Chapter 19
Lose control…
Delaney
He held the door open as we walked into the cafe. The bell above the door jingled loudly and a woman came over to greet us.
“How are you doing, sweetheart? Just two today?”
I looked to the stranger to respond.
“Yes ma’am, a booth if you’ve got it.” He looked down at me and smiled.
That smile.
The hostess guided us to a small private booth in the corner, near a window that overlooked where our vehicles were parked.
Through the dirty glass I could see the man addressed as Enzo on his knees, changing my tire to the spare.
I felt guilty sitting down to a meal while he was out there on the ground.
“He doesn’t have to do that. I could have called my friend to come pick me up and just had my car towed.” The first thing to come out of my mouth since we walked over, and it came out sounding like an ungrateful brat.
“I..I mean, I appreciate the help, I just meant–” I paused, trying to gather my thoughts under the gaze of what could possibly be the most handsome man I had ever seen.
When I looked up into his eyes, instead of nervous anxiety I felt…
something else. I couldn’t identify it, but it felt intriguing and intense.
“That poor lip of yours, you’ve done nothing but abuse it this entire time,” he reached up, gently sliding his thumb across my lips to free it from the grip between my teeth.
I instinctively leaned into his touch, but quickly thought better of it and sat up, nervously clearing my throat.
“Are you hungry?” He asked, picking up his menu and staring down at it.
He looked out of place being in a cramped run-down cafe in his expensive tailored suit and his shiny gold Rolex. I tried not to stare but I couldn’t escape the draw he had on me.
“Have we met before?” I asked, ignoring his question.
I was starving. I had brunch with my new author but I was too nervous, and I don’t eat when I’m nervous, so I mostly just picked at the food. I planned to get home, put on some comfy clothes and veg out with a book, but my flat tire threw a mega wrench in my plans.
“Do I seem familiar?” He asked, averting my question and remaining focused on his.
“You do, but at the same time you don’t…?” I said as more of a question. “Sorry, I must sound like a whacko.” I giggled at myself.
“Can I start you two with a drink?” The waitress asked, her eyes looking deep into the pages of her notepad. As soon as she looked up, she smiled and her cheeks reddened. I suspect he got a similar response from most women he encountered.
He nodded at me, gesturing for me to answer.
“Ice water for me, please.” I said timidly.
* * *
“Tell me, Delaney, what do you do for work?” he asked, sitting back in his seat curiously.
“I am involved in the publishing industry.” I answered, vaguely.
“Have you always wanted to be in publishing?”
“No, honestly. I want to write. This just kinda happened first. I still have plans of becoming an author, one day. But for now this pays the bills.” I rambled on, trying to keep my responses short.
He wasn’t interested in my life story. He was just conversing to relieve some of the tension I’m certain he could feel, at least that’s what I thought until I looked up to meet his gaze.
“What about you?” I asked, my eyes unable to move away from his.
He smirked at my blatant attempt to take the focus from me.
“I am a business owner, I own several establishments in the area and a few outside of here as well.”
“Are you from here?” I asked, running my finger over the top of my water glass that Linda dropped in front of me then scurried away, looking over her shoulder at the mystery man I was dining with.
Nervous habit. His eyes followed my movements.
“From California, yes.” He answered vaguely. Come to think of it, most of his answers had been vague. Like he was trying not to give too much away.
“What about you?” He nodded in my direction.
“Me?” I pointed at myself. Like a complete idiot.
He chuckled. “Yes. You,” He raised his hand and pointed, with a smirk.
“I’m from a small town in Arkansas. Called Jasper. I’m sure you’ve never heard of it.”
“The south, yes. I thought I heard an accent.” He teased, looking directly into my eyes.
“I don’t have an accent, y’all have the accent.” I retorted by exaggerating my words and adding a ton of twang to my pronunciation. He threw his head back in laughter at my attempt to sound like a typical southern belle.
“And your family? Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope it was just me, my mother and my father.” His brow raised and I felt it before he even asked the inevitable question.
“Was?” He stared at me with a blank expression.
“Yes, my parents passed away a couple years ago. Car accident.”
I usually don’t offer up so much information about myself but there was something about this man, something different, something safe.
I was pulled from my thoughts when his cell phone rang.
He pulled it from his pocket and looked at it. “Looks like your car is ready.”
He threw a wad of cash on the table and stood, offering me his hand. Like a true gentleman.
* * *
I got home from what could have been a disastrous day, I dropped my bags on the table and went on the hunt for my so-called friend, who ditched me at Club Crawl, last night.
If I didn’t know any better I’d say she planned for Dallas to be there too, but she didn’t like him enough to go to those lengths.
When I discovered I was home alone, I changed out of my dreadful pencil skirt and blouse, replacing it with baggy sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt, sat down with my book I had been trying to start for the last few days, and enough snacks to tackle every craving.
When I opened the book and reread the dedication, the mention of a masked man made me suddenly remember the package that was left on the mat today. I jumped up excitedly, and darted for my room.
I plopped down on my bed with the box and the small envelope that was with it. I opened the envelope first, inside was a handwritten note,
Miss Delaney,
Lose control.
-Dallas
I turned the card around, looking for more. That was it. Just two words. Lose control.
He sees right through my act.
I slid the top of the box off. Inside was a beautiful silk robe. It was so soft and extravagant. I placed the robe across my bed and reached in to retrieve the next item. My face flushed at the site of a ‘rose toy’. I knew exactly what it was, Lacy had one.
Underneath the rose was an invitation. I opened it up to see that the entry fee for the next auction at club crawl was paid in my favor.
I was instantly mad. Why would he even think that was a considerate gift?
I would never sell myself to some stranger to do with my body as they please.
I don’t care how curious I was. Just as I was on the verge of losing my mind, I noticed he left his phone number at the bottom of the registration form.
I dialed his number ready to unleash a piece of my mind.
“Hello, Miss Delaney,” he answered the call on the first ring.
“I got your gift, I just have one question for you.” I snapped, ready for a fight.
“Oh yeah? What’s that sweetheart?”
“What kind of woman do you think I am? You paid my fees to enter into that degrading, disgusting event? What kind of game are you playing?”
He chuckled into the phone.
“That disgusting event, is an event that renders a sizable donation for a different charitable cause each month. My members vote on which is most in need of funding and a check is delivered the next morning anonymously. That auction is the only way some of these shelters, hospitals, and free clinics within the city can stay in business.” He said, pausing to allow my response.
“Oh,” was all I said, I just bashed his club, and his intentions in a matter of seconds.
Way to go, Delaney.
“I’m sorry for assuming–” I started to apologize but I was quickly interrupted.
“I don’t do apologies. Therefore, I don’t accept them either. Instead, I’d like you to do me a favor.” His commanding tone seduced me and piqued my curiosity.
“Okay,” I said more as a question.
“I want you to do two things. One, I want you to consider coming to the auction. And two, I want you to use that rose, and when you are breathing heavily, and your body starts to tingle, and you start to get that sensation, I want you to scream my name as you cum.” He finished stating his demand then quickly disconnected the call.
My face heated and I was thankful he left no time for a reply.
Why did he want me to participate in that auction so badly? And why did the thought make my core pulse and my body feel like it was on fire?
Could I really be considering this right now!?
I picked up the rose…it wouldn’t hurt to lose a little control.