Traded(63)

I wouldn’t make it much longer, and by the way her body undulated against mine I knew she was close too. Gliding my hand down her ribs, I slipped it between our bodies, thumbing her clit until she went off like an explosion. Her pussy rippled around me, combined with the pressure from the plug and I couldn’t hold back. Two more sharp thrusts and I emptied myself inside her body.

She lay there, panting, a dazed look in her eyes. I pulled the plug from her, eliciting a groan, and carefully removed the clamps. There wasn’t a part of her that wouldn’t be sensitive tonight. Taking the toys to the bathroom, I grabbed a washcloth to clean her up. I ran the warm cloth over her body while she lay there, unmoving, completely sated.

I knew you were perfect.

By the time I climbed into bed next to her, she was sound asleep. I coaxed her over into my arms and, just like always, the minute her body touched mine, she curled up against me.

There was something in that gesture, and I knew things had gotten further than I’d ever expected them to. Elena meant more and more to me each day.

Was it love? I didn’t know.

But I was willing to find out.







The mountain of paperwork never seemed to end. The reality was I needed to spend more time at my other two establishments. Lately, I spent most of my time in La Tratoria, neglecting The Bluewater Grill and Indigo. It was the first restaurant I opened and would always be the most special. However, the other two also earned me money; something they wouldn’t continue to do if I neglected them.

Leaning my head against the back of the chair, I remembered the way Elena looked wrapped around me this morning as she slept, all of her delicious curves on display. She’d fallen asleep, so we hadn’t talked. I’d have to try after work.

The knock on my door pulled me from my fantasies.

“Come in,” I called out, sitting up and leaning forward on the desk.

Miller’s head popped around the door. “Hey, man. Thought I’d stop by and see how Elena’s doing.” He waggled his brows up and down.

I pointed to the door. “Back the fuck off or shut the fuck up.”

He laughed. “You slept with her, didn’t you?”

“And what makes you think I’m telling you anything?”

“You tell me about every chick you fuck,” he said sitting down on the sofa in the corner of my office. “What makes her different?”

I turned back to the computer screen.

Great guffaws of laughter burst from Miller as he slumped down on the couch clutching his stomach. “You . . . you . . .” He couldn’t speak.

“What the hell are you laughing at?” The sound didn’t stop which annoyed me. “You know what? I don’t want to know. Just get out so I can get some work done.”

When he got himself under a bit of control, he spoke. “I was right about you that night at Dad’s.”

“Right about what?”

“You want her, and not for a quick screw. You want that woman long-term.”

“Says who?”

He smirked. “It’s written all over you.”

I no longer held the relaxed position of someone who didn’t care. My hand was clenched around my bicep, my fingers tapping against my arm.

“Fine. I want her. Happy?”

“Not really. It’s the first time you’ve wanted someone longer than the time it takes to play and get yourselves off. What gives? What makes Elena different?”

A good question. What made me want to give her the world on a silver platter when the most I cared for a woman before was whether or not she was interested in what I liked. “She’s different.”

I was saved by another knock on the door. “What?” I snapped, irritated with all of the interruptions.

Brock stepped into the room, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might break under the strain. He acknowledged us as he stepped into the room.

“Who pissed in your cheerios?” Miller was still having trouble keeping himself from laughing.

Brock growled at Miller. Before he had a chance to strangle him, I redirected Brock’s attention to me. “What do you have for me?”

No small talk, no preamble.

“Palmer is completely aware of how he should and shouldn’t behave in the future, if he wants that future to be a bright and happy one.”

“I had a feeling he’d understand once you’d had a nice discussion with him.” As much as I hated doing any of the business at the restaurant, the whole situation needed to be handled immediately.

“We had a nice long chat about how he remembers hearing certain things about Elena.”

That sobered Miller up. “What happened with Elena?”

I sighed, not wanting to explain it but knowing Miller wouldn’t let it lie if I tried to push him off. “Some dipshit client approached us outside the movies last night, wanting to talk about the money he owes.”