Noah and I hadn't spoken since I slapped him across his face. We were never in the same room until Erin came on Sunday night. Erin pointed out the bruise on Noah's face.
“Daddy, what happened to you?” Erin asked her father as she touched his cheek.
“Your daddy is clumsy and ran into the edge of the door,” Noah explained to his nine-year-old daughter.
Erin looked up at me then back to her father. “Does it hurt?”
“No, it’s just a reminder to be careful from now on.” Noah stood up and lifted Erin in his arms.
I shocked myself at the strength I used when I backhanded him. A bluish purple mark the size of a small distorted orange appeared on his right cheekbone. Satisfied I left a mark like that on his face; I wouldn’t dare feel sorry for him or apologize to him. He deserved it.
Erin always ate dinner at her mother’s home before she arrived on Sunday evenings. Pam did all her cooking just as I did when she was with us. I got the impression the food Erin ate at her mother’s house was not as healthy as the food she ate with Noah and me. We always watched a movie on her first night with us, and I’d make snacks. It was the only night of the week besides the Friday and Saturday before she left that Noah allowed her to stay up late.
After the movie, Noah tucked Erin in for the night. I said goodnight and hugged her but stayed in the kitchen cleaning up the few dishes left from the popcorn and drinks we all ate while watching a movie. I finished filling the dishwasher and wiping down the counter when Noah walked into the kitchen.
“Do you need any help?” He asked.
“I’m almost finished but thank you for the offer.”
Noah leaned against the counter and watched me fold the dishtowel and hang it on the pullout drying rack under the sink. “Natalie, next week I’m having a guest stay over the house for one night. She’s a friend of one of my buddies. He asked me to do this favor for him. I know the woman. I met her many times, so it’s not like she’s a stranger, but I wanted to let you know.
“You act as if I'm not used to you bringing women, strangers, into your home.”
“They're not strangers.” He tried to defend himself.
“Do you know their names?”
“Yes.” He sounded defiant.
“Last names.”
He glanced sideways at me.
“I didn’t think so.” I leaned my hip on the edge of the counter. “Noah, they are strangers.”
“There is not much I need to know about them; I’m only fucking them.”
“But you bring them into your home, your daughters home, and my home for at least another year and a half. You should know a little about them.”
“The agency takes care of all that information for me.”
“I can see this conversation is going nowhere.” I straightened and walked out of the kitchen when Noah yelled out.
“Natalie, I don’t owe you anything especially not an explanation.”
I whipped around. “You’re correct. You owe me nothing, and that’s exactly what I expect from you. Good night.”
Ever since that night when I hit him across his face, something changed between us. It wasn't the slap but what I said to him in the wine cellar that changed things. Noah would never tell me what angered him about what I said, so I existed as normal and waited on him to show me what direction we were going in from week to week.
I was in the kitchen making lunch when I heard voices at the front door. I stepped out into the hallway to see who was there.
A tall blond woman stood in the foyer. She wore a tight flowery shirt displaying her big tits, tight washed out jeans, and red heels. I could smell her cheap perfume wafting down the long hallway and could see the layers of makeup from where I stood.
“Noah, who’s that?” She pointed at me with a long red fingernail.
“That’s Erin’s nanny,” Noah answered.
I dropped the knife I was holding on the counter and walked towards the woman. “I’m Natalie, nice to meet you.”
“Hm, you don’t look like a nanny.”
“Well, this is my first attempt at being one,” I responded as Noah laughed at what I said.
“And you are?”
“Um, let’s just say I’m Noah’s friend.”
“Do you have a name? Or shall I call you Noah’s friend?” I said as Noah laughed again.
He found me amusing. I wasn’t trying to be funny. Irritated by his explanation of my existence in his house I tried to be as snarky as possible. Unfortunately, he seemed amused.
“I have a name, it’s Shelley.” Shelley walked around the house checking everything out. “Noah, honey, thanks for letting me stay here for the night. I’ll make it worth it. Your house is beautiful. It’s so big for one person.”
“It’s not just me, Shelley. There is my daughter, and there's Natalie.” Noah was looking at me when he corrected her.
