by J. P. Comeau
I didn’t like her use of quotes. “Yes. Usually, every Monday and Friday evening. Why? Is that an issue?”
Her face almost seemed deflated. “Oh. Well, I’ll have to text Suri—”
I waved my hand in the air. “Text whomever you need to. We have much to discuss over dinner, though, so I hope you’ll find a way to make it.”
After checking out the yacht and making sure my newly hired cleaning crew had done a job fit for my reputation, I came back to find Leslie still standing there. I smirked to myself as I beckoned for my driver to pull up, and together we made our way toward my favorite dinner spot.
A surf-and-turf restaurant right on the edge of the ocean.
“What does this place serve?” Leslie asked as we pulled up.
I pointed. “Just pull us up to the front, Daveed, and you can head home for the evening. Leslie and I will catch cabs home.”
My driver spoke. “Are you sure, Mr. Cataline?”
I nodded. “It’s your daughter’s birthday tomorrow, go home and enjoy it.”
“That’s sweet of you,” Leslie said.
I peeked over at her before I slipped out of the car. “Follow me. They always have my table ready right out on the balcony over the sloshing waters.”
I walked inside, and a pathway cleared as I made my way out back. The restaurant had bought a special license back before they banned things like this, so it was one of the four restaurants in the entire state with a back deck that sat out over the water, like its own little pier. Our waitress for the evening ushered us back to my usual table, sitting right where the waves broke against the pier-deck legs. And when Leslie sat in front of me, I found that the moonlight hanging over our heads really illuminated her gloriously soft features.
Cut it out. You’re staring.
“May I get either of you something to drink? Some water? A nice glass of wine?” the waitress asked.
Leslie looked up at her. “Just water for me, thank you.”
I nodded. “I’ll have the same, along with some coffee. Thanks.”
Our waitress left to retrieve our drinks, and I watched Leslie watch the ocean. I never felt the need to stare at it while I ate, but I very much enjoyed the sounds of the waves crashing against the wooden legs of the dock. I sat there in what felt like the closest thing to comfort I had experienced in quite some time. But, Leslie’s voice soon pierced the night with a question that caught me off-guard.
“I hate to ruin the moment, but are we ever going to talk about what happened between the two of us?”
Our waitress walked up to us. “Here you go. A glass of water and a coffee for you, and a glass of water for you, ma’am. Are we ready to order?”
I held Leslie’s stare. “I’ll take your surf and turf, with the shrimp scampi on the side along with steamed broccoli and asparagus.”
“And for you, miss?” she asked.
Leslie blinked. “Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll have the same.”
My eyebrows rose. “That’s a lot of food you’re ordering.”
She shrugged. “Good thing I enjoy eating, then.”
The waitress walked away, leaving us alone once more. But, I found Leslie still studying me, as if she expected me to simply start talking about the fact that we’d had some of the greatest sex I’d ever experienced in my adult years.
“So?” she asked.
I folded my hands in my lap. “So, what?”
She scoffed. “Are we going to talk about it or not?”
“If by ‘talk,’ you mean ‘rehash it physically,’ then I’m sure we can discuss it. Otherwise, I’m not prone to talking about such sensitive subjects verbally and while out in public.”
She didn’t skip a beat, though. “And what if we were in private? Would you speak about it, then?”
I blinked. “I suppose you have a fifty-fifty shot as to how I might react to such a topic.”
She looked around at the empty deck before getting up from her chair. I watched her carefully as she came over to my side of the table and bent forward, placing one hand on the arm of my chair and another on the top of the table. She leaned in so close I felt her breath pulsing against my face. And as her eyes danced between my own, her perfume enveloped me, stiffening my cock as she spoke.
“We’re technically alone out here, correct?”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Leslie, I will not speak of such a topic while we are enjoying a business dinner.”
She snickered. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that we’re out here sharing a romantic steak meal with waves crashing beneath us, and it isn’t a date?”
Do something. She sees right through you. “And if I were to say no?”
A strand of her hair fell into her face, and I reached up without a second thought. I tucked it behind her ear, watching her eyes as her eyes tried to watch my movement. I allowed my fingertips to grace her skin softly. I watched as a flushed trail followed the direction of my fingers until they fell away from her jawline. I enjoyed watching her react to me. I enjoyed the blossoming of wanton lust behind her eyes as her pupils blew themselves wide for me.
And when I stood to my feet, I took her hand in mine and tugged her away from the table.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
I pulled her toward the restaurant door. “The bathroom.”
She giggled. “And what do you suppose we’re going to be doing in a bathroom, Mr. Cataline.”
I turned around just outside of the restaurant and wrapped my arm around her waist. I growled softly, listening as she squealed. She placed her hands against my chest as I captured her lips, kissing her with as much passion as I had the first night we had spent together.
Then, after coming up for air, I nuzzled my nose against hers. “Why don’t you follow me and figure it out for yourself, Miss Popovich?”
And she sure as hell didn’t have to be asked twice then.
