It's A Shame (12 page)

“Guess I should be grateful the truth came out before it was too late. I’m just relieved I never had feelings for her…or that little scene I witnessed might have stung. As it was, my pride took a hit. Especially when the word spread that I was the one who’d cheated and she was the one who called the wedding off,” he chuckled satirically.

“But…but when I
first met you…I’m so confused. When I first met you, I was curious. So, I looked you up on the Internet. I saw the all the engagement articles and stories…but there was nothing, no articles about it being over.” I said confused.

“That’s because Lauren got daddy to eradicate it from the papers and tabloids. That cost him a
small fortune.” He laughed again, almost to himself. “It also cost her father his company.” He smiled a little brighter.

“What?” Now I was totally confused.

“As I said before, her father Stan and I were in talks to merge our two firms. When I called off the wedding, he got angry and cancelled the deal.”

“That’s incredible. I have a hard time believing the stupid things people do sometimes. Did it
hurt your company? I mean after he pulled out of the merger deal?”

“No, to the contrary,
it no longer mattered to me how big my company was, I knew I didn’t want to partner with Stan Buckley.  Stan may have a lot of power and pull in Denver, but it no longer mattered to me.  Lauren would not get her way this time, and I knew I would succeed with or without Stan Buckley’s money or his company.

“After Lauren told all her family and friends that
she
called off the wedding because I cheated on her, Stan Buckley became exceedingly antagonistic. He believed his lying daughter. So it was with some regret, albeit very little, that I took Stan’s Buckley’s company out from under him in a hostile takeover, becoming the largest real
estate property acquisition company in North America, without his help, at least directly.” He said with a self-assured look.

“Holy sh
…Cole. She’s a totally horrible and manipulative person. Obviously, has no morals…lying like that to everyone, even her own father.” I shook my head. “Not to mention…she’s insane!”

Cole just smiled and nodded.

“Seems to run in the family,” he shrugged, “It’s been rumored for years now her mother ran off with a family friend, which is why Stan did everything in his power to keep Lauren with him and happily dependent on him. He’s getting on in years…but I left him with enough to keep him and Lauren comfortable.”

I stood up
, stepped over and sat on his lap.  His arms encircled my waist as he buried his head in the crook of my neck. My heart ached for him. He has never known real happiness, ever.

“I love you Ace
,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I for one am glad she is a total fucking loon. Cause now you’re mine.” I kissed each of his eyelids. “What do you think she wants to talk to you about?” I asked tentatively.

“Who the hell knows with her… like you said, she’s a total fucking loon.”
He started sucking on my neck and I yelped loudly, followed by a boisterous giggle.

“Time for dessert
,” he murmured into my throat as he stood up with me in his arms, pushing his chair back as he carried me towards the bedroom. 

I
excitedly laughed out loud.

“
Mmm. Just for that I’m going to fuck you till you beg me to stop,” he said as he softly bit my jaw.

“
That’s not gonna happen,” I countered.

I heard him laugh low, deep in his chest
.

Chapter
10

The next morning I rolled over to find Cole’s side
of the bed empty.  I stretched my arms and legs, and smiled as I felt the familiar soreness between my thighs. I lifted my hands to my breasts and gingerly touched my nipples, finding them to be extremely sensitive too.

Last night w
e tangled the sheets tirelessly for hours. Afterwards exhausted, I fell asleep for a short time to be awoken by the warm sensation of Cole’s tongue as it lashed across and locked onto my nipple.  I felt the bed shift as the weight of him slid down to the bottom, between my legs, spreading them wide. My eyes flew open as he sank his tongue deep inside my cleft. His parted my moist folds and licked lightly at my clit. I brought my hands down and cupped his head. I moaned to every touch, every lick. Placing his hands on my hips, his grip tightened as I squirmed; all the while he continued flicking the tip of his tongue lightly over my over-sensitive hardened knot. I nearly growled my pleasure when he pushed his fingers inside me massaging me from the inside. While his tongue kept up its licentious torture, his fingers delved deeper into me.

I took a deep breath
feeling the fluttering inside my stomach as I replayed last night over in my mind and raised my fingers touching my lips, which were, incidentally, still swollen from his passionate kisses.

I thought
about Lauren as I repeated the conversation I had with Cole last night over in my mind. It really bothered me, her being in New York, but it was far more troubling that she knew where I lived, and that Cole was living here too. Who would have told her that? Why did she come to New York in the first place? Was she trying to get Cole back? Was she looking to start trouble? She obviously knows that Cole and I are together, that we’re a couple. Could she be stupid enough to think I would just give him up? I needed answers, and soon...I heard the shower start and climbed out of bed.

