Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

LIZZIE

I stopped at the top of the dramatic circular staircase and looked down into the black marble-tiled entranceway. Richard was there waiting for me, impeccably dressed in a bespoke tuxedo with satin lapels.

He turned at the sound of my approach, and his eyes lit up as I made my way slowly toward him.

I knew the glow from the crystal chandelier highlighted the subtle embroidered zebra stripes of my completely sheer black gown, which swept the floor as I walked. A tiny pair of satin shorts and the long drape of the tuxedo tailcoat saved my modesty. I knew he was going to like the especially sexy, over-the-knee black suede boots I was wearing, which I made sure to flash him a glimpse of when I hitched my gown up high as I navigated the marble stairs.

Since I didn't have any of the jewelry Richard had given me here in Paris, I wore only the pink diamond lovebird brooch on the lapel.

When I reached the bottom, he took me in his arms. "Do you have any idea what it is like watching you, knowing you're mine?" His voice was a seductive, low timbre.

The possessive question sent a shiver down my body. This man. He was just so big and strong and intimidating and yes, scary as fuck, and all that intense energy was focused on me and me alone. It was powerful knowing you had the affections of such a man.

Powerful… and dangerous.

Forcing the dark thoughts to the back of my mind, I asked, "So what do you have planned for this evening?"

Richard winked. "A surprise."

He led me out to the cobblestoned courtyard where a driver waited, holding the door open to a sleek stretch limo. Once inside, Richard held up a purple silk blindfold.

"Do you trust me?"

No.

"Yes, of course," I stammered.

With trepidation, I closed my eyes as he tied the blindfold around my head. He guided me back into the crux of his shoulder as I felt the limo pull away.

Another game had begun.

A short time later, the limo stopped. I held my arms out in front of me and Richard helped me alight from the back seat.

Reaching up to stroke the silk fabric covering my eyes, I asked, "Can I take it off now?"

"Not just yet."

We had only driven for a relatively short time, so I knew we were still in Paris. I could hear the sounds of the city all around me; laughter, shuffling feet, conversations in French, music playing in the distance. Despite the late hour, almost midnight, the city still buzzed and hummed with life.

Richard wrapped his arm around my waist and whispered into my ear, "This way, my love."

From the hushed din, I could tell we had entered a building of some sort.

There was the sound of metal beneath our feet, then the swooshing sound of elevator doors closing. I gripped Richard's forearm tightly as the floor shifted beneath me. After a few moments, there was a soft ding, and something over the speaker in French. Richard's hand on my lower back guided me forward.

I could feel the cool rush of air hit my face. Gone was the sound of laughter and conversation, but I could still hear the music in the distance and an occasional car horn. A light breeze fluttered the long sheer skirt of my dress as Richard stepped up behind me. Immediately, I felt his warmth along my back as he wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

Then I felt a tug at the blindfold. As the silk dropped away, I gasped at the sight.

Before me, in all her twinkling-light glory, lay Paris.

Running to the metal railing, I swiveled my head and looked up to see the massive metal structure disappear into the night sky.

We were alone on the Eiffel Tower's second level.

"This is so cool!" I exclaimed as I jumped up and down before wrapping my arms around Richard's neck and giving him a hug. His laughter was deep and rich as he held me close.

"Do you like my surprise?"

"I love it!"

"Good, because there is more."

Taking my hand, he led me back onto the elevator. Higher and higher we raced, till we were so high my ears popped. This time when the elevator doors opened, I felt a little trepidation getting out. We were at the absolute top of the Eiffel Tower. Where before you could make out buildings and cars and little streetlamps and even the tiny forms of people walking about, now it was all just a bright blur of light stretching as far as the eye could see beneath a midnight blue sky.

Feeling dizzy and exhilarated, I let Richard lead me to a pair of doors guarded by two men in police uniform. As I looked to Richard, his only response was a secretive smile and a wink. Upon our approach, the men opened the door. I crossed the threshold into a cozy pied-a-terre . Its walls were covered in a faded red paisley wallpaper with many polished wooden cabinets.

As I moved further into the room, I stepped around the lush, jade velvet ottomans that were wrapped around the steel supports for the tower. With his arm on my lower back, Richard led me to a table placed off-center in the room. Pulling a high-backed upholstered chair out, Richard motioned for me to sit.

