Chapter 94: Perfect House

Dorian’s face fell. "No... no... no..."

Naomi laughed when his head dropped dramatically onto her shoulder.

"I need you."

She wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders. "I need you too. I’ll try to make it back home as early as I can."

"Please..." His mouth found her neck.

"I promise," Naomi said, holding onto his shoulders.

Dorian kissed the side of her throat again.

Then again.

"I can’t get enough of you." His hands began wandering anyway.

One slid down her back while the other moved over her waist, drawing her closer until Naomi could feel exactly how interested he had suddenly become.

She looked down between them. "Seriously?"

Dorian pushed his erection against her stomach.

"Your friends are waiting."

"I’m beginning to regret they are even here at all."

"Dorian."

His mouth moved back to her neck. "Let them wait. You first."

Naomi intended to protest. She genuinely did. Then his palm slid over her breast and brushed across her nipple through her clothes. Her protest immediately became something else. "Oi vey..." she moaned.

His thumb passed over her nipple again. Naomi’s head tipped backward. "A quickie," he murmured. "For the road."

Before Naomi could argue further, Dorian picked her up. She gave a startled laugh and wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her toward the bed.

He lowered her onto the mattress and followed immediately, kissing her. Clothes were pushed aside with very little patience. He settled between her thighs.

Naomi pulled him closer. And within minutes, he was buried inside her once more, her moans filling the room while his friends waited somewhere several floors above.

It didn’t take long before the quickie became exactly what he had promised, fast and desperate. She clung to him as pleasure built rapidly between them, Dorian’s breathing rough against her neck moving as he brought them both to another orgasm.

*****

Richard was stressed. Everyone in the house could feel it. The children had developed the sensible strategy of staying out of his way as much as possible. Ethan had practically disappeared into his room, and even Millie seemed to understand that today was not the day to test how many times she could ask the same question before someone lost their mind.

Diana, unfortunately, did not have the luxury of hiding. She had to prepare. Not that Richard was actually doing anything useful. She was the one moving through the house, cleaning surfaces that were already clean, checking dinner, rearranging things and making sure everything looked presentable.

Richard mostly contributed by shouting. He always became like this whenever someone important was coming over.

Everything had to look expensive. Everything had to be perfect. The house already looked good on an ordinary day, but ordinary wasn’t good enough tonight.

Because Callum Sterling was coming for dinner. And Richard wanted the entire house to announce that the Whitmores were respectable, successful.

By late afternoon, Diana had checked the dining table, adjusted flowers and made sure dinner was progressing exactly as planned.

Richard still found reasons to complain. Then the doorbell rang. A few seconds later, the front door opened.

Naomi stepped inside. She had lived in this house for almost ten years. This had once been home. She was family.

At least, she usually felt like family when Richard wasn’t in one of his moods. Tonight, he had chosen a different personality.

Naomi had barely made it fully into the living room when Richard spotted her.

"Naomi, darling!"

Naomi stopped. Her eyebrows rose. She looked around. The living room seemed polished. "Uncle Richard?"

The whole place looked like it had received a minor makeover since the last time she’d been there.

Richard smiled warmly. "I didn’t know you would be coming."

Lie, of course. In fact, Naomi being here was very much part of the evening’s plan. Naomi, unfortunately, had absolutely no idea.

"Aunt Diana called," she said. "I thought I’d stop by and see the kids."

Richard maintained his pleasant expression. Today really was going to be a good day. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and glanced toward the stairs.

"Where are they?"

"Your aunt is in the kitchen, and the kids are upstairs in their rooms," Richard replied.

"Oh." Naomi glanced toward the staircase. "I’ll say hi to the kids and then come down to help her." She didn’t wait around for more conversation. She escaped upstairs quickly, following a habit she had learned years ago while living under Richard’s roof: never overstay your welcome when he was in a good mood.

Good moods were unpredictable things with him. One careless comment could change everything. One question asked at the wrong time, one thing not done exactly the way he wanted, and suddenly the man smiling at you disappeared.

So Naomi had learned to enjoy pleasant Richard in very small doses. The kids, thankfully, were much easier.

Millie practically launched herself at Naomi when she entered, and Ethan looked genuinely pleased to see her, although his version of excitement remained considerably quieter.

Naomi spent a little time with them, heard several updates, promised Millie they would do something together soon, then headed downstairs.

Diana was in the kitchen. The woman seemed to have prepared enough food to host a diplomatic summit.

Naomi immediately rolled up her sleeves. "You should have told me you would be doing this much. I would have come earlier. I could have helped."

Soon, they were working side by side, and conversation settled into the safest territory available.

The children.

Millie’s latest interests.

By the time dinner was ready, they carried everything into the dining room and started setting the table properly.

Naomi placed the last glass down just as the doorbell rang. She glanced toward the stairs. "I’ll go get the kids."

"No... no." Richard appeared immediately. "They’ll be eating in their rooms."

Her brows pulled together. Richard didn’t bother explaining. He straightened his jacket and headed toward the entrance.

Naomi watched him leave. Then slowly turned toward Diana. "What’s going on?"