But she knew she wouldn’t.
When her plate was empty, Katie took it to the kitchen and dumped it in the sink. Taking her time, she checked to make sure the lock was on the front door, turned off all the lights and went into the bedroom.
The light from the bedside table was soft and muted as Katie undressed for bed. She made a quick trip to the bathroom to attend to her nightly rituals of washing her face and brushing her teeth. The sheets were soft and inviting as she crawled under them, taking a moment first to adjust the comforter on top.
Katie settled her head against her pillow and stared at the ceiling. Squirming around, she tried to find a comfortable position. She lay there for a moment before flinging back the covers and thumping down the hallway and into the darkness of the living room.
It took her two trips, but the three containers of flowers now graced her room. One jar of roses sat on the bedside table while the other one graced the windowsill. The orchid bowl was centered in the middle of her dresser, reflected in the mirror behind it.
Katie snuggled back into bed again and took a deep breath. The scent of roses filled the air, and she sighed in contentment. She inhaled deeply again. Then once more. The worries and thoughts of the day started to melt away and she felt herself relaxing for the first time all day.
She drifted in that state of wakefulness and half-sleep until the shrill ring of the telephone shattered her tranquility. Her body immediately reacted. Her heart pounded and her hand shook as she reached out to answer the call. It was one minute after twelve.
“Hello.”
“Did I wake you?” Cain’s voice was deep and husky on the other end of the line.
“No. I’m in bed, but I wasn’t asleep.” Katie tucked the cordless phone under her ear. She could hear nothing but the sound of Cain breathing on the other end. “Are you there?”
“Yeah,” came his reply. “I’m picturing you in bed. Are you naked?”
“No. No I’m not,” Katie stuttered in reply. “I have on a nightgown.” Katie could feel a heated blush climb up her face. “What are you doing?” She desperately wanted to change the subject.
“I’m sitting in the dark in my study.” Cain gave a short, harsh laugh. “I’ve been sitting here for an hour, waiting to call you.”
“Thank you for the flowers.” Katie felt shy all of a sudden, as if Cain could somehow see her. She burrowed under the covers, pulling them tight to her chin and grasping their soft edge with one hand.
“You’re very welcome, honey.” Cain’s voice flowed over her like a warm blanket and made her feel very special.
Silence filled the other end, and Katie fidgeted with the covers while she waited for him to continue. She didn’t know what to say to him, but she was strangely content to just listen to the sound of his breath and his voice. Her contentment was shattered with his next request.
“Take off your nightgown, Katie,” his husky voice pleaded.
“Why?” Katie wasn’t sure she liked his tendency to want to dominate their sexual relationship.
“I want to imagine you naked in your bed. Waiting for me.” His bold words shocked her even as she felt her body responding to them. She clamped her legs together and squirmed a little to try and ease the ache.
“Why do you always want to be in control?” Maybe this wasn’t the best time for such a question, but she genuinely wanted to know his answer. At first, she thought he might ignore her question. Fidgeting with the bedcovers, she waited impatiently.
“It’s as natural to me as breathing. You liked it last night didn’t you, Katie?” His tone was soft and coaxing. “I certainly did.”
“I did enjoy it.” She could feel the heat of a blush cover her face. “I’m not completely at ease with that fact, and I don’t know that I want it to be that way all the time.” Unable to find a comfortable position, she turned on her side, and plumped the pillow under her head.
“I see.” He paused for effect. “Do you want me to go?”
“No.” Her heart was pounding now and she could feel a bead of sweat drift down her back. Part of her was afraid that he’d just hang up, and part of her wished he would. “I just don’t want to be ordered around all the time.”
“Will you do what I ask tonight?” His sorcerer’s voice was urging her to agree.
When she made no reply, he tried again. “There’s no harm, Katie,” he coaxed her. “You can do it.”
Squeezing her eyes tight, she counted to five and made her decision. There was no way she could resist the soft plea she heard in his voice. “All right.” She hardly recognized her own voice as she heard herself agreeing.
“Wait,” Cain called. “Can you put me on speakerphone?”
Katie looked at her machine. She’d never done it before, but she knew her phone had the capability. “Wait a second.” Katie pushed a button and stuck the receiver on the phone base. “Okay.”
“Can you hear me all right?” Cain asked. His deep voice seemed to fill the room.
“Yes.”
“Then strip for me, Katie.” His request was stark.
The rustling of bedcovers could be heard in the silence. Anticipation filled her as Katie pulled her nightgown over her head and let it fall by the side of the bed. She took a deep breath and tugged the covers back over her. Her breasts nudged the underside of the cool sheet, and it was arousing to feel her torso and her behind sink into the sheet that covered the mattress. “I’m naked.”
“Push the covers down, Katie.” The rustling covers had given her away. “Lie back on the bed like you were waiting to entice me.” Cain’s voice was ragged as he spoke.
Could she do it?
His quiet “Please” filled the air. Katie bit her lip, uncertain. Making up her mind, she kicked the covers off the bed so they wouldn’t tempt her. “I’m naked on the bed for you.” She couldn’t believe that sexy voice was hers.
“What do you look like?”
Katie looked at her body, and saw only her familiar, lanky form. She looked away as she spoke. “I look like me.” Cain’s husky laugh filled the other end.
“Tell me everything,” he ordered. “Start at your toes and work your way up.”
Katie swallowed and stared at her toes. “My feet are big.”
Cain’s laughter echoed through the bedroom. “They’re not as big as mine are, honey. I wear a size fifteen.”
Katie continued, feeling a little more confident now. “My legs are really long, but they’re strong from all the walking I do.”
“Someday soon, I want to feel those long, luscious legs wrapped around my waist. You’ll hook your ankles tight around my back as I bury my cock deep inside you.” Cain’s voice sounded strained as he spoke. “You’ll like it. I promise.”
Katie bit her lip to hold back a moan as his words created a very vivid picture in her mind. She could imagine them, legs entwined, with Cain thrusting deep and hard inside her. Her skin heated, and she could feel the dampness between her legs as her body prepared itself to accept him. That was the problem with being an artist, she could visualize the entire act. Perfectly. Well, maybe it wasn’t such a problem after all.
His voice called out to her. “Katie, tell me more.”
Katie moved her legs restlessly on the bed, as the throbbing ache between her legs grew stronger. “My hips aren’t too wide, but my waist dips in a little.” Her hands traced the curve of her hip and grazed the side of her waist. She’d never touched herself in a sexual way before. The thrill of doing something slightly illicit was potent.
Cain responded as if he could read her mind. “Is your skin warm? Are your nipples hard?” His voice got lower and softer. “Are you wet for me?”