Cruel Temptation: An Age Gap Romance (Cruel Beauty Trilogy Book 1)

by C Standing

  Grabbing my hair brush and deodorant, I head into the bathroom. “Fine.”

  “River?” He’s hot on my heels.

  Expelling an agitated sigh, I brace the vanity. “I’m fine, Rick. I’ll be out in a minute.

  “No, you’re not fine.” He comes up behind me and winds his arms around my waist. “Something’s bothering you, and I’m not leaving until you tell me what it is.”

  Evading him, I reach for my makeup bag and yank open the zip. “Nothing's bothering me.” I huff, shoving my hand inside and pulling out some concealer.

  I rarely wear makeup, except for special occasions. But concealer is a must to cover the dark spots under my eyes.

  “Tell me what’s wrong,” Rick pleads, resting his chin on my shoulder.

  Snapping, I slam the concealer down on the marble. “You want to know what’s wrong?” I throw my arms up in exasperation. “I leave in less than twenty-four hours, and the man I love is more concerned about where we’re eating for breakfast than discussing our plans for the future!”

  A slow smile forms on his face. “You love me?”

  I turn in his arms and smack his shoulder. “Of course, I love you, you jerk! But I need you talk to me and stop putting off the inevitable.”

  “Sweetheart.” Rick takes my face in his hands. “I haven’t talked about it because I already know what’s going to happen?”

  “You do?”

  He nods. “We're going to figure it out, okay? All I know is, I’m not losing you.”

  That’s it?

  He’s the brains behind one of the biggest companies in the world, and that’s what he’s come up with?

  We’ll figure it out?

  That’s not exactly comforting.

  Pouting, I drop my head to his chest. “We don’t exactly have much time to do that, Rick. I fly back tomorrow.”

  “I know, baby. But I promise you, we’ll figure something out.” He kisses my nose. “But I can’t do long distance with you, River. It’ll fucking kill me, not seeing you every day.”

  I pull back and look up at him. “Then what are we going to do? I just bought a house in Rhode Island, Rick. I can’t just up and move.”

  “Then I’ll move to you.”

  I give him a look. “I live in a two-bedroom, Colonial-style house, City Boy. It’s hardly the same as the lifestyle you’re used to.”

  “Don’t be such a snob, sweetheart. I would live in a cramped fucking shed if it meant I could be with you.”

  My heart melts in my chest.

  “What about Skylar? Doesn’t she start preschool soon?”

  “We’ll find her a place close by.”

  “And Christian?”

  “He’s away at college, but he can come and stay with us when he’s on break.”

  “Did you miss the part where I said I live in a two-bedroom house? We wouldn’t have rooms for all of us.”

  “Then we’ll buy a bigger place and use your house as a weekend getaway.”

  “Rick,” I groan, “I don’t have the money to shell out for a new house.”

  I love him, but he needs to understand we don’t all have limitless funds. While I make more money than I used to, I still have to watch the purse strings.

  He tilts my chin up and smirks. “Did you miss the part where I’m a billionaire and have more money than I’ll ever spend?”

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You wouldn’t be asking me to do anything, sweetheart. I’ll be buying a house and setting down roots with my family.”

  The pressure on my chest eases, knowing there’s some kind of plan in place for us.

  “What about the immediate future?”

  Joey is away at college, and even if she wasn’t, she’s old enough and more than capable to take care of herself. Then there’s Mali, but I can always text or video call her when I want.

  “Do you have any reason to go home straight away?”

  “Only for work. Everything I need is at home.”

  Rick thinks for a moment. “What if you took an extended break? That way you could come home with me, maybe get to know Skylar a little, and then we’ll tackle the move.”

  Hope blossoms in my stomach, and for the first time in two days, I finally feel like I can relax and enjoy my last full day.

  “Okay,” I agree. “Let’s do that.”

  “Yeah?” The smile on his face is blinding.

  “Hell yeah.”

  “Thank fuck,” Rick growls, lifting me into his arms and spinning us around.

