INFLUENCED: A Good Girl, Bad Boy Love Story Read online

  “I know something else Lucinda doesn’t do when she wakes you up,” he told me, his voice husky and filled with a primal thirst that sent my heart beating rapidly.

  “What?”

  He didn’t answer, but continued to kiss down my bare body. His lips pulling one of my nipples into his mouth elicited a sigh from me. Spencer knew exactly how to drag me under his spell.

  “Mmm, Spencer--we have to get ready for work,” I tried to express, my breathing hitched at Spencer’s actions, which continued.

  Lips and mouth moving down my body, over my flat stomach, his tongue took a lick at my belly button, causing me to squirm.

  Spencer’s hands spread my legs and he peered up at me, giving me a wicked grin. “I bet Lucinda doesn’t do this when she wakes you up,” he said before, without a warning, his tongue ran along my slit.

  At that moment, I was done for. My hands in his hair as he lapped away at me, forcing me towards my breaking point.

  “You know--you taste--so good,” he hummed between licks before taking my clit between his lips, sucking hard, almost making me crash with his single action.

  Spencer had taken me, a shy and virtuous virgin, and made me into a sex crazed woman. Every single thing about him turned me on, made me burn and ache for him. When we were together, we were an unextinguishable fire, blazing hot. I could never go back to the way things were before, I was now living a completely different life.

  I stepped from the shower and wrapped my towel around my body before walking to Spencer, who’d just finished brushing his teeth. He beamed at me, a towel around his waist. Though he’d driven me wild upon waking me, I wanted more. He was my drug and dealer, I was the addict.

  Keeping my eyes off him was the hardest thing possible. He stood there in only a towel, his bare chest still beaded with water from the shower. It was hard to believe that this guy was mine and he loved me, Megan. Still shocked the hell out of me in every moment I thought about it.

  I leaned my head onto Spencer’s shoulder and planted a kiss on the large tattoo that covered his shoulder and half his arm. My finger came up and traced the intricate lines of the tribal symbol on his arm.

  “When did you get it?” I asked him, facing the mirror, watching the two of us.

  “About two years after I got to Europe. I was backpacking during my summer break. I was in Amsterdam and I met this chick in a hostel.” At the mention of a girl, I scrunched my nose, Spencer smiled. “It was never like that, Peaches.” He was quick to assure me. “She was an artist, she had all these awesome drawings. I’d asked her if she could draw me something, I wanted a tattoo. The next morning, she’d drawn this up and went with me to the tattoo shop.”

  “It’s beautiful. I’ve loved it since the first time I saw it,” I admitted to him, giving his arm another kiss. “I’m so jealous. I mean, I’ve been overseas a few times with my parents on vacation, but you really got to explore and be on your own. I’ve never gotten that.”

  “You will. I promise, we will have some great adventures. I made some great friends over there and they are all begging for me to come visit. I’m going to show you the fucking world, Peaches,” he promised me.

  “My very own Aladdin.”

  “Only if you’re always my Jasmine,” he laughed. “God, I remember you were obsessed with that movie and one time, I had to be at your house because my parents were off somewhere for a few days. You ran around in your Jasmine costume and played that movie over and over. I never wanted to see that movie again. Hell, I don’t think I’ve seen it since.”

  I giggled. I loved all the tidbits he held in his memory about our childhood together. It helped me remember the good times I did have, when my mom wasn’t pushing me to the brink.

  I picked my cell phone up from the counter and saw the time. “Shit, Spencer, we need to go. We cannot be late and our excuse be that we were too busy having sex.”

  “Yes, we can. When my lovely mother asks why we are tardy, I will simply tell her it was because I was fucking the sexiest girl on the planet,” he proclaimed without a speck of irony.

  “Spencer!”

  I playfully smacked his arm before he quickly grabbed me, an arm around my waist, pulling my body in close. Hand gripping my ass tight, making me moan.

  “We have to go,” I whined, through my body that was heating rapidly with each passing second. I needed him so bad.

