Chapter Nine
One month, three weeks ago
"I'm surprised to see you here," she said softly, pausing outside the gazebo to gather the hem of her dress into her hands, before climbing what few stairs led inside of it. Her eyes swept over his tailored tuxedo, admiring him as much as she could in his attire, knowing it would be a long time before she saw him dressed up again.
"I knew you would be here," he replied, his voice just as hushed as he turned around to face her, his back resting against one of the tall columns that held up the tiny garden haven. Releasing her dress, the red silk cascaded back over her ankles, and he was instantly turned on from the brief peek at her skin.
She grinned wryly, stepping up beside him, her hands clutching the railing. She was always so nervous around him, worrying about where to put her hands and what to say, knowing that at a moment's notice, he would just pounce anyway. That is, once the talking was out of the way. "I was hoping you would be here," she admitted, shivering as the cool night wrapped around her bare skin. "I even bought a new dress and everything."
"I only came for you," he murmured, tilting his face so he could look her up and down, noting the way the material clung to every curve, snuggly at the hips and bust. He fought the urge to reach out and touch her right away, even though he knew that's what she wanted.
"And here I thought it was because your best friend needed a date," she teased, sliding her hands across the railing as she stepped in front of him, and slowly turned around to face him. "I guess this dress won't be a waste after all."
He arched an eyebrow, his eyes dropping to her chest where, while her breasts weren't forced to be on display, they were doing fine on their own, and he wasn't sure if he could control himself. And to think, it had only been a week since they'd last been together. "You can wear it for me anytime you want," he replied, placing his hands on the railing on either side of her, giving her no way to get away from him.
She laughed quietly, her cheeks turning flushed with embarrassment. "Are you doing okay?" he asked, lifting his hands to her arms and smoothing them gently over her chilled skin. "I noticed he wasn't here."
"Yeah," she replied hesitantly, chewing her lip for a few seconds before she went on. "Temptation with the alcohol and all…Also, as of today…A few hours ago actually, I've filed for divorce, much to his disliking."
"Didn't take it well?" he asked, knowing what her husband's reaction would be, though he knew she would never tell him he was being left for another man. She'd leave quietly, and eventually the truth would explode, but at least he would be by her side to protect her from whatever anyone had to say.
"Begged me to stay, apologized for the drugs, hated that he broke my heart," she said, shaking her head. One of the curls that was pinned into the loose bun at the nape of her neck fell into her eyes, and he brushed it away, his fingers lingering on her soft cheek. "I almost feel guilty. Not for leaving, but for hurting him, for him worrying about hurting me…Especially when I'm fine."
"Are you really?" he asked, cupping her face in his hand.
"Aside from the guilt," she shrugged, smiling up at him. "I'm doing okay."
"I don't want you to feel guilty about this," he said, sighing heavily.
"I don't…I mean, I do, but it's good guilt," she replied, laughing at her wording.
"Good guilt?" he asked, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her closer.
"The kind that keeps me from feeling less ashamed," she replied, tipping her head back and looking up at him. "I want this, and regardless of how I-Or rather, we, went about getting it, I won't feel bad."
"I wish I believed that," he teased, drawing her mouth to his and pressing their lips together.
She sighed with contentment at their first touch, having missed him so much in the last week, that she didn't bother to think about how he was right. How she would feel bad for a while, and that until those feelings passed, she would always feel guilty for hurting her husband. "I forgot to tell you," she said, her lips brushing against his mouth as her hands unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket and slid beneath it. Even through his shirt, she could feel the outline of his muscular form, thrilled at the possibility of his skin touching hers.
"What's that?" he asked, nuzzling her face as he dropped his mouth to her neck, leaving tender kisses along the column of her throat.
"I have a new residence," she said, her breath hitching as his hands worked the zipper on the back of her dress. She wondered if he was really going to strip her naked in the gazebo when there was a house full of guests just up the hill at the house, his parent's house, where the who's who of high society in their town were boozing it up in the name of some hospital charity.
"Really?" he asked, slipping his hand beneath the back of her gown, his calloused palm pawing at her skin, while the other inched the silk up bit by bit, balling it together in his fist.
"Kelly's," she replied, raking her fingernails through his scalp as his teeth nipped at her neck. "I'd rather wait until things…The divorce is final before we start making a go of it in…" Her voice trailed off as his mouth dropped to the top of her breasts, his tongue leaving a blazing, wet trail on her skin.
