Delusional Love (2nd Edition) (9 page)

“God,
you feel so good. Please move now.” She said as she thrust her hips forward.

“FUCK.”
he moaned as he pulled out and thrust back into her, it took a few seconds to
get their rhythm, but once they did, the sex was amazing. Brianna felt the
pressure building again.

“Oh
my god, I going to cum again.”

He
could feel her muscles tighten around his manhood. He lost it, pounding her
until he came a few seconds later. He collapsed on her chest breathing
heavily.
 
Brianna could not believe
how good it felt. It had been too long since she last got laid and it was long
overdue. He was by far the best lover she had ever had, not that she had that
many, but he was definitely the best. He rolled over on his back, removed the
condom and placed it in the trash. He turned towards Brianna.

“
Bri, that
felt so good.” He said as he caressed her face and
tucked a fallen curl behind her ear.

“I
am not in the habit of doing one-night stands.” She said as her breathing and
heart rate calmed down.

“Who
says it has to be one night, I want to see you again Brianna.” He said as he
pulled her into the spooning position. Brianna was so tired that all she could
do was nod before she dozed off.

-------------

Ivan
turned to Ashley. “I’ll ask you again. Why are you here?” Ashley spoke with
venom in her voice.

“Oh,
you just discard me like yesterday’s trash. I thought I meant more to you than
that.” Ivan stared directly into her eyes.

“And
what gave you that impression?” Ivan asked.

“What?”
Ashley said confused.

“You
heard me Ashley, what gave you the impression you meant more to me? I sure as
hell didn’t.” He walked over to Ashley and in an even low tone said. “This will
be the last time we have this conversation. We had an arrangement, that’s all,
which I might add you benefited from handsomely.
 
I get the credit card statements. Did
you think I would not notice that you spent over two hundred thousand dollars
at Tiffany’s or the eighty thousand dollars you spent on shoes and clothing. I
knew you were a self- centered, conniving, opportunistic gold digger, but did I
complain? No. Because I knew who and what you were the first time I fucked you
on your desk.”

Ashley
gasped at his harshness. “You agreed to this arrangement, we had a deal and now
it’s over. Now, as we agreed you will keep the condo and the Volvo. But you
will be responsible for the maintenance of both. I will arrange to have them
both transferred into your name, but I have canceled the credit cards. This is
goodbye, Ashley.”

He
walked back over to his seat but before he could sit down she yelled. “Who is
that pretty black bitch out there Ivan, are you fucking her now?”

Ivan
turned and moved so fast closing the gap between them that it startled her. He
stood in her personal space, barely raising his voice above a whisper. “This is
my place of business, don’t you ever disrespect me or one of my employees ever
again or you will find yourself out in the street and without a car and I will
make sure that you never find gainful employment in this city again.
 
Don’t.
Test. Me. Ash.
You. Will. Lose.” Ashley stepped back frightened. She had never seen this side
of Ivan before.

“Now
I will say it one last time. Goodbye Ashley.”

With
tears in her eyes she mouthed that she was sorry and left the office. Ivan
hated hurting Ashley, but she was the type of woman that would not go away with
a soft nudge. She needed a firm push to get the message. Stephanie passed
Ashley in the hall. She looked over at Stephanie and yelled. “What are you
looking at?”
As she continued down the hall.
 
Stephanie was too stunned to answer. She
walked back into her office and Ivan was standing there with his jacket in
hand.

“You
ready?” Ivan said as if a beautiful woman did not just leave his office crying
hysterically.

“Yeah,
let me grab my things.” She stared at him as they walked to the car.

“What.”
He said waiting for the questions.

“Nothing.
It’s none of my business.” She responded. They drove to her house in silence.
Just as he was about to park in front of her building she had to ask.

“Okay,
so I’m going to ask. Who is she?” Stephanie asked as she turned in her seat
presumably getting comfortable for a lengthy response. He turned the car off
and shifted in his seat.

“She
used to be a friend and now she’s not, end of story.” He said with little
emotion.

“She
did not seem happy about not being your friend anymore. There has to be more.
You can tell me it’s none of my business.” Ivan looked into her eyes, silently
feeling the need to bare his soul. After a few seconds he shifted forward and
spoke.

“Stephanie,
all of my adult life I have been driven to succeed, my brother and I started
this company ten years ago and I eat, sleep, and breathe our company initially
working seven days a week.
 
I was so
driven I did not have time for relationships.
 
When our business took off and we were
in papers and magazines touted as the up and coming leaders in the business
world I started getting unwanted attention from women looking for a husband or
benefactor. Since I had no intention of getting married any time soon, if ever,
I started seeing only women
  
who were willing to abide by my rules. My main rule was: no relationships,
just agreements or arrangements.”

“What
does that mean? Agreements. And was the blonde woman part of one of these
agreements?” She knew that she was being extremely forward, but she needed to
know almost like her future depended on it. “Wow. You have a lot of questions.”
He smiled but continued, “Well, when I see a woman I am attracted to and she is
attracted to me I let her know upfront that I am not looking for a relationship
just a sexual partner and an occasional companion when I have to attend
different events. In exchange, uh, let’s just say, I am a very generous man. I
give them what they want

and
they give me what I want.”

Stephanie
looked at him in disbelief. “So basically you’re talking about prostitution,”
she said with the sarcasm rolling off her tongue.

“No,
Stephanie, it is not prostitution, it is an arrangement between two consenting
adults who are not interested in anything more.”

