Buying A Bride_A Romance Collection

by Cassandra Dee

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, from what I can gather, Ben seems to think that he’s depressed.”

  “Really?” I furrowed my brows together in confusion. From what I could tell, at least, he seemed just as upbeat as anyone else. He was hardly depressed when we were in bed together.

  “Yes. Ben tells me that he hasn’t been as social or outgoing as usual.”

  “I see.”

  “But since he’s been dating you, Ben noticed he seems like his old self again.” I almost flinched at her words. The way she said dating made it seem like we were in a long-term relationship. I wish. What would she think if she knew this was all just a temporary gig?

  Still, I smiled, glad that I could help him out of his depression. Maybe this was all just temporary but nonetheless, I liked the idea that I was doing him a bit of good. Besides, the effect was mutual. I was enjoying his company and attention just as much as he was enjoying mine.

  Quickly, I glanced over at Aaron.

  He was sitting at the bar with Ben but he was staring at me with an intense, almost hungry look in his eyes.

  In that moment, the whole world seemed to stop. The air around us was charged with energy. My every breath brought in that electricity, making me feel alive.

  But then, just as fast, I felt my heart sinking.

  Three months would go by quickly. Too quickly.

  What was going to happen then?

  Knowing it would only sour the mood if I kept thinking about it, I resolved to put it out of my mind for now. The best thing I could do was enjoy the moment and ride the wave wherever it wanted to take me.

  I took a sip of my drink and glanced at my companion. “Well, I’m just glad that we can make each other happy.”

  “That’s the most important part of a relationship,” she nodded in agreement.

  The conversation died down. We occupied ourselves by picking at the complimentary bread but soon enough, the awkward silence was too much for me to stomach.

  “So tell me about yourself,” I invited.

  “Oh, you already know about all that. I practically told you my life story during my bath.” She chuckled. “I have a feeling that you’re one of those girls that rarely talks about herself. Why is that?”

  I bit my bottom lip. Crap. I couldn’t exactly tell this woman that I was a pizza server who lived in a shitty little apartment with my alcoholic mom. It was too much sadness for a glossy woman like this. But Amelia leaned forwards then.

  “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Your secrets are safe with me.”

  I considered it for a moment. After all, Amelia came from a humble background as well. Her parents were immigrants from Austria who worked in factories their entire lives. She had done well in school and gotten into a prestigious college with a full ride. University life, however had not worked out in her favor. She found herself at too many parties and her grades plummeted as a result. With no other option, she dropped out and found a job at a high-end retail store where she manned the dressing rooms. There’s where she had met Ben.

  “Well…”

  “Don’t feel pressured or anything. I’m just curious. It’s always fascinating to hear how people live their lives. As you know, I’m not particularly proud of flunking out of college but I’ll say that I’m perfectly content with where life has taken me.”

  “You wouldn’t change anything?” I asked.

  “No. Because if I did, then I risk never meeting Ben.”

  I nodded. “He means that much to you?”

  “He means the world to me. He was there when no one else was. He was the rock when I felt like my world was falling to pieces.”

  “Well, I hope everything works out for the two of you.”

  She smiled and reached across the table to take my hand in hers. “And what about you and Aaron. What do you think will happen with the two of you?”

  I hesitated, trying to come up with the best way to respond. I knew that I had to choose my words very carefully. Of course, telling her the truth was completely out of the question. How embarrassing would it be to admit that my mother had sold me off to some rich guy for three months? Not to mention sad. I sighed.

  Three months.

  The time constraint echoed in my head.

  It was almost over. Soon, Aaron would disappear from my life. There’d be no happily ever after for us.

  “Melanie?” She raised an eyebrow in question. “Is everything all right?”

  “Everything’s fine,” I answered.

  For now. But how much longer did I have left? My time was ending, and soon I’d be Cinderella fleeing the ball in a pumpkin pulled by mice. My dreams of love would be nothing but ashes … and I’d have only memories to sustain me.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Aaron

  After a long day at the office, I was glad to be home. I sat in the garage for a moment, with my head tilted back and my eyes closed. There had been some kinks in the current budget that were turning out to be an absolute pain in the ass to iron out. In all honesty, balancing the budget was no longer my job but apparently, my financial advisors weren’t competent enough to do it on their own.

  I swear, this world is chock full of idiots.

  Or maybe I’ve just become disillusioned with it all. Who knows?

  I lingered in my car for a little while longer, letting the music melt around me. Suddenly, the garage light turned off. All right, I’d been idle for long enough. Reluctantly, I got out of my car and onto my feet. The light once again flickered back to life, illuminating my other sports cars. I surveyed the place. There were a few empty spaces in my garage. Maybe I should consider buying a few more cars at the auction. I was definitely in the market for an Aston Martin.

  I thought about this as I headed inside. There, I loosened my tie and tossed it on the coat rack along with my blazer. The maids would pick them up later and place them back in my closet.

  Trying to get comfortable, I unbuttoned the topmost buttons of my shirt, exposing a bit of chest. Then I rolled up my sleeves to my elbows. My forearms flexed as I clenched my fingers into a fist. Maybe it would be a good idea to hit the gym this evening. With everything that was going on, I had neglected my usual workout schedule.

