39. Chapter 38
Ria
Ria - I’ve done something
Grace - You need to explain in detail. I’m hungover and unsatisfied.
Ria - I’m not
Grace - Hungover or unsatisfied?
Grace - it better be unsatisfied.
“I’ve cleared your diary.” Grace struts into my office Monday morning and places a hot chai latte on my desk before perching on the edge.
“I’m still confused how you can get yourself in those positions.
” I’m in King Pigeon pose, one foot stretched out and pointing up along my back while the other stretches in front of me, my back elongated, opening up my chest.
“It helps me relax.” I breathe out.
“Doesn’t look relaxing to me.” She takes a sip of her drink before adding, “Only a man can twist me up like a pretzel, and I call it pleasure not relaxing.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve got a knot I need to stretch out.” I move out of the pose and slowly curl myself off the floor.
“Does this knot come in the shape of a certain CFO?” Her eyebrows bounce as she shimmies on my desk.
“Something like that.” I take a gulp of my ice cold water before staring out the window at the busy London street below.
“Stop being evasive and talk to me. You disappeared on Saturday night and then went radio silent on me until this morning.”
“I’ve had a lot to process.”
“So process with me.” Coming to stand next to me, she rests her head on my shoulder. “Girl, we don't keep secrets.”
“I know.” Resting my head on hers, I let out a restless sigh. “I may have kissed Leo.”
She peers up at me with a mischievous grin. “And?”
“And he may have also given me the best orgasm I think I’ve ever had.”
“You slept with Chuckles? Gah!” She grabs my shoulders, giving them a little shake. “Okay, this is perfect. I knew he’d know his way around a woman's body. He—”
“No, no, no.” I cut her off. “I haven’t slept with him.”
“But you just said…”
“I said he gave me an orgasm not that we slept together.”
“Okay, did he at least see you naked?”
“Um… no.”
“No? If you tell me you dry humped him like a horny teenager, I’m not sure if I find that depressing or hot.” She frowns.
“No, we didn’t do that. Well, not the first time.”
“The first time?” she shrieks, holding her hands up. “Babe, you’re holding out on me. I thought we were friends.”
“We are.” I laugh. “Stop being a drama queen.”
“Drama queen? I think if you’ve had your best orgasm ever you should have called me immediately. Remember when I slept with Jamie Delphine and I blacked out after because he made me see stars?” I nod. “I called you almost as soon as I came back to earth to tell you all about it.”
“But you also left his apartment at that exact time and told me in detail on your way home.”
“Exactly!” She throws her hands up.
“But I didn’t leave Leo once he made me come.”
“No, because apparently he did it again.” She crosses her arms defiantly.
“Okay, can we ease up slightly on the crazy?”
“Fine.” She rolls her eyes, grabs her coffee, and slumps down on my sofa. “Proceed to explain how he gave you the best orgasm of your life that you didn’t deem mind-blowing enough to tell me about.”
“You’re far too invested in my sex life.”
“That’s because it’s been nonexistent for years, Ri. Forgive me for wanting you to have a little fun.”
Grabbing my coffee, I sit down next to her and she looks at me expectantly. “He finger fucked me,” I rush out and instantly feel my cheeks flush.
“Must have been epic to make your face turn that color.” She jabs at my cheek, grinning maniacally.
“My legs shook so much I almost collapsed from the sheer intensity of the orgasm he pulled from me. He then told me I didn’t need to help him even though it was clearly obvious he needed something.
” I motion with my cup to my crotch and continue.
“But he went into the bathroom and I followed him.” I tip my head back and blow out a drawn-out breath.
“I knocked, he didn’t answer, and when I opened the door he was there, cock in hand.
I couldn’t help myself,” I say in a hushed tone, squeezing my thighs together as the vision of Leo comes to my mind, his forearm flexing as he pulled on his cock, his impressive body locked tight with tension as he stroked his length and groaned in ecstasy.
“I helped him get himself off and he came all over our hands. It was so fucking hot and his cock… Jesus, Grace, he’s huge.
” Widening my eyes for emphasis, I keep going.
“Like, I’ve never seen a cock that big, so long and thick, and God, the thought of it inside me, I…
Shit, Grace, I wanted it so bad. But he was a gentleman and tried to sleep on the couch.
I coaxed him to get in bed with me and then I woke him up, rubbing my ass along his cock where we both came before we spent the day together at the spa. Which in itself was a disaster—”
“Woah, babe, slow down. I need to grasp what the fuck you’re telling me.” She pauses, rubbing her brow. “So you’ve made each other come twice but he still hasn’t seen you naked?”
“Correct.”
“But you did wear the night set I packed for you?”
“Correct.”
“And it obviously worked.” She winks at me and I can’t help but giggle. “So what happened? You seem flustered. If it was me I’d have jumped that man. Please tell me you at least are now sleeping in the same room at home?”
“Well, no.”
“No?”
“I’m still working out what the hell I’m supposed to be doing here.
I bolted this morning before he got up.” Rubbing my temples, I try to relieve the pressure building.
“I want him. It’s a need that I can’t seem to ignore.
