Chapter Twelve
CHAPTER TWELVE
Caleb
O n Saturday, a week after Alyssa had caught Stevie and I together in the kitchen, I took Owen to visit my mother. These visits were never pleasant for me but I tried not to let my strained relationship with her affect her spending time with her only grandchild. As I sat across from Cassandra, she grilled me about Alyssa, as my ex had already told her everything that had happened with Stevie, embellishing the situation and turning it into something sordid.
She didn’t bother disguising her disapproval of my life, not that I gave a shit what she thought of anyone I dated. Luckily, Owen was playing ball in the nearby backyard with my mother’s corgi, oblivious to the grown-up tension.
“I just don’t understand why you won’t at least try and reconcile with Alyssa,” my mother said from her seat on the patio. “She’s trying so hard. She’s completely clean now and Owen should have both of his parents under one roof.”
I slanted her an incredulous look. “First of all, there will be no reconciling with Alyssa, ever. There’s too much that happened between us that I will never be okay with. And she should be drug-free, for Owen’s sake if not for her own.”
My mother’s lips pursed. “She made a few mistakes. Everyone does. That doesn’t mean they can’t be forgiven.” Her pointed look let me know she wasn’t just talking about Alyssa.
A muscle in my jaw clenched. “Like Lance?” I asked, since I refused to have any type of relationship with my sociopathic twin. “You’re making excuses for Alyssa the same way you do for him. Lance is in prison for a reason.”
She huffed indelicately. “One simple mistake shouldn’t ruin his whole life.”
One simple mistake? More like half a dozen violent crimes, but I didn’t bother correcting her. “So, it doesn’t matter how many lives he’s destroyed?”
My mother opened her mouth to speak, and I immediately cut her off. “Never mind. We’re never going to agree on this issue. Not on Lance, and not on Alyssa.”
I abruptly stood up, having reached my limit of patience. “Owen and I need to go. I promised him I’d take him to his favorite pizza place for lunch.” I glanced out to the backyard, where Owen was still tossing the ball for the dog. “Hey, buddy! Time to go.”
He came running over, and I honestly hated that there was nothing about these visits that Owen enjoyed. Cassandra wasn’t the warm, loving grandmother he deserved and even the hug that she gave him now was stiff and more obligatory than a true affectionate embrace. It was times like this that I missed my father, who was dead and gone. Growing up, he’d been so much warmer and more affectionate than my mother, and he would have adored Owen.
“Will I get to see him for his birthday?” my mother asked as she followed us through her house to the front door. “It’s just not the same now that you and Alyssa don’t throw him a big party with all our friends there.”
Those spectacles had been Alyssa’s doing, putting together a ridiculously huge and expensive bash for a kid that was all for show and appearances, thrown only to impress her friends and make sure everyone knew that money was no object. I’d hated those parties, which was why I’d changed things up with Owen’s birthdays once Alyssa and I divorced.
“I’m taking him to the beach club for his birthday weekend, just like I have the past few years. I’ll make sure you get to see him sometime that week before we go.”
“Will your…girlfriend be there?” she asked, her tone already dripping with criticism at the word girlfriend .
“Yes, Stevie is going,” I said, but made sure my mother knew what the arrangements would be because she’d no doubt report back to Alyssa. “She’ll be staying with Cara in her suite.”
By the time I left, I was mentally fried and worked up at the same time, and when we returned home after stopping for lunch, I wasn’t in the best mood and needed to decompress. I called to see if Cara was around and asked her to watch Owen while I spent the next two hours in the downstairs gym, working off my aggression.
On Sunday, I handed off Owen to Alyssa.
The next three days until I had plans to see Stevie for my business dinner passed at a snail’s pace. The time since I’d seen her last had most definitely not flown by. I couldn’t get Stevie out of my mind. Not when I was at home, not when I was at work, and most certainly not when I was in my bed alone at night and wished she were there with me.
Every night one or the other of us had been busy, which didn’t stop us from texting each other about our days—and flirting—because if I couldn’t be with her in person, I found myself wanting to connect with her in other ways until I was able to see her for tonight’s dinner with Beck and Chloe, and Gerard Laurent and his wife, Hazel.
After a too long day at the office—though an incredibly productive one since Gerard and his wife had submitted an offer on the triplex penthouse at Central Park Tower, which made tonight’s dinner more of a celebratory event—I arrived home and took a shower and changed into a fresh suit.
