Hard Ride

by Opal Carew

  That could not be her.

  She stepped into the shoes and her body transformed again, her ass and breasts appearing more pronounced. And even sexier.

  Good heavens, Shock was going to see her like this.

  She turned and grabbed the dress, needing to cover herself. She slipped it over her head and felt the silky fabric glide over her body and fall into place, then turned to the mirror again.

  She could hardly believe it. She had covered her nakedness, but not changed the level of sexiness one whit. The long, slinky dress hugged every curve, making her feel essentially naked.

  How could she walk out of this room and down the stairs in front of everyone? And then into a restaurant full of people?

  But she had to. This was what Shock wanted her to do, so she would do it.

  She opened the door of the bathroom, wondering if Shock was still in the bedroom, but he wasn’t. He’d said to meet him downstairs, so she drew back her shoulders and stepped out of the room, then walked down the stairs with her head held high.

  She heard a whistle as she approached the bottom of the staircase and glanced around. Steele stood in the foyer watching her. But there was no sign of Shock.

  “You look stunning,” he said.

  “Thank you.” Despite her best efforts, her shoulders sagged.

  A moment later, there was a knock at the door. Steele opened it, then turned to her.

  “It’s for you, Liv.”

  “Me?”

  She walked to the door, and her breath caught as she saw Shock standing there, excruciatingly handsome in an expensive-looking suit, his hair combed neatly into place.

  “Good evening, Liv.” He held out his elbow. “I’m here to pick you up for our date.”

  Dazed, she put her hand on his elbow, wondering how she would get onto the bike in this dress without hiking it up to her thighs.

  But sitting in the driveway was a shiny black limousine.

  She was going to protest at the lavish treatment, but she realized that was ridiculous. For the two of them to ride the motorcycle in these clothes would be crazy.

  The chauffeur opened the door for them and Shock took her hand and helped her into the car, then slid in beside her. The supple leather seats were large and comfortable. As soon as the car started moving, Shock opened a compartment, revealing a bottle of champagne on ice inside, and popped the cork, then poured the bubbly liquid into two flutes. He handed her one and she sipped it.

  Typically, she’d never cared for champagne—she’d drink it to be sociable when celebrating something—but this was not like any she’d ever had before. It was like ambrosia.

  Suddenly, she realized she’d finished the glass and Shock was filling it again.

  “You know, I already told you. You don’t need to get me drunk.” She sipped the wine again and giggled as the bubbles tickled her nose. “I’m a sure thing.”

  “I’m not intending to get you drunk, and if you think that’s going to happen, I’ll take it from you right now.”

  But when he playfully reached for her glass, Liv held it away.

  “No, no. I like it.”

  He leaned in close to nuzzle her ear. “I haven’t told you yet how incredibly sexy you look in that dress.”

  She took another sip of champagne and giggled again. “Yeah? You should see me out of it.”

  He smiled. “I am looking forward to that.”

  She tried to take another sip, but the glass was empty again. She grabbed the bottle and filled it herself, then leaned close to him. “Did you know that the bra is only half there?” She giggled. “My nipples are totally exposed.”

  She glanced down at herself and realized her nipples were hard and poking out, the outlines clearly visible through the fabric.

  “Oh, my.”

  She took another sip from her flute.

  “Here, Liv, why don’t you give me that?” Shock slipped the glass from her fingers and put it back in the wet bar.

  “And the panties are less than useless in covering anything. I might as well be naked under this dress.”

  “Liv, you’re painting a mental image I’m having trouble ignoring.”

  She glanced at his pants and saw the huge bulge straining against the fine wool fabric.

  “Oh, it’s so hard. Does it hurt when that happens?” She rested her hand on his erection and stroked it.

  He grabbed her hand and held it, stopping her from touching him. “Only when you do that.”

  She was confused. “I’m hurting you?”

  “No, baby, I just mean you make it get bigger, and that makes it hurt when it’s confined.”

  “We just need to let it out,” she said as she sank to the floor and unzipped his fly, then pushed her hand inside. The feel of his hot, hard flesh in her fingers sent heat searing through her. But as she leaned down to take him in her mouth, he lifted her back onto the seat.

  “Liv, just slow down, sweetie. We’ve got all night. I don’t want to rush anything.”

  He disengaged her hand and tucked himself away, zipping up his fly again.

  “Oh, that’s so sweet.” She leaned close and nuzzled the base of his neck.

  His arm came around her and he drew her close to his side. “We’re almost at the restaurant.”

  A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of an elegant hotel and the driver opened the door. Shock got out and helped Liv out of the car, then led her to the entrance. They took a glass elevator up the tall building, then were led by the maître d’ to a table with a stunning view of several small lakes surrounded by trees below. On the other side of the restaurant, the view was of the skyline of the small city. She wasn’t sure of the name of it, but remembered driving through it on the way to Shock’s country house.

  Shock pulled out the chair for her and once she’d sat down in the comfy seat, he pushed it in for her. The restaurant was elegant, with white linen tablecloths and tall, tapered candles on each table. The waiter poured them glasses of ice water as Shock sat down across from her.

