Crown's Chance at Love

by Mayra Statham

  Her office is a little small but nice. She has a couple of pictures of her kids, and a great abstract painting hung up behind her desk.

  “That is a great piece, “ I mention to her and she smiles.

  “I fell in love with it when I saw it. Thought it would look nice in here,” she smiles, her eyes dancing brightly.

  “Did you pick it up at a gallery in LA? “ I ask looking at it again. Something about the painting drew you in, hearts melding together in bright bursts of colors.

  “Actually I picked it up at the street fair, you know in Old Town? The artist has a booth there. I like her work. You should see some of her other pieces, they are amazing.”

  “We should go this week, they are on Wednesdays right?”

  “Yeah. I mean sure, if you want to go, we could,” she says her cheeks slightly pink, almost as if she was surprised that I want to see her again so soon. Shit if she only knew how distracted she made me feel.

  “Yeah I do. So tell me, how was your day?” I ask her, trying to ease our nerves a little as we sit in her office. She’s across the way a small light wood desk, making it feel like she was too far from me.

  “It was good, it kind of flew by, by the time I realized what time it was, I just figured I should work through lunch, then I got a call from my best friend and I got distracted from returning your text. I’m sorry.”

  “Oh no it’s okay. So Emmi is your best friend?”

  “Oh no. Umm well yes, but she feels like family since we have known one another since we were little. My best friend’s name is Nick, the three of us all kind of grew up together. He is in Hong Kong right now, so I was just catching him up on things here.”

  “What does he do?” I ask feigning interest.

  “Software development. His company is based out of Denver, but he is usually here or traveling all around the world,” she says smiling, obviously proud of her friend.

  We ate together, and it was nice to share a meal with her. I loved the way she gave me these shy glances and soft smiles almost as if she couldn’t believe that I was there. Once we finished, I mentioned to her that I had brought cupcakes for her office, but that they were in that car; asking if she wanted to go with me to get them, she smiled at me. As we passed the reception desk, Sabrina asked Janelle to take messages for her for the rest of the day and Janelle smiled at us. Once we were outside I took her hand in mine and she looked up at me, her eyes bright almost like she was caught by surprise.

  “How was your work day?” she asks and I sigh.

  “Boring. It’s always the same,” I say, and it’s true. I wasn’t sure when, but my job had become monotonous and I didn’t enjoy it, but what could I do?

  She leans against my black Range Rover and I stand in front of her. Her soft vanilla scent wrapping around me. I look at her shoulders and I don’t even think twice as my fingertips touch the bare skin and she shivers; I am mesmerized as I watch her skin fill with goosebumps and it stirs something in me. I look up at her, her mouth slightly parted and as her tongue lightly grazes her lower lip, I don’t think twice about closing the space between us. Pining her body between my car and my body.

  “I couldn’t stop thinking about you all day sweetheart,” I say, hearing her take a deep breath. I’m breathing her in, her arms going to my chest, her eyes dark and slightly hooded.

  “I’ve thought about you too,” she says looking at me through her dark eyelashes that frame her beautiful brown eyes.

  “Sabrina,” I say, my voice surprising me at how deep it sounds in my ears.

  “Hmm?” she purrs biting her lower lip, and fuck I need to kiss her.

  “I need to kiss you honey. Tell me right now if you don’t want me to kiss you.”

  “Kiss me, “ she whispers, her eyes closing slowly as I lean my head closer to hers, my lips reach hers.

  Her lips are so soft and plump and I press mine in harder, her mouth parting for me, my tongue tracing her lower full lip and slightly nipping it. Our kissing surprises me. We kiss like we have been kissing each other our whole lives, instead of it only our second kiss. Something powerful takes over as we kiss completely in sync.Tasting and teasing each other. The kiss going from soft to hot and hard.

