by Cherry Kay
“So what’s your nationality? You have beautiful eyes.”
Ari tried to ignore the rush of warm pleasure that flooded her chest at his compliment. “I was born here in Florida; Miami, actually. My mother was born in France, her family being mostly Haitian, my father was Jamaican,” Ari replied and Mark nodded thoughtfully.
“It’s a beautiful mix. Do you know French?”
Ari tilted her head from side to side in a so-so gesture. “I can understand it perfectly, speaking it is another issue.” Ari laughed and Mark smiled.
“That’s cool, I can’t speak any language other than English. My parents are Italian Jews, your classic New Yorkers. They both moved from Italy at young ages and forgot most of the language. It’s a shame though, romantic languages are really pretty.”
Ari marveled at the fact that they were having such open and flowing conversation. She didn’t feel awkward around Mark at all. They had a really great brunch and afterwards they stopped by Ari’s place, before going to his soon-to-be building site, so she could change her clothes.
“Ari, you have a nice little place here,” Mark commented as he waited out in the living room. It was your everyday modern condo. Open floor plan, lots of light, and the illusion of lots of space. It did have a great kitchen and that, along with the master bath, was one of the reasons Ari bought the place.
“Thanks, make yourself at home, I’ll be right out,” Ari hollered at him, as she was deep in her closet trying to find something to wear. Ari settled on a nice blouse and dark jeans, she slipped on some wedges and then quickly combed her hair into a ponytail and put on some accessories while she walked out into the living room. Mark’s eyes sized her from head to toe twice and Ari laughed almost nervously at his hungry expression.
“No, no, you have a full day today and can’t afford to be locked up in here with me forever.”
Mark quirked his eyebrow at Ari. “I can’t afford? Baby, there’s nothing I can’t afford. Time being included into that category.”
Ari rolled her eyes and took his hand while she walked towards the door. “You would be wasting your realtor’s time and that isn’t very professional.”
Before Ari could step outside the door Mark pulled her back against him and his lips descended on Ari’s hungrily. He pulled away just as abruptly, leaving her breathless.
“You have such a smart mouth.” Mark smiled, pleased with himself and then he led her outside to the front of the building where there was a black BMW waiting in front of a black town car. A man stepped out of the BMW and handed Mark the set of keys before tipping his hat in an old fashioned gesture and wishing them a good day. The driver climbed into the town car and it promptly drove off.
“I hope you don’t mind me driving,” Mark said as he held open the passenger door for Ari. Like he hadn’t been driving since last night anyway.
“Not at all.” Ari smirked and got in and soon they were headed towards the beach. “So why do you have to visit the site where you’ll be building?” she asked and Mark shrugged, nonchalant.
“I have to confirm the final dimensions of the property and the actual hotel in real space before the builders can start anything. Then tomorrow we break ground and let the celebrations begin.” Mark grinned and Ari mirrored his smile. He was excited; he truly enjoyed what he did. “It’s good that nothing came up thus far and everything is moving along smoothly. It means I won’t have to extend my stay so far.” Ari pursed her lips when he said this. His expression wavered when he realized that their fantasy had to end soon.
“So your business trip is actually only half-business, the other half is…?” Ari asked wondering if he was serious about the partying.
“Well, it’s all work. The people at these dinners and parties are all investors and partners, associates. It’s all pretty boring, but it’s good for networking and I’m always looking for another prime piece of land to build my next hotel or resort on,” Mark explained.
“When do you think you’ll stop expanding and focus on managing?” Ari asked and Mark thought about his answer.
“I don’t know… I’m always striving for more so it would take something big for me to settle down, really.” Ari wondered what could possibly get Mark Robinson to settle down.
They reached the beach and parked near the marina where Mark showed her the large stretch of land he was going to turn into one of his huge famed hotels. He walked over to meet up with his architect and Ari roamed around the giant open space. It was a grassy area just off the sand; the perfect lot for a hotel. It would bring in a lot more of the upper class spenders to the area from all parts of the world. Mark’s hotels were pretty exclusive. When he was done talking to the architect and foreman working on his project, Ari watched him from afar as he walked along the sand taking a few calls. When he was finished, he looked up, his eyes scanning for Ari. She walked toward him and he smiled, and then kissed her on the cheek when she reached him.
