Tangled

  Dedication

  This one is for the readers—the people who buy my books and make this job so rewarding. Thank you!

  Chapter One

  She shouldn’t be here. She had told herself not to come and yet she had. And already she’d been caught.

  Scarlett Goldsmith glanced toward the large double doors that led to the exit, tempted to walk right through them and never look back. If she left now, no one would be the wiser. Yes, Austin and Michaela had seen her, but Austin would keep his mouth shut and Michaela didn’t really know anyone from their inner circle so she wouldn’t be a problem.

  But deep down inside, she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay. She wanted to find Drake. The man she’d been chasing for the last three months. The handsome yet elusive Drake who she had found out by accident would be here tonight.

  One last time, she told herself. If he ignores me again tonight, I’m done with him.

  If she even found him. Tom’s was busy. She couldn’t believe her bad luck that Austin had spotted her and from behind no less. She wasn’t dressed in her normal attire. Deciding to pull out all the stops, she’d gone through the theatre’s closet, going for the stern schoolmarm look. She’d hoped it would arouse Drake if he took one look at her.

  She was getting downright desperate, considering the normal Scarlett didn’t seem to do much for him. She decided to change it, explore another facet, another side to her already many-sided self. She had too many sides. She’d explored too many avenues.

  That’s my problem. I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know what I am either.

  Depression wrapped around her like a wet blanket, too heavy a burden to carry. It made that exit door all the more enticing. With a sigh, she turned and headed for it as fast as her painful four-inch heels could take her. She wobbled on her feet, cursed tonight’s choice of shoes then nearly screamed out loud when she felt someone’s strong fingers wrap around her upper arm, almost sending her off balance.

  Said strong fingers whirled her around and she found herself face to face with…ugh…her nemesis, the man she couldn’t stand more than anyone, Trevor Braxton.

  She withdrew from his grasp, her brows lifting in disbelief at the sight of him. He smiled, cocksure, arrogant and downright smug.

  She wanted to slap that smug look right off his freaking gorgeous face.

  “What are you doing here?” She crossed her arms in front of her and tapped her foot, the pain shooting around her foot from the tight shoes. But she chose to ignore it, focused instead on taking the stern part of her costume to the fullest.

  Trevor’s stormy gray gaze assessed her from head to toe in a slow, lingering perusal that made her skin pebble with gooseflesh. As if he could see right through her clothing, through her entire façade and to the very core of her. All of her insecurities, her problems, her fears.

  She didn’t like it.

  “I could ask the same of you.” His rich, honeyed voice made ladies swoon on a daily basis. Not that she ever swooned. Not over Trevor Braxton, oh no. He was an actor. And she didn’t have very high esteem for most actors, having worked with them for so many years at the theatre.

  The fact that Trevor Braxton was one of the most conceited actors she’d ever met really didn’t help her feelings toward the breed whatsoever.

  “I come here on a semi-regular basis.” She lifted her chin, daring him to object or make fun. She wasn’t ashamed. She refused to be, especially in front of him. “Everyone knows that. Didn’t you?”

  “Actually I did.” He mimicked her position, crossing his arms in front of his broad chest. Biceps bulged beneath his dark button-up shirt straining the fabric. His strong forearms, dusted with golden brown hair, were revealed by the rolled-up sleeves. “I was hoping to run into you tonight.”

  Her mind blanked at his words. Huh. Why in the world did he want to run into her? He didn’t like her. Just as much as she didn’t like him.

  And yes indeed, she hated every blessed, muscular, sexy, handsome, velvety smooth bit of him too.

  “I hoped you could show me around. I’ve never been to one of these places before,” he continued.

  She snorted. She really couldn’t help herself. He’d never been to a sex club? Well, Tom’s was technically a voyeur’s club but hey close enough. All sorts of things were going on around them even as they spoke, every single one of them sexual in nature. The unmistakable scent of sex drifted on the air, faint but present. A couple walked by them, headed toward the door with satisfied expressions on their faces. The woman’s skirt was hiked up almost to her hips. Scarlett even caught sight of her white panties and the man’s ruffled hair—as if hands had clutched at his hair, tugging and pulling maybe while he knelt in front of the woman and licked between her legs.

