I pulled a platter of cheese and fruit from the fridge and set it carefully on the counter. There was no point in slamming things around the kitchen. I’d most likely end up scaring Krystina, if she wasn’t already terrified after my revelation last night.
Candida.
Matteo’s advice was still a warning in my head, a troublesome reminder that she was innocent. How innocent still remained to be seen, as she wasn’t an easy one to read. Finding out the answer to that question was imperative before things went any further.
After unwrapping the cellophane from the platter, I moved over to the minibar to choose a bottle of white from the wine cooler. I perused the selections, trying to decide what would pair best with the cheeses.
Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay? Both will go nicely, but which would she prefer?
I glanced over at Krystina, intending to ask her if she had a particular wine preference. However, she had a look about her that made me pause, and I didn’t want to interrupt the picture that she painted before me.
She was running one delicate hand over the wooden top of my dining room table. She wore a soft smile on her lips, appreciating the craftsmanship of the design. She looked beautiful sitting there, feet up on the chair, seeming completely at ease. And in that moment, I realized that she had never before looked quite like that in my presence. She had never appeared so completely relaxed.
So unguarded.
I stood there studying every beautiful line of her captivating face. Seeing her that way, it was almost hard to believe she was capable of so many smart remarks and witty comebacks. Perhaps her sharp tongue and contentious behavior was a defense mechanism, one that she relied on when she was uncomfortable. If that were truly the case, then I would need to take corrective actions to remedy that problem. I had to calm her, or else I’d never get through the weeks ahead.
Weeks?
Since when do I think long term about these things?
The idea was novel for me and I was stunned to discover that I liked the idea of her being here more regularly. In my space. With me. It was a distressing sort of feeling.
This can all go to shit at a moments notice. Take it one step at a time.
A change of tactics was needed, for Krystina’s sake as well as my own. My normal methods of operation would have to be thrown out the window. Attempting to take control by laying down the law would only backfire, so I began to construct a new plan – one that would make Krystina feel more at ease. Once she was relaxed, I would begin to work on her trust by giving her what she’s been asking for.
Full disclosure.
Krystina would have no doubts about what I wanted from her after tonight. She would know exactly who and what I was. She would either run, or she would stay. If she stayed, then that’s when the true test would come into play – tonight I would discover if Krystina could put away that independent mind of hers long enough to pass her first lesson in submission.
Finally feeling like I had somewhat of a solution to Krystina’s argumentative nature, I turned my attention back to the wine selection. Smiling to myself, I settled on a bottle of Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling.
Sweet. Like her.
I grabbed two crystal wine goblets and went back to the dining room, focused on the mission ahead. I could only hope that Krystina would keep herself open to what I had in mind.
CHAPTER 16
My head was still reeling from our kiss in the elevator. Alexander, however, acted like nothing was amiss, and went about his business in the kitchen. Even though the kiss had only lasted a few moments, it was long enough to cause an electric charge to shoot straight to my tightened nipples. For when he had pulled away, I was left panting and yearning for more. Even at that moment, I suffered from a tremble of sexual desire and my lips still felt swollen from his assault.
Now, finally having more than five feet of space between us, I was able to focus on settling my wild hormones. It was quite obvious that two years without sex was working against me. I inhaled a few deep breaths, closed my eyes, and counted to ten.
When I opened them, I felt considerably calmer, and much less like a horny teenager in anticipation of the after prom party.
Having a clearer head, I took a moment to get a better look at the penthouse. The layout of the impressive space was wide open, and I was able to see most of the living areas from my seat at table. The kitchen layout was catalogue perfect, with its black marble counters and appliances that any top chef would drool over. I was able to see Alexander as he gracefully moved around the resplendent kitchen, collecting items from the refrigerator and rummaging though the drawers of the sleek maple cabinetry.
From the kitchen, the living room flowed almost seamlessly, opening up to a vast space that was outfitted with black leather furniture, elegant cream-colored area rugs, and hammered bronze metal artwork for the walls. Each piece looked as if it were custom made for the room. The entire place screamed luxury with its expansive wall-to-wall windows, revealing remarkable views of the Hudson.
The dining set that I was sitting at was made of polished tigerwood with an intricately designed wrought iron pedestal. I ran my hand over the tabletop, appreciating its beauty.
This piece alone must have cost a small fortune.
To say that the penthouse was grand would be a complete understatement. But despite it’s obvious luxuries, it seemed to lack something. It was cold almost, and just a little too perfect.
Alexander came back to the table, a large tray in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other.
“What’s all of this? I thought you said no frills, Alex.”
“It’s wine and a cheese platter that I picked up earlier today. I’d hardly call this anything fancy,” Alexander said dryly, placing the tray on the table.
“You bought it? Don’t you have a maid or someone to do that for you?” I hoped that the question didn’t come off as rude or assuming, but I couldn’t help it. I felt intimidated and small in this imposing surrounding.
“I do, but it’s her day off. I’m not much of a cook, so if you want more than this, we’ll have to order takeout. It’s just you and me tonight, baby,” he said with a wink.