  I headed for the stairs, so I could change into some workout clothes. As I did so, I passed the glass doors that led onto the back patio.

  I stopped when I saw Melanie, who was standing by the pool dressed in nothing but a tiny string bikini. She had her back to me with her hair flowing down to the small of her back, drawing attention to that seductive curve of her ass and those delicious hips. I loved that she was a little thicker than most women. It’s so much better when you has something to hold onto.

  In front of her, the sun was setting over Tucson. The sky was painted in glorious oranges and reds. Subtle hues of purples cropped up here and there, making the scene look like a watercolor painting. It was absolutely stunning.

  But I continued to watch her.

  Melanie, of course, had no idea that I was behind her.

  In that moment, all the stress from work just melted away. I felt content as I took in the beautiful woman. A soft breeze rolled in, gently blowing her hair to the side.

  It was hard to believe that she’s living with me for two months now. Time seemed to fly by so quickly now that we were together. I wanted to savor every moment with her. It seemed like time was starting to fly by a little too quickly.

  As I stood there, I wondered what to do next. With the budget situated, there wasn’t much at work that was pressing. I had to figure out something that would keep me entertained and my mind busy. The last thing I wanted to do was fall back on that rut of boredom again.

  Maybe we could go to Europe for a while. I’ve never been to Russia before, and Moscow is supposed to be beautiful at this time of year.

  Just then, Melanie turned.

  Our eyes locked.

  She smiled that sweet smile of hers that made me want to take he
r into my arms and never let go. Everything about her was so angelic and pure. Sometimes, it was hard to believe the vixen she could become whenever she was particularly turned on. For someone who was recently a virgin, she had one hell of a sex drive and I fucking loved it. She had even started coming onto me, rubbing her body against mine, and peeling off my clothes without a word or suggestion on my part.

  Unable to stay away, I opened the doors and joined her.

  She instantly threw her arms around my neck as her smile grew inviting.

  I responded by placing my hands on her curvy hips, pulling her close until our bodies locked together.

  She smiled up at me coyly, fluttering her lashes.

  “What’s up with that mischievous look in your eyes?” I growled.

  “Oh, nothing,” she answered, feigning innocence.

  “Melanie,” I rumbled. “Tell me.”

  She just giggled.

  I slapped her ass and she jumped in surprise.

  “Tell me,” I said again.

  “I’ve figured out what you like.” Melanie’s reply was a seductive whisper.

  “Have you now?”

  “Yup. I found it in one of your drawers. Did you really think you’d be able to keep it a secret from me?” She looked up at me from underneath her eyelashes.

  “What did you find, baby?” I asked, already getting excited by the idea. Oh, there were so many things I wanted to do to this woman. But at the same time, I wanted to take things at a pace that she was comfortable with. I knew that my sexual preferences were not for everyone and the last thing I wanted to do was scare her away.

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “Oh, you’re a naughty girl. You shouldn’t tease me like this. I might just have to punish you for it.”

  She giggled. “Maybe that’s exactly what I want.” Melanie winked and my cock instantly came to life inside my pants. I loved how flirtatious she was being. I could tell she was in the mood to play, and if that’s what she wanted then that was exactly what she would get.

  Even though I wanted nothing more than to pounce on her, I refrained from doing so. For now, I’d let her take control just to see where’d she take the night.

  She smiled coyly again, running her hands along my chest.

  Just then, the bell chimed. “Let me get it!” Melanie said quickly, prying away from me before I could stop her. At least I got to enjoy the view of her ass bouncing with every step.

  Damn.

  She was gorgeous.

  A few minutes later, she came back with a brown paper bag.

  “What’s that?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

  “It’s exactly what you like,” Melanie answered with a slight giggle.

  I followed her to a lawn chair, trying to look into the bag before she could even open it.

  Slowly, she reached inside and pulled out a take-out container full of sushi.

  I chuckled and nodded my head. “Spicy tempura. You’re right. That’s exactly what I like.”

  “See, I told you that I had figured it out.”

  I sat down behind her, letting her sit between my legs. With my arms around her waist, I started to kiss her shoulder, taking my time to decorate every inch of her skin with my affection. I breathed in her scent and smiled, nuzzling into her neck. There was just something about this woman that was so intoxicating. No other girl had ever made me feel this way.

  Melanie broke the chopsticks and rubbed them together to prevent splinters. Then she carefully picked up a neat little roll and guided it into my mouth. I parted my lips obediently and closed my eyes, moaning ecstatically for effect.

  She giggled. “That good, huh?”

  When I was done chewing, I nibbled on her neck. “Not nearly as good as you but it’s a pretty close second.”

  “Aren’t you glad that I found this take-out menu in your kitchen drawer?”

  “Yes, baby.” I held her a little tighter, feeling like I never wanted to let her go. She was just so sweet. Everything about her was genuine and I loved that.

