by Cat Johnson
What sort of fun and creative things would they do tonight? The mind boggled. With what he’d bought today during a stop at the sex shop on his way home from work, the possibilities seemed endless. This virgin thing gave him incentive for being extra inventive. Just when he’d started to get complacent about sex, Jen, his virgin soon-to-be-fiancée had walked into his life and turned everything upside down.
Bran groaned and pressed her down harder against the hardened length straining his pants. She smiled and leaned closer. “I can feel you.”
“I know. That was my intent.” He brought her lips to his with one palm against the back of her head. She tasted of Chinese spices and diet cola, but it was other, more intimate parts of her he wanted to get his tongue on.
As he kissed her, he planned the evening. After he got her naked in his bed, he’d pull open that drawer he’d stocked and begin her lessons in the finer art of sexual play. She was too new to this and to him for the handcuffs. Though it might be good to initiate her early into his darker desires, he didn’t want to scare her. He’d start things off a bit more playfully, turn her over his knee and introduce her to his bare hand first. The virgin white skin of her ass was going to show his handprint beautifully. And speaking of her virgin ass…he’d stocked up on lube today just for that purpose.
Jen moaned and stroked her tongue against his, and he was brought back to the present. She slid her hands beneath the bottom of his shirt and ran them across the bare skin of his belly, landing at the waist of his pants. She undid the single button and eased the zipper down.
Smiling, he pulled back from their kiss. “What are you doing, my little vixen?”
“You’ll see.” She looked innocent and devilish at the same time as she reached inside his underwear and grabbed his length. Jen ran a fingertip over his slit, spreading the pre-come there around the head.
He didn’t mind. Not one bit. She could have at it all she wanted. Bran was happy to play high schooler, necking on the sofa, letting her give him a hand job, as long as later in the night, he got to play some of the adult games he had in mind.
She leaned in and kissed him, while she fumbling between them. The next thing he felt was her hand on his cock, guiding him into the warmth of her bare pussy.
“Jen, you don’t have to. I didn’t assume we’d do this just because you’re moving in. I’m fine with us waiting.” For a little while, at least.
“I don’t want to wait.”
That was obvious. “And I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for.”
“I’m ready.” She sealed her lips over his and ended the conversation.
As she pressed down and just his tip slid into her, he was done fighting. Bran broke the kiss and pulled back enough so he could watch her face. He wanted to see her expression as she felt this for the first time. Felt him slide deep inside her. Her eyes were closed and a small frown creased her brow. She was tight and though he had nothing incredible to brag about in the size department, he was above average.
He wet his thumb, reached between them and began circling her clit. Jen eased her body lower over him. She felt so good, it was all he could do to not thrust up and take the rest.
She opened her eyes and glanced down to where they were joined, then back up at his face. Her frown deepened. “You’re not even halfway.”
“Because you’re nervous.” And tight as hell. Usually a trait he liked in a pussy. Today, it was proving to be a challenge. “If you let me take over, I think things might move along a bit more smoothly. Get up.”
When she stood, Bran scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom. After depositing her on the bed, he stripped himself first, then moved to removing her clothes.
“If we’re going to do this, we’re doing it right.” Naked, in the comfort of his nice big bed, with the help of the lube he’d purchased. Not on the sofa half-dressed, as if they were in her parents’ house while the adults were in another room unaware of what was happening under their own roof. Been there, done that. He was a rich adult with his own place—time to take advantage of that.
“First, you need to relax and loosen up.” He knew the best way to get her to do that.
Bran spread her thighs and dove headfirst between them. Latching onto her clit with his mouth, he sucked hard while he maneuvered first one, and then a second finger inside her. He slid them deep and then withdrew, opening her for him. He worked her with his mouth until her hips rose off the bed. Her muscles clamped down around his fingers, increasing the friction until he felt the orgasm hit her.
The last pulse had barely finished when he dove for the nightstand. He squeezed lube onto his cock and was back between her legs in seconds. His self-control a distant memory now that he’d felt her come beneath him, Bran couldn’t wait any longer. He slid inside as slow as his eagerness would allow and just hoped she was ready for him.
Her eyes closed and her mouth opened on the first stroke. Then she opened those eyes and met his gaze. The trust and desire in her expression held Bran. He was never one for gazes and sighs during sex, but with Jen he found he couldn’t look away. She met every move with a look of amazement and expectation for the next.
How jaded he’d become over the years that he’d missed the nuances, the subtleties that came with sharing something so intimate with another person. Maybe that’s why he’d become so addicted to the kinkier aspects of sex. He’d lost the appreciation for this part—the human connection.
Hell, maybe he’d never had it. He’d gone from a horny adolescent teen using his family’s position and money to get laid, to a frat boy seeing how far he could push the boundaries, to a bored adult just going through the motions.
All this introspection had dragged Bran away from the wonder of the moment, when what he wanted was to make this first time with Jen last. This magic might never come again. Bran focused on Jen’s face, the subtle changes in her expression, until the sensations overtaking him drew his attention to his own body as it tightened, getting ready for release inside her. Then he remembered he was unprotected.
