"Are you okay with that?" I ask concerned.
"I don't know what kind of magnetic potion the man sprays all over his body before we meet, but the second I see him, I’m completely drenched. I mean knickers overflowing with my juices." Too much information. "Amelia, the sex was bloody hot. Off the charts hot. I mean we fucked right there on that conference table in his office without a care if we might get caught or not.” She rolls her eyes to the back of her head while licking her lips. Clearly, she's having a flashback. I guess I'll give her a minute. “I really want to say that it was wrong—that I should’ve refrained—but I enjoyed every single fucking thrust. The man has a magic cock." Good to know.
The way she says that is so hilarious that I lose it.
"By the sound of it, it seems that you're fairly okay with…" I pause, looking for my words, "whatever it is you're sharing," I conclude.
"Oh, I am," she beams. "I'm seeing him again tonight," she reveals. "He insisted," she adds quickly. She waits for my reaction, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.
Charlie is the epitome of supreme confidence. There's only one person on this planet that has the ability to make her doubt of herself—Tate Barrett Ascott with his magic cock.
I consider her carefully. "I gather Mr. Magic Cock isn't seeing any one at the moment… even on a casual basis?" I ask with a teasing smile.
Charlie loses it and laughs to the point of tears.
"God, I didn't see that one coming from you. Your humor can be so slicing sometimes. That was brilliant."
"Are you skating around my question, Miss Wentworth?" I ask.
"No, I'm not, Miss Cavendish," she responds. "It seems that other than me, Mr. Magic Cock hasn't been with anyone else in a while. He finds it impossible to get enough of me. So he says."
She blushes. Well, well, well, the queen of cool and collected actually bloody blushes.
"Really?"
“His revelation caught me off guard, but secretly, I was thrilled," she confesses. "In any case, this isn't about me, it's about you," she changes subject with a dramatic hand wave. "Come on, let's go into the kitchen. I have lunch waiting and I want to hear all about your dirty weekend and when we’re done basking in filthy wantonness, I want to know what your lawyer said about Ralph Delaware."
* * *
“So, what did you get us for lunch?” I ask, sitting on a high stool at the kitchen island. Bollocks. The mere act of dropping my ass on the seat is excruciating.
"Hungry?" Charlie asks.
"I am actually. The delicious berry muffin Brandon packed for me this morning is long gone. Ditto for the fruit salad."
"Your lovers pack you breakfast?" she asks incredulously.
I really have to correct her. "Well, since we were at it this morning again, I was running slightly late. Brandon categorically refused the idea of me walking out the door on an empty stomach," I explain.
"Did he slip in a love note as well?"
"Not a love note per se, but he did slip in a little kinky note," I wink.
Charlie huffs. "I'm totally going to ignore the fact that you're a very lucky bitch and answer your initial question."
"What happened to you pushing me to go with it?" I ask.
"Whatever," she rolls her eyes. “As I was saying, since I knew you would be having a very active weekend—and I also kept myself quite busy”—she snickers—“I opted for the do-it-yourself Buddha bowls from Foodie Finds. I just have to cut open the vacuum sealed packs and voilà, lunch is served," she says lifting her hands over her head in a sign of victory.
"I love those colorful bowls composed of vegetables, healthy grains, and protein," I say.
“I'm glad you feel that way.”
"They’re as dummy proof as it gets. Perfect for inept cooks like us," I chime in.
We both laugh.
"Yeah, it’s one thing I can't mess up in the kitchen," she adds. “There wasn’t time for much more. I barely had time to get back to my place after I left Barrett's office and take a shower and to look presentable before for my ten o'clock meeting—not an easy task when I haven’t really slept since Friday night.” And when Mr. Magic Cock has given you quite the workout. "Granted the meeting was pushed back by an hour, but I didn't know that until I got there,” she explains.
“A new client?”
“Nope. Another meeting with Reverend Nesmith.”
“Oh, the good Reverend. How is he keeping these days?"
