Chapter 5
Sloane Bennett
I escape inside and shut the door behind me, leaning against it.
What the actual hell was that?
The passion and energy running through me are enough to power the entire block. When Cal’s eyes met mine after that lightning strike, it felt like the bolt went straight into my heart.
This can’t be healthy.
My heart thumps hard in my chest, and a tingling sensation spreads down my arms and legs. I’ve never been this attracted to anyone in my life.
It’s sad to admit, but that was truly one of the most erotic moments I’ve ever experienced.
And I was fully dressed.
That man.
I’m not sure whether I should be scared or turned on by what just happened. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like when he gets me naked.
Because, oh, he will.
There’s no doubt about it now. I feel it with the same certainty as the air in my lungs.
I’m done resisting it.
Done resisting him.
That man is going to ravage me, and I’m here for it.
I just hope he knows it isn’t going to last. I can’t be with a playboy, and I refuse to get attached to another beating heart.
???
It’s Monday, and the street is quiet.
Everyone must be at work, with the exception of the retirees on the block. The storm did a number on the cul-de-sac. Small branches are scattered everywhere from the wind.
I’ve organized and put away the last of my boxes, so I decide to head to the store for paint. My plan is to start in the kitchen and work my way through the rest of the house.
First, I need samples.
I throw my hair into a high bun and start to leave for the store, but Celeste runs toward my car before I can sneak away.
She’s wearing tight jeans and a low-cut white shirt.
Her tits are fantastic.
I can’t help noticing them. They’re both giving off look-at-me DD energy.
“Sloane, hi!”
“Hi again. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m fantastic. I was just thinking that I’d love to have you over for a drink soon. We could get to know each other better, yeah?”
Her invitation catches me off guard.
Honestly, I’m surprised. I thought she didn’t like me, or at least wouldn’t make an effort.
Maybe I should do the same. I hate judging a book by its cover.
“I’d love to. Just let me know a good time.”
“Oh, goody. Okay, what about later tonight?”
“Tonight? Well, I was just about to go get paint for my kitchen.”
“Oh, I see,” she says, looking dejected.
I immediately start to feel bad.
“I’ll probably only end up getting samples today anyway. Sure, let’s plan for tonight.”
I smile, and she claps her hands together.
“Yay! It’s a date.”
“See you later, then. Let’s say eight?”
“Perfect!”
Celeste steps back so I can drive away.
She seems so happy, but all I can think is...
Mr. Sex God isn’t going to like my new plans.
???
After dressing up a little more than usual, I trudge over and knock on Celeste’s door at eight sharp.
I’m wearing a black, long-sleeved ribbed dress that’s classy enough for wine o’clock.
Celeste’s house is easily the nicest on the block. It’s painted a deep blue with pale-gray trim and shutters. Everything has been maintained, primed, and plucked to the highest degree, reminding me of the woman herself.
She opens the door wearing a large smile and a red maxi dress.
Celeste is the type of woman who dresses like this just to laze around the house.
Meanwhile, I can’t remember the last time I wore a dress.
One thing is certain. I need to stop hitting the french fries.
I need to forget my stupid ex-husband and find a better way to deal with the grief over my aunt. I’ve definitely gained some weight, and it’s a little more noticeable in this tight dress.
Another reason to avoid the damn thing.
“Come in, come in,” she says, ushering me into her lavish home.
The foyer is spectacular, decorated in stark whites and rich blue accents. It has a nautical feel, and it makes me wonder about her husband.
Why is he never home?
I quickly scan my surroundings but don’t see him anywhere.
I step through the doorway and start to take off my sandals.
“Thanks for having me.”
“Oh, leave those on. It’s a mess, and besides, I was thinking we could have our drinks on the back porch.”
I eye her crystal-clean floors and raise my eyebrows.
This place is spotless, bitch.
“Celeste, this is the cleanest house I’ve ever seen,” I reply, the corner of my mouth lifting.
She belly laughs like it’s the funniest thing she’s ever heard.
Okay. Maybe she’s a little off her rocker.
I hand her the cheap wine I scored the other night.
“This is for you.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have. We have so much wine, Sloane.”
She looks down at the bottle, and her opinion of my taste is written all over her face.
Why did I agree to this again?
I resist the urge to roll my eyes.
It would be nice to make a friend on the block. It’s hard to believe Celeste is so close to my age. Her perfect blonde hair falls in waves, her blue eyes are as bright as the sky, and she has the reddest lips I’ve ever seen.
For some reason, it makes me smile that her lipstick is the exact same shade as her dress.
She’s so put together.
The perfect housewife.
“Right this way. Thanks for coming. I really needed a partner in crime. Drinking alone gets depressing.”
