by Ann, Pamela
Tentatively, I smiled without it reaching my eyes. “Of course, I totally agree. Just give me time. I’ll eventually get there,” I murmured, knowing full well they were speaking with sense. They only wanted me happy…
They’d supported me since, but I knew this one-way love made me pitiful in their eyes somehow. Maybe that was why Blair seemed surprisingly obliging towards my revelation of Wyatt. She knew where my heart belonged. She also knew I wasn’t going into a relationship with Wyatt knowing such a fact. I was stuck in a rut, but I was giving Jared one last chance. Japan should be a game changer. Good or bad, a decision had to be made.
While Blair and Vivienne continued discussing other matters, arguing about gatecrashers and what not, I spotted someone familiar.
“Ginny! You came!” I greeted my research partner for Robotics, whom I invited at the last minute since the woman had hardly warmed to me.
She seemed hesitant as she cautiously eyed the themed surroundings, unmistakably uncomfortable. When her light blue eyes found me, she appeared confused for a moment. “Oh, my gosh! Gisele?” She blew out a breath. “Wowzers, you were pretty before, but gosh! You totally could pass as a supermodel. Who thought you were hiding such big tits underneath the sweaters?”
Our class started super early. Sweater and jeans were the accommodating wear that could match my unpleasant mood. Early riser, I sure wasn’t, but it was the last slot available, so I was left functioning like a retarded robot until caffeine kicked in, which unfortunately tended to take effect half an hour after boosting. Ginny had learned to cope on her own until then.
I beamed before throwing her a massive heartwarming hug. “You mean a super hooker, right? Thank you for coming. Most of the people here are from school, but I hardly know any of them. You’re the first friendly face I know.”
She pushed her thick black-rimmed glasses back, prickly as she warily glanced towards Blair and Vivienne hovering behind me. “I’m kind of obligated to drop by since you’re, like, the only friend I have in school.” She awkwardly grinned. “Sorry I didn’t come dressed as something or someone. It’s hard to dress a two-hundred-pound beluga and pass it off as something non-humiliating.”
My face contorted at the sound of her criticizing herself. She did this, quite often, too. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling yourself that, Ginny? Berating yourself won’t make you feel any better. As for dressing up, don’t worry about it. It’s Blair’s idea, not mine.”
Vivienne and Blair came over to greet Ginny. They’d met a few days ago at the coffee shop where Ginny works right outside the school. Ginny was still hesitant to warm to the girls she categorized as “superficial Barbies.” She cataloged me in the same category up until two weeks ago when she and I became research partners. She’d had to live with bullying from the likes of us, and I couldn’t truly blame her for it. Blair sure did give off the vibe, so it was truly understandable. Hopefully, the more she and I got to know one another, the more she’d see that not all privileged kids were a hateful bunch. My friends and I most of the time took things for granted, but we weren’t unkind. True, Blair had the tendency to go off screeching like a banshee, but she was good where it counted the most.
At first, Ginny appeared critical as she eyed my friends, but the more Vivienne cajoled her to try little sips of different alcoholic beverages, the more they bonded. We knew that if one of us befriended someone, we’d automatically welcome them with open arms. So, after an hour of her arrival, Ginny began to loosen up and warm to them. Her smiles became genuine, and she even laughed at Blair’s usual flair for sarcastic puns. Therefore, when Wyatt and Ethan came round to join us at one of the cozy sectional outdoor settees, we were all enjoying the party. Wyatt sat on the sofa’s armrest right next to me. He kept his distance but remained close to me for the rest of the evening.
Blair, drunk as she was, even had the audacity to get on top of a table and scream her heart out, halting the entire party before ordering everyone to sing a happy birthday to me.
It was heartwarming to feel loved by the people closest to me. After all, they were all I had. With my father’s passing, everything had been a blur. However, my friends had kept me grounded, always reminding me that I wasn’t alone. That no matter what happened in the future, I could always count on them for love and support. Little did they realize, but I sort of teared up a bit. It wasn’t a major ugly crying moment or anything, but my eyes glassed with moisture, beyond appreciative to have them at the most delicate time in my life, when I was in dire need of warmth and affection.
