Pursuit: A Bad Boy Romance Read online

  Just as I finished putting everything away, I heard Wendy pulling into the driveway. Seconds later, she appeared in the doorway, a bright smile on her face, and a cheesecake in her hands. “Oh my, what happened here?” She asked when she saw the shards of broken porcelain scattered all over the place.

  “Nothing, I just tripped.” I lied, not wanting to make her feel bad for leaving the windows open and causing the vase to knock over.

  “Do you want me to help you clean up?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Just get the cheesecake ready. I could really use some.”

  She nodded, carefully tip-toeing over the porcelain so she wouldn’t damage her new shoes. “Ah, it’s so much better in here with the windows open.”

  I didn’t bother to answer her as I gathered the mess into a dustpan. I would have to dispose of the vase tomorrow for trash day.

  “Did you just go grocery shopping?” Wendy called out from the kitchen.

  “Yeah.”

  “Did you get any wine?”

  “No, but there’s a bottle on the counter from the last time you dropped by.”

  “Perfect.”

  I could hear the tinkling of wine glasses from the other room. I had no idea how Wendy managed to be so chipper all the time. I guess she had yet to know the full extent of a broken heart.

  By the time I walked back into the kitchen, she was sitting at the table, a forkful of cheesecake in her mouth and a full glass of wine between her fingers.

  I sat down beside her, thinking that a treat like this might be just the thing to keep the edge off, especially after seeing the mysterious man at the grocery store. I knew he was no good for me. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he looked at me. He wanted nothing more than to get in my pants. But, despite this inclination, I couldn’t get him out of my head. He was like a curse that I just couldn’t get rid of.

  “Earth to Amanda.” Wendy waved her hand in front of my face. “You were zoning out again. What were you thinking about?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t ‘nothing’ me, we’ve been friends long enough for me to know when you’re lying. Now, come on. Tell me. Something happened.”

  “Nothing happened.” I grabbed my glass of wine and took a sip, letting the liquid warm me from the inside out. I had never been a heavy drinker, but I did enjoy the occasional drink, especially when I was feeling stressed out.

  When I looked at Wendy, she had her lips pressed together in a disapproving look. “Come on… I’m not going to leave until you tell me.” Suddenly, her eyes darted down and she snatched my hand. “What’s this? A number?” Her face lit up with glee. “Did you snag some hot guy’s number?”

  I yanked my hand back. “Wendy, please, drop it.”

  “You’ve been flirting with someone, haven’t you? Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked, sounding hurt. “I’m your best friend. I should be the first one to know!”

  “I didn’t flirt with anyone.” I rushed over to the sink, washing my hands, getting rid of the ink.

  “Did you forget I have photographic memory?”

  By the time I turned around, she had already snatched my phone, dialing the number. Before I could stop her, she ran into the bathroom, locking the door.

  “Wendy! This isn’t funny! Don’t dial that number!” I pounded on the door. “I mean it.”

  I heard her giggle. For a woman that was such a successful businesswoman, she sure had her moments of immaturity.

  “Hey!”

  “Wendy! I swear…”

  “So, I just found your number on my friend’s hand…”

  There was a pause. I pushed my ear against the door, hoping to hear the conversation.

  “Oh, you are? How interesting… it’s almost as if fate is bringing you two together, don’t you think?” She turned on the tap, making it impossible for me to hear what she said next.

  A few minutes later, she unlocked the door, dropping the phone in my hand, a mischievous grin on her face. “Remember to thank me later.”

  “What the hell did you do?”

  “Oh… nothing.”

  “Wendy, I swear…” I followed her into the kitchen. “This isn’t funny. That guy is a creep.”

  She turned on me, her hand on her hip. “Amanda, loosen up. I’m sure he’s not as bad as you think. Just because David hurt you, doesn’t mean that every other guy will. Just relax and take things one day at a time.”

  I ground my teeth to keep from snapping at her. I was getting sick and tired of people trying to tell me how to live my life. So, I was a little depressed. Why did that upset everyone? Why did I have to be happy all the time?

  “Besides, it will do you good to see someone new.” She grabbed her bag and tossed it over her shoulder. “Anyway, I hope you have fun tonight.” She winked at me and I didn’t like the look on her face one bit. She was definitely up to no good.

  “What did you tell him?”

  She pinched her fingers together and ran them along her lips, indicating that she wouldn’t say a word. With her eyes shining with delight, she headed for the door. This was all just a game to her.

  I watched as she left, the sound of her car starting echoing through the house before it faded away. Quickly, I grabbed my phone and redialed the number, waiting for Luke to answer.

  On the last ring, I heard a soft click. “Hello?”

  “Look, I don’t know what my friend told you, but forget it.”

