The Meeting

Chapter 3- Dresses, Daisies, and Decisions

"Miss Strand, you look beautiful this evening. How glad I am that you chose to follow my desires and wear those sexy shoes." He takes my hand and helps me into the backseat of the limousine. I have never been in one before, but it is exactly what I imagined. Long black, leather bench seats run down both sides and a small minibar sits at the front with a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver bucket. All of this seems a little excessive. I'm sure he does this for all the ladies. 

Hunt slides into the seat beside me, our thighs touching and his hand resting on top of my leg. His mouth comes to my ear and the smell of his cologne invades my senses. As his lips brush against my skin, a shudder runs through my body, making him laugh softly. His hand runs up my leg and touches the soft material of my dress. "This dress is amazing on you, however, I would really like to take it off you," he says softly, pushing my skirt farther up my leg.

"That's not going to happen here. I'm not that kind of woman Hunt," I snap, pushing my skirt back down and steering his hand away. I keep my eyes turned away from him, but feel his blazing at me.

"Not here? You're right. We will wait. The anticipation will drive us mad."

"No, it isn't going to happen at all is what I meant."

"I figured that out after your cool greeting this morning, but, I know that you enjoyed me taking control of you before. You liked it and that scared you. I've met women like you, Zoe; strong willed women, who feel like they don't need a man to support or control them, but that is exactly what you crave, and you will ask for it. Believe me," he says, giving me a crooked smile and moving away from me.

He knows nothing about me. I don't want that kind of relationship. Been there, done that, and it was awful. I should just tell him now and not drag this through dinner, but I feel so frazzled and don't know how to push the words out.

"Give me tonight. That's all I want," he whispers in my ear, obviously feeling my internal struggle. I sigh and nod. I will give him tonight and then I'm out of here, I think to myself. "Thank you," he murmurs, taking my hand again. What am I getting myself into?

After what felt like an hour of uncomfortable silence, I feel the limousine come to a halt and the driver opens the door for us moments later. Hunt helps me out of the back seat and I look up to see a large home in front of me. It's beautiful and made from stone and wood. The kind of house I would buy if I had more money than sense. It is surrounded my pine trees and there are small twinkling lights leading up a small stone path to the front door.

"Where are we?" I ask as he takes me up the pathway.

"This is my home Zoe," he says softly, entwining his fingers through mine.

"Oh, I thought we were going out for dinner?" I ask in surprise. 

"Don't worry yourself. I won't do anything unless you ask me to." He pulls me into the house and gives me his lazy smile and wink. "I have one of the best views around here and so I brought the restaurant to us!"

"A little much don't you think?" I ask, walking around the excessively large house. Something tells me that he is used to overdoing everything. There is chocolate hardwood flooring through the entire lower level. A large plush sectional sits in the center of the room, facing the large glass wall overlooking the city lights. I know that if it were day, you would also be able to see the mountains in the background as well, just to add to the splendor. He's right, it is quite a view.

I can sense him behind me and I feel his hands rest onto my waist, as I gaze out over the city. His lips brush my neck again, sending chills down my back once more.

"Perhaps," he says. He pulls my body back so I am pressed against his chest. His breathing is smooth and steady as his fingers trace across my collarbone, which does nothing to slow my racing heartbeat. "Come outside," he growls into my ear.

I follow him without thought out the sliding glass door to the deck. Why do I allow myself to respond to his every whim? As I step out onto the patio, the cool breeze blows a wayward strand of hair backwards off my face and a close my eyes momentarily, enjoying the feel of the air. I feel his powerful gaze on me and sure enough, when I open my eyes, I see him watching me from a short distance away.

"Zoe, do you have any idea how beautiful you are? I could stand here and watch you all day, however, please, sit," he demands gently, pulling a chair out for me. I concede and admire the beautiful scene before me.

Small candles light the set table with daisies and lilies in a low vase in the center of the table; my favorite flowers. There's no way he could have known that, I think as I touch the delicate petals of one of the lilies. I can smell the sweet scent of them and I almost don't notice the movement next to me of a man pouring me a glass of wine. I glance across the table to where Hunt has taken his seat and bring the cool glass to my lips. His hungry eyes, which look like molten pools of steel in this light, watch my every move and I can visibly see the restrain he is holding himself under. Thoughts briefly cross my mind of what he would do if he weren't restraining himself.

"Mr. Hunt, I have to ask you, why did you bring me here?" I ask him, placing a napkin over the skirt of my dress so not to drip any wine on it.

"I told you-"

"No, I mean, why did you pick me to bring here? Why do you want me to be yours? You could easily pick someone more submissive and more beautiful. I don't think this will work between us purely based on personality," I start to explain. That's right, work into it Zoe.

"I feel very attracted to you. I find you extremely beautiful and I know that there isn't another in your company that matches your beauty," he answers, leaning back in his chair and biting his lip slightly, watching me.

"So this is just about the contract? I'm your only option, so I'm the one you pick to be your sex slave or something?" I ask getting slightly angry, my fists balling on my lap. He bursts out laughing, only adding to my anger. He takes a sip of his wine before answering me.

"You're not my only option, but you are the option I would like to pursue," he says with a small smile. What an odd thing for him to say. "And, you wouldn't be a sex slave. Unless that's what you want? Tell me what you would like to get out of this."

That threw me off guard. What do I want? I don't even know if I want him yet so how can I answer that?

"Don't overthink it Zoe. Just follow what you feel. Tell me what you would want out of our relationship. Do you want money, advancement in your career, friendship, sex.....love? I need to know what your expectations are in this so I don't disappoint. We can be creative and find something to suit both of us."

What? Well that's not what I expected.

Another man interrupts and brings us our meal, served under large silver domes. Hunt looks impatiently at him and I see the poor man hurry to uncover them for us and scuttle away. Relieved for the break in his unrelenting gaze, I breathe deeply to compose myself. I cut into the steak that we were given and take a bite, hoping it will steady my stomach. It doesn't. My heart thrums in my chest and I feel lightheaded from all this intensity. I need to ease him in a little more. There's no point putting it off anymore.

"What if I asked for nothing? What if I told you that I didn't want to be part of this in any way?" I ask, my breath becoming shallower by the second. I feel like I can't breathe!

"Then I would have to persuade you more. I know you have feelings for me, even if you haven't admitted it to yourself yet. You don't have to give me an answer tonight if you don't want to, but why put off the inevitable?" He smiles at me and eats a large chunk of his own steak.

How sure he is of himself. Just assumes everything about me and expects me to bend at his will. But he did say that I could have what I wanted, friends even or money. Would I do this for the money? That isn't really my style. Could we just be friends? Something tells me he wouldn't want that. He would constantly try to take it to the next level, and how long is this going to last anyway? A year? More?

"You can walk away at any time. All I ask is that we try."

How does he do that?! I sigh and look across the city, feeling torn.

"So... What do you say?"