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  As she mounted the bed, I was greeted by the soft touch of her flesh as it drew over me. It was like silk against my skin when we came together. She was careful about every motion she made, taking her time. First her hands drew up my legs. The nipples of her small breasts grazed my stomach. Then the flesh of our bodies came together as she fell on top of me.

  My hands writhed in their restraints for a moment, wanting desperately to touch her. Scarlett pressed herself to me while her mouth drew onto the skin of my neck. Her lips moved upward to graze mine, and I pushed into her hungrily. Scarlett moved further upward, till the tip of her breast grazed against my face. My mouth drew onto it as soon as it came close enough.

  The most amazing sound filled my ears when I pleasured her. For the first time since I’d known her, Scarlett let out a long soft moan. I worked at her fervently till she offered me the other. Once she was satisfied, Scarlett moved back downward, drawing her lips over mine once more. Our tongues chasing one another between our mouths. When we came apart, we were panting.

  “Scarlett,” I gasped when we broke. “I want to see you.”

  For a moment, she hesitated. Her light breathing tickled my skin. She pulled the fabric from my face, till it sat around my neck. My eyes scanned down as far as I could, admiring every piece of her. “You’re so beautiful,” I breathed.

  There was a hint of a smile before Scarlett kissed me once more. I wanted so much to touch her, but I too, still wanted to play along with the game. When she broke from me, her mouth wandered to my ear. “I want you to make me come, Ms. Ross,” Scarlett whispered deliciously, her breath tickling my skin. A hungry carnal energy washed over me as her body ascended me once more. I kissed every piece of skin that passed over me until came down on top of my face. For a moment I breathed her in before I drew my mouth over top of her.

  The room filled with Scarlett’s soft intoxicating moans, growing louder the longer I worked. When she began gasping and trembling, I knew I’d satisfied her. She went on for a while, and I kept working until she rolled away from me, trying to catch her breath. I savored the taste of her as I watched her move back down the bed.

  My hands fought the restraints again, watching as Scarlett left me to stand at the food of the bed. There was a long drawn out silence while we stared at one another. Scarlett’s fingers trailed up the inside of my legs, barely touching my skin. Each time, drawing further and further upward. I writhed, fighting the urge to cry out. The bed shook as she crawled onto it again. Before long, hot breath lingered at the apex of my thighs.

  “Red,” I gasped. Though it wasn’t for the reasons that Scarlett expected, she quickly came to release me. First my legs, then my hands. When I was able to move, a wave of confidence filled me to the brim.

  “Are you alright?” Scarlett asked, a small look of concern on her face. I didn’t answer, pushing myself into her. She fell back into the bed and I crawled on top of her hungrily.

  “I just wanted to touch you,” I admitted as I buried my face into her neck. My hands roamed down her curves. When I broke from her, she pressed her mouth to mine. I sat up, letting my fingers trace over her body. Scarlett’s delicate touches resumed between my legs. While she worked, my fingers traced over her flesh, studying every piece of her. It wasn’t long before I fell against her, moaning into her ear. I could barely breathe. Our mouths came together furiously as I finished.

  Once the feeling had surpassed, we rolled together on the bed, our bodies intertwining. We stared at one another in silence, both of us smiling.

  Chapter Eight

  THE ENTIRE WEEKEND blurred by me, every moment spent with Scarlett at her condo. Most of it naked. Bound to everything imaginable in her house. Ordered every deliciously dirty thing I could have ever imagined. I learned every whip and nearly every toy in the linen closet. By Sunday afternoon, my body was so sore it was hard to sit comfortably while we ate lunch together. Even after seeing her all weekend, I couldn’t help feeling distracted looking at Scarlett, sitting naked while we enjoyed our food.

  “It’s impolite to stare, Natalia,” Scarlett scolded me affectionately. I smiled at her before I finished my meal. We sat chatting a while. Scarlett talked about herself more than anything. It had been the most I’d learned since we met.

