I was painting a thin damask pattern in a metallic gold that popped off the matte paint of the wall. It was very time consuming and I had to do multiple layers in order for the paint to make its full effect but so far, I was in love with the feel of it.

“Probably one more,” I answered while observing my work. “I love this room, Diego. It’s bright but romantic. I could see myself in here with Jett.”

Nodding, Diego said, “This room is a great reflection of you, I could see you in here as well.”

I gave him the “cut the flirting” look and he just laughed. The man was incorrigible when it came to flirting, it was all he ever did. He should be happy Jett wasn’t around because I think Jett would have cut off Diego’s balls by now. Although, Diego had some kind of street cred that he still didn’t share with me so I wasn’t sure how far Jett could get when taking down Diego, even Kace for that matter. Diego was fun and easy going but there was a dark side to him that you could see in his eyes, they were experienced, aged far beyond his young years.

“When is lunch going to be ready? I’m starving.” It’s been two days since I went over to the Lafayette Club and I had seen Jett zero times so I wasn’t just starving for food, I was starving for him as well.

I talked to him every night and a couple of times throughout the day but it wasn’t the same. It seemed so stupid. We were only living a couple miles apart but it seemed like we were in different states. I hated every second of it but he just kept reminding me that in the end, everything was going to work out.

“Pizza takes time, Goldie. You can’t rush it.”

“It’s Dominos for fuck’s sake. It should take ten minutes.” I rubbed my stomach and set my paint brush down. I lay down on the floor and looked up at the brocade covered gold ceiling. It was interesting and different to have a fabric on the ceiling but it worked, it just upped the elegance of the room.

“Did you hire a decorator to help you out with all of this?” I asked, wondering how he was able to put everything together.

“No, did everything on my own. I’ve done a lot of research and made sure to take my time when designing each room. I wanted them to have a reflection of the vintage circus feel without being too cheesy.”

“Well it’s not cheesy at all. I could see myself squirting a few orgasms out in here.”

“You are quite the lady.” Diego laughed and shook his head.

“Why circus?”

He took a deep breath and said, “My life has always been kind of a circus, never knowing what the next act is going to be, juggling the good and the bad, so I thought what better way to express myself than finally being the ringmaster and taking control. The key, Goldie, is having control. It’s what makes me move, what pushes me. Without that control, I’m lost.”

“I know how you feel. When I first lost my parents, all I wanted was a bit of control because it felt like everything was flying out of control. After a while, I just became tired, like I wanted to just give up and that was when Jett walked into my life. He saved me,” I whispered.

“Is that why you love him?”

“Love him?” I sat up and looked at Diego as if he was crazy. “I don’t love him.”

“Ha!” Diego shrieked loudly. “Who are you fooling? It reads all over your face when he calls you or when you talk about him. You love the man.”

I bit my bottom lip and lay back down, thinking about Diego’s assessment of me. Okay, yeah, I probably loved the man but there was no way in hell I was going to tell him that. That was asking for my heart to get broken. He was slow when it came to our relationship and using the big L word was relationship suicide.

How nice would it be to express my feelings though? The minute I heard Jett’s voice at Kitten’s Castle, I was pretty sure I started falling for him at that moment. Then he took me into his world, introduced me to some of the best girls I’ve ever met and gave me a chance to better myself all the while protecting me with the utmost care. How could I not fall in love with the man? He wasn’t giving me much of an option.

“Told you,” Diego teased as there was a knock on the back door. “Pizza! I’ll go pay, you set up the drinks and plates in the kitchen.”

He took off and I scrambled to my feet, feeling slightly light-headed from the fumes. My phone chimed in my hands as I walked to the kitchen. I looked down and smiled to myself. It was from Jett.

Jett: Little one, did I tell you that I had a dream last night that you were spread across my desk, arms and legs strapped down so you couldn’t move and I had that delectable pussy of yours for dinner?

I gulped as my lady lips started to tingle with need. It’s been two days and I felt like I was going to crumble into dust from the strong need I had for him.

Goldie: Hungry? Maybe have yourself a little sandwich to put a dent in that appetite of yours.

Jett: I’ll always be ravenous for you. 

Goldie: If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re trying to flirt with me.

Jett: I don’t need to try, little one.

God, a couple of text messages and I was heated up to the point that I was about to head off to my bedroom to take care of my burning need.

Goldie: Do you know how horny I am? It’s kind of ridiculous the need for you that is running through me.

Jett: Patience, little one. I promise the wait will be worth it. 

Goldie: I’m not a very patient person. When I have something in my head, I want it right then and there and all I can think about is that beautiful cock of yours running up and down my slick pussy.

“I thought I told you to get us drinks,” Diego said as he walked into the kitchen, making me jump three feet in the air and drop my phone.

“Jesus Christ!” Holding my heart I looked down at my phone that now had a cracked face. “Great!” I said with sarcasm. “Look at what you mad me do. My phone is broken.”

“It’s not broken, it’s cracked. It just looks ugly now and it’s not my fault. Stop sexting your little boy toy and pour us some drinks.”

“I wasn’t sexting him!” I lied while I grabbed cups.

“Yes you were. I can tell by the way your upper lip is sweating.”

Wiping frantically, I said, “It is not.”

Clapping his hand together loudly, he laughed as he sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed a piece of pizza. “God, you’re too easy.”

“You wish. If I was easy then you wouldn’t be popping a chubby every time I walked by, you would have me in your bed, panting and screaming your name.” I acted out what I would do as I held on to my breasts and put on a good show, rivaling Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. When I straightened up and brushed my hair to the side, I smiled at the dumbfounded look on his face, grabbed a piece of pizza and took a big bite.

“Thank God I was able to record that. I’ll be using that later tonight.” He wiggled his eyebrows as he shoved his phone in his pocket.

Slapping my pizza back on the box and reaching for his pocket, I said, “You did not get that on your phone.” I fondled his pants for his phone as he sat back and let me try to find it.

“A little to the left sweetheart and you’ll hit gold.” A little to the left would have been his crotch and there was no way I was going there.

“Give me your phone.”

He laughed as he handed it over. “I didn’t record it. Paranoid much?”

I looked down at his phone and the picture on his wallpaper was of a melted fleur de lis, kind of like the one that was on his back that I saw, at least one of his tattoos.