by C. C. Wood
By the time I reached my apartment door, I was angry. I unlocked my door, stomped inside, and threw my bag and jacket over the back of a chair. I put my hands on my hips and took several deep breaths. It didn’t help.
I dug in my purse and pulled out my phone. I decided to call Tanya. She was no-nonsense and a straight talker. She would tell me what I should do or, at the very least, talk me down.
“Hey, girl,” she said.
“Hey. Do you have a minute?”
“Oh Lord, what’s happening now?”
I bristled at the tone in her voice. Sure, the last few weeks were filled with my drama, but it wasn’t like I rode the drama train all the damned time.
“Look, if you’re too busy to talk to me when I need you, I can call one of the other girls. Just remember this the next time your sister drives you bats hit with all her talk about her perfect husband, perfect two-point-five children, and her perfect fucking life, okay?”
Tanya sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Seriously, you sound upset, what’s going on?”
I launched into a tirade, telling her about his distance, his stubbornness, and his bossiness. When I finally wound down, there was nothing but silence.
“Tanya, are you there?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to say what I have to say without pissing you off.”
“Okay, well I called you because you tell it like it is, so sock it to me.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. Are you sure?”
“Yes!” I said empathically.
“Step the fuck up.”
“What?”
She sighed again. “Stop whining about how he won’t listen to you and make him listen. If you’re going to sit around and let him call all the shots, you risk losing him.”
Ouch, that stung. Still, she was right.
“How did you get so smart?” I asked playfully.
There was a pause. “Someday, you, me, and a bottle of really expensive tequila are going to spend some time together. I’ll tell you a story about a girl who let her pride get the better of her and the guy that got away.”
I wanted to ask her about it, but I could tell that now wasn’t the time.
“Thank you, Tanya. Love you, girlie.”
“Go get your man. Call me tomorrow.” She paused. “What am I saying? A man like Chris, call me in two or three days.”
I laughed as she hung up on me. I decided to follow her advice, but first I wanted to shower and figure out exactly what I wanted to say before I saw him. I started stripping as I walked toward the bedroom.
Almost two hours later, I pulled up in front of his house. I’d only been there once, two years ago, but it had been the coldest, most sterile place I’d ever been, aside from a hospital or police station. I noticed tonight that the front door was a pretty bright blue and there were potted flowers on each side.
It was a nice change. I parked and climbed out of the car. I was on simmer all evening while I showered and with every step I took toward the front door, that simmer became a boil. By the time I rang his doorbell, I was about to explode. When he didn’t answer quickly enough for me, I rang it again. Then again.
Where in the hell was he? He said he was wiped. Hell, he even let me drive his precious car back from Fort Worth because he was so tired. I was just about to give up and go back to my car when the door opened.
“Lucy? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
My mouth fell open. I gaped as little drops of water sparkled all over Chris’ naked torso. “Um….uh.”
I managed to close my mouth and drag my eyes back to his face. My foggy mind cleared when I saw that he was smirking at me. I gave him a narrow-eyed stare and felt my anger return.
I poked a finger in the center of his chest, shoving him back so I could enter his house. “I’ve decided that I want to talk to you and you’re going to listen.”
I was momentarily distracted from my monologue by the enormous changes in his house. Instead of a color scheme of black, white, and shades of gray, his house actually held color and warmth. I froze when I saw a flash of black and white on his wall. It was one of my photos from the showing. He’d bought one of my pictures.
“Is that one of my pictures?” I asked, pointing to it. I shook my head when I realized that I’d let myself be distracted. I lifted a hand. “Never mind. Don’t answer that now. I’m going to talk and you’re going to listen.”
I put my hand in the center of his damp chest and pushed him back until he was right in front of one of the brown leather chairs in his entryway. Then I shoved him down and straddled his lap.
His eyes widened in surprise. I still didn’t give him an opportunity to speak. I leaned forward, my hands on the back of the chair.
“Now, I appreciate that you were trying to be considerate and give me some time to think. Honestly, the two days over the weekend were enough. I knew by Sunday night what I wanted and what I needed to say.”
Chris nodded, staring up at me, his expression guarded.
“First, I realized something Thursday. I love you.” His expression warmed considerably, but I continued. “I also need you to understand that just saying that to you scares the shit out of me. It’s been a very long time since I’ve cared about a man and I’ve never felt for someone else the way I feel for you. I spent years focused on myself and my dreams, the things I want out of life. I’m sure you can agree that I’ve created formidable barriers.”
He smirked slightly and nodded again.
I cupped his face in my hands. “I’m telling you, right now, that I’m willing to knock down all those walls. But there will still be times I freak out and try to retreat. Or act irrational. So, every now and then, you’ll need to cut me a little slack.”
When I finished, Chris smiled broadly at me and his hands, which had moved to my waist at some point, squeezed by sides. “This is new territory for both of us. I think we’ll both have to be patient.”
I leaned back slightly and noticed the hard ridge under my ass. I raised my eyebrows at him, “So what do we do now?”
