HisMarriageBargain

by Sidney Bristol

  “I don’t know. Out?” he called.

  Autumn rolled her eyes and started picking through the shoes discarded on the floor.

  “You have a lot of dresses.”

  “I used to go out a lot.” A truth wrapped in a lie. She just wasn’t ready to talk about the days when she’d dressed up like the Reba song Fancy, looking for a date and a meal.

  Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy, and they’ll be nice to you.

  Yeah, well, that was a lie.

  “Hey, try a few more of these on, will you?”

  Sammi laid one pile of dresses on the bed and held out four to her.

  “Really?” Autumn picked a bright-orange one that was nothing but a bunch of strategically placed straps.

  “Hey, I’m curious.” He held up his hands and grinned. “Nah, I really wanted to see these three.”

  “Okay.”

  Sammi’s phone rang and he rolled his eyes. “Be right back.”

  “Yeah right,” she muttered, and couldn’t help but smile. The man had serious issues with phone dependency.

  Autumn wiggled out of the blue dress and pulled on a flowing pink one that was more modest, even innocent-looking. She seemed to recall wearing it to a garden tea thing she’d gone to for some reason. The stockings and garter belt did nothing for the dress, so she took them off and stowed them in the box. A pair of neutral wedges completed the outfit, or at least as complete as it would get for now. She headed into the living room where Sammi sat on the couch, head cradled in his hand.

  He glanced up and gave her a slow once-over. She seemed to meet his approval.

  Autumn twirled slowly and Sammi gave her a thumbs-up.

  She repeated the fashion show with the other outfits, meeting with the same approval with each. They were her most conservative dresses, probably from the recesses of her closet because she couldn’t even remember why she owned them.

  The phone call didn’t seem to be wrapping up, so Autumn took the time to go through the rest of her room and even the bathroom, pulling stuff she thought she’d want. She poked her head out of the bedroom after almost half an hour and he was still where she’d left him.

  That wasn’t any fun.

  Autumn glanced back into her bedroom at the overflowing box, the orange dress catching her eye.

  Why not?

  Getting into the dress was a contortionist exercise of wiggling the bands of orange studded fabric to the right place and scooting the largest band around her hips.

  It was a remnant of her past. She’d used it as a Halloween costume once and never gotten rid of it for whatever reason.

  She turned this way and that and eyed herself in the mirror. Once she’d been unhealthily skinny and the so-called dress had had some breathing room. Now it hugged her like a second skin, but she could still rock it with the best of them. Autumn didn’t even mind the added weight. It was muscle and a soft rounding of her body. Normal, even. The emaciated pictures of her later teen years were disturbing.

  Autumn stepped into the gold heels and strutted out of the room.

  “Yeah, send that over and—”

  She glanced at Sammi with his mouth hanging open mid-sentence and his gaze bouncing between her breasts and ass. Yup, she still had that strut, and she worked it all the way to the pole gracing her apartment. She wrapped her hand around it and walked a half-circle, leaning outward.

  It was like riding a bicycle, not that she wasn’t guilty of twirling every now and then. But this time was different. There was an audience, and one that mattered.

  The pole slid against her palm, not quite smooth, but she could work with it. With a hop, she wrapped one leg around the metal and spun, using her abdominal and thigh muscles to keep her vertical. The surface wasn’t polished or smooth enough, so her thigh squeaked as she made the full circle and she laughed, destroying the seductive spell of the moment.

  “I’m going to have to call you back,” Sammi said in a rush.

  Autumn completed two more rotations, letting her head tip back as she slowed her momentum, then stepped off the pole, gripping it with one hand to keep her upright. She might still have the ability, but her core muscles weren’t up to par anymore. At least not for that activity.

  Sammi’s mouth hung partially open as he continued to stare at her.

  “What do you think about this dress?” she asked innocently, placing her hand on her hip and twisting.

  “That’s hot.” He adjusted his slacks, never taking his gaze from her.

