Strictly Research (Bad Boy MFM Romance)

by Terry Towers

  I looked around nervously. “Uh...” I looked over my shoulder as someone opened the door to the club, nudging me in the back and making me stumble into Xander.

  He caught me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against the wall of his chest. “Whoa, I got ya.”

  “Oh, sorry,” mumbled a frazzled and flushed-looking young man who came out of the club. He didn’t wait for a reply, but quickly disappeared into the crowd.

  “You okay?” Releasing his hold on me, Xander took a step back, but slipped his hands into mine.

  “I’m fine. I…” Part of me wanted to slip my hands from him while the other didn’t want to let him go. What in the hell was I doing here, again?

  “Did you want to go in?” When I didn’t respond, he continued. “How about I buy you a drink? It’s been a slow night, I could use some conversation.”

  How could I say no to conversation? It’s not like we had to do anything. Just hang out. What else was I planning on doing tonight? I shrugged, giving him a nervous smile. “All right.”

  I won’t lie, as I followed Xander into the club, a part of me was hoping to see Mitchell. But on the flip side, did I really want to see him with another person? No, not really. But that was insane, I knew what and who he was. I had no claim on him and never would. But the fact that there was no future whatsoever still made me long for the idea that there could be.

  “So you never answered my previous question. Are you simply wandering the streets or out for a reason?” Xander asked, pulling the chair out from a small two person table in a darkened part of the club, away from prying eyes. “Hold that answer, I’ll grab us a couple of drinks.”

  I nodded and watched as he turned and walked over to the bar, slipping behind it and began preparing a couple of drinks. He was sexy in a different way than Mitchell. While I loved the tall, dark, handsome look of Mitchell, there was definitely a sex appeal to Xander. The slightly long, dirty blonde hair with the boy-next-door look had its own kind of charm.

  As if feeling my eyes on him, he looked up, and his stare caught mine, a smile curling up the corners of his lips. A shiver raced down my spine and sparked a throbbing between my legs, all because of that look. My mouth went dry, and I swiped my tongue along my glossed lower lip, moistening them.

  His smile widened, then he redirected his gaze to the drinks he was preparing.

  Oh god. I squirmed in my seat as moisture began to build between my legs. I had to distract myself. I shifted my gaze, but it didn’t help. Couples were everywhere, but most all ended up going down the corridor that Mitchell had led me the previous evening. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on behind those doors. Now that I’d experienced DP, I’ll admit I was interested in experiencing more. Maybe ease myself into BDSM? I didn’t know, but a part of me craved more.

  “You’re not done exploring, are you?”

  “Huh?” My brow creased as I looked up at him, watching him place my drink in front of me and then taking his place across from me.

  “I could tell. You were so responsive and eager. Deny it all you want, but I know the truth, sugar. I can tell. There’s so many more experiences you long for.”

  He said it so matter-of-factly, as if we were talking about our favourite foods or planning on going to a baseball game. It was such an intimate, personal thing—at least to me. But I could tell that to him, it was nothing more than an occupation. Something you did like playing racquetball or mini-golf.

  “You’re so nonchalant about sex.”

  He leaned back in the straight-back wooden chair and shrugged. “If I weren’t, then I’d not be in the right profession.”

  I leaned forward in my chair and took a long, deep drink from the fruity cocktail that he’d prepared for me, considering my next words. If nothing else, Mitchell and Xander were a pool of information. I could see the book writing itself in my head, if I were to write a book on the experience, that is.

  “How do you do it, though?”

  “Do what?”

  “Part the two. Love and sex. It’s such an intimate thing.”

  He shrugged. “You did it last night.”

  The mention of last night brought a flush to my cheeks. “That was different.”

  “How so? Humans weren’t meant to be monogamous.”

  “That’s bullshit.”

  “Is it?” He brought the bottle of beer to his lips and finished it off.

  “Of course it is. People fall in love, get married, and spend decades together. Their entire lives, with one single person.”

  “But it’s not the natural way for humans, and there’s science to prove it.”

  Leaning back in my chair, I grinned. “You’ve done the research, huh?”

  His grin turned smug. “Matter of fact, I did. My degree is in Biology. And took some anthropology. Monogamy is a relatively new concept for humans.”

  “You have a degree in science?” There was surprise in my voice. I could hear it, but it couldn’t be helped. What in the hell was he selling sex when he could have a decently paying career doing something in his field?

  “I do.” Instead of being offended by my tone, his smile actually widened. “You look surprised.”

  “Little bit.” Fuck, I felt like an asshole right then.

  “Why is that? Can’t see me as a lab nerd?”

  I shook my head. “No, not really. It’s not that I’m surprised you went to college, it’s just...to be doing what you do with a science degree? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Oh, so Mitchell hasn’t told you the plan, then?”

  My brow creased as I stared at him. “Plan?”

  “He mentioned spending the day with you, so I assumed that he mentioned the plan.”