10
Leslie
I had no idea what the hell possessed me to play along with his little game, but something about the way he devoured me with his eyes made him even more enticing. He was a tried-and-true asshat at times, but there was a softer side to him that simply needed a little bit of coaxing to come out of that rugged shell—and maybe a bit of lube only I could provide in the process.
Trey led me through the restaurant and down a darkened hallway that seemed to have an abandoned set of bathrooms. He tugged me into the women’s restroom and pressed me against the wall, gazing into my eyes as he flipped the lock to close us in.
“Trey,” I said breathlessly.
His hand cupped my cheek. “Tell me ‘no,’ and it goes no further.”
But, I couldn’t utter the word.
His hands gripped my waist, and he hoisted me against the wall. One of my heels slipped off, shivering me to my core as my legs mindlessly wrapped around him. I watched his eyes as they danced over my body. My face. My curves. And when his hand slid around my throat, I gasped as his thumb trailed slowly up my pulse point.
“Such a beautiful woman,” he murmured.
My cheeks tinted at his words. “Been a while since I’ve heard something like that.”
His eyes snapped to mine. “Well, it’s true, and don’t you ever let someone say differently.”
His words filled me with delight, but his kiss filled me with need. I slid my arms around his neck as he fiddled with his belt buckle, shoving his pants down his legs. The idea of feeling him fill me again dampened my panties. Our tongues moved together in salacious bliss as his palms rolled my skirt right over my fucking thighs.
And when I felt him pull my panties off to the side, I gasped as he entered me.
Inch, by thickened inch.
“Oh, fuck,” I groaned.
He sucked on my lower lip and growled. “So wet for me, holy shit.”
My jaw quivered. “Now. I need you now, please.”
His hand wrapped around my neck once more. “My pleasure, gorgeous.”
“Oh. Yes. Trey, good God. Please, don’t stop. Holy fuck, you feel fantastic.”
He swallowed his growls as his eyes studied me. I felt mine roll into the back of my head as his tightly wound curls caressed my protruding clit. Never in my life had a man filled me like this before. Never had I felt so enamored and so flushed with pleasure and anticipation. I didn’t care if anyone found us. I didn’t care if they judged me for fucking my hot-ass boss. I wanted Trey, and it was clear that he wanted me.
All of me.
Every curve, dip, and crevice of my body.
“I’m so close,” he growled.
I bucked ravenously against him as my legs trembled. My muscles contracted and released, pulling me closer to the edge as his hips began to stutter. The sounds of wet skin slapping against wet skin filled the space around us, and soon the abandoned bathroom smelled like our debauchery.
And when his hips finally stilled, his dick stroked against that beautifully pebbled spot deep within my body, pulling me over the edge as I collapsed against him.
“Oh, shit,” I whimpered.
He rutted against me like a wild fucking animal. “That’s it. Milk that dick, beautiful. Holy fuck, I’ve dreamt of this. Oh, shit.”
God, at least I wasn’t the only one having my dreams infiltrated.
When his body collapsed against me, pinning me to the wall, I laid my sweating brow against his clothed shoulder. His cock fell from between my legs, coated in my juices as my legs grew weak. His quaking hands gripped my thighs, keeping my legs around him for a little while longer before he backed up and helped me stand.
Then, without another word spoken, we pieced ourselves back together and found our way out to our table.
“They have a wonderful soup selection if you’d like to take something back for your daughter,” he said.
I sat in my chair and stared at him. “Are you sure? This is technically a business meal, right?”
His gaze met my stare. “I’m sure. Get whatever you wish to take home to her. I hope she feels better.” His words sounded empty, but I saw something more behind his eyes.
“I appreciate that, thank you.”
Dinner was quiet, and I was grateful for it. I knew whatever conversation we might have attempted to have would be stunted, at best, and I didn’t want to wade through that awkwardness when we still had food to eat. Our waitress came out in record time, setting down plate after plate after plate.
And when all of the food was spread out before us, my eyes widened. “Wow, you weren’t kidding.”
Trey chuckled. “Hope you’re hungry.”
My eyes fluttered up to his. “I think I’ve worked up enough of an appetite. You?”
His eyes darkened. “I’ve always got a bit of an appetite.”
Our waitress giggled. “Is there anything else I can get you two?”
I drew in a sobering breath that hopefully served to calm my puckering nipples. “Do you have any broth-based soups, by any chance?”
The waitress nodded. “Oh, yes. If you aren’t a creamy soup fan, we have a nice brothy mussel soup as well as a lobster noodle soup.”
I blinked. “Lobster noodle?”
She nodded. “It’s my favorite. It’s made exactly like chicken noodle, but with lobster instead.”
I pointed at her. “I’d love to order a to-go portion of that soup and a side of this lovely bread you have.”
“I’ll have it ready for you when you’re all set to head out, then.”
I smiled up at her. “Thank you.”
“And anything for you, sir?”
Trey cleared his throat. “Nothing to-go for me, no.”
The waitress nodded. “Then, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll pop back around and freshen up drinks in a bit.”
