Torn

by T. N. King

  “Hello, Ellie,” he said casually and pulled his hand out from his pocket to offer her a handshake.

  “Hi,” she responded shyly and shook his hand. She felt tingles go all the way up her arm. She trembled just a bit and fought to act casual.

  Joanna stared at the two for a moment before asking, “Do you two know each other?”

  Morgan gave Joanna a firm, “Yes,” and Ellie reluctantly answered, “Kind of,” at the same time.

  Morgan pierced her with his sharp, grey eyes and gave her a broad grin as if insinuating that there was some secret between the two of them.

  Ellie felt flustered as she smiled and looked down at her sneakers. Yes, like some dufus. No guts. Just cannot meet his gaze.

  Joanna kept staring at both of them with a slightly confused look on her face.

  Finally, Morgan spoke, “I met Ellie the day of the fire. I believe you weren’t here that day, Joanna,” he said very matter-of-factly.

  Ellie looked up. “Yeah, that’s what happened. Morgan happened to be driving by that day,” she said, wanting to avoid having to explain to Joanna what a huge liability she might have been for her had she died in that fire. Joanna tended to worry about those kinds of things.

  “Oh,” Joanna said, but kept staring. She furrowed her brow and placed a hand under her plump chin before adding, “Well, I’m gonna go put my office back together. Ellie, I’ll let you and Morgan catch up, okay?” She winked at Ellie and walked back into the diner.

  It was Ellie’s turn to dawn a confused look. “What are you doing here?” she asked Morgan, realizing that her question came out harsher than she meant it to. “Not that it’s a bad thing,” she added shaking her head. Yes, here goes with the nerves again, but she did feel stunned to actually be standing here with him.

  Morgan chuckled then crossed his arm over his chest and raised a finger up to his chin. “Checking on the progress of my donated resources,” he said quite assuredly.

  “Joanna told me about an anonymous donor, but why? I mean, why did you do that? You didn’t have to. The diner had insurance.”

  “Yeah, but I made a few calls and realized that going through the insurance company would have meant that it would have taken weeks before the diner could reopen. And I am the head of a charitable trust that gives money to worthy individuals and businesses all the time. So, I just made that happen. No big deal.”

  “Well, that’s nice of you, but, why do you care?” Ellie asked. “It’s just a diner.”

  Morgan locked eyes with her and shrugged. “It’s business. I’m a businessman. That’s what I do.”

  This only confused Ellie more, but she smiled anyway. “Well, thank you. I appreciate it. I know Joanna does.”

  “Why don’t you thank me later tonight, at dinner?”

  “Dinner?” She almost winced as her voice just might have squeaked. Talk about shocks today!

  “Yeah. I take it you came to help, so why don’t you stay and work, and I’ll send my car by here later to pick you up? Maybe around, eightish?”

  Ellie looked down at her t-shirt and jeans and said, “Umm—”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Morgan added. “It will all be taken care of, okay?”

  How could she say no? He was quite the negotiator. After all, it is what he did as he said before. She nodded. “Okay,” she said. “See you then.”

  Morgan smiled and let his gaze linger.

  His intense gaze made Ellie’s stomach feel funny, but in a good way. Is this the way he would look at her if he kissed her? If he—

  “Well, I have some pressing matters to attend to. You have a great day at work, and I’ll see you later.”

  Ellie watched him walk to the curb and get into his sports car. As she watched him drive off, she realized that she was left standing in the exact same place she was the last time she’d watched him drive off, and she’d felt just as confused. It was a total mystery and she would have bet her very last dollar…for real, it would be her last‒she rolled her eyes‒that she would never see this man again.

  Then as if it was a delayed reaction, Ellie blinked her eyes several times. She was going to have dinner with him! She jumped and clapped before going back inside the diner to inevitably tell Joanna, who she knew would be curious.

  Morgan

  He’d left wondering if Ellie saw right through him. It’s just business. Ha! Way to seal the deal, moron. You can’t ask a girl out by implying that it’s just business.

  But she said yes. He’d make it all right at dinner. He had it all planned. His driver would take her up to his penthouse and instruct her to shower and change into any one of an assortment of beautiful evening gowns he’d had his own personal fashion consultant choose based on his descriptions of her and his taste in alluring gowns. He would be waiting outside on the balcony for her with a seductive view of the Philadelphia night skyline. A bottle of champagne would be chilling then after a few drinks and provocative conversation, he’d suggest some after dinner activities—activities that required the both of them to take their clothes off.

  For days, all he’d done was work this plan. Business that he’d loved before seemed to be something that now got in his way. He’d tried to sort through why this had happened. He’d gone through many paths of logic. He’d rescued her, so now he felt obligated…no, he’d dismissed that one. How about that he’d allowed her unique eyes and that petite bod, her sweet looks, and that innocence to capture him? Yes, that was the closest description he could come up with.

  For a while, he’d had fantasies about her. No, not the bad dreams, these were in the middle of the damn day. She would in the throes of lust that he’d built up. Bringing her to the peak, then holding off till he made her beg for him to take her. He would come so hard and then he would get up, shower her, and fuck her again. Then get her dressed and have his driver take her home. Then he would feel so relieved.

