Chapter Seven
I stood in the foyer, fidgeting nervously in my Vera Wang cocktail dress. It was five minutes past seven and Jackson was late. He was supposed to pick me up at quarter till, but that had come and passed and still, he wasn’t there.
When he finally arrived, I could tell he wasn’t in a good mood. Jackson put a hand on the small of my back and guided me into the Town Car. The sensation of his fingers against the silk of my dress were enough to turn me on, but I could tell Jackson wasn’t thinking about sex.
“Where are we going, anyway?”
Jackson shrugged. “Some work event.” He snickered. “I needed a date.”
I frowned. “And you wanted to take me?”
Jackson turned to me, his grey eyes wide. “Why, Bella. You’re my temporary assistant! Of course, I’d want to take you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So you’re going to lie,” I said flatly. My bad mood was turning even worse with each passing second.
Jackson shrugged. “It won’t hurt anyone. Besides, I thought you’d be glad to get out.”
I was, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. The past week I’d spent cooped up in that apartment, getting an early start for next semester’s reading. Despite my luxurious surroundings, Jackson hadn’t provided any actual cash…and as a result, I couldn’t really afford to leave. Still, it hadn’t exactly been torture. I’d been subsisting on all of the delicious snacks in the fridge. The expensive caviar had been top-notch, as had the smoked salmon and artichoke hearts in some kind of delicious olive oil. I hadn’t eaten food like that since the last time I’d dined with Mom and Mitchell. Thinking about it brought back all kinds of bittersweet memories.
“Belle, we’re here,” Jackson said impatiently. I stared out the window – the Town Car had pulled up in front of the Waldorf Astoria.
I raised my eyebrows. “So just some work event?”
Jackson shrugged once more. “I told you, I don’t pay attention to these things.”
Inside, I practically sprained my neck from looking around so much. The inside of the hotel was decorated splendidly – ropes and garlands of shiny tinsel hung from the ceilings, and everything was a bright, shiny silver. The people were all gorgeous, too – those slender New York City types, all dressed in black with bright red lips and smoky eyes.
I tugged at the hem of my Vera Wang, feeling more self-conscious than ever.
“I don’t know about this,” I said slowly. “Are you sure?”
Jackson nodded impatiently. “Of course I’m sure,” he growled. “Why the hell would I bring you if I weren’t?”
I could tell something was bothering him the whole night. He wasn’t the way he’d been the other day – if anything, he was back to his old, snide self. Every remark that came out of his mouth was a sarcastic jab. Finally, I decided to abandon Jackson and stay by the cocktail table. At least this way I can drink, I thought miserably.
The night dragged on and on. Jackson flitted throughout the room, laughing too loudly. I cringed whenever I heard his booming voice sailing through the air. It was like he was trying too hard to impress someone, but I had no idea who Jackson would even bother trying to impress.
“Hey there,” an unfamiliar voice said. “You new here?”
I turned around to see a handsome guy leaning against the wall by the bar. He had a friendly smile, dark hair, and brown eyes. He wasn’t as gorgeous as Jackson, but he must have been rich – his tailored suit and shiny shoes spoke of wealth.
“I’m actually here with Jackson Rhodes,” I said. “He’s…um, my boss. I’m his temporary assistant.”
The guy threw his head back and laughed. He handed me a glass of champagne. “You’d better drink, then, I bet you need it,” he said. “I’m Dustin. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Belle,” I said. “Pleased.” I extended my fingers, expecting a handshake. Instead, Dustin lifted my fingers to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. A pleasurable shiver crawled down my spine, mingled with guilt. I should find Jackson, I thought. He’s probably not going to like this.
“Nice to meet you, Belle,” Dustin said. “That’s a pretty name.” When he dropped my hand, I rubbed it against my dress as if to rid myself of his kiss.
“Thanks.”
“So, how long have you worked for Jackson?”
I frowned. Just as Dustin spoke Jackson’s name, I spotted him across the room. Jackson was talking to a group of women – they were all laughing, like he’d said something hysterical. Jackson turned and I watched his eyes search the room. When he found me and Dustin, his gaze hardened.
I frowned. “Why?”
Dustin shrugged. “Oh, just wondering,” he said. As he talked, I kept glancing over at Jackson. He’d stared angrily at Dustin for a minute, then turned away. My heart dropped in my chest as I watched Jackson reach over to one of the women and pull her close, kissing her on the lips.
“Oh!” I cried out. “Oh my god!”
Dustin frowned. “What’s going on?”
Tears welled up in my eyes. I can’t believe it, I thought. He brought me here just to flirt with other women in front of me! He brought me here to make me think that I’m nothing special!
I shook my head and broke into a run. Running across the marble floor of the Waldorf Astoria wasn’t easy, but I somehow made it. Tears blinded my vision and I started sniffling and gasping for air before I’d even reached the doors. I hate Jackson Rhodes, I thought angrily as I ran. I hate him so much! I wish he were dead!
