Her ability to read his expressions made the feeling of passion and desire in the pit of her stomach relight. He’d allowed her to know him. Mia knew that was rare for the very reserved man.
He’d allowed her to make her own decision. Who knew how long he had watched as she had debated whether to make a run for it? Mia walked forward feeling the cold granite under her feet and the swish of the silky fabric against her bare skin.
“Hi, Rafael. Sorry to take so long. I bet you’re starving,” she said to break the silence.
The captivating man just held out a hand to her, "Come my sweet. It’s time for dinner.”
When she placed her hand in his, Rafael pulled her close and wrapped one arm around her slim waist. She inhaled deeply, enjoying that scent of sandalwood and underlying male that always surrounded this bewitching man. He escorted her to the dining room and delivered her to the chair next to his. As she sat in her appointed place, Mia’s eyes closed in delight at the light touch of his lips against her hair. A kiss!
19
Mia was pleased with her portrait of Rafael. She had labored to capture the essence of the magnetic man for three days now. Finally, she had captured that glint of passion in his dark eyes and the faint line of approval that she always hoped to see on his firm lips. Glancing up at the focused businessman, she wondered whether or not she should show him.
Nervous at revealing her artistic skills after such a long lapse in drawing, Mia closed the sketch pad with a firm snap. The sound drew Rafael’s attention. His hands pushed against the edge of the desk to roll his chair away from his computer. He finally took a break. To the young woman’s even greater surprise, those strong arms reached down to pluck her from the mat at his feet.
“I will stop working early today. There is a special event happening tonight, and we both need time to prepare ourselves,” he announced with a smile.
“Really? Here?” she asked in absolute shock.
“Yes, my sweet.” A knock sounded on the thick office door. “Good timing. They are here for you. I want you to allow them to take care of you. I selected all of their preparations carefully,” he warned before calling out, “come in!”
The man who Mia had deemed the butler entered. His reserved formality was wrapped around him as always. “Sir, the team you selected is here. Would you like them to escort Miss Mia to one of the guest quarters to prepare?”
“Thank you, Alfred.” Rafael lifted Mia to her feet before standing as well. “Follow Alfred, and I will see you tonight,” he promised, giving her a slight spank on the bottom.
Mia took several steps toward the door before looking back at the standing businessman in his well-tailored suit. At his meaningful nod, she joined the people standing in the hall.
“Hi, I’m Mia,” she introduced herself as she tugged the fuchsia mini dress that Rafael had left for her to wear today down her thighs just a bit more. She had not been self-conscious of all the flesh that the dress revealed before now.
“Hi, Mia. I’m Sebastien, and this is Angel and Shadow. We’re going to make you sparkle. Come on. We’ve got a lot to do.” Linking his arm with hers, Sebastien whisked her along, chattering constantly. He finally took a break from his remarks about politics and the weather, when they reached the guest room.
As the butler opened the door, Mia jumped in to ask, “What are you doing to me?”
“Oh, darling. You have a treat in store for you,” Sebastien said, tugging her through the doorway before turning to speak to the lanky man in the group, “Shadow, will you and Angel bring all the supplies in, please. Start with mine. A new haircut is definitely in order.”
As his two obvious assistants headed back to the entrance, Sebastien pulled Mia over to sit at the end of the bed. “Okay, darling. Your very generous man has ordered a complete makeover for you.” He paused to lift a hand to her chin, turning her head at different angles.
“You have very good bones to work with. That will make our job much easier. So, here’s the rundown. First, I’ll cut your hair. Then, it’s off to the bathtub for you to soak and soften all these rough edges,” he shared, cupping her elbow and running an appraising thumb over the calloused skin. “A pedicure, a manicure, waxing, makeup, and you will sparkle in your new gown.”
“My new gown?” she asked. Her head was swimming with all these plans. What in the world was going to happen tonight?
“Oh, you’ll see that later,” Sebastien knowingly smiled. “That man of yours has exquisite taste. It’s the exact gown I would have chosen for you.”
