I screwed my nose up in distaste. “That sounds like a venereal disease.”
She waved a hand in front of her face. “We can tweak it.”
My gaze moved to Cade. Cade’s eyes went from the box, to me, and back to the box. He didn’t look horrified, so that was a plus. Most guys were intimidated by toys. His eyes held mine, heat flashing behind them, and I immediately felt like an entire tiny army had started to cha-cha in my stomach.
My cheeks heated. I’d never been embarrassed about sex before. Ever. I was unashamed of my sexual experience and history. But with Cade standing there, I couldn’t be redder. “It’s just some research,” I mumbled.
Cade raised his eyes to mine, one corner of his lips lifting. “Need some help?”
My breath caught in my throat and my mouth fell open.
Counselor Cade totally just said that!
Out loud!
In front of my friends!
My defense has always been sarcasm, so I snorted before saying, “I could give you a tutorial if you need it.”
His brows shot up, his lips quirking like I’d issued a challenge. He glanced down, picking up a pretty ribbon that looked like it was supposed to be some sort of restraint, and took my hand, wrapping the ribbon around it. “So you’re skilled in Japanese knot tying?”
I caught Syd’s wide-eyed stare from across the couch. “Uh…I…uh, forgot my pen at school,” Syd stammered, getting up off the couch, pulling Jax with her as they awkwardly stumbled together, “and I really like it. Great pen. Pink. Sparkly ink. We’ll be back. Later.” She looked from Cade to me. “Lots later.” They shut the door in their hasty escape.
Cade picked up one of the toys from the box. “Do you know what this is?”
I looked at it and wondered if he thought I was some sort of virginal idiot. “Of course I do. It’s a flogger.”
“Do you like to be spanked, B?”
I eyed him, my interest piquing. A lot of men weren’t into sexual experimentation, and I was intrigued that he was one of them.
“I like all kinds of things,” I said, my voice soft and sultry.
He came toward me, his hands running up my arms, gaze hot as it went over me. “That’s good, because I do, too.” His lips trailed a line up my neck and over my jaw. I fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, trying to get them all undone and get his stupid shirt off. I’d been waiting to see him naked for what felt like an eternity. As his shirt opened, I inhaled a sharp breath, looking at the perfection of his chest and abs. My eyes trailed over his body, catching a bit of a design on the side of his ribs, but before I could investigate it further, Cade covered my mouth with his, and I was lost to the sensation of his body against mine, his tongue exploring my mouth. I was so distracted that it took me several minutes to realize the ribbon was wrapped around my wrists, and he had me backed against the wall. He stepped back, looking at me in my shorts and flimsy tank top. My nipples pushing against the thin fabric. He took the pearl of skin into his mouth through my shirt and I writhed against him.
His lips pressed against mine again, his tongue tracing my lips as we kissed, then he moved back, took my tank top in both of his hands, and ripped. I gasped. “I’ll buy you another one,” he said. He leaned into me, his length hard against my stomach, and I wanted him with every part of my soul. “Take off your clothes,” I said.
His lips lifted, slow and deliberately. “You’re not in charge today, B.”
I narrowed my eyes and managed to grind out, “Wait until I am.”
“We’ll see,” he said, his voice rough. His hand inched down, past the waistband of my shorts. He grinned again. “You weren’t kidding when you said you don’t wear panties.”
I shook my head.
His hand met my core and he teased the ball of nerves at my center. I was writhing, wanting more, the restraint binding my hands and making everything even hotter. His hand slipped down and he pressed one finger into me. “So wet.” His voice was husky, his breath hot against me.
He slipped in a second finger, and it took me less than thirty seconds for my muscles to start clenching around him. He slowed down, giving me a few seconds of a break before he started thrusting his fingers faster. Within a minute, I’d come again. He did that two more times before my legs gave out and I sagged against the wall.
“It’s my turn,” I said, my gaze going hungrily to his pants and his cock pressing against them.
