by Suzanne Hart
But every time I thought of doing it, I stopped. All I could do was remember Lisa’s beautiful face, her tears, the way her mouth tasted on mine. How she had made me feel when she was in my arms.
I was wrong about her.
She wasn’t the manipulating seductress playing a game; like I thought she was.
No, she was just a young girl trying to keep her family’s company afloat, while also dealing with the possible loss of her father.
I should have been cold and shrewd enough to do it. What did I care what happened to the Crowley family?
Instead, I found myself writing an email.
Lisa,
I would like to discuss a few important matters with you. I’ve booked us a table for tomorrow night at Fleur Gardenia. I’ll meet you there at nine. If you don’t show up, I will take it to mean that you don’t want to know what I have to say.
Julian
I’d sent the email to Alan Crowley’s address, guessing that it was Lisa who had control over it now. I didn’t yet know what I was going to say to her, but I knew that I wanted to see her again.
Within fifteen minutes, she’d replied to my email.
I will see you there.
From the moment I got her reply, I was on a high again.
Ever since that kiss, I was thinking less about Alan and my need for revenge and more about Lisa and how beautiful she was.
I was doing exactly the thing I had decided not to do. Fall for a woman’s charms and forget my mission. But now the course was set. I was going to see her tomorrow night and I couldn’t wait.
19
Lisa
I agreed to meet Julian the next day because I had no other choice. As far as I could tell, he hadn’t told anyone about Daddy yet. Now I wanted to find out what his plan was. A part of me wanted to see him again because of that kiss, but I didn’t acknowledge that part. I didn’t want to admit to myself that the kiss meant anything. It was something that happened in a moment of weakness and it would never happen again.
I could never have anything serious with a man like him. He was a shrewd businessman, and I didn’t want any more of that in my life.
I checked in on Daddy the next day after work, and nothing had changed. He was still lying unconscious in the hospital bed and it depressed me. Seeing Julian again would hopefully get my mind off that, I hoped.
I knew Fleur Gardenia was a beautiful fancy restaurant, and I dressed appropriately.
I picked out my best cocktail dress for it. It was a navy silk short dress with mesh sleeves. It had a fitted bodice, which accentuated my torso and the length of my waist, while the skirt was A line and had a cute swing to it. I wore black ballerina flats and styled my hair to lie around my shoulders. Instead of the red lipstick I wore last time, I went with a more neutral makeup.
Giving myself the once over, I left for the restaurant and I could feel my heart in my hands the whole way there. I had no idea what to expect, or why Julian had selected a restaurant like this to meet.
A valet drove my car away at the doors and when I gave the hostess my name, she immediately led me to the table.
The restaurant was more beautiful than I expected. It was entirely outdoors and was set up to look like a garden. Instead of rooms, there were romantic gazebos dotted around the garden and everywhere I turned, beautiful flowers and trees and scented herb bushes adorned the place.
Julian was waiting for me in our own little gazebo where a table was set up for us. He stood up to greet me and our eyes met. I shied away from looking at him directly.
He was handsome, in his dark semi-casual suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie tonight either but his suit dripped with class. It was definitely made specifically for him, tailored exactly to his measurements. His strong arms and wide shoulders fit perfectly in it.
That cologne of his surrounded me when I took the steps up to the gazebo. He smelled like he belonged in this beautiful garden.
“I’m glad you could make it, Lisa,” he said, smiling at me.
Like a perfect gentleman, he pulled out my chair and waited till I sat down before he sat across from me. It felt like we were completely alone in a garden under the moonlight and a starry sky. There was subtle classical music playing somewhere in the background, and I wondered how much money he was spending on this arrangement. Was I worth it? What did he want from me?
“What did you want to discuss with me, Julian?” I asked him, when he picked up the menu.
“We have enough time to talk about that later. Right now, you need to decide what you’re having,” he said, without looking up at me.
I looked through the options. There weren’t many. It seemed like this place had a set menu for the night with only a few selections to pick from.
“I guess I’ll have the lamb,” I said.
“Good choice. I’ll have the same. And I hope you don’t mind I took the liberty to select the wine,” he said and looked at the bottle that was placed between us.
I waited till the waiter arrived to take our orders and pour the wine, before I spoke again.
“After what happened yesterday… what you said I mean, I didn’t think you were interested in our company anymore,” I said.
Julian sat back in his chair and drew in a deep breath.
“Can we leave that aside for a moment? And not because I don’t want to discuss business with you,” he said. I blinked at him, confused. What else could we possibly have to talk about?
“What am I doing here then?” I asked and he smiled.
“Lisa, I think you seriously need to relax,” he suggested. He was looking at me with that calming composed look… the one which had made me lose my senses the day before. With him looking like this again, I knew I was going to melt in no time.
“You’ve been through a shocking ordeal. I guess you’re still going through one. You should calm down and just have a peaceful night away from all that,” he continued.
