HisMarriageBargain

by Sidney Bristol

  She tapped her pen on the desk. “Israel, huh? What was that like?”

  He considered her question for a moment, trying to filter through the gut reaction of amazing, awe-inspiring to find words to describe it. “Life-affirming. There’s history there. You sense it just walking down the street. It’s easier to feel closer to your beliefs when it’s all around you like that.”

  When he looked at Autumn it was easy to believe in a creator who made good things. Good people. For everything she’d gone through, Autumn was an amazing woman who hadn’t broken under the pressure.

  “Sex in a car,” he said after a moment.

  Autumn laughed. “Really?”

  “Yeah, never done it.”

  “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Write it down.”

  “Okay. Anything else?”

  “I’ve never been to a strip club.”

  Autumn shook her head. “No. I’m drawing the line there.”

  “Why?” He laughed. He hadn’t been serious about the suggestion, but he was intrigued by her response.

  “Because you’re hot and obviously have cash. Those hussies would have their geriatric coochies all over you and then I’d have to give someone a black eye and I’m not up to dealing with a broken nail.”

  Sammi grinned, reveling in her jealousy. Maybe it was wrong, but he was starting to like this possessiveness from her. He reached across and grasped her arm, pulling her toward him. She frowned, clearly not as amused as he was. That would take some fixing.

  He kissed one corner of her mouth then the other.

  “I was joking, just so you know.”

  “I don’t think it’s funny right now.”

  “I’m sorry.” He pushed the pad of paper away and grasped both her hands. “Let’s forget about this for now. Why don’t we hit the hay early tonight? Tomorrow we can make some plans for a long weekend in DC.”

  “Okay.” She smiled. “I’ll be in there soon. Need to clean up the kitchen a bit.”

  It was going to be okay. They were going to figure things out.

  Autumn breathed deep.

  Today sucked, but at least she had a new perspective on things.

  So her job was gone. She could get another tattoo gig in another shop. It wouldn’t be the same. The dynamic they’d had at So Inked was rare. But there was no way it could last forever. People moved, things changed. She just happened to be the first in the dynamic to move on. Or be voted off the island.

  There wasn’t anything to be sorry for though. There was love in her life now and she wouldn’t change the events leading up to her marriage or how their relationship had altered her priorities. Besides, now she could focus completely on Sammi.

  He’d said he didn’t expect her to take care of him when his health went south, but she was his wife. It was her place to be next to him.

  And now it was her place to make his fantasies come to life.

  She flipped the living room lights off and used the remote to cue up one of her playlists. The heavy bass beat played through speakers that were spread out through the house, providing perfect listening pleasure.

  Or in her case, the perfect soundtrack.

  She stepped into the doorway to the bedroom and placed her hands on either side of the frame. Since half her belongings were still in boxes in the garage, digging up a little lingerie, the right shoes and a prop hadn’t been that difficult.

  Sammi glanced up from where he lay in bed, a file spread out over his lap. His expression of slack-jawed lust was somehow adorable on a grown man. For all his playboy claims, if he’d really never seen a stripper, he wasn’t the kind of playboy he pretended to be. In fact, sometimes he seemed downright sweet.

  Autumn swiveled her hips with the beat, flirting with her eyes.

  Sammi watched her dip to the ground and pop her ass in time to the music.

  “Oh hell no.” The way he looked at her said yes.

  He slapped the folder shut and dropped it on the floor, a few of the papers fluttering away.

  “You don’t have to do this.” Yet the way he watched her move said to keep going.

  “I know that.” She stepped over the threshold and slapped the small pink crop that matched her garter belt against her thigh.

  “Okay. Good.” Sammi stared at her thigh, seemingly fascinated by the crop.

  Autumn parted his button-up shirt she’d stolen from the laundry room, revealing just how little she was wearing.

  “Holy shit,” Sammi muttered.

  The bra was little more than satin-covered underwire with no cups to shield her breasts. Her nipples stood out, tight already. She licked her finger and swirled it around one breast, unable to hold back her grin as Sammi’s jaw seemed to drop even farther. Clearly she should have considered a striptease for him earlier on.

