Dirty Deal (Perfectly Matched 2)

Before Piper had ruined everything, it had been going great. Serena was clearly intent on punishing him for his confidence about the way their evening would end. There was a lot of leg crossing and brushing against his shin in the process, or she would lean forward just the slightest bit too far, letting him know that tonight’s lacy bra was a midnight blue that matched her corset-style top.

He wasn’t sure if she planned on following through, but he was going to do everything in his power to see her naked again. Now that Piper had set him back to square one, and Q had started flapping her mouth, he had his work cut out for him.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” He stroked Serena’s hand from across the table, running the pads of his fingers along her delicate knuckles.

“Isn’t this your song?”

“Olivia Newton John’s ‘Physical’ is your song?” Q raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah.” He held out a hand to Serena. “Serena loves oldies. Want to dance? Q, I hope you don’t mind.” His sister shrugged and Serena eyed him warily as she took his hand in hers.

Once they were in the middle of the floor, his hands were on her hips. He pulled her close.

“This isn’t a slow song,” she said and tried to pull back, but he kept her there and whispered into her ear.

“So let’s dance fast.” He swayed against her and pulled back just enough to watch her cheeks flame. He knew she could feel the heat of his desire pressing into her, but she made no move to back away again. Instead, she ground against him more, almost urging him on.

He had no idea what the tempo or song was. Hell, they could have been playing the theme from Jaws for all he cared. Serena’s gaze was locked on his, her lips slightly parted, and she didn’t tell him to stop as his hands slid lower, over the curve of her ass, and they danced on.

He pressed his face against her hair again, whispering, “I know what you were doing. Before Piper came over.”

“Do you?” She pulled away and eyed him. “Why don’t you tell me, then?”

“You’re trying to torture me.” He spun her around and then dipped her. Just as he’d hoped, the move had caught her by surprise. She stared up at him, breath caught, and he planted a kiss on her parted lips.

“I’m sorry to tell you it’s not working.” He pulled her back to standing, but this time she didn’t miss a beat.

“Oh, but I think it is,” she responded, grinding against him as if to prove her point.

“It’s true that I want you,” he said. “But the problem is, you want me just as bad. So you’re torturing both of us, and I’m not sure why.”

She forced a laugh, but it was hollow, and her eyes were wide.

Slowly, he ran his fingers down her back and whispered into her ear. “Are you trying to tell me that if I ripped your panties off right now, you wouldn’t be wet for me?”

Her silence was answer enough.

“You’re a grown woman. I’m a grown man. So why do we have to stop? Nobody is going to get hurt.” He caught her earlobe between his teeth and she arched into him. “That is, unless you ask very, very nicely.”

She shivered against him, and he wondered, not for the first time, what they were still doing there. He’d come like Q had asked, but his obligation was fulfilled now, and all he wanted to do was spend a little more time alone with the woman in his arms.

“What do you say we get out of here?” he asked softly.

To his everlasting relief, she nodded without hesitation. “Okay. Let me run to the ladies’ room, and I’ll meet you by the exit.”

She pulled back and gave him a searing look that made him think about following her, but Q would kill him if he didn’t at least say good-bye.

He watched Serena go, unable to drag his gaze away. She was a catch. No question. If he was a different guy, or it was a different time in his life, maybe…

Nope. The whole reason they’d hit it off in the first place was because neither of them wanted anything serious. No point in screwing up a good thing with wishes and regrets. They’d at least have tonight, and maybe even until he had to leave, if he had any say in the matter. Then, after that, it would be a clean break. It was best for both of them.

But damn, was he going to miss her.

Chapter Eight

Serena fussed with her hair in the mirror, but no matter how she rearranged it, it seemed hell-bent on remaining a total mess. Then again, what was the use of putting time into pinning everything in place only to have Bryan tousle her again in his bed tonight?

Because she was definitely not done with him. In fact, she couldn’t wait to finish what he’d so cleverly started out on the dance floor.

A sweet, seductive heat coiled around her spine at the thought, and she rummaged through her purse in search of her pouty pink lip gloss. He was right. There was no reason to be afraid. She needed to stop letting her fear control her every move.

She liked Bryan.

A lot. So why was she trying to fool herself and him into thinking she didn’t? Maybe spending more time with him would wind up biting her in the ass. Maybe she’d be even sadder when he left, but for now? She was going to soak up every second with him and let the chips fall where they may.

She might have to keep her feelings to herself to keep from scaring him away, but she was good at that. Especially since she’d only have to do it until he had to go back. A day that seemed to be coming at warp speed now.

Resolute, she turned to go, heels clicking softly on the floor as she made her way to the ladies’ room door. So softly, in fact, that if they’d been any louder, she might not have heard the quiet sniffle that sounded as she reached for the doorknob.

Normally she would let it go. Not that she was soulless or anything, but if she locked herself in a stall alone to cry, she sure as hell wouldn’t want a stranger bugging her.

And still, something stirred in her at the next pitiful snuffle and made her turn around.

“Um, is someone in here? Can I help?”

There was no answer for a long moment, but then the stall on the far side of the room creaked open and out walked Piper, black mascara streaming down her miserable face. No matter what she might have felt for the woman before, or how bitchy she’d been since day one, all that was crushed by the weight of her pity. There was no denying the anguish that lined her every feature.

Piper didn’t say anything, just rested her palms on either side of the ceramic basin, but Serena didn’t prompt her. She stood, her hip pressed against the concrete wall, and waited quietly to hear what Piper so clearly needed to say to her.

At last, the other woman mumbled something that sounded like, “I knew it was you.”

“Sorry?”

“I knew it was you when you came in here. With the”—she nodded toward Serena?

??s ice-pick-thin stilettos—”heels and everything. Nobody dresses like that in real life. How can you even walk in those?”

So much for olive branches. Hold them out in this town and people just use them to torch you. “Well, this has been real, but I think I’m going to bounce—”

“No, wait, that’s not what I meant.” Piper rested her head against the wide mirror before finally turning to stare Serena in the eye. “What I meant was that when I saw you for the first time, I knew that he would like you. You’re so pretty. And of course you like him back. Who wouldn’t? He’s got this charm about him, you know?”

Serena nodded, though she still backed toward the door. She wanted to help the woman, but there was no telling if she was really coming to terms with things or if she was on the edge of some Single White Female shit, and if that was the case, then Serena was going to make damn sure she was at least near an exit.

“I know it’s…I know I’ve been…” Piper coughed and shook her head. “I can’t do this. I can’t be around him. I saw him drooling all over you on the dance floor, but you’ll see one day, when he’s sick of you. How it feels to be cast aside. I know you think he loves you, but I thought that too once.”

Serena lifted a hand. “Say no more. Message received.”

And it had been. Not only now, but in the million times she’d heard it before tonight. When her mother had said it through tears to au pairs and then over the phone to “business liaisons.” Or when her father had whispered it threateningly to pool boys and tennis instructors. Or when they both silently thought it to themselves when they lived their long, loveless lives.

So what was the difference?

They’d gotten caught up, just like Piper had, just like Serena was now. They’d all forgotten that this infatuation bullshit was fleeting, a spark of a chemical reaction that triggered total insanity in everyone it infected.

But maybe that wasn’t fair, either. Piper’s relationship had ended years ago. And Serena’s parents might never have had a good relationship at all. It seemed like they’d just spent their time collecting tally marks on a never-ending scoreboard. What if, with the right guy, she could do it better?