Lie Next to Me (16 page)

“There,” he said as he turned me around and had me look in the mirror. “It looks beautiful around your neck.”

I took the key in between my finger and thumb and stared at it. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have, Ian.”

“Of course, I should’ve. It’s your birthday and you’re my friend. I always give my friends gifts on their birthdays,” he said as his teeth lightly scraped across my neck. “I’m so hard for you right now, but Joshua is waiting for us, so we better get going.”

Ian put his hand on the small of my back and we walked down to the limo. Joshua smiled as he opened the door for me. “You look very pretty, Rory.”

“Thank you, Joshua.” I smiled.

“I sure hope that wasn’t you flirting with Miss Sinclair,” Ian spoke.

“Shut up, Ian.” Joshua smiled.

We climbed into the back of the limo and headed to the restaurant. Ian put up the privacy window and leaned over, stroking my bare shoulder with his fingers and making the hairs all over my body stand straight up.

“Am I exciting you by touching you like this?” he asked.

“Yes, and you know you are.”

He moved closer and trailed my neck with his lips. His
clean shaven scent was alluring and his warm breath on my skin was enough to arouse me. He didn’t have to touch me. I would get wet just by his scent. His fingers trailed down my dress until he reached in between my thighs, where pools of warmth had already started to gather. Slowly, his hand inched up until he reached the edge of my panties.

“Just how I like it.” He smiled as he gently kissed my lips, referring to how wet I already was for him. “Do you trust me, Rory?” he asked in a whisper.

“Yes,” I answered reverently.

“Good, because I’m going to do something to you that will give you great pleasure and I don’t want you to be scared.”

He didn’t want me to be scared, yet he just scared me with what he said. I didn’t know how to react, but I didn’t want to disappoint him, so I agreed.

He reached over and grabbed a small ice cube from the ice bucket. I gulped.
What was he going to do with that?
When he looked at me, he must’ve seen the fear in my eyes.

“I promise you, sweetheart, you’ll love this. Okay?” he asked.

I nodded my head as he took the ice cube and put it in his mouth. He sucked on it for a minute and then kissed me. His tongue was so cold and exhilarating as he transferred the ice into my mouth. I could feel it getting smaller as I slipped it back into his mouth. He smiled as he took it and stroked my face.

“Take your panties off,” he commanded.

Oh shit
. Now, I knew where he was going with that ice cube and suddenly I wasn’t so sure about this anymore. He sensed it when I hesitated.

“You said you trusted me, and I won’t disappoint you. I promise.”

I lifted my ass up and took down my panties. Ian drew in a sharp breath when he saw them fall to my ankles. He got down on the floor, lifted my leg, removed my shoes and panties, and put my foot on his shoulder. His hands lifted up my dress so my bare ass was resting against the soft leather. He took the ice cube from his mouth and slowly moved his hand to my aching pussy. When the ice cube touched my clit, I jumped. Ian placed his hand firmly on my leg to hold me in place.

“It’s only going to feel weird for a few seconds, sweetheart. I promise.”

He moved the ice cube in small circles around my clit while plunging his finger inside me. A light moan escaped me as Ian watched my face.

“Are you enjoying this? I can stop if you want me to.”

“No, don’t stop.”

My body was in a frenzy and an orgasm was coming. My breathing became rapid as my muscles tightened and Ian pushed me over the edge in exhilaration and until my orgasm was over. He sat back up on the seat and kissed me passionately, letting my body rest for a few minutes. He broke our kiss and grabbed another ice cube. He put it in his mouth and kissed me while injecting two
fingers inside me. He waited until the ice cube became smaller and then he got back on the floor, putting his head between my legs. His cold tongue flicked my clit and then his mouth consumed the entire aching area, sucking and tantalizing me. He rubbed the ice cube around my clit before inserting it inside me. His hand was holding me down while the finger on his other hand was inside me and his tongue was circling my clit. The sensation between hot and cold was exhilarating and sending spasms throughout my body.

