by Kailin Gow
I glanced over at the maitre de, who was looking at me waiting for the sign we were ready to sit, and I nodded my head. He guided came over and said, “Follow me, please.”
I gestured for Charisma to go first and couldn’t help but smile at how cute her strut looked with that slight limp. It made her beautiful heart shaped ass sway back and forth a bit more, almost exaggerated, but still highly appealing.
Once we sat down, we quickly ordered and then I had her to myself. I was so excited to indulge in her. I laughed at how she fell into the lake and tried to hide my frown that Callum had been there to lift her out of it, and that he’d even gone off somewhere with her mother. What was he pulling? My instincts told me that he was trying some clever ploy to sabotage me as CEO, but I couldn’t focus on what that might be at that moment. Honestly, I didn’t want to, either, because I just wanted to focus on the one thing I had control of—my time with Charisma at that moment.
“How’s your paper coming along?” I asked. “I want to be as accommodating as possible and ensure you have everything you need.”
“It’s fantastic, actually. I have all the data and hope to turn in an initial draft to my teacher in about a week. Hard to believe my time there is almost done,” she said.
“It doesn’t have to be. You’re bright and intelligent, everyone is drawn to you, I’m sure we can figure something out,” I offered quickly.
“I can’t be at two companies full time at once,” Charisma said to me, smiling.
I reached out and touched her long, slender fingers, wanting to entwine my fingers with hers. I held back. “I suppose your mother would be most annoyed at me if I tried to steal you away. We could use someone with your discretionary eye to head up some new marketing campaigns.”
“That’s very kind, but you know that’s not necessarily true, Mason,” she said. “My specialty is business and topics that would actually make me better suited to compete with you for CEO.”
She was playful when she said it, but it was true. “Everyone seems to want my job today.”
“What do you mean?” Charisma asked.
“Oh nothing, just thinking out loud. It’s tough to be the CEO, others like the thought of targeting you and making your job their job.”
“Well, I wouldn’t do that. I much rather prefer the challenge of making the Chu new money become our future generation’s old money,” Charisma teased.
“Touché,” I said. I raised my wine glass and Charisma met me with hers. Then we both drank and caught the unavoidable look in each other’s eyes. She was filled with a consuming desire that was easily spotted and I wanted to be the man to fulfill it. Maybe tonight we’d go further than that night on Catalina.
“What do you say we go someplace else for dessert?” I asked.
“Any place special in mind?” she asked, smiling at me seductively and flirtatiously.
“I have an idea,” I said.
“Then what are we waiting for, Mason.”
***
I pulled the Range Rover into the garage and walked around to the passenger door to open it up and help Charisma out of the passenger seat. Just from her touch I felt this excitement generate through me and felt that it would be all I could do to maintain my control, to control myself until the time was right. This night had to be perfect, as beautifully coordinated as an orchestra pit that was building up to the crescendo during their signature piece of their performance.
Charisma smiled at me and I could only smile back, thinking, you make me believe that I could do things I otherwise thought impossible. Even two months ago, if someone told me I may be willing to put business, especially the family business, behind any one person or situation, I wouldn’t have believed it. Yet there I was, seriously considering it.
“So, this is your beach condo?” she asked, looking at me and not hiding her surprise.
“It is, my place to retreat and get away from it all. I don’t take people here too often,” I said.
“No, why not?” she asked.
“Some may call it my man-cave, I guess, but it’s a place where all the things that are important to me—things that are often put to the side now—can be and I can come and visit, recharging my batteries and taking advantage of relaxing if I get the chance.”
“That’s a great idea—every CEO should have one of these,” Charisma said, smiling and hooking her arm through mine. I opened up the service door and we entered in on the lower level, which had large glass doors that led out to the beach and then onto the ocean.
Against the one wall were a few of my surfboards, on pegs so they could be used as decorations when they weren’t in use from me. It was prime surfing real estate, which I got to use far too seldom.
“You surf?” she asked.
I laughed at her shock. “Don’t sound so shocked, Charisma. I surf. In fact, I would every day if my life allowed for it. How about you?”
“I surf some, but not too much. I’m not the most graceful when my footing is not on solid ground.” Then she laughed and pointed to her ankle, adding, “Case in point.”
“Well, maybe I could give you some tips sometime,” I said. “Let me show you upstairs.”
As we made our way up the winding staircase to the main level, she continued on. “How long have you owned this?”
“Since college,” I said. “I’d used a small set of inheritance for me from my grandfather to purchase it.” I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to disclose that, but I did.
“Well, it was probably a good investment. Property is hard to come by in this area, isn’t it?”
“I forget how you’re as smart as you are beautiful,” I said, looking at her. My hand lifted up to her face and touched her soft, silky cheek.
