by Jenny Devall
Riley was quite happy to know she was leaving all of this behind. This was over the top. She sipped the wine Dirk had given her and looked around. She must stand out.
“No one is staring at you, though they should be. You are the most beautiful woman in the room,” Dirk said.
He led her to another room, where an orchestra played. Holy shit.
Her breath didn’t want to come out. She couldn’t catch it. “I’m going to find a restroom.”
“You okay? You look pale.”
“Just a little overwhelmed.”
“Go up the stairs, and there is a large powder room at the top. Multiple stalls.”
“In someone’s home?”
“They entertain a lot. I’ll be right here.”
He kissed her cheek and took her wine from her. She moved up the steps, careful not to trip. The restroom was exactly where Dirk had said it would be and how he said it would be. There was no line, so Riley escaped into a stall. She needed a moment.
Two women came in.
“Did you see that woman with Dirk?”
“I know. Is he slumming nowadays?”
Riley held her breath. She didn’t want them to know she was in there.
“What happened to all those models he used to bring to these things? Is that best he can do? I hear she has a job and all.”
“Yeah, they met when she was doing her job for him.”
“Maybe she gives good blow jobs.”
Riley wanted to die. She rarely worried about what others thought, but she had a feeling that these women might say something to Dirk. In her presence. They would probably smell her fear and be like sharks on a feeding frenzy.
They’d put her back in her place.
She waited until they left then found Dirk. He was talking to a tall woman who looked to be middle-aged. He introduced her as the hostess of the party. Riley smiled and shook the woman’s hand before she moved on.
“I’d like to leave. If you want, I can go and send the limo back,” Riley said.
His brow knit. “You okay?’
“A little headache.”
He put a hand on her arm. “Let’s go then.”
The limousine was waiting for them as they left the building. As if the driver knew she’d need to go home. Dirk tipped the butler then slid in beside Riley. “You want to curl up on the seat?”
She wanted to curl up in her own bed.
***
Dirk was concerned about Riley’s headache. “Maybe I should call the doctor. This could be related to your concussion.”
She’d taken him up on his offer to curl up on the seat. Her head rested in his lap. He stroked her hair.
“It’s just a headache, Dirk. I’m not sick or dying. You could have stayed.”
He frowned down at her. “Not without you. Those things are so fake and stuffy. You were the only real thing there.”
In his mind, she was. He didn’t think she believed him. She just closed her eyes.
“Did something happen?”
“No.”
Her answer was too quick. Something had happened, but she didn’t want to talk about it. He’d let it go.
“You want another bath when we get home?”
“No.”
He wasn’t convinced. “I’ll let you take it all by yourself this time. You can take as long as you like. I’ll even pour you some wine.”
She smiled at that. “We’ll see.”
He just wanted to make it okay. Make it better. Whatever had happened, he wanted to fix it. He was a doer. Sitting by and letting her stew over this was not his style.
Leaning down, he kissed her shoulder. “I’m sorry for whatever happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
He knew something had. These women could be sharks. They might have realized that Riley wasn’t from their crowd. He liked to be rich, but sometimes he didn’t like rich people.
He’d never been raised to be a snob when it came to people. He’d eat the good food and drink the good wine, but people were people.
When they arrived home, he led her upstairs.
“I really just want to go to bed,” she said.
He took off his tie. “I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
She frowned. “You don’t have to. I’m sure you can catch a ride back to the party.”
He unzipped her dress for her. “I don’t want to go back there. I want to stay with you.”
“Then make love to me, Dirk.”
She wasn’t smiling, but he couldn’t help himself. “Of course.”
He took off her dress. She took off the rest of her clothing.
“Keep the shoes,” he said.
Riley was standing in his bedroom with nothing on but high heels. His dick could not have been harder.
“I want hot, monkey sex, Dirk.”
“Yeah?”
He didn’t lose eye contact with her as he snagged a condom from his night stand. “Okay.”
He removed his clothes as she watched.
“I want you to fuck me, Dirk.”
“Your wish is my command.”
He stepped toward her and ran a finger through her folds. She was wet. He handed her a condom. “Put it on me.”
She did, rolling it carefully, her fingers doing magic to him. He groaned. When she was done, he scooped her up. She wrapped her legs around him.
He strode to the closest wall and leaned her up against it. “What do you want me to do, Riley?”
“Fuck me, Dirk.”
Without preamble, he thrust into her. She threw back her head, and he bit her neck, not leaving a scar. He thrust and thrust, and her body went rigid. He put his arms under her legs one at a time.
She was wide open for him, her back against the wall. She couldn’t resist him if she wanted to.
Her nails in his back told him she had no interest in leaving. She let out a roar as her body arched into him. Her canal milked him, but he wasn’t letting her go that easily. He thrust faster and harder with all of his might.
She wanted hot, monkey sex, and she was getting it. He fucked her with all his strength.
