CHAPTER 12
Sarah
The intercom buzzed. Wearing my new Prada dress and strappy heels, I hurried as fast as I could to answer it. It was Ari’s driver, Andre. Five minutes early, he was here to pick me up. Excitement pulsed through me like bubbly champagne. Still not having mastered the sexy little beasts on my feet, I carefully dashed back to my bedroom to grab my purse and the Bergdorf’s shopping bag containing Ben’s gift. Fingers crossed he would like it. I gave myself a final look in my mirror. The gorgeous floral dress looked amazing on me, and somehow the array of bright red and cocoa roses brought out the color of my chocolate brown eyes. I smiled at my reflection and it smiled back at me.
1001 Park Avenue was located on the northeast corner of Eighty-Fifth Street and Park. It was one of those majestic, pre-war high-rise buildings with a forest green awning at the entrance. After Andre helped me out of the limo, a doorman promptly greeted me.
“I’m here to see Mr. Golden,” I said.
“You must be Miss Greene. He’s expecting you.” The doorman gave me a quick once over and a saucy grin. I wondered how many of Ari’s women he had met.
He swung open the front door to the building and ushered me into an elegant lobby combining creamy marble with rich brown leather furniture, oriental rugs, gilded sconces, and elaborate floral arrangements. What most attracted my attention was the magnificent coffered ceiling. Having studied architecture as part of my coursework at RISD, I had an appreciation of the handcrafted details.
“Mr. Golden’s apartment is on the top floor.” The penthouse! “The private elevator is to your right.”
Taking a fortifying breath, I headed toward the elevator, acutely aware of the clicking sound my sharp heels made on the polished marble floor. I pushed the UP button, and the gilded door slid open to a pristine interior with upholstered walls and polished handrails. My heart was pounding, and my fingers trembled as I pushed the button for the penthouse. I was nervous about seeing Ari again and meeting his family. Only yesterday, he was a stranger on a train.
Without making any stops, the elevator reached the penthouse floor in no time. The door slid open again. Exiting the elevator, I found myself standing in an elegant marble foyer that must have stretched fifty feet. The creamy walls were lined with large, abstract paintings and next to the archways stood pedestals with imposing vases of fragrant white roses and lilies. Holy cow! I had stepped right into Ari’s breathtaking apartment. A Rubenesque, Hispanic woman wearing a black and white aproned-uniform approached me. She also wore a warm smile.
“Hola. You must be Señorita Greene. I am Luisa. Señor Golden has been looking forward to your visit. Follow me, por favor.”
She led me to a palatial, step-down living room with a spectacular view of the city. It was filled with fabulous Art Deco furniture, the overall color scheme beige with accents of burgundy and turquoise. An exquisite antique rug anchored the room, and all around there were outstanding paintings, sculpted pieces, and more flowers. Wow! This place must have cost a small fortune to decorate. It was straight out of Architectural Digest.
A woman, who looked a lot younger than the sixty-years she likely was, sat on one of the fringed silk couches, sipping champagne. She was very elegant, with her platinum blond hair pulled back in a regal chignon and clad in an expensive, white linen pantsuit that was accented with lots of chunky gold jewelry. This, of course, was Ari’s mother. They shared many of the same features, including bronzed skin, jewel blue eyes, and a strong jawline. Before she could introduce herself, a familiar, velvety voice from behind me called out my name.
“Saarah.”
My heart leaped into my throat, and I spun around. Ari, with his young son beside him, strode into the room. He was still wearing the jeans and blue-and-white striped shirt, but he had changed from his tennis shoes into a pair of shiny black loafers. Alligator? He wasn’t wearing socks.
His face brightened at the sight of me, his blue eyes twinkling. He quickly gave me the once-over. I bet he was already using his x-ray vision to see through my dress. No, I wasn’t wearing panties beneath the Prada just as he’d requested. He flashed a knowing smile.
