Sophia could hear his heart galloping. Is he... scared?

As if to answer her unspoken question, he murmured on her hair, “Your face was so pale... You frightened me.”

She moved her head to look into his eyes, and ran her hands over his broad shoulders until they cupped his face. “I was... stunned at your reaction and-” Say it, dammit. “Afraid. I don’t want to-” be covered in black-and-blue bruises again.

“I’m not...” he exhaled loudly. He sat on the chair and pulled her onto his lap. “Sophia, on our first night together, I tied, blindfolded and hit you. What part of that didn’t you like?”

Remembering the sensations and sifting them, Sophia bit her lip and stifled a wince.

“Don’t,” he breathed, caressing her lip with his thumb. “It arouses me.”

She nervously licked her lip.

And he tsked twice, “That only makes it worse.”

Damn. What’s your problem, Alistair Connor? “Should we turn off the lights then?”

A low laugh left his chest with a rumble, “Nae.” He shook his head amused. “I prefer to make love with the lights on.”

“We are not making love. We’re having a conversation... Or, at least, we are trying to.”

He flashed her a crooked grin, “Okay. So, talk.”

“What I didn’t like...” she repeated thoughtfully and looked down at her hands. “Well. I didn’t like it when you hit my thighs. And... But-”

“And? But?” He gripped her chin and made her look at him. An amused glint gleamed in the depths of his green eyes. “Are you shy- Ashamed to tell me what you like?”

“I’m not used to having this kind of conversation, Alistair Connor.”

“No?” His brows lifted. “Didn’t you talk about sex with Gabriel?”

She blinked at the question. “No. We made love like other people, nor-”

“Normal people?” He smiled.

You and your big mouth, Sophia. “Yes. What was there to talk about?”

His smile grew. “Lots of things. You were inexperienced, weren’t you?” She nodded, confirming. “Well, then. What you like most. Where do you prefer to be kissed. What arouses you. Things, Sophia, that only enhance pleasure. How am I to know what you prefer? I’m not telepathic. You have to tell me as I’ll tell you.”

“You are doing great so far.”

“Thanks,” he smirked at her and she rolled her eyes upward. His smile only grew and he continued, “But I really want to hear you. So. You don’t like that I hit you on the thighs. What else?”

“This is so awkward.” She tried to move her head, but her chin was firmly gripped in his fingers and he instantly put the other arm around her body. Enough, Sophia. You are a lawyer. You can face this. She breathed deep. “All right. The first time you hit me, it wasn’t bad. I think it’s okay, if it’s just a slap or two in bed. Teasing. But the next slaps were on my thighs, and...”

Oh... Understanding dawned on him. “And on your clit?”

She blushed. “I appreciate your candor, Alistair Connor.” He almost laughed. “Yes, I liked it. But they were... Err... Softer and fewer. As long as it is just for pleasure and it doesn’t hurt.”

“The ties and the blindfold?” His eyes searched hers.

She shrugged, “It was my first time. It’s okay, I guess.”

“Okay? A good okay?”

Sophia blinked a few times before answering softly, “Yes. A good okay. But not every night. And... And, since we are talking about it, you know what I found weird? That need that you have to be reassured. As if I could be thinking about another-”

His fingers stopped the rest of her reasoning, and he whispered, resting his forehead on hers. “Don’t say it, please.”

She kissed the fingers resting on her mouth and enlaced them with hers.

“Don’t you know how intense you are? No woman would think about another man while with you, Alistair. You fill the entire space with your presence. And I don’t mean it only physically. You command the eye.” And the heart.

I wish. He lifted his head to stare at her beautiful face and gave her a sad smile, “Do you know that I love you?”

The City of London Bank Headquarters.


Wednesday, May 21st, 2008.


7.55 p.m.

“Good evening, Baptist. I was waiting for you.” Alistair opened his office door and welcomed the burly man in.

“Good evening, Mr. MacCraig. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance at last.”

“Please, sit,” Alistair motioned to the sofa and sat in his favorite armchair that faced the view of the river.

Baptist handed Alistair a large brown file. “This is what I gathered in the last few days, but if you want me to take a deeper look...”

Alistair felt his mouth dry, suddenly. I need a whisky. He snapped opened the folder and took out the first set of photos. His heart stopped in his chest as he flipped through them.

Nae.