  “You like?” she asked.

  “Hell yeah.”

  Autumn had always reveled in her sexuality. She’d blossomed early into womanhood and hadn’t found any shame in it then or now. And why should she? If everyone involved was a consenting individual having a good time there was nothing to frown about.

  She stepped forward with a bob of a hip at the accent points in the music, tousling her hair and swinging the crop around, albeit being fully aware of her surroundings. She even sang along to the song, letting the beat drive her forward until she reached Sammi.

  He turned toward her, swinging his feet off the bed. His hungry gaze skittered over the skin his shirt didn’t conceal.

  The crop was still an object of fascination. She reached out and tapped Sammi’s cheek with the soft felt end, still singing along with the melody, and winked at him. He reached out, grabbed the ends of the shirt and hauled her forward. Autumn squealed, stumbling in the high shoes on the slick floor, but Sammi had her. He wrapped his arms around her thighs and waist and they tumbled back into the bed in a fit of laughter.

  “This is not sexy,” she laughed and hit him with one of the small decorative pillows.

  Sammi rolled with her until she was under him. He sat back on his heels between her legs and glanced down at the erection tenting his pajama pants. “Oh, I beg to differ.”

  Autumn stroked his dick with the crop, not ready to give up the ruse yet. “You would.”

  “I am a guy.” He leaned over her, a hand on either side of her hips.

  “Noticed. A few times.”

  “Oh, that’s a relief.” He crawled slowly up until their bodies were aligned. His gaze flicked to her mouth.

  “Nuh-uh-uh.” Autumn thumped his chest with the crop. “No touching.”

  “Who made that rule?” His brow furrowed. “That’s a dumb rule.”

  “You can’t touch at a strip club.” She pushed him up and back, somehow managing to gracefully kick off her shoes and get to her knees.

  “Well, this isn’t a strip club.” He eyed the garters stretched taut over her thighs.

  “Use your imagination then.”

  “In my imagination you’re naked.” Sammi sat with his back against the headboard, but his gaze said he wasn’t playing her game, just biding his time.

  “Well, that is the point.” She shimmied and let the shirt fall to the bed.

  “That’s more like it.” His gaze flicked over the garter belt, panties and stockings before returning to her breasts.

  “Remember, no touching.” Autumn smacked his shoulder with the crop. She dropped to her knees, bracketing his thighs. His gaze tracked her hand sliding down his chest.

  “You’re touching me.”

  “I am.”

  Autumn undulated, rolling her body toward him until her breasts were plumped up between them.

  “Oh fuck this,” Sammi growled.

  In one quick move, Sammi flipped them, his grip pinning her to the bed while his mouth closed around one nipple.

  “This is not how it goes.” Autumn laughed and struggled against his grasp. Her traitorous body loved what he did, how he knew ju
st the right amount of pressure to apply with his teeth, when to vary it up with his tongue. She arched her back to get closer, no longer concerned with getting away.

  Sammi switched to her other breast and she moaned.

  “This was supposed to be about you,” she got out between panting breaths.

  “I’m good,” he muttered against her chest, kissing his way to her breastbone. He tried and failed to shove her garter belt down her hips. “How the hell do you get out of this thing?”

  Sammi slid off the bed to his feet, frowning at the frilly lingerie. She couldn’t help but laugh at the dark slash of his brows. He grabbed her knees and pulled. Autumn yelped with laughter as he dragged her all the way to the edge of the bed. He dug his thumbs under the elastic and lace, pulling everything—the belt, panties and stockings—off her legs.

  Autumn laughed at the absurdity of the moment, how something so sexy had devolved so very fast. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her clothing fluttered to the ground, leaving her in the questionable excuse for a bra.

  Sammi shoved his pajama pants off and grabbed a condom from the bedside table.

  “I’m going to touch you,” he said with a serious expression on his face that sent her giggling and rolling away from him again. “Oh no you don’t.”

