Not Looking for Love: A Cowboy Romance

by Martini, Mae

  He looked from his plate to her and offered a most charming smile.

  “But, yes, I admit I was at my most vulnerable at the time. My father wouldn’t help me, and I don’t blame him. It was my problem not his.” She picked up her glass which was half filled and downed it.

  Richie rose up. “Let me get you another—”

  “No, I’m good.” She cut him off. “I’d rather have water.”

  Before Richie sat, he reached for the bottle of sparkling water that had been on the table and poured it into the water glass sitting next to her lowball glass.

  She looked from him to her glass than back to him again as he sat back down. “Thank you…After I graduated high school, I moved out here to live with my father, but he had just remarried and I felt like I was in the way, so I moved in with Tanya, a girl I worked with at the part-time job I got when I first arrived. Her roommate had moved out.”

  “Where’d you work?”

  “A local coffee shop.”

  He didn’t move, just kept staring at her.

  “Anyway, at that time she transitioned from the coffee shop to making porn movies. I didn’t know at first, but it didn’t bother me so much and I even started hanging out with her friends and co-workers and began dating an older friend of hers.”

  “How old?”

  “Nineteen years older than me.”

  “Whoa. What are you twenty-two, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was he a porn star?”

  “No. He worked as a bouncer at Bar One.”

  Richie nodded, he knew the trendy nightclub on the boulevard.

  “Well, Tanya moved out to live with her boyfriend and Matt moved in with me. He lost his job and things were getting tight so he asked if I could open up a credit card in my name. He said he couldn’t get credit while unemployed. After a few months he asked again, even though I asked him to slow down with the spending. I needed money for my second year of college and I had already taken out a loan for my first year. Unknown to me a few months later he used my information and opened up yet another credit card. I didn’t know about it, I’d never seen the bill.” She paused. “Long story short, I couldn’t get any more loans for school so I had to drop out after only one year. I got a job as a secretary but it didn’t pay enough. We always seemed to be strug— no, correct that, I always seemed to struggle with the bills. He was always sharply dressed and seemed to never have a care in the world.”

  “Drink?” Richie picked up his glass as he rose up.

  “Yes, I’d like that drink now, thanks.”

  “Go on,” he said from the outdoor kitchen, underneath a permanent structured roof with the same tiles as the roof of the house.

  “Tanya introduced me to Poppy Tate and his wife, and they told me I could make a lot of money doing some film work. I said no at first, but when my boyfriend left me for, get this, a porn star, I called Poppy.” She shrugged as she mindlessly moved her food around on her plate with her fork. “I was broke, and had not made rent in three months. I knew I’d be homeless.” She began to twirl her hair, a habit she had when she was nervous and fidgety. She picked up her glass of water and downed it.

  “How long ago?”

  “About nine, ten months ago... He left me in debt.” She shrugged again.

  Richie placed her drink down in front of her and took a sip of his as he sat down. He brought his elbows up on the table and fisted one hand and covered it with the other. “How much?”

  “A lot.” She stared him down and he knew she wasn’t going to divulge that information.

  “Was that Baldy?”

  She tilted her head. “What?”

  “Who was the guy in Aruba?”

  “Oh, Baldy.” She snickered. “Yes, that was Matt. We were fighting all the time and he booked the trip to try and salvage what we had, or so he had me believe. I didn’t know till after I signed with Poppy that he and Poppy were good friends and Poppy paid for the trip in order for Matt to work on me to sign up. In defense of Poppy, he didn’t know Matt kept that little information a secret from me and I believe him. Poppy’s been nothing but professional with me.”

  “So how long is your contract with Velocity for?”

  “Five films or five years. I was hesitant at first but when Poppy offered me a signing bonus and allowed me to add some stipulations, I signed.”

  “What were the stipulations?”

  She rose up without looking at him and began cleaning off the table.

  “No anal?”

