Page 37 of Vivacity

And when you’re already exhausted, the risk that your foot slips entirely and you go from nought to sixty before you’re even conscious of having done so grows all too real. To beat this analogy to death, that’s when you hit the guardrail at high speed and blow everything you’ve worked so hard for up in a flash of self-indulgent oversight.

But as I take her in, I can feel my foot slipping.

Perhaps I should take it off the brake altogether. My stress levels are through the roof, after all.

Perhaps my usual practice of careful titration is woefully inadequate for this crisis.

Perhaps what I need is to overdose. To binge on the carnal banquet that is Sophia fucking Petrakis for a few allocated hours until I’m numbed and sated, until the voices of Miles Montague and his father and my father have quietened in my head, and that toxic blood in my veins has turned to treacle, and I’m sex-drunk enough to enjoy the brief, phony sensation that all is good with the world, that this is all manageable.

My gaze lingers on Sophia’s plush lips, and I drop my forehead to hers.

‘You really should be more careful what you wish for.’

I could claim her mouth so easily, I really could, and I’m indecently proud of myself for resisting. It’s a sign that I still have some semblance of control of myself if not much else. She’sworked for me for over a week and I still haven’t kissed her. Much like the miser who’s too busy counting his money to spend it, I’ve arguably enjoyed looking at that mouth and knowing I have yet to plunder it.

‘I’m not interested in being careful,’ she murmurs so close to my face. ‘I know what I’m doing, and I can handle it. I can handle you. So for fuck’s sake, take whatever frustration and lack of agency you’re feeling right now and unleash it all on me.’ Her voice drops to a low purr. ‘You have heroic levels of self-control, Ethan. You’ve made your point. It’s time to show me who’s boss.’

CHAPTER 18

Ethan

I’ve never pressed an intercom button so fast.

‘Detour,’ I bark at my driver, looking wildly out of the window to get my bearings. ‘Take us to the Kingsley Westminster.’ Our newest hotel—the one where we met—and also, critically, the closest to our current location.

Sophia withdraws her hand from my thigh and collapses back in her seat. When I look over, her smile is that of the cat that got the cream.

Not yet, sweetheart. But you’re going to.

Let’s just see if you can walk afterwards.

We sit in charged silence until the car pulls up under the porte-cochère and two valets promptly open our doors. I take Sophia by the hand and march her through the lobby, its cool serenity instantly soothing me. This really is a compelling new addition to our portfolio as well as a welcome reminder that we’re very,verygood at what we do here at Kingsley.

‘Mr Kingsley!’ the blonde at the reception desk exclaims when she spots me. ‘Were we expecting you, sir?’

‘Which suites are empty?’ I demand, ignoring her question. It’s none of her business. ‘Is the Jubilee free?’

‘I—um—yes, I believe it is. Give me a moment, please.’ She glances from me to Sophia and down at her monitor. ‘Yes, it is. Will you be requiring it?’

‘Yes. Just for the afternoon.’

I couldn’t make it clearer that I’m about to take Sophia up there for a quickie, but no matter. All I care about is getting this woman naked and on a bed, and ideally in the next two minutes. Now that I’ve decided to go down this road, the blinkers are on.

‘Of course. Can I send up any?—’

‘Nope. Just the key card.’ This gossip will be all over the break room by the end of the day, I’m sure, but I don’t care. I hold out my hand, causing her to fumble as she activates the card.

When I have it in my hand, I waste no time in getting Sophia into the lift. As soon as we’re alone, I walk her backwards until her back hits the wall. I put a hand out and close it over the front of her neck, my grip light but proprietary.

I stare down at her. I like my fingers around her neck. I like the way she’s looking up at me, her cherry-red mouth parting as her tits heave under their silk.

‘My God,’ she says softly. ‘You really are good at delayed gratification, aren’t you?’

‘I’m very good at it.’

Her lips curve up into a little smile. ‘What are you going to do with me?’

I shrug. Now that I have her here, it’s simple. ‘Everything.’