Thirteen

LILAH

The air in his foyer is too thick to draw an adequate breath. I can’t stop panting even though it feels like I came eons ago. Dazedly, I drag my hand up to my tender and swollen lips.

I’ve never been kissed so passionately or brought to orgasm so easily. I feel exposed and raw, despite the fact that Andrew didn’t remove a single piece of my clothing.

Holy hell.

He’s still holding me in place against the wall as if he’s afraid to let me go. And for good reason. I’m having a hard time feeling my legs.

After a few moments of staring pointedly over his shoulder, I meet those ominous eyes dead on and nearly crumble. He looks ready to pounce at any moment.

Little by little, my senses return to me and shake me out of my pleasure-induced haze.

Overwhelming satisfaction courses through me, quickly followed by searing shame. I can’t believe I just let him do that to me.

Dropping my hand from my lips, I shake my head and hear him swear under his breath like he’d been waiting for this reaction, yet regretting it all the same.

“I have to go,” rushes out of my mouth jerkily.

Mercifully, Andrew steps back just enough to let me stand on my own. He watches me wordlessly, those blue eyes clocking my every move.

With trembling hands, I fix my skirt. “I’m sorry, Andrew, that shouldn’t have happened.”

Still, he doesn’t utter a word as I trip all over my tongue, stammering like an idiot. I feel my anger rising at his relaxed demeanor.

What have I done?

Without warning, Andrew pulls the same hand that cupped me so erotically to his nose. Taking a deep inhale, hunger becomes evident in his unwavering gaze.

“You smell so fucking good, Cupcake.” He breathes in my scent once again. “Good enough to eat.”

He did not just say that!

My knees nearly give out again, but I catch the edge of the console table just in time to save me any embarrassment. Not that it matters at this point. I’m mortified beyond measure at my reckless behavior.

“I have to go,” I repeat quietly, inching past him to get to the door.

I’m grateful but also a little bummed when he doesn’t try to stall my escape. He just stares at me coolly while I snatch down my bag and jostle the doorknob agitatedly. The damn thing won’t open.

Andrew appears over my shoulder without a sound and places his arm over mine to undo the antique latch holding the door in place. When he turns the knob, the door opens without protest.

Of course.

Feeling more flustered than ever, I mutter something about rescheduling our meeting before dashing out of the door. I run as fast as my feet can manage, only stopping when I reach the driver’s side door.

Pausing, I take in a lungful of the fresh night air before disengaging my locks. In the driver’s seat, I throw a furtive glance back to the entrance of Andrew’s house and see that his eyes still haven’t deserted me.

***

“Well, aren’t you just glowing?” my best friend, Charli, observes cheekily when she opens the door.

After stopping by the corner store for a cheap bottle of wine, I steered my car in the direction of her apartment. Nothing like some wine and girl talk to put your careless actions in perspective.

“I brought wine,” I announce drably, trudging inside her beautifully air-conditioned home.

I adore Charli’s place. It’s small and chic, tastefully decorated and the air conditioning works seven days a week. It’s heaven and the type of place I dream of having one day when my current financial storm blows over.

“I’ll go get us some glasses,” she says, disappearing into her kitchen.

I walk over to her plush sofa and plop down, letting the soft cushion cradle my ass. The cushions on my couch would usually just sink right along with me.

Charli reappears with a dramatic flourish, setting the glasses down on the coffee table in front of us. Seated beside me, she offers me a corkscrew to open the wine but I wave her off.

“You’re cute,” I tell her, grabbing the bottle and turning the twist top.

My friend erupts into her roaring, trademark laugh. “I should have known,” she says, giggling.

“Charli, I fucked up,” I groan, taking a long sip.

Charli studies me with that all-knowing gaze and I feel just as exposed now as I did earlier in Andrew’s foyer.

“I don’t see how,” she states, pulling a pillow into her lap. She toys with the fringes absentmindedly. “You looked pretty satisfied when you showed up just now.”

My cheeks warm at her sage assessment. “That’s not the point! He’s a client. I should have never gone there. I may have ruined everything.”

“What makes you think that?”

“He just fondled me when I was supposed to be there for a business meeting.”

Charli purses her lips and looks at me knowingly. “Come on, Lilah. Did you really think you were going to get any work done?”

She’s right but I’ll be damned if I admit it. Andrew’s intentions were evident the second he summoned me to his place. I should have put my feet down. Instead, I’d thrown my leg around his waist while he gave me one of the most satisfying orgasms I’ve ever had.

All without removing the barrier of my panties.

“I’m just worried,” I tell her, gnawing on my bottom lip. “He’s my only client and if things get any more complicated between us, he may leave me hanging and Edward will be all too happy to let me go. He’s obsessed with Andrew and if he leaves then I’ll get the boot.”

Charli’s forehead wrinkles. “Your only client? Don’t you find that a little odd?”

Shrugging, I tell her my theory. “I’m only there to prove myself so I can land this investment. I guess he figures one client is enough for that at the moment.”

Charli doesn’t comment on that but throws a new question out in the air.

“Did you ever figure out how they might be related?” she wants to know.

“No,” I frown, taking another sip of wine. “Every time I try to Google them, I go down a black hole of information. There’s a ton of information about them individually but nothing that puts them together. Not even a highbrow event they’ve attended at the same time.”

“Do they look alike?” She asks.

“Not really. The only thing they have in common is their last name, their height and they were probably born within five years of the other, like a thousand other men in this town. Other than that they’re complete opposites. At least from what I’ve observed. It’s like they’ve both gone out of their way to avoid each other. Although I could just be grasping at straws and it could all just be a coincidence.”

“Hmm,” she hums lowly before hugging the pillow to her chest. “Maybe they’re distant cousins or something.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” I follow up, grabbing her remote to find something for us to watch.

I’ve already tired of this conversation and I want to forget my irresponsible behavior earlier. What better way to do that than with some trashy reality TV?

Charli gives me a pointed stare before sharing a word of warning.

“Well, with so much money involved, things are bound to get messy at some point. Are you sure you’re prepared for that?”

“Of course,” I say, nodding emphatically. Nothing is going to keep me from achieving my dreams. Too much time has already been wasted on rejections and lack of resources. It’s all or nothing from here on out.

I tell her as much.

Still watching me carefully, she only nods and turns to look at the TV.

“Just be careful.”