and with a heavy heart, I stared out the windows. With the clouds so close, I could be in heaven. And soon, perhaps this is where my mother would be. A shudder rippled through me. I didn’t want to leave Philly. I wanted to be with my mother. And I wanted to be with him.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear Ari come up behind me. His brawny arms circled my waist, and his warm breath skimmed my neck. I could feel the rigid rod between his legs brush against my backside. I closed my eyes, and the longing I felt for him surged inside me.
A voice called out from the intercom. Miss Thatcher, obviously too scared to come in, even with a knock at the door.
“Andre is here.”
Ari spun me around and covered my mouth with his. The kiss was hot and passionate, a tangle of lips and tongues. Totally submitting to it, I ran my fingers through his silky hair, still a little damp from our memorable bath. Finally, he pulled away, but kept his hands firm on my shoulders. His beautiful face was just a breath away.
“ Saarah , there’s a black tie ball tonight at the Waldorf; it’s an annual fundraiser honoring the work I do for Meds Without Borders. There’s still one empty seat at my table. My shrink thought it would be a good idea for me to ask you to come.” He paused. “I was going to ask you to come on Tuesday night but…”
His voice trailed off. He didn’t want to think about his ex and neither did I. Collecting himself, he looked deep into my eyes.
“ Saarah, I still want you to be my date—that is, if you don’t have plans with your other ‘boyfriend.’”
Smart aleck! The glow on my face said it all.
“Well, Saarah? ”
“I think I can cancel my other date. I’d love to go.”
The big smile that brightened his face could light up the sky. He kissed me once more, lightly on the side of my neck. Then I froze. Yikes. What was I going to wear? I didn’t exactly have a closet full of ball gowns to choose from. And I couldn’t exactly borrow one from Lauren, who I’m sure had many, because we were built totally differently and wore different sizes.
Ari read my face. “Don’t worry, my pretty princess. Andre will take you to Bergdorf’s. Go to the fourth floor—the Personal Shopping Department. Dawn will be expecting you. She’ll pick out something beautiful for you to wear.”
“B-but, I can’t afford anything at Bergdorf’s.”
He flicked the tip of my nose. “Princess, don’t worry. You can pay me back.”
“But, Ari, I can’t.”
“I don’t mean in dollars.”
Before I could respond, Miss Thatcher’s voice again filtered into the room. “Will Miss Greene still be needing the car?”
Ari rolled his eyes, then gave me an affectionate slap on my ass. “Go. And be ready by six.”
How could this man make everything so much better? He was a healer, emotionally and physically. And he was my lover. If it weren’t for my torn up knee, I would have skipped out the door like a giddy child.
Curling my good hand around the doorknob, I looked over my shoulder. He was leaning against his massive desk, his legs crossed, looking as sexy as ever. Damn him. He was just waiting for me to turn my head.
“ Saarah , don’t be running into any muggers or serial killers. I want you whole tonight.”
“Right.” Smiling, I swung the door open and let it close behind me. I was already dreaming of the night ahead.
Ari
I mmediately after Sarah left, I made two calls. The first to Dawn, the women’s personal shopper at Bergdorf’s, to let her know that I was sending a new client her way and to take care of her. I told her to go the distance and let Sarah have anything her heart desired. My only regret was that my princess couldn’t text me pictures of her naked in the dressing room while she tried on gown after gown. In retrospect, I should have arranged for her to pick up a new cell phone to replace the outdated one that bastard stole. Stupid me. I was just going to have to use my
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t hear Ari come up behind me. His brawny arms circled my waist, and his warm breath skimmed my neck. I could feel the rigid rod between his legs brush against my backside. I closed my eyes, and the longing I felt for him surged inside me.
A voice called out from the intercom. Miss Thatcher, obviously too scared to come in, even with a knock at the door.
“Andre is here.”
Ari spun me around and covered my mouth with his. The kiss was hot and passionate, a tangle of lips and tongues. Totally submitting to it, I ran my fingers through his silky hair, still a little damp from our memorable bath. Finally, he pulled away, but kept his hands firm on my shoulders. His beautiful face was just a breath away.
“ Saarah , there’s a black tie ball tonight at the Waldorf; it’s an annual fundraiser honoring the work I do for Meds Without Borders. There’s still one empty seat at my table. My shrink thought it would be a good idea for me to ask you to come.” He paused. “I was going to ask you to come on Tuesday night but…”
His voice trailed off. He didn’t want to think about his ex and neither did I. Collecting himself, he looked deep into my eyes.
“ Saarah, I still want you to be my date—that is, if you don’t have plans with your other ‘boyfriend.’”
Smart aleck! The glow on my face said it all.
“Well, Saarah? ”
“I think I can cancel my other date. I’d love to go.”
The big smile that brightened his face could light up the sky. He kissed me once more, lightly on the side of my neck. Then I froze. Yikes. What was I going to wear? I didn’t exactly have a closet full of ball gowns to choose from. And I couldn’t exactly borrow one from Lauren, who I’m sure had many, because we were built totally differently and wore different sizes.
Ari read my face. “Don’t worry, my pretty princess. Andre will take you to Bergdorf’s. Go to the fourth floor—the Personal Shopping Department. Dawn will be expecting you. She’ll pick out something beautiful for you to wear.”
“B-but, I can’t afford anything at Bergdorf’s.”
He flicked the tip of my nose. “Princess, don’t worry. You can pay me back.”
“But, Ari, I can’t.”
“I don’t mean in dollars.”
Before I could respond, Miss Thatcher’s voice again filtered into the room. “Will Miss Greene still be needing the car?”
Ari rolled his eyes, then gave me an affectionate slap on my ass. “Go. And be ready by six.”
How could this man make everything so much better? He was a healer, emotionally and physically. And he was my lover. If it weren’t for my torn up knee, I would have skipped out the door like a giddy child.
Curling my good hand around the doorknob, I looked over my shoulder. He was leaning against his massive desk, his legs crossed, looking as sexy as ever. Damn him. He was just waiting for me to turn my head.
“ Saarah , don’t be running into any muggers or serial killers. I want you whole tonight.”
“Right.” Smiling, I swung the door open and let it close behind me. I was already dreaming of the night ahead.
Ari
I mmediately after Sarah left, I made two calls. The first to Dawn, the women’s personal shopper at Bergdorf’s, to let her know that I was sending a new client her way and to take care of her. I told her to go the distance and let Sarah have anything her heart desired. My only regret was that my princess couldn’t text me pictures of her naked in the dressing room while she tried on gown after gown. In retrospect, I should have arranged for her to pick up a new cell phone to replace the outdated one that bastard stole. Stupid me. I was just going to have to use my
Similar Books
