14. NICK
As soon as Sonya’s lips touched mine, I pushed her away—much harder than I intended. My eyes narrowed. I felt a hard beating inside my chest, but it wasn’t from the kiss. I was pissed.
And that’s when I heard the gasp, followed by running footsteps.
Quickly, I turned around and saw a familiar figure retreating. The woman I’d been stealing glances at the whole evening.
Without thinking, I went after her, shaking Sonya’s hand off mine when she tried to stop me.
“Izzy, wait!” I called, grabbing her arm and swinging her around gently. I was surprised at the look of hurt and disappointment on her face. And there was something else in her eyes. Anger? Jealousy?
She immediately tried to cover it up. I could tell. But she wasn’t good at pretending.
“Oh, hi, Nick,” she said with a forced smile, even daring to meet my eyes. I could see a hint of pain and confusion, mixed with jealousy. “I…I was…I just…I told Dan I’d get some fresh air, but I didn’t realize…” Then she looked down at her feet for a while before looking at me again. “Sorry to have ruined your moment…”
Oh, God. She looked so adorable.
I wanted to laugh. And yeah, even to dance. Or jump with joy. But what came out was some sort of smirk with a chuckle. “Izzy, it wasn’t a moment. Or anything significant at all. Sonya brought me out there because she’d become frantic and said she needed to talk to me about something important. Then she just suddenly kissed me.”
I ended my sentence with a shrug, waiting for her to respond while I silently held my breath. Why did I feel like I needed to explain myself?!
Now, she was the one who was giving me a funny, curious look. She opened her mouth to say something, but then she closed it and then just said, “Okay.” I wanted to take her in my arms and kiss her, if not for the many guests that were passing us by.
“So, uh, where’s Dan?”
“I think you’d be able to guess.”
She was so damn beautiful. The most beautiful in the entire place. I yearned to feel her lips against mine, her tongue exploring my mouth, her hands sliding across my bare skin.
“Sonya must be looking for you now,” she suddenly said, biting her lower lip and looking away.
On instinct, I reached out and touched her chin, slightly urging her to turn her gaze back at me. “I don’t care.”
Those were the words that came to my mind, and it felt good to just say them out loud without thinking twice. She certainly looked astonished. And pleased too.
“Why?”
I chuckled. “I already told you. There’s nothing between us. She and Dan were both persistent about me being here, as well as one of my top business advisers who said I should be seen more in the fashion scene now that I’ve invested in your business.”
“Oh, I see. Yeah, that makes sense.”
I took a step forward, making her look a little nervous. Lowering my voice, I added, “Someone also said I should be seen more with you.”
She gazed up into my eyes, and I was mesmerized. For a while, I couldn’t care less what people thought. I could feel myself being magnetized. I wanted to fucking kiss her.
“There you are, Miss Turner!”
We both turned toward an attractive woman with a huge, eager smile on her face. Reporter, probably.
“And Mr. Nick Hale!” she added enthusiastically. “How lucky can I get!”
I gave her a wry smile, as Izzy and I obligingly turned toward her direction. She began throwing questions at us, mostly about our reaction toward this sudden success of EcoChic Couture and about our future plans for the business.
As Izzy spoke with confidence and passion, I couldn’t help remembering the first time she’d presented the concept to me. She’d been good, certainly, if not for getting rattled at the questions I had thrown at her.
When the reporter finally left us at peace, I was glad. I wanted to spend the rest of the evening with Izzy. Alone. Definitely not here.
“Uh, I think I need to go find Dan,” she suddenly uttered, making me frown.
“Let me go with you,” I said. She looked surprised but didn’t protest.
I scanned the bustling venue, the thumping music echoing through the vibrant atmosphere. The sea of glamorous attendees, the dazzling lights, and the energetic chatter made it challenging to find anyone in particular. But of course, my brother wasn’t hard to spot. He was, as always, the center of attention in any party.
“I think he’s quite drunk already,” Izzy blurted out, looking worried as she gazed in his direction.
“Yeah, typical Dan,” I muttered under my breath.
Dan was standing in the middle of a jumping and dancing crowd. One of those surrounding him was Sonya, who seemed to have recovered quite fast from her irritation at me. She was obviously having the time of her life with an older guy she’d hooked up with.
Great, I thought with relief and joy, maybe now she’ll finally leave me alone.
I was about to lead Izzy away when Dan called our names and sauntered over to us, his steps a little unstable. He had a huge smile on his face, though.
