Happily Ever After: A Contemporary Romance Boxed Set
Page 208
“Not my favorite,” she said as she started to put the glass down.
“Not my problem,” I said as I stopped her. She rolled her eyes at me and reached for the salt. She started to put her shot down when I stopped her. “Use me.” She looked at me confused, before I motioned to the salt. “Use me, your hands are full.” She slowly licked her lips as she looked me over as if she was trying to decide where she wanted to lick the salt from.
She cleared her throat. “Um, arm... I guess.” Lame. She slowly lowered her head to the inside of my wrist and her tongue gave the slightest lick as she looked at me, before jumping back. She shook damn near half of the salt on my wrist with most of it getting on the floor. She finally took a deep breath before licking the salt off, taking her shot and then quickly reaching for the lime. She burped then quickly covered her mouth before looking at me and giggling. This is going to be more fun than I thought. I moved closer to her, and I could practically feel her nervousness the closer I got. I gently tugged her shirt down to where her shoulder was exposed. Moving her hair to one side, I kissed the side of her neck, before sucking. Her breathing picked up, as I lightly bit her. Reaching for my own shot glass, I made sure to linger a little bit longer before kissing her neck again, then taking my own shot. “You forgot the salt,” she said a little too breathlessly.
“Damn, you’re right, I guess I have to do another one.” Pouring myself another shot, this time I grabbed the back of her head, gripping tight on her hair and she gasped. Moving over her, I lightly traced her lips, being sure to back away when she tried to kiss me. With me having control over her head, there wasn’t much she could do. Her tongue reached mine and I found myself giving in, because apparently, that’s what she did to me. Breaking away from our kiss, I finished my shot. When I leaned back, she was watching me carefully as I reached for the remote. “I never use salt.” Her eyes widened at my admission as I smirked, flipping through the channels. She cleared her throat as she tried to act unaffected. It didn’t work.
“So, you hate me?”
“I don’t hate you.”
“You hate me,” I said again, pouring both her and I another shot. She swiped it from me, not even bothering with the salt this time.
“What can I do to make it up to you?” She slowly shook her head as if she was really thinking about it before taking the shot. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” She looked at me, and for a moment it really did look like she was going to accept that I was truly genuine in my apology. Because I was.
“Ash, just don’t, okay?” She set the glass down before standing up. “Night.”
I didn’t say anything as I watched her go into her room and shut the door. I fucked up, and I hurt her and that I can never undo, but I can try to at least gain her trust again.
17
Perrie
The past few weeks with Ash had been strained. We did our good mornings and goodbyes but a full-on actual conversation, no not really. The girls weren’t coming around as much as before, and he was home more. It even got to where he was making breakfast for me every morning, and dinner was waiting for me when I came home late. I actually started to like it, even though it annoyed me at first.
I had just sat down to breakfast when Ash’s bedroom door opened. I watched some girl I didn’t even know was here walk out our apartment as I sat at the table with my bowl of cereal. “There’s coffee,” I said to him not looking up from the book I was reading. He moved around the kitchen before taking the seat next to me, as usual sitting closer than he needed to be. The jealousy I tried to keep down finally simmered its way to the top.
“Another long night for you, huh?”
He was silent a moment before he answered, “She’s a client. She and her boyfriend are having issues and she needed to talk.”
“Talk?”
“She’s a client. I didn’t sleep with her if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“I was a client.” He froze, nostrils flaring. Looks like I hit a nerve. Good. “Tell me something, Ashley. Did you have a girlfriend when you and I—”
“Fucked?” he finished for me and I rolled my eyes and he laughed. “No. Still don’t. They’re just something to pass the time.”
“But you had no problem having a wife when you and I first hooked up back at university right?”
He went stiff. “Now you feel like talking about it? You didn’t want to talk about it any other time, but now you decide to?” I looked away from him but he stalked toward me and decided to be overly dramatic with the chair that was next to me. Great, now he’s abusing furniture. “Yes, I was married when I met you. Yes, I was married when I fucked you. She and I never had sex. She couldn’t get a student visa if she was here on a visitors’ visa. If she had gone back home, she wouldn’t have the funds to come back over. She asked me for help and I did. It was just a paper marriage, that’s it. I didn’t mean for you to find out the way you did.”
If he wasn’t so tall, I would have slapped him. “Her family caught us in bed together. Her sister put up bulletins all over town announcing I was a homewrecker, when I didn’t even know of your wife’s existence!”
Ash shut his eyes briefly before kneeling to my level. “I know,” he said quietly. “And I’m sorry. I didn’t know that by being with you meant that I was going to…” he paused and took several deep breaths before continuing, “I didn’t know I was going to enjoy us spending time together. Or care.”
I couldn’t believe he just said that. He was lying. “Yeah, you do a great job of caring, don’t you? Do you care about the girls you bring over? Tell me, do you prefer having a different girl here almost every night?”
“Do you prefer it if I didn’t?”
