by Nella Tyler
“Sorry,” he said. “Did you want more?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m good.”
As we ate, he talked about what he’d done at work and went more into depth about the disaster he’d recently avoided when the merger had almost fallen through. It sounded harrowing, like he’d truly been at risk of losing everything.
“I’m glad everything worked out,” I said, and took a bite of my eggroll. It was greasy and delicious. I really needed to get back to my diet after the holidays, but I planned to fully enjoy myself for the time being. The 10 pounds I needed to lose would still be waiting for me in the New Year, along with about five more if I kept going like I was. Oh well. It was freezing cold now that December had set in and I needed the extra padding for warmth. Or so I kept telling myself.
“I am too,” he replied. “I thought I was going to be out on my ass for a little while.”
“Was it really that bad?”
He finished a mouthful of rice before answering, but the expression on his face was sobering. “Yeah, I’d have really been up a creek if that deal fell through. I’m grateful for my team. We all hustled so hard that weekend and got all our ducks back in a row.”
“Are you in danger of that happening again?” I asked, and took a sip from my glass of wine.
“No. We have signatures on paper now, and the terms we were willing to renegotiate ended up only helping our interests. The CEO and CFO of the smaller company were ultimately willing to screw us and all of their employees, who we agreed to employ after the merger, simply because they wanted more in their settlement packages. It was completely selfish bullshit.”
“Did you pay them more?”
He shook his head, flashing that winning smile that started that flame burning inside of me. “Nope. We shifted some money around so it looked like we were. Everything was so rushed over the weekend, that it went completely unnoticed.”
He kept talking about work and cars, his two obsessions, and I just picked at the rest of my rice and finished my second glass of wine, content to listen to him go on about his life without interruption. I wondered how surprised he’d be if I admitted to him right now that I was only over here to sleep with him again and had only bought the food to make my intentions less obvious. I couldn’t get him out of my mind after the last time. We’d talked several times and promised to go out again, but his mess with work had derailed most of our plans. I knew he was still cleaning up after that blowup, though it sounded like he’d averted the worst of the disaster. I was glad for him, and now that it was over, I wanted to have a good time. I just couldn’t wait until the weekend when we’d set a date to go out again. My entire body was aching for him. I’d never felt this needy sexually. Having him inside me just flipped a switch and now I couldn’t stop wanting him. What would he say if I just blurted all of that out right now? If I just admitted to how wet the crotch of my lace thong was and had been all day? I was dreaming about Banks at night and thinking about him all day long at the shop. Jackson had caught me daydreaming and mentioned I looked happy. I’d been smiling like a lovesick idiot all week. It took a conscious effort to wipe the dopey grin from my face and focus on what needed doing at the garage.
“Is everything okay?” Banks asked. He was staring at me and obviously had been for more than a few seconds while I followed the X-rated pathways in my head, oblivious to whatever he’d just said. Staring at him had been enough. I didn’t really need to listen to what he was saying. My cheeks colored at how terrible I was for thinking that way. He was more than just eye candy, but right now I couldn’t stop thinking about how good he’d felt inside me, how solid and warm beneath my hands. I wanted to feel those things again. It was hard to sit here eating and chatting. I wanted my hands on him. My lips. I wanted the weight of him settling on top of me.
“Yeah,” I said, shaking my head a little. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about work.”
“Have you moved forward with the sale of the shop?” he asked, lifting a dark blond eyebrow.
I shook my head again. “No, not yet. I need to meet with the accountant and then go by the bank to talk to them about where I stand financially. I have appointments set up for all that on Friday.”
“Let me know if you need any help with anything,” he said. “If not for the family business, I might have become an accountant.”
“Thanks.”
We finished our meals and I helped Banks clear the table. We went out to sit on the couch in his surprisingly spacious living room, considering this was a condo. He got a fire going in the fireplace and came to sit next to me on the couch. He put a blanket over our legs and snuggled in close. The weather was turning icy outside. I didn’t really want to drive home tonight and hoped I’d be invited to stay over. December had unlocked the true winter weather, which meant we wouldn’t see a break until March when spring began to creep in on softer, warmer feet.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” Banks asked, looking down at me. “I can put on some Netflix.”
