Nothing Between Us

by Roni Loren

  “Why?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

  “Because you were seven minutes late for our date.” His fingertips trailed along the tops of her thighs, lighting up nerve endings in their wake even through the material of her jeans. “I tell you to lose the bra and to kneel down next to me. You’re being a good girl and you follow my instructions. The bra falls to the floor and those full breasts are there on display for me. I lay you across my lap and capture your arms behind you.” His fingers circled both her wrists and applied pressure. “You’re all mine now.”

  Mine, her mind repeated, the word sounding sexier than she’d ever heard it. Phillip had used that word like an angry child—mine!—a threat. But the way Colby said it was like he was cherishing the privilege of having her.

  “I tug your panties down to your knees, exposing that heart-shaped ass to me. I can’t wait to make it sting. But I can’t resist dipping my fingers between your legs first, sliding them inside.” A little rumbling sound went through his chest, and a very prominent bulge pressed against her backside. “You’re so hot and wet for me, Georgia. Perfect. Your body clamps around my fingers, and you start to beg a little. You’re close to coming already. But there’s punishment before pleasure. Then one will blend into the other.”

  She shifted against him, her internal heat building to an almost unbearable level. The seam of her jeans rubbed against her panties, putting just enough pressure against her clitoris to remind her there was nothing she could do about the ache.

  “I slide my fingers out and suck your sweetness off them. You taste so good,” he said, reverence in his voice. “Then I raise my hand . . .”

  Georgia’s eyes were pinched shut, and she was holding her breath. The whole scene was so clear in her head—her sprawled across his lap, that big hand of his perched above her bare ass, her arousal slick between her legs. A begging word played on her lips.

  “Then whack!”

  She startled as if she’d really been hit.

  “My hand comes down across your flesh, and the sting radiates through your body. You cry out because I’m not in the mood to be gentle—I rarely am—but I know that soon the sting will turn to a burn and then into something much, much better. I spank you again. And again. Seven times for the seven minutes you were late. You can barely stay still. I hold your wrists tight to keep you in place. But soon you’re begging me for some relief. Please let me come. Please.

  “I’m feeling generous now because you’ve taken your punishment with sexy grace, but I’m not ready to fuck you quite yet. I have a lot more planned for you. But you’ve earned your first one. I slide you off my lap and make you sit on the floor with your legs spread.”

  Georgia curled her fingers into her palms, lost in the fantasy he was conjuring.

  “You’re so aroused and ready. I’ve never seen such an irresistible sight. I unzip my pants and take my cock in my hand. Your gaze goes to it. I love that you want it. That you want me. But all in good time. Right now I want to sit back and enjoy the show. I tell you to touch yourself. Come for me, Georgia.”

  Georgia clamped her thighs together.

  “I can tell you’re nervous, but you need to come, so that’s making you bolder, less self-conscious, more motivated to please me. You let your hand slip between your legs. Your eyes close and I know you won’t be long. My beautiful girl is going to come for me. Then when she’s done, she’s going to kneel for me and make me come, too, because there’s nothing she loves more than taking my cock in her mouth and making me go over.”

  God. Georgia couldn’t speak. The scene was so vivid and illicit. Her on the floor at his feet, spread wide and pleasuring herself. It wasn’t something she would’ve imagined herself doing for a man. She’d never been a prude, but she’d also stuck to the basics in the bedroom. Now she felt like she’d explode at the thought of being in that position for Colby.

  Colby’s lips pressed against her ear. “Still with me, gorgeous?”

  Her mouth was dry as she shifted on his lap, his erection a teasing presence beneath her. “Yes.”

  “Are you wet?”

  She bit her lip. This wasn’t the fantasy anymore. He was really asking her. He had to know the answer already. “Yes.”

  He made a pleased sound under his breath and kissed her neck again. “Would you like to come?”

  Blood was rushing in her ears now. She should probably think about this. Things were moving lightning fast. But her body had shoved her logical self out of the driver’s seat a few long minutes ago. “Yes.”

