“I think we would make a great team. I would love to consider the partnership with you guys in Asia and see what could come the collaboration. What do you say?” He held out his hand to Devon and Devon shook it, excited about how it would work for both of them.
“You have yourself a deal,” he said. He pulled back his hand and turned towards the restroom to see if Aria was coming back. She was still hidden away from him. He turned back to Tim and he smiled. “I look forward to it. When should we sign papers?” he asked.
“When I get back to New York, I’ll put a deal memo together. We’ll have a video conference to go over the final arrangements and then get it all set up. It’ll be a standard limited partnership.”
“Excellent. I look forward to it,” Devon said. He glanced away from the table and he heard Tim laughing. Devon quickly looked back at him. “Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re like me, especially when Regina and I first got married. I couldn’t stand being two minutes away from her and we’ve been at least thirty. You have gone a long time, son.” He chuckled and took a drink from his champagne glass. “Hold onto that feeling because it’s the best one you’ll ever have.”
Devon knew he was right. Since getting to Fiji, especially, he hadn’t been able to take the absence. It was growing stronger, now that they had had sex. He could only imagine it would get worse. “Did you boys miss us?” He looked up to find Regina, Aria was close behind.
He stood up. “We did,” he said.
“And you’re just in time,” Tim replied. “Devon and I have cemented the deal.”
“That’s great news,” Aria said. She came up beside him and she was smiling proudly, looking like she would burst.
“We’re excited for what’s in store for us,” Tim said, “but I have a question for my beautiful wife.”
“Ask away, my love,” she said.
“May I have this dance?” He held out his hand and Aria watched them as they took each other’s hand and went to the dance floor. She turned to Devon.
“I’m glad the meeting went well.”
He nodded. “I think you were a big part of it. He loves my wife.” He winked at her and she smiled.
“Yeah, so does Regina.” She beamed at him and he laughed.
“Yeah. had no doubt,” he said, “I just have one question to ask of my wife.”
Aria had to admit that it felt good to hear him call her wife. “And what might that be, dear husband?”
He held out his hand and she looked down at it. “May I have this dance?”
She giggled and nodded. “Do you even have to ask?” They walked out onto the dance floor and he pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed slowly to the music. Their eyes locked. She didn’t ever want to look away.
THE RIDE BACK TO THE resort seemed to take forever. They were silent, both lost in the moment of what the evening entailed. Devon couldn’t believe how amazing Aria was around Tim and Regina. It was as if she was made for the situation. He was growing even more attached to her and couldn’t wait to get her back to the suite.
On their return, he closed the suite door with one hand, reaching for her with the other hand and pulling her to him. Her lips met his and he swooped her up into his arms. It captured her breath and left him aching for her even more. “What’s that for?” she gasped.
He grinned at her. “Do I need a reason?” He stepped in closer to her and softly laid another kiss on her lips. Her mind was racing, and she knew that this far surpassed every dream she had ever had. She shook her head.
“Not in the least,” she said. She wrapped her arms around him and the kiss grew in intensity. Ever since they had made love that first night, he had been longing to have her again. He wanted her to see just how he could make her feel.
“You were amazing tonight,” he said.
She laughed, slipping her fingers up and into the nape of his neck. “We were amazing,” she whispered.
He lifted her up into his arms and continued to kiss her. The passion grew by leaps and bounds as they made their way to his bedroom. While they kissed, he took his hand to the back of her dress and slowly lowered the zipper.
At the bed, he laid her down and she broke from the kiss to pull her arms out of her dress. He began to undo his tie and tossed it to the side, then his jacket shortly followed. All the while he looked down at her. She looked so sweet and beautiful lying there for him. He moved in and reclaimed her lips with a fiery hunger as she grabbed onto the buttons of his shirt and started to remove them one by one. When she had the last one undone, he broke from the kiss and slipped out of the shirt, tossing it to the side.
She wrapped her arms around him, her hands trailing down his back, as he touched her lips with his. His tongue slowly entered her mouth and she groaned as he moved his hands behind her to undo the clasp of her bra. He pulled it off her, flinging it to the other side of the bedroom and moving down to suck on her nipples. She pressed her hands against his back, sighing with pleasure as he moved his teeth along her nipples. His mouth felt so good exploring her size D breasts. She dropped her hands to the waist of her panties and wiggled out of her underwear. She was wet and needing to be touched in the most intimate of places.
He continued to fondle her breasts with his teeth and she removed his pants. He helped her along by kicking out of his boxers. He trailed kisses up her chest, until he latched back onto her mouth and they heatedly continued their exchange. Aria wrapped her legs around his and locked him in place. His cock pressed against her opening and she bit back a groan and gyrated her body against his.