  Squealing, I bury my head in his neck and hold on for dear life. When he’s finally stopped moving, I pull back and gaze into his striking eyes. “Thank you. I really needed this conversation. The not knowing has been playing on my mind.”

  Setting me down on the vanity, he lays his hands on my hips. “Don’t thank me, baby. I’m your boyfriend, and it’s my job to take care of you. I don’t want you to ever be scared or worried to tell me something.”

  The relief I feel comes off me in waves. “I love you.”

  He closes his eyes and presses his lips to mine. “I love you, too, baby. Now, spread those sexy fucking legs so we can celebrate properly.”

  I chuckle against his lips. “Yes, sir.”

  By the time we reach the café, they’re serving brunch.

  Ever the gentleman (although he certainly doesn’t fuck like one), Rick holds the door open for me.

  “Ladies first.” He winks and gestures for me to head in first. “Where do you want to sit?”

  Is his cock an option? Because my body is still humming from how thoroughly we celebrated in his bathroom. I’ve never been so clean and so dirty all at once before. It was fucking life-affirming.

  Throwing an arm over my shoulder, he drifts his lips across my ear. “You’re blushing.”

  Asshole.

  Craning my neck up, I whisper in his ear, “Maybe it’s because I can’t stop thinking about my boyfriend’s magnificent cock.”

  “Magnificent,” he repeats, impressed. “Never heard it called that before.”

  Just as I open my mouth to respond, a loud laugh sounds from across the room, stealing my attention.

  The second I see the person belonging to the voice, my lady-boner dissipates.

  Sadie.

  Fucking great.

  I can’t even enjoy a nice brunch with my boyfriend on my last day in the city.

  Rick follows my gaze and stiffens. “Fuck.”

  I take his hand. I’m not letting this bitch ruin another day. “Let’s go sit down.”

  “We can go somewhere else, if you’d prefer?”

  “No.” I find a table by the window, looking out on to the busy street. “This is where you wanted to eat, so this is where we’re eating. Let’s just ignore her.”

  Bringing my hand to his lips, he rasps, “You’re fucking perfect, Miss McKinley.”

  Giggling at his antics, I hand him the menu. “Sit down and stop making a scene.”

  Pulling out the chair opposite me, Rick takes a seat and opens the menu. “Maybe I want to.” His knees brush mine under the table. “Maybe I want to make a scene with you all over this café.”

  “Stop,” I warn, a playful lilt to my voice. “Open your menu and have lunch with your girlfriend. We have the rest of our lives for sex.”

  My God, this man is a fiend.

  A sexual fucking deviant.

  If he had his way, he’d be inside me twenty-four-seven.

  As we browse through the menu, a waitress comes over.

  “Hi there, are you ready to order or would you prefer some more time?”

  “I think I’m ready.” I look to Rick.

  “Can I get a BLT with a side of fries, and some of your famous cookies.”

  She writes down his order. “And to drink?”

  “Coffee, please.” He closes the menu and hands it to her.

  “Of course.” She looks to me. “What can I get you?”

  “Can I have
a hot chocolate, with an egg and cheese sandwich.”

  “Sure thing.” I pass her my menu. “I’ll be over in a second with your drinks.”

  We both thank her in unison, and as she walks away, Rick reaches over to take my hands. “You look beautiful. Hell, you always look gorgeous.” His eyes search mine. “But there’s something so fucking breathtaking about you today.”

  Heat rises up my chest. “Maybe that’s because I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. The uncertainty of us was wearing me down.”

  Rick squeezes my hands. “There was never any question where I would be. I go where you go, always.”

  Before I can stop myself, I lean over the table and kiss him softly. “I love you.”

  “Jesus, hearing those words fall from your lips.” He shakes his head, as though unable to believe it. “There’s nothing better.”

  “You’re such a charmer—”

  “If it isn’t New York’s latest craze.”

  Dammit.

  I knew it was too good to be true.

  Sighing, I turn away from her and look out the window.

  “Rick. Rover. What a pleasure.”

