The Arrogant Architect (7 page)

Leaving lunch with my dad, King gives me a very tight hug
and for the first time kisses me on the cheek. My heart races, his mouth so
warm and then that smirk as he touches his bottom lip with his thumb, his
tattooed hand so hot. He locks eyes with me as he backs up, before he turns
away with his aunt and walks off.    

“I think he’s a nice guy,” my dad says out of the blue and
I’m not even sure where that came from.

“He’s got a lot of layers to him, Dad, and you haven’t seen
them all yet.”

“What’s that mean?” he asks.

“He’s different, he sort of feels controlling.”

“In a bad way?” my dad asks, alarmed by the word as any
father should be.

“I don’t know yet. I really know as much about him as you
do.”

“But he’s into the same things you are?”

“Not really. He’s really rich and kinda conceited.”

“Ever!” my dad scolds me, for some reason defending King
like he’s his own child.

“What? Look at this six hundred-dollar skillet he bought
me.”

“I think it was nice of him.”

We get in my dad’s car and he says, “Well, his aunt is
awesome.”

“Yeah, it seems like you two really connected.”

“We really did. She’s gonna bring that clock by this week
for me to fix and have a look at my other things.”

I can see the excitement in my dad’s eyes; it’s something
that has been missing for a long time. I’d love for my dad to one day find
someone to share his life with. As hard as it would be for both of us if he
moved on, I think it’s necessary to his happiness.

Pulling up to my place, I give my dad a big hug and a kiss
on the cheek. “Thanks for hanging out today. Sorry again that I overslept.”

“It’s okay sweetheart, I only want you safe and happy.”

I hug him again and then walk up to my apartment. On the
way, the bike rack catches my eye and makes me laugh. How did things go from
sheer annoyance and hatred to so much fun and sexual tension?

I set my stuff down and unwrap the skillet King bought me–
it really is gorgeous, probably my favorite one to date. Leaving it as is, I
hang it from my pan rack on the ceiling. I don’t think I’ll cook on it. It’s
too perfect. 

My phone chimes with a text and immediately my adrenaline
spikes. Pulling it out of my pocket, it’s King.
I want to see you.

You just did.

But I need more.

Snapping a sassy pic of myself doing my best pose. I send it
to him.
Please don’t start with that.

Why?

He sends me back a zoomed in picture and says,
Nipples.

I look at the photo and had no idea. He’s so observant.
What
did you have in mind?

Payback?

For what?

The disgusting lunch you made me stomach.

Oh stop, it wasn’t that bad.

YES IT WAS!

Ohhh, shouty caps. Someone’s getting feisty.

That’s it, I’m coming over and I have a key, so you can’t
stop me.

No. You can’t barge in here like you own the place,
King.

Yes I can, ‘cause I do.

Don’t come here.

I wait for his response. Who does he think he is? I just saw
him. Jesus, he’s so much to be around. I need time to process everything. I’m
not even sure if I like him or I loathe him. Flopping on my bed, still waiting
for him to answer, I decide to do a Google search for “skull fuck,” and oh my
God. It’s like the whole thing.

Flipping through the photos, I get kinda turned on. Maybe
I’d let him do that to me? Clicking on a link for a video, the guy is so gentle
as the girl takes him deep in her throat. I’m sure my phone has now been
infected with some sort of virus…but the way he brushes her hair off the side
of her face and…“What are you watching?” King asks me, standing in the doorway
to my room. Tossing my phone aside, I fly off the bed, “You motherfucker. You
can’t come in here like that, without knocking.”

“Why not?”

“Because you don’t live here.” I push him backwards and he
looks over me at my bed. Glancing back, I see the video is still playing on my
phone and then a devilish grin plasters his face as he darts around me and
hurdles on top of my bed, watching the video himself.

Jumping onto his back, I reach for my phone, but he
outstretches it in front of us. The girl is moaning and the guy is talking
dirty to her. “Would you stop?” I ask still on top of him and fighting for my
phone.

“Would you let me do that to you?” he asks looking at me out
of the corner of his eye.

“No. Are you nuts?” 

“Maybe.”