“Fuck, the ice cube melted and I need to be inside you. You’re so hot and dripping wet,” he said with a heated breath as he sat up and quickly took down his pants. “Get on top, now!” he commanded.

I positioned myself on top of him, my knees resting against the back of the seat as I gently slid him inside me. I could feel the melted ice cube, mixed with my juices, pouring out of me and onto him. He grabbed my hips and held me up as he thrust in and out of me at a rapid pace, rocking my body and sending me straight into another orgasm as I rode him back and forth.

“Christ. Don’t stop, Rory. Keep fucking me, baby, I’m about to come.”

My body was overcharged as bright lights flashed across my eyes and his pleasure surged inside me. Ian let out several sexy moans before wrapping his arms around me and holding me. I sat there, safe in his arms, as our heart rates began to slow. He pulled back and smiled at me.

“Are you okay?”

“No. I’m—”

“Fantastic?” he chuckled.

“Yes. Fantastic is a good word.”

“I told you that you could trust me.”

“I never doubted you for a second.”

Ian smiled as I climbed off of him. We cleaned up just in time as Joshua pulled up to the restaurant.

“Look at you. You’re glowing.” Ian smiled as he took a drink of his martini.

“Can you blame me?” I smiled.

“No, I can’t.” He chuckled. “How was your visit with Stephen?”

I picked up my wine glass and swirled the liquid around. “It went good. He really seems to be doing well and he’s optimistic.”

“What did he think of the iPod?”

“He loved it.” I smiled. “He was so happy when he saw the classical music on there.”

The waiter set down our plates of filet mignon and lobster. I had ordered the filet, and Ian had chosen the lobster. I looked at him and smiled as I took a bite.

“What’s that look for?” he asked.

“Do you always do that in your limo?”

“Do what? Fuck women with ice cubes?”

“Yes.”

“No, you’re the first,” he said as he held up his fork. “Why do you ask?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. I was curious.”

The ringing of Ian’s phone interrupted us as he pulled it out of his pocket and held his finger up. The conversation only lasted a few seconds with Ian saying “Okay, and thank you.” I assumed it was a business call.

“Sorry about that,” he said. “Now, back to you wondering if I always fuck women in the back of my limo. Why were you curious?”

“I don’t know. I just was.”

I never should have brought it up. But I took comfort in knowing that I was the only woman he’d done that with in the back of his limo. But then again, why me?

Ian poured some more wine into my glass as he started to speak. “Your plans for tomorrow night with Jordyn and Ollie have been canceled.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I’m throwing you a birthday party tomorrow night and they’ll be at my house.”

“A party? No, Ian, I’m not comfortable with that. I don’t like to be the center of attention.”

He chuckled. “You don’t seem to mind it when you’re the center of my attention.”

I cocked my head and narrowed my eyebrows. “That’s different.”

“Well, it’s too late. I wanted to do it tonight, but since you’re so stubborn and didn’t bother to mention that it was your birthday, there was no time. I’ve already made the arrangements and the party is scheduled for tomorrow evening at eight. Oh, and by the way, Adalynn is pissed at you for not telling her it was your birthday,” he smirked.

Just as he said that, my phone chimed with a text from Adalynn.

“Boo on you for not telling your friend it’s yo
ur birthday! Happy Birthday and we need to talk. I want to hear all about your boat trip with Ian. Love you.”

I smiled as I replied,
“We have lots to talk about, lol. Thank you for the birthday wishes. I’ll see you tomorrow at the party. Love you back.”

“Oh good, he told you. We’ll have to sneak off and have a little girlfriend time. I’m dying to know what happened.”

As I looked up from my phone, I noticed Ian staring at me. “It was a text from Adalynn wishing me a happy birthday.”

We finished up our dinner and walked back to the limo. I would never look at that limo the same again.

When we walked into the house, it was dark. Ian reached over and flipped the light switch in the foyer. I went to go up the stairs and Ian stopped me.

“Where are you going?”

“I was going to put my purse away.”

“You can do that later. I want you to come into the living room with me.”

