by Lisa Swann
– Hello! Elisabeth Lanvin, from Courcelles Investissements. I.. I think I’m expected.
The blonde barely raised an eyebrow, and pressed a button on her telephone. She stood up very straight and, with a forced smile, invited me to follow her. She opened a door onto a sort of cloakroom, and closed it immediately behind me. I was alone in a room lit only by neon lights and furnished with armchairs, a sofa and some green plants. A large frosted-glass door revealed light shining through from the other side. I put my bag on an armchair and began to study a watercolour hanging on the wall, to give myself an air of composure, when the glass door opened behind me.
His sturdy physique was framed in the doorway, then the door closed with a muffled sigh. Strength and gentleness. His entrance was just like him. I had forgotten how good-looking he was… His jade-coloured eyes undressed me. I could not tell what his incredibly intense look meant.
– Hello Elisabeth. I am delighted to welcome you here, he said in his suave voice as he came closer.
What was he going to do? Shake my hand? Kiss me on the cheeks? No, that would be ridiculous. I barely had time to understand what was happening to me, before he had planted his hand on my back, tilted me backwards and kissed me on the mouth. I stepped back, with my back coming up against the wall, and returned his kiss instinctively but against my will. The taste of his lips, his scent, his skin… it all came back to me in a powerful succession of waves. I could no longer break away from him, as my tongue found his and they joined together with a delightful sensation of union. He could have led me straight to a bed (or even the sofa in reception) there and then and I would not have put up a fight. He pulled on the elastic holding my ponytail and my red mane tumbled down onto my shoulders; he buried his hands in my curls. He broke away from my lips, inhaled the perfume of my hair and then went back to nibbling on my lower lip.
– My god, how I’ve missed this scent! He said without further ado, while I was still trembling from his kiss. Your mouth is an invitation to sex. Let’s see if the rest of you feels the same!
He hitched up my skirt, sliding his hand up my tights, pulled the suspenders so they snapped, and then stumbled across my knickers.
– No, no, no, he said, without losing his enigmatic smile, yet shaking his head from side to side. He slid one thumb under the material, ripped the side stitching with one tug and then pulled on the torn section forcefully. My underwear fell to the floor, having dug into my flesh and forced me to cry out. My butt, which was now uncovered, quivered and received a sharp slap.
– It is forbidden to disobey, he whispered into my ear.
But far from seeming angry, everything about him exuded desire and eroticism at that moment: his lips, his eyes and the bulge in his trousers. He had a hard-on. Rather than putting me off, the slap aroused me even more. I arched my back a bit further, ready to receive his tongue again. But instead, he thrust a finger into my vagina with a force which made me cry out again. I lifted one leg from the floor. I wanted more.
– You’re wet, of course! You’re always ready, aren’t you? He said, mockingly.
I stood up, annoyed and suddenly aware of where we were and the graphic scene I was taking part in.
– No, not at all, I said, not daring to look at him as I lowered my skirt. I have absolutely no desire to…
But Sacha caught me off guard and went for my nipples, which were already hard and swollen with arousal and protruding under the two thin layers of material. Sacha came close in and pinched one of them. Then he raised my arms and removed the pullover. My breasts were completely free and standing to attention, barely contained by the blouse.
– That’s much better! He said, sounding satisfied as he took a step backwards. We can go now.
He had barely finished his sentence when he pushed open the glass door.
I just had time to pick up my torn knickers and stuff them in my bag. He had already disappeared into the room next door.
Luckily, I instinctively held the pullover over my chest as I entered the room. Eight pairs of eyes turned towards me at the same time. Everything about me exuded sex. Not to mention my most intimate of places, which was naked under my short, flared skirt, so that the slightest careless movement would reveal my nudity to everyone present.
– I would like to introduce you to Elisabeth Lanvin, my intern, he announced to the assembled company, whilst I entered hesitantly, consumed by shame.
