Enthralled: A Box Set

by Pamela Ann

  “Meet me on the shore, at the bottom of the stairs in five minutes.” His kiss on my nose made me blush like I was on my first date. “Stay there and don’t even think of going anywhere else.”

  Oh my, what did he have planned?

  “Okay.” I felt shy and virginal all of a sudden, which was truly ridiculous because I was far from one.

  His eyes glimmered before striding into the villa, while I, on the other hand, took the route towards the garden where the stairs going to the beach were located.

  I didn’t take off my shoes until I reached the stairs. One by one, I pulled off my strappy heels and sighed with pleasurable relief when my soles were greeted by the cold cement. Before descending, I stared ahead at the dark sea with the moon appearing to be big and yellow on the horizon. Stars usually littered above, but tonight, the moon was the sole provider of light.

  I took my time going all the way to the bottom, smiling when my feet touched the sand. The waves rolled with a soft hush and the air was still.

  “You’re smiling.”

  Swiftly spinning around to face him, I felt my cheeks burn at the sight of him. Except for the trousers, he was gloriously and deliciously bare. My eyes devoured him, itching to trace his wonderfully chiseled chest.

  “I didn’t hear you come.”

  “It’s one of my many gifts,” he teased.

  I wonder what other gifts he has, I thought cheekily. He was playful and charming and quite irresistible. No sane woman could go unaffected, myself included.

  “Come sit with me and help me enjoy this vintage champagne.” He lifted his left hand that held the bottle in a silver wine cooler before he chose a spot to sit.

  Strolling towards him, I tried to sit with my small dress as graciously as it allowed, showing more thigh as it rode up almost to my butt.

  “That dress is criminal on you.” His eyes scrutinized every inch of my body.

  It was merely a piece of cloth; however, the power it exuded was limitless.

  “Is that why you acted like a complete arse earlier?”

  He shrugged, looking away as he took a bottle opener that had been stabbed in the ice from the bucket.

  Peeling off the top seal of the bottle, he gave me a knowing look. “I desire you,” he professed for the second time tonight. “I don’t share, nor do I want other men to see what’s intended for my eyes only.”

  My throat ran dry. If the possessiveness in his tone didn’t bother me a little, I would’ve appreciated the poetic tone of his words.

  “You’re quite a possessive man. How do women tolerate you?”

  “You’ll know soon enough,” he murmured as I looked away.

  The cork popped from the bottle before the white foam oozed out of it. He then handed me the bottle. “Ladies first.”

  I smirked at his random show of being less chic and grand before taking a swig.

  “Drinking champagne from the bottle,” I observed with a hint of teasing, handing him the bottle. “Are you sure you won’t be booted out of Monaco’s elite circle?”

  “My lifestyle’s answer enough to tell you I don’t follow the rules. I bend them however I see fit.” He toasted the bottle before me. “Cheers to you and your irresistible beauty. May you bless me with thee.”

  I barked out a laugh. “You’re mad.”

  “What can I say? A woman who’s beautiful, catty, sharp with eyes so blue they sometimes turn purple, who’s also unafraid to speak her mind and constantly likes to push my limits is a true weakness of mine.”

  That was me, summed into a paragraph.

  Feeling as if the mood had shifted to something more, I opted to change the subject, delaying the inevitable. “Since you’re being honest tonight, mind telling me about London, 2011?”

  “I’d rather you figure that mystery out all by yourself.”

  Well, I wasn’t giving up just yet. I’d try again tomorrow.

  “I’ll eventually drag it out of you.”

  “We shall see.”

  “We shall.” I took the bottle from him because it was my turn to drink. Staring at my toes digging into the cool sand, I took a sip, wondering loudly, “Where did Chantel and Sherry go? I mean, I know you said they went to travel somewhere because of your aunt, but where is that exactly?”

  “Sherry actually ended up going to Bali. Chantel chose the Caribbean. The penthouse was too confiding for them.” Hugo shifted himself. Instead of facing the sea, he chose to face my profile. “When they arrive in two weeks time, I’m letting them both go.”

