Alexander stared at me and, laughing heartily, repeated my words, “Like hankies… Oh, baby… It’s not my fault they throw themselves at me, and I just can’t turn them down.”
He was making fun of me.
“The feeling I’m just the latest one is not comforting at all, but who says life is fair? I can’t boast that I’ve been particularly lucky so far.”
“Hey, don’t talk like that—you’re not just the latest one.” He tenderly stroked my face. “As far as I remember, it was ME that didn’t leave you alone at the party and didn’t let you leave in a taxi.”
I smiled. He was right.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea if I got out of bed and made something to eat.” I got up, barely managing to escape his embrace. I slipped on my silk dressing gown. “What do you say about bacon and eggs with toast? That would be quickest, or would you prefer to order in something else?”
“Bacon and eggs with toast sounds fine,” he replied.
“I’m a big fan of coffee—I’ve got regular and decaf. I also have different types of tea. What do you prefer?” I asked while tying my hair into a ponytail.
“Coffee a la Alexia.” He grinned widely, revealing his pearly whites. “And I’ll go take a shower.”
While I was preparing brunch, Lily called me. “Hi, Alexia. Are you okay?”
I didn’t want her to find out about what had happened, but I didn’t know how to hide it, so I decided to play with open cards. “Hi, Lily. I’m not alone at the moment. Can we talk tomorrow?”
“I can’t believe you actually did it,” she said, sounding quite shocked.
“What did I do?” I pretended not to understand.
“You’re with him, aren’t you—with Alexander Kraftberg? I noticed, after you’d left, I didn’t see him anymore.” She went quiet to let me respond, but after I didn’t, continued. “Come on. Don’t pretend. You’re with him, right?”
“Yes,” I replied, flustered.
“But why? I warned you, didn’t I? This isn’t like you, Alexia. You never sleep with a man just after you’ve met him.”
Hearing the sound of flowing water from the bathroom, I hoped Alexander wouldn’t overhear our conversation. I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. “I know, Lily, but I just couldn’t resist the temptation. Do you understand? No one else has made me feel like this before—”
“No, goddammit. You have a massive crush.” She interrupted me.
“Lily, he’s in the bathroom and may come out any second now. Let’s meet for lunch tomorrow. What do you say?”
“Fine, I’ll call you.”
I hung up, my heart beating as if it were trying to burst through my ribcage. I knew my friend was right—I had rushed in—but there was no going back.
I made coffee, put the frying pan on the hob, and quickly prepared eggs and bacon. I took out some plates, cutlery, napkins, and set the table.
Alexander came out of the bathroom. “Mmm… Smells nice.” His wet hair looked almost black, which highlighted his bright-blue, sapphire-like eyes. He had wrapped a towel just around his hips, which gave me a chance to enjoy the sight of his nice body once again. Each muscle was well-defined—real eye candy, the embodiment of true perfection.
“I’m going to take a quick shower too,” I told him.
As I walked past him, he lightly smacked my butt and asked me teasingly, “Should I join you?”
This made me laugh. “We’ll never get around to eating if we go on like this, Mr. Kraftberg.” I took off my dressing gown and threw it at him. He caught it with one hand, dug his face into it, and inhaled deeply.
“Your scent is heavenly.”
When I came out of the bathroom, he was wearing only boxers and talking on the phone with some guy named Henry who was supposed to bring him clean clothes. I stared again at his wide shoulders covered in sculpted muscles, his narrow waist, and strong long legs. It was obvious he worked out regularly; there wasn’t even an ounce of fat on his beautiful body.
I went into the bedroom and deliberately put on my white satin nightie with thin straps. Coming back into the lounge, I sat on the chair by the table. He sat next to me.
“Who called you?” he asked and took a sip from his coffee.
“How did you know? You were in the bathroom.” I didn’t hide my surprise.
“So who was it?” he insisted.
Why do I get the feeling he already has a sense of ownership with regard to me? It wasn’t like my previous boyfriends hadn’t tried to act as if I belonged to them, but this tended to happen after the first month, not right at the start.
“Lily,” I replied tersely.
“And what did she say?” I was just about to reply when he gestured me to stop and continued. “I think I can guess. She said you should stay away from me, right?”
What should I say to him? If I tell him the truth, I’ll put Lily in an uncomfortable position. However, if I were to lie to him, that wouldn’t be fair to him.
“Something along those lines,” I mumbled. I grabbed my hair and let it fall on one side over my breast. “As a matter of fact, she was shocked when she found out I’d slept with you so quickly.”
“It’s not like you. I inferred it.” He cut off a piece of bacon and put it in his mouth.
“Yes, I certainly can’t say I’m into such flings. It’s just that—”
“I just wouldn’t leave you alone.” He interrupted me and took my hand. “Do you regret that you did it, that you gave yourself to me?” His voice was calm and sexily husky.
“No. It was very nice,” I admitted.
“For me too, baby.” He lifted my hand to his lips and tenderly kissed my fingers.
Shivers ran down my spine. My God, this man has gotten deep under my skin.
I took my glass of cold fruit juice and drank greedily. Why was I feeling so hot?
