A few seconds later, I finally straightened. Really, it was out of necessity. Based on the dazed expression on her face, the raw hunger in her eyes, I no longer trusted her to force me away. While staring, crushing my lips to hers became one of the hardest things I had to walk away from.
Somewhere during the kiss on her cheek, she pressed her hands into the wood door behind her. Combined with the raw lust in her eyes, this confirmed my theory that if pushed, she would have succumbed to wanting more than an innocent kiss.
“Good night, Cassie.” Without looking back, I headed down the hall toward the stairwell.
When I hit the street, I felt like I had finished a marathon… an unproductive one. Every part of my body wanted back into her building to pick up where I left off. Never have I had to consciously talk myself out of being with a woman. What the hell was that?
Minutes later, I was back in a cab heading to my place. My body felt like it’d been plugged in, the desire I felt taking on a life of its own. Part of me wanted to storm right back in there and pound on her door. Shit. I hadn’t gotten laid in way too long. That could only account for my lapse of judgment.
Chapter 6
Cassie
Thank God it was Sunday. Brunch with my girls was exactly what I needed to clear my head. For years, Brae, Vanessa, and I would meet once a week to catch up on things. Recently, our weekly ritual had been reduced to three times a month. Ever since Jude and Kyle came into the picture, their gripes caused Brae and Vanessa to appease them by giving up one of the weeks. I guess it could have been worse with the kind of man Jude was.
Our brunch dates were special, and it was a shame our other friend, Desiree, was working in London. We missed having her around, but one of us would usually fill her in the next time we spoke.
Sabrina had started to join us when she could, but this week Luca had planned a vacation with her and Mikey to Southern California. Not having her there meant I didn’t need to hold anything back… once I swore Brae to secrecy. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust Sabrina, but she was attached to the brother of the man who wrecked my head.
I sat at our usual table, staring into the worn wood as if answers would appear. Laughter caught my attention, and I let out a sigh of relief when my friends walked in. Brae, of course, had her yoga clothes on. But Vanessa, who despised yoga, was dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Good morning!” Brae’s bright demeanor rivaled that of the late August sunlight filtering into the restaurant. “Have you been waiting long?” She kissed my cheek before sitting down next to me. Vanessa gave me a hug and sat opposite myself and Brae.
“No, not really. I haven’t been sleeping very well, so…” I let my voice trail off because what would I say? A sexy, annoying man with a pierced nipple keeps infiltrating my thoughts? Instantly, I remembered what I did to said nipple last night in my dreams.
The waitress came and Vanessa ordered our customary mimosas.
“I’m so sorry I had to cancel on you last week,” Vanessa said with a slight frown. “There was no way I was going to make it after that wonderful party.”
Brae laughed. “I don’t think any of us could have made it. I spent the morning in bed. Your man sure knows how to do it right.”
Vanessa grinned salaciously, “Mmm… he sure does.” Vanessa and I stared at our unassuming friend waiting for it to click.
The way Vanessa’s mind processed things had become predictable, especially when Kyle was involved. Those two were the definition of sex. Then again, Brae wasn’t the type to kiss and tell.
“I didn’t mean… ugh, you know what I meant.” Brae welcomed the mimosa the waitress had set down by taking a large taste of it.
Mimicking Brae, I picked up my glass and drained the tangy cocktail. “I went out with Dante.” The sentence flew from my mouth before I could stop it. Vanessa, who had just raised her glass, paused midair, as Brae shooed away the waitress who came to take our orders.
“When?” Brae asked with more shock than confusion.
“Friday.”
“Friday?” Vanessa screeched. “That was two days ago, and you’re only telling us now?”
There was no way this topic of conversation could leave the table. Reaching over, I placed a hand on Brae’s forearm. “You can’t tell Jude any of this, okay? I’d rather be the one to talk to Luca.” Brae shifted in her seat. “If this makes you uncomfortable, I won’t discuss it now.”
