La Brat

by Ashe Barker

  Eugenie inclined her head, warming instantly. Farah was a woman she could respect. She knew instinctively that this was no highly strung, nervous bride. Farah had nothing to prove, no one she needed to impress except herself. There would be no histrionics, no hissy fits over flowers or invitation cards. Farah’s requirements would be made known and that would be all that was needed. Eugenie would deliver.

  “Of course. I and the rest of our team here are entirely at your disposal. I am sure we can address all your questions.” She wanted to exude openness, willingness and absolute confidence in the quality of the hotel.

  Farah smiled, her expression softening, warming. “Yes, I am sure. Thank you for the water. Could we go to our suite now to freshen up properly?”

  “Of course. I’ll have the drinks brought up too.”

  Another discreet hand gesture from Eugenie, and the waiter scooped up the glasses and half-empty bottle, stepping back to allow Eugenie to lead the little party to the lift.

  She was gratified that the housekeeping staff had missed nothing. The honeymoon suite was presented beautifully, fresh flowers, champagne chilling, soft music greeting their entry. The couple’s bags were already in the suite, and Eugenie offered them a maid to unpack for them.

  “Thank you. That would be very welcome. Do we have time to shower, and I know my fiancé was hoping to make a few calls before we see the main function rooms?”

  “By all means. I will leave you to rest. Please let me know when you are ready to look around our facilities. Is there anything else you need at this time?”

  “No, we are fine, I think. Luc?”

  Lucas had shucked out of his jacket and sprawled on the king-size bed, already flicking through channels on the wall-mounted plasma screen. He found Eurosport and seemed content. “Just some coffee, please. And some of those little pastry things they do here, if you have any?”

  “I am sure we can find some for you, sir. I’ll have a tray sent up. When you are ready, you can contact me through reception or on my mobile.” Eugenie slipped her business card from her jacket pocket and placed it on the bedside table. With a smile and a slight bow, she left the room.

  So far so good.

  * * * *

  The rest of the visit passed in a blur of seamless efficiency. Eugenie had laid her plans with meticulous precision, while somehow managing to allow for the couple to view the facilities at their pace. They lingered over the menus, debated the choice of vintage champagnes, visualized their guests arranged around the banqueting suite and contemplated the configuration of the master ballroom to accommodate the ceremony. Eugenie knew this was the crucial phase. Just like selling them a house, they needed to be able to see themselves there. They had to be able to imagine their wedding in this setting, and that scenario had to be the one they wanted above all the others on offer.

  Eugenie was everywhere, never pushy, never overselling. Totally Five Star sold itself. All she did was show it off.

  Although completely focused on the couple she needed to impress and convince, Eugenie was aware of Aaron’s stamp everywhere. His security operatives served food and polished tables, they swept leaves and carried bags alongside the regular staff, their vigilance ensuring that nothing could go wrong. The couple’s own security was very noticeable, surrounding the celebrity couple with their personal guards. Aaron’s intensified security was discreet but pervaded the whole hotel.

  Eugenie would glance up from some conversation with Farah to spot Aaron issuing instructions, talking to someone on his mobile, his expression intent. As far as she was aware, he was never in direct contact with Lucas and Farah, but he was in constant communication with their entourage. He gave off an air of calm certainty, utter control. She could not help thinking that his decision to make a career change must have been a great loss to the Northumbria constabulary.

  * * * *

  At last, the visit was drawing to a close. Farah and Lucas were in reception, their bags already loaded into the hotel limousine purring outside the main entrance, poised to whisk the couple to Charles de Gaulle Airport on their way to Dubai.

  “I hope you have enjoyed your stay and found it helpful.” Eugenie stepped forward, her hand outstretched. This time it was Farah she addressed. She had been spot on in her assessment of who would make this decision and knew whom she needed to convince. In response, Farah took her hand, but moved in to give her a quick hug.

