This is totally not the date I had hoped for. Jeremy has been acting distant ever since we left the house. And why shouldn't he be? While him and Anders didn't talk, it was pretty obvious what was going on. Anders walked past him with his broken roses, never saying a word, and Jeremy stared at his backside as he climbed into his sports car and drove away.
“Are you going to tell me who he was?” Jeremy asks as the waitress pours us each a glass of wine.
I feel like total shit. He planned this amazing fancy date for us, and I totally ruined it before it even began. No. Anders ruined it. Anders ruins everything.
“No one important,” I reply.
Jeremy tenses. “He brought you flowers, Tessa.”
“And he left with those flowers,” I remind him before draining my glass. It's going to be a long night; I can already tell.
“That doesn't erase the fact that he brought them, which means something was going on between the two of you at some point. Who is he? I think I deserve to know that much.” The look he's giving me is so intense. I avert my eyes, opting to stare at the bubbles in his glass of wine, wishing I could just disappear. What a nightmare this has turned out to be. “Did you sleep with him?” his voice is short. I reach across the table to grasp the bottle of wine and pour myself another drink, but he's faster, grabbing the bucket and moving it out of my reach. “Answer the question.”
“Yes.” My temper flares suddenly, and I don't know why. Maybe it's because of the stress of the night. Too much has happened. And I don't want to lie to him, but I never wanted to tell him the truth either. The truth hurts him. I know that. I can see it on his face.
“Have you been sleeping with him since I've been back in town?” Now he's the one avoiding my gaze.
I fight back all the emotions racing through me. If I tell him the truth, I'll lose him. I can't help but wonder if this is how Anders felt about telling me that he was still volunteering at The Billionaires Club. “Yes.” I feel like I might suffocate from the tension between us.
“Do you love him?” his tone softens a bit, and I can't tell if it's from hope or surrender.
“I don't know.” The answer is raw and honest and painful to us both.
“Well, I think you should figure that out before we take this any further,” he sighs. “I'm going to take you home.”
***
“That was the shortest date in history,” Evelyn says with a confused look as I walk through the door. “I guess you guys got down to business pretty quickly.” She smiles, though it doesn't seem certain.
I stare at her with my mouth agape. “You didn't hear him?”
“Hear who?” She cocks her head back.
“Anders. He was here, you know.”
“Ugh,” she groans in exasperation. “Won't that guy ever get a hint?”
“I thought you would have heard him when we were talking.” I sit down on the sofa beside her and wrap my arms around myself.
“I was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. I just assumed that Jeremy had come to pick you up early.” She shrugs.
“Jeremy did come early. He saw Anders and I talking together.” My eyes fall to the floor as I picture the look on Jeremy's face. It was angry and injured, like he thought I was cheating on him. Using him. Just the thought sends pain to my chest. I had planned to use him, kind of. No, not use him. I had hoped that being with him would erase Anders from my mind, and that I'd want to be with Jeremy again afterward. Did I truly believe it would work though? I still don't know.
“So what did he do?” I have Evelyn's full attention now. She stares at me as if waiting to learn the exciting conclusion to a soap opera.
“He pieced things together. Anders brought me roses. Oh God, Evelyn, I feel so awful.” I hold my face in my hands as if it will hide my shame.
“They didn't talk or anything?”
“No.” I look up and shake my head. “I told Anders that I was leaving with Jeremy, and then he just told me not to fuck him and walked away.”
“Of course.” Evelyn rolls her eyes. “Because that's all the guy cares about is fucking. He's made that abundantly clear.”
I hadn't really thought about it before, but she's right. It is strange how he specifically told me that. I'm probably over-analyzing the conversation. He said a lot of other things too. Raw things. Romantic things.
“I don't know what to do.” I feel defeated. Jeremy doesn't trust me now. I don't trust Anders. The elation of having so many guys chasing after me was short-lived. Now it's just a clusterfuck. Now I have to choose. Jeremy or Anders.
“Are you really saying that?” Evelyn looks at me like I'm stupid.
