by Sandi Lynn
My fingers unbuttoned his shirt as he slipped his between the straps of my sundress and slid them off my shoulders. I gasped as his tongue slid across my neck and his hands groped my breasts.
“I’ve missed your body,” he whispered in my ear.
I gulped as the palm of his hand pressed against my belly and slipped down the front of my panties. His fingers circled around me until one of them found its way inside.
“You’re already soaked, and I need to taste your sweetness.”
He got down on his knees, took down my panties, and began lightly stroking me with his tongue. My hands tangled through his hair as he pleasured me in the way I’d become addicted to. When I wasn’t with him, I craved him. A craving so strong, I had to take care of myself while I thought about him. I’d never felt like that with a man before and it proved even more that when it came to him, my emotions ran way too deep. My body tightened as did my fingers in his hair as an orgasm rushed through me.
“Beautiful,” he spoke as he stood up and placed my hand on the bulge that was hiding behind his pants.
“Here or in the bedroom?” I asked.
“Over here, on the couch,” he replied as he took hold of my hand and led me there.
Before taking a seat, he took down his pants and then sat down, spreading his legs so I could kneel in between them. Taking his hard cock, I gave it a couple tugs before slipping it into my mouth. The moans that escaped him turned me on even more. With all the other men, I had to take my mind somewhere else, but with him, I wanted to be fully present and satisfy him in the best way possible.
“That’s it. Oh God,” he moaned. “Fuck, Brielle.” He stopped me and brought me on top of him.
I slowly slid down his cock as I stared into his eyes, inch by inch until he was buried deep inside me. His fingers dug into the flesh of my ass while he took my nipples between his teeth. I moved back and forth and up and down, stroking his cock with the heat that resided inside me. Our moans became one as ecstasy filled our souls. Another orgasm overtook me as he let out a howl and exploded inside me.
Chapter 20
Caden
I removed my hands from her hips and wrapped my arms around her back as she collapsed into me. Our breathing was ragged, and I could feel the pounding of her heart against my chest. She did most of the work and excelled in every way like she always did.
“When is your meeting?” she asked me.
“Tomorrow morning. I thought we could do some shopping today.”
“Sounds good.” She smiled.
I stared into her eyes and brought my hand up to her cheek. Flashbacks of that night filled my mind and startled me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. We should get dressed if we’re going out.”
She climbed off me and I got up from the couch and headed into the bathroom. When I came out, she was already dressed and sitting out on the terrace of our room.
“It’s beautiful out here,” she spoke.
“Wait until you see it at night. Are you ready?”
We went down to the lobby and climbed into the limo that was waiting for us and had the driver drop us off a Bloomingdale’s first.
“Are you shopping for anything in particular?” Brielle asked.
“Some new ties.”
“And you can’t buy new ties in New York, why?” She smirked.
“Because we’re here in Chicago right now and we’re shopping.”
“If you say so. This one is nice. So is this one and this one.”
“Not my style.”
“I know. That’s why I picked them. I think they would look great on you. Maybe it’s time you step outside the box and wear something a little different.”
“Excuse me? There is nothing wrong with the ties I wear.”
“No. There’s not. Not if you like boring. I’ll be in the women’s department.” She walked away.
“I’ll have you know my ties are not boring!”
I picked up the ties she showed me and took them up to the register. I’d show her. After I made my purchase, I headed to the women’s department, where I found her trying on straw hats.
“Well?” She turned around. “What do you think?”
As much I wanted to tell her I didn’t like it, I couldn’t. The truth was she looked sexy as hell wearing it.
“It looks great on you.” I smiled.
“Thanks.” She grinned.
I had the driver drop us off at Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Steak. When we walked inside, people filled the space, waiting for their table.
“Welcome to Eddie V’s. Can I help you?” A perky redhead smiled at me.
“How long is the wait for two?” I asked.
“Do you have a reservation?”
“No.”
“The wait is a little over two and a half hours.”
I reached into my pocket, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and discreetly placed it in her hand.
“I’m sorry, how long did you say the wait was?” I winked at her.
“Let me check again.” She flirtatiously smiled. “A table for two just opened up. Follow me.”
“Impressive.” Brielle smiled as we took our seats.
“Everyone has a price,” I spoke with an arch in my brow.
“I suppose so.” She picked up her glass of water.
Our waiter took our drink order while we glanced over the menu.
“Tell me more about your childhood,” I said to her. “You’re a very smart woman and I get the impression you were an exceptional student. I’m sure you never thought as a child that you’d become an escort for a living.”
“You’re right. I didn’t. My mom was a single parent who worked two, sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. We lived in a shoebox with one bedroom. I never had much growing up, but I made do with what my mom could provide.”
“What about your father?” I asked as I picked up my drink.
“I never knew my father. He took off when I was a year old. My mom came home from work one night and found all his things gone with a note on the bed saying that he couldn’t do this anymore and he needed to start a new life somewhere else.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I wouldn’t have wanted a spineless coward of a man like that in my life anyway.”
