Mr. Almost, page 14
He pulls out his phone and does something before turning it around.
“Look, this calculator says that based on our salaries, I should be paying you like seven hundred dollars weekly.”
My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “I don’t even make seven hundred dollars a week. Hell no, you aren’t paying me that. That is preposterous.”
My hands are shaking now. I cannot believe he even suggested that. I know money is nothing to him, but it’s different for me. I hustle my ass off to make it, and I refuse to just accept it without earning it. I want us to be equal. Money makes things weird.
He smiles at me. “Let’s negotiate then.”
“No way. I don’t need it.”
“Olivia, be realistic here. You can’t keep me from spending money on Ari. All I’m asking is you let me contribute to the bills that come along with that. Compromise with me, baby.”
The look on his face has me caving. He really means what he is saying. This is important to him.
I sigh. I really could use the help, and if he is adamant that it’s for Ari, then I’ll only use it on things for Ari.
“A hundred a week. Four hundred a month.”
He scoffs. “I’m a billionaire. That’s change for me. Five hundred a week.”
“Two hundred and fifty dollars, and I’ll allow you to buy things for her when we go out.”
He considers it a moment. I’ve been stingy about letting him spend money on us. I let him buy food or drinks here and there, but nothing extravagant like toys or clothes. Believe me, he’s tried. If this makes him happy, I’ll allow him some small concessions.
“Deal. Shit, Livvy. That was hot. You were all standing your ground.” He smirks at me.
I roll my eyes at him. “Seriously?”
He moves closer, cupping my face. “If you could feel my dick right now, you’d know I’m telling the truth.”
I have no clue where I get the nerve, but I reach down and grab him through his pants, finding him hard like he said. He groans, his dick jumping against my hand.
“Fuck, you can’t do that. I’m going to spill in my pants like a prepubescent teenager.”
That has me giggling. “I’d like to see that.”
“It’s embarrassing. Pre-ejaculation isn’t sexy.”
I shrug. “Depends on who you’re asking.”
“That’s it,” he growls.
Before I know it, I’m on my back with both of my hands pinned above my head.
“You’re asking for it.”
“For what?” I whimper.
“This.”
Then he presses against me, and I lose all train of thought.
Her pussy is like a furnace. I can feel the heat through all of the layers separating us. I meant this to be a little tease for her, but it seems I’m only torturing myself too.
“Mason,” she moans, arching up into me.
I wasn’t planning to have sex with her tonight. I only wanted to wine and dine her. I wanted to show her that I could do romance. That for her, I would go to any length.
Yet here we are. I’m not sure I’m strong enough to deny her. Not when I know she is not only sober, but in her right mind.
“Fuck, Livvy. I’ve dreamed of this,” I admit.
“Of dry humping in your house?” She quirks an eyebrow.
Leaning down, I bite her neck, making her squeak. “Watch that mouth or I will edge the fuck out of you until you’re a crying mess.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” she says.
I pull back, looking into her eyes. “Do you want to test me?”
Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head at whatever she sees in my eyes.
“That’s right. Now be a good girl and grind on my cock. I want a little taste of what’s to come.”
I expected more lip from her, but instead she gets this calculating look in her eye. She thinks she’s a sly one, but I’m already clued into her game. She’s going to try and make me come in my pants. I’ll let her give it her best shot. She forgets that with the way I have her pinned under me, I hold all the control.
She starts off slow, grinding against me as I grind down on her. It feels phenomenal. With it feeling this good now, I know it will be a million times better once I’m inside of her.
Over the years, I wondered if I made up the chemistry between us. If the sex really was as good as I remembered.
I have a feeling it’s even better, which is saying a lot.
Switching her hands from both of mine to one, I run my hand down her neck until I’m pulling her dress up over her breasts. Her breathing is coming heavier as I keep the steady pace grinding against her pussy. She’s needy. I bet if I put my hands in her panties, she would be wet as hell.
Pulling her bra down beneath her breasts, I lean down, licking her nipple. Then I suck it into my mouth, rolling it between my teeth.
She is on edge now, her own movements becoming less regular.
Then I pin her down, not allowing her to move a bit.
She struggles against me, but she can’t move as I keep sucking on her nipple.
“Mason, please. I was so close. Please.”
I don’t respond to her, instead, I switch over to the other tit, giving it the same treatment.
“You’ve made your point. You’re in control. I give it all up to you. Make me feel good. Please.”
I smile against her skin. I know that cost her. She always has such tight control over her life. She’s had to with the way she has had to live. No room for mistakes when someone is depending on you.
Looking up at her, I press a quick kiss to her lips.
“Don’t move your hands. You move them, I stop.”
She nods her head at me as I move my way down her body.
She moves her hands then, trying to cover her stomach. I growl.
“I said don’t move.”
She looks down at me shyly. “I don’t look like I did before. I have, um, tiger stripes from everything, and I just, I don’t know. I’m self-conscious, I guess? I don’t know what to say.”
I grab her hands, pushing them up above her head.