Noise in the hallway caused the enthusiastic man to bounce to his feet. Angel and Shadow entered pushing a dolly stacked with plastic storage boxes.
“Perfect!” He lifted the heavy blue one off the top and started to carry it into the bathroom. Turning to look at Mia in surprise, he said, “Well, come on. Step one, haircut.”
20
Three hours later, Mia stood at the large mirror, unable to believe she had become the woman who looked back at her. Sebastien had cut and styled her hair in an elaborate updo that looked sophisticated and sleek. The makeup that Shadow had applied had widened her already big, blue eyes while making her lips look as if she would invite a kiss at a moment’s notice. The gorgeous sparkly gown nipped in at the waist and clung to her hips, giving her an hourglass figure. They had erased any hint of mousiness that had lurked.
Only Mia knew the intimate treatments the team had given her. Her body had been waxed of all body hair, buffed free of any rough skin, and massaged with a thick cream that felt so good and made her skin glow with health. She had clung to the thought that Rafael had ordered all these treatments when Sebastien’s orders had exposed her nude body to the entire team throughout the afternoon. She wanted to please him.
The team’s professional demeanor had reassured her that this was all normal procedure for them. Their actions proved that they were not bothered or particularly interested in her body. Sebastien had held her hand through the painful and intimate waxing. Now at the end of all their preparations, Mia had begun to consider all three as friends. Their chatter as they gathered all the supplies from the bathroom and bedroom indicated that they would see her often.
Mia glanced down at her nails. Gone was the frivolous pink polish with white flowers. Shadow had painted them a deep navy to match one of the shimmering colors in her gown and added one shimmering, white crystal that caught the light as she moved her fingers. Mia didn’t know why they reminded her of her first days with Rafael, but that glisten mirrored the spotlight in the darkness that heralded his attention. Her toes in the sky-high heels mirrored the design.
Waving goodbye at Sebastien, Angel, Shadow as they departed, wishing her luck in slaying the crowd, Mia pressed a hand to her thudding heart. She looked around the beautiful room that had been filled with activity for the last three hours. Now in the quiet, she had time to worry.
Smoothing a hand over the sparkling gown, she felt the soft dress liner touching her bare skin. Sebastien had refused to allow her to ruin the sleek lines of the long dress by wearing anything under it. Mia felt very exposed by the tight fit of the beautiful dress.
A faint scent made her twirl around to look at the doorway. That hand at her heart pressed a bit tighter to her chest. Goodness, he looks delicious, Mia’s brain trumpeted inside her head.
Dressed in a coal-black tuxedo, Rafael stood in the doorway, appraising her with a pleased smile. He held one hand out to her and waited silently for her to walk self-consciously toward him. As she stood in front of him, Mia waited for him to say something, but he just looked at her.
Finally, her nerves forced her to speak. “Rafael. Say something, please. What’s going on?” she asked in a trembling voice.
The debonair man simply tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and led her out of the bedroom and down the hall. With each step, Mia could hear talking, laughter, and music growing louder. At the entrance to a large room, Rafael stopped to allow Mia to look at the swi
rl of activity.
There had to be thirty people filling the large drawing-room. Gowns flounced and twinkled as good-looking men paid special attention to the beautiful women. A small quartet played softly in the corner as everyone enjoyed chatting with each other. Mia looked at Rafael, trying to figure out what was happening.
“My sweet, I would like to introduce you to our friends,” he said as a loud voice cut through the noise.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Rafael Montalvo and his Mia have arrived.”
Mia looked over to see Alfred acting as the announcer. He gave her an encouraging nod as Rafael swept her forward into the gathering. Collecting a glass from the waiter, Rafael pressed the flute of champagne into her hand as everyone eagerly approached to chat with their host and meet his companion.
