"Well," he says slowly, choosing his words carefully. "You have options, Vi." I remember his offer from the other night, about becoming his social media manager. I'd be great at it. I really would. The only thing that held me back from accepting his offer was my current position. Now, just days after meeting Sean, I'm honestly considering it.
Can I really take another month, another year, another ten years of being treated like my opinion doesn't matter when it comes to my position?
"The job at Strongdelt," I say out loud. He nods.
"I realize that I offered you a temporary freelance position, but if you feel like you're ready to make a change, I'm sure we could make it a permanent job, Violet."
When I look up into his eyes, they're serious. Sean doesn't mess around when it comes to his company. His father built Strongdelt Robotics from the ground up and he's not going to do anything to mess that up. If Sean Moormead is offering me a full-time, created-just-for-me job, it's because he thinks I'll do a great job.
Part of me feels like I should immediately accept. Part of me feels like it would be insane to say "no" to something like this. After all, he's offering competitive pay doing something I really want to do. And I get the feeling that working for Sean is not going to be anything like working for Timothy.
Or Jason.
I shudder just thinking about tomorrow and how he's going to respond to the proposal I put together.
"What?" Sean senses my frustration.
"I spent the whole day working on a presentation," I tell him. "I spent my entire day, lost out on a date with you, and I'm worried that it's going to be for nothing."
He doesn't say anything. He doesn't push me to accept his offer. Instead, he wraps his arms around me tighter and strokes my hair, letting me know where I belong.
For the first time in a very long time, I feel safe. My mom used to hold me this way when I was scared or searching, when I felt lost. And now Sean is touching me the same way. He's accepting me. He's making me feel like I'm special. He's making me feel like I matter. He's making me feel like no matter what I say, he's still going to want to be around me.
I lean up and kiss him. His eyes flash with surprise for only a second before they turn dark. He lets out a soft growl as he grabs me closer and kisses me hard. I open my lips to let him in and he doesn't hesitate, taking me.
This is a man who knows what he wants and who isn't afraid to get it.
Only, I remember for a second, he said there were things I needed to know about him. I wonder for just a moment what Sean's dark secrets are, what things he's keeping to himself that no one knows about.
What is it that haunts Sean Moormead in the dead of night?
What is it that makes him scared when he's alone?
What secrets is he hiding in the dark, hoping to forget?
But then he bites my bottom lip softly, bringing me back to reality, and I forget that there are any secrets. Instead, I'm just wrapped up in him. My hand rests on his thigh and I want to move it higher. I want to feel if he's hard for me while we kiss. I know it's not proper or appropriate to grope your boyfriend on your first night together, but, I reason, he's already seen me naked. It would be rude not to return the favor.
And so, by the flickering fire in the stillness of the evening, the whiskey still burning softly in my belly, I slide my hand up to Sean's dick. If he's surprised, he doesn't show it, nor does he push my hand away in an attempt to be a gentleman. He just opens his mouth and hisses my name the way I've been wanting him to, the way I've been needing him to.
"Violet."
It's a command, it's a question, it's an observation, all wrapped into one word. It's a desire. It's a need. Sean is just as ready for me as I am for him and I don't plan on making him wait a moment longer.
5.
The ringtone on my phone blares loudly before I finish pulling my shirt off.
Fuck.
I ignore it at first, but then it doesn't stop and Sean motions for me to get it.
"It's okay," he says. I know he means it, but I'm annoyed at the interruption. I haven't been fucked in months and it's well after 10:00. Who in their right mind would be calling me at this hour?
Oh, I realize, as I see the name flash across my screen. It's Amy. My little sister, who also happens to be my roommate, has no concept of time. I chalk it up to pregnancy-brain, but she's always been like this.
"What's up?" I ask, trying to conceal how out of breath I am. I have no plans to tell my sister that I'm in the middle of trying to fuck a billionaire. I have no plans to tell her that my pussy is so wet that my panties are permanently soaked. I have no plans to tell her how hard my nipples are pressed against my bra or that when she called I was about to set them free.
