are so intimate, only we share them. You’ll never know when I want to take
you. It could be in my car, at my
office, at a restaurant, here on the floor, in any one of my homes, or in any
number of other places. Maybe even
in public. I am not exactly vanilla
when it comes to sex, Jennifer. I
never have been. I like to
experiment—a lot. I’ve been
celibate for four years, ever since my wife died. Like you, I’ve also waited for that one
special person. The only
person. I knew I found her that
night at the Four Seasons. I knew
it when I became jealous of the attention you were receiving. I’m not usually a jealous man, but I was
that night, and it was for a good reason. And then I fucked everything up when I mistreated you. Before we go forward, I need to make
sure that you do feel safe with me, that you mean it when
you say that you feel safe with me. I need to know that you seriously want to be with me, and that you will
trust in me in the process.”
“What
process?”
“You’ll
see.”
“You’re
being so vague.”
“If
you trust me, that shouldn’t matter.”
“I
do trust you.”
“Then
we’ll take it slowly,” he said. “Hand me my shirt.”
I
looked at him in confusion.
“This
isn’t happening tonight,” he said.
“What
are you talking about?”
“I
want this to build even more than it has.”
“Why?”
“This
is why.”
In
one fluid motion, he was on his knees and pressing my legs apart. He leaned into me, curved his hands
around the low of my back and kissed me hard on the mouth. Gently, he cupped my breasts while his
tongue probed so deep that I lost myself in the moment and gave everything I
had back to him.
I
reached out to feel his chest. He
moved my hands aside, but I was damned if I wasn’t going to touch him, so I
swatted him away and ran my hands along his rock-hard pecs and his silky
torso. When I went for his nipples
and pressed them hard between my fingers, he caught his breath and pulled away
from me with a look of surprise and raw passion. His chest and torso were covered in
little red indentations from the crystals sewn into my dress. I couldn’t help a smile.
“I’ve
branded you,” I said.
He
furrowed his brow as if he didn’t understand.
“Look
at your stomach.”
He
saw the marks, and then he looked back at me. “So you have. And who better to do so?”
He
came toward me again and pushed further into me, sending me back on the sofa to
the point that I could feel him against my knee, which sent rivers of
excitement through me. He took my
face in his hands and kissed me on the lips before he lowered his head to my
neck, kissed me there, and then went to my swollen breasts, which were pressed
tight against my dress. For a
moment, he just admired them. Then,
with a quick glance at me, he kissed each nipple, giving each a tiny bite that
nearly made me come before he pulled me to my feet and cast me out of the
moment.
“My
shirt,” he said.
“Why
are you doing this?”
“I’ve
told you. I want it to build. And it will build, to the point that
neither of us knows what hit us. I’m also punishing myself for how I treated you before. And believe me, not being with you
tonight is a punishment.”
“But
we’re beyond that.”
“Maybe
one of us is. Maybe the other can’t
forgive himself for it. Would you
like to finish your martini?”
“Only
if you pour yourself into it.”
He
laughed at that. “I don’t think
there’s any part of me that would fit in it. Shirt, please.”
Reluctantly,
I handed it to him. “Do you want
the jacket and tie, too?”
“No. Just the shirt.” He shrugged it on and buttoned it up,
concealing everything that I fantasized about and wanted.
“I
think you’re cruel.”
“You
won’t when I have my way with you.”
“And
when will that be?”
“No
idea. Time will tell. We’ll know