by Rhea Wilde
“Do you want some more ice cream?” I asked with a smile. “It’ll help.”
“How about you eat enough for the both of us? I think your palate appreciates it more than mine.”
“Is there… anything else I can do?”
Stephen pressed his finger down on one of the keys and left it there. He held the note as he turned and stared at me. I raised my eyebrows at him and grinned.
“I don’t know anything about your business,” I said. “But I can make you forget about it. For just a few seconds, anyway.”
“I don’t think now is a good time.”
“If you don’t think it’s a good time, that means it’s the perfect time. Just let me…”
I placed the carton of ice cream off to the side on top of the piano then leaned a hand forward between Stephen’s legs. I searched for his length and found it almost immediately. It throbbed within my palm as I softly stroked him through the fabric. I gasped softly from the touch and stared into Stephen’s eyes.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Now is as good a time as any.”
He didn’t need much more motivation. He leaned forward and kissed me softly. I sighed as his tongue swirled into my mouth. I continued stroking him through his pants and it was clear that they were becoming too tight.
He stood up from his seat and the two of us began undoing his pants together. His zipper went down and his belt unbuckled. I tugged his pants down slightly, breathing harder in anticipation of seeing him before me.
“Get up,” I whispered. “On the piano.”
Stephen stood up on his seat then moved up on top of the piano just in front of me. We pulled his pants down around his ankles as his shoes pressed down on the piano keys. The loud sounds coming from the piano drowned out the sound of me sighing in anticipation.
Stephen sat on the edge of the piano, his feet digging into the keys and his pants resting around his ankles. He was at the perfect height so that his cock was pointing straight at me. I looked up into his eyes as I took his length into my hand and massaged him to his full size. Our stares still locked upon each other, I opened my eyes and took his tip into my mouth.
I swirled my tongue around the head. I licked the small opening and made him groan. His feet shuffled and more uneven notes came from the piano. I pressed my hands down upon the keys as well so that I could brace myself.
It was a position I’d never been in before but it was still more than comfortable. Stephen sat there on the edge of the piano while I went down upon him. The sound of his heavy breathing accompanied the sounds of the two of us mashing against the keys. I sucked and gagged upon him. Every now and then, I pulled him out of my mouth completely so that I could gasp. His wet cock smacked against my lips shortly before I took him back into my mouth.
I could feel how much he was enjoying it. His length twitched between my teeth. As his pleasure began to increase, his feet shuffled against the keys. I stood up from my seat and pushed the seat back. I began bobbing my head back and forth upon him. Stephen lowered one of his hands and ran it through my hair. His hips began to rotate in rhythm with the way I moved my head. I stopped moving my head entirely so that he could control me. With both hands now tied in my hair, Stephen began thrusting himself into me. He fucked my mouth with a fervor I’d never seen before. Not from him or anybody else.
I opened my mouth as wide as I could to accommodate him. His length tickled the edge of my throat. The spit dripped out the sides of my mouth and tears streaked from the corners of my eyes.
I moaned onto his cock. My lips pressed against his hilt as he filled me up completely. His body began to tremble. I could feel him getting closer to the edge.
Suddenly, he grunted loudly. His feet stomped on the keys and my hands pressed down on them just the same. He fired his seed directly into my throat. I swallowed it down along with the pulses that followed. His thick length throbbed inside of my mouth. I massaged it gently with my tongue while his entire body continued to spasm against me.
The violent movements of his body slowly began to subside. I tightened my lips around his length and squeezed the last few drops of cum out of him then drank it down. I pulled away from Stephen then looked up at him. He stared back at me, his mouth half open as he tried to catch his breath, then made his way off of the piano.
As he began to pick his pants back up, I took the ice cream and ate another bite. I stood there and watched him, the relief on his face apparent. I was glad that I could make him forget about whatever it was that happened. Even if it were for just that moment when he came.
“Thank you,” he said.
“There’s something I should tell you.”
“What’s that?”
“I want this. I want this just as bad as you do. You don’t have to thank me. I know that I should be just as grateful.”
Stephen softly nodded his head.
“I understand,” he said. “All the same, I do appreciate… you.”
“Yeah… I know.”
I smiled softly at him then looked away as I walked by him. I didn’t look back at him or say anything more. When I got back to my room, the carton of ice cream was finished. I placed it down on the dresser then collapsed back onto the bed.
“Great. All that sugar and all this energy.”
I should have been up all night. But after what just happened, I was more tired than I expected I would be. It was nice to see some satisfaction on his face, even if it weren’t the easiest thing to read. Knowing that Stephen wasn’t completely upset now made me smile. It wasn’t much but I’d learned something about him.
Chapter 21
I spent more and more time in Stephen’s mansion. The amenities were nice. I had the comforts of an extravagant room all to myself. I had free reign over the kitchen. It was like staying at a really nice hotel for free. Either that or a university dormitory where the other students were all of Stephen’s servants.
