Paper Dolls Read online

  “For you,” she said.

  “What is it?”

  “Your welcome home present. I hate when you are gone from me for weeks. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too, Raven,” he chuckled. Walked over and sat on the fluffy couch. His dick dropped between his legs and he had to adjust himself. Raven handed the book over to him. He soon realized it was an album. It wasn’t thick. But it was large enough to be telling.

  “You’ve been taking pictures?” he asked.

  “No,” she shook her head slowly. She wore a sly smile on her face. “Open it.”

  He untied the bow and opened the album. The first picture stopped his breath from travelling through his lungs. She was posed beautifully, with her arm across her breast, and her hand placed over the delta of her sex. Her face was turned to the left and her gaze cast downward.

  “Wha—”

  “When you travel, you take this with you. Keep me close,” she flicked her tongue at his ear. He looked over at her surprised.

  “How many times have you told your clients not to take photos or make sex-tapes?” he chuckled.

  “I’m a married woman. This is for my husband.” She reclined. She stretched out a leg, and teasingly drew her big toe slowly down his arm. “Those rules don’t apply to me.”

  Alex flipped through the book. The images became more and more explicit. The photographer had taken liberties he wasn’t sure he approved of. “Who took these pictures?” he asked.

  She didn’t answer. He looked over to her. Raven teased her nipple with a pink rose petal. She circled the hard peak. Her gaze lifted to his. The woman knew how much he loved her breasts. Second to her pussy, he could stare at them all day. The corner of her mouth lifted. She then patted the underside of her breast and made it jiggle for him.

  Alex laughed. She then rubbed the petal down to her belly. She parted her thighs and let it continue its course south. Her long dark lashes lowered when she brushed the petal over her sex.

  “Raven,” he breathed.

  Her lashes parted only a fraction of an inch. She removed the petal and dropped it to the floor. Everything about her appeared soft and inviting. Alex shook his head. He tossed the photo album aside.

  “Hey, be careful with that!” she gasped.

  He stretched out over his wife and pinned her to the couch. He stared down at her beauty. “Who took the pictures?”

  “Darlene, the photographer we use at the agency. No one else was present. And um, the really naughty shots between my thighs I took those myself.” She lifted her mouth up to his and brushed her lips across his.

  “Mmmm,” he groaned.

  Her hand slid down his chest as his tongue dipped in between her parted teeth. When her warm fingers closed in on his cock and gave it a slow tug he gasped. She giggled. Alex’s face lifted from hers and he looked deep into her brown eyes. “I love you,” he said.

  “Show me,” she answered. She guided him inside her and he sank into bliss.

  Present –

  Every photographed sweet memory of their life was gone, but she couldn’t take away his memories. You’d never know that they shared such a great love.

  He stopped at a familiar African art piece, one they brought back from their trip to Egypt. A trip they had to take six months into their marriage. His proposal included the promise that one day he’d kiss her next to the Sphinx. He vowed to never break his promises then. How did he forget that vow so soon into their short time together?

  Alexander was nervous about seeing his beloved. His palms were sweating. He couldn’t even bring himself to sit down. So when she appeared before him just as beautiful as the day he first saw her, he knew. He was just as in love with his wife today as he was the day he lost her.

  Why he ever let her go was beyond him. How he ever made such a mistake and cheated confounded him. There was no reason. Not one fucking reason to explain his actions. The door opened to her bedroom and she returned. She pinned her hair up from her neck. She had curled it to the front in long loose bangs. She barely looked at him as she headed to the door.

  “You ready?” she asked in a disinterested tone.

  “I am,” he said. He followed her. Raven cut off the lights except for the foyer, and then walked out the door. There was definitely a chill in the air, one he didn’t feel when he first arrived. He hoped he hadn’t done something to upset her so soon.

  “You look beautiful, love,” he said to her back. She didn’t respond. She approached the elevator as if she were alone. Alexander inhaled her floral scent. He tried to remember which one she’d chosen. She only wore three, and the one she was wearing seemed different than he remembered.

