When he removed his fingers from her folds, she opened her eyes in time to see a red foil condom packet fall to the shower stall floor. Hayden reached between her legs, spread her folds apart, and without warning, sank all the way inside of her.
Madison grunted against the painful force of his thrust; her insides burned from his violation. “Christ, Hayden,” she groaned as she stretched to accept him.
He mashed her into the wall. “Relax for me,” he directed, pushing deeper. “I promise it won’t hurt for long.”
She surrendered to him—suppressing the urge to resist—and a strange thing happened. The discomfort of his thrusting subsided, and an unyielding yearning began to build. The heat from her loins spiraled upward, making her gasp from the unexpected intensity.
“There,” he softly said, ramming into her with all his might. “You feel it now, don’t you?”
She was unable to answer, and tried to steady her body against the tide of sensations threatening to knock her to the floor. Her knees buckled, and when the orgasm grabbed her, she screamed with such abandon that the sound of her voice startled her.
Limp in his arms, she had nothing left as he rammed into her. He curled into her back and groaned loudly when he came. Bracing their bodies against the wall, Hayden rested his head on her shoulder as he caught his breath.
She spun around and kissed his lips as the warm water trickled down her face. “That was incredible.”
He kissed her again. “That was fucking.”
“I like fucking.”
He chuckled into her cheek. “So do I.”
Combing her hands through his dark, wet hair, she smiled up at him. “I like this side of you.”
“What side?”
“The rogue.” She wiped the water from his face. “I thought you were such a cool and collected gentleman, or at least that’s the way you present yourself at the office.”
“At the office, I’m your boss.” His smile fell and he dropped the condom outside the shower stall door. “We need to be discreet. I don’t want anyone at work knowing about us. Especially not your office mate.”
“I understand,” she assured him, hiding her disappointment. “It wouldn’t be professional.”
He held her close. “I need you to remember what we’re about. Let’s keep it simple.”
She nodded, afraid to voice any disagreement…afraid that he would go away. “Yes, Hayden.”
“During the day, we must be all business,” he raised his dark eyebrows, “but at night, we can play.” He turned her hips slightly so that warm water pulsated against her butt. “Spread your legs and the water will take away some of the sting.”
Hayden reached for a bar of soap in the corner niche and lathered it in his hands. Tenderly bathing her, he massaged the suds into her shoulders, back, and butt. Madison closed her eyes as his hands worked over every inch of her body. When he reached between her legs, gently washing her folds, she clasped his shoulder, amazed at how the gesture felt even more intimate than their night of heated lovemaking.
Suddenly, Madison didn’t care anymore about what anyone thought of their being together. All that mattered was that she held on to him for as long as possible. Pleasing Hayden Parr had become her number one priority.
***
At the office, Madison was deep into her design for the Martins, working on her computer as Adam sat idly by at his desk, staring out the wide window. Since he had come to the office, she had sensed something was off with his demeanor. The usual talkative, confident man—who had liked to go on about his life, accomplishments, and countless assets—was alarmingly silent.
“What happened after I left you and Mr. Parr at the bar?” he finally uttered, breaking the chilly mood in the room.
Madison hesitated as she moved the mouse around on her pad. Remembering what Hayden had told her about Adam and his ex-wife, she carefully planned her words. “Oh, nothing. He brought me back to the building, and then I went home.”
“You drove home? After drinking like we did?”
She looked up from her computer to Adam, noting the perfectly made knot on his blue tie. For a second she reflected back to fixing Hayden’s tie the morning they visited the lot in Turtle Creek. “I wasn’t as trashed as you.”
Adam sat back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head. “Kind of surprised the boss man let you drive home, considering he was the one who encouraged us to do those shots in the first place.”
“I was fine, Adam.” She went back to her plans.
“Are you sure that’s all that happened?”
Her hand squeezed the mouse. Did he know something? “Yes, why do you ask?”
“I just got the impression that Mr. Parr likes you…a lot.”
