Cheater (Curious Liaisons #1)(17)

She wasn’t my usual.

I’d met her at one of my favorite bars and knew she’d be a great addition to my weekly list. She wasn’t pouty, or dramatic—hell, none of my girls were—she was just, nice.

I liked nice.

Needed it just as much as I needed sex.

Besides, I had the roommates for my more unusual tastes.

“Let’s go.” I held out my hand. Amy stared at it and then took it. I tugged her out the door. My apartment was in a luxury building near the edge of Belltown. The walk would be good for her, good for us, and maybe she’d be able to focus her thoughts more.

Her breathing picked up speed the minute I stopped in front of the Volta building. With an amazing view of Puget Sound, my two-bedroom penthouse was a bachelor’s dream come true. And though I had a fantastic salary as a corporate VP, the only reason I had been able to lease one of the top floors was because the owner of the building had been my Wednesday. God, sometimes I missed Monica, but she’d gotten married, moved on, and often emailed me pictures of her baby.

Even after she’d gotten married, I’d been to dinner at her apartment more times than I could count.

I stopped going when she got pregnant. Her husband, while understanding, wasn’t really a big fan of my lifestyle. I couldn’t blame him.

After all, I’d seen his wife naked and still had the balls to sleep with other women on other days of the week.

“So”—Amy clenched her fists—“this is it?”

“Let’s go.” I rubbed her back and led her through the lobby and quickly into the elevator, hitting the button for the eighth floor.

Twenty seconds later, the doors opened.

She gulped.

I shoved the key in my door and let her in. She was one of the first women who had actually seen my place, although she’d never been in my bedroom. None of my girls had. And I had a feeling she wasn’t going to be staying long anyway.

“Wow.” She gasped. “Your floors are incredible. Everything is so modern.” Another gasp. “That. Kitchen.”

“I love cooking.” I smiled.

She returned it, then nervously tucked her hair behind her ears. “Should we . . . go to the bedroom?”

“Nope.” I grinned. “I think we should stay in the light, so I can see you.”

“But—”

“Amy . . .” I pulled her into my arms. “Let’s just kiss.”

So we did.

For a half hour, on the couch, and then, on the floor, me on top of her, her legs wrapped around my waist.

I was into it.

Until I started thinking of Avery.

Amy must have felt my hesitation. “We don’t have to do this. I know I’m inexperienced, and—”

I silenced her with my mouth and slid my hand up her thigh. “I think I know how to get you to stop thinking.”

She fell apart in my arms within two minutes.

Her body was so responsive, starving for a man’s attention. And I felt good about it, good about giving her the release she needed, even though I was confused about why I didn’t really feel like sex.

Amy yawned.

I let out a low chuckle. “I’ll call you a car.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m just—” Another yawn. “Sleepy.”

“Orgasms do that to a woman who’s always had to be on top all her life.” I winked and pulled her to her feet. “I’ll pour you a glass of wine while you wait.”

She nodded, her eyes blurry, unfocused.

I pulled up Uber and grabbed her a nice black sedan that was only five minutes away, then poured her a glass of chilled wine.

When I returned to the living room, she was sitting in one of my favorite chairs, legs tucked beneath her, staring out at the Sound.

“Here.” I handed her the wine and waited for the inevitable, when she’d tell me that while I was really great, she just couldn’t do this.

“You’re wonderful.” She didn’t look at me. “And I’m so thankful that you’ve been patient with me, giving me weeks to decide what I want—and I think, I think I want something different . . . than this.” A tear slid down her cheek.

I caught it with my thumb and pressed a kiss to her neck. “Amy, you’re absolutely beautiful, and it’s okay to feel that way.”

She stared into my eyes. “I don’t get it.”

“Get what?”

“You.” She shook her head. “This, Lucas.”—Ah, the expected last-name drop!—“You’re better than this.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” I smiled sadly. “I’m not.”

“But—”

I stood. “Your car should be here in about one minute. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you.” Standing up on her tiptoes, she placed a polite kiss against my cheek. “I hope you find your happy, Lucas—I really do.”

She walked away, and I stared as the door clicked shut. I gulped down the rest of her wine and continued staring at the door.

“What the hell is in the water?” I muttered, then reached for my cell and called my best friend, Thatch.

I wasn’t interested in any of the substitutes tonight.

Maybe I just needed a guys’ night, a night to clear my head of all things work and Avery.