"I assumed as much," he murmured, getting rid of any doubts that she had about whether he was listening or not. He slid his hand from the back of her dress to push down the thin straps, and then proceeded to pull the flimsy material away from her chest with his teeth, pausing only to leave hurried kisses on her skin.
"Does that bother you?" she asked, panting when his mouth found her nipple, pulled it between his teeth and worked his tongue around it. Her head fell back as she let out a moan, her hands rushing to grab the railing and hold herself up.
"No," he answered, stopping his assault on her nipple and moving onto the other. "Besides, you have a new place that's all yours, and I can stop by there anytime, right?" He nipped at her breast, his tongue soothing where he was rough, and she let out a throaty moan, nearly losing her balance.
"Of course," she panted, relieved when his arms slid around her waist and lifted her into his arms.
He backed himself across the gazebo, lowering them to the bench, and moved to slide her dress up and motioned for her to straddle him. He growled her name and gave her a fiery gaze when he realized she wasn't wearing any underwear, and that the only thing between them was this flimsy dress.
"Panty lines," she said, smoothing her hands across his chest and over his shoulders to push his jacket off. She went for his shirt next, popping the buttons expertly, never fumbling like he always did with hers. Then again, she wanted him too much to waste anytime.
"Of course," he groaned, one of his hands gripping her thighs as he slipped another over her center.
Her head fell to his shoulder as she gasped his name, one of her hands slipping into his buttoned-down shirt, the other clutching his shoulder. She could have come on the spot, just from feeling his hand slide between her legs, and when he finally slid a finger inside her, she cried out loudly, but he moved quickly to muffle the sound with his mouth.
He kissed her hard, forcing his tongue into her mouth, demanding that she gave what he wanted, swallowing every pant and moan down his throat as he thrust his finger inside her. He hissed against her mouth when she bit his lip and her hand moved to the waistband of his pants, unzipping them hurriedly and sliding inside. God, he needed to know how she could undress him so fast.
"You're killing me," he panted, tearing his mouth away from hers as she pumped him in her tiny palm, her hand like velvet around his shaft. "Stop."
"No," she teased, leaning forward and sliding her tongue up the column of his throat, her hips thrusting against his hand. And he really needed to know how she could take and give and just do so much at one time, when after a week without her, he was ready to explode just from laying his eyes on her. She moaned his name, her hips slamming down against his hand as she pulled his length from his pants, gripping him tighter with every passing second.
"Yes," he growled, gripping her wrist and pulling her hand away. She tried to replace it with her other hand, but he grabbed it too, pinning her wrists to either side of her. She groaned in frustration, not that he had stopped her, but that his hand had moved from between her legs, and he felt some satisfaction knowing that he could drive her this far.
She swore under her breath, her hips moving unconsciously and she moaned when she managed to rub herself on his lap in just the right spot. Instead of it enticing him to touch her, he settled back against the railing, watching her with narrowed eyes. She bit her cheeks in frustration as he kept her hands pinned at her sides, and despite all her attempts to keep from begging, her need got the best of her. "Please," she panted, trying to scoot closer to him, but he shook his head and held her tighter, knowing what she was doing. "Please."
Grinning, he leaned forward, nuzzling her breasts with his face, nipping at her skin with his teeth, and lapping at it with his tongue. He shifted her on his lap so that his thigh continued to brush against her as she grinded her hips against him. She panted his name, swore it, and spat it, her need consuming her, and that's what he wanted, her so on fire and desperate, not that it really took much.
"I can't wait," she hissed, crying out with relief when he finally let go of her wrists. She slid her arms around his neck, drawing his mouth to hers, and before he had a chance to realize what was going on, she was lifting herself onto him. She trembled as he slipped inside her, coming quickly from all the starting and stopping, and his name burst from her lips.
He hurried to kiss her, muffling the sounds of her whimpers, rising and falling steadily over him. His hands slipped beneath her dress, bunching it as far as it would go, and settled at her hips, urging her to ride him. She broke the kiss, her lips brushing over his cheek, his forehead, dropping to his neck, and making their way to his ear. Her hands ran over his bare chest, seeking out skin, to touch and taste…Just to feel him. One week really had been too long.