  “Really? What part?” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and started toward him, slow and sensual, crossing one foot in front of the other to give her swagger.

  “All of it.” His eyes were so wide they were about to pop out of his face.

  The way his gaze crawled over her left nothing to the imagination. He wanted to fuck her, here and now. It was empowering to know he wanted her, but better because she wanted him too.

  “Sammi?” She stopped in front of him, her stance wide, the hem of the dress barely covering her now.

  “Yeah?” He glanced up to her face and their gazes snagged.

  “Does watching me turn you on?”

  “Everything about you turns me on.” Stark honesty. She liked that.

  “And the stripper pole routine’s just, what? Boring?” She smiled as he chuckled.

  “Boring is not what I’d call that.” He adjusted the crotch of his slacks again. His erection tented the front of his pants.

  Autumn placed her knee next to his thigh and leaned over Sammi, gripping the back of the couch with one hand. He stared at her breasts, now eye level.

  It was different with him. She’d never danced, or even pretended to, for anyone else. He could touch her if he wanted to. He owned a piece of her heart; even if it was less than perfect, he meant something to her. What, she didn’t know, but she’d figure that out later. Right now things didn’t have to be complicated.

  He wanted her body and she wanted him.

  Sammi gripped her hip and swiped his thumb over bare flesh.

  As if the movement was some sort of signal she exhaled and straddled his lap, running her fingers through his hair. She loved the way he got this wild, rough look when they fucked. Not quite as perfect as his put-together self she’d walked into the apartment with.

  She spoke with her lips almost touching his. “Hope I wasn’t interrupting anything important.”

  “No idea what you’re talking about.” He nuzzled her cheek, dragging his lips across her skin. He clasped her free hand and held it against his heart. The accelerated thump thump beat against her knuckles. Every moment was precious.

  She kissed him, sealing her mouth over his. He sat up slightly, pressing harder against her and closing the distance between their bodies. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and she could taste the mints they’d shared earlier.

  The hand at her hip slid between her legs, palming her bare mound. She sucked his tongue and moved her hips against his hand. His fingers slid through her folds and into her pussy. Her breathing stuttered in her chest as he curled his fingers deep inside her.

  He broke the kiss. “You aren’t wearing any underwear.”

  “Couldn’t have panty lines in a dress like this.” She moved her hips again, fucking herself on his hand. “I like how you feel in me.”

  He dropped his mouth to her shoulder, kissing the bare skin there as he thrust his hand in time with her hips.

  “Do you want me?” she whispered.

  “Yes.” His voice was dripping, thick with lust.

  She dropped a hand to his groin, stroking his cock through the fabric of his pants. His motions faltered, but she never did. He grabbed her wrist and pulled his fingers from her pussy.

  “Fuck this, we’re using a bed.”

  Even better.

  Sammi wrapped his arms around her waist and stood, grunting slightly as she hooked her legs around him. Her pussy clenched, empty, but not for long.

  Autumn laughed al
l the way into the bedroom where he gently tossed her on the worn mattress and dumped the pile of dresses on the floor. He froze at the foot of the bed, one knee on its edge.

  “Fuck.”

  “That’s the plan, isn’t it?” She sat up grinning, grabbed the front of his shirt and tugged.

  Sammi followed her back down to the mattress, taking her mouth in an enthusiastic kiss, hands in her hair and body caging hers perfectly. The thick line of his erection pressed against her abdomen. She clawed at his shirt, popping buttons and yanking it off. Thank goodness he didn’t wear anything under the button-ups. The slacks took a bit more work, but he helped her with those, kicking them and his shoes to the floor.

  While he shoved his underwear off, Autumn reached for the bedside table where she kept an emergency stash of condoms. She turned back to Sammi as he tossed his wallet to the side—holding a foil packet. She held up her bounty and he chuckled.

  “Great minds think alike.” He grinned at her, no judgment, just lust.

  She tore open her packet first, so he tossed his aside and sat back, hands on his thighs. She sat up and grasped his hard length. A thrill shot through her as she stroked him, running her fingers up and down his smooth flesh.

