Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(21)

‘What do you want me to do?’ she asked.

‘I want you to be my slave.’ He reached down as she knelt on the edge of the bed and touched her between her thighs: still wet, still swollen and still so sensitive. ‘I want you to love me so completely. I want to be everything to you.’ He held her and kissed her gently as he slowly made love to her.

He was just drifting off to sleep, feeling like he was floating in a warm, sex-scented bath, when Megan rolled onto her side and he felt her eyes studying him. He opened his eyes reluctantly and looked at her. Her eyes were narrowed, focused on his face. He smiled and closed his eyes again, hoping that she would get the hint as he reached out a warm heavy hand and laid it on her thigh.

‘So tell me – if I fall for you, what am I letting myself in for?’ she asked.

‘As in?’ he said on a sigh, trying not to sound irritated.

‘As in – you are separated?’

‘Yes, but it’s complicated.’

She reached for her champagne. ‘Go on.’ She looked at him, waiting.

Ellerman breathed in deeply, resisted the urge to sound pissed off. He forced himself to sit up, rest back on the pillows.

‘I have a son who needs me. My wife’s unstable. I told you about it last time . . .’

‘Unstable how? What has she got? She’s bipolar, you said?’

‘She’s never been diagnosed with anything but she doesn’t cope well with situations.’

‘What kind of situations?’

‘Anything really. If I want to talk about us – the relationship my wife and I have, or lack of it?’ He looked across to gauge Megan’s reaction. She was resting on an elbow, watching him intently. He could see his wife in her.

‘How is that likely to change in the future?’

‘Well . . . because my son is sixteen now. He’s doing his GCSEs. He’ll be going to uni when he’s eighteen, then I can leave.’

‘And you think that will realistically happen?’

‘Yes. Absolutely. I will have fulfilled my side of the bargain then. I owe it to my son to stay and see him through this part of his life but then . . . when that’s done, I’m one hundred per cent calling it a day. I’m already doing up the house in preparation. You know, I took on a wonderful old house that needs so much work and now, of course, I need to finish that work in order to get the best possible price for it when I sell it.’

‘Does your wife know that you are dating?’

‘Yes.’

‘Really?’

‘Of course. I expect her to be doing the same thing. We live in the same house but we are most definitely separated. We haven’t had any intimacy for five years.’

‘Really? You seem very practised at it, despite that.’

‘Glad you think so. Must be beginner’s luck. Maybe we’re just good for each other. Who knows?’ He pulled her to him and began kissing her, stroking her. She held his hand and halted him.

‘It’s not ideal.’

‘No.’ He looked into her eyes and gave her all the sincerity he could muster. ‘But it’s a good start,’ he continued. ‘And I feel we have a bond already. I feel . . . well . . . I don’t want to rush things.’ He sat up and got his champagne and sat back to sip it. ‘After all – I don’t know what you want from me? I have a lot at stake here too. You could do this kind of thing all the time – meet men from dating sites and lure them to your house in the country and then God knows what happens!’ She laughed. He smiled. Grateful to see her mood lighten. Grateful to be let off the hook.

‘I’ll tell you what I want from you,’ she said. ‘I want to see you when you can manage it. I won’t look for anyone else. I mean, if you can make it down here once a week – at least once a fortnight – then I’ll make sure it’s worth your while. I won’t ask for a lot – the one thing I will ask for is that I am not part of a harem.’ She was watching him closely.

‘Understood.’

Ellerman rested on his elbow, dipped his finger into the champagne, then traced the rise of her breast.

‘Be honest, be loyal. I can wait – no problem. I understand you are still living with your wife. I accept that you can’t leave her and I wouldn’t want you to. It’s noble and you’ve been honest with me and I respect that.’

He reached down and pulled her to him and turned her round – spooning her. His erect cock pressing into her back. He whispered into her ear.

‘I’ll keep this cock just for you. My mouth, my tongue, all yours. My hands . . . fingers . . .’ He ran his fingertips over her. ‘Trust me,’ he said and then he felt her tense and draw away from him as she turned and rolled over on one side to look at him again.

‘You have to accept my terms and conditions; you have to tick the “I agree box” – the one that says you agree to keep our relationship exclusive and that you will not have sex with another woman whilst you are sleeping with me.’

‘Of course.’

‘You have to swear it, JJ.’

Ellerman ejected one blast of laughter before he reached for more champagne. He handed her her glass.

‘You going to make me sign an affidavit?’

Megan put her champagne down and took his glass and placed it on the side table. Then she rolled him onto his back and pinned him down by the shoulders as she straddled him.