Chapter 13
I fought a shiver as I watched Jace walk, fully dressed, across the expanse of his penthouse with the contract clutched tightly in his grasp. When he disappeared into his office and shut the door behind him, I slid off the counter and quickly dressed myself. My fingers shook, as I fastened the clip on the back of my bra before sliding the straps of my dress onto my shoulders.
I just signed a binding contract that was, so completely intense, it left me with little control over my body, sexually or otherwise. What had I been thinking? Oh, right...I hadn't. I had been sated by sex. But, it was not just any sex. It was sex with Jace Rush and I was pretty sure it didn't get any better or any hotter. But, none-the-less, I had signed a contract that enabled a man to control me...completely. How was I supposed to go on living my life? And, why on earth did it excite me...the fact that Jace Rush, of all people, held a control over me no man had ever held or would ever hold again?
"I didn't tell you to get dressed." Jace said gruffly. He closed the door of his office behind him and walked toward me with hot blue eyes.
"You want me to be naked?" I squeaked. I felt the sudden need to curl into myself and hide from him.
His brow quirked, "I always want you naked, Olivia."
"Oh," I breathed. My fingers trembled with the sudden desire to tear my clothing from my body, but I didn't know what I was supposed to do...or what he wanted me to do. So instead of undressing, I stood still in front of him, waiting for his command.
I couldn't believe this was the girl I had become. I was waiting for a man to tell me when, and if, he wanted me to strip for him. I never thought I would be this girl...but, I had to admit there was a part of me that was liberated by giving Jace control. Giving up the rights to my body had never been something I would look at as liberating, but it was.
"Ever defiant." Jace smiled at my confusion as he ran a knuckle over my cheek. "What do you want for dinner?"
Dinner? He was thinking about food? Seriously! "Um, I don't want food."
His eyes flashed. "What do you want?"
"You." I whispered. I tried and failed to fight the blush that crept up my neck.
"You are insatiable." The corner of his lip twitched in the beginning of a grin I knew would melt my heart. "But, you need to eat something. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
My heart rushed in my chest. "It will?"
He nodded and the promise in his eyes confirmed his words. "Yes, Olivia. It will."
I breathed heavily. I felt close to panting and I hoped he didn't notice. "In that case, I will have whatever you're having."
"I was going to make cob salad."
I felt my brows raise in surprise. "You can cook?"
"I'm not incompetent, Olivia." He frowned. "I know how to feed myself."
I blushed. "I didn't mean it like that, Jace."
He cocked his head, amusement alight in his blue eyes. "How exactly did you mean it?"
"I didn't think you would bother to learn how to cook. I just assumed you would have someone here to do it for you." I couldn't help but remember my parent's cook. My family did not have near as much money as Jace had, but we had a cook, and a maid, and a nanny. I highly doubted my mother even knew what a spatula was. She had been born into privilege and she had married into it. She never had to live without, and didn't know how to live apart from excess. I had just assumed, Jace being so obviously above wealthy, would have a personal cook.
He nodded as though my reasoning would make sense. "I employ a maid Monday through Friday. Mrs. Clark does not spend her evenings here, but she is usually here in the morning. She cooks me breakfast, but apart from breakfast, I tend to fend for myself. I like it that way."
"Will I meet Mrs. Clark?" I asked.
"If you stay the night tonight, I suppose you will meet her in the morning." Jace replied.
I didn't miss the 'if you stay the night tonight'. What did that even mean? Did he not want me to stay with him? And, if he didn't...when was I supposed to go? Did I just wait for his dismissal? I glared at the closed door of his office, wondering for a moment, if I made a break for the door, if I would get there before Jace, and if ,by some miracle, he didn't catch me, would I be able to locate the damning contract and burn it so there was nothing left but ash?
Jace caught my chin in his grasp, forcing me to meet his eyes. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing." I forced my eyes to remain on his as I lied.
"You're lying." He accused, regardless of my efforts. "Tell me."
I bristled. "I did not sign away the rights to my thoughts when I signed the rights to my body."