  “Shit that feels good,” he muttered as she pumped him.

  “Think how much better it’ll feel inside me.”

  “Hell yes.”

  She rolled the latex on him and half expected Sammi to pounce on her. But he didn’t.

  He pushed her back into the mattress, kissing her mouth and cradling her face in his hands. She arched up into him, but he would not be moved. She tried to reach between them, but he didn’t make room for her.

  “Sammi,” she groaned.

  “Sh.” He kissed either side of her mouth, slow and gentle like.

  Her body screamed for release. Now. To fuck, hard and fast. But he wasn’t playing that game with her, not this time.

  Sammi let go of her face with one hand and pushed between their bodies. He dipped his fingers into her pussy. She gasped as he pushed the clit ring back and forth, slow, almost lazy like.

  Autumn lifted her hips in an effort to gain more friction, to encourage more stimulation, because damn, that felt good. She raked her fingernails across his shoulders and nipped his bottom lip, but nothing spurred him on. It was as if he was determined to draw this out, make her beg. Her nipples were hard, and even the strips of fabric rubbing them felt good, but not as good as it would if it were his chest she were rubbing against.

  “Sammi,” she said again, this time with frustration laced through her voice.

  “You’re so fucking impatient.” He chuckled as he spoke, the vibrations resonating in his chest, against her skin.

  “Yes, I am,” she groaned.

  Finally, when she thought she was about to burst, Sammi levered up. He grasped his cock with one hand and parted her folds with the other. His gaze narrowed as she felt the kiss of his cock against her entrance. She sighed as he pushed forward, penetrating her. She clenched around the head of his cock, wanting all of him at once, but he was holding back, going slow. She wrapped her legs around him and squeezed, urging him deeper, faster, but he was too strong.

  “Nuh-uh. My speed. My way.”

  “Fine, just fuck me.” She dug her fingers into his ass, but he would not be swayed, at least not that way.

  He chuckled as he withdrew slightly before continuing his slow penetration. “I’ll get there.”

  “Maybe I’ll spur you on.” She was still wearing the ungodly tall heels, so it was entirely possible.

  Her thoughts were cut short. Sammi dropped his mouth to a breast and pulled the fabric aside, caressing the sensitive nipple and its bar with his tongue. She arched her back and moaned, squeezing her inner muscles around his cock.

  “Sammi, please.” Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.

  He released her nipple and levered up on his hands. She gripped his shoulders and felt the flex as he pulled out and thrust back in, working his hips in a circular fashion. He never quite rubbed her clit, but the fullness of his cock inside her was everything she could want.

  She worked her hips in tandem with his, captivated by his expression, The way his gaze remained focused on her, as if she were the center of everything. Every now and then he dipped and took her mouth in a kiss until they panted together, mouth to mouth.

  This slow stuff let her mind think too much. What was he thinking? What was she to him? How tangled was her heart? She didn’t want to mull the details over, she wanted to feel him pound into her, the sharp bite of release and all the pleasure that came with having a well-used body.

  “That feels good,” he muttered, fingers fluttering over her face.

  “Mm, harder?”

  He thrust and she put a little more force behind meeting him. He paused with his cock fully inside her, body pinning her in place.

  “Not yet.”

  Autumn groaned and raked her fingers down his back once more. At this rate she’d leave marks on him. He caught her other breast in his mouth and took the barbell between his teeth. Not hard enough to hurt, but she gasped and arched into him. Little bursts of color blossomed behind her eyelids.

  Damn him, she wanted so badly. Her clit throbbed, her breasts ached. Withholding release like this should be a crime.

  “Sammi,” she wailed.

  “Fine.” He grinned at her, a mischievous twinkle lighting him from within. “But someday we’re going to find out just how long I can keep you on the edge.”

  She shuddered again. That did not sound like fun.

  And yet it did. Because it was Sammi and she was a sucker.

