56 Days (Black) (4 page)

“I think I got it,” he whispered, his hands leaving my body.

I turned around to face him.

“Thanks,” I said, pulling my arms through the holes and adjusting the straps.  “I appreciate it.”

“Elsa,” he breathed.  “What’s happening with us?”

“What do you mean?”  I stepped closer.

“I mean, do you want me?  I’m not sure what this is.”

I closed the gap, my head tilted up
.  Our mouths were inches apart.

“Ye
s... do you want
me
?”

He p
laced his hands on my upper arms, his eyes focused on the low cut of my dress.  The bikini wasn’t doing me any favors. 

“
I don’t know how I feel about you wearing this in public.”

I smiled.
  “The dress?  Are you jealous, Mr. Conti?”

He
dropped his left hand, wrapping it around my waist.

“
This silver porn bikini,” he said, sliding his finger under the string.

My eyes went wide.
  “Porn bikini?”

“It
’s the kind that the girls in those movies wear, you know… right before they
don’t
.”

I smiled.
  “What would you know about porn, Jack?”

“I’ve read about it,” he responded, his mouth turning up.  “
Gotta get going,” he whispered, pressing one single kiss against my neck.  “God, you smell so good.  What is that?”

“Rose oil.” 
I moved my hand to the front of his pants, my fingers tracing his zipper.  “Please stay.”

“I
t’s after 10, Elsa.  I still have to drive 20 minutes.  Just be patient.  We have the whole day.”

I
leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips.  “Are you sure?”

He broke the embrace, smiling.
  “I’m sure.  This guy’s going to pay me three grand for this table, so I can’t exactly blow him off.”

Three
-thousand fucking dollars?  For an
end table
?

I grabbed Buster’s collar and snapped the leash back on him.  “Okay, let’s go.”

“Are you actually wearing heels to the beach, Elsa?  Don’t you have any flip flops?”

I looked at him, smirking.
  “I’m only five feet tall.  I don’t do flip flops.”

“Want me to drop you off down there?  There’s no way you’ll make it with those things,” he said, gesturing at my
tall wedges.

“Oh, you have no idea what I’m capable of doing in these things.”

“Good God,” he mumbled.  “Alright then.”

He
closed the door behind us and called the elevator.  When we stepped into the lobby, he turned and pressed his lips to mine.  I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent.  When I opened them, Jack smiled and smacked me on the behind.  “See you later.” 

*
****

I wore
the bikini, but kept my dress on.  Buster and I played at the beach for a while when I got a text from Jack.

Jack
: Back at the hotel.  Take your time.

Me
: Up soon.

I tried to act nonchalant and stretch our stroll out a bit.  But, I couldn’t help wanting to get back to Jack.  We made the short walk back to the hotel.  I took off my heels and walked barefoot for the majority of the time we were down there, but I pulled them back on as we approached our room.  I couldn’t let Jack know that my feet were killing me.

Jack was sitting on the side of the bed, his hands resting on
the tops of his thighs.

“Hey
,” I said, kicking off my shoes. 

I walked over and sat next to him
, tossing my purse onto the nightstand.  Buster jumped on the bed and laid down, his head resting against my back.

“Hi
.  You guys have fun?”  He looked at me, brushing his thumb across my cheek.  “You’re pink.”

I studied him.  He looked
serious.  “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine.”
  He pushed a piece of hair back from my face, tucking it behind my ear.

“You look
anxious… or something.”

“I’m just tired.”

I scooted closer, laying my hand on his thigh.  “From what?  Driving?”

“Just
a long day, I guess.”

“Did something go wrong with the delivery?”

“No, everything is fine.  I was just thinking about this whole thing.  You… and me.”  He gestured between us.

You and me?
  Oh God.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that my brother is with your sister.  And besides that, I really like Rachel.  If you decide that you just want to have a little fling with me and then this whole thing goes fucked, I won’t be able to handle it.  I just had one girl rip my heart out.  I can’t do it again.”

He pulled his hand away from mine, splaying them both to his sides.

“Jack,” I whispered.  “This is supposed to be fun, right?”

“Not for me, it isn’t.  I’m not a ‘fun’ kind of guy. 
I get attached.  You wear all of these tight clothes and heels, bending over and uncrossing your legs.  You’re killing me.  I don’t know how to be with a girl that I feel so helpless around.  You’re the boss, I get that.  But… I’m not that strong right now.  You would ruin me.”  He stood.  “I’m hot.  I’m gonna grab a shower, I think.  Maybe we can go eat or something.  I don’t know.”

He looked deflated.  I did this to him. 
Me.
  I had to fix it.

“Jack
, I’m sorry.” 

I stoo
d and walked towards him. 

“I am,
” I continued, “but not about the way I dress or act.  I wear this stuff because it’s what I like.  It’s not about attracting guys.  When I’m with someone, I’m with them.  I don’t fuck around and I’m not a slut.  I know that’s what you’re thinking when you look at me.  I flirt, yes.  I am my own boss, but the reason I am is because I’ve been burned a million times.”  My voice cracked.  I put my hand on his chest.  “But I like you and I know you like me.  So don’t run away.”

He pulled my hands away, dropping them at my side.
  “Just… I’m gonna take a shower.”

“I’m coming with you,” I responded.

