Authors: Opal Carew
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded, opening her legs wider. He slid his arms under her knees and tucked them over his shoulders, widening her even more. Then he eased deeper.
He was so thick and hard. He inched deeper still, her vagina clutching him tightly. When he was only partway in, he reversed direction, his cockhead dragging back along her passage. Then he pushed forward, going deeper again.
Each time he pulled back, he followed with a deeper thrust. Each stroke of his cock sent quivers through her, pleasure coiling deep inside. When he finally pushed all the way in, he stopped and kissed her. She tightened her arms around him and kissed him back with passionate abandon.
Oh, God, she wanted to be like this forever. Him deep inside her, giving her pleasure. Her giving him pleasure.
He started to move, his cock gliding inside her, driving her pleasure higher. His thick, hard shaft stroked her and she squeezed, heightening the sensations.
“Fuck, baby, yeah.” He nuzzled her neck as he thrust.
She felt it blossom inside her. Deeper and more intense than last night. Swirling through her. Building like a giant tornado. An orgasm of epic proportions. Her whole body began to tremble and she clung to him, her senses ablaze.
“Oh, God.…” She gasped as bliss swelled through her. She hung on to him. Tight. “Kane, oh … yes…” Then a wail tore from her throat as her whole world exploded. Blasting into a million pieces as she shattered around him.
He groaned and thrust deep, pinning her to the bed. Liquid heat filled her and she clutched him tight as they both shuddered in release.
Then they just lay there, holding each other.
A glowing warmth filled her. She never wanted to let him go. She wanted to be his forever.
Warning bells blared inside her head, telling her it was too much, too soon. That she couldn’t expect any of that, but she ignored them. She couldn’t help herself. Everything inside her told her he was the man she was meant to be with. The man she wanted to spend her life with.
And he clearly wanted her, too.
She knew somehow she would find a way to make it work.
* * *
River spent the morning with Kane. They played some pool in the game room in his building, then went back to his apartment and enjoyed some more intimate time together. She fell asleep, then woke up to find he’d made lunch.
She sat down at the table, then took a bite of the spaghetti with meat sauce he’d set in front of her.
“So what’s your family like?” she asked.
He handed her a glass of soda, then sat across from her.
“It’s just me and my parents. My dad is a serious type, a bit crusty, but really smart. And he’s very strong willed. Mom is kind of sweet. She softens his rough edges.”
She liked the warmth in his eyes as he talked about them.
“Dad’s more or less retired now,” Kane continued. “He used to work long hours, seven days a week, and Mom and I used to worry about him. Then a couple of years ago, he had a heart attack and then … bang!… in his usual sure-minded way, he decided life was too short and put his company in the hands of his well-trained executives. Now he oversees any major undertakings, but mostly he and Mom spend a lot of time together traveling.” He smiled, his eyes lighting up. “They’re so much happier since he made that decision.”
“Where are they now?” she asked.
“They’ve gone to Paris for a few months. In the fall, they might go back to New York for a while before they jet off to somewhere warm for the winter.”
“With all that traveling, do you get to see them much?” she asked.
He seemed so close to his parents. With them away all the time, he must miss them.
“I visit them every few months, when school permits. And we keep in touch over Skype.”
She frowned. “It sounds a bit lonely for you.”
He sipped his soda. “I’m fine. I have a lot of friends and…” He shrugged. “I like my independence.”
He gazed at her and smiled. “I can tell you think I feel abandoned, but I don’t. I know if I asked them to spend more time nearby, they would. But we don’t have to be in the same city … or even country … to be close. I know they love me. They’ve shown me that in everything they’ve said and done for me my whole life.”
She gazed at him with new eyes. She had thought he was a spoiled rich kid, with no appreciation of what his family gave him. That his relationship with his family would be superficial and distant.
But what he had was something she craved. Parents who cared about her and her well-being. Who would be willing to put aside their own wants, if only for a moment, to look out for her and ensure she was okay.
