Megan was still awaiting her response.
She nodded. "You're right. I should look and learn from Lucas while I have the chance."
Megan grinned. "You see, all you needed was the right attitude."
Naomi smiled, suddenly sure. "I can do attitude."
Chapter Four
Lucas stared out at the Edinburgh skyline as he ran through details for the week over the phone with Diane, his PA in London. The suite he'd obtained was at the rear of the hotel and it had a fantastic view across the rooftops. It was reminiscent of Florence, the way the varying rooftops appeared to be stacked against each other on the hillside of Edinburgh's Royal Mile.
He'd been to the city once before, on a business conference. There hadn't been time to notice the things he was seeing now. Or was it his current situation that was opening his eyes? Naomi had impacted his life in more ways than one.
It went way beyond the physical relationship they shared. He'd started noticing things he hadn't noticed a long time. She was changing him, making him work harder. He liked that. Staying in Edinburgh and working from there was something he never would've considered before, but it was the obvious way to be near her, so it had to be.
The hotel had surpassed his expectations. He was set up with everything he needed in the dining area of a good suite within a couple of hours. He ordered a high spec laptop from a nearby computer store and it was delivered and set up by lunch time. He was logged into the Eaglestone Agency network by one, ready for his ongoing appointments. He couldn't wish for better than that – especially when he had Naomi less than a five minute walk away.
"Oh, before I forget," Diane said at the other end of the line, "Georgio's back in the office. His father will be out of hospital by Thursday. He has to organize someone to watch over him for a week or so, but once that's done he's back on duty."
Lucas turned his chair to face the table and checked out his computer screen. His diary was open, alongside Georgio's. "That's great news. When you get a moment I need you to request Georgio reschedule the appointment he missed on Friday afternoon."
"The one with the young lady designer from Scotland?"
"That's the one. It's important she sees Georgio as soon as possible, and I don't want him to know I've had a prior discussion with her. It would…complicate matters."
"Yes, of course." She tapped notes into the keyboard. "I'll speak to him and I'll post a reminder on his calendar now."
"Can you urge him to fit her in early next week, preferably Monday?"
That was an entirely selfish request. He would have to return to London to spend the weekend with his son, Toby, on Friday. If Naomi had to be in London to meet Georgio on Monday, he would get to see her that evening. The thought of being without her over the weekend made him feel restless and edgy. He wanted her near him — he would change the world if he could to make things right, to make things perfect. However, he recognized life didn't work that way. He just had to work his damn hardest to get as close to perfection as possible.
"Ms. Naomi Kildare from Edinburgh, yes? The young lady you asked me to hold calls back for."
Lucas smiled. Diane knew he was in Edinburgh for the week. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened. Luckily he knew Diane well enough to realize she was savoring it for herself, rather than leaping off the ramparts to share the potential gossip with everyone. That's why she'd been his PA for a number of years.
"Yes, and I know I can trust your discretion on the matter. It's important to the client she has an honest face-to-face with Georgio as if she hadn't met me, which we must respect."
"Got it, will do."
Lucas listed a few other tasks he wanted her to take care of, and was surprised to find she'd already rescheduled some of his obligations. She'd also asked another member of the team to represent him at a meeting with a major retailer on their list.
"I appreciate what you've done."
"It's what I'm here for." She paused. "Lucas, I know you don't drop everything at short notice if it's not important. You have people who care enough to keep things ticking over. We'll cope."
"I'm impressed."
"Ah, one thing. I haven't rearranged your face-to-face time with Ethan this afternoon…some things are beyond the call of duty."
Lucas laughed. "Good move."
Ethan Burch was one client who wouldn't deal with anyone but Lucas. He wouldn't even speak to an admin person. Ethan was a recluse, a brilliant software designer with a people phobia. It was a long standing joke at the Agency no one would deal with Ethan except Lucas, when in reality it was Ethan who wouldn't deal with other people.
Once his business with Diane was complete, Lucas rang Naomi.
"Well, hello, Mr. Eaglestone. How are you finding Edinburgh?"
She sounded even sexier over the phone, he noticed. "Lonely, without you."
"Tut-tut, you should be thinking about business during business hours."
"Are you only thinking about business?"
"Totally." She chuckled.
Listening to her made him want to hold her. "Why don't we get dinner here at the hotel this evening?"
"That sounds lovely."
"I thought we might do the Edinburgh ghost walk," he added, shuffling through the tourist leaflets the hotel receptionist had foisted on him. He was only half serious. He wanted a reaction, a sign she wanted him.
"Really?" She sounded surprised.
"We did the tourist thing in London. It's only fair we do it here too."
She laughed. "I'll head your way as soon as we shut the shop at five thirty."
"That sounds good. I have a Skype meet but I should be done by the time you get here."
"We can discuss the allure of the Edinburgh Ghost Walk when I get there," she said teasingly.
Lucas smiled. "Something about your tone makes me think you've done the Edinburgh Ghost Walk before."
