by Folsom, Tina
Then his lips were on hers, claiming her as if he were a conqueror who took possession of a new continent, intent on making it his. His tongue foraged into her mouth, kissing her so hard and so deep that she wondered if she would ever recover from it. She’d always loved the way he kissed her: with single-minded determination, with passion and an eagerness that was unparalleled.
But tonight he topped even that.
There was nothing frantic in his movements, nothing hurried. Yet at the same time his kiss was urgent and all-consuming. Deliberate, as if he had something to prove.
And just like his lips and his tongue fueled the fire in her body, his hands weren’t idle and contributed to the sizzling flames that engulfed her body and threatened to incinerate her if Daniel didn’t drive his cock into her soon.
When his thumb slipped underneath her negligee and rubbed across her nipple, she cried out, unable to contain the sensations that raced through her.
“You like that, don’t you?” he teased before lowering his head and simultaneously pushing one spaghetti strap off her shoulder to free one breast.
She gasped with pleasure when his tongue licked around her nipple and his mouth enveloped it.
“Yes, I love it,” she hummed and thrust her breast deeper into his mouth.
A low, animalistic groan bounced against her nipple.
Sabrina looked down at Daniel’s dark head of hair, in awe of how he lavished so much care on her. Sabrina threaded her fingers through his hair and arched into him. She loved how he suckled her breasts.
“More,” she moaned softly.
In response to her demand, his hands divested her of her negligee and tossed the garment to the foot of the bed. Now she was naked like Daniel. Bare in front of him.
When he lifted his head from her breast, she noticed the way he looked at her: hot, feral, lustful, and at the same time full of affection.
“God, I’m one lucky son of a bitch.”
His voice was different, too. It was raspy and filled with raging need. She loved hearing it, craved it in fact, and relished the knowledge that it was a voice reserved specifically for her, for when they were alone.
Sabrina watched him as he continued caressing and kissing her breasts. She loved seeing the subtle changes in his face as he touched her and made love to her. When she reached for him, trying to pull him up to her to feel his hard body on top of hers, he encircled her wrists and stopped her.
“Just lie back and let me love you tonight, baby.”
She licked her lips and nodded, because she recognized the look on his face; it was one that brooked no refusal. He was determined to lavish her with pleasure tonight. With a sigh, she dropped her head back onto the pillow and gave herself over to him.
Daniel’s descent on her body was slow and torturous as he kissed and licked and nibbled every inch of her bare skin.
When he reached her sex, he paused and took a deep breath, his eyes roaming over her. He took his time looking at her, almost as if he’d never before seen her like this: naked and aroused, yearning for his touch.
“What is it?” she asked self-consciously.
“I have to memorize you like this.”
“Why?” she murmured.
“I don’t know. I just know that I have to. There’s something different about you tonight.” He smiled softly.
Sabrina swallowed hard. He thought her to be different tonight? Did he suspect something? Did he sense the change in her that she’d started sensing?
But she had no time to dwell on it, because Daniel lowered his head to her sex.
When his lips touched her and his tongue lapped at her drenched folds, she closed her eyes and pressed her head harder into the pillow, while her hips involuntarily jerked toward him. Daniel spread her thighs wider, his fingers stroking along her cleft, while his tongue licked over her clit, igniting her.
Her heart beat violently, her breaths came in shallow pants, and her hands grabbed the bed sheet for support, clasping the luxurious fabric in her palms to force herself not to lift off the bed.
“Oh God!” she choked out.
Daniel knew how to pleasure a woman. He never failed to arouse her and drive her wild. With every lick and stroke, he drove her closer to the point of no return. Lust and pleasure spiraled higher, making her body perspire and her heart pound like a drum. She writhed underneath his mouth, but his hands clamped over her thighs, preventing her from moving. She was at his mercy, vulnerable, yet safe.
“So close,” she whispered. “I want you inside me.”
Daniel’s head reared up, and cool air wafted against her burning sex. Her entire body tingled. As he shifted and brought his body over hers, positioning his cock at her core, she reached down to him, wanting to feel his rock-hard shaft in her hand. But Daniel jerked his hips back.
“Don’t touch me, Sabrina,” he said gruffly.
For a fleeting moment, she pulled back, stunned.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he said quickly, his eyes looking at her apologetically. “But I’m barely holding on by a thread, and if you touch me now, it’ll be over before it begins.”
She lowered her lids seductively. “Then start,” she urged him on.
Sucking in a breath, she held it as Daniel thrust into her. A slow delicious burn spread through her body as it stretched to welcome him. He filled her so completely, it was as if they were one being, their bodies perfectly in synch, their hearts beating as one.
“I need you, Daniel.”
“And I need you more than you can know.”
Daniel slowly withdrew and then plunged all the way back in, this time even harder, deeper than before.
Sabrina wrapped her legs around him, holding him to her, not wanting to ever let him go. Like a couple that had danced together for decades, their bodies moved in perfect harmony, coming together, then separating, then joining again. It was a symphony of love, of lust and passion.
When Daniel pressed his lips onto hers and took her mouth for a searing kiss, Sabrina felt as if she were lifted in the air, floating on a cloud. Everything around them melted into the distance and became a blur. Only the two of them counted. Only the two of them existed in that moment.
