All Bottled Up by Christine D'Abo Page A

time, but suddenly the bright floral comforter was replaced with crimson satin sheets, littered with rose petals. Music filled the air, a light harmony of instruments that sounded like they came from the earth itself.
    It made Viola sway gently to the sound.
    “Better.”
    “Amazing.”
    Jerod pursed his lips and examined his handiwork. “It’s still missing something.
    What would Bill do?”
    Viola laughed. She doubted Bill would think of any of this. Everything about the room glowed a warm, inviting welcome. It was like a dream. Like Jerod.
    “Now I know.” Jerod smiled and snapped his fingers again.
    A bottle of wine and two glasses appeared on the side table.
    “You do that,” she snapped her fingers, “for effect. Don’t you?”
    “I find it makes my masters more comfortable if they know when something is coming. Otherwise they tend to do this.”
    Viola shouted in surprise when she felt her body moving across the floor toward him.
    It took a second, but her body finally relaxed as she drew closer to him, but not quite touching. “Cute.”
    “I did warn you.”
    She was within an arm’s reach of him. A gentle breeze blew in from the ocean sending a ripple of shadows as the candles flickered.
    “So this is my next lesson?”
    “Kissing is very important to Bill. I want to make sure you are ready for when it happens,” Jerod said, his voice growing deeper, his eyes locked on hers.
    Viola felt a shiver of desire shoot down her spine. Her body felt like an electric current had charged it and she needed to release it back into the ground. She needed to feel what it was like, just once, to have an attractive man want to kiss her. The special way she’d heard the other women talk about in the lunchroom.
    “I wouldn’t want to disappoint Bill. I better practice.” 66
     
     
     
     
    Without moving, Jerod was suddenly by her side. He wasn’t touching her, not yet.
    She could tell he was trying to keep things playful. But that side of things was quickly losing its appeal. She really, really wanted to get this lesson going.
    “So now what?”
    She had to fight the urge to touch him. She curled her fingers into the palms of her hands to help. Her patience was rewarded when he repeated his earlier action of caressing her arm. When his hand traveled up and across her shoulder, Viola moaned.
    “You’re very sensitive there, aren’t you?”
    He continued his exploration, his fingers caressing her neck, until she felt his fingers massage little circles into her hair. Her eyes closed and her body began to relax.
    “The secret to being a good kisser is to let the excitement of the moment wrap you up.”
    “I think I can do that.”
    She was so wrapped up her body was about to explode from the pressure. She saw his desire etched on every inch of his body. He wanted her—and she wasn’t about to say no.
    Jerod’s eyes were dark pools of black, the crystal blue of his irises all but gone.
    “A good kisser uses her whole body. Ever last fiber of her being should be focused on the contact of lips on lips. Do you think you can do that, Viola?” She couldn’t take anymore.
    “Kiss me.” The words were out of her before she stopped to think about them.
    “Is that a wish?”
    “No. A request.”
    She heard him growl. A very primitive-sounding growl. One that turned her on more than anything else.
    “Yes, Mistress.”
    He stepped close, his body pressed hard against hers. His exotic scent was everywhere, washing over her so much she could almost taste it. It wasn’t until he increased the pressure on her neck, pulling her closer, that her body melted.

    67

    When his lips found hers, the contact was light, tentative. Not at all like this afternoon. His lips were a soft heaven, nipping and tasting as he went. But she wanted more. The contact was too gentle, too proper. Viola was bold, wicked. He’d shown her she could be more than who she thought she was. She snaked a hand up across his chest and around the