Chapter 18
Penelope
Christian had suggested I wear something comfortable but elegant, which was a cruel paradox. Was he taking me to a rooftop dinner or a surprise helicopter ride? That’s the kind of date rich guys preferred. Right? Part of me hated not being in control, but another part was brimming with excitement.
What little I knew about the man suggested he was adventurous.
Yes, I’d taken the time to research him on the internet for a second time before the big date.
There truly was almost nothing personal about him, which should make me suspicious, but I’d reminded myself all the richest people in the world hired top level security companies to keep their worlds private.
When I opened the door, I expected to see a driver standing in a staunch-looking uniform, guiding me toward some massive limousine.
“You’re late,” I told him.
Christian checked his watch, lifting an eyebrow as he did. “You’re right. Five minutes. However, at least for me, the wait was well worth the loss of precious time spent. You are exquisite.”
Yes, a girl could swoon around someone like him. “You’re forgiven. This time.” When I glanced from one side of his massive body to the other, his eyebrows furrowed.
“What’s wrong?” Christian asked soon after I’d opened the door.
“Where’s your man?” I asked, teasing him even when I still felt somewhat overwhelmed.
Yet I held his gaze as I had every time, refusing to allow him to know he could still make me tremble.
Leaning against the doorframe, he looked like a walking advertisement for bad decisions. The good kind. He had that half-smile on his face, the one that proved he knew exactly how good he looked in his fine Corinthian leather jacket.
“My man? I wasn’t aware I had a man.” His gaze was a physical weight, tracing a slow, deliberate line down my body.
I held my breath, every point where his eyes lingered warming under the sudden intensity.
It felt as if he were undressing me without a single touch, leaving me dizzy and entirely at his mercy.
At least I resisted fanning my face.
“Don’t you have a driver for everywhere you go?
A nice but stuffy chauffeur?” With Marlee’s help, I’d selected wisely, a lovely short black dress with no adornment, the type easily worn to a nice but not too elegant dinner or even to go dancing.
However, instead of heels, I’d chosen flat but adorable ballet-style shoes.
Even though he was dressed in dark jeans and a black shirt open at the neck, I suddenly regretted not choosing the heels.
“What you must think of me. I do not have and never will have a driver. Why should I?” His laugh was as deep as I remembered, genuinely surprised at my comment. He backed away from the door, allowing me to see what he was driving.
“Wow. A Ferrari. Are you trying to impress me?”
“Would it work if that’s what I was doing?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Is Ferrari considered a bad word in your extensive vocabulary?”
“No, I’ve simply never ridden inside a car that cost three times the price of my house.”
He leaned in, allowing me an incredible whiff of his aftershave. “Then we need to work on providing new experiences. Another little secret I’m happy to let you know. I’m the kid who had six speeding tickets by the time I was twenty-one. I adore fast cars. Are you ready?”
“A total rule breaker.”
“Every. Single. Day.”
Everything about Christian was different than spending time with any other man. Not only did he reek of passion, but he exuded the same sadistic nature provided in his paintings. The thought was progressively appealing.
As his nostrils flared, my lips curved into a slow smile and I couldn’t help but provide him with the same scrutiny as he’d done with me.
Only I licked my lips in admiration. I relished the power of his undivided attention.
I met his eyes again, letting the silence hum with the undeniable heat radiating between us.
“Where are we going?”
“All good things come to those who have patience.”
“Who said I did?”
He backed away, giving me space, instantly moving behind me after I closed and locked the door.
When he placed his hand on the small of my back as he’d done before, I was reminded of his possessive nature.
Another chill was followed by a striking sense of electricity, leaving me breathless as he guided me to his expensive car.
Marlee’s words stuck in my mind. At least for tonight, I was determined to forget about the asshole, concentrating instead on Christian’s dark and dangerous persona.
I found myself as I’d done before, mesmerized by the sheer power radiating off him. He was a tempest that could dismantle everything in his path, but to me, he offered a sanctuary.
My play on words with his last name amused me, enough I allowed a nervous laugh.
