by Olivia Devon
“No…it’s okay,” she whispered. “Just gimme a second.”
When Aaron’s fingers had touched her scars, she’d reacted like she always did. Tense and braced for trauma. But that reaction felt like a habit now. She wasn’t in distress. The truth was, his hands felt good on her. All of her. Even her scars.
Aaron’s palms coasted over her back and up her neck, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her sweetly. They stood there, entwined in the dark, Aaron’s strong hands cradling her face.
What was this she was feeling? It was so strange. Like every raw nerve and sprained muscle in her body suddenly healed, unclenched, and ceased to cause her pain.
She felt…good.
Katie’s forehead fell against Aaron’s and she inhaled deeply, finding the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. For years.
God this felt right, being here with him. They’d known each other a handful of days and yet she felt like she could trust him, like she could tell him anything…the thing.
“It’s okay,” she said again. “I’ll tell you how it… I was in an accident.”
“Katie, you don’t have to–”
“No, I want to. Just…let me get it out,” she said. “Because there’s slightly more than just the accident.”
Aaron nuzzled her temple and nodded.
“I created Quest of the Crystal Knight in college,” she said. “It was my senior project. I wrote the story, designed all the characters, built the environment, but it was just a tabletop game at that point. Some 3-D printed pieces made from my models and some pretty art. My boyfriend at the time, Steven, he was in gaming, on the code side of things. He loved the game and wanted to bring it to life as a multiplayer, online, 3-D game. I said yes, and we formed a company together.”
“Galaxus Games” said Aaron. “I recognized your name from the game credits. But when I went to their website the other day, your name doesn’t come up on their company profile page. No mention of you as a founder–”
“No. There wouldn’t be now. Steven made sure of that after…well after everything. But even when I was there my name didn’t appear on any letterhead. I owned half the company and hardly anyone knew.”
“That’s horrible.”
Katie shrugged. “I didn’t mind at the time. I didn’t want any of the stuff that goes along with running a company. I love what I do, but I wasn’t interested in awards or going to conferences or talking to the media. I just wanted to make beautiful things, write stories, and create worlds where people can play in those stories.”
“Still, you deserve credit for your work.”
“I agree.” She took a deep breath and glanced up at him. “But, I was in love, and I trusted my boyfriend to have my best interest at heart. He didn’t.”
“The accident? Was that Steven’s fault?”
“It wasn’t.” Katie shook her head. “That was a fluke. I used to bike to work. One day a parked car opened its door in front of me, I went flying and got clipped by a delivery truck. After two surgeries, six titanium pins, and a year of physical therapy, I’m relatively okay. Except for the scars.”
Aaron leaned down and pressed a solemn kiss to her shoulder. “Wabi-sabi,” he whispered.
She lifted her hand, brushed her fingertips over his cheek and Aaron sighed, closed his eyes and leaned into her palm. “You’re no less beautiful to me because of the scars Katie,” he said. “Maybe more.”
She felt her heart stutter.
“What a thing to say,” she said. “What an impossibly beautiful, ridiculous, thing to say.”
Aaron’s eyes flew open. “I mean it,” he said and the set of his jaw was hard. “But I’m guessing from your reaction, Steven didn’t feel that way.”
Katie let her hand fall away, averted her gaze. “No, he definitely didn’t. For him, well, he saw my accident as an opportunity.”
“What do you mean?”
“To leave me,” Katie said.
She took a step back, needing the space, needing to break contact with Aaron’s skin. It was too distracting. She needed to focus if she was going to be able to power through the end of the story without crying.
“He never visited me in the hospital,” she said. “Instead, Steven broke up with me via text, moved my things into storage, and essentially forced me out of the company I’d co-founded. I had medical bills to pay. I was in no position to fight him. So I let him buy me out, and that was that.”
“Jesus.”
