by Shayne Ford
He smiles, sunk into his thoughts.
“You shouldn’t have left,” he says softly, his grin fading away.
Regret and sadness thread through his voice and something breaks inside me.
“I didn’t leave you,” I say.
He searches my eyes as I slowly shake my head.
“No. I didn’t. Even if I wanted to, it was impossible,” I murmur, smiling and fighting back my tears. “All I tried to do was to put some space between us and get my heart back, but I never left you,” I say quietly.
His eyes narrow with a rueful smile.
He studies me for a few more moments before he tears his gaze away from me and pushes his chair back. That’s when I notice the soft trembling of his lip.
My eyes follow him as he rises to his feet.
“It’s time for me to go,” he says.
Surprise rolls on my face followed closely by a questioning look.
“You have to leave early in the morning,” he says as I gaze at him, baffled. “And I do too.”
I follow his example and slide my chair back. My knees start shaking. Somehow I push up to my feet and run my hands over my skirt, evading his eyes while trying to tame my emotions.
He pivots and strides to the door, and I follow him in a trance.
I swing the door open for him, and he almost steps into the hallway when I bring my hand to his forearm and gently touch him.
He spins to me. He must see everything in my eyes.
Smoothly, he snakes an arm around my waist and cups my face. My eyes stay glued to his as he lowers his mouth.
I close them in anticipation, longing to feel his kiss again.
His lips are warm as mine tremor with emotion. Our kiss is soft and feels like heaven.
Slowly, he tears away.
“I never left you either,” he says quietly, a faint smile curving his lips.
He leans into me again and places a kiss on my cheek before he pulls away for good.
Unable to move, I stare down the corridor long after he takes a left turn and strides to his room.
11
DAHLIA
It’s a gloomy day.
I guess that’s how life works. Less than twenty-four hours ago I was lying in the grass next to Lex, soaking in the sun, talking about things I never dare to share with anyone else, and here I am now. The streets are wet and gray, the cars barely moving with the morning traffic.
I walk into my office before eight o’clock. Damp locks fall over my face, my sleeves wet from the drizzling rain.
Damn it.
I make a quick stop in the bathroom to straighten up my appearance and let my hair down. It’s waving from all that moisture.
By the time I finish setting up the conference room for the ten o’clock presentation, the hallway is crammed with people. Some of them I met at the Equestrian Center, and some at the party while many of them are new to me.
I show them to the board room.
They take seats, enjoy the refreshments and the fresh coffee. Nervous, I wait on the hallway, my gaze pinned on the far end of the corridor.
Five minutes to ten, two men walk out of the elevator.
Ashton Blackmore and Lex Harrington.
They both look in my direction, Lex’s eyes set a chemical reaction in my body. I grapple with a wave of heat as my hands begin to tremble.
Ashton gives me a warm smile.
“Everything is ready,” I say, barely keeping my voice steady.
“How was your trip back?” he asks, his eyes quickly scanning my attire.
I wear a two piece business suit, dark green with silver metallic details.
“Good,” I say, feeling self-conscious.
Lex’s gaze warms up my cheeks. Nervous, I run my fingers through my hair.
They both get distracted for a moment, and I start melting at the edges.
“Okay, then,” Ashton says, holding the door open for Lex, and me.
I walk in first, followed by Lex. Ashton closes the door behind him and strides to the front of the room. Lex takes a seat not far from him, while I remain in the back.
My boss starts talking. For a few minutes I manage to focus on the presentation, and then my phone starts vibrating in my fist. Smoothly, I retreat into a corner and flip it over.
I slide my finger onto the screen, a text message showing up. My heart stops for a moment.
I flick my gaze up, my eyes flying to Lex’s shoulders. His head is tipped down.
I slant my gaze to the screen again.
Lex: Your hair looks beautiful, Bondage Girl.
Smiling, I start to type.
Bondage Girl: I haven’t heard from you in a while, Sir.
Lex: Missed me?
A chuckle almost makes it to my lips, prompting a few heads to swivel in my direction.
Smoothly, I push the door open and walk outside. The hallway is quiet and empty.
Quickly, I sneak into my office.
Bondage Girl: You’re gonna get me fired, Sir.
Lex: That’s the plan, Beautiful Girl. What does your evening look like?
Blood pools in my face.
Bondage Girl: What do you have in mind, Sir?
Lex: Dinner at my place after a show unless you prefer a public setting.
Bondage Girl: Your place sounds good.
Lex: I’ll pick you up at seven.
Bondage Girl: You know where?
Lex: Is that even a question?
Grinning, I rush to the bathroom, check my hair and make the trip back to the conference room.
Smoothly, I open and close the door, my gaze swinging to the front.
His seat is empty.
DAHLIA
It’s early, yet it’s dark outside, the rain woven in this gloomy Wednesday. Charcoal clouds cover the sky, the drizzling moisture painting the streets and cars and windows with a gleaming sheen.
