by Mia Madison
“It seems like a lonely thing without someone snuggled up in your arm. For me I mean. My life is already pretty desolate.
“I can't believe that.”
“Believe it, Darling girl.”
I love how she blushes with happiness when I call her that.
“It's here. With the Santa sleigh on the lawn.”
Way too soon she indicates a large home with an excess of Christmas illuminations for my taste, but it says family and that's nice. I pull up outside and silence rises up between us. Neither of us wants her to climb out of the car. For this to be over.
“Can I take you to the art gallery?”
Shit, is that boring? Does she prefer to shop or go to the movies?
“I'd love that.” her smile lights me up. “One problem though.”
Fuck, she douses me again.
“Can it be tomorrow?”
“Sure. Why tomorrow?”
“Because I've been thinking about you every minute since I saw you in the store with Mellie and if I have to keep imagining Jared Helmsley, I'm going to conjure up a man who might not be real. I need to know more of you.”
“I need to know you too, Darling girl. I'll pick you up right here at eleven in the a.m.”
I'm thrilled at her admission of need and also how open she is with her feelings for me. But she wrinkles up her pretty nose in worry and confusion moves over her beautiful soft features. I'd kill a fucking giant to clear up all her problems.
“Can you wait for me down the block,” she whispers nervously.
“Sure,” I say without hesitation.
Whatever she wants.
I don't like it though. That she's concerned about us being seen together. I can bet I know the reason. Already the problem of the difference in age is building a barrier between us.
As I drive away I realize that I didn't get the chance to tell her my problem. To put her mind at ease about how much I want her. But more important, I'm going to have to do something to rectify the situation we've dropped ourselves into.
But before any of that, I have to cancel the appointments I have back in San Francisco tomorrow, along with the flight plan.
Chapter ELEVEN
Carina
“You look beautiful this morning, Darling girl,” he says as soon as I clamber into the car.
I elected to wear a short skirt which makes it difficult to get into the low slung sportscar gracefully. The upside is I’m rewarded with his appreciative gaze taking in my legs all the way up to – you know.
“I hope you slept better than I did.”
“Oh, you couldn't sleep?” I ask, a little too eagerly.
“Like I said, it's a solitary life.”
“You must be used to it by now,” I say.
Shit. It sounds like I'm saying, after all these years. I don't want him to get any ideas that I think he's too old for me.
He just laughs. Jared is so laid back, everything rolls off him and he accepts what comes.
“Yeah, I should be, right? Except no one warned me I was going to meet a girl I'd actually be lonely for whenever she wasn’t around.”
“Oh,” I kind of whimper again.
What an idiot I am. I ought to come up with something super sophisticated to say to that. If I can't be clever I should at least be supportive. But I'm so surprised all my words have vanished.
He missed me. He was lonely without me? Then why didn’t he take me to his bed?
“I could have stayed,” I murmur.
My insides are fluttering like a cloud of moths let loose from the old sweater closet.
“Because I couldn't sleep or even think straight since you left last night.”
So much for playing it cool.
He looks at me and reaches for my hand which he brings back to his thigh. Oh god, I'm so close. One swerve of this crazy car and I could slip his cock into my grasp.
It seems too incredible to think about. Like it could never happen except I know it must.
“Do you think I didn't want that more than anything?” he grits.
“I don't know. It was confusing. I thought you were sending me packing and then that kiss.”
He looks at me, his eyes all sparkling as he presses me to continue. It's so easy to say what I think to Jared without worrying he'll diss or make fun of me.
“That kiss was amazing. So I don't know what to think. I was up a few times in the night too, wondering.”
“You don’t ever have to wonder, my Darling. But I have a problem.”
Oh no. Don't say it. Please don't say you're married.
Or in a relationship.
Or have ever been with a woman before me - ever.
“I use my money to buy shiny new things then move on. I'm a shark as you so brilliantly figured out so now I buy new companies. I’ve tended to behave the same with women.”
“Oh. So you're saying you're only a short term guy?”
“I have been up 'til now. But this is something new. The way I feel toward you. I want us to build a foundation before I take your perfect body.”
Relief and excitement combine inside me so that now it's a barrage of butterflies batting around my chest. He looks at me again, commanding my gaze.
“Because I will take you my Darling and I can guarantee that between us, the heat's gonna be explosive.”
Thrills of anticipation dart around my core, along with some trepidation. Will I be enough for him? It's not like I have a shed load of experience. I'm terrified of being a huge disappointment.
He gives my hand a comforting squeeze as though he knows what I'm worrying on and he's got it all under control.
We reach the gallery and at least I can hold my own when giving an opinion about the art. Jared wants to know what I think about a lot of things.
If we ever get separated, him looking at one piece, me another, I automatically seek him out, needing to reconnect across the large open space. Every time, I find him watching me with his cool beautiful stare. His lips flex and he smiles his glittering grin the instant our eyes connect.
I'm looking at one particularly mesmerizing piece, a giant abstract that speaks to me, when two commanding hands slide around my hip bones. I lean back against him, the wall of solid muscle, feeling the flex of his abs and the powerful beat of his heart.
