Crash Into Me (6 page)

"Please
don't tease me, Tristan," I whispered breathlessly next to the corner of
his mouth.

"I
want to make you feel good, Nina."

I
so desperately wanted that too. Kissing his neck, I moaned my need into his
warm skin, so soft beneath my lips.

"Sir,
I have completed the task you assigned," a man's voice intoned from
somewhere in the room.

Shocked
that we weren't alone, I popped upright and looked around. "What was
that?"

Leaning
his head back, Tristan spoke toward the ceiling. "Rogers, thank you. That
will be all for tonight." Facing me again, he smiled. "Maybe we
should move this somewhere more private."

Torn
out of the mood, I was disoriented. I'd thought this was private.

Tristan
kissed me again and I knew instantly Rogers' interruption hadn't dampened his
mood any. Lifting me off him, he stood and took my hand. "Follow me."

I
did and he led me to one of the bedrooms. It was masculine, with dark woods and
deep brick red decor, but I had no idea if it was the one he called his. The
room appeared too perfect, as if no one had ever slept there before, but he
seemed comfortable as he turned around to face me, still holding my hand.

"We
won't be interrupted in here. Come."

He
stood looking at me, his eyes tinged with the apprehension I'd seen earlier
when he'd walked into The Last Drop. As if I'd deny him or myself the
experience that was to come.

I
wanted to look away, uneasy at what he might be thinking, but I couldn't. Was
he unsure of his choice to bring me here? We were so different and from such
different worlds. Maybe it was wrong.

Tristan
slipped out of his suit jacket and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, each opening
exposing more of his body. I watched wide-eyed, wanting so much to see what
each button's absence would reveal. Finally, he tugged the bottom of his shirt
out of his pants and released the last button. Beneath were abs so defined I
had to hold back from extending my hand to run my fingertips over his skin. A
sexy, thin trail of dark brown hair led from his navel and disappeared behind
his pants.

"Nina,
tell me what you're thinking," he commanded in a deep voice dripping in
sensuality.

What
I was thinking? I didn't dare tell him the thoughts in my mind at that moment.
That I wanted to begin kissing him at his neck and drag my lips over his body
until they gave my mind proof of the reality of those abs. That the one true
urge coursing through my body at the moment was to then drop to my knees and
take the hard cock that had pressed against my clit into my mouth as I looked
up at him to see how my worshipping him made him feel.

My
mouth was dry and my breath was heavy. I whispered hoarsely, "I
can't."

He
slid the shirt off his shoulders to reveal a tattoo that began just above his
heart and trailed all the way down his left arm to his elbow. It was stunning
and accentuated the muscular ridges of his body. My eyes were riveted to the
design, two black and grey copperhead snakes that formed an inverted heart
shape and blended into a tribal tattoo that covered his shoulder and ran down
his arm over his powerful bicep.

Stepping
toward me, he brushed a wisp of hair from my face. "Where is that honesty
I love, Nina?"

The
honesty he loved terrified me almost as much as he did.

His
hands undressed me as he tenderly peppered my neck with kisses, sending
tendrils of want throughout my body. My dress slipped down over my shoulders
and hips to end up in a heap on the floor, leaving me only in my drenched
panties and bra, which quickly followed the rest of my clothes.

He
moaned my name as he lifted me onto the bed and slid out of his pants as he
climbed up to join me. I reached out to pull him to me, but he sat back on his
feet and the next thing I felt was the most exquisite sensation I'd ever
experienced. I pressed my head into the pillows as his tongue danced over my
tender flesh, flicking and lapping so expertly that my body wanted to surrender
to him long before it should.

His
lips closed around my excited clit, and he sucked gently for just a moment, but
it was enough. My orgasm tore through me until it reached the very ends of my
body, and I arched my back to feel all of his mouth against me as I exploded
into pieces. He pushed my hips down onto the bed and held me tightly as he rode
my pussy with his tongue and lips. For a moment I fought against his hold, but
soon gave in to his control, begging for more as my skin grew sensitive to the
touch.

He
groaned my name as he slid his body up mine until he covered me. His mouth
pressed against my mouth, and I tasted myself on his tongue as it slipped
across my lips. His hands pushed into my hair and tugged, sending a mixture of
pain and pleasure skittering over my scalp. My senses threatened overload, but
I would have begged for more, if need be. He was power and control, and I loved
it.

