Читать книгу The Open Affair - Patsy Ponce - Страница 5

THREE

At one point, when Thane left to get them some water, Brittany instantly turned to Lindsay and raved. “He’s gorgeous! Are you together?”

Jealousy sprang into Lindsay’s heart, and she wasn’t quite sure why. After all, she had no claim on Thane—she’d just been thinking about Logan—AND it had been her idea to set this woman up with Thane in the first place!

“Oh, no. No. I’m with...someone else.” Lindsay crossed her legs and continued trying to act nonchalant. “We’re just really good friends. I’m his wing-man...woman.”

“You totally like him,” the woman said. “I saw the way you looked at him. You got it bad!” She laughed at the irony before downing another lemon drop. “You know...” she looked at Lindsay and a devilish grin curled onto her face. “You should act on this. Have some fun! I know you said you haven’t tried it, but you should have a threesome. All guys are into it, whether they admit it or not.”

Lindsay flushed, so embarrassed. “I mean, I’ve fantasized about it, but that’s just my imagination.” Lindsay tugged at her pencil skirt, hoping it would suddenly cover her knees and calves.

“It’s always the conservative ones who are freaky in bed.” Brittany bit her lip and ogled Lindsay. “I have an idea!”

At that moment, Thane surfaced from the bathroom and Lindsay almost sighed audibly, from relief.

“Oh, Thane! There you are!” Lindsay grabbed his tattooed forearm, and an unexpected jolt of chemistry made her hand tingle from the simple touch. She leaned toward him as he sat on his stool. Not meaning to get so close, her eyelashes dusted his cheek as she whispered, “Thane, friend. This woman wants you. I’m going to head back to the office parking lot so I can sober up. I’ve been drinking way too much. You...have a good night.”

As she pulled away, Lindsay cursed him because it had felt oddly perfect being close to him, having his scent and work worn skin near to her.

“Wait,” Brittany said, strutting closer to them. “I’ve always wanted to be with a redhead.” She winked at Lindsay, eying her bright red hair. “And I definitely want to spend some more time with you.” Her beautiful face suddenly resembled a crocodile as she stared at Thane.

“I’ll sit this one out.” Lindsay blurted. Even though she’d imagined a threesome with Brittany moments before, she couldn’t act on her impulses, not without Logan. “You two have a great night.” And before anyone could say anything, Lindsay shot out of the bar and stumbled toward her car which was parked three blocks away.

The air bit with cold, but she didn’t mind. Instead, Lindsay hoped the dropping temperature would bring sobriety and distraction. Thane and that beautiful woman would undoubtedly go back to his home—which she’d heard was enormous. He’d come from “old money,” and although he worked day in and out as a graphic designer at Boehme, everyone knew he was rich from the land his family had sold before investing in companies that rose to success.

Lindsay imagined Brittany naked again. She could see Thane - not Logan - placing himself on top of her supple body, kissing along her neck and curves. Brittany would undress him, gently walking around the man like a panther in heat, knowing exactly how to seduce Thane so he would never forget the feel of her breasts under his teeth or the pressure and heat between her legs.

Tears sprang to Lindsay’s eyes. How was it she could calmly imagine Logan with the woman, but not herself with Thane?

Her clumsy feet darted sporadically along, but she’d only made it one block in drunken hast when she heard Thane far behind her.

“Lindsay! Wait up. Lindsay!”

Thane ran, his brown hair flying outward as he struggled to catch up. Lindsay blinked, willing the alcohol to lose its hold. She had never seen Thane run. In fact, Thane always seemed to walk rather methodically, without bobbing up and down; in her drunken wisdom, she decided he would have been the ideal candidate for a marching band where movements are supposed to be fluid and people practically float in formation without ever changing the level of their heads in comparison to the ground.

“What are you doing?” Lindsay sputtered as soon as he stood next to her, catching his breath. “Are you crazy! You just left that beautiful girl?”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I wasn’t into that. My focus is on you. Nobody else seems to compare, and I’ve tried for months—but nobody else can pull me away.”

Lindsay swooned, so taken aback by his words that she used a brick wall for support. She studied every bit of him, standing so tall and lean. She could hardly believe this was her coworker or that they were alone together in the middle of the night. As she gazed into his eyes, her heart tumbled erratically out of control.

“Thane, but she was...” she said breathlessly. “What started all of...” He stepped closer to her. “I don’t underst….”

Then he was kissing her, holding her gently as if she were the most precious person in the world. His lips, so warm and full, gave way to the ground beneath her. Lindsay pulled him closer, wrapping her arms under his jacket and around his thickly muscled back. She felt herself go weightless in his strong arms as her breasts pushed against his hard stomach.

The kiss was slow at first, rhythmic as they learned to match one another...then it increased with urgency and a need so powerful it possessed her.

Lindsay pulled away, without breaking the spell, and hugged Thane for a long time. Tears flooded her eyes because she loved being near him, but at the same time it felt wrong. She gazed at him, her eyes and skin glistening under the streetlamps that dotted the road. He’d been so assured, cradling her in a peace which slowly took away the sobbing and the aching in her heart.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, leaning down and resting his forehead against hers as they stared into one another’s eyes.

“I will be.” But she was worried about him too. It was obvious where this would lead, no matter how much she fought it. Lindsay realized she had irrevocably fallen for this man, and now that they’d kissed, she’d always want more, to feel him, touch him.... To light his soul afire the way she knew she could.

“I have to tell Logan,” Lindsay finally said, sobbing. “My boyfriend, well, I have to tell him. Oh, God, I wouldn’t want to screw things up with Logan for anything in the world.” She cried and cried, beginning to feel dizzy from the alcohol and the magnitude of the moment. “He’s been my best friend through so much…an abusive relationship, a sickness…. This will hurt him so much.”

Thane focused on the ground, crestfallen. “I understand,” he said, so completely handsome with his white t-shirt, leather jacket and hair falling to the sides of his tanned skin. “I really do understand.”