Chapter 25 Chapter twenty five
Hell and a handbasket. The world shifted beneath Hope’s feet. Who the fuck did he think he was? The Lord of Domination? And why had she responded with such abandon?
As she strode down the marble hallway to the elevator, Hope forced herself to keep her chin high. It wasn’t until after she’d pushed the call button and made sure she was alone that she allowed her shoulders to collapse against the wall, right beneath the scripted silver letters bearing Rafe’s last name.
Celeste had warned that he was formidable and had coached Hope to be unflappable when dealing with him. Though she’d done a good job of presenting a cool exterior, nothing could have prepared her for meeting with the CFO of Sterling Worldwide.
He stood over six feet tall, was broad-shouldered and lean, showing he worked out as hard as he did everything else. As elegant as his suit had been, it hadn’t concealed the force of his primal nature.
He’d studied her in a way no other man ever had. His questions had been pointed as he’d probed for her deepest secrets. Even though she had wanted to protect herself, she hadn’t been able to look away from his threatening, turbulent deep-blue eyes.
The moment his mother and sister left the room, his danger had seared her. “She’ll wear a collar—my collar—and she will know she belongs to me.”
His voice had been cloaked in the most delicate silk, and his words had struck with a force that had left her speechless. They’d penetrated deep inside her brain, weaving an image until she pictured herself on her knees—waiting for his every command as he claimed what was his.
Any man speaking in such blunt, sexual terms would have triggered the same sort of feminine reaction from her. No. That was a lie. Every day, she spent time with rich, powerful men who had specific demands. Those words from anyone else would have left her cold. Rafe’s image left her hungry.
Sex had always been unremarkable. It was required once a relationship progressed to a certain point, but it was a chore.
In Rafe’s office, however, unfamiliar desire had crawled through her. He’d been right about her pheromones. She’d never been aroused like that. When he’d caressed her throat, his prediction that she would ask for his kiss had become inevitable.
His mouth had demanded, and his tongue had plundered. Then he’d moved one hand to the small of her back. In that terrifying moment, she would have knelt for him, and part of her had unraveled at the idea that he might redden her ass. Even now she couldn’t stop thinking about how his hand would feel on her naked buttocks. The wicked humiliation of it all…
When the kiss had ended, she’d been confused. Reality had crashed in on her. When had she become so wanton? Not knowing what else to do, she’d gathered her professional aura around her. The way he grabbed her elbow meant he sensed her withdrawal and had disliked it as much as she had.
She could have pulled away at any time. Why hadn’t she?
The bell dinged, jarring her, and she pushed away from the wall. Her bag clutched in her hands, she rode the elevator to the lobby.
People strode past, some talking on phones, others staring at the screens, with most of them wearing earbuds, lost in a world of music, books, or podcasts. All were going through their day while her insides were in turmoil.
On the sidewalk outside, she paused.
Though it was ridiculous, she glanced up at the fifteenth floor and swept her gaze across the windows. Most were still dark. But at the end of the row, a man stood in one, unmoving, framed in glass and steel and power.
It couldn’t be Rafe. He was far too busy running his conglomerate to look for her on the street.
No matter what her mind insisted, her heart had no doubt it was him.
She’d had a connection with him that transcended common sense.
She shook her head and hurried to the parking lot where she’d left her car.
When she was inside with the doors locked, she exhaled. Her heart thundered as if she’d run down the pavement. And her skin was both hot and chilled. She allowed herself another thirty seconds to pull herself together before slipping her car into drive and navigating Houston’s ever-thickening rush-hour traffic toward her own downtown suite of small offices.
In her purse, her phone vibrated half a moment before her upbeat marimba ringtone bounced through the passenger compartment, too loud and chipper for her current mood.
She glanced at the screen on her dash. Celeste Fallon. Curious, Hope connected the call. Her internship at Fallon and Associates during college garnered her a mentor and invaluable experience. The long, dedicated hours were rewarded with an invitation into Celeste’s inner circle.
As usual, Celeste skipped a greeting. “He didn’t like any of the women.”
“No.” Even though Hope had spent hours with his mother and sister, searching through pictures and reading biographies of more than a hundred women, Rafe hadn’t given any of them more than a cursory glance. “Is that a good guess? Wait—did you already talk to him?”
“I know Rafe.”
“You could have saved me some time.”
“Why on earth would I do that?”
Hope scowled. “You could have guided me in the right direction.”
“Meaning what?”
Did Celeste know that he was into BDSM? “He has…” Hope stumbled around. How did she repeat what he’d said without revealing his secrets? “He’s seeking a specific set of attributes in a wife.”
“If you decide to look for a career in PR, see me first.” Celeste’s voice was droll. “You can’t terminate your contract with him.”
Hope’s scowl deepened. As long as she refunded Rebecca’s money, Prestige was under no obligation to the Sterlings.
“I know he’s challenging—”
“That’s not the word I’d choose.”
“This is delicate, Hope.” Celeste was direct to the point of bluntness, so her sudden vagueness was surprising.
“His tastes are unusual,” Hope said.
“It’s more than that. Finding Rafe a wife will open avenues that you can’t imagine.”
Instead of cruising through a yellow light, Hope stopped so she could concentrate on what Celeste was saying.
“There are others…”
Like Rafe? “Listen, Celeste…” She’d accepted Rafe’s challenge. Pride alone wouldn’t allow her to walk away. “I will find him a suitable wife.”
“I knew I could count on you.”
The car behind her blasted its horn. Without her noticing, the light had turned green. Before she could respond to Celeste, the call ended.