Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
I awoke with Alfie’s arms warm around me. My t-shirt had ridden up while I slept and I could feel the silk of his skin against my back. I felt the hard bulge through his briefs pressed up against me, nothing but the thin cotton of our underwear separating us.
A prickle of awareness crept up my spine, I felt as though I had crossed enemy lines and was creeping carefully to safety, eyes darting around for any sign of danger or treachery.
I waited for Alfie’s hands to move, for his lips against my neck, dark words that would bend my mind to his will… but it didn’t come.
Carefully, I turned in his arms to study him, his eyes drifting open, studying me right back. “Are you panicking?” he murmured.
“Kind of. Did last night really happen?” It all felt so surreal. I’d spent the night with Alfie. After everything he’d done to me, I’d let him back in.
“It did.” He stared at me like he couldn’t believe I was really here, like I might disappear at any moment. “Do you regret it?”
Did I? I was scared but I felt warm, my body somehow sated despite our clothes never coming off. “No, I feel like I’m flying.”
Alfie gave me a sleepy smile. “That’s because the boat is moving.”
“Where are we going?”
“Keira’s. She called while you were asleep, I answered for you. Her parents invited us for breakfast.”
“Us?” I pushed up on one elbow, looking down at him.
“Us,” he confirmed. “You don’t want me to come?”
I frowned, that wasn’t exactly it. “I think that a morning with both you and her parents is Keira’s idea of hell.”
To my surprise, Alfie nodded, seeming to understand. “Well, call her. If she doesn’t want me to come, I won’t.”
I eyed him, looking for some sign that he was hiding annoyance underneath a smooth facade but all I saw was honesty. “Okay, I will.” I settled back into his arms, enjoying the safety I felt.
“I’ve missed you.” His brows creased, a tightness forming in his jaw I didn’t like.
I reached up, smoothing the lines away with my thumb.
This was scary for both of us. He turned his head, kissing the palm of my hand with lips I knew he wished were pressed to mine.
Part of me did too, but I just wasn’t ready to cross that line just yet.
“Call Keira, I’ll see you up top.” He slid out of bed, stretching, the planes of his back flexing in a way that made my mouth water.
“Do you think I should send something if I don’t come for breakfast?” He turned, looking down at me in my tangle of sheets, a dreamy look on his face. “I know your favourite thing for breakfast is a blueberry muffin, what’s Keira’s?”
I stared at him, wondering why he cared. Maybe he was trying to put some effort into mending Keira's broken trust in him. “A cherry danish. I don’t know where you’ll get one here though.”
He pointed at himself. “Billionaire, remember?”
I scoffed and threw a pillow at him. “Get out of here.” I watched him walk out of the room, smiling so wide my cheeks hurt.
Breathless, I fell back on the pillows and called Keira. For once, she answered on the first try.
“So, breakfast huh? With Alfie?”
“Mum’s idea,” she sighed, the annoyance clear in her voice.
“I can disinvite him, you know. It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s fine.” I could practically hear her shrug. “I don’t want to cause a fight between you.”
“No fight. He really won’t mind.” There was a pause and I was sure she was wearing the same suspicious look I had a few minutes ago.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, the man’s changed, Keira.”
Silence dragged on her end and I waited for her to disinvite him. I wouldn’t blame her, as much as I wished she could get along with him, I understood why she didn’t. I wasn’t the only person Alfie had hurt.
“He can come. I’ll use him to distract my mother.”
I snorted. “Okay, thanks Keira.”
“You’re welcome…” her voice trailed off and I waited patiently for whatever came next. “Lo, I know you’re wrapped up in Alfie but I need you around today.”
Now it was my turn to be silent. Keira was not an ‘I need you’ person. Concern sparked in the pit of my stomach but I tried not to overreact. If it was serious she would have rung me sooner…which she had actually done but Alfie had picked up the phone instead.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing bad, I just…I need to hang out today. No boys.”
I sighed. As much as I enjoyed being with Alfie, I knew my psyche needed a break from him too. “You’ve got me, Keira. Always.”
We hung up and I climbed out of bed, searching for the green dress I’d thrown off last night but it wasn’t there. Stepping into the closet I found it on a hanger, freshly laundered.
My underwear however, was not freshly laundered. I pulled off my knickers and stuffed them in my bag. I'd have to go commando until I got to Keira’s. I slipped on the dress, freshened up and went to look for Alfie.
I found him on the upper deck, in the middle of what was clearly a work call. His eyes warmed when he saw me and I leant against the rail, watching him watch me.
His gaze roamed over my hair catching in the breeze, the way the bodice of the dress cupped my breasts.
Weeks ago, his glances had been restrained, well behaved.
Now, he was becoming more daring, showing me more hints of the man I’d known.
As if he was brave enough to show me now, as if I was brave enough to meet that man again.
He ended his call and came to me, looking his old self again in his suit.
“I’ll have you back soon.” He nodded and I looked behind me. Keira’s parents' house was just visible in the distance.
The wind caught my dress, lifting it. I grabbed it, pinning it down before I flashed myself to the world.
Alfie arched an eyebrow at me. “Are you alright?”
“Yep.” I smiled but he wasn’t convinced.
“Lola…” he said in that ‘Lie to me, I dare you’ tone that always sent a shiver up my spine.
“I’m not wearing underwear,” I whispered. “Mine were too gross to wear again so…” I shrugged, feeling embarrassed.
“Did it occur to you to check the dresser for fresh underwear?”
