Rumpled Between The Sheets (6 page)

"Yes I
did." Ginger stood up. "Because you need to realize that your penis
isn't some golden phallus for women to worship." She pointed to the back
of the plane. "She has more potential than you'll ever be capable of. You
need her more than she'll ever need you."

He raised his
eyebrows but Ginger didn't back down. A small part of him admired her for it.
"Have I ever fucked anyone that didn't want it?"

She cast her
eyes down. "Well, no, but—"

He held up his hand
to stop her. "I promise the same with Miss Mary
Becken
."
He half-smiled.
In
fact, I'll make her beg for it
.

"Why am I
having a hard time believing that?"

"Because
you're staring at my golden phallus."

Ginger whipped
her head in the opposite direction, her face red hot. Amused, he turned his
attention to the wispy clouds outside the plane. Mary
Becken
was a temptation like no other. Part of him wished he hadn't been so bold as to
pluck her from Beowulf Hollow. The other part wanted nothing more than to keep
her within reach for the rest of his life.

****

The cold water
from the sink did nothing to cool the heat wafting off Mary's cheeks. Her
tumble into his arms had tested her resolve. His mouth against her breasts and
the obvious hard on jutting from his pants almost had her giving into his
invitation. Seeing Ginger's mouth wide open was the only thing that made her
break from the embrace.

Paul never took
her seriously because she was infatuated with all his bedroom antics. She
wasn't some love-sick schoolgirl begging for her teacher's attention any more.
It would take more than a thick shaft and quick smile to spread her legs. Besides,
her designs far succeeded anything Benjamin
Elstiltzkin
could dream of. She had to find a way to prove it, and working under his steady
eye wasn't going give her that opportunity.

She had plenty
of money to hop a plane right back to Beowulf Hollow. Except she didn't have
her purse and his evil sidekick had cleared out her back room of all materials.
She had no textiles to work with and zero time left to order more. He was like
bargaining with the devil.

A hot, sexy
devil she wanted to sell her soul to.

"Miss
Becken
?" Ginger's voiced filtered through the door.
"We're landing soon. You'll need to return to your seat."

Benjamin's
accomplice.
She'd dangled something Mary couldn't resist. Vivian had warned her to trust no
one. Mary assumed she meant the residents of Beowulf Hollow. Just a bit of
naivety showing through her small thinking. She opened the door and pushed past
Ginger. Benjamin still sat in the same seat as before so she chose the area in
the back. She stared daggers at his back. To her dismay, he never turned
around.

"We'll draw
up the contracts tomorrow," he said. "We all could use a little rest
after this trip."

No smirk, no
sexual innuendo. What had gone on while she was in the bathroom? The plane
shook as the wheels hit the tarmac. She gripped the side of her seat and
breathed deep. He had shown no regard for her emotional state, so why should
she care about his feelings? She had to remember that. If being with Paul had
taught her anything, it was the manipulative nature of men. She'd beat Benjamin
at his game as well.

"I will get
Miss
Becken
settled in for you, Mr.
Elstiltzkin
." Ginger scribbled on her legal pad.

"Very
good."
His gaze was out the window by his seat. The pair acted like some odd couple to
Mary. She studied Ginger's stiff scrawling on her pad. Benjamin's assistant
seemed more intent on boring a hole in her boss's head with her gaze than any
actual notes on the page. If Mary was stuck in the den of a snake, perhaps she
could find a friend in Ginger or at least use her to gain some advantage over
Elstiltzkin
.

The
enemy of my enemy …

The door opened.
Mary stayed in her seat. Benjamin
Elstiltzkin
,
however, did not hesitate in leaving straight away. Without his overbearing
masculinity, she sucked in a deep breath. Ginger still wrote on her pad.

"Is he
always this much of an ass?"

"Yes."
Ginger stiffened as the word left her mouth. "I mean, he's just a man who
likes things a certain way." She glanced back at Mary. "Contrary to
what you might believe, I'm on your side."

