18. Marcus
W atching my best friend leave for rehab was much harder than I thought it would be, but seeing the pain on Chloe’s face as he left was worse.
We both offered to take him, but he declined, shocking us when he said that Miles could drive him there.
When I told Miles, I expected him to kick off, after all the commotion from earlier in the day, so I was equally as surprised when he agreed without complaint.
I’m not even going to waste my mental capacity wondering what the hell is going on between them, as I don’t think I can handle much more.
Things with Chloe, over the last couple of days, since Jake left, have been both easy and incredibly fucking hard. We’ve grown more comfortable in each other's presence, and have settled into a level of domesticity that I never saw coming.
I’ve lived alone for the last few years, with the exception of Miles crashing in the room he keeps here, and I like being on my own. I’ve always preferred having my own space, doing things when I want, not having to take anyone else into consideration.
It was one of the things I worried about the most when I agreed to let Chloe move in. I had no idea it would actually be the easiest part of living with her.
We just seem to move around each other with ease, like we’ve been doing it our whole lives. I make coffee and breakfast in the morning, as I’m usually awake before she is, and she returns the favour by making dinner in the evenings.
I’ve actually come to really enjoy the simplicity of our evenings together. We talk over dinner, sometimes sharing a glass of wine as we discuss our day. I’ve gotten to know her so much over the last few days, and she’s not at all like I thought.
It’s weird how you can know someone for most of your life without really knowing them at all. The more I’ve learnt, the more I like her. Though it’s also increased the rage I feel towards her parents for forcing this charade on her all these years.
The person Chloe presents to the world is who her parents have shaped her to be. They’ve not taken into account who she really is, her personality, or even what Chloe truly wants. They don’t care about any of that shit, only seeing her as a tool they can use to further their own games.
Now that she’s here with me, that stops. I’ve been pushing her to separate the two versions of Chloe. She needs to get rid of anything that was created to please her parents, and focus solely on what she wants. I know this is something she’s found difficult, but I’m proud of her for trying.
Watching the joy on her face when she comes home from another one of her baking classes is something else. She lights up the room, and she talks a million miles a minute as she tells me everything she learnt in the class, and how she plans to practise the techniques before using them.
Seeing her find something she’s passionate about has made all the shit that happened with the bet worth it, as I’ve never seen her this happy. I also didn’t realise that seeing her happy would make me feel good.
I’ve never really given a shit about other people before. Don’t get me wrong, when Miles or Jake tell me good news, I’m pleased for them, but it doesn’t really affect me.
Yet when Chloe tells me, I can feel my body lighting up, and the smile I give her is genuine.
That thought in itself should scare the shit out of me, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been so consumed by the negative side of Chloe being here, I’ve not had time to think about anything else .
I’m not even sure you could call it a negative side, but referring to it as hard is a bit too on the nose, as that’s literally what it is.
Every moment I’m around her, my dick is in a constant state of excitement. I can’t remember a time I was fully flaccid, and it’s all because of her.
I knew when I had a taste of her, I’d never go back, yet I was stupid enough to pass the control to her. After everything she’s been through, it seemed like the right thing to do. I want her to be one hundred percent certain when I fuck her that it’s what she wants.
After our time in the car, I would have bet good money on her being ready, which is part of the reason I gave her the control. I thought she’d be begging me to fuck her after just a couple of days, yet we’re almost a week later, and she’s still not asked me.
I’ve no idea what to fucking do. All I know is that my hand isn’t cutting it anymore, and I’m pretty sure my cock is going to burst if it doesn’t get the attention it deserves soon.
I had to put my own needs aside, as I could see all throughout Saturday that the gorgeous, confident woman I’ve watched blossom in front of my eyes over the last few days, was starting to wilt. I didn’t need to ask her what the matter was, we both knew.
As we sat down for our usual dinner, Chloe’s glass of wine was larger than normal, and the silence between us was deafening. So when my phone rang, I breathed a sigh of relief.
I normally try not to answer the phone when I’m having a meal with her, but I decided to make an exception this time.
