The Attraction

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

FORREST

I t’s been ten days since that night I stormed up to Harper’s door and demanded she eat.

I walked out of my apartment the next morning to a clean plate sitting at my door, no note or a knock on the door to say thank you or how she enjoyed it.

I didn’t really care at the time, and thankfully, I haven’t run into her since.

But tonight, there is no way I can avoid her. It’s dinner at Flynn and Felisha’s place, and everyone will be there.

I hope like hell she doesn’t bring it up because I can imagine the response from everyone. A mixture of words ranging from telling me to stay away from Harper to Tori and Elouise’s swoony sighs for being a gentleman and taking care of her. Well, at least that’s what I expect, but then again, you can never tell with this group.

Being Saturday night, I grab a cab to their place because I have a feeling I might need a few drinks to get through the evening. I don’t know how I’ve done it, but I have successfully given two different women a reason to want to throw daggers at me from across the room.

The first woman, Cherie, is a friend of Remington’s that has now gone into business with him, heading up a charity in conjunction with Elouise. I don’t know why, but when I met her, I was pulled toward her, but then after a few very heated arguments, I took a step back. I realized finally that the attraction was misguided, and I had a bit of a hero complex with her, though I don’t understand where that came from. Her ferocious fight in life in general turned me on, and I wanted to step into her world and save her all the time, so she had to become forceful in making me understand that she doesn’t need saving. Especially from someone like me, who hardly knows her, and looking back, that was a fair reaction. I thought I was stubborn and kept walls up between the person I am when I’m on my own compared to the Forrest I let the world see. But I quickly learned that she is even tougher than I am, and our personalities would always be at war.

I don’t want a submissive partner, more a woman who is my equal, but I understand now that even though she is certainly my equal, we were mismatched and would have been toxic together. Luckily, she made me see the truth of it. Although at first, she wasn’t entirely ready to be friendly to me, and I probably deserved that after the way I treated her when she offered to help Felisha with the problem of her father.

The stunt she pulled for my brother Flynn and his fiancée Felisha could have gotten her killed, so I still maintain my reaction was justified. I mean, who sends a woman into an illegal poker game, on her own, with the high-powered scum that don’t play by life’s rules? It was too dangerous, and I objected profusely to Flynn, as well as Rem because he’s our head of security. Both of whom told me to back off and not to get involved.

But of course, that just pissed me off more, and even though it all worked out okay and she pulled the ruse off like an expert, it didn’t make me feel any better. All she did was put a target on her back with some very dangerous people who I wouldn’t like to be on the wrong side of. I know she went in disguise, but still, it was a huge risk.

Turning up at her apartment the night before it all went down, to try to talk her out of it, probably wasn’t the smartest move either, but I had to try.

I remember vividly the way she responded when she opened the door to find me standing there looking like thunder.

“Forrest, what are you doing here?” She tilts her head slightly to the right, her light brown wavy hair sitting on her bare shoulders. Seeing her in a sports bra and tights is never a good thing for me. All it does is make my body react to her when my mind is telling me to ignore those thoughts. It’s just my sex drive talking, and I’ve made so many mistakes listening to that over the years.

“We need to talk.” I push past her before she has a chance to close the door in my face.

Judging by the creases on her forehead and her lips that are in a straight line, she’s not exactly pleased to see me. “Sure, come on in, asshole, because I don’t value my privacy at all.” Yep, she is definitely pissed I’m here.

“You can’t do it.” Unbuttoning my jacket, I turn to look at her. My fists are clenched, and I can feel my shoulders tensing as the thought of her in danger has me getting worked up.

I run my hand through my slightly graying dark hair in frustration as she bursts out laughing at me. “Forrest, you need to let this go. I’ve told you before. Felisha needs help, and I’m in a position to help her. End of story. Now go home,” she says, turning and putting her hand on the door handle, but I’m not done with her yet.

“No. I forbid you to get involved in this poker game.” Infuriated with her dismissing me so easily, I storm back across the room toward her. “You will call it off now. Do you hear me!”

But instead of her backing up against the wall with me starting to crowd her space, she stands her ground, and the look on her face is one of pure hate.

“No man will ever tell me what to do.” Placing her finger on the middle of my chest, the venom in her eyes is enough to know I have overstepped with her. “Now get the fuck out!” She isn’t yelling at me, but the deep growl is enough for me to understand that I need to leave.

