Trust Me (8 page)

“Please explain,” he says.

“Are you really going to make me spell this out for you?”

I spill my hair forward, trying to hide behind it like a curtain. A finger comes up and lifts my chin, causing me to meet his eyes as they tell me to continue.

“Oh geez, I guess you could say I have limited experience. Now, can we move on to a different topic?” Maybe if I close my eyes, I’ll be magically invisible, like I used to think I was when I was a kid.
I would love to have that delusion right now, but nope, I have to keep moving on into an ever-growing depth of humiliation.

“How limited?” he asks.

“Very limited.”

“Alli, give it to me straight.”

Some hair is still covering my face from my earlier stunt. I blow it out of the way, close my eyes like a two-year-old, and quickly admit what I have been avoiding as if I am being chased by hellhounds. “Limited to the point of…I am a virgin.”

When I open my eyes, his eyes are wide as saucers. He looks shocked. The pressure of his grip on me has increased. It’s not to the point that he is hurting me, but it seems to be in a more possessive manner.

I hurriedly ramble on. “I know you are probably used to being with more experienced women, but—”

I am cut off mid-sentence when there’s a knock at the door. I try to disengage myself, but I am still imprisoned in Damien’s iron grasp. He still hasn’t regained his ability to speak.

“I need to get the door for the food.”

“They’ll go away. I’ll settle with the front desk. We are finishing this discussion without interruption.”

After another minute passes, I nervously prattle on while he’s still staring at me as if I were a mythical creature. “There’s nothing wrong with me if that’s what you are thinking.” I am not enjoying this discussion.

He ignores my statement. Almost in awe, he states, “How has someone as gorgeous as you not been hounded by every guy within a hundred-mile radius? I’m just taken aback. I was hoping what you were saying about all this being new to you meant that your experiences had been limited, but I never thought that you had never been claimed before. I’m very fucking lucky that our little beach escapade at the cottage didn’t get out of control.”

“I don’t know how to respond to that. I’ve just never met a guy I felt that type of need for. I figured, why give myself to someone I only have mediocre feelings for when I could save it for someone special?” I shrug.
It doesn’t seem like rocket science.

“Alli, am I someone you want to do this with, not right now, but when you’re ready?”

There’s no mistaking the hope and desire I hear in his voice.

I nod. From the moment I met him, deep down, I knew he was going to be the one I would give myself to for the first time. After saving myself all these years, I never would have believed I would be willing to have sex with someone so quickly after meeting him.
When you know, you know.

Before I have a chance to answer, Damien moves me, so I am lying on the couch underneath him. “If you want me to stop at any time, you tell me, okay? We are not going to have sex today, but I do want to give you something.”

“Okay.” Silently, I plea that he gives my body relief from the crazy feeling that’s been building inside me.

His knee slowly moves between my legs. My body is escalating again, and my breathing has picked up drastically. My hands are pinned above my head, and I am helpless to his assault, which further drives that feeling. He languorously kisses my neck, leaving a trail of tingles in his wake. His subtle spice aftershave penetrates my sense of smell.

“Baby, I need you to tell me if this is too much. I am going to show you the beginning of just how special we will be together. When we do have sex, it is going to be the most phenomenal experience of our lives.”

Looking into his deep blue eyes, I moan my assent. There is no way I can formulate a sentence with all my senses standing on end. He removes one of his hands from my wrists, and he moves it down to the bottom of my T-shirt. Gently, his hand migrates up my stomach, bringing my T-shirt up with it, and he unfastens the front snap of my bra to free my breasts.

As he stares down at them, his mouth finds his way to one nipple, and he sucks. Need explodes through my body, and my hips start to move against his leg. His other hand moves to my breasts and begins rolling the end of my other nipple between his fingers. This is the most extraordinary feeling I have ever felt in my life. It’s building, building, building. Finally reaching the top, I shatter into a million pieces.
Oh, the sweet euphoria.

Before I know it, my bra is back in place, and my T-shirt is covering the top of my body again. Damien sits me up in the same position I was in before. My senses are gradually coming back to me as my mind tries to clear the fog in my head. His need is evident as I sit on his lap. He pulls my lips to his in an almost reverent kiss.

He whispers, “You’re perfect for me. I hope like hell that you just had your first orgasm.”

I nod in response. “Shouldn’t I do something for you?”

“Not tonight. We’ll get there. You are mine, and I will make it special for you. Just trust me, okay?”

“Okay.”

Damien seems to know what I need, and he provides it in spades. I just hope my heart can handle it if he walks away.

“We need to discuss something else this evening. I know you said you leave tomorrow night, but I made a decision, and you’re probably not going to like it.”

I nod.
Where is he going with this?

“I used some resources and changed your flight to a midday departure, and I have a car picking you up at the Atlanta Airport to drop you off at your residence. If your car is at the airport, I’ll have it delivered to you. Your original flight home is scheduled to land so late, and quite frankly, you seem a little accident-prone. I needed to know you would be safe since I’ll be here in Miami through the weekend on business. You always have the option of staying here with me though.”

Changing flights, car pickups, extending my stay…what the hell?
On one extreme, it’s sweet of him to be worried about me getting home late, but on the other extreme, it irritates me that he made those types of decisions without talking to me. My head is still somewhat fuzzy from the orgasm I just had. I wonder if this was part of his plan—fill me with sex-crazed emotions and then drop his erratic actions on me.

“Why are you so concerned with my safety? You should have consulted me prior to making those kinds of decisions for me. I’m not yours to control, Damien.”

“Alli, you are incredibly special to me. I don’t think you realize just how much yet. Your safety comes first. Would you consider staying here a little longer with me?”