His smile was slow as he took my hands and undid the ribbon wrapped around my wrists. “Not this time.”
I blinked, dumbfounded. “What do you mean?” Not this time? He was turned on, I’d felt it. He was ready for me and I was more than ready for him. I’d been waiting far too long already. Since when did a man turn down sex with a half-naked girl he seemed pretty damn into?
“I told you, we’re taking this slow,” he answered, handing me the ribbon. “That was just for you.”
“You don’t want to have sex?”
He took my face in his hands, his eyes twin, dark pools of desire. “I want to push my dick inside you and make you scream louder than you ever have before. But first, you need to know I want you for far more than what you look like, or your legendary sex skills. I don’t think you believe that yet.”
It was all I could do to keep my jaw off the floor.
He ran his hand down my chest, my tank top hanging off of me in tatters. He pinched one of my nipples, then bent down and sucked them both, adding teeth. He stood, his expression a wicked promise. “Next time, I’ll make you really come.”
Cade left, blue balled. I felt bad about that, but it was his own damn fault. I offered to help rectify the situation. He’d just grinned and said he’d be thinking of me while he took care of it when he got home.
My phone buzzed. A message from Master Z.
I want to take you out.
I sighed. We’d already been over this.
I told you, I don’t want to reveal my identity.
There was a long pause in the conversation.
I have a way to fix that problem
I gave the screen a funny look.
How?
Just trust me.
Another funny look.
Trust you? I don’t even know you.
But we’ve already met. You just didn’t know it. What does your gut say?
I paused this time, trying to gauge my own reaction. He’d been a gentleman at the orgy—which is not a place one would usually expect gentlemanly behavior. I considered it a few minutes longer before deciding nothing ventured, nothing gained, and typed back my reply.
Okay.
Meet me this Saturday at seven-thirty. I’ll text you the address.
I tapped my phone against my thigh, my eyes narrowed in thought. I’d meet him, but clearly Master Z knew who I was. Even if he didn’t know my real name—and I couldn’t be certain he didn’t—he had a good idea of what I looked like. I had a hard time believing he’d found me at the Sin and Sass party if he didn’t know my real identity. I didn’t like being at a disadvantage. It was past time to remedy that situation. I picked up my phone and texted my computer genius friend who’d helped me keep my secret a secret. As far as I knew, Mistress A was at master level encryption. I wasn’t sure how Master Z had figured out as much information as he had, but I wanted to know if my friend had any ideas. And aside from that, I wanted him to track down some things for me, too. I wanted to know Master Z’s identity.
Tips and Tits: The Word from Mistress A
Sugar Tits
You read that right. Nipples, penises, boobs, vaginas, balls, and even entire people if you’d like, can be made from cakes. Erotica bakeries used to be few and far between, catering only to specific needs like bachelor and bachelorette parties. Now the bakeries have gone mainstream, and you can get yourself a penis éclair or boob cupcake any old time you please. The real thing is only slightly better than delicious mounds of cake, and there’s something naughty about licking a donut shaped penis. If you d
on’t want to try a threesome but want to watch your partner lick a boob, or cock, or clit, nothing is sweeter than doing it with frosting. Like all bakeries, the quality of food depends on the business making them, so do your research first, but if you’re in the mood for some sugar tits, or some sugar for your partner to lick off your tits, try an erotic bakery.
“What color do you want?” I asked Kelly, the little girl with white-blond hair sitting across from me.
“Pink!” she yelled. “With sparkles!”
I laughed. “Pink with sparkles it is.”
“Mine are lots of colors!” Maci said, wiggling her fingers. “Like the rainbow!”
“Rainbows are my favorite,” Syd said, rummaging through the nail supplies for the stickers.
“I want a star on mine,” Maci said. “On this finger.” She pointed to her index finger.
“Okay.” Syd grabbed some of the nail art pieces and prepped them for Maci’s hands.
