The deafening sound of an alarm blaring loudly awoke me. Then the warm softness of a woman’s body alerted my manhood to come to attention. My senses instantaneously circulated down south. My body hummed as my arousal became evident. Slowly peeling my eyes open, the first thing I realized was Gisele’s face was merely inches from mine. My arm slung low around her hips, her left leg clung onto my thigh while my right leg lodged in between hers…and my stimulated manhood nestled against her bare mound.

How did we end up entangled like this? Didn’t I sleep on my back? Hell, I made an inward groan as my ravenous body fought not to move away from her moist cleft.

If I fuck her slowly, would she wake up? A shocking thought bubbled out of my mind, and I immediately shut it down. Fight it, you idiotic fuck. She’s forbidden. Remember that! But my cock persisted, and it instinctively nudged farther, rubbing against her parted pussy. Again. And again. The friction too good to resist. Somehow, I couldn’t get enough. In no time, my boxers were saturated with her wetness.

Gisele made the sexiest moan, ensuring my already rock-hard member to carry on my frantic grinding. Her leg tightly secured around my hip as she met my demand. Her lips parted before those stormy crystals slowly began to open, still in a dreamy state before she shut them again. “Jared,” she moaned in that deep raspy voice of hers. It almost made me come undone.

I knew then that if I didn’t stop, I’d regret taking her. Our situation was complicated enough; adding sex into the mix could only be disastrous. My body ached as I halted my frantic movements. My nostrils flared as I tried to steady the maddening beat of my heart. “I’m sorry, I can’t…We can’t do this.”

“Don’t stop…please,” she pleaded in a breathy voice. To prove how much she wanted me, she pressed her womanhood against my hardness and began to rock her hips, resuming what I started, moaning my name as she did so. “Jared…please.” She repeated her request. “You’re so huge…It feels so good,” she breathed out before I felt a fresh new wave of slickness soaking my boxers. “We’re not really having sex…just don’t move…I’m almost,” she choked out a moan, nearing ecstasy, “…there…”

Then she came apart, creaming all over me.

She imparted a mesmerizing smile before she kissed the tip of my nose. “Thank you for being such a gentleman. I’d have died had you pulled away.” Her pussy remained glued to my soaked boxers. Gray eyes glittered with mischief. She was teasing me, and I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or fuck her senseless.

“I have to go to the doctor’s,” she began to say as she untangled herself from me. Then her eyes dropped below, grinning madly at me at my blatant pained state. “Do you need help with that? I can spare time.”

This had to stop. It was best I went the direct route, hoping to curtail this budding madness that had sprouted the second I woke up with our sexes touching. I immediately disconnected from her playful banter. My lips pursed as I shifted out of bed, shrugging as I shook my head. “It’s okay. It’ll be taken care of soon,” I stated before raising my eyes to meet hers.

Her bright smile gradually receded. “Are you going to see Rose?” she softly inquired, clearly disheartened.

Steadily holding her gaze, I didn’t cower from baring the truth. “Yes. I am.”

“Like right now?” she asked in disbelief. The glitter in her eyes vanished. She tensed, seeming as if she wasn’t sure if she should believe me, as if she couldn’t fathom why I’d commit such a thing on our “wedding” day.

Playtime was well over and done with. I had made a mistake. It was my fault that I couldn’t refuse the temptation presented before me. It could’ve been worse, but I was pleased it hadn’t come to that. “After I’ve showered, I’ll be on my way. I’ll be back before noon. Will that be a problem?” She and I had an agreement, and I wanted to ensure the deal's validity. And to also ensure the barrier between us was well erected.

Gisele appeared saddened by my response. I realized I had made the right decision by immediately thwarting whatever hopes she had from flourishing.

"No." She hesitantly shook her head, flinching a little. "I understand."

She and I stood at either side of the bed, her nipples budding against the silk, still evidently aroused. Though she tried to hide the hurt, I could tell my statement got to her. The last thing I needed was for her to get attached to me. I had nothing to offer her; best she understood that from the start. I did the right thing—the best thing.

I made a curt nod, my expression less than thrilled as I threw her a glance before planning to leave her to get ready for her doctor’s appointment. "I'll see you soon."

"Have fun," she added with her acerbic tongue before I finally left her bedroom without looking back.

