Page 26 of Someone Like You

Casimir

S ome may say that I took advantage of the moment. I wasn’t an opportunist, but I was strategic. Giselle was a guarded woman when it came to her feelings, especially where I was concerned. Her guard was down, and I wanted to strengthen her with my love.

It took three days before she would speak to me and let me explain what happened between Beth and me that night.

She was in her room packing when it happened, and I had returned home early.

When I finished, she cursed me out, slammed her fists against my chest, and then told me how I failed to protect her despite promising her that I always would.

She broke down crying after that, and I inserted myself into the moment.

I kissed her tears away and worked my way down her neck.

I lifted her in my arms and carried her back to my room.

With her arms locked around my neck, she kissed me passionately, almost desperately, like she was afraid she might lose me.

I lay her on the bed and slowly peeled away her yoga pants and thong.

I kissed her inner thighs and nestled my face between them. Giselle spread her legs wide and cradled my head with her hands. Sliding my thumb through her folds, I stared up at her and spoke.

“I have loved people in my life, Giselle. I even loved Beth for a while. But I have never been in love until now.”

I kissed her clitoris, slid a finger inside of her, and made her whimper.

“Your beauty inside and out gives life to my heart.”

I sucked her clitoris, and she arched her hips up.

“You’re such a giving and honest person. You sacrifice your happiness for that of others.”

I sucked her folds and dragged my tongue through them before I pulled back. I slid two fingers inside of her and scissored them.

“When I asked you who was there for you, it wasn’t to make you feel bad about yourself but to take a look at the choices you make. I wanted you to see yourself the way that I do. I wanted you to recognize the beauty within yourself because I suspected that you didn’t.

I pulled my fingers back and opened her folds so that I could stick my tongue inside of her.

“Cas!” She screamed out as she gripped the sides of my head and plunged up powerfully. I sucked and licked for several seconds before I pulled back.

“I am him. I am that nigga. The one who will always be here for you, Elle.”

She cried out again as I plunged a third finger inside of her as I spoke those words.

When she did, I removed my fingers and used my lips and tongue to make my woman lose her muthafuckin mind and speak two different languages.

I spelled her name inside of her pussy with my tongue.

Tears seeped from underneath her closed eyelids long after she had cum.

When I pulled back, I stood and removed my clothes before I joined her on the bed.

“Remove your blouse and play with your nipples for me, baby,” I instructed as I lifted her legs and wrapped them around me.

Trembling fingers obeyed my command until she lay before me with her blouse wide open and her breasts spilling from her pink lace bra.

Positioned on my knees between her legs, I slid inside of her.

That hot pussy cloaked around me and cleaved to me.

I felt like a key inserted into the lock as she wound up again.

Every stroke, every plunge, and every thrust I gave my woman served to prove to her that she was all I needed. I hadn’t lied.

I had fucked many women, had sex with them, took care of them sexually and gently, but I had never loved a woman.

Being with Giselle and taking care of her physically and mentally let me know that I hadn’t ever really loved Bethany.

I cared about her as a person and as my wife.

I loved her the same as I did Jude, my parents, and other people in my life.

As I slid in and out of Giselle, I envisioned her walking down the aisle to me and taking my last name. I thought about her belly swelling with my seed. In my mind’s eye, I could see her chasing my children around the house, and I could see her sitting on a swing beside me as we held hands.

I pumped inside of Giselle and slowly circled within her, and tears fell from my eyes. The love I felt for her spilled over as she thumbed her nipples, squeezed them, and pinched them. She slid her hand down her belly and rubbed her clitoris as I continued to pump inside of her.

“I love you, Cas,” she whispered.

I squeezed her thighs and lay on top of her to seal us in every possible way. Her legs wrapped around me as I lifted her chin so that I could devour her lips and enjoy the taste of her. She held me close as she sucked on my tongue and licked my lips.

I made love to my woman and eased her fears. Despite the fact that anger grew within me at the memory of her standing there with fear on her face at Bethany’s threat, I kept my calm, and I cherished my woman’s body.

When we erupted, it wasn’t the way that we made love.

None of the gentleness, tenderness, or quiet was there.

It became rough and loud as we both fought it off, wanting to stay in the cocoon we were in a little longer.

My teeth ground together, and she sobbed loudly.

My fingers pinched her hips, and our mouths clashed together as I tried to quiet her sobs and prevent myself from gnashing my teeth further.

We moaned in each other’s mouths, and our bodies became slick with heat and sweat, and they slapped together as I drove deeper inside of her and as she gave up her orgasm.

When she finished, I pulled back from the kiss and rammed inside of her so hard that she screamed, and I roared my pleasure out into the bedroom.

We were lying in bed hours later. I had ordered Chinese and had it delivered. We ate, drank wine, made love again, and showered. Now we were lying in bed beside each other, still wet from our shower.

I pulled my hands through her slightly damp hair as she traced a pattern on my chest.

“How did she find us?”

“Her attorney. We had to make a list of all our assets during the divorce.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about your resigning?”

“I was going to. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about when I came home before Beth showed up.”

“You could have told me before.”

I sighed. “I didn’t want to talk about it the day that I did it. When I woke up that morning, I knew that it was the day, and I felt powerful. I didn’t want you to try to talk me out of it or psychoanalyze me—”

“I don’t do that,” she argued and slapped me on the chest.

