A Powers Play (The Powers That Be, Book 1.5) Read online

  Yes, husband!

  After he’d graduated, Gable had landed a job as an architect with a prestigious Seattle firm. A year later when I graduated, I’d been hired by the Seattle Times writing the local news. I’d been at my job for almost a year, when one night we’d had a sex-athon that had started in his office and ended in the shower at home. I’d come so many times I’d lost count, and as I was lazily letting the water stream over my hair before washing it, I’d turned to reach for the shampoo bottle when I’d seen Gable on bended knee behind me. In the shower!

  “Wh-what are you doing?” I’d stammered, looking down at him as if he were crazy.

  He’d tipped one side of his mouth up in a half smirk, the water running down his face, then said, “I love you, Scout. From the moment I saw you, knew you were mine. I just wanna make it official.”

  I’d choked out a sob holding a hand to my mouth. There he knelt, naked as the day he was born, gorgeous tattoos on display, looking up at me in expectation, although his eyes glittered sexily as they did an up-and-down of my body while he licked his lips, before they landed back on mine.

  “Are…are you asking…You’re saying…you want me to be…You want me to be…” Well, thank God I was a newspaper reporter because obviously, I never could’ve handled a job where I had to voice the news. Jeez.

  “Babe. Be my wife.”

  “Okay,” I’d whispered, choking up a little.

  He’d grinned and stood, wrapping his arms around me. “Sorry, but the ring’s in my jacket.” He’d pulled back a little casting his eyes down at himself then gazing back at me mumbled, “Didn’t really have anywhere to put it in here, you know?”

  After letting out a weepy giggle, I then proceeded to kiss the fool out of him. Pulling back, I declared, “I’m the luckiest woman alive.”

  “I know,” he’d said with a smug smile. Before I could retort, he picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Then turning and pushing me against the wall, he’d sealed the deal by sliding inside me deeply, filling me so fully. His powerful thrusts made my breath catch and my head fall back to the wall as a heated moan emanated from deep in my throat as I pulsed around his length.

  “Oh, God…” I breathed.

  “Love how your pussy grips my cock, Priss. Like it doesn’t wanna let it go,” he growled. “Luckiest fuckin’ man on the fuckin’ planet.”

  And I’d come, loving how he felt inside me. Loving that he loved being inside me.

  Loving that he’d felt just as lucky as I did.

  A year later, we’d married in my home church in Stone Springs, Idaho, and for the last ten months, I’d gotten the biggest kick out of seeing my bylines in the paper that read, “By Scout Powers.”

  I now nudged him with my shoulder away from the mirror with a smirk, then after un-sexing my sex hair and smoothing my dress out a bit I said, “Let’s do this!”

  ~*~*~*~

  Chapter 3

  By the time we made it down to the party in the mansion behind the MGM Grand, the band Highly Suspect was playing and I had to get my eyes on lead singer Johnny Stevens ASAP!

  And holy crap. He was just as hot in person as I thought he’d be. Hotter, maybe.

  “Babe,” Gable grumbled from beside me as I stood staring at the rock god playing guitar and singing on stage.

  I turned to look at my husband and saw his head tilted down toward me, eyebrows raised in annoyance. I giggled out a, “What?”

  “Really?” he asked.

  Putting an arm across his back then sliding my other over his abs and pressing my front into his side, I assured him, “Baby, you’re so much hotter than he is. There’s no comparison!”

  “Mm hm.”

  I let out a Psh! then stated, “You think he could draw up those sexy blueprints like you do? No way!” I looked up at him faux convincingly and nodded.

  Gable leaned down putting his mouth to my ear. “You’re so gonna pay for this, Priss.” Another shiver ran through my body at thinking about what he was going to do to me later. “That’s my girl,” he said low before biting my earlobe.

  Gah!

  When the band started playing their remake of “Send Me an Angel,” Gable grabbed my hand and led me to the dance floor. Wrapping his right arm around my waist and holding my right hand in his left, he pressed our hands against his heart as we swayed to the music.

