Ripping Pages (11 page)

I told him about my father walking out on my mother and me, and how he never sent a card or tried to call. It was as if he had disappeared.

 He asked about my past “partner” as I'd referred to him last night, but I wasn’t ready to talk about that. It was just too soon.

Van drank a few beers while we chatted, and I had a few glasses of wine. I wasn’t sure how long we sat there talking and getting to know each other, but Mr. Gio started to clean up, and when I stood up to go to the restroom, I noticed we were the only ones in the place. I was definitely tipsy as I walked to the facilities.

When I got back to the table, Van was signing the receipt and chugging the last of his Guinness. He looked up when I brushed the back of his neck with a kiss.

His eyes glazed a bit with alcohol and lust. He grabbed my hand, pulling me out, waving a quick goodbye to Mr. Gio, as we stumbled out onto the sidewalk and into heavy rain falling all around us.

In our tipsy state, it didn’t even register as Van pulled me up against him, that the water beaded on our heads. He thrust his fingers in my hair and pulled slightly, a tiny bit of pain registering, but immense pleasure following as his other hand grabbed my ass and squeezed. His kissed me feverishly and licked up and down my neck, biting and nibbling as he went.

He broke away from me, panting. “Fuck, me. We have to get back to my place.”

I nodded as he grabbed my hand and hailed a cab.

Soaking wet, we dove into the cab and made out like crazy until we reached the curb in front of Van's building.

The rain still pouring heavily, he led me out of the cab and up to his penthouse, kissing me the entire way.

Once inside, we were still kissing enthusiastically as he kicked the door closed behind him.

Our clothes soaking wet, we tore them off each other. We didn’t even make it to the couch. We fell down in the entry way our limbs tangling in urgency.

Van's eyes hooded, he looked down at me before sliding into me. He felt so good. He groaned and I moaned, moving my hips up to meet each thrust.

Somehow, I flipped him over and straddled him, easing myself onto him.

He felt even better this way. I bucked and rode him with wild abandon. He gripped my hips powerfully moving me up and down harder and harder. He groaned and I stared into his eyes. They were filled with immense lust and amazement. I felt wild and sexy as I thrashed my body around him over and over again until he gripped me harder and groaned loudly. When he came, I didn’t stop. I wanted to ride him forever. He looked at me and harshly grabbed me flipping me onto my back. He bent to rub his nose along my inner thigh. I moaned and squirmed beneath him. I bucked against him as his tongue swept across my core. He licked and sucked relentlessly inserting two fingers in me over and over again until I fell apart beneath him.

He kissed his way up my stomach to drop tiny kisses along my collarbone. I looked down at him as he looked up me. We grinned at each other.

“I think that was a tie,” he smirked.

“I think you're right.” I laughed.

On Wednesday, Tatum called to tell me she was at the airport and on her way home.

Fuck, I forgot to call her and tell her all the craziness that had happened with her stalker.

She shrieked and freaked out when I told her.

She seemed very scared. I told her I was staying at Van's and, rolling my eyes, I told her that he had already cancelled our lease and had found us another apartment not too far from the old one.

“Where the hell am I supposed to go?”

Van nudged me. “Van says you can stay here. Our apartment will be ready in a few days.”

She grunted, annoyed. “Wait a minute... You've been staying with Van since Sunday? You're fucking him, aren’t you?” she laughed.

I was in silent shock.

“You don’t have to confirm it, your silence speaks volumes,” she chuckled. “Well, good for you, cuz. It’s about time you got some. I'll be staying somewhere else. Don’t worry about me.”

“What? Tatum, I don’t know who that was at the door. Please, come stay here.”

“Tin, its fine. The guy I'm staying with is definitely not stalker material. Promise.”

I huffed. “Ok, you're a grown woman. I hope you know what you're doing.”

“I do. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

I hung up and turned to Van who was looking amused.

“She’s staying with someone.”

“Well, she's not stupid, baby. I'm sure she's safe.”

“I hope so.”

I got some rehearsing done in between “fun” sessions with Van. That boy had serious stamina. I was so tired but he was like a drug. I could never get enough. I craved him and the way he made my body feel things I'd only ever read about in my books.

Van had left on Thursday morning to go to the studio. He kissed me softly on my forehead and nuzzled my neck as I snuggled closer into the covers. “Bye, Sweetness. See you tonight?”

“Mmm-Hmm,” I mumbled as I fell back asleep. He was wearing me out.

While he was gone and once I got my lazy ass out of his uber-comfy bed, I started rehearsing like crazy. I was in his living room belting out the end of “Popular” when I was startled by clapping coming from behind me. I turned around to see Van with a huge smile on his face sauntering toward me. He picked me up and swung me around. “That was amazing, baby. Seriously Amazing.”

I blushed, embarrassed. “Thank you. I have some work to do but...”

“But nothing, that was perfect.” He looked so yummy standing there that I immediately grabbed him and kissed him. The kiss turned hot really quick and soon after, we were lying naked and sated on the living room rug, breathing heavily. “I don’t know if I'll ever get enough of you, Sweetness. All signs point to no.” He chuckled as he motioned toward his still hard and growing erection.