  She nodded. “Right. Not on film. Never tried it but I’m open to it.” She winked. “And no swallowing, no French kissing, and various other little things. I was shocked they went for it. Later, Poppy told me how much he wanted to sign me. Said I was gonna make him a lot of money.” She shrugged again.

  “What were you going to school for?” Richie asked as he helped clear the table.

  “Interior design.” She followed him into the kitchen.

  He nodded as he plopped the dishes down in the sink.

  She hip-bumped him to move him gently aside. “You cooked, I’ll clean.”

  “Just rinse them off and throw them in the dishwasher,” he said as he walked over to the island and picked up his ringing cell phone. He looked to her. “Excuse me,” he said then he walked into the living room to take his mom’s call.

  When Kara was done, she peeked into the living room. Richie was sitting on the couch, flipping his cell phone and looked up to see her. “Come here.” He smiled as he slid over and set his phone down on the marble end table. As soon as she sat he threw an arm around her and brought her close and whispered in her ear. “I can’t wait anymore, I’m gonna fuck you right here.” He started placing little kisses on her ear and trailed them down to her neck. “And I’m open to taking your sweet ass,” he said as he began to unbuckle his belt. “But not now.”

  Simone got up, turned around and sat on his lap, and wiggled her butt into his erection as he fumbled with his zipper. “Don’t toy with me, woman. You’re playing with fire.”

  Her chest rose at his soft sensual voice as she uttered a sultry moan.

  He rose up with her on his lap and when she planted her legs on the rug he raised her dress up over her hips and caressed her bare cheeks, even dipping a hand down the crack of her butt behind her thong and not stopping till he reached her clitoris, moaning as he felt her wetness. Swirling a long tapered finger around her clit he felt her legs grow weak and he chuckled as he steadied her, then he slid down her thong, with her help, and tossed it aside. She buckled again when he fingered her pussy. “Yeah, you want it, baby, don’t you? You’re practically dripping.” His voice a gravelly whisper.

  “She moaned when he flicked her clit.

  “Say it.” He shoved two fingers inside her.

  She gasped, not expecting it. “I want it,” she said, barely audible.

  “Make me believe it.” He pulled her hair and she moaned as her juices coated his hand. “Oh, you like that.”

  “Yes! I want it,” she practically screamed.

  “Climb up,” he said as he let go of her hair.

  She had no idea what he meant, but she gasped when he placed an arm around her waist and lifted her. “Hands and knees on the table,” he said as he helped her, spreading her knees wide, then stepped back to view her.

  The coolness from the marble coffee table tempered the heat rolling off her body.

  “Pretty,” he said as he tore open a condom he had in his pants pocket and sheathed up. Grabbing his dick, he aimed it at her opening and moved back to her and with a grunt, he thrust inside of her, holding her because he knew the force would have sent her over the table, and briefly paused as he felt her tight walls surround him.

  She gasped, whimpered, and, stilled, but he just thought it was out of pleasure.

  On a breath, he let loose, pounding her over and over for almost five minutes, periodically changing up the angle and speed. With one hand holding her hip, he changed
it up to long slow deep thrusts as he looked down at his dick sliding in and out of her pussy. He began slapping her ass, then spread her cheeks and traced her sphincter with a finger as his grunts became loud.

  She knew he was getting his down and dirty on. Sucking breath between her teeth, she said, “Give me all you got… Harder… Fuck me good, Richie. I wanna come all over your beautiful cock.”

  This only egged him on, and he began pulling her to him with each thrust as he picked up the rhythm again, slamming her down on him.

  She felt him, she felt him deep and the painful pleasure engulfed her. She knew by his short breaths and grunts that he was going to explode.

  He pushed her upper body down, her cheek rested on the cool table, and leaned over her as he came. He went from driving her relentlessly to stilling and stiffening as he threw his hands down on the table on either side of her head. Even before she caught her breath he pulled out of her and she screamed and her legs shook.

  “Simone! You all right?”

  “Yeah, yeah. I can’t seem to move.” She let out a nervous giggle.