I shook my head, widening my eyes in an attempt to be flirty. Banks just looked confused. I wasn’t any good at this stuff. I was going to just have to come right out and say it.
“Do you want to know why I really came over here?”
He smiled, still looking bewildered. “Sure.”
“I really wanted a repeat of our last date night. Well, the end of our last date night.”
Understanding bloomed on his face, and the smile evaporated from his lips as a steamier expression fell into place. He didn’t answer me. He just leaned to kiss me, his mouth even hungrier than my own. I kissed him deeply, opening my mouth to him, my entire being. I couldn’t get enough of the taste of him, the way he stoked the heat inside of me, lighting up my skin in a way that only his touch could quench. My insides were screaming for him.
I pulled out of the kiss and tugged his sweatshirt over his head. This was the most casual I’d ever seen him, and it had only been because he hadn’t expected me. If I’d called first, I imagined he’d have changed into a more presentable outfit. But I liked him this way.
“Take off your pants,” I commanded, and he didn’t hesitate to obey.
He pushed his sweatpants down his hips and powerful thighs, taking his boxer briefs with them. I kept my eyes on the firm shape of his cock, my mouth watering I wanted him so badly, as I unbuttoned my jeans and slid them off. I stood from the couch long enough to remove my pants and soaking wet panties, stepping out of both. I sat down again, straddling Banks as he took me by the hips and rocked me over his hard cock. We moaned into each other’s mouths again as we kissed with more heat. I rubbed my sex over him, spreading that dripping warmth. His hands moved under my sweater, pushing it up my torso so he could squeeze my breasts. He reached around my back and unhooked my bra, making it easier for his hands to slide over my trembling breasts and erect nipples as we kissed.
I sat up on my knees and reached between my legs to take him by the base of his cock. I directed the tip into the center of my throbbing, needy wetness. I just couldn’t wait anymore. It felt like I’d been waiting a lifetime for this exact moment. I sat down on him slowly, devouring him inch by solid inch as I watched his face twist with desire, his gray eyes never leaving mine. I held my breath as I lowered myself all the way onto his lap, letting my own desire build as he pierced me slowly. His hands on my waist coaxed me down, but I moved at my own rate, eventually swallowing him whole. I leaned to kiss him, sucking on his bottom lip before rising up again, not enough to lose him, just enough to tease and show him how wet I was for him.
He moaned again, his eyes getting hotter. I sat down harder this time, crying out myself as the tip of his cock drove inside me, impaling me, but with pleasure that tingled outward into my midsection. I rode him harder, bucking my hips as I panted, unable to tear my eyes away from his face. I loved how much pleasure I was giving him, and the tingling pressure that was building inside of me as I rubbed my sensitive clit against the wiry hair at the ba
se of his cock was quickly making me insane. He lifted his hips to drive himself into me further, and I shrieked with the strength of the orgasm exploding inside of me. The strength left my taut body in an instant, and I fell against Banks, breathing heavily, the aftereffects of the orgasm running through me.
But Banks wasn’t ready to stop, his hips were still moving into me.
“Let’s get on the floor,” he whispered.
I nodded against him, not wanting to move, just wanting to live in this moment forever.
He stood, lifting me up with him. I moaned when his cock slid out of me and put my feet down on the ground. He picked up the blanket from the couch and laid it onto the area rug in front of the fireplace. We lay down together and he climbed on top of me, not wasting any time as he settled in between my legs and his hips thrust forward, plunging his cock into me up to the thick base. I cried out again, wrapping my arms around him as he kept up that fierce rhythm, both of us rocking with the power of his thrusts.
“I’m coming,” he groaned, and I found that I was, too. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t respond to him. All I could do was hang on for dear life as the inside of me tingled hard enough to hurt with the oncoming orgasm. He roared behind clenched teeth shortly afterwards, his body bucking into mine so I whimpered into his shoulder, biting his warm, salty skin.
