* * *
"There are more people than I expected," Ace said, looking around, a small frown between his dark eyebrows.
"It is a little crowded," Trey remarked. "I expect that as the evenin' goes on, more people'll move to the private rooms and things'll loosen up in here."
"Yeah, probably." He turned to Trey and smiled. "The li-woo is a knockout, brother."
"I'm not sure she'd appreciate bein' called a little woman but she's most definitely a knockout." Trey's smile grew as he watched her approach. "I don't know how twisty she is, though. She looks a bit like a deer in the headlights right about now."
Ace laughed. "Go slow. That's how you keep 'em."
Trey snorted. "Yeah, like you'd know. You go through 'em like ice cream sundaes. Tasty while you eat 'em, but if you're done, you're done."
"You should talk."
"I tour in Afghanistan!"
"You make excuses!"
Trey frowned. "I oughta pop you one."
"You and whose…army."
They broke up laughing, and were still chortling as Liv walked up.
"Here's your drink…er…sir."
"Thank you, darlin'." He gestured toward hers. "That's not soda with lime, is it?"
She shook her blonde head. "No. Gin and tonic. But I'm only having one, so don't think you can get me drunk and take advantage of me."
Trey made his best innocent face. "Never."
Ace snorted and patted Trey on the shoulder, turning to leave. "Have fun, Trey. Nice to meet you, Liv-honey. I'm sure I'll see more of you later." He smirked at his own joke and walked away to be absorbed in the crowd.
Liv looked a little pale.
"Don't mind him. He cracks himself up regularly."
She smiled, though the expression was strained.
Trey reached out and ran a finger down her cheek, then cupped her chin. "I like it when you look at me, sweetheart, but with the other men here, you should drop your eyes. We don’t want them thinkin’ you’re out shoppin’ for a playmate, okay?"
"Okay. Sir."
Trey reached out and took her drink from her, then put it and his own down on a console table nearby. He dipped his head until their lips nearly met. Her breath smelled spicy and clean like the gin in her glass. "I could get used to hearin’ 'sir' from you."
Liv's eyes closed as he pressed his lips against hers. Tentative at first, their kiss was a tender exploration. Trey kept it slow, and though it was something of a public declaration there in the crowded room, he wanted it to feel intimate. They were the only two people in the world at that moment. He found her tongue with his own and coaxed it, teased it, brought her softly to heel. His hands went into her silky hair and held her where he wanted her, up against him from thigh to lips.
They broke in response to a shrill scream from one of the x-frames.
As Liv panted, her eyes wide and startled at the sound, Trey touched a fingertip to her kiss-swollen mouth, wondering if other parts of her were swollen too. He took a step back and confirmed her excitement: her nipples were tenting the front of the shirt she wore. "That's nothin' to be scared about, darlin'. Just someone havin' a good time."
"It sounded like she was hurt."
"Bein' in pain is not the same as bein' harmed. None of us here would harm a woman."
Her face began to clear. "You sound so sure. But the idea is to inflict pain."
"Pain is a sensation. Like my fingers on your nipples is a sensation." He rubbed the nubs as he spoke. "Like that wetness in your pussy is a sensation."
She gasped. "How…how did you know?"
"That you are wet?"
She nodded.
"I can smell it."
"Oh God. Are you saying I smell bad?"
He tweaked her nipples and she whimpered. "Hell, no. You smell as pretty as your orange blossom perfume, with the slightest hint of pure woman-nectar."
Her eyes were closed and she arched to press her breasts more firmly into his hands. Trey thought she might not even realize she was offering him more.
"Nectar. I like the sound of that," she whispered.
He could barely hear her above the din of the room, but her body told him much more than her words ever could. He pinched her nipples firmly, then harder. She moaned, but did not withdraw. How he ached to take advantage of her nakedness beneath the huge shirt, to press her into a carpet and ride her hard, feeling her squirm beneath him.