  What was it about this girl? He just couldn’t figure it out. And this, he certainly did not like. Always in control…always directing everything around him. Yet, he could not even control his fantasies of this slip of a girl? He’d been disgusted with himself. Berated himself for this obsession as he’d come to realize it might be. He would try to run it off, to work it off. All to no avail. It was driving him up a wall and soon, he would be useless in the board room simply because he did not have Ellie White in his bedroom.

  Yes, disgust was a light word for the state he’d been in.

  He would definitely have her tonight. He almost had to, so he could get her out of his mind. It was the only way. She was seriously interfering with his life—all he’d done since meeting her was think about her. He needed to just bed her and be done. The sooner, the better, so he could go back to being himself, the carefree Morgan that didn’t get emotionally attached to women. After tonight…he would be done with Philadelphia and done with Ellie.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Ellie…

  Eight o’clock rolled around sooner than Ellie would have liked. She’d felt worried about her dinner with Morgan. It didn’t feel like the same kind of nervous when she went to his penthouse the first time to deliver his phone. What she felt now, just felt—different. Like she kept remembering the look in his eyes before he turned and got into his car. It gave the hot shivers. He’d asked her out. She’d kept repeating this statement the entire time she was setting the diner up today.

  Joanna had done nothing but probe Ellie for answers about Morgan’s sudden interest in the diner.

  Ellie told her repeatedly that she didn’t know about any of it, that Morgan was a business man, and this was probably just a business opportunity for him, or a tax write-off, just like she had said earlier.

  Now, as she waited for Morgan to pick her up, Joanna probed some more, “But he’s taking you out to dinner,” she said.

  “He’s just a nice guy,” Ellie responded.

  “A hot, nice guy,” Joanna rebutted.

  Yeah, he was, but surely, that didn’t ha
ve anything to do with it. She knew better but her probing was making it so much worse. “Well, Joanna, what do you want? Wouldn’t you be just as appreciative if he wasn’t hot?”

  Joanna feigned being offended. “Well, I most certainly would,” she said.

  Just then, the Hunt Company’s sleek, dark limo pulled up in front of the diner.

  Ellie turned to Joanna. “Well then, try not to worry too much about it, okay? He’s just a nice guy that’s invited me to dinner. That’s all.”

  She said goodbye to Joanna and stepped out of the diner. The driver came out and went around to open the door for her. Ellie waved at Joanna, who stood gaping through the diner window. The driver got back into the limo and drove off.

  “So, where are we going?” Ellie asked.

  “Back to the Hunt Hotel,” he said without looking back.

  Ellie pondered that for a moment. “Is there any way I can get you to take me back to my apartment, first? I’d like to change.”

  “It’s all been taken care of, ma’am. I have very detailed instructions as per Mr. Hunt,” the driver answered.

  She apparently had no say in this matter. Ellie sat back in her seat and remembered the last time she sat in this very same seat. It was hard to believe that a chance encounter with a handsome stranger had brought her to this very spot. Well, it was sort of a meaningful encounter. Pulling her out of a burning building and risking himself to do so. She still told herself not to get ahead of her fantasies. It was a date though. She couldn’t avoid this fact. It might be something special but then again, he may just be fast and loose with women and she would be put back in this very limo and dropped off for good, after he was done. She shook away her anxiety. Enjoy it. And for Pete’s sake, do not read anything into it. This way, you will not be surprised and hurt when he is through with you. But why does he even want me?

  She again, tried to get a damn grip.

  Didn’t she want this too? Hadn’t she? Now here it was, against all the odds and she was already picturing herself being dumped. It was so pathetic. Try to experience it and then treasure it later on when you are back in your real life.

  It was a very short drive from the diner to the Hunt Hotel. The driver got out and escorted Ellie into the lobby and up to Morgan’s suite. Once there, the driver opened the door for her to let her in. “Through that door you will find everything you need to get ready for your dinner out on the balcony with Mr. Hunt,” he said as he pointed to a room off to the side.

  Her eyes widened. “Dinner on the balcony?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Mr. Hunt is waiting.”

  Ellie looked towards the golden drapes that were drawn tight and felt speechless. She didn’t know what to think but decided that very much like her first day at high school, this was out of her hands, so she should just go with it. She thanked the driver and then scurried into the room to change.

  Live it, Ellie and just let go.

  She was immediately drawn to the king sized bed where an assortment of beautiful evening gowns were laid out for her. She picked one up and held it to her body.

  Oh, wow!

  There were shoes, jewelry, even undergarments. Now, she seriously felt like Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman, minus the hooker part. She at least wasn’t that. Yes, she worked for tips, but not that kind. She almost laughed aloud. Okay, her nerves were raring up again, and making her feel like an idiot.

  Without wasting any time, she stripped and showered, so she could try on gowns. She wasn’t going to bother questioning Morgan’s motives. He was, as she had told Joanna, a nice guy that appeared to genuinely like her. How could she possibly question that? Though, she stopped for a second and remembered that intense gaze he’d given her again. It had taken her breath from her. To actually be under that intense gaze for an extended amount of time would be harrowing, maybe? She shivered. Just like the dream, she’d had. It ended up in tragedy, in flames.

