Rules of Harte (Harte Series #1) (15 page)

Eva closed her eyes and a slender, shiny tear trickled down her cheek. She wasn’t crying out of fear, although she easily could have, she had before - often. She was crying because she believed him. She actually felt safe. For the first time since her childhood, she wasn’t afraid. She was excited. Julian changed her. And she wanted to change. She wanted it so much.

              ‘Oh fuck. Shit, fuck, shit,’ Eva said, suddenly darting upright. Panic darted around her body like a boomerang. She could feel skittish, nervous, I’ve-fucked-up-Eva return to her familiar place in command of her body.

‘What, what?’

              Eva pointed to her mask that lay on the floor beside the broken champagne flute. The fizzy alcohol danced around one side and changed the colour from a crisp, shiny white to a dull, murky grey. Julian picked up the mask, shook off the sparkling dibbles and placed it back on the coffee table.

             
Eva’s hand flew to her face and the colour drained from her cheeks. Mr Doe would be furious. She’d fucked a stranger, gotten drunk and destroyed company property. Damn it. She wasn’t some sexy bad-girl no matter how much she tried to pretend. She was just the same wimp she always had been. And trying to be something she wasn’t had just made a mess. What the hell was she thinking? She’d probably lose her job now. She knew she was coming across all weird and OCD and was probably insuring Julian never wanted to touch her again, but she was shitting herself and couldn’t hide it.

             
Julian hung his head to the side. He was wide eyed and curious. He didn’t pester her for an explanation but she felt she owed him one.

‘My boss is going to kill me.’

‘Really? Over this.’

‘Yes, really.’ Eva’s finger tips were subconsciously rubbing her temples. ‘He’s a complete dick.’

‘Jesus, this guy really has you worked up.’

‘I think he has it in for me. This will just make it worse. He wanted to have sex in his office…I think. But
, that’s not my thing…I mean…’

Eva stopped mid-sentence. She sighed loudly. How hypocritical, she thought. Not her thing?
Yeah right!
She’d managed just fine with Julian. She blushed. Her lobster faced appearance was becoming like a bad habit around him. And her cheeks reddened even more just thinking about it.

             
‘I can’t say I blame him. If I was your boss I’d want to fuck you too.’

‘No, no,’ Eva explained
, ignoring the compliment. ‘He has sex with loads of girls at work. I think I’m the only one he hasn’t done it with.’

‘Oh
,’ Julian said, crocking an eyebrow curiously. Eva couldn’t tell if he was surprised her boss was a nymphomaniac, or that Eva had refused his advance.

‘And you felt left out?’

‘Well yeah. No, I mean…Jesus I wouldn’t have done it, but it would have been nice to have been asked.’

‘You wanted your boss to ask you if he could fuck you?’

Bugger. No. Bugger.
That wasn’t what she meant at all. She just wanted to be as desired as the rest of the female population of the office. She felt crap enough about herself already without her boss rubbing it in.

‘You’ll have to point him out to me at the ball. Maybe I could learn a few things from this ladies man.’

Eva covered her lips with her fingers as she tried to hide a smirk. She doubted anyone, not even the infamous Mr Doe, could teach Julian anything he didn’t already know. Her pussy ached just thinking about his skills.

Julian eased himself off the couch and pulled up his trousers. They hung loosely, sitting just below his hip bone without his belt to fasten them in place.

‘Come on.’ He looked delicious as he bent down and offered her his hand.

She placed her palm into his open hand and her fingers slid naturally between his. He kissed her hand and slowly pulled her up. Standing in her bare feet, the tip of her head reached just below his chin. She rested her head on his stiff, broad shoulder and tucked her face into his neck. Julian placed a hand on each of Eva’s shoulders and pushed her back, just a little. He held her close enough to feel the heat of his body but far enough so she could look into his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her. Open mouthed and soft. It was different to his earlier kisses. It was more tender, less intense, but just as fabulous.

