by Lia Lee
"I like it." He reached up and touched the side of her face. "Don't touch me too much. I'm a bit needy tonight seeing that I've done nothing but think of you."
"You have?" Her eyes moved up to lock onto his. "What were you thinking?"
He took a sip of the wine and sat up, reaching for her and forcing her to straddle his waist as he laid back again. His fingers pressed into her thighs over her yoga pants, bunching them as he massaged her.
"How beautiful you are. I toted you to your bed last night, and it took every bit of my will not to crawl up in it with you."
"Crawl up in me?" She pressed her hands to his chest and pushed back a little, wanting to feel him pressed to the center of her.
"Yeah. I wanted to force my way deep inside of you." He moved his hands from her legs to rub up her arms, cup her neck and pull her down into a hungry kiss. "Stop teasing me. I'm a man who gets what I want, and I'm close to taking it."
She pressed her tongue into his mouth, licking and nibbling at him as she undulated her hips over and over again. Her desire to remain unattached was going up in flames, thanks to a couple of glasses of wine and the loneliness of another day by herself.
And the hot ass guy beneath me.
"And you want me?" She pressed her breasts to his firm chest and tightened her arms around his neck.
"More than anything else." He moved up and kissed her again as his hands squeezed the soft curves of her ass, kneading them as he lifted his hips, once again surprising her by his girth.
"I'm not sure if it's me or the wine talking, but I want you, too." She licked at his mouth before moving down and pressing her lips to his throat.
"Well, I'm not making love to you until you are sure. I want you fully in the moment with me. Regrets the next day wouldn't bode well."
"Yeah, but I need you. My body aches because of you." She ground herself against him again as his fingers dug into her.
"I know the feeling, pretty girl." He sat up, causing her to yelp due to the suddenness. "Let me taste you. Give you a glimpse of the pleasure I'm offering."
She nodded, not caring much for how she might feel after opening herself up to him. "Yeah. I want that."
"Good." He grunted and stood, forcing her to wrap her legs around him as he walked back into the house. "I haven't eaten yet, so this should be the perfect way to tide myself over until you’re fully sated."
She shivered at the thought and continued to kiss and nibble at his ear and neck. Something deep inside of her yelled for her to wake up, but it wouldn't matter if she did. She was lost to him.
Darren placed her on the kitchen table and pushed at her chest to force her to lay back.
"On the table?" she murmured, but stretched out sensually.
"Fuck yes." He tugged at her pants, yanking her panties down with them roughly. "I've been waiting to see you naked since you got here. Bending over in my kitchen and checking the baseboards... Such a naughty girl, Mariah."
"Naughty?" She glanced up as she tugged her top off. "They were dirty."
He grabbed her arms and pulled her to sit up as he leaned in and kissed the side of her face while undoing her bra. "I know, baby. I was teasing you."
"Oh." She laughed, almost giddy with the warmth her afternoon drinking session had caused. She laid back down and bent her knees as he reached out and pushed them open.
Darren stood at the base of the table, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes moving frantically over her. "My God. You're everything I want in a woman. Did you know that?"
"No, but stop talking and touch me." She reached for him, but he pushed her hands away.
"Hush. I want to enjoy this fully. Don't rush me, or I'll tie you up, and then you'll not have a say in any of what happens."
A tremor ran through her at the thought of him taking what he wanted from her.
He licked at his lips before sliding his hands up her thighs, over her torso and cupping the top of her breasts.
She groaned and pressed into his touch, unable to help herself.
Flattening himself over the top of her, he took his time sucking and lapping at her breasts, one at a time. She watched him with intensity and shivered each time he glanced up as her nipple slipped from his warm mouth.
"Fuck that's hot," she whispered roughly and wrapped her legs around him, pressing her wetness to his stomach and rubbing herself against him.
"You keep that up, and I'm going to bring out something you're not quite ready to handle." He nipped playfully at her nipple before moving down her stomach, wetting her with long strokes of his tongue.
"How do you know I'm not ready?" She dropped her legs from him and spread them again as she watched him make his descent. Her body trembled slightly from being overly excited and she knew without a doubt that it wouldn't take much and she'd be over the edge.
"I know, baby. Trust me." He glanced up at her as his tongue snaked out of his mouth and pressed against her swollen flesh.
She closed her eyes and jerked violently. "I don't know if I can handle this. Maybe you're right."
"You're stuck now." He chuckled darkly and pressed his mouth against her, working her with precision toward pleasure like she'd never experienced it. "Let's see how tight you are, Mariah. I've been wondering. You like knowing that I can't stop thinking about you, and your hot little body?"
"I love it." She groaned loudly as he slid a long finger into her. She pressed against his offering and rocked her hips, not at all ashamed of needing to be fucked by him. It had to be the liquor, but she didn't care at all. She'd start drinking every day if it led to the hot passion that was building inside her belly.
"Me too, baby." He flicked his tongue over her clit as he started to work another finger inside of her.
The pressure was delicious, but not so much that she couldn't take more.
"I love the way you take what you want." He spoke against her wet flesh as he continued to suck and tease her. "Tell me you can handle another one."