“Yes. I'm really saying that,” I grumble at her. For being my best friend, she sure doesn't seem very empathetic about my situation.
“Tell Anders to take a hike, and get back with Jeremy. He came back into your life for a reason. Don't blow it over a hot piece of ass with a nice car.” Her hard expression melts into something a bit more comforting. “Listen, Tessa. I understand Anders' appeal. I really do. What girl doesn't want to date a ridiculously attractive underwear model? That's the stuff that dreams are made of. But you need to realize the consequences. You've already experienced a lot of them. Guys like him, they don't change. You're just a conquest. Once he knows he has you, he'll get bored with you, and then it's on to the next.
“You had your fun with him. Lots of hot, hot sex.” She grins. “Take it for what it was. Don't fall for the bullshit. Go for the realistic choice. The right choice.
“Jeremy wants to get married and have kids someday. So do you. He's sweet and loving. Sure, he made a mistake, but he's only human. He's trying to make it right.
“You've always wanted a guy like him. And you've always been certain of what you wanted until you met Anders. Don't let some hot douche bag wreck your world.”
I soak up all of her words, but what really hits me is the last thing she said. I have always been certain about what I wanted until I met Anders. It's true. Before him, my life was so straight and narrow. Find a sweet guy who makes me the center of his world and eventually wants to get married and have kids. That was the objective. I don't even know if Anders ever wants to get married again or have kids. He doesn't really fit into my life plan at all. But there's just something about him that I don't want to give up.
***
Despite Evelyn's lecture, I don't follow the path of least resistance.
This is Anders' last chance. I'm standing in front of The Billionaires Club, and it feels like I just swallowed an entire bag of marbles. Nothing good ever comes from being here. But I had to come. I need to find out the truth.
He doesn't know I'm here, and if there was some way that I could scour the entire premises for him without letting my presence be known, I would. This isn't the soundest plan. As soon as he's informed of my presence, he could easily trade in his sex suite for an office. I have to trust that he wouldn't do something shady like that though. I have to trust him.
I muster up all of my poise and courage and take long strides toward the front desk. Ryan is working today. That only makes the situation worse. I force a smile as I approach, and his eyes light up when he recognizes me.
“Hey, Tessa.” He looks surprised to see me.
“Hey, Ryan.” All the confidence leaves my voice as I say his name.
“What are you doing here?” The question sounds loaded, but I'm not sure if it is or not. He knows I'm here for Anders. Just as I know he's part of the penis buffet now. Any potential romance between us was wiped away with those two realizations.
“I'm here to see Anders. Would you mind calling him down for me?”
“No need.” He smiles, seeming completely genuine. I cock my head in confusion. “He told me that if you showed up, to send you to his office immediately. It's on the tenth floor. Third door to the left. Go on up.”
“Thanks,” I reply hesitantly.
The marbles disappear from my stomach one by one as I walk towards the elevator thinking about how Anders had already planned for my coming. If he's in his office when I get there, it has to mean he was already there. Then again, Ryan could have called up to him after I rounded the corner to let him know I was on my way.
I remember the first night I was supposed to be with him at The Billionaires Club, when he bailed on me after he got that phone call. He could do the same thing to someone else. I doubt it though. That's probably just me being paranoid.
I make my way up to the tenth floor and walk down a hallway with doors on either side. When I get to the third door on the left, I pause for a moment to see if I can hear what's going on inside. The only sounds coming from the room are the tapping of fingers against a keyboard. I take a deep breath and knock.
“Come in,” Anders says.
I open the door and peak around it. He stares intently as his computer monitor for a moment before he finally looks over at me and smiles.
“Tessa.” He stands to greet me.
I can't say I'm not relieved to see him engrossed in his work. A rush of relief passes through me, draining the remainder of my tension away. He didn't lie to me. Thank God, he didn't lie.
“Anders,” I say, now fighting to remember my excuse for making a random appearance.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” He walks around his desk to embrace me.
