“No, I wasn’t.” I folded my arms across my chest and coyly cocked my head to one side. “And what are you doing here? Suddenly appearing at the top of the stairs.”

“I’ve just finished putting Aria to bed,” he said.

My expression softened instantly, and a smile appeared across my lips. “She was having so much fun today. I’m glad.”

“And you?” James asked. “Did you have fun?”

His query made me blush simply because of the way he’d asked. His tone was deep and dark yet soft and gentle at the same time. This coupled with the question itself made it sound like he really cared about me and my happiness, as if I were truly a part of his family, which tugged deep at my heartstrings. Truth be told, it made me so deliriously happy that my knees became weak in an instant.

I nodded. “Yes, I did… Very much so. Thank you for taking me.”

He chuckled with amusement and said, “No problem. It was Aria’s idea, but I’ll take the credit nonetheless.”

He was right that it had been Aria’s idea, but he had put in so much effort during our time together at Disneyland. I knew he’d been very busy with work lately, being the CEO of a multibillion-dollar resort, hotel, and casino business. Really, that wasn’t something to sneeze at. Not to mention he was also one of the heads of an underground, ruthless business group that ruled some of the major cities and their lifelines around America.

Yes, today had been the first day James managed to tear himself away from his work to spend time with Aria and me. All in all, it had been great fun, and James had been wonderful. Honestly, this was the first time I had ever felt so completely and utterly happy, so at ease. Of course, not to mention that passionate kiss James and I had secretly shared while Sophie and Aria hadn’t been looking during the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It had been wonderful, and I’d felt like a teenage girl doing naughty yet thrilling things behind closed doors, which I’d known some of the girls in my class back then had done.

I gazed up at the man who had sweetly stolen my heart. Then because I couldn’t help myself, and I wanted to express my gratitude, I stood on tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek. It was meant to be an innocent thank-you kiss, but the moment I finished, I knew instantly something more… something hot and sexy and wonderful… was going to come of it.

I felt James’s sharp inhale, and I knew I was stirring him up, teasing him and tempting him with a promise of hot seduction.

Then just to goad him even more, I slowly moved my soft, warm lips to his. There I gently kissed him, my warm flesh against his firm lips. Slowly I opened my mouth, and with the tip of my tongue, I gently licked him. I wanted it to be sweet and erotic, like he’d done to me back in Vegas when the action had driven me insane with lust. I was hoping it would do the same to him. So, I ran my tongue across the length of his lips, allowing him to feel and taste me. Then, just when he opened his mouth and was about to devour me, I hastily pulled back, terminating our kiss.

I giggled and said softly, teasingly, “Good night, James.”

Before he could react and stop me, I raced past him.

God, these feelings… were just so exhilarating. The thrill was certainly astounding as I rushed away from James and headed toward my own room, the exit, my safe heaven.

My tummy was twisting with excitement at the thought that James would chase me down, and once he caught me, he’d ravish me ruthlessly. Then again, if he merely stood there and watched my running away with amusement, it was still wonderful because I had cunningly left with him a mark that’d surely initiated him to act the next time we met.

I was nearly at my door when I heard footsteps coming after me, chasing me. My heart raced with excitement instantly.

Oh God! I could feel it. Feel James coming closer. The footsteps were getting louder and…

I felt a large, strong hand around my arm, and I jumped at the rough contact. A moment later, I was twisted around and came to face, not so surprisingly, with my master, who had an expression on his face that made my core burned with excitement.

Oh God! My core! It was aching so badly with enthusiasm all of a sudden. Not to mention my breasts were beginning to tingle.

James narrowed his eyes as he lowered his face toward me. “You think you can get away with doing that to me?”

I gave him a cute smile and innocently nodded in the positive. “Yes?” I half asked, half confirmed his blunt statement.

James inhaled deeply as he stared hard at me, his eyes burning hot with Prussian-blue flame. Then he exhaled again, both in frustration and disbelief.

“Fuck, Mia!” he uttered darkly as if he couldn’t control himself.

I could tell he was in heat, and he was definitely fully ready to ravish me now, especially after the intended teasing.

“Have you any idea how hard it is for me?”

I placed my hand against his chest and innocently shook my head. “Nope.” I lied through my teeth. I secretly smiled inside, as I knew how frustrated he’d been without being able to make love to me, as he’d confessed to me earlier today.

To think James wanted me that much pleased me to no end. It was a confirmation of sorts for me that I was important to him, that I wasn’t just some mistress to him, a thing, a toy to be played with for a short period and then to be thrown away again. That I was a thing of insignificance to him as Sophie had constantly and gleefully told me.

“Well,” James said, his voice dark and hoarse. “I’m going to show you just how much I’ve missed you and how frustrated I am without you.”

“What do you mean without me?” I asked teasingly, gazing up at him through my lashes, toying with him just a little bit. “I’ve been here all along, haven’t I? I mean, I saw you every morning during breakfast and then some evenings during dinner when you were able to come home.”

James leaned forward and said softly, “You’re teasing me, aren’t you? Tease me more, and I’ll show you how that affects me and where it’ll lead us.”

He stepped closer, calculatedly making sure I could feel him growing warm and hard as he rubbed himself against me.

I swallowed as my own body began to heat knowingly.

“I’ll tease you some more if you’re keen,” I said cheekily, my eyes bright with expectation.

Gosh, maybe I didn’t have to wait until the next day after all until James really made me groan with pleasure and I was exhausted.

Not a moment later, James sealed his lips against mine and kissed me wildly. And he meant what he said by passionately devouring me with such deep hunger that it made my heart quiver with delight.

I groaned in his tight embrace as he ardently explored me, his tongue hot inside my mouth, stroking me and caressing me so seductively that my head spun in an array of loving color.

By the time he had terminated the kiss and pulled back, I was dazed and breathless from the sexy attack. I rested my forehead against his chest to regain some sort of sense, trying to calm my racing heart and get my bearings back.

As I was doing so, James continued to kiss me gently while his hands eagerly caressed my breasts through the satin fabric of my dress.

“Fuck!” he muttered in frustration under his breath. “This blasted thing is in the way.”

Without further ado, he ripped the flimsy material from my body.

I gasped and snapped, “James! You’re destroying my dress again.”

He had the gall to laugh, albeit apologetically.

“And we’re still in the hallway,” I said reasonably. “What if someone saw us?”

“Ah, that can be dealt with,” he said, and without warning, I felt myself being lifted in the air.

I hastily wrapped my arms around his muscular neck and said, “Where are we going?”

“A place where no one can interrupt us,” he explained.

A place where no one could interrupt us indeed, and it happened to be his bedroom.