The Seduction 2(4)

4

KEELY

I ride home in a daze.

Justine keeps chattering in the driver’s seat about shopping and designer clothes and luxury vacations on a tropical beach somewhere, but I can’t hear a word. All I can focus on is the uneasy feeling in my chest, like something is seriously wrong.

When she pulls up outside my apartment, I don’t get out. I sit there, staring at the printed copy of the will that’s heavy in my hands.

“I can’t take it,” I say quietly. “The money. His kids are right. It doesn’t belong to me.”

“Hello?” Justine stares at me like I’m crazy. “We just sat through an hour of boring legal shit that proves you do.”

I shake my head. “Something doesn’t add up. It wouldn’t be right. Besides, what am I going to do with it all? I can’t run a company, or a multi-million dollar foundation!”

“That’s why you hire people to do it for you!” Justine sees the panic on my face and stops. “Look, it’s a shock, I get it. But this is a good thing. Don’t you realize? That kind of money, you can have anything you want. Anything!”

But as I say goodbye and get out of the car, a little voice whispers.

Not anything. Not Vaughn.

I trudge up the stairs to my apartment, still thinking of his piercing blue eyes and that delicious filthy mouth. I can’t get him out of my head, no matter how hard I try.

I’ve never felt like this about anyone. Never had someone crash through my defenses. Ever since my parents died, killed in a car accident when I was eighteen, I’ve felt shut off from the world. Sure, I date, and hang out with friends, and act like everything’s fine, but a part of me has always felt closed off. Numb. Unable to make a connection with someone and be real, right there in the moment with them.

Until him.

“I’ve been looking for you, babe.”

Vaughn’s voice filters through my thoughts, and for a moment, I think I’m imagining him. But no, there he is, leaning against my door with his arms crossed, looking good enough to eat in a white button-down and dark denim jeans; stubble across his jaw.

And you’d know how he tastes.

Delicious.

“I don’t like it when you ignore my calls.” Vaughn’s mouth twists in a wicked smile. “I’ll have to spank you for that.”

I feel a bolt of lust shatter through me, but I fight to keep control.

“I thought you’d get the hint,” I tell him, gritting my teeth. “I don’t want to see you ever again.”

I try and push past him to open the door, but Vaughn is six foot two of taut muscle, and he doesn’t move an inch.

“What the hell happened, Keely?” The laughter drops from his tone. “One minute, you were begging me to fuck you, and the next, I couldn’t see you for dust.”

My cheeks burn. I look away. “I realized I shouldn’t be there.” I lie, “I changed my mind.”

But Vaughn won’t accept it. His hand flies out, taking hold of my arm. “Look at me,” he orders.

The commanding note in his voice makes my knees weak.

I look.

Damn, he’s gorgeous. Shadowed here in the dark of my front porch, his face is all chiseled lines and intense gaze. And that mouth... My stomach twist in knots, remembering the pleasure he’s given me with those lips, that hot tongue...

“Tell me the truth,” he demands. “Why did you run?”

I gulp, the humiliation crashing back. “Why do you even care?” I wrench free, fumbling with my keys to open my door. “Don’t try and pretend it meant anything to you.”

“Dammit, Keely,” Vaughn curses. “Stop playing games. Just tell me what the hell I did wrong.”

I step over the threshold and whirl around. “I heard you, on the phone.” My voice rises, twisting with pain. “Talking to your friend. I know everything, so don’t even try and pretend you care.”

Shock flashes on Vaughn’s face, then his expression smoothes over. Cautious.

“What did you hear?” he asks.

“You boasting about getting me into bed.” I feel a pang in my chest just thinking about it. “You said I was a done deal, that I was begging for you. You made me sound like some kind of cheap slut.”

Vaughn exhales. He almost looks relieved. “That’s it?”

I gape at him. “That’s plenty. Now leave me alone.” I try to slam the door in his face, but Vaughn shoves it back, stepping inside.

“Listen to me, you’ve got it all wrong.”

“No--” I try to argue, but Vaughn talks over me.

“What you heard, it’s bullshit. I was messing around with a buddy. I just wanted to get him off the phone and get back to you,” Vaughn explains, taking another step towards me. “I’m sorry.”