Dance with the Billionaire (44 page)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

When I woke the next morning, I didn’t know where I was for a moment. Then it all came flooding back. I turned in bed, snuggling up to Blake, running my fingers lightly over his smooth warm skin, wrapping my leg around his, savoring the sweet musk of his body and the heat of his skin. At some point we must have climbed beneath the covers. But our bodies were just as tangled and comfortable together as before, and I marveled at just how easy this all felt. How right.

“Hey,” Blake murmured sleepily, stirring a few moments later, running his fingers gently through my hair.

“Hey,” I whispered back, savoring this delicious new intimacy between us.

“I want to show you something,” he said brightly, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“Trust me,” he said with an enigmatic smile. “You’ll like this. But as much as it pains me to say this, we’ll both have to get dressed first. It’s back in my apartment.”

And with that he got out of bed, walking through to the penthouse suite’s luxurious bathroom, leaving me to savor the softness of the plush pillows and sheets for a final few moments as I heard the shower hiss on in the other room. And as I lay there, I wondered just what in the world Blake seemed suddenly so eager to show me …

§

Less than an hour later, I found myself in the back of Blake’s town car, flashing across Manhattan in the direction of his apartment. Our hands were clasped, resting between us on the leather seat, as my thoughts once more turned to just what Blake could possibly want to show me in a place I already knew so well; after all, hadn’t I had a hand in designing literally every square inch of it?

And then it hit me:

That locked door in the lobby ...

The one room I’ve not been inside.

And as Collins brought us up in the private elevator just a few minutes later, I found myself growing increasingly nervous. What if it was some kind of weird sex room, filled with slings and shackles and whips and chains? I wasn’t quite sure I was even into that stuff, and I began to worry that I wouldn’t be able to match Blake’s obvious enthusiasm.

“Ready?” he said, once we were alone in the lobby, the intense emerald gaze of the redhead in the painting piercing me once more.

I nodded, nervously.

Blake reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy iron key with a purple velvet ribbon, handing it to me slowly.

“Open it …”

I looked up at him, unable to read his expression.

Okay, here goes nothing.

I reached out and fit the key into the lock, turning the handle to the door, opening it to reveal …

An office.

What the hell?

I’ve got to admit, I was more than a little confused. I’d been imagining all sorts of weird, kinky things behind that door, things I couldn’t even put into words, but instead all I saw was a simple, elegant office, plain and bare, nothing but an iMac sitting on the large desk at the far end, set in front of a window looking out onto the Manhattan skyline, more perfect and impressive than any photograph could ever render it.

There were even a few surprisingly stylish, perhaps even feminine touches: an exquisite Persian rug covered the floorboards and a beautiful Art Deco lamp in one corner gave off a soft, warm glow against the bare brick.

“What do you think?” Blake asked.

I had no idea.

What is he trying to tell me?

And I still couldn’t help thinking about how wrong I’d got this. This was far from the sex dungeon I’d been expecting. In fact, I couldn’t imagine anything sexy even taking place in here.

“I knew you needed a place to work,” he continued. “So I thought perhaps you could use this place?”

Is he being serious?

I scanned his face to make sure, and he stared back at me, obviously meaning every word.

“Blake, it’s absolutely perfect,” I said, running over to the desk, tracing my fingers across the dark polished wood of the desk, before taking in the breathtaking view from the window.

“I’m so glad you like it,” he replied, relieved. “After all, I don’t have your expert touch. I tried to design this room myself ...”

And then it happened; I thought again about my silly little misunderstanding and burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Blake asked confused, coming up behind me.

“Well, I just thought that this might be some kind of sex room or something,” I explained, shaking my head at my stupidity.

“Oh?” he said, his hands slowly closing around my waist from behind, his lips kissing the tender flesh of my neck.

“Because of your parties …” I continued, trying to keep my voice slow and steady, despite the distraction of his kisses.

“I like to keep business and pleasure separate,” he murmured, his breath hot on my neck. “Most of the time ...”

I gasped as I felt his hands push my dress up around my waist, his hot hardness pressing against my ass. I pushed myself eagerly back against him, bending forward, shivering as I felt his fingers move between my legs from behind, letting my eyes close in pleasure as he tugged my panties to one side.

And in those delicious few moments before he took me, I tried to focus only on the present, to enjoy what was happening to me, right now, because deep down I suspected that whatever my new future held with Blake, it might not all be quite so simple and straightforward as this.

But at least for now, it seemed like any room with Blake Matthews in it was going to be exciting ...

 

GIRL AFTER DARK

 

 

 

 

CLAIMING CHASE