She bit her bottom lip for a half second before nodding. “My lips are sealed, I promise. But, if it ever gets to be too much, don’t take offense if I walk away. I don’t like keeping things from him.”
“Deal. I completely understand.” I let out a breath before continuing. “So, the other day, Dante called to apologize for being an ass after we got into the accident… and for most of Vanessa’s party. If it wasn’t for him being Luca’s brother, I probably would have told him to go to hell. He wanted a do-over, and he took me out to dinner. He also remembered something from the accident that could help my case.”
The waitress came back yet again, and this time Vanessa did the shooing. When the waitress huffed at us, I said, “We can order.” Once we each recited our choices, she scurried away, giving us privacy.
“Now go on,” Vanessa said, leaning forward on her elbows, her chin perched in her hands.
“Anyway, dinner was good. He wasn’t as assholey as I thought he’d be. To make a long story short, when he brought me home, he kissed me on the cheek.”
“That’s it? A kiss on the cheek?” Vanessa relaxed back into her chair. “How scandalous.”
Brae laughed. “V, she isn’t you. I’m surprised you went out with him at all.”
Thoughts of how Dante held me when we danced, the way his hips moved with mine, and the way his eyes looked at me with wanton lust had me squirming in my seat. Although it was a simple kiss on the cheek, his full lips against my skin, his hard body pressing into mine, and even the scent of his masculine cologne sent a shockwave through my system. Never before had a simple gesture wreaked so much havoc.
There was so much I wanted to say, but knowing Brae thought I did the right thing, I held back. Vanessa, on the other hand, arched a brow, knowing there was more to the story. She also knew I wasn’t going to talk about it right then.
“Well, I’m glad you two are getting along,” Brae said before taking a sip of her mimosa. “I’m sure Luca was worried about it.”
I nodded, knowing that was probably the case. Even though Luca was away, there were times I wanted to pick up the phone to get his take on the situation. And if my confusion was about anyone other than his brother, I would have.
After we finally ate our meals, we stood and made plans for the holiday weekend. Jude and Brae were having us all at their place in the Hamptons for Labor Day, except for Dante, who had to work. Without the distraction of Dante, I looked forward to doing nothing but reading a good book.
Vanessa hung back once Brae said goodbye. I knew she wasn’t satisfied with the little information I divulged.
“Come on, let’s go to your place and really talk about your date.”
“What makes you think there’s more?” I asked, acting dumb yet relieved I could let out all the salacious thoughts plaguing me. If anyone was the perfect candidate to listen without judgment, it was V.
She hooked her arm around mine and leaned in as we began walking to my place. “Let’s see, the way you licked your lips at the moment you said he kissed your cheek. Then there was the constant blush that made you look like the air-conditioning in the diner had stopped working. I saw at least three squirms and a dreamy faraway look in your eyes.”
“Jesus, V, you should be in the CIA.”
An easy laugh busted out of her ruby-tinted lips. “I’d be a kick-ass CIA agent.”
Only once we were comfortably lounging on my couch did I start revealing details. With her poker face on, Vanessa listened to everything I said leading up to the dance club.
�
��Okay, sounds like a nice dinner, but my girly parts aren’t tingling yet, so what are you holding back?” she asked, with a touch of attitude. Vanessa was a no-bullshit kind of girl, so beating around the bush wouldn’t fly with her.
“Well, after dinner he suggested taking me to a club.”
“You went to a sex club?” She couldn’t contain the excitement in her voice.
“No!”
Before I could say anything else, she pointed a pink manicured finger at me. Lines of curiosity appeared on her forehead. “You’re hiding something.”
“Oh my God. Can we stick to one embarrassing detail at a time?” I literally felt like I popped off the top of a can of worms, and one by one they slithered out. I hadn’t told a soul of my curiosity with kink… how I loved reading about it in books… how I wished for it in my own sex life.
“Why is this embarrassing? He’s a hot-as-fuck man who obviously knows how to use what God gave him.”
“Okay, let me get through my date with Dante, and then I’ll fill you in on some other stuff you don’t know.”
