Only For You (Forever and Always, Book #1) Read online

  “You got laid last night,” she said. “You had a good fuck.”

  My grin stretched wider by its own force. I had never been happier—ever. Sean was everything to me. I don’t know why I didn’t pursue this earlier. We were perfect together in every way, almost like we were meant to be together. “Maybe,” was all I said.

  “What a slut.” She laughed. “So, who was it?”

  I was astounded that she didn’t immediately assume it was Sean. Now that we were finally together, Janice actually believed I didn’t have feelings for him. It was ironic but probably for the better because I didn’t want to reveal the relationship between me and Sean just yet. I guess I didn’t want to admit that she had been right the entire time. Now that I was high on happiness, I didn’t want to let it slip away. “I’ll never tell.” I smiled.

  “Is it someone I know? Carl?”

  “Please tell me that was a joke,” I said. “And no, you don’t know him.” I lied. I felt guilty for lying to my friend, especially after everything she did to help me the other night, but I wasn’t ready to speak the truth.

  “Can I meet him?”

  “Yes, eventually.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Next time I get laid, I’m not telling you shit, Scarlet.”

  “Yes, you will,” I teased. “You are the chatty one, not me.”

  “Coming from the woman who was almost fired for talking shit about her boss at work.”

  I laughed. “You do have a point there.” I went on my Facebook account and changed my status to “in a relationship,” the true sign that I was committed to someone. I turned my focus onto the manuscript and began to edit away, but my mind wandered to Sean every few minutes and I had to force myself to concentrate. I was excited to go home when I got off work. I wanted to make love again.

  We worked in silence for several hours, both of us wanting to make the rest of the week less stressful by doing some work over the weekend.

  “You know what I just realized?” Janice said suddenly.

  “What?” I asked without looking away from my computer.

  “I left my flash drive at your apartment, the one that I saved that manuscript on. It also has a few references I need for this book.”

  “I’m not finished here, but you can go by and get it. Sean is hanging out at my apartment so he’ll let you in.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “I can’t believe I forgot it.” She grabbed her purse and phone and stood up. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good one.”

  “Good night.” I smiled.

  12

  Sean

  I flipped through the channels on the television but didn’t find anything to watch. Scarlet had recorded a nature show about the wild bears of North America, so I decided to watch that. I was wearing the slacks and shirt from my suit, but I left the tie and jacket in her bedroom. Sleeping alongside her helped me stay unconscious. Most of the night, I kept waking up from dreams about Penelope. Each time, I was practically crying in anguish, but Scarlet chased away my nightmares for the evening. Everything just seemed easier around her, more bearable.

  I wasn’t sure what I was thinking when I came onto her last night. Fear took a hold of me the next morning when I realized what had happened and that we actually slept together, but Scarlet’s happy attitude chased away my anxiety and doubt. She enjoyed it just as much as I did. The way she grabbed my back, begging me to move within her faster and harder was such a turn on. I had no idea that I could be so sexually attracted to a woman that I had seen barf, throw a hissy fit, make a complete idiot of herself, and eat a hotdog off the ground. She was unbelievably sexy. Our one night stand was exactly what I needed. Now that she wasn’t upset and understood exactly what it was, I didn’t feel guilty at all. It was nice to have a friendly fuck with her.

  We have never done anything like that before, and I have to say, I have absolutely no regrets about it. I think I needed it as much as she did, albeit for different reasons. The pain of Penelope still stung deep and the intimate connection with someone I felt so close to really eased the pain on my heart. The alcohol had manipulated my mind to a certain extent and I felt more aggressive than I normally did, and I think that lack of inhibition encouraged our behavior. Scarlet hadn’t been with anyone else in a long time, so I was surprised how good in bed she was. I enjoyed every moment with her, but when I thought about doing it again, I immediately rejected the idea because of the implication on our friendship. I always thought Scarlet was beautiful and attractive, but I had never seen her in such a carnal and sexual way before. She could have whoever she wanted and I wasn’t sure why she was single and had been unencumbered for so long. She obviously enjoyed sex. Why wasn’t she having it on a regular basis?