He grabbed my hand, and as we walked into the living room, he turned on one of the lamps. I shrieked when I looked over and saw a beautiful, dark cherry wood baby grand piano sitting in the corner. I covered my hand with my mouth, for I was in complete shock.

“Are you all right?” Ian laughed.

I turned my head, hand still covering my mouth, and looked at him. “What? When? Oh my God, Ian.”

“The necklace symbolizes that you’ll always have a home here and the piano so you’ll always have an escape when you need it.”

I threw my arms around him and wrapped my legs around his waist. As I crashed my mouth into his, he let out a moan. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” I said with each kiss.

“You’re welcome.” He laughed.

He held onto me tightly as his hands pushed my dress up above my waist. He looked down and then back up at me with seductive eyes.

“I’m going to need to fuck you now, right here, in front of the fireplace.”

“You can fuck me anywhere you want.” I smiled.

That was all it took for him to let out a low growl and carry me over by the fireplace and lay me down.

****

The next morning, I awoke to a strong arm wrapped tightly around me. I looked at the clock and it was 5:15 a.m. I was a little surprised that Ian brought me to this bedroom instead of his. I carefully lifted his arm and crawled out from underneath. I didn’t want to wake him because he looked so peaceful sleeping
, and the alarm was going off in fifteen minutes for our run. I was feeling a little sore down below, compliments of Mr. Ian Braxton.

“Where are you going?” he asked quietly.

“To use the bathroom, if you don’t mind,” I said as I turned around and saw that he was staring at me.

“Can we just lie here and fuck as our morning exercise instead of going running?”

As tantalizing as the thought sounded, there was no way I was going to have sex with him again right now. “No, we need to run. It’s been a few days,” I replied.

“Are you okay, Rory?”

“Yeah, why?” I yelled from the bathroom.

“You’re walking funny. Are you sore down there?”

I flushed the toilet and walked out of the bathroom, pinching my thumb and finger together. “Maybe just a little.”

“Come here,” he said as he held out his arms.

I climbed back into bed and laid my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. There was nothing in this world that made me feel safer than his strong chest and strong arms.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”

“I do like knowing that I was the cause of it, though.”

I lightly smacked him on the chest just as the alarm went off.

“Are you going to be okay to run?” he asked.

“I’ll be fine. Go get changed so we can go.”

Ian got up from the bed, pulled on his pajama bottoms, and walked out of the room. I changed into my running clothes and headed downstairs.

“Good morning, Charles,” I said happily.

“Good morning, Rory, and happy belated birthday. When you and Ian get back from your run, I’m making you a special breakfast.” He smiled.

“Charles, you don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t. I want to.” He winked.

Ian came downstairs and we both headed out the door for our daily run. It was starting to get cool in the mornings. Fall was settling in and you could really feel the drop in the morning temperature. As we were running side by side, Ian looked over at me and asked a question.

“Is there one place in the world that you’ve always dreamed of seeing?”

“Yes, anywhere but Indiana.” I laughed.

Ian chuckled. “I’m serious.”

“I’ve always wanted to go and see the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I remember when I was a little girl that my mom received a postcard with the Eiffel Tower on it from one of her friends that had to move there because her husband got transferred. She put it up on the refrigerator and I stared at it every day. So yeah, that’s one specific place I’ve always dreamed of seeing.”

Ian didn’t say anything; he just stared straight ahead as we kept running. When we arrived back to the house, Ian and I sat down at the dining room table and waited for breakfast to be served. It smelled wonderful and I was starving. Mandy brought us a fruit cup to start.

“I see that I’m just in time for a grand breakfast.” Adalynn smiled as she walked over and kissed Ian’s cheek and then mine.

“Good morning, Adalynn. Perfect timing as usual,” Ian said.

“Hi, Adalynn.” I smiled.

She took a seat across from me and pointed her finger. “I’m still mad at you, missy.”

Ian chuckled as he looked at me.

“And as for you, mister, don’t think it’s a coincidence. You know I’m a sucker for Charles’ cooking.”

