by Wendy Owens
Nine
Did you say Yamazaki?
I’m not surprised in the least when we pull up to the luxurious mansion, built into the cliffside along the bay. The driver steps out and opens my door, directing me to the main doors with a kind smile. I wonder what he’s thinking. I assume he views me like every other one of Trunkwater’s conquest. He may be right. I had exchanged my time for a favor. Am I anything more than a paid companion, only lacking the rigorous training they go through?
The door to the mansion opens. I enter, and hiding behind the door I catch a glimpse of a well-dressed woman in a pencil skirt and jacket, accompanied by four-inch heels. Her jet black hair and makeup are flawless. Her delicate Asian features are calming as she offers me a half bow.
“Miss Crown,” she starts, her thin red lips holding my attention. “Mr. Trunkwater is waiting in the lounge.”
“I bet he is,” I grumble under my breath, my imagination conjuring images of him half-dressed, lounging and hoping to shock me. I’d seen about everything by now, and try as he might, I’m certain he won’t unsettle me.
Tilting her head, she begins to walk, her heels clicking against the tile floor. I notice all the walls are glass from top to bottom, causing an effect where you can see from one end of the large estate, all the way through to the other. In the distance, I can even catch a glimpse of the blackness of the bay at night.
“Please, follow me,” she instructs, leading the way through the grand foyer and into a room with marble floors and a fireplace covered in coral. Leave it to this jerk to decorate his fireplace in something so precious. Moving further into the room filled with opulent oversized leather couches on top of a carpet that looks like it cost more credits than I had ever seen in my life.
The walls that weren’t glass were painted a dark shade of onyx which would have caused any other room to feel small, but not this one. It was far too large ever to be dwarfed by wall color.
“Wait here,” the woman instructs me, quickly exiting the room.
I walk to the wall of windows and sliding glass doors that lead to a wrap-around deck, perched out over the water of the bay. I didn’t know houses like this existed, and suddenly I find myself feeling extremely uncomfortable as I realize just how rich Trunkwater is.
A throat clears behind me. I spin to lock eyes with Walter Trunkwater. He didn’t go for the obvious shock value of being half dressed. Instead, he’s wearing a pair of flat front trousers and a button up black silk shirt. He looks incredible, and when he smiles at my dropped jaw, I am sure he knows I think so. His glimmering blue skin is even more captivating in the light of the fire.
“I knew you would make that dress look great, but even I have to admit I didn’t expect this,” he compliments me, and I try my best not to let him know it’s working.
“Where are we going?” I ask, moving to one of the leather couches.
“What do you mean?” he asks, not moving, watching me as I move, enjoying the show.
“Tonight, I assume you have the evening planned.”
“This is it,” he says lifting his hands up, indicating the space around him.
My brows stitch together in confusion. “Aren’t we a little dressed up for a night in?”
I paused near the couch, afraid if I actually sit on it I would damage the priceless piece somehow. Instead, I place a hand on the back and lean against it awkwardly—I was determined to make it look like it was on purpose.
“A gorgeous woman and a beautiful evening sky,” he begins. “I can’t imagine a better reason to get dressed up.”
“If you say so.”
“God, you are beautiful,” he groans, finally moving from the spot he had been planted since the time I walked into the room.
“Remember my rules?” I remind him, but I think I may more be reminding myself.
“Oh, I remember,” he says after a long pause. “Can I get you a drink?”
“I’d love one,” I admit a little too eagerly.
He examines me, his head moving up and down. “You’re definitely not a wine drinker.”
“I drink wine,” I correct him.
“In a pinch, maybe” he adds. “Given the choice your preference is …” A hand goes to his chin, a single extended finger tapping his jaw line. “Whiskey?”
“I’d drink it if you’re pouring,” I answer, not admitting he had nailed it on the head.
“Yamazaki?” he asks.
I laugh because a bottle of that is as rare as cars. “Yeah, sure, Yamazaki would be great.”
He reaches for a cabinet along the wall, and through the door he pulls out two glasses and bottle I can’t quite see. “Ice?”
“Stones if you have them,” I reply, craning my neck, trying to see the brand of the whiskey. He bends to a chill box perched inside the cabinet. When he bends at the waist, I see the black label and jump immediately to my feet, crossing the room. “How in the hell?”
“Excuse me?” He says, continuing what he was doing, dropping the chilled stones into the two waiting glasses, then twisting off the cap of the bottle. A bottle I had never actually seen in person.
“Yamazaki is illegal.”
He grins and continues pouring. “Then I guess we should probably drink the entire bottle, so it doesn’t slip into the wrong hands.”
I laugh, swiping the glass from his extended hand. My heart is racing as I lift the glass to my lips. I see him watching me, waiting. I close my eyes, shutting out everything around me and let the liquid spill over my lips, wash around my tongue and trickle down my throat. The burn is smooth and gentle with a bite at the end.
“Wow,” I breathe the word, opening my eyes.
“I take it you approve?”