“Sorry for fucking caring.” I look her straight in the eyes, place my hand around her wrist, and push it down to take her finger from my chest. “Don’t call me when it turns to shit. Oh, that’s right, you are tough enough you don’t need a man to help you. You fight your own battles with your own hands.”

Putting my hands on her waist, I gently pull her out of the way and open the door, and as I start to step through it, she yells at me, loud enough I’m sure the whole building can hear it.

“You condescending prick. Do you feel threatened by my skills and the fact I could have you on your back on the floor before you even blink?”

Her words infuriate me, and I spin around to face her. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself. If you want to get down and dirty just say so. I’ll be happy to oblige.” And if I hadn’t turned around to say my piece then I never would have seen the very slight reaction from her at the thought of sleeping with me.

Initially, I thought she was turned on by my words, but then I worked out it was a twitch of anger.

“Just go, Forrest. We’ll continue to be civil in everyone’s company but don’t think it will be any more than that. Good night.” The door swings toward me, making me step backward until I’m out in the corridor again and the door slams in my face.

Fuck!

Standing outside the door and staring at the black-stained wood, I know I’ve just made this worse. Because come hell or high water, she won’t back down now just on principle to make a point.

That night is still as clear as anything in my head, even more than six months since it happened. Thankfully she got over how angry she was at me that night, and we have managed to interact without killing each other. Probably due to not seeing her too often at first, but once the charity opened its doors, she had no choice but to spend time with me in board meetings, as I am the financial officer.

So, knowing she will be here tonight, along with Harper who is also probably still pissed at my highhandedness the other night, I could be in for a real fight if the two of them have a few drinks and decide to gang up on me. Although alcohol usually brings out Harper’s flirting, so the night could be interesting.

Why can’t I find a woman who likes me the way I am? Sure, I can be an arrogant prick, but with the right woman, I would give her the world, including the key to my heart which would show her I’m not like that all the time. I’ve just never found anyone who could manage to get past my harsh exterior and be bothered to know the real me.

The elevator doors open to Flynn standing there in bare feet, jeans, and an untucked burgundy button-up shirt. I can hear laughter in the background, and I know this is what I need tonight. My friends, a few beers, and some good laughs. When we are together in social situations, work discussions are banned unless vitally necessary, and that’s why I think our friendship is so strong.

“Hey, Brother.” Pulling me in for hug, he pushes the beer he is holding into my hand. “I only just opened this one, so it’s now got your name on it.”

“Perfect,” I reply as I take the first mouthful. Feeling it sliding down my throat is soothing.

Walking past him into the apartment, I see Nic and Tori are here, and then as I’m walking toward them to take a seat on the couch, I hear her voice coming from the kitchen where she is helping Felisha. Harper is already here and sounds like she is in the middle of some epic girl talk with her bestie. The volume of her voice tells me it’s an intense story, and I’m just praying it’s not about me. I’m not purposefully listening in, but I have no choice but to hear what she is saying.

“And after the second glass of champagne, I was so ready to head to his place, but the bastard then kissed me on the cheek and thanked me for dinner and made an excuse to leave. Like, what the actual hell. He wined and dined me, and I was more than ready to get freaky in the sheets with him, and he just left. Like what the fuck, who passes up this much goodness, seriously.”

Harper’s back is to me, and I’m not sure she knows I’ve even entered the room when Felisha gives me a wave because she obviously doesn’t want to stop Harper when she is on a roll. But it’s enough to have her looking over her shoulder, and her eyes now fix on me. And because I’m an idiot and seem to lose my ability to keep my words in around her lately, I say something that is about to set the night off on the wrong foot, I just know it.

Waving at Felisha, I mumble to Harper, “Well, at least you let him feed you dinner, but then again, I guess it was because you were interested in what he was bringing to the table.” I mentally smack myself in the forehead when I see her eyes darken, and the snark in her voice tells me that she is happy to take me on.

“Yeah, pity he didn’t take what was on offer, because there are only so many times you’ll put it on the menu before it’s removed for good.” And with that, she turns back to Felisha who is giving her the death stare, and I know it’s not for what she said but that she has told her that I’m off limits and to stop flirting with me. Not that it seems to make any difference.

Nic calling my name is enough to make me turn away from her and take a seat opposite him and Tori and catch up with how their day went. They spent last night out at their country estate and went horse riding today. It’s not my cup of tea, but I know he loves being out of the city. We all have different things that relax us, and that’s what the two of them have found works for them.

“How has your day been? And if you tell me you’ve been working, I won’t be happy,” Tori asks. She has become a bit of a mama bear to the group since she and Nic got together, and even though she is the youngest, she seems to wear this role well. I suppose it comes from being with the owner and head of the company.

