Chapter Eight
Cassian
My time with Olivia in our fantasy room affected me more than I thought it would, and by the time I saw her at work on Monday, I wasn’t sure I could hide that I wanted her. Even more, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hide it, but I still wasn’t convinced I should abandon everything I’d believed in for years. Shitting where you eat wasn’t a wise business decision. I knew that, and still I had to fight the urge to walk into her office half a dozen times to see her.
From the moment she walked in that morning, I saw she was different. She had an air of sensuality that I hadn’t seen before in her. Something in her deep brown eyes sparkled as we spoke about work. She wore this new sexiness well. I wondered if she had any clue it was me next to her just nights before in that room loving the smell of vanilla in her hair as my lips tenderly brushed her ear and my hands caressed her soft skin.
When she left the club that night, I had to know if she’d reserved another room. I’d never cared as much as to wonder if a woman would ever come back, except for Rachel. I’d cared far too much about her, and I’d paid for that mistake and likely would for the rest of my life. Now I found myself caring about what this woman thought—what she felt—what she wanted.
I’d pushed this side of me away for so long I didn’t know if I could control it. I hadn’t been able to in the past. Within mere days of meeting Rachel, I’d been consumed by her. Her perfume, the smell of her hair, the taste of her lips on mine became necessities in my life. Was I ready to be that man again?
Kane stood at his post on the top floor watching monitors as he always did, and I approached him knowing as soon as I asked about Olivia that I’d be showing him my hand. My half-brother played his cards close to the vest, and right now, I hoped he’d keep my business under wraps too. I didn’t need Stefan knowing anything about what Olivia and I were up to.
“How’s it looking tonight?”
He looked at me with suspicion, and I knew he saw right through my attempt to act like nothing was going on. Instead of asking me any questions, he simply nodded and smiled. “Same as always, Cash. Life never changes up here.”
“Yeah. Same downstairs.”
“How was your meeting with that scumbag Shank?”
“He wants me to hire his daughter.”
Kane’s eyebrows shot up. “For what? If she looks like him, all she’d be good for is guarding the door, and I don’t need any more bouncers.”
“I know. I know. I couldn’t say no to him, though. Without his help, we’d have to deal with cops every night.”
“Make her a bartender, Cash. Good thing is Stefan won’t want to fuck her if she’s got her father’s face. And when the ugly lights come on at the end of the night, it won’t matter because everyone’s stone drunk anyway.”
I had to laugh at Kane’s straightforward approach to the problem. I made a few more attempts at small talk, which he thankfully ignored, and then got straight to the reason I’d come up to see him. “Did she reserve a room again?”
“Who?” he asked with a vicious grin.
“You know who.”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to look it up. I should be able to locate that information by tomorrow. Maybe Wednesday.”
Leaning over his station, I leveled my gaze at him. “Is this your Stefan impersonation? Just tell me.”
Kane let out a deep laugh. “Sorry, Cash. It was just too easy. Yeah, she reserved a room for this Friday.”
I waited for him to tell me anything else I should know, but he wasn’t going to make this easy for me. “Did she request anything…or anyone?” He stood silently, giving me a look that told me he was enjoying himself. “Jesus, Kane. Don’t be such a dick.”
“Old habits die hard, big brother. I didn’t realize we were best buddies now.”
He had every right to be an asshole with me. Never recognized by our father until right before he died, Kane had grown up without the comforts the March name offered. Not that Stefan and I were to blame for that, but I understood why he had a chip on his shoulder. Right now, though, that chip was causing me grief I could do without.
“So?”
“She requested the same room and the same guy. Same tame fantasy too.”
That’s all I needed to hear. A rush of happiness raced through me. “Thanks, Kane.”
“You like this one, don’t you, Cash?”
With a smile, I said, “So now we’re best buddies?” Two could play this game.
Unlike Stefan, Kane had a great sense of humor, even if he rarely displayed it. He chuckled and said, “No. I was just curious. I don’t think I’ve seen you react to anyone like this for a long time.”
“It’s not a big deal. Just keeping an eye out for her.”
“If that’s what you want to call it, that’s fine. I’ll go along with it. For what it’s worth, though, she had a good time and seems like a new woman.”
“Been spying on the rooms again, Kane?”
Sitting down, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t have to. I saw her earlier, and it’s written all over her face. That woman is primed.”
“Again acting like Stefan. Don’t make this something it’s not.”
Kane shrugged and gave me an unconvinced smirk. “Whatever works for you. I just know what I see.”
I turned and walked away before he goaded me into saying something I didn’t want to. Playing games wasn’t on my agenda. I much rathered thinking about Olivia wanting another night like I’d given her. And that’s exactly what she’d get.
