A REASON FOR MARRIAGE

She watched as Simon took another sip himself, watched the way the strong column of his throat worked. At that moment the music changed back to an infectiously upbeat rhythm.

Simon extended a hand across the table. “Come on, let’s dance.”

Sara shrank back with genuine fear. She could see couples dancing with effortless grace and style, making moves she could never even hope to mimic. She shook her head desperately, “I told you. I’m not very good at dancing, Simon,”

He left his hand where it was.

“Seriously,” she said pleadingly. “I’m really, really bad, I’ll just embarrass you.”

He stood up and took her hand from her lap, pulling her up.

She tried to resist. “I’ll watch you dance with someone else- honestly.”

He wasn’t listening. He pulled her remorselessly after him. Sara was having flashbacks to excruciating moments on other dance floors where she’d shuffled around, invariably much to her friend’s and brother’s hysterical amusement. Or memories of standing on various hapless men’s feet and apologizing profusely.

She tried to pull away again. “Simon , you don’t understand. I’ve two left feet. I’ve never been able to-”

Simon turned and pulled her into his arms, and Sara shut up instantly at the feel of his body so close to hers, one hand low on her back and the other held high. She could feel Simon’s hips move sinuously against hers, his legs making hers move in tandem with his.

His voice came low near her ear, making her tingle, “Just feel the beat-let it go through you.”

All Sara felt was boneless, with an indecent need running through her.

Simon moved them apart and put both hands on her hips. “See? Look at my feet. Copy what I’m doing.”

She could barely function. Simon’s broad chest and those lean hips were hypnotizing her. She didn’t know if what she was doing was anything like dancing, but she did feel the deeply sexy beat in her blood, and when Simon turned her around and pulled her back against him, his arm across her midriff, she didn’t even care that she couldn’t dance. She had to close her eyes and try not to let out a low moan of pleasure.

Then the music changed again to slow and sexy. Simon twirled her around with effortless ease and pulled her into him, so close that she could feel the imprint of his body all along hers. He tipped up her chin. Her head fell back.

“See? Anyone can dance”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Sara said huskily, her eyes seemingly riveted to Simon’s mouth, and as if to prove her point she stumbled and stood on his foot. She looked up to see him wince slightly and smiled sweetly. “See?”

“It’ll take a lot more than standing on my foot to diminish this.” His voice was low and dark with promise as he pulled her even closer, and Sara’s eyes widened on his when she felt the hard thrust of his arousal just above the apex of her legs. The silk of her dress was no barrier to the size and strength of it. Hot liquid seemed to pool southwards in answer to his body’s calling. Her hand clenched on his shoulder, as if to stop herself falling.

“See?” he asked mockingly, his smile dangerous with sensual intent.

Sara could barely hold it together. A bone-deep tremor was starting to build up through her whole body. She felt his hand go to her neck, massaging the delicate skin, undoing her hair so that it fell down her back. A shudder of pure desire ran through her, making her move instinctively against him, eliciting a deep growl from his throat. She turned her face into his neck, her hand resting on the hair at the back of his collar. He brought their joined hands close to his chest. Her lips were so close to his hot skin. The slightly musky smell was an overwhelming temptation to snake out her tongue and taste, just for a second. She could feel the kick of his pulse under her tongue and exhilaration fired her blood.

Simon stopped dead in the middle of the dance floor and pulled her even closer, urgency in his movements. “Let’s get out of here.”

“So soon?” she whispered hotly.

“Yes,”

Sara could do nothing but nod silently.

Everything happened quickly. His driver took them back to her apartment and left immediately. Simon took her by the hand and led her into the house and to her bedroom, and all Sara was aware of was the burning need inside her. When Simon emitted a guttural sound of satisfaction and pulled her in so tight against him she didn’t know if it was his heartbeat or hers she could feel thumping so loudly and heavily.

She was falling in love with this man, and she didn’t want to. She wanted to stop, and she had no idea how.

________

Days later, Sara was working on the last room in Simon’s house when he came back from his office in the afternoon and took her by the hand.

“Simon, I know it’s your house but I’m still working. You can’t just walk up and drag me away,” she said with a mixture of reproach and breathless anticipation.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

He ignored her and took her down the corridors before ducking into a room. He closed the door behind them.

Still holding her hand, he pulled her to him. She was helpless not to respond, her body welcoming his heady proximity. How quickly she’d become consumed by him. Alarm bells weren’t just ringing, they were now joined by sirens and flashing lights. With quick hands, he undid her ponytail and pocketed the band.

“Hey!” she protested

Then he put two hands in her hair and messed it up. He looked at her critically. “Much better. And now…”

“Now what?”

“Now this.” He hauled her into him and kissed her deeply, with barely checked passion. She wound her arms around his waist and found her hands lifting his shirt from his trousers, searching for and finding that smooth, taut flesh where the small of his back curved out to firm buttocks. Warmth flooded her.

He was opening the buttons of her shirt; she’d put on her tie that morning but he’d taken it off her when she arrived that morning, so she’d not bothered to put it back on. She could feel the air on her heated skin as he opened her shirt and palmed her breast, her nipple aching against the confines of her bra. She pressed a feverish mouth against his throat.