I just wish I could silence the little voice in my head that's telling me something is going to go horribly wrong.
Will and Leigha walk into the ballroom ahead of me to search for our table. The room is beautiful, filled with large round tables with navy blue linens and huge centerpieces of white flowers. I follow them through the maze to the center front of the room, next to the stage. There's a podium to my left and a giant screen that takes up nearly the entire length of the stage, with the words Philanthropist of the Year - Alex Stone, and an accompanying picture of him. It's one of his corporate stock photos the PR department uses. Still, he's the most handsome man I have ever met.
My heart rate climbs higher with every step I take toward the table. I can already see Francine, but I don;t think she's seen me yet. Howard, Alex's adopted father, is next to her, nodding his head at something she is saying, but I would bet money he is not listening to her. Howard has refined the skill of tuning Francine out without her noticing. Alex says that's because she loves the sound of her own voice, and Harold is just a sounding board. Still makes me giggle.
Patty, Alex's sister, and her husband are next to Francine. Ellie, the baby of the family, is huddled close to her newest flavor of the month. She certainly manages to go through men, but I think it's by her choice. She gets bored with men very quickly, and dates guys that are clingy and can't let go.
Will and Leigha take the seats closest to Ellie, and I decide to sit between Patty and Leigha. Patty and I get along great—we're not as close as Leigha and I are, but Patty has a heart the size of the city, and enough love to share with everyone. "Kylie, you're here," she says, wraps her arms around my neck, and pulls me into an embrace.
I hug her back, and whisper, "I'm so happy to see you, Patty."
When we separate, Harold gives me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "There's my favorite lawyer."
I smile. Next to Jack, Harold has become like a father to me. He accepted me from the moment he met me.
Francine clears her throat and I glance across the table at her. She eyes me up and down, like she always does, and gives me a tight smile that conveys no warmth. "Kylie, I didn't know you were coming tonight."
"Mother," Patty says, glaring at Francine.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I answer. She is not going to get under my skin tonight. Alex wants me here, and that's all that matters.
Francine says something else—no doubt a snarky reply of some sort—but I'm not paying attention. Alex is weaving his way through the tables. He has on his black Armani tux, perfectly tailored to accent his athletic build. God, he's beautiful. His chiseled features, gorgeous blue eyes, I want to round the table, grab him, and kiss him.
He stops behind his chair directly across the table from me. His lips part unconsciously, his eyes widen, "Kylie."
I smile, the butterflies in my stomach take flight, and in this moment, it's just him and I.
A woman's hand slides up his forearm, and my eyes wander up her perfectly tanned arm to her face.
Rebekah.
She steps in closer to Alex and tightens her grip on his arm. My heart sinks, and I kick myself for not telling Alex I was coming tonight. He needed a date, and I was too stubborn yesterday to let go of my stupid pride and say yes. But—of all the people to ask—why the hell did he pick her?
My eyes dart over to him, and something in my features must be off because he cocks his eyebrow. I look back at Rebekah, in her tight black dress, the neckline plunging so deep her breast are falling out. Classy. Alex is yanking his arm out of her grasp. He steps away from her, and I can see his eyes filling with confusion, as if he had no idea the skanky bitch was even there.
A quick glance around us confirms my fears. Every eye is on us, people are speaking in hushed voices, and pointing. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen.
"I can't be here," I murmur loud enough for Leigha to hear. Getting out of the ballroom was more of a challenge now that it's filled with people who are more interested in watching the drama unfold than letting me pass. I exit the ballroom, and head towards the concierge desk to get a cab. My heels click against the marble floor, echoing throughout the open space.
"Kylie."
Alex's voice is behind me. I glance over my shoulder, and see him jogging through the hotel toward me.
"Alex, what are you doing out here?" I ask when he reaches me.
He takes my elbow and guides me to a quiet seating area away from the mainstream activity of the hotel.
"Please don't go."
I sigh. I wish I could, I want so badly to stay, to celebrate this moment with him. "I can't."
"I'm not with Rebekah. I swear. I had no idea she was even here tonight, let alone standing right next to me. I promise you, once I saw you standing there, nothing else mattered except that you're here."