Clinging to Rafael’s side, Mia soon abandoned any hope of remembering people’s names. Everyone was charming and complimented Rafael on her beauty and poise. Little did they know that she was panicking inside at the press of people around her. Finally, it appeared that they had almost met everyone.
One last couple approached; they were almost a perfect reversal of Rafael and Mia. The Nordic man led his companion forward. She was a full-figured blonde whose thick hair was braided to fall over one shoulder extending to her waist. Smiling pleasantly at Mia, his eyes did not linger on her trim figure showcased in the sparkling dress. His arm wrapped around the blonde’s waist, snuggling her curves to his hard angles. As in all the couples whom she had met, Mia sensed a deep commitment between the two.
“Eric, I am so glad that you could join us,” Rafael said smoothly, stepping forward to pat the man on his shoulder. “Alaina, I’m glad to see you feeling so well,” he nodded at her.
“Thank you for inviting us, my old friend. I see that you found her,” Erik said with an assessing glance over Mia’s form. “She is lovely.”
“She is more than lovely, Erik. She is my one. I remember when you captured Alaina, Erik,” Rafael replied with a smile.
In shock, Mia looked at the dark man at her side. Erik had captured Alaina? Had all these women been abducted as she had? Mia wondered, allowing the words to sound only inside her mind as she looked around at each couple.
A silver bell rang, piercing the friendly conversations. “Come, everyone! It is time for dinner,” Rafael explained. He tucked Mia’s hand in the crook of his arm once again and led the couples into the large dining room. On this evening, the large table held many more than the two place settings of their typical solitary meals. The handsome host walked to the head of the table and seated Mia as usual on his right.
In the bustle, as everyone found their seats, Rafael leaned close to Mia to whisper, “You must remain silent during dinner.”
Mia looked at him in shock. His confirming nod told her he was very serious. The young woman jumped slightly as one of the waitstaff reached around her to unfold her napkin and place it on her lap. Automatically, she opened her mouth to thank him but caught a warning look from Rafael. Her mouth closed with a snap.
The men began to talk. Mia listened with half her attention as she looked from woman to woman, noting the change in their demeanor from social butterfly in the predinner gathering to become quiet, silent, and almost invisible at the table. Each woman’s eyes focused on her plate rather than looking around as Mia was doing. Mia heard a couple of silvery tickles of noise and looked around curiously as she tried to figure out the source. No one else seemed to react to the sound.
Not understanding the women’s reserve, she picked Alaina to stare at. Mia willed the friendly blonde to look up at her. Minutes passed. As they served the soup around the table, Mia finally saw Alaina shifting uncomfortably in her chair. Finally, the curvy blonde looked up to meet her eyes. Immediately, Mia could read the warning in those wide eyes that looked back at her and Alaina barely shook her head no.
Rafael leaned over to take away her soup spoon and drop it on the floor in a familiar ringing sound that brought a few men’s attention to the host. Mia’s face flushed bright pink under their reproachful glance. “Erik,” he said conversationally.
Mia watched in horror as Erik picked up Alaina’s soup spoon as well. The second silver spoon tinkled quietly as it struck the floor. The blonde’s eyes rolled up to the crystal chandelier over the table before lowering back to the white tablecloth.
As everyone began to dip their spoons into the delicious soup, Mia watched Alaina flip her thick braid over her shoulder before leaning in to lap delicately at her soup. Aghast, Mia turned to look at Rafael. Finding him watching her, Mia opened her mouth to speak.
Without waiting for the sound to emerge from her lips, Rafael leaned over to pick up her salad fork and drop it to the floor as well. One raised eyebrow met her look of disbelief as her eyes rose from the silver fork on the ground. “Eat your soup, my sweet. Soon, everyone will be watching and waiting for you to finish so the next course can be served.”
Trying to determine her choices, Mia heard several spoons begin to scrape indelicately across the bottom of the bowl. Everyone would finish soon. Glancing back at Alaina, she discovered that the blonde had finished her soup and Erik was carefully wiping her face.
