I nodded as I went back to Deloris. “Sorry, Deloris. Lana just got here.”
“What can I do for you?” Deloris asked.
“I just learned that Chelsea has a new job.”
“You did?” she asked with more concern in her voice than seemed warranted.
“It’s not bad,” I reassured. “At least, I hope it isn’t.”
“It’s not?”
“Her mother told me that she’s working for Montague Corporation. Do you think that’s coincidental or just plain weird?”
“I suppose it could be either.”
I tilted my head and stretched out my plea. “I was wondering… if in your spare time… you could do a little research? I just want to know that my family isn’t up to something.”
“I’ll see what I can learn.”
A weight lifted from my chest as if I’d passed the baton of concern from me to her. From the little she’d learned about my trust fund, I knew I was passing my distress to capable hands. “Thank you, Deloris. You’re the best.”
The sound of an incoming call rang through my phone. I looked at the screen.
NOX - PRIVATE NUMBER
I hadn’t changed the name he’d entered in Del Mar.
“I need to go. Nox’s calling.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know what I discover,” Deloris replied.
“Thanks again.”
I swiped the screen.
“Hey,” I said with more joy in my voice than I’d felt all afternoon.
“Princess,” Nox’s deep velvety voice rumbled through me, washing away the last traces of anxiety over Chelsea and filling me with his presence. “Tell me you’re home,” he demanded.
My fingers instinctively went to my necklace. “I’m sure you can look at your phone and figure out exactly where I am.”
“I can,” he confirmed. “But I like hearing it from you better.”
“I’m home.”
“Is Lana there?”
“She just arrived,” I said.
“Tell her not to worry about dinner. I’m taking the most gorgeous woman in New York City out to dinner tonight.”
“You are? What will I eat while you’re out?” I asked with a smirk.
“Have I mentioned how much I love that sassy mouth?”
“Is there a special occasion?” My thoughts volleyed between excitement to be out on a date and the reading assignment that was due on Monday.
“Yes,” his voice slowed. “I plan to wine and dine her so I can seduce her later.”
My heart fluttered as my cheeks rose. “Mr. Demetri, that sounds intriguing. However, I’d bet any woman would be open to the suggestion of your seduction, even without the wine and dine.”
“But you see, I don’t want any woman. I want the woman who takes my breath away on a daily basis. I want the enamoring and alluring woman who blows my mind with her stubborn, smartass replies. I want the woman who’s intelligent beyond my comprehension. I know that she is excessively gifted, because she reads these ridiculously thick law books that would put me to sleep with only one paragraph. And I know she reads those books, because even though she has her own office and I’ve told her not to, she leaves them lying around the apartment.”
My smile grew. “Maybe you should bring that up to her?”
“Yes, princess, reminding her of my rules was part of tonight’s plan.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. “After the wine and dine?”
“Whenever I say, because let me tell you that right now even the thought of what I have planned is making me uncomfortable. You see, I’m lucky enough to know what it’s like to have that gorgeous woman near me, to listen to her sweet voice—her moans and cries.”
Fuck!
“I’ve seen her fine ass reddened and know how tight she is when she’s coming apart around me.”
“Jesus, Nox.” My words were more of a whimper as my ass tingled with phantom redness. I loved that even after my confession of childhood issues, Nox didn’t treat me with kid gloves. Instead, he made me feel strong and capable in the midst of his dominance.
“So be a good girl,” he said, “and tell Lana to leave, or she may be in for more of a show than she wants.”
I nodded, trying to moisten my tongue and lips, but it was quite obvious that my mouth had gone dry, sending all the moisture to another part of my body. “Yes, Mr. Demetri. And when will you be arriving?”
“Six sharp, but you have a delivery coming any minute.”
“I do?”
“Your clothes for our evening,” he said. “Listen carefully, because I expect to be obeyed. The only items I want added to the ensemble that will arrive are those fuck-me black shoes and your necklace.”
My insides torqued at the memory of the shoes he described planted on the dashboard of the Boxster on Highway 101.
“Do as you’re told,” Nox warned, “and I’ll be nice and let you come. I believe it’s time to bring your vibrator back to life.”
