Snatches of Time i

[control]

He lured me in with sweet words of forbidden delights, and old thoughts I’d entertained, but that was after I acquired his services.

I’d hired him when my chef vouched for his work ethic, and kept him on when he lived up to his word. My soirées had found the attention of nobles for the first time in my whole career. His attractiveness didn’t hurt, either.

For the longest time it was only insinuations, then just after completing his year on my books, he dared brush his fingers against the back of my neck.

I let him.

Encouraged him, even, until his hands were more than just occasional whispers of touch sprinkled throughout my days. He made the excuse of massaging the stiffness of my shoulders and neck, and we got a weekly thing going with a few others who thought it would be a grand idea to learn how to relax. We cracked some spines, in a good way.

That didn’t stop us from finding other places to meet.

Within the week of his meaningful strokes, I’d allowed him to put those fingers where I ached most.

His mouth soon followed.

I wasn’t supposed to, I know.

Of late, I’d been desiring something more than his teasing caresses, the threat or promise (I couldn’t decide) that his fingers would make, as he consumed my nectar. It was getting harder to turn him away, to keep that final boundary every time we found ourselves alone again.

The couple of times I’d had sex in the past, I was left burning for more, afraid of telling my tired lovers I was not finished with my pleasure. It should have been enough.

I fought my flush with a fan, and a select few open windows. We’d hit a high number this morning, I counted.

All my time after that had been consumed with the last of the details, and shouting directions everywhere, and maybe I may have been a bit harsh, but I was very particular about all my arrangements. The food, the decor, the music! It was one of the main reasons I was summoned to create grand elegant statements without uttering a word.

He’d taken care to press his suit before everyone arrived, but he seemed to fill it out too well for the creases to really show, just like he pressed his lips to my ear so he could fill my thoughts with the things he’d been thinking about doing to me. I leaned back against the desk, his hands smoothing up my back as he closed the space between us.

He slowly brushed his lips across my still nude ones before taking my breath away with the way our mouths moved against each other. That luscious kiss, silky with my own scent, made my sex clench.

My fingertips held his jaw, afraid to dig into his hair and ruin the style. His lips moved lower than my mouth, trailing over the strong pulse in my neck, tongue swirling along my collarbone, to press a kiss over my cushioned heart.

His tongue delved into the line between my tits, just once, as we heard carriages outside the study window, and footsteps rushing towards us. I sighed softly, goosebumps tightening my nipples almost painfully behind the fabric. He winked and walked off before we could get caught.

I was taken to stand at the main entrance, heart hammering as fast as my feet. Tonight was a semi-formal welcome party for the Duke’s sister, and it would seem rude of me as a hostess to not appear at the gate to greet every guest. Somehow he was already in position at the gate, making subtle lewd gestures every time he had a chance. He had been my assistant for many events now, at the five year mark, quite efficiently helping me run the things and asking about items requiring attention.

I had to make an excuse to go indoors after a while, worried I was beet red and someone would ask if I was alright. There were so many more eyes and ears nosing around my house tonight, that his indecent suggestions turned me on much more than any touch.

I know I was not supposed to, it was the most tentative position in my household. But I was feeling rather bored of the parties, the arranging, the politeness. The loneliness. Routine. I wanted something more than a successful career.

Conversations and faces swirled around me as the day progressed into the lakeside lunch, then the music changed and people started dancing as it got later. I got myself to the side, in easy view of anyone who may need something from their party hostess.

Soon, there was a small crowd around me asking about all kinds of curious things that curious people ask when inside a stranger’s home. I tried my best to keep an educational tone throughout my answers, but could feel my discomfort rising.

I needed a drink.

Like magic, there he was.

“Come play with me tonight...”

His breath feathered hotly into my ear. Cheeky.

I pressed my lips together, pretending to think in front of the loose circle of guests. Beneath my skirt, my legs pressed together.

“Yes, I’ll take it now,” I replied smoothly, and felt him pull away, a chill void left where his body heat just caressed me. When I turned to look, he was already walking away towards the bar.

I smiled and waved at the fancy lady of the hour to mask my searching eyes, as she sat just past his plump tailored ass, and she waved back, making her way towards me.

We chatted about parties and I found out she arranged them as well. She wanted to point out the things she found appealing about my welcoming soireé.

A drink appeared at my side as the conversation evolved to names of teas and the places they were best from.