  “Nope.” Now my curiosity was truly peaked. Thinking back on the day with him, I came to realize that we really hadn’t talked much about his life. Most of the day was me talking about me. God, I must have come across as arrogant and self-absorbed. I groaned inwardly.

  Xander laughed. “Ahhh, then who am I to give away the secret?”

  “No, please.” I reached across the table and took his hands, giving them a squeeze, not even realizing what I was doing until my hands were in his. “Tell me, I’m dying to know, really! I know you two aren’t from here, he told me that much. Where are you from? Why are you here? I really would like to know.”

  He leaned forward, giving my hands a squeeze. “Okay. I’ll make you a deal.”

  Chewing at my lower lip, I looked into his eyes. There was something in them, a hunger mixed with amusement. I had a feeling that the information would be far from free. But dammit, I wanted to know. Needed. Of course, I was seeing Mitchell tomorrow, so technically, I could wait.

  Who was I kidding, no I couldn’t.

  Seeing my hesitation, he continued. “You don’t even know what the deal is, you should at least hear me out.”

  “What is it?”

  “Come back with me, to my room. We’ll talk, you’ll tell me a few things that I want to know, and then I’m an open book.”

  I hesitated again. Back to his room? Memories of the previous evening, of how amazing his hands felt caressing my body, came rushing back, desire coming with it. I was torn, I’ll admit it. I wanted the man across from me, the man who was offering anything I desired. But there was Mitchell, too. Though how did that even factor in?

  I was about to decline his proposal when I caught sight of Mitchell across the room, his arm around a dark-haired woman as he led her into the back—to his room.

  Fuck.

  That’s all I needed. I’d had a lapse in judgement. His job was to fuck women—any with the money to pay him. And when it came right down to it, I came here to experience everything I was missing. Xander was offering it.

  “Okay.” Nervousness crept up within me, but I forced it down. This wasn’t my first time with Xander, there was no need to be scared or insecure with him. “I’d love to take you up on that offer.”

  ~*~ TT ~*
~

  Mitchell

  I just wasn’t into this tonight. Not that I’m always amped to spend the night fucking strangers anyhow. I love sex and indulging in the female body, don’t get me wrong, but tonight, I was just too distracted. The client—my first for the night, and considering how slow it seemed, perhaps my last—kicked off her heels and crawled onto my bed, relaxing. She was a fairly attractive French woman, certainly do-able. In most situations, I’d have been thrilled to have a client I didn’t need prescription medication in order to fuck. But not tonight.

  “So darling, what would you like from me tonight?” I asked slowly approaching the bed, giving her a smile while willing my dick to do its duty. It wasn’t being co-corporative, getting to half-mast, and that was where it stayed.

  Well, fuck. It wasn’t the clients’ job to get their sex toy—which was essentially what I was—up and ready for action. I sighed. Viagra here I come.

  “One moment, baby.” I veered off my course to the bed and headed towards the dresser. The top drawer contained my Viagra. Shaking the pill into my hand, I popped it into my mouth, dry swallowing it and shoving the bottle back into the drawer. Placing my hands behind my neck, I lowered my shoulders and let my head fall back stretching the tight muscles.

  A little better.

  Looking over my shoulder, I gave the woman on my bed a wink, her name was . No, that wasn’t it… Teresa. Shit, no that wasn’t it either. I think it started with a T. Maybe now. Who the fuck cared, anyhow, I’ll just use the generic ‘baby’ or ‘sweetie’ or whatever. When I was between her legs making her cum, it wouldn’t matter to her.

  Grabbing the bottle of water from the top of the dresser, I screwed off the top and took a long drink, downing half of the bottle. Damn, I was feeling like a prized fighter preparing for a match. This shouldn’t be this hard with a chick.

  Turning back to the client, I flashed her another smile. She flushed slightly, her red painted fingernails fiddling with the top button of her black blouse.

  “So,” I began walking towards her slowly as I undid my black leather belt and pulled it through the belt loops of my jeans, wanting her to take a moment to feast her eyes on what her good money had bought.

  “So,” she parroted, her eyes dipping to my groin, which was finally starting to come alive.. Stepping up to the foot of the bed, I grabbed her jean-clad thighs and pulled her bottom to the edge. She giggled like a school girl. They all did when I turned on the charm.

  “What. Do. You. Want?” I paused between each word for emphasis, kneeling down as though poised to devour her.

  She licked her lower lip. “You.”

  I groaned inwardly. Some direction here would be nice. I just wasn’t in the mood to entertain her. “Well, for the next hour, you have me. But what exactly do you want from me?”

  Her phone went off inside her purse on the floor by the side of the bed, a distinctive love song playing as the ring tone. I expected her to lean down and shut off the ringer. Instead, she frantically snatched up the phone from her purse, answered it, and began chattering to the person on the other end.