After what he has done to my body and the things he’s said to me, this desire for him is getting worse and it wasn’t there before.
But yesterday was awful. Ezra showed up at the spa—”
“What was the cock womble doing there?”
“Did you get that from Lily?” She nods her head before rolling her fingers for me to continue.
“Not sure, but I guess he booked a suite for after the event with Trixie. But anyway, he said some shit to me about how he knows our marriage is fake and how someone like me can’t keep someone like Leo happy in the bedroom. ”
“Ugh… I hate that man so fucking much. Can I please throat punch him?”
“I don’t own you. You do what you want.”
“Excellent.”
“Anyway, he said that and I walked off. He hit a nerve because he used to tell me how shit I was in bed all the time.”
“He did what?” Grace roars and I reluctantly nod. “I have no words for that man. The only way sex with you would be crap is if he was only doing the bare minimum. A man who only goes after his own pleasure isn’t a real man.”
“Well, Leo pretty much said the same and how I’m totally his type. I may have asked him to take me to Enigma.” I cringe as she stares unblinking at me.
“You asked your fake husband who you haven’t slept with yet to take you to a sex club?”
“Yes?”
“And he said?”
“He would but not yet.”
“Because?”
“He didn’t think I was ready.”
“Damn straight you’re not ready, but girl, get ready to take that mind-blowing orgasm he gave you and multiply that by a million.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Enigma brings the best out of people.” She laughs. “Oh Ri, I can’t wait.”
“Do you think I’m crazy?”
“Why?”
“He’s my brother's best friend, and I’ve never felt these feelings for him before.”
“And those are?”
“I want to be near him all the time. I feel safe with him near. Dale Lucas shook me up a bit on Saturday, and all I kept thinking was ‘where is Leo.’”
“It sounds like you're falling for your husband.” She bumps her shoulder with mine. “If he makes you feel safe, hold on to that.”
“But what if he doesn’t feel the same?”
“I don’t think you have to worry about that.
” She offers me a small smile. “He may be an impulsive guy, but when it comes to you, I’ve always thought he was more cautious with his words and actions.
He cares for you. He thinks before he acts around you.
And if he’s acting on feelings that I think he’s bottled up for years, babe, it’s going to be explosive. ”
The best way I find to work through my problems is to throw myself into my work, and that is exactly what I do. All day, I keep myself busy with meetings and portfolio reviews and it works. I'm feeling in control and organized.
“Can I come in?” Leo raps his knuckles on my open door.
“Of course,” I say, not daring to take my eyes off my screen, but my skin prickles when he softly cups my face, turning me toward him.
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Are you sure you still want to do this?” Dusting his thumb across my cheek, he smiles warmly at me.
“Do what?”
Leaning down, he hovers dangerously close to my lips. “Give me your control.” His hand slides to the back of my skull where he grips my ponytail. Tugging gently, the sharp sting of pain makes me gasp.
“Yes,” I rush out.
“Good girl.” He grins as he kisses my cheek. “Come on. Let’s go.” He pulls away slowly.
“Go? Go where?”
He offers me his hand, and I slip mine into his as he pulls me to stand and wraps his arms around my waist. “I told you I was going to date you. So I’m taking you for dinner.”
“You’re taking me for dinner?” We walk out of my office, and Grace raises her eyebrow at me as we pass her desk.
“I am.” Leo jabs his finger at the button to call the elevator.
“Enjoy.” Grace rests her head on her hand, watching us leave.
“We will.” He guides me into the elevator and I wordlessly follow.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Don’t you worry about that.” He kisses my crown as the doors to the elevator close, and I catch Grace grinning like a fool at me. “I told you; relax and let me look after you.”
When we exit the elevator and step into reception, it’s as if everyone stops what they are doing and watches as Leo ushers me to the exit, his hold on me never wavering as he opens the door to his Aston Martin and I sink into the passenger seat.
He rounds the car and effortlessly slips in the driver's side and reaches for my hand, placing it on his thigh.
He switches on the car and pulls away from the curb, the soft purr of the engine doing nothing to settle the rampant beats of my heart.
“I left my bag in my office,” I say, panicked.
“Rebecca has already picked it up and is dropping it off along with mine while we’re out.” He switches lanes and encases my hand with his much larger one.
“Oh, what about—”
“The meeting prep for the Featherstone brothers?” he cuts me off. “I’ve already written notes and emailed them to you to go through in the morning.”
“And—”
“I’ve gone through the financials and sent them to the accountants in London and New York. So just relax.” His gaze quickly flicks to mine. “I’ve got you.”
All I can do is stare across at the man who up until a few weeks ago I thought was just my little brother’s quirky, funny best friend. But the reality is he is so much more than that. He has so many more layers than he lets everyone else see.
“Thank you.”
“You have nothing to thank me for. Just get used to me taking care of things for you.”
“But I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand?” He pulls to the side and switches off the engine, and I remove my hand, chewing nervously on my thumbnail.
“Why are you doing these things?”
“If you are going to trust me enough to hand over your control to me in the bedroom”—he pulls my hand away from my mouth and drops a kiss to my knuckles—“I need you to trust me outside of it first.”