“Fuck.  Elsa, stop.  You have to stop.  Why do you even want
me?  Is this fun for you?  I’m an emotional wreck.”

He pulled his shirt over his head and headed towards the bathroom, turning the knobs in the shower.

I followed behind.  “Fun?  Are you serious?”

He turned back to face me.
  “Just give me a few minutes, okay?”

I touched him again, this time softer, wrapping my arms around his waist. 

“Why are we fighting?  This is absurd.  Come with me.”

I leaned over and turned the knobs off, leading him back into the room.  I pulled my dress over my head and crawled to the middle of the bed.  I crooked my finger at him.

“Come here.”

He moved carefully, slowly.  He sat next to me and ran his hand over his h
air. 

“I…” he started, “I don’t have any condoms
.  I didn’t think anything like this would happen.”

“Lucky for you, they sell them in the convenience shop downstairs.” 

I reached into my purse and placed the small, cardboard box on the nightstand.

“Are you sure about this, Elsa?”

“Are
you
sure about this, Jack?” I asked, pulling the strings around my neck and back. 

My bikini top fell down my arms.  I collected it and t
ossed it on the floor. 

He moved slowly, pressing a kiss to my lips, parting t
hem with his tongue.  His lips were full and amazingly soft.  I kissed him back, hard, wrapping my hand around his neck.

“Slow down, El,” he murmured.
  He pulled me on top of him so that I was straddling his lap.  “We’ve got all night.  You want our first time to be 30 seconds long?” 

He leaned into my neck and drew his tongue up the length of it, feathering kisses across my collarbone.

“I want you,” I moaned.  “Please, Jack.”

He used both hands, pulling slowly at the ties on the sides of my bottoms.  When both were free, he took the material in his fist and tugged hard, sending a fire through my stomach.
  He threw them to the floor with my top.

I ground my hips into his erection, but it wasn’t exactly
comfortable through his jeans. 

“You want to take these off, Champ?”

“Champ?” he asked, his hands wrapped around my backside. 

He laughed and flipped me to my back. 
Shuffling out of bed and standing on the side, he unbuttoned his jeans and dragged the zipper.  He placed his thumbs in his belt loops and pulled down.  No underwear. 

Oh God, he really was trying to kill me.
 

I propped up on my elbow, taking in the full show.
  And it
was
… a show. 

“Jesus Christ,” I laughed, my eyes focused.

“You like?” he asked, sliding back into bed, a laugh on his lips.

I turned and pulled him closer.  “Oh yeah
, I like.  Hey, we need a fire.”

“It’s August.”

“Just do it.”

He
clicked the fireplace remote and threw it on the bedside table, pushing his lips against mine.  He could win awards with those things.  I hadn’t ever felt such a rush before by just kissing.  Dave felt like a fumbling teenager next to Jack.

H
is lips trailed down my neck, his hands rough on my body.  I felt as though I could explode when the palm of his hand trailed between my legs.  He dragged his finger up and down lightly, brushing me. 
Driving me crazy.

“Please, Jack,” I whispered.

“Please what, El?” 

He was teasing me.
  I pushed at his hard chest.  “You know what.”

“Tell me.”
  His lips wrapped around my breast, pulling it into his mouth.  He bit lightly.  “Tell me what you want.”

“Put your fingers inside of me.  Now,” I
pleaded.

He placed his hand between my legs and pushed two fingers inside
slowly.  I took a short breath in.  “Fuck, Elsa, you’ve been driving me crazy all day.  Spread your legs… wider.”

H
e hadn’t even done anything to me yet and I felt a coil in my belly.  Dave had to resort to toys to get me off.  He never really knew what to do.  He thought that foreplay was a distraction from the main event.  He liked it dirty.  And hard. 

With Dave, h
e rarely took his time, propping me up against some wall, spending thirty seconds fumbling with a condom, another two minutes pounding it out, and then catching the L home.  Honestly, thinking back, I’m not sure what the appeal was there.  I guess I had never been chased before… and Dave chased me relentlessly.

Jack
ran his free hand over my stomach, twisting my belly ring and biting on the barbell. 

“When did you get this?”

His right hand trailed between my legs again, pushing in and out with precision.

“Do you want to talk right now
,” I panted, “or do you want to fuck me?”

He s
ituated his body on top of mine, his face inches from my bits and pieces. 

“Why can’t I do both?” 

He pushed his hand in faster, placing his left hand on my abdomen, holding me in place.

“Oh, God,” I moaned.  I could feel his breath on my thighs before I felt his tongue dragging up my center.  “Don’t stop.”

He teased me, his fingers moving faster while his tongue moved slowly.  I bent my knees and gripped the back of his head, tilting my hips upward. 

“
Oh, Jack… I’m close.”

He pressed firmly on my pubic bone and continued his movements.  Faster, rougher.  I propped up on my elbows, watching him. 

God, he was fucking ridiculous.  It took me 28 years to find this guy?

All the sex before him just felt like amateur hour now.  My body responded to him
... just fucking responded.  I thrashed on the bed, pulling his ears, his head, digging my heels into his back, screaming out my release.  I lay limp on the bed, my body continuing to convulse seconds later. 

“Where did you learn that?” I breathed.

“You really want to know?”

“
Maybe,” I answered, biting my lip.

“Michelle Barne
s.  My high school girlfriend.  Let’s just say that she was very vocal about what she liked… and didn’t.”