That seems to be the first genuine thing she’s said since I arrived.
“You can say that again.”
I follow her through the open living room and out a set of double doors leading to the back deck.
“Oh, wow,” I mutter, mostly to myself, but Celeste smiles.
“Yeah, I love it out here.”
Her backyard sprawls before me like something out of a movie. I’d think I was in California if I didn’t know better.
An in-ground pool and hot tub are surrounded by large organic rocks set into the cement. There’s a damn waterfall, along with elegant plants and trees that provide shade in some areas and beauty in others.
A perfect pergola covered in fairy lights sits on top of the expansive deck.
It’s incredibly private. Even with the sex god living next door, you’d never know there were neighbors nearby.
“Me too. My God, it’s amazing.”
“My husband loves to impress people and have them over.”
We sit in a small seating area tucked into the far corner. Celeste sets down two glasses and opens a bottle of white wine.
She hands me a glass. I swirl it before taking a sip, and the flavors burst across my tongue.
“Damn, that’s good stuff.”
I take another sip.
Now I understand why her face twisted when I handed over my meager offering.
“Life’s too short for shit wine.” She smiles and takes a large sip from her glass.
“Now I know why your eyes went wide when I handed you that red from the corner store.”
Celeste lets out a booming laugh.
“Jesus, I’m sorry, Sloane. I don’t mean to be such a snob.”
I laugh. “Hey, if I could afford wine like this, I would be too.”
She gives me a genuine smile. “I think I like you.”
A broad grin stretches across my face.
“Hmm. Well, I haven’t made up my mind about you yet.”
She puts a hand against her chest in fake outrage.
“Is it the red lipstick?”
That makes me really laugh.
She’s funny.
Who would’ve known?
“Oh no. I was thoroughly impressed that you matched it to the exact shade of your dress.”
Her lips curve into an impish smile.
“The curtains always have to match the drapes.”
“I’m really glad you invited me over tonight,” I tell her sincerely.
“I’m really glad to have an excuse to polish off this bottle,” she teases.
“Are you saying you need an excuse?”
She looks out across the pool, and I can’t grasp why her mood changes so suddenly.
Celeste wraps her hands around her forearms as if she’s gotten cold before meeting my eyes again.
“My husband is a little strict. He has a way of sucking all the fun out of everything.”
My eyebrows rise.
Well, that took a turn.
“Oh yeah? And where is the fun sucker tonight?” I mutter with distaste, gripping the stem of my glass a little tighter.
Celeste’s lips lift slightly.
“Oh, you know. Probably off fucking his secretary,” she says noncommittally.
My mouth falls open.
“He’s what?”
Did I hear that correctly?
She simply nods. “I got stuck with quite the asshole.”
“Trust me, I know all about those.”
“Divorced?” she asks.
I nod. “Recently. He was screwing the secretary too.”
“Damn. I’m sorry, Sloane.”
“I’m not. Good riddance.”
We sit in comfortable silence, both polishing off our second glasses.
This wine is so good it practically drinks itself.
“Can I ask why you stay if you know what he’s up to?”
Celeste sets down her glass and fidgets with her thumbs.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s okay. It just sounds pathetic when I say it out loud.”
I wait until she meets my eyes.
“You’re anything but pathetic. Some men just cheat.”
“I’m scared to leave. I have no friends who aren’t his. My whole life is here in the cul-de-sac, and I have nowhere to go. Nothing to do.”
I nod in understanding.
I felt the same way.
The exact damn way.
“It’s the ultimate betrayal, isn’t it? We dedicate our entire lives to them, give them some of our best years, and they turn everything upside down to bend over some twenty-something and fuck her in the ass.”
Celeste sputters, spitting out some of her wine before bursting into laughter.
“I wasn’t expecting that last part.”
“And I was really hoping I’d never have to envision what went down on my desk.”
Her eyes widen. “No.”
“Oh yes. I read the text messages. That was the final straw.”
“You worked with your ex?”
“Yeah. Talk about a real nightmare.”
She nods, and we both get lost in our thoughts again.
“It wasn’t easy to leave him, Celeste. I was in a similar situation. If it weren’t for my aunt, I might not have had the courage.”
A sad expression crosses her face.
“I’m sorry, Sloane. You’re going through so much right now.”
I don’t want to talk about my aunt, so I decide to keep the mood light.
“It seems like the universe is fucking me in the ass.”
She cracks a smile. “Well, stop bending over, then.”
I bark out a laugh, and it turns into a genuine smile.
“Boy, was I wrong about you.”
Celeste clinks her glass against mine as we finish the bottle.
We’re both getting tipsy.
She opens another bottle and proposes a toast.