Chapter 25
25
MAGNOLIA
“ W hat are you wearing?” she scoffed as I walked in the front door.
My mother was standing in the foyer fluffing the fresh stems that had been delivered for the luncheon that my father was hosting today as a campaign fundraiser. I had been told I was expected to be here and be on my best behavior. As if I have ever publicly misbehaved at these types of events , I thought when my mother called to remind me of today’s events for the fourth time.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” I turned my palms up at my hips and looked at my outfit. I had decided to wear a deep navy blue dress with short sleeves that buttoned down the front. I’d sent it to be pressed this morning, so the collar was sharp and the belt that looped around my waist wasn’t wrinkled in the slightest. On my feet were a pair of my favorite white kitten heels that matched the clutch I was carrying. I thought I looked professional and appropriate for the luncheon setting, but apparently I’d thought wrong.
“Magnolia, your father is running a Republican campaign and you’re wearing blue. You cannot seriously believe this is okay,” she hissed, taking a few hasty steps towards me. I winced when she grabbed me by the elbow, digging her freshly filed nails into my skin, and dragged me towards the staircase. “I figured you wouldn’t be able to dress yourself appropriately so I had something purchased for you. It’s laying out on the bed in your bedroom. Go put it on, now.”
“No, I want to wear this.” I yanked my arm from hers and furrowed my brows at her.
“Magnolia, you promised you would be on your best behavior. Now go change and don’t come down until you do or you can see yourself out. I will not have you embarrassing your father today. This is a very important day for him, some of his biggest campaign supporters will be here and they will not see how blatantly disrespectful his daughter is. Do you care about this family at all?” The shooting pain that matched that of a quick slice of a scalpel ran across my heart at her words.
“Of course I care, there’s nothing I care about more than this family.” I tried to swallow the lump that was slowly growing in the back of my throat.
“If you really cared, you would do as your parents ask of you. And right now, I’m asking you to go and change before our guests arrive,” she lamented, as if the way I was behaving was soiling the family name for the rest of eternity. I paused for a beat before dropping my shoulders and walked up the stairs in defeat.
An hour and a half later, I was weaving through the crowds of people who had accepted the invite to our Sunday luncheon. It was more of an afternoon party than a luncheon, as there were close to a hundred people here and our private chef had called in his catering team to provide for everyone. My mother had pulled out all the stops. A string quartet sat playing classical music in the main living room while waiters wearing white bow ties and black suit jackets walked around with silver trays full of shrimp puffs and deviled quail eggs.
Several times I’d been stopped by some of the guests and asked about how I felt about my fathers run for the senate seat. My answers were cordial, professional, and nothing but supportive. I might not have the best relationship with my father, or either of my parents really, but I did support him in his run for office. My father, while not the best at playing daddy, was a good man. A strong man. And a man who I believe could do a lot of good if he won.
Plus, if I acted anything short of enthusiastically supportive, my mother wouldn’t hesitate to write me out of the will and hang me out to dry.
As I exchanged polite niceties, my mind wandered to other places. One place really. The place where I spent New Years Eve and the person I spent the night with. It was the third Sunday of January and just a few days after he’d texted me asking about if there’s any place I’d like to visit that I haven’t been already. We’d texted on and off since I left his place the morning of New Years Day but we haven’t gotten together again. Three weeks is a long time to sit and think about things.
How he pinned me against the wall as if I weighed nothing.
The way his strong hand felt soft, yet hungry as he ran it down my waist.
The wave of ecstasy I felt as he?—
“Hello, Miss Sinclair.” The voice ripped me out of my daydream and brought me back to the present. I turned my head to follow the smooth sound of his voice and when I saw him, my breath got caught in my throat. He was wearing a perfectly tailored, tan glen plaid suit that accentuated the deep umber tone of his skin. He must have gotten a haircut recently as the sides of his head were now shaved and faded. He gave me a handsome smile that showed off his teeth and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into me.
“Hello, again, Mr. Vesey,” I answered, trying to stifle the smile that was attempting to paint itself across my face.
“Did I interrupt something? You looked like you were deep in thought.”
My hands came to his chest and I straightened the wool tie he was wearing, breathing in his signature Tom Ford cologne.
“Oh, it was nothing. I was just thinking about this amazing night I had a few weeks ago, on New Years Eve. I went home with this guy and the things he did to me.” I moaned just loud enough for the two of us to hear. “It’s something I’d like to happen again, if I’m honest.” I looked up and batted my lashes at him before he cleared his throat loudly and took a step back.
