SEX Unlimited: Volume 2 (Unlimited #2) (4 page)

Brian and I had been married for two years. Our daughter was only six months old but she was the most amazing baby I’d ever laid eyes on. Everything in our life was perfect. Brian was the most loving and doting father you could ever imagine and we were happier than we’d ever been. We planned a simple night at home for our two year anniversary because neither of us wanted to leave Willow. I bought him a new watch with a special inscription engraved on the inside:
My love for you is timeless, never-ending, and infinite.
He gave me a puzzle piece, just as he had for our first anniversary, along with a beautiful arrangement of my favorite flower, calla lilies. The puzzle pieces were his creative idea. When he gave me the first one I was so perplexed. I’d opened the small box and inside was a white puzzle piece and all I could make out on it were two words,
Dear Danielle.
This year I got two more words,
You are.
He says eventually I’ll have a complete puzzle and it’ll be his everlasting love letter to me. His thoughtfulness never ceases to amaze me. I keep the pieces together in a keepsake box in our room. I asked him once how many pieces there were and he simply replied, enough for our forever.

I nearly want to cry reading this, it’s so beautiful. Reading about such a happy couple makes me incredibly sad. I wanted that life with James more than anything in this world, a lost dream now; gone and never to be had. Not taking James back was hard, but the right thing for me to do. I have no idea what I’m doing having this gratuitous relationship with Brisban and, to be perfectly honest, I don’t want to figure it out. I’m tired of thinking and worrying.

I just want to
be
for a while. Just be. I want to enjoy simple pleasures and feel like a woman. I refuse to feel guilty for wanting, or needing, those things in my life. Tonight I’m having dinner with a sexy, beautiful man and he’s going to fuck me nine ways to Sunday. I’m not going to feel bad about that. Not at all.

I chose a simple, white scoop-neck top and black skirt for dinner. The top shows off my cleavage and the skirt is fitted to accent my curves. Not wearing panties is new for me. I can’t actually believe I’m going without them. It makes me feel bad and I never knew how much I’d enjoy feeling like a ‘bad girl.’ To give my outfit even more sex appeal, I’m wearing a pair of red heels. He likes my hair down so down it is.

Even though we aren’t calling this a date it feels like one. He’s not picking me up because we still haven’t made the step to invite each other to our homes. I’m meeting him at the restaurant in an hour which means I need to leave in thirty minutes. I’m nervous as usual. I wonder how long this nervous thing is going to last. I feel like a teenager every time I get ready to meet him.

Pulling into the parking lot of The Black Thai, I take a deep breath. My palms are even a little sweaty. This is ridiculous that I react this way.
Pull your shit together, Candace.
The valet immediately greets me and I put the car in park, get out, and hand my key to the nice valet boy. I barely glance up and I see him.

He’s standing at the entrance in a suit of perfection. No tie, just an incredible suit jacket and pants with a pastel pink v-neck shirt underneath. I love that the man wears pink. I could die right here and now at the sight of him. A smile stretches across his perfectly chiseled face, revealing teeth that couldn’t possibly get any whiter. When he smiles his entire face smiles and the little crinkle he gets on the bridge of his nose is so adorably sexy. His eyes travel from my face down to my feet slowly. I start to close the distance between us and instantly feel flushed. His eyes make their way back to mine and our gazes intertwine. He says so much without ever saying a single word. Standing right in front of him, the energy flowing between us is undeniable. He reaches out to me.

“May I?” he asks.

I give him my hand and he pulls it to his lips, leaning in to place a soft kiss on top of it. His slight scruff brushes my skin as his lips press down and then away. The skin on that one spot of my hand ignites, sending heat throughout my body. He leans in and whispers ever so quietly, “You’re stunning as always. Every man here will wish they were me. Thank you for having dinner with me tonight.” He kisses my neck just below my earlobe before pulling away.

