He was on top of her now, clawing at her clothes. Skylar felt totally disconnected from her body. She felt him reach under her sweater, but her desire for him was missing. Everything felt ugly and wrong.
The phone on Joshua’s hip started to buzz. He threw it on the floor. It went silent for a few seconds and then began again. He ignored it, and pulled Skylar’s sweater over her head. He moved to her jeans, which he unbuttoned without a word, then hopped off of her for a moment to pull off her jeans and toss them aside, leaving her in only her bra and panties.
Joshua’s phone continued to ring, over and over, but he refused to acknowledge it. He still hadn’t said a word to her. Skylar felt like an idiot for getting into this situation.
He grabbed at her bra and ripped it off from the front, stinging Skylar’s back where the clasp broke.
“Hey!” she yelled at him.
The phone rang again. Joshua snapped. “What the fuck?” he yelled into the air. “I just need to get this done!”
“Excuse me?” she said. All her fantasies vanished.
“Sorry, babe,” he said, trying to recover. “I just meant that I need you right now. Everything else can wait.” He gave her an obligatory kiss on the neck and took off the last of her clothes, her panties. This time he was a bit slower, seemingly sensing that his hold on her was slipping.
Skylar felt intensely vulnerable. She was lying there naked while Joshua remained fully dressed. He unzipped his jeans, but made no move to take them off.
A pounding knock started on the door downstairs. “Rider! Are you in there? We gotta go! Rider! Open up!”
“Jesus Christ!” Joshua jumped up. Skylar scrambled to cover herself with a sheet. He headed downstairs, not bothering to zip his jeans.
Skylar heard him yank open the door, and then: “Vic, I need a minute.”
“No time. Tuck your dick back in. We have to head down to New York. You’re on The Tonight Show to promote your campaign tour.”
“Vic, I don’t give a shit about The Tonight Show.”
“Bullshit. This is big. You’re doing this.”
“Listen to me. I am not leaving yet. If you want to wait in the car, keep it running. I need ten minutes.”
Skylar had heard enough. When Joshua came back, she was almost completely dressed.
“What are you doing?”
“You didn’t expect me to wait naked in your bed, did you?” Skylar was fixing her hair into a ponytail.
“Yes, in fact I did. Get back in there. This won’t take long.”
“Real hot, Joshua,” she said, disgusted with the whole situation.
He softened. “Come on, babe, don’t leave me hanging like this.”
“You’re the one who got out of bed to answer the door. I heard your conversation.” Skylar pulled on her boots. “The Tonight Show . . . that’s great. You gotta go.”
Joshua wore a pained look on his face. “Ugh, fucking Vic. Rain check?” he asked, taking both of her hands in his.
“Sure,” she said, captivated by the need in his eyes. He kissed both of her hands, then dropped them. In an instant he switched gears and began racing around the room, throwing clothes in a bag.
Skylar walked out the bedroom door. As she headed down the stairs, she half hoped Joshua would come after her. She hesitated at the front door and looked around the room. It was more furnished than she had expected coming from the sparse bedroom. A couch, a couple of chairs, and a TV dotted the room. One mirror hung on the wall. She looked at her reflection. She was a wreck. She glanced at a photo tucked into the corner, and then her cell phone rang.
“Skylar, are you okay?” Suki demanded when Skylar answered.
“I’m fine,” Skylar said, letting herself out the front door. “Just going home now. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.”
Outside, she realized she was clear across town with no ride. Judging by Suki’s slurring, she was in no shape to drive. She had had too many Stellas. Skylar looked at the town car idling in the street. Vic must have seen this show a dozen times—the girl making the quick exit after the guy was done with her. She thought about calling Ronnie, but she worried about waking Rhia. Instead she hit speed dial six and walked around the corner.
Thirty minutes later, Skylar sat in Ocean’s car. She didn’t know where to begin.
“We didn’t have sex,” Skylar said.
“Okay,” Ocean said.
“Not that I was the holdup. I was there, naked in his bed.”