“Let me introduce you. You’ve met my son, Ben.”
The little boy politely held out his hand for me to shake. “Hey, you’re the lady from the park.”
I nodded and smiled. He was absolutely adorable in his pint-size version of Ari’s ensemble. “Happy Birthday!” I handed him the bag. “This is for you. I hope you like it.”
“Cool! Thanks!” He peeked inside and gazed up at his father. “Daddy, can I open my present?”
“In a minute, my little man.”
Entwining his arm with mine, Ari led me over to the platinum-haired woman. Ben followed behind us.
“Saarah, this is my mother, Lila.”
Setting her flute of champagne on the glass coffee table, the elegant woman rose and planted a kiss on each of my cheeks.
“So lovely to meet you, my dear. And I adore your dress.”
Her deep voice was breathy, with the affectation of someone who was wealthy and cultured. I instantly liked her, drawn to her warm, inviting personality. She smiled at me.
“Ari has told us so much about you.”
Inwardly, I cringed. Did he tell her that we fucked on a train? And how he taught me how to eat lobster?
“Nice to meet you too,” I said nervously.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
My mouth fell open as another woman breezed into the room. She was clad in ivory linen trousers that accentuated her long legs and a jade green silk blouse that looked stunning against her flaming shoulder-length hair. It was the beautiful redhead!
“And, Saarah, this is my twin sister, Gwen.”
His twin sister? I was speechless.
The willowy redheaded beauty extended her long-fingered hand. I shook it; her grip was firm.
“So, we officially meet at last.” Her tone was frosty, totally unlike her mother’s.
She made me uneasy. I forced a half-smile. “Yes, finally.”
“Can I open my present now?” asked Ben eagerly.
A dimpled smile formed on Ari’s lush lips. “Sure. Go ahead.”
Wasting no time, the little boy removed the package from the bag and tore off the wrapping paper. The box was marked Jimmy Choo. At the last minute, after discovering that I didn’t have another box for my gift, I’d decided to recycle it. Regrettably, I had no further use for it.
“You got me shoes?” the little boy exclaimed, disappointment evident in his voice and on his frowning face.
Ari shot me a look that read: What the fuck?
“Open it.”
The little boy ripped off the lid, and a big smile exploded on his adorable face.
“Cool! A train.” He immediately dropped to his knees and rolled it on the hardwood floor. “Choo-choo-choo-choo-choo-choo-choo!” He gazed up at me with his green as a Christmas tree eyes. “Where’d you get this?”
Ari gave his son a stern look. “That’s not polite, Ben. You should say thank you.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled, pleased that the little boy was so exuberant. “I made it when I was in college.”
Ari’s sister fired me a chilly look. “And, Sarah, what college might that have been?”
The look Ari shot back at her was definitely disapproving.
“The Rhode Island School of Design.”
“Such a prestigious school,” said Ari’s mother before Gwen had a chance to respond.
“You must come from quite a comfortable family to afford that kind of education,” Gwen quickly added, her tone snarky.
Ari was cringing. Before he could utter a word, I proudly said, “I was on a full scholarship, and I worked at both the campus art supply store and coffee shop to pay my expenses.”
My words worked magic.
“My late husband worked his way through school. It makes you appreciate your education,” said Ari’s lovely mother. His sister Gwen shut up.
Gleaning a little information that Ari’s father might have been a self-made man, my eyes shifted to Ben. He was examining the train, turning it upside down and spinning the wheels.
“Does this train need batteries?”
“Yes. It’s programmed. You can tell it to do all kinds of things.”
“Like what?” asked the little boy with wide-eyed curiosity. Even Ari and his family—including his judgmental sister—looked intrigued.
“Tell it to backup.”
“Train, backup!” Ben commanded with a hint of his father’s bossy tone.
Almost instantly, the train sped backward, crashing into Ari’s loafers.
Ben’s eyes lit up. “Wow! What else can it do?”
