But Siobhan took him in her warm palm moments later and turned to face him. She stroked his shaft, her fingers still slippery with her own desire. The softness of her hands combined with how tightly she was gripping him almost made him lose control. But he managed to hold off, trying to focus on her pleasure instead.
Moaning, she bucked against his hand and guided him so he was flat on his back. Then she did one of sexiest things he’d ever seen her do. She climbed on top of him, held his hands above his head, and rode the ever-loving fuck out of him.
He loved that she took control. It was something she hadn’t done in the past, and it turned him on more than he’d expected. “Siobhan,” he warned when he was dangerously close to coming. She was obviously aware that he didn’t have a condom on. As was he. It had been so long since he’d felt this, he’d almost forgotten how incredible it felt, how perfect.
“Shh,” she said quietly as she put a finger to his lips. “I want you to. It’s okay.”
And somehow Derick knew it was. So he allowed himself to thrust faster, his hands on Siobhan’s hips, and her hair falling wildly over his chest as she finally lost control.
It wasn’t long before Derick let go too, emptying himself inside her in long, sharp bursts.
The two lay there for a few minutes, Derick’s hands around Siobhan until she finally climbed off of him and headed for the bathroom.
When she returned, she slid into bed beside him and rested her head on his chest. Her fingers skated over the hair there as she remained silent.
“Doing okay?” he asked, keeping his voice low so as not to upset the tranquillity of the moment.
She propped herself up on an elbow and looked down at him. “Still a little sad,” she pouted.
Derick deflated. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “But I think if we do that at least two more times, I’ll be good to go.”
Derick took in the sparkle in her eye and the smirk on her lips. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Chapter 25
As soon as Derick exited the Stone Room and walked out into the hotel lobby, he saw her. Siobhan was sitting on one of the couches, her legs crossed and her head propped against her hand as she leaned on the armrest. Blaine had said that Siobhan had come out to the lobby for her break. And from the looks of her, she needed it.
“Rough night?” he asked, as he took a seat beside her.
She barely looked in his direction before answering. “Something like that.”
“Look,” he said to her. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay.”
She gave a harsh laugh. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”
“I am.” Then he reached an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into him. “You’re done at eleven, right?”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “Why?”
“I stopped by to see if you wanted to come over after your shift. But if you’re tired, it’s fine if you’d rather not.”
“I am.” She relaxed her head on his chest as he leaned back against the couch. “But I have to get used to it because that’s not going to change anytime soon.”
“What do you mean?”
Siobhan’s shoulders lifted into a small shrug. “It means that this is my life. And it’ll probably be my life for the foreseeable future if I don’t do something to change it. It’s almost been a week since my art showing, and no one’s bought anything.”
“That doesn’t mean they won’t. You said yourself that it takes time.”
“But how much time? Weeks? Months? Years? There’s no way to know how long it’ll take to sell even one painting, let alone make a career out of something that’s a hobby to most people.”
Derick hated how sad she sounded, how hopeless. “You’re not ‘most people.’”
“I’m not going to become some starving artist who’s forty years old and living in the same shitty apartment because I can’t afford anything better. And I’m not going to keep working a million different jobs to make ends meet.” She shook her head slowly and pulled away from him. “I can’t. Not when there are other ways to live.”
“What do you mean, ‘other ways to live’?”
“I mean right now it’s not too late to figure out a different career path. I can still go back to school, get a normal job.”
As hard as he tried, Derick couldn’t picture Siobhan working some horrible nine-to-five office job or punching a time card somewhere. That wasn’t the girl he fell in love with. “You won’t be happy doing that.”
Siobhan’s weary eyes watered as she looked at him. “Maybe not.” She shrugged again. “But I’m not really happy right now, either.”
Well, shit. What the hell did that mean? Derick swallowed the lump in his throat.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean us,” Siobhan said, obviously sensing his fear. “It’s everything else. The long hours, the guilt I feel for leaving my family to pursue a dream that may never become anything more than that. I don’t know how much longer I can do it.” She stood suddenly and smoothed her black skirt. “I have to get back. Saul’s been on my ass lately, and I can’t afford to lose the one job that’s paying most of my bills right now.”
“Okay,” Derick said softly as he leaned in to give her a quick kiss. “Will you text me later and let me know about tonight?”
“Sure,” she said, before turning around to head back inside the bar.
But Derick couldn’t let her leave like that. “Do you know why Saul calls it the Stone Room?”
Siobhan’s head whipped toward him, her body slowly following. “Because the walls are made of stone?”
Derick stood and walked toward her, shaking his head as he moved. “He said it was because he wanted to fill it with women who reminded him of rare and beautiful gems. The kind of girls everyone would want, but only a few would ever get to see up close.”
He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “He may give you a hard time, but he sees how precious you are. I don’t know how anyone could know you and not see it.”
He saw a hint of a smile before she leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for that.”
“Anytime.”
And as Siobhan returned to work, Derick wished he had more than words to give her.