He pressed into her and thrust her hips against his as they reunited. “Oh God, Devon,” she moaned. She took her lips from his and rested her mouth against his shoulder. She bit down and their bodies continued to rock against one another. He groaned in her ear, causing the heat to build up inside of her as it showed her that he wanted this as much as she did. She tossed her head back, breaking from his shoulder and he grabbed onto her waist helping her lift her hips up. Devon shifted his body to crash against her. She released a cry and he firmly grabbed her hips, holding her in place. His erection continued to grow with every plunge. She lifted her head up, grabbing onto the poster of the bed to help herself to glide evenly beneath him.
He shook on top of her and she felt the girth of his erection gain inches. She released a cry and they came together. He slowed his paces until it was finally down to a dull thrust. He kissed his way back up to her lips, capturing a breath that she had released. Aria relaxed beneath him, slipping her arms back around him as the kiss deepened. She swirled her tongue around his and they took a moment for a breather.
When she murmured in thought, he slid his tongue along her lower lip and reluctantly parted from the kiss. He fell beside her, and she turned to look at him. He touched her cheek with his finger and they locked eyes.
“Children,” Aria spoke.
He frowned. “I have none.” He laughed and she giggled.
“Yeah, I know that, but how do you feel about children?” she asked.
He thought about it, considering it carefully. Then his mind drifted back to her. “What makes you ask?” he wondered. He didn’t see it as a topic of conversation they would have, especially not just then.
She shrugged. “I suppose that Regina got me to thinking. Have you considered kids?”
“With you?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “In general.”
She didn’t want to scare him off, but she was curious as to what he thought of kids and if he ever considered having a child. “Well, I haven’t given it much thought, but I suppose that I would like to have a son to carry on my legacy.”
She smiled. That was pretty much what she had said to Regina. She knew that was the case. “And if you had a daughter?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t send her back.” He winked at her and she laughed. “Truth is that I never thought of having
a daughter but if she had a good head on her shoulders and had your smile then why not?”
She beamed with excitement in his direction and he couldn’t contain the way he felt when she looked at him. He brushed his thumb along her lower lip and she closed her eyes. He moved in and touched his lips to hers.
“Did I satisfy your answers?” he asked against her lips.
She nodded. She didn’t want to think too much about what Regina had said. If they got to the point of discussing children, she was confident they would be able to discuss their thoughts and agree on what was important. She snuggled up against him. She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of his breath against her neck. All that mattered was that they were now in a good place and she could only look forward to everything new.
And Aria down to her core that she was in deep. As she felt his embrace, she was fully aware of how hard she had fallen for this man. For Devon. Her feeling where more intense than anyone she had ever dated. She was prepared to do anything for him. For the man she was falling in love with. And Devon, too, was lost in thought as his arms wrapped around her. He could her swoon, could feel the vulnerability and freefall that love brings. He could feel that in himself and it sent a chill through him. It was time—time for him to take control, to explore her limits. To have her show him the depths of her love.
Chapter 13
When the last night finally came, Aria wanted to cry. Devon had been busy with work throughout the week, but he did his best to be around as much as possible for her and their nights were spent together. Aria wanted to end the week on a real date, so when he returned that evening telling her to get dressed, she was ecstatic.
“What should I wear?” she eagerly asked, browsing through her clothes.
“Something sexy. I’m taking you to a club up on the strip.”
She couldn’t skim through her clothes fast enough. She settled on a dress she had purchased when she first arrived and dressed in the bathroom in order to surprise him with her outfit. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize herself. She had pulled her hair up in a clip, allowing only a few strands of hair to fall down next to her cheek. She was wearing a blue sequined dress shorter than any of the dresses she had worn in the past and a heart cut out of the fabric showed off her perfectly tanned back.
The dress had enough padding that she could easily go without her bra. She felt sexy. In fact, she realized she felt as happy as she’d felt in some time. As she admired herself in the reflection, she hadn’t noticed when Devon walked into the bathroom. He came up and put his hands on her hips and she caught his image in the mirror.
“Breathtaking,” he said. He kissed her softly on the neck and she lifted her head up so that he would have the space he needed.
“Glad you like it,” she said, smiling as he kissed her harder.
“I love it.”
She took in the scent of his cologne and it sent goosebumps up her spine. She was looking forward to spending the night out with him, but she couldn’t lie, it would have been just as nice spending the night in. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up to brush her lips against his.
“You’re a special breed, Devon Prescott,” she said. “A special breed indeed.” She deepened the kiss and his hands roamed up her exposed back.
Tonight, he was going to make her feel special. It struck him that he’d never had that feeling before with any other women. He wanted to make her happy. “Ready to go?” he asked, whispering it in her ear.
She nodded. “I just have to get my jewelry.” She turned away from him, intending to put on the diamond necklace he had sent to her after their first date, but he pulled her back, grabbing her hand.
“Not necessary,” he said. He winked at her and she frowned but he led her out of the bathroom into the living room. “Close your eyes,” he commanded.
When it came to Devon, she had come to love surprises. She closed her eyes and waited. He felt him leave the room, causing her to get antsy. After a few minutes, she felt him behind her. He put a necklace around her neck, while she kept her eyes closed. Then, she felt his hands on her wrist and could tell that he was putting a bracelet on her. She smiled as he clasped the bracelet.
