Fantasy: A Modern Romance Inspired by Cinderella (Seductively Ever After)

by Kim Carmichael

  His touch was light yet powerful, he knew exactly how to ignite every one of her nerve endings. She moaned as their tongues touched. He bent her back and deepened the kiss.

  She lost herself, her arousal grew and she reached up and tangled her fingers in the hair at the nape of Knight’s neck.

  Wait. With a gasp she pulled back. “Knight.”

  “Yes, spend the night with me.” Patrick continued to hold her. “You’ve never kissed me like that.”

  She swallowed and tried to catch her breath. No, she never kissed him like that because in her mind’s eye she was with Knight. “Mr. Allen, you need to catch a flight.”

  “You are going to make me earn everything I get.” He gave her another kiss. “We are going to be quite the couple to contend with.”

  Her body still tingling from her visions of Knight, she had to get Patrick out of there. “Right now I want you to go buy that company. Take no prisoners.”

  “I think for the first time in my professional career, something is more important than getting the deal done.” Once more, he took her hand. “Be good and I’ll bring you back a present from my trip.”

  Not able to promise anything, she smiled.

  “Oh, you are a tease.” Once more, he kissed the back of her hand. “I’ll see you in three days.”

  “Three days.” She wiped a bit of lipstick off his lip then went behind her desk.

  At the door, he turned back to her. His gaze spoke of everything he wanted.

  For a second she thought he would return. How long could she keep him at arms’ length? If she let things continue he would be the man she married.

  She rocked her chair back and continued to stare at him in challenge. What would he do next? Be responsible and leave for the airport or throw caution to the wind and charge back in here and make love to her?

  Instead, he smiled, blew her a kiss and closed her office door on the way out.

  With a shake of her head, Ryane closed her eyes. Knight would have returned. No, he would have never left her in a state of need. He would know what she had to have, even if it were here and now.

  The mere thought made her body tingle. All week she was on edge and needy. Patrick’s kisses did nothing to quell her urges. There was only one man who could satisfy her.

  For the millionth time since she left the forest, the image of Knight’s kisses filled her mind. Her heart sped, her core heated in that undeniable ache. No matter how she tried to cross her legs, apply just the right amount of pressure where she needed it most, she wouldn’t be able to think if she didn’t have a release. Without second-guessing her next move, she snuck her hand under her skirt.

  Once more, the door to her office opened.

  With a gasp, she sat up.

  “Don’t stop.” Knight’s form appeared in the entryway. “Just tell me you were thinking of me.”

  “I’m always thinking of you.” She licked her lips and rocked her chair back, lifting one leg up on her desk to give her man a full view.

  Simply seeing him in his leather jacket and fitted jeans made her arousal worse.

  He closed the door. “Show me what you do when I’m not here.”

  Her eyes on him, she slid her hand down the waistband of her panties, arching her back as her fingertips grazed over the overly sensitized flesh. Already she was wet and ready for him.

  “Do you use one finger or two?” He rubbed his hand over the growing bulge in his jeans.

  “Two if I’m picturing you.” She let two of her fingers enter her and moaned.

  “That’s right baby, move faster, get ready for me.” He pulled the fly of his jeans open. His erection sprung free, hard and thick. He grabbed his cock.

  “Knight, join me.” In her seat, she squirmed, unable to wait much longer.

  “Get close, I want you coming by the time I enter you.” Stroking himself, he stalked toward her. “Is this what you want?”

  “I want you inside me. Now Knight,” she begged.

  “Are you close?” In a sudden move, he turned her chair and tore her panties away, leaving her exposed to him. “Tell me.”

  “I’m going to come.” Her breath hitched.

  He swiped her hand away leaving her empty.

  “Knight!” At being close and then having her pleasure taken away, she screamed.

  “I need you now.” He stood between her spread legs and with one strong thrust entered her.

  “Ah!” At finally being filled and satiated to her core, her body took off, the incredible pulses of her orgasm overwhelmed her and she couldn’t breathe.

  “Come all over me.” He drove into her. “Come, Petals.”

  Her climax continued, causing trembles. Stars formed before her eyes and she continued to writhe beneath him riding out every bit of bliss that came from Knight being embedded deep inside her.

  “I need to fill you, Petals.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he slammed into her and cried out, grinding his hips to hers.

  As Knight reached his end, the most incredible warmth radiated through her. They were one.

  Their bodies relaxed and he leaned down and gave her a light kiss. “I couldn’t stop myself.”

  “This is what I wanted.” She held him tight, wishing they were in bed , she could fall asleep in his arms, and she held on to him for fear he would disappear.

  A knock at her door jolted her.

  With a start, she sat up. Her heart still pounding, she looked around the room. No Knight. She was alone, completely alone, and she just fantasized about him in her office. “Yes?” Her voice came out shaky. Before she was caught with her hands in inappropriate places, she stood on weak knees and tried to straighten herself out.

  “Miss Windsome, are you all right?” Beatrice called through the door.

