CHAPTER EIGHT
It was another week before Dante saw Sasha again. Like he’d decided and eventually told Rafe, he’d avoided her for a whole week after the affair in the back of the Mercedes-Benz, thinking that would give her time to get through what must be major emotional turmoil for her. During the week of his absence Emile had gone back to his duties and although he knew she must be dying of curiosity, he stuck to his plan of giving her the space he knew she needed. She must still be wrapping her head around the whole idea of sleeping with ‘the help’. For a girl like Sasha that would be a big deal.
When he was finally ready to call her the following Monday morning he hardly knew what to say. Even though he’d deliberately avoided calling her he noted that she hadn’t called him, either. What did it mean? Was she missing him as much as he was missing her but simply biding her time? Or was she good and done with him after that one mind-blowing night?
He guessed, with this phone call, he would know soon enough. He dialed.
He didn’t even get the chance to say hello. “After hiding away for the past week you dare to call me now? I don’t even know why I answered.”
“Hello, Sasha,” Dante said, his voice calm. “How are you?”
“How am I? I’m angry, that’s how I am. Where have you been all week?”
“I decided we needed some space,” he said. “After what happened between us I thought it best-.”
“You decided? You thought it best? Who the hell are you to decide what’s best for me?”
“Okay, maybe that was presumptuous of me.”
“You’re damn right, it was. I don’t like people making decisions for me.” Sasha’s voice was sharp, the panting tone of her breathing making it obvious that she was growing angrier with each word.
Dante knew if he didn’t say something to calm her down she would soon be hanging up on him. “I’m sorry, Sasha,” he said, his tone apologetic. “I overstepped my bounds. I just assumed you wouldn’t have wanted to hear from me for a while, just so you could settle things in your mind. I actually assumed you would want to avoid me for a while. I assumed wrong.”
Her ensuing silence made Dante wonder if his little speech had only made things worse. But then she spoke. “Well, you assumed right. Sort of. I actually did plan on avoiding you for a while.” She sighed. “But then I started missing you.”
He heard the hint of regret in her voice. She must be hating it that she was having feelings for him, however minute. He, though, was loving it. Sasha Force was having feelings for him? He wouldn’t have thought it possible. It gave him hope.
He decided to take advantage of her momentary show of vulnerability. He didn’t know when he would ever find her in this state again. “I missed you, too,” he said, and it wasn’t until the words left his lips that he realized just how much. “I was wondering if I could see you again, maybe this weekend?” He held his breath. The answer she gave would determine if there was any hope for them.
He didn’t have to wait long for her answer. “No,” she said, her tone brusque and cold. “After you made me wait a whole week to hear from you, why would I want to see you this weekend?”
Knowing now that he’d messed everything up, Dante drew in his breath then let it out slowly. He twisted his lips, regret making his spirit sink. “I’m sorry to hear-”
She cut him off. “I don’t want to see you this weekend, Dante. I want to see you today. You know where I live. You’d better get your butt over to my house this evening, no later than seven, do you understand? I’ll have the housekeeper make us dinner.” Relief flooded through him when he heard her chuckle. “And when you come you’d better bring your A-game. You’ve got a lot of making up to do.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He was only too happy to agree. Things were working out way better than he had hoped. “Whatever you say, ma’am.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear.”
When Sasha hung up Dante sat there, the cell phone still in his hand as he stared out the window, not believing his good fortune. She wanted to see him and the way she spoke it wasn’t just for dinner and a chat, either. All he knew was, he was a darned lucky man.
Dante pulled into Sasha’s driveway on the dot of seven o’clock. When he rang the bell she greeted him at the door in a slinky silk number, an inky-blue that was almost black, a hue that was a stark contrast to the soft tan of her creamy skin and the blonde waves that fell around her shoulders.
She surprised him with a quick kiss on the lips. “I hope you like salmon,” she said as she took his jacket. “I don’t eat red meat so I don’t have steak and potatoes for you. Sorry.” She was smiling as she said the words. It looked like her mood had improved tremendously since they’d spoken on the phone that morning.
“Salmon is good,” he said as he followed her to the dining room. “I hear it’s good brain food.”’
When they got to the dining room he was surprised to see a well-set table decorated with a low-cut crystal vase full of pink roses and a six-candle candelabra that cast a golden glow over the silver bowls on the table. “Wow,” he breathed as she directed him toward a chair at the end of the table. What didn’t surprise him was when she took the chair at the head of the table. Sasha was the queen of her castle, after all.