“Well worth the mandatory ten-year sentence,” I moan before going for another sip.
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell if you don’t,” his tone is flirtatious, but it doesn’t seem to annoy me at the moment. I swipe the bottle from the bar and make my way to the couch facing the bay. Placing the bottle on the coffee table, I sit, not much more comfortable than a moment before. As I cross my legs, the slit in my dress falls open, revealing my boots. He doesn’t seem to notice my footwear. At least not as much as he appreciates my revealed thigh.
I’m surprised and a little disappointed when he chooses the seat across from me rather than the seat next to me.
I take another sip, then study him. He seems to be doing the same.
“All right, so spill it. Why?” I snap.
“Why what?”
“This,” I quip, lifting my arms up, motioning to the room. “Why the bargain? I told you I wouldn’t sleep with you. What could your angle possibly be?”
“Wow, you’re not jaded at all,” he says before taking a sip of his drink.
I go to take another drink, but as the stones slip up against my teeth, I realize the glass is empty. He stands and refills my glass before taking his seat again.
I clear my throat. “Maybe. But it still doesn’t make sense. Spill it Trunkwater.”
He flashes me an amused grin, “I wish you would call me Walter.”
“Fine, Walter. Why me?” I push back.
“Honestly? He ponders the question, nursing his drink for a moment before lifting his gaze to meet mine. “I can’t buy you.”
“You kind of did, didn’t you? I mean I’m here, aren’t I.”
He shakes his head, standing and making his way around the table to where I’m sitting. “No, women take their clothes off if I just give them a look.”
I burst out laughing, “I hope you have better lines than this that you use with other women.”
“I don’t need lines,” he shrugs. “I’m just being honest.”
“Yeah, an honest billionaire,” I scoff.
Walter moves closer, placing my hand in his. My heart is racing now. “Tynder, I want you to know I will never lie to you. I respect you far too much.” If this was a line I was buying it hook, line, and sinker, though I wasn’t about to
let Walter know that.
“So, I’m a challenge,” I reply.
“You could say that, but I have a genuine interest. I know you’re looking for a sinister plot Tynder, but I am a simple man. I say what I want, and I mean what I say. Would I love to make love to you? Of course. Would I be the best lover you’ve ever had? Most likely.”
Heat erupts between my legs, not only because of what his words are implying, but it’s the sound of his voice. Inhale. Exhale. Keep it together Tynder.
“Modest, aren’t we?” I force the joke, hoping to alleviate the sexual tension. My efforts fail.
“It’s the truth. I told you I’d never lie to you. But if you just want to talk, then I’m happy to stay up all night doing just that.”
“What on earth do we have to talk about?”
“You.”
“What could you possibly want to know about me?”
“Everything,” there was longing in his eyes, but he also seemed genuinely interested.
“What about you?”
“What do you mean what about me?”
I press my lips together, trying to hide just how nervous he’s making me. “Why can’t we start with getting to know you?”
“Well, I think you’re much more interesting, but if you want to know about me, we can start there. Go ahead and ask me anything,” he instructs with an eager smile.
“Why Mars?” I don’t really care what the answer is, I just want to shift the focus from myself.
“Why not?”
I shake my head, pressing him for more. “No seriously. Out of all the things you could have chosen to invest in why Mars? It’s not exactly a lucrative opportunity.”
“Saving mankind isn’t enough of a reason?”
I squint at him distrustful of his words. “I don't believe a treasure troll decided he wanted to save mankind from the inevitable destruction he caused to his own planet.”
He tilts his head and offers a slight nod. “True, they don’t deserve it.”
“So why?”
“I guess I’m just a good guy,” he replies.
“You just said you’d never lie to me, starting so soon?”
He grabs his chest and feigns a heart attack. “You wound me deeply.”
“The truth,” I reiterate my request.
“Humans aren’t the only ones on Mars,” his answer startles me. There is a truth in it that is undeniable. “If I want to save my kind we need Mars. This planet is dying from the inside, and we’re past the point of return. The Mars colony is a way to secure my investments. Humans live, and so does my empire.”
My mouth falls open, and I breathe the word, “Wow.”
“What’s wrong, not the answer you were looking for?” he asks, staring me in the eyes.
“No, it’s exactly what I asked for, the truth.” And it was. It felt raw and pure and at that moment I felt close to him. Close enough to open up a little.
“Do you think any of us, Fae or human, deserve to survive?”
“Deserving is based on the idea someone is judging us. Who is judging you?”
“Everyone,” I sigh, my mind moving back to how much I upset Nash, the way the Council loathed me, and that the queen seemed more like she wanted to drain me than help me.
“Want to know a secret?”
I shrug, though my eyes are fixed on him.
“The secret to my success is never giving a damn about what people think of me. It gives me a license to do whatever I want to make a deal happen.”
“That seems like a terrible philosophy as well,” I laugh.
“Try it sometime, I think you’ll thank me,” he suggests, his eyes relentlessly flirtatious.
