The Emperor: Secrets Bared (3 page)

As her gaze roamed around the room, she spotted a tall wooden stool set directly in front of an artist’s easel. That’s where she would pose. The floor to ceiling windows behind the easel probably gave him wonderful light during the day. Then a thought struck. He’d brought her to his studio. Relief swamped her as she realized he did indeed intend to keep things professional.

Then her eyes caught sight of something that seemed out of place. An octagon-shaped ottoman softly padded. The purple was like a splash of red on a black and white photo it stood out so much. What would he need that for? Different positions maybe?

Before she could ponder the stools uses, the room was flooded in light and a gentle, sexy music filled the air. Lori quickly forgot about the stool. When she turned, Gideon slowly shut the door. A wicked smile played at the corners of his mouth. A wild need to escape his overwhelming presence engulfed her whole being.

***

Gideon watched Lori attempt to figure out the ottoman. Since he’d had the thing designed specifically for his own needs, there was no way for her to know its real use. As he pictured Lori spread out on the soft, purple fabric, naked, waiting submissively for him to pleasure her, a fire started up in his loins. He needed to get his body under control or he’d only succeed in scaring her away. That was the last thing he wanted. If he played his cards right, he’d have her open and eager very soon. Ready for anything. He ached for her total surrender. Gideon vowed to unlock her hidden passion. Breach all her barriers. One major hurdle was her asshole ex-fiancé.

What kind of man could look at Lori Fontaine and call her frigid? She had more 14

passion in her pinky finger than any woman he’d ever known. When they’d been in the bar, Gideon had gotten angry as he read her thoughts. While she’d replayed her last encounter with Rick-the-dick, he’d had a crazy need to find the man and tear his heart out for hurting Lori. The volatile reaction confused him.

He wasn’t a particularly possessive man nor was he overly protective with the women he dated. Lori was different. She awakened an archaic and barbaric need in him to seize and conquer. Immediately, he pictured himself donning a sword and knight’s armor. He’d bury the sword to the hilt in Rick’s chest, snatch her up, and carry her off on his black Arabian horse. As the victor, he’d ride off to make love to his willing conquest. On the heels of that thought came another. Lori spread out on a bed, ready and waiting for him to claim her.

Gideon wondered where he could get his hands on an array of soft silky scarves.

Multicolored as she’d imagined in her mind. He’d wrap them around her delicate wrists and ankles. No cherry wood four-poster, but he’d improvise. He grinned at the delicious thought.

Now all he had to do was wipe the deer caught in the headlights look off her face and get her to feel a tad more comfortable. He wanted to begin the sketches he’d use for the sculpture as soon as possible. He frowned. No way was Lori going nude for the pose.

It was too soon. He’d have to start with something different.

Gideon moved away from the door. “Would you care for a drink?”

“Yes, please. A glass of water would be nice.”

Her whispery voice slid over his body like a caress. She had no idea the affect she had on him. Between the shy glances and the inviting tone in her voice, he wanted to strip her naked and fuck her right there. Just slam her against the door and drive deeply inside her hot cunt.

To take his mind off sex, Gideon picked up the small black remote which controlled the various components in the room and pushed a button. A corner of the wall opened up to reveal his fully stocked wet bar—sturdy black and steel and his own design. Out of nowhere, another of Lori’s thoughts flitted through his mind. I wonder what else that trusty little remote can do. Gideon stifled a grin. She had no idea the many uses for the remote control.

As he poured water for her and a jack and coke for himself, he surreptitiously watched Lori move over to the couch and sit. It swallowed her tiny figure. She looked like a child sitting on his enormous couch.

“Are you comfortable?”

She nodded. “I could drift right off in this thing.”

Of course, no woman in her right mind could fall asleep while you’re around. The man is so bad for a girl’s peace of mind.

Gideon nearly choked. He really shouldn’t read her mind, but he was no saint. As she straightened her dress and crossed her legs, he picked up their glasses and went to her. As his shadow fell across her, she looked up.

15

“You walk very quietly. I didn’t even hear you.”

“Thank you…I think,” he said, then handed her the glass of water and sat next to her. They were close, but not touching. It was enough to make him want to yank her off the cushion and plop her on his lap.

As Lori peeked at him from under her lashes, he smiled. Her mind was a jumble of things. She kept wondering why she’d allowed herself to come to his hideaway. She saw herself as logical and realistic. He wanted to prove to her she could be so much more.

“So, tell me what you have in mind, Gideon. I’m not sure what you want me to do.

How would you like me?” she blurted out.

Gideon sputtered on his drink. He quirked up an eyebrow. “I’d like you any way I can get you.” As she started to blush and stammer, he took pity on her and explained, “But for now why don’t we start slow. You can change over there.”

He pointed to another corner of the room.

She frowned. “Nothing’s there, just empty space.”

He pushed his little black remote, and the corner itself popped away from the wall.

“That’s so cool.”

He grinned. “It is pretty cool. I have a friend who knows a lot about electronics. He designed it.”

“What else does the remote do?”

“Lots of things,” he answered mysteriously; then before she could ask further, he pointed to the room. “There’s a dressing room and several outfits to choose from. Pick whatever makes you feel most at ease.”

“Uh, I really am out of my element, Gideon,” she said shyly. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

He took her drink out of her hand and laid it on the end table, along with his own.

Gideon took her chin in his palm and drew her gaze to his. “You don’t have to do a thing.

Just sit and look pretty, the rest is up to me.” He looked her over, and murmured, “I would like to see more skin, but you don’t have to get naked.” He saw her fear and was quick to reassure her. “I know you aren’t comfortable enough with me yet, but I’d like you to go into the dressing room and pick whatever catches your eye. Don’t think too hard. Just put it on and come out here. You’ll sit on that stool there—” He indicated the tall wooden stool in front of the easel. “—and I’ll begin sketching you.”

