His Best Friend's Wife Read online

  Dirk always wins.

  4

  I went the conference. Was anyone surprised by this revelation? I wasn't.

  The worst part was that it was a fantastic exposition. He was right. We needed to be here. I had been looking for reasons that we shouldn’t have come, but there weren't any.

  We spent the entire day today making rounds, chatting up people in our industry and getting priceless one-on-one face time with folks that normally won't even take our calls.

  Dirk thrives on this kind of high-energy, fast-paced activity. He was off dancing with some bimbo who needed a class in dressing for success. Her heels were a little too high and her skirt was a little too short to be considered professional––unless she's part of the world's oldest profession.

  I, on the other hand, was exhausted. Being a classic introvert, days like today really zapped my energy. Anytime I had to be 'on' for too long, I needed some serious down time afterwards to recover.

  Dirk's plans for the night obviously involved taking the skank, whose butt cheeks he was firmly gripping with both hands, for a few rounds of down and dirty sex. My plans, on the other hand, involved finding the bottom of this bourbon glass before turning in early. And alone. As usual.

  The thought of finding my own woman for the night was somewhat appealing, but not as tempting as the idea of turning in early. With a promise to find some hot porn––most likely with an actress who looked remarkably similar to Cassie––to watch and get off with before going to sleep, I downed the rest of my drink and stood up.

  I nearly choked when I almost ran into the woman of my dreams, who had been sneaking up behind me.

  "Shoot! I was going to cover your eyes from behind and whisper in your ear to see if you could guess that it was me," Cassie revealed.

  Just the thought of her leaning in close behind me, with those luscious tits grazing my back, while she breathed words near my ear made my dick stand at attention. My pants strained from the firmness growing inside them at the turn my thoughts had taken.

  My immediate and overly enthusiastic reaction to Cassie's appearance was even more proof of the strange and overwhelming power this woman had over me. It frightened and frustrated me, but I knew from years of attempting to get over her that there was nothing I could do to control it.

  "Surprise!" She plopped down on a stool at the bar next to the one I had just vacated. "I thought you and Dirk might be a little lonely in the big city all by yourselves."

  Her mention of her husband caused my eyes to dart to the dance floor where he had only minutes ago been groping a bimbo. For some strange reason, I was glad to see that the two of them had departed. I don't know if the rush of relief was merely the ingrained habit of my years of covering for my best friend (including the night of his bachelor party when he should have been the happiest man alive), or if I just didn't want to see Cassie hurt––even though it meant continued torture for me.

  I smiled and nodded at her as I slid back onto the seat I had just vacated. "It's always great to see you," I told her sincerely, knowing that she did not understand how much meaning I felt behind the canned expression.

  Her vivid blue eyes sparkled with an ornery gleam as she leaned in to speak near my ear. "You know what I've always wanted to do?"

  The excitement in her voice was obvious. I couldn't help but grin down at her. She looked so damn gorgeous. It was tempting to let her know that I was dying to make all of her dreams come true, but that would have been crossing the invisible, yet very real, line. Instead, I said, "What?"

  "Shots!" She exclaimed as if this were the most scandalous idea in the world.

  I didn't dare tell her what I had always wanted to do because it involved a lot less clothes and making her breathless with need for me. The vision of sweeping the glasses from this bar, lying her back on it, and sliding into her wet warmth was the first thing that popped into my head. The fact that the lounge was filled with people, who would likely have us arrested for indecent exposure and lewd public acts were realities that did not belong in my fantasy, yet they somehow interjected their practicality into my mind.

  Rather than revealing where my head had immediately gone, I responded, "Okay. Tequila?"

  Her brow furrowed in the adorable way it always did when she was pondering something. "I'm a virgin at this," she informed me. "Will you teach me?"

