Pain Lived, Love Found

by Lake, Thalia

  I didn’t know if I should take that as a compliment or be pissed that he’s once again trying to strong arm me to get his way.

  “Everyone in my department are the best. You’ll be in very capable hands.”

  “I don’t want capable hands; I want you,” he said in a low, deep voice.

  Dammit, if that didn’t turn me on. His words could be taken in many ways, and the way he was looking at me, like I was something he desired with his entire being, didn’t make matters any better.

  “W-well I don’t know what to tell you,” I said nervously as I took a step back.

  He took a step towards me and said “I’m the client. I’m supposed to get what I want, and what I want is you...on my account.”

  There was no hiding the meaning behind his words, and I needed to get out of that room and away from him - quickly.

  “I have to go, Luca,” I said nervously as I walked towards the door again.

  “Tell me that you accept my apology first,” he demanded.

  I had grown weary with this argument, so I simply gave in. I needed to breathe. Since the moment I bumped into him outside of the club, I’ve smelled nothing but him–his manly, seductive, sexy scent that was all Luca. He consumed my senses and weakened my resolve to stay angry with him, to make him feel just as bad, if not worse, as he made me feel this morning. I hated that his mere presence affected me so much and that his smell put out the fire that fueled my anger towards him.

  “I forgive you. Can I go now?” I said in an exasperated voice.

  “Have dinner with me,” he said out of the blue as he stood with his hands in his pockets. For the first time, I noticed that he was slightly bowlegged. His level of sexiness just went up another one hundred notches. But wait, how did we go from fighting to going to dinner?

  “Luca….” I started, but he interrupted me.

  “I would like for us to start over, and I want you to get to know me. I’m not this arrogant, egomaniacal bully that you think I am, Sloane.” His voice was sincere and his tone beckoning. The man was good. He knew how to get his way, and he was about to get it.

  “When?” I asked simply.

  Why not? I tried to fight my attraction to this man, I really did, but he gets under my skin, and I’m curious. There are clearly many sides to Luca, but underneath it all I truly believe Luca Santorini is a good guy. Having dinner with him will help me determine if my assessment of him is true or not.

  “Saturday. I’ll come get you, and I know I don’t need to tell you this, but dress up. I’m taking you somewhere nice,” he said with a sexy smile on his kissable lips.

  “I better not regret this,” I said with a hand on my hip and an eyebrow raised.

  “Trust me, you won’t,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “I need to get back to my friends before they come looking for me.” Just then, I got a text from Angie asking me where I was and if I was okay. I showed Luca the text.

  “See what I mean?”

  I turned to leave, but he pulled me back and this time into the warmth of his arms. The gesture took my breath away.

  “Who were you on the phone with outside Sloane?” He asked in a soft but serious tone. A frown creased his beautiful, masculine face that showed true concern. He must have heard me say “Love you” to Junior, not knowing I was saying it to my brother. Words like jealous and possessive came to mind. I don’t like jealous men, but I guess he needed to know who his competition was, and in that sense I couldn’t blame him. It was actually kind of sexy to me. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t go around purposely making men jealous. That’s a very dangerous game to play, and I’ve seen it backfire many times.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I teased. From the look in his eyes, I picked the wrong time to tease him. His eyes got dark and very serious.

  “Don’t play with me Sloane,” he said in a serious tone.

  “You’re too bossy for my taste Mr. Santorini. I’m not used to that, and I don’t like it,” I said as I frowned at him and tried to pull out of his embrace, but his strong arms wouldn’t let me go.

  “Trust me, you’ll learn to like my dominant ways,” he said, in a low growl.

  My breath hitched in my throat, and he smiled. This man turned me on and irritated my soul all at the same time.

