3. Elysa

CHAPTER 3

ELYSA

I read Aidan’s text, smiling to myself. I can almost believe he means it. Unfortunately, I’m not quite ready to believe he means it the way I wish he did. I’ve spent the last two nights having the most ridiculous dreams about him and his mouth. He did delightfully wicked things to me with it.

And then, right before he got me off, he’d suddenly pull away and tell me that he was just kidding, and the only reason he was with me was to put an end to my reign of terror. I’ve woke up turned on and out of sorts two mornings in a row, with that infuriating man occupying way too much of my mind.

It’s about time the tables turned.

I roll onto my side in my bed, my smile growing downright wicked.

Me

We can’t all have what we want, Aidan. What did I say about patience being a virtue?

His response is immediate.

Aidan

Fuck virtue, Fairy. You’ve been ignoring me for two days. Pick up the phone and let me hear that voice.

Me

No can do. Sorry.

Aidan

Why the fuck not?

Me

I’m busy.

Aidan

Doing what?

I consider it for a moment, and then a wicked idea strikes, one sure to drive him mad regardless of why he’s texting me. If he wants to know who I am, it’ll be just enough to make him crazy. And if he’s really flirting because he’s into me…well, this will make him crazy then, too.

I swipe away from our messages and open my camera, snuggling up against the pillows. I make sure my face and any identifying details are completely hidden, leaving only my pajama top—with a hint of cleavage—and the bed showing. And then I quickly snap the photo and send it to him.

Me

Not all of us are up at the ass crack of dawn, terrorizing the world. Go away and let me sleep.

Aidan

Jesus Christ. You’re in bed right now.

Me

Yes. Was my photo not clear enough?

I laugh wickedly before firing off another text.

Me

Should I send another?

Aidan

Yes. More cleavage this time, Fairy.

Better yet… why don’t you slip that perfect hand down that body and give yourself a really good morning while you think about me? I’ll be a good boy and wait.

I groan, my core clenching. Oh, he’s the devil. But if he wants to play dirty, I’ll play. But I’m playing to win.

Me

Who says I haven’t already, Aidan? Maybe you caught me right after I finished…

I press send, chuckling to myself, and then throw the covers back, rolling out of bed. My phone immediately dings with an incoming message, but I ignore it, leaving him to stew in his juices. He really should stop playing with fire. I think I like burning a little too much.

The rest of my day is far less interesting than my morning. By the time I got out of the shower, Aidan had given up waiting for a response and stopped texting me. But not before threatening to spank my ass when he gets his hands on me.

That threat lingers in my mind all damn day as I try to find something gossip-worthy to write about. For once, everyone in town is, apparently, on their best behavior. As the afternoon draws to a close and I’ve still come up with nothing salacious enough to warrant a mention in the column, and my mind yet again turns to Aidan, inspiration strikes.

I sit bolt upright in my chair, cackling out loud.

“What’s so funny?” Leia asks, peering at me from the copy machine a few feet away.

“I just thought of something,” I mutter, waving her off with one hand. “I’m going to break him.”

“Who?”

I dart a glance around, checking to make sure we’re alone. Subterfuge is exhausting in a room full of nosy reporters. But honestly, I don’t think anyone else at the paper even gives a crap about the matchmaker or the gossip column. It’s not even on their radar. They write the sports column and the crime beat. What do they care about harmless gossip?

I check carefully anyway. No way am I going down in flames because Lawson blabbed.

“Aidan,” I whisper-hiss to Leia, already typing.

Man of Steele… or Fairly Broken?

Guess who is on the prowl for a wifey, readers? That’s right! Rumor has it that a certain oil baron has sought professional help in finding love! Which lucky lady will see past that charming personality to the man beneath?

“Come here.” I motion for Leia and then wait patiently for her to cross to me before jabbing a finger at my screen. “What do you think? Will he crack when he reads this?”

Her gaze darts across my screen, her mouth moving as she reads. And then her eyes widen. “Holy crap, Elysa.” She blinks at me. “He will hunt you down and destroy you if you post this.”

“It’s not that bad,” I protest.

“You’ll have every gold-digger in Texas on his doorstep!”

I read it again, frowning. Crap. Maybe she’s right.

I tap my bottom lip, thinking. And then I delete the last line before adding more in its place.

Man of Steele… or Fairly Broken?

Guess who is on the prowl for a wifey, readers? That’s right! Rumor has it that a certain oil baron has sought professional help in finding love! A little birdie told me that he has his sights aimed high. Perhaps out of his league? We’ll just have to wait and see if he’s capable of pulling it off. Just between me and you…I don’t have high hopes that he’s up for the challenge. He’s way out of his depths with this one.

