His Every Need

by Terri L. Austin

  “Pardon?” he asked.

  “Rick the Dick,” she said, unbuttoning her slacks.

  “Why are you undressing in my office, Miss Campbell?” He licked his lips and watched her pull down the zipper.

  “Because you’re in here, Mr. Bloody Blake. Where the hell else would I shtrip?” She kicked off her black tennis shoes as she let the pants drop over her hips, giving him a good view of how little her panties were concealing.

  “But why are you taking off your clothes at all?” He ran a hand over his mouth, his eyes fixed on her body.

  Allie stepped out of the slacks and stumbled a bit as she bent to pick them up. When she straightened, she felt a little woozy, so she stopped moving for a second and placed a hand on her forehead. “The room’s a little spinny.” Then she hurled the slacks, hitting him in the chest.

  Trevor stepped around the desk, and as she reached behind her back to unhook the bra, his hands settled over her arms, preventing her from moving. “Allie, what is going on?”

  “I’m here to fuck you. That’s why I was fired, right?” She tried to pull out of his hold, but his grasp was too firm. “Let go of me.”

  “Allison, stop.” He spun her in his arms, so that his chest rested against her back. She could feel his shirt buttons press along her spine. Could feel the hardness of his cock press against her ass.

  “Oh God, I’m so dizzy.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you are.” As he spoke, his lips brushed her cheek. “Now, I’m sorry you were fired, but I told you from the beginning you would have to quit.”

  “And you couldn’t give me one week to do it? Housework and blow jobs. That’s apparently all I’m good for.”

  He sighed in her ear. “Let’s get you dressed.” He rubbed his hand along her forearm. “And that’s not all you’re good for. You’ve taken care of your family, Allison, and put your own needs last. It’s admirable.”

  Why did he have be nice? That was just like him, to knock her for a loop when she least expected it. She was pathetic. He paid her one compliment, and she was ready to crumble. Trevor had tried to take her house. Had taken her car. He was sarcastic and nasty and lashed out like a whip whenever she asked him something personal. He didn’t care about her, but when he touched her, all higher-level brain function stopped and her hormones took over.

  “No.” She pushed her back against his chest. “No, you are not doing this to me. I am pissed. And I want my job back. And my car. And my fucking life.” Suddenly, tears welled in her eyes and she began to sob. Letting go of his arms, she buried her face in her hands and cried tears of grief and anger that she had kept pent up for the last six months. Tears for her family, for her mom. Tears for herself and the life she should have had.

  Trevor petted her hair, soothing her. “You’ve been brave for so long, darling. Let it all out. Shh, it’s going to be all right.”

  His kind words made her cry harder.

  Dropping her hands, Allie turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her forehead rest against his chest. “Liar,” she choked out. “It’s not going to be all right. It sucks, and it’s going to keep on sucking because that’s what life is.”

  “You don’t believe that. You’ve just had a bad day.” He rubbed little circles along her bare back with one hand and continued to stroke her hair with the other.

  “Thanks to you.”

  Trevor maneuvered her over to the chair in front of his desk and pulled her onto his lap. She turned toward him, resting her head on his shoulder.

  “I’m a rotten man.”

  “The worst,” she sniffed. “And I’m going out to look for another job tomorrow.”

  “Mmm,” he said against her cheek. “We’ll see.”

  “I mean it, Trevor. I have to work. When you get another mistress, what am I going to do? I have to have a job.”

  He didn’t say anything but sat, holding, stroking her, comforting her. God, she was so damn tired. Not just from the crying jag, but from her life.

  She didn’t know how long she sat in his lap, but eventually she lifted her head. Trevor wiped a tear with his thumb and kissed her cheek before standing with her in his arms and placing her gently back in the chair. She didn’t even bother to cover herself. She was too weary to care.

  He moved to the desk and gathered her clothes, all except for the vest, which he dropped into the trash can. He held his out his hand. “Let’s get you dressed. Although I’m fine with nudity, Arnold is such a prude.”

  Her eyes were swollen, and she was a little sick to her stomach as she placed her hand in his. On shaky legs, she stood. “Do you know why I took a job at such a crappy casino?”

  “Yes, because they worked around your schedule when your mother was ill.” He briskly helped her into the sleeves of her blouse and buttoned her back up, as if she were a child. Then he knelt before her and guided her feet into the slacks, one foot at a time.

  “I hate you,” she whispered. She clutched his shoulder as she lost her balance, but Trevor placed his hands on her hips and held her steady.

  Gazing up at her with serious eyes, a sad smile touched his lips. “I hate myself sometimes.” With his hands still wrapped around her, he bent forward and lightly kissed her belly button. He took a deep breath and fastened the button and zipper on her slacks. Before he could stand, the office door opened.

  “Oh, good, darlings you’re here.” Mags swept into the room but came to a halt at the sight of Trevor kneeling in front of Allie. “Are you proposing, dearest? Let’s see the ring.”

  She swished forward and grabbed Allie’s hand. Mags looked at her bare finger with a frown. “Where’s the ring, Trevor? All of my husbands had a ring. Although Francois put it in the soufflé, and I almost choked to death. Nevertheless, he had a ring.”

