‘You’re a jerk sometimes,’ I informed him.
‘Yes, of course I am. CEOs are supposed to be jerks. It’s some unwritten law.’ While his words were jovial, there was a catch in his voice.
‘You know what I meant.’
‘I do.’ He stroked my hair. ‘But you stayed anyway.’
‘I did.’ Looking at him, I added, ‘You left.’
‘No. I’ve been in the sitting room this entire time.’
‘Doing what?’
‘Skyping Colorado, catching up on paperwork that Bea should have taken care of and hacking your Facebook account.’
‘What the fuck!’ I would have sat up again, but wasn’t ready for another nasty hit of vertigo. ‘Why? And how?’
‘I needed some answers. Now I have them. “You” –’ he gestured in air quotes, making me smile in spite of myself; air quotes were so not Dorian Holderish ‘– also untagged yourself in several incriminating photos, one of which “you” reported for inappropriate content.’
‘When you say “you” you mean you, not me, right?’
Dorian sighed. ‘Get with the programme, Lily. Are you daft?’
I closed my eyes. ‘Fabulous.’
‘Also, ‘Lilypad’ may not be the best password. So, it appears you had sex with neither Troy nor that Zane McBain guy. Just a lot of amateur Girls Gone Wild behaviour.’ He ran a hand swiftly over my breasts. ‘I had hoped to see these in the flesh, first. Instead, I got to see them in a blurry dive-bar candid. Ah, well.’
‘Gwen posted my boob flash?’ I swatted away his hand, and opened my eyes.
‘Someone did.’ He gripped my hip and twisted my pelvis toward him. My body was flexible, thanks to hours of yoga videos, and I continued to lie on my back. ‘You’re quite limber, I see. Very nice.’
‘I’ll kill her.’
‘Well, Lily, maybe you should just decide not to show your tits in public. There’s that to consider. And before anything else happens between the two of us, you have to delete your account.’ He paused. ‘Unless you would like me to delete it for you.’
‘What is wrong with you, Dorian?’
‘Plenty is wrong with me. Or not so much wrong as different. Perhaps in an unsavoury way. But, judging from what you’re permitting me to do, I think you wouldn’t have me any other way.’ He pulled me tighter, so that our groins were just touching, and I had to force myself to relax.
Yoga breathing. Meditation. Empty mind.
‘I don’t even go on Facebook, like, ever.’ My hips moved against his, as though my body had a will of its own, entirely separate from my common sense. ‘I only have it so I can keep track of people. I’m horrible with names and faces, Dorian, and it causes major social awkwardness.’
‘Which is exactly why I’ve started you a LinkedIn account. That’s the site for adults, you see. Professionals.’ He gripped my hip, and pulled me as tightly as possible against his groin. His hard-on was insistent as it pushed against my vulva, and our thin layers of clothing were such lovely torture. ‘Get rid of Instagram as well, Lily.’
‘I don’t have Instagram. In case you didn’t notice, my phone is about ten years old.’ I turned my head, and our faces were nearly touching. ‘Do I have sleepy breath, Dorian? I should go brush my teeth if we’re going to be smooching.’
‘No, Lily. You smell like flowers.’ He ran his fingertip over my lips, his touch gentle and sweet. ‘I will let you keep Twitter.’
‘How generous of you.’
But I didn’t argue, and gave in to the intense pleasure of him running his fingertips the length of my ass crack. Sheer torture. He gripped the waistband of my pants and gave it a snap, which stung a little. Then he kissed me, a chaste kiss that belied the electricity between us, and the darkness of our dangerous covenant.
We had come to an agreement.
By staying, I committed.
* * *
We were in the living area of the ‘Oriental suite’, which was ridiculous. In a good way, an over-the-top way. It looked like a conference room: a couple desks, round dining table, padded chairs and rather nondescript Asian-influenced prints and paintings decorating the peach-coloured walls. In the centre of the room was an L-shaped couch. Dorian took the long half, stretching his legs nearly the entire length of it, and I the bottom part of the L, sitting with my knees drawn to my chest, prim as a rose. We had dainty cups of mint tea steaming on the coffee table, and a small dish of Madeleines for dipping.
