by Tara Rose
By the time the movie started and they both stopped talking, her sides hurt from laughing and eating at the same time. Sean put their empty food containers on the floor between them and put his arm around her. This was what she’d wished for in high school—to be on a date with a guy like Sean or Maddox. She would have gone out with either one if they’d asked her.
But this wasn’t high school and she should just shut the hell up already about what was in the past so she could enjoy the present. What was wrong with her? She took a deep breath, inhaling his scent mixed with popcorn and candy, and snuggled closer. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and tightened his arm around her.
Chapter Nine
Julie invited Sean into her condo after he drove her home because she didn’t want the evening to end. Her first appointment the next morning wasn’t until ten, so she could actually get away with getting up a bit later if need be, but she wasn’t sure how early Sean had to be at work. “Would you like a glass of wine or a beer?”
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” That grin…did he have any idea how it sent her heart fluttering?
“Do I need to?”
He chuckled. “Absolutely not. But I’ll have some wine if you’ll join me.”
She walked into the kitchen and he followed. “Red or white?”
“Oh, I don’t know. What do you think goes better with popcorn and nachos?”
Julie took a bottle of Chardonnay out of the fridge and began to open it. “White. Definitely white.”
“You’re a true gourmet, Julie.” He glanced around, and Julie watched in horror as his glance fell first on the boxes and red ribbons, and then on the roses, side by side in vases on the kitchen counter. The grin faded, and a muscle twitched under his left eye. “I see mine is not the only offering today.”
Julie didn’t say anything. What was there to say, after all? She poured them each a glass and handed Sean his. “What shall we drink to?”
Sean gave her a thoughtful look and stared into her eyes for long seconds before he finally answered. “To the spirit of healthy competition.” He took a large sip before she could protest.
“Sean, it’s not a competition.”
“Julie, my dear, yes it is.”
“That makes me uncomfortable.”
“Why?”
“Because…” She shook her head “Because I’ve never been in this situation. I don’t know how to handle it.”
A change came over his face. His gaze softened, and the corners of his mouth turned up. “You’re right. I’m sorry. There goes my jealousy coming out again. Let’s start over.” He put his glass on the table, took hers and placed it there, too, and then put his arms around her. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Julie, and thank you for spending it with me. Did you enjoy the movie?”
“I did, thank you. I had a wonderful time tonight.” It was true. The movie had been the perfect blend of action and drama, with just enough comedy to keep it from being slapstick. The acting was good and the plot believable.
“I did, too, because I was with you. Do you like the roses I sent? They’re very traditional—red and all.”
“Sean, they’re gorgeous. I love red roses. I’m very flattered that you took the time to send them.”
“It was my pleasure.” He released her and picked up her glass, then handed it to her. He took another sip from his and she did the same. Then he cut his gaze to the flowers again. “So…Saturday night you’re going back to the club, right?”
“Yes.” Julie mentally searched for a better topic of conversation. She didn’t want to talk about Maddox or the club right now.
“I’ll probably see you there.”
Her pulse quickened. Well of course he would be there. Hadn’t she already known that? “You’ll be there?”
“I’m there just about every weekend, Julie. Maddox needs help to make sure things run smoothly.”
She blinked several times, cutting her gaze to a spot over his right shoulder and back again to his face. He was watching her closely, his eyes slightly narrowed. She licked her lips.
“What is it you want to ask me but are afraid to?”
She gave him a droll look. She’d been caught red-handed, as he would say. “Can’t turn off the cop, can you?”
He laughed. “Not for a second. You can’t be too careful, you know.”
“Even with me?”
He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. “Especially not with you. Now, what do you want to ask me?”
“Sean, I—”
“Julie, you don’t have to be afraid to ask me something about my personal life, whether that be related to Maddox’s club, or anything else.”
“Okay. When you go to the club, are you there just to help Maddox, or do you… play? Is that the right word?”
“It is. I used to but I haven’t in a while. I don’t have a sub right now and I’m afraid I’ve become a bit…jaded.”
“That sounds sad.” His voice sounded sad, but his body language said something else entirely. She caught the muscle twitch under his left eye again, and the way he gripped the stem of his glass a bit tighter.
“Sad is one word.”
“What would the other one be, Sean?”
He sighed loudly and watched her face, as if deciding whether or not to say anything.
“Angry? Bitter? Or even fearful, I’d say, judging by the look on your face right now and the way your knuckles are turning white around the stem of that glass.”
He made a sound that was part laugh, part disgust. “I can’t turn off the cop, and you can’t turn off the shrink.” What was he hiding?
“No, I guess I can’t. Want to talk about it?”
He averted his gaze for a second, much the same way many of her clients did right before finally telling her what was on their mind. “Let’s just say it was a rough precinct where I worked in Chicago, and I crossed paths with a lot of shady characters in my daily life.”
“Shady characters in the BDSM lifestyle?”
“Yeah.”
It was so obvious he wanted to talk about it. “Sean, I’m a really good listener.”
