Chapter Fourteen
Jonathan
I watched the look in Kate’s eyes as we stepped into the Galeries Lafayette, stopping momentarily to scan the hall and the shops around us.
“Wow…” she breathed turning to face me. “It’s amazing!”
I nodded and put a protective arm around her waist as people hurried past her.
“Come with me,” I told her, leading her through the crowds of people, proud to have such a natural beauty on my arm compared to the other overly made up women we passed.
I took her into a shop and a smartly dressed assistant made a beeline for us.
“Hello, can I help you?” she asked in her strong French accent, looking only at me and I saw the anticipation in her eyes. I tightened my grip on Kate’s waist so she knew I wasn’t on the prowl.
“I’m interested in some dresses for my lady here.”
She glanced at Kate briefly before turning her attention back to me.
“Our new season is there at the back. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
I nodded in her direction and led Kate to the back of the shop where she lowered her voice and hissed in my ear.
“Herve Leger, Jonathan? I can’t wear these clothes.”
“Of course you can.” I pulled a tight black number from the rail and held it up against her. “I think you’d look ravishing in this.”
Her cheeks flushed pink as she shook her head.
“Jonathan…”
I dismissed her protests and picked up another, the trademark figure-hugging material glaringly obvious. She watched me hook it on my fingers and walk further along the line of dresses until I had several in my collection.
“I want to see you in these,” I said, keeping my voice low so the assistant didn’t hear.
“You won’t like what you see,” she said, turning away from me slightly, but I held her in place.
“Who said I wouldn’t? You know what you do to me, Kate.”
She smiled as I pressed my body against hers.
“Fine, I’ll try them on.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” I pressed my lips against her cheek, lingering there to take in the way she smelled before turning and walking towards the assistant.
She ushered us to the fitting room area, and I sat back on the sofa while she went behind the curtain, the anticipation building up within me as I waited for her to emerge.
I knew exactly how she’d look, and the fact that she didn’t believe or understand the impact her curves had on me made me want her even more.
“Ready, Jonathan?” she called from behind the curtain.
I sat upright, my senses alert.
“I’m ready,” I said back, my eyes staring at the curtain as they slid open and she stepped out sheepishly.
I felt myself stiffen the instant that I saw her in front of me, the tight shiny material clinging to every part of her body and showing off her figure.
“You look… Kate, I think you’re…” She rendered me speechless as she turned around, her curves magnified.
“Do you like it?” she asked, trying to pull at the material.
“I love it,” I said, firmly, wanting her to know exactly how I felt.
She smiled slightly and looked at her reflection again in the mirror.
“Another one,” I instructed. “I want to see you in more.”
She closed the curtain and each dress she emerged wearing made me harder and harder until the fourth time she came out, I couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Jonathan, what are you…?” she asked with a small laugh, as I left the sofa and approached her, pushing her back into the cubicle and closing the curtain behind her.
“Do you know what you’re doing to me in that dress?” I asked her.
She turned to face away from me, looking into the mirror as I ran my fingers over the smooth material clinging to her hips. She took a sharp intake of breath as I ran my hands over her stomach and up to cup her chest.
“What if the woman comes in?” she sighed, resting her head back on me with her eyes closed.
“Let her,” I said into her ear. “Seeing you in these dresses is driving me crazy. I’ve tried to contain it, but you know I’m not a patient man.”
I pressed my now hard erection into her back, watching the sides of her mouth turn up into a smile.
“Jonathan…” she warned playfully.
I took hold of the zipper on her back and slowly pulled it down, pressing my lips to each bit of skin that I exposed.
She sighed with every inch I revealed and I crouched behind her as I got to the end then squeezed her backside with both of my hands.
“I’ve got one more to try on,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.
“Don’t,” I decided. “I want you to wear that for me tonight and I want it to be the first time I see it on your body.”
“What happens tonight?” she asked.
I stood up, pushing the dress off each of her shoulders and then looked at her in the mirror.
She turned to face me, her eyes meeting mine.
“Where are we going?” she pressed again.
“I’ve got something I want to tell you,” I said vaguely, not wanting to let her know the real reason we were in Paris. “That is, if you agree to be my date…”
“I’d be delighted.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and reached up, touching her lips to mine. We stopped for a moment, looking at each other, our noses touching briefly as she looked into my eyes.
“Am I making a mistake here, Jonathan?” she asked, doubting my sincerity again. I knew just how much she wanted to believe me, but I also understood the fear that wouldn’t release its grip on her.
“You have to trust me,” I said quietly. “Tonight, let me show you just how serious I am.”
She nodded hesitantly and I pulled her back towards me, her eyes closed and our lips about to touch when the voice of the assistant broke between us.
“Sorry, Miss, is everything okay in there?”
Kate let go of the hold she had on me, grabbing at the dress that was falling around her shoulders, her soft cheeks flushing red instantly.
We stayed looking at each other for a moment, not wanting to let go of the deep connection that had been building up between us.
“Miss?” the assistant pressed again.
“She’s fine,” I said a little too gruffly as I stepped out and closed the curtain behind me.
She looked at me, slightly shocked that I’d been in there with Kate and curious as to what we’d been doing.
“We’ll buy all five dresses,” I said, staring at her.
She nodded swiftly and went between the curtains to help Kate.
I felt the heat behind my cheeks and I knew that they were obviously flushed, but it wasn’t because I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t have. It was solely because I knew what I had planned for the night, and the thought that it could very possibly end without Kate terrified me.
It terrified me because the one woman in the world that I had to work hard at keeping also happened to be the same beauty I was quickly realizing that no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t live without.