“There,” I mutter. “That should do it.”

“Jesus,” Leia whispers, laughing softly. “Are you trying to wage war with him?”

“No.” I bat my lashes at her. “I’m trying to break him. He actually expects me to believe that he wants to date me. As if I’m going to fall for that.” I snort. “He’s lost his freaking mind.”

“What if he hasn’t?”

I scowl at Leia. “Trust me. He has.”

“But what if he hasn’t? What if you’re exactly who he wants?” She crosses her arms, propping a curvy hip against the corner of my desk. “He’s probably been studying you as hard as you’ve been studying him lately. Maybe he’s doing all of this because he’s actually into you.”

“He doesn’t even know me.”

“So… change that,” she suggests. “Let him get to know you. The real you.”

“I can’t risk him exposing me.”

“Then do it on your own terms.” She waves a hand in the air, ‘be inventive’ implied in the gesture. “You built this entire business, made yourself a freaking millionaire, and did it your way. Don’t expect me to believe you can’t handle one little billionaire with a crush.”

“It’s not that,” I mutter, my stomach churning as I glance down at my keyboard. “It’s…”

“Holy crap. You like him.”

“Shh!” I hiss, jerking my head up to glower at her.

She grins at me like a crazy person. “If you don’t go get that man, Elysa Darby, we are no longer best friends. In fact, if you don’t go get that man, I’ll tell him exactly who you are.”

“You wouldn’t,” I gasp.

She pokes me in the arm. “There is no freaking way I’m letting you sacrifice your own potential happiness for everyone else. No job is worth that. If you like him, go get him. The rest will work itself out.” She pauses, nodding at my computer screen and laughing. “Definitely print that though. It’s gold. He’s going to lose his dang mind when he reads it.”

It’s after ten o’clock when my phone rings. My heart jolts against my ribcage, and I nearly fall on my ass trying to rush out of the bathroom to grab it from my bedside table.

As soon as I see his name on the display, I sink down onto the side of the bed, still dripping wet from my shower, my knees weak. How mad is he right now? I bet he’s fuming.

I swipe to answer, putting the phone up to my ear.

“Hey, Sunshine,” I say, pretending I’m cool as a cucumber. “Don’t you think it’s a little late to be harassing me?”

“I’m going to spank your gorgeous ass as soon as I get my hands on you,” he growls.

“Oh, dear. Whatever for?”

“You know exactly what you did, Fairy.”

“‘Fraid not. I did a lot of things today. I went to work. I took out the garbage. I even scrubbed my bathroom. Did you know that you can use a toothbrush on the grout to keep it nice and clean?”

“Oh,” he says, laughing like a man on the edge. “Then let me fill you in, you wicked little thing. First, you made me jerk my fucking cock in my office this morning while staring at that photo you sent me. I fantasized about you fucking your fingers while I did it, in case you wanted to know.”

Oh my God.

“And then, I spent all goddamn day with a hard-on, because even after I came, I couldn’t keep you off my mind. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to walk around with your cock hard for ten hours, Fairy?”

“No?”

“It isn’t pleasant,” he growls. “And I had meetings all day.”

I bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

“ And then , just when I thought the torture was over for the day, I get back to the office to my entire staff eyeing me sideways. When I finally got someone to confess what the fuck was going on, I learned that someone has splashed my business all over the Silver Spoon Single Serve . I’m not up for the challenge, Fairy?” His voice is deadly calm by the end… and my nipples are hard points. There is something deliciously sexy about this man when he’s mad as hell and turned on. “Oh, baby. You have no idea how you’re going to pay for this when I get my hands on you.”

“How?” I blurt, unable to bite the question back. I want to know, dammit. How will this man punish me? What wicked things will he do to me to make me pay for tormenting him?

“I think I’ll start by burying my face between your thighs and seeing how many times I can make you come on my tongue,” he snarls. “And then, maybe I’ll see how well you can type your column when you’ve got my dick stuffed down your throat.”

“Daddy,” I whimper, my thighs shaking. And then I realize what I said. No. Oh no. That name was never supposed to leave my lips. It was never supposed to leave the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind. “I-I mean…”

“No,” he practically purrs. “Don’t you fucking dare take it back now, Fairy.”

Oh. My. God. What is happening right now?

“You want to be a brat for Daddy, baby girl? You want to drive him crazy, make him suffer? I’ll play,” he says. “But you’ll suffer the consequences too, Fairy.”

I should say no, tell him I was just kidding. It’s the sane, rational thing to do. But I don’t feel particularly sane or rational right now. I want this man. I love the bossy, grumpy side of him. I want it unleashed on me. Every damn bit of it. He doesn’t even know me, but I feel more like myself with him than I’ve ever felt before.

