by Kay, Jani
But, I was too tired to overthink it. All I wanted now was to get into a nice hot bath. Silently he held my hand as I stepped into the oversized tub and disappeared beneath the bubbles. The warm water washed over me, relaxing the tightness in my muscles.
Alain lit all the candles and poured chilled white wine into two crystal glasses. I watched from under my lashes as he quickly undressed and slid into the bath. He let out a deep sigh as the warm water washed over him, too. I smiled at him shyly as he handed me a glass of wine.
“Thanks, Alain. You always seem to know how to make me feel better.” I took a sip and let it slide down as I tried to relax even more. I was safe now. Yet a shiver ran over me.
The windows facing the ocean were open and I shuddered at the thought that someone may be watching us. Alain sensed my discomfort and rose from the water to close the blinds.
“Better?” Alain lifted a brow.
“Much better,” I mumbled, my eyes on his tight ass.
“Hmm. Checking out the goods, mademoiselle?” He laughed, doing his best to get me out of my funk.
Alain sat back down and lifted my foot onto his thigh, massaging the soles. “Let me make you feel even better.” He wiggled his eyebrows in his endearingly mischievous way that always got a giggle out of me. I let out a deep sigh of pleasure, sinking even lower into the bath till only my face was visible in a sea of bubbles. I closed my eyes as the other foot received the same treatment. Moaning as soft wet kisses landed on the soles of my feet, then my ankles, and up my legs, causing my insides to quiver with lust. He sure had a way of letting me forget my worries.
Diving under the bubbles, he kissed right up my leg, till he final came to my apex. My eyes were open wide now, a liquid fire spreading through my body. He flashed me a cheeky grin as his head bobbed up for air before he sank below the water again. Pushing my legs apart, I gasped as his mouth found my sweet spot. He didn’t stay there long. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or disappointed.
“God, you are needy.” I mocked him, yet I enjoyed his playfulness.
“And you are not?” His lips twisted into a knowing smile. “I bet you are ready for me.”
Sitting up on his knees, he pulled me into his lap. My legs wrapped around his waist.
“Yes.” I hissed as I threw my head back and let him kiss my neck. His erection pulsed against my stomach. “And you’re ready for me too—”
“Always.” He grunted as he lifted me up and kissed my breasts one by one, slowly savoring the hard crests. I leaned back onto his erection, feeling him slip inside me as he let out a gasp.
With my buttocks in his hands, he helped me up and down his shaft as he sucked my nipples. Taking pleasure in the divine tingles running through my body, I rode him, faster and faster, water slashing everywhere as we worked up a frenzy, hungry for one another after the day’s tribulations.
“Fuck me, baby,” I murmured, losing control. “Fuck me hard.”
It was the first time I’d ever asked for it. Feeling liberated, and just a little freaked out about asking for it so blatantly, I bit into his lower lip. My nails dug deep into his shoulders and I took him even deeper inside me than I thought was possible.
“You are fucking perfect. In every way.”
I needed to know that. To know that he didn’t think I was loose or a slut…or whore. I might act like one when I was around Alain, but that was reserved for him and him only. Could he see that?
Both panting, hungry for one another, I wanted this moment to last forever. Perfect. He thinks I’m perfect in every way.
Driven to the edge, a guttural feral moan rumbled from his chest as he thrust into me with all his might. Unable to hold back any longer, my body gave in to an overwhelming orgasm, pulsating with pleasure, my insides gripping his cock. It was the signal he needed. Thrusting hard and fast, he found his release.
“I will keep you safe. I will protect you. Because you are mine.”
I smiled against his chest. My heart swelled in my chest. All I ever wanted was to belong completely to a man and for him to take care of me as a man should take care of his woman.
In return, I wanted to please him, surrender every part of myself to my man. My breath hitched.
“You make me so happy, Alain.”
“Your happiness is my happiness,” he said with his lips on the shell of my ear.
I believed him. Because I really wanted to.
Chapter 35
Startled, I woke up, my mobile phone dancing on the bedside table as it vibrated. It was two a.m. Who the hell could be calling me now? Next to me in the king-size bed, Alain rolled, restless.
“Shh.” I grabbed my phone and scrambled to the guest room so I didn’t disturb him. We hadn’t slept much at all, talking and making love for hours, I didn’t want him waking now.
I stared at my phone in disbelief. Maxwell bloody Grant’s name blinked on my screen. In spite of my fuzzy brain, I managed to work out that it was only eight p.m. in New York. Still. What the hell did he want?
Before I could answer, it stopped ringing, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips. Shit, five missed calls and three messages from Maxwell in the last two hours. Still wondering what to do, the phone started ringing. It was him—again.
“Hello?” I was wide awake now.
“It’s about goddamn time you answered,” Maxwell huffed.
“Sorry, I was sleeping. We are six hours ahead of you, it’s two a.m. here,” I said calmly, as if reasoning with a child.
“I know what time it is,” he barked.
