The One of Many

by M. Jane Early

  “Come on, baby,” he whispered. His face tensed as he stared into my eyes, into my soul. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Farren.”

  I came hard, calling his name, but not slowing down. David hadn’t finished yet, and there was no way I would stop until he had. He vigorously moved me and then arched his head back into the pillow, biting his lip.

  It was a glorious sight to behold.

  His body froze with the intensity of his climax as I kept moving, letting everything between us release. I slowed my pace and crumbled down to him, then kissed his neck tenderly and with repetition.

  David’s firm chest rose and fell and held a layer of moisture between us. He laid his arms out beside him. “You’re going to be the end of me, aren’t you?” he said breathlessly.

  I laughed. “I’m not trying to be.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll die happily right here with you.” He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head.

  We had eaten hours ago, but the physical activity made me hungry again. I sighed and moved to his side, scooting myself to the edge of the bed. I grabbed his wrinkled button-down shirt and threw it on.

  “Where are you going?” David asked, lifting his head.

  “I need to raid your fridge.” I moved towards the door.

  He laughed and flopped his head back down.

  I descended his stairs to the kitchen and walked across the cold, tiled floor to the refrigerator. I opened the door and surveyed the contents within, finding a bowl of assorted fruit. I searched the drawers for a fork.

  A vibration against the island counter caught my attention, and I walked to the edge where David’s phone sat. A message had popped up from a Carla, asking him to come through. The clock read 2:12 a.m. I sat with my hand near the device, debating. Before I could stop myself, I tapped on the screen. There were three phone calls and another message. All from different women. I recognized one from his twin, Allison.

  I debated on whether or not to take his phone to him, letting him know I saw the barrage of presumably late-night sex inquiries he was missing out on. I hated my jealousy, but I couldn’t deny it was there. Inhaling, I grabbed the device and the bowl and climbed back up to David’s bedroom.

  The bedside lamp was on, and he was sitting up, his arms resting on his knees with his white sheet covering his lower half. I sat on the edge of the bed next to him. We regarded each other. I set the bowl on my lap and offered him his phone. He peered down at it, giving me a questioning look before he took it.

  “Looks like you missed out on some pretty important messages.” I eyed him as I slipped the phone into his hand.

  He tapped the screen, then scrolled with his thumb.

  Glancing at me, he threw the device to the other side of the bed. He rested his arms on his knees again. “What’s on your mind, Farren?” he asked softly.

  I looked down at the bowl and stabbed a strawberry with the fork.

  He tilted his head slightly to the side. “Farren?”

  “You said I was just practice.” I stared at the bowl.

  He stopped to think. “When?”

  “In Mexico.”

  He smiled. “That’s what you said. I was just repeating it back to you.”

  My self-doubt crept in. “Am I enough for you?”

  His playfulness ceased. “Why would you ask that?”

  I exhaled. “David, you’re used to being with models—”

  “So?” his tone was abrupt.

  “And a slew of drop-dead gorgeous women.”

  He leaned towards me and put his hand behind my neck, under my hair. “How could you think you aren’t in that category?” he whispered.

  I took a breath. “It’s just that Crew—”

  “I am not Crew.” His eyes searched mine.

  I furrowed my brow. “I don’t want to be a placeholder, David.” I hated what I’d turned into because of my ex-boyfriend’s cheating.

  He scooted closer. “Look at me.” I hesitated, but then met his eyes. “Other than my sister, those women are meaningless to me. They always have been, even before you.” He traced my jawline with his thumb.

  “Meaningless?” I repeated, taking offense.

  “I realize how that sounds, and I apologize. But they were just a distraction,” he whispered.

  I clenched my jaw and looked down at the fruit bowl in my hands.

  “Farren,” he lifted my chin with his finger, “you’re not… I want you here. You’re not a placeholder.” He pulled me to him and kissed me softly, then leaned his forehead against mine.

  I had no reason to doubt David and how he felt about me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that all of this was temporary.

  He nodded at my lap. “Can I have some of that?”

  I chuckled. “It’s yours, so, yeah.” I picked up the fork with the strawberry and fed it to him. He took the fork and the bowl from me, then set it on the bedside table.

  “Not what I was talking about,” he said as he pulled me to him and laid me on the bed, climbing over me. He kissed me, letting his sheet fall until it exposed his naked body.

  He undid the buttons of my shirt, one by one, watching me closely. He kissed down my chest and abdomen. My breath hitched as he moved south with his mouth. I ran my hands through his hair and moaned his name. His hands held my hips as his tongue went deeper and his speed increased.

  An intense and electric feeling spread through my body, like I was about to catapult through the air by sheer pleasure. A bottle of soda, shaken to the point of explosion.

  I pleaded with David to stop so he could finish with me, but he refused, taking hold of my wrists and pinning them by my sides. He persisted until I came undone. My stomach muscles released, and I immediately felt the burn.

  His attention on my body throughout the night conflicted with what my head said. I wondered if he was this attentive with all of his lineup, or was this different? The persistent stares, the way he’d move my hair away—so carefully. The way he’d pick a part of my body and concentrate on it, whether with his touch or his mouth. I wanted to be the only one he was like this with, but I didn’t know—I would never know.

