What He Desires (2 page)

What?

“Bad habits?”

As he walks around the desk, I quell the urge to stand up and escape. After all, he’d catch me fast like he’d done earlier in the evening. He makes his way to my chair and stands in front, his legs touching my knees. Then, he places his hands on either side of me as he squats down, putting us on equal eye level.

“Bad habits,” he confirms. “And no previous relationship baggage, such as assholes continually breaking your trust and treating you like crap. Unless…?”

Unless there is someone else I have feelings for that he needs to be aware of.

I shake my head at his unspoken question.

He cups my face in his palm and the contact has me sucking in a breath at the wave of lust that shoots through me. “Then why haven’t you had a relationship? Something must’ve happened.”

“Nope.” He runs the pad of his thumb over my lips and I lick my lips before continuing. “I’m just a woman who loves sex and doesn’t want the complications that come with another person’s expectations.”

“Interesting.” He brings his lips to mine and brushes them together in a tease before pulling away. “Looks like you no longer get to avoid expectations any longer.”

“You—“ A bolt of pleasure as he takes his attentions to my neck with a lick that has me shuddering. “You could probably have any woman you want. W-why me?”

He keeps his mouth on my neck and one hand cupping my face as the other glides up my jean clad leg in a slow, deliberate tease.

“Let’s see,” he murmurs, skimming his mouth up to kiss behind my ear. “You’re intelligent and funny. I already know we’re sexually compatible. I’ve no doubt that you will fulfill all my desires, in the bedroom and out.”

He takes the lobe of my ear into his mouth and sucks on it, moving the hand higher on my leg until it rests at the top of my thigh. He uses his thumb to caress me on the outside of my jeans and I do my damnedest to show no response.

He releases my ear with one final lick, chuckling. “You’re stubborn and I will enjoy every moment I spend trying to win you over. Plus, you already know how much I value routine and how I take my coffee.”

I smile in spite of my determination to not give in.

I need to get away. Having him so close to me makes me want to give in because I want him to touch me and that can’t happen. Even if I feel a pull to him, as if we’ve known each other forever, the fact is we don’t really know each other at all. It doesn’t matter that I know how he likes his coffee or that the sex had been amazing; he’s asking me for something I’m not sure I can give.

“I need to go.” I push on his shoulders. “I have to think about this.”

He doesn’t argue as he stands up; he doesn’t need to. He knows I’ll say yes in the end. I don’t have control, not really, yet he’s willing to let me pretend I do. For now.

Moving back behind the desk, he sits down as I rise. I grab the papers off his desk and ask, “How long do I have to answer you?”

“A week,” he replies with a grin. “Also, be ready to go out tomorrow night at six-thirty. We’re going on our second date.”

I glare at him for a moment, then turn toward the door.

Just as I’m about to exit, he calls out. “Oh, and Jocelyn?”

I pause, waiting.

“Wear a skirt, please. No hose.”

I almost turn around at those words. I’m curious why he makes such a demand, but part of me knows why.

Easy access.

Instead, I hold up a hand and flip him the bird before walking out.

~*~

“I can’t believe you’re going to marry him!”

I sigh.

Iris, Dexter, and I are having breakfast. It’s way too fucking early for me, even though I’m normally up this early.

I blame the previous evening,
especially
Tobias, for how cranky I am this morning.

Want to save your business? Marry me!

Who the fuck does he think he is?

“I didn’t say yes,” I mutter in response. “There has to be another way.”

I know better. I know there isn’t, but damn I wish there were. Tobias unnerves me and that can’t be good. If I marry him, I know I’m in serious jeopardy of…well, losing my freedom, for one.

Fuck, when did I start to sound like a commitment phobe?

“The universe sure caught up with you, didn’t it?” Dexter says this, laughing.

I scowl at him. “The universe can suck my imaginary dick.”

His laughter escalates. “It’s not imaginary. Soon, you’ll be married to one of your very own.”

Don’t laugh!

