Taste Me Page 10

  A tap sounded at the apartment door.

  She shut Tai Chi in the bedroom, calmed her nervousness, and turned the knob. Which Bryce would this be tonight? The brotherly one or the steaming hot one?

  Bryce stood with a sexy grin, dressed in a clean dress shirt and slacks. He held a bunch of convenience store daisies in his outstretched hand. “I’m sorry too.”

  “This means we’re friends again?”

  He stepped past her into the apartment. “I sure hope not. I want more than friendship with you, Aurora.”

  She closed the door and faced him. “But Bryce—”

  He wrapped her into his arms and kissed her deep and tender. His tongue swirled her lips and plunged into her mouth, tasting, teasing—

  He stopped and set her back from him. “I’ve missed you…a lot.”

  She touched her lips and ached to be held again. But his stance said he was still upset. “Come in and sit down. I can make us something to drink. Coffee, tea, or a beer?”

  “Nothing for me, thanks.” He lowered his muscular frame onto her small uncomfortable couch, more like a loveseat, and tugged her down beside him. “Tell me why you pushed me away. Tell me what I did to disappoint you.”

  She stared down at her fingers and intertwined them for support. “Bryce, I don’t know how to say it. I love being with you, the you who is here with me right now, but sometimes—”

  “Sometimes, I’m not myself? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

  “Yes.”

  He was quiet for a long time as he glanced about the room. “These times I’m not like now, not like myself, have we made love?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe. I think we have.” She shook her head and said it. “Sex with you is the most incredible experience I’ve ever had. I can’t even remember how many times I’ve had an orgasm in your arms. You make love to me like I’ve never been made love to before. It’s new and exciting. And I’m talking far too much, aren’t I?”

  He laughed a deep, sensitive sound that tugged at her heart. “Come here, my little butterfly. Let me make your wings flutter.”

  She snuggled closer and slipped her hand on his thigh, rubbing it up and down, but not too close to what she wanted to feel. Just teasing him like he teased her with his hand on her breast. She moaned and took his hand to tug him off the uncomfortable sofa. The bedroom was only a few steps away.

  “Why sit on the hard couch when I have a nice comfy bed waiting for us to use?” She giggled at his surprised expression.

  “Aurora, you are the woman I’ve longed to meet. I’m so glad we can work this out.”

  She led him toward the bedroom, opened the door, and paused for his sensual kiss. She sighed and couldn’t wait for more. The hall light partially illuminated the room beyond. Romantic and tempting, a great place for seduction. She stumbled over something in the semi-dark. Not the cat…oh, the box.

  “What’s that? Are you okay?” He lifted her in his arms and carried her the rest of the way to her bed. He bent to flip on the table lamp on the nightstand and glanced behind him. “A box. Is it anything important?”

  “Not as important as you are this very minute.” She tugged his shirt to bring him down on top of her, but he was persistent.

  “I’ll set it up on the dresser so you don’t trip over it again.” He picked up the box and a slip of paper fell out on the floor. “What’s this?”

  She sat up and propped herself on the pile of pillows. “What do you mean?”

  He stared down at the piece of paper in his hand. “This note. For you, until we can make love and perhaps use this to enhance our hot sexual experience. Use what? Who is this note from?”

  “You?”

  “Me?”

  She clambered off the bed and gathered up the tissue paper and box, and tossed them into the trashcan. She snatched the note from his fingers and set it on the dresser. Jerking open her sock drawer, she searched for the sex toy. She faced him, dangling it between her fingers. “You sent me this pink thingy.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and glared at the hot pink silicone cock. “I sent you nothing.”

  “Maybe you forgot? It was a week ago and came to me at work—”

  A sudden thought hit her, catching her speech mid-sentence. If he didn’t send it, who did? Who wanted to get her aroused, if it wasn’t Bryce? He liked to use objects in their foreplay, so naturally—

  Dear God, maybe I have a stalker!