‘Let’s begin the game, shall we?’ He cleared his throat. ‘Lily Dewitt.’
‘Come on,’ I interrupted, much to his displeasure. ‘My arms are still snoring from being tied up for an hour.’
He considered this for a moment. ‘That’s fair, I suppose.’
‘Mr Holder: truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’
‘The first time I saw you was on the T. Did you notice me, too? Why wasn’t Benton driving you to work, when you were running late? And –’
‘Stop.’ He held up a hand. ‘You only get one question, but, seeing as these are innocuous enough, I’ll allow it. Of course I noticed you, but what you really are asking is did I find you attractive, am I right?’
I hung my head.
‘Obviously, or you wouldn’t be in my rented living room. My specific thought? “I’m going to find and fuck that secret slut disguised as a wallflower.”’
Secret slut! Was he a mind reader?
‘Is that what you think, now?’
‘No, though I believe you are one hell of a horny woman. And, for the record, I think slutty is a compliment. Skanky, not so much. But you didn’t strike me as skanky.’
‘OK.’
‘Next I knew, you were naked in my mind’s eye, with about seven inches of my cock in your mouth, and I was coming down your throat.’ He cups my chin. ‘Hey, look at me, Lily. Sorry, but you asked. That’s how men think. Much to my dismay, there you sat in the conference room, and I have never become sexually involved with any of my employees.’
‘For real?’
‘Swear on my mother’s grave.’ He winced, and reddened.
Hmm.
‘For what it’s worth, I’ve never slept with a boss.’ It was true. ‘What changed your mind?’
‘Seeing you in the café, talking to that guy in the cheap suit –’
‘Troy Matthews.’ Like he had forgotten his name.
‘– and looking so fuckable. I looked at your legs, which were crossed, very ladylike. You had the cutest expression on your face, talking to what’s-his-name, so patient and tolerant. Not to mention kind, for no reason whatsoever. You were trying to work, and too polite to send him on his way.’ His eyes were faraway, as he remembered. ‘You were playing with that ridiculous braid –’
‘Ridiculous?’
‘I decided to bail you out of the conversation.’ He grabbed my bare feet and began rubbing one. ‘You took your glasses off when we talked, and once I looked into your eyes and saw your innocence juxtaposed with desire …’
‘I’m not that innocent.’
‘Then of course you had to check out my pants, right as I was fighting off an erection. And pulling my eight-fold was a nice touch, Lily.’
‘What’s an eight-fold?’
‘You were so malleable and docile, yet feisty enough that I knew you’d be a challenge, one in which I would conquer and win. Later, had my sister not been in the next room, I would have managed to seduce you while you were in my office, despite both your and my best intentions. For, you see, I was still torn between right and wrong. Fucking my sweet intern falls under the latter, of course. But self-control has never been one of my finer qualities. So I hinted to you about the bed, tried to lure you out onto the terrace and was about to dismiss Beezus for the day. But when I saw your eyes well up, I knew I’d pushed you too far and I put a stop to my antics.’
‘How’s that working out for you?’
He chose to ignore my insolence, and continued kneading my soles. Thank God
I’d had a pedicure that afternoon, or he’d have been horrified. ‘Before I leave, you will have to let me nail you on that leather couch, bend you right over the armrest and give it to you good.’
‘Hmn. We can discuss that another time.’
‘Why I was on the T? I like trains. You should know that by now. Since I was heading in to go clean house at a branch I’d never investigated, and put a lot of people out of work, I needed some relaxation time.’ He yawned. ‘The sound of a train and the anonymity of blending into a crowd are reassuring to me. Maybe, before I take off again, we can make love on the T. Your thoughts?’
‘Let’s revisit that.’
‘My turn.’ Dorian let go of my foot. ‘Lily Dewitt: truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’
‘When was your last sexual experience?’
‘Having it right now.’
‘Before me, Smartypants.’ Dorian rolled his eyes.
‘You already know the answer, because Gwen told Joey the Mole, who told you. You just want to see if I’ll lie about it, and I won’t. The last time I had sex was almost nine months ago. His name was Jerry, and he and I had an arrangement but no emotional connection whatsoever.’
