by Marian Tee
He was smirking again.
Oh, the effing ass!
Day 15 of Courting
“You have got to stop sending me flowers,” I told him laughingly while I was in my bath and he was in Dubai, meeting with oil sheikhs for the newest real estate project of Kastein, Inc.
“But I like doing it. I keep thinking about how when I finally have you in my bed, I’d use all those petals and sprinkle it all over you, tickle you, use it to caress your clit---” He paused then asked wickedly, “Are you turned on now?”
“None of your business,” I managed to say.
He laughed.
That sound never failed to make my day – or night. Sinking more deeply into my bubble bath, I said again, “I’m serious. Knowing how much you’re spending on me with each bouquet is giving me a headache.”
I could hear him frowning as he answered, “Is this my fucking courtship or what?”
Knowing it was never a good thing to have long-distance quarrels, I said quickly, “I sent you a picture message. Did you get it?”
He didn’t answer, but I could hear the faint sound of his fingers tapping on the screen of his mobile phone.
“Yanna.” This time, he sounded more exasperated than angry, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.
I had sent him a picture message of a floral bouquet, with an e-card attached.
You are so cute!
Remembering the message made me giggle.
Constantijin said darkly, “And I am not cute.”
That had me giggling even more.
“You are playing with me again.”
“Yes, this time, I am,” I admitted, unable to keep myself from grinning. God, I couldn’t believe I was having this kind of conversation with Constantijin. I mean, what were the odds? He wasn’t much of a caller – and God knew how he hated sending text messages. If he had ever enjoyed a call with another woman before, it would probably have been the hardcore variety of phone sex.
“You are a bad girl.”
God, I loved it when his accent thickened and he started using simplified English. “I learned from a bad man.”
He sucked in his breath. “I’ve never been this aroused from a mere call.”
That didn’t make us even, not even close. I had never been aroused – until I met him. Still smiling my insanely smitten smile, I asked softly, “Did you like the picture, though?”
A smile was also in his voice when he answered softly, “Yes.”
I ventured, “That’s the kind of bouquet I’d love for you to give me.”
Silence from the other line.
“Constantijin?”
“You are for real?”
A giggle escaped me at his incredulous tone. I tried to explain, “I’m just really uncomfortable with the money you’re spending on me.”
“Then you are truly serious?”
My giggle turned into genuine laughter. “Yes, Constantijin. I am.”
A sigh escaped him. “I do not understand you at all.”
I think that’s a good thing, I thought, but I knew I was better off not saying it.
“If you do not want me spending my money on flowers, then what should I spend my money on? I want something that would please you.”
“Text messages cost money,” I told him helpfully. My phone started to ring in the background.
“Answer it,” he ordered.
“No, it’s okay---”
“Please.”
Sighing, I wiped one hand dry on the towel hanging from the rail and fumbled for my phone from the expansive sink. My eyes widened. “You’re calling me?” But Constantijin had already ended the call to my wireless. Placing the wireless on the sink, I answered his call to my mobile phone, inhaling sharply when I saw Constantijin appear on the screen.
Bare-chested.
“Constantijin!” My insides turned into jelly at the sight of him wearing nothing but a pair of flannel pants, his fair skin gleaming in the darkness of the night. He was standing at the balcony of his hotel room, leaning against the rails. Even just through the iPhone’s screen, I could appreciate how stunning Dubai’s views were, with its mixture of urban paradise and wild desert beauty.
“I wish you were here, schat.”
His huskily spoken words made my toes curl under the bubbles.
“If you were here, I would have fucked you in this very spot, taking you from behind while you watched the world and they watched you, knowing that they cannot have you because you are mine.”
“Constantijin.” Oh dear. I needed another shower after this. I was wet for a whole different reason now. I pushed myself up---
“You’re in the bath?”
Oh shit, I forgot.
I sank right back into the bubbles.
“Yanna.” His voice was harsh, and through the video call I could see his face turning taut with the same need coursing through my body, sparking every nerve until I was almost shaking with desire.
“Take pity on a poor man and show me your breasts again, sweetheart.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
I shook my head mutely.
The intensity of his gaze, the acute frustration in his eyes – it all reached out to me even though we were half a world apart. Swallowing, I said, “Just for a second.”
“Thirty,” he immediately bargained.
“Ten, starting now.” I rose from the water, completely baring my breasts to his sight. Even as I could feel myself blushing, with my nipples turning hard, I didn’t lose track of my mental counting.
One. Two. Three. Oh God, this was too embarrassing. I needed to speed this up. Four,five,six,seven,eight,nine,ten!
I sank back into my bubble bath with a swoosh, face completely on fire now.
“That was not ten seconds,” Constantijin growled.
“Goodbye, Constantijin.”
“Don’t you dare hang up.”
Giggling, I so dared.
My phone beeped a second later, and still smiling to myself I opened Constantijin’s message.
I repeat, that was NOT ten seconds.
It was. I counted. I swear.
Good thing I always keep a record of my video calls.
I shot up from my bath, hitting the call button immediately.
