Out of the Ashes (17 page)

I spend the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon answering emails and phone calls, preparing the conference room and materials for the meeting and getting some reservations made for
client dinners next week.  After the meeting, Ian goes through his emails and since the architects approved the changes that he wanted to make, he has to make some calls to the interior designer as well.  I start to prepare his agenda for tomorrow and with the early morning meeting, I decide to start getting the materials ready for that too. I look up from my computer at the light tap on the door.  Then Connor walks in with a bag that smells delicious.  “Thai?”  I hopefully ask. 

“Very good, Ms. Brooks.  Mr. Jacobs, I have everything else taken care of but if there
’s anything else, please, let me know.” 

Everything else?  I shoot Ian a questioning look but he dismisses it.  “It’s nothing.
” He barely glances in my direction as he says it and I know he’s definitely keeping something from me.  “Thank you for bringing dinner, Connor.  I think we’ll be ready to go back to the hotel around 9:00 p.m. but I’ll call if that changes.  If there are any more developments in our situation would you please inform me immediately.”  Connor nods his head at Ian and exits pulling the door closed behind him.  Ian stands and stretches and walks to the windows taking in the view of the city as night falls.  I want to ask what that was all about but instead I set up our dinner over in the seating area.  Once everything is laid out on the coffee table, I call him over.

“Ian?” He knows the question is coming.  “What
’s Connor taking care of?”

“Really,
love,” he wraps his arms around my waist and drops a kiss on the top of my head, “it’s nothing.  Just a work issue, but you heard Connor; he’s taking care of it.  Let’s eat.”  He walks over and instead of taking a seat on one of the sofas; he sits down on the floor and folds his long legs so that they slide under the table.  We eat in comfortable silence for some time before he asks, “Is there anything you would like to do tomorrow night?  The dresses from my mother should arrive around mid-day.  I told her to send them here.  So you can take some time in the afternoon to look through them.  And I was thinking since there aren’t any meetings in the afternoon, once you’re done maybe you and I could get out for a while, do some sightseeing and maybe go to dinner.”

“Oh
, that sounds lovely.  I really want to go to the London Eye and I definitely need to go to Harrods.  Gavin would never forgive me if I came all the way here and didn’t buy him something.  And I’m not talking a touristy gift like a replica of London Bridge or Buckingham Palace.  Since I’m in Europe, he’s going to expect a designer gift.”  Smiling, I realize that I haven’t texted Gavin since I got here; I haven’t even checked my phone since we landed.  I’ll do it as soon as we’re back to the hotel tonight.  When I look up from my plate, I notice a strange look on Ian’s face.  “What’s wrong?” I ask gently. 

“Celeste, I need to ask you something and I want you to try to remember how cute you thought my possessiveness was a little while ago.  What is Gavin to you?”  I almost choke on the noodles that I had just put in my mouth. 

Sputtering, I take a drink of my wine.  “Gavin?” What does he want to know about Gavin?  “I guess we’ve never really talked about him, huh?  Well you know he’s my roommate, friend and sometimes dance partner.”  I’m trying and failing miserably to get a laugh out of him.  His face remains stoic; clearly it’s taking great effort for him to control his emotions.  “But I have a feeling that isn’t what you’re asking.  I would’ve thought it was obvious but I guess the two of you really haven’t spent much time together and the little bit you have hasn’t been under the best of circumstances.  What I’m trying to say is that Gav is a very good friend to me.  My best friend.  He was there for me at time when I had no one else and has helped me through things that I cannot even begin to explain.”

Ian’s eyes glow with anger.  Um, not the reaction I was expecting.  “So you love him then?”  Where
’s he going with this?

Tentatively, trying not to rile him anymore, I answer, “Yes, of course.  Ian, I don’t understand why you
’re so upset.”

His hands run through his hair. 
Oh no, this isn’t good.  Does he think I’m interested in Gavin?  Does he not realize that Gavin is nothing more than a very good friend and on top of that he’s gay?  “Celeste, I thought I was very clear on the sharing point.  I don’t, I won’t,” he says emphatically, “share.  Either you are mine or you’re not.”  I get up from my side of the table and walk around sliding the table back enough that I can climb down into his lap. 