Just the word pleasure sends a shiver rolling down my spine. His body is warm, and he smells so good. Being in his arms like this, only if it's for a few short moments . . . It just feels so right.
He draws away from me slightly, but he doesn't let me go, keeping me caged in his arms. I feel like a lovestruck idiot as I look at him. He's so handsome, with his beautiful blue eyes and a five o'clock shadow.
“You need to shave,” I say almost dreamily.
“That's why you're here?” He cocks a perfect brow. “Because I need to shave?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I was just saying.”
“What? You don't like my stubble?” He rubs his face against mine, and I giggle, trying to get away from him, though he won't let me go. When he's done torturing me, he asks, “Why are you really here?”
“I just wanted to see you.” I just wanted to make sure you weren't up on the twentieth floor fucking someone else. I wanted to make sure you hadn't lied to me again.
“Well, I'm glad you came. Would you like to see what I'm working on?” He takes a step away from me before lacing his fingers with mine and pulling me towards his desk.
I nod weakly, following him around to his computer. He sits me down in his plush office chair and wiggles the mouse on the desk to make the monitor spring to life. The first thing my eyes land on is a spreadsheet.
“This is The Billionaires Club expense report,” he explains. “It takes a lot to run a resort like this.” As he continues talking, all I can think about is how close he is. He's leaning over me, his powerful frame looming above me. The scent of his cologne is intoxicating. I feel my clit pulse with need for him. Why am I thinking about sex right now? For once, his mind is on business, and mine is in the gutter. I feel almost guilty for my lecherous thoughts. I should be appreciating this serious side of him, this part of him that's focused on something other than my body. “You're not paying attention,” he notes.
“I am,” I lie, my cheeks brightening as I feel his breath on my face.
“No, you're not. You're staring vacantly at the screen. Business doesn't interest you at all, does it?” he sounds more amused than offended.
I swallow hard. “It's just a lot to take in.”
“Perhaps I know of something else that will interest you more,” his tone darkens, and my legs tremble slightly from it. He's falling to my level, his mind switching gears.
“You have to work,” I remind him, angry at myself for being so responsible.
His fingers brush against my neck as he moves my hair away from my shoulder. The touch of his fingers on my skin is both soothing and sensual. I almost moan from it.
He leans down until his mouth is near my ear. His hot breath courses over my cheek, tickling the small transparent hairs there. “I'd much rather be fucking you.”
Of course, he would. And I would much rather him be fucking me too. Just the thought of it sets my body alight. “Work,” I mutter.
His hands grip the back of the chair, and he spins me around to face him. My eyes drop down to the outline of his erection in his slacks. He's already hard for me.
“Eyes up here, Tessa.” He points to his eyes with two fingers, and I can't help but laugh at being caught. “Unless, of course, you'd rather be sucking me off than arguing with me.”
I would rather be sucking him off. It's all the invitation I need. My hands greedily reach forward to unzip his fly and push inside his pants. The smooth velvet of his shaft greets me, and I pull it out with hungry anticipation. He throbs in my hand. So ready for me.
“You're such a wanton girl,” he comments as I take to my knees in front of him. My tongue flicks across his thick cock head, turning his words into a moan. “I love that about you.”
“It's all you love about me,” I tease before trailing my tongue up the side of him, tracing one of his bulging veins.
“No. I love so much more.” He slides his hand into my hair, grabbing a fistful. For a moment, I worry that he's going to force me onto him, but instead he just follows my lead.
“Mmm,” I moan against his length before taking the tip into my mouth and sucking gently. He rewards me with a quick intake of breath, showing his enjoyment.
“You haven't been in my office for five minutes, and you already couldn't wait to get my cock in your mouth.”
It's true. Embarrassingly true. He has some sexual power over me that no man ever has. I can't resist the pleasures of his body.
I hold him at the base and fondle his balls with my other hand, driving myself down his length again and again. The feeling of him swelling in my mouth even more empowers me. I love that I can do this to him, that he wants me so much.
