by R. F. Allie
"Who are you?" I asked with a small voice. The question sounded a little absurd to me.
"I'm Landon Davis." He said it like it was all that mattered.
"I know that. What I mean is, well, my friends seem to know of you, like you were some kind of celebrity or something. Also I'm positive the two blonds glaring at us from behind you talked about tabloids earlier. I'm somewhat aware of the media business, yet your name means nothing to me."
He looked at me processing my words. He didn't even turn to check the two women peering at us; they were mostly glaring at me.
"Why?"
"Why?" I echoed not understanding his question.
"I mean why do you want to know? Are you interested Miss Dane?"
I could tell he was only teasing me yet I couldn't help but bit at him.
"Get over yourself Mr. Davis - I'm only asking out of curiosity - So are you going to tell me or should I rejoin my friends?" I challenged hoping he'd just tell me and put an end to the stupid game.
He didn't react. He was so composed.
I pushed to my feet and stood. I was pressed against him and he flinched. I sashayed past him to find my way back to my friends. I turned one last time with a defying look.
"Nice meeting you again Mr. Davis... Or not. But definitely nice kiss."
I bit at my lip and waved at him.
I was halfway through the crowd when I felt a hand grab me. I turned to find Mr. Davis. He stepped forward and spoke slowly.
"Nice doesn't quite cover it Miss Dane, now does it?"
"Don't be so arrogant. Goodbye." I turned to walk to my friends.
He pulled me to him, my back to his chest. His hot breath sent goose bumps through my skin.
"Later, after purchasing your battery operated boyfriend. You'll wish it was me. You'll think about me sinking inside you endlessly... Again and again until you scream your lungs out calling my name - feeling full to your sweet core - yet asking for more. That is how I plan to make you feel beautiful Clea, like no other man had made you feel. Just wait and see."
Every word he spoke. Every breath that'd brushed over my ears, every heartbeat. I could feel everything. My heart skipped more than one beat. I couldn't hold myself. No one had ever talked to me that way, no one had ever made me feel like I did right during that moment. I was lost.
I hadn't even realized that he was gone, and when I did, it felt like stab in my chest. I wanted all that. It was a promise, but he left.
I looked around me, my vision was blurry and there were so many people. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. His words consumed me and left me both hopeful, and hopeless at the same time.
Chapter V
I woke up to a colossal throbbing at the back of my skull mocking my one too many tequila shot, and an empty apartment to which I was thankful for. I put my unruly curls in messy bun and head to the kitchen for my ultimate hangover cure.
I picked my coke and Advil, put my sunglasses on and went up to my rooftop for some natural vitamin D. We had one of the most complete views from up there. From the avenue of Americas to downtown Manhattan. I had it all sitting on one of the deck chairs sipping my remedy. I relaxed under my quilt and replayed the previous night events repeatedly. I still had no idea who Landon Davis was. I knew what he tasted like. We'd kissed. He looked like a god, smelled like a piece of heaven and tasted like all your favorite sweets wrapped in one gorgeous cherry-colored-velvety mouth.
He was way-too-intense for my own good. His kiss was hot, skilled and possessive. He held me like he'd claimed me; during both the dance and the kiss. He'd managed to insult me and praise me in one same sentence, and I couldn't hold the panacea of emotions he'd provoked in me. I went from fury to pleasure in a nanosecond. One minute he'd confuse me, the following he'd make it somewhat crystal clear for me.
He called me beautiful after he'd suggested I was a three-way slut. He'd gripped me against my will, yet sent shivers and flames through my whole body. I was bipolar throughout the whole night. He wanted to pleasure me.
If only he knew...
He was confident about sleeping with me. He really wasn't very perceptive. Jenna used to always say that I walked around with a virgin stamp against my forehead. I guess she wasn't all that right. Especially the way I'd intentionally teased him with the sex toy insinuation. I didn't stop obsessing about that kiss. It was all-consuming with intensity. It was hungry. It was forceful. It was also full of promise. Even when I'd went back to my friends, I'd been out of it. Thankfully, they'd refrained from any probing. We finished celebrating with few other rounds. I'd searched for him with my eyes. He was gone and I was somewhat disappointed.