  “We do,” he admitted, his hands letting me go. “But when we come home later, I’m claiming my prize.”

  “Your prize?” My hands went to my hips, while he smirked in my direction.

  “Yes, my prize for being patient all day, spending an entire day with you and not having my hands all over your body.” He kissed me quickly before giving my behind a spank and leaving me alone in the bathroom.

  * * *

  Being in the office was strange. Upon arrival, everything was normal and I hadn’t seen my parents, though Spencer and I did spot Heather and Steve, who invited us to dinner when I got home from dance.

  Peering up from the depositions I’d been assigned, I found Spencer watching me, a smirk on his lips. My man, no matter how many times I told myself this was real life, I simply couldn’t believe it. And if it wasn’t real, I hoped this dream lasted my entire life.

  Getting to know Spencer for more than the guy I’d grown up with was great. We had strange things in common, like both loving to cover our food in ketchup, but also both hating tomatoes. He was left handed, like me, and he loved kissing me as much as I loved kissing him. A match made in heaven.

  Though we’d only lived together for a few days, we’d found a comfortable rhythm with one another and I couldn’t figure out how I survived years without sleeping in the same bed with him. He made me feel safe like nobody had ever done and the way he allowed me to express my passions was nothing like I’d ever experienced.

  “What?” I questioned as I sat my pen on top of the overly complicated paperwork that was making me go cross eyed, the distraction was welcome.

  “I’m trying to keep my hands to myself,” he insisted.

  “What if I don’t want you to?” I stood from my chair and stalked around his desk until I was standing right in front of him. Bending to him, I pressed my lips to his, filling with life instantly.

  “Fuck, Peaches, you’re making it hard for me to work,” he hissed against my lips before taking my bottom lip between his teeth. “Come here, Baby.”

  He pulled me to him, lifting me so that I straddled him on his chair. My arms wrapping around his neck, I kissed him again, deeper and stronger. The desire to constantly be wrapped in him and our shared passion was so ridiculously strong that I didn’t care if we were in our parents’ office. I wasn’t myself and honestly, I never wanted to be her again.

  “You’re”

  Kiss

  “A terrible”

  Kiss

  “Influence”

  Kiss

  “On me.”

  I felt Spencer’s lips curl into a grin against my lips.

  Spencer’s strong hands gripped at my ass, bringing me in as close as possible, lifting my skirt, while his tongue explored my mouth. My hips grinding into his, I felt his growing arousal, needing me the same way I needed him.

  I knew this was us in the newlywed stage of our relationship and things would eventually cool off, but for a long as the steamy stage lasted, I was on for it.

  A throat cleared from behind me, I jumped off Spencer, nearly falling before he caught me at the waist. Looking in the direction of the door, I spotted my mother standing, disapproval all over her face.

  Her eyes were puffy and red. She’d been crying, likely the last few days after the explosion on the island. It had been brewing for years and the explosion would eventually happen. I wasn’t sorry for my part, I’d done nothing wrong, she’d pushed me to that point.

  “I wasn’t aware that I was paying either of you to have sex in this office instead of working,” she snapped angrily.


  “Sorry, ma’am,” I mumbled as I felt myself cowering to her as the scared Megan I used to be.

  “What can we help you with, Mrs. Reese?” Spencer said, speaking up, keeping a strong grip on my waist, supporting me. It was incredible how much stronger I was with him. For the very first time in my life, I felt like I could stand up to her, be the strong woman she claimed she was raising me to be.

  “I have mail for both of you.” She pulled out two envelopes. She handed one to Spencer, it was cream and had fancy writing on the front.

  I watched as Spencer opened his piece of mail. He pulled an invitation card from it, his sapphire eyes scanned the writing.

  “It’s for the Atlanta Paralegals Ball in a month,” Spencer told me.

  “It seems you began working here just in time to get an invitation,” my mother said, sounding displeased. It was obvious from day one that she wasn’t happy with the idea of Spencer working in the office, though I never understood why she was so against it.

