Candidate Four (6 page)

When she opened her eyes she saw the couple beyond the glass wall laying out side-by-side on the bed, watching her, intrigued and with satisfied smiles on their spent faces. Her heartbeat, already fast and heavy in her body, pumped faster at the realization she’d just fucked in front of an audience. A flicker of embarrassed realization that had begun to bloom somewhere deep inside was quickly quieted by the twelfth man’s hands on her waist, skin skimming across skin from belly button to ribs to hips where they finally came to a stop at the underside of her back. She was still lit from within, her pelvic muscles tightened in a way that both ached and wanted simultaneously. He lifted her with ease, angling the lower half of her torso up towards his naked and still-hard erection.

His intent was clear and yet it surprised her. He wanted more. She was spent, had never attempted sex again so quickly after orgasm. But of course he hadn’t come, and she had said she wanted to come
with him
. She pushed aside any uncertainty. She wanted ruin, she would accept ruin.

The twelfth man was on his knees, his hands holding her bottom up in the air while her back rested against the soft leather cushioning of the couch. She moaned when he entered her, her body still recovering from having him inside her only moments prior. This was different. While she had topped and taken him on whim, he possessed her with intention, with a determined passion that she watched with keen amazement. His fingers were pressed hard into her backside, sinking into skin as he pulled her against his body and thrusted. She closed her eyes and luxuriated in the sensation.

“Wrap your legs around me.” It was a demand, not a request, and one she followed dutifully. Her thighs opened wider as her legs wrapped around his muscular torso, heels dug into his backside, and the sensation of him deepend in a way she was not expecting. The openness of her body to his quickened her wanting, and she let her arms fall lazily about her head as he took her, her fingertips brushing against leather as her body moved.

Natalie opened her eyes and saw the couple on the other side of the glass. The candidate was on her knees while the Gentleman took her from behind, his eyes on Natalie as the twelfth man pumped with increasing intensity in and out of her, her body still partially raised in the air.

It was an odd sensation, watching someone watch her, and in such an intimate fashion in every way possible. This wasn’t just watching, but being watched, and the way the other Gentleman watched her made her want to cover her arms to her chest and hide what parts of her were exposed. His eyes roamed her body, languishing over her breasts and hips, a self-satisfied sneer on his unattractive face. She hadn’t noticed before that he was overweight with thinning hair, about as opposite the twelfth man as any other man could get. His tongue licked over his lips while his eyes bore lasciviously into her, and her hands and arms went instinctively to her breasts.

The twelfth man stopped moving and put his hands on her knees, pushing back and out of her. Natalie snapped out of her distraction and brought her knees together as he lowered her to the couch. He got up and quickly stalked around the room, collecting their discarded belongings as she sat up and tried to cover herself from the other Gentleman’s eyes.

“Hold these.” The twelfth man put the small pile in her arms and then picked her up, cradling her body against his chest, their belongings loose in her lap. She caught a glance of the other Gentleman and Candidate behind the glass and was disturbed to see he was smiling, his gross predatory stare still covering her body.

The door to the middle room closed quickly and quietly as they entered the foyer and the twelfth man hit the button for the elevator. Natalie squirmed in his arms, hoping he’d understand her meaning and set her down, but he held her, his eyes forward ahead of him, his mouth in a straight line across his face.

“Sorry,” she quietly muttered as the elevator doors opened and he entered, a finger reaching out from beneath the crook of her knee to stab the button for the penthouse.

“For what?” he grunted without looking at her.

She wasn’t sure what she was sorry for, but it somehow felt appropriate to apologize. The elevator car slowed and opened with a
ping
to the penthouse foyer, and the twelfth man carried her back into the familiar space she’d last walked out of. He navigated the key and door with ease, carrying her through the room and into the bedroom, a space which she’d not had a chance to see. He set her down on the bed and picked up the pile in her lap, discarding it to the floor at his feet. Natalie crawled backwards until she was in the middle of the bed, her arms free at her sides, knees joined at a modest angle.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes finally meeting hers. He stood at the edge of the bed, not touching her. If she didn’t know any better she’d guess his look was that of irritation, though she didn’t know if it was with her or something else.

“I suppose I’m not one for watching after all.” It was her attempt at a joke but it fell flat and sounded more self-deprecating than she’d intended.

“I think we’ve established you like to watch, Natalie.” He kept his eyes on her as he moved onto the bed, coming to a stop just at her knees. “What you don’t like is being leered at, and that is nothing to apologize for.”

“Still,” she shrugged, feeling a sense of warmth from the fact that he not only noticed her discomfort, but did something about it immediately and without hesitation. “It can’t have been easy to just stop.”

