His Every Desire (For His Pleasure, Book 7) (12 page)

Soon, she was moving up and down, focused, biting her lower lip as she rode his hard manhood.

“Kallie, that’s perfect,” he whispered.

She rode him harder and faster.

His hands grabbed her breasts, pulled her down onto him so he could suck her nipples insistently. The combination of sensations caused her to come unexpectedly.

Her hips convulsed against his pelvis as he drove deep inside of her.

And then he spun her to the bed so that she was lying on her back and he was on top of her again. Hunter pressed her legs back, almost behind her head, so her knees were practically touching the bed, and fucked her that way, until he pulled out and came, shooting semen across her stomach and breasts.

She stroked him as he shuddered, closing his eyes. “Holy crap,” he said, shaking his head.

She laughed.

“I can’t remember the last time I got off so many times in one day.” He looked down at her as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “And you know what? I could probably go again right now.”

“I’m game if you are.”

“We should probably get cleaned up and get started on the day,” he said, laughing. “I’ll use the downstairs bathroom. You can use the one up here.”

“Okay.” She was sad that things were ending. She didn’t want to be away from him even for a moment.

That was a scary thought, but true. She was suddenly becoming attached to Hunter Reardon. That was about the worst possible idea, but it was happening despite her best intentions.

Hunter gathered some clothes and went downstairs, leaving a clean t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants he thought might be small enough for Kallie to wear.

Slowly, she dragged herself out of bed and went to the bathroom. She contemplated taking another bath and decided against it. Instead, she took a nice hot shower.

The water burned her sore butt a little bit, but she actually liked the sensation. It reminded her of their time together. Every time she recalled a moment from the previous day—whether him spanking her, or the feel of him as he slid inside her most private place, Kallie grew happy and warm.

She wanted to remember those times as much as possible. Kallie decided that whatever else came of this—she wanted more time in the basement with Hunter. She wanted to be down there with him, allowing him to use her body for whatever purposes most pleased him.

Oh man, she thought, as she turned off the shower. I think I’m in trouble.

Smiling to herself, she toweled off and put on the t-shirt and sweats he’d given her. With the drawstring pulled as tight as possible, they were staying on—although just barely.

Kallie didn’t mind, though. She figured that maybe Hunter would notice them drooping and decide to help her take them off altogether.

Walking back into his bedroom, she looked at the unmade bed—the sheets still rumpled and damp from their sweat and movement. She wanted to lie down and smell his scent—she wanted to relive every second of his touch.

But she knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Still, Kallie wasn’t quite sure what to do next. She sat down for a moment and just closed her eyes, tried to relax. However, she felt very keyed up, her legs were jittery.

She realized that she needed to do something.

That’s when she noticed Hunter’s nightstand. The drawer was open just a little bit. She hadn’t noticed it at all until just now, but it was open a sliver, and a tiny piece of paper or something had peeked up through the crack.

“Shit,” she said. She couldn’t stand not to know what was in there.

None of your business. Whatever it is, it’s none of your damn business, Kallie
.

But as usual, she couldn’t help herself.

I’ll just take a quick peek, she rationalized. And then I’ll close it. Besides, what’s the big deal? It’s just a tiny quick look because I’m curious about him and he never tells me a damn thing about himself.

Quickly, she moved to the nightstand and opened the drawer. Inside were some papers and pens, a couple of tiny candles, and a package of paper clips. And then there was the book. It was a paperback copy of Blue Horizon that said
Advanced Reviewer
Copy -Uncorrected Proof - Not For sale
.

Fumblingly, she pulled it out and examined the book. It smelled old and the cover was worn and bent. It looked as though the pages had been gone through quite a bit. When she riffled through the pages, she saw that there were notes all over the place written in very tiny script. There were places underlined, highlighted, and sticky notes were all over it. She thought to herself that it looked a lot like some textbook that an overanxious freshman student had spent too many hours studying.

This is wrong, she thought. I’m violating Hunter’s privacy.

