The dirty thoughts of having all her weight on me gnawed at my self-control. When my mind began swimming with desires I'm not brave enough to share, I instinctively reached for something to steady myself. Her ankle was what I found. She jumped at my touch, but I couldn't bring myself to let go. I just needed to touch her, half-expecting her to pull away.
Why isn't she running? Did she and Nando really break up? Does she know what he's doing behind her back? ... Her skin is so soft.
I intensified my flirting, driven partly by my growing desire for her and partly by the audience watching our little performance unfold.
When she stepped back, I released her ankle, watching as she moved to examine my hair from the front. My composure crumbled further as she tilted my head up by my chin and began stroking my hair back. If she'd purred 'good boy,' I would've surrendered any remaining self-respect without so much as a fucking blink... I couldn't deny how desperately I wanted her after this moment, and these fantasies? They weren't helping.
I seized the chance to look at her, noticing her black collar before her dress swayed into my view.
It looked kind of... bulky for her neck. Less "I love you" and more "tell the world this is mine," which left a bad taste in my mouth. I held my tongue, and her dress swiped at me again as she shifted.
I closed my eyes, breathing in her fruit punch scent.
A sweet smell; how fitting for you.
I basked in her attention, drowning in how good it felt to be cared for, to feel her nails brushing my scalp as she controlled any stray hairs; it almost made me feel wanted. I needed to keep all of it for myself.
Please be single. Please let me be the one who belongs to you. I'll do anything.
When the urge to touch her returned, I reached for her ankle again, encouraged by her earlier acceptance. This time, I noticed something different... I watched as she shifted, rubbing her thighs together. I licked my lips and took a deep breath, fighting to push the inappropriate thoughts from my mind one by one.
I don't even know your name — but my body's already made up its mind, not that it needed much convincing.
Once she finished, I teased her a bit. Running my hand up her leg, I felt a random string near her hip and debated whether to pull it. When I did, I realized it was a bathing suit strand. My thoughts grew hungrier, more intense. I had half a mind to yank the other strand and watch her bottoms slip to the floor.
Wait, what!? Dude, no! How about we NOT do that? Jesus... you animal, show some decorum.
Sure, I was putting on a show for the creeps watching us, but right now, I was lost in my own little world with her. The best part? She wasn't fighting me about it.
Let me in...
She stepped closer after my little bikini stunt, seemingly unaware that I had absolutely no shame about making her a mother right there in the airport bathroom.
Oh God, please... I want to devour you. I swear I'll be gentle; just give me a chance. I want you all to myself. Please be mine. Please be single.
I mentally cursed myself out for begging this random woman to be part of my life when I knew so little of her. But the way she'd been handling me had me in a chokehold... besides, maybe begging would work for her. I felt a pang of disappointment at my own perverted thoughts.
This has gone too far; Fernando is not the only man on Earth. What if she's dating someone else? She's too kind to be with that jerk... maybe she knows that.
Somehow, during our encounter, she ended up wearing my tie, and I didn't get the kiss I was expecting. She was toying with me... but there was something almost... sad in her expression while doing it. She wiggled and taunted me, but her eyes held a shadow of loneliness that not even her gorgeous smile could mask. Then she'd switch up and tease me more. I pulled her to me, my hands slipping between the laces on her smooth back, fighting hard to keep the picture I had saved out of my mind.
Why do you have that look? God, you're such a tease... but two can play at that game.
I demanded her name and told her mine; I wanted her to know the name of her next boyfriend.
Then she caught me off guard... she asked if we'd met before, making my heart quicken. I answered honestly but wondered if Nando had shown her my picture or if she'd seen me somewhere on his phone.
After the question, she seemed lost in thought. I returned to flirting, placing my hand on the side of her neck, my thumb resting on her racing pulse.
I took one quick glance at her, weighing my next move. She wore an orange-to-red ombre sleeveless dress, its spaghetti straps tied behind her neck, the laced-up back plunging low with its final knot resting just above her hips. I leaned in, intending to place a soft kiss or two on her neck and shoulder... but then she moaned, so soft it was almost inaudible, but I caught it... and the hunger took over. She moaned more as my kisses became needier nips at her skin, more desperately pressed into the crook of her neck. I tried to hold back from marking her neck, but I couldn't help myself.
