by Fiona Murphy
I can hear my phone going off with texts but I don’t move. Crap, I left my car in the driveway instead of pulling into the garage. Oh well, he’ll get the message.
Then again, maybe not, as he starts banging on the main door. I wonder how long it’s going to take him to fig—and he has the door open. We don’t keep the door locked because of the mailman, but we’re supposed to lock it when we’re home for the night. What the hell?
“Exactly? What the hell are you doing not locking your damn doors? And why the fuck are you lying here when I’ve been calling you for almost twenty minutes?”
“Because I’m not going anywhere with you. I thought I locked the door, never mind, that doesn’t mean you can come in here. Go away. There are bimbos galore out there weeping at the loss of you. I’m not. Me and my broken ass are fine here without you.”
I refuse to pant at how fucking sexy he looks in a tux that fits him to perfection. His sigh makes me want to hit him. “I knew I should have kept my mouth shut because you’re the only one allowed to have doubts or reservations. I’m supposed to want only one thing from you, and all that matters is I get it. Tough shit; you aren’t the only one who wondered if this is a good idea, but the problem is it doesn’t matter what I think, I’m not walking away from this. And neither are you. Get your ass up and get dressed. We have forty-five minutes to get to the opera.”
It doesn’t matter what he just said makes me melt a little, that he basically just promised he’s not going anywhere one of us has to be the smart one. Shaking my head, I refuse to budge. I can’t believe it when Enzo wraps his hand around my ankle and yanks me to the end of the bed. Thank god I’m in yoga pants and a long, loose shirt, but still, I’m splayed out in front of him. Those black eyes glitter as heat hits me low, right where he’s looking. “On second thought, maybe we should stay in.”
I yank my foot away from him and roll off the bed. “Fine, god, you’re such an asshole.”
He laughs. “You haven’t seen anything yet. Get dressed, I want to see you in that purple dress again.”
I slam the door closed on him. I’m not wearing the purple dress, it’s not opera attire.
At my dressing table, I turn on my flat iron, then wipe my face clean of the light makeup I had on for the day. With an eye on the time, I straighten my hair. For my makeup I play up my eyes, which I’m aware are my best feature, then end with a pale pink lipstick. In my closet I grab the dress I fell in love with the moment I laid eyes on it, even though I couldn’t think of a single place to wear it. The silk taffeta gown has floral sparkle embroidery in jewel colors that stand out against the ice blue. A full skirt with an extended train combined with a high collar give it an elegance I can only hope I do justice. I give in to what the dress calls for and step into strappy silver sandals with a stacked two-inch heel.
When I open the door to my bedroom, I find Enzo pacing the length of the living room. He stops when he sees me. It’s unnerving the way he simply stares at me. A small shake of his head and his hand wraps around my wrist, tugging me to him. “You’re so damn beautiful you make my whole body ache.” His hands go down to my waist. “I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier I was in New York trying to wrap up a deal. For a minute there I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it back in time.”
I sway into him, loving the feel of him against me even as the electricity running through me scares me a little. “Did you close your deal?”
“No, they pissed me off. I walked away. It was either that or not see you tonight.”
It takes a minute for the words to compute. “Wait, you walked away from a deal so we could go out tonight?”
A nod, as he brushes his lips against my cheek. The simple touch sends a shiver down my spine. My lips tingle in anticipation. “If I didn’t see you tonight, it would give you time to build up your defenses all over again. I couldn’t let that happen. Now we’d better leave, or we won’t be able to.”
In a happy daze, I follow him down the stairs.
Enzo opens the door of the car for me.
“Sorry,” I mumble as he tucks the dress in after me.
“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you didn’t wear the purple one.”
“I bought this months ago and was afraid I’d have to wait until I went back to Italy to wear it. Nonna makes sure we go to the opera at least once while I’m there, but I haven’t been in years here in Chicago.”