“And
you think these arrangements or agreements don’t have its share of problems, because
when emotions are involved and trust me when sex is involved there is always
emotions, someone gets hurt even when that is not your intention, like the
blonde at your office.”

“Well,
up until now it has not been an issue. Ashley,
uhh
..that’s
the blonde, wants more than I can give her.”

“Oh,
I see. Well, good night Ivan.” She said not wanting to continue the
conversation because she could feel herself getting upset and she did not want
to argue with him.

“Why
are you leaving? I thought we were talking.”

She
looked at him, he could sense she wanted to say more but she said nothing. He
moved in closer and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Her body began to
tingle, she moved in closer to return the kiss. Ivan took her face in his hands
and kissed her so hard and deeply she started to feel dizzy.

“WOW,
all right, we need to stop. Look, Ivan, I want to say something to you and I
hope it does not jeopardize my job.”

“I
thought we were speaking freely and of course your job would not be in jeopardy.”
Ivan said sincerely.

“Okay,
I don’t know how to say this other than just coming right out with it. First, I
like you; I also like to be upfront with people about what I want and trust me
Ivan, I want you. I mean, I am really developing strong feelings for you, but I
can’t be one of your arrangements. I’m not built that way. So whatever this is
that we are doing we should stop because I am looking for a committed
relationship, not an agreement or an arrangement.”

Ivan
looked into her eyes. “I don’t know if I can give more than that.” Stephanie’s
body stiffened and he could feel it. “Well, I guess we both have our answer
then, don’t we. We shouldn’t do this anymore, this…taking me home, kissing
me.”
 
Her voice started to crack. “I
like working with your company and I think that we need to keep our
relationship strictly professional because I can’t do this. Good night Ivan.”

Before
he could respond she jumped out of the car and ran into her building not
looking back. She opened her door, slammed it and leaned against it for
support.

“Great!
What were you
thinking,
you just told your boss you
had feelings for him. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” She said to herself while
smacking herself on her forehead with the palm of her hand. She reached for her
cell phone. It was late but she needed to talk to Bri.

----------

Ivan
sat in his car stunned. “What did she just say, she had feelings for me?” He
smiled at that thought then his smile turned solemn. “I can’t do this. I don’t
do relationships.” This woman was turning his life upside down. When was that
last time he sat in a car having a long conversation and making out like a
lovesick puppy?
Uh, never.
He reached for his cell
phone. “Hey. Are you busy?
 
I need
to talk to you.
 
I’m on my way
over.” Ivan closed the phone and pulled off. When Ivan arrived the door was
already open and he walked in.
 
Adam
stood in his living room with two drinks in his hand. Ivan took the glass that
was extended to him and drained it. He walked over to the bar to make another
drink.

“So,
big bro, you want to tell me what’s wrong.” Ivan sat on the sofa and looked at
his brother who was in a robe.

“Did
I interrupt something?
 
Look, I’m
sorry, I will leave. We can talk tomorrow.”

“No,
no.
its
fine.” Adam said and looked towards his bedroom.
“What’s up?” Adam asked.

“I
don’t know what’s happening to me. She constantly invades my thoughts. I can’t
stop thinking about her and when I’m near her I have this uncontrollable urge
to

hold
her.” Ivan was rambling. Adam looked at his brother. “Who
Ashley?”

Ivan
glared at him “No Stephanie.” Ivan corrected.

“Wait,
your assistant Stephanie?” Adam said confused again looking towards the bedroom
door before returning his attention to
Ivan .
Ivan
took another sip of his drink.

“Yes,
my assistant. There is something definitely wrong with me. When I see her, my
heart literally skips a beat; what the hell is going on with me? I don’t know
what I am going to do. I just ended things with Ashley because she started to
become too clingy, but with Stephanie it’s different. You know the last time I
slept with Ashley I kept seeing Stephanie’s face.”

Adam
looked at him and smiled.
‘Cupid has
finally bit my brother in the ass’.
“What do you want me to say?” Adam
asked.

“I
want you to tell me how to get rid of these feelings.” Ivan huffed.

“Well,
the way I see it, Ivan, you have two choices. You can fire her, because trust
me bro these feeling will not go away as long as you work so closely with her.”

“So
what is my second option?” Ivan asked.

“Your
second option is to pursue a relationship and see where it goes.”

“Come
on Adam, you know I can’t do that, my life is too complicated right now with
everything that’s going on with the company. I don’t have the luxury of
pursuing a relationship.”

“That’s
bullshit Ivan and you know it. You choose not to pursue relationships because
it’s easier that way.
 
You hook up
with these women and when they start to get close, you dump them on the
pretense that it’s part of some agreement. You know what I think.” Before he
could finish they both turned their heads as they heard a cell phone ringing in
the bedroom.

“Do
you need to get that?” Ivan asked.

“No.
It’s not my phone.” Ivan gave him a knowing look.

“Anyway,
like I said I think you are afraid to put yourself out there for fear that you
will get hurt.”

“See,
that’s where you are wrong little brother because I’m not afraid of a goddamn
thing, least of all a woman.” Ivan growled.

“Prove
it, if you feel that strongly for Stephanie pursue a relationship with her. A
real relationship and not that bullshit you’ve been involved in the past.” Ivan
looked at his brother “I don’t know, maybe you’re right.”

Ivan
sat his glass down. “I better head out, I have get to the office early. Besides
I think your company is awake.” Ivan hugged his brother. “Thanks for the
advice. I‘ll see you tomorrow.” Ivan got into his car still confused about what
he was going to do.