[ Truyện Tiếng Anh ] Twisted Perfection

Author :Abbi Glines

Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…


Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.


What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.


The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 1



Three years ago…

Della

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You never know dear how much I love you. Please don’t take… please don’t take my sunshine away.

Don’t stop singing now, Momma. Not now. I’m sorry I left. I just wanted to live a little. I’m not scared like you are. I need you to sing. Please sing for me. Don’t do this. Don’t go to him. He wasn’t real. Don’t you see? He was never real. He died sixteen years ago.

I should have told someone about you. This is all my fault. You needed help and I didn’t get you any. Maybe I was scared after all… scared that they would take you away.

“Della, sweetie, give me your hands. I need to clean them off. Look at me, Della. Come back to me. She’s gone but you’re gonna be okay. We need to clean you up. They’ve taken her body and it’s time to leave this house, for good. No coming back. Please, Della, look at me. Say something.”

I blinked away the memories and stared up at Braden, my best friend. She was cleaning the blood from my hands with a wet washcloth and tears were streaming down her face. I should get up and go clean this all off myself but I couldn’t. I needed her to do it for me.

I always knew that one day this would happen. Maybe not the exact way it was happening. I hadn’t ever imagined my mom dead. Most days when I let my daydreams turn to this moment, I’d feel guilty. It wouldn’t stop me from thinking about it, though. The guilt wasn’t enough to keep me from imagining my freedom.

I had always thought someone would realize my mother wasn’t all there. They would figure out that I wasn’t some strange child who wanted to stay inside all day and refused to come out into the real world. I wanted them to… but then I didn’t. Because getting my freedom would mean losing my mom. As crazy as I knew she was, she needed me. I couldn’t let them take her away. She had just been so scared… of everything.

Four months ago

Della

When Braden had given me her old car and told me to get out and see the world, neither of us had thought about the fact that I didn’t know how to fill it up with gas. I had only had my driver’s license for three months. And I’d only actually had a car to drive for five hours. Pumping gas had not been something I needed to know until now.

I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. I’d call Braden and see if she could talk me through this. She was on her honeymoon and I hated to interrupt her though. When she’d shoved her keys into my hand earlier today and told me that she wanted me to “Go explore. Find your life, Della.” I’d been so caught up in the awesomeness of her gesture that I didn’t think to ask anything else. I’d simply hugged her and watched as she ran off with her new husband, Kent Fredrick, and crawled into the back of a limo.

The fact I couldn’t pump gas had never crossed my mind. Until now. My tank was so empty I’d coasted into this small service station in some beach town in the middle of nowhere. Laughing at myself I listened as Braden’s voice said, “I’m not available. If you want to reach me I suggest you hang up and text me.” Her voicemail. She was probably on a plane. I was going to have to figure this one out all on my own.

I stepped out of the small faded red Honda Civic. Luckily I’d pulled up to the gas tank on the correct side. There was the little door I knew the nozzle went in. I had seen Braden do this before. I could do this. Maybe.

My first problem was that I couldn’t figure out how to open this little magical door. It was there. I could see it but it had no handle. I stared at it a moment then glanced around to see if there was anyone near me who didn’t look scary. I needed some help. It had taken two solid years of counseling to get me to speak to strangers. Now I did it often. Braden really had more to do with that than the psychologist I’d been forced to see weekly. She’d pushed me out into the world and taught me how to live.

I had the quote, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” by Franklin D. Roosevelt, taped to my bathroom mirror. I read it daily or at least I had been, for the past three years. I silently quoted that in my head and my body relaxed. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t my mother. I was Della Sloane and I was on a road trip to find myself.

“You okay? Need some help?” A deep smooth drawl startled me and I jerked my head around to see a guy smiling at me from the other side of the gas pump. His dark brown eyes appeared to twinkle with laughter as he stared back at me. I didn’t have much experience with guys but I did have some. Enough to know that even when they were gorgeous, like this one, it didn’t make them a good person. I had lost my virginity to a smooth talking southern boy with a smile that made panties drop all over the place. It had been the worst experience of my life. But this one might be helpful. He wasn’t offering sex. He was offering to help me. At least I thought he was.

“I can’t… I, um… See, I’ve never...” God, I couldn’t even say it. How did a nineteen–year-old girl explain that she didn’t know how to pump gas? Laughter slowly bubbled up in my chest and I covered my mouth. He was going to think I was insane. I swallowed my laughter the best I could and smiled up at him. “I don’t know how to pump gas.”

The guy’s elegant dark eyebrows shot up and he studied me a moment. I guess he was trying to decide if this was true or not. If he only knew. There was so much I didn’t have a clue about. Braden had been trying to educate me in the ways of the world but she was married now and it was time I figured things out without her as my crutch.

“How old are you?” he asked and I noticed his eyes slowly scan my body. I didn’t look like a teenager. My body had been fully developed by the time I was sixteen. I could tell he was trying to figure this one out. Youth would be the only explanation he could come up with for the fact I couldn’t pump gas.

“I’m nineteen but I’ve not been driving that long and this is the first time I’ve had to pump gas.” I sighed and then chuckled. This sounded ridiculous, even to me. “I know it sounds hard to believe but honestly I need some help. If you could just get me started, I can do this.” I looked back at his big fancy truck. It was all shiny and black. It fit him and his tall, muscular body, olive complexion and dark hair. He was one of those sexy, beautiful, dangerous ones. I could tell that by the smirk on his face.

When he stepped around the corner, I realized that he was much taller than I had originally thought. But then I was only five-foot-five. The snug fit of his jeans and dark brown leather work boots did really good things to his legs. I realized a little too late that I was staring and jerked my gaze up to meet his amused one. He had a really nice smile. All white perfect teeth framed by a face that looked like it hadn’t seen a razor in a few days. His scruffy appearance didn’t fit with his expensive truck.

“You need to pop this little door open first,” he said, tapping his knuckle on it. The way his lips curled seductively around his words fascinated me to the point that I worried I’d missed further instructions. I was just about to ask when he walked around me and opened the driver’s door to the car. He bent over, giving me an unobstructed view of his very delicious jeans tightening over an equally firm backside. I really liked this view.

The magical door that had baffled me sprang open and startled me. I squealed and spun around to see it now standing open. “OH!” I exclaimed in excitement. “How did you do that?”

His large warm body came up behind me and I could smell grass and something richer…maybe leather. The alluring scents engulfed me. Seeing as I wasn’t one to miss an opportunity (I’d missed too many of those in my life), I moved back slightly, just enough so my back was touching his chest.

“I pressed the gas door button. It’s in your car just under your dash.” He didn’t move away from me invading his personal space. Instead, he’d lowered his head to talk into my ear. His voice was low and rumbled deliciously.

“Oh,” was all I could think of to say as a response.

A low chuckle in his chest vibrated against my shoulders. “You want me to show you how to actually put the gas in the car now?”

Yes, that would be nice but I really enjoyed standing like this, too. I managed a nod thankful that his body didn’t move. Maybe he liked it just as much as I did. This was really a bad idea. I should move. Guys like him didn’t treat women well. Why did they have to smell and look so wonderful?

“You’re gonna have to let me get around you, sweetheart.” His warm breath heated up the hair covering my sensitive ear. I tried not to shiver as I managed a nod and hurriedly moved away to press my back against the car so he could get past.

Our chests brushed lightly as he maneuvered around me, holding my eyes with his penetrating gaze. The warm chocolate brown with golden flecks in them didn’t seem so amused anymore.

I swallowed hard and glanced down. Once he was safely away from my body, I decided it was time to watch him...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 2



Woods

I kept the little red car in my rearview mirror. I was having Della follow me just out of town to a Mexican restaurant that had really good food. And there was a better chance I wouldn’t run into anyone I knew.

Tonight was about taking a break from the stress that my life had become. My dad was pushing me more and more to prove myself. I wasn’t sure what the hell else he wanted from me. No, that wasn’t true. I knew his plans for me. He expected me to get married. Not to someone of my choosing though. He had already chosen who he wanted me to marry- Angelina Greystone. All my life, Dad had planned on having a Kerrington name linked with the Greystone name. He’d had his eye on the prize. Every year we’d spend a week in Hawaii with the Greystones and Dad always encouraged me to get to know Angelina. For us to spend time together. Hell, they’d pushed us together so much at such a young age that we’d ended up having sex at fifteen. I’d thought I was her first until I’d actually slept with a virgin and I realized Angelina had been lying. I might have been a virgin that year but she sure hadn’t been. It had jaded my view of the pretty blonde. The older and more glamorous she became the more I ran like hell to stay away from her. She had claws and she wanted them deep in me. I knew the day would come when I’d cave just to make my dad happy but I was putting it off as long as I could. Or I had been until Angelina had moved south. She was now taking up residence in her parents’ beach house and my dad was forcing her on me constantly.

I needed to step back from all the shit that came with being a Kerrington and hopefully enjoy this hot little number who had the body of a sex goddess and the face of an angel.

She seemed skittish at first but then some wild carefree girl emerged and I wasn’t one to turn away sexy invitations. That body and those big blue eyes had been all the hinting I needed. Better yet, this one wasn’t sticking around. I’d get a naughty distraction who wouldn’t come with the high maintenance syndrome later. She’d just drive away.

The memory of that ass of hers stuck up in the air in those tiny shorts that barely covered it up had me shifting in my seat to adjust my excitement. Della Sloane was just what I needed tonight.

I pulled into the gravel parking lot of El Mexicano and parked on the far side of the building so that someone driving by wouldn’t notice my truck. No interruptions tonight. I was getting laid. The hot no strings attached kind of laid.

I stepped out of the truck and watched as Della got out of her car. She wasn’t wearing a bra under that black halter-top. Those tits of hers held the fabric up like one big tease. Damn, this was gonna be a good night. I was more than positive she wanted this too. She’d all but pressed her ass against my dick after I’d opened her gas tank. This one knew what she was doing and she did it well.

“Good choice. I love Mexican,” she said, smiling at me. I watched her hips sway invitingly as she walked my way. I was about ready to forgo the meal and just head straight to the hotel room. Her dark hair fell just below her shoulders in soft natural curls. I was also more than positive those long dark eyelashes were the courtesy of good genes and not out of a package. I’d seen my share of false eyelashes on females and these looked real.

“I’m glad,” I replied, stepping forward and placing my hand on the small of her back to lead her inside.

Once the food was ordered Della took a sip of her margarita and smiled at me. “So, Woods, what do you do for a living?”

I wasn’t answering that truthfully. I didn’t like to give women too much info into my life unless I planned on keeping one around. “I work in management.”

Della didn’t frown or look perturbed that I’d blown off her question. She kept smiling and sipping the sweet yellow drink.

“Obviously you aren’t ready for the hard questions. I’m good with that. How about you tell me what you love to do.”

“Golf, when I get time, and taking really hot females out to eat Mexican food,” I replied with a smirk.

Della threw her head back and laughed. She was so free of inhibitions. She wasn’t trying to impress me. It was refreshing. Her eyes twinkled when she looked back at me. “What’s your biggest fear?”

Whoa. Weird turn of questioning. “I don’t think I have any fears,” I replied.

“Sure you do. Everyone does,” she said before licking at the salt around her glass.

Did she have fears? It sure didn’t look like it. “Becoming my dad,” I said before I could stop myself. That was too much for her to know. More than I admitted to anyone.

A far away expression came over her face as she stared over my shoulder. “That’s odd. My fear is that I’ll become my mom.”

Her big blue eyes blinked rapidly and a smile came back on her face. Where ever she’d gone mentally she was back. Thinking about her mom wasn’t something she wanted to do and I understood that.

“What do you love to do?” I asked her wanting to change the subject back to something light.

“Dance in the rain, meet new people, laugh, watch old eighties movies, and I like to sing,” she replied then smiled at me before taking another sip. At this rate she was going to get hammered if I didn’t watch her closely.

Two margaritas later and she was pressing her chest against my arms while laughing at all my jokes. I was cutting her off now because she was just the right kind of tipsy. I didn’t want her completely drunk.

“You ready to go find that hotel room of yours and let me get the bed nice and warm for you?” I asked, grinning down at her and slipping my hand between her legs. She froze at first then slowly eased them open so that I could move my hand up high enough to feel the dampness against her panties. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her. That was confirmation enough. I ran the tip of my finger up the wet crotch of her panties and she trembled against me.

She moved against my hand and closed her eyes while her mouth fell slightly open with a blissful look. Damn, she was responsive.

“Is this what you want?” I whispered in her ear as I slipped a finger inside her panties and felt the hot moist temptation with no barrier.

“Yes,” she breathed. “But only if you promise you’ll make me come.”

Fuck. I snatched my hand out of her panties and grabbed my wallet. I slapped a hundred dollar bill on the table. We didn’t have time to wait on a ticket.

I wanted exactly what she was promising. As for making her come, I’d make sure she passed out from the number of orgasms I intended to give her. Never throw a Kerrington a challenge like that one. We would go above and beyond.

She wasn’t going to be able to drive her car like this. I’d figure out how to get it back to her later. I didn’t have time to think about that right now. I opened my truck door and put her inside with more force than I’d intended. Her big blue eyes went round with surprise and I stopped to catch my breath and think this through. Maybe I shouldn’t do this. Was that nervous flash in her eyes really innocence? Her body was telling me one thing but those eyes were saying something else.

She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and bit down. I wanted to taste that mouth.

I didn’t walk around to my side. I’d get to that later. I crawled up in the truck and closed the door behind me before grabbing each side of her head and tilting it just right. My mouth covered hers and I let her taste slowly sink into me. Each small moan from her lips pounded through my veins. The fullness of her bottom lip as it moved against my mouth with inexperienced hunger was driving me mad.

I forced myself to pull back and look down at her hooded eyes. “Are you sure you want this? Because if you’re not, we need to stop now.” We’d never see each other again. I needed to know she wasn’t the innocent that I kept sensing in her touch. I wasn’t against one-night stands if the girl knew what she was in for. I needed her to be clear on this.

“I,” she said then paused and swallowed hard. That wasn’t the answer I was looking for. I started to move back away from her but she reached out and grabbed my shirt. “No, wait. I want this. I need it. Please, don’t stop.”

I still wasn’t sure. She didn’t sound positive. “Is this your first one-night-stand?” I asked thinking that may be the reason behind the way she was acting.

She shook her head no and a small sad smile touched her lips. “No. The last one I had was bad. Really bad. I want you to make me forget it. I want to know what it feels like to just do it for pleasure. Nothing else. Just make me feel good.”