"You aided
him in kidnapping me!" She crossed her legs and arms, anger seething.
"And stole all of my materials."
Her ire
overflowed. Cozying up to Ginger was going to be a challenge if she couldn't
control the bite in her words.

Ginger stood and
tucked her legal pad under her arm. "It was either go along with what he
wanted or see him sabotage everything you were working for." Her shoulders
drooped. "I don't like this anymore than you do. Honest."

"My
customers are going to know something's wrong when I don't open my shop."
Mary's smile faltered when Ginger's expression saddened.

"No, they won't."
Her eyebrows pinched. "He placarded your front window to state you've gone
to New York for Press Week preparations.
With him.
I'm
sorry. I'll wait for you on the tarmac." She scurried off the plane.

Mary's tough stance faded and she
peered around the interior of the plane. He'd trapped her with no Prince
Charming to charge to her rescue. The only person she knew in New York was
probably conning his next sex bunny. She'd make the best of it. There was no
other choice until she found a way to contact someone back home.

Chapter Six

Her room was the
lap of luxury. With silk sheets and a small tray of fruits and cheeses, these accommodations
far exceeded her humble house in Beowulf Hollow. As nice as the setting was,
she needed to contact Vivian so someone knew the truth about Benjamin
Elstiltzkin
. She had tried the phone on her nightstand,
only to find he'd removed the cord. The door also would not budge, locked from
the outside. Ginger had spoken the truth regarding him planning for everything.
What was he afraid of that he took a risk on spiriting her away?

The dresser
drawers were fully stocked with some of the latest fashions. Not quite her
taste but everything was her size. She fingered the fabric, an uneasy sensation
creeping into her veins. How had he known her dimensions? It wasn’t like he’d
packed any of her clothes for the trip. A designer worth their salt could
eyeball a client on proportions and have to make few alterations. This collection
seemed beyond that talent. That would mean he'd planned to kidnap her far in
advance. She stripped down to her bra and panties, unwilling to go bare as she
normally would. If he planned for everything, he could have rigged a camera in
her room, hidden behind the gaudy fixtures. Slipping in between the sheets, she
stared up at the ceiling.

Her skin still
prickled from her encounter with Benjamin on the plane. Just the thought of his
hands on her naked flesh sent delicious shivers down her
spine,
more than a person being held against her will should fantasize about. Her life
in New York had been a series lewd men grabbing her or taking advantage of her
naïve nature. Paul might have been the only one to get into her pants although
a multitude tried their best to be the next at the diner. Benjamin
Elstiltzkin
encompassed those same qualities in his
predatory eyes yet something else lingered deep within.
A
spark beyond pure lust.
She had no doubt that if he wanted to use her as
his sexual play thing, Ginger sitting next to them wouldn't have fazed him in
the slightest.

So why did he
stop?

Sleep escaped
her clutches as the night progressed. Torrid visions of her captor danced in
her head. He was strong, successful, and not a boy-man
like
Paul. That was his appeal, but she wanted nothing to do with someone dictating
her life.

Morning came and
she gave up trying to sleep.

She opened a few
of the drawers, frowning at her selections. Some of it was downright slutty and
not her style. Most of the clothes hit the floor in her search. Something
remotely pleasing caught her eye and she dressed. She had to wait for the cell
of her dungeon to open. Nice accommodations or not, she couldn't leave unless
someone opened the door.

She peeked out
of the peephole, nerves putting her on edge, and noticed Ginger coming out of
the room across from her. If her mother hadn't taught her
a
little manners
, she'd be half-tempted to punch the woman in the mouth.
The door opened and Mary folded her arms.

"I suppose
his highness awaits his slave?"

Ginger fiddled
with the key. "I didn't think he'd react this way. I was trying to give
you a chance."

"A chance
for what?
His Lothario show?"
Mary sighed. "You stole
all my materials and brought me to this place. I just want to go home but I'm
stuck, so here we are." She dropped her arms to her sides. "Either
show me the way out or let's get this over with."

