Charm School After Dark: Lesson 1 (29 page)

Finally he got the damn condom on, and he pounced. He kissed her hard and filled her silky entrance with one long stroke, her strong muscles gripping him hard, fulfilling every fantasy. He set a firm pace, each stroke deliberate and deep. She cried out and arched her back. He slowed the pace, tilting her pelvis, making sure to graze her clit with each long plunge. She tried to pull him forward, to rake her nails down his back, but he refused to move, obsessed with every nuance and small expression she made.

Her expressive face made his dick swell, gripped him with urgency as they gazed at each other and shared each powerful stroke. The power of the moment didn’t need words. He had never connected with anyone like this, had never felt closer to another human being, and he needed more.

He needed forever.

He slid one hand down toward her core, placing his thumb against her swollen nub, creating further friction for each long stroke. Caelen’s eyes fluttered shut, he felt the loss of her gaze, but was fascinated with the way she flung back her head and tilted her back, her breasts thrust forward.

So he increased the pressure.

Her silky walls contracted against him, causing him to shout out. Pressure built, crawling up his spine and he knew he only had seconds before he came. He pressed down with his thumb and thrust harder, increasing his speed, lost in the haze of relentless passion.

She cried out again and again, and he saw her shoulders tense, and he knew she was spiraling off the edge. In seconds, he shouted out, joining her, the long drag of pleasure making him convulse in ecstasy. He leaned forward to wrap her in his arms as he came over and over again, driven higher by the long pull of her inner muscles kneading him, wringing him dry.

His body expanded and contracted with each breath he took. He rained kisses down her chest, her neck, her stomach. She cuddled in close, still not speaking. As time passed, their harsh breaths eased, and Caelen turned on her side, Dare tucked in against her back, just as they’d slept all night.

He knew she was avoiding him, shutting her eyes, hoping he would disappear. And he let her. For now. Because he felt the depth of the connection, knew she’d felt it too. There was no escape. Caelen Calvo was his, and very soon he would make her admit it. Make her sing it to the stars.

He kissed her shoulder one final time, and right before he pulled away, he whispered. “This is not goodbye.”

Her body shuddered in response, but she remained silent.

Chapter 28

‡

M
IDAFTERNOON,
C
AELEN HESITANTLY
made her way down Ms. Belle’s long staircase, keeping a watchful eye out for Dare, hoping he was nowhere in sight. For once, she didn’t have a hangover, but the mishmash of guilt, fear, and trepidation was a vicious cocktail threatening to create quite the migraine.

There was so much to do. Confess to Dare; teach the class; save the school; explain to her sisters; apologize to Brynn; talk to Athena… The list was never-ending. God, she missed her sisters. Usually, they helped her make sense of the tornado she called life.

Trying her best to put the emotions aside, she made her way in her very own pair of funky L.A.M.B. high heels. For her dress, she’d decided to take out the big guns, Azzedine Alaia. The deep red dress hugged every rounded curve of her shape, just the way she liked it. It was probably a little too tight, and her shoes were a little too high, but if anybody had a problem with it, too damn bad. Even though the class was in a few hours, she needed the confidence only sky-high pumps and a killer dress could give her. Besides, she’d been cruising around in too high heels since before she could crawl. A few hours on her feet would be nothing.

Laughter and music floated through the walls from the front of the house, near the ballroom. Looked like Ms. Hattie and The Ladies were already gathering for the big event. All the millions of “little things” that had to be done had been handled the day before. Meticulous to a fault, Caelen knew the devil was in the details. Even though she always loved seeing The Ladies and Ms. Hattie, she still didn’t want to face anyone yet. The intensity of the night with Dare had left its mark, branding her skin and making her feel permanently changed, different.

Sighing, she visited the kitchen, then made her way toward Ms. Belle’s office with a Pop Tart and coffee in hand. The Three Musketeers all went silent upon her arrival. Babies A, B, and D sat at Ms. Belle’s desk, crowded around Dacey’s laptop. Her eyes immediately settled on Brynn, who had a “you’re not going to be able to read anything by my smile” smile on her face.

