Page 17 of The High Price Of Loneliness

Gray took her hand gently and lifted it to his mouth, kissing it regally on the back. Angelica smiled more broadly with delight. Butterflies again!

Edward’s smile was warmer and more relaxed now with the paperwork out of the way. “Follow me,” he said as they returned to the kitchen.

Catering boxes filled the big sub-zero refrigerator, and salads and appetizers were at the ready.

“I cheated just a bit and recruited some help from my favorite chefs around town,” he laughed. “I do cook, but I wanted to focus my attention on you, not the kitchen, this evening.”

Angelica peeked at the incredible food waiting for them, all beautifully prepared, and smiled. “It all looks amazing and delicious, but that’s no surprise with you,” she beamed. They each selected an appetizer plus a 1905 Salad from the Columbia Restaurant on St. Armand’s Circle and went back to the dining table.

Angelica smiled and said with excitement, “I could make my whole meal just on the 1905 Salad! I just love those!”

“I had them delivered moments before you got here, so they would still be fresh. They are so good,” he agreed with a smile.

Both were starving by now, and they took turns sipping white wine, eating, and talking about life in Sarasota. Dinner was salmon covered with delicious seafood stuffing. Still, thepièce de résistancewas the rice in a beggar’s purse made of banana leaves. Inside was rice with peppers, onions, hominy, and amazing spices steamed inside the bag of leaves delivered piping hot from Selva Grille in downtown Sarasota.

She took one bite of the salmon and smiled. “It’s so good!”

“Wait until you try the rice. But be careful, it is still steaming hot.”

She carefully peeled open the banana leaves, watching Edward do the same until the ball of rice inside was exposed. Then she dug out a heaping spoonful of the rice mixture, which smelled like heaven, and took her first bite. Her face literally changed to an “out of this world” look with just one bite of the devilishly delicious rice mixture.

“Oh, my god!” she said out loud. “That is amazing. Wow! I have never tasted anything like that.”

“I’m so glad you like it,” he said, smiling, happy at the delight and pleasure oozing from her voice and visible on her beautiful face. “Next, try this,” Edward suggested, combining a bite with the salmon, the crab stuffing, and the aromatic rice and peppers on a large spoon. “Open wide for me, Kitten…” he said, gently leaning into her with his next decadent delivery.

Angelica willingly edged closer to Edward’s waiting reach. She closed her eyes trustingly and opened her mouth wide to accept the spoonful of delicious offerings he had prepared just for her.

Edward slid the spoonful slowly into her eager, open, and waiting mouth. But Angelica took control from there, as she slowly, sensuously pulled her full plump lips away from his spoon taking it all in one bite. She wanted Edward to have a sneak preview of the pleasure her lips could provide him with her provocative and sexy mouth. She chewed only once before she moaned, “Mmmmmmmmm….” opening her eyes to find his gaze as they both smiled playfully.

The sensual moment sent both of their already supercharged libidos spiraling upwards as Edward said, “I have something for you, Angelica. I will be right back.”

“Leaving me like this, are you, Edward?” she toyed with the Master of the Universe, suddenly flustered with her soft feminine energy.

“I’m not leaving you—I’m just bringing everything to you,” he answered as he smiled and walked just a few steps away.

He returned with a black bag with white and red tissue paper billowing out of the top and said, “I ordered this especially for you this evening.”

“Aww, thank you. But you didn’t need to get me anything. I only came here to be with you,” she purred gently.

“Well, truth be told, I ordered this partially for me,” Edward confessed smiling. “Please take a look inside.”

Angelica pulled the tissue paper out of the way and inside was a clear plastic bag with a zipper. She took it out and opened it. Inside was a long flowing nightgown, floor length, trimmed on the sleeves and around the entire neckline and bottom of the gown in black ostrich feathers. It was stunningly beautiful. She held it up and could see how sheer the black fabric would be over her body.

“Edward, it is so beautiful. I’ve never worn anything like this before,” she blushed.

“I wanted to start building a small wardrobe for when you come to visit me and hoped you wouldn’t mind and might even like it,” he said with a rare bit of hesitance.

“I love it! And I am so excited you thought of me wearing this!” she said, smiling openly. “I’m so full. Why don’t we save the rest of this food and dessert for later, and perhaps you could show me where I might try this on?” she said boldly.

“Well, now that you have signed the Confidentiality Agreement, I can share it with you openly. Bring your new robe in the black bag and come with me, Angelica,” Gray said invitingly.

They left the grand dining room and headed across the giant expanse of the living area to a stainless-steel elevator door. They went inside and up to the second level, which had beautiful balconies overlooking the ocean. Edward took her hand in his as he guided Angelica down to the end of a long hallway to a dark wooden door with heavy black iron hinges and fixtures. Gray produced a brass key and inserted it into the locked door.

Before opening the heavy door, Edward gazed into her eyes to remind her, “Angelica, remember, you never have to do anything with me that you do not enthusiastically choose. There is nothing to fear in the Red Playroom—ever,” he said reassuringly. The lock clicked open, and Gray opened the large, oversized door.

Inside was dim and subtle red lighting underneath furniture, three unique lamps, and two large round beach-ball size orbs glowing with red light. Gray gave a voice command for music, and the smart room played Enigma’s “The Principles of Lust.” Angelica saw walls full of shackles, handcuffs, and leather collars everywhere she looked. However, she particularly loved the sheer white material draped over the massive four-poster bed. Each of the large wooden columns on the bed was the thickness of her entire body, with an ironworks canopy suspended above. The bed had a red satin comforter and sheets plus white pillows and blankets made from uber-soft, UGG boots-type material. The ceiling was tiled with antique mirrors with black framing, creating an exquisite look if you were facing upward.

A large red leather bench was at the foot of the bed, and on the far wall of the vast room was a matching set of tall dresser drawers three columns wide. She wondered what was in all of the drawers. A sizeable floor-to-ceiling mirror in a beautiful ornate gold frame reflected the entire room. A gorgeous cocktail drink bar set in a circular metal frame held a large champagne bucket, champagne flutes, and a set of cocktail shakers for fancy stirred drinks. The lower shelf of the cocktail bar was fully stocked with Fiji bottled water.

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