I walked into the bathroom
and was assailed by a wave of hot, moist air as I stopped to look at the hottest man I have ever seen. He stood with his back to me, his arms extended outward as he leaned on the wall. His golden, muscular body glistened sensually as the water cascaded down his lean frame. I opened the shower door slowly and walked up behind him wrapping my arms around his waist. He didn’t start at my touch. Instead he tilted his head back letting the water cascade down over his face, through his inky black hair, down the perfect V of his back, running over his tight ass. 

I
reached for the body wash, and pouring a good amount, lathered it in my hands and began massaging his shoulders, sliding my hands down in a circular motion along his back and sides. I ran my hands down over his hips taking a detour towards
the front. I let my fingers do the walking and stopped at the base of his happy trail. My breath hitched as my hands clasped around his sizeable erection.

“Oh
, you knew I was coming?” I said pouting.

“Nope, just thinking about you, wishing you were here…”
He slowly turned to face me, his eyes darkened with passion. “Looks like I got my wish.”

I looked into his eyes
briefly then lowered my glance, along with my body, to my knees. I took the crown of his cock and wrapped my lips around it, savoring the taste of his velvety smooth skin.

Moving
my mouth up and down his thick long shaft, caressing it with my tongue, I worked my fingers around him and began pumping him as I continued to suck. The erotic sound of his guttural moan spurred me on.  It was all I needed to push me over the top. I wanted to feel him come in my mouth, wanted to taste him. I swirled my tongue around him, flicking it across the sensitive tip. My mouth and cheeks hollowing with each sucking draw.  I licked at the small drops that formed on the top and was rewarded with his sudden intake of air.

He began gyrating his hips, circling and
moving in and out of my mouth as I continued to fervently pump, and suck. The elation I felt, having the power to get him this aroused, had me on the verge of coming without being physically stimulated. My sex was clenching violently, my heavy breasts aching for his touch. I became frenzied, licking, sucking, swirling my tongue.

He rocked his hips and threw his head back as he
cupped my head holding it in place while he slid in and out of my mouth.  He called out my name, his voice low and throaty. Then shuddered and stilled. His fingers began massaging my ears as his cum spurted into my mouth, I swallowed, but his hot semen kept flowing.  I placed my hand under him massaging his sac with a light touch of my fingers while he groaned in agonized pleasure. I kept milking him, sucking, massaging the length of him with my lips, until there wasn’t a drop left.

When
his body stilled, and the pulsing stopped, I tenderly pulled him from my mouth and looked up. What I saw caused my heart to beat a little faster. He was entranced. On his face was a look of pure unadulterated gratification; his eyes halfway closed, his full lips parted sensually.

Reaching d
own he lifted me up to my feet and pulled me to his chest. He reached out, and with his long fingers, he raised my chin up until my eyes locked with his. The depth of feeling I saw in those green orbs blew me away. I trembled. The warmth of his lips as he lowered his mouth onto mine was intoxicating. He kissed me so tenderly, so softly; I could feel the desperation and need in him. The longing that one kiss elicited, stirred me so much, my heart literally stopped beating for a millisecond. I honestly thought my legs would give way under me. He kissed the side of my face, my neck, behind my ears then rested his cheek on mine.

“Thank you
baby,” he whispered, his breath humid against my cheek. He ran his fingers slowly over my cheek.

I stood on my tip
toes and kissed his mouth softly.

“
Any time Ace…it was the least I could do to thank you for all the amazing oral sex.”

I wanted to tell him how much I loved him, how much he means to me, how I never wanted anything more than to be with him, but I was at a total loss for words.
I was way out of my league where he was concerned. I didn’t know how to tell him I was his, that I would always be his. He needed to know what I was thinking, and how I felt about him, but I’d forgotten how to be close with someone.

Damn it, you blew that one Grace.

I heard him laugh as
I stepped out of the shower to grab us some towels. After placing two on the table outside the shower, I wrapped my hair up, tucked a dry towel under my arms and I walked out of the room.

“Coffee…please
!” he shouted after me.

“
Gotcha covered!”

Cole walked out of the bedroom dressed in a black V-necked tee shirt and a pair of jeans that
hung on his ass oh so perfectly. He looked absolutely mouthwatering. He grabbed the NY Times from the top of the bench near the door and took a seat at the dining table. After adding a few drops of cream to his coffee he raised the mug to his mouth.