We’d been doing manicures at CARE all afternoon. Each girl had chosen different color combinations, and Maci and Kelly were our last two nail makeovers. Kelly was new to CARE. Her family had been staying here since her sister was in a car accident. Something about distracted driving. Her sister was expected to make a full recovery, but she’d be in physical therapy for several months.
Syd and I finished the girls’ nails. “Wave your hands in the air or blow on them to help them dry,” I cautioned as the girls ran off.
“Okay,” their voices echoed in harmony as they went out the door and into the backyard.
I started picking up the fingernail polish and manicure tools. We made sure our mess was tidied up around the house before finishing our shifts at CARE, then walked to our cars together.
Syd looked around the parking area to make sure it was empty, and no little bat-ears were present. They’d been playing in the snow earlier, and now were all inside where it was warm. When we’d left, the girls were engrossed in a movie, and the boys were playing some video game. “Holy shit, B!” Syd hissed. “Watching you and Cade last night at the house was like watching fireworks up close!”
It was the first time we’d had any privacy to talk today and I was dying to give her the play-by-play. I leaned against my car and grinned. “I know, right?”
“What happened after we left?”
I gave her a whispered summary of Cade’s seduction, including the ripping of my shirt. Syd gasped and practically started applauding.
“Also,” she said, “you should know that if I didn’t know you were Mistress A before, the dildos on the table would have given it away.”
I gave her a glare. “I could have passed them off as research for my thesis. That’s what I told Jax.”
“Jax doesn’t know you as well as I do. I’m not stupid.”
“It’s hard to hide when I live with you.” Even though that was a descriptor I used loosely lately since she was rarely home.
She nodded. “And we’re best friends. You can’t really keep things from me, either.”
“I tried to, but it’s far easier to have a co-conspirator,” I said with a wink.
Syd laughed and we gave each other a hug before we got in our cars. Syd left to meet Jax, and I went back home. I sang along with my favorite old Pearl Jam song and was belting out the chorus as I pulled into the driveway. I saw a familiar face sitting in one of our patio chairs on the back deck, probably freezing his balls off.
Usually I didn’t see him this quickly after a “date.” He must have been more excited about the previous night than I’d thought.
He held out a box as I walked up the stairs.
“What’s this?” I asked, taking the box and unwrapping it. I pulled out a tank top almost identical to the one I’d been wearing the night before, and a few additional tanks as well.
“Don’t worry, I bought you more than one. I plan to rip those off, too.”
My mouth dried at the thought and I had to swallow before I looked up at him. “You’re the most direct man I know.”
He tilted his head in agreement. “I’m straight-forward, and go after what I want,” Cade said. “I see no reason to waste time or mince words.”
I gave him a considering look. “Yet, I still haven’t seen you naked.”
“That’s not time wasted. That’s seduction. All part of the plan.”
“If you say so.” I unlocked the door and Cade followed me inside. “Have you eaten yet?”
“Nope, but I ordered us pizza. Syd said you like it with lots of veggies on a thin crust.”
I was surprised that he’d gone to the trouble to ask Syd about what I liked to eat, and ordered us dinner. Pizza wasn’t exactly my first choice after the cookie monster fiasco, but I could eat a slice.
“I got salad, too.”
I blinked, wrapping my head around the fact that he’d just read my mind. “Thanks for doing that. It was nice of you to think of getting us dinner.”
“I should have checked to see if you had plans first, but Syd said you’re usually home at night.”
True. Night was when I worked on Mistress A. “I’m going to go change, but I’ll be back in a minute.”
“I could help,” he offered.
“You could,” I agreed, “but it would probably come with stipulations.” Like a commitment, or something equally absurd.
He laughed. “You might like them.”
If the stipulations involved more Japanese knot tying and tattered clothes, he was probably right.
I changed into some comfortable shorts and a zippered hoodie, and checked my makeup and hair. Everything looked fine. I was hoping tonight would be the night I really did get to see all of Cade.
