Locked (9 page)

"So, how long have you been with Little Bell?" he asked. Apparently even outsiders knew about our little nickname.

"Just over six years now."

"You like it?"

I shrugged. "It's a great company. They do some really fantastic work and there's lots of variation."

"I'm sensing there's a 'but' coming."

I sighed. I hadn't really planned on whining to him on our first date, but he seemed genuinely interested, and I was sick of bottling up all my frustration. "But I'm starting to feel like it's a dead end."

"Why?"

"It just seems like if something was going to happen for me there it already would have. There aren't many people there who work harder than me, but no matter how much I bust my ass for them, I can't seem to make any progress."

He took a sip of wine. "So why not move somewhere where they respect your talents?"

"I don't know. It would make the last few years feel like a waste, I guess. I hate giving up. Once I start something, I tend to stick to it until I get the job done. Besides, Little Bell is one of the best in the business. If I can make it there, that's a big deal."

"Well, it depends on why you became a lawyer doesn't it? If what you're interested in is 'making it' — and there's no shame in having that as a goal — then yeah, I'd say you're in the right place. But if you're doing it because it's what you love to do, then you might find yourself wasted there."

"What if it's a little of both?"

"That's where it gets tricky," he said with a smile.

"Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what I do," I continued. "And it's not that I care about image or status. I just like a challenge, you know? I want to prove to myself I can do it."

"That's something I can relate to. Sometimes I think I go out of my way to make things difficult for myself, just so it's more fun when I finally get there."

"Exactly," I said. "I've thought about leaving, but it would just be such a big risk, starting over again from scratch."

"Nothing worth having comes risk free."

The second course arrived. Objectively, it was probably as good as the first, but I wasn't paying much attention. Instead, I was rolling Sebastian's words around in my mind. This sort of discussion wasn't what I'd expected from him. Maybe I'd just been blinded by his initial approach, but I'd assumed our table talk would be a little lighter; a flirtatious game of back and forth. Instead, we'd ventured into a real conversation, and Sebastian was proving to be an excellent sounding board. He was honest, intelligent and articulate. It was a strange feeling, realising the two dimensional cut out in my head was deeper than I thought.

"So what about you? You enjoy working at Fraiser?" I asked.

There was a small pause. "It's great," he said with a nod. "I honestly couldn't imagine being anywhere else."

"Well, with the way they seem to take care of their employees, I can't say I'm surprised."

He chuckled. "We work as hard as we play, but they're good to us, yeah."

"I get the sense that they can afford to be."

He shrugged. "We've backed some strong horses recently. It's paid off."

"So that's what it's about then? 'Backing horses'? Sorry, I don't know much about venture capitalism. For me, it's always fallen under the umbrella of 'miscellaneous financial jobs that all seem vaguely the same'."

His indulgent expression said that was a common perception. "Well, in a nutshell, we take people's money and invest it in projects we think might be profitable. Some work out, some don't. We split the profits and losses with our investors."

"Is that what you did for Chase Adams?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them. I hadn't realised it, but that connection was still bothering me.

He did a double take, looking startled for a brief second, but it was gone again in an instant. "Ah, I'd forgotten he was there the other night. Well, to put it simply, yes. He's been a long standing client of ours."

"And now he just comes by and parties with you guys?"

"When he's in town."

I wouldn't have picked a Hollywood A-Lister to spend his time hanging with a bunch of corporate types, no matter how much cash they'd made him, but perhaps I was underestimating them. "So, you guys deal with some pretty big names then. Anyone else I might have heard of?"

He shot me a little smile. "Probably, but all of them would be quite upset if I began talking about their investments in public."

I tried my best to hide my disappointment. Stonewalled again. "Well, it doesn't sound like such a bad deal really," I said. "Getting paid to party with clients and throw huge sums of money around to see what sticks."

He looked amused. "It's a little more complicated than that." But he didn't elaborate further. Apparently, he took his bosses' penchant for secrecy to heart. Learning anything about him was going to be a slow process.

I watched him as he ate. Even doing that, there was an economic grace to his movements that was a joy to behold. It set my mind wandering, imaging what he might look like doing other things.

He caught me staring and grinned, exposing a row of perfect teeth. "And what are you looking at?"

I blushed, somehow sure he knew exactly what I'd been thinking. "Nothing."

"My mistake then," he said.

The third course arrived. Some kind of creamy crab dish that tasted so fresh I wouldn't have been surprised to learn it had been pulled from the sea just minutes earlier.

"So are you enjoying dinner?" he asked me, after we'd both scraped our bowls clean.

I nodded. "I was a little sceptical, but this place definitely lives up to its reputation. My only problem is, I'm not sure what I'm going to do once it's over. You might have ruined me for homemade spag bol and cheap Chinese forever now."

His mouth quirked up ever so slightly. "I have a few ideas about what we could do once it's over."

Wow. Again. He never missed an opening. "I'm sure you do," I said, keeping my voice neutral, "but I don't remember agreeing to anything beyond dinner."

"No you didn't."
But you will
, his eyes finished. A strange sensation rolled through my chest, and I looked away. I didn't know how to fight that, that unrelenting certainty. I'd done everything in my power to resist, and I'd still wound up at dinner with him. What chance did I have of stopping him now?

"Nonetheless, I'm glad you came," he continued. "For a while I was sure I'd scared you off.

"Your approach was a little... unorthodox."

He laughed. "Perhaps. But nothing about this—" he gestured to the space between us "—is orthodox."

"You mean you don't routinely pick up girls you find hiding in your wardrobe?" I joked, trying to guide the conversation back to lighter territory. If things turned any more risqué, I knew I'd be in trouble.

