Finally Ch. 04

As Marie considered her explanation, Sherry looked down at her tea cup, turning it in her hands and thought of the parallels in her own life. What she had with her first husband, though there was nothing wrong with their marriage, compared to what she now had with Rico, was like night and day, which might have been why she'd written the Duke the way she had; handsome, wealthy but devoid of any real emotion, very much like Brian. And she knew she'd never experienced true passion until Rico had shown her what it was like to let go and lose herself in a man like him. She also knew that she'd never loved anyone as deeply until he'd walked into her life and showed her what true love really felt like. So, all she had to do to create the character of sexy Miguel was think of the heated look in Rico's dark stormy eyes when he was aroused and looming over her. Or remember how he'd kiss her almost senseless, whenever they made love. She grinned. And with a body like his, she had all the inspiration she needed to describe a red hot, dangerously sexy lover that had the power to sweep a lady right off her feet.

So, it seems she was doing more than defending her choice of characters in her story. She was also confirming in her own mind that what she had with Rico was more than just a passing fancy, it was real love. And now she could hardly wait to tell him face to face exactly how she felt about him.

Driving home, after a surprisingly cathartic and eye-opening visit with her editor and friend, Sherry felt even more convinced that if Rico was game, she'd be more than happy to work on their very own happily ever after with him.

Grinning coyly, buzzing with anticipation, she decided the minute she got inside, instead of waiting to get upstairs and change, just to see his reaction, she'd tear off her dress right inside the front door and meet him in the kitchen in just her black lace bra, matching panties and sexy heels. Since she had a feeling he'd be waiting impatiently for her to follow through with the re-enactment of their first wildly erotic night together, like she'd promised, he'd definitely be game for a fun night of sensual exploration.

But when she drove up to her house and saw that his truck wasn't in the driveway, she wondered where he could have gone since he'd told her he'd be waiting. Then she remembered he'd mentioned the broken desk lamp in her office and thought he might have needed to get a part to try and fix it.

As thoughtful a gesture as that was, she was so eager to get them out of their clothes and naked in her kitchen that she hated that she had to wait for him to get back.

So, deciding to do as she'd promised, once she got inside she went upstairs and changed into her little tangerine thong bikini, just for the fun of seeing his eyes pop when she sauntered up to him, slipped her tongue between those perfect lips of his and kissed the hell out of him, knowing how quickly he'd be bending her over the counter to show her just what happened when she dared to tease him.

But after finishing her second glass of wine sitting out by the pool, she checked her phone and when she couldn't see anything she'd missed, and saw how late it was getting, she began to wonder what was taking him so long. She just hoped he wasn't running from store to store to find the right part, since the lamp wasn't that expensive, and could easily be replaced. However, seeing as her very own stud-muffin was the only one who could give her what she needed right now, she wondered if she should phone him and tell him she was waiting. But she nixed the idea when she thought of all the running around he'd probably already done to try and make the thing work, to have to tell him to forget about it and just come home.

So, she grabbed a big beach towel to cover up from the lounge chair beside her, and decided that maybe she'd have a little nap while she waited, since they had been up pretty late last night with all the kinky fun they'd had in bed.

She was asleep for hours, before she woke up feeling chilled. Blinking up at the star filled sky, she realized it was pitch dark out. Then, with a sinking feeling, it suddenly dawned on her that maybe he wasn't coming back.

Sitting in his condo, Rico had his phone in his hand, so tempted to call her. But hating the thought of having to hear her tell him it was over and that she never wanted to see him again, he put it back down, closed his eyes and tried again to fall asleep on the couch.

As he tossed and turned, he thought that the kids must have sensed that he was feeling down, since they went to bed pretty early without any arguing, and his sister had said goodnight and gone to bed right after them.

So, now all he had was his thoughts to keep him company; and an ache in his chest that just wouldn't go away.

Deciding he wasn't coming back, Sherry made her way upstairs. When she got to her bedroom and looked down at the bed they'd shared, blinking back tears, she wondered why he'd just walk out and not even say goodbye. But then again, she'd always thought that one day he'd come to his senses and wonder what he was he doing with someone like her, when he could have almost anyone he wanted and most of them half her age, and able to provide him with something she never could -- children.

