Once the pianist began to play, the door opened. I turned that way. Jean-Pierre stood in the doorway, dressed in a designer tuxedo, with his left arm in a sling, and his right hand holding a bouquet of pale pink peonies.
My heart stopped for a few seconds.
Rafael and Louis flanked him in their regular high-end suits. A new scar dotted Rafael’s cheek. Louis looked like he’d had better days.
I hurried over to Jean-Pierre. “Are you okay?”
Louis took the bouquet from Jean-Pierre.
“I’m fine.” With his free arm, he pulled me toward him and whispered in French, “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I wrapped my arms around his shoulder, trying to be careful, but needing his mouth on mine as soon as possible. It only took a few seconds before we were devouring each other.
Rafael cleared his throat. “Don’t let him take the sling off. The doctor said three weeks.”
Jean-Pierre pulled back from my mouth and growled, “No. He said, ‘Three days.’”
“I heard three weeks.” Rafael turned to Louis. “You?”
“I’m not getting involved in this.” Louis walked off with the bouquet, handed it to the staff, and studied the chef. “Have they been checked? We have to be more careful in the future, Jean-Pierre.”
All of Jean-Pierre’s attention was centered on me. I looked into his eyes. His gaze snared me in seconds, triggering me to edge back. It was just something about that expression on his face. He looked hungry. Starving. Famished. I thought of the way he would beg me to sit on his face as he licked me from behind.
My sex clenched.
“Ce n’est jamais une bonne journée, quand je suis loin de toi.” Jean-Pierre drank in my curves.
Damn it. I didn’t catch that.
As usual, everything about him was intense. He snared all of my attention. I could focus on nothing else. Heat moved between us. His gaze journeyed all over me. My lips. The curve of my neck. My cleavage. The gown. He directed it to my fingers and then back up my arm. My body shivered in lust. There was no place untouched and I wanted desperately for everyone to leave.
My pulse sped up.
Louis walked over to us. “Jean-Pierre?”
“Everything’s fine. Go,” Jean-Pierre growled. “I haven’t seen Eden in weeks.”
Rafael rolled his eyes. “It’s been days.”
Jean-Pierre growled again, “Go.”
Rafael pointed at me. “Don’t let him take that sling off.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said.
Can anyone really tell Jean-Pierre what to do?
With scowls on both faces, Louis and Rafael left.
I opened my mouth to speak.
Jean-Pierre leaned in for a kiss, dipped his tongue between my lips, and enveloped me with his presence. His hand massaging my waist, playing with the diamonds on the corset. His tongue toyed with mine.
I tasted him and became drunk and dizzy. “Mmmm.”
Jean-Pierre swallowed my whimper of pleasure, slipped his hand over the curve of my ass, and tenderly squeezed. I couldn’t think or see, escape, or control my hormones. All I could do was hold on to him.
When he pulled back, he whispered, “Let’s extend this experience.”
I blinked a few times, gaining control of myself. “What?”
“I want more time.” He tightened his grip on my ass, possessing me. “I’ve already lost some. And I’ve already waited for too damn long.”
“How. . .much longer?” I stepped out of his grip and gave us some space.
“How much time can I have?”
“A…another week. . .or two.”
“I want more time.”
I turned away. “I have to think about it.”
He approached and paused right in front of me. Only a few inches rested between us. Desire charged from him to me. It pounded and throbbed back and forth as he stared into my eyes.
“I’ll pay any amount of money.” His voice vibrated through my body.
I swallowed. “It’s not. . .the money.”
“What is it?”
I missed you. I felt lost without you for these few days. That shouldn’t have happened. This is more than a job for me, Jean-Pierre. And you’re not paying for more. Do I tell you, and ruin this illusion that you paid so high for?
The line in his jaw twitched, but his face portrayed nothing else. An edge laced his voice. “Is there someone else?”
“No.”
“There shouldn’t be.”
I widened my eyes. “Why not?”
“Give me another month.”
Shocked, I parted my lips. “I… have to think about it.”
“Why?” He walked around me in slow, deliberate steps, circling like a prowling creature. “Have I done something wrong? Has anyone made you feel uncomfortable?”
“No, of course not. Everything has been perfect.”
He stopped in front of me.
I looked at the sling. “Does it hurt? Do you want to sit down?”
He gave me a wicked smile. “Would certain answers illicit sympathy and give me my way?”
“Most likely.” I grinned. “But you should only use your power for good.”
“That’s never been my style.”
“A month is a long time to extend.”
He shifted his face to neutral. “What were your plans after this?”