Back in the days before I turned twelve, my life was beautiful. We weren’t well off. In fact, my parents always worried about money, about how we were going to pay off that next bill, how we’d have enough to put food on the table. But it was a worry we shared, a combined effort to make ends meet, and we were happy.

My parents had been childhood sweethearts and were married straight after they’d graduated college. They had loved each other dearly, and they had cherished me and my brother Andy with all their hearts.

Yes, my life had been beautiful back then, before that fateful summer day when a truck drove into our small car on Interstate 93 as we made our way back to Mystic Spring, when both my parents’ lives were abruptly snatched from this world.

I felt tears sting my eyes as I stared up at the ceiling, watching the shadows of the room playing about. My chest tightened with sorrow at the thought of my parents, at the thought of how unfair the world was.

“Mommy?” I remembered my eleven-year-old self asking my mother one spring day, as we were sitting under the cherry tree at the back of our old home, having a picnic. “Will I get myself a nice husband who loves me like Daddy loves Mommy?”

She laughed—that beautiful woman with the blackest hair and the palest skin chuckling away merrily, as if she hadn’t a care in the world. She was beautiful, both inside and out, and I so wanted to be like her.

She patted my dark head, very much like hers, and then stroked my pale cheek, also very much like hers, and said, “Of course you will, my love. When you meet him, you’ll know. He will love and cherish you until the day you’re both gone from this earth.”

Pale and small for my age, I had smiled with delight at the prospect, my eyes bright with anticipation. “What’s it like? Being loved?” I asked. I couldn’t help myself, being so curious and all. I wanted to know all there was to know about love.

She chuckled again, perhaps amused at my enthusiasm, as she looked up to watch her beloved husband playing baseball with her young son Andy. Her eyes were bright, just like mine, when she said, “It’s a beautiful feeling, Mia. It’s like the sun is always shining even when it rains.” Then she turned to me, and I saw in her eyes what she meant. “You’ll know the feeling when you meet him. It’s the most glorious feeling you could ever imagine.”

I had smiled then. I couldn’t wait until that time came for me when I’d meet someone who’d make me as happy as Dad had made Mom.

At that moment, both Dad and Andy returned from their game, and Dad went straight to his wife. He caught her slender form into his arms and kissed her passionately. I giggled with delight, and Andy rolled his eyes as if to say, There they go again.

“Get a room, you two,” he muttered.

As I watched them kiss, I wondered what it must have felt like. Was it really like the sun was always shining? Was it really that feeling of gloriousness all the time even if life dealt you a big blow?

I shut my eyes for a moment and then took a deep breath. Slowly I turned my head to the right and gazed at the handsome man beside me, at the billionaire with whom I’d signed a contract. James Christopher Maxwell was my lover, my master.

I observed him long and hard, remembering our kisses and sex. I wouldn’t describe our arrangement as anything sunny or glorious. Rather, what I’d gone through with him thus far was a mixture of rain and a lot of storms and lightning. Yes, there was definitely a lot of the lightning bits for sure. Perhaps, I wondered, the sunny and glorious feelings only happened when there was love involved?

I doubted those wonderful feelings would ever happen between James and me. In five years’ time, it’d be over between us. In five years’ time, he’d forget all about me and carry on living his very successful life. I, on the other hand, would return to Mystic Spring, and who knew what’d happen after that?

I sighed and turned on my side, away from the handsome man comfortable in his sleep. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t bother to go back to his own room after he’d had his way with me, ravishing me to his heart’s content. I was very unaccustomed to sharing a bed with anyone. It was quite hard to keep to one side and not roll into the middle where I’d bump into him, that solid rock of a warm body that only made me want to snuggle against and hug him.

I sighed again and then shut my eyes, forcing myself to go back to sleep. Instantly I felt a large, strong hand wrap around my arm, followed by a forceful tug. I was involuntarily rolled over and landed on top of the billionaire. My face rested against the nape of his neck while my naked body was intimately wrapped over him. He was totally naked as well, and I could feel his whole length against me.