"I'm not leaving because of Rebekah. But she doesn't help an already chaotic situation. Before it was just a mild curiosity about our relationship status. Now, it's a three ring circus, complete with a love triangle." I step closer and place my hand on his face. His scent is all around me, and I breathe it in. I love the way he smells, spicy and woodsy and Alex. It's intoxicating, and makes it so much harder to leave him. "This is an important night, and I don't want to deflect attention away from this honor, because you deserve it, and you should enjoy it."
"I don't care about the award. I care about you. I want to share this with you, and if you won't stay, then I'll go with you."
"You can't leave before they present you with the award—" Alex opens his mouth to object, but I place a finger over his lips. "Think of all the good this kind of exposure will do for the Foundation, for women like your mom—like me—who feel so trapped in a bad relationship, and have no support. And other charities that benefit from your generosity. You owe it to all of them to stay."
He drops his head and his shoulders sag. He covers my hand with his, turns his head and kisses my palm. His chest rises and falls heavily. "Fine, I'll stay. Can I see you later?"
My pulse races, intoxicated by our closeness—both physically and emotionally—at ease with our present, and excited about our future again. "Yeah, I'd like that."
He lifts my hands to his lips, placing sweet kisses over the backs of them. "You look beautiful, by the way. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you sooner. It's part of the reason I didn't register that Rebekah was next to me. I couldn't take my eyes off you."
I step into him, our bodies meld together perfectly, as they have since the beginning. It's comfortable here. Safe. I brush my lips against his and then push against them with more force. Releasing him, I gaze into his eyes, so full of love and desire. He takes my hand and walks me to the front. The Mercedes SUV pulls up as we step outside.
"Jake will take you back to the apartment." He helps me into the back of the vehicle. "I'll see you soon."
He closes the door and Jake pulls away. I turn in my seat and watch Alex out the back window until we turn onto the road and he disappears from my sight.
Once in the apartment, I kick off my high heels and stand in front of the large picture window, mesmerized by the twinkling lights in the harbor. This is a nice apartment, close to my office, plenty of places to eat and shop. More coffee shops than is probably necessary. But this is not home.
Home is with Alex. I close my eyes, and let my mind drift to memories of living with him. I've always been comfortable there, like I belong there, my sanctuary from the craziness of the world. Alex offered me a safe place to heal, and from the moment I agreed to living with him, it became ours. Our little family—Jake, Thomas, Maggie—a merry band of misfits, but so much love and caring between all of us. Something I missed throughout most of my childhood. To have found it with the world's best known confirmed bachelor is something short of a miracle.
A knock at the door draws me out of my memories. I open the door, Alex is standing there, looking as sexy as ever. I step to the side, and he walks into the foyer.
"Alex, what are you doing here?" I close the door and walk past him into the living room.
He gives a little shrug, a playful grin on his face, and a gleam in his eye. "I asked Will to give my acceptance speech… I didn't want to spend another minute away from you. I miss you so much."
"I miss you, too."
"I'm sorry about everything that happened tonight, and that you felt you had to go. I realize the reason you couldn't stay is directly related to my lying about John. I don't know how to fix this—how to fix us."
Seeing him here, knowing that the pain in his eyes is because of me, because of my refusal to let go of the hurt, is more than I can handle. I need him. I want our life back, the future we've been planning together. Moving across the room to him, I run my fingers through his hair, and kiss him. It's not the soft, sweet kiss we shared earlier. This is desperate, needy, and on the fringe of being out of control. Alex coaxes my lips apart, his tongue delving into my mouth, teasing my tongue with the tip of his. I moan, and all the betrayal slowly slips away.
His hands run up the outside of my thighs and rest on my hips. He steps into me while pulling me against him. His erection is hitting against my pelvis, and heat floods between my legs. He breaks the kiss, his lips gliding over my jaw, down my neck, and to the back of my ear. My fingers flex, my nails dig into his scalp.
"What do you want, Kylie? Tell me what you need."
What I need? I need him. All of him. The good, the bad—every part of him. I need to feel his weight on top of me, the strength of his erection pushing inside me, the way he makes me come so hard, so fast, so often.
