“Use your thumb,” he continued, “to stroke your clit. I want you to pretend it’s me, swirling my finger over you while I slam my cock into you.”
I did as he told me to, and the image was driving me close to a climax already. I swirled my thumb with each thrust of my fingers into me, starting a rhythm that quickly increased in speed as I squirmed in the sheets. Not long after I began, I ripped at my panties, pulling them all the way off and tossing them away so they didn’t impede my movement anymore.
“Oh God,” I whispered, as the sensation and the images mixed to make my skin tingle and hair rise on the back of my neck.
“Tell me what you want,” he said, his voice labored now as he worked himself. He was clearly jerking himself fast now, and with every yelp or moan, he matched it with one of his own. It wasn’t as satisfying as smelling his skin and licking his body while he thrust his thick staff so deeply in me, but it was somehow nearly as intense, his breath rising and falling in heavy exhalations into the phone.
“I want you in my mouth,” I responded without thinking. It was true. I wanted to pleasure him, to please him in every manner possible. And in that moment, nothing seemed more intimate than my lips wrapped around his cock. “I want to suck your cock.”
He groaned loudly, and I smiled. I had him close and knowing that brought me closer to the edge myself. I could feel the tension building in my core, and it was about to burst, rolling through me in a powerful climax.
“What else,” he said, his voice low and strained.
“I want you to come with me,” I said. “Please, come with me.”
Just saying it was enough to feel the dam burst. I was tumbling over the edge and into an orgasm that blinded me to the world around me. In that moment nothing existed other than the sound of his voice, the image of his hand stroking his cock furiously, and the sensation of my fingers deep in my wet pussy. My hips arched up, and I cried out.
“Come with me, Nick,” I nearly shouted.
His voice built from a low grumble, almost as if he were in pain, into a wild roar. I could imagine his muscles tense, his veins popping out of his chest as he held himself above me, the powerful stream of his orgasm shooting deep into me. I matched his voice as I pressed my fingertips into my upper wall, pressing hard into my clit. The climax overruled all my other senses, and for a while I could only convulse, moan, and clench my eyes shut as the memory of his body smothering mine in a tight embrace filled me.
Slowly, my nerves calmed, and I cooed into the phone.
“Thank you,” he said, the smile on his lips evident even if I couldn’t see it. It was that mischievous grin, and I could sense it in how he formed his words.
“Thank you,” I said, giggling.
“I hope you know that this only makes me want you more,” he said, the grin forming the words, and my mind creating the image of his smile for me to grin back at.
“Me too,” I said, panting and rolling to my side so I could pull the sheet over my shoulders. “Nothing quite like the real thing.”
I let myself lounge around in bed, reveling in the satisfaction coursing through my body for a little while longer. I drifted in and out of sleep and finally woke up just in time to get ready to go meet up with Trish for lunch. I took a long shower, enjoying the way the hot water felt sliding over my skin.
I didn’t rush. Usually I wasn’t the type of person to linger over long, lazy showers. If I was particularly tired or stressed or had done some sort of physical activity that left my muscles sore, I might stand under the water for a bit longer. But for the most part, I was the type to get in and out.
But that morning, I took the time to really enjoy being in there. It was like my body was coming alive. I could feel it in a different way. I was looking at it from a new perspective. The water slipped over my curves and brushed along sensitive skin, waking me up.
When I finally got out, I got dressed, put on makeup, and styled my hair. Looking in the mirror, I wondered if I looked different to anybody else. It wasn’t far enough along in my pregnancy to show at all. In a few more weeks, I might have a softer belly that would make me look like I’d gained weight. But it would be a while before there was anything that could be readily recognized as a baby bump.
Yet when I looked in the mirror, I felt different. I felt more feminine and beautiful. This was something I could definitely get used to.
I had been scheduling my work to start later in the day recently since it seemed I had more energy in the evenings now. That meant I had plenty of time to relax and enjoy my lunch with Trish. Considering the news I was bringing her, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a quick one.
The restaurant I chose was an old tearoom that had been in the same place for almost a hundred years. My mother used to bring me there when I was a little girl. It was our special place, somewhere we shared that was for just the two of us. We would get dressed up and go shopping, then finish up our afternoon with the leisurely, elegant tradition of afternoon tea.
Trish was already sitting at a table when I walked in. She smiled at me as I walked toward her, and I noticed her eyes sliding over me like she was trying to figure something out.
“You look pretty today,” she said. “I mean, you always look pretty. But today you really look fantastic.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“Did you do something different?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I could barely contain myself, but it was amusing watching Trish try to figure it out. The waitress came up and told us what was being offered on the menu that day. She asked for our tea selection, and I saw an opportunity.
“Are any of your teas decaffeinated?” I asked.
“Yes. Our peppermint tea has no caffeine,” the waitress said.
“Then I’ll have that,” I said.
The waitress walked away, and I looked across the table at Trish. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth open slightly.