“He told our staff we’d broken up months prior. In his mind, it was true, because that also happened to be how long he’d been fucking our new head of HR. So you see to him, it was about as serious as a missed memo. He’d meant to tell me he didn’t love me anymore, he just forgot.”
Aaron closed the space between them before she’d finished speaking. Wrapping those strong arms around her, he held her so tightly she could barely expand her chest to breathe.
“What an ass.” The words came out in a growl. Threading his hands through her hair he lifted her face to his and pinned her in his dark gaze. “Anybody that doesn’t completely love the hell out of you is just…broken.”
Katie’s eyes went wide.
What the hell did he just say?
It wasn’t like he’d said he loved her…but it was kind of definitely a super crazy thing to say after two virtual dates and a quick finger fuck in the dark.
She swallowed, closed her gaping mouth and forced herself to smile, trying to meet Aaron’s intense gaze steadily and maturely when all she wanted to do was squirm out of his arms and freak the fuck out. Because holy crap she was right there with him, she felt exactly the same way, so she was crazy too and–
“Oh man.” Aaron’s gaze searched hers and he blew his cheeks out. “I just said one of those awkward gulpy things that you are absolutely not supposed to say so soon in a relationship.”
“Relationship?” Katie squeaked, then clapped a hand over her mouth.
Aaron let her go and took a step back, running both hands through his hair and down over his face with a groan. He let his hands rest there for a moment, kind of a long moment actually, and Katie wracked her brain for something to say, anything to ease the tension.
Anything at all.
Her brain did not rise to the challenge. Nothing.
Silence.
Just…lots and lots of quiet.
Finally, Aaron let his hands fall from his face, and she saw with relief that he was grinning.
“So this was fun,” he said. His expression was boyish, and still awkward, but completely open and unguarded, and it calmed her that he didn’t seem inclined to take back what he’d said.
“Sorry for getting all heavy on you,” he said.
“Technically I got heavy on you first,” she said. “The whole accident saga and everything. So, I’m the one that should be sorry.”
“No, don’t be.” He stepped forward and took her hands in his. “I’m honored that you shared that with me.”
Katie nodded and lowered her chin to hide her smile.
“Hey,” he said, tipping her chin up so that she was forced to look at him. “Katie, I really like you.” He sighed heavily and pulled her hands up to his lips, brushing a kiss over her knuckles. “I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long time. The timing of this…us…is a little complicated, but I think we have a pretty cool connection.”
“I think so, too.”
“So I guess I’m asking if you’d like to keep seeing me? See where this is going?”
He caught her gaze, raised his eyebrows, and grinned.
“Yes,” she said, laughing at his expression. “Yeah I’d like that too.”
“Awesome. So what do you say we get out of this office, before we both die of embarrassment, and go get something to eat?”
“More virtual pizza?” Katie said, tilting her head.
“Oh, I think I can do better than that this time.”
Aaron hadn’t thought this through. Taking a woman on
a date when you’re a tech celebrity dominating all the news cycles and gossip blogs because of your former super model girlfriend that everyone thinks you’re still dating is…problematic at best.
They’d managed to get out of the E.I. building without being seen. The paparazzi didn’t have access to the underground garage and his car had tinted windows, but still, there were countless opportunities for photographs to be taken if they spent a night on the town.
So they needed to stay in. He figured Katie would be cool with just hanging at his place, but there was no food at his place. Unless you counted a jar of mayonnaise and stale, leftover pizza. Shit, this was going to be a challenge–
“Oh wow.” Katie had as they pulled around the side of Calvert Tower and past the discreet entrance to Lux. “What’s all that?”
Aaron glanced out the driver side window. A small group of elegantly dressed people in masks were slipping past the velvet rope into Lux.
“Masquerade night,” he said, pulling into the underground garage to the private parking spot area for the penthouse. “Lux does it once a month. Adds a layer of intrigue to the sex-play that some people enjoy.”
“What do they do?”
