Page 11 of Curiosity

She just stared at me for a moment. “You’re serious?”

“I’msoserious,” I told her. “He told me what to do, and I justdid it, no question. I’ve never,everdone anything like that before. I don’t even know what that was!”

Brosia shrugged. “Well, you said it was like… a freaky party, right? Maybe it was just the expectation. Like an unspoken rule of their little freak nasty club.”

“I’m not in any club.”

“I kinda think you are,” she laughed, pushing away from the counter. “I’m going to go put these arrangements together foryou and let you finish your prep – we’re getting together tonight though, cause I needdetails.”

She left with a promise to talk about it more later, and I went back to what I’d been doing before she arrived – getting ready for an afternoon event. It was a grooms’ shower, and even though they’d insisted on not going overboard with overtly feminine touches, the hibiscus lemonade and a few tastefully put-together floral arrangements who give the perfect elegant touch.

With this being a smaller event, it was a no-help day, which was fine.

It meant I could have quiet in the kitchen, to mull over whatever was bouncing around in my head that day while I prepped, cooked, or cleaned.

Now it was time for that last part – leaving the kitchen absolutely spotless so I could get straight to work the next day. I had everything done, and was in my little private office space packing up when I felt… a shift.

“I don’t take kindly to being ignored, Celeste.”

Shit.

That voice made my chest warm, like I’d just taken a shot of liquor. I turned from where I’d been busy packing my laptop into my bag to find Elias Black draped in my doorway, filling it up.

“Mr. Black,” I smiled, trying not to look like my heart was about to claw out of my chest. “I don’t typically speak with clients without a pre-arranged meeting time. If you’d like—”

“I’dlikeyou to not fuck around with me.”

He moved out of the door, not a trace of a smile on his face as he approached.

I took an involuntary step back as he invaded my space, trapping me against the desk.

“Accept the contract, Celeste. The sommelier says lobster, lamb, and wagyu should be appropriate for the wine I’d like toserve. Small bites. Very light desserts. You’ll have any assistance you need. Are we clear?”

“You don’t tell me what to do.”

It took everything in me to meet his gaze without breaking it as he stared back.

And then a smirk broke over his lips.

“That’snotthe energy you had when I told you to bend over that control panel.”

“That was different.”

“Get on your knees.”

“No.”

I wanted to, though.

Overwhelmingly, intensely, so badly it made me ache.

“Interesting,” he murmured, raising a hand to cup my face.

“That I said no?”

“That youcan,” he replied. I held my breath as his face lowered to my neck, followed by a deep inhale sweeping across my skin. He groaned as if I were fresh from some luxurious scented bath, but I knew better – I’d been working all morning, not wearing any perfume. There was no way I smelled like anything more pleasant than maybe salt, but the depth of that inhale said different.

“What do you want from me?” I asked, trying to slip away.

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