... Amelia ...

The sound of my phone vibrating on the white leather dresser cut through the quiet of the luxurious room, causing the makeup tutorial I had playing to pause in the background.

I wanted to look hot for my date with Hunter tonight, hence the tutorial. I could do spinal surgery, no problem, but beating my face and applying faux eyelashes was a bitch.

So, whoever was calling me better had a good reason.

I paused midway through my makeup session and glanced at the screen, my eyeshadow brush suspended in midair. An unfamiliar numbness settled over me when the phone kept ringing, showing the word 'Papa' on the display.

Why was he calling me? I wasn't ready to face him yet.

Oh, grow up, I scolded myself. He was my father and he was certainly worried sick about me. The least I could do was answer the goddamn phone.

And still, the phone rang and rang and I didn't pick it up.

How could he not tell me the truth? All those years I spent alone, an only child. I had a hard time making friends and it got worse when I turned into an adult. Mostly, I enjoyed my own company, but sometimes I got lonely and I'd think about Willem, about the stranger I married when I was seventeen.

At some point, the phone stopped ringing but then it started again, the ringtone seemingly louder this time around. Unable to ignore it any longer, I flexed my fingers before I picked it up and brought it to my ear.

My father's voice was gravelly and low and he sounded a lot older than I remembered. "Amy, my darling, why haven't you called? Is everything alright?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, holding back tears threatening to fall. "I'm fine, Papa. I'm so sorry. A lot has happened and I just needed some time to myself."

"Is Willem okay? You don't sound so well."

"We're getting a divorce, but he's fine. I think."

"That filthy son of a bitch! I knew it."

"Knew what?" Leaning forward, I brought the phone closer to my ear. My father wasn't one to curse.

"I never wanted this for you, Amelia. But your mother, she vouched for him. I told her, he wasn't ready, that he was too young, too rich." He paused and I imagined him squeezing his eyes shut behind his glasses. "His motives were ambitious but selfish."

That's when it clicked. What Willem had told me that night during dinner. "So you kept him from me all those years?"

"I was protecting you."

"From what exactly?"

"From yourself. You were seventeen, Amy. And your mother died the same day you met him and married him. People don't think straight when they're grieving."

I shook my head, feeling his betrayal deep in my core. "Yet you made a massive decision about my life while grieving without consulting me. If you thought I was old enough to marry him, then you should have told me the truth. I'm a smart girl. I'm sure I could have handled it."

"Maybe, but I saw the way you clung to him after your mother passed away. He spent two days there and you never left his side."

"He never left my side," I emphasized, messing up my afro updo with my hand, unable to keep my frustration at bay." You've got it twisted, Papa."

"You were using him as a replacement."

"What are you talking about? No one could replace Mom, no one." Tears spilled from my eyes just thinking about her. A drop landed on my exposed thigh and I wiped at it furiously.

"I knew what I saw. Your attachment to him was toxic. So I did what I had to do to protect you. I couldn't stand by and watch him take advantage of you." His voice softened when he said the last part.

"You could have told me. All those years, I thought he was the bad guy but it was you all along." I desperately wanted to hear where he was coming from, but the pain I felt on my chest was too great.

"Amy, please come home and we'll talk about this some more. I'll tell you everything."

I sniffed and my head went up so that I was staring at my reflection in the mirror. I looked heartbroken. My makeup couldn't hide that.

"How can I trust that you're going to tell me the truth?" I asked.

"Have I ever lied to you? I've kept information from you, but I never lied to you. It's a father's job to protect his daughter."

"It's all the same in my book."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but I will not apologize for making you who you are today."

"I can't take this. Bye, Papa. I'll see you when my vacation is over."

"Amy—"

I pressed the button to end the call and then quickly dropped the phone on top of the dresser as if it was on fire and my hands were burning.

The mirror caught my attention and I turned back to it, picking at my afro updo until I was satisfied. I refused to think about the conversation with my father because it hadn't gone well. I was angrier than I thought I'd be. Just hearing him testify to what Willem had already told me was like having a scan confirm that you had cancer after the doctor already told you it might be cancer.

A loud knock sounded on the door and my heart sank. It was probably Hunter, but I was suddenly not in the mood to go on a date. Hunter seemed nice enough, a little bit of a player maybe, but nice, and he deserved my undivided attention if we were to go on this date.

"Come in," I croaked, glancing at my reflection one last time. That crazy lady's comment about me being an aging cunt had gotten to me. The gray streaks in my hair seemed grayer than usual and the stress of this retarded divorce wasn't helping the situation at all.

Hunter pushed the door open and strolled into the room with an ease that took my breath away. Dressed in a white shirt, black pants, tan-colored shoes, he was the epitome of masculinity and baby-making testosterone levels.

Three long strides later, he towered over me, his astute gaze taking me in. "You alright?" he demanded.

"Not really. Why are you here? Our date is at eight."

"Yeah, about that. Gotta call it off. The boss is coming in last minute. I have to arrange a boat to pick him up and then bring him here."