Ginger grimaced.
"I wish I could just let you go. He'd just follow you back to Beowulf
Hollow. Follow me." She started walking down the hall. "This is Mr.
Elstiltzkin's
private residence. He has a fully functional
workshop which your materials have already been delivered to."

"He expects
me just to get going on my collection that he's taking credit for?" She
scowled.
"Jerk."

"It's not
what you think. He's—" Ginger stopped.

"Right.
Like you didn't
see him down the hall just now waiting and were hoping for brownie points. Save
it, sister. I can handle that ass just fine without you." She strode away
from Ginger, her gait quick. Until she found a way to get out of this mess, she
wasn't going to let Mr. High-And-Mighty boss her around. No matter how drop
dead gorgeous he looked in his tailored suit.

Benjamin leaned
against the elevator. His grimace pleased her. He obviously hated her choice of
clothing.

"All the
clothes I have for you and this
is
what you go
with?" He flailed his fingers up and down her body.

"You'll
excuse me if I don't believe fuck-me pumps like Ginger there is sporting are
practical for being on your feet most of the day."

He got closer to
her. "You could always be on your back instead."

"Uh,
personal space?"
She jabbed a finger into his stomach. Rock hard abs
greeted her unpolished nail.

He backed off.
"Of course."
The elevator opened.
"After you."

She rolled her
eyes, a vain attempt not to fall for his arrogant charms. Mary hated men who
were so forward. She’d been visually undressed by every man she came across in
New York, and now here she was again with the same thing happening. Did it
matter that he didn't follow through on his innuendos? Or that he turned her
legs to jelly when she locked onto his intense gray eyes?

They rode down
in silence. She secretly snuck candid looks at him. His hand was in his pocket,
making the jacket he wore ride up enough to reveal his taut buttocks. She
feigned pushing her hair behind her ears when he glanced back. Ginger was her
buffer.
Without the woman riding along…

"Damn
it," she muttered. Benjamin should infuriate her yet the hum between her
thighs craved his attention.

"A problem,
Miss
Becken
?"
Benjamin turned
to her outburst.

She cleared her
throat.
"Nothing.
I just remembered my favorite
scissors are probably
back
at the shop."

"I'm sure
Miss Govern grabbed everything, per my direction." He moved to the front
of the elevator. "Welcome to your new workroom."

The shiny metal
doors parted and Mary had to contain her enthusiasm. While she loved her small
workroom, Benjamin's was ten times bigger than her whole shop.
In the corner, looking drab against the white walls and tables, stood
her favorite dress form.
Her unfinished blue dress still adorned it.

"Miss
Govern, large coffee and an egg salad sandwich on rye." He snapped his
fingers and shooed her with a flick of his wrist.

"And Miss
Becken
?"

"I'm not
hungry, but some herbal tea would be great." She picked through her
fabrics, trying to ignore Benjamin.

"On your
way, Miss Govern."

Ginger paused, pursing
her lips, before she hurried out of the room back to the elevator.

Mary snorted,
not surprised by his crass behavior toward his employee. Maybe Ginger did mean
to give him some competition. She walked past his highness and sat down in the
corner area where the bulk of her materials were placed. On the table lay a
hefty stack of papers.
Her contract.

Leafing through
the pages, she stifled a laugh. "You can't be serious.
Fifty
pages?"
She pushed it away.

"Well, we
could come to some other agreement." He sat on the edge of the table,
clasping his hands together.

"Yeah.
You could
design your own collection and I could do mine and
may
the best person win." She crossed her arms.

"If your
fashion sense is anything like how you've dressed today, you haven't a prayer
without my guidance."

"Well,
they're your designs, so obviously you don't know how to make a cohesive
collection." She plucked at the top. "Tacky."

"Have it
your way." He dug in his jacket and pulled out a check, placing in front
of her.
"For the materials you handmade for my use and
enough for a ticket home."

