Rafe studied her. It was obvious he was waiting for her obedience. A dozen thoughts jammed together. He could get his own damn champagne. After all, he was as close to the server as she was. But with his studied silence, he was reminding her of last night and what they’d shared.
Had he been anyone else, she would have offered a glass without hesitation. After a long internal debate, she complied.
“Perfect.” He made sure their fingers touched and a satisfied purr curled through his words.
Despite her resolve, his approving tone sent shockwaves of unwanted response through her.
“Pleasing me is painless. Isn’t it, sweet Hope? Part of you finds it gratifying, even.”
“Ma’am, would you like a glass?”
Jolted, Hope realized the server was still close by. Once again, Rafe had filled her entire world. “Ah… Thank you.” She accepted a flute for herself.
Disconcerted by the realization that what he had said was true, even though she didn’t want it to be, Hope took a much larger sip than normal. The bubbles burst through her mouth, tickling her nose. It tasted of honey and citrus and luxury.
“It’s to your satisfaction?”
“I didn’t think anything could be as good as the one we had last night.” She should not have admitted that. “It’s superb.”
He touched the rim of his glass with hers. “I changed the order this morning with you in mind.”
“You…” Before she could lose herself in him, she sunnily focused on the event. “So, strategy. This event is scheduled to end in two hours. I hope you’ll take a chance to chat with each candidate, get to know her a little. We will keep an eye on you, and if you don’t appear to be enjoying yourself, one of us will join the conversation. I think I’ve mentioned it before—if you like someone, we will set up another meeting on your behalf.”
Rafe turned and allowed his gaze to sweep over the people in the room. “Let’s get this over with. Tell me about the women anxious to become Mrs. Sterling. Enough so that they’re interested in discussing whether or not they will let me punish their misbehavior. Perhaps with my hand or even a leather flogger.” He looked at her pointedly. “Speaking of that, I trust you’re still following my orders?” He leaned toward her. “If you’ve orgasmed without permission, we’ll have to excuse ourselves. I have use of the club’s private rooms.”
His behavior was calculated to be outrageous. She just wished she had better control over her reactions—that her face hadn’t reddened, that her pussy hadn’t tingled. “Business, Mr. Sterling.”
“I don’t see Miss Texas in the room.”
That he’d followed her lead left her reeling. It took a minute before she could respond, “She’s not here.”
“Was she the one terrorized by the thought of being with a sadist?”
“That was Hannah.”
“Ah.” He scanned the room. “The woman who just arrived? The one with the voice that carries?”
Hope nodded. “Yes. She’s an attorney. Well respected, with a good reputation.”
“No doubt plenty of courtroom presence.” He cleared his throat. “We didn’t scare her off?”
“About that…she’s, ah, open to a discussion.”
“Did you share any of your personal experiences with her?”
Hopefully, her grip wouldn’t shatter her glass stem. “No.”
“You did have all the women fill in my questionnaire?”
“I opted to stick to generalities and allow you to proceed how you see fit.” She had no interest in knowing which of the women would hump his mattress.
He grinned, the motion so quick she might have imagined it. “Back to Hannah.”
“She’s thirty-one, open to the possibility of having children.”
He gave a sharp nod, as if filing away the information. “Who else do we have?”
“Over near the champagne, my associate, Tony, is talking to Charlotte. Also blonde, twenty-nine, an accomplished pianist, plays with the symphony. Enjoys kayaking.”
“You were listening. Impressive. And the other one? By herself, near the window?”
“That’s Destiny Faulks. She’s a graphic designer. Very well regarded.” Hope had met her at a fashion event and had been captivated by her enthusiasm. At the moment, Destiny was sketching a picture on her cellphone screen. She hadn’t been among Hope’s first choices for Rafe. But when they moved on to the second tier of candidates, Hope had reconsidered. With her adventurous nature and potential interest in a BDSM relationship, Destiny had warranted an invite.
