Beautiful Affliction Read online

  Painfully slowly, he moves his hand over, his middle finger catching on the strap of my nightgown and pulling it to the side and over my shoulder. As it reaches my elbow, I close my eyes and feel the cool air blow against my now exposed nipple. His fingers glide back up, never losing contact with my skin, and glide over my breast. As he reaches my nipple, he brings the rest of his hand down, palming my naked breast. I can't control my body anymore, and find my back arching. His other arm pulls my far hip toward him, turning me so that I'm sitting up against him with my back to him. He moves that hand up, knocking my other strap down my arm so that my nightgown has now fallen completely around my waist. I hear him groan as he takes my breasts in both hands, massaging them firmly, before his right hand slides down my stomach. I gasp and raise my arms over my head and around his neck, feeling a pulsing desire take root deep within me.

  His hand slips under my nightgown and I cry out as his fingers skim over my wetness. It's been so long…I can already feel an orgasm whipping up inside me as he circles my clit. I feel one long finger slip inside me and the aching need becomes unbearable. His thumb flicks mercilessly back and forth on me and I lose control, succumbing to the waves of pleasure that he's pulling out of me.

  My body has released its final spasm and I'm relaxing back against him before I realize that I haven't reciprocated at all: we haven't even kissed. I tilt my head up toward him and part my lips, still lost in a haze of post-orgasm happiness.

  "Cora…" his voice stops me. I stop and look up at him questioningly. "I…I should go." He brusquely pulls his arms away from me and swings his legs out of bed. I'm too in shock at his abrupt change to say anything. All I can do is pull the bed sheet up over my completely exposed body as I watch him walk toward my bedroom door. He leaves, closing the door behind him without even a look back at me.

  I sink back down under the covers, pulling the straps of my nightgown back up over my shoulders. What. The. Fuck.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Why does today have to be Monday? I think to myself as I carefully dust every surface in the guest house, which is actually the size of a small family home. Mondays are Ms. Mueller's day off, which means I'll be in the kitchen by myself all night and far more at risk for having a run-in with Mr. Redmond. It seems so ridiculous to address him as mister after what happened last night, but he still is my boss, despite the fact that his hands have been all over me.

  Heat rushes through my body at the memory. I try to push it away, try to remember that I'm mad at that asshole for leaving me the way he did, but I can't get my mind off the way his fingers touched me. It was clear he knew what he was doing, even if I hadn't been as backed up as I was. I mean the last time I had an orgasm was actually with Jaime, years ago. I hadn't even wanted to have one again, until I laid eyes on Brent Redmond.

  "Cora," Mrs. Redmond says to me with a nod as she walks through the guesthouse living area. She's wearing chic workout gear and has a few droplets of sweat on her forehead. A personal trainer comes to the house three times a week to work her out in the gym in the main house's basement.

  "Afternoon, Mrs. Redmond," I reply a little too formally, trying to cover the fact that I've just been thinking of the feel of her son's bare chest against my cheek. She walks upstairs and I continue working, but I'm unable to lose myself in the work like I normally can. Usually when I have a small enough task to focus on, my mind turns off, but today my thoughts are rebelling against me.

  I have a curious feeling for the rest of the day that time is passing both too quickly and too slowly. I feel a mix of nerves and excitement when I see that the clock has struck six and it's time for me to start preparing dinner. Ms. Mueller has left her detailed step-by-step instructions for me—I'd have no chance without them—and I get to work preparing dinner. By the time seven rolls around, I've set the dining room table for two and Mrs. Redmond enters in from the back door.

  "My son's eating dinner at the office," she tells me as she breezes past me. I'm glad she doesn't have a chance to catch a glimpse of my face, which harbors an expression of sadness and anger. So now he's avoiding me. As I bring out Mrs. Redmond's food, I notice that she doesn't seem to have any issue with the maid waiting on only her. Certainly she doesn't invite me to join her like her son did, though I don't know for sure if he does that with any of the other servants, either.

