by E. L. Todd
I did breach the contract, several times.
Aspen didn’t say otherwise and signed it.
“Initial here and here,” Danielle said as she pointed to the paper.
Aspen filled them in.
“Excellent.” Danielle took the paper and made a copy of it. “For your records…”
Aspen folded it and placed it in her purse.
“Congratulations, love birds.” Danielle gave us a smile then returned to her desk.
I turned to Aspen. “Lunch?”
“Okay,” she said with a smile.
We left the office hand-in-hand then walked inside a deli. After we ordered our food, we took a seat outside on the patio. It was a beautiful day and we wanted to soak up the sun.
“Why did you want me to sign that?” she asked.
I knew what she was really asking. “A few years ago, one of the guys slept with his client. She took it to court and said it was prostitution, since she technically paid him for the evening. We were almost shut down.”
“Now I understand.” She took a small bite of her sandwich. “That’s unfortunate.”
“She was upset he didn’t want more. She wanted revenge.”
“I’m glad your business didn’t close.”
“That makes two of us.” I nudged her knee playfully with mine.
She smiled then took another bite of her sandwich.
“So, me being an escort doesn’t bother you, right?”
“I trust you, Rhett.”
Those words filled me with warmth. “Your trust isn’t misplaced.”
“But, I’ll get into a catfight if any of those girls tries for something more.”
I chuckled. “I can’t picture you hurting anyone.”
“If you get me angry enough…”
“Even then.” I gave her a fond look. “But that’s not a bad thing.”
After we finished lunch, we walked back to her apartment. There was one thing on my mind. I wanted to go inside and make out with her until the following morning. I’d wanted to kiss her without any interruption.
When we reached her door, she turned to me. “Want to come inside?”
“Definitely.” My hand was still on her waist.
She unlocked the door then we entered her apartment. She set her purse on the kitchen table and ignored the pile of mail sitting there. “So?”
“So.” I came close to her then moved my hands to her hips. “What do you want to do?”
She looked at my lips. “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“Battleship?”
She shook her head.
“Poker?”
“Nah.”
“Margaritas?”
“Yuck.” She made a disgusted face.
“Make out on your bed?”
Her eyes lit up like the New York skyline. “I’ve wanted to do that since the moment you walked inside that coffee shop.”
“Good,” I said. “Because I’ve wanted to do the same thing.” My hands guided her to her bedroom then to the mattress. I lay her down then moved on top of her. Her arms hooked around my neck, ready for me to lean in. I grabbed her leg and wrapped it around my waist. “Have I ever told you I love your legs?”
“No.”
“Well, I do.” I fisted her hair then kissed her. Energy flowed through my body, and blood immediately headed south. My cock hardened the moment our mouths sealed together and I knew she felt it against her hips. But now I wasn’t ashamed.
Aspen was an amazing kisser. Her lips teased me, giving me a small amount sometimes then giving me more passion than I could take. Her small tongue moved against mine, sending chills down my spine. I could do this all day.
Aspen pulled my shirt off then felt my hard chest with her palms. Her other leg wrapped around me and held me close. Every fantasy I had about her came to the front of my mind. I wanted to be inside her, to make love to her, but I didn’t want to rush it. I already knew everything about her, and had been dating her, in a way, for three months already. But I would take this as slow as she wanted.
But judging the way she kissed and touched me, she wanted me the same way I wanted her. She wanted all of me, right then and there. Her mouth devoured mine like she couldn’t get enough. Her lips were swollen from all the kissing but that made her mouth feel better against mine.
Hours passed and neither one of us came up for air. Aspen gave me a final slow kiss before she pulled away and looked into my eyes. The sun had set and now it was dark. Time had passed without our knowledge.
“I love kissing you,” I whispered.
“I love kissing you.” Her forefinger outlined my lips then moved to my jaw. “But I have to pee.”
I released a reluctant laugh. “We have been kissing for…” I glanced at the clock on her nightstand. “Three hours.”
She chuckled, and when she did so, her eyes lit up.
I leaned in and kissed her neck. “Pee and then let’s eat.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “What do you got?”
“A drawer of takeout menus.”
I chuckled then kissed her shoulder. “I’ll order a pizza then.”
“I love pizza.” She left the bed then went into the bathroom.
I sat up and felt dizzy as the blood started to move back to my head. I forced myself to stop thinking about kissing Aspen. Otherwise, I’d have a permanent boner and would need to head to the ER. When I felt calm, I made the call and ordered.
She came out of the bathroom. “What did you order?”
“Half moose meat and half raccoon.”
She cringed. “Looks like I’m not eating tonight...”
I pulled her to the couch beside me then put my arm around her. “Kidding. Pepperoni.”
“Can’t go wrong there.”
“Now what?” I moved into her, my face pressed close to hers.
“You tell me.” Her green eyes challenged me.
“There’s something I want to tell you,” I said. “Get it off my chest.”