  “I started Stitch my senior year of college,” she explained as we worked together at the sink to clean dishes. Our hands would come together and they’d linger for a moment. Every touch she gave sent shivers through me. “It was an experiment at first, just for my enjoyment. Then an investor had an interest, and it continued from there.”

  “How did you get on with Baker Publishing? They’re one of the biggest in the city.”

  Scarlett hesitated for a moment. I could see the way her posture changed and I had a strange feeling I knew how she’d gotten it. “My ex-wife,” she admitted. “When I met her, she was working as a journalist. We’d first ran into one another at a fashion show we were both covering. She’d showed a vested interest in working with me, so I hired her.” It was funny they’d met one another in almost the same way Scarlett and I had. I didn’t mention it however, letting her continue. “Let’s say Diana had strings she could pull at Baker to get us on.”

  My curiosity got the best of me. “Like?”

  “Jonathan Parker was a friend of hers in college.” Scarlett didn’t hesitate in responding.

  “As in the CEO? The one who gave me my job?” When Scarlett nodded, I stared at her baffled. It explained in part why Diana was so headset in taking away Scarlett’s business from her.

  “As much as I hate to admit it, I owe her in part for my success,” Scarlett said. I could tell it was hard for her to acknowledge.

  “Even still, it’s your business,” I argued. “It was your dream from the beginning.”

  “Sometimes life has a way of making things complicated,” Scarlett gave me a small smile and we resumed cleaning without another mention of it.

  That evening when Henry dropped me off at my apartment, I longed for Scarlett the moment I got there. It wasn’t until I’d collapsed onto the couch that I’d realized I hadn’t checked my phone once in two days. There was a flood of calls and texts, many from Justine. As soon as I read through them, I realized. I was supposed to meet her yesterday. Guilt plagued me. It was the first time in our entire friendship I’d ever bailed on her. Even if it had been an accident. I dialed her back, only to be sent straight to voicemail. I left her a message and a text, apologizing.

  Even though I was worried about upsetting Justine, my mind relaxed once I’d curled under my bed sheets. While not as comfortable as Scarlett’s, I drifted off into some of the best sleep I’d had in years.

  The next morning I awoke early by a phone call from Andrea, who had a long list of errands for me to run and dry cleaning to pick up. I dropped by three different designers studios, double checking the arrangements for Wednesday. When I arrived at the office, coffee and clothes in hand, Robin met me at the doors to help me inside. I was already exhausted. After we’d hung the dry cleaning, I went to Scarlett’s office to clean up. I left a coffee and muffin on her desk. After I finished, I could hear a commotion from outside the door. Scarlett must have arrived.

  As I began to leave, I changed my mind last minute. The excitement of the previous weekend came rushing back to me and I craved it again. Remembering her scolding the last time I’d made a mess of her office, I made quick work of disorganizing her desk and sat myself on top. After, I unbuttoned a few buttons of my blouse, exposing the lacy undergarment beneath. My hair fell from its bun, long blonde tresses falling over my shoulders. Then I waited, my heart racing in my chest in anticipation.

  When I left Scarlett’s office a few minutes later to return to my desk, my backside was sore, and it took me a while to find a comfortable way to sit in my chair. I never thought I’d crave something so much, but the exhilaration I felt was intoxicating. After I’d settled, Andrea came up to bombard me with work to do.

  “I hope
you’re not too busy sitting around daydreaming,” Andrea said, in her usual tone. “There’s work to be done. We have a major event on Wednesday.”

  “I’m aware,” I replied, pushing myself up off the seat. I did my best to walk normally as I followed her across the office. The two of us worked together to double check schedules and last minute changes with designers.

  I left early, in spite of Andrea’s disapproval. Scarlett was aware of my activities for the afternoon. Henry picked me up at the front of the Baker Publishing building. Scarlett had insisted. As usual, I rode in front with him and we made small talk as we drove across town.

  “I’ll be here to take you home,” Henry said, offering me a smile. “Take your time.”

