Chapter 7

The long, slender figure of a woman stood before him in the shadows of the night. Her body swayed from side to side to a low rhythmic beat that only she could hear. One by one, he watched as an article of clothing was dispersed from her glorious body and onto the rug that cushioned his bare feet. Her movements were slow and determined as if she knew exactly the right way to keep him intrigued.

A low, man like groan simmered in the base of his throat as she reached the brink of pure erotic display. The arousal ignited inside him. He wanted to shine a light on her female frame. This sexual goddess before him deserved a spotlight, but he was not quite sure she felt the same way. Her sultry dance seemed encouraged by the lack of transparency that bounced between them. He wondered what type of woman she would portray to be if it wasn't so damn dark. Would she still tease him like she was? Would she still follow through with what was to come? His mind dived deep into the possibilities but reached the surface just in time for air. There was no point in losing himself in thought when all he wanted was to lose himself in her.

Entirely parallelized by her presence, he continued to gawk and drool at the private show he had been so lucky to be graced with at this hour of the night. The outline of her body became more defined as she discarded the final thin pieces of her modesty in her silent strip show. He drank in the sight before him. He needed an up close and personal look. He needed a taste of what she offered, and as pornographic images played out in his perverted mind, he rubbed his lower lip with his index finger wondering of all the ways he could make those fantasies come alive.

Who was this beautiful seductress? It was like she was a mirage of temptation. A well-crafted plan that he had every intention of executing in ways that had been buried deep in his dirty mind as she stood before him naked and waiting. He had to have her here and now but as he tried to rise from his seat, he felt an invisible force shackle him in place. It was like he could look but not touch. The pot of need and desire that connected to his core was about to boil over.

As if to further the mystery, she turned her back to him and casually walked toward the window. Outside he could see the portrait of city lights below, above, and all around them. In the sky, the light from the moon provided the night with its natural illumination and carefully showcased her womanly curves as she gazed out the glass. Her hand stroked the long, dark curtain and he watched as her shoulders rose and fell letting him relish in her beauty. Her transformation from a seductress to a timid and exposed girl made him even more curious. No matter who she portrayed, she was still very much a temptress in his eyes. A woman he fully intended on getting to know between the sheets.

Christian's eyes fell from her to the bulge in his cotton pants. While she had initiated the path of where this night would end, he had yet to take his first step upon it. He had been so consumed with her that he had not even realized that he was still fully clothed. That needed to change, and so he brought his fingers to the top button of his shirt and began to undress.

The weight from before had been lifted as he felt his body rise from the chair as he slowly popped one button after the other. Her long, dark hair which he could see in the minimal light was a shade of brown swayed along her bare back as she peeked over her shoulder at him. The side of his mouth rose up into a half smirk. He imagined a soft color of red flushing her cheeks. No need to be shy, after all, she was the one who started this.

Her partial gaze did not leave him as his shirt fell to the ground, along with his pants and his boxer briefs. Slowly, he crept up behind her as the warmth from her skin grazed his. The dip of her head caused her hair to fall in front of her face. It was as if she felt the urge to shield that part of her. The one that he desperately wished to see. What did she feel she needed to hide? In fear of comprising the moment, he respected her wish to stay masked in the darkness.

Taking a step closer, he hovered his hands on either side of her hips. He remained like that for what felt like the longest ten seconds of his life. Did she want him to touch her? The ambitious girl who had stripped for him had seemed to have vanished as she stood small overlooking the city lights. He was not ready to let go off that girl who had enticed him for more. Somehow he had to bring her back up to the surface. Why she had suddenly buried her inner goddess that dripped in sex was beyond him.

After those long ten seconds had passed, he watched as her shoulders relaxed and felt her back rest against his chest. It was her unspoken consent that unfroze his lingering touch and he curled his fingers around her waist. An earthquake erupted in him upon contact. She felt right in his hands like she had meant to be within his reach all along. Now that he had her in his hold, he never wanted to let go. It only internally shook him further.

