Chapter 10: Wagers

Gia's Pov

Their meeting ended and all of the guys cleared out, that is except for Matty and Taylor of course. True to his word Matty hung around afterwards to help me with some of the rearrangements. Taylor even pitched in without any convincing on my part. After an hour or so we finally had everything moved. We would have finished sooner but the guys kept feeling the need to take a cigarette break.

Now that we had everything all cleaned and in its place, we decided to call it a day. I shut off all the lights and Matty locked up. As soon as we got outside my stomach started to growl and I realized that I haven't eaten anything all day. I tend to have a bad habit of getting so caught up in my work that I forget the littlest things like food.

"I'm gonna grab something to eat, you guys wanna come?" I asked Taylor and Matty just before they got into their cars.

Matty as always was too busy and had errands to run, and I thought I was the one who was lacking a social life. He really needs to get out and have some fun once in a while. Taylor on the other hand decided to take me up on my offer. I was hoping he would be busy as well; I really didn't want to be alone with him. I don't know how long I can keep my defenses up around him, especially when there's a strong attraction there.

Fifteen minutes later we ended up outside some seedy tavern. I let him choose the place since this is his area. Inside the walls were cluttered with photos and sports memorabilia. There were a few pool tables situated far in the back. After giving the place a second look I decided that it wasn't so bad.

Taylor and I took a seat at a small round table, as a waitress sashayed over to us. She passed me a menu without sparing me a look, and flashed Taylor a smile fit for a Miss America pageant. "Hey Taylor, I haven't seen you around in awhile. Have you been hiding from me?" She asked.

I smiled leaning back in my chair waiting to hear his response. He gave me a sly smirk and then turned to her. "Now why would I do that? I've just been a little busy that's all." He said grinning up at her, and just like that she was putty in his hands.

"That's what I thought." The poor girl didn't stand a chance, Taylors smile was a lethal weapon. "So what will it be, the usual?" He gave her a slight nod yes and she turned to walk off.

"Um excuse me." I called out to her and she turned around. "You might want to take my order as well."

"Oh…I forgot all about you." She turned to face me giving Taylor ample view of her backside.

"I'm sure you did." I said in a sarcastic tone, which I'm sure went over her head. Taylor was enjoying this all too much, smiling at her flirty gestures, encouraging her subtle touches. It was enough to make a blind person roll their eyes. "I'll have the double cheese burger, no onions, a side of fries and a coke."

"That's quite an appetite honey; all that food will go straight to your thighs." I'm sure she said this for Taylor's benefit and not my own.

"So I've been told." I couldn't help my slight laugh as she ever so casually slid her manicured nail up his arm as she walked away. "One of your many concubines, or is she just working hard for a tip?" I asked.

Without missing a beat he responded with what came naturally. "Who Rita? She's just an old friend."

"Whatever you say, I just want to know if I need to be worried about her spitting in my food."

When the waitress; or Rita as Taylor dubbed her came back over with the food she made sure she made a show of plastering her silicon twins in his face. For a split second there I almost wanted to stick my fork in her balloons. Taylor and I could have been on a date for all she knows… even though we're not. For some reason it bothered me that he was enjoying her attention. I have no right to be jealous! 'Am I jealous?'I asked myself. The bigger question is why would I be jealous if there's truly nothing there? That's why I didn't want to be alone with him. He forces me to feel things that I shouldn't, feelings that I don't want to acknowledge.

The food was great just as Taylor said it would be. I finished my burger and fries not leaving a scrap on the plate. I glanced up and saw Taylor looking at me strangely. "What? I said I was starving."

"Did I say anything? I'm just tryin figure out where you put it all." He smiled continuing to pick me apart.

"Will you stop looking at me like that, you're creeping me out." I tried not to blush under the scrutiny of his gaze.

"You love it when I look at you 'cause it gives you an excuse to look at me."

"Wow Taylor, you might just be the most conceited man I've ever met."

Taylor shook his head and lit his cigarette. "Nah, I don't think so. That title goes to Scarpa, hands down."

"You know what; I think I agree with you there. I retract my previous statement." Chris is a nice guy and all, but he's the type that takes more time getting ready than his date.

"Not so fast, nobody insults me and gets off that easy."

"Oh please Taylor, I've called you things far worse than conceited."

"Exactly, you're gonna mess around and make me lose my street cred."

"We can't have that now can we?" I replied with false sincerity.

"I'll tell you what. Play a round of pool with me and I'll try to forget how mean you've been to me." He took me by the hand and led me to the back without giving me a chance to respond.

"What are we playing for?" I asked.

Taylor turned to me looking confused. "Excuse me?"

"We can't just play for shits and giggles. I say we make a friendly wager. If I win you have to come to the club looking like you've just stepped off the Armani showroom floor."

He replied quickly with a smile, "I can do that."

"For two weeks." I laughed when his smile went away.

Taylor folded his huge arms across his chest, like a defiant child. "You're crazy if you think I'm gonna do that."

"Oh come on Taylor, I didn't take you for coward." I gave cheek a playful tug.

"Okay I'll take your bet, but if I win…" His words trailed off while he stared at me deep in thought. "If I win, I get anything I want."

"You have to be more specific than that." I said as I racked the balls. When I turned around, he was standing there with a strange glint in his eyes.

