“How was your day, beautiful?” he smiles down as I pass by, making me feel a bit shy.
“Torture. Can we just be independently wealthy and stay home all day long together?” I giggle.
Leaning down, Cole gets close to my ear and whispers, “We are that wealthy and yes, we can if you choose.”
I know we have money, I’m not stupid, but sometimes I forget that he is as wealthy as he is and his company is not a small business that one day we hope to sell so we can retire. I also forget it’s half mine, honestly, I couldn’t care less. I like working and so does he, but I could use a weekend away since we keep getting interrupted by tragedy.
“Shut up, neither of us would last more than a minute if we had all day to do nothing.” I laugh, looking out of the window at the envious faces.
“Oh, I could think of plenty to occupy our days,” resting his hand on my thigh, his fingers squeeze into my skin.
Looking over at him, I wonder for a minute what it would be like to just be. He and I living a jet-set life with no ties anywhere. As quickly as the thought enters, I dismiss it, that isn’t who we are. I love my friends and family. I love having ties and responsibilities and mostly I love watching him be king of the castle. I wouldn’t trade our life for anything.
Cole takes me to the first listing and I hate it, but then again so does he, too modern and sterile feeling. Two more after that, equally hated, then we make a pit stop for hot dogs and push on to the last listing. Pulling down the tree-lined street of brownstones, I become super excited. Ever since I was little, I have wanted to live on a street like this. My family was more of a building with concierge, rather than a brownstone crew. I can’t even hide my excitement as we pull up in front of a gorgeous white façade with a large red door. I’m literally in heaven!
“My girl is happy?”
“Your girl is very happy,” I squeal, doing a little wiggle dance in my seat.
Cole laughs as his door opens and he walks around to open my door.
Not only is the house perfect, but it has outdoor space. Cole sits and talks details with the agent as I tour the house alone again, imagining all the things I will do to each room. Our home. I’m standing in the master bath admiring the enormity of the space when Cole walks in, running his hands down my shoulders.
“Congratulations Mrs. Parker.”
“What! They already accepted our offer?”
“Of course, I made them a solid offer. This time tomorrow, you can grab the keys.”
“Oh my god!” I yell, turning and jumping into his arms.
“How about we christen our new bathroom?” Cole taunts as he lifts me onto the counter.
“Mm, but wait. What about the agent? I’m not sure she would appreciate waiting for us downstairs.” I giggle as I put my hands on his chest, just to feel him up a bit.
“She’s gone, we can lock it up when we leave. It’s just us Mia, unless you don’t want me to make you come right now?” Smirking as he already knows the answer to his question.
I crash my mouth into his, letting my body answer him. Cole runs his hands through my hair, gathering it up at my nape and pulls my head back making room for him to devour my neck. Everything in my body lights up like a damn Christmas tree, I couldn’t tear myself from him if I wanted to. All he has to do is touch me and I lose all control over my own body. I can feel my panties are already soaked and all I want are his hands on me. I reach down, feeling like a crazed animal and pull his hand up my skirt.
“Do you want my fingers inside of that pretty little cunt, is that what you want? Do you want to ride my fingers until you can’t take anymore?”
I lose all sense of myself when he speaks to me like this, dirty and raw. It’s what I feel inside, dirty and raw, in the best possible way. I want him everywhere, all over me, I can’t get enough. I can feel my body writhing as he whispers dirty things in my ear.
“Fuck me, Cole, just fuck me. I need it, please.”
Without hesitation, he pushes my dress up to my waist, spreads my legs open and pulls my lace panties aside, thrusting two fingers into me, creating friction on my clit and making it sting just enough.
“Oh fuck, yes!” I scream and arch back into the mirror.
“Look at me, Mia,” he growls.