“And if I don’t do as you say?” I asked playfully.
Nox laughed. “Sassy and sexy. Don’t worry, princess, I have plans for that too.”
The line went dead.
I sat unmoving for a minute, my chest rising and falling with exaggerated breaths as I imagined the possibilities for Nox’s plans. And then, hearing the sound of pots and pans coming from the kitchen, I stood.
“Lana,” I called as I headed her direction.
I STARED NERVOUSLY at the full-length mirror in our dressing room. When I’d opened the large box that had arrived earlier in the day, I gasped, shocked at the dress Nox had ordered. It wasn’t the dress itself. It was beautiful: direct from Saks Fifth Avenue with a designer tag. What surprised me was the color.
Red. Bright candy-apple red. Bring-traffic-to-a-screeching-halt red. I had to wonder if it was some kind of play on the skater dress I’d purchased months ago.
If it were, I didn’t believe he’d selected this one to make me look like a whore. The red dress I removed from the box was classy and would cover me in all the right places. Nevertheless, I’d searched the box and accompanying bags for a gold armband, like the one I wore that night but found none. As I looked from bag to bag, I also didn’t find a bra or panties. There was, however, a black lace garter belt and accompanying lace-top stockings.
Holding Nox’s choice of undergarments in my hands, I felt the contrasting sensations of the rough yet soft lace beneath my fingers, and it infused my bloodstream with adrenaline. The hormone flowed and swirled throughout my system until my heart raced and insides clenched.
Once I’d showered and completed my makeup, I secured my hair. With my auburn color, I mostly avoided wearing reds and pinks. Keeping that in mind, I styled it up, sophisticated yet alluring, purposely leaving long curls to dance and bob delicately around my shoulders.
At nearly six o’clock, I eased into the clothes he’d had delivered. Small clasps dangled from the garter belt and linked to the stockings, leaving my thighs and core uncovered. The different sensations from the various materials, or lack thereof, electrified my skin. Soft nylon caressed my legs, the lace of the belt hugged my hips and lower waist, and at the same time, my upper thighs were exposed and vulnerable.
I imagined how the bare skin would tingle as cool autumn air blew under the skirt of the dress and how that same skin would warm as my flesh rubbed together ever so slightly as I took each step. I closed my eyes and allowed one of my hands to cup my own breast as the other drifted lower. Brushing my clit and pinching my nipple, my core tightened. Instinctively, I knew that wind and friction wouldn’t be the only elements I’d be exposed to with this choice of undergarments. There would be nothing separating me from Nox’s inclinations.
Before my imagination took me too far, I eased the red dress over the lingerie. The fabric fit perfectly in all the right places. Tighter at the breasts, it was strapless with a high-low hem and chic pleats near the trim waist. The hem, even at its highest point was only slig
htly above my knees. In the back it dropped nearly to my calves. Even if I spun in a small circle and the skirt flared, no one could see what I wore underneath. Only the black nylons and my black Louboutins were visible.
While the ensemble underneath was sexy and flirtatious, it was totally hidden to everyone else. As I continued to peer in the mirror, I recalled something Nox had said. The memory brought a smile to my already-pink cheeks.
He’d said the world would see a princess, but only we would know the truth.
The truth was that Nox’s choice of clothing didn’t make me feel like the Infidelity whore he’d been alluding to at that time. Not anymore. With Lennox Demetri, whether I wore blue jeans and a t-shirt or scandalous undergarments, he made me feel like the woman he’d met in Del Mar, the princess who enjoyed the thrill of being a secret slut.
“Stunning.”
The deep velvet voice thundered throughout the dressing room, pulling me from my imagination-induced trance. I hadn’t even heard the beeps of the alarm or the opening and closing of the door. My cheeks blushed brighter, matching my dress, as I imagined Nox arriving only moments earlier and finding me with only the garter belt, stockings, and my own roaming hands.
Before I could spin toward him, Nox’s embrace surrounded me from behind, and his cologne settled around me in an intoxicating cloud. With his chin above my shoulder he spoke near my ear, the warmth of his breath prickling my skin.