  When I bring out the main course, I notice that she's taken out a book and is reading at the table. Her downward focus gives me a chance to look at her face more openly than I might otherwise. She's still quite beautiful, and probably no older than sixty or so. I wonder if she ever feels lonely, or tries to date. Her husband died several years ago, and she's still living here. In the guest house that her son built for her, true, but still…

  I eat my own plate of food in the kitchen while Mrs. Redmond eats in the next room. After I bring out her dessert—two scoops of homemade gelato—I package up all the leftover food. As usual, Mrs. Redmond has instructed me to make almost double the amount we need. I'm just putting everything into the fridge when Aaron walks in. Well, that should take care of some of the leftovers; Aaron eats enough for two people, yet remains wiry as ever.

  "Hey, Cora," he says congenially.

  "Hi, Aaron," I reply, trying to act normally around him. What the police told me about his background, and the fact that he's read up on me, have combined to make me slightly uneasy around the man. Which is especially unfortunate considering he's so friendly.

  My head snaps toward the dining room as I hear voices emanating from there, though of course I should have realized that as Mr. Redmond's driver, Aaron usually can be found around his boss. I brace myself for Mr. Redmond to walk into the kitchen, but the voices die out as Aaron helps himself to the food.

  "Long day?" he asks with a smile.

  "Oh, you know," I reply vaguely, wondering if he can sense my unease.

  "Before I forget, Mr. Redmond asked you to stop by his study at some point before you go to bed," he says casually, piling ham and sweet potato soufflé onto his plate.

  "Ah," is all I manage to say as my stomach jumps. I look at Aaron out of the corner of my eye to see if he senses anything strange in the request, but he seems to be acting normally. I take another few minutes to put everything in the fridge and wipe down the counters, then look around for something else to do. But I can't stall forever.

  I walk out of the kitchen, leaving Aaron happily eating his dinner at the table. As I approach the study door, I smooth my hair with the palms of my hands, then knock on the closed door.

  "Yes!" Mr. Redmond calls out, brusquely as ever, causing my frustration at him to resurge…and a shiver of another kind to run through me. I take a deep breath and open the door, shutting it quietly behind me. He's still wearing his suit from work, and peering closely at his computer. He doesn't look up at me.

  "Sir?" I finally ask, hitting the word a little harder than I normally would. He looks up at me as though he'd forgotten there was someone in the room at all.

  "Cora," he says, studying me for a moment, and then leaning down and taking a paper out of the briefcase leaned against the side of his desk. "I had Mark draw this up. I'd like you to take a look at it," he adds as he lays the paper on the side of the desk nearer to me.

  "What is it?" I ask with a frown as I walk over and peer down at it.

  "See for yourself," he replies. I almost sigh with annoyance but bite my lip to keep it in. I bend over and read, trying to make sense of the legalese. I make it about a paragraph before I get a gist of what I'm reading and stare up at him in shock.

  "You're trying to make sure I don't sue you?" I ask. "That's your first reaction to what happened last night? Go fuck yourself, sir." I'm too mad to realize what's coming out of my mouth; all I can feel is my blood boiling.

  "What? Well, I mean yes and no…" he stammers, clearly taken aback by my reaction.

  "You left me right after we…you know…and now the first thing you're thinking about is how to cove
r your ass!" I exclaim, though now I can hear that there's a tinge of hurt coming out in my voice, taking over from the anger.

  "Oh…oh, I see…" he says, rubbing his face with his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how that would look." He stands and walks around the desk toward me, then sits on the edge of it next to me so that he can look directly in my eyes. He tentatively reaches over and takes my hands, which are shaking slightly. "Last night…I didn't want you to feel like I'm your boss, taking advantage of you. I never want you to feel like your job is in danger because of what happens between us. I asked Mark to draw up a contract that would make that clear. Part of it is to ensure that you won't sue me and the company, yes, but the other part of it is to ensure that you don't feel any pressure to sleep with me to keep your job. We would both sign."

  "Oh."

