“Okay. I can do that. What else? Part of me wants to try kissing him and see if there’s a spark.”
I smiled. “Then you need to figure out a plan to make that happen. However, you most likely will only get one shot, Kenzie. Don’t take it on a whim because you’ve had too much to drink or because you’re anxious. Once you put it out there, it’s staying out there. If you make your move too soon, then it could be years before the timing may be right again, if at all.” I knew that lesson all too well.
“It’s kind of hard to be patient, but I get your point. What happens once I do go for it?”
I shrugged. “He either reacts with; ‘whoa, that’s not how I feel’ or there’s something there.”
“But what if he rejects me?”
This was the tough part. The probability of getting hurt was high if he hadn’t indicated to her over the years that he might feel more. “Then you put on your big girl panties and take it on the chin. But at least then you’ll know for sure, and you can move on. I assume no guy in the meantime can hold a candle to your crush?”
She nodded. “I’m going to get hurt; I can feel it.”
“If you tell your brother what I’m about to say, I’ll kill you.” If I was dishing out advice, I might as well go all the way.
She glanced over, curious, as we pulled into Brian’s driveway. “I won’t say a word. I promise.”
“Okay. You get a big glass of wine, buy yourself a good vibrator, and you say to hell with him. If he can’t realize that you’re a catch, McKenzie, then it’s his loss. You are too pretty, too smart, and way too special for you to allow any man to make you feel like shit.” And there were the words of wisdom from my father when he’d spoken with his teenage girl back in the day. Minus the addition of the vibrator and wine, of course.
She grinned. “I knew you and I would be fast friends.”
***
Later that night, Brian and I flirted while watching television downstairs, but because his sister had hung out with us, the opportunity for anything else wasn’t plausible. Our flight was early tomorrow, so we all turned in.
Now I lay in his bed, sexually frustrated. I needed to know what else I was getting into in order to make a decision. Reaching for my phone, I texted him.
“I need to know the rest of the rules. All of them.”
I was surprised when my phone rang in response. “Are you seriously calling me from the basement?”
“You texted me from upstairs, and yes, it’s easier to talk then to type. Plus I don’t trust myself not to touch you if we have this conversation in person.”
“I’m trying hard not to take offense at that statement.” Part of me wanted to go down there naked and see what he’d do.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I’m in this for long-term gain, not short-term satisfaction.”
“Your bed is sure comfortable,” I teased, enjoying the sound of his groan.
“You’re killing me, Sasha.”
“You’re the one with the rules. Are we doing this? Taking it to this next level?” It was surreal that I was entertaining the idea. Something about falling into bed with him after a few drinks sounded reasonable, but embarking on an arrangement in which there were rules felt a lot more official.
“You tell me? I know that Juliette kind of freaked you out today.” His voice had a soft, sexy tone.
“Yeah, a little. I’m better now, but I’m still on the fence about the rest of the rules.” I wished I could turn off the lingering doubts.
“And what would sway you to jump on over?”
“I need to know all of it.”
“Okay, yes, the rules. Are we agreed on the first few?”
“Yes, I think so.” Fuck before fighting, ask policy, and no dating other people. Sure, I could do that.
“Rule four is that we don’t spend more than two weeks without having a night together.”
“That’s going to be tough considering our work schedules, clients, and your travel.”
“I come to New York at least once per month. We both have airline mileage we can use every other weekend. And maybe we could take a vacation somewhere together in a few months.”
The thought of a trip sounded wonderful, especially one that was with someone. “All right, every two weeks. We can both make the effort.”
“I have a few more things we should go over, but in the meantime why don’t you tell me yours?”
“I don’t know my rules yet.”
“Okay, how about you think about them?” His voice went an octave lower, making my heart beat faster. “I’ll let you get some sleep. Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight, Brian.” I lay there for a few seconds and then realized he still hadn’t told me all of them. I cursed into my pillow. He was drawing this out way too long. I decided not to play fair and texted him.
“Your bed smells like you which is NOT very conducive for sleep.”
“Part of my seduction technique.”
“It’s working. Matter of fact I’m touching myself right now.”
I was pleased with my out of character bluntness and then jumped when my phone rang. When I answered it, he didn’t give me the chance to speak.
“Another rule is no masturbating unless I’m involved,” he ground out.
“Call me crazy, but isn’t the whole point of self-pleasure to not have someone else a part of it?”
“Yes, but I want to participate in all of your pleasure, which includes that. We can do it over the phone, instant messaging, maybe FaceTime, or my favorite, in person while I watch.”
All of a sudden I was hot and bothered. I wondered if perhaps I could get off with only my hand while he talked to me. “So why don’t you come up here and watch, then?” I challenged, hardly believing I had done so. He was making me more adventurous for sure.
His breath hissed out. “You’d better not be touching yourself.”
It wasn’t in my nature to back down from a challenge. “What will you do if I am? I haven’t agreed to anything yet, and considering I haven’t had sex in over a year, I think I’m beyond being patient.”
