“That sounds wonderful, Andrew,” Elise said as we walked inside.
I removed my cufflinks and set them on the coffee table. As I rolled up my crisp white sleeves, I made my way to the fireplace. Elise stood beside me and weaved her fingers through my hair. Occasionally she’d grip my hair and give it a tug. It drove me wild.
After I prepped the fireplace and the flames roared to life, I spun to the left on one knee and took hold of her shapely calves. Without haste, I slid my hands up the back of her lower legs to her thighs.
The heated look in her eyes pulled at me like a magnet to stand and take that kiss. I stood slowly, just in case she scolded me to stay put. As I stood, my hands moved to her hips, gently massaging as I went. While keeping my right hand on her hip, I moved my left hand up her right arm with the back of my knuckles. The entire time my hands roamed her body, our eyes remained locked on one another, and the heat intensified. I moved my hand up and cupped her warm, flushed cheek. I could feel her face lean against my hand as if this had been something she missed badly. Her ruby red lips parted as I leaned down. I closed my eyes, and with my heart in hand, I pressed my lips against hers.
Our lips moved together, sweetly for about five seconds. Then the greedy passion took over. Without breaking our lip locked lifeline, Elise unbuttoned my shirt, and I only let go of her face long enough to get my arms out of the shirt. She caught the bow tie and wrapped it loosely around my neck.
“I like the loose bow tie look on you, Andrew. It makes you look like my own personal male stripper,” Elise said as she pulled me closer to her by the ends of my bow tie.
Our kissing started back up, and then she broke away from my mouth slightly and kissed the stubble on my chin.
“Why don’t you have a girlfriend? I don’t understand how you haven’t been snatched up,” she gazed at me with her beautiful sparkling blue eyes.
Didn’t she see?
“I have been snatched up,” I said with confidence.
She raised her eyebrows at me and tugged more on the bow tie.
“You’ve failed to mention this, Andrew. I may be a lot of things, but I don’t go around taking other women’s men.”
Elise let go of my bow tie and took a small step backward. I smiled and shook my head. I had to clear this up before she got upset or before she put the armor back up.
“I’ve been snatched up by you!” I eagerly revealed my feelings and then paused for a moment for her to understand what I was saying. “Mistress Elise, by you!”
I kept searching her misty eyes for recognition. Acceptance. Elation. Excitement. I was looking, waiting, and hoping for any one of those things. But I never saw them.
“What?” Elise’s sharp tone was back and at full force.
I put my hand over my chest and took a step forward.
“What I’m trying to say, is that I think I love you. I know it sounds strange, but in our short time, I have found that I know it’s in you to give me what I need and want. Master James had told me that I would know the right person when they came along if they could meet my needs and desires. You do this for me, Elise,” I proclaimed. The look of shock mixed with some annoyance flashed on her face, and I quickly corrected my error. “Mistress. I meant, Mistress Elise.”
In the following moments, an incredibly icy glare had replaced those beautiful soft eyes. The walls were back up and suddenly, I was in no man’s land.
“This is a very unfortunate situation. Love was not part of our contract, nor do I share your feelings. You are a plaything to me. That’s what we agreed upon. I’m not looking for love. I had a love that could never be replaced.”
“I’m not looking to replace Jacob, Mistress Elise.”
“Well, whatever the fuck it is you think you’re doing you can just stop because it’s not happening.”
Fuck.
“Andrew, I’m severing our contract. It is now null and void. Please gather your items from the garage and leave my home.”
Fuck!
“No! Please don’t do this, Mistress!”
I quickly swallowed and tried to take a deep breath and think. James and Brandon were coming by any minute with the crop. Once she sees it, the ice-cold mask could thaw some. If I can get her to let me stay the night, perhaps we could talk in the morning. The crop will make it better. She’ll see my good-hearted intentions.
“Please, let me stay the night. It’s getting late, and I’d have to sleep in my car until my old roommates wake to let me in. Please,” I pleaded.
“You should have thought about that before you started running your mouth and letting your heart vomit shit,” Elise yelled at me. She flipped her brown hair over her shoulders in frustration. “Fine. You may stay the night.”
“Thank you, Mistress Elise,” I sighed my relief.