  “It has been wonderful. Your hotel is even more beautiful than I remembered and the service quite divine. We are very impressed, are we not, Luc?”

  “Oh yes, babe. It’s been great.”

  Farah shook her head in mock exasperation, her grin for Eugenie entirely conspiratorial. “Men. They know nothing. Thank you, Mademoiselle d’André. You have looked after us very well.”

  “Eugenie, please. And if there is anything else you need to know, you have my number. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.”

  “Thank you, but I think we have seen all we need to. We will be in touch. Au revoir.”

  Eugenie heaved a sigh of relief as Monsieur Dubain closed the limo door. She raised a hand in final salute to Farah as the vehicle pulled away.

  “Well done, Genie.” The words were murmured into her ear, Aaron’s voice soft as he moved in behind her. She had not heard him approach, though in reality, she’d known he had never been far away.

  She turned, feeling exhausted but content. “It went well, I think.”

  “Oh, yes. You played a blinder, love. Elise wants a word.”

  “Elise? Oh, right.” Eugenie would have preferred a few minutes at least to prepare her debrief, but if the general manager wanted a report now, she could deal with that. She fell into step beside Aaron as they made their way across the reception area and into the executive management suite. The door to Elise’s office stood open.

  They went inside to find Elise and the rest of the senior staff already assembled. The manager got to her feet, her expression one of pure delight.

  “Excellent work—both of you. The feedback has been entirely positive.”

  “Thank you. The visit went as planned. We managed to show them everything we wanted them to see, and I think we got our message across.”

  “I’m sure you did. Was there any indication when they would make their final decision?”

  “Farah said it would be soon. I don’t think they have any more venues to look at now.”

  “Well, we’ve done all we can. I could not have asked for a better presentation. Time for a little celebration, I think.” Moments later, she produced a bottle of champagne and nine glasses. Elise invited Aaron to pop the cork then proceeded to pour everyone a drink. Standing, they toasted the hotel, then Eugenie, then Aaron.

  Eugenie almost missed the brief vibration in her pocket, signaling that she had received a text. Juggling her champagne, she extricated her phone and turned it on—and gaped at the brief message it displayed.

  The room hummed around her, the cheerful babble of her excited colleagues fading as she reread the text.”

  “Genie?” Aaron took her glass from between her fingers and placed it on the meeting table. He tipped her chin up with his fingers, a gesture once so familiar. “Are you okay?”

  She stared at him, still clutching the phone.

  “Genie?”

  “We got it.”

  She’d whispered her reply, but he heard and understood immediately.

  “Yes? Yes!”

  Eugenie nodded, handing him the phone. He glanced down at it.

  We will be getting married at TFS Paris. I wanted you to know straightaway. Will be in touch soon to sort out the formalities. Thank you so much. Farah.

  Eugenie was aware of the cheers as the room erupted around her, the backslapping, the clink of glasses as more champagne was poured, even more sent for. Aaron seized her in a bear hug, lifting her from her feet to swing her around. He kissed her, but before she had time to register his kiss, she was
grabbed and passed around the rest of the team for similar treatment. She was numb, overwhelmed and quite exhausted. But it had been worth it.

  She’d done it. She’d actually bloody done it. Now all she had to do was carry off the main event.

  Bring. It. On.

  Chapter Ten

  The wedding was to take place in six weeks’ time. Aaron ran his fingers through his thick hair, contemplating all he still had to do to ensure the ceremony went off without a hitch. It would be tight, but he’d do it. He had to. It was that simple.

  The click of the office door along the corridor signaled that Eugenie was in her office, just a wall separating them. If only that was all.

  Not for the first time, he wondered what the fuck he’d been thinking of. That first day at the garden restaurant, she’d pretty much begged him to top her again. And he’d turned her down. Why? What the fuck was that about?

  In the brief time they’d worked together—had it really only been three weeks—he’d had plenty of opportunity to observe his little Eugenie, and to recall in perfect detail all the reasons he’d been attracted to her in the past.