  He clicked his tongue as if disappointed. “But I’m already on my way over. Your friend tells me you’re a fan of Italian food and I make a mean risotto.”

  “Risotto?” Dammit, Wendy. She knew that was my favorite dish. I could hardly say no.

  “Oh yes, a nice, thick creamy base, mixed in with mushrooms, a bit of nutmeg, it’ll be like nothing you’ve ever tasted before.”

  I shook my head, trying to convince myself that it wasn’t worth it, but before I could come up with an excuse that would prevent him from coming over, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his radio. It was playing rather loudly, a popular love song running through its chorus like he was trying to send me a message.

  “I’ll be there soon. Try not to miss me too much.” I could almost see him winking as he hung up, leaving me standing there, trying to figure out what had just happened.

  ***

  About half an hour later, I heard someone pulling into my driveway. Peeking through the blinds, I saw a nice black Mercedes with tinted windows, making it impossible for me to see who the driver was. Quickly, I turned off the lights, thinking maybe that would convince him to go away.

  I held my breath, but he still rang the doorbell. I didn’t move, waiting for him to get the message.

  “I know you’re in there, Amanda.” He said, his deep voice loud enough for me to hear. “There’s no use running away from me now. I’m already here. Besides, if you turn me away, you’ll be passing up on perfectly good risotto.”

  My stomach growled as I realized I hadn’t eaten much that day. I bit my lip, trying to keep my resolve, but I was a sucker for a good risotto. It was my kryptonite.

  Hesitantly, I answered the door. I was surprised to see that Luke had cleaned up quite nicely. He wore a purple dress shirt, slightly unbuttoned, his sleeves rolled up, exposing his toned forearms. Standing in the dim light of my porch, he looked almost mysterious, the shadows playing off the chiseled features of his face. Despite what my brain told me, my body could only focus on how inexplicably handsome this man truly was.

  “So, are you going to invite me in or are you just going to stare at me all night?” He leaned against the doorframe, a bright smile flashing across his face.

  I stepped to the side and he waltzed inside like he owned the place, heading straight for the kitchen where he placed a grocery bag.

  When I joined him, he was pulling out ingredients, carefully putting them in order on the counter. “Nice place you have here.” He commented, grabbing a filet knife from the knife block. “
Did you buy this yourself?”

  “It’s really none of your business.” I had finally regained a right state of mind. “And you really shouldn’t be here.”

  “Are you going to kick me out? By the look of those takeout containers, you have piled up near the sink, I’d guess you haven’t had a home-cooked meal in a long time. Don’t think of this as a date, think of it as my good deed for the day.”

  “Look, I don’t need any favors from you.”

  He raised an eyebrow in my direction. “Well, in that case, you better start chopping the mushrooms.” He thrust a bag into my chest. This man was even more assertive than Wendy. I wanted to tell him no, but my stomach won this battle and I gave in to my hunger.

  Chapter 6

  Luke

  As I sliced the chicken breast, my eyes swept the area, noting the expensive decorations she had around her home, from art pieces to vases. She even had what looked like an engagement ring on the windowsill, hiding behind a bamboo plant. It was as if she had taken it off to do the dishes and never bothered to put it back on again.

  “Do you have a radio?” I asked, knowing she would be a hard nut to crack. She wasn’t like some of the other girls who fell at my feet. She was guarded.

  “Why do you need a radio?”

  “I cook best with music,” I explained, rinsing the rice under warm water. “I could also use a pot.”

  “How big?”

  “What are my options?”

  She opened one of the lower cabinets which were filled with various pots and pans.

  “That blue one should work just fine.”

  She nodded, carefully extracting it from the pile, making sure not to cause an avalanche in the process.

  When she handed it to me, I noticed it was one of the better brands. This woman obviously had quite a bit of money. She lived on the upper side of town, in her own home and filled it with expensive things. I grinned to myself, knowing she was the perfect conquest. If I worked on her a little and gained her trust, she would be a cinch to play.

  “Is there anything else you need me to do?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I finished chopping the mushrooms.” She showed me the bowl.

  “Hmm, I would ask you to chop the onions, but I would never want to make a woman like you cry.” I smiled at her, upping the charm, sensing that she was slowly easing up. “How about you open up a bottle of wine?”

  She looked hesitant, nibbling on her bottom lip in a way that made me want to slam her against the wall and kiss her.

  “You know, you really shouldn’t do that around me…”

  She tilted her head in confusion.

  “Bite your lip. I can’t even begin to tell you how sexy I find it to be…” I moved closer, pushing her back into the counter until she had no place left to go. She looked up at me with her great big eyes, her pupils growing large as I leaned in. “Makes me want you… and I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself.” My voice was a husky whisper, knowing exactly how it affected women.