He raised an eyebrow and put his hands on her knees, slowly parting them to make room for his own body.

“It was easier than the alternative. Besides,” his fingers and palms slid down her thighs and smoothed over her hips. “I think I’d prefer
not
sharing you.” He was still hard, the sight of him reigniting whatever desire the other Gentleman had extinguished from her.

“Thank you.” She said it without thinking, but meant it. He stopped with his hands still on her, his eyes fixed on her yet glazed over by an unspoken thought that had taken possession of his mind.

She was wanting, but the spell that had taken over her mind and body to take pleasure in him had stayed in the previous room with the leering gentleman, and even she could see in the twelfth man that he was not in the same mental space, even if his body was. And yet to her great surprise he pushed her legs apart and swept over her body, resting on her torso with his arms at her sides bearing the brunt of his weight. His handsome face had re-composed from whatever thought had taken hold of him, but he still looked pensive.

“Are you always this polite, Natalie?” he asked, his face mere inches from hers, his blue-green eyes darkened in the close proximity. It was an almost absurd question given that his erection was pushing up against her thigh, so tantalizing close to what her body wanted.

“Um, yes? I think.” She wanted to laugh at the fact she had to think about her answer at all. That he was even asking the question to begin with! “Aren’t most people?”

“No.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No.” He smiled and ran his left index finger down the length of her side from rib to hip with unbroken eye contact. “Being polite takes too much time.”

Natalie squirmed when his finger touched a particularly ticklish spot just at the crest of her hip and tried to stifle a bubble of laughter. “You seem polite to me.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Do I?”

His finger still on the spot on her hip, he angled his body until he could reach the place with his mouth and he sucked gently, his tongue sweeping over the skin ever so lightly. Another burst of laughter escaped as Natalie tried to squirm, but his hands were quick to keep her in place and prevent her from going anywhere.

“What’s your name?” Natalie blurted the question out without really meaning to, and it seemed to catch him off guard; he lifted his head from her hip, the smile he wore faltering slightly.

“Oh, Natalie,” he breathed before kissing at her hip again, then following a path up her stomach to the undercarriage of her breasts. “I’m going to have to dispel this notion you have that I’m a nice guy.” In one swift movement she was not prepared for the twelfth man hooked an arm beneath one of her legs and pushed it in towards her body, simultaneously entering her with a firm thrust that caused a throaty groan to escape her dry mouth. Her eyes rolled back into her head as the still-unfamiliar sensation of him inside her assaulted every sense, her body growing and then constricting around him as he moved in and out.

Natalie savored the fullness of him, the incredible friction of him inside her as the delicate ridges of his hardness moved with expert skill. She felt the high immediately, that delirium of every hyperaware nerve ending sending messages to her brain that released chemicals so divine they transported her to another mental space entirely.

The twelfth man took her hands and held them tight above her head, her breasts arching up and brushing against his warm and naked chest as he slowed his pace inside her. “Breathe, Natalie,” he whispered at her lips before kissing them. “Open your eyes and breathe.”

Were her eyes closed? She opened them and they immediately found his, the contact almost
too
intensely personal. Her breath came in shallow pants that let out a small groan with each exhale. Every instinct told her to look away, to break at least that one form of contact to keep a semblance of sanity.

“Open,” he admonished as her eyes autonomously fluttered. “I want to see you when I make you come.”

Natalie fought the instinct to close her eyes as his mouth closed on hers; he had commandeered her every sense. She cold
taste
him in her mouth,
hear
the sound of his skin against her own,
see
the faint flecks of gold around the irises of his eyes,
smell
his cologne mixed with desire, and
touch
him with her body even with her hands bound in his at her head. He was everywhere, practically suffocating her in his overpowering presence.

He watched her with scrutinizing intensity until her body could no longer take it, clenching magnificently with each thrust until she crossed the threshold into utter bliss. She gasped for breath, her brows and cheeks contorting painfully as her eyes remained open throughout the exquisite release until she could no longer take the sensation of all-encompassing possession.

“Natalie. Natalie.”

She could barely open her eyes she was so exhausted. Her body had fallen limp into the bed, pushed deep into its softness by the presence of his body still on top of her.

“Just let me close my eyes for a minute,” she lazily spoke, eyes barely able to open and take in any sight. She fell into sleep before her brain could interpret his reply, her body slipping into a soft unconsciousness.

The mouthwatering scent of a sizzling steak woke Natalie’s olfactory senses before the rest of her mind and body could catch up. She was tucked into the plush bed, soft pillows forming a nest around her head. The room was mostly dark, a few candles softly illuminating around the space. A set of drapes had been pulled aside to reveal a spectacular view of the glittering city several miles away as though they were in another world entirely. The sky above the city was so inky black she had no hope of figuring out the time. She wore no watch and there was no clock that she could see on either side of the bed. She set her hands at her side to raise herself from the luxurious comfort when her fingertips met silk.