“Decaf?” she asked. “It’s early in the afternoon. Are you having trouble sleeping?”
“Not exactly,” I said.
“Oh, my God,” she said. “You’re pregnant.”
I nodded. “I am.”
She squealed with the same ear-splitting note she hit when I told her I’d had sex with Nick. Only then we were in a crowded bar, so it wasn’t as explosive as in the quiet, sophisticated tearoom. Even with everybody in the restaurant now staring at us, I couldn’t even be upset. Trish’s enthusiasm made me happy.
32
Nick
When I was first planning the office for my investment firm, there were a few features I knew I needed to have. My brothers all recommended I leave the construction itself up to the contractors and finishing it off up to an interior designer. That would make it easier, and it would be done faster.
Which might have been true, but it also very well could have meant ending up with an office I didn’t really love. And that was the entire point of starting from scratch in the first place. There were plenty of vacant office buildings available to buy, and even buildings with shared space if I didn’t think I needed it all to myself. I could have just snatched up one of those, had a designer throw some things into it, and called it a day.
That wasn’t me. I didn’t want to just settle for what someone else had created, or the vision they had of my space. Instead, I wanted to be involved in every single aspect of it as much as I possibly could. That started with designing the building and having it built to my specifications, and then designing the majority of the interior myself. I had a little bit of help, but for the most part, I had my hand in every detail, right down to making sure there was a kitchen that was a smaller version of the one at the compound.
All the features and details I picked had their merits, but that night I was particularly fond of the television I made sure was in the lobby, and the second one in my office. Both were stored in cabinets that kept them out of sight when they
weren’t in use. That meant the vast majority of people who came into the office didn’t even know they were there.
That night was an example of why I had them. Gabe had taken the day off to bring Cynthia to a physical therapy appointment, and Peter had a client who wanted him to meet him at his house rather than at the office. That meant I’d spent most of the day alone. It wasn’t so bad earlier in the day, but as the evening crept up and I realized it was going to be one of those days when I worked late into the night, the quiet started getting to me.
A lot of people who grew up in a household with multiple siblings talked about craving quiet and solitude when they got older. They dreamed of having their own houses where they could live alone and have silence whenever they wanted it. That seemed perfect.
That wasn’t the way it worked out for me. I was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Whether it was because I had both older and younger brothers so there was never a time when I was alone, or because when I wasn’t at home, I was at the track, or just because I liked being in the middle of things, I never wanted to be away from the noise and excitement.
Even as an adult, I didn’t like it when things got too quiet. It felt eerie and disconnected. The only exception was when I was with Bryn. Another revelation that came from having her in my life, when it was just the two of us, I found myself calm and at ease even in the silence.
But she wasn’t there at the office with me that evening, so I wasn’t enjoying the quiet. Turning on the television brought some much-needed sound and life into the empty building. It was keeping me company as I ran reports and did research for clients. I was half-listening to a game show and spouting out a series of predominantly wrong answers when the door at the front of the office opened.
Most of the time that door was locked after regular business hours. But I had gotten wrapped up in my work and hadn’t gotten around to locking it yet. It wasn’t a big deal. If someone wanted to come in and start talking about their financial future, it didn’t really matter if it was past the posted time. I was there. We might as well make the most of the opportunity.
Of course, the average investment client wasn’t usually the kind to wander into an investment office without an appointment several hours after closing. Curious about what I might encounter, I walked out of my office and into the lobby.
The man standing just inside didn’t look familiar. He looked around like he was taking in the entire space, evaluating it.
“Hello,” I said.
I walked toward him, ready to possibly bag a new client, but stopped in my tracks when he turned to look at me. The sneer on the man’s face put me on immediate high alert. There was something wrong with that look. I didn’t feel like I was in danger, but it definitely wasn’t the kind of expression I was accustomed to seeing on the face of someone looking forward to a bright financial future. Something told me he wasn’t just at my office because he happened by and saw the lights on.
“Evening,” the man said.
I took a step closer and held out my hand. “Nick Freeman. How can I help you?”
“Well, hopefully, you can help me a lot, Nick Freeman,” he said, clutching my hand in his and shaking it firmly. “I’m Justin Michaels.”
In that second, I wished I had surveillance cameras in my office. Chances were extremely high one of us was going to do something stupid, and it would have been useful to have a record of it.
My hand fell away from his, and my eyes narrowed at Justin. I couldn’t believe this man had the balls to walk into my office and talk to me. “What do you think you’re doing here?” I asked.
He gave another sneer, and the urge to punch him got stronger. My hands tingled so much I had to tighten my fists into balls at my sides to stop myself from giving in to the compulsion.
“I’ve had some recent misfortune surrounding investing. My last attempts didn’t go far, and I was very unhappy with the results, so I’m looking for a new investor. A little birdie told me you’re the best in the city and that we share a mutual acquaintance. You’ve been helping Bryn get herself back on track. I’m looking for someone to help me build up my bank account and keep the income coming in.”