Finally, Stevie was all mine. I wasn’t thrilled that we had a long, drawn-out meal and pleasantries to sit through, but once that was over I had every intention of making up for lost time. As in, bringing her back to my apartment afterward, stripping her naked, and keeping her very busy in my bed for the rest of the night.
At six-thirty, I knocked on Stevie’s door to pick her up.
She answered, her eyes bright with excitement and a wide smile on her lips. She called out to Valerie that she was leaving, and I walked with her to the elevator. Once we were inside and heading down, she smoothed a hand along the front of her silky black dress that was subtly sexy, skimming her body just enough for me to appreciate her sensual curves.
“I hope I dressed appropriately for the restaurant we’re going to?”
The question was tinged with a hint of self-conscious uncertainty that she had no reason to feel. I took in the complete package…the way she’d worn her hair up in a more elegant style, her smoky eye makeup and daring choice of lip color, then continued down to the classic, sophisticated black dress and tasteful heels that completed the ensemble.
“You look gorgeous,” I said, meaning it, and followed that up with a sinful smile. “The only thing that would make you look even more beautiful is if you weren’t wearing anything at all.”
A pink blush suffused her cheeks, but her eyes shone with awareness. “So, that’s how it’s going to go tonight, huh?”
“Me imagining you naked?” I asked, turning toward her and closing the very short distance between us, until her back was pressed against the cool chrome interior wall. “Absolutely,” I murmured.
I lifted my hand and stroked the backs of my fingers along the side of her bare neck, watching with satisfaction as she shivered from my touch. “In fact, all throughout dinner, I’m going to be thinking about pulling those pins from this fancy updo so I can wrap your hair around my fist while I fuck you.”
Her eyes darkened with desire as they looked up into mine, and her lips parted on a soft exhale of breath.
I smiled, skimming my thumb along her chin, not done seducing her imagination that would hopefully keep her on edge until we were alone later. “But first, before I do that, I’m going to put you on your knees because that red lipstick you’re wearing? It’s a goddamn tease and I want to see it smeared all over my cock while you suck my dick.”
A small groan escaped her throat, even while she tried to maintain her composure by raising a brow at me. “You’ve very presumptuous, Mr. Kane.”
“No, not presumptuous at all,” I said, lifting my gaze from those tempting lips. “Just very confident, and now, for the rest of the night, you’re going to think of all those things, too.”
“You’re not playing fair at all,” she whispered, but it wasn’t a complaint.
“It’s been a long, excruciating week and a half since I had the pleasure of fucking you. A week and a half of fantasizing all the dirty, filthy things I want to do to you, and tonight, I plan to indulge. Unless…you’d rather not?”
She gave her head a quick shake, as if she didn’t want to give me the chance to change my mind. “I didn’t say that.”
I chuckled, the sound a little devious. “Didn’t think so.”
The elevator dinged its arrival, and as the doors slid open I placed a soft, chaste kiss on her cheek so I didn’t mess up that sexy-as-sin lipstick. I took her hand in mine and walked with her through the lobby, not missing the glances a few men cast her way that made me feel territorial as hell.
Stevie seemed oblivious to those stares. She honestly had no idea how appealing she was. How sexy but also unassuming and sweet, with a just enough tenacity to keep things interesting. It was a combination I found irresistible.
My driver, Dylan, was already parked and waiting in the valet area for us, and since we weren’t alone I behaved and kept our conversation casual on the way to the restaurant. I caught up on how her campaign was going at Dare PR that she seemed so excited about, we discussed her latest macroeconomics test which she’d passed, and Stevie filled me in on Valerie’s first few days at the firm and how much her sister was enjoying her new job.
We arrived at Mastro’s Steakhouse the same time that Beck and his wife, Chloe, did, and a few minutes later Gerard and Hazel joined us. Introductions were made for the women, then the hostess led us through an upscale dining area to a private room I’d had my assistant reserve for the six of us so we’d have a much quieter and more intimate experience.
Wine was ordered and poured while we perused the menu, and once everyone’s orders were taken, general conversation ensued. Since most of the day had been spent focused on business with Gerard, the men gravitated toward discussing more personal interests, like sports and current events.
Chloe and Stevie hit it off immediately, which didn’t surprise me at all. As soon as Chloe learned that Stevie worked at The Back Door, they realized they had acquaintances in common since Chloe was a Kingston, and her sister, Aurora, was married to a Dare…which connected them to Zach Dare, who was half owner of The Back Door.
