Tatum was stunned and disappointed. She pushed his hands away. He’s rejecting you.
She turned away, needing space. She wanted to hide in that black hole. This wasn’t what they’d told her. He was supposed to have sex with her before he threw her away.
“I…” Tatum struggled to say something. She wanted to act like his rejection didn’t matter. That she could deal with it and move on. She had to end the date on a positive note.
His footsteps approached. Seth placed his hands on her shoulder. “I don’t want to have sex with you. I want to make love to you.”
Tatum turned around. First, he was rejecting her and now he was saying something totally different? Was trying to let her down gently?
“Listen, I told you before that I want a relationship with you. But sex isn’t part of it. Making love is. I want that with you.” He pulled her toward him.
“You’re mixing apples and oranges. Call it what you want, but you’re still…”
“Do you think that after all this time I’m going to say no? A man who refuses to take no for an answer?”
Tatum shrugged.
Seth grabbed her hand. “Where’s your bedroom?”
Once inside, he turned on the light. Kissed her again. “Let’s undress each other.”
She was surprised. She had never expected him to say that. No man ever had requested it before. Most of her ex-lovers were undressed before she could take her shoes off.
Tatum helped him pull the shirt over his head. He took his shoes off while she undid his belt, but then he stopped her. His voice was husky. “Undress me.”
She thought she was doing that. Then she realized what he meant. She slipped her tongue into his mouth as she unzipped his pants. He groaned when she pulled his pants down and fondled him. Seth swelled in her hand and she stroked him, lightly circling the underside of the head of his dick to drive him wild.
It worked.
Seth stopped her. “That’s enough.”
He stepped out of his pants. She took her heels off, which gave her a larger disadvantage of height. He reached under her dress and pulled down her stockings. Tatum sat on the bed so he could remove them. Slowly, he rolled them down along with her underwear, kissing her on her thighs, her legs with each inch he rolled.
Tatum gasped and leaned back on the bed. Seth slowly gave her wet butterfly kisses on the inside of her thighs, which tingled and tantalized her. She slid her hand through his silky hair, encouraging him to delve further.
She didn’t have to encourage him; he’d already hiked up her dress. Tatum moaned. His tongue wreaked havoc on her. She bit her lip trying not to scream. It felt so good, like she was on fire. She rolled her hips wildly against his tongue. The fire mounted, causing her to breathlessly scream his name. Her pleasure built to a vortex of tension, which told her she was going to die if it wasn’t fulfilled.
It was unfair. He knew her body too well. She gasped, getting closer and closer to fulfillment. Moaned. Seth pulled back, disappointing her.
“Don’t…” she moaned out of breath and disappointed, “…stop.”
Seth pulled her into a sitting position. He tugged the dress over her head so she was completely naked. Sighing, she pulled back the sheets and Tatum moved to the center of the bed. He didn’t follow. She waited, wondering where he was. When he returned to the bed, he positioned himself over her.
“Here.” He tossed a small red foil packet on her stomach. Tatum couldn’t believe he was going to make her put the condom on him.
Opening the packet, she slowly rolled it down onto his erect manhood. Although she was tempted to taste him, she needed fulfillment right now.
He reached between her legs, reigniting the fire within her. Seth positioned himself between her legs, and then Plunged his long, thick dick into her, stretching her pussy so wide that she gasped with satisfaction. Seth’s next thrust was deeper into her pussy that she knew, she just knew she could feel his dick in her throat, before she felt him pull out. Tatum squeezed her clit around him trying to make him stay inside her. He groaned, slamming his penis harder and faster into pussy. Each time feeling better than the first for Tatum as she felt her sexual desire ramp up. Seth increased his pace, moving his dick in and out of Tatum making her pussy wetter as he got closer to her climax.
Tatum tried not to scratch his back but couldn’t help it. Each thrust made her desperate for more. In a frenzy, she matched him stroke for stroke, eager to reach euphoria. She screamed his name. Seth quickened his pace.
The fiery explosion left her breathless and satisfied. Seth roared hoarsely. Tatum was surprised when she was disappointed. She wished he was spilling into her so she could feel the aftermath of his explosion.
He fell on top of her. Tatum loved how protective his hard body felt on top of her. Exhausted, he buried his face in the nape of her neck. She stroked his shoulder as he regained control.
They changed positions after he left the bed. Tatum rested on top of him. He stroked her thigh, which was entwined between his.
Seth fell asleep before she did. Tatum was tired, but she couldn’t stop thinking. She kept telling herself she’d just made love with a white man, but the more she recited it, the she less she could believe it. She’d made love to Seth, not a white man. She just hoped it was true.
Chapter 10
“I need proof.”
Proof? Seth decided she was becoming too obsessive and demanding. He was driving back to his apartment when he received the call. It was barely three in the morning, and he was listening to demands from Karla.
He didn’t have time for this. “What are you talking about?”
“My boss wants proof that I have the account.”
Seth was outraged. “You told your boss about our deal.”
“No, not the whole of it.”
“Then what did you say?” He slowed to a stop at an intersection.