“You look so perfectly beautiful, Darling Girl,” his raspy voice smolders against my ear, his hot breath making the side of my neck prickle.
I wait on tenterhooks for him to add, “Let's get out of here,” before leading me back to his hotel and fucking me witless.
“Hey, Carina,” A voice behind us announces too loudly. “What are you doing here? Ohhhh,” A long knowing pause precedes the, “Hello, Mr Helmsley.”
My heart bottoms out seeing Allie's cousin, Rachel, with two nerdy guys wearing thick rimmed glasses and long beards.
“Hi Rachel,” Jared says, not moving his hands off my hips, his fingertips pointing so close to my throbbing pussy.
I lean back into him even closer, not caring what anyone thinks. Wanting her to know he's mine.
“Good seeing you again,” he says, then with a cheeky tone, “Have you seen anything inspirational?”
After chatting a little, Rachel warms up to Jared and even the guys she's with suddenly gain respect when they realize he knows a few things about digital art. They probably assumed he was stuck at the Impressionists.
When the art groupies drift off Jared pulls me close and whispers into my hair.
“Let's get out of here.”
“I thought you'd never ask,” I respond eagerly.
Not that he asked. Jared usually tells me what he wants me to do. But I mean it more than he knows. Finally I'll have him push inside me and feel like he's truly mine.
But Jared takes me to lunch at Root Down. An insanely trendy place I've never been to even with my parents. It's a converted filling station so that might freak Daddy plus he doesn’t like to spend a lot of money on dining. So differe
nt from Jared. The one exception being their anniversary but that's likely because Mellie insists. In fact, that date is coming up really soon. I should get their gift before I get completely distracted.
“Holy cow, this is their ten year anniversary,” I tell Jared when the french press of coffee is set down and he's poured me a cup.
We're the last people left in the restaurant but the waiters are far too well-trained to hustle us out of there. Jared is settled in his chair and we've been talking about every subject in the encyclopedia. It's amazing how much we have to chat about.
“Let's go shopping,” he says, indicating he's ready for the check to the hovering waiter.
“Oh, no, I didn't mean – you don’t have to.”
I know how men hate shopping. I feel sorry for the boyfriends I see patiently waiting hours in the stores, barely covering up their boredom.
“But I want to,” Jared says. “Let's go, it'll be fun. I'll advise. After all I've known your parents longer than you.”
He kisses me when we rise from the table. Jared takes my coat and pulls me back into his embrace after sliding me into it. His arms encircle me and I feel his safe shield of muscle press against my back.
“I can't wait much longer for you,” he growls low into my ear from behind.
“Ditto,” I say and turn to kiss him which requires a long stretch onto tiptoes in order to reach his delectable mouth.
I am going to come undone if I can't have that mouth in private very soon.
Shopping with Jared is, as he promised, so much fun. He never looks bored or miserable but is actively giving me an opinion and even selecting things. Somehow we end up in the ladies designer department, which is not as stuffy as I always figured.
“Put this on,” he comes up behind me while I'm admiring some True Religion jeans to growl into my ear.
I do as he says, taking plenty of time while I'm in my underwear between getting out of my own clothes and slipping into the sexy dress he handed me. I'm sure his plan is to come into the change room and finally fuck me.
I say finally, it's only been a couple of days. But I've had whole relationships last less time and it seems like Jared and I have known each other forever.
Chapter TWELVE
Carina
I am literally panting, my skin shivering with each heartbeat as I wait for Jared to shove his way into the store's change room with me, just like in my fantasy.
Then I realize he isn't going to come and I pull the amazing sheath dress over my head with a sulky pout. As the slinky silk jersey falls down my body, I'm amazed by the transformation. I look almost grown up.
The heavy boots I wore with the denim mini skirt don't do the outfit any justice so I walk outside to receive his approval on my tip toes. I discover Jared waiting patiently as ever with his hands behind his back, making his biceps bulge out. The assistant is practically drooling all over the plush broadloom so I want to smack her eyes off my man.
But I have his complete attention. His smile broadens as I sashay toward him on my bare tippys. As I get closer his huge arms unclasp and he reveals a box he was hiding behind his back.
I cannot believe it when he pulls back the lid to reveal an outrageously stunning pair of heels, all covered in crystals like diamonds. But it isn't that rendering me speechless with delight.
It's the outrageously stunning Jared Helmsley dropping to one knee in front of me. I reach out and place my hands on his shoulders for support, as he slips my foot into a sparkly shoe.
Still cupping my heel, his eyes meander up my body and reach my downward gaze from under long lashes. His eyes read something incredibly naughty that makes me tremble with delight. We're both very aware of how close his mouth is to my barely covered slit. And maybe he's mindful of how soaked through my thong is, the only garment I'm wearing under this pricey slip of fabric.
“I could play games with you like this forever,” I say.
It's like a fairy tale. He puts my other foot into the shoe and holds on to my ankle. My foot stepped up on his wide thigh so the tops of my legs are parted. The gap sets off a series of pulsations in my pussy and I shiver under his firm hold.