  “And I can bring a date. I think I have an idea of who I’ll bring,” Spencer cooed to me, his hand rubbing my hip.

  “Seems so,” my mom spat, I rolled my eyes before I started at my envelope, which she’d handed to me in the meantime.

  It didn’t take a genius to notice that my envelope had been opened before it got into my hands. I pulled the folded up paper from it. It was from Harvard Law School, my class schedule for the upcoming semester. I smiled as I’d gotten all the classes I’d requested.

  “I’m disappointed, Megan, Children & Divorce, Family Law Trial Advocacy. These were not the classes we discussed for you when we went over the catalog at Spring Break. I’m not paying all of this money for you to not take the path we discussed,” my mom lectured.

  My blood was boiling. I was excelling in school and would make a decent lawyer, but if it wasn’t on the path she wanted, I wasn’t making her happy. Nothing I did ever pleased her enough.

  “I didn’t want to take those classes. These are the ones I wanted,” I insisted right away. “And you opened my fucking mail?”

  “Megan Reese, you lower your damn voice. And don’t talk to me like that, young lady,” she hissed. “I pay your damn tuition and it came to my damn house. Yes, I opened it.”

  “You’re always pushing me to do what you want. I’m not doing that anymore, mom. Doing what you want just makes me unhappy, I’m over that, I want to be happy. I want to practice Family Law. Why can’t you accept me for me?” I was so angry with her for everything, not just school, but my entire life.

  I’d learned on Sea Island that she never even wanted me when she got pregnant. She never wanted the responsibility that came with raising me and, for some reason, she’d decided to push me over the edge. I wasn’t her pet anymore, I was a grown woman.

  “You can kiss your tuition goodbye. I’m not paying for you to be some loser, I’m paying for you to be successful.” Her finger was in my face as she spoke to me angrily.

  “Okay, I’m stopping this. Marian, if you aren’t here to speak to Megan in an official capacity, I suggest you leave,” Spencer spoke up, pulled me back, and standing in front of me, blocked me from my enraged mother.

  “Don’t you dare, Spencer Grant, I’m speaking to my daughter.” She was angry, I could see her boiling from within, but I was also at my boiling point.

  “No, you aren’t, you’re berating her and treating her like shit, like she isn’t a grown ass woman who can make her own decisions,” Spencer growled, taking a step into her face. I knew he wouldn’t do anything, he was better than that.

  My mom laughed, it was almost manic. “A grown ass woman? Really? That little girl. You’re mistaken. Megan can barely take care of herself, but I think you know that. You saw her as an easy lay and apparently, she is. Are you shacking up with him, Megan? Is that why you haven’t been home? Playing house, are you? Just the little girl you always were, letting others influence you when you know I only have your best interests at heart.”

  “Marian, out, now!” Spencer pointed to the door. I knew it was taking every last bit of will he had to not hit her. Spencer wasn’t that type of guy, but my mother, on the other hand, could take anyone to their breaking point.

  With an angry grunt, my mother turned and left Spencer’s office, slamming the door behind her. I hadn’t realized I was shaking until Spencer pulled me into his arms, whispering to me to calm down and that everything would be okay. The anxiety I’d let go of was sneaking back into my system.

  “Fuck. Why does she do this to me? Why?” I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to cry though the tears were building in my eyes. What kind of parent thrived on making their child feel like a worthless piece of shit?

  “I don’t know why, Baby, but I can assure you that you have nothing to prove to me. Peaches, you’re perfect to me in every single way. As long as you’re happy with yourself, that’s all I need to be happy,” Spencer expressed, taking my face between his hands.

  How did I get to be so incredibly lucky?

  * * *

  Spencer’s fingers laced with mine as I secured my dance bag over my arm. For the first time, he was coming to dance class with me. When it came to dance, he was so supportive, it amazed me. My mom had only been supportive of dance in middle and high school because of the extracurricular activity credits it gave me towards college.

  Once I graduated from high school, mom insisted that I put dance behind me. Spencer did the complete opposite and was always begging me to show him some dances I’d choreographed myself. I loved the way he supported me and I wanted to do the same for him.