He inhaled audibly, and I realized what I’d revealed.
“Get down here and close the door when you do.”
I heard a click. He’d issued an order and hung up the phone.
For the first time in my life, I didn’t hesitate in obeying.
***
After shutting the basement door, I padded down the flight of steps fighting my nerves.
Once there, Brian stalked towards me, his eyes smoldering.
Anything I’d thought I’d say died instantly on my lips.
He reached for me and moved my body up against the back of the sofa, bracing my hips with both hands and putting his hard thigh between my legs. “I’m not going to fuck you tonight. Do you understand?”
My eyes met his, and I nodded, unable to speak. His declaration had muddled my mind completely.
He looked both agitated and aroused at the same time. “I need more time than tonight, and it will be planned.”
“What exactly would you need that much time for?” My voice was a whisper.
His wicked grin made me crave his touch even more. “Because I want to eat your pussy for days, kiss every inch of your body, and then fuck you until you can barely walk.”
I couldn’t breathe. No man had ever turned me on with just his words. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep if you don’t touch me now.” My voice was raw. I couldn’t believe I was on the verge of begging for sex.
“Has it really been over a year?” He aligned his hips to mine, rubbing his erection into my center.
“Oh, God.” I couldn’t process his question with that distraction.
“Tell me, and I’ll take care of you.” His voice was seductive and low and unlike anything I’d ever heard from him.
“Yes, it’s been since I lived in Charlotte,” I admitted.
He stopped and looked at me intensely. “No one
in New York?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been busy with the job and—”
He held a finger to my lips. “Sash, you don’t need to justify it. It turns me on even more that it’s been that long. No wonder you’re frustrated, honey.”
He kissed me then with one of his hands gripping the back of my neck and the other one palming my sex over the outside of my pajama bottoms. “I can feel how wet you are through the fabric.” He massaged me with both his erection and fingers.
The friction wasn’t enough. I needed more. “Please, I need to feel you.”
“If I touch you, I won’t be able to stop. You’re like water to a thirsty man. You don’t know how much I want to taste you.”
I had visions of him putting his face where his hand was and whimpered. I was close, and he wasn’t even touching me skin on skin yet.
“That’s it. I know you’re almost there.” He rolled his hips into me, rubbing harder.
Before I could respond, the wave hit me. My body tightened, and I arched into him.
He grabbed my ass and pushed his center flush with mine, absorbing my climax against his hard body.
“Bri—” Panting for air and limp against him, I was very aware of the hardness straining against his pants and nestled between my thighs.
He kissed my forehead. “Whenever you start to think this isn’t what we should do, I want you to picture how much better that will be with our clothes off and after the fourth time.”
His words sent a shudder through me. Jesus, had he just made me come without actually touching me directly?
Reluctantly, he pulled away, kissing me one last time before stepping back.
I shivered with the loss of his heat and was left gripping the couch in order to keep from falling on my face.
“Are you all right to go upstairs?” he smirked.
I nodded, unable to say anything else. It wasn’t often that the best orgasm of your life came from being dry humped against the back of a basement sofa.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The flight down to Tortola the next day was on one of Josh’s private jets. The plane was already carrying quite a few people from New York, most of whom I’d had the pleasure of meeting at Haylee’s going-away party a few months ago. Only McKenzie, Brian, and myself boarded in Charlotte. Next stop, paradise. Evidently, there was a small airport on a neighboring island where we would land, while a bridge led to the resort on where we would all be staying. Not that we had to worry about logistics with the private plane, transportation, and accommodations already planned out for us.
“This is some style,” Kenzie remarked upon boarding the luxurious jet.
I observed the younger woman’s face as she got a first look at Will and smiled at her immediate interest. Will was a friend of Haylee’s, someone she’d met last year on a model shoot. He was young, gorgeous—and from what I’d seen—nice and down-to-earth.
“Hi, I’m McKenzie, Brian’s sister,” she introduced herself, happy to take the seat beside him.
“Nice to meet you, McKenzie. I’m Will.”
I had to bite my lip from laughing when Kenzie met my look with one of her own that clearly said, Holy shit, he’s Australian.
Brian, being the over protective big brother, frowned, but I nudged him out of glaring at the younger man. He took a seat next to his friend Mark who hopefully would provide a nice distraction for Brian not to worry about his sister. Kenzie could do a lot worse than a guy like Will, and maybe it would be good for her confidence.
Nigel, Josh’s long-time assistant, stood and took my hand in order to introduce me to his partner, David. Nigel had always been kind to me and had helped get me settled in New York when I’d moved up there. It was nice to see that David was looking healthy and feeling up for traveling. He’d battled colon cancer last year and was thankfully in remission. I had a feeling that everyone on this plane was looking for a few days of sunshine and celebration.
I went toward the back of the plane and took a seat next to Catherine. We caught up on our holidays, and then she leaned in and whispered, “Did he at least call and apologize for the other night and the nickname thing?”
