Authors: Joanne Schwehm
Our eyes were glued to each other. I was idly wondering what
expression I was wearing. He was getting closer, and I felt the buttons on my
blouse tighten as my breathing got deeper. I looked down and felt his fingers
on my chin, lifting me up to look at him. No words were spoken. He took me in
his arms and hugged me. My right cheek was resting on his heart. I could feel
and hear it beat. It was strong and steady just like Alex.
He grabbed my hand and led me out to the sidewalk. He grabbed my
face between his hands and thoroughly kissed me. I couldn’t get enough of him. I
felt as if I hadn’t kissed him in months, and it hadn’t even been a day. It
scared me how much I needed this man. My chest was tightening at the thought,
but I tried to push that aside. He broke apart from me and stepped back resting
his head on mine.
“Is everything okay, Alex? Did something happen? Is Anthony okay?
“Everything is fine; I just wanted a minute with you before our
meeting. I woke up and thought of holding you, and since I didn’t want to grab
you in the meeting and I didn’t want to wait until afterwards, I thought I
would do it here. Why? Did you think something was wrong?”
I shrugged. “I guess I’m always waiting for the proverbial shoe
to drop. That’s all.”
“There will be no shoe dropping today.”
He kissed me and didn’t care that we weren’t alone. New Yorkers
really don’t care what is going on; they just walk around you.
“We need to go into the meeting. You can tell me about the shoe
issue during the dinner that I have planned for us tonight. We can talk more
then.”
I nodded and smiled. We took the elevator up to my office. We
passed Mark on the way into the conference room. He looked at us and smiled. Alex
stopped and offered his hand to Mark and said that it was good to see him again.
Mark nodded and led us into the conference room where Brian was sitting at the
end of the table and Julie was preparing the ad board. She looked at us and
smiled.
The meeting went well. Brian and Alex were pleased with our work,
and we were moving forward toward launching the marketing blast for The White
Orchid’s wine room.
“Alex, do you have a name for the wine room yet? I’d like to
start looking into logos and create my marketing material around it.” Julie was
the ultimate professional. She had just told me that morning that if a name
wasn’t given to her soon, she was going make one up herself. Of course she
wouldn’t do that, but it was holding up the marketing plan.
“Actually, I have selected a name.” He looked at me and grinned.
I felt myself flush, and then I peeked over at Brian, who had a questioning
look on his face. “I’m calling it
Amoureux
.”
Brian looked at him and said, “And that means?”
“Lover.” It flew right out of my mouth. Alex had called me that
in Paris. I could feel my face getting hotter. Brian gave me a curious look. I
shrugged. “I picked up a little French while I was in Paris.” Julie and Alex
laughed. I shot them a look that said thanks a lot guys! Geez, could I be more
embarrassed?
Julie finally chimed in, “That’s brilliant, Alex. I love it, and
I can totally work with that. The marketing strategy for
Amoureux
is
going to rock!”
The meeting adjourned, and we all walked out of the conference
room. Alex walked me to my desk. We had planned on going out to dinner
together, but since I had work to finish, I would be meeting him there. He
hugged me and told me he’d send a car to pick me up at six. I thanked him and
admired the view as he walked away.
I arrived at the restaurant in Little Italy and joined
Alex who was seated at a quiet table. He held my hand across the table and just
smiled at me. I couldn’t be happier that we’d gotten past the Valerie misunderstanding,
which I’d totally blown out of proportion.
“I hope you’re hungry, because I ordered for us.” He had a
devilish look about him, but I just smiled. I wondered what he had ordered, but
I was sure it was going to be delicious. I also didn’t care because my focus
was on Alex and making him understand me a little better: my overreactions,
anxiety issues, and my fears.
“I am hungry, and I look forward to spending my time with you
tonight.” Before I could finish my thought, the waiter came with our wine. The
label looked familiar to me, and it dawned on me that it was one of the wines
we had in Italy.
Alex picked up his glass, motioning for me to do the same, and
said, “To us, to understanding and exploring new adventures and each other.” He
winked.
We tapped our glasses together. I needed to get my thoughts off
my chest. “I know that what I saw with Valerie was innocent and I blew it out
of proportion. It’s a typical move on my part. As I mentioned earlier, I have a
knack of forcing the shoe to drop. I guess it’s a way of protecting myself.”
“Yes, tell me about this ‘shoe’ of yours”. He finger quoted the
word shoe.
“As you know, I’m not good in the relationship department. Aside
from you, I’ve only had one other boyfriend, Garrett. Something always goes
wrong, in everything, not just relationships. So to prevent the apprehension of
when that ‘shoe’ will drop, I try to force the issue. This way I am in control
of my heart breaking. I don’t know if I could take it if I lost what we have. I
only dealt with that feeling for a few minutes, but it felt like days.”