  The pin dropped. Instantly, I snapped my neck to gaze at him, horrified. “What are you trying to say?” I asked, aghast, hoping he’d say something that made sense because he’d been revealing far more than I was prepared for.

  “I want you,” he stated without hesitation. “So in my plan of pursuit, I’m going on abstinence until you’re ready for me.” He was absolutely cavalier about it.

  Huh. Well, he was in for a long haul. Kissing was one thing, sex was a whole other complicated matter entirely—one I wasn’t ready to share with anyone other than Damen. Hugo simply was stuck at believing he could attain whatever he wanted because women probably had the trouble of saying no to his wishes. His desire for me could also be used as a weapon; if I manipulated it right, it could be my leverage.

  “Really? And when was the last time you went without sex?” There was no doubt the man didn’t go without. From what I had seen in the library that one afternoon, he was as insatiable and hot blooded as they came.

  He made a smirk, lighting his face up while his eyes danced with amusement. “Never.”

  “You won’t survive it.” Exactly. He wouldn’t last a day. “Why even put yourself in that predicament?”

  “Because you’ll be worth it,” he said in a casual manner, as if it was already a given.

  “Hmmm… you shouldn’t be too confident about that because I’m going to crush that little hope you’re challenging yourself in attaining. Besides, even if you proved me wrong, I’m not really skilled in that department, so you’re going to be sorely disappointed.”

  He was changing the game—the agreement—and it was startling how quickly the tide was shifting between us. He was moving fast with no signs of slowing down.

  “I’ve never been denied of anything until you came along. I’m more than willing to put a pause to my sexual endeavors to pursue a much more satisfying one.” His finger caressed the base of my neck, trailing it along my shoulder blade, all the way down to my fingertips before hooking his forefinger with my own. “You’re trying to make me change my mind, and I’m telling you now, that’s very much unlikely.”

  How did I counter that? Not only was I having an inner battle with myself, but I was also getting less and less confident my mind and reason would be enough to fight against my body’s urges. Damen was in my heart; however, he also wasn’t here and wouldn’t be in my life for the next months to come.

  “Fancy a quick swim?” he broke into my thoughts, looking mighty wicked before adding, “Naked.” He then stood up before me, offering his hand.

  His hand was strong, big and masculine, and the thought of having those hands all over me didn’t help with my struggle. “You’re not subtle in your intentions, are you?”

  “I have indecent motives, true, but I won’t touch you until you grant me the permission to,” he swore just as I raised my brow, doubting him, before he made a dashing, panty-dropping smile. “I give you my word.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  Seventy-Nine

  Hugo

  Just as I was about to pull my pants down, Isobel started to have second thoughts, rattled at the notion of going au naturel.

  “What if there’s a speed boat passing through? What then?”

  “Then they see us naked. Who cares?” Her shyness was something I wasn’t used to from women. It was refreshing to see. “Live a little. Consider this a hiatus from your regular life; a free pass to indulge
in things you usually wouldn’t consider.” Also the fact I was a selfish man who loved to torture himself by staring at her body like a true pervert, imagining what it would be like to sheath myself inside her moist tunnel.

  “Be reckless, you mean? But that’s just not me—”

  She tried to argue, but I cut her off, proving it with an example. “Signing that contract wasn’t like you either, but you did it anyway.” It was fate when she’d happened to be the daughter of the man who just so happened to owe the casino money.

  Isobel shook her head, adamant about making a point. “That’s different.”

  “Not entirely. What you did was risky. I could’ve been a man who gets pleasures from hurting women, or a man with serial killer capabilities, yet you took a chance, trusting I would take care of you.”

  “I didn’t really have that much choice… My father isn’t an easy man to deal with,” she insisted with vehemence before chugging another gulp from the bottle.

  “We always have a choice, Isobel.” She needed to know that in case her father kept using her to pay off his gambling habit. “Whether it’s right or wrong, you always have an option.”

