Alexandra,
Wear this tonight when you come to the club. Be ready, you’ll be here awhile.
--Roman
She approached the package with trepidation, not knowing what he could have sent for her to wear. She put it in her lap, away from prying eyes, lifting up the lid to show the black demi bra with pearls along the top and matching underwear, garter belt, and stockings. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, but she couldn’t resist baiting him.
Alexandra: Is that a threat or a promise?
Roman: It’s both. Be ready for your punishment tonight. I will be.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? She wanted to question him, but her alarm went off, telling her she was due in court in thirty minutes. She gathered up her package so she could leave it in her car. Why did she agree to Blair’s crazy plan again? Sex, that was why. She wanted sex. Quick, uncomplicated sex. But nothing with Roman Valentine was turning into being quick and uncomplicated.
“Alexandra,” Henry called her as she walked toward the elevator.
“Yes, sir?” She turned back, not wanting to rush him but needing to get to the courthouse. He ambled toward her until he stood right in front of her.
“Where are we on the Williams case?”
“Heading there now.” She held up her folder, showing the information she would need for the day, hoping he took the hint she needed to leave. She still hadn’t opened the envelope Franklin gave her the day before, but she’d get to it this weekend.
“I got a phone call from him yesterday, and I wanted to make sure you knew how important this case was for the firm.” Shit. The asshole called after I brushed him off yesterday.
“I understand, sir. I am working to ensure he wins this case, and like I said in the meeting the other day, it should be a simple matter to resolve.”
He ran his finger along his lip, contemplating what she told him. “Ah, yes, the meeting the other day. The one where we talked about making you partner?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Well, make sure you win this case, because we can’t lose Mr. Williams’s account if we plan on expanding our partnership to include someone else.”
She nodded; there was no other response. She understood the expectation to continue to win cases, but he never made it sound like Franklin’s case would be the deciding factor. Turning around, she pressed the down button on the elevator so she could leave.
“So make sure you’re focused on the cases that are important, not the ones we accept for free.”
“Excuse me?” Surely he wasn’t implying she shouldn’t work on the Davis case knowing he was innocent.
“You know, sometimes we just need to leave well enough alone. I told you before, some cases are just worth a plea bargain.” She had always respected Henry, and she’d never questioned him, but there was no way she could do what he asked of her. The elevator dinged behind her. She walked inside, facing the open doors while she pressed the bottom floor several times. “And if they’re innocent?” she bit out.
Henry pointed at her. “Then we leave well enough alone, or else we get more than we bargained for.”
10
Roman pulled himself from his desk when he got Marco’s call. He had big plans for Alexandra that night, and she was going to see what it meant to go against what he said. He was riding on a good mood, prompted in part from the phone call from Survive and Thrive that afternoon, and wanted to make sure he got his paperwork submitted the following day so he’d get on the list for the banquet for the week after. He’d told himself Alexandra was another lay, albeit a gorgeous one he’d agreed to keep an exclusive sexual relationship with for the next couple months, but they were strictly friends with benefits. That night was needed to get back on an even keel because the other day he’d grown too close.
He’d sent the package that morning to get a rise out of her. He knew how hell-bent she was on keeping their relationship under wraps, and he wanted to remind them both of their original purpose. It would be, but he couldn’t resist goading her, something else new for him. She was getting to him. He was already looking forward to their liaisons a bit too much, one of the reasons he was irritated the previous night.
“She’s in the requested room, sir, and I gave her the note you left.” He’d told her to strip down to the lingerie he’d picked out for her and lie down on the bed. His leg bounced, nervous energy coursing through his veins. He’d been denied this the day before, and he’d get his reward today. After waiting five more minutes, enough time for her to stew and wonder what he wanted, he went to her. He’d given his staff strict instructions not to disturb him unless it was an emergency, a first for him, because Alexandra would have his undivided attention that night.
He opened the door, impressed she’d done as he asked. She was on the bed with her legs crossed at her ankles, not acknowledging his appearance. He stood, hands on hips, taking in the temptress before him. Her dark hair was curling wildly down one shoulder, eyes shining with desire and trepidation. He only asked one question, but it was the one that mattered.
“Do you trust me?”
She raised an eyebrow, her lip twitching. “If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t be here.”
Roman nodded because no other words were necessary. He grabbed the blindfold he’d laid out earlier.
“Last time to say no.”
“Do it.” He tied the blindfold, aware of the ragged breath she made, understanding this was outside her comfort zone. She was used to being in charge, but she would find out quickly he was the one in charge in there. He dragged a finger across her stomach, watching the muscles quiver at his contact before rubbing the sensitive spot above the top of her panties. He removed her bra and panties before he continued glide his fingers along her body, touching everywhere, the sensation causing her to shift her legs. Roman grabbed her legs, pressing them wide and lying between them, breathing over her pussy, causing her whole body to shiver.
“I can smell you,” he whispered. “You want this?”
“Hmm…” she moaned, trying to move closer. He leaned back, not giving her what she wanted.
“I told you I would punish you.” He leaned down and bite her thigh playfully, feeling the rush of pleasure when she yelped. He was going to make her wait, but after licking her once, he was unable to be so close without tasting her.
“Sweet as sugar,” he told her, taking in the way she white-knuckled the sheets. He walked to the cooler, grabbing an ice cube before going back over to her.
“Tell me what you feel,” he told her, putting the ice cube on her stomach without warning. She gasped, jerking her hips up, but he wouldn’t let her up, holding her in place as he rubbed the ice around her stomach.
“It’s…cold,” she gasped out, shivering in the wake of the ice. He rubbed it while it melted, licking the trail of water where the ice had been. She seemed to wait with baited breath for his next move, but he wanted to touch her, inserting one finger then another in her slick passage.
“You’re soaked,” he told her, thrusting in and out before leaning up for a kiss. She met his lips, deepening the kiss when he would have pulled back. Her walls clenched around him. He knew it would take a few well-placed strokes to get her off, but she needed to wait. He pulled his fingers out, grinning at her groan of frustration.
“Not fair.” She pouted. He leaned forward and bit her bottom lip.
“Don’t care,” he said, grabbing the vibrator she seemed to enjoy the other night, starting it on the lowest setting. Not enough to bring her to an orgasm, just enough to tease. Her breath quickened as the whirl of the vibrator filled the room, and she seemed poised, waiting for his next move.
“Do you know how to tell whether you can handle the vibrations of your toy?”