"He’s as busy as ever. Booked up to his eyeballs." She lets out a long sigh. "I'm just happy he received me with open arms and he didn't hold my second attempt at seducing him against me."
"What?" I shriek, my eyes bulging out of my head.
"Oh, I didn't tell you about that?" She feigns innocence. "There's just so much happening in your life. Maybe you forgot—" Liar.
"Charlotte Louise Wentworth. Do not take me for an idiot," I scorn. "You know perfectly well you kept that to yourself."
"Not that it matters anyways. He turned me down. Again. We simply have a client-slash-fabulous-PR-guru relationship. I can live with that." She nods, almost to herself. "I've given up on trying to seduce him," she shrugs. "Especially now that—”
"You’re Mr. Magic Cock's favorite little slut again?"
We both lose it.
"Exactly," she says when she finds her composure.
I haven't seen Charlie this giddy since she was officially dating Barrett. I just hope she doesn't get hurt.
"Images of your fuck-buddy will be ingrained in my mind forever."
"Yeah." We’re at it again. "In any case the fact that the Rev. had to push back our meeting, really screwed me up. With the crazy midday traffic, I really couldn't venture too far for food. I had to keep it in the neighborhood."
“Honestly, Charlie, you don't have to apologize. The Buddha bowls are delicious," I put her mind at ease. "So, women are still clamoring at the Good Reverend’s door too eager to bare their souls to Mr. Hottie Pastor?"
"Yeah. The man's schedule is more packed than your father’s." She pauses. "Plus Reverend Nesmith seems to have favorites," she says out of the blue.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"After chatting up Marion, his secretary, and complimenting her on her new hairdo, we became fast friends, so to speak. You know me, I'm always curious—”
"No joke."
"Don't judge. That's what makes me the best in the business," she defends.
"I can't argue with that," I agree. "Sorry I interrupted."
"No worries. I made a passing joke that the Reverend was channeling his inner legal maverick by double booking, like any top lawyer would do. Except he wasn’t seeking more billable hours, rather, he was dedicated to saving as many souls as possible. Of course, she laughed up at my joke, after which, she leaned over her desk and revealed that the particular parishioner who was still in his office had an appointment at nine that spilled over. Some souls need more saving than others. I didn't make much of it at the time and thought Marion was just being cheeky. With zero sleep in my system, I decided to take the opportunity to dope up with caffeine. The last thing I wanted was to fall asleep during that meeting. I was that exhausted. Long story short, instead of sitting at the busy café, I decided to wait just around the corner from the Reverend’s office. There's a comfortable sitting area there and his secretary was nice enough to share their Wi-Fi connection with me. Bonus, it's quiet. I figured I might as well get some work done."
"Makes sense," I say.
"Here I am typing away at my Mac when suddenly I hear voices coming from around the corner. I lift my eyes up from my laptop and guess what I see?"
"I have no idea, but I'm dying to know."
“The Reverend is nonchalantly strolling down the corridor with his arm around the so-called distressed parishioner’s waist, holding her tight against his body and whispering something in her ear."
"Really?" I ask surprised. "That seems a little intimate."
"My sentiments e
xactly. On second glance, I recognized the woman as the same one I’d already bumped into twice—after my first meeting with him and again when I went back to try to seduce the Reverend. She was still sporting that same ridiculous black trench coat in the middle of summer and she was still wearing those huge designer sunglasses that cover most of her face. Of course, the lapel of her coat was up hiding the rest of her face. That said, this time around, I was able to confirm that she was definitely wearing a wig. No one's hair is that shiny."
"If you're trying to be incognito, dressing like a former KGB agent, might not be the most advisable way to go about it," I joke.
"I agree. It might all be in my head, but I thought I saw her jolt when she caught sight of me.”
"Like she knew you?"
"That’s the impression I got, but maybe I'm wrong," Charlie says with a puzzled look on her face. "After an awkward wave to the Reverend, she practically sprinted out of the church. I mean seriously, you’d think she was qualifying for the British Olympic women’s 4x400m relay team."