  We stood there having a stare off for a few moments. I couldn’t help but wonder what he would say or how he’d react if I had said that I was on the phone with my boyfriend or fiancé? Would he even care? Would he continue his pursuit of me or would he respect my relationship and back off? Looking this man in his eyes I already knew the answer to my question. Luca Santorini would not give up. The man is to use to getting what he wanted. I really need to get out of his arms. My desire became heightened the longer he held me, and the heat was rising in the room from just the two of us. Not to mention I was face to face with his sexy chest and the hair that was peeking out from his shirt. It was teasing and taunting me. God I need some fresh air….

  “If you must know, even though it is none of your business, I was on the phone with my brother. He called to tell me some news about our father.” I looked away because it wasn’t something I wanted to discuss with Luca.

  Luca was rubbing my arms gently in an up and down motion as though he were warming me up. If only he knew that I didn’t need to be warmed up. He already had me hot and bothered, and I desperately needed him to let me go. His touch was driving me crazy. His big, strong hands had my skin tingling and warm.

  “Is he okay?” he asked in a concerned voice.

  “I really don’t want to talk about it Luca.” This time I did look into his eyes. Reluctantly he took the hint and dropped it. I knew this wouldn’t be the end of it though.

  “We’d better go then,” he said, but he still didn’t let me go. Before I knew it, he had captured my lips with his and kissed me slowly and seductively. I had no time to protest, no time to react. My body betrayed me as I found myself reciprocating his kiss and parting my lips for his hungry tongue. This man right here is a masterful and seductive kisser. The fact that he went in and took what he wanted was a turn on in itself. The way he kissed me and the slight changes in angles he took to make sure he experienced every part of my lips and mouth was so sensual and intimate. I knew he wanted more, I could feel the restraint he was using to not completely devour me with his hunger. His hands slowly slid down my sides until they reached my hips, and he pulled my body flush with his. We both moaned at the same time when he deepened the kiss. I couldn’t believe this was happening, nor could I believe I was letting it happen. Lord help me, but I want this man. I wanted him right here, right now. No man has ever had me this excited and ready for sex from kissing. That’s when I knew Luca Santorini was dangerous for me.

  I pushed against his chest and tried to end the kiss, but Luca resisted. He was driving me insane as he nipped my bottom lip and then soothed it by slowly caressing it with his tongue before he went in for another long, tongue tangling kiss. I was dizzy, literally, from his kisses. My head was swimming, my heart was pounding, and I was losing all sensibilities. I pushed harder against his chest and ripped my lips from his. When I opened my eyes and looked at him, he had a look in his eyes that conveyed that he was far from being done with me. It scared me and turned me on all at the same time. I touched my lips with my fingertips. I knew they were swollen, and all of my lipstick was gone. I took a step back and stumbled a bit. He reached out to steady me with a crooked smile on his face. The cocky bastard was happy that he had such an effect on me.

  I tried to catch my breath and uncloud my head, but I instantly missed his lips on mine and the warmth of his arms.

  “What was that for?” I asked softly.

  “That was something I’ve wanted to do since I first laid eyes on you, and I know you wanted it too.”

  He looked at me with a raised brow, daring me to deny the truth that hung in the air between us even though he knew I wouldn’t. How could I? The proof was in how
passionately I kissed him in return. The proof is in the fact that my panties are now soaking wet.

  “I never said I didn’t,” I said with as much sass as I could muster. My knees felt wobbly, and my pulse was still racing, but I’ll be damned if I let him see just how much his kisses rocked my entire world. I turned around and began to walk ahead of him towards the door. I could feel his eyes all over me.

  “You look very sexy tonight. You and leather go well together,” he said sexily.

  I looked at him over my bare shoulder with a small smile and said “Thank you. You look nice too.”

  Luca stared at me for a moment, his brooding eyes seeming to bore a hole through me. Finally, he gave me a small smile and said, “Thank you.”

  I felt like a piece of meat under his heated gaze, like a gazelle under the hungry gaze of an alpha male lion. Yeah, it was time to get out of this room and away from this man. Luca made me want to take risks with him and do things I have never done before, or do things that I’ve sworn I’d never do. If we had stayed any longer in that room together, I have no doubt that we would have been naked on top of the desk that sat behind us.

