She lifted up her t-shirt, pulling it up over her head and exposing her bra. Theo had floated up for air just as she stepped towards the pool. She wondered if her nipples showed through the lace material. Theo swam to the edge of the pool and he looked up at her, pinching the water out of his nose.
Their eyes locked as they stared at each other. He had never seen her this naked before. Not in her adult life at least, and she knew he had definitely not looked at her this way before either. Growing up, she had just been a part of the gang of kids that hung out around his friends. Now he was looking at her like she was an actual adult. A thrill ran down Nora’s spine.
Theo’s face hardened again as his gaze dropped down to her heaving breasts. She was definitely aroused by his eyes looking at her curvy body, and she wondered why he had so suddenly jumped into the pool. It made her wonder if he was turned on as well.
“So, why are you here, Nora?” he asked her in a serious tone.
“No reason,” she said as she lowered herself down and slid her legs over the edge of the pool, soaking her feet into the water. Theo was by her side, their bodies only inches apart. She held his gaze. Her heart began to race because this was probably the first time that they were completely alone. It was almost unreal to her. He hadn’t said anything for several moments and she watched as the water slid down his neck and down his chest.
She could feel the tremble in her hands and the pull in the pit of her belly as it took everything within her snot to reach out and touch him.
“Does your father know you’re here?” he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She couldn’t believe he had just asked her that. After all, she was twenty-five years old and not a child anymore.
“Theo?”
A woman’s voice interrupted them and Nora turned to see his wife walking out of the kitchen sliding doors towards them.
Chapter 5
Violet was stunning to look at; she had brilliant red hair, which was curled and styled to perfection in a smart bob that just about grazed her shoulders. She was even more pale than Nora was, nearly translucent in complexion. She wore a fire engine red lipstick, making it impossible to look away from her. She was in a leopard printed chiffon dress that flowed across her body, reaching her ankles.
She had an oversized black tote dangling from the crook of her elbow and strappy black stilettos on her feet. She didn’t seem to look the least bit surprised to find her husband in the pool with a practically naked younger woman.
“Theo, I’m going to the spa and I don’t think I’ll be back for dinner,” she said, ignoring Nora’s presence in front of her.
“Do you want to say hi to Nora? She’s Andy’s kid,” Theo said, and Nora noticed the subtle way in which he drifted away from her a little.
“Andy?” Violet asked, puckering her lips in a pout.
“Andy Moor. My best friend. The guy who I brunch with every Sunday?” Theo said and Nora thought she detected some venom in his voice, but then again, she wondered if she was just imagining it.
“Oh yes, of course. How lovely to meet you, Nora?” Violet stepped towards her, with her hand held out delicately. Nora wasn’t quite sure what to do with the hand, whether to shake or kiss it in gratitude. She was just used to hugs or pats on the backs when she met someone.
“You must be Violet,” she said, embarrassed suddenly that she was found in lingerie, even though the woman didn’t seem to notice.
Violet took Nora’s hand and gave it a gentle shake, and looked at her husband again with her brows raised. It was almost as though she couldn’t wait to get out of there. Even though Theo was insistent on continuing with the introductions.
“Nora’s the editor of one of those magazines you read,” he continued and Violet turned to her with a look of surprise.
“Which one?” she nearly squealed.
“Sub editor, actually, and it’s Viva Vixen,” Nora said, smiling as politely as she could and Violet squealed with delight.
“I love it! I love you! Oh my God, it’s made my day,” she gushed and to Nora’s surprise, she started walking away, with that same excited expression on her face. Nora’s brows crossed again, she was surprised by the reaction, although realizing now that Violet’s reaction was probably just fake. All she was concerned about was getting to the spa as quickly as possible.
“My apologies for that, my wife is not exactly a people person. Or at least not a polite person,” Theo said and Nora looked at him again.
It was like the spell was broken now, that intense silent moment they had shared just minutes ago; was now gone. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him.
“No worries, we all have our downsides,” she said encouragingly and Theo seemed to take a deep breath in. If there was one thing that Nora had already sensed, it was that the couple were not exactly deeply in love. At least not anymore. There was no sign of affection between them.
“And it’s funny how you discover these downsides only when you start living with them,” he said and turned, stretching his long muscular arms on the edge of the pool where he was leaning. Nora still had her feet dipped in the water, and she paddled lightly, enjoying the feel of the cool water against her skin. She was even more starkly aware that she was in her lingerie now, and surprised that Violet had made no comment about it.
“You’ve been married for seven years, I’m sure you both know each other’s downsides well by now,” she said, in an attempt to keep the conversation going.
“Yeah, well, I should have known better than to marry someone I knew for three months,” he said and in the next second, he made a huge splash as he dove back into the water and started swimming to the other side.
Nora remained sitting where she was for a few more minutes, watching Theo do laps down the length of the pool. His strokes were powerful and effortless and the fact that he was in impeccable shape was re-affirmed. She realized in a few minutes that he wasn’t coming back to talk with her, and that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from drooling over him.