The table was beautifully set with gold-rimmed china and elegant crystal glassware. In the center was a small bowl of blush pink roses. Reaching out to stroke one of the soft petals, I smiled at Richard as he took the seat across from me.

"Nothing like a table with a view," he quipped as he turned his head to look out the massive window to our right with its amazing view of Paris.

After casting a glance at the tuxedoed servers waiting along the wall, I leaned in, somehow feeling the need to keep my voice low. I whispered, "What is this place?"

Rolling the gold napkin holder down the rolled linen, Richard opened the napkin and placed it on his lap before answering. "This is the private apartment of Gustave Eiffel."

"The guy who built the tower?"

Richard nodded. "Only the elite of the elite were permitted to visit him here."

"This is so amazing! I didn't even know this existed at the top."

A server quietly approached our table with a silver bucket holding a solid gold bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne nestled in ice. After showing the bottle to Richard, he poured us both a glass.

As I lifted mine to my lips, Richard stopped me.

"Let's play a little game first, my love." His tone was so deceptively light and playful.

I knew better.

My hand shook so violently the bubbles in the champagne flared up and slipped over the edge of the crystal flute to splash on my fingers. I put the glass down and waved away the server who had approached with a linen napkin.

"You like my games, don't you, darling?"

Forcing my stiff lips to smile, I blinked back tears. "Of course, Richard."

Somewhere hidden in a dark corner of the apartment, a violinist began to play softly. I listened for a moment and finally recognized the instrumental strains of the Police's ‘Every Breath You Take.'

Richard rose and held out his hand.

I stared at it. His beautifully brawny hand that both protected and aroused as well as caused pain. Stealing myself, I placed my hand in his. I had chosen this path. I knew the danger. In my fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood likes it when the wolf bites.

We walked over to the massive windows.

Standing behind me, Richard moved my hair aside, brushing my neck with the backs of his knuckles, sending a shiver up my spine.

He ran his hands down my arms to wrap them around my wrists. Lifting my arms high, he placed my palms on the window. "Don't move," he breathed against my skin.

His hands caressed down my sides till his fingertips rested against the outsides of my thighs. Inch by agonizing inch, he pulled up the see-through gauze of my long dress. Once the fabric was around my waist, he pressed his thumbs into the waistband of the satin shorts I wore underneath it.

Getting a little of my own back, I shimmied my ass against his hard erection as I helped him push the shorts off my hips.

"Tease," he growled before he nipped my ear.

The shorts caught at the tops of my knee-high boots, then slid to the floor. I gingerly stepped out of them.

As I stared out at the lights of Paris, I heard a soft rattling sound as the ice settled in the champagne bucket.

Richard's hand reached between my legs.

I cried out as I felt the ice touch the warm skin of my cunt. Richard leaned his body in to pin me against the window so I could not escape the cold pain.

"Richard! Don't!"

His free hand crept up to wrap around my throat.

I stilled.

"Shhh…"

I whimpered as he worked one of the round ice cubes into my resisting pussy. It was so cold, goosebumps rose on my thighs and arms.

Pushing the first one deep within my body with one long finger, he then pushed a second cube in.

"It occurred to me you might not fully understand the cold gripping fear I experienced the moment I realized you had fled the city yesterday."

"Richard, please. It hurts," I rasped, trying to inhale past his grasp on my throat.

He pushed a third ice cube into me.

I rose on my tiptoes in a futile attempt to avoid the inevitable.

Every muscle in my body seemed to clench as I shook. It was hard to believe how numbingly cold just a few ice cubes could feel. It was torture. My stomach cramped.

"Do you feel that, baby girl? The painful cold that chills your blood and makes you feel sick?"

I nodded.

I heard the rustle of the ice bucket again. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

I tried clasping my thighs closed, but Richard kicked at my feet, forcing my legs open. In quick succession, he forced two more ice cubes deep inside of me. Frigid water dripped down the inside of my thigh as the ice melted from the heat of my body. It did nothing to stop the brutal agony.

"This is what fear feels like. It takes over your entire body till you just want to curl within yourself. This is how I felt not knowing where you were or if you were safe."

"I'm sorry, Richard. I'm so sorry."

Involuntarily, I tried to push the offending ice cubes out, but Richard's palm against my cunt kept them in place.