While I had a lot of free time to myself, I still worked in the kitchen with Camille for most of it. Every day she taught me something new. And of course, the next day I would forget it. But I didn’t forget why I was here. Something motivated me. Something inspired me.
I never saw much of Stephen. He was a normal fixture in the morning when I first started. But now, all of the meals I helped make for him were ushered away by servants. Even when I showed up to train, it was Crosby who pushed me through my normal routine. Late at night, I would listen for the sound of Stephen at his piano but our last encounter seemed to be unique. Despite Crosby’s reassurances, he could have been dead for all I knew.
Regardless of what happened to my boss, it truly felt like I was beginning to get into the flow of things. It was a full-time job. But not only could I manage it. It was something that I began to appreciate.
* * *
“He’s late,” Leigh said to me. “He’s late but he’ll definitely be here.”
“You don’t have to explain that to me,” I replied. “He’s a busy man. I know how it works.”
“I know you do. But we haven’t seen you in a long time—I haven’t seen you in a long time—so this is kind of a special occasion.”
I had been at Stephen’s for so long that I lost track of time. It had been more than a week since I was back in the city for longer than a trip to pick up a change of clothes. My best friend called me out of the blue and invited me to dinner with her soon-to-be husband.
I tapped my fingers on the table in the expensive restaurant and looked down at the menu. The waiter arrived to take our order while I continued to examine the list in front of me.
“Good evening, ladies. Can I get you all something to drink? Some wine, perhaps?”
I glanced over the menu I was looking at and noticed the wine menu resting upon the table. I picked it up and examined it closer.
“Aria?”
I heard the sound of my friend’s voice in the distance while I read the wine list. As I looked at all of the names and labels, I noticed something st
range.
“We’ll have a bottle of Merlot,” I said. “And a Cabernet Sauvignon.”
“Excellent. I’ll return for the rest of your order shortly.”
The waiter disappeared but I continued to examine the wine list in front of me.
“Aria?”
I looked up over the menu and my friend stared back at me with a strange confusion in her eyes.
“What was that?” she said.
“What was what?”
“You never order off the wine menu.”
“I drink wine all the time.”
“Yeah, you drink it. But you usually you drink whatever they put in front of you.”
“I know. I was just looking for something that actually paired well with the rest of the menu. The Merlot goes well with anything and the Cabernet…”
My words trailed off. I looked back at my friend. The same confused look remained on her face. Suddenly, the two of us burst into a friendly chuckle.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Stephen has this cabinet in his kitchen. Camille, the woman who’s instructing me, is always telling me to grab a different bottle whenever I’m there. I guess I just kinda… remembered what she said.”
“That’s nice. It sounds like you’re enjoying yourself.”
“I don’t know if I’m enjoying it but I guess some of it is sticking with me. Besides, everybody knows Merlot goes with everything.”
I shrugged my shoulders just as Leigh’s fiancé approached. Jacob took a seat next to her and kissed her upon the cheek. The dapper billionaire never failed to impress with his appearance and even though he was tied-down, he still looked like a man with an unnecessarily immaculate appearance.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Jacob said to the two of us. “There was traffic in the building. The meeting with the investors ran a little late. Speaking of which, you’ll find this quite interesting, Aria.”
“What?” I said as my ears perked up. “Why’s that?”
“A certain someone came up. A certain Stephen Aldridge.”
“Stephen? My Stephen? Um… I mean, the one I work for?”
“Are there any other multi-millionaire Stephen Aldridge’s in this city?”
“There might be. I know he has two brothers but I don’t know their names…”
“Well, I can assure you that this is your Stephen Aldridge.”
“All right. What were you talking about?”
Jacob straightened his tie then leaned forward toward me from across the table. There was a serious look in his eye and I wasn’t sure how to take it.
“I’m not sure if you want to hear this,” he said.
“What?” I exclaimed. “Why not?”
“Well…”
“Just tell me.”
I looked over at Leigh and she shrugged her shoulders, her interest not vested like mine.
“Stephen is looking at a certain piece of land,” he said. “He had plans on opening a restaurant of some sort.”
“That’s right,” I said. “I know about that.”
“I listened to his proposal along with the other investors on whether or not we should actually grant him the space.”
“And you did, right? Right? I mean, why wouldn’t you? He has the money for it. You know he can pay for it.”
“Aria, there’s something you have to understand about the space he wants. This is prime real estate. It’s right in the heart of the city. We can’t just rent it out to anybody.”
“But he’s not just anybody. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Does he?”
“Yes.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because… I just do.”
“Oh… Well, regardless of what you think, the space he wants is desired by everybody. A lot of people want it.”
“Did you give it to him?”
“I gave it to him. But I’m only one vote on the board. The other investors decided against it.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “Why not?”
“Because they thought it was too big of a risk. They didn’t see the same kind of success that he did. Opening a restaurant isn’t as simple as making food then making a lot of money. These businesses fail.”
