by Marie James
“You don’t have to walk me up. I can tell you’ve a lot on your mind and I’ve taken up enough of your time today.” I turn to get out of the car.
“Lorali,” His pleading voice stops me in my tracks.
I turn to him, his hand immediately going to my cheek. I almost tear up remembering the woman in the apartment holding him the same loving way he’s holding me now. I close my eyes against the sting of tears.
He leans in and his lips gingerly graze mine. My breath hitches. He kisses me slowly, with nothing but passion, no hint of his earlier anger on his lips. I kiss him back, afraid this will be the last one. I know in my heart Ian Hale is not a repeat offender so to speak. I should count myself lucky to have had him repeatedly within the same twenty four hour period.
He breaks our kiss and rests his forehead against mine. Why does it feel like he doesn’t want to let me go either?
“I can’t wait to see you on Saturday.” He whispers. What!? I raise my head and look in his eyes. “Pick you up at seven thirty?”
He sounds hopeful like he’s not sure I’ll still want to go. Do I want to go? My life was simple before I crashed into him, and seems like nothing but chaos since then. Beautiful chaos.
I smile, knowing I don’t have a hope of denying him. “See you then Mr. Hale.”
“Have fun at bingo, Ms. Bennett.” I smile at him as he starts the engine and drives off. How quickly he went from stressed and flat-out pissed to carefree and joking. It leaves my head spinning. I head inside to get ready for the grannies at the bingo hall. My life is so glamorous.
***
The bingo hall event was well…uneventful, just as I’d expected. I’ve never seen so many e-cigarette smokers congregated together before in my life.
I get in a few hours of work at the office before heading back to the apartment. My work schedule is clear until I go back to work on Tuesday. I make sure to make a stop by the store to grab a couple of bottles of wine, knowing the interrogation will start once Josie gets home and will be even worse if Alexa doesn’t have plans for the evening.
Since I left work a little early, I’m alone in the apartment for a little over an hour before Josie gets here from school. I’m on the couch channel surfing when she plops down beside me. She doesn’t say anything just grabs the box of cheesy crackers from my lap and steals a handful. We sit through an episode of some reality show where some rather orange tinted housewives argue over where they’ll go for vacation. Ridiculous.
I hear the door open and close, less than a minute later Alexa wanders in, bouncing from foot to foot as she removes her heels. She grins at me deviously and I know it’s a matter of minutes before the water boarding begins.
“Wine?” She quirks her eyebrow up.
“In the fridge. Grabbed a few bottles on the way home.” Her eyes narrow, she’s well aware that I know what her plans for the evening are.
She’s only gone a minute or so when she returns to the living room with a tray holding a bottle of red wine, three glasses, and plates with grapes and cubed cheese. Holy hell she’s settling in for this story!
“I had a good time last night,” I confess before she can even start her questions. “I’m glad you guys talked me into a girl’s night!”
“Yeah I bet you had a good time! Imagine my surprise when I went to check on you when we got home and your bed was empty!” Alexa pours three tall glasses of wine and settles back into the overstuffed chair to my left. “So you went to his house and had sex with him last night?”
I giggle. “I did not have sex with him at his house last night!”
“Bullshit!” I grin at Alexa knowing it’s semantics we’re arguing over. “That ‘just fucked’ look on your face says you’re a liar!”
“We didn’t have sex last night. I fell asleep in the car on the way to his house. We had sex this morning, when we woke up.” I take a sip of my wine to try to hide my smile.
My virginal sister is shaking her head with huge a grin on her face.
“Hold up,” Alexa is literally holding her hand out to stop me from speaking. “You made that delicious man wait until you woke up before he got a taste?”
The laugh escapes my lips so fast I spray wine all over my hands. “Umm, not exactly.” I rake my eyes back and forth between my roommates.
“Quit playing coy, Lorali. You know I live vicariously through you and Alexa and after witnessing her train wreck last night I need something!” Josie has a look of frustration on her face.
