Chapter 40

Mia

I stared, wide-eyed, at the ten or so boutique shopping bags sitting prettily on the sofa and felt more than a little awed. Those were all for me. I couldn’t believe it. James had bought all those for me, those clothes I’d tried on three or so hours ago back at Fleur.

After that unexpected, intense lovemaking session in the changing room, after I’d finished organizing myself into some sort of a decent girl who hadn’t gotten ravished by a billionaire in public, he’d purchased every single item given to me to try on, including, of course, some undergarments.

And now…now he expected me to get ready for dinner? With him and Tory and his other friends? I suspected William was one of those friends mentioned.

I made a sour face and thought it would have been nice if he’d told me earlier instead of just a few minutes ago before he left to attend to his business once again.

I sighed and grabbed a bag. I peeked inside, and instantly my eyes brightened with delight. It was the pink dress I loved. I took it out and held it at arm’s length.

I couldn’t help myself and rushed into the bathroom to try it on. I thought I looked good in it and smiled gleefully. I was just taking it off again when I heard knocks at the door. In haste, I pulled on Andy’s shirt and jeans. Once dressed, I rushed back out.

The moment I saw Andy at the door, he pulled me into his arms.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

I was confused for a moment, wondering what he meant. When he finally did let me go, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

I noted he looked sad and pissed at the same time. Though I didn’t know what his troubles were, I was desperate to find out. I opened the door wider and told him to come in.

He glanced around the place in appreciation. When he saw the bags on the sofa, he snorted sarcastically. “Is that his apology?”

I was even more than a little lost as to his meaning and asked, “What?”

“Mr. Maxwell? He bought all those for you?”

I blushed. “Mm-hmm.”

“He treats you like his toy, doesn’t he?” He sounded angry, and his face was dark. “One minute nice and the next… Shit! I thought he’d be different.”

He threw himself onto an empty chair and raked his fingers through his dark hair.

“James isn’t like that,” I said. “He doesn’t treat me like his toy… At least I don’t think so.”

He eyed me and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight. “Mia, I don’t want you to be like me. Not knowing where this is going. Whether it’s even normal to be in this type of…relationship. I tried. I tried to get you out of this mess. But I’m just so useless.”

I moved back a bit and smiled to encourage him. “You’re not useless, Andy. You’ve done your best.”

He chuckled sadly. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

I smiled guiltily. “Yes, I am. Now stop moping. As you can see, I’m totally fine. Be a good brother and stop making me worry about you so much.”

He laughed then. “Oh, Mia. I’m never going to stop worrying about you until you meet a great guy who loves you and really cares for you.”

I swallowed hard, for his words tugged both the longing and the ache deep within my heart. That was exactly what I wanted as well. I wanted what Mom and Dad had, that love and devotion they had for one another. But that wasn’t going to happen with me, was it? Especially not between James and me. I was only his mistress, after all, his paramour, and that was all. Nothing. I was nothing to him. I was just his plaything. Just…just his toy… Like Andy said.

My heart ached at that sad realization, and I felt tears sting my eyes.

I shook away the negativity and once again reminded myself not to get emotionally involved.

“And I’m never going to stop worrying about you,” I said, smiling. “Not until you find yourself a nice girl who cares about you and loves you with all her heart, until you’re both settled down with at least three kids.”

He looked pained at my words, and I regretted uttering them. Didn’t he say he wasn’t ever going to get himself a girl? I felt as though I’d overstepped and needed to correct myself again.

I was about to say something when he said, “I better get ready for work.”

That caught me off guard. “Oh, your waiter job?”

He nodded as I stood up. He stood as well and then headed to the door.

“Have fun then,” I said because I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

He snorted. “There’s nothing fun about working there.” Then he gave me a wink and a smile nonetheless. “But I’ll try, for you.”

I chuckled. “That’s my Andy.”

At the door, he kissed me on the forehead and said, “See you tomorrow then.”

I smiled brightly. “See you tomorrow.”

I watched him walk down the corridor and then into the elevator. He was waving at me when the door shut.

Alone, I returned to the bathroom and started a bath, all the time thinking about my brother and his “waiter” job and then, of course, about James Maxwell. Would he find himself another mistress after my five years were up? I wondered as I played with the soapy bubbles around me. Would he ever get himself into a serious relationship with another woman while toying with me as mistress? The thought made me sick, and I refused to think about it any further.

About half an hour later, I was ready for dinner, all dressed up. My face was made up neutrally with a little bit of foundation, eye shadow, mascara, blush, and lipstick. Even though I wasn’t at all well-off, a girl still needed a makeup kit to make herself look good. Of course, there were some brands that were cheap enough even I could afford.