I try and lift my head, but my senses are on overload. Raising my head, I open my eyes to meet Cole’s and his look pushes my insides to quicken. Gasping as my orgasm gets closer and closer, all I can see is Cole and that fucking look, the look of a man possessed by want and ownership. Want for my body and ownership of my soul. He fingers me harder and harder until I grip his shoulders and scream out my ecstasy, shuddering at the power of my orgasm. Cole drops down, sucking my tender nub into his mouth through the lace. He grips my ass pulling me forward to devour me. The sensation is overwhelming and conquering. I scream out as wave after wave hits me.
“That’s it, baby, give it to me. Yes, Mia,” Cole hums against my clit.
This is how I will die, and I’ve never been so sated. As my breathing begins to slow, Cole gently kisses the inside of my thighs and grips my waist to help me down from the counter. I slide down his body and when we come eye to eye, he kisses me, letting me taste my own bliss. The kiss is slow and deliberate.
Setting my feet on the floor, he takes a step back, slowly undoing his belt, “Turn around, bend over, hands on the counter.” His voice is like velvet and the tension in his jaw alone is enough to make me want to drop to my knees.
I do exactly as he commands and I feel him come up behind me and rub the side of my ass as he slowly inches my dress up again. He pulls my dress around my waist and leaves me exposed as he gently pulls down my panties. Staying squatted on the floor, he runs his hands up my legs, kissing the backs of my thighs and placing his last kiss on my backside.
“Hold on tight, baby. I can’t be gentle.”
“Don’t be,” is all I can whisper out before he rams into me, forcing my hands to push against the mirror. Looking into the mirror, my voyeurism is met with matching intrigue as Cole watches me come undone. He thrusts harder and harder into me, as his face stretches into a wicked grin.
“You are so fucking sexy, Mia. Watching you need more, want more, is making my cock harder than I thought it could get.”
I spread my legs wider, wanting to be filled with all he has to give me. Cole grips my hips and I know I will have bruises on my hips tomorrow. Moving one hand up to my shoulder, he holds me in place as he pounds himself into me until I feel the tension building again.
“Oh fuck, Cole, I’m coming. Yes! Oh God!”
“Come with me,” he growls as he grinds his cock into me with enough pressure to make me scream out my orgasm.
“Cole! Yes!”
Cole growls in response, hunching over my back and gripping my body with intensity as he releases his hot seed inside of me.
We stay frozen in the moment until he interrupts our leveled breath with, “Well, sweetheart, I think we christened the fuck out of this bathroom.” I laugh, only to jump from the smack landed on my ass. “Sorry, I can’t resist,” he winks.
We clean up and walk back downstairs, lost in each other and in our joint happiness over our new home. I feel like I’m living in a dream and just like that, the fear comes creeping back. Where the hell is that other shoe, because I know it’s bound to drop any minute.
When my alarm beeps in the morning, I reach to hit snooze, but Cole nuzzles my neck, nipping at my earlobe.
“Come on, sleeping beauty, didn’t you say you had a meeting this morning? It may not be the right time to start saying ‘screw off’ to whole department meetings.” I feel him smiling against my cheek.
“Ha, aren’t you funny. Fuck me, I don’t want to get up!” I pretend to cry hoping to gain sympathy.
Before I know it, Cole straddles my body, holding my arms above my head. “Your wish is my command!”
“Quit!” I giggle and try to wriggle free without success. “Seriously, I have to g
et ready as you so sweetly pointed out.”
Letting go of my hands, Cole leans down and kisses my lips and looks at me with the cutest pouty face ever.
“Oh my God, you are not trying to make me feel bad now! You can put those puppy dog eyes and that lip away, it’s not working.” Leaning in, he starts kissing my cheeks and my neck. “Ugh! Cole, I’m not falling for this. Ahh, yes, right there. I mean, what the hell? Goddammit, I QUIT! Fuck ‘em!”
Cole bursts out laughing and rolls off of me, setting me free. “Go, woman, before I change my mind.”
Once I’m dressed and ready to head out, I peek out the bedroom door and see Cole sitting in the living room, barefoot and shirtless, reading the paper. I’m going to need a full tank of resolve to combat this damn man. I walk out, grabbing my bag and a banana, calling out a goodbye as I rush toward the door to make my great escape.