All throughout dinner she kept up a pleasant flow of conversation, not seeming the least bit perturbed that she was entertaining ‘the help’ and would probably be sleeping with him before the night was over. What had changed? He was having a hard time figuring out Sasha Force.
He got another surprise when she started questioning him about his family. He would not have thought she would even give a damn.
“Are you from a large family?” she asked. “Brothers? Sisters?”
“I’ve got an older brother,” he said, “and two younger sisters. Twins.”
Her eyes widened, her interest obvious. “Really? That must be interesting, having twin sisters.”
He grimaced. “Interesting is an understatement. When they were younger they would always use their resemblance to their advantage. They were constantly playing pranks on their teachers at school, on the neighbors, on visitors who came to the house. A few times they even played pranks on me, their own brother.” He gave her a wry smile. “Whenever I would bust them I’d let them have it, though. They’re scared of me now.” Then he laughed. “Not.” He chuckled. “They might be in their early twenties now but they still try to mess with me whenever they can. They’re like a couple of rebellious kittens. They’ll never change. They’ll be playing pranks on me even when they’re sixty-five.”
When he glanced over at Sasha she was staring back at him, her chin propped on top of her palm, her eyes misty with an emotion that he could not read. Suddenly, she sighed. “You’re so lucky,” she said. “It sounds like you have a loving family. I bet nobody is demanding that you make millions of dollars in profits every year.” She sighed again. “I wish I had a sister.”
Her wistful tone made him incline his head as he studied her. “You’re an only child?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’m the only one the Forces adopted. I’m actually surprised they adopted a girl. I have a feeling my dad would have preferred a boy, someone who would run the Force empire the way he wanted. Someone more aggressive.”
That was a surprising revelation for Dante. He’d had no idea Sasha had been adopted into the Force family. Maybe that was why she seemed to be trying so hard to prove herself. He was glad she’d told him. It made him understand her a little bit better.
Wanting to reassure her, he was reaching out a hand to cover hers but then he caught himself. That would definitely not do. Sasha’s words told him she was feeling vulnerable just then but the last thing you wanted to do when someone was feeling that way was let them know you saw their frailty, especially someone as independent-minded as Sasha.
Instead of reaching out to touch her, he gave her a smile that he hoped would reassure her. “You’ve been doing a pretty good job of it,” he said. “Force Factor is an international brand, one of the top ten cosmetics companies in North America.”
She seemed unconvinced. “Because my dad made it so. He would accept nothing less.” She smiled. “He’s a determined son-of-a-bitch.” Then she glanced at him, her smile widening. “Pardon my French.”
He laughed. “You never cease to amaze me, Sasha Force. And here I was, thinking you were such a reserved, dignified lady. Your language!” It was a dramatic gasp of horror but then he laughed. This time, with the mood lighter than before, he did reach for her hand. He gave it a squeeze. “You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone, your father included. You’re known nationwide as a formidable business leader, one who made her company a household name, and no-one can take that from you.”
To his surprise, a pretty blush crept onto her cheeks. She dropped her gaze to their hands. “Thank you,” she said softly. “That means a lot, especially coming from you.”
That made him raise his eyebrows. “What’s that supposed to mean, especially coming from me? I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.”
She smiled. “Please take it as a compliment. All I meant was that I know you, of all people, will be honest with me. You’re not trying to impress me. From what I know of you, you just tell it like it is.” She squeezed his hand, her smile widening. “Mr. Honest-to-a- Fault.”
It was the worst thing Sasha could have said. Him? Honest? When he was sitting here in her living room, pretending to be someone he was not?
And it was the worst time that she could have said it, just when he was feeling soft for her, just when he wanted to protect her, just when he was feeling so tender that he wanted to pull her into his arms and shield her from all her insecurities, all her fears.
It was that thought that told him that what he was feeling for her was not just a fleeting fancy. He wanted a permanent connection with Sasha, there was no doubt in his mind about that.
But what would happen when that day came when she found out that he’d deceived her? He had the feeling it would not be pretty. He was not looking forward to it.
***
Sasha felt like a woman in heat. She was the lucky one. Here she was, in her own home, and at her disposal was one of the most handsome men she’d ever met. Dante was not only handsome, he was smart, too. He was also the most cultured blue collar worker she’d ever come across.