When Flynn met Nic in Australia, they become best friends from day one, and although I have only known Nic for almost five years, he is now one of my closest friends too. He moved back to the UK to take over the hotel chain he inherited from his grandfather, and Flynn told him I was the man he could trust with all his financial affairs. It was the first time I’d ever heard my brother talk like he was proud of me and my achievements in my career. And although it took a little while to get to know my brother again after fifteen years apart, before long, he was pissing me off like the little brother I grew up with, and it actually felt good. As much as he drives me crazy, I do love him.

“Okay, I won’t tell you then.” With a grin on my face, I take another sip of my beer as Nic bursts out laughing.

“Forrest, when are we going to find you someone to take the seriousness out of you? You need to lighten up a bit, that’s what weekends are for.” Although she is partly serious, Tori is also laughing at me because she knows I’ll never change.

“Hey, girls, we need to find a woman for Forrest to help take the stick out of his ass and relax a bit,” Tori calls to Harper and Felisha, and while I’m spitting my beer back out, I’m not the only one, as both girls in the kitchen start choking on their champagne.

“How is it after all this time, you still manage to shock me with some of the words out of your mouth?” Nic rolls his eyes at Tori, and she just shrugs her shoulders at him.

“What, it’s true. He needs a woman in his life. Look at how much better your world is now that I’m in it.” If there is one thing Tori is, it’s confident in her and Nic’s relationship. There is no doubt how in love they are.

“Maybe that’s why he is so grumpy all the time.” Harper walks toward us, happy to join in on the conversation now.

“Nah, he was this serious since the day he was born. Apparently, he perfected the frown so well, he never bothered to learn to smile.”

“Flynn, be nice to your brother.” Felisha smacks him on the shoulder as she also joins us at the couches, and she places a cheese platter down on the coffee table.

“Ughhh, you sound like my mother, Felisha,” he says as he ruffles my hair as he sits next to me, which he knows drives me crazy.

I’m sure he makes it his life mission to annoy the hell out of me, and I’m just lucky that since Felisha has come on to the scene that it isn’t quite as bad, because finally at the age of forty, my brother is starting to grow up slightly. I wouldn’t say entirely, but he’s getting better. Probably because he is too busy with his attention on his fiancée and not on everyone else.

“Gross, don’t look at your girlfriend as being like your mother.” Tori giggles as she finishes what I assume is her first glass of champagne.

“Not like that, please don’t even put that vision in my head.” To which everyone starts laughing as Rem, Elouise, and Cherie all walk into the apartment.

“Sorry we’re late, just sorting out the babysitter, and Rem of course was stuck in his office sorting something out,” Elouise casually says, and all three of us men turn our heads straight toward him to check if it’s something we need to know about.

“Not work-related, farm-related, so cool your jets, men,” Rem says, and I feel my body relax again, or at least as much as it ever does with both Harper and Cherie in the room.

Flynn has already jumped up and is opening another bottle of beer for Rem and calling to Elouise and Cherie. “Drinks, ladies?” He holds up the beer and the bottle of champagne that’s open. “And there is also red or white wine, and if you want something stronger, of course, that’s on the menu too.”

“Oh goodness, if I start on something stronger, I’ll either be asleep or passed out by dinner. Just some bubbly is fine for me, thanks.” Elouise walks toward him, and Cherie follows her.

“Beer actually sounds perfect.” Cherie takes the already open one from his hand and leaves him to open another one for Rem.

“Hey, you stole my beer,” Rem calls to her from where he is standing behind the couch, watching.

“You snooze you lose, my friend.” Everybody laughs.

Nic tops Tori’s glass up so everyone has a drink in their hands.

“Cheers to friends and life getting less chaotic.” Flynn raises his beer, and we all start clinking drinks together.

Thankfully Rem drops down on to the couch next to me, and the girls end up on one side of the room. Nic works out it’s a good idea to move seats before he gets in the middle of the gossip session that is about to begin. But before he gets too comfortable, Flynn suggests we head out on to the balcony, to which each of us is thankful, as the volume of the girls’ voices is already increasing, and they are all starting to talk at the same time. A skill these women seem to have to follow the multiple conversations that are happening at once.

For me, it does my head in.

“Ummm, what the fuck was that about inside with Harper?” I should’ve guessed that Flynn wasn’t going to let that go.

“What?” I reply, trying to sound like I don’t know what he’s talking about.

