Wicked Game (11 page)

“I promise, Pepper, I’m not hiding anything from you. It’s just now that … the paparazzi are following me, trying to find dirt on me, and I don’t want them dragging you into anything.” He was lying. But why was he lying, she wondered.

“Or you don’t want them thinking there’s anything going on between me and you is more like it. I get it, Jaime. I’m not supermodel material, and you only date tall, busty blondes. I’ve seen the pictures.”

“You have? I can explain.”

“Explain what? That you date while you’re out of town. What was her name last week while you were in LA? Ella Talbot, the actress from the new Bond movie? I get it. Believe me I do. She is beautiful.”

“That wasn’t what it looked like, Cass, Ella and I were guests at the same party, and all that dating stuff is just lies. Heck, that was the only time we were even near each other all night. I swear.” He sounded almost defensive.

“Jaime, you don’t have to defend your life to me. I’m just your secretary. It’s not like there’s anything between us, is there?” She didn’t dare look at him. She didn’t want to see relief in his eyes. She sure as hell wasn’t about to bring up the one night of unplanned sex that should never have happened. Nor would she mention that she really, really wished it would happen again.

“I don’t know, Cass. I can’t figure you out. Well, I’m going to have the codes changed on the front gate and the alarm updated this week. Just stay close to the house and pay attention to what’s going on around you. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, call me, or the police. Okay? Promise me that much.”

“Okay, Jaime. I promise.” Somehow, she didn’t think this had anything to do with the paparazzi. Something else was going on, but she knew Jaime Dalton well enough to know he’d already told her all she needed to know.

“That’s good. I, uh, have to go. I need to call Mitch. That thing with the accountant is not going well.” He took his package and disappeared in his office. Seconds later she heard the lock turn. He’d never locked her out before. Something was definitely going on. Something he didn’t want her to know about.

Cass felt her skin crawl. Somehow, she had the strange feeling that she was being watched. It was just her imagination. Of course, Jaime’s odd behavior had nothing whatsoever to do with giving her the heebie-jeebies. No, not at all. Now, thanks to him, she expected a camera-wielding psycho to jump out of the bushes in the backyard at any moment.

She did know one thing for certain, though. She really hated Jaime Dalton more and more every day.

* * * *

She was late. Jaime paced his office, going to the front window to look out over the drive. On Sunday, she went to her book club and then for coffee with a couple of the women she met there. She was usually home long before dark. And the sun had definitely set over Miami, nearly an hour ago. Jaime checked his phone again. There was nothing, not even a text telling him the meeting had run long or that she was going to dinner.

He hated waiting and worrying, but he didn’t call because he didn’t want her knowing he was worried. He sure as hell didn’t want her reading anything else into his worry. Cass wasn’t easily misled. She’d almost had him cornered yesterday after the third package had arrived. He knew what he would find in this batch. Mitch had hired someone to take care of it. Everything was going to be okay, as long as Cass was safe, and that was all that mattered. At least that’s what he told himself. The simple fact was he didn’t want anyone finding out what was in those packages. In the wrong hands … he shivered just thinking about it.

He heard the gate open before he saw the headlights. Right now, no one but Cass had the code to those gates, so it could only be her. He sure as hell didn’t want her to catch him standing at the front window watching for her.

A few minutes later, she let herself in the front door, and he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He shuffled papers around on his desk, pretending to look at contracts as she walked in, much like that first day back home. He looked up just as she dropped a couple of shopping bags in the chair nearest the door.

“Hey, you’re home already?” She had a wistful smile on her face. Her eyes were sort of dreamy and soft. Had she met someone?

“How was book club?”

“It was nice.” Her voice was sort of far away and gravelly. Either she’d been drinking or she had definitely met someone. “We talked about the book and stuff.”

“Oh yeah? What are you reading? Is it good?” He leaned back in his chair just as she leaned against the doorframe. She looked nice tonight; her hair was down and a bit windblown from the breeze outside. He liked that she never gooped stuff in it. She wore a sleeveless fitted tuxedo top over a short pencil skirt the color of the ocean.