  I rested my head against his chest as we moved to the song and closed my eyes. Then I had that weird feeling of being watched again and my eyes popped open to see a man move quickly out of my line of vision.

  “What’s wrong?” Gable asked when I pulled back.

  I frowned as we danced. “I think someone’s watching me,” I answered.

  He stopped moving and looked down at me with a frown. “Come again?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just weird. I felt it at the fight too but when I looked, I didn’t see anyone. Just now, I saw a guy over there.” I nodded my head to the side where the guy had disappeared.

  Suddenly, Gable was all business, grabbing my hand and pulling me off the floor behind him, heading in the direction I’d indicated.

  “You see him?” he asked, looking through the crowd.

  Glancing around, I shook my head and said, “No. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.” The place was packed with women in fancy evening wear and men in tuxes, people who didn’t look like they’d stalk me, but I knew the feeling was real. I wasn’t being paranoid, I didn’t think; I just really didn’t want Gable going on a freaking manhunt.

  “You stay by me, got it?” he ordered, still gazing around the place.

  “Not like I’m gonna go anywhere without you, Mr. Bossypants,” I retorted with an eye roll.

  He looked down at me, eyes narrowed and glowing. “Adding that one to your payback.” I bit my lip and blinked as I looked up at him. “Fuck,” he muttered, tugging me back onto the dance floor.

  We danced to a couple of faster songs before I told him I needed something to drink. After leading me off the dance floor, he grabbed two glasses of champagne off a tray a passing waiter was holding then held a glass out to me.

  “Can I get a water instead?” I asked. At his questioning look, I explained, “I’m dehydrated! We walked up and down the Strip all morning, and even though it’s December, it was still hot! I sweated like a friggin’ pig.” I scrunched up my nose at that lovely description.

  Gable glanced at me fixedly for a moment before asking another waiter who was walking by if he could bring me a water which he did almost immediately.

  I thanked the waiter then promptly drank down half the sparkling water in one gulp.

  “Damn, Scout. You gonna make it?” Chip asked as he walked up.

  I laughed. “I hope so. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was!”

  Jeff came up tugging at his bowtie. “Thank God for air conditioning. Jesus, it’s hot out there.”

  I frowned. “Where’d you go?”

  Jeff turned red before answering, “We took in a, uh, burlesque show down the street.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Yeah? Was it good?”

  Chip grinned. “Pretty fuckin’ good.” He clapped Gable on the shoulder. “You should’ve come along.”

  Gable’s eyes glittered when they met mine. Looking back at the guys, he nodded toward me. “Got my own burlesque show coming up later.”

  “What?” I smacked his arm as they all chuckled. “Don’t let him fool you. He’ll be the one putting on the show later,” I stated then lowered my brow because that didn’t sound any better.

  There was an awkward silence then Jeff cleared his throat and Gable snorted.

  “Oh! I won two thousand dollars earlier!” I told them, trying to make that unpleasant moment go bye-bye. Ugh.

  “Good for you!” Chip said smiling down at me.

  I smiled back and again felt eyes on me, but not wanting to worry Gable, I didn’t say anything, just casually looked around the place, once again not seeing anyone blatantly ogling m
e. Jeez. There I was in a totally crowded place yet felt paranoid that someone was watching me. I had to get over this stupidity.

  “Wanna dance?” Chip asked me.

  I looked up at Gable who nodded then Chip took my hand, and I followed him to the dance floor where another slower song was playing. Chip put a hand on my waist and held my other out to the side.

  “So, you got any hot friends you can hook me up with?” he asked as we rocked side to side.

  He was totally cute: tall and muscular with blond hair that was spiked up in front. He was almost as tall as Gable and built about the same, but a bit smaller.

  I thought for a second. “I think I might! My friend Serina works with me at the Times.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Yeah? What’s she look like?”

  I chuckled thinking it funny that men always wanted to know that first whereas women usually asked first what a man was like before asking about his looks.

  “She’s a little shorter than I am with shoulder-length brown hair.”