She wasn’t a virgin. That was good. A bad one-nighter would make anyone unsure about doing it again. I could make her forget it. “I’ll make it feel real good, sweetheart,” I assured her. Then I reached down and took the bottom of her little excuse for a shirt and pulled it over her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra. I’d known that but seeing her bared to me was still breathtaking.

“Oh,” she squealed and fell back on her elbows which only pushed her breasts out further toward me. I was a tit man. There was no doubt about it and I was pretty damn...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 3



Present Day

I sat in Jeffery Odom, my current boss’, office waiting on him. He’d texted me this morning and asked me to come into work early and meet him here. I wasn’t sure what was wrong. A couple of weeks ago, he had started flirting with me and then we’d moved it to something more. I had worried this would be a problem. I was a waitress in his bar. I was also only here for a short time.

On this trip to find myself I was having to stop and get jobs until I had enough for another couple of weeks of traveling the road. I liked Dallas. It was fun. Jeffery was sexy and older. He made me feel special. At least when he was in town.

In the beginning he’d only been around once a week but after a few flirty moments between us he started showing up more and more. Mostly at closing time. He would wait in his car and text me to meet him outside. This secret romance was starting to get annoying though. It wasn’t as if I was taking it seriously. I needed another five hundred in tips and I was back on the road. Next stop, Las Vegas.

The door to his office finally opened and the frown on his face alerted me that this wasn’t a fun visit. I might be heading for Vegas sooner than I thought.

“I’m sorry I called you in here so early, Della,” he said, walking to the other side of his desk and sitting down. This was all very proper and cold considering I’d been taking a shower with him only three nights ago before finally giving in and having sex with him.

I didn’t respond to him. I wasn’t sure what to say.

Jeffery ran a hand through his hair. “I think it’s best if you moved on earlier rather than later. This thing with us has gotten too serious and we both know it isn’t going to last.”

Okay. So, he got what he wanted and now he wasn’t even going to let me make my last five hundred before I headed out. He knew I was close to leaving. Bastard.

“Fine,” I replied and stood up. I didn’t need this. I could stop short of Vegas and get another job.

“Della,” he said standing up with me. “I’m sorry.”

I just laughed. He was sorry. Not nearly as sorry as I was. I thought we’d become friends.

I headed for the door and realized this was another one of those experiences I was on the road to find. I’d been used. I was living life. It wasn’t such a hit to my ego if I thought of it like that.

The door swung open before I could reach it and a tall elegant redhead stepped inside with an angry snarl… directed at me.

“Is this her? Is this your whore? Figures, she looks like a fucking slut. Did you find this one at one of those disgusting strip joints you go to? She looks like a stripper. God, Jeff, how low could you stoop?”

I listened to her words but I wasn’t sure I understood what she was saying. I was confused. The only thing I was positive of was that this woman hated me. Something fierce. I wasn’t sure why but she did.

“That’s enough Frances. I’ve fired her like you requested. Let her leave. This is between you and me,” Jeffery said to the angry redhead. He glanced my way and I could see the apology in his eyes.

I looked back at her and the temper that was boiling out of control as she glared at him. “You fired her and that makes it okay?” She swung her hateful gaze back to me. “Do you even care that you were fucking the father of my unborn child? Does it bother you at all that he’s not only married but going to be a daddy soon?”

Wait… what? Did she just say married?

I stared at her and realized that this wasn’t a sick joke. Then I turned my head and looked at Jeffery. The truth was there on his face. He was married. He had made me an adulterer. Oh. Shit.

“You’re married?” My question came out as more of a roar than a question.

He nodded and his shoulders sagged as if he was defeated.

I took a step toward him and stopped. If I got any closer I was going to kill him with my bare hands.

“You sorry sonuvabitch! Why would you… how could you… you have a WIFE and she is pregnant! I can’t believe you did this. I’m so stupid. So incredibly stupid! All the sneaking around wasn’t because you didn’t want the other employees to know. It was because of her.” I pointed at his wife. “I hope you burn in hell,” I swore then spun around and headed for the door. Before I could open it and get the hell out of here, I stopped. There was someone else I needed to say something to. I looked back at the redhead. Her anger had faded. Her face was now streaked with tears.

“I’m sorry. If I’d known he was married I wouldn’t have gone near him. I swear it.” Then I stormed out of the door and slammed it behind me.

When I stepped back into the bar my eyes met Tripp’s. He shook his head and sighed, “I was afraid you’d hooked up with him but I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to say anything in case I was wrong and ended up offending you. I’m guessing you didn’t know he was married.”

I felt dirty and wrong. I walked over and sat down on the stool across from him. “I had no idea. And now I feel awful. I wanted this road trip but now I just want to go home.”

Tripp was the Thursday through Sunday bartender. He was tall, lanky, and had short brown hair. He also had a little bit of a privileged look about him. It was hard to explain but something about Tripp didn’t fit in here. He seemed as out of place as I felt. We had spent many late nights talking while shutting down the bar. I didn’t know much about Tripp but he’d become my friend here.

“You said you wanted to see the world. To live,” he reminded me of my words.

I shrugged. “Not so much anymore.”

Tripp glanced back at the door and then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “I tell you what. Don’t go home just yet. Give it some time to heal from this and then hit the road again. Spend some time in a small town and take things slow.”

The way he explained it sounded nice but I wasn’t sure I was up for that either.

“I’m going to call my cousin. He has some pull in the coastal town I grew up in. It’s small and it’s a really nice place. Nothing like Dallas. My cousin can hook you up with a job and you can decide when you’re ready to hit the road again. He has friends in high places.” Tripp winked.

Before I could protest or come up with a reason why this was a bad idea Tripp was dialing his cousin’s number.

“Hey, Jace.”

“Yeah, I know it’s been awhile. Life gets crazy.”

“No, you need to come to Dallas and tear yourself away from the girl your momma said you’re so wrapped up in you can’t see straight.”

Tripp laughed and I could see the happiness in his eyes. He loved the cousin he was talking to and it looked like he might miss him too.

“Listen. I need a favor. I got a friend. She’s had a hard go of things here and she needs somewhere to escape to.”

“No, I know you got a girl. I’m not asking you to take her in, idiot. She can stay at my place there. Someone might as well get some use out of it. Just talk to Kerrington. Have him give her a job. She just needs some down time.”

“Yeah. She is.”

“I’m positive he’ll be pleased.”

“Awesome. Thanks, man. I’ll call you back in a few. I’m gonna get her the info she needs and send her your way.”

Tripp grinned as he slipped the phone back in his pocket. “It’s all set up. You’ll have a good paying job and you can stay in my condo there free of charge. I’ve been needing to send someone over to check on it. With you there you can take care of things. It will help me out. Then the best bonus, you’ll be living near one of the most beautiful beaches in the south. Go find yourself while in the sunshine, Della.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 4



Woods

I paced back and forth in front of my desk. Every now and then I glanced down at the diamond ring sitting in the center of it. I knew what it meant. I also knew I wanted to throw it as far out into the damn ocean as I could. This was my dad’s not so subtle hint.

I’d gone to him yesterday to ask him when I would get to move on from management to take my place as a vice president of Kerrington Country Clubs. This was his answer. I had to marry Angelina.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

I didn’t want to marry her. She would make me miserable. I’d finally given in last month and had sex with her again. She’d shown up at my house in nothing but a tiny red nightie, dropped to her knees, and sucked my dick. Between getting my cock sucked and the whiskey I’d been chugging I’d fucked her several times that night. Problem was the only way I’d managed to get off was by picturing the pretty blue eyes of Della Sloane’s looking up at me. Angelina’s practiced cries of pleasure turned me off. She was practiced in faking it. She didn’t like sex. She used it.

I knew her type well. I wasn’t interested.

I wasn’t my father. I couldn’t marry for money and connections and then have a woman on the side. It always made me angry that my parents screwed up marriage didn’t seem to affect them. It completely messed with my head.

If I was going to tie myself down to one woman and be faithful to her the rest of my life for the sake of my rightful place in the family business, I wasn’t sure I wanted in. Fuck all this shit. My dad was always controlling me.

A knock on my door stopped my endless pacing and silent ranting. I grabbed the ring and shoved it into my pocket. I didn’t need this getting out. And God help me if that was Angelina.

“Come in,” I called out and took a seat behind my desk.

Jace, my best friend since boarding school, opened the door and stepped into the room. “Hey, I thought you’d join us on the course for a round this morning but you never showed.”

I needed to talk to someone about this but I wasn’t sure I was ready. Jace would tell me to leave town and let them figure this shit out on their own. He’d been rebelling against his father’s wishes for years now. “I got busy,” was my only response.

Jace nodded. “Yeah, I figured.” He walked over and took a seat across from me. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

That got my attention. Jace didn’t ask me for favors often. I leaned back in my seat and waited. This had better not be about getting his girlfriend, Bethy who was also one of my beer cart girls, off work early. We had a rush in the evenings and I needed her.

“I got a call from Tripp,” he started. Tripp was his older cousin. He’d graduated a couple years before us but we’d had one awesome year in boarding school together before he left. I hadn’t seen him since he packed up and left town five years ago.

“Really? How is he?” I asked curiously. I’d always liked Tripp. He hadn’t wanted to bend to his parents’ demands either so he’d just left. Never looked back.

Jace shrugged. “Good, I guess. He sounded happy. He’s in Dallas now. I need to make it out there and see him. He didn’t come to Boston this Christmas with the rest of the family. I don’t expect he’ll be coming around anytime soon. Uncle Robert isn’t happy with him.”

I didn’t imagine Robert Newark was happy with his only son. He was supposed to inherit the prestigious Newark and Newark law firm located in the heart of Manhattan one day. His grandfather had built the firm from the ground up. But Tripp hadn’t wanted to be a lawyer. He’d wanted to travel the world.

“Anyway, there’s this friend of his. She got mixed up with their boss at the bar and come to find out he was married. She didn’t know and she needs to get out of town and heal and shit. He asked if he could send her here. He said she was an excellent waitress. She was a hard worker and she was never late. He also said she was gorgeous and the men here would tip her well. He’s letting her stay at his place since it sits empty all the time but she needs a job.”

I could always use good waitresses. “Of course. Just send her to me when she gets in town. We’ll get her a uniform and put her to work.”

Jace looked relieved. “Thanks. I hated to ask but he sounded worried about her. He’s already called me twice today to talk about her and make sure I get everything ready for her arrival. I didn’t want to let him down.”

“I understand. I don’t mind. And tell Tripp I said the next time he wants a favor to call me. I’d love to hear from him.”

Jace hadn’t been gone long when the door to my office opened and in walked Angelina. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled at me. It was that practiced seductive smile. It bored me. Her tongue darted out and she licked her lips while sauntering over to my desk.

“I’ve missed you. I haven’t seen or heard from you since last week. I thought we’d had fun on the sixteenth hole.”

I had agreed to take the last round of the day last week with Angelina. I knew it would get my dad off my case and satisfy her. What I hadn’t expected was for her to rub against me and grope my dick the entire time. The last time she’d slid her hands down the front of my shorts and said she wanted to be fucked I’d bent her over and placed both her hands against a tree then screwed her from behind. That way I didn’t have to see her fake expressions of pleasure. She was doing this to get me to marry her. Her daddy wanted this and she was doing what he wanted. Nothing more.

After I’d gotten my release I’d ended the game and dodged her ever since.

“I’ve been busy,” I replied coldly.

She didn’t take a hint. Instead, she stepped between my legs and leaned over me giving me a direct view down her shirt. She didn’t have much in the way of tits. I wasn’t sure what she was flashing me. If I married her I was getting her a boob job.

“Too much work and not enough play,” she cooed, dropping to her knees and rubbing her hand over my uninterested cock.

“I can take the edge off,” she promised and went to unfasten my pants. I had felt bad the last time I’d let this go too far. I was using her. Sure, she was using me too but it didn’t mean I had to stoop that low. It was wrong. I didn’t want her. If I did marry her it would be because I was being forced to. There was no reason for me to keep this up. I needed some time to think about all this.

“Stop, Angelina. I have work to do. Not now.” I resisted the urge to shove her away. That would be too cold.

“You can work and I can make it feel good. Show you what you can have the rest of your life.”

We both knew that the moment I said “I Do” sex between us would become a chore. She’d make up reasons why she couldn’t and office break blowjobs would be a thing of the past.

“Don’t take me for a fool, Angelina. I’m a smart man. I know what you’re doing and I know why. The minute we’re married this facade you’re putting on will disappear.”

Her eyes flashed with resentment. I was just being honest. It was time she was too.

“Just because my daddy wants me to marry you doesn’t mean that is the only reason I want to. I’m attracted to you. What woman isn’t? The difference between other women and me is that I’m good enough for you. We complement each other. You can fight this and try like hell to hold onto your playboy ways but I won’t go anywhere. I want that ring I know your daddy bought on my finger and I want your last name. The sex could be incredible for us both if you’d just let it. I won’t always be the whore you fantasize about. You should enjoy that part of it while you can.”

She stood up and straightened her skirt. “You know where to find me when you’re ready to admit this is perfect. You and me.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 5



Della

I pulled over at the service station where I’d met Woods only four months ago. It had been the start to my journey. How ironic that the directions Tripp had given me led me right back here. I wasn’t even sure whether Woods lived in this town. He’d taken me a town over to eat and find a hotel. Maybe he’d just been driving through that day too. Or maybe I might see him again.

What if he’s married?

No, I wasn’t going to think that. I wasn’t going to judge all men by Jeffery. That was unfair. Take Tripp for example. He was nothing like Jeffery. He had given me the keys to his condo to stay in free of charge as long as I kept it clean. He’d also gotten me a job.

I glanced down at the paper in my hand. Tripp had given me Jace’s phone number and told me to call him once I was settled in. He’d get me an appointment with Mr. Kerrington.

I pulled back out onto the road and followed the last two turns before pulling up to a condo unit that faced the ocean. I glanced down to check the address Tripp had given me. Surely this wasn’t his condo. This town was high end and these condos had to all cost a fortune. How did Tripp own one?

The nagging suspicion that Tripp didn’t belong working as a bartender and driving a Harley-Davidson came back to me. He was something more than he was letting people in Dallas know.

I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and dialed Tripp’s number. No answer.

I then dialed Jace’s number. It rang three times and a girl answered.

“Hello,” she drawled.

“Um, yes, I’m, uh, Della Sloane. A friend of—”

“Tripp’s!” she squealed into the phone. “We’ve been expecting you. I’m so glad you made it safely. Are you settled into Tripp’s apartment yet?”

I was pretty sure he had said Jace was a guy.

“Um, no, not exactly. I just arrived and this place is really nice. I’m afraid I’m at the wrong condo.”

