by Sandi Lynn
“More than anything in the whole world. I’d die for her.”
“Then you’ll wait for her answer. And if she tells you no, you won’t let it change anything about your relationship.”
“I couldn’t anyway. If she says no, then I’ll respect her decision.”
“You’re a good man, Carter, and just to let you know, I got your back.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
After finishing off a large pizza and two beers later, he left to go home to his girlfriend, and I went back to doing some work in my office. Thoughts of Emily crept through my mind and I found myself wanting to take her out again. But I’d wait a few days until popping into her shop to ask her.
Chapter 13
One Week Later
Emily
Evelyn and I were in the back, looking over the rack of clothes she had designed, when Katie came in with a wide grin across her face.
“Excuse me, Miss Wade. There is a gentleman here to see you.”
“Who?”
“I do believe his name is Mr. Jackson Caine.” She spoke in a fake southern accent.
A flip in my belly caught me off guard as I stood there for a moment. Following her out of the backroom, I smiled when I saw him standing in front of the counter, dark blue designer suit and all.
“Hello there, Mr. Caine. What can I do for you?”
“Hello, Emily. It’s good to see you again.” The smile on his face widened.
“Good to see you too.”
He placed his arm on the counter and slightly leaned over it, so his face was inches from mine.
“I was thinking that maybe we could have dinner tonight.”
“Is that so?” I smiled.
“Yes. Very so. What do you say?”
“I’d like that. What time?”
“What time works for you?” he asked.
“Six thirty?”
“Six thirty it is.”
“Where would you like to meet?” I asked.
“425 West 50th Street, Penthouse A.”
“We’re having dinner in a penthouse?”
“Not just any penthouse. My penthouse.” He smirked. “Just take the elevator all the way up to the top. I’ll make sure it’s unlocked.”
“Alright. I’ll see you at six thirty.”
“I’ll be waiting.” He tapped his fist on the counter and began to walk away.
“You could have just called and asked me. You didn’t have to come here.”
He stopped and turned around.
“And become man drama? No thanks.” He winked as he walked out the door.
Evelyn emerged from the back and stood next to Katie as they both watched Jackson leave the shop.
“He’s so dreamy.” Katie stared straight ahead.
“He sure is,” Evelyn replied.
“Another date. That’s great.” Katie smiled as she glanced over at me. “I’m thinking he might be the one.”
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a piece of chocolate from under the counter and popped it in my mouth.
“There is no ‘the one,’ dear friend. He’s a nice guy and fun to hang with. That’s it.”
“You’re so having sex with him tonight,” Evelyn spoke.
Biting down on my bottom lip at the thought, I couldn’t deny it.
“I sure am.” I grinned and we all laughed like a bunch of teenagers.
As I was leaving the shop around four thirty, my phone dinged with a text message from Jackson.
“By the way, dinner might run a little late, so you may want to pack a small overnight bag in case it’s too late to go home.”
I smiled as I typed my reply.
“I was already going to.”
As the cab driver pulled up to 425 West 50th Street, I reached in my wallet, handed him some cash, and climbed out with my purse and small bag. When I approached the door, a hot young guy who I presumed was the doorman held the door open for me.
“Thank you.”
“May I ask who you’re here to see?”
“Jackson Caine. He’s expecting me. He told me just to take the elevator up to the top.” I smiled.
“Ah yes, Mr. Caine did say he was expecting you, Emily. You are Emily, correct?”
“Yes.” I grinned. “I’m Emily. Wouldn’t that have been awkward if I wasn’t?” I winked.
“Very awkward.” He smiled. “Enjoy your evening.”
When the elevator doors opened, I stepped into a small hallway, which forced me to turn right into the kitchen.
“Hello,” I spoke to the older man standing at the island.
“Good evening, miss.”
“Is Jackson here?”
“He told me to tell you that if he wasn’t down when you arrived, he would be shortly.”
“Thank you.” I smiled.
Looking around, I found that his kitchen was amazing. White cabinets filled the walls with a light gray granite backsplash and matching countertops. The floor was also a light gray Italian marble that fit the décor to perfection, as well as the high-end stainless-steel appliances.
“Welcome to my home.” Jackson smiled as he stepped into the kitchen and took my bag from me.
“Your kitchen is amazing and I’m very jealous of your double oven.”
He let out a light chuckle. “Why?”
“Because I think they’re cool, and I always wanted one.”
“If you behave, maybe I’ll let you use it.” He winked. “Follow me and I’ll give you a tour of the place. Maybe I have something else you can be jealous of.” He grinned.
He looked sexy as all fuck in his tan-colored khaki pants and dark blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. My lower half could barely contain the excitement.
“Here’s the living and dining area. And my office, bathroom, and a guest bedroom are down that hallway over to your left.”
“Very nice,” I spoke as I looked over the space with beige walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, dark solid oak wood floors, and neutral-colored furniture made up of beiges and red.
