Lying very still, hoping to feign sleep Tasha looked across at the clock to see it was already 5 a.m. Jim had been as good as his word when he had said that he could go all night! She hadn't been aware that room service supplied condoms, but they did, in fact, they had!

She was lying on her side with her back towards him, wrapped tightly in his embrace and closed her eyes to summon sleep but could only summon images and thoughts of their time together. A slow seductive smile spread across her face as she remembered the way he had crawled up her body, his face still glistening with her own arousal and then he had kissed her, long, hard and deep. Tasting her own scent from his lips was some kind of aphrodisiac, although it had ended all too soon for her when Jim took the condom from her and quickly covered himself before settling between her thighs that were splayed wide.

With just his tip gently rimming her Tasha had panicked slightly, it had been a while since she'd been intimate with anyone and she already knew he was likely to cause some discomfort when he entered her. She edged back into his embrace a little more as she recalled how he had gently stroked her face and then her head that he cupped and cradled, reassuring her before he spoke.

"Ssh, I've got you honey," he soothed, lowering a hand between them, gently rimming her with a finger and then two rather than his penis, preparing her a little more as he reassured her again. "Baby we will take this nice and slow, as slowly as you need, ok?"

Tasha had nodded and then confirmed it, "Yes, thank you."

With a little more probing Jim removed his fingers and slid the very tip of his erection inside her, maybe managing to edge in a little further than previously. That was how he had continued, kissing her, talking and reassuring her as he gently inched into her body until he was fully embedded inside her and then he paused, allowing her time to acclimatise to his invasion.

The sweet sting and burn she felt as her body stretched to accommodate him had been the perfect mixture of pain and pleasure, anticipation and threats of what would come next. It was only when she'd given him the green light to move that he'd done so, gently, then with a little more speed and force until it was actually Tasha begging for more, for everything he had to give her which was quite possibly more than she had imagined, especially when she had fallen headlong into an intense orgasm that had her crying, shouting, clawing at his back and wrapping her legs around him in a desperate attempt to hold and pull him closer, not that she really thought with hindsight that it was possible.

As her release began to ebb away she felt over sensitised and in some ways wanted him to stop so that she could gain some normal sensation back but Jim had other ideas. He continued to stoke the remaining embers within her, coaxing her to the precipice of another release.

She recalled suggesting he should stop in a garbled cry as she passed the point of no return and came so hard it had verged on the painful that had her whole body contracting in such a way that it made her orgasm go on and on in a flurry of lights, cries and tears that he was brushing away as he froze completely, emptying his own release into the condom she had insisted on.

Tasha heard a sigh that brought her back to the here and now and then she felt him stirring behind her, against her hip once more.

"Again?" she asked thinking that sleep really might be necessary.

"I told you, all night!" he replied allowing his lips to tease and caress the skin on her shoulder.

"Fuck!" she cried at the idea of more sex and the tingling his kisses caused all over, inside and out.

"Oh dear, that mouth's back and you know what that means baby!" he laughed.

Rolling over to face him Tasha leaned in and kissed him passionately as the aggressor now, invading his mouth with her tongue, all thoughts of sleep forgotten.

He quickly responded and then pulled away saying, "I like you in my mouth Tasha, but that doesn't fill it does it?"

She laughed and shrugged her agreement before sitting up to trace her lips slowly down his body from his stubbly jawline to his chest, pausing to bathe his nipples and then lower, licking a path down the centre of his body briefly pausing to dip into his navel and then she continued her journey along the darkening and coarser hair that was his happy trail and then she faced his erection that seemed to have super powers of its own to still be going strong after the night it had had. She stifled a giggle as she realised she was actually making his penis a separate entity. While she was becoming lost in her thoughts and the sight of his swollen and leaking erection that was several shades of purple he was lacing his hands through her hair, encouraging and anticipating the feel of her wet and warm mouth encasing him.

Slowly Tasha licked and lapped before giving in to Jim's groans and tightening grip on her hair, covering his engorged head, sucking gently and then she lowered herself until she could feel him in the back of her throat.

