Inferno Anthology (150 page)

“I understand losing someone you love.” I finally respond. Kathryn eyes me, likely wanting to know more about my loss. But I’ll save that for another time, if ever. “There’s no pain like it.”

“Thanks, Kingsley. I’m sorry to dampen the mood. What we just shared was wonderful. I wouldn’t change a thing.” She leans down toward me and kisses me quickly on the lips. “Especially those last two orgasms. You’re really rather talented.”

“Oh contraire, beautiful. That mouth of yours. Then your tongue.” I feel myself getting hard at the memory, and shit, I realize I still have the fucking condom on. She’s had me so damned mesmerized, I hadn’t given it a thought or noticed. Normally, that damn thing is off the second after I come.

“Hey, I need to take care of a little something.” I point toward my dick. Though she’s lying on top of me and can probably feel me getting hard anyway. She lifts up and looks down at my half-mast erection.

“Oh, that.” I can tell from the surprise in her voice she knows what I’m talking about now.

“Yes, that,” I laugh. “Maybe a shower, too?”

It’s getting late, and I barely have enough time to get ready before Eddie arrives. Although I don’t want her to think I’m dashing out too quickly. God knows I’d rather stay in bed with her all day. The thought is very tempting, but I have to head into the office.

“I think that’s a great idea,” she says while handing me some tissues off the nightstand.

I discreetly remove the condom. God I hate those fucking things, but I’ve never been a one-woman man, and the women I fuck are pretty much tramps. So it’s been my official coat of armor for years. That said, I’d love to be with Kathryn without one. Feeling her with nothing in the way, damn, I can’t even imagine it.

“So what would it take to not use condoms?” I know I’m sticking my neck out asking her. I lift myself off the bed and follow behind her as we head to the shower.

“Well, the burden of proof is on you. I’ve been a good girl for two years. I doubt you’ve been a good boy for two days.” She’s talking over her shoulder as I trail behind her sweet ass.

“I’ll work on that. The burden of proof, that is.” I start to make a list in my mind of what I need to do to prove I’m clean. “Would an official letter from my doctor be enough?”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Standing in front of the glass shower, Kathryn turns toward me with her hands on her hips and a skeptical look on her face. I’m a bit distracted by the fact there isn’t a stitch of clothing covering her delectable body.

“You sure make it hard for a man to concentrate.” I gaze up and down her body. “But yes, I’m totally serious. What would it take?”

“For starters, I’m not going to even consider it for now.” My hopes crash to the ground, but I can’t blame her. She has no reason to trust me. “Second, I don’t think a man like you can change your ways so quickly. You know, the old leopard can’t change his spots thing. You were so cocky the other night and even left with Lizzie.”

I wince. Fuck, hearing her say that name stings. I did make a gigantic mistake with Lizzie, and probably scores of others, too. What’s going on with Kathryn is night and day from what I’ve had with all the others, every last one of them. But she’s right, there’s no reason for her to trust me yet. It’s a sobering fact.

“What if I’ve changed? It can happen, right?”

“Let’s just say we’re in a holding pattern. I’ll need more than a few days of monogamy to believe you’re able to stop screwing around.” There’s something in her eyes. I see a woman who wants to believe but is too leery to hope for what seems out of my character.

She enters the shower and turns on the water. I step in right behind her.  Kathryn stands under the water and the spray cascades down her body. I have to practically put my hands behind my back to keep from touching her. My cock disobeys as usual and stands at attention. Fucking traitor.

Kathryn pours some shampoo onto her palm and hands the bottle to me so I can use it. I join in and we both get the lather going, but it’s too damn quiet for my liking, so I speak up.

“Can I finish washing your hair?” I can no longer keep my hands to myself. It’s a losing battle, and massaging the shampoo into her hair is safe. At least my hands are busy.

She nods and I begin to gently rub circles against her scalp. She remains still, not moving a muscle as I continue. Kathryn turns to face me while tipping her head under the streaming water to rinse out the suds. She raises her hands to her head and weaves her fingers through the strands, attempting to rinse out the last of shampoo.

With her hands placed on top of her head, her breasts lift higher, making them stick out closer to me, and my control slips. I finally reach out to touch and cup them. My thumb and fingers begin pulling on her wet, hard nipples.

