Hayes #3
I shake the empty tumbler at Paige as she considers the question. I push off the short wall and walk the few steps back to the waterfall for the bottle. I bring the whole thing back to the titan arum display where she waits patiently and accepts the filled glass when I offer.
“Mostly, yes. It’s expected, and it usually doesn’t cost me much to swallow my pride to do whatever trifling thing she wants. There’s also plenty she doesn’t know about and that’s fine by me.” She punctuates the last statement by saluting me with the tumbler before drinking.
“Rebel red runs through your veins, I see.” The affection in my tone surprises me. I swallow it down with the sip of bourbon I take from the glass she hands back, marked with her lipstick on the opposite side.
She laughs. “I must have had too much to drink if you’re thinking I’m at all rebellious.”
Her eyes grow soft, and a small smile plays on her mouth as she sways back and forth, looking around the greenhouse. Her eyes sharpen and her body stills.
“Is that a pomegranate tree?”
I turn to follow her gaze and see the heavy red orbs nestled in the bright green leaves of a tree near the glass wall of the greenhouse. I stretch my arm out in the direction of the tree.
“My garden is your garden. Go have a look.” I follow behind her, enjoying the quickness of her steps as she eagerly moves through the plants to investigate.
“It is! I love them. They’re so hard to eat and make a huge mess, so Mama never brought any home. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an actual real tree like this, though. This is beautiful.”
I reach into the branches and select a ripe pomegranate, plucking it with a tug. I pull out a small knife and flick it open, puncturing the fruit to remove the bottom and finish cracking the fruit in half in my hands. Juice spills onto my palm as I hold out half for Paige.
“Getting messy is the best way to eat.” I push out a few arils with my thumb.
“Open your mouth, I’ll give you a taste.
” My balls tighten with the innocent words that conjure what else this conversation could lead to, and I force my dick to calm the fuck down.
She is absolutely off-limits. So not something I should tamper with.
Definitely too young. And sweet. And innocent. And perfectly pliable. Fuck.
Paige bends forward at her waist, pushing the poofy skirt of her dress back, opening her mouth for me to push the pomegranate seeds onto her tongue. I bite my lip as her eyes close and she moans in pleasure. She has no idea the effect she has on me, watching her savor the taste.
She reaches up to brush the juice from her lips only to realize belatedly that she’s just pressed a lipstick mark to her gloved fingers. “Oh, shoot! Mama’s gonna kill me if I don’t get this out.” She starts plucking at the material, but her fingers are stuck and she makes a frustrated sound.
I drop the broken pomegranate and pull out a handkerchief to wipe my hands. “Let me.”
Her fingers still their frantic motion and she looks up at me expectantly, her hand hovering between us in acceptance. So willing.
I pull each finger of the glove until I’ve worked it free from her hand and slowly slide it off her arm.
Seeing her skin revealed inch by inch gives me thoughts of revealing what is under her dress, and I repress a shudder of desire.
She gives me her other hand as the French doors once again open and carry party noises into the still garden.
“Paige Fairchild, you better be in here somewhere or so help me!” a shrill, disembodied voice calls out into the darkness.
Paige jumps and instantly moves behind me, her hands going to my arms as she uses me as a shield.
“Mama,” she whispers. “She’s going to kill me for running out of the party. If she catches us, she’ll give me an earful, and you’ll probably get a dressing down, too.”
“I have a quick escape, if you need one,” I say over my shoulder with nonchalance.
The thought that I wouldn’t mind more time with her buzzes around my conscious with the threads of personal gain woven through. I could use a favor owed to me by this intriguing young woman. And I would love to keep her close a little longer.
She looks up at me with relief softening her stricken features. “Please, I’ll do anything to avoid this lecture.” She blinks big eyes at me reverently, the color washed out in the moonlight and alluding my knowledge. She has far too much trust, but I’m shameless enough to take it.
I grab Paige’s hand and pull her farther into the greenhouse and out of sight.
She grips my arm with her other hand and follows trustingly.
We wind through the lush botanicals, ferns tickling our legs and flowers perfuming the air until I’ve found the discreet door set into the stone wall of the building.
I fish out a keycard and unlock the door.
It opens on silent hinges, thanks to a meticulous maintenance crew.
I hold the door for Paige and follow her into the dark beyond.
Who knew my night would end with the heiress of the very empire I want to take down running right into my arms?