesh on her neck.

  “Mmm,” she murmurs.

  “What, baby?”

  “I want you.”

  Saying nothing, I lift her skirt and run my fingers over her matching panties. The wetness between her legs brings a smile to my face. Tugging at the material, I free her from it and quickly slap on a condom before I slam into her. I continue to pound into her, squeezing her massive tits. It’s not long before I start to feel the tension building. The only thing on my mind is the finish line.

  I glance at her face and she looks lost in pleasure. I want her to come, too. It’s important to me we both enjoy this ride. Reaching down, I lean back enough so I
can access her clit and begin rubbing it. Her body tenses as she presses against my fingers. I kiss her again as we grind together. Her fingernails claw my shoulders through my dress shirt and I grin as I feel her orgasm hit. I love the way a woman’s body clenches my dick as I drive further into her. It’s all I need.

  I dig my fingers into her hips as I explode and pump within her until the last drop is out of me. My motion slows and I pull out of her, gazing at her as she leans against the bathroom counter, breathing hard. Her tits bounce slowly on her chest, tempting me to rub them one more time before she covers up. Moving in close, I kiss her lips.

  “You are fucking incredible, girl.”

  “So are you.”

  I bend down and pick her panties up off the floor, handing them to her.

  Meredith grabs some paper towels to clean up while I dispose of the condom. I watch her button her blouse and smooth down her skirt, then fluff her hair in the mirror. She reapplies her lipstick and except for the glow in her cheeks, no one would have any idea what just happened to her.

  “That was fun,” she says, smiling.

  “Yeah.” I open the door to peek out, then seeing that the coast is clear we walk out together. “I’m gonna pay my tab then I gotta go soon.”

  “Okay. Call me sometime?”

  “Yeah, of course.” Unlikely, but you never know when I’ll need to feed my redhead craving. “Do you need a ride home?”

  “I’ll call a taxi.”

  “You don’t want to come back upstairs?”

  “I’m good.” She smiles and kisses my cheek before walking out the front door.

  I smile as she leaves. She only came here for me, so we both got what we wanted. Finding a waitress, I order another drink and walk back upstairs to hang out with everyone for just a little longer.

  “Where did that girl go?” Matt asks as he sits down next to me.

  “Home.”

  “Did you nail her?”

  “Maybe.”

  “I knew it! You are the man when it comes to getting hot chicks. Every now and then, I wish I was still single. What I wouldn’t give to be your wing man.”

  “It can be fun.”

  “How do you keep them from getting all clingy and calling all the time?”

  I look down at my phone at the many missed calls and text messages. “Who says I do?”

  “Do you ever get tired of it?”

  I look over at my coworker and grin. “No.”

  “Lucky bastard,” Matt says, slapping me on the back.

  “That I am.”

  “You must have one hell of a horseshoe up your ass!”

  I laugh as I contemplate that statement. When it comes to women, I really am one lucky bastard. I can get anyone I want- anytime, anywhere. Is that luck? Or just good timing? I won’t question it. I’m the only one who knows how much I dealt with to get to where I am now. I deserve a little luck.

  “I don’t need horseshoes,” I say to Matt. “Who needs them when you’re me?”

  “Yeah, other people should carry you in their pockets.”

  I laugh and stand up to leave. “I’m gonna get going.”

  “See ya, man.”

  I need to get home and shower. I may be a man whore, as Charles calls me, but I’m a clean one. I say goodbye to everyone, pay the tab, and dial Denise’s number. Meredith was an unexpected treat and two chicks in one day is a little too much, even for me.

  “Hello?” she answers.

  “Hey, Denise. Look, something came up so I need to call off tonight. Can I make it up to you?”

  “Oh,” she says, disappointed. “Sure.”

  “I’ll take you out for sushi tomorrow.”

  “Okay, we can do that.”

  “Thanks for being cool about it.”

  “Anything for you, Brayden.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  “Great, bye.” I hang up and walk back across the street to the parking garage where my car is. When I see it sitting there, I immediately grin like an idiot. It still amazes me that I can afford such a beauty. I love the steel gray color and the Jaguar emblem on the front. I run my hands over the hood of the F-type S before I slide into the leather driver’s seat. I fucking love this car.

  Driving home with the top down, I lean back in my seat and enjoy the cool night air. What an incredible day. I needed to snag that deal, especially away from Christiansen. They seem to be our top rival these days and if I can woo any client away from them, it only makes my stock rise a little higher.

  I shake my head, smiling. Who would have thought three years ago when I started at Capella I would have a career like this. I was so green back then. Now I’m close to becoming a partner. Taking Charles’s place is major and a lot of responsibility. I’m ready, though. I know it.