“You're not the only greedy one.” He uses his grip on my hair to pull me away, making his cock fall from my lips with a wet popping sound. I stare at his glistening member, wanting it in my mouth again, feeling empty without it. “Stand up,” he commands before offering me his hand to help me to my feet. Almost the second I'm up, he's pulling me into his arms and kissing me hungrily. Our lips mold together. Our tongues fight for exploration rights of the other's mouth. I'm moaning into him, drunk on the feel of his body and hands all over me.
He backs me up against his desk before doing a small sweep with his arm. What little paperwork that was on the desk falls to the floor. It reminds me of something out of a movie. He wants me so badly. Nothing else matters. Nothing but connecting intimately.
He lifts me onto the desk and sticks his hands under my skirt to pull off my panties. When he hikes up my skirt and presses between my legs, I wrap my arm around his neck and pull myself to meet him. Our bodies collide in a flurry of pleasure, and I tilt my head back and moan.
“You feel amazing,” he whispers against my neck before he begins to thrust, filling me in a way that only he can. “I've been thinking about this ever since I last say you.”
“Fucking me in your office?” I tease before reaching up to capture his bottom lip between my teeth.
“Just being inside you.” He presses deeply into me, causing me to gasp and release him.
“That's all you ever think about. Fucking me.”
“I think about it all the time,” he admits shamelessly. “I wake up thinking about it and go to bed thinking about it. I think about it when I'm brushing my teeth in the morning, and when I'm showering, and when I'm eating my meals, and when I'm masturbating.”
“I knew that was all you think about.” I tighten my grip on his neck, rolling my hips to take more of him into me. As my body squeezes around him, he groans.
“I need this, Tessa. I need to be inside of you every day like this.” He untangles himself from my arms before roughly pulling my hips so that my back practically slams into his desk. A mug full of pens falls off the desk and explodes against the tile. He doesn't stop. He doesn't even seem to notice. He's too busy fighting for leverage, working to put me into a position where he can fuck me mercilessly, the way he enjoys fucking me.
I think of making a joke about how he's fueled by sex, but all that comes out of my mouth are cries of pleasure as he takes control of my body and pounds himself into me. I feel so full of him. Almost too much. But I love it. I love it when he's fast and hard and selfish. It makes my clit throb until my body can't take anymore. Until I melt into orgasm, my sex contracting wildly around him.
“Just like that,” I whimper.
“You're fucking beautiful when you come all over my dick.”
“Oh God, Anders.” I grip the side of the desk to brace myself. It feels like he might break me if he keeps going, but I can handle it. I need to see him get off.
He can't keep the ferocious pace up forever. His breath is raged, and I know he's almost reached his limit. I watch him fuck me, thinking about how sexy he looks, the seductive gleam in his hooded eyes, the way his lips are slightly parted. And then comes the moment when he pulls out and strokes himself to completion. His climax wrecks him, so strong that he has to grab the back of his chair when it finishes draining him. I can't keep the satisfied grin from my face. I did this to him. I made him look this way.
After he's cleaned up and we both make ourselves appropriate, he sits down in his office chair and pulls me onto his lap. It feels strange cuddling in his office, especially here at The Billionaires Club, where there's at least a dozen women who would have been willing to pay ten grand for the treatment I'm now getting for free. He wouldn't have given them this though. Not this part of him. Not the sweet, caring side of him. He would have only given them his dick. It's what he gave me when I was here. The only thing I got from him when I was here aside from misery. It all seems so long ago now.
“Are you happy now that you've come here and seen the truth?” he asks, curling his hand on top of mine.
“I am.” I nod, feeling absolutely giddy. My faith in him has been restored. This might work after all. Him and I.
“Good. I'd like to take you out on a proper date soon.”
“A proper date?” I straighten his tie with a smirk. “No Taco Bell?”
“No Taco Bell.” He makes the same disgusted expression he did the first time I mentioned Taco Bell. It's absolutely adorable.
“You're not going to make me order anything healthy?” I tease.
“You can order whatever you want. I just want to take you out on a date.” He kisses my nose, causing me to scrunch up my face.
“It's a date then.”