An Uncertain Affair (The Affair Series Book 2)

by Randi Ocean

  I tilted his chin up, and held his face close to mine. “Me, too,” I said, and kissed him.

  Sergio handed me his robe, and he threw on some sweats. He sauntered into the kitchen to make breakfast, composing a traditional chilaquiles - his version of comfort food. I felt completely at home with him.

  “Oh, my God, Sergio, this is heavenly!” I swooned over his creation.

  “My sweet Bridget, not half as delicious as you,” he purred and kissed me on the nose.

  “A girl could really get used to this,” I teased him.

  “I hope you’ll let me continue to pamper you. Nothing would please me more.” His smile was warm and relaxed.

  After breakfast, Sergio led me into his meticulously appointed bathroom with a shower that was the size of the entire bathroom in my little house. We luxuriated in the steamy, hot water as Sergio worked the almond-oil soap into voluminous suds. He washed every inch of me, caressing my curves with the foam. His arousal was returning. My heartbeat quickened responding to his touch. I scooped up some of the lather and pulled him into a hug to wash his back and feel his strong chest against mine. I slid my hands down and squeezed his ass, pressing his hardness against me. I took control, gliding my fingers up and down his thick shaft as he braced himself, and moaned in ecstasy. It was extraordinarily satisfying to give him this much pleasure.

  After we dressed, Sergio lit a fire in the living room. We sat down on the couch to snuggle. He swaddled me in a throw as he wrapped his arms around me. His phone rang, breaking the calm. “Hi, Adele,” Sergio said with little emotion. “Things are going fine. I got the proposal from Pratt Photography on Friday, and I think that’s the way we should go.”

  He paused as she spoke.

  “Well, you can look at it when you get back, but I’ve made my decision. He’s the one I want to work with.”

  He paused again, appearing agitated.

  “She had nothing to do with my decision. Dane’s an incredibly talented photographer, and I think he’s the right person for this book.”

  I could tell Adele was being argumentative. “You can review it, but I’ve made up my mind,” he said, raising his voice.

  She was speaking again.

  “Okay, I’ll see you Tuesday.” He hung up, obviously frustrated.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Oh, Adele is questioning my judgment. She knows I’m attracted to you, and she wants to be sure I’m not thinking with my dick but making the right decision for the book. I haven’t told you, but we looked at a couple of other photographers before Dane. One of them was completely wrong, but the other one was a photographer friend of my brother who’s pretty good. Adele also liked him very much. She just thinks we should look at the other photographer again before we make a decision.”

  The notion that Sergio might give the job to Dane because of his attraction to me was very flattering but I wanted to be sure he felt Dane was right. I certainly did. “Sergio, I don’t want to do anything to compromise this project. I truly believe Dane is the best person to get it done for you, and if I need to step back so you can work with him directly, please tell me. I just want you to be happy. And if you feel this other guy is right, you should consider that, too.”

  “No, quite the contrary,” Sergio said. “After your presentation the other day, I feel that you and Dane understand the true nature of this book. I’m relying on your sensibility for both Dane and me to get it done right. Adele will certainly have her opinions, but I would prefer to work with you and Dane directly on this.”

  “I appreciate your confidence in me. I promise it’ll be everything you want it to be.”

  “I know,” Sergio said quietly.

  We kissed, and I fell back in his arms, comfortably snuggled in front of the fire. It felt so right.

  Chapter 5

  When I arrived at the studio Monday morning, Dane was already there. His excitement for the project had exploded over the weekend.

  “Bridget, this is going to be phenomenal,” Dane said. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me sell it. I knew I was right for it when they were here, but I really think your input on the proposal and the photos made all the difference.”

  “Oh, Dane, you’re perfect for it. You and Valerie will knock it out of the park.”

  “I hope Adele feels that way when she gets back.”

  “Sergio has already made the decision, regardless of what Adele has to say.”

  “Oh? What gave you that idea?” he questioned.

  I could feel my face flush. “Well, he told me he’s thrilled to be working with us on it. It’ll just be a formality for Adele to review it.”

