Asking for Andre (15 page)

“There is
no one
better than you.” He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering until she finally leaned into his embrace. He held her against his heart. If words couldn’t convey how he felt he’d have to use his actions to convince her.

Maybe if he just refused to ever let her out of his bed she’d start to get the idea.

“You were wrong about a lot of things, Cassandra but your words made me think. We do come from different worlds.” He walked over to the window and peered outside. She followed and looked over his shoulder. All he could see was the side of another dingy building and the rusted stairs of a fire escape. “My flat has a much better view. It’s on the Piazza del Duomo.”

She flinched. “Really? Isn’t that the famous town square in Milan?”

Her lack of money and social status didn’t matter to him but it obviously bothered her so what he said in this moment was pivotal. He would never allow the cruel words of others to hurt her. Where he came from, a man took pride in protecting and providing for his wife. He closed his eyes and let the word roll through him. His wife. His love.

He took her hand and squeezed. “Yes. It’s such a shame that I won’t be keeping it.” He pulled out his cell phone and pushed one of the speed dials.

“
Ciao
, Philippe. I’m giving you my flat in Milan. Ask Mama for the…” The phone was snatched from his hand before he finished speaking.

“Are you crazy? You can’t just give away a condo.” Casey pushed at the screen of the phone, obviously unfamiliar with the workings of a touch screen. “Sorry, Philippe,” she called out before finally disconnecting the call.

“I was going to give him the car I keep in Milan as well.” Andre tucked his hands innocently in his pockets as she stared. “If my family is not accepting then we probably won’t go there too often. Besides, maybe you will feel more comfortable with me if I am less rich, no?”

She laughed, a full throaty sound. “I’m starting to think I’ll never be comfortable with you. Perhaps that’s a good thing. I’ll never be bored.”

He pulled her into his arms. “If I was a poor man, I couldn’t love you any more than I do. Does any of the rest really matter?”

She rested her head against his chest. “You make it seem so easy. Nothing in my life has ever been easy. I’m afraid to believe in this.”

He tipped her chin up and kissed her forehead. “Did it ever occur to you that I too am afraid? You might decide to love someone else and break my heart.”

Casey snorted and gave him her first genuine smile. “Not happening. I can’t imagine loving anyone else.” She pulled away and led him by the hand to a stack of magazines. The one on top had his face on the cover. “Considering how long I’ve been in love with you, you don’t have to worry about that.” She gestured to the stack and smiled bashfully.

Andre kneeled and picked up the magazine. Beneath it there was another magazine, again with him on the cover. Surprised, he turned to look at her. He began to flip through the stack faster, his face grinning up at him from every magazine he uncovered. He let out a loud laugh.

“
Piccolina
, you’ve been reading up on me I see.” He was profoundly flattered, especially since he could see it embarrassed her. He couldn’t fault her for her curiosity. It pleased him that she appeared as fascinated by him as he was by her.

“You had to know how I felt.” Casey rolled her eyes. “I was so clumsy around you. I was afraid to open my mouth for fear I’d say something stupid.” She sat down next to the box and pulled out one of the magazines. “So instead I’d come home and read about you. Then I would take the magazine to bed and pretend you were there.”

“Show me.” Andre backed up until he was next to the wall. He crossed his arms and leaned back. “Pretend I’m not here and show me what a usual night was like for you.”

She stood hesitantly, the magazine dangling from her hands. “Okay, but it’s not very exciting, unfortunately.”

She stood a moment before walking to the kitchen. She turned on a small brown radio sitting on the counter next to her microwave. All of the appliances were old but well cared for. When he’d come to help her move, she’d already had her things boxed and ready to go so he hadn’t gotten to see much of how she lived.

He followed behind her, looking around curiously. He could see little touches of her personality in the room. There were several groupings of postcards on the refrigerator, the biggest for Italy. He would take her there, walk with her on the cobbled streets of Rome and travel the romantic canals in Venice. It would be a joy to help her discover his country. He enjoyed watching her do almost everything.

Casey opened her refrigerator and took out a small white container.

“Usually I would eat this.” She gestured with the carton. “I’m not really hungry right now so, whatever.”

She put the carton back and then closed the refrigerator door. He followed behind her as she left the kitchen, his gaze running over her body hungrily.

She stopped in the living room and picked up the first magazine off the pile on the floor. With a shy glance over her shoulder, she sashayed to a closed door. He followed, his eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness.

Now this is where she really lives.

The room was tiny but cozy, with filmy curtains at the window. The sheets were a rich teal color and there were several fat pillar candles giving the room a soft vanilla scent. It was an oasis in the midst of the bleak landscape of the rest of the apartment.

She placed the magazine carefully on her pillow. She hesitated, looking over her shoulder at him. Then she turned until he was out of her line of sight and pulled her shirt over her head.

She balled it up and threw it in the laundry hamper on the other side of the bed. Her pants came off next, then a silky white thong. She finally unhooked her bra and let it dangle from her fingers for a moment before it dropped to the floor.

“This is when I pretend you’re here with me.” Casey crawled under the covers and pressed her face into the pillow next to the image of his face. “I thought this picture was as close to you as I would ever get.”

He came closer, standing next to the bed so that his shadow fell over her. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him sleepily. He picked up the magazine and rested it on the night table before tugging off his tie. His suit jacket, shirt and slacks followed. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the bulge in the front of his boxers. Then she abruptly started laughing.

“This is going to sound really weird since I should have noticed before now, but I always imagined you as a briefs kind of guy.” She sat up and curled her fingers over the edge of his boxers and tugged them down. “So maybe we should take these off. You know, so they don’t ruin the fantasy.”

