I parted her lips and deepened the kiss, seeking to calm the storm brewing in me as one of my hands moved securely around her waist and the other sought for buried treasures along the curve of her knee.
When she released a soft sigh and circled her arms around my neck, my desire for her intensified and I knew I had to stop before we went too far but being there with her felt so sinfully good, I couldn’t bring myself to physically pull away.
My hand started a slow journey up her leg, under her dress and she moaned against my lips. I was dying to make love to her, to explore every inch of her body like I had so many times before, but I was glad when she broke the kiss.
“I don’t want to stop this, but we said it could never happen here,” she said as she gently panted.
I was pleased by her candor.
“Let’s save it for the date,” she said.
I laughed as I slowly pulled my hand from under her dress and let go of her, physically creating distance between us.
“I’ll pick you up from the penthouse at eight,” she said as she straightened herself out and quickly composed herself.
“Olivia?” I said when she was preparing to leave my office.
I took a pen, signed the documents she’d brought in with her and handed them back to her. It was amusing to see the effect I seemed to have on her. It made something strange move within me.
Long after she’d left my office, I was seated back on my chair wondering how the date would turn out as a voice quietly reminded me that this was going to be my first real date. The unexpected excitement that followed made me feel silly.
Chapter Forty-Seven
I nervously waited for Amelia outside the penthouse. I couldn’t believe I was taking her out on a date. I was so excited. I’d even somehow managed to put my troubles out of my mind.
Initially I’d planned to take her to the Angelika film centre to watch an indie movie then I’d hoped we could go to the Village Vanguard for some jazz music, but I’d decided to go for something easier and more casual.
I wanted to show her the part of New York that I loved. I knew she’d seen a lot and nothing I was going to show her was new, but it was the spending of quality time together that I was excited about.
So after much thought, I decided I was going to take her to Washington Square Park for an outdoor movie screening. If she loved classic movies as much as I did, then I was certain she’d enjoy the movie which was showing.
There were food trucks there so I was looking forward to seeing her eat something I was more accustomed to, like a grilled cheese sandwich or a burger, hotdog or even a corndog. I doubted they sold salads.
After the date, I was hoping we could grab some drinks then take a walk under the stars while we talked and headed back to my apartment.
When she stepped outside the building, my heart started pounding and I grew nervous. I took in her stunning frame, quenching my eyes with the sight of her and I wondered how I’d ever gotten so lucky.
She was casually dressed in a pair of blue skinny jeans, which were tucked under stylish ankle length boots, a loose-fitting top that gave her an air of laid-back elegance and a silk scarf around her neck. Her hair was freely falling over her shoulders and she was carrying a clutch purse in one hand.
“Too casual?” she asked, pulling me out of my trance.
“No.” I made my way over to her and pecked her cheek in greeting. “Perfect,” I said and led her to the cab.
When we were inside, I gave the driver the address and a moment later, we were on the road.
“I hope you like what I have planned,” I said as I turned to face her.
“I’m sure I will.” Her confidence in me was elating.
“I like this carefree side of you.”
My heart was racing because I was sitting so close to her.
She’d surprised me that afternoon when she’d locked the door to her office and taken me in her arms. Whenever I was around her, I felt like I was floating on a magical cloud because everything between us was so surreal.
Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought Amelia and I would come to get so close. I couldn’t help wondering if her past lovers had ever felt that way about her. I knew the importance wasn’t in how they’d felt, but how she’d felt about them in return. But being knowledgeable about her dating record, well, particularly the families and the wealth they’d come from, I couldn’t help wonder if I was setting myself up to fail.
I didn’t know why these thoughts chose that moment to run through my mind when before I’d done nothing but excitedly looked forward to the date.
“What’re you thinking about?” Amelia said.
I turned to find her looking at me. I didn’t want to tell her what was going through my mind so I struggled to come up with something to say, then took a deep breath and told her the truth. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little nervous.”
“Don’t be, you’ve been on dates before, isn’t this the easy part?” she asked.
I smiled at her. “It’s supposed to be, but you’re not exactly an ordinary date.”
“Pretend I am. Tell me what you’d be doing right about now,” she suggested.
“I’d be trying to get to know you, where you’re from, what you do, just basically get a layout of the sort of person you are.”
“I see.”
“I’d be interested in knowing about your past relationships, how they were like and why they ended.” The problem was, I couldn’t ask her these questions because even though I had some of the answers, I doubted she’d be willing to reveal the rest because she was always so guarded.
“Let’s start with you,” she said.
“Me?”
She nodded.
I wondered if she’d open up to me if I opened up to her and decided to give it a try. “Okay, what exactly would you like to know?”
“Tell me about the last person you were with,” she said.
I couldn’t remember being with anyone else other than Jaime. We hadn’t been a couple and we hadn’t slept together but in the period of time we’d known each other, I’d liked her, maybe even cared for her.
