Page 29 of A Seductive Beauty
“You set this up?” She looks up at me with a gleam in her eye.
“I did.”
“I like that.”
“I’m not all bad,” I say as we turn to face a wall with several paintings. An image catches my eye instantly and I move toward it. I want it in my office. It’s of a beautiful woman but you don’t see her face. She’s in a short white slip dress. Her hair hangs down her face to her shoulders. She’s in profile as she leans against an office chair. It’s a pose I know Fiona would look beautiful doing.
“That’s beautiful,” she says, and I look at her, imagining her dressed like that in my office. She reaches out to my face, her hand sliding across the scruff, her thumb rubs across my bottom lip. “I’ve never said you were bad.” Her eyes are soft, and I pull her to me and kiss the tip of her nose. If I put my lips on hers, I’ll press her against the wall and take her right here in front of everyone.
“I want you like that in my office.” She blushes at my words and lowers her head. “Come on, I want to look for the other two I mentioned earlier. This one will be for my office.”
We continue through the gallery and come up with two more pieces.
Chapter Eight
Fiona
I was shocked when he asked me to come out with him tonight, but I was more shocked that he organized this. He doesn’t leave my side all night, even when I have to go to the loo. He stands outside the door waiting for me. I’m stunned by his attention, but my body is on fire with every look he gives me. My panties are wasted from my desire for him to do more than kiss me or hold me. For ten days he’s only held me and kissed me on the forehead until today when he practically attacked me in his kitchen. I want him so much that I’ve resorted to touching myself in the shower.
A man walks up to him and tries to pull him away from me. “I’m okay, go ahead.” I nod. I know I’m safe here. Shane is at the front exit and Aidan’s other guards are at the back door. No one will get to me here.
I continue looking at the pieces in the lineup we are currently looking at. My stomach grumbles. I’ve only had a couple canapes and a glass of champagne. I want more food and I need some water.
I stop in front of a piece and can’t take my eyes from it. The person is looking up with their eyes closed. A hand pressed to the canvas as if they are on the other side of the glass in front of me.
“It’s a beautiful piece, isn’t it?” A voice I recognize comes from behind me. I turn to see Patrick standing there.
“It is. What are you doing here?”
“I figured you’d be here.”
How did he know I was with Aidan? The girls know where I am. Mrs. O’Sullivan does too because I took time off until I wasn’t bruised anymore. I no longer have visible bruises.
“Why did you figure that?” I try to hold the shiver in as his eyes move over my body. I step back from him in fear.
“Fiona, want me to introduce you to the artist,” David says as he steps up to me, and I’m glad he came over.
“Yes, please. Nice seeing you again, Patrick.” I nod at him and move away. I didn’t realize I got so far from Aidan.
Aidan turns and his eyes are frantic as he looks for me. He sees me and instantly is on me. His hand takes mine and he pulls me into his body. He stiffens as he looks over my head. I’m sure he sees Patrick. I know he remembers him.
“Thank you, David,” he growls, and my body starts to come to life with need for him again, forgetting about Patrick.
“Don’t let beautiful creatures such as this from your sight, my man, because there are predators everywhere.”
“I agree. Thank you. Add the piece she was looking at to our order, please.”
“You don’t have to buy images from your own event.”
“I want to support our veterans.”
“Thank you.”
Aidan holds me against his side tightly as he continues to talk to David. David is six feet tall with brown hair that hangs over his blue eyes. He only looks at me with kindness, and I don’t feel the need to cover myself as I did when Patrick looked at me. You can tell that the tuxedo is cut to perfection to his body. He’s muscular and his hands are strong. His shoulders are wide, and if I didn’t have Aidan, I would be attracted to him. But he also has a darkness to him, different than Aidan’s. His is more domineering. When he came up to me when I was with Patrick, he didn’t pose a question but a command.
“Who was the jerk you were talking to?” David’s question breaks me from looking him over.
“It was an old friend of mine.”