  Sammi hauled her back to him until her legs were completely off the bed. He cupped her ass with one arm under her knee, lifting her bodily off the bed.

  “Baby, I’m going to touch you all over,” he threatened again, but his smile ruined the effect.

  “Promise?” Autumn lifted her right leg to his shoulder and wrapped her left around his waist.

  “Oh yeah.” He grinned at her, a devilish glint in his gaze.

  He hoisted her a little higher and she grabbed at the bed, at a loss for what to do. He’d successfully turned this table around on her. She felt an unexpected caress against her pussy and gasped as he thrust into her. Autumn moaned at the sudden penetration and fisted the sheets. She could feel him rubbing something deep inside, a pleasure center that had euphoric results. She curled her toes and struggled to breathe past the tightness in her chest.

  Oh my, that felt good.

  She tried to move her legs, to wrap around him, but there was little she could do.

  Sammi was in complete control.

  He had her pelvis lifted to the perfect height for penetration and her legs around his hips, doing little more than urging him on, not that he was inclined to listen to what she wanted.

  Ever so slowly he rocked in and out of her pussy, adjusting the height, digging his fingers in harder. Any coherent thought fled her mind. Each pass of his stiff flesh over her sensitized nerves sent ripples of pleasure through her body. Her toes curled and she gripped the sheets so hard she just knew she was going to rip holes in them. Brilliant splashes of color erupted behind her eyelids.

  The muscles in her abdomen fluttered, coiling tighter and tighter. Her body felt as if she were floating on a cloud, Sammi’s motions rhythmic and steady, pushing her toward that pinnacle of bliss. He lengthened the thrusts, pulling almost completely out of her before plunging back in.

  “Fuck yeah. Do you feel that?”

  “Yes,” Autumn hissed out, arching her back and yanking on the sheets, wishing she could urge him on faster.

  The smooth glide of his cock in and out of her pussy, teasing her G-spot again and again brought her focus entirely to that connection burning between them. She pried her eyes open and found Sammi’s gaze not on her pussy or breasts but her face. She sucked in a deep breath and her heart quivered. She bit her lip to keep the burning admission of love deep inside of her.

  I love you, I love you, I love you, she chanted to herself.

  The room faded away while desire rose. All she could see was him, above her, orchestrating her pleasure, driving it higher and higher. Staring into his eyes was almost too much though. She could feel him in her pussy and in her heart; having him in her head was too much.

  Sammi’s jaw dropped and his brows drew into a line. He leaned forward and thrust harder, faster. She squeezed her eyes shut and moaned, sensation vibrating up her spine, through her limbs.

  “Yes. Oh yes. Yes. Yes!” she chanted, over and over again, growing in volume.

  Thank god they weren’t in her apartment or else the whole block might have heard her shrill cries.

  “Come on, Sunshine. Come for me,” Sammi murmured.

  He pistoned in and out of her, giving her everything she could ask for, the friction, the speed and the strength. She clenched her thighs around him and sucked in a deep breath, undulating in his grasp.

  “Oh yes,” she shrieked.

  She soared over the edge, flying to little bitty bits as orgasm shot her into the celestial sky. Stars lit up her vision, brilliant blasts of color that just kept on going. Her pussy quivered and sensation continued to radiate on and on as he maintained the pace, giving her no mercy.

  “Oh my god,” she practically screamed as his cock stroked her orgasm higher. Pleasure rippled through her body, turning muscle into goo, her bones to rubber, reducing her to a simple sensation—completion. He completed her, made her whole, and in these precious moments she could give herself over to the truth of it.

  Sammi’s thrusts became rough, uneven. He pulled her almost off the bed in his abandon. She peered up at him and was struck by the masculine image of beauty. His brow was damp and his gaze was unfocused, lust-hazed. His cheeks sunk in and his hair stuck up every which way. All at once he changed, throwing his head back. The tendons at the side of his neck stood out and his jaw dropped in a silent shout, so much different than her own cries of ecstasy. He thrust and stilled, rocking against her as he found his release.