I bit my lower lip now and wondered whether I should tell Amelia about her. I didn’t know how she’d take knowing I’d gotten close to someone she’d hired me to work with.
“The last person I was with was Jaime Bryce. Nothing significant happened between us but over the short period of time we got to spend together, I came to like her.”
Amelia shifted in her seat. I thought I saw something move across her face but I wasn’t sure. “What ended it?” she asked.
“I don’t know. One day she just told me she couldn’t see me anymore.”
“Did you two ever get intimate?”
I shook my head. “We kissed a few times, but that was as far as it went.”
“Would you have wanted to be with her?”
It felt like it had been such a long time ago. “At the time, yes. She was sensational.”
She looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. Instead she faced forward and looked out the window, asking, “Where are we going?”
“Uhm, Washington Square Park. I found out there was an outdoor movie screening so I thought it’d be fun to watch a classic film together,” I said, observing her expression.
“Sounds like fun,” she said, though her voice was lacking its earlier joy.
“Did I say something wrong?” I asked.
“No,” she shook her head. “No, it’s not you.”
“What is it?”
When she didn’t speak, I reached for her hand and gently squeezed it.
“I may have had something to do with Ms. Bryce ending things with you,” she said.
“What?” I asked in confusion as I pulled my hand away.
“I sensed there may have been more between you.”
I watched her in surprise.
“I’d seen your potential and I didn’t want you to get distracted so I asked h
er to focus on what was important to her.”
I didn’t know how the news made me feel. I’d gotten over it but I hadn’t imagined Mrs. Gallagher had played a role in it.
“I’m sorry, Olivia. I didn’t know at the time that what you felt for her was quite so strong.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“If you want to cancel tonight, I’ll understand.”
Was she kidding? I was in love with her. Jaime was in the past, Amelia was my present. So far, Amelia hadn’t done anything to hurt me. If she thought what she’d done was for the greater good, I couldn’t be mad at her for that.
I closed my hand over hers and smiled, “We’re here.”
I paid the cab driver when he stopped and we stepped out. It was a beautiful night and I didn’t want anything to spoil it.
“You’re not upset?” she asked.
“No, Amelia. I’m not upset. All that’s in the past and right now I’m really enjoying my present.”
She rewarded me with a smile.
“Would you like something to eat?” I asked as we followed the trail leading to the screening area. There were food trucks and vendors all over so we had our pick of choice in food and beverage.
Since the movie was starting in twenty minutes, there was a live band playing music and entertaining the crowd that had already gathered. I’d bought my movie tickets online so after snacking we were just going to pick a spot, sit and enjoy the film.
“Chicken quesadilla,” she said.
I was pleased with her choice. I went and put forward her order while I got myself some chicken enchiladas. Ten minutes later, we were seated on a blanket I’d been carrying in my bag at a nice, comfortable and private spot enjoying the delicious food and some non-alcoholic beverages.
“I don’t think I’ve ever done anything like this before,” Amelia said as she looked up to watch the stars while she slowly ate.
“You must have done some crazy exciting things in your time.”
“No, not really.” She shook her head. “Almost everything I’ve ever done was already decided for me before I was old enough to walk.”
“I guess it comes with running an empire,” I said.
She nodded.
It was a dark but warm night and the stars were casting down a glow, dimly illuminating us. It was perfect because no one could recognize Amelia or interfere with our date, which gave us the freedom to be ourselves.
The live band was playing slow soft music which was rather soothing and seemed to create an atmosphere charged with romance. Most people there were couples who were cuddling in comfortable positions that suited them.
“What’s the name of the movie showing?” Amelia asked.
“Black Orpheus, it’s a 1959 film based on a play which was an adaptation of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice.”
“Sounds good,” she said.
A few minutes later, the live band winded up and shortly after, the movie started. I couldn’t help recalling the time when Amelia had taken me to the Opera and my reaction afterward. This was nothing like that, but if she was anything like me, I knew she’d enjoy the film.
When the movie ended, I was pleased to see Amelia’s expression. I could tell she’d enjoyed it even before she mentioned it.
“That was wonderful,” she said.
“Yeah, it was.” I was ecstatic because it meant we had a little more in common.
The warm night air had changed to thick and musky as though foretelling of coming rain.
“It feels good being out here,” she said.
I wanted to grab her and kiss her but I wasn’t one for public displays of affection and I had a feeling that neither was she. “It feels good being with you,” I said.
She looked at me for a couple of seconds then turned her attention back on the street as we crossed the road.
“Do you want to go grab some drinks?” I asked, hoping one of these days she’d positively respond to me.
“Yeah.”
I took her to a little comedy club to watch stand up comedians because I wanted to see her laugh and when we got there, we found an empty table at a corner directly facing the stage.