  Trevor climbed to his feet. “I’m not proposing, Mother. I was helping Allie get dressed. She feels a need to shed her clothes in my presence.”

  Allie blushed furiously. “You know what, Mr. Inappropriate?” She shoved her finger into his chest. “I’ve had it with you. And I’ve had it with your sharky remarts.”

  Trevor raised his brows. “Of course you have.” He turned to Mags. “Now, Mother, I need to get Allie to bed because, as you can see, she’s a bit wankered.”

  “What does she do for a living, darling? And where can I sign on?”

  ***

  When Allie awakened, the room was dark. Rubbing her eyes, she moaned, stretched her legs. Her mouth was desert dry and her head throbbed.

  She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Almost time for dinner. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out, but she clearly remembered what had happened in Trevor’s office.

  Allie buried her head in the pillow, feeling totally conflicted. Did she want to go back home? Yes. Did she want to walk out and never see him again? No. She was starting to like him, for God’s sake. She wanted to have sex with him again—just to make sure the first sensational time hadn’t been a fluke. But she was also angry because he was ruining her already complicated life. What a mess.

  When she sat up and swung her legs to the floor, the throbbing in her head grew stronger.

  A knock sounded at the door, and before she could call out, Trevor walked in. The light from the hallway kept him in silhouette. “Ah good, you’re up. How are we feeling?”

  His loud, chipper voice pierced her skull. “Keep it down, English.”

  “Poor Miss Campbell.” He strolled toward her and flipped on the bedside lamp.

  “Ugh.” Allie squinted and held up a hand to shield her eyes from the brightness.

  “Have a hangover? That’s what happens when we drink our lunch.”

  “We didn’t drink our lunch. I did. So, stop saying the royal we.”

  “Still cross, I see.”


  “Maybe your sparkling personality is rubbing off on me.”

  He smiled. “You should be so lucky.” Trevor held out his hand. “Here.”

  She looked down at the two pills in his palm.

  “It’s just aspirin to help with the headache you’re undoubtedly feeling.”

  “I need water.”

  With a deep sigh, as if she were the most tiresome person in the world, he walked to the bathroom and came back with a full glass. “Open up.”

  Allie obediently opened her mouth, and he popped the pills on her tongue, then handed her the glass.

  “Do you need help getting dressed? Again? Although undressing you is much more entertaining.”

  Ignoring him, she stood and walked into the bathroom. She very quietly shut the door behind her and locked it. Hopefully, he would take the hint and leave while she took a shower. Doubtful. He didn’t take hints. Subtlety was wasted on Trevor.

  Allie shed her clothes and stood under the hot water. It felt good on her gritty skin.

  After she toweled off, Allie drank another glass of water and brushed her teeth. Close to feeling human again, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her damp hair was a tangled mess and her eyes were slightly bloodshot. Never again. Day drunk wasn’t pretty.

  As she gently ran a brush through her hair, she heard a noise in the other room. Grabbing her robe off the hook, she shrugged into it and opened the bathroom door.

  Trevor had taken off his dinner jacket and lounged on the bed, leaning against the headboard. His large body seemed to take up most of the mattress. What would it be like to share a bed with him? And what did he sleep in—pajama pants? Nothing at all? Her cheeks grew warm, and she cinched her robe a little tighter.

  His eyes swept over her, lingering on her chest before lazily drifting up to her face. “You keep staring at me like that, Miss Campbell, and we’ll definitely be late to dinner.”

  She gathered the lapels of her robe together with one hand.

  “Then why don’t you give me some privacy?”

  He shifted to his side, propping himself on his elbow. “You didn’t give me any privacy this afternoon. I was in the middle of an important business meeting. Your little strip show was very distracting.”

  She took a deep breath and tried for calm and unaffected. “I apologize for that. I don’t usually drink, but when I get fired for no reason—”

  “How long are you going to be angry about that, love?”

  She took a step toward him. “You took away my livelihood. Yeah, I’m angry. And I’m sure I will be for quite a while, so get used to it.” The aspirin hadn’t kicked in yet, and her head was pounding. Why did she even bother? She never won an argument with him. The deck was stacked against her.

  “I told you to quit, Allison. And I’ll provide whatever you need. You’ve only to ask.”

  She forced a smile. “Some privacy would be great.”

  She hated being indebted to him. She didn’t want him to provide for her. It made her feel weak and helpless, a feeling she’d been acquainted with since her mom got cancer. She was tired of feeling that way.

  “Are you trying to get rid of me, Miss Campbell?”

  “Yes. Now scoot.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hand.

  He looked affronted. “I have never scooted in my life, nor do I intend to start now. I want to watch you get dressed.” His eyes grew darker and his voice deepened. “There’s no need to be shy. I’ve seen everything you have to offer, touched most of it, tasted a bit.” His gaze slid over her once more.

  She was tempted to drop her robe and hop on the bed with him, but her pounding head would hamper the enjoyment. And he wasn’t going to leave. The more she insisted, the more entrenched he’d become. Stubborn. Yes, he could be a jerk, but this afternoon, he’d held her and consoled her. Trevor Blake was infuriating and impossible to figure out.