“Okay.” The passing street lamps flashed in Ocean’s frizzy curls.
“He got called away to do The Tonight Show tomorrow. Or I guess it’s today now.”
“Okay,” Ocean said.
They sat in silence for a bit longer.
“Say something, please!” Skylar finally said. “I feel the judgment coming off you in waves.”
“Not from me, dear,” Ocean said. “That judgment is your own.”
“Okay,” Skylar said.
They pulled into Art Bar’s parking lot, and Ocean rolled to a stop in front of Skylar’s car.
“Why haven’t I heard from you?” Skylar asked. “It’s been weeks.”
“I’m sorry. I was making no progress and had no news to tell you,” Ocean said. “But then I had a breakthrough, just last night. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Skylar said. She wanted to hear about Ocean’s findings right away but was beyond exhausted. Tomorrow would have to do. “Thank you for the ride.” She opened the car door.
“You’re welcome. Are you okay to drive all the way home?”
Skylar thought about crashing at Joel’s. But she didn’t want to have to explain herself. “Yeah,” she said. “At this hour, it won’t take me long.”
“Get some sleep,” Ocean said and sped away.
“Yeah,” Skylar mumbled. “Sleep.”
The next morning Skylar called her cell phone for two hours, but Ocean didn’t pick up.
“She’s avoiding me,” she said to a very hungover Suki as they walked out of the barn.
Suki shrugged. “She picked you up last night.”
“Yeah, but we said almost nothing to each other,” Skylar said. “I even forgot to ask for my phone back.”
Her flip phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number. Maybe it’s Ocean, she thought.
“Skylar, I was thinking I owe you an apology.”
Definitely not Ocean.
“I wasn’t much of a gentleman last night,” Joshua said. “I’m sorry.”
Skylar was taken aback. “Wow, thanks for that. How did you get this number?”
“Joshua?” Suki mouthed incredulously. Skylar waved her off, and Suki left to tend to her headache.
“I have my ways,” he said. “I would like to make it up to you.”
“What did you have in mind?” Skylar asked, staring at the flurry of construction activity going on around her. The new building was already enclosed and workers were carrying in mountains of sheetrock.
“How about dinner at my place tomorrow night?” he asked.
She was supposed to have dinner at Joel’s tomorrow night. But she didn’t mind rescheduling. “Sure.”
She had just hung up when Suki returned with a bottle of Gatorade. Skylar raised an eyebrow. “How many did you have last night?” she asked.
“Three,” Suki said sheepishly.
Skylar chuckled. “Lightweight.”
“This from the girl who drinks Toasted Almonds,” Suki mocked. “I don’t even think that’s considered an adult beverage.” She paused. “You’re going to see him again, aren’t you?”
“Ocean said we have a connection that goes back lifetimes. I need to finish this karma,” Skylar said, leaning on her locker.
Suki groaned. “That book has you romanticizing this monster. Destiny has nothing to do with this. You’re hot for him, that’s all. Own it, at least.” She got her purse out of her locker. “I’m taking my grandmother to see her sister in New York City for the weekend. Pr
omise me you’ll be okay.”
Skylar nodded. “I’m always okay.”
Skylar arrived to Joshua’s brownstone at seven the next night. She had fretted for two hours about what to wear before deciding on her favorite jeans and a red sweater. When she got to the door, she remembered it was the same outfit she’d worn on her first date with Argan. She sighed and rang the bell.
Joshua greeted her in a light-blue linen shirt and khaki linen pants. He wore a hammered metal amulet tied to a leather rope around his neck. The attire seemed completely out of character. She had never noticed him wearing jewelry before.
“Hi,” he said. “You look great.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek respectfully.
“You too.” She smiled, embarrassed to have come back after what had happened two nights earlier. Suki was right. She was an asshole.
The scent of rosemary greeted her as she walked through the door.
“I love rosemary,” she said, handing him the bottle of wine she’d picked up on the way over. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a chef.”