“Who does she work for?”
“Herself. She owns the company and has a couple of employees. Entrepreneurial spirit. Tireless, enthusiastic. She rides every Sunday morning on Buffalo Bayou—a road bike. She’s open to trying a mountain bike. Also willing to learn to kayak.”
“Excellent.”
“And the last one?”
“Norah is a financial manager.”
“You’ve done well. They are all accomplished. Bright. Attractive. Willing to consider, if not embrace, a kinky lifestyle. How many did you ask?”
“Seventeen.”
“More than twenty percent were intrigued enough to show up.” With his points made, he placed his unfinished champagne on the tray of a passing waiter. “If you’ll excuse me?” With confidence bordering on arrogance, he crossed the room to introduce himself to Destiny.
It wasn’t until he was on the other side of the room that Hope allowed herself to exhale. God, her heart was thundering.
Tony joined her. “How’s it going so far?”
She watched Destiny. The woman’s head was tipped back, and she was staring at Rafe with something resembling unfettered adoration. He was smiling, basking in her attention.
Emotions in freefall, Hope pretended to be consumed with the bubbles in her glass.
“It appears we may not need another mixer if the way he’s talking to Destiny is any indication.”
“Yeah.” She should be pleased.
“I’d high-five you, but that would be unprofessional.”
Less than a minute later, Destiny was showing him her cell phone screen. He leaned forward as if intrigued.
She swiped her finger across the screen several times, and he nodded. Then she began to draw on the face of the device again. After some discussion, he took the stylus and added a few strokes.
“I might not have invited Destiny.” Tony tipped an imaginary hat. “Once again, your matchmaking skills leave me in awe.”
Her attention still straying to the other pair, Hope forced a stiff laugh.
Rafe offered Destiny his business card along with a polite smile before walking over to the champagne fountain to fill another glass.
Destiny studied the card, flicked the edge, then slid it into a pocket in her cell phone cover. The window reflected her smile.
Had he invited her to call him to set up a date? Even though that was against Prestige’s recommended protocol, sometimes a client proceeded at his own pace. Because Rafe’s need was urgent, Hope wouldn’t be surprised if he took an active role in finding a bride.
“That appears promising, right?” Tony beamed. “Let me go find out.” He walked toward the window.
Skyler, evidently finding her professional demeanor and realizing that their client was on the move, intercepted him, then walked with him to where Hannah stood, her eyebrows furrowed.
Hope shook herself. She had a job to do, no matter how challenging the assignment was. This is why it’s a bad idea to sleep with a client. After tonight, she had to turn Rafe over to her associates. She wasn’t as strong as she thought she was, and Skyler was capable of organizing and overseeing the meetings and handling the follow-up. Hope would write Skyler a nice bonus check too, for all the extra work. And maybe move her into the role of an actual matchmaker. That would mean they would need to hire a new assistant. Replacing Skyler would be a challenge.
Tony walked Destiny out while Hope and Skyler mingled with the
remaining guests, chatting, making introductions. It didn’t matter who Rafe was speaking with. He left his phone in his pocket and gave each person his full attention. No doubt all the candidates would agree to date him.
Rafe refilled Hannah’s glass before he excused himself. Once again, Skyler joined him and made the introduction to Norah.
After Hannah had finished a piece of chocolate, she came over to say goodbye.
“Did you enjoy the event?” Hope asked.
Hannah glanced toward Rafe. “He wasn’t what I expected.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“I’m not sure.” She frowned a little. “More…personable. Charming, even. Makes me nervous, but in a good way.”
Since Prestige didn’t discuss clients in front of potential candidates, Hope let the conversation hang. “I’ll have Skyler contact you in the morning to follow up. Thank you for coming.”
Over the next half hour, the other candidates exited, leaving the Prestige Group alone with Rafe.