"Shit baby," he groaned as Tasha withdrew to give her gag reflex some time to acclimatise and then she began to move up and down in earnest, sucking, lapping and sweeping her tongue until she could feel he was close. With the addition of her hand around the base, tightly squeezing hoping to give him the maximum time possible Tasha continued and soon the tell-tale twitching and ragged breathing told her that very soon he wouldn't be able to stop. With only her mouth working now she was in no way surprised when Jim took some control, guiding himself in and out of her mouth as he grasped her head and hair in his hands until with a load groan and cry of her name he was coming undone in an almost painful release.

Once she was sure he was finished Tasha freed herself from him and swallowed his pleasure before crawling back up his body until she found herself nestled tightly against his chest where she could hear his heartbeat going at it like a jackhammer at the same time that his chest bounced beneath her with laboured and loud breaths.

"You Natasha just keep getting better and better honey," he finally said causing the biggest and broadest grin to spread across her face because the idea that he was finding what they were sharing as intense and earth shattering as she was was somehow reassuring and a definite ego boost when she considered he had a lot more experience of sex than her with his six wives alone.

It was 8 o'clock before he allowed her to actually sleep and she was grateful for it, for the couple of hours she managed to sleep. When she did wake she was sore and aching so decided to run a bath. Leaving Jim to sleep she shut herself away in the bathroom and allowed her mind to think about what she'd done and although she had serious reservations about shagging the head of the studio she couldn't bring herself to regret and smiled as she realised that from the moment she had met him James had filled her mind with laughter, happy thoughts and arousal. Her mind that usually whirred with dark thoughts and memories had been a lighter and more grounded place. With that realisation Tasha decided to enjoy the benefits of that for however long it lasted, hours or days, but she knew it was no more than a quick fling.

Slowly lowering herself into the huge bath Tasha felt a mixture of pleasure and pain as the warm, lavender infused water lapped around her. She had never been quite so sore after one night with a man, but what a man, what a night, he really was huge, thick, was that what was referred to as girth? She giggled at the word for no reason beyond the fact that it amused her, the word and her musing. No wonder she was sore. She thought back to the first time he had entered her fully and how she had called out his name, but that just seemed to make him more determined to fully occupy her in the best way possible. Her thoughts drifted to Gerry for the first time really since she'd entered the bedroom with Jim, he was like nobody she had ever met but she still felt confused when she thought about Gerry. She closed her eyes tightly and must have drifted off to sleep again because she was woken with a start as Jim joined her in the tub.

"You look good wet!" he said as he winked at her.

She grinned back at him.

"Your lingerie is on its way," he said bluntly as he positioned himself behind her.

"What?" she asked.

"I have phoned the store and they have had a personal shopper select some and they are couriering it over."

She laughed at the idea of it being couriered.

"Don't bother putting it on though honey, we aren't going anywhere and you won't be needing it for what I have planned!" he promised salaciously as he nipped her shoulder and neck.

"You are truly insatiable James," she said.

"Are you coming on to me?" he asked teasingly.

She looked at him quizzically.

"James," he explained.

"Oh, sorry," she said.

"No, call me James, when we're like this, I like it, I like the way you say it, all classy and English," he said gruffly as he continued his mission to arouse her again with his kissing and nipping of her neck, shoulders and ears.

"So?" he asked. "Were you coming onto me with your James?"

"James, Jim I don't think I can yet, I am so sore!" she confessed with a flush as she sat up and turned to face him.

He laughed, "Good, I like that you're sore, you'll remember me!"

She laughed and said, "I don't think I'll ever forget you if it's any consolation!"

"Do you fancy being lucky number seven? I could keep you sore then!"

Tasha threw her head back and laughed almost hysterically, "No chance! I told you, I will do it once and get it right."

"Move over here," he ordered as he spread his legs apart widely to accommodate her against him.

She willingly obliged and backed against him. He draped both arms around her neck and rested a hand on each of her breasts. She smiled to herself and felt very happy here with this man, she really did like him; he was funny, sexy, and very knowledgeable about lots of things: the industry, literature, music, wine and sex! If he was younger would she consider being number seven? Did his age matter? She could be happy with him she decided, but maybe not forever, he was a little too controlling. He would want to control her she didn't doubt, in everything: what she wore, her work, what she ate, what method of birth control she chose, and obviously sex together, although she had found that most exciting and satisfying.