“Don’t give me that shit. That comment about dinner had more to it than what you said, and the same for her answer. It was like you were talking in code. You better not have fucked her, because I swear to God, Felisha will kill you both, and I’ll be right behind her to make sure she did it properly.”

“Oh man, here we go again.” Nic turns away from us both and leans over the railing like he doesn’t want to know.

“Listen to me very carefully, little brother. If I wanted to sleep with Harper, then I don’t need your permission, but just so you know, I don’t, so pull your head in, asshole.” I step close to him with my face so close to him that he’ll get the message, crystal clear.

My life, my decisions!

“Your reaction tells me otherwise.” I step back from him to break the tension between us that I just created with my reaction. “Explain the conversation about dinner.” And Flynn’s happy-go-lucky attitude from before is gone. He is not going to let this go unless I tell him.

“Fine.” Sighing and running my hand through my hair, I look him in the eye, explaining that I met her in the elevator and then arrived on her doorstep with dinner because she’s a stubborn pain in the arse. “That’s all it was, and to repeat your words when she moved into the temporary apartment in my building—to help your girlfriend, I might add—you said, ‘keep an eye on her and look after her.’ So that’s all I was doing. Helping a friend who needed it, even if she didn’t want to accept the help.”

Nic’s shoulders are shaking, telling me he is trying not to show he is laughing, but Rem isn’t even trying to hide it.

“So next time, she is on her fucking own for dinner. No wonder she is still single,” I grumble to him as I drop down into one of the outdoor chairs and take a large gulp of my beer. In my head, I’m wishing it was something much stronger.

“Says the man who is also single, stubborn, and as cantankerous as it gets most days.” Flynn sits down in the chair next to me as Nic turns around and leans on the railing, with Rem beside him.

“You two finished bickering like a couple of schoolboys? Fuck, how did your mother put up with you both?” Nic is smiling because he knows as much as we do that we still love each other, and in five minutes, all will be forgotten.

“She shipped the annoying son to the other side of the world so she didn’t have to put up with him,” I say, changing my tone to a joking one so Flynn knows I don’t mean it.

“You wish. I left on my own accord to get away from the constant praise of the golden boy in the family, Forrest. I got to play up all I liked, and Mum had no idea what I was doing, and it was awesome.” Looking proud of himself, he holds out his hand to fist bump with Nic as the smiles on their faces tell me they are remembering the time they spent together in Sydney being playboys.

“Oh, please, we all know you are the little golden boy.” Having had enough of this debate that we get into all the time, I change the topic because I know Flynn’s brain flicks from one thought to another easily with a distraction. “Moving on, anyone up for a trip to the Grand Prix in Las Vegas at the end of November?” I watch all their eyes light up for a petrol-fueled boys’ trip away.

“I’m in,” Rem says.

“Obviously.” Flynn looks at me like he can’t believe I even had to ask.

“That’s a given.” Nic lifts his beer in the air to acknowledge he is keen. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch the young Aussie guy kick their butts.”

“Plus, it’s Vegas, baby!” Flynn chimes in.

“Great. Got a guy I used to work with who is now working for the Maclaren team, and I was messaging with him last night, and he said he could get me box tickets if we were up for it.

“The only way to do a Grand Prix is in that kind of style, I would say, but Brother, couldn’t you have got us into the Ferrari team pits instead? Orange is not my color and red is much better for my complexion.” Flynn smirks and is back to his joking self.

“Sorry. It’s okay, I’ll tell him I only need three tickets because you can’t possibly wear orange…” And before I even get to finish my sentence, he is jumping in with his reply.

“Don’t you dare!”

“So, one orange shirt in your size coming your way.” We all laugh at his middle finger that he flicks at me.

Nic laughs. “I don’t give a fuck if it’s orange, that’s my team with my Aussie driver Piastri, so get me all the orange things!”

“Who’s telling the girls?” Rem is looking at me like it’s my job.

“Oh, not me, not a chance. They are your problems, remember? As you were all happy to remind me a minute ago, I’m over here happily being single with no ties.” Now it’s my turn to laugh at them as they all groan.

“I don’t know what you are worried about. Like they need an excuse to go to the St. Tropez villa for a girls’ weekend. Just beef up the security detail to cover them all, and we won’t have to worry about anything while they are away from us.”

I want to remind them that they are all grown women who survived long before they met us. But I’m also realistic enough to know that because they are with my friends who are all high-profile, now there is an added risk to them, so I can understand the extra worry.