“Ask it to spell ‘come’”
Ari shot me a wry smile. Gah! Why did I choose that word? Did I have sex on my brain? Oh my God. What was I thinking? And there was an even bigger problem. I hadn’t worked out all the toy’s kinks, and couldn’t remember if I’d fixed the issue of the train only being able to spell phonetically. Shit. It could easily respond with: “C-U-M.”
“Okay, train, spell ‘come,’” Ben shouted while I held my breath.
“C-O-M-E,” the train spewed out in one of those computerized voices.
I inwardly sighed with relief at the welcomed four-letter word.
“Wow! It’s a brain train!” Taken by the toy, Ben ordered it to move forward. At his command, it shot across the living room. The excited little boy chased after it.
“Very impressive, Saarah,” said Ari in that low, sultry voice, his eyes shifting from his son to me. “You seem to do very well with trains.”
The innuendo sent a rush of tingles straight to my pussy. My muscles clenched as sparks of electricity filled the air between us. Damn him for making me want him!
Before I could get a word out, Ari’s sister asked me to help her with making a salad in the kitchen. As much as this stunning woman intimidated me, I couldn’t say no.
The kitchen, off the long foyer, was enormous. Twenty of my galley kitchens could easily fit inside it. Rich dark wood cabinets lined the walls, and in the center of the black and white tiled floor, there was an island. Luisa was scooting about the kitchen, organizing platters of tasty-looking Mexican food. The tantalizing smell of a baking cake wafted in the air.
“Luisa, we’ll take it from here,” said Gwen, already tearing up greens and placing them into the large ceramic bowl sitting on the island’s countertop.
“Sí, Señora. I will set up the dining room.” Grabbing a large platter of homemade burritos, she skittered out of the kitchen.
Without her asking, I helped Gwen with the salad, cutting up tomatoes and cucumbers. I noticed she wore a simple gold band on her left fourth finger, indicating that she was married. I wondered where her husband was but didn’t feel comfortable asking. We shared an awkward stretch of silence before Gwen started in.
“Sarah, you are the first one of Ari’s women that we’ve formally met.”
The words “one of Ari’s women” unnerved me. How many had he had?
Tearing up a head of romaine, she continued, her tone chilly. “And to the best of my knowledge, the first one that he’s brought to this apartment and introduced to Ben.”
I said nothing and tossed the cut-up veggies into the bowl.
“Sarah, I don’t know how long you’ve known my brother or how much you know about him.”
“We just met recently.” Make that twenty-four hours ago, I added silently. “I don’t know him well.”
“Then, let me tell you a few things.” Her face darkened as her voice grew menacing. “My brother is very fragile. He was in an extremely abusive relationship. The divorce, in which I represented him, was very damaging and costly.”
So, she was an attorney. No wonder she was so adept at interrogating me. I bet she could be quite intimidating in a courtroom, but I wasn’t going to let those tactics get to me in a kitchen. I was eager to hear more.
“My brother—and his son—have both been in intense therapy over the last three years. Although Ben still suffers from nightmares, he doesn’t have any recollection of his mother. And thankfully, Ari is finally beginning to heal.”
I processed all of this information carefully and slowly. I was gaining insight into Ari’s former wife. It was clear to me that she had emotionally damaged both Ari and his son in some major way. While my lips were burning with questions, there was no way I was going to pry information from his fiendish sister. My gaze met hers in silence. Gwen’s emerald eyes flared and her lips, full like Ari’s, pressed into a thin, menacing line.
“Sarah, I’m very protective of my brother. Be careful. If you hurt him, you will pay the price.”
Her words made my blood run cold. Come on, Sarah, don’t let her intimidate you. And then I remembered, Sarah, plain and tall, wore combat boots.
“I don’t want to be hurt either.” With my cancer-stricken mother, I had enough pain in my life.
My words silenced her.
