by Lauren Dane
Raven drank slowly, not quite trusting herself to say much.
“I did ask about you to your friends. Does that bother you?”
She thought about it and he didn’t press.
“Maybe. A little.” She shrugged.
“I wasn’t trying to dig up dirt. I like you. I’m interested in you and I wanted to know more. Daisy likes you. She’s a little in awe, I think, which is interesting given how fierce my brother’s girlfriend is.”
“Well, at least one of you has good taste.”
He smirked. “What do you mean by that?”
“Do you think I haven’t heard about your sister-in-law? The one who thinks Daisy is a dirty gold digger out for your family fortune?”
He sighed heavily, draping an arm over her shoulder, hugging her close, and to her surprise, she liked it.
“Gwen. Goddamn, she must give head like nobody’s business. It’s really the only thing I can think of that would blind Mal to her many faults.”
“Is that the key then? Cocksucking?”
“You do well with the cock and the rest is sort of easier.”
“Hm.”
“What’s this mysterious hm you do? What does it mean?”
“Any and all manner of things at any given time.”
“Should you be harboring any ideas that I’m only here with you because of your cocksucking skill, though you’ve got it, you’re not easy.”
He was . . . blunt. Surprising. She didn’t quite know how to take the things he said.
“Is that what you like then? Easy?”
He took her drink, placing it on the table next to his. He held her chin so she couldn’t look away. “If I wanted easy, I wouldn’t be here with you now. Easy is overrated anyway. I like prickly. Defensive. Blunt. I want you.”
She swallowed, thrown by the heat of a blush working up her neck.
“Easy is boring and you’re anything but boring.”
Before she could reply, the doorbell rang. “The food. I’ll be back.”
She stood along with him. “I’ll get plates and stuff.”
Raven didn’t know why she was like this with him. Off balance. She liked to tease her romantic partners, to play. But this was different.
He made her blush. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d actually blushed over anything.
He brought the food into the kitchen, humming as he poked into the containers and saw what was inside.
“Here, let me make your plate.” She’d paid attention, knew what he liked.
He stepped to her, pulling her close. “I like that you pay attention. I like that you serve me.”
She swallowed hard. “I like it too.” What else was there to say? She could have lied, but she tried not to. And the look on his face when she told him that pleased her to her toes.
When they sat, he pulled her chair close by hooking a foot in the rung at the bottom. He brushed the hair back from her face and then picked up a spring roll, feeding it to her.
Everything in her stilled.
“I like taking care of you.”
His voice was soft. But intense. In command.
“I wager it doesn’t happen often.”
She licked her lips. “I’m a grown woman. I can feed myself.”
“Of course you can.” He fed her a bite from his plate.
He took a bite or two and then fed her again. Forkfuls here and there. Nothing overwhelming. He wasn’t forcing her to eat.
“Have you ever been to Paris?”
“Twice. I like to travel.” She shrugged. “I doubt it’s the Paris you visit though.”
He raised a brow her way. “Oh? And how so?”
“I’ve never stayed in a four-star place before. I like pensions and cheap, off-the-beaten-path places. Not because I’m so edgy.” She laughed. “But because when I first started traveling I had no money and it was all I could afford.”
He snorted. “I do like four-star hotels, I can’t lie. Luxury isn’t overrated. You said you love travel. Where else do you go?”
“I love Hawaii. There’s something about just walking out the door and it being perfect outside. The air always smells good. The water is always gorgeous and warm so you can play in it all day long. The food is plentiful and cheap.”
He laughed. “Cheap? It’s as expensive to eat in Hawaii as it is in Paris.”
“There are so many roadside stands, barbecue grills and hole-in-the-wall places to eat in Hawaii. If you go to the tourist places, it’s expensive. If you buy a lot of milk, yes, it’s expensive. But when I’m there I eat a lot of fruit and local stuff.”
“I think I need to take you to Paris, four-star style. And you need to take me to Hawaii, roadside-stand style. I have a house in Maui.”
“You do? A friend has a condo there and he lends it to me a few times a year in exchange for my working at his shop. I used to go more often. But since Alexander I find myself spending a lot more time here.”
He fed her another bite and sat back, eating as he listened to her speak awhile.
“You’re close with him.”
“He’s precious to me. Erin is like my sister. She’s the person on earth I’m closest to. And Alexander, well, he’s impossible not to love. He likes me around so I’m around.”
“It’s important to children to be surrounded by people they love and can trust. It’s a gift you’re giving him.”
“It’s the other way around really. I never thought much about kids one way or the other. Until him. When she got pregnant it was an odd time in my life. I didn’t know how it would change our friendship. I was selfish.”
“Worried you’d lose your friend, that’s not selfish. That’s human.”
“It was selfish. I can own my flaws. I don’t need anyone to make excuses for me.”
He loved how her chin jutted out. Defiant.
He fed her another piece of bread. Her eyes closed just a bit as she enjoyed the taste.