She slides her hands up my arms. Her fingers find mine as she takes my hands in hers. I’m not sure what to make of her actions. Is she trying to stop me from touching her? If she is, I may have to protest.

“Hold me, Kingsley,” she whispers so softly I barely hear her above the sound of the water splashing against the tiles.

I comply willingly and encircle my arms around her. We stand there under the spray for a long time until she finally looks up at me, her eyes searching my face. For what I don’t know.

“Do you think you can really stop sleeping around?” Her words are more like her wish for me, one that I want to fulfill.

“Yes,” I say without a second of hesitation, because I know it’s true. I don’t want to be with anyone else but her. The feeling is remarkable, and nothing I would have ever expected. But I have to ask myself a question: Can a player’s ways really die that quickly?

It’s surprising to me, but I think that part of me died and was buried over the last few days. The thought of having sex with anyone but Kathryn seems wrong and abhorrent to me.

“I may need to alert the New York Times with an official death notice. You’ve killed the manwhore in me.” We both laugh, but what I said couldn’t be more true.

She looks up at me. “Yes, I’m deadly.” She throws back her head and giggles, and damn I love the sound.

“Yes, you are. At least to me; however, it’s been the sweetest death.” Cupping her jaw, I bend down and kiss her with all I have in me. Making sure she knows I mean what I said.

She detaches her lips from mine and smiles sweetly at me, and I swear my heart melts more for this beautiful woman. She turns off the shower’s faucet and goes through the same routine of gathering us towels as last night. I could really get used to us showering together.

“Are you a coffee drinker?” I watch as she rubs the water off her body and yes, my damn cock is hard again.

“Yes, I’ve been one since my days at MIT.” I stand close to her with my towel wrapped around my waist.

Kathryn walks to a closed door on the bathroom’s far wall, opens it and enters. It’s a nicely sized walk-in closet, and I stand at the opening, watching her pull out silk black panties and a matching bra.

“I’ll brew some then.” She’s pulls a pair of dark-colored jeans up her legs as she’s facing away from me. I love watching her wiggle that sweet ass into them. I also love how they fit her so snuggly, highlighting all her curves. She slips on a gray T-shirt and turns around toward me.

“Thanks, I could really use some before I head out into the jungle. I should get dressed, too. My driver, Eddie, is picking me up at nine thirty.” Kathryn looks up at me surprised. I know I’m cutting it close, but I’ll make it. I always do.

“You better hurry,” she says and flies past me like she’s running a race. “Good thing I have one of those quick brew makers.”

I return to the guest room and slip on my clothes from yesterday. I have a few spare suits, shirts, and boxers at the office. But I have to laugh that I’m doing the walk of shame today.

Once dressed with my cell phone in hand, I head to the kitchen, the smell of freshly brewed coffee leading the way. Kathryn’s at the counter slicing up a bagel, then pops it into the toaster. She sees me out of the corner of her eye and turns to me with a welcoming smile.

“Let me pour you a cup. I have a to-go mug here, too.” She scurries around preparing a cup for me. “How do you like it?”

“A splash of milk with a scoop of sugar. And thanks.”

There are a couple barstools on the other side of the granite countertop. I sit on the one closest to me and turn on my phone. The battery is nearly drained, but I’m able to scroll through a few emails. From what I read, Mrs. Carter has cleared my calendar for the day and Peters will be at my office at ten thirty as requested.

But damn, how I wish I could stay here with Kathryn. I’m tempted to text Eddie and tell him to turn the car around and forget picking me up, but I can’t slack on my duties today. One good thing, though, it’s Friday, which means we have the weekend ahead of us. The thought lifts my mood considerably.

“So, Kathryn, do you have any plans for the weekend?” My question comes out more timid than I meant it to be. I’m right back in high school again, before I realized I didn’t need to ask a woman for anything. They found their way to me.

Kathryn hands me a coffee cup before she answers. “Thanks, it smells great.” I begin sipping from the cup, and it tastes as good as it smells.

“You’re welcome. Did you have something in mind for the weekend?” Kathryn plays coy, but it’s clear she’s trying to pump information out of me.

“Yes, I have something in mind.” I wink, and she smiles knowingly. “I’m not sure if I can do anything in public, though, so I may have to resort to private activities.”

