by Todd, E. L.
“Yep.”
I looked away and stared at the plane.
After we landed, another limo drove us to a hotel on the beach. A few villas were alone the sand, private beach houses the led directly to the water. When we checked in, the bell boys moved our stuff in one of the villas.
“I can’t believe we’re staying here,” I said.
“You’ll love it.”
There was a large balcony that overlooked the ocean, which contained a hottub. And the inside had a living room and a kitchen. Upstairs was the bedroom, which had its own balcony that overlooked the water.
After we got settled, we sat on the balcony and stared at the ocean. I watched the waves beat the shore for hours. I never grew tired of staring. The beaches in New York weren’t the same. I stared at a family in the sand. A little boy was looking for crabs while his older sister built a sandcastle. When I looked at Tony, he was staring at me.
“You’re beautiful.” That was all he said.
I blushed.
“I find it really interesting that you’re so humble about your looks. You are really gorgeous. I’m not just saying that because you’re my girlfriend.”
“Thank you…I’m just not used to the compliments.”
“I find that unlikely. Men stare at you constantly.”
“I don’t notice,” I said.
“You are such a hard find,” he said. “A beautiful woman who doesn’t know she’s beautiful. You really are the perfect woman.”
I blushed again.
“Have you ever considered modeling?”
“Now this has gone too far.”
“Babe, I’m being serious.”
“Shut up,” I said playfully.
“I have connections in the industry. I could arrange something.”
“No, thank you,” I said. I considered asking him to find me another job as a fashion designer, one that I wouldn’t hate. And I hoped by name dropping him my supervisor wouldn’t disrespect me or treat me like Pia did. But I never asked because I didn’t want to take advantage of him. I was with Tony because of who he was, not what he could offer me. And I never wanted him to question that.
“Let me know if you change your mind.”
I stared at the ocean. “I could give you a private fashion show if you want.”
“You have my attention.”
“I packed something special.”
“Ooh…tell me more.”
“You’ll have to wait until tonight.”
“Damn,” he said. “Now my mind will be running wild all day.”
I stared at his face and suddenly realized something. “Why aren’t you a playboy?”
“What?” he asked with a laugh.
“You have the money, the connections, the looks…why aren’t you a permanent bachelor? You wouldn’t have to worry about someone loving you for you and not your money.”
He was quiet for a long time. “That got old really quick. It was fun in my younger years but now I want something more deep and meaningful. The single life isn’t for me. I’ve been wanting to settle down for a long time but I never found a suitable partner. Having lots of sex with different girls is unfulfilling, and to be honest, totally depressing. With you, I feel like I have a best friend and a lover. I feel like I can tell you anything. And I know if I lost all my money tomorrow, you would still be right beside me. That’s real. My money isn’t. When I die, I can’t take it with me. And you make me really happy. I think that some guys are meant to be bachelors and should never get married but I’m not one of them. When I see Beatriz and her family, I know that’s what I want. When I see the way Janet looks at Scott, I realize I want a woman to look at me the same way. I don’t know…I guess I’m just odd.”
“I think you’re really sweet. You keep saying I’m a rare find, but you’re the diamond in the ruff, Tony.”
He smiled. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I reached for his hand and held it in my own. His thumb moved across my knuckles and touched me gently. We stared at each other for a long time, listening to the waves crash against the shore in the distance. A slight breeze ruffled my hair and took away the heat on the back of my neck. We stayed that way for a long time, neither one of us speaking.
When we went to dinner that night, we sat on the patio of the hotel. Candles shined bright on all the tables. I stared at Tony across from me, who met my gaze with a smile. He looked at the menu.
“What are you getting?” he asked.
“Too many choices. Do you have a suggestion?”
“I’ll order for you,” he said.
“Okay.”
The waiter came and Tony made the selections. After our glasses of wine were poured, it was just us.
“Can I ask you some personal questions?” I asked.
He chuckled. “Baby, you can ask me anything that comes to mind.”
“Wow…that’s a lot of power.”
“And I have a lot of trust for you.”
“This opens up a new domain.”
He smiled. “I have a feeling this is going to take a while.”
“So, do you just bet on games that you choose or do you bet on all games?”
“Just the ones I want. I just call a guy and place my bet.”
“Is there any strategy to it?”
“Well, sports are rigged. You have to get the inside scoop on most of the games.”
“They are?” I asked incredulously.
He nodded. “But we gamble on a point spread so it’s harder to win.”
“How much money do you win?”
“It depends on how much each person put in.”
“When you bet on the Rangers last month, how much did you win?” I asked.
“Almost a million.”
“Holy gamoly!”
He laughed. “There’s a few guys who won’t participate in the bets because they think I’m cheating in some way.”
“Are you?”
“It’s impossible,” he said. “I’m just very educated in sports.”
