CHAPTER TWENTY
Jelly
I followed Carmen down the hall, the combined sounds of our heels making us sound like an army of ladies instead of just two.
I had such a mixture of feelings. I held a hand over my abdomen, not knowing whether my stomach was more upset or more excited.
This was insane. The whole time I’d thought about the auction I had wished that Paolo would bid on me, but I’d known it was impossible.
Now it seemed like the impossible had happened.
Carmen walked fast, but talked to me over her shoulder, forcing me to catch up with her if I wanted to hear what she was saying.
“I can nullify this whole thing,” she said. “He didn’t register prior to the auction. The only reason we didn’t kick him out is the family connection. You know he feels like another little brother to me—even more so than Reynolds.”
I knew the Salazars and the Lanettis were somehow friends from before they came to America, but they didn’t talk about it much.
I also noticed Carmen didn’t say anything about Byron being like a brother to her. I hid my smile at that. We all hoped they’d get together some day, but Carmen always insisted she wasn’t interested in settling down.
Bethany and Madeline thought she was full of crap, but I wasn’t so sure.
“Anyway, just say the word, and I’ll pull the plug on this. You’d have to wait until the next auction to go back up there, but…”
“No. I can’t wait. My internship is about to start, and I need it to be paid for.”
We could always let the runner-up have the option of taking over. I know Hugh McTavish is older, but he’s handsome and I’ve heard he’s good in bed.”
I made a face and she laughed. “Okay, then. There’s my answer.”
“Sorry,” I winced. “It’s just I think it would feel like I was fucking a granddad, you know?”
“I think he does have grandchildren,” she admitted, and I shuddered.
“Alright. Paolo it is. I know you two have a flirty thing going on. Just remember something.” She stopped, turned to me, grabbed my shoulders, and stared at me.
“Do not fall in love with him. I realize with the way things worked out for both Nadine and Daisy that girls might have started getting their hopes up for marriage. But this is not what the auction is about. It’s about earning your independence and giving yourself a much better start in your adult life than you would have possibly had without it.
Of the couple of hundred girls who’ve gone through the auction in the past three years, exactly two have gotten married because of it.
You just happened to be friends with both of them. ”
She let go of my shoulders again and we continued walking down the hall.
“Don’t worry,” I assured her. “I have no illusions about what this is. Paolo has made it super clear that he’ll only marry a certain kind of girl, and I don’t fit the category. Besides, I don’t think I want to get married anyway.”
Carmen turned and gave me a look. “Not sure I believe that last part, but yes, Paolo’s going to marry a nice Italian American debutante, settle down, and give his parents grandchildren.
I’m not sure, but I think that’s sort of the trade he made in order to get to leave the family business for a medical career. ”
I frowned. I hadn’t heard that part of his story.
“Don’t forget—you get twenty-five percent of the auction money deposited in your account at the end of your contract. That’s one million, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
My eyes widened. I couldn’t imagine having that kind of money.
But it was too late to ask questions now. We’d reached a door. Carmen paused in front of it and looked at me critically.
“Do I need to fix my lipstick or something?”
“No,” she declared. “you’re perfect.” She smiled at me. “Let’s get the next part of your life started.”
She opened the door, and in we walked.
Paolo turned to watch me walk in, his eyes hot as he waited for me to get to him. He looked incredibly handsome in his suit. He always looked handsome, though.
I took a deep breath and walked over to him.
***
“You look amazing,” he said and pulled me into his arms. He kissed my cheek, then my neck.
“Hold on before y’all get too excited,” Carmen said.
“Here are your contracts.” She slapped a manila envelope into Paolo’s hands.
“Jelly, you already signed everything; yours is just a copy. Paolo, you’re late to the game, so you’re just going to have to sign everything.
If you have major amendments, you can call me to discuss them.
For the most part, though, we’ll be moving forward with what you’re holding in your hand. ”
“Understood.” He moved his hands down to my waist, seeming unwilling to quit touching me.
Carmen smiled at us. “I’m leaving now. I’ll call you in a couple of days to check on you, Jelly.”
I nodded. I knew she’d be checking to make sure I was keeping myself perfect-looking for Paolo just as much as she’d be wanting to know if I was okay or not.
She turned and walked from the room. I looked up, expecting Paolo’s eyes to follow Carmen out of the room. There was hardly a man alive who could keep from checking out her ass. But his eyes were trained on me.
I tried to take a step back, but he held me tight. “No, Jelly. No more. This dance we’ve been doing for way too long is going to stop tonight. I want you. You want me. End of story. There’s no escaping it now.”
“But…” I had to ask. “But why?”
He frowned. “Why, what?”
“Why did you bid for me? I thought you didn’t want to do the auction.”
“I didn’t. But I couldn’t stand by and watch you go to some other man. Knowing I could have you all to myself for four months was too much for me. I couldn’t pass it up.” He rubbed his nose against mine.
“You said I’m not good enough to go to your events with you,” I whispered, my cheek only millimeters from his.
“I was an idiot. You are probably too good to go with me anywhere.”
It did my heart good to hear him say that.
I was so tired of being not good enough for the people in my life.
Before I could say anything else, he crushed his lips to mine.
His kisses were deep and passionate and like nothing I’d ever had before.
I desperately wanted more of them. I sighed into him and put my arms around his neck, dragging him closer to me.
I sucked his tongue without even thinking about it, and he moaned.
“Is that how you’re going to suck my dick, baby? ”
I didn’t answer, just kept kissing him. But the way he talked to me was turning me on even more than I already was.