"More," she mumbled and reached up, cupping the edge of the table as he gave her what she asked for. It was almost too much, which was exactly what she needed. "Oh God."
"Mmmm..." He fucked her harder, pressing his handsome face tightly to her and working her through the orgasm until she was shaking and crying out in low whimpers.
He glanced up, his fingers still deep inside of her as his tongue brushed softly over her sex methodically. The look in his eyes that said she was so going to be his, if even for a night.
Chapter 8
Darren
Mariah wasn't only the sexiest woman he'd ever encountered, but the cutest as well. After bringing her to orgasm on the table, she curled up on her side and drifted off to sleep while he cleaned himself up. The night wasn't meant to hold anything more than him offering her a bit of pleasure, which was fine by him. He could take care of himself later. He wanted her to fly high and experience his willingness to do anything she needed for him to bring her to orgasm. The only shame was that she only got to come once before she fell asleep.
He tucked her in his bed and curled up behind her, not quite sure if she would be okay with waking up in his bed alone, but not caring too much. He wanted to feel her thick curves against him all night, to touch her intimately as they slept.
Tucking himself up behind her, he rubbed his cock over her soft rear and licked at her neck, wanting inside of her so fucking bad, but forcing himself to wait. She would let him in soon enough, and he wanted to revel in the moment when it happened.
The only issue was his desire to penetrate more than just her body.
***
After taking a quick shower the next morning, Darren dressed in his chef uniform and made his way to the office. Traffic wasn't at all an issue, but it was five in the morning. Most sane people were still sound asleep. He needed to get in early to try a few new items that kept buzzing through his head as he tossed and turned throughout the night. A good night of sleep was coming soon, but it would be after making love to
his woman.
"My woman?" He rolled his eyes and turned into the parking lot of the incredible new restaurant he'd constructed. His morning would be well spent in the belly of his kitchen, trying a few things that his muse had planted deep inside of him. His muse. Mariah.
It had to be her. He'd begun feeling so depleted a few weeks back, and honestly had considered pulling back on his goal of opening a new restaurant every year, but now... Now he was ready to face it again.
Is this what it's like? To find yourself again because of someone who pulls passion from you without even trying? I love it. I want her beside me. For good.
He rolled his eyes at his wayward thinking and unlocked the back door of the kitchen. After washing up, he began to work on a few things while she played along the edge of his thoughts. Knowing that she was from meager beginnings only made him admire her more.
It wasn't just that she was everything physically that made his blood boil, but her personality and past delighted him as well. He licked his lips, catching a subtle hint of her arousal still on him. A growl left him, and one of the chefs beside him stiffened, as if preparing for a classic ass chewing.
"What?" He glanced toward Parker, his sous chef.
"Nothing, Chef. Just wasn't sure what you were growling about." The guy shrugged and went back to chopping onions.
"I think I'm in love, but I can't truly be sure," Darren blurted out, surprising himself a little at the confession.
Being in lust was more appropriate, but it was bigger than that. He'd been looking for someone who tantalized all of his senses for so long that having found her left him wanting to rush forward. Being slow and methodical belonged in the bedroom, not in starting a relationship with her. She was the perfect match for him, but did she feel the same? Her life and business were in Martha's Vineyard, and his was in Italy. She was right about him having to go back home shortly. The majority of his restaurants were there. He couldn't ignore that. Not even for her.
"Really? Anyone I know?" Parker asked a few minutes later.
"No. She's the owner of my maid service." He kept his eyes on his task and let the conversation die down, not entirely sure why he even started it. Sharing his personal information had never been something he would do.
The woman was his muse, no doubt, but she would be the inciting of a lot of change in his life as well if he wasn't careful. He wasn't sure he was okay with that, but he tucked the thought away, not willing to entertain anything else for the moment.
The rest of the day was spent training new staff, working on the new recipes that he'd dreamt up, and going over a few spreadsheets that needed his attention. By the time the afternoon sun had moved to the far edge of the sky, he was itching to get home to Mariah.
The wind was cold and beat against him as he jogged to his car, tugging his coat closer. A storm was headed in and the sky was darkened beyond what it should be as the sun began to set. Something about the deep blues and dark grays saddened him.
He was thrilled to get home to her, and yet he only had a week or so left in Massachusetts before he returned home. How in the hell was he supposed to leave and not take her with him? Their relationship was just starting to bud, to grow. Excitement like he'd never felt swirled in his core during the day when he thought about her, and if he couldn't reach her... then what?
The rain started in the middle of his drive home, and by the time he got there, his heart ached. He needed to tell her that he wanted her to come with him. It was selfish and he was a prick for asking, but he needed her. He could make it a business arrangement if she wanted. He had enough money to buy her company a thousand times over. Maybe he could offer her something that would have her saying yes to him.
How ridiculous is this bull-headed woman going to think you are when you tell her that you think you're falling in love with her? It's been a week. That's just plain stupid. He let out a long sigh and jogged to the door as rain dripped down from his hair and tickled his face.
