The sound of her feet grew closer to the kitchen. Leaning against the granite, I waited for Copper to come into view. Rounding the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes fell over my naked torso, enlarging as they reached my basketball shorts.
My cock firmed beneath the fabric the minute she stepped into my sight. I stood silent, taking in and absorbing how she looked so early in the morning.
Copper was dressed in a tight pair of jeans, snug around her hips, a loose-fitting flannel shirt covering her tits. The beam of sun from the skylight drew down across her face, hitting her cheeks just right. Their roundness blooming in an array of different shades of crimson. She looked beautiful.
“Good morning,” I said, as she made her way into the kitchen. Standing next to her, she seemed much shorter than I remembered. I was towering over her, looking down on her head. “Did you shrink?” I asked her, hovering my hand above her scalp.
Clearing her throat, she said, “That's the magic of heels, any coffee left?” Tugging her fingers through the tightened curls, she tried to smooth the wisps flying around the edges.
Holding my mug out to the side, I said, “Help yourself.” I watched her hips sway as she walked over to get a cup, her delicate feet padding the floor without sound. “Did you sleep good?” Leaning, I eyed her ass. The tight round mounds dipped in at the seam, creating a perfect outline of her cheeks.
“No.” The words shot off her tongue. “And it looks like there was a blizzard last night. So, today sucks too.” Her eyes tossed me a nasty glance as she filled a mug. Watching her lips softly wrap the edge, all I wanted was to feel them around my cock.
“Oh, come on now. It's not that bad.” Twisting to face her, I ran my fingers over the smooth counter. “I'm here, so your day looks good already.”
“Really?” Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. “When does my flight leave to head home? I'm ready to go. This job was bullshit.”
A deep chuckle rolled through my lips. “I'm paying you better money than you've ever seen. If you leave now, you get nothing.”
“Excuse me? I at least get paid for yesterday, that's in the contract. I was here for day one.” Her hand fell to her waist, shoulders pulling back. Her chest began to lift faster, breathing in deep gulps of air.
“No, sorry, Sweetheart. Our contract is a little different than the usual one. Did you even read it?” Narrowing my eyes, I lifted one brow.
I watched the realization sink in. Her eyebrows shifted up, light crinkles pulled across her forehead. Her lips turned razor thin as the wheels began to turn.
She hadn't read the one I sent to Gloria. And I had been really hopeful she wouldn't. Gloria hadn't told her anything about this agreement, so why would she think this deal would be any different than her usual gigs?
“What do you mean? Why is it different?” she asked. Slowly, she lowered the mug down, hands opening wide against the counter.
“I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you.” Copper's eyes held firm as I spoke. “You belong to me now. Gloria set a fairly steep price for you. But money wasn't really the issue for me, I need you for something bigger.”
Her lip curled up instantly, knuckles whitening as her palms pressed against the hard surface. “What do you mean? You can't buy me, I'm not a piece of property.”
“Sorry, Sweetheart. You're my property now.”
She looked enraged. Her entire body began to shake, lifting her arm she tried to swing it at my face. Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her in close, wrapping my arms around the live wire.
“You don't own me! I'm not an object!” Her body twisted and thrashed against mine as she yelled and tried to break free.
“Calm down! Copper, calm down!”
“Don't call me that! That's not who I am! I'm a real person, one that isn't for sale, Asshole!” Her nails dug into my flesh, clawing at my forearm.
Squeezing tighter, I felt her entire frame shaking. “Look, when this is over and I'm done with you, you can go. But for now, you're mine.”
“I won't give you what you want. Fucking Gloria, that bitch. How could she do this to me?” The tension in her body released. I felt her shoulders slump forward as a heavy breath of air escaped her lungs.
I had the overwhelming urge to kiss her. The way she resisted me, her strong willed nature to stand by her morals. All of that sent a surge of desire through my nerves.
“Money talks, Copper—”
Cutting me off, she hissed, “Don't call me that.”
“Then what should I call you?” I twisted her shoulders to face me. Searching the empty holes of her eyes, the blackened gaze filled with confusion.