The girl laughed into the phone. “No, you’re at the right place. I’m assuming you don’t know that much about Tripp. Trust me honey, he can afford that place and more. Oh, I’m Bethy by the way. Jace’s girlfriend. He’s outside.”

I liked her. She was super friendly.

“If you’re sure I’m at the right place I’ll go find his unit and unpack my bags. I need Jace to contact Mr. Kerrington about meeting me.”

“Oh there’s no reason to call him. He told Jace to send you to him as soon as you’re ready. He needs some new servers. Do you have a pen and paper handy? You need to jot down these directions.”

This was quite possibly the nicest place I’d ever stayed. Tripp made it sound run down like he needed me to come stay here and fix things up. Someone obviously cleaned this place regularly. It was in pristine condition. I unpacked my bags and then went to stand out on the balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. It was beautiful out here. Tripp had been right. This was an experience I needed. I could work and enjoy staying here in his condo. It would be the beach vacation I’d never gotten growing up. I’d always watched television and wondered if the sand was that white and the water was that blue.

It was.

Smiling, I sank down onto the lounge chair and stretched my legs out in front of me. This was nice. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Braden’s number.

“It’s about time! Where are you? Still in Dallas?” Braden’s chipper voice made me miss home a little. Maybe I just missed her. It wasn’t like I’d left a lot behind there. Except for people who would always whisper about me and wonder.

“Nope. Not in Dallas anymore. Turns out Jeffery is married.”

I heard her sharp intake of air as she let that sink in. “Oh, no,” she breathed. “Della that’s awful! I’m so sorry. Where are you now? Do you want me to come get you? You’re doing okay, aren’t you? Not having strange thoughts…” Her voice trailed off at the last bit. I knew she hated to ask me that but honestly, if Braden couldn’t check on me that way then who could? She knew it all or most of it. No one knew all of it. I just couldn’t share everything with the world. Some things were meant to be kept a secret.

“I’m fine. I’m actually back in Florida staying in a condo that belongs to Tripp, he’s the weekend bartender I told you about. Anyway he hooked me up with a job in his hometown and gave me a place to stay. It’s gulf front. I’m sitting on the balcony looking at the pretty white beach now.”

“Ooooooh! That sounds wonderful. Lucky you! I would love to visit the gulf again sometime. And this Tripp guy sounds really nice. Maybe once you’ve gotten the traveling bug again you could head back to Dallas and thank him,” she teased.

“Tripp is just a friend. Not happening. I mean I’ll thank him but I’ll be sending a card and some money or something via the mail.”

“You’re right. I pushed you to start dating and look what happened. This is your chance to live life. No reason to get attached to one guy. You have the world to explore.”

“That’s right. And I intend to do that right after I enjoy the sunshine and sand for a little while.”

“What’s the new job like?”

“I’m not sure yet. I need to go meet the boss. He’s expecting me. It’s at a country club so that should be a fun experience. Much different from the bar,” I told her.

“Very. Go get that job then call me and tell me all about it. I can’t wait.”

We said our goodbyes and ended the call. Braden was always my way of touching base. Remembering things. Everything I had been through and everything I had overcome.

The night I met Braden had changed my life. The only person I’d ever known was my mom. She wouldn’t let me answer the door to receive packages or our groceries. I’d had to hide in my closet and be quiet until the person at the door was gone. Braden had been as fascinated with me as I was with her. She’d asked me questions that I hadn’t been able to answer for a long time. I couldn’t tell anyone about my mom. Even as a kid I understood that.

Shaking away memories I didn’t want to think about right now I stood up and headed for the bedroom I’d claimed as mine. There were two bedrooms but one had a king size canopy bed and a fabulous hot tub. I took that room. I pulled out my newest skirt. A short pink chevron print and a white sleeveless knit top I’d bought to go with it. After brushing my hair and applying some makeup, I slipped into a pair of backless pink heels and headed for the door. I had a job to claim.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 6



Woods

I hated management. This was how my father was wearing me down. He knew I hated this part of the job and he also knew I didn’t deserve to be doing it. He was using this torture to get me to marry Angelina. And it was working, dammit.

I shoved open the kitchen doors to deal with the latest drama to find my head server, Jimmy, with his hands on his hips glaring down at the newest server, Jackie or Frankie or something I couldn’t remember. She was crossing her arms over her chest and glaring right back at Jimmy.

“What the fuck is going on? I need you out there serving guests and I hear you in here fighting as I walk by. Someone want to explain or do I just fire all your sorry asses?” I demanded in a tone I knew couldn’t be heard outside the walls.

“I can tell you what’s wrong. Her. You hired a lazy one. She takes a smoke break every ten minutes and if I have to serve another one of her tables because she’s left the order sitting there for more than five minutes I’m gonna go apeshit on her ass. You hear me? Either she goes or I go.”

I wasn’t firing Jimmy. He ran the kitchen for me. He was also a favorite of the female members. They had no idea he preferred the male members. It was a secret we kept so that he got the big nice tips.

I turned my attention to the new girl. “I thought I made it very clear when I hired you that there were no smoke breaks. Jimmy says when anyone takes a break. He is the boss in here.”

The girl let out a sigh and then jerked her apron off and slung it on the ground. “I can’t work with these kind of slave conditions. A girl needs a break and just because I’m not as fast as he is he gets mad. Well screw him. I’m out of here.” She spun around and stalked out of the kitchen.

Good. I didn’t have to fire her or deal with female tears. Only problem was that I needed another server. Now.

“Glad she’s gone but we need to call in backup,” Jimmy stated the obvious.

“Try to manage until I can get someone in here to help.” I headed out the door and was making my way to the office when the click of high heels alerted me that I was being followed. Please God, not Angelina now. I wasn’t in the mood. Unless she wanted to go serve customers, she needed to leave me the hell alone. I turned around to tell her so when the words froze on my tongue.

It wasn’t Angelina. It was Della. She was even more mouthwatering than I remembered and I remembered a lot. Almost every damn day I remembered her really well. Normally, while I was in the shower.

Her dark hair looked longer and it was pulled to one side and laid loosely over her shoulder. She was wearing a snug fitting white top that didn’t leave a lot to the imagination with that chest of hers. Then a short skirt and a pair of heels that made her tanned slender legs look even sexier. What was she doing here?

“Woods?” she asked and I raised my eyes from taking in every detail of her body to meet her surprised and confused gaze.

“Della,” I replied. Did she not come here looking for me? Why did she seem so surprised?

“What are you doing here?” she asked as a pleased smile started to form on her lips. I’d never told her my last name. On purpose. I didn’t want the one-night-stand to turn into anything more. Although over the past four months I’d kicked myself for not giving her my number. I’d wondered where she was and if she was going to come back this way anytime soon. Now, here she stood. In my club.

“My father owns the place,” I replied and watched her face. Her eyes went wide and she glanced around at her surroundings as if taking them in for the first time.

“Are you Mr. Kerrington?” she asked.

“Depends. My dad is also Mr. Kerrington. I typically go by Woods.”

Della let out a soft laugh. “I can’t believe this. I think I’m supposed to be meeting with you about a job. Tripp sent me.”

Tripp. This was the girl? The one he was helping out? Shit! What had Jace said had happened to her? She had gotten messed up with the boss or something. Hell, I couldn’t remember. I hadn’t paid that much attention.

“Yeah, that would be me.” I replied. There were plenty reasons why this was a really bad idea. I didn’t need this kind of distraction. I had to find a way to deal with my dad and Angelina. Seeing Della everyday was going to fuck with my head.

“I hope this is okay? I mean, he never said ‘Woods.’ He always referred to you as Kerrington.” The nervous tone in her voice snapped me out of my internal battle.

“Uh, yeah, uh, just come on back to my office and you can fill out paperwork and we can discuss where you would fit best.”

Far away from me. Far, far away. I needed to put her sexy ass on another continent. But I was about to give her a job. Here at my club. So I could be tortured with the memory of our night of amazing, mind-blowing sex. Ah, hell.

I didn’t wait for her to catch up to me and walk beside me. I was afraid I would be able to smell her and I’d have her pressed up against a wall with my hands all over her in minutes. Instead, I stalked ahead of her and didn’t look back. The only reason I knew she was following me was from the click of her heels.

Once I finally got to my office door I opened it and stood back so she could step inside. I held my breath until I was safely away from her.

“Woods, you seem really unhappy about this. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t even know this was the town Tripp was sending me to. He gave me directions and sent me this way. I was desperate to leave so I did. I can get a job somewhere else if this is weird for you.”

The worried little frown scrunching up her nose made me crumble. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t be hard or cold with her. I was going to give her the damn job, any job she wanted, and I was going to stay the hell away from her. Maybe I should propose to Angelina. That would keep me from making the mistake of hunting Della down every chance I got.

“I’m sorry. This is fine. I’ve just had some issues with employees and drama in the kitchen to deal with. You surprised me. But you have a job here if you want it. Just tell me what you’re good at.” Other than fucking my brains out.

Della sat up straight and my eyes drifted down to her tits. The outline of her pebbled up nipples sent my already hardening cock to complete attention. Fuck, she was turned on. She was remembering too.

“I’ve been working at a bar in Dallas as a waitress. That’s normally the kind of jobs I get. They’re easy and the tips are good so I don’t have to stay around too long.”

I nodded. That’s right. She was traveling the world. She wasn’t putting down roots in Rosemary. She didn’t want a relationship. She wanted an adventure.

“You want a server job here? It’s an easier crowd than a bar and I just lost a server right before you walked in.”

I wasn’t putting her far away from me. No, I was putting her right here under my damn nose. I was a fucking idiot.

“Thank you. That would be perfect. Do you need me to start right away since you just lost a server? I’m a quick learner,” she assured me.

No, I needed her to go back to Tripp’s condo and let me calm the fuck down.

A knock on the door interrupted me before I could respond and Jimmy stuck his head in. “It’s getting out of control.” His eyes found Della and he flashed her a smile. “Well, aren’t you all kinds of sexy. Please tell me you’re here for a job.”

Della smiled at him brightly and nodded.

“Perfect. Can I have her?” Jimmy asked, opening the door wider.

I wanted to tell him no that I wasn’t done with her yet. I was still considering laying her over my desk and pushing that skirt up to see what she had on underneath.

“Sure. Go ahead and take her. She has experience so it shouldn’t be hard to get her going.”

Della stood up and smiled back at me one more time. “Thank you for this.” Then she went to Jimmy who closed the door behind them.

I laid my head back against the leather seat and let out a defeated sigh.

I needed to remember that Della would be leaving soon. She wasn’t one to stick around. I couldn’t lose everything I’d worked for because I wanted to be buried in her tight little pussy again. It was time I focused on Angelina. Maybe having that buffer between us would keep me from making a mistake. Because Della Sloane could cause me to lose it all. Then she’d walk away.

As sweet as she tasted and as perfect as she felt, I couldn’t let my desire for her change my life. Angelina would make my dad happy. I’d be vice president and this management shit would be behind me. It was my only choice. It had to be.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 7



Della

“Don’t TOUCH that food Della. It’s your brother’s. It’s his favorite. You know that. Why do you always try and throw it away? Why Della? Why would you do that to him? Be a good girl, Della. Sweet and good.

“But Momma it smells bad. It’s old and there are flies—”

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP! Go to your room. We don’t want you in here. All you do is complain. Go to your room. Go to your room.”

“Momma, please just... Let’s fix him a new plate. This one has gotten old. It’s making the whole house smell bad.”

“He wants you to leave it alone. He’s coming to eat it. Just go to your room, Della. Go sing a pretty song. One we can all enjoy.”

I didn’t want to sing a song. I wanted to throw away the rotten food. I shook my head and started to protest when she grabbed me around the neck and started shaking me.

“I told you to sing, Della. Leave your brother’s food alone. It’s his, damn you, girl. Such a selfish brat.” She screamed in the high pitch voice I knew to fear.

I pulled at her hands and fought for air. I couldn’t breathe. She was going to choke me. A trickle of something wet touched my cheek and I looked up to see the blood raining down on me. It was her blood. It was my momma’s blood. Looking down at my hands I saw they were covered in blood. I turned to cry for help but there was no one there. I was alone. Always alone.

I sat straight up in bed as the scream ripped through my chest. Opening my eyes I took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The large picture windows in front of me showed the early morning sunlight dancing across the ocean waves. I gripped the down comforter in my hands and took several deep breaths. I wasn’t back in that house. I was safe. Everything was okay. My body trembled as I sat silently and watched the beauty that I had found myself immersed in.

I didn’t know if my memories would eventually disappear or if one day they would consume me. Until then, I needed to live. Every time I thought about going home and giving up on this trip to find myself I had my dreams to remind me of why I had to do this. My time was limited. Shoving back the covers I made my way to the bathroom to get a shower. The sweat covering my body from the nightmare made my tee shirt cling to my damp skin. Every morning for the past three years I had woken up like this.

The end of day two at work and I’d not seen Woods since I had walked out of his office. I was beginning to think he was avoiding me. Maybe that was best. He was my boss and I’d already had a taste of how badly dating your boss could go. I guess Woods was making sure we put the past behind us. Considering Woods had given me my first ever orgasm that I hadn’t had to work for made it a little hard but I could do it.

I was ready to enjoy life, not worry over or want things I couldn’t have. This was supposed to be a fun carefree trip. It was time I started making it one. Jeffery had really put a hitch in my plans. He’d also taught me that men could be pigs. I needed to remember that.

An attractive brunette with a sincere smile stepped out of the fancy car parked beside mine. Her focus was on me. I paused as she closed her car door and walked toward me. She wasn’t dressed like the female members our age that I’d seen while in the dining room. She was wearing a pair of faded well-worn skin-tight jeans that hung low on her hips and a tight Corona t-shirt. The red stiletto heels on her feet looked hard to walk in.

“You must be Della. You’re exactly like Tripp described you. I’m Bethy,” she said in a bubbly voice and stuck out her hand for me to shake.

I shook her hand, relieved that this was a friend of Tripp’s.

“Yes, I’m Della. It’s nice to meet you,” I replied. I wanted to make friends here. I didn’t like being a loner.

“I’m sorry I’ve not been in to welcome you sooner. Things have been a little crazy. Woods and Jace are best friends. You met Woods right?”

I only nodded.

“Well, Woods has been over at my place with Jace trying to decide what to do about… well, never mind. I’m probably not supposed to talk about his private life with other people. Besides, I doubt you care to hear me ramble. I actually came here for a reason,” she paused and flashed me a full smile again. “We’re having a little party over at Jace’s tonight. Next week kicks off Spring Break season. It runs from March first through the end of April. This place gets swarmed with people. I want you to come. No, I insist you come. There are people you need to meet. The more people you know the better. I just wish Blaire was here. She’s my best friend and you would love her. She and her fiancé are off dealing with family.” She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “So you coming?”