  She fed me yet another piece, doing so with utmost care. I could tell by the look in her eye that she had legitimate feelings for me – that the electricity in the air wasn’t just something I had made up in my euphoria. I could tell that it was something that she was feeling, too.

  After I swallowed, I leaned in and gave her a kiss. I had intended for it to be a quick, teasing peck on the lips but as soon as I tasted her, it was impossible for me to pull away from her.

  The kiss intensified with our passion, growing hotter and hotter with each moment.

  I tangled my fingers into her hair, tugging on it slightly as my tongue slipped into her mouth.

  Oh, the things I wanted to do to this woman. They were endless. Three months wouldn’t nearly be enough time but that just meant I needed to make the most of every moment.

  Finally, I pulled away. We were both breathless as we looked into each other’s eyes. I smiled and kissed the top of her head while pinning a strand of hair behind her ear. I lingered there a moment before grabbing a piece of sushi and feeding it to her this time.

  She smiled as she nibbled delicately with a pleased expression on her face. “That really is good. I can tell why you like it so much.”

  “Yeah, they’re the best in town. No other place really compares.”

  “You know what I think?” Melanie looked up at me, twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

  “What’s that, baby girl?”

  “I think you would enjoy this sushi a lot more if you tried it like this.” As she spoke, she leaned back in the chair and then carefully placed a piece of sushi in her cleavage. Her tits were full and generous, and the food balanced deliciously between her creamy curves.

  “Oh, I like the way you think.” Leaning down, I planted a trail of kisses along her stomach before gently grabbing the sushi with my lips and enjoying it. “Mmm, you’re right. It’s much better.”

  “What about this one?” This time she pulled her bikini bottoms to the side so that her pink slit was revealed, and delicately placed a piece of sushi on it.

  Oh fuck. I immediately moved between her legs, taking them into my hands and lifting them slightly as I ran my tongue over her thighs, taking my time. I could feel her shiver as I got closer and closer to her mound.

  Looking into her eyes, I grabbed the sushi with my lips and ate it, swallowing before planting a kiss on her glistening slit.

  “Oooh,” she moaned. “That felt good.”

  I was loving this. “You’re cute.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so,” I said with a chuckle. This moment was so sweet. I could tell that she had arranged all this to please me. Gently, I rubbed my hands against her thighs, watching as she lifted her hips into the air, body silently begging for more than just my touch. “Come on, let’s go upstairs and take a shower.”

  “Don’t you want to finish the sushi?”

  “No.” I kissed her lips. “All I want now is you.” Effortlessly, I swept up with her in my arms and carried her inside. She wrapped her arms around my neck and played with the hair at the nape of my neck as I made my way up the stairs.

  I pressed my hands against the small of her back to better enjoy the feeling of her body pressed against mine, so warm and so soft.

  Soon, we were inside my master bath.

  I placed her on the sink. Instantly, our lips collided together, tongues tangling in each other’s mouths. I pulled at her hair ever so slightly as my other hand roughly kneaded at her breast. I could tell that tonight I wouldn’t be able to control myself.

  She wanted to know what I liked.

  Well, tonight she was going to find out.

  When I pulled away from the kiss, she looked at me and whimpered ever so slightly. I chuckled and turned on the shower before setting it to the perfect temperature.

  As I waited for the water to warm, I took off her bikini. My fingertips stroked every inch of her skin. I loved how sil
ky she was. Leaning down, I kissed her shoulder and gently nipped at her skin.

  She tugged at my shirt. With a chuckle, I allowed her to take it off. It flew across the room. There was glow in her eyes as she looked at me, licking her lips. I loved how easily I could turn her on.

  Already, her pussy was glistening with her juices. I thought about slurping up a bit of that nectar right then and there but in the end, I decided it would be better to make her wait. If I continued to tease her then she would just crave it even more. And if I played my cards right, she would be a downright fiend in bed.

  Exactly what I wanted.

  Stepping back, I unbuttoned my pants, giving her a bit of a show as I slid them down my hips. They fell to the ground, exposing the impressive tent I had pitched in my underwear.

  “Someone’s excited,” she whispered.

  “I’m not the only one.” I couldn’t resist rolling her clit between my fingers. I smirked as she squirmed under my touch, tightening her hold on the edge of the sink.

  She sighed in pleasure as I continued to play with her, getting her so wet that she was leaving a puddle on the counter.

  Just before I could pull away, she slipped her hand into my boxers.

  “What are you doing?” I growled.

  “Just thought he might want to come out to play,” Melanie answered innocently. She tightened her fingers around my thickness, rubbing it up and down for a moment before freeing it from underwear.

  I was already throbbing in anticipation, but I held back because a hot, steamy shower was in order. So instead, I took her by the hips and helped her to the ground. She stopped me for a kiss before following me into the spacious shower. Already, the steam had fogged up the glass and the space was nice and warm.

  As soon as Melanie stepped inside, I grabbed her and kissed her hard, pushing her against the wall as my hand roughly moved around her body.

  She moaned into the liplock and I felt myself getting even more turned on. She pressed herself forward, telling me that she wanted to take this to the next level. She was done playing.

  It was time for the real thing.