Submit to Desire
Page 8

“You approve?” Kingsley asked, a slight smile at the corner of his sensual lips.
Charlotte slowly nodded. “Um…yes. You look…damn.”
“And you, ma chérie, look enchanting.” Kingsley took her hand and kissed the back of it. “Utterly exquisite.” Raising her hand over her head, he spun her in a slow circle. “Parfait, Charlie.”
“Merci,” she said and curtsied. “The dress isn’t much. But it’s all I have that’s semiformal.”
Kingsley took her by the arm and they started down the hallway.
“It will look lovely on the floor by my bed.”
Charlotte blushed and laughed.
“Is there any particular reason why you dress like it’s the nineteenth century instead of the twenty-first?”
“There’s only one reason that matters,” he said as he escorted down to the main level of his home. “Because I can.”
Still on his arm he led her to the Music Room. Kingsley introduced her to his guests. Most of men sat on the chairs and the love seats. But although there was enough room for all, a few of the women sat on the floor at the feet of the men they’d come with. One woman, almost forty and stunningly beautiful, took an imperious seat on a chair and snapped her fingers. Her date, a young man of about thirty, sat at her feet. Charlotte looked down at Kingsley. He had a wicked gleam in his eyes and watched her. She sank to the floor and leaned back against his knee. He ran a hand possessively through her hair. Now she knew why no one asked her who she was or how she’d met Kingsley. All his guests were part of his kinky little community.
Charlotte adjusted herself and found the floor was actually quite comfortable. The carpeting was thick and lush and Kingsley’s fingers in her hair and on her neck felt extraordinary—sensual and seductive and also relaxing. She could stay here all night.
A tall blond man entered to a smattering of applause and sat at the piano. Charlotte’s eyes widened when she saw he was dressed like a priest. A beautiful young woman with black hair followed him and sat on the floor next to the piano bench. Once the applause ceased, the man began to play. Charlotte sat entranced by the breathtakingly handsome pianist and the woman who rested so contentedly at his feet.
Kingsley leaned forward and put his mouth at her ear.
“I know he’s handsome as the devil, Charlie. And you’re welcome to look all you want. But don’t touch. That,” he said, inclining his head toward the piano playing priest and the young woman, “is a love match.”
“A love match?” she asked. “One of yours?”
“Oh, no. Destiny brought those two together. I had nothing to do with it. When destiny fails, that’s when I get called.”
“You should put that on your business cards,” she joked.
Kingsley reached into his pocket and handed her a black business card embossed with silver lettering. “Kingsley Edge, CEO, Edge Enterprises. When destiny fails…” it read.
She covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud as she looked up at Kingsley. He was smiling at her. But it wasn’t a normal smile of mirth or pleasure, but a smile that sent her body temperature shooting up a few degrees.
Charlotte turned away and tried to let the music calm her down. But it was such passionate music played so skillfully that Charlotte felt it wanted to seduce her as much as Kingsley. And both were succeeding. By the time the recital ended Charlotte was so desperate for Kingsley that she pretended to stumble when standing just so she could lean her full weight against him. He pulled her close to him, and she inhaled his scent. He smelled warm and masculine and every nerve in her body sat on edge at his nearness. When he bade his guests a swift goodbye and escorted her back upstairs, she was nearly shaking with eagerness. They stopped at the door to her room.
“So he’s really a priest?” she asked. “The pianist?”
“I told you I had a priest on speed dial. You really should learn to trust me.”
“I’m trying. This is all new.”
Kingsley laid his hand on her neck and rested his thumb at the hollow of her throat. “I will not hurt you, Charlie. Or, at least, I won’t harm you,” he said with a roguish grin. “Do you believe that? We won’t get very far until you know that at the moment you are most afraid of me, it is the most you have the least reason to be.”
“Okay, I’ll try not be afraid.”
“You can be afraid all you want. Just don’t let your fear stop you.”
Charlotte inhaled. For whatever reason, she did trust him.
“Good girl,” he said and took her hand. He kissed it slowly and let it go. “Good night, Charlie.”
She stared at him as he strode toward his own bedroom.
Stunned that he’d left her, Charlotte entered her bedroom on feet of lead. Hurt and embarrassed she considered gathering her things and getting out of this madhouse. He’d spent all evening seducing her with every glance, every touch and every smile. And now he just sauntered off to bed, leaving her alone in her room.
She took a deep breath and remembered his words—you really should learn to trust me. Maybe this was a test. Maybe he was seeing if she would get pissed and try to leave.
Charlotte kicked off her shoes and enjoyed the sound of them bouncing hollowly off the wall. She’d give this weird place one more day. But she couldn’t completely talk herself out of her disappointment and frustration. Kingsley knew she was more than ready and willing to go to bed with him. Maybe he got off on being a tease. Maybe when he finally did invite her to his room, she’d kiss his hand and walk off like he had.