‘Do I have your permission to punch him in the nose if e’er we meet?’
‘No, you do not. My turn.’
‘Fair enough, Lily.’
‘Mr Holder: truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’
‘Same question. When did you last have sex?’
‘How uncreative.’ Dorian rolled his eyes. ‘You can’t recycle questions. Ask me something else.’
‘You can’t make up rules.’ I pointed at him. ‘So?’
‘Making up rules is precisely what I do, but you’re a tenacious one. You won’t like my answer.’
‘Try me.’
‘Last weekend.’ He shrugged. ‘It wasn’t a big deal.’
Last weekend? Though my sense of betrayal was unreasonable, it boiled in my belly. ‘You mean a couple weeks ago, or just these past couple days?’
‘Saturday. Or, now that I think about it, Saturday through Sunday early morning. I was staying at my place on Martha’s Vineyard, surfing Squibnocket, and some hippy chick wanted me to give her a lesson.’ He ran a hand through his wavy hair. ‘So I did.’
‘Why?’ I tried to hide my upset. ‘What was her name?’
‘Because I felt like it, and I can’t remember. Something like Sunshine or Harmony. We got pretty high, I stayed in her van.’ He leaned toward me. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Of course.’ I was not all right. ‘Just surprised. I – I didn’t know you surfed. Or smoked pot.’
‘Told you, Lily, there’s plenty you don’t know about me. If you don’t want answers, don’t ask questions.’
‘Did you – did you like her?’ My voice shook. ‘Was she, I mean, awesome in bed?’
‘She was fun. End of story. My turn. Lily Dewitt, truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’ Was what he just disclosed true, or was he trying to torture me?
‘Have you ever been in love?’
‘Uhm.’ This took me by surprise. ‘Yes. Once. It was my high-school sweetheart.’
‘Why’d you two split up? Different colleges?’
‘That’s two questions,’ I snapped. ‘Dorian, truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’
‘Have you ever been in love?’
‘No.’ He rubbed his temples. ‘Not my thing, Lily. I’m too jaded. Like I said at dinner, I bounce back pretty easy.’
‘Not your “thing”?’ This game was not going well.
‘I’m not averse to the idea, it’s just never happened. Truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’
‘When and why did you and your high-school boyfriend split up?’
‘Five years ago. We split up because I got pregnant, and had an abortion when he apparently wanted me to be another teenage mom, like Jaz. He’s Catholic. I’m a murderess. End of story.’
‘Oh, Lily.’
‘Please.’ I waved my hand. ‘Let’s not go any further with this conversation.’
‘Can I hold you?’ He sat next to me and looked down at his hands like he wasn’t sure what to do with them – whether he should touch me or give me space. ‘Do you want me to?’
‘Ew.’ I wasn’t sure, myself, but picked ew. ‘Maybe later. This isn’t some kind of pity party.’
‘Lily, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be.’ I shrugged. ‘It was a long time ago.’
‘Maybe we should play something else.’
‘I never told anyone else that, Dorian.’ True story.
‘Thank you so much for trusting me. I hadn’t meant this game to get so heavy.’
‘I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you,’ I retorted. ‘But you made up ground rules, and I have to follow them. Truth or dare?’
‘Truth.’
‘You’re going to be in Boston for the next few weeks. You’ve reeled me in like a fish, and I’m hooked. Congratulations. Are you planning on shagging as many women as possible during your stay?’ I glared at him. ‘Because there’s no way out of this thing for me, and I’ll let this dangerous liaison run its course, even if I’m just another piece of ass. However, if that’s the way you’re going to play it, there’ll be no double standards. I’m going to have sex with Troy Matthews, just to get even with you.’
‘No, I’m not planning anything.’ His tone was flat. ‘You’re being impertinent, Lily. And I don’t like it. Truth or dare?’
‘Dare.’
‘Pull down your pants and bend over my knees.’ He licked his lips. ‘Do it, now.’
‘OK,’ I whispered, ashamed.
So I stood up, and stepped out of my pants, hands shaking, feeling small and awkward. Somehow, wearing just my cami and no bottoms made me feel even more exposed than being fully nude.