  “She built like you? Like, smaller like you?” Realizing he must’ve sounded like a jerk, he tilted his head apologetically. “You know what I mean.”

  “Are you asking if she’s fat, Chip?” I’d just met him on the flight that morning and he seemed like a nice guy, so I didn’t think he’d meant anything too bad by asking that.

  “Well, not that I have anything against larger women,” he answered. “I mean, I just wanna know what she looks like.”

  I could tell he was uncomfortable and I smiled. “She’s a little thicker than me, but she’s absolutely gorgeous. Long, dark hair and blue eyes. I think you’d like her.”

  “Cool. You think I could get her number?”

  “How about I get your number and give it to her? And just so you know, she’s a black belt in karate, so you might keep that in mind.” When his eyes got big, I laughed. “Letting you know she can handle herself.”

  “Sounds like my kinda woman,” he replied, a sort of awe in his voice, and I thought maybe he’d be good with Serina.

  When the song was over and the band took a break, we headed back to Gable and Jeff who were talking shop.

  “We’ll fix that shit during bidding by addendum,” Gable was saying. When he saw me, he put an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him.

  “Did you see the plinths they were thinking of using?” Jeff asked.

  And then they were off and running, all three of them speaking “Architect-ese” which left me clueless.

  “Uh, I need to use the ladies’ room, baby,” I declared looking up at Gable.

  He nodded and they all three walked me out to a larger lounge area that had a gorgeous fountain where they started commenting on the construction of everything around them. Oh, brother. Gable leaned down and brushed his lips against mine just before I went inside the restroom. Then he and his colleagues started in critiquing the area again.

  I used the facilities then taking my compact and lipstick from the small purse I carried, freshened my face a bit. After leaving the bathroom, I heard rather than saw Gable, knowing he was around the corner as he talked with Chip and Jeff. But right as I headed their way, a man stepped out in front of me making me stop short.

  “Scout?” he asked.

  I frowned, looking up at him not knowing who he was. But the more I took in, I suddenly recognized him. “Hayden?”

  Holy shit! It was my ex-boyfriend from high school! The one who’d cheated on me with Ivy, my now ex-best friend from high school. What the hell? Ack!

  “What’re you doing here?” I asked looking at him in shock. The last time I’d seen him, I’d been eighteen, more than five years ago. He’d been just a boy then. But he’d filled out and was several inches taller now. He was a grown man which was why I hadn’t recognized him at first. He was wearing a tux and was so handsome. Damn. I’d had pretty good taste when I’d been in high school! As I looked him over, I shook my head because this was so surreal. “Did you see me at the fight?” At his nod, I knew I hadn’t been paranoid. Someone had been looking at me!

  “Yeah. I’m here because I, uh, came to watch the fight,” he replied. “When I saw you, I couldn’t believe it.”

  “Is Ivy with you?” I asked, looking past his arm to see if she was behind him.

  He shook his head. “I’ve tried calling you.”

  I narrowed my eyes wondering if he’d been the hang-ups I’d gotten at work.

  “Ivy left me,” he went on.

  “Oh.” Well, Karma was just a big ol’ bitch now, wasn’t she? And of course, she always showed up when you no longer gave a flip.

  “Can we talk?” he inquired.

  I pointed past him. “I really need to get back to my husband.”

  His brow came down. “Husband?”

  “Yes. Gable. We’ve been married for almost a year. Do you want to meet him?”

  He looked toward the French doors that led out into a garden. “Can we go outside and talk?”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Hayden. Why don’t you come with me and I’ll intro—”

  The next thing I knew, he’d grabbed my arm and pulled me outside before I could even let out a yelp.

  “What the hell?” I bit out as he kept walking us to a bench to sit, tugging me by the arm. It was dark in the garden—the only light coming from the windows of the Mansion—and muggy and this was all creeping me out a little making me really not want to be alone with him.

  “Just sit for a minute, Scout,” he said, pushing me down on a bench.

  “I don’t know what you want, Hayden, but this is just weird. Gable’s gonna come looking for me and be pissed,” I snapped.

