The evening began better than he had feared. Aggie seemed less reluctant than he had anticipated to accept his escort instead of Jimmy’s. She was dressed in a long slim black skirt and a dark gray silk blouse, fine for the theater. After he explained the change of plans, they climbed back into the cab and headed downtown.
The small restaurant was a favorite of Richard’s. He appreciated the cozy atmosphere, unobtrusive waiters and excellent Mexican cuisine. Aggie suggested that he order for both of them. They started with ensalada de calabacitas, a spicy zucchini and chili pepper salad with feta cheese. Halfway through the salad, Richard sidled toward the image that had disrupted his concentration all day.
“Jimmy was a happy man this morning, Aggie.” He hoped his smile looked sincere.
Aggie’s eyes seemed stuck to her fork as she lifted it toward her mouth. She shrugged almost as though Jimmy’s happiness didn’t interest her. Could she possibly be that cold? Then she looked up into Richard’s eyes and the impression of coldness vanished. The eyes were alive with heat and confusion and attraction. He would have sworn she was looking affectionately, almost lovingly, at him.
“I’m glad,” she said simply, her face solemn.
Richard attacked his salad. He hardly tasted the main course of nopalitos con carne de puerco y chile verde, cactus with pork and green chile. Aggie seemed unaffected by his reticence and asked him questions about his work, obviously working to draw him out, to charm him. Richard tried to keep his armor up, but her smile penetrated his cynicism. She couldn’t be both so heartless and yet so warm. By dessert he admitted his defeat. She had won him over. Whatever her game, he was prepared to play it.
Aggie’s reaction to the sticky sweet pastel de pecana, a pecan cake with honey glaze, turned the rest of the meal into a subtle seduction. She lifted the first bite to her mouth and as the taste hit, her expression turned inward in bliss. Richard imagined her beneath him, eyes glazed in satiation. As her lips opened eagerly for the next morsel, he felt her draw his tongue into her mouth as his lips pressed hard into hers.
Richard’s fork clattered to the table. Aggie smiled knowingly and picked it up. She speared a bite of his cake and raised it to his mouth. She teased him with the sweet-filled fork, just brushing his lips. Richard’s mouth lunged and captured the bite of cake as Aggie grinned. Richard struggled to return to his senses.
“What are you doing?” His voice came out hoarse.
“Nothing,” Aggie teased.
Richard tried to remind himself that she had spent the last night with his boss, his friend. That Jimmy was crazy about her. But all he could see were her lust-filled eyes. She wanted him and intended to have him. Somehow he had changed from escort to prey. They would skip the theater and he would take her to the nearest hotel room. In the morning he would apologize to Jimmy and resign as his employee. And marry the woman across the table and live happy and penniless for the rest of their lives. Penniless. Richard stood abruptly.
“We need to go,” he growled. He understood now where the gruffness in Jimmy’s voice came from.
Aggie stood silently and walked in front of him toward the entrance to the restaurant. He wouldn’t look at her, Richard resolved. At least her back was turned so he couldn’t see those amazing eyes. He wouldn’t watch the hips that swayed gently as she walked down the aisle ahead of him. The waiter handed Aggie her coat and she passed it on to Richard. Her shoulders weren’t slender and sleek beneath his hands. Her breath wasn’t warm on his cheek as she turned in his arms. Richard stepped back.
“Thank you.” Aggie spoke softly.
She reached for his arm as they exited the restaurant. The block-long walk to the theater became an exercise in self-control. So far Richard had managed to restrain his ripening erection to half-cock. What would happen in the dark theater, with her perfume in his head and her shoulder brushing his?
“Have you seen Phantom before?” Aggie asked as she settled into the seat.
Richard watched her bottom wiggle itself to comfort. The curve of her left breast swelled into his view as he sat to her right. Better to keep his eyes straight ahead.
“No,” he answered her. “Have you?”
“No,” she smiled. “I’ve always wanted to. This is such a treat.”
She hugged his arm then leaned back as the overture began, leaving their arms entwined. She slid her hand into his. He squeezed her fingers in automatic response. By the time the chandelier fell, his arm was around her shoulders and her elbow pressed comfortably against his ribs. Richard hardly heard the rest of the show.
They held hands as they waited for the cab. Inside, Aggie leaned into him.
“Try not to worry too much,” she advised him.
Richard rubbed his forehead with his free hand.
“I feel like I’m betraying Jimmy,” he confessed.
“You’re not,” Aggie said firmly. “Can you trust me?”
“Probably not,” Richard grinned. “But at the moment, I don’t care.”
He directed the driver to take them to the Waterfront Hotel. He registered for a room as Aggie stood a pace behind his shoulder. She took his arm again as they walked to the bank of elevators.
“This will change everything,” Richard said as they waited. “You can still back out.”
“So can you,” Aggie reminded him.
But he couldn’t.
Richard lifted Aggie and carried her over the threshold of the room. She began to remove his clothes even as he still held her. He kicked the door shut and set her on her feet. By now his tie was around her neck and his shirt in a puddle on the floor. Aggie slid her hand inside the front of his pants. She grasped his now upright cock and squeezed. Richard groaned and began to pull at her clothing. She stepped back a pace, though her hand still kept a tight grip on his manhood.
“What’s the kinkiest thing you ever wanted to do?” she asked.
Richard groaned. His arms fell limp to his sides.
“I haven’t,” he began. “I don’t…I’m…”
Aggie squeezed and his attempt at apology fled.
“I can’t tell you,” he blurted.
Aggie squeezed harder.
“Tell me,” she coaxed.
“I always wanted to tie somebody up,” Richard admitted. The fantasy seemed bizarre under the circumstances. Aggie was clearly in charge.
“We’ll try it both ways,” Aggie agreed.
Both ways? Richard let himself be led by the cock to the bedside. Aggie pushed him down onto his back. When she released his cock and climbed astride his chest, Richard felt first abandoned and then submissive. She tied his hands together above his head. He could easily have stopped her, but her eyes held him more captive than the flimsy silk.
“Leave your arms above your head,” she ordered. He felt no urge to disobey.
She climbed off him and lifted first one leg and then the other, loosening and removing his shoes and socks. Then without touching his now pulsing cock, she unzipped him and pulled off pants and underwear. Richard lay naked before her fully dressed form and felt mastered, controlled. He loved it. He waited for Aggie to strip for him but somehow wasn’t surprised when she didn’t.
“Don’t move,” she warned him.
Still without touching him with her hands, she lowered her mouth over his crotch. Her lips touched him first with a kiss as light as the one to his cheek. His cock bobbed up toward her. She kissed him again lightly and he groaned.
“Shh,” she whispered.
Her mouth lowered and this time she took the full length of him inside her. Richard lifted his hips thrusting and brought his hands down to steady her head. She lifted her mouth off him.