“Wow. She was surely in a rush to get out of there."
“I didn't have much time to process why she reacted that way because the good Reverend beckoned my attention. After profusely apologizing for making me wait, he babbled an explanation to let me know that the hurried parishioner was going through tumultuous times and needed extra guidance. The funny thing is I never asked for an explanation. Did I mention his face was beet red and he wouldn’t make eye contact?"
"Uh," I gasp. "Do you think there's something going on between them?" I inquire.
"On my second visit, Reverend Hottie swore up and down up that he was wholeheartedly devoted to God and his vocation. He made it very clear that I was setting my sights on the wrong man. He sounded very sincere. I was sold. I stopped pushing. Based on that, I wouldn't immediately crucify him. Perhaps there isn't anything unorthodox going on between them. Maybe he's that friendly with all of his parishioners. That said, I'm pretty good at reading people and every single part of my body was tingling. My head kept telling me that he had a valid explanation—after all he takes what he does very seriously—but my gut was nudging at me and telling me there’s more. I just don't know what."
“Wow,” I marvel. "This is better than a mystery novel or film," I point out.
"It definitely has all the makings of a suspenseful story. In any case," she shrugs. "I’m famished," she announces walking towards her refrigerator. "I should get started with lunch." The words barely leave her mouth that she's already pulling out containers from the fridge and placing them on the counter. “I know you can't stay here all afternoon and I'm sure you must be hungry as well since that muffin your two American lovers packed for you this morning is nothing more than a memory," she flashes me an evil grin. “While I get our food ready, why don't you start spilling your guts," she jokes. "I'm certain your kinky tale trumps anything my mind can concoct about the mundane heart-to-heart consulting session Hottie Reverend had with Trench Coat Lady." Charlie grins wide, seemingly proud of herself.
Oh, two can play at that game.
“Boyfriends,” I blurt out.
“What?” she knits her eyebrows.
“You keep calling them my lovers." I stretch out a dramatic pause. "Brandon and Holden are my boyfriends now,” I correct her before returning her evil grin.
She just stares at me wordlessly.
I lean back against my seat and wait.
After a few long seconds, Charlie's lips quiver. I can tell she's trying to form words, but nothing comes out.
"Yo-your what?" she finally asks. It’s almost as if the words were caught at the back of her throat.
"You heard me."
"No,” she shakes her head vehemently. "That's not possible. Nope." She goes silent for a few seconds. "Not happening. Not in this lifetime or the next,” she shakes her head with a lot more zeal. "The Amelia I know would never dare to go there.” Another pause. “Amelia Jade Cavendish? No. Fucking. Way."
"Well, in that case, we must've all entered a parallel universe because I can assure you, my two American lovers asked me to be their girlfriend and I enthusiastically said yes! Let's just say that Saturday night was epic. Who knew a kinky night at a sex club would take our relationship to a whole other level?"
Boom. Mic drop.
I expected her to be surprised, but I wasn't prepared for her reaction. She circles the kitchen island and comes running towards me. She grabs me in her arms and slams my body against hers. The impact takes the wind out of my lungs. Charlie embraces me and starts rocking from left to right, over and over again. After what seems like an eternity, she finally lets go. She takes a step back and just looks at me in sheer bewilderment.
"When I suggested you jump in with both feet—without fear—and enjoy those two sexy-as-all-get-up bad boys for all they’re worth, you took me at face value." She pauses. "Bravo, girlfriend. Bravo." She even claps for effect. "Living on the edge looks pretty darn good on you."
We both explode in laughter.
CHAPTER 66
Brandon
"God, it's a struggle to keep focused today," I say, stretching my arms over my head. “I don't think I'm going get any real work done," I tell Holden. "I've given it a valiant effort, but I'm just kidding myself."
"Too much fucking?" he chuckles.
I stand up and close the screen of my laptop. "You could say that," I grin wide. "It's a combination of too much of a good thing and a lack of sleep. I'm going to go for a run and hopefully that'll charge me up enough to knock a few things off my list later in the afternoon," I explain.
