Chapter Twenty-Two
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
To be honest, Eugene was kind of surprised that Natalie had agreed to take this trip with him, especially since it was such short notice. But he was happy as hell she agreed.
He’d offered to pick her up, but she’d told him she had a bunch of stuff to do this morning so she’d meet him at the airport. They had a super early flight so he had no idea what she could possibly do before six a.m., but he didn’t question it.
After he checked in, he grabbed a coffee and took his seat in the boarding area, sending some email instructions to his team here in Orlando. He’d only be gone four days, and he knew his team would be right on the ball as usual. They knew their jobs and they did them well, but he still wanted to follow up on a few items of a critical nature.
Heath emailed him back almost immediately: Calm down boss. Go have some fun. We’ve got this. We’ll only have drunken office parties after hours and we promise to clean up after.
Eugene laughed.
“Something funny?”
He looked up to find the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen standing in front of him. Natalie looked amazing in long black leggings, a white tee, black cardigan, and white tennis shoes. Simple outfit, but her hair fell like shiny brown silk against her cheeks, and her lips sparkled crimson, making him want to grab her and mess up those lips with a hot kiss.
He got up and took the bag from her hands, slid his arm around her, and pressed a kiss to her cheek, not wanting to mess up those lips. Not yet, anyway. “Nothing funny. You look spectacular.”
“Stop.” She took a seat and he sat next to her. “Okay, don’t stop.”
He smiled and picked up her hand. “Ready to go?”
“So ready. When I tell you it was a lot of maneuvering to get all the chess pieces in place for me to take this trip…well, it was.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about your kids and the dog and your job. I should have been more sensitive to your obligations.”
“Oh, the job part was easy. I’m not at a critical point with any of my design clients—including you. It was just the kids and the dog.”
“Sean isn’t taking them?”
“He is for his normal designated weekend. But not for today and tomorrow. My mom and Paul are watching them. I dropped them off last night.”
Eugene frowned. “Why wouldn’t Sean take them the extra days?”
“Honestly? I have no idea. He launched into some denigrating conversation about how it’s my responsibility to take care of my children, and that he shouldn’t have to give up the things that are important to him just because I want to jet off with my lover.”
Eugene choked out a laugh. “What? Was he being serious?”
“Oh, he was definitely serious. He’s very traditional in that way. The woman stays home and takes care of the kids. No career, no girls’ weekends.”
“So, no fun for you, then. He thought of you as basically just an unpaid nanny.”
“Yes.”
He took her hand. “I’m sorry. You must have been miserable.”
“Actually, not at first. I know I’m making him out to be the bad guy, and from a feminist point of view, he definitely was that. But he was also kind and generous and loves his children. I think he’s having a really hard time reconciling with the divorce and the fact that I didn’t turn out to be the ideal wife he thought I’d be.”
“Oh, too bad for him. And if he really loved his children he’d be thrilled to spend as much time with them as he could. Don’t make excuses for him, Natalie. He’s a jerk, and he needs to do some work on himself.”
She sighed. “You’re right, of course. But he’s also the father of my children, and they love him. So all I can do is hope he realizes the mistakes he’s made and corrects them.”
Eugene realized he was stepping into something that wasn’t his business and it was time to back off. “Of course. I have no right to interject my opinion.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “No, you can feel free to say anything you want.”
“And you can feel free to tell me to shove it, okay?”
“Deal.”
“Now, enough about your ex. Let’s talk fun plans for our trip. Anything you really want to do when we’re in New York?”
He saw the way she relaxed, and he was happy about that. He made a mental note not to mention her ex again unless she brought it up and asked for his opinion. There were some things that were hot-button, don’t-talk-about-it issues.
Ex-husbands definitely rated at the top of that list.
· · ·
Their flight into New York City went surprisingly smoothly. They grabbed their luggage and Eugene had arranged for a car to pick them up outside. Having never been to New York, Natalie gawked at everything as they drove into Manhattan.
Other than her and Sean’s honeymoon in the Bahamas, she’d never been anywhere exciting. Or anywhere, really. She’d gone to college for fashion design at the University of Florida, hadn’t taken any trips outside of the state while in school, so other than traveling throughout the state, and then her honeymoon, she’d been nowhere.
Until now.
Today it was cloudy and rainy. The city looked nothing at all like where she lived. Buildings butted up against each other as if they were the best of friends, and dark clouds hovered over each skyscraper. It looked ominous and utterly magnificent.
The car let them out at their hotel. She’d never seen anything so fancy. Decorated with subtle shades of bronze and dark gray, the lobby welcomed them in hushed tones. No toddlers running around screaming. This was a place of business, catering to business people. Natalie had to admit she didn’t mind that at all. She loved her kids, but she gave a lot of herself to them. A few days away would be a nice, refreshing vacation.
Eugene got the keys to their room, and they took the elevator. He swiped his key across a pad, and the elevator started moving.
“This place is nice,” she said. “Fancy and quiet.”
“The company booked it,” he said. “So I imagine it’s for frequent business travelers. Not exactly a vacay spot.”
The elevator kept going until they reached the fifteenth floor. It opened onto an expansive lobby. At the desk, a guy wearing the hotel’s uniform smiled at them.
“Your card, sir?”