His jeans were too tight, his erection insistent. But he knew that he had to tread softly. He wanted them to enjoy each other for the remainder of the week. When she was ready to go back to New York, well…he didn't want to think about that. Separation was a part of his life in the army, and he was prepared for it. That didn't mean he had to like it.
She was beautiful, sweet, intelligent and sexy. That she seemed to be submissive, too, was a brass ring on his merry-go-round. He was determined to get it while the ride was in motion.
The spell was broken again, this time by a tall man in leather pants and a tucked-in loose cotton shirt. "Trey! Fine start to this year's camp, mate." He had an Australian accent.
"Ron Church. I saw your name on the list. I'm glad you made it."
The man smiled and the crags of his sun-battered face creased attractively. He offered his hand to Trey and they shook. Ron's bright blue gaze moved over Liv, and Trey was pleased to see her drop her eyes toward the floor as he'd instructed her. "This one's new to the group, though I'm sure I've seen her somewhere b'fore." He stared at her. "Can't place her." He reached out a hand, but Trey's look halted him. "With permission?"
"Liv, you can look up."
Her expression was a little tight. Trey thought maybe she was nervous because this was all new to her. But she was doing wonderfully.
Ron grinned at her. "Where've I see you b'fore, Liv? Some other party?"
Liv's eyes went to Trey; panic was rising in them. "Don't be so pushy, Ron. The lady is unavailable, and that's all you need to know." Trey tried to sound pleasant about it, but his voice was still firm.
Ron shrugged good-naturedly. "You never were a sharing bloke."
"Nope, never was, never will be."
"My loss, I'm sure." He gave Liv one more thorough look then turned to face Trey. "Are you planning a scene for tonight?"
"Maybe. Liv isn't used to public scenes, so I don't want to make a big deal."
Ron nodded. "There are the private rooms."
"Yeah. We'll see."
The Australian smiled, but the expression was made false by his narrowed eyes. "You're not becoming a pussy, are you, Journey? Is this woman leading you around by your dick?"
Trey laughed. Ron was fishing. "Hardly. There's this thing called class, Ron. You might want to look into it."
"Hmph." This time his smile was genuine. "I've got a girl here somewhere. Probably stirring up trouble; she's a feisty bint."
"I hope you find her before someone else does."
"Oh, she'd never look elsewhere. I've got the key to her collar, mate."
Trey slapped him on the back, encouraging him to move along. "Hope you have a good time, Ron."
* * *
Chapter 5
Trey turned back to Liv as Ron ambled away. He wanted to explore her sensuality more, feel her skin on his skin.
"I'm a little uncomfortable, Trey."
He cupped her cheek and smiled down at her, trying to look as gentle as he could. He mostly wanted to pull that damned shirt off over her head and bury his face between her breasts. The lust was distracting.
"Don't worry, darlin'," he told her. "I'm here and nothin' is gonna happen to hurt you. We may push your envelope a bit, but in a good way, alright?"
She nodded hesitantly, then whispered, "I can't be naked in front of these people, Trey."
That was puzzling. She made her living with her body, but she was concerned about hiding it? "Explain that."
"I just…I mean…I just can't. Okay?"
That was her limit for today. He w
asn't thrilled with it. He had a hankerin' to show off his gorgeous girl. It was childish of him, but damn, she was someone to be proud of! "Yeah, okay. Can you be naked in front of me?" If she couldn't, then she had problems he might not be able to surmount.
She bit her lower lip. "I think so. I want to."
The room was beginning to smell like hot bodies and sex. Trey smoothed the cloth over her slender shoulders. "Let's get some food and find a private corner."
"I'm not hungry."
"Did you eat dinner already?" He couldn't see how she could have.
"No, but…"
"There are two tables bowed with food." He held out his hand, but she shook her head. What was going on with her? Her cheeks were bright but the rest of her was pale. "Well, I'm hungry. Come sit with me while I eat."
"The smell of food…might make me sick."
There was something not right. "Liv, what's wrong?"
She bit her lip and he remembered the sweet sensation of kissing her. But he had to get to the bottom of this problem.
"I'm nervous, I guess."