I managed not to leave any noticeable, lasting marks, which I'm sure she appreciated, but I'll admit this much: had we been somewhere more private, I would have marked her until there was no question who she belonged to.
I half-expected her to pull away during the whole transaction, spooked about the possibility of marks being left behind, but she didn't. Instead, she pressed her head against my chest, catching me off guard. My heart hammered wildly; I wondered if she could feel it, if she knew how utterly unprepared I was for her closeness.
I scanned the hall, spotting those same creeps still watching us from their new vantage point.
Fucking horny bastards, enjoying the show? Go home already.
When she pulled back, her eyes met mine with unmistakable desire. That look said everything—she was at her limit, and honestly, so was I.
As we collected our bags, I finally voiced the question that had been nagging at me. Did she have a boyfriend? Though the way she'd been trying to push me away this whole time... I already knew the answer... and I was right.
Damn it, Nando. You know what? Fuck you; she's not yours anymore. She's mine.
What followed was heated—harsh words exchanged and tears shed. Looking back, I might have been too aggressive, too cruel in how I approached it. I could see she wasn't happy... but no matter how I handled it, it would've been wrong. Jealousy had complete control over my heart and tongue in that moment.
We made up... sort of, and she hinted at giving me a chance. I was in the middle of promising not to cross any lines when that cheating piece of shit called her.
I couldn't hide my annoyance when her phone lit up - she still had him labeled as "babe," and why wouldn't she? They were still dating. But it got under my skin and burned—like alcohol on a paper cut—annoying and grating. The fear in her eyes when she saw who was calling was unmistakable. It hurt my chest to see, but not wanting to overstep, I looked away.
She was trying so hard to stay loyal, and here I was, constantly pushing her boundaries. It wasn't fair of me, but if she knew what I knew, she wouldn't resist anymore. I was going to let her answer, but I just couldn't stand by and watch her do it.
I cupped her face and kissed her head-on, pushing her against the wall, my knee finding a home between her thighs. I didn't have a plan; I just wanted her to feel exactly how much I wanted her. When she kissed back just as hungrily, it caught me off guard. Her hands reached for my forearms, resting there like an unspoken acceptance. What transformed our kiss from simple yearning to pure lust was when she started grinding against my knee.
I'm not sure if she even realized she was doing it, but that alone made me crave her more. I bit her lip, planning to continue kissing her but used the moment to catch my breath and ask her to be mine. She, of course, politely pushed me back, her legs rubbing together while she licked her lips.
Being pushed away stung a little, but I understood. I mentally promised not to push her anymore as I stroked her cheek, trying to hide my disappointment.
When her phone rang again, I told her to answer it. I wanted to use this chance to confirm my suspicion by listening to the voice on the other end. Once again, my hunch proved correct.
You don't deserve her. Hell, I'm starting to question if I do...
I praised her for listening so well and urged her to finish her conversation before asking for her phone. When she handed it to me, she had accidentally left the chat with Nando open. She had a message drafted, and being nosy, I read it... she was preparing to break up with him. I chuckled to myself, feeling victorious. Getting back to my original plan, I found her phone book and added my number. She changed the name from what I'd entered and chuckled to herself.
Her laughter sounds like wind chimes... Damn, she is beautiful.
A few minutes passed before Fernando called me. She shuffled towards the door as I stepped back a bit and declined the call; I had no interest in talking to him. Following quietly behind her, she paused at the final sliding door to remove my tie.
She stared at it, and I thought she might throw it away, but instead, she carefully untied it, folded it neatly, and tucked it deep into her bag. I smiled, relieved for a moment before glancing behind me; the creeps were still following close behind. I cracked my neck and knuckles, my annoyance reaching its boiling point.
How far are you willing to go? You guys must really want to die.
Their persistence was irritating, but walking out the door to see Fernando kissing Luanne almost pushed me into a blind rage. Sure, she's his girlfriend for now, and yes, she's loyal to him FOR NOW, but the fact that he dropped all contact with her the moment he saw and heard me proves he knows I caught him in his lie. I wasn't about to let that slide.
A tense conversation followed, ending with Luanne—or should I say Ludo—playing along and getting in the car, slamming the door behind her with enough force to make her point crystal clear.
I couldn't help but replay the part where she said 'was his girlfriend.' Fernando's shock was priceless. When she got in the car, things really got interesting.