  Amanda gripped the counter so hard, her knuckles turned white. “I…”

  I leaned in closer like I was about to kiss her, but instead, I grabbed the salt shaker, an amused chuckle escaping my lips as I saw a look of disappointment flash across her face. “You know, you do a good job of pretending you don’t want me, but you can’t keep up this charade. I can see it in the way you look at me. If you really wanted nothing to do with me, you wouldn’t have let me in your kitchen.”

  “You act as if I had a choice…” She mumbled, her cheeks now the color of roses.

  “Of course you did. It’s your house. You could have asked me to leave, but you haven’t even tried to kick me out yet.” As I said these words, I added the onion and butter to the pot, letting a film form over the rice, waiting for just the right moment to add the chicken and wine.

  Grabbing a wine bottle that was left on the kitchen table, I added a bit to the mixture, the aromas starting to waft into the air.

  Amanda gravitated closer, peeking over my shoulder, obviously intrigued. I grabbed her. “Here, you can help me with this part.” Quickly, I pulled her in front of me, trapping her between my body and the oven.

  She tried to wiggle away from me, but I grabbed her wrists, guiding her through the motions as we mixed in the cold butter, letting it melt with the heat of the rice until the broth was just the right level of creaminess.

  While she did this, I didn’t miss the opportunity to have a bit of fun with her, pressing my body against hers. When she took control of the stirring, my arms wrapped around her midsection, bringing her just a little closer until she could feel the outline of my member against the back of her thigh.

  She dropped the wooden spoon in surprise.

  “Shh, just keep stirring or you’ll ruin the dish…” I whispered into her neck, my lips dangerously close to her flesh, my hot breath caressing her earlobe. I could tell by the tenseness of her body that she was fighting her urges, but deep down, she wanted me.

  “I… I think it’s done.” She said quickly.

  “A few more minutes won’t hurt.” I turned off the stove so the rice wouldn’t overcook. When my hands returned to her body, they inched a little lower, lingering next to the waistband of her pants. I was so close to unbuttoning them, to bending her over the counter right then and there, but I held back, wanting to have my fun with her first.

  Soon enough, I felt her rubbing against me, even if ever so slightly.

  I grinned. It would take some patience on my part, but I was definitely getting through to her. It would only be a matter of time before I had her in bed, screaming my name and begging for more.

  “There,” I whispered, my lips grazing her neck, leaving her shivering before I finally pulled away. “Where do you keep your plates?” My sudden change of tone must have confused her because she just blinked at me a few times like she didn’t understand the question.

  I took it upon myself to open her cabinets, looking through each one, subtly taking account of anything that looked valuable. She did have a very nice set of fine china…

  Eventually, I found some flat plates, grabbing two. With a skilled hand, I dished the proper serving, garnishing the meal with some fresh parsley.

  “Where did you learn to cook so well?” She asked, finally snapping out of her trance.

  “Oh, you know, I picked up a few things here and there from my mother.” I shrugged, feigning modesty, knowing girls loved that stuff.

  “Oh… was she Italian?”

  “No, my father was. She learned some of his favorite dishes.” I explained, weaving a fake story from my past. “But that doesn’t really matter right now, let’s eat.” I pulled out her chair. “Milady.” I motioned with an air of reverence like she was a princess and I was but her humble servant.

  Her blush darkened, but she sat down. It seemed as if she wanted to say something, but she kept her lips pressed together, still watching me with suspicion.

  Aware that she was watching me, I poured us both a glass of wine before finally sitting down, unbuttoning another button on my shirt.

  She quickly looked away.

  Knowing she wouldn’t stand the silence for very long, I grabbed my fork and took a bite, complimenting it with the garlic bread I had picked up at the grocery store that afternoon.

  “So, do you always do this?”

  “Do what?” I asked, my tone innocent as I wiped my mouth with a napkin and looked at her.

  “Sweet talk your way into a woman’s house, into her kitchen.”

  I grabbed my wine glass. “If I remember correctly, I was invited here.”

  “Yes. By my best friend who thinks she’s some sort of a miracle matchmaker.” She grumbled.

  “There has to be a reason why she wants to see you with someone. Let me guess… a recent breakup?”

  She narrowed her eyes in my direction, her lips pressing into a thin line.

  It seems I had struck a nerve. From this point, the ni
ght could only go in two directions. Either I pushed her too far and she kicked me out or I showed her that I was clearly the better option to the man that left her.

  By the way she downed her glass of wine, I could tell she was vulnerable. She wanted someone to take her into his arms and hold her tight, to ward off the cold that had settled into her heart, but she was too scared to let her inhibitions go.

  “It’s none of my business, but any man that ever thought of leaving you truly is a fool.”