Parents who loved her.
* * *
After lunch, he drove her to the small house where she rented a room in the basement and walked her to the back door, then gave her a passionate kiss. She walked inside, a big smile on her face, then opened the door to the stairs and went down to the small apartment she shared with Gloria. Gloria had been a stranger to River when they both moved in in September—both just students the homeowners had rented rooms to. They hadn’t become close friends, and at one time River wished Gloria hadn’t been such an over-sharer about her sex life, though now she was grateful for it.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw Gloria sitting on the couch reading a book.
“Hi, Gloria.”
Gloria put down her book and stared at her. River could sense the tension emanating from her.
“You spent the night with Kane Winters?”
“Uh … yeah. Why?”
Gloria stood up. “I hate to be the one to tell you this,” she said tightly. “But … he was only using you.”
“What are you talking about?”
Gloria shrugged. “He’s a guy and that’s what they do.”
Anger surged through River and she planted her hands on her hips. “Is it that hard to believe he’s actually interested in me?”
“Because he was sweet and charming and told you what you wanted to hear?” she challenged. “River, that’s what guys do to get into a girl’s pants. Plus … he only went out with you on a bet.”
River blinked as those last words sank in. Then her blood slowly turned to ice.
“No, I don’t believe that.” But her stomach clenched, uncertainty seeping through her.
“He just wanted to nail you, River.”
Gloria picked up her phone from the crate that acted as a coffee table. “Listen.”
She pushed a button, and the sounds of moaning emanated from the phone.
“Oh, God!”
“You like that, sweetheart.”
It was Kane’s voice.
“Ohhh, yes.” … moaning … “Oh, yes. Oh, God.”
River’s cheeks flushed hotly
“Oh, Kane. That’s…”
Then there was a whimpering sound.
River stared at Gloria in horror. “Where did you get that?”
“Several friends e-mailed it to me.”
“Oh, God.” River felt as if she was going to be sick.
The recording—which had clearly been edited to showcase the highlights of her humiliation—went on, but at some point, all River could hear was the sound of blood rushing to her ears. She felt like she might pass out.
“There’s a part where you tell him you learned your awesome blow job skills from your roommate, who’s been with a lot of guys.” Gloria flicked off the phone, glaring at her. “Thanks a lot for dragging my name into the mud with yours. If you come back in the fall, do me a favor and get another roommate.”
Gloria stomped off to her room and all River could do was sink onto the couch in total shock. If she didn’t come back here in the fall, she’d lose her scholarship but … how could she possibly come back?
Her heart ached. But worse, how could she possibly be on the same campus as Kane Winters after he’d deceived her and then betrayed her so cruelly?
Present
River stashed her purse in her locker, and stared at her reflection in the mirror on the locker door. God, she looked like crap. She hadn’t slept well.
She sighed, knowing she might as well get used to that with having to work in the evenings to get her new business off the ground. But last night, she’d been reliving the memory of Kane’s betrayal. And grieving the fact that she’d had to turn down the opportunity to have her nail polish carried in such a prestigious boutique as Rapture. That would have made her brand elite and in high demand.
Actually, getting into any store would be fabulous. Most indie brands she knew of sold online.
But she couldn’t become partners with Kane. Not after what he’d done.
She walked onto the floor and said hi to the other girls working today. The pace was steady during her shift, and slowed late in the afternoon.
As River finished with a customer, Louise walked over to her.
“River, come into the office,” she said.
River followed her through the door at the back of the store and into the office. Louise sat down at the desk.
“I’m sorry but I’m going to have to let you go.”
“What?” River stared at her, her stomach clenching. “I don’t understand.”
“You’ve received a couple of warnings.”
“About the nail polish I wear?” She glanced at her nails. She’d used Seafoam today. Nothing fancy, just three coats—no extra design—and a top coat. No chips.
