by Jamie Knight
Chapter Twenty-Five - Dan
One Week Later
“Hey, are you doing okay?”
Gemma and I are on our way to our next date. I thought a casino might be fun. She seems to like excitement and betting large sums of money on something as fickle as cards or dice can really get your heart pumping.
However, ever since I picked Gemma up from her apartment, she’s seemed a little off. I thought maybe she had a long day and work and needed a second to recharge in the limo, we’ve been in here for almost twenty minutes, and she doesn’t seem to be doing any better.
Gemma seems to come out of whatever haze she was in, turning to look at me. “Yeah, everything is great.” Her smile doesn’t seem genuine, but she turns away from me to look back out the window. Something must have happened. Or maybe the car ride is boring her. I could be reading too much into the whole thing. Hopefully, once we get to the casino, Gemma will perk up.
The limo pulls into the casino parking lot, not too much time later. I help Gemma out of the car, and we head inside.
“Have you ever been to one of these places?” I watch her look around, but I can’t tell if she’s excited.
“Uh, once or twice, but I never had much to gamble with, so the night was over pretty quickly.”
“How about we go crazy tonight, then?” Gemma shrugs and nods. “Are you sure you’re okay? Is everything good with the firm?” I know it should be. I’m still having Jake send clients over. Gemma should be nice and busy.
“The firm is doing great, Daniel. And I’m perfectly fine, I promise.”
She puts her hands on my arm to reassure me, but I wonder if it’s fake — if she’s just saying all that stuff because she has to.
Look at me, getting all tied up in knots. I shake my head at myself and take Gemma to go exchange cash for chips.
“Is there a game you have a particular fondness for?”
She shrugs. “We can do whatever you like. You know more about these things than I do anyway.”
I was hoping to get my pet more engaged, but that was a fail. I may as well take us to a few card tables.
“Let’s go play some blackjack. It’s simple but really gets the blood going.”
I start our betting off. I’ve never been good at gambling, per se. I think I just like the high energy surrounding it.
“Do you know how to play?” Gemma grabs onto my arm, and she whispers into my ear. I turn my face, so we are looking directly at one another. Her nose almost touches mine but maintains a bit of distance.
“I know the basics.”
“Do you know how to win?” she smirks. Though sassy, it is a fair question. I have lost every hand thus far.
“Yes, you want to get as close to twenty-one without going over.”
Gemma takes a deep breath, her eyes glancing downward for a second before she looks back at me from under her lashes. “Let me rephrase that. Are you capable of winning?” She’s teasing me, which is a good sign.
“Why don’t you try?”
I step aside, so she can approach the table. She looks nervous for a couple seconds before stepping into my place. The dealer calls for bets, and Gemma places hers. She’s a lot more risk-averse than I am, cutting the bet down by more than half.
I watch as she plays a couple hands, and her smack talk wasn’t coming out of nowhere. Gemma’s pretty good at the game, and she quickly makes back what I lost.
“When did you get so good at blackjack?” I’ve placed my mouth by her ear, so Gemma can hear me clearly over the casino’s general hubbub. She turns to look at me over her shoulder, our lips almost touching.
“It’s one of my secrets.” Her eyes sparkle, and the bad mood she was in before seems to be gone. I call a waiter over and order the two of us a couple of drinks. Gemma plays a few more hands before taking some steps back. “I think it’s time to call it quits.”
“Really?” She didn’t seem to be losing.
“Good luck always takes a turn.”
The way she says that makes me think she’s talking about more than just card games. It’s then that the waiter brings our drinks, and Gemma becomes focused on them, and I miss my opportunity.
We sip quietly for a while before Gemma grabs my arm. “Do you know what I really want to do?”
“What?”
“I’ve always wanted to go crazy on the slots. I only ever do one or two pulls because it feels so wasteful, but maybe tonight it won’t feel like that.”
“Yeah, come on.” I smile and take her hand, walking the two of us over to the slots.
I haven’t ever really played the slots much either. They’ve never really been my thing. But seeing how excited Gemma is over the prospect, I start to feel some of it myself. While having some of our chips sent away, I keep a decently sized handful to make sure Gemma will get the chance to make the most of these machines.
As she plays, I think about how different this relationship is from my other ones. I’ve never felt like this before. Maybe I should finally tell Gemma how I feel. It could work. These past couple of months with her have been some of the best in my life. And I know I can’t go on keeping pets forever. I don’t even want to be with anyone else besides Gemma.
I’m not sure how long we stay there. It’s a couple drinks worth, that’s for sure. Somehow, by sheer luck, I assume, Gemma manages to leave the slots with more money than we came in with.
“I don’t know how you do it,” I say to her.
She rests her head on my shoulder. Her whole demeanor has changed, and I can tell she’s a lot happier. “Maybe you’re my good luck charm,” she sighs.
I like the sound of that. I kiss the top of her head and feel even more resolute in my decision to let her know how I feel.
“Are you ready to head back to my place?”
“Mmhm,” Gemma nods. I take her hand, and we walk back out to the limo. “So, I finally get to see your home. Is there anything I should know before we get there?” She’s clearly teasing, but this is a good an opportunity as any to open up a little more.