“I’d like to think I’m smarter,” she said, blushing slightly.
“Well, whatever you are, it’s quite perfect to me,” I replied.
Then we walked onto the main level and Charisma looked around as I gave her a tour. Modern kitchen with stainless steel, a balcony that went to the outside and gave an even better view of the ocean, a bathroom, two bedrooms—one a master, and a cozy living room with a fireplace in the center.
“So amazing,” Charisma said, walking out onto the balcony after I slid open the glass doors that led to it on that side. “The view is truly breathtaking, Mason.”
“It is,” I said, “but this isn’t the best view. That’s on the third floor. Come.”
I grabbed her hand and started to guide her up the last set of spiral stairs, which were truly my stairway to heaven in a way. “This spot is my favorite in this condo. The reason I brought it, really.”
“Ooh, I’m intrigued then, because this place is pretty amazing thus far.”
Once we made it to the top floor, Charisma looked around and her mouth was slightly open. I could see her chest moving in and out slightly, breathing as rhythmically as the ocean waves were lapping up onto the shore outside.
This place was my sanctuary. It had a bookshelf wall that was filled with all of my favorite books, both business and fiction. I loved the classics, the stories that defined people’s paths and shaped their future. My telescope was right in the center, pointed up toward Jupiter, the last planet that I’d been observing when it had come into sight, and my painting supplies were on the right side. An easel with a blank canvass was set up, but it was blank, a hundred shades of paints nearby in their small tubes, and all the supplies organized on the table.
“You surf. You paint. I never would have guessed,” Charisma said. She walked over to the easel and her fingers reached out and she softly brushed it as if they were a paint brush.
“I used to devote a lot of time to these things, until…until I had to make a decision between the family business and these hobbies. Callum wasn’t really…” My words trailed off, because I didn’t want to talk about him.
“You really take pride in your family’s achievements, don’t you?” she asked. The way she looked at me showed this shocked t
enderness in her eyes that made her even more beautiful—something I wouldn’t have thought was possible. It made her breathtaking to me.
“I do, and I can tell you do, as well. I admire that about you. A family is who you connect with, whether large or small,” I said. Really, I felt like my family was just Mother and me now, finding it challenging to include Callum. I still had so much anger festering in me toward him and didn’t know if I could ever trust him, or fully forgive him.
“You should find time to do this stuff more,” Charisma said in response, her hand gesturing to all the things in this room. “Never forget who you are.”
“You talk like a wise old soul,” I said, walking over to her and putting my hands on her shoulders. I was right behind her and wanted to cradle my arms around her so much they ached.
“I listen to my mother,” she said, laughing softly and then she shocked me and turned around, pressing her lips against mine.
Our bodies latched together, our kisses were our permission to each other to go wherever we wanted on each other’s body. I guided her over to the daybed, which was in the room and the place I most often slept when I stayed at the condo. Before she went onto it, she began to peel her clothes off fearlessly and seductively, maintaining eye contact with me the entire time. “The way you made me feel the other night, Mason. I can’t forget about it,” she said honestly.
I moaned, watching her naked beautiful body show itself as she sat down on the daybed. Her hands went to my hips and she moved me closer and began to undo my pants and slide them down, whispering, “Let me.”
She moved slowly and methodically, seeming to appreciate every movement for what it was and staring at me like I was a piece of art in a museum. Such attention and thought, it was so selfless and loving.
Then there we were, naked with a slight ocean breeze coming in the window of the loft area. I could not take my eyes off her. She was the finest piece of art I’d ever seen. So exquisite, so beautiful. Looking at her, I could not help but want her, to take her, to possess her. Yet I also wanted to take care of her, make love to her, to make her happy, and to cherish her.
“I want you so bad, Charisma; it’s been killing me,” I said as I leaned over her, kissing her neck with my heated breath. I could feel my large erect bulge touching against the smooth skin of her taut stomach.
“I want you too,” she said.
“Let me be the first,” I whispered. “Let me please you.”
“Mason, you’re not…” My mind started to feel heavy and I knew what she’s said, but it turned my tenderness into something more animalistic and savage. She’d given Callum her virginity! How could she do that? I didn’t know, but I knew that I wanted to pound her so hard that she forgot about Callum or that he even existed. I wanted the mark of my attraction to her to be so undeniably strong that she wouldn’t be able to wipe it from her face. She’d have the look of a woman who’d been sexually pleasured and pushed to the brink of her desires, leaving her believing she could never have better, while also longing for more.
