28 - ELEVATOR PLEASURES

The hurt lingered, like a dull pain that refused to dissipate alongside with my refusal to believe that Kyle ignoring me was intentional. I stood on that podium trying with everything in me to avoid the blankness in Kyle’s eyes as I delivered my pitch. He looked at me, our eyes jammed countless of times but there was no emotion there and most times he would lean over to Sophie who was seated beside him, whispering in her ears and she’ll giggle with her hands over her mouth. My face heated up with rage and jealousy as I watched them and at the same time tried to stayed focused, and even when I rounded up my pitch, he hadn’t noticed, he was looking at her when he was supposed to be looking at me.

I wrapped up the presentation followed by the applause of my colleagues and that was when Sophie looked up at me, indifference in her eyes and she smiled.

“Lovely, just lovely – Aria Thorne is it?” she said, her Russian accent flowing smoothly on her tongue and smiling at me like she had been listening to anything I said. I kept my feelings to myself and offered a tightlipped smile.

“I mean it’s already a done deal but you really outdid yourself compared to the last time” she went on, her voice echoing through the conference and she stood dressed up in a white pant suit and a blazer, her jet black hair cascading down in waves down her back and her lips religiously stained red, I felt like if I looked closely, I could see a red stain on Kyle’s shirt but I kept my eyes off him – I was tired.

“Venzos automobile has taken the delightful pleasure of working K&H advertising, we’re a new automobile company from Russia and our goal is to branch out in USA, especially in New York, Florida and California. Thank you for taking the opportunity to work with us” she turned, smiling at Kyle and he winked at her.

“So we’ll need a representative from K&H to start the signing process in Florida where we’re currently located – ”

“Miss Aria Thorne would represent us” she was barely done with her sentence when Kyle said out loud and I shot him a look in shock

“Me?” I echoed

“Of course you, you delivered the pitch so there’s no better person than you” he said and I scoffed internally.

“Don’t worry about a thing, our company will foot all the bills from your flight ticket, your hotel and feeding inclusive. You’ll get to meet with my father, and he’ll be the one you’ll be signing the contract with” Sophie said

“Why not you?” I said a certain anger festering within me but she smiled a knowing smile.

“I still have some business to take care of here in California before heading back” as if planned, she shared a knowing look with Kyle and I felt that same familiar stab in my chest.

“Right so it’s settled” she went on “The trip is for tomorrow, everything has been taken care of already”

“Tomorrow?”

After everyone had left the conference to their various workspaces, and I had to return some of the files back to the common workspace. I stepped into the elevator and the moment the door closed, it opened back up revealing Kyle standing with one hand placed seamlessly into his pockets.

My eyes widened as he stepped in, his spicy cologne filling the air and entrapping my senses. He stood close to me but his eyes fixed ahead and for some reason I could still feel his eyes on me. My heart pounded nervously, my palms became sweaty and I tried wiping them on my skirt to ease the nervousness that was slowly building within me – alongside with a dirty desire to have my legs wrapped around his torso while he drilled into me.

“You did great today” I heard him say in a tone so low that I could barely catch it even in the silence of the elevator. Why was it taking forever?”

“Did you notice why you were ignoring me earlier” I said to him but doing everything in me to not look at him but I could feel his eyes on me

“I – wasn’t ignoring you Aria – ” he tried to defend but I wasn’t having it

“You have less than five seconds before the elevator arrives on my floor – ” this time we shared a look in silence, Kyle looked at me speechless and I could see him fight whatever battles he had going on within me, while this time it was my turn to have the blank stare as I waited for him to speak up but just then the elevator dinged and I shook my head, ready to get off when Kyle grabbed my hands suddenly and hit the elevator shut

“I’m falling for you all over again Aria – and I’m scared to fuck it up, that’s why I thought sending you to Florida would be a great idea that way I could sort out my feelings”

“Right” I scoffed

“You don’t have to go Aria, I don’t want you to go. I want you right here with me and everything” his voice was smooth and endearing and I had barely registered his words in my head when he pulled me towards him in a desperate urgency and smashing his lips into mine that melted all my resolve and turned me into a jelly mess in his hands.

The elevator doors closed back with a soft, definitive click enclosing me back in this confined space with Kyle that seemed to fuel all the dirty desires we have for each other. My heart raced as his lips met mine mixed with the wrongness of the situation, and there was still the mixture of intensity and my own vulnerability shining through. His tongue was fiery in my mouth, igniting the familiar warmth within me and a hunger that matched his. I allowed myself to be lost in the moment as I entwined my fingers in his hair. I could feel the depth of his emotions in the way he held me tightly, as if he was afraid to let me slip away but that alone was not enough to dissipate the anger that was festering within.

*‘I’m falling for you’*

The words rang in my brain, just as his hands trickled under my skirt and the hotness between my legs that I let out a soft moan – he was drawing me into the depths of pleasure that I always deemed myself unworthy. The kiss deepened and so was the intensity of his hands between my legs, pulling me deeper that I held him for support. His movements were soft and rhythmic, just the way he knew I like them, that would send me over the rails gasping for air and not wanting to let go.

I saw my reflection on the mirror, my face contorted in pleasure, my skirt hiked up to my waist as Kyle had a strong grip around my waist with his face buried in my neck – but the memories were rushing back – the spiraling – the pain – the toxic cycle of him leaving me when it things got scary and serious. Those thoughts rang in my brain as my body began to shake, reaching a climax that I didn’t want to end but I pulled away from him and adjusting my skirt back to the right position, even with the triumphant look on Kyle’s face – I didn’t want him to hurt me like that again.

“I can’t do this” I said out loud so he could hear me. I could see the confusion begin to pan out on his face and I hit the elevator button again.

“I can’t do this with you anymore – this toxic cycle of not knowing what you want but wanting me to ride along with it and for your information Kyle – I am in fact going to Florida, maybe I do need that time away from you”