Not what I expected him to say, yet, it still didn’t make me feel any better. I walked back into the kitchen and put the sandwich I prepared in the fridge since I lost my appetite. I exited the room and headed upstairs. I heard Shelley ask Noah if I would be around while she was here. He answered with a simple yes.
I stayed up in my room and read all afternoon. I hated Noah for the sick games he liked to play with me, and now he took it to a whole new level - his friend’s whore would stay at the house overnight and would pay him with sex for the favor. I felt sick as I thought about her sharing his bed.
I tried to avoid leaving my room, but at seven o’clock, my stomach reminded me of how hungry I felt. I opened my door and peeked out into the hallway. It was quiet, so I ran downstairs. I halted as I walked into the kitchen.
A dressed Noah was sitting on a chair with a naked Shelley straddling him with her tongue down his throat. I tried to back up before they noticed me, but it was too late.
Noah looked at me like I had no right being there. “What do you want?” He spat out.
Shelley had a wicked grin on her face as she eyed me up and down.
My heart sank to my stomach, and I felt the tears well up in my eyes, but I fought them back. “My sandwich.” I wish I hadn’t opened by mouth because when I spoke, I could hear my voice crack as my throat tightened.
“Get it and leave.” The hatred in his voice cut at my soul.
I ran to the fridge, grabbed my sandwich and ran back to my room. Locked in my bedroom, I dropped the plastic wrapped sandwich on the coffee table, and sunk to the floor and cried.
I wanted to pack my bags and drive away tonight but where would I go. I had nothing. I had no one. My only choice was to stay and endure this pain. I experienced pain in my past, but there was something different about this pain. I knew in my soul, Noah didn't want to hurt me.
He was kind and loving until he pushed me away and flaunted a whore in my face. I kept going back for more because my feelings for Noah overwhelmed me. The Noah I fell in love with sometimes made moments like tonight easier to take. I felt I understood him. This behavior was not how he wanted to act. It was all he knew. But it didn’t mean I had to accept it.
I wiped the tears from my cheeks and sat up a little straighter. I could do this. Noah owed me nothing, that was true, but I also owed him nothing.
The whore downstairs meant nothing to him. He wanted none of the whores he fucked. Noah wanted me. I felt, saw, and knew the difference. They meant nothing to him. He didn’t even look at them when he fucked them, but when he and I were together, his thoughts went deeper than the mere action of fucking for pleasure or even anger, as it seemed with his whores. He loathed them when he fucked them.
Sex with me, even being near me made him feel things he did not understand. Although I understood the power I had over him, he had issues, and he was working them out on me. I would see this through, but I would not let him win at his game.
All I had to do was take the emotional punches when they came and throw a few of my own. And I would start tonight.
I stood up and marched myself into the bathroom. I turned on the hot water in the shower and waited while the shower steamed up. It was a Friday night, and I was going out. I would not spend another minute in this house with him and Shelley.
I showered, blew out my hair, and put on the sexiest little dress I owned with my favorite pair of stilettos. I looked at myself in the full- length mirror. The dress was a simple body-hugging black dress with a scoop neck and long sleeves, but the length shocked me. I had worn nothing this small in almost a year. I turned around and bent over. It was smaller than I remembered and when I turned back around I tried pulling it down a little. It made no difference, so I left it and walked out of my bedroom.
I slammed my door hoping to make him aware of my presence. I walked down to the kitchen. When I got there, they were no longer there. I opened the fridge grabbed a bottle of spring water and left. I was almost near the front door when the back door in the kitchen opened.
I dare not look back.
“Where are you going?” He asked as he walked towards me.
“Out.” I turned to answer him.
“Like that?” He pointed to the hem of my skirt.
I looked down and saw only my legs. “Yep. Have a good night.” I turned back and darted out of the house.
Once in my car, I turned on the engine. Noah stood on the porch. He motioned for me to open the window.
He sauntered over. “Are you drinking tonight?”
“Most likely.”
“Tell me where you are going.” He attempted to soften his tone, but I could hear the tension in his voice.
