Desire: A Single Dad Contemporary Romance Read online

  Desire

  A Single Dad Contemporary Romance

  Hunter Rose

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  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Copyright 2021 © Hunter Rose

  Hunter’s Roses

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  To the ones I’ve loved, the people I’ve lost and those that have inspired me along the way.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  34. Epilogue

  35. Epilogue

  More By Hunter Rose

  A Free Gift For You

  Coming Soon

  About the Author

  1

  Stella

  “Oh my God, I don’t believe it.”

  “What?” Crystal asks, scanning the crowded space at the Mirror Bar in West Hollywood's Petit Versailles Hotel.

  “Of course that asshole has a membership to this place.” A scowl covers my face when I see the man I was with for more than a year. Fuck you, Troy. My eyes come to a rest on one of his companions’ tight derrieres. Didn’t take long for you to get over me.

  “Fuck, Stella. It’s Troy.”

  “Yeah, Crystal. What do ya know? He goes out on a Saturday night, and just sort of happens to go to the same place I do.” I look away and let my gaze rest on the pool area close to the bar. Nearby is a beautiful garden that is also recognized as a Natural Wildlife Federation site. I swear that I have never seen a hummingbird in that place. Instead, I see Troy with two other girls.

  “You really didn’t talk much when you were going steady, huh?”

  I look up when I hear Crystal chuckling. “What?”

  “I said that you didn’t speak much with Troy.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you don’t even know that he has a membership to this place.” Crystal shrugs, a laugh bubbling out of her. “I guess, he didn’t consider you all that special like those two bimbos over there.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Bitch right back at you.” My best friend moves in and takes my hand. “Stella, Troy was more in love with your dad than he was with you.” She frowns. “You know that, right?”

  I shrug. “I guess.”

  “Good, now let’s enjoy tonight, and find you a new guy to get dirty with,” She tells me, an impish expression populating her features. “How about that guy over there?” She points to another cozy seating area, covered with an intricate metal canopy, a fluttering, white, gauzy cloth wrapped around it.

  I turn my head and nearly spit my drink in her face.

  “No way,” I say, forcing down the Grey Goose Pear Vodka concoction that has hints of fresh lemon, lime, cucumber and mint.

  “What’s wrong with him and his friend?” Crystal’s eyes are like scanners as she takes in the tall, blonde, Stanford hunk-type and his companion, an overly self-important African-American dude, who also wears a tailored suit, and who is also most likely an alumnus from the same institution.

  “Look at them.” I roll my eyes, though I’m not surprised that she’s into them. “I know that you’ll go for anything with a penis, . but him?”

  Crystal sighs, sipping her cocktail, seemingly in deep thought. “He’s cute.” Not once does she take her eyes off the duo.

  “And besides, who wears a suit to this place?” I ask, moving closer to my friend so that no one else can hear us. “Nobody, unless he’s some out-of-place European visiting.”

  “Troy does.”

  Crystal speaks so loudly that he turns his head and looks in our direction. I could’ve died there and then. I make an attempt to sink into the bench lining the back of our table and duck my head into the shadows.

  “Hey there, Stella. I didn’t expect to see you here,” says a familiar voice.

  “Yeah, that’s because you never took her here, Troy.”

  I nudge Crystal in the ribs. I don’t want to be reminded of the fact. I look up meekly. Jesus, he looks good tonight. Troy’s dressed in a perfectly tailored, light blue suit that would look ridiculous on anyone else but him. His blonde hair burnishes like gold in the weak light.

  “You going to say hi or what, doll?”

  My perusal of his finely chiseled jaw comes to an abrupt end. My eyes snap up and fixate on his gaze like homing beams. I fucking hate it when he calls me ‘doll’. Suddenly, I have a vision of him lying on top of me and it makes me cringe. Troy always sounded like a pig on the spit just before he was about to come. “Hi and goodbye, Troy,” I say with ice in my voice.

  “Don’t be like that, doll.” He sits down and slides up the bench until his thigh brushes mine under the table. Troy looks at me expectantly.

  Damn it, dude. Take the hint. I hate that pet name.

  My gaze glides over the bar area from left to right. I need to get rid of Troy. I don’t know why I have this urgency, but just looking at the man and listening to his self-important drawl drives me nuts. It reminds me of all the things he did wrong and did right when we were together. I wink when my scrutiny of my immediate surroundings comes to a halt. A quick look in Crystal’s direction and my wing-girl is primed and ready.

  “So, how’s dad?”

  I could slap him in the face. We’re not going steady anymore and he still calls my father ‘dad’. “Troy, just leave it, okay?”

  “Leave what?”

