Desire (#5) (3 page)

In response, I quickly dealt with the rest of his buttons.

“I think we should get rid of this for a start,” I said, tugging his shirt.

He obliged by pulling the shirt off, giving me a perfect view of his toned chest and tight abs.

I licked my lips.

“Your turn,” he said, his voice a low whisper.

As I removed my clothes, I turned to him, shyly and said, “I’d like to play again.”

I flushed a thousand shades of scarlet. God. What would he think of me? That I’m a nymphomaniac?

His lips parted as he stared at me, and for a moment I thought he hadn’t understood.

“Um, you know, with the silk scarves and things,” I said awkwardly.

He gave me a huge grin in response.

“You want to play, huh?” he asked. “Well that can be arranged. Lie back on the bed.”

He took the red strips of silk from the box in the closet and held one up to show me.

My heart pounded in my chest. I didn’t feel frightened this time just eager for the game to begin. I found it incredibly hot to be completely at Benjamin’s mercy.

Benjamin took my hands and tied each of them to separate bedposts. As he tightened the knots, I felt desire surge in my belly.

He smiled down at me. “You look beautiful, lying there waiting for me.”

I stared up at him as he removed his pants. My eyes fixed on his erection.

I let out a shaky breath as he advanced on me.

He reached for one of the red scarves and trailed the strip of silk over my breasts, down my abdomen and over my pubic hair.

The incredibly light sensation triggered a response deep within me. The moistness between my legs increased, and I arched my back.

Benjamin tied my ankles to the other bedposts and stood there for a moment just looking down at me. My nipples tightened, responding to his scorching gaze.

He exhaled. “You’re mine,” he said.

I nodded. “Yes, I’m all yours.”

I felt so wanton and vulnerable at the same time lying there with my legs open. Benjamin watched me closely, desire burning in his eyes.

“Your breasts look amazing,” he whispered.

I flushed and looked down at my nipples. They were tight and erect, demanding his attention.

“Are you ready for me yet, Kate?”

Oh yes. I nodded and pulled against the strips of silk, securing me to the bed and felt a surge of heat in the entrance between my legs. I closed my eyes, imagining him slipping inside me.

I ached for him to touch me.

I felt the mattress dip as he climbed onto the bed beside me.

“I’m ready,” I said. “Please touch me.”

He smiled. “No I think we’ll wait a little longer.”

My eyes flew open. What?

He lowered his head, and I held my breath anticipating the soft touch of his lips, but he didn’t touch me. He was so close I could feel his hot breath.

I strained against my restraints, desperate for contact.

He smirked and pulled back. “All in good time.”

He repeatedly came close, tickled my skin with his hot breath, then pulled away. He kept on until I didn’t think I could stand this relentless teasing. My body was like a tightly pulled string, about to snap.

I moaned. “Please, Benjamin.”

I was out of my mind with lust, writhing on the bed.

He ran one of the red scarves over my breasts, and I cried out as my whole body convulsed with pleasure.

I blinked at him confused. What was that? I didn’t think it was an orgasm, but it came close.

I stared up at him, panting.

He ran the scarf over my belly and my body bucked in response. I couldn’t control it. I thought my heart was going to burst.

“Benjamin, please.”

“Please what?” he said as he ran the scarf over my body again this time concentrating on my pubic hair. My hips jerked.

“Oh, Benjamin,” I cried out as I arched my back.

“I think you’re ready now, Kate,” he said and positioned himself between my thighs.

Oh boy. I tried to slow my breathing, but I could only feel the throbbing desire between my legs.

Benjamin reached down and his hand skimmed my stomach, which contracted beneath his fingers. When he touched my sex it was slick and wet, and as he rubbed, I moaned, pulling at my restraints.

“You make me so hard,” he whispered as he slipped on a condom.

I gasped as he eased himself between my legs.

I tilted my head back as his hard body pressed against mine.

He lowered his head and sucked my nipples while his fingers massaged my clitoris.

I was lost in the overwhelming sensations as my body quivered in response to his touch.

He entered me in one fast move, and I was so primed, so ready, that it triggered my climax and I experienced the most intense orgasm I had ever had. I let the waves of pleasure engulf me as he thrust into me again and again until he was spent.