When we were standing by the passenger door, he crowded my space from behind. “I do make you nervous. Good. I want you eager and willing yet thoughtful about everything we do both apart and together. My sweet, sweet Penelope.”
His words left me with a jolt of current running from the back of my neck down the length of both legs, the final resting spot leaving a deep throb in my pussy strong enough I clenched my legs together even as I eased onto the soft leather seat.
He was deliberate about everything but barely took the time to glance into the rearview mirror before roaring the engine to life and pulling away from the curb.
“Where did you say we were going again?”
He swung a look in my direction just before sliding dark sunglasses onto his face. “I didn’t, but a very nice try.”
My sweet Lord, the man was insanely handsome, much more now that he wasn’t in a suit. There was something scintillating about a man wearing leather.
As he weaved his way through the streets, I tried to figure out where he could be going. A few minutes later, I had a feeling I knew. “You’re headed to the river.”
“Very astute, but which side of the river?”
“You’re taking me to Indiana?”
“Maybe. I guess you’ll need to wait and see.”
He wasn’t interested in obeying the speed limit, driving in a way that could be considered reckless, but I could tell he had full control of both the car and his actions.
Every few seconds, he painted me with a look and while I couldn’t see behind his sunglasses, I was well aware he was undressing me with his eyes.
And I liked it.
What woman wouldn’t?
He wasn’t much of a talker, but I was content with being swallowed by the buttery leather, enjoying the rumble of the engine between my legs. Although my thong was already damp, the vibrations adding to the discomfort.
I was right about where we were going, giving myself a high five when he pulled into a parking lot of a riverfront restaurant and bar that I’d only been to once.
Christian was the type of man to draw attention anywhere he went, including by simply pulling into a parking lot. Even with the setting sun, it was hard to miss the deep rumble of a powerful engine or the sleek black shell of the expensive sports car.
He didn’t park as if he was special, didn’t take two parking places. He simply pulled into a space, which was in a way elitist. He could certainly afford a buff out and repaint if required.
“Wait there.” He wasn’t asking. He was commanding.
By the time he moved around to the other side, I was humming from internal vibrations.
He pulled me out, the force yanking me onto my toes, the momentum such that I had my hand on his chest before I realized what I was doing.
His hand automatically moved to my back, pressing me tightly against him. “Are you adventurous, Penelope?”
“You can call me Penny. Everyone else does.”
“I’m not everyone and neither are you. Answer the question.”
The sound of his voice was intoxicating, much like the rich musk of his aftershave. “To a point.”
“Fair enough. I’ll go easy on you.” He lowered his head as I tilted my chin, the wild heat between us incredible. My pulse was already racing. When our lips were almost touching, I sensed I physically shuddered. I was completely uncertain at every moment what to expect with him.
The man was in total control, refusing the kiss after tormenting me. Now he took my hand, moving toward the entrance. I was thankful I had such long legs, able to keep up with his strides. Once he walked inside, he barely acknowledged the hostess, moving past her with a simple nod.
He certainly knew how to make an entrance, everyone inside the bar on an instant pause as we walked through. You could easily tell a man of wealth and extreme power by the way they carried themselves, but the truly dominant men, those who everyone should fear gave no thought to doing so.
They simply handled the room.
He led me outside to an incredible space with several firepits and comfortable seating arrangements. Yet as crowded as the interior was, there wasn’t a single person on the terrace until a waitress approached almost instantly.
He hadn’t even bothered to remove his sunglasses until we were outside and under the shade of the awning.
Only she wasn’t interested in asking for our order. That had already been decided as with everything else about the evening.
“Mr. Tempest. Welcome back. I see you have a guest with you tonight.”
“Yes, I do, Amy. If there is anything Penelope needs, please ensure she gets it.”
He didn’t try the wine after she uncorked it, didn’t wave off an offer.
As a matter of fact, he kept his eyes on me as I moved closer to the edge of the patio.
In front of me was a spectacular view of the river and the bridge leading across directly into Indiana.
But to the side was a view of the fair. He’d brought me here on purpose.
“You seem appreciative of the view.”
“Very much so. What a shame. The fair has closed,” I said absently.
“Fairs are a thing of the past or so I’ve been told.”