Reaching forward, Kyle gave her nose a slight pinch, laughing softly when she scrunched her face and swung at his hand. God, he loved her … in the most appropriate of ways of course. “Stop your pouting, woman,” he chuckled, a grin spreading across his face. “You’re making me miss my nephews’ and my stunning baby niece. Aleksandr looks so much like you.”
“Looks more and more like both her and Gabriel with each passing day,” Nathan concurred, coming from behind him. “It’s frightening.”
Kyle felt a sharp slap on his back just as Nathan walked in front of him, grabbing his hand. Kyle laughed, shaking his brother’s hand, then pulling him into a quick hug.
“Happy Anniversary, brother,” Nathan said, pulling back, and looking at him with a smile. “That’s something I never thought I’d be saying to you.”
Kyle nodded. “Likewise …”
Nathan laughed, nodding his agreement with the statement. “So how long have the two of you been—”
“A year and a half today,” Kyle replied. “Aniyah enjoys celebrating our relationship every month.”
“That’s stupid. Every month seems a bit much … a bit high maintenance, don’t you think?”
“Carterina, tikho vy,” Nathan laughed.
Kyle laughed along with him. Though he still didn’t know what it was that had ended Aniyah and Carter’s friendship, he always found Carter’s behavior toward the woman amusing … and cute.
He watched as Nathan gently gripped her chin and leaned forward, placing a hard, but quick kiss on her lips. Carter scowled at him as he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’m warning you, Mrs. Salerno. Next time I’ll put your sexy ass over my knee.”
Her hair lightly smacked his face as she looked away from him, making him chuckle once again.
There was a time when such a display of affection between Nathan and Carter would cause him heartbreak, but thankfully, that time had come and gone. Seeing their closeness now only made him happy for them, made him feel joy in his heart for his brother, and made him wonder what it’d be like to have a relationship—a real one, like theirs—of his own. Kyle didn’t think he had what it took to be a husband, and it wasn’t something he really thought about until recently. It had only been a moment’s thought. Just him asking himself if he believed himself capable of adapting to … husband-hood, as he did to fatherhood.
“I’m sorry,” Carter grumbled reluctantly under her breath. Sighing, she replaced her scowl with a forced smile. “A year and a half is a nice little chunk of time. Are things getting serious?”
He took a deep breath, glancing beyond both Carter and Nathan. A year and a half was a long, long time in Kyle years. And no, things were not getting serious, on his side at least. But being the asshole he was, Kyle wasn’t going to let Carter in on that fact. Instead, he gave her the answer that he knew would ruffle her feathers a bit. “Maybe,” he stated with an exaggerated shrugged.
“Feeling overwhelmed yet?” Nathan chuckled, amused by Kyle’s response.
“No,” he answered, smiling at Nathan’s amusement. His relationship with Aniyah was easy—easier than he’d thought a monogamous relationship would be at least—and fun a lot of the time. But a big difficulty in the relationship at the moment was time.
In the beginning of their relationship, Aniyah had been a lot more understanding about his lack of time, but now, a year and a half into their relationship, she’d become much more comfortable, and a ton more demanding. Being a single-father was both a joy and a full-time job, on top of his actual full time job. It wasn’t always easy, finding time to be with Aniyah, and the woman showed little interest in doing something involving Sofia, which admittedly didn’t bother Kyle at all. He enjoyed keeping the two worlds separate, keeping his daughter in one area of his life and Aniyah in another. As of now, he had no interest in combining the two, even though Aniyah was beginning to show signs of wanting a deeper commitment. Kyle wasn’t ready for that. Though he had changed, and was now a bit more open to … possibilities with women, he still didn’t want anything too serious. If he did, he’d be with someone else, not Aniyah. She was a good woman, there was no doubt about that, but her hesitation and disinterest in Sofia made a part of her—for lack of a better word—unappealing in many ways. Plus, when contemplating the possibility of actually settling down with a woman for life, a woman that was not Aniyah popped into his mind every single time … and it annoyed him how badly he wanted her, how quickly his feelings were growing. It scared him, and it hurt. But like he said, falling for a woman he could never have was his thing.
