Down to Business (Business Series)

by Alexander, J. C.

  “It’s like you’re paying her alimony.”

  “It’s what has to happen for now. I just need Mazzolas in my name and if this is what it takes to get it, I’m doing it.”

  I couldn’t believe he was going to pay that bitch one-hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year for something that rightfully belonged to him. How could that be fair? I hated her more than ever.

  We pulled into the apartment parking lot and he parked up front.

  “I don’t really have much to make us lunch, just some sandwich stuff and—”

  “Look at me.” He took my arm and pulled me towards him.

  I swallowed the lump of disappointment in my throat and looked at him.

  “I know you don’t think this is a good idea. But it will work out. I’m doing this so we can be happy. After she signs that paper, I will throw a god damn ‘I’m in love with Autumn’ party if it makes you happy.”

  “Maybe Vivian can arrange it and forget to invite me.” I said, dryly.

  “Fuck her,” he said with a smirk, “she’s not invited.”

  I laughed some as he pulled me into him and kissed me, causing that familiar burn to stir deep inside.

  “Stop,” I breathed as one of his hands moved beneath my shirt, “we have to eat and get back. It’s already twenty after.”

  “It’s good, I’ll just have a ham sandwich with a side of Autumn.” he said, giving my breast a squeeze.

  “Quit,” I laughed and pulled his hand out of my shirt. “We can have sex later. I need to save my energy.”

  “I have energy drinks in my gym bag in the back seat.”

  I shoved him off with another giggle and climbed out of the car.

  I fed him his ham sandwich with a side of Autumn before we returned to campus for the last of our mid-terms. After they were over, we spent the rest of the evening together, making up for lost time.

  Mazzolas suddenly became the last place I wanted to be, and the weekend couldn’t come fast enough. We planned to leave for our vacation that Friday night after work. It was a three-hour drive and we had our suitcases already packed in Vinny’s trunk. I should have known I would not be able to get through the night without some sort of drama. Instead of it being Vivian driving me crazy, it was everything else.

  Mazzolas was packed and customers were complaining left and right. Two of the waiters called out so table service was slow and I must have looked like a great person to blame.

  “It was black.”

  I stared at the man who had been complaining about his over-baked lasagna, yet he still ate it, and still insisted on a refund.

  “Did you have the waiter take it back?” I asked as calm as I could with the people waiting to be seated giving me the stink-eye.

  “No! That idiot waiter with the ugly blond goatee said that is how it’s supposed to look! The cheese was so over-done it looked like a piece of paper! I want to speak with your manager.”

  I glanced beyond the man to the annoyed looking couple behind him. I was about to seat them before he rudely intervened. “I’ll be with you in just a second.” I winced as the phone beside me rang.

  “I paid thirty dollars for that plate of shit and the wine tasted cheap too!” Lasagna-man complained.

  I looked around for Vivian but she wasn’t anywhere in sight. I really didn’t want to bother Vinny but it seemed I had no choice. “Just a moment.”

  I picked up the phone that was ringing beside me. “Mazzolas, this is Autumn.”

  “Hi. I just picked up my to go order and I got home to find that you assholes forgot my meatballs! I ordered spaghetti and meatballs.”

  “I’m sure if you came back they could get them for you and reimburse—”

  “I’m not coming back! It’s Friday night, I ain’t driving there! I want a manager!”

  I frowned. “Please hold.”

  I put the call on hold and looked up into the angry lasagna-man’s face. “Let me get the manager for you.”

  “Yeah you do that.”

  I backed away from the counter and hurried to the back where Vinny’s office was. The door was closed so I knocked.

  He pulled it open a moment later and frowned at me.

  “I need you. I have angry customers.”

  “Ugh. Great. Vivian decided to just fuckin’ walk out right in the middle of her shift.”

  “What! Why would she do that? We’re slammed.”

  “Because she’s Vivian and she’s a pain in my ass.”

