With Halloween behind us I think it is time to start the Christmas shopping. I actually saw one HOA in town already putting up Christmas lights this morning, which is over kill to say the least.
As promised, below is the first chapter of Frenemies With Benefits, due out mid November.
Enjoy!
Frenemies With Benefits
Chapter One
6
years ago…
Izzy sat in the corner
of the noisy club. Her feet were killing
her from the stupid heels, her friends had insisted that she wear. She slid the strappy stiletto off and moaned from
the pleasure of her feet being freed. She
rubbed her foot and scanned the room.
The club was big and flashy.
All the men were in dress pants and button down shirts and all the woman
wore barely there dresses. The music was
thumping loud. Her head pounded along
with the beat. She usually loved clubs,
however, this was the third club they had been to tonight. It was nearly three in the morning and she
was beyond done.
Spring break or not she
wanted to go back to the hotel and sleep. Unfortunately, her friends, Roni and
Gracey, were having too good of a time to even think of going to bed. Well, at
least too much fun to go to bed alone.
Gracey had come on this
last spring break trip for the sole reason to get laid. She was on a mission to slut it up one more
time before she had, to ‘become a real adult’.
Roni on the other hand only wanted to find a guy to bump and grind with
on the dance floor. And maybe a romantic
walk on the beach. As for Izzy, all she
wanted was to get a tan and hang out with her best friends.
Izzy slowly lets out a breath, rolling her head to stretch
her neck, she closed her eyes. “Mind if
I have a seat?” A deep voice asked from
behind her. She opened her eyes turning
to the voice. Her jaw dropped when she
saw the man that stood before her.
Standing there was a Viking god. Short
spiked dirty blond hair and striking green eyes. He had to be at least 6’5”, compared to her
5’1” stature he was a giant. His muscles
were visible through his dress shirt.
Which was unbuttoned at the collar, with the cuffs rolled up. Her pulse had instantly picked up.
He coughed and nodded
toward the chair. Izzy had been busted
checking him out. “Sorry, yes, please
have a seat.”
“Thanks, this is the
only empty seat in this place. I figured
we were in the same boat so maybe you would be amicable to my plight.” The Viking god mused, totally confusing Izzy.
He nodded at her shoes. “Your shoes, my
feet are killing me too. I was ready to
go an hour ago, but my buddy thought he saw the love of his life when a girl
walked by. He went chasing after her.”
The Viking rolled his eyes at his friend’s antics and she
laughed, why she had no idea, it wasn't even that funny. “Well, I was ready to leave two hours ago but
my friends have decided that more liquor and bad pick lines were a good enough
reason to stay.” She smiled at the man
and went back to rubbing her feet.
The waitress sashayed
her way over to their table, eyeing her new found friend the entire time. Funny the waitress could have cared less
about Izzy before the Viking came over.
Izzy noticed the waitress was arching her back so her boobs stuck out
more. She snorted a little and shook her
head, turning her attention back to her feet.
“May I get you
anything?” The waitress purred in her sexy
accent.
The man smiled. “Why
yes, can you get my wife and me each a coke and maybe a bag of ice?” He took Izzy’s foot and started to rub
it. “Anything else, honey?”
Izzy smiled, a real
smile, at his craziness. “No, baby.” She
turned her smile on the waitress, whose shoulders had visibly slumped at the
realization her target was ‘married’.
“I’ll be right
back.” The waitress walked away, no sway
in her step this time.
When the waitress was
out of view, Izzy shot her new ‘husband’ a look of amusement and
curiosity. “Sorry, thanks for
helping. We were here last night and she
came on to my friend with extreme force.
The poor guy is still recovering. I didn't want to deal with that. And I figured you get a foot message out of
it.” He winked.
She smiled. “So I was your human shield?”
“A human shield I am
paying back with a fantastic foot rub.”
He pushed his knuckle down her foot, almost causing her to moan.
“Fantastic, may be stretching it, but I guess that is
payment enough. I should tell you my
name though, you know, since I’m your wife and all. I’m Isabella Newport, my friends and make
believe husbands, call me Izzy.”
~*~*~*~
“Well, I think you have your name wrong. It's Izzy Porter.” Alex smiled big. This girl was fun and smart. Something he
rarely found. “I insist my wife take my last name. I am a little old fashion that way. “I’m Jeremy Porter.”
Alex hated lying about
his name, but now that he was the CFO of a high profile company he had learned
that lying about his identity to someone he had only just met was the best
play. If someone Googled ‘Jeremy Porter’
nothing would come up. If someone
Googled Alex Porter on the other hand, his entire life now came up including
his massive net worth.
They sat quietly for a
few moments. Her naturally curly hair was
attempting to free itself from the twisted knot thing she had it in. He looked his fill, not his usual type that
was for sure. She was a tiny thing. He could twirl her around in the air with his
pinkie. The lights of the club bounced
off her glasses.
