As she made her entrance, hand clasped with Richard’s to keep her on a leash far more than it was to confess any fondness, Blue averted her eyes from the black hair she hoped rather earnestly wouldn’t be Vincent. It had been trimmed, cropped at the neck, she could see the loose waves falling around his ears in a way she wanted so desperately to run her hands through and tug at encouragingly. Screamed internally as her fiancé led her around the table.
Taking a seat across from the man, she looked up rather reluctantly. Met his eyes. Stared at him with the same bewilderment he had. He’d shaven. A mustache hid his upper lip. Made him look so cruel in the very way that had always made her want to tear off her underwear and open her legs. His hair fell over his forehead. Bare cheeks looking rather gaunt, lined delicately with age. She could have laughed at the fact she felt they were meeting for the first time. Two altered versions of themselves.
Instead, it became incredibly harder by the moment to recognize the man she’d never wanted inside of her more. The half of him so carefully hidden; the crook; the convict; the Vincent who now stood before her with no regard for her dignity. Yet she didn’t mourn the loss. Rather, wondered if the guilt that blossomed through her was on her fiancé’s behalf or because she simply didn’t care how callous her husband really was. She still loved him.Some sick part of her felt more deserving of him; the man who had given her nothing but the world. She’d been little more than a spoilt brat—had forced her boyfriend into marriage for her own sake, trapped him in a pregnancy, however well-intentioned she’d been. She finally felt equal to the man she’d idolized. He’d degraded her. Rejected her. All but kicked her out.So, she sat at his feet. Folded her own beneath her thighs. Dress creased in a circle around her
It had been a day since her encounter with Vincent, yet the man continued to haunt her; his touch; various lingering queries. Was he thinking of her? What was he doing? Was he sleeping with any other women yet? Whether he was dating anyone was of little concern to her. She felt his mouth clamped over her sex far more than she’d like to admit; his vein-circled cock pushing inside of her steadily those mere three or four minutes before he jerked himself into a towel. Yet she still troubled over his confessions.He’d had the chance to admit he still cared for her yet said all he wanted to do was screw her. And he had. He had feigned his affections to bed her and discarded her again. She had let him. She worried she would again. Perhaps he knew all it would take was a half-intentioned I love you or I want you for Blue to disregard the week past she was yet to come to terms with. Some part of her felt she was stuck in some strange fever dream
“How did you sleep?” Blue glanced up from her oatmeal, brown sugar, raisins, and rum extract. Richard’s favorite. She hated to admit she’d grown rather fond of it, too. The man was pushing around his own, dressed and ready for the day. He wore a crisp suit, a size or two too small just as all his others. Found it gave him an odd boyish charm. Again, she felt she had found a friend in the man. Would it be enough to build a relationship on?“Very well, I finally caught up from the night before.” She smiled. Having Anya with her had lifted her spirits. Somehow, she felt she had been taken back to the days of her childhood when Anya ran circles of the living room with her; the days Marian was out and about. Pure, uninhibited, childish fun. The most freedom she had ever or seemingly would ever feel. Yet she felt close with Richard. He allowed her the house to herself while he was away. Encouraged her to make use of his extensive library. Called
Richard stared after the woman as she left. The pretty young teenager with a nice enough ass to stare at — he’d thought. She couldn’t be too bright. After all, there had been dollar signs in her father’s eyes at the mere proposition of being CEO. Bradley had known all about Christopher’s scheme to boost their profits. The hasty plan to pin it all on Vincent couldn’t even shake the fool. Of course, Bradley had no idea that he was plan B. Richard couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. He’d like them both to go to prison equally, if only for his own entertainment. Was he really so awful for that? Or was he simply more in tune with his desires than the average joe? He was a bigger man for not denying himself of his own thoughts; more in control by not having to fight himself for it. Or was it the other way around? Suddenly, he was confused. His phone couldn’t have rung at a more convenient time.&
To Blue, the party was a more official symbolism of her doom than the gala had been. Richard had proudly dragged her to the head of the table to give his speech; her waist in one hand, a microphone in the other. This time, she didn’t look nearly as terrified standing by his side. She’d come to tolerate Richard, rather reluctantly, yet still. When she looked up at him with a smile as he re-introduced his fiancé, she took pride in the fact she could have been dealt far worse. Richard had become a friend. Respected her desire to be alone when she felt so. Allowed her to choose the film. Made sure she had the breakfast she wanted. Believed her obviously lie of a diet when she rejected a glass of wine. Seemed rather proud, himself, to have Blue by his side.He kept it brief. She could respect that. Announced that Christopher had officially relinquished his shares, despite the fact their solicitors were still liaising. This time, Blue didn’t hope t
Stood up on all fours, Vincent couldn’t help but admire the woman. She complimented the suite quite nicely, brunette mane framed by the chocolate bar headboard almost as high as the ceiling, a hickory brown wood. Bare skin the same pale cream as the walls, floor, and curtains. The insides of her thighs as ivory as the bedsheets. Lashes as black as the light fixtures. Staring at her petals, core open, reddened and swollen, he knew he’d have to check out early. He’d booked the hotel because he couldn’t bear to stay in the apartment that served no purpose other than to remind him what he couldn’t have. Now, the woman had sullied the Ritz-Carlton. He’d have to rebook in the morning; move as far across town as it took to expel the image of the woman who haunted his every waking and sleeping moment. Kneeling on the edge of the bed, he rubbed the tip of his desire along her as he’d imagined in detail. Shuddered at her warmth. Relished in h
It took a great deal of effort to pry herself from Vincent’s side when she awoke to her silent alarm at quarter-to-four. Their naked skin had fused together to the point she’d feared they’d been glued while trying to separate. His cologne had seeped through her skin to the bone, so much so that she feared she would never get the smell of him off her. But she had, third lather in.She’d been staring at the wall for quite some time, soaped shampoo running down her spine with the pelting shower stream, her arms hugged around her chest, yet she didn’t yelp as her ex-husband took her shoulders in his hands. He spun the woman to him. Smiled gently. Lamented the fact she no longer reeked of his sex. Took the sides of her face in his hands and kissed her gently. Slowly.Blue hoped quietly he’d think her eyes half swollen shut were from fatigue rather than her silent tears. Playing house with the man in his hotel room filled her with nothing
Blue had been rather careful returning home.She’d showered again after her shower with Vincent. Blow-dried and styled her hair so it hadn’t looked like she had. Redressed quietly. Paid for her fare home with cash. By the time she made it back to Richards, it was a quarter to six. She was cutting it awfully close.Letting herself in through the front door, cursing the loudness of her keys, she realized painfully that she hadn’t yet organized her excuse. Could she say that she spent the night at her parent’s? Would he ask Bradley, or trust his Fiancé? Would it hurt his feelings to discover the truth of her night? He had seemed to be rather pure of heart the more she’d come to know him. And yet some part of her feared the Richard who discovered his wife’s transgression. Would he strike her? Cast her to the streets? Declare her the whore she was? Or embrace her? Assure her they could get through this? Stroke her