  “Well I have some guy going nuts on me at the front because his lasagna was over cooked yet he still ate it, and then there’s a guy on the phone that said we forgot his meatballs in his take-out order.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus. Can’t it be eleven yet?”

  “I wish…” I said, reluctantly following him up to the counter.

  I watched as he took on his managerial persona, straitening his suit jacket. He stepped up to the counter and calmly introduced himself to lasagna-man. After hearing the whole burned lasagna story, Vinny apologized for the man’s bad experience then honored him with a gift certificate for fifty dollars toward his next meal.

  After thanks were exchanged, they shook hands and the man left smiling. Once that was done, I passed him the phone with angry meat-ball man and he added the man’s name to the log book and told him to inform the hostess that he has an order of meatballs on the house next time he comes in. When eleven o’ clock finally arrived, I wanted to go to bed more than go on vacation.

  I contemplated telling Vinny we should wait until the morning to leave, but when I stepped into his office, he was sitting behind the computer already in jeans and a black thermal shirt. He had a paper cup brimming with black coffee in his hand and one set out for me with three packets of sugar and two creamers, just how I liked it.

  “Drink up, it’s gonna be a long drive.” he said without looking up from his computer screen.

  I half smiled and walked over to the desk, ripping open the sugar packets and dumping them in one by one. “You almost done?”

  I knew some nights it took almost an hour for him to close up, which meant I had to stay and wait too.

  “Yep. I got an early start.” He sipped his coffee.

  I dumped in my creamer and stirred everything up with a plastic spoon.

  “Did you find out why Vivian left?”

  “She’s pissed at me because I’m going out of town and I didn’t invite her. She tried to invite herself tonight and I told her no.” He sighed and rubbed his face. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she calls in tomorrow just to fuck me over.”

  I walked over to the desk beside him, moved our coffees aside, and settled down on his lap. “But it’s almost over, right?”

  He slipped his arms around me and kissed my nose. “Almost. Thank God.”

  I nuzzled my face into his neck and inhaled his clean scent. I suddenly couldn’t wait to get to our hotel room in Atlantic City. I pulled back and looked into his tired eyes. “Come on, it’s time to go on vacation.”

  He smiled. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  He closed down his computer, locked up his office, and we made it onto the interstate by 11:30PM. It was a cool night, but we drove with the windows down anyway to keep ourselves awake.

  When we finally pulled up to the valet at Seaview it was 3AM. I stepped out of the car, took a deep breath of cool sea air, and looked up at the glimmering glass resort towering over my head. It had at least twenty floors and was the fanciest hotel I had ever seen.

  The valet took Vinny’s keys and two bellmen came for our luggage, towing it away on a brass bellman’s cart. Vinny took my hand and led me through the automatic sliding doors that opened into a sprawling lobby.

  The interior of the hotel was sleek in silver accents and bold modern style. The floors paved in light marble tile were so clean I could see my reflection in them. We approached the sleek mahogany check in desk where one lone woman dressed in a suit waited to check us in. S
ince the lobby was empty, it only took a few minutes to get our room.

  Our room was on the top floor where the suites were located. Once we got off the elevator and arrived before the double doors of our suite, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I knew whatever was behind those doors was going to be amazing.

  I opened the door and the first thing I saw was a table that stood front and center with two dozen red roses surrounded by candles. My purse slid off my shoulder and dropped to the ground. My lips parted as my gaze moved to the bed covered in rose petals in the shape of a heart. I brought my hands up to my lips and my eyes filled with tears. The room was as big as Lindy’s whole apartment. Little tea lights were set perfectly all over giving the whole room a beautiful ambient glow. The farthest wall was a curved window that faced the ocean.

  The door clicked closed behind me and he pulled me back against him, kissing my neck.

  “I told you I’d make it a weekend you’d never forget.”

  I managed a choked laugh, blinking away my tears. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Everything was so perfect and amazing. “This is crazy…I don’t know what to say.”