Chapter 26
Siobhan listened to the phone ringing. “Pick up, Derick. Pick up, pick up,” she chanted.
“Hey.”
Siobhan could hear the smile in his voice—the warmness she knew he felt. “What took you so long?”
“To do what?” Derick sounded confused.
“Answer the phone.”
“I’m confused. A phone only rings a few times before it goes to voice mail. How long could it have taken me?”
“Too long because I’m excited and want to tell you my great news!” Siobhan had started to bounce a little, her elation trying to find an outlet.
Derick laughed. “Okay, so tell me.”
“I sold my paintings.”
Derick didn’t respond right away, causing Siobhan to deflate a little.
“Isn’t that great news?”
“Of course! Yes, that’s great news. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks. I’m so thrilled. Veronica said they all went to the same buyer, probably the guy who’d been looking at them the night of the showing. She told me his name, but I was too busy screaming to hear her. I can’t believe it.” Siobhan felt emotion crawling up her throat. “I just…I needed this so badly, you know? Needed someone to like my work to prove that I wasn’t wasting my time.”
“I know, babe. And I’m so glad that you got the encouragement you needed.” Derick cleared his throat. “We should celebrate tonight.”
Siobhan smiled. “We definitely should.”
Chapter 27
“So what’s the plan for tonight?” Siobhan asked as she and Derick sat in the back of the Escalade.
“Well…promise you won’t get mad.”
Siobhan tilted her head. “I think that may be my
least favorite answer to that question.”
Derick shifted in his seat so that he was facing her. “I know how much you’d rather not do fancy things, but this is a special occasion. So can you just…not get freaked out?”
Derick looked so sincerely worried that Siobhan felt guilty for ever making him so concerned about how she’d react to his wealth. She reached over and threaded her fingers through his. “I can do that.”
Derick seemed to sag with relief and smiled widely. “Good.”
They rode in silence until the car stopped, and the driver opened the door. Siobhan held the hem of her red strapless dress against her legs as she got out. She turned to Derick. “The Met?”
Derick nodded.
“Is it open?”
Derick slid an arm around her waist and guided her toward the entrance. “For us, it is.”
A woman met them at the door and said, “Right this way.” Siobhan took in the opulence of the museum as they followed. Despite her telling Derick that she wouldn’t freak out, Siobhan couldn’t stop the memory of the Burger Joint popping into her head. She kind of felt like she had in that moment—a hoodlum surrounded by extravagance.
They ended up on the rooftop with gorgeous views of Central Park and the lights of the city seemingly in the distance. A single candlelit table set for dinner awaited them. Derick wrapped his hands around Siobhan from behind. “I know that I’ve already done the private-dinner-for-two thing, but it didn’t go exactly as planned last time. So I thought we owed it another shot.”
Siobhan leaned back into him and turned her head to face him. “I like the sound of that.”
Their lips met for a brief kiss that managed to convey what words would never be able to: how far they’d come, how crazy they were about each other, how happy they made each other, how they’d be in it for the long haul.
Derick eased away and pulled out Siobhan’s chair. A waitress came over immediately and began serving them.
They enjoyed the delicious meal of stuffed mushrooms and seafood risotto. The conversation flowed easily while they gazed at the beautiful view of Central Park until it got too dark to see much more than each other. When they finished, Derick checked his watch. “Perfect timing.” He stood and held a hand out to her.
“For what?” Siobhan asked as she took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the edge of the roof.
Suddenly an explosion produced a giant rainbow of color in front of them.
Siobhan gasped. “Tell me you didn’t get me fireworks.”
She felt Derick vibrate with soft laughter. “Okay. I won’t tell you.”
“I can’t believe it.” Siobhan was mesmerized by the bright lights illuminating the sky above them.
Derick embraced her. “Is it too much?”
“Absolutely.” Then she dragged her eyes away from the display and looked at Derick. “But I’m not going to lie. It’s kind of cool to have a fireworks show just for me.”
“You deserve so much more than that. But it’s a good start,” Derick said, before giving her a soft kiss on her cheek. He then turned back to the fireworks, and she did the same.
The finale was a brilliant explosion of color and sound. It was breathtaking.
When it was over, they faced each other again, and Derick spoke. “Down there,” he gave a slight nod of his head toward Central Park, “when you gave me that art lesson, that was when I realized I’d found something that was going to become incredibly special to me.”
Siobhan smirked. “A love of painting?”
Derick’s lips twitched as he gave her a soft slap on her ass. “Don’t ruin my moment.”
“So sorry, sir.”
Derick leaned forward so that his lips were almost touching hers. “I thought we talked about you calling me ‘sir’ that night at the Stone Room.”
Siobhan pressed her breasts into his chest. “We did. But I was hoping that saying it might get me spanked again.”
Derick gripped her ass with his hand. “Liked that, huh?”
Siobhan moaned softly and let out a breathless “Yes.”
Derick kneaded the soft flesh under his hand. “Then I think it’s time we left.”
“Great idea. Your place is closer.”