“Screw you.” Picking up the closest thing — a potholder — I aim it at his head, unable to keep the smirk from my face. “And how do we go from you being worried about my outings as Luna, to practically gleeful at me marrying a near stranger?”

When I throw it, he ducks, laughing when it hits Iris instead.

“Hey!” She looks up from her perusal of the papers Tobias gave me and scowls. “Knock it off you two! It’s almost like you truly
are
related.”

“Anything is possible,” I retort, irritated. “After all, I’ve never even been in a relationship and I’m getting married.”

She rolls her eyes.

Dexter walks over and places his arm around my shoulders. “Look, no matter what, I want you safe. People used to arrange marriages all the time to better their situations
and
fortunes. You’ve said there is no other way to save the restaurant — that you’ve run out of options. This isn’t the same thing as what you did as Luna.”

I scowl and shrug him off. “I’ve gotta get ready for work.” I start toward my bedroom when Iris gasps.

“Wait! Come here!”

I turn around and walk over to the table, then look down at papers. “What?”

“Did you even bother to read these?”

She is grinning at me. For what, I don’t know. I don’t really feel like smiling at all.

“I glanced at them, but…”

Okay, not admitting that I’d been too busy trying to subdue my lust to really pay attention to the papers.

When I don’t finish my sentence, she laughs. “This is a pre-nuptial agreement!”

“Wouldn’t it say that at the top of the papers?”

She pulls a sheet out and holds it up. Sure enough, there it makes very clear what these papers are.

“Why didn’t I see that?”

She cracks up. “He put it on the bottom, most likely on purpose. You never got through them all.”

I sigh. “I’ll have my lawyer look them over, but—“

Iris cuts me off, mouth set in a straight line. “You know it’s only for a year, right?”

And just like that, I’m fuming.

I stomp off like a petulant child, vowing to tell Tobias exactly what I think of him this evening.

CHAPTER THREE

I’m wearing jeans when Tobias arrives for our date.

Of course, he’s wearing a suit.

He doesn’t even comment at my attire, looking me up and down before smirking. “Ready to go?”

Maybe he forgot. Don’t remind him!

I smile. “Yes, I am.”

And just like that, we’re on our way.

I don’t wonder how he knew where I lived or which apartment was mine. My address had been on the papers I’d shown him.

What I do wonder is where the hell we’re going, but not enough to ask.

It’s not long before we’re pulling into his driveway.

“I thought we were going on a date?” I ask, taking off my seatbelt as I glare at him, irritated in the uneasiness creeping in. “I could’ve driven myself over here.”

He doesn’t answer as he turns off the car, then gets out. I scramble to do the same as he completely ignores me and heads to the front door.

I want to consider this rude, but I’ve the sudden feeling he remembers exactly what he told me.

And I didn’t listen.

Crap!

I run to catch up, closing the door behind me as he continues walking toward his office.

“I’ll be right back,” he says, tossing a look back at me over his shoulder. “Stay right there.”

Confusion fills me. He doesn’t look mad. Actually, he looks amused.

And gleeful.

Something tells me I’m in trouble.

So, I nod as he enters his office, and my heart starts to pound.

I should leave, but my feet won’t move.

Two minutes pass.

Three.

Yep, definitely in trouble.

When he finally comes back out of the office, I smile at him. He holds out a hand and I take it. He interlaces our fingers, gripping my hand firmly as he leads us up the stairs.

He doesn’t say anything as we reach the tops of the steps and turn right.

I gulp as we enter a bedroom.

His, no doubt.

“Take a seat,” he says, pointing at the edge of the bed. “I’ll be just a moment.”

I stare at the huge bed against the wall. He turns to walk away and I whisper, “Tobias?”

He pivots, his face expressionless except for a lifted eyebrow and a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Is there a problem?”

I swallow. “Um…”

It figures I’d struggle with what to say right in this moment, when I need my words more than ever.

He grins, stepping close and sliding his right hand along my neck, cupping the nape of my neck as he commands my gaze with his own.

I am mesmerized.

It’s terrible really. I’ve no idea what to do because I’ve never allowed things to get out of my control. And even though I’ve done all I can, researched and studied every other avenue possible to save the diner, he’s truly my last option.

