by Lora Ann
She blinked several times in rapid succession and replied, “I still want you.”
When her brows furrowed, I could see the confusion in her eyes. Yes, it was a bit disconcerting to yearn for the one who had only brought you extreme pain. Yet I understood the longing completely, even though I had been the one to torture her for almost five hours straight. I began to care for the wounds that were open and stated, “We need to be careful. You don’t want an infection.”
As if she comprehended what I had just alluded to, she glanced down at the torn, raw flesh of her womanhood. How pretty it was now that it was free from all the pesky pubic hair. I licked my lips at the memory of the straight edged blade I’d used. When I swiped the towel between her legs, she arched into my hand.
“You are horny,” I uttered as I rubbed her clit with terrycloth. A vision of a piercing through the hood had me adjusting myself. Definitely happening next time. What the hell?! Not only was I planning on fucking her in the next few minutes, but apparently there would be another round. I wondered why that was.
All thoughts disappeared when she moaned, “Can I come now?”
“No,” I barked.
There was no reply from her. She just laid there and patiently waited. I would have tested her. But, at the moment, I wanted to bury myself deep inside that stunning cunt. Once I stripped off my leathers, I mounted her quickly and surged forward with enough power to move her to the front edge of the table. Damn, she was tight. You would have thought that impossible with the trade she was in. As her inner muscles squeezed tight, I began to pound mercilessly. She latched her legs around my waist and held on for the ride. Wasn’t long before I came, and she surprised me by following suit. Finally, I’ve met my match. Wait! Where did that thought come from?
Our gazes locked while I tried to regain some composure. I had lost all sense of her. Myself. The whole situation at hand. And when she pulled me against her, I knew it wasn’t going to happen any time soon. As her hands moved down to my ass, I was undone. We began again, although this time slow and easy. I should’ve been scared shitless by that, but, somehow, it just felt too damn good to fret about. There would be plenty of time to figure out the details. Later.
I released on an “ah, fuck,” as I bent to take her mouth with mine.
Afterwards, I pulled out of her body and stood. When I walked over to grab another towel, I tossed it to her and declared, “You’re not leaving. Ever.”
She held my gaze and vowed, “Never.”
With that I left the warehouse, only one thought raced through my mind: I now have my partner.
A tiny voice responded, “What will you do with me?”
I sank down on my haunches in the locker room. What was I going to do about Rachel? Aimee? Nik? Not to mention my pastime, which I truly did not want to give up. Was Marissa worth it? Only time would tell. And fortunately, there was plenty to go around.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aimee
“Mom, this is amazing,” I gushed as I took in the surroundings from every angle.
The church I grew up in was filled with lavender, hydrangeas, freesia, and purple roses. The pièce de résistance was the altar draped in silvery-white gossamer accentuated with two large, pewter and crystal candelabras on either side of the ornate Bible. Still, I was in awe of how she and her friends had turned the simple, quaint sanctuary into something otherworldly. The guilt began to overwhelm me as the little voice in my head reminded me, this isn’t a true marriage. Not to mention the shame that went with the fact, I had sold my body for money. I bowed my head and stepped away from everyone.
In a small, silent corner I sank down to my knees, having a moment of reflection. Could I really go through with this? I knew my parents would never have the 411 on my past, or how Nik and I ended up together. Part of me felt awful for the prevarication, yet what other choice was there? While I sat in a place where truth, grace, and forgiveness should overflow, I wanted to retch. Lies. And I was trapped with no way out. All of a sudden, a quote from Sir Walter Scott came to mind. “Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive!” And didn’t that just sum it up, right there. Renée placed her hand on my shoulder; meanwhile, I was mentally kicking myself in the butt.
“You have a visitor,” she announced.
As I wiped the tears from my cheeks, I glanced across the room. There—taking up almost every inch of the threshold, with a bouquet of yellow roses in hand—stood Nik. What a sight. A tingle of warmth began to blossom deep in my belly. His rugged, masculine beauty took my breath away. He narrowed his eyes and strode towards me. I rose to my feet and greeted, “Hey.”
Once we were toe to toe, he tilted his head to the side and reached up to capture a tear that escaped. “What’s wrong, Aimee?” he asked with deep consternation etched in his face.
I shook my head and lowered my eyes. He wasn’t tolerating my obvious attempt at hiding. Gently he lifted my chin with his forefinger, and our gazes locked. “Talk to me, please.”
Before I could answer, my mother approached. I half-smiled at him and then grasped the hand on my face. I turned us towards Mom and introduced them. Nik was so gracious with her, handing the bouquet over, which caused her to flush. At that moment my dad walked in. When he reached us, he wrapped an arm around my mom’s shoulders and jokingly queried, “Now, how did you know my wife’s favorite flowers?”
Nik cleared his throat and stammered, “I…uh…had no idea, s-sir.”