With that, Derick grabbed her hand and hurried back to the waiting car. They each sat against opposite doors on the drive back to Derick’s apartment, staring at each other the entire way with a raw hunger that had Siobhan ready to come from eye contact alone.
Once they arrived at his building, they entered the elevator to the penthouse. As soon as the doors slid closed, Derick was on her. With his hands under her ass, he hoisted her up and thrust her against the mirrored wall. He devoured her mouth in a way that caused Siobhan to finally have to pull away and gasp for air.
Derick began nipping and sucking along her jaw and down her neck. He pressed his hard cock against her clit, only the fabric of his pants and her thong between them.
Siobhan tightened her leg around him and ground into him.
Derick moved his lips back up to her ear. “Tell me what you want me to do to you.”
Siobhan moaned loudly. “Is there a camera in here?”
“No. This elevator is only for my use.”
Siobhan pushed her hands through his hair and pulled his head away from hers. “Then I want you to make love to me in here.”
“I can do that,” Derick muttered. He let one of his hands slide from her ass, over her hip, and between her thighs. He gripped her thong and pulled, causing the material to rip off of her body. Her skin burned slightly when the silk pressed into her flesh before it gave way, but she welcomed the feeling. The pain only intensified the pleasure.
Siobhan left one hand tangled in Derick’s hair as the other one drifted down his chest and stomach to his belt where she helped him undo his pants and push them to the floor.
Derick wasted no time thrusting into her, causing her spine to press into the glass with every push of his hips. It was exactly what she’d asked for, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever let him have her any other way from then on.
The elevator was filled with gasps, moans, and cries of euphoria. Siobhan barely registered the doors sliding open on Derick’s floor.
“Can you come like this?” Derick said through gritted teeth.
“Yes. Oh, Derick, yes.”
His cock continued to plunge into her as the coarse hair on his pelvis rubbed against her clit.
“So good,” he murmured against her neck. “You feel so good, Siobhan.”
Siobhan pulled his hair again so she could attack his lips with hers. “Close,” she mumbled as they kissed.
Derick pulled back slightly and gripped her ass harder. He pumped wildly.
“I’m going to bust, baby. I want you to come with me,” Derick said.
Siobhan ground down hard, forcing her clit even tighter against him. “Oh, Derick, right there.” She came with two more pumps of his hips, her entire body shuddering with her orgasm.
Derick followed, pushing his cock deep into her and holding it there as he released inside of her. He rocked against her a few more times, allowing her body to milk him fully.
As they came down from the high, both of them sagged into each other. Derick still held Siobhan, but their limbs were loose and exhausted. They peppered each other with light kisses on sweaty and sensitive skin.
Finally, they pulled apart enough to look at each other. Siobhan smiled. “We’re going to celebrate like that every time I sell something.”
Derick laughed. “Deal.”
Chapter 28
Siobhan pulled open the door to Veronica’s gallery and stepped inside. She slowed her gait, allowing herself to bask in the art that surrounded her. Just a week ago, her art had hung on these walls. And now she’d sold it. All of it. Siobhan had what it took to make it in the New York art scene.
“Siobhan, so nice to see you again.” Veronica’s voice pulled Siobhan from her musings. They did that weird air-cheek-kiss th
ing that seemed popular in New York.
“It’s great to see you, too. I was excited to hear from you.”
Veronica started walking, and Siobhan figured she was supposed to follow since Veronica kept talking. “Yes, it’s a very exciting time. Especially to have sold all of your art to one buyer. You must have an admirer,” Veronica said, as she shot Siobhan a sly smile.
Siobhan laughed. “My boyfriend probably wouldn’t be too happy about that.”
Veronica laughed. “You should play it up then. Keep him on his toes.” They walked into the back storage room and over to where Siobhan’s paintings were being held in preparation for shipment.
“You want to take one last look at them before we wrap them up?”
Siobhan nodded and slipped the covers off. She loved these paintings. She’d put her heart and soul into them. Hopefully their new owner would appreciate the love that had gone into every brushstroke.
Once she’d had her moment with the paintings, she helped Veronica wrap them.
“Can you hand me the address labels? They’re on the shelf behind you,” Veronica said.
“Sure,” Siobhan replied as she turned to retrieve them. She looked down at the labels, curious as to where her benefactor lived.
Wait. It couldn’t possibly be…“Are you sure these are the right labels?” Siobhan asked. She knew her voice sounded panicked, but she didn’t care enough to act cool.
“Yes. Why?” Veronica narrowed her eyes in what was likely confusion.
“I can’t…I don’t.” She gripped the labels tighter and looked at them again, begging them to magically change. He couldn’t have done it. He wouldn’t have. Would he?
But that was a stupid question. Because he clearly had. Roderick Miller was written on the labels she held. And his address matched Derick’s. Her Derick. He’d been the one who bought all of her paintings.
Every ounce of joy she’d felt from selling her work evaporated as though she’d never felt it at all. She hadn’t sold them because someone valued her work. She’d sold them because her boyfriend had felt bad for her.
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