by Colet Abedi
“The lady has a drink.” It’s the most possessive a man has ever been about me. I’m beaming.
Mikhail holds up his hands in defense. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know she was taken.”
“She is.” Clayton’s voice is hard. Angry. He’s pissed, I can tell.
I think I stop breathing. I am? By him? Does he mean I’m taken by him? Of course he does, you moron! I don’t think he appreciated my dancing queen moment at all.
“Fair enough.” Mikhail smiles at me. “You can’t blame a man for trying.” He turns and walks away and I’m left wrapped in Clayton’s arms, with the music pumping.
“I don’t share, little girl,” he whispers into my ear, his voice cold.
Little girl?
“Excuse me?” I turn and try to move out of his vise-like grip but he won’t let me. I’m plastered to his body, forced to look up at him as he looms over me.
Bad idea. I can see his anger. His eyes radiate the emotion, turning him into a stunning, cold statue.
“Little girl?” I say.
“I know what you were doing. And that’s a child’s game.” My stomach instantly ties itself into knots. Oh shit.
“I don’t know what you’re-”
“Lying doesn’t become you, Sophie. Your face is innocent of guile.”
I think he just complimented me but I can’t be sure because he doesn’t sound too happy about it. I figure I need to get some distance between us.
“I’d like to go now.”
“Perfect,” he says as he takes my hand, practically pulling me after him.
“I mean that I’d like to leave alone.”
I’m pretty certain I see Clayton rolling his eyes, but I can’t be sure because it’s so dark in the club. All I know is that he completely ignores my request and drags me after him. He waves goodbye to the table and then nods at the bartender. He just wants his bill.
“My villa.” His voice is commanding, leaving no room for argument.
His jaw is tightly clenched and I can still feel the anger oozing off his body. Clayton literally pulls me out of the club. The hot air hits us hard. There’s a slight breeze that is nice but does nothing to ward off the impressive heat.
I wonder what Erik and Orie are thinking? They’re probably disappointed that I left the club holding Clayton’s hand despite their warnings that I should play hard to get. We walk up the steps and are outside within seconds. Clayton walks briskly, completely ignoring me. I dig my feet into the ground. “Hold on a second!”
He stops, doesn’t release my hand, and turns to look at me. His face is perfectly composed. But he looks really aloof. All because I danced with some guy?
“What is your problem?” I know my voice has gone up like ten octaves but I really don’t care. I’m not the type of woman who allows a guy to order me around, and here’s a perfect stranger doing just that. He needs to explain. Like now.
I watch him raise a brow, look me over with that icy glare, and I wonder what I’m getting myself into. He stares at me for a long moment before answering. I know he’s doing this to throw me off balance and make me nervous. Law school and my father did teach me a few things about the art of war. And damn, he’s really good at it. My father would definitely be impressed.
“I told you, Sophie. I don’t share. And I don’t do games. And I especially don’t do jealousy.”
Well shit, he certainly seems jealous to me. Right?
“You could have fooled me.”
I can’t believe I just said that. Talk about uttering some bold shit. Even Clayton seems surprised by my words. I see it for a split second before his eyes turn cloudy and guarded. I’ve managed to pull my hand from his and back a bit away from him, hoping to gain some distance from the towering god. The angry, towering god, I might add.
“You’re right.”
At first I don’t think I’ve heard him correctly because honestly, it’s the last thing in the world I’d expect him to admit to me, but he does. Before I can even have a second to be happy about that revelation, he starts to stalk me. I back away from him until I’m cornered against a wall with nowhere to go. He leans into me, hands on both sides of my head, trapping any possible exit I could make.
“You’re absolutely right, Sophie. And it’s a first for me. A fucking first. And I’ve decided I don’t like the feeling at all.”
I lose my stomach. I feel a rush of excitement move through my body. I can barely breathe. He’s never been jealous before? I try not to smile in giddy pleasure.
“So what now?” I whisper. He smiles darkly at my innocent question.
“So now I’m going to find out why the hell I’m so drawn to you. I’m going to see if you taste as good as you look.”
I gasp. Holy shit. For the first time in my life, I’m incapable of thought. His lips crush mine with savage seduction as his hand moves through my hair, pulling my face as close to his as possible. His other reaches down to cup my bottom and literally lifts me up off the ground as he grinds his hips into mine and pushes me against the wall.
Oh, God. I feel every inch of him and I lose it. My hands are entangled in his hair, holding him tightly in place. His tongue moves into my mouth with expertise and takes complete ownership, branding me completely as his, and I moan in reaction. His tongue licks and devours my mouth completely. Tasting every part of me. His lips suck mine, and lord, does this man know how to kiss.
I feel his hands move down to the back of my naked thighs, caressing my skin, then reach under my short dress and grasp my butt. He groans in satisfaction as he deepens the kiss. I feel every part of him. It is so sinful but feels so good I can’t stop him. I don’t want to stop him. I push my hips into his, feeling the proof that he wants me just as badly as I want him, and then suddenly he tears his mouth away from mine and steps back.
“Jesus,” he whispers.