He pressed his lips to her shoulder ever so lightly. It was his turn to tease her any way possible that he could. The erection that had formed on her behalf he brushed up against her backside only to feel her shiver in his hold. He swept her hair over her right shoulder and continued his trail his butterfly kisses along her back as his hands gripped her hips possessively. She curved her neck as she bowed her head and welcomed his affection. Why did this feel so right? Every kiss, every sensual touch, every stifled moan seemed in place and natural. He had never felt so comfortable and free with a woman before until now. A strange revelation washed over him that caused him to pause in his endeavor.

"Don't stop," her angelic voice whispered. Those magic words sent him on a spiral of sexual bliss as his actions grew feverish. Her wish was his command, and his undoing. His hands began to move north and south in a panic. He needed to feel more of her. He needed to ravage her. He needed her like an addict needed drugs.

Christian cupped her breast and let it fill the palm of his hand. Her head tipped back as he watched under a heated gaze. The combination of lights and reflection from the window casted distorted shadows upon the profile of her face. Even then, he knew she was beautiful. She blossomed before him as he touched her in ways that she probably only dreamed of a man touching her. While one hand caressed her breast, the other maneuvered its way between her legs. Her legs instantly buckled and the hand that teased her northern region circled around her torso to keep her standing upright. By now, she had to know how much he wanted her too as his front fully pressed into her back. The tiniest gasp escaped her and the corners of his mouth gravitated upward again. He was a lucky son of a bitch.

His mouth attached itself to the base of her neck as he teased her endlessly down below. Her breathing had changed to near panting. Desperation echoed from somewhere within her as he encouraged her internal building storm. The thought crossed his mind to let the lightning strike, but a wicked thought swiped it away. He would let her edge closer and closer until she could take it no more but the sadistic bastard that he was would not let her achieve erotic bliss. No, that he would save for him to feel as he knew their time was running short. A perfectly equipped bed beckoned them to be used from behind. There he would let her shatter into a million tiny pieces.

The clenching of her thighs grew tighter around his hand. Her body shook in his hold. Damn, she was close. His eyes fluttered up to the profile of her face again and watched as she bit down hard on her bottom lip. Holy shit, the sight of her like left him twitching and aching for more. At this rate, the bed would only be optional. He was ready to take her here and now in front of the glass panel for all of the nightlife to see, and honestly he didn't care. The free show they would give for any wandering eyes tonight would only leave a secret spectator wanting more.

"Christian, please," she begged in a breathless voice. Did she know him? He had yet to disclose who he was, and yet here she was on a first-name basis with him. It was odd and confusing, but he was not about to get hung up on the minor details. Just the sound of his name passing her lips was about to send him over the edge and apparently she balanced there, too.

Enough of this torture, he thought to himself. He was done messing around.

In the blink of an eye, they went from nearly fucking in front of a window to the soft cushion of the bed. It was like he had no control over his movement in that moment as his body transported there, as did she. His chest heaved as she laid sprawled out before him naked and waiting. Knelt before her, he dived his head down and began to kiss every inch of her body. While a part of him begged to feel the release it had wanted since he laid eyes on her, he could not help himself in wanting to kiss her when she looked like this. She was beautiful. She was perfect. The foreign feeling from before that formed in his revelation had returned. He didn't know her, yet he felt like he had known her from another life. A wave of pure, unconditional love poured out of him that once again caused him to put a halt to their sexual adventure.

No, this was not possible. He could not possibly love a woman he didn't know. He didn't know what true love was even in the simplest of forms. He was just a man who had needs. A man who went weak at the knees for a beautiful woman, but even now as he pressed the tip of his nose onto the skin of stomach he knew that wasn't true either. His train of thought altered from animalistic to a nurturer. He wanted to tend to her carefully and show her that he wanted her for more than just sex. She was not meant to be used. She was meant to be cherished, to be protected. What the fuck was happening to him? How did he end up here in this state of mind?