My eyes widened. "Here? He's coming here. I paid so much money for this place and I was under the impression I would have it all to myself, not counting you and the maid... and the chef."

"There's more than enough room for all of us. I'm sure it's just a routine checkup. He'll be out of your hair in no time."

"That doesn't change the fact that I paid full price for this place."

"Take it up with him when he gets here. I'm sure he'll understand." Hunter planted his butt on the edge of the dresser table. "Now, back to us. I'm not letting you off that easy. You and I will continue this date tomorrow. Same time. What do you say?"

"Uhm, okay, sure."

"You don't sound excited. Bored of me already?"

"There's nothing boring about you, Hunter." My voice was not my own, low and sexy, it was that of a vixen.

Hunter's eyes filled with heat and they raked over my body slowly. He sat still, his eyes the only thing moving, starting from my hair and then down my neck, over the curve of my full breasts, my rounded hips, and my long exposed legs.

The black bodycon dress I'd chosen to wear suddenly felt too tight. Everywhere his eyes roamed, my skin burned with desire and it was as if I could feel his hands on me.

"Your hair," he said huskily, "It's strange, but I like it. You look so young, but your hair tells another story. You're a beautiful woman, Amelia. My kind of woman."

I looked away, unable to keep a straight face. My cheeks grew hot and other parts of my body reacted to his words in a way that was socially unacceptable. My pointed nipples needed a lesson in decorum ASAP.

"Come here." Hunter indicated the space between his legs. Without thinking, I got out of my seat and went to stand in front of him. "Closer," he drawled.

He drew me in, his arms going around my back. I held in my breath. One touch and my heart skyrocketed through the roof, my veins pumping furiously, desire coursing unrestrained in my blood.

His hand settled on the curve of my ass, his grip possessive. "Before I kiss you, I need to know why you were crying."

"Just kiss me, please. Make me forget." I looked up at him from beneath my lashes and wrapped my arms around his strong neck.

"Who do you want to forget?"

"No one." I tried to kiss him, but he held me away. For some reason that turned me on even more. "It's my father. He betrayed my trust."

"Sounds like some heavy shit, baby. You sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," I whispered.

I didn't have to tell him twice. One heartbeat later, his lips were on mine. I closed my eyes and demanded more. He answered by swiping his tongue along the seal of my lips until they parted to allow him entry.

Kissing Hunter was amazing, but that first kiss with Willem in the kitchen was what I thought about. That kiss had been unexpected. Explosive and sexy. It was the definition of lust between a married couple who didn't want to be married to each other anymore.

And that last part is what caused me to block my soon to be ex-husband out of my mind. It's not like Hunter was giving me much of a choice. His slick and rather talented tongue kept me grounded while awakening every cell in my body.

I ached between my legs and the thought of giving my virginity to Hunter wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. When he took his lips away and continued to rain kisses down my neck, across my collarbone, I nearly lost it.

If he took my nipple into his mouth, I was going to die.

He palmed my breast through the dress and I moaned. Who knew that something like that could feel so good. Moving from between his legs, I straddled his thigh, rubbing my pussy on his pants. The friction was incredible.

I threw my head back as he kissed the swell of my breasts, his tongue licking against my skin. "Oh, Hunter. You're going to fuck me good, aren't you?"

He lifted his head to look at me, his gaze dark and dangerous. "We don't have enough time for that."

There was no hiding my disappointment. "Sex doesn't last more than five minutes on average, right?"

"Baby, there's nothing average about me." He took my hand and placed it on his hard cock, which was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. "When you get a taste of this, five minutes won't be nearly enough."

I licked my lips and imagined him so hard and huge inside my tight little pussy. "How much time do we have left?"

He glanced at his watch. "About five minutes."

"What are we going to do in those five minutes then, Hunter?"

"I'm going to make you come. Take your panties off. Time is of the essence."

I dropped my panties faster than I could blink. This time, we switched positions. Hunter cleared a path on the dresser for me to lie down. I spread my thighs for him, his large frame keeping them apart.

He kissed me once more, coaxing and drugging me into submission. His large hand cupped my mound and then his middle finger started rubbing circles around my clit. The evidence of my arousal glistened on his finger as he brought it to his mouth.

Kill me now. How hot was that?

"This is the best nectar out there," he said. "Now you're going to come for me."

My clit throbbed in anticipation, waiting for him to touch me again. And as he was about to, his phone rang.

It was his boss. Apparently, the guy's boat had arrived early and now he was waiting on Hunter and he didn't sound too happy about it.

Hunter hung up the phone and pulled me back up into a sitting position, after which he placed a kiss on my forehead. "See you tomorrow, beautiful. I have to go."

"You promised me an orgasm," I pouted.

"Yeah, I did, but tomorrow you'll get four. Have a little patience."

"In abundance, if you only knew." So much so, I spent eleven years of my life pining for a stranger.

📞

⭐️😊.