My mouth turns up in a smile as I run my fingers through his hair reassuringly.  “Ian, Gav is a very good friend, and yes, I love him.  Nothing will ever change that and I really need you to accept that.  But I think I see what your concern is now.  Hear me out without interrupting, okay?”  I pause and he nods.  “When I first met Gavin, I
’ll admit that I was attracted to him but it didn’t take long for me to figure out that there could never be anything but friendship between us.”  I feel his body stiffen and it’s taking all of his control not to let his anger boil over.  I really should stop dragging this out and put the poor man out of his misery but this is too much fun.  “Ian, I’m not interested in Gavin and there is no way that Gavin is interested in me.  Not like that anyway.”  He opens his mouth to protest but I cut him off.  “Ian, Gav is gay.”  At first I’m not sure he heard me; slowly a smile spreads across his face and his arms grow tighter around my waist.  I grin down at him, “So now it’s my turn to be possessive of you because he happens to think you are one hot piece of ass.”  I can’t keep from laughing as I say it. 

“Well, sweetheart, it’s not my fault if I
’m irresistible.” 

“Remember, Mr. Jacobs, this,
” I say reaching down to rub his erection through his suit pants, “is mine.” 

Then I lean in and kiss him.  In one movement that I would not have thought possible, Ian stands with me cradled in his arms and walks over to his desk.  “I wish there were papers on here that I could swipe to the floor.”  I say with a small smile.  On a desk has always been a fantasy of mine. 

“Gorgeous,” Ian mumbles against my mouth, “next time I will make sure there are some on there that you can knock to the floor.”  Oooh, next time.  The familiar tension and wetness flares between my thighs.  He sets my rear onto the edge of the desk and runs his hands up my skirt until it’s bunched around my waist.  His eyes are hungry as his hands find what they were seeking.  “Ms. Brooks, I’m glad to see that you can follow orders.  I will have to remember this at your next performance evaluation.”  Slowly he inserts first one finger and then two. 

“Ah, Ian.  I, ah, expect that you will, oh, be very pleased with my performance.  Yes, oh, yes.”  I throw my head back and arch my back as I continue to ride his fingers.  All too soon his hand is withdrawn, I look up at him and desire is thick in his eyes.  He brings both hands up to my top.  With one pull, he opens my shirt; buttons flying in every direction, then pulls down the cups on my bra freeing my breasts.  One hand is
on one breast while his mouth dances over the other. 

“Equal opportunity and all…
” he mutters switching his mouth to the other breast and bringing his hand up to the one that had just been in mouth. 

My hands are everywhere, s
liding through his hair, over his chest and back.  “Ian, please.”  His free hand wanders down my stomach and back between my thighs.  His fingers sliding over me, rubbing my sensitive bud before making their way back inside.  “Ian, I want you.  Please.”  My back continues to arch pressing my breasts into his hand and mouth then all of his contact is gone from my body and he's standing in front me.  His eyes roaming my body.  Feeling emboldened by his gaze, I reach out and begin undoing his pants then push them to his feet.  Without giving him time to step out of them, I reach my hands around his hips and grasp his ass pulling him straight into me.  His cock aligns with my moist heat and he slams into me.  “Yes, Ian. Ah god, Ian.  Fuck me.” 

With that he begins to move with slow but hard thrusts, I feel him filling me up.  “Oh sweetheart, so perfect.  Such a perfect wet, tight pussy.  Yes.”  Our groans mingle with each other as our hands slide over each other’s body.  I can feel my body tighten as it prepares for its release and I can feel his cock twitch within me so I know he
’s close too.  I place my hands on the edge of the desk so I can lift my hips slightly.  “Oh shit, Celeste.  Yes, fuck, yes.” 

I feel his cock pumping in me as he continues to plunge to the hilt and I’m
riding the wave of sensation.  “Ah, Ian. Oh god.”  I squeeze the last of his orgasm out of him as my muscles clench around him.  He brings his mouth down and covers mine. 

“Sweetheart, I could do this forever.  My god, you
’re absolutely perfect.”  I’m far from it and it’s silly but I blush from head to toe at his remark.  I can feel him still hard between my legs even after all of that.  He places his hands under my butt and lifts me from the desk, keeping us connected in the most intimate way.  I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to the en-suite. 