I was just finishing forming my hair in a loose bun at the top of my head when I heard James’ voice.

“Mia?”

My heart fluttered with joy, and I smiled with delight. My firm idea of not getting emotionally involved flew out the window.

I quickly finished up and headed out the door.

“I’m here,” I said at the bedroom door.

He was in the kitchen with a bottle of water in his hand, ready to take a sip. The moment he saw me, he stopped in his tracks and just stared.

I smiled, hoping sincerely he liked what he saw. I couldn’t quite make out the look on his face clearly since we were quite far apart, but eventually he did take a couple of sips of the water. Once he was done, he came over to me and stood right in front of me.

He had a smirk on his face, and his Prussian-blue eyes were bright as they roved over me. I hoped it was with appreciation. Then his hand touched my chin, and he tilted my face up toward his. His face then descended toward me, and when his lips were about to touch mine, he stopped.

It looked like he was in a dark dilemma with himself, and I wondered what it was about.

Suddenly, he pulled back and said, “Better not mess up that lipstick.”

I was disappointed. I wanted him to kiss me. Never mind about the lipstick. I could redo it. But of course I wasn’t going to tell him how much I wanted him. I had my pride too.

He stepped around me and headed into the bathroom. “I’ll just have a quick shower before we go.”

“Okay,” I said over my shoulder.

He shut the door behind him, and I headed to the couch. I sat among the many shopping bags and began to look through them. I was killing time, of course. I’d sort them out properly tomorrow.

As I busied myself going through dresses, my mind wandered off to James and the shower once again. Oh God! It seemed I liked to imagine James in the shower every time. Taut muscles and skin glistening wet. Dark Prussian-blue eyes and sensual lips seducing me to join him. It was enough to make me weak in the knees.

He emerged about ten minutes later with nothing on but a white towel wrapped around his waist. I gawked at him like a kid wanting to eat chocolate cake as he came toward me.

Oh God! He looked just like in my imagination. Taut muscles and skin beaded with droplets of water. Dark eyes and sensual lips.

“Screw the lipstick,” he said and came to join me on the sofa. He pulled me into his arms, and his eager lips searched for mine. Once he found what he sought, he claimed them with ardor.

His lips were hot and fervent against mine, and when he plunged his tongue into my mouth, my world melted into an intoxicated pool of sensations. Thrill and warmth with a sense of calming pleasure flooded my whole body. I felt as if I were floating in midair as James continued to deliciously devour me.

When he released me, he lowered himself and paid attention to my breasts. He slowly and carefully, which was very unlike him, unzipped the dress around the back. Then gently, which was also very unlike him, he peeled the material down my body to my waist.

He stared long and hard at my breasts, as if he were fascinated by them, marveling at them. I nibbled on my lower lip in anticipation as he lightly and gently and slowly caressed the pink bud of my right nipple. He molded it about between his finger and thumb. I couldn’t help myself and groaned softly.

“Beautiful,” he said and then licked it. Once. Twice. Thrice. Then he sucked at it and kissed it and rolled it around with his tongue. Once it was hard and glistening pink, he turned his attention to the other.

He licked and then sucked.

“James…” I moaned as he continued to lovingly torture me.

When he was satisfied, he unraveled his towel. I gasped once I saw how hard his shaft was, parading itself there proudly, ready to ravish me.

James caught me around my backside and pulled me up to sit on him as he raised my skirt. He placed his palm against my pussy and started rubbing me.

“Mmm…” I closed my eyes as he pleasured me.

“Tell me you want me,” he teased.

I nodded my head mindlessly. “I want you. Oh yes, I want you.”

He chuckled, and then he became aggressive. He tore my brand-new panties to pieces and then inserted his finger in me.

I groaned. “So good.”

He laughed, pleased with my reaction. Then he lifted me a bit more and inserted himself into me.

I cried out, “James! Oh, James… So good…”

He gritted his teeth and kissed me hard as he began moving inside me.

“We’re going to be late for dinner,” he said breathlessly as he continued to plunge deeply in and out of me.

I didn’t care if we were late or not. I just wanted him to continue driving me crazy this way. Oh God! It felt so good.

We were moving together, me on top of him, dancing in an erotic rhythm. Oh God, I felt good, sexy—powerful even—as I clutched him against me. I let myself go and just let James ravish me. And then we came together as he swore under his breath, “Fuck, Mia…”

I collapsed in his arms again as he held me tight. A chuckle escaped his lips, and he said, “That was great.”

I raised my head and smiled, nodding.