by Jan Bowles
As he stroked a hand through Paige’s soft chestnut curls, then buried his nose deep in the scented strands, he reasoned he’d be doing the world a favor by prematurely ending the freak’s life.
Leon felt her warm body stir slightly. “Hey, baby, are you okay?”
He watched entranced as beautiful green eyes slid sleepily open, and he fell in love with her all over again. “Much. You wouldn’t believe how much. Finally baring my soul completely was a traumatic experience, but now it’s all over I feel…” She lazily stretched her arms and legs. “Ooh, I don’t know, I just feel so much lighter and more at ease with myself. Keeping secrets wears a girl out.”
“So unburdening yourself was like a cathartic experience, huh?”
“Oh, yeah, better than that even.”
“And you’ve no more secrets? You’d tell me if there were, wouldn’t you?” Feeling her svelte frame twitch then stiffen slightly, he wondered if she were holding anything back.
“No, there’s nothing more to come. I’ve told you everything.”
“Good girl.” He traced a finger over the sensuous curve of her perfect rosebud lips. “Because however beautiful you are, and however much I love you, it would make me angry if I find out that you’ve been lying.”
“Yes, I know it would.”
“So? One final chance.”
He felt her twitch then stiffen again. “There’s nothing. I promise you.”
Leon prided himself that he was an excellent judge of body language and the tells that came with it. The way Paige had responded to his probing questions made him think that if she wasn’t blatantly lying to him, then she was at least being economical with the truth. Hmm, time would tell. For now, because of the traumatic experience she’d heroically suffered, he’d let sleeping dogs lie.
“Leon.” Her beautiful voice broke through his thoughts. “There is just one thing.”
“Go on, baby. I’m listening.”
“You know I love you, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know, and I love you, too.”
“And you know it’s my wish to please you in any way I can.”
“Yes.”
“And you know it’s my wish to experiment sexually with you. Obviously with you always in charge.”
“But of course.”
“But—”
“But what, baby? Remember, no more secrets.” He wondered if she was finally about to tell him the real reason for her twitchy anxious body language just a few moments ago.
“Handcuffs and ball gags. Promise you won’t try to persuade me to use them. It’s just that…”
“Oh, baby, baby, baby.” He wrapped his naked body around hers, protecting her from all the evil that existed in this fucked-up world. “No, no, no. I give you my word, I would never do that.” She didn’t need to explain in any more detail to make him understand. He understood perfectly. Handcuffs and ball gags had a horrific link with her disturbed ex-boyfriend, and even though Leon was the dominant in their relationship, he wouldn’t traumatize this beautiful, brave lady by pressurizing her to incorporate such things into their sex play.
“You know it’s all consensual, Paige. I only get pleasure when you get pleasure. You know that. We both know that.”
“Yes, I know. I just feel like I’ll be depriving you of a sexual outlet that turns you on. I mean, why should you, I mean we, have to deny our sexual needs all because of the actions of one sick individual?”
His hunch had been proved right. She had been holding back, but at least she’d come clean voluntarily, rather than trying to keep it a secret. For her good behavior he’d give her a little loving she wouldn’t forget.
Leon held her tightly in his arms, fully aware that his rock-hard cock pressed deliciously against her silky smooth pussy. “I agree, but there’s so many other ways we can enjoy each others bodies, Paige. Just look down.” He pointed mischievously at his erection.
“Ooh yes.” She giggled. “I see what you mean. I suppose we shouldn’t let it—”
“Go to waste? Go hungry?”
“Mmm, my thoughts entirely.”
Kneeling between her thighs, he took hold of her legs and pulled them back, until her ankles rested against his shoulders. After turning his head to kiss each perfect, petite foot in turn, he slid effortlessly inside her, enjoying the way her lovely, long lashes covered her wonderful green orbs as he filled her completely.
“Ooh…Leon…ooh…ooh, yes.”
Chapter Twelve
Two weeks later
As Leon studied Paige across the breakfast table, he couldn’t fail to be impressed by her poise and dignity. Whatever task she was performing, whether it be buttering a slice of toast or flicking through the work diary, she never looked anything less than elegant. Not once had he seen her with chipped nail polish, a particular dislike of his.
“Coffee, boss?” She raised her eyes expectantly.
“Please.”
Just the way Paige lifted the silver coffeepot from the table turned him on, and she filled his cup with the stimulating jet-black liquid more proficiently than any air hostess ever could.
“Did you ever like milk, boss?”
He folded his copy of The New York Times and placed it on the breakfast table. “As a kid maybe, but not for years.” He reached for the sugar, only to feel her hand on his. Just a few bruises remained from when he’d smashed his fist into the wall at his villa in Tuscany. Luckily, no bones had been broken.
“Allow me. I want to.”
Oh, yes, Paige knew exactly which buttons to push, and even though it was only six forty in the morning, he felt sexual arousal swell his pants.
Their time together in Tuscany had been awesome. He’d learned so much about her. When she’d finally opened up to him, graphically explaining what she’d been through with that mentally disturbed ex-boyfriend of hers, he hadn’t failed to be impressed by her sheer bravery and resilience. Being able to share her pain, and take some of the burden of responsibility from her, had helped cement their relationship. He admired her immensely. He loved her even more, and because of this, the sex had been mind blowing.