"Darren?" The sound of her voice alone caused need to resurrect deep inside of him. The remembrance of her moans filled his head and it was all he could do not to pounce on her the minute she walked out of the kitchen. He'd never be able to look at his kitchen table without seeing her spread out for him, her large breasts on display and sexy legs spread wide open. He stifled a groan and tugged off his jacket.
"I'm right here. There is a storm coming in. Looks nasty." He pulled off his T-shirt too as she walked toward him.
Something was off about her expression, and tendrils of worry danced about his insides. Was she lamenting over letting him taste her the day before? Regretting having ever come to work for him? Was there another man she hadn't told him about? He realized he didn't know nearly enough about her, and it left him wanting to be defensive.
Tears filled her eyes, and his heart constricted in his chest. She'd been crying.
Damn. It's worse than I thought.
"Baby, what's the matter?" He knew he shouldn't use endearing words when referring to her, but he simply couldn't help himself. Moving toward her, he pulled her into a tight hug, grateful for her letting him.
Her white sweater was loose and soft, her tights underneath black and deliciously fitted to her toned legs. The chances of her bitching at him for not having his shirt on already where high, but he almost wanted to hear it. Knowing that he physically got to her left his pride swelling.
"I'm just being sensitive." She pressed her face against his chest and breathed out as a tiny sob left her.
"Well, be sensitive then. Tell me what's wrong. Did I do something? Were you upset that I put you in my bed last night? I didn't take advantage of you, Mariah." He moved back and took her pretty face in his hands, loving the way she looked when she had her guard down.
"No. I'm glad I was there. I just wish you would have been there when I woke up." She pushed his arms back, releasing herself from him and turned to walk back into the kitchen. "I'm making a stew my mother made for dinner a lot when I was a kid."
He breathed in deeply and followed her into the kitchen, his eyes moving down the slope of her back to the swell of her rear. How badly he wanted to put her on her knees on the bed and drop to his on the floor, to taste her again... all of her.
"Why are you crying, Mariah? Talk to me." He moved into the kitchen and stopped by the refrigerator, pulling out a pitcher of tea.
"I just have a situation at the office I'm trying to deal with." She glanced over her shoulder as she wiped at her tears. Her dark hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and he had to work hard at not pressing himself to her back and tugging at the thing a little. She was upset and all he could think about was making love to her.
Fucking chill out.
"Tell me about the situation. Maybe I can help you work through it. I've dealt with a lot of shit in my day. I'm old, remember?" He chuckled and moved up beside her, sliding his hand over the small of her back before wrapping his fingers around her side in a hug.
"Lyndsay is relatively new, but she was accused of stealing today. When I talked with her, she said that the client tried to force himself onto her, and she refused him. He was pissed and simply tried to get rid of her by claiming that she was a thief." Mariah shrugged and sniffled again as she continued to stir the large pot on the stove.
"Do you believe her?" He moved back as a timer went off.
"I do, but I'm not sure if I have the power to stop the guy from pressing charges. I swear, the minute you get one foot up in life, it gets kicked out from underneath you." She opened the oven and bent over, pulling a pan of what looked to be perfect cornbread from the oven.
He'd only had it a few times in his life, mostly in his travels, but seeing her cook in his kitchen gave him the mother-load of all hard-ons. His timing was piss poor, but there was no stopping his body from its wayward reactions. Mariah was his drug, and he was far past losing himself in her.
"I think you just need to be very strategic about how you combat this." He moved to the coun
ter and pulled out two bowls before serving them a big helping of the beef and potato stew. "Come on. Let's sit down, and we'll talk it through."
"I don't want to bother you with it, Darren. You've been at work all day and the last thing you need is your maid dumping her shit on you." She cut the cornbread and balanced a plate of it and the tub of butter in a way that would make most of his servers jealous.
"You might clean up my house because of our arrangement, but I don't at all think of you as my maid, Mariah. At least not the way you're making it sound." He turned and waited until she set her items down to pull her into a hug. He leaned down and kissed her softly several times, taking his time to show her how he felt.
She pressed into the kiss, obviously needing his comfort, which he was more than ready to supply in any way she wanted it. She broke the embrace and took her seat, nodding at his chair and smiling through her tears.
"Sit down and stop being so damn nice. I'm going to keep crying if you keep it up." She picked up her spoon and stirred her soup slowly as she worked to cool it. "I really do believe she's innocent."
"Good, then take her statement and get an investigator to look into the stolen item. Trace her steps with her and document everything. Have the investigator or an independent third party get involved. You're capable of beating this, Mariah. You're incredibly intelligent and have worked your way up from nothing. This guy is just being a dick because he didn't get his way." Darren took a bite of the stew and paused. "Damn... this is delicious. If we keep adding things that you can do to the list of your attributes, we're going to need an extra pad of paper."
She chuckled. "I guess you're right. I'll look for an investigator tomorrow. I need to meet with the client in the morning, but I think I'm going to do that by myself."
"I don't like the sound of that. If he felt like he had the right to try to hit on your staff, what would stop him from hitting on you? You’re the owner of the company and by far the hottest woman I've been around in years." He took another bite, loving the simplicity of the flavors that burst across his palate. "I'll go with you."