“Boyfriend. My friends and I plan to have everything ready by the time he arrives.”
She looked around. “Where’s he now?”
“Flying in from the States.”
“Ah, young lovers together for Christmas.” She reached for a square bottle of Shalini, tipped it, and then lifted out the glass stopper and brought it up to my nose. “Better, yes?”
I sniffed the floral fragrance. “It’s lovely.”
It smelled soft and alluring.
“Over four hundred dollars per ounce,” she said. “But worth it.”
I lowered my gaze.
“Spoil yourself.” She pouted. “The scent of a flower in bloom suits you.” She traced the tip of the stopper along my neck and slid it lower, tickling as she went, following my cleavage. “It blends with your skin.”
I was frozen to the spot, hypnotized by her sensuality. She reminded me of the ‘girls’ back at Enthrall. Those confident dominatrixes who shared this woman’s love of expensive fragrances and, like them, oozed sexuality.
Her gaze fixed on my lips as she traced the glass stopper beneath my blouse, along the line of my bra, beneath the cup now, and edging it around my areola—
Sparking arousal.
Flushing wildly, I stepped back. “I’ll see how it smells on me later. Maybe I will get it.”
“It compliments you.” She gestured to the bottle of perfume and turned to the cashier. “I’ll take one of these.”
She’d handed over her credit card and paid for a bottle of Shalini, her left hand resting on the arch of my spine.
Trying to cool my blushing and come up with words to politely extract myself from this overly zealous European, I pretended to check out another perfume.
Her purchase was handed back to her in a shiny blue bag.
She dropped the bottle into my basket. “A gift.”
“No, I couldn’t possibly—”
“Mia,” she cooed. “A blossoming flower is better suited to pleasure, wouldn’t you agree?”
My breath stuttered.
“Yet your master prefers inflicting pain on you.”
“Mrs. Merrill?” I said, only now recalling that photo of her next to her husband when I’d Googled him. She’d been younger and wearing her hair down.
“Our arrangement is not what you think,” she whispered. “It’s about my husband and I spoiling you. Taking care of you for a week. We’ll treat you to anything you like. Anything at all. And in exchange you promise to be a good girl.”
“I have to go.”
“I’ll pamper you, Mia, make you feel like—” She nudged aside that bottle of Vera Wang—“like a princess.”
A stern looking Shay approached. “Hello, Helete. What a coincidence.”
“Shay,” she purred. “You look well.”
“As always, you look stunning.”
Her gaze took in his body. “It’s been a while.”
“Doing your husband’s bidding?” he said.
She stood straighter. “I was inviting Mia over to spend some time with us.”
“She’s busy.”
“Have you tainted her opinion?”
“I have a great deal of respect for you, Helete,” he said. “Lance and I go way back. But this is out of character for him. For both of you, actually.”
“Shay, send your master my regards,” she said. “I’m surprised he doesn’t have you collared too.”
He glanced my way. “Ready, Mia?”
“Here’s my business card.” She reached for my handbag, opened it, and slid her card inside. “If you should want for anything.” The tip of her tongue rested on her teeth, all flirty and revealing.
“She’d be bad for your husband’s political aspirations, Helete,” said Shay.
“Hardly,” she said. “The results will be invigorating.”
I reached into my basket and lifted out that bag containing the perfume and placed it on the counter. “Thank you for the gift, Mrs. Merrill, but I can’t keep it.”
“You want to continue smelling like a little girl?” She gestured to Shay. “I imagine your dom prefers that?”
“I have to go,” I said.
“It really is a pleasure to meet you finally, Mia.”
“Please,” I said. “Can you let this go? It’s getting kind of weird.”
Shay grinned. “From the mouths of babes.”
“She’s exquisite, isn’t she Shay?” Helete pouted. “I imagine you’re having trouble keeping it your pants, knowing you.”
“Good to see you too, Helete.”
She looked triumphant. “Master Cole’s not the only expert in pain, Mia. You’ll soon discover this fact if you force our hand. My advice: come willingly.”
I hurried over to stand beside Shay.
“Take care, Helete,” he said. “Oh, and Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” she called after us. “We’ll see you soon, Mia. I’ll expect your call.”
Shay grabbed my arm and led me away.
We rode the escalator down in silence.
I hurried out and headed over to a cashier.
He stood back and watched me place my gifts on the counter. “You okay?” he said.
“Of course.” I reached for my purse. “Why?”
“Oh I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with having just bumped into the BDSM equivalent of—”
“A Velociraptor in heat,” I said.
“Couldn’t have put it better.” Shay feigned fear. “That bitch leaves scars.”
I felt this tension dissolving. “Thank you for stepping in.”
“Plan B was to throw you at her and run.” He winked.
I burst out laughing.
The shop girl was riveted with our conversation, though when she realized our attention was now on her she busied herself placing my gifts into shopping bags.
Despite Helete trying to sabotage my morning, I’d actually done well on my shopping and also prided myself on telling Mrs. Merrill just how strange her behavior was.