Dinner was casual. A Mexican buffet in the grand dining room that included a pitcher of Sangria. The polished blond wood dining table, which could be extended, was sized down to keep the dinner intimate. Ari sat at the head and his mother on the other end. I sat to the right of Ari, across from his sister, who was seated next to Ben.
While I’d piled my plate up with all the delicious-looking dishes, I didn’t have much of an appetite and mostly nursed my Sangria. Ari kept shooting me flirtatious smirks that didn’t go unnoticed by his suspicious sister. Her eyes darted back and forth between us, catching the sparks flying in the air.
The conversation was also casual. I mostly listened. I lived by the saying: Speak only when spoken to. Ari’s mother chatted about her philanthropic endeavors that ran the gamut from fundraising for MOMA to educating children in third world countries, while Gwen mentioned that her husband Greg, an economist, was at a global warming conference in Norway. All Ben wanted to talk about was the superhero movie he’d seen in the afternoon and his new train. I was pleased he liked it so much.
Hunger kicked in as I began to relax. I dug into the Mexican food and was glad I did. Luisa’s burritos were absolutely delicious, filled with chicken, beans, cheese, and just the right amount of hot salsa, while the salad Gwen and I had made had turned out well. Then, suddenly as I ingested my last forkful of the cheesy burrito, cleaning my plate, an unexpected sensation under the table made me jolt in my chair and choke. Holy guacamole! Ari had taken off one of his loafers and was rubbing his bare foot up and down my leg. I managed to swallow what was in my mouth as his deft foot made its way under my flowy dress—just in time before his big toe found my clit and started to work it. Hard little circles of erotic pleasure. Oh God! He was making me wet and wild. Stiffening, I gripped the sides of my chair so that I wouldn’t squirm. A mixture of love and hate surged through me. The liar! He said he wouldn’t try anything in front of his family. To rile me up more, he shot me a deadpan stare.
“Saarah, you really must have another one of Luisa’s homemade burritos. They’re the best this side of the Rio Grande.”
How did he seriously expect me to eat at a time like this? If I let go of the chair, I was going to leap to my feet and scream.
Gwen eyed me suspiciously. “Sarah, are you okay?”
I nodded. If I dared open my mouth, shrieks and whimpers might fly out. Ari’s big toe was relentless, and my clit was going crazy from his latest game of footsie.
Gwen’s legal eagle eyes stayed on me. “Why don’t you tell us a little bit more about yourself?”
I’m hot as hell, and I want to scream. “Um, uh, I work for a toy company.”
“That’s the bestest job ever!” beamed Ben.
“Which one, my dear?” asked Ari’s mother.
For a second, I didn’t remember. The hot, pulsating sensation between my legs was taking up all of my concentration. Yikes!
“Ike’s Tikes,” I finally stammered.
“That’s so cool!” exclaimed Ben. “I’ve got lots of those little beanbag thingies. Wanna come see my collection?”
Ari looked my way again, his beautiful face a total poker face. “Sarah will come as soon as dinner is over.”
“I’d love to!” I gulped.
Holy shit! I might not last that long. Slathered with my wet heat, his big toe rammed into my pussy. Once inside, he jabbed it in and out. The pressure was building. My heart was racing and my temperature rising. I was falling apart, my pussy begging, desperate for release.
Ari, the madman, was enjoying every minute of his ministrations as I began to unravel. I couldn’t take it anymore. Waves of ecstasy started to crest through my core. Oh my God. I was going to have an orgasm right here in front of Ari’s mother, sister, and son! Oh please, not here…Oh please, yes now!
I was so close. Just as I thought I would scream out in divine pleasure and create a scene I’d regret forever, Luisa entered the room with the candlelit birthday cake. Everyone shouted “Happy Birthday,” including happy, happy me.
As Ben made a secret wish and blew out the candles, my wish came true. Sweet spasms coursed through me, zapping every cell in my body. The flames on the candles might be extinguished, but I was on fire.