I place my lips close to his ear, "Make love to me."
Those beautiful blue eyes lift to mine, dancing, but narrowing just slightly almost disbelieving he heard me correctly. I hold his gaze, and pray that he can see what is in my heart, the desire I'm barely containing, the ache between my legs that only he can alleviate.
He grabs my head between his hands, his lips crash against mine, the softness overshadowed by the force of his kiss. I part my lips, desperate to taste him, to have his tongue slide against mine, and claim my mouth as his own playground to explore and invade. My hands are under his jacket, running over his back, my fingertips following the lines of his muscles as they flex under the pressure. They glide up his back, over his shoulders, and over his hands as they caress my cheeks. Stepping back, I break the seal of our lips, lace my fingers with his, and let them fall to our sides.
I walk backwards to the bedroom, my eyes never leaving Alex's, and let him guide me to the bed. I stop when I think I'm close, and push his jacket off, and it falls to the floor. The bowtie comes off with one easy tug on the end, I pull it free, and drop it on his jacket. Alex fumbles to get the cufflinks off, shoving them into the front pocket of his pants while I work to free the buttons on his shirt. After half of them are undone, he pulls the shirt over his head, and tosses it to the side.
God, I need to feel him, his skin on mine. I trace the outline of his muscles with my fingertips, my lips, my tongue. I drag the tip of my tongue around his nipple until its hard, then move to the other one. A low, deep growl comes from his chest, his fingers twist into my hair, and I can hear his short, raspy breathes. I love turning him on, make him the center of all the pleasure, and drive him to the edge before I pull back so we can make this last all night.
My hand travels down over the erection pushing hard against the zipper of his pants, my palm rubbing against his shaft while my fingers grasp his balls. He hisses, a sharp intake of air filtering through his clenched teeth. I love watching the muscles in his neck tighten, his eyes shut tightly, as he fights to keep control.
"Let go, baby," I whisper, and drag my lips across his neck. "I don't want you to hold back. You don't have to be in control with me. I want you to get lost in me." I unbuckle his belt, unbutton his pants, and lower the zipper. My fingers move along the waistband of his boxer briefs, push them off, and revel in the curve of his ass as my hands travel over it. He works his feet out of his shoes, and steps out of his pants.
My eyes wander up and down his magnificent body. His broad shoulders, muscular chest, defined abs, and that beautiful "v" that points to his impressive cock. I lick my bottom lip, rake my teeth over it and bite down, a moan building in my chest.
"Your turn," he says, his hands on my shoulders, and turns me around. Slowly, he lowers my zipper until it comes to a stop at the lowest point of my back. His finger runs over the small bow at the back of my g-string, follows it down the crease of my ass, and lightly pushes against my anus. I suck in a breath, that quickly turns into a soft mewl. Small kisses fall on the exposed skin on my back, his hands pushing my dress to the floor.
I crawl onto the bed, lay on my back, and motion for Alex. He lifts my foot, places kisses along the arch, and all the way up to my inner thigh. He gently pushes my legs apart, his hot breath against my sex, and his nose nudging my clit. Desire pulsates through my core, my pussy throbs, and I'm so wet.
Alex breathes in, "God, I love how you smell when your aroused."
As much as I love how talented Alex is with his tongue and mouth, I want him inside me, stretch me with his full, hard cock. Thrusting deep within my core.
"Alex," I beg, my hands on his head, "I need you in me, I want you to fuck me."
My eyes close, but I feel nips and kisses over my abdomen and ribs. His tongue circles my nipple before his teeth graze the top of it. He sucks my nipple into his mouth, my fingers grasp his hair, and I arch my back so my breast is firm against him mouth. His teeth bite down on my nipple, a bolt of pain shoots through me, and leaves me throbbing between my legs. A moan, deep and long, comes from my chest.
Alex releases my nipple. "Mmm, I love that sound," he murmurs. He thrusts his tongue into my mouth, rough and demanding. My legs part, my hands on his hips, and maneuver him between my thighs. The tip of his erection teases my opening. "Is this what you want, baby? Do you want me inside you, so deep, you come?"