WE SPENT THE REST of the evening loved up. Benjamin was in a playful, tender mood. I think he was still concerned by how much Tina’s betrayal had hurt me.

He fed me strawberries dipped in dark chocolate for desert, and after we’d eaten, we lay in bed, and he wrapped his arms around me.

I was so close to telling him. Playful, tender, Benjamin would be so easy to confide in. Could he really react that badly? Sure, it would be a shock, but he cared about me. I knew that much.

Then I remembered Colin’s words. He knew Benjamin. I’d spent the last few months with him, but Colin had known Benjamin his whole life and understood his family history.

I should trust his advice. Maybe he’d come up with a way for me to break the news to Benjamin so that he wouldn’t end up hating me.

Benjamin’s breathing deepened and became more regular as he fell asleep. I watched him, his beautiful sculpted cheekbones, his soft smooth lips and the dark, raspy stubble shadowing his jaw. How was it possible for anyone to look that good?

His arms tightened around me, and I froze. I didn’t want to wake him.

“Kate,” he mumbled. “I love you.”

I wanted to shake him awake. Did he really just say that? Did he mean it?

I lay there willing him to speak again, but he didn’t. Eventually, I snuggled in close to him, breathing the warm, delicious scent of his skin and tried to relax. It was all going to be okay. If he loved me, we could work this out.

When I woke in the morning Benjamin had left for work already. I wished I wasn’t such a heavy sleeper. I loved to watch him get ready in the mornings.

I scowled, remembering it was Saturday. I guess that was the price you paid for falling in love with a billionaire tycoon.

I yawned, stretched, then finally got out of the comfortable bed, rubbing my eyes and heading for the bathroom when I noticed he’d left me a note.

I’ll try to get home early. Benjamin x

I smiled at the kiss. Things were going to be okay.

I enjoyed a hot, steamy shower, then dressed and headed downstairs to see if Mrs. Wicker had anything in the main kitchen for breakfast. I was starving, and I hadn’t shopped for any groceries since I got back. I was getting used to having a housekeeper.

As I got closer to the kitchen, the delicious scent of baking washed over me, making my mouth water.

“Good morning,” Mrs. Wicker said as I walked into the kitchen.

I jumped and pressed a hand to my chest. “Mrs. Wicker, I didn’t realise you were working today. Don’t you usually have the weekends off?”

“Yes, but today I’m using the kitchen to bake cakes for the Newport Charity fair. It’s this afternoon.” She gestured at the rows of delicious looking cakes, and my stomach rumbled.

“Wow, they look fantastic.”

She beamed. “Thank you. You should come and take a look later. It starts at noon.”

I grinned. “With these cakes you may just have persuaded me. Where is it?”

“The university sports ground, the field next to the parking lot.”

I nodded. I knew where that was. Colin had parked there when we went for our walk.

“In fact,” Mrs. Wicker said, stirring a huge bowl of buttercream icing. “If you’re free for a couple of hours I could really use a hand setting up the cake stall. I wouldn’t ask only Millie’s come down with the flu and…”

I held up my hand. “No problem.”

“We could drive down there together at say eleven thirty, would that be okay?”

“Sure,” I said. “Eleven thirty sounds fine.”

Mrs. Wicker started to coat the sponge cake with a thick layer of icing. “You’re a life-saver.”

After breakfast, I sent Benjamin a text to let him know I’d be spending the afternoon with Mrs. Wicker at the fair. Even if he finished work in time, I couldn’t imagine him wanting to go to the fair, but he was constantly surprising me lately, so I supposed I shouldn’t judge too quickly.

Immediately after the text message made a whooshing sound to tell me it was on its way to Benjamin, my cell phone began to ring.

It was Colin.

“Colin?”

“Kate, I wondered if you had time to talk … about the situation.”

I frowned, and my hand slipped its way down to touch my belly. I wasn’t so keen on Colin referring to my pregnancy as a situation.

“Okay,” I said. “You could come to the house if you want. Benjamin is at work.”

“I think it’s best if we meet somewhere a little more private. I have a great deal of time for Mrs. Wicker and Carter, but I’m not sure I’d like them to overhear our conversation before you have even told Benjamin.”

I bit my lip. Colin was right, of course. It was bad enough I’d told him about the baby before Benjamin.

