by Cole, Fiona
“Oli—”
“I have to go.”
“Because I love you.”
The words ripped from him. They tore from him and slammed into me so hard, I lost my breath.
“What?”
“Okay?” he growled, one hand thrown out and the other buried in his hair. “I love you. It’s got about a million strings attached to it that could go wrong, but there it is.”
The words rippled across my skin, sinking into my body, filling my chest up like a balloon that was going to float away. Every bit of anxiety over Daniel fled, no room for it among all the joy stretching me from head to toe.
Kent loved me.
Kent loved me.
My mind played the words on repeat until it bubbled over. Abandoning my exit, I jumped on the bed, giggling at his wide eyes. His arms automatically came up to catch me, and I climbed on his lap, wrapping around him, trying to become one with him.
It wasn’t enough. His brow furrowed like he wasn’t sure what to expect next, and I laughed again. I couldn’t blame him. We’d been awake all of an hour, and our emotions had swayed from one extreme to the next like a rollercoaster.
But I’d ride it again and again if it got me in his arms, weightless and happy. Wiping away any doubt, only one truth remained.
“I love you too,” I whispered before fusing my lips to his. I put all of myself into it—gave him every part of me. It took less than a second before he gave all of himself in return.
Kent and I had passionate, wild, crazy sex that always took me to the ends of the Earth, but this was more. This was Earth-shattering. This was us clinging tight to put ourselves back together in each other’s arms.
“We’re so fucked,” he grumbled, his lips skimming down my neck, his hands fisting my dress out from between us.
“I don’t care.” I was a geyser exploding with emotion, and I was unable to hold it in. I laughed and kissed any inch of skin I could reach. “I don’t care because I love you.”
My core brushed against his hardened shaft, and I shifted until I could slide up and down his cock, coating him with my desire, moaning each time he brushed my clit.
“I need you,” he moaned.
“Yes.”
Before leaning back to grab a condom, he gripped my jaw and forced me to meet his eyes. “We have to tell him, Olivia. He’s my best friend, and I can’t keep lying to him. He knows something is going on with me, and it’s only adding tension. Give him a chance to understand.”
“Just…” I swallowed and flicked my eyes to the side, collecting myself. “Just give me time.”
It wasn’t perfect. It didn’t fix all the things that could go wrong running through my mind, but it was a step in the right direction. I could do this—with him—one step at a time.
How could I not when I loved him?
20 Kent
I held my breath when the door creaked, and a shaft of light spread across the foyer, only to be filled with Olivia’s shadow. I waited for her to notice me despite the way I sat in the dark corner of the room, but instead, she let the door slowly close behind her and followed the directions on the paper clutched in her hand.
Only the dim light in the foyer was on, illuminating another note on the table. She unfolded the paper and let out a snort that almost had me laughing. I imagined her doing this before every time we met. Scoffing at my demands but doing them anyway…for me.
My cock grew hard as I watched her strip away her dress and open the box that was under the note. She lifted the lid, and a small gasp reached across the dark room and sank into my skin, reminding me of all the other times she’d made that sound under my ministrations.
She lifted the black silky material and slid the dress on. She looked perfect, just like I imagined. The material draped over her subtle curves perfectly, and I couldn’t wait to reveal them again later. I bit back my moan when she did a happy dance, bouncing from one foot to another before pulling out the black, glittering pumps with the red sole. Olivia loved fancy things, and tonight, I planned on giving them all to her.
She slid the shoes on—making even that simple movement unbearably sexy—and faced the dark hotel room as she’d been instructed.
She was so perfect I could’ve spent the entire night just watching her stand there like a regal queen waiting to be ravaged. But my cock had other plans.
Her eyes snapped to mine when I flicked the light on. I could’ve died right then with the way her lips spread in the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. All because I was here. It did things to my ego. It did things to the organ thumping harder in my chest.
God, I loved this woman. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do about it, but I knew I loved her, and that had to be enough for now.
“Kent,” she breathed.
“Hey, beautiful.” She was so bold, but the blush that stained her cheeks at my simple compliment belied her youth and innocence. “I wanted to create a date just for us,” I explained, gesturing to the white cloth-covered table.
I wanted to take her out on the town, show her off, but she’d made herself clear that she needed time. It wasn’t what I wanted, but I respected her enough to be understanding of her decision.
For now.
“Come here,” I ordered.
She obeyed, as always.
I hit the button for the stereo, turning on bluesy jazz, and stood to greet her. When she stood only a foot away, her chin tipped up just enough to look me in the eyes, I dug out the slim platinum chain from my pocket, dangling it between us.
“What is that?” she asked breathlessly.
I slid the metal around her neck. “I’m not into the BDSM lifestyle seriously, but I do love the idea of this on you at all times. My way of claiming you—marking you—even when I’m not around.”
Moving behind her, I shifted her to stand in front of the mirror. Her fingers grazed the metal, her mouth falling open in a small oh. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
I brushed her hair to the side and placed lingering kisses from her shoulder to her ear, loving the soft exhale as she tipped her head to the side, giving me access to every inch of her.
