On Her Terms (The Arrangement Duet Book 2)

by Madison Quinn

  “You taste so good,” he groans against my skin, the vibrations going straight through me. He teases me for what feels like hours before finally moving my panties aside, so I can finally have him against my skin. His fingers slide through my wet folds as his tongue flicks my clit over and over and over again. I’m right there… right on the glorious edge… about to fall over—but I can’t. Out of nowhere, I hear her voice in my head again…

  “You’re never going to amount to anything… you’ll never be good at anything. You’re going to turn out just like your mother–a complete waste!”

  “Kenzie… baby… where’d you go?” Nicholas is back over me, his eyes on mine.

  “I’m sorry…” I whisper.

  “We don’t have to do this—”

  “I need to… I need to forget… please,” I beg. I can’t imagine how pathetic I must sound right now, but I need to find a way to get her out of my head. “I know if I close my eyes right now, I’ll be back in her house. I don’t want to go back there… I can’t. Please, help me forget for a little while, just a little while.”

  I can see the internal battle he is having with himself as he takes in my words. Before he can tell me how crazy I know I sound, I reach up and pull his lips to mine. He groans when I run my tongue across his lips and I can practically feel the moment the fight leaves his body.

  “Can I ask you something?” his breath his hot against my ear as he slowly grinds his erection against my sex.

  “Hmmmmm,” I mumble.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes,” my voice is clear and firm as I answer his question before he can even take a breath. “Of course, I trust you.”

  “I want to try something… it might help you forget for a little while. Would that be okay?”

  “Yes,” I don’t know what he wants to try but I know I trust him. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, so whatever he is considering, I’m not worried. He lifts his head, his eyes searching mine for a few minutes, before he must see whatever he was looking for.

  “I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere,” he kisses me, before quickly jumping off the bed, and leaving the room. I have no idea where he is or what he is doing, but I do as he asked and stay on the bed waiting for him. It’s a little weird to be lying on a bed, nearly naked, and just waiting, but thankfully only a few minutes pass before he returns. He has a towel over something in his arms, which he quickly places on the floor before turning off the light. The only light in the room is coming from the city lights below our window.

  “Close your eyes, baby,” he whispers and the moment I do, I feel him slip something soft over my eyes. My hands instantly go to my face and I find the silk eye mask that I saw in the bathroom earlier today, covering my eyes. I’ve never been blindfolded before; I wait for the panic to set in, at not knowing what’s going to happen, or not being able to see what’s happening but it doesn’t come.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “If at any point you’re not comfortable or something doesn’t feel good, just tell me. Promise me you’ll tell me if I do something to bother you—”

  “You won’t, Nicholas, but I promise.”

  “I’m going to put ear buds in next,” I feel him move a wire under the back of my neck. “You’re going to hear music and probably won’t be able to hear me, but I will be able to hear you. At any time you’re uncomfortable—”

  “I’ll tell you, I promise,” I reassure him.

  He presses the ear buds firmly into my ears and within moments, I hear soft, soothing music coming from the playlist on his phone. I feel him leave the bed, but I have no idea where he goes; I can’t see anything and the only thing I hear is the music. I sigh in relief, a little while later when the bed dips again. He takes one ear bud from my ear, and I immediately feel the warmth of his breath against my skin. He takes my hands in his, one at a time, before sliding them under the pillow that my head rests on.

  “Keep your hands right here; grab the pillow if you have to, but don’t move them otherwise,” he instructs.

  “I won’t.”

  Without saying another word, the ear bud is back in my ear and I’m lost to the soft sounds of the piano playing. I don’t know how much time passes, as I realize the song I’m listening to must be on repeat because it doesn’t seem to end. Eventually, I feel the bed dip once again, I can sense him over me, yet I still jump in surprise when I feel his warm hands on my arms. He must have put some sort of oil on his hands; it leaves behind a smooth silky feeling. He rubs my arms, shoulders and neck gently before slowly continuing down my body. His touch isn’t necessarily sexual, but at the same time I’m finding myself once again turned on. Not being able to see, hear or touch him is… different especially since I have no idea what he has planned.

  His hands move to my stomach and my hips, slowly massaging each area. I moan when his hands slip underneath me so he can rub my back. I can feel his bare chest against my breasts when he pushes me closer to him as he reaches my shoulders. I want so badly to reach out to him, to pull him closer to me so I can kiss him, but instead I clutch at the pillow under my head reminding myself of his instructions.

  His hands move back to my front before working their way down to my legs. By the time he finishes massaging my legs, I’m completely and utterly relaxed. The music changes to something a little quicker and the bed dips yet again.

  “Ah!” I call out in surprise when his very hot hands find my breasts. I don’t know what is on his hands but whatever it is quickly heats up my skin. As he pinches my nipples, my back arches off the bed pushing myself further into his hands. His hands are all over my chest, rubbing the heated oil into my skin. The combination of the heat and his hands on me pushes even closer to the wonderful edge I was teetering on only a short time ago. I can only hope this time…

  “Holy Shit that’s cold!” I scream when what I can only assume is an ice cube is slowly slid down the center of my chest, yet never touching the still heated skin of my breasts. The ice cube is all over me, but he continues to avoid my breasts and nipples, which feel as if they are on fire. All the different sensations are driving me crazy—I don’t know where he is going to touch me next or with what.

