Three Rivers (28 page)

"Fine. So, what's the favor then?" Aubrey asked.

"Griffen wants to take me to New York for a couple of nights when he goes to meet with his publisher tomorrow and..." She looked up and couldn't miss their meaningful glances at each other.

"A trip together. That's a big deal," Jenna said.

"No, it's not. We don't have many days together so this makes sense. Will you watch Johnny while we're in New York, or not?"

"Of course, jeez, calm down," Aubrey said.

"Thanks. You can pick him up from Carol's later. If anyone asks, I'm on a business trip. That's what I just told Carol."

"Mmm, the gettin' busy kind of business," Jenna teased. Althea smirked and took another sip of her martini as she allowed herself to get excited about a getaway with Griffen.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Althea walked through the door to Griffen's two-story penthouse apartment and gasped. It was stunning and spacious, with pre-war era details and high ceilings. What was almost as surprising as the fact that Griffen didn't live in some ultra-modern bachelor pad, was that it was in the lower Fifth Avenue part of Greenwich Village.

She turned to him as he was returning from dropping their luggage in the bedroom and asked, "I thought you cocky multi-millionaires all lived in the Upper West Side."

"Hmm, we do now, do we? You know, if you're going to make me a cliché I'd prefer you go with Bond villain," he joked as he stalked over to her, grabbing her hand as he pulled her to the bedroom.

"Ooh, good idea," she said as she let him drag her along the parquet floor, illuminated by the light coming through massive windows overlooking the bustle of the vibrant city below. "Though you'll need to redecorate. I suggest a shark tank over there," she pointed by the open fully equipped kitchen she doubted he ever used, "and a hidden command center over there by your fancy sofas and such, so you can video chat with the other mega villains around the world. Though you need a very fluffy white cat with a pissed off expression. Do you know where you can get one of those?"

"Oh, I know a guy," he smirked as he led her to the bed and began taking her clothes off. She smiled and quickly made work of removing his shirt. "Despite my secret Bond villain identity, you forget that I also happen to be a down-to-earth multi-millionaire, and an artistic one at that. This area is definitely more my speed."

"That's true. You
are
a writer, after all. You need to have the full experience, right? I'm glad you live here. I love this part of Manhattan. Not sure if I would have liked it as much up there with all those other muckety-mucks." She slipped his shirt off and ran her fingers down his chest. She tried to take in how perfect his bedroom was, right down to what looked like the biggest bathroom she'd ever seen, but he'd stripped her down to the new bra, panties and garters she'd snuck away to buy for this trip and he was touching her so slowly that it was hard to focus on anything other than getting him naked and on top of her. Althea put her fingers to work and took off his pants and boxer briefs so fast she heard the fabric ripping.

"Griffen, I love looking at you so much." He was hard everywhere and clearly beyond aroused. He'd touched her surreptitiously during the entire flight, but the journey between Pittsburgh and New York was very short, leaving little time to do anything but get insanely turned on.

"The feeling is mutual, gorgeous," he whispered into her cleavage, licking across her breasts until the wetness and warmth felt so good she thought she might explode right there.

She stroked his length up and down, loving how velvety soft and hot it was under her hand. "Come here," she said and smiled at him wickedly. "I want to make the most of all this hard goodness." She lay down on the bed and pulled on his hand and positioned him to straddle her chest. She placed his hard cock between her breasts and squeezed the soft flesh around him.

He smiled and groaned, quickly taking over and thrusting through her breasts. She sucked and licked at his full, hard head every time it peeked up through the channel between her breasts. The action looked so erotic, she could barely stand it.

Griffen quickened his pace across her silky soft chest and Althea rocked with the movement, squeezing herself around him, loving how aroused he looked — his eyes hooded as he bit his lower lip. She sucked his tip longer with each thrust, twirling her tongue around it in circles that had him shaking above her. He pulled back and thrust forward quickly and repeatedly, until he came in warm, silky streams across her breasts.

"Holy shit, I loved that," he said slowly, his voice breaking, as he rolled over to lay alongside of her.

"I'm so glad. I loved it too." She smiled again and rubbed his come over her nipples and licked her finger, "Mmm," she moaned looking in his eyes.

"Jesus woman, you keep doing that and I'm going to need to go again."

"I'm okay with that. Though I am a little dirty."

"Yes, my good girl has definitely gotten herself all dirty and I like that very much, but I promised you a fancy night on the town and I intend to deliver." He looked into her eyes as he began reaching down to stroke her slit, which was incredibly wet from the erotic pleasure she'd received from making him go so crazy. "But I can tell you
really
enjoyed what you just did for me. So, come on, let's take a shower. I want to take care of you, too,
then
I'll clean you up, dirty girl." He stood and held out his hand to her.