Instead, I try to play it cool.
She doesn't buy it.
"Oh shit," she says, immediately realizing what I'm doing. "Are you fucking someone?"
"What? No!"
"Is it Sean? Are you there? Is that what you're doing right now?"
"Amy," I say, leveling my voice, trying not to squeak or act weird in any way. "I told you earlier that I had to work late tonight."
"And I happen to know for a fact that you left over an hour ago because Colby saw your car and we were on the phone when he saw you."
Now it's my turn to mutter "Shit." Life in a small town is never boring. Being the only person who has a purple God and Guns since 1776 bumper sticker and a back window full of stuffed animals make me stick out even more.
"Where are you?" She asks.
"I'm at Sean's," I finally admit, making eye contact with him. Damn, he's sexy. Even with his clothes still on and his tell-tale bulge starting to diminish from this lame-ass conversation, he looks good. "What's wrong, Amy?" I ask, realizing that she didn't call just to check up on me.
"Well, oh, you know, nothing much, but-" Amy's voice cuts out as I hear someone say, "Give me the phone."
Colby, her fiance and the father of her baby, comes on the line.
"Violet, everything's fine, but we're at the hospital right now."
"What!?" I screech, and Sean's eyes go wide. And I'm guessing his dick goes soft.
There goes our night of fun.
"It's okay, everything's fine," he assures me. "Amy had some slight spotting and we thought she might be losing the baby. She's fine though, but they're going to keep her here overnight for observation. Amy just didn't want you to worry when she didn't come home tonight."
"I'll be right there," I glance around wildly, wondering where my keys went. "Give me half an hour. I'm in Pinebluff, but-"
"No need, Violet. You can finish your date. Everything's fine and under control. There's nothing you can do here. I'll call you in the morning with an update or you can come by after 8:00 when visiting hours begin."
"But-"
"Violet," Colby is firm with me. "I'm staying with Amy and the hospital won't let anyone else in tonight." Then his voice softens, "I know you're worried, especially after your mom. I promise I'm not going to let anything happen to your baby sister. You know me, Vi. I'll take good care of her."
I realize that he's right. It's late and there's nothing I can do. I'm not a doctor. I'm not even a nurse. I mumble something in agreement and hang up the phone. Sean looks concerned.
"It's Amy," I tell him, putting my phone on the end table.
"Is everything okay?" He places his hands on either side of my face, forcing me to look at him. I feel tears welling up inside and I bite them back. Sean has seen me behave in many, many dorky ways this weekend. I really don't feel like letting him see me cry right now. Not tonight. Not when we were so close to having an incredibly intimate time together.
"It's fine," I wave him off, turning my face so he can't see my eyes. "Nothing's wrong. Just...nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Violet," his voice is firm. "What's wrong?"
I turn back to Sean. This man is incredible. He's the most patient, most insistent, most kind man I've ever met
. And somehow, I know that when he promises me everything is going to be okay, I'm going to believe him. And somehow, I know that I need to make him say those words.
"It's Amy," I tell him. The tears start to flow now. "She's pregnant and they thought there was a problem with the baby, but she's okay now, but I can't go see her at the hospital until tomorrow." I bury my face in his shoulder and start sobbing like a little child. He holds me close to him and strokes my hair.
And then he says the magical words I've been waiting to hear him say, the ones that I absolutely do believe when they cross his lips.
"Everything is going to be okay."
Sean holds me until I stop crying. Then he pulls me onto his lap and holds me more. We aren't kissing. We aren't being sexual. He's just offering me the comfort that I so desperately need and he's doing it without expecting anything in return. Somehow this makes me even more attracted to him. Somehow this makes me crave him even more than I already do.
Finally, I pull away. It's late. I have to be up early in the morning to get in to work, to hear how everything goes with Jason, to find out that everything I've been working toward at Southvale Community College has been for nothing. I have to get up early and stop by the hospital. I have to make sure that Amy's okay. I have a million and one things to do tomorrow and for what feels like the thousandth time, I find myself wishing my mother was here.