“Train wreck?” I look quizzically at Alexa.
“We’re not talking about me right now! Spill it, Lor.” Alexa counters trying to get the attention off of her.
“You know he met me in the hall.” I start “Well we sort of went at it in an office at the end of the hall.” I bow my head and look at Alexa shyly through my eyelashes.
“You slut!” Alexa’s grin spreads over her entire face. “You never said a word when you got back to the table. I knew you guys had made up but I had no clue!”
“Was it good?” Josie inquires quietly, like her question was inappropriate but she wanted to know the answer enough that she’s willing to suffer the fate if she was chastised.
I just throw my head back and groan.
“Yeah it was good!” Alexa must know great sex because she interprets my response perfectly.
“It was amazing! I mean it was fast and hard and wild but this morning he tortured me and made love to me slowly. It was perfect. I know I’m ruined for all other men.” I sigh and sit back into the sofa taking another sip of wine and I can’t help but smile at the memory.
“Play your cards right and maybe there won’t be another man you have to worry about.” Alexa winks at me as she pops a grape into her mouth.
“Ha! Yeah, I’ve no hopes of anything long term with Ian, but I’ll see where it takes me. I wouldn’t mind a few more rounds with him, that’s for sure!” I blush.
“What’s gotten into you?” Josie asks smiling. She knows I never say anything like that.
“Ian Hale, that’s what gotten into her!” Alexa’s all but giddy at my recent adventures.
“Okay, enough about me. Tell me about this train wreck last night!”
Alexa sits back and takes a long gulp of her wine. I look at Josie knowing that with the way Alexa is acting she’s not wanting to verbalize whatever it is that happened.
“Oh, Lorali! I’ve never seen anything like it!” Josie cuts her eye to Alexa.
“Don’t be so dramatic Josie, it wasn’t that bad!” Alexa is clearly uncomfortable.
“Just tell me what happened!” Now I know how they feel when I’m keeping stuff from them.
“Alexa was denied last night!” Josie leans in to tell me like it required top secret clearance.
“What? By who?” I glare at Alexa. We’ve been friends for a long time and I’ve never seen her set her sights on a man and not score so to speak.
“Garrett,” she huffs under her breath.
“Ian’s cousin?” She looked awful cozy with him last night and he seemed to be soaking up all the attention she was throwing at him.
“The one and the same.” Alexa sneers refilling her glass, bringing it to her lips. It’s already half gone before she continues. “He was very gentlemanly about it, but yep. I offered, he declined.” Alexa takes another long pull on her wine finishing off what was left. Her frustration clear in her eyes. Rejection doesn’t look good on her.
“I wouldn’t consider it being turned down Alexa. He told you he had to close down the club and meet with staff after hours since it was the soft opening.” Josie says trying to cheer her up by cushioning the blow.
“It wasn’t like I wanted to bring him home! Hell Ian and Lorali got it on in his office! I wouldn’t have turned him down in there! We could’ve had a romp in the damn wine cellar for all I cared.” She sighs and grabs a handful of cheese cubes, tossing one in her mouth.
“Well, better luck on the next guy, I guess.” I give her a sym
pathetic smile.
“Fuck that!” She sits up and glares at me. “I’m not giving up on Garrett until he gives in!”
“Alexa Warner chasing a man? I never thought I’d see the day.” I smile big at her, glad her mood is changing.
“Well that makes two of us. Lorali Bennett, fucking a billionaire!!” Alexa hollers. We all burst out laughing.
We talk and drink wine for several more hours. Mainly helping Alexa plot and scheme on how to win Garrett Hale over to her dark side.
Yawning, I stand up “Well ladies I’m going to bed. I’ve a date with a billionaire tomorrow and I think I’ll need my rest for dessert.”
They giggle as I leave the room. I can tell they’re both very close if not completely drunk.