“Are you all right, Kyle?” Carter’s soft, concerned voice broke through his thoughts, reminding him that he was still standing in the conference room with both her and Nathan.
With a sigh, Kyle answered her question honestly. “I actually don’t know the answer to that, bella.”
As usual, deeper concern over took both of their expressions. Kyle had a knack for making his family worry about him.
He smiled in effort to calm them both before they said anything. “I’m all right, you two. I promise.” He was conflicted, and had been for a while now, but he wasn’t worried about anything. At this moment, he had everything he needed in his life. Though admittedly struggling in a few areas, Kyle was honestly happier than he’d ever been. Sofia made sure of that every single day. Every time his little ladybug smiled at him, Kyle was reminded of how blessed he was.
“You know we’re always here if you need to talk, right?”
Kyle nodded. Of course he knew that. His family was nothing if not supportive. And Nathan had actually been his number one supporter since the day his father had brought him back to America.
“I know,” Kyle whispered, once again gathering his coat and holster. “Thanks.” He hugged both Nathan and Carter once more. “Give the kids my love.” Just the thought of Nathan and Carter’s four young children was enough to bring a smile back to Kyle’s face. The three toddlers and their five-month old little sister were an … exciting bunch to say the least. Never a dull moment in the Salerno home.
“We will, sweetie,” Carter said brightly. “Now get your ass out of here. Have fun tonight. And give my baby, Sofi, kisses from her Zia and Zio, okay?”
Kyle gave her a wink as he rounded the table. “I will, Carterina. Have a good evening, you two.”
And with those last words, he left the conference room.
He wasn’t sure what tonight would entail, but he did know that he didn’t have much time to get ready, and out the door. Aniyah had most likely left an hour ago, and it usually took her a couple of hours to get dressed. Hurrying down the hallway, he tried his best to figure out how the fuck to be romantic for his … female friend, this evening, but he was pretty sure of two things: it’d involve dancing and spending a ton of money; two things Aniyah enjoyed doing. She was definitely a woman that knew her worth … most of the time at least. Her insecurities often got the best of her, mostly the ones regarding her appearance, specifically her weight. Personally, Kyle had never once had a problem with Aniyah’s appearance. She was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever had the pleasure of seeing naked. All of her insecurities came from within herself. The woman had spent the entire year last year losing weight, trying to be what she thought Kyle wanted, but little did she know, Kyle had absolutely no issue with the body of a full-figured woman. He actually preferred a woman to have some meat on her bones.
But even though she’d dropped some weight, and gotten rid of a few of his favorite curves, Aniyah was still his usual type from head to toe. Tall, dark hair, and flawless. Smooth, rich, dark chocolate brown skin that drove him wild; her body, though smaller now, was still curvy, and long just the way he liked it. Her shoulder-length hair was always done up to perfection, and she dressed in designer from the jewelry around her neck, to the shoes that covered her beautiful feet. She was perfect. Everything he had ever found attractive in a woman, was Aniyah … His relationship with her was smooth and easy for the most
part, and not too serious.
So why was it that he found himself continuously wanting someone else?
Frowning, Kyle shook his head at his own idiocy and entered his office, abruptly pausing when an … enticing surprise caught his attention.
Aniyah. Sitting atop his desk, dressed in lingerie that left very little to the imagination. Damn.
“Aniyah, what are you—”
“Happy anniversary, baby,” she purred, standing from the desk and slowly journeying across the room to where he stood. “I was beginning to think your meeting would never be over.”
Stepping fully into his office, Kyle closed and locked the door behind him. “I thought you left.”
“I did,” she replied, reaching forward and grabbing on to his tie. “But then I came back.” Standing on her toes, she encircled her arms around his neck and kissed him, first slowly, then hard.