Normally he would never
have noticed a pixie bookworm like herself.
Something about her, the moment he saw her sitting alone, drew him to
her.
“I think I need to know
more about my dear husband. Where are
you from Jeremy?” She asked with a smirk.
“I am so disappointed,
my own wife doesn't remember I am from Colorado.”
“Really? Me too.
What part?”
Well,
shit! That complicated his random vacation hook
up. “Denver, I grew up in the
suburbs. Now I live downtown. Where
about in Colorado are you from?” Please say Durango, Vail, anywhere but
Denver.
“I am living in Boulder
right now. I have a couple more months
before I graduate from the University of Colorado. My girlfriend and I are moving down to Denver
after graduation, though.” She shrugged.
The waitress finally
dropped off the cokes and ice pack. Alex
handed the waitress $50 to cover the cokes and a nice tip. He took the ice pack, covered it in a napkin
and ran it along Izzy’s foot.
“Oh, that feels
good.” She moaned.
He had to take a deep
breath after hearing that sound. He
would love to hear it later tonight, in his bed. He cleared his throat. “Are your feet feeling better, my dear
wife?” He needed to go back to being the
jokester to clear the lust out of the air.
“Yes, my darling
husband you give great foot rubs. I think we should…”
He leaned into her desperately wanting to hear the end of
that sentence. “Dude, I have been looking all over for you. Let’s go. That girl I was looking for turned around too
fast at the bar and spilled her fruity red drink all over me. Now I look as though I have been shot.” Derek stated as he walked up to the table
still rubbing a napkin on his shirt.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see your friend. I will find my way back to our
hotel. Night.”
Derek was his best
friend in the world, but the guy had no tact.
Luckily for Alex his friend at least knew when to leave quickly. He turned to Izzy to apologize, only to see
her laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“I think it was my
friend who spilled her drink on yours.
She has a habit of spilling drinks, tripping, burning dinners, she is
the definition of clumsy.” She started
laughing again. Not the well-practiced
high pitched laugh, he normally heard from women. Her laugh was natural, goofy even. Which made him smile.
“Seriously? Your friend is some kind of walking disaster
zone? Does she have a warning label taped
to her?”
She laughed again, this
time snorting a little. “No, but that is
a good idea it would save innocent people like your friend.”
They sat and talked for another hour or so. Talking about nothing and everything. He rubbed and iced her feet. She yawned.
“As much as I have enjoyed being your wife, I think it is time for a
divorce. I need to find my friends and
get some sleep.” She put her shoes back
on and stood. “It was very nice meeting you Jeremy.” With a big smile and a small finger wave she
started to walk away.
Alex’s mind
panicked. He wasn't ready to let her
go. Before he could think it through he
blurted out, “Can I see you again while you’re here?” He winced at how desperate he sounded.
Izzy stopped and smiled.
“How about dinner, tomorrow night?
I am staying at the Bahia Hotel.
Meet me in the lobby at seven.”
She kissed his cheek and disappeared into the crowd.
~*~*~*~
Normal everyday Izzy would never be standing in a hotel
lobby- dressed in a short white and pink sundress that dipped way too far down
her cleavage - waiting to meet a man for dinner she had met less than twelve
hours earlier. Vacation Izzy decided to
have a little fun. She had promised her
friends she would not leave the resort with Jeremy under any circumstances.
They would dine in one of the resort restaurants, and if
that went well they would have drinks in one of the clubs. Again, she wasn't being stupid, she wanted
have a little fun, not get herself murdered by a handsome stranger. She leaned back against one of the columns in
the lobby, watching the doors for Jeremy.
She startled and turned when someone placed a large hand on
her shoulder. She saw the man she had
been waiting for. He looked delicious in
a suit, minus the tie. The collar of his
white dress shirt was open as it was last night, exposing the hollow of his
throat. She resisted the overwhelming
urge to lick him there. "You scared
me."
"Sorry." He
smiled sheepishly, "I'm staying at the resort as well. I came from the elevators." He nodded his head back toward the elevator
bay. His eyes caressed her body.
"You look incredible."
His comment warmed her heart. "Thank you, you look good
yourself."
He kissed her cheek, a playful look crossing his face. "How was your day, wifey?"
Izzy giggled. Placing
her hands on his chest, she smiled up at him.
"It was wonderful. I got to
take a run on the beach. How was your
day, dear husband?"
"Ah, you’re a runner?
Me too. Much easier at sea level. Maybe we can do a run together tomorrow."
He glanced at his watch, "I made reservations for us at the patio
restaurant in the hotel"
He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her
through the lobby to the restaurant. He
kept his hand on her until they were at the table. He pulled her chair out and
waited for her to be seated before seating himself. Someone
had trained this man well in manners.
They talked and laughed while they ate. They made fun of the goofy couples around
them, who were actually on honeymoons.