I’m panting with need. With want. I have never felt this way in all my life. I want him. I want to go to bed with him. Give him my virginity. On a silver platter, paper plate, I don’t care. It’s his.
I try to get a grip. Is it just me? It can’t be. I look at him and watch as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in.
“Fuck,” he says. Yes, Clayton. I’m thinking the same thing.
It takes me a minute before reality starts to sink in and I realize I’ve just acted like a wanton whore. I need to get out of here fast. I look for an escape route. Downstairs? Back to the club? God, no. I can’t face my friends. Erik will know. I roll my shoulders back and lift my chin. I’m going to walk to my goddamn villa. He can’t stop me. What am I so afraid of?
“Well, good night, then.” I almost add a “that was fun,” but thankfully catch myself from further embarrassment. I proceed to make a wide beeline around him and start walking down the path toward the overwater bungalows. He stops me after I’ve gone about three feet and grabs my hand.
“I’ll take you back.” He sounds so serious. My mind races as we walk back, the air between us sexually charged.
“Stop thinking, Sophie.” At first I don’t know if I’ve been talking out loud or if he just suspects the obvious. I look over at his strained face. We’ve hit the long wooden path now, on our way to the end of the ramp of bungalows.
“Please stop thinking. I can feel it,” he continues in a commanding voice. He looks over at me, piercing me with his bright blue gaze, and I practically stumble from his words and the general hotness he exudes. My eyes wander to his lips again.
“Fuck!” He swears again, reaches out and grabs me, picks me up and hungrily kisses me. I gladly give in, opening my mouth, giving him my tongue to suck, allowing him to hold my ass—my bare ass, by the way. Yes, I do have a thong on, but that might as well be nothing. He pulls his mouth away from mine only once to say, “Wrap your legs around me.”
I do as I’m told and he kisses me again as he walks down the dock. It’s the single most erotic moment in my life. Okay, I’ve never really had another moment like this an
d it’s so great; I don’t know what to do with myself. I feel a need so potent that it almost makes me cry out with longing. Someone could walk by and see us at any second. People could be behind us, I don’t care. I just want this man.
My hands grip his neck, his shoulders, anything I can touch. I’m wrapped around him like a grapevine and I have no intention of letting go. Ever. We kiss and kiss.
It all seems over too quickly. I’m surprised to find myself pushed up against the door of my villa. How did we get here so fast? My legs are still wrapped around his waist and he’s just looking at me, seemingly satisfied that I’m so disoriented. And I’m happy to note that he’s breathing just as heavily as I am.
His eyes are dark with desire as he stares into mine.
“You’re a goddamn witch.” I don’t know whether to be insulted or thrilled by his words.
I notice with some shame that his hands are still on my bare bottom. No one has ever done that before! I feel like an alien has taken over my body. I’ve never acted this way in my life.
I take a shaky breath and unwrap my legs from their death grip around him and my feet slowly reach the ground.
“Listen. I’m behaving totally out of character for me. So I totally understand if you never speak to me again.” I don’t. But I do. I can’t even look him in the eye. I don’t even know what I’m saying.
“You do?” I hear his amusement.
“Yes. I mean, what kind of … ” I pull my card key out of the pocket of my dress and turn away from him, trying desperately to find the slot for the card. I don’t even want to finish the sentence. Clayton takes it out of my hand and leans into me from behind. His mouth finds my throat and licks its way up to my ear. If he didn’t have a strong grip around my waist, I’d fall to the ground. He slips the key into the slot easily and the door clicks open.
“Listen carefully, Sophie. I have every intention of seeing you tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that. But it will be by my rules. And starting now, you will follow every one of them. Do you understand me?”
His rules? I can feel my breath start to leave me again. What does he mean by that?
“We don’t even know each other,” I whisper. The familiar uncertainty starts to wash over me.
“It’s too late for regrets.” Clayton makes me turn around to face him. He lifts my chin up and leans down to place a soft, chaste kiss on my lips. “We’re in too deep now.”
He kisses me again, but not the kind I want. I guess he can tell because I see the satisfaction on his face.
“I will call you tomorrow.”
I nod because I’m incapable of speech and step back inside my room. The door is open and I really don’t want him to leave. He leans against the doorjamb.
“You have to shut the door.”
“I don’t want to.” I can’t seem to help myself from saying the truth. I don’t care. His eyes darken with desire. I know he likes what I just said.
“Sophie. Please. Shut the door.” He sounds like a man in pain.
I stare at him and take in his utter beauty. The light from the moon makes him seem to glow. He is the most handsome man I have ever encountered. And he wants me. He kissed me. He’s standing here staring at me, looking like he will pounce at any minute. I can’t believe it. I’m afraid if I shut the door and let him go he won’t come back. And I’ll wake up and this will just be the sweetest dream I’ve ever had in my life.
“I can’t.” What if you disappear?
I hear him swear softly again. Then he steps forward and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me up against him. His hand runs through my hair again and I lean into it this time, closing my eyes.
“Look at me,” he says.
I do as I’m told.
“Christ,” he quietly utters.
