“I’m short. I bought some heels today. I would have worn them, but my feet were sore from shopping.”
She giggled and my universe turned technicolour. All that talk about grey, craggy terrains and impossible wars faded into a field of flowers.
“You’re beautiful any which way, Theadora. Remember that. And I’ve always had a weak spot for petite girls.”
“Cleo isn’t petite,” she said, stepping out of my arms.
“Cleo meant nothing to me.”
She sat down on the winged chair and placed her feet up on the side. I loved seeing her so casual and at home around me. “I get it. You’re a very eligible, hot billionaire.”
I shrugged. “I don’t see myself that way.”
“I want to keep working at the hall. Do you mind?”
That pesky issue of her working for my mother brought me crashing down again.
“That’s your right. It’s just that my mother’s a difficult woman, and I want to keep seeing you.”
She undid her bun, and her hair came tumbling down. She rubbed her head. “Aah, that’s better.”
“I agree.” I pointed at her shirt. “How about undoing a couple of buttons. Or better still take it off.”
The corners of her lips twitched as she unbuttoned her shirt, revealing a cleavage bursting out from a skimpy red bra.
“You’re so beautiful.” My voice went hoarse from desire.
She smiled and her cheeks flushed.
“I can ride over to your place whenever you like,” she said.
“That will work, I guess.” I went to the bar and poured some Scotch into a glass. She shook her head at my offering her a glass.
“I can keep this a secret,” she said.
“You’d be comfortable with that?” I gulped down some spirit. All this talk about how we were going to be together stressed me.
I wanted Theadora close to make sure she was safe and not being propositioned by sleazebags like Reynard Crisp, who hung around Merivale like a bad smell.
She shrugged a shoulder. “Sure. I mean, you’re just fucking me.”
“It’s more than that, I think.” I rubbed my jaw. It wasn’t easy talking with her on that chair with her tits half hanging out. “I want you. That’s all I can say. I’ve desired you from the moment…”
Oops. I couldn’t admit to that, could I?
She removed her shirt and my brain started to go into meltdown.
“Let’s go into the bedroom, shall we?” I asked.
“Did you want to fuck me when I slept on your sofa in Mayfair?”
I took a deep breath. “Look, you were beautiful to me then, yes. But I would never have done anything. You were drugged, for fuck sake.”
She ran her tongue over her lips, and her eyes softened.
I lifted her off the chair and carried her to the bedroom.
She giggled as I planted kisses on her neck and cheek.