One Look At You (16 page)

“Stop,” I murmur, unable to stand the build-up inside me.

“Let go,” he commands me in a husky tone. Once again, his tongue sweeps me down there, lapping at my juices. And just like that, I feel wave after wave of pleasure. My heart races and every part of me is alive with delightful sensation.

My heart skips a beat as he kneels before me and I see his full throbbing erection. In one swift motion he reaches for a condom from the drawer and then puts it on. “Open your legs for me, baby. I’m going to take you now.” He plunges into me and my body welcomes him with mixed feelings. I want him, but I’m a little scared. The intrusion hurts badly, but he smothers my cry with his mouth and I find the pain subsiding. My discomfort eases as he presses himself into my moistness and starts to move so very slowly. I feel his hot breath on my face and we kiss wildly, our tongues meeting frantically. As he pumps his hips in a steady rhythm, his fingers squeeze my nipples. Lust fills up his smoky eyes and he begins to pick up to a faster pace.

“Does it still hurt?” he asks in a slurred voice.

“Not anymore. Don’t stop,” I say.

I raise my hips to meet his thrusts as he slams into me harder and harder. My whimpers turn into soft moans. The pleasure is starting up inside of me again, and I hold on tight to his arms. I gasp out loud as he sends me over the edge while he relentlessly buries himself to the hilt, convulsing against me. His full weight is upon me when he collapses. Our bodies shudder and our lips lock. We fall asleep soon after, our limbs entwined.

The room is dark as I open my eyes. For a second, I feel so happy because I know where I am and what just happened. I steal a glance at Tony, sleeping so soundly next to me. My feeling of joy turns to melancholy as I realize that in one moment of weakness I have managed to abase myself, and most likely lose my job. Was it worth it?
Yes
, my heart shouts out loudly. I smile to myself. I don’t regret it. I won’t regret it.

My body feels like it has gone through a grueling work-out, yet I have never felt so alive. I don’t want any awkwardness between us, so I want to leave before he wakes up. I carefully lift the blanket to get out of bed, but his arm imprisons me in a passionate hold just then. I inch my body very carefully to the edge of the bed, but his hand reaches for my breast and starts to play with my nipple. I look at him and he is wide awake, his face breaking into a wide grin.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks softly.

“Uhm…I…” He raises his eyebrow at my stuttering.

“Stay.” One word. That’s all it takes.

“Are you hungry?” he asks.

“No, not really. Are you?” I inquire politely.

“For you,” he says, and I feel my face redden. He touches me down there and I immediately feel wet with anticipation. He sits down and gives my body a raking gaze. “Perfection,” he says as he bends to suck at my nipples. Making his way down, he licks my belly button and inner thighs. I want to feel his mouth on my sex and my legs part unconsciously.

When he licks me ever so lightly, my body bucks furiously. I groan from pleasure when he places his hands on either side and sucks on my swollen lips. His tongue is rigid as he pushes it in and out. I arch my back to push against his tongue. Everything feels so good. My breath catches as I feel him slipping his fingers inside. His fingers move faster and faster. In and out. Harder and harder. Without warning, he rubs my center and I lose total control. I scream from my shattering release.

He covers my mouth with his own and I taste myself. I kiss him all around his mouth as new spirals of ecstasy go through my being. “I need you inside of me,” I say.

“Feel how hard I am,” he says as he puts my hand around his manhood.

“Take me now,” I beg.

He slips on a condom and then enters me. His thrusts are long and slow. He pulls out and then slides back into me. I am going insane from his deliberate movements. After some time, he starts to move faster, pounding into me. The gentleness is gone and there is now an urgency in the way his strong, lean body is pushing into me. His strokes are harder, his hands roughly touching every part of my body.

He slams into me a couple more times and we both moan as we reach an incredible climax. A million tingling sensations course through my body. All I want to do is put my head on his shoulders and sleep in his arms for a very long time.

“Good morning!” I half open my eyes and automatically look for Tony next to me. Then I look around the room bathed in glorious daylight, and I realize I’ve slept through the night. “Oh my God! I slept the night?” I ask, knowing fully well what the answer is.

