Chapter 17
17
JOBE
Anxious for the business day to end, I roll my shoulders, needing a good massage to ease the tension. Like numerous times today, my thoughts head straight to Zara. My cock twitches when I think of her sprawled out on the kitchen counter… in the shower… on my bed.
My cell buzzes. Clive can fuck right off. I’m done for the day. While Sir James’ company takeover is a priority, the merger taking place now is settling in with announcements happening as staff reshuffles. Why I believed I could manage both was a dumbass move.
It buzzes again with an incoming call from Franklin. His day is only beginning. I send a reply.
Will call later.
Penny and I are invited to Sir James’ gala ball .
The fuck?
Don’t feel obligated to come. I have it covered.
Penny saw the invite before me. She wants to attend and surprise Zara.
I toss my cell on the desk and close my eyes, rolling my shoulders. How am I going to convince Penny not to come and see her best friend? Needing something to take the edge off, I stand, head to the liquor cabinet, and pour myself a double on ice. Then, I return to my desk to continue with the endless emails.
Several bourbons later, I walk out of the office.
Even from the street, I see the penthouse is dark.
Where is she?
She can go wherever and do whatever she likes as long as she behaves as though she has a boyfriend.
Am I taking this too far?
My thoughts are akin to us as a couple, pretend or not. I have never had feelings like this.
Inside, I flick on the lights. Has she not come home from work? Is she okay? I tap on her number.
“Hey,” she answers. “Are you home?”
I smile at the mere sound of her voice. “I am. Just walked in.”
“I’m in the pool,” she says excitedly. “You should join me. It will ease the tension.”
“I know something else that will ease the tension.” Her heels wrapped around my shoulders.
She laughs. “Are you horny all the time?”
“Do bears shit in the woods?”
She giggles. “Such a romantic.”
Her infectious laugh makes me smile. “Stay there. I’ll come right down.” I grab a towel and head out the door, taking the elevator to the basement.
Zara is breast-stroking across the pool but stops and paddles when she sees me. “Are you getting in?” She frowns at my suit.
“I am.” I strip off and dive in.
“Oh my God.” She’s laughing when I surface. “I don’t think nudity is allowed.”
“I own the fucking building, Zara. I can do what I want.” Including the security clearance to disable the keypad to enter the pool on my way in so we won’t be interrupted. I pull her close and wrap her arms around my neck. Her legs circle me like a monkey.
“You own the building? I assumed you only bought the penthouse.”
“I bought the entire complex and rent out the other apartments.” I nuzzle her neck. “If anyone has a complaint about their pool access being denied, they can direct their complaints to the owner.” I suck on her neck and shoulders while sliding my fingers inside her.
Zara’s eyes pop. “Oh. We’re doing it here, are we?”
I grin at her. “About the only place we haven’t fucked.”
She looks over her shoulders. “It’s public.”
“Not tonight.”
“I don’t know…”
“I have it under control.” I work my fingers inside her, watching her pretty face change as pleasure overtakes her body. She comes for me, hard and fast. I can’t resist and smother my mouth over hers. “You’re fucking beautiful.”
She pulls away, staring at me. “You think so?”
“I know so.”
She grinds her pussy over my erection. “Careful,” I warn. “I might slip in.”
She lets go of my neck, pushes her bathing suit aside, and takes hold of my dick. “For the record, you will never just slip in.”
I smile at her. “Fuck me now, Zara. Because I’m about to blow in the pool.”
She eases herself onto my cock and slowly slides up and down. “Best feeling in the world. My cock inside you.”
She giggles and tilts her head back as she rides me. The animal in me takes over. I spin her to the side of the pool, hold her hips, and pump into her as hard as my body demands. Her arms spread out over the ledge of the pool. Her head tilts back as I bring her hips forward to meet my every thrust.
When I’m here, she is mine.
An hour later, we wrap towels around our dripping wet bodies and take the elevator up to my penthouse. As soon as the door closes, I gently cup her face, kissing her plump lips. “Do you want to go out for dinner?” I murmur, preferring Zara for dinner.
She shakes her head. “I want you to myself. Can we order in?”
I eye her sexy body. “And what will we do while we wait?”
She smiles up at me. “I have it covered.”
After ordering Thai food, I place my cell on the counter. She takes my hand and leads me to her bed.
“I want the feeling of wet-bodied sex out of the pool,” she purrs. She gives me a little shove, grabbing the towel from my waist. “On your back, Hendricks.”
A slow smile parts my lips. Bossy Zara is a turn-on.
She slips off her swimsuit and crawls over me, sitting over my hips. “Hands above your head.” I do as she says and watch her caress her breasts. She squeezes and massages, then groans, leaning forward so I can take one in my mouth. Her hands push down on my wrists, ensuring I don’t move. Her in control, taking what she wants from me, is fucking erotic.
My dick is hard, and I lift my hips to find her.
“No.” She tsks, firmly pushing my hips down. Easing up, she slides onto my cock, putting me out of my misery. She slowly rides me, her hands holding my wrists as she stares down at me, watching my reaction. “Is that good?” she murmurs.
“It’s perfect. Now speed it up,” I grit out, needing more of her.
“When I’m ready,” she says, her eyes sparkling with desire.
I take all the pleasure Zara gives, riding me into the mattress until she is bouncing with abandon. She comes, her head tilting back, and I grab both her breasts, pumping into her and riding into my orgasm.
The vision of her blurs as she watches me come. The bliss overrides every thought in my head. A sensation I live for, the pleasure rippling through my body—the pleasure of Zara’s body. Then, leaning down, she kisses my cheek and lips, deepening the kiss, sharing the moment with me. “I’m so glad you asked me to move in with you.”
I laugh. She is so fucking sweet. “It was always my plan.”
She frowns at me. “You didn’t know we’d end up like this.”
I arch my brows. “I hoped we would. You’re all I thought about. I couldn’t handle it any longer. I tried not to want you, but it got to a point that I gave up the fight.”
She slides her long legs along my body and lays on top of me, her chin resting on her hands splayed on my chest. “What are we going to do?”
“Eat dinner, then fuck some more. ”
“Not what I meant. Is this going to be our secret?”
“About that.” I let out a long breath. “Penny and Franklin are invited to the gala with Sir James. And us. It’s the final time we need to pretend in front of him.” Her face changes. “It’s okay. We don’t have to tell them anything except we’re pretending for Sir James. Franklin knows what we have to do to get the takeover.”
“Franklin knows?”
I nod. “He hasn’t mentioned it to Penny. I told him it’s merely until the gala.”
Pain flickers in her eyes for a moment then she rolls off me. Was it disappointment? “I’m going to shower before dinner arrives.”
Tilting my head, I admire her sexy ass as she strides out of the room. “Or we could eat naked,” I call out, but I don’t get a response. “If you don’t want Penny to come, I can tell Frank to cancel,” I add loud enough for her to hear.
Nothing.
I find my cell and send Franklin a message.
Zara is nervous about seeing Penny with us faking a relationship in front of her.
It buzzes with a reply.
Tell her not to be as I told Penny what is required… unless you’re not faking it.
Fuck.