“It sounds like a good time,” he offered, wiping his hands down the front of his jacket.
“It was a great time,” I cooed, closing the gap he had created between us. “The best time I’ve had in a long time. I’m not sure about him though, he’s been pretty distant since. I’ve tried to get together with him again but he’s always avoided the offer. I’m worried I did something wrong or he doesn’t like me.” My arms crossed in front of me as I waited for him to reply. He looked around the room and smiled at some of the guests who were moving throughout the house before he brought his glance back to me.
“I can assure you that it has nothing to do with not liking you and everything to do with needing to try and keep things professional. I would imagine a relationship like that is a very delicate thing.” He was keeping his words loose and nondescript incase anyone passing by overheard our conversation. He brought his face closer to mine before speaking. “I can also assure you that he hasn’t stopped thinking about that night either and has had to help himself along a few times at the memory of it all because not having you on him like that since is causing all sorts of discomfort.”
My lips pressed together before pulling back into a coy smirk. Hearing that he’s gotten himself off to the thought of our night together, just like I had done in my own time, made my cheeks flush. I squeezed my thighs together under my dress and started to open my mouth to say something when an older gentleman approached us.
“Sorry to interrupt, are you Kolbi Vesey?”
“I am, yes.” Kolbi gave the man his hand to shake and brought the other to his core and nodded his head.
“Hello, Mr. Vesey, my name is Mark Jones. My business partner and I would love to discuss a potential working relationship with you.” The man waved his hand toward another man who was standing across the room.
“Of course, I’d love to meet him.” He turned to me and gave me a small smile before walking away with the man. “I will talk to you soon, Miss Sinclair. You take care now.” He winked at me before he was gone.
Over the next two hours, I mingled with party guests and chatted with wealthy powerful figures from around the city. One after the other, I touted my father like the dutiful daughter he wanted me to be and encouraged people to support him at the polls. Whenever I could, I tried to sneak a peek at him from across the room, but every time I tried, I would find that he was already looking back at me. Each time I would find his hooded eyes scanning my body, the internal heat inside of me climbed a little more. My desire for him was starting to take the reins of the logical parts of my brain and it was becoming more and more difficult to focus on anything but my thoughts of his bare skin against mine.
“Would you excuse me?” I bowed my head and excused myself from a dreadfully boring conversation between two men I couldn’t remember the names of and walked steadfast towards him. He was standing just inside the foyer talking to a woman wearing pearls that were at least a hundred years old.
“Mr. Vesey, excuse me, there’s a very important matter I need to discuss with you.” I tried to keep my voice level and flashed a smile at the old woman. “Nothing to worry about, just something I need to discuss with Mr. Vesey. His security firm is top notch, you really must consider him for any personal needs you may have.” The older woman smiled back as I patted him on the arm and looped my hand under it. The feeling of my hand wrapped around his bicep didn’t help to dispel my hunger for him. He gave me a sideways glance as I pulled him from the conversation he’d been having, dragging him towards the back part of the house that we always closed off during public events like today’s luncheon.
“What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” he questioned as we moved through the crowd of people.
“Just smile and look normal, Mr. Vesey, I need you for just a moment,” I encouraged through a smile. For a guy who doesn’t want anyone to know there’s something going on between us, he’s doing a pretty terrible job of hiding the fact that he cares about me as more than a client.
We continued to walk together side by side until we reached a door that led into a small closet where the house keepers kept the cleaning supplies and old towels. I swung the door open after a quick glance over my shoulder and pulled him inside behind me.
“Magnolia, what is going on?” He looked down at me and tried to catch my glance but I ignored him. My hands were moving towards his belt as I slipped out of my heels.
“I said I needed you,” I reminded him with my eyes locked on the thing my body so badly desired.
“Yeah, I know—hey stop, what are you doing?” He caught my wrists in his hands and pinned them at my sides.
“You said you were uncomfortable,” I added, tilting my head to the side, hoping he would catch on. He blew out a breath and shook his head at me.
“Yes, I did?—”
“Okay, so you’re uncomfortable and I’m needy.” I yanked my hands free when I felt his grip loosen and undid his belt quickly. “Let me take care of both of us.” I’d started to drop to my knees in front of him when he looped his hands under my arms and pulled me to my feet again.
“Magnolia, no. Not here. Not now. Absolutely not?—”
“Why not?” I whined, pressing my body to his in the tight closet. I slipped my hand down his chest and started to play with him through his expensive wool suit. He grinded his head in a circle, the sensation of my hand on his cock winding him up quickly. I felt him start to grow under his pants and pressed up to my toes to bring my lips to his neck.
