Indulging in Irene (11 page)

I could feel Irelyn shudder at the contact, and watched her try to step back from his embrace. When he tried to kiss her on the lips, she turned her head. The look on her face made me want to scream at her parents.

Fuck! Were they blind? Couldn’t they see the negative effect Marcus had on their daughter? Or did they not care?

Downing the rest of my scotch, I white knuckled my glass. My stomach turned as the drink and the scene before me settled.

Irelyn maneuvered herself away from Marcus, and he turned his gaze on me.

“Marcus Xavier,” he said, putting one arm around Irelyn and extending the other one to me.

I forced a fake smile to my face and stood. I was a good three inches taller than the squinty-eyed motherfucker, and I looked down at him. Then, I shook his hand, using the same grip I used to use on a football.

Marcus grimaced and tried to pull his hand back.

Pussy.

“Zolt Hamil.”

Take your fucking arm off Irelyn before I break it.

“Wait. Zolt Hamil? Onetime quarterback for the Cardinals?” Marcus smiled at me, a knowing, ‘take that fucktard’ smile.

“Yes, that Zolt,” Irelyn snarled at him. She moved away from him, giving him a death glare that made my balls shrivel.

Before the conversation could deteriorate further, Anna, whom I assumed was the housekeeper, announced dinner.

We filed into the dining room to a large, oak dining set. The table and chairs had an opulent brown stain over the decorative pilasters and ornate carved chair backs.

I ran my hand over the back of the chair, appreciating the fine craftsmanship. It reminded me of the furniture I used to build for a local builder while I was in college at USC. Ever since, I had an eye for well-built pieces. This dining set certainly qualified.

More than once, Brody suggested furniture building would be a hobby. Maybe he was right. There was something immensely satisfying in taking a piece of wood and working it with your hands.

I looked up at Irelyn and thought about something else I’d like to work with my hands.

With Jacob sitting at the head of the table, and Irelyn and Marcus sitting next to each other, I waited for Emme to sit and took a seat next to her. Then, I schooled my face into the impassive expression I used to don for game time and now used when facing off against adversarial attorneys.

One thing that being a quarterback taught me was to assess the entire playing field. Marcus, too, knew something about the impassive stare, and I knew he was checking me out as much as I was him.

He had competition now. What he didn’t know was how much of a threat I actually presented to him.

“I hope you like Chateaubriand, Zolt,” Emme placed her linen napkin on her lap.

From across the table, Marcus frowned. His expression mimicking that of a petulant child.

“Now, now, Marcus. No need for the scowl,” Emme reprimanded. “Our chef has prepared your favorite salmon dish.”

Irelyn let out a little sigh and rolled her eyes. It took everything I had not to laugh out loud.

“I adore it,” I said, smiling at Emme. “It’s one of my favorite beef dishes. In fact, the chef from the vineyard of the wine I brought made a wonderful version of it for me last time I visited.”

“Excellent. I hope our chef can do it justice,” she offered.

“I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

The rest of the dinner preceded much the same way. I did my best to make Marcus seem like an ass every time he said something particularly snobbish. It was blatantly obvious that having both of us at the same table pained Irelyn. The more I watched her interaction with Marcus, the more I knew she needed to be away from him. I didn’t know what T-bone had found, or what he would find, but like last night, my sixth sense had pegged this guy as bad news. The possessive way he looked at her, and touched her, made me want to dive across the table and smack his smug expression off his unremarkable face.

Several times, Marcus tried to bring the conversation to my football career, or to be more exact, the end of it. Each time, he’d given me the creepiest glare. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what he was trying to convey. A warning? Perhaps, but I wouldn’t take the bait, and Irelyn quickly changed the subject.

Her need to look out for me touched me deeply. As I was apt to do, I thought about her on that day, and the way she’d held me with her sable-brown gaze, comforting me in a way no one else could.

When I looked up from my plate, that same gaze stared at me. This time there was an added heat to it that made me shiver. She licked the edge of her lip with the tip of her pink tongue, and then dropped her gaze.

Fuck.
I’d had that tongue on me, and I knew what it was capable of. If she didn’t break up with Marcus soon, I’d have to pay T-bone to take care of it.