I was still confused. Why did he care about my peace of mind? But I also knew he was right. I had been too overwhelmed these past few days.
I picked up the glass and drank some wine.
“Good girl. So tell me, what were you doing in Dublin?” He asked.
“I wanted to do a Europe trip. By myself. I’d just graduated from college and I wanted to see the world. Dublin was my first stop,” I replied.
I was going along with this conversation because I had no other choice. I was also aware of that part of me which was actually enjoying this conversation too. Julian looked handsome and interested, and for a change, he wasn’t attacking me. I was trying to make the most of it.
“You’re more fascinating every day,” he said with a smile.
“I’m sure you’ve been to a lot of places,” I remarked and he shrugged.
“A few, yes. I haven’t travelled as much as I would like to, but it’s good that you have a plan,” he said.
“Had,” I corrected him and he peered into my eyes.
“Your father is going to be fine, and you’ll be back in Europe soon,” he said. For some reason, I believed that he meant it.
We spoke a little about Ireland. As it turned out, Julian had spent some time there on business. He knew all the places I’d been to in Dublin and we fell into an easy conversation. For some time, while we ate our appetizers and then our lamb, we were just two people talking. All the animosity, the arguments and even the kiss… seemed to be forgotten.
Slowly, I was beginning to see that Julian wasn’t as high strung or stuck-up as I thought he was. He told me he’d grown up poor, that he’d lost his parents when he was very young and was brought up by his grandmother in New Jersey. He asked me a little about my family and I told him about my mother and how distant my father had been.
“But you still love him,” he commented, as he popped the last piece of the delicious lamb in his mouth.
“He’s my father, and I respect him… yes, I love him,” I said, dabbing the sides of my mouth.
“Y
ou don’t want to lose him,” he continued and I put my cutlery down.
“He’s the only family I have,” I replied. Julian sipped his wine and I did the same. The bottle we were sharing was nearly empty and I could feel myself being more relaxed now. I didn’t know if it was just the wine or also his company.
I’d never thought that conversation with a man who was more than a decade older than me could be this comfortable. I’d forgotten about our age difference while we spoke. Right now, all that mattered was how nice he was being to me and how attentive. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was still achingly attracted to him. No matter how wrong it was.
“Have you known my father long?” I asked and Julian looked away from me.
“I don’t know him at all,” he replied. For some reason, he didn’t want to meet my eyes.
“Oh. From how stubborn you were being about only wanting to speak to him, I thought you were friends,” I said. Julian snapped his face back to me and there was a renewed fire in his eyes. I got the sense that I had said something wrong.
“No. We are not friends,” he said. Then he relaxed again, and the smile returned to his face.
“We should get dessert!” He declared and I clutched my belly.
“Usually I can’t say no to dessert, but tonight I’m stuffed. I think I’ll pass,” I told him.
He looked a little disappointed, and I wondered if like me he didn’t want this night to come to an end either.
“So, this is it?” He asked and I sat up straight in my chair.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’re ready to go home?” He clarified and I stared at him. I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t. That I wanted to spend more time with him, but I knew that wouldn’t be appropriate. So instead, I remained silent.
“Look, Lisa, I feel like I should apologize for what happened in your… your father’s office yesterday,” he began. I could feel my cheeks flushing and the back of my neck was burning hot. I couldn’t look at him anymore.
“I caught you at a bad time and I pushed you to admit something. You were feeling vulnerable and I shouldn’t have taken advantage of that,” he continued. I shook my head, daring to meet his eyes again.
“No, you didn’t… take advantage of me, I mean,” I said.
Julian was searching my face for something, I didn’t know what. I should have got up and walked away right then, but I was frozen to the chair. I was entranced by the possibility of more.
“Are you saying that you wanted me to kiss you?” He asked.
It felt like several minutes passed before I finally managed to nod my head.
“Do you know what you’re saying, Lisa?” He asked and I raised my chin up. I didn’t want him to think that I was just a silly child who didn’t know what she was doing.
“Yes, I am fully aware of what I’m admitting,” I replied, firmly.
Julian’s eyes travelled to my breasts and rested there for a moment. I was watching his lips move, the shape of his chiseled strong jaw, then down to his large hands.
“Would you like me to kiss you again?” He asked.
For a moment, I thought he looked just as scared as I was. I nodded my head again. I had no control over myself anymore. This night felt surreal and like we were in another world. I didn’t even belong to myself anymore. I was in a daze, and it was all Julian’s doing.
“I want to take you home, Lisa,” he said, watching me closely.
In response to what he said, I picked my purse from the table and stood up. Julian watched me for a moment, like he was in shock. I was in shock too. I had no idea what I was doing.
Then he stood up too, moved towards me and put a hand on the small of my back.
“I want you to know this was not what I planned for tonight,” he leaned in to whisper in my ear.
“Neither did I,” I said and bit down on my lip.
“Every time you do that, I want you in my mouth,” he said. His voice was on fire, setting my body ablaze.
