Chapter 22
All Night
It was dark.
Sebastian felt Victoria move against him, and instinctively tightened his arms around her.
She stirred again.
“Are you awake?”
“Yes,” she said.
He pulled up the duvet over their shoulders. “Are you cold?”
“N-n-no... Mr. Chase?”
He sighed, his hand caressing her bare chest. “You’re lying naked in bed with me, Victoria. I think you don’t have to call me that now.”
“Sorry. Sebastian.”
“What is it?” He kissed the back of her neck.
“I should have brought this up before ... you know.” She paused. “Erika Daniels — is she your girlfriend?”
“I told you no. I don’t do relationships.” He moved his hand down her stomach, and pressed her closer against him. He was unable to stop nuzzling her neck, and realized he was getting hard again.
“Oh.”
She sounded odd. “Ms. Slade,” he said. “Did you perhaps think you and I—”
“No!” she said quickly. “I mean, this was just a ... business transaction, right?”
So that’s what the money was for. He had made a clumsy attempt to get her to fuck him without any strings attached, and she actually called him on it.
“Mmmm. Yes.” He licked her earlobe. It didn’t matter. All he knew was that she was here in his bed, her body willing and responsive to him. He couldn’t get enough of her. They had gone through almost half a box of condoms before practically passing out from exhaustion. “Anything else?”
“N-n-no. I just thought I’d check.” There was a long silence. “I got cheated on a couple of times.”
“I’m sorry.” He felt her sadness, somehow. It was almost like the closeness of their bodies allowed them to share something more than just physical intimacy. “No one deserves that.” He pressed another kiss lower down her back.
“I don’t know. I think maybe Hitler would totally deserve getting cheated on. Or Torquemada.”
His chuckle was muffled against her skin. “You’re not Hitler. And technically, Torquemada should have been celibate to begin with.”
Victoria giggled.
“How are you feeling?” He squeezed her breast softly.
Her breathing quickened. “What do you mean?”
Sebastian encircled his arm all the way around her waist. “I’d like to make another transaction, if you’re up for it.” He ran his fingers up and down her side.
There was silence for a few moments, and then she moved his arm and pulled away. The space she left beside him felt cold and empty.
Shit.
He started to roll over to turn on a lamp, but paused when he heard a drawer pull open and then the rustling sound of plastic. He felt the duvet peeled off him. Her knees came down either side of him.
Her hands found his erection and began stroking it. “You like that?” she said.
“Yes. Fuck yes.” He ran his hands up her thighs and waist until they touched her breasts. He rolled her nipples under his palms, feeling them grow hard. He cupped her firm bosoms, rubbing her tips with his thumbs. He felt her tremble under his touch.
“G-g-good.” Her breath was heavy and ragged, but her hands kept moving up and down his now spectacularly stiff member.
“Turn on the lights,” he said. “Let me see you, baby.”
“Not now.” He heard plastic wrapper ripping, and felt her hands encase his cock with the latex.
She moved quickly, impaling herself on him. She rocked her hips, letting him slide in and out of her, soft moans escaping her throat.
“Fuck yes,” Sebastian gasped. He ran his hands down to her backside. Gripping her firmly, he let her ride him to the edge.
“Could I borrow a shirt?” Victoria asked, twenty minutes later. They were both lying in bed, trying to catch their breath.
“Are we doing sexy roleplaying now?” He dragged a finger lazily over her forehead, brushing a few strands of her hair away from her face. “Because I’m not putting on a dress.”
“I have to get back to my room. And you ruined my clothes.”
“I’ll get you another one,” he said. “It’s only three a.m. Go to sleep.” He pulled her closer to him.
“I’d really rather not have the household staff see me walk back to my room in your clothes, Mr. Chase.”
He didn’t reply for a long time. Finally, he let his arms relax their hold, and she moved away and slipped out of his bed.
***
Victoria moved the pasta around her plate with her fork aimlessly.
“So... you’re seeing someone else, then?” Ardan said.