“There is something I want to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve hinted at growing up with some struggles. It caused me to be a little materialistic. I hope you won’t judge me too much if my penthouse seems a little over the top. I find an odd sort of comfort in material goods.”
Gemma places a hand on my chest, gripping my shirt softly. “Of course not. I understand completely.” We pull in front of my building, not too much time later. Gemma moves over to the window and gets a good look. “This is your building?”
I can hear the awe in her voice. It is a fancy place. A lot of people would say it’s too big for one person, but I liked it the moment I stepped inside.
The car stops by the front door, and I help Gemma out. I give the driver a tip and then take her inside.
“I hope you like the inside as much as you like the outside. I was hoping we could take things to the next level tonight, and if you don’t like my home, it could put a damper on the mood.” I’m rambling at this point as I push the button for the elevator. I just hope that Gemma understands the point I’m trying to get at.
Chapter Twenty-Six - Gemma
Next level? What does Daniel mean by the next level? I feel like things have really heated up between us recently. I guess we haven’t put a label on anything. That could be a part of Daniel’s plans.
I’d ask him about it, but currently, I am enamored with his penthouse. It’s so big.
“Would you like a tour?” Daniel loops his arm through mine. I nod.
I’m not sure if we have enough time to get through his whole place, but I’d love to see what I can.
“Yes, I’d like that very much.”
Daniel walks me through his home, and like I thought, there’s a whole lot to see. Everything is enormous and beautiful and amazing, but I wonder if he ever gets lonely sitting in this place all by himself.
“Your home is amazing. Do you w
alk from here to the office every day?” It wouldn’t be impossible, but it’d be a long walk to have to do all the time.
“I do. When we decided to join McKenzie Tech, I knew I’d want a place closer to the office, like the one I have in California. Plus, this apartment has great views.”
Goodness. I can’t believe he has another apartment like this one in California. There’s an indoor and outdoor pool in this building! It’s crazy to see how much wealth Daniel has. I should be used to it by now, but it still creeps up on me now and again.
“Well, I like it. It really is a nice place.”
“Thanks. I realize it’s a lot. I haven’t really entertained much. I’m glad you’re one of the first people who gets to see the place.”
“Me too.”
The next stop on our tour seems to be the master bedroom. We’d passed a few other rooms on our way, but this one is clearly the one that Daniel spends his nights in.
“Is that a jacuzzi?”
As he takes my coat, I catch a glimpse into his stylish bathroom.
“It is. Would you like to try it out?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” My cheeks get hot. It’s dumb, but it’s my automatic response. “I don’t have anything to wear in a jacuzzi anyway.” I could wear my underwear, but then they would be all wet, and that would annoy me.
“Well, that sounds like the solution.” Daniel has come back up behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders. He slides a couple of his fingers under the strap of my dress, stretching it.
“What?” I breathe.
“You won’t wear anything.” He pushes both straps of my shoulder, so they hang. Next, I feel Daniel’s hands move from my shoulders to my back. I hear the zipper on the back of my dress going down. His palms flatten on my back, traveling downwards until they’re stationed just above my ass.
“So, I’ll be naked. What will you be doing?”
“Watching you, touching you, making you feel good.”
I shudder at the thought. I can’t think of anything better. I take a few steps forward and then shimmy myself out of my dress, letting it pool at my feet. I turn around as I fiddle with the clasp of my bra.
“Let’s go then,” I smirk.
Daniel gets the temperature just right before I slip into the water. He doesn’t join me, instead opting to sit on the edge and massage my shoulders.
“Thanks for taking me out tonight. I had a lot of fun.”
“Yeah?” Daniel swipes my hair from my face, resting it on my shoulder.
“Yeah, more than I thought I could have at a casino.”
All those off feelings I had before, I’m not feeling them anymore. I mean, Dan has brought me to his house, which means he must really trust me. That detective has to be wrong. I’m just going to continue to enjoy this evening with Davies and put all those negative thoughts behind me.
“I’m glad. Are you ready to have more fun tonight?” He runs his lips along my cheek, his breath skirting over my skin. I grab onto his hand, squeezing it. He moves his hand down my body, teasing me with little pinches.
My body aches for him. Poppy would talk about the ups and downs, but I feel like things have been absolutely on fire between us the entire time. It’s like a hunger, a deep craving.
His hand travels closer and closer to my center. Daniel’s face is right by mine, so I turn and kiss him with all the passion that is growing inside of me. I feel the beginnings of something new for us. He’s starting to trust me, to let me in. We’re not only close physically, but we’re getting close emotionally.
When Daniel’s fingers reach my clit, I bite down on his lower lip, pulling it as my head slowly goes back. As his pointer finger draws circles on my hardened bud, my mouth goes agape, letting go of his lip. He plays with me under the water, my heart pounding as he pushes his fingers into me. Dan starts with one, swirling it around in my pussy before adding two more. I do my best to keep myself from closing my legs because everything he does feels so good.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers before he kisses the outside of my ear.