  "I'm sorry that I lead with the contract. I'm used to thinking first about the wellbeing of the company. Especially with everything else that's been going on…I've tried to resist having anything happen between us. I know it would be unwise, problematic, messy. But I can't resist anymore. I need to have you," he states, almost matter-of-factly. My lips part in surprise at hearing these words come out of my mouth, and a feel a flush run through my entire body. "I would also be willing, however, to try to find a new maid, and put you up in an apartment in town so that you would no longer be my employee," he adds.

  "Which would make you, what? My sugar daddy?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at him and he chuckles. "No thanks."

  "I didn't think you'd take me up on it, but I did want to make the offer. Besides, I like having you here."

  "So, you want to…continue things like last night?"

  "I do," he says with a smile that make me go weak in the knees.

  "I don't want anyone to know," I say slowly, thinking it over as rationally as I can while he's holding my hands. "I don't want anyone to look at me differently."

  "Alright," he says, nodding without taking his eyes off me. "I had to tell Mark, but obviously he's my lawyer and can't tell anyone else."

  "So where do I sign?" I ask as a flutter of nerves works its way up from my stomach. What am I getting myself into?

  He grins and hands me a pen as he stands up. "Make sure you read the whole thing. My father might not have been a great businessman, but he did teach me to read every word of a legal document," he says, walking over to the door.

  I gnaw on my fingernails as I scan the double-sided sheet of paper, doing my best to understand the various clauses. When I think I've absorbed as much of it as I'm going to, I sign my name at the bottom of the second page, next to Mr. Redmond's. I look up and find him standing in the middle of the room and realize that while I've been signing, he has walked around and shut the thick curtains on all the windows. And locked the door, I'm guessing.

  "Take your hair down, Cora," he murmurs, his voice deeper than I've ever heard it. My stomach drops and I reach my hands up behind my head, painstakingly taking out every bobby pin and laying them on the desk next to me. He watches me, not moving from his spot. I let my eyes run down his body, from his dark brow, to his perfectly fitted navy blue suit, to his…oh my. "Now come here," he says.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I walk over slowly, feeling my heartbeat quicken with every step. I stop just a foot away from him, and watch his chest rise as he takes a deep breath. Then he brings his hand to my chin, gently raising it with his thumb and forefinger until our eyes are locked. He keeps his eyes on mine as he leans down. Just before our lips touch, I close my eyes, and feel his warm mouth pressing against mine. He gently massages my lips open with his own as I feel his hand move to the back of my neck, his fingers working their way up into my long, thick hair.

  Unlike our earlier kiss, and whatever last night was, I can tell that he's taking his time. He works his other hand slowly around my waist, stepping into me and pulling me against his body. Just as his tongue slips in between my lips, I move my hips against him and feel his erection press against my stomach. I feel a momentary sense of surrealism—I'm grinding against my boss!—that disappears as he slides his hand over my ass and grips me even tighter against him.

  I bring my hands up to his lapels and slowly pull his jacket off. As it slides off his shoulders, he momentarily drops his arms and tosses it over onto an armchair without even taking his mouth off mine. As my fingers find the knot of his tie, I feel his move to the top of my uniform. I shiver as I feel him pull the zipper down and try to concentrate on loosening his tie. I'm determined that tonight won't be as one-sided as last night was.

  I slip off my shoes as I feel him reach the bottom of my zipper. He pulls his head back and my uniform with it, bringing it to my shoulder and then letting go. It drops almost silently at my feet, leaving me in just stockings and my underwear. I reach up and undo his tie the rest of the way and then slide it out of his collar, feeling his eyes glaze over my body as I do so. I step forward as I undo the top button of his white shirt, kissing the bit of skin that's revealed as my fingers move to the next button. He leans his head back slightly as I make my way down. I feel his chest hair under my lips, and nuzzle my nose into it for a second, reveling in actually being able to smell and feel him up close.

