“Well, I knew, but she scared the shit out of me. I wasn’t ready yet.”
“Okay, I felt that way for a minute when I met Bella,” Christopher quips.
“Fuck you. Never mind.”
“I’m sorry. Don’t stop.”
“Every time she said she liked something, I stored it in a file in the back of my mind. I knew I wanted to build this for her someday. I hated the winter in Minnesota, and I love the vibrant colors of the desert. So, while in grad school, I developed this software with this place in mind. I built the Shangri-la for her.”
“But you never told her?”
“We talked on occasion. But I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted it to be a grand gesture.”
He looks around. “This is definitely a grand gesture. What happened?”
I shrug. “She flew out. I was going to ask her to move here. I had a ring, and I was going to propose.”
“You bought a ring? Didn’t you skip the dating part?”
“I bought her a ring. It wasn’t like we would get married tomorrow, but I wanted her to feel like moving here came with a commitment from me. I was ready to show her everything and give her everything. But before I could even start, she told me she was marrying someone else.”
He makes a face. “Are you sure you’d been reading her feelings the right way?”
I nod. “I know she cares about me.”
“Then why didn’t you talk her out of it?”
“I’m trying, but she’s convinced herself it’s the right thing to do.”
“Then why aren’t you on a plane to her right now?”
I scrub my hands through my hair. This is the part I can’t figure out how to handle. “She mostly shuts me down when I try to bring it up. I’m not sure what would happen if I showed up in person. I don’t want to make things worse—she’s already under a lot of stress—and I also have quite a few things happening here.”
He nods thoughtfully. “That sucks. I still think you’re going to have to go there. And I don’t get why you never told me. I could have been priming the pump for you.”
I laugh. He would cut my balls off if he knew.
Christopher put his arm around my shoulders. “You are an amazing brother-from-another-mother and friend. I know there’s a fantastic woman out there for you—when the time is right.”
Chapter 8
Maggie
The man sits down at his desk. “You have such a great body. Why hide it under that sweater?”
I blush. “Thank you.”
He leans forward and scrutinizes me like he’s about to make a business deal. “I’m just going to come out and ask, princess. What are you doing here? What is it you want? What do you think is going to happen?”
The room feels warmer...and it’s becoming harder to breathe.
All I can muster is, “I have this fantasy...”
“Go on.” He sits forward with his hands clasped in front of him. His eyebrows rise, and his glare gives me the impression he has x-ray vision.
I cross my arms and legs, but that still doesn’t hide me from his gaze.
“What’s your fantasy?” he asks.
My face starts to flush and my breathing grows heavier. “I want you to fuck me.” My eyes bug, not believing the words that just came out of my mouth.
In contrast, he keeps his eyes on me, his poker face not revealing what he’s thinking at all.
“What do you mean by that, princess?” he says. “How do you want to be used?”
I look at the ground. “I want to be stripped and—”
“Stop right there,” he demands. “You want to be stripped naked? How do I know this isn’t some joke? How about you strip right now? If you can’t do it here in my office, what’s your plan?”
I’m stunned like a deer in the headlights. I glance around. The door is closed, but people are walking by his office. It’s not that private. What if we get caught? Everyone has a cell phone today. What if someone records us and posts it on some porn site? I want this, but do I want it this bad?
“You may as well just leave if you can’t.”
I stand, trembling, and his face falls in disappointment. But a grin forms as he watches me grip the bottom of my shirt and pull it up over my head.
“What a slutty little bra you have there for such an innocent-looking girl,” he growls.
I almost forgot I wasn’t wearing my normal underwear. I blush, knowing my nipples are straining behind the satin lace demi cups.
“Come on, princess, don’t waste my time. Continue,” he cajoles.
I unbutton my pants and without thinking, I pull them down—nearly pulling my thong down too, which I stop and fix. Stupid. I’m about to be completely naked, so why does that matter? I’m just prolonging the inevitable.
I turn around and undo my bra, holding it over my breasts as I turn back around to face him. He’s holding his hand out. I close my eyes, take in a deep breath, and hand it to him. When I open my eyes, he’s breathing in my scent.
“Mmmmm…so innocent. Smells like fresh flowers.”
I look down and start to remove my thong, shaking.
“Look at me while you do that,” he says sternly.
I stare at his stunning azure eyes, realizing he’s controlling me as I slowly let them drop to the ground. Again, he holds out his hand. I pick them up and hand them to him. He smiles, and I glance outside the office, trying to ignore the heat in my face. No one seems to notice what we’re doing. My pulse drops from an adagio beat to an andante.
He licks the crotch and moans as if he’s just tasted the most delicious thing. “I guess not so innocent, being this wet,” he comments.
I’m embarrassed, knowing he’s right.
“Let’s continue,” he says.
I stand there shaking as he stares at me. “Turn around,” he demands.
I quickly twirl.
“Slower, and try to be sexy.”
I turn more slowly, and when my back is to him, he says, “Stop, bend over, grab your ass cheeks, and spread them wide.”
I do as he says.
“Now stand and finish your sexy turn.” I turn around and stare at him, biting my bottom lip.
“What do you want?” When I don’t answer he prompts me. “Use your words.”
“I want you,” I rasp.
He grins like he just won the lottery. “Prove it to me.”
He clears his desk and pats the spot in front of him. “Take a seat right here.”
I step around to sit on it, knees at my chest and feet on the desk.
For the first time he touches me, his hands so close to my pussy, but holding my ankles as he removes each sandal. The hair on the back of his hands brushes against me, and I nearly gasp, feeling sensitive all over.
“Spread your legs and show me how wet you are.”
I adjust my legs and reach down to spread the lips of my pussy. Wetness drips down to my asshole. He leans forward, so close I can feel his breath, and softly blows on my clit. My nipples pebble, and I shudder in excitement.
“Do you play with this beautiful pussy?”
All I can do is nod.