by Ace Gray
“I think you know,” I answered. “It’s your fault.” And mostly it was.
“But?” He read me like a book.
“But it bothers me I don’t know who is behind the leak.”
His eyes burned with understanding. This time he leaned in and kissed me slowly.
“Do you want to go to dinner?”
“Now? It’s early.”
“I mean at some point tonight, with me?”
“Sure, Nick.”
His eyes flared as he shifted and brought his body to hover over mine. His knee was perched on the seat between my legs. Nick started sucking on my lip then kissed the side of my mouth. He trailed kisses down my jaw then returned to my lips. He kissed me hard without ever moving his hand from behind my neck. He held me still and our lips moved fervently across each other. I was panting when we pulled up to the curb.
“Upstairs, now.”
His voice rumbled in his chest and I scrambled out of the car. His hand came to my elbow and he all but pulled me into the building. His grip reminded me of the bruises on my hip and I blushed.
This will be quite the paparazzi photo.
“In a hurry?” I muttered.
The elevator opened and he pushed me inside. He swiped his key card, and in an animalistic movement, turned on me. He pinned me into the corner and started back on my lips. His weight was heavy against me. I grabbed his thick arms to steady myself.
Nick worked his way over to my ear and pulled hard on the lobe. That was the tug I wanted to feel on my nipples and I moaned wildly at the thought. He drew me closer with one hand firmly on my hip and the other undoing my hair. His erection pressed against my thigh.
When the elevator pinged, he turned and towed me out. We crashed against the wood paneling in the entryway. I wrapped my hands around his neck and we made out until my lips were raw. We rolled and I found myself pushed against the cables of the staircase.
“Go to the bedroom, strip naked, and kneel on the bed.” Nick was barely able to choke out the words.
I bit my lip and turned. Once upstairs I dropped my coat on Bryant’s favorite chair and used the arm to steady myself as I pulled my boots off. I yanked off my dress and underwear. I was naked and looking out across the city as I took one deep breath and crawled onto the bed. At the center I turned, only to realize he’d been watching the whole time.
My back arched slightly as I squared my shoulders. His eyes flashed and he started to loosen his tie. He was still leaning casually against the doorframe when he pulled it from his collar. The outline of his hard cock was obvious against his trousers; I stared long enough that he smirked and stroked it before walking toward me. He slid his jacket off mid-stride and threw it onto the chair where my clothes rested. He undid the first three buttons of his shirt before leaning to take off his shoes.
Then his movements slowed. Nick smirked as he undid the rest of his buttons and his belt. He made a show of removing everything but his black boxer briefs.
Nick walked to his bedside drawer and pulled out a long silk ribbon. I watched him circle the bed then felt it jostle as he climbed on behind me. He slid up against me to kiss along the back of my neck. I melted back into his chest. My arms went to snake up around him, but he pushed them back down to my sides.
His fingertips traced up my arms and I moved again to touch him. He pinned my hands much the same. His laugh was soft, dark and terribly naughty behind me. I wanted to shout that he didn’t need to play some erotic game—I was fine being bent over the footboard and getting fucked—but I simply bit my lip.
Soft silk tickled against my skin. My breathing hitched. The fabric skated across the swell of my breasts, dancing in time with my racing heartbeats, before Nick pulled it tight. The bind walked the fine line between pleasure and pain. He kissed me squarely between the shoulder blades before picking up the long tail of the ribbon. He grazed my skin and I goosebumped where his hands touched.
Nick traced a track that mirrored the one already tied, just below my breasts. He pulled tight again, and the ribbon pressed my breasts up. His hold became tighter and tighter with one hand while he rolled my beaded nipples between his long fingers. I cried out at his touch; he laughed his husky, sexy laugh against my ear. That laugh was making me drip.
Rather than returning to kisses or touches, Nick took the ribbon. He wound it a few more times around my torso, each time pulling tighter. My breasts pressed higher and higher, noticeably lifted and far more round by the time he reached my thighs.