“Why do you always answer a question with a question?”
“Do I?”
That son of a bitch.
“It bothers you, doesn’t it? I’m curious, why do you think that is? The comical part is, you actually think I’m having sex with each woman that comes over here. You couldn’t be more wrong.”
I didn’t answer as I focused on my book. Four more months, I kept repeating in my head. Out the corner of my eye, I saw him move closer to me. Meanwhile, I acted like my bowl of cereal was the most interesting thing in the world right now. He dipped a spoon in my bowl of cereal and took a bite. How dare he!
His voice dropped. “You don’t think it bothers me when three-minute man comes over? You don’t think it bothers me knowing that he’s where I want and need to be? The only satisfaction I get is knowing he can’t and won’t make you come like I will.”
He dipped his spoon in my bowl again and I turned and scowled at him. “You’re absolutely ridiculous!” I shouted, moving my bowl away.
“And you are absolutely correct, so let’s just fuck.” The next thing I knew, milk and cereal spewed from my mouth and flew all over my book. I reached for a napkin, trying to clean up my mess. I froze at those words. Clearly, I didn’t hear him right. I chanced a glance around my book, and his eyes were dead set on me. He arched a brow and that’s when I knew he wasn’t kidding. I awkwardly laughed since that was the only thing I could do.
“You’ve gone mad,” I stated as I went back to my now ruined book, no clue where I left off at, and at this point, it didn’t matter. I was no longer reading; I was listening to him.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s absurd!” I deadpanned as if that was the only answer needed.
“Which ironically is exactly what makes this entire arrangement perfect. We’re fucking, not getting married. What did you say before? Ahh yes, something about familiarity. I admit I was a bit surprised when you showed up to my room in Vegas.”
She scowled, “Um, you invited me remember?”
I furrowed my brows. “No I didn’t. You hit reject when we were down on the casino floor, remember?”
She slowly shook her head. “But later, we matched, you said come to room 405. I went to 405 and guess what? You were there.”
I studied him, as he studied me. My brain was shouting no but my mouth wasn’t, apparently. “So what you’re saying is you want it to be just us... using each other, then?” Wait, hold the hell up, was I seriously placing this under consideration? What the hell is wrong with me?
“Precisely, unless of course you fall in love with me.”
I blanched at his words and stood up. He did the same which only annoyed me because I barely reached his chest. “Rules, we need rules,” I said more so to myself but he agreed anyway. “Let’s get something straight. If we do this, I’m just using you for your dick.” When the hell did I decide that? “Nothing more.” The cocky smirk he was known for came on full force and I hated it, just like I hated him. But since apparently he was attached to this so-called magical cock, I guess I had to deal with him too.
“If you say so,” he said, shrugging indifferently as he stepped closer, the cockiness just radiating off of him.
“Client.”
“What?”
“Client, I want to be your client.” That threw him off. He went from full-on cocky smirk to almost frightened.
He blinked a few times. “What do you mean, you want to hire me?”
“A free client,” I stressed as I tried not to cringe. He continued to stare at me waiting for me to elaborate. Screw it. “You owe me, and you know you owe me after everything that happened.” I straightened my posture as I cleared my throat. “Are you available to take me on as a client or not?”
He slowly looked me up and down, and even though I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and sweats, I felt like he could see right through me and I had already disappointed him in my plain white cotton granny panties and nude bra.
“That’s what you want?” I nodded. “That’s what you really want?” I sighed before nodding again. He thickly swallowed before clearing his throat. “Yes, I can.” I started to breathe a sigh of relief when he added, “I have a few stipulations.”
“You don’t get stipulations,” I stated matter-of-factly as I rolled my eyes, because of course, he had stipulations, the ruthless bastard. I waited for him to continue, and it wouldn’t be Ash if he didn’t make me wait as he pretended to think it over. “And for the record, I’m not paying you. I know you’re used to it from your countless... charges, but I’m not one of them!”
“You know the douche that comes over a few times a week, stays for about three minutes then leaves? I’m assuming he’s giving you that good dick, but not good enough if you have to make yourself come after he’s gone. I know how much you look forward to that.” My mouth dropped to the floor. I was mortified that not only did he know about that but felt the need to use it against me. At first, he was subtle so I thought I was imagining it, but now I know he definitely knew. I knew I wasn’t imagining him watching me that night. “I don’t like him, he’s sketchy as hell.”
Felix wasn’t that bad. I mean sure he had his moments but overall, he’s... yeah who am I kidding. His father missed that opportunity to point to the wall.
“He’s gone, you hear me? Completely gone.”
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. Felix and I weren’t having sex anymore anyway, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Let me be clear,” he practically sneered, causing me to take a step back, which was pointless since he stepped forward, closing the distance between us. “You’re mine. Mind, body, soul, and pussy, are we clear?”
“Two weeks.”
He paused. “What?”
“Two weeks. Beth told me about the two-week package.” His eyes widened a bit before he controlled himself. He seemed more surprised than me right now.
