by Penelope Sky
“You don’t eat cookies.”
She shrugged. “I do when I can’t sleep. Gustavo is snoring like an animal, so now I don’t know what to do.”
“We have guest rooms…”
“Yeah, but I hate sleeping alone.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “You aren’t sleeping with me.”
She rolled her eyes. “You wish, darling.”
“No, I don’t. I don’t want that green shit on my pillow.”
“You’re going to need to start doing this soon if you want to look young forever.”
“I’m not even in my mid-twenties. I have some time.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin held high. “I started when I was twenty-one—so you’re late.”
I dismissed this conversation by turning around and walking to my room. “Goodnight, Ma.”
“Goodnight, honey.” Her voice followed me down the hallway. “Who’s this man who is robbing you of all your sleep?”
I stopped in my tracks, not surprised she’d picked at the elephant in the room. I slowly turned back to her. “No one worth mentioning.”
“He must be good. You spend a lot of time with him.”
He was damn good—but I wouldn’t say that to my mother. “Goodnight.” I continued walking to my room.
“Enjoy it while you can, honey. Because one day you’ll blink…and all the good times of your life will be behind you.”
Hades and I were just having meaningless sex in a hotel room, so I could go out with whomever I wanted. But I didn’t go on any dates or give any guy a chance. All I wanted was good sex that wasn’t complicated, and since I had it, I didn’t see the point in pursuing something else.
I wasn’t looking for Mr. Right, so why bother?
There was no such thing as Mr. Right anyway.
I worked throughout the week, helping Gustavo run the company while dealing with the police that had come to investigate a suicide that had happened at our hotel. Apparently, some man jumped off his balcony and broke his skull when he hit the concrete. There was a brief suicide note. Seemed like he had money troubles. We managed to keep it quiet so it wouldn’t stain the impeccable reputation of the Tuscan Rose.
I worked morning and nights, constantly on my feet and in heels all day. It took so much work to break through Gustavo’s armor because he was only willing to give me a few responsibilities. I didn’t touch the money, and he pulled me off bookkeeping…probably because I was asking too many questions.
Whenever I saw members of the board, they treated me with the same indifference. As if I were still the little girl I was when my father was alive, they treated me like someone who wasn’t even old enough to drive. The only task I was qualified for was fetching coffee.
It was bullshit.
It would take time to sway their opinion, to earn their respect, and I was willing to wait as long as I had to for that to happen. This was my family’s legacy, my father’s lifetime achievement. It shouldn’t belong to a group of old men who didn’t care about anything besides money. It should belong to someone who cared about having fresh flowers in the lobby constantly, putting special treats in the rooms when guests were celebrating something special, accommodating couples for a table at the restaurant even when it was booked solid. That’s what made this hotel great. It seemed like everyone in the back office lost sight of that, Gustavo included.
Gustavo had been coughing all day, making booming noises that announced all the shit caught in his throat. He sounded sicker than a dog, so sick that he should have been in bed days ago. But he was a workaholic and refused to leave, even if that meant making the rest of us sick.
Thankfully, I had a badass immune system.
Gustavo knocked on my door then quickly coughed into his elbow. His throat sounded so hoarse it seemed like he’d swallowed sandpaper. “I’m going to go home and rest.”
About time. “Good. Drink lots of fluids.”
“I have a meeting with Mr. Lombardi in a few minutes. I tried to cancel, but he’s already at the hotel.”
“I could handle it for you.”
“I was actually going to ask if you could reschedule it.”
I was not that incompetent. “Sure.”
“I’ll see you in a few days.” He coughed again then walked out, wrapping his coat around him.
Fall was deepening, slowly beginning to resemble winter as months passed. The streets were becoming icy at night, and I’d started to bring a jacket to work to protect me from the cold as I walked home.
The thought of seeing Hades sent a short thrill down my spine, but that didn’t last long. He wasn’t coming here as my lover, as the man who gave me the best sex I’d ever had. He was just a business associate, someone who wasn’t important. I controlled my reaction within seconds and reminded myself I wasn’t about to get laid.
That would have to wait until tonight.
A minute later, Hades appeared in my doorway. Today, he’d ditched the suit and wore dark jeans and a long-sleeved green shirt. The fabric was tight on his muscular arms, snug on his powerful chest, and highlighted his slender waist and hips. He looked delicious in a suit, but he somehow looked better in this casual look.
He didn’t smile when he looked at me, but his eyes greeted me in their own way. They were his bedroom eyes, the same look he gave me when I was naked underneath him, my wet cunt taking his fat dick over and over.
I refused to think about that. “Gustavo is sick, but I’m sure I can help you with whatever needs to be taken care of.”
He sauntered farther into my office then shut the door behind him.
“You can leave it open.”
He ignored my request and sat in the chair opposite me. “I prefer it closed.” He crossed one leg, his ankle resting on the opposite knee. His hands came together in his lap, and his large frame hid the chair from view. His eyes took a quick glance at my office before they settled on me again. Once they were there, they didn’t move.