She wasn’t resisting. She only cried out when the next orgasm hit. He didn’t want to come. It wouldn’t be good. It wouldn’t be satisfying, but he let himself go over the edge with her this time.
Something had changed. Something had gone wrong, and he had no idea how to fix it. Her head fell onto his shoulder as his chest heaved. He let go of one leg and then the other. She stood on her own, but he wanted to be away from here.
This wasn’t making love. This was fucking. He could do that with anyone. Why did Riley want that? What happened to make her want this?
She brushed past him, slipping off her shoes. “I’m going for a bath.”
He grabbed her arm. “What was that?”
“That was us fucking.”
“Why?”
“Guess I just needed it hard and fast,” she said.
She tugged her arm from his hand and went into the bathroom. He heard water running for a bath. He wanted a shower. He wanted to wash off what they’d just done. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t them.
What had someone said to her at that party? Where was the Riley he wanted? The one he had feelings for?
He took off the condom, dumping it into the closest trash can. The maid would get it later.
Instead of joining her in the bath, he took a shower, not making eye contact with her as she slid into the bubbly water. Where was Riley? Where was the woman he couldn’t get enough of?
He toweled off, still not looking at her. He left her to her bath. There would be no wine. No massage.
Nothing else. He slipped into bed and laid there, staring at the ceiling.
Sometime in the night he awoke and found Riley gone. Had she just gone to the kitchen for food?
He searched the house. He didn’t find her. He didn’t see anyone else either. He had to visit his mother one more time tomorrow, but now he wanted to
find Riley. Make her tell him what was wrong so he could fix it.
When he returned to the bedroom, he realized she’d left the house. She must be at the penthouse. He’d see her when he went home. Maybe she needed some space.
Chapter Fourteen
Riley glanced back at the Trent house one more time, mouthing goodbye to its occupants. Especially Dirk. When he woke, he’d realize this was for the best. They didn’t meld. Their worlds didn’t meld.
She climbed into the cab that would take her to the airport. She had a flight back to Manhattan that she was paying an outrageous amount of money for, but she wanted to be gone.
After her flight, which would land in Newark, she still had to take a train to Manhattan. She was tired, but she had to make the break.
The puddle jumper flew her to New Jersey in the middle of the night. The train was empty, and she dozed on the way into New York. This was still less time than driving back. If she drove, Dirk might beat her there, and she didn’t want a confrontation with him.
It was time. The case was off her hands. She needed to be assigned to another one. Away from him. It was also time for them to end it. They weren’t going to last forever.
She had some tears, but refused to give in to them until she was home. Which was still an hour or so away. She had to pack.
For right now, she’d get her essentials and then get the rest when Dirk was at work. She didn’t want to see him. It would hurt too much. What an ass for falling in love with him.
The idea took away her breath. They couldn’t work. He needed too much control. She needed too much freedom. Her work was important.
A cab brought her to Dirk’s building. She held her breath as she opened the door. He wasn’t here. Was he far behind? He hadn’t called.
Maybe he was realizing what she’d already figured out. That they were wrong for each other. She packed while she called Joan.
“I’ve finally done it,” she said.
“What?”
“I’m leaving Dirk and getting back to my life,” she said.
It sounded odd now that she was saying it out loud.
“Are you happy about it?”
“I guess. I’ll feel better when I’m home and he can’t talk me out of it.”
“Why would he?”
“Because Dirk likes control,” she said.
“Maybe he loves you.”
She threw as much as she could into an overnight bag. The rest could wait until Dirk was at work. He wouldn’t hold her clothing hostage. He’d probably be happy to be rid of her.
“No. I think he would have said it.”
“Maybe he was afraid.”
“The man runs a company. He pilots a helicopter. He isn’t afraid of anything.”
“You are a formidable woman, Riley.”
She frowned at the phone. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“That you have your way of doing things or the highway. Sounds like Dirk is the same way. You both need to meet in the middle.”
Riley shook her head. There was no middle ground with Dirk. Maybe Joan was right and she had no middle ground either. “We have no middle. We’re too stubborn.”
“Do you love him?”
“No.”
She crossed her fingers when she said it.
“Then why did you sneak out in the middle of the night?”
Damn. Of course Joan would get to the heart of the matter. “Are you going to be my friend and bring me ice cream while I get over this?”
“No, because I’m in a grownup relationship. Not pretending. Not playing games. Just being honest.”
“Well, that ship has sailed for Dirk and me. Sorry I can’t count on you.”
“You could if you just told him how you felt. You wouldn’t be any worse off than you are now.”
Yes, she would. She’d be shattered if he didn’t feel the same way. “I’m going to go now. Sorry to wake you.”
She disconnected, feeling dissatisfied with the conversation. She looked around, and she’d gathered as much as she could in one bag.
“The rest will have to wait.” She wondered if she could use Dirk’s driver one more time.
No. She couldn’t. She had to leave all of this behind. Make a clean break. Don’t look back.