  Time stands still, yet I remember we are in front of the building where she works, making out like teenagers. I break the kiss before it gets to be too hot and heavy, but yet when we part and I see her eyes staring back at me, we are both a little breathless. Any plans of slowing down, of not getting hot and heavy are blown out the window when she surprises the hell out of me. She smiles that mischievous little smile of hers, and when she does that I am defenseless. Leaning into me, standing on her tips of her toes, even though she is wearing a pair of sexy five inch heels, her hands going to my back of my neck pulling me in. I can feel her chest pressed against mine. My body aching to feel her skin against mine. Her fingers running through my hair, tugging it with just enough pressure that she only adds fuel to the fire.

  The little moan that escapes her pretty mouth when she bites my lip was the final straw. That is when I lose it. When I lose the thin thread of control I had been holding onto. I wrap one hand tightly against the back of her head bringing her in closer. So close I’m sure she knows how hard I am. Pulling her head a little back so that I can have access kiss her neck. She moans softly, digging her nails into my chest. But she doesn’t push me away. She is just as wrapped up in me as I am in her. She arches her neck to give me better access at the sweet sensitive skin there.

  “Mike…” she moans softly, a little breathlessly and my dick twitches, straining against the material of my slacks.

  I go back to her mouth and she kisses me hard and deep. Everything around us fades in my mind and it’s just her and I. I can’t seem to get enough of her mouth, or close enough to the heat of her body. My body’s hot and my hand goes to cup her breast and she moans against my mouth. I can feel how tightly beaded her nipples are and all I can think about is wanting to know how wet she is.

  Shit it was too much too fast! Sabrina isn’t someone that should be treated like this, I thought to myself and as much as it pained me I had to break the kiss and connection. Snapping us out of our moment, I abruptly step back. Her eyes open looking at me. She looks confused and maybe a little hurt, but as quickly as the hurt flickered in her eyes, it was gone.

  “I’m sorry, that got a little out of hand,” I say nervously, making my hands go to the top of my head, so I wouldn’t be tempted to touch her again. I take a deep breath to try to calm down, but it doesn’t help. It doesn’t help because all I can do is smell her scent and it made my throat run dry. I start to feel nervous when she doesn’t say anything. So I walk over to the trunk of my car and take out the two boxes of cupcakes. She is still leaning against my car, running her fingers through her hair looking down as she visibly tries to steady her breathing.

  “I should take those in. You probably have to get back to work,” she says walking over to me, her eyes not meeting mine, yet her reaction catches me off guard by sounding irritated.

  “Sabrina…”

  “Look I get it. I’m sorry,” she says as she places her hands on the boxes, but I won’t let them go.

  “What are you sorry about?” I ask feeling a little confused.

  “I obviously took it too far…” she says sounding serious and maybe a little frustrated.

  I chuckle. “You took it too far?” I ask and she looks up at me.

  A flicker of fire sparks in her eyes and damn if it isn’t sexy and cute as hell. She is in a class of her own. She catches me off guard often. She sparks this pull to her that I had never felt before to anyone. Not even the woman I had been with for ten years. She speaks up when she gets pissed. Shit, she lays her cards on the table instead of playing games. She was absolutely nothing like the women I was used to dating. It was both unnerving and a breath of fresh air.

  “Yeah I did,” she says lifting her pretty little chin, and I can’t seem to stop myself from
smiling smugly.

  Taking a step closer to her she backs up until she is once again against the car, her dark eyes wide in surprise. I take the box of cupcakes, placing them on top of the roof of my car, letting my hands rest on the windows of my car, caging her in. Her mouth, damn that pretty little mouth is parted slightly. She licks the bottom of her pink lip with the tip of her tongue. Leaning into her, my nose touching hers, I nuzzle it a little and her eyes close. Breathing in the scent of her breath and skin, I can’t help smiling like an arrogant bastard. I take in how she looks like in front of me. Her beautiful face flushed, her lips swollen and bright pink from my mouth. Much like every reaction I have with her, I can’t seem to help myself. Leaning in, my mouth at the shell of her ear, breathing in her vanilla scent.