I heard a knock on the door and saw Cade opening it as I came down the stairs. “Let me get you some cash,” I said, going to my wallet.
He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “No.”
I arched a brow. “No?”
He nodded. “You’re not paying. Not with me. Not ever.”
I gave him a look back. “That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s the way I was taught, and the way I’d want my sister treated.”
I wasn’t in the mood to argue with him, but it was probably something we’d have to discuss again at some point because I liked paying my own way. I got some plates, cups, and silverware out of the kitchen cabinets and put them on the table, then sat across from Cade so I could see him better. “What’s your sister like?” He’d mentioned her before, and they seemed close.
“She’s funny, kind, and amazing. I love her.”
My heart warmed at his protectiveness of her. “How old is she?”
“Nineteen.”
Nineteen? And still living at home? That seemed odd, but maybe she was taking a break from school or something. “Do you see her often?”
“Not as much as I’d like.”
I picked at my salad, wanting to ask him a question but unsure how. I decided to just go for it. “At the Sin and Sass party, you said you’d tell me more about your past sometime.”
He nodded. “I will.” He picked up a piece of pizza and took a bite. “But first, I want to talk more about you and your past.”
That was random, and he was avoiding the topic of himself again. What was he hiding? “That’s more than a twenty-minute conversation.”
“I’m fine with that. I want to know what it is about having a relationship that scares you?”
I shook my head, and finished my bite of food before I answered, “They don’t scare me, I just don’t want one.”
“That sounds like fear to me.”
I shook my head. “Not fear. Experience.”
He stopped with his slice of pizza halfway to his mouth, then put it down and looked straight at me. “Who hurt you, Brynn? You mentioned a little about it previously, but I want to know more.”
It wasn’t a topic I talked about frequently. In fact, only Syd knew the real story because Syd was one of the few people I trusted. But for some reason, I fe
lt comfortable with Cade. I trusted him. He wanted insight into my past because he wanted to get to know me and be someone important in my life. He wasn’t like the other men who had hurt me. I saw that now, and it made me less hesitant to open up. He’d put the time in so far, and it seemed like he planned to keep putting it in, even if I wasn’t totally on board. But right now, I was, and I decided I wanted to share.
“High school was hard for me,” I said.
“Hard like you didn’t fit in?” Cade asked.
I shook my head. “No. It’s not like I was unpopular. I had a lot of friends. I went out a lot. But guys weren’t really interested in me…at least, not for dating.”
Cade’s eyes narrowed. “What were they interested in you for, Brynn?”
“Everything but dating. Everything but commitment.”
“Why?”
I sat forward in my chair, my back rigid as I took a sip of my water. I didn’t like talking about it, and I knew the reticence was coming through in my body language. “Because I didn’t fit the mold. I was overweight. Pretty, funny, and popular with a great personality that everyone loved. Student Council president, and track team member, but overweight. My size mattered more to guys than all of the other things about me.”
Cade was listening intently, in a way most guys don’t. Most men tune women out, but Cade wanted to really hear what I had to say, and was interested in it all. It was another way he was breaking the mold of my previous experiences. “That would be frustrating.”
“It was. I had a horribly low self-esteem and I was weak and easy to take advantage of.” I took a deep breath, hating that I had to relive the memories to tell the story. Really, it wasn’t just one memory. It was a culmination of mistreatment that had sent me over the edge, and turned me into the person I was today. It wasn’t something I regretted, because I liked who I’d become, but remembering the process of getting there wasn’t any less agonizing. “I had a crush on a guy and finally, after a year of trying to get him to notice me, he did. We’d been seeing each other for a while—a few months. And by seeing, I mean he’d take me somewhere super unclassy for our “dates” which were really just excuses to fool around. We’d end up in a dark park, in another town, at night, where no one would see us…or know us if they did happen upon the car.”
Chasing Brynn (A Tempting Novel Book 2) Page 19
