“That’s a pity.” He loosened his tie. “There are so many other things we could be doing.”
“You could show me some of the paintings in the palace.” I smiled at him sweetly. “That would be quite nice as well.”
“You want to see the paintings?” He looked surprised.
“I was in your art class, remember. I like art.” I yawned. “I wasn’t in it for fun.”
“I didn’t think you were.” He pulled off his shirt and I gazed at his chest. I was finding it very hard to think as he took his clothes off.
“What are you doing?” My jaw dropped as his fingers went to the top of his boxers. “You can’t take your boxers off.”
“Why not? It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked before.”
“Xavier. You cannot sleep in the nude.”
“I think you’ll find that I can.” He grinned. “I can and I will.”
“That’s not fair.” I stepped back.
“You can sleep in the nude as well. I’m not stopping you.”
“That’s not what I’m complaining about.”
“Why are you being like this?” He frowned, looking annoyed. “Why are you playing these games?”
“I’m not playing games. What are you talking about? If anything, you’re the one that is playing games.”
“What do you want from me, Lola?”
“What do you want from me, Xavier?” I looked into his tense green eyes. “Honestly, I don’t know what you want. I know you said you’re trying to help me, but I don’t know what this is all about. Why am I here?”
“Do you really want to know?” He stared into my eyes unblinking.
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Sit down.” He nodded towards the bed. “Sit down and I’ll tell you everything.”
***
His View
Lola looked up at me with huge wide brown eyes. I could see the curiosity in her gaze as she stared at me. All I wanted to do was throw her back on the bed and rip her shorts and shirt off. She just didn’t understand what she did to me. She didn’t understand that the mere sight of her made me hard. She didn’t realize that she had a spell over me. Of course, I wasn’t going to tell her that. I didn’t know the power she had over me. I had to give her just enough information. I didn’t want to scare her away. I didn’t want her to know the real reason she was here. She was still too timid for that. I was taking a huge risk bringing her here. I wasn’t sure how she was going to react once I introduced her to the circle. She might flee and ruin everything. I had to trust her. I needed to trust her. I needed her to be my next partner. I wanted to watch her face as I introduced her to a lifestyle she never dreamed existed.
“So?” She licked her lips nervously and I tilted my head and just looked at her for a few seconds. I ran my hands through my hair and looked at her lips for a few seconds imagining it was my tongue tasting her and exploring the sweetness of her mouth.
“You’re right, this wasn’t just for me. It was for you as well.”
“Okay? How was this for me?”
“I wanted you to experience the most pleasure you could experience.”
“What pleasure am I experiencing when your cousin and mother are dissing me and my dress sense?”
“I’m talking about sexual pleasure.”
“It’s always about sex for you, isn’t it?”
“Lola, I don’t want to lie to you and I don’t want you to lie to me. This is all about sex for both of us, isn’t it?”
“No.” Her face reddened.
“Are you sexually attracted to me?”
“What does this have to do with anything?” She looked away from me and crossed her legs. I knew I was getting to her.
“We’re here because we have an amazing sexual connection. We’re here because I haven’t had enough of you yet. I’m here because I want to take you on a journey—”
“Another journey?” She raised an eyebrow at me.
“Not a literal journey. I want to take you on a journey of the mind and soul. I want to take your body on a journey that you’ve never been on before.”
“What are you saying?”
“Do you trust me?”
“No.” She made a face and I laughed.
“I guess, no one can say you’re not honest.”
“So what are you trying to tell me?” She leaned forward and frowned.
“Do you trust me?” I asked again softly and stared into her eyes, searching for an honest answer.
“I guess so.” She said reluctantly and I grinned and walked over and joined her on the bed.
“Lola,” I sat next to her and grabbed her hands. They felt warm and soft next to my palms. “I’m part of a club.”
“What club? The country club?”
“I guess you could say it’s like a country club, in that it’s exclusive.”
“Okay?” She looked at me curiously. “And?”
“And I want you to come with me to the club one day.”
“I didn’t bring a tennis racquet.”
“That’s not the working out we’ll be doing.”
“What?” Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll see.” I studied her face and stopped talking. I knew she wasn’t ready. I wasn’t even sure I was ready. It would be crossing every ethical boundary I knew. I hadn’t thought it out properly. It was risky involving her. I didn’t know why I was so drawn to her or why I wanted her to be a part of this with me. I had to make sure that Sebastian didn’t find out. Not that he really knew about the club. Only heirs to the thrones of different countries were allowed to be a part. I didn’t think he would approve if he knew about it.
I’d been a part of the club for a few years. I’d gone to see what it was about and then stayed for other reasons. I’d enjoyed going up until the last girl had blindsided me with her blackmail offer. I hadn’t trusted anyone after that, but I felt Lola was different. I didn’t think she would try and get one over on me. And frankly I was willing to risk it. I wanted to experience the club with someone like Lola. I was excited just thinking about it.
Chapte
r Four
I was surprised that Xavier didn’t try to sleep with me when we went to bed. He was every inch the gentleman, even though a part of me wished that he would have tried something. Not that I would have succumbed. I just wanted to feel like he couldn’t keep his hands off of me. I was also more disappointed than I’d thought I was going to be, at the fact that he had worn his boxers to bed. It was nice sleeping next to him and feeling him pressed up against me. Though, I knew it would have been nicer if he’d been naked. I woke up feeling tired and dissatisfied. I was sexually aroused and had been since we’d arrived, yet there was nothing I could do. Or there was nothing I could do and not feel easy. Even though, we’d already slept together, I still felt like I had to keep my legs closed for a few days in Romerius. I didn’t want him to think I was his plaything, to do with what he wanted. However, a part of me wondered why I cared? Wasn’t I just playing games and wasting time? Would I regret never allowing myself to enjoy every hour of this week? I wanted Xavier. I craved him sexually. His body set mine on fire. He was the water to my ice, the heat to my flame, the secret to my pleasure. It hadn’t helped that he’d told me he wanted me to join a club with him. I’d been so mad when he hadn’t told me exactly what the club was? I wanted to know so badly. My mind was on all sorts of things. What sort of club was it? A part of me wondered if it had something to do with art. Was he going to fly me all over Europe so we could see different pieces of art? Maybe he really appreciated the fact that he’d met someone that loved art as much as he did. However, a part of me believed that it wasn’t art that he was talking about. A part of me believed that the club was something darker and more nefarious. Some part of me was excited and scared by the possibilities.