Karla clenched the phone. “I told them I have the account, but I need proof. MPR is claiming they’re keeping you.”
Seth lost his temper. “Listen, first I’m not a thing to be kept. Second, we’re not even close to cementing our relationship.”
“Come on, you’re having sex!” she screamed into the phone.
Damn it. He hated it when women gabbed about stuff that should have remained private. “That doesn’t mean you have the account.”
“That’s what I hate about you bastards. All you want is a good time.” Karla continued to rant. “You don’t give a shit about Tatum or this deal. You just want to fuck her and leave her.”
He couldn’t believe she was talking to him that way. Who the hell did she think she was? “Excuse me?”
There was a very pregnant pause on the other end of the line. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to be playing with Tatum’s emotions.”
Seth turned roughly onto his street, nearly clipping a park car. “I will worry about Tatum’s emotions. You keep up the good work.”
“That doesn’t help me,” she said desperately. “I need to show Mr. Gault that I’m at least in the finals.”
Seth parked his car. “Call Don Page and he’ll set something up.”
She sounded relieved. “Are you serious?”
He didn’t want to think about it. He needed to get off the phone. “Yeah, I’ll speak with him tomorrow. He’s doing some advertising for Legacy’s ten-year anniversary party.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Seth was grateful too. Grateful to get rid of her.
“I’d like to keep encouraging you to do everything you can to stick with these positive feelings. You’re making progress.”
Tatum stared at the therapist, surprised by the comment. She’d expected harsh homework that would require her to tell Seth something crazy. “Thanks.”
Dr. Bev nodded. Tatum left the small office and walked to the administrative assistant’s desk. She had to make her next appointment. She was still trying to decide if she wanted to prepay when he asked h
er name.
“Tatum Fox.”
He opened the date book to the right time and suggested a date. She agreed. Opening her purse, she pulled out the money to prepay for the appointment. She didn’t want to be bothered with making another payment.
Tatum left the building. People whizzed by on the downtown streets, so she had no idea there was someone behind her. She’d decided to be late returning from lunch. Adam was in a conference and didn’t need her there, so she was going to have an easy day. That was rare.
She stopped at a coffeehouse inside the Crew Tower Mall. The person behind her walked past the mall.
Tatum was floating in air when it happened. She knew she was dreaming because it felt too good to be true. A bonfire was escalating inside her and she had no idea how it started. She forced her eyes open and found Seth staring back her, blue eyes full of lust and excitement.
“I was wondering how long it was going to take you to wake up.” He slapped her thigh.
She was going to comment on his rough treatment or her right to sleep as long as she pleased, but she decided to kiss him instead. Seth entered her, and the lusty roller coaster ride began. Their union was different this time. She watched him between the thrilling heights of passion, more playful. She quickened the pace when Seth tried to slow down. He was trying to let her come first.
Seth groaned. He clenched her hips, forcing her to stop moving and withdrew. She moaned in disappointment, then gasped when he plunged into her again, causing a renewed frenzy of sexual excitement. Seth withdrew a second time and lay down, pulling her on top of him.
“You show me the pace you want to go,” he said, struggling to order her around.
Tatum couldn’t tell if he was angry, but then she saw the sexy twinkle in his eyes.
They began making love again. She fitted him inside her and this time, she controlled the pace until she worked herself into fierce, mounting whirl. Then, she saw his problem. He was thinking about them both.
She slowed down, but he begged her not to stop. She leaned slightly forward to get a better position and began her hula-hoop dance again. Tatum had never finished at the same time as her lover before. It was thrilling. He erupted in her and trembled helplessly. Her own explosion caught her by surprise.
“Seth!” Tatum screamed breathlessly.
It was a lazy Saturday morning when they finally emerged from his bedroom at the apartment. She showered and changed into jeans and a t- shirt, then joined him in the kitchen. Tatum still didn’t understand why they spent time at his apartment instead his house, but she was too scared to ask. She envisioned some horrible answer, like he only took his serious girlfriends to the house.
“I have to go to Los Angeles next weekend,” Seth announced after she entered the kitchen. He was in the midst of making coffee.
Tatum, shocked, stood for a long time by the island table. She didn’t know how to react. She thought he would have told her earlier.
She tried to sound unfazed when she asked, “Next weekend?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I’ll be gone for about two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” Her tone definitely betrayed her this time.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” She didn’t want him to think she was needy.
Seth threw the coffee maker filter in the garbage. “What’s wrong?”
Shrugging, she pretended not to care about the weekend. “I was just surprised. You’ll miss my birthday.”
Seth walked over to her and kissed her lightly. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
She shrugged again. “Really, it’s no big deal.”
Seth leaned against the counter and pulled her against him. Tatum knew he was trying to make her feel better. After a longer kiss, he said, “Why don’t you use Score for your birthday party?”
Tatum was excited. She wasn’t even planning a birthday party but having one at the restaurant sounded liked a good idea. “I’d like that.”
He nodded. “I’ll tell Ralph to expect you.”
Tatum kissed him. “Thank you.”
