“You asked me what my thing was a while back, and honestly, I like the excitement of it all.”
Have I lost my mind? I’m in a restaurant booth with a man who obviously has his own kind of kink going on, and he wants to pleasure me right here, right now. What’s crazy is, I’m considering it.
How far would I go for someone I care about?
I lean into him, and he whispers, “Relax and enjoy, Angel.”
With his hand between my legs and his fingers working my body, I do exactly what he says. I lean back and enjoy. The things he does to me sends me over the edge in seconds flat.
I catch my breath and see his cocky smile.
He’s not the only one who can play naughty games. I want to straddle this man right now, but everyone would notice, so I reciprocate in kind.
“Now it’s your turn to just lie back and relax,” I tell him.
With several strokes of my hand, Damon Noble submits to me.
I tuck the soiled napkin into my purse, feeling victorious.
“Can I offer you dessert?” the waiter asks when he returns.
Damon and I burst into laughter. I respond to the waiter’s question because Damon can’t control himself.
“No, thank you. We’ve already indulged, but we’d like decaf coffee. One with cream, please.”
The waiter walks away as Damon continues to chuckle. Within minutes, the waiter is back with our coffee, and we sit and talk.
“Do you feel better now?” he asks.
“I’ve never done anything so brazen. It scared me, but it was mind-blowing. What if someone had caught us?”
“The trick is to act as naturally as you can. Don’t make a lot of noise and keep your body movements to a minimum—or at least concealed by the table. You tucked your face into my chest and buried your moans against my shirt. No one was the wiser. The excitement comes from the possibility of getting caught. You did well.”
“So, this is your thing? You like to have sex in public places?”
I ask for clarification because I’m not sure how I feel about the whole experience Did I like it? Would I do it again? I’m not sure.
“I wouldn’t say it’s my thing, but I do like the thrill of it. I particularly enjoyed pleasing you. Taking care of me came as a pleasant surprise.”
I remember Em’s advice and say, “I’m not a lazy lover.”
“I can see that.”
Damon pays the bill, and we stroll onto the beach, listening to the waves and sitting near the water to watch them break.
My eyes find his. “Can I ask you a personal question? I wouldn’t pry, but since we’ve moved to a sexual relationship, I need the answers.”
He looks at me for a minute. “You can ask, and I’ll do my best to answer.”
At least he’s honest. I can’t expect him to lay his entire life out in front of me after one date—one orgasm.
“I know you don’t date, but you must relieve your sexual tension somehow. A man like you doesn’t seem like he’d be the celibate type. How do you satisfy your needs?”
Even in the moonlight, I see a blush rise to his cheeks, and it’s cute.
“I never wanted to get involved in another relationship, so I hired escorts for business, and I hired others for sex. If I didn’t do that, I took care of myself.”
“You use prostitutes?” My jaw drops open.
“I suppose you could think of it that way, but to me, it’s no-strings-attached sex. I don’t drive down to Sunset Boulevard and pull over to ask the corner hooker if she’s free. There are services for sex. You can buy just about anything you want if you have enough money.” He stares out at the sea. “The girls I hire are professionals: they take care of themselves by taking care of me. Does it bother you?”
“Are you still using their services?” It’s not like we have an exclusive relationship, but I want to know what I’m getting myself into, and if he’s using hookers, I’m out.
“The minute I met you, I stopped seeing the others.”
Something warm settles in my heart. “Then it doesn’t bother me.”
He looks relieved—almost happy. With my hand in his, he helps me to my feet and kisses the air from my lungs.
“I’ll never cheat on you, Katarina. I’m a one-woman man, and I expect the same from you. I haven’t had good experiences in the past, so it’s difficult for me to trust.”
“I’m not a cheater either. Infidelity is a deal breaker.”
“One kiss at a time, then?” he asks.
“One kiss at a time.”
“Shall I take you home? It’s getting late.”
I’m disappointed the date is ending, but we have work tomorrow. “Do you want to stay the night?”
“I wish I could, but I have an early morning meeting. We can meet for lunch again if that works for you.”
“Will you kiss me?”
“Is that all you want?”
I want it all, but I’m afraid to tell him.
Chapter Sixteen
I find a dozen red roses interspersed with baby’s breath on my desk. The card attached to the plastic pick says, “Angel” on the envelope.
Dinner last night was the most amazing and moving experience of my life.
With Affection,
Damon.
A giggle bubbles up from inside me. He signed the card, “With Affection.” That has to mean something.
“Ooh, flowers! Who are they from?” Trevor is like a ninja; I never hear him approach until he’s beside me.
“It’s none of your business. Don’t you have something better to do than skulk around my desk?” I feel comfortable teasing Trevor because he dishes out more than he gets.
We work closely together, and I’ve become fond of him. I’d even call him my friend.
Trevor laughs. “I’m like a sprite. I don’t walk—I float. It’s a fabulous skill to have when you want to know the inside scoop on something. No one hears you coming.” He reaches for the card in my hand, but I’m quicker and move it out of his reach. “I bet it’s from your lover boy upstairs.”
“He’s not my lover boy. Besides, why would he send me flowers?”
“I can read you like a book because your face doesn’t allow you to lie.” He inhales the scent of a rose and steps back. “An entire box of books arrived for you this morning. I put them in the assembly room.”
The box of books he is referring to is Bound. I thought it would be fun to tie all the books with red scarves and place them in the top of the bag. It’s an unspoken message to Damon and a little fun for the guests.
“I’m almost finished with the gift bags. What do you want me to help with after that?” The more I learn, the more I can sell myself to my future employer.
“I need help keeping our headliner happy. Can you make sure the dressing rooms are stocked with everything they need?”
“Do I finally get to know who the band is? I thought that was a secret.”
“You’ve earned my trust. If you won’t divulge anything about your relationship with Damon, then I figure I can tell you Reluctant Capitalists is playing for the grand opening.”