Athena stood and motioned to the chair next to her. “Hi. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Mid-bite, Caelen chewed quickly, her eyes opening wide as she mumbled with a half full mouth. “Oh my God. Is this an intervention?”

Dacey finally looked up from the computer and added, “I wish. I love that show!”

“Of course not. Although if you keep up the drinking, that might be our next meeting.” Leave it to Athena to be so subtle.

Caleen maneuvered between her sisters reluctantly, and looked around as if to say, WTF?

“Dacey was going over some of the numbers and information she got on The Devil.”

“Why do you care, anyway, Athena? I thought you didn’t want to touch the school with a ten foot pole.” Caelen took a long swig of her coffee.

“So much for being nice. I’m here because I’m your sister, and I heard you’ve really been working hard on the school.”

Giving blowjobs or organizing the event?
She was going to assume her sister referenced her clerical and party planning skills. “It’s shocking, I know.
Me,
actually working, but believe it or not, I’m quite good at what I do.” She looked around, trying to ferret out the spy. Her cheeks felt warm, but it was nothing compared to the slow burn starting in her chest. She was two seconds away from seriously pissed. “Heard from whom?”
That’s right, chew on that, bi-yatches.
She could use proper grammar, too.
Sometimes.
“Who’s been reporting back to you?”

“Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Dacey muttered.

“Athena’s going to walk if you don’t cut it out,” Brynn warned.

Old habits die hard
. It was no secret she and Athena were known to go head-to-head, and it was obvious Caelen was picking a fight to keep her mind off of everything else going on. Another long sigh escaped. “I—Okay, you’re right. I’ve been a bit on edge lately.”

“And none of us ratted on you, by the way.”

“Yeah. You know Athena always sweet talks Ms. Hattie into spilling the beans.”

That was true, and Ms. Hattie missed nothing which meant Athena probably knew all about Dare hanging around. Which meant she’d be asking for details in five, four, three, two…

“So, you picked Dare, huh? Can’t say I’m surprised. He’s been crazy about you for years.” Athena ran a tanned hand through her light-purple hair. She must have gotten a cut. One side was shaved with the front sweeping low, covering half her face.

“Not you, too? Did everyone know except me?” Caelen threw down her pastry and brushed the crumbs from her hands.

“You’re oblivious. The whole world knew,” Dacey said.

Athena cleared her throat and looked at Caelen. “I do want to say something.” She took a long and tortured breath, “I—You shouldn’t be eating that crap, it’s going to kill you one day.”

Caelen rolled her eyes. Her sister was obsessed with anything and everything organic. “Really? That’s what you wanted to say to me?”

“No, no. Well, yes, because it
is
really bad for you—”

“Athena.”

She cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable. “All right. What I really wanted to say was, the comment I made about your work was a low blow. I’ve never thought you were lazy. And… that’s all I want to say about it.”

Caelen opened her mouth, and it stayed open. She couldn’t remember her sister apologizing, ever. Not that she’d apologized, exactly. “I’m sorry for what I said, too.” And since they were confessing all, she turned to Brynn who hadn’t said more than a few words since she’d entered the room. “Are we okay? I’m so sorry.”

Brynn leaned over and gave her a big hug. “Me, too. We’re fine.
But,
does that mean you admit I was right?”

“I think there was a lot of truth in what both of us were saying.”

Brynn blushed and nodded her head. “You have
no
idea, but I think it’s time you came clean. You’ve been bumping heads with everybody, because of the weight of the secret sitting on your shoulders.”

“Secrets?
Mwah, ha ha!
Do tell.”

“Dacey, cut it out. This one’s serious.”

Dacey froze, shocked by Brynn’s harsh tone.

Caelen felt a little dizzy, realizing this was only step one of the confessional tour she’d be taking today. “Okay, here goes. The man I was in a relationship with was my boss.”

Dacey let out a slow whistle.

“And not only did he fire me in front of the entire staff, he did it the day after I met his wife and two children.” When none of her sister’s commented, she continued, placing her plate on the desk. “I didn’t know they were still in the picture. He told me he was legally separated and she was a total bitch who was after his money. He—Well, he gave me every excuse in the book, and I believed him. I never double-checked any story, never bothered to ask about the home he kept at the corporate office in Dallas. I just kept accepting the gifts and went on my merry way.”