A
quick lean over to the nightstand and the sound of foil tearing and he was back
kissing me. Spreading my thighs wider, he settled in between them with a moan
and slid the full length of his cock through my wet slit. He was thick and
long, nearly making me come again with one thrust over my sensitive clit. As
much as that would have been pure pleasure, I wanted to hold back until he was
inside me.

I
slid my hands down his back and pulled him into me, desperate to have all of
him. As he devoured my mouth with kisses, he pushed into my body, inch by
delicious inch until every part of our bodies joined together as one.

The
feeling was unlike anything else I'd ever experienced. His rhythm met mine and
I clung to his shoulders as he thrust up into me, grazing some delicious spot
inside me that sent strings of pleasure rippling through my body.

Tristan
lifted his head from my neck and looked into my eyes. His gaze was full of need
as he retreated from my body and then drove back into me with a deep groan. He
was the picture of desire.

I
wanted him to feel as wonderful as he made me feel. Wrapping my legs around his
waist, I tilted my hips to take him deeper into me. He exhaled heavily into the
pillow near my ear, moaning, "Oh, God, Nina," and buried his cock to
the hilt.

My
nails scratched down his back as our bodies raced toward sweet oblivion. He
moved to his knees and rolled his back, his hips thrusting faster as his muscles
tightened, signaling his release. In a second, my own orgasm roared through me,
and I cried out in ecstasy.

Exhausted,
we laid there in each other's arms silently joined together for what seemed
like hours. I stroked his hair where it touched his neck, damp from our
lovemaking, as his breathing returned to normal next to my ear. Even though he
was much bigger than I was, the feel of him on top of me wasn't heavy or
oppressive, and I would have been happy to stay like that forever.

When
he finally rolled off me, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me
close. I laid my head on his chest and traced my fingers over his stomach,
loving the feel of the taut muscles that rippled just beneath his skin. Beneath
my head, his heart beat in my ear as he drew circles with his fingertip on my
shoulder. It was sweeter and gentler than anything I'd imagined could happen
with Tristan.

I
had no idea where we'd go from here, but as I drifted off to sleep in his arms,
I knew one thing for sure.

I
wanted more.

Chapter Five

The
morning sun streamed in through the bedroom window, forcing me to cover my eyes
as I woke. In an instant, I realized I was alone in the bed and Tristan was
gone. Running my hand over the sheet where he'd slept, I replayed in my mind
our time together, loving the memory and wishing he was still next to me to
make love again.

Sitting
up, I looked around but saw no evidence of him anywhere. The door to the en
suite bathroom was open and I listened for the sound of the shower. Nothing.
Scanning the room, I saw my clothes lay neatly folded on a high backed chair
near the window, and on top of them was a note.

Immediately,
my stomach twisted into one huge knot. A note after a night of sex was never a
good sign. A thousand scenarios raced through my mind, almost all involving him
saying goodbye in his own way, probably with as few words as possible.

There
was no point in putting off the inevitable. Whatever he had to say in that
note, I had to deal with, so I threw off the covers and walked my naked self
over to where my clothes lay. As I dressed, my knotted stomach did flips and a
tiny sense of sadness made me choke up. I liked Tristan and thought we had
shared something special.

The
paper was folded in half, and I opened it slowly to see a much longer letter
than I'd expected. Maybe that was a good sign, I thought, as I began reading.

Nina,

I've
enjoyed our time together more than you can ever know.
I
truly do love your honesty because it makes me want to be honest with you.
Toward that end, I offered you a job and it's yours, if you want it. There's
only one condition: if you choose to accept the offer, you must agree to be in
my
employ for six months. After those six months, you may
choose to end our arrangement, but you will be contractually obligated to stay
for those months.

If you
agree to this offer, all you must do is sign the contract I've left with Rogers. Whatever you choose, you must do so before you leave this house today and your
choice will be final. To prove I'm sincere, I've also left a $20,000 advance
check for you. If you prefer to have it deposited into your bank, simply tell Rogers and it will be done by end of business today.

I
believe your talents are far more than ordinary, Nina, and hope you will take
me up on my offer. Whatever happens, know that the night we spent together
likely meant more than you can imagine.

                                                                             Always,

                                                                             Tristan

I
stood staring at the sheet of stationary in my hand, stunned at what it said,
as the dread unraveled inside me. I could have the job as assistant curator if
I wanted it, but I had to agree to work for him for at least six months? What
an odd length of time. Would I be sleeping with him during that time? Or was
the previous night all there would be to our lovemaking? He'd said our time
together had meant something to him, so maybe we would continue dating?