“Come sit down. Dinner is waiting.”
“I thought it smelled good in here.”
“I even had it prepared the way you like it, medium-rare.” I shuddered at the overdone meat. “So savage.”
She sat, rolling her eyes. “It’s only one step above what you order.”
“Still too much.”
“Well, thank you. This all looks delicious.”
She moaned when she bit into the first slice of her steak, and I forced myself to do the same instead of forgoing dinner to ravage her on the table. The candlelight flickered over her features, and if I tried hard enough, I could almost imagine us at home having a normal dinner we could enjoy every night. She was radiant, and a part of me, I never knew was there, longed for it to be true.
She sipped from her wine and rested her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand, smiling across the table. “So, how’s business?”
“Which business?” I asked with a laugh tinged with the exhaustion that had been riding me for weeks.
“The ones in New York.”
I got distracted when her other elbow rested on the table too, and her dress gaped, exposing her cleavage. “Umm…what?”
Her lips tipped up, her smile knowing. “The New York businesses, Kent.”
“Right, right. Sorry, your luscious tits distracted me.” That earned me another blush. “They’re going well. We closed on the hotel building and should be making final decisions on the location of the new club.”
“That’s so amazing. Daniel manages Voyeur, so who will handle everything in New York?”
“We’ll hire someone, and Daniel will run point with him. And I travel to New York enough we can keep a close eye on it all.”
“Sounds amazing. Will you do the same design at the club in New York as you have now?”
“Something close.”
“O
h,” she held up her finger and ran to grab her phone before perching at the edge of the seat next to me. “I was going through Pinterest and saw these club chairs that totally reminded me of the whole gentleman’s club you’ve got going on, already.”
She held the phone out for me to look, her face alight with pride at her discovery, and she was stunning. She was so beautiful and smart, and she had no idea what to do with all the genius ideas running through her head. I looked down at the picture of the high-back, dark leather chairs. They were both classically sophisticated, but modern too.
“They’re a new, local shop that refurbishes furniture they find at auctions and other places. Kind of like that one show on American History. It’s super cool.”
“You know,” I started, sitting back in my seat. “Carina is starting a new marketing venture with a whole design team. It might be something you’d enjoy.”
“Trying to get rid of me, Kent.”
“Hardly. I’m a selfish man, and I want to keep you all to myself. But your class will be over soon, and as you progress through your classes, you may need another internship. It will look good on your resume.”
“You’re probably right.”
I rested my hand over hers. “You’re so talented, Olivia, and I think you haven’t even begun to tap into your potential.”
She bit her lip and dropped her gaze to her lap, but not before I saw yet another blush and smile.
“Thank you.”
“It’s true. Anyone would be lucky to have you on their side. You have brilliant ideas.”
She lifted hopeful eyes to mine. “Maybe I can go to New York with you and help her if she’s interested.”
I perked up at her suggesting plans outside of this hotel suite. “I would love that.”
“Does Daniel go with you?”
“Sometimes.”
“Oh.” The excitement of the moment dimmed, and I hated having this thing lingering between us. We stretched in limbo, unsure of where we would fall next.
“Have you talked to him?”
“Not recently,” she answered lightly. Completely opposite of the heavy pressure weighing on my chest. “I was supposed to see him for lunch the other day, but I had to cancel because of homework.”
I wanted to believe she wasn’t avoiding him, but the way she refused to look up from her plate had doubt seeping in.
I brushed it off, sure it was nothing. Olivia wasn’t someone to hide from honesty. She was straightforward, one of the many things I loved about her. “How about dessert?” I asked, eager to leave this topic behind, and enjoy the rest of our date.
Her shoulders dropped, the tension leaving her body, and she finally looked up and smiled. “Sure.”
“Wait here,” I ordered, standing and grabbing the bowls of whipped cream and strawberries. With everything I needed in hand, I ordered, “Follow me.”
“What?” she asked when I walked past her toward the bedroom.
“Come. Here.”
We stood by the closed doors, and I nodded toward the handle, silently requesting she open for me. When she did, her hand flew to her mouth, and she sucked in a breath.
Candles and rose petals touched almost every corner of the room, creating a romantic oasis I couldn’t wait to worship Olivia’s body under.
“Kent.” She turned to me, her eyes damp and sparkling in the flickering candlelight. “It’s so beautiful. I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. Just take that dress off and lay back on the bed. I’m ready for my dessert.”
21 Olivia
“Let’s go skydiving.”
Tipping my head back from its perch on the arm of the couch, I took in Kent dressed in a suit. Even upside down, he looked delicious. He’d stepped out of the hotel room to take a phone call and apparently came back in a madman.
“What?”
“Skydiving.”
Like I didn’t know what the words meant. “Ummm…no, thanks.” I laughed and leaned back up to flip through my magazine. “I’m all for being adventurous, but I prefer to do it with both feet on the ground. Besides, don’t you need practice for something like that?”
“Not really,” he answered, perching himself on the edge of the couch by my legs. “Not if you’re strapped to someone.”