A pair of hands combed through his hair and he brought his face up to look at her. He still could not make out the lines of her face. She was masked by the darkness permanently. None of this made sense. Here he was falling in love with a woman in a matter of seconds and yet he could not see her in her full form. This was so fucked up.

"Don't stop," she asked of him like she had before. Even in his haze of confusion, he succumbed to her request. He had to follow through. He'd do anything she asked at this point. There was no doubt he would surrender to her if she wanted him to because he basically already had.

Without a second thought, he moved his hands down her body and pushed her legs further apart. She opened herself for him and he licked his lips at the sight. Now, he was the one panting. He lifted her hips up as he positioned himself. His body and mind trembled in curiosity of what it would feel like upon contact. As he satisfied his intrigue, he exhaled a deep moan that came from his throat. She whimpered beneath him and lifted her hips higher to make the connection even better than he had expected. He wasn't sure who would shatter first, him or her. It felt so good and yet so familiar.

The lingering emotion that he could not fully accept swam its way to the surface with each precise and sensual movement he made. He had to take this slow despite his need to achieve the desire of a body shattering orgasm. She deserved to be treated with the utmost care. She was a goddess of divine beauty that held a special place in his heart, even if he could not render how or why. The unexplainable mystery that rode shotgun as he deliberately moved sending bursts of warmth to his core could not be ignored. Why did this have to be so damn complicated? It was just sex that he sought after anyways, not a fucking whirlwind of raw emotion that came along with it.

"Oh my," her voice squeaked and cut short as she gripped the sheets beneath her. Yes, he felt it, too. The arousal built at rapid speed which made it difficult for him to keep his control in check. What he wanted and what he needed were divided. He wanted to give her what she deserved, a man who respected and worshiped her in bed. But what he needed was to lose himself the fastest way possible and he felt himself slip from his want to his need within seconds. His pace quickened and his desire to fuck her into submission roared its ugly head. Withdrawing himself from her, he managed to flip her over and he raised her to her knees while her hands and face laid on the bed. He proceeded with his quest once more, this time with erotic determination. She moaned and gasped into the sheets to muffle the sound.

"I want to hear your scream," he demanded. Her girlish tone bounced off the walls for all to hear. Good god, he knew he wouldn't last much longer with the noises she was making. It nearly sent him over the edge and this time, there was no turning back.

Each thrust became deeper. Each stroke began quicker. The knuckles on his fingers were sure to be white as he held onto her tight more than likely leaving his mark on her. He didn't care, though. He was so damn close that he could feel the start of his world crumbling around him. The room was already dark, but he could sense it becoming darker as his climax reached its full potential to the point of him losing consciousness. It felt so fucking wonderful that he could not imagine a time before that felt as good as this, and as the earthquake inside her awaken he stilled. His mouth gaped open and he threw his head back. The rush of happiness and satisfaction coursed through him on repeat as he fell like a feather falling slowly back to Earth. Indeed, his orgasm had shattered him into a million broken pieces that somehow he would have to collect later, but he would deal with that then as she mirrored him below as her body convulsed and her legs shook. This time, she was not shy about the volume of her voice. Her cries of pleasure rang in his ears and he smiled as he ran his hand down the length of her spine. Holy shit!

As they each found a common ground once more, he removed himself from her and stood at the end of the bed. She was completely wrecked in the best way possible and it was all thanks to him. He could not erase the smirk from his face and nor did he want to. His eyes flickered over to a conjoined bathroom where he excused himself to clean up. When he returned back to the room, he found her fully clothed and standing next to the window again with her arms crossed.

"Are you leaving?" He asked.

"I can't be your escape, Christian." She uttered and refrained from turning around. "You know that, right?"

"What? Escape?"

The profile of her face illuminated as she spoke, "You only want what you can't have." Her tone gathered resentment. "It doesn't matter what you or I feel because it's not going to happen. We can't live out a fantasy. In the end, that's all this is."