Her relief was tangible. Unbidden came an image of her posed decadently across the purple octagon. Gideon’s eyes widened as he realized the image had come from her mind.

Gideon showed her to the small one room dressing area. There was a rack full of silky, shiny outfits, he’d acquired over the years.

She quirked a brow at him. “Past girlfriends?”

He chuckled. “No. These are used for models only. And they’re always sent out to be cleaned after each use.”

“Pick what feels right to you, Lori. Take your time. I’ll be ready whenever you are.”

16

As she nodded and turned to the rack to survey the clothing, his mind saw her stripping out of the dress. Gideon had to force himself to leave her alone. Knowing she’d soon be bare, a mere few feet away wasn’t helping his situation any either. As his pants became uncomfortably tight again, he wondered how he was supposed to get through the sketch.

He picked up his drink and swallowed the last of the liquid in one gulp. No doubt about it, he had a very long and uncomfortable evening to look forward to if he didn’t get her past her reservations. The thought of driving her home without sampling her body first wasn’t the way he wanted it to be. If he had anything to say about it, he’d spend the entire night showing her just how hot she could get. By the time morning came around, she’d know exactly what her body was capable of, and her ex-fiancé’s nasty “frigid”

remark would be a distant memory.

First, he had to follow through on the sketch. Then the seduction would begin.

17

Drawn immediately to the purple gown, Lori took it off the rack and held it up. It stood out from all the blacks, reds, and whites. It was extremely revealing. Certainly nothing like her old flannels she had at home.

It had full billowy sleeves of see-through lace with a matching lace bodice. There was no back to speak of, leaving her bare to the waist. The translucent bit of purple silk was floor length, and it was beautiful. She thought of the stool. “He apparently loves the color purple.”

“Well, Lori, here goes nothing.”

She gave herself a pep talk as she unzipped the side of her dress and let it drop to the floor in a puddle of black, leaving her with only a black strapless bra and matching G-string panties. She took them off next. She turned and looked into the cheval mirror standing in one corner of the small dressing area and saw her bare body with all its flaws and imperfections. But Gideon had called her beautiful, and she was determined to believe him. She wanted to prove to Rick that she could be desirable. She wanted to prove it to herself.

She turned back around and slipped into the nightgown. Lastly, she took out her hair clip and let her hair simply cascade down her back. She ran her hands through it once, and she was done.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she left the safety of the dressing room and walked into Gideon’s studio. Only this time, she was displaying every detail of her body, without the concealing help of the color black or the fantastic gravity-fighting bra.

Gideon saw her from across the room and began striding toward her. Lori kept her eyes to the floor in an unconsciously shy gesture, but when she felt his strong callused fingers tipping her chin upward, she took a deep breath and looked directly into his intense blue eyes.

***

“You are more beautiful than I’d ever imagined, Lori,” Gideon growled as he looked her over from head to toe. Lori became more nervous than ever, but he couldn’t seem to help himself; he had to get his fill.

Her breasts were full and heavy. They lay against her body, rising and falling with her quick breaths, tempting him beyond measure. They would fit perfectly in his large palms. His eyes trailed lower to her nipped in waist, then the flare of her full womanly hips and thighs. Her legs were strong and lean, not too skinny, just right for a man his size.

The purple nightgown fit as if made for her. It was nearly transparent and he could barely make out her dark brown nipples and the soft dark thatch of curls at the juncture 18

of her thighs. He loved the way the purple seemed to caress her skin.

Finally, as Gideon walked a circle around her, inspecting her from every side, every angle, he was able to see her hair in all its glory. The honey-blonde mass fell well past her bottom. Each time she moved it teased him by sweeping across that gorgeous ass of hers. As if to say, “just look what I get to play with.” Making him wish he could reach out and play too.

Lori was gifted with the most lusciously round ass he’d ever seen. Gideon allowed a smile to slip across his face, as he thought of her laying spread out on her stomach, with her hair all around her bare body wrapping him up in its web as he made love to her. He wanted to feel his cock slide down the cleft of her buttocks as he pushed slowly into her from behind.

“I want you,” he growled.

She seemed to come to a decision in that moment. “I want you, too.”

“You aren’t afraid?”

“Yes. But I don’t care.”

He grinned. “You won’t regret it, baby.”

“I know.”

Gideon took her hand and led her to the doorway of his studio. Neither of them spoke another word until they were upstairs in his bedroom. The instant his gaze landed on her at the party, he’d wanted her in his bedroom.

“It is the most difficult thing not to take you against the door. To shove up that nightgown and play with you until you quiver and plead.”

“Oh god,” she groaned.

“But you need to be loved, gently, thoroughly, and I can’t do that if I take you like a rutting buck. And the first time I make love to you, Lori, I assure you it won’t be against an uncomfortable slab of wood.”

He picked her up and laid her down on the bed, then stood back. She looked right there. As if she belonged. There was something pure and special about what he felt for Lori. He just wasn’t sure what it was, and he wasn’t certain he wanted to explore it too deeply right now.

“The first time we make love?” Lori repeated. “Are you saying there will be more than one time? And where will they be if not in a bed?”

Just barely, Gideon stroked the silky length of her honey-blonde mane and said, "You better believe there will be more times to come. So many in fact that you'll think it's easier just to stay in bed…waiting for me to make love to you.” He moaned. “Hmm, I think I like that idea.”

Lori giggled. “I just bet you do.”

He lay down beside her with his head propped up on his elbow and whispered, "And where you ask? Hmm, let's see.” He paused, giving the idea some thought. “Well, the first place that comes to mind is my rather large and very sturdy mahogany kitchen table. Laying you down on top of it. You on your stomach with your arms outstretched.