Giving up on fighting, I roll off him and lie on my back.
What the fuck are we even doing here? He locks my phone, the noise stops as the
video ceases. Then he leans over me with an arm covering my chest. I can’t
control my heart rate when I’m this close to him. His other hand touches my
lips, and I ask him, “Why do you always do that?”

“What?” he asks, oblivious.

“Touch my lips like that.”

“Because they are perfect.”

“No one’s perfect, King.”

“Says who? You?”

“Says everyone.”

“Then why does the word exist if no one can hold the title?”

“What are you a fucking poet too?”

He smirks and says, “I like when you curse.”

“Why?”

“’Cause it tells me that you have a dirty side.”

“But I don’t,” I tell him, struggling to not smile.

“Yes, you do…we all do. You’ve gotta be with the right
person to bring it out.”

“So what? You like to be rough and skull fuck women?”

“Would you like that?” He touches my face and I lean into
his warmth.

“We haven’t even kissed yet.”

“Do you want to?” he asks me.

“Do you analyze everything in life, or just me?”

“Everything.”

“Well, stop and kiss me.”

Slowly he scoots up his arm, brushes it all over my boobs,
and I look into his blue eyes. His sweet breath is warm on my skin as I wait
for him to close the distance. My pussy is tingling and I can’t take it any
longer. Leaning up, I connect our mouths. He groans, cupping the back of my
hair, and holds me, kissing me slowly. Then I slip my tongue into him, and he
tastes like heaven, so much deliciousness that, yes…I’d let him do whatever he
pleases to me right now.

His other hand roams my body feeling my every contour. He
stops at my breasts, squeezing and fondling them as we are lost in the most
amazing kiss ever. I can’t help but moan, and he shifts on top of me, burrowing
his hard cock against me. Urging my hips upwards, I enjoy the friction. My
hands rake under his shirt, digging into his back, and I wrap my legs around
him. He draws me up the bed, still never breaking our kiss. His phone rings and
I sense him pause, but he ignores it and moves to the side a little,
unbuttoning my shorts.

Everything inside of me is on overdrive.

Holy fuck, we are about to do this.

He keeps moving his hips. His dick is so hard and finally he
gets into my shorts. I can barely breathe I’m so horny, wanting him to touch
me. As his hand cups my sex, his phone rings again. He stops kissing me,
burying his nose into my cheek and pulls his hand out of my shorts. I whimper
in protest and watch as he angrily answers his phone. “What?” he barks, still
holding onto me.

My hands are on his chest and he yells at whoever is on the
phone. “No, you told me that we had until Monday. That’s bullshit, Peter. You
can’t shut us down. Fine. I’ll be right there.”

His hold on me loosens as he hangs up, gazing into my eyes.

“You have to go?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Fuckin’ building inspector on a hundred million-dollar
project.”

“Okay,” I whisper. Not really sure what else to say.

“Come with me?”

“No, it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.” He kisses me again. “My goddamn balls are
about to explode. Come with me so I’m not imagining what you’re doing here all
alone.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to interfere with your work.”

Then all of sudden he lifts me off the bed and carries me
out of my room. “What are you doing?”

“Taking you with me.”

“Can I at least button my shorts and put my shoes on?”

“I’d rather you not, when I can set you in my car like
this.”

“King, you know some of the shit you say and do is fuckin’
crazy, right?”

He smirks and sets me down. I button my shorts and slide my
flip-flops on. “See? I’m all ready.”

“Christ, you’re beautiful.”

Shyly I push my hair behind my ear– no one’s ever told me
that before. As we walk out and I lock my door, I tell him, “I want my key.”
Reluctantly, he hands it to me, but I can tell he doesn’t like it. “Oh, and I
need our agreement too,” I remind him as he opens the car door.

“You were just about to have all of me deep inside of you. I
think the agreement is a moot point.”

He closes the door and struts around the car. As he slides
into the driver’s seat, I ask him as we pull away. “Do you normally get what
you want, acting this way?”

“Yup.”

“You know, I might make you work a little harder then, if
you thought I was a sure thing in there.”

His knuckles get white against the steering wheel and he
puts the pedal down. Driving quickly to wherever we are headed, he doesn’t say
anything else and I’m sure it’s because he’s processing what I said. But it’s
the truth and especially if he always gets what he wants. I mean, he still
hasn’t apologized for the noise, stealing my bike, or the restaurant incident,
not to mention barging into my house today. A “sorry” really does go a long
way.

