Before midnight Read online

She shook her head. She and Caleb had been talking for thirty minutes. Not only was he charming, she’d also found out they shared a mutual interest in high-risk sport and good books; they even shared some of the same favorite authors. Bite after bite, she felt more and more comfortable with him.

  “Working in the customs area doesn’t sound too easy,” he said, and she frowned in return. “I’m referring to all those legal procedures needed for the import and export of goods into and out of a country. Or did I not understand correctly? Aren’t you a customs agent?”

  That’s what I supposedly do for a living? Lauren asked herself. She had tried to make small talk in order to test the waters without making the wrong move. Little by little, he was giving her clues about what the ‘real’ Marie did for a living and what Spyros (who now she knew was Caleb’s cousin) had told him.

  “Yes, of course,” she confirmed with false confidence. “When I’m not at work, I try not to think about computer systems and all the legal knowledge I usually use.”

  “Of course, that’s completely normal. When someone’s passionate about something, it’s quite easy to work at a fast pace and not to notice it until someone else points it out. I’ll be in town for five more days and the morning after Christmas I’ll fly to New York.”

  My God! Don’t remind me that I’m running against the clock here.

  “Oh, yeah?” she asked, resting her elbows on the table once the waiter had cleaned it.

  “New Year’s Eve is usually a big deal In New York, I guess you know that. Have you ever been in New York?”

  “No, I haven’t” she confessed honestly. “You said you moved your annual meeting here, did your employees go back to the US already?”

  “Those who chose to do that, yes, but some of them preferred to bring their families to Holland during the holidays.”

  “Will your company cover their expenses?” she asked amazed.

  “Of course, the best way to keep a company afloat is having loyal employees. The best way to get that is being a fair employer who’s not afraid to take a step further than the others. In this case, it means to cover additional expenses.

  Laurent felt impressed. The bosses she’d had throughout her work life (she already had ten) could only be categorized as ‘minimum wage for maximum effort’ or “high wage and bonuses if you sleep with your boss”. The last category was the reason why she quit her last job and decided it was time to leave Nebraska.

  “You’re a fair boss… I’m pleased to know that.”

  “Have most of your bosses been bullies?”

  Lauren let out a laugh, if I only had a real job.

  “No, of course not; before accepting a job, I always try to evaluate my potential employers just like they evaluate their candidates.”

  Or at least that’s what everyone should do, she thought.

  Caleb had noticed something different about this woman. He enjoyed puzzles and Marie seemed to be a very interesting one. In fact, he created and deciphered algorithms for a living, so the idea of deciphering the woman in front of him was definitely picking up his interest.

  Women often seemed too easy to read and maybe that was exactly what made them so boring. Marie had only been in his life for a few hours and she had demonstrated to be a very chatty and warm person. The information she had divulged about herself, however, was limited and simple; she knew how to talk without revealing too much.

  “You’re a clever woman.”

  Laurent drank what was left of her jasmine tea.

  “With this job I hope to save enough money to have my own business.”

  “Christmas is a tough time to create business connections. You could maybe close deals but I highly doubt you could start new ones,” he said while signing the check and leaving a generous tip. He pulled out his companion’s seat and they left the coffee shop hastily, trying not to stay under the snow for too long. He offered her a strong and athletic arm wrapped in an expensive coat and she took it.

  While they were running away from the snowflakes that were falling like little cotton balls, Lauren thought how easy it would be if she had to lie to a jerk, but that wasn’t the case for Caleb; his chivalry and sympathy made her feel guilty.

  Going back to the US isn’t going to make you feel better either, an inner voice said.

  They got to the parking lot in a rush and he found the car, unlocking it fast to get in. Caleb’s black coat made his eyes look like deep, blue oceans as if inviting others to swim in them. When Lauren saw the fierce look in his eyes while he told the story of an investor who’d tried to con him, and the way he took revenge for that dishonest act, she realized that as charming as Caleb Bescott was, he could also be a dangerous enemy.

  “This thing about coming from New York to Amsterdam is something that you do each Christmas?” she asked in a casual tone when the heat started to spread in the car.

  Caleb smiled.

  “It’s a long story,” he stated taking out his Italian leather gloves, “but I’m ok with telling you.”

  “I have time to listen,” she agreed.

  Caleb extended his hand and took Lauren’s fingers in his.

  “Marie, we’re both grown-ups and we can be honest. I want you and I hope not to sound too cocky, but I think it’s mutual,” she blushed and grinned, which was enough for him to smile broadly, knowing that he wasn’t wrong. “Let’s spend the next few days together. You can show you me your favorite places in Amsterdam and I’ll show you mine. No strings attached.”

  She laughed and it was a nervous laugh.

  “This is just about tourism then?” she asked slyly.

  “The ‘no strings attached’ part?”

  Lauren let out an honest laugh.

  “No, I agree on that Caleb. That’s good for both of us because we live on different sides of the world.”

  He tilted his head and looked at her intently, “Is that a yes, Marie LeFamn?”

  Damn! I wish you could stop calling me that, Lauren thought, but she knew the cards had already been dealt. She had used that scheme and Caleb was only taking what he thought was right.