  “I love you, Autumn.”

  I turned to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you too Vinny.”

  I kissed him with all the overflowing love that I felt. He scooped me into his arms and carried me to the sprawling king size bed with cream and mocha covered blankets and laid me down at its center.

  “Wait…” I whispered looking over my shoulder at the beautiful rose petal heart I was about to destroy. “I want to take a picture of it first. Lindy won’t believe this.”

  He smirked, leaning over me. “I didn’t do this for Lindy, I did it for you.”

  I closed my eyes as his mouth found mine again and he moved over me, his hips parting my thighs. I ran my hands through his hair and over his back before I finally gave in and rested my head back against the petals, the soft scent of roses filling my senses.

  He stared into my eyes with a soft smile and reached one hand up to brush some of my hair back. “You’re so beautiful.”

  When I finally found my voice, I could barely get the words out. “Thank you… this…this is the sweetest…. most romantic thing… that has ever happened to me.”

  His fingers brushed some of my hair behind my ear. “It’s the first of many.”

  I closed my eyes as he kissed me again and I swore that I was dreaming. He took his time undressing me, and once I was fully naked, it was almost painful to watch patiently as he stripped out of his clothes and joined me on the bed. His warm skin making contact with mine caused comfort to wash over me. I shivered as I felt something tickling and trailing up my naked waist. I glanced down to see a rose petal pinned between his fingertips, lightly brushing at my skin. I sucked in a breath as he slid it over my abdomen, up my naval and then into the valley between my breasts. I closed my eyes as the silk petal brushed over my aroused nipples, followed by his smooth warm lips and tongue. While his mouth was preoccupied again, the petal moved back down my abdomen, tracing my thighs until I bent my knees and opened myself to him. I expected to feel the feather light tickle of the petal against my warmth, but when I felt the warm pad of his fingertip instead, I let out a cry, my whole body aching with need. I took his wrist in my hand and guided his fingers inside, needing to feel some part of him inside of me. His two fingers worked their magic while he kissed me until I could take no more. My gentle thrusts against his fingers turned frantic until my body gave in and my walls throbbed against his fingers in sweet release. When I finished there was no question if he was ready for me. I reached down to take his warm silken shaft into my palm and enjoyed the look of pleasure on his face as I worked him to a near orgasm with my hand. Once he was at his brink, he rolled me onto my back and pushed my legs apart, our bodies joining a moment later. I sobbed in pleasure as he filled me completely and we made love in rose petals. After it was over, I laid in the secure cocoon of his arms and wondered how I ever got so lucky.

  Even though the sun would be rising soon and I knew how exhausted I was, I just couldn’t close my eyes. I didn’t want the night to end. His fingertips traced over my shoulder and I lifted my head and kissed his collarbone.

  “This has been the best night of my life, Vinny.”

  “Me too.” He paused and drew a deep breath. “Autumn, there’s something I want to ask you.”

  “Yeah?” I asked lifting my head again and looking into his eyes.

  He rolled over onto his side and propped his head up on his hand, his soft brown gaze narrowed in thought as he looked over my face. I stared back at him and rest my cheek against the pillow, gripping it’s underside in an attempt to hide how anxious I felt.

  “Just tell me.” I blurted.

  “I bought a house.”

  My eyes widened and I lifted my head. “What?”

  He half smiled. “It closed two days ago. It’s two blocks from campus.”

  “Oh my God!” I sat up on my elbow, and placed my palm against his chest. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me! I didn’t even know you were looking for one! I’m so happy for you!”

  “Thanks.”

  I watched him, waiting for him to look more enthused. If I just bought a house, I would be ecstatic. “Aren’t you happy?”

  “Of course,” he said, taking my hand.

  “You don’t look happy.”

  “Because I’m nervous.”

  “About what? Telling your mother?”

  “No,” he said carefully, “ I’m nervous about asking you to move in with me.”

