His large hands cupped my breasts squishing them together. I let out a loud strangled gasp, my back arching off the bed as those sinful lips locked in my nipples, inevitably sucking me to an early grave. He sucked and bit my nipples until they were tingling and almost-bruised feeling.
"Please" I groaned. "Jules, arghh, please don't..." The tight grip I had on his hair loosened when he glanced up at me.
His hair was sticking up in every direction, looking all fucked up from my fingers. He looked the complete opposite of the impeccably dressed up twenty three year old I had met two days ago, the denim jacket he donned at the bonfire nowhere in sight, his shirt was halfway unbuttoned and I hesitated to glance down, unsure of how disheveled I must be looking like.
"Don't what, honey?" He asked around a smirk.
"Don't.. don't stop, please, don't –" I'm certain my face is red with lust and embarrassment. He must think I'm still wet behind the ears; I mean that's a bit true, but still.
"Ohhh... my kitten is a little fiery ball of fire."
"I ain't your anything." I shot back, making him chuckle. He blew a cool breath from his parted lips, hitting my still very saliva-slicked nipples. I threw my head back as goosebumps covered my skin in no time.
"So perky," he swirled his tongue on my buds, "and super responsive, my honey." He dragged my nipples lightly between his teeth. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.
Without breaking the heated eye contact, his hand drifted downward, he brushed his middle finger around my very inflamed pussy.
I moaned and tightened the grip I had on the sheets.
"You're so wet," he whispers, "and we are yet to do anything."
Oh my God.
My grandma would surely be turning over in her grave now, if she peeped down from heaven– or hell.
"Jay, I want...I need you. Please."
***
NEW YORK, 2024
I sprang up from my bed covered in cold sweat and immediately regretted. My head throbbed and my stomach tumbled sickeningly, reminding me of the shots I threw down my throat last night.
"Ughh..." moaning in pains, I clutched my hair as I threw the covers from my body. The loud ringing of my phone jolted me back to life before I could go down the memory lane of my life's greatest mistake.
"Wakey, wakey! Good morning sunshine." I pulled the phone away from my ear as Tessa's shrilly voice came through.
"How on earth are you this energetic? It 's only–" I glanced at my bedside clock, "eigh– shit! I'm gonna be so late." I made a beeline for the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water and chugged it down in one go.
"Don't you feel lucky having a friend like me?" Tessa asked, her voice now punctuated by the distant sounds of car horns and bustling streets.
"I would be if you hadn't suggested going to a bar on a weekday." Putting her on speaker, I got rid of my clothings from the night before and stepped into the shower.
"I so dearly apologize for making an effort to rectify your nonexistent sex life." She's so not apologetic about it. "I mean are you a nun or something? Do you have like a hidden billionaire sugar daddy you don't wanna share? C'mon Haze you need to live a little."
Making a quick work of rinsing the soap suds off my body, I stepped out of the shower and ran a towel over my damp skin.
"Alright love, I would really love to have this conversation with you, but I have an office to be at, and a massive hangover to deal with." I said.
Tess is a very cute, petite girl with a round doll-like cherubic face framed by her short black hair that had always been styled in a chic bob. We really are the total opposites of each other, from our personalities down to our styles.
Tessa and I met as interns at the advertising agency three years ago and we clicked instantly– well she actually badgered me for days, talking my ears off and acting like we were long time besties, just after I had sworn off all relationships. Three years ago I was a shadow of myself, hiding behind my hair, avoiding and ignoring everyone. Everyone steered clear of me except Tess.
"I'll get you a coffee as an apology." She said.
"Please do. I'll see you in thirty." I replied before hanging up.
Everything else from there, I had done on autopilot; I dressed up in a slim fitted black suit, drank a glass of warm milk with a lone toast, packed up and was out the door. My long brown curls whipped wildly around my face as I stepped into the windy streets of New York hailing a cab to Madison Avenue.
"Wellspring agency, please"
***
I met up with Tessa at the lobby waiting for the elevator.
"Coffee," she offered.
"Thanks." I took a sip and threw a glance her way.
"It's a medium roast espresso with a drizzle of honey and a bit of cinnamon. It'll help with the hangover." She replied my unasked question, looking so proud of herself.
I could feel her trying to sneak peeks at me and after nearly a minute of her failed attempts at subtlety, I relented. "Do I have something on my face?," the elevator pinged and we went in, I punched in our floor and turned to her, "spit it out."
Knowing Tess, the one thing she can't stand is being curious, she'd drive herself crazy with speculations until she got the answers she craved.
"I honestly don't understand why you ain't bagged. I mean just look at you," she made wild grabby hands at me, "full package; you are taller and curvier than your average woman, both my boobs combined have nothing on just one of yours." She patted her chest like she's trying to get her point across. "Your hair is too perfect, your face card should be a crime and don't get me started on those big, soulful, brown eyes." She paused to give me a one over, "I swear I look like a broom stick standing next to you."
I let out a low breath of laughter as we got off on our busy floor. "Okay, you're just being silly now." I responded.
"Oh my God, you're so blind!" She groaned loudly and dragged me to the break room. She was quiet for a while, until "Do you really have a hidden sugar daddy?! OMG! Was my theory correct?"
"Hold your horses for a bit. When exactly did I supposedly meet this imaginary man? You do know that I've never been keen on socializing with humans, especially without you or Aiden hanging off my arm." I sipped my coffee gingerly, awaiting another outburst.
She mused for a while.
"Fair point, you dash out of work the second the clock strikes 5. What's waiting for you at home? Never mind, you've never invited me over, so I guess I'll never know." A beat, "but you really need an active sexual life or even friends, who else do you hang out with, apart from Aiden and me?" She asked.