  I snuggled against his chest, my eyelids heavy. “David, what are we going to do about the office?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “What we usually do.”

  “I mean about us.” I hesitated. “I don’t know if I want everyone to know.”

  His chest vibrated. “Ashamed of me already?”

  I laughed. “No. But what’s it going to look like when everyone finds out we’re sleeping together?”

  “Who cares?”

  “I do,” I answered.

  He adjusted his position and ran his finger up and down my back. “What are you worried about?”

  “You gave me a promotion.” I moved my hand over his abs.

  “That was before.”

  I scoffed. “They don’t know that.”

  “You know it’s not against the rules for us to be together? Technically, no one can complain,” he responded.

  I gave him a look I hoped read it wouldn’t matter. I’d still be the whore who slept with the boss for a management position.

  He took a deep breath, then nodded. “Okay,” he mumbled.

  I smiled and laid my chin on his chest. “Are your feelings hurt?”

  He chuckled and looked away. “No, I understand. Just a little disappointed we can’t have sex in the office.”

  “I mean, there are blinds,” I said, then laughed. He pulled me to him and kissed me before we both settled together and slept.

  DAVID WOKE UP A few hours later, looking around the bedroom for me. “Farren?”

  I walked out of his bathroom, buttoning my pants. “Hi.”

  He sat up. “Where are you going?”

  “Home.”

  “Why?”

  I sat next to him on the bed. “I have to go to work.”

  He laughed. “Call in sick.” He pulled me to him and kissed me.

  “I c
an’t. My boss is kind of a pain in the ass.” I kissed him back.

  “Your boss is giving you permission to lie and stay here,” he said against my lips.

  I chuckled and pulled away. “Sorry, I have meetings.”

  He sighed. “Fine.”

  He threw off his covers, and his firm, naked ass walked into the bathroom.

  “What are you doing?” I called after him.

  He came back to the doorway and leaned. He had his jeans on but undone. “Taking you home.”

  “David, I can get a car.”

  “Farren, you’re not riding home with a stranger at five o’clock in the morning.” His face was serious as he pushed off the doorway and turned away from me.

  I turned my back on him too. “Yes, sir.” I smiled, gathering my things.

  When we got to my apartment, the sun was peeking out. David walked me to the elevators and up to my apartment. We stood outside the door after I unlocked it.

  “You can’t come in,” I said, his hand leaning on the doorway above me.

  “Why not?”

  I tilted my head to the side and gave him a look that told him he knew why.

  He glanced away, laughing, and nodded. “Okay.”

  “I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” I whispered.

  He came closer, then lightly rubbed his nose against mine. His lips parted and hovered over my mouth, but he didn’t touch me. Just feeling this connection with him was all I needed to be ready for round…five? I had lost count. My fatigued body screamed at me to think of it over my libido—I pushed him away.

  He took a step back and laughed again. “Tonight?” he asked.

  “I have to get some sleep,” I said, chuckling.

  “There are twenty-four hours in a day, Farren. I’ll make sure we sleep.” He reached for my hand. “But I haven’t had enough of you yet.” His eyes glowed while the hairs on my arm stood.

  There was a lot to David. He was complicated, secretive, and had a past I knew nothing about…but he was here, in my hallway, and to not take advantage of what he was willing to give me was foolish. I drew him to me and kissed him. My tongue danced in his mouth, letting him know he had won over my exhaustion. I opened my door behind me and pulled him in.

  Twenty One

  I left David asleep in my apartment and went to work. He was exhausted, and I didn’t have the heart to wake him. Leaning back in the leather chair in my office, I stretched my arms over my head and yawned loudly. As much as David’s interference with my sleep was welcomed, I was now running on nothing but adrenaline—and even that was depleting. My head rested on the back of the chair, and I closed my eyes.

  I knew sex with David would be above average. I had no idea my entire body would crave him mere hours after our last encounter. My muscles ached, like I’d had a full-body workout for days on end—but I wanted more.

  I could still feel his hands over my hips, running up my sides. Massaging my breasts and straightening my nipples. I could feel him inside me, his lips at my neck, then him telling me to look at him so he could watch as my orgasm climbed.

  A knock on my door brought me out of my erotic daydream. I cleared my throat and sat up in my chair. The door opened and the reason for the wetness between my thighs appeared.

  “Morning,” he said, his voice smooth and low. He had turned on his seductive charm with one word. He closed the door and leaned against it, staring at me.

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Morning,” I answered. I started to stand.

  “Don’t,” he directed.

  I froze for a moment, then sat again. “What is it?” I asked, confused.

  His ridiculously sexy grin appeared, and I knew I was in trouble. “If you come any closer, there’s going to be a lot of destruction to business property in here.”

  I cocked my eyebrow. “Would there?”

  “Without question.” He walked closer to my desk, then stopped at the chair that faced me. He leaned his firm hands on the back.

