UGLY Read online

  “Really?”

  The interest in his tone made her blush and giggle at the same time as she gasped out, “Stop it. Are you coming outside or not?”

  “Well, that all depends…on you.”

  Seeing his chest shaking with concealed laughter, she slapped at him and rolled her eyes. He caught her arm, turning her back to his front and said, “Ah hell, Candice, come on. I haven’t used that hot tub yet. I need company in it. You can smoke as many cigarettes as you want.”

  “Bring the wine with us and you have a deal…but no funny stuff.”

  His grin widened. He wanted to remind her that he didn’t find humor in her kisses but he released her instead. After finding a T-shirt which was too small for him, he gave it to her and sent her scrambling out the door when he dragged the shirt he wore over his head. She quickly went to her room but, once there, had second thoughts.

  Giving herself a pep talk, she pulled on a black lace bra and panty set that was well-worn and comfortable. After pulling his T-shirt on, she hugged it to her and swayed at his male scent clinging to it. After a second of wondering if she would back out, she quickly pulled on her pajama bottoms before heading out the door. He was waiting with wine in one hand and her pack of cigarettes in the other.

  Chapter Four

  The minute they were through the patio doors, Candice thrust her hand out for the cigarettes. He gave her one, wrapping the pack in his shirt before pointing to her pajama bottoms, “You will be removing those, right?”

  She drank the rest of her wine before taking a deep breath and shedding the bottoms. His T-shit reached mid-thigh and, with the wine coursing through her system, she felt braver than she had in ages. His gaze heated her blood as they raked her legs before he frowned, “I see no blemishes, Candice, just long gorgeous legs that need to see some sun.”

  “It’s dark out here, Rich.”

  He laughed and shook his head, “Have it your way then. I don’t want to argue. Can you please join me?”

  She wiggled her cigarette and asked, “There’s smoking allowed in your hot tub?”

  “You’re already smoking.”

  His husky growl flooded the air with sexual tension, causing her to gasp as she realized his double meaning. She immediately started coughing as she spun around. He quickly called, “Don’t make me tackle you and I will.”

  Freezing, she turned back with narrowed eyes. It had been so long since she’d attempted to flirt or seduce but the wine helped loosen her awkwardness. She slowly sauntered over, opting to put her half-smoked cigarette out when the cough lingered. Watching her over the rim of his glass, he took a sip as she stepped into the hot tub. There was enough light, although dim, to see a few healing places but nothing like she’d made them out to be.

  Before she could seat herself away from him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her down next to him. Intrigued beyond any woman he’d previously met, he studied her face before saying, “Why are you so nervous around me?”

  “I’m not used to being around guys let alone people.” She sighed as she sunk down into the water, relaxing despite her determination to remain alert. The churning water made the shirt she wore roll outward. She pushed it down, drawing his gaze downward. When his gaze hung there, her eyes followed.

  Seeing taut nipples and curves, he took advantage of the opportunity and lifted her onto his lap. Suddenly nose to nose with him, her eyes widened when his hard shaft pressed against her bare thigh. The realization of a mere scrap of lace to his swim trunks being the only thing between them froze her breath in her lungs.

  “Regardless of how you view yourself, Candice, I want what I see.”

  His fingers thrust in her hair as his mouth closed over hers. The previous kisses were nothing compared to this one. She briefly tried to blame her response on the heat from the water but, even after he broke the kiss to ravage her throat, the ache searing her blood amplified.

  More than a little tipsy, she shoved her fingers in his hair and surrendered. Her body responded eagerly to his teasing while her thoughts scattered. He turned, pressing her against the edge before dragging the soggy T-shirt over her head. The bra went next before he jerked her panties off. His hands seemed to be everywhere while her dulled mind tried to pull itself together but the yearning was too great.

  When his fingers curled between her legs, grazing her clit, she moaned as her back arched. He groaned in response over her nipples, teasing them with tongue and fingers alike. He suddenly thrust fingers inside to tap while his thumb rolled her clit, causing her whole body to jerk in climax.

