Inside the Storm Read online

  I comb my fingernails through his hair as he kisses just above my navel. My back arches naturally when he reaches my most sensitive area. His mouth is there only briefly before it glides back up to the front of my neck. I feel him adjust and his finger lightly traces the bruising daddy left on me.

  I can’t breathe.

  “Nobody will ever do this to you ever again,” he says with the kindest voice I’ve ever heard.

  I can’t respond to his words. He doesn’t know that to be true. Yes, he offered me a job as his assistant and it will probably get me out of the only life I’ve ever known, but I know me. I am destructive and will more than likely destroy this. Whatever this is.

  Blake takes my hands and interlocks our fingers. He pins our hands to the mattress as I feel him penetrating me. He kisses me as he thrusts his manhood deeper into me. He groans. There are no barriers between us, it’s flesh on flesh. I hold him tighter to me. I feel my guard slipping further away as I feel what making love really means. I don’t care that I can barely breathe with his weight bearing down on me. If this is my last second on this earth, I want to die feeling nothing but Blake. I think I love this beautiful man.

  A teardrop drips from the corner of my eye. I hold the back of his neck, his cheek touching mine. The words almost slip out. I moan instead to cover it up.

  Blake lifts his head and sees my tears. I close my eyes as he kisses my forehead. “Do you want me to stop?” The concern is evident in his tone.

  “No, sir.”

  His brow rises at me calling him sir. There I go again fucking things up. I should sew my lips shut or something. I probably just ruined the best experience of my life by calling him sir.

  Suddenly, Blake moves and he grips both my wrists in one hand above my head. His other one slips underneath me to my lower back just above my ass. I whimper as he thrusts into me slightly harder. His gentleness has faded away, I feel the dominant man come out in him.

  My moans become louder, my body stiffens as he brings me closer to an orgasm. He kisses me with passion and dominance. The grip he has on my wrists gets tighter with each thrust. My body is a quivering mess as I fall off the edge and lose total control. Blake’s weight fully rests on me. His breathing is labored. We both release the pleasure we shared.

  I feel a sudden loss as Blake’s warmth is stripped away. I turn my head to the side. His chest rises and falls at an accelerated rate. I sit up and stare at him. What do I do now? This is where I usually pick up my clothes and leave. Blake sits up as well. His fingers brush my blonde hair away from my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. We don’t exchange any words for the longest time. Eventually, I lean forward and press my mouth to his. I am not used to being this forward. I’m used to men telling me what I can and cannot do.

  We both turn our attention toward the door when the stewardess tells us the plane will be descending soon. I narrow my eyes when she makes no effort to hide that she desires my man. My hand covers my mouth at my own thought - my man! He’s not mine, is he?

  We got dressed and went out to take our seats in the main area. I am buckling myself in when Blake says, “I have business to attend to tomorrow at the office. You are going to need clothing. I’ll give you my credit card and you can get whatever your heart desires.”

  “You don’t need to do that. I have a little bit of money.”

  “You are my employee now, I will make sure you are taken care of.”

  “Blake…”

  “That’s my deal - take it or leave it.”

  What the fuck just happened to the beautiful moment we just had? He didn't treat me like an employee minutes ago. What did I do wrong? Was I unsatisfying to him? Was that not making love?

  “I have no place to go. If you let me use your phone I can call Renee and ask her if I can stay with her until you give me my duties and I make enough money to get my own place again.”

  I look around the small aircraft. Blake is talking, but I’m not really hearing him. My own voice in my head is overpowering anything he has to say. Frankly, I don’t really give a fuck what he is saying; he hurt me. I probably deserve it in some way. I always deserve the destruction I cause. I wish if I were nothing but his employee, he would have tied me up and called me Roxy.

  “Rochelle.”

  I turn to look at him. “You can call me Roxy, it is probably more suitable.” Is that hurt in his eyes? Good, he can understand how it feels.

