Eternally Seduced (8 page)

          At the end of the line was Constantijin. He took his time talking to George and Arian, never once glancing my way. It hurt and angered me, but I knew I couldn’t flounce off like I wanted to.

          When he turned his back on Arian, forcing the other woman to close her mouth and retreat, I gave him my best polite, I’m-not-bothered smile. “Sir.”

          He didn’t smile in return.

          “I have a few questions about your recommendation.” The curtness of his tone made me straighten. Oh God, was that
why
he seemed to be in a bad mood? Did he hate my presentation?

          Constantijin was already leaving and I had to half-run so I could walk next to him. I made sure I was lagging a few inches behind at the same time as a way of showing respect for his position.

          “What questions do you have?” I asked nervously.

          “Later,” he answered in a still-brusque tone, which only made me tense even more.

          He pulled me into his office, which actually had its own reception area. My eyes widened when I saw a familiar gray-haired woman sitting behind the table next to the door of Constantijin’s private office.

          She smiled when she saw me, utterly unruffled. “Hello, Ms. Everleigh.”

          “H-hi,” I stammered, wondering if I could die right this very moment. Oh God! How the hell had I managed to forget what happened between Constantijin and me and…and
her
?

          “Yanna,” Constantijin barked from his inner office.

          Giving the older woman another embarrassed smile, I hurriedly went inside. God, what the hell was eating him anyway? Surely my presentation wasn’t that bad?

          “Close the door,” he barked.

          This time my temper was near to bursting. “You don’t have to shout at me, you know,” I muttered as I closed the door. When I turned around to face him, I didn’t have any time to react.

          Constantijin was on me in an instant, his lips taking mine in an open-mouthed kiss that sent my senses reeling. As he sucked on my tongue, I was barely aware of him twisting us around so that I had to walk back as he moved forward and forward. When I hit something from behind, Constantijin lifted me up and brought me down on his desk.

          Releasing my lips, Constantijin pushed me down, leaving my legs to dangle from the table.

          “What---” I tried to protest but his brooding look shut me up. There was something in it, something more than anger or frustration.

          Then I felt him rolling my underwear down my legs and I yelped again, “What are you doing?”

          “
I saw you
.” He threw my panties away.

          I tried crawling away from him, but it was too late. He leaned over me, his weight pressing down on my body and imprisoning me in place.

          “You were
flirting
with that boy.”

          It took me a while to understand what he was talking about.

          I gasped. “Are you talking about Dra---”

          “Don’t you dare say his fucking name in my presence!” he growled and bit my lip as if in punishment.

          I groaned, not out of hurt but because I was even more aroused, his movement causing his rock-hard cock to rub just the right way against my naked core.

          “Why were you flirting with him?”

          This time, I understood what I had seen in his eyes earlier – what I now heard from his voice. He was jealous. Constantijin Kastein was jealous – because of me. It was stupid of me, I knew that, but somehow the realization made me happy.

          I knew that him being jealous could mean nothing. It could just mean that he was extremely possessive, that he thought I belonged to him. But right now, I didn’t care. Right now, all I could think was that he
had
to care for me – even just a bit – for him to feel so jealous and affected over an entirely casual conversation in front of a vendo machine.

          “I wasn’t flirting with him,” I said gently. Inside my mind, I could hear Alyx making a
tsk tsk
sound, warning me against being too soft. Constantijin revealed a moment of jealousy and here I was thinking he cared for me. It was my hopelessly romantic side winning over my common sense, Alyx would tell me, but right now – I didn’t care.

          Constantijin’s brooding look didn’t go away, but his tone was less hard when he spoke. “Then what were you doing?”

          “Just talking." I moved restlessly against his body, his cock a pulsing temptation between my legs.

          He bit my lip once more, but this time it felt more playful than punishing. “I don’t like seeing you talking to other men, Yanna.”

          “Talking is different from flirting.” I did my very best not to arch against him, but it was hard. He was unconsciously – or consciously – rubbing himself against me now, and it drove me insane – like his touch always did.

          His hands clamped around my waist, keeping me still. “Promise me you won’t talk to him again.”

          “I would
never
flirt with him,” I said instead.

          Constantijin glared.

          It was totally unexpected, and he looked so beautiful and sexy, glaring at me with such obvious jealousy that I couldn’t help it. I twirled my arms around his neck and kissed him.

          He gasped against my lips as my tongue slipped inside his mouth, tentatively tasting him the way he did with me.

          A chuckle vibrated against my body. “Are you seducing me, Yanna?”