Questions
multiplied in my mind the more I thought about his offer. Of course I wanted
the job, but he hadn't even mentioned a salary. I quickly dismissed this
concern as ridiculous considering how much I was getting paid by Sheila.
Tristan hadn't come across as cheap, so he'd likely pay me better. If only all
the other questions I had about his offer were so easily put aside.

Why
hadn't he spoken to me personally instead of leaving a note and having me deal
with his butler, who I knew only as a faceless voice that had interrupted a
very hot moment? And why had he included the stipulation that I must sign the
contract that day, which meant I wouldn't be able to have anyone else look at
it before I committed to everything it entailed?

I'd
been worried that a note after a night of sex with him meant goodbye. Now I was
worried about what it meant if I decided to stay in his life.

Maybe
Rogers had Tristan's cell number so I could talk to him before making my
decision. Sure this could help me, I walked down the hall to the main part of
the house to find the butler. He was standing in the foyer, almost as if he
were told to wait there for me, and nodded as I approached.

Rogers looked like every butler I'd ever seen on television, and as I prepared to speak to
him, I had to push down the urge to giggle at how stereotypical he appeared. He
wore a dark suit, and his steel grey slicked back hair sat atop a head that
showed he was at least in his sixties, I guessed. His face was long, not
naturally but from what appeared to be years of frowning, if the lines around
his mouth were any indication. However, he didn't look unfriendly. Just
unhappy.

"Hi,"
I began, unsure how to approach this situation with a man who must have known
I'd slept with Tristan the night before. I wasn't embarrassed, but I liked to
keep my romances a bit more private.

"Miss,
the master has left your contract to sign, if you so choose," he said in a
deep voice as he handed me a pile of papers followed by a very expensive pen.

I
looked down at the contract and pen in my hands and then back up at the butler.
"Yes, about that. Would you be able to give me Tristan's cell phone
number? I'd like to speak to him before I do anything."

Punctuating
my request with a smile, I waited for Rogers to give me the information, only
to be turned down.

"I'm
sorry, miss, but I do not have that information."

"You
must have his phone number. You work for him," I said in disbelief.

"No,
miss," he said definitively, making it clear there was no room for
discussion.

Well,
if I couldn't discuss it with Tristan, I at least could discuss it with Jordan. She'd be able to help. Whipping my cell phone out, I swiped my finger across the
screen and saw the No Service message staring back at me.

Terrific.
I was on my own for this one.

"Is
there somewhere I may sit, Rogers? I need to read the contract before I decide
whether to sign it or not."

The
butler extended his arm toward the living room off to the right. "Of
course, miss. You may take all the time you require. The living room is at your
disposal. The master has indicated, however, that whichever way you decide, you
must do so before you leave."

"Got
it. Thanks."

I
took a seat on the very formal sofa and sat back with the contract in hand,
determined to read the entire thing from the first to last word. Then I began
reading it. I remembered signing the student loan papers when I was in college,
and this contract made those look like crayon scribblings. Clause this and part
that and on and on it went until by the end of page one I'd read enough.

By
that point in the stack of papers, I knew my salary would be $60,000 for the
six months and I was obligated to stay in Tristan's employment for no less than
those six months. I would be given health, dental, vision, and life insurance
and his company, which I found out was called Stone Worldwide, would contribute
to a 401K plan, matching my contributions for as long as I was employed by the
company.

I
knew I should continue reading as the contract went on for six pages more, but
as far as I was concerned, I had all the information I needed. I would be paid,
have great benefits, and finally, for the first time since graduation, I'd be
able to put some money in the bank. All of this and I'd get to work for Tristan
in an art gallery. That I wasn't sure what I'd be in his personal life made me
wish he and I had talked about it, but I had hope that his note had been
evidence of his interest in me. With a deep breath, I prayed I wasn't making a
mistake and signed my name on the last page. I looked up and Rogers seemed to
have appeared out of nowhere and handed me a second letter from Tristan.

"Miss,
do you prefer a check or the money deposited into your account?"

"I
think the deposit would work since I assume I'm going to be paid that way. Just
give me the papers to fill out," I said with a smile.

"No
need, miss." And with that, Rogers turned and walked away.
No need? How
was the money to be deposited if I didn't give my account number?
Before I
could ask the very same question that was in my mind, the butler was gone.
Unsure of what to do, I opened the note and read more from Tristan.

