by Mia Madison
My jaw went slack again as my brain tried to string together a coherent sentence. But nope. That wasn’t happening. And all I could think about was the fact that even from across the room, I could feel his eyes on me, moving over me as surely and confidently as his hands had done when we’d danced together.
And then, somehow, even though my brain and my heart and my eyes were still scrambling to keep up, he was right there next to me, touching me again, pulling me close to him so he could whisper into my ear in that slow, sexy way that made my knees go weak and my core tremble as I felt the heat from his body pulse through mine.
“Yes,” he said, so low and deep that I could barely hear it—but with a confidence and a cockiness that let me know it was real. “All mine. Everything here.”
His fingertips ran down my back and played along the hem of my t-shirt, lifting it slightly to skim across the sensitive skin there, just above my ass. I wasn’t sure if he was talking about the house or about my body when he said it was all his, but my breath hitched in my throat and my knees would have buckled completely if he hadn’t been there holding me up.
If I wasn’t already his, I was damn sure ready to be.
But… no… what? I shook my head. What was I thinking? I didn’t even know this guy, and here I was letting myself get manhandled, my panties wet from the sound of his voice and the touch of his hands.
This wasn’t me. I was used to being in control… but those hands, and that voice, and just… everything about the man made me want to surrender, to give it all up to him, if only for a little while.
I whimpered. I couldn’t help it. His lips were at my neck, his hands were on my body, his cock pressed against me as he held me close.
“That’s right, Adéle,” he growled, gripping me even tighter. “I was meant to find you here. You were meant to be here. It was… fate.”
It sounded so good—too good, even though I wanted it to be true. But it was all so much, so fast, so intense.
“I need—I mean, I can’t, Pierre.” My breath was coming in short bursts and his hands were still on me. I couldn’t think. I needed space. “Seriously,” I said, stiffening against him and pulling away until his grip finally loosened. I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done if he’d refused to let go, if I would have really tried to make him stop. Thank God it didn’t come to that, and I didn’t have to make that decision. “I need a minute. Several minutes.”
“Of course,” he said, making sure I was steady on my feet before taking a step back. He was still close, though. I could still feel him, even though our bodies had separated. “Whatever you want, whatever you need, I’ll do it.”
“Why, though?” My brow furrowed as I faced him, finally able to string a sentence together without moaning or grinding against him. “Why are you so into me? With looks like that… and money… and a house like this, you could have anyone.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. But I don’t want anyone. I want you. And you’re here now, which can only be fate.”
“I’m here to clean,” I said, trying to talk my body out of the reaction it was having to this too-sexy, too-charming, too-rich, possibly-crazy man. “And this house is spotless, so I should probably go.”
He frowned. “I won’t stop you if you want to leave. But I need you to come back tomorrow.”
“What? Why? You’re gonna make a mess between now and then?” I rolled my eyes. “Gonna have a wild party in here?”
His frown immediately disappeared and he shook his head with a laugh. “Probably not. But maybe.” His eyes flashed again with that heat that went right to my core. “Or maybe we can have a different kind of party. Maybe the two of us—”
“If I come back tomorrow, it’ll be to clean,” I said, cutting him off.
And even though I would’ve probably dropped my panties right there and then if he’d been a little more persistent, I didn’t want him to think I was there for his entertainment. I’m not that girl.
“You can still clean. But let’s make it interesting.” After a second, he raised in inquisitive eyebrow. “Are you interested?”
“I’m listening.”
“Whatever you’re making tonight, I’ll triple it. In exchange, I get to pick out the uniform you’ll be wearing as a member of my staff.”
He said it so casually, no nonchalantly that I knew there had to be something more to the deal, something he wasn’t telling me.
“Okay…” I waited, but when he didn’t offer me any other details, I cut to the chase. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch. That’s all I’ll require.” He shrugged. “I can’t predict the future, so I don’t know what else may or may not happen, but I can assure you that I won’t ask for anything you’re not comfortable with. Just the outfit, and the rest will be up to you.”
I eyed him for a moment, silently weighing my options. I could leave right that moment and never see him again.
But no. That wasn’t really an option, was it? I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about him if I let myself do that.
I didn’t know exactly what he had in mind with his uniform, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be a pair of coveralls or an old t-shirt and jeans. And the there was the pay—three times what I’d be making to clean his already pristine house.
Only a fool would refuse it, but I’d done some foolish things, especially lately. Did I trust myself to come back here? Did I even trust him?
“I’ll be here,” I said, nodding and making the decision before I could talk myself out of it. It might be a bad idea—and he might actually be crazy—but I wouldn’t know for sure unless I saw this thing through. “Same time?”
“Same time, same place. Angelique will let you in. You can go now, though. Like you said, the place is pretty clean, and I think we’ve done enough for one night.”
I nodded, and opened my mouth to say goodbye, but he had already turned to go, and was out of sight again before I could form any of the words that were swimming around in my head.
My God, he might not be crazy, but he sure as hell knows how to make an entrance. And an exit. Why don’t I ever seem to attract the quiet, average guys?