For the first time in my memory, I saw Chris’ face turn playful. “I have something in mind.”
“I’m sure you do.”
I squealed when he grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and yanked it over my head. He lifted me off his lap, putting me on my feet in front of him. He made short work of removing my jeans and shoes, leaving me in nothing but my underwear.
Since I’d been hoping this would be a part of the evening’s activities, I’d worn a pretty, lacy, and very expensive pink bra and panties. Chris seemed to appreciate them a great deal as he leaned back in the chair and stared at me, looking like some sort of Greek god waiting to begin an evening of debauchery. His well-muscled body was almost naked, his erection barely covered by the towel that was draped almost decorously over his lap. He straightened in the chair, the towel shifting to reveal the head of his cock. I licked my lips, staring down at him, so turned on I almost dropped to my knees to take him in my mouth then and there.
The slightly rough palms of Chris’ hands slid up my stomach, causing my muscles to quiver. My eyes shifted to watch as his hands moved up to frame my breasts. When his thumbs circled over my nipples, I moaned. The sensation of his thumbs moving over the slightly abrasive lace was intense. My nipples immediately hardened almost painfully.
He continued to play with my breasts, rubbing my nipples with his thumbs, pinching them gently. I arched my back, whimpering at the intensity of the sensation. Suddenly, Chris stood, his towel hitting the floor. He grabbed by wrist and dragged me up the stairs to his bedroom.
My bra hit the floor right before he shoved me down onto the mattress. He spread my thighs and knelt between them.
“I wanted to take this slowly, but we’ll have to do that next time,” he said, staring down at my panties.
I reached for him, but he pressed my hands flat to the mattress.
“Don’t touch m
e yet.”
I gripped the comforter tightly in both fists as Chris’ big hands curved around my hips. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to me through the lace of my panties. The heat of his breath and tongue made my back arch. A few seconds later, he cursed and yanked them down my legs.
“Please tell me you’re ready,” he murmured.
His fingers slipped between my thighs, pressing deep inside me. I knew I was wet, more than ready. I hissed as he stroked me, pressing against that special spot inside of me. He sucked one of my nipples into his mouth and my hips lifted off the bed as electricity shot from my breast to my clit.
Chris threw out an arm and opened the drawer on his nightstand. I snatched the condom out of his hand, tore it open, and quickly rolled it over him, relishing the feel of his heavy erection in my hand. Then he levered himself over me, sliding that incredible thickness into me, crashing into my body over and over again.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and lifted my hips, chasing my orgasm. I grabbed the back of his head and brought his face to mine. Our lips met and clung. Chris gripped my hips tightly and ground his pelvic bone against my clit. I was done for, my climax bursting within me, wave after wave.
That seemed to be what Chris was waiting for because he shuddered against me a few seconds later. I lay beneath him, panting and waiting for my eyes to uncross.
“Well, next time should last more than thirty seconds,” he said.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “That was perfect. I wouldn’t want ice cream at every meal, ya know?”
He chuckled along with me, the open, affectionate look that I loved back on his face. Slowly, he pulled out of me and my still sensitive flesh quivered.
“Be right back.” He touched his nose to mine before he rolled off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.
I heard a toilet flush and water running before he reappeared, beautifully naked. I rolled over onto my side and watched him walk back to the bed, a work of art in motion.
He climbed onto the bed and faced me, mirroring my position, lying on his side, bending his arm, and resting his head on his hand. “What were you thinking just now?” he asked.
I grinned, wondering what he would think. “I want to take nude pictures of you.”
Chris smiled back, but his was pure mischief. I’d never seen that look before, but I liked it a lot.
“Would you let me?” I prodded.
“I don’t know. Would the pictures end up in one of your shows or for sale at some point?”
I bit my bottom lip. “No, those pictures would be for my private collection only.”
He leaned forward and kissed me. “Then we’ll have to set an appointment for me to come model for you.”
Chris shoved the comforter down, yanked me against his chest, and covered us with the blanket. I snuggled closer and traced his pectoral with my index finger.
“So, what happened at BioSign Corp today?” I asked.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Who am I gonna tell?”
He sighed. “True.”
When he didn’t speak again, I pinched his side. “Tell me already.”
“The embezzler came forward. The CEO and the board have not and will not report the theft to the police as the money was returned.”
He stopped.
“Chris,” I said threateningly.
“I shouldn’t be talking about this.”
“Okay, fine, fine, you can’t give me details.”
“How about this? The thief’s motive wasn’t greed. Her son is very ill and the insurance company that BioSignCorp uses refused to pay for experimental treatment for him after traditional treatment didn’t work.”
I stiffened. “Is he okay?”
Chris squeezed me tightly. “Yeah. She returned the money and her little boy got the treatment. It’s early, but he seems to be responding well.”
“But how did she pay for it if the insurance doesn’t cover it?”
“The Barden Foundation is paying for his treatment.”
