Destined for Love, page 6
James walked into the kitchen with Mark close behind him. The dark-haired genie held a bowl in one hand.
“That’s good to hear you’re staying positive. I’d be a nervous wreck right now if I were in your shoes.”
The two genies stopped near her. James crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, facing her. Mark stood at her side. The bowl in his hand contained a mixture of fruit. He plucked a cubed piece of melon from the mix then held it close to her mouth.
“Yeah, well you probably won’t believe this, but losing my job wasn’t the only bad news I received yesterday.” Val opened her mouth wider and took the piece of fruit Mark held between his fingers.
“Oh? You had more bad news? Dear Lord…”
“Mm-hmm.” Val finished chewing then swallowed. “I came home and discovered the owner of the building sold the property. I have thirty days to move out.”
“You’re shitting me?”
“Nope. And I checked my messages… Thomas left one breaking up with me.”
“Seriously?” The tone of Terri’s voice was higher.
“Yep, so I’m officially jobless, homeless and single. I should take an ad out in the paper.”
Mark held another cube of fruit for her. She graciously accepted it and slid her lips along the edges of his fingers. His eyes lit up with excitement.
“Oh my God, Val. That's horrible.”
As Val chewed on the juicy watermelon, she stared at Mark’s torso. The tight shirt showed his erect nipples and every curve of his muscles. She should’ve been pulling her hair out with all her problems, but she couldn’t ignore the gorgeous man standing in front of her.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Fine? How can you say that? I would be having a nervous breakdown.”
Val lifted her gaze to James and realisation dawned on her. She had a once in a lifetime chance to change her life, make it worthy, and possibly improve the lives of others. Most people probably would’ve followed Terri’s path and given up. It would’ve been the easy thing to do. By a stroke of luck, she’d found the bottle on the beach and had set free two incredible men. They’d saved her from a life of misery. And they were giving her the perfect opportunity to take life by the balls and do something. She should be appreciative of the two men and what they’d done and offered, instead of using them for hot sex.
“Well, I’m hopeful everything will work out. I have to stay positive.”
Mark offered another piece of fruit to her. She shook her head, refusing it.
“I suppose you’re right. Damn, Val. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about me. You have your own life to focus on.”
“I know, but I can’t stop thinking about you. You’ve helped me out so many times, and other people at work. It’s just not fair what happened. I wish there was a way I could help you for a change.”
Val’s eyes widened when she heard the word ‘wish’. She looked from one genie to the other, waiting to see if anything would happen. When Mark shook his head, she released the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding.
“Any ideas what you are going to do?” Terri asked.
“For starters, I need to revise my résumé. I’m sure that will take a couple of hours to complete. Then I’ll register at a couple of online job banks and scan through their listings. Hopefully I’ll look at the ads for homes and apartments later this afternoon, too.”
“Sounds like a long day.”
Val inhaled a deep breath. She’d rather spend her time with James and Mark, but responsibility called to her and she needed to answer. “It probably will be a long one.”
“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” Terri said excitedly. “Let’s go dancing tonight. I’m sure you could use the break later.”
“Dancing?” Her legs still felt sore from the many hours of sex. Could she last in a set of high heels? “I don’t know.”
“Come on, Sam and I will buy the drinks. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet a nice guy who’s rich and will let you move in with him until you find a job.”
Val grinned at the pleasant thought. Finding such a person would make her life so much easier. However, she doubted the man existed.
“Tell her you’ll go,” Mark whispered as he set the bowl on the counter behind her.
She looked from one genie to the other. James nodded and took a step closer. Mark simply rubbed his hand along her back. Both men had a gleam in their eyes.
“What do you say, Val?” Terri asked.
She pondered the idea. It had been nearly a year since the last time she had gone dancing at a club. Could she use a break from her troubles? The answer was an easy one, but another concern weighed in her mind. She now had to think about James and Mark. She couldn’t leave them behind. It would be rude. Besides, she enjoyed their company. She wanted to bring them along, which meant she’d have to find a way to explain who they were.
“All right, I suppose I’ll need fresh air and a change of scenery later.”
She laughed. “Super. We’ll go to that fancy club, The Hideaway.”
“That’s expensive,” Val blurted.
Articles from the local paper claimed The Hideaway catered to those who preferred their night out to be special and hidden from public eye. Months after the club had opened, rumours had surfaced about private rooms in the basement. Of course, no one would confess to what went on in the basement and the club owner denied all such fabrications. Entrance required a hefty fee of one hundred dollars per person. Any time the admission price to a club was more than twenty dollars, Val skipped going to it.
“It will be my treat. Who knows, maybe you will meet Mr Right. Your luck has to change sometime soon after what you went through yesterday.”
Val stepped away from the counter and strolled into the hall while she pondered over what to do about Mark and James. She doubted they had money and the price to get in was too much for her to pay for them, which meant they’d have to stay at home. Maybe going to The Hideaway was a bad idea after all.