“Aubrey, I told you I would never intentionally hurt you. I don’t
feel and have never felt for anyone the way I feel for you. Besides, I think
Valerie has a thing for Mark.”
“Wait, are you telling me that Valerie likes Mark?” He shrugged.
“By the way, I hooked him up with an apartment in the building
next to the club. It isn’t anything fancy, but the landlord owed me a favor, so
I collected.
“Well, you have been busy. Thank you for doing that. What other
little secrets are you keeping?” I was joking, but he got serious.
“I don’t keep secrets, Aubrey.”
No secrets . . . I need to tell him about my journal.
“Alex,
I want you to know something . . .” The waiter came and brought us our meals. I
looked at the beautiful plates and realized he’d recreated our dinner in Italy.
How do I tell him about why I wanted to get together with him? He has to
know that I’m not using him and that my intentions are honest. It really isn’t
even important anymore.
I decided that it was a non-issue.
“What do you want to tell me?” His eyes were looking at me with
hope and anticipation.
I swallowed and felt as if I were going to speak for the first
time. “I love you, Alex.”
He looked shocked. Shit! I shouldn’t have said it. Telling him
that I was contemplating using him might have gone over better. I looked down
at the napkin that I was twisting in my lap.
Softly but confidently, he said, “I love you too.”
My head shot up. I couldn’t help but smile at him. He smiled back
and what a smile my man had. He was just beautiful. I could look at him forever
and never tire at the sight of him.
“Aubrey, I haven’t heard those three words since my mom passed
away. I mean my dad would tell me, but I didn’t believe him. I was more of a
disappointment to him. I am so glad it’s you who said those words to me.”
I was shifting in my chair. I wanted to get out of there and make
love to my man. I needed him to possess me in every way possible. I lifted my
napkin, gently ran it over my mouth, and placed it on the table. Alex looked at
me and signaled for the waiter to bring us our check and to-go boxes. Obviously
Alex had the same idea I did; we needed to get out of there; we’d eat later.
We were almost running into his apartment. Our lips felt bound
together in a searing kiss. I couldn’t let go of him. I didn’t want to . . . ever.
We tore each other’s clothes off in the living room, and he scooped me up and
carried me to the couch. He lay down holding himself above me. I ran my hands
up and down his abs and traced the beautiful V in his hips with my fingertips. I
looked up at him in awe. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. This
amazingly gorgeous man loved me. He lowered himself, and I felt his erection
press against me. I needed him intimately, emotionally, and mentally. I had
never felt the need for anyone as I did for Alex. He moved so he was half on me
and half on the couch. He ran his finger down my neck, around the outline of my
breasts, over my nipple, and down the center of my stomach to the top of my
sex. He ran his finger up and down my slit. I couldn’t help the moan that
escaped me. I bucked my hips toward his hand. I looked over at him. He was
watching his hand.
As he slid one finger in, I reached down to him. I grabbed his
erection in my hand and started moving in the same rhythm that he was moving in
and out of me. He slid in another finger, then another. “Oh Alex, please, I
need to feel you; I want you.”
He removed his fingers and rolled us so I was on top of him. “Take
me, Aubrey. I’m yours.”
Could there be anything better than hearing that? I didn’t think
so. I slid him inside me and started rocking and moving him in and out. I
leaned back grabbing his thighs for support. He pinched my nipples, and I was
on the verge of climaxing. I loved this man. I felt tears stab my eyes. He
rubbed the top of my thighs with his thumbs, and I started to shatter. “I’m
coming, Alex!” I was rocking at a furious pace. “Come with me; I need to feel
you with me.” He flipped me over and started thrusting into me. I exploded in a
sweet spasm and so did he. I could feel his muscles tense and his cock throb
inside of me. He felt amazing. We were amazing.
Alex and I had spent the next two weeks with Brett and
Julie, preparing for the private opening of
Amoureux
.
The marketing blitz that Julie prepared
was brilliant.
Amoureux
would be opening to the public the following
weekend. The guest list for the private opening that night was short. It
consisted of close friends and Alex’s Dad. I was so proud of Alex and Brett. They
worked so hard on this. When we arrived at the club, we headed down to the wine
room, where Tyler was making the final preparations for the tastings. He was
working with the caterers to make sure the right foods were paired with the
appropriate wine, according to Brett and Alex’s specifications.
