by Kells, India
Another secret, another bit information she hadn’t known. She had to focus on the task at hand, on the reason why she had come here.
“Mr. Langdon, I don’t know what happened between you and my uncle. I’m only here because of the possibility that I am within reach of this inheritance. I’ve always lived my life the way it suited me. It hasn’t been an easy road. Far, far from it. I feel that my goal, my dream is so near, I can almost taste it. All I need is a little breathing room. The money he promised if I succeed is more than I need. I can give you most of it.”
“I don’t need money.”
“Obviously not. And even if I preferred not needing it, life has decided otherwise. The wolf is at my door, and even if you don’t know me, I need you. I’ve sacrificed so much, and I’m so close. I’m sure you can understand. Please.”
Lani suspected that her plea had been unheard as he stood as still as a statue.
When he finally turned and looked at her, she saw him struggling, clearly undecided. “You don’t know what you are asking. What’s in that box…”
She cut him off. “Can’t be that bad. I need to succeed. And I need to prove him wrong.” She wasn’t about to tell him that what was in the box wouldn’t be as bad as being hungry and cold as she had been so many times before when she’d first started. The artist’s life was a hellish one.
For a long moment they stood facing one another until Langdon broke contact and headed once more to the kitchen.
Without hesitation, he broke the seal from the box and opened it. Inside was a stack of letters, the first one addressed to Max Langdon.
He took it and opened it, scanning its contents in silence. As he read, it was as if a mask was put in place over his handsome face. Winter had invaded his body and Lani almost took a step back when he locked his gaze with hers.
“I think it’s a very bad idea. Doing this, and what I think are in those envelopes. I don’t know what Emile had in mind, but I suspect that you will not be the same once all the tasks are accomplished. That’s why I need a question answered, and I only want the truth. Why would you go through all this? For money?”
Lani breathed deeply, searching for the right words. “Money is only a tool. I’m a painter, and that’s what I want to dedicate my life to. Working my way up is a struggle I’m willing to tackle, but money would buy me a bit more peace of mind. To be honest. If I have enough to rent a small studio and six months of living expenses, I would gladly give you the rest.”
“How much do you get if you succeed?”
“Ten million.”
Langdon was clearly taking it in until he finally nodded. “You are not a greedy woman.”
That made her smile. “Money won’t make me happy. My painting does. I’m sincere when I say you can have everything else. If you want me to sign something, I will.”
Of course, she knew what to do with the extra money, but she was truthful in her admission. With six months of money, she could do miracles.
Langdon exhaled and opened the box again, taking another envelope.
Lani thought he would be able to hear her heart thudding in her chest it was beating so hard. It was happening, she had a chance at her dream, a solution to her problems.
Reading in silence, the man before her finally put the papers on the counter before turning to her.
“Shed your clothes. Now!”
CHAPTER THREE
His words took time to compute, as if they didn’t make sense. And in her opinion, they didn’t.
Her struggle was so obvious, Langdon took a step forward. For a quick moment, his handsome face softened. “That’s the first task, Lani. It starts now. I’m in charge of it, that’s what was stated in the letter. I told you about what your uncle was. Who I was. I’m agreeing to be that person again, but only for you, only for this short time where you have a shot at completing the tasks. Through it all, you have the option of continuing, or getting back in your car and driving home. It’s your choice.”
As he retreated again, and returned to his cold demeanor, Lani realized that her brain wasn’t functioning clearly, and it felt like jumping off a cliff. You either jumped or you didn’t. There were no half measures.
One by one, she took off her clothes, neatly folding them on the bar stool beside her. Ignoring her increasingly trembling fingers, and unable to look at Langdon, she slowed down her movements when she reached her bra and panties but kept going until not a stitch of fabric was left on her body.
“Look at me.” His voice was so deep, a commanding rumble that couldn’t be denied. When she finally found the resolve to lock her gaze with his, he only nodded, and didn’t look down on her naked form.
“Good. Follow me.”
Shivering even though the temperature was more than comfortable, Lani followed as they walked across the living room. Lani was glad that the house was lost in the forest, at least only squirrels and deer would see her naked. And Max Langdon. That thought alone was almost enough to make her freak out and start running the other way.
He led her to a large cozy area that was obviously a guest room. “This will be your sanctuary for the duration of your stay. No clothing unless I tell you what to wear, no car keys, no phone. If you need to call someone, now is the time.”
Lani shrugged. “My car keys are in my coat pocket; my cell is in my bag in the car. I have no one to call.”
“No one?” She found it strange that he would be interested in that. Uncomfortable, she crossed her arms over her naked breasts. “I told you, art took over my life. Apart from my agent, who only calls sporadically, I have no one apart from my landlord, and she is only interested in recouping my two months back rent. Don’t worry, I’m used to being alone, it’s no big deal.”
Langdon only nodded and obviously decided to let that go. “Don’t cover yourself.”
“Why does it matter? You’re not even looking at me.” The words were out before she could stop them, and Lani cringed.
