"Why didn't you tell me when we were signing the contract?"
"Would it have made any difference?" she asked her gaze boring into his.
"Of course it would have," he protested. "Your first should be someone that you wanted to share with. You can't get your virginity back, Kate."
"Forget about it," she said, sitting up and letting the sheet fall from her breasts. Swinging her body around and placing her feet on the floor, she ignored her nudity and looked up at Magnus. "We had a deal, and that's all there is to it. Now I guess I should head for home or Tilly will worry."
She stood, gathered up her clothes from the floor, and walked into the bathroom. In a firm motion she shut the door, then leaned against it and let out a sad sigh. She had been looking forward to this for days, and now she felt dejected, not cherished nor loved. It had been an illusion was in her mind only: the seduction of Kate.
I was happy to give him my virginity, and he was a wonderful lover, not that I could compare with anyone else. It didn't sound like he appreciated it though. Bastard. But what was done was done, and I won't let myself regret it.
I'll leave here with my head held high and pretend it isn't going to hurt me. I am nothing if not my father's daughter. He wasn't the only one that could keep a secret and go on as if life was perfectly normal. At the end of the relationship, I will have lost something that was irreplaceable, but I will get to keep my home along with the memories that we're making between the sheets. For that I would be forever grateful.
Magnus looked up from his position on the bed as the door opened, and Kate sauntered out of the bathroom. She kept a smile on her face while she pulled her hair back into its tie before running her hands down her hips and straightening her dress. Kate walked toward him and stopped at the edge of the bed. Hands on her hips, she glanced down at his body, her eyes devouring the man in front of her. With all her might, she wished she could stay and continue their lovemaking.
"I'm almost tempted to stay a bit longer, Magnus, but I do have an early start tomorrow." Kate sighed, batting her eyelashes at him. She ran a finger down his arm and leant over his body. She slipped the small hot tip of her tongue over his lips, then flicked into his mouth before quickly withdrawing. "Nighty night," she whispered as she walked from his room. Her feet padded softly down the hallway. The back door opened and closed under her steady hands, then the back gate groaned on old hinges.
She could see Magnus watching from his window as she drove away into the night.
* * *
Kate hugged her pillows to her chest, the tears sliding down her cheeks unchecked. Biting her lips together to stop the sobs from escaping, she replayed the gentle touches that had fired up her body and sent her on a course of no return. She had no regrets. Disappointments, yes. Magnus was not her type; he was rich and she was the poor neighbor who was relying on him to keep her afloat. They were from totally different backgrounds. She grew up on the farm and knew little of the big, wide world, and she didn't care.
Magnus on the other hand was rich and well travelled. He had money and connections, and it showed. The way he walked, talked, and breathed exuded money and class, something she would never have. The sweeping feeling of dismay made the tears flow even more.
The best she could hope for was to be in his bed for as long as he had use for her, demeaning but realistic. How she felt about Magnus was neither here nor there.
If I could talk him into loving me for me instead of just wanting a willing body that came with water rights, I would do it. Six months is what you have, Kate, so don't even think of wasting a minute. If I try to be too forward, he will think I'm a slut, and if I play hard to get, he will think I'm trying to go back on our deal. I need to find the happy halfway mark I can live with.
Kate punched the now damp pillow in frustration and sat up in bed. Her fingers traced the line of her jaw, and she imagined his lips teasing her skin as he explored her throat. Her pulse quickened as it had earlier. She touched her now pert nipples, and the breath hissed through her clenched teeth as she lay back on her bed, letting her fingers push aside the top of her cotton panties.
Chapter 4
Kate threw off the covers, and hit the floor running. After a restless night tossing in her bed, the only solution was a cold shower. The chilly water sent an eruption of goose bumps over her skin as she punished herself. She soaped the shower brush and rubbed it roughly over her sensitive skin. She closed her mind to the pleasure she evoked on her own last night after she had left Magnus. Now she washed the smell of him from her skin, briskly drying herself.
Kate grabbed clean jeans and an old shirt and pulled them on. Then she squared her shoulders and headed for the inquisition she knew was waiting for her in the kitchen.
"Morning, Tilly." She flicked the switch on the kettle. Kate leaned back on the bench with her arms folded and waited for the questions.
Tilly nudged her out of the way and nodded at the table. "Go and sit down and start on your toast. I'll bring some eggs in a minute."
"Don't you want to know how my date was?" Kate looked at her, knowing how much
