A Scandalous Arrangement (13 page)

“You’re welcome. So, do you have any further comments or questions about the contract?”

He waited as she scanned the pages, gnawing on her lower lip in her concentration. She read the entire document before lifting her eyes to meet his gaze again.

“The contract is fine. Very fair, and accurate. Do you have a pen to hand, Mr. Luke?”

“Of course.” He stood to retrieve the required objects from a side table across the room. “And please, while we are in private you should call me Adam. Or sir, but I will explain the proper terms of respect presently. Upstairs in our suite.” He placed the pen and inkwell before her, and waited again while she signed the final page in her neat, sloping hand. He took the pen from her and added his own signature below hers.

“I will have these conveyed to my man of affairs, who will make arrangements for your salary to be paid to you each month. Now, if you have finished your tea, perhaps we might adjourn upstairs. I have reserved rooms for us for tonight. I am sure you will be very comfortable. Well, some of the time.”

“I had not expected to stay here.”

“A last-minute decision, I confess. But I think the rooms I have reserved will suit us very well.”

“Rooms? You mean separate rooms?”

Adam grinned at her and shook his head. “No, Miss Wynne, I do not. You will not only share my bed, you might well shortly find yourself tied to it. But even so, I do not expect you to be cramped. We will have plenty of space.” He folded the papers and slid them back into his inside jacket pocket, then gestured toward the door. “After you.”

* * *

He followed her up the stairs, admiring the gentle sway of her perfect little bottom. The fitted skirt she wore was smart and very respectable, if a trifle wilted from her long journey, but it framed her rounded buttocks beautifully. He managed not to reach out to cup those delectable globes, but it took some effort. He would wait though; he had decided he wanted her kneeling and naked before he touched her.

“Left at the top of the stairs. We’re in the Alexandra Suite, towards the end of the corridor.”

She nodded and proceeded as directed, stopping at the correct suite. The sign beside the door proclaimed this to be the place. Adam leaned around her to unlock the door, then gestured her inside.

He followed her, taking the time to remove the Do Not Disturb sign from the inner door handle and hang it on the outside. He took the further precaution of locking the door behind them.

Victoria stood in the centre of the sitting room, gazing around her. She glanced at him. “This is very nice. And spacious as you said. You have spared no expense.”

“No, Victoria, I haven’t. I don’t skimp on things that are important to me, but I do expect value for money.” He didn’t elaborate, but he was confident she realised he was not just referring to their accommodations. He strolled across the room to drop the key on a side table. “Would you like to freshen up? I’ve ordered a dinner tray for later, but if you require afternoon tea, that will be no problem.”

“I am quite all right, thank you, not at all hungry. A bath would be pleasant though.”

Adam wondered if this was a delaying tactic, at the same time as he blessed the modern plumbing, which meant the bathtub could be filled without the necessity of a procession of hotel staff parading through their rooms with buckets of hot water. He considered her request for few moments, then dipped his head in agreement. “I’ll sort that out for you. You will undress here though. Now.”

“Now?” Her voice was a low whisper, and he saw her hands were shaking again as she clasped her fingers around her gloves. He needed to get her past this useless fit of modesty, and quick.

“Yes, now. Do you require my help with your fastenings?” He thought not as her jacket buttoned at the front, but still, it was polite to enquire.

She inhaled, a sharp, determined intake of breath, then, “No, I can manage.”

Adam offered her a tight smile before he headed into the bedroom and straight on through to the bathroom where he turned on the taps. When he returned to the sitting room, she had got as far as removing her bonnet. He did not believe for a moment that she was deliberately procrastinating, and he appreciated this would not be easy for her. But he also knew her hesitancy would not diminish for drawing out the inevitable. He wanted her naked, and he wanted that without further delay.

“Victoria, please do as I asked. I don’t like to be kept waiting.” He injected a deliberate note of authority into his tone, preferring to start as he meant to continue. He intended to be in charge here, she would obey him.