Stumbling over my own feet, I almost fell right on my face but I managed to grab the door and jerk myself to my feet. Outside, the cold air assaulted me through my thin dress but I didn’t care. I knew that I had to get back to the apartment, get my stuff, and go home.
This whole plan had been stupid – it had been a ridiculous idea! Why the hell had I fallen for something like that? Why the hell had I listened to Jackson?
A sharp hand on my elbow made me whirl around.
“Belle!” Jackson yelled. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“I hate you!” I screamed. “I hate you so much!”
Jackson was staring at me with his lips open. His grey eyes clung to my body and I shivered under his gaze.
“Why did you run away, Belle?” Jackson crossed his arms over his chest. “Just tell me why, and I’ll let you go.”
I bit my lip. “I was jealous,” I said through sobs. “You only brought me there to make me miserable! You brought me there to show off in front of me with other women!”
Jackson pulled me close and crushed me savagely against his chest before I could move. I tried to push myself away from his body but he was stronger. For a moment, we tussled on the street. The wind whipped around us, obscuring my vision as strands of hair covered my eyes.
When I felt Jackson’s lips against my own, I couldn’t help but melt.
“Come on,” Jackson growled in my ear. “I’m taking you home.”
--
As soon as we entered the apartment, Jackson scooped me up in his arms and carried me down the hall. He dropped me on the edge of the bed and then stood back, his grey eyes boring intense holes into my face.
“Come to me,” Jackson growled. Nervously, I scooted down to the edge of the bed and got onto my hands and knees, moving slowly towards him. His shirt looked so crisp and white in the candlelight, like he was a dream, or some kind of vision. This is too perfect to be a dream, I thought as I stroked my hands down the crisp cotton. As I began to fumble with his shirt, I looked into Jackson’s intense grey eyes. His expression was calm, serious, but I could see the fire there as I pulled the fabric away from his body and laid it on the side of the bed. With a growl, Jackson pushed his shirt onto the floor. He laid a hand at the center of my chest and pushed me backwards on the bed, then crawled on top of me. His skin felt like hot silk pressed against my body. His muscular arms cradled me, making me feel safe and protected. As our lips met, particles of light flew between our bodies. I could see them floating around us like electric sparks and particles in the air. Moaning softly, I arched my back and buried my head in the pillows.
Jackson slipped a hand under my back and eagerly pulled my body to his. His other hand trailed on my bare thighs, pulling the hem of my dress up to my waist. I didn’t even think about pushing him away. It felt completely natural, completely right to be practically naked under this perfect vision of a man. Jackson nudged my head up and planted a scorching line of kisses down my neck as he slid down my body. He nipped at the delicate skin around my collarbone and I cried out with pleasure as his hands slid under the tight fabric of my dress, pushing it up to my neck.
“Belle, I’m going to take your dress off now,” Jackson growled. I shivered – I knew that he wasn’t asking permission…instead, it was a demand. I arched my back as Jackson slipped his hands under my skirt and lifted it over my head. Jackson tossed it to the floor, then ran his hand down my breasts. I shuddered – I was wearing a lacy bra, but my nipples sprang to his touch and stiffened under the itchy, thin layer of fabric. Slipping a hand behind my back, Jackson unclasped the bra expertly, then eased the lace away from my body.
“You’re so sexy.” Jackson’s eyes travelled over my almost-naked body. Even though he’d seen me completely naked, I still felt more exposed than ever.
“I’m not.”
“You are,” Jackson growled. “End of discussion.” I groaned softly when I felt his lips fasten around one of my nipples and begin to suck. Heavenly pangs of feeling raced through my body and I groaned softly, arching my back and spreading my thighs under Jackson’s body. Between my legs was a wet, pulsing mess and I wanted him to touch me there so desperately that I thought I would die. He slid a hand between our bodies and rested his fingers against my crotch. The heat from his hand was enough to stimulate me, just a little, and it was almost more agonizing than not being touched at all. Groaning and writhing, I shoved my body close to Jackson’s and eagerly rubbed my pussy against his fingers.
Jackson was panting when he took his mouth away from my swollen nipple. Jackson sat up and I reached forward, fumbling with the silky material of his trousers and tugging them down his hips. Nervously, I traced my fingers down Jackson’s rock-hard abs, until I got to the waistband of his briefs. Jackson licked his mouth, his muscles bulging at my touch. I smiled – there was something intensely satisfying about knowing I was giving him pleasure. When I pulled my hand away, Jackson groaned. He grabbed my wrist, sliding my fingers over the hard bulge at the fork of his legs.