“I told you. Out.” I rolled up my window and waved at him.
I drove down the driveway holding my breath as I approached the gate’s sensor. Noah could deactivate the sensor from inside the front door then I could not leave. Thankfully, the gate opened, and I pulled out of the long driveway, but just before I turned out onto the street, I looked in my rearview mirror. Noah stood where I left him. How does that feel, Mr. Noah Westlake? You can sure dish it but can you take it? Have fun with your whore tonight!
Once driving, I had no idea where I wanted to go. I drove around for a half hour before I treated myself to dinner at my favorite hotel restaurant. It was a trendy place where single men frequented. I gave the valet my keys and headed to the restaurant.
The hostess greeted me, “Good evening, are you dining alone or are you waiting for your party?
“Alone. I’ll just eat at the bar.” As I walked through the restaurant, my past before all the pain came back to me. I came here all the time before my ex-boyfriend robbed me of my money. It was dark and cozy. Pendant lights hung over the tables casting a warm glow throughout. It gave the restaurant a cozy feel. The rich cherry wood of the bar gleamed under the lights and the barstools upholstered in rich burgundy fabric created a sexy atmosphere.
I had my first drink in hand, a martini with olives. After many sips, I settled back in my chair. I had done nothing like this for myself since before I dated my ex. It felt nice to be out amongst strangers who knew nothing about me.
I ordered a second drink and my dinner. I chatted a little with the bartender and the man sitting to my right. He often traveled to California on business while his wife and three kids waited at home. At one point, he pulled out his wallet to show me pictures of his family, a nice looking family. He took great pride, and I enjoyed listening to him.
Half way through my meal and my third drink, two very handsome younger men sat down next to me. Right away, they offered to buy me a drink. I accepted, and we continued to talk. They were also visiting California on business. One had a girlfriend back home, but the other was single. The single guy took great interest in my legs, which prompted me to pull on my way too short hemline. He was cute, but I had no interest in him.
I finished my dinner as they continued to chat me up and buy me another drink. I was feeling a little drunk, so I declined. Not your messy slurring kind of drunk, more of the giggly emboldened kind of drunk, but I couldn’t drive home. Conveniently, I was at a hotel bar. Noah would lose it if I stayed out all night, but it was better than listening to him screw his whore all night.
The bartender cleared my dinner plate, and I turned towards the two men to continue our fascinating conversation about the word gumption. The things one finds entertaining when drunk. The three of us were acting ridiculous, but I was having fun. I ordered one last drink, mineral water with lime and asked the bartender to bring me my bill. He returned with the drink but no bill. “You forgot the check.”
“No, the check was paid.” I looked at the men next to me and thanked them, but they denied having anything to do with it. “Who paid for all of this?” I questioned the bartender.
The bartender pointed above my head. I turned and scanned the room then turned back. “Do you know how long he’s been sitting there?” I asked the bartender.
“He arrived about twenty minutes after you. He sat there the whole time sipping his scotch and watching you.”
“Tell me, is he making his way over here?” I asked knowing the answer already.
“Yep.” The bartender answered then walked away.
Everyone walked away. The two guys who kept me company all night moved about four seats down and acted like I was a stranger and the family man to my right, up and left. I stayed still and stared straight ahead when Noah approached me on my left.
“You’ve been enjoying yourself.” I felt his smoldering voice through my entire body.
“Yes, thank you.” I sounded curt. “I was enjoying myself.”
“Ah, past tense, and now you are not enjoying yourself because I’m here.” Noah controlled his tone.
“You said it not me.”
“Well, maybe I can help change that.” Noah pointed to the bartender, and he ran right over. “Another Scotch, please.”
“I doubt it.” I looked around the restaurant. “Where’s your little friend, Shelley?”
“She’s home.”
“Hm. I guess she already reimbursed you for the night’s stay.”
“No.”
“Who is she, again?” I asked, irritated at myself for caring.
“She’s a friend of a friend.”
“You mean she’s your friend's mistress and not loyal to him.”
“Jealous, Natalie.” He outlined my face from my ear to my chin with his finger.