That was the most interaction I had with Trey throughout the rest of the dinner. We ate our stunningly good food in silence. I snatched up my to-go order for Aurora, and he paid without another word spoken. I walked with him out of the restaurant, and we made our way for the main road, where he quickly flagged down a cab for me. And after he opened the back door to usher me inside, I slipped in before peeking back up at him.
“Are you sure you don’t want to share a cab? I have to go back to get my car from work anyway,” I said.
He shook his head before speaking with the driver. “Get her to TC Public Relations, please.”
I watched him hand the cab driver some money before he closed my door and tapped the hood of the car. And I hated to admit that I turned around to watch his body fade into the darkened horizon of the night sky. I’d never felt so conflicted in all my life, sitting there with soup for my daughter and an ache between my legs that had yet to be fully satiated.
What am I getting myself into?
Still, once the cab driver dropped me off, I sped home in my car only to find Aurora perched on the couch watching her favorite Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty. I fixed her soup and placed some bread on a small plate, then went and sat beside her as Suri kissed the top of my head.
“Thank you so much,” I whispered.
She smiled down at me. “Not a problem. Same time tomorrow?”
“Nope. I start full-time tomorrow. Can you be here around seven-thirty?”
She nodded. “You know it. I’ll be here. But, if you need me at all tonight—like if she gets worse—don’t hesitate to call.”
I sighed. “I love you so much. Thank you for everything you do.”
She giggled and squeezed my shoulders. “I love you, too. Don’t forget to get some rest yourself tonight. Okay?”
I leaned forward and set Aurora’s soup and bread down on the coffee table. “I’ll get some rest, I promise.”
“Good.”
Aurora stirred next to me. “Mommy?”
I leaned over and kissed her forehead as Suri quietly left. “I’m right here, princess. I’m home.”
She sat up and cuddled close to me. “Is that mine?”
I kissed her warm little forehead as I pulled her into my lap. “Yes, it is. Wanna try some?”
She nodded softly. “Yes, please.”
I fed my poor, tired, snotty little girl a few bites of soup before dipping some bread into the broth. I was happy with the few bites she took, but it worried me when she passed right back out. Something in the pit of my gut told me this was a little bigger than just her allergies, and part of me was prompted to work from home tomorrow so I could get her to a doctor.
Then, as if the heavens heard my whispers of worry, Aurora sat upright as if she’d been struck by lightning before she whimpered.
“Sweetheart, what is it?” I asked.
Aurora gagged. “I don’t feel so good.”
And as I scooped her into my arms, scrambling to get her to the kitchen sink, she projectile vomited all over my clothes. All over the floor. Even all over the counter before I got her over the kitchen sink to catch the last of the remnants.
“Mommy?” she asked through her tears.
I scrambled to find my phone. “It’s okay, honey. I need you to stand here, all right?”
She nodded but continued dry-heaving into the sink as I stripped my clothes off my body. I threw them onto the piles of throw-up that had accumulated from the couch to the kitchen, and I practically threw myself at my purse. I scrambled to get out my phone. I shot Suri a quick text message asking her if Aurora had thrown up at all today. And when Suri called me instead of messaging back, I knew it was bad.
“Suri, just answer the question,” I said.
I heard Suri’s car engine on the other end of the line. “No, she hasn’t thrown up all day. Just the fever. She had an appetite and ev
erything. Is she throwing up now?”
“Mommy!” Aurora cried out through her tears.
I drew in a deep breath. “I need you to get back here. I know this is gonna be gross, but she’s thrown up everywhere. She needs a doctor, and I can’t be in two places at once.”
I heard the squealing of tires before the phone call went blank. I shoved my phone into my purse and rushed to scoop my daughter into my arms as I made my way for the front door. I plucked my robe off the wall next to my coat, wrapped my almost-naked body up, and then slid into my house shoes.
And when Suri burst through the front door, she picked Aurora up into her arms. “Let me get you guys in the car. I’ll clean, then I’ll be right behind you.”
Aurora started gagging. “Mommy, where are we going?”
I palmed my keys. “We have to go to the hospital, honey. Nowhere else is open.”
“No,” she whined.
And despite the complete and utter chaos unfolding around me, one truth rang loud and clear. A truth that might inevitably cost me the most lucrative and most confusing job I’d ever taken in my lifetime.
I’d have to call out of work tomorrow on what should have been my first fucking full day on the job.
11
Trey
I held my hand up and flagged down a cab as I drew in the cool evening air through my nose. My suit smelled like sex, and I made a mental note to have it dry-cleaned as quickly as possible. The cab pulled up, and I slipped inside, mindlessly rattling off my address before I handed the man some cash. I wasn’t sure how much, though, and I didn’t care, either.
“Sir, are you sure this—”
I sighed. “Just drive. I need to get home and sleep this off.”
I felt… off. Something inside of me had kicked up, and I needed it to settle back down. It felt like the world around me was still tilting. I closed my eyes and paid attention to the blood beneath my skin. It bubbled and sizzled as if my entire body had kicked up a tsunami within my soul that threatened to wash over me. And for some reason, what I felt blossoming deep down in my soul was something akin to… relaxation? No. Relief? I had nothing to be relieved about.