"Don't stop," he growled, when she slowed her pacing, another release tightening inside of her. She nodded, gripping his shoulders and lifting herself and slamming down so hard, she took his breath away. Her head tipped back, her pleasure-filled eyes seeking his out as she rode him, grinded harder against him with every passing moan. And he no longer cared about being loud as he gripped her hips, pulling her down as quickly as she lifted herself, both trying to be the first one to get to the end.
"Hold on," he hissed, sliding his hand across her lower belly, pressing hard and causing her to cry out and whither in his arms, before sliding between her legs. His thumb smoothed over her, seeking out the swollen bud that was waiting to be touched, and with just a few swipes, she was coming hard, calling out his name, telling him that he was hers. He groaned his own admirations, telling her she was beautiful, that she belonged to him, that he would never want anyone else, as his own release burst inside of her. She rode it out, urging him on, stopping only when he slid his arms around her and held her against him, both panting for their next breath.
"You know what?" she murmured, snuggling against him and pressing a soft kiss against his neck.
"What?" he sighed, letting his head fall back to the railing as he stroked her curls, not realizing that he must have tugged them loose amidst the rushing.
"Soon enough we won't have to sneak off like this," she said, kissing his neck again and nuzzling her face against it. "It can just be us and a bed." She pulled back to look at him, an amused smile on her face, her eyes still partly drunk from pleasure. "How boring."
He cracked a smile, leaning down to kiss her gently. "It will never be boring."
"I never thought it would," she teased, scraping her fingers through the back of his hair. "After all, there are still so many places that we could go."
"Really?" he asked, groaning as she wiggled her hips over him, feeling himself slowly hardening again inside of her.
"Lots of park benches and backseats, offices at the warehouse," she said, her face growing flushed. "More rooms at Jake's, maybe even the bar its-"
"Son of a bitch," he hissed, hurrying to pull himself out of her.
"What?" she asked, as he jerked the straps of her dress over her shoulders, his hands fumbling with the zipper, none of her clothes coming together. "What's-"
"Get up," he hissed, pushing her off of him so quickly that she would have fallen had he not grabbed her hands and pulled her back to him.
"What the hell are you doing?"
She stiffened against him, her eyes filling up with tears as he continued to fumble with her zipper. "I've got it," she whispered, batting his hands away and reaching around to zip up her dress.
"Are you even going to answer me?"
He watched a tear slip down her cheek as he hurried to zip up his pants and slid her off his lap, leaving her with her back to his sister, who had literally just caught them with their pants down.
"I can't believe you two."
He shrugged, not sure what else to say, and grabbed his jacket from the bench and laid it over her trembling shoulders. She jerked at the touch, a low whimper escaping from her lips, and he knew she was humiliated.
"What about your girlfriend? Or her husband? What the hell are you thinking? Her mother is dying, and he just got out of rehab, and you're running off, and…They both thought something was going on. They were both worried that you two were straying, but I tried to convince them otherwise. How could-"
"We get it," he snapped, glaring at his sister, wanting her to just close her mouth and go back to the house.
"Get what? That her husband just got out of rehab? That he just showed up twenty minutes ago, wanting to talk to her about what had happened…Because she had filed for divorce…I saw her slip out of the patio doors, thought maybe she was just upset about everything going on, and now I find her…You both disgust me."
"Stop it," he growled, when another sob escaped her mouth and she crumbled into her lap, nearly falling off the bench as she cried.
"I can't believe you two would do this…You know how much this hurt me…When my own husband did this, when he had an affair, and I just…Did you even think about what this means for them? How they are going to feel? How could you be so selfish?"
"I'm warning you," he murmured, kneeling down by her and pulling her into his arms. She tried to fight him, but she was too exhausted, from the lies and embarrassment, so she collapsed against him, burying her face in his chest.
"Out of all the people…I thought this was a one time thing, and now you've trashed and ruined the lives of people you care about, for what? A ten minute roll in the gazebo? You deserve each other."
He tightened his arms around her, watching his sister turn around and stalk back to the house, knowing that while she wouldn't tell everyone what she saw, this was far from over. "She's gone," he whispered against her hair, his heart breaking at the sound of her sobs.
"But she's right," she cried, fisting her hands in what she could grab onto of his unbuttoned shirt. "Everything she said… I just…It shouldn't be like this…It's not…She's right."
"I know," he said, closing his eyes and holding her against him. "I know."