Made in America (21 page)

“Several times a day if I can help it.”

“That’s the thing that worries me,” she says.

“Raven,” I drop my fork and take her by the hand. “It’ll be okay.”

“I just don’t want to be a distraction for you, you know? I know how seriously you take your job, and with me around I worry that it might be hard for you to concentrate. I don’t want you to come to resent me later for that, especially if you plan on snogging me in the office over lunch.”

“Raven,” I smirk. “I was kidding. I’m not going to be snogging anybody over lunch. It’ll be difficult at first, sure, but when it comes down to it I’m a professional, and despite how fucking gorgeous you may look day in and day out, it won’t affect me from doing my job. We’ll save the snogging for 5:01, deal?”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure about us,” I stroke the pad of my thumb in her palm and she smiles, squeezing my hand tighter.

“How sure?”

“Sure enough to give you the most valuable thing of all.”

Her eyebrows perk up and she looks left and right as if I might have something stashed away somewhere. I let her curiosity peak before she looks questioningly back.

“My heart,” I tell her.

Her cheeks glow red as I lift her hand, placing my lips softly against the back of her palm.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way about anybody, Raven, and it’s not just the sex. As fantastic as all that is, I enjoy being around you—being close to you. You’ve filled my life with something that was severely lacking. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s nice to feel whole again.”

Her smile fades and she looks at our intertwined fingers. “Again?” she asks.

I blink, not realizing at first what I said, and when I do my pulse begins to quicken. I’m not usually one to slip up, but that time I said perhaps a little too much for my own good.

“I’m not naïve enough to think that you haven’t been with any other women, Grant,” she sighs, still locking her fingers with mine, “but why are you so guarded about your past?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” her fingers release their grip on mine and she folds her hands in front of her, “when I first met you I looked online to find out who you were, and I couldn’t find anything pre-billionaire status. Nothing about a grandfather, your family, or anything like that. It’s like you were born with a suit on.”

My jaw clenches and I look away. I knew she’d go online, all women do, but I honestly never expected anything to develop between us—not like this anyway—so now that it has, I’m left without answers. At least no answers I want to give.

I take a long, slow sip of water. Setting the glass down and staring into her eyes, I ask, “Is that a problem?”

She recoils slightly, shaking her head. That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“What? That you’re basically a ghost.”

“I’m not a ghost, Raven. I’m a very powerful man with an abundant amount of money. My family, my past, those things have to stay hidden, or else the vultures in the media will hound every last person I care about for quotes, photos, memorabilia…you name it. They don’t care, but I care, and it’s my job to keep everyone I care about safe.”

She holds my gaze, digesting my words. Raven’s a smart woman, and I have no doubt that she’d see right through me if I tried to lie to her. I’m being as honest as I can without becoming transparent. I know I should tell her the truth about my life, and the further we get the harder it’s going to become, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Not yet. I don’t know if that’s because I’m afraid of what her reaction will be, or because I’m afraid to let it go.

“I’m not the media,” she says. “If I were to ask questions would you answer them?”

“Of course,” I grin, spreading my hands to prove my point.

She purses her lips, thinking hard. “Where were you born?”

“New York City,” I answer quickly.

“Any siblings?”

“One. A sister who lives in Florida with her husband, but we don’t speak.”

“Why not?”

“Because every time we talk all she wants is money. I’m family, not an ATM.”

She nods. “Fair enough.”

“Now then,” I shift in my seat and look toward the waiter bringing us our main dishes, “can we eat?”

Raven pushes her salad dish to the side to make room for her crab legs, and I do the same as the sesame tuna is placed in front of me. She leans forward, smelling her food.

“Have you ever had crab legs before?” I ask, partly because I’m curious, but more so to distract her from asking anymore questions.

She nods. “A couple of times, but I don’t imagine these will taste anything like the ones back in the city, will they?”

“Not a chance,” I shake my head. “These are fresher, bigger, and loaded with flavor. Go ahead, try one.”

Raven takes a leg, cracking it at the joint before pulling it apart. She cracks the leg twice after that, and meticulously pulls off the shell to expose the meat.

