Chapter 4
Janet went over the minutes of the previous meeting, scrolling through on her phone and double checking everything. She made a couple of notes and sent through a few emails with her questions, to her public relations team. She had to make sure that she was ready for this. She did a little bit more reading on cultural norms and the diamond industry in South Africa and found that things were not as complicated as she thought (when it came to language and other potential barriers). The diamond situation, however, was even more complicated that it first appeared.
It seemed that people were claiming that there were highly unstable mines, unfair working conditions and a lot of death and injury, making this a very challenging place to work indeed. Janet scanned the words. There were claims of the diamonds being blood diamonds in some of the mines and that made Janet feel exceptionally uncomfortable.
At the same time, there were condition reports that stated that the mines were in perfect order, when it comes to legislation and that they didn’t fall under the title of blood diamonds, or unfair working conditions. The dispute was making Janet’s head hurt.
Before this, she hadn’t looked so in-depth to all of the details and she wasn’t sure which side of the story to believe. She frowned in thought and stood up. Her team would call her soon, when business hours resumed in America. Right now, though, she needed to try and sort her head out. A shower would help settle her, and Janet decided that was what she needed.
When she got to the bathroom, however, she quickly changed her mind. The bath dominated the room, luxurious and gorgeous. She smiled, feeling herself relax. A nice, long, hot bath. She’d get her head in order, practice for the meetings and get ready. Maybe she’d wash her hair and style it tonight to save herself some time, or maybe she would just enjoy some of the peace. She smiled to herself, humming a little as she went about running the bath.
The hotel had supplied bath oil and other products and she used some in the bath now, including the bubble bath that frothed. Between that and the sweet smelling oil, Janet felt like she was in heaven.
Remembering Fang’s words, she shut the blinds before she undressed, also making sure that the door itself was locked. Then she shed her clothing and stepped into the deliciously warm bath, sinking beneath the bubbles and letting out a sigh of pleasure and relief. She had needed some time to relax, needed some time to settle herself and work through the information buzzing around her head.
She had to be settled for tomorrow. This was a make or break meeting and she knew it. Janet took a moment to wash her skin, to scrub it and smooth it, before she tilted her head back and rested, shutting her eyes and letting the warm water soothe her skin and leave her feeling more comfortable, less achy and more settled. She lingered as long as she dared, before climbing out of the bath. She dried off her hair, styling it lightly with a brush, before rubbing cream into her skin.
Then she made her way to the clothing that she had brought. A few pieces were just for lounging around in, put together, but comfortable. She slid into a dress, making sure that she was presentable, especially if Fang was going to be wondering around. The dress was flowy and comfortable, shorter than she might wear out and a little more figure hugging, but Janet felt that it suited her. She put on a bare amount of makeup and headed out again, opening the blinds on her way out. She grabbed her laptop and went to the couch.
Making herself a cup of tea, she curled up and did the last bit of work for the day. She had only just shut her laptop when she got a phone call. Her public relations team. She picked up the phone and listened while they answered her questions. Even they could not do much to explain about the diamond problem, but they helped her make a few notes on what to say about the company and how to smooth things over a little more with the executives in tomorrow’s meeting.
She thanked them politely and put the phone down. She read over the notes a few times, trying to get things to sink in.
“Working hard?”
Janet glanced up. It was Fang, fixing her with a deep, penetrating look. Janet nodded, “Fang, do you have any idea whether or not the ethics of these mines are okay?” She lifted a piece of paper and Fang stared at it for a long moment, eyes scanning the page.
“You’ve been reading up on it.”
“Of course I have.” Janet frowned softly.
“So you’re not just a figurehead?” There was something almost like sarcasm in his voice and Janet felt a flash of anger. She pushed herself to her feet, matching his gaze.
“Of course not! I didn’t fly half way across the world just to sit and look pretty!” Janet didn’t know why she was getting so emphatic, but something about him, his tone, the way he was looking at her…it sent anger spluttering through her, ignited her in a way that she didn’t understand.
“Well, it’s not like you have much experience in business…” He trailed off.