  Just let this be, Ellie! It was just a damn dream.

  After holding up each gown, Ellie concluded that they were all pretty revealing by her standards, but no matter. This would be a night to remember. After much debate, she selected a low cut, backless, shimmery, gold gown with a slit all the way up her thigh. A gold, lace thong, long golden, dangly earrings, and gold heels completed the ensemble. She decided to fix her hair in an upsweep to reveal her slim, sensual neck—one of her more attractive features.

  With a deep breath, she stepped out of the room, past the golden drapes and out onto the balcony where she saw Morgan looking out over the banister. She stepped towards him and cleared her throat, announcing her arrival.

  Morgan turned around and gave her an approving smile. “Wow!” he said. “You look gorgeous.” He studied her with heat in those grey eyes.

  “Really?” she asked and felt her face, neck, and shoulders flush with warmth. Those eyes would be the end of her if she allowed herself to get caught in them.

  “Yeah,” he said and led her by the hand to her seat. “I wanted you to enjoy this beautiful view in a way fitting for a girl as stunning as you.”

  Was this really happening? Get a hold Ellie. She tried to think of a good response, but just couldn’t find the words to describe what she felt, but she managed a, “Thank you.”

  As Morgan took his seat, Ellie let out a deep breath and raised up her glass of champagne.

  “Tonight, I want you to relax and enjoy yourself,” Morgan stated and picked his glass up as well. He held her gaze for a long time before raising his glass and saying, “To a most memorable night.”

  Ellie tilted her glass and took a sip, just like he did. The warm feeling of the champagne as it went down and the seductive look in Morgan’s eyes made her feel like anything could happen tonight. After another few sips, she was certain anything would. It might help to calm her tremble. Lord knows that look he was giving her did anything but calm her.

  “Not too many women could pull that dress off,” he noted as he set his glass down.

  Ellie felt shaken by the compliment. She wondered if he really thought this or was he just being nice again? “I’m so glad you approve,” she said, realizing that from this point on, the champagne would do most of the talking, allowing her to speak a little more freely. She welcomed that. She needed to allow this to just be, and not constantly be picking it apart.

  “I do,” he said. “I cleared my schedule so that I could come back to Philly for the sole purpose of seeing you again. I’m glad I did.”

  Ellie’s heart fluttered. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the fire.”

  Ellie took another sip, and then another longer one. Liquid courage gave her the strength to confess, “I felt like crying when you left the other day. I thought I’d never see you again.” She giggled and took another sip. “Silly, right?” Oh, man, maybe champagne courage was actually making her stupid and too talkative.

  Morgan

  She cried? No, surely, that was the champagne speaking, and by the look in her eye, she wanted tonight to happen just as badly as he did, so Morgan gave her an appropriate response, “Not at all,” he said. “It just means that we are both on the same page.”

  Then why did he feel like a predator? But it didn’t take too much to ignore that nagging feeling. Ellie looked amazing and he was a pro at sealing the deal. He’d have her in his bed within the hour. He’d slake his lust and finally be able to go back to concentrating on business.

  “And, what page is that?”

  “Hang around and I’ll show you,” he purred and arched a brow.

  Ellie’s smile was brighter than all the lights that lit up the city. The sunshine he’d noticed the first time she’d opened her eyes when he’d held her at the diner. Now, here, she absolutely glowed. He didn’t know how much longer he could put off the inevitable. He wanted her now.

  She narrowed her eyes and looked directly at Morgan. “So, something is happening between us. You feel it, too?” />
  Morgan nodded, never taking his eyes off of her. He felt his pants get tighter and couldn’t wait to get them off. He couldn’t wait to get Ellie out of that dress, too. All this trouble just to want to tear it all away and get what he wanted.

  He stood and came around the table to where she sat. Taking her hand, he had her stand. “You have no idea how badly I want you right now.” Truth. Did he plan this from the moment he laid eyes on her. Maybe? He just had to have her. He needed to have her.

  Ellie looked up at him with her big baby blue eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything,” he said, and dipped his head down to claim her mouth with his.

  Her rosy lips were sweet and moist. Wasting no time, he pulled her closer so his hands touched her bare back. Her skin felt soft and silken smooth. Like he’d dreamt. Her scent almost made him dizzy. He shook it away, he needed self control for this to play out like he wanted it to. He wanted to wrap her around him. Devour her. Take her. Dip into her essence—have her at his whim—build her up and watch her fall apart.

  Ellie

  He was rock hard. Ellie could feel him through his pants. God, how long had it been for her? Too long, she thought, as she kissed him back. She threw her arms around his neck, completely giving in to him. She wanted him—no denying that. Why not do so? Here was a man she really could have at least for one night. Someone she knew could use his power to bring her to where she longed to be. Like she fantasized about. The real thing. She just knew it in her heart, he would give her what she’d secretly yearned for.

  He pressed her into him, her supple figure bent to his will. He cupped her bottom and squeezed, pressing her even more into his groin. Morgan growled into her ear, “Let’s take this inside.”