"If you want to do the Ghost Walk, we'll do it."
He wasn't thinking about ghosts at all. He was thinking about one truly flesh and blood woman. "I'm willing to negotiate the evening's events."
"Negotiations, ay?" There was a decadent purr in her voice. "I can hardly wait."
"I'm in the Paisley Suite, fourth floor. When you get here come right up, the door will be open."
* * * *
As it happened his Skype meet with Ethan was done and as the clock ticked toward six he was on another call. There was a quiet tap at the door, it opened and Naomi entered the room.
Lucas waved her in and pointed at the phone.
He'd wind it up as soon as he could but Charles, the man at the other end of the line, was a buyer he couldn't afford to ignore. Nevertheless, his attention drifted from their conversation as Naomi crossed the room.
The sight of her approaching reminded him of when they first met, except so much had happened in between. She sashayed across the room — curvy, sophisticated and beautiful. His pleasure at seeing her quickly turned carnal. His cock hardened and his mind filled with possessive urges. Physical memories fuelled the need to be joined with her again. It was like a state of extreme perfection, a drug only she could supply. It struck him then that only four days had gone by and yet he felt more attuned to her than he'd ever felt attuned to another human being.
He hadn't heard the last couple of things Charles had said to him. "Charles, can I ask you to hold a moment?"
"Sure."
Lucas put his finger over the microphone and nodded at a chair. "Take a seat."
"Am I interrupting?"
"It wouldn't matter if you were. I'm glad you're here"
"You know how to make a girl feel special."
"I do my best."
Lucas tried to control his more primal urges. He held her gaze, staring blatantly at her. "I'll wind this up as quickly as I can."
When she sat down, she crossed her legs high on the thigh. He hardened immediately. The dress she wore was simple but elegant, with a low scooped neckline and a hemline
that finished above the knee. Sexy, but business like. Interesting choice. Then there were the glossy shoes and stockings she had on.
They screamed sexy at him.
"Sorry, Charles, where were we?"
As soon as he put the phone down she stood up and strolled closer, pausing alongside the table he was working at.
Lust urged him to act, to reach out and capture her in his arms, but he refused to be a slave to his lust, not when he knew he could relish and discover her for so much longer than his libido demanded. So he stayed in his seat and observed her silently.
She leaned up against the edge of the dining table he was using as a desk, a slight smile lifting her mouth. What is she thinking? he wondered.
"Did you have a good day?" he asked.
"It was…interesting." Her eyelids fluttered down but her mouth moved in a secret smile. "You made quite an impression on Megan."
"Well, if she barges in on naked men, what can she expect to find?"
Her soft laugh pleased him. Deeply. How could something so simple bring so much pleasure? "Girl chat, I take it?"
"She deserved an explanation." She looked at him as if she were thinking about something that had been said.
"Would I have liked what I heard, had I been listening?"
"Mostly." Secret thoughts were whirring behind those beautiful eyes.
He wanted to see inside her mind. She fascinated him. The fact her thoughts weren't totally in the moment made him hanker for more of her. What was it? Total control, perhaps. And yet it also drew his admiration, her independence, and he recognized a reflection of himself in her ambitious, eager nature. He recalled their first meeting, how keen she'd been to demonstrate her fabric choices with a crazy stunt on his jogging machine. How many people would risk doing something like that?
"I had an interesting phone call about an hour ago," she added.
Lucas absorbed every nuance, every rhythm of her body as she shifted position. "Yes?"
"Regarding my appointment with Georgio Melandros, as you probably know."
"I knew he was due to return to work later in the week. I organized a blank slate for you. It's up to you to impress him. "
"I'll give it my best shot."
"He'll never know you and I met."
"Good." She glanced around the suite. "How was your day? You're able to work here?"
"Yes. But I know what I'd rather be doing."
Her attention was back on him in a flash.
That pleased him. "It's been hard... trying to keep my mind on the job, with you so near."
"The problem has been mutual, I assure you." Her luscious lips lifted at the corner. "I thought about you a lot… and other agents."
She was teasing, but a doubt ticked away in his mind, making him fiercely possessive. He quelled the urge to snatch her into his arms. "You were thinking about agents?"
"Mostly you." Her gaze raked over him.
He enjoyed the way she was standing back, maintaining a distance, awaiting instructions, or judging his mood. "You were aroused?"
Her lips parted. She nodded.
Was she wondering what the implications of her admission would be? It seemed so. It made his blood pump harder, knowing she was trying to anticipate his next move. "Are you aroused now?"
"Yes. Even more so, being with you."
"Are you wet?" He relished her startled expression.
"Maybe." She glanced down and away.
Maybe? Naughty girl. "I think you need to prove it one way or the other." He nodded at the hem of her skirt. "Lift your skirt."
Her gaze rose to his. "Here?"
"Does it bother you, if someone sees you showing yourself to me?" The curtains were open.
Glancing past him at the large windows beyond, she shook her head.