Only, as she went to put it back, something fell from between its pages and landed on the bed.

Looking down, Kallie saw that it was a small black and white photograph. Her forehead crinkled in dismay and confusion.

In the photograph, an older man was sitting in a large wheelchair. He was wearing nothing but shorts and a Yankees jersey that was hanging open, revealing his ribcage and hipbones. His eyes were wide, with dark circles under them, and his dark hair looked to be receding.

But he was smiling into the camera.

His teeth were large, straight, but almost too big for his mouth somehow.

Who was he? She wondered. And why would Hunter have a picture of him inside that old copy of Blue Horizon?

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?”

Kallie spun around and saw Hunter standing in the doorway, his face a mask of anger.

“I—I accidentally saw something sticking out of your nightstand—“

“Don’t lie to me, Kallie,” he said. His eyes were dark, angry, almost maddened.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it, I was curious. I’m so sorry.”

“Put that book down now,” he growled.

She laid the book on the bed next to the picture of the old man, tears beginning to form in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Get up and get out of my room.”

She did as he said.

Kallie walked quickly downstairs, cursing herself for snooping yet again in Hunter’s home. That was so unlike her! She wasn’t the type of girl who went through people’s things.

What about how you found Nicole and Red’s sex toys while you were supposed to
be packing?
She accused herself.

That was an accident. Red told me to pack their clothes. That wasn’t my fault.

Sure, sure. Likely story.

She was spiraling into a barrage of self-recrimination and self-doubts.

Maybe she was the bad person here.

Kallie walked outside and waited for Hunter in the driveway, knowing he would be wanting to take her home now.

As she suspected, a couple of minutes later, he was coming out the front door, his face a study in cold detachment. He didn’t even look at her as he walked to the car and got inside.

A moment later, the engine started. Kallie thought he might actually just drive away and leave her there all by herself.

But then he rolled down the passenger window. “Get inside.”

His voice was totally cold now—not the way he’d spoken to her when she was in the basement with him—this time he sounded like he’d never even met her before.

Reluctantly, she got in the car and he immediately started out. Hunter never once looked at her—he just kept his eyes glued to the road, his jaw set.

A bunch of different times, Kallie thought about saying something, apologizing, explaining herself, even begging for his forgiveness. Begging was ridiculous and yet, with the way she felt right now, it didn’t seem so absurd an idea.

Somehow, she never quite got up the nerve to say or do anything, and the ride continued in excruciating silence.

Eventually they arrived back at the Jameson mansion. When Hunter finally stopped the car, he turned to her and spoke. “I don’t think I can see you anymore,” he said calmly, and she thought—or maybe just wished—that she heard a tinge of regret in his voice.

Taking the opening he’d given, Kallie rushed in with an apology. “Hunter, you have no idea how bad I feel, but I swear to God—“

He shook his head slowly, his eyes locking on hers. “If I can’t trust you, there’s no hope for this to go anywhere. And after what you did at my house, I really cannot trust you, Kallie.”

She bit her lip and nodded, holding back the tears. “Okay. I understand.”

“Take care of yourself,” he said, as she slid out of the passenger seat and left the car.

A moment later, she watched him drive away.

His car grew further and further away, eventually disappearing behind the trees.

In some distant part of her mind, she imagined him having a change of heart, turning the car around and returning. He’d get out and they’d talk about things—she’d explain herself and apologize yet again. Eventually, he’d relent and they’d go inside the house.

And then…but it never came to pass.

She sat outside, watching the road, not wanting to face the emptiness of the house.

***

The next few days went by in a kind of fog for Kallie. There wasn’t much to do until Red told her that Nicole was set to come home. At that point, Kallie did everything she could think of to welcome Nicole back to the house, including buying her favorite shampoos and facial soaps, some comfy slippers, and even writing a little card for her that Red co-signed.

Still, there wasn’t very much to do until Nicole actually arrived home.