His eyes trail back up my legs, pausing at the tops to take in my almost exposed dripping pussy before continuing up my body to enjoy my nipples prodding hard through the fabric.
My mouth is parted for the sake of inhaling more oxygen to my constricted lungs. I don't care if the assistant is gaping at us. All I want is for his huge hands to slide up my bare thighs, tug down my thong and suck my pussy into his mouth.
“You look more amazing than even I could imagine,” he rasps, not giving me my foot back. Remaining on his knees with me standing over him, shaking and panting.
“That's perfect on you,” the assistant appears beside Jared. A little too close beside him.
“Isn't she the most beautiful girl on the planet?” he says. To which the woman can't force herself to reply.
“I guess I should take this fantasy gown off and get back to my rags,” I say, suddenly shy for some reason.
I turn at the change room door to check out the chica's moves and see Jared is still on his knees, gazing after me. He must have been taking in the jiggle of my butt cheeks in the slinky fabric as I sauntered across the room.
Reluctantly I return from my magical moment back to my normal self, layered up in thick leggings with the short skirt, sweater, coat and boots. When I find Jared at the cash, a stab of possessiveness hits me that he's talking to the girl and she's trying to incite him to flirt. I almost fall over myself storming over there to claim him.
When I stand on my toes to kiss him full on the mouth she responds with a jolt of surprise. Closer to shock. Like she didn't figure we were a romantic thing. At least she manages to regain her professional stance.
“So with the other items your total comes to two thou-”
“That's fine,” Jared silences her. “Charge it to this.” He hands over a card.
She does as he says and he insists he'll take one of the parcels along while the rest can be delivered to the hotel.
He takes my hand as we wander through the store and out into the mall. It's way later than I realized.
“Time passes so quickly with you,” I complain.
Not wanting this to end. Ever. Just being beside him, his hand wrapping mine is all I need.
“We still have dinner,” he says.
I wish we could skip dinner and get to dessert but I decide not to mention it. Jared has insisted he wants to take this at a particular pace. Whatever this is. I don’t know because in a few days I have to head back to real life on the East coast. Him to the West.
Where can we go from there?
The thought that he's Dad and Mellie's old pal doesn’t even enter my head. I need this man to get me off before we part.
“Don't you have plans for tonight?” I ask.
“No. I was supposed to be back in San Francisco today.”
“So what happened to stall your plans?” I ask teasingly.
He stops in the street and takes my face in his palms, tips it up toward him before covering all my senses with the entirety of Jared. The scent of his manly skin, the taste of his mouth, clearly hungry for me, the feel of his hard hands cupping my cheeks and the stubble grazing against my chin and nose. All combine to make me gasp.
His kiss envelops me in his essence and still I want more. I need him inside my body. It's the only sensation I can imagine now. He doesn’t care where we are, in public, in the middle of a busy downtown street. He stops and takes me, reconnecting our bodies, claiming me with his mouth so I know he's here.
I get it. I don't need to ask why he changed his plans. But I'm enthralled that he did, just so he could stay here in town with me.
We arrive at the beautiful restaurant and the supermodel-esque hostess struts toward us giving me the once over so I feel frumpy in my old coat and boots.
“Baby, take this to the washroom and change for me. You
look perfect in anything but I want to see you wearing this.”
I take the store package he's been carrying and head to the washroom before the hostess can snatch my coat.
Ohmigod, the slinky dress and exquisite shoes I tried are wrapped up in gift boxes. They must have cost a fortune.
“I can't believe you did this for one date.” I whisper as I return to the table, unable to resist a smug look at the hostess. I feel amazing. Even more than I did in the store.
Jared stands, wraps my waist with his hand to pull me to him for a kiss before pushing my chair in.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“It's worth every dime. You look incredible in that dress. I might have you wear that every time we go to dinner.”
My pussy clenches as I recall Jared on his knees in front of me, his hot breath falling on my bare thighs.
Every time?
The restaurant’s tasting menu is unbelievable and he orders champagne to go with dessert so we can toast to us.
I can't take it anymore. Need is pressing at every corner of me.
He moves the candle to the side so as to take my hands in both his. His eyes in the flickering light are filled with lust and I'm about to insist that he take me to his hotel. Right now. More than anything I need to spend the night in his embrace. He seems unwilling to part from me also. We know what we want no matter the obstacles. Being together is all that matters.
But then I happen to look up to the hostess desk.
“Holy fuck,” I squeak, tearing myself away from his tender grasp to leap up from the table and dart headlong to the washroom.
Chapter THIRTEEN
Jared
When Carina gives me that look I know I can't hold off any longer. Even if she wasn't so gob-smacking stunning in the outfit I bought her, there's no way we can resist this thing any longer. And I've lost all reason now. So the reasons I'd formulated for why we shouldn't do this, and to cement the waiting rule in place, have all evaporated.
All I can think of is sliding my cock inside her sweet pussy until she writhes and screams my name. I want that blush to come across her soft cheeks right before I bend her over in front of me and thrust into her from behind, pulling her hips back onto my dick while she impales herself on me and soaks my searing hard wood with her juices.