* * *

After a few drinks and an amazing dinner courtesy of my brother’s ex-chef prowess, the night is getting close to winding up. The girls as expected pretended to be annoyed that we were going away and then went straight into planning their weekend at Felisha’s villa in France. They will take the Kentwall private jet, and we will take the Darby jet. It’s a privileged life we live.

“I’m taking El home before she slips into a deep sleep here on the couch.” Rem stands and holds his hand out to help her up.

“Hey, that’s not fair, those two tiny humans at home are exhausting.” And as much as she sounds like she is complaining, Elouise is the perfect mother to Rem’s son Blaise and their little girl Gemma.

“No one is arguing that, I just want to give you the chance to get some decent sleep before those same tiny humans wake up bright and early in the morning.” Rem tucks her under his arm as we all stand to say good night.

And it starts the procession of all of us realizing how tired we are.

“It’s been a great night, thanks, guys.” Cherie is getting a lift home with Rem so heads to the elevator with them.

“I have messaged my driver, and they will be here shortly. Do you and Harper want a lift?” Nic looks at us both, and I hope like hell Harper doesn’t make a fuss about getting the same car.

“That would great, thanks, Nic,” she accepts without argument.

“Will save me flagging a taxi, thanks.” I look at her and see her glaring at me like I should’ve taken the taxi option.

I’m not budging, Harper can suck it up.

I choose sitting in the front seat with the driver, and as we pull up to the front of my apartment building, I do like any normal gentleman would and get out and open the door for Harper.

“Not necessary,” she mumbles as she gets out after saying her goodbyes.

This woman infuriates me.

“And yet I do it anyway. It’s what you should expect from any man, it’s a sign of respect.” I trail behind her as we walk toward the front doors and see Ferris there waiting to greet us.

“Nice night out together, Mr. Taylor and Miss Williams?” It’s a simple question but both of us barely give him more than a grunt in reply and continue toward the elevator.

We stand in silence waiting for the doors to open, and nothing much changes as we step in, and I hit the number for each of our floors.

As it starts to move, I wait to see how long it takes before Harper cracks and tells me what she thinks of me.

It’s almost like I could count it down, three, two, one…

“What is wrong with you, why don’t you find me attractive?” Harper blurts out, the alcohol helping her to say exactly what she is thinking.

Damn, how do I answer that? With the truth or what she expects to hear?

Either way, I’m about to get myself into trouble, that’s a given.

“Harper, let’s not play this game,” I say, trying to deflect long enough that the elevator can reach her floor.

“When will you realize I’m not playing?” She turns to face me, and I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

“Isn’t that what men are to you, just toys to play with and then throw away?” I’m almost growling, as she irritates me with her believing she doesn’t play games.

“No, they are there to have a good time with and then move on from afterwards. A mutual arrangement.” The noise around us of the elevator slows, telling me we are approaching her floor. “And you haven’t answered my question, why do I repulse you?”

And that’s when I crack.

I grab her hand and drag her out of the elevator and to her door.

“Open it. Now!” I’m not having this conversation in the corridor.

And by the look in her eyes, she understands by the deepness of my voice that she has just pushed me too far.

Unlocking the door, she steps through it with me hot on her heels, and the moment it’s closed behind me, I have her back against the wall.

“That’s the problem. I wish you did repulse me, because then I wouldn’t be fighting the urge to do this every time you open that damn mouth of yours to flirt with me.” I smash my lips onto hers, and they taste just as I have been imagining, sweet but with that strong hint of hidden trouble. Her lips are so soft and plump, and the shock of me taking her so fast has her gasping, giving me the chance to sweep my tongue deep inside to claim her mouth. I want to continue kissing her all night, but instead, I quickly pull back and dip my head so my mouth is right near her ear.

“The truth is, you make me so fucking hard every moment you are near me. Is that what you want to hear, Harper?” I pull her hand down and place it on my cock that is clearly confirming what I said.

Her mouth is open, but no sound comes out.

“So, when you’re ready to give me more than a one-night stand, you know where I’ll be.” Stepping back, I turn and open her front door to leave, and the only sound I can hear is her heavy breathing.

As I’m stepping out the door, I leave her with one last comment. “And we both know that’s not going to happen, don’t we. Good night.”

Closing the door, I storm to the elevator that opens straight away after hitting the button. My breathing is rapid, and I’m sweating, mumbling to myself in the empty elevator. “What the fuck did I just do? I don’t want to be with her.”

I run my thumb over my lips that are still burning. That shouldn’t have felt so good… but it did, and now I’m screwed.