“Che, Dante, and I went in on a box. Bethany and Dante use it most often. I haven’t been in a while.”
“Of course you have a box. I’m jealous. The bimbos didn’t want to go to the opera?”
His chuckle skims up my tummy. “I didn’t ask. I didn’t care to spend more than a few hours with the bimbos. Also, for the record, I haven’t fucked anyone in over six months. And I fucked less than half the women I took out.” I can’t hide my shock, which I know he sees even in the dim streetlights. “In the beginning, yeah, I lost count of how many women I fucked. I’m not proud of it, I was doing my best to hit out at Sheila. Only it didn’t take long for me to grow dissatisfied with what I was doing. I kept going out with women as a way of avoiding my family but my dates are usually home by ten thirty, without me.”
It sounds preposterous, yet I don’t doubt him. He has no real reason to lie. While it shouldn’t matter enough for him to even tell me, it does.
***
Enzo
As badly as I want to take Chloe home and get her into bed, I swallow my need and take her to a well-lit restaurant. Until Everett pulls in front of the place. She pulls back. “You’re going to think I’m crazy. All I want is to grab a burger and fries and get out of these shoes and this dress.”
“Well I’m not going to argue with getting you out of that dress.” I direct Everett to a popular burger place near Chloe’s home.
“I’m getting out of this dress and back into leggings. You get to stay in your tux though.” She laughs.
Fuck, she’s beautiful any damn time. Tonight, though, she’s glowing. There’s no doubt why she’s so happy. I still can’t believe I admitted I walked away from a deal. Any other time I would see it as a whipped move; twenty-seven million was on the line, and there was no hesitation. I’m glad I made the choice I did. There will be other deals, but I’m positive I wouldn’t have gotten another night like this. Chloe would have crawled into a hole, and it would have taken days or even weeks to get to her again.
She blushes as she shakes her head. “What? Stop looking at me like that, it makes it hard to think.”
“I believe I already mentioned I like it when you don’t think.”
When Everett pulls up to the restaurant. I get her order then have her stay in the car while I run in. I’m antsy during the almost ten minutes it takes to order and get our burgers and fries. Once we’re at Chloe’s, I send Everett home for the night. It’s almost ten I’m not going to keep him up any later.
Chloe has the front door open by the time I catch up to her. I’m expecting the roommate but there’s no sign of him. “I’m going to change. I’ll be right back.”
I nod as I get settled on the couch with the food. The cats are doing their best to snatch a fry. However, they aren’t great at being sneaky.
She wasn’t lying she changed right back into the tight black leggings and loose shirt she was wearing when I got here before. I can’t believe I find her as sexy as she was in the dress she was wearing. “I’m starving. Cetta, Pepe, knock it off, you bad kitties.”
She picks them up and sets them on the floor. They lie down as if they’ve been given a death sentence; one tail twitches lazily. “What kind of cats are they?”
“Himalayan. I’d never seen the one before I got them. I have always wanted a cat. We couldn’t have them, though, because my mother was allergic to all animals. Where we lived there were cats everywhere, so I was able to pretend they were mine. Then when I moved to Chicago, I had to have roommates. When I got my own place I was determined to get a cat. The roommate I was leavin
g, her sister-in-law had just started breeding them. The sister-in-law wasn’t going to get much for Cetta, who has a heart murmur, and Pepe because he’s cross-eyed, so she was going to have a vet put them down. My roommate promised to take them to the vet and gave them to me.” Cetta does her impression of begging but falls back onto her back, then just lays there with her tail twitching. “Okay, they aren’t street-smart cats, but they are very sweet.”
I laugh. “No need to convince me. I’ll take your word for it.”
Chloe is snuggled into the end of the couch, her back against the arm and her legs spread out in front of her. I lean back to study her. I like the way she eats with glee, completely focused without any hesitation, no counting calories of every bite.
A little wrinkle appears between her eyes. “Stop looking at me. You’re giving me a complex, I can’t eat when people are staring at me.”