“Your mother never married, I assume?”
“No. After he left, she couldn’t find it in herself to trust another man again. She dated on and off over the years, but the relationships never lasted very long. She always found a way to sabotage them out of fear. I always knew I wanted more out of life and was determined to get it. I was a straight A student, graduated as Valedictorian of my graduating class and received a fully paid scholarship to any college of my choice. But then, as you know, my mom got sick and I needed to give it all up.”
I stared into her eyes as she told me her story. She was strong and brave, something I truly admired about her.
“Now that I’ve shared my story with you. It’s only fair that you tell me yours.”
“There really isn’t much to tell. I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I attended the most prestigious private schools and graduated from Columbia. My childhood was a good one. I have no complaints.”
“Why did your mother teach you and your brother to play the piano?”
“She told us that nothing soothes the soul more than making beautiful music. I hated it at first. She’d make me sit for hours and practice. While all my friends were out playing ball and having fun, I was sitting behind a piano. But, truth be told, as the years passed by, I was grateful for everything she taught me. Playing relaxes me. In honor of her at her funeral, my brother and I played a song that was her favorite.”
She reached over and placed her hand on top of mine while a beautiful smile crossed her lips.
“Okay. Enough talk about our pasts. Let’s enjoy this delicious food sitting in front of us,” I spoke.
The night was dark, and the rain fel
l in such masses that the wipers could barely keep the windshield clear. My voice grew louder, as did hers, trying to outdo the hammering sound that hit the windows. I was angry, so angry for what she’d done that I lost all control. The sound of the wheels screeching on the slick pavement hurt my ears, as did the screams that came from her. My eyes flew open and my heart pounded out of my chest when I heard Brielle calling my name while shaking me.
“Caden, wake up. You’re having a bad dream. Caden.”
I looked at her as the light of the moon sifted through the slit in the curtains and she stared at me. My body was encased with sweat and my breathing was constricted. I quickly sat up and turned on the lamp that sat on the nightstand.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. It was just a dream. I’m sorry if I woke you. Go back to sleep.”
“No. It wasn’t just a dream. It was a full-blown nightmare. You were yelling.”
I ran my hand over my face before climbing out of bed and going into the kitchen area for a bottle of water. I paced back and forth around the living room while I brought the bottle up to my lips. Fuck.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked as she stood in the doorway of the bedroom.
“What do you think?” I snapped. “It was just a nightmare. Go back to bed.”
“Caden.”
“I said go back to bed!” I shouted at her in a commanding tone.
Before I knew it, she was no longer standing in the doorway. I took a few moments to calm down and drank a half bottle of water. Walking into the bedroom, I sighed as I saw her lying there, turned the other way, as far away from me as she could possibly be. I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over me. She didn’t move. I couldn’t deal with her right now, for the nightmare I had wasn’t a nightmare. I was re-living the events of that night. Something that I thought I’d buried years ago.
Chapter 21
Brielle
I waited until he fell asleep and then I made my way into the other bedroom of the suite and slept there for the rest of the night. All I wanted to do was comfort him, but he made it very clear with his loud and commanding voice that he didn’t want that. I got up at the crack of dawn, and when I tiptoed into the bedroom to grab some clothes to change into, I heard his voice.
“Where the hell were you?”
“I slept in the other room,” I spoke as I rummaged through my suitcase.
“I pay you to sleep with me. Not in the other fucking room.”
“Go back to sleep, Caden. Obviously, you need it.” I stormed into the bathroom, shut and locked the door.
Once I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and changed into my clothes, I walked out of the bathroom and saw him sitting on the edge of the bed. I grabbed my shoes and walked into the living area.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he asked in an angered tone as he followed me.
“I’m going for coffee.”
“I’ll call room service and have them bring some up.”
“No. I need some fresh air.”
“Then go. I don’t have time to deal with you anyway. I have a meeting I need to get ready for.”
I grabbed my purse and shook my head at him before walking out the door. After I exited the lobby doors, I walked down the street and entered a Starbucks. Thankfully, there was only one person in line.
“Welcome to Starbucks. What can I make for you?” A bright and too cheery for this time of the morning barista grinned.
“I’ll have a Grande americano with an extra shot of espresso.”
“Name for the order?”
“Brielle.”
“Is it okay if I just put ‘Bri’?” she asked with an annoying grin.
“Sure. Bri is fine.”
I stepped to the side and waited for my coffee. Once the barista yelled my name, I grabbed my cup from the counter and took a seat at a small table by the window. Whatever nightmare Caden had last night rattled him to his core and he was still feeling the effects of it this morning. But it didn’t give him the right to speak to me the way he did. Caden Chamberlain had anger issues, and the more time I spent with him, the more evident it was.