Following him up the stairs, we stepped into another living area with a wet bar, more floor-to-ceiling windows, and French double doors that led out to a huge terrace.
“Wow. What a view,” I spoke as I stared out into the breathtaking view of Manhattan.
“I love it out there on warm nights. It’s very relaxing and a great way to unwind after a long day of work.”
“I bet. I think I’m jealous of your terrace.” I laughed.
“And this is the room of all rooms.” He smirked as we stepped into his over-sized bedroom.
“I like it.” I bit down on my bottom lip as he set my bag down on his king-sized bed that was covered in a satin and ribbed-frame-patterned dark gray comforter with matching shams and decorative pillows.
“Thank you. Now that you’ve had the grand tour, how about some dinner?”
“Sounds great. I’m starving. By the way, who is that man in your kitchen?” I asked as I followed him downstairs.
“That’s Terrance and he’s my personal chef.”
“You have your own chef?”
“Yes, and a housekeeper that comes and cleans twice a week.”
“Do you think that I could borrow them some time?”
He laughed. “We’ll see.”
We took our seats in the dining room and Terrance brought out delicious-looking salads made up of mixed greens, cucumbers, walnuts, dried cherries, and tomatoes drizzled with a rose champagne dressing. After pouring us each a glass of wine, he retreated back into the kitchen.
“Did you have a good week since the last time we saw each other?” I asked.
“I did. It was a busy one with back-to-back meetings every day, but overall, it was good. How about yours?”
“It was okay. I’m developing an online fashion boutique. I pretty much have everything squared away except a warehouse. I’ve been looking all week and I finally found one, but I’m afraid the rent is too high.”
&
nbsp; “How much is it per square foot?” he asked.
“Twenty dollars for the first year.”
“What’s the square footage?”
“Twenty thousand square feet.”
“That does seem awful high. He really should only be charging about fifteen dollars a square foot.”
“I’ll find the right place. It may take a while, but I’ll find it. I don’t give up on something I want.”
“I like your confidence.” He grinned.
“How was your dinner that night at Gramercy Tavern?” I asked as Terrance set my plate down in front of me.
“It was good.”
“Your date was very pretty.”
“She wasn’t my date. She’s my sister’s best friend and I asked her for help in planning a surprise birthday party for her.”
“Oh. Wait a minute. You and your sister already had your birthdays.”
“I know. She’s worked so hard over the past couple of years getting her Ph.D. and she had to work a double shift on our birthday. So, as far as I’m concerned, she deserves a party.”
A warm feeling grew inside me at the sweetness of this man.
“That’s really sweet of you, Jackson.”
“By the way, I know you weren’t on a date with that guy.”
“Yes I was.” I took a sip of wine.
“No you weren’t. I saw you when I walked into the restaurant and I saw him, and the other girl give each other a kiss. Why did you lie?”
Shit.
“To be honest, I don’t know why I said it. Maybe because I felt odd being there without a date. Then I saw you had a date and I just wanted you to think I was cool and had a date.”
“Just for the record, I already think you’re cool.” He smirked.
After dinner, we took the bottle of wine and our glasses and went out on the terrace and took seats in the lounge chairs that faced Manhattan. It was getting dark and the city was brightly lit up.
“I can see why you love it out here. It’s beautiful and relaxing.” I lay back in the chair with my glass of wine.
Chapter 14
Jackson
“Did your mother ever tell you the reason she was against relationships?” I asked as I glanced over at her.
“No. I asked her once and she just said it was how she felt. She wouldn’t give any explanation.”
“That’s odd, because usually people feel that way from an experience. Like me and Jules. We grew up in an environment that showed us that two people can never be together very long. Someone must have hurt her deeply at some point in her life to make her feel that way. Maybe your father?”
“I don’t know. According to her, she didn’t even know who my father was. But sometimes I got the feeling she was lying,” she spoke with a sadness in her voice.
“Come here.” I held out my hand to her.
She took hold of my hand, got up from her seat, sat on my lap, and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Do your parents live in New York?” she asked.
“My mother lives here and my father lives in Chicago. He isn’t there much, though. He and Katerina travel ten months out of the year.”
“Wow. Where do they go?”
“All over the world. You name it and he’s been there.”
“So maybe wife number five is a keeper?” She grinned.
“Who knows? They’ve been married five years, the same as my mother. But Jules told me that she and husband number four are having some issues.”
“You have had a lot of step mommies and daddies.” She laughed.
“I have, haven’t I?” I smirked.
Feeling her hot ass on my lap was causing my cock to rise and I couldn’t wait any longer to get her into my bed.
“Do you feel that?” I asked with a smile.
“Of course I do, and I think it’s time to put it to good use.”
Wrapping my hand around the nape of her neck, I devoured her mouth while my other hand grabbed her breast.
“Can anyone see us up here?” she asked.
“Unfortunately, yes. So we better head into the bedroom if we’re going to continue this.”
After she climbed off my lap, I took hold of her hand and led her to my bedroom. My hands slipped under the straps of her dress as I pulled it down off her body, took a step back, and stared at the perfection before me.
