Page 145 of The First Taste
I look at her, almost radiating anger as she stands above me. A smirk plays on my lips. My fingers itch to touch her, but I resist.
“I came to see you. Apparently you haven’t signed the paperwork making me your patron yet.”
Her eyebrows fly up in surprise. “What? Why would I sign those? After you go to the board of the New York Ballet with what you know?—“
I give my head a little shake. “I’m not going to do that.”
She stops, looking confused. “What? Why not?”
I reach out, brushing my fingers along the line of her outer thigh. She jumps at my touch, scowling at me.
Ah, I love her reaction.
“My goal is not to embarrass you at work, beauty,” I husk out. I trail my fingertips up, toying with the strings holding her bikini together.
She swallows nervously. I have to suppress a grin. It’s not quite time to let her see me in my full colors.
No, there’s an amount of wooing yet to be done.
“My goal has never been to tarnish your reputation. Rather, it has been about getting what I want.”
I smooth my hand around the side of her hip. Then I make eye contact with Cerise as I slowly move my hand around to cup her perfect ass. It’s firm and warm to the touch.
She swallows again, blushing and dropping her gaze. “And what is it that you want, Calum?”
I can’t help but grin at that. “I want you, beauty.”
She loses patience. “I don’t understand! You have me! You summoned me, here I am. You can use any girl here however you want! I think you know that better than I do…”
I shake my head slowly. “I don’t want to have you here. I want to have you wherever I want, whenever I want.” My smirk returns. “That’s why I wanted to be your patron in the first place. But now I can offer you something unique in exchange for… your time.”
I toy with the string on one side of her bikini, tugging on it gently. She bites her lip, frowning just a little.
“Come again?”
I begin to pull her down to straddle my lap. She doesn’t like it and resists a little.
I enjoy watching her squirm. I enjoy forcing her down roughly even more.
Once she is sitting astride me, I grab the back of her neck and pull her close.
“The New York Ballet,” I whisper in her ear.
Her entire body freezes up. She pulls back, scanning my face. “I don’t understand.”
I give her a smirk. “I’m the new stage director. If you want a spot in the ballet, Cerise, you just have to ask me.”
Her eyes narrow. She starts to stand up, but I put my arms around her waist and grind into her body.
“It’s Kaia,” she says softly. “Not Cerise.”
I already knew that, of course. Kaia Walker. But still, I enjoy the concession when she offers it to me.
“I’m offering you a role, Kaia.” I brush my fingertips across her jaw, threading my fingertips into her hair. Then I grip her hair hard for just a moment, long enough to remind her of who is in control here.
She glances up at me, her hazel eyes wide. She’s flushed and breathing hard, seeming to take my every word at face value. There is something naked and almost touching in her naïveté.
I drop my voice to a whisper. “I saw you dance today. You were good. With practice, you could be great.” I tilt my head, studying her lovely face. “I can give you private lessons, beauty. In exchange for being on call for my needs.”
