by Haley Travis
Reaching down, I unfastened his pants clumsily, sneaking a hand in to stroke the front of his shorts. Feeling his warmth, his hardness, how much he wanted me, made me twitchy. “I’m ready,” I whispered. “I want to.”
His eyes blazed. He dug for something in his pocket, then threw off the last of his clothing. Tearing open a condom packet, he rolled it on quickly, then laid over me as I spread open for him.
Feeling his thick head at my entrance, I was a bit nervous, but I wanted him so badly I couldn’t even think of that. He slid inside me just a little, and the pressure was amazing.
Dan kissed me, then stopped. His eyes were tense. “Baby, I’m afraid to hurt you.”
My heart was racing so hard I wondered if he could hear it. It was strange to see him so hesitant, since Dan was normally so confident. Almost demanding.
I already knew that he seemed to be a bit larger and thicker than what I’d heard through the grapevine was average, but I trusted him. I knew he’d be gentle with me. His fingers came between us, gently massaging all around my pussy, keeping me excited while he studied my eyes.
“I want you so badly, baby, but I don’t want this to be uncomfortable for you. I can’t bear the thought of hurting you somewhere so precious.”
I still couldn’t believe that he was so sweet with me. Smiling up to his nervous eyes, I wriggled slightly. “It’s okay, really. Can you feel how much I want it?” Winding my fingers behind his neck, and cupping his firm ass with my other hand, I pulled his body to mine.
Still, he hesitated. Somehow knowing that he was so disturbed at the thought of me being in pain made me trust him completely. Made every feeling that I’d ever wished I had become real and solid.
“Dan, I love you,” I murmured, kissing him gently as I pressed my skin to his.
“Katy, baby, I love you,” he whispered, pressing inside me slowly as he stretched me open.
I tried to hide my gasp, but he could feel me twitch. It didn’t hurt much, exactly. It was just uncomfortably tight and strange for a few moments until he began taking long slow strokes as my body molded it to his.
“Breathe, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Just look at me.”
Meeting his eyes again, I nodded, then the sensation of his long cock gliding inside me turned into pleasure that I didn’t have words for. My hips seemed to open, my body relaxing under him, as his slow, deep thrusts became more steady.
“Katy, precious, you feel so perfect around me.”
I nodded, too high on all of these new sensations to speak. His thumb met my clit gently, and my hips began to roll naturally with him as we rocked together.
“My gorgeous girl,” he murmured against my lips, “My sweet princess. I’m going to worship you, little one. I’m going to give you everything. Make you feel everything.”
The quickening rhythm of his body moving inside mine was primal. Raw. As if my need for him had been hiding deep inside my bones my entire life and was just emerging now.
I could feel every muscle beginning to tighten, and a strange little whine overtook me as he moved inside me faster. He was touching every single nerve, and the way his thumb swirled around my clit was making me see stars again.
“Dan… Oh, Dan… I’m…”
I could almost see lightning in his eyes as he practically growled, “Come for me, gorgeous. Come all around my cock.”
I gripped him hard, kissing him breathlessly, his dirty words making me crazy as I exploded under him. I could feel my tunnel walls gripping him even tighter as he stroked faster.
“You’re too hot for your own good,” he growled, thrusting deep and fast as I still twitched through the longest climax of my life. Or maybe it was a second one. I couldn’t even tell, my fingers digging into the backs of his shoulders as my hips thrust up against him while my body squirmed.
“My sexy, sweet love,” he groaned, then I could feel his cock twitching and throbbing as he came deep inside me. It was amazing how much his satisfaction thrilled me.
“Yes,” I moaned, clutching him to me, kissing his shoulder blade while we caught our breath.
He gripped my face in his hands. “I love you so much, Katy,” he whispered gently. His dark eyes were so intense. “Stay here.” He kissed my nose, then went to the washroom, I assumed to get rid of the condom. He returned quickly, spreading my legs gently as he cleaned me with a warm, wet washcloth.
Throwing it into a hamper, he laid down and cuddled me into his arms. “Naked pizza party in a while, baby,” he murmured. “How do you feel, sweetheart?”
He watched my eyes carefully, almost as if he were nervous about my answer. “Amazing,” I said softly.
Dan looked relieved. It was so unusual how he seemed so intent on reading my every reaction. I’d never felt cared for like this. I never felt like I could trust anyone so completely.
After the secrets and half-truths and jealousy that had torn my parents apart, Dan was just so honest and wholesome that I was already feeling steady about this relationship.
CHAPTER SIX
* Dan *
Waking up with Katy in my arms again made me realize that I needed this to be the way every single morning began for the rest of my life. Of course, it was too early to think with that sort of permanence, but I couldn’t help it. I was losing control.
On the other hand, I was in complete control. For once I wasn’t just driving my father’s company while working on my own technology pursuits. I had personal focus. I needed to make Katy okay with living the rich life with me, and then convince her to marry me.
Simple, I thought to myself. No problem at all. Even though she basically said flat out that fancy things make her uncomfortable.