  Autumn almost wept in relief as his movements stilled altogether. She sucked down deep breaths and forced her hands to uncurl from the sheets. Her fingers ached, but it was so worth it.

  “Holy shit,” Sammi gasped first.

  He ever so carefully laid her back on the bed, their bodies still joined. She pulled him down on top of her, taking his mouth in a devouring kiss. The muscles in his arms and back quivered under her touch, so she reluctantly let him go.

  They both sucked in a breath as he slid out of her slick channel, which was hypersensitive from the never-ending orgasm of death.

  Sammi discarded the condom in the bathroom before shuffling back to bed. He flopped down next to her, lying crosswise on the bed.

  “That was the longest orgasm of my life,” Autumn blurted out. “How long was that?”

  Sammi peeked at her with one eye. “At least a few minutes.”

  “Oh. My. God.” Autumn laughed and rolled toward him, throwing her arm across her back.

  “That felt fucking amazing.”

  “I don’t know, it did, but that was a lot.”

  “Was it good?”

  “Oh hell to the yes.” She kissed his cheek. “Be careful, I might come to expect that from you.”

  “Noted.” He yawned and she snuggled closer.

  Maybe there were other new things they could discover together. Focusing on him, them, for now wouldn’t be a horrible way to spend what time they had together.

  Autumn squeezed Sammi tight. It wouldn’t always be like this though. There were dark days ahead, which made moments like tonight all the more special.

  * * * * *

  Autumn stared at her phone buzzing on the kitchen counter.

  Kellie’s name flashed on the screen.

  Shit.

  Autumn wiped off her hands and swiped the Answer button.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey,” Kellie answered.

  What did she say?

  Hey, I know I bailed on work. Again. But do you want to think about maybe bringing me back on?

  That would not go over well.

  “How’d the tournament go this weekend?” Autumn asked to fill the silence that was growing awkward.

  “Good. Good. Mouse made it to the finals but th
at ear infection he can’t seem to shake really fucked his game up. His opponent took him out with a wicked kick to the head and he went down, out cold.”

  “Ouch.” Autumn grabbed the side of her head in sympathy pains. “How’d Jacob do?”

  “Better than we thought. He was distracted because his wife kept calling every damn ten minutes. He made it into the finals, but he did exactly what we told him not to and let it go to a judge’s decision.”

  “I’m sorry, what?” Autumn had listened to Kellie explain time and time again how mixed martial arts bouts were scored, but it never really stuck.

  “Okay, knocking someone out means the other guy won. That’s easy. Well, every hit a guy lands is worth a certain number of points and it’s up to the judges in order to award those points. The panel is averaged and each person gets a score.”

  “Oh, I think I get it.”

  “Yeah, Jacob got beaten by a very narrow margin. It was fucked-up, but if he’d had his head in the game he could have done a lot better.” Kellie sighed and the familiar sound of her squeaky chair sounded in the background. “So about last week.”

  “Yeah.” Autumn winced and cradled her forehead in her hand. “I can explain.”

  “I know you can. It’s always a good excuse, but Autumn, we can’t work as a team if you don’t communicate to us.” There was a tense moment of silence during which Autumn could see Kellie’s grim expression in her mind. “Pandora and Carly explained what happened. How’s your mom?”

  “She’s back to hating me, but she also hasn’t tried to leave the rehab center, so I guess that’s good.”

  “This sucks, Funshine Bear.”

  Autumn laughed in spite of the depressing circumstances. Years before, Autumn and Kellie had gone on a crazy weekend tear to drink as much tequila as they could and wound up watching Care Bears at three in the morning. It hadn’t been one of their better moments, but they’d spent hours giggling like loons over the Care Bear Stare.

  She touched her hip where she’d conned Kellie into tattooing her with a cluster of Care Bears. One for each of the girls, and even one for Carly she’d added a few months back. Could she really make it without So Inked?

  “It does, Wish Bear,” Autumn replied.