          “I think so,” I whispered, nipping his lip as I did.

          He groaned. “It’s working.”

          I could hear a ‘but’ and forcing myself to pull my lips away from his, I asked, “But what?”

          In answer, he suddenly pulled away. Ignoring my protest, he pushed my skirt up and buried his lips between my legs.

          I screamed.

          “Yanna, ssssh…”

          “I…I…” I screamed again when he licked me long and slow, and then harder and faster.

          His tongue was a relentless force. I tried to keep quiet but it was impossible. I couldn’t help moaning, twisting on the table as he kept licking me into an orgasm that I knew would cause my body to splinter into pieces.

          “You taste so fucking good,” he murmured between licks, which alternated between delicate and rough.

          “Constantijin.” It was all I could think of saying.

          “Look at me eat your cunt, Yanna,” he said in a roughly-voiced order.

          I lifted myself up, resting on my elbows, my whole body shuddering at the blatant look of desire in Constantijin’s eyes while he licked me.

          “I want to see you come as I take you with my mouth.”

          That was the only warning I got before his mouth closed over my clit, sucking hard and long.

          I cried out as I came, our eyes locked with each other as pleasure caused my body to shake uncontrollably.

          Later, Constantijin took control again, cleaning me with a brisk efficiency that made me feel thankful and a little hurt at the same time even though I tried my best not to let him know that.

          “You are mine now, understand?”

          His English seemed to go to hell whenever he was feeling strongly about something, I realized. He was scowling at me, as if remembering Drake. I scowled back at him, realizing that he was trying to manipulate me through sex.

          “I’m
not
yours.” And I wasn’t – or at least I was 99 percent his, but he didn’t have to know that. The 1 percent would remain mine, protected inside my heart until I could make him fall for me the way I was so obviously falling for him.

          The words sounded silly even to my ears, especially after what had just happened between us. When I looked up, he was frowning again.

          “Are you playing with me, schat?”

          “No!”

          Constantijin visibly relaxed at my obviously shocked answer. “I knew you weren’t the type but---I don’t understand why you are so against being mine. I can give you everything – anything you want.” His voice lowered, the look he sent me under his lashes positively sizzling.

          “No one can please your body the way I can, Yanna.”

          He was so arrogantly convinced of that it should have been a turn off, but my weak body reacted the opposite way. Instead, it found his words a huge turn on, my nipples hardening into pinpoint pricks against my blouse.

          “I don’t deny that, Constantijin. But this – all of this, I’m not used to it. I need time.” I needed time to harden my heart, to protect it if he ever did end up using and leaving me, but I didn’t have to tell him that.

          “Time.” He repeated the word so distastefully I couldn’t help but smile.

          “Fine. I will give you this time you are asking for. But not too long,” he warned darkly. “I am an impatient man and I hunger too much for you already. Only you have forced me to go through cold showers every night.”

          My heart blossomed at those words even though I did my best not to let him know how thrilled I was to hear that.

          Over my protests, Constantijin walked me out of his office – past his smiling and still-unruffled looking secretary – and all the way to
my
office. Other employees who caught sight of us gawked, the questions in their eyes dispelled when Constantijin spoke.

          “For your next presentation, I hope you can include a potential cast for the series. Include unknown and known actors – whoever you think will be best for the roles,” Constantijin was saying.

          I looked up at him suspiciously, unsure if he really meant what he said because that was a big thing he was asking of me. Yet all he did was smile enigmatically. When we reached the door to my office, he said, “I was right in hiring you, Yanna.”

          I practically expired with happiness at that point. It felt almost as good as the orgasms he alone could give me. Blushing because I was simply unable to keep myself from doing so, I said, “I’m just really happy to be with you, Mr. Kastein.”

          The door opened behind me just as I spoke the words out loud and suddenly I found myself the focus of two surprised stares – George’s and Constantijin’s.

          Realizing what I hadn’t meant to say, I stammered, “I meant, with your
company
.” Oh my God, oh my God, why the hell had I said that?

          Constantijin smiled, the brooding darkness in his eyes completely wiped out by my Freudian slip. “Understood.”

          He turned away and George and I stared at him silently. Even with his back to me, he still looked immensely sexy – too much so. When Constantijin was safely out of earshot, George said slyly, “Happy to be with you? Is that your subconscious talking?”

          “No!” Or so I hoped.

Don’t play games with your billionaire –

Especially when it’s a game he invented.

