Master of Her Virtue - By Miranda Lee Page 0,60

fly home in less than twenty-four hours.

Emotion welled up inside Violet when she thought of getting on that plane tomorrow afternoon and never seeing Leo again. Suddenly, any sexual frustration she was feeling was totally washed away by the most crashing wave of despair. Tears flooded her eyes, her chin then her shoulders beginning to shake as sobs threatened.

Immediately, Leo stirred beside her, mumbling something as he started returning to consciousness. Panic sent Violet leaping from the bed and racing into the en suite bathroom, where she locked the door then sat down on the side of the claw-footed bath, burying her face in her hands to muffle the sounds of her weeping.

A couple of minutes later, she heard the rattle of the brass door-knob being tried, followed by a rather impatient knock.

‘Violet,’ Leo called out sharply. ‘Why is this door locked?’

Violet forced herself to calm down and stop crying. ‘I...I’ve got a tummy ache,’ she replied, her voice husky.

‘Oh. Poor darling. Is there anything I can get you?’

Violet winced at his calling her ‘darling’. He always called her that now. But it didn’t mean anything. He probably called all his women darling whilst he was tying them up and shagging them silly.

‘No, no, I’ll be fine. It’s nothing serious. I’ll be out shortly.’

But she wasn’t out shortly. Instead, she showered alone, not leaving the bathroom for a good half-hour, wrapped rather defensively in one of the blue towelling robes the hotel provided. She found Leo sitting naked and cross legged in the middle of the largest of the brocade sofas, sipping a glass of red wine from one of the complimentary decanters. For some reason, his nakedness bothered her, which was perverse, given she’d been desperate for more sex earlier.

‘Feeling better?’ he asked.

‘Much,’ she said.

‘Want a glass of wine?’

‘No. Not just now.’

‘Your stomach still upset?’

‘No. It’s fine.’

‘Do you still want to go out to eat tonight? We could always get room service.’

Violet suppressed a shudder as she thought of how that would play out. He’d probably sit there eating in the nude, maybe even suggest she do the same. Then afterwards, it would be back to that decadent bed with her even more hopelessly turned on and unable to say no to whatever he wanted. Already she wanted to say yes to his suggestion. Already she was quivering deep inside.

Just say yes, the devil’s voice whispered in her ear. It might be your last night with him. Make the most of it.

Violet gritted her teeth before somehow finding the courage to resist temptation. ‘Actually, I was hoping we might go to the restaurant downstairs tonight. It does look splendid. We haven’t been there yet, and it’s my last night here, after all.’

‘God, don’t remind me. It’s all gone so damned quickly.’

‘Yes, it has,’ she agreed, and turned her back on him before he could see the distress in her face. ‘I’m going to make myself some tea,’ she said as she walked over to the elegant sideboard which housed the tea-making facilities.

‘In that case, I’ll go shower and shave,’ Leo said in a somewhat disgruntled tone.

Violet sighed with relief when he departed the room. She did actually make herself a mug of tea, taking it out onto the balcony, which had the best view of the city. Paris certainly sparkled at night, she thought as she sat there, sipping. She could understand why people called it the city of love. It was a very romantic setting with the river running through it, crossed by the most beautiful bridges. Then there were the parks and the gardens, all wonderful places to stroll hand in hand with one’s lover.

Leo had told her the other day it was his favourite city outside of London.

‘You’ll have to come to London one day, Violet,’ he’d also said. Not a direct invitation to come and see him, just the city.

She stayed sitting out on the balcony, even after she’d drunk the tea, and despite the temperature dropping. Violet didn’t mind the cold, always having hated the hot, humid weather back home in Brisbane. Sydney’s weather was better; at least they had a winter. But she’d always fantasised about living in a place where it actually snowed. She’d never seen snow. Never touched it. Never played in it. Never skied down it.

‘What on earth are you doing out there, Violet?’ Leo said from just behind her. ‘You’ll freeze to death. And you’ve left the doors open. Come inside at once.’

Yes, master, she thought with a spurt