Dark Perception: The Corde Noire Series (23 page)

“
Tell me you want
me.”

She felt the warmth of him against
her. Nathan tugged at the black cord around her throat.

“
I want you … Sir,” Melinda
softly uttered.

The sound of a foil package being torn
open briefly echoed in the living area. While his hands went around
her hips, Melinda braced against the sofa, desperate for
him.

“
Yes,” she moaned as he
plunged into her.

He held on to her hips as he pulled
out and slammed into her again, pitching her into the sofa back.
This time he did not go slow; his penetrations were hard, fast, and
deliciously deep.

Melinda’s knees went weak.

“
Do you like
this?”

“
Yes, yes, Sir,” she cried
out.

She could hear the slapping of their
flesh, feel the force of him pushing into her, and smell the sweat
on her skin. Nathan grunted behind her, pressing her into the couch
while Melinda fought to support their weight.

“
You’re about to explode,
aren’t you, Melinda?”

“
Yes … Sir.”

“
Ask my permission to
come.” He bit the back of her neck. “I control you,
Melinda.”

Her orgasm was building, creating that
glorious rush of tension. “Can I come, Sir?”

Nathan thrust into her, hard. “Yes,
come for me.”

She caved as the climax crashed
through her. Her muscles went weak and she fell against the sofa as
he continued to pound into her. She screamed with wild abandon as
her body quivered. Nathan gave a loud groan behind her and rammed
into her as hard as he could.

They were both clinging to the back of
the sofa, panting to catch their breath, when Nathan removed her
blindfold.

“
I love playing with you.”
He kissed her shoulder.

Melinda shook her head. “You make me
feel like an inexperienced schoolgirl.”

“
I just know a few tricks
to amuse women … it’s not rocket science.” He rolled on to the
couch and then removed the condom.

She settled next to him as he dropped
the condom to the floor. “Do other men know the same tricks you
do?”

“
Sex is just sex to most
men. They’re not out to give pleasure, only to receive it.” He
pulled her close. “But a man like me only likes to give pleasure,
and to control that pleasure. Playing games is one way to do
that.”

She rested her head against his chest.
“What other games do you know?”

“
I can’t tell you. I have
to show you.”

“
Then show me more …
please, Sir.”

His arms tightened around her. “Soon,
baby. We will play again, very soon.”

* * *

It was a little after sunup when
Melinda awoke in Nathan’s four-poster, king-sized bed. She looked
over to the spot next to her to see Nathan sleeping with his
muscular arm curled up behind his head. Repositioning her pillow
next to his face, she settled on her side and memorized every curve
and every eyelash. She ran her fingertips lightly over his five
o’clock shadow and wondered if it ever itched. She remembered
something Jack had once said to her about how a five o’clock shadow
was less uncomfortable than shaving.

Jack.
Memories of the times they had shared flowed across her mind
like a cheesy wedding video. Why was he still haunting her
thoughts?

Rolling on her back, Melinda sighed.
Here she was, in bed with another man, thinking of Jack. She and
Jack were finished. He had lied to her, hidden who he was from her,
and no matter what happened with Nathan, she knew she could never
go back to her old life. The French Quarter would be too painful
without Jack.

“
What are you thinking
about so intently?” Nathan stirred beside her.

She nestled next to him.
“Nothing.”

“
It was something because
your forehead was all bunched up. You only do that when you’re lost
in your thoughts.”

“
My forehead bunches
up?”

He dragged his fingers across her
forehead. “Afraid so. Keep that up and I’ll have to start getting
you Botox injections.”

“
Eww,” she squawked. “I
hate needles.”

“
Me, too.” He embraced her.
“So what was bothering you at this hour of the morning?”

She rested her head against his chest.
“I was just thinking about how I could never go back to my old life
in the French Quarter.”

“
You won’t have to ever go
back to that life, Melinda. I promise I’ll take care of
you.”

“
You can’t make that kind
of promise, Nathan. You don’t know how long we’ll last. We could
end in another week, another month … who knows?”

“
Melinda, we’re never going
to end.”

Alarmed, she sat up in the bed. “What
are you saying?”

“
I’m planning ahead … for
us. I told you about our penthouse in my new development. I figure
we’ll have at least a year before we can move in, but in the
meantime, I was thinking of expanding my office into that storage
room of yours. That way we could always be near each
other.”

“
What about your
privacy?”

He adjusted the pillow behind his head
while gazing up at her. “My privacy? What are you talking
about?”

“
From the moment I began
working with you, everyone has told me what a private man you are.
I thought that meant you liked being alone.”

He chuckled and ran his hand over his
chin. “No, it meant I don’t like people knowing my business. That
has nothing to do with us. I want you with me.”

“
I am with you.”

He touched the collar on her neck.
“I’m talking about our life together.”

“
Don’t you think we should
date first, Nathan? We’ve been sleeping together for only two
days.”

“
We’ve known each other for
months, Melinda. Besides, I don’t want to date you. I want to be
with you … always.”

A kick of uncertainty in her gut
roused her growing skepticism. “What if this is a
mistake?”

He sat up next to her. “We’re not a
mistake. When I find a woman I want, she has to belong exclusively
to me. I can’t risk her being seen with other men and raising
suspicions about me.” He tossed aside the covers. “I’m sorry, but
you either want all of me or none of me. I’ve committed myself to
you, and if you don’t want me, then go.” He climbed from the bed.
Without looking back at her, Nathan dashed for the
bathroom.