  When she kissed me before she left the apartment, I wasn’t sure what to do. It was unexpected. But then I realized she was just riding the high of getting laid. I was happy that I had pleased her so well, and more importantly, that she wasn’t mad at me. I knew Scarlet would understand what last night was, just a fuck and nothing more. Nothing negative would happen to our relationship, and I felt even more relaxed with the knowledge. I was still in love with Penelope, but last night made me realize that it was possible for me to get over her—in time.

  A knock on the door made me flinch. It obviously wasn’t Scarlet because she wouldn’t knock on her own door. I got up from the couch and looked through the peep hole. It was Janice.

  She smiled at me when I opened the door. “Hello, Sean.”

  “Hey, Janice,” I said. “Scarlet is at work but I’ll tell her you came by.”

  “Actually, I just need to pick up my flash drive. I left it here the other day.”

  I opened the door wider and let her in the room then I closed the door behind her. “Do you know where it is?”

  “Yes,” she said as she looked through the newspapers sitting on the kitchen table. After a moment, she found it buried in the rubble. “Here it is.” She started to play with it in her fingers while she smiled at me. I thought she was going to leave, but she just stayed there, grinning at me. She was being playful and I wasn’t sure why. Janice didn’t make a move for the door and just stared at me for a moment.

  “How are you?” she asked

  “Fine,” I said. I placed my hands in my pockets and shifted my weight. I had no intention of sharing my feelings with Janice, a woman I hardly knew. My deepest despair was reserved for Scarlet.

  “Break ups can be hard,” she said as she stepped closer to me. She touched my arm gently then dropped her palm. The slight touch unnerved me. It was so quick that it was almost unnoticeable.

  I didn’t know Scarlet told her about Penelope. It took a moment for me to recover from the revelation. “Yes,” I said. “It’s been—difficult.”

  “Well, it’s her loss, Sean. You are quite a catch.”

  She smiled at me and I could see the lustful expression in her eyes. I had been hit on by women often, whether it was at the gym or a bar, and this woman was definitely coming onto me. Her smile and provocative stance told me everything I needed to know. She wanted it. I thought it was odd since she was Scarlet’s friend, but then I rejected the idea. That would never stop Brian from sleeping with Scarlet. If she opened her legs to him, he would risk our friendship in a heartbeat. And to be honest, I wouldn’t blame him.

  I decided to be proactive about the situation. “I’m not ready to start dating.” I thought being honest was the best route in that situation. I didn’t want to make Scarlet’s relationship with Janice awkward because of my actions. By saying the truth, that I wasn’t looking for a relationship, I thought it would eliminate any confusion.

  “That’s fine.” She grabbed my arm again. I could tell by the way she was touching me that she understood my meaning. “I assumed as much. According to Scarlet, you’re a real mess.”

  “Well, I’m glad she’s making me look good,” I said sarcastically.

  Janice laughed and stayed next to me. She leaned c
loser, inviting me to make the first move, but she was far enough away that I could back off. The ball was in my court and she was waiting for me to hit it back. Janice made it clear that this was only a one-night stand, and that intrigued me in a serious way. I did find her attractive with her long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, and I noticed the curve of her breasts the first time I saw her. Her legs were long and thin, and I wondered what they looked like under her dress. The arousal coursed through me as I thought about having sex with her. Eventually, the thought suffocated my mind, and all I wanted was to fuck her. I felt myself get hard at the idea of having sex with a woman who was practically a stranger. There was no possibility of getting hurt or my heart being shattered again.

  I leaned in and kissed her, feeling her respond to me immediately. She was running her hands over my body quickly, feeling my abs and chest underneath my shirt. Her aggression and desire surprised me, fueling my arousal even more. I had never slept with two different women in such a short period of time and this would be a first. Since I was such an emotional wreck and felt innately lost and confused, I decided that this behavior was excusable. Besides, I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I was single.