“Okay.” She patiently waited for me to speak.
“In the bar, I asked you what I was thinking. You said I was thinking about a canned margarita. Do you remember it?”
“Yes,” she said. “It was the one time I couldn’t read your mind.”
“Want to know what I was thinking about?”
“What?” she whispered.
“Kissing you. Actually, I’ve thought about it at least a dozen times. But I was thinking about it then, in particular. I didn’t like seeing you talk to that guy. It was then that I realized just how much you meant to me.”
Her eyes softened as she stared at my face. “I’ve had a thing for you…for a really long time.”
“I wish you told me.” I grabbed her hand and kissed her wrist. “Because I’ve been into you for a long time.”
“I was afraid you would stop seeing me…for breaching the contract.”
I nodded. “I was afraid you would stop seeing me because I made you uncomfortable.”
“You never make me uncomfortable.” Her eyes flashed as she said it.
I kissed her wrist again. “You’re the sexiest, coolest chick I’ve ever met. I want you for as long as you’ll have me.”
“Then expect to be around for a long time.”
“I look forward to it.” I rubbed my nose against hers.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Have you…ever had a relationship with another client?”
“Never,” I said bluntly. “I’ve escorted more women than I can count but nothing ever happened. I never felt anything for any of them. You’re the first. I broke every rule and didn’t feel any guilt as I did it.”
Aspen’s cheeks reddened slightly. “I feel special.”
“You are special—extremely.” I kissed the corner of her mouth then pulled away.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“
I’m an open book.”
“Have you ever had a relationship before?”
“Not a serious one,” I said. “The longest I’ve seen the same girl is about two weeks. And most of those relationships were just physical until the lust grew stale.” I refused to lie to Aspen and try to hide my past. That wasn’t fair to her. But I didn’t think it would bother her anyway.
“How many women have you slept with?”
I hated this question. It was the worst. “A lot.”
“Can I have a number?”
I looked her in the eye. “Does it really matter?”
“It does.” She pressed me with her eyes.
“A little less than a hundred.”
She took a deep breath. “Wow…”
I cringed. “I wish I could give you a different answer.”
“No,” she said immediately. “I’m not mad or disappointed. I knew the number would be high but…that’s a lot of girls.”
“I liked to sleep around because no girl ever caught my attention long enough to keep me around, not like you.”
Aspen’s eyes lost their light and she quickly looked away. Something got under her skin. Was it the number? Was it the fact I used women for sex? Did it change anything? “Aspen?”
“Hmm?” She wouldn’t look at me.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
She was quiet for so long, I didn’t think she would respond. “I don’t care about the number…or what you used to do before we met. You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t surprise me that you went from woman to woman, and I certainly don’t judge you for it.”
“Then what is it?” I whispered.
“It’s just…” She shook her head. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.”
“No, tell me,” I said firmly. I grabbed her chin and directed her gaze on me.
“If you’ve had that many partners, that means you have a lot of experience.”
“So?” I asked.
She tried to look away again.
“Look at me when you talk to me.” I turned her face back to me. “What is it, Aspen?” She’d never struggled to tell me something before. She was always open with me, vulnerable. “I’m your best friend. You can tell me anything.”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Nothing you say will ever make me think less of you. Just tell me.”
“You heard what Isabella said…about John. About why he left.” She down casted her eyes.
I remembered the conversation on the other side of the door. I remembered all the horrible and mean things they said about Aspen, the sweetest girl on the planet. Now I understood her embarrassment. “You think I’m going to leave you too, since I’m so experienced.” It wasn’t a question.
“Not in those words…”
“Aspen, you don’t have to worry about that.” My hand left her chin then moved through her hair. She never admitted weakness. She was always so strong all the time. “You never told me you used to be engaged.”
“Because he humiliated me,” she whispered. “I didn’t want you to know.”
“There’s no reason to be embarrassed. He’s the one who should be embarrassed. The guy is a fucking idiot. If any man can’t see how incredible you are, then he’s blind—literally.” I kissed her cheek. “You’re an incredible woman. You stole my heart the moment we met. No girl has ever made me look twice. But you…I didn’t stand a chance.”
She smiled slightly. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What?”
“The reason why I hired you was because…my father told me I disgraced him when John left. I humiliated him to the public and destroyed his image. Because of that, he said I could never be the face of the company. I thought if I hired you as my boyfriend, he would change his mind.”
Anger like I’ve never known washed through me. I tensed then felt my hands ball into fists. Aspen noticed but didn’t flinch. “Let me get this straight. This guy leaves you for another woman after asking for your hand in marriage, and all your dad cares about is his image? All he cares about is how it affects him?” I stopped myself from punching a hole through the table. “Then he made you go to that engagement party? What the hell is wrong with him? He’s the coldest and cruelest man I’ve ever heard of.”
“I know.” She said it simply, like she accepted it.