Butterflies swarm in my stomach and I hide the reaction. I flick my eyes up to meet his. “Thank you for inviting me and you look very handsome yourself.”

Cool, calm, and collected, that’s me. I almost want to laugh at myself. If only he knew I was losing my shit on the inside.

“Shall we?” he motions toward the entryway of the restaurant.

“Yes, of course. Thank you.”

He places his large hand at the small of my back. The slight touch is reverent and makes this feel so much like a date. There are times I wish he wasn’t such a gentleman; it confuses my intentions. But, my God, I love how he treats me with his chivalrous ways. It’s such a rarity these days for a man to act in this manner.

The hostess greets us and it’s immediately obvious they know him here.

“Mr. Calloway, right this way,” the lady says, motioning toward the back of the restaurant. “We have your favorite table ready for you and your guest.”

He nods. “Thank you, April.” I can’t believe he wanted to have dinner with his fuck buddy at a place he frequents.

Once we approach the table he, of course, moves to pull my chair out for me. I tilt my head to look up at him and smile. “Thank you.”

His lips curl slightly at the edges. “It’s all my pleasure,” he tells me, just as his hand brushes against my shoulder. He does these subtle things on purpose - it drives me wild and he knows it. The hostess places our menus on the table.

“Shall I get you a bottle of wine, sir?”

“I’ll have my usual and she’ll have your best red wine.” She nods and steps away. He leans down and whisper quiet says in my ear, “Are you wearing panties, Candace? Please tell me you’re bare under that skirt.”

I feel my cheeks heat instantly and try to keep my composure. “Brisban, shh. People will hear you,” I scold him flirtatiously.

“Answer the question, Candace.”

I just nod, letting him know that I’m, indeed, not wearing anything under my skirt.

“Sexy, very sexy,” is all he says as he rounds the table to take his seat. “I’m hard for you right now, you know,” a sinfully seductive grin graces his handsome face. “I can’t control it when I’m around you. Knowing you aren’t wearing panties makes it that much more out of my control. I live a very controlled life. I enjoy how you cause me to leave all of that behind when we’re together.”

I feel the same way. Life is drab and pretty colorless until he steps into my space and, then, all of the sudden, everything’s painted in bright hues and endless colors.

“I know what you mean.” I anxiously cross my legs at the ankles and scoot toward the table.

He picks up the menu. “What are you hungry for, other than the obvious?”

I let out a giggle. “You never let up do you?”

He tilts his head to the side and arches a brow. “Why would I want to let up? Flirting with you is far too much fun to ‘let up.’ I enjoy making you squirm a little. It gives you less opportunity to make
me
squirm.”

I laugh, outright. “Like I could possibly make you squirm.”

“Oh, indeed you do. You don’t give yourself enough credit,” he leans in and lowers his voice some. “It’s incredibly difficult to sit here across the table from you with all of these insanely dirty thoughts running rampant in my mind right now.”

I bite the inside of my cheek and pick up my menu. “If you say so, Mr. Calloway. Maybe you can share those thoughts with me later.”

He grins and continues to scan his menu. “I’ll be having the SomTam now. You, I’ll be having for dessert later and I assure it will be very dirty; a beautiful mess.”

I shake my head. “You’re bad.”

“You like it. What I’m not sure of is if you like Thai food. I should’ve asked you first.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. I like it. The shrimp Pad Thai for me. I’ve had it before and it was great.”

He folds his menu and pushes it aside. “I guess we don’t really know many of each other’s likes and dislikes outside the bedroom, do we?”

I unroll my napkin and place it in my lap. “No, I suppose not. We don’t have a reason to know those things.”

“You’re really hung up on rules, aren’t you?”

The question makes me uncomfortable but he’s right. I shrug my shoulders. “I’m a rule follower.”

He clasps his hands together and leans forward. “Rules are often made to be broken. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Why does he always put me on the spot like this? It makes me nuts.

