Allure (Forbidden #1)

by Michelle Betham

  ‘I’ll join you.’ He smiles, and despite the desperate need I still have to fill what’s left of this night with as much of him as I can, I really do need just a few minutes to myself. But that’s up to him. If he wants to take a shower with me, he showers with me. I don’t really have a choice. ‘Or maybe you need a few minutes, huh?’ Is he really that perceptive?

  ‘If you want to join me…’

  ‘Kira, honey, if you need five minutes to yourself I’m not gonna stop you. Besides, I’m not Superman. I could do with a break myself.’

  I smile, running my thumb lightly over his slightly open mouth. ‘I really do want to take a shower with you.’ And I do. I’m not lying. The thought of cool water cascading down over our naked bodies as he fucks me hard is something I fully intend to experience before this night is over. But if he’s willing to give up five minutes of the time he’s paying for to let me catch my breath, I’m taking it. For both our sakes.

  ‘Do you?’

  I lean in to kiss him, because I like kissing him. And I may never get to experience this again so I’m taking every second and banking it, so I can remember this night. I don’t want to forget it. ‘Yeah. I do. Later, OK?’

  He smiles that smile and I allow my stomach the requisite jolt. It might as well enjoy it while it can. ‘I’ll get some drinks sent up, huh?’

  I nod. Fuck staying sober. I need a drink. ‘I won’t be long.’

  I get up and head into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

  My five minutes alone starts now.

  Neal

  She feels it, I can tell. It’s written all over her beautiful face, and if she knew just how confused I was, too, I know she wouldn’t feel half as scared.

  I hear her turn the shower on and I fall onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to feel what I’m feeling right now, and it’s messing with my head, big time. I’ve never used the same escort twice, it’s not my style. I like variety. But, man, I’m not sure I can stay here, in Newcastle, for the next few days and not see her again.

  The shower suddenly goes silent, and I turn my head to look at the bathroom door. She’ll be out any second, and I need her here, back in this bed.

  I get up, grab the towel I’d discarded earlier and wrap it back around my hips before I walk over to the window. It’s dark now. The city’s lit up below us like a blanket of tiny coloured fairy lights. In the distance I can hear the faint sound of traffic and people and the general noise of a busy city on a Saturday night, but I feel so detached from it all. From everything.

  ‘Anything you feel like doing next?’

  Her voice drags me back into the room but I don’t turn around. I can’t, not yet. So when I feel her slide her arms around me from behind, feel her warm, naked body press up against me I’m relieved.

  ‘Everything OK?’ she asks quietly, her breath warm on my back.

  This time I do turn around, leaning back against the window-sill as I pull her into my arms. ‘Everything’s fine.’

  ‘I haven’t disappointed, then?’

  She says that with a smile, and I smile back. But then the smile fades, because nothing is funny or false about this now. ‘Stay the night, Kira.’

  My words have shocked her, I can tell because she lets go of me and steps back, creating a space between us that makes me feel slightly nervous.

  ‘I don’t do overnights.’

  It did state that, on her profile. But at the time I didn’t think it would be an issue. How the hell was I to know she was going to walk into that bar and turn my whole world on its fucking head?

  ‘Yeah. Yeah, I know…’

  ‘So you had no right to even bring it up.’

  ‘Kira…’

  She turns and heads over to her discarded dress that’s lying on the floor, and I can only watch as she slips back into it, covering that incredible body. And a feeling of emptiness washes over me to the point of pain. I need her to stay. I can’t let her go, not yet, even though the rational part of me knows that letting her go would be the safest option.

  ‘I won’t charge you for tonight, OK?’

  ‘No, Kira, it’s not OK.’

  I go over to her, gently taking hold of her wrist, anything to stop her from walking away.

  ‘Don’t go. Please.’

  She looks up at me, and there’s a confusion in her eyes that seeps right through into me. Because it’s the same confusion I’m feeling.

  ‘Please, Kira.’

