Knight's Game (31 page)

‘Oh, I don’t know. I was thinking about maybe an orgasm to start the day.’

‘Only one?’

‘Hey, do you mind?’ She tapped his cheek.

He glanced down at her. ‘Really? They’re rewiring the electrical system in an old Camaro. I can do two things at once.’

She glared at him.

‘OK, OK.’ He hit record, then clicked off the TV. ‘There.’ He smiled at her. ‘Here we are, baby. Full concentration.’

Taking her face between his hands, he slowly kissed her and even more slowly entered her, his dick on autopilot, knowing exactly where to go, how deep, how high, how if she moved just so, she wanted more. And if she moved that way, she wanted more. And if she lay utterly still and softly moaned, she wanted more.

So Dominic and his dick paid attention and took it slow and easy. Kate was still half sedated and indolent. Both were lazy; they’d not slept much lately. And Katherine was tender after days of fucking. But a smouldering desire burned in
them both, like an eternal flame, all-consuming, prodigal, insensible to reason.

‘I need to feel you inside me and over me, touching me,’ Kate whispered, lifting her mouth for a kiss as Dominic languidly slid inside her. ‘Always …’

‘That works out then,’ Dominic murmured, smiling as he kissed her. ‘Because we have this insatiable craving for you.’ But she was swollen, tight. ‘Tell me if I’m hurting you.’ He stopped to rest, waited for her flesh to relax. ‘You sure you’re OK with this?’

Her green-eyed gaze was sleepy. ‘You feel good,’ she whispered. ‘Big.’

No shit. Because she was super tight. He gently flexed his legs, advanced a fraction more, felt like a fucking explorer mapping new territory. But her sleek tissue slowly turned supple, yielded and ultimately he reached his goal. ‘Is that too far?’

‘Ummm … no … ummm,’ she groaned. ‘Oh, God – do … that again.’

He always felt absurdly pleased when he could give her pleasure, as if he were placed on earth to indulge her, a bizarre thought always quickly forgotten after sex. ‘Like this?’ He barely moved, but he shifted his hips enough to exert a tenuous pressure on her favourite sweet spot.

‘Oh, God, Jesus, Dominic,’ she panted. ‘You can’t ever leave …’

‘Just a little,’ he murmured, withdrawing enough to add friction to the pressure when he thrust in again.

Her protest died in her throat, altered to a low, rapturous moan. Then she jerked his head down hard and hissed, ‘You’re perfect, dammit. I hate you for it. Now do that again.’

He did, several times and in several different ways, until she’d come, he had, she had, until much later she finally punched him hard in the chest.

‘Sure?’ he said with a faint smile.

‘We’re not all machines,’ she gasped.

‘You’re the boss, baby.’

She rolled her eyes.

‘You don’t get it, do you?’ he said with a smile, having altered his entire life for her. ‘But no complaints.’ He kissed her lightly. ‘And thanks for wearing these.’ He touched one of the gold cuff bracelets on her wrists. They’d agreed last night that she’d wear them in the house or rather he’d promised her a laundry list of sexual pleasures if she accommodated him. And she’d given in like she always did when she was offered an enchanting quid pro quo of personal gratification.

She grinned. ‘My pleasure, oh lord and master.’

He laughed. ‘Are they fucking magic bracelets or are you too exhausted to fight?’

‘Maybe I’m just in a submissive mood,’ she purred.

‘Perfect,’ he softly said. ‘That doesn’t happen often.’

‘Consider me temporarily obedient,’ she lightly said.

He smiled and rather than start an argument about temporary versus permanent, he asked, ‘Time for a soak in the tub?’

She almost said,
How do you know that’s exactly what I want at this precise moment?
But after all those lovely, gentle, balmy morning orgasms, she wasn’t in the mood to grill him about his expertise in gauging women’s desires; she was too tranquillized to care.

They were in the tub when Patty arrived, the kitchen noises drifting up the stairway an indication she was setting up for the day.

‘Hungry?’

Kate was sitting between Dominic’s legs, her back against his chest, her head on his shoulder, half asleep. She nodded.

‘Want breakfast in bed or downstairs?’

‘Whatever you want.’

‘Can you stay awake to eat?’

‘Coffee,’ she murmured.

‘Coming right up, baby. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.’ Easing out from behind her, he stepped out of the tub, saw that she was resting comfortably against the tub back and turned on the faucet to warm the water while he threw on a pair of sweats.