“Is something wrong?” The anger in his voice was unmistakable.
“Yes,” he spat. “I opened the newspaper this morning to see pictures of you with your French boyfriend. Allegations that it’s a serious relationship.” He made it sound like a crime.
He called me about pictures in the newspaper?
“And then, tonight it was all over the Internet—pictures of you kissing the Frenchman unashamedly in his car in broad daylight.” He sounded really mad now.
Yes, your honor, guilty as charged. And what fucking business is that of yours?
I didn’t really know how to respond. Anything I said would sound silly. So I waited—after all he was the one who had called me.
His gruff voice broke the silence. “I need you to come to New York tomorrow.”
Crap, am I being fired?
“You can just get your lawyer to talk to mine to cancel the contract. I don’t need to come to New York for that.”
“Miss Clarke, you are infuriating in more ways than one,” he snapped, “I'm not terminating your goddamn contract. I need to discuss a few things with you, that’s all.”
“I could Skype with you tomorrow,” I offered. Why fly all that way to just have a bloody conversation? Besides, I preferred distance between us.
“I want you here in person, Miss Clarke,” he barked. “Not negotiable.”
“But…the first workshop is in Paris. In two days. If I'm not fired, I should be there—in Paris,” I countered.
“Have your assistant change the dates. I expect you in New York tomorrow. End of discussion.”
That’s it? Obnoxious and rude.
And, so freaking bossy.
Still fuming, I stared at my phone.
Who the hell does he think he is?
Before I could steam any further, Alain stumbled in, his hair all messed up, his eyes sleepy, still naked. Adorable and sexy, I would never tire of his hard masculine body. He looked like a god.
A very well endowed god.
He was growing hard, his erection springing to life before my eyes. Warmness tingled between my legs.
“Come to bed.” He held out his hand. “Come keep me warm. I miss you when you aren’t there.” His lopsided grin was irresistible.
He missed me? That was the sweetest thing he’d ever said.
As I placed my hand in his, I pulled him toward the bed, sitting on the edge with him standing in front of me. Leaning forward
, I took his growing erection in my mouth.
“Looking for me, big boy?” I teased, as I let my tongue pleasure him. He stood watching, mesmerized, hissing through his teeth.
“Ahh, this is hot,” he groaned, throwing his head back. “I like pleasuring you, but I could get used to this.” He held my head to his groin.
My head bobbed up and down as I took him deep into my mouth, listening to his panting breath as a sign of how much he was enjoying it, and how far he was from climaxing.
He grabbed a fist full of hair and pulled my head backwards. His heavy length slipped from my mouth.
“But, I also like fucking you. Making you come, Cherie,” he mumbled in my ear, as he lifted me and carried me back to his bedroom. A true gentleman, Alain never took his pleasure before ensuring that I’d had mine.
And I like you fucking me, my Frenchman.
I also liked that he took my mind off Maxwell. My boss had a knack of giving me an instant headache whenever I had to deal with him. And right now I definitely didn’t want to think of him or what he had to say when I got to New York.
This diversion was exactly what I needed now. I rubbed at my temples as Alain lay me on his bed.
Chapter 36
Alain spoiled me with breakfast in bed, again. I sighed, feeling content and cherished; no man had ever done this for me before. It was pure luxury and definitely a turn on.
My previous lovers had never understood that it was these small things that made a difference—to spoil their woman—to make her feel special and wanted. Doing small things to pleasure her, like breakfast in bed or helping with the dishes. It was the key to unlocking a woman’s legs and libido easily. Yet so few men actually used it to their advantage.
Instead, they just complained about the lack of action in the bedroom. If only they knew how easy it was to get more sex. They could take a few lessons—Alain was definitely on the right track here. My Frenchman was not only sexy, but smart too.
“Not that I’m complaining about my delicious surprise last night, but who were you talking to on the phone? Is everything OK?”
I averted my gaze, masking my eyes, and tried to sound as casual as possible. “It was my boss. He wants me in New York tomorrow.”
Alain let out the now familiar French curse. “The man is crazy. Doesn’t your workshop start in two days?”
“Yes, but he said to reschedule. He called a meeting in New York.”
“Mon Dieu. I can’t come to New York. I have to get back to the Estate. I was hoping you’d join me there at the end of the week. I don’t trust that man. He wants you. I’ll fucking kill him if he lays a finger on you.”
I giggled nervously; no man had ever wanted to kill another man for me. “Don’t worry, Alain. Maxwell will never touch me. Of that I can assure you,” I said, flashes of our last encounter in my hotel room fresh in my mind.
I sure put him in his place. He won’t touch me with a barge pole. Probably hates my guts now, anyway.
The relationship between Maxwell and I became more strained with each interaction. Why would it bother him so much that I was with Alain? And why was he constantly trying to break up my new romance? It didn’t make sense. I was entitled to love and happiness as much as anyone else. And this time I was grabbing it with both hands. Alain and I were good together. God, we could hardly keep our hands off one another.