Without taking her eyes from his, she stirred a single spoonful of raw sugar into his coffee. “Is this okay, Mr. Caparelli, sir? Don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you this bright and beautiful morning?”
He grinned and wagged a finger at her. “Behave yourself, Ms. Palmer. We’re working, remember?” If he allowed her to, he knew she’d take great pleasure in slipping beneath the breakfast table, pulling down his pants, and then sucking his cock so expertly, he’d be unable to stop himself from exploding in her sexy little mouth. She’d performed that service on several occasions. As luck would have it, the tablecloth draped almost to the floor, so when his housekeeper of ten years, Marie, made an unexpected entrance, all she saw was her employer sitting alone at the table with a satisfied smile to his face. Marie was discreet but certainly no fool. The knowing smile to her lips as she left the breakfast room spoke volumes.
Paige could prick tease like no other woman ever could. She coyly lowered her gaze. “Sorry, sir. Perhaps in that case, I should take you through the work schedule for today.”
He playfully tapped her nose. “Go on, Ms. Palmer, I’m waiting.”
Her beautiful, engaging smile beamed across the breakfast table at him. “Well, apart from a four o’clock appointment with Mr. Lawrence to discuss the interior materials for his new Caparelli, which is being delivered on the twenty-fourth of next month, there’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Are you sure?”
“Yes, boss.”
After everything she’d gone through, Paige seemed buoyant and upbeat. He guessed deep down she came equipped with a resilient personality. His girl was no quitter. Before leaving the idyllic rural delights that Tuscany had to offer in such abundance, he’d contacted Ryland Black, a private investigator he’d used many times before, and instructed him to check up on the nutjob who had
destroyed Paige’s life. His father had always instilled in him that knowledge was power, and he was right, and with this in mind he’d told Mr. Black he wanted to know everything, however trivial or apparently insignificant, about the sick prick.
Hmm, that was almost three weeks ago now, and he still hadn’t heard back. Strange.
Leon relaxed, placing his hands behind his head. “No work appointment until four this afternoon, huh? In that case, Ms. Palmer, I’m going to let you choose what we do this morning. Anything you like.”
“Really, boss?”
“I’m a man of my word.”
He watched her suddenly become deep in thought. “There is one thing I’d particularly like to do, but—”
“Go on, don’t be frightened.”
“Yeah, well, but, if I ask, I’m afraid you’ll become angry.”
He shrugged. “Why should I?”
He watched her squirm uncomfortably on her chair. “Well, with what Cherise said on the very day I started working for you, I thought you might.”
“Cherise that—ah, I see.” Leon knew exactly what she was referring to. His mother. He didn’t feel any great desire to tell Paige how she ended up the way she was now. However, when he considered how this beautiful lady had delved the very depths of her soul to purge herself of the misery this Nolan prick had caused her, he felt the least he could do was respond in kind.
“You want to meet my mother. Is that what you’re telling me?”
Still clearly uncomfortable, she continued, “I thought with us getting on so well together, and not keeping any secrets from one another, that you know, perhaps it was time I met her.”
He heard himself sigh. “I see, I understand. Of course, you already know what happened to my mother on the Bonneville Salt Flats the day my father died.”
“Yes, you said she collapsed.”
“She did, but her illness wasn’t temporary, Paige. My mother never recovered her wits.”
He felt her hand on his again. “Oh, Leon, I’m so sorry. She must have loved him very much.”
“She did. She adored him. Idolized him even. He was her life, and her life stopped the moment his did. As you know I was only ten at the time, and deeply distressed by the whole thing.” He shook his head, recalling the traumatic episode as though it were yesterday. “I lost my father and effectively my mother on the same day.”
Paige stood from the breakfast table before walking behind him and then wrapping her arms around him. “Oh, Leon. Life can be such a cruel bastard at times. We both know that, don’t we?”
He patted her hand. “Yeah, sure we do, baby. Maybe that’s what’s brought us together.” Lightening the mood, he said, “Wanna go for a drive in the boss’s Caparelli?”
* * * *
As Leon closed the passenger door to his own personal Caparelli Apollo, Paige reveled in the luxurious interior. A five-million-bucks hypercar ought to feel special, and it did. The smell of finest leather, mixed intoxicatingly with exquisite carbon fiber and titanium fittings, creating an environment of pure opulence and indulgence. Paige allowed her hand to feather over the sensuous curve of the paddle-shift steering wheel. She could get used to this.
The customer list for Leon’s hand-built cars consisted entirely of the upper echelons of the super wealthy. For the ordinary man in the street, the chance of sitting in, let alone driving one of these extraordinary works of art was virtually zero.
With this in mind, she felt incredibly special as she relaxed back in the sumptuous seat, waiting for Leon to climb in beside her. Mere seconds passed before she felt his masculine weight compress the sports suspension, bringing with it a whiff of the expensive cologne he always wore.