             
‘Let’s fix this little problem, then, shall we?’

Eva threw a disap
proving eye on her mask. ‘How?’

‘I have an idea. What else have you got in the house?’

Eva looked puzzled. She tried to wipe the stupid look off her face and act cool, but she had no idea what the hell he was talking about.

‘Wine, beer, Gin, Evangeline. What have you got?’

‘I have coffee and diet coke. ‘

‘Booze, Evangeline, Booze. C’mon
, you must have a stash here somewhere.’

Eva shook her head. ‘I don’t really drink.’

Julian shook his head, appalled. ‘Okay, well that, my dear has got to change. But not tonight. Pass me the bottle.’

             
Julian pointed to the champagne on the coffee table. Eva really didn’t want any more. She needed a clear head to think herself out of this mess. But she didn’t want to insult her guest so she reached over and passed the bottle to him.

‘Thanks,’ Julian said as he caught it and tilted it until the contents spilled all over the coffee table.

‘What the fuck?’ Eva shrieked and rushed to grab the couple of magazine at the end of the table to rescue them from a watery death.

‘We need those,’ Julian said, taking them back, ripping random pages from the middle and throwing them onto the now sticky and
shiny table top.

Eva looked on, too bewildered to react.
So he’s hot, but turns out he might be barking mad,
she thought soberingly seriously.

             
‘Trust me, Evangeline. Can you do that?’

Eva shrugged her shoulders. The last time he asked for her trust
, she was rewarded by him ripping her knickers with his bare hands. She wasn’t sure what answering that question might lead to next. But she found herself nodding none the less.

             
Julian roughly tore the label from the bottle, turned it face down and swirled it around on the wet table. He lifted the mask and dabbed the soaking label against it in random places. Every so often, he would soak the label and odd magazine pages a little more in the spill before continuing his strange dabbing technique. The paper was fading, the words unreadable. But the mask was becoming a collage of colours and words.

             
‘There. All fixed,’ Julian said, holding up his masterpiece. ‘You’re a party girl, deep down, but you only like the good stuff. Krug or nothing.’

Eva smiled, trying not to cry. She liked Julian. She really proper liked him. ‘Thank you. It actually looks really good.’

‘Don’t sound so surprised.’

‘Sorry I didn’t mean…’

‘I’m teasing, Evangeline. Do relax.’

Julian raised the mask to Eva’s face. She closed her eyes instinctively and felt Julian’s lips softly kiss the tip of her nose. She smiled.

‘I wish you’d do that more often,’ he said.

‘What? S
mile?’

‘You’re beautiful
, always, Evangeline. You’re perfect when you smile.’

Butterflies fluttered widely in her tummy at his sincere words.

‘You smile when you come.’

Screw, butterflies. He’d watched her come. There were fireworks in her stomach and they
were exploding like it was New Year’s Eve.

‘I want you to smile more. Do you want to smile more?’

Eva nodded rapidly.

‘Good. That’s settled then?’

‘What’s settled?’

Eva really hoped it wasn’t a rhetorical question. She didn’t want to look stupid. While Julian’s riddles were a sexy and fun, they confused the hell out of her.

‘More smiling means more coming.’ Julian’s eyes narrowed and his left eyebrow raised a fraction. ‘We should probably start now.’

             
He was insatiable. She was still exhausted from earlier. She didn’t think she could come again, but the thought of Julian naked certainly made her want to try.

             
Julian pushed his lips onto her mouth and parted her lips with his tongue. The bottom of his tongue was wet and smooth as it ran across the top of hers. He pinched her bottom lip between his teeth and pulled, just enough to pinch. Eva’s eyes shot open with the unexpected, just in time to catch his wicked smirk. He loved shocking her, Eva knew. She also knew her reaction fuelled his passion. She could feel him swell inside his trousers. Her hand twitched and she nervously grabbed his crotch. He gasped. Was he teasing her or did she genuinely surprise him? She just couldn’t tell. She couldn’t read him. She doubted anyone could.