I gasped in surprise as he walked me back against a wall and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist, enjoying the feeling of his body against mine.
“Fuck, cara mia,” he breathed, thrusting his hips against mine. He wanted me to feel how much he wanted me. “Are you ready for me? I’m dying to get inside you.”
I felt drugged by his kisses, and I knew from the way he was staring at my mouth that my lips were plump and swollen. “Yes,” I breathed rocking against the long, hard feel of him at my core.
He hissed and reached underneath my dress to move my lacy thong aside. He pushed two fingers inside me, and grinned. “You’re so wet. You are ready for me.” He moved his thumb up to my clit and rubbed while thrusting his fingers inside me. I gasped, unable to believe how good it felt.
I’d thought Evan had been good at sex. But Paolo made him look like a bumbling fool. Every move, every touch was designed to make me feel good. I leaned my head back against the wall and let him do whatever he wanted to me.
“That’s right, baby,” he said as he sucked and kissed my neck, “leave it all to me. I’ll make you feel better than you’ve ever felt before.”
“Yes,” I begged, bucking against his hand as he continued his ministrations.
“You like that? Hmm?”
I nodded, breathing heavily. I watched him under hooded lids as he stared at my breasts as they heaved with every breath.
I could tell he wanted them, but he was holding me up with one hand and finger fucking me with the other. I watched his face as I pulled the top of my dress down, revealing my naked breasts to him.
“Fuck.”
I felt him get even harder, even bigger against me.
He dropped his mouth from my neck to my chest, kissing over my breasts until he sucked a nipple into his mouth.
I cried out, arching my back as he suckled and flicked over the hardened peak with his tongue repeatedly.
My hands went to his head, holding him in place as he moved between them.
He added a third finger as he continued pumping them inside me. Finally, he pulled his hand away, making me cry out at the loss.
He unzipped his pants and pulled his cock out, running it along my wet folds. He maneuvered me, pushing me back harder against the wall as he reached into his back pocket for a condom. He ripped it open with his teeth, then rolled it over his length.
“Please,” I moaned.
He sunk inside me, going all the way to his hilt. “Jesus,” he groaned. All the air seemed to leave my lungs. He was so much bigger than I’d anticipated. “My God, you’re big.”
He stared at me, his eyes full of lust. “You’re tight as fuck.” He pulled out and then thrust in again, causing both of us to hiss with pleasure.
He filled me up to the point of almost pain, which, for some reason, caused it to feel even better. I began rocking against him, ready for him to move.
“Hold still,” he warned grabbing my hips. “I’m trying not to come.”
I gave a mewl of impatience, and he moved a hand to my clit. He stroked it a few times, and I shattered. That, combined with being completely filled was too much for me.
He followed right after me. “Goddamn—you’re squeezing me so hard,” he gasped. He pumped his hips against me a few more times and then threw back his head and yelled my name.
“Damn. I’ve been dreaming of this since I met you, baby. But you’re even better than I could have imagined.” Breathing heavily, he buried his face against my neck. “You smell fantastic, by the way. Have I told you that? At work or at Sugar I know when you’re nearby.”
I wondered if that meant I wore too much perfume.
He cupped my jaw and held my eyes with his. “I love it.”
I might have melted just a bit.
He pulled out of me, slowly lowered me to the ground, and then went to an adjoining room I assumed was a bathroom to take care of the condom.
While he was gone, I worked to fix myself. I readjusted my top and smoothed my dress down. I found a mirror and worked to clean up makeup smears.
When he came out, he was also trying to make himself presentable. He picked up the envelope with the contracts in it and tucked them inside his jacket. “Are you ready to go?”
I nodded, feeling a little shy. He must’ve noticed because he grinned, ran over, picked me up in a cradle carry and twirled me around. Then he walked out of the room with me.
“What are you doing?” I laughed.
“Making sure you’re having fun. That’s all.”
He walked out of the back of the building with me in his arms and headed right for a silver Range Rover. “This is me.” He walked me around to the passenger side, deposited me inside, and closed the door.
I felt somewhat breathless as I waited for him to get inside.
He looked over at me as he was putting his seatbelt on. “Have you been to your condo yet? I understand it’s at Salazar Heights.”
I nodded. “Yes, Carmen had me come by to ask about some décor choices,” I laughed.
“Why are you laughing?” he asked as he pulled out from behind the city block that housed most of the Salazar Clubs and pulled into traffic. There wasn’t much on the roads at this time of night, but we were in the only district of West Bay that was still awake.
“It’s nothing. Just that she could have chosen just about anything, and I would have been fine with it. It’s only for four months, you know? But she wanted to know my favorite colors and materials and then wanted me to see the final product.”
“It’s nice that she cares so much, huh?”
I nodded, smiling. “It is. I never in a million years would’ve thought she was so nice from all the articles I read about her when I was growing up. In my hometown, everyone thought the Salazars were like this evil crime family.” I laughed. “That’s so ridiculous to think of now.”
He was quiet for a moment. “They aren’t evil. For the most part they’re pretty great. But it is true you don’t want to get on their bad side. Especially not Carlos or Enzo.”
I bit my lip. “I’ve heard that.”
“It’s very true.” He glanced at me quickly. “Anyway, glad you’ve been there. Carmen said there’d be a keycard for me in the packet with my contract.” It was no time and he was pulling into the parking garage under the building. He parked and we turned to look at each other.
I felt like this was the start of something huge, and a sudden flurry of nerves hit me.
He gave me his cocky grin. “Let’s go, baby.”