Ian nodded his head as he bit into a strawberry. Mandy set a plate in front of me of something that I wasn’t quite sure of. It looked like a rolled up pancake with fruit inside. I picked up my fork and knife and looked at it as Mandy served Ian and Adalynn.

“Rory, it’s a crepe.” Ian smiled.

“A what?” I asked as I looked at him.

“Honey, just taste it. Trust me; you’ll die when you do,” Adalynn said.

I took a bite and it melted in my mouth. It was probably the best thing I’d ever had, except for the earth-shattering orgasms Ian gave me. “Oh my God, this is delicious.”

“Told
ya.” Adalynn winked.

“Rory, I’m giving you the day off,” Ian said.

“Why?”

“Because the caterers are going to be in and out and so is the party planner. You can resume work on Monday.”

“Are you sure, Ian?”

“I’m positive, sweetheart,” he said as he got up from the table.

Adalynn looked at me and smiled. “Spill! How was it?”

“It was amazing. Absolutely fucking amazing!” I exclaimed as I got up and grabbed her hand. “Come with me upstairs.”

I told Adalynn to wait for me while I took a quick shower. When I walked back into the bedroom, she was admiring the necklace that Ian gave me.

“Did he give you this?” she asked.

“Yes. Isn’t it gorgeous? He told me that the key represents that I’ll always have a place to stay here.”

“I get the feeling you were hoping it meant more.”

“I’m falling in love with him,” I said as I looked down.

“Oh, Rory. What did I tell you?”

“I know. But I can’t help feeling what I feel.”

“Have you ever been in love before?”

“No.”

“Sweet, Jesus. Ian is not the person who should be your first love.”

I knew what Adalynn was getting at. She warned me and I didn’t listen. “I can’t help it. He’s an amazing person, and I know deep down he has feelings for me,” I said as I lightly applied some makeup.

“Ian Braxton has never had a romantic feeling about anyone in his life.”

“He bought me something else. I’ll show you after I blow dry my hair.”

Once my hair was done, I led Adalynn to the baby grand piano.

“Wow, this is beautiful,” she said as she ran her finger along it.

“Have you heard her play?” Ian smiled as he walked out from his study.

“You can play the piano?” Adalynn asked.

I nodded my head as I sat down and began to play. Adalynn stared at me in disbelief and then looked at Ian.

“I know. It gets me hard every time.” He winked as he walked away.

Adalynn sat down on the bench next to me. Once I was finished, her big eyes and wide smile stared at me. “That was fucking incredible. You have to teach me to play someday.”

“I will.” I laughed.

“Okay, doll, I have to get to the office. I’ll see you tonight for your birthday party. It’s going to be fun,” she said as she kissed me on the cheek and left.

I sighed at the thought of my party. There had never been a party to celebrate me. No sweet sixteen, no graduation, nothing. My aunt didn’t even come to my and Stephen’s graduation from high school. I was nervous about this party, and I prayed to God that Ian didn’t invite his father.

****

The house was chaotic between the caterers, florist, and the party planner. The party was being held outside in Ian’s gigantic and beautiful backyard. White tents with white lights were being set up, flowers were being arranged in vases, and tables were being set up with linens. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Ian wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble if he didn’t have feelings for me. He came home and walked straight to where I was standing in the backyard.

“Looks great.” He smiled as he looked around.

I hooked my arm around his and laid my head on his shoulder. “It looks amazing. Thank you, Ian, but it wasn’t necessary.”

“It was. You should have a great birthday party. You deserve it,” he spoke as his lips touched my head. “I’m going to go shower and get changed. I suggest you do the same so you’re ready when the guests start arriving.”

We walked back into the house. He went to his room and I went to mine. After my shower, I wrapped a towel around me and walked over to my closet, searching for the perfect dress to wear. I turned on some classical music and listened while I put on my makeup and did my hair. I slipped into a chiffon black strapless dress and a pair of black heels. As I walked downed the stairs, Ian was walking through the foyer when he stopped and looked at me.