Dark Desire (Touched By You 1) (8 page)

Natalie was distressed that she'd displeased him so much. That was the last thing she wanted to do. It had all been so romantic, so wonderful, and now this.

"But you went to college for four years," he pleaded. "Nobody keeps their virginity through college," he restated incredulously. At least not in his world, he thought sardonically.

"You're a virgin," he said again, as if giving her another chance to refute him.

"Come here, baby," he said sweetly and she fell willingly into his arms. Her anger dissolved instantly by his affection. She wanted to please him, wanted to love him and give him what he needed. But she knew she had failed so far. It never occurred to her that being a virgin would displease him. The whole subject never occurred to her, one way or the other.

Tanner hugged Natalie, holding her to his chest. His body relaxed and he accepted the situation.
He'd have her, whatever it took. Letting her go was not a possibility. He'd not walk away from the challenge of possessing this innocent beauty.

He kept his arms wrapped around her, as if he didn't intend to let her go. And that was fine with her. Hope surged in her heart that he'd stay with her, just a little longer.

Natalie co
uld have stayed in Tanner's embrace for the rest of her life. But he pulled back, holding her at arm's length, taking in her beauty. The flawless skin, big dark eyes and a sensual charm that she exuded without being aware of it, sent a flood of desire to his loins. He stroked her cheek and rubbed his thumb along her lower lip. Pulling her back to him, he kissed her passionately. He was sweet now, not mad at her anymore.

She wasn't used to his changing moods. But
, she was relieved that everything seemed okay. Maybe there was a way. How he looked at her had a profound effect. Though he was still only twenty-six years old, his stern expression made him seem much more mature. He was commanding and, with his every look, made it known that he was in control.

Natalie hadn't had experience with letting anyone control her, especially not a man. But beyond the har
d exterior, a man needing love - her love - clearly called to her. Was she imagining it? It didn't matter. Either way, she couldn't help but see his goodness and respond to it. The goodness he, either wasn't aware of, or wouldn't admit to.

One minute he was angry, his eyes turning to blue glass. And the next minute,
he was hugging her sweetly. But, he'd betrayed himself. No one could kiss her like he did and be heartless, as much as he'd have her believe so.

"What are you thinking?" He asked her, not able to read her face.

"I want you, Tanner," she confessed. Why was it that she told him the truth without hesitation? "I'm just uncertain what to do, I guess." That was the best she could come up with and as soon as she'd said it, she wished she hadn't. He seemed to take this in, thinking it over.

He reached for her again, hugging her, feeling down her back and tugging her hair. He wanted to eat her up. He wanted every bit of her. It occurred to him that if he had any chance of protecting Natalie from him, he'd have to end this now. But then
, he knew without question that it was already too late. He craved her and knew, as well as he knew anything at all, that he had to have her.

"I want you too, baby. But not this way," he assured her. Natalie was lost. Was he saying he wanted her? How could she ever satisfy him?

Tanner sat on one of the patio chairs and lifted her onto his lap. She held her hands together looking down, unsure what he had in mind.

Tanner gazed at the lovely beauty sitting on his lap. She just has no idea how desi
rable she is.
She's so humble - if only she knew.

"I want you. But I want to do it right. The night I take your virginity will be a special night, a night you'll never forget." Natalie looked into his baby blue eyes and felt the heat burn in her belly. Yes, she thought, yes.

"I'm taking you on a date first, a real date," he said, back in control. "I'll arrange everything. Are you willing?"

Willing, she mused. She was ready to do anything he asked, amazed he couldn't see that. "Yes, I am willing. Your wish is my command," she told him flirtatiously, and let out a small laugh, part relief and part joy.

"You may be sorry you said that," he replied, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "Before we go any further, there's something you need to agree to."

Natalie, already reeling from the date offer, didn't have a clue what else there could be. "What?" She inquired, looking at him as boldly as she dared.

"As you know, I'm a high-profile name in business. Not many know me, personally. But publically, my sex life must remain confidential. I'm sure you can imagine what the press would do with intimate details about my bedroom habits.

I'm often seen at events with women. They are primarily escorts; no one I'm personally involved with. For the most part, they are chosen for me," he told her.

Natalie attempted to get her wits around this conversation. She couldn't see why going on a date had become a publicity issue. If women are just escorts that could mean he doesn't date, or even that he's gay. All that didn't seem to fit with the man she was looking at. Those thoughts flew by in the second before Tanner continued his discourse.

"The women are very presentable, someone to be seen with. But, there's never an indication of anything
serious. A prominent bachelor, which I am, seen with a woman over any period of time, is a great story for the tabloids. I'm very careful to avoid that. I need your co-operation."

This was beginning to seem like a business negotiation, not an invitation for a date. "I think you are being paranoid," Natalie replied. "Any man can go on a date without it being a newsworthy incident."

"I'm not
any man
, Natalie," he said, tersely. "And I'll need to know that you won't be talking to the press. My requirement is that, from this moment on, you keep our sexual involvement entirely private - from anyone. Understood?"

She couldn't imagine who she'd tell, anyway. The idea of talking to the press was so remote as to be ridiculous. But, she should be able to talk to her friends or family. Restricting that was absurd. "The only people I would ever discuss my relationships with would be close friends or family," she countered.

"Not even them," he said, sternly. "No one, strict confidentiality is the rule."

"Maybe we should sign a contract and you can require that I'm bonded. That way you'll be properly recompensed if I misbehave," she said, sardonically. "I can't feel that I have no one but you to talk to, when you're the one I'm sexually involved with. That won't work for me."

