The Virgin’s Dance_Older Man Younger Woman Romance

by Michelle Love

  “Please sir, just give me another chance,” Anna said in a low voice, lifting her head, her hands clenching and unclenching. Her eyes were beseeching, an expression that cut through Evan painfully. “I was only doing what I thought best...”

  “What you thought best…” Edmund sneered, and it sounded as if he was ready to fly into another tirade when Evan cut him off.

  “That is enough.”

  The words were uttered calmly, but they didn’t need violence or volume to cut through Edmund’s vitriol. When the master tailor turned back to him, he was contrite, likely having realized he’d stepped over the line in front of the wrong person. Bullies were good at judging such things.

  “I am so sorry, sir, that this had to happen in front of you.” He all but wagged a tail and looked at Evan in hopes of forgiveness. “You can be assured...”

  “When I said that was enough,” Evan said coldly, “I meant it.”

  Finally, Edmund shut up, and Evan took a deep breath to calm himself. The last thing that anyone needed right now was his flying off the handle as much as he was tempted to do just that.

  “This young lady helped me while you were unavailable. She understood your damned rules, but I insisted. I can see now that I did not put her in the best situation, and that’s unfortunate, but I also did not expect you to be such an unreasonable son of a bitch.”

  Monteray stared at him, unaccustomed to ever being addressed in such a manner. “Sir, you do not understand. Saville Row has traditions and a story of service to the quality that goes back—”

  “I don’t care,” Evan interrupted. “Not about you, not about Saville Row, and not about your shop. What I care about is Anna and about how very shabbily you have treated her. Anna, how much do you make here?”

  Anna dropped her gaze again and named her salary. Not surprised, Evan glanced back at Edmund in disgust. “You were cheating her. How did I fail to see the truth behind your fine fabrics?” He shook his head and directed his next statement at Anna. “Come work for me, and I’ll double that. If we still suit one another in six months’ time, I will triple it.”

  Anna stared at him, her honey-colored eyes wide. “Work for you doing…what?”

  “Being my personal dresser, shopper, tailor, whatever. It might not be your dream of working on Saville Row, but by God, at least it will pay you a living wage.”

  For a moment, he didn’t think she was going to do it. He thought that her chains might have been too strong and that she would stay here at Monteray’s begging a bona fide idiot for a second chance.

  Then her pretty face took on a look of determination, and she nodded sharply.

  “Mr. Sheffield, thank you. I accept. Mr. Monteray, perhaps you were gearing up to fire me, or perhaps you only wanted to use me as a scratching post for a while before you continued claiming my designs as your own. Either way, I am tendering my resignation, effective immediately.”

  It was startlingly satisfying watching Monteray’s jaw drop. The man went pale, and then red, and then he started shouting. “You can’t do this! I’ll make sure that you never work in any shop again! You cannot throw away everything you had here...”

  “Go get your things.” Evan kept himself between Anna and the unhinged man. “Everything. If he tries to keep back anything that’s yours, I’ll send my corporate lawyers after him. It’d be appropriate, given that you are now my employee.”

  When Monteray started to speak again, Evan cut him off with a sharp hand gesture. “No. I have had enough of listening to you.”

  Anna disappeared momentarily and reappeared again quickly, carrying a small suitcase and her jacket draped over her arm. Evan smiled inwardly as she ignored Monteray entirely and looked at him.

  “Shall we go, Mr. Sheffield?”

  “Of course.”

  She maintained her poise as they walked out the door and made it about halfway down the block before she started shaking. She looked so overwrought that Evan put his arm around her shoulders, and she curled up to his body with a nearly innocent trust that he found touching.

  “What in the world have I done?” she asked wildly, and Evan laughed.

  “The right thing, I promise you.”

  ***

  There was a small curry shop nearby, and once she had had a few bites of fiery vindaloo in her and a few sips of water, she looked better.