  “Keep your eyes closed and unzip your jeans,” he said in that tone that could’ve talked the habit off a nun.

  “I can’t,” she whispered, but there was no conviction behind it.

  “You can and you will.” The words fell hot on her. “Imagine it’s my fingers slipping inside, my tongue tasting you.”

  She sighed at the images. And without thinking too hard on it, she unfastened her jeans and pulled down the zipper.

  “Good girl,” he said, the low assurance moving through her like a full-body caress. “You’ve waited a long time for this. You’ve been watching, learning, wondering what it’d be like over here with me. You’ve left me wondering, too, Georgia. I’ve thought about you more than I probably should. Show me how bad you’ve craved it. Touch yourself and come for me.”

  She let out a soft gasp.

  This was crazy. Fucking nuts. She’d just tried to bring over a damn casserole and now here she was like some desperate, needy thing. This was too intimate an act to show someone she hardly knew.

  But no, that was a sorry excuse and she knew it. Last night she’d watched in glorious detail as he’d stroked himself to orgasm. He’d known she was watching, giving her a show. Now it was her turn. And if she needed any additional encouragement, that visual was enough to push her over the ledge. That big tan fist wrapped around his cock, sliding up and down with slow, sensual glides. She let her hand slip inside her panties. If he could be that brazen, so could she.

  The wet heat that greeted her wasn’t a surprise, but the instant electricity that raced over her nerve endings was. She shuddered hard. She was right there already, a rubber band stretched to its limit by this man’s hot words and poised to snap.

  “That’s it, baby,” Colby said, his voice going sandpaper rough as he laid warm kisses along her neck. “Show me how sexy you are when you come. I’ve imagined it so many times. Have thought about it when I knew you were watching me, wondering what you looked like when you touched yourself. That’s what I was thinking about last night when I stroked my cock. That’s what I’ll think about tonight.”

  The talk and her quick fingers were enough to send her careening into orgasm. Her back arched and she cried out, everything pulsing beneath her fingers and sensation rippling outward. Colby kept her in place, whispering dirty, sexy things to her, but she couldn’t understand them anymore. The release was so much bigger than her typical ones, like breaking out of a dark cave and feeling sun against her skin. And that felt good. Damn, did it feel good.

  She gasped her way through the last few pulses of pleasure and then sank against Colby, all the tension evaporating from her body. She moved her hand from beneath her panties and let her arm fall to the side.

  But Colby had other ideas. He took her hand and brought it to his mouth. He sucked her two fingers and then ran his tongue along the seam of them in a savoring glide, making her shiver all over. “That was beautiful, baby.”

  “Mmm,” she said, still drifting in the afterglow. Maybe she could stay right here for the rest of the night. Maybe she—

  “Well, hell,” another voice said from behind them. “How long was I sleeping?”

  ELEVEN

  Georgia flew into a sitting position and spun around, making Colby grunt as her ass rubbed against his straining erection. Colby turned his head. Keats was standing in
the doorway with a plate of enchiladas in his hand.

  “What the hell?” Colby ground out, while Georgia tried to button her jeans.

  Keats flinched at Colby’s tone. “Sorry.”

  Goddammit. Colby had gotten caught up in the moment and had completely forgotten about his houseguest—a consequence of too many years living alone and being accustomed to doing what he wanted where he wanted. Colby glanced at Georgia to make sure she wasn’t freaking out, then looked back to Keats. “Ever heard of privacy?”

  “I’m really sorry,” Keats said again, and hitched a thumb toward the kitchen. “But I woke up and smelled something burning. I didn’t realize y’all were uh, occupado, until, you know, I heard you talking.”

  Fantastic. Who knew how long Keats had been listening. This was just what Colby needed. He adjusted the front of his jeans, his erection barely registering the turn of events.