“Anyway, she had a rough time. Her pregnancy was hard. There were things going on with Ben’s family and it upset her. I stayed to run some interference when I could. Though she’s surrounded by people who love her so it would have happened anyway, I suppose.”
He knew Erin’s brothers adored her and were protective. But he was sure this woman did all she could to help her friend get through her rough time.
“Anyway, when he was born I was there. In the room. It was . . . it was amazing. And she was a fucking queen to have done it. And then Alexander was in the world. I traveled like I usually did, but I found myself coming back more often and for longer stints of time. It worked out for Brody so he could take more time off to be with Elise because then they got pregnant and had Martine.”
She downplayed how important she was to people.
“By the time Alexander had his first birthday I figured it would be best if I bought a place up here. He’s my little dude. Then Poppy came. Lucky for the kid, she’s more like her mom than her dad. But I like kids. Other people’s kids even better because after a few overnights with Alexander, I don’t know how Erin manages it on four hours’ sleep.”
“You have a marshmallow center.” He poked her belly and she smirked.
“I am a hard-ass bitch, Jonah. I am mean. I am selfish and not to be trusted.”
He shook his head. “You moved to Seattle for Alexander.”
Her face softened again. “He’s my reason to put down roots.” Then she found her mask again. “But that doesn’t mean I’m still not bad news.”
“You are not bad news. No matter how often you tell yourself that. And I will say the sleep stuff is a killer. When Carrie was a baby she was pretty easy. She slept well. But when she started walking she just hated to sit still. She was up at five. Gave up naps before she was two. My ex hated that.”
“You were at work all day while she was home with the kid?”
“One of us had to pay the mortgage. We talked about it before she got pregnant. That she’d be home. I didn’t exp
ect her to because she was the woman. We had a deal. She . . .”
“I’m not accusing you of being a sexist jerk. It was a question, that’s all. Erin is really good at it. The stay-at-home-mom gig. She’s got this endless patience with him. It helps that he’s a really happy kid. But still, she just goes and goes. Did you have a nanny or a night nurse or whatever?”
He relaxed a little. “She wanted a night nurse but I was really opposed. But she did have a nanny a few days a week. My mother came and helped a lot too. Looking back, the first cracks in our relationship were then. She wasn’t cut out for it. Parenting, I mean.”
“Yes, well. Carrie has you. Sounds like she’s better off without your ex. Who, by the way, sounds like a total moron. Did her tits blind you or something?”
He choked as he laughed. “We were young. She was gorgeous in her way. Her family knows my family. It seemed like the right choice at the time. I did love her. Then.” Even as they’d started to get into trouble he’d loved her, wanted to fix things. But once she’d started neglecting Carrie, that had killed it.
“You Warner boys sure do like to marry dumbasses. From what I hear, your mother isn’t stupid in any way.”
“I thought you liked Daisy?”
“I do. But he isn’t married to her. Yet. I’m talking the first one. And your ex. And the dumb, racist one your other brother is married to.”
“I’m going to hear your voice calling her the dumb racist one every time I see her from now on. Thanks for that.”
She shrugged.
“I think we did what we were expected to do.”
“I insulted you.”
“No. Not really.” He paused, teasing her with another bite. “You say things people don’t say. It’s . . . I’m not used to it.”
“Honesty?”
“Candor perhaps is a better term.”
“I don’t know which fork to use either.”
She was so fearless in many ways, but also vulnerable. He saw it all through her words and body language. It got to him. He wanted to gather her up and protect her.
So he did.
She didn’t resist, though she was surprised as she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling from his lap.
“I’ve got you.”
The words were simple. Easily understood in the context.
But they were more. It tore at her. Made her lose her grip on her defenses.
He put his head on her chest and she relaxed a little.
“Forks are overrated. Also, you talk a good game, but your table manners are pretty impeccable.”
He had a house in Maui. Good lord.
“I’m full, but you hardly ate.”
He sat straighter and pulled her plate over. She moved to take the fork, but he grabbed her wrists with one of his hands, holding them fast at the small of her back.
A pulse of warmth flowed through her. Narcotic.
He fed her, pausing to kiss her here and there as he did.
She couldn’t explain to herself why she tolerated it. That he restrained her and fed her and she made no effort to stop him.
But it did something to her. Filled a crack that had been forming since he’d come into her life.
“Candor is important. Most people aren’t honest on that level.”
“Erin says I’m sort of feral.” She shrugged. It was true really. It’s not like she was ever in any one place long enough growing up for a responsible adult to teach her how she was supposed to act.
He smiled. “Not feral. You’re just not affected like so many people are.”
“I’m really not trying to offend people. Well, most of the time.” She smirked. “I can be a total bitch when I put my mind to it.”
He laughed. “I bet you can. And I bet you’re aces at it.”
“Not worth doing if you don’t do your best.” He kept feeding her, holding her hands, keeping her on his lap until she was nearly catlike in her laziness. She leaned into his body, warm and lethargic. “I’m full. I promise.”
He put the plate aside.
“Do you trust me?”