A fantasy? Fantasy or not, it felt pretty damn real to him. Why was she fighting this? A few minutes ago, there wasn't a resistant bone in her body. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. What had changed all of a sudden? It angered him to think that she felt this way when he knew that could simply not be the case.

He walked toward her in hope that by calling her on her bullshit, he would finally see her for who she really was. But instead, the shadows of the night only expanded throughout the room. The lights from outside dimmed and all he could see was the outline of her body now. He stopped short as he huffed and felt his chest swell with an urge to fight. No, he would not let her think this way. He would not let her accept this notion because it was not true. She was not an escape to him. She was so much more. Something he could not explain quite yet.

"You're wrong," he lowered his voice. "You're only lying to yourself if you think that a fantasy can't become a reality because it can. If you want it bad enough, as much as I want you right now, you can make it happen. And baby, I want it to happen more than you know."

With a sharp inhale and quick jolt to his body, Christian awoke. Upright in his bed, he dragged a hand over his face as reality set in and his dream washed away. The pain from his abrupt movement pulsed throughout him and he gritted his teeth.

"Christian?" The groggy voice that belonged to Elena questioned him as she rolled over on the bed next to him. "Are you alright, dear?"

"I'm fine. Just a bad dream. Go back to sleep." He ordered in a heated whisper. Bad dream? More like a great fucking dream, literally. Well, at least, it was until the very end. Who the fuck was that girl? His eyes flickered over to his sleeping fiance, who clearly had not been the woman who had occupied his dream. A wave of guilt washed over him but quickly faded. While he knew he should care and be concerned for what had just played out in his head, especially when it involved another woman, he could not help but feel somewhat elated by it.

As he snuck out of bed, he walked over to the bathroom suite where he closed the door and turned on the lights above the mirror. He cheeks were flushed and he could see that in the reflection that his dream had gone as far as the need to change his boxer briefs. Shit, it had been that good of a dream.

He bowed his head and pressed his palms into the marble counter top as he closed his eyes. He envisioned every act and scene that he had dreamt of as if to memorize it for his dirty thoughts later. And even if the memory did fade, he knew one thing was for certain. The girl in it was unforgettable. He may not have known who she was, but somewhere in the depths of his soul, he knew who he wished for her to be.

...

Confidence flowed through her veins as her innocence washed away. Something had come over her. This was not like her. Someone else had invaded her body and mind. Who was this woman that had captured her and taken control of her every thought and movement? It was like nothing else mattered besides her task at hand. The task to entertain and to arouse the shadowed man who sat in the chair across from her as he watched. It should have startled her. It should have concerned her, but she did not seem to mind because despite being unable to see him in a clear view, she felt like she knew him. That she could trust him, and so she continued her scandalous charade.

Her body swayed effortlessly as she removed the clothes that covered her body. She had never stripped like this before, nor had she done it for someone else. She could feel the heat of his gaze upon her as she slowly revealed herself to him. A pile of clothes scattered at her feet and soon she was completely naked and exposed. Warmth rushed through her body thinking about what she would like for him to do to her. Such wicked thoughts they were, too.

Time skipped and moved her against her free will as she found herself standing in front of a window that overlooked thousands of lights. Could anyone see her like this? Did she care to expose herself to more than just the man who enjoyed her company? A sense of awareness slapped her and she grabbed the curtain next to her for comfort and as a partial shield. She wasn't sure now what she was doing here entirely. The driver of her carefree existence had left her in control now and she grew bashful of her actions. But something withdrew her from her thoughts, as she noticed movement from behind her.

