by Unknown
Thinking about his reputation brought to mind the evening on his cabana sofa. He’d tried not to put too much stock in the blistering great sex with Kim. There were a few reasons it could’ve been so good. Namely the fact that he hadn’t had sex in a long time. Or just the surprise of her playful attitude before and during.
Kim stuck her head in the doorway. “Are you coming? I thought you were behind me. I’ve been talking this whole time to nobody.” Her exasperation made him smile and he hadn’t expected anything to make him smile after hearing the news about Nathan.
Leo followed Kim into the kitchen where she pulled a couple of meals out of the freezer as she talked about all the steps he had to take for his financial freedom.
She’d dressed for business in one of her new skirts, tops and wedges that gave her more height. Her tone calves reminded him of her strength as she’d wrapped those legs around his hips the other night.
His blood started pumping, taking a familiar path to his crotch, and Leo forced his gaze out the window as she yammered on about money. He should be paying attention, but he couldn’t concentrate. Couldn’t focus on anything but the fact that it was all going to go away.
He’d come to terms with it last night, but the one thing he couldn’t let happen was Megan losing her spot at The Marion Institute. It was the one place he’d seen her thrive and the one place he couldn’t afford to lose.
Kim closed the oven with their food inside and adjusted the temperature. “You didn’t hear a word I just said, did you?” She faced him with her arms crossed.
He shook his head. He owed her a little honesty. “No. Sorry. My head’s somewhere else. I keep thinking about Nathan getting stabbed. That’s the kind of shit I deal with while I’m playing a part in a movie. Not real life.”
She nibbled her lower lip and Leo remembered doing the same thing. God, she’d been at his place for days and he had very few indecent thoughts. He’d let the other night get away from him and now all he could think about was touching her soft skin and sinking into her welcoming wet heat.
“It’s going to be okay.” Her cell phone rang and she snagged it from the counter. “It’s the PI that I hired,” she said, before taking the call. She headed toward the French doors that led out to the backyard and Leo looked around his place, knowing it wouldn’t be his for much longer and feeling the loss in the pit of his stomach like an unbearable weight.
Before Abbey could tell him what she’d been thinking about, her phone rang. “They identified the body,” she said after disconnecting with Detective Patrick. “His name is—was—Nathan Berman. He was a CPA.” She set her mobile on the small table by the door and stepped farther into the room.
Blake studied her face. “You okay?” It was one thing to have seen the man get stabbed, but it was another now that he had a name and occupation.
She nodded. “Yeah. I guess. It just makes it more real somehow, I can’t explain it.” She shook it off. “Look, before the phone call…” She hesitated. “You sounded mad,” Abbey said, her eyes narrowing. “Is that because of me?”
“I don’t know.” Blake’s frustration was eating at him. If he didn’t spill it all now, he never would. “I guess I thought after the other night, we’d made a breakthrough. I thought things had changed between us, but I’m not sure.” He watched her for any sign of agreement and when she didn’t say anything, heaviness hit his chest. One step forward and three steps back. Shit.
He walked away from her, couldn’t stand to see the pain in her eyes. The fact that she knew she hurt him, but couldn’t help herself. Couldn’t help the way she felt. Or didn’t feel. That destroyed him as much as anything. That she somehow felt he’d give up and leave. That maybe she’d be alone her whole life because no man took the time to give her the space, and at the same time, attention she needed. He wanted to be that guy more than anything.
So what could he do? How could he help her…help them both? He couldn’t touch her, so what was the alternative? He looked up, needing some guidance. Something.
He glanced at the chin-up bar mounted on the ceiling. In the corner of the room, he spotted several blue and green elastic bands used for stretching. Maybe… If he… Christ, he swore he’d never be tied up again. Just remembering the pain of having his hands cuffed behind his back for four days was enough to make his shoulders burn with pain. What were his other choices?
He didn’t see any.