She managed to tip her head back enough to look at his face. She didn’t trust a lot of people. But there she sat, on his lap after he’d held her hands captive and fed her. After she’d told him about growing up in the system.
Ludicrous. But no less true.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
He stood, keeping her in his arms, though he did let go of her wrists to keep from dropping her.
“I can walk.”
“I know. And I can carry you. What’s the point of going to the gym if I can’t carry a hot woman to my bedroom where I’m going to strip her naked and fuck her?”
“Put that way.”
She had to admit she was impressed by the easy way he carried her. As if she weighed nothing, and heaven knew that wasn’t true.
He nudged the doors to his room open with his foot and put her on the edge of the bed. “You need to be naked.”
She quickly complied, pulling her shirt off.
He sucked in a breath. “Mmm, I know you love purple, but red really looks gorgeous next to your skin.”
She was glad she’d worn the red bra.
She bent to help him get his jeans off and then his shirt, which luckily was a button-down so he wouldn’t have to pull a shirt on over his head with his back sore.
She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “You have a fantastic body. Really.”
“Thank you.” He tipped her back to the bed and pulled her jeans off. Pausing to look at the tiny red panties she wore.
“I’m not sure I’d have pegged you for matching lingerie. But I like it. A lot.”
“I have a slight problem. I love lingerie. So much that it’s one of my favorite things about finally having a regular place to live so I can store it all instead of carrying it around.”
“Clearly I need to come to your place so I can check it all out.”
“Maybe. If you’re extra good.”
He grinned, looking rather like a pirate.
He crawled up the bed toward her body, nibbling up her thigh until he got her panties off, tossing them behind him. He paused as he held her gaze and a change came over his features.
“Hold on to the headboard. Don’t let go unless I say.”
She obeyed as if he’d pressed a button.
The cool of the wood was real against her palms. An anchor as he nibbled up her belly and then bit the underside of her breast until she hissed. Then he licked over the spot and warmth flowed as he hummed against her skin.
“Gonna leave a mark.”
That appealed to her. Knowing she’d be able to see it the next day. A tangible reminder of the time they’d shared.
“I like knowing it’ll be there. Knowing my mark will be on your skin. Like a secret.”
He left her breathless with the stuff he said. Good gracious.
The edge of his teeth found her nipple. First the right and then the left. Over and over until she was writhing. Grabbing the headboard so hard she wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d broken it.
“What shall I do next? Hmm?”
She’d been about to answer when he sat up.
“Don’t move.”
She didn’t as he disappeared into the next room. She heard him rustling around for a few minutes and then returned looking rather triumphant.
“I’m not sure if that look bodes well for me.”
“It bodes well for me, anyway.”
He pulled out a blindfold. “I use it while sleeping on long plane rides, but it’ll work just fine for you too.”
The material was cool against her face as he slid it on. It smelled faintly of lavender and of him.
Her skin came alive at the loss of her sight. Gooseflesh rose as he drew a fingertip down her collarbone and then over her nipple.
“On your belly. Hands out to the side.”
He took one of her wrists and she felt the clasp of a leath
er cuff as he tightened it on one side and then the other. Then he moved her wrist up and attached it to the poster of the bed somehow. He followed with her ankles.
Now, she wasn’t a stranger to sex. She’d been tied up for shits and giggles a few times. But this was different. This wasn’t a game. He was far too good at it to have been a game.
Part of it was—a big part of it—how hot it seemed to make him. She heard his breathing change as he moved. The brush of his cock as he worked let her know he was more than a little turned on by what he was doing.
His hands on her were sure and strong. And though what he was doing was binding her, those hands did not harm or misuse. This was out of her normal repertoire, but she knew that she liked it and wanted more. And that was enough.
“You’re so beautiful this way. Your back, your gorgeous ass and those long legs. Goddamn.”
She couldn’t quite put her words together so she didn’t say anything, though she managed a grunt of assent.
She wanted to know what he was going to do next. Wanted to experience it.
He’d never seen anything better in his bed. Ever.
Her dark hair a river over her shoulders and her back. Her muscles corded with her arms up, bound to the bed with the cuffs he’d actually never used before today. Though he’d taken them out and thought about using them more than a few times. He’d never been alone in the house with a woman he’d trusted enough to use them with.
Charlotte had barely tolerated his taste for rough sex. But she’d never submitted this beautifully. There had been others since the divorce. A woman he used to visit at her apartment. He’d learned a lot. His likes and dislikes. How to wield the tools that appealed. But it had been more like training than a relationship. He’d never been invested in her beyond her bedroom door.
This though . . . Raven was something far more. It had been a very long time since anyone had called to him the way this woman did.
So much to do with her. He let it take over, that part of himself he kept leashed deep inside. It settled in easily. As if it had been waiting for Raven.
Provocative. Her eyes covered. Naked on his bed. Her skin a riot of color from her ink, the roses curling up her inner arms. Her ass jutted out because she’d arched her back.
His. No one else around. Hours and hours.