  It was another quick flight back, but the last few minutes before landing were painfully awkward. Everything had been good, and then it wasn’t. She called me sir in bed, got overly defensive when I insisted she could take care of herself, and then told me that I might as well call her Roxy. Was she really that broken? Would she ever trust me?

  There was no way I was giving up on her, but I had no fight left for the night and just let it go. My car was waiting for us beside the plane when we landed, and we passed most of the ride home in silence. It was driving me crazy, but a few streets before my turn, I saw something that made me laugh.

  “What is it?” Rochelle asked.

  I didn’t answer, but turned into the BK parking lot and straight into the drive-thru. That seemed to do the trick and Rochelle burst out laughing too.

  “What would you like?” I asked before ordering for both of us and then pulling into an empty spot to eat.

  I never ate in my car, but it seemed like we needed this, so I let my concerns for the perfect interior melt away and smiled at the woman I loved. After a few bites, I dove in.

  “What upset you so much on the plane?” I asked.

  “Me?!” she replied defensively. “You’re the one that took me to bed and then insisted that I was just an employee afterwards. I’m sorry I called you sir, but it wasn’t intentional.”

  I shook my head as I realized what had happened.

  “What?” she asked before I could say anything.

  “I wasn’t trying to treat you like that,” I answered. “I’m sorry if my sarcasm didn’t come through. I just want you to take care of yourself and not worry when I offer to get you something. I was pulling the boss card to get you to agree, not because I wanted you to feel like you’re just an employee.”

  “Oh,” was all she could say, and I watched as she hung her head in shame.

  “Rochelle, it was a misunderstanding. I’m sorry it happened, but there’s nothing to be upset about. Are you still mad at me?”

  “No,” she replied.

  “I’m not mad either. Why don’t we just enjoy our whoppers and then get home.” I emphasized home and I could tell it caught her. More than anything else, I wanted her to know it was her home too. I’d never make her stay, but as long as she wanted to be there, it was her home too.

  “Why are you doing this?” she asked me.

  “Because I love you,” I said, leaning over and giving her a kiss. “This is new to me too, but I think we both need to get out of our own ways and just let this happen. I don’t feel sorry for you, I’m not giving you charity, and I never want you to feel like you owe me anything. I am in love with you; I am merely doing what I would for any woman I felt this way about. All I want from you is your trust. Trust that I am not using you, and if you can’t do that yet, tell me when you feel that way so we can work on it. Is that fair?”

  Rochelle took a big bite and chewed it as I watched the wheels turning in her head. It seemed so simple to me, foreign as it may be, but it was far from simple for her.

  “I can try,” she said, “but no one has ever been kind to me before, Blake. I want to believe you, and I don’t think you’re lying, but I can’t help but feel like it’s all going to go wrong at any second.”

  “All I can ask is that you try. Just talk to me when it’s hard, okay?”

  “I’m not sure I’ll want to do all that much talking when it’s hard,” she said with a little grin before shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she started.

  “For what?” I laughed. “That was funny, and accurate.”

/>   Rochelle smiled back at me and it was the most genuine thing I’d seen from her since everything went cold on the plane.

  “Can we go… home… now?” she asked.

  We did just that and hadn’t even made it off the elevator before we were all over each other. It felt like our experience on the plane had been incomplete, and now that there was no rush, we were both eager to try again. We left a trail of clothes from the front door to the bedroom, and by the time we made it to the bed we were both naked. The experience was indescribable and it wasn’t until we were nearly done, and I saw a strand of long, red hair on the sheet, that I realized the bedding hadn’t been changed since the night before.

  It had only been one day since I had tried to find solace in meaningless sex with a girl who meant nothing to me. I still felt a pang of guilt when I thought of it, but I had been honest about it, and the anonymous experience paled in comparison to the connection I was feeling now with Rochelle.

  I finished with Rochelle on top of me just as she rolled through her second climax of the night. She flopped forward, pressing her body into mine and kissing me with what felt like satisfaction as we both caught our breath. She rolled off of me, curled up on the side of the bed that I would now consider hers, and was asleep in moments. I couldn’t begin to imagine what she’d been through, and I felt complemented that she was able to sleep so easily in my bed. Our bed.