  Dane stared at me. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing! Sergio really respects your work, and nothing’s going to keep him from working with you,” I said, trying not to reveal my emotions.

  “Uh-huh,” Dane responded skeptically. “Did you use any physical force to sway him?” he asked, teasing me.

  “Not exactly,” I said, avoiding the question as best I could, but I figured I’d better at least tell him that Sergio and I had seen each other again. “He was sold after the presentation on Friday, but I had dinner with him Saturday night.”

  Dane raised an eyebrow. “Really. And how did that go?” he asked, somewhat facetiously.

  “Quite well, actually,” I said, smiling, not offering any other details.

  “Uh-huh,” Dane said, not asking for details, either.

  Valerie pranced into the studio with equal excitement. When she joined us, she realized we were in the middle of a discussion.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “Nothing!” I insisted.

  “Bridget just used all of her persuasive powers to land this job for us,” Dane said, looking at me as he offered the explanation to Valerie.

  “What’s up with that, Bridget?” Valerie asked. “Have you been fraternizing with Sergio to get this job?”

  “No! I mean, sort of, I guess. He was sold on it when I left him on Friday, but we had dinner Saturday, and that’s when he told me it was a done deal.”

  “You had dinner with him Saturday!? Where?” Valerie was incredulous.

  “Buena Comida. He invited me to join him after his dinner shift.”

  “Really!? Well, I guess you’re now in the inner circle.” Her retort was sarcastic. It was none of their business how dinner had evolved, but I was glad to have it out in the open that I had seen Sergio Saturday. I didn’t think that was what sealed the deal exactly, but it felt good to know that I had been an integral part of the process of securing the job for Dane.

  **

  Sergio’s restaurants were closed on Mondays, so he had the evening to himself. He invited me to join him at his flat for dinner at seven. He greeted me with a passionate kiss and escorted me to the kitchen. Candles filled the room, the flickering light bouncing off all the shiny surfaces. Sergio had prepared a pitcher of margaritas and some small appetizers. He poured each of us a drink and joined me at the bar.

  “Something smells amazing. What are you making?” I asked.

  “We tasted the new dishes that will be on the menu after New Year’s this afternoon. There are some outstanding new flavors I’m anxious for you to try. I really liked the spicy flounder and thought you might enjoy that this evening.”

  “Ooh, that sounds yummy. Seems like you had a busy day.”

  “It was busy but productive. Oh, and…um, Adele got back this afternoon,” he said tentatively.

  “Oh? I didn’t think she was due back until tomorrow. Is everything okay?”

  “Mostly. We took time to review Dane’s proposal this afternoon, and she had some recommendations about the photography.”

  “Really? Have you decided to work with someone else?” I asked, sitting up in my chair, bracing for bad news.

  “No, no, Bridget. Not at all,” he said, leaning over to kiss me. My relief must have shown in my body language. He hugged me to allay my fears, and th
en explained, “I went through the presentation with her and she had to admit it was impressive, even though I could tell she was trying to find fault with it. She took it to her office to review it on her own, and a couple of hours later, she came back to talk about it. She believes Dane’s the right choice for the photography, but she feels strongly that we should bring Nicole Terry in to do the food styling. Nicole’s been working with us for a while and knows the recipes. I told her that’s exactly why Nicole shouldn’t do the food styling. First of all, Dane should have the person he knows and is comfortable with. Second, Valerie could shake things up a bit, rather than ending up with more of the usual we get from Nicole. We all know Valerie’s talented and can handle it. Adele stood her ground, though. Nicole needs to be the lead stylist. She conceded that Valerie can assist, but she feels it is our project and we should call the shots on this. I had to acquiesce, Bridget. I’m so sorry.”

  I was shocked. Based on my experience, photographers always had their choice of who they worked with as their crew, particularly when it came to food styling. I wasn’t sure how Dane would feel about it, and I knew Valerie wouldn’t be happy. “Sergio, is this the only way? What if Dane insists on working with Valerie or he won’t do the job?”