  “It’s a very nice restaurant,” she said.

  Her head was spinning a little, but the waiter brought bread and Shock cut a bun from the basket and buttered it, then set it on her side plate.

  Shock ordered for both of them—she didn’t really pay attention to what, but when the waiter set a bowl of lobster bisque in front of her, she glanced at Shock.

  “I love lobster bisque.” She’d only had it once, since it wasn’t the kind of thing she could usually afford, but she had never forgotten it.

  He smiled. “I know.”

  She didn’t ask him how he knew. Maybe she had told him when they’d known each other in college, but she couldn’t believe he’d remember.

  “Shock, you were my friend in college, but I know you wanted to be more. I’m really sorry about that.”

  He raised an eyebrow at her bluntness and she realized the champagne was still affecting her.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

  He put down his soup spoon. “No. Since you have brought it up, I’m sorry, too.” He leaned forward. “Liv, I never understood it. I was so attracted to you, and I was sure you were attracted to me, too.”

  She stared down at her soup and took another spoonful. Then she nodded. “I was…” She glanced up at him. “I am.”

  “Then why?” His gaze bored through her. “Why did you turn me down when I asked you out? And why did you drift away from me right after? If I hadn’t insisted, you would have let our friendship die completely.”

  She frowned. “I’m sorry. I really am. But…” She sucked in a deep breath, not sure she could continue this. Especially not here in this public place.

  “But what, Liv? That really did a number on me. I want to know.”

  * * *

  Shock watched her. He hadn’t intended to push her on this tonight, but she’d brought it up. He knew he was taking advantage a little, but with the champagne making her more open, maybe
he’d finally get the answer he’d needed for so many years.

  “It was just…” She hesitated, then took a sip of water. She gazed at him and the pain in her eyes disturbed him. “It was around the time…”

  Fuck, tears were welling in her eyes.

  God damn it.

  “Liv, did the thing that happened to you…” He clenched his fists. “Is that when it happened?”

  She nodded, wiping a tear from her eyes.

  He felt totally helpless. He wanted to protect her, but there was nothing he could do about something that had happened to her in the past.

  Except help her move forward.

  “God, Liv, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get you upset.”

  She shook her head, wiping another tear away.

  He handed her his napkin. “Here, use this.”

  She looked at it hesitantly. “I don’t want to ruin it.”

  “It’s just a piece of cloth. It’ll wash.”

  She dabbed at her eyes, clearly trying not to leave streaks of black mascara on the pristine white linen.

  “Do you want to leave?” he asked.

  “No,” she said quickly. “This is so lovely. I don’t want to ruin it. It’s so nice that…” She smiled tremulously. “That you wanted to make tonight special.”

  He took her hand and cradled it between his own. It felt so soft and delicate, so fragile.

  “Of course.” He kissed the back of her hand.

  The waiter approached and poured them more water. She withdrew her hand and continued eating her soup.

  They hardly talked for the rest of dinner, simply enjoyed the fine cuisine and the wine, which Shock ordered by the glass so it didn’t get ahead of her.

  Finally, they finished their meal and enjoyed the live background music over coffee.

  “Shall we go?” Shock asked.

  Liv nodded and stood up, then rested her hand on the arm he offered and walked with him to the elevator. Every man in the room watched the sexy swaying of her body as they strolled through the room.

  The dress really did look spectacular on her, and he’d been trying to ignore the outlines of her nipples through the cloth ever since she’d made him so pointedly aware of them in the limo. He’d had trouble succeeding, his cock rising and falling like a tide. When the conversation had turned serious, he’d forgotten for a while, focused on her pain, but sitting across from her, it didn’t take long into dinner for his gaze to wander to those little buds again.

  Now, as she walked toward the elevator, his cock started to swell, and when he pushed the elevator button and she turned away from him as one of the elevators in another column dinged, he hardened to full readiness at the sight of her round ass, with no panty line, there in front of him. The slinky fabric clung to her fine form, and reminded him if he stroked over that fabric, there would be practically nothing between him and her naked skin.

  Liv stepped into the elevator and he followed. She reached to push the button for the lobby, but he pressed the one for the nineteenth floor instead. She glanced at him in surprise.

  “You didn’t think I’d take you back to the house with all those people there, did you?” He pulled a key card from his pocket. “I had us checked in earlier and the chauffeur gave me this when he picked us up.”

  * * *

  Liv drew in a deep breath. She had thought they were going back to the house, and had expected to have the drive home to calm herself, but now she had only moments until she found herself alone in a bedroom with Shock.

  No matter how much she wanted to be with him, she still felt supremely nervous about this. It was not just the anxiety that her long-instilled fear would get the best of her—and if it didn’t, that the act would hurt—but … what if she didn’t please him? Or that she didn’t meet his expectations, which was actually pretty likely. After all, he’d wanted her for years. He must have built up an idea of what it would be like to be with her, and she couldn’t possibly live up to that.

  The doors slid open at the nineteenth floor and Shock took her elbow and guided her from the elevator. They walked down the hall and turned to the right, then stopped in front of a double door. He slid the key card into the slot and opened the door.