  I climbed out and went into the other room to make a phone call. Gail was always available, though I tried not to bother her this late too often, but I wanted to make the morning as pleasant for Rochelle as I could. I let her know, in as few details as possible, that Rochelle was staying with me after a slight emergency and did not have access to any of her personal items. Gail needed no more instruction and let me know she would handle it. Less than an hour later I was met at my door by a courier who looked befuddled as he handed me the grocery bags that Gail had requested. Thank God for her! I wouldn’t have even thought about half the things she’d had picked up.

  I put a few food items in the kitchen, laughing that Gail knew me well enough to know that my fridge would be nearly empty. I then put the soap, shampoo, and other toiletries in the master bathroom for her in the morning. I’d told Gail that Rochelle needed an outfit for the morning, and she had provided a long skirt and blouse that she thought would do. The poor courier must have felt strange picking all this up, but that was the job sometimes. After laying out the outfit on the dresser, I felt my own exhaustion catching up with me and finally crawled into bed. Rochelle stirred at the movement and rolled over, resting her head on my chest and giving me a nice view of her body as the sheets fell away. Despite having already gone twice in the past six hours, I felt a stir at the sight and had to push it out of mind. I needed rest - not that.

  With my arousal making it difficult to sleep, I let my mind wander. Thus far, it certainly hadn’t been an easy relationship, but none of the drama had done a thing to douse my feelings for Rochelle. I prayed that the next day would be a good one, but all I could do was revel in the comfort of her presence and wait for the new day to see what was in store for us as we began what I hoped would be our new life together. I soon drifted off with the woman of my dreams resting against me.

  I roll over and can feel the warmth on my face before I open my eyes. I blink my eyes halfway open and the sun practically blinds me. I sit upright in a hurry, letting the sheet fall to my waist. I am a little confused on where I am. Squinting my eyes, I look around the unfamiliar bedroom. Tilting my head, I see Blake sleeping in the bed next to me. It comes back to me that he said this is home. I wave my hand above his handsome face. He doesn’t stir, so I gently get off the bed. Wandering around the room, I see clothes laid out neatly on the dresser. I glance over my shoulder. He’s still asleep, so I bring the shirt up to my nose. Relief rushes over me when they don’t smell like another woman. I set it back down and roam around the room on my tiptoes. When I reach a door, I pull it open softly, thankful that it doesn’t make a sound. Stepping into the master bath, I see toiletries and makeup. Did someone live with him before? I pick up the toothbrush still in the package and rip it open. It’s fair game now if I’m going to be living here. Peeking out into the bedroom while I brush my teeth, I cannot help noticing that the size of the bedroom is bigger than my entire apartment was.

  I finish freshening up and go back out into the bedroom, walking as softly as I can across the room. I have never felt such thick carpeting before that your feet sink right into it. When I reach the window, I get my first look at his view. Wow! This has to be the best view in the city. This place must cost a fortune.

  I lean my weight against the cool glass, letting the sun warm my naked body. It’s such a beautiful morning outside. The sky is super blue and the clouds are these big, fluffy, white ones that give you all those cozy feelings inside.

  I tilt my head, my blonde strands sway across my back. Blake rolls to his side, but he doesn’t wake. I watch him sleep for a few minutes before turning my attention back to the window. I think about the past two days. A bit of fear courses through me remembering his words to me last night. He confessed he loves me. I probably didn’t show it, but hearing him say that made me extremely happy. I waited a very long time for a man to say those three simple words to me. It finally happened, I didn’t repeat them as I always dreamt I would. I was too scared of what would happen if I told him I love him, too. I ruin just about everything I touch. If I say those words back to him, I’m afraid I’ll never hear them pass his lips again. My heart feels it though. My entire being feels it. I love Blake. I am in love with the most generous, kind, and caring person I have ever encountered. I really don’t understand how he can love me, though. He should be with someone better than me.