“Wait a second,” Stevie said, her eyes lighting up as realization struck. “You’re a Kingston, as in related to Dash Kingston, the rock star?”
Chloe nodded, smiling as she took a sip of her wine. “Yes, that’s my brother.”
“I have to confess, I might have had a slight fangirl moment when I first heard his music,” Stevie said, then laughed. “Okay, who am I kidding? I still do.”
As the two continued to chat, drawing Hazel into their conversation, I listened in on Gerard and Beck’s debate about golf, which was my least favorite sport, so I didn’t have much to contribute.
Our meals arrived, and surprisingly, the next few hours passed quickly. After dessert we all parted ways, and when Stevie and I were seated in the back of my SUV and heading home while Dylan drove, I glanced over at her, seeing how quiet and thoughtful she looked.
“Did you have a nice evening?” I asked, placing my hand on her knee.
She turned her head and smiled at me. “I did. It was quite different than I thought it would be.”
I raised a brow, curious to know what she meant. “How so?”
She bit her bottom lip for a few seconds, then her eyes met mine, clear and direct, but I didn’t miss the touch of hesitation there. “You want honesty?”
I nodded. “Always. Good or bad, I appreciate the truth, and there’s nothing you could ever say that would offend me.”
There was a slight pause before she exhaled, almost like she was deciding how much to reveal. “I was nervous going into this dinner, and self-conscious,” she admitted, which I’d already suspected. “I mean, being in that kind of upscale restaurant was intimidating enough, let alone meeting women I didn’t know and having no idea if we’d connect, especially with Chloe because I’m clearly not a part of this world you live in.”
I sensed there was more and gave her a little prompt. “But?”
“But, despite me being initially nervous, Chloe was so warm and welcoming and down-to-earth. She made tonight easier than I expected and made me feel…accepted, despite learning I worked as a bar waitress.”
I had a feeling I knew who Stevie was silently comparing Chloe to. “Not everyone is like Alyssa,” I said, giving her leg a gentle squeeze. “And Chloe, well, she might come from a very wealthy family, but there is nothing pretentious about her. She’s always been incredibly kind and thoughtful.”
“You’re right,” she said, smiling. “She was great and I felt very comfortable with her.”
“Here’s the thing,” I said, wanting to impart some advice I hoped she took to heart, instead of feeling like she didn’t belong in what she referred to as my world , when to me she fit perfectly. “You can’t control how other people expect you to be, and when you’re with the right people, you don’t need to change who you are to fit in. The others can go fuck themselves. Don’t change for anyone.” Taking her hand, I lifted it to my mouth, kissing the back of it. “You’re more than enough, just as you are.”
“Thank you,” she said softly, just as Dylan turned into the drop-off area of The Cortland. “I appreciate that.”
We got out of the car and once we were in the elevator heading up to my apartment, Stevie pulled her phone from her purse and began texting someone.
“If you’re messaging Valerie, tell her you’re staying the night at my place,” I said.
“Bossy much?” Stevie said, a wry grin on her lips. “I might be joining you for a ‘nightcap’ of sorts, but I have work tomorrow morning.”
“So do I.” She opened her mouth to reply, but I didn’t give her the chance. I flashed her a wicked grin. “Don’t worry, I’ll wake you up in plenty of time to get ready for the office because I plan to fuck you good and hard before you go. I want you nice and sore so you’ll think of me when you feel that ache throughout the day.”
“You are so depraved,” she said, but the desire in her eyes told me that she had no issues with that scenario.
“Guilty as charged,” I replied unapologetically as the doors opened to my penthouse. “You have no idea how difficult it’s been keeping my hands off you this past week and a half. A hand job in the shower while thinking about our one night together is a poor substitute for how good your pussy feels clenching around my cock. That’s the last thing I want to remember before I head off to the office in the morning.”
“I have an idea of how hard it’s been,” she countered, following me through the entryway and into the main area, where the living room light automatically switched on as we walked in. “Trust me, you aren’t the only one who replayed our night together in their mind while getting off. My vibrator doesn’t come close to comparing to your fingers and cock.”
“And my mouth,” I teased, shrugging out of my jacket and laying it over the back of the sofa before removing my tie, enjoying our playful banter. “Don’t forget how many orgasms it was responsible for.”
Her husky laughter felt like a direct stroke along my dick. “Yeah. That very, very talented mouth. And tongue.”
