Whatever He Wants (2 page)

 
     
Noelle gripped the phone tightly until her
knuckles changed color. She was silent for several moments before she was calm
enough to answer her cousin’s accusations. “You only know what you’ve observed.
You don’t know everything about us.”

 
     
“Maybe not, but I know you’re unhappy and
any man who makes you unhappy isn’t worth it, hon.”

 
     
Another bitter tear slid down Noelle’s
face.

 
     
“Nothing to say?
What about your art? And the art school you abandoned because this guy decided
you
were
worthy to fuck?”

 
     
“I didn’t give up art school for him. You
know I was already having issues there. And I still sketch from time to time.”

 
     
“Sketching occasionally is not what your
talent was meant for. You have a gift and it’s a shame you’re letting it go to
waste.”

 
     
Noelle was sure her cousin meant well but
she’d heard enough. “Are you through raking me over the coals because I think I
still have a little bit of pride left before you completely destroy it?”

 
     
Simone didn’t answer for several moments
but finally she said, “I’m tired of tiptoeing around the issue. This is
something you need to hear and now that it’s been said what you do with it is
up to you. So I guess going out tonight is a no?”

 
     
Noelle allowed Simone’s words to marinate
for a moment and then her mind drifted to that picture she’d seen of James and
the redhead. “No. I mean, I’ll go out with you tonight. Where should we meet?”

 
     
“Seriously?”

 
     
“Yeah.
What time?”

 
     
“Oh, girl, you’ll have so much fun! We’re
supposed to be meeting for drinks down on Hargrove Avenue at Dominic’s and
afterwards dancing at a new club we want to check out.”

 
     
“Sounds like fun. I’ll meet you there.”

 
     
They chatted for a few more minutes before
hanging up. For the first time in weeks, Noelle felt invigorated. Screw James.
Let him have his perfect trophy wife if he wanted. Tonight she planned on
having fun and getting drunk and there was nothing he could do about it.

 
     
Two hours later decked out in a tight pair
of designer jeans, a black silk top that hung off one shoulder to reveal a
generous expanse of dark chocolate skin and a pair of high heeled boots, Noelle
was ready to go. She wore her hair loose, letting the curls flow around her
shoulders.  She made a note to herself to make a hair appointment for a
weave tightening. Perhaps she’d go shorter next time but immediately thought
better of it. James liked long hair, or she assumed he did. All men liked long
hair. After inspecting herself in the mirror she was pleased with her
appearance. Not bad for a girl from a small backwoods town in Virginia.

 
     
Just as her hand touched the doorknob, the
keyhole turned and seconds later, James, pushed his way through the door. He
never entered a room, he moved into it purposely.

 
     
Noelle backed up to avoid being knocked
over.

 
     
He halted in front of her, his wing-tipped
black brows rising in apparent surprise. Slate gray eyes roamed over her from
head to toe not seeming to miss a single detail. Those full lips that no white
boy had any business possessing thinned to a tight line. He didn’t speak. He
didn’t need to. The question was asked with his expression and it demanded an
answer.

 
     
Despite standing in four inch heel boots
Noelle still had to crane her neck to meet his gaze.  “I uh…I was just
going to meet my cousin and some of her friends for drinks.”

 
     
Still, he didn’t speak. Noelle squirmed
beneath his stare.

 
     
She ran her tongue across her gloss
covered lips nervously. “Well, I wasn’t expecting you, so I didn’t think it
would be such a big deal to go out. I’m stuck in the penthouse most of the time
and I—”

 
     
“Call Simone and cancel your plans.” He
strode past her as if that was the end of the conversation.

 
     
Normally when he made a request of her,
she complied without question, but coupled with the announcement in the society
page and her cousin’s words, Noelle bristled inside at his dismissive
statement. “No.”

 
     
He continued to the bar as he she hadn’t
spoken. “Take off your clothes, Noelle.”

 
     
“Did you hear what I just said? I’m going
out with my cousin. It would have been nice if you’d called ahead.”

 
     
He stopped only when he stood behind the
bar. Just as casually as he pleased, James pulled out a bottle of aged scotch
and a glass. He poured himself a generous amount and took a gulp and then
slowly lowered his glass. “I heard what you
said,
now
take off your clothes.”

 
     
“You can’t order me around like this.” She
wanted to stomp her foot, but realized how childish that would be.

 
     
“Five seconds, Noelle or I come over there
and do it for you. And if I have to come over there, I’m going to paddle that
delectable ass until you can’t sit for a week.”

 
     
Despite his autocratic tone, she couldn’t
help but tingle all over at the thought of him administering a spanking. No
matter how intriguing the idea was Noelle wouldn’t let him walk all over
her—not this time. “James!”

 
     
“One.”
He took
another sip of his drink.

 
     
“You’re being unreasonable.”

 
     
“Two.” Another sip, this time followed by
a lascivious lick of his lips.

 
     
“I’m a grown woman, and you have no right
to treat me this way.”