“I hope everyone enjoyed dinner,” said Ari as Luisa sliced a piece a cake for everyone.
He withdrew his toe and shot me a playful glance. I tried to keep my cool as he stuffed himself with a mouthful of the cake and then sensuously licked the creamy icing off his fork with his tongue.
Unable to form words, I gulped down a big bite of the cake. Gwen shot me a dirty look. The intensity of the fire raging in my body was equal to that of the iciness coating her eyes. Damn him! Damn her!
Shortly after the cake was served, Ari’s sister and mother dismissed themselves from the table to call it a night. While Ari’s mother gave me a warm embrace and said she hoped to see me again, Gwen left with a cold goodbye. The chill in her eyes told me that she had not warmed up to me one bit. The feeling was mutual. Not only did I dislike her, I distrusted her, and the less time I had to spend with her the better.
“Do you wanna come see my playroom now?” asked Ben as I, too, was about to say goodnight. Before I could utter a word, he clutched my hand and led me down the long foyer. Ari trailed close behind us. I could feel his eyes on me and imagine the satisfied smirk on his face. I was still experiencing intense tremors from my orgasm, and I bet he knew it.
The huge paneled room, located at the end of the hallway, was lined with built-in shelves filled with toys. I recognized them all—from Moshi Monsters to Transformers. On a wall facing a plumped-up slipcovered couch was the biggest flat screen television I’d ever seen. It must have been close to five-feet long. Bringing my attention back to the toy-lined shelves, Ben proudly showed me his sizeable collection of Ike’s Tikes. He must have owned every one of the collectible little beanbag characters. And then my eyes landed on a toy that brought a smile to my face—a Green Power Ranger. For sure, the original one from the 1990s. I had loved the Power Rangers growing up, and my favorite had been Tommy, the Green Ranger, because he was somewhat of an outsider like me. I’d actually had a secret crush on him.
“Wow! Where’d you get the Green Ranger?” I asked Ben.
“It was Daddy’s when he was growing up.”
Ari gazed at me sheepishly, looking almost embarrassed that he had once played with Power Rangers. Now, I suppose he only played with power. And clits.
“My father bought it for me,” he said, flushing. “The Green was my favorite because I was really into the martial arts. I still practice.”
So Ari, the warrior god, was also a martial artist. Fitting.
“Grandpa’s name was Benjamin like mine,” interjected Ben. “That’s a photo of him,” he added, pointing to a framed photo on an end table.
My eyes shifted to the photograph of a handsome dark-haired man who had his arm wrapped around an angelic golden-haired boy. The child looked to be the same age as Ben and bore a striking resemblance. Of course, Ari and his father. I could detect the loving bond between them, further evidenced by the fact that Ari had named his son after him.
“Do you want to play Pac-Man with me?” asked Ben, plopping down on the couch and grabbing a remote.
“Ben,” chided Ari, “I don’t think—”
I cut him off. “Sure. You first.”
Ben loaded the game onto the big screen TV and began clicking the remote with his thumbs. Both Ari and I kept our eyes riveted on the screen as he managed to get to level three, scoring 1235 points.
“Okay, your turn.” Beaming with pride, the little boy handed me the remote. Ari fired me a bemused look. Like I was out of my mind.
“Good luck, Saarah,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Thanks,” I said brightly. Ha ha. Just wait.
Without wasting a second, I plunked down on the comfy couch and began feverishly pressing the remote with my thumbs. My eyes stayed glued to the cute little yellow open-mouthed face gobbling up pellets and striving to eat enemies before they ate me. In high school, no one could beat me at Pac-Man. Or at RISD. It had been a while since I’d played, but I hadn’t lost my touch. Ten minutes later, I was at level five with 5020 points.
“Wow!” exclaimed Ben. “You’re awesome.”
Ari’s brows lifted with shock and then a smirk slid on his kissable lips. “Saarah, you are surprisingly good at manipulating things with your hands.”