  I hopped from the car and made my way into another high rise building. We were only a few blocks from Scarlett’s condo. I took the elevator up the thirteen floors to the office. Unlike Stitch, this office had a much stuffier feel. When I made my way inside, the secretary greeted me with a small smile. “Natalia Ross?” I nodded, and she handed me a stack of papers to fill out.

  Just as I was through, James Reed came to meet me. He was an older man, with salt and pepper hair and a stern demeanor about him. Scarlett had warned me he had a rough personality, but had ensured me he was the best.

  “Natalia, I presume?” When I nodded, he motioned for me to follow him. We made our way across a hall and into a luxurious office. It smelled of tobacco. When I saw the intricate cigar box on the side of his desk, I realized why. “Sit,” he said. His tone reminded me a lot of Scarlett’s, but it lacked the allure. I made my way to a couch across the room and sat. He pulled up a chair across from me and took the papers I’d filled out. As he thumbed through them, I waited.

  “So, I’m to understand you’re filling a restraining order on Thursday. Against an abusive ex-girlfriend?” The way he said abusive gave me a weird feeling. I fidgeted in the seat for a moment.

  “I wouldn’t necessarily call her abusive,” I argued. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I was disappointed. It was like I couldn’t control it, justifying her behavior.

  “She’s physically and verbally assaulted you?”

  I paused for a moment before I nodded. The embarrassment I felt for having argued against her behavior was still lingering. “Yes. Sorry, I’m so used to defending her.” James nodded, continuing to read through my papers. I couldn’t gauge what he was thinking by his expression, so I waited for a response.

  “It should be an easy case, given your prior history. Scarlett enlightened me a little. It would help if you gave me more background.”

  When he first asked, the urge to argue reappeared. It took a moment of talking myself down before I was able to speak. For the next half hour, I explained to the stranger about my twisted relationship with Megan. James looked unphased for the most part, but by the time I’d finished seemed convinced we had a solid case against her. While I expected to feel better by the time I’d left, I only felt worse. Dreading the idea of taking Megan to court.

  That night, Scarlett offered for me to come to her condo. As much as I’d wanted, I declined. When I’d arrived back at my apartment, I called Justine again. This time, she answered and agreed to come over for dinner. When she arrived, she looked pleased to see me but I could tell she was still annoyed. We made small talk for a while, enjoying the takeout she’d brought. Finally, when I couldn’t stand it anymore, I broke the awkward conversation.

  “I’m really sorry about last weekend,” I said, offering a small smile. “I got so distracted.”

  “With Scarlett?” Justine asked, taking a bite of her food. It surprised me how she’d jumped straight to that conclusion. I hesitated to offer a reply. When I nodded, she shook her head. “Nat, you have to realize what a bad idea that is.”

  “Justine, she’s nothing like Megan,” assuming that’s why she was arguing with me. I set my fork down on my plate and met eyes with her. “It’s completely different.” Justine did not seem the least bit convinced. She studied me for a long time, not speaking.

  “I’m just looking out for you,” she said. I couldn’t help but smile at the sentiment.

  “I know. I promise, it’s okay.” When I said it, Justine relaxed a little. The rest of the night seemed to go back to our normal routine. When I told Justine about taking Megan to court later that week, she looked relieved.

  “I’ll be there,” she said, just before she’d left for the evening. “I’m proud of you.”

  If I had thought Scarlett was wound up on Monday, she was even worse Tuesday. I barely saw her the entire day, too wrapped up in finishing projects and last minute plans for the show the following day. Andrea worked me to the bone, leaving me little time to catch up on emails and phone calls. At the end of the day, Scarlett and I left together, and we spent the evening distracting ourselves from the chaotic day ahead.

  The following day, I arrived early after spending too long getting ready. After Scarlett and I had finished our rendezvous, Henry had taken me back to the apartment to rest. While I’d longed to be with her, there was so much to do Wednesday that I’d convinced myself that sleep was far more important.

  Scarlett was in her office when I arrived. I peeked my head inside, offering a smile. She looked frazzled and exhausted.

  “Did you get any sleep?” I asked her and she shook her head.

  “I never sleep before these things,” she admitted. Then her voice turned firm again. “I assume you’re headed to make sure everything is in order, Ms. Ross?”

