Richard's Reign (Book 6): Enthrall Novella #3 (Enthrall Sessions) (8 page)

“I trust you.” She nudged her plate to the side. “I’d have been a teacher. English, probably. I love children. Do you want children?”

“Never gave it much thought.” In truth, I assumed I’d make a crappy dad.

“You have a great collection of books.”

My gaze shot to hers.

“Your bookcase.”

“Oh, yes.”

“You read Geoffrey Chaucer?”

“Yes. And I love anything by Dylan Thomas.”

“Me too.”

That made me smile. “Are you an Anglophile?”

“I am.” She grinned. “Have you ever been to Cornwall?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, my God, I’m going to retire in Penzance.”

“Mousehole?”

“Yes, I love it there, too.” She laughed. “Who knew that a place called Mousehole even existed?”

We shot off all the places we’d visited and I was amazed she even knew of them.

“Do you like Shakespeare?” I said.

“Yes, of course. Theatre is where an actor forges respect.” She paused for a moment. “You go by Booth now? You dropped the Sheppard?”

I gave a nod.

“You’re from New York?”

“Manhattan. You?”

“Grew up in Florida. Palm Beach. Later, we moved to Michigan.”

Which was exactly what my research had turned up after I’d Googled her back at Cameron’s last night on my iPhone - though the article had been about her father, a renowned author and celebrity in his own right. Andrea came from money, which meant she was used to getting her own way.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your fiancée,” she said softly.

My gaze fell on Winston, my thoughts drifting.

Emily floating in a blood-tinged tub of water after slitting her wrists.
Me failing to resuscitate her. Our New York penthouse filled with strangers.

A nightmare never ending.

I sipped my coffee to ease the tightness in my throat.

My fiancée had been just one of the thousands of victims my father had left in his wake. Cameron had saved the day. Saved me. He’d told me time and time again it wasn’t my fault. Yet the jury was still out on how far I’d risen on the evil bastard scale.

Andrea’s calm presence soothed me; her ethereal beauty enchanting. She’d cracked my defenses.

A jolt of regret that I’d allowed the conversation to derail. “Perhaps it’s best we maintain this as a professional relationship?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Let’s keep our private lives private.”

“From each other?”

I gave a comforting smile. “No, from Winston.”

She burst out laughing.

“Perhaps it’s the best way to protect you from me.”

She frowned.

“My family’s scandal,” I explained.

“That seems like such a long time ago now.”

Yet it clung to me with the weight of a fallen son. As though I, too, shared the guilt for all those hurting people who lost their pensions, their savings, and their homes.

“What shows do you watch? And don’t say yours.” I broke the tension with a smile.

She sat back. “I love
Doctor Who
.”

“Seriously?”

“I binge watch it sometimes.”

“I love it, too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. When I get time.”

She grinned so wide I couldn’t help but shake my head in response to her cuteness.

“I’m sorry I broke into your house.”

I narrowed my gaze. “Don’t do it again.”

A seagull flew overhead and we watched until it disappeared from view.

“So, we’ll meet at Enthrall for sessions?” she said.

“I’ll have a dominatrix meet you and escort you through another door.”

Andrea’s gaze snapped back to me.

“We’re connected to a luxury travel office. The manger is a member of Enthrall. We use her facility for certain clients.”

“What about Chrysalis?”

“You’ll never see the inside of Chrysalis.”

“Can’t you pull some strings?”

“You mean with myself?”

“You run it?”

“You’ll have the privilege of visiting Enthrall. And Enthrall only.”

“Scared I might see someone I recognize?”

“Yes. And, as you’ve proven, you have no tact.”

“I do.”

I gave her a look.

“Didn’t think you’d mind.” She pushed her chair back and rose. “Most people are happy to see me.”

“I’m not most people.”

She strolled away and leaned over the edge of the pool. “When does your pool boy come?”

“Don’t have one,” I called over. “I take care of it.”

Her gaze swept over the house, probably wondering why a millionaire cleaned his own pool.

“I find it cathartic,” I said. “Skimming leaves. Adding chlorine. Fixing the tiles.”