“Yanna,” he practically purred into my ear.
“Constantijin,” I growled back. “Delete it.”
“No.” I could totally imagine him grinning his wicked grin right now, especially when he said, “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Don’t you dare hang up!”
But he did.
Day 23 of Courting
“Did you do this?” An irate Glenda appeared before my cubicle, waving a pink folder with lavender hearts in the air.
Since I was sure to be the only one with that kind of folder in Kastein, Inc., I said with a gulp, “Yes?”
Her glare intensified. “Mr. Kastein said this is---” She sniffed. “The word he used is not something I am comfortable using.”
My jaw dropped.
Shit? Fucked up? Goddamn epic fail?
“You are to report to Mr. Kastein’s office, immediately.” She didn’t wait for me to answer. God, it was really like-boss-like-secretary with these two.
“Wait!” I had a hard time catching up with her, slowed down by my new pair of mules, which I unfortunately decided to break in today.
Bristling, Glenda stopped midway to Constantijin’s office. When I reached her side, she immediately started enumerating what Constantijin apparently did not like about my report. “The length of the report...” She sniffed.
“Sorry,” I mumbled even though I didn’t quite understand why the ten-page length of my report was a problem. Did they want it like Arian’s, which was shorter than a text message? She only submitted full-length reports when sucking up to managers.
As we walked past a group of interns, Glenda continued, “And that series you are recommending!” She shuddered.
My heart sank. Even my series recommendation was a problem? I honestly thought they would like City Hunter, considering how awesome the Korean adaptation was plus the fact that Kastein, Inc. – with its own adaptation – could create a better ending, thus giving Asian markets a new reason to revisit the series.
We reached Constantijin’s suite of offices. “Go in, go in,” she said irritably, practically pushing me in. When the door closed behind her, Glenda startled me by winking.
“Sorry, dear. It was the boss’ orders to make your visit here inconspicuous.”
“Then…then my report wasn’t really bad?”
“Oh no, Constantijin loved it. He just said I should torture you on the way here.”
“Glenda!”
“Blame the boss, dear,” Glenda said over her shoulder as she returned to her desk, already focused on her tasks.
When I entered Constantijin’s office, he was already grinning.
I totally saw red.
“Not now, sweetheart,” Constantijin said, easily catching my slapping hand as I reached him. “I have something better in mind.” And then he was kissing me with ravaging hunger, taking me by surprise and completely sweeping me off my feet.
Lesson #5
Yes is the only word your billionaire wants to understand.
When you say ‘no’,
he will think you are saying ‘never’.
Constantijin half carried me to his couch, dropping himself on it and I landed on his lap sideways without breaking our kiss.
“You drive me insane with wanting, schat.”
“You, too,” I gasped, arching as his lips left a trail of kisses and nibbles on my neck.
He twisted me around on his lap, leaving me lying with my back against his chest, legs spread open with his in between. I moaned when I felt his hand pulling my tucked blouse free from my skirt. And then he was cupping me, pushing my bra away almost angrily so that his hands could completely cover my flesh.
“Constantijin.”
“I want a going-away gift,” he said as he started tweaking my nipples.
“What?” I managed to ask, finding it so hard to concentrate when he pinched my nipples rather hard.
“I want to see you come before I go.”
Oh my God, oh my God---
“Say you’ll let me?” He breathed into my ear, making me shudder.
“Constantijin…”
“I want to remember your face as I make you come, Yanna.”
When he said those words, when he said it like that, his thick Dutch accent a rough/tender caress all on its own, all I could do was nod, twisting sideways so I could look at him.
One of his hands dipped into my lacy briefs.
“Aaaah.” I didn’t make any attempt to lower my voice, not when I knew his office was totally soundproofed and not when I knew by now how much Constantijin liked hearing me express my pleasure at his touch. I kind of liked it, too. Well, to be honest – I really liked it.
Wetting his fingers with my moisture, Constantijin bit my ear lightly just as one finger penetrated me, so deeply only the size of his knuckles prevented him from going further in.
Letting out a long moan, I writhed in his lap, legs parting even more widely so he could touch me more deeply.
“Do you like how I finger-fuck you, Yanna?”
“Yes,” I sobbed. He never failed to reduce me to a tearful mess with his touch.
“Are you ready for more, sweetheart?”
“Yessss---aaaaah!” Two, no, three---oh my God, four!
My sex stretched to accommodate him, being so very eager to please as was the rest of my body. His fingers started to move in synchrony as he fucked me long and hard.
“Please, please.” I couldn’t help screaming the words out as his thumb started rubbing my clit without stopping the thrusts of his fingers.
My hips began to move, almost demandingly bouncing up and down on his slick fingers.
“After this goddamn courtship, once you realize how much I want you, I’m going to tie you to bed and fuck you until you’re begging me to stop.”
My body started to shake at his words, and I knew I was so, so near to coming.
Constantijin’s hand tightened around my left breast even as his fingers continued its punishing rhythm – something I couldn’t get enough of.