  Her use of the word virgin had my mind racing once more into prohibited territory. I could feel my semi-firm erection growing, so I stood slightly and adjusted my pants in an attempt to keep it from becoming glaringly obvious. Once I realized that she was watching me and expecting an answer, I said, "Gladly." I left out the details of all the naughty things I would love to teach her.

  I flagged down the bartender, who had been overtly flirting with me earlier. The woman was blonde and tiny. She was pretty and probably used to having her overtures returned in spades. I had ignored her obvious interest because she looked nothing like Cassie, so she wasn't my type.

  After I ordered the shots, Cassie added, "Keep 'em coming, please." The woman narrowed her eyes at Cassie before going to pour our drinks, but Cassie didn't seem to notice.

  Cassie's bold request had me raising my eyebrows at her, but I didn't comment. After the bartender slammed down our tiny glasses and accoutrements, I showed Cassie the proper order of the steps.

  Following my lead, she added words as she completed each part. "Lick...Slam...Suck." She looked adorable as she shivered and squeezed her eyes closed at the strong flavors, but she powered through. When she beamed up at me, obviously proud of her accomplishment, I had to force myself to look away. Jesus. The woman did not understand how impossibly hot she was.

  I cursed for the millionth time that I hadn't claimed her as mine that first night we saw her. It sounded a little like a caveman, but there was a very real bro code that still existed today. Dirk had pissed in a proverbial circle around her all those years ago and it meant that I could never cross the line with her.

  It no longer bothered me to play second fiddle to Dirk in most things. He could dominate the business, our families, every sport we played, and everything else in our lives. I just wish I could have won Cassie's heart. She was the only thing that truly matters, and Dirk was most likely busy cheating on her this very moment.

  The bartender placed a line of shot glasses in front of us, evidently having decided that the best way to ignore us for a while would be to comply with Cassie's request. She quickly sloshed the clear liquid into each tiny container before flouncing off to flirt with, and make drinks for, her other, more responsive patrons.

  "Let's play a game," Cassie suggested, her eyes lit up with fresh excitement.

  At my agreeable nod, she lifted a glass in the air. Following suit, I held mine aloft. "Never have I ever..." she tapped her lip, looking gorgeous, as she thought about it. Brightening as the light bulb moment occurred to her, she continued, "Had a one-night-stand."

  Quickly figuring out the rules, I licked the salt from my already-prepped hand and slammed back the shot.

  "Realllllly?" she asked me, not in a judgmental way, but her voice sounded surprised. I shrugged, not wanting to share my sexual exploits with her of all people.

  Evidently not opting to give me a turn, she held the same glass in the air. "Never have I ever..." She paused for dramatic effect. I could tell by the saucy look on her face that she already knew exactly what she was going to say next. "Had a three-way," she finally finished.

  Again, she didn't drink, but I did. "Oh my," I heard her breathe out in surprise as I downed my shot. She was touching my shoulder. I could feel the heat of her hand through my shirt as she leaned in to say, "I had no idea you were so daring in the bedroom."

  I wasn't sure it was in my best interest for her to know all the seedy details about my sexual history, but I wasn't about to put an end to her game. I didn't have the strength to stop her, even if I had wanted to. Besides, I liked the idea of her thinking about me as a virile and sexual
being.

  "You know," her voice sounded deeper than normal. It had taken on a sexy, gravelly tone that made my heart race with anticipation. "I feel like you and I have had some moments."

  "Is that so?" I asked her, unsure which of the millions of moments I had felt that she was referencing.

  "One of which," she went on, "was during my wedding ceremony."

  She had felt it too! I felt like dancing a jig on my barstool. Her wedding day had been one of the most horrific days of my life. I knew that I was in love with her and that her marrying Dirk would seal the inevitability that she and I would never get together.

  During the ceremony, she and I had locked eyes over Dirk's shoulder. The look we had exchanged had been so intense and meaningful that I almost stopped the ceremony. I had spent the years since trying to convince myself that it had been a figment of my imagination or that it hadn't meant the same thing to her.

