As The Madam Please

The room was still, the curtains drawn just enough to let in some morning light. Thea stirred first. The weight of Seth’s arm lay across her waist made her turn to face him and for a heartbeat she simply stayed there, listening to the slow rhythm of his breathing.

He was asleep. Actually asleep.

Wait…this would actually be the first time she's seen him asleep. And that was…wild to believe. Her eyes softened on him without thinking, studying him in silence.

In sleep the lines around his eyes had smoothed; the faint crease between his brows was gone. His mouth, usually pressed into a firm line, was soft now. The light touched his skin like water on polished stone, and his lashes lay dark against his cheek. He looked, she thought, almost angelic. Like some sculpture left in a quiet cathedral, unguarded and human for once.

Even in sleep, his arm around her waist was firm and strong. Hell, this man could protect her even in his sleep. She leaned back on his arm , staring at his face in silence..

No wonder he was an asshole. There's no way he'd look that good and not be a jerk at least.

A vibration buzzed against the nightstand. Her phone.

Thea jolted, the moment shattering. She eased out from under his arm, careful not to wake him, and padded across the room, her eyes fixed on the screen.

It was Adam.

Why the hell is he calling so early in the morning anyway? The phone kept buzzing. She snatched it up and ducked into the adjoining walk in closet before sliding on the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Thea. It’s done.” Adam’s voice came low and clipped, as though he were still in the boardroom.

She closed the door behind her. “Done?”

“The board signed the resolution last night. You’re in. Interim CEO until the AGM, but it’s essentially full control.”

He paused, maybe waiting for excitement, gratitude, something. But he got nothing.

Thea remained quiet, it was finally done. Balmero was finally hers! It felt surreal. She thought she would have to convince the board and talk to Reed whom she was yet to get on a call with or run into at school.

“Good.” She muttered.

“When do you want to meet the board formally?”

She stared at the tiles, at the faint steam still clinging to the mirror from their shower the night before. “After Posy’s wedding.”

“After…” He caught himself. “All right. After the wedding. I’ll set it up.”

“Good.”

Silence. She could hear him breathing on the line, the faint clink of a pen in his fingers.

“Thea,” Adam said finally. “Are you..are you doing okay? Really?”

She let out a soft, humourless laugh. Is Adam suddenly concerned for her or was this all part of getting her back into the family business because she was the only one he could trust?

“Why are you asking?”

“Because. You are my daughter and… “

“That ship sailed the day you picked Posy over me. I believe that much is pretty clear.”

Adam inhaled sharply. “That isn’t fair…”

“It’s fair enough.” Her thumb hovered over the screen. “Thank you for the call, Mr. Adam. I’ll be in touch.”

She hung up before he could reply.

Another buzz immediately followed; this time a text. Gina. Two messages from her parents in one morning, how refreshing.

Gina: I got the number. The man who’s been threatening Posy. If we call him we’ll know everything she’s done.

Thea’s stomach tightened. Her reflection in the mirror looked pale, eyes shadowed. What on earth was Gina on about this early morning?

Then another text.

Gina: I don't want to bother you. I'll meet up with him myself and get to the bottom of this.

Thea frowned, why the hell would Gina go and meet a man she's never met before? Isn't that dangerous? Just as she was about to text Gina not to do anything rash, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, pulling her into his warm body.

His second arm went across her chest, right above her breast, head leaning on her shoulder. His eyes met Thea's in the mirror in front of her.

Morning,” he said. His voice was rough with sleep.

“Morning,” she murmured.

From the mirror, she could see he was bare-chested, hair mussed. He looked at her with that half-awake scrutiny of his, as if reading her pulse from the mirror.

For a moment she let herself lean back into his warmth. He pressed his face to the side of her neck, his stubble grazing her skin.

“You were gone,” he said quietly.

“I had a call.”

His hands tightened a little. “Who?”

“My…my dad.” She didn’t elaborate.

“What happened?”

“Apparently, I now own Balmero.” She chuckled.

Seth met her gaze in the mirror. “Is that so?”

Thea nodded with a smile.

“That's impressive. You’re telling me I'm in bed with a CEO..” he teased.

Seth kissed the spot just under her ear. A slow, unhurried brush of lips, then another. “Uhm?” He muttered, teasing her.

“I thought I would have to convince the board about this…” she tried explaining but his kisses seemed to steal her breath away.

“I'm guessing they came to that conclusion on their own.” he said in-between kisses.

“Yeah..” Thea said breathlessly.

His fingers traced idle circles against her stomach, down her hip, back again, an absentminded pattern that somehow anchored her to the present.

“They would be foolish to not make you their CEO. I'm glad they realise that now…” Seth said, his lips slightly above her ears.

Thea turned in his arms and found his mouth.

The kiss was deep, arms wrapped around his neck. His hand slid up to cradle the back of her head, tilting her slightly, while his other arm stayed firm around her waist.

She felt the tension in his shoulders, the restrained power in his grip, but the way he moved was gentle, deliberate. He kissed her again, slower, the tip of his tongue tasting the corner of her mouth before retreating; his thumb brushed along her jaw, down to her collarbone. When she pulled back for air he was watching her, eyes dark and intent.

“What’s going on?” he asked softly.

“Everything’s fine.” She reached up to smooth his hair back from his forehead, trying to smile. “I’m fine.”

She wasn't fine. It was finally hers and all the pain and shame she'd had to face all this while made her heart ache badly.

Seth didn’t look convinced. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.” She said, walking out of the closet before he could see right through her lies.

Seth got closer with three long strides, pulling her back in his arms again. He traced his fingers down her spine, a slow line that made her shiver. She shifted closer, leaning closer to his body as the warmth of the room wrapped around them.

He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilted her head again and kissed her once more, this time lingering at the corner of her mouth, then lower along her throat. His breath warmed her skin.

For a while neither of them spoke. The city noise was muffled by heavy curtains; only their breathing filled the room.

Finally she whispered, “I want us to go to Posy’s wedding together.”

That made him pause. He leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing. “Why?”

She took a step back, and walked to the window. Outside the sky was a flat grey, the streets still slick from last night’s rain.

“Because the plan you keep asking me about….the one you wanted me to let you in on….it’s going to happen at Runes’s wedding. And I need your help.”

He swung his legs off the bed, elbows on his knees, watching her. “What do you need me to do?”

Thea turned to face him. In the muted light his body was all shadow and definition, his expression unreadable.

She took a breath. “I’ll tell you everything. I promise. As soon as I have everything pulled together.”

Seth sat down on the bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared at her.

He studied her for a long moment. “You’re asking me to walk into that with you blind.”

“Yes.”

His gaze softened a little. “And you trust me enough to handle it.”

“Yes.”

A small, almost rueful smile touched his mouth. “All right then.”

Thea crossed back to him, standing between his knees. He reached up, hands sliding to her hips, thumbs stroking the edge of her robe. “We’ll go together,” he said quietly.

She nodded once, more of a promise than an answer, and he drew her back into his arms.

He kissed her again, shifting his weight until they were both comfortable on the bed together.

He reached for her robe, pulling the slip down her shoulder before reaching up to place a tender kiss on her shoulder.

“I have a meeting to get to.” He said, expecting a reply from Thea but she said nothing.

“And I'll be missing it I suppose.” He said almost like he'd read her mind.

“Yes you will.” She said, pulling the robe further down her shoulders