At that moment, Peter spotted her and a genuine smile beamed out. He turned toward her and held out his hand. Not sure whether it was the right etiquette to kiss her boss, she opted for a lingering handshake and a gaze into his eyes.
“Katie, hi. I'm so glad we could do this. Do you have a favourite place to eat? Or are you not bothered?”
Katie smiled.
“Well, I love the restaurant I was at the other night actually. I don't think I really made the most of it,” she added with a little smile. Their eyes locked for a split second.
“Great, let’s go shall we.....or would you like a drink first?” said Peter, taking her arm and leading her gently towards the entrance.
“No, let’s go straight to the restaurant, we can have a drink there.”
As they left the hotel and went out into the still warm sunshine, Katie could not help but feel great. Despite her agonizing, the thought of a good night out with someone for whom she felt a genuine warmth thrilled her to the core, and she realised that any doubts that may be lingering were slowly slipping away.
As they walked, together but apart, Peter talked about childhood holidays in the south of France. His parents had not been wealthy, but they had inherited a small villa in the foothills towards Grasse and they had come down as a family (with his older sister) at least once a year. He talked animatedly about these visits and marvelled at the changes the town of Cannes had undergone in the last twenty five years. Katie could not believe how similar his childhood had been to hers and she said as much as they relived holiday memories with each other.
They reached the restaurant and descended down the stairs that Katie had walked but a few days ago. So much had happened (or so little depending on how you looked at it) in those days, it felt like a different world to Katie. The Maitre D’ welcomed them warmly, and Katie wondered if he was used to seeing Peter arrive with different women on his arm. She shrugged off these insecure feelings and followed Peter to the table.
“Do you know what I thought when I first saw you in here the other night?” Peter suddenly asked as they sat down.
Katie was taken aback by the question – not only for its directness but by its obvious intimacy, unless he was about to ask her a work question which didn't seem likely. She stared at him but could only see genuineness in his face.
“I couldn't possibly say,” she answered diplomatically. Peter stared back at her and Katie could feel her stomach do a flip. How annoying was that? She thought. Why had this man got such a hold over her?
At that moment, the waiter arrived with a bottle of champagne and an ice bucket and the immediate spell was broken. Peter turned to the man, thanked him and then watched the cork being skilfully removed and the drink poured. The silence was broken by the hum of the background voices and the soft sound of the waves lapping gently onto the beach.
“You were saying?” Katie said gently.
“What? Oh yes. Anyway, what's on the agenda for your meeting tomorrow? I'm seeing the managing director for lunch but I want to try and add some value if I can.” Peter responded.
Katie was a bit taken aback by the sudden reversal back into work mode. The last thing she wanted to be reminded of was the fact that this trip really was for work and actually she was only having dinner with the boss of her company.
“Well, I'm due to meet the project team at ten and we're going to run through all the implementation timelines and resource allocations. David will be joining us, but he couldn't make it tonight.”
“OK, well I'll sit in and see if I can add anything. I'm sure you've got it all wrapped up though.” Peter said and he handed her a glass full of bubbling liquid.
“Cheers. Here's to a successful deal”
“Cheers,” replied Katie. She was disappointed and wanted to steer the conversation back to the intimacy of the earlier walk to the restaurant.
“Shall I tell you what I thought when I first saw you?” she said.
Peter paused and replied.
“That would be interesting.”
“God.” Katie said.
“God, what?”
“No, no what, just God,” said Katie and then burst out laughing. Peter smiled back and the two clinked glasses again.
“I knew who you were of course, so it was good to have a bit of a surreptitious gawp. And then someone rang from the office and I told them where I was and he told me to watch out for you - that you were a terrible womaniser and I should not get involved. I told him that we were only in the same restaurant and not fornicating on the tables. At least not yet.....”
Katie's voice tailed off and they stared at each other. Katie could feel the start of another raging torrent inside and she knew at that moment Peter felt the same.
“Yes, quite,” said Peter slowly. “Mind you, I don't think I like being called a womaniser by my staff. It’s degrading and definitely not respectful. Human resources would have something to say I’m sure.” Peter smiled at Katie. “Let’s choose what to eat”.
Silence ensued as they both looked at the menus on the table in front of them. Katie found it hard to concentrate and stole a look up at Peter, at exactly the same moment he looked up at her. Both laughed in a slightly embarrassed way and resumed their choosing.
After the waiter had disappeared into the back with their order, Katie sat back.
“I just love this place.....the smell, the feel, the food, the drink…..and sometimes the company,” she said.
“I hope that last comment includes me. Look Katie, I know this is awkward…..for you probably more than me. But let me say that this can be whatever you want it to be. I'm not on an agenda, whatever people may say.”
At that moment, Katie believed him and, feeling it was time for some straight talking, said.
