Lucky Fall (6 page)

I shook my head at a loss for words.

“That was Rusty,” Libby answered. “I’ve told her she needs to tighten the reins.”

“Libby, is it?” he asked, taking her hand.

She swallowed and I knew his charms were working on her as they had on me. Hell, they’d work on anyone with an ounce of estrogen in them.

“Who is Rusty?”

Libby smiled brightly, happy to share the information. “He’s a dog. A complete alpha male that Julie lets take advantage of her.”

Victor’s jaw tightened and his fists clenched against his side. Libby didn’t say anymore. She looked at both of us, and then scurried out the door

“It’s not what you think,” I exclaimed.

“Lock the door, Julianne.”

“Victor—”

“I need some answers. You lied to me, but I won’t stand by while someone is hurting you.”

“You don’t under—” I wasn’t able to finish the sentence. His mouth covered mine so swiftly I didn’t even know where the space was that separated us.

“I can’t get you out of my head.” He undid the top button of my plaid shirt, and I secretly prayed I was wearing my good bra. Then I realized my good bra was in the bag he’d given me. Victor pressed soft kisses down my neck, slipping his hands under my shirt, rubbing the bare skin.

“Me either,” I said with hitched breath.

“Tell me to stop, Julianne.”

“I can’t.”

“Good. Then lock the fucking door.”

I practically hurled into it, stopping right before my head hit the frame.

He chuckled behind me. “I guess I’m not the only anxious one.”

I shut the blinds, making it dim in the small shop.

“Victor, I want you, but—”

“Just stop right there,” he said, coming behind me and putting his hand against my mouth. “It’s enough for now…for right this second. We’ll figure out the rest as we go.”

His hand slid across the fabric of my jeans, over my ass. I leaned against him, no longer able to keep myself upright. He trailed wet kisses down my neck, before scooping me up in his arms. He looked around the room where every wall and most of the floor space was covered by books.

“You do love books, don’t you?”

He sat me on the counter next to the cash register then made quick work of the rest of my buttons. “There is no friend as loyal as a book,” I replied.

“Ernest Hemingway couldn’t have said it better himself. In fact, I believe he did.”

“Caught me,” I said as he undid the last button.

“When I was young, I read everything I could get my hands on. From Austen to Wilde and back again. It’s what initially attracted me to you. Well, that and the fact that you’re drop-dead gorgeous.”

He thought I was gorgeous? Had he looked in the mirror lately?

“It was my favorite pastime until I met you.”

“And what is it now?”

“Fucking you, but you’re keeping me waiting.” I replied, wondering how he elicited such statements from me.

His eyes took on that hooded, lusty quality that seemed to be connected right to my G-spot. He pushed off my shirt and ran his lips along my skin as he bared it. Then he threw off my sandals, rubbing each foot before setting it down. “Undo your jeans, baby.”

I complied, my fingers shaking with each movement. He whipped the jeans off me as soon as I was finished.

“Take off your shirt,” I said in my own demanding voice.

He gave me an amused smiled, but complied, reaching behind him and removing it with one hand. “As you wish.”

I stared at his naked chest, in awe of it—the perfect composition of masculine beauty. I traced my fingers over his tattoo. It was simple and complicated at the same time, much like the man it adorned. I leaned forward, tracing the lines with my tongue as I’d wanted to that first night, tasting the saltiness of his flesh.

He circled an arm under each of my thighs and pulled me forward. Victor buried his head between my legs, kissing my pussy between the thin fabric of my panties. My limbs went rubbery as his hot breath blew against me. He ripped them off in one swift move, bringing the scrap of silk up to his nose to inhale before shoving it into his pocket. He licked my sex in slow circles, almost teasing me. I placed my palms on the counter, easing myself back so I didn’t fall over. Then he was jabbing me with that tongue, causing my moans to increase so much I was afraid the people on the street could hear me. He sucked my clit into his mouth, pulling and pushing it against his lips. My arms shook as I took in the sight of him eating me out with such carnal pleasure. My climax overtook all my senses, and I lost myself in it. When I finally looked up, Victor was naked, sheathed in a condom.