Looking around the table, not a single woman looked up. None of the men protested in the least. The collegial conversation between them continued. No one was going to help her. Mia slowly leaned over to extend her tongue into the bowl. The delicious flavor of the soup burst over her tongue as she tried to eat the food delicately without a spoon. Lifting her head slightly, she eyed her knife, thinking she could scoop up the thick mixture on the wide blade.
Rafael’s voice interrupted her thoughts as she sat up in her chair, “If you lose a third piece of silverware, I will remove your beautiful dress, and you will eat the remainder of your meal in the nude.” He nodded to a trembling brunette at the far end of the table.
Her companion continued to speak with the other men around him as he unzipped the back of her dress and slid the garment off her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground. Her escort then captured both her wrists behind her back, thwarting her attempts to hide her body by slumping forward. He whispered something into her ear. Immediately, the brunette on display nodded somberly. She stepped out of the dress and waited until the man had reseated himself. Then, gracefully, she sunk to her knees and moved under the table.
As the conversation continued to flow companionably around the table amongst the men, Mia looked down the front of her beautiful dress to the bowl of soup in front of her. She had not seen the other woman’s infractions that had resulted in her loss of clothing and relegation under the table. Mia knew that Rafael always meant what he said.
Slowly, she leaned back over her bowl to lap at the delicious soup. It was impossible to keep her face from being smeared with the thick mixture. She didn’t dare sit up until she had finished the entire bowl. Sitting back, she wildly grabbed for her napkin to wipe her chin dry. To her surprise, Rafael was there immediately to clean her face with his napkin. She smiled tremulously at him. Her heart skipped a beat as he nodded approvingly at her.
The clatter of dishes drew her attention away from his face. Glancing around the table, she discovered that everyone had finished and had waited just as Rafael had informed her. When she sat back against her chair, the servers removed all the bowls and placed the salad course in front of them.
21
Later as Rafael bid goodbye to all the guests, Mia stood quietly by his side. She’d figured out quickly that the social time before the meal had been the only part of the gathering where the women could talk freely. Three women walked into the cool evening warmed only by their male companion’s arm around their waist, their garments draped over his other arm. Mia glanced down at the beautiful dress that she wore, thankful that she had quickly heeded the rules as Rafael explained them to her.
“Come, my sweet,” the impeccably well-dressed man encouraged as he steered her up the stairs to his master suite.
Q
uietly, Mia nodded. Grateful for his supportive arm, she was exhausted. She teetered on the unfamiliar high heels as she climbed the staircase that seemed twice as high as it had earlier in the evening.
Rafael quickly removed their clothing, leaving them in a messy pile on the floor. When Mia protested the care of her beautiful dress, Rafael just smiled fondly and ushered her into the shower stall. His knowing hands caressed her slick, wet body as he removed all the traces of makeup and washed her body. Mia twisted in delight as his hands explored the bare skin and treasures now on display thanks to the waxing she had endured earlier.
“Rafael?” Mia protested as his hands roughly turned her to face the beautiful tiled wall. The tantalizing man didn’t answer as he held her in place with one forceful hand as he reached above her head to a small shelf. Mia heard a packet being opened and smiled against the tiles, welcoming his intimate touch.
Lifting her to her toes, Rafael thrust fully into her body. This time the sex was rough and brutal. The care that Rafael had shown in the past to push her arousal into pleasure was absent. Mia lifted one hand from the wall, intending to touch herself so they could climax together.
“No!” his rough voice in her ear made her flatten her palm against the wall again. “You lost your chance to orgasm the minute your spoon dropped to the floor. Learn to follow my directions completely, and pleasure is yours.” He finished quickly, shouting his pleasure from behind her.
Mia leaned against the cold tile, aching for completion. Aroused and unfulfilled, tears streamed from her face. When he whispered that he had planned for her to share his bed that evening and his disappointment in her, Mia vowed to act according to his wishes fully in the future.
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 86