“I like those odds,” I said as I straddled him, ready for round two, kissing him languidly as I rode him.

I woke up the next morning deliciously sore in Van’s bed, his limbs tangled with mine.

Tatum and I moved into our new apartment on that Saturday morning. When we met up, she was glowing.

“Mmm-hmm. I know what you've been doing for the past few days,” I said nudging her playfully.

“Well, I could say the same thing about you,” she bumped me back.

We walked into the new apartment. The building was huge. I knew Van lied when he said it cost the same amount as our old one. It had to be a lie. This place was insanely beautiful and freaking huge, and I was instantly mad at him. He was
not
paying for our apartment.
No way.
He walked in following the movers, which he insisted he pay for…
Ass.
He was carrying my little reading chair that I had reupholstered. He furrowed his brows as he assessed my mood. He sat the chair down and walked toward me. “What did I do now?”

“I know this apartment costs way more than you said.”

He feigned innocence, looking confused.

“No it doesn’t. Now drop it.”

“No!!” I challenged.

He moved close where our bodies were face to chest.

He looked down at me, his face looking smug as he leaned in close. “Yes. I take care of what's mine. And you, Sweetness, are mine.”

My breath stopped.
Mine?

He kissed my forehead reverently, “Yes, Mine. Now, are you going to continue to argue with me, or what?”

“No. I just… I don’t need you to pay my way. I don’t want to be indebted to you.”

“Indebted to me? Seriously?”

“Yes,” I said looking at the floor, my voice small and meek.

“You don’t owe me anything. You don’t have to be with me. I just wanted to take care of you. If you don’t want me to, then I won’t. I'm sorry.” He looked hurt and confused as to why I was being such a bitch, and I instantly felt like an ass, again.

“I'm the sorry one, Van. Thank you.”

He kissed my nose and then my lips sweetly. “You're welcome. Now tell these movers where to put all your crap so you can come to my place, so we can get ready for the Gala tonight.

Oh, shit. The gala. I had taken Tatum with me with Van's urging, and bought a dress from a decently priced store. Some of the stores Tatum tried to drag me into were insane. $80 for a pair of costume earrings? Really?

Trying to be as frugal as I could, I ended up buying a strapless gray bandage dress with a heart neckline, and Tatum made me buy a matching clutch and shoes, as well as jewelry to compliment it all.

Van and I rode to this apartment that afternoon. His hands clasped in mine over my knee as he drew lazy circles with his thumb on the back of my hand. We pulled up to his building and walked in, our hands never breaking contact.

We entered the apartment and he kissed me. “I would say let’s take a shower together, but I'm afraid we don’t have enough time for all the things I'll want to do to you in there,” he said as he nuzzled my neck. “You want to take one in mine first?”

I smiled up at him, “No, thanks. I'll just take on in the guest room.”

I got ready in the guest room. I thought we had about thirty minutes left after I had finished my makeup, so I curled my stick straight hair all around, and it fell down in waves. I put tons of product in to make it stay. I was sure that by the end of the night it will have fallen. After I put on my dress, I painted my fingernails a shiny gray color by O.P.I. I went to put on my adorable peep toe pumps and realized that I was in dire need of a pedicure. My toes had about seven layers of old polish clumped on top and most of that was chipping. I was struggling, with wet fingernails in a very tight dress, to attempt to paint my toes. I was in a very awkward position when Van came into the room. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame looking every bit the successful businessman instead of the hot rock star. He wore a black Armani suit that fit him to perfection. His tie was a deep, deep blue and it made his eyes pop. He looked ridiculously sexy. His hair was spiked up just a little, and he was staring at me, intently.

“Need a hand?” he asked, his eyes laughing.

I huffed. “Just trying to paint my toes.”

“Here, let me.” He reached and grabbed the bottle of nail polish, closed the lid tightly and shook it, slapping it against the palm of his hand.

I raised my eyebrows at him as he got down on his knees, raising one up and patting it, motioning for me to place my foot on it.

“What?” he asked. “I have a sister, remember?”

I propped my foot on his knee, and he started slowly painting each toe. Every brush precise and confident. He looked incredibly adorable, and my heart sped up. I was seriously falling for this man. He grinned up at me and closed the bottle once he was done. He caressed my smooth leg and lifted his hand higher under my dress to where my stockings met my garter belt. Tatum insisted that, to use her words,
‘If I were fucking a rock star, I needed to dress like a fucking knockout.’
So she made me buy them, and I had to admit, the way he was staring at me like he was about to devour me, I was instantly grateful for Tatum's
sluttiness.

He groaned once his hands reached my lacy panties and the garter belt. “Fuck, Sweetness. What are you trying to do to me?” He rubbed his hands all over my ass and squeezed. “God, I wish I could just skip this thing and stay in bed with you all night. Yep, that’s what I'm going to do,” he said as he stood up and started undoing his tie.