––––––––
I’VE WORKED HERE IN my new office for close to a month now. You’d think it would get easier to be here as the days pass, but it’s getting harder. For the first time in a long time, I want something from someone that doesn’t have anything to do with work. I’m falling for him, and it’s a messy fall that has me tripping over every word I speak, every thought that crosses my mind, and every look that I get of him. It’s so messy, that I’m sure his brother’s think they’ve hired an idiot. I’m going to come out of this looking like a fool...but I don’t care. I desperately want to explore him, and I’m scared to death.
Dating is not my thing; it doesn’t agree with me, at all. Mainly because I’m not someone that can control what comes out of my mouth. In social situations, I am what you would call a ‘no-filter’. I have strong opinions on certain topics and most people avoid bringing them up in general conversation, but it never fails that they end up in mine. My mother accuses me of doing it on purpose saying that it’s my way of weeding out the ones that aren’t worth my time. Ugh. Like I want to be alone. In reality, I want someone that can have a differing opinion than me, and be man enough to stand by me with my opinion fully intact. Is that too much to ask for? Eh, maybe I do weed them out.
My few previous boyfriends (and I mean very few) were amicable splits where opportunities presented themselves and we decided to part ways. Of course, it was always so the other person could flourish in those opportunities. Not that I think ‘if you love someone set them free’ is a great relationship strategy, but that’s how they’ve worked out for me so far. Besides, we were too young to know what true love was.
I’m starting to think I’m not too young anymore.
Dante has a different way of thinking about things that intrigues me. I’m way out of my comfort zone with him, but I’m wrapped up tight with a need to have him. He’s not afraid to give me his uncensored opinions, but he packages them in a joke. It took me a few weeks to figure that out, but I see it now. I can actually hone in on it, and I’ve learned to test and tease him back. My joking skills are amateur and weak, but I’m getting sharper and stronger by the day.
Can I do this with him? He’s broken down every barrier that I had constructed. To not move forward feels like I’m impeding progress. He’s waited patiently, and I’m running out of my own excuses to fend him off. We even survived our first major war with his self-induced foul mood a few days ago.
During an employee meeting, Thiago and Brooke announced that they were engaged. You could feel the hot and cold of the room, as the men cheered and the women seethed with jealousy. It was unnerving. Dante felt the need to lighten the mood and it was working for a while. Until later that afternoon, when Dante came busting through my door angry as hell. He stomped and paced around until he got tired. When I asked him what was wrong, he got all righteous about how relationships are supposed to work. After I flat out ignored him, he finally calmed down and explained that Mat has decided to move in with his girlfriend, Cassee and leave their little nest of bachelor pads here at the club.
“...but they just met a few months ago,” he bellows. “It’s too soon.”
“What’s too soon about it?” I ask indignantly. “Just because it doesn’t fit your timetable doesn’t mean it isn’t right for him.” Like there’s an official schedule of events to follow when in love. When I point out this flaw in his thinking, he blows up at me flailing his arms around in the air and hissing like he sprang a leak. Exasperated, he finally sits down again and buries his head in his hands.
“I just don’t want him to move his stuff out,” he mumbles. “We all just got back together and now we’re separating again.”
I walk around my desk and sit next to him on the sofa, closing the distance between us. “Ahh, I see. You feel abandoned,” I state plainly, causing him to look at me with denial in his eyes.
“I do not,” he argues. “I just started to feel like I was finally getting to know them. They are so much older than me, and I wasn’t allowed to go where they could go— I was too young. Then I went away to college, and missed out on their lives. I’ve always had two brothers that I never knew. I thought Miami was where we could finally bond. I guess not.” He stands and walks out the door, with this shoulders slumped and head hanging low. I’m left with a shit-ton of useless emotions that won’t let me call him back.
Two days. I give him two days and his mood is still a little too pissy for my taste. He’s let everyone in the world know how upset he is with Mat. Poor Mat. He’s at his wits end with trying to set this right.
Problems don’t get solved by wallowing in them. I can’t make Mat stay, but I can help Dante move past this hurt. He needs something of his own to look forward to, and damn it, it should be me.
After a few hours of talking myself into making the call, I dial Brooke’s number. She’s been sitting in my contacts list for a month and I’ve yet to push that button. Well, today’s the day.
“Hello, Brooke Childer speaking” she says, just as polite and professional as you would expect her to be.
“Hi, Brooke. It’s Ava,” I announce, not sure if she will recognize my voice over the phone.
“Hi, Ava. How are you? I’ve been meaning to call and check on you, but the wedding has taken control of my life and I’m stuck in wedding hell with my mother.”
“I’m well, thank you. If now is not a good time to talk, I can call back later,” I suggest, switching the phone to speaker since I’m too nervous to hold it.
“No, I’ve got time. I’m just heading out to grab some lunch. Want to come join me?” she asks.
