Blasphemous (Torn #3)(50)
I was one of her main top clients and the easiest one to work with. I didn’t demand much, but when I did, Barbara knew I meant business.
Even though we weren’t together, it didn’t mean that I wasn’t going to help her get to where she needed to be. Emma admitted that she wanted to act, so I was going to help her get there.
“Is she dating anyone?”
“Anyone? Nah, she’s dating everyone. She goes on dates almost on a daily basis. The girls are merely having a blast with it. The stories Trista shares sometimes are really f*uking funny.”
What the f*uk happened to Carter Mason? “Carter’s done with her?”
“Carter?” Taylor shook his head with a ‘pft’ sound before he continued talking. “He’s around because he’s so crazy about her. I swear, each time I see him look at Emma, I always get reminded of how you guys looked at each other.”
Yes, that was before I found out she kept things from me. I bet it didn’t take her long to seek Carter’s bed after we broke up. The thought of it brought bitterness back to surface. “He’s around while she dates? How’s that possible?”
“Those two have a thing, but Emma remains single.”
They always had a thing. It was the reason why I couldn’t stay with her. Even that scream—the one after I told her to leave my house—randomly still wakes me up in the middle of the night. Even when consumed with demonic rage after learning about that ring, I actually stopped in the foyer, contemplating if I should head back upstairs to soothe her before leaving. That meant that I had to be close to her again, though, and I simply couldn’t take the chance because, when it came to Emma, I turned into a besotted, pathetic fool.
I loved her, with no design or embellishments.
Just her.
Emma.
It was past one in the morning, yet I was wide-awake, thinking of her again. One would think that after months of doing the same thing on a daily basis that one would be past nostalgic. It was never the case, sadly. Though I wished it was so.
I was out on the balcony, enjoying a drink, when I heard someone knock on my door.
“Nikki?”
The raven beauty gave me an easy smile. “I couldn’t sleep. I’m glad you aren’t either. Want to enjoy a drink and exchange gossip?”
I shrugged, grinning and opening the door wider to let her through. “Sure. I have tons of secrets that you might find shocking.” A frown creased my face when Nikki stopped mid-step. “Something wrong?” I looked around, hoping I could see the reason as to what made her halt.
“You’re tidy. I don’t see any socks on the floor or any empty bottles sitting around.” Nikki spun around, smiling and looking like the beautiful woman that she was. “I’m impressed.”
Nikki was flirting and, for the first time in months, I didn’t mind that a woman was. “Not all men are alike. You should know that by now.”
“Yeah, I know now.” She gave me a sultry smile before she strolled towards the balcony, admiring the view of Dallas below.
Inserting my hands in my pockets before leaning against the sliding door, my eyes took her in. Nikki was pretty and had a nice figure, but she wasn’t Emma. Deep down, I knew no one would ever come close, but Emma was the past. And the Russian beauty was here, in my room, waiting on me to make a move.
We were working on our second bottle of wine together when she blurted something out of the blue. “Do you remember the first time we met? The MTV Video Music Awards?”
I nodded and took a lengthy sip, my eyes trained on her.
She purposely bit her lip as she seductively looked at me. “I was so nervous that I stuttered when we were introduced. I had this huge crush on you and, when you were right in front of me, I was just speechless because you were so much hotter in person.”
Yeah, I remembered her stuttering. I thought it odd since I didn’t recall her doing so in any of her films. Yeah, her blatant admission made me smile. “Is that so?”
“Yep. It is so.”
Women… always giving themselves away. Well, all but one.
Nikki kept her eyes on me, giving me lingering glances while I took a lengthy sip of my wine. “How do you find me now?” I flirted back automatically.
“I want to fantasize about you all night long,” she delivered without hesitation. Nikki knew what she wanted and she went after it. That it was me.
I leaned back, studying and measuring her, a little curious. “What’s in the fantasy?”
She tsk-tsked before batting her lashes with those big brown eyes. “I’m not going to tell you. You have to find that out for yourself, Bass. Even though you’re so f*uking hot I can’t think straight, you still have to figure some things out on your own.”
Ahh… she was playing me out, to see if I really was going to bite the bait she was offering. “Don’t get too confident there, I may not be interested to figure you out.”
“Bite me, Bass, because that day will come.” Nikki immediately stood up, came towards me and kissed my cheek. “Sweet dreams… or do you want those dreams turned into reality?”
“Goodnight, Nikki. Dream sweet.”
“I will dream, but I haven’t tasted how sweet you are. Goodnight, Bass.” She brazenly planted a simple kiss on my lips before leaving me. I watched after her retreating form as she strolled out of my room.