  He placed his hands at her waist and lifted her off the table and against his body as he turned her around. Her legs were shaky and he didn’t let go. On the contrary, he pulled her in tight and whispered by her ear. “I got ya… You are an amazing fuck. You make me lose control… Did you…?” He pulled back to look into her eyes as he grabbed his dick, holding onto the condom threatening to slip off. “You came, right?”

  She bit her lip. No she didn’t come. She was quite sore but didn’t want to tell him. He was done and she understood. She nodded. “I’m good, Richie.” She bent and picked up her clothes, then started getting dressed.

  “Okay,” he said, but he wasn’t convinced. He walked to the kitchen and removed the condom, tossing it in the garbage pail. When he was done, he grabbed the sponge from the little drawer in front of the sink, ran it under some water, and squirted a little dish detergent from the built in pump on the side of the sink.

  “I got it,” Kara said from behind him and took the sponge from him. She walked back to the living room and cleaned the table.

  When they were done tidying up, Richie grabbed a bottle of wine, opened it, and grabbed some glasses. He turned on the pool lights, threw on his favorite country music station, and dimmed some of the landscape lights.

  “Come on.”

  She followed him out. They sat by the pool just sipping wine, each in their own thought.

  Richie sighed. “Why’d you get so quiet, Simone?”

  She turned her head from watching the subtle changes of colors going on in the pool. “I don’t know. Tired, I guess.”

  He watched her take a sip of wine. Then he reached over and grabbed her hand in his. “Did I hurt you before?”

  Boy, his hand felt good in hers. His thumb was caressing the back of it, so softly, so caringly. She almost felt as if he liked her for something more than just a plaything. “A little.”

  He removed his hand. “Damn it, Simone. Why didn’t you tell me?” He swung himself around and planted his feet on the ground and hunched as he rested his forearms on his thighs.

  Inwardly Simone sighed when he abruptly removed his hand. “I’m all right, Richie. It was the first thrust, it was a bit hard, and the marble table was a little hard on my knees.”

  “Aw, geez. I’m really sorry. I can get real rough, you know. I’ll tone it down going forward. Don’t let me hurt you again.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “If you’re not going to give it to me rough, I don’t think I can have sex with you anymore.” She brought her knees up and hugged them as she offered a brilliant smile.

  He studied her. She looked so young, her skin so clear, and he already knew it was soft, a contrast from his rough hands. Her eyes, sharp and sparkling. “Hah. Okay.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I can give you up. Truth be told, on that first thrust, I think I sprang my dick.” He chuckled. “I must have come in on the wrong angle.”

  She grinned. “Is there a right?”

  He laughed, shrugging.

  “You all right?”

  “Yeah.” He winked. “Ready for bed?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Mmmm.” Simone stretched. “The coffee smells great.” She felt a weight hit the bed and turned, holding the sheet in front of her naked body and opened her eyes to see Richie sitting there, a tray with two cups of steaming coffee on it, in his hands.

  She knew he had gotten up earlier, but she didn’t want to move, his bed was so very comfortable. After taking a shower last night, she crawled in, naked because he wouldn’t have it any other way, and he engulfed her with his arms and they fell asleep.

  “Morning,” he said as she sat up, and he handed her a cup.

  “Good morning. Thank you.” She took the cup from him and sighed with a smile on her face. He was bare chested and she mentally traced her hand over it, all the way down to the bulge in his black designer boxer briefs. She bit her lip and looked up to his face, loving the messy hair on his head shooting in all different directions. Sexy!

  He took the other cup off of the tray and placed the tray on the rug and slid it out of the way.

  After taking a sip, Simone put the cup down on her side’s night table and rose to go to the bathroom. She knew Richie watched every move she made, and she smiled to herself. When she came back, she got right back into bed, under the sheet, and picked up her coffee. The two of them had a relaxed, comfortable conversation.

