Control Me

by Shanora Williams

  Carlos was giving me the opportunity to escape from reality for a while… and I was going to take it because I deserved it. Deep down, I felt extraordinary for being the one girl he couldn’t get out of his system—the one he needed a taste of again.

  As I hopped into the backseat of the black Lincoln, I finally thought about what Carlos said about Jane understanding what was going on between him and me. And then I remembered Jane’s outburst about girls coming by to please him.

  Well, I guess Mr. Montero and office sex was a normal thing. Just like that, I’d become one of the floozies wanting to please him.

  I laughed at my reflection in the window—at myself and this entire situation.

  Unbelievable.

  THROB

  An hour straight, and all I could think about was Montero. I couldn’t stand myself for it because I had much bigger things to think about, like how things would be when I went back to Chicago and the project Claire and I had coming up in two weeks. But no. My mind kept drifting to Carlos and how his face glistened with my juices. How he tasted me like a fine wine, sipped on me as if he were savoring the last piece of his favorite candy.

  His mouth was amazing. Magical. It really did a number on me. It bordered on the edge of pathetic, but I couldn’t wait for tonight. Whatever that was in his office was just a taste of everything to come. I wanted the real deal. I wanted Carlos Montero in that hotel room as soon as possible, just so I could feel good for a few hours.

  To be wanted by him was an odd feeling. It made me question his authenticity because, from what I remembered¸ he’d made it clear that he was never drawn to a woman for more than one night. I was glad to hear that because he’d clearly made it known that the only thing that’d happen between us was a one-nighter. It’s what I was seeking after all, so to be here in a hotel that he’d reserved for me, to be around him period, was kind of surprising. To be treated by him was overwhelming.

  In the midst of my scrambled thoughts and ransacked mind, my phone buzzed on the desk, startling me. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway.

  “There’s been a change of plans,” Carlos said, speaking without a greeting.

  “Uh… what do you mean?” I admit, I was a little disappointed. A part of me had been a little too anxious for what was to come that night. I was hoping he wasn’t cancelling.

  “We’re going out for dinner. I’m heading out early and figured you could use a decent meal. I assume you’re in no rush for me to be inside you, are you?” He was so nonchalant.

  I blushed ridiculously, clearing my throat. “No, Carlos. Not at all. Dinner sounds great.”

  “Damn… I thought you’d respond with something else.”

  He was teasing. I liked the teasing, so I asked in the cutest voice I could manage, “What did you think I’d say?”

  “That maybe you’d been impatiently waiting for me to arrive ever since this afternoon. Or that maybe you were in a rush because you needed a taste of me as soon as possible.”

  I fought my silly grin. Although I’d never admit it to him, I was in need of a taste of him, and I wanted it to happen in that office as soon as his lips parted ways with my lady parts. “Those wouldn’t be my words exactly,” I said, fidgeting with a button on my blouse, “…but you’re close.”

  “Am I?” His voice was deep and somewhat surprised.

  “Yes.” I had to change the subject. It was either that or masturbate to the sound of his voice. “When will you be getting here?”

  “I’ve reserved a table at one of my favorite restaurants. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I’ll call your cell when I’m downstairs. Dress accordingly.” He hung up the phone, and I pulled it from my ear, eyebrows threaded. Accordingly? What did he mean by that? Did he not think my attire for today was appealing? I mean, I wore my best heels—the six-inch ones that revealed more legs than necessary or probably appropriate.

  Luckily, I’d packed for some fun nights out on the town in San Francisco. I pulled out a knee-length plum dress that fit tight around my middle and hugged my breasts, allowing just enough cleavage to spill over. I decided to keep my hair up in its messy bun. The bun felt elegant and sexy, and that’s what this dress was to me. Mom bought it for me when I visited her back home in Long Island. She took me shopping often but was really picky about what I chose. Lucky for me, I got away with this one and bought this dress when we’d split up at the mall.

  I got dressed and applied some light makeup. As soon as my phone buzzed, I snatched it up, grabbed my black clutch and some cash from my wallet, and hurried out of the room with a hint of a smile on my lips.