I pulled back and looked down into her face with a smile. “Yeah, you do.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Babe.”

“Do I?” she asked and cutely wrinkled her nose.

“Yes, you do.”

She pouted her bottom lip out and apologized. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I choose to engage or not engage. No worries. I just knew that a few mornings ago wasn’t that day. And before the shit hit the fan, I wanted one final day in our cocoon to just love on you and cherish you.”

“But you didn’t tell me that morning either.”

“I planned to. That’s why I got up earlier to take care of my morning routine so I could sit and talk with you before I left. But you were tired, babe, and you weren’t moving.”

“Yeah, I was worn out after the balloon ride.”

“Right. So, I figured I’d do it that evening. I just didn’t expect the unexpected.”

“Wait. There’s no way that you came to a major decision like that the other morning. How long had you been planning that?”

“Long before I met you. Well over a year ago, I set the date that would be my final date at the company.”

“You’ve always planned to leave her?”

“Not at first, no. But I never wanted that position.”

“Wow. You had this entire life thrust upon you that you didn’t want. Most men would have loved to be in your position.”

“I’m not a man who likes to be controlled or manipulated, baby.”

“Most men don’t.”

“But for a dollar amount, they can be convinced to look the other way.”

“Didn’t you?”

“No. I looked the other way for the sake of my father, the general.”

“I’m sure that he won’t be pleased when he gets a hold of you.”

“He already has. I stopped by my parents’ house on the way home that day. My mother knew that something was going to happen, but she didn’t know the details. She wasn’t surprised, but the general was upset. He supports me, though, no matter what.”

“How are you going to take care of yourself? Do you have a savings account until you can find something else? Will they try to sabotage your efforts at getting another job?”

“No. None of that is a problem.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind taking care of you and being your sugar mama, but I might be out of a job soon too. This penthouse has been nice, but maybe we’re about to be in the unemployment line.”

Though she spoke those words jokingly, I could see the concern in her eyes.

“Can your man speak for a moment and put your mind at ease, woman?” I asked as I gripped the curve of her hip.

“Sure.”

“Four years ago, I started a travel agency, Atlas Dreams.”

“Cas. Are you kidding me? My family and I use them all the time. How didn’t I know that was you?”

“Most people don’t, including my family. From there, I was able to purchase The Pinnacle and Edgewater. Not long ago, I added The Apex Hotel to my portfolio.”

“And no one knows any of this?”

“No.”

“How?”

“They’re all under an umbrella company, C.A.P. I used my initials to create it.”

“No offense, but I know that your family lived a comfortable lifestyle, but if I’m not mistaken, before you married Bethany, you were a hedge fund manager. I know they make money, but not that type of money. I’m still amazed at how fast you rose in both careers.”

Sighing, I admitted, “I’m not proud of it, but my father has opened many doors for me.

Not that he had to do anything, but his name alone opened doors.

That’s why I started my company. I wanted to do something of my own that had nothing to do with the privilege of him being my father or the privilege of being married into the Huffington and Bradwell families.

“I started as a junior analyst at Smith, Jones & Prather Investment Bank after I graduated college. It’s where I had done my internship, and I remained there throughout my career as a hedge fund manager.

The bank’s owner and my father had regular golf outings every week.

That’s how I leapfrogged from junior analyst into the position of a hedge fund manager, though I was good as hell at what I did. ”

“Did you resent that?”

“No. I won’t lie. I didn’t lean on it, but I did welcome the possibilities.

When I married Bethany, her father and maternal grandfather instantly dubbed me for the role of COO because her grandfather and his entire executive staff were preparing to retire.

His son did not want the position, and they wanted someone in the role who they could manipulate. I didn’t know that at the time.”

“I’m sure that insulted you when you learned it.”

“I already suspected it, but yeah, it stung a bit when I realized that they were calling all the shots. After year two of that, I shut that shit down and began to make my moves and prove my worth.”

“You earned your position.”

“I earned the right to maintain it. I was placed in it because of nepotism. There’s no other way around it. It was what it was, and it pissed a lot of folks off. Anyway, I knew that I wanted to do something that would be free of all of their influence. That’s how I started my business.”

“Where did you get that type of money?”

“My maternal grandparents left me with a nice nest egg that they had been stockpiling since they married. They started it for my mother, but she never touched it because my father took care of her, and they had no need for it. When my parents learned she was pregnant with me, they set it aside for me and continued to grow it. That nest egg, paired with my investments, paved the way for the travel agency. The hotels came from the proceeds of that, my continued investments, and some network relationships I built along the way.”

“Wow. I’m impressed.”

“I didn’t say all that to impress you but to assure you that I can take good care of you.

I purchased this penthouse with the money I earned.

The salary that I earned from Glenco sits in an account, accruing interest. I haven’t touched a single dime from the first paycheck.

I did not need to. Most importantly, when people learn who I am, I don’t want them to associate that with the Huffingtons, and I don’t want the Huffingtons to think they bought shit for me. ”

She leaned up on her elbow and hovered over me. “I’m so proud of you,” she whispered.

I pulled her face down and kissed her passionately.

“Thank you, baby. I just need you to keep loving me, and I’ll be okay.”

“I can do that as long as you’re honest and tell me everything from the rip,” she assured me.

Long after Giselle’s eyes closed, I lay awake late into the night, plotting my next step.