The Emperor: Secrets Bared (6 page)

Lori frowned. “Why would she make you keep it a secret?”

“She was afraid if anyone knew what I could do, they’d want to test me. She didn’t want that for her only child. She wanted me to get back to a normal life” He shrugged.

“Or as normal as could be considering the circumstances.”

He rose to his feet when he saw pity on Lori’s face. “I don’t want your pity.”

30

He walked over to the window and looked out at the early morning. It was his favorite time of day. Everything was given a fresh face. Like a break from the constant pretense of normalcy. Mornings were the time when his mind could expand, and his creative juices roared to life.

Without turning around, he finished his story. “It feels good being able to tell someone. Sort of like unloading a burden I’ve carried around for the past two decades.

Anyway, Mom took me out of school immediately and began to tutor me at home. Being around large crowds was difficult. In time she helped me with that, too. She taught me how to free my mind, showed me ways to put up mental walls to keep thoughts from bombing me.” He turned and looked at Lori. “People think unpleasant things. They’re not always good and pure. Hearing the immoral, the repulsive, and often the sadistic things people were thinking would’ve driven me insane over time. It took years of practice before I could be in a room of more than ten people without experiencing a throbbing headache.” He took a lungful of air as he remembered his mother. “My mom was wonderful though. I never would’ve survived without her. It was her love and guidance that brought me peace and took me down a new path. She made me understand that I was unique, not cursed.” When he realized Lori’s eyes were too bright, he stiffened. Was she crying?

He walked over to the couch and crouched down in front of her. “What’s this about, baby? Why the tears?” He kept his voice tender and soothing. He didn’t like to see her tears.

Lori touched a finger to her own cheek and frowned when it came away wet. “I didn’t realize I was crying.” She looked at him with her heart in her eyes, and Gideon was lost in her tenderness. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just…everything. What you went through as a child.” She laid a soft palm against his cheek. “You must have felt so alone, so isolated. And the way you talk about your mother, you love her very much, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. She was one-of-a-kind. She died of breast cancer two years ago, and I miss her still.” He took her hand in both of his and pressed his lips to her fingertips.

“But don’t cry for me. It was all a long time ago. I’m an adult now. Thanks to my mom I live a very happy and relatively normal life.” When she started to speak again, he stopped her. “Have I frightened you away yet?”

Her answer was so important to him, and he knew by now he could expect nothing less than complete honesty from her. “I’m not afraid of you, Gideon.” She looked down at her lap. “I’ll admit I’m a little uncomfortable.”

Gideon attempted to wriggle back into her mind. Like a thief in the night, he wanted to see her innermost feelings. Without warning, Lori jerked away from him and jumped to her feet. She started to do a fast walk, to put distance between them. Between Gideon and her thoughts more likely. Gideon was faster. In a few strides he caught her in one long arm. She landed against him with a thud. He turned her in his arms and growled, “Why are you running?”

31

“Because you can’t seem to stay out of my head!”

“But your thoughts are so delicious, baby.”

“You have no right to—”

Gideon stopped her with a kiss, his lips hard and brutal. God, she tasted good. He swung her into his arms and carried her to the couch, then sat down with her on his lap.

He was careful to hold her face in place without hurting her as he deepened the kiss. She had no choice but to submit to his will. Trapped against him, he knew Lori could feel his hard length beneath her bottom. He was painfully aroused. He sported a permanent hard on around her. She drove him to his knees with desire. She could have both hands tied behind her back, and he’d still be completely helpless. She was so delicate and fragile, but intelligent and determined. She was the perfect combination.

He coaxed her mouth open and slipped his tongue inside. Lori’s whimpers tore at his control. He nipped at her lower lip; the little stinging bites had her moaning and wriggling. Gideon eased up and placed soft kisses over her cheeks and neck. He began caressing her jumpy pulse with his tongue, touching all the places he’d discovered drove her wild; then he suckled, leaving his mark behind.

Gideon lifted his head slowly. Putting a stop to the sensual assault took all his willpower. “Don’t walk away from me,” he commanded.

Lori stared up at him, eyes glazed over with desire.

Gideon addressed her again. “Face me head on, sweetheart. Don’t run.”

“I wasn’t running…exactly,” she pouted.

Gideon smiled with primal satisfaction. Lori wasn’t the type to take commands from a man, but teaching her to take them from him was going to be a damn pleasure. “Then what would you call it?”

“Self-preservation. It’s annoying when you invade my thoughts.”

“I can’t say I’ll stay out. I like the way you think. The images floating around in that beautiful head turn me on.”

“I don’t know what to do with you,” Lori complained. “You’re entirely too arrogant. I want to smack you and kiss you at the same time.”

“How about this. I’ll tell you what I know about you, and if I’m wrong, I’ll stay out of your head for the rest of the day. Deal?”

She smiled. “I’m all ears. Give it your best shot.”

“You’re always in control, always the responsible one. It’s your mom and sister who are the spontaneous ones. You want someone to take the lead for a change. You’d love to let someone else make the decisions, but you don’t trust anyone enough. How am I doing so far?”

She looked away. “Not too bad.”

“You’re going to learn a few things today, sweetheart. The first of which is that submitting to a lover doesn’t make you weak-willed. Just the opposite. It takes a great deal of courage to give someone so much trust. I want to prove you can trust me.”

“It’s not in me to be submissive. It’ll never work.”

32

“What if I said if you don’t, I’ll punish you?”

He wanted desperately to hear her say it, to hear the words from her mouth. She was such a controlling woman, always striving for order, but she was tired of order. She wanted to be messy, to let some of her inhibitions go.

“I’d tell you that I won’t be ordered about, not by anyone.”

“Shall I show you what happens when you defy me?” Gideon whispered, his smile feral. Lori was like a pretty little moth, drifting ever closer to the heat of his flame.

