Page 106 of Enthrall
Tara had told me that Cameron had struck Richard until he’d bled. I wondered if these marks were from that. Had Richard really asked Cameron to hurt him in this way? More alarming, Cameron had appeased him by doing it.
Richard took my hand and kissed my palm. “Mia,” his tone was solemn. “You know how fond of you I am.”
“Fond?”
“I’ve fallen...I really like you.”
I curled my fingers around his. “I feel the same way.”
“Still.” He stood up, his dark gaze once more resting upon me. “In all honesty, I don’t want your first time to be with a man like me.”
I sat up, trying to find the words to placate him.
He shrugged and ambled off toward the house.
IN THE LIGHT of the early morning, wearing a corset and stockings felt odd.
Last night, back in my beach front condo, I’d felt like the ultimate vixen. Yet here, now, lying on Richard’s lounger, alone, all my confidence dissipated. Regret lingered for daring to gatecrash Chrysalis’s party and later, finding my way back here to be with the only man I’d ever loved, yet my virginity remained intact.
Fuckerty fuck, fuck, fuck, my inner musing sounded like Richard.
Maybe Richard was just being kind and in reality felt nothing. Perhaps I’d made everything up in my head about there being something special between us, having misread him. Naivety stood in the way of my happiness yet again.
Searching for and quickly finding my panties, I slipped them on, swept up my discarded strappy shoes, and began the trek up the pathway. Through the open sliding doorway I walked in, following the noise of a television.
I found Richard in his bachelor den. He sat on a chocolate colored couch, his legs out in front of him with his bare feet resting on the coffee table. He still wore his dress shirt from last night as well as boxer shorts, though not much else. He directed an X-box controller at a large flat screen TV. Coming round to face him, I was alarmed to see him wearing a scuba mask. The snorkel hung by his right ear. Winston sat beside him, panting.
“Lara Croft’s kicking ass.” Richard returned his attention to the screen, deftly moving the controller and making Lara Croft swim the full length of a dark blue lagoon.
“Why are you wearing that?” I said.
“They’re prescription. Can’t find my glasses.” Richard peered down at Winston. “Go find my glasses, Winston. Fetch.” They stared at each other. Winston panted away, his tail wagging. Richard looked back at me. “See what I’m up against?”
Upon a shelf to the left rested Super Bowl memorabilia, a New York Giants helmet right beside a football, both of them signed. This cozy room looked lived in and I wondered if Richard had his friends round on lazy Sunday afternoons to watch the game. I imagined them eating snacks and drinking beer in here and screaming at their favorite team. Richard had an aversion to normal so it was unlikely.
“Can I borrow a shirt?” I said.
He pointed right and I assumed it was his bedroom. I ambled out of there in hope of finding something to wear.
Richard’s bed rested low to the ground and his bedroom was modestly decorated. The stunning photo of a Nepalese temple stretched the full length of the wall behind his bed. I hoped to find another clue to who this man really was, though from his office I knew he liked order. From his neatly lined shirts he liked it here too. Stripping out of my constricting corset, I borrowed one of his blue shirts and a pair of shorts. I rummaged around his dresser for a belt. This hobo chic look wasn’t perfect but at least I could breathe now. I made my way back to Richard’s den.
He was still engrossed in the game and his goggles were still on. Winston lay beside him, resting his head on his paws.
I sat on the closest arm of the couch. “Would you like to talk?”
“About what?”
“Last night.”
He lowered his gaze and held mine.
Despite this sinking feeling in my gut, I continued, “Cameron told us to talk about things.”
“Cameron has two methods. The first is to talk, the second…” Richard tilted his head. “I prefer the latter.”
“You mean when he whips you?”
Richard dropped the controller into his lap. It was hard to take him seriously with that scuba mask on.
