Filthy Rich, Wild with Lust

Chapter 24

“I’m not looking for a relationship.”

His eyes flick over in question.

“I’ve actually been thinking about getting on Tinder to try and find a friends with benefits situation.”

“What?” He frowns, shocked.

“I just don’t want a relationship.” I act casual. “I want to focus on work and fixing up my house,” I tell him in my practiced speech.

What I really want is time to try and figure him out, but I can’t tell him that without scaring him off.

“No,” he snaps.

“What do you mean, no?”

“I don’t want you to have a regular booty call.”

“Why not?” I frown. “You do.”

“That’s different.”

“How is it?”

“Well...” He shrugs as if searching for the right words. “It’s just s*x to me, and you aren’t like that.”

“How do you know? You thought I was an engaged adulterer a week ago.”

“I wonder why.” He widens his eyes.

“Well, I don’t see another option. I don’t want a boyfriend, I don’t want to fall in love, but I miss sex.”

His eyes flick over to me. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What?”

“You want me to offer you my d**k for your own personal use. That is not happening, Juliet.”

“What?” I act horrified.

That’s exactly what I want.

“Don’t be ridiculous—we’re neighbors.” I look out the window as I act casual.

He twists his lips as he stares through the windshield.

“Anyway”—I shrug—“I’ll work it out. Joel thinks it’s a good idea.”

His eyes flick over to me. “You’ve discussed this with him?”

“We were just talking about s*x, and it came up.”

“You were talking about s*x with your interior f*****g designer?” he barks.

“Why not?” I snap back. “I’m talking about it now with you.”

“That’s different.”

“How is it different?”

“Because.” He wobbles his head around as he searches for the right words.

“We went on a date and made out and stuff.”

His eyes flick over to me. “You fire him. He’s not to come back to your house. Ever.”

I roll my eyes. “We did not make out. We pretended to make out, Henley.”

He narrows his eyes as he stares back at the road.

“Anyway.” I smile sweetly over at him. I put my hand on his thick thigh. “It’s okay. I’ll figure it out.”

“What did he say?”

“What did who say?”

“When you told that dickhead that you wanted a friends with benefits situation, what did he say?”

“He told me that if I ever asked him, he would be more than happy with that arrangement.”

“I bet he did,” he sneers.

“I’m not going to ask him,” I add. “I have to work with him. It would be weird.” I try to dig myself out of the hole. Oh crap, I really am going to have to fire Joel now. Henley can never see him again.

“Anyway.” I squeeze his thigh. “It’s not your problem. You’re probably saving yourself for the love of your life to come along. And so you should too.”

His jaw tics in anger, and I roll my lips to hide my smile. It’s a wonder my nose isn’t a foot long, with all the lying I’m doing.

We drive the rest of the way in silence. I’m secretly high-fiving myself for sticking to the game plan and being so brave. And he’s probably thinking about ways to stuff me into the body bag.

The car pulls into the circular driveway, and the doormen rush to open our car doors. “Are we getting out here?”

“Yes,” he mutters distractedly. He passes the keys to one of the doormen. “Be careful with it, please.”

“Of course, sir. We will bring your bags to the room.”

“Thank you.” Henley takes my hand in his and leads me through the lobby. The hotel is fancy and over the top, with marble everywhere. “Two rooms in the name of Henley James, please.”

“Yes, sir.” The male concierge smiles. His eyes linger a little too long on Henley, and I feel my stomach twinge with jealousy.

He’s holding my hand, you know?

Jeez, some people.

He types into his computer and then passes over two keys. “Here you are, two rooms, as requested.”

“Thank you.”

“Have a nice stay.”

Henley leads me to the elevator, and we get in and turn toward the doors.

“He was checking you out,” I whisper.

He raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “I don’t think so.”

“I know so.”

“How would you know what checking me out is?” he mutters dryly. “You don’t do it.”

I giggle. “Does it bother you?”

“No.”

“It does.”

“I just don’t understand why you would tell an interior designer that you want friends with benefits.”