But just in case something had happened to him, she sat down on the edge of the bed, picked up her phone and decided to call him.

When he answered, she cleared her throat and said, "Hi," and then waited to see what he'd say.

When "Hi," was all he said back, she knew for sure that he'd left her.

"So..." not sure what to say, to salvage what little was left of her pride, she blew out a shaky breath and said, "...just thought I'd remind you that you left some of your things here, and I wasn't sure what you wanted me to do with them."

Rico sat up and looked at his phone, and realized that it really was over if she was only calling because she wanted him to come and get his stuff out of her house. Finally, he managed to say, "You can put it in a box in the garage, or throw it out, it's up to you."

Sherry wiped at her eyes, shocked at how detached he sounded. So, they really were done, and he couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye, or even tell her why it was over. She never imagined he could be so heartless. After she managed to swallow past the lump in her throat, she nodded. "Okay, I'll leave it in the garage for you. And you can get it whenever you want."

"Goodbye, Sherry," he said, hoping she'd say something so he could understand what went wrong.

But when all she did was say, "Bye, Rico," he hung up and tossed aside his phone, dropped his head into his hands and tried to figure out what he could do, aside from begging, to make her reconsider.

Sherry barely slept a wink after that, so when she heard her phone chiming at ten in the morning, bleary-eyed, she threw her arm out and grabbed it, praying with everything she had that it would be him.

But when she blinked herself awake and looked at the call display, she was surprised to see it was his sister Liv. "Hi, Sherry, hope I didn't wake you. It's Liv, Rico's sister. And I just thought I'd call and see how you were doing."

Tempted to lie and tell her she was fine, so she wouldn't have to admit that her brother had decided out of the blue to dump her, she thought, what the hell. Liv probably knew her brother better than anyone, and maybe she could fill her in on why he'd acted the way he had.

"Actually I didn't sleep too well last night. Not sure if your brother mentioned that we um... broke up."

"Yeah, he told me. And he didn't sleep much either, by the looks of him. He's in the shower now, and the kids and I are giving him a wide berth, so he can deal with what's happened."

Sherry decided to tell her the truth. "What happened was he dumped me and never even bothered to say goodbye. There was no fight, no discussion, nothing. He just walked out and didn't even leave me a note."

Liv blinked. "Wait a minute. You're saying that Rico dumped you?"

"Yes. I called him last night just to be sure he was okay, because I didn't know where he was. And I used the excuse that he'd left some of his things here, but he just said to put it in a box in the garage and then he said goodbye. So, obviously it's over."

Liv sat down at the table, keeping her eye on the bathroom, just in case her brother walked out and overheard her butting into his business. "Okay, then something's not making sense here, Sherry. Because Rico came home looking like he'd been run over by a truck. I've never seen him looking so devastated. And he told me that you were the one that tossed him to the curb, without even telling him why."

Sitting up in bed, Sherry couldn't believe her ears. Now she wondered what the hell had happened between the time she'd left the house, when they'd been planning a fun re-enactment of their first night together, and when he'd walked out deciding he was done with her.

So, leaving out the sexy plans they'd had, she told Liv what had happened before she left for her meeting with her editor, and how Rico even walked her out to the car and kissed her goodbye and told her he'd be waiting for her. And he said he was going to fix her lamp in her office... then her mouth fell open, as it struck her. Since she was in the habit of leaving her computer on, if he'd taken a look at the last thing she'd been writing when he was in there, he might have misunderstood and thought her decision to end it with the handsome rogue in her story was about them, when she'd only been creating some dramatic tension in her latest novel between the couple, who would eventually work it out.

"Liv, I think I know what happened." Then she told her about the book she was working on, and where she'd left it and that Rico might have thought it was what she was thinking about him, and that she'd decided to end it. "So, I think he walked out on me so he wouldn't have to face me, assuming I was about to tell him we were done."

