Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
MARIAM
“ W hat did you say your name was again?” Arland asked, his body angled toward mine and leaning slightly forward.
If I had been a follower of all things body language, I might’ve believed that it was a sign of interest. In my younger years, I had dabbled a little bit, wanting to make something of a study of human behavior in order to understand people better, but I didn’t want to fool myself into thinking something that wasn’t true.
Right then, I wasn’t convinced that his body language conveyed interest so much as curiosity. He was older. Distinguished, as Gemma had said. He probably didn’t look at me and see a woman.
Yet I wanted him to.
I wanted him to want me. As impossible as that seemed.
None of this was anything like my usual patterns of thought, but perhaps it was because I genuinely felt attracted to him. He was an incredibly handsome man and I loved the way he spoke, his voice deep and commanding, his pronunciation crisp and authoritative.
All of which reminded me of something Gemma had said earlier. This man didn’t know me. No one here did, and that meant I could be me.
Or I could try to be the me who had embarked on this Bucket List, a new and improved version who lived a little instead of just watching other people do it.
When I thought about it from that perspective, there really wasn’t any question about it. I allowed a slightly more flirtatious than normal smile to spread on my lips, holding those glittering green eyes as I finally responded to his question.
“I haven’t told you my name yet.” I extended my hand toward him, hoping I wasn’t making a complete fool of myself, and choosing to give my nickname, which was slightly more fun than my actual name. “I’m Mimi.”
“Nice to officially meet you.” He slid his hand into mine, his palm dry and huge and his fingers long and strong where they wrapped around my arm. “Mimi. That’s a beautiful name. It suits you.”
I flushed. “Thank you.”
Our hands remained joined, neither of us pulling away until we’d stretched the handshake into awkward territory. Arland finally cleared his throat, withdrawing slowly with his eyes still locked on mine.
“What do you think of Sun Valley so far, Mimi?” he asked, the question innocent enough but the look in his eyes decidedly not.
There was a glint in them, a darkening that made heat pool in a place it certainly shouldn’t have been pooling in a crowded bar. For a long moment, I just stared at him, forgetting he’d even asked anything until he lifted an eyebrow at me.
Right. A question. I’m supposed to answer those. Okay. I got this.
“What do I think of Sun Valley?” I repeated to buy myself a moment to think, then smiled. “Honestly, I think it’s amazing. I love the snow and the holiday feel, the Christmas lights, and the mountains as a backdrop. It’s a little unreal to me.”
He chuckled, asking a few follow-up questions until our conversation was flowing as naturally as if I’d known him as long as I had Leif. We ended up talking for hours without a single awkward pause, which was exceedingly rare for me.
When he finally swigged the last of the drink he’d declared as his final for the evening, disappointment surged through me. Oddly, I’d had a really great time with him and I didn’t particularly feel like going back to the condo by myself just yet.
“Would you like to come see my place?” he asked after he’d swallowed that last sip. “It’s not far.”
“I’d love that,” I breathed before I realized my voice had failed me. Clearing my throat, I flushed and tried again. “Sure, I would love to.”
“Ride with me,” he said, offering his arm when I stood up after him. “I’ll show you a bit more of the town and I’ve got a fireplace we can light when we get there. Maybe we can even grab a glass of wine if you’re up for another drink.”
“I’d love that,” I repeated, groaning internally as soon as the words were out of my mouth. You sound like a broken record. “What I mean is that I’m up for another. I haven’t had that many yet, and Gemma and I had a huge dinner.”
Wow, so hot. Talking about how you stuffed yourself earlier. For heaven’s sake, Mariam.
I forced a smile to my lips, glancing up at him and feeling strangely soothed by the lack of judgment in his eyes. If anything, he seemed happy, as if the mental image of how much I’d eaten hadn’t been a complete turn-off.
We left the bar and walked into the cold night outside. The fresh air immediately snapped me out of the hazy bubble I’d been getting caught in, and I moved closer to his side on instinct. For heat but also just because I wanted to get closer to him.
So far, I was truly loving his personality and I could tell he was well established around here. Perhaps even well off. Not that I cared about the latter, but it did make me feel a little bit safer going home with a stranger.
A man like him in a town this small wouldn’t risk doing anything that would reflect poorly on his reputation. If I’d had any doubts about his status, the fancy, hybrid SUV he drove would’ve squashed them.
He helped me in and we kept talking, just getting to know each other a little more as we drove around a bit. He pointed out grocery stores, cafes he liked, and a few other things before we got to his place. As we pulled into his driveway, however, all of my suspicions were confirmed. He wasn’t just relatively well off. He was rich .
Like ultra rich, if the size of his beautiful, enormous mansion was anything to go by. A strangled noise even escaped me, and he chuckled as he pulled into a garage as big as my parents’ whole house.