  I put my forehead to the glass, willing myself to stop thinking. Thinking gets me in trouble. Blake needs a woman who is confident, not weak and a fucking mess. I don’t want to lose him. I don’t think I would survive if I lost him.

  I open my eyes and inhale the scent of home. I put my finger to the glass and draw a heart. “I love you, Blake Hargreaves.”

  “Say it again.”

  I put my forehead to the window again, blinking my eyes shut. He wasn’t supposed to hear that. “I thought you were sleeping.”

  Blake’s hand comes to my shoulders. His breath is hot on my neck. “I want to hear you say it again,” he whispers in my ear before biting my lobe.

  “I…” is all I can manage to say.

  I moan when one of his hands slips between my legs. The glass is like ice to my front as he pins me against it. His erection is between us when he presses his weight on me. His body is like fire on my back.

  “Blake...”

  I am caught off guard when he spins me around and lifts me off my feet. I kiss him and we both moan into each other’s mouths as our bodies mold to one another. My back slides up and down the window with the rapid thrusting of his hips. This love making is different than last night. Last night was more about him ensuring me that he cares about me, but this feels like he’s leaving his mark on me. I wonder what the sex will be like when he makes me his forever. I orgasm at the thought of being his - 100% his.

  I am a panting mess when Blake kisses me before he leaves me to answer his phone that is across the room. Goddamn, this man's physique is like a Greek God. I lick my lips when I see he’s still protruding in the lower extremities. I bite my lip when he catches me gawking at him.

  “I’m late for a meeting. Gail sent some things for you while you were sleeping, including a set of clothes for you. I left my credit card by your new phone on the kitchen counter.”

  Who the hell is Gail? “Oh!”

  Blake goes into the closet and comes out with a suit. “I’ll have my phone on me all day. If you need me don’t hesitate to call.”

  He disappears into the bathroom. I push off of the floor to ceiling window and exit the bedroom without bothering to put on any clothes.

  I am getting my
first look at his home. My first thought is, ‘Holy shit!’ This place is immaculate. I’ve only seen places like this in the movies. I get to the living space, and everything is glass tables with white leather furniture. The floors are all hardwood with area carpeting. Blake’s shirt is draped over the sofa where it was discarded on the way to the bedroom. My fingers run along the leather before I pick up his shirt and put it on. I button a few buttons as I make my way to the kitchen island. I see the credit card and the new iPhone. I peek inside the white box beside them. Blueberry muffins. My favorite kind. I pick the one with the most sugar on top. Opening my mouth, I take a bite. Crumbs fall to the floor. Shit! After I clean them up, I sit at the breakfast bar. I’m not going to be the one to make a mess. God, I don’t think there’s a speck of dust anywhere.

  Blake doesn’t need to say a word for his presence to be known, I can smell his cologne. “Good, you helped yourself to breakfast.” He kisses my cheek and gets a muffin for himself. “I should be home by five.”

  “Okay.”

  I watch him put his shoes on while breaking off a piece of my muffin. “I love you, Rochelle. Have a good day.”

  I shove the muffin in my mouth and nod my head. I know he is hoping I would say it back. When it is evident I am not going to, he leaves.

  Am I living in a dream? Did I die and this is really heaven? A girl like me doesn’t land a man like Blake. That only happens in the movies. There doesn’t seem to be any cameras around... none that I can see, anyway.

  I called Renee and asked her to go shopping with me. She happily agreed, thank God, because I haven’t a clue where to shop with a black credit card. She told me to meet her at Abigail's Boutique. I am waiting outside the store for her to show. I feel like an intruder. Designer clothing is not in my budget unless it’s at a thrift store and it’s under twenty bucks.

  Finally Renee shows up. She hooks her arm in mine and practically drags me into the clothing shop. We browse, trying on cocktail dresses, suits and everything else under the sun. I can’t believe we are having fun. Renee makes a pile of the clothes I am going to buy and hands off the things I don’t want to the saleswoman. The disdainful look she gives Renee makes me think she is annoyed with us, but I’m sure she works on commission, so she can earn her wage.