Never would I have imagined such a powerful man struggling for words. Somehow, it made him more approachable. Let’s face it; his size alone was a helluva intimidation. Therefore, witnessing his very normal reaction to meeting my father for the first time, made me love him just a little bit more. Did I just say love? Gee, shocker. Time to be honest, with at least myself; I was falling in love with him. Scratch that. I am in love with him. Annnnd didn’t that just fan the flames more. While I was actually marrying him for the right reasons, I knew it wasn’t reciprocated. Subtext: This was the real source of my previous mendacity. My biggest fabrication was, he thought I would only go through with it for protection. What a farce. Somewhere, in midst of this mess, I had developed very deep feelings for this wounded, yet honorable man. Go fig.
While I came back from my reverie, my dad said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nik.”
As the men shook hands, my mom smiled, “If you gentlemen will please excuse us.”
I squeezed Nik’s hand and began to step away. He tugged me into him and hugged me hard. Then he leaned into my ear and whispered, “I’ll see you soon, sweet Aimee.”
I blinked several times in an attempt to get my bearings. That was so unlike him. As I pulled out of his embrace, I called, “See you at dinner,” over my shoulder.
He flashed a genuine smile, and my step faltered. It was enough to make a woman weak in the knees. Realization hit, staying out of his bed tonight would test my self-control in more ways than one. For some reason, I wanted to follow tradition. How sappy. All too aware of his effect on me, he winked. OMG, I wanted him. Right here. Right now. I walked outside with my mother and Renée reluctantly. All the while I fought the compelling urge to march back inside and demand he take me. Phew! This was going to be one looooong night.
Mom turned towards me in the parking lot. “Oh my!” She fanned herself for emphasis. “That is one massive hunk you have there, Aimee.”
I attempted to suppress my giggle—and failed miserably, I might add—and confirmed, “Yeah, he’s pretty amazing.”
Renée chimed in, “Girl, please. He’s a major hottie. And you know it.”
I blushed furiously and bowed my head. Then added, “Hard to believe he really wants to marry me.” Uh-oh, that was a little too close to the truth for my comfort. Although my bestie understood completely, my mom was in the dark. And there was no way, unfortunately, I could shed any light. It was for her well-being, as well as protection, if she never knew the ins and outs of Nik’s and my relat
ionship. Gah, I abhor falsity. Yet in my heart of hearts, I knew there were no other options. All of a sudden my blood ran cold; I wrapped my arms around my torso tightly.
Of course, Mom didn’t miss it. “Are you chilly, hon?”
“Just a bit,” I affirmed.
She rubbed her hands up and down my arms to generate some warmth, which made me feel like crap. I held back the moan of despair and glanced sideways. Renée caught my gaze and held it intently. With her eyes, she silently asked, “You okay?” As imperceptibly as possible, I shook my head. Code for: Help me out here! Not skipping a beat, she said, “Mrs. Mitchell, do you mind if I take Aimee back to your house?”
Mom smiled, “Of course not. I’ll see you soon.” She kissed my cheek as she made her way over to her car.
Once she was out of earshot, I disclosed, “Thanks, Ren. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She scoffed, “Oh, you’re going to start talking. C’mon.” She tugged on my arm, practically dragging me to her rental car.
I made the mistake of looking towards the church. Nik stood there watching me. A look of concern crossed his face, along with some unnamed emotion. Huh, what was that about? Then I mentally scolded myself, don’t go reading into things. You’re already in way too deep with the man. Yeah, I was. And honestly, I didn’t think there was a way out now without shredding my heart to pieces in the process—which very well might happen in the long run. Too bad we couldn’t control who we loved. Or who we shared sexual chemistry with. Life would be so much easier if we got a say in such matters.
*****
As we drove, I did my best to sidetrack Renée. “So, how’s everything with Keshaun?”
“Great.” She shot me a wry look. Darn, she didn’t buy it. Should’ve known better than to try and pull the wool over her eyes. Once she cleared her throat, she pointed out, “Stop beating around the bush. What’s going on?”
Weary and sick to death of covering my true feelings, I decided to let ‘em loose. “I’m in love with him.”
“Are you, now?”
I laughed with no humor. “Hell, yes. And it’s really complicating things.”
She inquired, “Such as?”
I exhaled heavily and then proceeded, “For starters, he doesn’t feel the same about me.”
She quirked a brow at me. “Really?”
“Of course, really,” I stated exasperatedly.
“Looks to me like you’re wrong ‘bout that.”
“How so?”
She reached over and patted my hand, which was resting on my thigh. “Trust me. I just know these things.”
Truthfully, she was almost never wrong on the feelings between a man and a woman. Yet I couldn’t help but think, there’s a first time for everything. No matter what, I wouldn’t hold my breath on this one.
As we drove around, she continued to milk me for info. “Why don’t you think he could feel the same way about you?” She arched a brow. “Has he said something?”
Awesome. As if I would ever divulge Nik’s secrets. Like you know them. Well, I knew enough of them to know he was still very much in love with his late wife. Oh, he craved me as much as I did him. But that was not love. I answered, “Not in so many words. Call it female intuition.”
She pulled over beside a park and faced me. “Cut the crap. What’s really goin’ on here?”