“I think we should stick to a regular club or bar. There’s no reason—”
“Stop, Val. It’s my treat. Let’s just have some fun. Take a chance once in a while.”
Val considered her options. Given her situation, she didn’t have anything to lose if she left Mark and James at home while she went dancing. And maybe, just maybe, she’d meet a normal man. The two genies in her apartment were amazing, kind and generous. They were the kind of men she could marry. But after she’d make her wishes, they would probably disappear. Where would that leave her? Alone again. Opportunity had presented itself again to her, and if she passed, maybe she would miss something big, or someone wonderful.
She stopped in the middle of the living room. “All right. What time should I meet you there?”
“We’ll pick you up around ten o’clock. That way you don’t have to drive.”
“Okay. Sounds like a plan.”
“Great. I’ll see you tonight. Call me if anything comes up, but please don’t cancel. This could be an opportunity to meet the man of your dreams.”
“I’ll see you tonight.” Val pressed the button to end the call.
For a minute, she stood staring at the dining room table at the far end of the apartment. Food items covered the top. The eggs were without a doubt cold.
A clap from behind gathered her attention. She turned to find the two men walking towards her. Mark rubbed his hands together. Smiling, he asked, “Are we going dancing?”
Guilt crept into her conscience. They’d treated her with love and care, fixing her food and giving her pleasure she’d never experienced before. It didn’t feel right to leave them. But they would disappear from her life at some point. Wasn’t it the same thing in a way?
“You wouldn’t happen to have any money, would you?”
James stepped around Mark. He wedged his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “No, we have no purpose for material objects or money.”
She’d guessed right on his answer, but she’d had to ask the question anyway.
“Well, I have some bad news.” She paused to sigh. “The club my friend is taking me to is an expensive one. I’d like for you two to come, but I can’t afford the entrance fee, not even for one of you.”
James shrugged. “That’s okay. We’ll wait here, unless you want us to go back to our home.”
“You don’t mind?”
Mark stepped towards her. “Honey, go out and enjoy your life. Don’t worry about us.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his body. She bumped his hip.
James came to stand in front of her. He took the phone from her hand. “We’re here to help, not get in the way.”
“I don’t want you to think I’m rude or anything.”
They both chuckled.
“Listen to her, she’s concerned about what we think,” Mark said.
James slid his free hand over her cheek and held her. “You are special, Valerie. And any man who doesn’t see it is a fool.” He kissed her forehead.
“I’m glad you’re not upset. It still feels awkward to me, leaving you two here after everything you’ve done for me.”
A warm smile spread across James’ face “Every minute with you is a pleasure-filled one.”
“Speaking of pleasure, we still have food to devour,” Mark said.
Val slid James’ hand away from her face. She’d love to spend more time with them, but real life responsibilities needed her attention. “I have to take care of a few things, such as updating my résumé and working on the computer for a while.”
Mark slipped his arm from her waist. “That doesn’t sound like fun.”
“It’s not, but I have to do it.”
“Is there anything we can help with?” James asked.
She shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. You’re welcome to finish breakfast, watch television, and do whatever you want.”
Mark grazed his fingers down her forearm, giving her a slight chill. “We want to make love to you.”
A chuckle rose from her. She’d like for them to make love to her again, but she had work to do if she was going to find a job and a new home.
She gave them a grin. “Maybe later.”
“And what about the wish you were about to make before the phone rang?”
“Wish?”
James gave her a nod. “You mentioned you were ready to make another wish.”
Before answering the phone, her second wish had been on the tip of her tongue. Passion had consumed her and she had nearly requested that the two of them be a part of her life to pleasure her every night, or whenever she wanted them to. Thank God she hadn’t said the words. The request was selfish and inconsiderate. They were good guys and deserved to make their own choices, not to be forced to live with and please her. Maybe a night away from them was a good idea so they couldn’t tempt her with their loving ways.
She gave a casual wave of her hand. “It was a selfish idea. I changed my mind.”
The two men exchanged glances.
“Look, I really need to get busy on my résumé.” She took a step back from them. “Make yourselves at home. I’ll just work on the computer in my bedroom.”
They looked at her with a hint of sadness in their eyes. Their downcast expressions were almost enough to make her want to stay with them. Shaking the thought from her mind, she stepped around them.
“Can we help you get ready for your night out?” Mark asked, bringing her to a halt.
She turned to face them. “You want to pick out my clothes?”
“If you don’t mind.”
The lusty gleam in his eyes and the mischievous grin on his face made her wonder what he was thinking.
“He’s really good at picking out the right colours, styles, and even styling hair,” James said.
The genie can cook, style hair, pick out fashions, and fuck like there’s no tomorrow. If he were a regular human, I’d ask him to marry me.
“Sure.”
“Excellent.” Mark clapped his hands together. “I can’t wait.”
Grinning, Val turned and headed for her bedroom. She had plenty of work to do and needed to create a list of potential wishes. But at that moment she couldn’t stop thinking about her plans for the night. Moreover, she wondered what Mark had in mind for preparing her. The lively look on his face suggested he had some naughty ideas. Considering they were there to help her, she didn’t believe for a second that he’d do anything to bring harm to her. What was the playful genie up to?
