Authors: Shanora Williams
“Say it,” he murmured into my ear.
My head fell back, my damp hair clinging to my forehead.
“Say it, Mya. Say you aren’t leaving—that you’re staying for the rest of the night.” He forced his entire cock into me. I scratched at his bare back, groaning.
“I’m staying the rest of the night,” I breathed. “I am. I swear.”
His head lifted up, our eyes locked briefly, and then his lips consumed mine. I clung to his damp body and entangled him in my legs. The dress was tight, and the seams at the waist screamed as the fabric split. Although it was a beautiful dress, it couldn’t top this intense but beautiful moment.
He didn’t want to say it, but it was evident that he didn’t want me to leave. That’s why he’d tempted me. He knew if he pressed the wrong buttons I would stay—just to prove a point. It was well-played on his behalf, but I was seeing the true Carlos Montero tonight.
“Ahh… fuck, babe,” he groaned. In one final stroke, Carlos’s face fell into the crook of my neck, and he panted, his body shuddering as he released.
My body relaxed beneath his, and I closed my eyes. The crazy thoughts were coming at me like a whirlwind. Tomorrow was the last day. Before noon, I would be gone. I wasn’t happy about that, and I wanted so badly to beg for more time. I knew, sooner or later, I probably would. But right now… no. I had to catch him at a weak moment. I had to catch him when he would least expect it.
So, I made an agreement with myself to keep this night going. Perhaps if we continued this night the right way, he’d change his mind. He’d give us more time. He told me he couldn’t get enough, and by the way he was breathing down my neck, placing feathery-light kisses on my skin and clinging to me without even realizing it, I knew it was true. He was just trying to hold onto his pride, which was understandable for a man as himself, but I was going to break through that.
I was going to keep Montero around. Now that we’d come this far, there was no going back. I was attached.
I felt like I belonged.
How could he let me go?
FINAL HOURS
I lost count. I don’t know how many times Carlos and I reveled in one another’s bodies, but for innumerable rounds, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. I had to agree with the words he shared with me earlier that night; I couldn’t get enough of him either. Each time seemed better than the former.
He teased me and toyed with me, putting that vibrator of his to good use whenever necessary. What I loved most is that he didn’t use it too much. He still made sure he was the one pleasing me, not some rubber, inanimate yet surprisingly animated vibrating toy.
But, still, after we were finally settling down, I couldn’t stop thinking about our heated moment only hours ago. It was nearing 3 A.M., and we were still awake—exhausted and quite drained, yes, but still awake. It’s like neither of us wanted this night to end. Sleeping would’ve ruined it all.
“How long have you lived here?” I asked.
“Two years,” he murmured.
I glanced up at him, running the palm of my hand across his bare chest. We were both naked. His hands were behind his head, and I was glued to him as if my life depended on it. “Where’s your room?” I whispered.
He stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds and then he blinked before giving me his attention. “End of the hall.”
“Is it big?”
“Quite.”
“Master bathroom?”
“Yes.”
“Can I see?”
“No.”
My eyebrows stitched at his blatant and quick response. “Why not?”
His eyes met mine. “It’s my room. Means it’s for me and for me only. This one is yours. Enjoy it.”
“What, are you hiding some other woman in there or something?” I teased, sitting up on my elbow and smiling down at him.
He sighed, slightly rolled his eyes, and then looked away. “If that’s what you want to believe.”
“Oh, come on, Carlos. It’s just a bedroom. This room is lovely, and I’m grateful for the time put into it for me, but I can’t even begin to imagine what yours looks like.”
“A few square inches bigger than this. The bathroom as well. Nothing too major.”
I slapped his chest playfully. “What’s so bad about me seeing your room?”
“You’ll want to stay in there.”
I shook my head. “No I won’t. I swear. I just want to see it.”
He shook his head. “Not tonight, Mya.”
I pressed my lips hard, and the first thing that came to mind immediately slipped past my lips. “Then, I guess you mean never, right? Because in the next few hours, I won’t even be here.”
His gaze shot to me, his eyebrows threaded. Pushing up, he sat up against the headboard, but his eyes remained fixed on mine. “My room is my room. It’s my privacy, and it’s sacred to me. No one has set foot in my room, not even the maid. Not even my own mother. Why? Because it’s mine. I share almost everything else. I like to think that there’s at least one place I can have all to myself.”