I watched the creep duo leave through my peripheral vision while the moron in front of me got his boxers in a twist over problems he'd created himself. As they finally disappeared from sight, exhaustion washed over me.
"Dude, what the fuck? Are you trying to make her think I'm cheating?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I thought she was just a friend."
"Dude? What?" He faked ignorance, his eyes darting everywhere but at me.
"What? I mean, you were clearly adamant about telling me that the red-haired woman was your girl, but Ludo was also pretty adamant about being your girlfriend—"
"Yeah, speaking of, what was up with the whole 'was' thing?"
"Don't change the subject, Nando, you kn—"
"Did she seem... angry to you?" He interrupted me AGAIN. I glared at his pathetic attempt to deflect.
"Interrupt me again..." Fernando stiffened at my expression and instantly shrank back.
"I'm sorry." I couldn't mask my disgust as I continued.
"I don't know about you, but there are several distinct differences between those two women. So, which is it? Who are you dating?"
"I'm dating Ludo, and keep your fucking voice down!" He hissed the confession, slamming his hand down on the trunk and rocking the car. Ludo looked back at us through the back windshield.
He glared at her while my glare seared holes in the side of his head. When he finally looked at me again, my expression hadn't softened. Trying to appease me, he straightened up and pulled at the collar of his shirt. My face slowly transitioned into a grimace as my jaw clenched and relaxed. Little did he know I wasn't done.
"Ah, I see I'm going to have to tell poor Audrey Lambert that she's just a side piece..." Sarcasm dripped from every word.
"What?"
"Tell me. Do you want me to let her down easy or just dump it on her?" I could see Fernando sensing the trap closing in, his face paling.
"How do you know her name?"
"Oh, you know..." I calmly pulled out my phone, "...it would be wrong of me to not know my secretary of two years and counting."
"You're lying!" Panic cracked through his angry façade.
"No, sorry, but I'm not." I turned the screen to show him the image I'd been searching for - our company photo from the grand opening, with Audrey, my assistant, the managers, and me all in the front row. His jaw dropped as I switched to my contacts and pulled up her entry.
Audrey Lambert (Secretary)
He stood there speechless, eyes fixed on the phone number.
"I know it's kind of early, but I could call her now; it's always nice to get the bad news out of the way."
He remained silent, so I shrugged, pressed her entry, and called her.
A slight smile tugged at my lips as I continued to drag him along, sticking the phone to my ear as the tone went once, twice—
"Hello?"
"Okay!!" He attempted to reach for my phone, but I dipped backward, dodging his hand and glaring at Fernando as he desperately lunged for my belongings. Meanwhile, Audrey's voice continued through the phone. Unfazed and uninterested in entertaining Fernando or his little game, I hung up without saying a word to her.
"Whatever will we do, Nando? You wouldn't want Audrey to learn about your cheating, would you?" My eyes narrowed, and my jaw twitched as I waited for his response. My tone deliberately mocked and belittled him; I didn't feel bad—he was a cheater, after all.
"What do you want from me? What do you need me to do?" His voice cracked with panic.
"Aww, I'm glad you asked. I may be your friend, but a cheating man is a cheating man, and I don't fuck with those. I will not help you keep this secret, so tell me right now. Who are you in love with?" I went without an answer for a few seconds, and I was prepared to wait much longer, but then...
"Audrey..." He paused, and I took a moment to relax. "And Ludo! I'm in love with them both."
I nearly screamed at him, mouth shooting open, but bit back my anger. My breath came out in a hiss as I took a second to collect myself, my heart racing. But I tried to hide it. I can't lie; my knuckles were itching to meet his fucking nose.
"You. Will. Not. Have. Both." I could hear my voice ooze poison. It took every ounce of self-control not to put my hands on him, but this disgusting piece of shit wasn't making it easy.
"Why are you so mad?" He had the audacity to look confused.
"Why the fuck do you think, dipshit!?" My composure slipped as I inched closer to him, my fist clenched. "You know what? You wanna play games? Great, I have one for you! You either tell Ludo the truth... or I tell them both. And if you think you've seen me angry now—you'll really hate me in two hours."
"So that's it?" He whispered, eyes darting around.
"..." I said nothing. Just glared. I wanted to punch this idiot so badly it physically ached to hold myself back.
"So, it's either one or none, huh? Do I even have a choice?" His shoulders slumped as reality finally seemed to sink in.