“There were gifts?”

“So many gifts. Bags. Some jewelry. Plus shoes… Pretty, pretty shoes.” They all looked down at her feet. “These are mine. All of
his
will be donated.”

“Donate them to me, please, please,
please.”
Dacey begged.

“Nope. Goodwill will have them soon enough.”

All of the sisters groaned together.

“Wait. What are we thinking? You’re not donating anything. I’m going to put those bad-boys on eBay and sell the hell out of them. We can donate the proceeds to the school.”

“Dacey, you’re a genius!” Brynn crowed.

Caelen loved the idea, loved thinking that Victor would unwittingly be funding what he’d probably describe as a “rinky-dink school,” that wasn’t worth his time.

“Finally, the acknowledgement I have been waiting for. Genius … it has a certain ring to it.”

Most of what Baby D said washed over her. Caelen still felt numb. Maybe she’d cried all the tears she’d had left. “You know the worst of it?”

Caelen’s whispered words stopped Dacey mid-rant.

“She was lovely, kind. She looked like an amazing mother. I—”

“This wasn’t your fault.”

“But it was.” Her loyal sisters went to protest further, making her heart clench in a vise, but she held up her hand, “No, really. It was. I should’ve known. There were so many signs, but I didn’t want to know. I was so selfish, and who knows what I did to his family.”

“Honey, you have to know you weren’t the first,” Brynn said as she rubbed Caelen’s back.

“And definitely not the last. I have a feeling, if he fired you so quickly after she met you, she knew what she had. A lowdown, dirty cheater. That’s between them. You can only control you.”

Caelen was amazed. Athena was being reasonable. Now this was a little more like the sister she knew and loved, but she’d never imagined she’d be this understanding.

Athena got up from her chair, and tugged Caelen into her arms. Even with her heels on, Caelen was still about an inch shorter than her sister who wore only running shoes.

“Why are you being so cool about this?” Caelen held on tight. It felt good to feel close to her big sister (by minutes). It seemed for so long now, they’d both been on such different paths. Once Athena had married, she’d done a 180, quitting her job as a high-powered attorney and spending most of her time with her husband, Jake.

“I already knew.”

“What?
How?”

“I figured it out when you got here.” Athena pulled back, a rueful smile touching her lips. “It wasn’t hard to find out. All I did was look up your job and the boss’ face was splashed all over the news. Once I saw him and his bio, coupled with your weird behavior, it wasn’t hard to figure out.”

“But aren’t you pissed? I mean, you’re married.”

“I
was
pissed. Couldn’t you tell when you first got here? But I think I was most upset because you shut me out. I thought you just weren’t telling
me,
but then I realized you were keeping us all in the dark. Although, looks like these two have been filled in, because no one seems to be shocked.”

“Hey, I didn’t know. I just don’t think it’s that big of a deal.” Dacey waved a dismissive hand through the air.

“How can you say that, Dacey?”

“Because,
she
wasn’t married,
he
was. It’s different. She wasn’t the one cheating on a spouse. And
he
lied to her. I’m just glad that Caelen’s done with him. He is a major prick-o, with a capital P and his
I want you back
texts are pathetic. It’s like she’s an afterthought. If someone lies to me for months and has a whole secret family, they better be writing whole books—no, whole
encyclopedias
full of apologies. That’s all I’m saying. Now, can we get to the good stuff?”

All three of the other sisters just looked at each other and burst into laughter. Dacey was insane. “Just give me one more sec.” Caelen pulled Athena aside.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I was most worried about telling you.”

“I’m starting to realize life isn’t as black and white as I thought it was.” Her sister sighed and looked far too heavy, as if she couldn’t shrug off the extra weight sitting atop strong shoulders. “Besides, who am I to judge?”

Caelen’s eyes went wide. “Who are you to judge? That’s what you do. You’re a friggin’ lawyer. You will literally—well, probably be a judge in the next twenty years or so.”

“Not anymore.”