“You are the most gorgeous woman in all of New York City.” His lips found my neck, and soft and slow kisses trailed downward over my collarbone. “No,” he corrected, “in the world.”
My head wobbled as I tried unsuccessfully to stifle a moan.
Nox’s eyes met mine in the mirror. “I trust you’re wearing everything I sent?”
I nodded, my chest rising and falling, the motion making my new necklace bob against the red material.
“And nothing else?”
“Nothing.” The word came out breathlessly, though I was inhaling quicker than I could exhale. “Do you want to see?”
“Oh, I do. I want to do more than see,” he promised.
I veiled my eyes at the timbre of his tone.
“Call me a masochist,” he went on, “but, princess, for the next few hours I want to imagine what you have under that dress. I will touch it and you, but my eyes will have to wait until I have you back here where I want you.” He pulled me closer, my back against his front and my bottom tight against his erection. “Feel what you’re doing to me? But I know it’ll be worth it, because, fuck, seeing you in our bed, your hands tied, wearing nothing but that garter, stockings, and those sexy shoes will be better than any Christmas morning, ever.”
I couldn’t stop the whimper as my body clenched with need. “Sadist,” I said with a lustful smirk. “That’s what you are.”
I opened my eyes in time to see his menacing grin.
“That too, princess. That too.” He gave me one more kiss, this time chastely on my cheek. “The car is waiting, but I need about five minutes to shower and change.”
I reached for his hands, still around my waist. “Don’t change. I love you the way you are.”
His cheeks rose higher. “More. Five minutes.”
And with that, his warmth was gone.
My eyes followed Nox and I bit my lip, watching as he quickly stripped and walked toward the bathroom. His jacket, tie, shirt, belt, and trousers created a trail, like breadcrumbs leading to my pleasure, my ecstasy. With only words and a few kisses, Nox had turned my thighs slick. When the water thundered from the confines of the shower, I considered forgoing our date, stripping out of the dress, and joining him under the warm spray.
However, the masochistic part of me wouldn’t allow it. I wanted everything he’d described from dinner on the town to the dessert back at the apartment. Perhaps I had a hint of sadism, too, because the idea of Nox suffering with blue balls while we ate brought an even bigger smile to my face.
As I was about to walk to the bedroom to find the handbag and light sweater that had accompanied the Saks delivery, I noticed the belt Nox had dropped haphazardly to the floor. My fingers covered my freshly painted lips to stifle a gasp.
I would recognize that belt over any of Nox’s assortment. What caught my attention was the buckle—very distinctive silver with a swirl. It was the same one I’d found in his closet in Rye, the one he’d told me to use, and the one he’d told me to bring back to the city.
Minutes later, his delicious cologne alerted me to his presence in the living room before anything else. It was when I turned that he took my breath away. It wasn’t fair that I’d been getting ready for hours and in five minutes Nox was a walking Adonis. All showered and fresh, his pale blue eyes glowed over the perfect trimmed amount of scruff, while his neck was smooth and freshly shaven. The blue suit he now wore with a silver tie was crisp and clean. However, what caught my attention was the silver swirl of his belt’s buckle. He’d put the same one back on.
Nox’s lips quirked upward as he followed my gaze and touched the buckle. “Yes, princess, it’s definitely become my favorite, but the problem seems to be that you’ve been too obedient.”
I considered confessing my brief stint of self-pleasure, but instead, I squared my shoulders and stepped toward him—this dominant, loving, overprotective dichotomy of a man who towered over me. With mere inches separating us, I lowered my voice and strung out my words, bringing just a hint of my Southern accent back to life. “Oh, Mr. Demetri, give me a chance. I can be very bad.”
DON’T WISH AWAY your todays thinking about tomorrow.
It was something Jane used to tell me.
As Nox and I rode in the back of the black sedan to a small Italian restaurant, as we walked to a booth with a flickering red candle, one apparently reserved for us, and as my high-heeled shoes clicked on the worn wooden floor, I was doing exactly what Jane had told me not to do. I was thinking about what was to come… yes, literally and figuratively.