“AMELIA PARKER.” Cole’s voice booms through our hotel room stopping me in my tracks.
“Aw shit,” I’m caught, turning and wrinkling my nose like a little kid in trouble.
“I expect a kiss goodbye,” he booms, keeping his eyes on the paper.
“No funny business, Parker, I’m serious. I want to make a good impression. If I don’t, I’ll be forced to sleep my way to the top!” I yell out with melodramatic flare as I near the back of the couch. As soon as I say it, Cole grabs me and pulls me over the couch onto his lap. I scream out with laughter as he pins me into his arms.
“If you are going to sleep your way to the top, just switch companies first.” He smirks, going along with my joke. Dazzling me with his smile, he leans forward kissing the tip of my nose.
“I love you,” I smile sweetly.
“I love you back,” he whispers before annihilating my lipstick.
Walking into the building with a spring in my step, I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face from this morning. I wave hello to Jules and grab my laptop off my desk as she approaches.
“Hey you, ready for snacks?”
I laugh. “Funny, but I think we should maybe focus on the meeting more than the muffins? You know just to pretend we like to work.”
Jules makes a face of horror when I say the last part and we both laugh, walking toward the conference room. I like Jules, but she makes me miss Alex. I realize making work friends is important, but I can’t help but feel guilty.
Shaking off my feelings of guilt, I try to refocus, “So, what should I expect at these meetings? It’s just our department?”
“It’s ads, us and the heads of the other departments. It’s mostly us taking notes on how to promote their stupid ideas, I mean, some of the marketing ideas are just insane!”
I smile and just nod my head, secretly I’m super excited like a kid for the first day of school. As we walk through the doors, I look around at the growing number of people filling up the room and Jules points to our seats.
I’m pulling out my seat when I hear, “Sam, nice to see you! I heard you were out for a while, I hope everything is okay.”
Immediately, my eyes scan the room to find Sam Johnson, then I hear her respond and realize Cole and Foster are correct. I feel even more confused now, how the hell does this lady know me? Old teacher maybe? I think I would remember Sam, though. She is tall, very blonde and her looks are striking, angular and powerful, but she still manages beauty. I realize I’m staring at her when her eyes meet mine, questioning my look. That is until she leans over to someone whispering in her ear and then smirks in my direction. My gaze drifts toward the whisperer and my heart stops and for every reason, I am mad. Really fucking mad.
“Hello stranger.” Jack casually strolls over to me.
Of all the people, here’s my fucking shoe. It has been dropped.
“Hello Jack, fancy seeing you here.” Sarcasm fills my voice like a hurricane.
“Oh, come on Mia, be nice. We are work colleagues after all. I also think the fact that I singlehandedly got you your job would go further to you being politer.”
I open and close my laptop, unable to say what I want to say. I keep trying to think of a “better way” to phrase my answer, but all of my responses seem to end in “go fuck yourself.” Ugh, this day sucks.
I’m relieved when the meeting begins and Jack turns to join Sam at the opposite end of the table. The next hour is the hardest hour of my life, trying to maintain focus when all I want is to get up, walk straight to HR and quit. I cannot believe I owe this job to Jack. Jack, the biggest asshole in the world. Why would he do this? I swear I think it’s his way of keeping me under his thumb. What a psycho! Cole is going to lose his mind. My attention is brought back to the present as Jules hands me a muffin.
“Treats!” Her excitement apparent.
Looking around for Jack, I see him standing with Sam off to the side by the door. This is not happening, dammit. I stand and decide to just face the firing (or hiring) squad. I feel so awkward walking over and for a split-second wonder what they would do if I just keep walking through the door, but instead I stop when I see them staring at me, anticipating my conversation.
“I believe I owe you a thank you.” I smile at Sam hoping to open the conversation in a friendly but professional manner. “I’m very grateful and surprised to have been recommended for my position.” Not expanding, I look between her and Jack.