 
     
“Three.” He placed his glass down on the
bar.

 
     
“Stop this.”

 
     
“Four.”

 
     
Noelle closed her eyes against his
scrutiny knowing she’d give in to him. She felt her nipples tighten and panties
dampen when the sound of his dulcet voice caressed her ears.  Still her
last vestige of pride wouldn’t let her completely surrender just yet.

 
     
“Five.” He moved so swiftly he was in
front of her within two heartbeats. Giving her no time to protest, he dipped
just enough to dig his shoulder into her midsection and lift her in the air in
a fireman’s carry.

 
     
She squirmed as he took the steps two at a
time, earning her a sharp smack on her bottom. She howled in shock and anger.
“Put me down now, James!”

 
     
 
“I
think it’s time for a little reminder of who you belong to.”

 
     
Noelle was too stunned to react at first
but the next swat on her ass galvanized her into action. She wiggled to loosen
the tight grip he had on her. She pounded on his back with her fist. “Put me
down!”

 
     
The next time his hand came it met her
bottom there was much more force behind it. And then another even harder swat
followed. Tears sprang to her eyes. “James,” she cried out in surprise.

 
     
He remained silent, taking Noelle to the
bedroom and dropping her on the bed none too gently. Without a word, he
loosened his tie and shrugged out of his tailored suit jacket.  As he
undressed, his steely gaze never left her.

 
     
James held her captive in his gray stare
as he did so many times. She wanted to get off the bed and leave the room but
she couldn’t move or barely breathe as he discarded his shirt revealing a
muscular chest and tight abs. He quickly rid himself of his pants and boxers to
reveal his nude form. He was tall, broad-shouldered and lean, not overly
muscular but tight and tone. The definition of his arms and legs along with the
flat stomach made it evident he was no slouch in the gym.

 
     
Unable to help herself, Noelle allowed her
gaze to drift to his cock which hung hard and heavy. As he advanced toward the
bed, Noelle came out of her temporary paralysis and scrambled across the bed.
James, with lightning reflexes grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her toward
him.

 
     
“Stop, James!” She kicked out at him in
defiance. For once she didn’t want him to have it his way so easily. Seeing him
in the newspaper snuggled up so cozily with some society dame tore at her
insides. The terms had been laid out for her when they began their arrangement
and there were several times when James had reminded Noelle of them. It
increased her indignation nonetheless.

 
     
Noelle realized she’d only been holding on
to an illusion of what she’d wanted them to have. There were times when James
had been sweet and tender which she held close to her heart. Those were the
moments she could forget his coldness and used her as nothing more than an
object to assuage his animalistic needs.

 
     
Right now, his expression was something
altogether different. It was feral and almost scary. Something was off tonight
but Noelle didn’t care to figure out what it was. She’d reached her breaking
point.

 
     
James pulled back and stared at her as if
she’d completely lost her mind. “Are you telling me no?” His tone was so eerily
calm it sent a chill down her spine.

 
     
She nervously moistened her lips with the
tip of her tongue as the gnawing feeling grew in the pit of her stomach.
Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on was happening here and somehow
she knew no matter what her response was things would never be the same between
them.

 
     
“I’m not an object to be used at your
convenience. I’m a person with feelings,” she answered with a wobbly voice.
This was the most she’d ever spoken back to him and despite his expression
darkening with each word she continued. “Just because you’re important in your
world doesn’t mean you can treat me any way you feel like. I had plans to go
out with my cousin and had you asked nicely, I would have gladly changed them
for you but you come in here without so much as a hello and toss me around like
a ragdoll. Well, I’m going out and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Filled
with bravado, she slid off the bed while managing not to look at him in all his
naked glory.

 
     
Noelle was playing with fire but there was
no turning back now. Slowly she inched around him and eased away. She half
expected him to follow her, force her to stay but when he made no move she
hesitated. “Well, okay I’ll see you later.”

 
     
Still he didn’t move. She continued to
exit the bedroom wary of being followed.  This was way too easy. James
wasn’t usually one to take no for an answer.

 
     
As Noelle was about to cross the threshold
of the doorway, he finally spoke. “Before you leave, mind answering some
questions for me?”

       
Instinct
told her to keep going and not look back but there was something in his voice
that made her hesitate. “What?” She turned around with an impatient sigh.

 
     
To her surprise he was only inches away
from her. It was unnerving how a man his size could move with such stealth.
“Pardon me for not being up on the latest fashion but those boots you’re
wearing, what are they?”

 
     
She furrowed her brow in confusion,
wondering what he was getting at with such an odd question.  Noelle bit
the inside of her bottom lip before answering.  “They’re YSL.”

 
     
“Yves St. Laurent? Correct?”

 
     
She nodded, still not sure why he wanted
to know about her boots of all things.

 
     
“And these jeans?”
He slipped closer until she could feel his breath on her face. He ran his hand
along her thigh. “I noticed the fancy design on your bottom. I see a lot of the
young socialites wear them. Who designed them?”