“So are you really going to make me try harder?” King asks
getting back in the car after dealing with his building inspector problem.

“Yes, and I think we need to set some ground rules, that’s
for sure.”

“Like what?”

“Like you owning up to some of the stupid shit you’ve done
and apologizing for once.”

“Apologizing?” he scoffs at me.

“Yes, apologizing.”

“For what?” he asks.

“Do you really have to ask?”

“Ever, you confuse me. We were making out and about to fuck.
Now, I’ve got to try harder and apologize?”

“Yes.” I cross my arms over my chest, and he says. “Oh, I
can’t wait to fuck you so hard.”

“Don’t think I’m that easy.” I’m dead serious as I look
forward, clearly needing to teach him a lesson.

Suddenly he pulls the car over and takes his sunglasses off.
It takes everything inside of me to not look at him as he is leaning over the
center console, breathing on me. Gently, he turns my head towards him with his
thumb and forefinger gripping my chin as he begins to speak. “I’m sorry for
anything that I’ve done to upset you like this.”

“Do you even know what I’m upset about?”

“I really don’t.”

“King, you walk around like you’re better than everyone,
controlling the universe as if it is your own game of chess. Everyone is a pawn
second to you. And your actions, they have repercussions.”

“Is that what you think of me?”

“How could I not? Think back on things just today. You bought
me a skillet that was way overpriced, you barged into my home and carried me
out of it like you own me. You’re fucking crazy. You know I am my own person
and can make my own decisions, right?”

“I’m not crazy, Ever, but you keep saying that I am. I just…I’ve
never met anyone like you. You…” He trails off. “You’re right…I’m sorry.”

He puts the car in drive and pulls away. The unfinished
outcome of our conversation is unsettling.

As he pulls up to my apartment and puts the car in park, I
feel bad that I called him crazy. Opening the center console, he pulls out our
handwritten agreement and hands it to me. “Here.”

“You’re not coming up?” I ask him, assuming that even though
we had a disagreement he would. “No.”

I turn to leave. But I can’t; something is pulling me
towards him. Taking the back of his head in my hold, I kiss him hard, with as
much passion as I can put into it. He holds onto my neck and I whisper,
“Goodbye.”

Giving him one last peck before shutting the door to his
car, I don’t look back as I walk off. Why should I? We aren’t together. Walking
inside my apartment, I wish I had my mom to call right now. She would give me
the best advice and help me decide what to do.

But then…there is a knock on my door that diverts my
attention, and as I answer it, King’s sexy face stares back at me. “I can’t
leave,” he says, leaning on the doorframe.

“No?” I question.

“No.”

I step aside so he can come in and when he does, he has his
arms around me. “Ever, I do things sometimes to impress. I don’t know why, it’s
the way I’ve always been. But I need you to know that my intentions are for the
best. I really want nothing but good for you. I’m sorry for, the skillet, and
the bikes, and your work incident, and all the noise, and for acting like I
could control you. Because I can’t.”

“That’s it?” I ask, wondering if he has anything else to
add.

“Yeah, I think that’s all.”

“Okay, thank you for apologizing. Shall we start with
dinner?” I ask him, bracing myself on his biceps. Ready to dive into whatever
this is, with him. As nervous as I feel, something is pushing me forward.

“Dinner’s great.”

“Do you wanna help me cook?”

“I’m not much help in the kitchen, but I’ll certainly try.”

I wash my hands and he does the same, then I ask him as I
pull out the ingredients for dinner. “Do you like chicken parmigiana?”

“I do– I love anything Italian.”

“Good, me too.”

As we work in the kitchen together, we are very flirty and
touchy. I like sharing this space with him. Typically, I like to handle the
cooking myself, that’s if I’m not exhausted from work, but he’s a fast learner
and surprisingly listens very well to instructions.

As I strain the noodles, he flips the chicken one last time
and I ask him, “Other than your aunt, do you have family here?”

“No. You?”

“My whole family is here,” I tell him. “This is where I was
born and raised.”