“Natalie.” The twelfth man’s voice seemingly came from nowhere and she nearly jumped as the quiet was pierced with it. He stood in the doorway leaning against the frame, his arms crossed lazily over his chest. “Put that on.” He motioned with his head to the silky garment. “Unless you’d like to dine in the nude. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy that.”

She grabbed for the garment -- a robe -- and pulled it over her naked body beneath the sheets, noticing that he was fully clothed again in the jeans and tee shirt he’d been wearing when he found her in the garden. When she was modest she tugged the sheets away and got up from the bed, suddenly feeling embarrassed under his watchful gaze from across the room.

“Where are we eating?” She asked to buy herself some time. She fidgeted with the sash that tied the silky fabric around her waist. The fabric was a smooth caress against her skin, and despite the cover she felt even more naked than when she was without any apparel at all.

“On the terrace.”

It would be cold outside, too cold for a short silk robe. But the smell of delicious protein had made her stomach grumble and she would brave the cold for a hot meal to satisfy her suddenly starving self.

“Lead the way,” she offered.

“After you, please,” he offered back, a faint smile curving across his lips. Lips that had explored her body to satisfied delight. A quiver radiated down her spine as she recalled the sensation of him in, with, around and on her. She was too shy to walk past him but too hungry to humor her reserved demeanor for much longer. Arms clasped across her body in an attempt to bound together what the silky sash was already binding, she moved from the bed to the door, forcing her eyes anywhere but on him.

She could feel his eyes on her like the memory of his lips. When she was one step past the doorframe he quickly grabbed and pulled her into his embrace, his arms like strongholds around her arms and torso. She lost her balance and braced her arms against his chest to stay on both feet. Her eyes finally met his and she sucked in and kept her breath, paralyzed in his embrace.

“You can’t possibly still be nervous, Natalie.” His voice was as soft as a whisper but deep, and the faint accent twinged every vowel.

He’d said nearly the same thing to her at the beginning of the evening, before he tried to send her away the first time.

“But I am. And I can’t pretend I’m not.”

His face settled into a pensive stare as though he were actually considering her predicament. His thumbs roamed in absentminded circles at her backside, warming the silk beneath. “You don’t seem so nervous when we’re-“

“Maybe we should talk while we eat,” she interrupted him, her cheeks flushing scarlet at the direction of their conversation. He nodded wordlessly and led her with a hand on her back to the terrace where a Concierge was placing fresh cut white roses in the precise middle of the table. Two places were set, silver warming covers hiding the delicious smelling food. Upon seeing Natalie -- and showing no sign he even noticed her virtual lack of apparel -- the Concierge pulled out a chair and stood behind it. She sat, taking great care not to flash more skin than necessary as she adjusted and let the Concierge push her in closer to the table. The twelfth man sat opposite her and poured a fresh glass of chilled white wine as the Concierge disappeared back to wherever Concierges came from.

Natalie lifted the warming cover and inhaled the delicious aroma of pepper and butter on her steak au poivre, then sighed contentedly as her stomach made an obnoxious growl.

“How did you know I wasn’t a vegetarian or had some dietary restriction to beef?”

The twelfth man aired out a cloth napkin before placing it in his lap. “How do you know I didn’t also order vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, fruititarian, and
whatever
tarian options in case you were any one of those?”

Rebuffed, Natalie leaned back in her chair and turned her attention to the steak. She had absolutely no issue with eating beef, and even if she did she’d eat it anyway if only to replenish the reserve of strength he took from her in the bedroom. Famished, she cut a generous portion of beef and fed her mouth, her tongue salivating instantly at the taste. She groaned in satisfaction as she chewed and forced herself to chew slowly, to savor the flavor and not gorge despite the unsettling pangs of hunger.

“Interesting,” the twelfth man smirked from across the table, a piece of steak languishing on his fork.

“What?” she asked between bites, fluttering her eyes open.

“You make that same sound during sex. I don’t know if that’s more a compliment to me or the steak.”

Natalie’s cheeks heated uncomfortably. “So you weren’t just being modest when you said you weren’t very polite. Good to know.”

“No, what I said was being polite took too much time. It’s the quality of being nice I lack, Natalie.” He took a bite of steak and eyed her as he chewed. She wondered if there was ever a time that whole evening where his eyes weren’t boring holes into her. And the way he said her name… she didn’t know whether she hated it or liked it a little
too
much.