Liv's eyes popped. "Holy crow, I bet you're right. If Rico read that for sure he might have thought you meant him. And I could see his pride wouldn't let him stay to face you, if he assumed you were only going to tell him to leave. Sherry, I think you two need to talk this out. Or, if you want, I could ask him if he read anything on your computer, and see what he says. And I can call you back when he tells me one way or the other, then you can decide what to do after that."

Pretty sure of what he'd seen, and how he'd misunderstood it, Sherry shook her head. "No, don't say anything about what he might have read. Just tell him I called and told him to come and get his stuff tonight, and we'll have our talk when he gets here."

Liv started to grin. "Okaay."

Later that night, Rico pulled his truck into Sherry's driveway, wondering why the hell she'd call his sister of all people to tell him to come and get his crap now, like it couldn't have waited for another day. Deciding he might as well get it over with, he got out and walked to her front door and rang the bell, just like he'd done the first night he'd laid eyes on her in that tiny little thong bikini, that got him hard almost before he'd set foot in her house.

A moment later he felt his mouth fall open when Sherry answered the door, once again clad in just that tiny scrap of orange Lycra that barely covered her amazing breasts and did nothing to hide the perfection of her tight little ass, never mind barely concealing her pussy.

"Come on in," she said with a crook of her finger, and proceeded to sashay her sweet little backside all the way to the kitchen, exactly like she'd done that first night. And his cock seemed to remember it too, because fuck, he didn't know if he'd ever been harder in his life. His mouth watering for a taste of her, he wondered why the hell she'd want to answer the door like that, unless she was hoping to make him lose his freaking mind. "You want a drink?" she asked him, holding up a bottle of white wine, once she'd reached the center island.

"Sure," he said, not even sure what she was trying to prove by teasing him like this.

When she handed him a glass she said, "Sorry, I didn't get a chance to box up your things. I've been busy writing all day. I've got this story I'm working on, and the woman has to decide if she wants to go against everything she's been conditioned to believe for the man she loves, a dark and handsome slightly dangerous rogue, or if she should go with what's expected of her and agree to a loveless marriage to a dead boring aristocrat. Yesterday before breakfast I started the scene where she contemplates ending her love affair with the man she really wants. But that's just dramatic tension designed to make the reader root for the two to make it work, hoping she'll pick the handsome swarthy rake over the uptight Duke. Because everyone knows the course to true love never runs smooth, or it would be a pretty boring read if it was nothing but rainbows and hearts and flowers from beginning to end. Don't you think?"

Staring at her hard, Rico put down his wine glass as he realized what she was saying. "So, you're saying what you wrote yesterday... was just part of a story?"

Trying to keep a straight face, she nodded. "Yes. I was writing what was going on in the lady's head as she contemplated breaking up with the man she loved."

Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "And I read that."

"Did you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I went up to take a look at your light and noticed you'd left your computer on, and I was curious to see what kind of books you wrote. And I assumed from what you'd written that you'd had enough of me and wanted me gone."

Seeing the pain in his eyes, she stepped close and stroked her hand along his bristled jaw, shaking her head. "Never, Rico. Not when I love you as much as I do. I'd never do anything like that, letting you read what I feel about you on a screen, instead of talking it out with you face to face."

Still not too sure, he narrowed his eyes on her. "Okay, then why did you tell me to come get my stuff?"

Sliding her thumb over his sexy full bottom lip, tempted to lean in and nip it with her teeth, supressing a smile, she said, "So we could talk. Otherwise, I didn't know how I'd get you to come back."

Heaving a sigh of relief, he slipped his arms around her and smoothed his hands down over the silky softness of her bare ass, and rolled his eyes, blown away by the feel of her warm, soft flesh that he never thought he'd get a chance to touch again. "I can't believe I walked out without talking to you first," he murmured, dusting kisses along her jaw.

Shivering from the feel of his lips trailing a path to her ear, her breath already coming hard and fast, as her nipples began to tighten, she nodded. "Seems neither of us could swallow our pride, because I couldn't bring myself to ask you why you'd left, which almost broke us up."