I saw Alexander was drinking me in with his eyes.
“What is it?” I asked quietly.
“I’m just admiring you. You’re incredibly beautiful, even without makeup. This can be said about very few women.” He rested his elbow on the table and his chin on his thumb, slowly running his index finger along his lower lip. “There’s something about you, something… enchanting.”
I giggled. “I think you must be dreaming, Mr. Kraftberg. I’m just an ordinary girl.”
“Hmm… I don’t think so.” He narrowed his eyes. “What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve ever done?”
His question had come out of nowhere. “Outrageous?” I thought about it for a while. “I remember when I was sixteen, my female classmates—I’m talking about those who were no longer virgins—were intently discussing the book Lolita. Amy was boasting about doing it with a man who was much older than her… So I also decided to buy this scandalous book. My dad found out and…”
It felt like it had happened yesterday. I would never forget the look on my father’s face when he saw me reading it on the couch in the living room. His expression showed a mixture of surprise and confusion. It was difficult for him to talk to me about a topic as delicate as sex, but since my mother had passed away, there was nobody else to do it. Both of us acted distant toward each other. I remembered I couldn’t look him in the eyes.
“So what happened? Tell me—you’ve caught my interest,” Alexander asked me, tearing me away from my thoughts.
“My dad thought I’d already done it and was no longer a virgin and started asking me whether I had a boyfriend. He told me I should be careful about getting pregnant… It was hard as hell for both of us to talk about this topic.”
“I can imagine,” he said thoughtfully.
“In their desire to catch the readers’ attention, writers are very often forced to write about something truly scandalous. To read this candid story at the age of sixteen about a man who falls under the spell of a twelve-year-old child… I was quite shocked.”
Alexander leaned over me and kissed my shoulder. His lips felt like a caress, they were so sof
t. “I am most attracted to girls over twenty, with long blond hair, green eyes, and thick lips.” While he was speaking, his thumb slowly went across my lower lip, leaving a hot trace.
My breath paused.
“So what are your other vices, apart from women?” I asked, fighting against the hormones coursing through my body.
He shrugged. “I’ve never really thought about it. How about yours?”
“Mine? I don’t think I have any.”
The corners of his eyes slightly narrowed. He didn’t believe me.
“How should I know?” I gave it some serious thought. “Coffee, perhaps, if it can actually be said it’s a vice. Scientists say it contains antioxidants. As long as you don’t have too much of it, of course. And I’m probably doing just that.”
My home telephone rang, startling me. I got up to answer it. It was my coworker Roberto.
“Ciao, Bella.”
“Hi, Roberto. How are you?”
“Well. Look, I have an invitation to a party tonight, and I’m asking you to come with me.”
“Party… on Sunday night?” I replied, surprised. “And who will go to work instead of me tomorrow?”
“Oh, come on. What’s the big deal. We won’t stay out too late.”
“Thanks for the invitation, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. I have important meetings tomorrow.”
“I know… You’re right, but I still intend to go anyway, for an hour or two. I might meet some hot chick.”
I laughed loudly and heartily. “You might get lucky.” And then I glanced toward Alexander, who was looking at me all serious. His good, teasing mood had disappeared.
“I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. I hope there’ll be something to share.” He giggled over the sound of running water.
“I have my fingers crossed for you.”
“You know I don’t keep any secrets from you.”
“I know. Ciao, Roberto.”
“See you tomorrow. Ciao.” He hung up.
I went back to Alexander, who was still looking at me sullenly. “Who was that?” he asked.
“A coworker of mine. He asked me to go to some party, but I declined.” I decided I did owe him an explanation. Still, if some woman had called him, I would have wanted to know more about her too. “He’s just a friend.”
Alexander sighed loudly. “I have a plan for how we should spend the rest of the day.”
“So what’s the plan?”
While I was watching him finish off his meal, I let one of the straps of my nightie slowly slip down my shoulder, revealing most of my left breast. I pretended not to notice. I wanted to lighten the mood.
Alexander put down his fork, leaned back, and with a slight smile said, “What are you trying to do to me?”
I rose slightly and looked down to see his erection, which reached his belly button. I bit my lips to hide my smile.
You’re doing well, Alexia, I reassured myself.
“So what are your plans?” I asked again, as if I hadn’t tried to do anything.
“Hmm… You want to play with me. Is that it?” He looked at me, pretending to be stern, and continued. “I called Henry—my chauffeur—to bring me clean clothes. I propose we go to my place. The weather is lovely today, so we can laze in the sun and swim in the pool. What do you say?”
“Sounds good,” I replied and continued eating.
“Great. I’ll make sure we have a good time.” His eyes burned through me. I knew exactly what he meant by good.
“Alexia, while you were in the bathroom, I took the liberty of having a look around your apartment.” Alexander stopped and waited to see my reaction. “Did you decorate it yourself?”
I looked around. “Yeah, you don’t like it?”
“On the contrary. The interior is amazing. You’ve done a great job of combining the white wooden furniture with the soft, more saturated colors of the upholstered pieces. I think you’re in the wrong line of business. As a man who’s constantly involved in design, I can firmly state that you have a talent for interior decoration.”