The innuendo (and boy, was he full of them tonight) made my cheeks heat and my skin prickle. And not just on the back of my neck.
“Let’s play again,” begged Ben.
A familiar voice stopped me from answering. “It eez bedtime for Señor Ben.”
Standing at the entrance to the room was Luisa, her arms folded under her buxom chest. A warm smile spread across her bright-eyed face.
Ben frowned. His father gave him a signal to get up, tilting his chin toward the foyer.
“No fair,” he sulked.
The cutie-pie reluctantly rose from the couch, leaving the remote behind, and shuffled over to Luisa. She wrapped an ample arm around the child’s slender shoulders.
“Luisa, I’ll be there in a minute to tuck him in and read him a good-night story,” said my companion.
I was impressed by what a devoted father he was. A pang of sadness stabbed me. That was something I had never had in my life.
The adorable little boy gazed up at me and then unexpectedly broke away from Luisa to give me a hug. The warmth of his little arms wrapped around my waist radiated throughout me. My heart melted.
“Thanks, Sarah, for my cool train. Can you come over and play Pac-Man with me again?”
I fired an uncertain look at Ari. The impassive expression on his face was unreadable. “Maybe,” he said. My heart quivered, not knowing what that meant.
After wishing us “buenas noches,” Luisa shepherded Ben out of the room, leaving me alone with Ari. Despite the mixed messages this devastating man was giving me, I didn’t want this evening to end. I wanted to be in his arms and make delicious love with him in his bed. Don’t go there, Sarah. I was hit hard with the realization that it was time for me to leave. That I would not be spending the night. His house, his rules.
“I should say goodnight.” My voice wavered.
“Wait for me here. I’ll be right back.” He abandoned me but returned quickly holding a small shopping bag. “Yours,” he said softly, handing me the bag.
With just a glance, I knew what was inside. I took out the Jimmy Choo box and lifted the lid. Inside were the black satin peep-toe stilettos. I was on the verge of crying.
“Thanks.” My voice was watery.
He tilted up my chin with his thumb as I fought back tears. “I thought you might like to have them back. You’re quite a Cinderella.”
In some way, at this moment, I felt like Cinderella. A clock gonged in my head. It was time to leave. That was the deal. His next line confirmed it.
“I’ll walk you to the elevator.”
Planting his hand on the small of my back, he ushered me out of the room and walked by my side as we traversed the long foyer. There was no more physical contact, not even the holding of a hand. Maybe, “maybe” really meant maybe. Or never. I had to remember that this man was afraid of a relationship. Afraid of commitment. I had to accept that. It just wasn’t as easy as I thought.
Ari pushed the button by the elevator and the door immediately slid open. To my shock, he shoved me into the carriage, straight into the corner. As the door closed, he pinned me against the upholstery with his hip and crushed his lips onto mine. The kiss was fierce, all-consuming, and passionate. As the elevator descended, a fire re-ignited in my core and coursed through my body. Oh what a kisser this gorgeous god was!
When the door reopened, he pulled his lips off mine. I was breathing heavily, and my legs were trembling.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” he said, leaning his body against the door to hold it open.
“Sure,” I said breathlessly.
“Andre is waiting for you outside to take you home.”
My heart clenched. Reality. I was going home.
As I stepped out into the lobby, he placed his strong hands on my shoulders, holding me back. He spun me around to face him. My skin tingled from his touch as his warm breath skimmed my cheeks.
“Goodnight, Saarah.”
My gaze held his as if we would never see each other again. I held back the tears that were threatening to fall.
“Goodnight,” I said softly.
Forcing myself to not look back, I headed toward the entrance of 1001 Park Avenue. I heard the elevator door close behind me. My heart sank. He didn’t ask me out. Or even ask me to meet him for a coffee or a run. Clutching the bag with my shoes, I stepped into the foggy New York night, unsure if any form of “we” was meant to be.