He rolled off of me, our limbs tangled and our breath heavy in our heaving chests. He dropped a hand onto my stomach, which was almost flat in this position.
“You have to come to Italy with me,” he said after a moment. I’d almost been asleep in a haze of pleasurable exhaustion.
“Hmm?” I asked, not opening my eyes.
“I’m leaving for Italy on Saturday and I bought you a ticket. You should come.”
I giggled sleepily. “Okay.”
“Do you mean it?” he asked, so surprised I opened my eyes and looked over at him. His eyes were serious but dark from the flickering fire behind his head.
I nodded. “Yes, I’d love to go to Italy with you.”
Banks smiled and I closed my eyes again.
Banks
Friday
I’d worked a full 12 hours the day before, getting everything ready for my extended leave. I hadn’t left the office for more than a day or two since I took over for Dad the year before. There was always so much going on, but now that the merger was truly finalized, and Christmas was looming, things had finally started to slow down. There was still plenty to do, but I’d have my computer and phone with me, so Jane and the rest of the team could get in touch with me if they needed anything. I didn’t want anyone contacting Dad. The man had worked hard his entire life and needed a goddamned break at this point. I’d either sink or swim on my own merits. I wasn’t really worried. If we were in dire straits the way we’d been during the weekend the merger had almost fallen through, I would have canceled this trip. With the price the Italian guy wanted for the Alfa Romeo, there was no way anyone would come in and buy it out from under me.
I went to Jane’s office after the close of the business day. She’d be shouldering the heaviest share of the burden due to my absence, so I wanted her to go home now. I’d had to force her out last night around 6, not letting her stay until 8 like I did.
I poked my head into her office, finding her bent over her desk, furiously writing in one of her many notebooks. She was young, but old school, preferring to write things by hand that she later took pictures of to store digitally. I never made an issue of her strange system because it appeared to work well for her. She was the most organized employee in the company.
“Go home, Jane,” I said, and laughed as she jumped in her chair.
“Jesus, Banks, quit scaring me like that.” But she was smiling too. “Are you ready for your trip?”
I nodded. “I think I’ve tied up all the loose ends around here. I’ll check my emails all the time and keep my phone on me—” she interrupted me, rolling her eyes while she spoke.
“I know how a phone and email works. Your flight is first thing in the morning, so you should probably get going.”
“Only if you leave, too. There’s no reason for you to be here this late. We’re completely caught up and all crises have been averted.”
She breathed in deeply and sighed, but I could see she was tired and willing to agree with me, which wasn’t like her.
“Are you really leaving right now?” she asked, gazing up at me. “Or are you just saying that so you can work by yourself in here for another five hours?”
I laughed. Damn, she knew me. And, usually, that would be my MO, but tonight I needed to take Alice over to my parents’ house and pack before finally settling into my bed for a good night’s sleep.
“We can walk out together,” I said, and lifted my fully loaded briefcase. I’d packed some work to do on the plane, figuring the 8-hour flight would bore me to tears since I could never sleep on airplanes. When Maggie was snoozing, I’d use the time to get some work done. We were in first class, of course, so I’d have plenty of room.
Jane cleaned up her mess, never one to leave her office in disarray at the end of the day no matter how bad it looked up until quitting time. She gathered her purse and briefcase and we walked out together, chatting about my trip and all the places I was planning on taking Maggie, who’d never been to Italy. All of her overseas trips had been to France only, which was odd.
I gave her a hug before she climbed into her tiny little car. She lived in the city and so didn’t have very far to drive. I watched her go before climbing into my own car and heading home.
I got back to my condo and loaded Alice into the car along with all of her stuff—a big bag of her food, box of her dog treats, one of her beds, a few of her sweaters, and her food and water dishes—and drove her over to Mom and Dad’s. I didn’t stay long, just enough to tell my parents goodbye and make sure Alice was comfortably settled. She loved my parents’ house. It was huge and she had the run of the land during the day. Dad liked to go on long walks now that he was retired, and Alice liked to go with him.
