‘Have you been here long?’ Nathan asked.
‘I got in at eight this morning.’
Nathan giggled. ‘Good one.’
Eva didn’t know what was so funny, but she decided to be polite, and laugh too.
‘I meant, have you been working here long? I just started a couple of days ago.’
‘Of course, sorry. I remember. You introduced yourself at last Monday’s meeting.’
Eva felt bad for forgetting him. She was normally very good with names and faces. Julian was throwing all her senses off.
‘I take it you’re the office joker then?’
The office joke, more like, Eva’s thought to herself, trying not to let tears swell in her eyes.
‘Are you going to the ball next week?’ Nathan asked casually.
‘Have to, it’s compulsory.’
‘It is? That’s unusual,’ Nathan said scrunching up his nose. ‘Can they do that?’
Eva nodded. ‘Apparently.’ Mia’s earlier jab ran through Eva’s mind.
‘Oh but I don’t even have a tux.’
Eva liked him. He was nervous and timid. He reminded her when she first started. He reminded her of her now.
‘Do you know where I could find one?’ Nathan blurted as if the whole sentence was one long word.
Eva shook her head. She didn’t know Dublin very well, even after almost a year. And she definitely didn’t know where to find a man’s suit hire shop.
‘Do you have a black suit? You just need to find a bowtie.’
Nathan shrugged, his eyes rounding. ‘I’m not really a suit kind of guy.’
Eva sucked in her bottom lip. She wondered if Julian wore suits. Stop it, she scolded herself silently.
Eva didn’t have a chance to answer before Nathan continued.
‘Oh that was stupid. Sorry. You probably have much better things to do than listen to me talking your ear off about clothes.’
The sides of Eva’s lips pulled into a bright smile. ‘No, no. It’s good. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one freaking out over what to wear.’
‘Maybe we could freak out together after work sometime? Grab a coffee and take a look around the shops.’
Eva’s eyes darted to the ground. She didn’t see that coming.
‘I’m not usually this pushy, honestly. Or this fashion aware.’
Eva looked up at Nathans bright pink shirt coupled with a navy and green stripped tie. She believed him. On both counts.
‘I’m buying,’ Nathan added with toothy grin.
‘I’d love to.’ Eva meant it genuinely. He made her smile more than she had in ages. His goofy giggle set her at ease and his eagerness to be polite had her suspecting that he was a really nice guy inside. Besides, helping him would take her mind off her own apprehension about the ball…and Julian. Win, win she thought.
Nathan jumped a little without his feet actually leaving the ground and added a micro air-punch. Eva covered her mouth with her hand to hide a giant grin. She wasn’t sure if he was being funny or if he really was just a super geek. It didn’t matter. She liked him either way.
‘Does after work today suit?’
Eva suddenly remembered her conversation with Julian. She wanted to be free later to chat to him. She could relax more when the office was quieter.
‘Lunch tomorrow instead?’ Eva couldn’t believe how confident she was, she had actually taken initiative for the first time in as long as she could remember.
‘Okay. Perfect.’
Nathan spun around and faced his desk. He twisted around every few moments to smile at Eva and occasionally wink. Finally, he was distracted by an important phone call and Eva was glad to return her attention to her computer.
Chapter 5
Eva examined herself in the full length mirror beside her bed. She always wanted to be taller but at five-six, she knew she was about average. Her hair, although badly in need of styling, was very long and harboured surprisingly few split ends. He slender legs and toned tummy, evidence that she worked out. She didn’t understand it. Why was she so invisible to men?
‘Even my boss, who apparently sleeps with anything with a heartbeat, doesn’t want to do me. I’m pretty certain I’m un-fuck-able,’ Eva said out loud, watching her reflection as it nodded sympathetically.
Her attention was drawn to her watch. She’d been checking it every ten minutes all evening. It was 7.45pm. The only light in her room was coming from a small, bedside lamp and the bright white glow of her laptop screen shining in the corner. What if he was repulsive? Or even worse, what if he was drop-dead gorgeous but he thought she was hideous? There was no way she was doing what he demanded in payment. She couldn’t.