Rico pulled back and looked into her eyes, so relieved he could weep. "Sherry, I'm not ashamed to tell you, just the thought of losing you almost killed me. And now that I really know how I feel about you, I never want to go through anything like that again."

She smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "Believe me, neither do I. Funny thing was, after I'd finished my meeting with Marie, I was looking forward to coming home and slipping out of my clothes so I could tell, and show you, just how much you mean to me -- but you were gone."

Blowing out a breath, he shook his head. "I'm really sorry. I should never have walked out. And if I hadn't have been nosing around on your computer, none of this would have happened. But from now on, we're going to talk things out whenever we need to, I promise."

Coyly smiling up at him as she ran her curious fingers down over her chest to his fly, Rico grinned right back and squeezed her ass, as his gaze landed on her full ripe breasts and the sight of her fully erect nipples poking at the fabric, that had his mouth watering for a taste.

"You know the other thing I noticed is that you're wearing the same little bikini you had on that first night I came over, when you got me so hard I bent you over the counter and let you have a feel of what you did to me. So... does this mean you forgive me for being such an ass?"

She nodded and ran her hands up over his chest, till her fingers were sliding into his hair, softly moaning at the delicious feel of his erection pressing hard against her belly. "Yes, I forgive you. And I've got a feeling I'm getting the same reaction tonight as I did then."

He grinned. "Oh, you are definitely going to get it tonight." He took hold of her by the chin. "But not until I get a chance to have a taste these lips."

Sighing, Sherry pushed up on her toes as Rico wrapped her tightly in his arms and kissed her till she was breathless and helplessly listing against him. "Mmm, I'm so glad you came by tonight."

"You and me both," he said, dusting grateful kisses all over her face, overjoyed at the feeling of having her in his arms again. Slipping his hand behind her neck he untied her bra top, rolling his eyes at the sight of her gorgeous breasts spilling free, especially her delectably hard pink nipples, practically begging for him to have a lick.

Dropping his head, he groaned as he traced his tongue around each one, sucking them deep into the heat of his mouth one after the other, he feasted on her breasts, till had her squirming and mindlessly grinding her pussy against his throbbing erection, obviously desperate for relief. Slipping his hand into her bikini bottom for a feel of her, he muttered, "Damn, baby, you're soaked."

Too overwhelmed to even speak, all Sherry could do was nod, he had her poor pussy on fire, and her breasts tingling so hard she could barely think, never mind see straight, she needed him inside her so badly.

When he pushed her bikini bottom down to the floor and slid two fingers inside her, the way she was twisting her fingers into his hair as he tugged at her nipples with his teeth, while giving her a juicy little finger fuck, he knew she was already close, and so was he, his cock already pulsing like a bastard, ready to explode. His balls had never felt so tight or as heavy, and he knew he had to get naked and slide inside her to give them both what they needed before he lost his freakin' mind.

Impatiently tearing his clothes off, he cast them aside. His eyes roaming over her luscious body, her hair loose around her shoulders, naked and shivering, with her nipples diamond hard, and the air ripe with the scent of her arousal, looking too fucking hot to be real, he grasped her around the waist and turned her around, his cock visibly pulsing, all he knew was that he needed to fuck her and fuck her now.

Sherry was nearly crawling onto the countertop, clawing at the cold, hard granite, so eager to feel him pushing inside her, her breath coming hard and fast, her pussy almost convulsing with need, felt like it was going into spasms.

As he dug his big strong hands into her hips, his heart hammering in his chest so hard he could feel it echoing in his ears, Rico leaned close and whispered against her neck, "Baby, I can't hold back. This is going to be fast and hard, but I promise later I'll give it to you nice and slow."

Desperately panting, barely able to catch her breath, she gasped, "I don't care. Just give it to me, Rico. Give it to me hard, and give it to me now!"

Chuckling, he grasped his cock and slid it up and down over her quivering slit, so wet, and so hot and so fucking ready to be plundered. Eager to please, and give her just what she needed, he pushed in and thrust, till he had her hips slamming up tight against the counter and both of them gasping as he went balls deep, straight up inside her with one hard flex of his hips.