Picking up a fry I put it to her lips. “I’m not…” I put it in, anyway.
“Chew, Beth.”
She does and then picks up her milkshake but only holds it. So I pull a piece off the burger and place it to her lips. She opens them and takes the bite. After she swallows she looks at me. “Why are you being so nice?”
“Just eat.” I hand her another fry. “Then I’m helping you take a bath and putting you into one of my T-shirts.”
She picks up the burger and takes a bite. “I can take a bath without your help, thank you very much.”
“The condition you’re in is why you need my help. Don’t make a big deal out of it. I helped you take plenty of baths and showers if you can remember that far back.” I dip one of her fries in ketchup and feed it to her.
“You and I took a shower together four days ago.” Her deep green eyes meet mine as I hold out another fry for her. She takes it from me and chews it slowly. “I don’t want your help.”
Her face is so thin and I can’t help thinking that she had to have felt something for me to get so upset she’d not eat in three days. “You need it.” I put the straw to her plump lips.
She drinks some of the shake then pops the straw out. “You are a hard man to be around and not fall for.”
“Am I?” I wipe away the bit of chocolate that got away from her mouth.
Her sweet mouth that used to bring me so much pleasure and satisfaction. Her lips that are so soft and supple underneath mine. They glided easily over my…
“Channing, don’t.” I look up into her eyes. “I can’t take that. I can’t take you looking at me like you want me.”
I look away. “I don’t. I only want to make sure you’re safe. That’s all. Don’t read any more than that into it, Beth.”
“What you did was too hurtful.” She looks at the burger and pushes it away.
“How do you think I’ve felt, Beth? What you did felt like a stab in the back. Do you know my father came and took all of her things? I managed to give the car to the person I wanted to, but all the things I planned on donating to charity, he took.” I pick the burger up but she shakes her head.
Then her eyes narrow as she looks at me. “Give me a fucking lie detector test if you want. I didn’t tell the man a thing!” Her hand moves back and forth between us. “The thing we had going, is so over. You’ve proven yourself to be a person who’s so quick to judge, so quick to think the worst of a person. A person you claimed to love. You tossed me away without ever giving me a chance to defend myself.”
The way she keeps telling me this is over is pissing me off. “I’m the one who ended it, so stop trying to make it like you’re the one ending what we had. If it was anything real at all. I mean, on my part it was. It was completely real, but your part? Well, that had to have been made up for you to do what you did.”
She gets up and the chair slams to the floor. “Fuck you, Channing! I didn’t do it. I’ve told you so damn many times I’m beginning to wonder if you have a mental condition. I. Did. Not. Tell. Your. Fucking. Father. A. Thing!”
I pick up the chair and glare at her. “You tell me who would believe any different. The man came to me and told me. He told me you would deny it and you did!”
Her hands fly through the air as she yells, “Because I didn’t do it! Fuck! He said that because he’s a fucking manipulator that knew I was going to tell you I never said a thing to him. Because I didn’t. Duh!” She walks away then turns back. “Wait one minute. Did you say he came and took her things?”
I nod. “Yes, he took every last thing.”
“Why did you let him?” She looks at me with a blank stare.
Why did I?
“Look, I just did. My father and I have this complicated relationship.” I turn to pick up the mess on the bar.
“I would say it’s pretty cut and dry. He tells you what he wants and you let him have it.” She starts to walk out of the room then stops. “Wait. No, you don’t. When he asks you for money, you never give it to him. So why her things, Channing?”
I turn to look at her. “I feel bad for not feeling bad. Okay?”
“What does that even mean?” Her brows meet in the middle with her confused expression.
“Look, I don’t expect you to understand this, but I don’t feel a thing about Jana’s death. Not a thing except relief she’s gone. He must have loved her and I made them end their affair. I made the end of her life pretty bad by stopping what they had. So if he wanted her things then it was fine with me if he had them. I didn’t want to deal with them, anyway.” I take the bag to the trash then make my way to her.
“But what has he done with them, built a shrine to her?” she asks as I take her hand and pull her up the stairs.
“I have no idea. I don’t go to his place, ever.”
“So how do you know he hasn’t sold the things? I mean was there jewelry and stuff like that?” She follows along, and the food has helped her drunkenness a bit.
I stop and pull her back down the stairs and to Jana’s old bedroom. “I haven’t even looked in there to see what all he took.”
“You just let the man go in and out of there as he wanted?” She shakes her head. “You don’t act like yourself where he’s concerned, do you?”
“I don’t. He makes me feel odd. Nervous, mad, angry, and lacking all at the same time. My mother tells me I should have nothing to do with him. It’s not me who starts things up, though.” I push the door open to find her old room empty.
“Were there curtains in here, Channing?” Beth asks as she comes into the room with me.
“There were,” I say then look into the empty drawers and notice her jewelry box is gone as well. Every last thing is gone. “It’s as if she never existed.”
She looks at me. “This doesn’t feel right. Not at all.”
“I agree. Why the curtains. And there was a throw rug at the foot of the bed. Why that?” I go to make sure the windows are locked and they are.
