Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Elizabeth
“Yes,” I whisper angrily down the phone. “He made me go shopping for sexy clothes after he had the audacity to call me mumsy and I had my hair done, which I have to admit does look pretty good. But I draw the line now because he thinks he’s coming to my room to practice kissing.”
“Ha-ha, this is the best day of all time.” Kerry laughs.
“Are you fucking serious?” I whisper. “I do not want to kiss this man.”
“Not even a little?”
Maybe a little.
“Absolutely not.”
Knock, knock, sounds on my door.
My eyes widen in horror. “Oh my fucking god, he’s here,” I whisper in a panic.
“Just kiss him,” Kerry fires back. “Hell, fuck his brains out the entire weekend.”
“You are a perverted sex maniac, Kerry, and I don’t know how we’re friends. Good. Bye.” I hang up.
Knock, knock, sounds again.
I drag my hands through my hair and jump up and down.
This can’t be happening.
“Elizabeth,” Thomas calls through the door. “I know you’re in there.”
I open the door in a rush. “What do you want?” I blurt rudely.
He steps past me into my room. “Close the door.”
“Aren’t you supposed to wait to be invited into a lady’s room?”
He gives me a slow sexy smile. “If I were a gentleman and you were a lady I suppose that would be true.” He takes me roughly into his arms. “But I’m here to serve you and today we are in training.
” He looks down at me as his eyes dance with mischief.
“Let’s start here.” His lips drop to my neck and he softly kisses me there.
This is an absolute disaster….
He gives me a gentle shake. “Go floppy, relax into my arms. You’re as rigid as a fucking ruler.”
He massages my shoulders in big circles.
“Relax into my touch.” He must realize how traumatizing this is for me.
He gives me a kind smile. “I’m on your side, Elizabeth, this is only going to work if you trust me,” he says softly.
He puts his finger under my chin and lifts it so that I have to look him in the eye. “Relax into me.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and nod, I let my body relax a little.
“That’s it.” He pulls me closer. “Now, fit your body into mine.” His arm around my waist pulls me closer still and my breasts sit up against his chest and he smiles down at me. “See how our bodies fit like this?”
I nod.
“This is Coupling 101. Intimate couples have a way that they touch each other. When they hug they fit, when they hold hands they’re in sync. Our bodies have to mirror each other and the only way we get to that point is practice. Yes?”
I give a weak shrug.
“Now kiss me,” he says.
My eyes widen. “This is really unnecessary.”
“Kiss. Me.”
“Thomas.”
His lips take mine, softly and barely there.
The scent of his aftershave floats around me, the hardness of his body up against mine begins to steal my brain.
It’s been a long time since a man has touched me in any shape or form.
“Good, keep going,” he coaches me as his lips take mine again, the kiss lingers this time, a little more tongue. “That’s it.” He pulls me closer and our kiss deepens, his tongue swipes through my mouth and I feel my feet float off the floor.
“Excellent,” he breathes against my lips. “More.” My body completely melts against his as he really kisses me.
Good lord….
We pull out of the kiss and he steps back from me, his eyes locked on mine. “Very good, Elizabeth.” He smiles darkly. “I sense a tiger trapped inside of you.”
“You’re hilarious.” I turn toward the window and widen my eyes to myself in horror.
Lock it up, bitch.
“I think that’s enough practice for today,” I say sternly. “The conference doesn’t start until tomorrow.”
“Good idea.” He adjusts his dick in his suit pants. “Not sure I could handle any more today to be honest.”
I feel myself blush.
“Do you want to grab some dinner?” he says casually.
“I….” I hesitate, I do want dinner but not with him.
“Just food.” He smirks as if reading my mind. “I know a great restaurant not far from here.”
“Umm.” I shrug, I guess it couldn’t hurt. I have to see him all weekend anyway. “Sure.”
“Let’s say we meet in the foyer in….” He glances at his watch. “In an hour?”
I nod.
He turns to leave and then turns back. “Oh, and Elizabeth.”
“Yes.”
“Wear the black dress and your new heels.”
I go to open my mouth to protest.
“And the black lingerie,” he adds.
“I really don’t think….”
“Stop thinking and do as I say,” he cuts me off.
“It’s just dinner between work colleagues,” I tell him.
“I know, but if you know how good you look in one outfit, why would you wear anything else? Stop hiding yourself, Elizabeth.”
My eyes search his.
“I’ll see you soon, wearing the red lipstick, in the black dress, the black heels and the black lingerie.”
“Nobody is going to see my lingerie, Thomas.” I sigh.
“You will, Elizabeth.” His eyes hold mine. “You will.” He tucks a piece of my newly blond hair behind my ear. “And that’s the only person that matters.” He smiles softly. “Wear it for you.”