“I have a few staples I can whip up when needed.” He flashed his devilish smile. “And rosemary is one of the few spices I like. My diet is usually more on the bland side. I’m a simple meat-and-potatoes guy.”
“Well, thank you for going through the trouble,” she said, suddenly unsure of herself.
“It’s the least I could do after the other night. Again, I’m really sorry.” He took two steps to close the distance between them.
Skylar now wrenched her neck back to look up at his face. “It’s okay. There was a lot going on.”
Joshua slipped his arm around her waist. The intensity returned to his eyes. Again, Skylar noticed a shift in his pupils. He looked trancelike. Before she took another breath, his mouth was on hers. At once she felt his hot lips and tongue engulfing hers. She thought about resisting. But why? She’d expected this. If she were going to resist, she shouldn’t have come. She opened her mouth wider to let more of him in. Both of his arms were around her now. They were still barely inside the house.
One of Joshua’s hands crept down Skylar’s hip and under her leg. He pulled one leg up onto his hip, then the other so they were wrapped around him, and then he walked over to the white couch and set her down. He was all hands, sliding them up and down her body.
He barely let his mouth off of hers when she spoke. “Joshua, I think dinner is burning.”
He leapt up. “Oh shit.” He disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later, he was leaning in the doorway. “Saved it. Hungry?”
“Yes, thank you.” Skylar was still so nervous around him. She didn’t have the same ease she felt with Argan. With Joshua, she felt like a child sitting at the grown-up table.
They started their meal of roast chicken and potatoes, although the last thing Skylar wanted to do was eat. “I realized today I don’t know much about your background,” she said. “Where did you grow up?”
Joshua put his fork down, picked up his glass of wine, and gulped a few sips. “I’m adopted, actually.”
“Oh, wow,” Skylar said awkwardly. She waited for him to elaborate. When he said nothing, she tried to fill the silence. “I’m an only child. It has its pros and cons.” She took a sip of her wine. It burned her throat as it went down, reminding her why she didn’t like wine.
Joshua continued to drink until the bottle was empty. It stained his lips the color of blood and darkened his teeth, yet had no apparent effect on his faculties.
Skylar had barely touched her plate.
“You said you were hungry,” he said.
“Nerves won out over hunger,” she said honestly.
“Nerves?” he asked, getting up from his chair. He knelt in front of her and put his hands on her knees. He spread her legs and wrapped them around his torso. “I’m not scary, Skylar,” he whispered. His hot breath engulfed her and she closed her eyes. A slow ache stirred within her where their bodies connected, and her breath came in ragged gasps as his hands made their way up the sides of her body. He bent his head to her neck and slowly circled her henna tattoo with his tongue.
He stood up with her attached to his waist. Her weight was nothing for his massive body to carry. At least at this angle she was eye level. Her nerves gave way to desire, and she kissed him hard on the mouth. He matched her urgency with his own. Without breaking the kiss, he walked the flight of stairs to his bedroom.
Skylar released her hold on him and stood upright when they walked through the door. The room was ablaze with candles. She wondered when he’d lit them. He hadn’t left her side the whole evening. The room was completely transformed from the room she remembered. This room was soft and inviting, not cold and clinical.
They stood beside the bed a few feet apart. In a few swift moves, Joshua removed his shirt and his pants fell to the floor. Skylar swallowed hard. She had marveled at Argan’s perfection, but Joshua was a completely different animal. He was massive. It seemed clothes restricted the actual size of his body. Once unleashed, he expanded in every direction. Her nerves came rushing back. She was out of her league by ten.
“Your turn,” Joshua whispered.
She didn’t think she could move an inch, let alone take her clothes off and have sex with this creature.
“Don’t worry,” he said with a smile. “I’m very good. I will take good care of you.” His eyes returned to their wanton gaze.
She still couldn’t move or speak.
“All right,” he said, taking the hem of her sweater. “I’ll help, then.”