I laughed silently at my wayward thoughts because I knew I wasn't kidding.

This decision had to be Irelyn's. I couldn’t make it for her as much as I might want to.

With the meal mercifully over, we all rose from the table and returned to the sitting room. I prayed my leg hadn’t stiffened to the point of locking. Falling on my face would seriously diminish my position.

A tray of after dinner digestifs of some sort made its way around, but I declined.

To my surprise, Marcus pulled Jacob to the side where they spoke in hushed tones.

Jacob visibly paled, peaking my interest.

“You’ll excuse me, Zolt. Marcus and I have a few things to discuss before I leave. Please pardon my rudeness.” He came over and shook my hand. The disturbed look in his sable-browns made me think this was a conversation he didn’t want to have.

Black Swan,
I thought.

“No problem, sir. Thank you for dinner. Have a wonderful trip.”

Jacob nodded his head at me, and he and Marcus walked into a room I assumed was his study.

“Irelyn, wait for me in the sitting room. I’d like to speak to you before I leave.” Marcus demanded as he prepared to close the door. Before he did, his eyes narrowed in my direction in what I was sure was a threat of some sort. I knew that look. I’d seen it too many times in the faces of the many linebackers that wanted to take me out, and I saw it in the eyes of the one that finally did.

My spine stiffened, and I rose to my full height, squaring my shoulders.

Bring it on, asshole. I dare you.

If he thought I’d crumple under his less than intimidating glare, he needed to think again. Even though I wasn’t as big as I’d been during my NFL years, I wasn’t small either. Bad leg or not, I could still do serious damage.

Irelyn stood between us, caught in the crossfire, her expression hardening in Marcus’s direction.

With the door open mere inches, his gaze dropped to my leg, and he smiled before shutting the door.

What the fuck!
A cold chill traveled up my spine like someone had trampled my grave. I rubbed my arms and turned to Irelyn.

“Irelyn, will you see Zolt out? I have some things I simply must attend to as well,” Emme said and smiled at me. “It was a pleasure. I hope you’ll come again.”

“I will. Thank you for having me to your lovely home.”

Like her husband, she nodded, and walk out of the room, leaving me alone with Irelyn.

When her mother was out of earshot, Irelyn grabbed my jacket off the chair and thrust it at me.

“Come on. I want to show you something.”

Once again, I found myself dragging Zolt somewhere. This time it was out of my house to his car.

“Irelyn, what the hell? Where are we going? You don’t even have shoes on.”

I glanced down at my feet and laughed. I hadn’t worn shoes all night. It had been my screw you to Marcus who had a thing about bare feet.

Fucking asshole.

“To the pool house,” I said, hoping my voice wouldn’t shake, and hoping Zolt wouldn’t turn me down.

Zolt came around and opened my door for me. “I don’t think this is a good idea. Why am I driving to your pool house?”

“It’s the best idea I’ve had all day. And you’re driving around to the back of the house so Marcus won’t see your car when he leaves.”

“Irelyn,” Zolt said, his voice low and admonishing.

“Please.”

He closed his eyes and drew in a breath. “Get in.”

We drove around to the back of the house where the maintenance people entered the property. I climbed out of the car, found the lockbox, and punched in the code. With the key in hand, I opened the back gate, and then walked around to the unlocked pool house.

Zolt silently followed me, and I figured once I got him in the pool house, he was all mine.

My blood raced wildly through my veins as I opened the door and walked inside. I switched on the light and locked the door.

“Irelyn, what are you doing?” Zolt asked.

I swallowed and tried to calm my nerves. The entire night had me on edge. Several times, I actually thought about stabbing Marcus with my butter knife. I was so fucking sick of him.

“I hate him. Really hate him,” I said, my voice quavering.

“I know you do. I saw it in your reaction to him. I’m pretty sure I hate him too. But that doesn’t change anything, Irelyn. I told you what I want.”

“I know. And you’re right. You are. But…”

“But what?” Zolt’s crystalline-blues captured my gaze, and I could see the desire I knew he tried hard to deny.

I took a tentative step closer to him. “After last night, all I can think about is us. I need to know.”