Sure, I’ve dated. But I’ve never slept with anyone. It never felt right because I never felt truly free to be myself. With this man, that isn’t a problem. I’ve been nothing but myself. I’ve poked and prodded and teased and tormented. And he’s still on the phone right now, telling me the wicked things he wants to do to me because of it.

I love that, maybe more than I should.

“What are the consequences… Daddy ?”

“You coming on your fingers right fucking now,” he growls. “I want to hear it.”

Oh my…

“Right now?” I ask, scooting backward on the bed. I arrange myself in the middle of it, parting my thighs. “What if I’m in public?”

“Too bad,” he snaps. “Get somewhere private and get your fingers on your pussy, Fairy. Now.”

I slide my hand down my body, whimpering quietly. “I’m in my bed, Aidan. All alone. Naked. Dripping wet.”

He roars like an angry bear, making my core clench again.

My hand drifts between my legs. I’m so freaking wet—and I don’t mean from the shower. It’s him. His voice. His wicked commands. His bossy attitude. Hell, it’s everything about him.

I touch my clit, moaning quietly into the phone.

“Fuck,” he groans in response. “You’re doing it right now, aren’t you? You’re touching Daddy’s pussy?”

“Yes,” I gasp, arching into my touch.

“Good girl, Fairy. Pretend it’s me between your legs. Make yourself come for me.”

I squeeze my eyes closed, focusing on his sinful voice and the rasp in his breathing, as if he’s worked up just listening to me. I play with my clit, slipping one finger inside myself. And then I add another.

“Moan for me, Fairy. Shake for me,” he growls. “I want to hear it all.”

“Aidan,” I moan immediately, obeying him just this once. “You feel so good.”

“Goddamn,” he rasps. “If I were there right now, I’d have my face buried between those thighs, baby girl. You’d be coming all over my face. I wouldn’t let you stop until you were begging for mercy.”

I rock my hips into my hand, pleasure spiraling through me, taking me higher and higher.

“As soon as that sweet voice broke for me, I’d have you on your back beneath me, fucking my way into your soul,” he growls. “You’d feel me for days, Fairy. Every goddamn time you move. Every time you breathe. You’d feel your daddy.”

I sob his name, shattering apart. Waves crash over me, stealing my breath. It’s intense, the most powerful orgasm I’ve ever given myself. Except… I’m not so sure I did it to myself. I think he did. He worked sorcery on me through the phone, using that forbidden title against me, playing my body with it.

I droop as the last aftershock quakes through me, panting for breath.

“Damn, baby girl,” he breathes. “That sounded good.”

A blush heats my cheeks. Even though he can’t see me, I cover my face with one hand, not sure what to say now. I just told this man my deepest, darkest fantasy. A man who wants to expose and destroy me. What the hell was I thinking? If that ever gets out…

“Stop overthinking, baby girl,” he murmurs. “I hear your mind running a million miles a minute.”

“Oh, so you have super hearing now, huh?”

“No. I just know that you’re thinking the worst. You gave me something precious, and you’re worried about what I’m going to do with it. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.”

“What…” I trail off, swallowing hard. “What are you going to do with it?”

“Worship on my fucking knees like a good Daddy should,” he growls. “You think you’re the only one with filthy desires, Fairy? Why the hell do you think I don’t date? I know what people say about men who want the shit I do. I couldn’t risk that tainting Caroline or Asa.”

“Aidan,” I whisper softly. “It’s not wrong to have kinks.”

“You trying to convince me or yourself?”

“I know it’s not wrong.” I pause. “I just never found anyone worthy of sharing mine with, so I gave up on love and dating.”

He laughs incredulously. “Hold the fuck on. The indomitable matchmaker doesn’t believe in love?”

“I didn’t say that,” I say defensively. “I said I gave up on it for myself.”

“Well, I’m going to need you to change your mind, Fairy. I want a chance. A real chance. Agree to go out with me. One date,” he says. “Hell, wear a mask if it makes you happy. I don’t fucking care, baby girl. I just want to sit across from you. I want to touch you. Let me prove that my only mission now is changing your mind about love and dating.”

He talks a good game, I’ll give him that. But still, I hesitate, torn. Until one little word from his lips breaks me.

“Please.”

I doubt he’s ever begged for anything. But he’s begging me to give him this. He’s metaphorically on his knees. For me.

“Okay,” I agree. “One date. With masks.”

His relieved breath rushing down the line is worth the risk. I’m pretty sure he is, too.

Crap. Don’t let me be wrong.