“But… Isn’t there something you can do? Can’t you change their minds? You’re a billionaire, for goodness sake.”
“Aria…”
Leigh suddenly chimed in. I looked over at her and realized that I’d raised my voice and I didn’t even know why. For some reason, listening to everything Jacob just said to me made me more upset than I thought it would.
“I can do something,” he said. “But believe me, facing the ire of the other investors. Dealing with shareholders. Having to explain inexplicable decisions. It’s not something anybody can take lightly. It’s more than I’m interested in. And to do it for a man like Stephen Aldridge… Someone I don’t even know. Someone nobody knows. It just wouldn’t make any sense. You understand, right?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I guess. It’s not your problem.”
“Look, there are other spots in the city that are freely available to him. Stephen just doesn’t have the pull in this city to get what he wants. Not yet, anyway.”
It felt strange to hear Jacob tell me all of this. I didn’t know much about Stephen. I saw him as a businessman who couldn’t do anything wrong. But somehow, this seemed to be out of his reach. I felt just as upset as I imagined he was.
“He’ll be fine,” Leigh said reassuringly. “Stephen looks like he knows how to take care of himself.”
“I know,” I said. “It’s just… Whatever. It’s none of my business. I only work for him. I can’t get involved in something like that.”
“We haven’t seen you in such a long time,” Jacob said. “It’s nice to have dinner with you again. How is working for Stephen, by the way?”
“I can’t complain,” I said with a shrug.
The waiter returned with the bottles of wine I ordered. He poured glasses for all of us and instead of focusing on the news I received about Stephen, I ended up talking about my rationale behind the wine I ordered. Even Jacob was surprised with the way I spoke.
The rest of the evening proceeded without incident. When I said goodbye to my friends, my thoughts returned to my boss and everything I learned tonight. I wondered when I would get a chance to speak to Stephen again.
Chapter 22
I didn’t count the days but I knew I’d gone some time without seeing Stephen. I pictured him locked away in his office, dealing with multiple conference calls all at once, moving back and forth over the paperwork on his desk, all while he tried to make sure his tie was straight. My intimate night with him next to his piano seemed like a distant memory.
But I maintained my focus. I showed up for Camille’s lessons and some of it seemed to stick. My conversation with Leigh and Jacob was proof of that. Since I spent most of my time in Stephen’s mansion, it felt like another time in my life. It felt like I was a college student in a dormitory just trying to graduate. I got that impression initially but now that it was even more apparent. The only difference was that I didn’t have anybody to drink or get into any other trouble with. It was a transition in my life but one that I was comfortable in making.
Late one night, I sat at the kitchen counter by myself and enjoyed the dinner I’d put together. I didn’t think much of it but as I took a bite of the meat I’d prepared, something came over me. I closed my eyes so that I could taste it. I focused only on the food in my mouth. The way the juice released with every bite. The way the tastes changed as it hit my tongue. The texture of it all as it slid down my throat.
“You seem to be enjoying your dinner.”
I opened my eyes and suddenly saw Crosby standing off to the side, his hands behind his back like they always were.
“I apologize, Miss Aria. I did not mean to interrupt your meal.”
“No, it’s all right,” I said with a chuckle. “I was just… savoring the food. It’s stu
pid, I know—”
“Food was meant for savoring. Especially when you put any kind of effort into it. You should remember that.”
“Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”
I cut another piece of the meat and ate it, not taking as much time as I did with the previous bite since Crosby stood there and watched me.
“Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?” I asked.
“I only needed to speak to you for a moment,” he said as he moved his hands from behind his back. “Master Stephen spoke to me and wanted me to give you this. He said he apologizes for the delay.”
Crosby placed the small piece of paper down on the counter and pushed it toward me. I looked down at it and I smiled.
“A paycheck,” I whispered to myself.
“For your services. You are his employee.”
“Right… I’ve been here for so long that I forgot he was supposed to be paying me.”
“Again, he apologizes for the delay. He is aware that there may have been some complications because of it, so he took the liberty of adding a bit of overtime pay to it.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” I said as I looked at the numbers on the check. “I’m a little behind on my rent but it’s not an emergency. I’ve been staying here so often lately that I feel like I should be paying you.”
“The guest room is all part of the compensation he provides you for working for him.”
“I know,” I said with a laugh. “I appreciate it just the same. Thanks. It’s nice to have a little money in my pocket.”
“Very well, Miss Aria. I will leave you to your dinner.”
Crosby turned around and began to exit the kitchen. I remained staring at the check and did the math in my head. It was a lot more than the minimum Stephen promised me. I was more grateful for it than anybody could imagine.
“Wait.”
I called out to Crosby and he turned around.
“Is there anything else you need, Miss Aria?”
“No. But… What are you doing? Do you have somewhere to go?”
“My services have ended for the night and I did plan on retiring. But if there is something else you need…”
