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Chapter One
"It's quite beautiful, isn't it?"
Tomas Flint's deep, husky voice drew Alexa's attention away from the window, where she'd been looking out at the huge old oak tree that stood outside his prestigious London office. Tomas sat at his desk, working his way through the stack of contracts she'd brought for him to sign, but he glanced up as he spoke, awaiting her response.
She smiled over at him, self-consciously adjusting the lapel on her smart business suit as she responded. "It is. Is it an oak?"
"Indeed it is. I moved the company here because of the tree, if you can believe that?" He fixed her with an inquisitive glance, the question lingering in his riveting grey eyes.
"Yes, I can." It was just the sort of eccentric choice she thought he might make. An exceptionally canny businessman, Tomas also had a mysterious side to him that intrigued her. "Here in the city it's such a joy to see. Especially now, in the summer," she added.
She turned back to the view, because his direct stare made her self-conscious. She always felt self-aware when she came to Tomas' office, but on the rare occasions he talked about something other than their work connection—like now—her self-awareness heightened dramatically. Two years she'd been his solicitor of choice, vetting contracts for him, and for two years she'd been attracted to the man. Whilst he signed the paperwork for his company acquisitions, contracts she had checked over in infinite detail on his behalf, she wandered over to the window in order to distract herself from the arousal she felt in his presence.
"I had the tree dated and it's around two hundred years old." He paused. "And I would like to see you tied to it, naked and blindfolded."
At first she thought she'd imagined it. Tensing, she kept her attention on the tree for a split-second longer, before glancing back at him. He was looking down at the desk again.
I must have imagined it. He couldn't possibly have said what she thought he'd said. No, he is busy dealing with the papers. Even so, curiosity tugged at her. "I'm sorry, did you say something? I didn't quite catch—"
He put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and held her gaze. "I said I'd like to see you naked and blindfolded, and tied to the tree."
Alexa's pulse raced unevenly as she tried to grasp whether she was in fact dreaming this, or if he'd actually said what she thought he'd said. Twice. Right out of the blue. She'd worked for him all this time, and she thought she'd sensed him being interested in her, but he'd never said anything so blatant—or downright kinky—before. The secrets held at the back of his eyes had always fascinated her. The way his mouth lifted at one corner when he smiled made her ache to know more about him. Now, some barrier had been breached, because he'd decided it was time.
On her previous visit to his office he'd casually asked her to attend a function straight after their appointment, a corporate cocktail party. "Come as a colleague," he'd said, "no strings."
That's exactly what happened. Alexa felt a little disappointed that it hadn't evolved into something else, but being around him made her sure of one thing—he was a powerful, enigmatic man, and she wanted him, badly. Tomas Flint wasn't the sort of man you could easily flirt with, though. Everything had to be on his terms, and he always had command of the situation. Whilst that appealed to her immensely, there were times when it drove her crazy. That night he'd observed her interacting with others, and no more, during the cocktail party. His gaze was hot and suggestive. Anticipation built to fever pitch inside her. She had hoped he'd make a move, but he didn't. He instructed a driver to take her home. Alone. Today she'd been even more self-aware than usual in his office. Even so, the last thing in the world she expected was for him to say what he had just said.
He rose from his desk and strolled over to join her at the window, his posture and attitude that of the stalking lion—limber, sure of himself, and yet somehow understated. His presence could change the atmosphere of a room just by virtue of him being there. Those grey eyes never missed a thing, and he was known as 'the hunter' in business circles. She'd always assumed it was due to his knack of sourcing growth opportunities in the field, but the way he moved now suggested his nickname was more appropriate than she had realized. Tomas had an underlying edge to him, and as he prowled over to her she knew for sure his neatly cropped black hair and expensive suits covered an animal of a different sort. She felt somehow cornered, except being trapped was right where she wanted to be. In the pit of her belly, a nagging ache had taken hold.
"I hope you don't find the image disturbing." Humor lit his eyes.
She shot him an amused glance. "Disturbing? No. But I'm assuming you wouldn't do it then leave me there, tied to a tree, naked, and blindfolded…" His proximity made her feel outrageously horny. "I assumed you meant something that might involve…" Christ, how did she put it? "…mutual pleasure?" She lifted her chin as she completed the question excited, but also unnerved by the situation. She knotted her fingers together, afraid her hands would shake if he looked at them.
He smiled, and as he did so he ran his tongue against his lower lip. Unlike her, he was in complete control, and he looked her over as if he was picturing her in the situation they were discussing. "You're an intelligent, direct woman, Alexa Wainscott, and I've always liked that about you. That's why I always ask for you to oversee my contracts."
"Thank you." She paused, but she didn't want the conversation to drift away from the provocative subject matter he'd raised. She wanted to know exactly what he meant, being naked and blindfold. At his mercy. Her core clenched. "I enjoy working for you. I find it…stimulating."