I brushed his fingers with mine mid-sentence, without turning my head, as I scooped my drink towards my willing lips. I smiled and nodded at her before touching the tipping glass to my mouth.

His hot breath slid into my ear again, making me pause with the familiar perfume of my drink generously stinging my nostrils. The liquid touched my lips, passing into my mouth and burning down my throat as his words found a home in my ear.

“I’m going to keep you awake all night...”

I sipped it gone as he pretended to inform me of something, and gave it back without looking at him, holding onto my control by a hair. I hoped my ears weren’t red.

My drink of choice burned all the way to my stomach.

“I’ll deal with that one later. That’ll be all.”

I started another conversation, wishing time would pass faster. Playing host was a hard wait.

But this time he stayed properly at the doorways and attended to the guests like I was paying him to do, finally holding one of the gates as I waved farewell to the last of the partygoers.

It was amazing how many people attempted to forget little things in my home.

I had also figured out who’d broken one of my wall sconces with their wild lovemaking, and I’m sure my employees had an interesting tale or two. Hopefully some of the last guests to leave would ask the new girl for her arrangement services. She was quite knowledgeable and I was curious to see her choices, in person.

He was careful to keep his head down as he walked the gates closed, and I quietly stepped in front of my shoes, masking my excitement with farewells. I had removed my underwear on the last trip to the restroom, while he had been busy escorting a drunk guest to the first carriage of the end. Now I was only one garment away from my own goal.

He fiddled with everything, and took a while to sort through the key ring, and locked the gate slowly.

But as soon as the carriage turned the corner, his glowing eyes found my hungry ones. Against the blue evening around us, they seemed to glow hotter.

I grinned, unable to hold it in anymore, hands undoing the snap of my heavy skirt. It fell right before his surprised eyes.

Both sounds were loud in the silence between us.

I was only in my fitted top, and toeless stockings.

His shoulders started turning as I teased him with a look, and I ran off before he could fully come at me.

I whipped through the house, hearing him follow closely only sped up my steps until the walls were a blur around me. His nails brushed my arms a few times, fingertips slipping through the silk ends of my flying hair as he almost caught me. Then I’d turn into or out of a place.

Everyone scrambled out of our way, as if afraid. I’d ask about it later. I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.

“Gotta try harder than that,” my laughter echoed around the house. He’d only been here a little over half a decade, he didn’t know every passageway.

I tore through the garden, hearing his growl from the kitchen as he realized I had turned towards the outdoors. I scurried up a tree, hip stinging from a brush with the roses. No blood, thankfully. I shuddered to think that it would have given me away.

I stayed up there for a while, watching him try to sniff me out and coming back twice. Biting my lips to keep from laughing.

He looked up, and I dropped down to slide down his body, but he stayed where he stood, his hands coming up to grab me by the thighs.

I bounced on his face, gasping, as his hands forced my thighs apart for his tongue. I moaned at the sudden contact, not expecting it so soon. My toes hooked onto his arms for balance, hands resting numbly on his head as I held still so I wouldn’t fall back.

Then I moaned some more as he held me up just enough to make me wish he could put me down on something else. His tongue worked with gravity so deliciously as he stroked my already slicked clit in lazy, practiced circles, slicking down and into me so easily, curling to scoop out my nectar before I could bounce on it.

He teased me so well, I was a shaking, panting mess by the time he licked a long last line up my whole slit, not letting me cum.

“Is this what you were after?” He growled against my pearl, breathing hard into my open wetness.

I looked down my body at his eyes. Not at all the eyes of a subordinate.

For once, it was everything I wanted.

He gave me a smirk to match the knowledge in his gaze. “Save your breath, I see that’s a yes.”

My mouth closed.

His face showed me what he thought of my compliance, and he lowered me, my fingers disappearing into his wind-tossed hair, finally freeing it like he’d always do first. His eyes narrowed with a tiny measure of pleasure.

As soon as I was on the ground, his hands grabbed my wrists and shoved my palms roughly over his trapped bulge. A small moan escaped me into his mouth and he pulled away from almost kissing me. I could almost taste myself on him and it certainly wouldn’t have been the first time.

I was turned around, his hands only leaving mine after he made it clear I was to brace myself against the tree.

He bent my back as he wanted, taking his time to dig his fingertips deliciously even as they asked no questions. I wasn’t asking any, either.

“Don’t move.”