“I know you are, Julie. But that’s not a conversation for tonight. Thank you for the offer though.” He cut his gazes to the flowers a third time.
“Why don’t we sit in front of the fire?” she asked. Anything to distract him from those damn roses.
“You have a fireplace?”
She laughed. “Come on. I’ll show you the magic lever that makes flames.”
“Oh, how intriguing. What other deep, dark secrets are you hiding in this condo?”
She turned on the gas, and the living room was filled with light and heat. “I don’t think I should tell you that. You are a great detective, after all. You might have to arrest me.”
Sean put his glass on the mantle and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Julie nearly spilled her wine as a flood of heat that had nothing to do with the fire raced through her body. He nuzzled her neck and she moaned softly. “I wouldn’t arrest you right away.”
“What would you do then?”
Sean took her glass and placed it next to his. Then he took her arms and pulled them gently behind her back. Julie let out a gasp. “I’d tie you up and torture you for a while until you spilled all your secrets. And then I might or might not arrest you, depending on what you told me.”
“Exactly how many secrets do you think I’m hiding, Detective?” Her voice came out husky and warm, and even Julie was shocked by the seductiveness of it. She forgot all about Chicago and shady characters as Sean pressed his body against hers. She moaned again as his erection teased her open palms.
“I have a feeling you’re hiding a lot of them.” He kissed her neck, trailing his tongue down one side then the other. His strong hands held her wrists firmly against her back, and it was so arousing that Julie’s breath came out in short gasps.
Gone also were thoughts of how early either of them might have to get up in the morning. She was no
longer thinking of Saturday night. She could hardly think of anything at all. “I’ll never tell,” she whispered.
“Oh, resisting my interrogation efforts, are you? I guess I’ll have to increase the pressure.” Sean released her arms. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
Julie turned to watch him walk back into the kitchen and considered following him, just to see what he would do, but instead she drained her wine glass while she listened to paper rustling and drawers opening. When he came back into the room he carried the red ribbons from each box of roses in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. A grin that would melt steel graced his handsome face. Julie nearly passed out from anticipation.
“Turn around.” She wouldn’t have been able to say “no” even if she’d wanted to. She did as he asked, and was rewarded with him draping the ribbons over the front of her sweater and then dragging them across her nipples. Even through the fabric they sent a tingling sensation straight to her throbbing clit.
“Now, what do you suppose I could do with these?” His voice was silky smooth and full of humor.
Julie’s mind reeled with erotic possibilities. “Anything you want, Detective.”
“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” He pulled off her sweater and tossed it on the floor, and then he unhooked her bra. “Julie…”
“It’s all right, Sean. Don’t stop.”
“Thank you.” He kissed her back, trailing his lips down to the waistband of her jeans, and back up again. “Thank you for this.” He removed her bra as a loud sigh escaped his lips. “I have a confession to make.”
“But you’re the cop. Shouldn’t I be the one confessing?”
“Oh, you will.” Julie shivered. “But I have to say this or I’ll lose my nerve.” He put his arms around her and held her tightly. “I have had a major crush on you since eighth grade. I know I was a stupid jerk in high school, but I’ve always thought you had the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”
Julie had to blink back tears. She was overwhelmed and didn’t know what to say. He’d had a crush on her? Did he have any idea the amount of time she’d spent fantasizing about him over the years?
Sean put her arms behind her back and tied her wrists with what she assumed was one of the ribbons, because the other one fluttered down her side and landed on top of her discarded bra and sweater. Her wrists weren’t bound tightly, but being in this position was so erotic that her panties flooded.
“I had a thing for you, too,” she said. “In fact, I’ve pretty much had a thing for you since first grade.”
He chuckled softly. “I wish I’d known that.”
Julie didn’t say anything. It didn’t seem the appropriate time to point out that even if he had known, he wouldn’t have acted on it. Not then. But they weren’t in school any longer. They were all grown up and she was half naked and bound by one of the objects of her unrequited passion and desire. “So, Detective, what happens now? I’m your prisoner.”
“Now I get that confession out of you in any way I can.” He cupped her breasts and Julie cried out in surprise and pleasure. His touch was as gentle as Maddox’s had been, and just as arousing. Her mind began to dance with images of fucking both men. She couldn’t help it.
He teased her nipples with his thumbs and forefingers, and Julie made whimpering sounds in the back of her throat as she writhed against his body. “Ready to confess yet?”
“Not a chance.”
“Oh… I see.” He must have picked up the wooden spoon because something hard smacked her on the left ass cheek—enough to cause her to jump and yelp. Then he hit her right cheek. Julie bit her lip and tried to control her body’s reaction, but she may as well have tried to stop her heart from beating. She squirmed against the ribbon binding her wrists. The reality of what was happening both excited and amazed her. She and Sean weren’t simply going to make love. She was about to have an intense erotic night, just as she’d had with Maddox at the club.
“Had enough?”