While my sexy lingerie and Nox’s teasing touches in the car had me wound tighter than a drum, the dimly lit room and the tantalizing aroma of garlic, awakened a new hunger. The growling of my stomach as we sat, alerted the man holding my hand to my newfound desire. With simply a glint in his light blue eyes, I saw his thoughts.
Princess, you’d better eat. You’ll need your strength.
Nox hadn’t said the words, but my two cravings—him and food—converged into one insatiable hunger. I was on the brink of sexual as well as nutritional starvation and my only source of gratification was the man with the knowing gleam.
Standing back, Nox allowed me to enter the booth. As I sat, he surprised me by scooting in next to me. “What?” I asked.
“I don’t like having my back toward the door,” he replied nonchalantly. “This way we can both see the entire restaurant.”
His explanation sounded plausible. After all, he was right. Other than the kitchen, from our vantage point we could see the entire place. I’d never eaten at this restaurant, but with one glance I knew it was one of the establishments that the locals loved—a diamond in the rough hidden from tourists.
“Have you eaten here before?” I asked.
“Many times. Next to my mother’s and Silvia’s, Antonio makes the best lasagna on the planet.”
“I thought Lana’s was amazing.”
Nox’s large hand splayed over my thigh, revealing the real reason for our seating arrangement. I sucked in a deep breath as his fingers slowly moved, lifting the hem of my dress.
“Wait until you taste this,” he said enthusiastically, making no reference to his wandering hand. “It’s like heaven on your tongue.”
As his fingers inched upward, an older man with a chef’s apron and a thick mustache appeared. “Mr. Demetri, so good to have you here. It’s been too long.”
I swallowed as Nox’s hand stilled, staying hidden beneath the red fabric.
“Antonio.” Nox nodded at the man. “What have I said? Oren is M
r. Demetri. I’m Lennox.” He turned my direction. “And this is my beautiful girl friend, Alexandria.”
“Alexandria,” Antonio said, lifting his hand toward me palm up.
I managed to free my right hand from behind Nox’s arm as his fingers stayed fused to my thigh.
Taking my hand, Antonio bowed at the waist and kissed my knuckles. “A beautiful name for an even lovelier woman.”
I grinned. “Thank you.”
“So,” Antonio asked, “what are you doing with Lennox?”
My head sprang back in surprise. “I-I…”
As I fought for words, Antonio went on, “My wife, she die two years ago.” He motioned dramatically toward his chest. “I’m available.” He gestured around the room. “All this could be yours. Say the word.”
My smile grew. “That’s quite the offer, Antonio.” I leaned slightly forward. “Maybe you and I should talk when Lennox isn’t around.”
Nox’s fingers inched upward, staking his claim as well as making it difficult for me to keep my concentration on Antonio.
Antonio winked and nudged Nox’s shoulder. “I like her. You hold on to this one.” He lowered his tone. “If he doesn’t…” Antonio was speaking to me. “…you call me.”
I placed my hand over Nox’s to stop its ascension. “I will keep that in mind.”
“Dolcetto?” Antonio asked Nox.
“Si.”
It was only one simple word, yet the way the Italian rolled from Nox’s lips, caused me to turn and look at him anew.
“Subito,” Antonio replied with a grin and turned away.
“You speak Italian?” I asked with more than a bit of awe to my voice.
“Princess, we’ve yet to explore my large array of talents. Speaking of which…” Nox’s fingers grazed the lace top of one of the stockings and a low murmur resonated from his throat. Just as he began to move his fingers higher, Antonio reappeared, a bottle of wine in his hand and two glasses. Next to Antonio was a young woman carrying a large plate with antipasto—meats, olives, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts and a variety of cheeses and two smaller plates.
While Antonio spoke, uncorked the bottle, and poured a small amount of wine into one of the glasses, the pad of Nox’s finger moved back and forth over the clasp connecting the garter belt with the stockings. As Antonio handed Nox the glass, Nox unsnapped the clasp and moved his hand to secure the goblet offered. The small elastic strap sprang from the stockings, causing me to jump with an embarrassing, audible gasp.