I wasn’t particularly thrilled he was still behind me. The look he’d have would make the confinement and edge so much easier to bear. He threaded the tail of the ribbon between my legs. He groaned with approval when he brushed my dripping sex, but barely hesitated as he pulled the ribbon between my thighs.
Fuck!
He kept one hand holding the silk and used the other to push me up and away from my heels. Wordlessly, Nick wrapped the tail down and around one of my legs. He tied a tight bow around my calf then pulled me back down. The ribbon was tight, forcing my skin to become taut and bright crimson in the best way.
Nick kissed each shoulder. “Lean your head back, Sweets.”
I did as I was told and my heart continued its hammer in my chest. He kissed my exposed throat tenderly before letting his eyes wander down my chest to devour my bound body.
“Perfect. You are perfect.”
He kissed my neck again as he tied silk across my eyes. I couldn’t see anything through the black fabric; my lashes brushed against the soft blindfold and the tails quivered at my shoulder blades. His hands fell away from my body and I felt him shuffle off the bed. My head straightened and I tried to sit still.
Nick didn’t make a sound. I doubted he was in the room anymore, and his absence made me fidget. The ribbon twisted, pulled, and ran right across my clitoris with every movement. I couldn’t fill my lungs completely. With every small movement I was reminded of how swollen my breasts were. They got heavier and my nipples harder with each shallow breath.
The sheer eroticism of being tied and left was getting to me. I lost all sense of time. I found myself whimpering ever so softly. My chin fell to my chest and my knees started to ache. I was about to call out in defeat when he spoke.
“If it’s ever too much all you have to say is stop.”
His voice came from just over my shoulder. He could always read my mind. Knowing he was there was enough. I stayed absolutely silent.
“Good girl.”
Ice cubes clinked innocently against some crystal glass just before he crawled back onto the bed. I trembled, and when an ice cube pressed to my nipple, I cried out. He didn’t hesitate starting circles, each getting bigger. Water dripped down across my skin and the silk before pooling at my hip.
When he shifted to the other nipple, I realized how numb my skin was. Water cascaded down, puddling at my knees and trickling toward the bed. It was a freezing fire. I forgot about the binding, about the pain and could only focus on the path he was tracing across my skin.
I could barely feel anything when the ice cubes left my body. He shifted off the bed again, and I threw my head back in frustration.
“Nick, please.” I wasn’t above begging. Not here, not now.
“You trust me, right?”
His warm breath was back against my skin. I aargghed and nodded.
“Then you’ve gotta hang in there, Sweets.”
I went to straighten my head and square my shoulders but he wrapped my hair around his wrist and stopped me.
“No. Stay like this.” He gave a hard tug and I moaned.
Thinking of how I looked, all trussed up, was the epitome of hot. I pictured a downright ravenous Nick behind me. The pop of a champagne cork brought me back to the present. Cool glass, with the slightest hint of condensation, grazed along my shoulder and made me jump. Then to my surprise he poured a small amount over me.
The bubbles popped against my skin and pooled at my collarbone. He moved to my
other shoulder, letting even more trickle down my body. It streamed across my nipple and down to my legs. He poured one more time, effectively covering my front in the fizzing liquid. I swore I could feel every single bubble burst against my skin.
With a strong, solid movement he grabbed my bound arms and pulled my body to his mouth. His tongue traced my collarbone and lapped what was left of the champagne. He pressed his lips to the silk crossing my breastbone. Slowly but surely he traced the other side. He came back to my chest and grazed his teeth against the swell of my breasts. A little bit of liquid quivered in my cleavage then spilled as I trembled. Nick kissed down the fresh trail and across the silk below. His tongue licked across my exposed, sweetened skin. He bent all the way down to my hips and kissed and sucked the sweet pools there. His nose rubbed ever so slightly against the silk, knowing it shifted the ribbon between my thighs and that each twitch was torturous. I cried out.