His incredible dark eyes focused on her. “Ready?”
“For the experience of being the passenger in a Caparelli? You bet.”
Her ass had molded this very passenger seat several times before, but even so, it was still an experience to savor. When Leon pressed the bespoke starter button, causing the powerful engine to roar into life, she felt a tingle of excitement run the length of her body. Speed was an aphrodisiac, too, and briefly closing her eyes, she vividly recalled the time her boss had laid her over the hood of this very car and fucked her senseless.
Dear God, her pussy was wet again as the magnificent machine, driven by its magnificent owner, made its way down the long gravel driveway to the road. She saw from the expression on his beautiful features that he was pretty pumped up, and as soon as a piece of straight asphalt opened up before them, Leon floored the gas pedal, forcing the air from her lungs and her helpless body hard against the seat.
“Jesus, Leon, I’ll never get used to just how quick this thing is.”
Obviously amused by her astonishment, he said, “Everyone who sits where you’re sitting says exactly the same thing.”
He changed down a gear and floored it again just for the hell of it, making her squeal with delight, but after a mile or so, she felt his pressure on the gas pedal lessen, allowing the blood to flow back to her brain and normal conversation to resume.
“Leon, can I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“You say your mother was unable to look after you, following your father’s death.”
“That’s right.”
“But you were only ten.”
“Right again, baby. My father’s sister, my aunt Ruth, who never had any children of her own, looked after me until I was old enough to look after myself.”
Realization dawning, she slowly nodded her head. “Ah, I see.”
“Mystery solved?”
“Yes.”
“Paige, don’t expect too much from my mother. She’s a pale shadow of the vibrant woman she once was, and is often confused.”
“She’s your mother, she gave birth to you, so she can’t possibly be anything less than wonderful.”
Leon reached across and squeezed her hand. “She was, I mean is.” His jaw twitched.
Sensing she’d touched on a raw nerve, Paige spent the next twenty minutes talking trivia. Was the current Colorado Cobras team the best ever? How would he deal with the economy if he were president? Why was the price of gas so high, and did he like Oreo cookies?
Without warning, the speed of the Caparelli decreased sharply, making her seat belt do its job. A large, glossily painted sign announced their arrival, and Leon took a sharp left, pointing the car down a long, twisty driveway. Mature chestnuts lined the approach, their leafy canopy casting a welcome shadow over the car.
“Long Meadows Sanitorium. What a lovely name for a care facility.”
She took in the Victorian gabled building directly in front of them. “Oh, it’s magnificent, so serene and peaceful.”
“It has grounds spread out over twelve acres. That’s one acre for each resident.”
“Impressive. It must cost a fortune to keep your mother here.”
He nodded. “It does, but sometimes money is unimportant, baby.”
The way he spoke left her in no doubt that he loved his mother deeply and would do anything to make her happy. He applied the brakes, and she heard the gravel crunch beneath the tires as he parked the car and stilled the mighty engine.
As Leon slipped from the low-slung driving position, a smartly dressed woman, aged around fifty and wearing a navy-blue business suit, pushed open the large oak door to the impressive building. She then walked purposefully toward him and held out her hand, which he willing took.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Caparelli.”
“Good to see you, too, Carole.”
The smiles they exchanged led her to believe that they genuinely liked each other, and she guessed the woman was probably the manager or owner of Long Meadows. Her confident demeanor suggested the latter.
Leon gestured with an open hand. “I’d like to introduce you to a lady who’s very important to me. This is Paige.”
Carole shook her hand. The amount of pressure in her grip was unthreatening, and her s
mile still came across as genuine. “Good to meet you, Paige.”
“Likewise, Carole.” Paige looked around, taking in the sheer beauty of the exclusive location. “This is a lovely spot.”
“Our guests think so. Many have been here for ten years or more. Mr. Caparelli’s mother is our most senior resident. Sarah has been here twelve, or is it thirteen years?”
“Twelve.”
“It seems like only yesterday, because I distinctly remember you bringing her here on that chilly March morning.” Carole silently shook her head. “The previous care facility was wholly unsatisfactory.”
Leon rolled his eyes. “That’s an understatement, and as soon as I became aware of this, I made it a priority to move my mother somewhere more suitable. How’s she been today, Carole?”
The well-groomed lady grimaced slightly. “Good and bad I suppose. She’s eating well, and seems in good spirits, but—”
“The confusion is still evident, huh?”
“Exactly as it’s been since you first brought her here all those years ago, Mr. Caparelli.” She spread her arms wide and breathed deeply. “It’s a fine day. Sarah’s sitting by the lake. She seems quite contented. I can take you across to her if you wish?”
“No, we’re fine. We can make our own way, thanks.”
Paige linked her arm through his as they strolled sedately across the immaculately kept lawn, words unnecessary. After some fifty yards or so, she decided to break the silence that had developed between them. “It’s so beautiful here, Leon. So relaxing. It’s as though time has slowed almost to a stop.”
He nodded. “I agree. It’s strange, Paige, but whenever I visit, I always feel a sense of calm wash over me, that is until I speak to my mother. That makes me sad.”