Chapter 8
Holly
“Whose number is this?” I asked aloud to no one in particular as I looked down at the number that had popped upon my phone.
I wasn’t going to answer it but then something in me told me that I should. I don’t usually answer numbers that I don’t recognize, but for some reason, I had a nagging urge to see who this was.
“Hello?” I asked in a questioning tone.
“Hello, gorgeous,” a deep, familiar voice said sweetly.
“Alex?” I exclaimed, surprised.
“I see you remember my voice,” he said with a light chuckle. “I’m glad I left at least some type of lasting impression.”
“Wait, how did you get this number?” I asked him.
“You’re not very hard to find. Hope you’re not hiding from anyone,” he said jokingly.
“I’m serious, Alex. I mean, it’s really nice to hear from you, don’t get me wrong, but I’d honestly like to know how you got this number.”
“Of course. I understand. You wouldn’t want it to get into the wrong hands, I’m sure. But, to be honest, I looked you up online,” he explained.
“Really?”
“Yeah, your cell phone number is actually right on your social media profile.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling slightly perplexed by the fact that I was not aware of that.
“Anyway, I’m calling because I’ve really missed you and I want to see you again.” His tone sounded sincere.
“Oh…um, really?” Why was I questioning him? Had I honestly thought that he wasn’t ever going to want to see me again?
“Does that sound so hard to believe?” he asked me in a soft tone of voice.
“Well, no, I guess not,” I replied. What the hell was wrong with me?
“So, text me your address and I’ll send a car for you around eight,” he said.
“Eight o’clock tonight?”
“Yes, unless that’s a problem, of course,” he replied.
“N-no, eight is fine,” I stammered.
“Okay, great. I’ll see you later tonight then,” he said cheerily. “Oh, and make sure you wear something dressy. I’m going to take you somewhere very classy.”
“Where?” I asked, already sensing what his reply was going to be.
“It’s a surprise.”
* * * * *
I couldn’t help but feel excited as I got ready for my next date with the handsome, stylish, and obviously financially well-off Alex Westbrooke. He was smooth, sexy, seductive, and chock full of surprises. I had no idea what to expect tonight. This time, I called Joana over to help me get ready for my date. I mean, she had done such a remarkable job of dolling me up the first time, after all.
“Okay, so where are you guys going tonight?” was the first question out of her mouth when she arrived.
“Well, see that’s kind of the thing. I don’t know where he’s taking me,” I confessed with a shrug and a grin of pure cluelessness.
“What? How the hell am I supposed to dress your ass up properly when I don’t even know where the fuck you guys are going?” she exclaimed, half-joking and half-serious.
“Oh, come on, Jo! You’re the expert, here. Just work your goddamn magic on me and quit asking me questions!”
Three cocktail dresses later, she had me looking—and feeling—like a million dollars all over again. Jo was like the sister I never had.
She had picked out a long, form-fitting scarlet-colored cocktail gown that dipped down into a V-shape in the front and had shiny little rhinestones along the cleavage line. The back of the dress hung down below my waist, revealing my entire back, giving it both a sexy but elegant look that made me feel like I had stepped right out the pages of a fashion magazine. She matched it up with a pair of strappy burgundy stiletto sandals that crisscrossed around my toes, and a silver necklace, earring, and bracelet set that completed my ensemble with flawless perfection.
She also did my makeup—again—piling on the mascara and eye shadow and making my eyes pop in a way that I’d never seen them do before.
“I’m gonna start charging your ass by the hour if you keep calling me over here to dress you up every time you go out with Mr. Fancy Schmancy Long Schlong!” she said bossily, with her hands on her hips.
“And I will gladly pay you each and every time, bitch!” I replied, rolling my eyes teasingly.
I turned back around to admire my appearance in the mirror, smiling proudly at my own reflection.
Just then, I heard a horn blow outside my apartment.
“Oh, my God, that must be him!” I said anxiously.
“Well, come on, don’t keep the man waiting,” she said as she ushered me out toward the front door.
I put a shawl around my shoulders in case it cooled off during the evening and picked my purse up as I headed toward the door.
“Thanks again, Jo!” I paused to turn around and embrace her. “I don’t know what I’d do without you!”
“You would absolutely fucking die without me,” she said in a teasingly stern voice. I burst out laughing as I opened the door to leave.
* * * * *
As it turned out, Alex actually ended up taking me to the opera. Now that was something I hadn’t expected. In fact, it probably never would have even crossed my mind to go to the opera in a million years.
The performance was absolutely mind-blowing, though. I found myself experiencing so many emotions all throughout the entire show. One minute I was laughing, the next I was crying, and a moment later, I was fervently standing up to applaud. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.
The opera was so much more than just people singing on a stage. There was a story—an emotionally-charged story to the presentation— and it was like a play and a concert and even a movie—all rolled up into one incredible performance.