Colorful lights bleed into each other, smudging the pavement and the dark walls. Copper, red and orange leaves spin on the sidewalks, blown by the wind.
I spin away from the window, my room coming into view.
A soft music travels through the air.
Five more minutes and he should be here. Nervous, I spin back to the mirror. I scan every detail of my appearance with the precision of an X-ray machine.
A black lace dress intimately follows the contour of my body, stopping short of my knees. It’s a black lace frock layered with strapless nude lining, the design revealing my shoulders and my arms.
A narrow satin ribbon belt highlights my waistline. The bell sleeves and the skirt have scalloped hemlines.
Emerald encrusted earrings dangle from my ears.
My phone rings.
“Oh!” I gasp, startled.
Damn it. I almost give myself a heart attack.
I slide my finger onto the screen and put him on speaker.
“I’m downstairs,” he says.
“Okay. I’ll be there in a minute,” I say, wheezing as if I ran around the block.
“You okay?” he asks, a smile threading through his voice.
“Yeah... Yeah...” I say, rushed.
I don’t sound okay.
“I’ll go now,” I say hurriedly.
“Okay,” he says, calm.
“Bye... I mean I’ll see you in a moment,” I mumble.
“Take your time, Miss Fox, and breathe. I’m not leaving without you,” he says, and my insides turn to mush.
I toss the phone on the table, my hand sweaty.
I have to get a grip–– I muse, so I breathe deeply a few times. I fan myself with my hand and then I open the window. A gust of cold wind splatters rain on my face.
For some reason, I feel better. I pull the window shut and tear away.
From a chair, I pick up my dark coat and my clutch. I snatch my phone, slip it into my purse and drape my coat over my shoulders before I glance in the mirror one last time.
Still breathing shallowly, I dash out of my apartment.
Grinning, I saunter across the lobby and push through the revolving doors, hurrying to his car.
The door slides up, and I sink into my seat.
A scent of fall, body heat and the masculine fragrance breathing through his skin, wraps around me.
His eyes meet mine as I shift in my seat. That very moment all of him enters me. I feel the tickling of a smile as it crawls up my lips.
“Hey,” I say, my breath catching.
He leans toward me and places a soft kiss on my cheek.
“You’ve made it,” he says as he smoothly tears away.
His gaze slides down onto me, taking in my dress.
His eyes flick up.
“You look beautiful,” he says, his voice smooth like honey.
A warm smile glints in his eyes, and my heart does a little twirling in my chest.
“You too,” I say, taking in his sharp, slim fit jacket and the shirt open at the neckline.
They’re both dark, and both have a subtle sheen.
His lips curve into a slow smile, and I quickly get distracted.
A gust of wind howls outside.
“What about this weather?” I mutter, regaining my focus.
“I love it,” he says, and I glance at him.
He smiles.
He also sounds sincere.
“I always did,” he says and smoothly revs up the car as we pull away.
“You like music?”
“Yes,” I say.
He glances at me, tilting an eyebrow.
“Opera?” he asks.
“Yes.”
I laugh softly.
“It goes perfectly with this kind of weather,” I mutter, shifting my eyes to the window.
“Does it?”
“Yes.”
The rain trickles down the glass.
“Why is that?” he asks as he steers the car onto an empty boulevard.
Streetlights rush by as we dash down the street.
“Because it quiets down the noise,” I say, my gaze rooted to the wet pavement. “Life moves inside. And when it does, the senses heighten. You see clearer and feel deeper and absorb everything faster. With ease. It’s the best time to let yourself drown in a book or listen to music or love someone or simply taste the solitude. That’s why I always thought this weather is perfect for music.”
Half an hour later, we enter The Royal Opera House. A hostess shows us to a private loge. A decadent, red and golden decor surrounds us.
The box is large and sunk into dimness. Five people could easily fit in, and yet it’s only him and me.
He makes sure I’m settled in my chair before he takes a seat.
“I love it,” I say as my gaze drifts over the crowd on the lower level and then over the red curtains and the sumptuous stage.
“What are we seeing?” I ask.
“La Traviata,” he says, his gaze drifting away.
I stay quiet for a moment, and he swings his eyes to me.
His eyebrows tilt up, a questioning look sliding onto his face.
“Is that okay?” he asks.
Without answering, I lean to him, lock my arms around his neck, and kiss him on his cheek.
“It’s one of my favorites. Thank you, Lex,” I say quietly.
His eyes glint with a smile, showing a softness I’ve never seen in any other man’s eyes other than perhaps my dad.
“I’m glad you like it,” he says, his hand gently cupping mine.
12
DAHLIA
“Are you hungry,” he asks as he pushes the door to his suite open and invites me in.
“Yes.”
Dressed in white linen, and adorned with a stunning floral centerpiece, a table sits in the middle of the lavish room, waiting for us.