“It’s unacceptable, Aspen.” I stared at her with angry eyes.
“I know,” she repeated. “Every time I’m around him I…it doesn’t matter. I just need to hold on a little longer. Then the company will be mine and I won’t have to deal with him anymore. I just need to get through it.”
I rubbed my temples. “Aspen, I really hate him.” I didn’t feel bad for saying something so ugly. “I really hate him.”
“I hate him too,” she said calmly.
“You shouldn’t have to put up with that.”
“I know.”
I leaned back in the chair and controlled my anger. Snapping wouldn’t make Aspen feel better. I needed to remain calm. “You’re such an amazing girl. It’s a waste he doesn’t see or appreciate it.”
“Life isn’t always fair.” She said it with a hollow voice, like all the emotion left her like a drain. “But I have people who do care about me.” She looked at me. “Who are there for me. And it just makes me appreciate them even more.”
Only she could see the bright side to a dark situation. “You’re right about that.” My arm moved around her shoulders and I pulled her close. “But I can run him over with my Jaguar if you want. Just wait for him to cross the street…” I gave her a playful look that told her I was kidding.
“And ruin that beautiful car?” she asked. “Absolutely not.”
“Yeah, his fat ass would break the windshield pretty quick.”
She laughed then intertwined our fingers together.
The silence stretched but it was nice to listen to. Aspen and I didn’t always have to speak to each other. We were comfortable enough to not say anything at all. Just feeling her beside me made me forget everything else in the world. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but what happened with John, exactly?”
She tensed noticeably. “His father is the owner of a successful computer company, so one day he’ll inherit it. John and I met through my father. I liked him, and of course, my father loved him because of his status and wealth. A marriage to me would be ideal.”
“Is this the medieval times?” I said sarcastically.
“I told you my dad was old-fashioned,” she said. “Anyway, I liked him. I thought he liked me. We dated for a few months, and then he proposed. I said yes because I loved him, not just because he was a good match my father would approve of. But I couldn’t deny the convenience. He had his own wealth to look after, leaving me to take care of my father’s company when Dad retired. It was the perfect arrangement.” She paused and looked away. “At some point, he started sleeping with Isabella. Then he called it off between us because he said it was the right thing. He and I haven’t spoken since.”
The betrayal was painful. Why would a man want anyone but Aspen? You couldn’t find someone better. “I’m sorry that happened,” I said honestly. “But I’m also not sorry.”
She turned to me with absorbing eyes.
“Now I have you.”
A slight smile upturned her lips. “I was bitter about it for a long time, mainly because I’ve taken so much heat for it. But now I’m grateful it happened. My relationship with John was nothing like what I have with you. You and I, we have something special. We’re playful and fun, but there’s trust and friendship. You’re the dream guy I never thought I would have.”
“We’re perfect together.” There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. It just felt right with her. With other girls, there was always a hint of awkwardness and obligation. With Aspen, the conversation just unfolded naturally. It wasn’t forced, and I never had to exert any effort to make her laugh or smile. It was like
I was made for her. And she was made for me.
“That’s pretty cheesy, but I admit, I agree.” She gave me a teasing look.
“It’s only cheesy when it’s not true.”
She leaned in and kissed my cheek.
I felt warm everywhere. The touch was innocent but it still sent waves of pleasure throughout my body. “Any man who says a girl isn’t good in bed says that because he can’t get her to come. That’s a little secret I’ll share with you.”
She shrugged and looked away.
“Don’t let his words bother you. The fact he would badmouth you in such a way is disgraceful and pitiful. I can already tell he has a small dick.”
She released a loud laugh then choked for a second. “Ohmygod…”
“He does, doesn’t he?”
She shook her head like she couldn’t believe my question. “I wouldn’t know. John is the only guy I’ve been with.”
I suspected that was true. “I’ll show you by comparison then.” I winked at her.
Her cheeks blushed slightly. “I look forward to it.”
***
Aspen took the bat wearing jean shorts and a Yankee jersey. A navy blue baseball cap was on her head, and her hair was in a tight ponytail. She spun it in her wrist. “You ready for this?” she shouted to Chase.
“Bring it.” He moved twenty feet closer to the mound.
She shook her head but there was a slight smile on her lips. “You’re way too close…”
“I know what I’m doing,” Chase said. “Just do your best, Battleship.”
Now everyone was calling her that. She didn’t mind so I didn’t mind. I actually thought the nickname was cute. I stood on the pitcher’s mound. “Ready?”
She took a stance then tapped the bat against the mound a few times before she held it at the ready. “Bring it.”
“I’ll show you my famous curve ball.”
“If you’re holding it like that, you aren’t going to throw a curveball.”
I forgot she used to play in college. “Maybe I’m trying to trick you.”
“You aren’t doing a very good job.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, even more attracted to her because the lip she just gave me.
“Are we going to play or just banter back and forth?” Chase shouted.