“You’re pretty good at that.”

“I watch a lot of YouTube,” she grins.

Dipping the meat in a lemon and garlic butter sauce, she pops a piece into her mouth. I can tell by the way her face instantly shifts to an expression of ecstasy that she likes it.

“So good,” she chews.

I laugh as we share our food, and slip back in to a comfortable groove with the previous conversation all but abandoned.

For now.

Hopefully what I have planned for later will put her mind at ease, because if it doesn’t I’m not sure how I’m going to handle Raven when the other shoe drops.

“It’s a gorgeous night,” she says, holding my hand as we walk down the beach.

The breeze coming off the ocean plays with her hair, and high above the moon in the clear, South Carolina sky brightens her features, making her absolutely glowing.

Hefting the duffle bag I’ve brought down off my shoulder, I nod to a spot up ahead. “Over there.”

Raven looks at the bag, curiously trying to grab for it, but I’m too quick and pull it away with a scolding chuckle. “All good things to those who wait,” I wink.

“I hate surprises,” she pouts, but I know she’s playing because earlier she said she loved them.

“Here,” I say, releasing her hand and setting down the bag.

Unzipping it, I take out a large comforter and spread it out over the sand. Raven looks on while I bring out two pillows, gasping when that’s quickly followed by two stem glasses and a bottle of 1997 Château Le Pin. I hand her the $1,700 wine to hold before bringing out a cork screw. When I tell her how expensive it is, I notice her fingers clench tighter around the neck to make sure she doesn’t drop the bottle.

“Sit down,” I smile.

“I can’t believe this,” she takes a seat on the comforter and I scrunch next to her, uncorking the bottle and pouring us each a glass.

“Take a whiff,” I say, bringing mine to my nose. She does the same and I ask, “How does it smell?”

She takes a deep breath and smiles. “Like smoky raspberries. Sweet.”

“The lady has a fine nose,” I wink. “Come on, sip with me.”

We each take a sip of wine, and my eyes never leave her face—eager to see her expression. Raven swallows the blend of old and new grapes, savoring the flavor before her eyes roll back in her head as the liquid hits her stomach.

“Oh. My. Gosh,” she giggles. “I think this is the best wine I’ve ever had, which isn’t saying a lot, really, since I’m not much of a wine girl, but you get the idea.”

“Well, stick with me and I’ll make you one. I love good wines.”

Her hand smooths over the comforter before her eyes travel to the big wide ocean spread out before us. She takes another sip of wine, a look of serenity befalling her face.

I gaze upon her beauty, feeling content with how happy she is. Words can’t express how she looks to me right now, sitting up on the beach with the shine of the moon bathing her in soft, warm hues of light. She looks perfect, and I can think of only one thing to make this night better.

“Look up,” I smile.

“What?”

“Look up.”

Raven cranes her neck back and looks up at the stars with me. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, and they twinkle back at us in all their glory until one falls from the sky.

“A shooting star!” she says excitedly.

I wait as she continues to stare towards the heavens. Another one goes blazing across our field of vision, leaving a long tail in its wake.

“Did you see that!” she shouts.

“Yup.”

“But how did you kn—there’s another!”

“There’s going to be a lot more before the night’s through.”

I set down my glass of wine and lay back on the comforter, resting my head on the pillow. Raven manages to tear her eyes away from the sky, and I pat the spot next to me, inviting her to lay down as well. She does, resting her hands on her chest.

“It’s a meteor shower. I thought it would be nice to lay out here and watch it.”

“Oh, Grant,” she coos. “This is beautiful.”

“Just like you,” I nudge her arm.

“You had this planned all along, didn’t you?”

“Honestly? Yes. I mean, I was going to bring you down here to celebrate the McCreedy account, but I think we both know how that turned out. Still, I wanted you to see this. It’s called the Perseid meteor shower, and it happens every year around this time. I thought it would be nice, just the two of us, to lay under the stars.”

Raven takes my hand in hers, and together we lay in silence watching the meteors streak across the sky, our heads resting comfortably on the pillows I brought.

“You forgot one thing,” she tells me.

“What’s that?”

