Beautiful Dreamer

23. By Your Side

There was no denying that the suggestion to have tea was entirely out of the window. A part of Ari wanted to call it quits; however, after agreeing to Ned's proposal, who'd become too excited,  got hellbent on finally eating Ari up.

"C-Can I ask...you something..." Ari asked in a bid to control her breathing. She was equally aroused, considering Ned was kissing at her chest. Everywhere he'd touched burned, reminding her of how it felt to be held for the first time by Rey just a few weeks ago. However, unlike Ned, Ari's excitement was mixed up with anxiety. Due to the occasion and her guilt, she'd agreed to be on the receiving end for the second time.

"T-The projects-everything... Did you give them to me because of my skills, or was it out of favouritism?"

"Such a stiff topic grates our amorous mood."

Ari looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. Being in this position was awkward, and feeling  Ned's vivid desire reminded her of the passionate night she'd shared with another.

Seeing that Ari was uncomfortable, Ned bent down and then whispered. "I would never do that. I'm aware of distinguishing between work and my private affairs."

Ari flinched at the soft breath playing on her ear as Ned spearheaded their lovemaking.

"You were a referral with an impressive reputation; therefore, I requested a sample of your previous works. As much as I approved of your skills, I remained unimpressed. My secretaries led our first project, and my name never made it into any of your meetings. I wanted to remain anonymous."

"I-I recall-aah..." A light moan escaped her parted lips, her eyes responding to the pleasure building within.

"I curiously looked into your previous employments. I concluded there might be something about you that made everyone wish to be bedded by you and work with you simultaneously. Funny is, my secretaries equally developed a liking towards you and out of jealousy, I terminated their contract."

"Ned..." Ari called out softly, lost in the relentless rubbing that left her feeling like a mutt in heat. Her body was responding, knowing far too well she was being led to slaughter, one she'd shepherded from the beginning of their relationship. 

How the tables had turned.

"Ari, you're responding very well for someone who has never been bottomed. How lucky I'm I to hold a dominant woman."

Ned's remark sent her lover's eyes flying wide open, enough to catch a smirk at the end of his lips.

"I'm not that emotional of an individual to leave a project entirely to a novice, yet I took my chances with you, and when we met for the first time, my primal instinct was to confirm the rumours. You looked dominant, but even some beta women can subdue a man."

"Tell me about the rumours." Ari asked, though her mind was utterly lost in the need to control her building desire. It surprised her how easily she rose to the occasion. Thoughts of Rey calling out her name seemed to have somewhat softened her anxiety at being the recipient. Ned may not know, but she'd enjoyed it. She just wasn't sure if she'd equally feel the same pleasure with the man she'd accepted a proposal from only moments ago. These thoughts made her feel ashamed.

"'Subtle on the outside but violently passionate in the sheets.' That's what the rumours said." Ned said and burst into laughter at Ari's blank expression. He'd stopped at his task, wishing to clear the misunderstanding. "It's a compliment, my dear. I did have myself violently shown passion by you multiple times."

"Such perversity from the company I used to keep. I'm glad I cut them off." Ari mentioned and immediately covered Ned's mouth with both hands when he was about to kiss her. "Don't you feel embarrassed uttering gibberish? I-I thought I was getting referrals because of my skill set, but..." Ari suddenly pulled her hand away, surprised by the feeling of Ned's tongue licking at her palm.

"I admit to being a little tongue-tied when I met you for the first time." Ned returned and increased his speed. He loved seeing Ari struggling to maintain her composure, fighting to control the soft moans that continued escaping her. "You had become familiar to me through remarks made by my secretaries and rumours flying around about you devouring your lovers dominantly ."

"W-Wait..."

"Then, one day, everyone stopped talking, and I wondered why. It turns out there was a little scandal with one of your clients. That is what led you to stop mixing business with pleasure. Isn't that it, my dear?"

"W-What...are you...t-talking..."

"You turned down the son of a mighty business empire. He couldn't win over his temper; therefore, he kept lamenting about you, but lately, he has been triumphant over working with your former company again. I wonder why when he is the one that tarnished your name, feeding onto the stereotype about dominant women."

Ari heard every word, yet her body and mind were more concentrated on the pleasure that kept consuming her to the point that she couldn't endure it any longer. Then, just as if Ned had sensed its onset, he kissed her deeply, trapping Ari's whimpering moans while she climaxed from release.

Ari's heart thudded violently at her chest, her breathing rapid, and her body heated up. Then, opening her eyes slowly, she felt Ned end their kiss only to trap her with his passion-filled gaze. 

"I lied. I approached you because I wanted the title you had, and what better way than to conquer the infamous dominant every lover praised, but then, just like them, you caught me in your web, reducing my mission to a mare child's play. So, in the end, I desired you, just like everyone else, wishing to make you mine. Do you know how rare it is to meet dominant women?"

Ari squirmed, reaching her hands to cover her nakedness. "You must be out of your mind to discuss these with me now."

"But you're not ready yet. You may be dominant like me, but you are a woman at the end of the day. Even if you can not conceive, that does not mean people should only use you to pleasure themselves. I am not like your past lovers."

"I've never been in a serious relationship."

Ned's expression suddenly turned sinister. "You were the first person I'd ever fallen for, yet you never saw me beyond a client. Whenever we met, it hurt realizing how unaware you were of my feelings, and whenever you'd greet me, I'd wish to hold your hand a little longer. Overtime, I began going crazy and petty by your blindness to my advances towards you.

'Maybe it's a little too hot of a weather,' I'd thought whenever we'd meet, but it turns out you made my body want to take you down. Afterwards, rumours began flying around again of you ending the sexual fantasies of many, and that's when I thought my luck had run out.

I had someone watch you, thinking you were in a relationship. When you clarified your fondness for Mun, I was relieved and settled for letting our mood flow naturally. Sadly, my heart sank when I saw you panting after your secretary during our trip. 'Never been in a serious relationship' you say, yet you were seriously focused on another man but me?"

"N-Ned..."

"Ari, I don't think you comprehend my state of mind right now. I'm neither intoxicated nor swayed by anyone. I equally know what I like, need and want. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate your sacrifice in allowing this relationship to happen, nor your need to clear your old reputation, but right now, you are mine. My chest burned when I saw that man at your doorstep, and what he said snapped my sense of judgment. I'm more generous than I had thought; otherwise, I would have snapped his neck."

"What happened with Rey was..."

"A mistake, I'm aware, yet you love him."

"...N-No..."

"My dear Ari, you look at him the same way I look at you. Perhaps that is what drove my shameless proposal to you. Still, I didn't do it to trap you but to free you."

"W- What are you talking about?"

Biting her neck, Ned savoured Ari's response. He'd resolved to have his way with her even if his lover were to reject him. For long, he'd dreamt of this moment, yet despite getting what he wanted, the truth was right before him.

"I've accepted you'll never love me as much as I want. Nevertheless, despite my selfishness, I'm willing to share you with him. All I ask of you is once you two are done, you must return home to me.

Am I clear?"