by Dani Rene
With a slow, measured movement, I loosen the metal teeth with a hiss and grip my cock from my boxers. Stroking myself slowly with a tight hold, I watch as Elisabet’s fingers become wet. Coated in her arousal, she whimpers when I grunt, she moans when I groan, and when I tell her to stop, she mewls in agony.
“Spread your legs wider,” I croak, my voice turning husky with the need to be inside her. This woman could so easily kill me with the desire that courses through my veins as I watch her.
Her feet shuffle, her thighs part farther, and her body is open for me. Pushing from the chair, I saunter toward her, my cock still in my palm. When I reach her, I nudge her opening with the seeping tip, teasing her pussy until she’s pleading for me.
“Please, Rome, just do it.” Her words are fuel to the fire raging inside me. It’s as if she’s a key, unlocking everything I’ve held close, kept hidden, and she’s slowly but surely turning that mechanism until I’m the one opening myself for her.
I push forward without any haste. The slow movement causes her to shove her hips backward, but I quickly grab her and keep her steady.
“No.” It’s one word that explains everything I need to say. Don’t move. Don’t allow me to fall for you. And don’t fall for me. Without another thought, I drive my hips into her plump ass and revel in the way she jiggles against my thrust.
She accepts me, taking me all the way to the hilt before I groan as she tightens around me, pulsing and sucking me in. Her slick walls massage my shaft, and I still all my movements to revel in the pleasure that’s taking over me.
“Rome,” she whimpers, her head turning to regard me over her shoulder. “Please.” Another plea tumbles from her lips. My body moves away from hers, sliding out of her until I’m barely inside her heat, and then I slam back in.
Her body is pinned between me and the table, and I can’t focus on anything other than the tightness of her body. With every thrust, I hasten my movements. We move together, in sync, as pleasure drives us closer to the edge.
My release nears, and I have to reach around, circling her clit to push her over the precipice alongside me. Elisabet’s cries fall freely as her cunt pulses around me, draining my orgasm from me, and with a grunt, I join her in euphoria.
Chapter 24
Elisabet
The sunlight streaming through the window wakes me in a blanket of warmth. My bare skin feels like it’s cocooned, but this morning, I feel different. Changed. Last night, Rome showed me pleasure beyond my wildest dreams. Opening my eyes, I glance at the nightstand and notice it’s only seven. I roll over, feeling the aches and pains from the night before.
I’ve managed to get a good four hours' sleep. We didn’t get any rest until Rome was satisfied I had enough orgasms to see me through the day. At this rate, I’ll have enough of those to last me the year. He’s insatiable, and I’m certainly not complaining.
I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. The moment I sit, I feel the dull ache between my legs from his fingers, cock, and the way he made me taunt myself with my own hand. A smile is plastered on my face as I make my way into the kitchen to find freshly brewed coffee and a note on the counter that Rome had an early meeting. I can’t help but feel like things are working out for the best.
Today is the second day of the renovations at my bakery, and I’m excited to see the end result. Even though there’s still a lot of work to do, I know I’ll be happy with how it pans out because I’ll be overseeing every change.
I may be a little ADD about the whole project. But I want it to be perfect. It’s where I’ll be creating and inventing new recipes for the next . . . however long, so I want to be happy with the space.
I fill a mug and head back to the bedroom. I have an hour before I need to be there, so I pick up my cell phone and tap out a message to Mia. Perhaps we can meet for lunch or even just a coffee today. Just knowing I have her close by to meet up with when we’re both free makes me feel happy I chose to come to Portland and not any other city.
I don’t have anyone else here to talk to. No friends or family, so I’m grateful she doesn’t hate me for running off when we were at school. Once I hit send, I grab my coffee and settle in the window seat overlooking the city. I take a moment to enjoy the view, to enjoy being in my own space as I finish my java and look forward to the day ahead.
By the time lunchtime rolls by, my stomach is rumbling, and I’m exhausted. When I decided to buy, I didn’t want to completely gut the place, but now that we have, I’m excited. Now we’re basically rebuilding to match what I had in my mind all along. It looks incredible already, and I’m excited to see the final coats of paint going on the walls.
“I’m headed out,” I tell the guys that are currently setting down tools. Since they’re staying here for lunch, I told Mia I’d meet her at the café a couple of streets down. They focus on light lunches, whereas I’ll be serving the desserts.
“Hi, Elisabet.” Karly, the owner, grins as I walk inside.
“Hi, how are things going over here?”
“We’re ready for our lunch rush. Are you joining us?”
Nodding, I grab a couple of menus from the counter. “Yes, I’m meeting a friend, so I’ll grab this one,” I tell her as I settle at the window, which overlooks a park.
“Sure, I’ll grab your order when she gets here. Do you want some coffee in the meantime?”
“That would be amazing,” I tell her with a sigh, sitting back to relax against the chair. “It’s been a long day.” She nods with a smile and gets to work while I focus my attention on the view.
My phone buzzes on the table, and I pick it up to find a message from Rome.
Rome: Tonight, I’d like to finally cook you something.
I smile, thinking about him in the kitchen. Actually, I don’t think it would be too bad. At least the view will be fun to look at. Giggling to myself, I give him a thumbs-up before the door opens, and Mia walks in.