I'd thought about all the kisses I've had in my life. As a virgin, you kiss a lot and you get good at it. It was all the excitement I’d allowed myself. I had inexperienced and maladroit. I had the unskilled with too much tongue or too much saliva. I'd had gentle and caring and loving and cute. I'd never experienced violent, or greedy or intense. Before last night, I'd never been consumed by a kiss.
Even Caden, whom I'd considered a very skilled kisser, never made me feel like that. It was uniquely intimate, like a waltz in complete harmony. It weakened my knees and raised my heartbeats.
I thought about what he'd said to me last before he'd disappeared. That was a whole new level of obsession. I'd replayed it in the back of my head from the moment he'd left, during the cab ride, up until the moment I crawled under the comfort of my duvet. Was I going to see him again?
"Better hope not." My self-preserved-latent peered at me with disapproval.
"He's no good for you."
She was probably right. Rational Clea agreed with the fact that the man would probably mess up my life. I had a feeling he was going to be the best thing in my life, or by far the most destroying. I didn't want to find out which. I'd never had these sort of mixed feelings about a person, but if history was any indication, my gut had always been my best guide. I was finally on the right track. Tomorrow was going to be the first day of my career. I had my friends, my family. I was in total control of my life. A relationship would only screw it up. I repeated my mantra a few times and headed back downstairs for some cleaning, television recap and a hot meal.
"I'm sorry come again?" Jude held a stem of broccoli with his chopsticks frozen halfway to his mouth.
"I'm paraphrasing, but he basically promised that he'll fuck me like no other man did."
We were sitting around our favorite takeout in my living room with Jude, Jenna and Ryan.
They've been grilling me about Landon Davis. I wasn't in the habit of hiding anything from them, most of all Jude. My monthly costs for international calls with Jenna could've attested to how much I didn't miss on an opportunity to tell her the smallest event in my life either.
I'd been telling them about the whole story. Jenna was aware of the stranger in Paris, but she had no idea it was the same man. She thought it romantic, but a little scary. Ryan was psyched. He kept going on and on about how beautiful we looked together in the club, and how he was surprised I didn't die giving all the daggers women had thrown my way.
Jude kept silent up until I just told him about what Landon had told me last.
"Well that's an inflated euphemism." Ryan commented doubling over in laughter.
"And what'd you say?" Jude asked ignoring his partner’s comment.
I shrugged,
"I didn't get the chance to answer. When I turned to give him a piece of my mind." I lied
"Poof, he was gone." I said, gesturing a magic trick.
I washed down a piece a Kung Pao chicken with a sip of wine.
"So to summon the situation." Jude started.
"You met Landon Davis in Paris, you rode with him and said goodbye."
I nodded and he continued
"A little over a week later, he finds you in a club, says he'd been looking for you. You share an all-firework-y-kiss, he suggests Ryan and I are sharing you then promises to fuck you senseless f
or the second time."
He was processing his words with an expression of both impressiveness and disgust, and I signaled to affirm.
Ryan shook his head repeatedly with both awe and disbelief
"This is crazy boo. I mean Landon Davis."
I couldn't take it anymore.
"Who the hell is Landon Davis, anyway?"
Jenna choked on her wine dumbfounded
"Sérieux?"
"Cut the crap. Just tell me."
I was both annoyed and curious. Jenna hadn't been home for more than two weeks per year for five years and she knew who he was. I was sure he wasn't an actor or singer. Probably reality television; I hated those.
Jude pushed to his feet and ran to grab my Mac from my desk. He put it in the middle of a table and sat beside me. He typed his name on the search tool bar and it was like a tsunami of information and pictures had washed off over the screen. I regretted not doing it by myself instantly. I wanted to watch all the photos. He looked yummy.