I love the hopeful tone in his voice, but there’s just no way. “I wish I could, but I do need to get back home. Sam would go apeshit and fly down here on the next available flight, thinking I have lost my mind. I need to explain this in person.”

His warm blue eyes turn cold and furious. I have no idea what I just said that could turn his mood so quickly. It takes me off guard but draws me to him at the same time.

“And is this Sam going to be a problem for me? Because I can assure you that I do not share what is mine. This Sam person better fucking realize his place in all of this.”

I laugh to myself.
He thinks Sam is a guy.
He’s being a tad bit possessive, but I find this funny for some reason.

In a sassy tone, I reply, “Well, I really don’t think you have anything to worry about. You see, my friend, Sam, is what you would classify as a girl. You know, the kind with two breasts and no penis? And both Sam and I are heterosexual. She’s been my best friend since we were in diapers. So, chill out.”

He immediately calms.

I continue, “Honestly, guys are not interested in me. That makes me sound like a total loser, but it’s true.”

His eyes dance with humor at my words. “We’ll see about the guy thing. I really would like to see you before you leave tomorrow.”

I want more than just tomorrow morning. Without even thinking, I blurt out, “Stay tonight.”

His eyes snap to mine. “I’m not making love with you tonight, Alli. This place will not do.”

The promise laced behind those words has my mind going in a million different directions, mostly wondering what he plans on doing.

I lay my head on his chest. “Just stay with me, so we can spend more time together. I’m not trying to be one of those clingy girls. It’s just—”

“I feel it, too, baby.” He pulls out his phone and calls someone as he hugs me to him. “Ben, please have clothes for tonight and tomorrow delivered to the Miami Beach Resort. Meet me thirty minutes prior to the meeting at the hotel restaurant tomorrow.” After hanging up, he puts his phone down on the table beside us. “Let’s order more food.”

I yawn and then smile as he picks up the room phone to order room service again. The warmth of his body and his deep heavy breaths cause me to drift off before I know it.

When an alarm starts going off, I stir. A finger starts trailing up and down my arm.

“Wake up, baby. I want to take you somewhere for breakfast.”

“Hmm…” My mind is starting to come to, and I’m relishing how it feels to be in Damien’s arms. The roughness of his voice has my body automatically moving closer to him.

“It’s time to wake up. Come on.”

My eyes start to flutter open as I mumble, “Just a few more minutes.”

“I’m not a saint, Alli. I’ve had you in my arms all night.” His words are almost pained.

Our legs are intertwined, and it dawns on me that something hard is pressing against my thigh. Without even thinking, I sit up straight, trying to make the situation better, but I end up pushing my thigh into him, which causes him to get harder.

“Oh geez, sorry.” Finally, I free myself from him.

He looks like he’s struggling with his control over his desire.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t even remember coming to bed. I hope I wasn’t a total bed hog.” I scoot to my side of the bed and try to think about what happened last night. “I don’t remember dinner either.” My hand goes to my mouth. “Oh my gosh. I fell asleep before room service got here. I am the worst date ever.”

He’s sitting up by this point, and I notice he’s in a T-shirt and silk pajama pants.

“You did, but it was perfect—the best night of my life so far.”

My cheeks are flaming as he looks at the clock.

He continues, “We need to leave in about forty-five minutes.”

“Okay.” I scramble off the bed in a fluster.
I spent the night with a guy for the first time, and I don’t even remember it. I will never wish for narcolepsy again.

Like my mom always said,
Be careful what you wish for.

I grab my clothes, and when I turn around, I run smack into Damien.

“You didn’t have to leave the bed like it was on fire. Good morning by the way.”

As he leans down and gives me a kiss, part of me wishes he wasn’t making us wait for the perfect time. He pulls away, and I shyly smile, thinking about how crazy I must have just looked.

“Morning to you, too.”

I skip a little to the shower, feeling alive and excited. I’ll do anything to keep my embarrassment at bay. The shower is hot and helps me calm down.

When I emerge from the bathroom, I’m fully dressed and ready. He gives me a smile as he heads into the bathroom, and I just want to melt after he closes the door behind him. I sigh, wanting to go in there with him.

Shortly after, he comes out, completely dressed, and he looks as delicious as ever. Today, he has gone with a charcoal blue-gray suit with an ecru-colored shirt and no tie.
His towel-dried black hair frames his deep blue eyes.
I may end up tackling him before this day is over.

We just stand there, staring at each other.
This has to be a dream.
He walks up to me and leans down. He puts his lips against mine, and immediately, the kiss deepens. His hand goes to the nape of my neck to hold me in place as he kisses me vigorously. His mouth tastes of wintergreen. My hand starts to go to the inside of his jacket when he disengages from the kiss. He pulls my lip into his mouth and gently bites down.

“Let’s go eat before I do something stupid,” he says.

Our breathing clearly indicates how worked up we are.

“Stupid?”

“Stupid, like I want you so badly that it’s taking every ounce of willpower not to have you and claim you right here on the spot. I am dying to be inside you. It’s going to happen when you’re ready to take that step and not a moment before.”

“Um, okay. Avoiding stupid it is.” Although it doesn’t sound that stupid to me, I grab my purse and bags, not wanting to argue his point. He’s right, but my body doesn’t care right now.

Damien immediately takes my suitcase from me, and we begin making our way to the elevator. After we descend to the hotel lobby, his phone rings, and I decide I need coffee. As he’s debating on whether to answer the call, I make the decision for him.

“I’ll be right back. Caffeine is calling my name.”

He nods and takes the phone call. In public, he changes. He’s more businesslike or maybe distant. I’m not sure.