Red Collar (6 page)

Kate was a mystery to Clayton. When she first refused to change her dress, he had thought it was all an act. Most women loved that they could be showered with gifts and extravagance. Not Kate. She seemed entirely different. He wondered if he had made a mistake. Should he have driven her to her home instead and got her changed into something more appropriate? But there really had been no time.

He shook his head as he slid into the driver’s seat. They made yet another silent journey to
Restaurant Annaliese.
He glanced over to her. She had her head turned away staunchly. This was certainly different from when they had first left the penthouse. Her body then had eagerly leant towards her window as she marveled at the passing fashion stores. He looked down at her tightly clasped hands on her lap. Unmistakably, she was angry.

He veered his Bentley into the restaurant car park.
He pulled into an empty car space.

“We’re here,” he said, stepping out. He moved around to open the door for her but it was obvious she didn’t want his help when she swung her door sharply and then slammed it behind her.

He arched an eyebrow. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said.
“Let’s get on with it, shall we?”

“Kate,” he started.

“I said I’m fine,” she said, firmly. “I promise I won’t do anything to embarrass you.”

A nerve pulsed at his temples. Never had such a woman tortured him as much as did this one.

The dinner was a
lavish three course meal, hardly any of which was eaten by those at the table. There was Michael Wilson and his wife, Edna and Seth Bailey and his beautiful other half, Helen. Unlike Clayton, the other two men appeared veterans with their silvery hair strikingly distinguished in the light of the chandelier above them. They engrossed themselves with the particulars of their merger business, discussing the possibilities of acquiring another dwindling software company.

Helen and Edna were immensely polite with each other. So much so it was suspicious.

“How long have you known Clayton, Kate?”  asked Edna.

“We met recently,”
replied Kate, trying not to disclose the intricacies of her relationship with her employer but at the same time keeping in line with the truth.

“Through business?” asked Helen. “Or through a social contact?”

“Business,” Kate said, simply. “I love your brooch,” she added quickly, in an attempt to divert the subject. It worked. Because the next half hour was dedicated to the history and comparisons of family heirlooms as one woman pit against the other for greater social stature. She, in the meanwhile, was trapped in between the two socialites, vying to win her over as the new best friend. She plastered on a smile, doing her best to keep as neutral as possible. She seemed to have done a good job because when Clayton said he had to go, they each urged him on to stay a little longer.

“I really wish I could,” Clayton replied politely. “But Kate and I do have an engagement elsewhere.” He turned to the older gentlemen. “Michael and Seth, so if everything’s good to go, we should get our solicitors looking into the prospects of the merger.
Most importantly we need a transition team sweating out the small stuff- employee acquisitions, expense reports, benefits etcetera. I would hate for the gates of
Chrysalis Software Inc
being graced by a group of strikers, delaying the merger in any way. ”

“Of course, Clayton,” said Seth Bailey. “I think
if all plays out well, it’s going to be a profitable acquisition.”

Sitting back into his car, Kate rubbed her jaw line. She had smiled so much, it hurt her.

“You alright?” Clayton asked, glancing at her as he pulled out of the car park.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“That’s all you
can say?”

“That’s all you
can ask?” she snapped back.

Clayton winced. It seemed her anger had yet not subsided. “You did an awesome job entertaining the women,” he offered, trying to cheer her up. “Helen and Edna aren’t the best of friends.”

“I got that,” she said. “It didn’t take me long to figure it out. In fact, I don’t want to hear another insipid history on brooches or family heirlooms for that matter.”

Clayton chuckled. “Well, whatever you did out there, you certainly was impressive. The women were clearly competing for your affections. Are you going to that luncheon at the country club they were inviting you to?”

Kate lowered her head. “No,” she grunted. “I don’t think I would be able to.”

Clayton
frowned. “And why not? It would get you to meet the other wives of the company executives. These associations are important, Kate. They reflect on me particularly as I am the CEO.”

Kate stared out her window, refusing to
neither answer him nor look at him.
Wives.
Other wives
, he had said.
She
was
not
his wife.

Clayton turned off his engine. He looked over at Kate. She had subsided into another lapse of stubborn silence.

“Kate,” he began.

But she opened the door and stepped out of the car before he could finish his sentence.

He was getting tired of her unyielding, uncompromising manners. He let out an angry breath and rose out of his car. Slamming his door shut and clicking it locked, he strode with raging strides towards her. He grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her along with him to the elevator.

“What are you doing!” she growled, trying to pull herself away from his grip.

But it only enraged him more. “Don’t do that,” he warned, tersely. “If you embarrass me in public, I swear Kate, you’ll pay for it heavily. I’m not that ordinary man you often tease and take to your bed, Kate Ripley. Even as I walk to my apartment, there are cameras watching my every move and people behind it who would do anything to make a profit off my errors in the media. And believe me when I say, they would be paid handsomely for it.”

It was enough to still Kate. She clamped shut as her eyes immediately turne
d to the elevator dome camera.

Clayton released his grasp on her elbows and instead moved his arms around her waist. He liked that he could rest it there. He loved the feel of her sides against his palm, her body tucked warmly into his. But it was not all he was willing to settle for now. He wanted more. And for the first time since he purchased his lavish penthouse, he regretted that it was all the way to the top most floor.