Straightening her spine as if determined to stand her ground, Lori stated, “It makes no difference because I don’t take orders.”

Gideon quirked a mischievous brow at her. They were both enjoying this game.

Without warning, he flipped her over, so she lay across his lap, rump in the air, facing the floor.

“You let me up, Gideon Adrian, right this minute!”

“Nope. I like this position. You have such a pretty little ass.” She squirmed, but he held her down with his palm on her back. “I warned you not to defy me,” he growled, absurdly distracted by the way she began wriggling around, then issued a quick swat to her buttocks.

She yelped. “Ow! Darn it, that hurt!”

Gideon couldn’t believe he was spanking her. He’d never played D/s games with a woman before. Something about being the dominant to her submissive seemed right.

His mind whirled with the possibilities.

He could practically feel her outrage, but she was also becoming aroused.

“You will let me up this instant, Gideon!”

He rubbed his hand over her bottom through the purple silk, soothing the spot he’d swatted. “Say you’ll obey me,” he demanded. He was mesmerized by the feel of her under his hand. “Tell me what I want to hear, Lori, and I’ll let you up.”

“No!”

Gideon swatted her again. This time she let out a moan. He knew he wasn’t really hurting her because he could feel her mounting desire. Lori liked what he was doing.

She was just too stubborn to admit it. He was going to cream in his jeans if she didn’t submit soon. With her ass facing him, tempting him, he was getting painfully aroused.

“Be a good girl, sweetheart, and tell me what I want to hear.”

“Yes.”

“Not good enough. Yes, what?”

Lori gave him what he wanted. “Yes, I’ll obey.”

Her soft voice floated over his skin like satin. “Mmm, so sweet,” he praised, as he stroked her ass one more time.

Gideon smiled in triumph as he helped her to her feet. She was so strong-willed; watching her give him the lead was a major turn on.

And not once had he raised the purple gown. He deserved a damned medal for that alone.

33

Lori was confused by Gideon and this new game, but even more confused by her own reaction. She’d never played the submissive before. Why did she enjoy it so much?

She found herself wanting more. It was disconcerting that Gideon knew her better than she knew herself.

Her legs shook as she rubbed her bottom. He hadn’t really used any real force because there wasn’t any pain, just a little sting. She should be angry. Outraged. The emotion that had her body growing all hot and wet wasn’t anger. It was raw desire. Her clitoris throbbed, and liquid heat pooled between her thighs. She was hot and ready for sex. My God, she’d never been so ready. Who would have thought boring Lori Fontaine had a penchant for the kinky?

“I would have, and you’re not boring either, so quit thinking you are.”

“Dang it, Gideon, stay out of my head!” She stood in front of him, hands on her hips and chastised him. “You need to learn not to invade people’s privacy.” They were eye to eye, but only because he was seated. She felt more dominant.

Gideon laughed. “Dominant? Is that what you want? You want to dominate me?” He quirked his head to the side. “Well, honey, all you have to do is let me have my way with you, then you can dominate me all you want.”

She rolled her eyes at his shameless intrusion of her thoughts. “You’re doing it again. You said yourself you can block my thoughts when you want. For the love of peanut butter block them.”

His eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? I would never block your thoughts. They’re far too appealing. Hell, some of the things you’ve been thinking today have me as hard as a lead pipe.”

She covered her ears and shook her head. “Okay, let’s back up a minute here.” Lori sat down on the couch, forgetting about her sore bottom, then instantly shot back up again. She glared at him. “My butt hurts.”

All at once, Gideon appeared contrite. “Aw, baby, I’m sorry.” He wrapped both arms around her middle and hugged her to him, an innocent smile on his handsome face.

“Want me to kiss it and make it all better?” he murmured.

A mental picture of him on his knees, kissing her backside invaded her mind. She abruptly stomped it flat. He had her coming and going. She didn’t know which way was up.

She closed her eyes and threw her arms up in the air in exasperation. “Can we please just stop and have a rational conversation like two normal adults?”

Gideon seemed to rein himself in. He was such a passionate man and so sure of himself. He knew what he wanted, and he was going after it full force. Lori wasn’t quite ready. She’d never been with anyone who wanted her with so much fervor. It was a little scary. She needed breathing room.

34

“I’m sorry. Really, baby, sit down beside me.” When she stared at him, he pleaded, “Pretty please?”

She looked at the couch in apprehension. “Just ease onto it, honey. I promise it won’t hurt.”

She slowly sat. He was right, it didn’t hurt. In fact, her bottom wasn’t sore at all. For some insane reason that rankled.

“Now, where were we? Oh yes, I was telling you all my dirty little secrets, wasn’t I?

So, Lori, do I frighten you now?”

She frowned. “Why should I be afraid?”

“Because I can read your mind. That would make anyone uneasy.”

She answered with complete candor. “I could never be afraid of you. If I were, do you think I’d still be here?”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” He paused, as if giving it some consideration before adding, “Most people are a little cautious around me, and they don’t even know what I can do. Somehow I guess they sense something is different.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m glad you aren’t afraid of me. I would have hated if you looked at me differently.”

“How do I look at you?”

His grin was wicked. “As if you want to eat me up.”

She tried to ignore how handsome he was when he smiled and said, “I’m only posing for you, remember? Eventually you’ll have your statue, and our association will be finished.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Our association may have started out as artist to model, but it’s quickly turned into something much more.”

As his voice slid up and down her body, she blurted out her thoughts without thinking them through. “How do you do that, Gideon? How do you make your voice so irresistible? It makes me want to give you whatever it is you ask.”

“If my voice was so mesmerizing, I’d use it to make you take off that purple silk, so I could see all of you with nothing hindering my view.”