Initiate Me (4 page)

Great.
It was fine for the
experienced
Milan to say that, but I had no idea what to do with a man like Zane. She was right, though. I’d come this far; I couldn’t back down. The damage was done, so to speak.

"Go ask him to come to the after-party. I'm hoping your brother doesn't bring that floozy with him. She is most definitely not welcome!" Milan huffed, eyeballing Marco who was huddled with some blonde in a corner.

"I honestly don't know why you are so mean to Marco, Milan. He is only ever nice to you and you are such a bitch to him all the time. If I didn't know better, I'd think you actually like him and you pretend to hate him and try to make him jealous by flirting with Blake."

Milan rolled her eyes at me."Whatever. Just remember
you
are Little Miss Innocent, not me. You asked for my advice and I’m giving it to you. You've got the guy all worked up, so go finish him off.”

With that, Milan gave me a nudge in Zane's direction and I almost stumbled in my heels as I headed toward him.
This is it. Suck it up, Mia. You can do it.

"Mia." He whispered my name so seductively I almost lost my nerve. “What brings you back, angel; you forget something?"

"Ah...no...well, actually, yeah." I nervously licked my lips as I pulled up the courage to ask, "I’m not sure if Marco or Max told you about the after-party. Just checking if you wanted to come?"

There we go. That wasn't so hard.
I expelled the breath I never realised I was holding in.

"Oh, I most definitely want to
come,
angel. But are you asking me to come with you or drive you there myself, seeing as you've been drinking?”

“I am by no means drunk." I put my hands on my hips in a huff. Drunk, my arse. “But thanks for the offer.”

“You sure about that, angel? I've seen you swing back a few glasses of vintage Sinclair wine the last few hours. You probably shouldn’t be driving.”

“What, are you dying to get me in the backseat of a car or something? And how the hell would you know how much I’ve been drinking? Like you can talk! I’ve noticed you’ve been knocking back quite a bit of that amber fluid, so you won’t be driving either, will you?”

“I’ve been watching you. Closely. Every step and move you make, angel. I haven't taken my eyes off you and you damn well know it.” My confidence slipped as he moved in and whispered in my ear, “You like that I’ve been watching you, don't you, baby.?”

No point in losing my nerve now; I may as well go for it.

“So, um...while you were, ah...watching, did you see anything you liked?” I slowly palmed his chest as I spoke. Holy shit, I loved his chest; it was as hard as a rock.

“I most definitely saw something I liked, angel.” His gaze landed on my deliberately pouty lips.

“Yeah, right. Give me a break. You've ignored me for years.”

He managed to drag his eyes back to mine. “What, you saying I'm
lying
?”

“No, not exactly.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that?”

“I mean you respect my brothers way too much to do anything about it. You know that saying ‘
all talk and no action’
? That describes you to a ‘T’. You always look your fill, but you'll never act on it. Are you scared of them or something?"

Zane nearly choked. “Me? Scared of your brothers? Yeah, I’m shaking in my shoes, babe."

“Very funny. Let me rephrase it then, shall I? You. Are. A. Chicken." I jabbed at his rock-hard chest, staring at his lips while I seductively ran my tongue over my teeth. “Come on, admit it. Why else would you avoid me until now? It's like you were waiting for me to make the first move. Like I said before, you're always so straight-laced. Can't you do the unexpected for a change?" I challenged.

“I’d love to do the unexpected with you, every damn day.”

I reached up, letting my fingers fiddle with a button on his shirt. “Then tell me why you don’t?” I grew bolder and took the initiative, exactly what Milan told me to do.

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know, angel," he growled. “I hope you're not playing games with me, little girl.”

I stood on the tips of my toes. “In case you didn't notice, I haven’t been a little girl for a very long time, Zane.”

“Believe me, angel, I noticed.”

“Well, it's about damn time.” My fingertips delicately traced the outline of his jaw; a chaste, yet erotic caress. I could feel his erection pressing against me. It was hard. Very hard and hot.

“No games, Zane. If you want to play with me, all you have to do is ask. I’ll be at the after-party later. I'll be waiting there for your answer.”