“Not just that. You haven’t been supportive of the store programs and don’t even seem to try. And, quite frankly, I know you’re starting your own business and I really want people working here who are serious about staying. There are lots of people looking for a job who will be happy to work here and gladly follow the rules.”
River did her best to tamp down the anger surging through her. “Louise, I am supportive of the store’s programs and I’ll do better.”
“I’m sorry. Today is your last day. I’ve already scheduled people into your shifts.”
River just stared at her in shock.
“Your shift is over,” Louise said, her gaze cold, “so get your stuff from your locker and go.”
* * *
“Oh, God, I don’t know what to do.” River stared at Tia across the table in the coffee shop.
“You have that money from your Kickstarter campaign. Can’t you use that to live on until you get a new job?”
“No, I’ve already spent it on the business.”
She had hoped to secure a lot of new clients from the people who’d donated to Kickstarter, but all the bottles of polish were going to Kane. She’d used all the profits to buy enough materials to make even more polish to put up for sale and she planned to send a lot out to beauty bloggers and YouTube stars who did fashion and makeup tutorials in hopes they’d talk up her brand.
“Also, I’ve spent some money on a Web site design so I can start selling online.”
She’d also paid for ads on some high-traffic blogs. It all cost money and she’d seriously dipped into her savings, too.
“So you’ll start bringing money in soon,” Tia said hopefully.
“Not enough to live on. And it’ll take time to build sales … if I get any at all.”
Tia patted her hand. “Don’t think like that. You’re going to do great. I know you are.”
“But what do I live on until then?”
“Well … you know you could always reconsider…”
“No. Don’t even say it.” River sipped her coffee, but it tasted sour in her mouth.
“I know you really don’t want to, but you’re only hurting yourself.” Tia opened her purse and pulled out Kane’s business card. She handed it to River. “Call him.”
River shook her head.
“Look, whatever he did,” Tia said, “he seems to want to make up for it. And even if you won’t forgive him, there’s no reason you shouldn’t take what he has to offer. Just tell him it’s business only and that’s it.”
“He wants to be my partner.”
“So set out guidelines being clear that you’re in charge.”
River pursed her lips, staring at Kane’s card.
“Don’t shoot yourself in the foot, Riv. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Don’t let what he did to you in the past control your future.”
* * *
River stared at the card sitting on her desk. Kane’s card.
Don’t let what he did to you in the past control your future.
Tia was right.
River was being stubborn because she felt taking anything from Kane would make him think he’d made up for what he’d done to her. He could never make it up … and her pain would never go away completely … but she had to move forward. Thinking that she was causing him pain because she wouldn’t let him help her was naïve on her part. He would probably just shrug it off, perfectly happy with the thought that he’d done his best. She was stupid to think he’d lose even one night’s sleep over it if she shunned his deal.
Yet she had so much to lose. This was her dream.
She picked up the phone.
* * *
Kane glanced at the display on his ringing cell phone and smiled.
“Hello, River.”
“Hi. I … uh … wanted to thank you for paying for our drinks the other day.”
“Really? I thought you might resent that.”
And he wished she didn’t. He wanted to do things for her. He wished he could do more, but didn’t want to overwhelm her.
“But you did it anyway.”
“Well, it seems I was wrong.” But he knew he wasn’t and that she was just making polite conversation. Something must have changed and she was reconsidering his offer.
“It was nice of you.”
He was sure she was gritting her teeth while saying it, even though her words sounded sincere.
“And the limo? When I saw it had started to rain, I thought you might particularly appreciate not taking the bus.”
“Yes, Tia had never been in a limo before. She was very impressed.”
“And what about you, River?”
“I’d never been in a limo before either.”
He smiled at her refusal to give an inch, even while wishing she actually appreciated his gesture.
“So why are you calling?”
She sighed. “I want to know if … Could we meet again?”
“You’re asking me out on a date?”
“No,” she said sharply. “I mean … uh … I want to know if it’s too late to take you up on your offer. Of getting my nail polish into Rapture.”