* * *
Seated behind her desk in a pale pink cotton dress, she looked more like she was ready for a picnic than working at organizing a birthday party with a Roman orgy theme one of the platinum members had reserved for the next weekend. Standing in the doorway to her office, I asked, “Olivia, are you planning to work late on another Friday night? It’s already nine o’clock.”
She flashed me a smile and nodded. “Yes. I have plans later, so I thought I’d work until then.”
“Have something special to do tonight?”
Biting her bottom lip, she looked away for a second and then back at me. “Just something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. What about you? Do you have big plans this weekend?”
I shook my head and worked to keep my happiness at her answer hidden. “Nope. I’ll be here all weekend. I’m thinking I’ll work late tonight too, so if you need anything, just stop over.”
“Okay, thanks! I already had dinner, but if I need anything, I’ll be sure to let you know.” Her tone not so subtly told me she had something better on her mind. As I made my way back to my office, I had to admit knowing the something better was me made her dismissal easier to take.
I busied myself with work, all the while distracted by the plans I had for her when we were together in that room again. While the silent act may have been entertaining for a night, I wanted her to know who was seducing her. Tonight I’d let her hear my voice, and if we had any future together, I’d know by her reaction when I said those first words.
The sound of the club outside my door made hearing much of anything difficult, but I felt the vibration of her door close just before midnight and knew the time had come. Opening my office door, I watched her head into the crowd and gave her a few minutes to climb the stairs and find the room. By quarter after, I figured she was ready and ascended the stairs to join her.
Like the week before, groups of people filled the hallway leading to the room she waited in, platinum members I recognized immediately as what I liked to call the fringe of that level. Clients since our early days at the club, they saw Club X as a refuge for their wildest fantasies and we graciously accommodated each and every one of them. Glad-handing as I made my way toward where Olivia sat waiting for me, I finally reached our room at the end of the hall, the same as last Friday.
I entered and quickly closed the door, wanting to push away the noisy remnants of the club’s patrons who milled about outside. Whatever they planned to be that night, I didn’t want them intruding on my time with her.
She sat silently on the couch, her back straight and chin high, looking confident but alert. Vulnerable in the same black silk blindfold as the first time, she turned to face me as the door clicked closed.
I saw by the way her lips parted slightly that she wanted to speak, but my admonition to her during our previous time together forced her to be silent. Not ready to give my true identity away quite yet, I reached out and ran my fingertip over the seam of her mouth, letting my touch linger on the corner. Her lips were soft and as I pulled away, she whispered in a voice I could barely hear, “I’ve waited all week for this.”
Her words, tinged with shyness, nevertheless told me she was ready to feel more than she’d ever let herself feel before. I wanted to bring that out in her. I wanted to be the man who made her scream in pleasure like she’d never experienced before in her life.
That might have been a little premature. No matter how much I wanted her, I wasn’t going to make love to Olivia for the first time in one of my club’s fantasy rooms. She was better than that.
Taking her hand, I led her over to the bar stool on the opposite side of the room. She sat down, and I watched as she fidgeted with her dress, nervously tugging on it to cover her gorgeous thighs. Reaching out, I covered her hands to still them and placed them at her side, returning to slide one finger over the inside of her right thigh.
She jumped at the feel of my touch on her tender skin, and I heard her sharp intake of breath as I watched my fingertip trace a line up her leg under her dress. A gentle twitch of her skin and a soft sigh made my cock harden, and I worked to keep myself under control.
I moved my hand away, and Olivia straightened in the chair, gently squeezing her thighs together in a brief clench as she waited for me to make my next move. She was so responsive, unlike any woman I’d been with before. Each quiver, each quiet moan excited me more than I thought possible.
But I wanted more than just a response from her. I wanted her to go after what she desired.
Stepping in between her legs, I pressed the front of my thighs against the chair and leaned in to kiss her, stopping just before my lips brushed against hers to inhale the delicate scent of vanilla. Her mouth melded to mine, pressing eagerly in a kiss full of need. Slipping my tongue between her lips, I leisurely teased the tip of her tongue as if I was flicking my tongue over her clit. Soon…For now, her tongue would do nicely.
She tasted like peppermint, and as we kissed, the fresh flavor filled my mouth, making me want more than just the polite making out she offered. I cradled the back of her head and held her fast to me, my mouth plundering hers as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. Stroking my thumb against the base of her neck, I heard her softly mew into my mouth as she scooted her ass forward on the chair toward my rock hard cock.
I pulled away suddenly, and she made a sound like a tiny moan filled with disappointment. The corners of her mouth turned down slightly as she turned her head to search for my touch. Crouching down, I pushed her dress up and pressed my lips to the tender skin of her inner thigh. Lightly flicking my tongue over it, I heard the sharp intake of her breath and felt the quiver of her skin against my lips as I inched my way up her leg.
Whispering, I said my first real words to her in this room. “Relax. Let yourself feel good, Olivia.”