She always knew just what to do.
Somehow, though, as I nestle my head deeper into Sean's chest, I realize that sometimes other people can be helpful, too. Sometimes other people can be kind. Sometimes they can be caring. Sometimes they can be everything we need and then they can be a little bit more.
"I should go," I murmur, but I don't really want to. I'm not sure if he senses my desire to stay or if he's just being selfish, but Sean shakes his head.
"No," he says. "You should stay here tonight. You don't need to be alone in that big ol' house by yourself, not like this."
I don't even have the energy to protest as Sean leads me upstairs. I expect that he'll take me into his room, but he doesn't. He leads me to his guest room, the one where I stayed before. I shoot him a questioning glance, but he just shrugs.
"You'll sleep better alone, Beautiful. I'm right down the hall if you need me."
I pull off my clothes, everything except my panties, and slide beneath the covers of the bed. Sean tucks me in and gently kisses my forehead.
"What time do you need to get up?" He asks, but I'm already drifting off. I hear him plug my phone into a charger and I silently thank him for being so thoughtful. Then he leaves the room, closes the door, and I hear him pad softly down the hall.
6.
When I open my eyes, I'm not alone. There's a woman in the corner of my room, placing some clothes on the dresser. She turns when she hears me stirring. Her face looks concerned.
"I'm so sorry to wake you," she says quickly, but I just wave her apology away. She looks to be in her mid-60s. She's round, plump, and grandmotherly. While I haven't met her before, she seems kind. Her eyes twinkle and I see years of wisdom hidden behind them.
"It's okay," I sit up before realizing that I don't have a shirt on and bashfully pull the sheets up. If she notices my breasts, which she obviously does, the woman says nothing.
"I'm Annabelle," she says quickly. "Mr. Moormead asked me to pick you up a few things," she nods to the clothes.
"Wow," I'm honestly shocked about the clothing. I shouldn't be, but Sean's thoughtfulness seems to know no bounds. Now I won't have to go home to hurry up and change before I go to the hospital. I can just shower, dress, and leave. "Thank you," I finally manage to spit out. I wonder what time it is or how early she had to get up to go shopping.
"It's no bother," the woman says, as if reading my mind. "I just stopped at the store on my way in." She turns to go, but pauses and says, "I'm going to make breakfast for Mr. Moormead. If you'd like to have something after your shower, there will be plenty to eat before you leave."
"Thanks Annabelle." My stomach growls in response and we both laugh. Then she leaves me to myself and I hop out of bed. I don't bother looking at the clothes before I climb into the shower. Something tells me that they'll fit perfectly. Sean is probably the most observant person I've ever met. I'm guessing he knows exactly what size I wear.
I shower quickly, my thoughts more concerned with getting to Amy than on getting clean, but I manage to shave and wash my hair before I hop out, hurriedly dry myself, and throw on the clothes. There's a pair of dress pants with a navy blue blouse, along with a pair of lace black panties and a matching bra.
"Trying to tell me something, Sean?" I mumble to myself as I throw the clothing on. My shoes from yesterday go perfectly with the outfit, and part of me can't believe how thoughtful he is. I run a brush through my hair, grab my phone, and head downstairs to try to eat. Even if I find that I can't stomach food, I'm going to need some coffee before I can face the world today.
Just one cup, I tell myself.
When I reach the kitchen, I hear Sean's loud chuckle radiating across the room. He's perched on the edge of the counter eating a plate full of food. Annabelle is in front of the stove, telling him a story. They both stop and turn when I walk inside, and I'm suddenly shy. I offer up a quiet smile and Sean waves me in.
"Come on it," he says. Then he looks me up and down. "You look amazing. Great choice, Annabelle."
"Not my first time shopping," she winks at me, and turns back to the food. I'm guessing that Annabelle is Sean's housekeeper or cook, but she's more than that. I had asked him about a housekeeper the last time I was here, but he made it seem like he didn't have someone. Maybe she only comes on certain days.