I rolled my eyes again and snorted at my own thought as I grabbed my caddy and headed back out of the fancy room, back toward the grand entrance I’d just walked through a short time before.
I probably could’ve found a nice, quiet, average guy if I tried. I could probably think of half a dozen I could call right that moment, if I really wanted to.
As I looked back down the hallway one more time before leaving, I smiled and shook my head. No, average wasn’t my thing.
Pierre, though? Totally my thing. And there was nothing average about him.
Pierre
I knew that she was downstairs, even though I hadn’t heard her knock. Just like I’d known yesterday, when Angelique had flounced past me without speaking.
I could sense her in my house, in my space, nervous and excited and full of anticipation.
My Adéle.
Asking her to come back hadn’t been part of the plan—there hadn’t been a plan at all, in fact. But when I saw here there, when I had her in my arms, all I could think about was saying whatever it took to make sure I didn’t have to go another full day without seeing her again.
Now she was here, though, and I was the one who felt nervous. What if she disapproved of the uniform I’d left downstairs, gift-wrapped for her? What if she thought I was a jerk, or a weirdo, or worse?
What if she was getting ready to storm out the front door right this moment?
I took a deep breath and centered myself, trying to sense what, exactly, she was feeling.
Over my long lifetime, my senses had sharpened. I could see and hear things that other men couldn’t. I could move quickly, and nearly silently—and if I didn’t want to be seen, there wasn’t a man alive who could find me. I couldn’t read minds, but I’d become adept at reading emotions, and that was often just as good. Sometimes even better.
&
nbsp; With Adéle, though, there was more. I could sense her, as if she were already a part of me, even though I was certain we’d only just met. I definitely would’ve remembered if I’d crossed her path before that night at the party.
But even without really knowing her, I could tell that she was different from any other woman I’d ever met, and even though she wasn’t mine yet, I knew that she eventually would be.
I just had to make sure she was ready.
That would all wait, though. For the moment, for tonight, the only thing I could think about was actually seeing her, feeling her body against mine again.
I needed her, and I couldn’t wait any longer.
Moving down the stairs and through the house with a speed that would’ve worried most people—most mortals—I stopped myself at the bottom of the stairs, wanting the chance to watch her for just a few seconds before she knew I was there.
I rounded the corner and could hear her heart beating—could feel it, just as surely as if it were my own. She was nervous, yes, but there was more to it than that.
She wanted me, and I wanted her. She was sexy as hell, and I couldn’t hold myself back any longer.
“You came,” I said, stepping out of the shadows and into the sitting room. She turned to face me and my breath caught in my throat.
Jesus fuck. How could a woman be so beautiful?
“I didn’t know what you had in mind for my uniform,” she said, reaching down and smoothing the short black satin skirt she was wearing. “But if I would’ve known it was a French maid’s outfit, I might have reconsidered.”
I laughed. “That would’ve been a shame.” I let my eyes travel down her body. Her breasts were barely contained in the low-cut lace top, and the skirt barely covered the curve of her ass and hips. I resisted the urge to cross the room and find out for myself what else the thin fabric might be hiding. “Because you look even sexier than I imagined when I suggested the, ah… uniform.”
Her cheeks flushed—God, I never got tired of seeing that delicious shade of pink, the way it lit up her face and neck and chest—and it took every ounce of my willpower not to just compel her to strip right then and there.
It was one of the many skills I’d acquired with my gift, and I wasn’t above using it to my advantage, but not this time. I wanted this to be real. To be meaningful. I wanted her to want it.
“Well I’m here now.” She moved toward me and I struggled to keep my hands at my sides, to keep from reaching out to her and pulling her closer. “And I’m dressed the way you wanted. So… should I start cleaning? Or did you have something else in mind?”
Her lips parted after the last word, and I could see it in her eyes that she was ready.
“You know what I have in mind,” I said, moving to close the distance between us. She turned her head up to keep from breaking eye contact, and then she nibbled at her bottom lip and gave me just the hint of a smile.
“Yeah, I know.” Her voice was quiet and breathless. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you—”
It was all I needed to hear. I put my arms around her and pulled her close, leaning in to inhale her sweet scent, to taste that delicate little spot on her neck where her pulse fluttered wildly.
But it wasn’t enough. I needed to see more, to feel more of her. I reached down and started lifting her shirt, only pausing for a moment to lean back and look into her eyes.
She nodded, and it was as if she could read my thoughts. “Yes, please, now,” she said, practically moaning as she raised her arms and let me undress her.
The nearly-sheer top hadn’t allowed for a bra, but I still hadn’t been ready for the sight of her naked breasts, or for how hard and tight her nipples were already, like tiny buds standing up and waiting for my mouth.
“Just one more thing,” I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling out the black satin blindfold that I’d picked up on a whim. “Do you trust me?”
She looked at the small piece of fabric in my hands and then back to my face. “I do. Please, just… hurry.”
My mouth went dry as my fingers fumbled to put the blindfold in place. My cock was so hard it ached, and seeing her like that—naked from the waist up and blindfolded and so fucking beautiful and vulnerable—made me want to give in to all of the urges I’d felt since I’d first laid eyes on her.
