I didn’t realize men could give those types of compliments to women and mean them.
“Why don’t we go out to dinner tomorrow night?” Christian asked.
“What?”
“Dinner. Tomorrow. You and me. We could prep a bit for the meeting Monday, sit down with the information you're pulling from the warehouses, and we could get your mind off all this for a bit,” he said.
“That sounds nice,” I said, nodding. “Sure. What time?”
“Seven? I’ll pick you up?” he asked.
And before I could allow my mind to jump in with its rational thoughts, I nodded my head and smiled.
“Seven, it is.”
Chapter Fifteen
Christian
I had taken my baggy gray suit to the tailor’s to be taken in everywhere it needed to be to fit properly. I paired it with a dark blue shirt and pale blue tie, thinking that it would be a nice surprise for Stella. I wanted to take her somewhere nice, somewhere no one would ever think to take a woman like her. She had her sophisticated and romantic side, but there were plenty of restaurants like those in town. Low lighting, small talk, long tablecloths to hide the footsies people were playing underneath.
I wanted to take her somewhere she’d never been before, which was why I’d made reservations at Island Prime.
It sat right on the water and had the most beautiful view of the inlet as well as the city skyline, but it was well illuminated. The sunset was beautiful, and it would paint beautiful colors over her skin if we could catch it right at sunset, and that was exactly what I wanted to do.
I wanted her to remember the beauty this world had to offer after it had dealt her such a shitty hand over the last couple of weeks.
I arrived at Stella’s promptly at 7 and knocked on her door. I could hear her heels clicking across her hardwood floor, but never would I have expected the door to open to the woman I saw before my eyes. Her sleek black hair was pulled back into a beautiful updo, with rhinestone accents peppering her hair. Her light green eyes were accentuated by the deep crimson lipstick she had on her lips, and the dress that hugged her body showed me things about her I never realized were there.
She had the most amazing slope to her waist that bloomed into a rounded pair of hips. Her arms were toned and sleek, glistening in the evening sun that was just beginning to sink in the sky. I’d never noticed how beautiful Stella was until this very moment, and I realized that Greyson’s idiotic mistake was my wonderful gain.
I would finally get to know Stella outside of the confines of being fighting stepsiblings, and I found myself looking forward to it.
“Oh my gosh. You got the suit tailored,” she said, smiling.
“What do you think?” I asked.
“I think that blue really makes your eyes sparkle,” she said.
“And those red lips of yours really make your eyes pop,” I said.
“Thanks,” she said, blushing.
“You ready to go?” I asked.
“I’m starving, so yes.”
“Well, tonight’s on me, so get whatever you want,” I said.
“I figured I’d get you those files whenever we came back to the house. I’ve got the numbers and figures in my head, and the summaries are typed up in my documents,” she said.
“Honestly? I wasn’t even thinking about work,” I said.
“What about prepping for the meeting?” she asked.
“Yes, Stella. We will talk about the meeting,” I said, grinning.
I opened her car door for her, and she slipped in effortlessly. Her legs were toned and muscular, boasting of a gym routine I didn’t realize she had. I drove us in relative silence over to the restaurant, and I watched her face as we came into view.
“I’ve always wanted to come here, but I couldn’t ever get Greyson to bring me,” she said.
“Well, I’ll take you. No questions asked.”
I ushered her into the restaurant with my hand on her lower back, and I could’ve sworn I felt her lean into it. We quickly got seated at a table against the windows overlooking the water, and we sat down just as the sun began to set over the city skyline.
“Holy hell, it’s beautiful up here,” she said.
I saw the sunlight dancing in her eyes while she brought her wine glass to her lips. The sunset reflected in her eyes while we sat there in absolute silence, and I brushed the waiter away when I caught him walking toward us. I wanted Stella to soak up this moment, to be reminded of the joy and wonderment this world had to offer.
She deserved that from someone, and I was more than willing to give it to her.
“This wine is incredible,” she said.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” I said.
“The sunset is beautiful from up here.”
“I figured you might like that,” I said.
“Why did he do it?” she asked.
“Because he’s an idiot, and the only reason he came by the office was because he realized that,” I said.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.
I reached over and placed my hand on her arm, and she flickered that beautiful gaze over to me. Her shoulders were pulled back, raising her head high the way a woman of her stature should walk, but her eyes were filled with a pain I couldn’t understand. I’d never allowed anyone I dated to get as close as she allowed Greyson, and I honestly wasn’t sure what advice I could offer her.
So, I told her the truth.
“The only thing you did wrong was to look past his red flags. You put on a pair of rose-colored glasses to distort what you saw because you assumed he would change. You saw he was a grown man with aspirations, and you figured the two of you would grow and change. Conquer the world together. And there was nothing wrong with that,” I said.
“But?” she asked.
“But, nothing. You looked past things you shouldn’t have, and he took that for granted. Instead of taking the time you gave him to improve, he took advantage of your kindness. That’s on him,” I said.
The waiter poured her another glass of wine, and she chugged it quicker than I’d ever seen. I was nursing my second glass myself, but by the time we got our salads, she was well into her third.