Sabrina arched beneath him, lifting her hips to meet his continued thrusts, wanting more, needing more of him, of his cock.
He ripped his lips from hers. “I could stay inside you forever.”
Forever. That single word swirled around her like an added caress.
Daniel dropped his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. His jaw clenched. “But I can’t hold it back any longer. I’m gonna . . . oh baby, I’m gonna come. I’m sorry.”
His thrusts became hard, fast, and frantic. He was losing control, and she loved every second of it, because she was the reason for it. The reason his face was contorted with pleasure, the reason he couldn’t stop moving inside of her, and the reason his breaths were short and ragged.
Inside her, she felt his cock jerk. It made her muscles clench around him. Her legs tightened around his backside, and she let herself go, welcoming the waves of pleasure that raced through her.
“Daniel,” she moaned as her orgasm claimed her. “Oh, God, Daniel . . . ” Her words trailed into a soft sigh as she surrendered fully to him.
Daniel clutched her shoulders as he thrust one more time, burying himself so deep that she cried out. She felt the warm spray of his semen fill her at the same time.
Moments later, he collapsed on top of her, braced on his elbows and knees, his face nuzzled against her neck. His hot breath tickled pleasantly. Breathing hard, Sabrina held him firmly, not wanting to ever let him go.
“Are you okay, baby?” he whispered against her neck.
“More than okay.” She smiled. “Wow, you were different tonight.”
He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. “Different how?”
She cocked her head and studied him for a moment. “I don’t know. More intense. Did something happen while you were in New
York today?”
“No. Nothing happened. I just missed you.” Then he took her mouth for another kiss, preventing her from speaking.
7
Sabrina came down the stairs and looked around. “Holly?” she called out.
“In the kitchen,” her friend responded.
She walked toward the kitchen, entering it a moment later. “Are you ready for the dress fitting? We’ve gotta leave in a minute.”
Holly put her finger over her lips to stop Sabrina from saying anything further and pointed to Raffaela who was talking on the phone. Her future mother-in-law appeared flustered.
“This is awfully short notice to be canceling. But fine. If you don’t want to come to the wedding, then don’t come. We don’t need or want people like you here anyway.” Raffaela huffed with disgust. “Well I’m glad you’re not coming!” She slammed the receiver onto its cradle.
Sabrina glanced at Holly, tossing her a questioning look, but Holly simply shrugged, throwing her arms up in a helpless gesture.
“Good morning, Raffaela. What was that about?” Sabrina pointed to the telephone.
“Oh, nothing.” Raffaela smiled sadly.
“Somebody canceled?” Sabrina pressed.
Raffaela sighed. “It’s really no big deal, dear, please don’t worry about it. Sometimes people just cancel last minute, because they can’t keep their calendars straight.”
“Are you sure? You sounded very upset. We’re getting so close to the wedding and I want to make sure there will be no last minute problems to deal with.”
“It’s nothing that important. It’s just upsetting when somebody who said weeks ago that they were coming cancels all of a sudden.” Raffaela shrugged. “It’s no big deal. These things just happen sometimes.” She smiled and patted Sabrina’s hand. Then she took a pen and crossed out a name on the guest list, before placing it back on the counter next to the phone.
Sabrina’s gaze fell onto the list. She instantly noticed red lines going through several names on the list and picked up the piece of paper.
“What’s this? I only printed the guest list out yesterday morning. Did all these people cancel since yesterday?” She counted down the list. “That’s seven guests.”
Raffaela took the list from her hands, a tight smile on her face. “Honestly, don’t worry about it, cara. It’s normal for that to happen. When I got married, half of my family canceled on me at the last minute.”
Sabrina gasped. “But that’s horrible. I’m so sorry that happened to you.” She couldn’t imagine not having family present at her wedding. Though she knew that making sure that no fight broke out between her mother and her father, who were divorced, would be an achievement worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.
“Of course, this does throw the seating all out of whack.” Raffaela frowned. “I’d better re-do the seating chart.”
“Do you need some help with that?” Sabrina offered.
“No, I can handle it.” Raffaela pointed to the car keys in Sabrina’s hand. “Where are you off to?”
“Holly and I need to go to the dressmaker for a last fitting.” Sabrina expectantly looked at her friend. “Are you ready?”
Holly nodded. “Let me just grab my handbag.”
Moments later, Sabrina and Holly were sitting in Daniel’s sports car and driving the short distance toward downtown Montauk, where the seamstress was working out of a tiny bridal boutique.
“I love this car,” Holly said. “I’m surprised Daniel let’s you borrow it. What’s he driving then today?”
Sabrina gave her a sideways glance. “He borrowed his dad’s Mercedes and is running errands with Tim. I told him I’d drop you off at the Maidstone Country Club around lunch time before I go shopping in East Hampton, so you can have lunch with the guys.”
“You’re going shopping after the fitting? Why would you drop me off for lunch then? I don’t need food as much as I need to go shopping.”
Sabrina laughed. Of course Holly would react like that. “Sorry, honey, but that’s one shopping trip I’ll be making alone.”