He clicked his fingers in front of her face.

"Are you ignoring me?" he asked.

"Sorry I was thinking, I was miles away?" she apologised.

"Who with?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, confused by the question, why who and not where?

"Who with? You were miles away, but who with?" he asked again, sounding annoyed or upset, maybe both. "I don't share Tasha and I don't like to think of you thinking about someone else when we are together," he said as he began to caress her with his hands that again rested on her breasts.

"You!" she said hoarsely as his hands began to knead, pinch and pull now.

"Good," he said more gently now.

She rested her head against his chest and breathed deeply and despite her previous protests thought that maybe she could be with him again, regardless of how sore she felt, the warm water and healing properties of lavender had soothed her a little.

"Come," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled and allowed her legs to spread draping them over his.

Jim laughed deeply and said, "Oh so welcoming so soon, honey! But, I meant for you to come with me, to leave the bath, not 'come' like you want!"

She was flushing furiously and was glad that he could not see her face at that moment in time! How embarrassing? Would he consider her sluttish or wanton for assuming he meant sex? She said nothing and hoped he would let this pass without further comment, but he didn't!

He laughed again and whispered to her, "Turn around!"

She did so knowing that she would still be scarlet! He looked at her as she knelt up in the water before him.

"I do wish you would reconsider being lucky seven! There would be no number eight, ever! This would be so much easier if you were poor, dumb or willing to do anything in exchange for a helping hand with your career, or all three! We would be on our way to Vegas honey!" he said seriously.

She swallowed hard and nodded, but said nothing.

"Come... I mean, sit," he smiled obviously enjoying her embarrassment and discomfort as he gestured to his lap.

She climbed onto him and allowed him to pull her to him tightly.

"I like being married," he said seriously as if he was explaining his suggestion for her being number seven.

"I got that!" she replied with a smile thinking that six former wives would confirm his desire to be married.

"I don't really do casual, it's not me. I am a traditionalist really."

She nodded, she really believed that, all of it, otherwise there wouldn't be six former Mrs Mayburys, except for number one and six maybe.

"This is just sex James, good sex, great sex, but just sex," she said as he played with her hair.

"Is that a bad thing, great sex?" he asked.

"No! I like sex, a great deal," she said.

"I got that!" he said repeating her comment to him. "I could get used to having you around," he said smiling.

She smiled back, "That would not be a good idea long term."

He cocked his head to one side, "What makes you say that?"

"Because whilst we both like sex, great sex, you are a traditionalist and I am not," she replied running her fingers through his damp hair.

"Did you cheat on your wives?" she asked curiously, hoping to strengthen her position.

"Yes, technically, except for my first wife," he replied truthfully.

"Right," she said thinking that the only one he had remained faithful to was the mother of his children.

"Does that shock you?" he asked.

"Not that you cheated on five of them, more that there were was one that you didn't cheat on. I have never really properly known a married couple where the husband didn't cheat, and sometimes the wife too, except my grandparents."

"Is that why you are so reluctant to marry, even the man you admit to having loved?" he asked.

"Partly. I don't associate marriage with happily ever after, but I would like to have my mind changed on that, but that is not an invitation!" she said seriously.

"Shame," he replied with a mischievous smirk.

"Did any of your wives cheat on you?" she asked now.

"Not that I am aware of, not like you mean, I told you, I don't share, I wouldn't tolerate that, ever," he admitted.

"So you're jealous then?"

"Yes of course. If a woman is with me, I consider her wholly mine, heart, soul, mind and body, like you are right now!" he said.

"Am I indeed?"

"Yes, until you and I are done, you are mine!"

Tasha frowned at his response. What did that mean, until you and I are done?

"When is your period due?" he asked suddenly.

She blushed again, shocked and embarrassed by his question.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

She thought that he was probably not used to waiting for people to respond to his questions.