Eugene handed over his card, and the man swiped it. “Mr.Kennedy, Mrs.Kennedy, welcome. My name is Michael, and I’ll be your concierge. If you need anything such as show tickets, a car, directions, sightseeing tours, or dinner reservations, please call on me. Cocktails start at four p.m. with hors d’oeuvres. If there’s anything else I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to ask.” He handed both of them one of his cards.
“Thanks, Michael,” Eugene said, taking back his key. They walked to their room at the end of the hall, and Eugene opened the door.
“Whoa,” Natalie said, stepping into what looked more like an apartment. A very elegant one, too. Very upscale, ultramodern, with a spacious living room, office, dining area, bar, and a separate bedroom. The bathroom had a luxurious tub and an oversize steam shower.
She walked back out to the bedroom, staring down at the amazing king-size bed.
“What do you think?” Eugene asked.
She turned around to face him. “I think your company treats you very well.”
“I think so, too.” He slid his arms around her. “Nice to be alone with you here.”
She wound her hand around his neck. “I agree.”
She brought his head toward hers, and he kissed her, his fingers tightening around her hips. Anticipation filled her as she ran her hands along his arms, feeling all that barely leashed tension coiled within his body.
His lips slid across hers, teasing and enticing as he tangled his tongue with hers. Desire enveloped her until all she wanted was to explore every inch of him.
She kicked off her shoes and pulled him down on the bed with her, rolling over on top of him. Just the feel of his body aligned with hers was a huge turn-on, ratcheting her need for him up another ten levels.
She rose up, squeezing his hips with her thighs. “You feel good,” she said, sliding her hands under his shirt. “Your skin is warm against my hands.”
“I like where you’re sitting, but let’s get some clothes off.” He swept his fingers along her shirt, teasing them up underneath it. Her stomach rippled with that brief touch. And when he swept his hand under her shirt and cupped her breast, her nipples stood up and took notice. She wore a front-clasp bra, and he undid it in seconds. She removed her top and slid the bra off, anxious to feel his hands on her breasts.
And, oh, he was very good with his hands, teasing her nipples until her sex tingled with need and anticipation. She leaned forward so he could taste and suck, and she swore she was close to coming.
He flipped her onto her back, rising up to remove his shirt. He slid off the end of the bed, kicked off his shoes, then unbuckled the belt of his jeans, slowly sliding the zipper down as his gaze stayed on hers.
“This is a very good show,” she said, focusing on his beautiful cock as he dropped his boxer briefs. “Do you sell tickets?”
He took his cock in hand and began to stroke it. “Only to a very select party of one.”
She reached up with her foot to slide along his stomach, and lower, gently teasing his cock with her toes.
Suddenly her foot was grabbed and Eugene dragged her down the bed. He leaned over her and grasped the waistband of her leggings, pulling them down, then off. He climbed over her, nibbling at her hip until she giggled. He tugged her underwear over her hips, down her legs, circling them around his finger. He gave her a hot grin before tossing them in a nearby chair.
“Have I mentioned how beautiful you are naked?” he asked. “I mean, you look fucking awesome with clothes on, too. But like this?” He smoothed his hands along her thighs, spreading her legs. “Everything about you is beautiful.”
“Your hands on me is what’s beautiful.” She lifted, asking without words for him to touch her.
He started with his hands, using his thumbs to circle and tease her sex, driving her wild with easy, gentle circles. And when she thought she might go wild from the sensations, he cupped her butt to tilt her up and put his mouth on her, using his tongue to lick and suck and drive her right to the edge of reason.
Unable to hold back from the deliciousness of his relentless hot, wet, swipes of his tongue across her clit, she came with a wild cry, grabbing on to the sheets for some semblance of reality.
When she could breathe again, she felt the kisses along her stomach and hip and smiled. She lifted her head. “You nearly killed me.”
He looked up at her. “Sounded like it. I do know CPR, just in case.”
She patted the side of the bed to summon him beside her. He crawled up and dropped down next to her. She rolled over on top of him, gliding her hands over his chest before dipping her head down to tease a kiss from his lips. She deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth to slide along his, making her sex throb with reawakened desire. His cock was hard and pulsing underneath her and she rocked against it, rewarded by his guttural groan. When he grabbed her hips and rolled her back and forth over his shaft, that was all she could take.
“I brought condoms,” she said.
“Me, too.”
“Mine are closer.” She climbed off of him and reached down onto the floor where she’d dropped her carry-on. Diving into the depths, she pulled out a box of condoms and tossed them onto the bed.
“A box.” Eugene nodded. “I’m impressed.”
“Shut up and let’s get one on you.”
He ripped open the package and applied the condom, which was damn sexy to watch. Natalie grasped his cock and slid down, taking her time to fill herself with his length and thickness.
“Mmm,” she said, tilting her head back as she felt the pulses within her. She started to move, and Eugene moved with her, holding on to her as she rode him, giving herself pleasure, feeling Eugene’s intensify as his grip on her tightened, and they rode their way into oblivion together.
Panting, she collapsed on top of him, her head on his chest as she listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat. He rubbed her back and there was no place else she’d rather be in the entire world right now.
“Pizza,” he whispered.
She lifted her head. “What?”
“We should go out and wander. See the sights. Be tourists. Eat pizza.”
That all sounded perfect. Just like the man underneath her. She wanted him over and over. But they were here to sightsee and eat. And have oodles of sex. Which they could do right now.
Then again, she was hungry.
“Yes, let’s go have some pizza.”