Eternal Love (Bend to My Will #11) (6 page)

It connected with the Mid-Levels escalators and was a hub of nightlife in the city. Jacob took her to a pub for happy hour, then to dinner at an ancient-looking Chinese restaurant. Vivienne had beef brisket noodles, a dish that she’d tried a couple of days before and liked. Wanting to experience the authentic cuisine, Jacob ordered snake soup, which was considered a delicacy.

The snake meat was shredded into thin white strips and served in a broth of mushrooms, seafood, and lemon leaves. Jacob cajoled Vivienne into tasting it. “I have to admit, it’s very good.” Then he proceeded to devour the rest. “That’s something I haven’t looked for in New York,” he said.

Vivienne giggled. “I’ll say.” She hoped he didn’t start craving the dish, as there was no way she wanted to find snake in their refrigerator, even if the chef was the one doing the cooking. But she enjoyed the cozy restaurant, which was quintessentially Hong Kong.

When it was time to return to New York, they packed for an early flight. Vivienne felt as though she’d been to a different universe. Hong Kong Island was like no other place she’d been, so alive, always bustling, and the culture was very spiritual.

It had been good to get away together to celebrate their love, and a new start. Vivienne was happy. And at last, she was treasured by the man she loved. She didn’t know what the future held, but she was confident that Jacob would be by her side.

Chapter 6

Hong Kong had been a safe haven. While Jacob had been away with Vivienne, any other issues had faded into the background. Now that they were home, he would soon return to Rinaldi Imports. He was sure that the past few weeks had been the calm before the storm.

The premonition that something would happen nagged at him. Jacob wasn’t one to rely on intuition, but it had been too long since Kenyon had surfaced. That couldn’t last, and the more weeks that went by without any outward threat, the more Jacob  anticipated his enemy’s next attack.

Vivienne was beside him in bed, still asleep. Her blond hair fell wildly over the pillow and her perfect lips begged kissing. She was a beauty awake or asleep. Jacob gently touched her cheek, but she didn’t stir. He slipped out of bed to go make the coffee.

The cook wasn’t scheduled to show up until later, as Jacob had informed her they planned to sleep in. It was Saturday, which gave them the weekend to recover from the trip before resuming their normal routine. As greedy as ever for Vivienne, Jacob looked forward to two more days alone with her.

The New Year’s getaway had been all that he’d hoped for. During the day, he’d shared the exotic food and sights with Vivienne. And at night, he’d enjoyed the amenities of the luxury suite. Jacob made love to Vivienne in many ways: on the table, in front of the window, and even in the bathtub.

His cock twitched just from thinking about it. The interludes had been intensely sexy, each intimate session making Jacob crave her that much more. Now he was back at the penthouse with her, and the playroom was accessible. He anticipated sharing it with her that night, if not before.

When the coffee was ready, Jacob poured a cup. He turned to see Vivienne standing in the doorway. She wore a long t-shirt over tights and was barefoot. Her long hair was up in a ponytail. “Hey, Jacob,” she said with a coy smile.

“You look delicious in that outfit.” Jacob took her arm and pulled her close. “You’re tempting me.”

“Mmm, I like the sound of that.” Vivienne kissed him tenderly. “I’m always tempted by you…and I’m prone to give in.” She grinned. “Right now, the aroma of that coffee has my attention.”

Jacob released her, and Vivienne poured a cup of coffee. “Shall we sit on the terrace?”

The day was cold and cloudy, but the terrace was enclosed. The space was heated, so sitting in the cushioned chairs was comfortably warm. Vivienne put her bare feet on Jacob’s thigh, and his cock swelled against his briefs.

Vivienne sighed. “I’m glad we have the weekend before going back to work. It was an amazing trip, but I need to reorient.”

Jacob intended to help her with that. “I’d like to have the rest of your stuff moved over here.”

“Is that your way of asking me to move in?” Vivienne took a sip from her steaming mug.

“What would your answer be, if I was?” Jacob rubbed her foot.

“We don’t have secrets.” Vivienne wiggled her toes on his thigh muscle. “You know I’m yours, and want to be near you.”

Jacob smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll have everything brought over this weekend.”

It was that easy; now they were living together. Jacob was happy about that. He’d begun to resent it when she went back to her apartment, as if he was being cheated. With her at the penthouse, he’d have more of her, and that was a good thing.

“I’m glad you suggested it,” Vivienne said. “Since Lana is moving in with Trace, I’d be alone in that apartment.”

“I don’t want you to be alone.” Jacob meant that.