“Ian, I…” I let my voice trail off.  I want so badly to tell him but am so afraid. 
He definitely has strong feelings for me and they run deep but love?  So soon?  I’m not so sure and I can’t bear to tell him and have him not feel the same way.  “You owe me a shirt, mister.” 

A grin spreads across his face.  “
Celeste, I will buy you enough shirts that I can do that everyday for the rest of my life.”  His words cause a tightening in my core and suddenly I need more of him.  “Oh, you are absolutely insatiable.  Good thing I’m prepared.”  He presses my back up against wall.  “Put your arms around my neck and don’t let go, sweetheart.”  And with that he is moving again, plunging into me.

“You
’ll be the death of me, woman.”  We have finally finished getting cleaned up and I clean up our forgotten dinner. 

“Just trying to get a good performance evaluation, Mr. Jacobs.  I really want to please you.”  I wink at him. 

“Absolutely fucking insatiable.  But at least I’ll die happy. Well, I think we’ve made poor Connor wait long enough.” He says looking at the clock.  Oh crap, Connor, has he been waiting out there the whole time?  “Don’t worry love; he knows to wait in the car.”  Ian is amazing at reading me.  I glance up at the clock to see that it is almost 10:00 p.m.  Poor Connor, we’ve kept him waiting for over 45 minutes. 

Making our way down to the car, I try to control my blush as we approach him.  “Ms
. Brooks, you are looking radiant this evening.”  He says winking at Ian.  Is there any way I can crawl under the seat right now? 

“All right Connor.  We
’re sorry for making you wait.” 

“Mr. Jacobs, you know that’s never a problem.”  He closes the door after Ian and I have climbed in.  Ian wraps his arms around me and presses his lips to my temple.  “Stay with me?” His words are barely above a whisper like for some reason he’s worried I
’ll say no. 

I say the only
thing I can in this moment, “Always.”  Feeling safe and warm in his arms, I fall asleep before we have even reached the hotel. 

The next thing I know I’
m being carried through the lobby.  Ian just nods to the wide-eyed desk clerk.  “She fell asleep” is all the explanation he gives as I give her a small smile.  He takes me up to the room and places me on his bed before he carefully, this time, unbuttons my jacket, which I was forced to wear back after what he did to my top.  He then removes my shoes, top, bra and skirt.  Then he’s staring at me in nothing but my garter belt and stockings. 

The exhaustion I
felt a few moments ago is gone; replaced by a yearning to wrap him in my arms.  Ian never says a word; just carefully removes each clasp from my stockings then rolling them carefully down my legs.  He is always so careful with me, giving me exactly what I need whenever I need it.  The feeling is wonderful. Whatever the time frame, in that moment I know without a doubt that Ian owns my heart and I love him.  Then he removes all of his clothes and climbs into bed, pulling the sheet and duvet up over us.  I turn toward him and wrap him in my arms.  “This is how it will always be for us, Celeste.  You and me.  Nothing between us.”  I curl into his body feeling more protected than I have in years.  I’m too far gone to ever come back.   He wants to possess me and he does, completely, heart, mind, body and soul.

Friday morning flies by with meetings, phone ca
lls and additional scheduling due to the meetings.  We aren’t able to leave the office as early as either of us would have liked but we do make it to the London Eye. Ian also takes me for a romantic dinner at Belvedere where we are surrounded by the beauty of Holland Park before we return to the hotel for the night.  Tomorrow is the charity ball and I don’t know why but I’m slightly nervous about our first public outing as a couple.  What will his colleagues think?  What will they think of me?  What will happen if people start talking? 

The dresses that Marlene sent over are spectacular.  Luckily, I g
et some time alone after they are dropped off because Ian is called into another meeting.  There are a variety of colors and styles though they all tend to be very snug fitting, perfectly flattering my figure.  It’s the green dress that dazzles me the most.  It’s the most interesting green color I’ve ever seen, almost like an emerald but deeper, brighter, perfectly complementing my eyes.  I have to hand it to Marlene; she’s really good at this.  I should’ve expected no less.