“Well, then next time.”
There was never going to be a next time. I was never going to go out with her. Unexpectedly, the image of Sarah flashed into my head again. She was so different from Lisa and all the other women who were after me. She wasn’t after me at all. Given how much I looked forward to seeing her later, it seemed to be the other way around. I hoped Lisa wouldn’t notice the erection that was straining against my jeans. Least of all think it was thanks to her. I inwardly chuckled.
Before I could excuse myself, Lisa aggressively grabbed my arm and held me back.
“Oh, before you leave, Ari, I just want to ask you a question.”
“Shoot.” I was losing my patience with her and wanted to catch up with Ben.
“I saw someone at the Bergdorf’s spa earlier who looked SO much like Cassandra.”
At the mention of my ex’s name, my heart skipped a beat. Every muscle in my body tensed and my hands trembled. I almost dropped the tub of popcorn, but caught it in time.
“That’s impossible,” I stammered. Only three people knew that Cassandra was still alive—my sister, my mother, and myself. The rest of the world, like Ben, thought she was dead—killed in a horrible car crash in the Hamptons.
“Does she have a twin sister? Seriously, Ari, the resemblance was so striking. Slightly curvier, and her hair was long and dark instead of blond and short.” Lisa knew my ex-wife well, having cast her in hundreds of commercials in her modeling heyday.
“No, she doesn’t. She was an only child.”
My chest tightened painfully and beneath my T-shirt, I was sweating. I felt like I was on the verge of an anxiety attack—something I hadn’t had for a long time thanks to the help of my shrink.
My companion popped a kernel of popcorn into her mouth and then shrugged her shoulders. “Well, you know what they say. Everyone has a twin.”
“Yeah, right.” I spat out the words. “Listen, Lisa, good seeing you. I need to catch up with Ben.”
My eyes darted his way. He was almost at the entrance to the theater.
Lisa licked her injected plump lips. “Well, see you soon and enjoy your movie.”
With my evil-ex wreaking havoc on my body, the latter wasn’t happening. My mind pondered the unlikely but terrifying possibility that Cassandra was back in town. Was Ben’s recurring monster dream last night a premonition? My heart pulsing with dread, I caught up with my precious son.
CHAPTER 12
Sarah
The intercom buzzed. Wearing my new Prada dress and strappy heels, I hurried as fast as I could to answer it. It was Ari’s driver, Andre. Five minutes early, he was here to pick me up. Excitement pulsed through me like bubbly champagne. Still not having mastered the sexy little beasts on my feet, I carefully dashed back to my bedroom to grab my purse and the Bergdorf’s shopping bag containing Ben’s gift. Fingers crossed he would like it. I gave myself a final look in my mirror. The gorgeous floral dress looked amazing on me, and somehow the array of bright red and cocoa roses brought out the color of my chocolate brown eyes. I smiled at my reflection and it smiled back at me.
1001 Park Avenue was located on the northeast corner of Eighty-Fifth Street and Park. It was one of those majestic, pre-war high-rise buildings with a forest green awning at the entrance. After Andre helped me out of the limo, a doorman promptly greeted me.
“I’m here to see Mr. Golden,” I said.
“You must be Miss Greene. He’s expecting you.” The doorman gave me a quick once over and a saucy grin. I wondered how many of Ari’s women he had met.
He swung open the front door to the building and ushered me into an elegant lobby combining creamy marble with rich brown leather furniture, oriental rugs, gilded sconces, and elaborate floral arrangements. What most attracted my attention was the magnificent coffered ceiling. Having studied architecture as part of my coursework at RISD, I had an appreciation of the handcrafted details.
“Mr. Golden’s apartment is on the top floor.” The penthouse! “The private elevator is to your right.”
Taking a fortifying breath, I headed toward the elevator, acutely aware of the clicking sound my sharp heels made on the polished marble floor. I pushed the UP button, and the gilded door slid open to a pristine interior with upholstered walls and polished handrails. My heart was pounding, and my fingers trembled as I pushed the button for the penthouse. I was nervous about seeing Ari again and meeting his family. Only yesterday, he was a stranger on a train.