Right around one in the morning, after seeing Ginny off, Wyatt quietly followed behind, ready to take me back to my house.
“Let’s go for a walk.” It had been ages since I felt bubbly, and I wanted to savor it with each passing second.
Wyatt cocked his head before pasting an amused smile on. “It’s your birthday, so your wish is my command.”
Three inches of heels didn’t deter me from walking a long stretch since most of the homes around here were estates. The air was crisp, the world asleep, and the comfortable silence of the night assuaged my troubled mind. Tall and willowy trees ensconced our well-lit path. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but all of a sudden, I overwhelmingly began to brazenly strut as if I were on a runway before pivoting on my heels and sashaying back towards Wyatt while he applauded, hooting his approval.
We were laughing when he suddenly pulled me into his arms, stopping us both, as we stared into each other’s eyes. My throat ran dry seeing what I found in his depths. I barely managed to take a sharp breath before his lips dove to capture mine.
It was possibly the idea of being wanted after enduring the lectures tonight, the mere fact that I was inebriated, or also how I felt quite happy after weeks of mourning. Whatever my reason was, I kissed Wyatt back with the same hungry, debilitating force. In the back of my mind, Jared’s words echoed deafeningly, but I couldn’t resist Wyatt’s kiss. He was here. He wasn’t fighting his desire for me. Surely, that counted for something, right?
As our kiss deepened, we forgot we were in the middle of the road in the wee hours of the morning. I can learn to love him, my mind jolted me awake, shocking me with its unconscious thoughts.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” Wyatt paused, our lips barely touching as he cradled my cheek. His body possessively held me. His desire heavily pressed against my stomach.
“I don’t know…Will you be able to behave?” I’d promised Jared no more men…and yet, I was beyond tempted to say yes. The thought of going back home to an empty house, a dark bedroom, and a cold bed felt anticlimactic for such a lovely evening.
A teasing smile stretched his lips. “I can try, but no promises.”
“Maybe next time, then,” I said hesitantly.
The wicked smile merely deepened. “Let’s get you home first and decide from there.”
My mind ran all sorts of scenarios as I complacently let him lead the way back to my home. His arm was secured around my hips as we trotted along the road. While he happily whistled, I weighed my options. Although sleeping with Wyatt was absolutely out of the question, indulging in a night filled with cuddling wasn’t a crime, either. Had Jared not emotionally pushed me away, confusion wouldn’t rule my brain. But alas, the man crisply stated he was keeping his distance, even though he acted rather jealous about Wyatt having his wicked way with me.
Minutes passed until we finally reached the gate. I had to use the intercom on the access control pad to connect me to the security station, which was hidden behind the tall quaking aspen trees close to the gate’s entrance.
“Hello?” I croaked out. “It’s me, Gisele. Buzz me in, please. Thank you.”
“Right away, Miss Weber.” Mike’s voice echoed out of the control pad’s speakers.
“Thank you, Mike.”
“Have a good night and a happy birthday as well,” he thoughtfully added before wide, expansive, dual wrought iron and wood gates began to automatedly open.
“Good night to you, too, Mike.”
Wyatt’s arm hadn’t lessened its grip around my hip as we casually strode towards the long driveway leading to the house.
“Can I sleep over, or are you still contemplating?” Wyatt asked the second we stepped into the foyer. The dimmed surroundings made his voice rather too intimate as he placed his other arm around my hip, fully encircling me with his body. Dark eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Trepidation seized me as I pondered my present predicament—Wyatt and my promise of disengaging from this massive flirt. And yet, it was this man who was here, ensuring that I was home safe. The same guy who had done his best to take my mind off my father’s demise. Jared had been absent for the past month, only resurfacing back into my life when it suited him, and he retreated whenever he got the inclination to do so. So why must I put Jared first when I was at the very bottom of his? Was I so heartless that I could begrudge Wyatt this tiny innocuous request?