“I don’t know. I just think we’ll be stepping into dangerous territory the moment we get too personal with each other.”

He purses his lips. “Hmmm, are you worried you’ll fall for me? Is that why you’re guarded?”

I don’t like that question one bit. Actually, it kind of pisses me off. He can tell because there’s no hiding my expression.

“I don’t mean to offend you. I just want you to loosen up some. Stop worrying so much about rules and boundaries.”

“That was an egotistical thing to say, Brisban. I’ve never pegged you for that type before.”

Before he can respond, the waitress places a crystal tumbler with amber liquid in it in front of him and a large glass of red wine in front of me.

“Are you ready to place your order, sir?”

He nods and proceeds to order for me and then himself. The waitress takes down our meals and gathers our menus. The air at our table is a little stifled from our less than comforting conversation.

“I apologize.” He places his hand on his chest, just above his heart. “I didn’t mean to sound that way. Sometimes my flirting crosses a line and I’m sorry for doing so. I never want to disrespect you in any way. Being around you makes me speak my thoughts before I think them through. Sometimes that’s good and others not so much.”

I give him a faint smile and sigh. “It’s okay. I‘m just a little uptight and nervous, I guess. Even though we aren’t calling this a,” I put my fingers in the air and make the quotation motion, “
date
, it still feels very much like one. I haven’t been on a real date in forever so it’s a bit much to absorb.”

He takes a sip of his drink and contemplates my words. I see his throat move as he swallows and an image of his mouth between my legs involuntarily flashes through my mind.

God, Candace, you’re such a sex fiend all of a sudden.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I had a real date that wasn’t some fiasco constructed by friends or family?” he asks, placing his drink back on the table. I shake my head, no. “It’s been a long time. This isn’t necessarily my comfort zone either, Candace, but I’m tired of being lonely. I’m a man in his forties who lives and breathes by structure and business deals and endless work. I miss the company of a beautiful woman. I enjoy taking you to a nice place like this and buying you the finest wine and food. It’s who I am. I’m a man that enjoys treating a woman as she should be treated. It makes me happy. Just like I enjoy making you happy in bed. I won’t deny myself these things just because it’s uncomfortable to reintroduce myself to being with someone other than my ex-wife. I like the physical aspect of this but I also like the company.”

How can I argue with that when I feel exactly the same way? I can’t.

“I know what you mean. I know a lot about being lonely. I’m just scared. I like you and I don’t want to get caught up in feelings that can’t be there.”

He reaches across the table and takes my free hand in his. “I don’t know the future any more than you do. We can’t let fear stop us from enjoying one another. We’re adults in an adult situation. Let’s not concern ourselves with what-ifs or maybes. Let’s just appreciate each other and forget the rest.”

As much as this terrifies me I can’t argue with him. I want all of that just as much as he does.

“Okay.”

Our food arrives and saves us from the remainder of this heavy topic. It smells heavenly and looks even better. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled this. It’s absolutely delicious looking, too.”

An appreciative smile adorns his handsome face. “This is my favorite place in the city. I’m glad you approve. Just wait until you try it. It’s always a real treat when something tastes as good as it looks.” I cut my eyes up to his and, just as I thought, his eyes are swirling with mischief, his grin equally naughty. I shake my head.

“Is that right?” I quip.

“That’s right. I have personal experience with this. I can provide you with some rather specific details if you’d like.” He arches a brow as he opens that sexy as hell mouth of his and takes a bite of food. He chews and pauses briefly. “The first time I took you into my mouth I didn’t want to stop. Just like when I look at you my eyes don’t want to look away.”

“I love your details.” I spear a shrimp with my fork and lean down to blow on it, hot steam floating up.

“You have incredible lips.”

My gaze wonders up to his and I smile. “Thank you.” I put the shrimp in my mouth slowly and he watches my every movement. I’m sure to slide the fork out of my mouth ever so slowly; just for effect. I lick my bottom lip and he smiles.