As our breathing calmed, I rolled off of him and turned on my side, facing him, stroking his bare muscular chest. He looked at me and kissed my head, lifting his arm up around me and pulling me into him.
“I want to know where you were last night,” he spoke.
I lifted myself out of his grip and got up and put on a new pair of panties. “How was your date with Christine?” I asked as I slipped on my nightshirt.
He placed his hands behind his head and glared at me.
“How was the ballet, Max?”
As I stared at him from the end of the bed, he bit his bottom lip. “How did you know?”
“It doesn’t matter how I knew. You broke our agreement.” I walked out of the bedroom and headed to the kitchen for some coffee. He followed behind in only his jeans. Kara and Molly were sitting at the table, staring at us. I watched as their mouths dropped to the floor as they stared at Max.
“Don’t get smart with me. Who was that guy?”
“And who the fuck is Christine?!” I yelled in his face.
Kara and Molly got up. “We’ll leave you two alone so you can argue in peace.”
I rolled my eyes as Max said good morning to them.
“You ditched me last night so you could take another woman to the ballet. You suck, Max. You really suck!”
He poured himself some coffee, because I refused to get him some, and sat down on the stool. “I’m sorry, Emma. I bought the tickets before I met you and I told her that I’d take her. What kind of man would I be to suddenly tell her that I changed my mind?”
“The fucking kind of man who has the balls to tell her that he has a fiancée!”
“Why would I do that? It’s not even a real engagement. Now who was that guy you were with and why were you with my sister?”
I didn’t feel like I owed him any explanation at all, but I couldn’t stand arguing with him anymore, so I caved.
“His name is Lucas and he’s the lead singer of a band from Miami called High Five. We had seen them a couple of times in Miami and, after the show, we chatted. When we found out they were playing last night, we went and your sister was there with her girlfriends. She showed me the picture of you and Christine. Apparently, she left her bracelet at your apartment and when she stopped by to get it, she saw you coming out of the building with her. And by the way, she knows our engagement isn’t real.”
“What? What the fuck!” he yelled.
“Don’t worry about her. She won’t tell your parents because she feels sorry for you. Anyway, your sister loves the band and I introduced her to them. We all sat around after the show and we talked. Your sister must have taken our picture, but I don’t remember her doing it.”
He looked away from me as his jaw moved back and forth. He was so angry but had no right to be.
“Did you fuck her last night?” I boldly asked.
His eyes looked into mine as he cocked his head. “Did you fuck him last night?”
“No, because I’m not a whore. Contrary to what you might believe, Mr. Hamilton. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want you to leave my apartment!”
“I didn’t fuck her, Emma. I just took her to the ballet. I was home by eleven o’clock, alone.”
“You know what, Max. I don’t give a rat’s ass anymore what you do. We have two more months of this arrangement. Let’s just try to be civil to each other long enough to get through it.”
“Why are you so upset? Just explain that to me,” he softly spoke.
“Because you lied to me. You didn’t tell me where you were going or that you’d be going with another woman. We had an agreement not to see other people as long as we were in this so-called fake relationship.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lie to you. But this is the exact reason why I can’t be tied down in a relationship. Nobody tells me what I can and can’t do. I’m the only one who makes that decision. No one else.”
My heart ached something fierce and tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t let him see me about to cry over him. I wouldn’t give him the power or the satisfaction.
“You’re right, Max, and I apologize. The same goes for me. No one will ever question what I do. I will never allow it.”
He walked over and wrapped his arms around me from behind, burying his face into my neck. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to argue with you. I’ll be by to pick you up around six o’clock for the party, okay?”
I nodded my head.
He pressed his lips against my neck and walked into the bedroom to gather the rest of his clothes and then walked out the door while I stood looking out the window.
“Are you okay?” Molly asked with concern.
“What the fuck did I get myself into?” I broke down and all the tears that I held back when Max was here suddenly fell down my face.
Kara walked over and hugged me. “You were doing it for the right reason. You didn’t expect to fall in love with him.”
“How can anyone not fall in love with him? I mean, look at him, for fuck sake. Every time he’s near me, I have an orgasm.”
Molly and Kara both laughed. “I think we know what you mean. He obviously has some deep issues, Emma, which stem from his father and his behavior. I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think it’s best that you don’t get any further involved with him. He can’t be saved unless he wants to be and, from the sounds of it, he doesn’t want to be.”
I swallowed hard because everything Kara said was true, but if he didn’t have feelings for me, then why did he act like that over Lucas?
“I’m going back to bed. I’m too tired to deal with the subject of Max anymore.” I walked back to my room and climbed into the bed that smelled like him and pulled the covers over me. Fuck! I climbed out of bed and grabbed the throw that sat on the chair in my room and took it out to the couch. Kara and Molly were in the kitchen.
“I thought you were going to bed?” Molly asked.
“I can’t sleep in that bed with his smell all over it.” I pulled the throw over me as I lay down on the couch and fell asleep.