  Janice pulled off my shirt then undid my pants. Her enthusiasm excited me even more. This woman wanted me inside of her as soon as possible. She was practically begging me. I decided to move us into Scarlet’s bedroom. A moment of hesitation occurred in my mind when I realized I was going to fuck her friend in her very own bed, but then the apprehension disappeared because I knew Scarlet wouldn’t care. I lifted Janice and she wrapped her legs around my waist then I carried her into the bedroom, laying her on the top of Scarlet’s bed. I stripped off our clothes and felt my naked body pressed against hers.

  Her skin was flawless. She was definitely beautiful and fuckable. Her tone legs held me close begging me to enter her. My body shook at the thought. The idea of fucking someone I hardly knew was surprisingly arousing. I had been in a committed relationship so long that I forgot what it was like.

  I hesitated when I thought of Scarlet again. “I don’t want to ruin your friendship with Scarlet. I don’t know how she’ll take this.” It took all my strength to pull away, knowing how wet she was for me.

  She grabbed my cock and stroked it gently, making me gasp. “I asked her at least a hundred times,” she said. “She doesn’t have feelings for you. She won’t care if we sleep together. Why would she?”

  She had a point. If Scarlet attested to her best friend that she didn’t have feelings for me, then sleeping with me shouldn’t matter at all. This was a one-time thing. She probably wouldn’t even find out anyway. I kissed Janice’s neck then fondled her large and voluptuous breasts. As wrong as it was to compare Janice to my other partners, I noticed that she had the largest breasts, which turned me on immensely. Her nipples were large and I enjoyed sucking on the tips. Just the idea of tit fucking her made me even more hard. I wanted to get inside her, but I realized I couldn’t without a condom. The only time I fucked women without protection was when I knew they were clean. I hardly knew Janice at all so I needed to find a condom. I didn’t have one in my pocket. I moved towards Scarlet’s nightstand and searched through her drawer until I found a packet, and then ripped off the material and handed it to Janice. With lust in her eyes, she rolled it onto my erection. Watching her cover my dick with the latex made me anxious to be inside her. I felt like a bronco coming out of the shoot for the first time.

  I spread her legs and pinned them back, leaning far over her. I didn’t press my lips to hers or touch her intimately. This wasn’t romantic and I wasn’t going to make it that way. I slammed my dick inside and pounded her with violent thrusts. As soon as I was inside of her, I wanted to come, but I controlled myself so she could get off. Her pussy was starting to contract and I knew she was reaching her climax soon. She started yelling my name, screaming it, really.

  “Fuck me harder.” She scratched her nails down my back and practically drew blood.

  Her request almost made me lose it. It was hot that she liked it rough. I increased my pace and she rolled her head back, biting her lip in pure pleasure. “You like that?”

  “Fuck yeah.” She moaned. Her body tightened under me and I knew she was about to explode. She grabbed my ass and pulled me further into her. “Yeah, like that,” she cried. “Don’t stop.” Her cries of pleasure snapped the last of my restraint. I always tried to please my partners as much as possible before I let myself fall into the abyss of an orgasm. Last night, I made sure Scarlet came five times because I knew she hadn’t been satisfied in a while. Now that Janice was finished, I let myself go, feeling my moment of bliss. The whole thing happened so fast, I barely lasted until she got off. She lay beside me and smiled, clearly pleased with my performance. Janice rose from the bed and put on my shirt while I continued to rest there.

  “That was fun,” she said with a smile.

  “I’m glad I could be of service to you. I just hope Scarlet doesn’t mind.”

  “I asked her a million times if she had feelings for you and she always said no. She won’t care.”

  “No,” I said. “I meant about her sheets. I’ll have to wash them.”

  Janice made a disgusted face. “Yes, we definitely need to throw those in the washer.”

  I laughed then rose from the bed. “I’m going to shower,” I said. “Are you going to hang around for a while?”

  “If you don’t mind.” She smiled. “I’ll get Scarlet’s sheets in the wash.”

  I walked to the bathroom, and before I closed the door, I turned to her. “Thanks.”

  “For what?” she asked. “For the fuck or the sheets?”

  I smiled at her. “Both.”