‘Beautiful.’ He devoured me with his eyes. ‘You have a lovely little pussy, Lily. Now do as I told you, and face the consequences.’
Without a word, I bent over and draped myself across his lap. Though this was not so different from some of my past experiences, the thrill was foreign. I was terrified, but could feel the thrum of excitement spreading between my legs.
‘Ready?’
‘Yes.’
‘Sorry, Lily. I didn’t hear you.’
‘Yes, Dorian.’
‘Sir Dorian,’ he corrected. ‘Call me that, right now.’
‘Yes, Sir Dorian.’
‘Left to my own devices,’ he growled, ‘I would smack this sweet ass so hard you’d be sore, red and weepy. You wouldn’t be able to sit down for days. Once I start, I won’t know when to stop, or how hard is too hard. What’s your safe word?’
‘Mercy.’ It was so simple. I never understood why people opted for traffic signals, or coming up with something cute. ‘Do your worst, sir.’
‘Perfect. Now stay still. Don’t even blink.’ He caressed the soft flesh on the back of my thighs, then slipped a finger lower, so it was just at the entrance of my vagina. ‘You’re dripping wet, you naughty thing.’
Crack. Ow. Oh, my God. He wasn’t kidding. Dorian was stronger than I’d anticipated, much stronger than Father Gerald, and the slap on my ass sounded like a whipcrack. Before I had time to catch my breath, he spanked me again, harder, still. And again. Crack crack crack. My eyes welled with tears, but my pussy told a different story. I was soaking. Every time Dorian slapped my bum, my clit was driven against his thighs. His penis was rock-hard and pressed stiffly against my waist.
‘You dirty girl,’ he chanted, and smacked me again. ‘You horny little bitch.’
‘More, please.’
‘Beg me,’ Dorian smoothed my skin, from the cheeks of my ass up the length of my spine. His caress felt like a bird’s wing, and though I knew he was trying to soothe me and give me a moment to recover, that was not what I wanted now. That could come later.
‘I – I beg you, Sir Dorian.’ My ass smarted. ‘Three
more times.’
‘Oh, yes.’ His sonorous voice became gravelly, and he continued his feathery stroke. ‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘To think I was holding back. Trying to be kind to you.’
‘I never – said – “M-Mercy”.’
‘You asked for it, luv.’
What did he just call me? Stop thinking, Lily.
Dorian smacked, bringing me back to the intensity of the moment. ‘One.’
I moaned.
‘Two.’ Even harder this time.
‘Augh!’ I squeezed my eyes shut and tensed, anticipating the final, hardest spank.
But it didn’t happen.
‘Get up,’ Dorian ordered. ‘Now.’
‘But –’ I began to protest. Sore, and so aroused that hot juices had begun to run down my legs, I tried to rise from his lap. Why? Why did you stop? What are you trying to do to me? I had to steady myself by gripping his thighs as I rose.
‘Shut up.’ He grasped my hips and, without warning, buried his face in my pussy, while I stood, weak, trying not to topple over. Dorian grabbed my ass hard, so painful where he had punished me, and licked the soft length of my pussy lips, again and again, then pressed a palm against the triangle of pubic hair adorning my mons, then inched his way up to my lower abdomen, so I could feel the pressure inside my body, causing me to moan again. He stopped, licked and began sucking the soft folds, greedy, hungry.
‘Please,’ I managed. ‘S-Sir Dorian.’
At last, my clitoris. I thought he’d never get there, just to torture me all the more. His tongue was firm and quick, but his tenderness took me by surprise, as did the sudden entrance of something within. Ahh. As he tasted and explored every inch with his lips and tongue, he finger-fucked me, bringing me close to climax.
Then pushed me away.
So that was his thing: depriving.
I was so screwed.
Figuratively, of course. I wanted to be so screwed, without forgiveness or restraint, and knew it would be like never before. But what if he wouldn’t, tonight? Just to let me know I’d never have what I wanted with him, that he controlled me in every sense of the word?
‘Let me come,’ I pleaded. ‘Dorian, I’ll do anything.’
‘You’ll stop talking is what you’ll do.’ His mouth glistened with my juices, and his eyes were bright as he pointed to the floor. ‘Kneel.’
Reaching Lily Page 14