“Umm, sure. Where were you headed? I need to call Lyft,” I explain. Pulling up the app and checking wait times as we talk.
“No, don’t do that. I’ll come to you. I’ve actually been craving some Pizzarium for a while. This will be a great excuse to indulge. I can be there in ten minutes,” she informs me.
I grab my purse and dash across the street to secure us a good table in the corner, away from prying ears. If I’m completely going to embarrass myself with this request, I’m going to do it with as little of an audience as possible.
Brooke breezes into Pizzarium like a blond bombshell dressed in a white and gold business suit. God, I want one tenth of her confidence and sophistication. I can’t believe she’s my age.
“Hi Ava,” she says, taking her seat and dropping her purse into the empty chair between us. The waitress brings us two waters immediately, and we both keep it simple by ordering the lunch special, two slices of Funghetto pizza and a Cesare salad.
“So what did you want to talk about?” she asks, getting down to business. This is why we get along so well— we both jump to the heart of a matter to complete it.
Suddenly, a ball of nerves fills my throat and I can’t seem to speak. She waits patiently as I collect myself, starting and stopping several times, overwhelmed by the thoughts that all rush to my tongue at once. I take a deep breath and force the words off my tongue. “I want to initiate a sexual relationship with Dante, but I don’t know what I’m doing,” I reveal, knowing a flush is creeping up my face as she stares in silent shock, blinking those gorgeous green eyes at me.
“Okay. I wasn’t expecting that, but I can deal with it,” she says, not flustered at all. “Umm, have you had a sexual relationship before?”
“Yes, but they were in college and very short-lived,” I explain, “so, it’s been a while. I know what to do; I just don’t know how to start with him. We’ve flirted and he’s told me he wants me, but I pushed him away not wanting to mix business and pleasure.”
“Oh, I see. You pulled a Thiago move,” she laughs, “and now you want him to know you’ve changed your mind on the matter? Well, you’ve come to the right person. But we need Cassee.” She pulls her phone out of her purse, and calls her up. As luck would have it, she’s at the club fixing some props with Mat, and says she’ll be right over.
****
KEYS RATTLE IN THE lock of his private suite, and I know he’s finally gotten Brooke’s message.
I’m lying on the bed, propped up on massive pillows. The entire room is beige and cream except for the bed. It’s covered in the color of midnight, and I feel dirty. I love it.
At first he doesn’t see me. I watch him enter and look all around the room until his eyes are finally drawn to mine. He stands in silence as he appreciates what I’m wearing. His face lights up with a smile that could replace the Sun. I crook my finger and motion him forward, but he continues to stand there drinking me in. I sit up on my knees, and crawl to the edge of the massive bed, continuing to motion him to come to me.
He loosens his tie and pulls it through his shirt collar, letting it drop to the floor. His shoes fly off when he heel kicks them out of his way while walking towards me. His boyish smile changes from saint to sinner as I reach out to undo his shirt buttons, lightly scratching my nails over his skin every other button. He shudders as I impatiently rip the last button off, watching it bounce somewhere on the bed.
He wraps his hand around the nape of my neck and pulls me in for a long kiss, pressing his lips to mine. His tongue runs along the seam of my lips coaxing them to open for him. Our tongues dance, as I pull his shirt from his shoulders.
He pulls free from the kiss to remove his pants and briefs, kicking them down and off his feet stomping them in a hurried panic to get naked. Cassee fitted me into a maroon and silver babydoll negligee with a matching g-string. His eyes roam my body and I feel a flush creeping up my skin following the path of his eyes. He licks his lips as he notices my nipples and areolas showing through the sheer bodice.
His fingers stretch out and pull on the silver satin closure, slowly untying it. My breasts spill out into his waiting hands as he leans forward taking one nipple into his hot mouth. My breasts fill his hands that caress and squeeze them. I finish removing the gown, tossing it to the floor with his pants. I’m too nervous to speak. I wonder if he feels the same. His fingers twine around the strings of the panty and he pulls gently, hearing them rip and give way. I am completely at his mercy and whimper nervously.
He looks up quickly, his eyebrows are scrunched together questioning the noise, but seeing that I’m smiling he continues admiring my naked body. I finally work up the nerve to rake my eyes over his body. He’s long and lean, standing still and proud with no shame letting me take him all in. His massive length bobs in the air as he shifts back and forth on his feet. He slowly turns around so that I get a view of his tight and toned backside.
He’s tan with a light dusting of blond chest hair. My god, his body must be naturally gifted with the muscle-tone of an athlete, because I’ve never seen him workout. Broad shoulders roll into a well-defined back and chest. And his dick is long and thick, just like you’d expect when you look at the rest of him. Pardon my language but he’s just fucking beautiful. I’ve never said that about a man before, but that’s exactly what he is, and he’s about to be all mine. I’m staking my claim!