  “So how are things at Paper Dolls?” he asked.

  “Don’t you get your profit share report? I know accounting sends them out to all the investors,” she said.

  The elevator dinged. He frowned and shook his head as he stepped inside. When the elevator doors closed he hit the emergency button and it came to an abrupt stop. Raven gasped and then glared.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded.

  “We need to talk,” he said.

  “What do you think dinner is for?” Raven asked.

  “Look at me, sweetheart,” he demanded.

  She refused.

  It broke his heart. “I haven’t seen you since we signed our life away. No matter how badly I’ve wanted to be with you, talk to you, see you, I’ve stayed away.”

  “But you’re back now.” She rolled her eyes upward.

  “I am. I know it’s very presumptuous of me, but I’m hoping that tonight you’d give me the chance to talk to you. Really talk. We had good years of love and faith in our marriage, Rae. What we lost… what I did… can’t be undone. All I’m trying to say is, I love you so much I can’t leave you behind without… trying.”

  “Trying? So now you want to try? You couldn’t sign those divorce papers fast enough!”

  “Rae? I hurt you. Everyone told me it was best to let you go. I should have fought harder, but I caused you so much pain.”

  “You didn’t fight at all!” she shouted at him. “How dare you think I’d give you anything, Alexander? How dare you come here like you’re entitled to me, when you had everything I could give and didn’t know what to do with it? Love, trust, faith, I gave you that, and you spat on it.”

  “I’m guilty,” he agreed.

  “Damn right you are!” she looked away.

  “I still love you. Do you hate me so much that you can’t believe me?” he asked.

  “I don’t hate you. I’m angry with you, Alex. Really angry! And I’m tired of missing you,” she said softly.

  “Give me this night. I can’t take the pain between us any more than you can, Raven. I just want one night, and if by sunrise you want me gone, I’ll let you go. Raven, sweetheart, please.”

  Raven’s gaze dropped with her heart. She stared at her feet, and then back to his reflection in the elevator doors. “No one has ever hurt me as bad as you have.”

  “I know.”

  “I should never speak to you again,” she said.

  “I know.”

  “I could stay angry with you forever for what you destroyed. I really should!”

  “I agree.”

  She looked over to him and tears glistened in her eyes. Her vision blurred. “But I won’t,” she sighed. “I can’t forget what you did to me, us, but I can try to forgive you. That’s what this night should be about. Forgiveness, okay? Not a reunion. We need to find a way to move on.”

  He reached for her hand, but Raven wasn’t ready to be touched by him. It hurt being alone with him. She imagined it would hurt even more to be touched by him.

  “Let’s just have dinner,” she said under her breath.

  She heard him sigh. He pushed the elevator button. They rode down in silence.

  **

  There was one thing she and her friends agreed upon the moment they laid eyes on Alexander. He had the most enticing smi
le. It was the sly way the left corner of his mouth lifted and his eyes focused on a woman. Tonight his smile was so sexy to her she needed the wine to avoid the distraction. However, every now and then she’d peer through the candle flames and welcome the warm feeling that looking into her ex-husband’s eyes brought.

  They sat near the tall windows where they could see the stars sparkle in the sky and glisten off the black sea. It was one of her favorite restaurants. He remembered. It was here that she surprised him with a baby bootie and told him he was going to be a father. The memory hurt without the sharp bitterness of anger. That had to be progress.

  Raven lifted her third glass of wine to her lips. There was barely any wine left in the bottle, and that was thanks to her heavy pour. She wasn’t drunk. Not yet. But she wasn’t feeling the ever-constant, achy pain in her heart where Alexander Katz’s love used to reside. In fact she was enjoying the conversation.

  “So let me get this right, you bought Tele-Star and sold it to Delco Communications? Why?”

  “Business,” he shrugged.

  “But Delco’s stock skyrocketed, Alex, after the acquisition. You could have easily-”

  “What? Doubled, tripled my wealth? How much money is enough, Raven?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “You tell me. You’re the king.”