“Hey, am I late?”
“No.” I smile. “I’ve just got here.” She grins as she settles opposite me, and Karly comes over with my coffee. Creamy and frothy.
“Can I get you the same?” Karly smiles at Mia, pointing at my steaming mug.
“Please, an Americano,” she says happily. Once we’re alone, Mia turns her attention to me. “Does that silly grin on your face have anything to do with Rome?” Even as she asks, my heart skitters at the thought of Rome.
“Maybe,” I say slowly, dragging out the word as my cheeks heat.
“I knew it!” She practically bounces in the chair with excitement, and I know she clearly was impressed with him at dinner. “It was like you two couldn’t wait to get home and away from prying eyes. I could feel the tension between you two.”
“No, you couldn’t.” I gasp in shock, but also, as my stomach flip-flops, I’m reminded of what he does to me.
“Please,” Mia says as her coffee arrives. “It was so worth seeing you two happy.” We watch each other as we both take a sip of our drinks. The scene reminding me of the time we did the exact same thing back in college.
“Oh my god, do you remember—?”
“Geordie Crouch,” Mia finishes my sentence with a squeal, and suddenly I’m back to that young girl with so much ahead of her. A pang of regret tightens my chest as I remember how much Mia and I laughed along with the class. Geordie decided that cupcakes could be molded into any shape. Then proceeded in making a dozen penises.
“Sex education at its finest,” I laugh, lifting my mug and tipping it with Mia’s.
The restaurant is filling up, and we place our orders for lunch before Mia leans in and says, “So, real talk.” She settles in and looks at me. “What’s happening with you and Rome? I think you make a gorgeous couple.”
“But?” I ask, lifting my mug to sip my drink. I know there’s something more coming, and I’d like to hear what someone outside our strange agreement makes of us.
“But something is holding you both back,” she says. “I can te
ll he likes you, a lot, but you both seemed almost as if you’re still unsure of what’s going on.”
I nod. “Yes, it’s just . . . I mean, I told him it would be one night, and then it turned into no strings, and then . . .” I allow my words to filter off between us, leaving the sentence hanging so she can finish it.
“And now you like him. Really like him, not just for the sex.” Mia’s voice feels louder than it is, and embarrassment burns my cheeks. “Oh, come on,” she says on a laugh. “You can’t be wanting to hide away from that. You’re a strong woman, you’re independent, and you know what you want. Just tell him.”
Sighing, I shrug it off. “I guess. It’s just that I’m scared of getting hurt,” I tell her just as our food arrives. Two salads with a sweet dressing that makes me think of home and my mother’s apple reduction she always loved drenching her salad in. “I mean, what if I bore him one day?”
She laughs, the melodic sound making me smile, even though I’m thinking of the fact that Rome could so easily turn around and walk out the door.
“Let me say something, and it’s Camden’s take on you two,” she says, jabbing her fork into the green leaves. “He said that you two seem cozy enough that you’re practically married already.”
Her words have me choking on my chicken. “What?”
“Camden just said you both seem at ease with each other. Also, I noticed that Rome looks at you the way Camden would look at me.”
“And what look is that?”
This time, it’s Mia who shrugs as if it’s nothing, but then she stops poking at her lunch and looks at me before saying, “Like you’re his entire world.”
And that’s when my entire world stops.
Chapter 25
Rome
The office is buzzing with the two new properties that have just gone up. I know the agents will be trying to get those sales because their commission would skyrocket if they got those off the market.
Smiling, I head into the office to find Dom sitting behind my desk, his feet on the smooth, veneer top. “Good morning, Rome.” The satisfied smirk on his face is evidence that he has something to say.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, making my way deeper into the room before I stop at the chair, motioning for him to get out of it.
With another smile, he lowers his shoes and pushes from the seat. “You’ve been hiding away with that pretty little baker of yours,” he says. “I want to meet her.” I settle in my chair, and Dom takes the one in front of my desk. He’s still grinning, and I know there’s more to it than just him wanting to meet Elisabet.
“Are you going to tell me what your man found?”
“It seems your girl is married,” he tells me.
Furrowing my brows, I meet his gaze, green piercing me with questions that I can’t answer. Not right now because that can’t be true. “She’s not married. She was promised to be wed to some asshole who let her go. She admitted everything to me last week.”
“Oh, well, it seems that her last name may not have changed, but she certainly exchanged vows. Because when I look into her Social Security number, it has hits on her marriage contract.” Dom gestures to the folder on my desk, and I flip it open. I scan the information page by page in silence as he waits for me to respond. I can feel his eyes boring into me, curiosity dancing between us in the air, hanging over us like a heavy cloud.
“This makes no sense,” I finally say after shutting the file. “She didn’t . . . I mean, this must be some mistake.”
“My man never makes mistakes, Rome.” He’s right. I know the PI in question, and the man could dig up anything you ask him to, and it doesn’t matter if you were an everyday Joe or an infamous world leader. If it’s there, he’d find it.
“Nothing makes sense when it comes to women. This is why I keep them to one night only and nothing more. There are too many strings when it comes to relationships, and I hate being tied up.”
