Tariq's dark grey Aston Martin DB11 drove up to the Crimson Monarch Hotel. He got out and handed the valet the key as he rounded the car and opened the door for Hannah.

His eyes could not help but travel up her long legs as she stepped out. She had spread her thighs slightly wider than she had to on purpose, smiling seductively as she flashed him as she stood.

"You damn tease. Of course, you're not wearing panties," he groaned softly in her ear.

Hannah gave him playful look, their arms linking together.

As they entered the lobby, Tariq whispered, "If I had known that when I picked you up, we would have definitely been late."

"Promises promises," she grinned seductively.

Mr. Rochford had been waiting for them, his face lighting up immediately as he spotted Hannah. He could not help but appreciate and admire her body as he remembered their passionate night almost a month ago.

"Welcome back my dear, it's so good to see you again," he embraced her a little too intimately before he was introduced to Tariq, greeting him with an overly firm professional handshake, "Greetings Mr. Maalouf."

Tariq gave a curt nod as he returned the handshake, his hold equally as tight, "It's Dr. Maalouf."

Hannah noted the men's handshake going on longer than usual, as though trying to break the other's fingers. It seemed as though they were seizing each other up, their male egos temporarily overtaking their manners as well as common sense.

Raising an eyebrow, she spoke up, "Ahem! If you two are finished puffing out your chests, I suggest we proceed with visiting the space. I assume that everything was prepared?"

The men parted immediately at the sound of her voice. They cleared their throats as they straightened their postures.

"Most certainly, anything for you Hannah. If you both would follow me," Mr. Rochford led them down an elegantly decorated hallway.

Tariq did not miss the way Mr. Rochford looked at Hannah, while a sense of pride as well as possessiveness washed over him. Leaning into her, his hand resting on her hip as he hugged her lower back, he whispered as they followed behind the hotel owner.

"By the way he's eye-fucking you I'd say that he was part of cupid's queue," he said, his voice playful.

Winking at him, she replied, teasing him back, "Are you jealous?"

Tariq's fingers tightened on her hip, "I'm not jealous. I'd like to think of it as me being territorial. Jealousy is when you yearn for something that doesn't belong to you. Territorial is protecting what's already yours."

As if to prove a point, he slowly licked the side of her neck before gently biting down onto it. Hannah softly moaned as his touch sent a rush straight to her core and she felt herself moisten instantly at his words.

Trying her best to hide how aroused his words had made her she replied, "I don't remember agreeing to being yours, I clearly missed that memo."

"You know what I mean," he softly mumbled.

He silently cursed himself for letting the 'yours' comment slip past his lips. Tariq did not want to put any labels on what they were until he knew Hannah was ready. There was a silent rule between, they were exclusively sleeping with each other. But that did not mean that she was off limits to dropping him and going to be intimate with someone else if she suddenly felt like it.

It was obvious by the way Mr. Rochford had looked at Hannah that the two had a history. Tariq knew that they had been intimate just from the way the man embraced her. However, this did not bother him one bit. Hannah's sexuality was hers and he was not about to dictate how she expressed it. Especially where her past was concerned.

"She may have had many lovers, but I'll be the last," he quietly said to himself.

Mr. Rochford led them to the largest and most elegant ballroom of the hotel. He handed them each a brochure, then proceeded to give them a tour of the space. The area was decorated in a neoclassical style with a grand marble Rotunda with Corinthian pillars and a variety of dramatic skylights that could create a theatrical backdrop for any sort of ceremony. The large crystal cut chandeliers as well as the gold trimmings in the crown moulding gave the room that extra touch of elegance. The room could easily fit up to three hundred and fifty people, which would leave more than enough room to accommodate everyone.

Hannah had immediately fallen in love with the place when she first saw it. She wanted to get Tariq's opinion before she went back to Mikayla and Damien who ultimately would decide which venue they would choose. Although so far, they seemed to like everything that she had suggested.

As they finished the tour, Hannah thanked Mr. Rochford who replied, "No problem at all my dear, get back to me as soon as you can. I'll hold the room especially for you to ensure that you get the date that you want."

"You're too kind," she said.

Mr. Rochford smiled, "Anything for you my dear," turning to Tariq he nodded, "it was a pleasure meeting you Dr. Maalouf."

Linking her arm into the curve of his elbow Hannah asked as they walked towards the restaurant, "What was that back there Dr. Maalouf? I've never heard you correct anyone in these last two weeks."