“Move forward, and grip my shoulders.”

I did as he asked.

He entered me, thrusting wildly. “You’re addictive,” he whispered against my ear.

That was my sentiment for him. In fact, it was the reason I’d walked off that first night. I felt his arms under my ass, and before I knew it, I was off the counter and my back was against it. He plunged into me with such rapid force that made it impossible to form a coherent thought. I wrapped my legs around him, encouraging his movements. He sucked on my breasts, closing his lips over my nipples, causing me to whimper as I clutched him closer.

“Do you like the way I fuck you?”

“Yesssss,” I screamed.

“Then why did you leave me?”

I couldn’t answer. I had no answer and I was incapable of speaking
.
Luckily, he didn’t demand one.

His thrusts were more feral, harder than that first night. He buried himself then pulled all the way out before slamming back into me again. I was surprised each time, but it only made the movements more pleasurable.

“Wet. Tight. Hot,” he said in garbled grunts.

I was pretty sure he was describing the qualities of my pussy, and each word just made me squeeze him tighter. Then I let go, and he did, too.

“I missed watching you come. That’s my favorite part,” he said.

“Me too.”

He laughed. “Are you talking about watching me come or coming yourself?”

“Both, either. Are you going to put me down?” I asked, realizing he was still holding me.

The room smelled like old books and fresh sex. It was a scent I wanted to bottle and experience over and over again.

“Just another few seconds. I don’t know if you’ll let me inside you again when we talk, and I want to remember this.” His words slapped me in the face, much like his dick had that first night. I knew one thing for sure—I didn’t want this to end. Nevertheless, the risks were so great. My heart couldn’t sustain being crushed again, but my body and soul craved him, like he was a form of nourishment I’d been missing, and never knew I needed.

He kissed my cheek, running his lips down my jaw line. He dislodged himself and set me down. “Washroom?”

“In there.” I pointed to the back. He took his clothes with him and I again enjoyed the view before putting my own back on.

As I watched him walk down the narrow corridor, dread invaded the pit of my stomach—dread that he would soon be walking out of my life again. I slunk to floor and brought my legs up, holding my arms around them. But when he came back, he sat beside me and pulled me to his lap, cradling me. His looked sad but there was a tenderness in his smile that made my heart melt.

“I can’t be in a relationship that involves lying and cheating. I promised myself that a long time ago. I was a product of cheating and it almost destroyed me.”

I swallowed hard, hearing the hurt in his voice.

“Victor—”

“Let me finish, Julianne.”

I silenced myself, laying my head against his chest.

“Most people have assumptions about me, but they don’t know my true story. They never bother to hear it.”

“I want to hear it.”

“My mother was a high class Russian whore. I was born there, but I never knew who my father was. She died when I was young, but I remember living in that one-room apartment while she had sex with her…” He took a deep breath as if searching for the right words. “Clients. After she died, I was taken to England to live with a middle class family I thought loved me. My father would visit. I was told he was just a rich family friend who believed in me so much he paid for my education.”

“Did your adopted family not treat you well?”

“I think they loved me, but the fact they were collecting a paycheck the whole time tainted it. People don’t know this, but my father told me his true identity when I graduated from Oxford. He brought me into the company then, and showed me the ropes. His real son was a disappointment and he had no other heirs, so I suddenly became his only choice.”

I sat up, blinking the tears away, but one escaped, running down my cheek before he wiped it.

“Don’t feel sorry for me, Julianne. I’ve been given opportunities other men would kill for. I’m thankful for them, but it’s because of my history that I refuse to engage in any dishonesty. If this man is hurting you, I will help you get out, but I can’t be with you the way I want while he’s still in your life.”

The falling of a heavy object from the top floor caused both our heads to jerk in that direction. “What was that?” he asked.

“Rusty. He’s up from his nap.”

“He’s here?” Victor asked in a disgusted voice, shifting me off him.