Chapter 14
Molly finished putting the final touches on my hair as I looked at the clock. It was five minutes until six o’clock.
“There. Now slip into that beautiful dress.” She smiled.
I went to my closet and pulled out the dress that was delivered earlier while I was sleeping. It looked just as beautiful as it did yesterday. Just as I put it on, there was a knock at the door.
“Can one of you get that? It’s Darren. Tell him I’ll be ready soon.”
As I slipped my feet into my new shoes, Max walked into the bedroom.
“My God, you look beautiful.” He smiled as I turned around.
My heart started racing from nerves because of our fight this morning, and I wasn’t quite ready to see him yet. “Thanks.” I turned away.
“I bought you something.” Max walked over and handed me a long blue velvet box.
“You shouldn’t have.”
“Just open it, Emma.”
As I took the box from his hand, I noticed it was from Tiffany’s. I lifted the top and inside sat a beautiful diamond butterfly pendant on a silver chain.
“Max. It’s beautiful.”
He took the box from my hands and removed the necklace from it, placing it around my neck as I stared in the mirror.
“The butterfly is a symbol of transformation. We all have different stages in our life where we transform and, in order to get to the next stage, we have to go through changes that will shape us into who we will be next. She represents faith, and as she flits among the flowers, she dances. I always want you to dance, Emma. Promise me you’ll never stop dancing.”
Chills ran up and down my spine as he spoke and a tear filled my eye. “Thank you, Max. It’s truly beautiful.”
He turned me around and swept the back of his hand across my cheek. “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to be such a dick.”
“Apology accepted.”
H
e leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. “We better get going or my mom is going to go into a fit of rage if we’re late.”
The four of us climbed into the limo that Martin was driving.
“Where’s Darren?” I whispered in Max’s ear.
“He has the night off.” He winked.
We arrived at his parents’ house and as soon as we walked in, everyone began to clap.
“There they are!” Carol exclaimed. “Our happy little couple has finally arrived.”
I smiled as she and Bradshaw gave me a light hug and introduced them to Kara and Molly. The house was filled with floral arrangements of white dahlias and pink roses. Soft music was playing in every room and guests were mixing and mingling amongst each other. Max grabbed a glass of champagne from the waiter that passed by and handed it to me.
“You are simply stunning. I love that dress.” Carol smiled as she grabbed my hands and held them. “Come on. I’m anxious to show you off to all my friends.”
After meeting a room full of people that I’d never see again, Fiona walked up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.
“They’ll be here soon.” She smiled. “I’m so excited I can barely stand it.”
“Who will be here soon?” Max asked as he looked at his sister.
“You’ll see.” She smirked and walked away.
“What the fuck is she up to?”
I wasn’t about to get in the middle of that one, so I graciously excused myself to the bathroom. As I walked down the hallway, I heard moaning noises coming from the room across from the bathroom. If I remembered correctly, it was Bradshaw’s office. After I finished in the bathroom and opened the door, I was startled by the woman that opened the door across the hall. She stopped and her eyes widened when she saw me. I happened to glance over her shoulder and I could see Bradshaw buttoning up his pants. I looked down and continued to walk back to where all the guests were. Max took hold of my arm and whispered in my ear.
“Your band has arrived.”
“They aren’t my band and I had nothing to do with it. Your sister paid for them to play here tonight.”
Max walked away with an anger in his eyes and I was completely confused as to what the fuck was going on in his head. I grabbed another glass of champagne as I shook it off and found Kara, Molly, and Fiona talking to Lucas.
“Well, hello there, pretty lady.” He smiled as he looked me up and down.
Max walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Hey, baby.”
“Max, I would like you to meet Lucas, lead singer of High Five.”
“Hey. You’re a very lucky man to be marrying this beautiful woman. We met back in Miami.”
“I know I am. I fell in love with her from the moment I saw her.”
“Not hard to do, man.”
This was awkward and I was very uncomfortable. Suddenly, Bradshaw called for everyone’s attention.
“Carol and I would like to make a toast to the future Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. We are so proud that our son has finally found the love of his life and wants to settle down. Much like I have the love of my life standing by my side. We have created a beautiful family and a successful family business, and we couldn’t ask for anything more. Emma is lovely and I do believe my son has made an outstanding choice. To Max and Emma. May your love be as eternal as ours is.”
I wanted to throw up. Actually, I felt like I could have at that moment. That man was so full of bullshit he made my stomach turn. I looked over to the left and noticed the girl that I saw coming out of his office watching him.
“Who is that girl over there with the blonde hair?” I asked Max.
“That’s Rosalina, one of the interns at the office. Why?”
“Is she the one?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.
“No. Michelle isn’t here tonight.”
I’ll be damned. He’s screwing two interns. I didn’t want to say anything to Max because he was upset enough about Michelle.
“Why did you ask about Rosalina?”