He presses his thumb into my clit, and my body explodes, tiny slivers of pleasure spiking through my core. I bite my bottom lip, everything inside of me tense as I climb higher and higher. Daniel lets me ride his hand until I relax against the edge of the jacuzzi. While I catch my breath, he takes his fingers out of me and kisses the side of my neck.
“That was really nice,” I breathe. “You always make me feel good.”
“I’m glad. You make me feel better than I ever have.”
I’m surprised to hear him say that. He’s more open tonight than he’s ever been, and it’s catching me off guard slightly.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I think I’m falling in love with you,” Dan says. He seems a little surprised by what he’s said, his face turning away from mine. I’m worried that wasn’t something he meant to say out loud, but he looks at me and smiles. “I think I’m falling in love with you.” The second time around, he says it with more conviction.
Happiness fills me up. I was always telling myself that I’d get through these next few weeks and then walk away. I knew it would hurt because I couldn’t stop myself from getting feelings, but it looks like I psyched myself out for nothing.
“I’m falling for you, too.”
I cup his jaw and give Daniel a quick kiss. My cheeks heat up as he looks into my eyes, and I sink myself further down into the water. He gets up and gets me a towel, helping me out of the jacuzzi before wrapping me up.
“Is this what you meant by the next level?”
“What?”
“All these declarations and confessions.”
He laughs slightly. “Oh, no. I mean, not really. I wanted to do something actually.”
“What is it?” I’m all bundled up and turn around, taking Daniel’s lapels in my hand.
“I was thinking,” he starts, moving some of my hair behind my ear, “we could try anal sex.”
Anal sex? I’ve never done anything like that before. I mean, everything I do with Daniel is my first time, and I’d like to continue exploring all my firsts with him.
“Yeah, I’d like to do that.”
Daniel smiles and takes my hand, guiding me over to the bed. He takes the towel off of my body, dropping it onto the floor.
“Get onto the bed,” he commands.
“Okay.”
The backs of my knees are already flush with the bed, so I drop my ass down onto the top cover. Immediately, I go for Daniel’s pants, taking his belt and then pulling them down. His cock pops out and almost hits me in the face. I’m about to put him in my mouth, but Daniel grabs my wrists and pins me to the bed, holding his body on top of mine.
“I’m going to fuck that perfect little ass of yours,” he growls.
I squirm with excitement. Daniel flips me over, so my ass is in the air. He gives it a few smacks, going from cheek to cheek. I grunt with each slap, my pussy quivering with anticipation. He reaches over my body and opens a drawer in the bedside table, taking out a bottle lube. I watch him open it up and rub the lubricant over his cock. I turn back around because I feel myself getting tense.
While I try to do some deep breathing, I notice that Daniel has left his drawer open, and inside are a couple of files from his office.
“Are you ready?”
“Mmhm,” I nod.
His big hands push my ass cheeks open, and I feel the tip of his cock teasing my hole. He rubs the tip around, making it wet with a mixture of lube and precum. As he begins to push in, my body instinctually clamps. The feeling and intrusion are foreign.
“Are you okay?”
“Keep going,” I strain.
Even though it hurts, I can tell it’ll feel amazing once my body gets used to it more. I just need to find my rhythm. Daniel continues to push into me. I need to focus on something, so I look inside Daniel’s drawers. With clenched fists, I read the labels on the file and notice it’s my client Cecil Coding.
Why would he have that?
“Ah!” I scream. My body bucks, trying to adjust itself around Dan’s huge cock.
Before I can find a rationale for the first folder, I see one labeled Moon Investments, LLC. That’s the one the detective mentioned. She said he likes to buy up smaller businesses for shifty reasons. Is he tracking my firm's progress? Is he trying to make me fall in love with him so I won’t demand payment, and then I’ll have no money, and then he can get my firm shut down? What does this all mean? My head is spinning, and I need to get away and think. I can’t think with Daniel’s cock in my ass. I can’t think with him around me in general.
I have to get away.
“Moon!” I yell it knowing it’ll put a halt to everything. And I’m right.
Daniel gets off of me and tries to have me look at him. “Are you okay? Is everything okay?”
I refuse to look at him because I know what will happen if I do. “I need to go home.”
I get off the bed and find my clothes, putting them on as quickly as possible. It’s a mad dash, and I probably look horrible, but I don’t care. I’m trying to avoid tears because that’ll be harder to explain, and I don’t want to explain anything.
“Um, okay. I can get the limo and —”
“That’s okay, I can call an Uber. I’ll talk to you later.”
I rush out of his bedroom. Navigating my way out of his expansive mansion, I pray he doesn’t follow me.
I find my way outside and walk a little, so I’m no longer in sight of the building. I don’t need to know that Daniel can see me. Once I’m far enough away, I call an Uber to get me away from here and back home.
***
I got myself home and showered immediately. I wanted Daniel’s scent off of me. It was enough that I felt like shit. I didn’t need a reminder of how good he smelled all over my skin.
I’m sprawled out on my couch, wishing I’d never said yes to this whole stupid thing. Honestly, I wish I’d never met Daniel at all. He came into my life and fucked shit up. He fucked me up! Why did I think I could ever trust him? I was being dumb and let my heart get all tangled up in something it never should have. The whole point was to keep emotions out of it, and I ended up having so many of them.