Instead, she looked up again at his face. He had the faintest of smiles, and a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. He was enjoying her scrutiny.
“Alright, so you score above average.” She said, grinning, and then the two of them burst into laughter.
“I just knew you’d be the right girl for this job. Look at you; you're barely ruffled..”
“On the outside maybe.” She confessed, suppressing a chuckle.
His laughter ceased abruptly. All of a sudden, the atmosphere inside the cell-like room intensified. Clara and Jacob stared into each other's eyes, and they both felt the bolt of recognition. The realization that there was something very real developing between them.
After breaking the ice with her comment before, Clara felt awkward again. The seriousness and electricity that seemed to flow between them made her mouth dry. All she could think about was kissing him. Touching him. She needed to get out of there before she made a huge fool out of herself.
raid
“So I’ll just leave you to it…” As she turned to leave, Jacob placed his hand on her arm. His grip was firm but not rough.
“Clara.”
Hearing him say her name like that send a tingle up her spine and a cascade of desire between her legs. Not daring to look at him, she stared instead at where he was touching her, afraid that if she were to make eye contact, then she wouldn’t be able to control herself.
Jacob reached out and delicately lifted her chin upwards. Clara thought her heart was going to beat right out of her chest and almost pulled away again but couldn’t, hypnotized by the magical depths of his eyes.
Then, he kissed her. His lips upon hers were burning and as soft as satin. His kiss was so gentle, so tender, that she swooned into him. Sparks shot through her body when he parted her lips with his tongue and began to explore her mouth.
The clothes that he’d been holding dropped to the floor with a muffled thud and Clara, swept up in the moment, reached her arms around his neck and laced her fingers into his thick, black hair.
It had started slowly; lips to lips with the lightest flicks of his tongue, but as she pulled him closer to her, he began to kiss her much more urgently. Desperately, even, as though he had just reunited with a long lost lover.
What are you doing? Stop it now. Go and take a cold shower. This can’t be happening. Her inner voice tapped on her conscience as she worried about the consequences of making out with her employer. With her naked boss.
But as Jacob lifted the top of her pajamas and grazed the flesh on her back with his fingernails, her thoughts shut down. The only thing on her mind was Jacob, and how much she wanted this. Clara pressed her hips into his body. She could feel his excited sex press against her sheer nightwear. Instinct was taking over, she nestled against him, closer.
“You are so beautiful; it's almost painful to gaze upon such beauty.” Panted Jacob in her ear. She tossed her head back as he kissed along her throat and down to her breasts. Her skin was on fire from the trace of his soft-mouthed caress. Clara resisted only mentally. Her body had succumbed to Jacob's deft touch, and all she could do was respond in kind.
It was like he could read her mind because, at that moment, he hooked his thumbs into her waistband.
“Are you okay? Is this what you want?” He asked.
Not able to speak, Clara nodded, every inch of her body screaming yes. In one, swift move, he ripped the bottom half of clothing from her and picked her up as if she were as light as a feather. She wrapped her legs around his back, aware right at that moment that her legs needed shaving. Clara didn't care. There was nothing to think about outside of this time. Never had a man been able to lift her before. Wrapped around him, they kissed.
He carried her over to the pile of shredded fabric beneath the chains and lay her down tenderly. They held one another as if their lives depended on the embrace.
“Oh God.” She moaned, digging her nails into his back. She wanted him inside of her now. She couldn’t take this build up.
Clara wanted more of him - wanted to explore every part of him, scared that she was going to wake up to find none of this was real. Finding his soft lips again, she kissed him hungrily.
“Now. Please, Jacob, I need you now.” Barely recognizing her own voice, she caressed his strong, muscled back, in an attempt to pull him into her. Jacob wanted the same, and they made love. An exquisite kind of love, that Clara had not once experienced before. She was in rapture, completely engulfed in this moment of tenderness and love. It was a surprise to her that she could feel such powerful emotions welling up alongside the deep arousal she was feeling. But the emotion was real. She knew Jacob felt it too. There was a connection that just couldn't be denied. Jacob took hold of Clara's hands and drew them up above her head. He interlaced his fingers with the love of his life beneath him. Putting his weight down on her so that Clara couldn't move, he entered her. Divine tingles shot up through her spine, and together they became one.
Jacob and Clara climaxed together. A fate of the Gods. Each of them moving those last movements as one organism. Jacob fell back onto the floor, spent. He caught a few breaths, then leaned over and delicately kissed Clara's damp skin; a kissing trail from her navel to her milky throat.
They lay on the floor of that room for a long time. Jacob kissing her while Clara caressed his back in meaningful, tender strokes.
Then the rapture bubble burst.
“That was incredibly stupid of me; I can’t apologize enough.” Jacob got up and handed Clara her things before hurriedly dressing.
She was about to tell him that there was no need to apologize, that she had wanted it…needed it and, she had been fervently hoping that it could have happened again…
“This can’t ever happen again. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, please don’t think that. But it’s not safe…you’re not safe. I don’t know what came over me. It won’t happen again.”