"Not for another week," she replied not quite believing they were having this conversation after less than a day of knowing each other.

"Are you regular?" he asked seeming a little over focused on this.

She nodded shyly.

"How regular are you?" on the verge of obsessional as far as Tasha was concerned.

Why did he want or need to discuss this?

"Tasha, how regular?" he said impatient again.

"Every twenty eight days, regular as clock work, since I was fourteen years old," she told him thinking that she was sharing far too much now.

"So what day are you on now? Twenty, twenty one?" he asked staring at her.

"Twenty today. Why?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her now rather than the annoyance she thought she should be aiming at him for such an invasion of her privacy.

"Because I would really like to go bare back with you and if you are on day twenty with a regular twenty eight day cycle, you won't get pregnant! I know you would like it as much as me! What do you say? I have regular health checks and I am clean Tasha."

She didn't know what to say, he was right, she would like it, but she wanted to be safe and she had allowed Liam to break her rules and look how that ended, although she was fooling herself if she really believed she had allowed anything with Liam. She suddenly felt unsure of herself, maybe she shouldn't be here, should never have allowed herself to come here with James Maybury, any man like James Maybury, he was a predator!

"Have I said something to offend you? You look odd," said Jim concerned.

"No, not really. You remember my psycho boyfriend, he was very unpleasant, crazy though, and he used to sometimes insist on no condoms and although every ounce of me told me to refuse, it was always easier not to argue, not that I really had much choice. Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that you were the same as him by asking me to do it without a condom..."

Jim put his index and middle finger on her lips to signal that she should stop speaking.

"He was crazy though Tasha. Look forget about it. If you want to go without a latex barrier great, but that's your choice honey, I won't push you," he said smiling.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Come on," he said, "Let's get out of here, it's getting cold and rubbers in the bath probably are an awkward combination!" he laughed.

As they sat eating a large late lunch Jim asked, "Do you want to go to the theatre this evening?"

She frowned and said, "I can't be seen with you on a date Jim!"

"Why the hell not?" he asked with a strange expression that was something between amusement and annoyance.

"Because this is, whatever this is, but no more and although we have agreed that you will not be making me a big star, I don't ever want there to be anyone able to even suggest that I slept my way to a role."

"Integrity, I do like that, it makes you hotter and it makes me hard!" he smiled.

"Is there anything that doesn't make you hard James?" she laughed.

"Not where you're concerned and if you call me James again I will lay you right here, across the table," he said wearing a very serious expression.

She smiled and considered just saying his name as a response, but didn't. She had already succumb to his seduction again when they had left the bath and she was sure that she really couldn't do it again today, well not yet anyway, maybe tonight.

"Ok, a movie, whatever you want. You could go and get your stuff from the hotel, check out and bring it back here until we leave," he suggested.

"Why would I check out of my hotel?" she asked confused.

"I told you, until you and I are done, you are mine. When are you due to fly home?"

"Friday morning," she said.

"Really? You're not hooking up with someone while you're out here," she heard him ask.

"No!" she protested feeling slightly offended, although unsure why that would be.

"That was not a question, you will not be hooking up with anyone else while you're out here! So why the extended stay?" he asked angrily.

"Because my agent loves me and she knows that I like New York and I have had a difficult few months," she explained.

"Difficult how?" he asked calmer now.

"Ex-boyfriends, my parents, everything really," she said uncomfortably.

"Sorry," he said, "Look, I am due to fly back to L.A. tomorrow, go and check out and come back here, we will watch a movie, have dinner, maybe you could call me James some more and then you could come back to L.A. with me and fly home from there. I'll take you to my vineyard."

"Jim, if I won't go on a date with you I can't fly to L.A. with you," she said more disappointed than she thought she should be.

"We will be discreet, you can book your own ticket and we'll take separate cars, nobody will know you are in L.A. and if they do they will never know you're there with me, I promise."

She studied him and wondered how he could make such promises, but she believed him.

"I will check out and I will think about L.A." she assured him not even considering that she would have no accommodation if she checked out. "I should get dressed if I am going to my hotel."