The space between us became smaller and smaller until his body was pressed flush against mine. "Now Gia if I remember right, you once told me that you knew what I wanted from you." His gravelly voice rushed over me like a tidal wave.

"That doesn't sound like a friendly bet to me." Our close proximity caused me to stammer over my words.

"If things go my way it'll be more than friendly." Taylor reached up to touch my face, but I quickly moved away. "Now who's the coward?" He said slightly amused.

Hearing those words made me stop in my tracks, "alright Taylor, you have a deal, but I'm breaking first." I rubbed the blue chalk on the tip of the cue preparing myself for battle, I'm nobody's coward.

Twenty minutes past and most of the balls on the table was clear except for the nine ball and the cue ball. I leaned across the pool table, trying to hit the nine ball to end the game. Taylor was in the lead and I needed this shot to win. He was doing his best to make that difficult for me. As I was trying to concentrate on my shot I had to listen to miss fake boobs giggle as he whispered in her ear. I think he's trying to get me back for rubbing up against him and making him scratch on his last shot. Just as I took my shot I heard a moan come from their direction. I turned to see his lips attached to her neck. I didn't even care that the ball missed the pocket; I just threw my stick down on the table and walked out.

'That asshole!'I cursed silently to myself while making my way to the parking lot. I don't know who I'm pissed off at more, him or myself? I opened my door only to have a large hand slam it shut; I already knew who it was without turning around. "What do you want Taylor?"

"Why did you run out like that?" He calmly asked.

"I didn't run I walked." I tried to open my door again, but the pressure from his hand was stopping me. He then gripped my elbow, spinning around to face him.

"Don't fuckin' play word games with me Gia I asked you a question." Taylor blocked my escape, waiting for me to answer him.

I looked at him, amazed by his stupidity. "If you have to ask then you don't deserve to know."

Taylor stared at me blankly for a second before a slight grin appeared on his face. "Wait a minute don't tell me you were jealous back there."

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous? Who you stick your dick in is your business." He loosened his grip and I was able to snatch away.

"Is that right?"

"That's right."

"Speaking of who I stick my dick in, I do believe you and I had a deal." He said as his fingers lightly brushed my arm giving me goosebumps in the process.

"And just what are you getting at?" I asked when I finally found my tongue.

"You didn't make that last shot; that means I won."

"That last shot didn't count; I was distracted by you and your 'friend'."

"Tough shit sweetheart. Now I believe the deal was if I win I get whatever I want." In a blink of an eye he had me cage between him and my car. His hands locked tightly on my hips to keep me from moving.

For the first time ever I didn't know what to do. Every smart bone in my body was telling me to stop this before it goes too far. 'This is your boss! Your very sexy boss whose clothes you want to rip off.'I quickly shook those thoughts from my head getting back to the situation at hand. "Taylor I already told you, I'm not sleeping with my boss." I pressed my hands against his chest to back him away.

The corners of his mouth turned upwards in a smile as one of his hands moved from my hip and up my ribcage. "Well you should have thought about that before you made the bet."

"Do you honestly think I'm gonna have sex with you after what you just pulled in there?"
Using all the strength I could find in me I bit back the moan that was approaching my lips as his hand found its way to my breasts. I grabbed his wrist in an effort to stop his motions.

He looked down at me, his eyes glazed over in his world of lust. "Yes I do." And with that his lips were crushed to mine in a bruising kiss forcing me to give in.

My body went still surprised by his actions, but he didn't stop, his tongue teased and nipped at my lips until I allowed him entry. Our tongues entwined fighting for dominance. I pulled away in need of air, he took this as his opportunity to explore my neck leaving kisses that trailed lower and lower.

"Taylor…" I chanted his name breathlessly, barely above a whisper.

Taylor pulled me closer, if that was even possible, and his all too noticeable erection pushed at my stomach. He didn't say anything as one of his hands found its way under my shirt to mold my breasts. His thumb brushed over my already hardened nipple. He tugged at it and I couldn't hold back my moans any longer. I felt Taylor's smile on my flesh. He flicked the nipple again enjoying the small sounds that escaped me. My mind and body were in two completely different places. While one was being tortured, the other was receiving extreme pleasure. His head bent low getting better access to feast at my breast. I was enjoying the feel of his mouth on me.

'What are you doing? This is wrong.'I attempted to block out every rational though in my head, the only thing that mattered at this moment is Taylor and the way he's making me feel. There was no time to think about what I was doing. I was too far gone for that at this point. My eyes fluttered open for a split second. My body caught up to my mind and I was quickly brought back to reality. We were still in the parking lot up against my car.

"Taylor we have to stop." I tried to get his attention but naturally he tuned me out and continued making me weak in the knees. "Taylor, I'm serious, I…" I was lost once again as he reclaimed my lips in an attempt to shut me up, and it worked for a second or five. Just when I was about to try and push him away, I felt something buzzing against me. From the exasperated sigh I got from Taylor I figured it was his phone.

He took a step back from me and checked his screen. "Fuck!" He shouted. Taylor rubbed his hand across he head stuffing the phone back in his pocket unanswered. "I have to go." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but I cut him off, whatever it was, it wasn't going to do anything to ease the confliction I was feeling.

"I should get going too." I straightened up my clothing with my heart still beating one hundred miles an hour. "I'll see you tomorrow at work." I got in the car and took off down the street trying to get as far away from Taylor as I could.