“The usual stuff. But there’s a different vibe on masquerade night for sure. Everyone wears masks all night, no exceptions. There’s no photography or video ever at Lux of course, but with the masks, it’s even more anonymous. So it’s, well it’s liberating.”
“You can be whoever you want.”
“Yeah that’s certainly one way to look at it.” Aaron nodded. “I’d forgotten it was tonight. I’ve been a few times. It’s a nice event. Great food and–” He stopped talking when he heard her inhale sharply. Aaron turned the car off and turned to Katie. “Everything okay?”
“Can we go?” she asked, her voice breathless and her eyes shining with excitement. “I really want to go.”
Chapter Fourteen
The front of Aaron’s pants almost burst their seams when he heard her words, saw the naughty gleam in her eye when she’d asked him to take her to a sex party.
How had he gotten so lucky? How was it possible that this fun, smart, gorgeous and deliciously curious creature was sitting in his Jag right now, staring up at him with doe eyes and begging him to take her to a sex club so they could act out their fantasies together?
“Jesus Christ,” he hissed the words and adjusted his aching cock.
Katie’s eyes flicked to his crotch, and she smirked. “Is that a yes?”
“Anything you want, beautiful,” said Aaron stroking one finger under her chin. “Yes we can go. They’ve got food there, and my refrigerator doesn’t, so it’s a good idea for that alone. But–”
“What?” Those does eyes stared at him, dark and beautiful and full of anticipation.
“Well, we also need to find you something to wear, and if we’re going to do this, we should have a conversation first--boundaries, safe words, all that stuff.”
Katie grinned and unfastened her seatbelt. “Aiko lives in this building. She’ll have something I can borrow. And yes, a conversation.” She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Over dinner.” She kissed him again, a little harder this time. “I want to hear all about the nasty things you want to do to me.”
“Fuck.” He groaned the word, grabbed her by the back of the neck, and crashed his lips over hers. Thrusting his tongue between her lips he kissed her deeply, possessively, took her hand, and placed it over his cock. “Feel that?” he said. “What you do to me? I want to do it all to you. Whatever you’ll let me. Whatever makes you feel good.”
She squeezed his cock and brushed her lips softly over his. “You make me feel good, Aaron. You do.”
“You need a dress for what now?” Aiko stood in the doorway of her Calvert Tower apartment and smirked at Katie.
“Aik, c’mon.” Katie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t bust my balls, just help me out.”
“Stop being an ass.” It was Tessa’s voice, coming from behind the door. “Let her in, I’d love to dress her.”
“Tessa?” Katie said as she stepped into the apartment. “Wow, what are you–”
“Aik’s letting me keep some things here,” said Tessa. “Long story. I’ll tell you later.” She waved Katie over to where she stood in a corner of Aiko’s living room. She was surrounded by four chrome racks that were crammed to the limit with dozens of outfits and dresses. “I’ve actually recently started making custom masks for the masquerade event.”
“Shut up.”
“Nope, and I think I have the perfect thing for you.” Tessa rummaged through the dresses on one rack, lifted out a dress, turned and held it up to Katie. “Corseted waist, one shoulder draped neckline, deep red velvet. It’s–”
“I love it.” Katie ran her hands reverently over the fabric. “I absolutely love it.”
“Then it’s yours for the night.” Tessa bent down, grabbed something out of a box and handed it to Katie. “That’s the mask that goes with it.”
“Same velvet as the dress?” she asked Tessa.
“Yup.”
Katie examined the mask. It would cover her eyes only, not the bottom half of her face. While that left her free to kiss Aaron as she liked, was it enough to make her feel secure? Anonymous?
“Come on you kinky little monster, let’s get you all dolled up.”
Katie undressed quickly, looked at her underwear in Aiko’s bathroom mirror and panicked for a second. The panties were sexy enough – black lace thong with a cute little bow–but there was no way she could wear a bra with this dress. She’d have to ditch it. Stuffing the bra in her purse, she opened the bathroom door and stepped out.
