Chapter 1

The Tether pulled her, like an ache in her core which could not be dismissed. He was bathed in the shadows of the garden, far enough from the walking path to escape the glow of the fairy lights. He was right there. She stepped forward cautiously in her heels, leaving the safety of the cobblestones for the grass separating them. His back was to her. He hadn't realized she was there. His golden locks were unkempt and shaggy around his ears, a clear sign that he had been running his hands though his hair. His shoulders were hunched by his ears, his arms stiff and holding his weight from their place on the bench. His head hung low as if deep in thought.

Of course he's deep in thought. The Tether pulled her closer, step by step, until she had reached the garden bench. Running her hands behind her legs to gather the skirt of her dress, she sat. Now he knew she was there. He did not move. He did not say anything.

"I'm not surprised to find you hiding out here." A beat of silence.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your Father made quite a scene tonight, announcing your relationship status like some promotional stunt." Another beat. "You've been plastered around Paris since you were a teenager, yet I get the feeling that your difficulties with fighting off lovestruck fans will only grow after tonight."

"Don't worry, I have cat like reflexes." He had finally looked up. A smirk graced his beautiful face, but his eyes did not show true humor. Nothing. Empty. Guarded.

"I believe you." The silence stretched for several moments. It was comfortable in the warm night air, fragrant with gardenias, music from the party spilling out of the open French doors on the veranda.

"So… if I have a good reason to be out here, what excuse do you have?" His eyes were still distant, but his mouth curled up gently on one end. "Are you here to try your hand at winning my father's prize?"

"I have no interest in playing your father's games." Her bangs fell forward as she answered, so she peeked out from underneath them as she told him the truth. "I just felt pulled out here. Guess it was Fate telling me you needed some company. It's a miracle I found you at all. You blend right in with your black suit and all of these shadows."

"You're far less inconspicuous if I do say so myself." This time the humor in his voice reached his eyes as he flicked a mirthful glance over her bright red outfit.

She smiled back showing the dimple on one cheek and feigned confusion. "Well of course I'm inconspicuous! After all, I have this lovely mask concealing my identity." The mask in question was lacy and black, contrasting with her pale skin and blending in with the hair delicately framing her face. His own mask was crafted of leather and black as the night around them.

He huffed out a breath, the start of a laugh. "Well, what should I call the mystery lady in front of me?"

"Hmm…how about for now I simply remain your lady?" He knows.

"Alright my lady. Care to go for a walk with me? I find myself in need of further escape." He stood and extended his hand down to her. She bent down and carefully undid the buckle around each of her ankles, pulling offer her shoes to be held. She reached for him with her free hand, standing to her full height as her skirts shifted around her legs. Standing a head below him without her shoes, he slipped her arm through his and began walking towards the grassy paths of the estate.

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Do you want the real answer or the secret answer?"

"Ooh definitely the secret one. Tonight is the perfect time for secrets."

"I see myself poor and happy. Married to some nice woman. A few children. I'll have put on some weight because I no longer have a personal trainer putting me through the paces. Poor and happy."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan. I'm sorry it's the secret one."

"Well, it's hard to be poor and happy when my father works so hard. What about you?"

She gazed up at him as he gazed down, smiling softly. "Two kids, another on the way, a doting husband, and a cat. Definitely a cat."

"That sounds pawsitively meowvelous."

She snorted in surprise, laughter erupting at his joke. He smiled cheek to cheek, the pride and mirth in his eyes almost glowing.

"You'll never catch a wife if you keep making jokes like that" she said with a wink.

"Great idea! That should foil my father's plans." She squeezed his arm with her hand. They continued to walk along rows of gardenias. The smell was intoxicating in the midnight air and their ghostly white petals shone in the moonlight. She gravitated towards a bush and bent to inhale its scent more deeply. He followed willingly, choosing a bud of his own to admire. They looked up from the delicate petals and looked into each other's eyes, their masks outlining blue and green. Her hand still rested in the crook of his elbow.

They turned to face each other, a mere inch separating them. She reached up on tip toes, her face slowly approaching his, never breaking eye contact. Her eyelids finally slid shut as she leaned to the side and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek, then fluttered open as she came back down to the ground. His unoccupied hand came up to her waist, delicately resting against soft fabric. She could feel the weight and heat of his palm, slowly pulling her closer so that the inch shrank to nothingness, until her chest pressed lightly against his. Their hearts beat rapidly as their faces reached towards each other, their lips meeting softly.

He kissed her delicately and she lifted her hand to cup his cheek lovingly. Both of his arms slipped around her waist pulling her body closer and deepening the embrace. The Tether hummed in her core, and she kissed him more fervently, dropping her shoes. Her hands slid up and into his hair, gripping him closer. "I hope you don't mind if I mess up your hair" she mumbled breathily against his mouth as they continued to kiss. She could feel his smile against her own.

He released her waist to shrug off his suit coat, revealing a black button up and vest covered in delicate embroidery. Her hands gravitated to the small buttons holding the garment closed. His lips traced a line from her shoulder to the top of her neck, peppering kisses as she finished her work. "My lady, you seem intent on divesting me of my clothing. Am I allowed to do the same?" he whispered against her skin.

Words would not come, so she simply looked at him with hooded eyes and nodded her head. His hands deftly found the zipper at her mid back and pulled down. The sleeveless gown slid down her frame, catching on her hips before she shimmied it further. Her panties matched her mask, and her breasts were exposed to the warm night air. He stepped forward, following the Tether, grasping her waist, and trailing his hands upwards to gently stroke her breasts. She gazed up at him under her bangs, suddenly feeling exposed.

