Boxed Set: At the Billionaire’s Command – Vol. 1-3 (16 page)

"Today. Daniel sent me a message this morning: 'Meet at Harry’s Bar, 8 pm'."

"What did you tell your parents?"
'Well, that's the thing... I haven't said anything yet. I have to come up with something."

"Is Tom heading south?"

"Yes, but he's going back via Paris to catch a plane."

"Well, all you have to do is tell them we've talked about our future accommodation, and that we think it wise to start looking for a flat right away if we want to move in by the beginning of October, and that you'll hitch a ride with Tom to Paris, since he's headed that way."

"Yes, that's a pretty good idea."

"Right, and by the way, you really should get down to it!" she laughs. "All right, off you go, then. Call me when you get there. Ciao!"

"I'll call you, promise. Thanks Sarah. Bye!"

"Are you already leaving us? You don't want me to go with you?"

"Thanks, mum, that's sweet, but you know how boring it is to go looking for a flat, and I won't have time to do much shopping... I'm only leaving for a few days, anyhow."

"All right. But where will you stay?"

"Sarah left the key to her place with the concierge, so I'll borrow her studio."

Near the end of the afternoon, Tom and I leave Tours for Paris. We part ways at Montparnasse Station. He heads for Orly Airport and I dive into the metro. I studied the map during the train ride: line 12 towards Porte de la Chapelle until Madeleine, then line 8 towards Créteil, stop at the Opera.

It's boiling hot in the metro, I'm dripping with sweat, I'm going to melt before reaching the bar.... Outside, at last. I look all around me. The cars are turning around the central reservation by the metro exit. I know I have to go down the avenue in front of me with the Opera behind me. All right. There it is. Now, how do I get there? There we go, I see one, two, three... four pedestrian crossings. There we are. I go down Opera Avenue. First on the right. Daunou Street. No. 5. Harry's Bar.

I'm a little early. Just as well. I go to freshen up. I've put my hair up in a pony-tail and I'm wearing jeans, a flowing, smart sleeveless top and high-heeled sandals. I'm wearing very little make-up.

Daniel is on time. It's 8 pm when he sits down next to me and, without so much as a greeting, kisses me ardently.

"I'm thrilled to see you, Miss Belmont."
He does seem pleased. His eyes are sparkling, his face is smiling.

"Me too, Mr Wietermann."

"How do you like the place? I wanted something that reminded us of where we first met, so we could start afresh and forget all those unfortunate incidents."

"Even so...."

Daniel doesn't let me finish as his lips once again bear down on mine. Were it not for Camille's story, I wouldn't be here. But Daniel doesn't know that, and he doesn't seem surprised at my lack of resistance. Obviously, that really gets under my skin, but my reaction is biased by what I've learned in the meantime.

"Daniel, we need to talk…."

"Tomorrow, we'll talk tomorrow, Julia. I know I owe you an explanation, but not right now."

His words, his eyes, his gestures all express the need to see me, to touch me, as if he wanted to make sure I was really there, to put his mind at ease. And all of a sudden, I realise he had been afraid of losing me, afraid I wouldn't come. I become aware of his deep-seated longing to melt back into me and regain his peace of mind, of his fear that words will come between us, that they'll put off and jeopardise our reunion. I know, because I'm feeling the same way. And I don't want to spoil the moment.
All right, we'll talk tomorrow.

"I have a dinner appointment with some business acquaintances. Won't you join me?" He leans in towards me and whispers in my ear. "Afterwards, I'll take you back to my place. And I promise you a night of pure bliss... Julia, I'm dying to explore your body, to feel you within me, to devour you...."

Daniel steps back slowly, brushing against my cheek in passing. He observes the effect his words have on me, then grabs my hand and pulls me towards the back of the bar where Ray is waiting, ready to drive us into a night of ecstasy....

"Where are we going? Should I maybe change?"

"You're perfect just as you are. But aren't you a bit hot in those jeans?"

"Yes. I'm going to put on a skirt, I'll be more comfortable that way."

"And you're going to do that here, in the car, right under my nose, when we're almost there? Are you provoking me, Miss Belmont?" Daniel asks me, his eyes twinkling, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"I'm afraid so...," I reply, rummaging in my bag for a skirt.

"You're quite right... You've earned the right to toy with me a bit, to make me wait."

