Harriet didn’t stop to look around, though she did notice that Alex actually had more luggage then she had, all their bags having been brought up and deposited in the entrance hall. She swept up her bag and walked swiftly through the living room and down the short hallway into the second bedroom, which she already knew had an en suite bathroom. Dropping her bag at the foot of the bed, Harriet raced into the bathroom, stripped off, then plunged into a hot, though far from relaxing, shower.
Harriet was way beyond relaxation. Alex had used the words ‘beyond bearing’ downstairs. She had already reached that point herself, her mind constantly filling with arousing images, her body balancing on a knife-edge of desire so sharp that the beating of the hot water against her erect nipples was actually painful. When she went to wash between her thighs, she had to stop for fear that she might come.
She was close. So very close. She had to stop thinking about Alex. Had to stop thinking about doing it with him. Had to stop thinking. Oh, God...
Harriet snapped off the shower and almost fell out of the cubicle, drying herself inadequately before drawing on the thick white bathrobe that was hanging on the back of the door. A quick glance in the bathroom mirror showed pink cheeks and messed-up hair. Sighing, she took her hair down, combing it with her fingers till it fell around her face in its usual tidy curtain. There seemed little point in bothering with make-up, though a quick spray of deodorant might be a good idea. So would cleaning her teeth. Dashing back into the bedroom, she pulled out her toilet bag and returned to the bathroom to attend to both matters.
More than ten minutes had definitely passed by the time she forced her jelly-like legs to carry her towards the bedroom door, her uncharacteristic tardiness not helped by a new and rather undermining train of thought. As much as she wanted Alex, she was suddenly terrified of somehow disappointing him. Maybe he would find her body too...well...ordinary. She didn’t have spectacular breasts, an overly curvy bottom or legs that went up to her armpits. Her figure was very nice—she looked quite good naked—but it was nothing out of the box.
And then there was the worry about her own performance in bed. She’d never had any complaints before, but she suspected that Alex’s standards were very high, and very demanding. He’d already demonstrated dominant tendencies, his rules for their affair clearly trying to turn her into some kind of submissive. And, whilst Harriet found such a scenario exciting, she wasn’t sure how long she could sustain such a role. It went against her basic nature. Harriet was very independent in spirit, an organiser and a planner. Over the years she’d developed firm ideas over what she wanted in men and in life. Dwayne had gone as far as to call her bossy and controlling during their last argument, but Harriet didn’t see herself that way.
Well, maybe a little...
It crossed her mind that her rather scandalous behaviour today could be her subconscious trying to break out of her usual sensible mould by doing something wild and rebellious.
Becoming the boss’s secret mistress would certainly qualify as that!
Chapter Eleven
ALEX GLANCED UP when she entered the living room, his hands stilling on the bottle of champagne he was opening. It had been sitting in an ice bucket on the kitchen counter, along with two champagne glasses and a basket of fruit. Compliments of the management.
It had been over ten minutes since she’d fled his presence like the hounds of hell were after her. Her big brown eyes, he noted, looked just as they had that day he’d interviewed her. Deliciously nervous yet fiercely determined at the same time. He wondered how they would look when she was about to come. Would they grow wider, or scrunch up as she struggled not to let go?
He liked to prolong a woman’s pleasure. Liked to prolong his own as well. Alex suspected, however, that there wouldn’t be much prolonging this first time.
‘Do you like champagne?’ he asked.
She blinked, then stared at the bottle, as though she hadn’t even seen it.
‘Not really,’ she replied. ‘It gives me a headache.’
Alex laughed, then dumped the bottle back in the ice bucket. ‘Well, we can’t have that, can we? Should I make you some coffee, then? You must be thirsty.’
‘I don’t want anything,’ she said before sucking in a deep breath. ‘Just you.’
* * *
Harriet’s bold admission shocked her. And him as well, judging by the startled look on his face.
But she simply hadn’t been able to bear the thought of any more delay.
His surprised expression soon changed to one of hunger, his blue eyes clouding as they narrowed, then focused on her mouth.