Tamina

I'm not sure how long I'd been there staring at the entrance, contemplating everything that's just happened and how I'm going to tell Brandon, but it doesn't take long for Jasmine to make her return.

"About time. How does someone like you attract the hot ones?"

Brushing past her with a clenched jaw, my muscles try to relax as I busy myself with cleaning the sitting areas until it gets busy enough to distract me until it's time to go home.

Once I'm home, I fire off a quick message to Charlie explaining what's been happening at work between myself and Jasmine, and after that, one is sent to Brandon to meet me tomorrow instead. After the events of today, some space and rest will have me back to my normal self in no time, but I'll admit, Lucius's words shook me.

But what if that's what he wants? Brandon did say he was sly.

Sighing, my head drops onto the arm of the sofa, and I'm not sure how long my eyes close for, but the knock at the door startles me. Shuffling toward the door, I'm quick to swing it open, only to do a double take.

"Brandon?"

A small smile tugs at his lips. "I'm sorry, love, I know you said tomorrow but I had to see if you were OK," he replies, bringing me into his arms before shutting the door.

Wrapping my arms around him, the smile is unstoppable as my face buries into his chest. "Thank you."

Pulling away, he raises a bag with the letter 'm' stamped on it before taking me toward the sitting room. We settle down on the sofa, and he carefully sets the packaging on the coffee table, and he waits for me to start before he does.

"How was work?" he asks, taking a sip of his coke.

"Glad to be home, if I've got to be honest." Turning to face him, I offer, "Any good manuscripts today?"

He chuckles. "Some, so you never know, perhaps there will be new material on the shelves."

Grinning, I occupy myself by munching on a fry before anxiety sets in.

"Um, Brandon?" I start.

"Yes, love?"

Fretting the hem of my top, my eyes struggle to meet his until he guides my chin for them to lock onto his. "You can tell me anything."

Feeling at ease with his confession, it's my turn. "Lucius came in the café. . . I tried not to talk to him, but he's tricky."

"What did he want?"

His tone isn't light anymore, if anything, he sounds displeased. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I answer honestly. "He just wanted a coffee, he got Jasmine off my back, and. . . he gave me advice."

"What kind of advice?" he rasps.

Biting my lower lip and letting it go again, I shrug. "That I should get another job, it's only because he saw Jasmine being a bit rude, that's all," I ramble, knowing it's best to keep the part about Brandon out of it. "But the bad news is, is that he's going to come again to cash in his part of the advice."

He curses under his breath and abruptly stands before pacing the room. When his eyes land on me, they're hard. "I told you not to talk to him, sweetheart."

"I know, but I can't turn away a customer. I tried, and it was harmless, it's not like he tried anything bad. Who knows, the favour will probably be something stupid. Why are you getting all worked up over it?" I retort, making sure to raise a brow for extra measures.

With a rough sigh, he sits down while I'm rising to take the rubbish to the kitchen. When I return, his eyes are soft again. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I just worry for you, that's all. I've seen what he's like, and I don't trust him around you."

Letting out my own sigh, my head nods as I plop down beside him. "It's fine, but you need to trust me. Not only that, but you've got to explain things to me, like, why is he so bad?"

Brandon remains quiet for a few minutes until it gets to the point I'm not sure he's going to even say anything, but he nods. "Not wanting to sound like one of those possessive boyfriends, but Lucius is a man who enjoys the thrill of sleeping with women he knows he can't have. He'll do anything to get his way, even if that means playing dirty, and I'm sure you've seen how sly he can be if he got Jasmine off your back."

A shiver runs down my spine, and multiple scenarios play in my mind, and it's putting me on edge since he pretty much said he was going to return to collect his debt.

My head drops to his shoulder, and we stay in silence and thankfully put it behind us to cherish the embrace. I'm not exactly sure how long we've been holding one another, but it's getting dark, and I'm on the verge of needing my bed.

"Hey, is it OK if we carry this on tomorrow if you're not busy? It's getting late and I'm ready to hit the hay," I giggle and the heat returns to my cheeks. That, and I think paying mum and dad a visit would be a good way to spend a majority of the morning.

"Would it be selfish of me to say I want to cuddle for five more minutes?"

With a laugh, I'm laying back in his arms, only, it doesn't stay five minutes, but it's welcomed. Leaning down, his lips capture mine sweetly, and my body curls against him in response. With a low groan, he delves his tongue in and pulls me closer. Moaning against him, the remembrance of when we were last like this resurfaces; his fingers had pleasured a part of me that hadn't experienced anything so blissful, and it's causing a liquid heat to pool from my belly to my core.

I think I want him. . .

He cups me through my bottoms, and when he starts rubbing, my mind loses control, knowing I'm in need of his touch once more.

"Brandon. . ."

"Yes, sweetheart?" he mutters, sucking my lower lip between his teeth.

I can't say it, it's too embarrassing.

"Tell me what you need, Tamina. . . but are bad girls allowed to be rewarded?"

My eyes widen when his hand slows. "W-what do you mean?"

He chuckles. "You didn't do as you were told, remember?"

"That was an accident!" I exclaim, shamefully pushing myself against him.

Brandon looks as if he's actually debating what to do, and my heart sinks. As quick as it happens, it goes, and his fingers slide past the waistband of my bottoms and into my pants before carefully rubbing my slit. "Alright, since this was your first time, I'll forgive you. Next time, you will be given a small punishment, understand?"

My head bobs, and he chuckles. "Good girl."

His fingertip circles my clit before he eases his way inside, and the both of us groan when he's in as far as he can go. It's not steady and careful like last time, it's plain lust and rough, and I'm embarrassed by how good it feels. His thumb vigorously rubs my clit, and my head falls to his shoulder as loud cries come from me, and he thankfully lets me try to muffle them. Before I know it, I'm coming undone with a passionate cry into his neck.

Leaning away from me, the fullness of his fingers disappears, and he's wiping them on his trousers. My cheeks burn, and it only worsens when his eyes take on a determine look. "One day, I hope that will be me in there, pounding you deeply until you cry from pleasure."

Placing a lingering kiss to my lips, he makes up for my lack of words. "You must be tired; get some rest and I'll message you tomorrow."

Tiresomely nodding while standing up with him, I say, "Thank you, Brandon, and I'll be looking forward to it."

Once we're at the door, he smiles down at me. "Good night, sweetheart."

"Good night, Brandon, drive home safely."

After another sweet kiss, I'm waving him off down the street before locking the door to keep the late breeze out and rest my forehead against the door. Guilt riddles me for not being stronger in my choice of ignoring Lucius, but I've learnt my lesson now, and hopefully he'll forget about even meeting me.

I mean, why would he remember someone as insignificant as me?

Huffing out a sigh and turning on the balls of my feet, I'm quick to make my way upstairs to change for the night, and it doesn't take long for me to succumb to sleep when my head touches the pillow. And for the first time in a long time, I'm hoping it's not dreamless.