Authors: Elizabeth Nelson
“Yes?” she called out toward the door.
“It’s me, honey. I don’t mean to intrude but I absolutely must meet this fiancé of yours.”
Damn Ms. Deale for telling Elise her business!
“Give me a second, Elise.”
The silence on the other side of the door gave her a pretty good idea of what her friend was thinking. She quickly crossed the room to Michael. “Is there another way out of here?”
“No. Only one way in. One way out.” He seemed curiously undisturbed at the idea that Elise was on the other side of the door and would see him. Would she tell Graham that she’d seen him with Savannah. Michael stood up. “Don’t worry. She won’t tell him that I was here with you. I’m leaving now but please keep in mind what I said.” He took a piece of paper from his pocket. On it was a phone number and nothing else. “If you need me, just call this number. There’s an ongoing investigation. You’re not alone in this.”
She took a swift breath. An investigation? “Okay.” She hated the weakness in her voice, but could not prevent it from shaking.
Michael squeezed her elbow, just like he’d done the last time she saw him, then opened the door. Elise stood there in her curiosity, looking both beautiful and fierce with her narrowed eyes and hand propped on her hip, a designer handbag hanging from the crook of her arm.
“Pardon me, ma’am,” Michael said.
Then he stepped past her although she was obviously trying to say something to him. His long strides took him quickly out of the dress shop and out into the street. The discreet bell above the door tinkled merrily as it closed behind him.
“Well, that was a little rude!” Elise stared after him with what Savannah thought was a bit too much interest. “That wasn’t Mr. Victor, was it?”
She shook her head. “No. That was a friend.” Savannah released the breath she had been holding. She opened the door of the dressing room and pulled her friend in with her.
“He’s a policeman. He was just telling me some things about Graham that he thought I ought to know.”
Elise looked at her in speculation. “I’m not sure if you should take anything that man says at face value. He likes you.”
“What?”
Her friend rolled her eyes then walked across the room to drop into the chair Michael had just vacated. “That man acted like he was coming from a tryst. And the way he looked at you screams wanna-be lover.”
Savannah shook her head. “It’s not like that with Michael. He’s just trying to help me. When someone broke into my place, he was there, and he’s there for me now.”
“To fuck you in a moment of weakness, yes.”
“Elise!”
The other woman shook her head. “I know men, honey.” She crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair. “Now, tell me everything that happened.”
Savannah bit the inside of her cheek, debating what to tell her friend and what to leave out. Part of her was so very tired of keeping parts of herself back from the people that she liked. It was easy but it was also exhausting. She wished that her brother was back from his trip to India. She needed him so much now.
“Graham... punished me a few days ago.”
Elise perked up at Savannah’s words, her body at complete attention as she waited for whatever else Savannah had to say. In measured and direct words, she told Elise what happened on that evening at the house with Graham, how she had been afraid, then the things Michael said about the danger that lurked around Graham, especially for her.
“I still say he’s just jealous.” Elise made a dismissive noise. “This Michael person has no proof that Graham has done anything wrong. Who’s conducting this so-called investigation? Is he the only one investigating just so he can find some proof that your man kicked a cat twelve years ago? All this so he can take you from Graham like a trophy?”
Savannah paced the small room as she listened to Elise’s theories. “I don’t think so,” she said. “He’s not like that.”
“You don’t even know him. Graham is the one you know better. Hasn’t he treated you well, hasn’t he given you everything you’ve ever wanted?”
“Yes, but--”
“Maybe the punishment he gave you was the kind of thing he’s used to. Rough play is normal in these kinds of relationships, Savannah. Don’t give up the best thing that has ever happened to you over the ravings of a jealous man.” Elise stood up from the chair, crossed the room to touch Savannah’s shoulder. “Michael is cute but he has nothing to offer you. His jeans are from the GAP and probably his shirt too. Graham can give you Gucci. He can take you to Paris every weekend if you want. That’s worth much more.”
Savannah squeezed her eyes shut, not knowing what to do.
“Marry the man of your dreams,” Elise said, her hand an insistent weight through the sleeve of Savannah’s dress.
Savannah saved the file on her computer and closed down the machine for the day. It was already six in the evening, past time for her to be in her car and on the way home; but her mind was torn in a thousand directions. After her talk with Elise, she wasn’t sure anymore about what she’d experienced with Graham. He was thoughtful and generous. His lovemaking was everything she’d ever wanted, especially after the incident in the library. It was as if he became a new man, a gentler man after that. They still played the way that they both preferred, with ropes and handcuffs and gags, but she never felt threatened by him. It was as if he was going out of his way to make sure she felt safe with him. And it worked. Now, she simply had to reconcile her vision of Graham, her fiancé, with who Michael said he was.
She sighed, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. The office was mostly empty, with only her boss pacing back and forth behind the frosted glass door of her office as she talked on the phone. Savannah grabbed her purse and walked out of the office, out of the building. In the parking deck, she took her keys out of her purse, getting ready to unlock her car when she heard a familiar voice call her name. She turned.
