Chapter Fourteen
Estella
M om calls after breakfast and Ren takes the opportunity to show me his office and answer the call in there.
We turn the call into a video chat so all three of us can see one another.
Mom looks great in a black bathing suit that shows off her toned arms and legs.
She’s practically glowing the entire time we speak to one another.
I wait for her to say something about me sitting on Ren’s lap, but she never says a word.
Maybe she thinks it is the only way we can share the screen or maybe she thinks I just popped down because there aren’t any other seats in the room.
I have no idea if she’s ever been here or even in Ren’s penthouse at all.
Clearly, she doesn’t find anything wrong with it so maybe it’s just me.
Maybe I need to chill out and stop being such a ninny about it.
I try to think of an explanation for everything that has happened.
Why would Ren act like he did to me? Why would he do the things he’s done?
I try to find some answers without asking any questions for most of the day and get nowhere.
Ren does some work while I sit out on the little balcony off his office and read.
It has a hot tub and a small table that can be used to eat on – I know because I feel like all I have done today is snack and been there for most of it -and lounge chairs.
It’s not cluttered and at night you have an excellent view of the city below.
It’s also an excellent place to pop open one of the umbrellas by the lounge chairs and get lost in a book, something I did for most of the day.
We have dinner inside and after that, we watch a movie.
The entire day went by with Ren not making one pass, one suggestion of there being anything between us other than what should be.
He doesn’t threaten to spank me or mention anything about what happened in the shower or when I woke up this morning.
It makes me tense as hell that he doesn’t.
Did he think he wanted me and then found out he didn’t?
Did he think I was the woman I pretended to be online only to find out I was just me; the person he’s always known me as?
Was he disappointed? Was this him trying me out and me not being good enough?
Was it the fact I wasn't on anything that scared him?
It would be...a mess if he...if we made a mistake and ended up pregnant.
Maybe it was all too much and he doesn't want the hassle after all.
Or maybe I'm just not what he wanted once he got me.
The thought echoes through my head all during the movie making it impossible to focus. I'm not even sure what we were watching. Ren shocks me when he gets up and for the first time, I realize the television is off. Was he trying to talk to me? Did I spend two hours ignoring him? Shit!
He takes me by the hand and leads me to the stairs. Will he want me to spend the night in one of the guest rooms now?
“I’m sorry I was a little distracted during the movie.”
He doesn’t say anything and just gives me a half grin that makes me think he’s up to no good, but that can’t be right.
He’s had the whole day to do something naughty, and he didn’t do anything.
I wait for him to stop outside one of the closed doors that must be other rooms. But instead of stopping he keeps going until he’s not just pulling me into his room but into the bathroom as well.
His hands drop to the bottom of my shirt, and he has it over my head in one swift pull.
“Ren?”
“Shh, don’t go all stiff on me, princess. I know you overthink and get in your own head, baby. Let me help you.”
“Help me?” He nods and reaches around me to unfasten my bra.
My arms come up to cover my bare breasts but I’m too late.
They spill into his waiting hands. My eyes lower and I watch as he cups them like he’s trying to weigh them.
His hands cover them and when he kneads them, I catch my breath.
I didn’t realize I was holding it until I was gasping for air.
I move closer before I can catch myself and try to back away, but he follows me until my back is against the wall.
“Such a beautiful body.” He stares at the place where his hands are. “Such beautiful breasts. Large for your size.”
Large? Like too large? Is that what he’s trying to say?
“The perfect handful for a man like me.” He holds his hands up to show me. “Large hands.” He winks and gives me a wicked smile.
“You…?” I stop and rethink the wisdom of saying anything.
“Go ahead, sweetheart. Ask your question.” His cobalt blue eyes burn into mine and I swear they start flames wherever they land on my body.
“You don’t think they’re too big? Some of the guys at school…thought they were too big.” He narrows his eyes at me, and I rush to continue. “Not that they ever got to see them. They just, um, made fun of me.”
“That’s the difference between boys and men. A man knows what he likes,” he runs his thumb over one of my aching tips causing me to gasp and move into the sensation, “and how to get it.”
He leans into me so his lips brush my cheek, his breath fanning out across my skin causing me to shiver.
“And, princess, I want you.”
I pull back this time and find his eyes which he doesn’t try to hide from me. He meets my gaze with one of his own. Sharp, focused, and steady, his stare is why I find the courage to speak. “Then why did you spend the day treating me like nothing more than your little stepsister?”
His brows go up and he chuckles, “Because you need someone who will take their time with you, and if I so much as kissed you I was going to do more than you were ready for. Don’t think you weren’t on my mind the entire day. I bought you something. It should be here tomorrow afternoon.”
I fight down the warmth that comes with knowing even when I wasn’t right in front of him, or right next to him, he still had me on his mind and I try to school my features. Probably not a great thing to turn into a spaz over how giddy I am.
“What is it?”
“You’ll see, tomorrow. But tonight, I want to give you what you wanted this morning.” He leads me to the tub and leaves me only to start filling the tub and start the fire.
It’s so romantic and beautiful but all I can think about is the woman I was picturing here this morning.
Sophisticated, worldly, put together in a way I will never be no matter how old I am or how much I learn.
That’s the type of woman that would turn Ren on.
Not me. I look down at where my arms are crossed over my chest, my feet are bare, and my shorts are well, shorts, not a smooth skirt that’s the perfect length that makes my legs look longer even when I kick my heels off.
“Ren?” I need to tell him, to explain somehow, that whatever he thinks I am, I’m not.
When he turns his smile has softened and it’s almost like he can tell my head is full of doubts and fears just like when he told me he knew I overthought things. I forget that we sent long messages to one another spilling things we’ve never told others. Secrets, fears, flaws.
“What is it, Princess?”
“I’m not…,” I wave my hand towards the filling tub and the crackling fireplace while still trying to keep myself covered. He effectively stops me by pulling his shirt over his head leaving me staring at the mouthwatering sight of him standing shirtless in front of him.
“You are.” He takes my hand and pulls me into him. He doesn’t understand…any of this. I’m not perfect enough for him, not sophisticated like he would want me to be, not ready, not going to be able to lie my way out of this. “Beautiful.”
It’s the last word he says as his lips lower to mine and he kisses me breathless.
I lose track of what I should be doing and find my arms coming up to warp around him.
His kiss doesn’t just take my breath, it makes me forget why I need to be cautious, to be worried.
All I focus on is his lips rubbing against mine, his tongue slipping through and petting against me.
It feels like so much more than a kiss and has my whole body drawn tighter and tighter.
It takes me several minutes to become aware of the fact my breasts are pushed up against his chest, the hair on his chest tickling the already hard buds of my nipples.
The feeling is nothing but a tease of my senses meant to drive me crazy.
When his hands slide down to cup my ass cheeks, I can’t keep myself from pressing closer, rubbing against his hard body.
I might not be what he wants but he is everything I could ever dream of.
My shorts are halfway down my legs before I even realize he’s pushed them from my hips.
I’m only in my panties now. Almost completely bare while he’s still mostly dressed.
It’s sexy and I should feel vulnerable but instead, I just feel…
powerful, wanted, and desired. He lifts me up and I wrap my legs around him like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Yes, baby. Good girl. God, you feel good in my arms.” His hands squeeze up on my ass as he runs his lips down my neck and I realize I am good and truly caught. Trapped in the best way.