That’s when I realized work was not going to be talked about at all.
“Your father would be proud of you, Stella,” I said.
“He hated Greyson,” she said. “He’d be ecstatic right now.”
“I wasn’t talking about that,” I said. “I was talking about the woman you’ve become.”
For the first time that night, her eyes rose and connected with mine. Her wine was paused mid-air while she studied me from across the table, but all I did was sit back and cross my leg over my knee.
“You’re beautiful, Stella. You’re full of life and intelligence. You’re successful and well-educated. You’re passionate and driven, and all of those qualities would be things your father would boast about with his friends if he were still here,” I said.
“You think so?” she asked.
“I know so. You paid for your own education with scholarships and work on campus. You came out with little to no debt and did what you had to do to pay it off. You took on your own house sooner than anyone else in your close circle of friends. You are so financially sound and responsible, not to mention quick on your feet,” I said.
“Quick on my feet?” she asked as the waiter poured her another glass of wine.
“Intellectually,” I said.
“Well, so are you. You know things that blow even my mind sometimes. And I have to admit, you’ve impressed me with the way you’ve stepped up to run the company. I honestly thought you would just drive it right into the depths of hell. But you haven’t. You’ve surprised me, Christian,” she said.
“Thanks. I think,” I said, grinning.
“Do you really think he’d be proud of me?” she asked.
“I know he would be, and do you know how I know?”
“How?” she asked.
“He told me. Time and time again, before that man passed, there would always be a way he’d work you into the conversation. He’d talk about the incredible woman you were growing into and how you deserved better than Greyson. He’d talk about the lives you were saving and the things you were doing to help better this city that he loved so much. Pride glowed in his eyes whenever he spoke of you. And I got to see it every single time I talked with him.”
Tears fell from her face, and I reached over to take her hand. It was something she needed to hear, whether she was willing to listen or not. Stella had been my stepfather’s pride and joy, and there was nothing anyone could do, not even that asshole Greyson, that could take that away from her.
We ate our food while we reminisced about childhood memories, but I had to help her out to my car. By the time dinner was over she had practically polished off a bottle of wine by herself, and I figured she needed to sleep it off with someone there to help her if she needed it. She fell asleep in my car as I was driving us back to my house, but she woke up when I tried to get her out of the car.
“Where am I?” she asked groggily.
“We’re back at my place. I figured you could just crash here. You’re pretty tired, and I want to be here if you get sick,” I said.
“I’m fine,” she said, slurring her words. “Just fine.”
“Come on, Stella. Let’s get you inside.”
I picked her up into my arms after I unlocked my front door. I saw the confusion on her face as we walked through the door of my home, and I laid her on the couch before the question flew from her lips.
“Don’t you live in an apartment?” she asked.
“I call it an apartment, yes. It’s technically a townhome.”
“You call your townhome an apartment,” she said. “Why?”
“Don’t know. Just do, I guess.”
“Wow. A business and something that isn’t a dinky studio apartment. I guess people change,” she said, yawning.
I chuckled at her as I covered her body with the blanket behind my couch, and I dipped down to wipe the hair away from her face. Her eyes had already fluttered shut while I watched her shoulders rise and fall with her breaths, and something inside of me drew my lips to her forehead. She looked so peaceful and so happy with her cheeks flushed the way they were, and everything inside of me wanted to kiss her delicate forehead goodnight.
But, I pulled back before my lips made contact, and ventured up to my room.
I peeled the suit off my body and tossed it onto the chair beside my bed as my mind whirled with what just happened. She was my stepsister, for crying out loud. I couldn’t fucking feel this way about her. No, we weren’t related, but we grew up like we were. We fought and bitched and grew apart as siblings do.
I couldn’t kiss my stepsister. That wasn’t right.
But, I had wanted to. I couldn’t stop staring at her all evening, especially after catching a glimpse of the true Stella while we were shopping this week. When she stormed into the office upset at Greyson, I felt a surge of pride in my ability to protect her. When she had appeared in the doorway earlier this evening, I felt a tug in my gut at how luscious she looked.
I had wanted to kiss her, but I didn’t.
“Why the hell didn’t I kiss her?”
I flopped down on my bed and groaned before I slung my arm over my face. What the hell was happening to me? Why was I feeling this way for Stella? Why the fuck didn’t I just kiss her and get it over with? I’m sure if I did, my entire body would reel with disgust, and that would be that.
I just needed to prove to my body that this isn’t what it wanted.
“Maybe I just need sleep,” I said with a groan.
But then, I heard my door slowly creak open. My arm slipped from my eyes as I stared up at the dark ceiling, and I listened as my door latched quietly behind the moving figure. I knew exactly who it was, but I still wasn’t willing to admit it to myself. Stella was creeping into my room. And she was looking for me.
It was only when I felt her slip into bed beside me that my entire body began to thunder with electricity.
“Stella?” I asked.
“Yeah?”
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” she said.