  13

  Scarlet

  After several hours, I was the only person left in the building. Now that I was working so many extra hours, I realized how underpaid I was. I forced the thought to the back of my mind and continued to work. Around five thirty, I heard the door to the office open. I assumed the janitor was coming in, but it was Carl who walked into the office. I immediately felt my heart sink. I was completely alone with this man and there were no cameras in that room. I reached for my cell phone, but stopped when I saw him notice me. He walked towards my desk. Without thinking, I dialed Sean’s number and let it ring until it went to voice mail. Panic set in and I called him again. I placed the phone on the table, still ringing, while Carl approached my desk.

  “What are you doing here, Scarlet?” he asked. The smile on his face was grotesque, and I felt my palms sweat in unease. Sean insisted that I get a taser, and when I refused, he bought me one anyway, but I left it at home. I wished I had it with me then.

  “I’m working,” I said. I turned back to the computer and ignored him. I wondered if my call went straight to voice mail or if Sean had answered. Either way, he could track my location through my cell phone and come to me if he heard anything happen. I prayed that he was listening.

  “Well, that’s very admirable,” he said with a sweet voice. His behavior was so different and sporadic that I didn’t know what to think. I wished he would start yelling at me again, acting like he usually did. That sinister speech was scaring me even more. “You know what you could do to avoid all of this?” he asked. “Perhaps even become the new Junior Editor.”

  Fuck. This cannot be happening. “Cecilia holds that position,” I said. “And she does a great job.”

  “Well,” he said, “I could always move her.”

  “I’m not interested, but thank you. I’m happy where I am.”

  “I’m not.” His voice suddenly turned angry. “Give me what I want and I’ll let you keep your job.”

  “I am doing what you want. My job.”

  Carl leaned against my desk and I immediately moved away. I thought about where all my belongings were if I had to grab them and flee. My purse was on the desk and my phone was right in front of me. I just had to get around him. My heart sank at the impossibility. I wa
s totally blocked in.

  “I will give you one more chance, Scarlet,” he said as he unzipped his pants. “I have wanted you since the day I hired you.” He pulled out his dick and pointed it at me. I didn’t glance at it, keeping my gaze averted. I’d never felt more terrified in my life. I didn’t think he would kill me if I resisted, but I had no doubt that he would rape me and I would be powerless to stop him. I wouldn’t be able to press charges against him because of my record here, and there were no witnesses to the event. I wished in that moment I had just quit my job when I had the chance. I just wanted to be at home with Sean, curled up on the couch watching television. Or better yet, I wished Sean was there so he could kill that piece of shit.

  Carl grabbed the back of my neck and I flinched at the touch. I felt his gaze sink into me with carnal longing. I’d never felt more humiliated and violated in my life. I wanted to die. I wished Sean was there. He would kill that fucker without hesitation. Carl shoved his dick into my face, but I pulled away. He squeezed my hair and pulled my scalp, ripping some strands off my head, and yanking my face towards his cock. I felt the skin of his penis on my face. I pushed him away but he held me steady.

  “Get off me, asshole!”

  “Just do it, Scarlet. Suck my cock or I promise you’ll regret it.”

  I tried to push him away, but he slapped me hard across the face. He grabbed my face with both hands. “Open your mouth now,” he commanded.

  I couldn’t believe it was happening. It had started out as the best day of my life but quickly turned to the worst. I could just give him head and get it over with then leave the building and never return, but I refused to do it. I wasn’t going to. I punched him in the dick as hard as I could. He grabbed his stomach and bent over in pain, shouting profanities as he found his bearings. I grabbed my purse and phone then ran for it.

  I heard Carl follow me a second later. I ditched the elevator and ran down the stairwell, hoping I could outrun him since Carl was a fat, middle-aged man. I finally reached the main lobby, which was deserted, and I heard him following behind me. He was walking, aware of the cameras in the main room of the building. I knew I had to run as fast as I could once I was out of the building because he could chase me down once we were outside. I made it out the front door and flagged down a cab. I threw my body into the backseat and turned to the driver. “GO NOW! JUST DRIVE! JUST FUCKING DRIVE!” The driver pushed the gas pedal and left.