  Keats’s gaze glided over where Colby’s hands were, but then he shifted his attention to Georgia. There was no missing the flare of want in his eyes. There was also no missing the outline of Keats’s obvious interest in his pants. Someone had been listening long enough to get a hard-on.

  Colby’s cock flexed against his zipper, and he had to swallow back the groan. His dick was on board with anyone in the room right now. Preferably both. Right now.

  He swung his legs to the floor. “Dammit, Keats. You could’ve said something to let us know you were here.”

  Keats shook his head and leaned against the door frame. “Nuh-uh, no way was I interrupting that train. I’ve lived with enough roommates to know that if you walk in on something, you don’t do anything but keep your mouth shut and walk away.” He looked to Georgia. “I’m really sorry for invading, but I would’ve ruined it for you if I said something sooner. And I didn’t, you know, see anything.”

  Just heard. That was the part he wasn’t saying.

  “I think I should go,” Georgia said.

  Colby turned. “What? No.”

  “Yeah, seriously, please don’t leave because of me,” Keats said, turning all aww shucks Texas boy. “I didn’t mean to mess up anything or embarrass you. I’ll go eat in the kitchen and you won’t see me for the rest of the night. Swear.”

  “No, it’s fine,” she said, putting on her shoes and not looking at either of them. “It’s getting late anyway. And this is . . . awkward.”

  “Wait,” Keats said, stepping into the living room and setting his plate down on an end table. “Don’t feel awkward. I mean, dead honest? Yeah, I shouldn’t have listened to what I did. The second I realized what was going on, I should’ve turned and left. This is my fault. But goddamn, I couldn’t make myself move. Y’all were, well, y’all were fucking hot together.”

  “Keats,” Colby warned.

  “It’s okay,” Georgia said, finally looking up. She sent Colby a droll smile, no doubt deciding she wouldn’t throw stones at a fellow Peeping Tom. “I get it. As long as you didn’t take any videos or pictures, I won’t have to kill you.”

  Keats laughed, looking relieved. “Damn. Video. I should’ve thought of that. Next time I’ll come prepared. Imagine the money, I could—”

  Colby grabbed an ink pen from the side table and launched it at Keats. It pinged him in the chest, shutting him up. “Keats, go eat your enchiladas.”

  He smirked and gave a salute. “Right away, Teach. Poof! Consider me gone.”

  But right as he turned to leave, Georgia called after him. “Hey, Keats, are you going to be around tomorrow?”

  He peered back over his shoulder, his affable expression faltering a bit. “Didn’t plan on it. I, uh, have to take care of some things that can’t wait.”

  “Will you come back after you’re done?” she asked, that irresistible feminine lilt drifting into her voice. “I have something to talk to you about, but now isn’t the right time.”

  He stood there for a long moment but then managed to muster up that disarming smile of his. “All right. I’ll see what I can do.”

  She smiled back at him, pleased. “Good night, Keats.”

  “’Night.”

  He disappeared back into the kitchen, and Georgia turned those pretty dark eyes on Colby. “Well, that isn’t exactly how I wanted to start things off with my potential new employee.”

  Colby grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto his lap to straddle him, settling her right against where he wanted her most. “Yeah, but you’ll probably get a really dedicated worker. I think he’s half in love with you already.”

  She smirked. “Half-hard for sure. Like someone else I know.”

  He laughed and pushed her hair away from her face. “Can’t blame him. We are hot together. I would’ve stopped and eavesdropped, too, if I were him. But I’m real sorry if he made you uncomfortable.”

  She looked down, hiding the secret smile that had touched her lips.

  The move was so endearingly sexy that he had to fight his instinct to pick her up and carry her to his bedroom. “Wait, were you uncomfortable?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Is it weird that it wasn’t that uncomfortable?”

  He tilted his head, the question spiking his curiosity. “Meaning?”

  “Meaning, it was a shock and I reacted, but now . . . I don’t know. Now I kind of don’t care that he saw us.”

  Interesting. He filed that away. “And how about that he’s probably in the kitchen right now replaying it in his head and still sporting that hard-on?”