“Why am I not safe? That’s absurd. Look, I’m fine. Jacob…”
“No!” His head whirled around to her, and he was clearly angry. “This cannot happen again. I’m telling you it’s not safe. You promised no questions; that’s part of your job description, and I damn well expect you to keep to it.”
Clara clamped her mouth shut, hurt beyond belief. How could she have gone from being so ecstatically happy to wanting to cry in such a short space of time?
She left the room upset, vowing to stick to the rules and promising herself that she would stay there long enough to discover exactly what was supposed to be so dangerous about the mysterious Jacob.
Chapter 7
Several weeks passed, and Clara was getting so used to her new routine that it was almost normal to her now. Every night, without fail, she would chain Jacob to his shackles and every morning she would release him. There had been no mention, no hint of the romance that they had shared on her first day, and Clara never asked one single question about his strange night time habits. It had become so normal to her now that she rarely even thought about it anymore. What she did think about, though, frequently, was the time they’d made love and how she wished he would touch her like that again.
However, they had grown to be great friends. They often sat in the movie theatre after dinner and rarely got to see a whole movie because they’d be talking so much. Jacob may live in a different world from her, but surprisingly they had loads in common. They made each other laugh. Shared stories about growing up. If she’d had read about him on Wikipedia, she’d never have imagined somebody of his status could have been so much fun to goof around with. Audition after audition had proved fruitless. Clara still wanted to follow her dreams, which Jacob actively encouraged, but she was putting far less pressure on herself about it, her self-esteem had soared, and even Emily had noticed the change in her. Perhaps living in a penthouse and not having to worry about money did that for you.
Though Jacob had never so much as alluded to the time they’d had sex, Clara was confident that there was still chemist
ry between them. She was happy to play the long game. She felt sure it was only a matter of time before something was going to happen.
One morning, Clara’s cell rang during breakfast. She looked at the screen. It was Matt, Emily’s friend.
“Hey, Clara. I was just wondering if you were free tonight? I’ve got an audition lined up for Hamlet…I know, dream job, right? Anyway, I was hoping you’d be able to help me with my piece? It’s a long monolog, and I could do with a prompt to get it into my head. Everyone else is busy.”
“Er, hang on. I need to check.” Although she was a little put out that Matt had to make a point of her being his last resort, she put the phone face down on the couch and explained the situation to Jacob.
“He can come over after ten. He’s not to go downstairs,” he said.
Matt agreed and hung up after writing down the address.
Clara was sure that Jacob seemed a little aggrieved that she was going to have male company that evening and ate the rest of her breakfast with the tiniest of smiles on her face at the thought that she may be finally getting under his skin.
It made her proud to see Matt’s face as he gawked around the penthouse. “Jesus. I can’t believe this is where you live,” he said, amazed.
“Yeah, this is my life now.” She sat on one of the couches and beckoned Matt over, “Let’s have a listen to your audition piece then.” She held her hand out for the script. “Matt, have you been drinking?” When he’d sat next to her, the smell of stale alcohol was overwhelming.
He waved dismissively. “Only a bit. So what? Here, let me here your take on it.”
Handing her the paper, Clara began to read. For some reason, Matt unnerved her a little tonight. She’d never spent any time with him without Emily. In fact, she hardly knew him and all of a sudden that made her a little nervous, though she couldn’t put her finger on why.
“Your lips look beautiful when you speak.” Said Matt, leaning forward.
Clara coughed and moved back from him. “It’s probably best if I hear you read it. Isn’t that the point of you being here?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Matt closed the gap between them again and lunged to kiss her.
“Hey.” She exclaimed, pushing him back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” To her horror, he laughed and grabbed a hold of her arms.
“Oh come on. You don’t invite a guy over to your place past 10 pm if you don’t want a piece of him.”
She struggled against his grip. Despite being thin and wiry, he was surprisingly strong. “You called me to help you; this wasn’t a booty call.” Panic rising, Clara realized she couldn’t get away. Jacob was locked up downstairs; all the staff had gone home. She was completely alone. “Matt. We’re friends. What are you doing? Let me go.”
Matt’s grin was manic. He pushed her back onto the couch and pinned her shoulder while his other hand yanked at her jeans.
“Matt. Let me go.” She was screaming now, and she was starting to feel the most afraid she’d ever been in her life. She screamed and twisted. He kept losing his hold on her pants, though that didn’t deter him.
She couldn’t believe that she was going to be raped here, in the apparent safety of her own home. There was only one thing she could think of doing, even though she knew it wouldn’t help.
“Jacob.” She yelled her employer's name so loud her throat felt like it was ripping. Matt had torn off one of her buttons to her pants. “Jacob.” Clara closed her eyes and screamed his name over and over again. Sobs wracked her body, and Matt had almost got her pants down. He was still laughing while she wept.
“No one’s coming for you, Clara. Serves you right for being such a tease.”
