“I couldn’t stay like this forever. I’m on fire with a sore arse.”
Jim laughed. “Sorry, honey, but you’ve come a long way tonight in the pursuit of restraint.”
Tasha laughed back at him. “No, James, I haven’t come at all. That is why I am on fire.”
He laughed a loud, hearty laugh now. “I like you, Tasha, and I really like your ass, spanked or not.”
“Do you want your wine?” She reached out towards her own glass.
“No. I’ve had enough and so have you.” He was already putting her glass back on the table.
Sighing inwardly, Tasha thought again how domineering he would be long term.
“So, are you coming to L.A. with me tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. I’m still thinking about it.”
“What’s to think about?”
“You could stay in New York,” she suggested, ignoring his question that she had no real answer for.
“I can’t, unfortunately. I have work. So, you’ll have to come with me.” His words were spoken with resolve and confidence and were followed by a series of tiny, delicate kisses to her neck.
“I promise to think about it.”
He said no more about L.A. and quickly changed topic. “So what about being lucky seven? You said we could talk about it later.”
Why had she said that? She’d thought it was stupid at the time and was more convinced of that now. There had never really been any doubt that he wouldn’t pursue it, not after her offer to talk about it later and that was exactly where they were now.Later.
“I know what I said, but I can’t marry you, James. I don’t know you, not really. I don’t love you and I’m not ready for marriage.”
There was a pause. Concern washed over Tasha as she wondered if things between them were going to take a sudden and unexpected turn. An unpleasant one. She hoped not, but her words hadn’t been intended to be anything other than firm and honest.
“You can’t blame a guy for trying. I would take real good care of you, baby. You would want for nothing. I’d even consider working regular hours if I knew you were waiting at home for me.”
She laughed gently, relieved that there was no unease settling between them. Squeezing his legs she was lying between she disputed his final comment. “But I wouldn’t be there waiting. I’d be off on set, being a Hollywood superstar,” she joked.
“Or not,” he said, serious again.
She turned her head to look at him and smiled a broad and full smile. “Which is why I would be a very bad wife for you, Jim, because I would be away on set, working. There could be young, attractive co-stars and nude scenes, sex scenes...”
“Jeez, stop! Okay, no lucky seven right now, but you’ll come to L.A. with me.” He sounded slightly fraught and antsy. “Shall we go to bed?”
“I’m not tired.”
“I didn’t ask if you were tired, baby.” He let out a small growl that was accompanied by a nip to her ear.
“We could stay here.” She turned on her side to look up at him.
“Or we could go to bed,” he said with a cocky grin that said he knew they were going to bed. Tasha got to her feet, confirming that.
“You go first. I put your new lingerie in the top drawer and I bought some suitable nightwear for you,” he said, leaving Tasha wondering what suitable nightwear might look like.
Opening the drawer she’d been directed to, Tasha found four more sets of underwear, as brief as the one she’d worn that day. There were also four nighties; sheer, satin, full length chemises with matching robes. She pulled out the top set in white. She took it into the bathroom with her and after washing, brushing her teeth and hair she dressed. Tasha looked at her reflection and was shocked to find the fabric she wore was so sheer it was transparent. She could see everything beneath it. Her breasts were clearly visible, as was the small triangle of dark hair between her legs. She bit her lip nervously as she considered changing into a darker coloured one.
“Tasha, are you done in the bathroom?”
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a second.” Her chance to change had passed so she quickly put on the robe and tied it around herself, tightly, hoping to conceal the amount of flesh on show.
