Chapter 33

Lorali

A ding from my cell phone wakes me up. I try to sit up in bed but my ears are ringing. It’s obvious that I drank too much wine last night. I vow to never drink again as I make my way to the restroom. I take care of business and make it back to my bed before collapsing.

A second ding of my phone reminds me of the first one. With one eye open I reach for the offending piece of technology on my bedside table. Both texts are from Ian.

Ian: I have to cancel the dinner meeting tonight. I have an emergency I have to deal with out of town.

Ian: Are you mad? I promise to make it up to you!

What do I say? No Ian, you can’t cancel business plans you invited me to tag along for to take care of more business? I’m disappointed that I won’t see him tonight.

Lorali: That’s fine. I have a hangover anyway.

Ian: I hope there were no back rooms involved in your procurement of said hangover.

Is he jealous? Again? I smile, trying not to read into the whys of Ian’s concerns about me and other men. He seems territorial of me, and if I’m one hundred percent honest with myself, I like it.

Lorali: Only a living room.

Ian: Is that so?

I let him think on it a bit. This back and forth banter between us is quickly becoming one of my favorite past times.

Ian: Whose?

Lorali: Mine.

Ian: Is there a reason for your evasive short answers?

Lorali: Merely answering the questions as they come, sir. Is there a reason you’re so concerned about my evening?

Ian: May I call you?

My phone rings in my hand before I can respond.

“Lorali?” Ian rasps when I only accept the call but don’t issue a greeting.

“Hmmm?” I’m thrown for a loop at just how badly I needed to hear his voice and only realizing how much I’d missed it when I hear my name on his lips.

“Who did you spend your evening with, Lorali?” Is that a hint of anger I hear in his voice? I need to stop playing games with this man. He doesn’t have to put up with it from me and can easily go elsewhere for…relief.

“Alexa and Josie.” I answer simply.

“Who else?”

“And me.” I smile. He honestly thinks there was another man or men here.

“No men?” His tone is lighter.

“No, that breaks the rules.” I’m twirling my hair around my finger like a teenager on the phone with a high school crush.

“Rules?”

“Yes. No men are allowed when we discuss girl’s night out sexcapades.” We don’t actually have a rule, but he couldn’t possibly know that.

“Sexcapades huh? It happens so often you have to schedule aftercare meetings with your roommates?” I can hear the smile in his voice. He should know better than to ask.

“Ha! Well it happens so often with Alexa that we don’t even talk about her adventures anymore unless they’re super crazy and well, Josie… doesn’t have adventures. So I guess yesterday was our first meeting.”

I can hear him laugh on the other end of the line. “So speaking of Alexa. It seems your cousin is not susceptible to her charms.”

“How so?” He asks.

“Well apparently she propositioned him and he declined. That doesn’t usually happen to her. She’s positively wrecked.”

He laughs again. I love his laugh.

“Well I don’t know anything about that. I was too busy being declined by you.” Bringing up my sleeping in the car reminds me of the morning aftermath and torture I suffered at his hands, mouth and cock. I close my eyes as a wave of warmth flashes over my body.

“I thought we rectified that situation.” My voice is breathy and wanton.

His voice lowers as well. “Partial payment has been applied, but you’re far from complete absolution, Lorali.”

His words and the sound of his voice heat my core, my hand leaving my hair and resting on my exposed belly.

“Why, Mr. Hale. What can I do to ensure your forgiveness?” My hand slides past the top band of my panties. My breathing hitches when my middle finger grazes over my clit.

“I bet you wish that was my hand. Don’t you Lorali?” What the fuck! How does he know where my hand is?

I rip my hand from my panties guiltily, dropping my phone from my ear. I fumble with it trying to get it back to my ear. “What are you talking about?” I blurt my voice cracking. Busted.

“Don’t be shy, baby. Believe me I wish it were my hand, or even better, my tongue.” His voice is husky and just screams sex.

Before I can respond with what I’m sure would’ve been something totally embarrassing I can tell he pulls the phone away from his ear and says something to another person in the room with him.

“I’m so sorry, Lorali but I have to go soon. The plane is almost ready.” He sighs and it makes me think he's honest when he let on that he would rather be here with me than having to do whatever it is that’s calling him away. “Are you covering the Sweetheart Gala next Saturday?”

“Actually, yes? Why do you ask?” My heart rate’s increasing. This is the most romantic, extravagant event of the year in Denver, supporting the SPCA. It’s covered by way more press that just The Denver Currier. I’m talking high profile, red carpet, celebrities in attendance event.

“I’d love for you to accompany me.”

I can’t control the gasp that escaped my lips.

“Lorali? Something wrong?” The concern in his voice kills me. He wants to take me? I try to stifle my utter joy.

“I’d love to go with you, Ian!” Ok that sounded a little too enthusiastic.

“Excellent. I don’t have all the details in front of me so I’ll let you know schedules later this week. I have to go. Lorali. Talk to you soon.”

“Bye, Ian.”

I’m about to end the call and break out in my happy dance when I hear him again. ”Lorali?”

“Y…yes?” Did I seriously just stammer?

“No more backrooms for you unless I’m fucking you in it. Okay?” And just like that he has my body overheated and in need of release.

“Okay,” I whisper and then I hear him end the call.