“Thanks,” I replied, and a light went on in my head. I finally realized. “You own Kraftberg International. How did I not realize this earlier?”
“Yes, I do.” He wiped his mouth with the napkin. “Tell me. Do you like working in the bank?”
“Yes, I really like working there, and the people are very nice to me. Of course, in a big team, there is no way you can hit it off with everyone, but overall…” I paused to think. “I’m satisfied. My boss is a decent and understanding man. He expects a lot from us, but doesn’t harass us. Why do you ask?”
“I just like to know. And do you have female coworkers with whom you go to lunch?” He stared at me curiously.
“I mostly go to lunch with Lily or Roberto. He actually introduced me to the job, and over time, we’ve become close.” While I was uttering the final word, his expression became icy.
“What do you mean by close?”
Is he being jealous or am I imagining it?
“He’s a close friend who means a lot to me. I share many things with him, but he’s not a rumormonger. And he’s always there for me when I need some advice.”
“I want to be the person with whom you share and to whom you turn for advice,” he said quietly.
“Isn’t that exactly what I’m doing right now—sharing with you?” I tilted my head to the side and regarded him.
“Yes, that’s exactly what you’re doing, and I’d be very happy if from now on you do it only with me,” he replied softly but emphasized the word only.
“Alexander, I have friends and don’t want to keep my distance from them.” I frowned and continued. “Nobody can tell me who to go out with and what to do, not even my father. Look, I realize as a man who controls a large business empire, you’re used to giving orders and expect them to be carried out.” He was listening to me attentively. I detected a hint of a smile on his face. “But in one’s personal relationship, one shouldn’t always act like that.”
Alexander grabbed my wrists and pulled me to him. I found myself in his lap.
“Are you a big expert in personal relationships? I have no experience at all.”
“You’ve never had a girlfriend?” I gaped at him in disbelief.
He shook his head, amused. “Never. And what’s your experience?”
I could tell by his expression that he found our conversation very entertaining. I sensed he was burning with curiosity.
“Not great, but at least I have some…”
He nibbled me lightly on the shoulder, and I squealed in surprise, “Ouch, that hurts.”
Alexander entwined his fingers in my hair. “I don’t mean to scare you, but we may have to make a move toward my house. Otherwise…” He stirred underneath me and I felt his erection against my butt. “I don’t want you to think I’m with you just for your body.” His lips widened into a slight smile as he leaned toward me and kissed me deeply and passionately.
5
We rode in the back seat of his Rolls Royce, holding each other, hands intertwined—just enjoying being together. Alexander Kraftberg lived in Küssnacht in the canton of Zurich, the home of many millionaires, including the famous singer Tina Turner.
The car pulled up in front of a massive, dark-green metal gate decorated with gold leaves at the top. The gate opened and a huge three-story house appeared before my eyes. A round fountain surrounded by red and white flowers stood tall in front of the entrance.
Alexander gracefully got out of the car and held out his hand to help me step out. He looked incredibly sexy, dressed as he was in washed-out G-Star jeans and a white Calvin Klein T-shirt fitting tightly to his powerful body.
His house, which to me was more like a mansion, had large French windows extending down to the ground.
He took my hand and we went inside. My jaw practically hit the floor when I saw the splendor in which he lived. Everything was perfectly crafted—to the last detail—and made with love.
The lobby was covered with slabs of white and black granite. The huge crystal chandelier and the wide staircase gave the interior a very aristocratic look. It all seemed perfect to me.
Alexander held my hand as we crossed the lobby and the lounge, leading me toward the pool. It was quite large, with an irregular shape, and gave the impression of merging with Lake Zurich.
Sunrays joyfully bounced off the water’s surface.
The view in front of me was stunning. A neatly manicured lawn extended at the side, with another smaller fountain surrounded by small boxwood bushes trimmed into spheres. At the end, I could see a white gazebo covered with ivy and red roses. A true piece of heaven.
“So you live in this mansion all by yourself?” I asked him, incredulous.
“Yeah, it’s the ideal place to wind down after work.”
“This is a real oasis.” I gazed around again. It was true.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said and kissed me on the cheek, adding, “I’ll get us something to drink.”
Soon after, he came back, now dressed in black swimming trunks that hung sexily off the middle of his hips. He held white beach towels in one arm and a picnic basket in the opposite hand.
I took off my sandals and pale-blue, strapped dress, while he regarded me, not looking away for even a second.
He approached me and ran his index finger across my belly. “I really like your bikini.”
I’d worn my white Victoria Secret swimsuit. The bottom had side straps and the top was like a push-up bra that made my breasts look even more enticing.
I dived into the pool and, when I came to the surface, turned to him. He was staring at me, mouth agape, as if I wasn’t a person, but a sea nymph.
“I’ve never before seen a woman who swims with such a grace,” he said and dived, coming up right in front of me.
He drank me in for a while, and then our eyes locked, sending my pulse racing. His lips opened and merged with mine, our tongues quickly finding each other.
“You’re… driving… me… wild,” he whispered between kisses.