I had planned on going back to Tripp’s condo and taking a walk down the beach and maybe reading a book. But she was right. I needed to meet people.

“Sure. I’d love to. Where and what time?”

Bethy squealed and clapped her hands. “Yay, I’m so glad! Okay, go get changed if you want and come over to Jace’s at about eightish. Oh and he lives… you got a pen?” I reached into my purse and pulled out a receipt from the grocery store last night and a pen, then handed them to her.

She scribbled down the directions and handed them back to me.

“See you in a few!” she called out, then spun around and headed back to her car.

I watched her drive away before walking over to my car and getting in. I couldn’t get her comment about Woods “dealing with” something out of my head. She was right, she shouldn’t have been talking about his personal life but I was curious. Even though I shouldn’t be.

I had found the right place. Cars were parked everywhere. This was a little intimidating but then it was also another experience. I was on this trip for things like this. I parked my car and got out hoping that I had dressed appropriately. I had been torn between dressing to fit in with the members of the club I’d come in contact for the past two days or dressing to fit in with Bethy. I’d settled for somewhere in between. My blue jean skirt, black leather boots, and vintage Bob Marley tee shirt would hopefully work.

Before I could knock, the door swung open and Bethy was reaching out to grab my hand and pull me inside. “You’re here!”

I couldn’t reply because she started yelling at someone to stop eating salsa over the white rug. I let her pull me through the crowded house out onto the back porch. “Sorry, it’s so crazy. It’s not as bad out here,” she said, glancing back at me.

A couple of guys were sitting around a fire pit with beers in their hands. It looked like that was our destination.

“Boys, this is Della. Tripp’s friend.” She smiled at me then pointed to an attractive guy who reminded me so much of Tripp I wasn’t surprised when she said, “That’s Jace.” She then pointed to a guy with long blond curls and a mischievous grin. “That’s Thad.” He winked and I decided I liked him. He had that ‘just for fun’ look about him. “And this is Grant, who surprised us by showing up. We thought he was up north again.” Grant was by far the best looking out of the trio. His dark hair was tucked behind his ears and he had a twinkle in his eye. The sexy smirk he was sending my way was extremely tempting.

“Hello Della, why don’t you come share my seat? I’ll even let you sip from my beer,” Grant drawled.

I thought about saying no but then caught myself and flashed him a smile in return before walking over toward him. “You gonna scoot over or am I supposed to sit in your lap?” I asked hoping the teasing in my voice didn’t sound stupid.

Grant’s smirk grew into a full-blow grin. “Hell yeah, I want you to sit in my lap,” he replied.

I was trying to decide if Braden would think this was a bold, fun move or if I was coming off as a slut. I could never tell. She was always my gauge for what I should and shouldn’t do. Which was one reason she sent me off to figure out life all by myself.

I might as well go with it now. I’d already acted like a hussy. I stepped over his legs propped up on the iron rail that went around the outside of the fire pit and then took a seat in the stranger’s lap.

“He won’t be here long, baby. You might wanna come over here to this lap. I never leave this place,” Thad said from across the fire.

Grant’s arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back against his chest. “You never know, Thad. I might have found a reason to stick around awhile.”

I was pretty sure I was in over my head.

“Grant, play nice. She’s a friend of Tripp’s,” Bethy scolded. I wondered if she was thinking I was some kind of cheap whore now.

“Don’t go getting all tense in my lap now, sweetheart. Lean back and get comfortable,” Grant whispered in my ear. His smooth southern accent made me feel warm. I liked this guy. I managed to relax and do as he said.

“Here, you can have my beer. I’ll get another one next time one of these chumps gets up for another round.”

I didn’t really care for beer. But I also didn’t want to be rude so I took it. “Thanks.”

“You’re...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 8



Woods

I was going to take her home with me tonight. I needed more of this. I wanted to taste her again and spend hours rolling those candy red nipples against my tongue. She was like crack. It had taken all my willpower to walk out on her the last time we’d done this. Now I needed to get her out of my system or at least die trying.

She snuggled deeper into my arms and her soft satisfied sigh only made me hard again. Damn, she was all kinds of sweet. I shouldn’t be doing this with her but my body had other ideas.

I slowly pulled out of her before I got completely hard again. If that happened I’d end up fucking her just like this again and I needed to change my condom.

“Woods Kerrington I’m going to kick your ass if you’re doing what I think you’re doing! You need to get out here. Angelina just showed up.” Bethy’s angry snarl wasn’t missed as she pounded on the door.

Hell! I didn’t want to deal with Angelina right now. I wanted to change my damn condom and sink myself back inside Della.

Della leaned back from my embrace and she frowned up at me. “Who’s Angelina?”

Who was Angelina? Did I lie to her? No. I couldn’t. But telling her the truth meant that I wouldn’t get to do this again. I needed to find a way to explain it so that I didn’t end this… this thing we had going.

“Please answer me, Woods,” she said as she dropped her legs to the floor and stepped away from me. I felt cold without her. I jerked my pants back up. Her arms crossed over her chest protectively. It only made me want to pull them away so that she wasn’t blocking my view.

“Woods?” She was waiting.

I couldn’t do it. I could not lie to her just to get her to keep fucking me. DAMMIT! Why did I have to be so honorable?

“She’s my soon to be fiancée.” The words physically hurt coming out of my mouth. The idea of marrying Angelina and never knowing this again almost made me throw all this shit with my dad out the door and say screw it. But I couldn’t. It was my future and Della would leave soon. I couldn’t throw my future away for a few weeks of the hottest fuck of my life.

“Soon to be?” she asked, reaching for her bra. I wanted to help her put it on but I knew she wouldn’t want me to. Not after I clarified this.

“I’m going to ask her to marry me tomorrow night during the Delamar Benefit at the club.”

Della’s eyes went wide and she began clumsily trying to put her bra back on as she put more distance between us. “Ohmygod,” she whispered and jerked her shirt over her head. I watched helplessly as she pulled her skirt down and adjusted it. “Ohmygod, I did it again,” she murmured and shook her head in disbelief. When she started for the door I panicked. This couldn’t be it.

“Della, wait. Let me explain,” I begged and she shook her head.

“No, don’t. I get it. I’m an easy lay. You’re about to tie yourself to a girl for the rest of your life so you used me. One more last night of fun.” She let out a hard laugh. “I’m an easy target. I know that. Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I hope she says yes.”

I couldn’t find words to make this right when she jerked the door open and came face to face with a very angry Bethy.

“Are you okay? No, you’re not. Come with me,” she said to Della in a soothing tone. Then she shot me a glare. “I can’t believe you,” she snapped.

I watched them both walk away from me. I zipped my jeans, grabbed my shirt, and slipped it on. The pink scrap of fabric I’d jerked off her in my insanity to be in her lay forgotten on the floor. She was walking around in that short skirt with no panties. Damn. I picked up the last memory I’d have of knowing just how good Della Sloane felt and tucked it into my pocket.

Grant met me in the hallway. I owed him an apology too. Not that I was in the mood to give him one. He’d probably be the next one to find out just how amazing Della felt. My blood heated up as images of Grant touching Della flashed in my head.

“What the hell are you doing? I thought you were gonna ask Angelina to marry you tomorrow night. Jace said you have the ring already.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “I am. It’s a little deeper than the way it looks. I hooked up with Della about four months ago when she was passing through town. She’s memorable.” I wasn’t about to tell him just how good she was because I had no doubt he’d try her out himself and I knew his heart was too abused to ever love again.

“So you needed one more taste? She know that was what was up? If she did then that’s cool. But if she didn’t then you’re a sorry ass motherfucker.” The last part came out in a soft voice laced with an angry threat.

“I’m the motherfucker,” I replied and shoved past him as Angelina made her way toward me. I had her to deal with now.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?” she asked. I started to lie when I decided she didn’t need to think this was a fairytale. She needed the truth.

“Having really hot wild sex. If I’m asking you to marry me tomorrow at the benefit then I needed to have one more fond memory.”

Most girls would have flinched but I’d known Angelina wouldn’t. This was a business transaction for her too.

“I hope it was a good one because I won’t allow it once I’m wearing that ring,” she hissed.

“It was incredible,” I replied and headed for the front door. “Let’s go.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 9



Della

I didn’t want to go back out to the balcony with Bethy. I saw Grant walking toward us and I just wanted out. This time it hurt. With Jeffery I’d just been disgusted. But with Woods… it was painful. He had been different. Or at least, I’d thought he was different. The way he touched me and wanted me had given me hope. I was silly to think hot sex was the answer to my problems. It had all been selfish. Woods wasn’t giving me pure affection. My heart still hurt. I’d wanted that so much.

I felt the edges of my vision starting to blur and I knew I needed to be alone. This wasn’t something anyone needed to see. I didn’t want these people to think I was a freak too.

“I just want to be alone if you don’t mind,” I told Bethy and forced an apologetic smile her way before heading outside into the cool night air. I didn’t look back and I didn’t try to find my car. I wasn’t in any condition to drive. I needed somewhere dark and quiet. Somewhere safe. I needed somewhere safe. The words “safe” kept up a chant in my head as my vision became more and more blurry. I managed to find a house that looked empty and sat down on the backside of it facing away from the road. I pulled my knees up and tucked my head between them. I could get through this. It was just a symptom of my trauma. Or at least that’s what the doctors kept telling me.

Don’t go outside, Della. It’s dangerous. Your daddy is dead because he went outside. Stay here where it’s safe. With me. We’ll be safe together. Just the two of us.

I felt tears fill my eyes as my mother’s words began tumbling through my head. I tried so hard to repress the memories. But when I was emotionally spent they came back. They didn’t just hide away in my dreams.

Shhh, Della dear. I know you want to ride a bike but so many bad things can get you outside. You’re only safe in here. Remember that. We can’t leave or bad things will happen. Let’s sing a song, okay? One that is happy. One that is safe.

“No, no, no momma. You aren’t going to do this to me. I’m stronger than you. I can beat this,” I said as I pushed the memories back. I wasn’t my mother. I wanted to live life. I wanted to face danger and I wanted to know all the emotions that went along with it.

I sat there a long time and stared up at the moon. It was something I used to long to see. I knew at night that I could get away from the safety of my house and see Braden. I could ride her bike down the dark streets and I could breathe in the fresh air. The night sky had become my friend.

Finally, I wiped my face with the backs of my hands and stood up. I was okay. I’d made it through this alone. Braden hadn’t been here to tell me to breathe and make me laugh while she kept her arm wrapped around my shoulders. This time it had just been me. I was proud of myself.

I had lain awake last night thinking about packing up and leaving but in the end I decided that I was done with running. I couldn’t run every time I came in contact with pain or a problem was placed in my path. It was time I reacted like the rest of the world and faced it head on. However, I might need to find another job. My boss might not want me working for him anymore. I’d just ask him. I would walk right up to him, be very professional, and ask him if I still had a job or if he needed me to look elsewhere for one. That would be easy enough.

If I could keep from remembering how his face looked when he got off. Dangit. That was going to be a problem. Thinking about Woods in a sexual way had to stop. He was my boss. Nothing more.

I walked in the back entrance of the clubhouse and headed for his office. Might as well address this right away. Get it over with so I wouldn’t waste anymore time thinking about it.

I knocked on his door and waited. No answer. Crap. Turning, I headed back down the hall toward the kitchen entrance when Woods walked into the building. His eyes locked on me and I stopped. Just seeing him again was hard. I had let our sex become more than it was. I’d let myself think I needed it. I mentally shook my head to clear it.

“Hello, Mr. Kerrington. I was looking for you. I need to make sure I still have a job or if you’d prefer I resign and go find one elsewhere.” That sounded very cool and no-nonsense. I was impressed.

Something I wasn’t sure I understood flashed in Woods’ eyes. He took a step closer to me and stopped. “You have a job here as long as you want one,” he replied.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, I headed for the kitchen entrance and never looked back.

When the swinging doors closed behind me, I let out the breath I’d been holding. I’d done it. We’d had our closure. No more words needed. I could ignore him and he could ignore me.

“Oh good I get to work with you instead of Jimmy today. He drives me nuts in the mornings.” A girl I’d only seen once before, my first day, smiled at me as she walked into the kitchen tying her apron around her waist.

“Della, right?” she asked and pulled her long brown hair up into a ponytail.

“Yes and you’re...” I glanced down at her nametag, “Violet,” I replied.

She laughed, “Caught you cheating. But that’s okay we just met once before. I’ll take the right side tables seven through fourteen. You take left side tables one through six. The right side is a harder morning crowd. A lot of regulars. Don’t want to throw you to the dogs just yet.”

“Thanks,” I replied.

“No problem. I want you to stick around. We can’t keep good help.”

I managed to only forget only one thing and it was the apple butter for table three’s toast. Luckily, they had been good with the slip up and still tipped me twenty percent. Not bad. In Dallas you rarely saw twenty percent tips from men over sixty. I was about to cash out and end my shift when Violet came in smiling.

“You got a hot table. Three of the fab four are sitting at their regular table, number two. Woods isn’t with them so they’ll flirt and Grant’s there today so enjoy. They are so yummy to look at. I gotta run. My tables are clear and Jimmy will be here for the lunch shift.”

She bounded out the door and I was stuck there looking out toward the dining room. I wasn’t ready to face Grant or any of them just yet. Last night was still too fresh.

I wanted to run again. I had to stop this. I grabbed my tray and pitcher of ice water and made my way out to them. Thad, Grant, and Jace were all talking and not paying any attention to me approaching Good.

Grant’s eyes lifted to meet my gaze and he smiled that slow sexy smirk thing he had going on. “I’m real glad to see you here this morning,” he replied.

He knew. Crap. Did they all know?

“It’s my job,” I replied. “What can I get y’all to drink?”

“You sure make that uniform look good,” Thad replied leaning forward with his gaze on my chest and not my face.

“Shut up,” Grant said and shot him a disgusted look. “I want some coffee, black.”

“Coffee for me too but I need two creams and a sugar,” Jace replied.

“A tall glass of milk,” Thad said.

“Put it in a damn bottle because he’s acting like he needs one,” Jace said, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll be a baby if she wants me to, a big ‘ol titty baby,” Thad replied with a wink.

“You’re an ass.” Jace shook his head.

I didn’t wait for any more comments. I headed back to the kitchen to fix their drinks. I was positive that Thad was not someone I wanted to mess around with. He was cute but I had a feeling he could get annoying.

When I got back out to their table Woods had joined them. I kept my smile polite and served the other guys their drinks.

