Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,65
my body.
“I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll set aside some time for us to discuss this in greater detail.”
I nod. Then I turn and walk away. I walk as quickly as my heels will allow. I’m thankful I’m in my low ones. I have a feeling I would have killed myself otherwise. My mind is going nuts. I can’t believe this.
Nightmare?
Every naughty fantasy come true?
Probably all of the above, I think. Which means I have a dilemma on my hands.
20
Ashley
The envelope is on the kitchen counter. It’s all I can think about.
I can smell the rich aroma of chicken roasting in the oven, but my stomach is clenched so tight I struggle to feel anything remotely resembling hunger. It’s sad because I love roast chicken. Tonight, I’ll have it with potatoes and gravy and all of the trimmings, and tomorrow I’ll have it with a salad. Thursday, I make a potpie from the leftovers. I make a really good flaky pastry. It doesn’t get old. Candice laughs at me. She says I’m the only single person she knows of who’ll cook an entire roast chicken for themselves. I don’t do those easy meals very often. I prefer real food.
I’m in the bath. There are bubbles up to my ears, and I’m sipping on champagne. Yes, the real thing. Bolt had a bottle of the stuff delivered to my apartment half an hour after I got home. I could get used to this. That’s the problem…I could get used to this.
Did he hire me because he wanted this arrangement?
I find I don’t like that idea. It’s probably the case, since we haven’t known each other that long at all. It must be why he’s been so nice to me. I’m hoping, deep down inside, that it was the kiss. That the kiss started something. Maybe if I agreed, something could grow from this. Something more. The thought scares me because I don’t think it’s going to happen, and then I’ll be left with feelings for someone who’ll walk away.
Walk away? I snort, and the sound reverberates around my small bathroom. I wouldn’t be able to walk away. Bolt is my boss. I work for him. I couldn’t just up and leave. I’d have to see him every day. If I had feelings for him, that could be pure torture. What if he dates someone else, and I have to make dinner reservations for them? What if he makes me buy her presents and flowers? Oh, my word! What if he makes me sign the card? It could end up being a nightmare for sure.
I drink some more of the champagne. I probably shouldn’t have opened the bottle. I couldn’t resist. I won’t have more than this glass, and then I’ll go through that document. I’m apprehensive. I force myself to stay put for another ten minutes. I work on breathing techniques designed to de-stress. Yeah…they don’t work.
I get out. Towel off and get into my pajamas. Then I head to the kitchen and check on my chicken. It needs another ten or fifteen minutes. Everything else is ready.
I top my glass up. I know, I shouldn’t, but… Come on! My boss – Bolt, sex on legs – wants me to be his sex slave. Not only will I be his slave, but I get to be in charge. An ‘in-charge’ slave. At least, he made it out to be that way. I’ll have to read this thing to be sure. Now is as good a time as any. I pull the agreement out of the envelope, pull up a chair, and start reading. The first few pages are almost copy-and-pastes from the NDA I already signed. I went over the document in greater detail after Bolt told me I should never have just signed. It was too late, but I gave it a read-through anyway. There’s loads of the standard stuff in this one too. It might have more detail to it, but there isn’t much that’s different…yet.
Standard.
Standard.
Fine.
Okay.
I can deal.
Standard.
Then I start getting to the good bits. I’m expected to list sexual positions I would prefer, and those I’m completely against. Sex toys – big gulp – which ones I want to use in the bedroom, and those I’m opposed to.
Oh frack with a side of fudge crickets!
I need to write down a safeword! A safeword? I take a big gulp of champagne. Will the sex be so hardcore that a safeword is required? I giggle. I’m nervous and can’t