He slides his thumb over the phone and starts texting.
“The food will be here right away,” he says.
“Is that the hotel service?” I ask incredulously.
“No. It’s a private chef.”
“In the middle of the night?”
“Yeah... Why not?” he says, smiling amused.
“The food must be exceptionally good,” I say, grinning at him.
“Yes, it is.”
Moments later, we have dinner, and around midnight we find ourselves alone, enjoying a glass of wine.
He puts some music on, the kind that I like. Soft and soothing. Melodious. He takes my glass from my hand and sets it on the table, his hand stretched out to me.
He wraps his arms around me and slowly moves with me. The tune is sad, nostalgic, the rain still drumming on the windows. The wind moans outside as lit candles flicker on the table.
I splay my fingers on his chest, slowly kneading.
“You are a good dancer,” I say.
“Not as good as you, baby,” he retorts, a smile lining his voice.
I laugh softly.
“That is a different kind of dance,” I mutter.
His arm tightens around me, his gaze dipping into my eyes.
That’s all I need to feel lost.
“Have you planned all of this?” I ask after a moment.
“You mean us spending time together?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“What do you think?”
I watch him fascinated as he curls his lips into a lazy smile.
“Were you sure it was gonna work?”
A playful grin beams on his face.
“Someone told me once that women are like flowers. You have to give them enough room to grow, yet at the same time you have to keep an eye on them and protect them.”
“Hmm... That is a smart someone,” I say, smiling.
A few moments of silence sneak between us.
“Tonight was perfect,” I say. “I loved the opera and the food, and I like being with you...” I murmur, my voice trailing off.
He doesn’t say a word, yet his eyes speak to me. And the more unspoken words travel to my mind the softer I turn inside.
Tenderness flows through his touch and eyes and smile, a warmth and gentleness I always knew he had. That’s what made him impossible to resist.
“Lex...” I quietly call him, my voice on the cusp of tears. “Lex,” I breathe out again, my voice soft as a whisper.
He slides his hand up my back, his fingers threading through my hair. I tilt my chin up to meet his lips. His very essence flows through me, his kiss feeding my emotions, all twirling inside me.
He tears his lips away from mine, and then I see him. Warm and open to me. Willing to let me learn him, and finally, let me love him.
“This feels good,” I say as we no longer dance, yet he still holds me in his embrace.
His fingers wrap around my neck as he slowly starts to kiss me. I close my eyes and cuff his wrists, responding to his kiss.
It’s a gradual conquest, rendering me breathless. I quietly moan in his mouth.
His skin gets heated, and so does mine. His pace and pressure increase, feeding my growing hunger.
I run my hands up his arms and shoulders, and then I start unbuttoning his shirt. One by one, his buttons pop open until I feel his bare chest beneath my fingers. My palms slide onto his skin, pulling his shirt open.
Smoothly, he runs his hand down my back, unzipping my dress. With one fluid motion, he peels my frock off my shoulders, snags my bra straps and pulls everything down, including my panties.
His hands slide up onto my calfs and thighs and set on my waist as he rises to his feet.
I step out of my clothes and hungrily lock his lips. His skin burns against mine, his touch pushing me into a sea of pleasure.
Arms wrapped around me, he pulls me into him. Breathing so much passion into me, he makes my body primed for him.
Eager to feel him, I deftly unfasten his belt.
In one motion, he picks me up, and I wrap my legs around him. Holding him tightly, I slide my fingers into his hair and start to kiss his locks. His hair smells like the cold wind outside and a hint of his cologne.
&nb
sp; “I missed you so much,” I murmur, voicing my thoughts, no longer caring to filter them.
“I missed you too, baby,” he says, laying me on his bed.
“I’ll do it,” I say as he starts shedding his clothes.
I pull up to my knees and smoothly peel his shirt off him, and then his pants. Wrapping my arms around his thighs, I look up at him. Without breaking my gaze, I start kissing him. His abs and groin and the length of his erection.
He smiles, and I grin too as I briefly pull him into my mouth and get a taste of him. He’s hard as steel, and warm and pulsing. His hot pre-cum spreads over my taste buds giving me a quick rush. Just as smoothly, I pull him out and lie down on the bed.
My arms open for him, and he spares no time to bury me under his body. A smooth rolling of his hips drives his hardness deep inside me.
“Oh...”
A gasp falls from my lips as I sink my nails into his back and arch against him. He does it again, his hot breath fanning over my lips.
“Lex...” I murmur in a trance.
He shields me with his arms and rocks his hips as he starts to kiss me. I breathe him in with all I have, trying to quench my hunger.
I can’t have enough of him.
We breathe as one and move as one and speak so little because right now we also think as one.
He meets my lips with passion and my yearning body with his strength and the fire of his blood. I feel complete and his and safe. For me, there’s no better feeling in this world.
It’s almost morning when embraced we fall asleep.