“Mr. Kerrington, what can I get for you sir?”

I managed to look at him as I asked but I didn’t miss Grant’s eyebrows shooting up.

“Coffee black, please.” He barely glanced at me as he said it and went back to talking to Jace.

“Are the rest of you ready to order?”

Grant leaned forward and I was thankful to have someone to focus my eyes on. I felt silly trying not to look in Woods’ direction.

“I don’t know about them but I’m starving,” he replied. “Bring me a burger; medium, loaded, and have Juan put that special sauce on it.”

“Same thing for me,” Thad piped up.

I forced my attention in the direction of Jace and Woods. Jace looked at me. “Bethy made me a late breakfast so I’m good with the coffee.”

The thought of looking at Woods made my stomach hurt. I hated feeling awkward around him now. But he was my boss. So, I held my fake smile and looked his way. “And for you?”

Woods finally met my gaze but only briefly. “Nothing thanks, I have a lunch date.”

With his fiancée, no doubt. I nodded and headed for the kitchen.

“I so want to tap that,” Thad said as I walked away.

“Shut up,” Grant snapped.

When I brought Woods coffee I managed to get away without any more interaction with him.

Jimmy sauntered in and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Jimmy, I will give you half my tips today if you change sections with...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 10



Woods

I stood at my office window and watched as Della’s red car drove away. I could lie to myself and say it was a coincidence that I came to look out the window the same time she was leaving. But I knew her schedule. I knew her shift was over and pathetically I came here to watch her get in her car and leave. I had gotten very little sleep worrying that she would leave without a word after last night.

When I had walked into the clubhouse today and she’d come walking up to me calling me Mr. Kerrington and making sure she still had a job I was so damn relieved I hadn’t been able to properly apologize to her before she was walking off.

Then I’d decided it was for the best. No need for us to keep pretending there could be more to this. She was cutting me out and I needed to let her do it. For both our sakes. It was the best way to keep me from caving and begging her for something I couldn’t have.

The door opened behind me without a knock and I didn’t have to look to see who it was. Only one person would walk into my office without a knock first.

“Hello, Dad,” I said without turning around to look at him. I’d idolized him from the time I was a kid. Now, a part of me hated him.

“Woods. I came to make sure plans were still firmly in place for tonight. Howard and Samantha will be here tonight. They’re planning on this announcement. Letting Howard Greystone down isn’t something I intend to do.”

He knew I didn’t want this but here he was still reasserting the importance of it.

“Nothing’s changed.” Those two words went much deeper than I knew he took them. Nothing had changed. He was still controlling things. I still couldn’t stand the idea of being married to Angelina and he still didn’t give a shit.

“Good. Your mother is already planning the wedding with Samantha. They’ve been planning this wedding since the two of you were young. This isn’t just securing our future and the success of what your grandfather built; it is also making your mother very happy. She loves Angelina. This will all work out for the best. You’ll see. Left up to your own devices you would have never gotten married.” The amusement in his voice was lost on me. There was nothing humorous about the fact that both my parents expected me to sacrifice my happiness for theirs.

“At least someone is happy,” I said without emotion.

“When you’re married and sitting in your new office looking out over the eighteenth hole with the title of Vice President on your door, you’ll be happy too. Right now you’re just sulking like a child who isn’t getting his way. I know what you need to be successful and Angelina Greystone is your answer.”

I couldn’t look at him. The rage burning a hole in my gut would no doubt be flashing in my eyes. My father’s footsteps moved away from me and the door closed behind him. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to forgive him for this. Or maybe it was me I would never be able to forgive. What man let another control his life? His future?

***

Angelina had almost circled the entire ballroom showing off the ring I’d placed on her finger in front of everyone over an hour ago. She was gushing with excitement and the entire room was buying it. You would think we were madly in love. I wasn’t that good of an actor. I preferred to stand over by the bar and drink shots of whiskey.

“She’s a looker. If you’re gonna get hitched at least you picked beauty and money. Surely that’s something. You look ready to murder anyone who gets close to you,” Jace said as he took up the spot beside me at the bar.

Angelina was beautiful in a cold classical way. She was elegant and refined and manipulative.

“Can’t be happy that I’ve become my dad’s fucking puppet,” I replied and heard the slur in my words. Maybe I’d had too much to drink.

“There’s that,” he agreed and picked up my whiskey and finished it off before I could. “Probably need to cut yourself off.”

“Probably, but then I’d have to endure this sober.”

Jace let out a sigh. “I wasn’t going to bring this up but what happened last night with Della?”

I picked up my empty glass and shook it at the bartender. “Nothing,” I lied.

Jace smirked. “That’s not what Bethy said. Apparently your shirt was off and your pants were undone.”

Hell. Figures Bethy had to tell him the details. “I met Della four months ago. We had a night- a really, really fantastic night. Then she walked back into my life and I lost my damn mind. That’s what happened.”

Jace let out a low whistle. “Shit.”

He had no idea. This was all shit- the marriage, my father, the job that should be mine without fucking strings. My life was shit. Then there was Della. Sweet, sexy fun Della and I couldn’t touch her. She was off limits to me now. “I don’t think I’m gonna ever forget the taste of her.” My drunken tongue was loose. It was a good thing Jace was the only one standing around to hear me.

“The job with your dad is worth all this?” Jace asked. I knew he was thinking I was a weak sonuvabitch. I wasn’t strong enough to break free.

“I’m not Tripp. I can’t just leave it all behind. Unlike him I want this life. I want that job. It’s mine, dammit.”

Jace nodded and reached out to take the whiskey I’d just been served and was about to down. “I said I was cutting you off. Let’s get you out of here for a few minutes. The cool night air might sober you up enough to go speak to guests and actually act like you want this job you’re willing to let control your life.”

I started to follow him. Getting out of here sounded great. “Where’s Bethy?” I asked, looking around for his other half.

“She’s with Della in the kitchen working. She didn’t want to come to this tonight and asked if I minded if she worked instead.”

Della was in the kitchen? I paused outside the ballroom and looked down the hall toward the door that led to the kitchen. Della was in there. I needed to apologize. Explain. Something.

“I need to go find Della. She needs to understand,” I said, turning to head for the kitchen.

Jace’s hand clamped down on my shoulder. “No man. That’s a real bad idea. You’re engaged and Della is your employee. Draw a line and stay behind it.”

“I already drew the damn line when I put that ring on Angelina’s finger. I just want to explain it to her. She doesn’t understand.” I’d fucked her then I’d told her I was getting engaged and she’d run off. I couldn’t keep picturing the look on her face. It was killing me.

“Do you think it’s gonna do any good? What will it accomplish? Leave the girl alone.”

He didn’t understand. I shook my head and walked to the kitchen.

“I think Tripp likes her. I think she’ll be the reason he comes home. He might not have thought it through when he sent her here but he had other reasons. He’s never let anyone live in his condo before. She’s different.”

I stopped. My chest ached and my stomach felt as if it were being twisted. Tripp liked Della? He was free to travel the world with her. He didn’t have responsibilities or goals in life. He just wanted to be. Just like Della.

I leaned against the wall and stared at the kitchen doors. What good would explaining this bullshit do? Nothing. It was still the same. I wasn’t the man she was looking for. We wanted two different things out of life and amazing sex didn’t last forever.

The doors to the kitchen swung open and my event coordinator, Macy Kemp, came walking out with her hand firmly clasped around Della’s wrist pulling her as she stalked toward me. I opened my mouth to tell her to let Della go but Macy was already talking.

“The lead singer is allergic to shellfish. No one told me this, Woods. No one. I would have warned him off the dips and salads if I’d known.” She shook her head and cursed. “He’s just left in an ambulance but the idiot will be fine. I’ve fixed it; so we should be good.” She began walking again and dragged Della behind her. The panicked look on Della’s face snapped me out of my confused tipsy state. I didn’t like seeing Della upset and why the hell was Macy pulling on her like that?

“What are you doing with Della?” I demanded.

Macy looked at Della and then smiled at me. “We needed a new lead singer. Band can’t play without one. I was in complete disaster mode when I walked in on this one singing in the bathroom while she was washing her hands. The girl can blow.”

Not a good choice of words. My slacks suddenly became tighter and Della’s face flushed. I couldn’t look away from her. “You’re singing?” I asked.

She shrugged.

“Yes, she’s singing. What part of I heard her singing and I need a lead singer didn’t you understand? First, I’ve got to get her changed into something more appropriate. No time. Let your father know the band will start up in ten minutes.” Macy continued on her way and Della followed quickly behind her.

“She’s singing at what is basically your engagement party,” Jace said from behind me. I’d forgotten...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 11



Della

If there was any possible way I could get out of this without quitting I would. I had been singing all my life, in my house. But then that had been to escape my mother and my reality. Not in front of people. I loved to sing and the mirror and hairbrush had been my companions most of my life while I sang to my pretend audience. That had been fantasy.

I had never been sure my singing was even decent. My mother had loved to hear me sing but she had never been a good judge of anything.

I had opened my mouth to explain this to the lady who had introduced herself as “Macy Kemp, The Kerrington Club event coordinator” but she hadn’t let me say much. Instead, she informed the kitchen I was being used elsewhere and began dragging me behind her.

I had expected Woods to stop this insanity when he’d seen us but he hadn’t. He had appeared as confused as I felt but he hadn’t stopped this.

I looked down at the short, clingy, silver dress I was now wearing. The back was out and the neckline dipped low in the front. I felt bare. In more ways than one.

“They won’t be looking at you much. They are too busy in their little elitist herds. You just sing so they’ll have music and can dance if they want to,” Macy informed me as she shoved me up the steps toward the skeptical band members. I couldn’t say that I blamed them.

“You’re our replacement?” one asked with a hiss of annoyance in his voice.

“At least they’ll be looking at her body and won’t hear how bad we sound,” another grumbled and pulled his guitar strap over his head.

“What can you sing, sugar?” an older guy with a balding head asked.

I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t ask for this. I met each of their angry and annoyed glares with one of my own. I’d heard them earlier. They weren’t that good. Who did they think they were treating me like I was here to screw up their lives on purpose? If their lead singer had paid attention to his allergies this wouldn’t have happened.

I walked past each of them before turning to look at the one who had condescendingly asked me what I could sing. “I can sing anything you throw at me,” I replied then walked out on stage like the diva I was not.

The familiar tune of Adele’s “Someone Like You,” began to play and I was equally relieved I knew the words and sick at my stomach because the popularity of the song was drawing attention from the guests. I had been hoping to be ignored.

I joined the piano with the first melancholy lyrics.

Instead of looking out at the ballroom, I locked eyes with the piano player of the group. The approval in his eyes flashed with excitement and relief as I sang each line.

Just as I had in my room growing up, I blocked out everything else around me and I got lost in the lyrics and the music. This had been my way of coping with the craziness of my life. I used it now to deal with the reality of my life.

We moved on to “Ain’t No Other Man”, the Christina Aguilera version. It got the room to wake up some with the fun tune. So far I had managed not to make eye contact with Woods although I knew exactly where he was standing. I could feel his eyes on me.

“Can you harmonize?” the lead guitar asked me.

I nodded and he looked back at the other members and nodded.

Lady Antebellum’s “Just A Kiss” started up.

We had successfully made it to the bridge when I glanced out over the room to see Woods dancing with a tall elegant blonde. I knew I needed to look away. Seeing him and having an image of him with her on my brain would drive me crazy. But I couldn’t. She smiled up at him and talked as he looked over her shoulder at nothing really. He seemed cold. Nothing like the guy I’d been with.

This time he must have felt my eyes on him because he turned his head my way and our gazes met. Each word sounded like I was singing to him. I wasn’t. I couldn’t be. But it felt that way. As the song came to an end I tore my eyes off him and swore to myself I wouldn’t look his way again.

An hour later I’d conquered everything they’d thrown at me. Even the Bruno Mars songs. The pianist slapped me on the back and beamed at me as I walked off the stage.

“You killed it, sugar,” the balding bass player called out.

“Anytime you want to join us you’re welcome. Sure can’t sing duets with JJ,” the lead guitarist said. I assumed JJ must be the lead singer.

I threw one last smile over my shoulder. I wasn’t sticking around. I needed to be alone. Watching Woods hold his fiancée had been difficult. She’d been beautiful and perfect. She’d looked safe in his arms. I understood how that felt. Something about being with Woods made you feel safe. I envied her.

Spring Break was in full swing in Rosemary and Bethy hadn’t been exaggerating. This place was filled up with people. I worked five days a week and most days I worked two shifts. The money was good and I enjoyed working with everyone. Seeing Woods was easier now.

We managed to treat each other with polite indifference. It hurt sometimes when I thought he was watching me and I’d turn to look at him to find he hadn’t been looking my way after all. I wasn’t sure why I tortured myself with it. He shouldn’t be looking at me. He was engaged. My body, however, wanted him to look at me because it wasn’t aware just how off limits Woods was.

Today I was finally off work and so was Bethy. We had a day on the beach planned. I was excited about spending the day in the sun. It was warmer now than when I’d arrived a couple of weeks ago. Bethy wanted me to come to her condo to go to the beach because she was on the club’s private beach. Fewer people. I’d invited Violet to join us after her lunch shift and Bethy had mentioned inviting another cart girl named Carmen who got off later today too.

I glanced down at my last text as I pulled up to the condos where Bethy lived.

“Down at the beach. I have you a spot saved!”

I reached back and grabbed my beach bag then stepped out of the car. Looking up at the building in front of me I was in awe. This place was super elite. It was on club property and I knew after working here a couple of weeks that this place had to cost a fortune. Bethy’s cart girl paycheck didn’t even begin to cover the cost of this. Which meant either she got a deal because she worked there or Jace helped with the rent. Maybe a little of both.

I walked over to the boardwalk and then down to the warm sand. There were more people than I expected out here. I slipped my sunglasses on and then looked for Bethy. I saw her when she stood up and began waving her arms in the air.

Smiling, I headed down to the two bright, colorful beach towels she had laid out. Then I noticed Jace on the other side of Bethy as she sat back down. I looked around her and noticed another towel but it was empty although it had obviously been used.

“Glad you made it.” Bethy beamed up at me. “This towel is yours. Thad’s got that one behind us. He’s out in the water.”

Thad. I could deal with Thad. I’d prefer Grant but Thad would do fine. At least it wasn’t Woods. But then, I doubted he came out here to lay on the beach during work hours.

“Thanks for inviting me,” I told her as I put my bag down and dug out my sunblock. I’d already put one coating on before I left the condo but this sun was intense. I felt the need to put more on now that I was out here.

“Don’t thank me yet. I hadn’t been expecting Thad to join us. You may be wishing you hadn’t come. I’m hoping he leaves you alone.”