Well, well... Daniel suspects me of hiding thoughts that haven't even crossed my mind... As if he wanted indirectly to suggest that he could perhaps be forgiven through a little game which I – just once won't hurt – would control. Interesting... But I don't really feel like playing games. Tomorrow, I'll have to find the courage to talk to him, I'll have to weigh my words carefully and until then, I want to draw my strength from him, I want him to breathe his life into me. I need to feel close to him, to feel connected. And I know that will come with the mingling of our bodies.

"I don't want to play," I say in a small voice.

His affected, impish manner vanishes. Our gazes lock and overlap. Nothing moves, save for our chests rising with every pounding heartbeat.

"Me neither...."

We pounce on each other and pour all of the wild intensity filling our eyes, our veins and our breath into our kiss, like two possessed lovers finally able to lay their souls bare.

Our fervour is interrupted by our arrival at the restaurant, without which we would probably still be at it. A black-suited head waiter welcomes us.

"Good evening, Mr Wietermann. Miss."

"Good evening, Georges."

"Your guests have arrived. This way, please."
Georges takes us to a round table, with four men seated around it.

"Julia, allow me to introduce you to Benjamin, Simon, Paul and Richard. They worked with me on the 'Fire' collection. Gentlemen, this is Julia."

We exchange greetings as Daniel and I take our seats facing each other. After the customary courtesies, the conversation quickly drifts into business and I'm hard pressed to keep up. Daniel seems in a hurry and regularly tries to speed proceedings along, but the questions and comments keep on coming. I start thinking of an excuse to slip away, when I feel something brush up against my leg. I freeze and look up at Daniel. Clearly, that's what he wanted: to get my attention. He darts a smile at me before turning his head to answer Richard, who's asking for his opinion on the recent
New Yorker
article on the collection. But he doesn't withdraw his foot as it sneaks up my calf, snuggles up behind my knee, slides in between my thighs and settles against my knickers.

"Daniel, are you even listening to me?" Simon complains.

"I'm all ears!"

"I dunno, you look distracted...."

"Yes, well, it would be nice if you could get to the point," Daniel retorts, while his foot massages my mound.

I can't take it any more, I'm going delirious. I picture myself crawling on all fours on the table towards Daniel to kiss him.... Is it just his touch on my skin that arouses me so? Or the childish thrill of doing it on the sly? Or the fear of being caught? Or all of them at once? I won't be able to hold it in much longer.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, I need to get some air," I spring up breathlessly.

Daniel immediately dashes after me, calling out behind him:

"I'll be right back!"

Once outside, Daniel cups my face in his hands.

"Go wait for me at my place. Ray will take you. Take a deep, long bath and prepare yourself. I'll get rid of these fools as soon as I can. Send me a message when you're ready. All right?"

"Works for me."

Daniel signals to Ray to bring the car forward and watches me go.

"Right, here we are, Miss. Mr Wietermann's rooms take up the entire top floor of the building. Come this way, I'll show you to the bedroom."

A pair of sliding doors opens onto a plain, naked expanse: the 'bedroom'. One of the walls is covered with mirrors from top to bottom, like in a dance studio. Enthroned in a corner, a standing bathtub lies in full view. Night has fallen, the blinds are down and a few lamps cast soft shadows around the room.
I walk up to the bathtub, light up the big round candles laid out on a tray on the floor, sit on the edge and turn on the taps.

[
Sunday 29 July 11:02 pm
I'm here.]

[Are you in the bedroom?]

[Yes.]

[What are you doing?]

[I'm running myself a bath.]

[I want you to slowly dip your body into the water, to let the heat penetrate you little by little, to feel the foam murmur over your skin. Bathed in hot, liquid velvet, your body unwinds and begins to yield, ready to take me in.]

This strange bedroom, the night, the candles, the steam from the bath, Daniel's message all plunge me into a state of sweet languor. Simply to undress, to feel the fabric glide off my skin, sends a light shiver running through me. I do as Daniel tells me: I gradually immerse myself, sliding beneath the sea of bubbles, relaxing, letting the warm water sweep me away.