I left him standing there, mouth agape. I made sure I swayed my hips as I sashayed my butt out of the room, back to the festivities.

MIA

T
his is it.
I tried not to look anxious, but Lord, Zane made me so nervous. I took a deep breath and prayed he'd show up.

Oh, my God, what if he didn’t? What was I thinking? I had to start my internship at the Brunetti Hotel Resort and Spas the following week. God damn Milan and her brainwave schemes. How the hell was I going to face Zane at work?

I always over-analysed things; I needed to stop. If he didn’t show up, I’d know exactly why: my brothers and the fact he thought he was way too old for me.

But I knew he wanted me. I could feel it. I’d always felt it. And earlier, I’d literally felt it. I loved how hot his eyes burned every time he looked at me.
Oh, yeah, he wants me, but he doesn’t want to want me.

Well, that’s if he shows up. If he does, I'm taking a leaf out of Milan's Holy Bible and I'm pulling out all the stops. I'm going to make myself impossible to resist.

My eyes darted to the door of The Clubhouse in Tanunda where the after-party was being held. It was easy to find; it was opposite the picturesque gardens which housed the famous Tanunda Rotunda, on the corner of Murray Street and Bilyara Road in Tanunda's town centre. Max had organised the after-party celebration so guests could continue to celebrate, and I sure planned on doing that.

I smiled at Milan as she cozied up to Blake Ross. She gave me the thumbs up, and when I spun my head back around, my pulse leaped. Zane walked through the door I'd been stalking.

He glanced up, our eyes met, and he walked over to me, stopping in front of me. “I’m here.”

"Great," I replied in a husky voice. It's all I managed to say as my heart thumped so hard I thought it was going to bounce right out of my body.

“I'm going to get a drink. You want one?"

I nodded. “Sure.”

“Don’t disappear on me, angel.”

“No way. I’ll be right here.”

I let out a nervous breath as he walked off, gifting me with a glimpse of his tight buns and muscular legs encased in his tuxedo. He'd shed his jacket and his white shirt stretched across his wide shoulders. Oh, man, just looking at him made my body quiver. I desperately wanted to touch him, to feel his skin against mine and trace every single one of those hard ridges of his chest.

When he returned and handed me my wine, he asked, “Now, Mia...you serious about these games you want to play? The big question is, baby, are you up to what I've got planned for these fun and games?"

Holy shit.
I shook my head. My mouth was so dry all I could do was nod. No words came out of my mouth. None. At all.

“Angel, I've got to ask you, though, why did you come on to me back at the reception, when you can have any other young guy here?”

I stared into my wine hoping it would give me an answer. If I answered him honestly, I'd be giving myself away, and I didn't quite know how to. How was I supposed to answer that?

Before I could even answer, his rough hand curled over my wrist, stroking my palms. I got that feeling again, that quiver in my stomach. I was so out of my league with Zane. His gaze was fixated on my mouth, the lust in his eyes sending shivers down my spine.

“Fuck. You have the sexiest mouth I’ve ever seen. All I want to do is explore it and run my tongue over every inch of those plump, red lips.”

Oh, Lord, I'm not used to this.
My eyes searched for Milan to help me out but she was nowhere to be seen, so I blurted out the first thing which came to my mind. “Do you want to dance?”

“Baby, dancing that Tarantella got me hard enough. The next time I get that close to you, I'm going to make it worth my while."

There was more silence between us, and I felt like such a ditz. With my confidence slipping, there was no way I'd be able to go through with my seduction plans. I had to do something.

Here goes nothing!
I hooked one of my fingers around his leather belt buckle and pulled him toward me. "How about you start by getting closer to me right now, Zane?"

Somehow, with his hot hands on my lower back, he managed to manoeuvre me over to a secluded spot in the bar. When he spun me around, I held on to his thick forearms.

"Tell me, angel. Why are you flirting with me?" he asked. "There's got to be an ulterior motive as to why you're doing it."

"Is it so hard to believe I may just find you attractive? Geez, you must have a very low opinion of me, Zane!"

"Don't bullshit me, Mia. I'm too old to play these games," he gritted out.