She turned in her chair and glared at Adam. “You’re joking, right?”
He stood up. “Come on, didn’t you see the way he looked at you?”
“Funny, people are saying the same thing about how you look at me.”
He shrugged and moved closer to her desk. “Me everyone can understand. I’m your age, and we have a lot in common. But Mr. Parr? He’s too old for you.”
Sitting back in her chair, she smirked up at him. “Old for me? He’s what…maybe seven or eight years older than me. That’s not exactly ancient, Adam.”
He plopped down on the corner of her desk, grinning. “Ah ha, so you do think he’s attractive?”
“Adam, what is with you? Why all these questions about Mr. Parr? He’s my boss,” she returned her to her computer, “and your boss, too.”
“There’s no rule that says you can’t be interested in your boss, Madison.”
“I’m not interested, Adam. He’s my boss.”
“What if he was interested in you? Would you go for it?”
“Go for what?” Hayden asked from the open office doorway. “Adam,” he nodded to Adam as he walked in the door, “feeling better?”
Adam quickly moved away from Madison’s desk. “Ah, yes, Mr. Parr.”
“Glad to hear it.” Hayden came into the room, his intense eyes dissecting Adam. “Garrett wants to speak with you. He has an assignment for you.”
Adam’s glum countenance sparked to life. “Really?”
Hayden motioned to the door. “He’s waiting in his office to go over the details with you.” Shifting his focus to Madison, he stated, “I came to see how the Martins’ design is coming.”
As Hayden approached her desk, Adam moved toward the door. After Adam had exited the office, Hayden angled closer to her.
“What was that about?”
She glanced back at the open door, checking for Adam. “He thinks you’re too old for me and insisted that you have a thing for me.”
“Do you think I’m too old for you?”
Her lips curled into a grin. “You weren’t this morning.”
Hayden backed away from her desk, took in a ragged breath, and then went to the office door. Quietly closing it, he came back to her.
“What else did Adam say?”
She leaned back in her chair. “Does it matter?”
“You need to watch out for him. He’s been asking a lot of questions about me and if I’m seeing anyone.” His thick brow furrowed. “It makes me wonder if Ellen sent him here to spy on me.”
“Why would she do that? You’re divorced.”
He had a seat on the edge of her desk. “Divorced, but there is still the property settlement to get through, and if she had her way she would break me.”
“I’m sure Adam is just being…Adam.” She patted his arm reassuringly.
“Let’s hope so.” He nodded to her. “How are you feeling? Are you still sore?”
“A little, but it’s not bad.”
“I’ll try and be gentle tonight.”
She wrinkled her brow. “Is that an invitation?”
“Do you need one?”
“Yes, I do.”
Madison noted a change in his features. He eyes grew a little darker, accentuating their intimidat
ing appearance.
“We’re not dating, Madison. There is no formality here.” Leaning over to her computer, he pretended to study the screen. “Come by after work,” he softly added.
Excited butterflies in her stomach took wing. “I should go home and pack a bag first. So I won’t be late like this morning.” She placed her hand on her mouse. “My boss is a real jerk when I’m late.”
“Does he spank you when you’re bad?”
She grinned at him. “No.”
“Perhaps he should.” His face remained unchanged as he pointed to her computer screen. “Now let’s go over these plans.”
***
Madison was leaving her apartment later that evening, her overnight bag and purse slung over her shoulder, and as she was setting her deadlock, she saw Mrs. Leder’s door open down the hall. Dropping her head slightly, she sighed, wishing she could have avoided running into her landlady.
“Where are you off to?” Mrs. Leder queried, sauntering down the hall toward her.
Madison looked over her bright turquoise muumuu and matching slippers. “You look pretty tonight.”
Her brown eyes behind her thick glasses inspected Madison’s blue jeans and red sweatshirt. “Hot date?”
Madison pulled her blue canvas overnight bag closer. “No, I was going to the gym.”