Running his free hand through his hair, "Should I have introduced myself as Mr. Oil Tycoon instead?" He grumbled as he added, "Cocky bastard, showing off with his fancy hotel. I should just buy the whole damn building."

Hannah threw her head back and laughed, "Oh my, you really are jealous, aren't you?"

A waiter led them to one of the private booths and she could not help but scoot closer to him as she gazed playfully at his face. Turning to look at her, his eyes softened as he took in just how beautiful she was. He was really beginning to fall for her and the mere thought that this might all just be a game to her was slowly beginning to tug at him.

"I just didn't like the way that he kept eye-fucking you in front of me, I'm sorry," Tariq apologised.

A part of her understood why he was irritated. She surprisingly often found herself a little exasperated by the way women kept tripping over themselves at the sight of him whenever they were out together. Biting her lips, she took his hand and brought it up between her legs so that he could feel how wet she was.

"Mmmnnn, you were just being territorial right?" she moaned softly as she writhed against his open palm.

Tariq's eyes darkened at what he felt like was a silent hidden meaning, "That wetness better be because of me." he murmured against her lips.

"Who else?" she sighed as she felt his finger enter her.

With that, he kissed her passionately, his teeth gently biting on her bottom lip before devouring her mouth possessively. Tariq did not kiss Hannah gently; his lips were bruising, almost greedy, as though trying to make a statement. His fingers moved expertly as her body orgasmed beautifully for him.

He licked his fingers as he watched her flushed cheeks, "Nothing like dessert before dinner."

————— ▲ —————

"No matter how many times I visit, I still can't get over how amazing your place is!" Hannah exclaimed as they entered the foyer of Tariq's penthouse.

In response, Tariq shoved her against the wall of the hallway as soon as he closed the door. He kneeled before her as he pushed her dress up over her hips. A groaned escaped him as he noticed how her inner thighs glistened with her arousal in the faint light.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful. Oh, how easily you bring me to my knees," he muttered against her heated flesh.

Wasting no time, he leaned in and used his tongue to lick from her inner thigh up to her quivering core. Hannah was sopping wet and Tariq loved the feeling of her swollen lips as his tongue slid up and down her slit.

"Whoa!" Hannah gasped out; a bit surprised at his eagerness.

The way his fingers and mouth were moving, she knew that it would not take long for her to cum. It was something that she was slightly annoyed by.

Usually she had a decent handle on her body's reactions. However, where Tariq was concerned, with just a single touch, he easily had her trembling, excited for more.

Pushing the thought out of her mind, she grabbed his head and pressed it against her needy folds, moaning. He licked at her, coaxing as much as he could from her body. Hannah's whimpers filled the room and Tariq could tell that she was close by sounds that she made.

Paying attention to her swollen clit, using his tongue, he circled around the nub, flicking back and forth at it. When he switched to an up and down grazing action, she grabbed at his head and pulled it into her even harder as she screamed, shattering unexpectedly against his mouth.

Tariq eagerly licked at her inner lips as she gently came down from her high. He looked up at her lust-sated face, her blue eyes mesmerising as she looked down at him and smiled. As he stood, he quickly pushed his pants down, his erection sprang free. Picking her up, he immediately pressed her back up against the wall of the hallway.

Hannah wrapped her legs around his waist as he kissed her fervently, her own lips moving with the same passion and need. Their hearts were beating fast and after a while, they had no choice but to break their kiss to catch their breaths.

"You make me so crazy," he murmured against her lips as he lowered his zip and released his erection.

He rubbed the tip of his shaft against her soaked slit and slammed into her the same moment his lips crashed against hers. Their moans mixed together before Tariq pulled away to leave a blaze of fiery kisses against her jaw. He could not decide which felt better, sliding himself inside of her, feeling her engulf him, or the deep sounds he could feel vibrating through her throat before they left her mouth.

Their combined sounds of pleasure were heard as he pressed harder against her, digging himself as deep into her wetness as he could. Hannah's muscles thrummed and quivered around him like a scorching glistening glove. His hands that had been holding on to her thighs slid to her ass, loving the feel of it as it clench whenever her hips pushed against his. The feeling of her tightness wrapped around him felt so good, but he desired more, he needed more, he needed to be deeper.