Nikolaj ended up staying at our place until he had to leave for his meeting. After breakfast, we kept talking until it was time for lunch. Since Duke was in the mood for some fish and chips, he placed a heaping large order at his favorite shop. Once his chauffeur brought back our food, all three of us sat on the upper deck enjoying a traditional English meal while washing it all down with ice cold beer. What a way to start the week.
"I also find it hard to get anything done, but it's for different reasons," Holden admits.
"What's preoccupying you?" I ask. "I'm certain it's not the fact that we're doing better than ever and that the team is barely keeping up with the flood of orders?"
"Of course not. That's a blessing," he laughs. “A lot has happened in the last few days."
"I hear you. So I guess you’re suffering from the same affliction I am," I tease.
"Between our incredible weekend together, what transpired at the sex club and asking Amelia to become our girlfriend, work is the last thing on my mind," I confess. "Had you told me on Friday that any of this would've happened, I would’ve lost good money on a bet. Yet, here we are."
"I can't believe all this happened either," I commiserate.
"Once again, you and I are stepping into uncharted territory. It's amazing what this woman does to us," he laughs.
"Yeah," I say, sitting back down. “When Nikolaj left and we both jumped straight into our day, I figured you were processing everything. Just like I was. I mean, I've known you long enough to know how you think.”
“I was,” he nods. “Brandon, I’m not sure what’s happening to me.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“All of last week when we were away, Amelia was on my mind twenty-four-seven. Not only did she consume my thoughts, but I'm also in a perpetual state of arousal. No matter how many times I jerk off, it's never enough. I barely have time to come and I’m hard again. It’s nothing close to being inside her—”
"If it brings you any comfort, I didn’t fare much better. I'm sure I must've set a new record for the number of times a man jerks off in a public bathroom or in a hotel room. Thank God none of the people we met with are any the wiser.”
“I even had to seek relief when we were on the flight. To and from London,” Holden blurts out.
“I did the same.”
"I'm not alone?" He seems surprised.
&n
bsp; "Not even close," I reassure him. "So, we’re going to talk about this?"
"I think we already are," Holden deadpans.
"You know what I mean. Are you ready to get real about this, Viking?"
"We had two good reasons to avoid this conversation—Amelia and then Nikolaj. We don't have excuses anymore. So, to answer your question, yeah, I'm very much ready," he says with certainty.
"Good."
"She's doing things to me. Things I don't understand," he confesses.
"You've got it bad for this chick?" I laugh.
"Like I'm the only one," he chuckles. "I thought our busy week would keep my mind in check, but no. I figured once we were able to live out our fantasy with her at the club, I'd be okay, but again, I was wrong. In other words, this mind-blowing weekend really didn't help much. It's worse now," he reveals.
"What are you saying?" I ask, puzzled.
"I'm not sure,” he sighs. “She’s like a drug, Brandon.”
“The more we see her, the more I want her. No," I shake my head. "Scratch that. The more I need her."
"It's the same for me," he agrees. "I hate having to walk her back to her place—”
"That's why I suggested she brings a few of her things and leaves them in one of the spare rooms," I explain.
"That was a great idea," he nods.
"In no time, she’ll have more stuff at our place than hers."
"You're an evil bastard." He returns my grin.
"I know," I laugh.
We fall into a contemplative state, lost in our thoughts, until Holden speaks again. "Everything is so different with Amelia. All the other women in the past always seemed to get in the way. Their irritating demands after sex usually sent me bolting out of the room. It's not the case with Amelia—”
"She’s usually a lazy kitten after we've fucked her."
We both laugh.
"Yeah," he nods. "I can't get enough of our little princess, Brandon.”
"I'll be honest, I'm completely engrossed with her, Holden. She’s like an obsession."
"I kind of panicked when those words came out of my mouth at the club. I mean, we’d never talked about it before. I was a little surprised you were on the same page."
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