When he did just that and held out his hand to her, she took it without hesitation and climbed from the SUV.
“Mr. Knight is waiting,” he said, and pointed behind them.
The man who’d come into her alcove earlier was leaning against a small dark sports car. His sunglasses prevented her from seeing his eyes this time, and she was grateful for that. When he’d held her eyes captive less than two hours earlier, the sensations surging through her had left her stunned.
She recalled how he had caressed her face, and how she hadn’t been able to breathe. It would be difficult to maintain composure around this man, but she’d do it. She had no other choice. It was either that or lose her brother to a system that far too often didn’t treat children well.
Having mustered all the confidence she could, Jewell began to saunter toward Blake Knight. Her body language made it seem that she had homed in on him completely and that nothing else in the world mattered, though she was very aware of the door closing behind her, then the SUV driving off, and the noise of the engine gradually fading away. She was now all alone with the man who’d control her life for the next week.
Yes, fear lurked just underneath her skin, but she was surprised to feel some stirrings of excitement — something she wasn’t at all willing to analyze. She didn’t want to be with this man, didn’t want his hands on her, didn’t want to pretend they were a couple.
But she didn’t find him repulsive.
That scared her more than anything else about this adventure. She’d been told over and over again not to grow attached to any of her clients. She was to treat them like royalty, give them absolutely everything, but she was never to even begin to fantasize in the smallest way that any one of them was anything more than client and master.
The men who engaged her services wanted a lot from her, but she wasn’t expected to want or need a single thing in return — other than their money. That was the life she was choosing, and it was the life she’d accepted.
“Good afternoon, Jewell.”
“Hello, Mr. Knight,” she replied softly — this time she wouldn’t have the excuse of shock for not answering him right away.
“Are you happy to be here?”
What a strange question, she thought. Of course she wasn’t happy to be there.
“Yes. I find it quite a compliment that you chose me,” she said instead.
His lips turned up in a sardonic smile as she did her best to look into his eyes, or really the lenses of his shades. It bothered her that he could see every little nuance of her expression, while he was able to keep himself hidden.
“No. You aren’t thrilled to be here, but by the end of this week, you’ll be begging me not to let you go. I assure you that our time will be well spent, though it will end.”
She wanted to snap back, wanted to fire away and make a dent in his armor, but she wasn’t allowed to do so. She was supposed to stroke his ego. That was her job.
“I assure you that there’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now, and though I’m sure it will be a disappointment for me when our time ends, I will respect your wishes.”
“Did you memorize that speech from a learners’ manual?” He tilted his head as if trying to read her, trying to solve a puzzle and not quite sure how.
“Of course not, Mr. Knight. I find you very handsome.”
“Then prove to me that you’re happy I chose you,” he ordered her, his voice suddenly severe.
She had no doubt that he was testing her, and if he didn’t like what she did next, he might send her back. She almost wanted that to happen. Then, when she didn’t manage to sell her body to save her brother, it wouldn’t be because she hadn’t tried; it would be because she’d been rejected.
As soon as she had that thought, she felt guilt eat away at her. Justin needed her, and she’d be there for him even if she hated herself. Her brother would never need to know what she’d had to do, and she’d have to learn to forgive herself for her sins.
“How would you like me to prove myself to you?” She hoped she was making her voice sufficiently sexy.
“Be creative,” he said, still leaning against the sleek car.
Hesitating only another second, Jewell stepped forward and allowed her breasts to brush lightly against the smooth material of his jacket. That small contact made her nipples instantly hard, and her breath hitched. Maybe she wouldn’t have to do much acting with this man, because he created sensations in her untouched body that were unlike anything she’d felt before.
When he didn’t show the slightest sign that he approved of her attempt to be seductive, she leaned in even closer and ran her slender fingers up the sleeves of his jacket and then embraced his neck. She leaned forward and kissed his jaw, then trailed her lips across his firm chin and down the side of his neck.
Was she having any effect at all on this cold man? She touched the sides of his neck with her forefingers to test his pulse. It was beating rapidly. Yes, he wasn’t as cool and collected as he was making himself appear.
That gave her strength to continue, though she was far from a seductress, and she had no clue what to do next. She’d just have to listen to what her body told her to do.
She never got that chance.
Blake’s hands snaked around her and he pulled her tightly to him, then reached into her neatly coiffed hair, quickly loosening her locks so they fell over her shoulders. Grasping a handful of her hair, he forced her head back, leaving her far too exposed, and her neck a succulent dish for him to feast upon, as if he were a vampire.
This was too fast, too much, too soon. She wanted to pull away, but knew she couldn’t. This was going to happen no matter what, so wasn’t it better that he just take whatever it was that he wanted? They were in public, though. How far would he go with this? How far would she let him?
Without a word, he leaned forward and then his lips were crushing hers, punishing her for something she wasn’t aware she’d done. He didn’t ask for her permission to invade her mouth; he just thrust his tongue forward, diving between her gasping lips, while one hand moved down her back and then grabbed her derrière.
As quickly as he’d begun the kiss, he pulled back, and once her eyes fluttered open, she gazed at her own reflection in his sunglasses.
“You make me want to do things I shouldn’t,” he growled before turning her and leaning her backward over his expensive car.
He pushed his hand up her blouse and scorched her skin as he quickly moved over the mound of her breast and squeezed. The feel of his palm against her barely covered nipple had her coming undone.