“I’m more than happy to oblige you.” Andre kicked them off and got under the covers, propping his head up on his hand. “So when you’re alone, what do you usually do next?”

She blushed and slid under the covers until only her big brown eyes were visible. Andre’s heart sped up as he noticed a telltale rustle beneath the blanket. He lifted it slightly to see. Her hand was cupped between her thighs.

“Show me. Close your eyes and touch yourself the way you do when you’re alone.”

She moaned and curled her fingers inward again until they disappeared into her sheath. He slid down until he was eye level with her core, greedily watching as she stroked her clit a few times before returning to plunge into her pussy. Her breath came in soft gasps as her pace increased, her thighs opening wider to accept the thrust of her fingers. She moved her hips restlessly, as if the penetration wasn’t enough.

“Touch me, please. I want you to.” Her voice shook.

He leaned over and pulled her fingers from her body. She watched in shock as he sucked each digit, drawing each one through his lips slowly, savoring her taste. He wasn’t sure if this was her fantasy but it was definitely his.

“Hold yourself open for me.” He placed her fingers on the lips of her sex. A faint blush spread from her face down to her neck as she complied. He wedged himself between her legs to keep her from closing them. She was a tantric goddess with her legs open wide to showcase the source of her power. He wanted her spread above him so he could look up at her while he lapped at her clit.

“Ride my face.”

Casey stopped moving and propped herself up on her arms. “What?”

Andre stretched out flat next to her and tugged at her arm. She slung her leg over his middle uncertainly. He grinned and tugged her up until she was positioned perfectly over his mouth.

“I don’t think I like this.” She frowned and tried to move backward. He slapped her lightly on the bottom and she yelped and gripped the headboard.

“What was that for?”

He pulled her down until she straddled his face. She squealed and tried to sit up straight. He held her tight around the hips and speared her pussy with his tongue.

“Ooohh. Maybe I do like this,” she cooed. He smiled against her skin as she wiggled suggestively against his face. He had the perfect angle to view all her charms. Slim, strong thighs leading up to a delicate, nipped-in waist, capped off with her upturned breasts. Perfect.

Her head was thrown back as she rode his face, her dark hair cascading around her shoulders, trailing over her breasts. Her hands came up to cup them and then tweak her nipples. She twirled and twisted them harder than he would have imagined she liked.

The sight of her tugging at the tips made him wild, his hands coming up to knead her bottom as he alternated between sucking at her clit and licking deeply into her pussy. He lapped at her mercilessly until her hands clenched in her hair and her internal muscles clenched around his tongue as she came. She choked out a muffled cry as she rode the wave of her orgasm, shuddering as he continued to suck and lick her clit, his tongue lashing against the sensitive bundle of nerves over and over again.

“Inside me. Now. Please.” She fell to the side, her legs tangled awkwardly over his abdomen. He leaned over the side of the bed, rooting around until he found the condom he kept in his wallet. He ripped the foil package and quickly rolled the latex on. Just the fleeting touches required to put on the protection were almost too much stimulation. Watching her come, hearing her screams, tasting the sweet evidence of her arousal had him on the verge of combustion.

He flipped over, planting his hands on either side of her face, levering his body over hers. His cock brushed against her stomach.

“Yes, that’s it. Just like that.” Her face twisted in a mask of anguished arousal, every nuance of her pleasure written on her face. Her acceptance of him fueled the animalistic need roaring through him. He couldn’t be civilized when she looked like that.

He hooked her thighs over his forearms and thrust home. Her head fell back, her mouth parted on a sigh of satisfaction. Her pussy clenched around him, accepting him easily, as he stroked in and out. His cock swelled, the friction unbearably arousing, his hips telling him to slam home, to fuck her hard and fast. He pulled back and tunneled into her, burying the full length of his cock into her wet heat. They came together, his heated kisses absorbing her cries of satisfaction. They collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs.

“Look at me, Cassandra.” Her eyes opened and met his. He leaned down until their noses touched. “I love you, my treasure. And I’ll never stop.”

Casey reached up and threaded her fingers through the thick curls falling over his forehead. “I love you too.” She grinned up at him. He’d turned out to be her teacher in more ways than one. He’d taught her what it meant to love and to trust.

It was strange how everything had worked out for them. If she believed in magic, she’d almost think she really did have a fairy godmother like Anya claimed. He noticed her smile and raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“I was just thinking how nicely things have worked out. One minute, it looked like you weren’t going to even have a launch and then suddenly, it was all fine. How did you find a new investor so quickly?”

“Actually, I can’t take any credit for that one. The investor found us. Some Russian petroleum company. They were looking to diversify their investment portfolio. I’m not exactly sure how they knew we needed funding since we were careful to keep that out of the press.” He ran a hand through his head and exhaled. “It’s a good thing too. My personal net worth is substantial but much of it is tied up in property, mutual funds, etc. It would have taken time to liquidate or secure financing. Now I don’t have to.”

Casey narrowed her eyes, something about the story pricking at her memory. “You said a Russian company is your new investor? What’s the name of the company?”

Andre ran a hand over his face. “Petrov Petroleum Company. The representative who sent over the check was A.K. Petrova. They didn’t even ask to meet with us face-to-face, which seems odd now that I think about it.”

Casey turned her face into his shoulder to cover her grin. She was going to kill her best friend, right after she gave her a big hug. Anya Katerina Petrova had apparently not been exaggerating when she said she had money to spare. She was turning out to be Casey’s fairy godmother in more ways than one.

“You should have never told me you have a place in Milan, you know. I’ve always wanted to go there. You’ll never get rid of me now.” She curled her legs around him, holding him tight.