A Strict Seduction (12 page)

‘I'm sorry,' I said, finally plucking up the courage to smooth my dress down and to get more comfortable.

‘That's okay,' he told me reassuringly. ‘It's one of the by-products of being famous, it makes people nervous, I know. But there's no need to be, really there isn't.'

His expression was so charming that it made me feel much better. At least he knew how I felt, I imagined that it would have been so easy to be oblivious to such things. I glanced round at Todd, but his expression was anything but charming. I saw the darkness in his eyes and realised he was feeling bad. Jack's tone had been friendly enough, but he'd definitely put Todd in his place when he'd told him to give me a chance to speak.

‘So,' Jack continued, ‘tell me what you plan on doing when your course is finished?'

I was just about to answer when Amanda arrived.

She looked apologetic. ‘I'm sorry about this, Jack,' she sighed.

Jack stood up wearily. ‘I'll be as quick as I can,' he promised.

Amanda shook her head. ‘Actually, Jack, it's not for you. It's for Todd.'

We all looked surprised, none more so then Todd. He stood up instantly. ‘What is it?'

Jack walked over to Amanda and slipped his arm around her waist as she showed him the fax she was holding. ‘It's your office,' he told Todd, ‘it looks like they can't do without you.'

Todd read the fax quickly, his face betraying signs of nervousness again. ‘Is there a phone I could use?'

Amanda and Jack turned towards the house, and as they did so I saw that his hand was resting on her bottom. They both seemed very relaxed still, but his hold was somehow more than just innocent or accidental. His hand was moulded around her bottom, squeezing gently, holding her quite possessively. I was so transfixed by it that I hardly noticed what was going on. Amanda started to walk back to the house with Todd, and Jack stroked her backside fully as she went off.

‘Don't look so worried,' Jack said, turning to face me.

I swallowed hard. The sight of him touching Amanda had made my heart race once more. It stirred something within me. Although Jack was old enough to be my father, I felt drawn to him. He was an attractive man and the fact that he had touched Amanda so intimately only served to make him more attractive and more powerful.

‘Is it something urgent?' I asked, at a loss for anything more to say.

‘Quite likely,' he said, smiling. He walked over and sat down beside me, in the seat that Todd had just vacated. ‘I'm sure Todd will have it sorted out in a few minutes.'

I smiled and nodded, nervous once more because of Jack's sudden proximity and the fact that I was finding him more and more attractive in spite of it. There was a confidence about him that I had never experienced before. He was a man totally at ease with himself and totally in control of the situation.

‘I notice you keep looking at the pool,' he said, stretching his legs. ‘On a day like this a good swim's like heaven on earth.'

I was grateful for a neutral topic to talk about. ‘I can imagine,' I agreed, turning to face the expanse of shimmering water.

He laughed softly. ‘You don't have to imagine,' he said, ‘I've no objection to you taking a swim if you like.'

‘But I haven't brought anything with me.'

He shrugged. ‘That's not such a big deal, I'm sure Amanda's got something you could wear back in the house.'

The idea was appealing, but without Todd there I didn't know what to do. ‘No, it's okay,' I said, ‘I'm sure you didn't invite us round so we could use your pool.'

‘What did I invite you round for?' he asked.

His voice was low, quiet, almost a whisper. I glanced over at the house, but there was no sign either of Amanda or of Todd. ‘You invited us round to get to know us a bit,' I ventured nervously.

‘Almost right,' he said, smiling.

I avoided his eyes. ‘What did you invite us for?'

‘So I could meet you,' he replied.

For a moment I expected him to laugh, but he wasn't joking. I blushed furiously, unable to react any other way. ‘Why?' I asked, finally.

‘Because Todd is likely to go far in my organisation, so I need to know as much about him as I can, and that includes finding out about his partner.'

Any further conversation was cut off when we spied Amanda and Todd coming back. Even from a distance I could see that Todd was flustered. As he drew closer I could see that beads of sweat had formed on his face, making him appear even more agitated.

‘I'm sorry about this,' he said, directing himself to Jack and not to me.

‘A major disaster?' Jack responded calmly.

Todd smiled, but it was more nerves than anything else. ‘No, it's not a disaster, but I do need to go in to work I'm afraid.'

I stood up, and it was only then that Todd seemed to remember who I was. ‘Never mind,' I said quietly, ‘I'm sure it won't take you long to clear it up.'

Jack looked at Todd and then at me. ‘If they need you then they need you,' he told Todd, ‘but does this really have to spoil Elaine's day?'

‘No, it's okay,' I insisted quickly, attaching myself to Todd's arm, ‘I can wait while Todd sorts this thing out.'

Jack shook his head. ‘Nonsense,' he declared, ‘on a hot day like this the last thing you need is to sit in a car and swelter or to hang around an office while Todd's rushing around sorting things out. Why don't you stay here? Todd, what do you say?'

I squeezed Todd's arm, desperately hoping he'd take me with him. ‘If you really don't mind,' he told Jack.

Jack laughed. ‘Why should I mind? In fact Elaine was just saying how she'd like to go for a swim. Amanda, can you fix her up?'

Amanda smiled graciously. ‘Of course, Elaine, it'd be a pleasure.'

I was frozen into place. I didn't want to stay. ‘But…'

‘There's no buts about it,' Jack said, standing up. ‘Todd, how long do you think you'll be?'

Todd shrugged. ‘Most of the afternoon,' he guessed.

‘In that case we'll expect you back at around six,' Jack said.

Todd looked relieved. ‘I really am sorry about this,' he said, but again he was speaking to everyone but me.

‘Let me see you out,' Amanda said, taking a step towards the house.