I get up, searching for my clothes so I can leave at once. “I’m so so sorry,” I keep saying as I retrieve my clothing.

“Livie, what the hell are you doing?” It seems Tony has just gotten out of the shower and his hair is still damp. He’s wearing one of the plush white robes from the bathroom.

I look at him, thinking it’s a trick question, and then say, “Trying to get dressed?”

“Sit down. Room service is about to deliver breakfast. You can cover yourself, if you wish, unless you want the server to see you this way.” He hands me my own bathrobe and I immediately put it on.

“Thank you, but I really should be going.”

“And why is that?”
Why is he trying to make it hard for me?

“Because I have to.”

“Try again. Your circular reasoning is unacceptable,” he says with a smile.

“Tony, please don’t make this hard.”

“I’m not making it hard. I’m asking you a simple question.”

“Okay then, because I don’t live here, and I need to go home and change.”

“Funny you should say that. Actually, you don’t have to go home and change. Your roommate has graciously prepared an overnight suitcase for you. I asked my driver, Lucas, to pick it up an hour ago.” He hands me my blue overnight bag.

“How did you…?”

“You should know by now, Livie, that I always get what I want.”

“And what exactly do you want?” I nervously ask.

“I would imagine, the same thing you want,” he says teasingly as he comes closer to me. My breath catches in my throat, hoping we have the same thing in mind.

There is a slight knock on the door, followed by a discreet “Room service.” He goes to the door to let the server in. He pushes a trolley table into the room. “Where would you like me to set the table, sir?”

“Please just leave it here. We’ll do it ourselves. Thank you.” Tony signs the invoice and hands him a tip.

“As I was saying,” he says as he comes near me.

“I actually am kind of hungry. Shall we have breakfast?” There is nothing I want more than to make love with him all morning, but cold reality is setting in. I don’t know what we’re doing. I have a disturbing thought that while for him it’s just a sexual interlude, for me it is so much more than that. I know I’m not the first woman to throw myself at him, but that’s just it. I am not the sort of woman to throw myself at any man. It’s complicated on my end, and I’m not stupid enough to think that it’s anything but just fun and games for him.

He looks curiously at me, but I carefully keep my expression bland. “Alright, breakfast it is then.” He starts taking off the stainless steel lids and I see that he’s ordered different choices for at least four people.

“Wow, couldn’t make up your mind?” I say.

“I know what I want. The problem is, I don’t know what you want.” His stare is intense and I can’t help but feel that we’re no longer talking about food. Is he somehow warning me off?

I can take a hint. I purposely break out into a huge smile and say, “What do I want? Surely, that’s obvious. Fun. Good times. Good food. Like this yummy bacon strip,” I say as I pick up the bacon and put it into my mouth.

He examines me for some time and then abruptly says, “I see. Bom apetite” He grabs a chair and positions it across the table from mine, and we eat in silence.

After a few minutes, I find that I can’t pretend anymore, so I stand up. “Excuse me, Tony, I’ll just take a shower and I’ll be on my way.”

“Today is a Saturday and you’re not going to work. Neither am I. Why leave?”

“Oh, you know, weekends are when I do my errands and stuff. And I just remembered that I wasn’t able to send your mother’s envelope.”

“Don’t worry about that. I called her early this morning and told her she just has to wait till next week.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to his lap. “Spend the weekend with me. If it’s fun you want, you won’t be disappointed.”

He begins to kiss my nape and I feel the familiar knot in the pit of my stomach. Then he puts his hand through the opening of my robe and kneads my breast. “Say yes,” he whispers into my ear.

I’m weak and powerless. “Yes.” I respond simply.
I hate myself
.

“Why don’t you go and have a shower now? We’ll leave when you’re done.”

I feel like he’s the puppeteer and I move when he moves the strings. One touch. One look. That’s all it takes for me to cave in. He doesn’t even have to try very hard. I hesitate, wondering if I can summon the nerve to refuse him.

He’s waiting for me to say something and, when I don’t, he says, “Do you want me to join you in the shower?”