“I bought it ages ago,” he explained lightly, correctly guessing the reason behind the noise. “The previous owners sold it to me at a steal. They just wanted to be rid of the maintenance expenses.”
“I get that,” I said, thinking back to the cost of maintenance on even just the little house Gemma and I used to live in together. “It’s an amazing home.”
“You’re not even in it yet.”
I giggled, shrugging as I unbuckled once we were parked. “I can appreciate the outside architecture as much as the interior.”
“Is that what you do?” he asked. “You’re an architect?”
“Nope. Nothing that interesting. In another life, I might’ve chosen that though. Right now, I’m just doing seasonal work. Whatever I can find.”
He nodded slowly. “I respect that. It’s not easy, but it does allow for a certain amount of flexibility.”
Arland walked around the car once he’d climbed out, coming over to help me out like a true gentleman. I didn’t really need the help, but I took it anyway. Chivalry, you know. Can’t complain that it’s dead if you laugh in its face.
As he led me into his house, I was totally blown away. The ceilings were high and beautifully pressed, the spaces massive and open, and everything looked completely modern and new.
Just how rich is this guy?
I was trying to keep my cool, but I had to wonder who I’d come home with. He was looking a lot like Daddy Warbucks to me right about then.
Arland gave me a nonchalant tour. We walked from his garage to his kitchen, grabbing a bottle of wine and two glasses before he led me to his living area. Somehow, he managed to show me these parts of his home without boasting, which must’ve been a massive feat because while he was acting like it all was all no big deal, my head was exploding.
He waved for me to take a seat, leaving the bottle and the glasses on the coffee table when he headed over to the fireplace. Lighting it with a touch of a button, he turned to smile at me. “Wine?”
“Yes, please.” I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a little hesitant for the first time since I’d met him.
This man was sophisticated, wealthy, and a gentleman with old-fashioned manners. He uncorked the wine, setting it down to breathe for a minute before he poured it with the same grace as a sommelier. Serving it to me with his fingers wrapped elegantly around the stem, he handed it over before pouring a glass for himself and taking a seat.
“You’ve gone very quiet,” he commented, gaze sweeping across my face. “If you’re tired, I can take you back to your place?”
I blinked a few times to snap myself out of my stupor and then smiled, my head shaking at the offer. “No, thank you. I’m okay. It’s been a long day and it’s all just a lot, but I’m fine. To be honest, I think I’m mostly overwhelmed by your house.”
He blinked a few times in rapid succession himself, then started laughing, the sound surprised and easy. I had no clue what was so funny, but I found myself chuckling anyway, completely charmed by his amusement.
Gosh, what is it about this guy?
“You’re a breath of fresh air, Mimi,” he murmured when he finally came up for air, his laughter ending with a wide grin on his lips. “Are you always so honest?”
That’s what this was about?
I felt my cheeks grow warm, but then I shrugged, deciding to own my traits instead of trying to hide behind Gemma. She wasn’t here, which made it really hard to dive for cover as soon as light shone my way.
I had always just been more comfortable in the background, but now here I was, alone in a strange yet beautiful place, and I wouldn’t be seeing her again until Thanksgiving. I couldn’t believe it was really happening, but as strange as it was, I’d be damned if it wasn’t just as exciting.
“I’m known for brutal honesty,” I admitted. “I guess I just don’t see the point of sugarcoating things. Although I have been accused of having a severe lack of tact.”
“Tact is overrated,” he responded without hesitation. “I prefer this. I like knowing what I see is what I get, and I definitely like what I see.”
Okay, now he’s definitely flirting. My heart skipped a beat and my chest flushed, but another smile also spread my lips. Two can play this game. Might as well give it a try, right?
Deciding to try my luck, I wrapped a lock of hair around my finger and toyed with it the way I’d seen Gemma do in the past. I also let my teeth sink into my lower lip. It all felt ridiculous, but as soon as I tilted my body forward just a smidgen, Arland responded.
His gaze lowered to my mouth, his own upper half gravitating toward mine. He glanced at my hand, his eyes on my fingers for a moment before he looked back at my lips.
My pulse skyrocketed, hammering in my panties for some reason that could only be related to how attracted I was to this man. “I like what I see, too.”
“Oh?” His eyes finally lifted back to mine, those lips tugging into a sexy half-smirk that wasn’t as obnoxious as so many I’d seen before. “You don’t think I’m too old for you?”
My head shook of its own accord. “I think you’re just right.”
A contented sound hummed deep in his throat. He reached over to put his wine glass down. I gripped mine tighter, hoping that I was ready for what I’d just set in motion. One-night stands weren’t really my territory.
Sexually, I wasn’t overly experienced. Maybe one or two notches above virgin. Something told me that a hookup with a sophisticated stranger would be leagues above what I’d ever had before. I had no idea if I could handle it, but he moved with a quiet confidence that told me he knew what he was doing.