Alyx was literally rolling on the floor laughing when I morosely shared with her what happened today. Well, not about the part when I came in his mouth – God, my panties got all wet at the thought alone – but about the freaking Freudian slip that I made in front of George and Constantijin.

          “You’re supposed to comfort me,” I wailed.

          But that only made Alyx laugh harder, making me wish the living room had a bed of thorns for flooring instead of a soft blue-gray carpet.

          “That is just so you!” she gasped.

          “Yeah, yeah. Stop laughing!”

          Alyx made a visible effort to rein in her laughter. “I’m good now,” she said even as her lips quivered.

I launched into my complaint immediately. "How am I going to face him tomorrow?"

"That's assuming you'll see him tomorrow," she told me.

Good point. He was the CEO, after all. He didn’t have to be in the office every day. But – that was a bad point, too. It meant I wouldn’t be able to see Constantijin and --- wait, did I want to see him? Did I really want this thing between us to continue?

Where was the old Yanna in all this, the one who yearned for true love and not for smoking-hot sex?

I lifted my legs up, hugging them close to my chest in utter misery. “Oh God, Alyx, I think I’m falling for him.”

This was such a fucking cliché it wasn’t funny – not funny at all.

Alyx’s smile faded at my words. “Falling?” she echoed. “Isn’t this just, like, a sexual crush?”

A
sexual
crush? I didn’t even know such a thing existed! But now that I did – I thought about it real hard and shook my head after a while, even more glumly. “I don’t think it’s that.”

Alyx sat up in the floor, a look of alarm on her face. “Look, Yanna. I’m all for you and your boss doing the dirty, but
only
if you’re just in it for the sex. But if you think you’re falling for him---” Her lips pursed in disapproval. “Drop it. You’ll just get hurt.”

“I don’t think---”

“Try,” she cut me off with a scowl. “Look for other hotties to hook up with.” She paused. “Like Mr. Fix It.”

“But that would be like using Drake, and I can’t do that.”

She grimaced. “You’re too nice, you know that, right?” She said it like being nice was a disease and most times, it meant exactly that in Alyx’s book. Ever since we were young, she had kept on scolding me for letting people take advantage of me because I was – like she said – too nice.

I shook my head. “I’m not. I’m just…” Falling head over heels for my boss, and
that
was my problem.

George was still throwing me sly looks when I reported to work the next day. I ignored him, of course.

I worked immediately on improving my presentation since the new snowflake on my monitor screen told me that our meeting with the executives was set for tomorrow. Again, my fixation on my work caused me to forget all about lunch. It was already two in the afternoon when my stomach growled, my internal alarm clock for hunger.

The cafeteria was nearly empty when I got there, but my inner senses went haywire immediately, telling me even without seeing that
he
was here again. Still uncomfortable about how fast and hard I was falling for the Netherlands’ #1 Playboy, I quickly turned around to escape.

But it was too late.

Constantijin was suddenly in front of me, as if sensing my intent to avoid him.

"Yanna."

I firmly repressed the lovesick sigh begging to be let out. Hearing him say my name with his Dutch accent was even more of a turn on now, especially when he looked at me like I was a lollipop he wanted to lick all over.

“Good afternoon, sir.” Just looking at Constantijin made me feel restless, my body throbbing for his touch. Today, he wore a pale pink polo together with a pair of well-cut trousers, his blazer nowhere in sight. His clothes made his muscular physique even more apparent, and it was all I could do not to stare hungrily at his body, knowing that every inch of it was wonderfully hard.

Like his cock.

God, what was I thinking?

Constantijin’s eyes shone with amusement, and I knew he had guessed correctly the direction that my thoughts had taken.

“Let’s have lunch together,” he said.

I quickly shook my head. “Oh no, sir, I don’t want to impose---”

He said very gently, “It’s just lunch, Yanna.”

The delicate tone he used confused me. Was he saying I was overreacting? Even more confused and not a little irritated, I nevertheless found myself following him to one of the half-moon-shaped booths.

He snapped his fingers and a waiter appeared by our side on cue, ready to take our orders. This was a self-service cafeteria, but I supposed rules like that didn’t apply to CEOs. I opted for Japanese this time and he followed my lead, both of us ordering bento boxes and separate appetizers.

We sat at opposite ends of the booth. We couldn’t sit next to each other, not when he was my boss and I was his employee. Also, we weren’t a couple –
yet.

I colored at my thoughts.
Playboy, Yanna, playboy.
Playboys like Constantijin didn’t do the couple thing. I had to remember that.