“That’s it?” He acted disappointed. “That’s all I get?”
She pretended to think about it and then laughed. “Yeah.”
“I’ll have to change that then.” He bent down to kiss her, tugging at her jeans.
Tatum pulled away, smiling. “Can’t you take no for an answer?”
“No.”
Seth sprawled out on the couch. He watched the news and waited for Tatum to return home. He didn’t feel like going back to his place, and he wondered when Tatum was going to ask him about his house and why he didn’t take there. He didn’t really have a good answer. It just didn’t matter. Seth preferred city living to suburbia, and so he liked to stay at the apartment.
Seth liked her apartment too though. It wasn’t too feminine. At least, not over-the-top. There weren’t stuffed animals on the bed, nor was he surrounded by rose wallpaper or comforters when he woke up. It was definitely a place he was comfortable. But, he was disturbed by one thing and she hadn’t been thrilled to fulfill his request. Seth wanted a key to her apartment. She tried not to convey her reluctance, but it was obvious. He actually had to lie and tell her he wanted to make sure she was safe when he returned from his business trip. Of course, he was concerned about her safety, but he also wanted to make sure there was no uninvited guest when he returned. So, Tatum had finally let him copy the key.
He decided to make a call before Tatum arrived—Karla. She was going to cause problems.
Seth called Page and cheerfully greeted the elderly man. “Hey, how are the retirement plans going?”
“Great, great, can’t wait.”
“I need a favor.” Seth watched the door.
“Anything you need.”
“I’m a free agent after you retire, and it’s driving me crazy. Now I have more bitches coming after me than ever before.”
“I heard Gault, Town, and Holt were giving you a hard sell.”
“Yeah, that’s what I want to talk to you about.” He approached the subject cautiously. “Listen, I’m sticking with M.P.R.”
“Of course.” Page sounded more relieved than sure.
“Trust me, I’m sticking with the best. You’re the best and MPR is the best.” Seth doubted the company’s hands-on approach with him would remain after Page retired. It was Page who invested his time and energy into the account. The company just reaped the benefits. He’d never even met the president of the company. However, Karla was changing his mind about the whole situation.
“Of course.”
Seth nodded even though he knew Page couldn’t see him. “Anyway, someone at Gault is laying it on pretty thick. I need you to give her some meaningless work on the anniversary party to stall her.”
Page chuckled. “Ah, sounds like someone is getting some action.”
He grimaced at the thought. “It’s nothing like that. At least, not with her. So, can you manage it?”
“Of course,” the older man told him. “Whatever you want is my command.”
“I just need Karla to do enough work to make her happy.”
“Why are you trying to make Karla happy?” Tatum inquired walking through the door.
Seth quickly ended the conversation. Meeting her at the door, he kissed her. “What took you so long?”
She was still bewildered. “What are you doing here?”
Seth kissed her again. And then, he lied. “I wanted to be here when you got home.”
“Why are you talking about Karla?”
He shrugged. “It’s business.”
“Is she getting the account?”
He was frustrated but tried to sound loving. “Remember what I said about business.”
“Yes, but…”
“Tatum.” This time his tone was harsher.
She glanced away, but he could tell she was already thinking about telling Karla. “I won’t ask another question.”
Seth left her apartment in the middl
e of the night. Tatum had no idea when. They’d made love twice before she finally relaxed into a peaceful sleep.
It was going to feel weird not to see him every day, and she couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d slept alone.
She thought she would get used to life without Seth, but she missed him. Days seemed to drag on endlessly. Slowly, life returned to something resembling normal—she went to work then home again—but she missed him the entire time.
Now, waking up with a sigh, she’d finally made it to her birthday. She was officially twenty-nine years old. But she didn’t feel old or wise as expected. She felt miserable.
She’d taken Seth up on his offer to use the restaurant for her birthday party. It was hard picking the right people in her family. She’d skipped over so many names on her list out of fear, recalling those holiday interventions. Of course she invited Adam, Karla and James. They were safe bets.
Now, she regretted the party. She wanted a quiet birthday to reflect her age. She was a year away from becoming…well, she didn’t know what exactly. She could say more mature or ready, but that was too general.
She wasn’t allowed to wallow in misery for long. There was a knock on the door, and she sighed for the second time. It was early on a Saturday. It was probably Karla or, if she was lucky, Seth coming back early.
She was surprised to find a delivery man at the door. She took the package and signed for it.
Tatum stalled the anticipation by opening the box slowly. Her heart skipped a beat when she found her birthday present from Seth—an expensive ruby necklace and earrings. They looked old. Tatum wasn’t obsessed with jewelry, so she wasn’t positive if they were antique or not. The box wasn’t blue or burgundy or anything like that, so she had no indication where it came from, but Tatum was thrilled with the gift nevertheless. The jewelry was accompanied by a handwritten note.
It wasn’t him, but it was close enough.
Chapter 11
Seth was sitting in a plush hotel room when his cellular phone rang. The call came from Score. Maybe Tatum was already there enjoying her birthday.
The Score Page 9