There’s no running, but I’ll put up a fight the whole way; screaming, if I have to.

“You’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met.” His lips get close to mine, making my body ache with his proximity even as my brain screams ‘danger!’ and to run away. “And intelligent enough to know what’s coming.”

He backs away without giving me anything, then points to the bed.

Shit.

I lift my chin in defiance. “Make me.”

“Come? Oh, I will. Eventually.” He starts to walk away once more, then throws me a look over his shoulder. “You’ve got one minute to do as I’ve asked — oh, and now I want you to come up with your own personal safe word, too.”

Unable to resist the urge, I flip him off as he disappears into an adjoining room.

Then, I consider how I can throw him off his game.

I thought challenging him was the way to go, but maybe I am wrong. He didn’t take the bait when I said ‘make me’, and nothing I do seems to ruffle his feathers in the slightest.

Seems being obedient to the extreme may be the way to go.

With that decision made, I strip off all my clothing and sit on the edge of the bed, crossing my legs and placing my hands over top one another on my knee.

As he steps back into the room, he pauses when his gaze falls on me. His stance tightens, subtly, as if his senses are on high alert. Usually not something I would notice in anyone else, but I’d been serving him for months now.

Okay, who am I kidding — I’d been
watching
him all that time too. He’s not the only one who keeps their eye on people.

Then, he walks toward me, hands in his pockets. He’s taken off his jacket, his shirt unbuttoned halfway. He stops just to my left and angles his head a bit to the side, eyes filled with…amusement?

“What are you doing?”

Ever the smart-ass, I say, “Sunbathing.”

He’s not amused. Scowling, he moves to stand in front of me, using one finger to tip my head up meet his eyes. “You disobeyed my request to wear a skirt, and by doing so, derailed the entire evening I had planned. Why is that?”

Here I am, sitting completely nude in front of a man, and he wants to discuss my choice of clothing?

Fine.

I bring my arms up, crossing them over my breasts as I glare at him. “Tell me: what’s the point of trapping a woman into marriage by holding her business over her head if you only intend for said marriage to end in a year?”

And, cue the return of his amusement.

He chuckles and moves to sit next to me. “Is that what this is about? Now
you
tell me why that bothers you, considering you don’t want to marry me in the first place.”

I open my mouth, then close it again.

Damn him.

“We’ll discuss this later.” He grins and pats his lap. “Right now, I need to smack your ass.”

I want him to smack it. Chances are, the smacking will turn into fucking.

And after three days with no sex, I’m more or less ready to beg for it. But I can’t let him know that.

So much for being obedient.

“I don’t think so.”

Grinning wider, he pulls me onto his lap. I don’t even struggle; I am no match for his strength and we both know it.

He adjusts my body across his legs, making it necessary for me to use my arms to brace against the floor to keep my balance, and chuckles while caressing my ass with one hand.

Hit me!

I would wiggle along with the thought, but he’s holding on to my legs pretty tight. I want his hands on me in a bad, I-haven’t-been-fucked in days kinda way. Even if it’s in spanking form.

Please, please touch me more,
I want to pant.

“Safe word?”

He’s worse than a woman sometimes. I don’t even talk this much!

I let out an irritated sigh, then laugh. “Oompa loompa.”

The caressing stops.

He makes a sound somewhere between a cough and a laugh. “What?”

I deliberately misinterpret his question. “Yeah. You know, from Willy Wonka?”

He smacks my ass, and I yelp before grinning. I know he can’t see my face, which makes this even more fun than I could’ve imagined.

“Let’s try this again.” He goes back to fondling me. “Are you sure that’s the word you want to use?”

“Absolutely. It’s perfect. An unsexy safe word. Especially since nobody thinks an oompa loompa is sexy.”

His hand grips one cheek as he busts out laughing.

“Oompa loompa it is.” His hands leave my ass. “Ten smacks.”

I barely have time to process it, let alone ask why ten when he lands a firm slap on the right side.