Eventually, she stood up and started putting her clothes back on again. Theo looked at her in the middle of one of his strokes and Nora waved at him. He gave her a quick wave and went back to doing his laps and she felt rejected all over again. Those same feelings of a lovesick teenager returned and she knew she had to get out of there as quickly as possible.
For a few minutes, she had felt like he had actually seen her and then in the next moment it was gone. Theo was back to being the adult in the room, the one with no time for a silly kid. And also, he had asked her about her father! Right after she had watched him undressing her lingerie with his eyes.
Nora felt the back of her neck burning as she stormed through his house and out of the front door. She now realized how bad of an idea it had been to come to his home. Her feelings for him, her desire for him…had only strengthened, just when she thought that she would be able to survive this trip without breaking down into a messy heap of tears and heartbreak all over again.
Chapter 6
Nora was expecting to have a quiet movie night, with the house to herself when the doorbell rang that same evening. She had turned all the lights off and had been huddled under a thin cover on the couch. The light from the television screen was the only source of illumination for her, as she made her way to the front door.
When she opened the door, she felt her limbs freeze. Theo was on the other side, his hands stuck deep into his tan pants. The night breeze had lightly ruffled his usually well brushed dark hair.
“Hi,” he said, his face breaking into that grin which made her instantly melt. This man was the man of her dreams, the prototype she had been searching for all her life since she left town. Even though she looked for the same qualities in the other men she had dated, nobody had ever come close. And now that she stared at him in awe, it became even more clearer that she wouldn’t find anyone else like him. The perfect balance of gorgeous looks, intelligence and kindness.
“Dad isn’t home, he’s playing poker with his gang, but then you probably already know that…” Nora’s voice trailed as the realization hit here.
“Yeah, I know, I’m here to see you,” Theo said and without invitation, he brushed past her and stepped into the house. The sound of the television was faint in the hallway, as Nora closed the door behind them. She was trying to keep her breathing even, but it was difficult. She had no idea why he would possibly want to see her. She was nervous and jittery and aware of the oversized old clothes she was dressed in.
“Let me make us some coffee,” she said and stepped past him and felt Theo’s strong grip on her wrist. She felt like her skin had sizzled and an electrical shock ran down her spine. He let her go immediately.
“No, I’m not staying very long. I just wanted to come over and apologize for this morning,” he said, while Nora tried hard to recover from their moment of physical contact. Her throat was dry; she couldn’t make words come out of her mouth.
He towered over her, his head nearly grazing the low ceiling and Nora could smell that cologne again, which was overwhelming her senses.
“Apologize for what? You didn’t do anything,” she said and Theo let out a deep sigh.
“For my wife, Violet…her behavior was atrocious and you’re my best friend’s kid. You should be made to feel welcome in my home,” he said and Nora forced herself to smile.
“Well, I’m not exactly a kid anymore. It’s not like I need to be offered grilled cheese and juice boxes every time I visit,” she said but Theo wasn’t smiling, he only shook his head.
“Not just that, also my reaction…I shouldn’t have allowed my personal life get in the way. You came over for a visit and I deserted you because I was in a bad mood,” he said in a deep voice. Nora realized how close they were standing now, how wide his shoulders were and how easy it would be to just kiss him.
“Why were you in a bad mood?” she asked him and their gazes were locked. Everything around them seemed to be traveling slowly, like they could have been the only two people in the world. Theo’s eyes were searching her face, studying the curves of her neck and shoulder.
“Violet has that effect on me. I feel like I’m wasting my life and I have no way of stopping it,” he said and Nora gulped. Her suspicions were confirmed. They were not in a happy marriage. It sent a thrilling shiver down her spine that she had no control over.
“I’m no expert on marriages, but the last time I checked, you don’t have to stay in a marriage if you don’t want to,” Nora said, surprised by how adult this conversation between them was. Before she left home, the length and breadth of her conversations with Theo were about school or how pizza was both their favorite foods.
Theo was still searching her eyes, as though he was deciding how much to confess to her.
“Yeah well, I don’t have any particular reason to leave, except that I don’t like her. Which isn’t really a good enough reason is it,” he said and Nora felt his hot breath fall on her upturned face.
They were still standing in the dim narrow hallway of the house, just by the door. She could feel the heat radiating from Theo and wondered if he could hear how fast her heart was beating.
“Personally, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do,” she said, her gaze dropping to his lips, and then rising back up to his eyes. Theo lowered his face, just an inch, but it was enough for Nora’s breathing to stop. Her lips parted as she stared back at him in anticipation. Every nerve in her body was on fire.
“You’ve always been a headstrong girl,” he said, drawling his words and Nora couldn’t respond. Without breaking his gaze from her, he placed a hand gently on her shoulder and she felt that electrical current again. She wanted to lunge at him, to draw him into her, press her lips to him, but Theo was transfixed, taking every moment slow.
He pushed her gently, just enough for her back to graze the wall and with his thumb he stroked the bare skin on her shoulder. The tank top she was wearing was loose and the straps had fallen over her shoulders and her skin prickled with Goosebumps where he was touching her.