Semi-dressed, his wet hair dripping on his shoulders, he flicked off the tap and frowned; Katherine’s eyes were shut, her breathing slow. ‘Should I lift you out? I wouldn’t want you to drown in your sleep.’

‘I won’t drown,’ she whispered. ‘Hurry.’

He was in the kitchen moments later, rubbing his hair with a towel. ‘Morning, Patty. I need coffee five minutes ago.’

‘She must be hot. You don’t fetch and carry.’ Flicking her blonde braids over her shoulder, Patty pulled out a tray and set two large cups and two spoons on it.

‘She is.’ Dominic grinned, tossing the towel on the white marble counter. ‘So I fetch and carry. Some pastries?’

‘Warm chocolate croissants?’ The coffee was poured, sugar and cream added to the tray.

‘You’re a saint.’

‘We already determined that years ago.’ Patty took two croissants out of a warming oven drawer and placed them in a napkin-lined basket. ‘Have your special babe tell you what she wants for breakfast. I’ll see what I can do, or maybe,’ she said with her usual cheek, ‘I’ll just cook what I want.’

Dominic gave her a look. ‘Maybe you’ll cook what Katherine wants today.’

‘Whoa … did I really hear that?’

‘Just be nice, Patty, OK? Do that for me?’

‘Sure, Nicky. No problem.’ Folding the napkin ends over the croissants, she handed the tray to Dominic. ‘But I’m expecting to meet a goddess after seeing you actually move your ass for a woman,’ she said with a wink.

He swore at her; she grinned. ‘Just for starters I’ll make French toast with caramelized bananas and crème fraîche. But I’m open to orders, boss. You know that.’

He didn’t, of course, because Patty hadn’t taken an order in the sixteen years she’d worked for him. But she cooked like she surfed – perfect form, to-die-for creativity – so he’d
never complained. And she was looking serious and sincere which was a hopeful sign. ‘Thanks, Patty. Now be nice to Katherine. I like her.’

No shit
, Patty thought, watching Dominic’s retreating form.
Let me mark this day on the never-thought-it-would-happen calendar.

When Kate and Dominic came down to breakfast, Kate did a quick double take because Patty was close to Dominic’s age, blonde and beautiful in a cool, Nordic way, in great shape, and she wondered if they were more than employer and employee. But she reminded herself that Dominic had been relatively open with her last night – or as capable as he was of openness – so she had to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Dominic introduced the women.

‘Nice to meet you,’ Patty said, taking in Kate’s cuff bracelets without expression.

‘Same here.’ Kate smiled, ignoring Patty’s glance. ‘The coffee and croissants were to die for. Did you make the croissants?’

Patty nodded and grinned. ‘That’s why Nicky pays me the big bucks.’

Dominic didn’t know where Patty was going with that smart-ass grin, so he said, ‘Breakfast smells good. Are you ready for us?’

‘Sure, boss.’

Patty calling him
boss
wasn’t reassuring. Dominic gave her a warning glance as he followed Kate to the table. And
whether she acknowledged it or not, she was super polite as they ate.

Patty’s French toast was truly decadent, as was a fruit plate that could have been on display in a museum, and the coffee was everything coffee should be: hot, a teeny bit sweet, strong with just a trace of austerity to remind you of the reason you drank coffee.

Patty sat at the kitchen table with them and talked about her husband and children. She got up to point out pictures of her family on the kitchen walls – on Dominic’s kitchen walls, Kate reflected. And she was actually a little brusque with Dominic at times. She called him Nicky too, like Melanie did. Kate liked that Dominic had people around him who were a part of his life – that he wasn’t completely alone.

Dominic worried that Patty was being too friendly and solicitous, but Katherine didn’t seem to notice. And when she praised Patty’s coffee, asking how she made it, what type of coffee she used, wondered if she could get some for her grandmother, the ice – if there had been any – was broken, melted and evaporated into the atmosphere.

Patty couldn’t do enough for Katherine. Because she figured, one, the very first woman Dominic had brought to this house warranted special treatment, and two, those cuff bracelets Katherine was wearing were really out there for someone like Dominic who kept his kink private. So Patty actually ran her day’s menu past Katherine in the event some of the food didn’t appeal.