"But I'm content with just you guys." I said with a smile.
"What's the deal between you both though?"
"Aiden? We're just friends."
"Indeed, I still think you guys should hook up. I mean apart from the fact that he's a single father, dude has this whole DILF thing going on." She sighed dreamily.
I frowned. "You are not implying that being a single parent is a disadvantage, are you?" I asked, referencing her comment about the fact he's a single father.
"What? No. I just meant that he's so young and not everyone would be comfortable being in a relationship with someone who has a child. Not like it concerns me or something; in fact, I think it's something that isn't appreciated enough." She bowed her head, fiddling with the wrap on her coffee cup. "Raising Elena alone must have been challenging for him. I know he's your friend before anything, I apologize if that made you feel bad."
"No, sorry, I think I'm just being dramatic. Head is throbbing and all." I massaged my temples a bit, trying to ease the pressure.
"Oh, you need meds?"
"I'm good, thanks," I said, trying to brush off the topic. "Aiden and I are better off as friends. Being involved didn't work out for us, and he really deserves someone who values him more than I can ever."
Her gaze lingered on me, her voice softening. "But is he aware of that? I think he's still holding on to the idea of you two." I let out a sigh, unsure of how to reply to that, the weight of her words settled uncomfortably in my belly. I have been to dates; most incited by Tessa, but none had ever had me longing for more.
Aiden was almost an exception.
Despite my initial protests, Gran had gifted me two tickets to an art exhibit, which I'd ignored, letting them collect dust on my bedside drawer. Eventually, I decided to attend– solo, of course– strolling in two hours late. As I stood before an art piece, fiddling with my wine glass, I felt out of my element until a polished stranger with piercing blue eyes approached me, extending his hand. He was tall, sporting soft features and long blonde hair. His tailored dark suit hugged him perfectly, and a silver cuff link glinted in the light. A tiny smudge of paint on his sleeve caught my attention, and I noticed the faint scent of turpentine wafting from him.
"Aiden Wright," he'd said, with a warm smile. "The artist behind this piece." He nodded briefly towards the art piece I'd been staring at, a hauntingly beautiful charcoal sketch that seemed to capture the essence of melancholy.
A genuine smile escaped my lips as I had accepted his outstretched hand, "Hazel." I'd introduced. "Hazel Waverley."
I shook off the memory as we sipped our coffee in silence, until she leaned against the counter with an unsettling smile, eyebrows raised and eyes glinting with mischief, the gloomy mood all forgotten.
"Now what?" I asked.
"So last night..."
"What about last night?"
"Did you hit it up with that sexy lumberjack beefcake?"
"Oh, he just bought me a drink," I replied as her eyes went wide, "and he's not exactly my type– too bulky."
"Damn girl, if that isn't your type then what or rather who exactly is?!"
My body instantly locked up, as a face I'd long buried, surged back into my head. I winced, relieved that Tessa was too distracted to notice. Rather than responding, I shrugged.
"Do you even know our boss has the hots for you?" She asked, face contorted in disgust.
"That's not true"
"Dude turns to a repulsive pervert whenever he set his sights on you, I swear." She said. "Should we file a complaint against him or something? The fucker is goddamn married with kids for crissake."
I'm not exactly that dumb, of course I know James has been making sleazy jokes and moves on me for a while now. Feigning ignorance gives me an easy way out though.
I finished my coffee and disposed the paper cup. "I really do have a lot to do, today being a Wednesday and all." I gave her a playful stink eye, stepping out the door. "See you at lunch break love."
I heard her mumbling something like...sly and crazy bitch, I smiled to myself. Heading to my cubicle, I nearly bumped into James– my boss.
"Good morning sir" I greeted with a forced smile.
"Morning dear." James ran his beady eyes over my body whilst licking his lips. "Well, ain't we looking like a full snack today? You certainly drive off the dark clouds looming around me." I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms, desperate to contain the shudder that threatened to take over my body.
Offering a tight smile and stepping around him, I made way to my cubicle where I slumped down on my chair. I dropped my head on the cool granite and let out a sigh.
Behind the safety of my cubicle walls, I allowed myself a moment to drop the facade, shedding the cheerful mask I wore.
I'm exhausted.
I'm lonely.
I have secrets.
If only he hadn't...
Pushing my dark thoughts away, I got to work. Few hours in, I got called to James office. Tessa kept on making gagging noises, giving me looks like I'm headed to the battlefield. I chuckled despite the apprehension creeping up my spine.
I knocked at his door.
"Come in." He bellowed, I entered and gently closed the door behind me. James looked all serious going through a file and striking some things out.
"You called for me sir."
He rose a finger to signal a moment. He was done almost immediately and beckoned me to the seat in front of him.
"We have an important project that came from a VIP this morning, and they specifically requested that you lead the task force." He said looking at me like I'm in on a secret he doesn't know. "Something about needing to rebrand their public image for the investors."
"Me? But why?" It's really rare to get offers like this, more so as I am not a veteran in the industry.
"That's what I would also like to know Ms. Waverley, apparently, they're in need of a new narrative that only your portfolio fitted." He scoffed, dropping an unopened file in front of me, "could have fooled me."
I picked up the file and opened it, grateful to James for once for the seat offered.
My heart sank.
Staring right back at me is a picture of the CEO of Blackwood Investments.
The man who caused my nightmares and accompanied my solidarity nights of pleasure. The person who destroyed my world at his touch but gave me the greatest gift.
Julian Alexander Blackwood.
Oh...shit
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