Page 31 of Beautiful Deceit
He doesn't, but ten others do, including my small group of regulars. A few of them watch the stairs, eagerly anticipating Beau; I find my gaze drifting there as well.
“We scared the new guy away,” Mickey mumbles forlornly to the group, and gets an equally forlorn reply.
After introductions, the discussion blossoms. There are even more opinions regarding the second book. It seems that without Beau here, the ladies are a little more open to share.
Cookie’s opinion is clear, “Listen, take away this guy being a gazillionaire and you’d have a totally different story.”
“How so?” a woman in a burgundy jacket, questions. I think her name is Candice.
“Well if some dude in a ratty trailer and an old pickup truck was basically stalking you and telling you very openly that he wanted to beat your ass with a belt, how well would that go?” Cookie’s brows are raised waiting for a reply from the group. When she doesn’t get one, she immediately continues, “It’s a fantasy, but in reality, this wouldn’t do.”
“That’s something we can discuss. What made Anna want to be with Christian? Was it money, like Cookie mentioned, his physical appearance, status, or personality?”
“I think the attraction is the determining factor. I don’t think money had anything to do with it.” Mickey looks over at her sister. From the look they share, they’ve had this conversation before.
Lauren breaks in, “You know what I don’t get? At the beginning she was all upset and freaked out about thediscipline,but later in the book she’s the one who ups the ante.”
A few heads tilt, most seeming to actually be thinking about her question.
I throw my hat in the game, “I think there’s a few things that feed into that desire. First, she realized she liked some of what they’d done. She might have been confused at first, but liked it nonetheless. Second, I think she wanted it because she knewhewanted it.” My response garners a few reactions.
“Wait, so are you saying she did it to like, keep him?”
Surprisingly it’s Candice who answers her, “Hell yes she did! Why wouldn’t she? Satisfying someone’s sexual needs can be very gratifying. I’m pretty sure she was also in lust, if not love with him, at that point so she wanted to keep him happy.” She moves her hand around as she speaks, “That’s evident when she starts questioning if she could be ‘sub’ enough for him.”
We finish up just before close. I say good night to everyone, while George rings up a few copies ofFifty Shades Freed. I haven't looked over next month’s suggestion, but I'm hoping for something different. I've had about enough with the book boyfriends for a while. Things are back to normal, no one stays to help clean up.
When I hear someone rushing up the stairs, I assume it's someone who's forgotten their bag.
Instead I'm greeted with a frayed blue ball cap. All my wants about him being here fade in this moment. Now, I just wish I was already at home. This is all too exhausting. I sigh turning back around and finish gathering the trash and empty trays.
I say in a flat tone, "Store’s closing soon, please head down to the register if you'd like to make a purchase."
"Sammy." God, this guy. I don't believe for one minute he doesn't know the effect he has on me.
"Sam or Samantha," I correct him. I'm being a bit of a bitch, but he needs to leave. I made myself clear. I would have been fine being his friend, but he just shut me out and vanished again.
"I really fucked up, huh?" I don't respond, so he continues, “I've seen you be polite to people who treated you like dirt, but you can't manage to look at me."
I can't tell if that fact pisses him off or makes him sad, but I still say nothing. He doesn't move to leave or say anything else. I can feel his presence behind me.
"Listen Beau, maybe it's me that doesn't make a good friend, but regardless of who or why, the fact remains." I finally turn and face the same gorgeous man that I ran into just over a month ago. The man who has managed to flip my world upside down in this short time.
My resolve almost leaves me, when I meet his beautiful green eyes as they study me. They are pleading, I feel like I'm the one who deprived him of something.
I clear my throat, "The fact remains that we cannot be friends."
George’s voice booms up from downstairs, "Sammy dear, I'm about finished. Would you like me to wait for you?"
Still looking into Beau's eyes, I call down, "Just a moment George, I have someone up here that needs to be let out before you lock up. No need to wait, I'll call a cab, thank you. I need a while longer to clean up."
"Oh." He sounds surprised at hearing this, "Alright dear."
I try to memorize his face, because I know what I'm about to ask him next.
"Please don't come back," I whisper.
"Sammy please," his eyes continue to plead with me.