“Who the fuck was evil and made you feel bad about eating?”
A small shrug. “My mom thought she was doing it for my benefit. I was pretty big, but her criticism made it worse and I got bigger. Kind of like, I’ll show you.” Shaking her head, she sighs. “My mom was this beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed, petite little thing who would look fat if she was a size eight.”
“Sounds like your mom was miserable and didn’t know how to deal with it.”
Her head tilts. “Things were hard for her, for a long time. Three weeks after my father left we were in a shelter. It was supposed to be for a night, but we were there for three months.
“My mom never had a job before, she was the daughter of a rich man. She went through a dozen different jobs until she could keep one in a coffee shop. We were good for almost two whole years until she met a guy. I never liked him. My mom and he thought I was jealous of them. Almost a year goes by, and she marries him and we move in with him. Within a week he was slapping both of us around. She didn’t tell me until much later he raped her the night they were married. It was hell for the next three years until the night he tried to touch me. It shook her out of her stupor; she grabbed me and her purse and we ran. She took his car and we slept in it for a few nights. Later she went back and got some of our things and some money he had in the house.” Chloe puts down her burger, she appears to have lost her appetite.
“Within a week we were back in the shelter, this time for almost a year. Then my aunt died, my mom’s younger sister. When we went to the funeral my grandmother saw us. Nonna was supposed to be dead. That was the story from my grandfather, but really my grandfather was emotionally abusive and forced his wife to endure eight miscarriages in his desire for a boy before she fled the hospital after she had my aunt rather than go home to him.
“We were on a plane and heading to Milan before I understood what was happening.” She shrugs. “Mom was trying to help me be better. If I was fat, then I would have fewer options because the world doesn’t like fat people.”
Damn, I understand her resentment, her introductions to men were awful. “You get it’s bullshit, though? You’re a beautiful woman.”
She blushes. “Yes, I gave up on the single digit dress size a while ago. I don’t care if the world doesn’t like fat people; I like me, and that’s all that matters. This is who I am, take it or leave it.” Her eyes roll. “Eat your food. Aren’t you hungry?”
I nod. “Starving, but not for food.”
“Enzo.” She sighs. The sigh is a warning. For the first time it’s sad, not exasperated.
I don’t want to hear what she’s going to say; she doesn’t want me to hear it either, or she’d look me in the eye. I’ve played fair so far, as fair as I’m willing to anyway. I’m done. I grab her wrist and yank her into my lap, and she melts into me with a breathy little moan. Fuck, no one, nothing has ever felt as amazing as Chloe against me.
Swallowing her sigh, I feast on her mouth. Damn, this afternoon went too quick, not nearly enough of her and what she does to me. As far as I’m concerned, I deserve a medal for not taking her against the piano the way we both wanted. Ah, hell, her pussy is dripping for me; the scent is fucking with my head, teasing my cock. Shit, these leggings are a pain in the ass.
No, I’m too old to make out on the couch. Picking Chloe up, I make it to her bedroom in seconds. Carefully, I lay her down on the bed. I come back with her leggings and panties. God damn, my cock jumps at the sight of her, her long silky hair spread out beneath her, those eyes quicksilver bright, that bottom plump lip being ripped to shreds by her teeth. Haltingly, she opens her legs to me. It means more than any practiced movement ever could. I’m not proud of the way I fall on her, desperate to taste her.
Sweet, fuck, the taste of her hits my senses like an explosion rocking me to my very foundation. All the practice, all the skills I took pride in are gone; only this moment matters, only the taste of Chloe, the need to learn her, to please her matters. Deeper and deeper I delve into her. Drunk, I could get drunk off the taste of her. I swear to god I have never seen such a pretty pussy in my life, pink like cotton candy and just as sweet. Her whimpers urge me on, fuel my hunger for her. I slide a finger into her, damn, she’s tighter than I thought she would be, even as wet as she is. She whispers my name, oh no, that’s not nearly enough. I add another finger as I suck deep on her outer lips as my tongue teases her swollen clit. God, fuck, her pussy clenches around my fingers even as her hips rock up in demand. Greedy little girl, I like that.