Without making any stops, the elevator reached the penthouse floor in no time. The door slid open again. Exiting the elevator, I found myself standing in an elegant marble foyer that must have stretched fifty feet. The creamy walls were lined with large, abstract paintings and next to the archways stood pedestals with imposing vases of fragrant white roses and lilies. Holy cow! I had stepped right into Ari’s breathtaking apartment. A Rubenesque, Hispanic woman wearing a black and white aproned-uniform approached me. She also wore a warm smile.
“Hola. You must be Señorita Greene. I am Luisa. Señor Golden has been looking forward to your visit. Follow me, por favor.”
She led me to a palatial, step-down living room with a spectacular view of the city. It was filled with fabulous Art Deco furniture, the overall color scheme beige with accents of burgundy and turquoise. An exquisite antique rug anchored the room, and all around there were outstanding paintings, sculpted pieces, and more flowers. Wow! This place must have cost a small fortune to decorate. It was straight out of Architectural Digest.
A woman, who looked a lot younger than the sixty-years she likely was, sat on one of the fringed silk couches, sipping champagne. She was very elegant, with her platinum blond hair pulled back in a regal chignon and clad in an expensive, white linen pantsuit that was accented with lots of chunky gold jewelry. This, of course, was Ari’s mother. They shared many of the same features, including bronzed skin, jewel blue eyes, and a strong jawline. Before she could introduce herself, a familiar, velvety voice from behind me called out my name.
“Saarah.”
My heart leaped into my throat, and I spun around. Ari, with his young son beside him, strode into the room. He was still wearing the jeans and blue-and-white striped shirt, but he had changed from his tennis shoes into a pair of shiny black loafers. Alligator? He wasn’t wearing socks.
His face brightened at the sight of me, his blue eyes twinkling. He quickly gave me the once-over. I bet he was already using his x-ray vision to see through my dress. No, I wasn’t wearing panties beneath the Prada just as he’d requested. He flashed a knowing smile.
“Let me introduce you. You’ve met my son, Ben.”
The little boy politely held out his hand for me to shake. “Hey, you’re the lady from the park.”
I nodded and smiled. He was absolutely adorable in his pint-size version of Ari’s ensemble. “Happy Birthday!” I handed him the bag. “This is for you. I hope you like it.”
“Cool! Thanks!” He peeked inside and gazed up at his father. “Daddy, can I open my present?”
“In a minute, my little man.”
Entwining his arm with mine, Ari led me over to the platinum-haired woman. Ben followed behind us.
“Saarah, this is my mother, Lila.”
Setting her flute of champagne on the glass coffee table, the elegant woman rose and planted a kiss on each of my cheeks.
“So lovely to meet you, my dear. And I adore your dress.”
Her deep voice was breathy, with the affectation of someone who was wealthy and cultured. I instantly liked her, drawn to her warm, inviting personality. She smiled at me.
“Ari has told us so much about you.”
Inwardly, I cringed. Did he tell her that we fucked on a train? And how he taught me how to eat lobster?
“Nice to meet you too,” I said nervously.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
My mouth fell open as another woman breezed into the room. She was clad in ivory linen trousers that accentuated her long le
gs and a jade green silk blouse that looked stunning against her flaming shoulder-length hair. It was the beautiful redhead!
“And, Saarah, this is my twin sister, Gwen.”
His twin sister? I was speechless.
The willowy redheaded beauty extended her long-fingered hand. I shook it; her grip was firm.
“So, we officially meet at last.” Her tone was frosty, totally unlike her mother’s.
She made me uneasy. I forced a half-smile. “Yes, finally.”
“Can I open my present now?” asked Ben eagerly.
A dimpled smile formed on Ari’s lush lips. “Sure. Go ahead.”
Wasting no time, the little boy removed the package from the bag and tore off the wrapping paper. The box was marked Jimmy Choo. At the last minute, after discovering that I didn’t have another box for my gift, I’d decided to recycle it. Regrettably, I had no further use for it.
“You got me shoes?” the little boy exclaimed, disappointment evident in his voice and on his frowning face.