A flash from a camera startled her and Mark looked up, vaguely annoyed. A man in a polo shirt and shorts looked up from the camera, smiling nervously. He hurried away, almost as if he didn’t want Mark to say anything to him.
“Damn photographers everywhere. I hope you don’t mind showing up in some gossip run.” Mark gave Ari an apologetic smile and she found that she didn’t know how she felt about that.
“Well, there’s no stopping it now. I just hope you don’t have any enemies who want what you appear to hold dear dead or something.”
Mark laughed, a full bellied laugh and he actually had to wipe at tears of mirth before he sobered. “No, I promise. No one will come after you. Anyway, if anyone does, you call me and I’ll handle it.”
He said the last part a bit ominously and Ari laughed, thinking he was joking. But as she looked up at him on their walk back to the car, she saw his expression was serious.
“If that Darrel guy bothers you ever again, you call me and then the cops,” Mark said, his expression fierce and protective. All Ari could do was nod and then Mark opened the passenger door for her so she could lower herself into his car. Before Ari got in, though, Mark kissed her, stealing Ari’s breath away like all of his other consuming kisses.
“Good, you may get in now.” A smile spread across Ari’s face and she sat down. Mark shut her door and got into the driver’s seat.
“So where are we going now?” Ari asked and Mark told her they were going to his realtor’s office before she took him around to show him houses and condos.
“Are you sure I should be there picking out houses with you?” Ari asked slowly as they arrived at the office building.
Mark turned off the car and looked at Ari as if she asked a ridiculous question. “Of course. I want you with me as much as possible, can’t you see that?”
Ari blinked at him in shock. She wanted to ask him why, but was afraid to; she didn’t think she wanted to know the answer to that question.
“O—kay…” Ari replied and Mark nodded before getting out of the car. Just as she suspected, his realtor, a curvy blonde woman with pretty blue eyes, looked at Ari in confusion when they arrived at her office. Ari felt momentarily inadequate, as this woman was obviously Mark’s usual type and probably wondering why Mark would have anything to do with her.
“Margret, this is Clarissa Francis, she’ll be accompanying me today.” Margret schooled her expression quickly into one that was professional and polite, for Mark’s benefit no doubt.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” She and Ari shook hands briefly and she promptly turned her attention to Mark, filling him in on the homes she’d be showing him. Mark let her know that he hoped she had lined up something good, as he would be putting an offer in on one that day.
The entire ordeal of watching this realtor flirt egregiously with Mark wore on Ari’s nerves. If she batted her eyelashes or touched his arm one more time, Ari was going to go sit in the car, she just couldn’t watch any more of it. By the time they got back to the realtor’s office, Ari saw that M
ark realized she was a lot quieter and he stopped her in the hall, telling Ms. Flirt that they would be right in. The realtor pursed her lips in distaste, but nodded and told him to come in whenever he was ready.
Mark
“What’s wrong?” Mark asked her and she looked up at him, shaking her head, pretending everything was fine. “Why are you so quiet? Did you think there was a ghost in one of the places she showed us?” Mark said jokingly and Ari smirked.
“No, it’s just… it’s silly really.”
“If it’s upsetting you, it’s not silly. What’s wrong?”
Ari took a deep breath and sighed. “It is silly, it’s just… she’s been practically throwing herself at you the entire time.”
Mark chuckled and pulled her flush against him, his hands sliding down to grip her round ass as his lips touched hers, once, twice, and a third time before moving against them hungrily.
“I hadn’t even noticed Ari, and after we get some dinner, I’m taking you back to my hotel and showing you how much you have me in the palm of your hand.” Mark broke the kiss to whisper to her and Ari took a second to focus and she simply nodded. Mark smiled, pleased with himself and then pulled her inside Margret’s office with him.