Eva physically jumped as a beep sounded from her laptop. He was early. She wasn’t ready. She had an email. She closed her eyes for a moment, held her breath and instinctively clicked open. A huge gush of air escaped her lips as she sighed in relief. It was from Shelly. She’d never had a personal email from work before. In the ordinary course, Eva would have been nervous. Maybe she was getting fired…or maybe Mr Doe had second thoughts and wanted to call her back for a booty call. Whatever it was, it paled in comparison to her pending nudity in front of Julian. I’m not doing it, she reminded herself, reassured herself, tried to convince herself. She felt sick but she couldn’t stop smiling. Her emotions were a whirlwind whipping around her head. Get a grip, Eva, she warned herself and checked her watch again.
___________________________
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Parcel
Date: Tues 14th 19.47
Hi Eva,
Mr Doe asked me to remind you that there is a box (a rather large one) waiting here for you. He would be very grateful if you would come to pick it up first thing in the morning. (He has never left anything for a staff member before; you must have made quite an impression on him).
It was lovely to meet you today.
I’ll see you in the morning.
Yours,
Shelly
Shelly Fox
Senior Personal Assistant
Ignite Technologies
Block 6
Plaza Exchange
Dublin 2
Eva typed a quick, polite response and closed the window. What if it was a revolting BDSM gimp suit or something? She laughed out loud at her own foolishness. It wouldn’t matter if was nothing more than a used stapler. Mr Doe’s office had seen more girls than an obstetrician’s, but she was the only one he’d left something for. Wow. Her confidence was boosted by a million percent. Mr Doe liked her. Shelly technically said so, so it was definitely true. She suddenly felt bold and confident.
An instant message appeared. Eva’s heart raced but she embraced the moment.
Julian: Good Evening, Evangeline. Sorry I’m late.
Eva looked at her watch. It was 8.02pm.
Eva135: Two minutes? I would hardly call that late.
Julian: Late is late. I’ll understand if you want to forfeit our arrangement.
Eva pressed the heel of her hand between her eyes. He was arrogant and insistent earlier. She’d worried about it all day. She even bought new, ridiculously expensive and very uncomfortable underwear on her way home from work, and now, for the sake of two minutes, he wanted to bail out on her. No bloody way. He wasn’t calling all the shots.
Eva135: Of course not. We had an agreement.
Julian: Good. Shall we start?
Wow, he wasn’t wasting any time. Eva looked at the bottle of Pinot Grigio resting beside her keypad. She had only poured one glass and it was still half full. She’d hoped they would chat for a while. Or at least long enough for her to knock back some dutch-courage. Eva picked up her glass and drained it before shakily pouring another.
Eva135: Ok.
Julian: I know you like games, Evangeline. So let’s make this a little more interesting.
No, no I don’t, Eva thought. Damn it, why hadn’t
she set him straight earlier?
Julian: Agreed?
Eva135: Agreed on what?
Eva was about to take her clothes off for a man she had never seen. She wondered how it could possibly be more interesting.
Julian: Let’s wager a little bet.
Eva felt more nervous than ever.
Eva135: What kind of bet?
Julian: I bet you will call ‘Game Over’ before you take your bra off.
Eva’s stomach somersaulted. He just said bra, she thought. She was more worried she would chicken out before she took her cardigan off…underwear was far from her mind.
Eva135: And if I win?
She was impressed with her ability to pretend she was calm. That email had really done wonders.
Julian: I will be your date for the ball free of charge. You can’t afford my time, Evangeline. Very few can.
Eva wondered how the hell much he normally charged. Hundreds, thousands maybe. He was right, she couldn’t afford him and she wouldn’t embarrass herself further by asking.
Eva135: You said it wasn’t about the money.
Julian. I did, and it’s not. But I never said there was no charge. Who works for free, Evangeline?