  Her lips twitched into that smile again, but she quickly rolled them inward and shrugged. “Not sure.”

  Uh-huh. Right. “Or that probably later tonight, when he’s alone, he’ll call up those sounds you made and use the memory to get himself off?”

  “Colby,” she said, keeping her voice low and giving him a scandalized look. “Stop. Keep going and I’ll never be able to look at him straight, much less hire him.”

  He gave her a wicked grin. What an undeserved gift. His neighbor was so much dirtier than he’d hoped. Not just a voyeur but an exhibitionist streak hiding in there, too. Apparently, he just had to get past that outer layer of anxiety to see that side of her. Right now she was still riding the buzz from her orgasm, and it was letting him see beneath that hard shell she always wore. “Hey, there’s no shame in it. You like knowing you’ve gotten more than one guy hot and bothered, enjoy feeling that kind of sexual energy directed at you. Believe me, I get that. That kind of power can be heady.”

  “That’s what it is, isn’t it?” she said, glancing toward the kitchen, probably to make sure Keats wasn’t there listening. “Power.”

  “Quite the aphrodisiac—both having it and having it taken away,” he said, his fingertips playing along the base of her spine. “Even in the submissive role, there’s power. The submissive knows how mesmerizing his or her surrender is, how deeply the dominant craves it. Both sides are necessary for the other to be satisfied. Very powerful.”

  She pulled in a breath and nodded. “I’m starting to understand that.”

  “I can show you, Georgia,” he said, not wanting to push or pressure her but unable to let her walk out without at least posing the offer. “For real. You only have to ask. I promise you’ll be safe with me.”

  “You didn’t touch me during the fantasy,” she said, her voice soft. “You know I would’ve let you.”

  “I told you I wouldn’t. I keep my promises.”

  She traced the collar of his T-shirt with her fingertip, keeping her gaze down, a thoughtful crease in her brow. “I like that.”

  “It’s what you deserve. You trust me with your submission, and I make sure I’m worthy of it by never breaking my word.”

  “My submission,” she repeated, as if trying out the words.

  “Yes,” he said, putting his knuckle beneath her chin and making her look at him. “That’s what it would be
. When we’re in that mode, the control would be mine.”

  “That idea is still scary for me. I—my life is about control.”

  “A little fear can be good. I’d be worried if you entered this without any. But something drew you to your window all those nights. Some curious part that made you crave the view.”

  “Yes, but watching you take control of someone else is like peeking in on some erotic wonderland—a fantasy. A safe, distant one.”

  “Yeah.” He gently shifted her on his lap. “But visiting wonderland is so much better than spying on it. Not just fun things to look at but things to touch, taste, feel . . . Tickets are now available. And just for you, on deep discount.”

  She laughed, bracing her hands on his chest. “Even if I’m willing to . . . try. I’m your neighbor. I don’t want this to get weird or awkward.”

  “It won’t if we’re honest and up-front with each other,” he said, sliding his hands to her hips.

  Her muscles tensed beneath his fingers for a second, a strange look tightening her features, but then it seemed to slide off like it hadn’t been there at all. “How so?”

  “What are you wanting from this?”

  She seemed surprised by his straightforward question. “Nothing serious. I mean, I’ve watched you long enough to know you’re not exactly a relationship guy.”

  He cringed. “Georgia—”

  She shook her head. “No. Honestly, you don’t have to say anything to defend it. That’s part of your appeal, actually.”

  “Part of the appeal?” What he was going to say died on his lips. He’d been ready to tell her that he was completely open to seeing where things went. For years, he’d been fine with bringing home the occasional play partner from The Ranch for a one-night thing—mutual fun, no strings or expectations. But seeing all his friends fall into serious relationships had him craving more—a connection not just inside the bedroom but outside it. Someone he could actually date. But if Georgia wasn’t looking for that, he wasn’t going to push her. He knew it had taken a massive amount of guts for her to even get this far.