– Please, have a seat, replied a blond-haired man with sun-weathered skin, while he stared at my butt and cast a knowing look at my chest, which jiggled with every step I took in my stilettos.
At the end of the room, I saw two faces I recognised: Mr Dufresne, his face buried in his files, and his son Arnaud, who was staring at me as if the sky were falling in on him. I left Sacha and the blond-haired man (a client? A colleague? An underling?) behind me and slipped into the only free seat, next to Arnaud Dufresne, trying to make myself as small as possible. Arnaud placed a file in front of me, with a visibly disgusted look on his face.
– Well, Richard, can we get back to the subject at hand, please? Said Sacha to the blond-haired man, suddenly much cooler and annoyed now.
Had the joke gone on long enough? Did Sacha not like the effect I was having on the other men? I would doubtless have savoured this moment if I had not been so embarrassed!
The meeting lasted a good two hours. We reviewed the common interests of both law firms, particularly in the high-growth conditions of the Asian market. Of course, Goodman & Brown already had an established international presence and was well ahead of our Parisian company, but Mr Dufresne was very persuasive and there was no doubt that our collaboration would end in a merger, since it would be a win-win situation on both sides of the Atlantic. Aware of how privileged I was to be taking part in this top-level meeting, and fascinated by the subject, I immersed myself completely in the work. By the time the meeting ended, I had almost forgotten my shameless session in the lobby. But Arnaud brought me straight back to reality by looking disgusted again when my bra-less chest ended up in his face as I stood up. I immediately pulled my pullover down in front of me, but the damage was done, and I was instantly consumed by embarrassment again, a feeling which was exacerbated when I had to pull myself up on my 10-centimetre heels and I felt an unusual warmth in my crotch.
My god, it was so sexy to not be wearing any knickers. I carefully avoided meeting Sacha’s eye, but anyway he was busy talking to a statuesque, brown-eyed brunette who he was devouring with his eyes. She punctuated every sentence with a smile which revealed her astonishingly white teeth. She was a pure Latin beauty, extremely classy and wearing a figure-hugging cream suit. All of a sudden I felt ridiculously vulgar in my outfit, without underwear.
I returned to the hotel with the Dufresnes without delay. I didn’t say a word in the taxi, lost in my lewd thoughts and my doubts. What did he want? Who was this brunette? Why? Why? Why what?
I was still brooding over these questions when we reached our luxury hotel, which was comfortable, if rather soulless. But what the hell! I was here now, so I might as well make the most of the trip. We were all due to meet for a drink in a panoramic bar in central Manhattan and then have dinner in one of the hippest restaurants in New York. I chose an appropriate dress, sober and chic… and sexy, I told myself as I checked my reflection in the mirror. But not too sexy! I exchanged Sacha’s stilettos for court shoes with a more reasonable heel.
The view from the bar was simply staggering. Beneath us, the city shimmered with a thousand lights. I had arrived chaperoned by the Dufresnes, but some of the participants from the afternoon’s meeting were already there. I opted for a glass of wine and began to talk to the members of the team, when an arm rested on my shoulder and interrupted the group.
– Do you like New York? Whispered the tanned, blond-haired man from the afternoon, casually stroking my shoulder blade as if we were close friends.
I moved away slightly and was going to answer rather coolly when I saw
Sacha enter the room, still accompanied by his beautiful Latina, who was wearing a sublime gold lamé dress. I took a large gulp of wine, which went down the wrong way, and the blond guy took advantage of this to handle me more firmly on the pretext of helping me. Sacha called over to him and he left me standing in the middle of the room, like an idiot, as he headed towards Sacha and the brunette.
– I see you’re trying your luck with both of them, you sad thing!
– I beg your pardon? Arnaud confronted me with a hurtful look on his face which I hadn’t seen before.
– You know perfectly well what I mean. Sleeping with Goodman isn't enough, you’ve got to have Brown too!
– Brown? No, of course not...
– Goodman must have told him you’re easy, continued Arnaud with the same disdain. And now his friend is moving in too!