  “It’s a yes, Caleb. Although I guess this tour includes more than just our favorite places in town.”

  “Sure thing,” he replied with a wink.

  “And you owe me a story” she whispered. Her gaze was fixated on that man’s eyes.

  He looked at her like a lion that licks his lips in front of his prey, knowing that he would soon be able to enjoy his prize. In this case, his prize was a gorgeous, sexy woman who would also help him to avoid his grandmother’s crazy idea of setting him up with her best friend’s granddaughter.

  “Maybe I could do much more than just tell you a story,” he offered seductively right before pulling away to start the car. He was aware of the fact that if he kissed her in that moment, they would make a show for the rest of the customers in the coffee shop. At thirty-four years old, he knew how to control his libido pretty well, even when he felt the impulse to do something stupid like when he was a teenager.

  “I’d like that,” she whispered.

  ***

  “So, your grandmother likes to play matchmaker,” Lauren noted while they made themselves comfortable on her blue couch. On their way to Lauren’s place, he had started talking about his relationship with Sylvinna and all the dates his grandmother had set up for him since he was twenty-eight years old and single, making him go on each of them by any means necessary. Lauren couldn’t help but laugh at him.

  Inviting him to her place was the most natural move for her. She could have chosen to go back to the hotel, (it wasn’t as if she didn’t know what the next step between them would be) she just wanted to show him at least something real about the person he was with at that moment. It might sound silly; however, it was her way of not feeling as phony.

  Lauren sat cross-legged on the couch and rested her arm against the back of it. If Caleb thought she lived in a place too small for a customs agent, he didn’t mention it.
In fact, he looked truly comfortable there, as if he were in his own place, which was something that made Lauren feel confused and pleased at the same time.

  “Yes, but she knows I’ll always find a way to escape from her schemes,” he joked. “She’s a mischievous lady. She runs her business with an iron hand and wants to do the same with all her single grandkids. Maybe that’s why I don’t dare to tell her that the woman she’s been trying to introduce me for the past three Christmas parties is not the person she thinks she is.”

  “Oh! And who does Sylvinna think she is?” she inquired.

  Caleb looked at her intensely, “an honest person.”

  Lauren gulped and tried to forget that, giving the circumstances, she was anything but honest. “I hate fake people; I prefer to have all cards on the table because, at the end, the truth will always come out, don’t you think?” he asked with his charming low tone of voice.

  “Right,” she answered, trying to give him her most genuine smile. If she thought that Caleb could be a dangerous enemy, now she was absolutely certain of it, “you bet.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Lauren didn’t know who made the first move and she didn’t care either. All she wanted was those seductive lips devouring hers just as intensely as they were. She had expected a playful kiss but what she really got was pure passion, as if nothing could be more important for Caleb than that kiss.

  “I can’t promise you anything but a few nights of unforgettable pleasure; I want to make that clear. I don’t like to play with people’s feelings,” Caleb stated against her lips. He tried to control his breathing while he looked into her eyes and expected an answer. It didn’t matter what had brought them together, she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life thinking ‘what if I had been with him?’ She knew that that answer had a price and she was willing to pay for it.

  “What if after tonight…?”

  “I don’t want to talk about a hypothetical future,” he interrupted. “It’s very hard for me to contain myself right now, get me out of this torture and let me get lost in your body or I’ll take my jacket and leave before I go crazy.”

  “Come here then”, she whispered, pulling his face to kiss him.

  She fell Caleb’s erratic and at the same time methodical moves when he caressed her breasts. His thumbs drew small circles around her nipples, stroking each tip and making them hard. He pinched and squeezed her nipples with his skillful hands while they shared a lustful kiss.

  Lauren had several lovers in the past, not too many but enough for her body to recognize that the man, who was currently undressing her and covering every inch of her skin with his hands, knew how to make a woman beg for release (no matter how proud she was).

  Caleb was anxious to sink in the warm, sensual body of such an eager woman but he didn’t want to just screw on the couch, no. He wanted to see her completely exposed, naked and writhing in pleasure, to contemplate what he would be enjoying all night long and the next few days.

  “Your room?” he asked while Lauren ripped his shirt off and some of the buttons popped off. He smiled. “You’re just as anxious as me.”

  “Or maybe I’m just going crazy,” she replied laughing. She took his hand and urged him to step away for a moment so she could lead him to her room.

  The bed was right next to the window, and the moonlight reflected on the grey sheets made it look like a lustful invitation,

  “Even though I’ve seen you very clearly by now, I can’t stop telling you how gorgeous you are.”

  She smiled.

  “Right back at you, but don’t let it go to your head” she retorted before caressing his firm abs.

  In between kisses they got on the bed, kneeled, completely naked in front of each other. She took and held his hard cock in her hand feeling how warm and firm it was. That, along with his intense and masculine look full of want, increased her burning need to feel him deep inside.

  Her breasts felt swollen and sensitive, she just wanted him to take her and kiss her, she wanted him to feel as lost as she felt, and that’s why she kept stroking him with her hand, feeling the heat and thickness of his manliness.

