Chapter Eleven
“Isn’t this lovely?” Emma twirled in the middle of the acre-long backyard.
Desmorais had shown them the spacious area, where a nice table had been set with dessert and coffee. Nico hadn’t had the stomach to taste the delicious looking pastries; he’d gone straight for a cup of black coffee. He’d made small talk, but now the time had come to get down to business.
“What are these called?” She pointed at a tall tree with striking white bell flowers.
“Bois dentelle,” he and Desmorais said in unison, exchanging a glance.
“Incredibly rare,” he said. “I’m surprised you’ve kept it,” he said to Desmorais.
He sighed. “It wasn’t easy, but worth it.”
Emma picked up and held the little nameless dog from earlier like a baby. The pet shifted in her arms, offering her his belly in an act of complete surrender. Nico couldn’t blame him; he’d felt her soft hands on him, and according to their plans, would feel them again later. Restless, he stood from the wooden bench.
“I love you,” she said, caressing the little guy then nuzzling him. “Yes, I do.”
“Why don’t you take him home?” Desmorais said.
Emma paused. “What do you mean?”
“I know what a great pet owner you’ll be. I trust you, and I can’t keep every dog I meet. Seems like this one’d be a great match.”
She shifted her weight from foot to foot, then glanced at the dog again. “Oh. You’re generous, but I don’t think our hotel allows pets. Besides, don’t dogs need some paperwork to travel internationally?”
Desmorais poured himself some more coffee. “Not a problem. The dog can stay with me until your departure, and I can have our vet prepare whatever paperwork is needed to enter the United States, with rabies certificate and all. Besides, you’re flying in Nico’s personal jet, I assume? So no airline red tape.”
She caressed the dog’s belly again. “That’s true. Well, I mean, he’s so precious…”
“What do you think, Nico?” Desmorais asked. “I know you may not be a fan of lapdogs, but this is a chance for them to prove you wrong.”
Nico swallowed. Shit. Desmorais believed they were together, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. He personally didn’t care about the size of the dog, because he wouldn’t be the one taking care of it. The only living things Nico had owned had been plants, and the task to keep them alive had been directed to his efficient housekeeper.
He peered at Emma. Poor Emma. She maintained the dog on her lap, but shot him a look of pure confusion. “He seems very sweet. Emma?”
“I’ll be honored to be his fur momma.”
“Then it’s settled. It’s a match made in Mauritius,” Desmorais said, a lot more relaxed than when Nico had first set foot on his property.
“Do you want some water?” Emma asked, and strolled several feet away from them to fetch her newly adopted pet some water.
Desmorais enjoyed his coffee and reached for yet another pastry. This was his time.
Nico sat across from him. “I appreciate your hospitality. As you must know, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for some time to talk about buying your house.”
Desmorais slowly finished his coffee, then placed the cup on the saucer. He lifted his eyebrows, perhaps with annoyance, then gestured with his head for him to keep talking. Of course his PA or real estate agent had mentioned it to him. Just because he didn’t enjoy long conversations didn’t mean he didn’t know what happened. “You must know I’m planning on turning this place into an animal sanctuary,” he said, tilting his head in Emma’s direction. Implying he gathered she’d have told him.
“Yes. Emma didn’t mention it when we started our relationship. I learned from other sources.”
Desmorais narrowed his eyes at him. “Have you?”
Nico cleared his throat. Shit. He didn’t want to get Emma or his personal assistant who told it to James in trouble. “Yes. Anyway, it’s nice we’re talking face-to-face, because I can explain how much this means to me. I’m not acting like some self-entitled jerk. I support your idea of a sanctuary and would love to help make it happen at a different location. I’d be happy to make generous donations, too. See, I came here several times a year when I was growing up. My mom, she loved this place.”
Desmorais inched closer, interested. “Your mother married Calogero Giordano, yes?”
“Yes. She suffered from a serious mental illness, and she took her own life in front of my brother,” he said, his heart pumping with every word.
“You have a brother?”
“Marco, my younger brother. Anyway, when she died, my father lost it. He began drinking,” he said, then glanced to make sure Emma remained at a safe distance as he spoke to Desmorais. No one wanted to be around a messed-up guy. She hadn’t asked him for help with her sexual performance in exchange for free therapy services. “He couldn’t deal with coming here anymore; the memories were too raw. So he sold the property to you, who I understand was investing a lot in the area back then.”
“I was.”
“I understand this is your home, and who am I to barge in here and demand you sell it to me? I also understand you have enough money not to worry about the future. I promised my mother to buy this property back, and I promised myself I’d buy it, to honor the place she loved when she was herself. And to selfishly bring some of it into my own life,” he said, feeling his heart drum at the base of his throat. He’d meant to tell him his sob story without experiencing so much pain as the words left his lips.
Silence.
Desmorais scratched the back of his neck, glancing around, no doubt uncomfortable.
“I don’t know what to say, Nico. I’ll be honest, when you walked in here, I knew you’d make an offer I couldn’t refuse, yet I was adamant on saying no. After all, I hate when people don’t listen the first time, and I have been set on turning this place into a sanctuary. My lawyer had warned me about your intentions. But now…” He cleared his throat. “After having spent time with you and Emma, and what you’ve just said, I have a lot to consider.”
A thread of hope expanded in his chest. Maybe was better than no. “Of course.”
Desmorais tapped on the bench and stood. “I need a couple of days to sleep on it. It’s a big decision.”
“I’m grateful for your consideration.”
Desmorais gave him a sad smile, his shoulders dropping a notch. “Also, I’m sorry. For your mom, and your father.”