I held the warm cup between my hands as I stared out the window and thought about my situation. I could break our contract and walk away. I was tempted. But then I thought about Stella and the money. Caden was right—he did pay me for sex—so what I needed to do was just give him that and stay out of his personal life. I could do that for the next five months, right? I needed to turn off my emotions and the feelings that resided inside me for him. He was nothing more than a job, and I was nothing more to him than the woman he paid to have sex with.
As I was finishing up my coffee, a text message from him came through on my phone. Sighing, I opened it.
“I’ll be gone for a few hours, so I’ve gone ahead and booked you a massage, body treatment, and a facial. Your appointment is at eight thirty. I’ll see you when I return.”
Was that an apology? I didn’t think so, but at that moment, I didn’t care. A massage, body treatment, and facial were exactly what I needed right now. I checked the time and it was eight o’clock, so I headed back to the hotel.
I didn’t think I’d ever been so relaxed my entire life. After my spa appointment, I headed back up to the suite. I wondered if Caden was back from his meeting yet with the hopes that he wasn’t. I wanted to enjoy a few more minutes of pure bliss before the storm blew in. Opening the door, I looked around the suite and he wasn’t there.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I placed my praying hands together and looked up at the ceiling.
I went into the bathroom, put on some makeup, and fixed my hair. I had just changed into one of my maxi dresses when I heard the door open.
“How was your spa day?” he asked in a delightful tone.
“It was good. Very relaxing. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He walked over to where I stood and kissed my lips. “I’m going to go get changed. I would like to go to Navy Pier. I booked us a dinner cruise for later.”
“Okay,” I spoke as I looked at him in confusion.
I poured myself a glass of wine, took the cheese and fruit tray that was in the refrigerator, and took it out to the terrace. When I heard the shower turn on, I picked up my phone and called my mom.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Mom.”
“How’s Chicago?” she asked.
“Eventful. Can I talk to Stella?”
“Of course. She’s right here.”
“Mommy!” Stella excitedly spoke.
“Hey, sunshine. How’s it going with Grandma?”
“It’s going good. I met her friend Steven last night. We all went out to dinner at Steak and Shake and then we went to Central Park. He’s really funny.”
“Wow. That’s great. I can’t wait to meet him.” I sighed.
“When are you coming home? I miss you.”
“I know, baby girl. I miss you too, and I’ll be home sometime tomorrow.”
I heard the shower turn off.
“I have to go, Stella. My clients are waiting for me. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mommy.”
I ended the call and took a sip of my wine. I wasn’t sure how I felt about my mother bringing Steven around Stella so soon.
“Aren’t you going to ask me how my meeting went?” Caden asked as he grabbed a piece of cheese from the tray.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Why would I? It’s none of my business.”
He sat down in the seat next to me, reached over, took the glass from my hand, and brought it up to his lips.
“Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. Chamberlain Essence came up with a new flavoring and I just sold it to the largest sparkling water manufacturer in the world. A multi-million-dollar deal.” He smiled.
“Congratulations. Does that mean I’m getting a raise?”
“You’re cute.” He tapped my nose.
“If you’re ready, I’d like to head to Navy Pier now.”
“Of course.” I got up from my seat.
I swear this man was bi-polar. One minute he was yelling at me and the next he was as sweet as pie. I was going to take the sweet-as-pie version of him for as long as I could. As long as I kept my mouth shut, things would be fine.
Chapter 22
Caden
We left the hotel and headed to Navy Pier. She was being unusually quiet, and I suspected it had to do with last night and this morning. I’d have to fix that. We walked past the carousel and I saw her staring at it.
“Do you want to go on it?” I asked.
“Why? Do you?” She smiled.
“I’ll go if you go.”
“Seriously? You, Caden Chamberlain, will go on a carousel?”
“Sure. Why not?”
I grabbed hold of her hand, purchased the tickets, and then we stood in line. When it was our turn, I asked her which horse she wanted to ride on.
“I like the pink one.” She smiled.
She climbed on and I got on the brown one next to her. Once everyone was on, the ride started. I hadn’t been on a carousel since I was a kid. I looked over at her, and when she looked at me, a bright smile crossed her face. As soon as the ride came to an end, I helped her off her horse, took her hand, and we explored Navy Pier before it was time for our dinner cruise.
“Did I mention that holding my hand costs extra?” She smirked.
“Is that so?” I arched my brow.
“Yep.”
“Then tonight I shall pay you, not in cash, but in extra orgasms.” I winked.
“Deal.” She grinned.
After our dinner cruise, we headed back to the hotel and barely made it into the suite before I had her naked and pinned up against the wall, holding her arms above her head and taking her from behind. Beads of sweat formed on my head as I struggled to hold back. I pulled out, turned her around, and lifted her up as her legs securely wrapped around my waist. I thrust in and out while devouring her neck. An orgasm ripped through her, causing my cock to spasm and explode inside her. I carried her to the bedroom, still buried deep inside, and gently laid her on the bed.