My eyelashes flapped as I realized how serious he was. “Okay. Fine. I’m sorry. I won’t ask about it anymore.” Relief washed over his face, but I couldn’t help my frown. To me, it seemed he was hiding something. Why else wouldn’t he want anyone in there but him? As curious as I was, I let it roll off my back. I cuddled into his side again, drawing small circles on his chest as I sighed.
Fortunately, things didn’t get too awkward. He actually lightened the mood. “Ready to head back to that dick of a boss of yours?” he asked, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me in closer.
“Ugh… spare me,” I groaned, rolling my eyes.
He chuckled. “Believe it or not, he’s a smart man. His business plans are thorough, and he seems to know what he’s doing. I mean, the guy has a secretary and two assistants. I don’t even have an assistant. Just Jane. Something tells me he has two so things like
this
won’t knock him back any steps.”
“You mean me being here with you while Claire is still there?”
“Exactly. With her, he can still get his work done. Imagine if you were his only assistant and I would’ve asked him to let me have you for four days. He’d probably be knee deep in paperwork right now, begging you to hurry back.”
I laughed at the thought of Mr. Green begging. “I don’t think that man would ever be a beggar. Knowing him, he probably would’ve just fired me and hired a new one.”
Carlos shook his head. “I doubt that. He knows that if you mean something to me work wise, then you’re his gateway. He’d keep you around for as long as he could, even if he does get thrown under the bus a little because I’m intrigued by you.”
“Think so?”
“Know so. He isn’t an idiot.”
I continued drawing circles on his chest. There were some things I needed to know—things I swore I wouldn’t bring up to him. “Remember in Key West… when we met?”
“Of course. How could I forget?”
“Out of all the women in that room batting their eyelashes at you and trying to get your attention, what made you want to talk to me?”
Silence fell down between us, but I waited. Finally, after sighing and running a hand across his face, Carlos said, “You were the only one that
wasn’t
looking at me.”
I looked up to meet his eyes. “I was looking.”
“No.” He chuckled and shook his head. “When I entered that room, all eyes seemed to turn on me. Most people there already knew who I was because of the business, and they greeted me immediately. The women… well, they didn’t know who I was, but it was obvious they were attracted to me. But then, I see one woman standing beside the bar with a hard drink in hand. She’s staring out the window, watching the ocean. Even with everyone hollering and greeting me, not once did you turn to look my way. That alone intrigued me. I became curious about you, so of course, I had to introduce myself.”
“So you’re used to ogling eyes?”
“The attention is something I’ve become accustomed to, yes.” He swallowed. “And besides the fact that you were standing there alone, as if you didn’t have a care in the world, I couldn’t help but be astounded by your beauty. You were the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. It’s not like me to introduce myself, but I had to. But…”
“But what?”
“But you were drunk.”
“But we had a good conversation that night. I remember some of it.”
“We did…” He paused and shifted a little. “I’ve always wanted to ask what made you drink so much that night. You were there for your boss, correct? You were representing him and his business?”
“Yes,” I said, remembering the train of drinks I downed that night.
“And if someone were to come and talk to you, you wouldn’t have been in the most professional state of mind…”
I lowered my head in shame. “I know…”
“But… because of that night, I was able to find you again. You left your business card in my room. And when I realized who you worked for, I did some digging in my emails and saw Green had been wanting to set up a meeting with me for months.”
My eyes expanded as I perched myself up. “So you’re saying the only reason you set up that meeting … was to see me?”
He flashed a boyish smile. “Perhaps.”
“But… why didn’t you just call?”
He shrugged. “I looked into Green a little more and realized his business plan is actually a good one. It’s unique. I wanted to partner with him, but what I really wanted was to surprise you. To see you again.”
“So you set a meeting right after I left?”
He nodded. “The next afternoon.”
I blushed, lowering my gaze. He reached in quickly and tilted my chin back up. “I told you not to hide that from me…”
“I-I’m not… I’m just a little shocked is all.”
“Shocked about what?”
“I just… I don’t know what you find so intriguing about me, especially knowing now that I have… issues…”
“We all have issues, Mya. We all have problems. We all have demons. No one in this world is any better than anyone else. Deep down, we are all the same.”
I shook my head. “No, you don’t understand. If I get too attached—”
He placed his finger on the fold of my lips to stop me from talking. “I do understand, and I don’t care. I’d rather spend time with someone that can admit to his or her problems than someone who pretends to be perfect. No one is perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” I murmured after he removed his finger.
He laughed, tossing his head back. “Far from it, Mya.”
“No… seriously. I think you’re perfect. I can’t seem to find one flaw about you. Well, other than the fact that you won’t let our fun-time continue.”