Gisele’s sarcastic attitude was expected, I supposed, but instead of pondering the why, what, or how, I trudged into my bedroom and into the shower, not caring what those entailed. After all, if I started caring, I’d be damned for the rest of my life. My marriage to Gisele was for her own protection as well as the company’s best interest, which affected us both directly. As long as we both focused on what was important, she and I would be fine. Having Rose as my mistress made sure that barrier between Gisele and me would remain solidly established. It would be best if Gisele knew I had no intentions with her. By keeping her at arm’s length, we were both safe. My heart had emptied a long time ago. I doubted any woman could resurrect that part of me. Paige St. James held my heart, my very soul. And the only way I could pay respect to our love was to never kiss another woman. I’d forever be alone until my time came to an end, and I could finally join my wife and daughter. There wasn’t a day that passed that I hadn’t thought of them.

In thirty minutes’ time, I was out of the house, driving my DB 11 straight to Rose's apartment in Pacific Heights. It was almost eight in the morning. An hour or two with her should relieve me enough.

Her one-bedroom apartment was rather spacious for so little a space. Since I lived minutes away, having her close had been an added bonus. But since I was moving into Peter’s compound in Atherton, the commute wasn’t going to work for me.

Rose had come a day after the raven-haired siren had stood me up. Her name was Lexi Anne. Several times, I’d been tempted to hunt her down, but I thought better. Somehow, in those fifteen minutes, she changed her mind. Could I begrudge her for being indecisive? Not really. Maybe my desperate actions put her off when I took her roughly against the tree because I couldn’t reel in the wave of lust that overtook me when I felt how tight she was. Her muscles gripped my finger so hard I almost came in my trousers then. Lexi fired my cock like no woman could. She was all sass and a major cock tease. Her model-like figure hypnotized me the moment our eyes met. She was with me all the way. Although she had begged me to slow down, I couldn’t recall a moment when she didn’t enjoy me and what havoc I caused her willing body. But apparently, something did offend her, so much so that she didn’t have the decency to look me in the eye and confront me about it. Although I would’ve appreciated more time to enjoy Lexi’s body, meeting Rose somehow made up for Lexi’s rejection.

Once I arrived outside Rose’s place, I hastily parked before getting out of the car. I ran a hand through my hair while I pressed the button on my key holder to ensure it was secured. She ran a graphic design start-up company, so she mostly worked at home. The woman gave me a key to her place the third day I sought her, stating that I could come in and ravish her whenever I fancied. Naturally, I was pleased with her accommodating nature. What man wouldn’t be? Therefore, I took advantage of her offer and would come at all hours, and she’d readily receive me without questions asked.

Before we properly began, I laid out my terms. No kissing, no personal questions unless I was willing to share them, and my life revolved around my work, so when I sought her body, it was my way of de-stressing. I’d also require her to accompany me to events or whatever social obligations I had to attend to on behalf of the company. When I was in an exclusive relationship, it was necessary for my doctor to administer thorough testing for any diseases, concluding it with a birth control shot. Pills were too unreliable. An unplanned pregnancy resulted in Paige’s death. I couldn’t fathom another tragic incident. Lastly, it was mandatory she sign a confidentiality agreement. After Yovanna’s candid magazine interview, I wasn’t going to take any chances. Women were…conniving when hurt, and I wasn’t going to be a victim of a woman’s erratic whims for the second time. Rose enthusiastically agreed to all of my requirements without hesitation. Again, her willingness to please me made her all the more amazing in my eyes.

“Rose?” I called out upon entering her home. She decorated it in all sorts of colors. There was no particular style; she basically threw in everything, colors clashing and all. Not only was it distracting, but it was a little cluttered for my liking. Then again, it was part of her charm.

“In here!” she instantly responded before I saw her come out of her bedroom, wearing a flimsy dress that went all the way down her ankles. It had all sorts of angular cuts, making her seem like a fairy of some sort. It didn’t matter. Seeing her brought all sorts of relief within me. Her face lit up upon seeing me.

No…I was lying when I stated the part of her that charmed me was her untidiness. It was the blatant fact that she closely resembled Paige. Those big brown eyes, thick brows, and high cheekbones…They were so like my wife. Not to mention their fascination with all things bohemian. How could I resist? The moment I found her lining up at our local coffee shop, I knew then that trying to locate Lexi was out of the question. It was mad really, but I simply couldn’t let Rose walk out of that café. Some might deem it creepy, but being with her brought a little of Paige back into my life.