  He’d told me about how he’d always wanted to be a high school history teacher. Spencer loved to travel and had learned so much about the world during his travels. His parents thought his history degree was a cop out to do something easy and party the rest of the time, but he’d done it because he actually liked it.

  I wanted Spencer to follow his dreams, he wasn’t made to be stuffed into an office doing the bidding of others. Spencer had passion and he could share that with younger kids who would soak it up. That was my favorite part about my dance class, giving the younger generation my passion.

  Tonight’s class was extra special. One of our dances was choreographed to a song by a local rapper, who’d just made it to the top of the Billboard charts. Apparently his younger cousin was in the class and, when he learned about what we were doing and the upcoming fundraiser, he’d given the community center a nice donation and was coming to see us dance tonight.

  “Damn, you look so hot tonight,” Spencer growled into my ear as we entered the small community center. We’d decided, as we would have a special guest, this would be an early dress rehearsal. Spencer slid his hand over my behind, which was covered in tight leather pants.

  “Keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Grant,” I playfully scolded as I spotted Joe, Kyle not far.

  The guys instantly were chatting while Joe and I got our students together. We all spotted Vic Tyrone walk in with his entourage of people, the kids went crazy, and it was a task to keep them in line before our resident DJ got the music started.

  I couldn’t explain it, when on the floor, I let it all go. I wasn’t Megan Reese anymore, I was something else, someone without a single care in the world. The beat reverberated through my limbs as I moved.

  All the drama with my mom and my past with Chase, it fluttered away. That crap no longer existed in my world when I was dancing. The only thing I felt was the beat as it moved through me, guiding my every move.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Spencer watching me, nodding his head to the hip-hop beat, yet never taking his eyes off me, keeping in turn with every move I made. He made me a better and more confident me and I felt it even showed in my dancing. I wanted to be with him longer than some fling, longer than some few year relationship, I wanted to be his in every way possible, always and forever.

  The moment the song ended and we stood in our final pose, I could hear Spencer’s cheers the
loudest over everyone. I glanced in his direction, his hands over his head as he clapped, the grin on his face that said, “She’s my girl.”

  He came right to me, pulling me into his arms, planting a kiss on my lips.

  “You’re so talented,” Spencer said excitedly, keeping me close.

  “I screwed up a couple times.”

  “So fucking what? You looked amazing. I took a video, I can’t wait to show my parents over dinner.” Spencer held up his phone. “I’m so proud of you. You make it look so easy.”

  “Moe come here, we want to get pictures of the whole group with Vic Tyrone!” Joe called from across the room.

  “Go be a star. I’ll be right here, Peaches,” Spencer cooed, giving me a final kiss before I ran off to my dance crew that was already posing with the celebrity in our midst. We all matched in the costumes I’d designed for this number, leather pants, black crop tops for the little girls, while Joe, the older teens, and I sported black bustiers and leather jackets.

  I spotted Spencer, his smile said it all. No matter the doubt my mom tried to plant into my mind, he actually loved me. He wasn’t with me because I was easy. Spencer was with me because he loved me in ways I knew another man could never love me.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Spencer

  The feeling of being in a courthouse, although not new, still set my teeth on edge. Growing up, I had been subjected to long days and long nights sleeping on benches outside of courtrooms while my parents fought for the rights of anyone and everyone. Too many times for me to count, I had fallen asleep surrounded by the ugly monotone brown found in a traditional courthouse, and woken the next morning snug in my bed, without a clue as to how I got there.

  As I got older, I began to resent going to the courthouses and opted to stay home, and after the last few years in Europe and my own legal trouble, I found myself not wanting to be in one at all. It was suffocating, to say the very least, to be surrounded by so many people, from all walks of life. Around you, all housed by these four walls, you could be in the presence of Judges, lawyers, murderers, pedophiles, deadbeat dads, grieving widows, and innocent children. In my mind, the most eclectic of people could be found in court.