  ***

  The restaurant Carlos chose was an Italian bistro. He didn’t strike me as a fan of Italian decadence; he seemed more like a grill kind of man, where they had more burgers on the menu than anything else.

  As we entered the restaurant, the small hanging lanterns with flickering ambience captured my attention. The hallway was long and dim, but the lanterns gave it a romantic appeal.

  Carlos draped an arm around me and hugged me against him, looking up as I did. “Beautiful, right?”

  “Yes.” My voice was light.

  Soft music trickled out of the hidden speakers as we started down the hardwood floors of the corridor. Towards the end, a tall, wooden podium played host to a skinny man with a thick moustache. He spotted Carlos from a distance, and his eyes expanded. Immediately, he hurried to pull out two menus and stepped from behind the podium to greet us as we neared him.

  “Mr. Montero, it’s so great to see you again. It’s been weeks,” the man said, his upper lip curling.

  Carlos nodded. “It has, Benji.”

  “We were starting to think you’d forgotten about us.” Benji looked from him to me, and his face contorted a little, as if he were shocked by my presence.

  Carlos cleared his throat, giving the host a stern look, one eyebrow inclined. I glanced up at him, batting my eyelashes with mild confusion.

  With slight hesitation, Benji said, “Right. Come this way please. I have your favorite spot set up on the balcony.” He turned his back to us quickly, and we followed after him. I was still confused by that moment, and I made it my goal to ask him what that was about as soon as we were seated.

  We weaved through a few tables, and once Benji reached the balcony door, he slid it open and allowed us out first. The warm air brushed across my shoulders, and the thickness of the salty water lingered in the air. It was comforting in a way. The balcony was dimly lit, mimicking the entryway, and clearly meant for privacy. For… couples, I assumed. But no one was out here. No one was going to be out here but us for a while. Lanterns illuminated the middle of the tables, and some hung on the railing above. It was beautiful, and with the sun setting really low in the distance, I was in awe.

  Benji pulled out my seat and allowed me to sit first. I thanked him politely, and then he turned his attention on Carlos. “Would you like me to take your jacket, Mr. Montero?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Benji. I’m okay.” Carlos flashed half a smile in his direction.

  Benji nodded then asked if we’d like any wine or chardonnay while we waited. Carlos ordered a bottle of wine for the two of us, and within seconds, Benji was off to the bar.

  “He’s… sweet?” I said uncertainly.

  Carlos smirked, unbuttoning his cufflinks and folding the wrists of his dress shirt down.

  “What was that about back there?” After I asked, I realized how demanding I sounded. “I mean… he just seemed surprised to see me with you…”

  Carlos lifted one shoulder to shrug, picking up his menu. “You’re a beautiful woman, Mya. He probably finds you attractive.”

  My cheeks heated. “It seemed deeper than that.”

  “Don’t overanalyze.” This was a command, and at first I was going to respond but when he looked at me beneath those thick lashes with a locked jaw, I sealed my lips. Carlos’s eyes drifted down to my bosom, and in
them I saw a small glint. “You’re tempting me, aren’t you?” he asked.

  I glanced down, shaking my head. “This was the only dress I had.” I was lying. I had one more, but it wasn’t as racy as this one. I wanted him to find me more attractive than ever right now. I wasn’t sure why though.

  “I’ll have to buy you more.” He leaned back in his chair, and his upper lip twitched. “We should’ve just had dinner at the hotel.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because I can’t keep sitting at this table without putting my hands on you.”

  I swallowed thickly. Okay, Mya, time to be bold. “Then touch me,” I whispered.

  One corner of his lips tilted. “I’d love to do more than touch you right now, Mya. The things I want to do to you just might get us kicked out of this restaurant.”

  “I can live with that.” I was being bold. Too bold. What was up with me wanting to be courageous around him? The real Mya Sterling was a coward. She was weak. She was afraid of taking chances… but this, I admit, was fun.

  Carlos’s eyes expanded a notch, and my core tightened because I knew he’d become aroused. “Stand up,” he demanded.

