Love Bites Read online

  Love Bites

  A Short Story Collection

  JAMIE CAMPBELL

  Copyright © 2015 Jamie Campbell

  Smashwords Edition

  Jamie Campbell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.

  Table of contents:

  Story 1: Taken

  story 2: being annie

  story 3: valentine’s day sucks

  story 4: heartfelt

  TAKEN

  Chapter 1

  Theo Malone’s tongue should be registered as a lethal weapon. Everywhere he touched my skin, he set a fire that blazed through my entire body.

  He started on my lips, kissing me deeply until my head was nothing but a mess of thoughts of how badly I needed him. He left a trail of kisses along my jaw, slowly making his way down until he was at my neck.

  And, my God, the pleasures he could bring me there.

  He gently nibbled on my ear, bringing his beautiful lips to the hollow of my neck. Tingles radiated outwards from each individual claiming of my skin.

  I groaned in pleasure, spurring him down further and further.

  “God, you’re beautiful, Ivy,” he whispered reverently. I loved the way he worshipped me as much as I did him. It had been his turn earlier, this time it was all about me.

  And, boy, did he know it. I could hardly keep myself together and functioning as he touched every inch of my naked skin. Our bodies pressed together, making sure there could be no distance between us.

  I was acutely aware of every place our skin touched. From his hands caressing my breasts to his thighs keeping my own apart. He was the perfect specimen of a man, from his warm brown hair to his intense blue eyes to that tongue. There wasn’t one part of me that didn’t yearn for that part of him.

  It was just Theo and I. Nobody else in the world mattered as we spent all afternoon in the hotel room making love. I lost count of how many times he made me lose my mind. It didn’t matter anyway, the entire afternoon blurred one minute into the next.

  When it ended, we were spent with a sheen of sweat over our skin, I nestled into the crook of his arm. His heart was beating wildly in his chest, right under my ear. I loved that I had that effect on him.

  “That was… something,” I muttered.

  His breathy laugh was music to my ears. It almost made me ready for another long round. “It sure was.”

  “What excuse did you use to get out of the office?” I had told my boss I needed to pick up some supplies. As far as anyone knew, I was on the opposite side of town doing my job.

  “I said I had a business lunch that was probably going to go long.”

  “Again? You’re going to have to think of some new alibis.”

  His hand found mind and twined our fingers together. Even that tiny movement was enough to get my heart kicking up a notch.

  “Yeah, I will,” he agreed.

  I knew our time together was coming to an end but I went into the same denial I always did. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to picture us walking out of the hotel together, getting into the same car, and going out to dinner or someplace else in public.

  It was a fantasy.

  Theo squeezed my hand, his sign for leaving. “I should get going. I wish I could stay longer.”

  “I know.”

  He pushed out of the bed, leaving me alone. Again. I should have been used to it by now.

  I watched him get dressed, dragging on his boxers and then his pants but leaving the belt undone for now. He found his shirt hung over the end of the bed. As he shrugged into it, I jumped up so I could fasten his buttons.

  When he looked down at me, I soaked up every inch of his hungry look. I batted my eyelashes innocently. “It’s only fair I do these up considering I was the one who undid them in the first place.”

  I earned myself the same breathy chuckle that made my stomach clench every time I heard it. He wasn’t helping me think about getting dressed and leaving.

  He nodded toward the strewn clothing. “What about the belt?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll get there,” I promised.

  I finished with the buttons and took my time tucking in his shirt. He watched the entire time, his blazing eyes bordering on consuming me.

  When I reached his belt, he flinched at my wandering hands. “Hey, if you’re not careful I’m not going to be able to leave.”

  “So don’t,” I challenged, even though I knew I needed to go too. There was only so much time required to pick up supplies.

  “You know I have to.” The belt looped and he was dressed, more rumpled than when he had entered the room. He leaned down and gave me one last kiss. “I’ll call you later.”

  “You better.”

  He flashed me his dimpled smile one more time before he left the hotel room. I could have handled it if he was just going back to work.

  But he wasn’t.

  He was on his way back to his girlfriend.

  Chapter 2

  I almost regretted the shower I had earlier when I could no longer smell the unique scent of Theo. But, seeing as how I was at work, I needed to concentrate on my tasks and only my tasks.

  Unfortunately, my mind was not cooperating. There were a million reasons why I should break up with Theo. For a start, his girlfriend. Secondly, there would be hell to pay if anyone found out about us. Then there was the sneaking around, the stolen moments, the idea of him being with her.

  Sometimes it was all too much to take. At those times, I would gather my strength, my resolve, and prepare myself to break up with him.

  Every time, it ended the same. The moment I saw Theo I would completely change my mind and remember that it was worth it. That he was worth it.

  Every. Damn. Time.

  It was like we were stuck in a loop and it was only getting more difficult letting him go at the end of each encounter.