Vivienne slid her feet to the floor and sat on his lap. She scraped her fingernails through his hair. “I just don’t want to be without you.”

Jacob kissed her fiercely, reminded of how much he craved her. When Vivienne pulled back, her breathing was ragged. In a low voice, she said, “I need a hard workout to recover from all the travel. What about you?”

“Let’s go.” Jacob stood up, as she slid off his lap.

The workout room was a little chilly, but as soon as Jacob started running on the treadmill he warmed up. Vivienne stepped rapidly on the stair climber, and he admired her fine ass. Even under the long shirt, he was drooling over her body.

Loud music played through the speakers, helping them to keep up their pace, and fans whirred on the ceiling to keep them cooled down. Only they didn’t keep Jacob cooled at all. As the minutes ticked by, with the sight of Vivienne working out in front of him, Jacob gradually became more turned on.

He glanced toward the mirrors where the weight equipment was, spotting the bench he used for the chest press. Another time they’d worked out together, Jacob had noticed Vivienne looking at the bench. He’d known what she’d wanted, but on that day he had been into delayed gratification.

Not so today. Jacob got off the machine and grabbed a towel to wipe away the sweat. Vivienne did the same, and he handed her a glass of water. There was an ice machine by the counter, so he put some cubes in her glass then some in his.

A few tendrils of wet hair clung to Vivienne’s neck, which was sexy. Jacob stepped closer. His heart had slowed from the jog, but with her near it started to pound. When her lips parted, Jacob gently bit her lower lip and tugged.

Vivienne’s eyes half closed and her mouth opened for him. Jacob raked his tongue across her lips, and she rubbed the tip of her tongue along the side of his. With their mouths open and their tongues touching, the heat between them intensified.

Lashing his tongue next to hers, Jacob relished the passionate kiss. Then, reaching the limit of his restraint, he put his arm around her to sweep her over to the bench. Vivienne’s eyes widened. Jacob took an ice cube in his mouth, and leaned down for a kiss, sharing the cold with her.

Together they sucked and swallowed the chilly water that melted over their tongues. Then Jacob edged Vivienne onto her back on the padded workout bench. Her feet were on the floor on either side of the bench, and her thighs were parted.

Jacob straddled her, then bent down with another ice cube in his mouth. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and Vivienne lifted her arms so he could pull it off. Jacob held the shirt in one hand, while Vivienne removed her sports bra.

The sight of her firm breasts made his cock throb. Jacob draped the cotton shirt over Vivienne’s eyes, and hovered over her beautiful mouth. With the ice cube locked in his teeth, he ran it across her lips, and Vivienne made a feminine sound.

Jacob traced the cold ice over her skin, across her breasts, and slowly over each nipple. Vivienne whimpered, and her nipples stiffened. Taking another cube from his glass, Jacob repeated the process, making her squirm underneath him.

The ice melted, so he got another, running the frozen cube over her skin, between her breasts, and down to her belly button. Vivienne arched her back, and Jacob leaned up to suck her nipples. His cock pressed against the restraint of his briefs.

Jacob stood up from the bench just long enough to strip off his clothes. He looked at Vivienne with the shirt still covering her eyes. The fact that she couldn’t see made it more exciting. He gripped the elastic of her waistband and pulled her pants off.

Vivienne lay naked on the bench with her legs spread, enticing him. Jacob stroked his palm along her thigh, avoiding her sex. Then he straddled her again, and leaned down, giving her a lip-bruising kiss. She kissed back with ferocity, lashing her tongue against his.

Jacob lifted the shirt from her eyes and dropped it to the floor. Vivienne’s lustful look was his undoing. He cupped her sex, discovering that she was sopping wet. With one palm holding the side of the bench, Jacob fisted his cock with the other.

Vivienne arched up to meet him, as Jacob entered her. She was so tight and hot. “Jesus, baby.” He shoved deep, her pussy gripping him tightly. He pinched her rosy nipples and kissed along the column of her neck. Vivienne gripped him tighter, pushing him close to release.

Jacob stroked her rhythmically, and Vivienne’s panting grew louder. The sign of her arousal was an aphrodisiac, making his cock lurch as a warning. He stilled in an effort to delay, but Vivienne didn’t slow down. She rocked up, and her pussy sucked at his erection.

Unable to hold back, Jacob fucked her in earnest, and Vivienne cried out when her climax began. Her strong pulses over him made Jacob come unglued. Vivienne was engulfed with pleasure, her eyes glassy, as he exploded inside her.