Ari shot me a look that read: What the fuck?
“Open it.”
The little boy ripped off the lid, and a big smile exploded on his adorable face.
“Cool! A train.” He immediately dropped to his knees and rolled it on the hardwood floor. “Choo-choo-choo-choo-choo-choo-choo!” He gazed up at me with his green as a Christmas tree eyes. “Where’d you get this?”
Ari gave his son a stern look. “That’s not polite, Ben. You should say thank you.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled, pleased that the little boy was so exuberant. “I made it when I was in college.”
Ari’s sister fired me a chilly look. “And, Sarah, what college might that have been?”
The look Ari shot back at her was definitely disapproving.
“The Rhode Island School of Design.”
“Such a prestigious school,” said Ari’s mother before Gwen had a chance to respond.
“You must come from quite a comfortable family to afford that kind of education,” Gwen quickly added, her tone snarky.
Ari was cringing. Before he could utter a word, I proudly said, “I was on a full scholarship, and I worked at both the campus art supply store and coffee shop to pay my expenses.”
My words worked magic.
“My late husband worked his way through school. It makes you appreciate your education,” said Ari’s lovely mother. His sister Gwen shut up.
Gleaning a little information that Ari’s father might have been a self-made man, my eyes shifted to Ben. He was examining the train, turning it upside down and spinning the wheels.
“Does this train need batteries?”
“Yes. It’s programmed. You can tell it to do all kinds of things.”
“Like what?” asked the little boy with wide-eyed curiosity. Even Ari and his family—including his judgmental sister—looked intrigued.
“Tell it to backup.”
“Train, backup!” Ben commanded with a hint of his father’s bossy tone.
Almost instantly, the train sped backward, crashing into Ari’s loafers.
Ben’s eyes lit up. “Wow! What else can it do?”
“Ask it to spell ‘come’”
Ari shot me a wry smile. Gah! Why did I choose that word? Did I have sex on my brain? Oh my God. What was I thinking? And there was an even bigger problem. I hadn’t worked out all the toy’s kinks, and couldn’t remember if I’d fixed the issue of the train only being able to spell phonetically. Shit. It could easily respond with: “C-U-M.”
“Okay, train, spell ‘come,’” Ben shouted while I held my breath.
“C-O-M-E,” the train spewed out in one of those computerized voices.
I inwardly sighed with relief at the welcomed four-letter word.
“Wow! It’s a brain train!” Taken by the toy, Ben ordered it to move forward. At his command, it shot across the living room. The excited little boy chased after it.
“Very impressive, Saarah,” said Ari in that low, sultry voice, his eyes shifting from his son to me. “You seem to do very well with trains.”
The innuendo sent a rush of tingles straight to my pussy. My muscles clenched as sparks of electricity filled the air between us. Damn him for making me want him!
Before I could get a word out, Ari’s sister asked me to help her with making a salad in the kitchen. As much as this stunning woman intimidated me, I couldn’t say no.
The kitchen, off the long foyer, was enormous. Twenty of my galley kitchens could easily fit inside it. Rich dark wood cabinets lined the walls, and in the center of the black and white tiled floor, there was an island. Luisa was scooting about the kitchen, organizing platters of tasty-looking Mexican food. The tantalizing smell of a baking cake wafted in the air.
“Luisa, we’ll take it from here,” said Gwen, already tearing up greens and placing them into the large ceramic bowl sitting on the island’s countertop.
“Sí, Señora. I will set up the dining room.” Grabbing a large platter of homemade burritos, she skittered out of the kitchen.
Without her asking, I helped Gwen with the salad, cutting up tomatoes and cucumbers. I noticed she wore a simple gold band on her left fourth finger, indicating that she was married. I wondered where her husband was but didn’t feel comfortable asking. We shared an awkward stretch of silence before Gwen started in.
“Sarah, you are the first one of Ari’s women that we’ve formally met.”
The words “one of Ari’s women” unnerved me. How many had he had?
Tearing up a head of romaine, she continued, her tone chilly. “And to the best of my knowledge, the first one that he’s brought to this apartment and introduced to Ben.”