His face became strict. “I’m not perfect—nowhere near it—and because of that, I can’t let
this
go past it’s limit.”
Once again, I was defeated. “I don’t get it,” I whined.
“Mya… you have to understand me on this.”
“I can’t understand if you aren’t willing to explain, Carlos.”
He looked me over, fighting with his next set of words. “I—” He lowered his head and his eyelashes touched his cheekbones. He was adorable. So adorable. “There are things about me that you don’t know—that you’ll never know. As I said, I don’t think this should end yet, but it has to.”
“Why?” I whispered, dropping my gaze.
“It just does.”
“Well, what if I come by and see you one random day… can I do that?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s very wise.”
“Is this because of Marilyn? Because you don’t want to ruin your image?”
“Something like that.”
“Wow,” I sighed. I admit, this wasn’t how I wanted the conversation to go. I wanted him to change his mind. I didn’t want him to care about his image or about what people would think of him. I just wanted him to care about us. I wanted
us
to continue after tomorrow.
“How about instead of leaving at noon you leave tomorrow night?”
I looked up, my heart speeding up a notch. “Seriously?”
“Hell yeah,” he murmured, stroking the back of my hand with the pad of his thumb. His boyish smile made me ooze. “We’ll sleep in, catch some brunch if we’re awake in time, and then spend the few hours we have left doing what we do best.” A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he looked from my eyes to my breasts.
I giggled. Although I wanted way more time than that, I knew he was doing this for me. He wasn’t just throwing me away, and I could appreciate that. He wanted our time spent to be the best it could before I took off. I could deal with that. So, with a small smile, I said, “That sounds great, Carlos.” And after we committed our act of lust one last time, heating up the bedroom and dampening the sheets, we fell asleep. I fell asleep in his arms. I fell asleep with Carlos Montero, and I swear it was the most peaceful sleep I’d caught in ages. My night was complete.
THE MEN
The other side of the bed was cold and empty when I awoke.
I sprang up, scanning the room for any trace of him. Of course there wasn’t one, and panic settled in. I clambered out of bed while tugging the silk sheet around me. My heart thundered. Where did he go?
I glanced at the bay window realizing the sun was at its highest. I’d slept in, but he didn’t. I started for the door, but before I could make it, I spotted an outfit folded on the accent chair. My eyebrows drew together as I paused and turned in the direction of the chair. On top of the outfit was a folded letter. Realizing it could only be from one person, I snatched it up and read it.
Don’t panic. I had these clothes picked out and dropped off for you. Take a shower, get dressed, and meet me out back in the gazebo. Take your time. I’ll be waiting.
P.S. Sorry about the dress. I’ll be sure to get you another.
I smiled, and my heart accelerated a notch. The rays of sunshine beaconing through the window only increased the tingles and warmth I was feeling on the inside. I loved his notes. I loved that he gave my emotions some thought. He knew so much about me that I didn’t realize he knew. Reassurance was something I just had to have. Without it, I went crazy.
Sighing, I placed the note down and picked up the peach blouse and jeans. I wasn’t sure how he knew what size I wore. I figured either he asked Claire or he was taking wild guesses at it. My guess was that he asked Claire. He’d asked her about deeper things, so asking for my sizes was nothing in comparison.
After a quick shower, I brushed and dried my hair, got dressed, and took one last look in the mirror. I gave myself a satisfying nod as I smoothed out my blouse. Although I had no makeup on, I realized Carlos wanted it that way. He wanted my natural side. This outfit he delivered was further confirmation. It was comfortable and simple. Not too much. Just right. I was slightly put off by not looking my best, but it was my last day and I was just hoping we’d spend every second here until I had to pack up and leave.
Turning for the bedroom door, I swung it open and sauntered down the hallway, taking in each painting on the wall and each vase on the tables. I wasn’t quite sure how to get to the back, so I took my time, making my rounds with each hallway. The truth was, I was being nosey. I was in no rush to find Carlos. What had been bothering me all night was the fact that he didn’t want me to see his room. I took a quick look around, realizing no one was in sight. Then, I hurried back upstairs, took a hard right and scurried down the hallway.
This was wrong, I knew, but I just had to see it. The fact that it was practically forbidden to anyone other than himself intrigued me. I was nosey, and a part of that was a terrible trait I caught from my mother, but I’d learned how to accept some of my flaws. Sometimes, being nosey and impatient paid off, and other times, it didn’t. This was our last day seeing each other anyway. I was sure whatever he was hiding in his room wasn’t going to really be a big deal.
