I nodded, trying to figure out how to form the questions wildly spinning in my head. He put a warm hand on my bare knee and a shiver of pleasure ran through me.
“I trust you followed my instructions?” he asked.
“Instructions?” I asked, bewildered.
“Did you not receive my note on the plane?”
My face flushed with embarrassment when I realized what he was talking about.
“The note,” I nodded, doing my best to meet his piercing gaze. A flush of embarrassment blossomed on my cheeks. It took all my strength not to look away.
“Yes, I did what you asked…”
“Good girl,” he said, patting my knee, before sliding his hand further up my leg. My eyes widened in surprise. We were alone, but the driver was right there just a few feet away. Not to mention the millions of New Yorkers just outside the window. His hand was so warm and my legs were so cold and the sensation of his warmth sliding up my thigh was quite possibly the most delicious, welcome touch I’d ever received.
Slowly, I spread my thighs further apart as his hand traveled closer and closer to my bare pussy. The entire time, he held my gaze, his eyes widening with surprise as I opened my thighs to him.
Every fucking thing about this man was white-hot. The heat rolling off his body, his searing hands, his piercing gaze that locked me into it like he was putting me under a trance. My body flushed with heat as his fingertips grazed my lips lightly. He turned his hand, his palm pressing flush up against my quivering center.
I gasped, my lips parting as he continued to hold my gaze. Slowly, he pressed his fingers forward, one of them sliding between my lips and discovering the slickness that had threatened to fall down my thighs from the moment I read his note earlier. Another eyebrow raised and a slow smile of approval and then in an instant, he slid inside of me, a low moan escaping from my mouth.
“Is that for me?” he growled.
Speechless, I nodded as he sunk his finger in deeper, pulling out slowly and then plunging two back in. And then, just like that, he pulled away. I suppressed a whimper of protest, biting my lip hard instead.
“Good girl,” he smiled, bringing his fingers to his nose. He inhaled deeply as another hot flush washed over my face. I couldn’t believe this man. And just when I thought he couldn’t shock me anymore, he pushed his fingers forward, sliding them between my open lips and twirling them over my tongue. Just like he’d done in that room at Departure.
“Mmmm,” he murmured, “see how delicious you are?”
His fingers slid out of my mouth and I stared at him in awe. The balls on this guy, I thought. He was audacious and arrogant, daring and dangerous.
I fucking loved it.
He sat back in his seat as the car slowed to a stop in front of another apartment building, an older brick building not nearly as tall as the first one.
“We’re here,” Bear said, smiling at me as if he hadn’t just had his fingers inside of me.
“Wow, it’s awesome,” I said, trying desperately to compose myself. “I can’t wait to see inside.”
“Let’s go in,” he said. “But Chloe?”
“Yes?” I asked, turning back to him.
“Pull your skirt down before you get out. You don’t want to show all of Park Avenue what we’ve been doing.”
My eyes shot down to my lap and I quickly pulled my skirt down, hiding my exposed flesh. His laughter was low and deep and I flashed him a quick smile, even though I wanted to die from embarrassment.
He leaned over and brushed a quick kiss on my cheek before the door opened and we stepped out.
“Shall we?” he said, offering me his arm. I put my hand on his arm and let him led me inside, my face hot and flushed, my pussy quivering.
Chapter 7
“It’s so cozy,” I said, as we walked into my new apartment. First of all, I couldn’t believe how gorgeous and comfortable it looked, but secondly, I couldn’t believe I was going to be living here.
“It’s smaller than Matilda’s, of course,” he said. “But I thought it suited you better.”
“You guessed right,” I said and I couldn’t help but beam a huge smile at him. “I love it, Bear, thank you. You’re very generous.”
“I’m happy to have you here, Chloe,” he said.