             
Julian’s pushed Eva back against the couch and forced her knees apart. His kisses never faltered and Eva tilted her head back against the cushions, offering him full control of her body. He kneeled between her and Eva instinctively tried to close her legs but his hips blocked her way. His hand rammed inside Eva’s loose bottoms, and he tossed her knickers to the side with a flick of his fingers. He was aggressive and intent. Eva braced herself. Two fingers pumped hard in her soaking pussy. She didn’t have time to catch her breath.

             
‘It’s too much…’ Eva mumbled between rough pants.

‘I know.’ He didn’t stop. He gave a little sadistic push. His fingers were so deep
, Eva could feel his knuckles pound against her with each rough push. His thumb flicked her clit in perfect rhythm to his darting fingers. It took all Eva’s self-control not to scream. She was right on the edge, already. Her haste to release almost embarrassed her. He made it so easy. She was going to come. Her body stiffened and just as the huge vibration was about to explode inside her, he stopped. She protested with a soft whimper and rocked her pelvis on his stilled fingers.

‘Not yet, baby. It’s not strong enough.’

‘It is. It’s amazing,’ Eva whispered. Her heart raced and she was shaking. It was perfect and she didn’t want to stop. Her clit trembled as it begged for more.

             
Julian eased himself up to kiss Eva’s cheek. His fingers stroked the contours of her neck and a tingle trickled down her spine. Her body relaxed and her urgency to come eased.

‘Ready?’ Julian asked
, an alluring grin shaped his face.

Eva inhaled sharply. She knew what was coming
, and although she couldn’t say she was ready, she definitely wanted it. She nodded.

             
Julian roughly pulled her t-shirt over her head and expressed his appreciation for her perfect breasts with a deep groan. His tongue gently circled her left breast, flicking her nipple and it pebbled in response. He moved across to her right, offering the same exquisite attention to that side. He teased them both with soft kisses and sharp nibbles in turn. He roughly tugged her pants from her hips, and she raised her bottom off the couch to allow him pull them clear off. She lay naked, her heaving body begged for his expert touch. Julian nestled between her legs again and spread his knees, pushing Eva’s legs apart until her hips couldn’t stretch anymore. She was so exposed, so vulnerable and so bloody horny.

             
‘You’re beautiful.’ Julian leaned lower. He had an exquisitely intimate view she had never allowed anyone before. His fingers traced every part of her and dipped in and out of her glistening opening. He slid his thumb inside her and tilted his head to watch her reaction.

             
‘Look at me, baby, I want to see you take this.

Eva’s e
yes looked into his. She smiled and her eagerness sparkled across her face. His other thumb followed. Eva gasped as fullness stung. Her eyes narrowed and Julian eased his pressure but kept his thumbs locked in place.

‘Take it. Just relax and it won’t hurt. I promise.’

              Eva closed her eyes and did as she was told. She breathed slowly and tried to enjoy the intense pressure.

‘A little more, okay? We’re almost there.’

A meek whimper sounded from deep inside Eva. She’d never heard herself make that noise before.

The mix of pleasure and pain had her unsure. Unsure of what Julian would do next but so sure
, whatever it was, she wanted it.

‘We’ll take it slow. Just say stop if you need to.’ Julian’s dark chocolate eyes stared into hers,
gaging her reaction.

             
Eva panted hard. It hurt, not unbearably, but enough to make her aware of the pain. But she wanted it. The pain increased the pleasure, and the sting. Pressure and pure ecstasy had her biting her lip not to scream his name.

             
‘More.’ Julian was telling her, not asking and Eva was content to let him take control. His thumbs pushed deeper, their full length slid inside her and Eva gasped as an uncontrolled whisper of his name rushed from her lips. Julian slowly pulled his thumbs apart, stretching her tiny gap. It really stung now. A hot burning rippled around her opening and Julian’s lips sprung to attention sucking her nipple. She was so full. She’d never felt anything like it before.