“Because I do, Henley.”

“I’ll buy you a vibrator.”

“Fine.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I don’t know how to make it any clearer: I need a man to take care of my needs. Nothing more and nothing less. You are reading into it too much.”

His dark eyes drop to my lips, and then, as if remembering where he is, he turns back to face the doors; his face is solemn. “When are you seeing him again?”

“Who?”

“The designer,” he spits.

“Oh my god, will you drop it?” I whisper angrily.

We get to our floor, and we walk down the wide and fancy corridor. He passes me a key. “Six o’clock.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’ll come and get you.”

“Okay.”

We stare at each other; an unspoken feeling runs between us. He’s battling with jealousy and wants to explode, and I have to say I’m totally into it.

“See you at six.”

He steps forward, forcing me to step back. “What are you wearing?”

“Clothes.”

“Shame.”

I do love it when he’s naughty.

I turn to my door. “Goodbye, Henley.”

“See you at six.”

“Holy f**k,” Chloe whispers as she looks at my reflection over FaceTime. “This poor bastard doesn’t stand a chance tonight.”

I giggle. “That is the plan.”

Knock, knock sounds at the door. “I’ve got to go—he’s here.”

“Text me updates. Love you.”

“Bye.” I take one last look at myself: deep-red corset, plunging neckline, and a flowing skirt. I smile, happy with what I see. This dress was worth every penny.

I open the door in a rush, and there he stands. His messy dark hair and black dinner suit, and a smile that could blow up the world.

“Hi,” he breathes. He steps forward, taking me into his arms.

“Hi.” One touch and my hormones are in overdrive.

His eyes drop down my body and then darken. “You look f*****g delicious.”

I smile up at him as the air crackles between us. Without saying a word, he takes my face in his hands and kisses me. A gentle brush of his lips, a little tongue, and a whole load of promise.

Dear god.

Henley

Just a taste...

“Henley.” Juliet pushes me back. “What the hell are you doing?”

Pulled out of my momentary d**k fog, I look up at her. What am I doing?

Fuck.

She takes a step back as she pulls out of our kiss.

That was a brain snap and a half. “Well, you shouldn’t look so gorgeous. I am only human, Juliet. There’s only so much a man can take.”

She smiles up at me, and I feel it all the way to the tip of my d**k. Unable to help it, I take her in my arms. “We should practice kissing some more.”

She smirks. “Should we?”

My lips dust hers, and a tidal wave of desire rips through my very core. We kiss again, and my eyes close as I pull her closer. What is it about this woman?

Every touch is magnified.

We kiss again and again, and I step forward, pinning her to the counter.

Thump, thump, thump throbs my c**k.

I want more.

“That’s enough.” She breaks the kiss and pulls out of my arms.

“What? We haven’t even started yet.”

“This is a fake date, Henley; we don’t need to practice kissing in private. I think we both know that we already have it perfected.”

I stare at her. With no blood left for it, my brain is having a hard time functioning. “Right.”

Get it together.

I drag my hands through my hair. My eyes drop down her luscious body in that red dress. And I swear, I’m two seconds away from blowing.

Which is not in the plan.

“We should get going,” I tell her.

“Okay.”

My eyes drop to her lips, and I imagine them around my c**k. I feel myself harden to an almost painful level.

In slow motion she licks them, and I clench as if I feel it. My eyes rise to meet hers.

“Everything all right?” she whispers. She runs her hands over her breasts and down to sit on her waist. She gives a playful wiggle of her hips. “Henley?”

Is she playing with me?

“I’m fine,” I reply sharply. “We should get going.”

“Okay.”

I open the door, and she sashays past me; I follow her down the corridor with my eyes on her ass.

I imagine bending her over and giving it to her from behind. I wouldn’t need any practice for that one. I know what to do.

We get into the elevator, and she takes my hand in hers. “I’m looking forward to tonight.” She smiles casually.

“Me too,” I lie. I have no interest in the event tonight. We are only going so that I have a legitimate reason to touch her.