  I moan when the ice slides across my lips; opening my mouth, I suck on the ice cube allowing the cold melted water to slide down my throat. Just as quickly as it was placed against my lips, it is slid away. This time he slowly slides the ice around each of my breasts and over my hardened nipples. I groan as the combined feeling of the scorching heat and the cold ice seems to go straight to my sex. I’m right there… right at the edge… I swear if he even touched me right now I would be done. I can’t believe I’m this turned on and he’s barely touched me—

  “AHHHHH!” The ice quickly skates over my sex, pausing briefly on my clit, making me practically jump off the bed. I’m reaching for him but his hand quickly guides mine back to the pillow.

  His hands are on my thighs, opening me up to him, before I feel the cold of the ice once again slide over me. This time, it’s followed by his warm fingers that tease my opening before moving to my clit. The pressure is minimal, just enough to keep me right on the edge, but not enough to push me over.

  “Nicholas… please…” I beg as the need becomes too much. Just when I don’t think I can take it anymore, I feel him at my opening, slowly pushing something into me, at the exact moment he pinches my clit. I scream out his name, long and hard, as what must be the remaining piece of ice is pushed into my sex sending me right over that edge. I can feel the ice cold water dripping out me just before Nicholas plunges into me. I don’t know if the first orgasm hasn’t ended, or if another one is starting, but suddenly it’s not my breasts that are on fire.

  When his lips find mine, I let go of the pillow and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer to me. His chest is against mine; my legs are wrapped around his waist as he thrusts into me. I don’t know how it’s possible, but a few thrusts late
r and a pinch of my nipple, he once again has me coming apart at the seams.

  His hand slips under me, lifting me even closer to him, allowing him to slide impossibly further into me. He thrusts hard and deep against me several more times, before I feel his release warm me from the inside out. His breath is hot against my neck as he collapses onto me. I love the way his heavy body feels against mine. In this moment, I’m reminded of just how far we have really come since we first met.

  “Are you okay? Did I hurt you at all?” he removes the ear bud and lifts some of his weight from me. I push the eye mask off of my eyes so I can finally see him again; his eyes are full of worry and concern.

  “Not at all; that was… God I don’t think there are any words to describe that,” amazing is the only thing that comes to mind, but it doesn’t seem remotely close enough, to describe what just happened between us.

  He rolls onto his side, taking me with him so our connection remains intact. His arm slips under the pillow that my head rests on as he holds me against him.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything, baby,” his response is quick and without hesitation.

  “Why did you use the blindfold and music? I’m not complaining because wow… that was really amazing but…”

  “I took a gamble,” he explains. “I assumed that you couldn’t come earlier, because you got lost in your head. By limiting your senses, essentially taking away your sight, hearing and touch, you were forced to focus on what was going on around you. I hoped that if I turned everything else off, that you would only be able to focus on me. Without being able to see or hear me, you would constantly be on alert trying to figure out what I would do next. And if you were doing that, you wouldn’t be able to get lost in your head again.”

  And that’s when I realize I did exactly what he described: I concentrated on what he was doing rather than worrying about everything that happened earlier today. I was able to focus on what he was doing and trying to figure out what he would do next, instead of worrying about what tomorrow would bring.

  “Did not being able to see or hear me bother you?” he asks softly and when my eyes meet his, I can still see the worry in them.

  “Not at all,” I kiss him to reassure him. “I’ve never been blindfolded before…”

  “And?”

  “It was… a real turn on,” I whisper in admission.

  “It makes your other senses even stronger.”

  “Is that why you used the heat and ice?”

  “That and because it also kept you in the moment.”

  “Thank you,” I wrap my arms around him and burry my face into his neck. “That was… there really are no words, but it was truly amazing. Thank you, for knowing how to give me what I needed when I didn’t think it was possible.”

  “Baby, I will always find ways to make you come,” he chuckles and moves his now hardened erection deeper into me.

  I have no idea what time it is when we finally fall asleep, all I know is that the next time I open my eyes the sun is shining brightly through the window as we had slept with the curtains open all night. Nicholas is sound asleep next to me; if it wasn’t for the need to use the bathroom, I probably would just fall back to sleep. After seeing Estelle again last night, I expected to have the hardest time sleeping and assumed I would have multiple nightmares. I didn’t though; after we made love a second time, I fell right to sleep and stayed asleep the entire night.

  Chapter 39

  Nicholas

  The drive back to New York is quiet, Kenzie spends most of it sleeping with her head on my shoulder. Nothing about this trip was expected, but yet again somehow it has made me feel closer to her than when we left. We’re stopping by the bakery before heading back to the condo so she can meet with Cara to catch up the bakery. As much as I don’t want to, when we pull into the parking lot, I wake gently wake Kenzie.