– What’s wrong with you? I am not...
But Arnaud had already turned away.
The meal which followed should have been enjoyable, but I had to force myself to swallow every mouthful. Arnaud’s words were swirling round in my head. Sacha’s and Richard Brown’s attitudes – it all added up, came together, made sense. I was the little French girl they had brought over to have it off with. I forced myself to exchange a few words with my neighbour, and spent the rest of the time casting my eyes coolly and detachedly over the other guests. Sacha didn’t even seem to notice my attitude, he was so involved with his brunette. At the end of the meal, I couldn’t take any more; I jumped up and asked everyone to excuse me, but jet lag had got the better of me and I needed to go back to the hotel. I left quickly. In less than two minutes, I was outside and took a deep breath of fresh air. I was hailing a taxi when a firm hand grasped hold of my arm and forced me to turn round. Sacha was towering over me, with a dark look in his eyes.
– Why are you leaving Liz? Your attitude is verging on rudeness! Is that how young ladies are brought up in France?
– I’m tired, I’d rather go back…
A taxi stopped and I dived inside.
But Sacha wasn’t going to leave it there. He pushed me over and sat down next to me just as I was giving the hotel address to the driver. I turned my head, determined to face him. I was trembling with rage.
– Leave me alone, Sacha Goodman! OK? I want to go back to my hotel, that’s all. And I turned my head away so he wouldn’t see the tears I could no longer hold back.
– Look at me, Liz! Look at me… He grabbed hold of my chin and forced me to turn my head round, at the same time giving the driver a different address. Liz… Liz… his voice became languorous… What can I say, Liz? I’ve dreamed of the taste of your lips, I’ve wanted to taste every bit of your skin again… Liz… His lips were now just millimetres from mine, I could feel their warmth, almost see the beating of his heart, which was getting faster.
I pulled his hands off me and between sobs, muttered:
– Did you tell your colleague he could have his way with me? Am I the easy little intern everyone on your staff will want to sleep with? Tell me the truth… I said, almost as a challenge.
He looked at me, shocked, then burst out laughing.
– Are you mad? You should know, Liz, that I don’t share. Is it what Richard said this afternoon that's made you say that? Come on, don’t be childish... I’ll have a word with him… and make it clear that you are mine and mine only…
As he spoke, he kissed my hair and my hands, covering me in tender kisses.
All my anger disappeared. Oh yes, I am yours.
– I don’t want you to think I’m easy, I added, as if to convince myself that my honour was at stake here.
– Shhh! Be quiet. And he thrust his tongue into my mouth…
By the time the taxi stopped in front of Sacha’s building, I was no longer thinking about Arnaud Dufresne or Richard Brown, and even less about the statuesque brunette… My whole body was entirely abandoned to my lover’s burning kisses. I barely saw the doorkeeper in the entrance hall as Sacha led me straight into the lift and pressed button 15. Fifteen floors, during which every part of my anatomy was rubbed, caressed and touched. My whole body was on fire. My crotch was burning. I would have liked to tear at it myself. It seemed like my breasts were trying to burst through the material of my dress so they could touch Sacha’s body. He too was brimming over with desire. When we arrived on the 15th floor, he dragged me out of the corner of the lift, lifted me up as if I were a feather and pushed me against a wall. I couldn’t tell where I was – a corridor? an entrance? I closed my eyes, completely given over to the desire consuming me from inside. I didn’t care where I was, I couldn’t take my mouth off his, I put my nose into his hair and lapped up everything that was happening around my tongue. He suddenly pulled up my dress and cupped my butt in his hands. My knickers fell to the ground, I curled my legs around his waist and, before I had time to react, he penetrated me.
It was wild. Incredibly intense. He was pounding me frantically and I was clinging to the wall as hard as I could… I couldn’t stop myself coming loudly, accompanied by Sacha’s moans.