I said nothing and tossed the cut-up veggies into the bowl.
“Sarah, I don’t know how long you’ve known my brother or how much you know about him.”
“We just met recently.” Make that twenty-four hours ago, I added silently. “I don’t know him well.”
“Then, let me tell you a few things.” Her face darkened as her voice grew menacing. “My brother is very fragile. He was in an extremely abusive relationship. The divorce, in which I represented him, was very damaging and costly.”
So, she was an attorney. No wonder she was so adept at interrogating me. I bet she could be quite intimidating in a courtroom, but I wasn’t going to let those tactics get to me in a kitchen. I was eager to hear more.
“My brother—and his son—have both been in intense therapy over the last three years. Although Ben still suffers from nightmares, he doesn’t have any recollection of his mother. And thankfully, Ari is finally beginning to heal.”
I processed all of this information carefully and slowly. I was gaining insight into Ari’s former wife. It was clear to me that she had emotionally damaged both Ari and his son in some major way. While my lips were burning with questions, there was no way I was going to pry information from his fiendish sister. My gaze met hers in silence. Gwen’s emerald eyes flared and her lips, full like Ari’s, pressed into a thin, menacing line.
“Sarah, I’m very protective of my brother. Be careful. If you hurt him, you will pay the price.”
Her words made my blood run cold. Come on, Sarah, don’t let her intimidate you. And then I remembered, Sarah, plain and tall, wore combat boots.
“I don’t want to be hurt either.” With my cancer-stricken mother, I had enough pain in my life.
My words silenced her.
Dinner was casual. A Mexican buffet in the grand dining room that included a pitcher of Sangria. The polished blond wood dining table, which could be extended, was sized down to keep the dinner intimate. Ari sat at the head and his mother on the other end. I sat to the right of Ari, across from his sister, who was seated next to Ben.
While I’d piled my plate up with all the delicious-looking dishes, I didn’t have much of an appetite and mostly nursed my Sangria. Ari kept shooting me flirtatious smirks that didn’t go unnoticed by his suspicious sister. Her e
yes darted back and forth between us, catching the sparks flying in the air.
The conversation was also casual. I mostly listened. I lived by the saying: Speak only when spoken to. Ari’s mother chatted about her philanthropic endeavors that ran the gamut from fundraising for MOMA to educating children in third world countries, while Gwen mentioned that her husband Greg, an economist, was at a global warming conference in Norway. All Ben wanted to talk about was the superhero movie he’d seen in the afternoon and his new train. I was pleased he liked it so much.
Hunger kicked in as I began to relax. I dug into the Mexican food and was glad I did. Luisa’s burritos were absolutely delicious, filled with chicken, beans, cheese, and just the right amount of hot salsa, while the salad Gwen and I had made had turned out well. Then, suddenly as I ingested my last forkful of the cheesy burrito, cleaning my plate, an unexpected sensation under the table made me jolt in my chair and choke. Holy guacamole! Ari had taken off one of his loafers and was rubbing his bare foot up and down my leg. I managed to swallow what was in my mouth as his deft foot made its way under my flowy dress—just in time before his big toe found my clit and started to work it. Hard little circles of erotic pleasure. Oh God! He was making me wet and wild. Stiffening, I gripped the sides of my chair so that I wouldn’t squirm. A mixture of love and hate surged through me. The liar! He said he wouldn’t try anything in front of his family. To rile me up more, he shot me a deadpan stare.
“Saarah, you really must have another one of Luisa’s homemade burritos. They’re the best this side of the Rio Grande.”
How did he seriously expect me to eat at a time like this? If I let go of the chair, I was going to leap to my feet and scream.
Gwen eyed me suspiciously. “Sarah, are you okay?”
I nodded. If I dared open my mouth, shrieks and whimpers might fly out. Ari’s big toe was relentless, and my clit was going crazy from his latest game of footsie.
Gwen’s legal eagle eyes stayed on me. “Why don’t you tell us a little bit more about yourself?”
I’m hot as hell, and I want to scream. “Um, uh, I work for a toy company.”
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