But he wasn't having any of it. "Surprisingly, I think that's a first," he said, his voice growing huskier. He reached out and ran a finger softly along my arm, coming to rest on my hand. "But I can honestly say I've never been so pleased to have my privacy intruded upon before."

And just like that, the tension in the air was back. It settled over my skin like a fine mist. I knew I should find something to say, but as always, his touch left my mind flailing.

"You know, I wanted you from the moment you first walked in through that door the other night, Sophia."

"You did?" I asked, my voice reed thin.

He nodded. "All I could think about after our first discussion was what it would be like to take you home with me. To watch your body tremble as I made you come."

The way he brazenly ventured into such erotic territory was disarming, and quite frankly hot as hell. I knew I should probably have been offended, but all I could think about was letting him do exactly what he'd just described.

"To have you like that would have been enough," he continued. "But after finding you crouched in my office, watching me spank Hannah, I realised something." He reached out and brushed my chin, guiding my eyes to his. "You want more than that too."

"I don't... I mean, we're not—" a single finger pressed into my lips, silencing me, teasing my mouth with hints of salt and musk.

"When I found you kneeling on the floor that night, you were practically radiating excitement. I could smell your arousal. You want this Sophia, you want to do more than just watch, and I'm going to be the one that shows you."

His gaze bored into me with steely promise. I felt myself growing hot. It was unsettling, hearing him say those things, giving voice to the fears that had been simmering inside me. That night had been a flurry of confusion and alien sensations. I still couldn't wrap my head around the idea of giving yourself to someone so completely. It felt too much like being taken advantage of, like being used. But if that was the case, why was my body so flushed with desire?

"I'm sure it works for some people," I stammered, "but I just don't think that's me."

"Who are you trying to fool?" he asked, his eyes ablaze. "You wouldn't have come tonight unless you were curious. It was always going to come to this. We'll go slowly, as slowly as you like, but you're coming home with me, and I promise you that by the end, you'll be begging for more."

My heart was hammering in my chest. Something told me this decision was important. I could say no, and things would simply return to normal. But then I'd never know for sure. Did I really want to spend my life asking 'what if?'

"Okay," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.

He let out a long breath, the sigh of a man who had just gotten everything he ever wanted. Instantly he signalled the waitress. "I can't wait until after dinner. I need to be inside you now."

I trembled, feeling myself grow wet at the mere suggestion. I nodded. Food was suddenly the last thing on my mind.

The cheque arrived and he paid for the full meal without blinking. It was an astronomical sum for what amounted to a few sips and bites, but he didn't seem to care.

We made our way outside, but as I turned to head back to the car, he grabbed me by the arm.

"What—" I started to say, but in an instant I was spinning back towards him and his lips were on mine. In that kiss, I saw a prelude of what was to come. It was as strong and intoxicating as the man himself. He crushed his face against mine, sandwiching my body between his chest and the glass behind. His tongue explored my mouth greedily, darting and teasing, while his fingers prowled along my shoulders, my back, and the nape of my neck. I kissed back as best I could, but I felt a little like a shell on the beach, struggling not to get swept out by the tide. He was so powerful, so determined, and my body seemed to turn boneless in his hands. All I could really do was stand there and
be
kissed. It wasn't just an expression of passion, but one of possession. And it felt sinfully good.

I could feel a throbbing hardness building against my stomach as he ground himself against me. An intense pang of desire rushed through me, pooling between my legs.

What felt like a lifetime later, he broke away. "Jesus," he said, his voice ragged. "I'm not sure I should have done that."

"Why not?"

"Now I don't know if I can last the car ride home."

"Well," I said, running my hand gently down his stomach and coming to rest on the tip of his impressive bulge. "You said we could take it slow. 'As slow as you like,' I believe were your words. And I'd like to wait." In truth, I was almost at breaking point myself. If he'd carried me into the bathroom and bent me over then and there I'm not sure I'd have been able to object, but I was enjoying that rare moment of power over him.

He drew a sharp, shuddering breath and closed his eyes briefly, before seizing my wrist and pulling my arm away. "Then that's what we'll do," he said, a strained smile on his face. "But you should know, I have ways of dealing with girls who like to tease."

"I'm sure you do," I replied, thinking back to Hannah's raw ass. Strangely, in my aroused state, I didn't find the image as intimidating as I once had.

CHAPTER EIGHT

We walked briskly over to where the limo was parked. "Home," Sebastian said to Joe, before ushering me into the back. He wore the determined look of the man on a very important mission. I wondered if Joe understood what was about to take place. After ten years, he likely had a good grasp of his boss's habits, so the answer was probably yes. Normally, that might have bothered me, but at that moment I was too turned on to care.

The car ride to Sebastian's house only took ten minutes, but it felt much longer. He didn't speak. His silence seemed almost meditative, so I didn't interrupt. I just stared out the window and considered what I was getting myself into.

Eventually, we pulled up outside a sleek white apartment building that looked out over Woolloomooloo Bay. The harbour was quiet at night, but I could still hear the gentle crash of waves breaking against the hulls of the moored yachts that lined the docks.

We said farewell to Joe and then Sebastian took my hand and led me inside. I thought the car ride might have cooled his excitement a little, but as soon as the lift doors closed behind us, he was on me once more. He kissed me with a hunger that was almost strong enough to be frightening, pinning me against the metal wall and driving his mouth onto mine. Free from any wandering eyes, his hands lost whatever sense of propriety they'd once had, running up my sides before sliding down to caress the curves of my ass. I moaned, half in pleasure half in protest, but there was no one to see, and no way to stop the relentless onslaught that was Sebastian Lock.