“Where do you want to meet?” I asked.

“The cliff path?” he suggested.

I agreed to meet him there at ten, thinking I’d have plenty of time to talk to Colin and then get back in time to help Mrs. Wicker load the car with her cakes.

I slipped on my warm wool coat and was dismayed when I found a small hole under the arm. Damn. Maybe I would take up Benjamin’s offer and buy some new clothes. I didn’t want to show him up. Still, it would do for now, I thought, and buttoned it up before I headed outside.

I decided to walk down to the start of the cliff path to meet Colin.

I left the house and walked across the lawn, passing Lauren, who was hard at work planting the new flowers around the arbour. She looked consumed by the task, so I just gave her a quick wave then walked on to the path. I gazed out at the Atlantic and felt the bracing sea air buff my face. Fall was definitely approaching quickly.

I didn’t pass any other walkers on my way down to meet Colin, which was unusual for a Saturday. Colin was just getting out of his Bentley as I arrived. He raised his hand, and I waved back.

He wore an expensive-looking, dark jacket, and his nose and cheeks were pink from the chilly air. He carried a small paper bag. I looked at it curiously, but I couldn’t see any markings on it to give me a clue to its contents.

“Hello, Kate. How are you feeling?” Colin asked, kissing me on both cheeks.

“I’m feeling okay. More positive than yesterday, anyway.”

He smiled. “That’s good to hear.” He offered me his arm. “Shall we walk?”

We strolled along the cliff path in silence. I wished he would hurry up and tell me whatever it was he wanted to say, but I knew Colin liked to take his time over things like this.

After we’d strolled almost back to Cliff House, I was fighting my impatience. I had an inkling he kept me in suspense on purpose. Perhaps it made him feel more in control.

He surprised me by pointing out a narrow trail I’d never noticed before.

“Oh, let’s go down there,” he said, smiling with boyish enthusiasm.

“I don’t know,” I said, peering over the edge of the cliff. “It looks a little narrow.”

“It isn’t as bad as it looks. Here, take my hand.”

He walked in front and gripped my hand as he guided me down the narrow trail. It was a little steep in places, but we reached the beach easily enough.

“Isn’t it great? We used to play down here all the time when we were kids,” he said.

“You and Benjamin?”

He nodded. “We loved the rock pools and we adored the caves.”

“The caves?”

Colin started to walk closer to the cliffs. “Yes, look. See there’s an entrance here,”

I followed him.

The entrance was little more than a thin, dark gap in the cliff face. I picked my way over the rocks towards Colin.

Suddenly my feet slid from under me, and I landed hard on my backside, knocking the air out of my lungs.

“Kate! Are you all right? What an idiot I am bringing you out here in your condition.” He crouched beside me on the rocks, and started to pat down my legs. “Anything broken?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m fine.”

“Well, maybe we should sit here for a moment.”

I was glad of the rest. I didn’t fancy climbing over any more slippery rocks.

“I bought you a present,” Colin said, placing the white bag in my lap. “Go ahead. Open it.” He smiled at me almost shyly, as I fumbled with the bag.

Inside was a white envelope and a box of Belgian chocolates, prettily wrapped in shiny, gold paper.

I opened the envelope and pulled out a card that had “Congratulations” printed on the front, in silver, above a picture of a stork.

“Oh, Colin,” I said. My eyes filled with tears.

For the first time, I felt positive about this pregnancy. It was good news, and in seven months’ time, Benjamin and I would probably look back and laugh over my reluctance to tell him earlier.

“I thought, as you haven’t told anyone yet, I’d be the first to offer my congratulations. Why don’t you have a chocolate?” he asked. “You’ve got to keep your blood sugar up now you’re pregnant.”

Well, why not, I thought, and started to unwrap the gold paper. I offered him a chocolate first.

“Certainly not,” he said. “I’m not the type of man to give chocolates, then eat them all himself.” He grinned at me.

I bit into a chocolate praline and groaned. “They are delicious, Colin. Are you sure you won’t change your mind?”

He waved me away, and I ate a second, savouring the feeling of the soft chocolate melting on my tongue.

Then I noticed the waves edging ever closer to the rocks we were sitting on. “I think the tides coming in,” I said. “We should probably make our way back.”