Одри Карлан - January (Calendar Girl #1)

“The dress is nothing, check out the shoes!” I leaned out a foot and we instantly started gabbing about her outfit, the designer, and what she did all day. Basically, not a whole lot. She was official arm candy and spent her days making sure Mr. Underwood’s needs were met. I figured that meant she did what she wanted all day, made sure his cook made what he wanted, his maid ironed his clothes and kept his house clean and kept herself, his sparkly piece of ass, waxed, buffed, and primed to go when he got home from work all day.

“It’s true; I don’t know what to do with myself,” Jen whispered. Yep, in twenty minutes we were already on a first name basis, and she was telling me her problems. I had that kind of face. Turned out she originally met her husband, whom she married only a year ago at the tender age of twenty-three—he’s thirty-eight—when she was cast as an extra in one of his movies. Apparently, it was love at first sight or lust at first sight. I laughed internally at my own joke.

Twisting my lips to the side, I leaned closer. “Why don’t you volunteer or something. Got any hobbies?”

Her big blue doe eyes blinked happily. “I love to swim. I swim every day!” and it looked like it too. Her body was svelte but not in the anorexic way that seemed to be the theme in Hollywood. She definitely had the fake ta-tas, but they looked good on her size fourish frame.

“You could volunteer at a local ‘Y’?” I offered, but she scrunched up her face and shook her head.

“I don’t think Jay would be okay with that.”

I mulled it over for a minute. “Do you like kids?”

Again, eyes lit up like the candles on a fifty year old’s birthday cake. “I love children! Believe it or not, I used to teach preschool before I met Jay.” She looked over at her husband, and her smile widened. I caught his gaze when it slid to her, and he winked then continued nonstop in his conversation with Wes. She turned to me happy as could be. It was almost infectious how cheerful she was.

“Why can’t you work with kids, or better yet, have some of your own?”

Her head slammed back as if struck, then she looked at Jay and then back at me. “We’ve only been married a year, and we only dated a few months before that. Don’t you think it’s too soon?” she said, though I could tell her wheels were turning.

I shrugged and took a hefty sip of my wine. “Doesn’t matter what I think. It only matters what the two of you think and want. If you want kids, you’re young, have at it. Besides, he’s fifteen years older than you. That’s got to slow down some swimmers. Could take a while.” I leaned back nonchalantly.

As Jen thought about it she became physically excited with her enthusiasm. Her back went straight, her knees started bouncing, and she couldn’t stop fidgeting, or smiling for that matter. Her eyes were locked on her husband. Again he turned, looked at her, but this time he held up a finger to Wes to pause whatever they were talking about. I’d started tuning them out when I realized that Jennifer wasn’t a soulless bimbo.

“What is it, darling?” Jay asked his wife.

She smiled wide and I swear, that smile could bring peace to the Middle East. “Just happy. And, I can’t wait to talk to you when we get home,” she leaned a hand over and placed it over his on the table. He leaned forward and pecked her lips then nuzzled her nose.

“Is it anything that can’t wait?” he asked with concern, all eyes on her, his focus redirected completely.

She kissed him softly and shook her head. “Nope, it’s good. Very good.”

Wes leaned over and slid an arm around me. “Anything I should know about?” he asked conspiratorially.

“I’ll totally give up the goods later,” I whispered in his ear referring to the gossip.

“I’m counting on it,” he nuzzled my neck. “And I want to know what was up with that, too,” he gestured with a head tilt to the happy couple mooning over one another. I laughed at his blatant innuendo.

Dinner continued without a hitch. Apparently, I’d helped keep Jen busy which allowed Jay to feel at ease with discussing the upcoming movie. Turned out, he was going to let Wes direct a lot of the heavier dialogue scenes between the couple and possibly even the bedroom romantic scenes. I found that hysterical and laughed when he made his announcement.

Wes’s eyes shot to mine and narrowed. “Sorry, I remembered something funny from earlier, don’t mind me,” I covered, but I could tell by the way Wes tucked me into his side when dessert was delivered that I was going to get an earful.

“What was so funny?” he asked when Jay went out for a cigarette and Jennifer went with him.

Twiddling with my napkin, I leaned closer to him. “I’m sorry. I just thought it was funny that Mr. I’m-Not-In-A-Position-To-Have-A-Relationship is going to be directing romantic scenes. It just seemed out of your wheelhouse is all,” I giggled.

He looked as though I’d ruffled his feathers when he brought up a hand to cup my neck. “You weren’t complaining last night.” His voice lowered to that sultry timber I recalled him having when he was issuing the rules. So much so it sent fire shooting through me to warm and soften the space between my legs.

I leaned very close, so close my lips were only an inch or two from his. Definitely close enough he could feel my breath against his lips as I spoke.

“Last night was fucking...” He inhaled and licked his lips. They looked good enough to eat, and I wanted a taste so bad. “...except,” I added, “we didn’t fuck.” I let the word ‘fuck’ roll of my lips with a hard ‘k’ sound. “We had sex, not romance.”

Wes’s hand came up to clasp my neck while a thumb caressed my cheekbone as his lips came impossibly close but still didn’t touch mine. I could practically taste the coffee on his breath from the after-dinner drink. “Is that what you want? Romance?” he asked, his lips barely hovering against mine.

“No, I wanna fuck…“ I barely got the word out before a heavy hand landed on my shoulder.

“You two love birds!” Jay Underwood broke the moment, and we both slumped back into our chairs. I was beginning to think I’d never feel the lush taste of his mouth, the pressure of his lips against mine, and I wanted it…dammit! I was getting very impatient for it, but damned if I was going to make the first move.

Wes covered his mouth with his hand. I’m pretty sure it was to conceal silent laughter.

“Later sweetheart; we’ve got all night,” he promised.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that before,” I fake yawned and lifted my tea and took a sip. Lukewarm. Blech.

His mouth dropped open and he shook his head, green eyes dazzling in the candlelight. “Challenge accepted.”

Chapter 5

We barely made it through the door when Wes twirled me around and used his body to press me into the wall. His lips went instantly to the sensitive skin of my neck. He licked a long trail from my clavicle up to behind my ear. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, goose bumps rising on my flesh as I closed my eyes. Wes’s hands went under my skirt and over my bare ass, as he lifted one leg and then the other with no trouble at all, wrapping my legs around him. He hoisted my tall, curvy frame against his and pressed me harder into the wall at my back.

“I’m going to be so deep inside you, you’ll feel me in your throat,” he promised.

“Fuck,” slipped from my lips as he carried me toward my room.

“Exactly.” He bit down on my neck, trailing his teeth along the slender column.

Every nerve, every pore, every molecule was focused on merging with this man.

Without preamble, he dropped me onto the bed and stood staring down. “Take off your dress,” he demanded. His eyes were black, filled to the brim with lust. I could tell he was taking a moment because he clenched and unclenched his hands into fists, the tendons in his neck bulged with his desire.