"Yes," I plead through my pants. "Please, Alex…please…"
He thrusts inside me, the head of his cock hitting my cervix, and then slowly pulls out of me.
"Oh, God…" I throw my head back, my climax building quickly. I grasp his ass, push him into me, my hips circling his cock. "Deeper…I want you so deep…"
Alex thrusts hard, his erection pounds against that sweet spot, and he hits it over and over. Relentlessly demanding my orgasm. A wave of pleasure rolls through me, my hips buck wildly, and I arch into him again. My core muscles clench and release frantically, and I'm on the edge of losing my mind.
"Come for me, baby," he growls close to my ear, his breaths ragged and out of control. "You're so close…so close…come for me."
I explode around him, my orgasm takes over, my body slamming against Alex, still demanding him deep inside me. "Alex, oh god…don't stop…"
Alex is grunting, his eyes shut tight, his jaw clenches. He thrusts into me again a few more times, his muscles stiffen. "Fuck!" he bellows, and jerks a few times as he orgasms.
He lowers his chest to mine, his head nuzzles next to my face, "I love you so much, Kylie."
I stroke his scalp, his hair wet with sweat, and kiss his temple. "I love you, too, always."
"Forever," Alex whispers.
I snuggle against Alex's chest, the place I've been longing to be all week, and lightly graze my fingers over his abs. He chuckles as I circle his belly button, squirms to get away, and finally grabs my hand and lifts it high in the air, far away from anything ticklish.
I smile and gaze into his eyes. "What are you thinking?"
He takes a deep breath. "Hmm, well, let's see. How beautiful you looked in that dress tonight. How you were even more gorgeous once I got you out of it. How much I love to see your lips part just before you have an orgasm…" He lazily runs his fingers through my hair. "It's amongst my happiest moments—knowing that you're experiencing intense pleasure, and I'm the one providing it."
"Mm
m, you certainly do." I lift my lips to his, his hand caresses my face, and we kiss.
Muffled buzzing comes from somewhere in the bedroom. We both still for a minute, listen, and try to figure out what it is.
"I think it's my cell phone," Alex says.
I sit up, and look around the bedroom. "Where is it?"
"Pants pocket."
I slide to the edge of the bed, grab his pants off the floor, and fish his phone out of the front pocket. Jake's name is on the screen, so I hit the answer button, and sit next to Alex. He runs his hand up and down the bare skin of my back, leaving goosebumps in his wake.
"Hey, Jake," I say.
There's a pause before he responds. "Uh, hey, Kylie. I'm just checking to see if Mr. Stone needs me to hang around?"
I glance over at Alex, satisfied smile on his face, his eyes a bright and gleaming blue. "No, you can take off."
"Okay, sounds good. Have a good night."
"Wait, Jake?" I pause. "Can you stop back by tomorrow? I'll need some help getting my things back home. I don't think everything will fit in the Porsche."
"Of course, " Jake says. "Just call me when you're ready."
I thank him and end the call. Alex's eyes narrow a bit, his smile a bit more tentative than it was a moment ago.
"You're coming home?" he asks.
"I thought I might, if that's okay with you?"
Before I know what's happening, Alex rolls us over, I'm lying down on the bed, and he is on top of me. Kisses are landing over every part of my face, neck and chest.
"I'll take that as a yes," I giggle, and let my fingers sift through his hair.
He glances up and smiles, and I know that I'm doing the right thing. It's the right time—and I'm more than ready to move on with my life. A life with Alex.
He dips his head to kiss me, but I place my hands on either side of his face, and force him to stop before he reaches my lips.
"I need to tell you something, first." Alex pulls his head back, his eyes wary. I take a deep breath. "I'm so sorry I left without giving you a chance to explain. I have to stop doing that to us. I want to be with you, create a life together, and that means compromise, and not throwing it all away when we have problems. But you have to stop trying to protect me from everything and hiding things from me. I'm stronger than you think. And, yeah, finding out about John may have initially thrown me for a loop, but it would've been so much better coming from you than him."
Revenge: Tri-Stone Trilogy, Book Two Page 12