He could understand nerves. This was all new to her, foreign and maybe scary. "Okay. Let's do somethin' that doesn't rile you up."
Her eyes widened as another cry, this one of pleasure, came from somewhere over her shoulder. "I don't belong here. I can't do this public sex thing."
"No one is askin' you to have sex in public, Liv."
"You told that Ron guy that we might do a scene."
"'Might' means maybe, and a scene is not usually sex, or even serious nudity. I know this stuff excites you, darlin'. I can tell. Why are you fightin' it so hard?"
"I don't fit in."
He felt his frown, but willed it away. "I'm not gonna stand here and argue with you, Liv. Do you want me to take you back to your cabin?"
"Yes—no." Her eyes got shiny with tears. "I'm okay when you're kissing me. Can you kiss me again? Please?"
Her emotional turn worried him; it was obvious that she was scared. But every instinct he had said that she found the party arousing. Maybe too arousing? Was she scared more of herself? Was she trying to jerk him around?
"I think we need to be alone for a few minutes, darlin'." He took her hand and led her through the room. A few people tried to stop him to chat, but he was determined to get to the private office that only the Journeys could unlock. It was quiet inside as he closed the door to the room and the party behind them.
She looked around at the two chairs and the broad, nearly empty wooden desk. Her shoulders dropped a little as she relaxed.
"Now, talk to me, angel. What is goin' through that pretty head?"
She pulled her hand away from his slowly and turned away. "I don't know. I'm sorry."
Trey turned her to face him and cupped her chin so that she'd look at him. Her eyes remained downcast. She licked her lips. "Look at me, Liv."
Liv's blue eyes were wary as they focused on his.
"Let's start with the nakedness. I know you're not a nude model, and maybe I've got the wrong idea about modelin', but it seems to me that your body is your product. Why are you so shy about showin' it off?"
She cringed, her shoulders tightening. "I used to…used to be kind of an exhibitionist. I guess all models are, to some extent. But, I'm not anymore."
"What changed?"
"I changed. I haven't always been a plus-size model, you know."
"No, I didn't know."
She nodded as he withdrew his hand from her chin. "I used to do the Paris, London, New York circuit. On the runways, you know? I was on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue once."
He nodded. It was a foreign language to him, but he could parse it. Sports Illustrated was a little more familiar, though he didn't subscribe.
"I was…popular."
"The photographer called you a star. And that paparazzo sure was quick to take your picture in my truck."
She sighed and her shoulders slumped. "Yes, well, my career isn't what it used to be anyway."
"Let's get back to the nudity."
Her eyes focused on the floor. "Well, since I…plumped up, I haven't wanted to show off my fat self. I was miserable before, hungry all the time, sometimes malnourished, but I was beautiful. I don't feel beautiful anymore."
Now that was plain foolish. "Liv. Liv, look at me." She slowly raised her eyes. "Liv, you're probably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You’re curved and soft, not all elbows and knees and bony hard spots. You're fit, not flabby. Darlin', you're perfect exactly the way you are." He slid his hands up her arms and rubbed her shoulders. "And there's a lot more to you than your figure."
She appeared to be thinking it over, but she didn't look convinced. "My mother is skinny, because her mother was plump. She warned me not to lose my figure, but I was so unhappy before." She turned her head away. "Not that I'm happier now."
"Look, Liv. I can talk 'till I'm blue in the face, but y'all need to feel good about yourself from the inside."
"Yeah, I know. I want to, but can't quite do it."
Maybe she needed a little external stimulus to build her self-confidence. He was more than willing to supply that stimulation, but he'd have to be firm about it. She would try to resist. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, her wing-shaped eyebrows, her cheeks, her chin. Finally he touched his lips to hers. She made a little mewl and put her hands on his shoulders. As Liv began to give, he pressed his lips against hers harder, taking the sweetness of her mouth, coaxing her to believe in her own power a bit at a time.
The kiss deepened and roughened until they were both panting. "Take the shirt off, angel," he whispered against her mouth.