“If you want to go home, I’ll wrap things up with Barbara,” Skyler said to Hope. Then she turned to Rafe. “As we discussed, if you’ll let us know who you’re interested in getting to know better, Mr. Sterling, I’m happy to see if they’d like to join you for coffee or lunch. We recommend you don’t have dinner or drinks until the second date. That way—”
“Thank you, but I won’t be requiring anything further.”
“I’m sorry?” Skyler scowled, then flicked her glance toward Hope.
As confused as Skyler, Hope took over the conversation. “Have you already made arrangements to meet with one of the candidates?”
“No.”
“Then…?
Instead of responding, he sidestepped the question. “Thank you for your efforts this afternoon.” He checked his classic, pricey watch.
Hope pulled back her shoulders. “I’m sorry we didn’t do better for you.” She took over the conversation. He should like at least one of the women. What the hell had Prestige done wrong? “I’ll have Skyler contact you when we have another set of candidates for your consideration. I doubt we can arrange another mixer this week, but perhaps Monday or Tuesday.”
Skyler nodded. “I’m on it.”
Ignoring everyone else in the room, he addressed Hope. “That won’t be necessary.”
Hope frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“There’s a woman I’m interested in pursuing.”
Since this morning? Since he’d been with her? At a loss, she dug her fingers into her palms. “In that case, I’m not sure why we went ahead with this mixer.”
“You and your team went to a lot of work, and I didn’t want to cancel at the last moment.”
“You wasted everyone’s time.”
“I don’t agree. Destiny’s designs are intriguing. No doubt I’ll be contracting her for some work. I have a couple of friends who may want a meeting with Norah. Hannah, I’m sure, is a great legal mind who might make a good addition to the DA’s office if she’d like to change sides. Public service and a judgeship could be in her future. And I secured tickets to the symphony. Meeting new people is always interesting. Skyler is a fabulous organizer. Our new executives are always looking for top-notch assistants.”
“You can’t have her.”
Skyler stood a little taller.
“At any rate, your matchmaking services are no longer required. We will consider your agreement with my mother to be terminated as of this moment.”
Even though this was what she wanted, she was gutted he’d seen another woman after everything they’d shared. “In that case, congratulations.” She forced a smile. “I wish you much happiness.”
Skyler’s lips were set in a grim line. She didn’t appear to be any happier than Hope was.
“Do let us know if you need anything further.” The last word emerged as a croak, so Hope cleared her throat.
Along with Skyler and Tony, Hope turned to leave, but Rafe placed a hand on her forearm. “A moment of your time, Ms. Malloy?”
“Is it necessary? We can’t handle it over the phone?” When he remained silent, she relented. “Go ahead,” she said to her employees. “I’ll call for a ride when I’m done here.”
“You’re sure?” Tony asked.
“Go ahead. I won’t be far behind you.”
“I’ll let Barbara know we’re done,” Skyler said.
Both of them nodded their goodbyes before heading toward the door. Gripping the handle, Tony hesitated and turned back. “I can wait for you near the elevator.”
“She’s safe with me,” Rafe vowed, releasing his grip, leaving her arm heated. “I promise.”
Turning back to face them, Skyler swallowed hard, as if struggling for courage before saying, “I saw the way you behaved on the street this morning.”
Hope wished a hole would open in the floor.
“Did you, indeed?” His voice was bland, unreadable.
“I’ll send you both a text,” Hope reassured her employees. She’d known they were protective of her, but until this evening, she’d had no idea just how serious they were.
After Skyler and Tony left, the atmosphere sizzled. Rafe’s eyes flared with predatory intent. The music that had provided a soothing backdrop now became intimate. Even though he’d given his word that she was safe, all her feminine instincts urged her to flee. This man was as dangerous as he was powerful. Hope wrapped her arms around herself. “You wanted to talk?”
“Let’s cut through the bullshit. I want you, Hope.”
Her heart plummeted. His words rendered her speechless.
