I gave him a plain look. “My family has a villa in Tuscany. I’ve been drinking table wine since I was sixteen.”
“Right.” His gaze moved away from me. Why did he shut down whenever I mentioned family, mine or his? “Anyway,” he said, “this is the living room and kitchen area. Follow me.”
We went down the tall hallway and he gestured to the open door on the left. “Guest bathroom.” He motioned to the dark doorway on the right. “Spare bedroom.”
Business had to be good. He lived in a two-bedroom in downtown Chicago, by himself. He continued straight ahead, and when we entered the room, he turned on a light switch.
“Master bedroom,” he said. It felt like he’d put intentional weight on this, as if implying that he was my master simply because he occupied this room. A huge beveled mirror hung over the sleigh-style bed with wrought iron railings. The silvery-blue silk comforter was refined and elegant. This room . . . it was seductive.
I smiled, but it froze when Joseph gave me that look he was becoming famous for, the one that was untamed lust. He took the wine from me and set both of our drinks on the dresser.
“Are you ready to play, little girl?” My throat closed up, but I must have given him some sort of confirmation. “Good. Take off your dress.”
I set my palms flat on my thighs and began to drag upward, my heartbeat rising with every inch of my skirt. My sensible side was quiet, but perhaps I’d obliterated her when I’d accepted Joseph’s offer.
When the skirt cleared my hips and revealed my black lace boyshort panties, our arrangement started to feel real. I’d followed his naughty commands at the restaurant, but this was different. We hadn’t consummated the agreement, and standing naked before Joseph would be like signing a dotted line. My dress continued its journey up over my head and I tossed it aside.
His gaze swept over me slowly, invisible fingers caressing every curve of my body.
“You look like a fucking wet dream. Did you wear that for me?”
I let out a pleased sigh and nodded. I’d bought it for him, hoping I’d get to show it off after the “job interview.”
“I want to see it all, though,” he said. He set his hands on his hips, and for a split second I had the weird thought he’d done this to prevent his hands from reaching for me. “Show me what’s mine.”
Oh, holy hell.
My hands twisted behind my back and undid the clasp on the demi-cup bra I’d worn. My breasts spilled free as the bra straps slipped down my arms and dropped to the carpet.
“Fucking perfect.”
Goosebumps pebbled on my skin and I shivered, but I wasn’t the least bit cold. My nipples hardened to points, aching to be in his hands and under his command. But he wanted to see everything, and I could tell he wouldn’t touch me until I’d done as instructed. My thumbs slid under the waistband and pulled my panties down until I could step out of them.
I’d done it. I was naked, and shedding my clothes was shedding the last trace of sensible Noemi. I felt like I was vibrating with life.
“Are you nervous?” he asked.
I wasn’t just vibrating on the inside. My core was trembling. Joseph’s face softened and he closed the space between us, both of his hands cradling my face.
“Don’t be. It’s going to be amazing.”
“You’ll set me free,” I said, talking more to myself than him. Yet, he sort of had already. I was wild and reckless, but I felt like I was my own person, making my own decisions without consulting anyone else.
His lips pressed down on mine, soft at first and then shifting to a more dominating kiss. His tongue shot past my lips, possessing my mouth without permission. He didn’t need permission. I’d given him control. An arm wrapped around my back and a hand gripped my breast roughly.
I moaned against his mouth. This felt wrong, but not because of what we were doing. It felt wrong because we weren’t doing enough. His urgent kiss matched his aggressive hands, until he was pawing at my body, as if desperate to touch me where he hadn’t before.
My hands caressed down his shoulders, over his chest, until they landed on his belt. I hadn’t touched him the last time we’d been together, and I was shy the first time in his Porsche. Now I was eager.
But he stepped back so abruptly I almost fell over. “Soon,” he said. “But not just yet.”
I swayed, woozy from his effect. Joseph pulled open the top drawer to his nightstand and something metal clinked together. My heart leapt into my throat.
“Handcuffs?” Not the furry play kind, but cold-looking steel.
“Trust me.” He said it like it was just that easy. “Lie down.”
I glanced at the open doorway, and that action was not lost on Joseph. He drew in a deep breath.