  Damn. Yet again, her fertile imagination took over at the most inappropriate of times. She squeezed her legs together, the position made more awkward by the high heeled shoes. Trevor still stared at her as if he might be…interested. In her.

  No way.

  “You can’t be serious,” she finally said when she realized he was waiting for a reply.

  “Why not?” He shrugged, bringing her attention to his wide shoulders. Very capable looking shoulders. Shoulders a woman could anchor herself onto and never let go. All while she rode him, his thick cock pounding swift and sure within her wet, welcoming body…

  God.

  Scarlett’s skin flushed hot, and she brushed a few stray hairs away from her forehead with shaky fingers. The position stretched her shirt tight across her bosom, and she forgot how many buttons she’d undone on the starchy white shirt. Enough buttons to show acres of naked skin, the black swirling lace of her skimpy bra.

  His gaze locked right there, of course. Zoomed in on her cleavage, and she swore she saw a flash of appreciation in their brilliant depths.

  Damn him, he had beautiful eyes. Eyes that could make a woman melt, and a voice that could make a woman come. At the very least shiver with awareness and bring her nipples to hard, aching life.

  Yeah, she hated this guy. So very, very much.

  She couldn’t answer him, couldn’t remember what he’d said. He smiled, a one-sided curve of sensual lips that was loaded with all sorts of meaning.

  Sexual I-know-just-how-to-make-you-lose-your mind meaning.

  “Nice outfit,” he drawled, his gaze locked on her breasts. “Love the bra especially.”

  “I’m sure.” She stood tall, though she wanted to cover herself. Or bare herself completely. Take your pick.

  “Kind of different from your usual look,” he continued. She glanced at him sharply, surprised that he’d even noticed. “Not that I don’t mind this particular outfit. You remind me of the librarian we had when I was in grade school. She was pretty. Hot. Young. I’d go in there and pretend to study after school just so I could sneak looks at her, maybe even talk to her.”

  Scarlett couldn’t imagine Trevor Braxton as a child. He’d probably been a handsome little devil full of deviousness. Tricks and trouble and mischief—she could only surmise the torture he’d put his parents through.

  “I’m sure you stood out. Someone like you hanging out in a library every day.”

  Trevor’s dark brows drew together, his expression confused. “Someone like me? What do you mean by that?”

  “Well, look at you.” She waved a hand at him, wondered if maybe she should’ve kept her mouth shut. “I’m sure you’ve never studied a day in your life. You got by on your good looks alone.”

  He laughed, the sound warm and…how could this be? Inviting?

  She really wanted to hate this man. But he made it hard. And that drove her nuts.

  “I was a big nerd in school,” he admitted once he quit laughing. “Dressed bad, funny looking,
wore glasses, had braces. The works.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  He ran his hand over his jaw, and she swore she heard the rasping of his stubble against his palm. “It’s true. I have proof. Old photos don’t lie.”

  She didn’t want to have this conversation. The little details, the way he looked at her, the intimacy of it all, it humanized him. Made him more of a real person than the plastic handsome Ken doll she saw on stage five nights a week. He’d never paid her much attention. He’d rarely spoken to her let alone looked at her. She was surprised he knew her name.

  But he had noticed her, and he knew her name. For whatever reason he had come to Tom’s to find her. How he had gotten the code to get inside in the first place, she had no idea.

  “How’d you get in here anyway?”

  “Well, I came with someone.” He stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and shuffled his feet. Looking very much like the little boy he used to be, she bet.

  Well, minus the ugly bit. He was so far from ugly it wasn’t even funny.

  As his words sank in though, her hackles went up. “Who are you here with? Don’t tell me you’re on a date.”

  “No, no date. I came with Drake.” His gaze met hers once more, direct and unwavering. “He had the night off so he called and asked me to come here with him.”