“All right Margret, let’s make this quick. Ari and I have plans we need to take care of,” Mark said suggestively while looking at Ari who tried to hide her pleased grin. Poor Margret looked annoyed, but masked it as she showed Mark which houses and condos they had toured through on her computer. Out of the five places they saw today, Mark liked two the most, a house on one of the isles and a penthouse condo on New River.
“Which one do you like best?” Mark asked Ari and both she and Margret looked at him in surprised question. “I want your input,” he said simply and Ari bit her lip while she mulled it over.
“I like the house on Castilla Isle. It had a really pretty view.”
Mark nodded. She was right and she knew that Mark was a sucker for views of the water.
“I’ll go with the Castilla house then. Full asking, and cash with a quick closing, providing it’s furnished just like we saw today.” Margret nodded and got the paperwork started. They remained in her office for the next hour until the deal was made and Mark had a new house.
Ari and Mark walked toward the parking lot afterward and he noticed that she was being quiet again. “Talk to me, baby.”
Ari looked up at him, her expression unreadable.
“What are we doing?” she asked and Mark sighed, he didn’t want to have this conversation until he was faced with leaving for New York. Mark still had four days in Florida and he wouldn’t ruin his time with her.
“We’re being together. Please just live in the now with me, Ari.”
She took a shaky breath and then nodded, giving in. “Okay, okay, we can be together for as long as it lasts.”
“Good, now where do you want to eat tonight?” Mark asked and Ari shrugged. Mark changed their plans in his mind. He wanted to take her out, show her how special she was to him. “How about we go someplace nice to eat?”
“Okay, sure.” Ari smiled and Mark opened the door for her when they reached the car. As soon as they pulled out of the parking space, Mark’s phone rang and Roselyn’s name appeared on the screen in the dashboard. Shit, why was she calling him? Mark ignored the call and it didn’t go unnoticed by Ari, though she didn’t say anything. Mark drove to Ari’s building and they headed up to her condo.
“Today felt like a long day, didn’t it?” Mark asked as they headed inside and Ari nodded.
“Yeah, and we woke up relatively late, too. Do all your days feel so busy?” she asked and Mark snorted. She didn’t know the half of it. Mark was on vacation compared to a regular day at his office. That was probably why he liked opening so many hotels; he got to escape for a little bit when ground breaking and grand opening came around.
“I’m thinking we should take a nap before our busy night.” Mark smiled at her deviously and Ari snorted.
“Yeah, okay, you and I both know we won’t be taking a nap.”
Mark grinned and walked toward where she sat at the breakfast bar. She held two hands up in front of her, as if that was going to stop Mark.
“Mark if we start now, we probably won’t get to that nice restaurant you wanted to go to.”
He stalked around the bar and stopped directly in front of her, her hands flat on his chest. “Don’t worry, I’ll set an alarm so we can take a break to go out.”
Ari bit on her lip and Mark growled, scooping her up into his arms and then threw her over his shoulder, caveman style, to take her to the bedroom. Ari erupted into girlish laughter as she squealed at him to put her down. She smacked his butt and Mark smacked hers before setting her down on the bed.
“I want something from you Ari… I’ve been fantasizing about it for a while,” Mark told her, his voice husky and his gaze was hot on hers.
“What…?” she asked breathlessly and Mark’s gaze slid down to her mouth. Ari licked her lips and Mark’s breath caught. She knew exactly what he wanted.
“I need you on your knees, Ari,” Mark told her and she smirked, a challenge in her eyes, before she stood up and pushed him down onto the bed.
Ari made quick work of his belt buckle and the clasp of Mark’s pants before pulling them off. She was careful not to touch the bulge in his boxer briefs as she leaned over him, her lips on Mark’s pulse as she trailed light kisses down his chest while unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it off his shoulders. Her lips and tongue traced every ridge on Mark’s chest and abdomen; by the time her trail of fire reached his waist, Mark’s cock was rigid, the pink head of his penis was throbbing and sensitive.