When I see Caleb Santoro’s name flashing across my screen, I groan, swearing in Italian quite a lot in my head.
“Hello,” I grind out, trying to remain the professional I’m supposed to be.
“Marcus,” Caleb starts, not bothering with any pleasantries. “I’m calling to inform you that we’re going away for a couple of weeks. We are in need of a holiday.”
“Okay.” I can hear the confusion in my voice, but I’m not entirely sure why they’re letting me know.
“I just want to make sure that you will be okay on your own, with Jacob being indisposed at the moment,” he replies, and I can’t help the short humourless laugh that I let out.
“You mean while he’s in rehab?”
“Erm…well, yes. Look, this whole business is very unpleasant. It’s causing his mother a great deal of stress, and so I’m taking her away for a much needed break.”
I don’t point out that Fiona doesn’t do anything other than attend posh events and go for spa days, and she certainly doesn’t give a shit about Jacob, so I don’t know why she’s stressed. It’s probably got more to do with how this is affecting her image than anything.
“No problem,” I reply, managing to keep all the sarcasm from my voice.
“Obviously, since we will be out of town, Chloe won’t be expected to attend Sunday lunch with the family, but when we return, she will be needed for a wedding planning session that is non-negotiable,” he states firmly, but I just roll my eyes.
“We can discuss it on your return.”
I hear him huff down the phone, clearly not appreciating my vague response. “I will be reachable by phone, if needed. You can always call Scott if I’m not available.”
I snort, unable to stop myself, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Chloe trying not to laugh at the awfully undignified noise. “That won’t be happening,” I snap.
Caleb growls, “He’s joining my family, which means you’ll need to start showing him respect.”
I shake my head, even though he can’t see me. “Until the day it’s official, he remains inferior to me, and any respect will need to be earned, which I can assure you, at this point, it couldn’t be further away.”
“Fine, this can be another thing we discuss on my return.”
“I look forward to it.” This time, I allow the sarcasm to drip into every word, and Caleb hangs up the phone without saying anything further.
Chloe is staring at me, her brow furrowed. “You don’t normally answer the phone at the table,” she says, a hint of disapproval seeping into her tone.
“Sorry, but I figured it was important, and I was right.”
“Is everything okay?”
I give her a nod and a smile. “Your father wanted to inform me that the stress of Jacob going into rehab has been too much for your mother to deal with, and as a result, they’re going on holiday for a couple of weeks.”
Chloe rolls her eyes. “Wow, it’s hard for her?”
I chuckle. “You’re missing the point. They won’t be here for two weeks… So, no family lunches.”
Her eyes light up, and I pointedly ignore the way my heart races at the beautiful smile that spreads across her face. She then lets out a high-pitched giggle, before leaning over and throwing her arms around my neck. “That’s amazing news.”
She pulls back a little, but I keep my arms around her, not letting her go. Although the corner of the table is in between us, making things a little uncomfortable, I don’t care.
I don’t even really know what the hell I’m doing. All I’m sure of is that I want to see Chloe smile at me like this a whole lot more.
What the fuck are you doing? This is supposed to be just about sex, and we’re getting into feelings territory here , I think to myself, before quickly pushing the thoughts from my mind. Things are confusing enough, without overthinking too.
“I like seeing you smile like this,” I admit.
Blush spreads across her cheeks as her expression turns shy, making my dick twitch once more.
“I can’t remember the last time I smiled this much, if I’m being honest.”
“I’m glad you’re happy here.” I leave off the with me part that I wanted to add at the end.
She nods her head, her breath fluttering over my cheek, enamouring me even more. “I’m shocked by how easy it’s been. I like it here, though I’m a little worried how hard that will make things when it all has to come to an end.”
My mood sours in an instant, and Chloe must be able to see it on my face as she pulls back, her brow furrowed. I let her move away this time, thinking a little space will make it easier for me to get my emotions under control.
The thought of her leaving, going back to that life, to him , sends me into a fucking rage, and I don’t think logically when I’m like this. I know all the reasons why she has to return to her life.
