Chapter 41 Chapter fourty one
“After you.” RAFE opened the door to his condominium.
HOPE hesitated for a fraction of a second. Everything else that had happened until now, she could excuse. RAFE and his overwhelming presence had swept her up in the moment. But coming home with him, after he’d said he planned to spank her?
“Hope?”
As always, patience radiated through his voice. If she told him that she’d changed her mind, he’d take her home and leave her there.
Which meant the problem wasn’t the powerful and seductive RAFE STERLING. It was her. Clients had asked her out before. Until today, she’d turned them down. But with RAFE, the more scandalous his behavior, the deeper she was drawn into his web.
Trembling, she stepped across the threshold into the inviting, expansive white-marble entryway.
He followed, closed the door, then turned the lock. A shiver feathered down her spine, one that had nothing to do with the air-conditioning and everything to do with the lethal heat that blazed in his eyes when he turned her to face him.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m—” Not knowing what to say, she broke off. “Show me your thigh.”
So much for thinking he might give her some time to get settled.
He held out a hand for her purse. He placed it on a bench that might have been an old church pew.
When he regarded her with one raised eyebrow, she lifted her skirt. She was shocked when she didn’t see any abrasion from the thorn. Even though the scratch was imaginary, she could have shown him the exact path it had carved. Her clit throbbed still, from the phantom pain.
“You’ll have to do it harder next time.”
She wanted to. What did that say about her? HOPE dropped the hem of her skirt and the material fluttered back into place.
“May I take your blazer?” RAFE asked.
His switch from a sexual Dominant to courteous host tipped her world off-balance.
She shrugged out of her jacket, and he hung it in a coat closet near the door.
“Let me show you around so you’re comfortable,” he said.
That wasn’t a word she would have chosen to describe being in his place.
“Your house is a surprise,” she said as they passed a black baby-grand piano.
“Is it?” RAFE asked.
“I thought you might live in River Oaks or Tanglewood.” Or another of Houston’s pricey gated communities, even the Woodlands where he could have a sprawling estate. Instead, they’d ridden the elevator to the ninth-floor penthouse of a modern-looking condominium in Uptown. When they’d driven onto the property, they passed tennis courts, several swimming pools, and a running track. Though he’d left his car in the parking garage, there were numerous spaces outside, and there was a wooden portico covered with vines to create an inviting shaded gateway to the entrance of each of the complex’s three buildings.
“I didn’t see the point in getting a house since I don’t spend a lot of time at home. A condo requires much less maintenance. And I like the amenities.”
“Like the concierge?” HOPE asked.
“It’s handy. It’s also close to bike trails. I can reach them without having to drive anywhere,” RAFE said.
The space was contemporary, with floor-to-ceiling windows. A balcony off the main living area had a seating area with oversize chairs, end tables, umbrellas, and, of course, a bicycle.
His fireplace mantel had no personal touches. The room was filled with decorator-inspired vases and art. Even his furniture was stark—black leather with no welcoming pillows.
On the other hand, the kitchen was a chef’s delight, with a pot filler over the six-burner stovetop. The vent was streamlined and gleamed.
“I’d offer you champagne, but that will have to wait until after your spanking,” RAFE said.
The way he spoke to her, as if it was inevitable, sent rockets of desire straight to her pussy.
“Uhm. Okay. Why?” HOPE asked.
“You need to be in full charge of your responses, and I need to be aware of you and your reactions to what we are doing. But I can offer you a club soda or mineral water,” he explained.
Since her mouth was dry and she wanted to occupy her hands, she said, “Mineral water would be nice.”
He took down a glass with a thick stem, filled it halfway, then squeezed some fresh lime into it. “Shall we go outside?”
She nodded as she accepted the drink.
“The view is spectacular,” she said once they were on the patio. From here, there was a perfect vantage of the empty tennis courts and a young couple splashing each other in the swimming pool. Beyond, buildings glistened in the fading sunlight.
“Invites you to go and explore the city, doesn’t it?” RAFE asked.
She turned and rested her back against the railing. “Is this complex owned by Sterling Worldwide?”
“No. We don’t do a lot of that kind of development, but it is something I’m interested in. It’s a departure from our core strength, so I would want to proceed with caution,” he said.
“Cautious isn’t a word I associate with you,” she said.
“Why not?” He frowned, puzzled, but not challenging, inviting her response.
“You seem…ambitious,” HOPE said.
“The two aren’t incompatible. I like to win. So while I move forward, I do so in situations that require very little risk,” RAFE explained.
“Which is another reason to use a matchmaker,” she said.
“Clever way to convince me not to ask for the return of my mother’s money,” he said.
She tried to grin, but the reminder that she needed to find him a wife with whom he would share this view every day bothered her enough that she distracted herself by taking a sip of her mineral water.
“There’s more to see,” RAFE told her.
The dining room table was oblong, glass topped, with seating for ten.
“Do you entertain a lot?” HOPE asked.
“No. The designer my mother hired suggested I needed something this size to fill the space, and I didn’t have the heart to turn it into the exercise room that I wanted,” he said.
As part of the dining room, he had a fabulous bar area. Stemware of various sizes and shapes lined up on two rows of glass shelves. As if this were one of his hotels, several more mirror-lined shelves held gorgeous bottles of liquor, all premium brands. The patio could be accessed through a set of French doors.
“You should consider hosting parties. This place was made for it,” RAFE suggested.
He shuddered, and she laughed. The shared expe
rience softened her tension and demolished barriers. If she wasn’t careful, she might start to like him.