“My family is in Texas. My parents are both politicians and
they’re big into it.”

“Why didn’t you take that route?”

“Hell no. Kissin’ ass wasn’t for me.”

I add cheese and sauce to the chicken then plate our
noodles. “Why Rhode Island then?”

“I went to school here and got an internship right out of
college. Then booked my first job and King Architecture was formed shortly
after that, and really the last five years have flown by.”

“Have you always gone by King?”

“Have you always gone by Ever?”

Neither of us answers the question, when you have an
abbreviated name, even as strange as ours, it’s who you are. “Wanna beer?” I
ask him.

“Nah, I’m good.”

Taking one out of the fridge, I hand him his plate and a
bottle of water, then we sit to eat. “Do you not drink?”

“Not often.”

“Ahhhh, I see the problem. My beer is too cheep for you,” I
tease him. “Are my paper napkins not of your liking either?” I say to him with
my eyes big, “And my water, is it not sparkling enough?”

He lets me enjoy my little outburst then very seriously asks
me, “Are you done?”

I take my first bite of food, loving the flavors, and he
says, “It’s none of that, Ever. When I’m around you, I need to be on my toes.
Alcohol would put me at a great disadvantage, and I can’t risk that. I want to
show you the utmost respect all the time.”

“You already do that, King.”

“But I don’t consistently do things correctly, and I want
to. With you…I need to.”

As I eat, I process his words and the depth of what they
truly mean. He’s got something hidden within his layers that has made him this
way, and if he’d let that go, he wouldn’t have to try so hard. “Can I ask you
something?”

“Of course,” he responds.

“What’s your biggest hurdle been in life?”

“That’s a hard question, don’t you think?”

“No.”

He contemplates my question for a moment. “Fine, maybe it’s
been separating myself from the limelight of my parents.”

“You seem to have done a very good job at that,” I tell him.

“It’s all an illusion, what the Internet tells you. What’s
yours?” he asks me.

“What’s that mean?” I backtrack, needing him to clarify
more.

“Exactly, what I said. You thought I had a great
relationship with my parents because of what you read about me online. When
really the truth is they fuckin’ hate me because of my tattoos and that I chose
to take my own route in life. To them I’m a low-class rebel who rejected
everything they love. Galinda is my only real family.”

“I don’t think your parents hate you, King.”

“Well, you don’t know them, Ever, and that’s a good thing,
they aren’t good people. Enough about me, what’s your biggest hurdle?”

“Getting through the pain of losing my mom, and not only me,
but also making sure my dad is okay too.”

“You two were really close?” he asks.

“Extremely.”

“Your dad seems to be doing well.”

“He has his days.”

“What helps?” King asks me, and I get up grabbing one of the
letters that my mom wrote to me. Passing it to him, he wipes his face and hands
before taking it from me and then reads her words. He swallows, processing the
letter. I can see he doesn’t understand how she sends them, now that she’s
gone, and I help coax him along.

“Before she passed she had a long battle with cancer and
wrote letters to both my dad and I. Every year on our birthdays, they come.”

“Who sends them?” he asks me.

“We don’t know. We didn’t know she was going to do this.”

“I bet it’s nice to get them,” he says passing the frame
back to me.

“It is, but it’s hard at the same time. Every year, it’s
like I have to mourn her death all over again, but this is what she wanted, and
for a brief moment, the letters give me relief.”

“I couldn’t imagine, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. You’ve sure said ‘sorry’ a lot today.”

He looks out the window and smirks shaking his head. “I’ve
probably said it more today than I have my entire life.”

“Well, cheers to that.” I raise my cheap beer and he taps it
with his water.

After dinner and cleaning the kitchen, King takes my face in
the palms of his hands. “Thank you for a perfect evening.” Very tenderly he
kisses me, awakening my body. I let him take as much time as he needs,
caressing his tongue over mine. My nipples harden from the simple touch of his
forearms, but it’s not long until he pulls away and heads for my front door.

I stand frozen in the middle of my living room, so confused
and utterly pissed off that he’s going to kiss me like that and then walk away.
He doesn’t look back as he leaves and I could scream.