The show had already started and by the time we were seated, a waiter had come to serve us. We ordered a bottle of red wine and he brought it back as soon as possible. After pouring it into our wine glasses, he left us alone and we turned our attention to the stage.
I didn’t know how long we stayed there, but from seeing Amelia laugh, I could have easily traded everything to stay there with her in that moment for all of eternity. The comedians were really good. I’d always laughed whenever I frequented the place with Rex, but it was the glorious sound of Amelia’s laughter that distracted me for most of the show.
Somewhere along it all, it occurred to me that was the first time I’d ever seen her laugh without restraint. It was magical and she was absolutely beautiful.
“You know that was the first time I’ve ever heard you laugh like that?” I said when we were leaving.
“It’s the first time I’ve laughed that hard in a long time,” she admitted.
It was almost midnight but my apartment was only a ten-minute walk. Since I was concerned about her, I asked, “It’s a little late, you want us to grab a cab?”
“It’s a lovely night, let’s walk.”
New York was the city that never slept so even at such a late hour, there were still people on the streets. Not as many as there would have been during the day, but some. The city was moderately safe since such an hour was still early by some people’s standards, so it was safe for us to walk.
As we headed back to my apartment on the brightly lit streets of New York, we walked in comfortable silence for a while and then she asked. “Did you manage to deal with your brother?”
I exhaled at the question because Greg was the last thing I wanted to think about. How was I supposed to tell her that my own brother was blackmailing me? “I’m still working on it,” I said.
I’d decided I wasn’t going to give him any money because it would prove his suspicions true. I knew he’d be upset but I hoped we could talk it out and I could try and explain that I’d found out about the problems taking place back home and I was helping out the best way I could.
“Is he still bothering you?”
I wanted to say yes, I wanted to ask her for help but I couldn’t drag her into my mess. “You know what? Let’s not focus on the negative points in our lives tonight. I’ve had so much fun spending time with you, I don’t want to ruin it,” I said.
She looked at me as though she could see the contents in my brain and right at that moment, it started pouring. I grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the street so that I could shield her from the rain. When we found some shelter, we broke into laughter.
We were both a little damp, but neither one of us cared about that. I looked down the street to notice everyone else had disappeared, probably in search of shelter from the rain.
The tall buildings were going to shield us the rest of the distance to my apartment. I was going to tell Amelia so that we could proceed, but stopped when I noticed her looking into the distance.
“Amelia?” I said as I moved closer to her.
“I’ve never danced in the rain,” she said in a low soft voice. Before I could respond, she surprised me when she stepped into the rain and spread her arms wide apart then looked up to the sky as the light showers started soaking her wet.
I watched in amazement as she started to move in synchronized motion to an imaginary tune. I’d never seen this side of her before, she looked like an angel.
I followed her lead and stepped into the rain, dancing right along with her. When she saw that I had joined her, she stopped for a second to watch me, laughed softly and reached out for me.
She placed one arm around my waist and held my hand with the other and together, we danced in the rain. It was like an out of body experience. I felt like I was standing some distance away
watching the amazing moment, as we had fun.
When the dance slowed, her deep blue eyes gazed into mine and she captured my lips in a kiss. I wrapped my arms around her neck and she circled hers around my waist so that our bodies were touching from head to toe and we deepened the kiss.
It was like time stopped and even though it was raining, it felt like that moment only existed for the two of us. I could feel how she felt about me while she kissed me. I could feel the heat coming off her body. I could sense her fear and her excitement.
I could feel it all, and in that moment, I wasn’t afraid to tell her how I felt. I didn’t care about the repercussions. I didn’t care about anything, but her.
“I’m in love with you, Amelia,” I said softly when we pulled back from the kiss, my forehead leaning against hers.
She pulled away and even though she had all the power in the world to break my heart, I wasn’t afraid. I looked deep into her eyes and said, “I love you.”
I told myself I was prepared for what was to come, but I was a little caught off guard when she kissed me again, passionately, ruthlessly. She abruptly broke the kiss and closed her hand over mine.
We headed to my building and in a few minutes, we were in the elevator heading to my floor. The moment I unlocked the door and we got into my apartment, she fiercely took me back in her arms and immediately started to undress me.
I was in a dress that was tightly clinging onto my body because of the rain so it was a bit of a struggle for her to take it off. I had a similar problem with her clothes but we somehow managed and left a trail of damp clothes on the floor as we headed to my bedroom.
Her naked body was hot and slick against mine, which was a great turn on. When we got on the bed, her devouring kisses drew unimaginable sensations from my body. She started running her hands over me while she covered my body with hot kisses and I shuddered in pleasure.
It was like she wasn’t even trying to restrain herself as her mouth covered my breast while her hands explored my being, leaving an arousing sensation that traveled downwards to meet at the apex of my pleasure.
My breathing was quick and shallow when her hands moved lower to go hover around my sex. She was barely touching me but everything going through me was so powerful I thought I’d climax if she did.
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