Langdon simply angled his head. “You want me to look at you? At you naked before me?” The words were both a taunt and a tease. He took one step toward her, his gaze firmly on hers, never wavering to look downward. “Is that what you want? Me looking at you? Every inch of you?”
“What is the purpose of this then?”
A corner of his tantalizing mouth quivered. “The purpose is for you to find out.”
Shadows were growing in the room as the winter day was coming to an end. “How?”
The dimming light was turning Langdon into something much darker, a predator, and it both aroused and frightened her.
He closed in on her, and his scent filled her nose. It was something raw and warm and a tad mysterious. “You tense when I come closer.”
It was a statement she couldn’t deny. “I’m not used to this situation. I’ve never…”
“Has someone ever touched you?”
“If that’s your way of asking me if I’m a virgin, you will be disappointed. What I meant is I’m not used to walking around naked.”
“You are safe here.”
Lani faltered before answering. “Why do I feel that’s not true?”
Langdon only liked his lips. “You are a very intelligent woman. Are you hungry?”
All Lani could do was shake her head.
“If you are, don’t hesitate to check in the kitchen. You have an en-suite bathroom there with all that you may need, and only one rule to follow. Good night.”
And just like that, he closed the door.
* * *
With her body as tense as a piece of string, Lani couldn’t unwind, let alone go to bed and sleep. Tied in knots, she opted for a shower, but even the blistering heat couldn’t relax her body.
When she left the bathroom, it took some time to remind herself to remove the towel tied around her. Naked at all times, that was what she’d been instructed to do. And that order made her wonder what her uncle intended in the first place, why he had imposed the tasks upon her.
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sp; Thoughts, emotions and sensations mixed inside her in a swirl she couldn’t control. Normally, she would fight it by getting her paint brushes out and have the colors explode on the canvas, exhausting her body in a dance known only to her.
Sensing a bout of anxiety starting, Lani decided to get out of her room. She wasn’t interested in exploring, but instead, she wanted to find a way to ground herself, a peace that would allow her to dispel the tightening inside her.
Once in the dark living room, and the hearth filled with glowing embers, she saw herself reflected in the large windows, her skin pale against the darkness, her blue hair flickering as if made of glittering ice. Lani never liked seeing herself naked. There wasn’t anything wrong with her, but as she’d studied the standards of beauty throughout the ages, how women were depicted in paintings and sculptures, she’d felt she wasn’t up to par. Another thought she pushed away.
Pacing, trying to get rid of the mounting tightness, it became impossible not to see herself everywhere. The damn house was made of glass!
With the lack of light outside, all she could see was herself. Close to the window, her skin felt some of the cold coming from outside, and as she exhaled, her breath created a layer of condensation. Without thinking, her fingers started to trace patterns over the fog, and at that instant, the canvas she so desperately longed for, appeared.
Breathing over it once again, she was happy to see it stayed longer than she’d hoped, allowing her to create intricate swirls made of fog and darkness from her fingertips.
“Beautiful.”
Everything in Lani froze at the deep voice behind her. Like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar, she went to erase her foolishness.
“Stop! Don’t wipe it out.”
Langdon was nearer than she’d thought when he came to stand behind her, his warmth on her back contrasting with the coolness coming from the window on her front. So close, he prevented her from turning around.
“Continue your artwork, Lani. I want to see it finished.”
Finished? This? Lifting her fingers once more, Lani started tracing the end of a circle. Simultaneously, she felt his fingers touching her bare back. Jumping, she wanted to twist around but he held her still.
“Continue.” The command was not to be defied. Curious and feverish, she resumed her drawing as he touched her. In fact, it was more than a touch; Langdon mimicked every motif she did on the glass over the skin of her back. When she stopped, he stopped, when she changed direction, he did exactly the same.
The sensation was strange and terrifying at the same time. At first, she barely moved her hand, and then, as the game continued, her gestures became bolder, firmer, immediately followed by the man behind her. The stroke was both soothing and arousing. And what surprised her was, the more his hand traced her skin, the less she wanted him to stop.
Far from being a girl who liked being petted, she let his hands glide across her skin like a promise, one she was in control of. As she moved, her thighs squeezed together, sending more shivers all over, making her even greedier for his touch. If she had the control for now, maybe she should be bolder and test the waters.
Lifting her hand at the top of her design, Lani put her palm firmly in the middle and traced a thick line going down. Langdon didn’t disappoint and did the same in the most delicious and erotic caress.
Emboldened, Lani decided it was time to erase her fleeting fog art and placed both her hands on the glass. The patterns she created were not at all for artistic purposes this time, but for more erotic ones.
Without a single word, the silence only disturbed by their labored breaths, Lani told Langdon how she liked to be touched. In perfect control, he did as she did, sometimes scratching lightly with his nails, sometimes touching her so lightly, it was like a tingle.
When she wanted to go even lower, she realized that the window didn’t allow her to do so, and she growled.
“Do you want more, Lani?” He exhaled close to her ear and it turned her blood to fire. “Show me how you would like me to touch you.”