  She broke into a beaming smile, looking up at me with pure sincerity.

  “Thank you for taking a chance with me. I know it’s odd to be thanking you, but now that you’ve revealed that you won’t do anything until I allow you to… well, not a lot of men would be that noble.” Pressing her lips together, she whispered another gratitude, “So, thank you.”

  “I did tell you I have a weakness for beautiful, catty, sharp women, with eyes so blue they sometimes turned purple, who’s also unafraid to speak her mind and constantly likes to push my limits.”

  Her smile was pure beauty. I wished she’d do so more often. I’d give her whatever she wanted when she looked at me that way—serene and impressionable.

  The catty and feisty attitude turned me on like a raging lunatic, yet this, too, had the power to drive my lust to epic proportions. One way or the other, I wanted her with a passion. Like a flip of a switch, so did my objective.

  “You know, you could further thank me by swimming with me.”

  Rolling her eyes, she feigned an exasperated sigh. “All right, but I’m leaving my underwear on.” She sharpened her eyes at me, as if in warning of some sort.

  I’ll take whatever she’d throw at me.

  “Whatever you feel comfortable in.” I was a rabid dog with an unfathomable hunger that only burned for one particular person. It was as if my nature and my senses came together when with her.

  Pulling the zipper down on the side of her chest, she eyed me warily. “It’s weird that I feel shy doing this even though you’ve seen me naked before.”

  I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath, awaiting the striptease, but her hesitation made me concede to giving her a little space. Emphasis on little. “I’ll pretend like I’m a gentleman and go in first.”

  Walking into the water until it was around my hips, I dove into the dark sea before I came up for air and swam farther out. The water was cool, a refreshing change for my heated body. The summer heat was crucial earlier today, and in those times, a dip in the sea was mandatory.

  Taking a gulping breath, I spun around towards the beach as I pedaled to stay afloat. The beach was empty. Where had she gone?

  “Isobel?” I called out, keeping still as I tried to adjust my eyesight. I was about a little over a kilometer out in the sea; therefore, my vision wasn’t as clear as I’d hoped. “Isobel!” I bellowed again, but this time, I heard a small reply.

  “I’m right over here.” Her voice was a great distance away. “Where are you?”

  Scouring the dark sea as I swam with slight, silvery rays of the moon to lighten my sight, there was still a vast area that was shaded, and I desperately needed to make sure of where she was.

  “Stay where you are and keep talk—”

  She made a startling yelp, almost stopping my heart. “Oh, fuck! Something touched my leg!” She made an alarming screech. “Hugo, something’s out there!”

  “Don’t move.” I swam towards her, following the echo of her voice. “I’m coming.”

  “Hugo, please hurry!” she screamed, but this time with pure terror. “I just saw a fin! Oh my God, I saw a bloody fin! I’m going to die. I’m going to die!” She kept chanting that she was dying.

  Her alarmed voice sent a chill all over my body, making me feel truly frightened for the first time in over a decade. The small splashes of water done by her panicky arms made me halt for a second as I noticed the dorsal fin slicing briskly about her before it disappeared again.

  Then, I barked out a laugh as I reached for her, wrapping my arms around her as I held her close. “Relax. It’s only a dolphin.” I kissed her forehead as relief spread all over me. “The Rissos dolphin feeds at night, and they have a long dorsal fin, so I guess it’s easy to assume it’s a shark circling about you for its next meal.”

  “That’s not funny. I truly, really was frightened.” She sobbed, a little frazzled.

  Pauvre bébé. (Poor baby.) She looked so scared she had tears in her eyes. Wiping them away, I kissed her nose while trying to reassure her. “Even if it were a shark, you can’t blame it for wanting to have a taste; you’re quite a delectable treat,” I teased, watching as the fright slowly ebbed away from her eyes.

  She lightly tapped my chest before resting her head against it. “I almost had a heart attack. Be nice.” Then she pulled her head back, taking a peek at me. “Since when did you know so much about dolphins anyway?”

