“I’m going to shower at home,” he tells me. “Mer is making homemade pizza for dinner, and she might need some help.”
“Sounds good.” My friend doesn’t have a very daring palette and lives on burgers, tacos, pizza and anything non-leafy.
We bump knuckles, and I watch him walk in the opposite direction, not even giving a second glance to the juice and smoothie bar. Shame really. For him, that is. They whip up fantastic protein shakes. Just past the bar, there’s an attached restaurant where you can dine in or grab takeout if you’re short on time. All the food is farm to table, organic and always fresh. I invited him to join me there once. The look on his face. Priceless. Like I’d asked him to eat raw sea urchin. But, unlike Linc, I don’t have any dinner plans tonight or an aversion to vegetables, so I’ll probably grab something to go from there on my way out.
I turn and head into the men’s locker room.
It’s big, squeaky clean, and offers every amenity. Considering how much I pay for my membership, it should.But what can I say? I really enjoy luxurious things. The higher the price tag, the more I want it. Since I don’t have my own family, I tend to splurge on the very best. My clothes, my car, my food, my whiskey. All my tech goodies. Even my cologne. The truth is, I make more money than I’ll ever need in a lifetime, so why not enjoy it? God knows, you can’t take it with you.
I walk through the lounge area, passing the plush seating and large coolers offering water flavored with fresh fruit. It’s pretty quiet today, and the only other guy in here is leaving as I head down to the last shower.
Each stall is more like a mini bathroom, with its own sink and mirror, fresh supply of towels, and disposable goodies such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and combs. They stock high end shower gel, lotion, and shaving kits, too. It’s a nice setup and well-worth the price of admission.
Dropping my bag on the bench inside an empty booth, I kick off my tennis shoes, shuck my shorts and boxer briefs then step into the large, tiled shower. After adjusting the water, I move beneath the warm spray and soap up, flinching the slightest bit as I come into contact with some of the tender spots Linc hit a little harder than I was expecting.
As I wash off, I can’t help but think over my conversation with him. And the way Bella Diamond popped into my head. Which, honestly, is quite odd since I don’t even know what she truly looks like. She’s always in disguise. I’ve seen her as an ebony-haired beauty with deep gray eyes.I’ve run into her as a green-eyed redhead. Most recently, she was a blue-eyed blonde. I get the feeling none of those getups are even close to her true looks.
But the one thing that never seems to change is her alluring scent. The intoxicating smell of jasmine always surrounds her, and I notice that before I actually know it’s her. We can be in a room of hundreds—have, in fact—and that scent will pull me toward her every fucking time.
Something about the elusive Ms. Diamond intrigues me. I’ve done multiple deep dives on her, but she’s like a ghost, and I always turn up empty-handed. It’s like Bella Diamond doesn’t exist.
She’s a master thief, a dangerous rival who we run into from time to time. Although not quite as often any more now that our jobs don’t involve stealing. Well, not for the bad guys anyway. A-Squared has gone legit. We were edging that way for a bit, but when Addie recently became engaged to Cole Vaughn, a former police detective, it sped that process along pretty quickly. Cole left the force and joined our team not too long ago. He’s a great asset. And since Knox and Linc each up and married, their wives prefer they remain on the straight and narrow and out of a jail cell.
Can’t say I blame them. Local PD’s cots are definitely not up to the sleep standards I prefer.
Luckily, the company’s turn hasn’t affected business because we’re busy as hell. Maybe more so now than ever before.
And I’m definitely not complaining. Throwing myself into work gives me something to focus on, which I like. If I have too much free time on my hands, that’s when I start to question my life choices. It’s also when I begin to feel like maybe something’s missing.
Despite what I said to Linc, I’d be lying if I said I’m one-hundred percent happy. Do I enjoy my life? Yes, no doubt about it. I can come and go as I please, and I don’t have to answer to anyone. I control the TV remote, eat and drink whatever and whenever I want, and there’s no one to nag me when I leave my shit laying around.
There’s also no one to snuggle up with during the middle of the night. No one to share inside jokes with and laugh until we can’t breathe. No one waiting for me when I get home with my takeout. Just a dark, empty house and a big, cold bed. Sure, my king size bed may have the most expensive silk sheets money can buy, but it’s a little sad slipping into them night after night by myself.
I sigh, rinsing the shampoo out of my hair.I need to get laid.That’s all there is to it. I’ve been working too hard and ignoring my poor, neglected dick. Maybe instead of grabbing carryout and heading home alone—again—I should go down to the nearest bar and pick up a woman. Indulge in an evening of no-strings pleasure with a warm, willing companion.
Or not.
Damn, that thought turned sour fast. Women always end up wanting more from me the moment they sniffout I have money. I know it’s all my fault, too. Driving a Lamborghini Aventador doesn’t exactly convey that I have a normal nine to five job. And, sure, some of my money has come from ill-gotten means, but I was loaded long before joining A-Squared. When your family owns diamond mines and business is good, your bank account booms.
But it doesn’t mean that’s how I want people to see me. I’m more than dollar signs and the balance on my ATM slip. And those are certainly not the reasons I want a woman attracted to me.
You don’t want a woman,I remind myself. It’s best to just have fun and keep things light. Still though…
An annoying part of my brain keeps growing louder, wondering what it would be like to fall in love. I’ve never been in love. Not even close. And I’ve certainly never spoken the words to anyone. The women in my life move in and out. It’s like a constantly revolving door.
But my friends seem so damn happy. Am I missing out?
I’m not ready to admit I want or need a woman to achieve their level of happiness. But I’ve been all over the world, done so many things, and here I am, still craving somethingmore. I’ve met the most beautiful women. None of them have managed to hold my attention for longer than a night or two. I can’t help but wonder—why is that? Maybe I’m the problem.
The image of myself all alone in a nursing facility, old and depressed, stirs up a sliver of fear. Maybe this is whypeople settle. But that’s not something I can do. There has to be a woman out there who will challenge me. Call me out on my shit. Make me want her for longer than a round of fucking.
Up until now, every woman I’ve known or dated has bent over backwards to please me. The truth is, I want a partner who’s going to stand by my side and give me a run for my money. I want someone fierce and passionate. A lady who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and boss me around a little. Especially in the bedroom.
My dick gives an enthusiastic twitch. Yeah, that’s what I want.
So how do I find her?
I have no fucking idea.