  “I didn’t send this thing, Aurora. If you have another lover, now is the time to tell me. Be honest.” Bryce met her gaze with eyes so full of love it made her wince.

  “But I thought—”

  “I’m not sure what you thought. All I know is this—I have deep feelings for you, and obviously, you don’t feel the same.” He strode out of the bedroom.

  She heard the front door close with a click and dropped to the bed.

  Bryce was gone.

  Tai Chi strolled out from under the bed and jumped onto her lap. She caressed his creamy fur, but there was no comfort tonight. “What happened, Tai?”

  The cat’s soft purr didn’t soothe her like it usually did. She glanced down at the floor and picked up the pink sex toy. After thinking it might turn out to be a fun gadget during their foreplay, her hopes had been crushed. All because of a dumb rubber cock. She tossed it across the room and found pleasure in the fact she made a basket when it fell into the trashcan with a light thud.

  If Bryce hadn’t sent the box, who did? God forbid, it was one of her co-workers as a sick joke, but it had arrived at work. No postage marks on the box either. When she’d opened it and read the note, she immediately thought of Bryce. But maybe it was a prank. Or someone wanted to encourage her to have fun. What a lousy thing to do.

  Aurora flopped on the bed and fisted her pillow. Tai Chi snuggled up against her to comfort her. But there was none to be had. No comfort could come from knowing she’d angered and lost the one man who meant so much. She’d even lowered her standards of not calling men and did. Why? Because he was special. She might even be in love with him.

  ****

  Bryce sat at the bar and drank one more drink, before crashing in his uncle’s office for the night. Another week had passed, and he still couldn’t get Aurora off his mind. He couldn’t believe she was seeing someone else. One minute, he was at the beginning of what he believed to be a lasting and worthwhile relationship with a woman who might be the girl of his dreams. The next minute, she’d shot him down.

  She’d offered to make up with him, only for him to find another lover’s note on her floor. She’d thought he sent it to her, or was that a ruse to cover up her indiscretion? The note was unsigned but it wasn’t his handwriting. He wanted to find out whose handwriting it was and punch the guy in the nose.

  “Thought I’d find you here. What are you doing tonight? Drinking yourself into oblivion?” Brent settled in the next bar chair.

  “Go away, Brent.” He looked the other way and took the last swallow of his drink.

  “Uncle Tony wants to know what’s eating you.”

  “Tell him I have girl troubles.”

  Brent laughed. “You too? I never would have guessed.”

  He didn’t like the tone of his twin’s voice. “What do you mean?”

  “Come on, Bryce. I’m doing my best to win our challenge, and I’ve already lost. Our two weeks were up last week. You have the reputation with the ladies I always wanted. Admit it. They only follow me when they think it’s you. Like the splurge of blondes seeking me out right now. Only it’s not really me they want, is it? Something to do with lacy pink panties. Know anything about that?”

  He huffed and didn’t really want to talk about that tonight. He wanted to forget everything. That’s why this was his second glass of wine. He’d already downed two shots of rum. He was in no shape to talk to anyone. “I don’t want any other woman. I want Aurora.”

  Brent scooted his chair closer. “Aurora?”

  “Yeah, the
girl I met at the market last month.”

  “Blonde?” Brent shifted his wine glass and erased the watermarks on the smooth wood bar with his thumb.

  He stared at his brother’s hand and gathered his thoughts. Had he lost his memory? “Of course. Do we like anything but blondes?”

  “Sexy shape and big green eyes?”

  Bryce leaned back and eyed his sibling. He looked blurry. “Are you guessing, or do you have something you want to tell me?”

  “Nah, just messing with you. Aren’t all blondes green-eyed?”

  Bryce laughed. His brother must be drunker than he was. “Hell no, most of them have blue eyes or sometimes brown. Then there’s the ones who aren’t really blondes at all. You can always tell by their pussy hairs. I guess they don’t dye those.”