Yes, I was jealous and I was angry, and I took it out in aggressiveness that showed her how much I wanted to do to her and how intense those feelings were. As I bit at her beautiful nipples, tugging at them like I was a lion eating the prey that would sustain me another day, I kept going and going. My fingers made her wetter, my hands found every spot that stimulated her on her body and pressed all the right buttons. With each gasp, moan, and whisper of my name I became more adrenalized and so did she. Then I slid into her, moving back and forth, opening my eyes to see her back arched and her chest heaving in excitement, screaming out my name louder and louder, her words only escaping out the open window. And then she orgasmed. It was beautiful and raw, her sounds guttural. As I watched her beautiful display of pleasure, I found myself releasing into her, feeling the heat of our liquids colliding like lava might clash with the cold air that existed outside of it. And afterward, I collapsed onto her, my lips by her ears and murmuring, “Incredible.”
The voices in my mind were strong as I stayed so close to her, the heat of our bodies gluing us together, and I realized just how torn I was. Beast Companies or her was a huge decision, and I wasn’t sure it was one that had to be made, but if that’s what I was pitted against due to Callum’s manipulation, I just might have to. Our sex had been perfect, our bodies understanding each other’s needs, and emotionally, I felt so alive and connected when we spoke. There were very few women who appealed to me that way—none as much as Charisma, either.
I finally rolled to my side and onto my elbow, gently blowing on her lovely flesh, and asked, “Do you want me as much as I want you?”
“Yes,” she said. There was no hesitation and she sounded confident in her words, which made me so happy. I knew now I was completely in love with her.
“Good, please stay tonight,” I said. Before she could answer, I wanted to physically show her why there was no better choice than me. Being with me was her best option.
Chapter 19
Callum
Charisma had never come home after work and I knew that there was one logical explanation for it—Mason. He’d gotten to her and it brought me physical pain, almost worst than after the accident, because it was my heart and mind, agonizing with how much I missed her and intensely pounding out the message that I wanted to experience her physically again and continue to show her the amazing world of sex when someone who loved you unconditionally and completely gave themselves to you.
I debated giving her a call, but resisted. I wasn’t sure why, but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to be overly controlling or possessive; I just wanted to love her…again and again. This was so crazy! And I’d never felt so vulnerable and so nervous about my life than this, and it was made worst by the tormented thoughts of Charisma being with Mason. My brother, I sneered. He’d made me out to be a monster to her, taking bits of truth from the old me and making them sound like they were the only me. I was changed!
I shouldn’t have thrown that offer down about turning over Beast Companies to him, I thought. I had only said it because I didn’t believe he’d ever be able to do that. It wasn’t part of who he was and unlike me, Mason couldn’t ever put business to the side to give a woman like Charisma the relationship she deserved. Yet, my arrogance had set me up for this moment, in a way, but damn it, I’d only done it out of love.
Staring up at the ceiling from my bed, I glanced over at my clock. 11 PM. Then midnight, and then finally, I heard the front door open. Should I go greet her, or wait? I couldn’t wait. I was driving myself crazy.
In my shorts and with no shirt on, I walked into the living room and saw her there, trying to be quiet and her hair looking wild. She had the look of a woman who’d been loved and it killed me. It was a good thing that Mason wasn’t there, because I didn’t think I could control myself if he was. But I had to be calm. “Charisma,” I said.
She looked up, her eyes traveling right toward me and she smiled. “Callum,” she replied simply.
“I’m glad you’re home. I missed you,” I said. I had to be honest here and not play games. I had to remember that this woman was a free spirit and independent, not just a prize, but she had to know that how I felt was genuine, that what I’d said the night before was sincere.
“Sorry, I guess I should have called,” she said in a whisper, glancing over at the large clock in the corner.
“You don’t owe me anything. I’m just glad to see you,” I said. I walked over to her and grabbed her hand. “I want to talk with you. Can we go out into the backyard for a few minutes?”
“Sure,” she said. I still felt the energy in our touch, just like I had, and I prayed that it was strong enough that she could feel it through whatever trance Mason may have put on her. “I wanted to talk with you, too.”
We were out in the backyard and sat down on a small bench that was near a fountain, the moonlight now glimmering on the ocean water in the distance. The air was slightly chilly, but t
he energy was so intense that I wasn’t cold, and I saw that Charisma wasn’t either.
“What did you want to say?” I asked.
“Please, you go first,” she said. “You’ve been waiting a long time I think.” Her voice was gentle and kind.
“What I told you last night, I meant,” I said directly. “Charisma, I love you so much and no matter what else I’d have to give up, or what I may have to do to prove it, I’m willing to. I just want to be with you and make you my queen and give you everything I can. The only thing I require from you is that you love me. Can you ever do it? Love a damaged man like me?”
“Callum, don’t you realize that it’s clear to see that you’ve changed. And I believe you have genuinely changed, that it’s not just an act.”