  “We’re here, baby…”

  “Already?” she groans.

  “We can still go home if you’d rather reschedule this for tomorrow.”

  “No, I promised Cara and Ginny I would meet with them today. They already stayed after closing—I’d feel horrible if I then canceled. It shouldn’t take long.”

  “You sure? You still seem tired.”

  “Maybe I wouldn’t be so tired if someone didn’t keep me up half the night,” she blushes even as she tries to smirk.

  “You enjoyed every minute of it.”

  “Hmmm… that I did.”

  I lean in, kissing her deeply before we get out of the SUV. Carter uses the key to unlock the front door of the bakery. Carter and I set up at a table in the lobby after greeting Ginny and Cara. Hunter escorts the girls to the office in the back before continuing on to check the rest of the building. Even though Kenzie didn’t think we would be here long, I start up my laptop to respond to a few emails while I’m waiting.

  “Everything okay?” Carter asks when Hunter returns.

  “All’s clear.”

  “Any concerns at PFS?” I ask.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

  I spend the next hour working, blocking out Hunter and Carter reviewing security measures for a few upcoming events we have planned in the next couple of weeks. After about two hours, Kenzie finally returns to the lobby with a stack of folders in her hands.

  “Everything go okay?” I kiss her quickly when she approaches.

  “Yup,” she smiles back. “We have an outline for the new website and the start of a menu redesign.”

  “Where’s Ginny and Cara?” Hunter asks.

  “They left through the back door about 10 or 15 minutes ago, I just wanted to finish up my notes from the meeting.”

  “We could have given Ginny a ride home—“

  “She was leaving with Cara.”

  “Okay good… you have everything you need for the website?”

  “I think so. I can’t wait to get the online catering page up and running! It should make it much easier for businesses to place their orders.”

  “As soon as it’s up and running, we can have Melody place a test order with it. She can give you honest feedback on her experience from an ordering perspective,” I suggest.

  “I’ll talk to Melody—“

  “Don’t move!” Carter yells before darting in front of me.

  “WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?”

  I pull Kenzie behind me on reflex, stepping further in front of her. Carter’s hand immediately falls to the gun that is at the waist band of his pants. The gun that I tried insisting he didn’t need when he first started working for me because I didn’t think I would ever be that much at risk. It was only when he refused to accept the position, unless I agreed to allow him to carry, that I finally agreed. As I stand here right now, taking in the sight before me, I’m reassured that I made the right decision in hiring Carter.

  “ANSWER ME, DAMN IT! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE???” I scream over Carter’s shoulder. I’m tempted to push him aside, and forcefully remove her from the bakery. The only thing stopping me right now, though is the fact that Kenzie is behind me. I know he would protect her, but I worry his first instinct would be to protect me, thus, leaving her exposed and at risk. That is a risk I’m not willing to take; so despite my first instinct being to end the scene in front of us, I keep a firm hand on her arm, protecting her, even as my eyes never leave the foyer.

  “I’m here for you,” the woman in front of us answers, without looking at me.

  “What the fuck do you mean you’re here for me? You’re not allowed to be here!” I remind her.

  She doesn’t answer me, instead she remains leaning against the counter, dressed in a skin tight red dress. Just before I look away, I notice her hand, gripping a large knife pointed toward the floor. My breath catches when it finally hits me and my mind starts racing at the possible ways this will end. Did she really think she could walk in here and try to kill me? She had to know that Carter still worked for me; did she really think she could get pa
st him?

  “I asked you a question,” I hiss in frustration and anger. Once again, I receive no response to my question.

  “Sir,” it’s only when I hear his voice, does my attention go to Hunter, who is standing across from us at the other side of the lobby with his gun drawn and ready. He mouths to us, “police on way.” I’m not sure how he did it, but I’m grateful that he was able to notify the police, as it at least means help will eventually arrive. Now, I just need to keep her from killing anyone in the meantime. I nod slightly at Hunter in acknowledgement, and try to calm the ever rising anger, threatening to boil over inside of me. I need to separate myself from the situation, to turn my emotions off, like I do when I’m negotiating with a new client.

  “What is it you want?”

  I try a different question in hopes of at least gaining some insight as to what is going through her fucked up mind right now. I fucking want to know what the hell she thought she would accomplish by showing up to Kenzie’s bakery threatening us with a knife!

  “I need you and you need me—” again she answers without making eye contact with me.

  “You need me? What the fuck could you possibly need me for? I don’t need you; I don’t even fucking want you–I never fucking wanted to see you again! Why the fuck would you think I needed you? I have everything I could ever possibly need, or want in my life and none of it involves you,” I gently squeeze Kenzie’s arm in a desperate attempt to convey to her that somehow everything is going to be okay. “What is it you think that I could possibly need or want from you?”

  “I can give you what you need,” almost in slow motion, I watch her head rise and she glares at Kenzie behind me. I stay focused on the knife in her hands, which at this point is thankfully still pointed at the ground, but I know at any moment that all could change. “She will never be enough for you; she can’t give you what you need. She—”