His For More Than One Night

“If you don’t like it we’ll never go again, try it with me once and I think you’ll like it. Considering how much you love to read, the opera is just a different way of telling a story. While you don’t understand the language, the actors can make it clear what’s happening.”

“I don’t really have the clothes to not embarrass you for a night at the opera.” I shrug. It doesn’t really sound appealing.

“Doesn’t Ramsey’s have a good discount for you? You’re a smart shopper. Your clothes are good designers, and they have style and elegance. You have a good eye, and mix and match your pieces very well.”

“Thank you. It took a long time to figure it out. For many years I wasted money on outlandish outfits. Then my bank balance made it clear it had to end. For a while, I stopped buying anything at all. There was a sales assistant there, Maria, she was so sweet, and she tutored me. She was nice and wasn’t belittling at all. I miss her.”

“Where did she go?”

“Her husband got a great job in Houston. We keep in contact from time to time. She was a huge help with the paperwork side, and there have been times I went to her for help. Now she vents about how much she hates Houston and how much she misses her family and Chicago. I remember thinking about no snow or freezing temperatures when she talked about it at first. And now I know there’s always a price to pay for something you think is good.”

“Sometimes, and sometimes the price is worth it.”

“You really believe that?”

“Well, there are huge downsides to living in Chicago. Twenty-degree-below wind chills and snow, and sometimes ice. There are months when you forget what the sun looks like. So why are you still here if the idea of not going through freezing temperatures appealed to you?”

Thinking about it, I remember how I’ve toyed with the idea of moving once or twice throughout the years, but never seriously. “Because even with all of that, there are wonderful things about this city that make it all worth it.”

“Sometimes it’s worth it?”

“Yes, sometimes it’s worth it.” I smile as I think about it.

Chapter Seven

Trey is massaging my feet, and I sigh with pleasure. “Thank you so much. I swear, I’m starting to hate Edward Ramsey. Why the fuck won’t he just come and look and get it over with?”

“Hate is a strong word.”

“High heels every work day for the last three weeks, yes, I think I’m willing to go with the word hate. I’m wondering if he’d mad at me because I turned down the store offer in Barrington Hills. Which is a good thing, because now they aren’t going to open. It didn’t make sense to open another store so close to the one downtown. Dallas, maybe. Dallas or Houston are two areas screaming for Ramsey’s, and they’ll work there.”

“I doubt it. Business is business. Did someone tell you that he was going to go to the store? You should also mention it as a suggestion. It sounds like a good one.”

“Maybe, no, no one said he was going to the store, but it’s expected. He comes and pats us all on the head, says keep up the good work then we don’t see him until the holiday party. I just don’t understand why he hasn’t come yet.”

“Kate, I know we had plans for a movie, but today was a busy day. Can we stay in instead?”

“Sure, we don’t have to go out. We go out a lot, and it’s nice, but staying in is fine too. For the record, we don’t have to go out a much as we do.”

The last two weeks have been an easy and comfortable blur. Dinner or lunch was as often out as we did delivery, because I don’t cook. There were a few visits out to mov

ies and the theatre. Trey seemed more concerned about going out and filling the hours, but I just as often wanted to stay home in bed with him. When he apologized for nearly attacking me when he came over one night and all hopes of making the play we were supposed to see were gone, I laughed. When I asked why it was a big deal when I was so much happier in bed with him, he very seriously said he wanted to make sure I knew he appreciated me as much outside of bed as in it. Those words warmed me up inside, and I wasn’t able to hold back a smile. Seeing the smile, Trey rolled me under him and fucked me savagely, to my utter delight.

“I’ll remember that. Come here. I want to fill you up tonight.”

His words make me wet. There’s a light in his eyes that makes me melt into his arms.

“Kate, will you consider therapy?”

It’s the last thing I expect him to say. I flinch back from him. It feels like he’s saying I’m not good enough as I am.

“Don’t do that, baby. Don’t look like that. As good as this feels, it can be better. You only just stopped begging me to turn off the lights at night. You know how good it feels when you’re riding me, but you don’t do it unless I put you there. I want it to be just you and me, not the ghosts that haunt you when we are together.

No shame, no guilt, you deserve to enjoy your orgasm and pleasure. You’ve come far, you have, and you should be proud of yourself.”

A hand goes into my hair and draws my eyes back to his. “An orgasm always feels good, it’s natural. No matter who is pressing the buttons or why, that’s nature working. For you to want an orgasm is natural it’s a powerful high, and there isn’t a damn thing wrong with wanting to feel that good again and again.

When that bastard forced himself on you and made you come, it wasn’t because you wanted it, it was because he hit the right buttons. Do you understand that, baby? Do you really understand?”