“Not at all, she’s a skank.” I felt emboldened.
“Harsh.”
I turned to look at him. “You would know all about that.”
“Now, Natalie, I drove all this way, paid for your dinner and drinks, and you are not very nice.”
Through my teeth, I cursed. “Fuck off.” I tried to stand, but he stayed me with one touch to my arm.
“Where are you going, Natalie?”
“Somewhere far from you.”
“No you're not. I got us a room. I’m taking you upstairs.”
“Oh, no, that’s not happening.” I huffed at how brazen he was. “You were just fucking that skank, do you think I want that inside of me after her?” I pointed at his crotch.
He grabbed my neck and breathed his words into my ear. “Natalie. I didn’t fuck her nor will I fuck you. You are drunk. Now, come.”
“I’m just a little drunk.” I defended myself.
“That’s your perception. I lost count after five martinis. That’s a lot of alcohol for a girl your size and someone that gets a little tipsy after one glass of white wine.”
I knew I couldn’t drive and as sick as it was I wanted to be near him. I wanted him to fuck me. Once in the room, I knew he could not control himself. I wanted to always be near Noah Westlake. He had a hold on me I couldn’t explain. I knew he felt something similar. He was here. He left the skank and came to me.
I stood, and Noah stepped aside for me to lead the way. I walked towards the hallway keeping a three-foot pace ahead of him. He did not bother to quicken his step to be by my side, and I realized he was most enjoying the view of my behind in this little black dress. I stood in front of the elevator doors but did not press the button. He came alongside me and reached in front of me to press the button. I stared straight ahead though I inhaled his scent as the breeze off his skin passed in front of me.
When the elevator doors opened, Noah gestured with his hand for me to enter. I stepped in and turned continuing to keep my stare straight ahead. Noah followed in after me, pressed the button for the top floor and stood to eye me up but said nothing. I broke eye contact and looked up over his head. I wanted to fidget, but I didn’t want him to know how uncomfortable I felt.
The elevator doors opened on the top floor, Noah turned and exited before me. Four doors were surrounding a glass table adorned with a large flower arrangement in the center of a large foyer. He pointed to the door to our right. The gold plate on the door read Suite 2. I waited as he keyed in a number on the soft padded lock. He stepped aside, and I walked past him.
Decorated with shades of green and white the suite looked serene. A living room with two couches and a coffee table were the first pieces of furniture I noticed upon entering. To the right, there was a dining room table with six chairs and an all-white flower arrangement of Cala Lilies, Roses, Freesia and Lilacs in the center. To the left, French double doors opened to a king size bed covered with white fluffy bedding and way too many fern colored pillows. At the foot of the bed, a white upholstered bench stood with a dark leather overnight bag on top.
I turned back to look at Noah.
“I packed your clothes to change into tomorrow.” Noah nodded towards the bag. “And some toiletries.”
“Any pajamas,” I asked.
“No.” His answer clipped.
Noah walked toward the bathroom while I opened the leather bag. The first thing I grabbed was a smaller leather bag. When I walked into the bathroom, Noah stood to face the toilet. I dropped the toiletry bag on the marble countertop. Noah looked over at me but said nothing. I searched through the bag. He packed all the necessities: A hair tie to hold my hair back while I washed my face, my face wash, my toothbrush and his, toothpaste, facial moisturizer, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, and a comb and brush.
“Did I forget anything?” He asked as he shook off the few remaining drops of piss from the tip of his cock.
I nodded. “Thank you for this.”
Noah moved to the sink and flipped on the water. “It’s more for me than you.” He said as he worked the soap between his hands.
“What does that mean?”
He didn’t answer me, dried his hands and walked out of the bathroom.
I followed behind him. “Noah, what does that mean?”
He unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged out of it. He draped it over the chair in the corner of the room. He turned to face me. His broad chest was too much of a distraction. I wanted to run into his arms and feel his warm skin against mine. “Natalie, did you think I would sit at home once you left the house?”
“Noah, I’m allowed to go out, and you had naked Shelley to keep you busy.”
“I don’t want Shelley.”