"I didn't
make this for you." She ripped up the check, throwing the confetti in his
face. "I made it for me."

"Did I
mention a sizeable sum has already gone into your bank account back in
Bumfuck
Hollow?" He shoved the contract her way.
"I suggest you sit that pretty little ass of yours down and get reading.
You do know how to read, right?"

"Fuck you,
you arrogant bastard."

He rounded on
her and grabbed her by the waist. Her bottom hit the table and he positioned
himself between her legs. "Is that what you want?"

"
Wh
-
what?"
She gasped as he bent her back, his body pressed against her. His hardness
nestled between her legs and his hot breath teased her earlobe.

"I am
willing to change the contract, Miss
Becken
, if you
wish to be paid in another way." He pushed her closer to his hard on.
"You keep saying those words and that has me wondering something. What if
I was to clip the buttons of this blouse off with my teeth one by one? Would
you stop me or beg for me to continue?"

Beg.
Definitely beg
.
"I—I—"

The sound of
someone clearing their throat had them both scrambling off the table. Mary
fussed with her hair, refusing to face Ginger. How could she have even let
Benjamin toss her to the table like some object? Worse, she had wanted him to
rip her blouse off so she could surrender to whatever he had planned in his
deviant little mind. She stiffly walked back over to the contract and sat down,
her head bowed in concentration.

The first few
pages explained that she would have complete creative control on the initial
design. However, he'd get final approval on everything. Each piece would be
hers to sew. With such a big room, she’d expected him to have a ton of staff and
not depend on her for the labor.

Ginger banged
her tea down on the table, some spilling out on the contract. Mary moved the
papers out of the way.

"My
apologies, Miss
Becken
."

She glanced up
at Ginger. There was no remorse in her eyes, only pity. Mary was just another
victim of Benjamin's charm. "It's cool, Ginger. Everybody makes
mistakes."

"Isn't that
the
truth.
" She left, along with Benjamin.

Alone in the
room, Mary wished for her soothing radio to stamp out the silence. Or to keep
her mind off the fact that she lamented Ginger interrupting her and Benjamin.

****

"Unbelievable."
Ginger shook her head as she jabbed the up button on the elevator.

Benjamin blinked
as the doors cut off his view of Mary
Becken
. "I
suggest you remember that as your boss, I can fire you." He sipped his
coffee. "And I take more sugar in my coffee than this."

"Seems to
me you had plenty just then." Ginger pinched her nose before stopping the
elevator. She shoved the override key in and pushed the ground floor button.

"What are
you doing?" He reeled back when she slapped his hand away from the
controls.

"Quitting."
She sighed.
"I can't consciously be a part of your little charade." She unclipped
her tight bun before reaching in her breast pocket. "I've been carrying
this around for a long time, Mr.
Elstiltzkin
. You give
me no choice."

With her hair
down, Ginger transformed into something soft and beautiful. She could have been
one of the many women he paraded to his bed, but she wasn't his target and
never would be. Business and bedmates didn't mix ever.

Then
why are you having trouble remembering that with Mary
Becken
?

Ruthless had
been his mantra for some time and it had cost him several assistants. Ginger,
by far, took the most abuse and did it like a champ. He had no room in his
business for someone who couldn't keep up with his pace or demands. Deep down,
he didn't want to lose her as his assistant. He also didn't need a nursemaid
clucking her tongue when he zeroed in on a conquest either. He snatched the paper
from her, unfolding it. True to her word, she had eloquently managed to tell
him to shove his job where the sun never shines.

"For
you."
He reached in his jacket and pulled out an envelope.
"A
glowing review for your next job.
For the record, you've lasted the
longest." The elevator dinged yet the door didn't open right away.
"I'm impressed." He refused to beg her to stay.

She stepped out
as the doors opened. Her expression saddened when she faced him. "I wish I
could say the same, Benjamin. Goodbye."