Without another word he turns and leaves, the door clicks closed behind him and I stare at it for a beat.
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
A million emotions run through me, none of them corporate or innocent.
I rush to the bathroom and strip off my clothes and put a shower cap on over my newly blow-dried hair, I don’t want to mess this up. Lord knows it will never look this good again.
I stand under the hot water of the shower as my mind wanders back to our kiss and the way he pulled me closer.
A slow throb is beginning to build….
Stop. It.
Business transaction…nothing more.
The elevator doors open and I step out into the hotel foyer.
As requested I’m wearing my sexy new clothes. A black wrap dress with a plunging neckline, black strappy stilettos, and if I move the right way my black lace bra peeks out. Oh and who could forget the red lipstick?
For me….
Ha, who am I kidding? Me has nothing to do with this but I do like the pretense of it anyway, it won’t hurt to humor him a little.
“Wow.” Thomas smiles as his eyes drop to my toes and back up to my face. “Elllllizzzbeeeth,” he purrs. “Meeee-owww.”
I try to hide my goofy smile. “Stop it, you fool.”
He chuckles and kisses my cheek. “You look lovely.”
“Thank you.”
“Shall we go?”
“Uh-huh,” He takes my hand in his and leads the way.
“We don’t need to practice holding hands.”
“Who’s practicing?” He smiles over his shoulder. “I’m showing you off.”
“Handsome and full of shit.” I roll my eyes. “You are the jack of all trades, Thomas.”
He chuckles and kisses my hand as it rests in his. “Master of none.”
We walk up the street and I concentrate on not wobbling in my shoes, it’s been a long time since I wore heels. “So where is this restaurant?” I ask.
“Just up here.” He gestures to the street. “The food is unbelievable.”
Like the night.
Who would have ever believed I would be in Paris at Christmas dressed like this with a man like him…. I know this is all a sham but damn it’s fun pretending.
We arrive at a small quaint restaurant; it has huge windows, and black wrought-iron chandeliers hang low. Thomas pushes through the heavy front doors and we arrive at the reception desk. “Bonjour, j’ai une table réservée au nom de Stone,” he says.
The waiter smiles. “Par ici, monsieur.” We follow him to a small round table near the window, two tall red candles flicker in crystal holders upon the table and it looks straight out of a movie set. Thomas pulls my chair out. “Thank you.” I smile as I take a seat and he does too.
“Souhaitez-vous boire quelque chose ?” the waiter asks.
Thomas’s eyes flick over to meet mine. “What would you like to drink, darling?”
Darling.
If only I could think with fried brain cells. “Umm….” I frown as I open the menu.
“Champagne?” he asks. “We are celebrating.”
We are?
“Sure, why not.” I close the menu.
The waiter leaves us alone and Thomas smiles over at me.
“What?” I smirk.
“I knew you were hot under all that nerdy shit.”
I laugh out loud. “You did not just say that?”
“Yeah I did.”
“Well I’m still a nerd under these clothes.”
“A hot nerd.” He gives me a slow sexy smile. “What lingerie did you wear?”
I feel my face flush. “Thomas.”
He winks playfully and it’s official, Thomas Stone is the master flirt of all time. He really has found his calling with this job.
The waiter pours out a sample of the champagne and Thomas tastes it. “Lovely, thank you.” He then pours us a glass each and leaves us alone.
Thomas holds his glass up. “A toast.”
I hold my glass to his.
“To a once-in-a-lifetime weekend in Paris.” His eyes hold mine and the air crackles between us as we clink our glasses together.
From the very back darkest and deepest corner of my mind something tells me that Thomas has something in mind…but I’m imagining it, I have to be. What would a man like him possibly see in a woman like me?
“So…” I say to change the subject. “Where do you live?”
“Los Angeles.”
“Are you really a doctor?” I frown.
“I am.” He smiles, he takes a sip of his champagne. “You seem surprised.”
“Well.” I shrug. “This is a weird job for someone who studied for six years to be a doctor.”
He shrugs. “I work in ER two days a week so I don’t lose touch, but I do admit to loving this job a whole lot more.”
I sip my drink as I listen intently. “You must….” I hesitate.
“What?”
“Go out with a lot of glamorous women.”
“Yes and no,” he replies.
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“Well, there are two types of women that usually hire someone like me.”
“Which are?”
“Glamorous wealthy businesswomen who don’t want the hassle of dating but need someone to take to events with them.”
I listen intently.
“Or women who are trying to regain their confidence and get back into the dating game.”
I nod as I process his words. “Do you sleep with many of them?”
“Hmm.” He twists his lips. “Some.” He shrugs. “But only if I’m genuinely attracted to them. I’m most definitely not a gigolo who is chugging down the Viagra to get through the night.”
I sip my champagne as I listen.