  “Without his queen,” he mumbled and took a sip of his Scotch. “Money means nothing without you.”

  “Nice try, but I never cared about your money. Although your family didn’t think so,” she answered.

  “My family loves you. They all miss you.”

  She sighed. It was a lie. They both knew it. His mother only warmed to her when she found out she was going to be a grandmother. She imagined they tried to convince him not to be too generous to her in the divorce. The problem was, Alexander was a force in all their lives. No one told him what to do.

  “Let’s not talk about me,” he said as if he read her memories. “What’s your story? I hear you represent Sticky Nipple now?”

  “We do, and we also have Mandy Six! Oh and of course Liza-Rayne. You won’t believe the clients Kevin is bringing in.”

  “Kevin?” his brow arched.

  “He’s my partner now. We signed a deal six months ago. Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

  Alexander held his tongue. He continued to stare at her.

  “The company is doing well thanks to him and me. We have good chemistry,” she said and held his gaze.

  He sat back. He turned his glass and continued to stare at her.

  “Something wrong?”

  “No, beautiful. Of course you’re successful. You were born for this business. Paper Dolls is a success because of you—not him. Remember, I was the one who told you to start the agency. Step out from my shadow and be your own woman.”

  “And I am. My own woman,” she replied.

  He smiled.

  “I’m making you money. Don’t forget that,” she toasted him with her wine.

  “Are you happy, Raven? I have to know.”

  She lowered the glass and avoided his eyes while she considered the question. “You know what, I’ve been thinking about that since you called and asked me to dinner. I am happy. It’s been hard on me too. Our marriage… the baby… I wish… I,” her voice faltered and she squeezed her eyes shut. “Losing our child and then you nearly destroyed me. I did what I had to do, Alex. I protected my heart. I’m standing on my own and doing things my way. I’m my own person. Not just Alexander Katz’s wife. Does that make sense?”

  He nodded.

  Raven smiled. “So tell me. What’s her name?”

  His smile faded. Raven drank her wine glass clean. The vino loosened her restraint. “I know you’re seeing someone, so just give it to me. Who is she? Are you happy?”

  “I’m not seeing anyone, Raven,” he replied.

  “Please! You couldn’t keep your dick in your pants when you were married to me so—”

  “It was one time, Rae. I was drunk and hurting for my wife. We had lost our baby, and you shut me out.” Alexander sat back in his chair. “One slip, and my world fell apart.”

  “Oh that’s right, I lost our baby and you go and fuck Asia. That’s what we call her you know? Me and the girls. What was she? Vietnamese, Chinese?”

  “Korean,” he answered.

  “Right! Korean. A woman that you swore was nothing more than an employee, after I told you she had a thing for you!” Raven clenched her teeth. “You fucked her. You loved fucking her. You’re probably still fucking her.” The couple at the table across from them glanced over. Raven blushed. It was rare that she lost her cool. The mere thought of the woman who took her husband from her made her want to reach for her dinner knife. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t called for. Maybe it’s too soon for us to try to be friends. I’m just not ready to let go of being angry with you, Alexander.”

  He leaned forward. He looked into her eyes. “I’d rather you hate me than feel nothing. My fear is you’ll wake up one day and feel nothing, Raven.”

  “Too late. Hating you makes me numb. My hatred has wiped out everything else. There’s nothing left,” Raven sighed. “Can you take me home? I just don’t want to do this anymore. What’s the point?”

  He smiled and stood. He pulled out her chair. He helped her rise. Raven’s eyes met his and he held her in his stare for a moment. “I’m so sorry, love. With all my money, with everything I have, I can’t undo the past. It’s the only thing I wish for. To start over again.”

  “No. You can’t,” she said and stepped away.