“No, of course. I’m sorry.” She unbuttoned her jacket and removed that, then looked around as though seeking somewhere to deposit the garment.

Adam settled himself in a chair in front of the window. The light behind him would obstruct her clear view of his features, whilst he could see every detail of her. “Just put your clothes on the chaise lounge behind you. When you’re naked I’d like you to kneel on the floor, here, just in front of me.”

Victoria gulped, but made no protest, though her perplexed expression told him her mind was whirling. Silence did not signify agreement. At least, not yet.

She unfastened her white blouse and removed that too, placing it on top of her jacket. Next she loosened the ties holding her skirt in place and peeled that down to her ankles. She stepped out of the pooled fabric and placed the skirt neatly with the rest.

Adam shifted in his chair, conscious that his erection was very obvious. He made no attempt to conceal it, preferring that she understood the effect she had on him. Her eyes widened when her gaze rested on the bulge betraying his arousal. Clad in just her fine silk combinations she presented an exceedingly fetching sight, concealing nothing of her curves. He would have defied a monk to remain unmoved. On another occasion he might have allowed her to remain as she was and enjoyed the display. The first time was always somewhat awkward though, for a submissive at least, and he preferred to press on.

“Quite lovely, Victoria. I applaud your taste in undergarments. Did you purchase that especially for me?”

“Yes. I wasn’t sure what… I just wanted to look my best.” Her lovely features were starting to pinken, but she maintained eye contact with him. There would be occasions when he would require her to drop her gaze, but for now he found her pride and determination admirable. He had no interest in a mewling, shrinking little virgin.

But she
is
a virgin,
he reminded himself. He would soon remedy that though.

“Good choice. I may permit you to put it back on later, with the crotch left unfastened of course. For now, remove it, please.”

He loved the way her face flushed, the rosy hue starting at her neck and chest and rising steadily as she undid the buttons down the front. The display of bare flesh was tantalising as the two halves gapped open. She lifted her gaze to his again, and he raised one eyebrow deliberately. She needed to do as she was told, without hesitation or argument. He expected no less.

“I will not kneel.” She tipped up her chin, defiant.

“No? Why not, Victoria?” He kept his tone deceptively low.

“I have agreed to do as you want, to allow you to do—things—to me. But I am not here to be humiliated or debased.”

“Of course not. You are here to be cherished, admired, pleasured. But those rewards have to be earned, through submission and obedience. Talking of which, I require you to be naked. I have said so on numerous occasions now so I will count to five. If you are not nude and on your knees by then, I will consider our arrangement terminated.”

“What? You would just send me home again?”

“No. You are welcome to remain here in the suite. I would be the one to leave. Two.”

“But—”

“Three.”

“Oh. I…” She abandoned any further attempt at conversation and slid the remaining undergarment from her body. It dropped to the carpet and she made no attempt to pick it up. Instead she stood before him for several moments, then lowered herself slowly to her knees.

The rebellion was over. Adam breathed out, relieved to have averted that crisis.

He leaned forward to peruse her body as his cock swelled yet more. He would not have believed it possible; his balls were about to explode. She was exquisite, quite breath-taking. He’d known she was attractive, beautiful even behind the haunted, stressed demeanour and formal clothing. He had had the wit to recognise that fact the moment he set eyes on her, but this vision of loveliness was beyond any and all expectations.

Victoria looked up at him from her position at his feet, then slowly, deliberately, she dropped her gaze.

Fucking perfect.

“Good girl. Thank you for doing as I asked. Now, I’d like you to remove the pins from your hair and let it loose. Then part your thighs if you would, please, and place your hands on the back of your head.”

He waited for the protest, but again there was none. She reached up to release her hair from the neat coil at the nape of her slender neck and the dark tendrils tumbled around her shoulders, concealing one perfect, upturned breast. She shifted her position so her knees were a few inches apart, then lifted her hands to lace her fingers behind her head. In her new position eye contact was more natural, and she held his gaze. It was Adam who looked away first, but only to inspect her in more detail.

