On Her Terms (Premiere Companions Book 2) (2 page)

He let the words trail off, and that unspecified shiver crawled back up her spine.

“If I was under your what? Protection detail?” She laughed as she said that in an effort to defuse the situation, but some subtle shift in his demeanor gave her pause for thought. There was something dangerous about him after all. That quiet alertness which she’d seen in the men protecting her father.

“Who are you?” she asked, her heart beating faster at the truth staring her in the face. “Has my father sent you? You’re here to cart me off back home, aren’t you? Dammit. I won’t go.”

Her voice rose in her agitation, and when the couple at the next table looked over, she remembered where they were, and swallowed the rest of the hot words bubbling on her tongue. As for him, he simply smiled, rose to his feet, grasped their bags, and nodded his head toward reception.

“We should discuss this in private, don’t you think,
bellissima
? I’ll hazard a guess you haven’t picked up the keys yet, right?”

The abrupt change in subject matter made her blink in confusion, and shake her head.

“I thought so. Come on then.”

Placing his hand in the small of her back, he gave her no choice but to go where the gentle pressure led her. In truth even that innocent contact made her knees wobble. Nicole was tall for a woman at just under six foot, but this man dwarfed her completely. Even with her heels on he was still a head taller than she was. Lean muscles flexed under his jacket sleeve when she stumbled on her heels and his arm slid round her waist to steady her.

“Careful there, Nicoletta. I don’t want you hurt, unless it’s by my hand.”

That ominous statement made her miss another step. Fortunately they’d reached the reception desk by then, and Jamie released his hold on her. She breathed easier for the few moments it took for him to check them in, and when he faced her again card key in hand she swallowed hard.

“Shall we?”

Chapter Two

She really had the most expressive face, and the pictures had not done her justice. Far from it. Hers was a natural, translucent beauty. She’d inherited her mother’s fair skin and her father’s dark hair and eyes. An intriguing mix, which simply enhanced the porcelain quality of her skin. Flesh which would mark beautifully under his hands and teeth, and his dick gave up any pretense of not being affected by her and the sadness in her brown eyes.

Nicoletta wore the grief about her mother like an invisible cloak, but there was a vibrant energy behind that mask she presented to the world. He wanted her, pure and simple, and he would have her one way or the other, but he had to be careful here. She was far too intelligent, and lying to her wasn’t really an option. He’d have to stick to the truth as much as he was able to.

She didn’t answer his question, just took a deep breath and turned on her heel toward the bank of elevators, and he indulged himself watching her perfect ass sway in front of him.

Nicoletta carried herself with an inborn grace, not often found in one so young.

Then again, not many women of her age had to nurse their cancer-riddled mother for years and then were snapped up by a father like Don Cabrizi. While the official version was that the man had left his life of crime behind, following his lengthy stay in prison, his sort had their hands in many pies. Business had certainly thrived while the Don had been supposedly incapacitated, and being reunited with his long lost daughter had done wonders for the man’s public persona.

Nicoletta Cabrizi was the darling of the newspapers, and very much a target for her father’s enemies, which was why the Don had arranged her marriage. It was as much for her protection as it was to cement the business relationship he had with Nicoletta’s affianced. After all, who could protect the Don’s daughter better than his new head of security? And judging by the ease in which Nicoletta had slipped away from her bodyguards, a new man at the helm was very much needed.

Jamie pushed all thoughts of the Don and his machinations from his mind when the elevator doors slid open, and followed Nicoletta inside.

“Where to, Miss?” The liveried lift attendant smiled at her, and she hesitated.

“We’re in the River Balcony Suite,” Jamie said, and the attendant smiled and bowed his head.

“Ah, excellent views. Especially this time of year.”

He pressed the relevant button, and when neither Jamie nor Nicoletta said anything, he lapsed into polite silence.

The ride accomplished, the young attendant stepped to one side and gestured to the impressive oak paneled door in front of him.

“Your suite is right there. Enjoy your stay.”

“Thank you, we will.”

Jamie slipped the man some cash, which earned him a bow from the attendant and a frown from the nervous woman next to him, and then they were on their own.

“I did
not
reserve a suite, just a room.”

Jamie shrugged and slid his keycard through the required slot. The door opened, and he ushered his reluctant subbie for the night through.