I handed over my credit card.
“Don’t need that,” said the pretty cashier, waving my card away.
“I just used it to buy these.” I held up my box of chocolates.
“Your shopping’s paid for.”
“You didn’t run my card.” In a panic, I looked around for Helete. “I need a receipt.”
“Here you go.” She handed it over. “Thank you for shopping at Fortnum and Mason.”
I studied my receipt.
“We hope to see you again soon.”
I read it, recognizing Cameron Cole’s American Express number. He’d paid for my tattoo back when my life was messed up.
It still was, but in an entirely new way.
The cashier beamed. “All taken care of, ma’am.”
“But he can’t,” I said, glaring at Shay. “These are presents from me.”
“Don’t make a fuss,” he said.
I turned back to face the cashier. “Can you please cancel the payment and use this?” I showed her my card.
“It’s already gone through.”
Shay glanced at his watch. “Let’s go.”
“Not until I pay for my own gifts.”
Shay took the bags from the cashier and she melted in his wake, her face crimson from what she probably thought was him flirting with her and was merely a Shay smile.
He cocked his head for me to follow him out.
“Are you going to tell Cameron about seeing Helete?” I asked.
Shay scoffed.
“Will he be angry?”
“Depends on what you two ladies were talking about?”
Oh no. I’d let it slip about Richard flying in.
“Spill,” said Shay, giving a nod of thanks to the doorman who ushered us out onto the street.
We stepped into the cold morning air. Our car waited curbside.
“I told her we were all having dinner together tonight,” I said nervously.
�
�It’s not your fault, Mia. However, next time remain guarded. Tell strangers nothing and signal for me.”
“How long will you be guarding me?”
He nudged me into the back of the car. “Indefinitely.”
“What?” I said. “I mean, excuse me. I mean what the fuck?”
“Wind your neck in,” said Shay, faking an English accent and taking the tension down a notch.
I wasn’t going to let Mrs. Merrill taint my Christmas. I pushed all thoughts of her out of my mind and stared out, enjoying the decorated store fronts and the last minute shoppers who didn’t actually look like they were having any fun.
I nagged Shay until he relented and let me stop off at an ATM. He stood there right beside me, acting as though I was about to be mugged at any moment.
“Sorry you have to work at Christmas,” I said.
“Hanging with you isn’t work,” he said. “It’s fun.”
I withdrew the cash equivalent to what I’d just placed on Cameron’s card. I shoved it into my purse.
We drove across London with Shay focusing on texting away on his phone and me taking in the surrounding scenery.
“Won’t Arianna be upset you’re not with her for Christmas?” I asked him.
“She’s spending it with her family,” he said. “We’re going to have some time together over the New Year.”
That sat better with me. I didn’t want to think I had anything to do with separating lovers or being the cause of ruining anyone’s Christmas.
Within half an hour, Shay instructed our driver to park behind that familiar swanky Rolls Royce Ghost. Shay escorted me over to it.
Cameron waited inside.
I waved goodbye to Shay, but something told me he wouldn’t be far away. He made an art of keeping his distance.
“How did it go?” asked Cameron, smiling.
He was wearing a long, black coat, that five o’clock shadow now hinting at a beard.
I settled into the leather seat next to him. “How did what go?”
“Shopping.” He leaned forwards, reached for my seatbelt, and snapped it in. “You smell nice. New perfume?”
“Didn’t buy it. It’s some slutty French thing.”
His gaze stayed on me. “I like it.”
The car pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic.
“How was your morning?” I asked.
“Great. We’re all set for dinner tonight.” He glanced at his watch. “We just have time for one more stop.”
“Where are we going?”
“What’s this?” Cameron looked down at the hundreds I was offering him. “Are you paying me for sex? Good God, Mia, you’ll have to do better than that.”
“Very funny. No, you accidentally paid for my shopping at Fortnum and Mason. I’m paying you back.”
“I’m not taking your money.”
“But it’s okay for me to take yours?”
“Consider it a perk.”
“I was embarrassed. I went to pay and the cashier told me you’d taken care of it.”
Confusion marred his face. “It didn’t make you happy?”
“The gesture was very sweet—”
“You’re welcome.”
“Please take this.” I shoved the money towards him. “Otherwise it’s you buying gifts for you and I haven’t bought you anything.”
“I was pleased to do it.”
“Well I’m not.”
His expression softened into kindness.
“I’m not backing down on this.” I shoved the money towards him.
He raised his hands to avoid it.
“Please, sir.”
“How much is here?”
“Six hundred.”
“That’s the wrong amount for a start.”
I went for my bag to check the receipt.
“If we’re going to do it the Mia way, you owe me more than six hundred dollars.”
I frowned at him.
“The shopping came to six hundred,” he said. “The car and driver came to over two thousand dollars.” He raised his hand to stop my reply and pulled out his phone. “The exchange rate sucks. Let’s calculate it. The cost of having Shay escort you.” Cameron’s thumb slid across his screen. “He doesn’t come cheap. His men, well we’re adding on another fee right there.”
