Chapter 105

Claire and her parents left the room and Candido directed them to meet with the staff to arrange dinner for them that night and Francium.

“We’ll talk more about you returning to school when this is all over, later.”

Claire’s lips twitched and she nodded. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Enjoy dinner,” I said, waving them goodbye.

“Hedy,” I turned to look at Candido. “Will you join me for dinner? There’s… a new restaurant I think you will enjoy.”

My heart fluttered and I pressed closer to him. “Like a date?”

His eyes softened and he nodded. “Like a date.”

I nodded, “I’ll go up and get ready. What should I wear?”

“There’s… a red dress in your closet. It’s new.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Enjoy the tub, get some rest, and indulge me? We have hours before dinner.”

The problem was that I didn’t want him to wait. “Can’t we have lunch?”

“We will, but it will be here.” He smiled. “Besides, I have work to catch up on, and you need more rest.”

“You need more rest too. We could just go to lunch and then rest later?”

He shook his head. “No. Dinner. Stop trying to get your way.”

He pinched my cheek lightly. “Dinner, little one, or you’re likely to fall asleep in your food.”

I pouted. “Does it have to be a bath?”

If anything, I wanted to take a shower and go on the date with Candido as soon as possible, even if I couldn’t get him to agree to lunch. He caught my hand and pulled me close, nipping my lip and growling at me.

“If you don’t smell like you’ve taken a bath, I’m going to strip you out of that dress and put you in the tub.”

I licked my lips, imagining it. Would he touch me the way he had in that shared dream? Would he do more than that? My heart fluttered.

“And leave the maids to clean you up.”

I pouted at him and shoved away. “Fine!”

He chuckled as I left. “Be patient, little one. You’ll have everything you want soon enough.”

“Not soon enough for me,” I grumbled and walked out of the room and took the familiar path to my old room.

Nothing had changed. He’d even stocked my bath supplies again, but there was another scent on the edge of the bathtub. I considered disobeying him, but I didn’t want to waste the time. I ran the bath water and poured in the new scent. I gasped and felt a little feverish. The scent was sexy. Musky and mature. It wasn’t a scent that Candido would have usually bought for me.

I also noticed that it was the only bubble bath in the bathroom. It was very sneaky of him to ensure that he’d know, but I was looking forward to the way he reacted to the scent on me.

As I slipped down into the tub, I moaned. The hot water eased aches that I hadn’t realized were there. I turned on the jets and let the water massage me.

I started to doze off. Nothing came to me clearly, but when I woke up, hours had passed and the water had turned cold. I got out and slipped on a robe. A staff member had dropped a tray of food off for me with a note from Candido stating that I was still expected to get some rest.

I pouted and ate, rubbing my eyes. I wanted to fight the sleep, but I couldn’t. I had finished everything on the tray when I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

I smelled Candido’s cologne and felt myself floating. I opened my eyes and curled into his arms. He walked towards the bed.

“I had expected you to put on a nightgown.”

“Sleepy,” I said.

“And you wanted to go to lunch.”

I pouted. “Don’t tease me.”

He lay me in bed and tucked me before crawling onto the bed beside me. I curled up to him, enjoying his presence and the little bit of peace we were having right now.

When I woke up, Candido was still there and looked like he’d gone to sleep too. He seemed to have been more exhausted than he realized too. He kissed me gently and got out of bed.

“I’ll see you soon for dinner.”

I bit my lip and nodded, watching him leave before falling back and squealing with joy. How many times had I dreamed of going on a date with Candido? About him taking me out and giving me all his attention? Of him kissing me at the end of the night and maybe coming into my room for more than just a kiss.

I licked my lips and started to plan. I was going to get him to give me more tonight somehow. I took another bath, being sure to scrub and wash until I was glowing. I put on every type of cream and moisturizer I had so my skin was extra soft.

Then, I found the dress and grinned. It was much sexier than I ever imagined him picking out for me. It was deep blood red and cut to hug my body tightly with a plunging neckline. The hem fell to my mid-thigh. It was also backless.

I slipped into it and the heels he’d left with it. I was brushing my hair when a knock sounded on my door.

“Hedy? Are you dressed?” Candido called.

“And if I’m not?” I asked. “Would you come in anyway?”

He said nothing for a moment. “Don’t tempt me, Hedy.”

I bit my lip at the way his voice rumbled. “I’m dressed.”

He opened the door and his eyes fell on me with so much heat that I thought we might not make it to dinner. He approached me with a jewelry box in hand.

“This is for you to wear tonight.”

He opened it and I gasped at the sight of the sparkling choker with a long chain of what looked like diamonds hanging from the clasp.

“It’s… beautiful.”

“May I?”

I nodded and turned, excited. His fingers drifted over my bare shoulder and pushed my hair over my shoulder. He wrapped the choker around my neck gently and fastened it, leaving the long chain of diamonds to hang against my spine.

“It’s lovely…” Candido said. “Like a leash.”

I gasped, a little offended, until I saw his face in the mirror. His eyes were on my back, filled with light and desire.

“Is… that something you want to do to me?”

His gaze jumped up briefly before he bent over and trailed his lips over my shoulder. He curled his hand in my hair. I shivered as his hot breath drifted over my neck.

“There is… very little I don’t want to do to you, Hedy.” He licked up my neck and nibbled on my ear. “Behave yourself.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then, I suppose I’ll have to punish you, princess.”

I pouted. “When do I get to be queen?”

He smirked and pressed his lips to my ear. “When I put you on my cock.”

My eyes widened. My face heated and my heart raced. He stood up straight and offered me his hand. “Shall we?”

I looked up at him wondering if these were things he would say to any woman he was interested in or if this was special just for me. I also wondered if I would be able to handle everything he wanted to do to me.

My mouth was dry thinking about it. I was nervous, but I was excited. I wanted it. Whatever it was.

I took his hand and smiled as I notice that the lining of his jacket matched my dress.

We were coordinating. I didn’t know if he did it on purpose because he wanted to or because he knew that I would like it, but I loved it.

He escorted me to the limousine instead of the SUV. The car cut through the city to a high-rise in the center of the city.

We entered and I realized that the entire restaurant was empty. Though there was plenty of space, there was only one table set up and a few waiters drifting around. He helped me into my seat then sat across from me.

“Candido,” I said looking at him. “I know… you keep saying that I’m not old enough, but… But I really do want more.” He met my gaze. “Don’t you believe that? Don’t you feel that?”

He licked his lips and he placed his hand on mine. “I will have you… every deliciously soft and sweet inch of you, Hedy.”

I bit my lip.

“Just…” he looked away for a moment. “Enjoy the simple pleasure of this. Hm?”

I wanted to pout and complain, but when he kissed me goodnight outside of my bedroom door that night, it was so hard to find anything wrong with how the night ended because he finally said it.

“I love you.”