Betrayed (Dark Desires 2)

“I have to go now, Calvin,” she said abruptly and got up from her chair.

“Go where? Back?” Calvin asked, standing up with her.

“Yes, I have to be back for the girls. I have a job,” she said and picked up her purse.

“Promise me you’ll think about this, babe. Please take the ring with you,” Calvin said and she felt him thrust the box into her hands. Veronica had no choice but to accept it, and with that she turned away from him and started rushing towards the doors of the restaurant.

She could sense that a lot of eyes were on her, on them, but she didn’t care right now. She needed to breathe, she needed to think.

“Veronica, I love you,” she heard Calvin’s voice behind her. She turned to see him standing next to their table still. He had called it out to her, loudly, for everyone to hear. She gulped and tried to force a smile on her face.

“I love you too,” she said, more to herself than to him and she didn’t wait to see if he had heard her.

When Thomas pulled up outside the mansion, Veronica got out of the car quickly. She was feeling suffocated and was constantly too aware of the velvet box in her purse. She hadn’t taken it out or looked at the ring once since she got into the car. Her mind was dizzy with thoughts, her knees felt weak as she hurried towards the front door.

It was way before midnight, but the house looked dark. She was certain that the girls were asleep and also hoped that Frank had gone to bed.

Just as she was about to push the front door open though, she found Frank swing it inward. He was standing on the other side, with one hand pushed deep into the pocket of his pants. He was casually dressed, in a thin plaid shirt and khaki pants. He looked handsome and relaxed, with his thick beard covering most of his face. He still had his reading glasses on, so Veronica assumed that he had been working in his study and had been alerted of her arrival by the sound of the car.

“You’re home early,” he said gruffly and stepped aside to let her in.

Veronica could barely control her emotions. Seeing Frank was just too much. Carrying the diamond ring in her purse was a whole other ball game. Why hadn’t she just said no to Calvin, there and then? Why hadn’t she confessed everything to him? Surely, he wouldn’t have wanted to marry her if he knew that she was sleeping with Frank Davenport all these weeks!

“Yeah, I wasn’t feeling too well,” she said, stepping past him into the darkened foyer. The crystal chandelier was above them, an instant reminder of the world of difference between Calvin and Frank.

Calvin was successful, ambitious and young. Frank was rich, established and much older. He was looking at her curiously now, with his dark brows crossed. He didn’t buy her excuse.

“How did it go?” he asked, stepping towards her.

Veronica didn’t step back, she was under his spell again. Just setting her eyes on Frank was enough to remind her of just how he made her feel. Her body was reacting to his presence already.

“It was…” she began to say, and Frank stepped even closer and took her purse off her shoulder and flung it to the side.

“Don’t tell me the details,” he whispered, bringing his lips close to hers. Veronica felt a shiver run down her spine. He had begun leading her toward his study, in the dark, without making any loud sounds.

“The girls are asleep so we can be together,” he said, gripping her hand tightly. He hadn’t even given her a chance to explain herself. What did he assume had happened at the dinner?

Veronica remained silent as she entered the study with him. The table lamp on his desk was still on, and there were papers strewn everywhere.

“I was trying to concentrate on my work, but I couldn’t,” he said and gently closed the door shut behind them. “I was thinking about you all evening. I couldn’t help but be jealous. I didn’t want to imagine you and him together,” he continued and encircled his arm around her waist and drew her close to him.

She could feel her breasts pressed tightly to his chest, and she drew in a sharp breath. Veronica was suddenly afraid of what he was going to do. At the same time however, she couldn’t deny that her body was reacting to his touch. She was aroused by him already, and he had barely even touched her.

“Frank, I…” she said, and bit down on her lip as she looked up at him.

“We don’t have to talk about it now,” he said gently and lowered his face so that he could graze her cheek with his lips. She felt a quiver between her legs. The coarseness of his beard as it grazed her soft flesh was enticing. She suddenly felt an incredible urge to kiss him.

“For now I’m just happy that you’re home so early,” he added, before pressing his lips to hers. Their breaths caught in their throat as they started kissing. She felt his hands gripping her waist tightly while his tongue parted her lips and searched her mouth.

Veronica couldn’t help but compare the differences between Calvin and Frank. With Calvin, she had felt no inclination to touch him. She went cold in fact when he took her hand. With Frank, she could barely keep her hands to her self.

When Frank drew his face away from her, Veronica was out of breath.

“Did he compliment your dress?” he asked gruffly, in a low growl. His fingers found the hem of her skirt and he was pulling up the fabric of her dress. Slowly sliding it up her thighs as he leaned her backwards by the waist.

Veronica held on to his arms tightly, digging her nails into his shirt as she arched her back.

He had sent goosebumps all over her skin as his fingers continued to pull her dress upwards, till it was bunched up at her waist.