Before I knew what was happening Todd had pecked me on the cheek, whispered a hurried goodbye, and was on his way. Instinct told me to chase after him, but I knew if I did that I would ruin things for him. I watched him go, suddenly afraid that I was going to be left alone with Jack for the rest of the afternoon.

‘That's a smart young man you've got yourself,' Jack said, turning to face me. It wasn't idle chatter, I could tell he meant it and that he took such things extremely seriously.

‘Thank you,' I said, sitting down again. The sun sparkled on the water and the rolling lawn looked lush and verdant as it stretched out ahead of us.

Jack walked to the water's edge and then turned to me. ‘He's also a very accommodating young man,' he continued. ‘What about you?'

‘Me?'

He looked at me earnestly, his eyes boring into me, as though he could see through me and into what was in my head. ‘Yes you,' he said, his voice assuming that low tone that touched something deep inside me. ‘Are you accommodating?'

My face was red again, but this time I did not look away. ‘I don't know what you mean,' I told him, doing my best to meet his steady gaze.

He smiled. ‘I'm sure you do,' he said. ‘I like you, I think you'll be good for Todd. You're a smart girl, ambitious too, I imagine.'

I should have been flattered by what he was saying, but instead I felt as though a trap were being laid for me. Jack's charming smile did nothing to hide the dark undercurrent in his voice. I swallowed hard and turned away, unable to face him any longer.

‘Elaine?'

I turned with relief to face Amanda, who had returned after seeing Todd out. Her smile was warm and friendly, and I breathed a sigh of relief for her presence. ‘Come on,' she suggested, ‘come back to the house and I'll see what we've got for you.'

Jack nodded approvingly. ‘Yes,' he said, ‘the water's at its best on a day like this.'

‘Poor Todd,' Amanda said as we walked back into the cool interior of the house, ‘fancy having to drive back in all this heat.'

‘I would have gone with him,' I told her quietly, wondering if she had picked up on my disquiet.

‘Why?' she laughed. ‘You couldn't have helped, could you?'

‘It's not that,' I admitted.

We walked into one of the rooms at the top of the stairs. The window was open and the sun was streaming through, making the room appear light and airy despite the heat. A large double bed sat under one wall, flanked on either side by dark wood cabinets, and a half open door led to an
en suite
bathroom in the other corner.

Amanda sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs, causing her long skirt to fall open almost to the top of her thighs. Her skin was tanned a golden brown, her long, smooth thighs perfectly proportioned. She was beautiful. I had seen models on the catwalk who would have given anything to have her style, elegance and good looks.

She smiled. ‘What is it then?'

I looked at her and remembered the way Jack had stroked her backside. ‘Nothing,' I said, realising that what I had to say sounded silly.

‘Is it Jack?' she guessed, not losing her smile.

I nodded reluctantly. ‘He scares me,' I confessed, barely whispering the words.

‘He's a very powerful man,' she said simply. ‘Of course that scares you. What are you? Nineteen? Twenty?'

‘Eighteen,' I said.

‘Then that's no surprise. Jack's an attractive man, he has money, power, intelligence. Of course that's going to scare you.'

‘What about you?' I asked, too shy to make my question more explicit.

She touched her tongue to her glossy lips before replying. ‘I work for Jack,' she explained, ‘and when he wants me then I'm there for him, in every sense of the word.'

My face coloured again. ‘And does he…?'

Her smile broadened. ‘Often,' she said. ‘Come on, we're not here to talk about my sex life. Let's get you changed for the pool.'

She stood up and walked to one of the wardrobes. A few seconds later she turned round and offered me a one-piece black lycra swimsuit. ‘There, this should fit,' she said, handing it over.

The fact that I now knew that she and Jack were lovers meant I was a little more relaxed. After all, with her around why should he be interested in me? ‘Where shall I change?' I asked her.

‘Here,' she replied, as though it were obvious.

I smiled shyly. I would have preferred some privacy, but Amanda made me feel safe. I turned my back to her and slipped out of my little dress, letting it fall in a bundle around my ankles. I caught sight of myself in the mirror on the wardrobe, my pale skin matched by ivory coloured bra and lacy panties. I unclasped my bra and let that fall too, and then wriggled out of my panties.

‘You're very beautiful,' Amanda murmured softly.

I turned and saw that she was watching me intently, her brilliant blue eyes fixed on me. I half smiled and hurried to put the swimsuit on, but she stood up and came over to me. She put her hands on my shoulders and turned me so that she could look at my reflection in the mirror. ‘Look at yourself,' she said softly, her breath warm and inviting on the back of my neck.

I looked, but my attention was on her. She was so close to me that I could feel her heat on my naked back. ‘But you're the one who's beautiful,' I said softly, unable to look her in the eye.

She kissed me softly on the shoulder. ‘No,' she demurred, ‘I think you underestimate yourself.' The feel of her lips on my skin was an unexpected pleasure, the soft coolness of her mouth like a whisper on the breeze. Her hands moved down and round, coming unexpectedly to cup my breasts. My nipples were already beginning to harden in response, even though I felt as much fear as I did arousal.

She held me for a moment, her hands holding my breasts, my nipples pressing against her fingers, and all the while her eyes were on mine. My face was flushed red, but there could be no denying the sudden excitement that flared in my tummy. She kissed me again, and this time I turned towards her. I didn't know if it was what I wanted, but her lips seized mine suddenly and her tongue slipped into my mouth. I returned the kiss, my head swimming with conflicting feelings, even though I could feel the fire between my thighs.

She turned me towards her fully and we kissed again, a long, slow kiss that made me feel dizzy. Her hands stroked my breasts again, pressing hard, holding me possessively in the way that Jack had held her.