“The new one by Stella Lawson. It’s pretty good, but I’m withholding judgment until I finish it. Though I doubt you would like it; it doesn’t have any pictures. And the plot is a little more complicated than ‘Run, Spot, run.’” That was much better. That was the Cass Pendleton he knew and tolerated. “Let me know when you guys do
Green Eggs and Ham
, will ya, and I am so there.”

“It’s probably too complicated for you, but I’ll be sure to let you know when we start
Pat the Bunny
. What are you doing here this time of night anyway? I thought you’d be off celebrating your last night of freedom.”

“Just tying up loose ends before tomorrow.” He stuffed the contract into an envelope and put it in the slot to go out tomorrow. “Have you eaten?”

“Yeah, there’s a new bistro near the bookstore; a group of us went over.” There was that smile again. She really had met someone and was nursing a little crush. “I thought you’d be out, or I would have brought something back for you.”

“I’ve eaten, but thanks for the afterthought.”

She fluffed her hair almost nervously as he stared at her. Had she let him run his fingers through her hair? Was that why she looked tousled? Had he kissed her? Her lips looked red and a little puffy. How long had she been seeing him?

“Okay, well, I’m sure you have a million things to do before tomorrow, so I’ll get out of your way.” She turned to leave and something inside him snapped. How dare she sneak around with some guy behind his back? Was she just waiting for him to leave to have her new
friend
over for a little show and tell? Not in his house.

“Cass, why don’t you come in and close the door.” There was no need to close the door. They were alone, no one to walk in on them. But he wanted the door closed. It was his house, she was his … whatever the hell she was, and she needed to do as she was told.

“Okay, what’s up, Jaime?” She looked puzzled, but she did as he requested and closed the door.

“Lock it and come here.”

She stared at him as if he’d lost his fucking mind. Maybe he had. Maybe he was one step away from the funny farm, but if he was, then it was her fault for sending him there. She swallowed hard, but she locked the door as if it was a perfectly normal request and he wasn’t dangerously close to a psychotic break.

“What are you going to do to me?” She glanced around the room nervously but she walked across the room, stopping just to the left of his desk. “Where do you want me?”

“There is good. You look very nice tonight.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you wearing a bra?” He’d never seen her bras, he realized then.

“Sure, why do you ask?” Her eyes grew suddenly leery. She stood straighter, as if she were trying to decide if she should run or see where this was going. Trouble was he didn’t know where this was going; all he knew was that he had a horrible urge to know what color her bra was.

“Show me. Unbutton your blouse.”

“Have you lost your mind?” She rested her fingers over the top button before she thought to question his sanity, and as he watched, her nipples grew sharp against the fitted material.

“Most assuredly. But that’s immaterial. The way I see it, Pepper, I’ve never once seen you in a bra, and I’d like to remedy that situation. So you have two options: run and lock yourself in your bedroom, or do as I ask and unbutton your blouse.”

“You’re a jerk. You do know that, don’t you?” He noticed that she didn’t turn and run, and that she fiddled with the little white button just above her breastbone as if thinking it over.

“Miss Pendleton, do as you are told, or I will be forced to punish you.” Her eyes grew smoky, and as he watched, her nipples grew harder, her breathing rapid.

“I hate you,” she said through gritted teeth, but that top button came free, followed by the second and so on, until she stood before him with her blouse gaping open and liquid fire in her eyes.

Damn, Pepper was hot when she was turned on. “Slide it down your arms. Slowly, Pepper. Yeah, that’s nice.”

The material cupping her breasts was white with little pink rosebuds, with an underwire that gave her incredible cleavage. Round, soft, honey-toned—did he mention soft? He licked his lips that had suddenly gone dry the second her shirt hit the floor.

“There, are you happy?”

“Mmm, baby, not by a long shot. Now the skirt. I want to see those pretty panties.”

“Jaime, what’s really going on here?” she asked, but that didn’t stop her from sliding the zipper down her hip and wiggling the skirt down her legs very slowly.

“Just think of it like this: you’ll be sending me off to war a happy man.”

“You’re not a soldier. You’re just a horn dog.”

“And right now, babe, I’m horny for you. Step out of that skirt and come over here.”

“I think this is about as close as I should get to you right now. At least until I know what your exact intentions are.”

“Well, babe, remember in New York I asked you a question.”