  “I’ve missed you, Scout.” He looked down at me, his eyes sad. “I fucked up. I know I did. I’m sorry.”

  I let out a breath. “It’s okay. Really. I’ve moved on.”

  “I want another chance.”

  I huffed out a laugh. “Well, that’s not gonna happen because, first of all, I’m married. Second, I’m in love with Gable. So,” I shrugged, “you need to move on too.”

  I swear I think he growled which was fucking weird. When I stood to leave, he was right there blocking me.

  “I can’t. You’re all I’ve thought of the past five years, Scout.” At my chuckle at how unbelievable all this was, he insisted, “You are! When I was with Ivy, all I could think about was how things would’ve been so much better with you.”

  Okay. I was more than fed up. “So, that whole year you two were screwing behind my back was just an accident, huh?” I shook my head and rolled my eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. “We’re not even the same people anymore. You don’t know me now. And I don’t know you. And I want to go back inside to my husband.”

  The doors we’d come out opened and Gable hollered, “Scout?”

  When I went to answer, Hayden covered my mouth with his hand pulling me back against him.

  Oh, good lord.

  I struggled, trying to get loose, but he held tight not letting me go. When Gable closed the doors, I stomped back on Hayden’s foot with my stiletto heel, which did the trick and made him turn me loose. Then spinning to face him, I spewed, “What the fuck was that? Are you crazy?” I turned and headed for the doors but was stopped yet again by his hand grabbing me by the upper arm spinning me to face him.

  “Scout! I need you! I don’t have anybody! Ivy left me for a surgeon and I’m all alone.” He looked at me forlornly before crumbling to sit on a bench where he started crying, putting his elbows on his knees and covering his face with his hands.

  Oh jeez.

  I let out an annoyed breath then out of curiosity I asked, “When? When did she leave you?”

  “Three months ago,” he whispered.

  Ah. About the time the hang-ups had started at work. I’d thought they might’ve been disgruntled readers of my articles but now figured it was probably him.

  I sat down next to him. “Look. We all go through breakups and they suck.
It’ll, uh, get better.” I patted his leg not knowing what else to do. I mean, what else do you say to your psycho ex-high-school boyfriend who was now sitting on a bench in Las Vegas crying?

  “I did everything for her. Everything. I cooked every meal. Cleaned the apartment. Took the dogs on their walks.” He sniffed and I had to bite my lips to keep from laughing because Ivy had always been a bit of a spoiled brat. “She even made me take the trash out every day.”

  Not knowing what else to say, I let him get everything out. And, boy, was it a lot.

  “We went on vacation to Austria last summer and I paid for everything. Then when we got back, she decided she wanted new furniture which I paid for. And she took it all when she left! And this guy she’s with. Dr. Lettering. I admired the hell out of him. We even had him over for dinner. Which I cooked! Then he took her from me.” He breathed in through his nose and let it out. “Now I have to see them together every day at the hospital. And I just want to punch a hole in the fucking wall.”

  Damn. Ivy was a brat.

  “I’m sorry you’re going through this, Hayden. Can you…can you do your residency or whatever somewhere else?” I asked.

  He looked at me and wiped a knuckle under one of his eyes. “I’ve been trying to transfer to Seattle so I could be with you. I called Jordan Cummings and asked about you, and she told me where you were.”

  Thanks, Jordan.

  Then taking my hands in his he proclaimed, “We can make this work, Scout.”

  I let out another chuckle. Un-fucking-believable. “Hayden, I’m married. Married,” I emphasized, shaking my head. “You and I can’t make anything work. I’m in love with my husband.” I wriggled my hands from his and pushed a lock of hair behind my ear then had an idea. “But what about Jordan? I don’t think she’s married. You could get with her! She’s modeling now and absolutely stunning! You two would make a cute couple.”

  “Already tried that,” he mumbled. “She has a boyfriend.”

  I wanted to crack up laughing. Suuuure, he’d been thinking of me for all these years. Lord.