“You don’t say anything. You keep your fucking hands where I tell you to and then you let me worship this body like I was made to do. You think I care about a few stretch marks? I find them sexy as fuck because they are proof that you carried a human being inside your stomach. They are proof that you’ve given me the greatest gift a woman can give. So you can feel self-conscious. Those are valid feelings, but know that when I look at you, all I see is the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
She has tears in her eyes but doesn’t say anything. Taking it as her obeying my demand, I kiss my way down her body, paying close attention to those marks she is so embarrassed of. By the time I get to her pussy, she’s a quivering mess once more.
Pulling her panties aside, I see the evidence of her arousal. She’s wet and needy. Even now, her core is clenching against nothing, desperate to be filled.
My cock jerks at the thought, ready to fulfill that job, but it’s not his turn.
No, I need her to know that tonight is all about her. My own pleasure will always come second to hers.
Ignoring my aching dick, I press two fingers inside of her. She gasps, her hips trying to rise up, but I hold them down with my free hand. Then I wrap my arm around until I can hold her down and open for me at the same time.
Leaning in, I suck her clit into my mouth, loving how her body responds. I take my time, savoring every moment between her legs. I lick and suck while thrusting my fingers inside of her, curling to hit her G-spot. I do this for several minutes until she comes all over my face. It’s a heady feeling to know I made her do that. That I can make her feel that good with just my tongue and fingers.
When she calms down, I crawl up her body, pulling her into my arms. Then I kiss the hell out of her.
She’s all loopy with this content smile on her face. It’s adorable.
“You next?” she murmurs, already half asleep.
“Nah. This was all about you, Livvy. Bringing you pleasure is enough for me.”
Then we fall asleep like that as we wait for our daughter to come home.
Sixteen
After Mason rocked my world with his mouth, we fell asleep. It wasn’t until Brantley, Eli, and Chloe knocked on the door with a fast-asleep Ari in their arms that we woke up.
I was planning to go home with her, but when Mason asked us to stay, I couldn’t tell him no. Especially when he showed me the bedroom he had renovated to be hers. He had someone come in and hand paint a mural of a field of flowers and had the other walls done in a soft pink. Her bedding is white with a canopy around it. He even went as far as to have glow-in-the-dark stars put on the ceiling so it doesn’t get too dark in there. As soon as she saw it, she was head over heels in love.
How could I deny her her dream room?
It didn’t hurt that he then dragged me into his bedroom, which had the most heavenly mattress known to man in it.
I fell asleep before I could even think about the consequences of staying in his home.
So I’m not surprised when I wake up in a panic when I realize I’m in his bed. Some things don’t change overnight, and being in an unfamiliar place will always cause me a slight panic when I can’t immediately hear or see my child.
Looking down, I smile at the T-shirt he gave me to sleep in last night. It smells like him. Still, that panic in my chest is growing the longer I don’t know where my kid is. I know logically she is probably safe. Especially since Mason isn’t in here with me. I’d bet they are together in the kitchen, but that doesn’t make it better.
Rushing out of bed, I head downstairs. Then I stop outside of the kitchen as I hear them talking. My chest settles.
She’s okay.
“Uncle Brantley said that hockey players are superior because they aren’t afraid to get a little dirty. He said they defend their teammates and are willing to fight for them. Aunt Chloe said that they are always playboys. Daddy, can I have a playboy when I’m older? Then they could play with me whenever I wanted them too.”
I peek around the corner when I hear Mason choke.
The scene I find is adorable. He has Ari in her own seat with a plate of eggs, pancakes, and bacon in front of her. He even got her a glass of apple juice. He has the same in front of him, except he was taking a drink of coffee when she asked her question.
His face is red, and he looks both angry and unsure of what to say.
Deciding to save him, I step into the room.
“Honey, playboys aren’t a good thing. Aunt Chloe was saying that hockey players don’t necessarily treat their girlfriends well.”
She frowns. “The one I met did. He had a wife and a daughter my age. I played with her most of the game. I think Aunt Chloe is wrong. I still wanna marry one of them.”
“I don’t think you should marry any of them, Ari girl. Boys are dumb, and they say mean things sometimes. Can we agree that we won’t think about marrying until we are at least forty?” Mason asks.
I shake my head. Poor guy. He is truly becoming a girl dad.
I start to make my own coffee as they negotiate. It only makes me think of the negotiation we did last night. I still don’t feel good about taking money from him, but it would help with Ari. I could get her some new clothes and buy better food for us.
Glancing back, I see that Ari is considering her father’s words.
Ari makes a decision then, nodding and saying, “Okay, but does that mean you won’t marry Mommy until she’s forty? I don’t want you to wait that long. I want you to get married, and then I can have a sister.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
Mason says, “Sister?” At the same time.
“Jeremy says that when his daddy married his second mommy that they gave him a little brother. I would love to have a sister, but I don’t want to wait a long time for one.”
I really need to move her to a new day care. This one obviously doesn’t pay attention to the kids.