“I’m old honey, not senile. I know when a girl is off to see a man. Besides, if you were going to the gym, you wouldn’t have put on lipstick and mascara.” She rested her hand on her hip. “Is it the hottie boss?”
“What makes you—?”
“Your roommate told me,” Mrs. Leder cut in. “She mentioned catching the two of you making out in the kitchen.” She winked. “Seems that old dress of mine did the trick, eh?”
Embarrassed, Madison glanced down at the dull brown carpet in the hallway. “We weren’t making out. We were talking.”
“Madison, I was young once, too.” Mrs. Leder placed her hand beneath Madison’s chin, and gently lifted her head. “And I also had a romance with my boss, so I know a little about what you’re going through.” She dropped her arm to her side. “Just remember to keep it interesting. When men get bored, they move on.”
Alarmed at the suggestion, Madison thought of how experienced Hayden was with sex. What if he did get bored with her?
“Exactly how do you keep a man from getting bored?” Madison innocently entreated.
Mrs. Leder’s cackle reverberated about the brightly lit hallway. “Oh my God, girl, you do have a lot to learn about men.” She took Madison’s hand. “Come with me.”
The inside of Mrs. Leder’s apartment always reminded Madison of a museum. The light red walls were crowded with framed pictures of Mrs. Leder in various stages of her youth, standing next to celebrities and politicians Madison had never heard of. The furniture was antique and made of dark wood with the sofa, love seat, and dining table chairs covered with different shades of green velvet. Mrs. Leder had always bragged about it being called Gothic Chippendale, and it had a lot of pointed arches and s-designs, but to Madison it was just clunky. The air was thick with orange blossom air freshener, and the wide screen TV on the living room wall was always set to The Soap Opera Channel.
Gliding past the array of Chinese knickknacks scattered atop the oval coffee table—Mrs. Leder was obsessed with anything Chinese—and over the deep red Oriental rug, Mrs. Leder pulled Madison into a kitchen very much like her own. The cabinets were painted blue instead of white, but the white Formica countertops were identical, as was the jutting breakfast bar.
“I always keep a pair in my kitchen drawer,” Mrs. Leder muttered.
“A pair of what?” Madison eyed a porcelain Chinese pug cookie jar on the countertop.
Pushing her glasses up on her nose, Mrs. Leder went to a drawer set below the breakfast bar and began rummaging around. After a few seconds, she uttered a triumphant cry and raised a pair of silver handcuffs in the air.
Madison’s jaw almost dropped to the floor when she saw her diminutive, elderly landlady holding up the handcuffs.
“This should keep him interested for a while,” Mrs. Leder declared as she waved the handcuffs in front of Madison.
“You’re joking, right?” Madison sounded more astonished than amused.
Mrs. Leder went to Madison’s side and unzipped the overnight bag. “Trust me, you’ll thank me later.” She dropped the handcuffs inside. “It will open up a whole new world for you.”
“Mrs. Leder, I can’t take those.” Madison’s overnight bag suddenly felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds. “I know you mean well, but I’m not—”
“Yes, you are that kind of girl, Madison. We all are. The only difference between someone who has explored their desires and someone who hasn’t is fear.” She patted her arm. “When you get to be my age, you discover the only thing that held you back in youth was fear. You realize that there was nothing to be afraid of in the first place. All that does matter in life are the people you share it with.” She waved her hand about her cluttered living room. “All the possessions, the money, and the accolades on your wall don’t mean a thing without someone to love.”
“I don’t know if we’re that serious yet. Who can say how long we will last? It might just be a fling.”
“I can tell by the way you blush whenever you speak of him that this isn’t a fling. Always fight to hold on to the special ones, Madison. They don’t come around all that often.” She shrugged and smiled wistfully. “Sometimes just once in a lifetime. Cherish it.”
Madison gave Mrs. Leder a tolerant smile, but her thoughts were on how to get out of the apartment and on her way to Hayden’s. “Thank you, Mrs. Leder, and I will….” She stumbled, trying to think what was considered polite when lending bondage equipment. “I’ll get the handcuffs back to you later, I guess?”