“What is it you need to know?” I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.

“Need to know how good it will be between us. I know this isn’t fair to ask; you’ve made your position clear, and I should respect that. But he scares me, and I need to know you really want me.”

“Irelyn, you know I do,” he said and took a step back.

“You saw how he treats me as if I’m his pet or something. I can’t stand to have him touch me. It’s different with you. I want your hands on me. I
need
your hands on me.” In a moment of bravery or stupidity, I lifted my maxi-dress and pulled it up and over my head, dropping it on the floor.

“Fuck, Irelyn,” Zolt said as he stared at my naked body with his mouth hanging open.

My eyes dropped to the fly of his pants and the now unmistakable growing bulge.

“Irelyn, I don’t want our first time to be a quick fuck. I want time with you and that rocking body of yours. Don’t you think Marcus will come looking for you? Or your father? The last thing either of us need is for Jacob Wilkes to find us
in flagrante delicto.
”

“Marcus and Daddy will be occupied for a while. We both know they’re talking about Black Swan, and that conversation won’t be a short one. Besides, they won’t look out here. Please, Zolt. I don’t care if it’s fast. I need this. I
need
you.”

I took the final steps that kept us apart and rubbed my palm over his growing erection. “Tell me you don’t want this.”

“Irelyn!! Fuck! You know I do.” He raked his hands through his hair, and I could tell he was rethinking his stance. Before I could argue my point further, he was on me. Bad leg or not, the man had moves.

His mouth collided with mine, hungry and needy. Like that, all his apprehension left his body as his lust took over.

As we kissed, I freed his erection from his pants and was surprised to find that Zolt went commando. I bit back a tiny giggle, not wanting to break the moment.

Zolt moaned as I stroked his hard length. I knew he was big, but the thought of having him in me was a little daunting.

Marcus was nothing compared to this beautiful man before me, and he didn’t care about me and my pleasure. I was pretty sure he didn’t even know where my clit was.

I stopped my attentions and focused on divesting Zolt of the rest of his clothing. He toed off his shoes as I unbuttoned his black shirt. During dinner, all I could think about was how I loved the way his shirt hugged his muscular chest, and how much I wanted to rip it off him, letting those little buttons fly.

“I don’t have a condom. I wasn’t expecting this,” he said, taking off his socks.

“I’m on birth control, and I’m clean. Just went to the doctor.”

He nodded. “Me too.”

Then, Zolt hesitated, and I could see second thoughts play over his face.

“I don’t belong to him,” I said.

He took me by the shoulders and walked me back until he had me against the wall. He took my arms and raised them over my head, trapping my wrists with his hands.

Fire burned in his eyes as he crashed his lips on mine. His kiss said all the things he wasn’t.

He needed me.

He wanted me.

He wanted to possess me.

But I wasn’t his.

Or was I?

I slowed the kiss, softly sucking his lips until I felt him relax.

He dropped my arms and sighed in resignation, and my hands strayed over his chest, following the bumps and ripples of his muscles.

“Take this fucking thing off your neck,” he growled as he reached behind my neck, unhooking Marcus’s choker, letting it fall to the floor.

I hadn’t told him Marcus had given it to me, but he must have known.

Taking my hand, he led me to the wicker chaise lounge, and I laid down as Zolt stood in front of me, gazing at my nakedness while he stroked his hard cock.

I sucked in my bottom lip as I watched him. It was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen, a man taking himself in hand. The moisture between my thighs spread, making me dripping wet with want.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” Zolt said as he lowered himself on me.

I opened my legs to him, expecting him to take me, but he didn’t. Though we didn’t have all the time in the world, Zolt was going to tease this out as much as possible.

His mouth sealed over mine, and our tongues glided together, licking, sucking, and tasting. This man could kiss like no other, and I wondered if it was possible to orgasm from kissing alone.

Goose flesh erupted all over my body as we connected, skin to skin. His hard body was the perfect juxtaposition to my softer one. When his thumb brushed over my nipple, a heat wave traveled down my body and landed between my legs. With my nipple peaked, he took it in his mouth, laving it with the tip of his tongue.