“No.”
“So, you decided to go bare, in a tiny dress, and risk exposing yourself in front of my staff?”
“I didn’t know?—”
“You should have. I always take care of your needs, Lola.” He stepped away, leaning against the wall as his sharp eyes roamed over me. “Let go of the dress.”
I swallowed, my heart beginning to pound in my chest. I knew that look. This all felt way too familiar.
“Alfie…”
“I’m still here.” His gaze softened for a moment, reassuring me. “Come on, baby. Flirt with me.” He wasn’t manipulating me, he was playing with me. He was having fun.
I hesitated for a moment, indecision gripping me before I decided to trust him once again. Slowly, I let go of the fabric, feeling the breeze brush between my thighs.
“Hold onto the railing,” he commanded. I did as he asked. “Good. Now, up on your toes.”
I followed his instruction and the wind caught the hem of my dress, lifting it. I gasped, but didn’t move and neither did Alfie. He didn’t look down, he kept his eyes on my face. My dress lifted again, baring me to him this time and once again, he didn’t look.
“Lift your leg and rest your foot on the railing.”
I did as he asked. My leg raised, exposing my folds. I bit my lip, the sharp wind on my clitoris a delicious tease.
“Put your hand on your pussy.” His voice was smooth like silk, his eyes dark with longing. I wondered how hard it was for him not to take me right here. “I won’t look. Put your hand on your pussy and spread it. I want that clit nice and exposed.”
This man was going to kill me…
Slowly, skin humming with anticipation, I put my hand down to that private place, my eyes on his the whole time. True to his word, he didn’t look.
“Use your middle finger to pull your little hood back.” I did as he said, moaning as the wind hit the most sensitive part of me. His eyes were warm with approval. “There we go…feel good, baby?”
I nodded, trying to stay quiet. He moved then, closing the space between us and pressing me against the railing.
His erection against my stomach, he leaned over me, forcing me backwards.
His hands wrapped around me like a python, one hitching my leg around his waist, the other gripping the nape of my neck as my hair swept up in the wind.
His mouth found my throat, nipping, biting.
I wanted him. I wanted him with a readiness I hadn’t felt in a long time. This felt easy, it felt right.
Just as I started to grind against him, sweet moans escaping my lips, he slowed, gently easing his seduction. Was he teasing me still? Or was he easing me into what he knew was the inevitable next stage? Was this him helping me dip my toes in the ocean before deciding to jump in?
His phone buzzed in the background and I sighed as his lips found my ear.
“Go put some underwear on, baby.” Breathless, I nodded and turned to leave but he took my wrist, halting me. “Don’t go bare again. Not unless I say so.”
My immediate reaction was to snap at him but I made myself pause and really look at this man.
He wasn’t being controlling. It wasn’t a request that every man would make, but we all had our lines, our boundaries, this was one of Alfie’s.
It took guts for him to ask this of me, especially when we were still so new.
He had always been a man who needed to know I belonged to him, that I couldn’t be shared.
“I won’t.” On shaking legs I disappeared back below deck and searched for some damned underwear.
Ten minutes later, I returned to the upper deck. Alfie was still on his work call but he followed every step of my approach.
Eyebrows raised, I lifted my dress, showing off my underwear, flashing him a ‘see?’ look. The corner of his mouth lifted up in a grin as he twirled his finger in a spinning motion. Slowly I turned on the spot for him before letting my dress go while he continued his conversation.
A yell caught my ear, a distant voice. I turned and saw the Larson house come into full view. Keira stood up on the courtyard wall, waving at me. I could see her parents behind at the table laying out breakfast.
I took a deep breath, wondering what this morning was about to bring.
Ten minutes later, we stepped onto the dock. Keira met us at the top of the steps that led to the house. She eyed my dress, eyebrows raised in admiration. “Is that Balenciaga?” I shrugged and she looked at Alfie. “You have good taste, Moneybags.”
He slung an arm around my waist. “I’m aware of that. Thank you for the invitation.”
“It wasn’t mine.”
I tensed at the edge in her voice but Alfie didn’t seem fazed by it.
“I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t alright with it.”
“You’re here to distract my mother from commenting on my many failings not because I?—”
“Keira! Don’t keep them waiting!” Richard Larson appeared, pulling me into a warm embrace as if it had been years since we’d seen each other, not days.
I held my breath as Alfie introduced himself, wondering if he would present arrogant, reserved Alfie, or the newer, more open version of himself.
I needn’t have worried because almost immediately, Alfie pulled him into a conversation about the architecture of the house. I shared a smile with Keira as she led us through the archway to the open courtyard where breakfast waited.
She came to a screeching halt as we were greeted by Damien Marx, charming the apron off Keira’s mother. Laura turned, eyes fixed on her daughter.
“Keira, you didn’t tell me you’d invited someone.” The admonishment was clear in her voice, she turned a sweet smile back to Damien who was watching the interaction with the eyes of a hawk. “I apologise for my daughter, she’s very careless.”
Keira stalked over, scowling at Damien. “What are you doing here?”
“Keira!” Richard echoed his wife’s tone and went to her side.
“It’s alright,” Damien flashed them both a charming smile before looking back at Keira. “I just thought you might be hungry.” He gestured at a bakery box full of cherry danishes.
I looked up at Alfie who wasn’t even trying to hide that he’d picked my brain on purpose so he could tell Damien what to buy for Keira.
“You sneaky bastard,” I whispered.