  I let go of her wrist and slide an arm around her, pulling her against me, kissing her long and slow. I want to kiss her like this all night; no sleep, just sex and kissing. And she can charge me what the hell she likes, I don’t care, I just want her to stay. I want to know she’s there, should we happen to fall asleep, and if we do, I want to wake up and know she’s still with me.

  She pulls back from me, but her eyes are still locked with mine. ‘It’s a thousand pounds for overnight.’

  I reach out to brush a strand of hair from her eyes. ‘Only if you’re sure…’

  ‘A thousand pounds, Neal. You’re the one who needs to be sure.’

  She’s reverted back to that businesslike manner, but I know that’ll pass, or she wouldn’t be agreeing to stay. ‘I heard. And that’s fine, but I really don’t want to talk about the money anymore.’

  ‘If it wasn’t for the money I wouldn’t be staying.’

  And I know she doesn’t mean that. She doesn’t. She’s trying to put up barriers but I can see past them.

  ‘Take the dress off, Kira.’

  I keep my mouth close to hers as I murmur the words, and I feel her shiver as I say them. She wants this as much as I do, but she’s frightened. So am I. More frightened than I’m ever gonna admit.

  ‘Let’s get back to work, baby. OK?’

  I smile a slow smile, and she’s back. She’s smiling too. Kira Blu, the woman I’m going to spend the night with. The first woman I’ve spent an entire night with in a long time; the first woman I’ve wanted to spend an entire night with.

  I watch as she slips the dress back off, but still leaves her boots on, and I’m ready again. All over again. I’m gonna play with this girl until she begs for mercy. And then I’m gonna play with her some more.

  And I know I’m in trouble.

  I just don’t fucking care.

  Kira

  I’ve broken the most important rule in my own book. I don’t do overnights. I never have done. I’ve never wanted to. My stance on those is the same as kissing – it’s too personal, too intimate. But I’ve already crossed that line with Neal. I just panicked, when I heard him say the words; words I think, deep down, I wanted to hear him say. I panicked. Everything about tonight has made me panic. But I want to stay. I do. I want to stay here, in this dangerous bubble of confusion and lust and… I want to stay.

  Tomorrow’s another day.

  I’m going to enjoy tonight.

  Four

  Kira

  My whole body aches, every muscle feels like it’s been used over and over again until it’s been worn down to nothing. I can barely find the energy to turn my head, but I want to look at him. I want to see if he’s still as ridiculously handsome this morning as he was last night.

  I carefully move onto my side so I face him, and he’s still asleep, which makes me smile. Those beautiful eyes of his are closed, his dark hair all messed-up and falling down over his forehead. Yeah. He still looks so fucking good.

  I want to reach out and touch him, but I don’t want to wake him, not yet. I have so little time left with him now, and I just want to take him in; live every last moment of this fantasy before reality takes over, and both our lives carry on as they were before last night.

  Slipping quietly out of bed I head into the bathroom, quickly pee and brush my teeth, and run a brush through my tangled hair. I don’t look too bad, considering everything that went on over the course of a crazy night of sex and, well, more sex. So much sex.
No wonder my body aches. I might have to take a few days off to recover from this.

  ‘You still look incredible, even after everything I did to you.’

  I turn around and smile at him. He’s standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost, naked and gorgeous and I want him. One last time.

  ‘You don’t look so bad yourself,’ I whisper as I walk over to him. I haven’t bothered to put any clothes on either. I don’t see the point. There isn’t an inch of me he hasn’t already seen, so why bother being shy now?

  He catches me by the waist and pulls me to him, kissing me in the most incredible, heart-stopping way. I’m going to remember his kisses for a long time. And I almost envy all those escorts he has yet to spend time with. They have no idea how lucky they’re going to be.

  ‘One for the road, beautiful.’

  It’s not a question, and he knows my response.

  I smile, dragging him towards the shower, and he grins back. We didn’t manage it last night. So we’re doing it now.