“You’re lucky to not have responsibilities, Nora. You should make the most of your life right now,” he said, clenching his jaw as he looked at her. She had thrust her breasts forward, closer to him, hoping that their bodies would finally touch.
“That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m living my life,” she said and Theo traced a finger down her arm till he held her hand in his for one warm second. Then he let it go and stepped away from her abruptly.
“Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for my poor hospitality. See you around, Nora,” he said, flinging open the door and before she even had time to collect her thoughts, Theo was out of the door.
Her breasts were heaving with desire, her breathing was constricted and she felt like she was breaking into panic ridden sweats. They had come so close. She had come so close to having him. Or had she just imagined all that as well? Was he just being nice to his friend’s daughter? Nora held her hand clasped to her chest, but her harsh breathing wouldn’t recover.
She knew there was no way she had imagined it. He had touched her, stroked her skin, felt the Goosebumps on her arm as he caressed her. Her breasts had nearly grazed his chest, his lips had almost touched hers. Nora felt like she was going to go insane with desire. It had never been this intense.
In the dark, stumbling over the shoes her father had left in the hallway, Nora rushed to the kitchen where she drank a glass of cold water. It didn’t help either. She had fantasized about Theo for so long and so many years, that this experience was overwhelming. His touch on her skin was enough, having their faces so close to each other was maddening. She couldn’t know if he wanted the same thing as she did, but she didn’t know what to do with her arousal at that moment.
With her hands trembling, she ran up the stairs to her old bedroom. Banging the door shut behind her, she pressed her back to it and slid down. Her hands instinctually went to the spot between her legs where she could already feel the wetness growing. Through the thin material of her pajamas, she touched herself, gently playing with her sensitive clit till that wasn’t enough either.
Nora slid down the elastic band till it was digging into the skin on her butt. She had pulled down her panty with it, and now her fingers found her clit again. She allowed herself to lay down on the carpet and closed her eyes firmly shut as she faced the ceiling.
The image of Theo’s face looming over her was as real as it was going to get. His large warm hand on her body had left its imprint there. She could smell him, touch him, feel him…
Her fingers stroked and played with her clit even more wildly, her other hand travelled up to her breasts and she pinched her hardened left nipple. She imagined Theo’s mouth there, sucking on her breast and the wetness grew between her legs. Her fingers slipped and slid as she toyed with her clit. She could hear his harsh breathing in her ears, she imagined what it would be like to have his mouth where her fingers were.
Nora bit down on her lip hard as her body spasmed. She could feel the orgasm coming, pushing her over the edge and she concentrated on how hot he looked that morning. His tanned smooth skin glistening in the sun, the dusting of chest hair, the sharp jaw…the force with which he might ram his cock into her.
Nora came in an explosion and she felt her juices slide in a gush out of her. She didn’t stop playing with her clit as her orgasm came in waves, washing over her body, making her toes curl till she felt completely spent.
She was breathing loudly, panting as she slipped her pajamas and panty off her legs and lay on the carpet, naked from the waist down. She opened her eyes to stare up at ceiling and wondered what he was doing right then, while she had just orgasmed to fantasies about him.
Was he with his wife? Were they sitting at the dinner table and having a casual conversation over their meal? Did he even eat with her?
Nora rolled around and pressed her hot trembling body to the rough texture of the carpet. She did
n’t want to think about Violet. No matter what Theo had told her, no matter how much she wanted to hope that they never touched or kissed or had sex…she knew that the truth was that they were still a married couple. He had just confessed that he didn’t have enough reason to leave her.
She lay there on the carpet for a while longer, allowing her body to go back to its usual rhythm. Before she finally stood up and went to the bathroom to wash herself and her hands. She shook her head as she peered into the mirror in front of her. Her cheeks were flushed from the orgasm, her eyes were bright but looked tired and spent. She would never match up to the beauty standards of Violet or the other women that Theo used to date. No matter how successful, or how grown up she could get, she would never be good enough for a man like him, she thought.
Feeling dejected and a little embarrassed with herself, Nora made her way back downstairs in a fresh pair of pajamas. She sat down on the couch with the bowl of popcorn back on her lap and stared blankly at the television.
By the time her dad came home, which was at least a few hours later, she was lying on the couch and she shut her eyes when she sensed him enter the room. She didn’t want to talk to him, she knew she wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye. He pulled the covers over her affectionately and switched off the television and Nora tried to gulp down the guilt. She had just orgasmed to the fantasy of sleeping with his best friend.
Chapter 7
Nora was working in the kitchen, when her dad came in the next day. He had just returned from his daily jog.
“I just met Theo, he’s asked us to dinner,” he told her, gulping down a bottle of water thirstily. Nora felt her shoulders tense at the thought of seeing Theo again so soon.
“At his house? Just us?” she asked, trying to sound casual about it. Her father was milling about the kitchen, opening drawers to look for a knife to cut pieces of a Granny apple.
Single Dad’s Plaything: A Single Dad First Time Billionaire Romance Page 74