  Attempting to be the better woman, I sit up taller in my seat, making sure to keep hold of Rick’s hand the entire time. “Sadie, what can we do for you?”

  Her eyes lower to our joined hands, and I mentally high-five myself.

  Yeah, he’s mine, bitch.

  As blasé as can be, she flips her peroxide blonde hair. “I just thought I’d come over and say hello.”

  “Well, now you have, you can go.” This comes from Rick. “And her name is River.”

  She feigns innocent. “I’m sorry?”

  You will be if you keep this up.

  “Her name is River,” Rick grits.

  “Right.” Sadie snaps her fingers like she forgot. Forgot, my ass. “Sorry, River. Must’ve slipped my mind.”

  I plaster on a fake smile. “Of course.”

  Fucking liar.

  “Sadie.” His voice has a warning to it. “What do you want?”

  “I wanted to see if Rita would like to come to one of my luncheons.”

  I’d rather slit my own throat.

  “Thanks for the invite, Sawyer, but I’ll be heading home tomorrow.”

  She flashes me a calculated, toothy smile. “It’s Sadie.”

  “Sorry.” I bat my eyelashes. “Must’ve slipped my mind.”

  The serpent turns her eyes to my man. “Rick, we really must catch up when Riley has gone. It’s been too long.”

  “Jesus Christ, Sadie.” He slams his fist down on the table, garnering the attention of other customers. “Her name is River. Not Rita or Riley. River. Show some fucking respect.”

  For a moment, she has the nerve to look taken aback. “My apologies, River. I’ll leave you to enjoy your meal.”

  She turns to leave, but just before she passes me, I say, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Sadie. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future.”

  I glower at her, hoping my eyes convey my message.

  He’s mine.

  Her lips curl up into a too-sweet smile. “We’ll see.”

  We’re finishing up our meals, when I excuse myself. “I just need to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

  Unfortunately, that means I have to pass the witch’s table.

  Entering the ladies’ room, I locate an empty stall and relieve myself. Once finished, I walk across the small bathroom to wash my hands. As I pump some soap, I hear the door open. Thanks to my intuition, I don’t need to look up to see who it is.

  “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?”

  I meet her eyes in the mirror. “Excuse me?”

  “Are you going to go home and brag to all your pathetic little friends about how you snagged the taken billionaire?”

  I rinse my hands, finding her brand of crazy thoroughly entertaining. “I think you need to get your facts right, sweetheart. Because the only person he’s taken by, is me.”

  Taking out a tube of mascara, she unscrews the wand. “We have children together, you know.”

  “I’m aware.”

  She applies a lightly layer to her lashes and blinks. “You should do the decent thing and bow out now.”

  “And why would I do that?”

  Sadie swivels to face me. “Because he’s still in love with me.”

  I burst out laughing, I can’t stop it. “Oh Christ, you really are insane.”

  She advances on me, but I remain exactly where I am. This lunatic doesn’t scare me. “Leave him, or I’ll be forced to do something drastic.”

  This time, I’m the one who steps up to her. “I love him. There’s nothing you could possibly do that would make me leave him.”

  “Even stop him from seeing his daughter?”

  I can’t sleep for shit. It’s early Monday morning, and we’ll be heading home to Malibu in a few hours, ready to begin our new lives together. But something’s wrong.

  River has been off with me ever since she came back from the bathroom yesterday afternoon, and every time I asked what was wrong, she shut me down or brushed me off.

  Something is definitely wrong.

  She’s never been like this with me before, and it’s driving me nuts.

  For the first time in a few nights, we didn’t make love when we crawled into bed, and even though we’ve only been together a week, us not being intimate is not the norm.

  Doesn’t she realize that I crave the intimacy we share? I live for the way her body convulses around me? The sweet, breathy moans that roll off her lips as she comes.

  Our connection isn’t just sexual—don’t get me wrong, the sex between us is fucking world-altering. But, it’s deeper than that. I’ve never felt so in sync with another woman before in my life. The chemistry between us is so hot, it’s fucking combustible.