He laughed like he thought it was a hilarious joke, but I didn’t even crack a smile. The thought of the asshole even being in my office disgusted me. The idea that he really thought I was going to play his game and help him with anything brought me right to the edge of murderous. I couldn’t believe he would show his face here, much less ask me to help him with his investments.
“Sorry,” I said, taking a step back and shaking my head. “I don’t work with criminals.” I gestured toward the door. “You can leave now.”
It might have been showing my hand, but I wasn’t going to let Justin pretend to be anything other than what he really was. His entitlement and arrogance were on full display for the world to see. He clearly thought I would play along. He figured building my client list and padding my bank account with his commission was the most important priority to me. He was very much mistaken.
“I don’t think you understand,” Justin said. “I want to hire you as my investor. I am very motivated to make my efforts work this time, and I think the two of us could make a lot of money together.”
That disgusting grin on his face was almost more than I could bear. I stood my ground and stared directly into his eyes so he could make no mistake of my intentions.
“I understand very clearly. As you said, I’m the best in the business. Which means I have the luxury of being able to choose my clients as I please. And I have absolutely no intention of spending any of my time helping you. You know where the door is,” I said.
Justin stood there staring at me with a look on his face that was both shocked and offended, but also still arrogant. He didn’t move. It was like he thought I was going to change my mind. If he could just stand there long enough and look at me like he didn’t believe what I was saying, then I would come to my senses and immediately welcome him back into my office so we can get started.
There was absolutely no chance of that. He was fortunate I had enough control to keep my hands to myself. If I had known who he was when he first started into the building, he wouldn’t have made it three steps inside. As it was, if he didn’t leave soon, I was tempted to remove him myself.
I waited him out, my stance strong and steady, my arms crossed over my chest. Finally, he walked out. He didn’t turn tail and run. He didn’t even seem all that worked up about the situation. He just walked away. That was enough to confirm to me that he wasn’t just showing up at my office to try to get investment advice.
He was going to try to weasel his way back into Bryn’s life any way he could. He mentioned hearing that I was helping her, which made me wonder who he was talking to. Who would know she had come to me and that I was doing investments for her, but would also know Justin and tell him?
This man was up to something. He was trying to figure out how to get back into Bryn’s life and probably win her back. There was no way I was going to let that happen.
There was still more work for me to do, but it could wait for the next day. I had far more important things on my mind. I went back into my office and shut everything down. Heading out, I locked the doors and looked around to see if Justin might still be lingering nearby ready for another confrontation. He wasn’t there, so I got in my truck and drove away.
33
Bryn
I wondered if it was too early for me to start nesting. Without much experience with pregnant women in my life, I didn’t have much to base it on. But what I had heard was that most of the time women went into the phase of obsessively getting everything ready for the baby in the last few weeks before the birth. I was nowhere near that, and I was already in full-blown preparation mode.
I had done a few little things here and there before my visit from Minnie. Justin’s office had already been cleaned out in the couple of days after he left. That was just a matter of getting the last few remnant
s out and painting the walls. Then I added the dresser. At that point, I felt like it was probably enough for this stage of my pregnancy.
And then Minnie showed up with that gift bag. Seeing the clothes and stuffed bunny triggered something in me. Now I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that needed to get done before the baby arrived. That night was laundry. In addition to the sweet little clothes Minnie got, I’d picked out a few things when I went shopping after lunch with Trish.
Just like I expected, she was over the moon about the pregnancy and wanted to be involved as much as I would possibly let her. It didn’t feel intrusive. Instead, it was the kind of excitement and enthusiasm I would have loved to have had from a sister. Or from my mother if she were still alive.
After lunch, we spent the whole afternoon bouncing around from shop to shop, looking at the adorable things available for new babies. Since I didn’t yet know if it was a boy or a girl, I stuck with neutral colors for the clothes I picked out. I wanted to choose a theme for the nursery, but nothing had jumped out at me yet. I felt like when I landed on the perfect one, I would know.
That night, I was at home washing all the new baby clothes and folding them up carefully so they could sit in the dresser and wait for the little one’s arrival. I had just finished the last load when someone knocked on my door.
People had come knocking on my door more in the last couple of weeks than had in the entire time I’d lived in the house. At that point, I didn’t know what to expect when I got to the door. But seeing Nick through the peephole was a real surprise. I couldn’t help the smile that came to my lips as I opened the door and looked out at him.
“Hey, there,” I said.
Nick pulled his hands from around his back to display a pizza and a bottle of sparkling cider. “I was hoping we could have dinner together.”
I smiled even wider. “That sounds wonderful.”
He came inside, and we headed for the dining room table. I went into the kitchen to get plates and champagne flutes. When I came back into the dining room, he was shuffling around in the drawer to the side table, taking out candles and matches. He settled the simple white tapers into cut crystal candleholders that were my mother’s and lit them.
Millionaire Hero (Freeman Brothers Book 4) Page 17