Cruel Money (Cruel 1)

“Finish the job then.”

“What?” I gasped.

But his eyes were clear and intense. “You know how you like to get off. Show me how.”

Was he serious? I’d never masturbated for anyone before. I’d never even considered doing something like that.

He pumped in and out of me once. I was so dangerously close and teetering precariously, but he never let me fall off the edge.

“I want to watch, Natalie.”

I released the embarrassment I was sure I would have felt with anyone else. This was Penn. He was asking for this. It turned him on too. And god, did I want to get off right now. I liked everything else he’d done to me. Why shouldn’t I do this?

With a deep breath, I trailed my hand down my front until I reached my core. I wet my own finger, pressing against his still buried inside me. The touch alone made me shiver with need. Then I brought my wet finger to my clit and swirled it around and around. My breath came out in hot pants as everything in my body tightened. Then Penn began to move his fingers again.

“Oh, yes,” I groaned.

“That’s right. Get yourself off.”

And then my entire body contracted. My pussy pulsed greedily around his fingers, and a throb shuddered through me before I lay still, breathless.

“Sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” he told me as he kissed me one more time. “I’ll get you that coffee now.”

With an uncontrollable smile, I watched him and Totle leave. I’d never met anyone like Penn. I’d never felt like this with anyone else. Not that I’d had bad sex with other partners, but nothing compared to this. I hadn’t been entirely adventurous in my past. Who knew what a big difference it was to have a guy who didn’t just accept the bare minimum?

With a sigh of contentment, I rolled off the bed, took a quick shower, and then headed out to the kitchen. I knotted my long silvery hair onto the top of my head and followed the scent of coffee brewing.

“Well,” Amy said from her seat at the breakfast bar. Her eyes were wide, and she rested her chin on the top of her hands. “How was your night?”

“Oh, shut up,” I said, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

“Or morning, for that matter,” she added with a chuckle.

I glanced around to look for Penn but didn’t see him anywhere.

“He’s walking Totle,” Amy told me.

“It was great. I took your advice.”

“Aha! So, the casual-sex line worked?”

“Wait, what? It wasn’t a line!”

Amy’s eyes rounded, and she nodded in mock understanding. “Yeah, sure.”

“I am going to just have casual sex with him. You’re the one who said to do this.”

“I know, but it’s totally a line.”

“Wait,” Melanie said, walking into the kitchen. “You and Penn?”

“Oh, yeah. I convinced her to use the casual-sex line.”

Melanie blinked. “That’s a line?”

Amy laughed and patted her head. “Have you been with anyone other than Michael?”

Melanie shifted. “Well, no.”

“Yeah, it’s a line. And it worked.” She turned back to look at me and winked. “You had some amazing sex.”

“But Penn is a great guy,” Melanie said. “He’s hot and charming with a great place and job. He knows all the good places to go in the city. And he even has a puppy. I mean, why would you want something casual with him? He’s, like, marriage material.”

My jaw dropped at Melanie’s profound statement. Of course, she didn’t have all the facts. She didn’t know about our history. Or how difficult this all would be if I caught feelings.

Amy snorted. “You are so cute and innocent, Mel.”

“We’re just casual. No strings. All that,” I insisted. “I didn’t use it as a line, and I’m certainly not marrying him. Why don’t we change the subject? How are you feeling, Mel?”

Melanie shrugged and stole my coffee. “Well, I woke up to Michael and Kennedy’s pictures from homecoming last night. And about a dozen texts from him about how much of a mistake it was. That it should have been us there, like it always was. He’s sorry and all that.”

“What a douche!” Amy cried.

“For real,” I seconded.

“But…what if he’s telling the truth?”

“He left you for your best friend. There’s no reason to believe a word he says. A dozen texts doesn’t make up for what he did.”

“Yeah,” Melanie said unconvincingly, “you’re right.”

The elevator dinged, and Totle rushed out of it. Penn appeared a minute later, and my stomach flipped.

“You ladies want some brunch? I can get us into Norma’s on short notice,” he offered.

“Norma’s,” Melanie cried. “Oh my god, hell yes!”

“I guess that’s a yes,” Amy said. “What’s Norma’s?”

“Only the best brunch in the city,” Melanie informed her. Her worries about Michael were gone as she dashed down the hallway to change.

I laughed and followed her. Thankfully, I could fit into Mel’s and Amy’s clothes. Even if they weren’t my normal tastes. But it was good enough for New York in October.