“My two favorite people,” he greeted, squeezing himself between us and placing his arms around our shoulders. “You two should learn how to party more!”
“I’m tired, Dan,” Izzy said. “But you can enjoy the night. I don’t mind, really.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bad date, you know…” Then giving me a mischievous grin, his eyes suddenly lit up. He patted my chest. “But I’m sure my twin brother here would love to give you a ride home.”
“I can take care of myself, thanks,” Izzy answered curtly. “But thank you…both of you. This was an unforgettable evening, and I’ll always be grateful.”
“Okay,” Dan said, shrugging and grinning. “I’ll call you soon, Izzy!” Then he danced his way back toward the group he’d been hanging out with.
I was a little worried about Izzy and annoyed that Dan had just ditched her like that after asking her to come with him to this event. I caught up with her and took her hand in mine.
As soon as our hands made contact, I felt a surge of electricity blazing through my body.
Izzy froze, looking like she’d felt it too. She turned toward me questioningly.
“Let me take you home, Izzy,” I said in a firm, but gentle manner. I knew that the way it sounded was like a command, which was what I was accustomed to.
She paused for a moment, and I was afraid she would say no. Then to my great satisfaction, she nodded.
My chauffeur drove for us while we settled in the back seat, with barely any space between us. Her hands were on her lap, clutching and unclutching her purse. Instinctively I took them, wrapping them in the warmth of my own hands and gently rubbing them with my thumbs. She did not pull away, and it made me happy.
“What if you didn’t become a fashion designer, Izzy? What job or business would you have engaged in?” The question came out of my mouth all of a sudden. I just wanted to start a conversation going.
She seemed startled, but then thought about it. “Hhmmm…I didn’t always like fashion. When I was little, I wanted to be a firefighter. I wanted to be some sort of superhero.”
That made me grin. “Wow, really?” Then I chuckled. “But I guess that’s not too far off from what you’re trying to accomplish now, setting a new standard in the world of fashion and trying to save the environment along the way. In my book, that’s a modern superhero.”
Izzy grinned too. “So, am I not fighting with fire by doing this?” she wondered.
“Maybe. But you’re winning, though, Miss Firefighter,” I replied in a semi-joking tone. And you’re hot as hell.
She blushed. I squeezed her hand and inhaled her scent. It was intoxicating, and I was truly enamored by her presence.
“What about you?” She suddenly threw the question back at me, which got me thinking.
“Well…if I weren’t a businessman or investor, I’d probably be an engineer or a lawyer.”
“Hhmmm…yeah, that would suit you. Makes sense.”
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
I wanted to probe further, but then the car stopped in front of a middle-class residential building.
“Uh, this is my apartment,” Izzy said. “Thanks so much for the ride, Mr. Hale.”
“Why so formal again?” I teased, leaning forward. My breath caught in my throat. I could almost taste her. I could feel both of us wanting to extend our time together.
She shrugged. “It’s just automatic, I guess.”
“I’ll walk you to your door,” I offered.
She nodded, which made my heart thump wildly. We got out of the car and slowly walked through the open door.
In the elevator, I suddenly asked, “Izzy, what if I had been the one to ask you to be my date for tonight? Would you have said ‘yes?’”
There was silence, except for the soft humming of the elevator as it moved up. Finally, it stopped. Ding! The doors opened, and Izzy walked out. I followed her quietly, waiting for her answer.
She stopped in front of the third door on the right. Then facing me slowly, she gave me a sweet, shy smile. “Yes, Nick.”
“And what if we did go out, and I walked you home and asked if I could come in?”
She took a deep breath, then said, “Yes.”
I felt my breathing stop for a moment. We gazed into each other’s eyes intensely. But then she broke the tension and rummaged for her key in her purse. She found it and opened the door.
My heart was beating fast. “Izzy…” I began before I could change my mind.
She paused upon opening the door and turned toward me with what I perceived as a nervous smile. “Would you like to come in?”
I nodded and stepped into her apartment after her. I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be that nice and relaxing, with a cozy, stylish, and eco-friendly vibe that matched her whole advocacy and personality.
“This place is amazing,” I remarked with genuine appreciation.
We strolled into the living room, where a handmade coffee table caught my eye. “This table is fantastic. Is it made from reclaimed wood?”
Izzy nodded. “Absolutely. I collaborated with a local artisan who specializes in repurposing materials. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about making mindful choices.”
“Interesting.”
She grinned and led me around the medium-sized apartment. It wasn’t the extravagant, spacious ones I was used to, but it had a unique charm that seemed to have let me into her soul.