“I know, I rang ahead and changed the reservation. I prefer a suite myself. Much more room to explore. After all, we can’t really leave while we’re here, and the service is top notch.” He suppressed a grin at her openmouthed expression, and having deposited their bags in the bedroom, opened up the French doors leading onto the balcony and the stunning views of the Thames.

Balmy summer air flowed in, and he resisted the urge to turn around and see what she was doing. Let her find her bearings in her own time. None of this could be easy for her. After all, she’d already blasted his conceptions about her into the water.

The girl had the resources at her fingertips to book the most expensive suite the hotel had on offer, yet she hadn’t done so. Maybe that had been out of her need for anonymity—she’d booked the room under Nicole Simpson, the surname her mother had adopted after she’d shopped the Don to the police—or maybe she wasn’t the spoiled brat she was reported to be.

Not for the first time since Nicoletta Cabrizi had appeared on his radar did Jamie wonder how much she knew about the real reason why her mother had run from her father, and the hand that woman had had in ensuring the Don served many years behind bars.

It was the stuff of legends, after all, as had been the fact that Don Cabrizi hadn’t ordered her killed.

Instead, he’d chosen to let mother and daughter live out their lives as they chose, and had only interfered and claimed his one and only daughter after her mother had passed on. It was pretty damn obvious to Jamie that the Don had loved Nicoletta’s mother to distraction, and he felt the same way about his daughter, even if he would appear to express that love in some very odd ways.

Then again, love tended to make a fool out of most men, which was why Jamie stayed well away from any romantic entanglements. His occasional work for Premiere Companions, together with random hook ups when his time allowed, took care of his sexual needs, even if he’d gotten fed up with that lately. To have his own sub held a certain amount of appeal, never more so than right now, as Nicoletta’s light flowery scent teased his nostrils and warned him of her approach.

“I don’t know what to say. You shouldn’t have gone through the extra expense. I don’t need wining and dining, you know. I’m a sure bet.”

The words were brave, but the white-knuckled grip she had on the railing as she stepped up next to him told a different story.

“Maybe not, but this is your first time, and that should be special.” Her eyes widened, and an endearing blush stole into her fair cheeks. Jamie inwardly grimaced at the clumsy delivery, and to make himself look less like a sentimental fool he added. “Besides, Premiere’s services aren’t cheap, and the owner would have my hide unless I delivered an exemplary service.”

While the words had the desired effect, Jamie felt a complete ass when her expressive eyes filled with tears, and she swallowed hard.

“Thanks for reminding me I’m the loser who has to pay a man to sleep with her.”

She turned abruptly and swiped the tendrils of hair which had escaped her elegant up-do out of her face. His fingers itched to do that for her. No, scrap that. He wanted to free the shiny ebony mass and see how long it was, right after he’d peeled her out of that sinful dress, which accentuated curves to die for, and tied her to the bed.

Jamie barely swallowed a groan at those far too arousing mental images, and he thanked his lucky stars that his suit jacket hid the monster boner he was sporting. He had to remember, that this was indeed her first time, and he needed to go slowly and not scare her off with thoughts and actions which resembled a caveman rather than its supposed civilized modern counterpart.

“I wouldn’t have put it quite like that,
bellissima
. Besides, there must have been other men who tried to get you into their bed.”

A wan smile briefly lit up her features, before she shook her head.

“There were, but they never…” Her words trailed off, and that blush of hers deepened.

“Don’t hold out on me now. We might as well get this discussion over with. I’ve read the extensive questionnaire you filled in, of course, but I like to have these discussions in person. That way there can be no misunderstanding about what you need or expect from me.”

He let his words sink in for a moment, and when she didn’t respond, other than to face the railing again, he threw caution to the wind. A gasp escaped when he crowded her against the iron structure, put his hands over hers, and rubbed his erection into the small of her back. There was no way she could mistake that for anything else, and sure enough she tensed in his arms.

“That will never fit.”

Jamie suppressed a chuckle, and dropped a kiss on the rapidly beating pulse point in her neck.

“Oh it will,
bellissima
, trust me. We just need to get you wet enough.”

He smirked at her sharp intake of breath when he rubbed his stubble along her neck, while slowly sliding his hands up her sides until he could run his fingertips over her breasts. Her breathing sped up and her nipples firmed and poked through the fabric of her dress, as her head fell back against his shoulder.