“You probably won't believe this but I'm a pretty ordered person who enjoys her job, sees her friends, loves her family and has ambitions on several fronts. The last week has pretty much turned all that upside down and the scary thing for me is that I don't really understand why. I mean, god, of course I'm attracted to you…..but then at risk of inflating your ego too much, probably half the women in this restaurant feel the same. That meeting the other day in work.....I mean, I behaved like a total idiot and everybody noticed and then I had to lie about coming to see you…..say that you had asked me to come to you…..I mean it’s just not real.”
The words poured out of her mouth and she realised her voice was rising. She looked round and reduced it to a whisper.
“I'm just not the kind of girl who lets men get the better of her.”
Peter looked on with the now familiar look of amusement.
“So can I tell you now?” he said.
“Tell me what?”
“What I felt when I first saw you.”
“Well, yes but only if it’s unbelievably nice.”
“I thought that you were possibly the most gorgeous girl I had ever clapped eyes on.”
“Mmmn. Bearing in mind the women who hang around your coat tails, I find that hard to believe,” retorted Katie sceptically.
“You don't understand. Not only are you gorgeous, you give off this aura of.....I don't know quite how to explain it. This aura that says you're fun, dependable, happy, independent, confident. God, I could go on. It’s the combination of those things that make you utterly amazing - not just the appearance.”
Peter paused, as if thinking hard about what he was going to say next.
“Look, you say I must have women falling at my feet. Well, I suppose they do, but those women are all of a similar type. They’ve all got trust funds and seem to spend their entire time chasing men like me. You are totally different and happen to be as amazing looking as any of them at the same time. It’s an irresistible proposition…..at least to me it is.”
Katie could feel the happiness bubble up inside of her. OK, he may be over egging it a bit but this situation was what she had probably dreamed about…..what all girls dream about and she was determined n
ot to let the doubting devil take that feeling away.
“Oh Peter…..you say all the right things,” she said with a purposeful note of sarcasm in her voice. As she spoke she smiled to show that she was not really serious.
The rest of the meal seemed to go in a flash. They chatted openly and Katie felt as if she was seeing a side of Peter that not many people ever saw. Apart from the holiday thing, they found they had a lot more in common and their grandparents had come from the same village in Sussex. The food and drink had perfectly complimented the general mood of the evening as dessert gave way to a slow stroll back to the hotel.
As Peter ushered Katie through the entrance, her heart started beating wildly in her chest. She knew now that all doubt in her mind had been eradicated and more than ever she did not want the evening to end at the lifts. Her only worry now was whether or not the feeling was mutual.
“Do you fancy a drink?” asked Peter, nodding towards the bar.
“Well, no, if you don't mind,” replied Katie. “I think I should go upstairs now.” With you if possible, she thought.
Peter nodded, and to Katie’s excitement and relief, they headed towards the lift together. Once in, Peter pushed the button for his floor and turned to face Katie. The invitation in his eyes was obvious and Katie felt her head nod up and down slowly. As the lift started up, he stood in front of her and their eyes locked. He reached out his hand as the doors opened and she took it, revelling in its smoothness and warmth.
Together they walked to his suite, the same one as before, and through the door.
“I've got a distinct feeling of déjà vu,” said Katie in a low voice as she walked boldly into the main body of the room. She turned to face Peter and dropped her bag on the nearby chair. With two strides he was next to her and slowly reached out to gently brush her bare forearms with his fingertips. A shiver ran through her and, despite the relative warmth of the room, the hairs on the back of her arm rose. He trailed his fingers up to her shoulder and then followed with the other hand until both were either side of her face. He gently cupped her head, running his fingers into her hair. Their eyes were locked as he slowly lowered his lips down onto hers. The first kiss was merely a little introduction, a greeting, giving way to a second and a third that yielded more pressure and urgency. Katie felt Peter's hands gently caress her cheeks and then move back into her hair, his fingers brushing through and gently rubbing her head. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw that his were closed, her hands moving around behind him to pull his body into hers. He stood away and their eyes opened, starring deeply into the others. He smiled and then his lips moved down once more onto hers, the lips pressing with more urgency and then the tip of his tongue, quivering with anticipation, gently made its introduction. She opened her mouth a little to accommodate its journey and slowly moved her tongue towards his. The tips met and danced around each other, still tentative, still shy until confidence and passion overcame everything and their lips crushed together.
Katie felt as if her body was on fire, the now familiar ache moving from her stomach to between her legs as her insides started to ebb and flow. She reached up and pulled his head down hungrily, their tongues moving around each other with more and more energy. She heard a low moan issue from her throat and thrust her pelvis forward to meet his pushing torso. God, this was sublime, she thought. She had never felt like this and now realised what true passion was - something that could too easily consume everything about you.