They shared a childish sense of humor.
Izzy had to admit that this had been the best date she had been on
ever. They clicked.
He was digging into his dessert. She had no idea how the man could eat another
bite, but he seemed intent on tasting everything on the menu. With a bite of chocolate cake in his mouth,
he pointed to the cake with his fork and mumbled, “Want some?”
She shook her head, smiling. “No thank you I already ate way
too much.”
“So you graduate in two months with a double major in education
and English, what are your plans after you are handed your diploma?” He asked still talking around the bite of
cake.
“I already have a job lined up in the Denver School
District. Roni, my overly clumsy friend
from last night, and I signed a lease on a house near Wash Park for after we
graduate. That is as far as my plan goes.”
“That sounds like a good start. You have the basics covered, a job and a roof
over your head.” He winked at her. He put down his fork and reached across the table,
taking her small hand in his much larger one.
“Now, that we have totally gorged ourselves, or I gorged myself, you
managed self-control, do you want to go to the club? Or go sit by the pool?”
“How about a walk on the beach?” Izzy even surprised herself with that request.
She knew this may be a very dumb move, but for some reason she trusted Jeremy.
“That sounds wonderful.
I can walk off some of this meal.”
He stood and held out his hand to help her up.
She took his proffered hand.
“Wait, we need the check” That would have been embarrassing if they left
without paying. She looked around for
the waitress.
Jeremy tugged her hand to get her moving. “When I made the reservation I asked that
they simply charge the meal to my room.”
Izzy pulled her hand free and searched around in her
purse. “Well, let me give you some money
for my share then.” She continued to dig
in her purse in search of her cash, until he put a finger under her chin,
forcing her gaze to meet his.
He looked amused. “I
believe I asked you out on this date, therefore it is my treat.” He leaned in and brushed a soft, much too
quick kiss over her lips. He stood back
to full stature and pulled her from the restaurant.
~*~*~*~
Alex had planned to take Izzy to a club after dinner. That way he could use the pretense of dancing
to have his hands on her small body. The
walk along the beach was far better.
Once they hit the beach, they stopped briefly to remove
their shoes, he rolled up his pants. He looked
at her quickly taking in the sun dress she had on. Most women he dated dressed in barely there
clothing. He liked her modest sun dress
better.
Walking hand in hand down the beach her hair blew in the
slight breeze. “How long are you and
Derek here for?”
“For another few days.
We had business at the beginning of the week and a few more meetings
here and there the rest, leaving us a little bit of time to squeeze in a mini
vacation.”
“I bet you guys work hard and deserve a little vacation time.”
They had stopped to look out into the ocean. The breeze picked up, Izzy shivered a
little. Being brought up to be a perfect
gentleman, Alex shrugged out of his suit jacket, placing it around her. Placing her in front of himself, he wrapped
his arms around her and began rubbing her arms. “Better?”
“Mmmm, yes. Thank
you.”
They stood quietly for a bit. Alex enjoyed how she felt in his arms. She was so small that she barely came up to
his chest. Izzy had leaned further back into him and he had wrapped his arms
tighter around her. She sighed, when he
kissed her hair.
“I’m having a great time, Izzy. I am so glad that the chair was open last
night.” He whispered into her hair.
“Me too. Who knew my
desperation to take off my shoes could lead to meeting a man as wonderful as
you.” She said as she turned in his
arms. She stroked his chest, leaning
back in his arms a little to meet his eyes.
He couldn't stop himself from leaning down to kiss her. The soft kiss he had taken as they left the
restaurant was barely a taste. Alex
needed more this time. His lips met
hers. His system was attached by more
than the usual lust that accompanied a kiss.
No, what shot through his system was a need to keep this small woman
forever.
Luckily he had no time to ponder the need to have this woman
forever, because her tongue entered his mouth.
Her tiny fingers clenching tighter into his shirt, bringing his body
closer to her own.
He rubbed his hand up and down her back, then coming to rest
on her hip bones. They kissed and
caressed for moments or hours, he had no idea.
He had never enjoyed kissing a woman so much. Usually he only kissed a woman long enough to
get her turned on enough to take her clothes off. Not that he didn't want to get down and dirty
with Izzy, he planned to. However, Alex
preferred to take his time with her.
Enjoy the slow burn caused by making out on a beach.
She pulled back. Her
eyes glazed over, a sexy smile across her face.
“You’re very good at that.”
“I’m good at a lot of things, just wait.” He nuzzled her
neck a little before looking into her eyes again.
She bit her bottom lip. He could tell she was mulling over
her next move. He decided to give her
time. Keeping his hands on her hips, not
wanting to break the connection between them.
Alex hoped they would be moving this kissing session to one of their
hotel rooms.
Unfortunately, Izzy thought different. With a shake of her head and a roll of her eyes,
she padded his chest gently. “I think it
is time we call it a night."