How easy it would be to take the choice away from both of them. He doubted Jen used any sort of birth control. Bran could come inside her, get her pregnant with the next Welles heir, marry her and be done with it. No more pressure to settle down. No more dating the daughters of the families his grandparents deemed worthy. He need just do what his body already itched to do. Sink himself deep and let go.
For one crazy moment the idea seemed so simple, so easy, so perfect, Bran thrust deep and held there, intent on this plan. But one more glance at Jen, who’d trusted him so completely with her body, had Bran pulling out just before he reached the point of no return.
Breathing heavy, he braced over Jen and looked down as the pulsing stopped. The results of his decision pooled on the flat of her stomach. He’d done the right thing, and thank God for that. He’d gotten his head on straight just in time.
Jen drew in a breath. “Wow.”
“Yeah. Wow is right. Stay here. I’ll grab a towel.” He could use a few seconds alone in the bathroom to come to grips with what had almost happened.
He needed to buy some condoms or send her to the doctor for a prescription immediately, because he didn’t trust himself to think clearly while he was inside this woman.
The thought of marrying Jen, having a baby with her, being with her forever, hadn’t scared the shit out of him, and it should.
The Welles family didn’t divorce. They could live a lifetime in silent misery. They could have all the affairs they wanted as long as it was discreet, but you didn’t shame the family with a divorce.
Bran ran the water in the sink until it got warm, then wet a washcloth and squeezed it out. He carried it to Jen. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he cleaned the mess he’d left on her. She bent one knee and the smear of blood on her inner thigh caught his eye. Swallowing hard at the reminder, he wiped that away too.
“Want to take a bath?”
She gazed at
him from beneath her lashes, more vixen than virgin now. “Will you take it with me?”
“Why do you think I asked?” He pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”
Bran flipped on the water, full force so the pounding sound filled the room along with the steam. He turned and offered a hand to Jen and helped her into the huge tub as it filled.
He sat first, then raised his hands, grabbed her hips and guided her so she sat facing him, straddling his legs. “Are you sore?”
“No. Not really.”
“Good.” Bran took her mouth in a hard, demanding kiss as he lowered her onto his cock, hard again. Maybe he could fuck his way through these strange feelings. As he sunk deeper into Jen for the second time, it felt like a good plan.
*
“You ever going to talk to me again?”
Jen stopped in her path and turned in the middle of the kitchen to look at Tim as he sat at the table. “You going to act like an ass?”
“No. I’m sorry.”
Jen drew in a breath. He did look contrite. And she did miss talking to him. “Then, yes. But I need my friend back. The one I used to be able to talk to about everything without him judging me or my having to worry he’d go beat up my boyfriend.”
Tim’s brow rose. “He’s your boyfriend now?”
“Tim…” She kept her tone low with warning.
“All right. I’m sorry.” He blew out a loud, lip-flapping breath. “You can talk to me.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. I did some thinking about some things you said. More than thinking actually. You were right. I did have some unresolved issues. I called Beth. We got together at her place and talked all night about things.”
This was interesting and huge, since Tim and his ex-girlfriend didn’t have a let’s be friends kind of post-breakup relationship. Jen moved to the chair opposite him and sat. “And?”
“And then we had sex.”
Jen’s brows shot up. “Oh.”
“And no, I’m not sure what it meant or where she and I go from here, but it did make me realize I was being a little possessive of you because of her…or the lack of her… Hell, I don’t know. It’s making my brain hurt. Anyway. Talk. What’s going on with you?”
“We had sex last night.” She waited for the fallout from that announcement. Tim was the one person who realized the full meaning of it.
His eyes opened wide. “Oh.”
She watched him bite his lip, literally holding in the stream of questions she was sure he was dying to ask. Jen decided to anticipate them, and answer before Tim exploded. “I initiated it, not him. He was fine with waiting. It was pretty amazing.”
Tim shook his head. “I don’t know how to talk to you about this.”
“Why not? You and I talk about sex all the time.”
“Yeah, I know. This just seems…bigger. More serious than talking about the dickhead you dated last who was too stupid to be satisfied with a blowjob.”
She and Tim hadn’t had any boundaries in their discussions, but he was right. This with Bran was bigger, more serious, even if it had begun unconventionally. “He asked me to move in with him.”
“Wow.” He paused for long enough she wondered if he had more to say. “It’s kind of soon, Jen.”
“I know, but if we’re going to continue with the plan, it will look more natural if we live together, and then get engaged.”
His jaw tightened. “See, this is the part that I don’t like. This fucking deal.”
She and Bran had moved past the deal somehow. Or maybe, in spite of it. “Tim—”
He held up a hand to interrupt her. “Hear me out. I can understand your being attracted to him. He’s filthy rich and looks like a damn model. I can understand your having sex with him after knowing him for only a week, even after you waited all these years. I mean he buys you all kinds of things. Takes you to his mansion. Got you that new job. Wealth and power are very seductive. But this deal—Jen, I don’t like all the lying and deception. And it, I don’t know, confuses things. What’s real? What’s part of the deal? Do you even know?”
“I know when I’m with him, I don’t want to leave.”
“And how does he feel?”
