by A. m Madden
Using every fiber of my being to maintain my composure, I blinked slowly. Sounding more like a psychiatrist than a teacher, I encouraged him to continue. “Go on.”
“That’s it!” He looked at me like I had grown antlers. “It wasn’t supposed to say my name. In front of everyone else in my house, including Luca, all it ever said was ‘Ti amo.’” His eyes widened to prove his point. “Ti amo sounds nothing like Dante. Ti amo my ass, that bear never loved me. He hated me.” The last of his confession came with a sexy little pout, as he adorably mumbled, “No one believed me.”
“Aww, I believe you.”
His brown eyes softened, looking more like Puss in Boots than my sexy lover. “You do?”
“Yes. If you say it happened, then I believe you. And I promise I’ll always protect you from teddy bears.” I closed the distance and wrapped my arms around his torso.
“Thank you,” he said genuinely. “Now you. What are you afraid of?”
“Jellyfish.”
The corner of his cheek twitched, but he knew better than to laugh. “That’s a legit fear. I promise I’ll never allow a jellyfish to touch you. Is that why you freaked out on the beach with me?”
“Yes.”
He offered his hand and I took it in mine. “No more mentions of teddy bears or jellyfish. Deal?”
“Deal.” I pushed my glasses to the top of my head so I could stare into his eyes. Deciding to change the subject, although I would have loved to tease him about this for hours, I said, “Speaking of, Halloween is just around the corner, and we’re all going to Dispatch for their annual party. Last year, it was the guys versus the girls, but this year, since everyone is paired off…” My nerves suddenly spiked. What if he didn’t want to go as a couple? Then what would I do? Get a blow-up doll? Shit. My fingers began to fuss with the ribbon on the waistband of my pajama pants.
“Spit it out, Cassandra.”
After a very long exhale, one that made me dizzy, I blurted, “Would you want to go together? We can be whatever you want… maybe Mark Antony and Cleopatra, or Bonnie and Clyde?” When he remained silent, I offered, “Hot Teacher and Nerdy Student?”
“As much as I love the last suggestion, I’ll be out of town. I need to go to San Francisco for a custom shoot. I was actually going to ask you to come with me.”
The thought of going with him excited me, but it was impossible. “I wish I could, but I can’t. There’s way too much going on at school that week; plus, I need to give more notice for time off.”
“I can’t say that I’m not disappointed, but I understand.” He leaned close to nibble on my neck and then my ear. While there, he said, “Make sure you keep next weekend free. I’ll have plans for us.”
I mentally flipped through the calendar in my mind. “I can’t. My mom received a humanitarian award, and my dad is throwing her a party.” The kisses stopped as he looked at my face. Feeling the need to explain, I added, “I need to go to Connecticut. My brother is coming in for it. It’s kind of a big deal.” He nodded wordlessly, and I wondered what he was thinking. “Would you like to go with me?”
“Is this an invite of guilt?”
“No. I’d love for you to come. I just didn’t know if you’d want to.”
“Why? It’s your family.”
“Because they’re very different than I am. It could be a lot to take in.” I received a blank stare as a response. “Sometimes they can be pretentious snobs, Dante. I told you this. Except for my brother, who somehow turned out normal, I can only take small doses of my parents at a time.”
He cupped my cheek affectionately. “I would love to be there with you, but it’s your decision.”
“I’d like you to come.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said with conviction.
“Then I’ll come.” He moved his hand from my face to the back of my neck, tugging me close to kiss me long and hard. When he pulled away, he smiled devilishly. “Is it time for a break?”
“No, I just started. You said you were going to be a good boy, remember?”
“I’m always good, great even… remember?” He gave me that sexy wink that rendered me dumb. “If you finish up, I’ll show you just how great I can be. And you can make good on your deal to allow me to sleep over on a Sunday.”