Moaning deeply, Jacob pounded into her, coming hard. When he was drained, his muscles slack, he rested his cheek against hers. After taking a minute to catch his breath, Jacob got up from the bench, and when Vivienne sat up, he stood in front of her.

Pressing her cheek against his abdomen, Jacob felt her warmth. He held her close, his pulse still racing. Vivienne wrapped her arms around his waist, and he basked in the post-orgasmic satisfaction.

When he released her, Vivienne grabbed a towel and looked up at him. “Lovely workout,” she said, making him smile.

*****

Once they showered and dressed, Jacob took her out for breakfast. He was starved and was sure she had to be hungry too. A small establishment offering egg-stuffed burritos did the trick. After eating his own, and half of Vivienne’s, he was finally full.

In the afterglow of the holidays, they took a walk along Fifth Avenue. The decorations and lights had been taken down, but the spirit of the season lingered. Sale prices drew shoppers, and the streets were packed with people.

Jacob held Vivienne’s hand, and when they walked by a jewelry boutique, he took her inside. On a whim, he asked the clerk to bring out several pieces for Vivienne to try on. He thought a couple of items might suit her.

Vivienne seemed to enjoy putting on bracelets and necklaces to model for him. Each one was beautiful on her, and Jacob was inclined to buy them all. Yet he knew Vivienne would object. Then the clerk lifted a diamond pin from its display stand.

When the clerk placed it on the counter and Vivienne’s eyes lit up, he knew that was the one. “Here, let me put it on for you,” Jacob said.

The trinket was a heart-shaped pin, studded with diamonds. Jacob hadn’t seen anything quite like it before. He pinned it to the lapel of her coat, and Vivienne looked in the mirror. “It’s gorgeous,” she said.

Jacob handed over his credit card, and Vivienne left the pin on her coat. The clerk put the jewelry’s velvet-lined box in a tiny bag with tissue paper and handed it to him. He put his arm through Vivienne’s and they exited the store.

The purchase had been an impulse buy, but Jacob knew it was a show of his love. That was a big step for him. Vivienne beamed at him, and her radiance made him think of a delicate flower blooming in the sunshine. He put his palms on her cheeks and kissed her.

“I love you, baby.”

Vivienne kissed him lightly on the lips, teasing him. “I love you, Jacob.” She put her gloved hand over the sparkling pin. “And thank you…this was very thoughtful.”

Romantic was what she meant, and Jacob knew it. But he was okay with that. He loved Vivienne, and making touching gestures wasn’t as awkward as it had been before. He was actually acclimating to being in love, much better than he’d anticipated.

The afternoon was pleasant as they strolled down the city streets. Later they stopped for shots of espresso, and when it was only midafternoon they had cocktails. After the holiday rush, it was nice to relax and just be together.

Before evening descended, they returned to the penthouse. Delicious aromas wafted from the kitchen. The chef had been busy while they were out, and had left dinner ready to be reheated for later. As Jacob had requested, she’d left when the cooking was done.

Jacob wanted to be alone, and treasured the evening ahead. He opened a bottle of wine so they could drink by the fireplace. Vivienne slipped off her shoes and put her feet on the hearth. He enjoyed the tranquility, yet the playroom called, and Jacob was anxious to indulge.

*****

Vivienne sipped her wine and glanced at her coat, draped over a chair. The diamond pin sparkled in the firelight. The romantic gesture had touched her deeply. Jacob was capable of showing his love, and that meant so much to her.

She looked over at Jacob, and their gazes locked. In that instant, the romantic tone dissipated, burned away by the fire in Jacob’s eyes. His expression reflected his desire, and Vivienne’s body responded.

She was wet for him, and her nipples scraped against the lace of her bra. When Jacob stood up, she took his hand to follow him to the playroom. As soon as the door shut behind them, Vivienne felt the pure and primal connection between them.

Jacob grabbed a fistful of her hair to pull her head back. Sensually, he kissed along her neck and licked the rim of her ear. Vivienne shuddered as the thrill shot through her. His hot mouth pressed to her collarbone, eliciting sensation from her as if he’d pressed his lips to her sex.

Vivienne moaned softly, desiring to serve and please him. Jacob undressed her as if she was a treasure. And when she was fully naked, he removed his own clothes, tossing them into a pile on the floor. He guided her to a tall chair with a padded seat and lifted her into it.

“You will give me your orgasms, Vivienne.” His steely look turned her on. “You will come when I command it, and not before.”

Vivienne wanted nothing more. While away, they’d practiced a technique of orgasm control. Jacob disallowed her pleasure unless he ordered it. The idea was exciting, and the experience even more so.