His deep, husky laugh puffed warm against my skin. I was still trembling when he took his pointed tongue and traced the edges of the silk. He was inching closer and closer to my clitoris. He reached for another ice cube to torture my nipples while his tongue inched lower.
There was an excruciating ache deep inside me. He could sense it, as always, and pulled away from me. I was left harshly gasping for air.
I couldn’t take it anymore, the tease or the torment. Even the tantalizing. I was about to whisper, “Stop,” when he spanked me hard. It was so unexpected that I came loudly, calling out his name. The pulses wracked my body and made me slump even though I was still tightly bound. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even think.
He wrapped his arm around my ribs and lifted me. I was putty in his hands as he slid between my thighs, kneeling so his erection pressed against my belly. Bryant’s lips violently took mine. I still couldn’t breathe, which heightened the intensity of his kiss. His tongue exploring mine was enough to make my body bow to him and test the ribbon restraints. His free hand moved to my hip and gripped the smarting bruise from his swat. I moaned into his open mouth.
His death grip lifted me higher. He held me just above his hard shaft for the briefest moment. I couldn’t help but quiver with anticipation. This is what I’d wanted all day—him, inside me—I was desperate for it. His fingers pulled the ribbon slightly to the side, and he pushed me down onto his length. Hard. I screamed.
“Jesus Christ, Sweets,” he groaned.
I took him all and we sat like that for a few moments. We were nose to nose and I could sense his warm skin right in front of me. His hands stayed on my hips and started gliding me up and down his thick shaft.
Nick was perfectly designed for me, filling me, stretching me, and pushing every inch of me in the right direction. He knew how to roll his hips and thrust, and he knew exactly what my body wanted.
MMMmmm.
Nick growled at the sound then moved me faster. He thrust harder and harder, moaning and swearing as he changed speeds. The ache that’d never really gone away was back and more pressing than before.
“Let go, Kate. Come once more for me, Sweets.”
He pushed his fingertips harder into my hips and pulled twice before I exploded. My body went numb and shook. I could only whisper, “Nick,” as a single tear slipped beneath the blindfold.
“I love, the way, you come,” he managed through gritted teeth.
Nick pounded hard and fast as he used my body to reach his own orgasm. He shot into me; I was so sensitive it set off a tingly sensation in my core. I gasped in shock as he called out. I couldn’t help the second small tear that ran down my cheek. When he stilled, I leaned my head onto his shoulder. We sat frozen for a few minutes while we caught our breath.
He grabbed my face, his thumbs resting on my cheeks. He noticed my tears and scrambled to yank the blindfold off.
“Are you OK?” Gray suddenly swirled in his eyes.
“Yes.” I managed a stutter. A part of me felt absolutely absurd for crying when I orgasmed for him. “You just make me feel so…so…so much.”
He leaned his forehead against mine.
“You make me feel so much, too.” A shy smile spread across his face.
He kept hold of my shoulders as we sat in the silent, sunset streaked room.
“Will you please untie me?”
“I don’t know. I’d like to keep you tied in bed indefinitely. The things you let me do to you.” He shook his head.
Nick wrapped his arms around me to untie the bow at my ankle. He deftly unwound my leg before the rest of my body. He kept a firm hold on my shoulders, even after he’d taken the ribbon off.
Looking down I could see the faintest line from the fabric. I sagged against him and he gently pulled me down to the bed.
“You can do absolutely anything to me.” The words just slipped from my lips as Nick rubbed my shoulders and knees then kissed my hair.
22.
Bryant gently shook me, and my eyelids slowly peeled back revealing a dark night sky sparkling with city lights. I didn’t remember dozing off. I tried to stretch but my body was too sore. I yelped the second I forced my muscles and bones to move. Being with Nick was harder than training bouts with Leo.
“Sweets, are you OK?” He leaned over me and brushed the hair from my face.
“Yes, just sore. And sticky for that matter.”
“Will you still go to dinner with me?”
“Aren’t we too late for dinner?” I nodded toward the windows.