“Straws for the wine, that way I wouldn’t have to sit up.”

I laugh as she props herself up on her elbows to take a sip of her drink. Watching her lips touch the glass, my mind has a flash of those same lips wrapped around my cock yesterday afternoon after we first arrived. Instantly I can feel the blood rushing between my legs, making it hard, but we’re not here for me.

There’s one other thing I want to do before this night is through.

For Raven.

She sets down the glass and as soon as her head hits the pillow I lean over to kiss her. As I taste the wine still lingering on her tongue, my hands begin exploring her body, moving over every curve, every inch of bare skin. She’s hot to my touch, whimpering as our kiss deepens, and when my hand finds the swell of her breast, a soft moan escapes Raven’s throat. A throat I slide my tongue toward, tasting her flesh.

“Grant,” she gasps, my hand moving lower toward the hem of her dress.

“Mmm,” I murmur, taking her earlobe between my lips and sucking it.

She shivers, and asks, “On the beach?”

“Don’t worry. It’s just us.”

“Are you sure?” she squirms.

“Perfectly sure.” I begin lifting her skirt, my hand traveling seductively up the inside of Raven’s thigh.

Our eyes lock and I grin, gazing down upon everything this woman has become to me. A friend, a lover—someone I never expected to be anything more than a brief pain in my ass.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I want to make you come while you watch the sky fall all around us.”

My lips ease their way down her neck to the cleavage laid bare before me, while my hand settles on the soft mound of warmth between her legs. I rub softly, her panties dampening beneath my touch. My breath quickens while I stroke her cleft, applying pressure to her clit until soft cries of pleasure betray her.

“Keep watching the sky, baby.” I slide down the blanket while sliding up Raven’s dress.

Her legs part, and I take hold of the panties that house her treasure. Slipping them down and around her ankles, I lay prone on my stomach, staring in wonder as she’s spread out before me. Breathing in her scent, I glide my index finger between her lips, listening to her gasp at that first touch. Then I slowly—torturously—lick up and down her cleft with the tip of my tongue, causing her to squirm for more.

“Are you watching the sky?” I ask.

“Mmhmm,” she murmurs.

“Good.”

I replace my finger with my entire mouth, lapping at the tender, scorching flesh while her wetness coats my upper lip and chin. Raven shudders beneath my touch, trying to squirm around on the blanket, but I place my hands on her breasts, holding her firm. My tongue furiously works over her pussy, slipping in and out of her opening while my nose tickles her clit. I could eat her out all night and go back for seconds, that’s how good she tastes.

Applying more pressure, I flick my tongue hard over her button before suckling it between my lips and giving it a gentle tug. Raven’s thighs tighten around my ears, but I can still hear the soft waves of the ocean trickling up to the shore.

“You taste so fucking good,” I breathe over her before diving back in.

Raven’s fingers find my hair, grasping for it the more intense my motions become. Rolling my hips forward, I press down on the packed sand, trying to alleviate some of the pressure on my cock. I want to yank off my pants and fuck the fuck out of her, but she tastes so good all I really want to do is lick, suck, and finger her to orgasm.

Spreading her open with my thumbs, I swirl around her pink, poking in and out of her until she’s begging for more. Her cries go up to the meteors falling all around us, and I chance a look at the sky to see them all. At its zenith, the Perseids deposits 80 or more meteors an hour. We’re a long ways away from that point, but there’s still a steady stream of them streaking across the slice of black I can see.

“Beautiful,” I purr, meaning both the shower, and her pussy.

Eager to make her come, I slip a finger inside her while rapidly tonguing her clit. She pushes my mouth into her while grinding her hips forward. I gasp for breath taking as much of her as I can until I hear her shallow breaths and feel the tightening of her fingers in my hair.

“Come for me, baby,” I beg. “I want to taste you.”

“Don’t stop,” she pleads. “Don’t stop.”

I don’t. I keep finger fucking Raven’s scrumptious pussy while sucking on her clit. I keep at it until her thighs tremble and her stomach tightens as she arches her back before her release floods my mouth, and her fingers claw at the sand instead of my hair.