  If someone lit a match around us, we’d go up in flames.

  But I miss everything else that comes along with her, too.

  I miss my feisty girl. The one who’s not afraid to put me in my place. The woman who calls me on my bullshit, and challenges my every goddamn decision.

  I miss the infectious sound of her laugher, and the way her entire face lights up when she smiles. I miss the warmth of her in my arms when I hold her.

  Christ, I just fucking miss her.

  She’s cold, aloof, and distant, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.

  What if she’s changed her mind?

  What if she’s decided that taking on a jaded guy with a fuck load of baggage is too much for her?

  I’ve never been in love before. Never craved someone as much as I crave River. I’m so goddamn gone for this woman, it scares me.

  Now, as she slumbers beside me, her inky black hair sprawling over my arm and pillow, all I can think about is how I can snap her out of this somber mood she’s in.

  My cock’s hard and jutting against my stomach, waiting impatiently for her to wake up. When I can’t stand it anymore, I shift onto my side, and push the comforter down an inch exposing her smooth, alabaster skin, and press feather light kisses up her neck.

  I can’t not have her.

  It’s like asking the Pope not to pray, it’s not going to happen.

  Biting lightly on her earlobe, I splay a possessive hand over her toned stomach, the tips of my fingers grazing the swell of her breasts. “You’re so fucking beautiful, baby,” I rasp into her neck, knowing she’s lost to the world of dreams.

  My body responds to her like a chemical reaction, and I lightly rock into the crack of her ass as my thumb sweeps across her pebbled skin.

  River makes a low sound in her throat, but doesn’t wake up.

  Hooking her pliant leg over my thigh, I trail my hand between her legs, finding her wet and ready to go. Fuck, yes.

  “Are you dreaming about me, sweetheart?” My thumb lightly massages her slick clit, and she shifts in my arms, but her eyes remain closed.


  “I bet you are,” I groan, dipping down and take her nipple into my mouth, swirling my tongue over the tip. “I bet you’re dreaming of Daddy’s fat cock filling this eager little pussy.”

  River shifts against me, pushing that perfect ass right into my groin.

  Fuck, yes.

  Goddammit, I wanted to draw this out. Make her cum just from my touch, but I can’t wait any longer.

  Gripping the base of my length, I nudge her legs apart and glide my oozing cock through her wet folds.

  “Rick,” my girl moans in her sleep, her throaty voice doing all kinds of dirty things to me.

  “I’ve got you, baby.” Taking that as my cue, I slowly sink inside her warmth, feeling her walls stretch around me until I’m balls deep.

  Groaning, I drop my forehead to her back. “Fuck, you feel incredible.”

  My thrusts start out soft and languid at first, taking my time to savor and cherish the way she feels wrapped around me.

  Raising her leg just a tad, I push a little further, her walls clamping around me.

  Stirring in my arms, River fists the bedsheets and moans loudly. “Rick… oh God, Rick.”

  I kiss her shoulder, needing her to wake up so she can experience this with me. “Show me those gorgeous eyes, sweetheart.”

  “Mmm,” River moans, grinding her ass into me.

  A loud guttural noise emanates from my throat. “There she is.”

  “Oh God,” River whimpers, rotating her backside against me.

  Needing to feel her mouth on mine, I turn her chin and claim her lips in a hot and feral kiss, spearing my tongue into her mouth.

  Melting into me, River hooks her arm around my neck, deepening our kiss until I can’t tell where she ends and I begin.

  Pretty soon, her breathing picks up and her fingers curl tightly around my nape. “Wait,” she says breathlessly, and I immediately freeze.

  “Am I hurting you?”

  “No.” Her breathing is labored. “But I want you to get something for me.”

  “Now?” I ask, not really wanting to leave the heaven of her body yet.

  River laughs hoarsely. “Yes, now. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.”

  Goddammit.

  I ease out of her, my reddened cock protesting. “What do you need?”

  “There’s a black bag on the chaise lounge, bring it to me.”