“Well, really it was Jack that insisted I hire you. He said you were a star student. I trust his word implicitly. We are a partnership and I am a very loyal partner.” She smiles sweetly, but puts a lot of emphasis on that last sentence. Weirdo, but I get her meaning. It’s obvious that something is going on between them.
“Great,” I’m not sure where to go with that. “Well, thank you again, and of course to you as well, Jack.” The last part came out like a hairball. I know he has ulterior motives. Such a dick. Who gets their ex hired just so they can either plot revenge or even worse, try and get her back. I hate both options.
All I can think of is how Cole is going to react. I swear he will burn this place to the ground. Great, just my luck that I find an amazing job, and I have a stalker ex. Ugh!
Just when I’m at my office door, Jack comes hurriedly around the corner. “Mia, hey, wait up!”
I deliberately pretend not to hear him and close the glass door to the office, hoping he will break his nose. Not the most mature way to handle the situation, but I gave up caring an hour ago. Hearing the skidding from his shoes brings a smile to my face as I sit at my side of the desk.
“Mia, c’mon, was that really necessary? I would think that you would be better behaved since you’re still a new employee. You haven’t really made enough of a mark to start acting like a spoiled brat.”
I knew he was in there somewhere, the Jack I’ve come acquainted with.
“Welcome back. I was beginning to think you may have actually started to believe the bullshit coming out of your mouth.” I shuffle some paperwork around to look disinterested in his presence.
“You know what, I just came to say let’s bury the hatchet. Honestly, I was hoping that this could have been an olive branch. Jesus, you act like I am out to get you or something. You realize I am only guilty of recommending you for this fucking job! I remembered when we had our thing, you saying something about working for this firm and when I was hired on and after everything what happened… look I’m the one who got their ass beat down and humiliated. For fuck’s sake, Mia, I was just trying to do a karmic good, sue me. Better yet, enjoy your position and you don’t have to even worry about me.” With that, Jack turns and pushes out of the door and walks away.
I stand, feeling embarrassed. Had I just made a monumental error? I mean, did I really think he was stalking me or that I am so amazing, he was unable to move on? Oh my God, I’m so ridiculous. Fuck.
Making it through the rest of my day is torture. I can’t stop thinking about my run-in with Jack.
I’m jarred from my daydream torture by Jules. “Ahem, earth to Mia.”
My cheeks heat and I look
at her apologetically. “Sorry Jules, what’s that? I was thinking of something and must’ve spaced.” Oh my God, I can’t even take my own stupidity right now. Get it together, Mia!
“No worries, is everything okay? You’ve seemed distracted today. Boyfriend?”
“No, God no. I mean, it’s just that I ran into someone that I didn’t expect to see and it’s thrown me for a loop. Seriously, I’m just spacey because I didn’t eat my snacks at the meeting this morning.” I laugh at the end, hoping to sell my story but it’s clear to me Jules sees more than I would like her to see.
“Oh, yeah. I was wondering why you and Jack seemed so tense. I mean, most of the girls think he is strange, but we all know not to look his way or Sam will bite.”
“Wait, hold up… they’re actually a thing?”
“Yeah, for a while now.” Looking around, she leans in as if what she is going to say is top secret. “Everyone used to say that Sam was different, like into some serious fetish kind of stuff, but I guess that’s not true, because Jack does not look that interesting.”
“Really? Hmm, very interesting.”
“Yeah, but Laura on the fifth floor said that she saw them bumping uglies in Sam’s office once and Jack was doing some really strange stuff. She never said what, but she seemed pretty tripped out.”
“Well, to each his own. Who cares what people do as long as it’s not on my desk,” I laugh to myself.
I’m glad she is so forthcoming with information, but I couldn’t care less about his sex life. Really, her story just cements how off base I am about his motives and manages to re-ignite my humiliation.
The Forever Series Page 23