I’m hoping that once Jake is sober, and he takes back control of his family, that he can stop her shit-show of a marriage to that dickhead, but until then, there’s very little I can do.
The bet already pushed the boundaries of the treaty further than I should have, but the rules meant they had to be honoured. Anything else would be seen as me interfering in Santoro business, and I can’t do that.
Chloe has her life that she has to go back to, and no matter how much I might not want her to leave, we both know our time together is a ticking time-bomb, and nothing we do can stop it.
“I can’t promise that our time won’t come to an end, as we know it has to, but I can do my best to make sure the life you go back to isn’t as bad as it has been. When Jake’s sober, he’ll be able to help more too,” I tell her, but the tight smile she gives me back tells me she doesn’t believe me.
“I’ve always known what my life would be, Marcus. I’m just going to enjoy this time away from it while I can,” she admits.
I let out a long sigh. “I wish I could do more.”
She reaches over and grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together like we’ve done so many times before. “There’s a few weeks before I have to leave, who knows what will happen by then. ”
I can tell she’s just trying to cheer me up, saying what she thinks I want to hear, but she’s not wrong. I may not have the answer for her now, but I’ve got plenty of time to come up with a plan.
My brain is ticking away when I’m pulled away by her squeezing my hand. “Shall we watch a movie? I made lemon meringue pie for dessert.”
I groan, shaking my head as I pout. “No more making delicious puddings. I’m going to have to run for longer tomorrow now.”
“But it’ll be worth it,” she says with a wink as she stands, clearing the empty plates from the table.
Fuck, that wink shouldn’t have been so sexy, but everything about her turns me on at the moment.
I help her clean the table, and we settle onto the sofa, scrolling through the movies on Netflix until we find one we both want to watch. As soon as I taste the pie she made, my loud groan fills the room, and Chloe laughs.
“You really have found your calling,” I tell her, shovelling more of the pie into my mouth when I’ve spoken.
“I like making desserts, but honestly, the thing I enjoy most is creating novelty birthday cakes. I’ve been practising the different design aspects, and I’ve made a few dummy cakes in class, and they’ve all turned out great. I have a way to go, but I’m picking things up quickly,” she tells me, her eyes lighting up when she talks about it.
“I can’t believe it’s only been two weeks and you’ve found what you want to do with your life,” I reply, not even bothering to hide the awe in my voice.
Chloe looks confused. “What do you mean? This is just for fun.”
I shake my head at her. “Chloe, when you first came here, I told you to find what you are passionate about, to find what you’d do with your life if you got to choose. This may be something you’re doing for fun now, but I get the feeling you’re good enough to at least turn this into a small business, if you ever decided to.”
Her brow furrows as her lips turn to a tight line. “I can’t turn it into a business. That will never be an option for me. Hell, when I move back home, it’ll be a fucking miracle if they even allow me to continue baking, since my mother thinks that’s beneath me.”
I reach over and place my hand on her thigh, squeezing it enough to stop the spiral I can see she’s falling into.
“Stop! Like you said earlier, we’ll deal with things when they happen. But I’m telling you, in an ideal future, this is the job you should be doing. Just think about it.”
“Thinking about what I want and can’t have is too hard,” she replies, her silver eyes boring into mine. I get the feeling we’re talking about more than just her cake business now, and I’m not entirely sure what to say.
“Chloe…”
“Let's watch the movie,” she says, tucking her legs underneath her as she shuffles back on the sofa.
Before I know it, Chloe is leaning against my side as I throw my arm over her shoulder, her body tucked against mine. Slowly, her head droops until it’s resting on my shoulder, and she curls her arm around my waist, pulling me against her more.
We’re both wrapped up in each other, and I can’t tell you anything that happens in the movie. I spend all my time watching Chloe. The rise and fall of her chest that slows as she begins to fall asleep. The way her breath fans the stray strands of her long brown hair that have fallen from her messy bun.