“Still a hard pass.”
“Okay, then. Let’s try something else.”
“What is it?”
“A surprise.” His eyes promised more than an adventure.
“Tell me.”
He pushed my magazine away and leaned over, caging me in with an arm on each side of my head. “Don’t you trust me?” His voice was like a rough siren calling me out to play.
“Not if you’re going to push me out of a plane.”
“Scaredy. Pants.” His lips moved slowly, forming each word to enunciate the insult. Each word dropped with its own challenge. He knew how much I couldn’t turn down a challenge. He issued them all the time.
I bet you can’t come again.
I bet you can’t take me fucking your throat.
I bet you can’t come just from me playing with your nipples.
My eyes narrowed, and I pushed up on my elbows, forcing him back. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” He smirked, knowing he had me. “Big. Baby.”
“Fine,” I growled, shoving him back. “Bring it on, tough guy.”
* * *
“Oh, my god. That was amazing.”
I gripped his shoulders, bouncing on the balls of my feet.
He’d taken me indoor skydiving. I’d been hesitant at first, worried I’d end up spiraling out of control and hitting the glass. I’d be on the news later that night. Girl dies while skydiving in a plastic tube. But the instructor had carefully explained that he wouldn’t let me go, and Kent hadn’t dropped that challenging smile until I finally gave in.
“Enough to do the real thing?”
“Fuck no. Floating in a tube of air is a lot different than falling toward imminent death out of a plane.”
He threw his head back and laughed, and I fought to not lean in and bite at his neck. My adrenaline was through the roof. The weightless feeling I’d had in the tube followed me out. The adrenaline flooding my veins vibrated under my skin, and I became desperate for an outlet. Not caring of the two instructors standing a few feet away, I gripped Kent’s neck and jerked him down to me, attacking his mouth. His body froze for less than a second before he gripped me tight, and it became a battle of wills in the kiss.
We bit, sucked, and moaned like animals.
“I could get used to this wild side of you,” he said when he pulled back for air. “Will you go on more adventures with me, sweet Olivia?”
“Anything.” I’d do anything if it gave me this high again.
“How do you feel about bungee jumping?”
Except that. The thought alone had my arousal plummeting. I still ached but at manageable levels. “What is with you wanting to take me off solid ground?”
“I have to sweep you off your feet any way I can.”
“That was a corny line,” I laughed.
“It’s my old-man charm.”
I nipped his chin, loving the scrape of his scruff against my lips. “I like your old-man charm—and by charm, I mean the way you fuck me.” He lunged for me, but I ducked away, laughing.
“Tease,” he growled.
“If you feed me, I could be persuaded to give in. All this excitement is burning up my energy, and I need to replenish.”
“We can’t have that. Let’s head back to the hotel then.”
“I’m tired of the food there,” I whined.
“There’s an easy solution for that,” he hinted. Not very subtly though. I knew he was suggesting that we go out to eat, and he knew I still hadn’t talked to Daniel. “How about this,” he started when I remained stubbornly silent. “What if we went to your place and picked up food on the way?”
“Daniel lives in my building.”
> “I’m aware of that.”
“What if we run into him?”
“Well, we could always explain that we’re in love and spending time together.”
“Kent…”
“Or we could rely on the fact that we probably won’t see him, and if we do, I’ll tell him I was just making sure you got home after a meeting.”
I mulled the idea over, and he watched me carefully like I was a bomb about to go off. He was a man on the edge of his seat, wanting to ask for more but holding back for me. And if he could do that, then I could do this for him.
“Okay. Take me home. But I want Chinese for dinner tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
We stripped out of our jumpsuits and headed home. Kent kept making my heart leap out of my chest by saying, “Hi, Daniel,” once we got into the lobby, even though no one was there.
“You’re not funny, you know?” I said around a mouthful of lo mien.
He leaned back against my couch from his position on the floor, crossed legs stretched out in front of him, munching on an egg roll. “I don’t know, I make you laugh a lot.”
“Total pity laughs.”
He threw a piece of broccoli my way, and I expertly caught it in my mouth.
“Nice try.”
“Find a new skill of yours every day.”
“Well, then tell me a hidden skill of yours. We need to even the score.”
“Hmm…” He thought it over as he scooted closer to me. “I’m really good at bowling.” Once he was within reach, he nodded toward my container. “Give me some of your lo mien.”
I scooped up a bite with my chopsticks and carefully lifted it to his open mouth. “You’ll have to take me someday.”
“You bowl?”
“I have bowled, but I’m more of a roller-skating rink kind of gal.”
“I will happily watch from the side-lines.”
“Maybe I’ll teach you someday.”
“What else does the beautiful and talented Olivia Witt like to do?”
“Hmm…” I thought of what else I loved to do. The first thought was to say something sexy because that was what most guys wanted to hear. But Kent looked at me like he wanted to see below the surface. Like he wanted to know what I really liked to do. The truth bloomed in my chest and radiated out, filling every inch of me to almost bursting. “Do you trust me?” I asked, an idea taking root.