I took a refill on my tea. “What made you keep going back to Ash?”
She shrugged as if the answer was obvious. “He’s great to work with. I had to commit to his two-week services which was a bit unnerving but ended up being the best thing for me.”
“What’s the two-week service?” I leaned in wanting to know more as if everything she said was a secret.
“Well, I needed to be more comfortable with myself. I needed the confidence, so for two weeks we were essentially ‘dating’. If that makes sense.”
It didn’t. I waited for her to continue.
“We spent time together practically twenty-four hours a day. Went on dates, we learned what I liked sexually and not sexually. Basically, he opened up my mind. I had been locked down for so long, I almost didn’t know I was that much of a mess.”
I sat back in my chair thinking over what she said. “And again, I know it’s odd, and not talked about, and that’s okay, but I think more relationships would last if they followed the lessons he gives.”
* * *
I crossed my arms to be petulant. “Sure. A little possessive, Ash, but sure whatever.” He definitely didn’t like that. “Anything else dickhead?”
He arched his brow but chose to ignore me. “I’ll have our agreement sent over to you this evening. Once you sign it and send it back, we can start.” He didn’t say anymore as he walked out the kitchen.
An agreement, what agreement? Start what, I thought we were just fucking? I shaved and everything!
18
Ash
This contract is in effect from March 21 to April 7 unless one of the undersigned retracts this contract in writing.
(Ash Toro) and (Perrie Marin) affirm that we are over the age of eighteen (18) and legally capable of signing this contract on our own behalf. To dumb it down, neither of us are fucking stupid and both of us are willing and capable.
Consent of Physical Contact
I consent to the sexual activities initialed below; non-initialed activities are non-consensual and indicate a violation of this contract if initiated.
* * *
Full Body Touching
* * *
No panties
Daily Breakfast
Sans clothing
Vaginal Sex
Open Communication
No Jarred Pasta Sauce
Nightly Dinners
Voyeurism Sex
Skirts or Dresses
No Fuckboy
Green Grapes
Green apples
Seeded Watermelon
Exhibitionism
Leather Cuffs
Nightly Dinners
Cuddling
Oral Sex
Random Rooms
Open Masturbation
Pacman
* * *
I made sure to supply Perrie with the most ridiculous agreement I could come up with and made sure it was pinpointed down to the most trivial shit.
What to wear, what to eat, when to sleep, when to awaken, all of it. Do I do this for my other clients? Fuck no, but for some reason she feels the need to impress Mr. Impressive who’s made it clear that he’s an unworthy egotistical shithole. I fired off her contract in an email and got in bed. She had no idea but her world was about to change.
19
Perrie
It was almost two in the morning and I was still staring at the contract Ash sent over a few hours ago. I had half a mind to bang on his door and ask if he was delirious, but I didn’t. Instead, I read over each line at least ten times. I couldn’t figure out why I was making such a big deal about this, after all, I requested it. Granted, half the shit he wrote on this ridiculous contract made absolutely no sense. What the hell was open masturbation?
Figuring Ash wouldn’t actually put me into any kind of danger, or do anything I wasn’t comfortable with, I supposed I should and can trust him. I finally put in my digital signature, hit send and shut the laptop, yawning as I laid my head on top of it. What in the world am I getting myself i
nto? Is this even a smart idea? I sighed as I shut my eyes.
I jumped at the sound of a door slamming. I looked at my surroundings. I fell asleep at the kitchen table, the pain in my neck reminding me. I groaned as I stretched and looked toward Ash’s door as he walked out fully nude. I quickly faced forward and yelped as the pain in my neck intensified.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I made a point not to turn my entire body to face him.
“Did you sleep out here all night?” he asked instead of answering me.
“I fell asleep reading your ridiculous contract.” I stilled as I felt his warmth come up beside me followed by his hands gently massaging my neck. Slowly, I felt myself relaxing as he concentrated on the knot in my neck. For a moment, I forgot he was nude until I relaxed a little too much and dropped my arm to my side and brushed against his cock.
I gasped and practically tried to jump out of my seat, but he took his other hand and held me down as he finished his massage. “If we’re going to pretend to be in a relationship for this duration, we need to be comfortable around each other. Not to mention, you agreed to it, remember?”
Of course, I remembered. I signed the damn agreement a mere five hours ago. Wait, how did he read it so damn fast if he was asleep? It’s like he knew I would agree to everything and question nothing. It was stupidity on my part, no doubt.
“Eggs and toast okay?”
I turned around and looked behind me just as Ash was pulling the egg carton out. I jumped up. “None for me, thanks. I have an early work meeting, so I’m just going to jump in the shower really quick and head out.”
I took maybe two steps toward my room before his voice cut me off like a whip. “You can take your shower, but you will have breakfast with me. Unless you’re terminating your agreement before we even start?” I paused. Crap, I forgot about breakfast. “Better hurry,” he taunted behind me as he cracked eggs into a bowl.