“No, not really. It’s ...” she said, then paused. “Things just got really complicated since Sunday.”
I slept with my boss on a dare and it was incredible and I don’t think I’ll be emotionally available to any other man for the next ten years. Oh, and he doesn’t have time for a relationship because he’s too busy banging a country singer and God knows how many other women.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Ardan said.
“I’d rather not. But thank you so much for meeting me for lunch. This is on me.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“No.” She smiled sheepishly. “But I dragged you all the way here on your lunch break, so it’s the least I could do.”
“You could have told me over dinner, you know. Although this is a really great place.”
“It’s not,” she said, laughing. “I’m pretty sure your ravioli is terrible. I think they wash the tablecloth here once a year.” She paused. “And I thought canceling dinner would be best. I don’t want to be unfair to you.”
“It doesn’t have to be a date, you know. Dinner, I mean.” He took a bite of his food and chewed thoughtfully. “And I don’t know what you’re talking about. This ravioli is... not terrible. Flavorless, maybe.”
“But not terrible.”
“I like to look at the bright side of things.” He shrugged. “So. Do we have a non-date tonight?” he said, nonchalantly picking up another piece of ravioli with his fork.
She looked at him, trying to figure out what to say.
“We could invite Nicolette, if you like,” he added. “She and I are friends you know. It won’t be weird if the three of us hung out.”
He didn’t seem too devastated, or at least it seemed that way to Victoria. She felt guilty about canceling so close to the dinner date, but he seemed to understand.
She wondered what was really wrong with Ardan. No one could be this perfect.
He was fun, too. He made her laugh.
Maybe a night out with friends would take her mind off Sebastian. She was distracted all morning, going over what happened that night. Remembering the sound of his voice, thick with need, when he said her name. The way his mouth moved on hers ...
“I’ll ask her,” she said.
“Great. It’s not a date, okay?” Ardan said, and grinned. “Don’t try to kiss me.”
She laughed. “I’ll try to control myself.”
***
“You were very naughty man, Sebastian Chase.”
The tall, slim blonde who answered the door put a hand on her hip, pushing open her sheer white lace robe. Underneath, she was wearing a white satin teddy with a deep neckline that barely covered her ample bosom. Sebastian found her Slavic accent one of the sexiest things about her, but there was a great many other aspects of the woman he admired.
“Liskta, I’ve come to apologize,” he said. His eyes fixed on her long legs and moved up to her heaving chest appreciatively. “May I come in?”
“You know I give up date with Orlando for you,” she said as he entered her hotel suite. She shut the door and faced him. She crossed her arms on her chest and pouted. “And you stand me up.”
“Forgive me, something urgent came up.”
She smiled and threw her arms around him. “That ok. You come with big apology yes? Hard also?”
Sebastian felt his manhood twitch as she pressed up against him. He kept his eyes on her face, although it was difficult to tear his eyes away from her cleavage. “Just an apology, I’m afraid.” He had a dinner appointment at Culina in five minutes, he barely had time for this.
The sad look on Liskta’s face tugged at his chest. “And dinner tomorrow night to make up for it,” he added smoothly. “Anywhere you want. Paris, perhaps?”
“No. I go Paris anytime I want.” She shook her head. “You want to make up, you cook for me.”
“Liskta —”
“Tomorrow night Leonardo take me on his yacht,” she said. “You cook for me, I cancel with him.”
Victoria would be at the house tomorrow night to study with Benson. He was not sure why this worried him. It was not the ideal situation, but Victoria knew he was free to see other women.
Furthermore, it was difficult to think when inches away from such delectable breasts.
He sighed. “Very well. I’ll send a car for you at six.”
“You no pick me up?” She caressed the back of his neck.
If he got into a car with Liskta, she’d have him pantsless and grunting under her in less than five minutes. “I have work till six,” he said regretfully. “And I would have to cancel a conference call so we can have dinner.”
“Serve you right.” She brought her right hand down to his crotch, enjoying the feel of his manhood grow stiff to her touch. “After that?”
“I’m all yours.”