  “I want you now…” Lauren said with confidence.

  Caleb took her face in his hands and silenced her with a kiss.

  “We’re going to do something different,” he whispered.

  “What…?”

  She couldn’t finish her question because suddenly Caleb’s hands let go of her face and started working wonders on her body; one of them was fondling her breasts and the other one stroking her wet entrance. She devoured his tantalizing mouth and sped up the movements of the hand that was holding his hard cock, keeping it at her mercy.

  “God! I’m going to cum if you keep doing that,” Caleb said, not wanting to cum so soon.

  He moved his lips away from her feminine mouth and lowered them until he caught one of her delicious nipples that screamed for attention. With that movement, Lauren released his cock and threw her head back, surrendering to his expert touch.

  She ran her fingers through his blond hair, holding Caleb’s head and stopping him from pulling away from her pink nipples. She loved the way he sucked and bit them slightly because it caused a tingling sensation between her legs that excited her. Her moans started getting louder as he stroked her with his finger, rubbing, getting her wetter and widening her entrance. Seconds later, with her burning sex throbbing with the most delicious orgasm, she screamed Caleb’s name.

  He took that opportunity to lay her down and position himself over her body.

  “I’d never held back my pleasure for so long just to pleasure a woman, I mean it,” Caleb confessed with a husky voice and dripping with sweat. He watched her just as he had imagined her: wet, exposed and open.

  His long cock ached with the need to conquer her exquisite passage. Her core was pink, wet and swollen, a tempting invitation to plunge into her with his finger, his lips and his length. Caleb wanted to take all the time he needed to taste every single inch.

  “I want you inside of me,” she demanded. “I want to cum while you’re inside, Caleb, and…”

  He silenced her with a passionate kiss.

  “Yes, you will,” he said with confidence before taking his arousal in the palm of his hand and rubbing it against her inner lips to tease her. He wanted to torture her a bit more and he also wanted her to watch him pleasuring himself with her exposed pussy. “Touch yourself.”

  “I…”

  “Grope your breasts while I slip inside of you.”

  She didn’t hesitate too much. No one had ever asked her to touch herself during sex, but she wasn’t going to deny herself the pleasure of experimenting.

  Lauren had never felt such an intense urge to be pleasured again and again. She knew that this was only the beginning of a long, exhausting, delicious and erotic night full of sex.

  “Even though I’m always prepared, are you on the pill?” he whispered resting his elbows on either side of Lauren’s head and settling over her body, ready to shove roughly into the body that was currently under his spell. “You’re exquisitely hot, Marie.”

  The only thing that seemed to break the spell for a second was the fact that he was calling her by another name, not knowing what her true identity was. However, this detail could only be noted by Lauren and it became insignificant a second later because the priority at that moment was to satisfy one of the most basic human needs. She had no other choice but surrender because in that very moment he was giving her one of the most wonderful pleasures that she had ever experienced with a man.

  “Yes, I’m on it. Take me now, Caleb.”

  “Don’t stop touching yourself,” he asked before sliding completely into her.

  “More, Caleb, more,” she moaned, still fondling her breasts. She raised her legs and wrapped them around her lover’s hips, pressing her heels into her ass cheeks to make him go deeper inside of her; she wanted to be filled completely by his manliness. “Yes, just like that ¡Oh
!”

  Caleb felt waves of heat throughout his body every time his hips shoved in and out of her damp, engorged pussy. She didn’t want to analyze her emotions too much; she just wanted to focus on all the sensations and her impending orgasm. She yearned for the climax that would shake every cell in her body.

  “You’re magnificent,” he panted, fastening his movements.

  “I’m about to… oh!” she whimpered when he took her wrists and raised her hands, leaving them at either side of her head.

  “You’re going to cum with me this time,” he demanded.

  He continued to move inside of Lauren and stared at her round breasts with hard nipples that were red due to her own frantic touch. He could still see the wet mark he had left when he enjoyed the taste of the exquisite, pale mounds.

  He leaned over her and kissed her as if it was the first and last time, and with a deep, throaty growl he pushed roughly into her for one last time. After that, the whole world exploded for both.

  The powerful connection between the two of them could be felt in every corner of the room. Shaky breaths, sweaty skin and pulsating orgasms were the only ingredients left until Caleb finally drew back and lay down next to Lauren, holding her closer to him.

  That was just the beginning of a passionate sex night. The bed became an area of temporary rest because the shower, the carpet and the wall were all marked by lusty touches and sexual positions as varied as all the emotions experienced by the two lovers.

  ***

  The next morning, the awkward moment that arrives just after a night of fabulous sex, slipped into the room.

  When she opened her eyes, the only trace of her night with Caleb was a slight ache between her legs and her lover’s sweet-smelling pillow that she had been unconsciously hugging. There was no trace of the reckless man who had changed everything she knew as ‘pleasure’.

  “I guess that’s it,” she told herself with a sigh while she caressed the silk fabric that covered the pillow.

  Why had she gone against her survival principals? She ticked herself off and pushed the sheets aside. Chances were that Caleb would never call her again, even though they had agreed to be together during the rest of his stay.