Suddenly shifting his body, Richard was in front of me with his back against the window. His chilly hands pressed against my tear-flushed cheeks. "Never do that to me again, little one. It would kill me."

His dark eyes shimmered with intensity as he leaned down to claim my mouth. His tongue swept in to take possession. I returned his kiss with just as much fervor, clawing at his tuxedo jacket as I rubbed my stomach against his heavily engorged cock.

"That's it, baby. Open your mouth for me," he breathed against my lips.

He tasted like scotch and mint as the tip of his tongue teased the sharp edge of my teeth then skimmed along my bottom lip, before once more devouring me.

Breathing heavily, he pulled back. Placing his hands on my hips, he lowered to his knees between my legs.

"Oh, God! Richard!"

The first warm swipe of his tongue felt like a kiss from the devil.

The ice cubes had melted, leaving my pussy feeling cold and tight. Each touch from his tongue was heavenly fire. The tip flicked and teased my clit. I moaned as I drove my fingers into the thick waves of his hair, holding him closer. My head fell back, the extremes of hot and cold driving me wild as every nerve point in my body fired.

The lights of Paris danced and flickered across my half-closed eyes as the violin strains of ‘Drive' by the Cars seeped into my consciousness. On some level I knew that meant the musician must be aware and could even see what was going on… but I didn't care. My universe centered around Richard and what his mouth was doing.

Slamming my palms against the window, I cried out as an orgasm so intense it was almost painful racked my body.

As my knees gave out, Richard rose off his knees and caught me. With me lifted high in his arms, we returned to the table. This time I was on his lap.

Richard held the flute of champagne to my lips. I took a long sip and choked a little on the bubbles as they tickled the back of my throat and my nose.

My cheeks flamed when two servers approached with our first course. As I looked at Richard, I saw the side of his mouth quirk up. He tapped the end of my nose.

Reading my mind, he said, "Do you honestly think I would allow anyone to witness the ethereal beauty of you in the middle of an orgasm?"

I relaxed back into his arms at the reassurance.

Picking up a small silver appetizer fork, Richard continued, "Now hearing one of your magnificent orgasms, that's a different story."

Gasping, I playfully hit his shoulder. "Richard!"

He held a morsel up to my lips.

"Open your mouth," he ordered suggestively.

Running my closed lips along the tines of the fork, the bite of food was both salty and sweet. Covering my mouth with my fingertips, I asked while still chewing, "That is so good. What is it?"

"The dish is called sarcive . It's thinly sliced pork belly cooked in honey and spices served with a coriander puree," answered Richard as he popped a bite into his mouth.

"It's delicious."

"I'm glad you like it. The food tonight is from a little restaurant in The Batignolles neighborhood called Le Faham. They specialize in flavors from the island of Reunion."

"Reunion? I don't think I've ever heard of it."

"It's a small island near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It's pleasant, though I prefer my islands a little more remote and isolated."

Shaking my head, I laughed. "Only you would think a tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean was not isolated enough from civilization."

Richard just smiled.

After feeding me a few more bites, I reluctantly returned to my own seat for the next course. It was a delicate white fish with carrots and bittersweet ginger over crispy white rice.

Richard made another suggestive remark about the ginger, which made my cheeks flame.

As they prepared the table for dessert, I looked out at the twinkling city lights. I imagined all those millions of people below, going about their lives. For some this was home, for others a once-in-a-lifetime romantic trip. Some were probably deliriously happy, others terribly depressed. So many different lives. So many different stories and yet, not one of them came close to the drama, excitement, and pure craziness of our love story.

I returned my gaze to Richard. The hard lines of his jaw and brow were softened in the candlelight. Still, his eyes glowed a dark sapphire, the color of the deep ocean. He was just as unfathomable. Just when I thought I had him… had us… figured out, a squall would appear and wash away everything I thought I knew.

Where was all this leading?

Was a happy ending even possible for us?

Two people addicted to the twisted adrenaline rush of pain and lust.

A roller coaster racing to the top of a vicious drop…

A server interrupted my pensive thoughts as he placed a small charcoal-colored bowl in front of me.

"This is a Chocolate Vibrato with a crunchy meringue and lemongrass tea with an Assam berry sorbet," he said, rolling his consonants in heavily accented English.

Richard swiped a spoon through the sorbet and held it to my lips. As the tart sweetness melted onto my tongue, he divulged, "Eat up. My next game is about to begin."