Dear
Nina,

I'm
happy you chose to accept my offer and look forward to your involvement in
Stone Worldwide for the upcoming six months. You're going to need a new
wardrobe for your new position, so please allow my driver to take you to Le
Ciel. I have spoken to Sheila about your resignation and she's happy to hear
you've found another position. I believe she's going to miss you.

                                                                             Always,

                                                                             Tristan

I
began to think this might be all right and wandered out the front door to find
Tristan's driver standing next to a Town Car. He wore a driver's uniform and
appeared as stoic as the butler. I approached him and extended my hand.
"Hi, I'm Nina. I guess you're supposed to take me to Le Ciel. Where is
that?"

He
opened the door, bowed slightly, and replied, "Yes, miss. We'll be in
Midtown shortly."

An
hour later, I was standing inside a Midtown Manhattan boutique and feeling like
Tristan in The Last Drop. The only difference was no one at my local bar had
looked at him like he was an outsider when he walked in.

Two
women walked toward me as I stood in the dress I'd been wearing for far too
long, and I so wished I'd changed clothes before going shopping. Feeling self
conscious, I avoided meeting their gazes, instead looking out the window at the
activity on the sidewalk.

"You
must be Nina," the blonder one announced. "Mr. Stone told us to
expect you. We have everything picked out and if you follow me, I'll take you
to a dressing room."

I
did as she asked and found myself in a dressing room almost as big as my entire
apartment. A dozen different dresses, outfits, and business suits hung around
the room. I looked at the price tag on one of the dresses and my mouth fell
open.

My
portion of the rent on my apartment was only slightly more. I couldn't afford
these clothes.

Immediately,
I opened the door and stuck my head out to find the blonde who'd escorted me to
the room. She stood with her back to me hanging clothes on satin covered
hangers, and I said, "Excuse me. Miss?"

She
turned around and flashed me a toothy smile. "Is there something I can
help you with?"

I
was embarrassed to say I was too poor to afford anything in her store, so I
whispered, "I think there's been a mistake. Mr. Stone didn't mention
how..." I hesitated and stumbled over my words until I finally blurted
out, "He never said they'd be of such high quality."

Thankfully,
she seemed to understand what I had so clumsily referred to because she gave me
one of her supermodel smiles and nodded. "Oh, that's been taken care of,
miss. Mr. Stone will be paying for everything."

She
returned to her work, leaving me alone in the dressing room that could house a
small family, my head spinning from what she'd said. Not only was I now
employed as an assistant curator for Tristan Stone, but now he was buying me an
entire wardrobe so I could be ready for my first day at work?

It
all seemed too good to be true.

I
tried on one outfit and then the next, impressed that the women who worked at
Le Ciel knew my size just minutes after I walked through the door. I hadn't
stood there for that long, yet the clothes fit me perfectly.

As
I twirled around in front of the three way mirror, swinging the black skirt
that matched perfectly with the grey see-through blouse, my cell phone rang. I
didn't recognize the number, but I was in such a good mood, I broke my usual
rule and answered it.

"Hello?"
I sang happily to whomever was on the other end.

"Good
morning, Nina."

My
heart began pounding wildly at the sound of his deep voice. Tristan.

"Hello."

"I'm
so happy you agreed to sign the contract," he purred into my ear.
"Are you happy with my choices for you?"

I
looked down at the clothes I wore and then around the room at all the beautiful
outfits hanging there just waiting for me to love them. "You chose
these?" I asked, stunned.

"Yes."

"Oh.
I don't know what to say."

I
didn't. It was all at once exciting and overwhelming to know he'd taken the
time to come here and pick out clothes for me.

"What
are you wearing, Nina?"

"The
black silk skirt and grey see-through blouse. It's very nice."

"I'm
sure you look beautiful in it. I want you to take it off," he said in a
distinctly commanding tone.

"Do
you want me to try a different outfit on and tell you if I like it?"

"No."

Confused,
I did as he ordered and stood in my bra and panties, just as I had done in
front of him the previous night.

"Okay.
I took it off."

"Are
you wearing only your pink panties and bra I saw you in last night?"

"Yes,"
I said with a smile as the memory of our time together flashed through my mind.

"Good.
I want you to sit on the large ottoman in the middle of the room."

I
did as he desired. "I'm sitting, Tristan."

"Good.
Lean back and lie down."

I
did as he ordered, loving the sound of his deep voice telling me what to do.
"Okay."