When I felt the size of Jackson’s hard dick under my hand, I blushed and groaned quietly. He moaned in response and ground his hips against my fingers. Jackson reached down and slid his fingers under the waist of my undies, slowly pulling them down my legs and slipping each thigh, knee, and foot out of the soaked material. I buried my face in my hands as the smell of my wet pussy filled the room. Jackson ran his fingertips up my naked legs and pushed my thighs apart, slowly lowering himself down onto the bed until he was eye-level with my secret place. The feeling of being utterly and completely exposed was driving me insane, and I blushed hotly as I felt Jackson’s warm breath on my soaked, bare skin.
“Belle,” Jackson growled. “I need you.” He yanked my hand away from my face, making me look at him. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I said softly. “Are you?”
Jackson moved to the side of the bed and reached into the nightstand, coming back with a silver square packet of foil. My mouth felt dry as I watched Jackson pull his underwear down his muscular thighs and throw them to the side. Naked, he was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. His skin was perfect, smooth, and glowing and his cock bobbed through the air. Blue veins pulsed at the side of Jackson’s cock and I shuddered.
Ripping the condom open with his mouth, Jackson yanked the condom of the packet and grabbed his cock with one hand, unrolling the latex sheath down. Watching Jackson touch himself sent a new feeling of lust through my body and I reached down and put my hands on his shoulders. The bedspread under my naked butt felt like silk and I snuggled into the soft bed as Jackson moved between my thighs. He reached down and grabbed my hip to steady himself, pushing the head of his cock against the entrance to my swollen pussy.
It didn’t really hurt, but I felt a thick, stabbing kind of pressure. I let out a small cry of discomfort and writhed on the bed, spreading my thighs wider and slipping further under Jackson’s bulky frame. His grey eyes met my own.
“This might hurt, Belle,” Jackson said. He leaned down and kissed me deeply, licking the moisture and sweat from my lips. I nodded silently and Jackson swept my soaked hair out of my face, straining against me. After what felt like an eternity, the pressure gave and a sharp agony, almost like a needle as big as a knife, hit me between the thighs. I tensed my muscles and dug my fingers into Jackson’s back.
For a moment, Jackson froze inside of me. “Are you still in pain?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said softly. “I’m fine.”
Jackson slid out of me, then pushed back in at a delicious, maddeningly slow pace. I groaned – the aches and pain were already starting to melt into something soft and warm and delightful. I felt like Jackson was gripping me between the legs, and I writhed and moaned loudly. Each time Jackson’s cock was buried inside of me, I felt his muscular body resting against my clit and it was an amazing sensation. I didn’t even know that I was holding my breath until my lungs began to ache for want of air. Gasping, I opened my mouth and breathed greedily as Jackson began to fuck me faster than before.
I slid my hands down Jackson’s body as he began thrusting his hips inside of me a little more rapidly. The discomfort had vanished and now I was arching my back and meeting his thrusts, spreading my legs as wide as I could to Jackson’s delicious thrusts. My nerves were on fire as Jackson’s hard erection filled every inch of my womanhood. My lower belly was clenching and I let out a passionate moan as Jackson slammed against my body. I could feel that my clit was swollen and I writhed underneath of Jackson, desperate for more stimulation.
Without warning, Jackson reached for my wrists and held them above my head with just one of his strong hands. Jackson lowered his head to my breast and I screamed at the sensation of his teeth against my nipple.
By now, we were both covered in a thin layer of sweat. As he fucked me, hot drips of salt water fell from his face and landed on my bare skin. I moaned softly, moving and twisting underneath of him. I wanted Jackson to fuck me for hours, to never stop, to keep going until we burned out like a black hole in the sky – driven to the end because of our lust.
“Yes,” I screamed loudly as something amazing and titillating clenched my lower abdomen. The feelings grew more intense and sharper by the second and I clamped my lips together, holding my breath, bucking my body against Jackson’s. Arching my back, I finally broke free of his tough grip and pulled his face towards mine. My eyes were screwed shut and I could hear myself moaning and screaming with pleasure but I didn’t even care how ridiculous I looked. It felt so wonderful, so heart-shatteringly amazing that I couldn’t even make myself breathe. As the intense wave of orgasm exploded inside of my body, I groaned and twisted, smearing my own perspiration all over Jackson’s chest. Jackson thrust and bucked and threw his head back towards the ceiling. He let out a loud, throaty cry and then I felt his cock pulsing inside of my pussy.
Jackson was breathing hard. He slid out of me, unrolled the condom from his cock and threw it to the side before curling up next to me. My skin was warm and damp, just like Jackson, but I didn’t mind. The perfect glow surrounding us, the intense feeling of love and desire that kept washing over my brain in huge, powerful waves, was too powerful to disregard.
I giggled.
“What’s so funny?” Jackson eyed me. “You laughed.”
Nervously, I licked my lips and grinned at him. “It’s just…. if I’d known it was going to be that good, I would’ve had sex a long time ago,” I said. I blushed. “But I’m glad I waited for you.”
A grin slowly stretched itself across Jackson’s perfect, sculpted face.
“I’m glad, too,” he said. He winked. “I’m really fucking grateful.”