“And smart.”
He shrugged.
“What’s the most you’ve ever lost?”
“Two million.”
“That’s insane,” I said.
“It’s a lot to take in.”
“So, what do you do all day? Research?”
“No,” he said. “I watch games all year round. I don’t read books or anything like that. It’s all about your instinct. On a typical day, I wake up and hit the gym for two hours, make a big breakfast, play video games, take a nap, then hang out with people when they get off work.”
“Wow, you have it made.”
He smiled. “I don’t have any complaints.”
“You play video games?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’m a nerd.”
“Why were you so hesitant to tell Janet everything? She seemed like she knew the truth, but not because you told her.”
“Because I wasn’t always doing things that were in accordance with the law,” he said. “The less people who know, the better.”
“Is it still illegal?”
“Sometimes it is. It’s hard to explain. But since we only pay in cash, the IRS isn’t too happy about it.”
“Wow,” I said. “It’s like a whole new world.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Do you give your money away?”
“I give it to a few charities,” he said. “And I hired an attorney to create a fake relative that passed away and left my parents a fortune of money. My dad lost his job and they were struggling to retire. I just did that and it solved the problem. Now they live comfortably.”
“And they have no idea it was you?” I asked.
“Nope.”
“Are you going to pay for Joey’s college?”
“I was going to make up a fake scholarship he won,” he said.
“I think Beatriz might figure it out.”
“She’s too stup
id to figure it out.”
I laughed loudly. “We need to stop ganging up on her.”
“Why?” he said. “It’s fun.”
The waiter brought our food then walked away.
I dug into my pasta and enjoyed it. Tony had good taste in food and wine.
“What are you going to do with your kids?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you going to tell them you have money?”
“No, probably not. If I do, they won’t try to succeed in life, knowing they can rely on my money. I don’t want that. My kids need to understand the value of a dollar and make a life for themselves.”
I nodded. “That’s probably for the best.”
“But I will definitely give them everything they need to succeed.”
“And awesome birthday parties.”
He smiled. “Definitely.”
When we were finished with our dinner, we walked back to our villa. As soon as we were inside, Tony stripped off his clothes and sat on the bed, completely naked.
“Right to the point?” I asked.
“I want my fashion show,” he said as he leaned back on his elbows.
“You need to watch it naked?”
“I have a feeling I’m going to seduce one of the models.”
“You’re pretty cocky.”
He winked. “You could say that.”
“But my belly is big because I just ate.”
He rolled his eyes. “No, it isn’t. Now rock my world.”
“You’re so demanding.”
“For you, I am.”
“I’ll be right back.”
“Yes!”
I smiled as I walked away.
I went into the bathroom and changed into the teddy and garters. I put on black heels and placed a silk robe around my body. When I was done, I looked in the mirror. I fixed my blonde hair and adjusted my makeup. I definitely wasn’t model material. I had no idea what Tony was talking about. I took a deep breath then walked out.
Tony stared at me while I approached the bed. His eyes already shined with desire. I turned around and untied my robe. It fell to the floor.
“Yowza,” he said.
I ran my fingers through my hair then turned around.
His cock was already hard, leaning against his stomach.
I approached him then leaned over the bed, my tits hanging out of my bra.
Tony moaned quietly while he stared at me.
“Thank you for taking me here,” I whispered.
He said something incoherent.
I leaned down and trailed kisses from his chest to his stomach. When I approached his crotch, he took a deep breath. I got to my knees then kissed the tip of his cock.
“Mmm…”
I licked the base to the tip then placed him in my mouth. He watched me the entire time, his breathing deep and shallow. When he thrust his hips gently, he started to crumble. Then he grabbed my face and pulled me away.
His lips were on mine as he guided me to the bed. He pulled off my bottoms and tossed them aside. “You look too beautiful for me not to make love to you.”
My fingers dug into his hair as he inserted himself at my opening. He slid inside while he stared into my eyes, his hand resting on my neck. He moved deep inside, making me dig my nails into his skin. I opened my legs wider as he rocked into me, lighting me on fire.
The sweat started to drip down his back as he moved into me hard and fast. I rocked into him from below, wanting more than he could give. I was already coming, feeling my lower stomach light on fire.
“Tony, I love you.”
He stopped for an instant, his eyes wide. After he recovered from the shock, he moved into me again. His face was pressed to mine as we moved together. “I love you, Cassie.”
The explosion hit me, and I took him with me.
When we were done, everything was different. The words I said escaped my lips without any thought process. It just came out. But that’s how I knew I meant them. There was no thought behind it. It was purely emotional. And that’s how I knew it was real. I suspected I felt that way for a while, but I was too scared to say it. My erratic emotions pushed me off the cliff. And I was so glad Tony caught me.