She turned toward me, and looking directly into my eyes, she slowly, seductively, reached up and removed the pins from her updo, until all that silky hair cascaded down around her shoulders—clearly inviting me to act on the promise I’d made earlier, of gripping those strands in my fist as I fucked her.
But this temptress wasn’t done making my cock hard as stone, because she retrieved her lipstick from her purse and outlined her fuckable mouth with a fresh coat of red. Her eyes shimmered with a come and get me dare, and I didn’t even hesitate to close the distance between us and hoist her over my shoulder like a goddamn caveman.
She shrieked in surprise as I strode to my bedroom, the sound mingling with her laughter, and when she tried to squirm and kick her feet, I smacked her ass with my free hand, knowing the firm swat had to have stung by her quick inhale of breath.
I caressed my palm over the spot, already feeling the warmth from her skin radiating through the thin fabric of her dress. “Just for the record, you might have thought you had the upper hand out in the living room by that little act—” Which, for a moment, she had. “—but you’re not the one in charge tonight. Got it?”
“Yes, sir ,” she said breathlessly, using words she knew would inflame me even more.
Reaching my room, I set her on her feet, giving her a moment to steady herself on her heels before I issued my next order. “Take off your dress.”
While I unbuttoned my shirt and shrugged out of it, then removed my shoes and socks, I watched her unzip her dress and with a little shimmy, it fell to the floor and she kicked it aside.
I groaned at the black lace lingerie she wore and how sexy it looked against her creamy skin, but there was something I wanted more. “Get rid of the bra, too,” I said gruffly. “I want to see your gorgeous tits.”
She obeyed without hesitation, my blood running so hot at seeing those perfect breasts and tight nipples on display that I wanted to pinch and bite and suck. She took a step toward me, but I quickly shook my head to stop her.
“You know what I want, Stevie,” I murmured as I unbuckled my belt and unzipped my slacks over the thickest, hardest erection I’d had in recent memory. “Get on your knees like a good girl.”
I honestly expected a little pushback, a bit of impudence, so her eager acquiescence surprised and delighted me. She knelt in front of me, her eyes hooded and licking those red lips in anticipation as she watched me push my pants and boxer briefs down until they dropped to my ankles and I could step out of them.
My cock was so stiff it stood at attention against my stomach, and with a sinful gleam in her eye she leaned forward and licked the underside of my shaft, all the way to the crown. My stomach muscles tightened as her tongue swirled around the head then traced the slit, lapping up the drop of pre-come already gathering there.
A low growl rumbled in my chest as she teased my cock, and the little smirk she gave me as she cast her eyes upward to mine told me she was deliberately keeping me on edge.
I was dying to feel the wet heat of her mouth surrounding my cock, to see that red lipstick make its mark along my shaft. I raked my hand through Stevie’s hair, then twisted my fingers tight around those long, blonde strands so that she couldn’t move her head, unless I let her. And right now, she was mine to command, and she didn’t seem to mind the power dynamic one bit.
I gripped my dick in my free hand and tapped the head against her scarlet lips. “Open up. I want that pretty mouth of yours wrapped around my cock.”
My demand was thick with lust as she parted her lips and I pressed forward, feeling the silky, wet caress of her tongue along every inch until I had as much as I could of my shaft enveloped in her mouth. When I withdrew, she sucked, and I hissed out a breath, losing myself in pure, decadent sensation.
As I thrust in and out, slow and deep, she trailed her nails up along my outer thighs, that scrape of pain escalating the pleasure. I tipped my head back on a guttural groan, my entire body shuddering in warning. I was about two pumps away from coming, and while she gave no indication that she’d pull away, as fantastic as her mouth felt I wanted to come inside of her pussy more.
I pulled out of her mouth, almost changing my mind when I saw those red lipstick streaks on my cock and her swollen lips from being fucked. She looked up at me questioningly, her face beautifully flushed and her eyes glazed over with desire.
“Get up on the bed,” I said, reaching beneath her arms to help her stand.
She crawled up onto the mattress, settling against the pillows as I retrieved a condom and quickly sheathed my cock. I moved up onto the bed to join her, and the first thing I did was strip off her panties, which were already soaked through. She shamelessly parted her legs for me, knees raised, giving me an unobstructed view of her glistening pussy.