  “I swim a lot at night during the summer months.”

  “This is actually nice,” she murmured, as she unknowingly sought for more warmth from my chest. “But do you mind if we’re closer to the shore? I don’t like being all the way out here in the open. It’s like baiting ourselves to be eaten alive for the next hungry predator that happens to be nearby.”

  “I’m a predator, and I’m famished.” Her breasts were squished against me, and it was getting increasingly difficult to resist her by the second.

  “In a different circumstance, I would’ve quivered, but now’s not the time to put the moves on me.” She swam away, heading towards the beach while I followed closely behind, needing to draw more of this drug from her.

  Once she felt safe from the “predators,” as she’d put it, she tilted her head back, staring into the sky above, while my eyes centered on the two creamy orbs before me.

  “So… I make you quiver,” I asked, wanting to delve more into that detail. “Tell me more about it.”

  “You don’t let up, do you?”

  “Your admission just took me by surprise.”

  Her long hair floated around her while her breasts thrust forward. She reminded me of a siren. La belle sirène.

  She made a dry laugh. “Why should it? I mean, come on, you know you’re sexy and shit.”

  “Sexy and shit,” I mused at her choice of words.

  “You’re beautiful and shit—” She then bit her lip, as if she didn’t mean for the words to come out, while her cheeks blushed profusely. Her eyes dropped to my lips, concentrating on them.

  “Take a chance,” I said huskily, hoping she’d follow her urges. “Touch me. Kiss me.” I moved closer, just enough to feel the slightest touch of her nipples against my chest. The contact made me delirious. “I dare you.”

  Her breathing turned shallow as she moved her lips a hairsbreadth from my own hungry ones. If she kissed me once, she was done. I wouldn’t stop until we both released some of this tension, one way or another.

  In a second, my wish came true, ending my beautiful torment. I gave her a minute—one torturous minute of reeling in the animal that had been unleashed by a mere kiss from her—before I took charge.

  Since we were close to shore, I lifted her body to wrap it around mine without breaking our lips apart from their fevered kisses. From there, I carried her to where we’d left the bottle, right next to the bucket, be
fore I splayed her on the sand. Hovering above her, I sought eye contact, needing to see her. In her luminous, dilated depths came reassurance that she did trust me.

  “Close your eyes and keep them shut, mon amant.” She did as I asked, and for a moment, I let my eyes worship her, savor her. She was ready for whatever I had planned for her, however I had made a promise, and as much as it pained me to harness my hunger, I had to pass this test to fully earn her trust.

  Reaching inside the wine cooler, I captured a cube before I softly brushed it against her aroused nipple. The sheer, cooling contact made her gasp.

  “Do you like ice, Isobel?” I croaked out, feeling helpless when my cock became too painful to bear. Still, I kept on with the sweet torment. The ice was melting, therefore I let the drip trickle on her stomach as she started to shift and moan.

  Her legs were parted, and I couldn’t help myself from reaching to touch her there. Pushing her thong aside, I slightly rubbed her with my thumb. “May I taste you, mon amant?”

  She was breathing erratically as she made a hesitant nod. It was all I needed to bunch up the thong in my hand before wrenching it off her. The sudden move made her gasp, although before she could protest, I inserted the ice cube inside her pussy, driving her into a little tizzy.

  “Savor the sensation, ma belle. Don’t stop until you come in my mouth.”

  Parting her legs wider, I situated my head between her legs before softly blowing air along her slit. The ice was melting inside her, and the melted water slowly dripped out of her entrance. Using the tip of my tongue, I flicked it back forth, letting the water soak onto my tongue before I swallowed and tasted her. I let out a grunting sound then let my mouth delve into her folds, relishing every bit of her relentlessly… harshly.

  “Hugo—God!” she shrieked before both of her hands grasped the back of my head and used it to gyrate on my mouth, making her scream in pleasure.

  Eighty

  Isobel

  “Is this what you do all day; stare into oblivion?” Julee interrupted my shortened reverie.