He let go of her waist and clutched her palm tightly as if he feared she would run away from him. He swiped open his apartment door
and stepped hurriedly into the hallway, pulling her along with him. He swung her against him and hurriedly kissed at her neck, his hands running down her sides, then caressing her buttocks.

She staggered, trying to retain her balance. She could feel him hard against her. She felt his lips nip at her flesh on her neck and she let out a reluctant moan. Her body trembled from his touch and for a brief moment she enjoyed the lust of her passions.

“I wanted you so much,” he mumbled as he devoured her flesh at her cleavage.

She widened her eyes in panic, her body stiffened in his arms. But when his hands ran under her dress and up her thighs, she slapped his arms away, pushing against him.

“No!” she exclaimed. “Stop it!”

He let her go abruptly, stunned by her protests. But his eyes were still filled with his sexual desire for her.

“What’s going on, Kate?” he said, anger and frustration seeping into his voice. “I’ve told you before, I don’t like being teased.”

She glared at him, incensed with rage. “Teased? I
did not
tease you. You…
you
pulled
me
… and started kissing… and touching my…me…” She flustered.

He raise
d his brows. “Are you telling me you didn’t like it? That isn’t the message I was getting.”

She glowered. “I… I…,” she stammered.

He waited impatiently, his hardened arousal tormenting him to take her regardless of her pathetic protests.

“I can’t do this,” she let out frantically. She tried to swing past him and make a dash for the door.

“What?” he said, taken aback.
Where had that come from!
“What do you mean? What are you doing?” He clutched onto her arms and pulled her back to him. She couldn’t leave him. Not now. Not in this state.

She trembled against him as he held her close to him. “I can’t do this, Clayton,” she shivered. “I can’
t be your mistress.”

“And why not?” he asked, firmly, his
eyes searching for answers in hers.

She closed her eyes, unable to bear him peer into hers. “Let me go, Clayton.”

“No,” he said. “Not until you tell me why.”

She pulled away and walked towards the living room. “You and that Jesse guy mocked my dress.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Is that it? Is that why you were angry with me all of tonight?”

“No,” she snapped. “That is not it. It’s not all of it.” She twitched his fingers. “I realized I’m not cut out for this Clayton. I’m not that high-end socialite you’re looking for. I can’t even pretend to be. I
, at first, thought I could do it. And then tonight… I discovered I can’t. I don’t suit this world. A world I know nothing about.”

He walked up to her and cupped her face, raising it up so he could gaze at her lips. “You suit me,” he said softly.
He leant down and caressed her neck with the tip of his nose.

“Don’t
, Clayton,” she pleaded in a feeble protest. She clutched his hair desperately, her head thrown back as he nibbled at her flesh. She closed her eyes to feel him trace her figure with his hands.

He tore frantically at her strap,
completely blithe of the outlandish sum he paid for her dress a few hours earlier. He kneaded her breasts like a desperate man, cupping it in his hands as he traced his tongue around her areola, before sucking onto it.

She cried out in a blind
, passionate heat. Tired of fighting him back any longer, she willingly succumbed to her desires and those he was raising inside her. She felt her feet rise off the floor, her body wrapped in the warmth of his arms as he carried her to his bed.

He laid
her on his bed. His fingers fiddled carelessly with her zipper and in frustration, half-tore it down her body. Stripping her off her dress, his eyes roamed down to her silk red panties which scantily masked what was left of her dignity.

Her fingers traveled to his shirt and began unbuttoning it. Her eyes were entirely enraptured by his as she worked magically at undressing him. But when she worked down to unzip his pants, she accidently brushed against his tight bulge and froze momentarily. She broke away from his gaze and looked down at him.

He moaned. “Kate,” he whispered, against her ear. “Don’t stop. Not now. See what you do to me.”

He lifted her palm and cupped it against
his swollen desire. She felt it turgid and warm even through the fabric of his pants. She shivered from her overwhelming yearning for him.

He unzipped his pants and lowered it
.

She watched him, her eyes filled with pure lust.

He let himself loose and he reveled at the desire he saw in her face- one that unveiled her lust. She blatantly was coveting solely for him and he throbbed just knowing that.

She touched him tenderly with her fingertips as if he was fragile.

He took in a raspy breath.

“Kate, that won’t do at all, darling,” he whispered, hoarsely. “I need you to hold me.”

She looked up at him, her fingers instead tracing up his pelvis and to his torso.

“What will it take you to listen,” he grumbled. “For once.”

He pushed her down onto the bed and began kissing her taut waist gently, until he reached her red lacy knickers. He tugged at it so it rubbed against her bud. He heard her gasp. He pulled it off and caressed her womanhood with his nose. Slowly and tenderly, he tasted her.

She writhed under him with pleasure.

He glanced up at her. He had her completely under his spell.

He slithered up her body, kissing her until he reached her jaws. He traced the underside of it with his lips. But when he reached to take her mouth, she moved away, laying soft kisses on his neck. He frowned.

He pulled her back up to him. He wanted to watch her as he would plunge inside of her. He eased himself into her.

She closed her eyes to feel him more.

He thrust into her and she let out a painful cry, pushing him away at his torso. His eyes darkened, his brows creased with curiosity. But it was only brief.

S
lowly, she moved in unison with him until he felt her tighten around him, a soft moan escaping her lips. She clutched his shoulders as she looked at him with inebriated eyes. In that moment, he realized he could never let her go. He, finally, let himself spill into her, his body stiffening as he released himself into his ecstasy.