  Hearing confirmation that she had considered it a special moment too was beyond thrilling. I had repeatedly told myself that stopping the ceremony would have been a mistake, and that she didn't feel the same way about me. I tried to justify not following my heart on that fateful day.

  "You know," she had turned pensive. "Sometimes I wish that you had been the one to walk up to me in that bar the night I met Dirk."

  Her words floored me. There was nothing I wished for more. Kicking myself for not approaching her first was an almost daily occurrence. "Me too." I revealed. It was the closest I had ever come to admitting my true feelings to her.

  Obviously wanting to change the subject, she lifted the same full glass. "Back to the game," she announced. "Never have I ever..."

  "Do you get to choose them all?" I teased her when her pause dragged on. "It's starting to seem like you're trying to get me drunk, so you can have your way with me." I couldn't help but flirt. The bourbon and tequila chasers were making my tongue loose.

  "Perhaps," she teased, beaming at me.

  That bit of flirtation was all it took. I had a full-blown erection jutting out and aching for freedom from my suddenly too-tight pants right in the middle of the packed bar. She made me feel like a horny teenager. My only salvation was that it was dark enough in here that no one was likely to notice unless I stood to leave. That wouldn't be an issue because a team of wild horses couldn't drag me away from Cassie right now.

  She generally avoided any inappropriate behavior that could be misconstrued as flirtatious. Our relationship had always been completely chaste and clearly contained in the friend zone. This new scandalous side of her was intriguing and irresistible.

  "Hmm." She pretended to ponder for a bit. "Maybe I should pick one that I am guilty of...just to keep things fair."

  I knew this wasn't how the game was supposed to be played, but there was no way I was going to stop her from confessing a deep, dark secret to me. Perhaps she has experimented sexually with another woman. Just the thought of her kissing and rubbing her naked body against another woman made my already-hard dick throb with need. This game was slipping into dangerous territory, but I didn't want it to end. Ever.

  Seeming not to sense the discomfort my aching member was causing me, she continued her tantalizing torture. "Never have I ever..." She paused for a long time again, leaving me practically panting with wanting to know what she would come up with. When she finally finished, I nearly choked at the possible implication. "...Wanted to spend the night with someone who was completely off-limits."

  Did she know how I felt about her? I had always strived to keep it hidden, but I don't know how successful I had been at it. After all, the wanting of her was nearly always at the top of my mind.

  This time when I licked the salt, she tongued her brined wrist as well. We slammed back our shots in unison. When I went to grab my wedge of lime, she quickly picked it up and slid it between her teeth, rind first. The tart flesh of the fruit was peeking out at me from her mouth, daring me to suck it.

  Even sober, I would have been hard pressed to decline that tempting invitation. In my current somewhat inebriated state, I barely paused before leaning in close to suck the juice from the fruit she was clenching with her front teeth.

  I moved my mouth over the lime, sucking hard as I imagined working over her wet flesh in the same manner.

  When I heard her sharp intake of breath, we both released the piece of fruit, and it fell to the floor...forgotten. Our lips were mere centimeters apart. We stayed there, suspended in time, for a long moment. We had never been this close to each other before––outside of my imagination.

  The hand that had been burning into my shoulder blazed a trail to the back of my neck. Her fingers threaded into my hair, softly scratching in silent invitation. Any blood that had been remaining in my head traveled to my southern head at the sweet and intimate caress.

  We were breathing heavy and looking deeply into each other's eyes. The monumental implications of what we were possibly about to do hanging heavily in the thick air of the bar.

  My mind became consumed with the desire to crush my lips to hers. I wanted to feel her tongue in my mouth. I needed to claim her with my kiss. We were so close that we were practically touching––our lips a hair's breadth apart.

  "Dirk," I choked out the name, my voice barely audible. I hated him even more in that moment––always there, always winning. He didn't deserve her, but he was her husband and my best friend. We shouldn't do this. We couldn't do this. It wasn't right.