  He withdrew and thrust hard, fast and deep. That first stroke she felt all the way to her toes. She curled them into the sheets and moved as he did.

  “Oh, yes.”

  Autumn squealed in delight as he hit all the right places with a second thrust. She caught the stiletto heels on the mattress and lifted her hips to meet him. Their bodies met in a slap of flesh and muttered curses from her lips. He could fuck her like this all day long if he wanted to.

  He wrapped her hair around his fingers and tugged her head back, arching her, exposing her neck as he pistoned in and out of her body harder and harder. He kissed her throat, trailing open-mouthed kisses from her jaw to her collarbone. Such a big, strong man, and he knew exactly how much force she could take, how rough to treat her and still not hurt her. She dug her fingers into his shoulders and pressed her heels against his ass. He hissed. No doubt her heels were leaving their mark, but it served him right.

  Sammi growled and sat up, grasping her thighs. His features tensed, becoming sharper, almost feral as he fucked her. She thrust as best she could, but he held her body prisoner, moving her in time.

  His cheeks sunk in, as they did when he neared orgasm. She dropped her hand to her mound and rubbed her clit, capturing the hoop between her fingers and massaging it as he continued to thrust. She felt the growing, building sensation in her core, the heralding of pleasure, and arched her back. With her other hand, she grasped the barbell through one nipple and twisted it, just a little.

  Sammi dug his fingers into her thighs harder. She moved her hips and shuddered.

  Sammi groaned, his motions becoming jerky and uneven.

  Autumn rolled her clitoral ring between her fingers and the thin thread of sanity snapped. A brilliant cascade of light went off behind her eyelids as the orgasm blossomed like fireworks deep inside. She whimpered and arched even more into his grasp as he shoved deep one last time and stilled. Ripples of pleasure resonated through her body as he eased his hold on her and leaned forward to feather a kiss over her mouth.

  She couldn’t imagine a marathon of that, but maybe it wasn’t a bad idea.

  Chapter Ten

  Glans Piercing—Piercings through the glans of the penis. Some of the more famous piercings include the ampallang, apadrayva, dydoe and Prince Albert piercings.

  Sammi opened his front door and grinne
d at Isaac, who had an arm around Ester. The couple was all smiles and arms full of bags.

  “Hey. What’s all this?” Sammi ushered the two into the foyer and glanced around for Autumn. He’d had her nearly bent backward over the sofa in the den just a few minutes ago. Every time he looked at her he saw that orange outfit and he wanted to brand her his all over again. Given the opportunity he’d burn that dress.

  “You haven’t been home—what? Forty-eight hours? Your refrigerator’s probably empty.” Ester peeked into the formal living room, which was to the right of the foyer.

  “Ah, that’s my wife. Trying to feed everyone.” Isaac clapped Sammi on the shoulder. “Welcome back. How was the trip?”

  “Good. Good. Shall I give you a quick tour?” Sammi stepped into the living room, which currently had only a folding table and a lamp sitting next to the fireplace.

  Autumn probably needed the moment to get her clothes back on anyway.

  “Love the decorating.” Isaac took the bags from his wife, who was looking around with more interest than him.

  “Yeah, we’ll get some furniture either this week or next.” Sammi led them through the archway. “This is the dining room. Again, we’ll get something soon. And in here, the kitchen.”

  Sammi stopped short at the sight of Autumn at the kitchen island plating the takeout. She’d changed into a sundress that brought out the pink and purple streaks in her hair because of the way it matched the floral print.

  “Hi, guys. Hope you’re hungry. Sammi clearly thinks we’re feeding a small army.” She set the spoon down and walked around the island. Hell, she’d even put on heels.

  Ester beamed and the two women embraced.

  “Um, Autumn, meet Ester.” Sammi watched them chatter at each other. As if they’d met before.

  “Where would you like these, Autumn?” Isaac asked.

  “On the counter. What is it?” Autumn glanced between the two.

  “My wife has to feed everyone. You’ll learn it’s a very Jewish thing.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Autumn was quick to say.