Reluctantly, she headed for the bathroom. She had to shower, change, and then head out to run her errands. Katie couldn’t resist one last glance behind her as she left the room. The sight of the flowers filled her stomach with butterflies and a feeling of anticipation.


Katie stepped back from the easel and contemplated her latest work. Tipping her head to one side, she examined it from another angle. It was better than good. She’d managed to capture the sheer animal magnetism of the man, his image half-hidden in the shadows while the half illuminated by the streetlamp showed a man of power. A sense of danger and darkness surrounded him, as if he were a predator just waiting to pounce. This was a man who valued control and exerted the power of his will on those around them. She’d had a firsthand lesson in that last night.

Cain’s was not a handsome face, but a strong and a surprisingly sensual one. His hair blended in with the black of the night and fell over the left side of his face. His nose was large and had a bump in the middle, but it suited his face well. His jaw was square and his cheekbones were prominent. But it was his eye that drew her. She’d managed to capture the intensity in his startling green eye.

Her back ached and her fingers cramped as she stood there. Katie groaned and stretched, but her eyes never left her painting. She’d been working for hours. When she’d left the apartment at lunchtime, Katie had planned on a leisurely lunch before running her errands. Instead, she’d grabbed a quick pepperoni and salami sandwich, raced through the grocery store, and hurried home to work. The need to paint Cain was almost overwhelming. Her fingers were itching to paint and she readily succumbed to the temptation.

Satisfied for the moment, Katie cleaned up her brushes and set her supplies to rights. The empty feeling in the pit of her stomach informed her that she had missed supper. She shrugged, unconcerned. It wasn’t the first meal she’d missed. When she was painting, time seemed to disappear as she immersed herself in her work.

The kitchen beckoned and Katie answered the call. She quickly washed her hands and assembled a quick snack of cheese, crackers and slices of crisp green apple. Stopping long enough to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator, she carried her booty to the living room.

Sinking into the comfort of the well-worn sofa, she munched on an apple slice as she tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She was tired, but it was good kind of tired. A satisfied kind of tired. She was pleased with her latest effort. One eye popped opened and glanced at the clock. Just after eleven. And she was pleased that she had managed to keep her mind off Cain’s mysterious message.

She shook her head and sat forward. Who was she trying to kid? Cain had filled her thoughts all day. It didn’t matter if she was cleaning, shopping, or painting, her mind continually turned to him. Piling a cracker with cheese, she stuffed it into her mouth and chewed. It would serve him right if she went to bed and turned off her phone.

But she knew she wouldn’t.

When her plate was empty, Katie took it to the kitchen and dumped it in the sink. Taking her time, she checked to make sure the lock was on the front door, turned off all the lights and went into the bedroom.

The light from the bedside table was soft and muted as Katie undressed for bed. She made a quick trip to the bathroom to attend to her nightly rituals of washing her face and brushing her teeth. The sheets were soft and inviting as she crawled under them, taking a moment first to adjust the comforter on top.

Katie settled her head against her pillow and stared at the ceiling. Squirming around, she tried to find a comfortable position. She lay there for a moment before flinging back the covers and thumping down the hallway and into the darkness of the living room.

It took her two trips, but the three containers of flowers now graced her room. One jar of roses sat on the bedside table while the other one graced the windowsill. The orchid bowl was centered in the middle of her dresser, reflected in the mirror behind it.

Katie snuggled back into bed again and took a deep breath. The scent of roses filled the air, and she sighed in contentment. She inhaled deeply again. Then once more. The worries and thoughts of the day started to melt away and she felt herself relaxing for the first time all day.

She drifted in that state of wakefulness and half-sleep until the shrill ring of the telephone shattered her tranquility. Her body immediately reacted. Her heart pounded and her hand shook as she reached out to answer the call. It was one minute after twelve.

“Hello.”

“Did I wake you?” Cain’s voice was deep and husky on the other end of the line.

“No. I’m in bed, but I wasn’t asleep.” Katie tucked the cordless phone under her ear. She could hear nothing but the sound of Cain breathing on the other end. “Are you there?”

“Yeah,” came his reply. “I’m picturing you in bed. Are you naked?”