“I’m sure there’s an explanation. I’ll take this to her, and I’ll speak to her. She’ll be able to tell me.”
“And if she doesn’t? What if she’s hiding from said husband, and you’re here playing hero without the full story?” Dom leans forward, his elbows on his knees as he regards me. For the first time in a long while, my best friend is serious. There’s not a playful crease in his expression, which makes the anxiety twisting in my gut even worse.
Shaking my head, I sit back. “I know her, Dom. She wouldn’t do this. That woman has been through some bad shit, but she wouldn’t lie to me. I told her about Marisol, I admitted my sordid past, and she wouldn’t let me do that and not give me her history.”
“Are you sure about that?” Dom challenges, his dark brow arching high in question. Even as he asks it, I can’t respond, because to be honest, I don’t know. Yes, Elisabet told me about her arranged marriage. Yes, she told me about her father and what she’d experienced, but I don’t know if I can say she’s been completely honest with me.
And the moment that thought comes to mind, I feel sick.
“I have to go into the office,” Dom says with a sigh. “If you need me, give me a call.” He stands, looking at me, and all I can do is nod. “I’m sorry, and I hope this is some sort of mix-up.” He’s sincere. I know he is, but deep down, my gut feeling is that this information he’s given me is right.
“Thanks, man,” I tell him. “I’ll give you a shout later, after I’ve spoken to her.”
He nods, his expression remains neutral, and I’m sure he’s worried about me. If I lose my shit, I do it in style, and I can’t do that to Elisabet. No matter how much she’s lied to me. If she has lied.
Nothing is certain anymore. Not my emotions, and not the feeling that I found someone I’d like to possibly spend more time with.
“See you later.” Once I’m alone, I can’t shake the foreboding feeling that’s taken hold of me. As much as I’d like to put this down to human error, or something, I can’t. I pick up my phone and scroll to Elisabet’s number.
I know she’s at work, getting the shop ready, but right now, I don’t care. I hit dial and wait. It takes a few rings before she answers.
“Hi, I can’t believe how beautiful this color is,” she gushes immediately without waiting for me to respond. “I love it. I think you’ll like it. They’re working on the front of the shop first, and I have two guys outside. I decided white is the way to go with the exterior. What do you think?”
Silence.
“Rome?”
“I need to talk to you.” Those are the only words I manage to utter, because if I say anything more, it may not be well received. Even though I’m angry, I’m attempting to rein in the way my body is tempted to lose all control with her.
“What’s wrong?” Her voice is small, fear lacing the two words she mutters. Fisting my hands, I look at the file again, the black front taunting me with what’s inside. The memory of seeing a marriage certificate is burned into my retinas, and I know I can never expunge it from my mind.
“Come to my office, right now. I don’t care what the fuck you’re doing, you will be here in fifteen minutes.” I hang up before she can respond. Before she can ask me why or what’s wrong, I end the call and sit in the silence of my office.
When my office door opens, and Elisabet walks in, I’m finishing up an email and hitting send before I turn my attention to her. I can tell by the expression on her pretty face that she’s worried. Her brows are furrowed, and the small smile she’s gifting me is unsure.
“Hi,” she whispers, before closing the door behind her.
“I had a visit this morning from my best friend, Dominic. He’s someone I’ve known my whole life.” Leaning back in my chair, I gesture for her to sit. I don’t break my stare as she settles herself. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a tank top, I can’t help noticing how even when she’s dressed down, she looks exquisite. Her long, dark hair is pinned on top of her head in a messy bun with feathery tendrils framing her face.
“Is he
okay? What’s wrong, Rome?”
Shaking my head to clear my mind, I speak, “He brought something here for me. Before we . . . before we decided what it was we were doing, I asked him to do me a favor.” I’m not proud of asking him, but I had to. I couldn’t get involved with someone who couldn’t be honest with me.
“Okay.” She drags the word out slowly, and I know she’ll be angry I had someone look into her, but I’m angrier that she didn’t tell me the whole truth.
“He had his family’s private investigator look into you for me.”
“What?” Her gasp is filled with shock, and the look on her face changes from worry to anger. “How could you do that?”
“I needed to know what you were hiding. I’ve been—”
“No, Rome. You had no right to do that. I told you about my past.”
“And yet, you forgot to mention you’re married!” My voice booms against the walls, bouncing around us, filling the office like a looming storm about to crack through the space between us.
Elisabet’s brows furrow as I glare at her. She looks even more shocked now than when I admitted to looking into her past.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t fucking play games with me, sweetheart,” I bite out, handing her the folder.
Elisabet rises, picking up the item, and flipping it open to the first page. She doesn’t say anything as she flips between the documentation. Her expression remains neutral while I study her. I’m tense, my muscles rigid as I watch her.
Moments later, she lifts her gaze to mine. “This isn’t true.” Her voice is confident. She’s so sure that whatever is in that file isn’t believable.
“And how am I meant to believe that when it’s clearly in black and white?” I speak, my voice coming out raspy with emotion. I’m tamping down the anger, the fear that she’s lying. I realize as I look at her that I don’t want it to be true.