Lowering myself onto the couch, I blink a few times. What in
the world just happened? Does my breath stink? Getting up, I open my front
door, surely he’s messing with me…and then run outside, but he’s gone. Going
back in, I search for my phone, knowing I need him back here, now. Stripping
down to my bra and panties, I snap a pic and send it to him.
Why did you
leave like that?

He calls me right away, and I stare at the screen for a
moment before answering. “Hey.”

“Goddammit, Ever, are you trying to kill me?” he scolds me
and I can’t help but giggle.

“No. Why would you think that?”

“I’m fuckin’ driving and…and…and…you’re texting me a picture
like that?”

“Why did you leave?”

“Because I’m trying to not control you, to respect you and
your wishes. You asked me for dinner and that was it.”

“Dammit, King, I said let’s start with dinner.”

“Well, how am I supposed to know when the night’s over
with?”

“When I ask you to leave, how’s that?”
      

“My cock can’t take this, Ever. I need to get home and…jerk
off.”

I chuckle, imagining how sexually frustrated he is. “So do
I.”

He breathes into the phone loudly and asks me, “What?” like
he doesn’t understand me. 

“I need to come, King. Can you help me?”

I lie back on my bed and slide my hand into my panties,
releasing a breathy groan.

“What are you doing?”

“Touching my pussy, like you were about to earlier.”

“Motherfucker,” he grumbles and then says, “I’m still
driving; do you want me to die?”

“Ohhhhh fuck,” I moan, massaging my clit. The friction feels
so good.

“Ever?” he yells.

“Uh huh?”

“I need you to specifically tell me what to do right now.”

“Oh fuck, King. Yes…right there.”

“Christ,” he growls and I ask him, “Are you touching
yourself?”

“No.”

“Pull over.”

“You’re fucking crazy, you know that? Remember this the next
time you try and tell me I am.”

“Grab your cock.”

He grunts into the phone and I ask him, “Where are you?”

“I don’t know, the side of the road somewhere.”

“Is your dick hard?”

“Yes. Fuck yes.”

“Stroke it,” I order him, unbelievably turned on, so hot and
horny as I touch myself and imagine him sitting in his car, doing the same,
listening to my commands.

He grunts and says, “Finger yourself.”

Right away I slide a finger inside, still rubbing my clit
with my thumb. “You’re such a dirty girl,” he says and I add a second finger.

“Oh God, it feels like you’re inside me.”

“Yeah? You’d like me slamming your tight little cunt, huh?”

“Uh huh.”

“That’s it,” he tells me, “Take all of me.”

“I wanna come.”

“Yeah?” he confirms.

“Yes.” My heart rate is through the roof doing this with
him.

“Can I come inside you?”

“Fuck yes,” I shout and my body spirals, shaking as my
orgasm rolls through me. King groans on the other end of the phone. My toes are
curled, enjoying the bliss, and as I finally come back to reality, he says, “I
need about ten more of those.”

“The door is open, I’ll be waiting for you.” I hang up,
giddy on the inside like a teenage girl as I fly out of my bed and wash my
hands and brush my teeth. Then I tousle my hair and hear the front door slam. I
look back and King is staring at me shirtless in the reflection of the mirror
and I ask him, “Where’s your shirt?”

“I came in it.” A grin spreads from ear to ear and I think
about him in that expensive ass car, jerking his cock and coming into his
shirt. “And it was my favorite,” he complains.

“You don’t need it here.” I step to him, loving the way his
eyes eat my body alive. Reaching down with my hand, I cup his dick through his
pants and say, “Still hard for me?”

He rubs his nose against mine, his eyes are closed as here
aches two fingers into my bra, teasing one of my nipples. Leaning into him with
my mouth, I kiss his neck and throat as I make a trail across his chest and
down his sculpted abs. Reaching the top of his jeans, I unbutton and unzip
them. “Take your bra off,” he orders me. Quickly I unclasp it and slide it down
my arms.

He grabs both of my tits, massaging them, but not for long
as I drop to my knees, ready for what he’s about to give me. Sliding his pants
down, I kiss his dick through his underwear. He brushes my hair to the side and
I slide them down, his huge cock springing free, and the second that it’s out,
he grips it, urging it towards my mouth, holding snugly at the base.