  God, he remembered her curly pussy hairs. She was so damned beautiful. He’d blown it, and he didn’t know exactly how. All he wanted to do was crash on his uncle’s futon and sleep away his troubles.

  “Let me help you into Uncle Tony’s office.” Brent took him under the arm, guided him down the long hall, and into their uncle’s private hideaway. He flipped the switch and walked Bryce over to the futon.

  “This is where we made love.” Bryce dropped into a slump. His memories were loud and clear, her moans, the wine bottle—

  “What are you talking about?”

  Bryce sprawled out on the futon, wishing her hot body was beneath him. “This is where I had sex with Aurora, and I had to leave because of the damned refrigeration unit malfunctioning. But she found me at the market, and we had sex again in the shower there. So damned hot, so beautiful. I miss her. It’s not fair.”

  “Sometimes, life isn’t fair.” Brent sat beside him and patted him on the back. “Bryce, I have a confession to make.”

  “Huh?” He could barely keep his eyes open. He was tired and weary of crying over the woman who’d broken his heart.

  “I dated Aurora too. I took her to New York. She’s the one—”

  “What the hell?” Bryce wasn’t that drunk. Did Brent just admit he had dated Aurora? Did he screw her too? Was he the one who sent her that damned pussy toy? Before another thought passed through his partially coherent mind, he sat up and punched his brother square in the face.

  Brent grabbed his nose and jumped to his feet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was yours.”

  “Liar.”

  He shook his head and wiped the blood from his nose with a tissue. “I told you the truth. You should forgive me. Damn it, you ruined my shirt.”

  “Tell me, little brother…did you tell her we were twins, or did you use my name like you have so many times in the past?” He was sobering up from the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Anger, pure and unfettered, rushed through him. He stood, albeit a bit wobbly. “Did you send her a damned rubber cock, Brent?”

  “I’ve said all I’m going to say until you apologize for hitting me.” He backed away toward the office door, holding a wad of bloody tissues to his nose.

  His brother was as guilty as he’d ever known him to be. All the crazy thoughts nearly drowning him were due to his brother’s overactive sex drive. “Brent, do you have any idea what you’ve done? I’m serious about her. She’s the one for me. I don’t want anyone else.” He dropped down onto the futon and glared at his twin. “This is the last time you deceive me. I swear I’ll get even somehow.”

  “Goodnight, Bryce. Sleep it off. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

  No, he sure as hell wouldn’t. Tomorrow wouldn’t make it any better. How could he convince Aurora his twin had lied about who he was when she didn’t know they were twins? Two brothers. Identical in every way physically, but for one. They had searched for years to find the physical difference between them, and the only thing they came up with was the length of their cocks when fully aroused.

  Now, there was another difference. A big one. He would never steal his brother’s girl. He never had. Well, not since they’d grown up. Not in the past year. Damn. He had done it a few times, hadn’t he? Using Brent’s name was what he did when he tired of a date and wanted freedom.

  No sense in getting mad at Brent for pulling a similar caper. Did that mean Brent was still interested in Aurora and dating her? If so, maybe that’s why she was confused about his personality. But it was too late to straighten her out. She hated him for the things he’d said to her that night, and she had every right to. He’d accused her of being unfaithful, and she didn’t even know she had been. Thanks to Brent.

  ****

  Summer had come and gone, and fall was in the air. The days were sunny and humid, the weather typical, filled with afternoon thunderstorms. Aurora was driving down the road on her way back from the city when she caught a glimpse of Bryce crossing the street in front of Love’s Farmers’ Market. Her car sat idling at the red light, waiting for it to turn green, and she couldn’t help but look his direction.

  She wanted desperately to say hello but knew she had hurt him. She didn’t want to get involved with the man again anyway. He was a total mess. She looked away before he caught her staring. She never wanted to see him again.

  Liar.

  Lies never suited her, and she never believed herself when she did lie. Truth was, she would give anything for him to hold her one more time. Touch his bare skin, feel his weight upon her—

  “Hello.” Bryce climbed into the seat beside her. She wondered how he’d gotten across the street without her seeing him.

