“That’s very nineteen fifties’ of you, Marie.”
“Oh, fuck that. Listen, if you can work for yourself do it. Forget all that independent woman bullshit. Let Bear help you. You’re fucking great, Chloe. You’ve got mad skills. Use them. Believe in yourself. Pretty soon you’ll be doing so great, you won’t need anyone else, even Bear.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the best friend in the whole world?”
“Once,” she replied. “Seems like it’s been forever, though. If only I could remember who said that…”
“Oh, hush. I love you. I gotta go now.”
“Okay, love you too. Tell Bruce I said hello.”
“I’m sure you can tell him yourself. There is a thing called the telephone!”
“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “You know I like to play hard to get.”
“Play being the operative word. You’re the easiest girl I know.”
“I don’t think you have much room to talk, Beauty,” she said.
“Yeah, yeah,” I laughed, hanging up the phone and feeling much better now that I’d talked to her. I was even more confused, but I felt better.
One out of two ain’t bad, right?
Chapter 21
“Chinese or Pizza?” Bear asked. I was snuggled up on his couch next to a roaring fire and he was looking through takeout menus.
“Chinese,” I said, smiling over at him.
It was so good to see him, to just be near him. I knew I missed him but I hadn’t really realized how much until he showed up at my front door tonight, looking like a dream. He looked amazing, he smelled even better and when he kissed me, I thought I might die of happiness right there at his feet.
“Chinese it is, then,” he said. He picked up the phone and began ordering in Chinese and my eyes widened as I listened. When he hung up, I whistled.
“I’m impressed,” I said.
“I spent a summer in Beijing,” he shrugged. “I picked up a little Mandarin while I was there.”
“What else don’t I know about you?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m sure there’s lots of things,” he said, sitting on the couch next to me and pulling me close. “Good thing we have the rest of our lives for you to discover them, huh?”
“Yes,” I said, nodding emphatically. “Absolutely.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better tonight, love,” he said. “I’ve been pretty lonely around here without you.”
“I’m glad, too,” I said, leaning into him. He felt so real, so solid, so strong, and yet every time I was with him, it was like I was suspended in a dream. Some fantasy come to life that hadn’t fully formed and taken residence in my brain just yet. Like I had to keep convincing myself that this was all real, that it was really happening.
“How was your day yesterday? Are you learning your way around town now?”
“For the most part,” I said. “My GPS helps.”
“Ah, yes, the joys of technology. Amazing, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I said, growing quiet. “So, I have to tell you something.”
“What’s that?” he asked, brushing a kiss across my lips. I wanted to melt into him, let him sink into me, lose myself in his embrace for the rest of the night, but guilt was gnawing at me and I needed to make it go away before I could get on with my night.
“I know you told me not to give Levi’s proposal any weight, but I had to at least hear him out.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked. I was still leaning into him and I felt him tense, but I soldiered on.
“He told me he had good news, a proposal of sorts.”
“And what did he propose?”
“He told me he had some people that were interested in seeing more of my stuff. To maybe give me a position. He said I could be the next face of the women’s Armani line.”
I’d said it a few times out loud by now but this time, it all just sounded funny to me.
“You’re kidding, right, Chloe? Tell me you aren’t serious.” Something about the tone of his voice bothered me.
“I’m not kidding, and yes I’m serious.”
“Chloe, we talked about this already. There’s no reason for you to get mixed up with Levi. You’ll better serve your career by doing things yourself. You don’t need to pay your dues, you don’t need to learn from some old, outdated company. And I’m sure he’s all talk anyway.”
“He already showed my stuff to some people who like it. It’s not just him, Bear. I’d be doing business with other people in the company, too. I’m going to finish up a couple of pieces I’m working on and have dinner with him again next week to give them to him. It’s worth seeing what they say, don’t you think?”
“What did you just say, Chloe?”
“What?”
“Did you say you were going to have dinner with him? Again?”
“Well, yes, I—.”
“—When did you have dinner with him the first time?”
Fuck! Didn’t I mention that at first?
“Last night,” I said. “Sorry, I thought I said that.”
“No, you didn’t. You told me you weren’t feeling well yesterday and that you couldn’t see me. Instead, you had dinner with Levi?”
“I’m sorry, Bear, I meant to tell you—.”
“Hush!” he said.
He stood up quickly, pacing around the room, walking back and forth in front of the fireplace. The crackle of the flames behind him was the only sound in the room. My heart skipped a beat as he stopped and stared down at me.
Slowly, he shook his head.
“Beauty, you know what this means, don’t you?” he asked, his eyes peering straight into my soul. I saw everything in his. He was an open book.
He was angry. He was disappointed. I’d lied and he caught me. He wasn’t pleased.
I guess I understood. We’d not seen each other for days and I was out with someone else. Another man that he despised. Of course, he would be angry, right?
When I saw him looking at me, when I heard his question, I knew the answer. Of course I would be punished. But my heart skipped a beat with the anticipation of the pleasure that would come after.
I nodded slowly, rising to stand in front of him.
God, I’d missed him. I’d missed his touch, his kiss, his smell, but most of all, I realized I’d missed that fiery look in his eyes. That darkness that ripped through me every single fucking time, melting everything in its path.
“Yes, I know what this means,” I said, lowering my head, my nipples hardening in anticipation.
“Go,” he said. I nodded, walking out of the living room and down the hall, past the abstract paintings and past the normal guest rooms until I reached his room.
His secret room that I’d grown to love and lust for all at the same time.
I couldn’t wait to feel the slap of his hand on my naked flesh.
I couldn’t wait to shudder at the sound of the blow.
I couldn’t wait to feel his cock grow against my belly with each resounding smack.
&nbs
p; He grabbed a heavy, thick whip from the wall. The smell of leather washed over me and I inhaled deeply, the heady aroma had quickly become an aphrodisiac for me.
“Strip!” he said, turning to face me. Pleasure washed over me as he sat down, silently gesturing for me to lie on top of him.
I stripped off my clothes quickly, letting them fall in a heap at my feet. I was disappointed to see he didn’t take his off, but I didn’t dare say a word about it. He wouldn’t look at me, he stared straight ahead with an angry grimace and my stomach flipped as I realized he was truly angry this time.
“Bear, I’m sorry…” I muttered, as I crawled onto his lap.
“Shut up!” he barked. I jumped, my legs wiggling as I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the blow.
Silently, he began, using the whip right away.
One. Two. Three. Four.
I held my breath, the leather slapping against my bare ass like a snack bite. I cringed with each blow, stiffening against him.
Five. Sex. Seven.
I cried out, the last blow hitting so hard I felt it ricochet into my brain. He kept going.
Eight. Nine. Ten.
“Bear!” I cried, whipping my head around to look at him. His gaze was focused on my ass and he wouldn’t look up at me at all. Tears streamed down my face.
Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen.
My head fell back down, and I clenched my eyes shut, trying to melt into the pain, waiting for it to turn into pleasure like it always had before. But instead, it just kept hurting more.
Fourteen. Fifteen.
“Stop!” I cried. “Please! I’m sorry!”
Sixteen.
“Bear!” I screamed.
Seventeen. Eighteen.
“Peaches!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Peaches, goddammit! Peaches! Stop!”
He stopped, suddenly standing up as I fell in a crying heap at his feet.
“Bear!” I cried, tears streaming down my face. He looked down at me, his eyes a violent storm of anger and pain.
The man I loved wasn’t there.
The darkness was too dark this time.
We’d gone too far.