“But why?” Holly fidgeted in her seat.
“Don’t ask.”
“Come on,” Holly insisted. “Why can’t I come? You know how much I love shopping.”
Sabrina sighed. “You can’t come, because I’m buying a present for you.”
“A present? For me?” Holly firmly jumped up and down in the passenger seat.
Sabrina laughed. “You’re like a little child before Christmas!”
“Oh, you know how much I like presents. You’re the sweetest friend ever!” Holly put her hand on Sabrina’s forearm and squeezed. “I really don’t deserve you!”
Sabrina chuckled. “Yes, you do. Without you, I wouldn’t have met Daniel. And I wouldn’t be as happy as I am now.” At the words, she felt tears well up and pushed them back down. She was getting so sentimental lately. And this wasn’t the first time in the last couple of weeks that she was getting teary-eyed without a reason.
“Yeah, that was quite something, wasn’t it?” Holly turned her head and looked outside, but the sad sound in her friend’s voice hadn’t escaped Sabrina’s attention.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been thinking a lot the last few days,” Holly started.
“About what?”
“You, the wedding, your life. Happiness in general. You know.”
“If you’re thinking about happiness, then why do I get the impression that you’re sad?” Sabrina took her eyes off the road for a moment and glanced at her friend.
Holly turned to face her. “I’ve been thinking about getting out of the escort business.”
“Oh my god, really?” Equal measures of surprise and joy shot through Sabrina. While she’d never judged her friend because of her choice of occupation, she’d always secretly hoped that one day Holly would leave the world of escort services behind and start fresh.
Holly smiled a tentative smile. “I mean, it’s just a thought. I don’t really know yet how. I mean, I don’t have that much money saved up, and I’m not really sure what else I can do, but I think it’s time to change my life.”
“Holly, that’s great! I’m so happy for you. Not that I would have ever judged you, I mean—”
“I know that,” Holly interrupted her. “That’s why our friendship has lasted so long. But it’s also because of you that I want out.”
“Because of me?”
Holly nodded. “I see what you have. Happiness and a future with a man who truly loves you no matter what. I want that. I want a man like that. But what man would love me? You know.” She shrugged.
Sabrina tried to protest, but Holly cut her off immediately.
“Don’t. We both know it’s the truth. No man can respect me if I continue to do what I do. It was fine for a while. It paid the bills. And there were times when I really enjoyed what I was doing. I don’t regret it. But I want to move on now.” She waved to the houses they passed along the highway. “I want this. I want a home, a husband, kids. I want to be respectable.”
Sabrina gave her friend a warm smile. “And you’ll get it. You will. Because I know you. Once you’ve set yourself a goal, you’ll achieve it. You’re strong. Stronger than I.”
Holly chuckled. “I don’t know about that. You’re pretty strong. And resilient.”
“So are you.”
Sabrina slowed the car and set the blinker, turning at the next intersection. Half a block farther, she pulled to the curb and parked the car in front of a small store whose window displayed a seamstress’s mannequin wearing a partially finished dress.
“We’re here.”
“This is not where you bought the wedding dress, right?” Holly asked.
“Of course not. But I didn’t want to go back to New York for the fitting, so I found somebody local to make the final alterations. She’s really good. Raffaela recommended her.”
Sabrina got out of the car, and Holly did the same. Then they both walked to th
e entrance of the small store and opened the door. A bell tinkled as they entered and closed the door behind them.
“Ah, Sabrina!” the heavy-set woman greeted her, her eyes sparkling with motherly warmth. “And you brought a friend.” She walked toward them with her hand stretched out.
Sabrina shook it. “Good morning, Julia! This is my friend Holly. She’s my bridesmaid.”
“Oh, so nice to meet you!”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Holly responded.
“Well, let’s get started then.” The seamstress walked to the door, locked it from the inside, then pulled a shade down for privacy. Then she did the same with the window, before turning back to Sabrina and Holly.
“Let’s get you into the dress and see what we need to do.”
Swiftly and efficiently, Julia helped her get undressed, before helping her into the wedding dress.
“Step onto the podium,” she instructed and pointed to a small wooden platform only about a foot higher than the floor.
Sabrina did as instructed.
“It’s beautiful!” Holly exclaimed, looking at her with an open mouth. “Gorgeous! I know you emailed me a photo before, but it’s even more beautiful with you wearing it. Perfect!”
Sabrina smiled. “I feel like a princess.” She looked in the wall mirror at herself. The top of her dress was a bustier hugging her boobs, and at her waist, the silk fabric widened into a mass of cloth that made her feel like she was drowning in cotton candy.
“And you look like one,” Julia added. “Now turn and let me see the length in the back.”
Sabrina turned as if she were trying to make a pirouette on ice and instantly felt dizzy. She reached out her arms, trying to steady herself. Before she could fall, Holly had grabbed her arm and supported her.
“Are you okay?”
Sabrina took a deep breath and tried to regain her balance. “Just a little dizzy. Sorry. I shouldn’t have moved so fast.”
“Can I get you anything?” Julia asked, her voice laced with concern.
“Maybe just a glass of water.”
“Of course.” The seamstress disappeared into the back room.