  “Hello.” She wasn’t sure what to say. He smelled wonderful, a sort of outdoorsy pine scent. His blue shirt was unbuttoned at the neck and his gray slacks slightly creased. Nothing had changed, and yet a lot had changed. “It’s been a while.”

  “Two months.”

  “Has it been that long?” She knew it had been exactly that long. She was marking the wall calendar every night and noting her moods for the day.

  “You look good.” A slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth, and his wonderful dimple appeared. He slipped a wisp of hair behind her ear.

  “So do you.” Oops! I let that go without a thought.

  “Aurora, can we start over?”

  “From the beginning?” Oh, God, she would love to go back to the beginning. The impromptu sex, his tender lovemaking, and the way he felt pulsing deep—

  “Yes.” Bryce shifted in his seat. “Please, say yes.”

  A horn blared behind her.

  “Oh, my gosh!” She giggled at the distraction, drove through the green light, and pulled into the market parking lot. After parking the car, she faced him. His dark eyes pleaded with her, and she noticed a different attitude. A soft, almost apologetic manner.

  “Yes.” What else could she say?

  He grinned his sexy Italian, perfect-teeth smile, and her heart fluttered. “Then there’s something I need to do.”

  “Okay.” She wanted to make amends too, and maybe now was the time to do it. There were so many things they needed to talk about, and things she needed to set straight before she opened her heart to him again.

  “Can you come into the market with me?”

  ****

  What the hell was Brent doing with Aurora?

  Bryce stormed through the swinging doors into the receiving area. He had work to do, and if he didn’t keep busy right now, he was going to march out and punch his brother in the nose again. How could he do this to him? Didn’t their talk last month mean anything? He thought they had gotten her out of both their systems. Obviously, he was wrong.

  He grabbed his truck keys and stormed out the back door. If he stayed, things might get bloody. He didn’t really want to hurt his brother over a woman. But damn, he loved this woman. He still wasn’t over her. He jammed his truck into gear and sped out of the parking lot, his anger rising by the second. If he wasn’t careful, he’d get a ticket. He didn’t need to top off his rotten day. But flames of passion rose within, and all he really wanted to do was turn around and go see her.

  He w
as proud of himself for his ability to keep busy, but this past month had been more difficult. Maybe it was the change in weather. Maybe it was the challenge that had gone foul. The one thing the twins enjoyed when they were young had turned into a major disaster. They were barely on speaking terms after their long, sobering talk.

  He reached the open fields and rolled down his windows, allowing the fresh farm air to blast into his truck and help him relax. Shaking off the anger at Brent for his prank with the name switch, the realization dawned that they’d never done it to a girl either was interested in, only when they wanted to prove their sexual prowess.

  Such childish games to play.

  He wasn’t proud to admit it, and he sure hoped he didn’t really hurt anyone along the way. Most of the girls they tricked in their youth were already sexually active, at the time. If they were virgins, he stayed clear of them. He didn’t want a hothead dad giving him a shotgun wedding. But they were young, and life was there to entice and enjoy. As twins, they had double the fun and double the trouble. He laughed at other memorable times shared with Brent, and it felt damned good.

  Then his humor faded.

  What the hell was Brent doing seeing Aurora again?

  ****

  Aurora followed Bryce into the market. She glanced around and noticed something peculiar. All the women shoppers were blondes, and they were all watching her. Even the young cashier. What was going on? Was this Freaky Friday or something?

  “Bryce? Do you notice anything odd in here?”

  “We’re busy as usual. Why?”

  “All your customers are blonde women. How often does this happen?” She bit her lip as they passed another blonde, who winked and waved. “This is weird. Don’t you think so? I mean if they were all brunettes, it would be weird too. Hopefully, they buy a lot of food because it looks like their baskets are empty and their appetites are growing.”