“Just stand there and let me look at you,” I spoke as I slid my shirt off and then took down my pants.
Her top teeth slid across her bottom lip as I took down my underwear and her eyes diverted straight to my hard cock.
“I want that beautiful mouth wrapped around me,” I spoke as I slowly moved towards her.
She reached back and unhooked her bra, tossed it to the floor, and got down on her knees in front of me, wrapping her sensuous lips around my cock. My fingers tangled through her hair as she slowly took her time, licking and sucking like no one else ever had before.
“Fuck, Emily,” I panted as the buildup came. “Don’t stop. My God, don’t stop.”
Moans escaped me with each stroke of her tongue, and I was ready to explode.
“I’m going to come.” I tried to pull myself out of her mouth, but her lips were like a vacuum around me. “Jesus Christ, Emily.” I strained as I exploded.
Pulling away, she stood up and her eyes burned into mine as she swallowed. I’d never felt a rush go through my body the way it did at that moment. I grabbed her and threw her down on the bed, ripped her panties in half, and tossed them to the side. When I plunged in my finger, she gasped as well as I did, feeling the incredible wetness that shrouded her. Our lips tangled for a few moments until I broke our kiss and let them roam to her breasts, licking and sucking her hardened nipples. Sexy light moans escaped her lips as I placed my thumb on her clit and rubbed it in tiny circles, driving her wild as her body squirmed in excitement. The moment she orgasmed, my mouth traveled down her torso and over her sensitive area, absorbing the sweetness of her pleasure.
I couldn’t wait anymore. I needed to be inside her. Reaching over to my nightstand, I pulled the drawer open and took out a condom. As I was rolling it on, she climbed under the sheet and held it up as I hovered over her and thrust inside her with force. Her back arched and a whimper of ecstasy escaped her. I thrust hard and fast, in and out for a few moments until I climbed off of her and rolled her on her stomach. Her arms extended above her head as I lay on top of her, interlacing our fingers while I took her from behind. The pleasure that poured from her was astounding as her body trembled underneath mine. Placing my hands on the bed on each side of her, I lifted myself up and thrust deep, with long hard strokes, and in a matter of minutes, we both came at the same time.
Lowering my head, I softly kissed her back as I regained my breath and rolled off of her. After removing the condom, I set it down on the nightstand and wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close to me as her head lay on my chest.
“Have I worn you out?” I asked.
“Yes, Mr. Caine. You have completely worn me out.” She smiled as she lifted her head and looked up at me. “But in a good way. My body thanks you.”
“And my cock thanks you as well.” I smirked. “Do you want to go home?”
“No.”
“Good. I wasn’t about to let you leave anyway. Sweet dreams, Emily.” I kissed the top of her head.
“Good night, Jackson.”
The next morning, I opened my eyes when the alarm went off and Emily was still in the same position as she was last night. As I reached over and shut the alarm off, she stirred.
“What time is it?” she asked in a sleepy voice.
“Six a.m. I need to shower before heading to the office. Go back to sleep for a while.”
She stretched her body and let out a long yawn.
“If you insist. But wake me up in an hour.”
“Will do.” I smiled as I kissed her shoulder.
Chapter 15
Emily
When I strolled
into the shop around nine thirty, Katie was already there, even though she didn’t have to be until ten.
“You’re early,” I spoke.
“And you’re glowing.” She smirked. “I take it last night went well.”
Setting my purse behind the counter, I gave her a smile.
“It went very well. I really like hanging out with him.”
“You mean having sex with him,” she spoke.
“That too, but I like being around him. He’s a great guy. Do you know what he’s doing?”
“What?”
“He’s throwing his sister a surprise birthday party because she had to work a double shift on their birthday, and he said she deserved one.”
“Damn. He is a nice guy. Wait a minute.” She glared at me. “You’re falling for him.”
I let out a light laugh. “I am not. I do like him, though, and I enjoy his company. We’re friends and that’s it.”
“Friends with benefits.” She smirked.
“So what? A lot of people have friends with benefits.”
“And what if he has more friends with benefits?”
“I don’t think he does, but if he did, what could I do about that? We aren’t in a re—” I stuttered.
“A relationship? Come on, Emily, you can say the word.”
I wasn’t talking about this anymore with her, so I changed the subject.
“How are you and Alex doing?”
“We’re good.”
“Has he gotten the results back from the bar exam yet?”
“Not yet. But I’m sure he passed. So how did you and Jackson leave things this morning?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you kiss goodbye? Did he say he’d call you? Did you set up another date?”
“He did kiss me goodbye. He didn’t say he’d call, and we have not set up another date.” I walked into the backroom and she followed.
“So you just have to sit and wait around to see if he shows up again or what?”
“I guess so. Anyway, I got an email this morning from some guy from Match. He wants to meet. He’s a gynecologist, divorced for two years, thirty-two years old, and no kids.”