Mrs. Leder waved off the suggestion. “You keep them, honey. I’ve got others.” She showed Madison to the door
Madison regarded her landlady with a new appreciation. “You sure are full of surprises, Mrs. Leder.”
Mrs. Leder reached for her doorknob. “Everyone lives a life, Madison. We’re all the same, no matter the generations in between. You have fun with that man of yours.”
After Mrs. Leder had shut her front door, Madison jogged down the hallway toward the elevator. Deciding it would take too long, she darted across the hall to the stairwell and sprinted down five flights until she emerged in the lobby. Pushing through the glass doors at the building entrance, she spied the last orange spindles of the setting sun dragging across the sky.
Finally behind the wheel of her car, she tossed her bags to the passenger seat, and as she reflected on her overnight bag, she imagined Hayden naked and handcuffed to his bed.
“Thank you, Mrs. Leder,” she giggled, starting the car. “This might just be a very memorable evening, after all.”
Chapter 12
It was dark by the time she parked in front of Hayden’s contemporary home in Highland Park. The oversized mansions up and down his street were lit from within, sending out warm beams of light into the chilly night. Lifting her overnight bag from the car, the eerie quiet blanketing the picturesque manicured lawns and pristine gardens made Madison feel even more anxious about returning to his home. It was not that she didn’t want to be with him again—she did, desperately—but in the back of her mind, a little voice kept asking if she was doing the right thing. Perhaps she should have turned down his proposal, concentrated on her job, and pushed Hayden out of her life for good.
“You’re overthinking things again,” she grumbled, climbing up his long front steps. “You always do this when you get scared of a man.”
Scared? The word rattled about in her head. Maybe that had always been her problem. When things had gotten serious with a man and should have moved to the bedroom, Madison had run. It had not been the intimacy that she had feared; it had been sharing all of those pesky little details of her life with someone. Shaking her head, Madison realized
that had been the real reason why she had sought out a stranger that night to rid her of her bothersome virginity; she had simply wanted to do the deed without being weighed down by the burden of a relationship.
But now, here she stood, on the front doorstep of the very stranger she had given herself to, yearning for that long-avoided emotional relationship, but unable to pursue it. Life was more than ironic, it was downright sadistic.
“Hey, baby,” Hayden greeted after he opened his front door. When he kissed her lips, all of her doubts were magically swept aside.
Putting his arm around her shoulders, he ushered her inside. After shutting the door and setting the alarm, Hayden took the overnight bag from her.
“I hope you’re hungry.” He put the overnight bag on the stairs in the open foyer. “I picked up a large pepperoni pizza on the way home.” He glanced back at her. “You do like pepperoni, don’t you?”
She nodded. “And I like mushrooms, peppers, and chicken on my pizza. But no onions, anchovies, or pineapple.”
Hayden’s eyes drew together soberly. “Well, that is going to be a problem, because I love onions, anchovies, and pineapple on my pizza.”
She briefly grinned, but attempted to look serious. “Hmm. Yes, that could be a problem.”
“Perhaps I should spend the evening getting to know your likes and dislikes so that we can avoid any future problems.” He placed his hands behind his back as he took a step closer to her. “Let’s start with your favorite food.”
She peered up at the skylights above the foyer. “I like hamburgers the best, followed by popcorn.”
He stood right before her, staring into her eyes, his face unchanged. “Least favorite food.”
“Cabbage. Totally gross.”
A very faint smile briefly appeared on his lips, but he stifled it. Taking another step closer to her, he lowered his head so that his mouth was positioned right in front of hers. “Have you ever fantasized about being with a woman?”
Astounded by the question, she wasn’t sure how to reply. “Ah, I’m not a lesbian.” She held her head up, determined to be one of those confident, sexy women he liked. “I only fantasize about men.” Sounded good to her.
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