And now it’s my turn. I’m the type that doesn’t open up, but much to my surprise I open my mouth and start to speak. I tell him about growing up with Joe and Desmond. He tells me about growing up poor and then making his fortune. I share stories of ex-boyfriends, and he laughs at my poor taste, causing me to do the same.
The hours tick away, and I’m startled when I see the sun begin to rise, highlighting the empty whiskey bottle on the coffee table.
“It’s morning,” I exclaim.
“It is?” he says, not looking away.
I want to kiss him which is exactly why I hop to my feet and race to the patio doors, slide them open and step out into the early morning that is misting lightly with rain.
He moves to the doorway.
“Humph,” he huffs.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, wiping the water out of my eyes.
“I’ve never been jealous of the rain until today,” he whispers.
Before I realize what I am doing, I reach out my hands. He takes them, and I pull him to me. I needed to kiss him like I needed to breathe. I needed to kiss away my frustration with Nash. I needed that kiss to shut out the stranger.
He’s staring at me, unwilling to take the lead after all of my stern warnings. I tell him with my eyes I want his kiss, but he still resists.
“I should walk away,” I whisper.
“Is that what you want?” His hands twist and he grips my wrists. His touch causes a tremble deep inside me. I close my eyes, startled when the image of Nash creeps into my thoughts.
Opening my eyes wide, I can’t stop the words that tumble out. “I want you to kiss me.” I declare, running as fast as I can from Nash’s image in my mind.
Walter’s hands slide from my wrists, up my arms, and wrap around my back that has been misted with raindrops. I’m shivering now from the cool morning. He pulls me in closer to him, and I begin to ache so deeply, an intense heat begins to build, and my shivering skin suddenly becomes warm to the touch. I see steam rising off of it.
My heart is pounding, and I can see the reflection of my glowing eyes in his. I hope my hands don’t catch on fire like they did when I was with Nash. Goosebumps race all over my skin as every nerve ending stands at attention.
Then it hits me. I am about to kiss a treasure troll. I mean everything in me wants to kiss him, but I know that’s only my hormones speaking. What I should be doing is getting ready to break Peter out.
“What are we doing?” I whisper as his lips near mine.
Walter pulls back slightly, “I thought we were kissing,” he reminds me with an incredibly sexy and devilish smirk.
“I’m a Royal Magistrate,” I say.
He doesn’t move, staring back at me in confusion. “You know I’m acutely aware of what you are, right?”
“Of course I do, but what’s the point? I can only be with another Phoenix. And honestly, even if I wanted to date someone I would never have time,” I’m starting to ramble.
He bites his lip in a way that makes me want to kiss it even more. “I didn’t realize you thought I was looking for more than a friend.”
I wager, “I don’t usually kiss my friends.”
“A very good friend,” he laughs.
“So this is just a kiss between two good friends,” I repeat, doing my best to rationalize something I know isn’t true.
“Two friends, that’s it,” he confirms.
I consider his words for a moment. “I mean it’s just one kiss.”
“That’s right, just one.” He repeats my words again, almost putting me in a trance.
Before I can think any more on the matter he moves forward, my lips curving against his as he presses his body against me. His tongue doesn’t have to struggle to kiss me. My lips part, allowing the exploration. A breeze blows, tickling my spine and sending me into momentary convulsions. Energy explodes the moment our lips connect, and I relent to his total exploration of the inside of my mouth.
When we finally part, I forget how to open my eyes and need his support to hold me upright for a brief moment. Suddenly, his promise to be the best lover I’ve ever had doesn’t seem like an exaggeration.
I manage to open my eyes, at last, his oversized irises staring back at me. His skin is sparkling in the morning sun with so much intensity I have to squin
t for a moment. What am I doing? I ask myself.
I push myself off of him, stumbling back a couple of steps. My eyes are wide with surprise, and I tell him, “I have to go.”
I can see he’s not happy with my statement, but he responds with a nod. “My driver will take you. Call me when you’re ready.”
I didn’t need to ask him “for what?” I know exactly what he’s saying.
I thank him and race out, without looking back. Afraid if I look back I may stay.
Ten
Laser Beams
I step out of the hover car in front of my apartment, the sun now firmly in its position in the sky.
The evening with Walter didn’t go at all how I expected. I thought most of the evening would be me fending off advances, but to my surprise, it was full of real conversation. I don’t remember the last person I shared that much with. I’m not sure if I feel relief or if I regret opening up so much. I don’t trust Walter after all.
I slip my key into the door, my reflection staring back at me from the glass. Dark circles have settled under my eyes from lack of sleep, and my hair is stringy from the rain. More notably, I’m smiling.
Before I can turn the knob the door opens, the key slipping from my hand.
Nash is staring back at me; he looks as tired as I do. “Are you okay?”
His question catches me off guard. I reach past him, retrieving my keys and tossing them on the hook near the door. “I’m all right,” I grunt closing the door and moving toward the apartment area.
With speed, he runs and gets between me and the path I’m on to my bedroom. “That’s it? You’re all right?”