Griffen was certainly making the most of his newfound ability to touch Althea in public. He hadn't released her hand once since they'd left his apartment, unless it was to stroke her back, touch her hair, or whisper naughty things in her ear.

"So, where are you taking me for dinner, stud?"

"To school, my sweet bookworm."

"Huh?"

They walked up to the restaurant and Althea's jaw dropped. "It
is
a school!"

"Yup."

They entered the stately building, passing a proud plaque naming it a New York City Public School.

"They turned this defunct school into a restaurant. Its got everything a studious good girl like you would love, right down to the individually wrapped school soap in the bathroom. Oh, and the food rocks, too," he said with a proud grin. He then looked to her with a little worry in his eyes. "Like it?" He looked so nervous and eager for her approval that she couldn't help but feel worrisome butterflies take flight in her stomach.

"I love it! It's nerd heaven! You’ve done good, Griffen."

He smiled so brightly she thought she would need sunglasses. She leaned forward and kissed him passionately. "Thank you."

"Seriously. It's my pleasure."

After a fabulous dinner with menus printed on old card catalog inserts, Griffen held her hand and they walked along the streets of the West Village, ending up curled in each other arms on a bench in Washington Square Park. As they watched rowdy NYU students and hippies wander under the beautiful replica of the Arc de Triomphe Griffen stroked her back lazily with one hand as she sat on his lap. He looked in her eyes and asked, "Where to now? Your wish is my command."

"Anything I want?"

"Anything. Drinks, dancing, we can even do one of those touristy carriage rides."

"Wow, won't that destroy your tough guy writer cred?"

"For you, my dear, I'll embarrass myself for a night — and a day — if you like."

"Hmm, intriguing offer," she said as she snuggled deeper into his arms. "But I'm happy here, just being with you."

"Happy, huh?"

"Yes, so happy."

"That's wonderful, gorgeous."

Yeah, it kind of is
, she thought to herself.

Griffen awoke to the sound of running water and smiled into his pillow. He had showered with Althea before in his hotel suite, but the idea of joining her there in his own apartment sounded so domestic and wonderful that he couldn't help but jump out of bed and rush to meet her.

The bathroom was foggy but he could make out the outline of her beautiful wet body under the multiple jets, glowing against the white and gray marble. He opened the glass doors, stepped in and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She jumped a little and spun her head around so quickly that she slapped him in the face with a massive head of soapy wet hair.

"Ow!" he said through laughter.

"Oops, sorry! You surprised me," she said, whacking him again when she turned to apologize.

"Sorry gorgeous," he chuckled, wiping the soap from his eyes, "but I can't watch you in here covered in soap, water pouring down these beautiful breasts without getting a taste of you."

He leaned forward and kissed her, welcoming her tongue into his mouth and reveling in the feel of her wet curves against his body. She turned again, her back to him as she began to rinse out her long hair. With each rivulet of water pouring down her stunning curves he began to feel more panic rising in his throat.

All he could think of was returning here in a week, to being alone in this huge shower in his lonely apartment, completely isolated again — with only the memory of this passing joy left of their time together this morning. The sense of impending loss hit him like a sledgehammer.

Althea was humming happily as she began running conditioner through her honey colored locks, completely oblivious to the quiet torture wreaking havoc on Griffen's entire body behind her.

Frustrated at his lack of control over the situation, Griffen grabbed the soap to scrub down her back — desperate to distract himself from the confusing feelings he couldn't quite shake. Griffen leaned forward and rubbed the soap across her shoulders.

"Mmm, Griffen, that's nice, thank you," she said softly.

His throat caught at the sound of her voice and he croaked out, "Are you enjoying your trip so far? Glad that you came here?"

"Of course, I'm having a wonderful time here with you."

The words emboldened him. "You like what I do for you, don't you gorgeous? Do I make you feel good?"

"Yes, so good." Althea took his hand and ran it across her breasts and down to her warm wet pussy. "I especially like how you make me feel here."

Griffen groaned against her neck. He was aching to be inside of her, but his emotions were too out of control, his throat burning and painful. Yet when she rubbed her round buttocks against his thickening cock he became even more overcome with a desire for something he didn't understand. All he did know was that he could make her body feel good, so he began to stroke her eager center and she moaned deeply.

"See how I make you feel gorgeous? Don't I take good care of you?"

"Such good care of me. You make me feel so a-amazing." Althea shook against his hand as he stroked her faster, still slowly rubbing the soap in his other hand across her breasts until she came for him, trembling in his arms as he nibbled and licked the delicate skin of her neck. "Oh Griffen, you always make me come so hard."

Griffen felt like he was going insane. He'd never wanted more than these fleeting physical moments, yet now all he could think about was keeping this woman in his arms until she was crazy just like him.