  “Of course, Ms. Stone,” I replied. “I was just on my way.” Scarlett studied me for a moment longer, eyeing my attire for the day. She seemed to approve of the lace blouse and black slacks I’d chosen. When she didn’t reply, I gave her a nod and left the room.

  Andrea was downstairs, moving clothes racks in order. Models were busy getting ready. There was a crew fixing lights and the backdrop of the small stage. The caterer had already set up for the morning. I took my time, going around to check on everyone, fetching small things and ensuring that they didn’t need any further help. When I’d made it around to Andrea, she looked annoyed.

  “I trust you’ve been productive,” she said and I nodded. “Good, I need your help. Make sure these are sorted. One year we had a mishap and Scarlett nearly lost her mind. I don’t want that to happen again. Understood?” I nodded and set to work looking through the clothes. They all seemed in order and it went quicker than I thought. Not surprisingly, Andrea didn’t trust my judgement and double checked me, anyway.

  “I don’t know why I bother,” I muttered, annoyed.

  When we were through, people had started to trickle in. Various news outlets across the city. Other blogs. Photographers. Some guests whose faces I only recognized because of Andrea. Scarlett arrived before the start of the show. We’d arranged a seat for her in perfect view of the stage. She’d requested I sit beside her, so Andrea was moved behind us. I could feel her annoyed stare on the back of my head while I sat. Before the show began, Scarlett took me aside.

  “I trust you’ll be taking excellent notes,” Scarlett said, handing me her leather-bound notebook and a pen. “You’ll be doing a piece for the blog. I wouldn’t want you to disappoint.”

  I studied her for a moment, unsure of what to think. “You want my first article for the blog to be about the fashion show?” When Scarlett nodded, I was in disbelief. “Don’t you think this is going to cause a stir?”

  “I choose who I choose,” Scarlett argued, studying me over. “Surely you aren’t questioning my judgement, Ms. Ross.”

  “Of course not,” I replied, and Scarlett nodded. A moment after, she turned away from me to head back to her seat. I glanced around, checking to see if anyone was watching before I reached for her wrist. When she turned back to face me, I planted my lips on her own. When we parted, there was a hint of a smirk on Scarlett’s lips for a moment, before she gave me a stern look.

  “That was highly inappropriate, Ms. Ross,
” she scolded me.

  I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Stone.” Scarlett turned away from me after that, heading back towards her seat. I followed behind, toting her notebook.

  The show was nearly flawless. Andrea had outdone herself with the preparations. I’d only helped ensure things went smoothly. I took copious notes, in spite of the fact that I was distracted by small touches and glances from Scarlett. By the time the show ended, I couldn’t focus on anything except getting her alone. Scarlett locked us both in the closest bathroom and after we’d both been satisfied, I returned to Andrea to help with the cleanup. As usual, she looked rather annoyed. “I was wondering if you were ever going to show up. Where have you been?”

  “Scarlett needed me,” I said, which had been the truth. Andrea’s facial expression relaxed somewhat as she rolled me a rack of clothes. “Bring these upstairs. I expect you’ll be helping me the rest of the day.” When I nodded, Andrea took off with the other rack and I followed behind her.

  Cleanup took hours and by the time I’d gotten back to my desk, it was time to leave. Instead, I found myself going over the pages of notes I’d taken during the show. Scarlett had insisted I have a draft finished by tomorrow afternoon, in spite of my morning plans. I decided to start that evening. When Scarlett arrived at my desk a few minutes later, I smiled at her.

  “I’m going to stay here and work,” I said, just as she was in the middle of inviting me to her condo. “I want to get this started tonight.”

  “You have a busy day tomorrow, I’ll give you more time to finish it. Come with me.”

  We studied each other for a moment and I considered her offer. But my journalist side craved to work. “You shouldn’t be giving me favors just because we’re together,” I whispered to her, unsure if anyone was listening. Andrea was still at her desk.

  “I can do as I please, Ms. Ross,” Scarlett said.