Jen shrugged. “When he looks at me, when we’re together, it feels like he cares.”
Tim sighed. “I hope for your sake he does. You’re already in love with him. You wouldn’t have done what you did if you weren’t.”
The truth of his words had Jen’s chest tightening.
“He hasn’t called since. I left him last night about eleven. It’s dinnertime now and nothing. Not even a text. I expected something. Is this normal guy behavior?” She glanced at her phone one more time. It had signal. The ringer was turned on. When Jen looked up at Tim it was to see a strange expression on his face. “What?”
Tim’s nostrils flared. “Yeah, it’s normal.”
Something about the hardness in his tone told Jen things were not good. “Tim, what? Tell me.”
His eyes finally met hers. “It’s what I’d do if I didn’t want to see a girl again after I’d slept with her.”
Jen shook her head. “No. He’s not like that. And we have our contract. His family…” She realized how pitiful she sounded, defending a man she’d known for a week against a friend she’d had for years. “It’s only been a day. You said it—he’s rich, he’s powerful, he’s very busy.”
“Yup.” Tim dipped his head, but it didn’t convince Jen he agreed.
“Maybe I’ll just call quick and see how he’s doing.”
“All right.” He nodded again. This agreeable Tim was unnatural and unnerving.
Jen chose to ignore him and picked up the phone. She hit the call button and listened to the ringing, and then the eventual voicemail. When the tone came on, she swallowed hard and said, “Hi, it’s me. Just saying hi and seeing what you’re doing. Call me.”
She disconnected and glanced up at Tim. “No answer.”
“Yeah. I heard.”
“He’s probably in a late meeting.”
“Probably.”
She stood. “I should stay home tonight anyway. I have to go in first thing tomorrow morning to fill out papers for the new job. And I should start organizing stuff for the move.”
“Uh-huh.”
Her stomach clenched. Why was she doubting everything? What if she got there in the morning and they said sorry, there was no more job? What if he didn’t want her to move in anymore? What if she never heard from him again?
No, she was being silly. He was just busy. He’d call her back any minute now. She checked her cell signal one more time and then looked up to find Tim watching her face.
He stood, sending the chair scraping across the floor. “I’m going to the gym.”
“This late?” She frowned. It was dinnertime, and he never went this late.
“Yup.” Tim turned toward the door.
“But—”
He spun toward her. “Jen, I need to hit something. Given the choices, I’m pretty sure you’d rather it be the bag at the gym.”
With that, he was gone, along with another piece of the hope she’d been holding on to.
Chapter 8
The doorbell ringing had Jen leaping out of her bed. She skidding across the wood floor in her socks as she reached for the knob. She didn’t check the peephole. It had to be Bran. Who else would it be this late at night? He must have lost his phone or something.
Chastising herself for worrying over nothing, Jen’s heart pounded as she yanked the door wide—and found Tim there.
“Forgot my keys.” He pushed past her into the apartment.
She fought the disappointment as she closed the door. “Then how did you drive there?”
“I didn’t. I ran to the gym and back.” He glanced back at her. His hair was darkened by sweat, and his color was high. “He hasn’t called yet, has he?”
Jen didn’t want to answer the question. Apparently, she didn’t have to. Tim s
hook his head and stalked toward the bathroom, pulling off his sweatshirt as he walked. “I’m taking a shower.”
The bathroom door slammed and Jen sagged against the wall. She needed to get herself together. If she was still a mess when Tim finished his shower, he’d totally flip and his next stop to hit something wouldn’t be the gym.
She pulled her cell out of the pocket of her pajama bottoms and checked the signal. Full bars. No missed calls. No texts. Jen sighed. Maybe she should call one more time, just in case he didn’t see he had a voicemail. More likely, was that she was a fool and Tim was right.
No. She’d just have to wait.
Some chamomile tea might soothe her nerves. At least it couldn’t hurt. It wouldn’t make the phone ring any faster but maybe she wouldn’t shake so badly while waiting. Jen was staring at the teakettle, watching it not boil, when Tim came into the kitchen.
He looked like he normally did—barefoot and in sweatpants with his hair wet and a few drops of water still clinging to the bare skin of his chest and back. His eyes on Jen at the stove, he went to the fridge and took out a bottle of beer. Cracking open the top, he flipped it into the trash and drew in a long sip.
“Don’t you know a watched pot doesn’t boil?”
“So I see.” Jen gave up waiting and turned away from the stove.
Tim put down his bottle and took a step closer. “I’m sorry.”
She stepped into his arms, as she had after every time a man broke her heart. “Sorry that my water won’t boil?”
“Yup.” Tim squeezed her tighter to him. He smelled familiar, like soap and beer. “Maybe he is just busy.”
Tim leaned his head on top of hers. She must be truly pitiful if Tim was humoring her. “You don’t believe that.”
He didn’t confirm or deny it, just held her. Just when she didn’t want to ever face the world ever again, the teakettle started to whistle.
“I should get that.” Still, she didn’t move.
“I’ll get it.” He pulled back. “You go get the comforter from your bed and bring it into the living room. I’ll bring you the tea and then we’ll put on a movie. Okay?”