The show was about two young star-crossed lovers whose families didn’t get along. They were seeing one another in secret and got married without each other’s families knowing. Then, one day the young man was sent off to fight off in a battle. While in battle, he realized he was fighting the brother of his beloved wife. He couldn’t bring himself to kill his wife’s brother, so the brother killed him. As he was dying, he revealed who he really was and the brother began to weep. Then, the brother had to tell his sister that he’d killed her husband, she revealed that she was with child, and her family came together to help raise the child. When the child grew up, he brought the quarrelling families together.
The performers captured every emotion in every scene and it really moved me. Every time I looked over at Alex, he would glance back at me with a proud grin on his gorgeous face. It was definitely a night I would never forget.
* * * * *
When we finally got back to Alex’s place, we were all over each other. We had barely made it through his front door before we started kissing, caressing, and grabbing at each other’s clothing. Sex with him was becoming like a fucking drug for me and it was like I couldn’t wait to get high.
We kissed passionately, intertwining our tongues and biting each other’s lips as I frantically undid his suit jacket and practically ripped it from his shoulders. He unclipped the top of my dress and pulled it down to expose my breasts. Our mouths muffled our moans and heavy breathing as we hurriedly made our way over to his bed, stepping out of our shoes and tossing our garments off along the way.
I sat down on his bed wearing nothing except my black lace boy-cut panties and pulled him over to me by his leather belt. He was already shirtless and I immediately looked up at him with a sexy smirk on my face and began to tug at his pants, undoing his belt buttons and zipper, and sliding them down over his hips and buttocks. He had on a pair of dark silk boxers and I licked my lips as I pulled them down, freeing his erection.
I took him into my mouth, slowly, looking up at his face. He sucked in a breath, closed his eyes, and threw his head back. Running my hand along his length, I twirled my tongue around the tip and he arched his back and let out a moan. It turned me on to no end to see him so hot with desire for me. I could already feel myself becoming wet between my thighs.
My moans of passion were muffled by his girth as I bobbed my head back and forth, taking him deeper into my mouth each time, until I could feel him all the way in the back of my throat. He hissed with pleasure and grabbed my head, massaging my hair as I ran my lips up and down his shaft.
“Oh, Holly, I want you so bad,” he groaned, pushing me down onto the bed. Reaching between us, he yanked my panties down over my legs and tossed them onto the floor.
“God, Holly, you’re so fucking sexy,” he said in a gruff, seductive voice, and I felt sexy. I always felt so sexy, comfortable, and free when I was with him.
And then, his face was between my thighs and his tongue was sending sensation after sensation shooting all throughout my body, causing me to moan and writhe with pleasure. I grabbed his head and thrust my hips upward, crying out in sheer delight as he continued to flick his tongue against my clit. His fingertips found my slit and he slid two inside me, applying just the right amount of pressure to send me into a frenzy.
He knew just how to bring me right up to the brink of my climax, and then he would stop, leaving me hot, wet, and panting with overwhelming desire. He pushed my legs back until my knees were damned near touching my ears, then he let out a deep, long moan as he slowly entered me. A cry of passion escaped my lips as he filled me with his length and I gasped as he began to thrust into me.
“Oh, yes, Alex!” I breathed, between pants and moans of pleasure as he continued to move in and out of me, holding my legs back and speeding up his rhythm until he was thrusting into me so fast and so hard that both of my legs started shaking uncontrollably.
I felt myself about to explode in climactic bliss and my entire body tensed up.
“Oh, fuck, Alex, I’m about to…” He plunged into me deep and hard and I was unable to finish my statement as it sent me over the edge and my orgasm peaked. I let out a long, loud cry of ecstasy as my back arched and my hips bucked reflexively.
Alex groaned loudly as he came soon after, and his eyes closed and his mouth dropped open. Then, panting and sweating, he collapsed on top of me.
* * * * *
The following morning, I was awakened by the smell of fresh coffee. I sat up and realized that Alex was no longer lying beside me. There was a black satin robe sitting on the bed next to me so I threw it on and went out to the kitchen.
“Morning, beautiful,” he said with a smile. He was already dressed in a blue button-down and a pair of slacks. “How do you like your coffee?”
“Two creams and three sugars, please,” I told him as I sat down at the table.
“I wanted to make you breakfast but I have a meeting I need to get to,” he said.
“Alex, there’s something I need to tell you,” I said, sipping my coffee and then sitting it back down on the table.
“What’s up?” he asked, taking a seat across from me.
“I’m moving back to my hometown at the end of the school year,” I said solemnly.
“Oh,” he said, looking down at his coffee cup.
“Well, actually, I had already decided this before you and I met,” I told him, unable to look into his piercing blue eyes. I could feel him staring at me. He seemed to be at a loss for words.
“But I thought you said you really loved it here in the city?” he asked.
“No, I do! I really do. I mean, there’s really nothing else I’d love more than to buy that little Italian bakery and reopen it myself—but—well, that’s never gonna happen, anyway. Besides, my mom said she could get me a job at the hospital where she works—at least until I find something else…” My words trailed off and the two of us sat there in an awkward silence.