I smiled, thinking that Thad rarely left any female alone. Pulling off my cover-up I folded it and put it in my bag. I sank down onto the fluffy pink and yellow towel Bethy had brought for me to lay on.

“I’ve never swam in the ocean before,” I said as I rubbed the lotion into my skin and watched the people out in the water. “I thought it might still be too cold but they seem to be enjoying it.”

Bethy let out a small laugh. “It’s freezing. I won’t go near it until mid-May. But a lot of people like it that way. If you’ve never done it, then go test it out.”

That was something I wanted to do. It was a part of living that I wanted to experience. I also wanted to surf but even with my inexperience I was pretty sure it required a lot more wave power to surf. Those waves weren’t very high.

“Go on out there and try it. Don’t let me stop you,” Bethy urged.

I smiled over at her and stood back up to walk the short distance to the water’s edge.

The first splash of water to cover my feet was shockingly cold. I managed to stifle my squeal and force myself to stand there. My feet slowly sank into the wet sand and after a minute or so the water wasn’t so cold. I eased in further and had to stop again once the water crashed across my calves.

“It’s easier if you just go all in and get the initial shock over with,” the familiar deep voice said from behind me. I guess Woods did make it down to the beach on occasion. I glanced over my shoulder to look at him. I was glad for the safety of my sunglasses.

“Is that so?” I asked.

He was standing on the shore wearing a pair of white board shorts and no shirt. His already dark skin looked even more sun kissed against the white shorts. That...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 12



Woods

There were orders I needed to make that Juan, the head chef, had placed on my desk yesterday. Phone calls I needed to return and a fiancée determined to get me to decide on a date for our wedding. Was I doing any of those things? No. I was torturing myself instead.

Della needed a bigger bikini top and Thad was about to lose the use of both his hands. Grinding my teeth I tore my eyes off Thad rubbing sunblock on Della’s back and shoulders. Thad had managed to get her to go into the water with him. I had sat here and watched every agonizing second of it. Her squeals of laughter and Thad’s need to keep touching her had jealousy raging through my veins. I had no right to be jealous. We’d had hot sex. That was it. I knew nothing else about her. But I wanted to.

I wanted to know where she was from. It was obviously the south. I wanted to know if she had brothers and sisters. Who gave her those blue eyes that I’d seen gazed over with pleasure? Did she like to dance? Where had she learned to sing like that? She’d completely blown me away at the Delamar event. There was so much I’d never get a chance to know.

“Your shoulders are looking pink. I’d have thought with your complexion that you’d be used to the sun.” Thad said and I couldn’t keep my eyes from shifting back to look at her shoulders. He was right; they were pink.

I stood up and walked over to the rental stand.

“Give me an umbrella,” I told the young guy I’d hired only two weeks ago before the Spring Break rush hit.

“Yes sir,” he nodded, “you want me to go put it in the sand for you too sir?”

No. I wanted to do this myself. “I got it. Thanks.”

I took the umbrella. My eyes locked with Della’s when I turned to walk back that way. She was watching me curiously. Thad was saying something in her ear but she wasn’t paying attention to him. Her complete focus was on me.

“Move,” I ordered Thad giving him little time to actually follow my command before shoving the pole to the umbrella into the sand and starting the circular motion it took to get it to burrow deep enough so that it stood up and didn’t fly away.

“The umbrella isn’t gonna reach you from there,” Bethy said with a smirk.

“Didn’t get it for me.”

“Oh, you got it for me? How sweet but I’m working on a tan,” Bethy replied thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Then move over. Della’s shoulders are pink.” There I’d said it. She’d wanted me to admit it so I had. Let Della think about that one for a minute.

“You got it for me?” Della asked. I could hear the surprise in her voice and I didn’t look up at her until I had the umbrella secure.

“Yeah,” was my only response before I walked over and picked up my towel. It was time I left. She didn’t want me here and I shouldn’t be.

“Thank you,” she called out as I started to leave. I nodded without looking her way.

“You leaving?’ Jace asked.

“I have some work to do.”

“Don’t forget Friday night at the Sun Club,” Bethy said grinning up at Jace who chuckled and shook his head.

It was Jace’s birthday and Bethy was determined to celebrate it with a night of partying at the only club in town. She’d rented out the place with a little help from Grant who was friends with the owner. It was invite only.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I replied.

***

A night of drinking, dancing and karaoke was not something that interested Angelina. But at least I’d done my duty and invited her. She’d quickly said no and made up the excuse that she needed to fly to New York to get fitted for her wedding dress. That would take a few days so I was all for it.

Bethy had gone all out on the decorations. Shot glasses had been glued to the back of a large piece of wood to spell out twenty-four. There was a small light in each shot glass so the effect was pretty damn cool. I spoke to a few people as I passed but I was scanning the room for Della.

I was going to try and talk to her one more time tonight. Watching her laugh and talk to Thad and Grant like they were old friends was about to kill me. I wanted that too. I knew she wasn’t seeing either one of them but they were getting to know her. Grant had said something about Della wanting to learn to golf and I’d been instantly jealous that he knew something personal about her. Something I didn’t know.

“You know Woods, once you get engaged it’s expected for you to show up with your fiancée to events,” Bethy said as she stopped in front of me and held out a shot of something that looked like whiskey.

“She had to go to New York,” I replied and took the glass from her hand.

“Hmmm, interesting,” Bethy drawled then walked away.

I downed the shot and set the glass on the bar. Della came walking out of the ladies room and I took a minute to appreciate her tiny blue jean shorts and those boots I’d seen on her once before. I knew exactly how she looked in nothing but the boots. The black lacy top she was wearing was strapless and when she raised her arms even a little a small sliver of her stomach would show.

The girl sure knew how to dress to drive a man insane.

“Stop lusting, bro. You sealed your fate already,” Grant said with a chuckle as he walked up to me.

“I’m not married yet,” I muttered and shot him an annoyed glare before looking back at Della.

“No, but you will be. If you’d wanted Della more than the VP job you’d already have her. You made that choice and I’ve known you long enough to know you’re sticking with it.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

Grant crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me. “Really? How so?”

I didn’t want to explain how I felt about Della to him. This wasn’t his business. He out of all people should know what it feels like to want someone you know is a really bad idea. He’d been there, done that, and gotten burned. He just didn’t know that I knew about it. He thought it was a big secret. Nothing with Nannette was a secret. Ever. His former step-sister was all kinds of fucked up evil. He’d known that most of his life. This thing that I had with Della was different but just as impossible.

“You know just how complicated things can get, Grant. I know you do,” I said in a low voice meant only for his ears.

Grant’s eyes narrowed then he smirked, although it wasn’t an amused one. More of a disgusted one. “Who told you?” he asked.

No one had told me. I’d watched it happen. Not much went on in my club that I didn’t see or hear about. “No one else knows. I saw it. I don’t think anyone else did.”

Grant’s face looked sour. “It’s over.”

I nodded. “I figured. No one can stay close to her for long.”

We stood in silence and both watched Della. When her eyes finally turned and met mine, I decided to make my move. We were talking tonight. I wasn’t letting her blow me off again. Not this time.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 13



Della

I shouldn’t have looked at him so long but I hadn’t been able to keep pretending he wasn’t staring at me. In a weak moment I met his steady gaze and saw the sadness in his eyes. He had secrets hidden inside. I knew what that felt like. The stupid part of me wanted to reach out and help him.

Luckily the smart rational part of me knew that he was walking this way and I needed to move. He would want to explain again. I didn’t need his explanation. I understood. Tonight was about having fun with new people. Not me running off to find a dark hole to hide in if my crazy started to break through.

I only made it two steps before his large hand wrapped around my upper arm. “Please, Della. Don’t. I just want to talk.”

Again with the sadness. It was even in his voice. He was hurting somehow. I’d hurt for so long all alone. Identifying pain in others was easy for me. I was drawn to it in some strange perverse way.

“What do you want, Woods?” I asked without looking at him.

“To talk. I just want to talk.”

He wanted to talk. Fine. We could talk if it would give him some closure. Maybe ease that sadness in his eyes that haunted me. “Okay. But we talk in here.” Being alone with him wasn’t going to happen.

“Fair enough,” he replied.

I finally turned around and stared up at him. He really was beautiful. Sometimes it was easy to ignore. But up close when he was completely focused on me it was harder. I’d seen those eyes glowing with passion. I knew what his mouth tasted like and I had heard his cries of pleasure. I never would again, but those memories were hard to forget.

“Come sit with me,” he said, gently pulling my arm toward an empty table in the corner.

I took the seat across from him putting the safety of the small cocktail table between us. He had something he wanted to say and the sooner he said it the sooner I could get away from him.

“What is it you want to talk to me about?” I asked.

Woods ran his thumb over his bottom lip thoughtfully and I jerked my eyes away from his face. I didn’t want to look at those lips and remember.

“About the other night. I was trying to be honest with you, and I screwed it up. I shouldn’t have let you leave without explaining everything to you.”

I knew sitting down that this was the only thing we had to talk about. It still didn’t ease the pain that came with it. I had been so open and free with him. And no, he hadn’t been honest.

“If you had been honest you wouldn’t have had sex with me before telling me you were about to get engaged. I didn’t even know you were in a relationship. And one so serious! Were you with her back when we… the night we… met?”

He rested both his elbows on the table and leaned forward.

“No. I wasn’t. It isn’t a real relationship, Della. Not like you think it is. It’s a business deal. Her father’s company merging with my father’s. We aren’t exclusive… or we weren’t until I gave her the ring.”

A business transaction? What? “I don’t understand,” I finally replied.

Woods let out a soft bitter laugh. “You wouldn’t because it’s screwed up. My grandfather built the Kerrington Club. It’s been successful down here but it isn’t in the big leagues. The Greystone name being joined with the Kerrington name would open doors for my father… and me, that couldn’t be opened before.”

Greystone? Where had I heard that before? “Your fiancée is a Greystone?” I asked, trying to understand what he was telling me.

“Yeah, she is the only heir to the Greystone name. Her father and mine see this as a winning solution for them both. I will one day control not only Kerrington but the Greystone empire as well.”

Wow. So, people really did marry for reasons as shallow as this. Is that why he seemed sad? “Does she make you happy?” I asked, watching his face for any sign of an answer instead of listening to just his words.

“No. But she wants this arrangement as well,” he replied. The regret etched in his face hurt my heart. I didn’t like that he’d had sex with me without telling me all this but I still didn’t want him to be so sad. We only got one life and that was it. I knew that better than most. I’d lost the first part of my life locked away. He would lose the last part in a very similar situation. His heart would be locked away. Unused.

“This is what you want?” I finally asked.

He didn’t reply right away. Instead he stared at me intensely. My heart picked up its pace and I realized it always would around Woods. He had connected with it and I couldn’t stop that. I had tried.

“Yes, and no. I want what I’ve grown up knowing would be mine. I want to take my rightful place in my family’s business. I’ve worked hard for this. But… I don’t want Angelina.”

His eyes said more than they should. I dropped my gaze and stared at my hands resting in my lap. I had a decision to make. I could continue to push Woods away or I could forgive him. I could be his friend. Nothing more. He’d given me a job when I needed one. I would leave soon. The day would come when I left anyway. Until then, maybe I could share memories and moments with Woods. We could find the happiness in life together. New experiences. His last taste of freedom and my first taste.

Lifting my eyes, I met his steady gaze. He was waiting on something from me. “Can we be friends? Even after everything else? We could just start over,” I suggested.

The muscles in Woods’ neck moved as he swallowed. I wondered if I’d read him wrong. If he had just been needing closure and nothing more. But his eyes said something different. “I’d like that.”

Smiling, I reached my hand out toward him. “Hello, I’m Della Sloane.”

A crooked grin touched Woods perfect face and he slipped his hand into mine. “Woods Kerrington. It’s nice to meet you Della.”

His warm touch caused me to shiver and I pulled my hand away and stood up. “I’m going to get a drink. Save me a dance tonight.”

He nodded. “Without a doubt.”

Bethy met me at the bar. I had planned to take a deep calming breath after getting far enough from Woods to think this through. But instead I managed to smile at her like nothing was wrong.

“Can I ask what the handshake was about?” Bethy said, sitting down on the stool beside me and ordering two lemon drop shots.

“We’re starting over. This time I know he’s engaged and we’re going to be friends.”

Bethy nodded but I could see the disbelief in her eyes.

“Really, we are. Nothing more,” I assured her.

The bartender slid both of the pale yellow drinks our way.

“I believe that you believe that. But Woods doesn’t want Angelina. So you see if I’m skeptical about him keeping it friendly between the two of you, I have reason.”

Even Bethy knew he didn’t want to marry Angelina. I didn’t understand this. Would it be so bad not to connect his name with hers?

“It just seems like he’s sacrificing his happiness for money and gain. I don’t think that will end well.”

Bethy threw back her shot and then wiped a drop off her bottom lip with the pad of her thumb. “It will be a disaster. He’ll be miserable. But he thinks this is what he wants out of life. No one can convince him otherwise. In their world of money and power this is what they do. It’s why Tripp took off running. He didn’t want to play that game.”

Tripp? He’d had that kind of ultimatum too? But he’d left. He’d run. He hadn’t sacrificed his happiness. He was living. There was no cage holding him in. Cages were suffocating. I hated the idea of Woods living in one.

“I’m just passing through. While I’m here I think we can be friends. I like him. I want to get to know him. When I have his memory to pull out one day and think about I don’t want it to be just the sex. I want to know the man. Is that wrong?”

Bethy picked up my lemon drop and handed it to me. “No. It’s not. Now, drink up. I need someone to get the karaoke going and- tag you’re it.”

I shook my head. “Oh, no. Not me.”

Bethy nodded. “Yes, you. I’ve heard about your amazing vocal skills. It’s time I heard them. Come on, do it for me. Please.”

I took the shot glass and quickly downed the tangy drink.

 

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Twisted Perfection Page 14



Woods

Grant took Della’s seat when she walked away.

“I take it that means you two made amends,” Grant said as he put his beer down on the table.

“We’re friends,” I replied. Not real sure how that was going to work but I was going to make sure it did.

“Friends,” Grant replied and nodded his head as if he agreed. The look on his face though was amused though. “Good luck with that.”

His comment pissed me off, but he was right. I needed all the luck I could get. Keeping a straight head around her was going to be hard.

“Thanks.”

Grant chuckled. “Looks like you think that’s as impossible as I do.”

I started to respond when Bethy walked up on the stage. “It’s time for some karaoke. Now that you’ve all had some free liquor you can sing for your drinks. Don’t worry I won’t make you come up here, yet. You have an entire song to drink enough until coming up here sounds like a good idea. Della has agreed to sing first because she doesn’t have to be drunk to sound badass.”