"There you go again. Always making excuses about our age difference. I'm twenty-six and you are the ripe old age of thirty-four. Yeah, you are so old, Zane. I better run out and buy you that walking frame!" My chest heaved with my growing anger.

“Don't take it personally, angel. I've got a low opinion of women in general; it's not you.”

"I'm not like other women. I'm different." I let my fingers trace the ridge of his collarbone. “I'm not teasing you, but...I do have a confession to make."

His eyes hardened. “A confession? What, you think you’re at church or something, angel?”

"No, I need something. Wait a minute, let me rephrase that. I want something from you. Something I only want you to give me.”

“And what might that be, angel?”

“I want you to teach me everything there is to know about sex.”

***

ZANE

I
spat out my scotch, totally blown away by her so-called
confession
. "What the fuck did you just ask me?"

“Exactly that. I want you to teach me how to
fuck
, Zane." She smiled as if she was asking me to politely change a tyre on her car or something.

I gave her a sceptical look. “I need more information, Mia. Is there a reason you’re telling me this information and why me?”

“Well...there is, but I'm too embarrassed to divulge that information."

"Divulge. Now"

"I'm a virgin."

Jesus fucking Christ!

“You are joking with me, right?”

“I wish. Just forget it. Forget I even asked you anything at all." She tried to make a run for it, but I grabbed her by her waist before she could escape.

“Where the hell do you think you're going after dropping a bombshell like that? Get back here,
now
. There is a lot we need to discuss."

"Fine. But can we go somewhere a bit more private, please?"

I led her down the darkened corridor to a small lounge area. “Now tell me, angel – by a virgin, you mean you've never had sex with a man, but you have done some other things, right?"

She didn't answer me.

"Mia, answer me. Have you ever been with a man before, or are you willing to spread your legs for me and only me?"

“Yes.”

The muscle in my jaw snapped. I opened my mouth to speak and quickly closed it shut again until I finally questioned her 'Yes' response.

“Yes, what, angel? You saying yes you've been with a man, or that yes I'm the lucky bastard who’s going to nail you first.”

She nodded in agreement and whispered nervously, “Yes to the last one.”

“Holy fuck. You sure know how to get a man hot under the collar. Do you know how that makes me feel, knowing no man has ever ventured—”

“Stop." She threaded shaky fingers through her glorious mane of silky, dark hair. "Look, let’s both forget I even asked you anything. You don't have to say yes, you know."

My lips curled oh-so-slowly, in a decidedly predatory grin. “Here’s the deal, angel face. What if I
want
to say
yes
?"

Mia blushed and froze.

I pulled her into my chest and placed my mouth to her ear. “Before I agree to be your so-called
teacher
, I need to ask you a few questions. You okay with that?"

I felt the tightening of her nipples against my chest and I could tell she was aroused and affected by me.

“What sort of questions?"

“Number one: I know you've had a strict Italian upbringing. So if you think saving yourself for me is going to get you what Max and Jada had today then you're wrong, angel. Happily-ever-after is not my thing. I don’t do marriage."

“I’m not looking for that. I never mentioned marriage.”

“Good.” I sighed into her hair. “Then why are you innocent, Mia? You are hot as fuck and I've seen men flock around you all the time. So what gives?"

She didn't answer me, only tilted her head and rubbed herself against me like a Cheshire cat.

"Hello, Earth to Mia. You ever going to answer me, angel?”

“Well, I've got a question for
you
. Since when did you ever consider me to be hot as fuck?"

I laughed softly, squeezing her sexy arse. “You got me there, baby.”

“See, you've always avoided me. But now all of a sudden, I'm hot as fuck and you consider me
sexy
. You tell me
what gives
? I've been too busy busting my butt studying the last few years and I've...I've never wanted to be with a guy before, and it took a lot of courage for me to confide that to you. I'm embarrassed."

"Hey, there's nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. But I still don’t get why you chose me. With all those young guys at university that you study with—”

She jack-knifed out of my arms. “Stop treating me like a child, Zane! It's either a yes or a no. I've told you, you can say
no
but please do not try to convince me that any other guy will do. Say no if you don't want me."