  Arriving at my place, I turn left into the underground parking garage. I pull into my assigned space and grab my suit jacket to head upstairs. I’m glad I cancelled Denise tonight. Even though Meredith was fun, if I’m honest I have to say it would be nice if, just once, a woman made me work for it. I know I’m a good looking guy. I work out and take care of my body. I have a nice job and make good money. I’m a catch, I get that, but isn’t there someone out there who isn’t ready to spread her legs five minutes after she meets me?

  Over the years, I’ve come to think of women as conquests, but frankly, it’s not that hard. My chase is brief and women make it easy for me. Too easy. I wonder what it would feel like to desire someone who I had to work to get, someone who challenged me intellectually yet still did it for me physically. I might like to meet someone like that.

  Inside the lobby, I walk across the marble floors to the elevators as my eyes take in my surroundings. The floor to ceiling glass that covers the front of the building floods the lobby with sunlight. The light bouncing off the white marble walls and floor is so bright some days, I almost need to wear my sunglasses inside. It’s a nice place, though, and I feel proud to live here.

  Pressing the button for my floor, I lean back against the wall, reflecting on what Charles told me about wives. I can’t imagine being married once much less four or five times. He has everything going for him- amazing job, good looks, and his health is strong. He has more money than he could ever spend and a gorgeous wife. Yet he’s been through three brutal divorces and he knows someday his current wife will leave him, too. He didn’t say it, but I don’t think he loves her. She’s just part of the package. I don’t want a life like that.

  I step out and walk across the hall to my place. My neighbor’s door opens and she appears in the doorway, smiling and wearing a nightgown with a glass of liquor in her hand. This is our normal routine.

  “Hey, Brayden,” she says, running her free hand through her bleached blond hair.

  “Hey, Gretchen.” I put my key in the lock.

  “Wanna come in for a drink?”

  “Can’t tonight. Got some work to do.” She asks me at least once a week. I think the term for Gretchen is cougar since I must be at least twenty-five years younger than her. That detail doesn’t seem to bother her at all.

  “Some other time,” Gretchen says, grinning.

  “Sure. Talk to you later.” I get safely inside and laugh.

  Once inside my place, I put my keys down on the side table by the door and look around. Since I moved here two years ago, I do it every time I walk in. I love the stark white décor and black and white pictures. It’s clean and modern and perfect for my luxury condo.

  I walk over to the balcony and pull the drapes back. It’s dark outside, but the lights from the nearby buildings create just enough of a glow to remind me that the vast Pacific Ocean is just a few streets away. Tomorrow morning, I’ll head over and surf for a few hours before the gym. For now, a shower and sleep. It was a long week.

  “Brayden? Brayden, wake up.”

  I open my eyes to the sound of a woman’s soft voice and sit up, alarmed. “How did you get in my
house?” I ask.

  “What kind of question is that, silly,” she says.

  I blink several times. I don’t recognize this woman and I don’t know what the hell is going on.

  “What do you want?”

  “Another silly question. You invited me, don’t you remember?”

  “I didn’t invite you. I don’t even know you.”

  “Don’t know me! Of course you do. We had sex today. Or was it yesterday? Oh, it doesn’t really matter. We had sex at some point.”

  “I didn’t call you.”

  She shrugs her shoulders and smiles. “I have something very important to tell you.”

  I stare at her, trying to recognize her face. Her hair is blond or is it brown? It’s hard to tell in the darkness. She seems pretty, but I can’t quite tell. Where did I meet this girl and how the fuck did she get in my condo?

  “Where did we meet?”

  “I don’t remember. You told me I had nice boobs. Don’t you remember, silly?”

  “Stop calling me that!” I scoot back away from her. What if she’s some crazed stalker chick? “You should leave.”

  “Not until I tell you this.”

  “What?”

  “I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a daddy.”

  “Pregnant?! You need to leave. You are not pregnant with my baby. I use condoms.”

  “Maybe it broke. Anyway, I’ll be moving in and I’ll expect you to take care of us. It’s your responsibility, after all.”

  “I don’t even know you! You are not moving into my house and I am not taking care of you. If you are pregnant, you’ll have to get a test to prove it’s mine. If you fucked me that easily, maybe you do that a lot.”

  “Oh, no, Brayden. It was only you. You talked me out of my panties. Them, too.” She nods in the direction of the doorway and I look over to see at least twenty more women standing in my room. “We’re all pregnant. You’ve been a busy guy, haven’t you?” She laughs and all the women start to laugh with her.

  I shake my head. “This is insane. Is this some kind of sick practical joke? All of you need to leave. You can’t prove it.”

  “You can’t prove it, Brayden,” the woman says, her voice turning cold. “You would have no idea if you slept with all of us. We’re all just faceless, nameless vaginas to you. Well, you have to pay now. You fucked up.” She leans close to me and I see her face. It’s grotesque and deformed, like something out of a horror movie. “You have to pay, Brayden!”