  I can see that he’s not going to budge. If I let things continue as they are, I will either have to go home or listen to him all night. I am not ready to be friends with him yet, and I damn well am not ready to talk all nice with him. Least of all will I submit to his obvious attempt to crawl back into my panties. “What about your dates, Troy?”

  He laughs. “My dates?”

  “Yeah, those two over there. You’re with them, no?” I bat my eyelids seductively. I grit my teeth in frustration because Troy mistakes the gesture as directed at him.

  “Sure, they’re with me.” He shrugs. “I didn’t want to come alone, but now that you’re here things have changed somewhat.”

  “Hey, girls. Do you mind if we join you?”

  I look up and see the very man Crystal had suggested and I had rejected only moments before. A welcome distraction.

  “If your boyfriend doesn’t mind of course,” adds his friend politely.

  “Sure, guys. He was just leaving,” I say, far too enthusiastically, to the Stanford duo who had finally puckered up the courage to ask to join. Crystal’s and my audacious flirting had paid off. I turn to Troy. “Aren’t you?”

  Crystal’s look in my direction is incredulous and I can’t help but la
ugh. I mouth ‘Our dates are here’ to Troy and snarl at him to take a hike. He takes the hint without any further complaint. I revel inwardly at the flicker of disappointment I see on my ex’s face—strike one. I celebrate by draining my glass when I see Troy’s less than enthusiastic pat to the blonde’s ass when he gets back to the bar.

  “Looks like your drink’s empty. Let’s grab another round.”

  My nose is invaded by an overabundance of cologne. It creeps up my nostrils and lingers. The scent is so sweet and potent, it feels like I stuffed honey up my nose, sticking to the soft inner skin like a nasal hair waxing.

  “Sure.” I bat my eyelids and cringe. The man’s ‘I’m gonna fuck you tonight’ look makes me want to throw up. I immediately call him Chip and his buddy Tiberius. I don’t know why. He just looks like a real daddy pleaser. Damn, another Troy. Is that the only type of man I will ever attract into my life?

  “So, what are your names, guys?” asks Crystal, breaking me out of my train of thoughts.

  “I’m Chase and this is Cornelius,” he says. He acts as if he was Brad Pitt and his buddy Denzel Washington.

  I have to control myself not to crack up laughing. Tears attempt to seep out of my eyes. This is just too fucking funny—Chase and Cornelius. Damn I’m good. I knew they’d have names like that. My private little joke goes unnoticed. I fall back into thought as my gaze rests on Troy again. I regret having sent him away. I always have such mixed emotions when he’s around.

  “Hey, what’s your name?”

  “What?”

  “Chase asked you what your name was, Stella.” Crystal’s voice is laced with a hint of anger and something else. Could it be desperation? I smile weakly when I remember that my poor friend hasn’t gotten laid in over six months.

  “Yeah, my name’s Stella. Sorry, Chase. I’m a little distracted, that’s all.” I indicate with my head to the bar where Troy’s standing. “Ex-Boyfriend, you know.”

  I see Crystal cringe in the corner of my vision because I just broke the number one rule: never mention exes to the new guy. Well, at least not until you’ve been going out for over six weeks.

  “Nice name.” Chase thanks the server for the drinks as she places them on the table.

  I home in on my mine like an addict. Crystal’s voice stops me.

  “Cheers everyone. Great to meet you guys.”

  I lift my glass and clink it against the others. I can’t wait to get that straw to my lips. When the cool beverage finally slides into my mouth and slips down my throat, my mind is back to Troy. I ask myself why he never really loved me. He was the first man to just treat me as a means to an end. No matter how hard I tried, I could never make him fall in love with me. I know how we would have ended up had we married. I’d be stuck with a gaggle of kids and he’d be fucking his mistresses.

  “Guys, Stella and I need to go to the restroom.” Crystal’s voice catapults me out of my little world of thoughts. I look up and I am about to protest that I have no need, but Crystal glowers at me.

  Chase and Cornelius stare at me. Seeing me look at them, they quickly flash me their dental delights and start talking to one another. My total ignoring of them had not perturbed them in the least.

  “What the fuck was that all about?” Crystal’s gaze bores into me like daggers ready to be thrown.

  “What, Crystal? You got what you wanted. Tiberius and Chip are sitting at our table . . .”

  “Their names are Cornelius and Chase.” Crystal rolls her eyes. “God, Stella. You got to start focusing on the evening or it’ll never work out.”

  Crystal starts powdering her nose and exposes her teeth in the mirror. She looks like a cute poodle trying to make a point. Her thick, curly, brown hair moves out around her head like a halo.

  She has a prominent nose and a set of thin lips, but both features only strengthen her appeal. I watch her for a while longer as she straightens her dress that is far too short, to the point where it barely covers her full backside. Crystal turns to face me and crinkles her nose. She places her hands on her hips, like she always did back in college.