  Cautiously, I stood to my feet, and he did as well, walking around the small two-top table. Picking up my chair, he carried it to the opposite end, making sure to place it right beside his. Then, he took his seat again, slowly meeting my eyes. “Sit.” My legs felt heavy as I rounded the table. I sat as gracefully as possible in the chair, avoiding his glare. “Don’t play coy now,” he said. I looked up, and a straight row of teeth flashed my way. He had a beautiful smile—teeth that were aligned with a slight tilt. To me, they were perfectly imperfect. A crooked smile. Those melted panties. Especially mine.

  Placing his palm on my bare thigh, he leaned into me, his lips barely brushing mine. “You’re bad for me,” he whispered.

  “What do you mean?” My words came out breathy and labored.

  “I can’t figure you out.” His fingers glided up my thigh, eliciting a fire on my skin. “And that’s not a good thing. But I’ll accept it. I love a good puzzle. You’re a rare kind of woman.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so.” His voice darkened, but only in the sexiest, most desirable way possible. “I could fuck you on this table.” His hands slipped beneath my dress. He was toying with the lining of my panties. “I could eat you for days. Fuck you for days. I could do so much… and I will.” My throat constricted with a thickness I couldn’t describe as his finger crept beneath my panties. It didn’t take long for the pad of his thumb to skim my bulb and make its way down my folds. A whimper caught in my throat, and I started to close my legs, but he used his other hand to keep them propped open. “No, no,” he whispered. “Stay just like that. Don’t fight what you enjoy.”

  I wanted to enjoy it, but we were in a public place. Public sex for a girl like me was a no-go, and it was just my luck that Benji appeared with our bottle of red wine. My leg banged against the table as I tried to force Carlos’s hand away, but he didn’t budge. He sat in a way that made it seem like he was leaning into me, whispering to me—a romantic gesture in the eyes of others. His hands were nowhere in sight, but mine were right on the table. Sneaky man. I wasn’t sneaky at all, though. In fact, I got an odd look from Benji when the table shook, but I simply forced a smile and watched him fiddle with the cork of the wine bottle.

  After Benji poured our drinks, he assured us our waiter would be with us shortly and proceeded to give me another strange look before disappearing again.

  “Hmm.” Carlos made a noise. I looked at him. “You respond well to my touch,” he said when Benji was out of earshot. “I love that.” That part may have been true. There was something about his touch… something that drove me mad. His touch made me sensitive and aware in all the right places. God, he did things to me, things I should’ve been afraid of.

  Cupping the back of my neck, Carlos brought my face to the bend in his neck and slid in even closer. His thumb skimmed up and down and in quick circles right before he thrust a finger inside me. I tensed as I realized what he was trying to do. He was trying to get me to come around him. It was working. My hips grinded slowly, and I whimpered into his chest. I was sure to others it looked like I was weeping, but that wasn’t the case here. Weeping was the last thing on my mind.

  My body went into overdrive; my breaths were labored. I wanted to cry out, scream into his chest, but I knew better. This wasn’t the place to have a mind-blowing orgasm, but I was already on the brink.

  Carlos widened my legs a bit more and thrust two fingers deep inside me, triggering a spot that caused me to bubble over. I clawed at his dress shirt, lowered my head, and buried my face in his chest, letting out a thick cry that, luckily, only he could hear. He cupped my neck tighter, rubbing circles around my throbbing clit. I shuddered as he did it again, and then he removed his fingers, just as the balcony door creaked open.

  He chuckled. I sat back sluggishly, picking up my wine and swiping under my eyes with my finger. When the waiter met at the table, I knew he’d seen me curled into Carlos’s chest before he stepped out, and he immediately asked me if he could do anything to help.

  I told him I was just having a rough day, and he simply nodded, insisting that I tell him if I needed anything at all. I thanked him, and after we ordered, Carlos smirked at me, wrapping his fingers around his wine glass. “You’re good at faking,” he chuckled. “That better not happen with me.”