  “Bridget, I need Adele. She helped pull me out of a very dark time in my life, and if this is the only way she will accept working with Dane, I have to honor it. I would prefer Dane have the people around him he trusts, too, but at least she agreed that Valerie can assist Nicole.”

  “You’re assuming Valerie will assist under these conditions. I know her pretty well, and it will take a small miracle for her to agree to that arrangement.”

  Sergio came up behind me and kissed my neck. He swung my chair around so we were eye to eye. “Please, Bridget, can you help me make this work? I really want you to manage the project and Dane to shoot it, and if working with Nicole will somehow make Adele more comfortable, I need to make that happen.” There was desperation in his eyes. Adele had Sergio in an emotional stranglehold. It made me angry that she had this much control over the situation. But it was obviously important to Sergio to keep her happy.

  “Let me see what I can do tomorrow. No telling how they’ll respond. But for tonight, we should let it go.” He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me with a deep wanton kiss.

  “Thank you, Bridget. You’re my hero,” he said playfully.

  “Don’t give me credit just yet. It’ll be a serious coup to get Dane and Valerie to agree to this. I’ll do everything I can to make it work for everyone.” I didn’t complete the sentence, but I was thinking, And it won’t be easy.

  Sergio threw together a green salad with lime vinaigrette to go with the spicy flounder. The depth of flavors in the whole meal was astounding. The thoughtful detail in everything Sergio touched was incredible. He had such passion, so much energy. It was contagious.

  After dinner, we took our wine into the living room to relax. As Sergio was about to sit down, he pulled a colorful box tied with a bow from behind the couch, and handed it to me. “What’s this?” I asked, unable to contain a grin.

  “I got these for you today,” he said. “I want you to be comfortable when you’re here.”

  Delicate tissue paper enveloped a silk robe, cashmere wrap, and soft slippers. “Oh, Sergio, you’re very thoughtful. They’re beautiful!”

  “You’re beautiful. I love making you smile,” he said, beaming back at me. He held out his hand to escort me to the bedroom. “Why don’t you try them on, see if they suit you? I will gladly exchange them for something else you might prefer.”

  He lay on the bed, watching me undress. His seductive eyes held me in a steady gaze as they twinkled in the firelight. I couldn’t resist doing a strip tease for my audience of one. My breasts began to swell and my nipples tighten from the excitement of performing my impromptu burlesque. I could feel my whole body begin to flush. Before I could wrap myself in the soft silk, he slid to the edge of the bed and pulled me into him. He gently lowered me to the bed as he braced himself over me.

  “You’re exquisite, Bridget,” he said, kissing me gently, moving down my neck and across my shoulders as his fingers fondled my tight nipples. My heartbeat quickened, my entire body shivered from his electric touch. He straddled my legs as his tongue taunted my nipples. My wetness and heat intensified with every stroke. His passion and excitement were building, too. He covered me with the comforter while he shed clothes. His silhouette was striking framed against the firelight. He sheathed himself, and slid under the comforter, wrapping his arm around my waist, and drawing me close. His magnificent erection pushed against me as he slid his hand farther down my back between my legs. His breathing quickened as he reveled in my readiness for him.

  “Oh, Bridget!” he exclaimed as he rolled over on top of me, spreading my legs with his. He held my chin in his hand and kissed me tenderly as he slid inside me. His slow, deliberate movements were extraordinarily seductive. He continued this erotic dance for several moments, moving in and out, adjusting my position with each push to reach deeper, and deeper connecting with my sweet spot and reaching for my soul. My body tensed, and legs stiffened. Before I exploded in orgasm, he pulled out and slid down so his tongue could take over the dance. A couple of licks with his taut tongue and my body writhed in pleasure.

  “Ohh!”I wailed, grabbing a pillow to muffle my cries. He tantalized me with his tongue for a moment longer as he gazed up at me.