"Landon Davis." Jude said.
"Well not only is he one dazzling-drop-dead-stunning son of a bitch. He's also one of the wealthiest men in the world."
Ryan tapped my shoulder "In the world Boo. Not country, I can't see how you've never heard of him."
I shrugged
"What's his line of business?" I asked.
"Everything. He's a touche-a-tout. Some say he owns a volcano. Hotels on several continents, for sure. CEO of Davis International."
Jenna interrupted.
“That’s the only thing he didn't work on himself. He got it from his family."
"True." Jude affirmed.
"His most apprized business is his law firm; Davis & Crawley. He'd started it with his childhood friend and alleged on-and-off girlfriend Evelyn Crawley."
I clicked on a picture. He was standing in a very luxurious black tuxedo, all alluring and extremely elegant next to a beautiful redhead. She wore a stunning ivory dress that Ryan recognized as a Marchesa. She had beautiful turquoise eyes, rendered more aglow by her natural tan and her glossy hair. They looked royal together.
"So he's a lawyer." I stated trying to smother the unwelcomed snarl of jealousy that had crept over me.
Jenna snorted in an unrefined way.
"To put it in a language you'd understand; he's your male version of Olivia Pope crossed with your Harvey Spector"
Jenna explained by referring to two of my favorite TV show characters.
"He's not your average lawyer. He's your rock star lawyer - a crisis genie and a very successful businessman."
My beautiful friend had an understanding look.
"I know you don't care about money and all the celebrity bullshit. But he's a certified womanizer.
You should steer clear from him baby-girl." Jude sounded worried.
"Oh shut up Jude. She can do whatever the hell she likes. Let her have her fun."
Jenna glared at him and pushed towards the laptop.
"Plus, that's not all he is." She clicked on a picture.
"He cares about so many charities, and he actually does some of the handiwork himself. He just rebuilt three schools in Port de prince and Jacmel in Haiti, ergo this picture with no other than Sean Penn..."
Jenna carried on talking but I stopped giving her any attention. I was too taken by what I was witnessing on my screen. He was playing soccer with some kids. He seemed to have a blast, and so did the children.
What had caught my attention other than the confirmation that he was a Good Samaritan, was his glorious allure. He was exquisitely mouthwatering. I was aware of how lean he must be under his clothes. He was shirtless in the picture. His chest glowed under the sun. He had the most delicious packs centered with that V from where hung linen beige shorts. The man worked out, a lot. Even his legs, which I usually considered the least attractive parts of a male body were a torture for my senses.
A debate about my non-existent love life carried in the background. I was stunned by such a man. He really was something unexpected. I was sure it wasn't fair for the male population to have such a man in the horizon. He was off-the-charts handsome and I really wasn't into hyperbolism, he was successful in his business and giving the different females I saw him with on tabloids, he had lots of success with women too.
I doubted I could compete with any of those models and celebrities. I couldn't understand why he'd chased me. He had the world at his feet without mentioning his gorgeous partner. I was probably just another poor little girl he wanted to add to his palmarès, and I'll be damned if I'd succumb to such temptation.
The intercom interrupted my course of thoughts along with the heated conversation between my good conscious, my bad one and Switzerland Ryan.
He pushed to his feet to avoid a fight with Jude and use the intrusion as an escape route. I wished I could do the same. Ryan' silence told me that he agreed with Jenna and didn't want to get into an argument with his partner.
"Hey chicas, Judas."
Maria greeted us and Jude rolled his eyes at the not very endearing term. I leaned in to pour her a glass of wine and handed it to her.
"How was your day Maria?" I used her as a way to calm the heat between my friends.
"Ah, I had the worst hangover, and I don't know what happened to Teddy, he just kept barking like he was mocking me."
"Hey boo, you have a visitor."
Ryan's voice came somewhat disturbed from behind me.
"Oh yeah Chica, found your boyfriend downstairs I opened the door before you'd buzzed him."
"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?"
Fear crept over me and I was taken back to a murky and dark place.