Instantly, her body tensed and the gentle sound of her breathing stopped. I stood to watch her reaction, and after a long moment she let out a deep sigh but said nothing. Had she recognized my voice or was she just surprised by my speaking to her for the first time?
She was lovely sitting there, vulnerable but eager to shed her shy girl self and act on her true desires. Reaching out, I ran my hand over her hair and twirled a lock around my forefinger, stopping next to her ear with a gentle tug. She bit her lower lip and leaned toward my hand, a wince marring her beautiful face to let me know I was hurting her. Unraveling it slowly, I let it fall against her shoulder and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek to ease the pain.
“I’m glad to see you came back tonight, Olivia.”
She had to recognize my voice that time. I waited for her to respond, but when she did, there was no sign she knew who the man seducing her was.
Her voice quiet, she said, “I couldn’t stay away if I wanted to. I don’t, though.”
I ran my fingertip across her cheek to her mouth and traced the outline of her lips. “I like that. What do you like, Olivia?”
She hesitated, unsure of her answer, and finally said, “You. I like you.”
I liked her answer so much I wanted to feel those lips that had spoken such sweet words on my lips. Pulling her into my arms, I kissed her hard, not wanting to restrain myself. She softened in my hold, kissing me with a passion I’d only imagined lay beneath that proper businesswoman I saw each day.
Breaking our kiss, I trailed my lips over the soft skin near her collarbone, planting tiny kisses as I moved my mouth toward the front of her dress. “I like your dress. Tell me, Olivia, would you take it off for me?”
“Yes.”
“What if I wanted to take it off? Would you let me?”
“Yes,” she said in a breathless voice before she repeated her answer. “Yes.”
Fuck, she was beautiful! So responsive to my touch, she made my cock ache with a mere word. I wanted her right there, my mouth lapping her pussy as she came over and over again, drenching my face with her juices. My cock sliding in and out of her needy cunt, filling her completely as her body gave in to the feelings I created in her.
I felt myself begin to lose control. Stepping back, I took a deep breath to calm my mind, needing to find some way to get back to that man I’d created so long ago. This was seduction, nothing more. That it would lead to sex was all the better, but that’s where it would end.
Where it had to end.
Olivia reached out for me, her hands searching for the one who’d so hastily abandoned her. She had no idea why I’d needed to back away. All she knew was that I wasn’t there with her anymore.
“Are you still here?” she whispered in a voice laced with sadness. “Did I do something wrong?”
I stood watching her as a frown settled into that gorgeous mouth, and I imagined her eyebrows knitting with concern that she’d made a mistake. A lick of regret seared my heart for a moment. Olivia wasn’t to blame for the way I was. She shouldn’t pay for my being fucked up.
Stepping forward, I answered her. “I’m here. You did nothing wrong, Olivia.”
The frown disappeared, replaced by a genuine smile that lit up the room, and she tentatively ran her fingertips down the front of my shirt. “What color is this?”
“Black.”
“Why don’t you want me to take my dress off anymore? Is something wrong?”
I slipped my fingers under the neckline of her dress and eased it off her shoulders to reveal a pink satin bra strap. Bending down, I placed a kiss on her collarbone as I slid the strap down, noticing a red mark where it had rubbed against her tender skin. “Did you buy this bra just for tonight, Olivia?”
Her cheeks flushed a darker pink color at my question, and she bit her lip as she nodded. God, she was exquisite in her bashfulness. I couldn’t remember being around a woman so shy yet so eager to shed her inhibitions. The combination was intoxicating and made me want her all the more.
Sliding my hand down her side, my thumb grazing her breast, I lifted the bottom of her dress and placed my palm on the top of her thigh just below her hip. A tiny whimper escaped her lips as I trailed a fingertip under her panties. “Tell me, Olivia. Are these pink too?”
I could have simply looked for myself, but I relished the idea of her admitting how she’d thought about this night enough to want to impress me with a new bra and panties. It had a charm unlike anything I’d experienced in so long that I wanted to make it more important than in reality it was.
“Yes,” she said quietly before pressing her lips together, like she’d said some terrible word she couldn’t take back.
“You’re so beautiful. Do you know that?”
Olivia sat there silent with a look of sadness on her face that made me think she didn’t believe me when I said she was beautiful. Was that why she was so timid? I imagined some stupid boy years before telling her redheads weren’t beautiful. Some frat boy like Stefan who wouldn’t know sexy if it was standing right in front of him casually declaring she wasn’t pretty enough or not his type because she wasn’t blonde or blue eyed.
“Do you believe me, Olivia?”
“Yes.”
With the pad of my thumb, I traced the outline of her bottom lip before I leaned down to run my tongue over the seam of her perfectly full mouth. I imagined that mouth around my cock as she took every inch of me, her brown eyes staring up at me as she sucked me off.
If I didn’t watch myself, I was going to enjoy this little fantasy thing of ours entirely too much.