Chapter 33
Lorali
A ding from my cell phone wakes me up. I try to sit up in bed but my ears are ringing. It’s obvious that I drank too much wine last night. I vow to never drink again as I make my way to the restroom. I take care of business and make it back to my bed before collapsing.
A second ding of my phone reminds me of the first one. With one eye open I reach for the offending piece of technology on my bedside table. Both texts are from Ian.
Ian: I have to cancel the dinner meeting tonight. I have an emergency I have to deal with out of town.
Ian: Are you mad? I promise to make it up to you!
What do I say? No Ian, you can’t cancel business plans you invited me to tag along for to take care of more business? I’m disappointed that I won’t see him tonight.
Lorali: That’s fine. I have a hangover anyway.
Ian: I hope there were no backrooms involved in your procurement of said hangover.
Is he jealous? Again? I smile, trying not to read into the whys of Ian’s concerns about me and other men. He seems territorial of me and if I’m one hundred percent honest with myself, I like it.
Lorali: Only a living room.
Ian: Is that so?
I let him think on it a bit. This back and forth banter between us is quickly becoming one of my favorite past times.
Ian: Whose?
Lorali: Mine.
Ian: Is there a reason for your evasive short answers?
Lorali: Merely answering the questions as they come, sir. Is there a reason you’re so concerned about my evening?
Ian: May I call you?
My phone rings in my hand before I can respond.
“Lorali?” Ian rasps when I only accept the call but don’t issue a greeting.
“Hmmm?” I’m thrown for a loop at just how badly I needed to hear his voice and only realizing how much I’d missed it when I hear my name on his lips.
“Who did you spend your evening with, Lorali?” Is that a hint of anger I hear in his voice? I need to stop playing games with this man. He doesn’t have to put up with it from me and can easily go elsewhere for…relief.
“Alexa and Josie.” I answer simply.
“Who else?”
“And me.” I smile. He honestly thinks there was another man or men here.
“No men?” His tone is lighter.
“No, that breaks the rules.” I’m twirling my hair around my finger like a teenager on the phone with a high school crush.
“Rules?”
“Yes. No men are allowed when we discuss girl’s night out sexcapades.” We don’t actually have a rule, but he couldn’t possibly know that.
“Sexcapades huh? It happens so often you have to schedule aftercare meetings with your roommates?” I can hear the smile in his voice. He should know better than to ask.
“Ha! Well it happens so often with Alexa that we don’t even talk about her adventures anymore unless they’re super crazy and well, Josie…doesn’t have adventures. So I guess yesterday was our first meeting.”
I can hear him laugh on the other end of the line. “So speaking of Alexa. It seems your cousin is not susceptible to her charms.”
“How so?” He asks.
“Well apparently she propositioned him and he declined. That doesn’t usually happen to her. She’s positively wrecked.”
He laughs again. I love his laugh.
“Well I don’t know anything about that. I was too busy being declined by you.” Bringing up my sleeping in the car reminds me of the morning aftermath and torture I suffered at his hands, mouth and cock. I close my eyes as a wave of warmth flashes over my body.
“I thought we rectified that situation.” My voice is breathy and wanton.
His voice lowers as well. “Partial payment has been applied, but you’re far from complete absolution, Lorali.”
His words and the sound of his voice heat my core, my hand leaving my hair and resting on my exposed belly.
“Why, Mr. Hale. What can I do to ensure your forgiveness?” My hand slides past the top band of my panties. My breathing hitches when my middle finger grazes over my clit.
“I bet you wish that was my hand. Don’t you Lorali?” What the fuck! How does he know where my hand is?
I rip my hand from my panties guiltily, dropping my phone from my ear. I fumble with it trying to get it back to my ear. “What are you talking about?” I blurt my voice cracking. Busted.
“Don’t be shy, baby. Believe me I wish it were my hand, or even better, my tongue.” His voice is husky and just screams sex.
Before I can respond with what I’m sure would’ve been something totally embarrassing I can tell he pulls the phone away from his ear and says something to another person in the room with him.