Caden was here. How was it possible? I'd filed a restraining order.
Jude pushed to his feet in panic, ready to barge outside.
"Ooh that's him Chica!"
She pointed at the laptop screen and I breathed out a sigh of relief and froze just as quickly.
"Non!" Jenna exclaimed excitedly.
"What the fuck!" Jude cursed.
I couldn't move, the spike of fear when I thought it was Caden weakened my knees. But when I understood that it was actually bazillionaire Landon Davis getting inside my apartment while I was wearing my smiley pajama pants and yellow tank top; I freaked out. I looked like a mess.
Ryan walked back inside eyeballing me and mouthing 'Oh. My. God'. He was followed by no other than Mr. Davis in all his plush glory. A button down white dress shirt hugging his body, tan trousers with a Capri belt and loafers.
He had so much style. I took in the sight of him, imprinted it to my memory and took a step forward to greet him. He stood behind Ryan. His hot scrutinizing glare and smile did nothing to calm my nerves.
"Hello everyone."
He said waving and beaming at the general direction of the room.
"Looks like I missed the party."
I didn't know what he was doing there. I wanted someone to cut on the awkward silence. I needed to gather my thoughts. The man was standing in the middle of my living room and my friends seemed to have lost their tongues at the same time.
The answer to my prayer came from my best girl.
"Care for a glass of that Chateau La Fleur you're holding."
Landon frowned not understanding Jenna, then smiled and extended the bottle of Pomerol to her.
She took it and shook his hand "J'aime un homme qui connait son vin." She said shaking her head in acknowledgment.
"Du moment que vous aimez, c’est tout ce qui compte." Landon beamed at her accepting the compliment.
When Jenna tugged Ryan to the kitchen to bring an extra glass, Landon's attention shifted behind me. He was probably staring at a dumbfounded Jude. I followed his gaze.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
His photo was still on the screen. Jude didn't seem to bother.
He walked to him and offered his hand.
"Hi. I'm Jude Cervi." He said composed and serious.
Landon shook his hand.
"I
t’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Cervi."
"I hope it doesn't bother you. You know what people say. Information is key."
Jude said signaling to my screen.
Landon nodded
"Of course, I understand."
"Great."
Mr. Dark and Mysterious Landon Davis turned to me. I was still shaken. I knew I needed to say something, but the whole scene was like some kind of illusion. It felt like I was assisting from outside my body. Jude was snarly, Maria watching with a quizzical look all over her face. It was overall embarrassing, especially my yellow pajamas.
Say something you stupid bitch!
My snarly subconscious scolded me in disbelief.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in like this." Landon was addressing me. He looked a little confused.
I finally managed to talk past my choke.
"It's alright. I mean... Please, take a seat." I gestured to the sofa and once I spoke, I felt the tension fading a little.
He did take me by surprise, because, never, in a million years, had I envisioned him in the middle of my living room.
"How did you know where I live?"
I asked once we were all seated.
"Oh Miss Dane. You and your wrong questions."
He said with a knowing look. It felt intimate, like we had our own private joke.
"I believe that you're officially well aware of my resources." He cocked his head with a sinful smile showing perfect teeth.
I turned crimson and looked down at my twisted fingers.
"Yeah. Boo had no knowledge of your public status." Ryan said softly as a way of explaining
"She needed a little introduction." Jenna followed.
Jude's muscles clenched. He really didn't like the man. I expected that after what I'd been through, Jude wouldn't like himself either, I mean if he wasn't gay.
"You shouldn't trust everything you read on there." Landon said with a wink.
I just shrugged.
Thankfully, Jenna and Ryan launched us in a very animated conversation. It started with the Internet comment; which sent my girlfriend onto journalist mode trying to get Landon to spill the beans about a gay governor in a red state. He held his grounds, but with Jenna's talent, he caved without giving her much. Ryan fell in love with Landon's outfit, which launched him into designer mode asking about who shopped for him and how did he choose his clothing.