  As the blissful waves rushed over her, she fought to get at him. She’d never wanted another man so bad in her life. He pulled her to him and, in a smooth motion, pushed inside. She gasped as her back arched over his arm, raking her nipples over his chest. The sight of her mouth gaping as her silvery eyes glazed while she clenched around him made him curse as he flexed inside her.

  Briefly wondering if he was completely smitten, he pushed the thought out of his head as he buried his face in her neck. She cried his name as her hips ground into him. He hissed when her body went limp as her damp folds convulsed around his cock. Trying to maintain control, he locked gazes with her worshipful eyes and lost it.

  At first, he thought he imagined the faint banging on the door. Candice tensed and breathlessly asked, “Are you expecting someone?”

  “No.”

  Ripped out of her daze, she pushed at him but he was already on the move. She scurried out of the hot tub, searching for the wet shirt or a towel. Grabbing her pajama bottoms and the discarded wet shirt, she snatched them both up but the pounding had stopped. He padded past her with his shorts already on, handing her the wet shirt and taking his as a woman stepped onto the back patio.

  Rich stepped forward, “Isabella, what are you doing here?”

  “I tried calling. Where’s your cell phone?” She eyed Candice who stood in the wet shirt while attempting to hide behind her pajama bottoms. The woman asked Rich, “Is this the new recruit?”

  Candice missed Rich’s frantic shake of head but jumped when the woman’s long fingers grasped her arm. Vibrating with jealousy, the woman snapped, “Then who the fuck is she?”

  Candice pulled her arm free, grabbed her cigarettes and barked, “Who the hell are you?”

  “His girlfriend.”

  Candice and Rich both snapped, “What!?!”

  She studied Candice’s face and grinned, “Yes, she is the new recruit. Why’d you tell me she wasn’t?” Candice immediately pegged the woman as shallow, narcissistic, and accustomed to looking down her nose at everyone.

  Turning to Candice, Isabella proved her correct when she sneered, “Really, Sweetie. You need to drink the berry blend and correct that hideousness on your face. Has he been giving you the spinach mixture?”

  Hurt flooded Candice’s face as Rich growled, “Isabella, what the hell are you doing? Where’s Ben?”

  Narrowing her eyes, she put a hand on her hips, “Ha, ha. Knock it off.”

  Feeling betrayed and angry, she didn’t see Rich’s obvious confusion. Candice spun around and ran for the patio door. Rich called out, “Hey, wait a minute.”

  Isabella rolled her eyes, “Why do you lead them on this way?”

  He grabbed her by the arms, “Isabella, I’m not Ben. I’m Rich. What the hell is going on?”

  Isabella’s jaw dropped, “Ben told me to meet him here. But you’ll do fine, too.”

  Rich set her away from him, “Ben isn’t here. He’s on a photo shoot for the new business.”

  “No, he isn’t. I checked. Nice…”

  He shoved a hand in his hair, interrupting her, “Then I don’t know where he is but you really screwed up.”

  He rushed into his house, hoping he could get to Candice before she left. She was nowhere to be found. He grabbed his car keys and went back to the patio to tell Isabella, “I need you out of here now. I cannot believe how you just treated her.”

  She smirk
ed, “Oh, please. She’s just another in a long string of them. I can’t believe you’re getting all mad over one of the recruits. What’s up with that?”

  “She’s not a fucking recruit, you idiot.”

  Isabella barked a derisive laugh, rolling her eyes but yelped when Rich grabbed her arm and practically dragged her to her car. He didn’t see Candice hiding behind the hedges. She’d heard every word, feeling nauseous at the woman’s tone as well as lead them on this way.

  When Candice heard the cars start, she quickly ducked down and watched him drive away. Having endured more than enough of society’s hatefulness, the fact that Rich had used her was just too much.

  She quickly called her uncle and waited until his groggy voice answered, “Uncle Mike, this is Candice.”

  Silence met her before she said, “I know I haven’t seen you for over two years but I need someone right now. Can you come get me?”