  It wasn’t always a quick meet up in a hotel. Most of the time we were like a normal couple, just in a place where nobody would recognize us. He would hang out at my place and I would hang out at his. We’d read the Sunday paper together; have lattes while we watched a movie.

  But only when he wasn’t with her.

  And that was the kicker.

  Theo was only mine when she didn’t have her claws in him. I would like to say that I was fine with the arrangement. That the thought of them together in any way possible didn’t drive me to the edge of madness. But then I would be lying.

  I had met Theo through work, his office in the building adjacent to mine. My boss had sent me over to his firm to arrange their company’s annual client party. I had no idea I would stumble upon that gorgeous specimen of a man while I waited at reception.

  We instantly bonded. The air between us crackled with electricity and I knew. I just knew that we were supposed to be together. Finding out about her was a major shock.

  If I had told myself a year ago that I would be the mistress in a relationship, I would have laughed and thought it would be impossible. Sometimes I still think it’s like a horrible nightmare. I didn’t condone cheating, I used to instantly loathe every guy that did it. And now I was the other woman? Dating one of those guys?

  I should split up with him. I’d lost count of how many times I had told myself that, if I had any self respect, I would throw him t
o the curb. I deserved to be the girlfriend, not the piece of ass on the side.

  As much as I knew that, I also knew I couldn’t do it. My traitorous heart wouldn’t let me. I loved Theo, I knew he loved me. Our problem was only temporary, it wouldn’t be too much longer before we could finally be the only ones in our relationship.

  She would be gone.

  Theo was addictive and I was hooked. No amount of reasoning or logic would make me forget that. He had crawled under my skin and there was no way to get him out again.

  Five o’clock was a welcome relief. I left work right on the dot, keen to put some distance between the building that reminded me of Theo and myself.

  My roommate, Cecily, had beaten me home. And she now had pink hair – I had to check twice just to make sure it was her.

  “New color?” I asked, accepting the glass of wine she offered me.

  “I was tired of the blue. I haven’t been pink before.” She had a new hair color nearly every week. But, she was right, pink was definitely new. Thankfully, she was a graphic designer whose boss encouraged creativity. If she worked at my office, she would be sent home in an instant.

  “It suits you.”

  She puffed up her bouffant. “Thank you. Now tell me about your day, you’ve got that whole buzz kill vibe going on. What happened?”

  If we hadn’t known each other since we were five years old, I would have been able to keep my mood to myself. Sometimes familiarity worked against me.

  “It’s nothing,” I mumbled, fumbling around for something to have for dinner instead. It was easier keeping things from her when my head was buried in the cupboards.

  “Tell me that douche didn’t do something again.”

  Damn it!

  “He’s not a douche and he didn’t do anything.”

  “But this is all about him, right?” Cecily narrowed her eyes at me, giving me the look. The one that could see everything going on in my mind.

  I gave up on the food and sat at the counter next to her, taking a long sip of my red wine. I needed it to get through the conversation. “We hooked up this afternoon. It’s getting harder to let him go.”

  “That’s because it’s not normal for someone’s boyfriend to go back to their other girlfriend after doing the nasty with them.”

  I arched my eyebrows. “The nasty? Is that what we’re calling it these days?”

  “It is nasty when it’s with Theo. Come on, Ivy. Why are you still letting him walk all over you? It’s been almost six months.”

  “You know why. He can’t break up with her. Not yet.”

  “Then when?”

  “Soon.” It was the answer I kept giving myself over and over again too. I knew Cecily was just trying to look out for me but I was getting tired of the lectures. Theo wasn’t good for me, that wasn’t anything I didn’t already know.

  She rolled her eyes and downed the rest of her drink. Pushing up onto her feet, she dumped the empty glass into the sink. “I just don’t want to have to pick you up when he finally breaks you.”

  That was the last thing I wanted too. Yet the longer I was with Theo, the more likely it was.

  Chapter 3

  One look at the big bunch of flowers on my desk and my stomach was swimming with butterflies. A mixture of daisies, gerberas, and roses in shades of red, pink, and orange. They were all my favorites.

  I pulled the card from the plastic holder, ignoring all the gushes from the women around me

  Ivy,

  These are only half as beautiful as you are.

  Love, T xxoo

  “Who are they from? Do tell,” my colleague asked, nudging me with her elbow. Pam was a gossip. If she thought I was having an illicit affair with a taken man, she would grab on and ride that wave until everyone knew about it. Add to the fact our firms worked together and she would go off like a rocket.

  “Just my parents,” I lied, shrugging with nonchalance. “They’re feeling guilty about travelling the world instead of visiting their daughter.”

  “I wish my parents were that guilty.” She tsked and returned to her own desk, satisfied there was no better story.

  I had to shift the flowers to the very edge of my desk so I could sit down and actually work. The moment I logged on, my eyes drifted to the window and the building beyond the glass.