But she did look back as she walked to the subway station that would take her out to Brooklyn. She was leaving behind the bodyguard. The playboy. The rich guy who had to be in control.
She didn’t fit into his world. He didn’t fit into hers.
The streets of Brooklyn were quiet this early in the morning. Soon the bread trucks would be on their deliveries. Riley’s heart hung heavily in her chest. She’d made the right decision. She was sure of it.
Her heart didn’t agree, but her head did. She sighed as she rode the subway home.
Home. The place she hadn’t been too much lately. She’d been living in a penthouse. What the hell had she been thinking?
At least she didn’t have to go to work tomorrow. She’d have a few days off before she started her new job. Whatever the next case would be, she’d know then.
Anything was better than some rich guy who only wanted what he wanted. She opened her door, then dropped her bag and laptop case on the floor. She didn’t have the strength to eat. Bed. All she wanted was her bed.
Then she remembered making love with Dirk, and she had to rip off the sheets and wash them. With clean sheets on, she crawled between them. She didn’t smell Dirk. Only fabric softener.
She sighed. He was out of her life. Just to be sure, she turned off her phone. She’d planned on sleeping for three days if she could. Her head hit the pillow. Her body sighed with the familiarity of the bed.
Then she drifted off to sleep.
***
Dirk had no idea how Riley got out of Martha’s Vineyard, but she was gone. He knew it with all of his being. She was gone. Hopefully back to the penthouse, he thought as he fired up the helicopter.
Luzy came out to see him as he was doing his preflight check.
“Where’s Riley? I found my dress on the door knob to my room this morning.”
“She left.”
“You don’t sound like you know what’s going on.”
His sister had always been pretty perceptive. “I don’t. She left in the middle of the night.”
“I liked her, Dirk. Don’t be a butthead. You have to go after her.”
He looked at her from his perch in the cockpit. “That’s what I’m doing as soon as I can fly back to Manhattan.”
“Oh, right.”
“You staying here?”
“Yeah, I am, but Riley got me thinking.”
Of course she did. Riley questioned a lot of things. He’d seen her innate curiosity, but she hadn’t ever really questioned him. Had she ever really been interested in him? “Oh?”
“She mentioned something about never relying on a man.”
“That sounds like Riley.”
Was that her problem with him? She didn’t want to rely on his money? She didn’t need to. It just made life easier.
“She said my cookies were good and that maybe I should be doing that. What do you think of that?”
“Instead of programming?”
“Yes. I only did it for Chad. So he’d have someone to help him. You know me. I’ve always relied on whatever man I was with.”
“And where did that get you?”
“Heartache and two divorces.”
“Maybe there’s something in what Riley said.”
She was so smart. Once again he marveled at how much smarter than him she was. Not that he was intimidated. Kept him on his toes. Kept him running back to Manhattan, chasing after her.
Should he be?
Of course. One of these days, he’d catch her permanently. What he’d do with her, he didn’t know.
So torn.
“Go get her, Dirk. She’s a keeper,” Luzy said.
“Thanks.”
His sister walked back to t
he house. He started up the chopper then took off for Manhattan. He landed on his building later on and let his pilot know the aircraft needed to be back at its hanger.
The day was warm and sunny and had very little breeze. His flight had been smooth despite the turmoil in his heart.
He hadn’t wanted to wait to see Riley. He didn’t want to give her any more of a head start. He rushed down into his penthouse only to find it empty. His heart sank.
He ran around, looking for her stuff. The closets were empty. Her suitcase was gone. He plopped on the bed. “So this was it.”
He could still smell her on the sheets.
They were done. No. He wasn’t ending it without a fight. She would have to face him and end it. He called her. It went right to voicemail.
He called Joan instead.
“Hello, Dirk.”
“I need your advice.”
“I’m not sure what you should do.”
“How do you know what it’s about?’
She laughed. “It’s about Riley. I already know she’s left you.”
“She has for sure. What do I do?”
“I’m not sure there is anything you can do, Dirk. She’s pretty insistent that it is over and that you’d be happy about it.”
“She was fine yesterday. Until we went to aparty. Then all of a sudden she wasn’t fine.”
He didn’t share the other details of their last night together. Too personal, and not something he was proud of. He was angry and gave in to what she wanted. He should have done things differently.
Guess his actions played into her decisions. Damn.
“She didn’t mention that.”
“Should I give her space?”
“I’m not getting involved in this. You two are on your own. I refuse to be collateral damage between the two of you.”
“Collateral damage? You sound like we’re at war.”
“Sometimes it feels as if you are.”
He hadn’t thought of that. Was he at war with Riley? Or did she not care enough for there to be conflict? Maybe that’s why they got along so well. She didn’t care.
If that was so, he needed to move on with his life. She wouldn’t come back. She didn’t want to come back.
If she didn’t feel anything for him then she shouldn’t come back. He sighed. He’d never been so out of his depth. Women had always been easy. They flocked to him. He had his pick.