  “I’m fine.” Her head spinning, she dashed over to her closet and found the one and only coat she owned in California. She wrapped the trench coat around her and shoved her hands in her pockets.

  “Yes, I’m fine.” The coat provided a sad excuse for Knight’s arms. Her whole life was a fantasy.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Knight.”

  Petals’ soft voice crooned in his ear. She kissed his neck.

  The simple act caused his body to react, but he remained still, wanting to see what she would do.

  “Knight.” Her breath tickled his ear lobe and she pressed her naked body to his side, hooking one leg over his. “Time to wake up.” She slid her tiny hand down over his chest.

  His breath hitched in anticipation as she moved lower and lower taking her own sweet time.

  “Does someone need a wakeup call?” Her tone teased him and at last she took hold of his throbbing erection. They may have spent the night before making love, but that didn’t make his want for her lessen in the slightest. He didn’t know if he would ever be satiated.

  She stroked him in long, slow movements that only made his arousal grow.

  “Yes,” he hissed and raked his fingers through her already messy and tangled hair.

  “Do you like that?” Once more, she kissed his neck, then leaned up and found his lips.

  They instantly opened their mouths, their tongues connected, her grip on him tightened.

  “I’ll show you what I like more.” He took her by her hips and placed her on top of him.

  Without hesitation, she guided him inside her. Her tight wetness welcomed him, and he pulled her down for a long kiss.

  Wanting her as close as possible, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted his knees, thrusting up into her, relishing in the way her body opened up for him. “God, you feel good.”

  “Um.” Together they moved, no rush, no urgency, just allowing the slow build up.

  Her breathing increased, small pants and gasps as the passion took over and she dug her nails into his shoulders. “Harder, Knight. Please.”

  He gave into her pleas and propelled himself inside her. The image of filling her yet again made his balls ache,
he would come soon. “Now, Petals.”

  “Ah,” she called out and ground her hips to his. “Oh.”

  With her cries her pulses began faint at first, then more intense, drawing him even deeper. She stiffened as the pleasure overtook her.

  Her orgasm brought him to the edge all too quickly. His climax hit him hard, and he slammed into her one last time and let go, the euphoria taking over, making him lightheaded.

  The wave of calm that happened only after two lovers came together settled like a comfortable haze around them. He collapsed back on the bed, and she remained on top of him.

  “This is perfect.” She kept him inside her and lowered to his chest.

  “You’re perfect.” He closed his eyes. The world should always be like this.

  Sharp raps at the door jolted him up from the bed. The room spinning with his sudden movement, he glanced around his empty bedroom at the cottage and shook his head. Every day was spent waiting for Petals to return, the fantasies about her had become more frequent and lifelike, almost as if she were already with him. He had to figure out a way to get them together.

  At another knock at the door, he stood. “What?” Who could possibly be here?

  “It’s your stepmother let me in.” The wench pounded at the door again and tried the doorknob.

  Only the fact he changed the locks prevented her from barging in here and finding him in this semi-compromised state.

  “Hold on.” Still trying to find his footing, and knowing she wouldn’t leave, he ran to the bathroom, cleaned up his situation as best he could, and threw on some clothes.

  With her still screeching his name and trying to turn the door handle, he found his cane and rushed through the small place and unlocked the door.

  What greeted him was more of a horror show than just Stacy.

  “Nashville.” His stepmother patted his cheek. “Look what I brought you.”

  Laura stood there. She never aged, never changed. In fact, if anything, she seemed to appear younger than when he saw her last, back when they were still trying to make it as a couple. Her dark hair hung straight down her back in the same style she sported when she used to wait for him backstage, her dramatic makeup that used to lure him in, now seemed overdone. The half smile that used to intrigue him made a sick sensation rise in the center of his chest.

  “What are you doing here?” Rather than let the intruders inside, he clutched the edge of the door and blocked their way.

  “Laura didn’t know how to come to you.” Stacy played narrator.

  “I’m sorry about your father.” At last, Laura came forward and put her hand on his arm. “It’s been a while.”

  Her touch burned through him and he shrugged her away. “Surely, you didn’t come to offer your condolences after all these weeks.”

  “I think about you all the time.” She inched closer. “We had something good once.”

  “As the story goes, once upon a time.” For the first time ever, he gazed upon her and didn’t feel a longing deep within him, he didn’t feel anything. He would describe the sensation as numb mixed with nausea.

  “I thought the two of you were going to be married,” Stacy interjected.

  A lifetime ago, he did as well. He continued to stand there waiting.

  “I thought maybe we could talk.” Laura reached up and brushed his hair back. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I know we’ve have a rocky road, but we are made to be together.”

  Not too long ago if he would have heard these same words coming out of Laura’s mouth, he would have taken her into his arms and kissed her. However, while the saying went time healed all wounds, it also offered some clarity. They had traveled down this path too many times. The road was worn out, cracked, and beyond repair. With Petals, their road was brand new, they could forge ahead any way they wanted, and she expected nothing from him. “And what exactly do I have to do?”