  I move down again, and his chest hair disappears as I hit the top of his abs. Fuck. They're hard as a rock, and I briefly hope that he isn't feeling let down by my body. But I return my attention to him, pulling his shirt out of his pants so I can get at the last couple buttons. I swirl my tongue around his belly button and gently bite his skin just under it and hear him groan in response. Good. I still know my way around a man's body.

  I feel him grip the sides of my shoulders and he pulls me up to standing before tossing his shirt next to his suit jacket. I run my hands over his shoulders, then across his chest, letting my eyes take in the full picture of the man in front of me. My god—he's got the body of a superhero. Or at least an actor playing a superhero in a movie.

  "Meet with your approval?" he asks me, watching my face.

  "You'll do," I reply with a smile. He grunts and wraps his arms around me, burying his face in my neck. I gasp as his tongue finds my ear, working its way around my lobe before he sucks on it, hard, before biting down. His hands move to my back, and in record speed, he undoes the clasp of my bra. I feel it falling off my chest, and he takes just a split second to move back and toss it onto the floor before lifting my breast up to his mouth as he bends down.

  I moan as he takes my nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. I'm on my tiptoes and dipped back over his hands, and feel completely in his control. He moves to my other breast, sucking and nibbling at it before pulling me back to my feet. I reach forward and immediately begin unfastening his belt, wanting to finally see what he's got under his pants. The answer practically leaps out at me as I unbutton the top button of his pants. I bite my lip. His massive size, combined with the time it's been since I last had sex…this is going to hurt.

  I kneel down, pulling his pants to the ground with me. The tip of his cock is already poking out of the top of his boxers, and I blow softly on it. I hook my fingers under the sides of his boxers, slowly pulling them down before dropping them around his ankles. I bend down, softly kissing the inside of his thigh, working my back up. I want him to know I can give as good as I get. When I reach his balls, I flick my tongue out, quickly running it over them, before I take one in my mouth. I swirl it around, tasting his sweat, as I hear him groan above me and run his hands through my hair.

  "Oh, fuck," he mutters, looking down at me. I stare right back at him as I sit back slightly and then slowly lick up the length of his dick. He tilts his head back as I reach the tip, and I stretch my mouth open as far as it will go to take him inside. My eyes water as I take him to the back of my throat, tasting his pre-cum in my mouth as I bring my lips back to the tip of his member. I move my hands to his hips as a sense of power begins to envelop me and I flick my tongue across him before pulling him to the back of my throat again.
This titan of industry, under the spell of my mouth.

  I begin to move faster, and bring one hand to his balls, massaging them as my mouth moves up and down his now slick cock.

  "Stand up…stand up, Cora," he says, and I slowly obey him, delicately wiping the corner of my mouth.

  "Yes, Mr. Redmond," I say as I lean forward, pressing my breasts into his chest.

  "Call me Brent," he orders me in a whisper. I lean forward so that my lips touch his as I respond.

  "No."

  His eyes light up with desire as he grins. I feel his hands around my waist and suddenly he yanks down my stockings along with my underwear as he kneels, keeping them around the lower part of my thighs, making it impossible for me to spread my legs much further apart. His tongue darts against me, there, and my body quakes, almost sending me off my feet, but he wraps his arms around my legs and ass, steadying me and holding me to his mouth. My hands fall onto his shoulders as his tongue flicks over my clit. If I thought he was good with his hands, it's nothing compared to his skill with his mouth.

  He sucks hard on my clit and an orgasm quickly rises inside me. I try to spread my legs further apart to find release, but my tights keep them too close. And I don't think their position is any accident. Mr. Redmond knows exactly what he's doing.

  "Please, Mr. Redmond," I groan, testing the tensile strength of my stockings.

  "Brent," he grunts, taking his mouth away momentarily, but sticking one long finger inside me and beginning to swirl it around. So that's his game. I tilt my head back, wanting to see how much longer I can take this exquisite ache inside me. Apparently he takes my defiance as a challenge, because he begins to circle his tongue even faster, matching its speed with his finger inside me. I can't take it anymore…I feel like the pressure inside me is about to explode, but there's nowhere for it to go.