“Excuse me?” Janet was almost spitting, the argument escalating quickly, “What do you mean I don’t have experience? I’ve been to college, I’ve worked hard at my previous position. Don’t you dare insinuate that I don’t know what I am doing?”
“If you knew what you were doing, you wouldn’t be calling up PR every two minutes.” His voice was unbearably condescending and Janet wanted to scream.
They were only inches apart now and Janet could feel the sparks, the anger that bounced off her and ignited him.
“You work for this company. Don’t forget that I run it.” Janet was seething.
Fang smirked and there was a darkness in his eyes, “You run it, but you sure as hell didn’t hire me, sweetheart.”
Janet could feel his breath, feel the heat of his skin, and feel the anger burning inside of her. Without knowing what had come over her, Janet found herself grabbing Fang’s shirt in her hands.
Then his hands were around her and suddenly, she was falling against him as his back slammed into the wall. There was a moment of silence, a moment of nothing but the beating of their hearts and the tight, shortness of breath.
Then Fang’s lips were on hers and Janet was kissing him back. The tension between them was only growing, a fierce, thrumming heat that had no beginning and no end. There was only now, there was only this moment, the feel of Fang’s hand around her waist, his lips against hers.
He tasted like smoke. He tasted like smoke and something else, almost like alcohol and Janet didn’t know that a person could taste that way and still be so overwhelmingly intoxicating.
He kissed her deeper, passionately and Janet found herself leaning into the feeling. Her hands slid up his chest and his finger found her hair, threading through the strands, leaving her breathless and giddy, heat moving through every pore of her, moving through her chest and tingling down her skin. She gasped as he shifted, twisting so that Janet was pushed against the wall instead, the cool plaster against her back, pushing through the silky material of her dress.
When he finally broke the kiss, Janet was breathless, “Fang…” She gasped, her voice shaky, breathless.
She stared into his eyes, so blue that they might have been made of the depths of the ocean, out of the most precious tanzanite. She had never seen eyes that blue on anyone in her life, never seen eyes that were so blue, so cold and so hot all at the same time. It was intoxicating. Janet couldn’t pull away, couldn’t leave the safety of his arms, the passion of his body pressed against her.
Suddenly, Janet knew that she wanted him, wanted him with a burning passion, a fevering need, an overwhelming desire. She needed to feel his skin against hers, needed to know how he felt against her hands. She moved beneath the fabric of his shirt, sliding her hands across, feeling the tight tension of his muscles, the rolling of his skin as he took a deep, sharp breath. She felt scars beneath her fingertips, felt the muscles of years of hard work.
Her head was spinning and she was breathless with desire. Fang was pushing against her and she could feel the strength in his body. His lips were on her neck, kissing her, sucking her skin and nipping at her flesh. It left her a little bit breathless, her arousal surging powerfully within her, and she held onto him tightly, her hands pushing at his shirt, pulling it over his skin. He pulled back long enough to pull his shirt off, and she pulled him in again, without hesitation.
His hands on her skin were electric, and Janet found herself lost in the gorgeous sight of him, his toned body was tight with muscle, broad and strong. He looked fantastic, scars winding across his body, mingling with tattoos, some that looked foreign. Janet felt warmth and pleasure surge between her legs.
When she touched his skin, he hummed in approval, a low, rumbling sound that went straight through Janet. She bit her lip, shuddering softly as he kissed her again, his hands sliding to the hemline of her dress, caressing her skin, brushing the softness of her thighs and sending tingles through her.
She moaned softly as his fingers found their mark, sliding beneath her dress, lifting the fabric and making Janet gasp. His fingers knew their way easily, sliding between her legs, finding the searing warmth that was hidden only by a thin film of lace. Janet bit her lip, feeling the dizzying desire spread through her. He felt incredible, in every way, in every touch, every breath on her skin.