  “So, what’s on your mind? Why are you so not yourself tonight? It’s got to do with that prick Troy, doesn’t it?”

  I nod. “Yeah.”

  “I know break ups are never easy, but you made the right call by dumping Troy. As I said, he loves your dad more than you.”

  “Thanks for reminding me yet again.” I say as I wash my hands. I cup my hands and gather some water, staring at the little pool. Where had I gone so wrong with Troy?

  “Are you going to do this for me? I really need this, Stella.”

  I nod but say nothing.

  “It does mean that you are going to have to forget about Troy and actually listen to Chase. And for fuck’s sake, don’t call him Chip.”

  We laugh and give each other one of our power hugs that we are both convinced work miracles.

  “I’m still going to have sex with Cornelius, though,” says Crystal when we break apart. She scowls at another woman who frowns her disapproval at her upon entering the restroom. Seeing the glower of venom on Crystal’s face, she quickly passes by and vanishes into one of the cubicles.

  “Don’t rush it, baby. Please.” I don’t know what she sees in him. I laugh inwardly. If I hadn’t had sex for over six months, I’d probably be just as desperate. I think of myself. I haven’t had much action on that front for a while either. I quickly discount the notion—Chase is not my type. I swear that I’m not going to have another man like that. I just don’t know what other type of man I could attract.

  “Why not? He’s cute.” Crystal stops me as we exit the restroom. She looks at me as if she is about to impart the solution for world hunger. “I’m sure that he has a big dick.” She licks her lips lasciviously. “I saw it press against his pants. Damn, I love suits. At least a girl gets to see the merchandise before it’s too late. Come on, let’s go.” She pulls on my hand, dragging me back to our table, laughing the entire time.

  I don’t look at Troy once as we pass him by—strike two, asshole. The thought caresses my mind as I feel his eyes bore into my tight derriere while he studies my walk. I have the finest ass and the sexiest gait, and I know it. I have been a Vogue cover girl more than once and that’s not because of my rich dad. Thanks to Crystal, I’ve got some of my old swagger back. I feel it coursing through by blood as I slink back to our table like a feline, putting on a show for anyone watching—including Troy.

  2

  Stella

  “No way, you would never do it.” Chase looks at me intensely. His cheeks are a little flushed from too much drinking. We’ve been boozing and carousing for over three hours.

  I smile naughtily. I have to admit the dainty duo, as I have decided to call them, are not that bad after all. After they had used every lame cliché in the book for picking up girls, they turned out all right. For once, I’m happy about the effects of alcohol on a guy. Chase and Cornelius just seemed to mellow out the more they drank. Troy’s different; he’d become all uppity and self-important. I realize that I’m well shot of him.

  “Sure, she’d do it,” Crystal slurs and brandishes her glass, as if it were a conductor’s baton.

  “Okay, let’s finish these. I know just the place,” says Cornelius authoritatively.

  Crystal arches her eyebrows. “You have one?”

  Cornelius bursts out laughing. “No way. I just pass the place a lot.” He shrugs. “You can’t miss it. It’s just off Santa Monica Boulevard.”

  Crystal seems disappointed.

  I drain my umpteenth cocktail for that evening. “Let’s go,” I say, with far more confidence than I feel. The effects of the alcohol are not as potent as I would’ve hoped.

  Before I know it, we walk down the hallway to the elevator. I can’t help but notice the incredible artwork on the walls. While we wait, I study one of them more closely.

  “It’s from an artist who calls himself Z.”

  I flip around. A guy d
ressed in a suit smiles at me. I just mutter something unintelligible and continue looking at the painting. At the same time, I wonder why all the men are wearing suits tonight.

  “See how he uses color to distract from her nudity?” The man sighs happily as if he’s looking at a Monet.

  I can’t help but feel connected to what I’m seeing. The woman’s body is so perfectly depicted. Her curves are impeccable. The muse’s face is not discernable, but the way she holds her hands to her groin area and how she scissors her legs makes me frown. I recognize the act as if it was I on the canvas.

  “It’s called The Orgasm,” says the man. He looks at me and smiles. “I am Giovanni, the hotel manager. Pleased to meet you, Miss. Hutchinson.” He holds out his hand.

  I take his hand and shake it. “How do you know my name?”

  “You are Mr. Hutchinson’s daughter. Your father is thinking of buying a few of them,” Giovanni says, pointing at the painting.

  “Stella, come on. The elevator’s here.”

  I would’ve loved to talk some more to Giovanni, but a swaying Crystal grabs my arm and leads me to the elevator. I shrug apologetically, but Giovanni is too professional to be offended. As the doors close, I wonder why my dad hangs out at the Petit Versailles. He always seemed like much more of a Chateau Marmont patron.