Flora Dain - Charm

But I don’t hold his attention long. I’m starting to realise that running an empire is hard work. The time he devoted to me last night must have been filched from a tight schedule. I woke to the deep, steady staccato of his voice as he strode about the suite making call after call, taking others in between. They’ve carried on without cease.

He’s switched off his phone to pick a fight during breakfast but the fifteen minutes he’s given up to me and my problems are fast running out and now I see his eyes stray repeatedly to his watch.

With any luck he’ll soon leave me in peace. And as I finish the last of my croissant he heaves a long sigh, gives me an exasperated look and gets to his feet. ‘Fine. Do what you like.’

I get up from the table in a flurry of crumbs and shake out my damp, knotted hair. As I run my fingers through it he notices my wrists and frowns again. All at once he seizes my hands, turns them over palm upwards and inspects them carefully. Last night’s passion has left faint rosy rings on the outside edges where I tugged repeatedly during our glorious – my glorious – ordeal.

I recall with a faint blush that he held back from taking his own pleasure. I hold my breath and try to pull away but he grips me harder and glances up, his eyes dark as graphite. ‘Are you OK? Should you put something on these?’

‘I’m fine.’ I smile airily, my tone light. ‘The marks will be gone by evening. Anyway, what’s the big deal about letting me out alone? Scared somebody else will tie me up?’

His eyes flash and for a split second I wonder if I’ve gone too far. I breathe out slowly as his eyes narrow.

‘You don’t get it, do you? You might be in danger, Ella. You’re worth money now to the right people. You seem to think industrial secrets are a walk in the park but if there’s big money at stake – and I assure you there could be – you’re at risk. I just want to keep you safe, that’s all.’

I laugh softly, still high as a kite after his lavish attentions last night. ‘Now who’s being ridiculous? You keep me safe? You’re the most dangerous person I know. You go off to your meeting. I’ll see you later.’

As he turns towards the door I follow him. Still playful, I lean up and kiss him lightly on the jaw like a happy housewife in a fifties commercial.

Mistake.

‘What the hell’s that supposed to mean?’ His eyes flash. He glares down at me, his jaw rigid, and kicks the door shut again with his foot.

I feel the blood drain from my face. Now what? His breathing is laboured, his eyes wild. Something about me has enraged him but I’ve no idea what it is. Is he always like this?

‘Dammit, Ella. Kiss me like you mean it.’ He closes his arms around me and fastens his mouth on mine, his tongue making fresh claims, his lips hot and hard. After last night I’m still fired up and my warm, sensual shower did nothing to calm me down. Now his eager mouth reminds me that only hours ago I was stretched out at his mercy, aching and wet, while he was doing his utmost to make me wetter.

And now I’m wet again and in seconds he finds this out for himself as his questing fingers betray me. He pulls away, his gaze steady, his expression unreadable. Nervous now, I have the grace to blush but something new and determined about his manner tells me I’m not to be let off lightly.

‘Open your legs.’

He reinforces his command by forcing his knee between my thighs and pushing me up against the wall. ‘Now put your arms up over your head and lean on them. Hard. Push away from the wall.’

Startled, I obey as heat flares once more between my thighs, the embers of last night’s passion stirring instantly to life.

‘Hold still.’ He continues to hold my gaze as he pushes my robe wide open and reaches round to scoop it into a twist, coiling the thin cotton into a roll. In seconds he’s bundled it into a cushion and wedges it behind my shoulder blades.

‘Spread wider.’ His look is focused, absorbed. He could be a master arranging the limbs of a puppet, except his voice has dropped to a low growl. His tone is so deep it scares me. I look on entranced, my heart pounding with excitement, my arousal beginning to burn. I glance down as I feel his shirt cuffs brush my belly and instantly earn a reproof.

‘Don’t look down. Keep your eyes on my face. I’m simply undoing my flies.’

Heat flares again. Now? He wants to do this now?

He takes his time, like the emotions crossing my face are the most fascinating thing he’s ever seen. I sense movement down below and feel the brush of fabric against my hips as he loosens his trousers, hear the light whisper of silk as he frees himself.

‘Now unlace your arms. Keep them over your head.’

As I do it his hand runs lightly over my breasts, skimming each nipple with masterly precision. He pauses to follow through with his fingers, feeling and teasing my stiffening nipples outwards a little, his touch not yet painful but tormenting as hell since I’m straddled at this unnatural angle and they’re thrusting up against him, entirely at his mercy.

‘So what happened to the meeting?’ I say, shakily.

‘We’re having one. You hadn’t noticed? Oh, that one? I’m in plenty of time. I’m never late for meetings.’

Inwardly I sigh. I bet he isn’t. Mr Control-Freak operates on a different planet from the rest of us. But then I see the gleam in his eyes and I sense something else is happening here.

‘Tell me, Ella, did you enjoy last night? Have you had it like that before?’

I gasp. ‘What a question. Never. Why?’

He reaches up to grasp my wrists, his grip strong, his fingers closing around them like a vice. He hauls my arms taut and leans into me, his face barely an inch from mine. My eyes widen as a column of hot, power-laden gristle burns against me, reaching nearly up to my navel.

‘I thought not. Now I want to watch you come. I want to see it in your eyes.’

Pinning my hands, his look burning into me, he starts to move against me. He flexes his hips with such precision I wonder instantly how often he’s done this. I hope desperately – though I know this must be impossible – that it gives him as much excitement as it’s giving me. I was already weak with lust when he pinned me here and I’m still glowing from last night. Now everywhere between my legs erupts into full-on heat as his scorching shaft grinds against me, jutting deep into the soft flesh of my rippling, nervous belly. The ridged muscle works in tiny shifting movements hard against the very apex of my thighs where my swollen, aching folds split apart. They yearn against him to push forward my eager little bud, so engorged now a mere whisper of air or fabric might set it off and tip me over the cliff he’s building …

‘Open your eyes. I want to watch.’

His voice is harsh as his hips jerk me painfully to attention. My eyelids snap open and now I’m in trouble. I’m consumed with flame and about to peak but I usually climax in the privacy of darkness or with my eyes closed. Women are coy about these things.

Under his fierce look and in bright sunlight I feel almost ashamed to show him the full force of my pleasure. As a deep blush spreads over my cheeks I want to protest and tell him this but his look is so stern and so controlling I’m helpless in it, a rabbit in headlights. I stare back at him as shame and pleasure fuse in a terrifying, heart-stopping eruption of rapture and I climax violently against him.

He holds me pinned, curving over me, his loins thrust hard up against my writhing hips, his burning erection harder and hotter than ever, so close and yet so far out of reach, its control over me now as complete as if it had surged up inside.