  “Oh.” She swallowed and dread filled her. Damn it, those rumors were probably true though she’d chosen to ignore them. Plenty of women had approached Drake, trying to get his number, a date, a wink, any type of interest, yet he gave none. He was friendly and polite but never flirty. No one had ever heard of him dating a woman, let alone had seen him with one.

  The rumor was he might be gay. And now that he was here with Trevor, she had a feeling that rumor might be true.

  Though she’d never heard that particular rumor about Trevor, plenty of employees at the theatre were known for their experimentation.

  Including herself.

  Trevor was friends with Austin, though. Austin was the lighting director at the theatre and one of her closest friends. Another man she’d had a hopeless crush on years ago when they first met.

  Yet another one of her personal faults. She always developed crushes on men she could never have. She’d wanted Austin so bad all those years ago. Gorgeous, charismatic and kind, he’d sucked her right in, made her want more. But she had known back then he was gay, and he’d had a boyfriend, Brad. The relationship had been tumultuous, had ultimately ended and she’d been there for him. Ready to console, ready to take Brad’s place.

  It had never happened. She’d eventually gotten over it and now had a great friend in Austin she could count on. A great friend that had recently found his true love with another woman.

  Oh well. Her attention was focused on Drake. She couldn’t let Austin’s change of preference bother her. But the gay rumors about Drake were quietly swirling around, growing and growing. She couldn’t deny the fact that he did tend to ignore her.

  Maybe it’s because he likes men, you nimrod. You have the wrong parts, and he’s not interested.

  She ignored her grumpy inner voice, flashing a fake smile in Trevor’s direction. She needed to get out of here. Go home and sulk. She’d had enough for one evening.

  “Well, you’d better go find him then, huh? You two have fun and tell Drake I said hi. I need to go. Night.”

  “Wait a minute.” The man was lightning fast; she’d give him that. He had his hand wrapped around her arm, stopping her once more. She glanced up at him over her shoulder, surprised to find him standing so close.

  Close enough to smell him. And he smelled wonderful. Close enough to feel the heat of his body emanating from him, reaching for her. Close enough she saw the flecks of color in his stormy eyes, a mix of blue and gray and green.

  Survival instinct told her to run. Jerk out of his hold and run as if the devil was chasing her. Fast and furious and as far away as possible. This man reeked of trouble. She’d observed him enough to know he was confident to the point of irritation and a known player. Women threw themselves at him on a daily basis. He was a macho conqueror of an endless stream of females.

  She would be another one on his already long list if she succumbed to his charms.

  Her feet wobbled and she winced, the shoes pinching her toes. He saw the wince, tugging her even closer and—oh goodness—she was close enough to see the chest hair peeking from the open collar of his shirt.

  Her survival instinct fled in a rush. The temptation to stay, to touch, to taste swamped her, just like that.

  Just like that. And that proved she was weak.

  “Are you all right?” His voice lowered, velvety smooth and soft, enveloping her into a warm, intimate cocoon.

  She shook her head, shifted on her feet. Concentrate on the pain not on the sexy man. “My shoes. They hurt.”

  He glanced at her feet, the black patent leather stiletto shoes, his gaze running up her fishnet-stocking covered legs. “They’re sexy.”

  “They’re painful.” She thrilled at his choice of words. Did he think her sexy? Or just the shoes?

  No, no, no. Not the way to think. She hated him. No not him, she hated men like him. That’s what she needed to focus on. His type, they sucked. They were ruthless, heartless and charming. They gave you pleasure, used your body and stomped all over your heart while wearing a big smile on their face.

  It might be unbelievably good when it was actually happening, but the aftermath was always, always devastating.

  “Let’s go sit down. Get you off your feet.” He smiled, this time full on, flashing teeth. It sent a zing to her belly, then lower, and she swore her panties grew wet at the sight of it.

  This is so not good.

  “I’ll be fine.” She tried to withdraw from his touch, but he had a firm hold on her. As if he didn’t want to let go. “Once I get in my car I’ll kick them off.”

