Chapter 74: Chapter 74

C H AP T E R - - - - T H I R T Y - - - - T H R E E

“Babe, seriously?”

Falcone was standing in the bathroom door looking fantastic in a dark gray suit and a deep crimson shirt that was opened at the collar when I startled and spun around.

“Jeez, Yago, you scared the crap out of me.”

His eyes shifted the length of me then came back to mine.

“I’m twenty minutes late and you’re still not ready?”

I turned to the bathroom mirror, lifted my mascara wand and ignored his impatient question. “How do you do that anyway?”

"Gia, baby, we have to leave. You're running so late, why? You're still in your underwear."

I swiped mascara over my lashes and said, "Well, I changed my mind about my shoes."

"I don't have the Choos on. I'm sporting a pair of Valentinos.

"A change in shoe choice leads me to be more than twenty minutes late? ”

"They are silver, the Choos. There is blush on the Valentinos. The Valentinos do feature crystal and mesh, but I'd gone for a more dramatic, smokey, and gray look. The blush ought to be muted pink, shimmering, and dewy. That necessitated a thorough cleaning and makeup reapplication," I said.

My focus turned to Falcone as he remained mute.

Nope, no less impatient even with an explanation.

I tried a different tactic.

“I won’t be a minute,” I assured him on a complete lie.

He dug his phone out of the inside of his jacket pocket, flipped it open, hit some buttons and put it to his ear. His eyes came back to me. My eyes went back to the mirror and my mascara wand went back to swiping.

Then I felt his presence leave and I heard him say, “Ray, Gia’s runnin’ late. We’re still at her house but leavin’ in five.”

I finished my makeup and went to my bedroom. Falcone was whereabouts unknown. This happened a lot even though my house wasn’t a rambling mansion. Falcone, I’d discovered, could disappear yet stick around just as easily as he could vanish into or appear out of thin air.

At first I found this disturbing. Now I was used to it.

I spritzed with perfume, put the diamond studs in my ears that Dad and Melinda gave me upon graduation from Lyceum and I slipped off my robe and started to dress.

Naturally, because it was a special occasion, I had made a new purchase. I had moved away from the tiny black dress, which seemed impossible. This outfit was a little shade of shimmering gray. A draped bodice was kept up by barely there straps, and the remainder of the dress hung to my sides just under my armpits. It lacked a back. At all. My upper ass was pressed up against the little curtain at the rear. It was short, the material was clinging on the rest of me, and the skirt gripped my hips.

For the Choos, it was ideal. I tried on the Valentinos three weeks ago when out shopping with Ramona. The Valentinos were the shoes' version of the American dream. satin in rose. Platform at the bottom and a four and three quarter inch spiky heel. Peep-toe pump with a large, see-through, multi-layered mesh bow that is covered in satin and crystals, with additional bands of crystals around the foot that lead up to the bow on the toe. They were unrivaled. To die for, they were. They were the unattainable ideal.

That was until I thanked the shoe person and started to put them back in their box, Ramona whipped out her phone, called Falcone, got the go ahead and then whipped out the company credit card.

She was in throes of ecstasy. I called Falcone and told him he couldn’t possibly considering they cost nearly double the price of the Choos.

His reply, “Babe,” then disconnect.

The sneakers were bought by Ramona. I spent a boatload of money on attractive underwear thirty minutes later, and I wore the sexiest pair beneath my clothing so Falcone might find them like a gift. When he did, he took a single glance, his pupils immediately dilated, and it took him around three minutes, twenty-five seconds to take them back down.

I made the decision to find another way to express my thanks at that time.

I had not given up looking.

I put the dress on and perched on the edge of the bed before removing the Valentinos from their box and opening the shoe box.

I had promised myself that I would return and take them back.

I had an epiphany.

I then made a promise to myself that I would never wear them. I was unable to walk on a sum that was greater than the average person's monthly home payment.

But once more, I had second thoughts.

I was sliding on shoe two when Falcone walked in my bedroom door.

I put my foot to the floor and looked up at him, standing. “Glad you’re here, baby, I need you to help me with my bracelet.”

I got up and went to the dresser, where I unlocked my jewelry compartment and found the Tiffany's box.

After we became us for the second time the very following day, he had also purchased me a diamond bracelet, exactly as he had promised. I told him he couldn't possible do it as well, and when we were at the store, I insisted on not choosing one. So, he did.

Just as Falcone's hands touched the skin on my side where the material began, I took the bracelet out of the box and closed the drawer. These fingers became into a hand that slid into my garment, across my ribs, and then up where they grabbed my opposing breast. And after that, he drew me into his front.

“Falcone,” I whispered, my head falling back to his shoulder as his thumb swept my nipple and I repeated, “Falcone.”

“Hold onto the dresser, baby,” he muttered into my ear.

“What?” I breathed as his other hand tugged up the skirt of my dress.

“Hold on,” he ordered.

“We’re late,” I reminded him then sucked in breath when I got another nipple swipe.

“We’re gonna be later,” Falcone replied.

“But –”

“Hold on,” he repeated, his hand sliding into the front of my panties.

Oh God.

He hit the golden spot.

Oh God.

My head turned so my forehead was pressed to his neck.

“We’ll be quick now,” he whispered. “But later, I’ll show you how I really feel about this dress.”

“’Kay,” I agreed but I did it on a moan because the fingers on both his hands moved.