Over her shoulder, she peeked at the silent strip show he gave her in return. She watched him as he discard every piece of clothing from his muscular frame and longed for it to be close to her. The dirty thoughts that had re-entered her mind caused a sudden blush across her cheeks. The warmth only rose in temperature as he crept up behind her only tempting her with his naked body. Ana bowed her head feeling shy at his close proximity. She should have felt more vulnerable, but instead, she felt safe as if his embrace would protect her. Upon her realization, she wished for him to break the barrier between them and so he did. His hands were on her hips and she eased at his touch. Her body released all the tension she carried while her back rested on him for support. They molded as one like they were meant to intertwine together. She had felt this before, but with who and where? Her experience with men was minimal and to think that a familiar emotion could arise in her like this sent a million questions soaring through her mind. But she did not fret about it for long as his lips pressed against her back and kissed its way along an undiscovered path. His kisses set her skin on fire. It felt so good, so right. She never wanted for him to stop kissing her, however, something caused him to halt. No, he couldn't stop. She needed his contact.

"Don't stop," she begged of him. Her plea registered quickly with him and sent him into overdrive as his kisses spread like wildfire and his hands magically came to life. One cupped her breast and massaged her roughly while the other entered a territory that ignited an arousal she had never felt before. She weakened at his touch between her legs and instantly he made sure that she wouldn't fall. Over and over again, he caused a quite a stir that shook her core and plastered a smile on her face. How did he know how to touch her just right?

Her breathing quickened and shortened as her orgasm continued to build. If he wasn't careful, he would make her explode in front of this window for everyone to see. She wanted that. She didn't care which way he had her, she just wanted him and her release. Her thighs trembled around his hand. "Christian, please." The words escaped her before she could think about what she had said. Christian? Was that his name? She knew of only one man with that name and suddenly her whole body was on fire.

Her eyes went wide as she realized who stood behind her. No, it couldn't be him. She hated him. She wouldn't let him to this to her, but as her mind screamed one thing, her body screamed another. Despite who he was, she still wanted him. Her twisted desire had been granted and here she was about to be fucked by him. This was all sorts of wrong, but all sorts of right, too. No matter how much she wished to stop it, she simply couldn't. She wanted it to happen. She wanted him even if it was just for the night.

Another sensation pulsed through her body as she ignored her conscious and bit down on her lower lip hard. This was too good to be true. This was everything she hoped it would be and now she was about to tumble into bliss in his hold. She felt his erection press harder into her back and she craved for more than just his hands on and in her. And as if he had read her mind, her feet rose from the ground and transported her to the bed. Her senses were on high alert now as he had left her trembling on the edge. She wondered how much more she could take before she would break.

At the end of the bed, he knelt as he looked at her. There was a hunger in his eyes and without hesitation, he crumbled and began to kiss her. He worked his way up her thigh and to the base of her neck. His tongue darted out at times that made her squirm. There was no strategy to his mouth upon her. Everywhere he could put it, he did. But just as before, he paused. The tip of nose pushed into her stomach and he let his hot breath spread across her skin. What was going on? Was he having second thoughts? It would be okay if he did because that's what a sensible man would do in this moment. He had to know what they were doing wasn't right, too. But she needed this. She wanted it more than anything in the world. To be with him like this made her feel things that she had never felt before.

To break him from his train of thought, she ran her hands through his hair. He peeked up at her with a gaze that she did not know was possible for him to portray. She was not sure what the gaze held exactly, but she was sure that she wasn't ready for him to stop either. Once more, she asked for him to continue and like a lovesick boy, he did. He met her every request. In the moment, he seemed like he would do anything for her and it sent a shiver down her spine. She half expected him to go wild on her. She envisioned him diving into her at full force, but he didn't. Instead, he raised her hips and slowly filled her inch by inch. He stayed inside her without movement for a good minute before he withdrew himself slowly that caused the sexiest sound to omit from him. It seemed like he wanted to drag this out. That he didn't want to just fuck her, but to make love to her. She was not prepared for this amount of emotion. Maybe she was reading into it too much.

