Page 16

Delilah

I couldn’t help but be excited about my first trip to Vegas. Energy thrummed through me, but knowing I’d be there with Serafino made it even more special.

His dominance enthralled me, his skill in making me succumb to him beyond compare. He might know how to kill, but he most certainly knew how to fuck. Despite my best intentions, I was opening to him like a bud to first dawn light.

We boarded his private jet, the ultimate in luxury with its leather seating surrounding a polished table, more seats behind with a big screen television. A cream carpet with dark swirling patterns was soft and luxurious underfoot, and I couldn’t wait to take off my heeled boots.

Our luggage had already been put away, and I only had my clutch bag on me, my overnight bag stashed in the bedroom of the jet. I shivered delicately. I didn’t doubt for a second I’d become a member of the mile high club. Though where he’d find the energy after he’d screwed me senseless in my own home, I had no idea.

He directed me to a comfy two-seater lounge that seemed designed for intimacy. Not that I was complaining, I enjoyed his big, hard body next to mine, even if I wished that I abhorred him.

An air hostess approached, her simpering smile making my stomach twist. “Would you like a drink, perhaps a snack?” She didn’t look my way as she asked Serafino, “Something else?”

He was immune to her bold innuendo when he replied, “Two whiskeys on the rocks.”

The air hostess frowned a little, then nodded and sashayed off to prepare the drinks.

I dragged a hand through my high ponytail as I glanced at him, my voice tight. “Another one of your conquests?”

He arched a brow. “Possibly. I stopped counting a long time ago. Why? Does it bother you who I’ve fucked in my past?”

I lifted my chin. “I’m an escort. Fidelity isn’t in my repertoire.” Though jealousy seemed to be now.

He inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring. He reached out and gripped my chin, holding my stare. “You’ll be all mine for this coming month.”

I wrenched free from his near painful grip. “Don’t fret. I won’t cheat while you’re paying for the privilege of exclusivity.”

His eyes darkened, anger swirling in their depths. “Guess I can count that as yet another perk of being rich,” he said bitterly. He laughed, the sound brittle. “Not that I should complain, I’ve gotten what I wanted thanks to my money.”

I wanted to reassure him and take back my words, but it was too late now, the damage had been done. I was supposed to be his fantasy lover, not some toxic shrew making his life hell. I might make money from sex but it didn’t mean I was a nymphomaniac who couldn’t keep her legs shut.

It didn’t stop me from adding, “Once a whore always a whore. You’d do well to remember that.”

He sighed indulgently, his mood shifting fast. “If you think I’d judge you for that, you don’t know me very well at all,” he mused.

Our drinks came then, the air hostess delivering the whiskeys with yet another annoying come hither smile at Serafino while she batted her long lashes. “Anything else you need?”

“That is all, thank you.”

Why was I all but chasing Serafino away with my snarly comments then waiting with baited breath for him to find interest in someone else? Was I trying to keep him at arm’s length because he was the only client who interested me?

I chugged down the quality drink, the air hostess returning a few minutes later to take away our glasses even as the jet’s engine whined as the pilot prepared for takeoff.

We put on our seatbelts, Serafino reaching out to hold my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. His touch burned through my nerve endings and made my stomach flutter. I might have been with a lot of men, but they all faded into oblivion when I was with him.

I looked down at my tiny leather skirt and yellow blouse that deliberately clashed with my fiery red hair. I’d wanted to stand out, and I certainly did. Even my knee-high dark leather boots with their spiked heels drew the eye.

Perhaps I should have stuck with my lawyer look, at least then the air hostess might have viewed me with a little more respect, instead she’d practically ignored me and focused on Serafino. I was nothing more than competition to someone like her.

Stop playing yourself down. You’re beautiful and smart, men want you and women wish they were you.

Minutes later the jet took off and we were high in the air, the gentle hum of the jet’s engine diluted by a soundtrack of popular songs played through surround sound speakers. I must have dozed at some point, waking only as the jet touched down on the runway.

How much sleep did I need? At this rate I wouldn’t sleep for the next week. My stomach fluttered. Perhaps I was mentally preparing for Serafino’s ravenous needs.

That I had my head tucked under his arm made me realize how comfortable I’d made myself. I blinked up at him. “We didn’t use the bedroom.”

He smirked, his eyes glittering. “As much as I’d planned, in stunning detail, to take you there, you looked way too comfortable to disturb. You clearly needed your sleep.”

Something shifted in my chest. I’d assumed sexual gratification was all he cared about, but he must care for me too.

Or maybe he really does want to keep you fit and healthy for the next month while he pushes your body to the limit.

I ignored the snide little voice in my head. It was time to earn my position as his lover and so far today I hadn’t been doing a very good job at it. A smile curled my lips. I had more than made up for it in the bedroom earlier.

The jet taxied to a stop and Serafino looked down at me and murmured, “Let’s go paint Vegas red.”