"That's another thing I like about you," he said, running his
knuckles down the side of her cheek, making a delicious shiver pass through her, "you engender the perfect mix of candor and innocence."
Tension filled the air. Because he had touched her, her entire body had been electrified. Her skin practically hummed with anticipation. "Innocence?"
"Yes, innocence." He lifted her chin with one finger, making her stretch her neck as he admired the line of it. She knew him well enough to know he never did anything without a great deal of thought. How long had he planned this little maneuver? Something had been stripped away inside a moment, the business façade that felt sure and safe and ever-present—Tomas had made it vanish in a flash. The way he admired her was so sexy, so intimate and direct, and yet somehow playful—like a big cat toying with its victim—that she had to force herself to stay still. Her fingernails curled into her palms. Her core clenched again, liquid heat building inside her. She'd wanted him for so long she had to press her lips together in order not to moan aloud when he ran his thumb against her jaw line.
"You seem unaware of your own beauty, unaware of the effect you have on men. I'd be willing to bet that when you enter a room, every man present considers what it would be like to get closer to you, to see you lose control."
Despite her arousal, the comment struck an odd note. "My friends call me distant. Is that what you mean?"
He gave a brisk laugh. "Your friends don't know you very well, do they? You have a certain aloof quality, yes, but it's more to do with your looks. Elegant. Underneath it all, I sense something else."
The something else he sensed was blatant horniness, she knew it. Heat flushed her face, and she was glad of the air conditioning. She wanted to grab him, to dig her nails into his back as he made love to her, right there and then in his office. But he was in charge of the way this was unfolding, and that excited her immensely.
"You have exquisite posture."
"I did ballet until the age of fourteen. It stays with you." She heard the rushed, slightly giddy quality to her own speech.
"Ah, that explains a great deal, I noticed it the moment you first stepped into my office."
Her sex clenched. The way he toyed with her had her on hooks, and it was too much. "Enough about me, Tomas. You're embarrassing me."
He flashed her a warning glance, his grey eyes locking with hers. "Oh no, I'm not done yet, and I insist you humor me."
It was the almost nonchalant quality to his power that turned her on, how easily dealt with anyone and everything. She'd heard it before, directed at his staff, and that commanding authority always caught her attention and made her curious, made her fantasize about him. Her body, already aroused, went into overdrive, her breasts rising and falling as she tried to control her breathing. His attitude inflamed her in the most specific way. She'd thought about it often enough and it made her want to match him. But right now she knew she hadn't matched up to him, she was panting over him like a love stricken teenager, and that wasn't good enough.
She glanced away and out of the window in an attempt to gather herself. When she did, he moved to stand directly behind her. She swayed. She'd just made her situation even worse, because she could feel the heat of his body at her back as he looked out at the view over her shoulder, and she couldn't look at him. They were millimeters apart, his broad chest at her back making her gravitate that way. When she swayed back, he rested his hands on her hips, holding her there, right against him, making her gasp.
He really was making a move on her. Her eyes fluttered closed. She could smell his cologne, a subtle, woody scent. The wall of muscle against her shoulders felt deliciously masculine. It made her swish and sway her hips, her bottom brushing against his groin.
"You always admire the tree," he said, "I noticed that."
Opening her eyes, she focused on the tree. She had to force herself to reply with words, rather than shimmying up and down against him like a cat in heat. "I like my clients to relax. Staring at them while they are working doesn't usually help." Much as I'd like to, she thought to herself. She could happily look at him all day, with his strong, self-assured posture and his ruggedly handsome face.
He laughed softly. "Relax, with you around? I find the idea strangely absurd." He spoke deliberately, emphasizing the meaning behind his words. Then he moved his hands, just slightly, and her skirt shifted against the front of her thighs, sending darts of anticipation running into her hotspot. His hands on her were possessive, and it felt good, it felt as if he were about to pin her up against the wall and fuck her. Unable to resist, she pressed back. When she felt the hard bulge of his cock through their clothes and it pressed against the crease of her bottom, she let out a whimper. Sensation raced over her skin in response, her whole body keenly attuned to the presence of his erect cock. If they were naked…
He put his hands on her shoulders, never breaking the contact. "I can assure you, Alexa, I never, ever, relax in your presence. Quite the opposite, in fact."
Startled, and with her legs as weak as water under her, her lips parted, her heart thundering in her chest.
"However, we could address that situation, together."
Oh, how good that sounded. Stay cool, she reminded herself. That's what he did, and she wanted to match him. She took a deep breath. "What had you in mind?"
"You seem like the sort of woman who might appreciate a challenge…"
Oh, but he was baiting her, and she took it, willingly. "Such as?"