"Annabelle comes over on weekday mornings," Sean explains. Again with the mindreading. "She says it’s to make sure that I'm eating, but I think she just likes to see me without my shirt on."
She glances at his rippling abs and rolls her eyes. "It's true," she winks at me. "He is quite the looker. If I were 20 years younger..." She lets out a dreamy sigh and now I'm the one laughing. Sean is blushing as we both giggle in his kitchen, but I can tell that he feels comfortable around both of us. The way he's still sitting on the counter like a teenager makes me smile. I love how natural and real I feel around him.
I love how lusty I feel around him.
"Thank you for the clothes," I say finally, glancing down at myself again. Sean's right: I look really good. I dress somewhat professionally for my job, but I feel like this outfit in particular makes me look about ten years older and much more experienced than I actually am. "It was really thoughtful."
I catch Sean's eye and hold his gave for a few moments, letting it sink in just how much I appreciate his thoughtfulness. Part of me wishes that Annabelle wasn't here so I could fall to my knees and rip those pajama pants off Sean's muscled body. He wouldn't know what hit him as I slid that hard dick down my throat. I love giving blowjobs and it's been a long time since I did. Sean has definitely earned himself some deep-throat-make-me-gag oral sex and I'm just the dirty girl to give it to him.
Suddenly, Sean clears his throat and I realize that I was staring at what I want, probably pretty obviously. I blush and try to look back at his eyes, but I can't. He just laughs and I roll my eyes.
"Sorry," I say, finally. He just continues to smile.
I pour myself a cup of coffee and settle down at the counter, making myself comfortable on one of Sean's stools. Annabelle puts a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast in front of me.
"Thanks!" I practically shout it. The food looks so good and I feel a quick pang of sadness when I think of how my mom used to make me breakfast.
"I'm going to go start the laundry," Annabelle smiles as she pats me on the shoulder. "It was lovely to meet you, Violet." As she walks back through the kitchen, I hear her whisper to Sean, "Don't screw this up."
And I'm suddenly filled with happiness at the idea that she can tell just how much he likes me.
7.
After breakfast, Sean walks me to my car and kisses me goodbye. He kisses me deeply, then softly, letting me know without words how important I am to him. His kiss is reassuring, reminding me that no matter what I face today, I'll be okay. I have a lot to deal with and I haven't forgotten any of it. Somehow, though, knowing Sean thinks I'm strong means the world to me.
There have been many times over the past few months where I've felt anything but strong. Standing over my mother's body at her funeral, watching my sister cry her heart out, I felt like I was going to break. Hearing for the first time that Amy and Colby were bringing a baby into the world, I felt like I was cracking. And when Amy told my dad that he was going to be a grandfather, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
But I didn't.
Everything was okay.
Even now, as I stand by my car, somehow trying to find the words to say goodbye to this ravishingly handsome man, I can't help but wonder what he sees in me. I feel weak. I feel like crying. I feel like the entire world is crashing down around me and there's no one to save me. But he just looks in my eyes, and just that brazen stare reminds me that he thinks I'm something special.
He thinks I'm brave.
"Everything's going to be fine today," he promises, reading my nerves. I nod. Part of me believes him. There's another part of me that just feels terrified of what's going to happen when I see my sister at the hospital. There's a part of me that's horrified at the thought of my career completely flopping today. All of me is shaking. All of me is on edge.
I slide into the car and start the engine, glancing just once more at Sean's smiling face, soaking it all up for strength. Then I disappear down the road, making my way back to Southvale. The highway is empty, which isn't unusual. It's early and there's no such thing as "rush hour" in small towns. I flip on the radio and try not to tear up when song after song is about heartbreak or loss.
That's everything I don't need right now.
My phone beeps but I barely register it as I pull into the hospital parking lot. When I reach the double doors, I finally glance down and see that it's from Sean.
Dreaming of the Billionaire 2 Page 2