I turned around and faced her. In the moonlight, I saw her light green eyes dancing between mine. My hand reached out and brushed a small strand of hair behind her ear, and it caused her hand to fall lightly onto my hip. I shivered underneath the cool, soft touch of her palm, and she scooted herself so close I could feel her heart pounding against my chest.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“I don’t know, Stella,” I said.
And when she leaned her lips closer to mine, I closed the distance before I slid my hand to the back of her neck.
Chapter Sixteen
Stella
His lips tasted like the dinner I couldn’t remember. His hand slid to the back of my neck, cradling me close against his body, and for the first time, I felt fully comforted in the arms of a man. I slid on top of his body, feeling his muscular chest flush against mine, and my body heated up as his hand caressed down my back.
His touches were light and hesitant, debating on touching the boundary my body was so willing to cross.
My tongue danced in the depths of his mouth as his hands cupped my ass. I couldn’t help but grind against him, feeling his strong legs thrust up into me while his cock grew larger and larger against my clothed pussy. His tongue slowly grazed the roof of my mouth, pulling a moan from my throat. His hands moved up my body as his nimble fingers expertly unhooked the bra that was in the way.
But when he slipped it down my arms, I sat up on top of him so he could see all of me.
His eyes devoured me in his hungry gaze. I watched those beautiful blue eyes darken, like a roaring storm coming in from the Atlantic, and his hands reached up to massage my puckered nipples.
My breaths turned to pants as he rolled my breasts around in his hands. My hips moved against him as his cock throbbed between my legs. Christian raised up, capturing my lips with his as his hands pressed against my back, and all I could do was melt into him as he slowly turned me over and sunk my back to the bed.
Suddenly, his lips got hungry. The light kisses he sprinkled all over my face turned rougher as he moved down to my neck, sucking on my skin between his teeth. My panting turned to moans, tumbling from my lips with every bite he placed on my neck. My hands were everywhere as they ran over his taut skin, pulled tightly over the twitching muscles I could feel underneath my fingernails.
“Christian,” I said breathlessly. “Please.”
He kissed down my body before he ran his tongue around my nipples. I could feel myself dripping into my panties as his hands caressed every inch of my skin. He found places I’d never been touched, nooks and crannies that had been unexplored by a man’s tongue. He ran his tongue along my waistline, smirking against my skin as I jumped, and all the while his fingers worked my panties off my body.
I wanted to feel his tongue against my legs. I wanted him to part my pussy folds and lick me into next week. I wanted to ride that face I’d grown to adore over the past few days, and I wanted to feel his strong arms pin me to the bed as he fucked me stupid.
But, he stayed the course. He bit and sucked and nipped, kissing the indentations he left along my skin as he trailed down my body. I dug my feet into the bed as he kissed my pussy lips, smiling when I bucked into his mouth. I felt my body burning underneath his fingertips as they massaged my thighs, and I gripped the sheets of his bed as I waited for his assault.
“Christian,” I moaned. “Don’t make me beg.”
“But it would be so much fun,” he said.
“Fine,” I said.
I ripped myself from underneath his body and swung my legs over the bed. My body was hot with want I couldn’t explain, and my heart was broken from a man who couldn’t give two shits less. I could feel my ju
ices dripping down my thighs while my body shook on the edge of his bed, but I wasn’t in the mood to play games.
I’d been teased for two years, and I was done with that game.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
Christian growled behind me before his arm wrapped around my body. He tossed me back to the bed, my body bouncing in the air, and I felt his cock land against my thigh. His precum splattered onto my skin as he sunk between my legs, his lips crashing down onto mine as our teeth clattered together. I could feel his cock throbbing against me as my pussy grew wetter for his body.
For his touch.
For him.
“I’m on the pill, if you’re wondering,” I said, my lips fluttering against his.
“That is honestly a question I never thought I’d want you to answer,” he said.
I slid my arms around his neck before I pulled up and drew his earlobe between my teeth. His entire body faltered, his face collapsing into the crook of my neck, and for a split second, I could feel him breathe something into my skin.
“You’re beautiful,” he said.
He slid into me, peeling me apart with the thickness of his cock, and my jaw unhinged in sweet release for him. His dick pressed against all the areas inside me that started in motion a sweet tingling, rubbing me in ways that set my body on fire. He set a furious pace, pounding his hips into me as he pumped his dick in and out of my pussy. The sounds alone made me claw at his back, but the way his body shielded me from the world was intoxicating.
I felt safe in the arms of the man plowing my body into his mattress.
I hooked my legs around his waist as my pussy began to flutter around his raging cock. My body sucked him deeper and deeper into me as his panting turned into grunts, and I bit down into the chiseled meat of his shoulder while his rippling abdomen was sweating against my stomach.
“Holy fuck, Stella,” he breathed.
“You feel incredible,” I said.
He dropped down onto my body and pounded between my legs, his cock throbbing against my walls as we both chased our releases. His hand cupped the top of my head, guarding it as I inched closer to his headboard, and I reached up to capture his lips as my pussy began to clamp around his cock.
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