  “Baby trust me, that was all me… and the only reason I stopped kissing that pretty pink mouth of yours, “ I stop talking and lick the top of her ear and breathe in deep. Breathing in the scent of her perfume, mixed with her shampoo and her own skin. She smells fucking fantastic, and my dick gets harder, if it was even possible. I can feel her body pressed into mine and a little moan escape her mouth as she trembles slightly at the touch of my lips on her ear, “was because I wanted to take it a lot further than is allowed in broad daylight in the parking lot of your work.” I feel her shiver against me. I keep teasing her, even though I know I am on thin ice with my own self control. I gently bite her lobe, soothing it with the tip of my tongue.

  “I don’t know what it is about you honey, but you drive me crazy.” I kiss her neck softly, my lips only feathering the skin there, even though all I want to do is bite her, mark her in some way to show she is mine. Instead I step back and reach for the boxes, putting them into her hands, lifting her chin with one finger. Her eyes are slightly hooded in desire, her cheeks flushed, her skin filled with goosebumps, a small patch of skin of her neck slightly pink from the stubble on my face.

  I’ll call you tonight” I could hardly recognize my own voice. It sounded too deep and gruff. I noticed the way her breathing was off. her chest heaving up and down, her creamy skin flushed a pretty shade of pink. I needed to have her take those damn cupcakes into her office, because I was about to lose it and take her here and now.

  “Sweetheart. Please. Go.” I tell her standing straighter trying to adjust the painful bulge in my pants, that felt too tight. I caught her eyes roam over my body till the lowered to see the eight inch problem I was suffering with. Her eyes went wide and if I wasn’t so hard it almost hurt, I would have thought the expression on her face was funny. The way her eyes went wide filled with surprise then changed as they filled with mischief. I could only imagine what was running through her mind. I could tell she was biting the inside of her lower lip so that she wouldn’t smile. Looking at me her cheeks turning the brightest shade of pink I had seen on her yet,only making her even more fucking beautiful, she nodded and walked away. I watched her walk away.

  I was almost sure she was purposely swaying her hips in that damn sexy pencil skirt that accented her sweet round ass. With a glance over her shoulder and a sexy smile, she disappeared from my view. I got into my car, hitting my head on the headrest, taking a deep breath.

  I was way over my head with Sabrina Miller.

  Sabrina

  It was a great night. Perfect cool weather, she sat outside in her small backyard staring into the darkness. Nights like this made her glad she had splurged when she bought her patio furniture. Over-sized lush chairs with bright orange cushions she pulled her feet under herself as she stared out as her thoughts drifted…

  Nights like this always made her think of Sean. How many endless Spring nights had they sat outside in their backyard of their old home, and talked about everything yet nothing at the same time? Now here she was sitting in a backyard that Sean never laid foot in, thinking about a different man. A drop of guilt seeped into her heart.

  It had been over three years since Sean had left this world completely unexpected. Yet she could close her eyes and remember all the beautiful things they had shared in their eleven years together. All she had to do was look at her children’s eyes to remember the beauty they had shared and created together. The droplet of guilt quickly dissipated. She knew he would always have a piece of her heart and there was nothing wrong with trying to share what was left of it with someone else.

  At that moment she took a deep breath and knew in her heart that she was going to okay. Even if this thing with Mike fizzled out, she knew she had it in her to care again. Maybe one day to love again. Could she fall in love with Mike? She shook her head with a little silly grin on her face. Love? No. What she felt wasn’t love, it more like lust. Maybe because it’s time we get a little more than B.O.B can give? her bad girl chimed in, and her practical side nodded silently. There was definitely lust there with Mike.