“I knew you’ve been hiding something,” she quipped.
“No, you didn’t. Anyway… he took me to an underground dance club.”
With a firm nod, Vanessa said, “Alessandro’s.”
“You know it?”
“Sure. Kyle and I have been a few times. We use it as foreplay.”
“Oh, Lord. Okay, well, I can’t dance like that. But Dante took control, and the way he moved his body against mine unleashed some sort of… of…”
“Inner slut?”
“Yes! I was so damn horny. It didn’t help that his hard-on joined our little party and stayed for the duration of the night.”
“Poor guy probably had a bad case of blue balls. Was it huge?”
As if it were still pressed against me, I could feel every delectable inch of him. I didn’t know if it was huge by Vanessa’s standards, but for my own, it felt like something that would be a delightful challenge. It didn’t surprise me in the least, considering it matched the size of his ego.
With an annoyed sigh, I said, “Can we focus?” A firm nod allowed me to proceed. “Well, I can’t stop thinking of the way he rolled his hips and the look on his face as he did. It left nothing to the imagination of what having sex with him would be like… of course, minus the actual… you know.”
“Fucking?” She rolled her eyes and leaned forward. “Get rid of this little innocent act you have going. From here on in, just say what you’re thinking. So then what?”
“He took me home and kissed my cheek.” She opened her mouth to speak, and I raised a hand. “Let me finish. By the time we got to my door, I was on fire. I thanked him, he leaned in close, and even though it was an innocent kiss, every part of him was pushing up against every part of me.”
“His cock was still hard,” she interjected with a nod.
“Yeah. V, I was seconds away from inviting him in. And if I had, I would have most definitely slept with him.”
“I don’t see the issue here.” Her head continued to shake back and forth even as her words ended. “You’re both adults. What is it with adults denying themselves because they think it’s wrong?”
“It is wrong. He’s Luca’s brother.”
“So? And Kyle was Jude’s best friend. When we started our thing, that wasn’t a reason I would have used to not fuck him.”
I blushed at her statement. God, she could be so blunt. But she was right… sort of. “That’s not the only reason.” I then voiced the other issue that held me back. “He’s out of my league. Damn, I don’t even own decent lingerie for a man like Dante. He’s surrounded by models… not ordinary ones either… supermodels. The man is sex personified. He could probably suck the life right out of me.”
“Sounds hot,” she retorted. “He’s not out of your league. I’ll coach you. You need this, Cass. He’s obviously into you. If any one of us needs a hot, writhing, raw, hip-pounding affair…” She lifted one perfectly sculpted brow with a smirk and pointed at me. “It’s you.”
My friend was right. I did need all that. I needed a distraction, an obsession, an adventure. Maybe the restlessness I felt was because of Dante. After meeting him last week, an antsy feeling consumed me. Maybe it had nothing to do with my routine or not feeling a zing with Thomas. Maybe… getting one little taste of a man who could both infuriate me and make my blood simmer with desire, while wanting to tell him off with my next breath, was what caused the restlessness.
“Anyway, back to what I was going to tell you.” On instinct, or maybe it was habitual, I straightened my spine and crossed my legs at the ankles. “What you don’t know about me is how I was raised.”
“Amish?” Vanessa quipped.
“Seriously?” I let out a long breath. “No, I’m not Amish. Do you want to hear this or not?”
Vanessa casually tucked her feet under her legs. “Yes, I’m sorry. Please continue.”
“Thank you. You could say my family is very rigid. My father is the chief of cardiology and on the hospital’s board. My mother doesn’t work, per se, but she’s very involved with the historical society and co-chairs several philanthropic events. Growing up, it was all about acting the right way, knowing when to speak and when not to. Like many girls, I was enrolled in a finishing school.” I couldn’t keep from rolling my eyes at my statement. It sounded so pretentious… because it was.
Vanessa’s head tipped to the side. “Did you have one of those coming-out parties?” She laughed, but I nodded. “No way. Really? How is it that we don’t know this about you? We’ve known each other for years, Cass.”