One look at Wyatt’s familiar face cemented a decision for me. “Tonight. That’s it. No more sleepovers after this, got it?” I reluctantly said, “And we’re not going to do anything sexual, so if you’re thinking otherwise, you can shove it somewhere else, thank you.”
“I’ll be the perfect gentleman,” he swore as we began to stroll towards the lift.
While Wyatt was pleased with the outcome, my guilt gnawed at me. My promise to Jared couldn’t even survive a full twenty-four hours. Frankly, I felt horrid about it. But the mere thought of being alone tonight simply daunted me.
This whole sleeping dependency only surfaced the moment Jared had shared my bed every night for a straight month. His warmth and the absolute sense of security and protection he provided during those nights had left a mark on me. Hence, my reluctance tonight.
Chapter 19
Jared
“St. James.”
“Sir, I’m calling for the update you requested earlier tonight.” Mike’s stern, clipped voice filtered through the phone’s speaker while I continued encoding the prototype Peter hadn’t completed before his parting.
With unparalleled concentration, my eyes darted back and forth across the screen as my fingers rapidly keyed in data. “Go on.”
After leaving her bedroom earlier, I intended to go home, but instead, I found myself driving back to the headquarters to keep working on this new project. The moment I entered my domain, I immediately speed-dialed Mike to inform me the second Gisele got home because I found it impossible to resist her tonight after what she and I had just shared. My body craved her like a drug. Tonight proved my resistance was in shambles. Why keep denying what my body had been imploring to ravage unceasingly? The constricted narrow channel in between her thighs was a mortal man’s Eden. The rush it gave my body each time the head of my cock pierced through her snug opening was the ultimate nirvana. The sensation her cunt bestowed upon me as I pillaged her, greedily clamping down on my length, sucking me back into her sweet depths was absolute ecstasy. Or witnessing her abandon any inhibitions by allowing me to use her body merely as an object of pleasure. It was sheer unmitigated euphoria. Giving her up after experiencing her blooming and accepting her sensual nature would be ludicrous.
Coming to terms with my cock-driven decision took some getting used to. However, the moment my mind took hold of the idea, I understood tremendous strength would be implemented to resolve fighting through my long-standing demons. Nevertheless, I was fairly prepared to face the ghosts of my past, no matter how agonizing it may be or in spite of the arduous mental obstacles it entailed. The cost was high—I understood as much—but I didn’t have the wherewithal to give her up anymore. No, Gisele was mine. I claimed her as mine.
My magnificent nymph. Oh, the things I dreamed of teaching her…
Mike cleared his throat, halting my meandering, wanton thoughts. “Miss Weber’s back, sir. She arrived fifteen minutes ago.”
Fifteen minutes ago? I frowned. “I specifically said the second she arrives, Mike. Clearly, you’ve misunderstood me. Nevertheless, thank you all the same.”
“No, sir, I heard you loud and clear, but my gut told me to wait before informing you Wyatt Rinaldi hasn’t come out of the house since they arrived.”
The head of security knew I’d be ticked off about Wyatt Rinaldi. The past month, he’d been rather selective when providing me with Gisele’s whereabouts since I had all but given up on it. Now, after witnessing her being devoured like a blasted buffet on the kitchen counter, I hadn’t dared to check twice in fear of what I might see next.
My jaw gravely clenched as I tried to rationally comprehend what Mike had just stated. “Check the recordings. Tell me where Rinaldi is right now,” I gritted out as my hand gripped my knee, disconcerted beyond measure. She had promised. Moronic to admit, but I had actually held on to her word. Was she capable of retracting such a vehement declaration in a matter of hours?
In the background, I could hear him typing something. Mike’s assertive voice came back on a minute later. “He followed her into her bedroom, sir. He’s definitely in there. Most likely staying the night, too. He usually does if he doesn’t leave after five to ten minutes after dropping her off.”
Wretched fuck! How often did this cretin sleep with her?
“Are you quite positive he hasn’t left? Check the footage again, Mike!” I sounded demented, but I didn’t give a bloody fuck. Before I did anything drastic, I urgently needed an infallible guarantee the besotted bastard was with her. This was critical—to me, anyway.