“Ari… don’t play…” Mark’s voice was a hoarse whisper as he watched her kiss him through the grey fabric.
Her green eyes seemed to shine with heated mischief and Mark swore that he would lose it if he didn’t keep himself together. Ari pulled at the waistband of his underwear and Mark helped her get them off, as he practically ripped them from his body. Mark’s cock sprang free and he gritted his teeth as her hand closed around him firmly, her tongue flicked out to taste the bead of moisture that oozed out of the head. Mark groaned and fisted his hands in the sheets, not knowing what to do with them.
“Clarissa, please…” He begged her for more and that minx-like smirk was back; she had proven her point, but she didn’t need to.
Ari had Mark in the palm of her hand there was no denying it; she owned him. Ari took Mark’s throbbing cock into her mouth, and sucked him deep in one draw. Mark’s toes curled at the pressure and the feel of her warm and silky tongue as it swirled around the sensitive head.
“Fuuuuck, Clarissa,” Mark hissed and she pulled her head back sliding him out of her mouth before taking him in deeper, to the very back of her throat where she swallowed around him.
Mark pounded his fist on the bed and cursed again. He had never gotten it that good before, which was almost too good, fucking amazing. Ari pulled back again, her tongue swirling around the head and pressing on it gently before she sucked him back into her mouth, her lips tight around his hard length. She took her beautiful mouth from around him and licked the underside of his cock before she licked and sucked gently on his sac. Mark groaned loudly and, unable to restrain himself any further, held her head gently in place. Mark wrapped her ponytail around one fist and cupped her chin with the other hand.
Mark stood up and Ari took his straining cock back into her mouth. He held her head while she sucked and Mark thrust into her mouth gently. The pressure was building to a new height as his body was wrecked by the sensations Ari was giving him. Mark could feel the orgasm start from his toes as it worked its way up through his entire body. Mark yelled Ari’s name as he exploded and pumped his seed into her mouth. Ari sucked him clean and Mark pulled her to her feet before he collapsed onto the bed with her. Mark kissed her deeply, loving that she had his taste on her tongue, more of his possession of her.
“
Why are you still dressed?” Mark asked breathlessly when she broke the kiss for air.
“I was too busy to undress, if you hadn’t noticed.”
Mark smiled and then bit her neck before he pulled off her blouse and made quick work of her bra. Mark got her bottom half naked even quicker than the top half.
“Much better, now turn over and perch that sexy ass in the air.”
Ari laughed at him and Mark smirked. “I’m serious.”
“I know you’re serious, but when are you going to learn not to boss me around?” she asked while quirking one eyebrow at him.
Mark flipped her onto her stomach and smacked her on the ass before he lowered onto her, pressing her into the bed by using his body weight. “When are you going to learn that I get my way? Especially in the bedroom?” Mark kissed her shoulder blades and she giggled.
“Okay fine, truce, whatever, you win,” she said reluctantly and Mark smiled like the Cheshire Cat.
“So will you give me what I want?” Mark asked. She sighed and Mark chuckled.
He lifted himself off of her and trailed kisses along her spine, causing her to shiver. Mark sat up and pulled her up onto her knees, his hand went to her core and he found that she was already completely wet for him. He slid his fingers along her folds and then into his favorite place to be. She was so tight and swollen, just begging for Mark’s cock to slide into her.
Ari moaned and she started to rock back onto his fingers when he slipped another one into her. Mark kissed one round cheek and then replaced his fingers with his cock that was already straining and ready to go again. Mark pushed into her velvety cushion and his hands gripped her waist as he pushed deep. Ari moaned as she reveled in the pleasure. Mark saw her hands grip the sheets tightly and he pulled back slowly.
“Faster, Mark…” she whispered and Mark was all too happy to oblige. He moved faster, following her pleas for him to go harder and deeper. They climaxed at nearly the same time, she spasmed and clenched around him and he rocketed off into an orgasm, emptying into her. They both collapsed, Ari unable to hold herself up any longer and Mark curled around her as he pumped his release into her.