How? Because I hated everything about it. “It wasn’t something that came up in idle conversation… or ever. What should I have said? My parents are stuffy and hate the fact that I’m a teacher? Or worse yet, that I wasn’t married to a doctor, living in a home surrounded by a white picket fence? No, some things are better left unsaid.”
“So you can successfully walk across a room with a book balanced on your head. What does this have to do with sex?” Her eyes widened. “You have had sex before, right?”
“God, yes!” I rubbed my temples, warding off my impending headache. “Focus, V. You’ve seen Dante. What if we do get together? He’s the opposite of everything I know.”
Vanessa blinked long and slow, as though she were trying to garner patience. “Sweetie, you’re a grown woman. You can’t be worried about your family’s opinion on who you want to fuck.” A victorious smile meant that she misinterpreted my silence as conceding to her words.
Yes, she was right… regardless, yes, I could worry about that. “This is difficult to explain. I’m their only daughter… their princess. Picture this… it’s the Fourth of July. We’re at my parents’ estate.”
“Estate?”
“Again, focus, V.”
“Sorry, continue.”
“Anyway, we’re at my parents’ home, in the backyard for their annual barbeque. The elite of the elite are there. My mother is donning one of her designer sundresses, my father looks like he should be on the golf course, and their friends are sipping expensive wine on the flagstone patio around their large pool. Enter Dante. His board shorts are resting low on his hips, revealing his vee. His sunglasses make him look uber mysterious. His hair isn’t neat as a pin. Instead, it looks like he just had sex.” I crossed my legs in the other direction at the thought of that. “Then he peels off his shirt and the sun gleams, catching his nipple piercing…”
“Damn, that’s hot.” Exasperated, I let out a sigh. Not because she was wrong, but for the opposite. “I’m sorry, but again, you’re an adult. I think there’s something else besides your uptight childhood. Spill it.”
I needed to come clean with what was really bothering me, even if it made me sound insecure, because, quite frankly, I was. “What if Dante is used to a woman who is a bit more experienced? One who’s uninhibited? One who’s a bit reckless. I’m not that woman, V. Yes, I know how to have
fun, and I do my best to let loose, but you’ve seen my past boyfriends.” Sadness filled my eyes. “If we got together, and I fell for him… I mean really fell for him, and he got bored, then what? Going to Alessandro’s was a taste of what he liked. What if I can’t keep up?” Defeated, I shook my head. “I guess I’m scared.”
Vanessa pulled me into a hug. “You’re not a stuffy, uptight stiff from Connecticut. You’re a fun-loving, sweet, sexy woman who can recite Emily Post. Deep down, there’s an inner vixen in there. You just need the right man to pull it out of you… or put it in.”
She pulled back and winked at me. We both started laughing, but I couldn’t help but wonder if she was right.
Chapter 7
Dante
The beige lace cups of her bra left nothing to the imagination, and neither did her matching thong. “Lie back,” I instructed, waiting as she seductively positioned herself. She bent one long leg at the knee and the other lay flat on the mattress. A small strip of the lace revealed itself between her thighs. A sheath of silky ebony hair hung behind her, creating a backdrop to her come fuck me look. “On your elbows.” She did as I asked before pinning me with a heated gaze, one that said she wanted me.
Click. Click. Click.
I couldn’t help the smile that spread over my lips. That right there was the money shot, that look you couldn’t fake. Over the years, I’d learned through experience that those who wanted in my pants were better subjects to photograph… and that included some of the men.
After snapping a dozen or so shots while she stripped me bare with her eyes, I slid to the right and said, “Smile, Camilla.” An electric smile lit her face, prompting me to capture it on film for all of eternity.
This wasn’t the first time I’d photographed her. It seemed apropos for her to be my first client in New York City. The woman had been relentless in pursuing me. When her call came, my first instinct was to suggest outdoor shots. Subconsciously, Camilla was probably the main reason I second-guessed using my spare bedroom as a studio.
The Mr. Wrong Series Page 84