Chapter 12
Grant
Grant could barely taste the food. He pushed away his bowl after only a bite. It all tasted like ashes. The anger about what had happened the previous night was starting to wear off, leaving him simply exhausted. He had been too on edge to sleep that night. The whole thing seemed so hopeless. He was also upset that his father was trying to emotionally blackmail him into staying.
“I’m sorry about what happened,” he said to Kate. “I didn’t mean… I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean it. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. I just destroy everything I care about.”
Kate reached across the table and gently took his hand in both of hers. “It’s okay,” she said. “Come on, you look tired. The Holbrooks have a condo on Union Square; it’s not far from here. You can lie down. Walter will be a bit, I think. We probably won’t be at the foundation offices until later. Maybe we won’t even go over there until tomorrow, or we could do a conference call or something.”
They took a town car uptown to the condo. Kate waved to the doorman and introduced Grant. The midrise tower was a renovated historic nineteenth-century building. When Kate had said it was a condo, Grant was thinking a small studio or one bedroom, just some place to crash and store your stuff. But Kate took out a special key card and stuck it in the elevator and pressed the P button.
“Parking?” Grant asked.
She smiled and said, “Penthouse.”
They arrived in a private lobby, and Grant marveled at it; there was a fountain and plants decorating the marble-clad entryway.
“This lobby is only for the penthouse,” Kate said. “Only so the elevator doesn’t open up right into the condo. That would be weird.”
They approached the ornate metalwork door, and Kate took out a key to unlock it.
“Walter was thinking about getting it redone last year, but then, you know, life happens. It should be okay for a few hours, though.” She opened the door.
Grant stood in the doorway, amazed. The view alone across the open floor plan out to Union Square and over the city was breathtaking.
“This is a million-dollar view,” he said after a moment. He stepped around the marble countertops and upscale glossy black steel appliances over to the wall of windows.
Kate smiled. “Yeah, it’s great. The Holbrooks have political fundraisers here, and it’s always a blast. There’s an outdoor terrace, too, which is large enough for a decent crowd.” She walked him around the apartment. There was a large tank filled with jellyfish, a grand piano, and a separate bar.
“Does it take up the whole floor?” he asked.
“Two floors,” she replied. “This was Walter’s first big real estate purchase. He had it outfitted more for parties and less for family, though it’s large enough to accommodate both, I think.” They passed by a terrace covered in the same marble with a fountain and potted plants and wooden furniture. “The cushions are in the closet if you want to sit out there,” she said.
“Maybe later,” he replied.
“You can also sit on the other terrace,” she offered.
“There are two?”
“Yes, a smaller one, off the master upstairs. You can sleep in there. I think the other bedrooms are filled with junk. Walter’s wife was living here before she got the Victorian to a state she and the kids could move into. I think a lot of the kids’ stuff is here still, though.”
“Oh.” Grant knew he should feel sad. He had had three siblings die horribly in a fire. He just felt numb, though. He had friends who died horribly in fires as well, and he could barely feel anything about it. It was too horrifying to deal with, so he pretended it never happened.
“You look tired,” Kate told him.
“I guess I am,” he admitted.
“Come on.” She led him upstairs to the master bedroom.
“Lie down.” She pulled off his shoes and helped him out of his sports coat. Grant settled on the bed. He felt warm and a little sleepy. He was more relaxed now that he was cocooned in silence above the bustle of the city. He grabbed Kate’s hand as she rubbed his shoulders.
“Stay,” he murmured to her.
She smiled down at him. “You need to sleep.”
“There’s something I need more,” he told her, looking at her, his lust for her plain in his expression. He could see the desire on her face.
She bit her lip as she moved to stand up.
“I can’t… I can’t keep doing this,” she said, trying to pull away.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her on top of him with ease, spreading her legs to straddle him. Remembering his fantasy when he first came to the Holbrook mansion, he slowly inched her panties down, rubbing his fingers in the slick velvety warmth between her legs. She moaned softly.
“I can’t, Grant.”
“I want you,” he breathed, still rubbing his finger between her legs, every so often brushing against her clit, making her jump. He unzipped his pants and pushed down his boxer briefs. His cock free, he let the heat and moisture radiate from between Kate’s legs onto his member.
“You don’t want this?” he whispered to her, still rubbing her.
Her back arched.
“I feel how slick you are, how wet,” he growled into her ear. “You want my cock.” He reached up and let her hair down out of its clasp. Running his fingers through the thick chestnut locks, he freed her breasts from her dress, caressing them, then moved his mouth down to kiss and nibble her nipples.
“Oh,” she gasped.
He pulled her down and kissed her mouth. He traced her lips with his tongue while he mimicked the same movement between her legs.
“Oh my,” she gasped.
“I know you want me,” he murmured against her mouth as she moaned. He flicked his hips, his fully erect member found her opening, and he sheathed himself in her.
Kate gasped, and languidly, she moved her hips around. Grant let out a grunt of pleasure as the warm tightness encased his member. Kate’s hips rotated in tight little circles, and she rode him, lifting herself up then down. He had his hand on her hip, his fingers pressing into her soft skin, leaving bruises as he let her ride him.
“This feels so good.” Kate moaned low in her throat. “I need to come.”
Grant laughed, kissing her. “I want this to go slowly,” he purred, kissing her neck. “I want to fuck you all day.” He held her there, carefully drawing out her pleasure, keeping her just on the edge of an orgasm.
Bucking against his hands, she whimpered, “I have to… I need to…”
He felt her tighten, and the tremors rocked her body, sending Grant over the edge too. When it was over and she was a relaxed puddle in his arms, Grant cuddled her to his chest, kissing her softly on the nose and the lips and the forehead. She nuzzled into his chest, sleepily tracing the planes of his muscles until she dozed off.