“No. No I’m not,” Katie stuttered in reply. “I have on a nightgown.” Katie could feel a heated blush climb up her face. “What are you doing?” She desperately wanted to change the subject.

“I’m sitting in the dark in my study.” Cain gave a short, harsh laugh. “I’ve been sitting here for an hour, waiting to call you.”

“Thank you for the flowers.” Katie felt shy all of a sudden, as if Cain could somehow see her. She burrowed under the covers, pulling them tight to her chin and grasping their soft edge with one hand.

“You’re very welcome, honey.” Cain’s voice flowed over her like a warm blanket and made her feel very special.

Silence filled the other end, and Katie fidgeted with the covers while she waited for him to continue. She didn’t know what to say to him, but she was strangely content to just listen to the sound of his breath and his voice. Her contentment was shattered with his next request.

“Take off your nightgown, Katie,” his husky voice pleaded.

“Why?” Katie wasn’t sure she liked his tendency to want to dominate their sexual relationship.

“I want to imagine you naked in your bed. Waiting for me.” His bold words shocked her even as she felt her body responding to them. She clamped her legs together and squirmed a little to try and ease the ache.

“Why do you always want to be in control?” Maybe this wasn’t the best time for such a question, but she genuinely wanted to know his answer. At first, she thought he might ignore her question. Fidgeting with the bedcovers, she waited impatiently.

“It’s as natural to me as breathing. You liked it last night didn’t you, Katie?” His tone was soft and coaxing. “I certainly did.”

“I did enjoy it.” She could feel the heat of a blush cover her face. “I’m not completely at ease with that fact, and I don’t know that I want it to be that way all the time.” Unable to find a comfortable position, she turned on her side, and plumped the pillow under her head.

“I see.” He paused for effect. “Do you want me to go?”

“No.” Her heart was pounding now and she could feel a bead of sweat drift down her back. Part of her was afraid that he’d just hang up, and part of her wished he would. “I just don’t want to be ordered around all the time.”

“Will you do what I ask tonight?” His sorcerer’s voice was urging her to agree.

When she made no reply, he tried again. “There’s no harm, Katie,” he coaxed her. “You can do it.”

Squeezing her eyes tight, she counted to five and made her decision. There was no way she could resist the soft plea she heard in his voice. “All right.” She hardly recognized her own voice as she heard herself agreeing.

“Wait,” Cain called. “Can you put me on speakerphone?”

Katie looked at her machine. She’d never done it before, but she knew her phone had the capability. “Wait a second.” Katie pushed a button and stuck the receiver on the phone base. “Okay.”

“Can you hear me all right?” Cain asked. His deep voice seemed to fill the room.

“Yes.”

“Then strip for me, Katie.” His request was stark.

The rustling of bedcovers could be heard in the silence. Anticipation filled her as Katie pulled her nightgown over her head and let it fall by the side of the bed. She took a deep breath and tugged the covers back over her. Her breasts nudged the underside of the cool sheet, and it was arousing to feel her torso and her behind sink into the sheet that covered the mattress. “I’m naked.”

“Push the covers down, Katie.” The rustling covers had given her away. “Lie back on the bed like you were waiting to entice me.” Cain’s voice was ragged as he spoke.

Could she do it?

His quiet “Please” filled the air. Katie bit her lip, uncertain. Making up her mind, she kicked the covers off the bed so they wouldn’t tempt her. “I’m naked on the bed for you.” She couldn’t believe that sexy voice was hers.

“What do you look like?”

Katie looked at her body, and saw only her familiar, lanky form. She looked away as she spoke. “I look like me.” Cain’s husky laugh filled the other end.

“Tell me everything,” he ordered. “Start at your toes and work your way up.”

Katie swallowed and stared at her toes. “My feet are big.”

Cain’s laughter echoed through the bedroom. “They’re not as big as mine are, honey. I wear a size fifteen.”

Katie continued, feeling a little more confident now. “My legs are really long, but they’re strong from all the walking I do.”

“Someday soon, I want to feel those long, luscious legs wrapped around my waist. You’ll hook your ankles tight around my back as I bury my cock deep inside you.” Cain’s voice sounded strained as he spoke. “You’ll like it. I promise.”