Not yet, though.
For a moment, I simply stared, content just to drink in her beauty, but then she made a little whimper in the back of her throat and reached for my hand. It was almost enough to make me come undone.
I grabbed her breast roughly and kissed her, swallowing the little gasp she let out as my thumb brushed across her nipple. The little sounds—the moans and whimpers she made were like a drug to me, and I needed more.
Letting my lips trail down, past her neck again, I massaged the bud of her nipple between my thumb and finger, loving the way she tossed her head back and arched her back, giving me free access to her whole body.
It was access that I intended to take advantage of.
I moved my hand aside, only to replace it with my mouth, my tongue flicking across first one nipple, then moving to the next, lapping at them, grazing them with my teeth.
Her hands were threaded through my hair, and she pulled me closer, moaning louder as my hands moved lower, down her back and over her ass.
“Oh my God, Pierre,” she moaned. “Yes… there… like that.”
Her voice in that moment would’ve been enough to finish me, to make me come just from hearing how much she was enjoying what I was doing to her. But I wasn’t finished. I wanted to savor each second, to draw it out as long as I could before finally taking her over the edge.
I kept working over her nipples with my mouth while my hands explored the rest of her body. Her skirt had ridden up until it was nearly around her waist, and even though I couldn’t see past the beautiful breasts in front of me, I could imagine how amazing her soft, round ass looked as I massaged and squeezed and let my fingers explore.
“Does it feel good, my Adéle?” I pulled away just long enough to ask the question and brought my hands around to the front of her body, one on her thigh and one still exploring the edges of her lace panties.
She gasped again as my hand reached the front “God, yes. I want you inside me. Please.”
I smiled. She was definitely telling the truth. She was so wet she’d soaked through her panties, and I brought my fingers to my mouth for a quick taste of her sweet juices before leaning back down and showing some attention to the nipple I’d been neglecting.
She thrust her hips forward to meet my fingers as I reached down for her pussy again, but I didn’t want to get her off like that.
Well… I did want to—to get her off like that and in so many ways—but she wasn’t ready. She thought she was, but she had never been with someone like me. I wasn’t like her other boyfriends—or indeed, like any other man she was ever likely to meet.
We would have to do things slowly and carefully, and when the time came, she would have to make a frightening decision if we intended to go any further.
But not now.
For now, she could have fun, and I could bring her pleasure in other ways.
“Get ready, baby,” I took my lips away from her nipple for just a moment to murmur the words, but I couldn’t be sure she’d heard me over her own low moans and panting breaths.
I went back to work, sucking and pulling, twisting gently with my teeth until she was squirming and writhing in pleasure, even the slightest touch of my lips or teeth sending spasms through her body. I knew it wouldn’t be long now before she was ready to give herself over completely to her climax, and I couldn’t help but slip my hand inside her panties.
She might not be ready for me, but fuck, I was ready for her.
I gently parted her sweet folds with my fingers, barely allowing them to dip inside as I parted them and found her hard little clit, pulsing and waiting for me.
“Oh fuck, Pierre—” Sh
e practically screamed my name as her whole body convulsed.
I stroked her clit as I sucked on her nipple, using my free hand to reach up and pinch and twist the other one.
Her breath was coming in short, ragged bursts, her chest was heaving, her hips were thrusting. I knew that it had to be sensory overload for her, and I knew it wouldn’t be long now.
And then her whole body went stiff for just a moment before she bucked wildly under my hands and my mouth, her orgasm tearing through her with a force that would have left her crumpled on the floor if I hadn’t quickly put my arms around her.
She melted against me, still trying to catch her breath. It wasn’t until I stood her up straight again that her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me like she was seeing me for the very first time, just like she’d looked at me that night at the party.
Beautiful.
Magnificent.
Sexy.
“My sweet Adéle,” I whispered, smiling down at her. “You were amazing. Seeing you come was… exquisite.”
She blushed, the dusty pink color spreading down her chest even as she brought her hands up to cover herself. “Thank you for… all of that.” She swallowed hard. “I should probably, um, go now.”
I reached out and stroked her cheek before leaning in and planting a kiss on her forehead. “Go, beautiful,” I nodded. “Angelique will be back soon, and I don’t want her seeing you like this. But I do want to see you again soon. You won’t deprive me of that, will you?”
She shook her head, and my smile widened. “I want to come back again,” she said. “Soon.”
I bent down to retrieve her discarded top and helped her back into it before sending her on her way. Once she was out the door and into a cab, I leaned against the door frame for several long minutes, wondering for the first time if I really was ready for… everything.
I truly believed that meeting Adéle had been my fate, my destiny. But I wanted her to love me, and I knew she wasn’t there yet. How could she be? I’d known her for less than a week, and even though my heart already knew she was the one I’d waited a lifetime for, I also knew that mortal hearts didn’t work that way. To her, I was probably just a rebound, just a little fun while she got over the asshole who’d just dumped her.