Then his hands were on her dress, sliding it over her head. She gasped, feeling her breathing hitch. He slid the fabric off her, leaving it pooling on the floor. Janet felt herself blushing, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks, feeling the blushing heat of desire wind around her, almost overwhelming with the pleasure. She was exposed, wearing nothing but lacy underwear. Even her bra lay forgotten in the bathroom, where she hadn’t bothered to put it back on.
Fang smirked, and Janet felt heat rise to her cheeks, “You look good…” He murmured, desire surfacing in his voice, sending heat shooting straight through Janet, “But you’d look better in nothing at all.” He murmured.
His body pressed against hers, his fingers teasing the edge of her panties. She shuddered softly, her hands coming to rest on the buckle of his belt.
She pulled it away, letting it fall undone easily, even with her shaking fingers. He breathed, almost a laugh and let her slide his pants the rest of the way off.
Then Janet was in his arms. He lifted her up, carrying her to the couch, where he pressed her down against the pillows. Janet looked up at him, his toned body, and the blazing lust in his eyes, the surging desires and needs that curled around them both like tendrils. She couldn’t help it, “Fang…I want you….” She whispered, breathless and quiet, like a secret, like a forbidden desire.
Fang’s eyes seemed to be alight with fire now. They burnt, a brilliant blue, as he looked at her, took in the sight of her. Janet blushed, feeling him take in every inch of her skin, every inch of her body. She slid her hands down her body, brushing his trunks with her fingertips and slowly sliding them down his skin. He allowed her to slide them off him, before lifting her up gently, sliding her panties off and throwing them in a heap to the ground.
Janet didn’t want this to ever stop. She wanted more…more, and more of his touch, of the feel of his fingers against her skin, his breath against her neck. Janet gasped, biting her lip as he slid his hands low, brushing the heat between her legs and setting fire to her body. Then his fingers were sliding inside of her, filling her and making Janet cry out with pleasure. She arched against the couch, her body humming with pleasure, a blissful moan spilling from her throat. She gasped, feeling the flush to her cheeks grow stronger, a heat against her skin.
She loved it. She loved this, loved the feel of him. When he curled his fingertips, Janet saw stars, saw flashing before her eyes. Fang reached up with one hand to lightly cup her breast in his hand, brushing his thumb across her nipple and setting her body alight with need.
“Mmmm, Fang!” She panted softly, gasping as she moved beneath him, feeling the fierce arousal surge through her, burn her skin until it felt like there was absolutely nothing left. She could have cried with the pleasure, with the desire that was almost eating her alive. It was perfect. It was everything she could have hoped for.
She could smell his cologne and the sweet, smoky scent that seemed to permeate him, as if it was part of him, part of his very skin. She knew that she shouldn’t be doing this, shouldn’t be in bed with the head of her security, but at that moment, Janet found it hard to care.
“Are you ready?” He whispered in her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. She was ready, oh so very ready to have him, to take him, to take everything about this, about his touch, about his body.
Janet nodded and Fang shifted between her, hands resting lightly on her hips. He pushed slowly within her, and Janet felt the girth of him fill her body, overwhelm her senses with pleasure. She cried out, shuddering and grabbing onto the couch cushions, onto Fang himself as he thrusted within her.
It was pleasure, it was bliss, and it was overwhelming. It was perfection and Janet could barely draw breath against the pleasure that burnt her body and flooded her senses. He felt incredible, his hands on her skin, the scent of him, the way that he touched her. It was too much for Janet to handle, but she was more than happy to keep trying.
She moaned in pleasure as he moved against her, deeper and harder, leaving her shuddering and biting her lip as she gasped. She grabbed the couch hard in her fingertips, arching against him and trembling as the pleasure began to build within her.
Fang was gasping and there was a gorgeous flush to his cheeks. He looked so incredible and Janet was in awe of him, of the softening of his hard features, the way that his eyes shone as he looked at her, the way that he softened, held her tight and kissed her skin.
His lips were both rough and soft at the same time and they felt amazing against her. She gasped and felt the pleasure rising within her in strong, powerful waves. It was almost impossible to resist the pleasure that threatened to drown her, threatened to overwhelm her senses. She shuddered softly and gripped him tighter, harder and deeper. Janet bit her lip, and arched her body harder, deeper.