Probably well enough for the both of us.
Vivid greens latched on mine, he took my glass out of my hand and set it down beside his, then slid his fingers around the back of my neck. Scooting closer on the couch, he gently pulled my head toward him. I moved willingly, happy to take his direction. Especially with the way just having his big, warm palm on my skin sent a ripple of pleasure running down my spine.
He must’ve noticed—and liked it—because he smiled softly a moment before he pressed his lips to mine. That was where all the softness ended, though.
Arland kissed me hard and with meaning, his touches gentle enough to let me know that he would stop if I wanted him to, but firm enough that I knew he didn’t want to. I leaned into him, moaning into his mouth and parting my lips when I felt his tongue lick across the seam.
Heat exploded inside me, pooling low in my belly and spreading out until my panties were definitely damp. My nipples tightened, my heart faltering in a way it never had before.
I’d thought I was acquainted with lust, but this was a whole new level I was unlocking. More than just garden-variety want, an all-consuming need was threatening to overwhelm me. With every stroke of his tongue, he poured fuel on the flames with a wild abandon I wasn’t used to and it had me squirming against him in no time.
Arland let out a low groan, then broke our kiss, pushing me back until I was lying on his couch and bringing his hands to the fly of my jeans. For a moment, I was stuck in how unbelievable this was, but when his gaze met mine, I realized he wouldn’t go further until he had my permission.
I nodded enthusiastically, finding my inhibitions broken down by either the excitement, the lust, or the alcohol. Possibly a combination of them all. I didn’t know and frankly I didn’t care. My body was starved suddenly for the attention he was giving it, my most private places desperate for his touch.
“Do it,” I urged on a ragged whisper. “Take them off.”
Instead of questioning me, he simply flicked open the button and tugged my zipper down immediately after. I lifted my hips, silently begging him to free me from the unthinkable torture of wearing jeans right then.
Arland obliged, rolling the fabric off with one smooth motion and taking my panties with it. As he dropped the garments on the floor and glanced at my core, it occurred to me that I was completely exposed to a man I barely knew, but mercifully, Gemma had made me go get waxed before we’d left Austin.
She’d said that if the moment presented itself to complete my first task, she wanted me to be ready. I’d agreed, obviously, and I was mighty glad now that I’d gone through with it. Sexy red streaks of color appeared along the tops of his cheekbones as he stared at me unashamedly, his breath catching in his throat.
He released it with a low hiss, reaching a hand out to rub it along my thigh. As the other joined the first, he spread my legs apart as far as our position would allow, then started murmuring, his voice a low, possessive growl that made me writhe under him.
“Such a pretty pussy. You’re already so wet for me. I knew you and I would be good for each other, Mimi. I’m going to make you feel things you’ve never felt before.”
“Fighting words,” I mumbled, trying to lighten the moment but failing miserably when a moan escaped me as he slid a thumb through my folds.
He glanced up at me, that sexy half-smirk back despite the smoldering flames of heat curling behind his gaze. “In a few minutes, you’re going to regret doubting me.”
A few minutes. Wow. He really is confident.
As soon as he lowered his head between my legs, I knew that confidence had been warranted. The man was a wizard with his mouth, his lips, tongue, and teeth working together as well as a synchronized swim team. He made me moan and buck. My hands flew to my breasts to tug at my nipples through my shirt when one of his fingers slid into me.
He moved his free hand to my hip, anchoring me to the couch when it felt like my soul might leave my body under the onslaught of exquisite pleasure. In what felt like no time at all, I was on the cusp on a magnificent orgasm.
“Come for me, Mimi.”
The vibrations of his authoritative growl gave me that last push I’d needed and pleasure swept through me like white hot sparks catching fire. I spasmed and my hips arched into him, my toes curling as even my bloodstream ignited with pure bliss.
Arland caught me in his arms when I finally came down, holding me gently and lifting me until I was cradled against his chest. As soon as my brain came back online though, I became aware of the rock-hard erection pressing into my thigh and his heart hammering against my ribs.
I glanced up at him. “Do you have a condom?”
“Yeah, but there’s no pressure.”
“There should be,” I murmured, tipping my head back and offering him my lips.
He claimed them as fiercely as he had before, kissing me deeply until he’d stolen all the breath from my lungs. As his mouth moved on mine, I dropped my hands to the hem of his long-sleeved shirt, bunching the fabric between my fingers and peeling it off.
Arland groaned, letting me pull the shirt right over his head before he leaned back to allow me access to his fly. Without letting my brain ruin this for me, I worked diligently on the buttons of his fancy jeans, wishing it had a zipper instead, and yet, I found this style insanely sexy.
Once I had them all undone, I tugged at his waistband, revealing him to me in one smooth swipe just like he had done to me. The only difference, of course, was that I had to lift the fabric over what turned out to be a pretty impressive erection.
