Continental Life

Seven

Helping Bella pack up the remainder of her necessities was surreal and heartbreaking. It felt as if things were ending, but Xander knew it was a new beginning, even though it was a painful one. Silently, they walked arm-in-arm behind Dante, who carried the last of the luggage down to the car.

The last two weeks had been spent holding Bella in every spare moment and making the sweetest and most decadent love imaginable as the moment of her departure neared. He tried to focus on the illicit and mouth-watering details of those short weeks rather than the thought of having to be without Continental Breakfast for over a month or the ache in his chest ... an ache that felt reminiscent of the time when she had walked out of his office.

His original plan was to stay in an executive suite in a building he owned for the duration of the program while Bella lived in the penthouse. However, when he shared this with Bella, she begged for him to change his mind. She couldn't bear the thought of being without him in their large home. A change in plans now had her taking up residence in the smaller suite for the next six weeks. He filled the suite with every luxury conceivable and even added a few touches of his own. He only hoped his Princess would find her accommodations acceptable.

Holding her close as they drove to the condo, the desolate look on her face nearly made him say to hell with everything. But he knew better. The school was already making a large sacrifice, and he didn't want their efforts or Bella's to be for naught. When the Rolls came to a stop in the underground garage, and they were left alone while Dante carted her belongings to the tenth floor, he pulled her close, nearly suffocating her.

"In six weeks, we'll be together forever and with no more distractions," he tried to comfort her.

"I know. I know ..." she trailed off.

Pushing gently against his chest, she straightened up and lifted her head to meet his gaze. It was obvious she was doing her best to appear impassive, but her glassy, blue eyes belied her true pain.

"I'm honored to have been accepted into the program, and I promise I'll do my best to make you proud," she whispered as she smiled weakly.

He blinked and smiled back. "I'm already proud of you."

Without saying anything more, he walked her to the elevator, then to the door of her suite, where they lingered for several minutes. When he leaned down to kiss her, a tiny moan caught in her throat.

This was it. Six weeks without the love of his life by his side.

"I'll check in on you later to make sure you're settled in, and everything is to your liking."

"Oh, Xander, I'm sure everything is perfect," she acknowledged as tears hovered on the fringes of her lashes.

"Okay then," he exhaled with a disappointed sigh. "I'll be in my office and conferences most of the day tomorrow, but I'll see you tomorrow night. Be sure and go over the first three chapters of the rule book thoroughly before class."

Bella's eyes lit up. "Are you giving me an unfair advantage by hinting there will be a quiz of some sort?"

Undeniably, he was. So be it. It's not like he was giving her the answers. He shrugged his shoulders and flashed his pearly white teeth. "Just read the chapters I mentioned ..." he paused to kiss her deeply, slipping his tongue past her lips to savor her flavor one last time before they parted ways.

Pinning her body between himself and the door, he slid his hand under her short, lace skirt and past her panties. Pushing them to the side, he slid two fingers into her. Soft panting against his mouth and the excitement she was exuding sent a shiver of arousal through him. She accepted his forceful dominance beautifully and like no other. Bella truly was made for him.

"And remember," he continued when he broke the seal of their kiss. "I'm always with you, even when I'm not, and I see everything." He winked as he withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth.

***

Bella didn't know what Xander was alluding to, but she knew him well enough to know he was up to something. Standing outside her temporary quarters, she watched him climb onto the elevator and disappear from sight.

Another unwanted moan escaped from her throat, and she nearly broke down, but she forbade it. She stood outside the suite for several minutes, thinking about how close in proximity she would be to him, yet so far away. His office was only one block away. It would be difficult not to simply walk up the block and pay him a visit.

Dante came out shortly after and bid her farewell. Finally, with the courage to go inside, she eased the door open to find the most amazing suite a person could ask for. She had no idea what the space had looked like before its transformation, but Xander had really outdone himself. It even smelled like him, a nice little touch Dante, no doubt, had a hand in.

On the small marble top table next to the entrance sat a bottle of his cologne with a note. Picking up the small bottle of Caron's Poivre and the handwritten token, her smile widened as she read it.

Your bed linens have been sprayed with your favorite cologne in hopes that you will dream of me while we're apart. Use this bottle to keep my scent on or near you at all times.

She laid her keys down and smiled at the rhinestone-embellished princess crown fob Xander had placed on the keychain. Her eyes immediately began to take in her environment, from the decadent, royal-blue velvet drapes adorning the large windows to the thick, white shag-style, plush rugs scattered throughout, to the small decorations brought from home lying randomly around, including the beautiful vase she had spied on their Sunday outing.

In the kitchen, she found all of her favorite foods and snacks and even some of Xander's. On the counter was another hand-written message.

I want the taste of my much-loved foods to remind you of me. Try to imagine it's my cock in your mouth when you place these items in that beautiful mouth of yours. I'll be doing the same with your foods and eagerly anticipating our next Continental Breakfast together.

Yes, she could do that. It wouldn't even be a difficult task.

Once in the bedroom, she found an Agent Provocateur black lace Cendrillon set lying on a tiger maple, queen-sized four-poster bed. Touching the one-fourth cup bra, thong, suspenders, and silk stockings, she read the note that lay next to it.

Though we may be apart, we have a date every night at exactly 10:30 p.m. I want you to shower and take your time when washing all those tasty parts of yours. When you're done, I want you to dress slowly for me in the items I have picked out and placed in your closet. I want your sensual movements to make me hard. After that, I want to see you sprawled out in bed with your fingers buried deep inside of you. Give me a good show, Princess. Make me cum.

Suddenly, she remembered Xander's statement about seeing everything, and her eyes darted around the room. A small, red, blinking light in the corner of the room caught her attention. As she moved closer, she could hear the mechanical hum of the lens as it zoomed in on her. She stared up at it, her insides heating to an unbearable degree. Xander really was with her, and he really was going to see everything. Though they were miles away from each other, she felt just as close to him at that moment as she did only minutes before when he had had his fingers in her. Nothing could be more heartbreaking and erotic than the thought of Xander watching her every movement from across town.