I grab my coffee, rise off the stool as I stuff my phone in my pants pocket, and walk toward her. I wrap my free arm around her, drawing her tight against my body. I bend down so my lips are next to her ear.

“Here’s what I want to do this weekend.” She stills in my arms. I have her full attention now. “Have you teach me all about Tantra. A hands-on demonstration in your harem tent. What do you say?”

She leans her head away from me, and I see a sexy smirk on her face. Everything about her tells me she’s okay with my idea.

“Do you think you can handle it? It could mean hours and hours of lessons and practice to get it right.” Kathryn is toying with the lapel of my suit coat. Running her fingers under it like she did the night we met at the bar.

“Hours of practice?” I ask, teasingly, giving her a knowing smirk.

“Yes, hours of me touching you and you touching me. Clothes are left outside the door, too.” She presses herself against my erection. Just the thought of hours alone with a naked Kathryn has me hard and ready to go. It’s become a constant side effect when I’m near this woman.

“I think you can feel my answer,” I say with a little chuckle. She boldly reaches between our bodies and palms my cock, her fingers wrapping around me through my pants, right here in her damn kitchen with a coffee in my hand, and Eddie likely waiting for my horny ass downstairs.

“You do seem like a willing student, and I’ll promise to be a very thorough teacher.” There’s no missing the devilish twinkle in her eye.

“God, you’re driving me mad,” I say with a sigh, but it’s practically a groan. It’s true, my need for her is maddening. “I wish I could stay here and get started on your lessons, but Eddie is waiting outside for me by now.

“Okay, I’ll get started on my lesson plans. There’s so much I want to teach you.” Her eyes get a faraway look in them, and I can only imagine what she’s dreaming about. She leads me to the front door, and I’m saddened knowing our time together, for now, is about to end.

“Maybe I can see you tonight. I’ll give you a call later.” I stop myself when I realize I don’t even have her phone number. What an idiot. “But I’ll need your number first.”

I open up my phone and thankfully it hasn’t turned off yet. I pull up my phone’s contact screen and add Kathryn as a new contact. I punch in her name as “Beautiful.” I hand the phone over to her after the keypad appears.

“Here, put your number in my phone.” She takes it in her hands and slowly smiles up at me.

“Beautiful, huh?” She taps in her number with the tip of a finger.

“Yes, very beautiful, actually.” I take the phone back from her and save the information, and just as I do a text comes through for me. It’s from Eddie, likely concerned because I’m never late. I return his text with a two simple words:  “three minutes.”

“Text from my driver. He’s outside, so I really have to go.” I think she’s a bit down I’m leaving, too. The smile fades from her face. “But I’ll call you later, I promise.”

“I’m sure you promise all your hook-ups that.” Her voice is laced with too much sarcasm for my liking. How could I convince her what I’m doing with her isn’t some random hook-up for me?

“Actually, I never promise them anything.” I look her hard in the eyes. She needs to understand how serious I am about this subject. “Nor do I stay over at their house and share morning coffee. You’re the exception to everything, Kathryn.”

Her smile has returned, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I hate her second-guessing what I’m feeling for her.

“Slick as ever, Kingsley,” she says, in jest I hope, while opening the door for me.

I walk toward the door and turn around as I cross over the threshold. Kathryn’s leaning against the wall with one leg bent. Her hair falls down around her, almost touching the tips of her full breasts. She’s grinning at me, seductively.

I sit my coffee cup down on the floor quickly and dig in my pocket for my phone. I need a picture of her to look at during the day.

“Hold that pose,” I say to her, excitedly. “And the smile. I love it.”

By some miracle, my phone hasn’t died on me yet, and I’m able to snap a couple of shots. She laughs at me when I finished, but now I can take a piece of her with me today.

Finally, I am in the elevator, making my way to the lobby after I gave her one more kiss for good measure. I wanted to leave her with one last good memory, and hopefully I did.

Once in the lobby, I scan the area for the damn bodyguard. Peters didn’t give me a description, and I don’t want to wander around, either. I’m beginning to get super frustrated until I see a tall man, who looks like he could bench press a horse, walking toward me. This dude has to be my bodyguard.