Bringing his hand up to cup her face, Kyle took control of the kiss, taking her deeper and deeper until he felt her surrender to him. She always attempted to take control during every sexual encounter they had. Kyle wasn’t a fan of that. He craved control, especially during sex.
When he pulled back from their kiss, Aniyah was breathless.
“Kyle,” she breathed through a laugh. “God, I love when you do that.”
Kyle smirked as he placed his hands on her waist, slowly sliding them down to the curve of her hips. “I know you do,” he growled against her lips as his hands slipped into her panties and he palmed her gorgeous behind. Mmmm … Aniyah Clark had the sexiest ass Kyle had ever had the pleasure of smacking.
“Mmmhmm …” she moaned, smiling against his lips. “I want you to lay me across your desk, and fuck me until I scream.”
As if his dick weren’t hard enough already, those words only made his erection that much more painful. He tightened his grip on her ass, making her gasp as he lifted her from the ground. Kyle had quickly come to realize in the beginning of their relationship, that Aniyah had a thing for sex in public places. Bar and restaurant restrooms, night club VIP rooms, limos, the large, visible balcony of her apartment. She was exciting, energetic—exhausting at times, but it was what it was.
Giggling softly, she wrapped her long legs around his waist as Kyle carried her to his desk.
“You know you’re messing up my plans, woman,” he teased her, setting her atop his desk once again. “I planned on going home to change. Now I’m pretty sure we won’t have time.”
“Well … I could put on my clothes and we could just save the sex for later.” She shrugged, a smile in her eyes. “You know, if you want.”
Kyle chuckled, and reaching behind her to the small box on his desk, he flipped the little lid, removing a condom. “I think sex now, clothes later …”
She nodded her head, feigning seriousness. “And I agree good sir— ahh!”
Her words cut off with both a scream and a laugh when Kyle cleared the top of his desk in the most dramatic of ways then laid her back gently, but abruptly.
“Kyle!” she laughed.
“Now,” he said, smiling as he tore the condom open with his teeth, “let’s see how many staff members we can frighten this evening, shall we?”
~*~
“Why do you still use a condom with me, Kyle?”
Kyle looked from the sink over to Aniyah when she asked him the question. She was reaching behind her back, zipping her dress, eyeing him with a serious expression on her face.
What the fuck did she just ask him?
Kyle shook his head, looking away from her. Sometimes women asked him the dumbest shit. Flipping on the faucet, Kyle leaned down to wash his face.
“I don’t have sex without a condom, Aniyah. Never have, and never will,” he replied right before covering his face in the water he held in his hand.
The feeling of the warm water calmed him, made him feel clean. He hadn’t had time to take a shower like he’d wanted to, so this, washing his face, would have to suffice until he got home.
“I doubt that, Kyle,” he heard Aniyah say, a slight chuckle in her voice. “If you always used a condom you wouldn’t be a father.”
He reached for his towel, dried his face, then glanced over at her with a sly smile. “That’s actually a funny story. If you’re good, maybe I’ll tell you sometime.”
“I don’t need to hear the story, Kyle. I just want to know, why her? Why with Faith and not with me? Did you fall in love with her? Do you not trust me?”
Rolling his eyes, he threw the towel aside, flicked off the light, and walked out of the bathroom. “How could you be so cruel as to accuse me of something so egregious as loving Faith?” A sound of disgust escaped his lips as he sat on the front edge of his desk, gazing at Aniyah in exaggerated outrage. “The only good thing that came from the drunken five minutes I spent in between that woman’s legs was Sofia.”