“No reason. She just keeps staring at me. That’s all.”
Max leaned closer to my ear. “Maybe she thinks you’re hot.”
“Maybe we could have a threesome,” I whispered back.
“You would actually do that?”
I placed my hand on his chest. “Only in your dreams, Max.”
The band began to play and I could see the excitement bursting out of Fiona.
“I saw the way he looked at you,” Max spoke.
“Who?”
“Lucas. I think he wants you.”
“I think he does too. He certainly made no secret about it back in Miami. I think once our engagement has come to an end, I’ll give him a call.”
I could see the anger wash over Max’s face. “He’ll use you.”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” I walked away with a grin on my face.
Max took hold of my arm and led me inside the house.
“What are you doing?”
“You’ll see.” He took me upstairs to his old bedroom and shut the door, locking it behind him. He grabbed my wrists and held them above my head as his mouth crashed into mine and I fell back against the wall. His kiss was feral and exciting but full of anger.
“Do you want me to fuck you up against this wall?”
I stared into his beautiful eyes as he stared back, waiting for my answer. I swallowed hard.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure? Or do you want him to fuck you?”
“You.”
“Say it,” he growled as he lifted my dress, pulled down my panties, and then unbuttoned his pants, letting them fall down to his ankles.
“I want you to fuck me right now.”
My dress was getting in the way, so he let go of my wrists and turned me around so he could unzip it. As soon as it fell to the ground, he turned me around, leaning against me and pinning my wrists above my head with one hand.
“I wanted to fuck you from behind, but then I wouldn’t be able to watch you bite that beautiful lip when I make you come all over me.”
He thrust deep and hard inside of me and I gasped. He brought my leg up around his waist as he moved sharply in and out of me, moaning in pleasure. I lifted my other leg and wrapped them both around him as he let go of my wrists and held me up while he pounded into me like an animal, bringing me to a magnificent orgasm.
“That’s right, baby. Come for me and only me. I know you love it when I fuck you like this.”
His lips brushed over mine as he pushed deeper inside me and filled me up with his come. “For now, you’re mine,” he whispered in my ear.
He set me down and pulled out of me, bending down and pulling up his pants. He handed me my panties and my dress.
“We better get back out there before people notice we’re gone and come looking for us.”
I slipped on my panties and my dress and asked him to zip me up.
“Would it be so bad that they knew we just fucked in your room? After all, isn’t perception everything?” I wiped my lips and walked out of the bedroom. From this day forth, I wasn’t going to play the emotion game anymore. Max Hamilton wanted nothing more than a physical relationship and that was what he was going to get. It was time I prepared myself for the day he walked out of my life.
Chapter 15
“I’m going to miss you,” I whined as I hugged Molly and Kara at the airport.
“We’ll be back in less than two weeks and then the hunt is on for an apartment.”
“If you want, I can start looking for you. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”
Kara gave me a soft smile as she grabbed my hand. “Are you sure Max won’t stay after your arrangement is over?”
“Yeah. I’m positive. I don’t know what his plans are and I don’t want to know. He has deep-rooted family issues and he has no intentions of settling with me. I can’t go through the emotional pain of hoping we have a future. It’s not fair to me.”
/> “You’re right. Just hang in there, Emma. We’ll be back soon and then we’ll get your mind off of him.”
I gave them each one last hug and waved goodbye as they went through security. I sighed as I hailed a cab back to my apartment. I put on my workout clothes and went down to the gym and jumped on the treadmill. As I was running, I couldn’t help but think about last night. The party was okay, but the best part was what took place in Max’s bedroom. The hunger he had for me when I told him that maybe I would contact Lucas after we split up was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I could tell he was jealous and didn’t want to hear of another man. But was he jealous enough to keep me? Could his jealousy overrule his non-commitment issues? Before I knew it, I had been running on the treadmill for over an hour. I was sweaty and desperately needed a shower. I grabbed the towel and wiped my face as I walked back up to my apartment.
I turned on the hot water and let it run for a minute before stepping into the shower. I looked in the mirror and placed my finger on the butterfly pendant Max gave me. The words he spoke haunted me. “I always want you to dance, Emma. Promise me you’ll never stop dancing.” I didn’t think too much about it when he said it to me because I was overwhelmed and we were running late for the party. But after settling into bed last night, it was all I heard. I didn’t tell Molly or Kara what he said because they’d make a big deal about it. My feeling was that he gave it to me to keep as a memory of him and the times we spent together after he was gone. Just as I was stepping into the shower, my phone rang and it was my mom. I’d call her back after I was finished with my shower. If she only knew what the hell I was involved in, she’d be mortified.
I stepped out of the shower and put on a pair of yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt. It was seven o’clock and I wasn’t planning on going anywhere. I hadn’t heard from Max all day and I was feeling a bit lonely without Molly and Kara. I heated up a couple slices of leftover pizza, poured a glass of wine, and called my mom.