“I’ve missed you,” she murmured before wrapping her arms around me and kissing the side of my neck.

“Good…because you have five days’ worth of frustration heading your way.” My hands cupped her bottom as I breathed her in.

For a second, Gisele’s face flashed before me. Her image didn’t disappear until I was balls deep into Rose’s body.

I didn’t leave until thirty past ten, and my body had furiously drained every last drop of semen into her depths. I fucked her straight for almost two hours. By the time we were done, she was out cold, passed out from all the orgasms I gave her. I left a soft kiss on her head before leaving to head back to Peter’s home. Before walking out, though, I stared down at Rose’s naked state, knowing she had to move closer to where I’d be. That entailed I purchase her a home somewhere in Palo Alto and provide her with whatever else she needed along with a generous monthly allowance. On the occasion when Gisele decided to provoke me with her body, I’d only have to drive fifteen minutes instead of an hour for sex. Yes, the more I thought about it, the more logical it became. The benefits outweighed the bad. I’d propose the idea once I found a house for her to move into.

It was the massive flower truck that I noticed first upon entering the long, gated driveway. I knew preparations were underway, and Thomas had all the help he needed to ensure he did it discreetly, with as little noise as possible so not to aggravate Peter.

My mother would arrive soon, so I had best jump in the shower again to rinse Rose’s scent off my body before I dressed for the wedding ceremony. Although it’d only be Peter and my mother present—well, along with the household staff—I thought it’d benefit everyone if decorations and whatever else spared no expense to achieve the make-believe wedding with what little time we had to work with.

As expected, Thomas greeted me upon entering the house foyer before excusing himself to reprimand some unsuspecting employee for not paying heed to his instructions. I headed straight into the elevator, and upon stepping out of it, I wondered if I should check on Gisele. Did her doctor’s appointment go well? But then I realized after our odd exchange earlier, she might not be as welcoming. Sleeping in her bed tonight would be awkward. As a result, I convinced myself to shower and change and ignored the inkling to see her.

It was eleven twenty when I began to change into my custom-made black designer suit. My hair was still so wet I could feel a rogue droplet course down the side of my neck. But instead of wiping it off, I took a few steps to locate something. My loyal housekeeper, who assisted moving my things here, knew where I’d like it kept. Close to my watch case and cufflinks. It took a few tries opening several drawers until I found it.

My wedding picture of Paige and me. A remnant of happier times. Our youth and unguarded smiles made me yearn for the past once more. We had been so hopeful. Planning a future of our family that never came to fruition. Her long dark hair loose, adorned with a pink, peach, and white flower crown on top of her head. The headpiece she weaved a day prior. She was all smiles and sunshine. Paige had had a beautiful soul—an old soul—and she had captured my heart at first glance in our first year of high school. We had never parted until the day she had been taken from me.

The picture frame’s glass felt smooth under my fingertips as I lovingly caressed Paige’s face. I missed her. She had left a deep, dark void inside me; I’d been living as half a man, never complete. She had taken a part of me with her, never to be the same again.

Forgive me, my love. I know I vowed before I buried you that I’d never marry again…but I’m granting a dying man’s last wish. I’m left with no choice. Peter means a lot to me. I hope you understand my situation. Nothing’s changed. You’ll always be the only one.

My chest ached before I placed our wedding picture back in the drawer, sliding it shut. I was immobile for some time before something drove me to finish getting ready. Right after stepping out of the closet, a loud knock came at the door.

“Yeah?” I called out before glancing at my wrist to check the time. It was five to noon.

“Are you ready, son?” Peter, who was being pushed in a wheelchair by nurse Anita, made a smile that probably took a lot of effort for him. He had a motorized wheelchair, and him not using it validated how ill he was feeling.

Dr. Kim had advised me earlier that last night’s dinner took a toll on him. Peter’s ashen pallor had worsened. Two months—the poor guy had two months until his life ended on this earth. As saddened as we all were, I knew deep down Peter was relieved and quite ecstatic to join Edna in the afterlife. I understood too well because if this happened to me, I’d willingly accept my fate with arms wide open and with a grateful smile on my face.

But until then, I was prepared to sacrifice whatever was required, ensuring Peter’s legacy remained intact and securing his happiness by seeing his only daughter married today.

“I’m ready.”