But there must be a way. Maybe she just needed to read a few self-help books, or have me at her side. Maybe I could just go to those sorts of things alone and rush home to her afterward. There was always a way to work out these puzzles.
My sweet darling was beginning to stir in my arms. “I’m going to go make coffee, alright, baby?”
She nodded against my chest, then stuck her bottom lip out dramatically as I got out of bed. “Chilly without my Dan,” she murmured.
She called me hers. My heart nearly exploded. I chuckled while throwing on pants and a t-shirt, going out to the kitchen to put the coffee on.
Sometimes I had it set to go with a timer, but I didn’t always know where I’d be sleeping. This condo was fabulous for when I was working late, or stuck at various events, and it wasn’t worth the time to drive north to my house just to sleep and shower.
I saw Katy wave from the end of the hall, wearing just my gigantic t-shirt as she tiptoed into the washroom. Pouring the coffee, I realized I didn’t even know how she took it. I still had so much to learn about the brand new love of my life.
There was a tap at the door. I opened it to see my assistant Laura, with several folders in her hand.
She swept into the kitchen, dropping the paperwork on the marble island. “Oh good, you got my text,” she said, grabbing a mug of coffee. “The Jasper meeting has been moved to ten, so I’m glad you didn’t stay at your house last night. Since you’re the new head of the Board of Directors, they’re expecting you to give a speech about the history of your company. Now, it can be very short, but–”
She heard the bathroom door open down the hall, and spun around to see Katy. To be honest, I’m not sure which one of them looked more shocked.
“Katy, this is my assistant Laura,” I said quickly.
She just stared, practically unblinking for a second. “Head of the Board of Directors,” Katy said in a tiny voice. “Your company. You made it sound like you were just some regular business guy.”
Laura stared back and forth between the two of us. “Mr. Whittaker, I am so sorry that I intruded. I had no idea that you would have company.”
Katy gasped in shock as she recognized her, then glared at me. “You sent your assistant to my salon?”
“She said that she needed a hai
rcut,” I said as casually as possible. “I thought I might as well suggest you.”
“I’d been looking for a new stylist anyway,” Laura said quickly, but Katy held up her hand.
“I’m leaving.” She walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
“Mr. Whittaker, I am so very sorry for–”
“Laura, it’s not your fault. I didn’t tell her who I was.”
She looked at me strangely. “Forgive me for asking, sir, but why would you hide who you are?”
I shrugged. “I wanted to make sure that she liked me for me, not my money.”
She nodded. “I could see that. Should I push the meeting back?”
Katy stomped out of the bedroom, dressed, with her purse in hand. “Don’t cancel anything on my account. I am gone.”
“Baby, please… Let me explain.”
She turned to glare at me. “This isn’t even your real home, is it?”
“Well, it is. I own it. I sleep here when I want to stay downtown. But yes, I have a huge house about forty minutes north.”
“What do you really do for a living?”
“I inherited my father’s company, Whittaker Investments. I also run a technical foundation. There are also many real estate holdings, including the building where your salon is located.”
She nodded. “Anything else that you haven’t told me about that might be considered important? A wife? Kids?”
“No. I’ve never even dated anyone for more than a couple of months. Katy, please…”
She shook her head, obviously not wanting to hear any more. She opened the door, then stared at the handle for a second. “I’m an idiot for trusting a stranger,” she said softly, each word sounding painful to expel. Then she left, closing the door behind her, without even slamming it.
Slumping onto a stool, I felt completely gutted.
“Should I leave, sir?” Laura asked cautiously.
“No,” I said quickly. “I need you to help me figure out a way to win her back.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
* Katy *
As always, my first reaction was to blame myself. Maybe I should have seen it coming. Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up so high.
But I’d been lonely since I moved, and having Dan’s energy and attention straight out of the blue was everything I’d been looking for. I hadn’t exactly been looking for love, just friendship, companionship, and someone to make me feel more grounded in my life right now.
I should have known that Dan was too good to be true. I fell too hard too fast.
Maybe I shouldn’t have gone off about not understanding the lives of rich people. I mean, I’ve never been to any super fancy or formal events, so I certainly couldn’t guarantee how I feel about it. But it was just the sort of thing that since I had no details, it made me uncomfortable in advance.
I was completely aware of how illogical that was. But I didn’t have to make sense right now.
I was hurt.
My entire chest ached. The first man that I had really trusted, that I had given my heart, body, and soul to, hadn’t been honest with me.
Perhaps I was just too naive to be here in the city alone. Perhaps quiet girls didn’t belong in the big, loud city, and I should go home to my small town and live with my mother again.
I didn’t want to admit failure, but the only success I’d had so far was because Dan asked his coworkers to make appointments at my shop. And they weren’t even coworkers. He was the damn CEO. They were his employees.
I finally looked him up, which I suppose I should have done in the beginning.
Dan Whittaker replaced his father Henry Whittaker as the CEO of Whittaker Investments. He was a billionaire who ran several companies. And even though his passion was obviously environmental and education technology, he also ran a bunch of investment and real estate businesses.