“You’re right. You’re an asshole, quite frankly.” The twelfth man’s eyes widened, astonishment betraying his cool and controlled demeanor for just a moment. “You released me from my obligation, protected me from that disgusting man downstairs, ordered
whatevertarian
food in case I was a
whatevertarian
. A girl could do much better.”

He smiled garishly, half-masticated steak between his teeth. “I gave you the option to sleep with me after I bought and paid for you. And as for that ‘disgusting man downstairs’ I simply wanted your attention to myself and he was a distraction. I wouldn’t read too much into the food, Natalie. Or anything else for that matter.”

Bought and paid for!
She made a
tut
sound between her teeth and shrewdly observed him. Was he just posturing or was he really an asshole? Satisfying her hunger with hot protein had warmed her in the cool night air and emboldened her, waking up her senses.

“When I asked you why you bid on me you said it was because you wanted to-

“Hear you moan my name through those delicious lips,” he interrupted her. “I remember.”

“And yet you’ve not told me your name. Have I not asked politely enough?”

“I believe we’ve already established how polite you are, Natalie.” He reached for his glass of wine and took a long sip, eyes on her as he did.

“What’s your name?” But he didn’t answer. Instead he set down the glass of wine, cut a slice from his steak and chewed it slowly, taking his time with the meat. “It just seems odd to me that you’d make that comment but not actually tell me your name.”

“I think you’re thinking too much about it.”

Her eyes rolled to the ceiling as she let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s not like I’m asking for your bank account number. But okay, whatever.”

“You’re annoyed.”

“Yes,” she snapped, and a bit too quickly at that. She took a breath and exhaled through a smile. Either he could read her too easily or she was giving away too much.

“You’re beautiful, Natalie, but your face tells the world what you’re thinking, what you’re feeling. It’s both a gift and a curse in your case.”

She wasn’t sure whether to be flattered by the compliment, or torn at the implication that he actually could read her with relative ease. She ate what remained of her steak in quiet, sipping occasionally from the crisp white wine and trying not to let his words weigh too heavily in her mind. When she finished she pushed the plate away and leaned back in her seat, looking out beyond the terrace to the city lights far away and beneath them, wondering what time it was. How long had she been there already? How long until she would leave? She was free to leave whenever, but no later than noon the next day.

There was nothing stopping her from standing up at that moment and walking away. She had her envelope, she’d had sex with her bidder, and despite his charm he was obviously not in any kind of mood to share anything about himself, even something so innocuous as his name.

“What are you thinking about?” the twelfth man asked after a long silence had stretched between them. Natalie glanced at him quickly before turning her eyes back to the city.

“I’m thinking about leaving.”

“Because I won’t tell you my name?” She looked at him again to find that charming smile of his replaced with something more akin to a frown. A pensive, thoughtful frown.

“Because eventually I have to leave and I have no idea what time it is,” she stated simply. Was it her imagination or did he seem disappointed? It had to have been her imagination.

The twelfth man held his left wrist out and glanced down at it quickly before returning his gaze to her. “It’s almost three. If you’re tired you’re welcome to stay here and sleep.”

Something in his tone made her think he wanted her to stay, but every time he had given her the opportunity to leave previously he ended up convincing her to stay. His tone could be deceptive and she didn’t know him well enough to decipher what was real and what wasn’t. But she was exhausted, made even more exhausted by the contented feeling of fullness in her stomach. The satin robe was chilled by the night air around her, and despite the heat lamps that had been lit and were roaring on either side of them, she was chilly, and the bed had been so comfortable…

“I think I will.” Even if she could find a Concierge to take her home at that hour she had no doubt she’d be asleep before she could make it to the front door. “Thank you for the offer,” she added as an after thought. “That was very
polite
of you.”

“Again, I wouldn’t read too much into it.”

She didn’t wait to be excused, she just stood up, placed her napkin on the empty plate and walked back into the warmth of the penthouse and straight to the bed she’d woken up in. Along the way she noticed a small suitcase tucked just inside the open closet doors. The lid was propped up, a small closet light from above illuminating a few items of clothing neatly folded and tucked in the silk lining of the suitcase. She spotted a tee shirt and on a whim grabbed it, substituting the robe in favor of something she would be comfortable sleeping in. She was too tired to consider if it was rude to steal the shirt of a man she’d just had sex with.

Natalie quickly slipped the robe off and slid the shirt on, sniffing at the collar when she caught his scent on the fabric.
God he smells good
. The shirt covered to just halfway down her behind, but it was good enough for her and she was too tired to think otherwise. She slipped back into the bed, pulled the covers up to her chin and leaned her had back into the nest of pillows. She could think about everything that had happened that night in the bright morning light of day.