I blinked, wondering if the man was still asleep. Perhaps he happened to pull me, thinking I was a pillow? I wouldn’t be surprised since I was quite small compared to this man who was over six feet tall. I doubt I weighed much in his arms.

I moved slowly, so as not to wake him, and glanced up to get a peek at him. My soul nearly jumped out of my skin the moment I saw him watching me.

“Why do you keep moving away from me?” he asked.

I blinked and then licked my lips. There was no point in lying. “I’m not used to sharing a bed,” I replied low, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

He tightened his grasp on me, his palm branding my skin at the small of my back. “That’s too bad. Get used to it, sweetheart,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Huh?” I watched as he closed his eyes once again, indicating I should do the same and just sleep.

Good Lord, how could I possibly sleep in this odd position? I’d be suffocated, for God’s sake. He was squeezing me against him with his ironlike grip. At least I wasn’t under him; otherwise, I wouldn’t think I’d survive the night.

Tired as I was, I followed his instruction and shut my eyes. Slowly I drifted off into a slumber in the billionaire’s arms.

In the depth of my sleep, I dreamt of myself floating in a ray of sunshine. It was so warm and so lovely, and it reminded me of my late mother’s words of love and kisses. Petals of cherry blossom rained all around me, and a field of wildflowers stretched beyond the endless horizon before me. It was a beautiful place, and I was in paradise. I felt so relaxed and so wonderful. I wanted to be here like this forever. Nothing to worry about. No one to bother me.

Then it came. A jolt of electricity coursed through my being. I gasped at the same time a lightning strike split the bright blue sky. My body buzzed with thrilling heat, and then I groaned and gasped as another lightning strike hit. This time it was stronger, and I wanted to scream with both delight and fright.

In the distance, I saw a storm coming toward me fast, spreading far and wide. Suddenly it enveloped me in its embrace, hugging me tight within its darkness. Then another strong lightning strike.

I screamed, my voice echoing within the captivating capsule of my dream. Suddenly I came fully awake. I blinked as my body shook in ardor. My heart raced and my core burning with need. I felt a hot, wet tongue licking my nipple, a mouth hungrily sucking my breast.

I bit my lip, trying not to groan out in beautiful agony as my body was lovingly tortured. I glanced down and saw James before me, busy devouring my body with hunger.

“James,” I whispered.

He lifted his head then, his eyes on me.

The moment I saw those burning Prussian-blue eyes and his dark face, I wanted to weep with both delight and trepidation. I knew the moment I saw the look on his face that he was going to ravish me again. But so early in the morning? When we’d just done so last night?

I couldn’t help myself and voiced my confusion. “James? Are we doing this again?”

He chuckled. “You’re finally awake,” he replied, ignoring my question. “I was beginning to wonder.”

Without further ado, he returned his attention to my breast.

I couldn’t have that. “James?”

He continued to ignore me and guided my leg up. He met my thigh with a kiss of his eager lips and then another and another and then some licks of his tongue.

His tongue was hot and wet, and I groaned in response as he moved ever closer to the forbidden area.

“Oh, James,” I whispered. “It’s early in the morning.”

He finally turned his attention to me with an amused look. He moved up so that we were face-to-face. Then his lips found mine, and he kissed me, plunging his tongue into my mouth, wildly and passionately devouring me.

My whole body shuddered under his fervent kiss, and I thought, Yes, our kisses are definitely like lightning. His tongue was wild in my mouth, stroking me and licking me. I became mindless.

“Ngh…” I groaned as my body shook. “Ahh… Ngh…”

When he finally released me, my lips were sore and I was breathless. I watched him as he smirked at me. He looked so pleased with himself.

“Refuse me, Mia,” he commanded.

“Huh?” I was confused and couldn’t help but show it on my face.