“You’re a genius Tessa,” said Aiko as she admired her friend. “That’s stunning on her.”
“Hair up this time?” Tessa asked hopefully when she caught Katie’s eye. “If it’s up, then he gets to take it down.” Tessa winked and Katie cheeks flushed.
“Hell, why not?” Katie stepped back into the bathroom and watched in the mirror as Tessa fussed over her, adding a deep red color to her lips, arranging her hair in a sexy messy updo and finally adding the mask.
Exiting to the bedroom Katie appraised herself in Aiko’s full length mirror.
Her eyes looked huge. Fringed by long lashes, they were dark, sexy and mysterious. Her lips were a lush red that matched the color of the dress and deepened the allure of the ensemble.
“Damn,” Aiko blew a low appreciative whistle. “You do not look like the KitKat that walked in here twenty minutes ago,” said Aiko. “I barely recognize you.”
Katie had to agree--she almost didn’t recognize herself.
She looked liked a seductress, a women dressed for a date with the devil.
A woman ready to sin.
It was perfect.
Aaron had showered while Katie was down at Aiko’s. He put on a fresh shirt, a nice suit and tie, brushed off the masquerade mask he’d worn to Lux before, and put it on while riding the elevator down to collect her.
When he’d seen her, standing in Aiko’s doorway, he thought he was a teenager again, at risk of coming in his pants merely at the thought of touching a woman.
This woman.
She made him nervous.
Thirty-Four years old, head of a multi-billion dollar company and he was nervous?
Yes.
Because the woman sitting across the table from him was really pretty, and she smelled good, and he wanted to touch her boobies again.
Katie.
She smiled at him and lifted her wine glass to her lips.
Those lips. Blood red and oh so pillowy.
“My steak is perfect,” Aaron said, using his fork to gesture to his meal. “Yours?”
“It’s very good, yes.” Katie set down her wine glass and glanced around the upholstered private booth in Lux’s dining lounge.
Aaron watched her.
Dark eyes and creamy skin, she looked exquisite in red velvet. He could
n’t wait to get his hands on it, feel the soft fabric bunching up over her thighs as he undressed her.
Fuck.
She was killing him.
The mask was amazing. Completely tantalizing. It turned every glance into a mystery, every smile into game, and the woman inside it a puzzle he had to solve.
“This is so cozy,” said Katie, as if she sensed his gaze on her. “Intimate.”
“There’s only ten of these VIP booths,” said Aaron. “Since I’m an investor in the club they keep one reserved for me.” He reached to the end of the table and pushed a button on a panel set into the wood surface. “This is my favorite part.”
Curtains that had framed the open end of the booth closed silently, cocooning them in damask and leather.
“Private,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “And look, if I push this button…” A small flat screen television dropped down from the ceiling and settled at eye level at the other end of the booth. “Lux TV,” he said. “Whatever your fetish, they’ve got you covered.”
“Rule 34,” Katie said with a giggle.
“Rule 34.” Aaron nodded and pushed his plate back. “So. What’s yours? What are you hoping to get out of tonight?”
Katie was playing with the flat screen, squinting at the kink menu and flipping around the channels.
“Well um, safe word…how about radiator?”
“Radiator?”
“Yeah, it’s not something I’m likely to say by accident.”
“Fair enough.”
“Boundaries…hmmm.” Katie pursed her lips, her gaze still fixed to the flat screen. She changed channels, tilted her head, and scrunched up her nose, then changed channels again. “Well I don’t know what we’re doing yet exactly, so I’m not sure about boundaries. I–”
She stopped shorted and her lips parted softly. Her cheeks pinked, and Aaron could see her chest rising and falling rapidly as her breathing increased.
He followed her gaze to the screen.
Oh. She’d found his favorite channel.
“That’s the um…” Katie swallowed and licked her lips. “That’s like what we did. In HyperLyfe, the CMN–”