I’d never been with a man this much older before, but he certainly didn’t seem to have lost anything in the penis category. His shaft was long and thick, my fingers barely fitting around him when I wrapped them around his base.
He let out a throaty groan, thrusting into my touch when I started stroking him. For a few seconds, he let me do my thing, but then he caught my wrist, his gaze on fire when it met mine. “Climb on top of me.”
I did what he’d asked, already feeling that intense desire from earlier coiling my insides into tight knots all over again. Lifting myself up on shaky knees, I got onto his lap, lining myself up with him and keeping my eyes on his.
Arland’s breathing was labored, but he appeared to be in complete control as he rolled on a condom and grabbed my hips, lowering me onto him. I didn’t even know where he’d gotten his protection from, but I assumed a man like him got laid a lot.
He probably had condoms stashed everywhere, but I wasn’t about to overthink it. He felt too good to let my brain take the reins.
At first contact, I wasn’t sure he would fit. The guy had some girth to him. But he was gentle enough that it didn’t hurt when it popped past that first band of muscle and slid home.
I released a whoosh of air, one hand on his chest and the other on the back of the couch for support. All the while though, he looked up at me, carefully gauging my reactions. He pulled me down and his hips came up at the same time, thrusting once, and then he was all the way in, filling me up in ways I’d only ever fantasized about.
The crackling fire flickered beside us. It bathed the room in its gentle glow as he rocked into me, setting the pace despite the fact that I was on top. When he moved his hand to press down on my lower back, I readjusted my position, and almost immediately, a loud “oh” fell from my lips.
I gasped with pleasure at this slight adjustment, my clit now getting the friction I hadn’t even known I’d needed from his pelvis. At the contact, I increased my speed, bouncing on top of him as if I’d never met a little lady called Inhibitions .
Although I’d already kissed her goodbye earlier.
Even though my brain kept telling me to go faster, Arland kept guiding me as well as keeping us in a rhythm that blew my mind. The next thing I knew, I was coming apart around him. Pleasure splintered my brain and I cried his name.
As I slumped over in the aftermath, his thrusts finally lost their even tempo, becoming wilder and shallower until he swelled deep inside me.
“Mimi.”
My name was a soft prayer on his lips, almost reverent. He whispered it amid pumping his release into the condom deep inside me. After, neither of us moved. He just held me, stroking my hair and my back, and I realized then that we’d never even gotten around to taking my shirt off.
“Would you like to have a bath?” he murmured huskily. He finally pulled out, carefully arranging me on the couch before he sat up and discreetly, quickly took care of the condom. All I’d done was bend over to search for my panties, and by the time I sat up again, the protection was gone and he was pulling his underwear back on. “My tub has a glorious view of the mountains. I think you’d love it.”
The words reminded me of the tub I had back at my brand new condo and I shook my head, taking his hand and giving it a soft squeeze. “If you don’t mind, I think I’d best be getting home.”
“Are you sure?” He frowned. “You’re more than welcome to stay the night.”
“Thanks, but it’s my very first night in town. I just think it would be better if I slept in my own bed.”
After a brief pause, he nodded. “Of course. Let’s get dressed and I’ll drive you right over.”
Relief flooded me and I grinned. “Thank you for not making it weird. It’s not that I don’t want to stay. I’m fine. I promise. I just think I need to start getting settled before I clock in for my first shift at work, and I can’t do that from your place.”
He chuckled, taking my hand and kissing the back of it. “I understand. As long as you’re okay, I’m happy to take you home.”
Both of us dressed. Then he took my hand again as he led me back to his garage. With the ice of the immediate aftermath now broken, we joked around and laughed on the drive, and when he pulled up outside my building, he turned to smile at me.
“When can I see you again?”
“Maybe sooner than you think,” I replied, holding out my hand. “Here. Give me your phone and I’ll put in my number.”
Doing as I’d asked, he dug his phone out of his pocket and handed it to me. I punched my number into it before sending a quick text to myself. “I have yours now too. Have a good night, Arland.”
“I’ve already had a great night,” he said, those green eyes vibrant, bright, and alive under the light streaming into his car from inside the building. “Sleep tight, Mimi.”
Feeling oddly playful, I bent over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, super excited that I could officially mark off the first thing on my list.
That wasn’t all it was about, though. I was truly on cloud nine as I climbed out of the car and waved to him. He waved back and drove off. I watched his taillights disappear around the corner.
It had been one of the best nights of my life, and when I finally strode into my condo, I was still unable to stop grinning like a fool. Gemma had been right. My time in Sun Valley had the potential to be amazing.
Especially if I could spend more of my time like that. With Arland. In front of the fireplace or enjoying the view from his bathtub. I felt he’d released something in me, and it was something I was hoping I’d get the chance to explore.