  He assured her he’d be right there before ending the call. She wrapped her arms around herself and, for the first time in over three years, sobbed her eyes out. When he arrived, she dragged her suitcase from behind the hedges and asked, “Can I stay with you for a little while?”

  “Of course, Candy Cane. Get in the car before you freeze to death. Why are you all wet?”

  She almost burst out crying again at his nickname, remembering a childhood that had ended wrong. She’d forgotten about wearing Rich’s T-shirt. She rummaged in her backpack, finding a huge sweatshirt to put on. After she’d pulled it over her head, she wiggled out of the wet shirt.

  Seeming to sense she’d been hurt and needed time, he laid his palm up on the seat. She took his hand, staring out the window as he drove the forty-three miles to his home. Once they’d arrived, she hugged him and promised to pay him something in return. He waved her off, “Candy, I promised your mother and father that I’d take care of you. All you had to was yell. Why’d you avoid me all this time?”

  She pointed to her face, “I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

  Grasping her cheeks in his hands, he shook his head, “That’s rubbish! You’d never embarrass me. Let me look at you.”

  She grinned at his slow nod of head, “You look beautiful, Candy.”

  “Do you still smoke?”

  Shaking his head, he told her, “I quit about a year ago after a health scare.”

  She asked what happened, discovering he’d thought he had lung cancer. Her eyes widened, “Did you ever try raw juice?”

  He pointed into his kitchen, “No but I have juicer. I’ve never used it. Some guy was selling them on an infomercial when the scare happened.”

  “Can you help me quit smoking, Uncle Mike, if I create juice blends for us?”

  Smiling, he hugged her to him, “I’ll help you do anything you want, Candy.”

  She squeaked in his arms, “After this pack.”

  He laughed and nodded, “I remember how it is. Can you please smoke outside though?”

  She nodded and went out the door, contemplating her decision as she smoked one of her four remaining cigarettes. She thought she’d become hardened to emotional trauma but now realized she’d become overly sensitized to it. Some of what Rich had said to her made a lot of sense.

  Trying to put him out of her mind, she stubbed her cigarette out and saved the rest for later. When she re-entered, she went straight to her uncle’s fridge. Finding carrots, grapes, and tomatoes, she said, “I’ll walk to the store tomorrow and get more stuff to juice.”

  “You mean I’ll drive you to the store tomorrow.” She nodded and thanked him for picking her up. He showed her to the spare bedroom and kissed her forehead. She quickly changed out of the damp pajama bottoms before curling around a pillow. Even though she didn’t think she’d sleep, she fell into a fitful rest before jerking awake when he knocked on the door.

  Knowing she had a deadline, she pulled herself out of bed. After settling at the kitchen table, he finally asked, “What happened, Candy?”

  She sighed, “I met someone who wasn’t what he appeared to be.”

  He studied her face, “If you want to talk about it, I’ve got great hearing.”

  With a sad smile, she shook her head, “After breakfast, can we go to the store?”

  He nodded, asking if she still liked pancakes as she hit the power button on the remote. A commercial for Smooth Moves, displaying Rich with a plethora of surrounding beauties on the beach, dominated the screen. At her stunned expression, her uncle’s gaze darted from her back to the TV.

  Tears sprang into her eyes as she hit the power once again. Turning back to make pancakes, his eyes narrowed but he didn’t ask. Once they’d eaten and washed the dishes, they headed to the local grocers. Despondent but even more determined to overcome emotions for Rich and improve her health, she followed him inside while naming off fruits and vegetables they’d need.

  Her cell phone rang but she ignored it, turning to the display of vegetables. She had gathered half the list when a familiar male aroma made her freeze. She turned to see Rich standing directly behind her.

  “Candice, why didn’t you let me explain?”

  Thrusting the basket of produce at her uncle, she snapped, “I got the gist of it and saw you two prancing on the beach this morning.”

  Her uncle swiftly went to the fruit section, trying to give them time as Rich growled, “That’s an old commercial. Candice, she’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Save it for one of the long line of females. I get the point now.”

