That thought was sobering, forcing me to realize that she owed me nothing, and I had lost her.
My life had to go on, and it had to go on without Xiomara. Signaling the waitress who stood in the corner with my empty glass, I continued to keep my gaze trained on Charli.
She was rolling her body from side to side while gyrating until she lowered into a crouch, her hands on her knees as she popped her pelvis forward, stroking between her legs.
Lowering her body to the floor, she slid across it and popped her body in fast jerks and gyrations until she was standing again.
Everything this woman did was sexy and commanding. She used her movements to seduce me and control the moment and captivate me. But I couldn’t help the fact that after a while, my thoughts returned to Xiomara again.
Slowly Charli rolled up again, popping her legs hard from one side to the next before she bent over, ass in the air, slid into a split, and then rolled her fingers across her slit. Tossing her head in circles, her hair twirled around in a halo, and then she blew a kiss.
I turned my glass up again and then swirled the last of my bourbon around in my glass as Charli made her way to me. Sitting on my lap, she worked her body from side to side; her breasts pushed into my face. Despite that, I kept my hands to the side.
Sliding up my body, she planted her stilettos on either side of me, pussy all in my face. My dick was twitching, but my mind was in control.
If I couldn’t have Xiomara, I couldn’t imagine what else I’d want to do that would keep me satisfied. I could tell that I was quickly getting over my addiction to Prestige because I hadn’t gone through with the appointment I’d made. And I did not incline to do so now.
When Charli finished dancing, I tipped her generously and thanked her for the performance.
“Go with your gut instinct,” she tossed over her shoulder as she prepared to leave the room.
“Excuse me?”
“Your mind has been preoccupied all night long. Only once did you get a woody. Now, unless you’re gay, something heavy is on your mind because I know that I’m a beautiful, sexy woman, but you weren’t even tempted to touch.”
“Umm, that wasn’t an insult to you.”
“Oh, trust me, I know that,” she said with a confident smile. “But I also know when men like you come in here, and their focus isn’t on me, it’s either business or a woman. And I suspect in your case, it’s a woman, which means you must be deeply in love not even to be tempted to touch. But either way...go with your gut instinct,” she said, flashing a brilliant smile my way.
Her advice was so simple, yet so real.
My gut instinct was to show up at Xiomara’s house to get the answers that I so desperately needed. No phone call or text message would solve this problem.
I gave a tip to the waitress and left the room. I wasn’t sure what would happen, but I knew that I needed to have one last conversation with Xiomara.
CHAPTER 22 – XIOMARA
“MARA!” MY FATHER GROWLED as I walked into his den after the housekeeper, Charlotte, had summoned me.
I hadn’t gone into the office that day, needing time alone before speaking with my father. I’d opted to go to my mother’s magazine instead.
My hands trembled, but I clenched them together to prevent him from seeing them shake. I’d asked Russell to give me some time to speak to my father after we’d left our getaway vacation. I needed to talk to Lake before telling my father that Russell and I would not be marrying one another.
But I guess that Russell couldn’t hold out, as it was now Tuesday, and I still hadn’t spoken to Lake. I wanted time to figure out a plan to persuade my father I could still run Sheffield Tech.
“Yes?” I asked as I took a step further into his den.
“What is this?” he asked, gesturing at his computer monitor.
Frowning, I approached his desk, wondering what he was referencing. I guess Russell hadn’t snitched after all. At least not yet.
As I drew near his desk, I spotted my mother sitting in a chair on the other side of the door I’d just walked through. Her expression conveyed disappointment in the downturn of her lips, the sorrow in her eyes, and how she turned her gaze away from me.
I could get no details from her and not even a hint of what this conversation would be about. I was certain it had nothing to do with business because my father never included my mother in business discussions.
I walked around his desk, saw his computer screen, and waited while he cued up a video.
It was a clip from the nightly news, and I watched in silence as he turned the volume up.
LADIES, NORTH CAROLINA’S number one bachelor just may no longer be on the market if this image is any indicator. Someone spotted our very own Lake Chambers at the Christmas villa on Cormorant Island with a special lady. A visitor spotted him and caught him on their Instagram live. They shared the video here. Look at Lake, giving a sweet kiss to this special woman on the forehead. Ladies, we all know what that kiss means.
The video switched to a scene of Lake wrapping an arm around me before he pressed a kiss against my forehead. I watched as I snuggled closer to him, and we walked across the street to the Santa who waited to give out gift bags.
The brevity of the moment as I faced my father’s wrath drowned out the fondness of the memories of that night.
I needed to decide what I would do now. Would I stand for my freedom or give in to my father’s demands?
Thinking about the possibility of losing Sheffield