That has to be a good sign, right?
“Then, we better get back to Paris tonight, so you can prepare for your journey. We must make the best of the time we have before we go. Today we’ll drive to Monaco. I have another business meeting there.”
Chapter 37
“You don’t understand,” Maxwell said, deep lines furrowing his brow.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What’s to understand, Mr. Grant? You’re married, right? It’s really simple. You’re married and I'm not available.”
He groaned. “It’s the Frenchman, isn’t it?” he hissed through clenched teeth. “Are you serious about him?”
“Well, that’s none of your damn business. But I don’t have anything to hide. So yes, Alain and I are seeing one another.”
“I see.” His eyes were glacier cold now, his jaw muscles clenched and released a few times.
What’s it to him who I’m seeing?
He stroked his chin. There was a faraway look in his eyes. “I wanted to…explain a few things to you.” He swallowed hard. His eyes met mine and I caught my breath. There was a vulnerability I had never expected to see in Maxwell’s eyes.
It lasted all of maybe three seconds before a mask slipped over his face.
What the hell was that? Maxwell has a soft side? I must be fucking dreaming.
“Explain? About what?” My curiosity was piqued. I narrowed my eyes as I tried to fathom Maxwell. The man was an enigma. Would I ever understand him?
Alain on the other hand was easy to understand and easy to please. He said what he thought and asked for what he wanted. Which was usually to feed or fuck me. I could deal with both.
Maxwell, on the other hand—he made me feel inadequate and a blubbering mess in his presence. Sure, I managed to keep it together most of the time, but only by the skin of my teeth. And only because I’d been practicing to fake it for a very long time.
Maxwell sneered. “Never mind. It’s irrelevant if you are involved with someone.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. What the fuck did that have to do with anything? I wasn’t about to justify my actions to my boss. My private life was my business. As long as it didn’t interfere with my performance at work, it was none of his frigging concern.
“Anything else, Mr. Grant?”
Impatient to get out of this conversation, I tapped my foot. If it wasn’t going anywhere, there was no further point in continuing. I’d had enough of his interrogation about my whereabouts and time spent with Alain.
Mr. Grant tugged at his collar. Seemed both of us were struggling to remain civil. Yet I still had no idea why my life choices would annoy him as much as it did. Was he like this with all his employees?
He rounded the desk and came to stand directly in front of me. I had to tilt my head backward to meet his eyes. For a split second I panicked. I preferred something between us.
There was a magnetic field around Maxwell that somehow drew me to him. Something I could not resist. He wasn’t touching me—his hands were safely in his pockets—yet my body automatically wanted to lean toward him.
My breath hitched as I became aware of his scent. Strong and masculine. My brain was tripping out.
Don’t stand so goddamn close to me.
I took a step backward.
Breathe. Just breathe.
Maxwell blew out a long, slow breath and jingled some coins in his pocket. He narrowed his eyes. “Well, Rebecca, I still expect you to accompany me to the function tonight.”
Seriously? I scrutinized his face for answers.
His eyes narrowed, shutting me out. “My…wife…is out of town. It’s all business. You have nothing to panic about.”
Nodding, I realized I didn’t really have a choice. Not if I wanted to keep my job. And I did. On what grounds could I refuse? Nothing came to mind. I’d drawn a blank.
“I’ll pick you up at seven fifteen sharp. Don’t be late.” He gave me a knowing look and I was reminded of what’d happened last time I was supposed to meet him at seven fifteen in Paris.
A warm flush spread over my neck up to my cheeks. By the grim expression on his face, he remembered it too.
The night I rejected him and told him to never touch me again. He’d never attempted to touch me after that, not even shaking hands to greet me when I arrived from Paris. In fact, his hands were still firmly stuck into his pockets.
Trying to ignore the uncomfortable silence between us, I said in my bravest voice, “Of course I will be ready, Mr. Grant.”
“Maxwell…please,” he said with a sigh. He shook his head wearily. “I’ll get you a cab back to your hotel
.”
He turned and left the office.
I guess that discussion is over.
Chapter 38
I wasn’t sure what to wear to the function. How much did New Yorkers dress up for industry awards? I chuckled to myself, wishing I could call Sarah Jessica Parker and ask her; after all, she had an apartment in Manhattan. She’d know; she always looked immaculate. Trying to connect with my inner Carrie Bradshaw, I asked myself what she would wear. Something fabulous, no doubt.
Not expecting to have to go to a function, I hadn’t brought anything suitable with me, which meant I’d have to fit in a quick shopping spree this afternoon. I decided to take a stroll up Fifth Avenue to see if anything caught my eye. It was a quick walk from the historical Algonquin hotel on West 44th Street I was staying at.
When the going got tough, there was nothing like a bit of retail therapy to lift the spirit.
Time to spend some of my large paycheck.
Just thinking about it put a smile on my face. I peeked into Versace first, browsing their beautiful new collection. My eye fell on a long white one shoulder dress which was feminine yet had a fierce edge to it.