“He’s still in there. I have time stamps. Do you need me to send the footage?”
“No need,” I bitterly growled into the phone. “Don’t call but do text me when Rinaldi leaves—immediately, Mike. Not five, not ten, not fifteen minutes later. The second the prick steps out of the front door, you bloody well inform me!” I thundered, out of my mind and incensed beyond comprehension.
After ending the blasted call, I mindlessly stared at the screen as images of her aroused and obliging flashed before my very eyes. Wanton and alluring, Gisele proved to be quite the raging harlot these days. Oh, how she bloody misled me!
I love you. There’s no shame in that, she ardently promised hours ago.
Oh, yeah, she was so bloody overwhelmed with her declarations of love that she could hardly stop herself from spreading it around now could she? In the throes of unbridled passion with Wyatt Rinaldi no less.
“YOU DECEITFUL BITCH!” I bellowed into my expansive office space, white hot with rage, wholly consumed by her betrayal and the lies she fed me.
I loathed believing her deceit. There was no need for promises. I sure as hell didn’t demand it. And yet, she did it anyway, and by doing so, chipped a huge chunk of my armor as I unconsciously let myself trust she’d only have me from here on out.
Well, more was I the fool.
What was the point of being celibate the past month, anyway? Rose had been placed on the backburner because my thoughts were occupied by another. But sex was sex…Still, something provoked me to take such drastic measures to remain clean, free from traces of another woman’s touch and carnal essence.
I did it…for her. It was my way of punishing myself for leaving her, and yet, look where that got me tonight. Utterly nowhere.
The evil side of me injected the idea of barging in on them, but another side argued that this could be for the best. This was what I had wanted in the beginning, wasn’t it?
Once upon a time, I had—before tonight transpired, before I savored how the wretched woman ignited with lecherous passion in my arms, dominated by an unfurling necessity for completion.
I supposed she had been left unsatisfied after orgasming twice. The lascivious woman coveted more. She had stated her plans on shagging Wyatt tonight. It seemed that plan remained intact. If not mistaken, Rinaldi was fucking her right this very moment…seeking the same warm crevice I vacated hours ago, with my seed aiding him to fuck her better. Well, good on them then. Truly.
&
nbsp; What makes you think you weren’t fucking her with Wyatt Rinaldi’s nut coating your dick, too?
BLOODY FUCKING CHRIST. “Damn you, Gisele! God damn you!” My body turned rigid, literally revolted at the thought of her being so filthy.
And the wench had the gall to claim herself a virgin at Hank Rinaldi’s party? Yeah, right. If she was, then I’m the bloody fucking Pope.
Ah, the vixen named Lexi Anne. I didn’t even bloody know where to start with this madness.
The intricate web of lies she weaved. She spun so many I was left astounded by it all. Gisele’s vindictiveness was dumbfounding. I had to hand it to her; she was truly such a great actress. The deceitful woman had tricked me twice, and on both counts, I hadn’t seen them coming. I actually trusted her even after I walked in on her dressed as Lexi. It seemed my idiocy knew no bounds where she was concerned. I was a fool for letting a brat into my life. These childish amusements were juvenile, just like the fibber herself. Touching her should’ve been out of the question. But at that time, resisting her had been a sweet torture for me. Her enthusiasm, her quiet elegance, not to mention her stunning beauty made her irresistible in my eyes.
Maybe this was her way of payback—all those rejected nights I held her to sleep had come into a vile fruition. Perhaps I deserved her vindictive mind games. After a devious successful night, she must be glowing with pride for out-maneuvering me each time.
Women.
There was a reason barriers were erected. For years, I’d successfully eluded manipulative women. Gisele Weber’s cunningness put them all to shame. The kitten had claws, and how deep those sharpened talons pierced through her victims.
The mindfuck commenced, but instead of hastily dropping by on them unannounced, I stuck to my resolve and remained seated while I infuriatingly continued working on the prototype. While doing so, I endured several phases of anger. The betrayal coiled into something incredibly grotesque and abominable. It was volatile. Unpredictable. Impulsive.