  “What do you mean?” She curled her arm around his neck. “God, you feel good.”

  Because he had to see how this played, he allowed her to pull him down. He stopped her before their lips touched. “Tell me Laura, what do I have to do?”

  “Let’s move forward, give up the past and start fresh.” She pressed her body to his.

  Strange. Not too long ago, he would have said they fit together. Now they were mismatched, uncomfortable and foreign. “What exactly does that entail?”

  “Let’s sell this land and we’ll have enough to do whatever we want. Everything we ever dreamed of.” She went to connect their lips.

  “And exactly how much is Stacy paying you to come here and make these empty promises?” He unfurled himself from her.

  She straightened up and looked him right in the eye, the same stance she took when she told him she needed to move on with her life, the same stance she took when she told him not to contact her again, they were done, the same stance she took the first time she saw him walk with a limp. “Nash, you need to learn when to move on.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.” He stepped back. “You wasted your time coming here.”

  “Nashville. Look at the life you could have.” Stacy stomped her foot. “Are you going to throw it all away for the memory of a dead man?”

  “I think I’m getting rid of what I need to right now.” He glared at Laura.

  “If you send me away I will never come back.” Laura put her hands on her hips. “We will never be together.”

  “Sweetheart.” The most incredible sensation of freedom overtook him and he leaned against the doorjamb. “We were never going to be together anyway, even if we were together.”

  “You’ll regret this, Nash.” Her words out, Laura turned on her heel and stomped back to Stacy’s car.

  “Nashville.” Stacy crossed her arms. “Why are you doing this? Your father would want us to get along.”

  “My father would want me to fight for what is right.” He lifted his chin.

  Her nostrils flared. “You will never be able to succeed. Trust me.”

  “I will never trust you.” He started to close the door. “Trust me.”

  “This isn’t the last of it.” With a huff, she turned and head held high returned to her vehicle.

  “I’m sure it’s not.” He closed the door. Tomorrow, he would be seeing Petals. The appearance of Laura only confirmed that his mystery woman was the right one for him. She was the one he wanted, the one he dreamed about. Somehow he had to figure out a way for them to be together in the real world without destroying their fantasy, but he couldn’t bring her into his mess of a life.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ryane drove up to the Los Padres property and stopped just short of the gates. The anticipation of seeing Knight was overwhelming. Part of her could hardly wait to get to him, the other part wanted to turn and go accept her life. But she was drawn to him unlike anything she had ever known. She couldn’t back away now.

  At last, freedom was hers. Patrick was on his business trip and her father was placated with her relationship with the man. She left on the guise she was going to research the extra piece of land adjacent to hers, and to calm herself down and not to be called a liar, she made a detour to say she actually saw the property.

  She followed the road past the gates intending to do a quick drive by and circle back to Knight.

  However, once she reached the land in question, something caught her eyes, something sweet and dare she say magical, and rather than speed by, she stopped the car.

  “A cottage?” She put the transmission in park and gazed out the car window. Yes, there nestled among the trees with a little flower garden was a real live cottage, the kind one would find right in the middle of a fairy tale.

  A comforting warmth spread through her and she couldn’t stop a smile. The small structure was sweet and charming with its thatched roof and welcoming windows. She almost expected it to be made out of gingerbread.

  If the rumors were true and the land was coming up for sale, there would be more than one compan
y wanting to develop on it. No matter who bought it, they would view the little building as a waste of space. One could put multiple houses on the same parcel that held one small little cottage in the middle of the forest.

  Well, she already had multiple houses and buildings. One thing she didn’t have was a sweet little cottage. A place where she could escape, bake cookies, be with Knight.

  Her heart swelled.

  Windsome Holdings had to buy the property, actually she could. Anyone else would bulldoze the area, make a modern masterpiece that would have every convenience, but it would be missing something critical.

  A cottage.

  She wondered what Knight would think of the find? What it would be like if they were a normal couple? With too many questions and not enough answers, she sped off, to her open gate.

  Excitement bubbling through her, she parked and rushed out of the car. Instead of a slow tiptoe to the clearing, she practically ran to their special spot, and once again found herself stopping in awe.

  This time a cute cottage didn’t greet her, but something almost as grand.

  Not only was Knight exactly where he should be, but he set up their clearing to look exactly like a living room complete with a cushy patchwork sofa, a coffee table, even an old-fashioned television set up. It was a perfect representation of what one would find in the cottage.

  Then there was Knight.

  He stood near the edge of the sofa, tall and gorgeous in his leather jacket and jeans, hair flowing down past his shoulders. Her heart sped and she bit her lip.

  “Honey, you’re home.” He held his arms out.

  The invitation was almost too much to resist, and she fought the urge to run into his arms. “What’s all this?”

  “You said you wanted something normal.” He raised his eyebrows.

  “Who said this was my normal?” At the mere sight of him, heat rose throughout her.

  “Who ever said anything was normal? I prefer magic.” He leaned on the couch. “Take your sunglasses off and let me see those eyes.”