Splendor(145)

“Did you enjoy yourself tonight, darling?” he asked.

Tessa nodded, her blue eyes glowing. “It was wonderful. Julia and Nathan are good company.” She ran a finger over his mouth before whispering, “But the night is really just beginning, you know. I hope you aren’t sleepy.”

Ian chuckled, giving her waist a squeeze where his arm held her against his side. “Not in the least, my love. And it sounds as though you have special plans for the rest of the evening, hmm?”

Tessa gave him an impish grin and nodded. “I’m going to seduce you,” she announced a bit tipsily. “I hope that meets with your approval.”

He glanced up at the cab driver, who was thankfully immersed in a cell phone conversation, yakking loudly in what sounded like Tagalog. Relieved that they hadn’t been overheard, he looked back at Tessa.

“Considering that all you really need to do to seduce me is be in the same room, I can say with complete honesty that I wholeheartedly approve of your plans, love.” He captured her wrist as her hand began to slide up his thigh. “And you can seduce me all the way until dawn, so long as you wait until we’re at home to begin.”

Tessa pretended to pout, but seemed content to sit beside him rather primly and merely hold hands for the remainder of the ride.

Once inside the house, she took him by the hand and led him up the long, winding staircase. His gaze was fixated the entire time on the tantalizing curve of her ass in the form fitting dress before traveling down the long, shapely length of her legs. Her sheer black stockings had a seam up the back, and were quite possibly the most seductive thing he’d ever seen. Unless, of course, one considered the sexy black and silver stilettos on her feet, with their seductive ankle strap. He really, really hoped she planned to keep both the stockings and the shoes on while she had her wicked way with him.

At the doorway to the master bedroom, she released his hand but shook her head as he would have followed her inside. “Wait. Just give me a minute or two.”

Ian hovered in the doorway with barely controlled patience. He was primed and ready for whatever “festivities” she had planned for tonight, his body already hard and throbbing just from being near his gorgeous girl. And that wasn’t even taking into consideration the many times this evening they had touched and kissed and cuddled. It seemed, in fact, that the entire evening had been one long, slow seduction.

Tessa appeared back in the doorway, a sultry, mysterious smile on her face. She grabbed hold of his tie – a brand new, dark red Hermes that she’d given him as a birthday gift – and pulled him inside the room.

She’d lit a dozen or more candles, and they filled the room with their golden glow and subtle jasmine scent. The duvet had been turned down, and some soft jazz music was playing from the new iPod he’d given her recently where it rested in its docking station.

“What, no rose petals strewn over the sheets?” he asked in a teasing voice.

Tessa laughed softly. “I knew there was something I forgot. Maybe next time. Now, you have too many clothes on for what I plan to do to you. Let’s start with this.”

He smiled indulgently as she slid the suit jacket off his arms and draped it carefully over a chair back. “Can’t have anything happen to my favorite suit,” she chided. “In fact, maybe you should buy two or three more just like it – you know, as back-up.”

Ian grinned, loving this playful side of her. “I’ll make a note of it, love.”

Tessa deftly undid his tie, before starting on the buttons of his shirt. He gasped as she nuzzled her face against his bare chest, her hands splaying over his abs.

“What a beautiful man you are,” she murmured huskily. “And you always smell delicious. I’ll never, ever get enough of your scent.”

He groaned, his hands sliding into her hair as he attempted to kiss her, but she playfully swatted him away as she took a step back. “Tsk, tsk, Mr. Gregson. No touching until I say so. Otherwise, I might have to punish you.”

He laughed in delight and acquiesced, letting his hands fall to the side. “Very well, my little Dominatrix. After all, the last time anyone spanked me was when I was a boy of five , when I made the very unwise mistake of sassing my nanny. Though I expect I’d enjoy your brand of punishment far more than I did Nanny Warner’s.”

Tessa laid a finger over his mouth. “Shh. No more talking. And definitely no sassing.”

Ian’s barely controlled mirth swiftly faded away as Tessa’s hands unbuckled his belt and unzipped his suit pants. Her fingers fluttered teasingly against his hugely swollen cock before she shoved his pants down his legs. She helped him remove pants, shoes and socks, kneeling before him as he was now clothed only in his snug fitting black briefs.