I shifted my eyes to Della who was looking up at Bethy like she wanted to crawl under a table. I wanted to go save her from this but I sure as hell wasn’t about to go sing. I’d never live it down.

“I got this,” Grant said and jumped up. I watched him saunter over to Della and say something that made her beam up at him. Stupid fucker. What was he doing?

Della slid her hand into his and they walked up to the stage together. He was gonna sing with her. He hadn’t sung in front of a crowd since high school.

Della looked relieved not to be up there alone.

The lyrics to “Picture” by Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock came up on the screen. He was going with a Kid song. Not surprising; he always liked singing Kid Rock songs.

The familiar sound began pouring through the speakers. Grant’s voice joined it and I let myself watch Della. She was impressed with his singing. Most people were. Until they heard Rush Finlay sing. Rush and Grant were step-brothers once for a few short years. But it had been enough to bond them. I never understood why Rush didn’t sing anymore because it had drawn the girls for miles when he was younger. Maybe it was the fact he didn’t want to be his father. He didn’t want to be compared to him. Rush’s father was the famous drummer from Slack Demon.

Grant hadn’t minded using his vocal skills to attract the girls though.

Della began her part of the song and the room went quiet. She was amazing. I’d been completely floored when she’d opened her mouth to sing at the Delamar Ball. This was one of the things I wanted to know more about. She had to have been singing for a long time.

“I’m just throwing this out there. I’m making a move on her. Your ass is engaged. So, you can get all pissed and shit but I’m still making a move. She’s hot and completely worth the ass kicking.” Thad informed me. I glared at him as he sat down across from me and shrugged before looking back up at the stage.

She was too smart to get mixed up with Thad. He wasn’t her type.

“If she doesn’t end up in Grant’s bed tonight. He’s looking like he’s ready to move in on her.”

I watched Grant as they finished the song and he pulled her into a hug. My hands clenched tightly into fists. What was he doing?

“Bud, you look like you need reminding you got your stupid ass engaged,” Thad said standing back up.

Della’s hands were resting on Grant’s arms just a little too comfortably and long. Della’s gaze left Grant’s face and her eyes found me. Immediately her hands fell away and she stepped away from Grant after flashing him one more smile. Then she turned and left the stage.

I watched her as she made her way through the crowd. She was headed for the back hallway that led to the restrooms. I didn’t think about it too hard. I just went with it. Standing up, I followed her.

She had already disappeared into the restroom when I got back there so I waited. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. We’d just agreed to become friends so pushing her back into that small one stall bathroom and taking her up against the wall again wasn’t a good idea. I was positive she wouldn’t be so willing anymore. Which burned like acid down my throat. I’d had her. I could have had more.

Staring at the door, I decided this was a bad move. Another mistake. I shouldn’t be back here. I wanted to get to know Della and this wasn’t the way to do it. She’d push me away if I even attempted anything.

I stalked back down the hallway away from the temptation.

“Woods?” Della’s voice stopped me. I couldn’t go back there. I looked back at her over my shoulder.

“Hey. You did great up there. Sheryl Crow is hard to sing.”

She blushed. “Thank you. It was fun. I’d been nervous when Bethy had asked me to but I’m glad I did.”

“I’m glad you did too.”

She walked toward me. “How about that dance now?”

I wanted to dance with her. I wanted that memory. That experience. I held out my hand to her and she placed hers in mine. I stared down at her small hand and my chest felt like it was stretching. The tightness that surrounded me only grew stronger as I closed my hand around hers and led her out to the dance floor.

I could feel eyes on me but right now I didn’t give a shit. They could look. They could judge me. This was what I wanted and until I said “I do” I was going to spend time getting to know Della. If I didn’t, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.

Jimmy had taken the mic and had just started singing “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. I was thankful for a slower song. That meant I’d get to pull her closer.

Della slid her hands up my arms and rested them there. She didn’t slip them behind my neck and press close to me.

“You smell good,” she said softly. I almost missed it she’d spoke so quietly.

“Not as good as you smell, trust me,” I replied and she tensed as my hands tightened their grip on her waist. “It’s the truth, Della. I’ve told you before that you smell incredible. Don’t get all uptight because I’m being honest.”

She relaxed a little. “Okay, you’re right. No harm in thinking your friends smell good.” The teasing tone in her voice was cute.

“Is there a rule that says since we’re friends you can’t wrap your hands around my neck?”

Della paused a moment then her hands slid up and over my shoulders. They rested on my shoulders. “I’m not tall enough for them to go any further. Even in these boots.”

“This is good,” I assured her and pulled her closer. “Where are you from Della Sloane?”

She laughed. “You could easily look on the application that you had me fill out to find that information.”

She was right. I could. “But I want to hear it from you. I don’t want to read it off your file.”

Della tilted her head to the side and studied me a moment. “Macon, Georgia”

I’d have guessed Alabama or Georgia. Her accent was thick. “Do you have brothers or sisters?”

A melancholy look came over her face and she shook her head no. “No.” That simple ‘no’ sounded like so much more. She wasn’t telling me something.

“You don’t seem like an only child. The carefree, travel the world choice of yours is more like something the baby of a family would do.”

Della smiled but it was one that held secrets. I wondered if I’d ever know those secrets.

“I’m not carefree. Not even close. But I want to be. I’m hoping one day I’ll know what that feels like. Right now I’m trying to find me. You know what you want out of life, I don’t. I have no idea.”

What I wanted out of life? Did I know? Was it even the same anymore? “I know a lot less than you think I do.”

She smirked. “Is that so?”

Kissing those sexy little lips was tempting. Oh so tempting. “When’s your birthday?” I asked instead of responding to her remark.

Della sighed and she looked away from me. “April sixth. When is yours?”

“December tenth. What’s your favorite color?”

She giggled. “Blue. Pale blue. What’s yours?”

“A month ago I would have said red but I’ve changed my mind. I like blue now too.”

“Why?” she cocked an eyebrow and gazed up at me.

I wasn’t about to tell her it was because her eyes were blue. She’d get all tense on me again. “A guy can change his mind. I’m allowed to like blue now.” I didn’t give her time to think about that. “Who was your first grade teacher?” I asked quickly to distract her. Della stopped dancing and she backed away from me. Her eyes appeared almost glassy. Had I said something wrong? Had she figured out why I had said blue was my favorite color?

“I need a drink,” she said with a wobbly nervous smile then darted off away from me.

How could I upset her by asking her about her first grade teacher? There was something deep in her eyes that told a story I feared I’d never know.

 

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Twisted Perfection Page 15



Della

It was a simple question. Sweet, really, that he’d even care. Had anyone ever cared about such trivial things concerning me before? I had never been asked such personal innocent questions. But he’d asked about my teacher and all I could see was my mother.

Sit here Della. Don’t look out the window. You have to do this work. To be smart you need to read Shakespeare. He will remind you how dangerous the world can be.

I shook my head to clear the memories. I couldn’t do this here. Not now.

It’s dark out there Della. Bad things are in the dark. Lock your windows and doors and stay tucked in tight. The monster under your bed will hear you if you get up.

No momma. Go away.

“Della, don’t go outside again tonight. The bad is out there waiting on you. Stay with me. Your brother worries about you. He doesn’t want you hurt. Be safe in your bed.”

“Della, are you okay?” Strong arms were pulling me close. I went willingly. I needed away from her. I didn’t want to remember that night. I knew I would if she stayed in my head too long.

“I’ve got her. Move.” Woods’ voice sent warmth through me. I was breaking free from the memories. They weren’t taking me this time.

Cool night airbrushed my face and I realized I was being carried. I took a deep calming breath and the tightness in my chest was gone. Woods had brought me out of it. I hadn’t been left to remember alone.

I blinked several times and my eyes came back into focus. The darkness was gone.

Woods sat down on a bench along the beach boardwalk and kept me firmly in his lap. “You’re back,” he said simply.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to tell him what had just happened.

“Good,” he said simply and brushed my hair out of my face with his free hand. He still held me cradled against his chest with his other.

“Thank you.”

Woods’ mouth was in a tight line. He was concerned. I’d scared him. I started to sit up and he held me tighter. “You’re not getting up until you tell me something.”

My stomach knotted up. I’d never told anyone other than Braden and she knew why. I couldn’t tell Woods. I didn’t talk about it.

“You don’t have to tell me why that just happened. But does it happen often?”

This wasn’t a fair question. Telling him the truth without telling him about my past would only make him think I was crazy. Maybe I was. No one was sure yet. I could be… she was crazy. I could be too. It was my greatest fear, that I’d snap one day too. Just like she had. I wanted to live life because if that day came I wanted to have lived once.

“They’re triggered by certain things,” I told him and moved to get out of his arms again. He let me go this time. I was grateful and yet wished he had fought to hold me longer. Because I needed affection from someone after I had these episodes. It helped me recover quicker.

“I triggered it?” he asked.

I shrugged and looked out at the gulf instead of at him. His question had triggered it. I wasn’t going to tell him that though.

We sat there in silence for a few minutes. I knew his mind was running through all kinds of possibilities and none of them would be accurate.

“I want to know you, Della. I don’t want to stop asking you questions. Next time maybe you can ask me questions that you don’t mind me asking you. That way I won’t ask the wrong thing.”

He wanted to know me. My chest felt like it might burst. Tears stung my eyes and I blinked them back. I couldn’t cry on him now. “Okay,” I replied hoarsely.

Woods’ hand reached over and covered mine, holding it firmly in his. He didn’t look at me. His eyes stared straight ahead at the waves crashing on the shore. When his fingers threaded through mine I let him. That simple touch was all I needed. Being here with him pushed back all the darkness. All the pain and sorrow was forgotten. I was okay. It felt good.

“Woods? Is she okay?” Bethy’s voice called out and we both turned to look back at her walking out of the club and toward us.

“She thinks you had too much to drink,” Woods said quietly beside me. I had forgotten about what everyone else thought of me.

“I’m fine,” I told her as she walked up to us.

“Oh thank God. I was sure I’d made you sick with those lemon shots. They can be fierce if you aren’t used to them.”

“She just got overheated. That mixed with the alcohol. The cool air brought her around,” Woods explained for me.

Bethy’s relief was all over her face. “Thanks Woods. I can stay with her if you want to go back inside.”

Woods’ hand tightened around mine. “No, I’m good right here. I needed a break too.”

Bethy looked worried but finally nodded and went back inside.

Once she was gone I glanced up at Woods. He was watching me. “Thank you for your help tonight. If you hadn’t stepped in that could have been really embarrassing.”

Woods’ frown was etched with concern. “I’m glad I was there. What’s bothering me is the fact that you’re traveling all alone. What happens when you’re by yourself and this… this happens. Who helps you then?”

No one. I managed. “I normally get away before it hits me hard and I deal with it.”

Woods pulled my hand closer to his leg and instead of saying more or arguing with me about that being a bad idea he turned his attention back to the dark water.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 16



Woods

“You need to get back into Jace’s party and I think I’m going to go back to the condo. I’m tired.” Della’s soft voice broke into my thoughts.

I wanted to keep her here with me so I could watch her and make sure she was okay. But I knew that wasn’t an option.

“I’ll drive you. Grant and I will get your car back to the condo for you later.” I wasn’t letting her drive back alone tonight. For my own sanity I needed to see her safely inside.

“You don’t have to do that. I’m okay. Really I am,” she argued letting go of my hand and standing up.

She might be okay but I wasn’t. “I’m driving you,” I repeated and stood up to tower in front of her. “Please. I’ll worry all night if you don’t let me.”

A smile touched her pink lips and she nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

I touched the small of her back because I needed to touch her somehow. The connection reminded me that she was fine now. I led her to my truck and helped her get in on the passenger side. The memory of throwing her inside once before only served to make me even more obsessive to keep her safe.

She wasn’t mine and she never would be but that didn’t change the way I felt. I’d become possessive of her. I wanted her safe and happy. Tonight had scared the shit out of me. Something wasn’t right with Della. The desire to fix it for her was strong and impossible to ignore. What could have happened to her to make her withdraw like that? She’d been completely unresponsive. Like she was just checked out.

Once I was inside the truck, I glanced over at her to make sure she was buckled up. Seeing her tonight was going to haunt me. I wasn’t sure how the hell I was supposed to move on after that.

“Thanks for your help tonight. I hope I didn’t freak you out too bad,” Della said glancing over at me.

I needed to respond but what did I say? You’re welcome and you completely fucked with my head? I couldn’t say that but I needed to say something.

“I’ll always help you but I’m not going to lie to you. After tonight, I’m concerned. I don’t want to drop you off and leave you alone in that damn condo. I want to take you back to my place and take care of you.”

I chanced a quick peek at her before looking back at the road. She was biting her bottom lip nervously. She didn’t say anything right away. I waited for her to say something. Anything. But she remained quiet. I tried not to think about it and that was proving impossible. I was never going to get the image of her face out of my head.

“I have to learn to live on my own. Live without help. That’s why I’m on this road trip. I need to find myself and make a life for me…” she trailed off before finishing.

Who told her she needed to figure out how to handle this by herself and what the fuck had happened to her to make her like this?

I reached over and grabbed her hand with mine. “Call me. Anytime. If you need someone, call me.”

She nodded. Her hand flipped over in mine and she squeezed it. “Thank you.”

I pulled in front of Tripp’s condo wishing I’d taken a longer route. Della slipped her hand from mine and opened the door.

“I had fun dancing,” she said before stepping out of my truck and closing the door behind her. I waited until I saw her safely inside the condo before pulling away.

My mother had called me three times already this morning. I had promised to come to their beach house for a Sunday lunch with the Greystones and apparently she didn’t trust me to show up. When my cell phone started ringing in my pocket I intended to ignore it. I was on my fucking way to their beach house. She needed to back the hell off.

The fact it could be Della had me caving in and pulling out my phone. Jace’s name lit up the screen.

“Hello.”

“Where are you?”

“Going to my parents’ beach house for lunch. Why?”

“Because I came by your office and you weren’t there. I thought maybe you were playing a round of golf.”

“No. Not today.”

Jace cleared his throat and I knew there was something more he wanted to say. This wasn’t just about me playing golf.

“I, uh, I just talked to Tripp. He’s on his way home. I think it’s because of her.”

Her being Della. Shit.

“Okay,” I replied not sure what he wanted me to say.

“They’ll both be staying in his condo.”

I hadn’t thought about that. Della sharing a condo with Tripp? Hell no.

“I don’t think I’m okay with that,” I said through clenched teeth.