Leaning her back, he cradled her body into his, her sensitized skin against his shirt and pants.
“Please.” In an attempt to make him understand, she grabbed his hands to circle her waist, a silent plea for him to go further.
“Oh, no. I still have too much to learn about you, and you are going to show me it all.”
He circled his arms around her front, but grabbed her hands, covering hers with his own. That’s when she realized what he wanted her to do. It was her own hands who would caress herself, with him following.
“Show me, Lani. Show me how you would like me to touch you.”
It was wanton and decadent. It challenged her, but for some reason, she was willing to try.
Like when she was drawing on the glass, she started to move her hands over her belly. Langdon didn’t direct her, his hands remained passive over hers. Encouraged, Lani moved her hands up to cup her breasts, and if she wasn’t mistaken, his hands twitched too. Pushing herself against his body, she was met with an immovable wall of muscles, and against her ass was the definite sign of his arousal.
As she ground against his erection, Langdon hissed in her ear. “You are playing with fire and won’t win.”
“And if I want you to make me burn?”
“You don’t know what you are asking for, Lani.”
His tone told more than the words dared to, and that made her curiosity flare with even more vigor. Even if common sense returned, there was no way her body could come down on its own. She tried to fight and touch him, but as soon as Lani began to explore his body, he redirected her.
“Oh no, you don’t.” And he returned both her palms to her belly. “Show me how you want to be touched. Slide your fingers between your legs, tell me how wet you are. How much you want this.”
Lani’s hands were sliding downward before she realized it. She felt the neat strip of pubic hair before cupping the pulsing warmth of her pussy.
Part of his larger hands touched her glistening lips, and he was right, she was ripe for the taking. However, she was certain that he wouldn’t take over. It was on her to take the lead. One of her hands returned to her breast, lightly pinching her nipple as the other parted her folds and rasped against her clit.
“Look up, Lani.”
She obeyed seeing their combined reflections on the glass. It wasn’t crystal clear, the edge of her drawing was frosting slowly against the cold, but it was enough to distinguish her naked form, and see the pale skin and red lips contrasting with her blue hair. The way his arms covered her was a jolt, one that went straight to her core, making her clench hard. Lani saw him look directly at her from the glass. He licked his lips, and his pale blue eyes shone brightly with anticipation.
Langdon was waiting. Anticipating her next move and probably hoping for what was next. Her fingers gathered some of her wetness before returning to her clit. At first, she circled around, spreading her juices until her entire hand was covered. Only then did she use her palm to apply pressure. Lani wanted harder and faster, but she was ready to suffer so was the man behind her. The snowballing heat coming from him, the way his groin pushed back against her undulating hips.
His hand jerked over hers as she stimulated her bundle of nerves.
“Yes, let yourself go, Lani. Show me how you take your pleasure, how you come.”
His words spurred her pleasure. Strumming her clit as fast and as hard as she could, her knees finally buckled when her orgasm exploded in her lower belly, reverberating throughout her entire being. Crying out, Lani was blind to the world, until she realized Langdon had shifted and was now keeping her upright, his strong arms around her waist and shoulders.
His bearded cheek was rubbing against her neck as his deep voice praised her.
It was surreal, so much so that she didn’t recognize herself but was too spent to care.
Langdon shifted her in his arms and carried her to her room, laying her under the covers.
Before he left, he took her right hand and kissed her palm, after smelling and licking the taste of her fingers.
“You did good. The first task is done. Sleep now, sweet Lani.”
Strangely obeying his order, she closed her eyes and fell asleep before she could ask what the first task was.
CHAPTER FOUR
Disoriented, Lani opened her eyes to sunlight in an unknown room and it took a few blinks to remember where she was.
In the bright light reflecting on the snow, almost blinding her, it was difficult to process what had happened in only twenty-four hours. As if it was a dream or insanity.
Sliding from under the warm covers, she hurried into the bathroom. Her first intention was to splash water over her face, but the bathtub beckoned her, and she decided to stall a little.
The hot water was soothing, and it allowed her to gather her thoughts. So many things were still left unanswered, and most of them were inside that box. One thing she intended to do was to read the envelopes that had been opened. If she didn’t know the next steps, she could at least know what was in the opened ones.
Dried and steady again, Lani shivered when she opened the door to her room. She didn’t know if it was the fact that she was again buck naked or the realization of the unique situation she’d agreed to be part of, or the man she’d asked to help her.
Who was Max Langdon after all? Older than she was, with a dark side he was reluctant to show. A reluctant dominant. That must be a first. She knew nothing of that world, but she knew enough about human nature to be curious as to how far she could go.
Determined to stave off the cold, and push a few of his buttons, she tied her hair in a messy bun on top of her head and took the throw from her bed before walking out to meet her host.
Lani followed the smell of melted butter and dripping coffee to find Langdon busy in the kitchen. He was wearing another crisp white shirt, but this time with a pair of dark blue jeans. Not a hair out of place, not a wrinkle in sight, control showed in every aspect of him.