“Fixing tiles?”

“Yes.”

She pointed to the water. “Well, I’d like to take my morning swim. So, if you don’t mind, can you pull out those leaves?”

I followed her gaze and saw a few floating in the pool. “Swim around them.”

“What if I bump into one?”

I rose and strolled over to her.

“They’re kind of icky.”

“You’re kidding?”

“No, I’m quite serious.”

I went on over and grabbed the net off the side of the wall and took a few minutes to scoop them out.

I counted ten. “Happy now?”

“There’s still one there.” She pointed.

Frowning at her, the word
princess
resting on the tip of my tongue, I swept the net into the center and scooped out the offending leaf. With it safely on dry land and tossed in the corner trash bin, I turned to give her a
there you go
smile.

A breeze came through, rustling the oak tree at the end of the garden. It let go of a single leaf, which rose and was carried across the garden, spiraling onto the water.

Andrea arched a brow.

I threw down the net and approached her. Scooping her up in my arms, I leaned over the pool and threw her in.

She rose to the surface, splashing and spluttering in the water.

“Would you do me a favor?” I called over. “Can you reach that leaf?”

“Not funny,” she snapped. “I wasn’t planning on getting my hair wet.”

“You’re joking?”

She swam backwards. “No.”

“Feel the same way about my shirt.”

Though with the material transparent now it clung to her beautifully, following her curves and hiding nothing as it molded over her pert breasts. She huffed as she pulled it off, ripping buttons, her expression full of annoyance.

It landed in a squelch at my feet.

“You just ripped the buttons off my favorite shirt,” I said.

“You have a hundred in there. Anyway, it was icky and wet.”

Her breasts rose above the surface, her nipples pert from the morning chill.

“You have an issue with dirty, messy things, don’t you?” I said with a smirk.

“I like order. I don’t like to be surprised. I like everything clean and—

I dived in and swam toward her.

She narrowed her gaze on me, her hands swirling around her for balance.

Treading water in front of her, I said. “You were saying?”

“Sorry about your shirt.”

I grinned. “Could say the same about your hair but this wet puppy look you’ve got going on is adorable.”

“Someone forgot to take off their clothes.”

“Being spontaneous is actually healthy. You should try it some time.” I unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it off.

“I was spontaneous last night.”

“That’s right. You’re the wanton criminal who broke into my home.”

“There were mitigating circumstances.”

“In what way?”

“I thought you might change your mind about our agreement.”

“Why?”

“Because your signature was illegible. Just a couple of swirls.”

“That’s the way I sign my name.”

“I told Sienna to call you Mr. Sheppard because I knew it would get your attention.”

“You knew it would come over as a threat.”

“I didn’t mean it too.” She looked sheepish. “You’re a complex man.”

“Is that what Ethan told you?”

“He wanted me to know about your past.”

“So you knew what you were getting yourself into.”

“In case it ever came out we were friends.”

“You mean like father, like son?”

“I don’t believe that about you. Anyway, Ethan told me you’re very kind. You have a healing side.”

I was sure Ethan hid the true details of how he’d come to know about my healing touch. Particularly as the truth of it would reveal so much more about her cousin.

“Ethan also told me you’d say no, probably.”

I gave a thin smile. “He’s right.”

She looked devastated.

I owed Ethan. He was, after all, one of us. He protected Chrysalis with the fierceness of a brilliant D.A. who knew the law well, and worked with Dominic to ensure our continued integrity.

“Why are you so reluctant to take me on?” she said.

“Because your motives are not authentic.”

“How do you mean?”

“Something else is going on.”

“I believe I’ll also grow from this experience.”

“How?”

She broke my gaze. “Can it be my secret?”

“We shouldn’t keep secrets from each other.”

“Then I’ll tell you. It’s so that I feel more comfortable with my body.”

And yet she’d lain herself out for me on that desk the first day we’d met, sprawled like a wanton kitten; a woman who was in touch with her sexuality and seemed to like nothing more than coming.

“We shouldn’t lie to each other either,” I said.