“Graham.”
He walked slowly toward her, wearing an elegant suit, a tuxedo. He smiled at her as if he had a secret, a happy one.
“I didn’t think you’d ever leave that damn office,” he said.
A light breeze whipped up to toss his dark hair, making him look young and happy.
“I had to finish up a few things,” she said. “Fridays can be hectic.”
“No need to apologize. That’s not why I’m here.” He came closer to her, bringing the scent of his spicy cologne and toothpaste on his breath. “I’m here to take you away,” he murmured. His voice was low and seductive.
Suddenly, she became aware that it was just the two of them in the parking lot. Evening had settled around them and most of the cars and the people in the building had already gone home for the day.
“Will you let me take you away?” He traced a line down her shoulder, to the inside of her elbow, down to her wrist. His fingers tangled with hers. She trembled with the beginnings of arousal.
“Yes,” she said helplessly.
His lips came close to hers, breath fanning against her mouth. Then closer. Her lips parted for him and she reached up, kissing him as he was kissing her. Their tongues stroking, moving together in a slick, arousing dance. Graham pulled away from her, watching her face.
“Savannah...”
She was helpless as he touched her face, loosened the buttons on the front of her dress, unwrapping her like a present until her dress gaped open, revealing her sheer black bra and her breasts plumped up in the sudden cleavage. He called her name again, his mouth warm against her skin, kissing her collar bone, the line where the cups of her bra cradled her breasts. He stroked her through the sheer bra, his fingers pinching her nipples, touching her in a way that made her instantly wet, her legs falling open as she fell back against the closed door of her car. Arousal moved through her body, wetness and desire, her clit hardening between her legs.
“Savannah.”
Then he dropped to his knees before her. Savannah gasped in surprise as he shoved up the hem of her dress, dragged her panties down her thighs.
“Graham what are you--? Oh!”
His hot mouth covered her pussy, immediately kissing her, licking her clit. She fell back even more against the car, soft cries rising up in her throat as his tongue dove into her heat and his thumb worked her clit, both moving in hot little circles that made her gasp.
She lifted her dress out of the way so she could see him. The black hairs of her pussy matted with her juices. His mouth working her clit while his eyes closed as if he enjoyed what he was doing. His lips suctioned to her pussy, drawing the pleasure out of her until her eyes rolled back in her head and she barely knew where she was.
She was dimly aware of her purse falling off her shoulder and dropping to the ground. One hand gripped the side view mirror, the other sliding uselessly along the body of the car as he fucked her with his tongue, ate her pussy with a fierceness and hunger she’d never experienced before. He sucked her clit, spread the wetness of her desire through the black hairs. Long finger waited at the entrance of her pussy. As he sucked her, the fingers advanced, three of them, until he was sucking her clit in a maddening rhythm while his fingers moved inside of her, curling up to fuck her just the way she liked.
Soon, Savannah was panting, her breath coming hard and fast as she was coming hard and fast.
“Graham!” She pulled his hair with both hands as she jerked against his mouth, her pussy gripping him hard as she came.
Her spread legs trembled in her orgasm, her entire body vibrating under his expertise. Savannah sagged even more against the car as he finished. He stood up from between her legs, wiping at his mouth with a handkerchief.
“Come, darling,” he murmured huskily. “Our chariot awaits.”
He picked up her purse and led her to a car she’d never seen before. It was a black Mercedes convertible, the top already down. Graham opened the passenger door for her and she slid into the seat, boneless and replete. He got into the car and pulled away, easing out of the parking structure and through downtown Miami.
The sky was fully dark now but winking with its billions of stars. They left the city, drove down Highway 1 and across a bridge, then two. Savannah allowed the silence to live between them as she lay back in the seat beside Graham and enjoyed the journey. The stars glittered like diamonds above their heads as the car traveled through what felt like all of Miami, over more small bridges and the ocean. Soon, they stopped.
They were on what felt like a small island. A small foot bridge studded with lights that led to a gazebo surrounded by over a dozen chairs. Shadows moved in the chairs. People. Near their parked car sat a small cottage.
Graham opened the trunk and gave her a box. “Put this on. Friends are expecting us.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Here?”
He pointed to the cottage. “It’s open. You’ll find everything you need in there. No need to rush.” In the dark, Graham stood as beautiful and powerful as when she’d first seen him. He looked at her as if he absolutely believed she would do as he asked.
Savannah went to do as he asked. In the cottage, laid out around the sink of a pretty gold appointed bathroom, were some of her toiletries. Makeup. Hairbrush. Flatiron for her hair. Unexpectedly, a pair of draping diamonds earrings.
In a daze, she washed herself at the sink, washed her face, put on her makeup and straightened her hair, before slipping the beautiful diamonds in her ears. Then she reached for the box Graham had given her.
She gasped. It was her wedding dress. The one she had picked out with Elise. This couldn’t be right.
“Savannah?” Graham’s voice came at the door as if he knew.
“What’s happening, Graham?”