The shock of his statement sucked the
air from her lungs. Cold waves of disbelief rippled through her.
What had she done? She wasn’t ready to leave Nathan. No one had
ever made her feel such wonderful things.

Slipping out from beneath the covers,
she tiptoed toward the bathroom. When she saw him leaning over the
sink, he was gripping the edges of the counter so hard his knuckles
were white.

Melinda eased into his back and
wrapped her arms around his waist. “I want to make this work,
Nathan, but every relationship I’ve had has turned into a mistake,
even with Jack. If I commit to you, I’m afraid I’ll blow
it.”

“
You won’t blow it.” He
rubbed his hand over her arms. “I won’t let you.”

She rested her head against his back.
“You may not want me one day.”

He turned to her and eyed the collar
around her neck. “I wouldn’t have put that collar on you unless I
wanted you … always, no matter what.”

She smiled, her apprehension fading.
“Then I guess I’m your girl.”

“
And no one
else’s?”

“
Yes, Nathan, no one
else’s.”

He held her close, and as his body
melted into hers, a nagging sense of doubt consumed her. She had
always read that everyone was anxious about commitment, but with
Nathan it felt less like nerves, and more like fear. It was like
the cold pang that gripped her in the darkness when awakening from
a nightmare.

But this isn’t a
nightmare, Melinda. It’s your dream.

Hugging him close, Melinda pushed her
gloomy thoughts aside. Nathan was the first man who had given her
the kind of life she had always wished for. She needed to relax and
enjoy it. Maybe this was what everyone felt when their dreams
started coming true. After all, it was easy to dream of wanting a
certain life, but a lot harder to live the life you
dreamed.

“
I’m going to have a busy
few days ahead with lawyers and accountants.” He unwound her arms
from his waist. “Why don’t you relax and spend the time working on
your music?”

“
You don’t want me to come
with you to your meetings?”

He searched the vanity countertop.
“No, not for this. It’s just going to be preliminary negotiation
stuff. Nothing you need to be bothered with.” He retrieved his
electric razor from the edge of the counter.

Melinda shrugged, a little
disappointed at not being needed. “I can work on my
music.”

“
When this deal gets
rolling, I’m going to work on getting you into a recording studio.”
Nathan looked back at her in the vanity mirror. “You need to get a
record out there to attract some big gigs in the city.”

Melinda’s mouth fell open as her heart
soared. “Are you serious?”

“
You bet. I want to see you
on the stage at The House of Blues. I’ll get you there, just give
me time.”

She threw her arms around him.
“Nathan, you’re too good to me.”

“
We’re going places, baby.
I promise.” He flipped on his razor. “You’d better get out of here.
Otherwise, I might just haul you back into that bed and miss my
morning meeting.”

“
Yes, Sir.” She backed away
from him.

“
God, I love it when you
talk that way,” he mumbled, the desire glinting in his
eyes.

Melinda playfully slapped his firm,
round ass. “Get ready for your meeting. I’ll make us some
breakfast.”

He ran the razor over his jaw. “No
breakfast for me, I’ve got some paperwork to get through before I
go. I’ll just grab coffee on my way to my lawyer’s
office.”

Melinda almost skipped out of the
bathroom. When she returned to the living area for her clothes, she
spotted the vibrator on the coffee table by the sofa. Curious, she
wanted to pick it up, but for some reason that felt naughty. Then
she wondered what was wrong with enjoying herself. Was the pleasure
Nathan gave her a bad thing?

Like a curious toddler reaching out to
a flame, she extended her hand to the vibrator, almost expecting to
be struck by lightning for her fascination. Still wary, her hand
hovered over the object.

“
Go on,” Nathan directed
from the bathroom. “Try it.”

Melinda yanked her hand back. “I was …
I was just wondering how it worked.”

He sauntered to the sofa, his smirk
widening. “Pick it up.”

“
No, that’s all
right.”

He took her hand and slammed it on top
of the vibrator. “It’s not a sin to want pleasure,
Melinda.”

“
I know.”

He pressed his naked body into her
back. “Then what are you afraid of?”

“
It feels …
dirty.”

“
But you liked it last
night, right?”

“
Yeah, but you covered my
eyes.”

His hand went down her back to her
right butt cheek. “If we’re going to play, you’re going to have to
be open to new ideas. Allow me to do things to you so I can please
you.” His fingers ran along her right cheek and dipped into her
folds. “You want me to please you, don’t you?” He began to stroke
her clit.

Melinda’s body heaved with longing.
“Yes, I want you to please me, Sir.”

“
Then you’re going to have
to let go of your fear.”

She clutched the arm of the sofa when
his fingers thrust into her.

“
Tell me you trust me,” he
whispered.

“
I trust you,
Sir.”

“
Tell me I can do anything
to you,” he demanded in a cold tone.

“
Yes, anything, Nathan.”
The delight from his fingers was rambling through her.

He stopped and smacked her ass.
Melinda almost fell forward on the sofa with the force of his
blow.

“
It’s Sir,” he hissed. He
stepped back from her. “Pick it up and finish.”

Her eyes flew open and peered around
at him. “What?”

He snatched up the vibrator, turned it
on, and shoved it into her hand. “Finish with this.”

“
I don’t understand … Sir.
Why?”

“
I want to watch you.” He
sat down on the sofa in front of her. “Come on. I haven’t got all
day.”

Melinda looked down at the device in
her hand, unsure if she could do what he wanted.

“
I’m waiting,” he
barked.

Melinda flinched at the harshness of
his voice. “Sir, I’m not sure—”