His slow motions did not speed up, though. And while it felt amazing, her body acted out in desperation. The friction was not enough so she raised her hips higher. "Oh my," she gasped as he found the right spot that sent every sensation in her body ready for explosion. There was something about his steady stroke that made it all the better, and as she began to accept his careful thrusts, something lit a fire under his ass. The delicate and deliberate man vanished without a trace and before she could render what had happened, she was flipped onto her stomach with her ass in the air.

The way he moved inside made her shake violently. He had disposed of his nurturing ways and had gone purely animalistic in his need to satisfy not only her but him, too. To say that it wasn't mind blowing was a lie. It was beyond what she could handle, but she missed the tender touch he had shared with her before. He no longer made love to her but fucked her and while she knew she could express her complaints, she did not protest. It felt too good to complain. It felt better than the slow torturous game he had played even if there had been the possibility of emotions behind it before. He moved so fast that her moans were borderline inexcusable.

"I want to hear you scream," he gritted through his teeth. She had been pressing her mouth into the mattress to keep them from being heard. She had no idea that he wished to hear her at full volume. It was kinky and so she returned the favor. She held nothing back and it only made him move faster.

Ana braced herself for what she was about to endure. The eruption inside her came so quick as she followed his lead she barely found the strength to keep her legs locked in place. He moaned loud behind her as his fingertips dug into her hips. She matched him as she cried in high pitched gasps. It seemed like ages before she finally felt herself settle. His hand caressed her back and soon he removed himself from her. He said nothing. His warm lips didn't even grace her shoulder like she had hoped for, but what was she supposed to expect from him? This wasn't about his tender, love, and care. This wasn't even about her. Suddenly, she felt a bit used and disappointment washed over her.

When she rolled onto her back, she caught a glimpse of him walking into the bathroom. The night had started off on such a high note and now, it had ended on the lowest note possible. She felt foolish for feeling the way she did, but she couldn't deny it either. Someone had stuff a mixed bag of emotions inside of her and now she didn't know which what was right and which what was wrong. All she did know was that she couldn't stay here, and so she got dressed.

A portion of her memory ceased to file as she found herself staring out the window she had stood naked before only a few minutes ago. Wasn't she supposed to leave? She thought she had left, and yet here she was with her arms crossed staring out over the city. The door to the bathroom opened and she knew he was confused by her sudden change of attire.

"Are you leaving?" He asked.

Yes, she wanted to, but for some reason, she was still here. A well-scripted answer flowed out of her mouth with a response of, "I can't be your escape, Christian. You know that, right?" Her tone was much harsher than she wanted it to be. Then again, maybe he deserved a little hostility from her.

"What? Escape?" He was baffled by her reply.

Ana turned her head to the side to only see what little she could of him. She did not have the courage to face him for what she was about to say next.

"You only want what you can't have," she explained. "It doesn't matter what you or I feel because it's not going to happen. We can't live out a fantasy. In the end, that's all this is."

A perfect little fantasy was exactly what this was. It was not reality. In an ideal world, they could not be together. It was wrong because she had declared it to be. It was that simple. They would never work out, no matter how right it felt. It was a depressing thought to have, but she had to stand her ground. However, he did not feel the same way. She could sense it and felt him try to close the distance. A part of her fluttered at the excitement that he was about to fight.

"You're wrong," he lowered his voice. "You're only lying to yourself if you think that a fantasy can't become a reality because it can. If you want it bad enough, as much as I want you right now, you can make it happen. And baby, I want it to happen more than you know."

Ana awoke at his last word. Her hands were clenched tightly around her pillow and a pool of sweat had formed around her, too. Holy shit had that been some dream. She covered her face in embarrassment as her dream was still fresh in her mind. Too many things clashed for her to accept what she had just conjured in her sleep state. The confusion had carried onward outside of her dream and into reality. Even asleep, she could not stop thinking about him and rocked her more than it should.

She peered over at the clock on her nightstand. It was ten minutes past four. How in the world would she fall back asleep? And how in the hell would she face Christian at the gala after dreaming of him like that?