I settled in between, and she inhaled sharply as I dragged the tips of my fingers between her drenched folds. “Jesus,” I murmured, pushing two fingers deep inside her body and groaning at how her internal muscles clenched around those digits. “Look at how wet sucking my cock made you.”
She whimpered and writhed impatiently beneath me, her fingers skimming down her stomach, and lower, to get herself off, which I wasn’t about to allow. Before she could touch herself, I was there first, my mouth on her clit, my tongue circling and pressing while I fucked her with my fingers.
She made inarticulate sounds in the back of her throat, her hand sifting through my hair and gripping the strands as her hips undulated against my mouth. Normally, I’d take my time and prolong the release, but not tonight. I pushed her over the edge because I was desperate to get inside of her, to feel those residual spasms from her orgasm pulse around my cock.
I rubbed the tips of my fingers along that sweet spot just inside her channel, and with a gasp she came, her sweet moans filling my bedroom. Before she could spiral back down from her climax, I was up and over her, and she cried out as I slammed into her, all the way to the hilt.
“Grab onto the headboard and brace yourself,” I told her, resisting the urge to rut like a beast inside of her until she was ready. “This is going to be a hard, fast, deep ride.” Going slow wasn’t an option. I needed her too badly.
She lifted her arms above her head, gripping the slats, and once I knew she was ready, I let go and went wild. I buried my hands in her hair, fusing our lips in a hot, provocative, tongue-tangling kiss. The sheer force of my thrusts, the depth and friction of my cock pistoning inside of her, left no room for anything but the enormity of the orgasm crashing through me…and the realization that I wanted so much more with this woman than just stolen moments.
I collapsed on top of her, every last bit of energy drained from me. Once my breathing slowed, I rolled off of her and made a quick trip to the bathroom. I returned a few minutes later and found her already under the covers, a soft, replete smile on her lips. Joining her, I pulled her into my arms. She cuddled against my side, her head resting on my chest and her arm draped across my body. She exhaled a soft sigh as I gently threaded my fingers through her hair.
This felt so perfect, so right, and I made a quick decision. “When Owen isn’t here, I want you in my bed at night.”
She lifted her head and arched a brow at me. “Is that an order?”
Now that we were no longer playing sexy bedroom games, I knew this independent, self-sufficient woman would bristle at me making demands. I also didn’t think she was ready to hear that my feelings for her were evolving much quicker than I’d ever anticipated, and it wasn’t all completely about sex, but just…being with her and enjoying her company. Our physical chemistry was just an added bonus.
As well as tonight’s dinner had gone, I was still aware of Stevie’s insecurities when it came to fitting into my life. To her, this was all a temporary arrangement with benefits, a fake relationship designed to keep my ex-wife from using what she perceived as leverage against me in our custody battle for Owen.
As much as I was ready to discuss my developing feelings, I didn’t think Stevie was ready to accept and believe that what I wanted with her was something far more real. So I had to settle for the next best thing, and having her in my life, and in my bed, on a regular basis, was a start.
“No, it’s not an order,” I murmured. “It’s a request. I enjoy spending time with you, and you can’t deny that the sex is pretty damn fantastic.” Yeah, I’d use that to my advantage if I had to.
She lightly, playfully, scratched her nails along my abdomen. “You’re awfully sure of yourself.”
I rolled her onto her back, my body half draped across hers. Holding her gaze, I cupped one of her breasts in my hand and tweaked her nipple, making her gasp in surprise. “Do I need to prove, once again, how good we are in bed together?”
Her eyes darkened with renewed desire as I trailed my fingers down her stomach and stroked them between her thighs. “You might have to.”
So, I did, dipping my head to latch onto one of her stiff nipples while my fingers plied her pussy and clit and brought her to another orgasm that had her shaking, moaning, then eventually sighing with satisfaction.
I grinned down at her flushed face. “Is that a yes?”
A teasing light flickered in her eyes. “Do you think I’m that easy?”
I chuckled. “Never, and I love how you keep me guessing,” I said, then grew more serious. “But right now, I just want to know that I can enjoy you in the evenings when Owen isn’t here. That I have something to look forward to at the end of a long work day. However, if you need more persuasion of why you should agree, I’m up for the challenge.”
“You most certainly are,” she said, her hand wrapping around my erection and giving it a playful stroke. “And I’m thinking I need more persuasion, please.”
By the time I was done with her, the only word she could utter was yes , and knowing she’d be spending a helluva lot more time in my bed, and in my life, was all that mattered to me.