“There you are, see. I bet you’re getting nice and wet for me even now, aren’t you?”

A groan escaped the woman in his arms this time, and she stiffened.

“Please, don’t. This is wrong.”

Jamie released her immediately, and when he took a step back, she turned back round, and wrapped her arms around her midriff in a defensive move that tore at his heartstrings. Right now, she looked utterly lost, and she didn’t seem capable of meeting his gaze.

“Wrong, how?” he asked and using just his forefinger tipped her chin up so that he could read her expression.

What he saw in her eyes made his gut churn. Lust, for sure, but also worry, and incredible sadness.

“I don’t know. It seemed a good idea at the time, and now…” Her gaze involuntarily strayed toward his groin, and Jamie unbuttoned his jacket. A strangled gasp escaped her when he reached down to adjust his rock hard cock into a somewhat more comfortable position.

“That looks as though it should hurt.”

Her innocent statement caught him off guard, and she blushed a deep red under his quiet scrutiny.

“I mean … jeez.” She uncrossed her arms and grasped hold of the railing she was leaning again instead. The action made the already taut material across her impressive rack stretch further, and Jamie’s mouth watered with the need to taste this woman.

This might be all kinds of wrong—after all she was engaged to be married—but his libido was taking no notice of that little voice of  reason in his head. Messing around with Don Cabrizi’s daughter could get a man killed under normal circumstances. Not that these were normal circumstances…

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound like a simpering debutante in a Regency novel. I realize I’m enough of an oddity being a twenty-three old virgin, I…” She didn’t continue, just dropped her head and frowned at the ground as though the flagstones making up this balcony flooring were the most interesting thing ever.

“You’re not, and even if you were, I’m sure you had your reasons. I refuse to accept it was lack of opportunity, unless the men you came into contact with were fucking blind.”

That earned him a small smile, and she raised her head.

“I wouldn’t call them men. They were boys, and one ill-advised teenage fumble was enough to put me off from ever going there again. Men my age have never interested me.  That is…” She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, and acting on instinct, Jamie stepped closer, and pulled the soft flesh away from danger.

“Don’t do that,
bellissima.
I’ll be the one to mark your skin tonight.”

A sharp intake of her breath was his only reply to that, and he let his thumb linger on the soft curve of her upper lip while he murmured the next words.

“With your permission, of course. If you’ve changed your mind, and would rather keep your virginity for your future husband, I’ll leave. All things considered that would probably be the wisest move. From what I know of Jamison he’s not inclined to share what’s his.”

Those words certainly caused a reaction, because she slapped his hand away and positively glared at him.

“I’ll be no man’s property, ever.”

Hands held up in mock surrender, Jamie laughed and shrugged.

“If you say so. Your most enlightening answers in the Premiere questionnaire would suggest otherwise. You’ve asked for a Dom, Nicoletta, did you not and I quote here… ‘I would like to experience Dominance and submission, no pain, but spanking would be nice, and I want someone experienced’.”

He grinned at her “caught in the act” expression, and when she seemingly had no answer for that he continued.

“From what I understand Jamison could give you all that, if you’d let him.” Her head went up, and she regarded him through narrowed eyes.

“However, starting your marriage off on a lie, would I expect, cause him to be mighty pissed off with you. I know I would be in his shoes, anyway.” He winked at her. “Us men can be pretty caveman-like with the women we consider to be ours.”

His inner Neanderthal was certainly all ready to throw this woman over his shoulder and show her exactly what it meant to be his. It was a thought that sat heavily in his gut, because she wasn’t his. Even if she consented to this one night of passion she had signed up for, yet seemed to have second thoughts about now, she was getting married on Saturday, and that thought made him fucking angry.

“Well, I wouldn’t know, as he hasn’t deemed it necessary to even introduce himself to me. I have no idea what he looks like, how old he is, and to my knowledge he’s never even seen me. I fail to understand why he even wants me, other than for some sort of trophy wife. Well, fuck that. I might be forced into this marriage, but I’ll not do so willingly, and I choose who to have sex with.” Her eyes flashed fire now, and she’d never looked more beautiful or animated as she pushed her shoulders back, straightened up and poked him in the chest in tune to her impassioned speech. “I choose it, do you hear me? And yes, I want to be spanked, and give up control, but on my terms, because I choose to, not because my father has sold me to some old codger to line his coffers with cash.”