I blinked, staring blankly at the wall. I’d forgotten that Chris chaired a foundation. They funded medical treatment, scholarships, grants, and other programs that helped children and young adults in need.
“Wow, I fell in love with an awesome guy,” I muttered.
He didn’t respond, but he wouldn’t. He never talked about his philanthropic work. He was so close-mouthed about it that it slipped my mind how active he was in the foundation.
I gasped when he hauled me on top of him and kissed me long and hard.
“Let’s do something with our mouths that doesn’t involve words,” he said.
I grinned, wiggling against his growing erection. “Well, we could discuss my new favorite number.”
Chris kissed me again. “I love the way your mind works, Lucy.” He brushed my hair out of my face as he looked up at me. “Actually, I think I love everything about you.”
“I love you too.” I nipped his lower lip. “Now, do you want to be the six or the nine?”
There was no better sound than Chris’ laughter. After three years of never hearing it, I couldn’t wait to make up for lost time, and not just for laughing, but for everything else.
Epilogue
Six months later
We were in an art gallery in New York and the place was packed. I was standing with Chris, Davide, and Marcus, drinking champagne and wearing a fabulous minidress in peacock blue. When someone jostled me from behind for the third time, I rolled my eyes to Marcus.
“Doesn’t a contributing photographer rate VIP treatment?” I asked irritably.
He grinned. “Sorry, darlin’. I don’t even get rate consideration here in New York.”
I sighed but grinned back. Despite the crowds and the noise, I was having a fantastic time. I only wished that my girlfriends could have been here with me. I know they would have loved New York and it would have been nice to escape from the sausage-fest of the three men in my life for a little girl time at the spa or Bloomingdale’s.
Suddenly, a hand covered my eyes from behind. “Surprise!”
I stiffened and squealed in excitement. I knew that voice. The hand was removed and I whirled around to find Grier, Tanya, Chelsea, and even Yancy standing behind me. I felt tears sting my eyes as I stared at the four of them, excited beyond belief that they were there.
I threw my arms around them all. “I’m so happy you’re here! How on earth did you do it?”
Grier winked at me. “Thank Chris. He made it all happen.”
I glanced around for my incredibly sweet yet incredibly sneaky boyfriend, but he was no where to be seen. I turned to Marcus to find him staring intently at Grier. In fact, he looked almost gobsmacked. My gaze shifted to my friend and I smiled just a little. She was looking everywhere but at Marcus, a sure sign that she was nervous. Hmmm…I might have to consider a little matchmaking while we were in New York.
“Marcus?” When he didn’t respond, I had to hold back a snort. “Marcus?” I repeated.
He blinked and removed his eyes from Grier to look at me. “What?”
“Have you seen Chris?” I asked.
The fuzziness faded from Marcus’ gaze quickly at my question and he grinned slyly. “Yeah. He asked you to meet him in the office in the back.”
My brow furrowed. “Okay.” I turned to my friends. “Girls, you remember Davide and Marcus. Keep an eye on them and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
They didn’t look like they believed me, which made me even more suspicious. I began to make my way through the crowd, slowly but surely, until I reached the back of the gallery and shoved through the door that led to the storage room and office space in the rear.
I went to the office door and pushed it open. It was pitch black inside.
“Chris?”
A hand shot out of the darkness and dragged me inside, shutting the door behind us.
“If this isn’t you, Chris, I have advanc
ed self-defense training and I will remove your gonads with my bare hands.”
There was a quiet chuckled next to my ear. “Way to ruin the romance,” Chris murmured.
I rolled my eyes. “Romance is dim candlelight, not complete darkness.”
His face was pressed against my bare shoulder so I felt him smile against my skin. “Maybe.”
I felt him toying with my left hand, sweet and gentle, something he’d been doing a lot lately. I let myself lean back against him. “Okay, so this is kind of nice.”
He laughed again. “Sorry about the dark, but I wanted to surprise you.”
“With what?”
Suddenly the lights came on and I blinked. It took a few seconds for my eyesight to adjust and then I gasped. All around me were framed photos I’d taken of Chris over the last six months. Pictures of him sleeping, reading, even several nude photos I’d snapped after a particularly satisfying romp. My favorite, which I’d surreptitiously made my screensaver, was the largest and in the middle of the entire collection.
I turned to look at Chris. “I thought you didn’t want me to print them out.”
That had been our deal. He would let me take as many pictures as I wanted as long as I didn’t make hard copies and only saved them to a flash drive that we kept in our safe. I couldn’t blame him for his carefulness.
“Well, as long as you keep the Playgirl spread you took in a private place, I’m okay with you hanging the rest anywhere you’d like in the house.”
I reached up to cup his face with both hands, my eyes going to my hand when a flash of light caught my attention. I stared wordlessly at the huge diamond ring now adorning my left hand.
“Uh, Chris, is there something you want to ask me?”
He smiled at me, the cold, distant man he’d once been an almost forgotten memory. “Can’t I just tell you to marry me and leave it at that?”
I merely gave him what he liked to call the look.