  Alexander dropped money on the table, and then rubbed his jaw as he watched her walk towards the front of the restaurant. Raven had the sexiest walk. He used to select her shoes because he preferred a certain heel height that gave her ass the kind of sway that made his knees weak. How does a man who is so in love with his wife cheat on her and lose it all? For a year he’d been searching his soul, seeking counsel in his faith, struggling to answer that single question. Why? Dinner gave him nothing. He was no closer to winning her forgiveness than before. And there were only a few hours left before sunrise.

  Catching up with her he passed the valet his ticket. “Love, do they still have that Haitian band at the Sun Kiss?” he asked.

  “You mean Vernio?” she asked.

  “Yes, do they still play?” he asked.

  “No. They have a new act. A reggae band. Just as good though,” she gave him a weak smile.

  “Let’s go. For old times’ sake,” he said.

  Raven looked surprised. “I don’t think so.”

  “Why not? Give me one good reason? Never mind. You can give me several,” he kidded.

  She smiled for him. The relief he felt pushed his courage further. “I leave tomorrow, Rae. I’m going to open a new office in Australia.”

  Her eyes cut over. The wind blew in, sweetly caressing them both and tossing her bangs into her eyes. “Australia? For how long?”

  “Indefinitely. I won’t return to the States. And if I do return I won’t come back to Miami. I’m thinking of making Australia my new home,” he said. “A fresh start.”

  “I thought Israel would always be home?” she asked.

  “Not the same. Especially without you,” he smiled.

  The car arrived. The valet jumped out and hurried around the vehicle to open Raven’s door. The thought of Alexander leaving and staying gone made her already queasy stomach churn. She got inside the rental and looked over at him. “Okay, we can go if you want. I mean it is our last night together right?” she asked softly.

  Alexander’s smile wasn’t a sexual tease this time. She saw sadness and nothing more. “Right, sweetheart.”

  He tipped the valet and walked around the car. Once he was inside and behind the wheel Raven said a silent prayer that she could keep from sounding like a pathetic bitter ex-wife the rest of the night. She had to prove to Alex and herself that she was ready to let go.

  Alexander drove through the streets of South
Miami as if he never left. He knew how to avoid the traffic congestion, and which back roads to take. Raven relaxed. Sure the pain resurfaced and reminded her that she shouldn’t be so forgiving, but the love flowed like a flood too. Love reminded her that everyone made mistakes. And there was some truth in what he said. She blamed him for the loss of their baby, shut him out, and then sunk into a deep depression. He tried to reach her, Zephyr and Valentina tried to comfort her too. Nothing worked. Bitterness took root. Then the days turned into months, and her bitter heart turned her loving personality inside out. Tonight things were different. She didn’t deserve her husband’s betrayal, yet a small part of her understood what drove him to it.

  When they arrived at the Sun Kiss they found the usual crowd outside. Tourists that frequented the beaches flocked to the trendy hotspot below. But above on the roof was where the action went down. A live band played everything from salsa to jazz, and on this night reggae music lovers could dance the night away. She and Alexander used to crave the scene.

  He stepped out of the car and tossed his keys to the valet. He arrived in time to be the one to take her hand and help her exit. She allowed his touch and held his hand as they walked inside. Soon they were on top of the roof again with the hot night wind blowing at them. The floor illuminated by a soft glow, it cast their faces and skin in a bluish tint.

  The band played a rhythmic beat that had plenty of couples winding their hips, and rubbing their pelvises up against each other. Raven scanned the scene for a free table. Alexander pulled her by the hand. She was surprised when he brought her to the dance floor, surprised and happy that he wanted to hold her.

  “Alexander, we shouldn’t!” she fake protested. And the moment she was in his arms she put her backside to him and began to move against his tall frame. It pleased him when she backed into him. She could tell. It was fun. He smiled and she pretended their past belonged to someone else—not them. He was her husband again. Her best friends all knew that Raven loved being married. She loved Alexander Katz. The rhythmic chorus from the band seduced and instructed. Alexander ran his hands down her hips. Ass to pelvis she could feel and recall all the pleasures of being desired by her man. Raven sighed when hard desire pressed into her backside.