I didn’t waste my time arguing with him. “Gustavo didn’t have time to give me instructions. He was feeling so unwell that he needed to leave immediately. If you could tell me what needs to be done, I could assist you.” I sat perfectly upright in my hair, my hands together on the desk like he was any other faceless client.
Hades stared at me like he hadn’t listened to a word I said.
I stayed quiet, hoping he would say something helpful.
“Do you collect the money? Because I think most of our profits are immediately wired to the bank from our customers.”
“It’s more than that. I organize all of Gustavo’s expense reports, keeping everything organized so he has an exact understanding of cash flow. Maybe in time, you’ll be able to give that to me, but for now, I think it’s best if I get that information from him.” He pushed me to the sidelines, just the way everyone else did.
I tried not to be offended by it. He shouldn’t give me special treatment just because he was fucking me. “Then there’s nothing more for us to talk about.” I rose to my feet. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Sit.” He made his command from his seated position, not raising his voice to get my attention. His voice was so naturally deep that it took almost no effort to be taken seriously.
I continued to stand out of defiance.
He smiled slightly, like he was amused by my rebellion. “Have dinner with me tonight.”
I slowly lowered my body into my chair, surprised he would ask such a thing. “I’m busy.”
“With?”
“Does it matter?” I didn’t owe him an explanation. I didn’t ask for anything more than his dick.
His eyes narrowed. “You aren’t working tonight at the hotel. So, what are you doing that’s so important you can’t have dinner with me?”
My eyes widened. “Excuse me? How do you know when I’m working?”
“Because I know more about this hotel than you do.”
That was an insult I didn’t appreciate. “I don’t se
e the necessity in having dinner. I’d rather just get right to the good stuff.” This man made me feel the extreme version of every emotion. When I came, I came hard. When I felt weak, it was like I couldn’t stand. When I felt passion, I felt like I would die without him in my arms. When I was pissed…I was super pissed.
“Having a conversation with me would be that terrible?”
“No…but I’d rather not blur the lines.”
“Meaning?”
This guy was a playboy, so he knew exactly what I meant. Only sex—no strings attached. “I just want to fuck you. I don’t want anything else to do with you. It’s pretty simple, so I don’t know why you’re making it complicated.”
“I’m making it complicated?” he asked, slightly amused. “You’re the one overreacting.”
“I’m not overreacting. I’m just not interested in that kind of relationship with you.”
“Really?” He cocked his head slightly, arrogantly. “Because when we’re behind closed doors, you can’t keep your hands off me.”
“Two completely different things.” I refused to be embarrassed by my attraction to him. When we were together, all my walls came down. I was just a woman in the throes of passion with the perfect man. I didn’t think about anything else besides what we were doing, how he made me feel. Now, he was making me think…and it was exhausting.
“Have dinner with me.” He returned to the same request, asking it calmly like he hadn’t just asked me minutes ago. His elbows rested on the arms of his chair, and he brought his fingers together, looking at me like I might give a different answer.
“I said no.” I rose to my feet again. “We don’t sit around and talk. We don’t share a bottle of wine on a date. We fuck—that’s it.”
“Who said it was a date?”
“Then what else is it?”
He shrugged. “We’re going to be working together for a long time. Maybe we should get to know each other.”
“If you meant that, you would show me exactly what documents you’re looking for.”
He held my gaze, his eyes hiding his thoughts so perfectly.
“Hades, let’s get something straight.” I slowly lowered myself back into the chair. “We meet in a hotel room a few nights a week. We don’t need to make small talk. We don’t even need to pretend to care about each other. It is what it is, and that’s what makes it so good. So just leave it alone.”
He relaxed against the back of the chair, his jaw slightly tight like he was taking my words with a grain of salt. “Alright.”
Good. The argument was over.
“Some guy break your heart?”
“Excuse me?” I blurted, provoked by the blunt question.
“You’re so cold, I had to ask.”
“I’m not cold. Just not looking for a relationship.”
“And why is that?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.
“Does it matter?”
“It matters to me.”
I’d never had a guy drag this information out of me. All of my other flings were easy to walk away from. They happened, and when they were done, it was over. “I just don’t want to be in a relationship. I like playing the field. I like seeing what’s out there.” Not that it was any of his business.
He looked confused, like he couldn’t believe what I’d just said.
“I don’t want to be tied to one man. I don’t want to fall in love. I just want to focus on me.”
He still looked perplexed. “I’ve never heard a woman say that before.”
“I don’t see why it’s so hard to follow. Most men don’t want to be in a relationship, and they give you the exact same response. But since I’m a woman, there must be something wrong with me. It’s sexist and annoying.”
His confusion disappeared. Now his expression was hard to read. He was just a beautiful man staring at me. “What about kids?”
“What about them?”
“You never want to have a family?”