I lay my head on the edge of the bathtub and close my eyes. My hands, guided as much by the memory as the anticipation of Daniel's touch, run all over my body: down my neck, my throat, the swelling of my breasts, my navel... up my ankles, the back of my knees, my thighs... over my sex, the outer folds of my lips swollen by the heat of the water and the fire kindling within me, along the smooth inner folds... into my vagina, which closes over my finger as it slides in....

I slip my finger out and stop touching myself in order to preserve this extraordinary sweetness, a taste of further delights to come. I get out of the bath and put on a towel, but I don't dry myself off completely, leaving my skin to sparkle and shimmer as I go to lie down on the bed.

[
Sunday 29 July 11:32 pm
That bath was divine...]

[I could only think of you getting ready for me. Where are you now?]

[Naked, on your bed.]

[It's desperately exciting to know you're so near, so ready. I can't wait any longer.]

[I'm stretched out, lying face down with a towel draped across my lower back. My mound is rubbing against the sheets. What am I to do? Go to sleep? Impossible. Wait for you like a good girl? My body won't last much longer....]

[I'm coming.]

Less than fifteen minutes after our SMS interchange, Daniel comes in through the sliding doors. His excitement is palpable.
He takes off his clothes without taking his eyes off me.

"Don't move...."

I'm still stretched out on my front, back arched, feet crossed in the air, resting on my elbows with my breasts dangling over the sheets. Daniel advances towards me, naked and erect, his chest thrust forward. His every move exudes raw power. I lie motionless, transfixed by his devastating beauty. He sits down next to me and runs his hand gently along the small of my back. Now Daniel is straddling me, kneeling over my thighs. I can't see him any more, but I feel his hands grab hold of my cheeks, massaging and squeezing them, then I feel moist lips claiming the two orbs offered up to his eyes, his hands, his mouth.

His tongue darts in between my cheeks and pokes at my cleft, teasing its way down until it reaches my sex. His face is completely buried in me. The force of his tongue propels me forward, causing my mound to rub against the sheets and setting me on fire. All of a sudden, Daniel flips me over, spreads my thighs and plunges into the moisture of my sex. He laps, tickles and nibbles and my entire body explodes: my clitoris swells up, my breasts harden, my breathing gives in to moans.

In one single, sensual motion, Daniel slithers all the way up my body, his soft skin covering me. His face is a heartbeat away. I can feel his breath on my neck, the heat of his kiss searing my lips. His mouth tastes of me. The sensation is both strange and exciting.

You're taking me, I'm giving myself to you and by giving myself to you, I'm discovering myself, I'm becoming through you, I'm partaking of my own essence. Come, come that I may truly know myself.

Inflamed by his kiss, I wrap my legs around him and press him closer against me, against my burning depths. Our bodies lie entwined for a moment, while our mouths devour each other and our hands caress, clasp, clutch and claw.

Suddenly, Daniel rises and puts on a condom. I wait for him to enter me, but he hoists me off the bed as if I weighed no more than a feather and carries me to the mirrored wall.

Driven wild by his strength and his fire, delirious with desire, I turn to face the mirror and place my hands on the cold surface in which our naked silhouettes are reflected. Daniel presses up against me. We stay still for a moment, gazing at each other in the mirror, soaking up our hunger, until Daniel, still looking straight at me, whispers in my ear, "You are beautiful, Julia, so beautiful."

He steps in between my legs to spread them and thrusts his pulsating member deep inside me. The rhythm with which he is forging our bodies is exquisitely slow. I arch my back further to let him in deeper. I shift my position, my hips moving convulsively. Daniel clings on to me tightly. Our breaths comes in long, drawn-out gasps. I love the way we permeate each other, how we mutually drive each other to the edge of ecstasy.

Daniel begins to build up momentum. He takes hold of my breasts. My mouth, only centimetres away from the mirror, parts open. My breath comes in short gasps. The steam traces a halo on the mirror. Daniel thrusts faster. I cry out, my hips writhing with pleasure. I'm out of control, utterly lost in the frenzy with which Daniel is ravishing me. I try to hold out a little longer, I want the fire consuming my body to burn on, burn on... In the mirror, I see that Daniel is also about to come. Our gazes lock, and without taking our eyes off each other, we erupt together as a seismic orgasm crashes over our bodies. I stay propped up against the wall for a few seconds with Daniel arched over me, breathless. Then, Daniel takes me by the shoulders, turns me around and holds me tightly in his arms, tighter than he's ever done before.