Kate said, ‘I eat anything,’ then blushed so sweetly, Patty
didn’t wonder that she appealed to Dominic after years of women who wouldn’t know how to blush if their life depended on it.

And when they left after breakfast to go up on the roof to sit in the sun, Patty murmured as Dominic left the kitchen, ‘She’s a keeper, Nicky. You did good.’

From the rooftop, the view of the Golden Gate Bridge was postcard worthy, the sun warm as they lay side by side on chaises, the sense of contentment thick enough to cut with a butter knife.

‘Happy?’ Dominic touched Kate’s hand, slid his finger over the gold bracelet.

She smiled. ‘Oh, yeah. You?’

‘More than you know,’ he said gently, looking forward to being with her in London. ‘Sleep if you want. We have till ten.’

‘And?’

‘The attorney comes at ten.’

‘You sure you want to do this? You don’t have to do it for me. I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to.’

He kept his voice benign – previous talk of shackling her to his bed hadn’t been greeted with approval. ‘Contracts are routine for me. Humour me if you don’t mind.’

‘I don’t mind. You’re the one who’s used to exercising his sexual freedom. Exclusivity isn’t a problem for me. I don’t want anyone else. You know that.’

She made it sound so simple when it had never been simple before.

When he’d never been interested in simplicity when it came to the women in his life. Even Julia had brought with her exotic adventure and thrill-seeking world travel. Now he was happy and content doing nothing, lying here with Katherine, the sun warm on his face, the person who gave meaning to his life beside him.

It was enough.

He didn’t need anything more.

And this time he was determined to keep the subversive demons at bay.

While he couldn’t cancel his past, nor wash away a single bitter memory, he could shape a new destiny, create a new world, perhaps learn to understand the meaning of love.

Dominic’s attorney was well-dressed in a navy suit that was beautifully cut by some tailor who knew his business, charged what some people made in a year and sent his clients out in the world with the authority serious money commanded.

Dominic hadn’t changed out of his sweats and T-shirt and Katherine was equally dressed down, but Chris Robbins smiled politely when Katherine was introduced, pretended he didn’t see the cuff bracelets and treated Dominic and Kate with professional deference. Or more likely with the extra-professional deference awarded to a billionaire client and this woman who’d warranted a change in Dominic’s will.

Patty brought in a tray with coffee and cookies, set it on a small table between Katherine and the two men and left. While Chris (he and Dominic had known each other since college, it turned out) extracted several documents from his briefcase, the men discussed basketball: they talked about
the Golden State Warriors season and the score of last night’s game that Dominic was aware of despite not having seen it. They agreed that they needed more rain, that the opera needed more funding, after which Dominic suggested Chris send them whatever he thought appropriate and let Roscoe know the amount.

Chris set a small stack of papers on the table, carefully lined up the edges and took out a lacquered black pen, quite beautiful, like fine jewellery. He unscrewed the cap and handed the pen to Dominic.

Gee, rich people don’t even have to get up and get their own pen,
Kate thought, glancing at the desk where several pens resided in a leather canister.

Dominic leaned forward in his chair. ‘Show us where to sign.’

‘Would you like to read it?’

‘The draft was fine.’ Dominic turned to Kate. ‘You should read it, though, Katherine.’ He nodded at the attorney, who slid a copy towards Kate.

‘I don’t want to.’

Dominic gave her a quick look. ‘I’d advise you to read it. Tell her, Chris.’

Chris smiled politely. ‘I always suggest a contract be read before signing.’

Kate pointed at the papers. ‘Do I have my email out? That’s all I need.’ It meant she could leave, as they’d agreed in Singapore, whenever she wished.

The attorney glanced at Dominic, ran a quick hand over his thinning hair.

Dominic stared at him for a heartbeat, his expression blank. ‘Katherine’s referring to the revocation clause.’

‘Yes, of course.’ Chris swallowed. ‘The clause is in there.’

Kate sat up a little straighter in her chair. ‘Then show me where to sign.’

Dominic gave her a jaundiced look. ‘I’m going to make sure your CX Capital contract is reviewed before you sign it. They won’t be as amenable as I should you change your mind.’

‘You’re amenable? Really?’ She grinned playfully. ‘Since when?’

‘Enough, Katherine,’ Dominic warned softly, flicking his eyes towards the attorney.

‘I expect the nature of our friendship isn’t in doubt since Mr Robbins drafted this contract for you, Dominic,’ she said as softly.