Emma stepped out of the shower. After the emotional outing, they’d returned to the hotel, and she’d slipped into the restroom while he took a business call. Now, she looked every bit lovely wrapped in a fluffy white robe with the hotel’s monogram on it.
“Did he say when he’d tell you?” she asked. “I wanted to talk to him, but he didn’t seem interested in chatting after he talked to you.”
“Don’t worry.” Nico ran his fingers down his face. Ever since he’d left the house, he’d been on edge, a mix of hope and excitement. “We’re leaving the day after tomorrow. I’m assuming when we pick up the dog he’ll let me know.”
She brushed her hair with the round brush. “That’s a big commitment I’m making. I’ve always wanted to have two chocolate Labs. Not that I didn’t love the little guy, but he’s a bit too small for my original plans.”
He jammed his fingers into his pockets, leaning against the frame. “Do you want me to take it?”
She sat the brush on the marble counter, and a mischievous glint touched her eyes. “No. I was giving you a hard time. I did think of a name for him, though.”
“Amuse me.”
She chewed her bottom lip. “Nicky.”
“You’ll name your dog after me?” he asked. If any of his boardroom opponents heard about it, or hell, his employees, they’d have a good laugh at his expense.
She erased the distance between them and plastered her hands on his chest, giving him a little push. “Yeah, you should be honored. You’re like a Chihuahua sometimes, all bark and no bite.”
No bite? Hmmm. He lowered his head, his mouth a breath from hers. “Piccola, I can bite.”
She chuckled, then stepped back enough to look him in the eyes without touching. “I know. But still, it fits him.”
The tip of his fingers itched to reach her and caress her, but he resisted the urge. Barely, as his cock throbbed. “Won’t your friends think it’s weird?”
“I’ll tell Zaine and Meghan that I named him after a reality show character. They never watch those shows, so they’ll believe me.”
He popped his knuckles, giving his fidgety fingers something to do. “What about Samuel?”
She shook her head at him. “Simon loves dogs, and he won’t know I named it after you. God, no one will know about our, er, thing. Right?”
He inhaled. Deeply.
Of course her perfect-husband-to-be Simon adored animals. The idea of that by-the-book son of a bitch with Emma, with his Emma, brought a sour taste to his mouth. Enjoy your time with her. Determination pumped in his veins, thickening his blood. “Right. Now take off this robe, and don’t make it too fast. I want to watch it slide down your body before feasting on you.”
She untied the belt, letting the robe open slightly. He arranged himself on the seat, whipping off his pants and boxers until he was naked, his cock hardening.
She opened a bit more of her robe, teasing him, then carefully the fabric slipped off her in a slow, indulgent caress of her soft skin. Heat radiated from his chest, and he wanted to imprint every part of her in his memory. The robe pooled at her feet, and when he dropped his gaze, he noticed she wore lovely hose with a garter belt. Black, with just enough sheen.
She motioned to remove them, but he said, “Leave them on.” He wanted her to have those on while he fucked her deep from behind. His cock throbbed so hard, he felt lightheaded.
She sashayed to him and sat on him. “I thought we could take some of the edge off before the coveted anal lesson.”
He’d already put the anal probe and the lube on the side table next to the chair for convenience, but when he’d done it he didn’t know how handy they’d be. A tremor rushed through him. He closed his eyes, telling himself to calm the fuck down. Making it good for her was his top priority.
He placed his hands on her waist, his attempt at slowing her down. She glanced at him, her hazel eyes darkening, mouth parted. She’d never looked lovelier. “You’re stunning. Bellissima.”
She pressed his cock into her delicious pussy, the enthralling scent of her arousal swirling in the air. He lowered his hands to her hips, locking them into the most amazing position. She moaned and placed her hands on his chest, but relentless, he squeezed her buttocks.
“Move around me, gorgeous. Dictate the rhythm,” he said, his voice strained.
She touched his chest, her hands heavenly, but also a threat to his self-control. He caught her breast in his mouth, the tight peak begging for attention. His attention, and no one else’s. “So good, Nico. Everything you do to me, it’s so good.”
He distracted her with a kiss while reaching for the tube on the table. Opening the lid, he squirted some on the tip of his finger. She intensified the kiss, in tandem with her moving on him, and he took advantage to caress the crack of her ass.
An ass he needed to pound. An ass much deserving of some good breaking in.
He slid his finger between the fleshy cheeks, and she propped herself closer to him, opening her thighs a nudge more to grant him further access. Naughty Emma was down for some exploration, and who was he to deny her that pleasure?
He slid his fingers into her back hole while fucking her pussy harder. “Do you like this? Me in both your holes?”
“Yes, oh, yes, Nico.”
Damn her.
He increased the pressure of his finger, manipulating her hole, stretching it for later. He’d thought it’d take him a lot longer, but fuck, she was ready… She wanted him in her ass. Fucking it. Claiming it. Breaking in.
She kissed him again, their lips molding to each other while their tongues fought for dominance. His cock pounded with the need to release. He grabbed the anal probe and put it inside her, and she withdrew from his lips for a moment as if she needed to breathe.
“Nico. Oh.”
“Just feel it, baby. I’m getting you ready for my cock.”
She whimpered. “I know…you’re so big, but I want you everywhere. God, yes.”
“Me too, Emma. I want to fuck you everywhere.”
The dirty talking did it. With one hand, he moved her hip, dictating the rhythm as he screwed her faster, and with the other hand, he thrust the anal probe in and out of her, causing more friction. Soon she unraveled, a climax hitting her as she spasmed in front of him with powerful, jerky movements.
Unable to take anymore, he delivered one last thrust, and emptied himself inside her, calling her name. The name of the woman he’d never forget.