I couldn’t believe he hadn’t told me any of this. I couldn’t believe that he hadn’t told me that he had two homes. Of course, the more I thought about it, he probably had several more. For all I knew, he might have a cottage on every single lake in Ontario.
I raced home to change, crying like a lunatic in the shower until the water ran cold. When I got to work ten minutes late, I blamed the slow subway, plastering on a bright smile. I acted like the happiest hairstylist ever, as if I were being judged on my performance.
My workday was absolutely swamped again, and I had no idea whether it was from Dan’s employees, or whether the women who came in yesterday called their friends to recommend me.
I didn’t even have the energy to care. I gave everyone precisely the haircut they were looking for, and snipped, straightened, and curled until I was dead on my feet.
I missed Dan already. I needed to talk to him. I desperately needed to know why he tried to start a relationship with me without being honest. But in my extremely limited experience, once trust was broken, I’d never seen it repaired. I was too shattered to think beyond the fact that I was heartbroken.
By the time I shuffled through the workday, I felt like a zombie.
CHAPTER EIGHT
* Dan *
I have never pretended to know for one second how women work, or how they think. I do know that their emotions seem to be stronger than men’s, and I knew that my choice not to tell her the full truth right away was based on logic. I never meant to hurt her. But now that I analyzed that decision more clearly, I could see where a sweet young girl would see my untruths as a betrayal. She didn’t have any point of reference. She didn’t know that I was a good, trustworthy guy. She didn’t know that I had gone through my father’s entire company with a fine-toothed comb, straightening out anything that I saw as the slightest bit shifty.
They were always little things in corporations that weren’t right, but they had always been that way, so nobody questioned them. I went through and questioned everything. I started from the ground up, ethically and environmentally, and made every possible improvement.
That has been my personal badge of honor for so long. But Katy probably didn’t care about my business practices. Only how I treated her.
Maybe instead of explaining the parts that she didn’t know, I should tell her everything. My entire life. Lay my heart on the line. I might as well, since my heart could barely beat without her now.
Cancelling the Jasper meeting, I called my closest team into the boardroom, including the video and audio techs. “Folks, this is a strange project. I need you to condense my entire life into ten minutes. Every thing of note that I’ve ever done needs to be squashed into a ten-minute presentation.”
“Is this for an awards show, sir?” the head of marketing asked.
“No.”
“How do you want this angled, sir? To promote your environmentalism or anything in particular?” the head of research asked.
“No. This is to show my future wife exactly who I am, so she will hopefully forgive me for hiding myself from her.”
There were so many shifty-eyed glances between everyone at the board room table that I would have chuckled if I weren’t so miserable. “We’re going for brutal honesty here, folks. Imagine it was going before a jury. Imagine that my own mother was going to be grading this.”
“We’ll see what we can do,” the head of the video team nodded. “We can show you a draft in a few days.”
“I need the final piece done by five pm. So I’ll need a draft by two. Laura and Stacy will order lunch in for everyone, and coffee and muffins will be arriving in about twenty minutes. All I ask is that you do your best. Above all else, be one hundred percent honest, and as clear and succinct as possible.”
I trudged to my office and slumped at my desk. There had to be more. I knew that I couldn’t just hand her flowers or jewels or presents. She would think I was trying to buy or bribe her.
After about thirty solid minutes of me staring blindly out the window, Laura came in and set a coffee in front of me. “Sir, is there anything I can do to help?”
<
br /> “Sit, please.”
I looked at her, and she could probably see the fires of hell churning in my eyes. “Laura, can you please help me think like a woman for a moment?”
She raised an eyebrow.
“I know, I know,” I said, holding up my hands, sighing heavily. “You met Katy. Did you see how perfect she is for me?”
“To be honest, sir, I didn’t see the two of you together, exactly. But I did see that Katy is a very special young lady. She loves her work. Watching her face light up every time a new customer came in was incredible.”
My eyes flew wide as I stared at Laura. “That’s it. That’s why we click so well. I’m trying to improve the world, and she’s trying to improve one person’s life at a time. I get that now.” I nodded, thinking at lightning speed as I took a sip of coffee.
“She listens so well,” I said. “And I love that she was very precise. She didn’t take my word for it about measurements, she pointed. She worked with me.”
Laura smiled warmly. “I noticed that too. It made me feel more relaxed that we were figuring out what I needed together instead of her just telling me and playing the part of the expert.”
“But she obviously is an expert.” I ran a hand through my perfect haircut. “She should have her own salon.”
Staring down at my hands for a moment, I pondered. “Could I give Katy her own salon? I mean, I have the money to snap my fingers and make that happen.”
Looking up to Laura, I said, “I didn’t mean to lie to her. I really didn’t. I just thought that she’d understand me better if there was a bit of time for her to get to know me before she saw that other side of me. I wanted to keep her in a little bubble of just the two of us so that we could bond.”
Usually I had a big, booming voice designed for speeches and presentations. But now my voice was weak. Quavering.
“Laura, I love her so much I feel like I can’t breathe without her. It actually physically hurts knowing that she’s disappointed in me.”