I drove back home and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt. I put on some music and pulled two large suitcases out of the back of my guestroom closet. I carried them into my bedroom and set them on the bed. As I packed plenty of warm clothes, I went over my itinerary, which I’d long since memorized, though I had a copy on both my phone and tablet. We were leaving at 8 a.m. and flying to JFK International. From there, we’d fly to Frankfurt and then to Torino. I was excited to be spending so much uninterrupted time with Maggie. I had to make time to drive out to the house in the country where I’d get my first look at the Stradale 33, but we’d have the rest of the week to enjoy romantic dinners and visit wineries and museums. Maggie liked those kinds of things and so did I. I’d even purchased some tickets for the La Scala opera house in Milan. I planned to buy her anything she even halfway looked at. I wanted her to have the time of her life. The next trip we took together wouldn’t be planned around a car. It would be all about us and at least two weeks long. This was just a test run, but I was more excited than I’d been about a trip in a long time.
I set my packed suitcases beside the front door. Next, I put my laptop into my computer bag along with the files I’d brought home in my briefcase. I retrieved my passport and put it into the interior pocket of the computer bag as well, along with several hundred Euros from my last trip over to the continent. I double-checked everything, making sure I had all the necessary items. All that was left were my toiletries, which I’d pack after I used them in the morning. I set the alarm on my phone for 5:30, wanting to have plenty of time to brew a few cups of coffee to drink on the way over to Maggie’s house.
I ate some of the leftover takeout in the fridge while watching a standup comedy special on Netflix. I wanted to call Maggie, but she said she’d call before she went to bed for the night. I knew she was nervous to take this next big step in our relationship, but to me it just felt right. I couldn’t explain
it. Everything we did together just seemed like it was meant to be.
I cleaned up my trash, planning to drop it off at the dumpster around the back of the complex on my way over to Maggie’s, and then retired to my bedroom for the night. It was only 9 o’clock, but I’d had a busy few days and was ready to sleep. I had an early morning and a busy day of travel ahead.
I stripped down to my boxer briefs and climbed into my flannel sheets. I closed my eyes, wishing Maggie was here, but content in the thought that over the next week I wouldn’t be sleeping alone. I drifted off, dreaming of drinking fine Italian wine in a little trattoria in view of the snowcapped Alps just outside of Torino.
Maggie
The Same Friday
Jeff had a family emergency—nothing too serious, his secretary assured me when I blurted out my expectation of the worst, given what had just happened to BJ—and wasn’t available to meet with me at 10 about the shop’s financials like we’d planned. But I still had my appointment with one of the account services managers at the bank where I had my personal and business accounts. Before I moved forward with the sale of the garage, I wanted to have a complete understanding of where I stood financially, both personally and from a business standpoint. I wasn’t a numbers person, but I had to know what I could afford to do.
I’d been pretty careful since BJ passed, not that I was a spendthrift before then. Despite being raised around money, I never got into the habit of extravagant spending, choosing to save whatever my mother gave me. It baffled her, this penchant for saving, but she left me to it, even going so far as to open a youth savings account for me. I never touched any of the money in it, eventually just transferring it into a joint savings account after BJ and I married. BJ had a sizeable life insurance policy as well, which I hadn’t touched at all. I didn’t feel comfortable taking more than a nominal salary from the shop, wanting to keep it as far in the black as I could. I was lucky that I didn’t really have much in the way of bills. BJ and Brian Sr. had paid cash for the lot and then built the house I lived in by hand. BJ and I had bought the car I drove outright, and it was only a few years old—the guys in the shop took care of all the routine maintenance during the downtime in the shop for free. I really only had to pay for utilities. Mom had taken to ordering groceries for me and having them delivered. Not that I was complaining, but it usually meant I had way more food than I needed, which explained why I was nearly 15 pounds heavier than I wanted to be.
