Page 44 of Body

He unhinges my arms, leans down and kisses the top of each globe tenderly. “Good thing you don’t have to. When you’re with me, I will buy you things. Lots of things. I will never buy you anything I cannot afford.” His gaze holds mine, it’s hard and unrelenting. “Now you will let it go.” This is not going as planned. “Do you not like the things Dana picked out for you? I told her what I thought you would appreciate and told her your sizes.” He looks concerned.

“Everything is beautiful. But I’m not used to this. I don’t want you thinking I’m after your money. That’s the farthest thing from the truth.” I bite my lip and look deep into his eyes, hoping he can see the sincerity there. He smiles a heart-melting smile that makes me want to hug him but I don’t. He needs to know I’m not the type of woman who uses men and I’m definitely not a gold-digger. “I wouldn’t care if you were poor, Chase.”

He shakes his head and pulls me back on to his chest. “Gillian, I know that.” He hugs me, skin to naked skin. It is lovely. “I want to give you the world. I’m not used to being around a woman who doesn’t expect a damn thing. It’s refreshing.” He looks in my eyes and caresses the apple of my cheek with his thumb before moving my hair behind my ear. “Please, accept the things I bought for you and know that it pleases me to give you them. They are yours for no other reason.” He lifts my chin. “Okay?” I close my eyes and nod. “Not another word about this.” I nod again.

“Now, shower?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. The man hasn’t even slipped from my body and he’s already thinking about sex again.

“Yes, shower. Nope to sex. You’re going to have to wait until the evening is over!” I giggle and slip off his lap. The proof of our mating starts to trickle down my thighs. He watches in fascination, before using his shirt to wipe up the inside of my leg and over my sex.

“I love seeing me on you and knowing I’m still inside you.” He stands, grabs my nape and pulls me into a toe-curling kiss. “Makes me wildly happy, Baby,” he says with that cocky grin.

I shake my head and he leads me through the house, stark assed naked. I don’t even question whether or not the staff will see because I don’t think he’d be keen on sharing my naked body after he just spent the last hour claiming it.

Chapter 11

“The Houses for Humanity event tonight is being held in the historic Fairmont Hotel,” Chase informs Kat and me. His smile is huge and I’m not the only one who can’t stop looking at him. Kat is dreamily listening to every word. I can’t blame her. He’s that pretty.

Chase continues his history lesson. “The hotel was built in 1906 by a genius architect named Julia Morgan who, incidentally, also designed Hearst Castle. Unfortunately, right before its grand opening the city suffered a huge earthquake and the fires that followed took the lush hotel and destroyed it.”

Kat’s eyes widen and a hand goes to her mouth. “Oh no,” she says.

Chase nods. “The building was rebuilt and opened a year later to the day from when it was ruined.” His voice tips with a sense of pride. He really has a soft spot for architectural design and history. If he can get past the relationship I have with Phillip, those two would have a lot in common. Phillip is an architectural genius in his own right.

“Just like the Phoenix. It rose up from the ashes and became something beautiful in the wake of disaster.” I look out the window as the hotel comes into view. “Incredible.” I can appreciate the symmetry. Sometimes I feel as though I too could rise up and blossom in spite of the horrors of my past.

“I think you’re incredible,” Chase whispers against my hairline before kissing my cheek. His hand is loosely holding mine on top of his thigh. One finger absently traces the symbol that’s come to mean so much in such a small amount of time. Infinity.

We step out of the vehicle, and I’m taken aback at the property’s beauty.

Chase leads Kat and me through the open floor plan swiftly. Obviously, this is not his first time here. His hand clasps mine, and I smile. In his tux he’s definitely a debonair feast for the eyes.

“Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?” He nudges my side and kisses the ball of my shoulder.

“Only a couple times already.” I grin and blush.

“That dress suits you.” His hand squeezes mine. He should like it; he paid for it.

Kat makes a point of looking anywhere but at the two of us as we continue through the catacomb of meeting and conference spaces. The hand not holding Chase’s slides down the deep eggplant satin dress as I straighten any potential wrinkles. The dress is beautiful in its simplicity. The bodice hugs my chest in a corset style, flowing up into a fanned section where my breasts are tamed but the white flesh still spills over the confines just enough to entice. It seems to be working because Chase can’t stop sneaking peeks. He ogles me whenever he doesn’t think I’m paying attention.

The satin slides along the rest of my curves, detailing my hourglass figure, then comes to a trumpet shape at the knee. The gown trails behind me a couple feet where it hits the floor. I feel exquisite, like a princess walking alongside her prince.

Kat follows us, quietly taking in her surroundings. She’s lovely and bright in her sienna colored gown. It has an enticing slit in the full billowing skirt that reaches all the way to the hip exposing one of her long sexy legs. Crystals line the opening in bursts of sparkles. The light bouncing off the gems make it seem as though her dress is actually lit. The rusched fabric sweeps up her waist in swaths of oranges, reds and copper before it goes into a halter top. Her hair is swept up in golden waves complimenting the dress perfectly. When we arrived to pick her up she ooh and awed over my dress, immediately trying to look inside to check the seams, how it hooked and the boning systems in the corset. Chase didn’t appreciate her familiarity with my body but watched with a grim set to his lips while she went through the process in the limo.

She gave her approval but stated that if I was going to hob knob with the elite, she’d be making me some dresses in the future. Knowing that would help her career made it okay to accept those gifts. That’s how women bartered. I’d wear a dress she made and tell everyone who designed it, where I got it and how they could get one. She’d pay for the material and use her own time. Then I wouldn’t have to wear dresses Chase paid for. It would make me feel more independent and less like I was using him for what he could buy me. As it were, I’d already wondered whether I’d lost my pride somewhere under Chase’s bed last night, along with the dozen orgasms he spilled from me.

I trail my hand along Kat’s arm. She smiles nervously. I’m not sure if the anxiety is about meeting Carson or in anticipation of meeting “The Chloe Davis,” the new, hot young designer taking Europe by storm with her distinctive fashion designs and eye for detail. My money is on the latter.

We approach an open space where several hundred people are milling about, chatting and laughing. Women and men stand sipping from champagne flutes and eating tiny noshes from small golden plates at high tables. I can see Carson’s tall blonde head bobbing as he makes his way through the crowd.

His eyes scan Chase, quickly assess me and then settle on Kat. A huge smile breaks across his face. It’s as priceless as someone who is expecting a Ford Sedan but is gifted with a Ferrari. He eagerly grasps Kat’s hand.

“You must be Kathleen.” He kisses her fingers and a light flush spreads along her cheeks. I squeeze Chase’s hand and he grins.

Kat smiles shyly, “Carson, I presume. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is truly mine.” Carson’s gaze scales Kat from head to toe. You can tell he likes what he sees, especially when she shifts her dress and one long toned leg makes an appearance. Carson visibly gulps. “Would you join me for a drink?”

“Would love to.” She grips her purse and follows him into the crowd. She turns and fans her face and mouths “Hot!” before giving us a sexy wave. I giggle and wave back.

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