“I never said I never wanted to get married. I’m just not interested in something serious right now. I’m only twenty-two and not in any hurry to settle down. I just want to have fun and not owe anyone an explanation. Don’t expect me to apologize for being honest. So, if you’re looking for something permanent or long-term, I’m not your girl.”
“I can see that.” He smiled slightly. My speech seemed to amuse him. Instead of taking it seriously and matching my somber mood, he found it comical, even though that wasn’t my intention. “I’m not looking for that either. You and I have the same interests. That being said, I would love to take you to dinner. I would love to stare at you over candlelight, share a bottle of wine with you, and then fuck you exactly how you want me to.”
Now that my desires were completely clear, I didn’t see the harm in it. “Someone might see us together…”
“I don’t give a fuck who sees us together. Gustavo needs me more than I need him, so if he has a problem with it, that’s too damn bad.”
“But it could make me look bad. The board already doesn’t like me.”
“That’s your problem right there.”
“Excuse me?” Sometimes he was calm, and sometimes he was aggressive. I never knew what he was going to hit me with.
“You care what other people think. People will respect you a lot more when you don’t.”
Hades and I sat at a table in the back, far away from the other guests enjoying their meals in the dim lighting, with the sounds of the Spanish guitar and the clanking of glasses as people made their private toasts. The place was fancier than I expected, so my dress felt a little casual.
He didn’t seem to mind.
He ignored the menu in front of him and immediately ordered a bottle of wine for the table. Not once did he look at the waiter, and he didn’t bother to at least say hello first. He barked out orders like a general rather than a paying customer.
“I’m not impressed by the way you treat people.”
He stilled at my observation, subtly offended by what I said. “I know what I want, and I get to the point.”
“But there are better ways of getting that across.”
He held my gaze for nearly a minute as he formulated his response. “When you’re in charge, you make decisions. People turn to you for direction, and you give it to them. That’s the quality of a good leader.”
“But you aren’t the leader of this restaurant.”
“Yes, I am. I own this place.”
I picked up my menu, slightly blindsided by his admission. “Of course you do…”
The waiter returned with the uncorked bottle of wine and two glasses. Just when he turned to disappear, Hades spoke again. “Thank you, Hector.”
Hector turned back to him, clearly surprised by what he’d said. It took him a second to respond. “You’re welcome, sir.” He disappeared.
I couldn’t wipe off the smile on my face. “Wasn’t so hard, huh?”
He drank his wine as he watched me, not interested in the menu still lying on the table.
I made my selection then set it down. “Already know what you want?”
“I always know what I want.” He got the waiter’s attention again by simply raising his hand a few inches off the table.
Hector returned and took our order.
Once he was gone, we stared at each other. He hardly blinked as he looked at me, as he took in my features while the candle burned low between us. His brown eyes were a little lighter in the glow, and his sharp features seemed a little softer in a different atmosphere.
“I knew this was a bad idea…”
“We’ve been here five minutes.”
“Yeah. But I would much rather be naked with you right now.”
His eyes narrowed at my confession, and his body tightened noticeably. His body was all muscle, concealed under his perfect skin. Whenever his core contracted, everything else moved with it. His fingertips rested on the stem of his glass, his body perfectly still as he internalized what I’d s
aid. “I can fuck you here if you’d like.”
“Right here on this table?” I asked incredulously.
“Like I said, I don’t give a shit what people think.”
Something told me he was being serious, even though the room was full of people. I drank my glass and entertained myself with his handsome features, thinking about how we would fuck once we got to the hotel. I was in the mood for something deep and slow, like the first night we were together and he pressed me deep into the mattress. I wanted to treasure the feeling of his dick inside me, feel that amazing stretch.
But I had to get through this first. It was a dinner I didn’t want to have, and I didn’t have any interest in getting to know him when I already knew exactly what he was. He was a rich playboy who went from woman to woman. I just happened to be the flavor of the week, but when he saw the next beautiful woman, he would forget all about me. His text messages would stop, and there would be no more invitations to the hotel room.
I was dreading that moment.
I’d found the best sex of my life, and I wasn’t willing to let it go so soon. Most guys I’d been with either didn’t know what they were doing or they cared more about getting off than getting you off. Hades did neither of those things…and he was fucking gorgeous. Why would I want to ruin that by getting to know him? What little I knew about him, I didn’t like, like when he dropped that pretty girl the instant he saw someone better. That was his entire life…moving from one chick to the next. He was a heartless asshole.
The less I knew, the better.
I swirled my wine and took another drink. “So…you’re almost thirty.” There wasn’t much for us to talk about, so I pulled at whatever I could find.
He nodded slightly.
“Are you dreading the big three-oh?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because your youth is officially gone.”
“Thirty isn’t that old. I’m just getting started.”
It wasn’t that old, but he was seven years ahead of me, and that felt like a lifetime. He had nearly a decade of experience more than I did. That was probably why he knew exactly how to fuck a woman.
Knew exactly how to fuck me.