"I'm sorry to tell you, bud… but no. Not anymore."
"Gray." I started to make my way into the car, calmly walking past him while returning my phone to my pocket. I didn't respond or look at him.
"Gray!" I stopped with my hand on the door.
"An hour and fifty-nine minutes." I pulled the handle and slid into the car, flashing a sweet smile at Ludo, who returned my gaze with curious eyes as I settled into my seat. Fernando tried making small talk about my tie, which I only entertained because it gave me an opportunity to slip in compliments about Ludo. For the rest of Fernando's conversations, I feigned sleep, my face propped against my hand, deliberately turned toward the window.
I had been hard, horny, and happy earlier, but that whole exchange completely killed my mood. As I sat quietly staring at the passing scenery, my phone buzzed against my leg. I checked the message from an unfamiliar number and did a bit of investigating, only to discover it was from Ludo herself.
Are you okay? You're pretty quiet
back there. I'm not used to the
silence.
Yeah, I'm fine.
What? Do you miss my flirting already
?Lol, you should be asking your
BOYFRIEND if he's okay.
Haha, very funny... he can wait
anyway how am I supposed to
give you back your tie? 😵💫
By just giving it back, duh.-_-
That's gonna raise too many
questions.
So?
Look, I don't care for him
either but I'm not willing
to start shit with him in
such a small and confined
space.
Okay, first off, he won't do shit
while I'm in the car
and second, if not now, when
do you suggest?
Fernando suddenly became fixated on Ludo's phone, making her visibly uncomfortable as he repeatedly swerved while craning his neck to see her screen.
"Who are you texting?" When Ludo didn't respond, his voice grew harder. "Luanne, answer me when I'm talking to you!"
He grabbed her arm holding the phone and yanked it toward him, the car weaving dangerously across the road.
"Touch her like that again..." I growled, "and I promise I'll make sure it's the last thing you ever do. Since when do you put your hands on women?"
"It's okay—" Ludo started, trying to downplay the situation, but I cut her off.
"No, the fuck it's not, Fernando. Let her go."
Fernando shoved her arm away and turned his attention back to driving, his jaw clenched tight.
"Keep your eyes on the damn road. I'm not about to die because your dumb ass can't mind your business."
The silence that followed was suffocating. After several tense minutes, she resumed texting me, her fingers moving quickly across the screen as if desperate to communicate.
Thank you... and I may have an
idea. Would you happen to be
free today? He and I are
planning on going to the beach;
you can join us.
How about I just invite
you both over to my house
that way you can just
leave it anywhere?
After what just happened, he's
not going to be too interested
in going anywhere with you.
True... but you'd have to
openly invite me; I can't
just invite myself... he'll
get suspicious.
Oh yeah. >~<
I smiled to myself and gazed out the window, phone in hand. She had no idea what she did to me; that woman was pure magic. Noticing Ludo's hesitation to break the silence, I took the initiative.
"What do you guys have planned for today?"
"The beach. Oh! You should come with us." Nando spoke up first, and I bit back several snarky responses that bubbled to mind.
"Oh! Yeah, that sounds like fun. Can you come with us, please?" Ludo added, her voice hopeful.
"Aw. I can't say no to a pretty lady like you. Sure."
Nice performance by Ludo; that was very believable.
I quickly texted my assistant Julian, who agreed to meet us at the beach with a bathing suit for me.
"My assistant is dropping off my swim trunks so we can head straight there if that was the original plan."
When we reached the beach parking lot, I stepped aside to text Julian my location and who I was with. After he arrived with my swim trunks, we paused together to appreciate the sunrise before he headed home. I made my way back to Ludo and Nando.
"Where are we gonna set up?" I asked as I approached.
It took every ounce of willpower not to reach for Ludo.
She had shed her dress, now wearing only her bathing suit. The black bra top matched her earlier dress, with delicate lacing up the back and straps that tied behind her neck. The bottoms featured similar laces tied at each hip, and she still wore her black collar. Everything coordinated perfectly, and from behind, she was both alluring and dangerous—the kind of sight that could get someone in trouble just for staring a moment too long.
Nando said something to her that I missed completely; truthfully, I wasn't paying him any attention at all. I regretted missing her response as she turned to follow him. I caught his eye as he passed and whispered,
"48 minutes."