He chuckled. “Refuse me,” he demanded again.

Then it hit me. The billionaire wanted to play a game. So early in the morning? Was this another side of him I’d yet to discover? The urge to see a different side of James was strong within me, and I smiled.

I was merely his mistress after all, and therefore, I couldn’t really disobey his order now, could I? Thus I played along.

“You want me to refuse you?” I asked. “Is it a game?”

He chuckled. “Very clever,” he stated, stroking my cheek.

Instantly I put my hands about his chest and shoved him back. Then I slipped out of bed, dragging the sheet along with me to cover my naked body for decency’s sake. “I’m not playing any games with you, James.”

He grinned as he watched me standing there, my head held high, my eyes haughtily staring at him.

“I’m going to shower now,” I declared, heading toward the bathroom.

Suddenly I felt butterflies in my stomach, and I hadn’t a clue why. I knew it was excitement, but I didn’t know why challenging him made me feel this way.

At the door, I turned slightly to see what he was up to. When I saw him getting up from the bed and heading my way, I sucked in my breath. My whole being tingled, and I hastily slipped into the bathroom. My body sparked with thrill when I saw him charging toward me with a dark look in his eyes. I quickly shut the door in his face and then locked it as he grabbed the handle.

My whole body shook and buzzed, and my heart raced as I stared at the closed door, James on the other side. I felt the urge to laugh and found it hard to hold back. I managed somehow as I stood there. I’d just provoked James Maxwell and thought what a wonderful feeling it was.

He banged his palm on the door as he ordered loudly, “Mia, open the door!”

I took a step back and slowly smiled. I didn’t reply to his demand as I waited to see what he’d do next.

“Mia?” His voice was louder this time and more demanding. “I said open the door, Mia. You’re not getting away, sweetheart.”

I nervously bit my lower lip as I clutched the bedsheet against me. Shit! My body was still buzzing. What the heck is wrong with me? The thought of being chased by James and then getting caught and ravished was exciting. Was that even normal?

No, it couldn’t be. I needed to cool down. James needed to cool down.

“Go and calm yourself down in your own shower, James,” I said loudly. I hoped he didn’t hear the nervousness in my voice.

His reply was a sarcastic chuckle. Then came another bang at the door that made me jump, in both consternation and exhilaration. Was this part of our game too? I wondered. Heck, he did want me to refuse him, and I was doing just that and enjoying it too.

“I said open the door, Mia,” he demanded again, his voice rough and dark.

I shut my eyes, knowing he must be very frustrated indeed. And why wouldn’t he be? Especially with what I’d glimpsed of him as he marched toward me. His manhood was fully aroused and sticking out like a…

I tried to shut the image out of my mind, but it was so hard. Was it even possible for a man’s thing to become that big? It was just ridiculous. I wondered if most were like his.

I licked my dry lip and tried very hard to calm down, knowing what that giant thing could do to me. I was still flustered when I realized it was quiet on the other side of the door. Curious, I took a step toward the door and leaned in to listen carefully. Nothing. All was quiet on the other side. James, I presumed, had left. So he finally gave up? I would have thought he was more persistent than that.

Much more relaxed now, I threw away the bedsheet and headed into the shower. There, I turned it on and then stepped in, allowing my body to be washed clean. Once I was all wet, I picked up my own shower gel I’d brought along from home and squeezed a big drop into a shower sponge.

As I continued to clean myself and inhale the sweet frangipani scent, I wondered if Mr. Maxwell always liked to have his house stocked. As I’d discovered yesterday, there was enough food to feed a small family for a week, as well as bathroom essentials such as spare toothbrushes and toothpaste. In a way, I felt quite blessed staying in his apartment.

Suddenly my mind drifted off to Andy again, and my high spirits disappeared.

“Soon, Andy, you’ll be free of that Matt person,” I whispered under my breath as I allowed the water from the shower to pound down on me. Today I’d get to see him for the first time in months.