I nodded, unsure what else to say as I walked around the apartment. It was older but it was stunningly beautiful. Intricate crown molding lined the ceilings, tall windows opened the room up to the city outside and the huge rooms were filled with informal furnishings—casual slip covered couches and dark red patterned fringed Persian rugs covered dark hardwood floors. The kitchen was entirely renovated, but even with the modern appliances and cabinets, it still had a rustic, cozy feeling to it.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said, coming up behind me. “Actually, I have lots of surprises for you,” he added with a low laugh. “Come with me,” he grabbed my hand in his and led me down a long hallway.
At the last door on the right, he reached out and opened it, flipping on the light switch as we walked in. I gasped in surprise.
“Bear!” I exclaimed, throwing a hand over my mouth.
“I’m sure you’ll need other things but I thought this would get you started,” he said.
“It’s amazing,” I said, walking in. He’d turned the second bedroom into a sewing studio. There were dress forms lining the wall and a few long tables, a very high-end expensive sewing machine on another table in the corner and bolts of fabric lining the walls. “I can’t believe this!”
“I want you to be happy, Chloe,” he said, smiling sweetly at me. “Your mother told me how much your fashion designs mean to you, and I want you to understand that coming here doesn’t mean giving up on your dreams and desires. New York is a pillar of fashion, and in time, I hope that you are able to make an impact of your own in this city. If anything is missing, please let me know and I’ll have it delivered right away.”
“Bear, this…this is too much,” I said, shaking my head. I was starting to feel a little weird about everything. I barely knew him and he’d gone out of his way to make me so comfortable.
“Nonsense,” he said, with a dismissive wave. “It was nothing.”
“It’s not nothing,” I said. “It’s very thoughtful. This is incredible.”
He smiled down at me, those eyes turning me to complete mush. What was happening to my life? It was like I’d been picked up and plopped into someone else’s fairy tale.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing my hand again and pulling me out of the studio. “I want to show you something else.”
I let him lead me back down the hallway and watched as he opened another door.
“Here’s your bedroom,” he said. “Of course, you can change anything you like.”
It was like something out of a magazine. The four-poster bed looked so soft and plush that I wanted to jump right in it. It was covered in a jewel-colored patchwork quilt and flanked by a matching pair of shabby chic farmhouse style tables. Hanging over the bed was a lovely painting of the outline of a naked woman under a large oak tree.
“I love it,” I said, twirling around.
“Look at the terrace,” he said, opening a set of French doors. “The city is still loud up here, but it’s beautiful. You have a wonderful view of the park.”
“Oh, my god!” I exclaimed, leaning over the stone wall and looking down. Central Park loomed below, a massive, sprawling, green oasis. “I can’t believe I get to live here!”
I turned back to him and he was staring at me, his eyes sparkling with something I didn’t quite recognize. I grew quiet, licking my lips as I waited for him to speak or do something. I was at a total loss of how to handle a situation like this. Fuck, I didn’t even know what kind of situation this even was. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, how I was supposed to act, what he expected of me.
He reached out, gently pushing a strand of hair off my face as he stared at me silently. His eyes trailed down,
raking over my breasts and back up again.
“Chloe, we should talk,” he whispered. “Let’s go back in.”
I nodded, following him. He sat on the bed…my bed…and I sat next to him, my hands in my lap as I looked over at him expectantly.
“I’m sure you have questions. And most of your questions will be answered soon enough, don’t worry.”
I nodded, listening intently.
“First, you’re going to need a safe word.”
“What?” I asked, my eyes widening.
“Don’t be naive,” he said. “A safe word. You know what that is. I intend to push your limits, but I am not a monster. So, what will it be?”
“I - I don’t know,” I muttered, bewildered. “I’ve never had one before.”
“What’s your favorite kind of pie?”
“What?” I asked, confusion filling my eyes.
“Apple? Cherry? Chocolate? What is it?” he asked.
“Peach,” I replied.
“Okay, would you like to use Peaches as your safe word?”
“I guess, I mean, sure, whatever, but Bear —,” I began.
“—what?”
“Why do I need a safe word?”