5. Mistakes and misunderstandings
I was not sure where I was when I woke up the next morning. Daylight was coming in through a large window and tickling my nose. I opened one eye and then the other, dazzled by the sun. Opposite me, the wall was intersected by a glass strip which covered two thirds of the room. I propped myself up on my elbows. Sacha’s odour filled the room. The space next to me was empty, however, although I could see from the state of the bed that he had been there recently. I stretched out for a while, long enough to remember all the details of the previous evening. I had fallen asleep almost immediately after Sacha had taken me so brutishly… Ouch, the insides of my thighs were still rather sore. I stood up and admired the décor of the bedroom: the brown leather-covered bed head, the oak parquet flooring and the recesses of exotic wood. It was opulent yet modern at the same time. I got up, went into the en-suite bathroom, cleaned my teeth and put on a bathrobe. I had no idea what time it was. The place was completely silent.
I pushed the door, quietly. A wide corridor led to several rooms, but all the doors were closed. I moved forwards timidly and entered a huge living room completely bathed in natural light. Wow, what an apartment! Just this room on its own was as big as Maddie’s apartment, which was huge itself! 120 square metres? 150 maybe? I couldn’t be far off. There was parquet flooring throughout the room, and an incredible rough concrete fireplace took pride of place in the centre. The sparse yet imposing furniture fitted the enormous space perfectly. I thought I could see the outline of a kitchen behind the fireplace. There too, the combination of old and contemporary was perfect. As in the bedroom, most of the room was glazed, but here the bay window extended right up to the ceiling and covered the entire frontage. I approached one of the bay windows and had the impression that I was above the city, that I could touch the tops of the trees below the terrace. None of the buildings around were taller than this one and nothing opposite blocked the view of the staggering panorama; it was simply incredible in a city like New York.
Two strong arms softly embraced me and brought me out of my pensive lethargy. Sacha was standing behind me; he smelt divinely good.
– Sleep well? he asked, planting a kiss in the hollow of my neck.
I quivered.
– Yes. It’s fabulous. Where are we?
– In Greenwich Village. What you can see in the distance is the Hudson River. Maybe I’ll take you for a boat ride if you’re good… and I’ll take you on the deck!
I raised an eyebrow. But his hand had already untied the belt of my bathrobe and found its way to my breast, while his other arm was holding my shoulders, preventing me from moving. With his face, still nestled in my neck, he whispered:
– But you know, we can do that just as well here!
His grip loosened. I turned round. He was in his bathrobe too. I looked him straight in the eye, undid the knot of his belt and revealed his erect penis. I had only one desi
re – to swallow it whole – but Sacha was already pulling my head back and nibbling my earlobes. The bathrobes fell to the floor. We were standing, completely naked, in front of the huge bay window, bathed in the harsh light of day. I was not usually all that comfortable with nudity in general, and with my body in particular, but under the touch of such an accomplished lover I felt as if I might be growing wings. Sacha abandoned my earlobes and licked the tips of my breasts. I started to moan. He picked me up and carried me to the sofa. I arched my back and adopted a position that could not have been more lascivious, with my eyes half-closed and my legs slightly apart. Sacha took his time, letting his eyes wander calmly over my nudity. Did he find me beautiful? I blushed slightly. No man had ever looked at me (or more accurately, examined me) like that. As if to put an end to my doubts, he said:
– I’m going to devour you. Taste each little bit of you. I’m going to enter you so deeply that it hurts, I’ll make each tiny bit of this exquisite body come…
I wanted to shout yes, yes, take me, swallow me, suck me, do what you want with me. But I said nothing, merely wetting my bottom lip with my tongue and becoming even wetter in my crotch, deeply aroused by his words. He lay on top of me, put his hands on either side of my face, and ran his tongue over my quivering skin. Sacha didn’t have a massive physique. The first time I met him I’d thought he was built like a swimmer, but there, with my eyes half closed, I could admire his bulging muscles and virile torso, his powerful arms and the lines of his veins, which throbbed along his neck. He was even more handsome during sex. Completely raw – pure force.