Her eyes opened and focused on his, beseeching, begging him to discourage her reluctance, to help her fight herself.
Trey unknotted her tie and dropped it onto the desk. Slowly, her eyes never leaving his face, she undid the buttons of the big shirt. When all the buttons had been painstakingly released, she hesitated, biting her lip.
"Do it, Liv," he said, gently but with the resolve of command in his voice. She had to give him the opportunity to show her how beautiful she was; he couldn't take it, it had to be freely given.
Her hands were trembling as she peeled back the shirt, and she closed her eyes. She seemed afraid to see his reaction.
"Look at me, darlin'." His eyes hot on her body would be her first indicator of his desire for her. These next moments would lay the groundwork, they had to be right. Fortunately, showing his admiration wasn't the least bit difficult. The fully exposed Liv was exquisite.
She shrugged out of the shirt and it pooled at her feet. The high heels made her legs look even longer, as he trailed his eyes slowly up from her feet to her face. Her hips were curvy and round, and at the apex of her thighs her sex was slightly plump and lightly adorned with gold and brown curls. It was his turn to lick his lips as his mouth watered with desire. He dragged his gaze up and found her narrow waist, flat but padded, then he took in her ribs and breasts. The pink nipples he'd so admired before were peaked again, asking for his fingers to find them and tease. He vowed to himself that he would taste them again very soon. Her slender shoulders were next on his agenda, as were her soft but toned arms.
Overall, she was incredibly attractive. Trey didn't understand at all how she could think otherwise.
He kissed her again and ran his hands down her arms and to her waist, pulling her in toward him so she could feel his thick erection against her belly. At first her hands were at his shoulders, then they moved around the back of his neck.
After their kiss, he pressed his lips down her throat, and bent to suckle on a pert nipple. She sighed and arched. He squeezed the other breast as his tongue and teeth worried her flesh, then he switched sides and gave the other peak its due.
"Trey," she moaned.
He could smell her again. Clean but entirely female. He wanted to taste the sweet desire he knew he'd find between her legs. Trey kissed her mouth again, then slid a hand do
wn her belly and explored her fleshy folds. She was soaked, slippery, hot. He found her clit and tested it with teasing fingers. She gasped in response, and his prick twitched with frustration. But he had to go slow. He couldn't scare her off with his need for her. She was not a quick fuck and thank-you-ma'am.
As he slid a finger into her, she shifted her weight to spread her legs some. He set his tongue to match rhythm with his finger and their kiss became more powerful and even harsh.
Liv wasn't light as a feather when he put his hands around her waist and lifted her to sit on the desk, but neither was she more than he could handle.
"I can't," she whispered.
"Trust me."
He pressed her back until she leaned on her elbows, and then he kissed her breasts, ribs, her flat belly, and down further, where her scent called him.
"I…" she began, only to break off as he slid two fingers into her slowly.
"Hush, darlin'. This is your time just to feel. Don't think."
She moaned softly. "It's been a long time. I don't know if… I don't know."
"I know. Trust me to know."
Trey bent between her legs, and touched her wetness with the tip of his tongue. As he expected, she was butter creamy and slightly salty. Her trembling thighs were incentive for him to taste more. He lapped at her as his fingers fucked her, much as he'd like his cock to do. But now was not the time for his own pleasure, save the pleasure he got from hearing her pants and soft moans.
He tongued her with long strokes, then short, and when she was squirming under his face, he touched her swollen clit. It was plump and engorged, poking out from under its hood in invitation. Trey sucked it and she arched.
"Oh God."
His answer was to hum against her tender bud. She moaned louder, and he fucked her faster with his fingers. Her body began to tighten around him.
"I can't! Oh, please…don't make me."
"Come for me, Liv. Give it to me."
Muffled music drifted in from the other room. Liv's pants and soft moans punctuated it like a bass beat. "Liv."
"It's not you," she gasped. "It's me. I don't deserve… I'm too..." Her hips squirmed away slightly.
Liv's Journey Page 6
