Hayley #2
“Nothing happened!”
She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously. “Liar. Why would he have stolen a pair of your panties if you didn’t do anything?”
“I don’t know… to be a creep?” I sigh, taking a sip from the fresh glass. “He went to use the bathroom, then acted all weird and rushed out.”
A devilish smile plays at her lips as she sips her wine. “Well, why don’t you just ask him about it?”
“Yeah… not something I can ask him at work, now is it?”
“You could always ask him now. He’s coming this way,” she says, standing from her seat at the bar to walk away. My face is shocked as I search the room for him. “So, what if he did take a pair? Gives you something to fuck with him.”
I watch her walk away from the bar, drink in hand, whispering in Brooks’ ear as she passes by him.
I steady my breath as he walks toward me.
His navy suit fits him like a glove, showing off all the muscles hidden beneath perfectly.
His beard is manicured as always, while his unruly dark hair is somewhat tamed.
I turn back to the bar, releasing the breath I didn’t know I was holding as he pulls out the stool next to me.
“Fancy seeing you here,” he states as if this was completely unplanned.
I watch as he orders a beer from the bartender. A woodsy scent and fresh soap fill my senses as he leans closer to me. His warm breath on my neck ignites my senses even further as he whispers in my ear.
“Mr. Richards invited a few important players on the team tonight as well. How lucky did I get that I get to see you.” He stares at me, taking a long draw of his beer.
I turn my head to look at him, my brows furrowing as a smirk forms at my lips. “Are you sure about that? Or did you come here tonight so you could return the pair of panties you stole from my house the other night?”
He stares like a toddler who has gotten caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do. Maybe Cassidy is right. This could be fun, fucking with Brooks’ head. Just when I think I have the upper hand, his demeanor changes to something seductive. He’s glancing out at the couples dancing to the music.
“Come dance with me,” he says, standing and holding out his hand toward me. “You want those panties back, don’t you?”
I shake my head in protest, but my body has other plans.
My hand grips his palm, as I stand from the barstool.
There’s no way he brought those with him here only to use them to his advantage and dance with me.
We walk out to the dance floor, joining the others, my right hand gripped tightly in his as my left arm rests on his shoulder.
His left hand moves to my hips, gripping it ever so gently, pulling us close as we sway to the music.
“So, where are my panties?” I murmur low enough for him to only hear me.
He chuckles at my adamancy. “You think I’d carry them around with me?”
Yes. No. Maybe?
“I don’t know. It could be some sort of weird fetish you have,” I say with a smirk. “Do you do that often? Steal women’s unmentionables?”
He pauses for a moment, contemplating his response. “You really think I stole a pair of your panties?”
“Yes, and I would like them back; they’re part of a matching set,” I state, matter of fact.
“Well, I’m afraid I’ll have to go out and buy you a new pair. You can’t have this pair back,” he says behind a smirk as he continues to twirl me around the dance floor.
“And why the hell can’t I?”
The nerve of this guy.
“Because I no longer have them,” he states.
My eyes go wide as I realize what he just said. “What do you mean you no longer have them? Did you sell them to someone?”
A small shade of pink plays on his cheeks just above the stubble from his beard. If I weren’t so furious and curious right now, I would find it quite cute for this sex on a stick of a man to be blushing like a middle schooler.
“I can’t give them back to you because I…”
“You what?”
He becomes flustered and pulls away from me. “I destroyed them. More than once. Okay.”
He walks away from me, leaving me in the center of the dance floor. My smile grows at the realization of what he’s just said. He “destroyed” them. I don’t know whether to be flattered or disgusted, but I can’t deny that I like knowing he used them to take care of business while thinking about me.
“So,” I say, plopping down on the barstool next to Cassidy and Channing Halloway. “What have I missed over here?”
Cassidy blushes slightly. “Nothing much. Just catching up. I see you and Brooks are enjoying yourselves.”
“Well, I certainly was,” I start, leaning in to whisper to Cassidy how Brooks destroyed the panties he stole from me and got all flustered and ran away.
Her jaw drops with amusement. Yeah, mine too when I first heard that he “destroyed” them.
However, I can see the little wheels turning inside that mind of hers.
“Well, since you’re messing with him a little, why not sneak off into the bathroom and give him the panties you’re wearing now. You know, since he destroyed the original pair, he stole from you,” she suggests with a mischievous smirk. “Give him something to fantasize about later.”
I open my mouth to say something as Cam comes running over to me. His smile is wide, but his eyes are heavy with sleep as I wrap my arm around him, pulling him close. “Mom, can we go home? I’m getting sleepy.”
“Sure thing, buddy. Just give me a minute. I’m going to run to the restroom,” I say, signaling for Cassidy to keep an eye on him for a moment.
I walk into the restroom with my stomach doing flips as I think about what Cassidy said.
It’s fun fucking with Brooks, but I don’t want to give him the wrong idea if I continue to play this game.
I step into the stall with every intention to do my business and leave, but the idea of tempting Brooks even more has my hands moving, sliding the black lace thong down my legs before stepping out of them.
I tuck it into my black clutch before washing my hands and making my way back out to Camden and Cassidy.
To my surprise, Brooks is standing there talking to Cam, his cocky smile back in place after our spat not too long ago.
Part of me can’t wait to wipe that smirk off his face when I hand him his surprise, while the other half of me wants to pull him close and feel his lips on mine.
“Hayley.” He nods in my direction as I approach.
“Brooks,” I counter. “Good to see I didn’t ruin your evening too much.”
His lips tilt up ever so slightly at the corner. “Nope. Can’t say you did.”
Asshat.
“I’m glad. Well, Camden and I are going to get going. Cassidy,” I say, looking over to her with her shit-eating grin consuming her face. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Brunch. Don’t be late.”
“You got it, boss,” she says, doing a little salute before turning back to Channing.
“Cam. Go say goodbye to Mr. Richards. I’ll only be a moment more.
” He opens his mouth to interject but skips off blissfully toward my father and mother.
“Mr. Miller, being that you find it so amusing to take things that aren’t yours, especially without asking, I figured I’d leave you with a little parting gift. ”
I wad the black thong in the palm of my hand as I pull it from my clutch. “Have a wonderful night,” I say, reaching for his hand to shake, passing the thong into his.
I look into those piercing blue eyes that seem to be darkening a little as he realizes what he’s now holding. No longer able to hold back the mischievous smirk playing at my lips, I turn on my heels, leaving him standing in a distraught manner.
Hope you’re ready for it, Brooks Miller.