But he was no ordinary worker. Nobody had to tell her that. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke, told her he would fit into any company. She would hold her head high with him by her side, anytime, anywhere.
It was that thought that made her realize that what she was feeling for Dante was a whole lot more than just lust. She wanted him, she would not deny that, but what she felt for him included a generous dose of admiration and a whole lot of respect. At the mental image of him by her side what she was feeling was pride.
Class be damned and money be damned. When she went to bed at night class would not keep her warm and money would not hold her close and make her feel loved. She knew that when the day came for her to present Dante to her father she would have a hell of a time convincing him that this man was worthy but she would cross that bridge when she got there. She knew she wanted Dante in her life but she would not dwell on that right now. Tonight she just wanted to enjoy every moment with him. Tonight she would just give in to her need for physical gratification. Tonight it was all about lust.
As soon they’d finished the meal Sasha reached for Dante’s hand and urged him to his feet. Like the dominant woman she prided herself on being, she pulled him away from the table and toward the door where she shoved him against the wall. Before he could recover she grabbed him by the lapels and jerked him down so she could capture his lips in a fierce kiss. His hands were creeping up to cup elbows when she shoved him again, breaking the kiss, slamming him back against the wall.
“Hey, watch it.” He said, lifting his hand to touch the back of his head. “You like it rough, do you?”
She didn’t bother to answer that. She just showed him with her actions. As he massaged the back of his head she grabbed both sides off his shirt and, not bothering with the buttons, she yanked it open, ripping it apart, sending buttons flying everywhere.
“Hey, you’re one strong lady,” he growled. “Like I said, looks like you like it rough. No worries. I can oblige.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth before he made a move that made her gasp. Before she knew what he was up to he’d bent before her and pressed his shoulder into her stomach, rising upright and lifting her off her feet.
“What are you doing?” she shrieked.
He planted a hand on her bottom, steadying her on his shoulder and then he turned and carried her, caveman style, toward the door.
“Giving the lady what she wants,” he growled. “Looks like you’re in the mood for some rough stuff. I’m only too happy to accommodate.”
Her head hanging down behind his back, Sasha clutched the back of his shirt and shrieked again but it was not a yell of trepidation or fear. It was a lusty yell, her voice a gleeful mix of playfulness and desire. She started pounding his back but he did not pause on his way to his intended destination - her bedroom.
Like he had an inborn GPS, Dante headed down the hallway then climbed the stairs, Sasha squirming and giggling as she clung to him. He made a beeline for the door at the end of the hallway and when he pushed it open he realized he’d made a lucky choice. Success. The bedroom was massive and tastefully decorated with ornate drapes hanging from the ceiling and an antique four poster bed in the middle. Fit for a queen.
She was still struggling on his shoulder when he walked over to the bed and leaned forward to drop her on top of it, on her back. Immediately, she began to roll away but he was having none of it. His hand shot out and he grabbed her by the neck of her blouse, bringing her to a sudden stop. If she wanted it rough then rough was what she was going to get.
But he would do much more than that. Where a woman like Sasha Force was concerned, you had to be all man. What that meant, more than anything, was that you had to be dominant. He was learning Sasha. After having to play the dominant role every day of her life, it was time for her to be dominated. That was what would turn her on.
Being rough with her would be good. Being dominant would be even better.
Suddenly, he released her. “Off the bed,” he ordered. When she didn’t budge he jerked her to attention with a firm command. “Now.”
“What…why?” Smart girl that she was, even as she asked the question she was sliding off the bed.
Dante kicked off his shoes then swung his legs up onto the bed. Making himself comfortable, he leaned back against Sasha’s plush pillows and crossed his legs at the ankles. “I want you, my dear lady, to dance for me.”
She backed away from the bed. “You want me to dance for you?”
“Not just dance for me, my dear,” he said, his voice mellow. “I want you to dance for me and I want you to strip for me.”
“Strip for you.” Eyes wide, her voice was a breathless whisper. “I…I’ve never done anything like that before.”
“Well, consider this your lucky day.”
She didn’t move. She just stood there, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. Big mistake.
Determined to shake her up, he slapped his hand down on the bed. “Now!” His order made her jump.
“Yes, sir.” Like he’d shocked it out of her, the breathless whisper flew from her lips and then, staring at him as if mesmerized, she began to move.
That was when Dante knew that he had Sasha exactly where he wanted her. He could tell that his dominant stance had done the trick. She was in the zone.
Tonight would be a night he would never forget.