“She is correct. Tell her I will be there momentarily. Put her in my office, bring some food and drink.”
“Very good, my lord.” A bow and he walked out, as quietly as he’d entered.
Phillip exhaled on a moan and fell back on the bed. He hadn’t known that she would show up in the morning. Honestly, he’d figured she would be by later in the day, after completing whatever other work she had to complete.
Then again, I did insist on morning and having breakfast with her.
He thought about how long she had to walk to get to his place. Anger simmered as he imagined her walking without any protection.
With a groan of capitulation, he wrapped his hand around his cock and fisted it. Slowly, he stroked. Up and down, squeezing and pinching to try to prolong his self-inflicted torture.
Then he remembered she was waiting for him. After that, it didn’t take long before he shot his seed into the sheet around his waist. After regaining his breath, he cleaned up and dressed in record time. By the time he hit the stairs, he’d found a bit more decorum.
Not completely honest, but he was hoping it didn’t look like he was a youth on his first trip to a brothel.
Handing out morning greetings to the staff as he passed them, he strode to his office, heart picking up in speed the closer he got.
He didn’t know what it was about this woman that made him crazy. If Lucien were not so far away, he would have asked him if this had happened to him with Ciara. However, his best friend was over in England.
Stepping into the room, Phillip scanned it and breathed a bit easier the moment he spied her. She stood by the far couch, hands clasped before her.
Lust knocked him hard, like he’d not just found release less than ten minutes ago.
“Good morning, Fyre.”
She didn’t jump but turned her head toward him, calm and collected. He hid another smile. She would be running the other way if she knew the thoughts that circled his mind when it came to her.
Her curtsey brought shafts of morning’s early light to glance along the purple of her dress.
“Good morning, my lord. I hope this was not too early for you.”
He smiled. “Of course not. I was just thinking about you.”
She stiffened and swallowed.
He moved closer to her. “Want to know what I was thinking?”
Fyre didn’t meet his gaze. “I am sure you will tell me if you feel it important, my lord.”
A quick glance around made him aware they were still alone. “It is, very.” She finally lifted her gaze to his. “I was thinking of—”
“Excuse me, my lord.” The footman held the door as one of the maids carried in food.
“Put the food down on the table and leave us. We can serve ourselves as we work.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The maid and footman did as he’d ordered and he barely took his eyes off Fyre, even though he walked to his desk and unlocked it to pull out the ledgers they had to finish going over.
The staff were efficient at their jobs and soon enough it was just the two of them once more. The door was not shut all the way, so anyone passing by could see or hear them.
“Help yourself.” He lifted the three ledgers and walked back to the sitting area. He was tempted to return to what he’d been telling her before the interruption but held back. It wouldn’t do to scare her away.
Fyre hadn’t moved.
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
“No, my lord.”
He put the books down and fixed himself a plate of finger food, then sat in a single chair on the end. He knew if he were next to her on the couch, there would be a different kind of lesson going on.
“Would you feel more comfortable with a maid in here?”
Her features morphed into shock as her eyebrows rose. “My reputation is of little value. I am not concerned.”
Phillip didn’t like the sound of that. “What about me?”
She poured some tea and looked up at him with a smile that would have taken out his knees had he been standing.
“If you feel safer with a maid to protect your virtue, by all means, call one in.”
Fyre blinked a few times and swallowed back his laughter. He greatly approved of this teasing side of her and he had the feeling it wasn’t a side that she chose to share with many. That she would with him was a prize he would never forget.
It also let him know that she, despite some outward appearances, felt comfortable enough to joke with him.
“Just so you know, Fyre. If you wanted my virtue, I would hand it over to you without an argument.”
Her chest rose and fell in sharp succession with his admission. “We should get to work.”