  Chapter 10

  Simone was on a natural high when she got home. After she shared coffee with the most stimulating guy she had ever met, he removed the cup from her hand, placed it down, then slowly yanked the sheet off of her and proceeded to go down on her. She tried to pull him into a sixty-nine, but he just said, ‘No, baby. This is for you’. So she gave in and lay back and enjoyed every glorious feeling that ran through her. His tongue was so much more talented than any male or female she’d been with in her industry. She was getting hooked.

  When he had dropped her off at her car over by the studio, they sat a while and made plans to get together in a few weeks. He wouldn’t be back in L.A. for another three weeks instead of two. Said he had an obligation. Then he had kissed her sweet and hard and he watched her run to her old, beat-up, black convertible 325CI BMW, and start it up, allowing her to head out first with him right behind her. They tooted each other when she made the left and he continued straight.

  Driving home, Simone tried to understand why he would want to be with her. She knew that people in the adult industry usually tended to date others in the industry, or rock-stars and bad-boy actors. Affluent, respected millionaires and billionaires loved watching, and fucking to porn movies, but to be with one and risk disease was another thing, well at least prominent, well known men would only risk so much. He did ask her if she wouldn’t mind showing him her bi-monthly medical exam results, and she agreed.

  For the next two weeks, Simone had distanced herself from the studio. Poppy had to call her and remind her she needed to shoot three more movies before her contract was up. He never pushed her and she was grateful. He knew she wasn’t cut out to be a porn actress, but had realized she had a keen business sense so he used her in that capacity more. He liked what she suggested, gave him a financial spread sheet to track his expenses, and deflected calls when asked. His bottom line grew and his ex-girlfriends didn’t bother calling anymore, so he cut her some slack on making films. He mostly kept her away from the shoots, but there were times she was needed, and to make his temperamental director, Lou Grossman, happy, she had to comply.

  She spoke with Richie every other day, even if it was just a brief hello. She didn’t know what was going on between them, but she liked what they had and even though she tried not to read too much into it, she would get excited when they talked.

  That second Saturday Simone had nowhere to be so she stayed home, thankful that Lolita would be out all night, and caught up on some work
she did on the side, creating book covers for writers. The girl had an eye for design and her little business kept growing. Satisfied with her creations, she emailed her customers the mockup designs and went to bed.

  The next morning she woke up, brewed a pot of coffee, and grabbed the newspaper by her front door. The morning was lovely and peaceful so she took her coffee and paper to the back patio and sat at the table under the umbrella. It wasn’t much of a yard and there wasn’t much privacy, but it was quiet at that moment.

  Sipping the coffee as she turned to the sixth page, she spit it out and it splashed across the page covering the picture of Richie dancing with a pretty statuesque woman who looked like the woman who interrupted them at Bella Donna’s. The caption read:

  Hotel heir celebrates his twenty-seventh birthday in style.

  Under the picture in tiny print it read: Aria’s Lounge.

  Well, just like that her two week high vanished. She never felt so terrible. Her insides knotted. Aria’s was one of the newest, swankiest clubs around. Anyone who was anyone hung out there, and it was a local club.

  She tried to reason with herself. He didn’t know her long, why would he invite her to his birthday party that must have been planned months before or even a year before? She sighed, yeah right, that’s it. It’s not that he is embarrassed she is a porn star. Porn star? Not really, she wasn’t well known. She’d only done two movies.

  There was no reason for him to lie and say he wouldn’t be in town for the next two weeks. That’s it, she was done with him. She rose, taking her coffee cup and paper and went inside. Chiding herself for believing in him, she tossed the rest of her coffee down the sink and the newspaper in the trash. After taking a shower, she called Poppy to set up a shoot for Monday.

  Poppy couldn’t arrange a scene for her until that Wednesday, so she stayed busy with her book cover work and shopping.

  Richie had called her a couple of times on Sunday, but she didn’t pick up the phone. He left a message the first time saying he just called to say hi. On Monday, while she was in a shoe store trying on boots, her cell phone rang. She fished it out of her bag and saw Richie’s name on the screen. She stared at it a moment then swiped the screen.