When she’s tucked up against me, her arm wrapped around me, she feels so incredibly petite compared to me, and her body warmth heats me in the best way.
I stay like this long after the movie has ended, not wanting to wake her. Her mouth has fallen open into a little O, and her face looks serene. There’s a ghost of a smile in her cheeks, making me hope I remember this moment.
It’s not long until I feel sleep pulling at me, making my eyes heavy, and I war with myself over what to do. We’ll both get a better, more restful sleep if we go to bed, but I can’t bring myself to end this. So, against my better judgement, I let sleep pull me under.
An odd sensation wakes me up, and I slowly pry my eyelids apart, my brain struggling to catch up. I feel movement beside me, and that has me alert in no time.
Chloe is shuffling against my side, yawning as she stretches out her no doubt stiff limbs, though the arm that’s wrapped around my waist doesn’t move—thankfully.
She turns her body slightly to look up at me, still mostly tucked in against my side. She gives me a small, shy smile that I’m quick to return. “Looks like we fell asleep,” she whispers.
I look over at the clock, noting it’s just after two in the morning, which means I got about two hours of sleep here on the sofa, though my body seems to think it was longer.
I’m aching, desperate to stretch, yet there’s no pain in the world that would make me move Chloe right now.
“Yes, looks like it,” I add, not bothering to elaborate that it was my fault for allowing us to fall asleep like this .
Unfortunately, Chloe begins to sit up, removing her body from mine, making me feel colder than I was expecting, like I’m missing a part of me.
“We should get to bed,” she says, as she stands from the sofa, reaching out her hand to me.
Is she inviting me into her bed?
My gaze flicks between Chloe’s outstretched hand and her eyes, my body frozen. I see the exact moment she hears her own words in her head, as her eyes widen almost comically.
“Our own beds…I mean,” she mumbles, the flush on her cheeks deepening as she looks away shyly.
I take hold of her hand, though I pull myself up. “I knew what you meant,” I say, flashing her my best smirk.
She rolls her eyes at me, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop from smiling. I love when she shows a little of her fiery side.
I pull her into the corridor, stopping outside of her bedroom door. The chemistry is fizzling between us, and I don’t drop her hand, even though I know I should. I take a step towards her, which clearly startles Chloe as she steps backwards, until she hits the wall.
Now I see she’s caged in between my body and the wall, I place my free hand flat above her head, leaning into her more. My lips are right beside her ear, my breath tickling across her cheek, and she shivers in response.
Her wide innocent eyes look up at me, but there’s a heat in them that I know is in mine too. Her grip on my hand tightens, and it’s the only thing stopping me from dragging it all over her body. But she still hasn’t asked me to fuck her, so I can’t.
That doesn’t mean I can’t get her a little hot in the process.
I close the already tiny gap between us, pressing my body against hers, and she gasps when she feels my hard length pressing against her stomach.
“I had a really lovely evening,” I whisper into her ear.
She gives me a smile, and when she responds, her voice is hoarse. “Me too. Do you want to…”
She leaves the question unfinished, just hanging between us, but we both know what she was about to say.
I rock my hips in response, both of us groaning as my cock rubs against her. “I want to, but I don’t think you’re ready yet.”
She shakes her head, and I’m inclined to agree with her.
What the fuck am I doing? I think to myself.
“I am ready,” she argues.
“No, you’re not. When you are ready, you’ll know. It will be all you can think about. You’ll be begging me, refusing to let me say no. You’re almost there, and I can wait,” I reply, though I’m not entirely sure I believe myself.
She gives me a nod and a small smile. “Thank you.”
Without thinking, I lean down and capture her lips with mine. It was only supposed to be a small goodnight kiss, but as soon as I feel her soft, gentle lips beneath mine, I can’t hold back.
I push myself against her as I deepen the kiss, pressing our lips together harder, swiping my tongue along her lower lip. I capture her moan in my mouth, using the moment to sweep my tongue inside, so I can taste her.