“No, thank you.” Too little, too late. Baby steps, that’s all I can take. I rush to the bathroom before he says anything else. I quickly take off the robe and step into the shower. The water feels good on my aching muscles. I feel like my body has gone through vigorous exercise. And it is true, in a manner of speaking. We were drifting in and out of sleep all through the night. Images flash through my head and I feel that familiar warmth. I squeeze some liquid soap into my hands and lather my body, and then rinse it all away.

Tony startles me as he slides the glass door open. I try to cover myself with my hands and fail. He gives an amused smirk and then hands me one of the fluffy towels. “Just being helpful,” he says as he quickly gives my body the once-over.

“Thank you,” I reply softly.

“Thank me later.” I’m not sure what he means by that, so I remain quiet.

I wrap the towel around myself and go to my overnight case. Since I don’t know where we’re headed, I don’t know which outfit to pick. “Tony, where exactly are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

I give him a wilting look. “I have to know what to wear,” I say stubbornly.

“Dress comfortably. It’s going to be a long trip.” A long trip, really? I give up, so I just put on a sundress and flip-flops. In the meantime, he puts on a white shirt and jeans. I see his back and I have this rather disturbing urge to put my arms around him from behind. He turns around as if reading my thoughts and I blush.

“I’m glad you’re not one of those women who take forever to get ready.”

I shrug my shoulders. “There’s no point to that.” He looks curiously at me.

“I mean, I know I’m just a regular face in the crowd, so no amount of primping will change that.”

He comes closer and tilts my chin. “Don’t ever undersell yourself. You don’t see what I see. You’re beautiful, Livie,” he says so solemnly while looking deep into my eyes.

“Sure,” I say with a half smile. Men think that a compliment, no matter how false, can make a woman feel good.
I know who I am, Tony Avery. You don’t have to prop up my ego.

Apparently, he packed a bag while I was asleep, because he is carrying one in his left hand while he picks up mine with his right.

“I can carry my own bag, you know,” I say while attempting to grab it from his hold.

“Livie, let’s not start the trip by bickering,” he warns.

“Shouldn’t I at least try to tidy up?” I ask as I look at the unkempt bed.

“Don’t try to deprive Housekeeping of their work. Let it be. The staff will take care of it.”

“But it looks like…”

“A couple made love on it all night?” He says it so matter-of-factly that I feel my cheeks reddening again. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure we aren’t the first hotel guests to mess up their pristine sheets,” he says drily. A thought comes unbidden to me. What if he brings women here all the time?
Get a grip, Livie
.
You went into this with open eyes
, I scold myself.
You’re not the first and you won’t be the last
. I bite my lip, ashamed that I don’t even care. I just want to be with him for as long he wants me to.

“Shall we?” he says as he opens the door for me. We walk to the elevator and then to the entrance. A black limousine stops before us and he motions for me to get in.

“Is anything the matter?” he asks as soon as we’re both inside the car.

“Why do you ask?”

“You seem distressed.”

“I’m just not used to traveling this way. I thought we’d take turns driving or something.”

“Normally, we would. I mean, I’d be driving. But I’ve been so overworked lately that I thought it best to have someone do the driving so that we can both relax.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Meaning?” he asks, one eyebrow raised.

“Nothing. The Tony Averys of this world travel in style.”

“If you’re making me out to be some snob who has to be squired around, then you don’t know me very well.” There is a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I’m sorry. I just feel a tad uneasy.”

“Don’t be. We both work hard. We deserve a break. It’s a five-hour trip, so you can put your head on my lap and take a nap, if you wish. Don’t worry. I like to hear your cute snoring,” he says with a huge grin.

“I don’t snore.”

“But you do.”

“I don’t.”

“Since you can’t really know what you do or don’t do while you’re sleeping, you’re in no position to argue.”

“Typical.”

“Typical?”

“I’m a man. I’m right. You’re wrong,” I say mockingly.

“Are you trying to get a rise out of me?”

“Just a little,” I say with a smile. “Why, do you have a problem with girls teasing you?”

“As a matter of fact, I usually can’t control myself.” He gives me an exaggerated leer and we both laugh uproariously.

Once we stop giggling, his eyes stare intently at my mouth. My breathing becomes shallow and I touch his lips with my fingers. He groans and briefly looks at the driver. He presses a button by the door and the privacy screen comes up to shield us from view.