“This afternoon’s charade?” He waved a hand, and the emeralds in his ring winked in the overhead light. “It was for your benefit. To prove a point. You have no more interest in me marrying those women than I do. You hated watching me with them.”
His voice was rich, the timbre resonant, shooting shivers through her. “Mr. Sterling—”
“Rafe,” he corrected. “I fucking like the way you say my name. As I’ve said before, Rafe or Sir is fine, as long as you know who you belong to.”
No. She shook her head and the room spun. It had to be from the champagne and not her reaction to him.
“This…” She couldn’t form a coherent sentence. “I can’t. We can’t.”
“Can’t? Or you don’t want to?”
She tipped back her head. The amber-gold fire in the depths of her eyes consumed her. “You need a wife.”
“You like the way I command you.” He captured her shoulders.
“I’m not a submissive.”
“Are you not?”
Though she shifted, she didn’t pull away.
“Did you masturbate today?”
She kept silent. But he outwaited her. Because she couldn’t take the silence, she said, “That’s an inappropriate question.”
“Were you tempted?”
She glanced at the door, afraid Barbara would return.
“Answer me, please.”
“No. I didn’t masturbate. And I was tempted.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Damn him. He knew. He fucking knew.
He released one of her shoulders, then skimmed the shell of her ear. “Because you were trying to please me. And you did. You’re perfect for me, Hope.”
“I’m not. Your future is on the line here. You need a wife, not an affair.”
“Remind me of the attributes I find important.”
“What game are you playing?”
“Indulge me.”
“Someone who kayaks.” Which was not her. “And rides mountain bikes.”
“Go on.”
“Smart,” she said.
“I prefer brilliant,” he corrected.
“Independent.”
“Keep going.”
She desperately thought through his list. “Impeccable background.”
“Not on my list.”
“Blonde.”
“My mother an
d sister said that. No doubt because Emma was a blonde.” Seeing her frown, he explained, “She was my college sweetheart. Gold digger.”
“You like women who are”—she searched for the words—“less curvy.”
“That, my sweet Hope, is complete bullshit. I appreciate women who are athletic, who are thin, who are voluptuous. You had my cock up inside your hot cunt. Tell me I prefer someone else.”
She gasped at his crudeness.
“All day, I’ve thought about spanking your ass,” he went on, either not noticing or not caring that he’d spun her world off its axis. “Thoughts of you interfered with my work…tying you down, fucking you, putting a collar on you, calling you mine, forcing you to your knees when I meet you at home.”
Each of his words seared an unforgettable picture on her imagination.
“I want to wrap my tie around your wrists and pin you down. You want that too.”
“No.” She’d responded too fast, the word a breathless rush. Trying again, she added, “I don’t.”
“You turn pink when you’re not being honest.” With his index finger, he swept an arc just above her cheekbone. He leaned closer, brushed her lips, and she tasted champagne. “Lie all you want. I enjoy punishing your bad behavior, and I’m keeping a list of your offenses.”
Hope brought a hand up between them and placed it on his chest in a futile attempt to keep distance between them. It wasn’t him she was fighting. It was herself.
“Did you consider yourself as one of my choices?”
Maybe once, in the darkest, most private places of her imagination, had she allowed that thought to take flight… “No.”
“Another lie.” He leaned toward her, just a little more, stealing her oxygen. He would back off if she used a safe word. Cursing her own weak resolve, she didn’t use it.
“Marry me, sweet Hope. Be my submissive. Be my bride. Be my partner.”
“What?” She shook her head. His suggestion was ridiculous. Absurd. Impossible. So tempting that she wished there was a way to accept.
“I need a wife, and you have all the C’s. Chemistry.” He kissed her. Deep. Hard. Persuasively. “Tell me yes,” he demanded after he’d left her panting and with bruised lips.
She shook her head. A thousand times no, for a million reasons. “No.”
Billionaire's Matchmaker (Titans) Page 16