  We walked back to our respective tables, and Veronica and Tracy were on the dance floor with two of Luca’s friends while Angie sat alone watching them. When she saw me, I could see the worry on her face.

  “Don’t scare me like that again Sloane. You took a phone call from Junior, but I also saw jerk face follow behind you. What happened?”

  I prayed to God she wouldn’t notice the fact that I no longer had lipstick on or how kiss swollen my lips were. I told her about Junior’s news about our father first, and then I told her about me and Luca patching things up and our dinner date on Saturday - minus the intense kissing session.

  “Are you okay? I mean about your father.” Angie asked.

  “I’m fine. What else is there to say? You reap what you sow,” I said as I shrugged my shoulders. I know that sounded cold, but I meant every word. I still haven’t told you half of what that man has done to our family.

  “So I guess jerkface isn’t jerkface anymore? I knew he liked you Sloane, and I knew you liked him too.” Angie said as she elbowed me.

  “There’s something about him, Angie…I don’t know what it is. (Lies) His swag, the fact that he’s so take charge (the fact that he kissed my brains out just moments ago) - it’s sexy to me,” I said smiling to myself. When I looked up, he was looking at me, and he gave me a knowing devilish smile. I shyly smiled back and looked down again.

  Chapter Eleven - Luca’s Redemption

  The last thing I expected was to see Sloane at Club Pure when my buddies and I decided to go out. We were sitting on the second level in the VIP section when I spotted her on the dance floor, her beautiful hips and plump ass swaying provocatively in those black leather pants. Man was I glad that I was sitting down. Otherwise everyone would have seen the huge tent in my pants. I had to get a closer look to be sure it was her even though I knew damn well it was. I simply wanted to be closer to Sloane. I suggested that we move to the VIP section on the main floor, and upon closer inspection, sure enough it was her.

  I watched the men that tried to dance with her, looking at her ass like she was a piece of meat or an easy lay, and it pissed me off. Then I watched the ones that were bold enough to try to get up on her, and it took everything in me not to charge onto the dance floor and punch their faces until they were a bloody mess. Sloane pushed them all away and demanded her personal space. She handled her own and stayed close within her circle of friends. I liked that in her. She seemed timid, but in actuality she wasn’t. I liked the feistiness in her. She was a great dancer too. Her hips and ass kept me hypnotized with desire. The things that went through my mind, the ways that I imagined taking her... let’s just say it took a long time for the tent to go down in my pants. Never in my life did I want a woman as badly as I wanted Sloane Paris, and not just physically. I wanted to get to know her, and I wanted her to get to know me which meant I had to make things right. When she finally spotted me sitting across from her, she was not happy. There was no mistaking the anger that came across her beautiful face, and I couldn’t blame her.

  My college friends Trent and Carlos were instantly smitten with the girls. They both had their eyes on Sloane first, but I quickly told them she was off limits and all mine. Her friend Angie was beautiful too but clearly married. There was no missing that big rock she wore on her married finger. Veronica was more Trent’s speed - short, chocolate, pretty and thick in all the right places. Carlos liked Tracy - tall, skin the color of honey, slim, but still curvy. They all hit it off right away, but that left me at the table by myself trying to figure out how to get Sloane alone. I watched her take a phone call as a worried look came across her face. When she got up and left her booth, I had to follow her. At first I waited in the doorway and watched her pace back and forth outside of the club in the cold winter air. I kept cursing her inwardly for walking out into the freezing cold without a coat. When it looked like her phone call was ending, I came out. I expected her to be pissed, and I knew we’d fight, but I refused to let her go without us talking things out.