Mason looks at me. “What do they allow the kids to do at this day care? You know what? I don’t want to know. We are talking about this,” he warns me before turning to Ari. “I don’t know when Mommy and I will be getting married, but when we do, we can talk about giving you a sibling.”
“Sister. I don’t think I want a brother. Boys are gross and dirty,” Ari says.
“Yet you want to marry one?” Mason asks, confused.
“Not a boy. A playboy. They didn’t look gross. They looked tough. Like men are supposed to be. Or so Uncle Eli said.”
“Your friends need to stop filling her head with that shit,” I whisper to him as I take the seat beside him, grabbing a piece of bacon from his plate.
“Trust me, we will be having a talk,” he says, handing me the entire plate.
I smile at him gratefully.
“Hey, Mommy?” Ari asks suddenly.
“Yes, baby?”
“Why aren’t you wearing pants?”
I groan.
Of course she would notice. In my panic, I didn’t think to put any on.
Thankfully, Mason is on top of it.
“She wore a dress yesterday and didn’t have any. How about you and I go wash up while Mommy finishes breakfast, then we can go home and change?”
“Okay, Daddy.”
Watching them walk out of the kitchen together, my heart clenches.
This is what I always wanted for her.
So why can’t I trust that it’s real?
“Daddy, watch me,” Ari calls as she goes down the slide for the hundredth time.
I would never tire of this.
Today is one of those days where the bank, schools, and day care take off, but no one else actually considers it a holiday. Normally, I wouldn’t either, but Ari needed someone to watch her. Olivia had requested the day off, but with them being short-staffed, Max asked if she could possibly come in. He even told her to bring Ari.
I scoffed at them both and said I would take care of her. I can do my work from anywhere. Hell, I’m the CEO. I could not work at all, and everything will be fine.
That’s how we ended up here. My little girl loves the park, and I couldn’t deny her pouting when she begged to come.
“Look at you go. You are flying down that thing,” I encourage her.
She giggles before running back up to the top. She goes down several more times before moving to some bug-looking thing on a spring. I don’t quite like the look of it, but she seems to know it well. She climbs on and starts shaking back and forth.
I take a few photos of her before sending them to Olivia.
I know she won’t respond. Not right away, at least. She takes her work seriously. I love that about her. Her work ethic is like mine. She wants to do her best at what she does. She isn’t there to just collect a paycheck. She’s trying to make the place better. I have stayed very hands-off with the whole situation. I came in to help Max, but as soon as I found out about Olivia, I’ve been distracted. I’ve left it all up to Max and Eli.
They have done an amazing job of it, though. They have already minimized the turnover rate and started establishing new rules for everyone. So when Max told me about some of the changes Olivia suggested, I was impressed. She really knows what she is doing. I think she will go far in the hospitality industry. I hope she plans to stay at my hotel, but even if she doesn’t, she will be an asset wherever she goes.
My phone rings, drawing my attention away from Ari for a moment. I cringe when I see my mother’s name. She has no room in my life right now. I can’t deal with her shit. I decline the call and pocket my phone at the same time I hear Ari scream.
My heart is in my throat in a second as I rush over to her. She’s on the ground, crying as she holds her knee.
“What happened, baby girl? Where does it hurt?” I start to look her over.
“I fell. My knee hurts, Daddy.” She’s bawling her eyes out.
I can feel tears in my own eyes as I look at her knee. It’s scraped, but as I move it, she doesn’t seem to hurt anymore. I hate that she’s hurt, but it doesn’t seem like it needs a hospital trip.
“I’m so sorry, baby girl.” I feel guilty as hell for not watching her better. “Let’s go get this cleaned up, and then Daddy will take you for ice cream.”
I pick her up in my arms, her little ones going around my neck the best they can. Then she lays her head in the crook of my neck, sniffling, her sobbing having subsided.
“Promise?” she asks.
“I promise. Let’s go get some Band-Aids,” I tell her, carrying her to my car.
Thomas opens the door as I approach, his eyes taking in Ari. He looks worried.
“Is she okay?” he asks.
She looks at him. “It hurts, but Daddy is going to get me a Band-Aid and ice cream.”
Thomas looks to me to confirm, so I nod.
“There’s a drugstore down the street,” he tells me, heading back to the driver’s side.
I buckle Ari into her seat before climbing into the other side of the car next to her. Ari holds out her hand to me, so I take it. I squeeze it lightly, looking at her.
I feel like five years were shaved off my life. Hearing her scream did something to me. I never want to hear it again. I never want to see her hurt again. My chest still feels like it’s being squeezed.
When Thomas pulls up outside the pharmacy, I pull Ari out and take her inside with me. I could have had her wait with Thomas, but I’m feeling a bit clingy at the moment. I don’t want her out of my sight. It is such a startling feeling, but it also makes me feel more like a parent. Like it’s normal to feel this way.
In the Band-Aid aisle, Ari is obviously feeling much better.
“Daddy, the kitty Band-Aids would help me heal much better.” She bats her eyes up at me.
Normally, I would be happy to give her whatever she wants, only the kitty Band-Aids won’t cover her scrape.
