Lissa's body shook as he traced his knuckle across her breast, then circled it over one nipple. She felt it stiffen immediately and felt her body responding, getting wet, craving him. Her words were breathless, a rasp. "You do?"
"I do. I propose I rip off your clothes, then make you put them back on later, after I have my way with you, so you can take me to my children so that I can play with them."
He placed his hands on either side of her blouse, as if asking for permission to tear her blouse off her.
"No, don't," she said, pulling away. "I didn't have time to pack, you can't rip this."
"Then hurry up," he said, moving towards her like a leopard stalking its prey.
She giggled and moved away from him, then ran away. But his eagerness, his desire for her, was too much for her to resist, so she let all her reservations fade and allowed herself to succumb to her need for him. When they came together again, this time, he insisted on feasting on her pussy first. She lay back on the bed as his mouth sucked and toyed her swollen, aching clit. When her orgasm came, she couldn't hold back her cries of pleasure. She was still writhing in the afterglow when she entered her, filling her completely on the first thrust.
"Ah, ah," she cried out as he forced her body against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and fisted her hands in his hair.
"Lissa," he groaned into her ear as his hips thrust into her even as he yanked her against him.
When she came this time, her cries of pleasure mingled with his, and she felt his fertile seed once again, spilling without barrier into her womb, and a part of her sex-lubricated mind hoped that she'd get pregnant again, as if three children wouldn't be enough to keep him in her life.
Julio was gone before she'd woken up, and when they spoke, there was no mention of the previous night, or anything else regarding their relationship. They talked about the boys, and how Joan was getting on with them, then went straight into planning and prepping for the critical presentation later that day with the backers for the project.
Lissa had a million things to still prepare, but she couldn't concentrate. Her nerves were shot. All her thoughts kept circling back to the same inescapable conclusion, one she didn't want to accept, that she was falling hard for Julio Torres. She was afraid to let that happen. It was obvious he was attracted to her, and he'd be around for the kids, but she was kidding herself if she expected him to stay around for her for much longer. She needed to protect her heart from being shattered in two. She couldn't risk falling in love with him.
"Well?" Julio asked conspiratorially a short while later, as Lissa pulled beside him in front of the food and drinks table.
Lissa picked up a small plate and placed a strawberry dipped in white chocolate on it, even though her stomach was twisted in tight knots and she knew she couldn't eat a bite. She and Julio had both been circulating around the foyer outside the small conference room where they'd be making their pitch. They'd split the duty, and had been chatting up key players, hoping to gauge their positions prior to making the final case. Her mind hadn't been one hundred percent on her task. She'd been thinking about Julio, her future, her babies' future, and those darn pictures from Willa, and her admonition. Keep your guard up. It was starting to sound, more and more like a good idea.
"Are you all right?" Julio asked. "You seem off."
Now wasn't the time, she had to get her head straight. In a few minutes she'd be making the presentation of her life. "Nothing's wrong, it's just that no one I spoke to was in a particularly good mood."
Julio nodded in agreement. "There is a lot of money on the table. The fate of their consortium and their reputations are on the line. Keep them focused on the idea that you are here to give them a solution to their own fuck-up, not to sell them something."
As lights dimmed and the projector came on, a hush fell in the room as Lissa took her spot in at the front. The crowd of mostly European men seemed to focus on her, expectantly, appreciatively. Lissa was glad she'd worn the sexiest of her blouses, the shortest of her business skirts, and the highest of her heels. Hands down, she was about to give the most important presentation of her career, and she wasn't going to ignore a single advantage. Lissa knew that Julio was off to her left, watching her, his hopes riding on her ability to persuade. She couldn't--wouldn't let him down. Like a defense attorney about to give her final argument, she waited for every person in the room to give her their full attention.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, you have no reason to abandon this project. In the next few minutes I will show you exactly how you can achieve your original dream, on time and on budget with the application of just a few critical and necessary modifications."
For the next fifteen minutes, Lissa was on her game, dazzling the consortium members with her brilliant analysis, and explaining the importance and utter necessity of her creative workarounds. She'd brought them around, softened their skepticism, and when she finished her presentation she was met with loud applause. Julio joined her at the front and they fielded questions, together. Lissa felt flush with the success of their efforts together, and very happy working by Julio's side.
The head of the consortium came up to shake first Lissa and then Julio's hand. "Ms. Edwards. I warn you that you promised a great deal today."
"I'm aware of that."
"All this is, of course, theoretical," he continued. "But, you seem to believe it will work. So we will throw down a challenge. We will give you one month to prepare a full proposal. You won't be competing with anyone, but we will hear it and give you a yes or no when we see your vision, and the details of implementation."
"We'd be gambling a great deal," Julio said.
"Your colleague seems confident. We rather enjoyed her American optimism. I assume you meant what you said?"
"Absolutely."
"Well then. We will see you here in one month." He patted Julio on the back and walked away.
"You were incredible," Lissa started at the sound of Julio's voice close to her ear. She hadn't realized he'd come back in the room, or that he'd managed to stand directly behind her without her knowing. Two of the consortium sat in the back row having a private conversation. Abby had already left with the projector and most of the other materials on a cart, but Lissa was putting together her notes and making sure nothing confidential was left behind.
Julio stepped in closer to her, and kissed that sensitive spot at the back of her neck. The men in the back didn't notice. Instinctively, Lissa adjusted her neck, giving him better access. The men at the back row, started to stand up. Lissa pulled away from Julio.
"Not here," she whispered.
She wanted to get him back to her room, or his, it didn't matter. She wanted the victory fuck, she deserved it, they both deserved it.
But then the damn images of those pictures crossed her mind.
He was a player, Willa, those other women.
She had to think of her children, of getting a life, of not being some billionaire's booty call. With those images taking over her brain, elation from the success of the meeting evaporated, and the fiery need that had only moments before tugged at her soul, became replaced by a dull, aching pain.
Without warning, Lissa rose from the table, and hurried out of the room, straight to the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror, her hands gripping the marble counter. She felt hot, there was sweat running down her neck, and slicking her chest and forehead. A wave of nausea doubled her over the sink. She channeled her breath, quick shallow gasps, as she waited for the sick feeling to pass. After she could lift her head without the fear of passing out, she splashed cold water on her face and then looked at herself. "What's your problem, girl?"
At first there was no answer, but as she waited, understanding dawned. Now that the project was more or less in the bag, he wouldn't be needing her anymore. He'd expect her to go back to the states and take the boys with her, go back to the way things were before. Sure, he might call on her expertise from time to time, but it was nothing that required her presence. There was nothing that couldn't be done remotely from here out.
Except, of course, when he was in the mood to play father. He could just pop by for a hour or two off poppa time. He'd probably want her to open her legs for him then, as well. Kill two birds with one stone on each visit, baby time and booty call.
A weight seemed to settle behind her chest.
She didn't want to be just a booty call, just a girl in one of his ports, waiting for her turn at some mind-blowing sex. Her logical mind had the answer. Tell him how you feel.
But, the part of her that had been hurt before, the part that didn't want him feeling pressured into marriage or anything serious just because of the accident of the three births, that part of her couldn't bear playing a part in forcing something that he didn't really want.
If he didn't feel the same way, if he wasn't falling for her the way she was falling for him – then it was just great sex and nothing more … . And if that's all it was, then he was right. They should celebrate with a fuck. A simple, no-strings attached pussy-convulsing fuck.