He glanced up to look at Baptist. The man had a sympathetic look on his face.

Alistair cleared his throat.

He opened and closed his mouth twice but the words didn’t come.

“Mr. MacCraig, I’m sorry but there is no doubt. Your wife is cheating on you.”

Ells Hall.


Friday, March 19th, 2010.


7.44 p.m.

“I’ve put the girls and Maria in that room,” Alistair pointed to a door on the other side of the corridor as they came back from the spa. “It connects with Alice’s bedroom. So, if they need something, they can bother her.”

Sophia dried her nape with a small towel as she tsked twice, walking beside him to see the room. “So, Alice is Gabriela’s new mother. That’s not right, Alistair Connor. Why don’t you put them near us?”

“We are too loud,” he said, matter-of-factly.

“Oh.” Sophia paused, disconcerted. “You think so?”

He pushed open the door of a suite, luxuriously done in pink and pale yellow damask silk, smiling at her, “Nae. I’m teasing you, Sophia. This room has a secret passage. Gabriela will love it. It leads to the stone tower. And it has a cosy window seat, like ours. Come and look.” He walked past two single four poster beds straight to the curtains and pushed them open to reveal a large window seat with fluffy cushions. It overlooked the softly illuminated forest.

“It’s beautiful. Gabriela will love it.” She pushed up and stood on the tips of her running shoes and kissed his lips, dropping back graciously onto her soles. “Thanks.”

“Nice move,” he noted. “Do that again.”

She put her hands around his neck and pushed up on her tiptoes, kissing him on the lips again. He hauled her up his body by her ribcage, deepening the kiss. Immediately, she wound her legs around his waist and moaned as she rubbed against his erection.

He broke the kiss and spoke sensually on her lips, “You turn me on like no other woman ever did, Sophia. Will I ever get enough of you?”

“I hope not, my lord. I hope not.”

10.37 p.m.

“Now,” Sophia stopped in the middle of Alistair’s sitting room and pointed at him, with a devious smile on her lips, “you, Alistair Connor will stay here and read a book for five minutes.”

“I can wait inside-”

“No. Do you want your surprise?” He nodded eagerly. She pointed to an armchair. “Sit there and wait. In five minutes you can knock on the door.”

“Aye, my lady,” he sighed, and went to the bookshelf to choose a book. He muttered under his breath, “Any more orders, ma’am?”

“Yes,” she smiled mischievously as she heard his mumble. “I can think of a few.”

“God help me.” Alistair rolled his eyes heavenward as Sophia locked the door behind her, giggling.

10.46 p.m.

“Good evening, my lord,” she opened his bedroom door to him on the forth impatient knock. “I’m sorry I didn’t promptly answer the door. I just finished cleaning.” And smiled at him, bowing, “Please, come in.”

Alistair’s mouth fell open as he looked Sophia over. She was wearing a sexy French maid costume made of black leather and white lace. The cupped bra displayed her breasts while a ruffled apron with petticoats tied over her hips barely concealed her naked skin underneath. Her long legs were encased in stockings held by lace garters.

He growled low in his throat as his cock woke up and applauded as she waved a duster on his nose. How can this be possible?

She pulled him inside the room and moaned lightly, locking the door behind him.

He stood there dumbfounded, watching as she wandered around the room, pretending to dust things.

“Clean that lamp again,” he ordered.

She looked over her shoulder, her yellow diamond eyes sparkling with mischief and flicked the duster carelessly away and lifted her hands to her hair, pulling her ink-black locks loose from the bun. She shook her head, letting the hair pour over her shoulders and down to the small of her back.

“Oh, my lord...” She stepped toward him and divested him of his jacket. Pouting, she murmured, “Let me hang your coat in its place, sir.”

She strolled to his dressing room and paused near an armchair, widened her stance, and looked over her shoulder, purposely biting her lip.

He noticed she was wearing black varnished stilettos and his mind went fuzzy with lust.

Sophia smiled and let his jacket fall to the floor.

“Oops!” She put a hand over her mouth. “How clumsy of me.”

Alistair swallowed visibly and his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he saw she was naked under her petticoats. “Pick it up,” he demanded hoarsely.

“Yes, my lord.”

She bent over, her buttocks thrust up in the air. Flipping her hair over one shoulder, she looked at him through half open eyes, licking her mouth. She ran her fingers down over the back of her thigh.