My stomach tightened upon hearing that we were completely and utterly alone. As absurd as it might sound, I had assumed that someone as rich as Alexander would have had a twenty-four hour staff at his fingertips.
“We’re the only ones here?” I asked, unable to hide the nervousness in my voice.
“Don’t be afraid, Krystina. I won’t bite – at least not tonight,” he joked.
I looked up at him in surprise. I wasn’t so sure if he was just yanking my chain.
After pouring us each a drink, Alexander lifted my feet from the chair, sat down, and then rested my ankles on his thighs. He began a slow circular massage on the ball of one foot. I practically sighed from the pleasure of it.
“You don’t have to do that, you know,” I told him halfheartedly. I really didn’t want him to stop.
“I want to,” he said casually and continued to rub.
I certainly wasn’t about to argue with him and his magical hands, so I relaxed into the chair, sipped a bit of wine, and nibbled on some cheese.
Ahh…a girl could get used to this.
I watched Alexander, so careful and concentrated, fingers working mini miracles over my aching feet. So far, the night had gone off without much of a hitch. And while things seemed to be going smoothly, it was somewhat bizarre at the same time. He said last night that he didn’t date, yet last night and tonight were exactly that – a date, at least in every sense of the word.
“I’ve put some thought into the conversation that we had last night,” I said. “I’ve decided that I’m not looking to date anyone any more than you are. I don’t know why you’re putting on this false charade. The only things missing are a few candles for ambiance.”
I was careful to keep my tone light as I gestured to the room around us.
“There’s nothing false abo
ut this whatsoever. I mean, we could just fuck now and get it over with, but I don’t think that would work for you. I can see the questions that constantly circle in your head. You’re curious about me. Because of that, I’ve been giving you space to think about what you want – at least for the time being. You shouldn’t read too much into this, Krystina. I truly meant what I said. I’m not the dating kind,” he reaffirmed. “To classify last night and this evening as a date would only result in certain obligations that I cannot meet.”
“No strings attached sounds good to me,” I said, somewhat hesitant in these unchartered waters. “Although, I’ll have to admit that I’m not very good at this sort of thing. Let’s just pretend that I’m willing to agree to what you want. How do you want this to work?”
“It’s simple. You work for Turning Stone during the day, and your evenings and weekends are reserved for me,” he stated pragmatically, as if he were proposing something that was so very normal.
He might as well have said that he wants to control my entire life.
Trevor and his ridiculous schedules stood out front and center in my mind. The similarities between my past and the current situation were not lost on me for one minute. Sex was one thing, but allowing him to control every minute of my day was a whole different beast. Reclaiming my independence was a hard fought, uphill battle. I was proud of what I overcame. Agreeing to what he was suggesting would be a giant step backwards and risked everything that I tried so hard to protect.
“I have a life, Alexander. You can’t possibly expect me to give it up in order to be at your beck and call.”
“I know that and I won’t be unreasonable. I understand that you have friends and family that need your attention as well. I didn’t mean every night in the literal sense. But trust me, sweetheart. When I call, I’ll make it worth your while,” he said temptingly. He flashed me another one of those to-die-for smiles as his hands continued to massage the joints in my feet.
His sexy James Dean maneuvers were making my head spin.
Stay focused!
“So let me get this straight. I work with you during the day, you sign my paycheck, and then I become your kinky concubine at night.”
He grinned and cocked his head to one side. Eventually, that grin turned into to an easy laugh.
“You could simplify it like that if you want.”
“I never thought that going to bed with someone could make me sound like a hooker,” I laughed in return, forcing myself to dismiss the angel that was waving the scarlet letter in front of my face. She wasn’t finding this conversation even remotely funny.
“Don’t cheapen it that way. I’m asking you to willingly submit yourself to me,” he said guilefully, sapphire eyes gleaming with mischief. “And you will agree to it because it will please me.”
“I suppose that next you’re going to tell me that women agree to this arrangement all the time?” I asked, still slightly guarded and somewhat skeptical.
“I typically don’t have trouble working it out. Although some women make it more difficult than others.”
“I can certainly see why some might have a problem with giving up every spare moment of their time for you,” I said dryly.
“Oh, no. It’s nothing like that. I meant that some women prefer to secure non-disclosure agreements first, which I find completely pointless, but will agree to when I have to,” he explained.
“Non-disclosure agreements? Wait – forget it. I don’t want to know. In fact, the whole idea of us working together, sleeping together – it’s all crazy. I don’t see how we can mix the two,” I told him, feeling completely disconcerted over the situation that I had landed myself in.
Maybe it’s time I take heed of the angel’s warnings.
“If you are worried about us being able to work together during the day, I assure you, our paths will seldom cross. I am a very busy man.”
My head snapped up to look him in the face.
“Don’t worry, Alexander. Facing you at work is the least of my concerns.”
“It should be,” he said, eyes burning into me with unspoken secrets. “The things that I will do to you are not things that civilized people talk about during the light of day.”