  “I still can’t believe you did that,” she murmured, giving him a look that was almost shy. “I’ve never heard anyone talk to Edmund Monteray like that.”

  “Believe it,” Evan said with a shrug. “He’s a petty bully, and he’s gone now. You needn’t ever worry about him again.”

  Anna’s gaze turned wry. “Now I just have to worry about you.”

  Evan grinned at the girl who was watching him with a certain amount of wariness, but underneath it, he wondered if he could sense a fascination as well.

  “What’s to worry about?” he inquired. “I’ve been told that I dress too conservatively, and sometimes, I like to make an impression. I liked what you were saying in there. You have free reign and a decent budget to dress me, and you’ll be paid well for your work.”

  “Well, I suppose we should talk about your tastes, then,” Anna began. “Like I said before, Italian would be a stunning choice on you...”

  Evan waved away her questions. “I trust you. I don’t need to be bothered with the details if I leave it all in your hands, do I?”

  She looked startled. “I suppose not...”

  “Good. Clothing only appeals to me in so far as how it looks on me once purchased and how others react to it. I’m far more interesting in talking about you.”

  “Me?” Anna’s voice came out as startled squeak, and he laughed.

  “Relax, sweetheart, I’m not going to bite unless you ask very nicely.” He smiled inwardly at the blush that colored her cheeks. “Well, you’re from my side of the pond, aren’t you?”

  “Er? Oh, yes, I’m American. From Chicago originally, and then L.A...”

  As she talked, Evan listened, and soon the picture of Anna became clear. She was sweet, bright, young, and aching for a chance at her dreams. He understood, and he felt a touch of genuine affection for the girl. Underneath the affection was the whisper of something deeper, something inside him that he hadn’t been aware of before, but he pushed it aside. He was too old for that kind of thing, but as he watched Anna’s elegant hands move as she talked, as he saw the spark of warmth in her beautiful eyes, he reminded himself that there were certainly plenty of other things that he wasn’t too old for.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Anna

  Anna could barely believe that things were happening so fast. Two weeks ago, she had been toiling night and day for the barest glimmer of her dream in London. Now she was in Manhattan, waiting for the real test run of her new job.

  Evan had gotten her in touch with human resources to finalize her hire, had given her a company credit card to start refurbishing his wardrobe, and that had been that.

  Well, mostly that. Throughout those two weeks, Mr. Sheffield had slowly been ratcheting up the sexual tension between them. There was no denying how much she wanted him, nor did she miss the way his gaze lingered longer each time they saw one another. In between those meetings, there were the texts, going initially from businesslike to slowly more and more flirtatious—and then the gifts. One day there would be a beautiful rose. Another, a tube of the exact right shade of rich, luxurious lipstick. Still another, a gift card for a massage. Each day, the message was more and more clear. And it was crazy. But as fast as it was all happening, Anna couldn’t find it in herself to ask him to slow things.

  On the rare occasion that she did see him, Anna was disturbingly aware of his presence. She had thought him an extremely handsome man when he first walked into Monteray’s, but there was more to it than that. She had dressed many handsome men, but Evan Sheffield was more than handsome. There was something about his smile—his charm—that made her breath catch.
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  Tuesday afternoon he walked into the penthouse suite where she was waiting for him, where he’d set her up to live and work for the next six months, at least. She had dressed for the occasion—a tailor dressing him for a late afternoon event—in sleek black slacks, heels, and a demure blouse with a collar that tied with a bow at the throat.

  Her employer, on the other hand, appeared in jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt—casual and with the smell of sunlight in his dark hair. He gave her a slight grin as he entered the room, one that visibly melted Anna on the spot.

  “I look that bad, huh?”

  “Oh no, Mr. Sheffield, not at all...”

  He didn’t. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing at the smooth play of muscles over his forearms, how dark the skin was compared to the crisp white of his shirt.