“Cole,
I’ve been thinking…” He looked up at me, eyebrows raised. “Hear me out…” I tried to look serious, “I think you should go and see Lauren.”  I blurted.

He swallowed quickly and shot me a look that I wasn’t
quite able to decipher.

“I’m serious
,” I went on, “The sooner you talk to her the sooner she can leave us—you—alone and go back to Denver.”

“
I don’t know what she wants. I don’t care what she wants, and I sure as hell don’t want to speak with her. I don’t trust her motives. Whatever the reason she is here, you can rest assured that it has to do with money,” he stated evenly as though the matter was closed to discussion. Looking down he opened the paper to the business section and stared at the words.  I wasn’t sure he was even reading anything. He looked to be a million miles away.

“There is one way to find out.” I looked at him, “Ask her.”

I wanted this woman away from Cole. I didn’t like knowing she was in another state, let alone in the same city as we were. I had a nagging suspicion that she was here to stir up trouble. Jealousy rippled through me as I remembered the exquisitely beautiful woman standing on the other side of my door. Of course the bitch knew her presence here, in New York, and her visit to my apartment would rattle me, and I was one hundred percent sure that was her intent all along.

I took another sip of my coffee and set the mug down.

“Do you want me to make you breakfast? Are you hungry?” My question jolted him out of his reverie. 

“No, nothing for me
, thank you.” He closed the newspaper and shoved it to the side. “What do you want to do today, this is our day…no more talk about Lauren.” He looked at me with a look that told me the conversation was over, and I tilted my head, raising my brows. “You’re right, I’ll have to deal with her eventually, but not today.” He reached out and grabbed my hand squeezing it gently.

The weather was unseasonably warm, which was the new norm in New York City.  There was no doubt in my mind that
spring was surely giving its rights over to summer and will cease to exist some day.  Global warming was here, like it or not. But the air crackled with an energy that belonged solely to New York City.  There wasn’t anywhere else on the planet that had the draw, pull, spectacle or vitality that could match New York.  From the speeding, honking cabs to the shouting street vendors to the throngs of people rushing to be somewhere they weren’t. The odors of food wafting in and out through the multitudes, clinging to them, moving with them, everywhere you looked there was energy.

The
sidewalks were brimming over with mobs of people, tourists and natives alike. I felt the vibration as the subway roared under our feet. I loved this city.  I loved everything about it. The beautiful parks, the gritty streets, the hawkers, the street entertainers, I could spend my whole day, and I have many a time, just sitting at a café watching the people file by, my ears lulled by the cacophony of my busy city.

We
started our day at the farmer’s market, where we selected fresh asparagus, fava beans and Chanterelle mushrooms. We bought fresh goat cheese so I could make my herbed goat cheese crostini.  We then walked to the meat district and picked out a couple of dry aged sirloin steaks. When we finished our shopping at the meat market, Cole reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his smartphone to call Ray. 

There was one more stop Cole wanted to make
, and he leaned in to give Ray instructions as I climbed into the back seat and opened the paneled door shoving our purchases into the small refrigerator located in the bench seat. 

So
I was a little surprised when several minutes later we pulled up in front of The Asbury and Cole got out and walked over to where James stood.

James leaned in as Co
le said something to him, nodded, and replied. The two were out of hearing range so I was left with trying to decipher what they were saying by watching their facial expressions through the corners of my eyes. James shook his head emphatically, and Cole took the leather satchel James had been holding. Then hey both walked over to the car.

“Hello James
,” I smiled.

“It’s good to see you again Miss Preston…Grace
,” he corrected himself as he took a step back.

“Have a lovely day,
Grace, Mr. Grayson. I’ll get back to you on that other matter.” He nodded to us both as he stepped up onto the sidewalk.

We pulled away and I turned to Cole.

“What was all that?”

“I was going over a few matters concerning the hotel
with James.”

“
Hmmmm, seemed like a 007 moment to me.”

He laughed and
shook his head. I didn’t want to get off track by talking about business…since it wasn’t mine. Besides, it’s a gorgeous day out and I was spending it with the best-looking, most wonderful guy in the City. Hell, the world. 

“What’s in the bag, or is
that a mystery too?” I inquired.

He
leaned over and kissed me.

“
This is going to make those steaks we bought taste
that
much better,” he said holding up pinched fingers. Then he looked at me, waiting, and when I didn’t get it right away he continued, “Over the years I’ve amassed a collection of incomparable old world wines that I keep in the wine cellar at the Asbury, and I wanted something special for our meal tonight. So I had James pull a bottle for me.” He reached across the seat and pulled me to his side.