Chapter Eight
“Don’t move,” Mark said, holding the curling iron an inch from the side of her face.
Sitting still on the bed, she obeyed his instruction, knowing one little move might leave a nasty burn mark.
James stood on her other side with his lipstick-coated forefinger in front of her. “Open your mouth, please.”
Without moving her head, she complied with his request and parted her lips. While James dabbed the tinted gloss on her bottom one, she continued staring at his bare chest. She’d spent the last twenty minutes gazing at it as he and Mark beautified her by styling her hair and applying makeup. Her hormones were running wild. She fought the urge to touch him, to feel his hot flesh under her fingertips. She’d like to grope his cock, too, seeing how he was sporting a hard-on. But one touch might change her plans for the evening and keep her homebound. The two would make it worth her while if she did stay with them, but then she could miss the chance to meet Mr Right.
“She looks absolutely beautiful, James. Don’t you agree?”
“Completely. But I’m of the opinion that, with or without clothes and makeup, she looks heavenly.”
She couldn’t stop the grin from spreading on her face. They had a way of making her feel on top of the world through their words and actions. Because of them, she held high confidence. She also had an overactive sex drive that she fought to control.
“There.” Mark jiggled the iron free from her hair. “That should be it, but don’t move yet.”
He set the heated device on her dresser next to the bed then grabbed the comb.
James took several steps back. He stood in front of her and examined her. “Mark, you’ve outdone yourself.”
Val remained immobile as Mark worked to fix the curls in her hair. The first-class treatment was one she thoroughly enjoyed, and could easily grow attached to. They were perfect gentlemen, dream men and fucking awesome in bed. She’d yet to find a flaw with either of them. When the time came for them to leave, her heart would miss them greatly.
“Okay,” Mark said, lightly patting her hair. He stepped back next to James. “Stand up.”
Val rose and tugged the sides of her red dress. “How do I look?” She lowered her gaze to her feet. The red high heels Mark had picked out matched her outfit.
“Beautiful,” said James.
“Gorgeous,” Mark said a second later.
She pointed towards the bathroom. “Can I peek in the mirror now?”
“Oh, sure.” Mark dashed in front of her and flipped the light switch.
Val walked slowly into the room. Her shoes clacked on the tiles. Upon seeing her reflection in the mirror, she froze. The sleeveless red dress came down in a V and revealed her cleavage. It also hugged her body, showing off her curvy hips, but not her thong. The short length of the dress along with the high heels made her legs appear long and slender.
“Oh my. I can’t believe that’s me.” She pointed in the mirror.
“You look divine.”
Mark straightened the strap on her shoulder then grazed his fingers down her arm. A quiver swept through her.
“I’m so hard right now.”
“Mouthwatering, isn’t she?” James asked as he came to a stop behind her. He placed his hands on her waist and his mouth to her ear. His warm breath tickled her.
“Mm…” Mark glided his fingers between her breasts. “What I wouldn’t give to suck on your nips and lick your pussy right now.”
Desire pumped through her like a drug. Her pulse quickened and she felt an increase of moisture between her legs. She wondered if they had time for a quick fuck.
“Maybe we could—”
The sound of the doorbell interrupted her.
James kissed her head. “We can pick this up later.”
“Count on it,” Mark said.
Val took in a deep breath and nodded. Right. I’ll drink and dance for a little while, mingle with a few guys, and perhaps meet a man equally warm-hearted as Mark and James. Then I’ll return home to their loving embrace. She liked her plan.
“I’m ready.”
She walked out of the bathroom and headed for the living room. The doorbell chimed again, followed by a knock.
“I’m coming,” she said.
Val reached the door and opened it. Before Terri could step inside, Val hurried out.
Terri’s eyes widened. “Wow. Look at you.” She wore a navy blue dress with the hem past her knees.
“I’m ready,” Val said.
“You look hot.”
“Do you think Mr Right might notice me?”
“Oh, definitely.” Terri grinned while nodding. “Is that the dress you bought a couple of years ago?”
“Yeah. Can you believe it still fits?” She had difficulty believing it herself.
“It looks fabulous on you. And it’s perfect for The Hideaway. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of looks and free drinks.”
“Let’s hope they come from Prince Charming.”
They both chuckled softly as they descended the stairs.
“Oh, do you need your purse?” Terri paused on a step.
Val continued uninterrupted down the steps. “No. I have a couple of old friends visiting for a few days. They’ll let me in.”
The excuse was the only one she could conjure for Mark and James, and she’d hoped Terri wouldn’t ask too many questions. She quickly thought of something to say to change the subject.
“I’m really looking forward to tonight. I can’t thank you enough for treating me out to such a fancy club.”
“You’re my friend and I want you to have fun tonight. Even if you don’t find the prince, maybe you’ll hook up with a couple of rich guys who won’t mind loaning you a little money until you get back on your feet.”