“You may open your eyes.” She did so, and he grabbed her hand and walked her over to the mirror. He turned her to face the mirror and she gawked at another new necklace. She looked down at the matching bracelet and then up at him.
“You shouldn’t have,” she said.
He frowned. “You don’t like them?”
She laughed. “Devon... I love them, but they cost too much. You really shouldn’t have.”
He smirked at her viewpoint. “Then I shouldn’t have bought the matching earrings either,” he said. He opened up a box and sure enough the matching earrings were inside. She beamed up at him and couldn’t hide her smile. She shook her head in disbelief.
“You really shouldn’t have, but I’ll take them.” She grabbed the box and he laughed. She removed the earrings and put them into her ears, changing them out with the ones she already had on. She turned to him. “Does that complete the outfit?” she asked.
He nodded, grinning widely. “You couldn’t look any better. Now, we’re ready to leave.”
He grabbed her hand, then made sure he had his phone and wallet and they left the room. By the time they arrived downstairs the car was already waiting for them. Walter stood outside the door and held it open for them as he helped in first.
“Thanks, Walter,” Devon said as he winked at the chauffer and got in after her.
They held hands all the way to the club. She was sitting so close to him that she could have been in his lap and he wouldn’t have minded if that’s how things wound up. When Walter pulled up in front of the club, he parked, and came to the back to open the door for them. Devon took her hand and helped her out of the back. He tipped Walter, and they walked into the club together.
The ambience was something that Aria had seen in many movies, but she had never experienced before. She looked around the club, feeling like she belonged to an elite group and had nearly forgotten the hustle and bustle of her life back home.
They walked up to a woman who greeted them with a nod and a smile. “Welcome to Glory Days. My name is Rochelle. Do you have a reservation?”
“We do,” Devon spoke. Aria glanced at him. It was the first she had heard of it. She thought this was all on a whim and to hear that he actually planned it, made her feel even more special. “The name is Devon Prescott.”
She smiled. “Right this way Mr. Prescott. Your table is waiting for you.” She led the way and Devon and Aria followed her. Aria looked around at the prestigious club. It seemed to be a black-tie type of business and they were doing their part to keep up appearances. She felt confident with what she had chosen to wear. “Here is your table. Your server, Dominique, will be out in a moment.”
“Thank you, Rochelle,” he said. He held Aria’s chair out for her and she sat down. She looked up at the stage in front of them. There were microphones, guitars, drums, and a piano. She turned to him.
“Looks like we’re going to be entertained tonight,” she said.
He nodded. “Of course. I wasn’t going to just take you to a boring restaurant that didn’t have anything to offer. We’re living the Fiji experience.” He winked at her and she grinned. It looked like they were.
“Hello, my name is Dominique and I’m your server tonight. Would you care to start with something to drink?” he asked. “Perhaps an appetizer.”
Devon held out his hand to Aria. “Would you like something special, Darlin’?” he asked.
Aria felt herself blush. She wasn’t used to the public displays of affection that he offered. She enjoyed it, especially when he appeared to enjoy handing it out, but it surprised her. The closest they had been to public displays of affection, was when they pretended to be married in front of Tim and Regina. It impressed her that Devon was going to use the
last night to up his game.
“I’d like white wine,” she said. “After that whatever you would like.”
He turned to Dominique. “We’ll take a bottle of your best white wine and do you have caviar?” he asked.
The man nodded. “We do. Would you like that as your appetizer?” Devon shot Aria a look and she nodded. She had never tasted caviar, but she was all up for trying new things, especially when Devon was involved.
“I’ll be out in a minute with your choices, sir.” He left the table and Devon turned to Aria. She seemed intrigued by their surroundings. He found it interesting that she acted like she wasn’t used to this lifestyle, but he knew the type of work she did, and he would have expected that she would had at least been exposed to this at some point in her career.
“So ... tell me, Aria, what would a typical Friday night look for you BWM?” he asked.
She frowned. She tried to process what those initials stood for, but she couldn’t figure it out. The only option she had was to come right out and ask him. “BWM?”
“Before we met.” He winked at her and she laughed.
“Well, BWM, on a Friday night I would typically have been either working late or maybe hanging with friends. Perhaps we would go to a bar and have a few drinks before I would go home. That’s pretty much it.” She hesitated and then chuckled as she saw the surprised expression on his face. “You seem surprised with that revelation. What is most surprising? Working late or going to a bar to have a few drinks with friends?”
It wasn’t that he was surprised but the fact that he would have thought someone like Aria would have been dating guys right and left. “I’m guess I thought maybe you would say hanging out with a different guy every night.”
She laughed. “Couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said. She then retracted that a little. “I’m not saying that there weren’t options. I had options.”
He snickered. “I’m sure you did. So...why haven’t you found someone?” He held up a hand. “Not that I’m complaining, you know. Just curious.”
When I Dream of You: A Valentine's Day Romance Page 13