Our lips and tongues mesh together, kissing each other in a deep, sensual way as I rock my hips against hers. I feel her shuffling beneath me, widening her legs so I can slip my knee between them. She wastes no time grinding her fabric-covered pussy against my thigh.
I groan as I feel her rubbing against me, my cock hardening as it’s trapped between us, the friction both maddening and amazing.
I want nothing more than to take this further, but it was only supposed to be a goodnight kiss, and now she’s grinding her wet pussy on my thigh, and it’s taking all my willpower not to remove my hand from hers, so I can touch her.
We both pull back from the kiss slightly, desperately pulling in some much needed air, and this seems to be enough space to allow the sex-induced fog to clear from my brain, and I groan in frustration.
“That was just supposed to be a goodnight kiss, not…more,” I tell Chloe, which makes her laugh.
“Well, it was a hell of a night then,” she replies, which makes me laugh too.
I press my lips against hers once more, hard and claiming, only this time I pull away before it can turn into more. She leans forward, chasing my mouth with hers, but I reluctantly pull back.
“I want nothing more than to keep kissing you, but instead, I’m going to say goodnight,” I state, ignoring the way my cock is screaming at me.
Chloe’s lip tips up into a smirk. “Who knew you’d be such a gentleman?”
I rock my hips into her, letting her feel all of my hard cock that’s trying to burst free from my jeans, and her eyes widen.
“I’m not a gentleman, I’m just taking my time. I want to drive you crazy first. I want to be the only thing you think about, dream about.
“I want you to wish you could get yourself off to thoughts of me, knowing I won’t give you permission to touch yourself. When I finally take you I want you dripping wet, needy, desperate for my cock.
“I want you begging me like you might die if I don’t agree. I’m not a gentleman, Mio, I’m the wicked guy biding his time until he ruins you for all other men. ”
Her brows shoot into her hairline, and my devilish smirk grows at the sight of her wide, shocked eyes, but I can also see the need flashing in them too. She loves my dirty words, and she’s not far off losing herself to the moment.
“I-I… You mean, I can’t…” she mumbles incoherently, not able to finish her sentence, but I know what she’s trying to say.
I lean in until I’m whispering in her ear, her body trembling beneath me. “No, you can’t touch yourself, and you definitely can’t come. I meant what I said, the next time I let you come, it’ll be on my cock.”
She shakes her head, looking a little alarmed. “I can’t. I need to…”
“I will punish you, and it will be so much worse than before. Just be a bit more patient, and I promise, I’ll make it worth it for you. You want to be a good little slut for me, don’t you, Mio?”
Chloe nods her head, and I can’t help but smile. “I want to be a good slut, but I’m so wet. I really need to come.”
She’s so quiet and shy as she admits it to me, I have to bite my lip to stop myself from moaning. I’m very aware I’m a bad influence on her, but that’s not going to stop me.
“Get some sleep. I’ll sleep well knowing your tight little cunt is wet and waiting for me,” I growl, pressing my lips to her forehead before I finally step back.
Chloe almost slumps to the floor when she’s not being held up between me and the wall, her legs wobbling as she holds onto my hand firmly. As she raises her head, the fierce glare she gives me reminds me of the phrase “if looks could kill,” as I’d be six-feet under now.
My cocky smirk doesn’t help, and she frowns at me. “I’m so frustrated right now,” she groans.
“I know, Mio. Be a good girl, and I promise, it’ll be worth it.”
She shivers at the praise I give her, though her fierce look doesn’t lessen. “Fine,” she snaps, before her tone softens slightly when she adds, “Good night.”
She presses a quick kiss on my lips and turns, slamming the door in my face before I even know what’s happening. I bring my fingers up to my lips, wondering why I can still feel hers pressed against mine.
I quickly walk to my room, closing the door behind me before I fall back against it, my head banging off it as I do.
What the hell was I thinking? I could be balls deep in her tight pussy right now, but instead, I’m stuck with my hand again.
I know I’m doing the right thing, dragging it out until she’s really sure it’s what she wants, but fuck, if this burns any slower, my cock really might fall off.