  I switch it on and we step underneath the warm jets, the water hitting our bodies as he once more pulls me against him, kissing me with a hot-as-hell urgency that I can’t help but respond to. And then he pushes me back against the wall and smiles that smile at me again as he opens his balled-up fist to reveal the necessary condom, and I laugh. I’m so fucking relaxed in this man’s company, it’s ridiculous. But I can barely wait for him to slip the condom on over his already hard cock, in fact, I’m so desperate I know my breathing’s all over the place. And my heart isn’t fairing much better, I can feel it, hammering away inside of me, banging against my ribs with its impatient rhythm.

  He lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his hips as he pushes into me, the water that’s thundering down over us making everything feel so much more intense. He’s even more beautiful wet, and I cling on to him like my life depends on it as he thrusts into me.

  He takes my hands, raising my arms up above my head, back against the wall, our fingers intertwining and it’s crazy, the things I’m feeling here. A barrage of emotions I never had to think about before are suddenly filling my head, and I don’t understand what’s happening. I don’t understand it, but I know what it is. And as he finds that place within me, something that shakes me to my very core takes over and I cry out in pleasure and pain and a frustration I have never experienced before. I’m happy and sad and scared. More than anything, I’m so fucking scared. Because I know, the moment he leaves my body, the moment I dress and walk away from him, there’s no turning back.

  And I don’t know how to deal with that.

  Neal

  I leave her to get dressed and head back into the bathroom. I’m as confused as fuck, but at the same time I know exactly what’s going on. And I also know I need to fight it. Last night was just a glorious, incredible fucked-up fantasy, but today is a new day. There are things I need to do, even though it’s Sunday. I have work, that’s why I’m here. Maybe she has, too, and suddenly the thought of her with another man… I can’t explain how that makes me feel. So I try to push the thought away, ignore it; pretend none of this is happening.

  I grip the edges of the basin and drop my head for a beat or two before I look up into the mirror. I look tired. But that’s only to be expected. We didn’t get all that much sleep.

  I splash freezing cold water over my face a few times before I step back under the shower and quickly get washed. I need to look my best for the meeting this afternoon. I’m here to do a job. I need my head in the game.

  Going back into the bedroom I notice she isn’t there, and my stomach dips with the fear that I might have missed seeing her one last time before she leaves, but I can hear movement out in the living room, and relief swamps me.

  I quickly pull on jeans and a T-shirt, run a hand through my damp hair to push it back off my face, and head into the living room. She’s by the door, all dressed and ready to go. This is it. The moment reality comes crashing back to engulf us both. Maybe she’s relieved about that. I don’t know if I am.

  ‘I should be going,’ she says, hovering by the door. And I don’t want her to leave. I don’t. Seriously. Something happened last night. I knew it the second my eyes met hers, I felt it. Something happened. And I’m not sure I can deal with her walking away.

  But I have to.

  Because this can’t happen.

  It can’t.

  I’m not ready…

  Kira

  He’s so beautiful I can’t take it. I don’t think I realised just how beautiful he really is until this morning, when I watched him sleep; when he kissed me as he fucked me and my world changed forever. My world changed. Forever.

  ‘Last night, Kira, it was – it was incredible.’

  I smile as he pulls me against him and I allow myself one more kiss. I have his money now. Everything else is a bonus. For both of us. ‘Yeah. It kind of was, wasn’t it.’ I need to get out of here. I don’t want to go, but I need to. I need to leave this crazy situation behind me and get back to the life I know. So I pull away, letting go of him one last time. And it hurts. It’s a real, physical pain I feel as my fingers tighten around the door handle, his eyes burning deep into mine, but I know I have to leave. Now.

  ‘Have a nice life, Mr Cannon.’

  I give him one more smile and open the door, walking out without looking back.

  I’m safe now.

  Nothing can hurt me. It’s over.

  Kira Blu has work to do.

  And he was just another job.