Between class parties and after-school parades, I’d been very busy over the week of Halloween. So much so, I almost felt bad admitting that I didn’t have time to miss Dante. But sitting at home watching bad horror movies while my friends partied at Dispatch caused loneliness and longing for him to consume me.
The screen of my phone lit up with notifications. When I opened the app, pictures that Brae posted of the gang in their costumes filled my screen. They all looked like they were having a blast… well, all except Jude, who had a scowl plastered on his face. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Vanessa and Kyle hoisting the winner’s trophy above their heads. My smile altered to a pout when I noticed Dante had already liked the pictures.
I pulled the blanket cocooning my legs up to my shoulders. One more day and he’d be home. How I wished I could have gone with him, but knowing I’d be once again lifting my no-Sunday sleepover ban gave me something to look forward to.
Just as I was about to flip the channel, my phone vibrated in my hand.
Are you awake?
Yes.
I responded immediately, excited he was thinking of me.
The photo I’d taken of him and saved as his contact picture appeared on my phone.
“Hi, Dante.”
“Hey, beautiful. What are you doing?”
“Watching horrible movies. What are you doing?”
“Missing you. I just saw the pictures Brae posted and noticed you weren’t in any of them. You really decided not to go?”
“It wouldn’t have been the same without you, and not just because of the costume contest. For some odd reason, I’ve become attached to you.”
“That’s understandable… I am irresistible.”
Rather than my usual sarcastic retort, I just agreed. “Yes, you are.”
“You sound so sad. How can I make you feel better?”
I snuggled deeper under my blanket and pressed my thighs together. “You can’t because you’re almost three thousand miles away. But just hearing your voice helps.”
“God, I miss you, Cassandra.”
“I miss you too.”
“I know we’ll be seeing each other tomorrow, but how about I try to make you feel better right now?”
“Are you standing outside my door?”
“I wish.” The call switched from voice to video, and his gorgeous face appeared. “Hey, you’re a sight for sore eyes. But seeing you makes me realize how badly I want you.”
“Please don’t say things like that. It’s bad enough that you consume my dreams for me only to wake up in an empty bed. By the way, I’m canceling my no-workday-sleepover rule… indefinitely. One stipulation, we need to stay at my apartment. I know it doesn’t hold a candle to yours, but I like being close to work.”
His face lit up as if he had just won the lottery. “Sounds good, and I know you were bummed about missing the party. Next year, I assure you that trophy will be ours.” An explosive smile that matched mine sent my pulse racing. It wasn’t winning that sparked my reaction, but the fact that Dante was thinking a year ahead.
We had never discussed the future. But hearing his words had my mind envisioning all types of scenarios. “I’d love that.”
“Good, now about making you feel better… prop your phone on something so I can see all of you.” I leaned my phone against a tissue box. “Now lower that blanket.”
A tingle shot to my lady parts. Without hesitation, I did as he commanded, revealing my pink spirit-week T-shirt with the school’s logo scrawled across my chest.
“That’s cute, but take it off.” Knowing I was braless underneath, I hesitated for a brief second before yanking it over my head. “Shit. Now take y
our hair down, Cassandra.”
The rubber band holding my ponytail was swiftly tugged off and cast aside. My eagerness was apparent. With the knowledge of how good he was at giving instructions, my inhibitions fell away. “What next?” I watched as he set his phone against something, and his hand disappeared into his sweats. “Your turn, Dante. Take off your shirt.”
He grinned with pride. “There’s my girl.”
A bittersweet desire surged through me at seeing his spectacular naked torso. My hands craved to touch him… every dip and valley of his abs. If only I could flick his piercing with my tongue, which I knew from experience would drive him wild.
“I need more, Dante.” With no hesitation, he stood to remove his sweats. His manhood proudly stood at attention, almost teasingly. But when he began stroking himself, my nipples hardened, and my clit pulsed.
“Show me that cunt I’ve missed. I want to see how wet you are.” Normally, I hated the “c” word, but just like when he had used it in the past, it turned me on. Maybe it was the man who said it, or the lust in his voice, but whatever the reason, I liked it.