“Take me home,” I said.
Julian led the way out of the restaurant. He didn’t even have to pay. He just signed a piece of paper and I figured that would take care of the bill.
When we were outside, a valet brought his Rolls to the front.
“My car!” I exclaimed, suddenly remembering. Julian smiled at me before he got in.
“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry,” he said.
Julian’s penthouse was breathtaking. When we arrived there, he walked me through to his living room which had a clear view of the skyline. It was a pristine and well-designed place, surrounded by glass walls and minimal decor. I felt like I had just walked into another fancy bar.
He took my coat and handed me a glass of water. Neither of us had spoken much since we got in his car. We both knew what was going to happen, and I couldn’t wait. I’d wanted him since the first moment we met in that elevator.
When I finished drinking my glass of water, I put it down on the counter of the corner bar. Julian had taken off his suit jacket and was beginning to roll up his sleeves, just halfway up his forearm.
“Has anyone told you how beautiful you look?” He asked, but it didn’t seem so much like a question. He was telling me, and it made me blush.
“I think I have some idea,” I replied, which made him smile.
“I want you to know that I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do,” he said then and came closer to me.
I leaned on the bar, watching him. I was stuck to his eyes.
“I want you to kiss me again.”
I had whispered the words but he heard me. He came up to me and pulled me into his arms, leaning me backwards so he could see my face clearly. Julian’s eyes searched mine and I felt like I was melting. In that moment, nothing else mattered except him. I wanted him, every cell in my body craved for him.
He brought his mouth to mine and I took the plunge because I couldn’t hold back. Our lips fuzed. He groaned and I gasped. Since that first kiss in my father’s office, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him.
Julian’s tongue dove down my throat and I clung to him. This time, the kiss was less gentle and more wild. I pressed myself to him, and he sunk into me. My breasts were squeezing against his chest. I thought I could feel his heart thumping. Further down, my groin pressed against his and I could feel his cock growing and throbbing in his pants.
Julian’s hands travelled down as he kissed me, down my back and to my ass. He squeezed them with both hands and I gasped again. Then his hands found the edge of my dress and lifted it up. His rough large hands were on the soft sensitive skin of my thighs. Within moments, he was stroking my pussy through my wet panties. I couldn’t breathe anymore. I pulled my mouth away from him. I was shaking all over.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, peering into my eyes. He let me go.
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong,” I whispered.
He weaved his fingers in my hair, gently stroking the back of my head.
“There’s nothing wrong with allowing yourself to feel good for a night,” he said, searching my eyes.
“I know,” I replied. He leaned forward and laid soft kisses on my cheeks. My pussy was wet and throbbing where he’d touched me. I wanted more than just his hands there.
I stared up at him, at his darkened handsome face while he searched for the zip on the side of my dress. He dragged it down, splitting my dress open. I reached for the buttons on his shirt and helped him out of it. Then his pants.
With my dress off, and then my lingerie… we were finally naked.
He looked at me with those piercing blue eyes again. His jaws were firmly set, he was examining my naked body. I had never felt this naked before, not even with all my clothes off with other guys. Julian had a uniquely intense way of looking at me which made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
Just as I’d imagined, his body was magnificent. His stomach was washboard flat, with abs chiseling his torso and muscular w
ide shoulders and chest. There was a dusting of light golden hair in the center of his chest which made me gulp with desire.
When he pulled his briefs down, I finally saw his cock in all its glory. Big and throbbing and still growing between his athletic thick thighs.
Julian reached for it, stroking his cock while he watched me.
“I could look at you all night,” he groaned. I was covered in goosebumps, shuddering as I stood there on display for him.
“Touch yourself, Lisa,” he said.
Once again, I did as I was told. My hand travelled down my front till I could feel the hot stickiness of my pussy. I touched my swollen clit gently before beginning to rub it harder.
“Good girl,” he said, reminding me again of the fact that he was much older, more experienced in this than I was.
When he came up to me, he kissed me again. First my lips, then down my neck, till he had taken my left nipple in his mouth. I gasped, digging my nails into his velvety hair and throwing my head back. His hand travelled down to my pussy, while he sucked on my breast. Every part of me was ecstatic now, I was out of control. I was breathing hard and moaning while he pleasured me. I had to hold on to his shoulders for support because I was sure that I would fall.
My clit was swollen while he rubbed it, stroked and teased it till I knew I would come. He slipped his forefinger into my pussy and I felt the pressure of him inside me finally. His thumb continued to stroke my clit. I had never felt pleasure like this before. From my left nipple, he moved on to my right… giving both of them equal attention.
I gasped and gasped, clinging on to him.
“Julian… I’m going to come!” I cried out and he started stroking me harder.
I came in his hands, my cum oozing out of my pussy and my body shuddering against him. Julian tugged at my nipples with his teeth, squeezing and sucking them while I writhed in his arms. I was moaning, calling out his name and crying out to him… begging him to not stop.