He ran his gaze over her torso, noting the swollen nipple and pink aureole that tipped the breast still visible to him. He reached to sweep her hair back over her shoulder in order to better admire her. Her breasts were small, but delightfully curved. He would enjoy lifting and moulding them in his hands, squeezing her tender nipples until she squealed. He was ready to wager a year’s profits that no man had ever wrapped his lips around those delicious peaks and sucked.

His gaze drifted lower to her neatly trimmed quim. She had prepared herself for him, and he appreciated that. He also wondered how she had known what he would like. Whose counsel had she sought? Not her mother’s, surely?

He stood and strolled around her to examine her from the rear. Her shoulders were narrow, her back slender. She appeared fragile, delicate even, though her bottom was lush and beautifully rounded, an arse made for spanking. It would not be wasted here.

He crouched behind her and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Lift your bottom up, and lower your face to the carpet. Then spread your legs as wide as you can. You can put your hands on the floor if you wish.”

Now she would argue, surely. He waited as several moments passed. Then, Victoria did exactly as he had instructed. She raised her bottom for him, opened her thighs, and settled her cheek on the rug. Her face was turned away from him though.

“Turn your head, I want to see you.”

Again, she complied, though her eyes were closed.

“Open your eyes, Victoria. Don’t look away or close them again unless I give you permission. Do you understand?”

“Yes, of course I understand.” Her tone was not exactly that of the meek submissive. He had work to do here.

“Excellent, because now that I have made my wishes clear and you have understood them, I will spank you if you fail to obey me. Is that also clear?”

A brief pause, then, “Yes.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Whenever you are naked in my presence, or kneeling, or in any position of submission, you will address me as sir. Without fail. Is that also clear?”

“How will I know? The correct times, I mean?”

Adam smiled at her, though with no warmth. “You will know, Victoria. If in doubt, call me sir anyway. Again, failure to comply with this requirement will earn you spankings or other punishments. So, are we clear on this rule also?”

“I, I think so.”

He slapped her bottom, the spank just hard enough to create a resounding crack. “Who are you talking to, girl?”

“You, sir. I apologise.”

The firm flesh of her buttock quivered, as did her lower lip. Adam could see this treatment was getting to her, causing her to be confused, distressed even. He needed to change the pace or the next part of his plan would not work.

He palmed her bottom, noting the way the smooth globes clenched at his touch. Fear? Perhaps, but from the glistening he could see on her soft folds he thought not. She might be scared, but she was aroused too.

He continued to caress her sweet derrière, his fingertips just brushing her pussy as he slid them past. She tightened with each stroke, her cunt moistening before his eyes. She was loving and hating this at the same time, her body and her mind at war with each other. He needed her to abandon the struggle, and he knew just how to cause her to do that.

He stood, towering over her for a few moments. Her eyes were fixed on his shoes, her features reflected in the highly polished leather.

“Do not move from that position.” He turned on his heel and walked away.

He was only gone a few moments, just sufficient time to check on her bath and turn off the taps. When he returned he was gratified to note she had not shifted so much as an inch. He crouched alongside her again, and reached to trail the backs of his knuckles along her jaw. The action seemed to relax her. Her eyelids drooped.

“Open your eyes, please.” His tone was gentle now, but no less effective. She did as she was told, gazing up at him from her position of absolute surrender did she but know it. He was delighted with her progress so far.

“Your bath is ready for you, but you have to earn that pleasure. I want us to get to know each other a little first. So, tell me, Victoria, when did you last pleasure yourself?”

“I…? What? What did you ask me?”

“I asked when you last brought yourself to climax. You did climax, I assume?”

“I’m not sure, I mean…”

He slapped her bottom again, hard. “Who are you addressing, Victoria?”

“Sir. Sorry, I mean sir.”

“Learn it, or you’ll find yourself receiving a thorough spanking before we proceed much further, if that’s what it takes to press the message home.”

She was chewing on her lower lip again, tears glistening in her eyes. Adam returned to his theme.