Why couldn’t I have chosen to take a crack at a normal guy?
There had plenty of opportunities over the past couple of years, yet I had chosen to get back in the game with a man that was anything but ordinary.
Only I would choose Mr. Danger-licious.
But, despite the many uncertainties that I felt, the sheer idea of submitting myself to Alexander sparked a dark edge of desire that I didn’t know I possessed. It stirred in the depths of my belly, diffusing a warm tingle throughout my body whenever I was near him. There was no denying how much I desperately wanted him and my little devil friend began to construct a red and white striped tent around the disapproving angel in preparation for a full-blown circus.
However, before I became a showgirl for Barnum and Bailey, I needed to find out exactly what he wanted me to submit to.
What things did he want to do to me? Why couldn’t civilized people talk about them?
But I was afraid to voice my questions. Instead, I evaded.
“It’s only sex, Alexander. People talk about it all the time,” I said weakly.
He lowered my feet to the floor, shifted his chair closer to mine and rested his hand on my knee. He looked down and shook his head, like he was frustrated with me for some reason.
“Look, I’m sorry. This is a lot to process,” I said, feeling defensive. “I’ve never done anything like this before. Casual sex isn’t something I normally do, which makes me worry about what I’m getting myself into. My experiences are pretty limited.”
“Exactly how limited, Krystina?” he asked, lifting his head to reveal troubled eyes.
I tried to decide how much to tell him. My only real partner had been Trevor. The sex was good, but nothing kinky. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if I experienced a true orgasm with him. From the way I’ve heard Allyson talk, an orgasm was the most mind-blowing thing ever. I suddenly felt like a babe in the woods.
“Well, there was Trevor. I dated him for a couple of years. But then he cheated on me, and well…let’s just say that it ended bad. Really bad.”
Alexander leaned forward in his chair, eyes dark and narrowed into slits.
Well, that’s interesting…does that bother him?
“Is that why you don’t trust me?”
“I don’t know you, Alex.”
“Okay, fair enough. But tell me this, how was the sex between you and your…ex?” he asked, obviously choosing not to say Trevor’s name. I felt color surge into my cheeks at his forwardness.
“It was okay,” I answered shyly, with a little shrug of my shoulders.
“You say it so casually. Was the sex good, or wasn’t it?” he pushed further.
“I don’t know how you expect me to answer that. I don’t know – it was sex. What else can I say about it?” I said meekly.
“Krystina, don’t be daft. Did you orgasm with him or not?”
Again, his brusqueness threw me off guard. My cheeks flushed a deeper crimson, the heat spreading to the tips of my ears, and I was embarrassed to say that I didn’t know.
“These are really personal questions and the answers are none of your business,” I responded quietly.
“Last night we agreed to no games, remember? I’m giving you brutal honesty and I expect the same in return. Like you, I also need to know what I’m getting myself into. Talk to me, Krystina,” he demanded.
“I don’t know, okay! I don’t know!” I exclaimed, my embarrassment reaching an unparalleled level.
“That’s typical,” he frowned and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms in a display of obvious disgust. “Most college boys don’t know what to do with a woman. What about your other experiences?”
“There was this other guy, but that was nothing,” I dismissed.
“What other g
uy?”
“Nobody, just a guy.”
“Krystina…” he warned.
“Geez, you’re pushy! It was a one-night stand, all right? Wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am. Not something I like to brag about. Are you happy?”
“That’s it then? Two guys?” he asked in astonishment.
“Is there something wrong with that?” I shrunk under his confounded look. He was making feel like some sort of prude.
“Well, it’s just that…I knew that you were probably inexperienced, but I didn’t realize that I misjudged you by so much. That day in the grocery store…the cinnamon gum…” His voice trailed off. He raked his hands through his hair in obvious frustration.
Hmm…the gum thing did throw him for a loop after all.
I felt a little smug, but not enough to cover the embarrassment over my lack of sexual expertise. I automatically jumped on the defense.
“Well, excuse me Mr. Lets-fuck-and-get-it-over-with! I’m sorry that I don’t have enough notches in my bedpost for you, but that’s me. Take it or leave it.”
“Damn it, Krystina! What am I supposed to think? Of all the flavors of gum on the shelf – peppermint, spearmint! You chose cinnamon.”
“So what?” I asked, confused by his outburst.
“Cinnamon is an aphrodisiac! I thought you were trying to imply something when you tossed it in my cart,” he said as justification for his apparent bafflement.
“It is?” I asked in surprise.
That’s an interesting little fact.
I almost laughed at the irony of our situation.
“Why else would you have done it?”
“I, um…” I trailed off.
Because the way you chew a piece of gum is hotter than hell.
“Forget it. I guess that’s what I get for assuming and thinking with my dick. Fuck,” he swore, shaking his head.
He stood up and began pacing the room.
I just sat there completely mystified by his behavior. He was normally so composed, only giving me the occasional glimmer as to what he might be thinking. Never had I seen him so conflicted.
Heart of Stone Page 16