“No, it’s only nine thirty. We can go anywhere you want.”
“I barely want to leave. I wish we could go somewhere comfortable and low key. I’d prefer to wear jeans and a sweater. I’d love to avoid photographers.”
“I can make that happen. Why don’t we go to your place? You can change and grab some things for the morning. I’d like for you to stay.”
The last part was more of a command than a request. I looked over and noticed he wouldn’t meet my eyes; instead he was staring at the wall behind me.
“What’s that look for?” My brow furrowed.
“Just thinking. You’ll stay tonight, won’t you?”
I nodded and rolled so I could kiss his cheek. I tried to jump up, but my body wouldn’t move fast enough. Instead it was a slow, creaky walk to the chair where my clothes were haphazardly strewn.
We pulled up to my building, and I automatically opened the car door and strode out. Both Bryant and Jaime jogged to catch up with me. Bryant grabbed my arm and pulled me back behind Jaime.
“In the future, you will wait for one of us.”
His throaty demand surprised me.
“I’m just walking into my building. I think I can manage.” I rolled my eyes but Nick was deathly serious and didn’t find my snarky remark amusing. “OK, guess not.”
I stomped off and yanked at the building door. Bryant caught the glass before it crashed into his face and snarled. Jaime stayed behind, a silent sentinal.
“Don’t get snippy with me. You will listen.”
“Screw you, Bryant. I wasn’t overly worried about making it from the car to my front door. I’ve done it once or twice before.”
We stood in separate corners of the elevator, riding in silence. He was used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. I was too, and I’d be damned if I caved to him. I never caved to anyone, and I hated myself for being one giant sinkhole for him. I was stewing as I shoved my keys into the door and all but kicked it open.
“I can’t lose you again.” A scared whisper cut the silence once I slammed the door behind us.
I whirled to look at him and my temper deflated. He looked the way I’d felt while we’d been apart. There was no game, just raw emotion there. The passion between us was always obvious—electric even—but I’d always assumed the deeper connection was mine. That look had me second-guessing myself.
“Me neither.” I flushed. I went to continue but was promptly interrupted.
“What on earth are you doing hanging out in the entryway?” L
aura taunted as she rounded the corner. “Oh, whoa. Bryant’s here?” Her eyebrows were about ready to shoot off her forehead.
“Yes.” I couldn’t take my eyes away from him. “Bryant is here. Nicholas, have you ever formally met Laura Gold? Laura, Bryant, Bryant, Laura.”
Laura shoved her hands on her hips to stare him down.
When her gaze shifted, she pointed at me and barked, “You, me. Upstairs. Now!”
I rolled my eyes and leaned toward Nick. I made a show of kissing him passionately. His lips stayed still against mine.
“Hey, I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home.”
He nodded at me, his eyes churning. I followed Laura upstairs, anxious to be back with Nick. Anxious to soothe that troubled look. She flopped onto my bed with an exasperated sigh and started rubbing her temples. I rolled my eyes again and reached for my travel bag.
“I stole your boyfriend sophomore year. Sophomore year! And you’ve never forgiven me. He steals your company and two weeks later you’re back together?”
“OK, two things. One, I’m pretty sure I’ve forgiven you. You’re living rent-free in my apartment in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Two, he didn’t steal my company. He couldn’t have. Nor did he lie to me.”
“You’re going to justify his actions? You must really have it bad. Like, idiot bad.”
I stopped packing and glared at her. “Idiot bad? Is that the technical term? And so what if I do? I know damn well I care far more than I ever intended to.”
It was her turn to roll her eyes, but I knew that look. She understood. Or would try to.
“Should I give him more shit?” Laura asked.
“No, I think it’s best you didn’t.”
I thought back to his tense face in the hallway. I shoved some workout clothes and makeup to my bag before changing.
“I take it you’re staying the night?
“Yes. I feel like I missed out on something being apart from him. Where’s your new gentleman? The one we were texting about?”
She scoffed, and turned the pink I’d been turning regularly.