“If you’d let me finish a sentence, I could explain.” I started running up the stairs, deciding it was easier to show him. “He gets lonely, so I bring him to work sometimes. The landlord wouldn’t approve so I have to hide him, but it’s time you two met. I think you might like him, unless you have allergies.”

“Allergies?” he asked, confusion taking hold before his anger could.

I swung open the door and one hundred and two pounds of pure energy bounded down the steps before jumping on Victor’s lap. He started licking Victor’s face and wagging his tail, until Victor rewarded him with a strong petting.

“So Rusty really is a dog?”

I nodded. “He’s a rescue dog. He definitely has some bloodhound in him, but he’s mostly a mutt. He was found roaming the streets almost starving to death. I volunteer at the shelter where they brought him. It was love at first sight.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wasn’t trying to be deceitful to you. I was afraid of all the emotions I felt that night. I had resigned myself to thinking of it as a one-night stand. Besides, I may have misled you, but I wasn’t being dishonest. Rusty can’t spend a night without me. He needs his early morning walk.”

Victor chuckled, holding Rusty’s furry face against his hands. “To think, I wanted to beat the crap out of you a minute ago, but now all I want to do is rub your belly.”

“Does that answer your questions?”

“Not really,” Victor replied, extricating Rusty from his lap and standing.

“I have to walk him now.” I gathered Rusty’s leash and other items. “Would you like to join me?” I knew my voice had taken on that hopeful quality, but Victor’s bright smile put me at ease. Rusty kept jumping on me, being his usual rambunctious self.

“No,” Victor said to Rusty. “Sit.”

To my amazement, Rusty actually listened.

Victor took the leash from me. “Have you thought of obedience training?”

I shrugged. “He’s just overexcited.”

“And it’s apparent, you overindulge him.”

“He’s had a hard life,” I said, opening the door. Victor walked Rusty out, while I switched over to the closed sign and locked up.

“So have you. Tell me about it.”

I was surprised he referred to my life as hard, especially when I never talked to him about it, and he’d just told me his sad story.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because anyone who holds back as much as you do has a reason for it.”

He put his arm around my waist, hooking a finger into my belt loop. There was something sweet and needy in that possessive gesture.

“There’s a huge age difference between us.”

He shook his head. “I know that’s not the reason, but if it makes you feel better, I don’t care about that at all. You fell into me that night, but I fell
for
you. It felt right. You felt right. It was obvious I wanted you sexually, but I should have been clearer in my intent. I wanted you. And that’s a complete sentence.”

I sighed, unsure of how to form the words to explain my crazy action to him. “I was honest with you, Victor. Until you, I had only been with one man. My ex-husband, John.”

“You must have been very young.”

“I was sixteen when we met. We both had bad home lives so we ran away and got married when we were eighteen. I loved him very much. I did everything I could to be the perfect wife for him. I worked two jobs to put him through school and now he’s a very successful lawyer.”

“What happened?”

“It was my fortieth birthday and I thought he was throwing me a surprise party. He was being very secretive, and I’d heard him planning a trip.” I let out a sour laugh. “I realize how stupid I was now. I decided to surprise him. So on my birthday, I closed the shop early, and took a taxi to his office, wearing nothing but a trench coat. I knew it was a fantasy of his.”

Victor stared at me, and I knew he’d figured it out.

“Yeah, he was already getting another fantasy fulfilled by his twenty-year-old secretary. I’m a cliché, aren’t I?”

“I would never classify you as that. You gave him your heart and the man stomped on it.”

“I expected him to be contrite. To run after me and apologize, but instead he asked for a divorce. You see, she was pregnant with his child.”

“Are you over him?”

I swallowed. “It took me a long time, but I am now.”

“I promise if you give yourself to me, I will never risk your trust. I will cherish you.”

It was surreal being with this beautiful man, but at the same time, I completely believed him

We stopped so Rusty could do his business. Victor handed me the leash and took the plastic baggy from me. I started to protest, but he was already picking up Rusty’s deposits. I smirked, realizing I was watching a billionaire pick up doggy doo, but then again nothing about Victor matched his persona. He was warm, compassionate and loyal. Those traits were evident even in the short time I’d known him.