  Theo was probably sitting at his desk, perhaps doing the same thing as I was. She would also be in the office by now too. Not because she actually wanted a high flying career as a lawyer, but because her daddy owned the place.

  Her name was Ronnie Maher. She was twenty-eight years old. She got everything she wanted – including the right to call my guy her boyfriend.

  She had tricked him, really. She didn’t tell Theo she was his boss’s daughter when they first started dating. When she decided she didn’t want to break up with him, she blackmailed him to make sure he was the perfect boyfriend. If he broke it off, she was going to make sure his career was ruined. Nobody in the city would hire him.

  Neither of us doubted she had it within her power to make good on her threats. Connected didn’t even begin to describe her social situation. Barely anyone in the city moved without asking for her daddy’s permission first.

  Theo was trying to do the right thing, one of the main reasons why I put up with the whole situation. He was desperately trying to secure another job but the employment market was horrible at the moment. Nobody was hiring, making his job a precious commodity.

  I had seen Ronnie on several occasions. Our firms worked closely together at times, making running into each other inevitable. She had no idea who I was, thankfully. I was never on her radar.

  Tearing my eyes away from the window, I stared at my screen and started going through my emails. Considering I had been so distracted the previous day, I had a lot to catch up on.

  It took all morning to clear my inbox and then start on some new work. I was responsible for the corporate events division of the company, organizing parties and gatherings that I could never take my boyfriend to. My single status was a joke around the place, everyone at one point has tried to set me up with their desperate and dateless friends. I have smiled and made up an excuse every time.

  I had a sneaking suspicion half the office thought I was gay and still in the closet. One woman actually tried to set me up with her sister once. That was more than awkward. I had to convince her that I wasn’t in the closet, that I would be proud to be out if I was, indeed, a lesbian.

  I still think she didn’t believe me.

  By lunchtime, I was back into the swing of things and had successfully managed to push all thoughts of Theo out of my mind. Besides a quick text thanking him for the flowers, I had not engaged in any unhealthy behavior.

  Yeah, me.

  I wandered down to the cafeteria, a part of me still hoping to see Theo and grabbing some lunch too. The popular cafeteria was the hub of the office buildings surrounding it. The place was absolutely packed, which it usually was between twelve and two every weekday.

  I picked up a salad and found one of the few empty tables in the place. Eating alone was depressing so I always brought my Kindle with me whenever I went out for lunch by myself. It meant I couldn’t see the people staring at me. I buried my attention in my book.

  “Is anyone sitting here?” The female voice intruded into my escape hour.

  My eyes started at the Dior shoes and travelled up to the designer black suit before finally reaching her face.

  Ronnie.

  The universe was seriously fucking with me.

  My gaze darted around in a panic; there were no other empty tables available. Clearly I was her last resort.

  “No, go ahead,” I replied sweetly, discreetly glancing at my watch. Damn, another half hour to go. Perhaps I could slink back early?

  She plunked down on the seat and started primly unwrapping her salad. She was already rake-thin, she didn’t exactly need to count calories. “Thanks. This place is ridiculous. I keep telling them they need more
tables but they never do anything about it.”

  Funny, I thought all Ronnie Maher had to do was snap her bony fingers and everyone tended to her wishes.

  “Yeah, it sure gets busy down here,” I replied. I pointedly looked back at my Kindle, hoping she would get the hint that I was not someone who wanted to engage in conversation.

  She didn’t. “I wish it was five o’clock already, right? Is this day dragging or is it just me?”

  “My day’s been busy so it’s gone kinda fast.”

  “Oh, I’m under the pump too. It’s just that I have a great night to look forward to. I’m going to this gala thing. You know the type, dressing up, free champagne, dancing, the whole deal.”

  “Sounds like fun.” I managed a smile but it felt incredibly fake.

  “Oh, so much fun. Now all I have to do is make sure my boyfriend picks up his tux. He’s so forgetful sometimes.” She rolled her eyes at the inconvenience of having a forgetful boyfriend and started texting with one hand. She was probably tapping out a reminder.

  “Guys aren’t exactly ones for detail.” I would pretty much say anything to help me get through the last of my lunch break.

  “Truth, girl. Do you have a boyfriend?” She let her phone fall onto the table, screen blank.

  “Yeah, I do.” Your boyfriend. The fact we were talking about the same guy made my head explode. For the first time, I really looked at Ronnie. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. She was probably also smart if she had made it through law school – even if it was only because her daddy forced her to do it.

  But there had to be something else Theo saw in her. He had voluntarily dated her for a short period of time. He must have had his reasons for it.

  Looking at her now though, we physically looked nothing alike. Her blonde Ombre hair matched her willowy frame. My dark brown locks, teamed with my body that clung to a little more weight than I liked, was solid. She was a twig, I was a branch.