“Yeah, I remember.” Her face grew pale; the liquid smoke left her eyes.

“I think I’m aiming to collect on that request.”

“This is hardly public.”

She did remember. “So you are spared that at least. Now, Pepper. I want to feel your mouth on me now, before I explode from thinking about it.”

“So let me get this straight, you want a blowjob so bad you tried to trick me into it.”

“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds dirty. I really want to see your panties, and I want a blowjob. It’s more of a win-win situation.”

“Really? What’s in it for me? From where I’m standing, the only person winning anything in this arrangement is you.”

“I don’t know, Pepper. I’m told I have very talented hands, and I’m also told I’m pretty good with my mouth too.” He stuck his tongue out just to taunt her. “Your nipples are hard, Pepper.”

“I know it; shut up. I can’t think when you talk. Dammit, Jaime, this isn’t funny—this, whatever the hell this is. I can’t keep this up.”

“I agree, Pepper, while you’re standing there doing nothing I want you to cup your breasts.” She just stared at him as if he’d lost his mind, but she did as he asked. “That’s it, baby, lift them high. Oh yeah, Pepper, that looks nice.”

“I still hate you.”

“Hate me all you want, but you lust after me, and that’s all I need to know. Now, Pepper, I want you to take your nipples between your fingers and stroke them. Imagine it’s my mouth. Would you like my mouth on your nipples, Pepper?”

“Yes.” Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she moaned.

“Tell me what you want me to do to your nipples, Pepper, suck them, bite them. Ohh, look at how hard they are, Pepper. You are making me hard. Come sit in my lap so I can see.”

“Jaime, don’t make me do this.” She walked toward him, teetering on another pair of those wedge-heeled sandal things that tied around her ankles.

“I like those shoes; what do you call them?”

“They are espadrilles. Do you want me to take them off?”

“Hell no, give me one.” She lifted her foot, balancing in front of him on the other. She shivered when he stroked her leg, placing her foot on the chair beside his thigh. “That’s pretty, Pepper. I like pink panties on you. And what’s that I see—a wet spot between your legs? Pepper, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Standing there showing me your little wet pussy like that. Say you’re sorry.”

“Jaime.” Her protest came out as a throaty sigh.

“Say you’re sorry, Pepper.” Goddamn, the spot grew darker as he watched.

“I’m sorry, Jaime. Are you going to spank me?”

“Oh God, woman, don’t say such things. You just made my cock jerk in my pants.”

“I’m sorry my pussy is wet, Jaime. It wants your cock inside it.”

“Pepper, stop that, it’s naughty. Are you a naughty, naughty girl? I like naughty girls, did you know that?”

“I suspected as much.”

“How naughty are you, Pepper? Naughty enough to slide your fingers inside your panties and pet your pretty little pussy for me?”

“Jaime…”

“Lord Ironman, to you, or Master. We’ve had that discussion before. Now pet your pussy for me, Pepper.”

God help him, he thought she’d hit her limit for one night, the look she gave him was indescribable, bordering on outright hate. As he watched, she eased her right hand down her belly and beneath the pink lace. She rolled her eyes again, her breath catching on a sigh.

“Stroke your clit, Pepper. No, don’t go deeper, just your clit, baby.” He ran his hand up and down her leg in encouragement. She looked out at him between slitted eyes, blue fire burning behind her lashes as she pleasured herself. “Make yourself come for me, baby. Oh, that is so sweet, baby. Does that feel good? Does your hand feel good, Pepper? Come for me, baby.” He leaned forward and kissed the inside of her thigh. The contact set her leg to quivering.

“That feels so good, Jaime.” She was so close to losing control. Her breath became ragged; her chest rose and fell in time to the rhythm she set with her finger. “So good, I can’t … I’m so … that feels so good.”

He couldn’t take it any longer. He snagged the crotch of her panties and pulled the material to the side so he could see her play with her clit. “Slide your finger inside, Pepper. Oh yeah, baby, just like that.”

The sound that came from her throat was more of a purr than a moan or a groan. She hitched her hip forward to slide deeper, and Jaime found himself trying to stop the moan that was trapped inside his chest. “How does that feel, baby?”