Chapter 15
Ingrid
The sunlight wakes me the following morning. I roll over and groan, then jump when I realize I’m not alone.
“Calm down, cupcake.” His gravelly voice warns. “Nothing happened. You fell asleep in the car, and I carried you inside. That’s it.”
But that’s not it. I’m no longer in my cocktail dress. “Liar. Did you take off my dress?”
He nods, a stupid smirk spreading across his face. “But don’t worry, I covered my eyes after I figured out how to lower the zipper. Slipped one of my t-shirts over your head. Left all your cute undergarments securely in place.”
My fist tightens around the comforter. “How do you know they’re cute if you kept your eyes closed?”
“Must I remind you that I licked your frosting last night?” He opens one eye. “You don’t seem like the type of woman who’d mismatch those.”
Stretching, he sits up and rolls his neck. “I’ll get out of your hair so you can clean up. You can meet me in the kitchen once you’re done.”
I try not to swoon at the man, but he isn’t making it easy looking like sin.
His hair is a disheveled mess of curls. The lounge pants he slept in hide nothing.
Cling to his arse like a second skin. When he bends to grab a t-shirt from one of his drawers, I bite my lip in hopes of holding back my moan.
But once he spins around, I can no longer keep it inside.
Fuck me. The outline hanging a bit to the left brings back memories of him grinding against me last night before going down on his knees. He’s clearly packing a lethal weapon, one I’m almost certain will ruin me.
“Stop staring at my cock.” He grunts, tugging his shirt over his head. “Or I’ll climb back in bed and finish what we started last night.”
I’m about to tell him to do just that when my phone rings inside the pocket of my dress.
Tossing back the covers, I retrieve it and decide I don’t have the willpower to deal with my mother this morning, so I let it ring through to voicemail.
Tossing it on the bed, I let my body fall backwards and bounce a few times, staring up at the ceiling, knowing I’ll have to call her back or she’ll only keep calling.
My phone rings again, and before I can grab it, Darius does. “Excuse me. What are you doing? Give me that.”
He doesn’t, of course. Instead, he takes a step back and presses the green icon, putting on speaker. “Hello.”
“Who is this?” my mother sounds irritated. “Why are you answering my daughter’s phone?”
“I’m her fuck buddy. She’s worn out after a good romp in the bed. Can’t be disturbed.”
I should be mad that he said that to her, but I giggle instead.
“I can hear her. Please hand her the phone.” Mother’s voice isn’t impressed. “I need to speak to her. It’s urgent.”
“Can’t. She’s currently bound and gagged. Dripping wet for my big, thick cock.” Darius reaches down, his hand slips between his pants as he adjusts himself. “Why don’t you give me a message and I’ll make sure she gets it?”
“Young man, you will hand my daughter the phone now!”
“Who said I was a young chap? For all you know, your precious little girl is sleeping with one of her professors, doing her best to earn an A.” When my mother gasps he chuckles.
I’ve heard enough and speak. “Mother, he’s lying. I’m not sleeping with anyone. Now why are you calling?”
“Who was that?”
“I already told you, I’m her fuck buddy. We just haven’t had the chance to actually fuck yet.” He tosses the phone onto the bed. “You interrupted us. I’m grabbing coffee. Come down when you’re done, cupcake.”
I leave my phone where it landed and lie back on the bed. “Mother. Why are you calling?”
“You need to come home, Ingrid. It’s very clear after that conversation you can’t make wise decisions.
Sleeping with someone already. I thought you were smarter than that.
” She pauses for a moment and then continues.
“You really should reconsider ending things with Wilson. He was a perfect match for you. Why are you being so difficult? It’s not like you can pay for school now. ”
“First of all, Wilson and I are done. After he struck me, fractured my cheekbone and gave me a concussion, I’d be a fool to go back to him.”
“He was upset.”
I roll my eyes. “That gave him no right, Mother. Upset or not, he had no right to strike me.”
“You shouldn’t have pushed him. Men don’t like it when you do that. Best to keep your mouth shut.” She tsks. “You never were good at that, though, were you? You have only yourself to blame.”
“I’m nobody’s punching bag. I know you don’t understand that, but that’s your problem, not mine. And as far as school is concerned, I’ve found a solution.” I smile, knowing she will not like this one little bit. “I have a job.”
“A job? Why on earth would you want to get a job?” She huffs again. “What kind of job? Please don’t tell me you’re stripping? Was the young man who answered your phone one of your clients? Ingrid, don’t disgrace our family by sinking so low.”
“Wow.” I sit up and think about telling her I work at a club like the one father frequents, but decide to do one better. “Not that kind of job. I’m going to do office work for Darius Falcon. He needs someone to help with billing.”
“A secretary? You’re serious.” The disgust in her voice is loud and clear.
“I’m assuming Winifred helped set that up.
Did you tell her about our private business?
Take the pity job offered to you by her new man, who, by the way, is the one to blame for the problems your father is dealing with now.
He hired you only so he could dig up more dirt.
I’m disappointed, Ingrid. So very disappointed. ”
No need to correct her about Darius being Winifred’s new man. He’s only pretending to be so she and Esteban can keep things between them private. Her parents are a lot like mine. And if they knew their daughter was dating the second in line for the throne, they’d interfere and fuck everything up.
“Father has no one to blame but himself.” I pick up the phone and head for the bathroom, stopping in front of the mirror to stare at my reflection.
“Pity job or not, at least I don’t have to return home.
I can stay here, where I’m happy, and live the life I’ve always dreamed of.
One that doesn’t include Wilson or any of the plans you two had for me. Goodbye, Mother.”
I don’t wait for her to say more. Closing my eyes, I hang up to stop her from insulting me. I nearly jump out of my skin when Darius’s arms wrap around me, pulling me closer.
“Glad to hear you’ve agreed to take the job.” His lips land on the top of my head. “It comes with room and board, health benefits, and a boss who only wants to see you get that dream you crave.”
“I’m not so sure about the living here thing. Especially if it means us sharing a room.” I lean back. “I’m not ready for that, Darius. I need time to wrap my head around last night. This is moving too fast for me. Can we please slow it down?”
I expected to see disappointment on his face.
Instead, he rests his head on top of my head and nods.
“Absolutely. This place has three other bedrooms. You get your pick. We’ll go grab your stuff later.
No arguing. I won’t even be here most of the time.
My work keeps me on the move, so most of the time you’ll get this place all to yourself, giving you time and space to figure things out.
I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to decide right away.
We can keep working on this friendship thing first, only adding in benefits if and when you decide you want to. ”
I nod and try not to let him see how his kindness affects me.
“But I warn you.” He leans forward and whispers in my ear. “Once we go there, there will be no turning back. I like you, Ingrid, and not just as a friend.”
He places a quick kiss on the side of my neck and then steps back.
“Now hurry up. I’ll make us breakfast. Then after we fill our bellies, we’ll move you in.
There are some clothes in the side drawer next to the side of the bed you were sleeping on.
And before you go there, they belong to my sisters, who often stop by without warning. ”
“Why?” I ask when he steps back. “Seriously, why are you doing this?”
“I get it.” He leans against the door frame and shrugs.
“I know the suffocating sensation of feeling like you’re drowning.
Been there. I had a friend who offered me his support.
But I won’t pretend that’s the only reason.
You are special, cupcake. It brings me great pleasure to put a smile on your face and offer you the freedom to live the life you want, not the one others want for you. That’s it. Simple.”
Nothing about this feels simple. Although I’ll admit his kindness has taken a burden off my shoulders, one I’ve carried for way too long.