Chapter 9
AURORA
Amasked member of staff–maybe he’s a butler; I don’t even know the terms they use in this world–leads us through a Gothic estate.
Dark landscape paintings on the walls, the lights turned low, mounted animal heads, suits of dark colored armor.
Finally, we step through a tall, wide door, revealing a sprawling suite.
There’s a four-poster bed, a large couch, a seating area, and a bathroom with a walk-in shower and a jacuzzi.
Once the door closes behind us, I take off my coat and drop down onto the couch, letting out a breath. More thunder continues outside, making me feel like Alice in Wonderland.
Except she didn’t have the motivation of cold, hard cash to keep her grounded.
“Are you okay?” Raiden asks, sitting in one of the chairs and stretching out his leg.
“Are you?”
“Old injury,” he says. “It’s fine. You seem shaken up.”
“You were right on the boat. I don’t like storms.”
“Because of your parents?”
“I just don’t like storms,” I snap. I need to stop doing that. “Sir,” I add, as if that can make up for anything.
He winks. “That’s the magic word.”
I look into his intense eyes, wondering why he likes it so much. His gaze moves up and down my dress, from my boots to my low-cut cleavage, with no shame in how he ogles me. This can’t be part of the show too. No one’s here to watch us.
He wants me. I can feel it deep inside: a swelling of desire mixed with pride, but we can’t go there.
“We should discuss the sleeping arrangements,” I say.
He winces. Whether it’s from his leg or my words, I don’t know.
“No one’s watching us here,” I go on. “There’s no need to sleep together.”
“No need,” he repeats.
But I want to, I imagine him adding in that husky voice of his.
“As long as you play your part when it counts.”
“Didn’t I just do that?”
“You’re very sassy for someone who adores me so much.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” I mutter.
Do I like the way he shudders when I say that? Do I enjoy giving him the power? Even thinking this is dangerous territory, and yet I can’t seem to stop.
“Is it bad?” I ask as he massages his knee.
“I was lucky to get away with a slight tweak in my knee. Others weren’t so lucky.” The thunder grows louder, and rain hammers against the window. “You really do hate storms, don’t you?”
“Is it that obvious?”
He nods. “Don’t worry. Your man is here to protect you. The first time I saw you, I knew you were the one. I knew I had to have you. I knew you belonged to me.”
“Are we rehearsing, sir?”
He smirks and nods. “The moment I heard your voice, it was like music. The second I saw your wide hips, thick ass, and your ample tits, and that blush you offer when you get shy and horny, I knew you were my canvas. I knew you were the only woman I ever wanted to touch.”
“Ha, ha,” I say, trying to play it cool.
His words bounce around huskily in my head. Warmth spreading through me. I shift my legs to release some of the ache he awakens in me. No way am I getting excited right now. And not ‘oh, let’s have a movie night’ excited. This is more like ‘deal or not, I want to jump his bones’ excited.
I keep it all hidden. At least I hope.
“Are you waiting for me to start complimenting you, sir?” I ask.
He chuckles. “I didn’t tell any lies.”
“Perhaps you think we’re still being secretly watched and you think you need to put on a show.”
He stands and walks to the couch. He’s wearing the same suit I tailored for him. I did my work too well. The fabric hugs his muscular build, outlining his powerful physique.
“We should practice something before the festivities begin,” he says.
“Oh, yeah?”
“We may be required to kiss. It will look unnatural if we don’t. You don’t want our first time to be when people are watching, or should we rehearse first?”
I fold my arms, which draws his shameless gaze to my breasts. Warm tingles start in my core and fill my body, my mind going to unhelpful places of pure steam.
He stares down at me shamelessly, his chest rising and falling rapidly as if he’s trying to hold himself back. Or maybe he’s mad that I’m not immediately leaping into action like a good fake date.
He reaches down, takes my hands, and hauls me to my feet as if I weigh nothing. I almost laugh like I did on the boat. The experience of moving weightlessly is new to me. It makes me feel, for a brief aching moment, like his personal plaything…
Which I do not, I remind myself stubbornly, want to be.
“We don’t want people to see us kissing and think, they’ve never done that before. Do we?”
I shake my head dumbly. “Probably not.”
He wraps his arms around me, all for show, yet the pressure of his warm palms against my back, pressing through my clothes, is all too real. He pulls me against him, his body pressed fully against mine, letting me feel all of him. Am I supposed to just ignore the fact that he’s hard?
Rock solid.
He’s practically bursting through his pants, a solid mass of desire lying horizontally against my belly from where he’s tangled up in his underwear.
I touch his shoulders, smoothing my arms around him. “Is this natural enough?”
“We’ll see,” he says roughly, bringing his lips to mine.
We crash into each other.
In my head, I sing a mantra.
All for show, all for show, all for show…
As our mouths open and our tongues find each other, I’m not so sure. He holds me imprisoned in his embrace, our mouths fused, moans coming from me and groans from him. He grips my hips like he owns them, makes a growling noise, our teeth clicking in our fervor.
I pull away, panting. “Would that be…” I clear my throat, finding it difficult to talk. “Appropriate in front of other people?”
“You’re my woman,” he says gruffly. “I’ll kiss you any damn way you want.”
“I’m your woman–for the game.”
“Tell me you understand.” His tone becomes hard. “Now, Aurora.”
My heart pounds in my ears. “I understand.”
He raises an eyebrow expectantly.
I lick my lips. I’m doing this for cash, I assure myself. Cold, hard cash. Nothing more. “I understand… sir.”