  What was it about Mike that drew her in? She picked up her wine glass to her lips and sipped the sweet red. Flavors bursting in her mouth, she smiled as she thought about what his mouth tasted like. She could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers, his scent surrounding her, enveloping her in the heat from his body. She could hear the huskiness of his voice echo in her ears. The way his body had felt pressed deliciously close to her she doubted anything could have slid between them. Her breasts ached remembering how he had made her shiver with desire when he had whispered into her ear, how he had bit and licked her neck and damn it if her thoughts didn’t go to what that obviously talented mouth could do to the rest of her.

  She had been so into their kiss that she had completely forgotten they were in the parking lot of her office, that it was daylight, hell if she was being honest with herself, she had forgotten her own damn name. Maybe that was one of the things that intrigued her about him? Everytime they were together, she seemed to forget about so much. Everything around them seemed to fade and she could only see him, and that worried her; because a man like Michael Crown never saw women like her.

  She squirmed and sat up straighter as she remembered how she had wanted to shamelessly rub her body all over his. He had made her so wet she ached, her core throbbed with need for a touch- anything really. She remembered how hard he had become with their kissing. Her mouth had watered when she had seen how large he was. She shook her head and drank her wine in the silence of her backyard as her kids slept safely in the house, and she contemplated calling him. She was way in over her head with him. He was so out of her league, and she had so much more on her plate than he was used to. She wondered if it just wouldn’t be better to not try, to lay low, he would surely forget about her. He was probably out somewhere with some young carefree, beautiful, leggy model having dinner. It wasn’t as if they had said they would see each other exclusively or even date really, all they had agreed to was that they would get to know one another.

  The phone chirped next to me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I picked it up from the pretty, small round side table next to the comfy patio chair I sat in.

  BUSINESS THING CAME UP, CAN I CALL YOU AFTERWARDS? MIKE.

  This was my chance to say, thanks but no thanks. Even as smart as I thought that would be, I didn’t do it.

  SURE.

  I typed out and pressed send. It was short, simple and to the point. I finished my glass of wine and checked on the kids. Mark was in bed reading and we talked a little and then I went to my own room. The bright yellow bedding usually made me smile, but something nagged at me. In the week of having met him, I’d been like a silly school girl with a crush, and kissing him had only fueled the fire, but as reality set in I started to think about what it was that I was looking for?

  I walked into my closet, picking out my outfit for my the following workday, trying to mentally picture my day, but images of Mike’s handsome face, his kisses and touch, invaded my hormone deluded brain.Staring at my closet, with my schedule for the next day in mind I picked out black skinny jeans, a bright blue cowl necked sleeveless blouse and my fitted black blazer that fit great and made my wa
ist look small and cute. The blazer was a miracle worker. I paired it up with pretty thin silver bangles and silver studs for earrings, and black satin ballet flats that were cute and comfy. I placed all of it on my vanity.

  Once that was done I dug out my Kindle from my oversized mess of a purse.I decided to ditch my PJ pants since I was wearing one of Sean’s old Giants shirts and it hit past my knees, as my phone rings.

  “Hey,” Mike says his voice deep and sexy.

  “Hey,” I say trying not to smile.

  “What are you doing?” he asks and without thinking I answer, completely regretting it the moment it comes out of my mouth.

  “Taking off my pants.” I can feel how hot with embarrassment my face is, and I curse, “I mean, I’m umm just getting ready for bed.”

  “And you sleep without pants?”he asked quickly, his voice sounding slightly strained.

  “It’s getting warmer and I couldn’t get comfortable,” I start to explain.

  “Shit Sabrina. You are killing me here,” he says his voice husky, and I can almost picture him standing somewhere leaning his head back.

  “Why?” I ask. For some reason I can’t get myself to get back into bed, so I just walk around my room, finally sitting down on my oversized cream-colored recliner.

  “Because I’m over two hours away and all I want to see is what you look like when you are getting ready for bed,” he admits.

  “Two hours away?”

  “Montecito. I had some business dinner things I had to take care of,” he explained.

  “Oh,” I say reaching for my TV remote. I mute the tv, and click away at the tv, until some gossip show catches my eye and I leave it.