  So much for love. With a sigh, I walked to the other end of the room and flopped myself onto the red velvet arm chair. Fuck it, it was her money. She wanted to waste it gabbing then what did I care? Only one problem, though—I had a raging hard-on and nowhere to shove it. Whatever, I wasn’t in the mood to shove it into her anyhow, I had a pocket pussy in my drawer, if needed.

  Chapter 8

  Monica

  “Nice room.” I looked around the place, appreciatively. It was more comforting than Mitchell’s, as though it were put together with the sole purpose of wooing women. The walls were a dusty rose color. The bed was a canopy, four-poster type, though I didn’t miss the fact there were restraints attached to each post. Even the restraints were somewhat feminine: instead of the expected leather cuffs, there were red, fluffy ones. There seemed to be scented candles everywhere. As he lit a few, the scent of rose began to fill the room. It was nice and relaxing, which I supposed was the idea, and it certainly helped ease my nerves.

  Once Xander was finished with the candles, the nerves began to hit me with a vengeance, much like they had the previous evening. “So, Monica, let’s start with your part of the bargain. What is it you want tonight?”

  I looked over at the bed and the restraints. His gaze followed mine.

  “Have you been restrained before, lovely?” he asked as he slowly backed me towards the bed his body coming to press against mine. By the time the back of my calves hit the foot of the bed, his body was tight to mine, so tight I could feel his rapidly growing erection against my stomach. A surge of desire raced through me, and I had to bite on my lower lip to keep from moaning out loud.

  “No. I mean... No.” I looked to my left and right, both containing cuffs for someone’s ankles—my ankles. A shiver of desire and apprehension raced through me. I looked back up at him. “First, I have questions.”

  “Later.” Capturing my chin in his hand, he lowered his mouth to mine. I moaned softly against his lips, my questions quickly forgotten. Grabbing my bottom in his hands, he pulled me up and tight against his groin. My arms slid up his chest to wrap around his neck as our kiss deepened. Damn, his tongue felt good as it played against mine.

  And suddenly, it was over, and he was taking a step back, then another and another. I had to fight to keep myself rooted to the spot. I longed to pull him back to me and down onto the bed. But I didn’t, I just watched as he turned and walked over to his chest of drawers and pulled out two items, a blindfold and a set of headphones.

  I gave him a questioning look. “What’s with the headphones?”

  “You write porn.”

  “Erotic romance,” I was quick to correct.

  “My bad. Erotic romance.” He gave me a wink, causing me to giggle like a teenager with a crush. Damn, these men knew how to charm a girl. I had to wonder whether it was natural or something they picked up along the way. He placed the headphones and blindfold on end of the bed, his hard chest brushing up against my arm. “So I imagine you should have a pretty good idea of what I plan to do to you.”

  I swallowed hard. I had my suspicions. They both enticed me and disappointed me. I loved touching him and seeing his beautifully sculpted body. Did I really want to be deprived of such things? But I am here for new experiences, I said to myself with conviction.

  Chewing at my bottom lip, I nodded. “I have some ideas.”

  “I thought so.” Grabbing the bottom of his t-shirt, he pulled it up and over his head, tossing it to the floor.

  My eyes immediately scanned his torso, over his defined pecs, over his perfect eight-pack and lower. His jeans hung low onto his hips. My eyes dipped a little lower to the bulge beneath the denim, reaching almost to the waistband of his jeans.

  “I was really hoping to get you alone. The things I was considering doing with you... I’m truly glad you’re back, lovely.” He began to undo the buttons on his jeans, and his erection popped out, long and proud. Giving his jeans a tug, they fell to his feet, and he kicked them to the side.

  Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in and slowly released it, attempting to calm myself of the whirling emotions. When I flew here, I told myself, one wild experience. Just one. I didn’t do one-night stands. I didn’t sleep with men I barely knew. And I certainly didn’t pay for sex, but here I was, again.

  But this one’s a freebie, my mind argued. Oh boy, yeah, cause that made this situation so much better. I supposed if I was going to have a one-night, mindless romp—again—it might as well be safe sex with a professional. Okay, yeah, that line of thinking may have cheapened the whole experience even more.

  Stop overthinking this Monica! Just enjoy. Research purposes only, remember. I’m doing this for my readers… Hmm, having sex with one of the sexiest men I’ve ever met, boy, what a sacrifice.

  “What’s that little grin for?”

  Opening my eyes my grin widened. “I was thi
nking that my readers should be grateful for all the in-depth, hands-on research I’m doing for them.”

  He walked up to me. With each step, my desire jumped up a notch, and by the time he stood before me, less than a foot separating us, my panties were moist and the urge to grab hold of him almost too intense to ignore. But I managed.

  “Then I had better make sure I make this experience worthy of your time then, shouldn’t I?” His fingers quickly undid the little black buttons on my blouse, and he slipped it off of my shoulders. Leaning down, his lips brushed across the side of my neck.

  I groaned, my knees going weak. “Xander.”