He was speeding up. She felt him thrusting deeper within her, filling her, making her want to cry out again and again with the bliss that was rising up inside of her. It was perfect, it was just perfect.
Everything was a blur. All of her worries had swam away under the flood of pleasure and emotion. She could no longer remember why she was worried about this trip, or the meeting, or anything at all. She wasn’t thinking about the many fears that had crowded her brain just moments before this had started. No, her mind had left her, leaving her only with pleasure and the overwhelming feeling of safety.
It was in that moment that she realized that Fang would protect her. Or, rather, she felt it, felt the desire swimming around her, insistent and strong against her body, her senses. She needed him, and innately, she knew that he would keep her safe, keep her protected in his arms. Janet gasped blindly, letting the sensations fill her up to overflowing.
The pleasure was getting closer and closer. Everything was happening faster and faster. His hands were on her skin. She was gasping and kissing him. He groaned in pleasure.
The overwhelming bliss overcame her and her breathing came in quick, shallow gasps. She needed him now! Right now!
Janet climaxed suddenly, hard and fierce. The cresting pleasure crashed down on her in waves, shuddering over her and drowning her with their weight and their might. It was everything that she could have dreamed of, everything and more.
She was shuddering with pleasure, her body shivering and tensing and tightening around him. It felt good. It felt blissfully, overwhelmingly good. She could barely breathe, could barely take in a breath, and could barely think of anything but the overwhelming desire and bliss that was overcoming her. Ecstasy.
Fang climaxed soon after her, holding her tight as he shuddered, murmuring her name and setting fire to her heart. So good. It was all so good, and it all felt so right, so right that Janet couldn’t dream of letting go. She gasped against his skin, rocking in pleasure as they entwined, naked in their bliss. Janet was flushed- she could feel the heat radiating from her skin, burning through her body. It felt incredible, felt amazing in a way she couldn’t begin to describe.
Janet kissed him hard, flooding him with the press of her lips. He held her, and she breathed in his musk, the smoky sweet smell that seemed to linger on his skin. She could feel his heartbeat pounding against her.
She took a deep breath, as the pleasure finally eased, leaving behind the certain bliss of the afterglow, the tender touches and quiet words that came after love making that was this passionate, this overwhelming.
And yet, Fang didn’t say anything. Neither did Janet. This moment seemed to perfect for words, somehow. It seemed too sacred, too quiet and peaceful and blissful. There was something unspoken that had passed between them and Janet couldn’t even remember why she had been so furious with him in the first place.
Now, there was nothing left but peace, nothing left but the lingering pleasure and that sweet, sweet feeling of safety. Here, in a strange country, where she was in danger, where she knew no one…she felt safe. She felt safe in his arms, safe in the way he held her, safe in the way his burning eyes had locked on hers, safe in every touch of his hands on her skin. She didn’t feel ashamed, she felt empowered.
Janet took a deep, shaky breath and rested against him a little more. Fang shifted then, moving to rest back on the couch so that Janet could be on top of him, and he would take all of the weight, not her. He grabbed a throw and tossed it over her.
Janet felt a sudden, fierce surge of warmth for him, warmth for his thoughtfulness. She glanced down and he was looking at her through half-lidded eyes, warm and quiet. There was a restfulness in him that she had not seen before. A big, dangerous cat who had stopped to lie in the sun. The thought was comforting to her.
“Sleep.” His voice was soft, barely a murmur, “You have a big day tomorrow.”
His words didn’t arise panic inside of her. Instead, they calmed her. She was ready, as ready as she could be. The best that she could do would be to get some sleep now, and feel ready in the morning.
“I’ll wake you up in time.”
Janet’s eyes were sliding shut now and somehow, she found it impossible to resist the lull of sleep, the glorious warmth, the comfort of another’s embrace, even if it was only for the night, only for now. It brought her comfort and Janet was not about to turn it down.
She shut her eyes and drifted into sleep, her body tingling with pleasure, her mind finally at ease.