Repositioning myself, I tentatively tucked my fingers inside the elastic band of my yoga pants, lifted my hips, and slid them down, taking my thong with them. I spread my legs and waited.
“Fuck,” he said with a growl. “I know I started this to make you feel better, but this is painful.” I nodded because, looking at him, I felt the same way. “Touch yourself, Cassandra. Just like I do when you come on my cock. Dip your finger inside until you find that spot I know is there.”
Phone sex was new to me, not to mention video-chat sex. His eyes darkened, his chest rose and fell with each breath, and the working of his hand on his erection accelerated. Gathering all the courage I had, while releasing any wariness, I lowered my hand and pushed a finger inside. The only other time I touched myself in this way was at his command. I think—no, I knew—I would probably do anything this man asked. Not because of his dominance whenever he did, but because it excited me more than anything ever had.
Unlike Dante, whose eyes fixated on my actions, I closed mine to imagine it was him inside of me. “That’s right, picture me, Cassandra. I’m right there with you, filling you. My cock is so hard right now and it’s all because of you. Add another finger and circle your clit with your thumb. I can almost feel how your pussy pulls me in like a magnet. Can you feel me?”
“I do,” I said with a nod, all while knowing my fingers were a poor substitute for the pleasure his body could bring me.
“Let me taste you. Lick your fingers, then continue to fuck yourself.” His steadfast and lustful eyes flared my desire to please him. Obliging, my tongue met my raised fingers and stroked them as if I had his dick in my mouth. “Jesus Christ, Cassandra. I’m going to come. Are you there? Get there… come with me.”
We both let out feral moans. The moment left us drained and only instigated the longing that being apart created. Rather than satisfying my loneliness, it made it worse. Reading my mind as he normally did, he said, “Fuck, Cassandra, I need more of you. Go to sleep, beautiful. I decided to catch the red-eye. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Thank God. I’ll be waiting. Have a safe trip.”
“Dream of me, Cassandra.”
“Always.”
Chapter 22
Dante
The moment we drove past the Connecticut state line, I could practically feel her anxiety. I wasn’t much use relaxing her, since my own nerves had spiked to epic proportions… and I wasn’t the type to get nervous. But seeing her tense with each mile added to my unease, which I pushed aside for her.
The fall foliage made the tree-lined streets leading to Cassie’s parents’ house a picturesque landscape. Opposite the bland concrete jungle we had just left, taking this trip reminded me of locations I’d visited over the years and missed. But with each formal structure we passed, the pretension became obvious.
“It’s the next left.” Expecting to see a road once I made the turn, the iron gates on a palatial estate stopped us from going farther. “Please don’t judge me,” she said, half-joking, half-serious. Before I could ask how we were getting in, the gates slowly swung open. My raised brow prompted her to explain. “I have a sensor on my car.”
“Ah… makes sense, because every mansion needs Batman technology.” I threw her a wide smile and a wink.
“Don’t make fun of me.” The levity and sparkle in her eyes meant my presence might help her today.
“I’m not making fun of you. I’m making fun of them.” At that comment, the winding road opened to a huge… plantation? I had no other way to describe the estate before me. “Damn.”
“It’s ridiculous.” She pointed to where the brick pathway snaked around the house. “I’ll show you my secret hiding place later. It became my refuge, and the only other man who knew about it was my brother.”
I wiggled my eyebrows salaciously. “I can’t wait.” And then I remembered her brother was a cop. “Wait, your brother who carries a gun for a living?”
She laughed for the first time since we left the city. “Mark is harmless. Just don’t get into a discussion over football.”
“He doesn’t like soccer?” Cassie’s eyes narrowed. “What?”
“American football. Just avoid all sports, and then you’re good.”
“Noted.”
I pulled the car up to the valet, refraining from looking at her. She beat me to the punch, and said, “So stupid.”