She felt him move back and reach for her hand. He pulled her towards the bed in the middle of the room, kicking off his shoes as he pulled her round, his hands reaching for the shoulders of her dress as he gently pulled them down her arms. As he did so, he traced the revealing flesh with his lips, starting on her neck and then moving down over her collarbone and then down into her cleavage.
She pushed his head down and felt his lips follow the path of the dress as it slid down her body. He lingered on her tummy button, pressing his nose and then tip of his tongue into the little nub of flesh. He gently tugged on the dress to get it over her hips and it slid to the ground around her feet. His head moved agonisingly down until his lips were level with her pubis. He moved his lips closer and she could feel his warm breath against the tops of her inner thighs. Her hands entwined into his hair as she tried to push his face closer, to make contact to that part of her body that now seemed to be on fire. Her breath became shallower and another moan escaped her lips. She felt resistance and Peter slowly moved his head back up her body, gently kissing and licking her skin. He paused on the swell of her breasts, touching the exposed parts fleetingly with his lips.
“You smell just perfect,” he murmured as he stood once again in front of her.
Looking deep into her eyes, his hands reached around to unclasp her bra. Now, released from their confines, her breasts leapt free and she could feel her nipples harden as his fingers reached under the cups to find them. She gasped as he gently pinched the growing buds between the tips of his fingers, sharp stabs of desire running down her stomach to her pussy. She reached down and pulled her bra off, pushing him away to step away from her dress. She threw her bra onto the bed and turned to face him, standing before him in just her lace panties, her chest heaving up and down as she fought to keep this raging inferno in check. He reached out again for her, but she smiled and started to undo his shirt, pushing it open to reveal the broad chest. She ran her hands over it and lowered her mouth towards one of his nipples. This time it was him who groaned as she teased one of the little tips between her lips, her hands reaching round to cup his buttocks and gently pull his lower body towards her.
He pulled off his shirt and undid his trousers, pulling the zip down and letting them drop to the floor. She couldn't help but look down and saw his cock straining to be released from his shorts. She let out a little giggle and moved to grab it, at the same time lifting her head again to kiss. Their mouths met hungrily and she moved her hand up and down his straining manhood as his hands crushed her bottom to him.
They collapsed onto the bed, with her underneath and him pinning her body onto the freshly turned down sheets. His hand slipped into her panties and she felt him reach out for her pussy. A fresh wave of desire swept through her as she felt her legs open to give him easier entry to the volcano raging inside her. His head dipped to her breast and nipples once more as his finger danced teasingly around her clitoris. She knew she was soaking wet with desire and with her other hand she urged him to penetrate further with his fingers. He pushed two into her and she could already feel the first wave of orgasm stir inside her.
She rolled over and rose above him. Still kissing, she reached down to free his cock from the cotton confines. It sprang up and she revelled in its hardness and warmth. She turned to look at it, at the same time sliding her body down so that her head was level with this wonderful organ. She looked up to see his eyes closed and, in one swift motion, she lowered her mouth over the throbbing head. She had never felt more empowered sexually than she did at this precise moment and, now more than ever, she wanted to totally possess this man, and for him to possess her as strongly as possible. She wanted to do everything with him and, as she swirled her tongue around the head and up and down the shaft, she knew that she would soon have to have this lovely hot tool inside her. She watched his face as his eyes closed and a louder groan emanated from his mouth. She engulfed the head once more and speeded up her tongue as it swept from side to side. His hands pushed through her hair as his hips pushed up in response to her actions.
All sense of time and place seemed to melt away as their love making continued. Katie felt disconnected with the outside world, her total being concentrated in this room, on this bed, with this particular person.
She fell on her back and urged him over on top of her.
Peter smiled. “Oh, no. You are just going to have to wait I’m afraid.”
Katie had a moment of panic. Was he going to leave her? Like this?
She felt both his
hands gently grasp either side of her panties and slowly, ever so slowly, pull them down and over her hips. As he did so, his lips followed a tantalising path across her stomach, and down, pausing at the point where her pubic hair started. Katie moaned and raised her hips slightly to urge him on. She opened her eyes and looked at him as he kissed the top of her pubis, moving onto to her inner thighs as he bypassed her pussy with a deliberateness designed to drive her mad. His tongue lapped at her soft skin before his breath blew gently over the same area, creating a wonderful tingling sensation. Then he positioned his mouth directly over her labia and clitoris and she felt his warm breath on her swollen parts. After what seemed like an age, she felt the tip of his tongue flick her swollen clitoris and she jerked as if a sudden jolt of electricity had passed through her. All her feelings and sensations were centred on the little nub of pleasure and, as his tongue pressed down, she surrendered to the best orgasm she had ever had in her entire life.
The Lethal Encounter Page 9