Page 64 of Take Her

“Rha—” I started off with his name, then managed to correct my course. “Sir—sir—” I warned, and then moved my hand from his cheek to hold onto his lapel, tensing, and then collapsing into him, giving everything over, like a storm-tossed ship at night, wrecking myself against his shore. “Sir,” I hissed, unable to help myself.

I had jumped alone overboard.

I was just about to drown.

But Rhaim only held me closer. “Oh, yes—what a good, sweet little girl you are,” he said, in time with my cries, rocking me through my spasms. He ran his forehead against my temple, nuzzling me like a cat and whispered in my ear, “So precious. So pure. So exactly what I need.”

“Sir,” I whispered again, shuddering in his arms, trying not to cry.

He held me there for a long moment, just breathing me in, while I was putting out fires in my psyche. I’d wanted this so badly for so long if it wasn’t real I didn’t know if I’d survive it.

I didn’t know that I wanted to.

I felt the yawning gateway to everything bad I could do closing in.

And then he slowly sat up, adjusting me against him. “Are you okay?” he asked, and I wondered if that meant our scene was through—if that’s all that this had been.

“Yes,” I lied.

He made another one of his contemplative sounds at that, but then shifted slightly, for me to get off. “As much as I’d like to keep you here, I do still have some work to do before I go out tonight.”

“Of course,” I said, somehow coming to a stand and shimmying my skirt back down, attempting to narrate myself into safekeeping.

I would walk across the room into my office. I would close the door. I would finish the rest of my day.

I wouldn’t think about where else he was going or who else he’d be with until I got home.

And I would get home before doing anything rash.

I turned, to walk back towards my office, then heard his fingers snap behind me. I looked back and saw his outstretched hand, waiting for me to give him something, and it took me a moment to realize what it was—the fabric he’d shoved up my pussy.

I flushed brilliantly red at once, because Jesus Christ, there was no way to get it out that wasn’t going to be embarrassing. I did my best, reaching indelicately up to tug on it and feel it pull out of me, absolutely soaked, then minced back with an arm stretched out, to hand it over from as far away as possible.

The asshole was trying not to smirk at me, and I would’ve said something, only I was too upset about everything else.

“Thank you, Lia,” he said, taking the damp square back and folding it up, tucking it back inside his suit pocket.

“You’re welcome.”

I was Business Lia now, and Business Lia didn’t cry. I turned on my heel and strode for the door, then heard him call after me.

“Be outside your apartment building tonight at eight. Don’t dress up—wear sneakers.”

I paused as his words sank in.

His plans were with me.

It felt like I could breathe again.

27

LIA

“Berry likes you, you know.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“I may be dying, but I’m not blind.”