  “You’re not a very good liar, darling. And don’t call me Mr. Sheffield. If you’re going to be getting me down to my drawers, you might as well call me Evan.”

  “Evan,” Anna mused, and she was only aware that she had said it out loud when her employer chuckled.

  “Well, if you say it like that, I might never make it to tonight’s benefit at all.”

  She blushed when she realized what he meant, and he crossed the room to her. In the back part of her mind, she thought that she should be a little more alarmed by being in such close proximity with this man, but instead all she could feel was a flutter of excitement.

  “You should push me away if you don’t like the things I say,” he murmured. She couldn’t take her eyes off of his lips.

  “I like the things you say just fine,” Anna replied, and he grinned, this time sharp and nearly feral.

  “You’re wearing the lipstick. Allow me one taste…” That was all the warning she was given before his mouth came down over hers, his hand cupping around the back of her neck to hold her in place. The first touch of his lips sent an electric shock through her body. Anna knew that she had never felt that kind of pleasure upon simply being kissed before, and without thinking of what she was doing, she parted her lips to take in more.

  Evan’s tongue invaded her mouth, and startled, Anna reached up and clung to him. She could feel his tongue exploring her, a lazy and sensuous thing that made something inside her melt. When she tentatively suckled on his tongue, she drew a soft moan from Evan.

  Anna wondered wildly what she should do. She knew what she wanted to do with this man, her boss, but could she risk her job to do it? Would he sleep with her and dismiss her? She had known plenty of girls that had happened to...

  Before she could get too worked up, Evan pulled back with a sigh, leaving Anna’s knees like Jell-O.

  “God, but you’re a tempting thing,” he murmured, his heated gaze sweeping over her kiss-swollen lips. If I had any real sense at all, I would duck out of that benefit and stay here all afternoon with you. But there’s some board members I need to speak to. I might own the damn company, but I need their okay before I move forward. But believe me, we are picking this up right from where we left off at the first opportunity, Anna.”

  She blushed to the roots of her hair at his insinuating tone. Anna had the idea that she should be running for the hills, but instead, all she could do was feel impatient at the fact he had to leave at all.

  “Now, I believe you had some clothes for me?” He switched into business mode effortlessly—yet another thing that fascinated her about him.

  “Oh! Yes, of course.”

  She turned to the closet, where she had carefully hung the outfit she had picked out for him. Evan raised an eyebrow when he saw the blues. His preferred colors tended to be far darker.

  “I chose blue because it’s not too severe for daytime wear,” Anna explained, “and the fabric is the newest thing coming out of France at the moment. You see, there’s silk shot through with nylon, giving it a bit of gleam, a bit of durability, while retaining the classic hang.”

  “I see.” He nodded after a moment, leaving Anna weak-kneed again, this time because he was trusting her with his appearance, something no businessman did lightly. “And the shirt?”

  “Well, turquoise is very in right now without being too far out as to seem trendy. The turquoise compliments the blue of the suit, and the silver cuff links add just a touch of cold to the outfit and gives it distinction.”

  Evan studied the outfit she had presented, and then smiled. “All right. You know what you are doing.”

  She smiled with relief, feeling a tension within her that she hadn’t been aware of relax. “Well, shoes are here and...”

  “Aren’t you going to dress me?” he interrupted.

  She blinked at him, and the grin on his face was frankly challenging.

  “Sir?”

  “God, I shouldn’t like it when you call me that,” Evan groaned, “but I do. You can leave if you want, of course. But I thought you might like to stay and see what your work has come out to.”

  Anna felt her stomach do a slow turn, and suddenly what she felt was not a pride in her work, but a kind of hunger. It wasn’t to see silk and cotton draped perfectly off of the wearer, but instead, she wanted to see Evan—bare—and to run her hands all over his frame.

  “Yes,” she said in a voice that hardly seemed like hers. “I would like that...”