  I brought my finger to my mouth, dragging it across my bottom lip, never leaving David’s stare. I ran that finger down my neck to the top of my shirt. I unbuttoned the top button of my blouse. “What would you do?” I whispered.

  His eyes blazed, and he raised his hand to his mouth, mimicking my movements.

  I quietly gasped and unbuttoned the next button down.

  “I’d undress you right here.” He pointed in front of him. “Leaving those black stilettos on, of course.”

  “Of course,” I repeated, undoing another button.

  “I’d admire that fucking ridiculous body of yours for a moment, then make sure you were wet enough for me.”

  Just from him talking about it, I was soaked. “How?” I tried to raise my voice.

  He unbuttoned his jacket and sat, adjusting his cuffs. “I’d kneel in front of you and suck on your clit until you were numb,” he said matter-of-factly.

  I tried not to squirm too much in my chair. This was a game he played well. I wanted some control, but his visuals were making it difficult.

  He continued, “Then I’d sit you on the edge of this desk and proceed to let everyone out there,” he pointed at the windows, “know what we were doing in here.”

  My breath was uneven. “What would you do then?”

  A smirk that increased my heart rate spread on his face. “You’d come so hard, you’d make that noise you made last night.”

  I blushed at the memory.

  He read my face. “Yes, that noise.”

  He was calm and not at all affected by what he was saying, while I was painfully aware of how much I wanted him to touch me. That was all it would take for me to come apart completely.

  I upped the stakes.

  I unbuttoned another button to reveal my black bra to him. His eyes dropped to my chest. I moved to my pants button and undid that, leading the zipper to fall. He couldn’t see it, but he heard it.

  “Well, since we are in the office, and it would be inappropriate to do such a thing—I guess we’re going to have to fend for ourselves, aren’t we?” I kept my eyes glued to him as I lowered my hand into my panties, then touched and played with the wetness I found. His lips parted as I teased him with slight moans.

  Other than David’s breathing, he didn’t move. He watched me without blinking. The lust in his eyes brought me closer to my edge, as if he were telling me what to do telepathically, and I whispered his name. I pretended my hand was his hand as I molded my breast, moving my fingers inside me faster. I closed my eyes to further the fantasy and grabbed the back of my leather chair as my orgasm hit me hard. I stifled the full-throated moans I wanted to release for both of our sake, although it looked as if David wouldn’t have minded.

  When I recovered both my breathing and my heartbeat, I opened my eyes to find David still staring, leaning forward on his knees.

  “Was that the noise you were talking about?” I baited breathlessly.

  “Oh, Ms. Hallston.” He shook his head. “You’re gonna pay for that later.”

  I smiled and started to re-button and tuck everything in. “Promise?”

  He laughed and looked away. “I hope you can forgive me, but I’m not going to be able to leave your office for a while.” He looked down between his legs at his erection.

  I smiled and tilted my head. “My office is your office,” I replied.

  His soft chuckle made me smile.

  After visiting the bathroom, I went into David’s office and retrieved his laptop so he could work while his hard-on passed. I kept looking at him, laughing at the reason he had to stay.

  The email from my computer binged an hour later. I had been waiting for the new mockup from Yvette for the print campaign and needed to speak to David about it. Instead of Yvette’s response, I saw the heading Mexico and clicked on the email.

  A darkened video waited to be played. At first, the pixilated footage showed nothing I could make out. It was nighttime. The lights bounced from side to side with the camera’s m
ovement, then focused on two people in the distance. The lens zoomed in on a man making out with a woman sitting on his lap. My eyes got wide as the man moved briefly into view. David kissed along her shoulder, then returned to her lips. They were in a pool, and the woman on his lap was in a white bathing suit with wet, dark blonde hair planted against her back.

  Then it hit me like a battering ram. The woman in the video was me.

  “Oh, shit,” I whispered.

  David looked at me. “What’s wrong?”

  “We have a problem,” I said, panicked.

  This was the night David said he wanted to take a chance with me, with us. The night that changed everything between us. I remembered what had stopped us from continuing in the pool—a noise over my shoulder and someone walking away.

  David stood beside me and watched the looping video. Once he understood what it was, he spoke, “Who sent this?”

  I scrolled up to look at the sender’s email.

  Nick Dumas.

  All the breath left my lungs.

  “That son of a bitch,” David seethed.

  I looked to see if he had sent it to anyone else in the company or even HR. David and I were the only ones listed.

  David moved around my desk and started to walk towards the door.

  “What are you doing?” I called behind him.

  “I’m going to fire that asshole once and for all.” He reached the door.

  “David, wait.” I stood and ran to him. He stopped and turned towards me.

  “There’s a reason he sent this. I don’t know why, but he wants something. We can’t go in there angry. We have to act like this is no big deal.”

  “You’re not going anywhere. I’ll handle Nick.” He opened the door.

  I closed it with my hand and stood in front of him. “First, he sent it to both of us, so he obviously wants whatever it is from us collectively. Second, I realize you’re angry. I am too, but we have to be smart about this.”

  He put his hands on his hips and took a breath. “Okay. You’re right. We have to see what he wants.”