An uneasy feeling comes over me. I’m not sure how to handle this. “Should I call him and ask him to bring back the curtains?”
She laughs a little. “No. But you should ask him what he did with everything. This is odd, Channing.”
I take her hand again. “Let’s get out of here. I feel as if someone’s watching us.”
Her body moves in close to me. “Me too.”
As we move back down the long hallway I notice one of the spare bedroom doors is slightly ajar. “Let me check this room really quick.” I push it the rest of the way open then flip on the overhead light. “Let me check the windows.”
Beth takes one side of the room and I take the other. “This one’s unlocked,” she says.
I find the two windows on my side unlocked as well. “I’m having an alarm system put in ASAP.”
“I would,” she says then we both walk out the door, and she looks at me. “Let’s check them all out.”
“I agree.” I take her hand and then look down at our clasped hands.
I hurt her and yet she’s right here with me. Something is telling me she’s telling me the truth about my father. She looks at me. “So, have you hired another assistant?”
I shake my head. “My last one was so good, I know anyone else will just let me down.”
“You’re right about that.” Her smile is infectious and brings one to my lips. They haven’t smiled since that day when I heard my father tell me about her coming to him.
I stop and turn her to me. “Beth, please just tell me the honest truth. Did you talk to my father? Even if you did, then just tell me. Maybe we can get past this.”
Her eyes level on mine. Her hand grips mine tight. “I swear to you I have never said a word to your father. I swear it, Channing.”
Not a flinch does she make. Not a blink, not an ounce of dishonesty seems to be in her words. “If I tell you that I believe you, can you forgive me?”
The words left my mouth with no pre-thought what-so-ever. My body is t
ense and I don’t know if I’m making a mistake or not.
“Do you believe me, Channing?” Her eyes search mine.
I nod and she lets out a sigh. “Finally!”
“So can you?” I ask again.
“Forgive you?” She laughs. “My heart is broken into a million pieces. I think my soul is shattered.”
“That bad?” I look at her. “Really?”
She nods. Then runs her arms around my neck. “But maybe a kiss will help me heal.”
“You know I was a mess too. I haven’t slept since that day.” My arms go all the way around her as I pull her close to me.
“Can you promise me that you’ll give me the chance to talk if anyone ever says I did or said anything ever again for our entire lives?” she asks as she looks deep into my eyes.
I nod. “Can you promise to knock the shit out of my dumb ass if I ever treat you like that again?”
She nods. “So this was our first fight.”
My lips move towards hers. “It was, and it was all my fault and I am so very sorry, Baby.”
“You can make it up to me.” My lips touch hers and the lighting runs through me with the mere touch of them.
Thank God, she’s back!
Chapter 5
BETH
My body sparks with the heat he has always sent through me. But my mind is racing with if I’m doing the right thing trusting him again after he hurt me so badly.
His hands move over my body after he lays me down on his soft bed. My clothes come off in his steady hands then he takes his off and carries me to the shower.
My mind is still kind of numb from the alcohol but the warm shower is helping me to come out of the effects. His hands move through my hair as he rubs shampoo into it.
“Are you feeling better, Baby?” His lips graze over my shoulder.
“Umhm,” I moan.
I am feeling better. Much better. Slightly confused but so much better.
He leans me back to rinse my hair out and as soon as it’s all out he presses his lips to mine for only a moment then releases mine and pulls me up so he can put the nice smelling conditioner into my hair.
I look at him and have to pinch myself that this is truly happening. “Channing?”
“Yeah, Baby,” he says with a little smile on his full, caramel lips.
“Is this all real?”
The smile fades and his eyes droop a little at the corners. “It is and I’m sorry, Beth. I am. I should never have sent you off like that. I should’ve given you a chance to talk. I didn’t, and I caused us both so much pain. I am sorry and it will never happen again. I swear that to you, Baby.”
My arms go around him, pulling him to me. “It was the worst I’ve ever felt, Channing.” I lay my head against his wide, hard chest.
His hands move over my hair, massaging in the conditioner. “Me too. I’ll never do that to us again. I promise you.”
He pulls my hair some, making me lift my head off his chest and then he’s looking into my eyes. His face coming closer and closer to mine until his lips are touching mine.
Mine open and he comes inside. His tongue twists with mine. He moves me back until my back is pressed against the tiled wall. The spray from the three shower heads feels as if rain is falling on us.
My fingers move over his sides, feeling the tight muscles he has along his ribs. They move down then slide over his tight ass and I pull him to me.
His hands move down my sides to my ass where he grips me and hoists me up. I wrap my legs around him and he slips his long, hard cock into me. Our combined moans vibrate our bodies and mine has ached for him for three whole days and nights.
The way he fills me entirely has my body on fire. The thirst it had for him is about to be quenched. His thrusts are hard and fast. He must’ve missed my body too.
“Baby.” His lips leave mine to run over my neck. “I’m so sorry.” His teeth nip my ear. “Tell me you forgive me. Please.”
My hands run up to tangle in his wet hair. His cock pulses inside me, sending sparks through me. “I forgive you,” I breathe the words out to him.
“Thank you,” he says then his mouth is back on mine and his kiss is hard and demanding.