  She was beautiful, the loveliest sub he’d ever played with. But he’d always known that. She’d also been complex and difficult, and he guessed she still would be. That was part of her allure. What might once have been brattishness, or mistaken for it, he now saw as discernment, the challenge presented by an intelligent submissive. Her obedience, and her submission, must be earned. Perhaps he’d expected more from her than he’d merited back then. Without doubt, he’d underestimated her, hadn’t treated her with the respect she now commanded.

  She was popular, had quickly established herself here. Elise was proud of her protégé, and rightly so. Eugenie’s coup in winning the Belanger-Ajram wedding had cemented her position in the management team, and Aaron was delighted for her. Despite Eugenie’s insistence that he had helped, he knew that essentially she was the architect of this success. He’d been the supporting act, no more.

  They would be working together closely for the next few weeks as they prepared for the massive event. His cock twitched as he considered Eugenie’s proximity, even as he told himself—again—that theirs was a business relationship. Nothing more. He’d said so, hadn’t he? And she’d accepted that.

  In any case, she’d made it clear where her priorities lay. She was devoting all her energies to her blossoming career from now on. Even if she did feel the occasional urge to be spanked, she would suppress it.

  Which, he reflected, was not a good idea. Although not his preferred outlet, he had it on good authority that there was nothing quite like a decent spanking to provide focus and drive, to release tension and unlock inner creativity. Eugenie had found pain play helpful in releasing stress in the past, maybe he should offer?

  Not that she appeared in the least stressed. She was in her element, on top of her job and clearly loving every minute of it. She’d fit in here and had made the role her own.

  Footsteps in the corridor and a soft tap on his door heralded her arrival in his little domain. He called out to her to come in.

  Christ, she was gorgeous. And that fragrance? Was it her or her perfume? A heady blend of fruits and soft floral undertones wafted across the room as she entered and took a seat opposite him. Her smile was artless, friendly. His cock swelled and hardened, and he was glad of his desk screening him from her view.

  “Good morning. Are you busy?”

  “No more than usual. What can I do for you, Genie?”

  “I wanted to discuss the guest list for the wedding. It came through by email first thing. We need to identify any potential problems. I have a printout here and I was wondering if you had time for a coffee while we look it over?”

  He held out his hand for the sheaf of papers. “I’ll get someone to bring us a tray up.”

  “Couldn’t we go out? Into the garden, I mean. It’s a beautiful day and I just thought—”

  “Not a good idea, Genie.” He thought of his rampant erection, which would be obvious not only to her but to every guest and member of staff they encountered in the hotel. This was not the look he normally sought to cultivate in his professional setting.

  “I’m sorry. I should not have suggested it. I will leave you the list and…” She made to stand, her expression embarrassed. And sad.

  Aaron groaned inwardly. He’d given her entirely the wrong impression

  “Please, don’t go. That’s not what I meant.” Far from it.

  “Oh? I thought I was disturbing you.”

  “You are, but not in a bad way.”

  Her face betrayed her confusion.

  Aaron smiled at her. “You always did make a powerful impact on me. You’re every bit as sexy as ever, Genie, and right now, imagining what I’d like to do with you and to you has given me a hard-on that would outrage half our guests and probably get me sacked. If you don’t mind, it’s probably best if I stay here for a while.”

  “I… Oh.”

  Her face reddened, but he spotted the little self-satisfied smirk, too. Still the bratty sub, but now he found he loved that quality about her.

  “Aaron, Sir, I could… I mean, if you like…”

  Sir? Now this is interesting.

  “Are you offering to deal with my boner for me, Genie?”

  “I am, Sir. If you would find that helpful.”

  Christ! “A delightful notion. And what about you? What would you like?”

  “Anything, Sir. Or nothing. I would enjoy pleasing you, but I know that we are no longer…”

  He watched in silence as her blush deepened. She really was the sexiest little piece. His cock threatened to burst from his trousers any moment now as he struggled to recall what his objections had been when she’d suggested resurrecting their previous relationship.