  His eyes met hers and he smiled. A slow, sexually charged smile. He was remembering last night, she could tell. She hadn’t been able to think about much else either.

  When he stared at her with that heated gaze, she felt completely naked and exposed. Her nipples pebbled against the slinky robe.

  To cover her reaction, she stalked over to the dresser and plucked out a bra and a matching pair of panties. “You love to hear yourself talk, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I fascinate myself.”

  “Well, that makes one of us.” She swung back around to face him.

  “I said I want to watch you dress, Miss Campbell. Every whim, remember?”

  She glared at him as she walked to the closet. “Tough. I’ve got a headache and I’m not in the mood.”

  A frown marred the line of his mouth. “Would you like to skip dinner and rest? I could have Frances send up a tray.”

  She was a little touched by his thoughtfulness. “No, I’ll be okay.”

  “All right, but if you don’t move it along, the terrible twosome might decide to join us in here.”

  She grabbed a dress and walked back into the en suite, leaving the door open. “What is the deal with you and your parents, anyway? What did they do that was so terrible?”

  She shimmied into her dress and put on a little makeup. When she was done, she walked into the bedroom. “Well?”

  Trevor stood and grabbed his jacket, pushing his arms through the sleeves. “Are you going to dinner barefoot? How bohemian.”

  “Fine.” She pulled a pair of black heels from the closet. “Don’t tell me.”

  ***

  When she slipped on her shoes, her dress rode up over the backs of her bare thighs. It was bloody difficult to keep his hands to himself. If he hadn’t been such an ass last night, he would have had another taste of her. He remembered how soft her legs were. How long and lean. He wanted to be on top of her next time, with those thighs wrapped around him, his cock deep inside her. She’d been so very ready for him last night, tight and wet.

  Good God. He was turning into a right wanker. Damn near every waking thought was centered on Allison and how to get her naked.

  Then she walked into his office and did it for him.

  When she had hung up his phone, he’d been in the middle of discussing expansion plans with a small bakery. It wasn’t a terribly important call, even though he’d told her it was. But business trumped everything else. Even Allison.

  Until he realized she was drunk.

  And then she started taking off her clothes, one horrible uniformed piece at a time, all the way down to the sheer bra and knickers. Her breasts were truly stunning, a goddamned work of art.

  If she hadn’t been drunk… But she had been drunk. Then she started crying. Tears undid him every time. Allison’s tears had gutted him.

  But he’d told her from the beginning he wanted all of her attention. She hadn’t listened. He’d kept his end of the bargain, paying off her debts, letting her keep the house. Was it so wrong that he expected something in return?

  Perhaps he really was the asshole she accused him of being. He’d gotten her fired, after all. It took a two-minute phone call to the casino owner. Two minutes, and he’d altered her life. Again. But he wanted her here, not stuck in that hellhole, miles off the Strip. When she’d looked at him with those accusing blue eyes, he actually felt a little guilty. He rubbed his chest as he held the bedroom door open for her and followed her to the top of the stairs.

  He was doing her a favor, really. She needed money. He had money. Wasn’t living here, taking tea with him, sunning herself by the pool much more pleasant than wearing the green waistcoat and dealing with tourists? Of course it was. She was just being stubborn.

  He wrapped an arm around her waist, and they descended the stairs. He savored the feel of her body pressed against his. In her room, he’d had to restrain himself from stripping her out o
f that robe and touching every single inch of beautiful, pale skin.

  He led her through the hallway and she preceded him into the drawing room, where his parents waited. But he kept hold of her hand, stroked his thumb across her palm. He didn’t want to let go.

  “There you are, children,” Nigel said, leaning on the mantel. “We were about to come looking for you.”

  That’s exactly what Trevor had been afraid of.

  “Don’t worry. Mags and I know what it’s like, don’t we darling? Can’t keep your hands off each other, eh?”

  His mother looked at her ex and future husband and smiled.

  Grinding his teeth, Trevor fought for patience. When the hell were these two going to get tired of whatever game they were playing and get out of his bloody house? He told Arnold to find out their plans, but they had been just as cagey with his butler as they’d been with him. They insisted on blathering about a wedding that would never take place.

  Mags rose from the sofa and walked to Allie, taking her other hand and pulling her from Trevor’s side. Like a possessive child, he wanted to yank her back. Why he had such a stupid reaction, he didn’t know. But it made him feel out of sorts.

  “I’m so glad you’re rested, dearest,” Mags said.

  Trevor ignored both of his parents and moved to the bar. “What would you like to drink, Miss Campbell?”

  “Soda water, please.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to continue this afternoon’s bender? I could line up some tequila shots for you.”

  “Just soda water.”

  “So, Allie, I’ve decided that you”—Mags paused for dramatic effect—“should be my chief bridesmaid.”

  “Um…what is that exactly?” Allie sat at one end of the sofa and accepted the glass from Trevor without looking at him. “Like a maid of honor?”

  Trevor perched on the armrest next to her, his leg brushing her arm. He reached out and touched a strand of her hair, wrapping it around his finger like a spring. She smelled of citrus and flowers, and he inhaled deeply as he gazed at the shades of gold shining through it.