  I stared at him as the words ‘move in with me’ took a moment to sink in. If I was standing up, I might have fallen over.

  “Move in with you, like a roommate?” I asked, the shock apparently turned me into a dense blonde.

  “No,” he smirked, “as my girlfriend.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I mean, will I be living there or just spending the night?”

  “You’d be living there. It would be our house.”

  I smiled and let that sink in. “Are you sure you want this?”

  “I’m so sure that I’m waiting for you to pick out the wall colors.”

  Tears of excitement filled my eyes and I leaned in, pressing my lips against his. He wrapped his arms around me and rolled me on top of him. “So that’s a yes?”

  “That’s a big yes.”

  “No, a big yes is what you’re going to be saying in about five minutes.” He gave me a devious grin and slid his hands down over my butt.

  I giggled and kissed him again as my heart soared. I couldn’t believe it. I was moving in with Vinny. Nothing felt more perfect, but I knew to everyone else we would probably look like two of the most irresponsible people on Earth. We had only known each other three months, but that was what love was about, wasn’t it? Taking crazy chances and hoping it all fell into place? So far, everything was perfect and I didn’t care what everyone else thought. Nothing made me happier than being with Vinny.

  The next morning I woke up curled beneath the warmest, softest comforter I’d ever felt. I remembered where I was and my heart thumped excitedly. I reached beside me, to feel his warm body, but instead I found an empty bed. My eyes snapped open and I leaned up on my elbows. The room was flooded with morning sunlight from the open drapes that gave me an amazing ocean view. Vinny’s suitcase was open, sitting on its stand against the wall. I glanced over at the clock to see it was just past 9AM. Before I could wonder where he went, I heard the sound of the shower running.

  I threw the covers off my naked body and hurried to the bathroom door. I checked the handle and it popped open, letting a cloud of steam slip out. I crept inside and closed the door behind me being extra careful not to make a sound. I stepped over to the shower curtain and drew it back with a grin, seeing him standing under the stream of water, his perfect butt facing me with ribbons of water cascading off it. Unable to resist, I reached out and gave it a hard pinch.
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  He dropped the bar of soap and jumped about a foot in the air. I started to laugh when he spun around, his face a mixture of shock and irritation. The moment he registered what happened, the look of anger drained away and he just shook his head with a laugh.

  “You pain in the ass!” He swatted some water at me.

  I squealed and backed away, but he grabbed me before I could escape and pulled me into the shower with him. It wasn’t a very productive shower, as far as showers go, unless you consider skin on skin contact an alternative way of cleaning your body. Up to that point, we had never had sex in the shower and I’d have never considered letting someone wash my body, but after that shower experience I could get used to it.

  Once we were done, we wrapped ourselves in terry cloth towel robes and climbed back into bed.

  Vinny ordered us room service, which consisted of a plate of fresh fruit, homemade waffles, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, toast, and orange juice. I almost choked on my juice when I heard the grand total of fifty dollars he paid for it, but he assured me that it was normal for room service. No wonder my parents always said no to room service and made us eat the complimentary breakfast when we traveled anywhere.

  The food came on silver platters and arranged like it was prepared for a magazine photo shoot. I felt bad touching it, it looked so perfect. Vinny had no guilt in destroying it. He picked off some fruit, two slices of bacon, and some scrambled eggs. I smothered my waffles in warm syrup and butter, and added a few pieces of fruit to the edge of my plate to make it look pretty. Then we sat down at the table in front of the window that faced the ocean.

  “This food is amazing,” I said and wiped the syrup off my lips. “Look! The orange juice actually has orange slices in it. They look pretty.”

  “Yeah, these eggs actually taste—”

  We both looked up as a sudden knock erupted on the door. Vinny bit into his bacon and wiped his hands on his cloth napkin before he got up to answer it.

  I watched as he pulled open the door to reveal a man with dark hair in a suit on the other side.