His men? How many of them were following me?
Cameron tapped away. “And as we utilized the latest in satellite tracking to follow your pretty little ass all over the store, well, quite frankly that fee is extortionate. You wouldn’t believe how much ass tracking costs.”
I put my hands on my hips. “How much?”
“For you? Too much.”
“Run my card, please.”
“How does your limit look?”
“This isn’t funny. This is important to me.” I held out the money.
He pulled the notes from my fingers and shoved them into my handbag. “What’s this?”
Oh hell, he’d found Helete’s business card.
“She had the nerve to give you her card?” He shook his head.
“Shay told you then?”
“He texted me. Told me you’d had the pleasure.”
Of course. It had been Cameron that Shay had been texting in the car.
“She didn’t scare you, did she?” he asked.
“No. I’m surprised Lance isn’t satisfied with just his wife. She’s a looker.”
“God, you can be adorable sometimes.”
“Only sometimes?”
He rolled his eyes.
“I’m afraid I let it slip we’re all having Christmas dinner together. I didn’t realize who she was at first.”
“Forget you ever met her.”
“I’m trying.” I gazed down at Helete’s gold embossed business card, and beyond that the cash resting at the bottom of my purse. “This is about me making you happy. This is about me doing something for you for a change. This is about Christmas.”
“Mia—”
“I don’t want your money. I want y—.” I blushed wildly. “I want to make you happy.”
He arched a brow knowingly. “See anything else in the store?”
“Only those Cole teas and coffees.”
“It was only a matter of time before you discovered my dirty little secret.”
“Secret?”
“My dad’s business sits nicely at the top of the Fortune 500.” He looked over at me. “Which means—”
“It’s never been a secret you’re well off.”
His eyebrows knitted together.
I ran through what I’d just said and cringed inwardly.
Cameron shrugged. “It’s my dad’s business.”
“Perhaps your brother might change his mind?” I said. “Take over the business so you can keep working as a doctor.”
“Doubt it.”
“Have you tried talking with him?”
“Yes.”
“And he refuses?”
“We fell out a few years ago and never reconnected. It’s his form of revenge.”
“Why would he be angry with you?”
Cameron pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Maybe it’s time you tried talking with him again,” I said.
“Henry’s even more disinterested than me,” he said. “For our parent’s twentieth wedding anniversary, my father purchased an island for my mother.” Cameron forced a smile. “A fucking island. I was still at university at the time. The other students never let me live it down. Henry was at West Point. He was even more humiliated. Once that news hit the press there was no going back.”
“Maybe your friends were jealous?”
“Henry uses his middle name now so as not to connect himself with the family. Not that it matters. He never comes out of that cabin.”
“How does he get food?”
“It’s delivered.”
“Is he lonely?”
He sat back and broke my gaze.
“Your parents are nice.
” I shook my head. “It’s hard to believe they were okay with sending you away to school when you were so young. I’d never do that if I had a child.”
“I know you wouldn’t.”
“Still, not having money can be just as humiliating,” I said. “I imagine you’ve never needed for anything.”
“There really are some things money can’t secure.”
“Like what?”
“The happiness of everyone around me.”
All these years he’d had to fight for an ordinary life. Following his passion for medicine was proof of that. How, I wondered, would he ever know if a woman really loved him for who he was. Yes, he was beautiful, kind and passionate, but there would always be doubt.
His happiness meant everything to me.
More than my own.
The thought he might have suspected I’d spent all this time with him hoping to catch his eye and end up as Mrs. Cole for his money caused my stomach to twist. The cruelest betrayal of his trust would be that. I hated the idea he’d ever suspect that of me.
“Mia,” he said, taking my hand. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. It’s only now that I—”
“I can’t wait to go back to Richard,” I blurted and turned my face away.
Cameron’s hand slipped from mine.
An awkward silence filled the space between us.
The car sped past a couple strolling hand in hand on the sidewalk. They looked so relaxed, so happy, so uncomplicated.
The burn of Cameron’s gaze stayed on me until I braved to look back at him. “I’m counting the minutes until I see him again.”
“He’s a lucky man,” he said softly.
“You were going to say something?”
“It’s not important.”
“I’m grateful for all you’ve taught me.” I made it sound cheerful. Upbeat even.
“We’ve been good for each other.”
“We’ll still see each other, right?”
He looked fazed. “We’re here.”
I peered out and caught sight of the Tower of London and swallowed hard.
“The last time we visited here it didn’t go so well,” he said. “I want to swap out that memory for something better. Something beautiful.”
“It was my fault.”
“I’d buried those feelings about Afghanistan so deep I’d forgotten why. With this recent introspection… ”
“I still feel terrible.”
“Don’t. I handled it wrong. The conversation didn’t need to be so infused with negative emotion. I caused you to worry about it and this is my way of righting a wrong. This is my way of saying sorry.” He placed a white box on my lap.
Enthrall Him (Enthrall Sessions Book 3) Page 17