Slick, so damn slick, her pussy is running like a river yet my fingers are caught tight inside her. Time to make her lose control. I tease her clit stronger and stronger as I fuck her deeper with my fingers, even though my cock is jealous it’s not inside her. Ah, yes, Chloe is sobbing, begging for her climax. Not just yet. I nip at her clit with my teeth, sending her screaming, then move my fingers to that perfect spot. She screams my name; now she can come. I suck her clit deep and hard as I swirl on that spot and taste her come all over my tongue. Shit, did I come?
Lungs quivering, desperate for air, I give my head a moment to clear. Thank god I didn’t come. But I need to, now. I yank my shirt off, wiping my face. Grinning like an idiot at how wet my face is from Chloe’s sweet pussy.
Chloe shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I—you...we aren’t the same, we don’t want the same things. I want to be alone. I don’t want to be with anyone. I’m not okay with a one-night stand, which is all we could ever be.”
The words come out of her clear, concise, yet it’s there in her eyes: a longing she can’t hide. “What did he do? What did he make you do?”
Those beautiful eyes turn dark as storm clouds. She blinks and there are tears; another blink and they are gone. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“Yeah, you do. I need to know what the hell I’m fighting.”
“This isn’t—”
“Did he hurt you? Rape you?” My gut churns at the idea of her hurt.
“No, it wasn’t that. I just—” Shaking her head. “I had an abortion, okay? I was eighteen, only a few months out of school. I was young and dumb. Even though he used a condom.” She shrugs as if lost for words. Then closes her eyes. “The bastard wouldn’t even acknowledge my existence. It was exactly what my mother and grandmother had been telling me for years: men get what they want, then when they don’t want you anymore, once they’ve gotten everything they can take from you, they leave. There was no way I could go to either one of them; I couldn’t have taken the I-told-you-so’s. I had no one to take me to the clinic, no one to tell me I was doing the right thing even when I knew it was for me. All because I didn’t listen to my mother and Nonna when they told me over and over.”
Relief pours through me until I take in everything she said. The abortion doesn’t bother me; the idea of her going through it alone does. I tug her close, and she struggles but I don’t give up. Finally, with a deep sigh she sags into me. Fuck, her body against mine is heaven. “That’s bullshit. You shouldn’t have had to go through that alone. I’m sorry you did.” Frustration fills me
; I don’t know what the hell to say.
“I’m not sorry. As much as I tried not to believe everything my mother and Nonna said, he showed me in one painful move I was wrong not to listen to them. After that, I made sure I was never in a position where I wasn’t a hundred percent in control.”
Shit. “So from then on you were the one who walked away.”
When she pulls away, I let her. Her nod is sullen. “Only when it was clear I had to. Once it got to be too much, it was a constant barrage of resentment and belittling comments about my looks, how I dared to put my career before them, that I dared to put myself before them. The last time I swore I was done. In the last five years since I made that decision, I have loved my life. I like the way things are, and I don’t want them to change. I want to live my life alone. Except,” Her cheeks go pink. “Before this year is out...I have plans to be a mom, a single mom.”
I’m waiting for her to start laughing. It has to be a joke, only she’s not laughing. “What the hell are you talking about? How exactly are you making plans to be a single mother?”
“I’m looking into in vitro fertilization. I found a profile from a sperm bank. The cost is high, but I’ll have the two flat paid off in a few months and my renters downstairs are moving out in November.”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?”
Biting her lip, she looks away. “I prefer to go it alone. I don’t want to argue over how soon is too soon to take the pacifier away, to hear criticism over not wanting to breastfeed, private school versus public. It will be harder on some things, but far easier in other ways.”