“Not really… less chance of fender benders. And we both know you’re a magnet for them. Good thing I drove,” I said before chuckling at her grimace. “Smile, beautiful. We’re together and everything will be fine.” Leaning over, I kissed her lips softly and hopped out of my side once the attendant opened her door. I met her at the edge of the cobblestone path, placing my hands on her waist. “Have I told you how stunning you look today?”
“Just today?” she teased.
“Every day. The way this blue dress illuminates your eyes…” I pressed another kiss to her lips and added, “But the way it skims over you…” A tiny shift of my hips into hers managed to convey the rest of my thoughts.
“Don’t work me up… yet.” Her expression turned serious as she stared into my eyes. “Dante, please don’t take whatever they may say or do personally. It has nothing to do with you.”
I moved my hands to rest on the curve of her ass. “Cassandra, don’t worry about me. Besides, I keep telling you I’m irresistible.”
“Yes, you have said that a time or two.” She smoothed her hands on the lapels of my suit jacket. “By the way, I feel the same way seeing you dressed so professionally. And knowing what’s under all this conservative attire…” Her palm slid over my piercing, and with a firm press she caused a jolt to travel straight through me. “Makes me want to ditch this shindig.”
“Hold that thought until later.” Hand in hand, we walked up the massive staircase leading to the impressive entrance. No sooner had she reached for the brass scrolled handle when one door swung open on its own accord. I couldn’t help looking up and around, wondering if we hit another sensor.
“Miss Cassie!” A petite older woman, donning a traditional maid’s uniform, engulfed her in a crushing hug.
“Hello, Martha, how are you?”
“I’m great. Come, the festivities have started.” Martha’s spectacled eyes landed on my face. “Who is this handsome young man?”
Cassie regarded me with a smug, possessive smile I knew well. “This is Dante Benedetto. My boyfriend. Dante, this is Martha, my dear friend and favorite confidant while growing up.”
“A pleasure to meet you.” I offered Martha my hand, and once she accepted I brought hers to my lips.
“Oh, Lord,” she said, fluffing her hair with her free hand. “Italian and gorgeous. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone. Cassie, please let me do the honors.”
“I just might, Martha,” Cassie quipped, and then said to me, “No joke. This
woman supplied many an alibi during my teen years.”
Leaning in to Martha, I lowered my voice and said, “I’ll have to hear all about the trouble my girl had gotten herself into.”
“For the right price, I’ll sing like a canary.” Still holding my hand, she pumped it, sealing our deal.
“Martha! You traitor.” And before Martha could respond, an older version of Cassie, dressed in an off-white conservative silk suit complete with pearls, strode right toward us.
“Cassandra, you’re late.” The clacking of her heels on the marble floor muffled her words. Assuming she would embrace her daughter first, she instead focused her attention on me. “You must be Dante. I’m Sandra Brooks.” Her slender arm stretched toward me and I accepted the formal greeting. “Welcome to our home. I’ve heard so much about you.”
My eyes cut down to Cassie. “I may have bragged a bit,” she said with a shrug… and damn if that didn’t spark a desire to throw her over my shoulder in pursuit of her secret hideout.
“Thank you, Mrs. Brooks. And congratulations on your award. That’s an amazing achievement.”
“You’re so kind. I had much help, but thank you.” She turned to her daughter, and my heart thumped against my chest bone. “You look lovely, Cassandra. I’m glad you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I’m very proud of you, Mom.” Cassie’s mother beamed. My first thought was that her mother should be proud of her daughter, but something in the way she embraced Cassie told me she was.
“Come, many are eager to see you both.” We followed her mother into a great room sprawling across the back of the home. White-gloved servers milled about carrying silver trays laden with hors d’oeuvres and flutes of champagne. Cassie slipped her hand into the crook of my arm and brought me to an astute-looking man, whom she tapped on the shoulder.
