Burn Me Once

‘You are perfect.’

I can’t catch my breath. I hear Natasha’s clip-clopping heels and I step aside from him even as my blood rages like a fever. I suck in air and I spin away, moving towards the window at the end of the corridor, needing a moment to straighten my hair, to collect myself, to calm my body.

‘Oh! Ethan.’

It’s Natasha.

‘Come and have a look at the window treatment options.’

‘Nothing I’d like better.’

I hear the grin in his voice and can picture his face even though I’m not looking at him.

It takes me several minutes to calm myself, to begin to feel like I am in control once more. When I’m ready, I move back through the house.

I find them in the master bedroom. Ethan watches me as I walk in, so I know he sees the way my eyes drop to the bed. Immediately. The way colour blooms in my cheeks.

We are both picturing the same thing.

Damn him.

Damn him for knowing how to push my buttons so well.

‘What do you think?’ Natasha asks excitedly. ‘I’ve gone for a dark oak, because I think it’s masculine and classic without being too heavy. Don’t you agree?’

‘It’s perfect,’ I murmur, thinking of the art I’ve selected for this room.

It took me a long time to come up with pieces that I think will suit Ethan. The pieces that I want him to wake up to each morning.

I meet Ethan’s eyes for a moment; electricity charges between us.

‘I like the bed. Is it a king?’

Natasha takes over. ‘Yes. And it’s a memory foam mattress. Super-comfortable.’

‘Lie down,’ Ethan invites, his gaze simmering as it locks to mine. ‘See for yourself.’

‘That’s okay,’ I say, a tad more sharply than necessary. ‘I’ve felt mattresses before.’

‘Not this mattress,’ he points out smoothly.

‘It really is the best on the market,’ Natasha interjects, apparently oblivious to our flirtatious undercurrent.

‘How lovely for you,’ I murmur, turning to Ethan in time to see him wink at me.

My blood simmers. I think I’m going to turn into a puddle of lava if I don’t get out of here.

I reach into my handbag and pull out a printed booklet. ‘This is the proposal I mentioned.’ I hand it to him. ‘Why don’t I leave it with the two of you to discuss and I’ll follow up with you, Natasha, next week?’

‘Excellent,’ she agrees, before Ethan can speak, leaving me wondering briefly what he might have said.

‘You’ve done a great job,’ I say with an over-bright smile. ‘I’ll finish the tour another time. Nice to see you both again.’

‘You too, Ally.’ Natasha reaches across and takes the book from Ethan. ‘May I?’

‘Sure. Be my guest. I’ll walk Miss Douglas out.’

‘Please, call me Alicia,’ I invite, swaying my hips as I move ahead of him.

He is behind me the whole way. Along the corridor, down the stairs, and then through the hall that leads to his front door. I press my hand around the doorknob, knowing I should say something but not knowing what.

I turn around slowly, but there’s nothing slow about the way Ethan moves. He swoops down and kisses me, his whole body pushing mine against the door, trapping me. The weight of him is immovable, his mouth demanding, the intensity of his kiss pressing my head against the door. He grinds his hips and I feel his arousal through our clothes. He kisses me as he holds me captive with his hips, his dick, his very self.

I am powerless to move. I don’t want to anyway. I want to do this for ever.

‘I’ll come to the hotel when I finish work,’ I say into his mouth, conscious that we could be interrupted at any point and wanting privacy.

‘I won’t be there.’

The words don’t compute at first.

‘Huh?’

‘I have a thing,’ he says. ‘With my manager.’

He runs his tongue along my lower lip and I moan.

‘Wait for me there.’

I don’t think that’s a good idea. But before I can say so, he speaks.

‘When I come back, I plan to fuck you senseless.’

A shiver runs through me. A frisson of anticipation and need.