So Kallie spent most of her days sleeping, occasionally watching TV, going to the hospital to visit Nicole, or going to the mall and wandering around like a ghost. She was definitely depressed and considered quitting her job and returning to Ohio more than a few times.

The only thing that stopped her was that Red had mentioned he’d invited Hunter to dinner. It wouldn’t happen until after Nicole came home, but still—Kallie hoped and prayed that once Hunter saw her, he might thaw out and she’d have another chance to talk to him.

Her whole life became absorbed in thinking and planning for that night—what she’d wear for clothes, the kind of perfume she’d have on, how she’d smile at him and let him know that her feelings still remained.

She spent an entire night or two after Red mentioned the dinner, lying awake, thinking and fantasizing about how it might go. The fantasies ranged from horrible (he stomps out never to return) to happily ever after (he stands up at dinner and declares his love for the nanny).

Finally, Nicole arrived home and Kallie was swept up in helping to take care of her, since Nicole was still supposed to take it easy, was basically on bed rest, and needed her blood pressure watched just to be sure. It was a bit like how things had been just before she’d given birth to Riley.

Riley, it turned out, would probably be coming home in another few weeks, which Nicole and Red were doing their best to stay positive about. When Nicole first got home, she cried a lot because she missed Riley so much.

Kallie sat with her and talked, comforted her. As depressed as Kallie was, it sort of seemed to help her bond with Nicole, who was inconsolable for a night or two.

And then, finally, it was the day of the big dinner. Kallie had hardly slept the night before. She laid out a few different outfits that morning and then went and took a long bath, shaving under her arms and shaving her legs, between her legs, putting on moisturizer. She hummed to herself, feeling alive for the first time in ages and ages.

After getting out of the bath, Kallie started to ready herself for the day. She couldn’t wait to see him, and she was determined that no matter what, she’d make sure he heard her out.

Kallie even thought of saying that she was falling in love with him.

Of course, that was crazy—but it occurred to her nonetheless.

So it was, that when she came down the hallway toward the kitchen a little while later, she heard Nicole and Red’s voices in conversation. At first, she couldn’t hear what they were saying, but as she got closer, they started to get clearer.

“Did he say why?” Nicole was asking.

“Nope. Just apologized for the inconvenience.”

“Weren’t you going to finish the interview after dinner?” Nicole said.

“He said he’d be willing to reschedule for another day.”

Kallie’s heart sank, and she blinked back tears. Entering the kitchen, Red and Nicole turned to look at her.

“Hi!” Nicole said. “Everything okay?”

Kallie smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Just a little tired.”

Red turned back to Nicole, rubbing her arm lightly. “Probably just as well. You should be taking it easy.”

“Dinner’s cancelled tonight?” Kallie asked, trying—and failing, she suspected—

to sound nonchalant.

Red nodded, seemingly not paying much attention. “Yeah, he said something came up.”

Nicole was looking at her closely, however. “You can have the rest of the day off, Kallie.”

“No, that’s not necessary.”

“I want you to. I’m fine and Red’s home today. Right honey?”

Red simply shrugged. He went back to reading the Times over on the table.

Kallie turned around and walked back to her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

She suddenly burst into tears. Now, she finally had lost the last scrap of hope that things might be repaired. Hunter clearly didn’t want to see her.

And she couldn’t blame him. He’d caught her spying on him, snooping—even though she knew how private he was and how much he valued that privacy above all else.

Even above her.

She sat on her bed and cried, thinking again of simply quitting and moving back home. For the first time since she’d left the Danvers’s home, the idea seemed like a real possibility.

There was a faint knock on the door to her room. “Kallie?” Nicole said. “Can I come in?”

Kallie dried her eyes. “Yes.”

Nicole opened the door and walked slowly in, her face a mask of concern. “Hey, are you okay?”

Kallie smiled. “Not really.”

“Hunter?”

Kallie smiled again and laughed, nodding. More tears came. Nicole sat down on the bed next to her and gave her a long hug.