Eva felt stupid. She should have guessed if she couldn’t pay with cash he’d want something else. She could only guess but with his line of work, it didn’t take much imagination to decipher his possible terms.
Julian: Do we have a bet?
Eva135: What if I lose?
Julian: You’ll like this game, Evangeline. If you lose, there will be consequences, of course, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy them.
Eva smiled. Maybe games weren’t so horrible after all. He said she had to take off her bra. He never said she had to show him what was underneath.
Eva135: You’re on.
Julian: On the count of three…One, two, three.
Chapter 6
Eva stared at Julian’s image that appeared on her screen. He was delicious, like a juicy peach waiting to be tasted. His dark, almost black hair was cut tight but not too short. His huge chocolate brown eyes hinted that they could peer into your soul and his chiselled jaw made him look tough but oh so charming. He was relaxed in his office chair with his elbow draped casually over the back. His body was turned slightly to the side emphasising the span of his broad shoulders. She could tell from the lines of his, no doubt expensive, suit that his stomach rested like a washboard behind his crisp white shirt. Fuck, shit, fuck, could he see her blushing? He was more amazing than she imagined. She wanted to lean forward and lick her screen.
‘Like I told you already, you’re beautiful.’ Julian’s voice rushed at her like a gritty hail shower. He was husky and manly and his voice matched his face.
Eva tugged the collar of her blouse away from her neck. It felt like the temperature in her room had just soared by ten degrees. She wanted to tell him that he was gorgeous too, but she couldn’t find the words, or the confidence. She pulled her cardigan tight across her and mumbled, ‘thank you. ‘
‘Don’t be nervous, Evangeline. This will be fun, if you let it.’
Eva wanted so badly for that to be true. Julian’s image began to flicker on the screen and crackles and echoes broke up his sentences.
‘I can’t hear you,’ Eva said instinctively louder and slower as if that would solve the problem of dodgy internet.
More jumbled crackles followed.
‘I still can’t hear you.’
She guessed she was wasting her breath. He probably couldn’t hear her either. Her heart sank. Maybe she did like games after all, she decided. She liked Julian’s game - a lot, and she wanted to play.
Julian: It’s not working.
Eva135: I’m so sorry. It’s my crappy broadband. It does this sometimes.
Eva instantly worried that Julian would think she dropped the line on purpose. He already accused her of chickening out. It wouldn’t take much to fuel his suspicion.
Julian: Don’t worry. This just makes it more exciting. What’s your mobile number?
Eva paused. Email was one thing, even Skype she could handle, but an intimate phone call seemed so much more personal. She knew she would struggle to keep conversation flowing without facial expressions to bide some time, but somehow she found her fingers typing out her digits. She had barely hit the sent button when her phone began ringing. She froze. She didn’t have enough time to think. He was rushing her too much.
She didn’t move, hoping the darkness of the room would hide her. The ringing stopped. Silence rang louder now than her phone. Why hadn’t she answered? She wanted to but she just couldn’t. She was a coward. She knew it, and she suspected Shelly and Mr Doe knew it; soon Julian would know it too. Eva threw her head back until her neck cracked and closed her eyes, feeling like a complete failure.
The ringing started again. Eva didn’t give herself time to think. She raced to her bed and picked up her mobile from her pillow…’Hello.’
‘Evangeline?’
‘Yes.’
‘What took you so long? Are you nervous?’
Eva thought about lying, but she decided not to, she wanted to be herself. She had no idea why, usually she tried very hard to be anyone but herself. Tonight, she felt different.
‘A little. Are you?’ She could have kicked herself. It was by far her most stupid question yet. Of course he wasn’t nervous. He was a professional.
And just as she thought, he ignored the question but she heard him smirking.
‘Are you ready?’ his sultry voice asked.
‘Yes.’ Okay so a white-lie’s not so bad, she decided.