  She followed him into the bedroom, where he stripped off his casual clothes with a kind of easy grace that made her blush. Anna hovered near the door, barely able to keep her hands to herself as his jacket, tie, and shirt hit the floor, followed by his slacks. Underneath it all, Evan’s body was lean and strong, and she couldn’t keep her eyes off of the light trail of hair that ran from his chest down into the waistband of his boxers. Matter-of-factly, he pulled on the trousers she had picked out, but then he turned to her after shrugging on the turquoise shirt.

  “Show me how this is meant to fit.”

  There was something wonderfully imperious about his words that drew Anna in immediately. She crossed the room towards him, and when she smoothed the fabric over his shoulders and around behind his neck, she felt an electric thrill run down her spine. There was something sensuous about touching his body with only a thin layer of cloth between them.

  She started to button the shirt, remarking absently in her mind on the way the fabric stretched beautifully over his wide shoulders. As she carefully slid each button into its place, her fingers brushed against his skin. She concentrated on her task, not looking up even when she heard his breathing speed up a little.

  Almost startled at her own boldness, she tucked the shirt into his trousers before doing up the fly and then the belt.

  “You’re good at that,” he noted, and she blushed.

  “Well, you know. Dummies and dress forms...”

  “I was teasing you.” He ran a gentle finger down the curve of her cheek, as she fastened the gleaming cuff links, and for one mad moment, she imagined turning her head to kiss that finger, and then suck it...

  She had a job to do, though, and it was turning into a matter of pride that she do it well. Anna shook herself and pulled away, reaching for the jacket that had been what she considered to be the star of the ensemble. As she held it up for Evan to thread his arms through it, his phone rang. She stepped back, intending to leave the room, but he gestured for her to continue.

  “Jones, I thought it might be you. No, the bid is solid. Make sure that MacArthur understands that. Twelve million is what we’re willing to commit for that parcel of land, and we are not going to go higher.”

  Anna gasped as, with his phone in one hand, Evan reached out to run a possessive hand down her body. There was nothing crude or hasty about it. He spoke on the phone, his eyes vaguely unfocused as if thinking about the man he spoke to, and his hand roamed her body as if she were a possession—his to touch, his to pleasure.

  She buttoned his jacket with shaking fingers, but she didn’t step back from the way his hand was stroking her. It made her feel owned and possessed, and it sent an erotic thrill through her.
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  “As a matter of fact, I’m not sure we can. The Hillanger group probably can’t muster the fees, and even if they could, they probably think we can outbid them. But yeah, make sure that that goes through. I’m counting on you.”

  He ended the call and pocketed the phone. Deliberately, a slight and predatory smile on his face, Evan backed her against the door.

  “God, but I want you,” he murmured. “That lipstick held up well the first time. Let’s see how it does the next…”

  He leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss. There was something savage underneath it, emphasized even more by the fact that she had dressed so well, made him look so sophisticated and refined. Anna gave herself up to the kiss, letting him run his hands down her body, arching her back in silent appeal for more.

  Soon, far too soon, however, he stepped back from her, running a regretful hand down her cheek. “I think you deserve a little better than a stand-up screw in the bedroom.”

  Anna started to protest even as a part of her was aroused by his crude language. “I don’t...”

  “This can wait, and it’ll make this damn benefit I have to attend a little more entertaining to know I have something good waiting for me afterward.”

  “Something...good?” Anna echoed, staring wide eyed at him.

  “You,” he said, and the hungry look he gave her left absolutely no room for confusion about what he meant. Evan pulled out his wallet and handed her a black credit card. Anna blinked.

  “I’m taking you out tonight. I want you to get yourself something to wear. Dress yourself like you would dress a client—from the skin out.”

  “But...”

  “Don’t argue with me. I want to be seen with the best, and that means you use your best judgment. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.” Anna’s single soft exhalation made Evan smile, and he kissed her again. It was lighter, but full of promise.

  “Enjoy yourself today, Anna. I’ll see you tonight.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Evan