The waiter returned not more than a minute later, our appetizers ready,
sashimi
for him and
kani
salad for me. I split my chopsticks just as he reached out for them.

“Oops?” I said with an embarrassed smile. Was I supposed to play damsel in distress with my chopsticks?

He laughed. The sound made my toes curl. Something about Constantijin Kastein enjoying my
company
– with my clothes on – had butterflies fluttering their wings in my stomach.

“
Itadakimasu,
” I said, feeling shy all of a sudden.

“
Itadakimasu
,” he said in return, eyes still gleaming with laughter.

We ate our meal in silence, and I did my best
not
to look like I was in the middle of another gastronomic orgasm as I enjoyed my bento box, which consisted of
yakimeshi rice,
chicken
teriyaki,
and
miso
soup.

Constantijin broke the silence with a casual question. “Do you eat
sashimi
?”

I nodded, surprised.

          He deftly picked up a slice with his chopsticks. “Here, taste it.” His silver eyes danced with wicked laughter.

          “
Constantijin
.” I glared at him.

          But still he kept his chopsticks-held salmon in the air, patiently waiting.

          “What if people see us?”

          “They won’t,” he said so confidently I looked at him suspiciously.

          “Why not?”

          “Because I had my bodyguards bar the door.”

          He what?

          Constantijin murmured, “Now please. Taste it.”

          I finally opened my mouth.

          As he fed me the piece of salmon, which was delicious with its icy freshness, he said softly, “Next time, I’ll be feeding you my cock.”

          Oh, oh, oh, why did this man always know exactly what to say to turn me on?

          I drank a mouthful of water after, trying to use the time to calm myself. “Constantijin,
don’t.
”

          “Don’t what?” he asked with such wide-eyed innocence it tempted me to smile.

“I still have a presentation tomorrow so please…
no distractions
?”

          Constantijin said immediately, “I’m sorry. That slipped my mind. Are you nervous about it?”

          Relaxing a little, I admitted, “Yes, kind of.”

          The rest of the meal – and the day – passed uneventfully, and tomorrow came before I was prepared for it. Megan took us to yet
another
conference room, also larger than the one we went to before. More and more, I was beginning to realize that Kastein, Inc. was all about presentations, considering the gazillion conference rooms the company seemed to have.

         
This
conference room could comfortably seat forty, but only half of its seats were occupied. Constantijin sat at the very center, in front of his team of executives, looking gorgeous, sexy, and utterly out of my league. It made me feel like I had only dreamt about the times I spent with him.

The order of the presentation was the same. When it was my turn, I virtually used the same spiel, only this time, my presentation lasted a bit longer because of the video and additional data I had included. Constantijin never took his gaze off me, but I could also see in his face that he was listening intently – even proudly. That gave me such a huge dose of confidence I became even more enthusiastic with my presentation, cracking jokes, and getting my roomful of executives to interact.

Afterwards, Charli took over and led the round of applause our audience gave us.

Then --- and this was really a surprise --- Charli had us come back on stage. Before I knew it, we had an impromptu panel interview about our series recommendations.

"The characters are kind of young," a male executive said. "How do you propose to attract adults, parents, and so forth, to watch it?"

          That was a tough one. From the corner of my eye, I saw a tiny smirk on Arian's face.
Grrr
. That witch! "Well, I could have the advertisement for the teaser start with a line like
'Remember how it felt when you first fell in love'
? Because no matter how old we get, we never forget our first love, first kiss, even our first heartbreak, no matter how much we try to forget it."

The crowd thankfully laughed at my quip.

I continued, "And that's what
Hana Kimi
is all about. Everybody likes to reminisce about those lovely firsts, and this series gives them that opportunity. Even better, it gives people with bad memories something better to replace them with."

The executive smiled. "Good point."

I wanted to look at Constantijin and see if he approved, too, but I dared not. Instead, I thanked the executive shyly and looked at Charli for confirmation. She gave me a thumbs-up sign.

Charli took over the stage again when the panel interview ended half an hour later. "Now, didn't I tell you I hired a great marketing team for us?" she boasted, and everyone laughingly agreed.

George and I happily hugged each other when Charli officially ended our presentation. Both of us looked for Arian to congratulate her, but we need not have bothered, not when she was already getting the best congratulatory message from none other than Constantijin himself.

Arian drew close to Constantijin as she spoke, her breasts heaving with every deep-throated laugh she released.

“Oh my God, the bitch,” George muttered.

I shook my head. "Not really. I mean, they're both single."

He looked at me like I was insane. "But you like him!"