“I won’t listen to what you say, though. I won’t stop even if you beg me with your mouth.”
Oh, oh, oh. Imagining his cock in my mouth thrilled me so much it had me riding his fingers with even more frantic speed.
“Constantijin.”
He pulled my nipple, its painfully aroused state reacting even more sensitively to his touch.
“My cock has been burning for you for weeks. It will take twice as long before I will be able to stand letting you go for more than a minute without having you.”
He pushed hard against my clit at the same time his fingers thrust wildly into me.
I came with another scream, my body racked by the tremors of my orgasm.
Later, much, much later, Constantijin carefully fixed my appearance before pulling me back into the couch with him. I lay in his arms, loving the sound of his rapid heartbeat.
“Where will you go?” I mumbled against his chest.
“New York. My company is sponsoring several charity functions so my attendance is required.”
I bit my lip because I almost said I’d miss him. Instead, I said, “Take care.”
He stopped stroking my hair to ask, "You'll behave like a good girl when I'm away?"
I rolled my eyes. "Shouldn't I be the one warning you? I'm not the one with a playboy reputation here."
"Naturally, since you're a woman."
"Constantijin!
"Yanna!"
I had to smile at that. "But have a safe trip, okay?"
His face hardened all of a sudden. "You didn’t answer my question. Promise me you're not entertaining any other suitors."
Three weeks into our courtship and Constantijin still had trouble trusting me. He never stopped asking about my “other” suitors --- even though he should know by now I would always have the same answer for him.
“You know that’s none of your business.” And it wasn’t – not until he was ready to commit to something more permanent than being fuck buddies.
“Just give me a fucking name, even a goddamn number---”
I lifted myself up so I could face him. “Constantijin, don’t.” I said it as gently as I could. He had to learn to trust me – the way I was struggling so hard to trust him despite what all the media stories were saying about him.
A flash of irritation crossed Constantijin's eyes. "Yanna."
“You know you don’t have any right to say that.” I did my best to keep my voice gentle. I hated fighting with him, but I had to stand my ground on this. He had a domineering personality, and I couldn't let him get away with everything.
His eyes shuttered. "Fine."
I was tempted to take it back, but I didn't. "I’ll miss you.”
The words usually made him smile, but this time it only made him feel more distant.
And then before I knew it, he was gone.
Lesson #6
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,
But heaven hath nothing as gorgeous as a billionaire made jealous.
My weekend felt empty without a single call or message from Constantijin. It made my heart cry out in fear, but I did my best to suppress it. I kept asking Constantijin to have faith. Yet here I was, unable to trust him just because he could be too busy with work to do so.
Monday arrived, and I had never been so keen to go to work. But I was in for a surprise, with Glenda telling me gently that Constantijin had been delayed and would be staying in New York indefinitely.
The office wasn’t the same without him. Even food – my greatest comfort in life – wasn’t as comforting as it had been all these years. For the first time in my entire existence, even my favorite lasagna
tasted like layers of recycled paper mixed with cheap cardboard.
I managed to resist Google-stalking him until Thursday. I had to know what was going on with him. Just one little peek, I promised to myself as my fingers expertly paved a secret pathway into his world.
In a few seconds, what I did and did not need to see stared back at me in painfully vivid colors.
Rows of photos of Constantijin attending different functions, looking dashingly debonair in his tuxes and suits, filled the page. And always present in his arm was the lovely Selena, elegant and beautiful in a similarly golden way, their blond heads melting together whenever they posed together for photos.
When I clicked on the link of another tabloid coverage of the same events, I found a paparazzi photo of the two entering what was labeled as Selena’s hotel room – at three in the morning.
“You okay, Yanna?” George asked with a frown from his cubicle when he heard me let out a gasp of hurt.
Quickly closing the tab, I answered in a wobbly voice, “Yup.”
I didn’t cry at work, and for the first time in my life, I managed not to tell anyone about it. I couldn’t. It was too…
Oh God, I couldn’t even think of a word for it.
But when I reached my home that night, I quickly locked the door, pulled up the covers, and that’s when I let the tears fall, for the rest of the night.
~~~~
Glenda managed to corner me the next day even though I did my very best to avoid her. Constantijin had been calling and e-mailing me all day until I was forced to remove the battery of my phone and throw it inside my drawer. If I wasn’t so practical, I would have changed my number as well. But that was too impractical, and I didn’t do impractical. I did stupid, silly, and foolish, but only because I had extremely bad taste in men.
“The boss is looking for you,” was all Glenda said as she practically manhandled me into Constantijin’s office. She was frighteningly strong for a woman her age.
Rubbing my wrists, I almost jumped in surprise when Constantijin’s hands settled on my shoulders, whispering as he turned me around to face him, “Miss me?”
For a moment, my heart twisted in all kinds of agony as I gazed at his beautiful face, his golden-copper-tinted hair gleaming even more brightly with the sun’s rays shining into his office. His blazer was hanging on the back of his chair, leaving him in his silk shirt, its sleeves rolled up to his elbows.