“Do you flaunt your whores in my face to make me jealous?” The thought was like a punch to my stomach.
“You may not believe this, but those whores have nothing to do with you.” He slipped his trousers off. I kept my eyes focused on the upper portion of his body. “I owe you no explanation. You wanted me as much as I wanted you and that didn’t mean I would change anything about my life.”
“Maybe you are right you do not owe me an explanation. But kindness, maybe you owe me that.”
Now he looked like someone who got punched in the gut. There was silence and a long, painful stare until he spoke again. “Let’s get ready for bed.”
I let out a frustrated sigh, slipped off my stilettos and walked back into the bathroom. Just as I finished washing my face and brushing my teeth, Noah walked in wearing nothing but his gray boxer briefs, his bulge unavoidable. Using my face wash, he washed his face then brushed his teeth. I stood next to him working moisturizer into my skin. When he finished, he came behind me and released my hair from the hair tie. He grabbed my loose hair and placed it over my shoulder. I stared at him in the mirror while he leaned in and sucked on the exposed skin of my neck. Tilting to one side, I offered him more of my skin.
His hands moved over the material that still covered my body. When his fingers found the hem of my dress, he wrapped them under and pulled my little black dress over my head. The sound of the material moving over my skin and the brush of his knuckles all the way up sent chills throughout my body. I ached for him to bend me forward and fill me.
His warm breath still lingered on my skin, and his fingers trailed down my spine until they reached the clasp of my bra. With one quick movement, my bra was loose. I dropped my arms to my side, and the bra slipped onto the floor.
Noah and I were now on the same level playing field; He in his boxer briefs, I, in my black lace panties. He stopped and stared at me in the mirror. His hands rested on my hips, his eyes hanging heavy, the color made deeper from lust, my breasts full and heavy from that same lust.
“Bed,” was all he said right before he walked out of the bathroom.
I followed behind him. He walked to the far side of the bed and pulled back the comforter and the blankets. He climbed out of his underwear and slid into bed, covering himself with just the blankets. He then held up the covers on my side of the bed, and I joined him sans panties.
Noah leaned over, kissed my mouth, pulled me close to him and then… nothing.
He wasn’t kidding. He would not have sex with me because I had too much to drink.
But…
I needed him to fuck me especially because I was drunk. I was horny. I snuggled in closer to him, my behind pushing into his hard as a rock erection but he stayed. His one arm wrapped around my stomach and his other tucked under my pillow, his chin rested on the top of my head. I pushed back into his rock hard erection a little more…
“Natalie, go to sleep.” He spoke sternly.
Damn, what freaking willpower!
The morning was a different story. I slept off my drunk and Noah fucked me three times before we left the hotel room. The first time started when I felt his hands moving over my body. I was awake enough to take Noah. We hadn’t even changed position. We stayed spooning, and I separated my legs just enough for him to slip in from behind. His hand that rested on my belly moved a few inches down between my legs. He found me soaking wet and responded with a moan. It took all of a few minutes to send me over the edge.
When I finished, he moved his hand and grabbed my breast while pounding faster and deeper into me to find his release. Within minutes we both fell back to sleep, Noah’s cock remained soft inside of me.
The second time, we woke from our early morning nap, I turned to him, and he pinned me down and covered me. The next thing I felt was his cock inside of me. Then back to sleep.
The third time was in the shower. Noah pinned my back against the wall, and finger fucked me then dropped to his knees adding in a little tongue-lashing until my knees trembled and I could no longer stand. He finished by whirling me around and fucking me from behind.
Then he fed me breakfast.
A kind and benevolent man!
I dreaded going home. I had my car, so I called Noah who was following behind me.
“Noah, I have errands to run. I’ll be home later.”
There was a long pause.
“Noah, did you hear me?” I asked.
“She won’t be there.”
Another long pause, “On second thought I’ll do them later.” I was about to disconnect but stopped when Noah spoke.
“Natalie, I’m sorry.”
That was all he said. As a woman, I wanted to hear more. I wanted to know what specifically he was apologizing. He was changing, and I, determined to see this through because this man had my heart in a way no other human being ever had.