"How rude of me." His voice was deeper. "I tried to equalize our situations but now I have left you without a comparably beguiling sight." He found both of her hands with his and lifted them to the buttons of his shirt, inviting her to rectify the situation. They did not kiss, instead looking into each other's eyes beyond the masks as she slowly and deliberately completed her work. As the last button came free, she slid her hands over his newly exposed chest and pushed the shirt over his shoulders. His skin was smooth and warm. His heart beat quickly underneath her palm.

Their lips found each other once more, her nervousness abating as he whispered appreciation with each breath he could spare. His head dipped low, following the line of her throat, along her collar bone, and down to capture her nipple in his mouth. She moaned softly, biting her lower lip as her fingers tangled in his hair. He switched to the other, lavishing it with equal attention. His mouth trailed lower along her belly until he had to drop to his knees in order to reach the edge of her panties. He grasped her wrist and gently tugged, beckoning her to join him on the ground.

She kicked her dress out from around her feet and spread out the fabric on the ground before settling in front of him. His erection strained against the fabric of his pants in front of her face. She reached out, making eye contact with him to see if he was okay. She slid the clasp apart and unzipped him. She glanced down and then smirked back up at him. "Black underwear too? For a model you have rather boring tastes." His hands went to his hips, pushing down both his pants and undergarments, revealing himself. He leaned forward, guiding her back to the ground and hovered over her.

"Who are you to judge when you wore black too?" He smirked as one hand reached between their bodies and stroked along her slit through her panties. She had become rather wet over the last few minutes and moaned softly as his finger slid past her clit. Moving back to a kneeling position, he centered himself between her thighs and hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties. She lifted her hips as he pulled, then lifted one leg in turn as he removed them entirely, leaving her bare in front of him. He stroked one thumb between her folds, gliding upwards to find her clit. He settled his hand in her wiry curls and circled his thumb, watching her hold back moans as she arched her back.

He took his other hand and toyed at her entrance. She was wet enough that his finger slid in without any resistance. She could not hold back a moan then. Neither could he. He continued his ministrations for another minute before she grabbed his wrist and tugged him upward. He followed, extricating his hands, and settling his weight against her. She wrapped her hands in his hair and pulled him in for a kiss as he reached between them to guide himself into her. As his head found her entrance, he suddenly stopped and pulled away. For the first time he looked unsure. "Are you…? I mean are you okay with not using protection?"

"I'm clean" she whispered. "And I'm on birth control. Are you okay with moving forward?"

He released a breath he'd been holding. "Yeah, I'm clean too. And I am so relieved we don't need to stop" he said as he guided his length into her.

They moaned in unison, and she wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him deeper. He filled her nicely, stretching her without any pain. Perfect. He slowly thrust in and out, his breathing becoming heavier. Her face was flushed and her hair in disarray. He buried his face in her neck and moaned as they continued. "M'lady you feel so good."

"Fuck, please don't stop" she moaned out pressing the heels of her feet into his behind. She ran her hands over his back, pulling him closer with each thrust.

"Never. I would never put us through that" he moaned back, finding her lips. His thrusting faltered as he focused on kissing, so she angled her hips upward to compensate. He moaned deeper into her mouth as she thrust against him.

He suddenly pulled away and asked "Can we switch positions?" Flustered and desperate, all she could do was nod. He pulled out and laid down on his own jacket, beckoning her to lower herself onto him. She came gladly, and as she guided him to her entrance, he grabbed her hips to slowly pull her onto his entire length. His one hand drifted forward and found her clit once more as she lifted herself up and down, keeping her balance by holding onto his shoulders.

As she bounced up and down, she could feel pressure building up in her core. It slowly grew to a crescendo as he continued to give attention to her most sensitive spot, until suddenly her orgasm took hold and she spasmed around him. Her head rolled back, and she bit her lip to keep from alerting anyone back at the house of what had just happened. As her body went slack, he quickly switched them so that she was once more on her back. She wrapped her arms around him and welcomed him as he thrust frantically a few times before achieving his own release with a barely contained groan.

Green met blue as his weight relaxed into her.

"Well, that was certainly not how I planned to spend my night." A sly grin accompanied his remark.

"Amazing what one can accomplish before midnight" she replied with a breathless smile.

His smile dropped. "What do you mean midnight?" Confused she said "It was maybe 11:00 when I came out and found you. I'm sure it must be midnight or just after by now."

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit. My father must be looking for me. Shit. I only meant to escape for an hour at most, not the whole party," He was frantically grabbing for his clothing and dressing himself as he said this. Stopping to look down at his lady sitting upon his now ruined suit jacket he allowed himself a grin and stated, "but then I got distracted."

He guided her to her unsteady feet then grabbed her dress and helped her step into it before zipping it for her. "Can I trust you to find your way back from the garden? I need to return immediately and given my father's earlier announcement I can't exactly be seen coming back with a woman."

She smiled up at him, her chest aching slightly but not showing on her face. "As I said before, I have no intentions of playing your father's games. I'm just glad we could keep each other company tonight. It can be our little secret. After all, secrets are so much more perfect than the real world." He kissed her cheek delicately before grabbing his soiled coat, carefully folding it over his arm, and disappeared into the dark of the night.

As he returned to the party and reality, her Tether ached.