I was with Julie in
Amoureux
when Alex and
Brett walked in. Julie and I looked at them in awe. I didn’t think I would ever
tire of looking at him. Alex and Brett both had on black suits. Alex wore a
gray shirt and a black tie, while Brett wore a white shirt and a burgundy tie. They
looked edible. Julie and I smiled in appreciation of our men. Brett went to Julie,
and Alex strutted over to me.
“You look beyond handsome this evening, Mr.
Logan.” He beamed that glorious smile at me, and I swear I felt it between my
legs. I crossed them in anticipation of what was to come . . . literally.
“You are gorgeous, my love.” He spun me around. I
had on a black strapless cocktail dress and my black Jimmy Choo high-heel
pumps.
I blushed. “Thank you. Are you excited for
tonight?”
“I’m very happy that this day is here. I would be
lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.” I knew he was thinking about his dad. The
infamous business tycoon who wasn’t fond of his son owning a nightclub was
going to attend the opening.
“It’s awesome, Alex, no worries tonight. Everyone
will love it and what you guys have accomplished. I know I do. I love you.”
“I love you more than I did yesterday.” He kissed
me, and it felt as if it went on forever, which was perfectly fine with me. Brett
interrupted us and told us the guests were arriving.
I looked around the room. It was stunning. The
décor was soft burgundy and cream with high tasting tables, soft padded stools,
and wooden wine racks. The lighting was dim and was complemented by the votive candles
on the tables. It was pure romance.
Brett and Julie were positioned at the door,
while Alex and I stayed in the center of the room, explaining what was being
offered and welcoming everyone. Brian was the first to enter the room with his
wife, followed by Mark and Valerie; I guess Alex had been right about them. Mark
kissed me on the cheek and shook Alex’s hand. “Thanks for hooking me up with
that apartment. I move in, in a few weeks.” He was happy and I was happy for
him.
I really didn’t dislike Valerie; I disliked the
way she’d acted around Alex the first time I met her. She kissed Alex hello and
gave me a quick hug. I smiled at her “How’s your dad?
She laughed. “He’s cranky and ornery because he
had to rest at home, so I guess he’s getting back to normal. We both smiled and
nodded at her. I could tell that Alex was both pleased and relieved to hear
that. Mark and Valerie made their way to the caterers to start their first
tasting.
Alex looked toward the entrance and my eyes
followed. Jack Logan was standing there with a woman. She looked as if she were
my age. Oh, this was not good. I looked over at Alex, and he was grinding his
jaw. I put my hand on his forearm. He grabbed my hand, and we walked toward his
father. “Son,” Jack said and stuck his hand out. Alex took it, but his arm
looked as if it weighed a hundred pounds the way he lifted it to meet his dad’s
hand. He dropped it and grabbed mine.
Jack looked at me as if he’d never met me before.
“Dad, you remember my girlfriend, Aubrey.”
I extended my hand. “Hi, Mr. Logan.” He shook my
hand and smiled. I hated the vibe I got from him. Alex squeezed my hand.
“Son, this is Darla.” Alex just looked at him. “Darla,
my son, Alex.”
She handed him her hand palm down as if to say, “Here
you go; you may kiss it.” She licked her bottom lip before biting it. Alex took
her hand and shook it.
Ha-ha, no kisses for you, Darla!
My insides were
doing the happy dance.
“Have fun and please enjoy the wine.” Alex spoke
to them like strangers.
As we walked away, I took Alex’s hand in mine. I
couldn’t help but ask, “Who is Darla?”
He shrugged. “I think she works in his office. I’m
not sure why he brought her here. I didn’t realize he was dating.”
I could tell that put him off balance. No sooner
had we removed ourselves from the uncomfortable feeling brought about by Jack
and Darla than we were being greeted by Leah. Tyler had obviously invited her,
since she was on his arm.
I had Alex’s hand in a death grip and was sure
that he would have a bruise or a broken bone or two. Alex glared at Tyler. They
exchanged looks; although, Tyler obviously was oblivious to the fury that
Alex’s eyes displayed. Tyler had to know that she was a thorn in my side. Leah,
on the other hand, looked pleased with herself.
She kissed Alex on the cheek. “Hey, baby, this
place is nice.”
Nice? Nice?
This room was gorgeous. She was such trash. She
looked at me. “Did you decorate this?” I could feel my eyes glaring at her.
“No, but she was the inspiration for the name.”
I smiled and looked up at him. He winked at me.
“Yeah, what does
Amoureux
mean and what
language is that?”
“It’s French and it means lover.” He looked at me
and kissed me on my temple.
Leah rolled her eyes and made a sour face.
Okay, my glare was gone, and I was rejoicing at
her discomfort. Tyler and Leah walked away, and I let out a breath. I just
couldn’t stand her. Alex excused himself just before Valerie came up to me and
said, “She is vile.” I was shocked, so I laughed. “What’s so funny?” Valerie
looked confused.