  “Come on.” He tugged on her arm, and she had no choice but to follow. Where he was taking her, she had no clue. She had a suspicion he didn’t know either. But she went with him, his fingers sliding down to circle around her wrist, his touch gentle. It sent little shock waves of sensation spiraling throughout her body.

  “There you are.” Both of them halted at the sound of Drake’s voice, and she stopped short, bumping into Trevor in the process.

  He was solid, his back a hard wall of muscle and so warm. He felt…amazing.

  Her gaze settled on Drake, and she smiled. Here was the man she needed to focus on, the sweetly handsome doorman at that hot dance club downtown. Drake was beautiful. The light brown hair with the slight wave, the exotic, stark slant of cheekbones and jaw, warm olive skin and lean body, he was just her type.

  And she had a bona fide raging crush on him.

  “Hey, Scarlett.” He smiled, his pale green eyes sparkling. But they weren’t sparkling at her. They were locked on Trevor. The expression of longing, of pure and utter want that crossed over his face for the briefest second was so clear, she almost lost her breath.

  And in that moment, she knew her chasing had been futile. The man clearly didn’t want her. He wanted Trevor.

  Secretly, so did she.

  Talk about awkward.

  Trevor glanced from Scarlett to Drake and then back to Scarlett. He’d almost had her. Hell, he still had a chance if he wanted to think positive. Drake was a distraction. A big one but just a distraction. One he could squash if he chose. He knew about her crush on Drake, he’d heard it from more than a few sources, his friend Austin being one of them.

  Scarlett didn’t know about his crush on her. How much he wanted her—any way he could get her. He liked her quirky personality, the way she calmed everyone with a few simple words and tender touches. How she dressed, the flowing skirts and tinkling ankle bracelet and, yet, she was totally not his type.

  But there was something about her. And he really liked the way she looked tonight.

  She was dressed as some sort of sexy
, yet mean, schoolteacher who looked as if she would rather smack him than talk to him. It was smoking hot. Those ruby red lips, the hair twisted upon her head, revealing her slender neck, utterly kissable and tempting. And that shirt, unbuttoned so low he saw her black lace bra and the creamy flesh of her breasts.

  He’d give anything to touch her breasts. Test their weight in his palms, find out what color her nipples were. Lick and suck and nibble on them until she cried out in pleasure.

  Yeah, that was his goal. He had a lot of goals. Getting Scarlett Goldsmith naked and beneath him was one of them.

  “Where are you two going?” The pointed tone in Drake’s voice was clear. He didn’t approve of them being together.

  Drake wanted Trevor all to himself.

  If Scarlett wasn’t around, Trevor might have taken Drake up on the unspoken offer. It was one of his deepest secrets that he enjoyed partaking in sex with other men on occasion.

  Not often, hell, he didn’t even consider himself bisexual, and he definitely didn’t think of himself as gay. He just liked to get his dick sucked by a man sometimes. He liked to fuck them too. Sexual attraction was attraction after all, despite what gender a person was. He had no problem with it so why should anyone else?

  The brief affair he’d had with Austin long ago had been out of control. The two of them together had combusted like wildfire. Two men who preferred to be in control fucking constantly, anywhere they could. Blowjobs in bathrooms, hand jobs in cars, you name it they did it. Until Austin had found someone new and dumped him like yesterday’s trash.

  Which had been fine with Trevor. He hadn’t been looking for a relationship then. He and Austin remained friends, and he was happy for him. Happy that Austin had found Michaela. He’d shared a few details with Trevor, nothing too personal, but he got the sense that Austin and Michaela had a wild sex life. That she was uninhibited and willing to experiment in almost anything.

  Secretly Trevor wanted to find someone just like Michaela. And he thought Scarlett was the perfect choice.

  “Uh, we’ll be right back, okay?” Trevor smiled, reached out and gave Drake’s upper arm a quick squeeze. “I just need to take care of Scarlett real quick.”