Brian and I had agreed to keep our relationship on the down low; however I’d already confided my feelings about him to her so I didn’t see the harm in revealing the latest. “Better. He came over that night.”
“Holy shit balls,” she blurted out, then looked around apologetically, clearly happy that it seemed no one had heard her over the sound of the plane taking off. “Sorry.”
I laughed out loud. “Did you, Catherine Davenport, queen of all things classy and proper, just say, “shit balls”?
She giggled and turned slightly pink. “Not exactly an eloquent reaction, was it?”
“No, but it was hilarious.” We were soon in a fit of giggles.
Finally, she leaned forward and spoke quietly, “So you two, ah—”
I shook my head, thankful I didn’t have to lie about anything. “No, we’re, uh, figuring it out. There’s a lot at stake, and we’re taking things slow.” Much slower than I’d like, I thought wryly.
She smiled. “Did he tell you what he ended up telling Jamie?”
“No, we didn’t get into that. Suffice it to say he wasn’t happy with her for showing up, and he didn’t go home with her.”
Catherine sipped her water. “Maybe at the wedding, you guys…?”
I shrugged. “A lot of people we know will be there, and I’d like to keep it quiet. Chances are I’ll screw it up before it starts. You’re the only person I’ve told.”
“You know you can trust me, but why would you say you’ll mess it up?”
“There are a lot of reasons it could crash and burn.” Matter of fact, I’d started to list them all in my head about five seconds ago.
“How about you focus on the ways in which it wouldn’t? Obviously, he knows you, clearly you have chemistry, and you have history. Think positive.”
If only she knew how those words were essentially a theme song for getting through most days. “I’ll try. How about a cocktail?”
She glanced at her watch and laughed. “Why not? It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
“Good girl. I’m going to go see if I can mix up some mimosas. That way we can feel sophisticated about slugging back alcohol at ten o’clock in the morning.”
I got up and helped myself to the bar in the back. Opening a bottle of champagne, I poured two glasses.
Brian’s sexy voice came from behind me. “A drink, and it isn’t even noon yet, huh?”
My lips curved into a smile, and I turned, meeting his warm brown eyes with my own. “It contains orange juice, which makes it practically breakfast.”
He smiled, glanced back towards our fellow passengers and then moved me towards the side of the bar, out of the line of sight of any of the others. Leaning in, he whispered, “I can still feel you from last night.”
My breath left me, and I felt my cheeks flame in response. “Sounds like I should agree to everything, and we should get started.”
“Then that’s a yes?”
“If it is, then do we get started tonight?”
“What I have in mind means locking you in a room for at least forty-eight hours. No clothes and no interruptions.”
Delicious anticipation flowed between us. “We’d have three nights down here in Tortola.”
He seemed torn, and I had a moment of female empowerment.
“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m going to drag you to a place more private.”
“Don’t make promises you won’t keep,” I challenged.
He moved closer, his breath in my ear. “Is that what you want: everyone on this plane hearing you scream my name while I’m deep inside of you, taking you against the wall of the airplane lavatory?”
Holy crap.
He pulled back with a smug look of satisfaction in taking the power right back.
“I never thought I would have before this moment
,” I admitted, watching the disbelief flicker in his eyes.
“You surprise me.” He touched his thumb to my bottom lip.
Before I could help it, my tongue darted out to taste the salty pad.
His eyes turned feral as he visibly fought for control. “I swear to God, if my sister wasn’t on this plane, we would test your theory of not caring whether everyone heard you.”
“Oh, I think I’d care plenty afterwards.” But only Brian could make me forget it for a little while.
He chuckled. “I’ll let you get back to cocktails with Catherine. By the way, should I be worried about Will and my sister?”
I shook my head and grinned. “Oh, I think she’d do quite well with Will.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t talking about his looks.”
I laughed. “Neither was I. After all, he’s got that hot Australian accent going for him, too.”
I was rewarded with a sour expression before he returned to his seat.
***
We were met with a limousine upon landing, and the champagne continued to flow. I was happy to see that not only was McKenzie enjoying Will’s company but she also wasn’t the novice at flirting that I’d assumed. Matter of fact, she was impressively cool and collected, holding her own and not making it obvious if she was into him. Of course, there was the possibility that she wasn’t, but I’d be hard pressed to think of any crush better looking or nicer than Will.
Once we arrived at the resort and got checked in, there was a knock on my hotel door. I’d expected Brian on the other side, but was surprised to see McKenzie instead.
“Man, you didn’t mention Will would be coming. He’s gorgeous and super cool,” she said the minute the door shut.
Smiling, I noted her cosmetics bag clutched in her hand. I might have been hoping for Brian, but considering how much I enjoyed his sister’s company, I reasoned she could provide a nice distraction. “I’d actually forgotten about he and Haylee being such good friends. Did you want me to do your makeup?”
She instantly beamed. “I know I’m putting you on the spot again. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2) Page 9