She looked defeated.

“You don’t really understand what a submissive is. What I’ll do to you.”

“You want me to give up control in the bedroom?”

“Not just in the bedroom.”

“What else?”

I wrapped my hand around her throat. “Your homework is to recite to me during your first session all the ways a good sub serves her master, understand?”

“Yes,” she burst out breathlessly.

“If at any time I see you fight for dominance our agreement will be over.”

“Why would I?”

“Because you’re used to getting your own way, Andrea. You’re spoiled. What you want you get. Proof in point, you’re in my pool.”

“You’re the lucky one.”

“Really, is that right?”

She relented and gave a sweet smile.

“The first time I met you we discussed your experience with orgasms.”

She raised her chin petulantly.

“That look, right there, is disobedience. I don’t tolerate insubordination.”

Her lips trembled with excitement.

“From the moment I first saw you I knew you’d make an honorable sub. Don’t fight it though. Resist it and you resist me. I don’t train subs. Never have. So our agreement is a real privilege for you. Don’t take it for granted.”

“I don’t.”

“I’m going to promise you this, Andrea - I’m going to take you to the very limits of pleasure. I’m going to own your body and set every cell on fire with passion. When you’re not with me all you’ll think about is how well I know your pussy, how exquisitely I play with it, how it tingles when you think of me. You’ll come in your dreams, and you’ll come as you wake up because where I’m going to take you will burrow so deep inside your psyche you’ll never forget what I made you feel—

She’d slipped into subspace.

“I will teach you to come properly. Submit to me and I’ll have you climaxing so hard you’ll not only forget your own name you’ll experience Samadhi.”

“What is that?”

“Oneness.”

Her eyes opened in wonder.

I lowered my hand in the water and flicked her clit hard, making her yelp.

Her jaw slackened as she rode the buzz of pleasure between her thighs, her quick clit orgasm making her moan.

“Was that nice?” I said huskily.

“Yes, sir.”

“Proof that your clit is mine.”

“Oh, God.” She jolted her hips forward as her body flinched from another spasm in her sex that came back around. “That’s not possible.”

“Clearly it is.”

She looked down at herself in disbelief at what I’d accomplished.

“Now imagine an hour’s session with me.”

“Master,” she whispered.

“Better.”

“Sir, thank you for not throwing me out.”

I still couldn’t quite believe she’d chosen to be here on New Year’s Day with me. I was sure her entourage was reeling without her.

“Looks like I’m taking you on.”

She threw her head back in a laugh. “It’s going to be amazing.”

I grinned at her.

“How do you do that?”

I slid out of my pants. “Do what?” The rest of my clothes sank.

“Make me feel so normal?”

“You are.”

“No, I mean you make me feel like you like being here with me, for me. Myself.”

“I’ve never cared for fame, or anything ego-based for that matter.” I arched a brow. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re just like any other submissive whose trust I have to earn.”

“But I don’t want to be like any other submissive.”

“Well, of course I’ll make you feel special.”

“Is it safe?”

“Yes, I’ll never use unnecessary force—”

“No, I mean is it safe for our hearts?”

“We have ways to make the exit easier.”

“You mean when our agreement is over?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Trade secret.”

“You’ll be cruel to me?”

“What are you looking for, Andrea?”

“I need to be convincing.”

“In your role?”

“Yes.”

“Then that is what I’ll do. I’ll teach you all the skills necessary.”

She looked around her, realizing her back was pressed against the pool edge and as I leaned against her she wrapped her legs around my waist. My cock pressed into her lower abdomen.

Her gaze fell to my lips. “Is this one of the skills?”

“One of them, yes. As my sub I have access to your pussy at all times. You consent to my cock being inside you day or night - should I choose to take you.”

“You’ll fuck me any time you like?”

I eased her thighs apart and buried my cock deep inside her. “Yes.”

Her head fell back and she thrust her hips forward. “You make me feel…”

“So wet?”

Her muscles gripped me tight and it made my balls thrum.

She let out a sigh. “No, I mean, yes…”