If his clothes came off in a flash, hers took an age. He was painstakingly slow to remove her sweater. His hand grazed her stomach. The temperature of his skin was off the charts. He lifted her sweater over her head but left her arms locked behind her in the sleeves, temporarily binding her. He bent his head and nibbled at her breast through the sheer material of her bra. Her sweater fell to the floor.
He unbuttoned her jeans and knelt before her to pull them down as she sat on the bed. Her breath was shallow when she remembered to breathe at all. He took her bra down from the straps and left it hooked but hanging from her breasts.
“Ahhhh,” he moaned with pleasure, inhaling deeply. “You smell as I remember. Sweet as vanilla, with an ancient musk of amber. You are quite complex, Skylar.”
She hadn’t found her voice and stayed completely still. His mouth grew stronger on her breasts, switching between them, and her pleasure started to release her mind from its grip. This alone was making the pulse between her legs unbearable.
Sensing her excitement, Joshua withdrew. “Not yet. We’re just getting started,” he said with a smirk.
Skylar exhaled. She was definitely not in control of this situation.
Joshua slipped his hand inside her panties and immediately entered her with his fingers. She gasped. “Oh Skylar, just as wet as I remember.” His hand was forceful but welcome. He withdrew and stroked her with his thumb. Her body rocked with the rhythm of his hand. He removed what was left of her panties and returned to the maddening touch between her legs. Every stroke caused the heat within her to grow until everything inside her froze—her breathing, her thoughts, her heartbeat. In the next instant, all of her systems came roaring back to life in a nuclear release of energy. She cried out as pulses of quenched desire vibrated from her core, through her body, and out her pores, leaving her sweating and unable to move.
Joshua relaxed back beside her. He had been in such control Skylar had barely touched his body. She reached out her shaking hand and stroked his arm. It felt odd to the touch—like hard rubber, not skin at all. She looked down at his penis.
“Joshua . . .” Her words came out hoarse. “There is no way you are fitting inside me.”
He smiled. “Why do you think I spent so much time opening you up? You are ripe for me. I’ll fit just fine.” In one move, he was on top of her. “Spread your legs wide.”
She did as she was told and in one thrust, he was inside her. She gasped as he s
tarted rocking above her, and she grabbed the headboard for support. She looked into his eyes. They shone red in the candlelight.
He moved himself up and down in a frenzy. The heat continued to radiate in waves from his body. He thrust himself into her over and over, letting out low moans. In that instant, Skylar’s attention shifted. She was horrified to remember she had done nothing about protection. She had been so caught up in the drama of the whole night it had never entered her mind.
Joshua’s orgasm seemed to pale in comparison to Skylar’s. He rolled off of her and onto the bed, already falling asleep. Her mind now racing about birth control, she knew she had to get out of there.
She stared at Joshua until she was sure he was asleep. When his deep breaths turned to snores, she dressed and started a note three times, not sure what to say. Finally, she settled for simplicity:
Joshua,
Thank you for tonight.
You’re going to be a big star.
Sky
The next morning—after a trip to the pharmacy for morning-after pills—Skylar stopped at Joel’s to make up for their missed dinner. She found him watching the local news at the breakfast table. They were running a clip of Devlin hitting the campaign trail. He was making appearances at colleges across the country, and the first stop was nearby Boston College.
With the Grayers’ money and marketing gurus behind it, Joshua’s show had gone big-league. Between the state-of-the-art lights and sound systems and his own undeniable stage presence, his fame was spreading like a disease. He was drawing crowds by the thousands, and Devlin was gaining popularity by association. At each event, Milicent made her appearance as the supportive wife in the background while Devlin touted his love of the country and hope for its youth. He made campaign promises of a robust job market and incentives for activism in the community. Then, after he felt his audience was well lubricated, he brought out Joshua to close the deal. Hoards of millennials, and their mothers, were clamoring for more Grayer 2020. Data was emerging showing that Devlin appealed to the over-forty female demographic, and so did Joshua.
Later that day, after going back and forth about it for hours, Skylar decided to attend Joshua’s Boston College show. She figured she had nothing to lose by paying him a visit.
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