I got out of the car and began to walk. She strode beside me as I organized some of my thoughts. I finally stopped mid-stride and challenged, “Do you think I should go through with the wedding?”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “Little late for that question, don’t ya think?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what to think anymore.” I threw my hands up in the air and pointed out, “This is the twenty-first century.”
“Um…’kay.” She countered, “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
Frustrated, I replied, “This is what women did in centuries past.”
“Not sure I’m following your train of thought here, Aims.” Her face was pinched in confusion.
Dammit. How to articulate it? I sighed, “What I mean is, women don’t get married this day and time for protection.”
“Alright, I see where you’re goin’ with this. You mean in the past it was status quo, right?”
I emphatically nodded. “Exactly.”
“But you love him.” She added, “So, I’d say you’re marrying him for all the right reasons.”
I marched away from her, too angry to speak at the moment. As she followed, I queried, “Shouldn’t he love me in return? I mean, aren’t I lying by omission if I don’t tell him my true feelings?”
She grabbed my shoulders and turned me towards her. “You listen to me, Aimee, and listen well. He does have strong feelings for you. Give him time to realize just how magnificent you truly are.”
I pulled out of her grasp and scoffed, “I can’t, Renée.”
She shook her head. “I appreciate the fact you’re humble. I do. But you deserve happiness. More than anyone I know.” She grasped my hands. “I have a feeling he does as well. I think you two were made for each other.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” I could hear the sadness in my voice. Would she?
“Which part? His happiness or being made for one another?”
It was my turn to grab her by the shoulders. As I declared, “No one deserves happiness more than Nik.”
Her brows rose to her hairline. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Not my story to share,” I conveyed.
“Fair enough,” she ceded. “You actually believe in coincidences?”
“No. You know better than that.”
“Then there you go. You were meant to be,” she reiterated.
I shook my head and slightly chuckled, “Your way of reasoning leaves a lot to be desired.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t argue with me. Can you?”
No, I really couldn’t. And the last thing I wanted was to stand there and fight over something like that. Instead, I threw my arms around her. “I love you.”
She hugged me hard. “Right back attcha.”
We began to stroll back towards the car. Once we were back inside and traveling to my parents’ house, I said, “Thank you for everything, Ren.”
“Not a problem, Aims.”
*****
A little while later, we walked into the house I’d grown up in. I couldn’t help but notice all the people I had known since childhood were there. My eyes widened in surprise as I leaned in and whispered, “Renée, did you know about this?”
“Nope. Looks like your mom and dad wanted to throw a little party for you.”
When we rounded the corner, I smacked right into my fiancé. I studied his face to see if there was anger there and then greeted, “Hi.”
“’Bout time you got here,” he declared as he cupped my face with his hands.
My heart was beating so hard I could barely hear anyone in the room. What the?!
Without warning, his lips, strong yet gentle, were on mine. Oh, boy. That was our actual first kiss, although it ended way too soon. I stared up at him breathless. His smile reached his eyes as he murmured, “I missed you,” against my ear.
Dazed and confused, I stood there blinking like an idiot for a few moments before I finally responded, “Did you, now?”
His chuckle was deep and low. “Ah, Aimee. You have no idea,” he seductively proclaimed.
I bit my lip. Goodness he was sexy as hell like this. I swallowed hard. “Well, we’re together now.”
Before he could answer, my mom walked up with two glasses of champagne. She gave each of us one as she glanced over at my dad and nodded. Dad announced, “May I have everyone’s attention.”
Everyone turned collectively to look at us. He continued, “Here’s to our lovely daughter, Aimee, and her soon to be husband, Nik. Cheers.”
With that everyone toasted. Then Nik whispered, “Game on,” so low only
I could hear.
I almost spat my drink out. Once I recovered, I quickly and playfully retorted, “Bring it.”
He shook his head and then bent down to place his lips against mine. Without pulling away, he suggestively stated, “Mm, what I can bring you.”
Well, hell. When I vowed not to jump him until our wedding night, he just had to go and say that. He would pay dearly for getting me all hot and bothered like this. As he grinned at me, I knew he was well aware of my inner turmoil. Yep, pay backs a bitch. I smiled demurely and took another sip. Game was most definitely on.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nik
My feelings for her were unmistakable. Aimee was witty and playful, and the sexiest woman I’d ever seen. By this time tomorrow evening, she would be mine. Mine forever. Reality hit hard, I really wanted this. I waited a beat to see what my head had to say about that. Nothing. A strange peace settled over me with the insight. While my heart still ached for Rachel, it was amenable with the feelings I had developed for Aimee. I knew now I was in love with her. How would I convince her? She knew how much I had loved my late wife—still did actually. Would she believe I could love them both? Guess my job from here on out was to make sure Aimee knew I was more than capable of cherishing her for the rest of our lives.
As I looked up, my brothers entered the room. I smiled while I strode towards them. They both stared at me like I had just grown another head when I hugged each one in turn. I chuckled, “What?”
Alex quirked a brow. “Nik, everything all right?”
E chimed in, “Who are you? And what have you done with my brother?”