Whatever he sees in my eyes makes him lean in for another earth-shattering kiss, this time more urgent. I answer by wrapping my arms around him, moving my hands up his back and through his hair. What little control Clayton has evaporates in a second and I know I’ve won. His lips trail down my neck. I moan in response. He lifts my hands up over my head, interlacing our fingers, and kisses the side of my neck and moves down to my chest. I can feel how bad he wants me and it causes heat, sweet heat, to explode through my body.
I would let this man have his way with me right there out in the open if it weren’t for the voices echoing in the distance. I hear them before he does and I pull away quickly, panting madly, scared that we’ll get caught by someone. Clayton steps forward to come after me but I put my hand up.
“Someone’s coming.” My voice is shaky. My legs are wobbly. I can barely stand but my sense of propriety has kicked in. Clayton closes his eyes and puts his hands on his legs.
“Shut the door now, Sophie. Or I’m coming in after you and I don’t care who sees.”
“Good night, Clayton.” I shut the door quickly before I change my mind and lean heavily against it. I know he’s still on the other side. I want to open it so badly, but I can’t. I need to maintain some sense of decency.
Self-respect.
Modesty.
I throw myself on my bed and close my eyes. It’s still hard to breathe normally. I touch my lips softly, they’re still swollen from his kisses. I wonder what time he’s going to call me in the morning? What if he doesn’t call? No, that’s not good. Don’t think like that. He will. He will. Stop. Stop it, Sophie. Stop now.
The phone rings. My heart race goes on overdrive and I think it’s going to pop out of my chest. I pick it up after two rings.
“Hello?” I know I sound breathless.
“You shut the door so quickly I didn’t get to say good night.” If I could fly, I’d be soaring across the sky. A big grin sweeps across my face.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. If you hadn’t closed the door when you did, you wouldn’t be alone right now.” My stomach drops at the thought. What’s the cool thing to say back to him?
“I’m just as much to blame.”
“I don’t think so.” His voice is low, sexy. “I think I have more experience than you in this department.”
Uh-oh. Do I suck at kissing? Do I scream virgin? Ugh.
“There is no doubt that you do.” I can’t think of anything else to say. It is clearly a fact that he has an incredible amount of experience. I, on the other hand, am massively lacking in this area of expertise. Still, I don’t want him to think I’m a total loser.
“I have dated, you know,” I add almost defensively.
“Have you?” I think I detect a frostiness enter his tone.
“Well, yeah.” Duh. One guy. And we barely touched each other. Just thinking about all the time I wasted with Jerry makes me ill. The fact that you dated only one guy should make you ill, my mind screams out at me.
“How many men have you dated?”
Suddenly I feel like this isn’t a conversation that will end well. His voice is quiet and serious and I don’t understand why, when I bet he can’t even count how many women he’s been on dates with. And without a doubt, had sex with.
“I asked you a question.”
I try to be the adult.
“I think we should end this conversation.”
“Tell me.” Lord, he sounds angry.
“What’s the point?” I stall.
“The point is that I want to know.”
“One,” I say quietly, “I dated one guy.” My honesty is so pathetic. Why can’t I make myself sound cool?
“Who was he?”
“Jerry. His name is Jerry and I grew up with him and we dated but we were more like brother and sister. You’re right. I’m a virgin. We barely even kissed. Are you happy now?” Talk about giving the man too much information. He didn’t ask to hear all that! Why would I just offer it up to him? What is wrong with me?
I think I hear a sigh of relief but it could be my imagination playing games with me.
“The only reason why I know about your innocence is because
I happened to hear your friend talk about you.”
I’m mortified. Of course he heard. Erik screamed my lack of sexual experience out to the world. Oh my God. He must just think I’m a naïve twit.
“Can we change the topic now?”
“Innocence is a virtue that should be commended. It’s a rarity. Especially in this day and age.”
Don’t I know it, I think sullenly to myself. Before I can answer him he says the one thing that takes all my doubts and fears away.
“And I like it.”
Suddenly I’m glowing.
“Goodnight, Sophie. Sweet dreams.”
“You, too.”
I hang up and close my eyes. As Clayton commands, I have the sweetest dreams.
6
At exactly ten a.m. I am lying face up on a massage table overlooking the enchanting Indian Ocean with a small Filipino woman staring down at me. This is Noom, the island healer. She’s about four foot ten, rail thin, and is wearing baggy white pants and a t-shirt. She has a very pleasant smile that instantly puts me at ease. She’s managed to take my mind off the fact that Clayton hadn’t called as of the minute I left my villa, which was at exactly nine forty-five. I don’t take him as the kind of guy who sleeps in, but who knows? He is on vacation. Of course, my mind goes straight to the dark place of insecurity, which practically swallows me alive.
“You have too much going on in here!” Noom pulls me back to the moment as she points at my head. She delivers this line with a thick accent. She doesn’t look too happy about this revelation.
“Well, yes.” Doesn’t everyone?
She wrinkles her brow and shakes her head at me.
“This is no good. It’s too much,” she puts her hand on my forehead and closes her eyes. “I can hear your constant chatter. How you no have headache all the time?”
She can hear me? Well, shit. I try to explain myself to her.