‘You need to relax, Evangeline. Can you do that? Can you relax for me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good girl. Now, does your phone have a cover?’
‘Yes.’
‘Okay. I want you to slip it off. ’
Eva laughed. He wanted her phone naked? Her laughing quickly turned to a sheepish giggle as she began to worry that it was a metaphor.
‘Okay, my phone is in its birthday suit.’ Eva tried to sound flirty.
It was Julian who laughed now. Eva blushed.
‘Okay, Evangeline, before we continue, I think we need some rules.’
Bloody rules again. He was obsessed with rules, she thought.
‘Rule number one…you must do exactly as you are told.’
Eva wanted to argue that it was a stupid rule but she didn’t. ‘And the second?’
‘No questions.’
Damn. Eva wasn’t sure if that was a rule, or if he just wanted her to stop talking.
‘Rule three…’ Julian continued
So it was a rule. She was getting the hang of this now.
‘…I can add or remove rules as I please. It is my game after all.’
‘I thought it was a bet.’ Eva’s chewed her bottom lip nervously as the last word left her mouth.
‘Rule four…no contradictions.’
Eva smiled. He had an answer for everything. Condescending as it was, she strangely liked it.
Eva’s insides fluttered like thousands of tiny Indian’s preforming a tribal dance in her tummy.
‘Are you still in your bedroom?’ Julian asked.
Eva nodded.
‘I’ll take your silence as a yes. Good. Now lay back on your bed. Slowly. We don’t want to rush.’
Eva glanced towards the camera on her laptop. She couldn’t remember if she turned it off or not. She pulled her cardigan tight across her chest, her hands shaking. ‘Can…can you see me?’
‘No.’
Eva sighed.
‘I don’t need to watch you to see you, Evangeline. We are going to explore our senses, I told you. I can hear every move you make. Your breath is racing, I know you’re nervous. Your voice is jumping; I know you are looking around your room. You won’t find me, Evangeline. I am just a voice tonight. Listen to me and your senses will thank you. Now let’s move on? We’ve had enough disruption.’
Eva nodde
d.
‘Good,’ Julian said.
Eva did as she was told, remembering rule one.
‘I want you to put me on speaker and then place your phone on the pillow beside you. Tell me when you have it done…’
‘…Done.’
Eva could hear Julian smile. She imagined his chiselled jaw emphasised as his lips turned up in a subtle u-shape.
Eva pulled back the duvet and prepared to slide underneath.
‘No.’ Julian startled her. ‘On top of the sheets.’
Eva couldn’t believe he had heard her. He really could hear everything she was doing. She began to concentrate on her every move. She ran her hand across the bed, smoothing out the sheets. She slowly lay back on top.
She released slow steady breaths. ‘I’m ready.’
‘Close your eyes.’
She already had them closed.
‘Can you feel me, Evangeline? I’m there. I’m leaning over you, softly kissing your neck.’
Eva imagined his beautiful face close to hers. She wanted his soft, moist lips against her skin. She shivered.
‘Open your mouth…I’m running the tip of my tongue across your lips. It’s warm and wet. It tingles.’
Eva kept her eyes closed. Thoughts of his incredible eyes filled her head. Every inch of her body ached.
‘You are my guide now, Evangeline. We need to explore together. Okay?’
‘Mm,’ was Eva’s only reply.
‘Take off your cardigan.’
She wriggled the sleeves free from her arms and flung it to the side.
Eva reached for the zip on the side of her black pencil skirt.
‘Slowly,’ Julian said. ‘Throw it on the floor. My hands are racing over your soft skin. Feel it.’
Eva ran her finger tips from her knee to her hip.
‘I hope you’re not too attached to that blouse,’ Julian said. ‘Because I want to rip if from your body, I want to hear the crackle of the material hang in the air.’
Eva didn’t speak. She just waited. She wanted more, she wanted more instruction.
‘Rip it, Evangeline. Rip it rough…let me hear.’
Rules of Harte (Harte Series #1) Page 4