His hands glided through my hair as he looked at me. He didn’t pull out of me, staying connected to me. I stared into his eyes, seeing the unique green eyes that I adored. I didn’t just see the beautiful colors, but I saw everything about him that I loved. I saw his good heart, his beautiful soul, his integrity, and his hopes and dreams. I knew how much he loved his sister, but he stood up for me when she was wrong. It would have been easy to turn his back on me and find someone else, but he didn’t. He chose me. Only me.
‘ Tony licked the sweat from my neck and chest. “Thank you for going on that horrible date.”
I smiled. “I’m glad I did too.”
“I owe Tyler a gift.”
“Maybe an apology for threatening to rip his eyes out.”
“Nah,” he said. “I’m sure that threat keeps him away from you.”
“How about a basket of mini muffins?”
He nodded. “Now we’re thinking.”
“I’ll send one to his floor.”
“What do you mean?”
“We work together.”
His eyes widened. “I didn’t fucking know that.”
I rolled my eyes. “Calm down.”
“No,” he said. “He came to your apartment like a psychopath.”
“He hasn’t bothered me once.”
“And he won’t.”
“Just let it go.”
“I’ll take care of him.”
“What does that mean?” I asked. “You’re going to threaten to kill him if he doesn’t quit his job?”
“No, I’ll pay him to quit his job and find something else.”
“You’re so crazy.”
“You just told me you loved me,” he said. “Everything is different now. I am fucking crazy. And I’m going to stay crazy.”
“I never see him at work.”
“That doesn’t mean shit to me.”
“We were just having a really beautiful moment but you ruined it by freaking out.”
He rubbed his nose against mine. “We’re going to have a lot more of those. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of Tyler.”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Are there any other men who work with you?”
“You aren’t serious, right?”
“I’ll just have someone investigate their company.”
I grabbed a pillow and hit him in the head.
He laughed. “Two people can play this game.” He grabbed one and hit me lightly on the leg. I wasn’t gentle with him like he was with me. I smacked him hard. Tony didn’t seem to be affected. He hit me again with his pillow but he was barely trying. It wasn’t even a fair fight. I hit him again then felt myself be pinned down to the bed.
“You’re getting a little carried away,” he said with a smile.
“Well, you weren’t fighting back.”
“I’m not into hitting women. Not my style.”
“It’s a pillow stuffed with feathers.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “Janet gave Beatriz a black eye once.”
“Good,” I said.
He nodded. “That deserves another high-five.” He let go of my hand and smacked my palm.
There was a knock on the door.
“Who is that?” I asked.
He looked at the time. “Cover yourself up,” he said. He grabbed the robe from the ground and tossed it at me. He put on his jeans and opened the door.
“Here you are, sir.”
“Thank you.” He took the basket then closed the door.
“What if that was a girl?” I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“You’re shirtless.”
“So?”
“You’re so sexist.”
&
nbsp; He took the basket outside.
“What is that?” I asked.
“Come and see.”
I went outside and he started a fire in the stone fire pit. I looked in the basket. “Smores?”
“Yep.”
“Ooh! I love smores.”
He looked at me. “You get excited over little things. I like that.”
“I’m easily pleased.”
“I know that too,” he said with a smile.
“That’s because you’re unbelievable in bed.”
“Keep the compliments coming.” He arranged the sticks and we sat in the chair, roasting our marshmallows. We made our smores and ate them together, getting our faces smothered in melted marshmallows and chocolate sauce.
“You got a little something right there,” he said.
“Where?” I said, touching my face.
He kissed me and rubbed the chocolate on his mouth all over my face. “There,” he said.
I laughed. “Gross!”
“You liked it.”
I wiped my face with napkin then he wiped his. We roasted more marshmallows in the fire pit and watched the ocean in the darkness. No one was on the beach like we were the only people in the whole world. My heart didn’t feel pained anymore. I was so worried I would never find anyone after what Danny did to me. And all the guys I dated were the scum of the earth. But then Tony fell from the sky, being a million times better than the perfect guy.
11
Our weekend was too short. We were back in New York Sunday night and I felt like we just left. I knew I should go to my apartment after spending all weekend with Tony, but I really didn’t want to. I wanted to sleep in his bed with him, feeling him next to me. Sometimes he snored but it didn’t bother me. Just knowing he was there was enough to keep my nightmares away.
The limo driver drove me to my apartment and Tony helped me carry my bags into my living room. When everything was settled he looked at me.
“Thank you for coming with me,” he said. “I had a really good time.”
“Me too,” I said.
He kissed my forehead. “I’ll see you later.”
“Okay,” I said quietly.
Tony stared at me. “What is it, baby?”
“Sleep with me.”
“You want me to stay?”
I nodded.
“Then I’ll stay.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t mean to be clingy. You don’t have to stay.”