  Five

  Neal

  The gallery’s quite full, for late on a Sunday afternoon. But I’d wanted to take a look around before I met with my client. I’m an art dealer, one of the best in the business, and I have clients all over the world, hence the reason I travel so often. My base is in Manhattan, but I’m rarely home. People pay a lot of money for my advice and knowledge so I need to be there when they ask for me.

  ‘Stunning, isn’t it?’

  I turn to see a tall, dark-haired woman by my side. She’s pretty, in a verging-on-plain kind of way, but then, after my night with Kira, I doubt any other woman can compare. She’s ruined me, my beautiful, fucked-up escort girl.

  ‘Yeah. It is.’

  I throw her my best smile and turn back to look at the painting, which is hanging beneath a large square skylight, giving it the optimum amount of light to make sure it’s displayed in the best possible way.

  ‘Neal Cannon, I presume.’

  I turn back to face her. ‘Yeah. I’m Neal Cannon.’

  She holds out her hand, and I take it, shaking it gently as she throws me a polite smile. ‘I’m Lee. Lee Gifford.’ She doesn’t miss my surprised expression. ‘You were expecting a man, huh?’

  ‘Well…’ I don’t know what I was expecting, if I’m truthful. My head hasn’t really been straight all day.

  ‘I’m called Leanne, but I’ve never been a fan of that name, so, I shortened it. Simple as that.’

  ‘I’m sorry. Please, forgive me. I guess I’m still a bit tired after all the travelling.’

  ‘Mr Cannon…’

  ‘Neal. Please.’

  She smiles again, and I try to claw back some composure. But my head’s some place else – between the legs of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. And I need to forget her, but I can’t. My fingers are itching to pull out my phone and call her because I need last night again. I’m here, in Newcastle, for a few more days and I can’t be here and not see her. I can’t, I know that now.

  ‘Neal?’

  Lee’s voice yanks me back to the here and now and I quickly pull myself together. This is business. This is my livelihood. I need to sort my shit out.

  ‘You’re a bit of an enigma in the art world, are you aware of that?’

  She’s still smiling, although it’s moved on from just being polite to slightly more friendly than that. And it’s a nice smile. It lights up her undeniably pretty face – it’s always a bonus when the clients are pr
etty. It’s doing nothing for me, though, but I still smile back, because I know she’s flirting with me. I’ve been here before, I can read the signs clearly, but I have never, ever taken advantage of those signals. That would be unprofessional. Too messy. I only ever sleep with escorts. Faceless women, emotionless sex.

  Yeah. And how did that work out for you last night, Neal?

  ‘An enigma, huh?’

  She’s getting the full-on, infamous Neal Cannon grin here, and it’s working. Any second now she’ll forget my initial distracted demeanour and only remember my smile and the way my eyes are burning deep into hers. I can do this shit in my sleep.

  ‘I’m very lucky to have acquired your services. I’m guessing you don’t visit North East England all that often.’

  ‘First time here.’ It sure as hell won’t be my last.

  ‘Well, if you need someone to show you around…’

  ‘I’ve got a lot of work to do while I’m here. I’m not sure I’m gonna have a lot of free time.’

  ‘I can’t tempt you to dinner?’

  Her eyes are sending me all kinds of messages here, and it’s nothing I haven’t had to deal with before, but I’m not doing this. She’s a client. A very rich client, and someone who could quite possibly help me expand my English portfolio quite considerably, and I’d like to keep her as that. But only that.

  ‘Dinner? Tonight?’

  ‘I know a fantastic little restaurant not far from here. Very exclusive. Very intimate. We could discuss what it is I’m looking for and, maybe, even how I could help you. And it would be much more relaxing doing that over dinner, don’t you think?’

  She’s right, but even so, it’s the last thing I want. I want to get this meeting over with, go back to the hotel and call Kira. I want to spend another long, crazy night with her legs wrapped around me and my cock deep inside her, that’s what I want. But I have to keep an element of professionalism here. This lady is willing to pay me a ton of money to acquire some stunning pieces of art for not only her gallery here in North East England, but also her many homes around the world. Dinner’s the least I can give her. But that’s all she’s getting.