  He slid up next to me, gently rolling me on top of him. Guiding my hips, he lowered me onto his hardness once again. His back arched spontaneously, pushing his head into the pillows savoring the sensations as I took him deep inside me. I braced myself, an arm on either side of him, my hair falling around my face and over his. He gathered it and draped it over my shoulder. His expression was intense as his climax thrashed through him. The tremor subsided, and he pulled me in for a long, wet kiss.

  I nestled my face in his neck, holding him inside me.

  “Bridget, you have no idea how much joy you bring back into my life.”

  “I feel the same way. I haven’t been though tragedy the way you have, but it’s been a while since there was anyone special in my life.”

  “You’re very special to me and I want you in my life,” Sergio said quietly.

  I instantly felt déjá vu recalling the night when Adam Comstock told me he wanted me “in his life.” Sadness fell over me as I thought about Adam, even though I was happy to know Sergio felt that way about me. Adam was never really in my life. We had only been together a few frantic days, even though it felt as if it had been a lifetime. As hard as it was, I had to let my past go and focus on the here and now, focus on Sergio. He was kind and loving, and deserved all my attention.

  I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. “I would like that.”

  He held me tightly, and we lingered in the embrace for a long while without a saying word. I felt incredibly connected to him.

  I slept hard for several hours and slipped out of bed at 6 a.m. to go home, shower, and change before I headed to the studio to tackle the most difficult diplomatic assignment I had ever faced.

  Chapter 6

  Tuesday morning, Dane and Valerie were in the studio to shoot a last-minute holiday campaign for the local farmers’ market. Valerie was creating quick, low-cal veggie snacks and fruit-based New Year’s cocktails. This is where Valerie shone. When there was little glamour to a recipe like cucumber and carrot rounds with pickled ginger and wasabi sauce, she made it look remarkably delicious.

  Valerie had her paintbrushes out, shining up the carrots with a touch of mineral oil while Dane was setting up the camera. “Hey, Dane, do you have a few minutes?”

  “Sure. What’s up?”

  “I wanted to talk to you and Valerie.”

  “Uh-oh. We didn’t get it, did we?” Valerie said, putting down her brush to join Dane and me at the counter.

  “No, the job is ours,” I said, without much fanfare.


  “So what’s the catch?” Valerie asked. “If it was all good news you’d be on top of the world.”

  “Well” -- I looked at Dane and back to Valerie -- “they’d like to work with their own food stylist on it since she’s familiar with the recipes, and have you work as her assistant.” I held my breath, waiting for her reaction.

  Dane shook his head, staring at Valerie. “No, I’ll only do it if Valerie’s with me as the lead.” He turned to me and asked, “Can’t we counter?”

  “Adele was adamant. It has to be this arrangement or nothing.” I cringed as Valerie and Dane exchanged glances again. It was as if they were having a conversation without speaking to each other.

  After a moment, Valerie chimed in, “I’m in if Dane is.”

  Her quick acceptance of the situation completely surprised me. I looked over at Dane, and he glanced at Valerie for true confirmation, but when she nodded, he said, “If Val’s okay with it, I guess I can work with that.”

  My anxiety over the whole conversation sent my speech into overdrive. “I know it isn’t the ideal situation, and you guys are so great for agreeing to work this way. I think this book is going to be huge for everyone involved. We can talk more about it after the shoot today.”

  “Good,” Dane said, his eyes fixed on Valerie. He walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Are you sure about this, Val? You’re my right-hand girl, and if I need to dig my heels in, I will.”

  “Yes, I’m sure. We all need this project, and I’m not going to be the one to hold up the process by being a prima donna. I’m just happy they’ll still let me assist. Who knows, maybe I’ll learn something,” she said, rolling her eyes with a bit of sarcasm.

  Dane hugged her and said, “You’re the best. We’ll talk details and formulate our ‘must have’ list for them after the shoot.” He looked at Valerie and then at me, and said with a big smile, “Go team!”

  Dane put on some upbeat music to lighten the mood, and get some energy going. I could tell Valerie was still a little frustrated, though. Working as the assistant would be a huge departure for her on so many levels. That kitchen was her domain. She had spent three years fine-tuning it, and she was used to being in charge. This arrangement would not be easy for her.