Chapter 13
After dinner, I replied to a few messages from friends and family members.
Promises of catch-ups, video calls, and lunches.
Which was all well and good. I had a life outside of Suite Noir—not that I gave anyone details about my job.
All they knew was that I worked in marketing for a small PR company.
So, needing something to relax, I ran a bubble bath instead and broke off a generous piece of dark organic chocolate to munch on.
It was my only indulgence. Generally, I was a stickler for healthy eating, limiting sugar, saturated fat, and junk food—basically anything that might come back to bite me later in life.
Even if it felt like denial now, I was future-proofing my body against disease, and call me vain, but I wanted to keep my slim figure, good skin and nice teeth.
Nibbling at the chocolate with those teeth as I lay in the bath, I wondered what the point in preserving myself was if it meant that I was alone?
No one would appreciate my efforts. Unless I was the one who got run down by a car and ended up in the ER and was operated on by a hot doctor.
The same one who would see my waxed pussy.
My gaze wandered to my silent phone lying on the chair next to the bath. If Mitch rings now, I’m going to have to talk to him naked. And that will definitely not be professional.
Finishing up the chocolate, I slowly shaved my legs and washed.
Usually, hot water calmed me down, but the knot in my stomach remained, even though my eyes were growing sleepy.
I was about to pull the plug out of the bath when my phone started vibrating.
A jolt went through me. It was him. I knew it.
Quickly wiping my hands on the towel I’d laid out, I answered. ‘Hello?’
‘Hi, it’s Mitch.’
‘Oh… hi.’
I was quite pleased with how distracted and even a little annoyed I sounded. Like I’d been supremely busy with other things, rather than waiting around for hours for him to call.
There was a pause. ‘Is this a bad time?’
‘No, it’s fine. Though it is a little late,’ I said pointedly.
‘Sorry, I wanted to call earlier. But I was having dinner with my parents.’
‘Oh.’ The tension in my chest eased a little as I digested this. I’d been thinking he was out with someone, but I’d imagined it would be an attractive female, so “parents” was a much better scenario. ‘Where did you go?’
‘A little Italian on the high street. I’m in Angel.’
‘Nice area.’
‘It is. Where are you?’
‘South Ealing.’ Feeling a lot more relaxed now, I leaned back against the slope of the tub, and the water sloshed slightly.
‘Are you in the bath?’ Mitch asked.
Now I was the one to pause. ‘Um… yes.’
‘So you’re naked right now.’
His voice deepened with undisguised interest, and my lips curled. ‘Obviously.’
There was silence, then he said, ‘I was picturing you sitting on a couch in your blouse and tight skirt. Now I’m having to readjust my mental image.’
My face heated at that. Somehow, Mitch admitting he was thinking about me in any context was enjoyable to hear.
‘Since you’ve not actually seen me naked, you’ll have to use your imagination,’ I quipped before I could stop myself. I bit my lip. Shit, I shouldn’t be encouraging him.
Mitch gave a low chuckle. ‘I’ve seen part of you naked, remember? And I liked that.’
His gravelly voice seemed to rub around my clit, and it started throbbing. I took a deep breath and pressed my legs together. ‘Yes, well… That was a one-off, as we agreed.’
‘Right,’ said Mitch. ‘But it was majorly hot, so you can’t blame me for thinking about it.’
A few mental images of what we’d done together flashed into my mind, and I closed my eyes briefly. No, I couldn’t blame him at all.
‘So, what did you want to talk about?’ I asked to change the subject. ‘Did the guide miss something?’
‘No, not exactly,’ said Mitch. ‘It was very thorough. And I know what I’m doing technically, but I’m a little…
nervous.’ I heard him exhale. ‘I mean, about walking around in the dark. I’m worried I’m going to trip over or bump into something before I even get to the bed and ruin the whole experience. ’
‘Oh.’ I considered this. None of the other guys had had a problem with it, but everyone was different.
And it was a unique setup. ‘Count the number of steps from the doorway to the bed,’ I suggested.
‘And make sure there’s nothing in your path to trip you up.
The first one will be the most nerve-wracking, but after that, you’ll be fine.
And since you’re booked solid for the next three weeks, you’ll be having lots of practice,’ I added.
‘That’s… er… great,’ said Mitch, sounding even more worried. Shit, I thought he would be pleased to hear that. I seemed to be deflating his confidence, not bolstering it.
‘You’ll be fine,’ I said soothingly, ‘Trust me. It’s just pre-appointment nerves.’ I hadn’t checked what his first client wanted, but hopefully it wasn’t too full-on. He needed something low-key to ease him into the role, so to speak.
‘That’s partly why I’m calling,’ said Mitch. ‘I feel like I need a practice run.’
‘Oh, well, Mia might be up for—’
‘With you. I want a practice run with you,’ he interrupted.
I gripped my phone tightly, not knowing what to say. My body sparked with desire at his words, with the thought of being alone in the dark with him. But it was bad enough what I’d already got up to with Suite Noir’s new stud behind Mia’s back.
‘I’m sorry, but I can’t.’
‘You’re tempted, though?’
I let out a breath. ‘Of course I’m tempted.’
‘Well, that’s something at least.’
‘Mitch…’
‘From the way you were all wet and wanting the other day, I thought… it doesn’t matter. I’ll muddle through.’
‘Mitch…’ I repeated helplessly.
‘Night, Primrose. Enjoy your bath.’
Before I could say anything else, Mitch was gone.
I replaced my phone on the chair, yanked on the bath plug and got out. Drying myself briskly, I tried to make sense of that conversation and came to only one conclusion. Mitch wanted me, that much was clear, and he sensed I wanted him too. And he wasn’t wrong. I did.
But what was he thinking? Trying to deepen our connection when he’d signed a contract to work at Suite Noir was ludicrous. There was no way on earth we could get involved, physically or emotionally. Ever.