“I love living here, in my own unique space,” she said with a relaxed smile, her eyes gleaming. “And I’m proud to say that I paid for all this with my hard work.”
“You should be proud, indeed,” I said, stepping closer to her.
Suddenly, we were standing very close to each other. The silence was deafening, and I could almost hear our hearts beating loudly, connecting with one another.
“You’re something else,” I whispered, leaning forward and tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. I saw the goosebumps forming on the surface of her neck, and I felt a deep urge to lick them away.
The tension in the air was so thick and strong that I could feel myself being drawn to her as if by an invisible magnet. I didn’t stop to think anymore. And that was certainly unlike me. But this woman had a different effect on me.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her toward my body as I pressed my lips upon hers with fervor. And to my utter delight, she immediately responded, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me back passionately.
We were both oblivious to the chairs that scraped against the floor as we bumped into them, our torrid kiss getting out of hand. We were ravenous for one another’s kisses and touches. Desperate even.
“Oh, Nick…” Her voice was barely a whisper, but it reverberated in the silence of the night. It felt like a smooth, velvety blanket caressing my soul and embracing my heart.
One by one, our clothes were taken off and strewn onto the floor. We stood naked in the middle of her living area, filled with increasing lust as we continued to stroke one another, rubbing our skin against each other, and feeling the heat rise between us and within us.
My lips teased her ear, then licked her neck. She moaned softly, squeezing my biceps. We stumbled toward the sofa, kissing ardently like ravenous animals. I turned her around so that she was holding onto one arm of the couch while I stroked her from the back. I swiped her hair toward one side, eager to explore her nape. My lips traveled downward, tracing her spine quickly as my hands expertly massaged her full, perky breasts.
Our moans of desire filled the room, echoing in the silence. It was even more arousing, egging us on and making my libido reach over the top.
I pushed her forward gently, and she willingly obliged, leaning over and giving me a good look at her bottom. My mouth moved lower and lower, until I was under her, looking up and shoving my tongue into her wet entrance. She opened her legs wider and gave out a scream as I inserted my fingers along with my tongue, tasting her moisture and sexual pleasure.
In less than a minute, her knees began to tremble. Her legs wobbled. I didn’t let go. I did not stop. I just kept on going as I felt her pleasure building up.
Her moans became frequent and louder until finally, she let out another scream, which sounded like it was combined with a very long moan of gratification. One that satisfied me, probably even more than it did her. Somehow, I wanted to give her an unforgettable moment of pleasure that would surpass our mistaken identity one-night stand. I hated the thought that she’d enjoyed our sex then, but she’d thought I was my twin brother.
In just a few seconds, she was already returning the favor, seemingly eager and determined to give it her best too. I leaned against the dining table while she got down on her knees, giving me a mind-blowing blow job as I watched our reflection in the nearby mirror.
Fuck. This is the best fuck I’ve ever experienced.
She took me in her mouth. Fully and completely. The combined effect of her lips and tongue rubbing against my shaft was explosive. I felt as if I was floating, leaping into space. My whole body reacted, every nerve on edge, every cell vibrating with intense pleasure and desire.
I wrapped her hair in a bun with one of my hands and gently helped her move her head as she gave me the greatest enjoyment of my life. From time to time, I glimpsed her breasts and felt them bumping against my thighs, adding to the lust that was fast growing beyond measure.
As I felt myself peaking, I pulled her head away from me and grabbed her upward, carrying her toward the bedroom where I intended to finish the deed.
I threw her onto the bed, and she looked up at me expectantly, her eyes shining with sexual vigor and, at the same time, some innocence. I took a few seconds to admire her beautiful, sexy body and her radiant, eager face.
But this time, she was the one who suddenly lifted herself up to pull me down toward her. I let her grasp and pull me down. Our lips met in another passionate kiss.
Without hesitation, I shoved myself into her, raising her legs on either side of my body and resting them on my shoulders. I pressed myself closer, moving deeper into her and making her open her mouth wide.
“Nick…” she gasped just as we both reached our climax.
“Izzy…” I whispered, closing my eyes and letting the rush of pleasure take over me entirely.
We fell beside each other, spent, our chests heaving with short, rapid breaths. I couldn’t believe it.
The best sex. The best partner. God, I want her so badly.
And right then and there, I knew that this wasn’t anything like any previous rendezvous with other women. This wasn’t a temporary infatuation.
Fuck. I want Izzy. Everything about her. Her whole being. All of her.