Finally, after passing my appointed room and three more bedrooms, I arrived. The gold doorknob glistened from the splash of sunlight spilling through the curtains. I swallowed thickly, glancing down the hallway one last time before my hand clutched the handle. And once it was there, there was no going back for me. I pushed in slowly, glad the door didn’t creak. His windows on the east wall were wide open, allowing every ounce of sunlight to shine in. I shut the door behind me quickly, and once I was inside, I pressed my back against the door, blinked rapidly, and then took a hard look around.
It was very large, but very simple. In fact, it was just as he described—a few square inches bigger. A large bed with brown sheets anchored the room, and to the left was a door, which I assumed was the bathroom.
I tiptoed towards his bed, running my fingers across the smooth sheets—Egyptian cotton. I knew. Mom always ordered Egyptian cotton sheets and comforters for us from my uncle. He owned a company that sold nothing but the best. I wanted to jump on his bed and smother myself with them. I could smell him everywhere. It made my lady bits tingle… my nipples stiffen.
I knew it was best not to mess anything up, so I turned from the bed, looking from the chair and desk to his armoire and then his closet. I made my way to the closet and took a peek. There were suits everywhere, probably more formal wear than casual clothing. His natural scent was even stronger in the closet, and it drove me wild.
That was it. I had to be near him again. Besides, there was nothing here. I’d jumped to conclusions. This was clearly just his bedroom. He liked it to himself, which was understandable. Everyone needed a little privacy.
I shut the closet door behind me and made my way past the dresser. As I started past the dark, solid wood piece, something caught my attention, and I took two steps back. There were pictures in frames on top, at least six.
I studied them from left to right. The first one was a picture of what I figured was him and his family. There was a man who looked just like him, a woman with soft eyes with her hand on his shoulder, and a younger girl with pigtails and missing teeth beside him. I smiled at the sight. I smiled at Carlos’s smile. He was adorable, and to see him smile so genuinely was rare. He seemed happy.
My eyes continued to the right. I studied each picture of him with each of his family members. He and his sister were nearly identical. His mother was like a goddess. She seemed flawless—perfect in every way. I was enjoying looking at the pictures, until I came across the very last one. My smile dissipated. I stared for an indefinite amount of time, unsure what I was looking at.
There was a woman with sandy-brown hair, and then, there was Carlos. They were kissing. And, no, not just a small peck. This was a passionate kiss. She was smiling behind the kiss, and he had his hand cupped around her cheek as if he couldn’t stand to be without her. From this angle, she was gorgeous. At first I thought it was Marilyn with her hair dyed, possibly a photo he kept as proof that they were together, but no. This was a completely different woman. A woman I didn’t know. This photo was recent.
My heart stilled.
My hands became clammy.
For the life of me, I couldn’t blink. I couldn’t move, but I knew I had to. I knew I had to get out of this room sooner or later before Carlos came looking for me. I counted to ten, and once I reached the number, I shut my eyes and backed away.
I wanted to break the picture, but I had to leave everything as it was. I had to keep this room in mint condition. I turned like the wind, yanked open the bedroom door, and rushed out, shutting it behind me.
Before I was to see him, I had to make sure I looked okay, so I entered my room and did a double check in the mirror. I was fine… but for how long? The truth was, I didn’t know how long I was going to be able to carry on with this day without knowing who the woman was. Was she an ex? Was she a current fling? Why did he have a picture of her? He obviously cherished that picture, which meant she was important to him.
I shook my head. I couldn’t let it bother me. I had to move on and enjoy this time with him. I turned and zoomed out of the bedroom, running my hands across my face as I made my way down the hallway.
But before I could make it to the staircase, a man in a suit stepped up. He stopped in the middle of the corridor, and I frowned, coming to a quick halt as he lowered his sunglasses.
“Miss Sterling, I presume?” he spoke.
I blinked.
“Well, of course it’s you. We know who you are.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
“We’ve met,” he stated simply.
“Oh. Okay.” Freak. I started to walk around him, but he stopped me with his arm. I gasped and glanced up just as he looked down at me.
“Where are you off to?”
“I’m going out to the gazebo to meet Carlos.”
“You know, I think it’d be much better if you just tagged along with me.” His eyes darkened as he glared down at me. Then, he grabbed my arm, and my heart lurched in my chest.
“No!” I shouted. “I’m here with Carlos. If you’re security, you can ask him yourself. I’m not an intruder!”