"Good. Because that's what I want you to do,"
Her lips pursed a moment, as if she contemplated resisting.
He cocked his head, challenging her.
She shifted. Easing her hip away from the desk she put her hands on the front of her skirt and slowly, carefully, slid it up, easing the tight fabric up the length of her thighs.
When her stocking tops were unveiled – the black lace clasped around the soft skin of her thighs – his palms itched to echo that enclosure, to grasp her thighs with his hands while he pulled her legs apart to get at her.
Then she lifted the skirt a little higher, and he saw the matching panties that clung to the mound of her pussy. The dark flash between the white V of her upper thighs was a dramatic contrast, highlighting the paleness of her skin.
She stared at him, awaiting instruction. How precious that was.
He gestured at her panties. "Take them off."
A flush had appeared on her cheeks. Her gaze flitted to the windows beyond him, but she didn't hesitate more than a moment. She was aware of potential onlookers, but it didn't stop her. He liked that. Silently, he imagined showing her off more publicly, at his favored London BDSM club, and power flooded through him in response to the images opening up in his mind. What a beautiful pet she would make, a treasured pet. Would she enjoy being on a lead?
Shifting her skirt higher still – until it rested on her hipbones – she put her thumbs inside the band on her panties and pulled them down. They dropped around her ankles. She quickly straightened up. Her skirt dropped but it was tight fitting and didn't fall all the way back into place. The perfect curve of her bared pussy was still exposed. The sight of it made his mouth water.
"I need to know just how wet you are." He gestured at the tangle of panties around her ankles. "Pick them up and bring them to me."
She stepped out of the lacey black tangle, dipped down, and retrieved the scrap of fabric. Approaching, she held it out to him. Her hand trembled.
He took the panties from her and opened them out to examine them.
The gusset bore a telltale damp patch. He inhaled her scent from the intimate garment. Intoxicating and unique, her aroma filled his senses. He committed it to memory, aware he would be able to conjure her presence by remembering her scent. The panties carried a heady, heavily-aroused perfume. "My, my, you are aroused, aren't you?"
She gave a quick nod. Her fingers were curled into her palms, the hands pressed against her sides. Tension emanated from her.
"Come closer."
She did so, leaning up against the edge of the table.
He reached out and traced the seam of her pussy with his finger.
She gasped aloud. Her body swayed.
He swiveled his desk chair to one side, allowing space for her to step between him and the table. "Sit. Open your legs."
She wobbled into position, perching on the table. When she parted her thighs he slid his chair as close as he could, eased his finger between her lips and rested the tip over her swollen clit.
"I'm going to make you come, but I want you to look at me while I do so." He ran his free hand over the bulge of his erection, allowing himself a moment of self indulgence as he did so.
Without question, she did as instructed, staring at him, wide-eyed.
His cock surged within the confines of his clothing. It took immense self control to stroke her clit slowly, but he did, studying her face while he brought her to orgasm, learning her body as he did so, absorbing its likes and its limits.
Dipping into the well of her wetness, he moistened his fingers to ease their passage over her clit. She moaned softly when he made contact with her opening. She wanted him there too. That pleased him. He was going to fill her with his cock soon enough. Seeing her so pleasured was worth more than any orgasm of his own.
When he dipped his head to taste her, she flinched, then relaxed. How sensitive she was. When he grazed her with his stubbled jaw it made her cry out, but when he stroked and suckled her clit, it turned to a sigh. That knowledge fuelled his actions. The power it instilled in him was the ultimate satisfaction.
He glanced up. Her eyelids had lowered, but still she watched. Her fingertips trail
ed over his where they rested on her thighs, but he knew she was locked to the spot between her legs where he was stroking her with his tongue, up and down, exploring each sensitive, swollen fold.
When he applied more pressure, she splayed her hands on the desk, her upper body rocking back, her mouth opening.
"Do you think anyone can see you?" Again he looked up, to note her reaction. The far rooms of the west wing of the hotel looked back onto this room.
Her eyes flashed wide open.
"Maybe," she whispered quietly, while glancing out of the window. One hand moved to the back of her neck, where she lifted her hair from her skin as if hot.
Lucas smiled and breathed against her pussy. Back and forth he stroked, gently speeding, slowly adding more pressure. Every so often, he'd glance up. Her morphing expression as she closed on orgasm was breathtaking. All the while she stared down at him longingly.
His balls ached for release. He put his free hand around the base of his cock and tugged it through his clothing. She moaned aloud, grasped the edge of the table tightly. Her body stiffened and she cried out. Her eyes flickered shut. Her thighs squeezed together, then trembled. His fingers were completely slick with her honey now, the fluid dampening his palm too. It took her a moment, but when she opened her eyes she stared down at his groin.
Lucas withdrew his fingers, drew them to his mouth and licked them. Then he unbuckled his belt, undid the button on his pants and unzipped his fly.
She licked her lips and glanced at him as if requesting permission or instruction.
The Seller (Trading Hearts Book 2) Page 3