An almighty crash stopped her sobs. It sounded like a bomb had blown up the side of the building. Matt looked up, startled, but before he could do or say anything more, Clara saw a gigantic, black haired gorilla coming up full speed behind him. She opened her mouth in a scream, but no sound came out. Before Matt even had the chance to turn to see what Clara was looking at, the gorilla swiped an arm the size of a small tree trunk at the back of Matt's head. He went flying across the room and landed with a sickening thud. The last thing Clara saw before the world went black was the gorilla heading straight for her.
She felt as though she were rising from being underwater. Gasping, she sat bolt upright and snapped her eyes open. It was still night, the small lamp by her bed giving off a warm, orange glow in her room. At first, she felt confused as to why she had woken; icy cold horror washed over her as the memories came back. Matt. He’d tried to rape her and then…and then what? She thought she had seen a gorilla. Frowning, she checked herself. Her pajama’s were on; she was comfortable in bed. There were no bruises on her body and, flexing each limb to make sure, no apparent injuries. She shook her head, “That was one hell of a dream” She said aloud. And then she saw it.
A massive beast lurked in the far corner of her bedroom. A gorilla, bigger than any she’d ever seen at a zoo. Huddling her knees into her chest, she whimpered in numbing fear as the creature slowly came towards her. Each one of its powerful footsteps echoing around the walls ominously.
“Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me.” She whispered, frozen to the spot with fear. Just as she felt like she might pass out again, the beast sat on the floor next to her bed and looked up at her. Exhaling, she bravely looked at the motionless gorilla, wondering if her night could get any more surreal. Extraordinarily, the thing was staring right at her. She tried not to move as she looked it right in the eye. It blinked. She blinked. Her jaw dropped as the realization hit her. She knew those eyes, she’d looked at them, had fallen into the green pools of them for long enough.
But it was impossible. How could it possibly…?
Somehow sensing that she knew, the gorilla picked up her hand from the bed. It was limp with fright and absolutely tiny inside the thick leather of the gorilla’s own hand. Then it pressed her fingers to its lips and looked at her again. This time, she was certain. She didn’t know how or why, or what on earth was going on right now, but she knew.
“Jacob?” She whispered. The gorilla closed it’s eyes and moved it’s great head up and down. Yes.
To say that she was in shock was an understatement. However, as blow your mind insane that this whole situation was when she knew that it was Jacob, even though he was a giant wild creature, she started to relax. He had saved her. He’d protected her from Matt, and she was surer than anything in her life that he wouldn’t hurt her. Even as a gorilla, he’d protected her.
The enormity of the evening became too much. Clara broke down into tears. She’d come so close to being seriously hurt. The thought of what Matt could have done to her had the gorilla…Jacob, not come to her rescue didn’t bear thinking about.
The giant beast lifted her sobbing body off of the bed. He wrapped his huge arms around her, enveloping her completely in a secure fortress of his soft coat and strong as a steel chest. Finally feeling safe, Clara’s crying gradually abated, and she drifted off to an exhausted sleep.
Chapter 8
She woke with her and Jacob’s limbs entwined. His gorilla form gone without a trace, save for his nakedness. Keeping her head on his chest, she stayed quiet, listening to the beat of his heart and working hard to process the previous night's events.
“Are you okay?” Jacob spoke first.
“Considering…yes, yes I’m okay.” As a matter of fact, she almost felt happy, thanks to waking up with a naked Jacob holding her - never mind the circumstances that had led him there. “So. I guess there’s something you need to tell me? I take it I’m allowed to ask questions now?”
Jacob gave a throaty chuckle, “I think I should probably answer your questions, yes. I can’t tell you why - I don’t know. I turned twenty; life was just getting good and it just…happened. I can’t think of a trigger or a state of mind that caused it. It has happened every night since. I…I typically lose control when I shift. I can’t seem to
access the human part of my brain. People, over the years, have been scared and shocked to see me - naturally and tried to capture me, sedate me. My ape ego defends itself, though. I’ve caused a lot of harm; injuries…” He trailed off, clearly mortified at reliving his past animal transgressions. “The worse thing is that I can’t control it when I’m in gorilla form, I lose myself. But I remember every single detail. It's a kind of existential torture.” His head bowed in evident shame and embarrassment.
“But last night, you saved me. Matt could have…he would have raped me, Jacob.” Clara's breath was beginning to hitch in her throat, as she remembered the trauma of the previous night.
“I know. It was you calling my name; it somehow got through to my human consciousness. I was the gorilla, but for the first time, I was Jacob too. I somehow occupied both souls, and it that was the first time I have experienced that. I retained who I was. I knew you were in trouble, and I broke free of those chains. I was terrified that I’d forget myself again, that I might hurt you, but I remained Jacob. I stayed myself. It’s never happened before.” he took a deep breath. “I understand that you’ll probably want to leave now. I would too, I can’t imagine how scared you must be feeling. Just please, don’t tell anyone what you saw here. You don’t owe me anything, of course, but I’d like not to have to move again.”
Clean Regency Romance: The Earl's Temptation (The Pure Heart Triumphs Series Book 1) Page 21