The man gripped my arm tighter, rushing down the stairs with me at his side. “I got her,” he said, lifting the flap of his suit.
“Are you security?” I asked. “I was here all night with Carlos. Just go ask him yourself!”
“That won’t be necessary, Miss Sterling.” He pulled open the front door, and just as I started to scream Carlos’s name, the man stopped in his tracks, giving me an icy look. “Call for him, and it will only make things worse.”
I clamped my mouth shut. He continued walking again, gripping my wrist tighter. A black van appeared, and I felt my heart drop as we neared it. The doors slid open, and he shoved me inside. I whimpered as he forced me into the seat. He shut the door behind him and turned in my direction.
I stared at him with wide eyes, afraid of what was to come. Who was this man? What did he want? Was he kidnapping me? What the fuck was going on?
I looked up front at the two men in the front seat. Both had black suits on as well. The one in the passenger seat glanced at me and smiled. Wait a minute… I knew him. I knew this guy. He was the one on the elevator. He was the guy that asked about my sushi the day I wasn’t supposed to bring Carlos lunch.
Oh my God.
“Mya,” the man beside me spoke up, causing me to flinch. He smiled. “Don’t be so afraid. We aren’t going to harm you… that is, unless we have to.”
I shook my head, tears building in my eyes. “No. Please,” I begged.
“We know you don’t want to get hurt, but hanging around Carlos Montero any longer just might cause a little trouble.”
“H-how?”
He sighed, folding his sunglasses and sliding them into the pocket of his suit. “Listen, we know about your problems. We can’t allow this to go on any longer. Allowing this to continue for even another hour is a risk.”
“What do you mean a risk? What are you talking about?”
“Carlos likes you. We can tell.”
My heart smiled. I wanted to smile, but I didn’t. I still had no clue what was going on.
“But now, he has to get over you. Carlos is married. Did he mention that?”
“Yes, but he said it was only so he could become a citizen,” I said quickly.
The man laughed. “It’s not really that simple. See, Carlos has deeper issues. He’s made deals that he has to keep. He’s signed contracts that he can’t break. We have to be sure of that. With you around, he’s already breaking at least four contracts. You are a liability. You will only drag him down. Right now, he can’t afford dating. He can’t slack off. We need him focusing on his job. We don’t need him running around and sleeping with a girl he met in Key West.”
Key West? What? How did they know that’s where we met? As if he could read my mind, he continued. “Yes. We keep tabs on Montero. We’ve also been keeping tabs on you. We were okay with him sleeping with you once, but then he found you again, and… well… let’s just say that doesn’t sit well with us.”
“Carlos can live his own life,” I snapped.
“Carlos wouldn’t have a life if it weren’t for us,” the man bit back, nostrils flaring. He leaned in closer, narrowing his eyes. “I’m just going to cut to the chase. You’re going to leave Montero alone. You’re going to go back to the gazebo, tell him you have to get back to Chicago because your friend is sick, and then you’re going to go back to that hotel he’s been keeping you in, pack your shit, and get the hell out of here. Is that clear?”
I stared at him with wide, glistening eyes. “And if I don’t?” I dared.
He sat back, smirking. “Then you’d better watch your back, Miss Sterling.”
My throat went dry. I wasn’t sure what else to say. Who were these men? It was almost like they controlled Carlos—like they were stalking him, watching him with hawk eyes every second of the day.
The man pulled open the door and stepped out. He folded his fingers in front of him and gestured towards the house while staring at me. “Go on. Don’t want him to come looking for you.”
I glanced at the two men in the front seat. The one in the passenger seat was smirking, but he was staring ahead. Was this some kind of sick, twisted game for them? Was this a joke?
Instead of asking, I climbed out of the van immediately. I started for the door, but the man caught my arm and murmured into my ear, “Be wise, Miss Sterling. We know you don’t want to stay away—that it seems almost impossible for you to stay away from him—but this is your life on the line, as well as his. Do anything wrong and things won’t look so good for either of you.”
He released me and hopped into the van as it pulled off. I watched them until they disappeared then hurried inside, slamming the door behind me. My heart was racing, but I ignored it and zoomed through the kitchen. Luckily, I spotted the gazebo and standing outside of it was Carlos. I opened the door, keeping my nerves in check as I shut it behind me. He was talking to someone, but when he heard the door shut, he glanced up, spotted me, and a soft smile appeared on his lips.
I wanted to smile back, I really did, but I couldn’t. For some reason, my face felt paralyzed, and he noticed because he excused himself from the man he was talking to and met me in the middle of the yard.