  His mind was a blank. The only image he could conjure up was of Genie naked at his feet. He thanked the Lord for the security requirements, which meant that his was the only executive office with a lock on the door. A word from him, just one command, and she’d strip for him before dropping to her knees.

  Then what? He’d fuck her, possibly offer her a spanking, if she wanted it. They’d have fun, then she’d go back to her office and he’d study the wedding guest list. They’d be colleagues once more, workmates who enjoyed an occasional kinky fuck. In work time no less.

  So much for her ambitious plans of building a glittering career for herself. He could ruin that for her, annihilate her newfound professional self-image with just a few words and some well-aimed slaps on her delicious derrière. He couldn’t do it. Wouldn’t do it.

  Aaron shook his head. It was a tempting prospect, but business was business for both of them. And if he ever let this attraction grow, become more than a quick scene behind the filing cabinet, what would that lead to? What might she expect? What would she be entitled to expect?

  He’d been so sure they were over, so convinced their relationship was dead. He was not a Dom to be led by his cock, never had been. And whatever sort of sub Eugenie had been in the past—and now he was by no means certain he had understood her at all—she had matured into a beautiful, graceful woman, a woman to be treasured. She would be a submissive to savor, to take time over, her responses to be teased from her, drawn out by his touch, his words, the pain and the pleasure he could deliver.

  As he regarded her across his desk, he knew he wanted that. He wanted her. Still. He had yet to convince himself of the wisdom of going back down that route, but in a flash of self-awareness, he knew that was only a matter of time.

  “Not now, Genie. And not here. But soon.”

  “I see. Does this mean we are—I mean, have you changed your mind?”

  “We need to talk. Again.”

  “Very well, Sir. This evening then?”

  Aaron inclined his head. “Meet me in the library, say about eight? We should have it to ourselves by that time.”

  “I could come to your apartment, Sir. Would that not be
better? My studio is very small.”

  “Neutral territory, I think. The library, and dinner later. I’ll book us a table somewhere. Now, though, I have to review this list and you need to leave.”

  “Leave, Sir?”

  “Yes, leave. Before anyone else comes in and I embarrass myself entirely.” He shifted in his seat, attempting to rearrange his trousers to relieve the pressure. His attempts elicited a smile from Eugenie.

  “I understand. My apologies, Sir. I will be next door if you require anything.” She stood and made for the door. He was convinced the seductive sway of her hips as she left the room was affected just for his benefit.

  It worked.

  * * * *

  “Nine o’clock. A table for two, please. Yes, charge it to my staff account. Aaron Praed. Thanks.”

  Aaron replaced the receiver and leaned back in his chair. His erection was somewhat subdued now, though he had no doubt Madamoiselle d’André would be able to rekindle it with one lick of her delectable lips. Christ, how had he managed without her for three years? For three minutes, even?

  A more appropriate question would be, why?

  Because she challenged him, unsettled him. Made him doubt himself, question his prowess as a Dom. The bottom line was—she baffled him.

  Aaron closed his eyes, thought back to that day three years ago when he’d provoked her into losing her temper with him to such devastating effect. At the time, he’d been angry, but that soon passed to leave in its wake pure mystification. He had no idea what had made her lose it and turn on him. He had not been unduly harsh with her, and although he had never caned her previously, she’d had no reason that he could think of to believe he’d go too far. He’d punished her before that—frequently—and she had always walked away unharmed. Why her reaction on that day?

  When she first brought up the subject of their past, he had urged her to let it go, to put it behind her. Now he knew they couldn’t leave it at that. If they were to have any future together, or more specifically, if they were to resurrect their Dom/sub relationship, he had to understand her. He needed her to feel able to tell him what had caused her to snap, though he had a strong suspicion she wouldn’t know the answer if he asked her.