“I’m so sorry, Lorali but I have to go soon. The plane is almost ready.” He sighs and it makes me think he’s being honest when he let on that he would rather be here with me than having to do whatever it is that’s calling him away. “Are you covering the Sweetheart Gala next Saturday?”
“Actually, yes? Why do you ask?” My heart rate’s increasing. This is the most romantic, extravagant event of the year in Denver, supporting the SPCA. It’s covered by way more press that just The Denver Currier. I’m talking high profile, red carpet, celebrities in attendance event.
“I’d love for you to accompany me.”
I can’t control the gasp that escaped my lips.
“Lorali? Something wrong?” The concern in his voice kills me. He wants to take me? I try to stifle my utter joy.
“I’d love to go with you, Ian!” Ok that sounded a little too enthusiastic.
“Excellent. I don’t have all the details in front of me so I’ll let you know schedules later this week. I have to go. Lorali. Talk to you soon.”
“Bye, Ian.”
I’m about to end the call and break out in my happy dance when I hear him again. ”Lorali?”
“Y…yes?” Did I seriously just stammer?
“No more back rooms for you unless I’m fucking you in it. Okay?” And just like that he has my body overheated and in need of release.
“Okay,” I whisper and then I hear him end the call.
Chapter 34
Ian
Being called away at the last minute on business is just part of how my life has always been. I have tons of people who depend on me and I strive to do as much as I can in person. I want the people I employ to have trust in me, knowing I’ll come when they need me. I also do it to set an example of the sacrifice I expect from them in their work ethic. Leaving Denver to fly to Seattle to deal with some middle line CPA who has been skimming my books, on the other hand, just pisses me off.
Don’t get me wrong, people try to steal all the time, be it money, information, or physical equipment. It’s the fact that I had to cancel the plans I had with Lorali after dinner this evening that upsets me the most. I knew she could tell I wasn’t in the greatest of moods when I dropped her off yesterday. I didn’t explain to her what was going on. I don’t want her involved with the obligations I have with Maria and Sean. I feel like I could trust her, but at the end of the day she’s a reporter and I’m a man who doesn’t stay with the same woman long. I don’t w
ant what I have with Lorali to be tainted with that part of my life and vice versa. She didn’t ask, I didn’t answer. That’s not the same as lying right?
“We’re almost ready for takeoff, Mr. Hale.” The stewardess subtly reminds me to buckle my seatbelt as she sits a glass of orange juice and an everything bagel on the table in front of me.
***
“I really appreciate your efficiency in this matter, Peter.” I shake Peter Gosner’s hand. He’s the branch manager of Seattle’s Hale Funding & Trust office.
“I’m glad we caught it early on, sir.” We both watch as the sniveling Joshua Foster is guided away from the building by the police.
“Nonsense. You pay attention to what’s going on in this branch and don’t miss a thing. I have full confidence in your ability to continue doing just that.” I shake his hand one last time and get in the back of the town car waiting for me by the curb.
“Where to, sir?” The driver watches me in the rear view window waiting for my answer.
I look at my watch. Seven o’clock. The darkening winter skies over Seattle made me believe it was much later. I knew the process of dealing with Mr. Foster had gone quickly, but I didn’t realize it went that quickly.
“The airport please.” I text the pilot and let them know we’d be flying out tonight rather than in the morning as planned. I’ve got a girl back in Denver I can’t keep my mind off of and I want to fall asleep with her in my arms tonight, if she’s agreeable to it.
Chapter 35
Lorali
I guess most people my age would be saddened by the fact that it’s ten on a Saturday night and I’m getting ready to call it a night. Josie and Alexa are heading over to Ampere. They said they just had so much fun last night, but I have a feeling it’s more a reconnaissance mission on Garrett than anything.
Just as I’m about to slide into bed, I hear a knock on the door. Who in the world would be knocking this late? More than likely it’s Josie and since she left with Alexa she didn’t grab her keys. I open the door without looking through the peep hole.