“We have something else in common. I can’t stand
her either.”
“What else do we have in common?” She looked
confused as if I were setting her up for something.
“Alex and Mark—I think we can agree they are both
wonderful men.” Valerie nodded in agreement.
I scanned the room, looking for Alex. He was
standing a table with Mark, and they were both looking at Valerie and me. I
think our men were waiting for us to break out into a cat fight; instead, we
walked over to them and hugged them.
The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Everyone
enjoyed themselves, and pride was radiating off Brett and Alex. The guests
cleared and Alex grabbed me. We were hip to hip. His body swayed leading me
into a dance. I faintly heard the music that was being piped into the room. “I
want you to always be my dance partner, Aubrey.” He spun me then dipped me. My
head was almost to the floor. He lifted me up and my head spun. I always felt
that way with Alex. He made my mind and body feel and do things that I never
thought possible.
“I’m going to take you home now, to my home,
where we’ll continue this dance.”
The look in his eyes told me what dance we would
be continuing, and I couldn’t wait to get there.
I felt comfortable in his apartment even though
it was vast. He took his suit coat off and placed it over the arm of the sofa. He
pulled me into him, and as he said he was going to do, he continued the dance. “I
love dancing with you, holding you, feeling you against me. I love moving with
you to our own beat. We don’t need music; follow my heartbeat, Aubrey.”
My head rested on his chest, and I did just what
he said. We moved together, our legs intertwined, rocking back and forth. His
hand was holding mine, strong enough to make me feel possessed, but light
enough that if I were made of glass I wouldn’t break. “I’m really happy, Alex. You
make me happy. I just wanted you to know that.”
He stopped moving and I looked up at him. His
eyes . . . God, his eyes were amazing. They told a story, but they were
difficult to read. He took my hand in his and led me to the bedroom. He turned
me around and unzipped my dress. It fell to the floor, revealing my black lace
panties and strapless bra. He kissed my shoulder then my neck, making my
shoulder rise and my head tilt. He whispered, “Ahh, my favorite spot.” I nodded.
He’d rendered me speechless at this point. He let his hands run down my spine
and unclasped my bra. His hands moved to my front. He put his hands on my waist
and started moving our hips back and forth. Sliding his hands to my breasts, he
gently caressed them, sending a shockwave to my core. He rested one hand on my
collarbone and the other on my hip. My head rested on his chest. He leaned down
and kissed my cheek.
I turned in his arms and pressed my hips against
his. I brought my fingers to his tie and loosened it until it was open. I
continued unbuttoning his shirt and removing his cufflinks, which I slid into
the pocket of his pants. I removed his shirt and just looked at his chest. It
was an amazing chest supported by amazing abs; he really was fantastic. I
leaned in and kissed his heart while unfastening his pants. He kicked them
aside.
“I love your heart, Alex. You may cover and guard
it with muscles and walls, but you have a wonderful, gentle, and caring heart.”
I trailed kisses from his heart to the base of his neck. “Thank you for
choosing me to share your heart with.”
He laid me on the bed and kissed me. It wasn’t
hurried; it wasn’t aggressive; it was loving and romantic. Everything I had
ever dreamed of or fantasized about was here lying next to me. We made love,
but it was different from the other times. It was as if he poured his soul into
me.
He held me in his arms, my back to his front, and
rested his cheek on mine. “I feel so safe with you, Alex. It’s something so new
to me, and I’m so afraid. I don’t want to lose this. Please, promise me we
won’t lose this.”
“I never want to lose you either. I loved having
you by my side tonight; I love having you by my side every day. You are an
amazing woman, my woman. I love and trust you with my life.”
“I love and trust you too. I know I didn’t at
first and it’s difficult, but I guess since I have a boyfriend like you, I have
to accept the fact that women will want my man. I’ll kick their asses if they
touch you, you know.”
He laughed, “I bet you will. You don’t have to
worry about that. I don’t want anyone else to touch me, and I don’t want to
touch anyone else. Only you, Aubrey.”
I was running my fingers along his arm that was
draped across my hips. “Your mom would have been proud of you tonight.”
He exhaled. “I would like to think so. I wish
your parents had been there. They could have seen what you and Julie did. Your
work is amazing. Have you always wanted to be an editor?”
“No, I wanted to be a writer.” I immediately
tensed up. I really need to tell him about the journal. There wasn’t anything
wrong with it since it was now about us and my love for him.
“I was never good at writing. I envied those who
were eloquent with a pen. I was lucky I passed English.” We both laughed. “It’s
late. Let’s get some sleep.” He kissed my cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”