Jace sighed heavily. “Come on. Man. You’re engaged. You can’t have her. If Tripp wants her you know he’d take good care of her. Just back off and let him have his chance. This may bring him home.”

Images of Della’s perfect naked body splayed out on a bed for Tripp made me want to go grab him and slam him up against the wall. She was mine. No, she wasn’t. Dammit all to hell!

“I need to go,” I growled before hanging up and chunking my phone against the car door while I let out a frustrated roar.

 

not enough patience to read this story

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 17



Della

The lunch shift was brutal on Sundays. I thought that only in Macon, Georgia did everyone with a pulse attend church. I was wrong. This was a southern thing. At exactly12:05pm, the floodgates opened and every table in the dining room had become full with a wait at the door.

I had wondered why I hadn’t been put on the lunch shift for Sunday before now. This explained it. This was ‘pros only’. I leaned against the wall in the kitchen and pushed the fallen hair out of my face. Somehow we’d survived. The last table was just finishing up and paying their tab.

“The only good thing about Sundays is the tips. I swear I’m gonna quit every week when it’s over. Then I count my money,” Jimmy said with a wink and pulled out the roll of money he had tucked in his pocket.

“That was crazy,” I agreed.

Jimmy chuckled. “Yep. Good thing is, it’s over. You can go home.”

Home. Tripp’s condo wasn’t my home. And today I wasn’t sure I was staying there any longer. I hoped my tips were really good because I might need to pack up and hit the road. Tripp had called last night to let me know he was headed home to visit. I didn’t know if that meant he wanted me to move on out now. Or if he was expecting us to share the condo.

I had bad dreams and many nights I woke myself up screaming. Sharing the condo with Tripp didn’t sound like the best idea. But leaving Rosemary didn’t sound appealing either. I liked it here. I liked Bethy and Jimmy and I liked… Woods.

“Girl stop frowning. It’s quitting time,” Jimmy said in a teasing voice as he walked by me and tossed his apron into the dirty basket.

I managed a smile and nodded. “I think I need a nap,” I replied and took off my apron too. I wouldn’t be getting a nap. There was a good chance that Tripp would be there when I got back. If not he would be later today.

“I got a hot date. No time for sleeping. See you tomorrow morning,” Jimmy called out as he left the kitchen.

I followed him. Once I was outside the clubhouse, I pulled my hair out of the bun I’d twisted it up into and let it hang free. It was giving me a headache. I wasn’t used to having my hair pulled back so tightly.

The sound of a car door slamming caught my attention and I turned around to see Woods’ truck parked in his reserved space. His fiancée was stalking around the back of the truck with fire in her eyes.

“Just one meal, Woods. Really? You can’t play nice for one goddamn meal? What is wrong with you? Am I that abhorrent to you that you can’t even be civil to me in front of our parents?” Her loud shrill voice carried across the parking lot. This was not my business and I needed to get in the car and leave. But I couldn’t. My eyes were locked on Woods as he stepped out of the truck. He looked annoyed.

“You got what you wanted. You, and our fathers, won. I caved in and agreed to this. But I don’t want it. I will never want it.” The bored tone in Woods’ voice was almost too low for me to hear. If I hadn’t been so focused on him I might not have heard his hard reply.

“Really? Well, then you don’t have to have it. Because as much as I want this thing between us to work and as much as I want a husband who will be an asset to the Greystone name, I do not want to live with a man who hates me. I can do better than that. I’m a fantastic catch, Woods Kerrington. I don’t need you,” she spat out. Her body was trembling with anger.

I felt sorry for her. She was right. No woman deserved this. The unmoved expression in his eyes looked annoyed if anything.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just had a lot on my mind today. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did at lunch. My dad pushes my buttons the way no one else can. What I said and how I acted was not because of you but because of him.”

My heart hurt. The flash of sadness in his eyes had only been there for a moment but I’d seen it. I wanted to hug him and make the sadness go away. But I couldn’t. He wasn’t mine to hug.

An elegantly manicured hand rested on his arm. The rage that had caused her to tremble just a few seconds ago was gone. Her shoulders had relaxed and her body was leaning toward him. Her voice was no longer loud enough to carry over the parking lot and I didn’t hear what she said. I only saw the acceptance on Woods’ face as he nodded. Her arm snaked around his and they walked inside the clubhouse together.

I opened my car door and tried hard not to think about the makeup sex they were probably going to have in his office. I couldn’t think about it and remain calm. My attraction to Woods was a door I needed to close. He was a friend only. The bitter taste in my mouth as I drove away and headed toward the condo only got stronger. I knew how it felt to be touched by Woods.

A familiar Harley-Davidson was in the space beside mine. Tripp was here. I had to decide what I was going to do and fast. Maybe he would ask me to leave. Maybe I wouldn’t have a choice.

I made my way to the door of the condo and started to unlock the door when I decided it was probably better to knock. I wasn’t staying here alone anymore.

I knocked and waited.

Tripp opened the door almost right away and his friendly smile turned into a frown. “You got a key. Why’re you knocking?” he asked, stepping back and letting me in.

“Well, you’re home now. I felt weird walking into your place without knocking.” I replied. This was awkward. I needed to leave.

“Me coming home to visit doesn’t change anything. You have a key, your stuff is here, you can come and go as you please. Don’t let me being here bother you.”

So he wanted me to stay? I hadn’t expected that. Not really.

“I was thinking I might pack up and hit the road. I’ve made enough money to get me further than Dallas this time.”

Tripp tilted his head to the side and lowered his eyebrows as he studied me. “You leaving because I’m here?”

Yes. “No,” I replied instead.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

Because I was lying. I shrugged.

Tripp let out a sigh and closed the door. “Come on blue eyes. You and I need to talk and I want to do it while drinking a beer and looking at the Gulf.”

I followed him as we walked down the hall and into the kitchen. He stopped and grabbed two beers out of the fridge then turned and tossed one to me. Luckily, I caught it. Tripp nodded his head toward the French doors leading out onto his balcony overlooking the water. I stepped outside first.

“Have a seat,” Tripp said as he came up behind me. The warmth of his body was startling and I quickly moved to sit down in one of the chairs sitting around the patio table.

Tripp smirked at me as if he could read my mind and took a seat in the lounger stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back. “God, I’ve missed this place. Not the people in it but the place itself.”

That was odd. Everyone I’d met missed Tripp. Did he just mean his parents or did he truly not miss anyone here?

“You enjoying it here?” he asked, turning his head to look over at me.

“Yes. It’s a nice place,” I answered truthfully.

He grinned. “Yeah, it is.”

“Why are you in Dallas then?” I asked. I’d heard from everyone else why Tripp had left but I didn’t know the whole story.

“My parents wanted me to be someone I wasn’t. I wanted freedom. So I left. I couldn’t be free here.”

But he had come back.

“I won’t be here long. The need to travel and experience life will get to me soon enough. I resigned at the bar. I’m positive Jeff is screwing the newest bartender. I can’t keep working for that man. Besides, Dallas was getting old.”

Was this his way of telling me I could stay? I wasn’t sure I wanted to. He didn’t know me. I didn’t know him really. If I stayed here he’d learn more about me than he probably wanted to know.

“I should be moving on along anyway. I’ve enjoyed staying in your place. It’s really nice.”

“Are we back to this again? I didn’t come here to run you off. I don’t want you to leave. At least not yet. You’ve only been here a few weeks. Enjoy the coast a little longer before you head out. I promise I’m a good roommate. I don’t snore and I don’t drink out of the milk carton unless it’s almost empty and I’m finishing it off.”

His teasing tone made me smile. It was time I was honest with him. I couldn’t lie my way out of this one. He’d think I didn’t like him and I couldn’t let him think that. Not after he’d been so kind to me.

“My leaving isn’t because I’m worried you’ll be a bad roommate,” I began and stopped. What did I say here? How did I explain this without sounding crazy?

“Good. Then there’s no problem,” he finished for me. That wasn’t true, however.

“Yeah, there is. I’m the problem. I’m not exactly easy to live with. I… I might not snore but I have bad dreams. They might… No, they will wake you up. I also have anxiety issues. I can hide it but if we’re living together then you’re going to end up seeing me at my worst. I, I’m...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 18



Woods

A “Welcome Home Tripp” party wasn’t exactly something I wanted to attend. That was a shame really. I liked Tripp. He was a friend. My bitterness over the fact he was home and staying in his condo with Della was overriding everything else.

I was going so that I could get her alone and talk to her about this. I didn’t want her to feel like she had to stay here if she was uncomfortable. I’d give her a fully furnished condo to stay in if she wanted it. She didn’t have to stay with Tripp.

I knocked once then walked on in. No one was going to be able to hear me over the noise anyway.

The place was packed. I scanned the crowd for Della.

“Woods, about damn time you showed up,” Tripp called out over the music that was pumping through the condo’s built in speaker system. He was sitting at the bar with Jace, Bethy, Thad, and some unknown female who was sitting in Thad’s lap. Della wasn’t anywhere in the room. Dammit.

“And he’s back,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Just for a visit. Can’t stay long. Dad will try and get a monkey suit on me if I do,” he joked. But the words were too close for comfort. I knew what it felt like to have your father’s claws imbedded deep.

“I’m trying to get him to stay. But he has it in his head he’s only visiting before his next adventure,” Jace said. I knew he was trying to ease my mind about Tripp being here. I could tell by his tone of voice. Right now, I just wanted to find Della.

“Where’s Della?” I asked, unable to pretend like I wasn’t here for her.

Tripp’s eyebrows shot up and his gaze narrowed. I ignored it and looked directly at Jace.

Jace rolled his eyes and shook his head at me.

“She’s in her room. Why?” Tripp replied.

“Why is she in her room? Is she okay?” I asked looking back at the hall that led to the two bedrooms in the condo. Both doors were shut. Which one was she staying in?

“She had a phone call and went in there so she could hear. Again, why do you care?” Tripp asked.

I wasn’t going to answer him. This wasn’t his business. He was stopping through. He said so himself.

“Woods and Della met when she passed through a few months back. They uh… they uh… hooked up. They’re friends now. He’s a little protective,” Jace explained.

“You’re engaged,” Tripp said as if I needed reminding.

I leveled my gaze on him. “I wasn’t when Della and I met. And it doesn’t stop me from caring about her. I need to make sure she’s okay,” I said, before moving across the room toward the hallway.

I opened the first door and the lights were off. I closed the door and opened the next one. Della was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed and a phone pressed to her ear. Her eyes lifted to meet mine and they widened with surprise.

She was okay and I should close the door and walk away. But I didn’t. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

“Uh, yeah. I need to go. I’ll call you later,” Della said into the phone as she watched me warily. “I’m fine. I just had company walk in and I don’t want to be rude. Okay. Yeah. I love you too. Bye.”

She pressed the end button on her phone and slowly lowered it to her lap. “Woods?” The rest of her question was left open.

“You weren’t out there.” I nodded my head toward the door. “I wanted to check on you.”

Understanding dawned on her face and she gave me a small smile that made my chest feel tight. “Thank you but you know you don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine. Really I am.”

She wasn’t fine. I wasn’t sure she’d ever been fine. I walked across the room and sat down beside her on the bed.

“I’ve wanted to come check on you since Friday night. You know you can call me if you ever need me.”

She turned her head just an inch so that she could meet my gaze. “You were busy with your fiancée this weekend. You don’t have time to worry about me.”

I had only been with Angelina today at lunch. “I’ve hardly seen Angelina this weekend,” I replied, hating saying her name to Della. It seemed wrong.

Della dropped her eyes to stare down at her hands. “I saw the two of you when I got off work today.” She didn’t say more. I thought back to the disaster of a lunch we’d had with our parents and the fight we’d had on the ride over to the club. Then I’d apologized because Angelina had been right. I was torturing us both by being an ass.

“We had lunch together,” I explained. I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to explain but I did.

“You fought and you made up. I don’t understand how you can ever be happy, Woods.” Her honest reply caused the tightness in my chest to ache.

“Me either.”

“I can’t let myself care about you anymore. I’m afraid of how I feel about you and I don’t want to get hurt.”

She was making it hard to breathe. The soft pleading in her voice was going to break me.

“I would never hurt you,” I swore. I could never hurt her. I just wanted to protect her.

“But you do. Every time I see you with her it hurts. That’s not your fault. It’s mine. I cared too much too fast. And Friday night didn’t help. It only made me care about you more.”

We had barely even had a chance to be friends. She was already putting space between us. I couldn’t let her do that. I needed her. She was the only bright spot in my life right now.

“What about our being friends?” I asked.

She shrugged and then squeezed her hands together tightly in her lap. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can. When you’re… when you’re sweet and caring like you were the other night… no one’s ever been like that with me. At least not a guy. I can’t seem to control my emotions.”

Fuck. I couldn’t lose this… this thing between us but I also didn’t want her hurt. I’d do anything to keep her from getting hurt.

“I want to be there for you when you need someone. Please don’t push me away.”

Della let out a sad laugh. “That’s just it. You can’t be there for me when I need someone. It makes my heart hurt just a little more each time. I’ll be leaving soon. Let’s just keep our distance until I go.”

Hell no. I started to tell her just that when the door opened and Tripp stepped into the room.

“You okay?” he asked Della without looking my way. I didn’t like the way he looked at her. The concern in his eyes pissed me off.

“We were just talking about my leaving soon,” she replied without looking up at him.

“You’re not leaving,” I argued. If she wanted to have this conversation in front of Tripp then we’d fucking have it.

“I can’t stay here,” she replied.

“Yes you can.”

“She doesn’t want to, Woods. And why the urgency to get her to?” Tripp said taking another step in Della’s direction.

“Stay the fuck outta this conversation, Tripp. You don’t know anything about her.” Della stood up and held up her hands to stop me from saying anymore. “Stop it.”

I looked up at her and the sadness in her eyes tugged at me. I liked seeing them twinkling with laughter. Not like this.

“You need to step back and think about this bullshit you’re doing. The Woods I remember wasn’t an insensitive jerk. Della doesn’t deserve this. You’re engaged. Whatever you feel for Della has to end. She’s leaving with me in a couple of weeks. We’re going to travel together. Why don’t you let this go, huh?”

She was leaving with him? The refusal to believe Della was going to leave with Tripp pounded in my head. Yet there she stood not denying it. Only looking sad and beaten down. Fuck this. I couldn’t keep doing this to myself. She wasn’t staying here. I had no future with Della. And if I didn’t marry Angelina I had no future in my father’s company. Tripp’s hand slipped over Della’s shoulder and he squeezed it. That was all I could handle. I stood up and stalked out of the room. I didn’t look back. I didn’t say goodbye to anyone. I just left.