  "I know he's banging some random ho-bag," she revealed.

  I was surprised to find out that she was aware of Dirk's indiscretions. I had helped cover for him so many times that I had lost track. How long has she known about his philandering ways? Was this her way of getting even with him? Was she just using me to hurt Dirk? Was one night with Cassie worth ruining my friendship with him and their marriage?

  The worrisome thoughts that had been hammering my mind dissipated when Cassie tentatively brushed her soft, pink lips against mine. That was all the invitation I needed. I groaned deeply as our mouths melded together. My tongue plunged into her mouth as my hands braced either side of her face. She met me eagerly, tenderly.

  This was the first kiss to end all first kisses. It was even better than I had imagined it could be. We devoured each other. I released years of pent-up frustration and desire into that kiss.

  When we finally tore our lips apart, Cassie took a ragged breath. "Whoa."

  "Yeah," I agreed, smiling down at her. Our faces were still a fraction of an inch apart. We were sharing the same air.

  "Let's go up to your room, and..." Cassie suggested as she trailed a finger down my neck.

  Even though she hadn't finished the sentence, it was the best idea I had ever heard. I couldn't do anything more than give an enthusiastic nod before she took me by the hand and dragged me towards the elevator.

  5

  I won't deny getting some surprised (and a few horrified) looks at my massive erection as we ran hand-in-hand through the too-bright lobby to catch an elevator.

  Normally, my current state of arousal would embarrass me in public, but the thought of being with Cassie was the only idea that permeated my brain.

  The prim, older lady standing next to us as we waited for the elevator looked positively scandalized as she nudged her husband and nodded her silver curls in my direction. The elevator’s arrival seemed to take an eternity as she worked her strand of pearls through her fingers like a rosary and stared at the lights above the elevator's door.

  When it finally arrived, the man with her held the door open for us to ride up with them. Cassie gave him a gracious smile, but said, "We'll wait for the next one."

  Immediately catching her drift, the old codger waggled his bushy eyebrows at us and said, "Have fun." Not missing the innuendo in his voice, his pinch-faced companion smacked him with the back of her hand, which made him chuckle good-naturedly. As the elevator door closed, we saw him tip the surprised woman back for a kiss.

  "I guess love i
s in the air," I joked as the next elevator arrived.

  Once inside, we heard another couple rushing in our direction. Cassie smiled at them before saying, "Sorry, this one's full," and reached past me to push the Close Door button. She winked at the shocked couple as the door closed in their faces.

  "What floor?" she whispered near my ear, making every nerve ending along my spine stand at attention.

  "Seven," I croaked.

  She pushed the button, and the elevator began to rise. She took a step back away from me then. Her gorgeous blue gaze traveled down and settled on my manhood as it strained out for her attention. "Mmm. Someone's ready for action," she murmured.

  One rational thought was left in my brain. She wasn't mine. She was Dirk's...the ultimate forbidden fruit. "We shouldn't." My voice sounded disembodied.

  "Oh, I think we should." Her smile was naughty, almost cat-like, and completely irresistible.

  "You're drunk." It was my one last shred of decency rearing its head.

  "I'm not." She told me in a serious tone. "I only had a couple of shots." Then almost as an afterthought, she added, "I do feel fantastic, though. You should see for yourself."

  Her suggestive words were accompanied by her trailing the back of her fingers down the side of her dress. That was all it took. I came completely undone. Slamming the button to stop the elevator, I lunged at her.

  She was ready for me. We groped each other, pressing together––hands, mouths, and tongues grappling for more. When her palm rubbed my pants over the length of my cock, I groaned from the exquisite pleasure of her touch.

  I couldn't believe this was happening with Cassie. She was my person...the one I had always wanted, and now I was here touching her and arousing her. It felt like the dream I had envisioned so many times in the past. Only this was real and so much better than my imagination.