Tanner eased back a bit, knowing this wasn't a normal request. But then, he wasn't a normal man and his life was far from normal. "I know this seems odd to you," he said in a softer voice, "but it's very important to me. I can understand the need to have someone to talk with. You can talk to Cheryl, if you need to. I've known her a long time. I trust her."

Natalie looked into his blue eyes, allowing her gaze to include his perfect, handsome face. He seemed so sincere. This was really a concern for him. It wasn't like her to speak of relationships, even with close friends. All these years, she'd never told anyone of her sexual encounter with Tanner at the concert.

Really, she wasn't giving up much.

"Okay," she agreed. "Our sexual relationship will be completely private. I'm glad I
won't have to be quiet with Cheryl. That would be uncomfortable, since I live with her. I'm not used to pretending with friends. But I'll comply with your wishes. It's unlikely I'd want to talk with anyone else, in any case."

"There's more," Tanner gave a little smile but his eyes remained cold. A little shiver ran up Natalie's spine.

Tanner kissed the top of Natalie's head and ran his fingertips down her cheek, sending a thread of trepidation and sexual excitement, combined as one, through her body. He lifted her in his arms and sat her in the chair, directly opposite his.

Natalie prepared herself, not knowing what was to come. The look on his face was hard and unrevealing.

"I'm a dominant," he said without emotion.

Natalie thought of his domineering personality and wasn't surprised. But she hadn't heard of anyone called a dominant, as such. "What does that mean, exactly?"

"It means I'd like you to submit to specific sexual activities that will be for our mutual pleasure. I prefer sexually submissive women. That doesn't mean I'll run your life. But in the bedroom, I'll have control." He looked at her, trying to judge her reaction.

"I've never been submissive. I've always had control in my life. I can't imagine giving that up to a man, no matter how desirable," she said with complete honesty.

"I'd like you to try it," he said without even flinching at her hesitation. "There's nothing to be afraid of. We'll set limits so we won't engage in any activity you're uncomfortable with, either physically or morally. You can have confidence that I will not do anything to hurt you. Nothing will leave marks or permanent damage. It's for my sexual pleasure, and even more so
, for yours." Tanner reflected, with satisfaction, of all that he could teach her.

Natalie had no frame of reference. She'd never gone steady with someone, much less had sex. All this was a bit overwhelming. "Can I let you know?" She said timidly. "It's more than I'm able to conceive of right now. I can't commit to such terms so early," she told him, wondering if that would end the relationship on the spot.

"Sure, baby," he said sweetly, reaching out to stroke her hair. "You are just so beautiful. I want you, in every way. I know this is all new. You've never had sex before. I want you to experience vanilla sex, before we get into a more intense sexual experience. I just wanted to bring this up now, in case you wish to retract your earlier agreement to go on a date with me."

Natalie thought he looked more like a nervous, young man asking her out, than the billionaire control-freak he really was. He always tried to come across so tough, but he couldn't fool her. She saw something in him, something kind and generous, and convinced herself of his goodness.

Her silence made him shift in his seat. He was at her mercy and he knew it.

She eyed him intently fully aware he'd gone from a position of strength to one of vulnerability
, in the blink of an eye. That vulnerability promised the intimacy she knew was possible, despite all his blustering and warning her away.

Now that she knew about his sexual preference, it was like he fully expected her to run away. Well then, he didn't know her at all. "I'm not going to retract my agreement," she told
him. "I want to go on that date with you, more than anything. If you're trying to scare me, it's not working," she laughed lightly.

Tanner was surprised at her calm, light-hearted manner. She disarmed him, never rea
cting as he predicted. He was relieved at her acceptance. "I'm so glad to hear you say that," he sighed, his eyes sparkling for the first time since the fashion show. Oh, how she loved it when his eyes sparkled.

True to his word, Tanner
arranged everything for their date. The first stop of the day was the Looking Glass Spa on the Upper East Side. The aroma of citrus and sandalwood wafted around her from the moment she entered. She was offered hand-blended tea and organic biscuits. Her package included more services than Natalie knew existed. She wished Jazzy were there to share with her.

She was very relaxed by the end of the sessions. She'd had the signature facial, the Swedish massage and a complete waxing. Well, almost complete. She couldn't face a waxing of her pubic hair. She wondered if that was common with the women Tanner knew. He may be disappointed but she wasn't ready to allow that, just yet.

During the hours she was pampered, soft music played and drinks were replenished continuously, so she wouldn't get dehydrated. Hydration is vital for vibrant beauty and health, she was told. Next, was her hair and make-up. If she'd thought what Cheryl had done with her was impressive, it paled in comparison. Looking in the mirror afterwards, she hardly recognized herself.

Her dark brown hair gleamed with a shine she'd never been able to achieve before. It
was piled up, with flowers positioned in a few key places. Select tendrils hung loose. Her skin looked flawless, if pale, but her cheeks had a blush of color that looked completely natural. Only she knew it wasn't. Her make-up was not overdone. It was just enough to make her look like one of the runway models, but a touch less dramatic.

Her skin was smooth and silky from the humidifying treatment. And her feet and hands were manicured and polished. She could really get used to service like this. It made her feel fantastic.

She'd balked at Tanner's itinerary for today, unwilling for him to break the bank for her. But he assured her that his company owned the spa and many of the other services she was to enjoy. He commanded her to submit to the day's activities, in preparation for a wonderful evening. She kept reminding herself that it would give him pleasure.

Her
personal wardrobe wasn't even considered. A wardrobe consultant ushered her into a private dressing room and she spent an hour trying on different dresses. She selected a royal blue, silk cocktail dress that was romantic, but not overly sexy. She'd have to edge into this at her own comfort level. The matching blue satin, low heels were surprisingly easy to walk in.