  He grabbed her arm and said, “Come with me.”

  Not wanting to make a scene but unwilling to go anywhere with him, she tried to pull away. He tightened his grip and ushered her out the door before stopping, “I have a twin brother who’s dating her. He…”

  “You expect me to believe that?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Prove it then.”

  He hesitated, “I can’t right now. I have no idea where he is and we don’t really get along.”

  Her eyes narrowed, “Rich, I heard everything she said. You lead women on and were trying to recruit me to suit your own purposes. You used me. It’s bad enough when everybody shuns me but you actually acted like you wanted to be my friend just to line your own pockets. That’s worse than avoiding me.”

  “It didn’t happen like that. You’re assuming. She thought I was my twin brother.” He cursed before adding, “It’s complicated.”

  She headed back into the store, “Bullshit! You’re making this up. Stay away from me.”

  He didn’t follow her back inside but immediately sent a text; I will prove it. I wasn’t using anyone. You’re a friend but I want more.

  At her text alert, her uncle’s eyebrows flew up, “Richard Danton? Candice, he’s quite the catch.”

  She growled back, “Yeah and he’s already been caught. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  This time, her uncle wasn’t giving up, “Candice, he’s a public figure. Women will act like they know him or worse.”

  “Uncle Mike, drop it. He used me. I want to get healthy on my own terms. I tried his way and it offered pain. Let the son of a bitch see me when I really get healthy.”

  His eyes widened at her reddening cheeks, “Okay, okay. Let’s go make some juice.”

  They quickly left the store, neither realizing that Rich discreetly followed them to find out where she was staying. For the next hour and a half, they learned how to operate the juicer and finally created a palatable combination. Frustrated, she shook her head, “He made it look so easy.”

  “They’ve been in business for over five years, Candy. Write down what you made. This batch tastes really good.”

  She quickly jotted it down, realizing she could blog about making juice instead of drinking theirs. After cleaning the mess up, she worked on her laptop for a while before he asked if she needed anything. She reluctantly said, “More fruits and veggies.”

  Handing him the list, she told him she’d pay him back. He waved her off, grin
ning as she sank back into her work. About fifteen minutes after he left, a rap on the door distracted her. Thinking he’d forgotten something, she called out, “Hold on, Uncle Mike.”

  Rushing to the door, she pulled it open to find Rich. She started to slam it in his face but his hand shot out to stop it, “Damn it, Candice. Listen to me.”

  “How’d you find me and why are you here? There are plenty of women and sick people around. Go nag someone else.”

  He suddenly jerked her to him, “I don’t want someone else. I want you.” Cursing, he said, “Screw healing. Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends. Why are you twisting this into something else?”

  She pushed him away, “Me? Are you nuts? Look, Rich, I don’t appreciate being whored for my health!” Trying to hold back tears, she spat out, “You acted all friendly and then pulled that hostage crap with my cigarettes just to get your way. Well, your way hurts too much so I’m going to do it my way now.” Motioning to the computer, she shouted, “And I’ll let people know how you’ve been luring the sick into your fold just so you could use them to sell your shit.”

  “You make us sound horrible. We want people healthy so, yeah…we offer employment to people we help. We also supply health insurance, free juice, and birthday parties. Shame on us!”

  “Am I interrupting something?” They both jumped at her uncle’s voice before Rich thrust his hand out, “I’m Rich Danton.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’ve seen your commercials.” His gaze darted to Candice as he handed her a pack of cigarettes, “I couldn’t find kale.”

  She glared at Rich, turning toward the door while silently thanking her uncle. Rich called out, “Nice to have met you,” before rushing after her. She lit a cigarette, blowing it out with attitude before pointing the smoldering tip at him, “I know that’s a good thing but not when you don’t tell someone that’s your intentions. You led me to believe you only wanted my friendship before luring me with your…charisma.”

  His eyebrows flew up when she hissed the last word, “You know what, Candice? You act like you don’t rock a bit of charisma yourself but you do.”