  What I wanted to do was pull her to me and kiss her brains out, but I knew that wasn’t how Sloane functioned. She was still angry with me, and it was going to take more than physical seduction to get her to forgive me. Still I wanted to kiss her. I ached to kiss her. I wanted to touch her; I wanted her in my arms. I needed to feel this woman, and the urgency I felt towards her scared me. Once we were inside, and I pulled her into the private office, I knew that was my one shot at making things right. When I thought she was leaving Pricewaterhouse to get away from me, I almost lost it. Everything I said to her was the truth. I do want her. In every possible way, I want Sloane Paris. More importantly I want her to get to know me; I want us to get to know each other. Since that first day we met, I’ve thought of no one but her. She occupied my thoughts morning, noon and night. Her rejection of me was not something I could take, and yes I did act like a jerk when she came to apologize. I wanted to hurt her the way she hurt me. I know it’s petty, but when you fall for someone it makes you do crazy things. I’ve never fallen so hard and fast for anyone, so this is all new to me.

  When I pulled Sloane into my arms, it was on impulse. I couldn’t let her leave that room without me feeling her in my arms, and once she was in my arms it felt like heaven. She tried to get away from me, but I refused to let her go. She was so soft and pliant, and she smelled so damn good it drove me crazy. The way she looked up at me with those big, beautiful eyes and her soft, plump lips slightly parted took my breath away. I had to kiss her. Having her so close to me, our lips merely inches apart was too much temptation. Never in my life have I felt lips so soft and plush. She tasted sweet, just like I knew she would. I know I caught her off guard when I swooped in and kissed her, but she didn’t resist. She kissed me back with equal passion, and it surprised and pleased me. It proved that I wasn’t alone in my feelings towards her. She desired me just as much as I desired her. I’m so happy that Sloane agreed to have dinner with me Saturday. I’m going to make sure it is a night she never forgets.

  Chapter Twelve - Date Night

  Girl’s night ended up being a lot of fun, and I stayed out later than I intended to. Luca came over and introduced himself to the girls, and his friends introduced themselves to me and Angie. They were quite handsome. One was black, and his name was Trent, and the other was Hispanic and his name was Carlos. Veronica liked Trent and Tracy liked Carlos. They all exchanged numbers.

  The rest of the week flew by at work, and I didn’t hear from or see Luca anymore since running into him at the club.

  I had lunch with Junior, and he filled me in on the latest family drama with our father. I could do nothing but roll my eyes as I heard the same drama playing out in a different way. No matter how badly our parents treated Junior, he still did for them whenever they asked for his help. He still yearned for their approval and love
, and my heart went out to him. I will never know what it’s like to be abused the way he was physically and emotionally. I hate that he feels like he has to try harder to get our parents approval and love. I wish he could let go and just go on with his life, but when you’ve never had the opportunity to talk about your pain and get it off your chest with the two people who hurt you the most, how can you move on? How can you get the closure you desperately need? He’s tried to approach our mother many times only to have her dismiss his feelings or tell him to ‘Leave the past in the past.’” That was our parents’ favorite thing to say to us. They always accused us of living in the past or holding our father’s past against him. A person has to change their ways and stop behaving in the same manner in order for others to move on. A person has to admit their mistakes and apologize to those they have wronged so one can leave the past in the past and move on with their lives. Our father hasn’t done any of those things. He’d rather die than admit to any wrongdoing, and he only admitted to molesting Carly because he had no other choice.

  Junior has a beautiful, loving and supportive wife in Jessica, and two smart, respectful teenaged boys who are both in college. That alone is an accomplishment considering what he went through in his life. I love my brother dearly, and if I could take away the emotional pain that he’s endured his entire life, I’d do it in a heartbeat. If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s him.

  Friday night Angie and I ripped my closet apart trying to find the perfect dress for me to wear to dinner with Luca, and we couldn’t agree on anything. I grabbed my keys, and we went to my favorite boutique located east of downtown, and there I found the perfect little black dress. It showed off my hourglass figure perfectly.

  Saturday night was finally here, and Luca had called me earlier in the day to tell me that he’d be picking me up at seven. Soon the doorbell to my loft rang, and I became nervous. I checked myself out in the mirror one last time before I put on my black cashmere Donna Karan coat, grabbed my purse and answered the door.