He pumps into me like a crazy man who hasn’t had sex in a year. My body is crushed between his hard muscled body and the wall. I can barely inhale as he tries so hard to get as close to me as he possibly can.
The wave starts up and then it crashes as he’s pounding me relentlessly. My nails run over his back, clawing him as my body clenches around his hard cock.
Then his mouth leaves mine as he looks into my eyes. “I love you, Beth.” Then he stiffens and groans with his release.
“I love you, Channing,” I pant out.
His forehead comes to rest on mine as his body releases all it has to give me. After all the aftershocks have ceased he pulls out of me as he kisses me softly. “I do love you, Beth.”
“I know.”
He moves my head back and makes sure all the conditioner has rinsed out of my hair. Then turns off the shower and wraps me in a towel. After wrapping a towel around his hips he smiles at me. “Monday, you’re back on the payroll of Michaels Investment Firm as my assistant. If you want that is.”
I nod. “Nothing would make me happier, Channing.”
“Good,” he says as he lays me back on his bed. “And from now on I want you here with me. No one can know about us yet, but we can say the apartment wasn’t working out since there’s so much work to be done so I moved you into my house. Its huge anyway so who’s to say a thing.”
“Are you sure?” I ask him as he’s really moving fast now.
With a nod, he drops his towel and yanks mine off then jumps onto the bed. “I am. And tomorrow, since it’s Sunday and we have no work to do, I’m taking you out on my sailboat.” His finger touches the tip of my nose as he smiles down at me.
His boat? The one his wife fell off of?
“Is that a good idea? I mean what will people say?” I look at him and only find sheer joy in his eyes.
Then his lips fall onto mine as his hands move over my breasts. Finally, after getting me all hot and bothered again, he pulls his hot mouth away from mine. “I’ll come up with something if anyone asks.”
“Just so you’re aware. I’m positive it is your father who’s been following us around. So be prepared for him to come to you with more lies, Channing.”
“I’ve been thinking about that and as long as you’re okay with it, I’d like to set a tracking app on your cell phone. Then I’ll have physical proof of where you were. He told me you came to his home.”
“I have no idea where that even is. And I have no problem with the tracking app. We’ll catch the man in his lies. Then find out what the hell he’s really doing. I think he might be sneaking into your home, Channing.” I run my hand through his damp dark locks as I look into his piercing blue, green eyes.
His lips touch mine for only a second. He can’t seem to get enough of me as his dick grows and pulses against my thigh.
Little kisses he makes all over my cheeks, neck and then my chest. Taking some time on my breast to kiss and suckle it. The heat grows between my legs.
One of his hands moves down my body, trailing over my stomach and right to my clit that’s beginning to pulse as he sucks my tit. A little tap to it sends a jolt through me.
A gentle rub starts a slow fire to build deep inside me.
This making up thing is really awesome!
Chapter 6
CHANNING
She is my world again. Only three days have passed since I’ve seen her beautiful face and yet I can’t stop looking at it as she sleeps next to me.
Her breathing is slow and steady and she seems to be getting better already. I hate I did this to us. So quick to jump to conclusions. So quick to judge. So quick to turn away from someone I love.
Perhaps I’m more like my father than I ever thought I was.
Her dark hair is fanned out on
the fluffy white pillow. Her face had been pale. Now it’s a nice rosy color. My scruffy beard the probable cause of that.
It’s becoming painfully obvious to me that I lived my life very emotionally closed down. Though my mother did all she could. Her parents helped to raise me. And I did feel loved. But something was always missing.
I suppose it was a father. My mother never married. And while I know she had men friends, none were ever introduced as a boyfriend. Perhaps she was emotionally unavailable much as I am.
Or was, anyway. Beth is definitely changing me. My heart has never hurt so much as when I told her she was fired and I was done with her. My body has never ached so much over anything.
Even now I have to fight not to wake her up. My hands hover just over her flat stomach. They itch to feel her silky skin under them.
But can I be the man she deserves?
She deserves more than just a rich man. Beth is sweet and good and kind and honest. I was a fool for ever taking my father’s words over hers.
I will never make that mistake again. If they would just declare Jana dead, then we could move on with our lives.
Maybe a visit to her parents is in order. But then there’s Lori to contend with. And even René.
“What are you doing, Channing?” her words come sleepily out of her sweet mouth.
I press mine to hers for a moment. “Looking at you. Wishing things were different.”
A smile creeps across her red lips. “It’s okay.” Her arms run up around my neck. “Lie down and sleep. I’m not going anywhere. Even if you tell me too, anymore.”
I smile. “Good. Don’t let my penchant for self-sabotage ruin this. I was just thinking how I’ve never really put my heart out there for real before. Not even when I asked Jana to marry me. I was still closed off. I said the word love, but I never knew the real feelings behind it until you, Beth.”
Her deep green eyes sparkle up at me and I sigh with how they make me feel. “Channing, I never knew real love before either. I know everything will work out for us.”
A pale pink ray of sunlight falls through the open window. “Looks like the dawn has found us, Baby.” My lips graze her cheek.
The Billionaire’s Lighthouse Series: A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance Page 53