“Kyle …”
He shrugged. “It’s the truth. And for your information, I did use a condom the night Sofia was conceived.” The condom just happened to be far too small to accommodate his size. As he’d said before, it was indeed a funny story. He’d met Faith at a night club he used to frequent back in his ‘before fatherhood’ days, and they’d ended up in one of the bathrooms fucking about five minutes after Kyle had laid some weak ass drunken moves on her. Kyle barely remembered the encounter, but one part of the night had stuck with him and made him want to bury his head in the fucking sand the morning after when he’d recalled the night. He hadn’t had a condom. And no condom, meant no sex. He remembered Faith had whined and whined, begging him, promising him that she took ‘birth control’ diligently—the lying, gold digging bitch. And after he’d rejected her more times than he’d cared to, she’d suddenly remembered that she had some condoms in her purse that she reserved for use with her then boyfriend. Kyle, being the drunk idiot that he’d been, had said, ‘Sure! Hand me the condom that’s way too fucking small for my dick’. It was the dumbest thing he’d ever done … at the time that is. Now, he was actually thankful for that night. It had saved his life … Sofia had saved his life. And now that she was here, Kyle couldn’t imagine his life without her, nor did he want to.
“This isn’t about trust, Aniyah,” he said truthfully. “This is just the way I am.”
“But we’ve been together for a year and a half,” she argued, a deep frown masking her pretty face. “What’s so wrong with me wanting to feel closer to you?”
“Aniyah, you’re not making any sense,” he argued back, confused to why this meant so much to her. “I’m fucking you. How much closer do you want us to be?”
He was met with silence for a long time, as a mixture of hurt and anger suddenly flashed through her brown eyes.
Kyle hung his head low, immediately knowing that the look meant a fight was coming. “Come on, Aniyah,” he groaned. “Not today.”
“Is that what we’re doing here, Kyle? After all this time?” Her eyes glossed with unshed tears as she brought her arms up and crossed them over her chest. “Fucking? I’m just a long term fuck-buddy to you? Because if so, I really don’t know what we’re celebrating today. A year and a half of you using me like you’ve done to every other woman in New York City!”
Kyle’s jaw clenched. God, he didn’t have time for this shit. Every time, every single fucking time she got irritated with him, she brought up his past, and it pissed him the fuck off. “You know that’s not what I meant, Aniyah.”
She snorted. “Do I?”
“Yes,” Kyle shot through clenched teeth. “You do. If we were just fuck-buddies, we wouldn’t have lasted past the first week. I wouldn’t have called you after we first fucked, and for damn sure wouldn’t be taking you out for these fucking anniversaries every month!”
She became quiet for a long moment as she stood still, staring at him. She looked as if she were reading him; Kyle hated when she did that shit. It made him feel naked, like she could see the truth in his eyes, but he knew he was being overdramatic. There was no wa
y she could see the truth; because if she had, she probably would have ended their relationship a long time ago.
After making him suffer through her silence a bit longer, her eyes softened, and she lowered her head sheepishly.
“You’re right, Kyle,” she sighed, looking back up at him. She walked across the office until she stood directly in front of him. “I’m being ridiculous.” Smiling, she reached up, and ran her slim fingers through his hair.
Kyle tensed under her touch.
“We’re taking it slow,” she whispered, sliding her hand down his face, to his neck in a slow journey to a place where Kyle really didn’t want them.
Relax, he chanted to himself. It’s just a touch. No different from the way she touched you only a few minutes ago. Only it was different, at least to him it was. She was touching him … intimately, with a familiarity that he did not feel with her. Yes, Kyle was trying to do this relationship thing, but this was too much. This he didn’t want with her—real intimacy.
Gripping her hand and removing it from him, Kyle stood from the desk quickly. “We need to leave.” He was ready to get this over with, go home, then take a few days off of this ‘relationship’ shit. It was just too much today, too complicated, and Aniyah was getting a little too serious for him.
“Kyle, I—”
Kyle cut off whatever it was that she was about to say by opening up the door. “Dinner?” he asked her, effortlessly smoothing his features. He gave her no clue to what he was feeling inside. “I made reservations at three different places because I know how picky you are.”
That made her forget whatever she’d been about to say.
“Wha— I’m not picky,” she pouted defensively, walking across the room to grab her coat and exit.
Kyle chuckled as he followed behind her. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Dangerous Beauty: Part Four: Beautifully Broken Page 3