“Oh, that feels so good,” I moaned.

Zolt looked up at me with an expression of pure sexual satisfaction. He posed his body over mine, perfectly aligning us with the head of his cock pressed at my entrance, taunting but not entering.

“Are you sure, Irelyn? Because I’m ready to fuck you.”

“Yes, please.” I tilted my hips, letting him know I couldn’t wait. “Zolt, please fuck me.”

“Keep your eyes open, Irelyn. I want to see them as I make you come.”

Zolt took my hand and entwined his fingers with mine as he slid into me in a slow, tortuous motion. We stayed that way for an eternity—or a minute—enjoying the way it felt to be claimed by the other. The full feeling he left me with was both emotional and physical. I was glad to take a beat and be in the moment. This man, whom I’d once fantasized would take my virginity, was inside of me. We were having sex for the first time.

If this was a dream, I didn’t want to wake up.

“Fuck! You are so wet and tight.” He kissed me hard and started to move.

God, it felt beyond good. Like I’d suspected, our bodies fit together perfectly, moved together perfectly.

“Lift your knees,” he panted.

I did, and we both groaned as the level of penetration deepened, hitting places in me I didn’t know existed. It didn’t take long before I skirted the edge and the golden tension began to build, starting low in my tummy and moving throughout my body.

Zolt took my leg and threw it over his shoulder, kissing the inside of my thigh. I cried out from the pleasure of being totally possessed by this gorgeous man. Now I knew why Rachael walked around with a stupid grin on her face after a weekend with Cory. I had no idea it would feel so good. What I did with Marcus was a joke.

“Arch your back, baby---yeah, just like that. Fuck that feels good!” Our breaths quickened as his pace quickened, and he kissed me again with wild fervor.

“Zolt, I’m so close. Fuck me harder. Faster,” I said and scraped my nails down his back.

He obliged, picking up his pace. A jolt of pleasure ripped through me as he hit that spot in me long ignored. He slid his hand between us, and his thumb found my aching clit. With firm pressure, he rubbed circles over it, taking me to the very edge, and then pushing me over.

Loudly, I shattered apart beneath him as I screamed his name over and over. For the first time in my life, I orgasmed with a man inside me. That it was Zolt, made it so much sweeter.

“Fuck, Irelyn. Fuck!” He thrust a few more times, and shuddered as he came. The perfect o his lips made as he released inside me was as sexy as watching him stroke himself.

Zolt dropped his head to my chest and brought down my leg. Through his ragged breaths, he gently nuzzled my breasts, working his way up my neck, my jaw, and finally my mouth. He kissed me so sweetly that my heart melted. Our union had been hard, fast sex, but the crazy connection between us made it so much more.

Zolt’s intense gaze pinned my own. Our entire story passed wordlessly between us. It was almost too much, and I tried to turn my head to look away, but he held my face still.

“Don’t look away, Irelyn,” he said in a raspy voice. “That was fucking amazing.”

I nodded my head, unable to speak.

“That was just the beginning for us. Each time, it will only get better. I promise. But you have to end it with him.”

“I will.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I tried to blink them away. I knew now that I was done with Marcus and the lie I had been living. I’d gotten the strength I needed from Zolt to end a relationship that should have never started in the first place. After tonight, I couldn’t, and wouldn’t, go back.

Zolt looked at me and I saw the concern in his eyes. “We can’t go back now, Irelyn, and I won’t do this on the sneak. Like I said before, I don’t share what belongs to me. Are you mine, Irelyn?”

The hopeful tone of his voice, and the pleading gleam in his eyes, nearly undid me.

“Yes,” I said through the knot in my throat. “I’m yours, Zolt. Since that day, I have been yours.”

“Irelyn.” His intonation caressed my name as his hand caressed my face. What passed between us at that moment altered both our lives. Declaring myself his may have been premature given the newness of our relationship and the predicament I remained in, but I really did feel that way. We both seemed to understand that tonight we’d crossed a bridge. What waited for us on the other side, neither of us knew. Now, I knew for sure that I was falling hard for Zolten Hamil.

“Tomorrow,” I whispered. “Tomorrow, I’ll be free.”