  I lifted my wine glass in the air, as if toasting to his statement. “Trust me, Mr. Montero, there’s no faking it when it comes to you, me, and a bedroom.” I grinned wickedly. I loved this daring Mya. He, apparently, loved her too. Immediately, he leaned forward, cupped the back of my neck, and connected our lips. After our lips parted he said, “Grab me.”

  I knew exactly what he meant. I lowered my hand and ran it across the hardness waiting anxiously on his thigh. Oh… my. He was rock solid.

  “I almost exploded hearing you come, Mya.” He brought my face closer to his. “I’m fucking throbbing. The sounds you make are so sexy. I don’t know how I’m holding onto my restraint right now.” I lowered my head to hide my blush. He tilted my chin. “Don’t hide that smile from me. You might as well get comfortable. It’ll be a long, but very enjoyable, four days.” He grinned.

  A silly smile took over my face. Man, did he have a way with words.

  ***

  I only had an hour left before Carlos would be arriving. He received a phone call while we were eating and said he had to run by his office before stopping by the hotel. He apologized, but I was more than okay with that. It gave me time to really get ready for our finale... our first of many, that is.

  Before I made it to the hotel, I told Isaac to stop at a lingerie boutique downtown. I wanted to at least look hot while this happened. I mean, I was basically on a small vacation, and I was about to be pounded by a man that only provided mind-blowing sex. Some sexy lingerie for the next four days (well, I’d hoped it would only last four days) was okay, right?

  I was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the bedroom, debating whether to go with the white or the red. The red was fierce, but it was the first official night of this arrangement. It spoke volumes. It was too bold for someone as plain as me… but then I remembered that’s what I wanted. To be bold and outgoing again. I wanted to be the Mya Sterling that had little to no boundaries.

  Tossing the white one on the bed, I dashed to the bathroom. I stripped out of my dress and slid on the lacey red G-string and matching bra. The lace-top stockings rounded out the ensemble. After putting on a quick spritz of perfume, I stared into the mirror, stunned by my appearance. My black hair was still up in its tight bun, and I took it down immediately, allowing it to swim across my shoulders. I sighed, blinking once, before adjusting each piece of my barely-there outfit into perfect position.

  Damn.

  I wasn’t huge on bragging, but I looked hot. And not just th
e simple kind of hot. I looked badass. The red really gave me the edge I was going for.

  After fluffing my hair, I left the bathroom and tossed all my things in a corner. I checked the alarm clock on the nightstand and knew he’d be here soon. Picking up my silky black robe, I slid my arms through the sleeves and tied it just above my waist. I made sure enough of my cleavage was showing, a glimpse of what awaited him underneath.

  Then, I sat on the edge of the bed and waited.

  He arrived sooner than anticipated. Eighteen minutes to be exact. (Yes, I counted.) The door creaked as he entered, then shut behind him quietly. His footsteps started towards my bedroom, and my heart raced.

  Oh God. I couldn’t believe this was really happening. I mean… I couldn’t believe I was going through with this. Just like that. With each step he took, closer and closer to the bedroom, my heart pounded more and more.

  The bedroom door finally pushed open, and a tiny puff of air escaped through my parted lips as I met his relaxed brown eyes. I guess I was the only one nervous about this. He seemed perfectly content about tonight’s get-together. I knew he’d been ready for it to happen, and I realized this wasn’t something new for him. He probably did things like this often.

  Carlos examined me as I lay on my side with my ankles crossed, leaning on one elbow. He didn’t bother hiding his fascination. He studied my legs in my stockings, ran them up until he locked eyes with me. I held my breath, my pulse whooshing in my ears.

  Finally, after staring at me for what felt like an eternity, he loosened his tie and said, “Didn’t think you’d be this ready.”

  I fought my smile, licking my lips. “I went a little overboard, didn’t I?”

  He chuckled, unbuttoning his white dress shirt and walking towards me. “No. This is exactly what I wanted.” Grabbing my hand, he lifted me up and reeled me into his firm chest. He kissed me once then examined me through hooded eyes. “I thought you’d make this first night much harder for me, Mya,” he murmured.