“Come on Jack,” I whispered into his ear, “Let me take you in my mouth. I’ll do whatever you say and follow whatever stupid rules you set if you let me have this. I want it. I want you.” My hand gripped him harder and my body was nearly quivering against him.
“This is such a bad idea.” He was looking up towards the sky, as if he was talking to God or some other higher power, before he brought his hand to my neck and pulled me into a deep, almost painful kiss. When his lips met mine my body was engulfed in so much lust that I thought I was on fire. When our eyes met again, it was as if another side of Kolbi had come out and replaced the buttoned up, professional version of him that had been in the room not even thirty seconds earlier. “Get on your knees, angel, show me what that pretty mouth of yours can do.”
I flashed him a naughty grin before doing what he asked and dropping to my knees in front of him. I made quick work of his belt and pulled his pants to his knees. Once his dick was free, I wrapped my fingers around it and stroked it a few times before placing my lips around it. He groaned with appreciation and ran his fingers through my hair which fell behind my shoulders in loose, Hollywood waves. I felt him grow even more as I continued to suck him off. When I glanced up towards his face, I found him looking down at me, watching me as if I was the greatest show he’s ever seen. He was chewing on his bottom lip in an attempt to hold back his moans. I moved my mouth around his cock and brought a hand to his shaft, matching the movements of my mouth with my hand. Once I found a rhythm, I moved with precision and after a few minutes, felt his fingers grip my hair even tighter.
“You are so fucking good at that,” he growled as he loomed over me. I used my free hand to hold onto the back of his calf, bracing myself against him as he’s started to thrust himself in and out of my mouth.
“Yeah, let me fuck your mouth like a good girl,” he moaned and I felt myself nod in approval. I’d never liked doing this with Daniel because he always made it seem like a requirement. With Kolbi though, it felt like a goddamn gift. Knowing that I got him off like this made me feel good, feel desired, and that was something I’d never felt with Daniel.
“You’re going to make me come,” he warned. I nodded my head again. “You want me to come in your mouth? Is that what you want?” I nodded again and gripped his leg tighter, silently begging for him to give me what I wanted. With a few more thrusts, I felt the warmth of his climax hit the back of my throat and he quickly pulled me off of him. He was panting and bracing himself up on his knees as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. He lifted his head to look around the closet and handed me a towel from the shelf. Once I was done using it, I tossed it to the floor and pushed myself up to my feet. He wrapped his hand around the small of my waist and pulled me in. “You are a very bad girl, Miss Sinclair.”
“That’s funny, because I’m pretty sure you just told me I was a good girl,” I teased. As if to put a stop to my arguing, he shoved his tongue down my throat and kissed me like his last breath depended on it.
“If we weren’t in this tiny closet in the middle of a very public function, I would lay you down and call you all kinds of things.” He pinched my ass which made me yelp before bringing his hand to the bottom of my chin, tilting it up so I had to look at him. He studied me intently as if he was lost in thought. I traced his full, bottom lip with my finger before he kissed it.
“We should get back to dinner,” I offered knowing good and well that everyone would be called to eat soon.
“We should,” he started. The way he said it made it seem like there was more he wanted to say.
“But…”
“Would you like to go on a date with me?”
I was so taken aback by his question that I literally took a step away from him.
“A date? You’re asking me on a date?” I felt my eyebrows push closer to my hairline.
“What? You don’t want to go on a date with me?” he asked as he pulled his pants above his waist again and redid his belt.
“No, I do. I’m just surprised you’re asking. You were the one who’s all about ‘keeping this a secret.’”
“You know as well as I do why we need to.” He redid the button of his jacket which had come undone. While I knew he was right, I still didn’t like it. I knew my parents would freak if they knew we were seeing one another. But maybe they wouldn’t? My mother was still holding out hope that Daniel and I would reunite, but Kolbi was just as successful as Daniel is, if not more. Maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal if they knew?
“I know.” I wrapped my bottom lip around my teeth and looked at him. “I’d love to go on a date with you.”
He pulled me in again by my waist and kissed me on the forehead with so much tenderness and care that I felt my insides start to wilt. Before opening the closet door, he knelt down and helped me back into the stilettos I had slipped off. One at a time, he took my foot and slid my heel back on for me.
“I’ll text you,” he said once he was standing again.
“I’ll be waiting.”
Then, he opened the door for me and waited for me to check to see if the coast was clear. When it was, we both walked back to the party just in time to be called to dinner.