  She stepped into the large suite and drew in a breath. There was a stunning view of the lakes out the window, the setting sun glinting on their golden surfaces, the sky alight with rose and mauve clouds outlined in golden sunlight.

  The door closed behind them, and she felt Shock move closer. He put his arm around her waist and led her into the living room to the couch facing the window. They sat down, his arm still around her, and watched the sunset together. She noticed a standing bucket of ice with a bottle of champagne nestled in it.

  “I’d like a glass of champagne,” she said when he continued to ignore the bottle.

  “Are you sure? After how it affected you earlier…”

  She smiled. “It’s not like you don’t already have my consent, and … it will help me to relax.”

  He pulled the bottle from the bucket, popped the cork, and poured the sparkling wine into the tall stem glasses on the glass table in front of the couch, then handed her one.

  “You’re nervous.”

  She nodded, then clinked her glass against his. She went to drink and he stopped her, then hooked his arm around hers in a corny but romantic gesture. She sipped the champagne and felt the warmth flow down her throat, then spread through her whole body.

  “You must know I won’t hurt you.”

  “But…” She gazed at him with wide eyes. “What if I’m not all you hoped I’d be?”

  He smiled tenderly and stroked the hair from her face. “There’s absolutely no danger of that.”

  “But how do you know?”

  “Because of who you are. Because of what we’ve already experienced.” He drew her closer and brushed his lips against hers in a gentle caress. “Because of what I feel anytime I get near you.”

  He cupped the back of her head and drew her face closer, then kissed her again. This time deeper, and more poignantly.

  “I want you so bad, every nerve in my body aches for you.” He took her hand and pressed it to his chest, over his heart.

  Under the fine silk of his shirt, Liv could feel his heart beating, a thunderous roar. She stared at his chest in wonder.

  “Can you feel it? How much I want you?”

  Could he mean he had deeper feelings for her, and wanted more than a physical relationship?

  That thought shook her whole world.

  Was he falling in love with her?

  Because she could so easily fall head over heels in love with him.

  She pulled the brakes on that line of thought. Shock had lusted after her for a long time and wanted to follow that attraction to its logical conclusion. That was all. Just a fling to experience what he couldn’t in college.

  The pounding of his heart was the result of physical desire. No more than that. And she would be a fool to believe there could be more.

  He had waited a long time for this, so she wouldn’t keep him waiting any longer.

  She stood up and, heedless of the unobstructed window in front of them, and in the fiery finale of the blazing sunset, she pulled the straps of the black dress off her shoulders and allowed the slinky fabric to drop to the floor.

  Shock had been watching her every move, and now his brown eyes heated to the color of dark chocolate as his gaze swept down her body, taking in every inch of her, then settling on her puckered nipples. She stepped toward him until her legs brushed against his knees, and he opened them and rested his hands on her waist, then drew her forward.

  He admired her breasts, focusing on the hard nubs, then glanced at her face.

  “You are incredibly sexy.”

  “The outfit you got me makes me look—”

  He cut her off. “No. You are incredibly sexy. These things only enhance your incredible beauty.”

  She felt her cheeks flush. “Thank you.”r />
  He chuckled and tightened his hands around her waist, drawing her closer. “No, thank you.”

  Her breasts were at his eye level, and he stared at them, admiring. Finally, she reached around behind her and unfastened the hooks, then drew away the demi-bra, removing all barriers to his touch.

  He took the hint and tucked his hand under one of her naked breasts, lifting slightly, then his thumb found the nub and brushed over it ever so lightly.

  Sparks flared inside her.

  “Oh, that feels so nice,” she crooned.

  He smiled and cupped the other breast, then brushed that nipple, too. She felt weak in the knees.

  “Sit,” he commanded, and when she did, he lowered himself to the floor, kneeling in front of her. He pressed her back against the couch, then leaned in and brushed his tongue lightly over her nipple.

  “Oh, yes.” She could barely handle the wave of subtle sensations sweeping through her like subdued fireworks expanding and flashing in slow motion.

  After treating each of her nubs to his delicious tongue play, she felt his mouth close over one and suckle it ever so lightly. She melted against the back of the couch.

  “Oh, God, that feels so good.”

  He caressed her other breast as he suckled her nipple, then he switched sides. She wove her fingers through his dark brown hair and found herself drawing him closer to her. He sucked harder and she gasped.

  His hands glided downward, past the lacy garter belt at her waist, to the elastic of her tiny panties.

  He smiled. “You put them on over the garter belt.”

  “Is that wrong?” she asked, drawn out of the web of pleasure.

  He kissed her cheek. “No, it’s perfect.”

  Then he pulled the delicate garment down her hips, and she lifted her ass so he could pull it down farther, then slide it off her legs.

  He pressed her knees apart and stared at her intimate folds. She felt her cheeks heat. She loved his admiring gaze, but it made her self-conscious.

  But he stroked her breast again, then his lips found her nipple and she floated away on a sea of sensual abandon.

  His fingers glided down her belly and she tensed when she felt him stroke her folds, then glide along her slick slit. But he moved slowly and she soon found herself relaxing into the delightful sensations.