Miranda Lee - Contract with Consequences

She sucked in sharply at the spite-filled possessiveness behind her thoughts.

‘Something wrong with what I ordered?’ John asked straight away.

‘No, no. It was fine. I just remembered I should have taken some photos whilst we were walking around to send to Mum,’ she improvised. ‘I totally forgot.’

And no damned wonder , she thought mutinously. All I’ve been thinking about is having sex with you all afternoon, you wicked man!

‘You can still take some photos after we’ve had our lunch.’

‘Yes, I suppose so.’

‘But you’ll have to be quick.’

‘Oh? Why’s that?’ she asked, glancing up to the sky to see if there were any clouds gathering. But no, the sky was still clear and blue.

Some clouds had gathered in John’s eyes, however, by the time her gaze returned to his.

‘For an intelligent thirty-something, you can be pretty dense sometimes.’ There was total exasperation and another kind of tension in his voice. ‘I’m getting the sense that you don’t know much about men, Scarlet.’

Scarlet decided not to take offence. She was tired of arguing with John. ‘I’m well aware that I’ve led a narrow kind of life. After listening to all your travelling tales and adventures this morning, I would say very narrow. I dare say you probably think I’ve had a lot of boyfriends over the years but in truth I can count the number on one hand. So, no, I don’t know all that much about men. I’m sorry if that disappoints you.’

John didn’t want her apology. He wanted her naked in his arms. It had been hell this last hour, showing her the sights and resisting the temptation to drag her back up to his apartment post-haste. As for his being disappointed that she’d had only a handful of lovers, nothing could be further from the truth. It pleased him hugely. He loved that he could show her things in bed that she didn’t know. Her lack of experience excited him. So, strangely, did her lack of feminine guile. Maybe he’d spent too many years bedding women who could read a man’s needs like an open book, and who knew how to meet those needs every which way. Whatever the reason, he’d never felt such a need for any other woman.

But he would clearly have to wait a little longer. He could hardly insist that Scarlet skip the lunch he’d just ordered. Or forget taking those damned photographs for her mother. As much as John sometimes regretted the tenuous relationship he had with his family, he did not miss the demands that some parents made on their children, even into adulthood. Being a grown up, in his opinion, was being able to do your own thing without having to answer to someone all the time. Clearly, Scarlet was aghast at the lack of communication which existed between himself and his family, but he could think of nothing worse than having to ring his mother every single night he was away. Sometimes, months went by without his contacting home. He rarely felt guilty about it. Scarlet would, however. Underneath that tough exterior she liked to show to him, she had a soft, sentimental and sensitive soul.

This last realisation warned him not to say or do anything to hurt her. Now that would make him feel really guilty.

‘Nothing about you disappoints me, Scarlet,’ he said truthfully. ‘I have always admired you enormously.’

‘Really.’ There was a trace of laughter in her voice.

‘Really.’

‘Even when I’m being dense about men?’

‘Even then.’

‘So what was I being dense about a minute ago?’ she asked.

‘I thought you would intuitively know that I needed to get you back to my apartment after lunch, as soon as possible.’

John saw the penny drop in her eyes, and colour flare up in her cheeks.

‘Oh,’ she said, then smiled a rueful smile. ‘I thought it was just me suffering in silence.’

Her admission did little to soothe John’s own frustration. He could not recall ever being this hard.

It was a relief that their lunch arrived at that precise moment, giving his overheated brain some well-needed respite. His overheated body as well. The wrap was excellent, though he hardly noticed, considering the speed with which he ate it.

‘You’ll get indigestion,’ Scarlet warned him with a sweet smile. She was taking her time, he noted.

‘Just eat your food and get on with those photos or I’ll take them for you,’ he ground out.

‘Yes, sir!’

‘And stop being sarcastic; I prefer the way you were a little while ago.’

‘Which was?’

‘Soft and sweet.’

‘But I thought you said that my being stroppy turned you on?’

John spoke through gritted teeth. ‘I don’t want to be turned on any more right at this moment.’

‘Ah, I see. Not to worry. I promise to be sweet as apple pie till we’re safely behind closed doors.’

John had to laugh. ‘Just get on with your food, will you?’

‘I don’t think I can eat any more,’ she said.

Their eyes met across the table.

‘Get those photos taken while I’ll go pay the bill,’ he said thickly as he rose to his feet.

Scarlet took only a few photos before he returned to collect her.

They hurried back the way they’d come, not holding hands this time, and not talking at all. Scarlet struggled to keep up with his long strides, her breathing heavy by the time they reached his apartment building. They rode the lift up in silence, Scarlet not daring even to look at John for fear of what he might do right there in the lift.

By the time John opened his apartment door and ushered her inside, she was desperate for him. Up against the door would have done. Or on the sofa. Or even on the floor. She imagined John would have been just as eager, so she was surprised when he didn’t pounce immediately. Surprised and disappointed, especially when he stepped right away from her.

‘No, Scarlet,’ he said brusquely when she frowned at him. ‘Not here and not yet. Now, I want you to go into the main bathroom, strip off and have a long, hot shower. I’ll be doing the same in my bathroom. When you feel nicely relaxed, get out of the shower, dry yourself off then come into my bedroom. Without any clothes on, please. No towel. No robe.’

Scarlet swallowed. ‘You… you expect me to walk into your room totally naked?’

‘Totally. You have an incredibly beautiful body, Scarlet, and I want to see all of it, all the time.’

‘All the time?’ she choked out.

‘Absolutely. Clothes are only going to be worn in future when we go out.’

‘But…’

‘No buts. This is part of my plan.’

‘What plan is that?’

‘A private plan.’

‘But I don’t see how-’

‘I thought we agreed no buts,’ he broke in sharply. ‘And no more arguments. All I want to hear from you this afternoon is “yes, John; of course, John; anything you say, John”.’

‘You forgot “three bags full, John”,’ she snapped, but he could see the excitement in her eyes.

He smiled. ‘That’s my girl.’

Scarlet shook her head at him. ‘You are the most infuriating man!’

‘And you are the most desirable woman. Now, go and do exactly as you were told.’

He didn’t wait for her reply, stalking off into the nearby master bedroom and shutting the door behind him, leaving her standing in the middle of the living room feeling totally flummoxed. But oh, so turned on. There was no question that she wouldn’t do as he’d commanded. Because, deep down, she wanted to do it.

Doing it, however, was quite daunting. She didn’t look at herself in the bathroom mirror after she stripped off, keeping her eyes averted as she turned on the shower and waited till the water was warm enough to step into. She washed herself all over, doing her best not to linger too long on those areas which reminded her of how excited she was. Five minutes later she was out of the shower and reaching for one of the thick turquoise towels.