She couldn’t stop the giggle. He was teasing, surely, but come on. One smack on each cheek through thick jeans and panties was enough? Hardly.
Sean reached around and lightly tapped the wooden spoon against each nipple. Julie gasped at the level of arousal coursing through her body. When he tapped it against her pussy she moaned.
“Yeah. Now I have your attention.” He pulled down her jeans and panties, then helped her lift each foot in turn until her boots and socks were removed and she’d stepped out of her clothes. When she was completely naked, he stood in front of her and cupped her face. “We may need to give you a safe word to use, Julie. I’m assuming you know what that is.”
She nodded. “I used ‘red’ on Friday.” No point in denying what he’d already guessed had happened between her and Maddox.
He nodded. “Works for me. Are you okay with this? Seriously…before we go any further into this fun little role-play, I want to make sure you’re all right with it. I don’t know how far you and Maddox went Friday, and I’m not going to make you tell me. My only concern tonight is that we keep this consensual, and that you aren’t afraid of anything we do.”
“I’m fine, Sean. Honest. Just overwhelmed right now.”
He smiled. “Overwhelmed in a good way, right?”
“Oh yes. In a very good way.”
Chapter Ten
Sean kissed her, rough and deep. She had no choice but to melt into his embrace or she’d fall. He released her mouth and planted tiny bites along her neck. Julie’s whimpers and moans filled the space as he made his way down to her breasts. He cupped them in his strong hands, kneading them gently at first. Then he alternated between sucking hard on her nipples and lightly smacking them with the wooden spoon.
She squeezed her thighs together as her climax drew close, but he let go of her breasts before she could come. With a chuckle and a sly grin, as if he knew what she’d been trying to do, he stepped away and glanced at her pussy. “Have you always shaved it?”
She shook her head. Words weren’t possible right now.
“When did you start?”
Julie swallowed. “Saturday morning.”
He nodded. “I see. Well, I like it. Will you keep it shaved for me too, Julie?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Sean tapped her pussy with the wooden spoon, a bit harder this time. “Address me as Detective.”
“Yes, Detective.”
“Spread your legs.”
Julie did as he asked, not taking her eyes off his face. She didn’t think it was possible to be more aroused than she’d been Friday night but she was. This was more intense than it had been with Maddox because Sean was different in his Dom role. He was more businesslike and just edgy enough that it gave Julie the feeling that she was teetering on the brink of danger. She’d never imagined so many fantasies coming to life in the space of a week.
“A bit more,” he coaxed.
When she’d opened them as wide as he wanted, he stepped closer and held her gaze while he palmed her pussy with his free hand. Julie bit her lip, fighting to stay in control, but it was pointless. He grazed her clit with each pass of his hand, back and forth, and the knowing grin on his face told her he that knew exactly how her body was responding to his touch.
“You’re beautiful,” he said softly. “And I can’t thank you enough for this.”
“Sean…”
He smacked her left ass cheek hard with the wooden spoon. Julie gasped as a strong wave of desire swept through her.
“Detective. Mess up like that again and I’ll put you over my knee and paddle you with this until your gorgeous ass is beet red. Understood?”
She was so damn tempted to test him on that point, but all she did was nod, unable to tear her gaze from his face. He went back to caressing her pussy, grazing her clit with his thumb and teasing the opening to her wet slit. “You’re soaked, Julie.”
“I can’t help it, S—Detective. You’re so damn sexy. You do that to me.”
The light danced in his eyes. “I’ll forgive you for that near slip because of what you said.”
“Thank you, Detective.”
He slipped a finger into her pussy and Julie groaned loudly. As he moved it in and out, he rubbed her clit with his thumb, watching her face. “I want to watch you come.”
“Oh, God…” Maddox had said the same thing. Up until six days ago she’d been convinced she was practically frigid. Obviously she’d been wrong.
He dropped the spoon onto the ground and grasped her ass cheeks with one hand while he kept up the pressure on her pussy with the other. She leaned into his body and tried to just let her mind go. His hands felt incredible on her skin, and his fingers knew exactly what to do, but it just wasn’t happening.
All the old memories resurfaced. The taunts, the whispered rumors, and the epic failed sexual encounters in college. What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn’t a damn kid anymore. She was a grown woman who was with one of the most gorgeous, sexy men she’d ever known and had fantasized about most of her life. Maybe that was the problem? But then, how did she explain being able to let go on Friday with Maddox?
Sean and Maddox had been the mainstays of her fantasies most of her life. She’d finally been with one, and the other was right here, trying hard to make sure she had a damn good time. Julie pushed away the memories and concentrated on Sean’s scent, the warmth of his skin, and the light in his eyes. The climax began to build again, and she let the sensations fill her senses.
“That’s it, Julie,” he said softly. “You can do it.”
That was all it took. A blinding orgasm rocked her, causing her knees to buckle. He tightened his grip on her ass cheeks and held her upright while he continued to tease her with his fingers until the contractions stopped. By the time they finally did, Julie was dizzy and shaking.