Tariq suddenly pulled out, causing Hannah to gasp in surprise. He bent down a bit to anchor his hands under her legs, as he hoisted her higher into the air, pressing her against the wall once more.

Looking down at their joined bodies he could not help but be transfixed by what he saw. The dewy lips of her core, pouting open in shades of pink that seemed to glow in the dim light. It was like a work of art, the beauty of which threatened to engulf him. He buried his face in her neck as he felt her lips divide and spread around him.

"Hannah..." his voice sounding tortured.

They met hip-to-hip, his body moving as deep as it could get into her, their gasping breathes echoing across the walls. There was something different about tonight. Thrusting against each other, their pelvis' rolling and jarring with her long legs spread as they fucked against the wall, pushing each other harder and harder.

"Oh, shit Tariq!" she cried out.

He felt another orgasm rising within her. The churning and gripping of her flesh around him were so intense, as if trying to suck him into her as much as possible. When her body climaxed, he felt a gushing of wetness bathe his shaft. The added slickness was his undoing as he felt himself swell and explode deep within her.

Tariq did not know if he came for ten seconds or ten years, but he never wanted it to end. Just to feel her wrapped around him as he came was pure bliss. Hannah's face was completely flushed as she tried to catch her breath. Her fingers tightened in his hair as she pulled him towards her lips so that they could kiss once more.

————— ▲ —————

A few hours later, Hannah and Tariq lay on his bed, their bodies sticky with the residue of their continued passionate activities.

They were blissfully sated; Hannah was curled up next to him. With a lazy smile, she lay partially on top of him. Her hand idly playing with his chest hair before moving down to graze the trimmed fuzz of his pubes.

Hannah had always liked her men with a bit of hair. She found herself liking the way Tariq kept his body well trimmed.

There was something different about the way their bodies came together tonight. The way they had clung to each other spoke of something possessive as well as something else that she could not quiet decipher. She sensed the change, but she could not exactly describe what she was feeling. All she knew was that her body was well satisfied and her mind was at relative peace. Well at least for a few minutes before she started thinking about Tariq and how he was making her feel.

"I think that Mikayla and Damien will love that venue, it's perfect," Tariq said, suddenly breaking the silence.

Hannah smiled against his torso, "I thought it was too."

"Do you see yourself ever getting married," he suddenly blurted out.

Her fingers momentarily stopped moving before resuming as she spoke, "I did, once upon a time. Mikayla and I often spoke about it during our sleepovers when we were in secondary school. But I don't think I'd make a good wife."

Frowning slightly in confusion he dared to ask, "What is a good wife exactly?"

She heaved a sigh as she shifted herself so that she could look up at him, "I don't know, more like Mikayla, I guess? She's amazing"

Tariq's soft chuckle vibrated in his chest as he pulled Hannah even closer to him, "And you aren't?"

"I didn't say that, I'm just a different type of amazing. That and I don't want to end up like my mother. Married to a man that doesn't love her, giving birth to a child with a face that reminded her of him. No thanks," she said solemnly.

He ran a free hand against her cheek, caressing her softly, "Not all marriages turn out that way. But I understand your distaste for the idea of it."

"Oh, I don't mind the idea of it. I enjoy a good wedding. Love is indeed lovely, just for me I never saw myself in such a scenario." she sighed a bit as she leaned into his caress without realising, "Like I told Mikayla recently, it's not that I don't feel worthy of finding love, but I know my issues will probably get in the way."

Tariq smiled a bit at her words, "We all have our problems Hannah, we just have to find someone that's willing to look past them."

He knew that her issues with her parents were holding her back. Nevertheless, he hoped that in time, with his help, she would be able to see that she was not like them. Tariq had to do his best not mention out loud that to him she was perfect, and loved the way that she was and would not change anything about her. However, he knew that it was much to soon to be saying anything of the sort.

Hannah kept quiet as she thought over what he said. Was he trying to say that he would be willing to look past her issues? She had to admit that these last two weeks were not what she had expected. The slight stirrings in her stomach that she got whenever she thought of him unnerved her.

In fact, she was feeling them right now. Anytime Tariq placed his arms around her, she felt more comfortable in his hold than she cared to admit. She wanted to just curl herself into his embrace and fall asleep. Hannah had planned to spend the night, but the unrecognised emotions that threatened to consume her were unnerving. Suddenly, she pulled herself away from him, needing to put distance between them.

Getting out of bed she mumbled, "I have to go."