“Yes, they are acceptable,” I say. “When and where?”
“How about now and here? I have a room at this hotel.”
My head swimming, I nod.
He asks for the check and signs off with his room number.
We stand up from our seats, leaving the rest of our drinks unfinished. As if in a dream, I follow him to the elevator and then down a carpeted hallway into his room.
STELLA
The moment Darrel closes the door behind us, he brushes his lips against mine, light as a feather at first. But even that gentlest touch sends bursts of joy through my body. They turn into currents when he presses his lips harder, his tongue seeking entry. I part my lips—and nearly faint with how much I missed this, how much I longed for him, how amazing it feels to be held and kissed by him.
Soon, our kiss deepens into a hot, intimate dance of tongues like that time in the basement. Wave after wave of heat washes over me from head to toe. His hands stroke my back, my sides, shoulders, neck, face. My skin burns wherever he touches me. I arch into his touch, craving more.
Gradually, the world around me melts away. I have no clue what Darrel’s room looks like. A few moments later, I can’t even remember where we are. Or who we are. We’re just a man and a woman, kissing each other into oblivion.
A long while later, we pause to catch our breath.
He takes my hand and leads me to the double bed covered with sumptuous linens and plush pillows. I notice my surroundings as we progress through the spacious room. The suite exudes an air of understated luxury. A thick carpet covers the floor, cushioning our steps. The room’s furnishings, from the narrow writing desk with a sleek leather chair tucked underneath it to the small coffee table in the seating area, are made of real wood, their elegant lines and surfaces polished to perfection.
It’s dark on the other side of the tall windows, from which I deduce that the room is overlooking Lake Annecy and not the city.
Darrel follows my gaze. “The view of the lake and the smoky mountains behind it is the best thing about this hotel. You’ll see in the morning.”
I nod.
We stop by the bed.
“Are you hungry?” he asks.
“No, I’d already had dinner when you called. What about you?”
“Same.” He points to the minibar. “Another drink?”
“No, thank you.”
He takes my other hand. “Since it’s going to be your first time, I want to make this night special for you. For both of us.”
“No objections here.”
He smiles. “What’s your most cherished sexual fantasy?”
“Uh… Er…” I stammer, taken aback by his question.
My old self kicks in and I’m suddenly too shy to speak of such things.What happened to the femme fatale fromBasic Instinct?
“Come on.” He grins. “You can tell me. Unless it involves a coral reef lagoon and a sandy beach or some other outdoor setting, I’ll make it come true tonight.”
“What’s your fantasy?” I ask him instead of answering.
“Who cares? It’syourfirst time, Stella.”
“I do. I care.” Searching his face, I try again. “Did you… did you ever fantasize about me while you were a captive in our house?”
“Every day, multiple times a day,” he says without batting an eye.
Oh. Wow.My confidence perks up and my playfulness with it.