“Ab?” He caught her gaze from across the room. “What were you going to say when you walked in?” She looked broken and he hated it. Wanted to get that look off her face and replace it with the glow she’d had the other night. Wanted her to be relaxed and happy, not stressed and uncomfortable.
“Do you think I like being this way?” she said, answering his question with her own. She sounded resigned. Done. With him…maybe with everything. “Do you think I don’t realize that I’m different? That people look at me funny when I shy away from them? I want to be different than this. I want to…”
So maybe he could help her with that. Maybe… God, he’d been looking at this all backward. She’d already come up with the answer the other night. “I get that I can’t touch you… But there’s nothing stopping you from touching me.” Blake snagged the industrial sized rubber bands from the floor and wrapped and knotted an end around his wrist.
“What are you doing?” Abbey asked, taking a few steps closer.
“Just like the other night in the hotel room. You touched me, got more comfortable with me. So we’ll do it again, only you don’t have to worry about me touching you.” Blake tossed the free end over the chin-up bar then tied it to his other wrist, effectively tying and locking his hands in the air and out of commission. A phantom ache throbbed in his shoulders. He could do this. This didn’t involve any threats with guns or knives. No one had his mother at knifepoint or a gun trained on his father. This was voluntary and strictly for Abbey, so she could feel the freedom to explore. To get comfortable with his body. With her own body. He didn’t need to have sex with her now to know he’d love her forever. As long as he had hope, he’d stick it out. If she agreed to this, then he had hope.
“I’m giving you free rein to touch, knowing I won’t—can’t—even by accident—touch you back. Have at me. I’m all yours.”
She stepped closer, her green eyes wide as understanding dawned. “I can’t let you do this. I know how you feel about being tied up. It’s not fair.”
“This has nothing to do with fair. It’s about trust, Abbey. I trust you to touch me anywhere. I trust that you won’t hurt me or do something to make me or you uncomfortable. I trust that we can be really good together, but you have to trust too. You have to want it, Ab.” He looked up at the ceiling again. He had no clue how to explain this to her. “If you don’t want me, Ab, that’s okay. I’ll walk out the door in the next ten seconds. But if you want me and you’re scared to want me, then I want to try and fix that.”
Abbey licked her lips and swallowed. “Blake…”
“Just take your time and feel what it’s like to touch someone. Me.” He should’ve thought of this earlier. Not only did she rarely let people touch her, but she hardly ever touched anyone either. Clearly the other night in Palm Springs hadn’t been enough to give her the breakthrough she needed. “Unless you don’t want to do it.” None of this worked if she felt any pressure. “Totally your call.”
She came forward and stopped right in front of him. He smelled her, let all that sweet citrus fog his brain. Cupping his cheek in her hand, she tilted her head. Blake leaned into her warm palm, loving the gentle touch because it meant his answer. A shot of triumph and joy blazed through his heart and he grinned down at her.
“Does this still hurt?” she asked, stroking beneath the bruise on his cheek.
He shook his head. “No.” He didn’t want anything in the way of her decision.
She exhaled a long breath. “You’re just going to stay right like that?”
“Right like this. I’m
not going to move. Promise.”
She stood just inches away and his pulse picked up. A couple of light fingers traced down his right side and the other hand joined in on the left side. She reached the hem of his T-shirt and grabbed the edges. “May I?” she whispered, her voice barely there.
“Absolutely, you may.” His own voice sounded husky and not his norm.
She eased the material up high and over his head. He grabbed it where it stayed bunched in his hands.
That’s when the game got going.
First with small strokes, just a finger or two. Then more. Abbey’s hands danced over his skin. She set her palms on his abs and stroked slowly up to his pecs. He held his breath as all the blood rushed to his dick. Her hands eased over his shoulders, up his biceps and arms as high as she could reach before smoothing down again to his chest, down his sides and back to his stomach. Blake met her gaze as she eased behind him.
She trailed her fingers, her palms, over the expanse of his back and sides. He clenched his jaw as her touch set him on fire. She left nothing undiscovered. Each fresh contact of her skin on his sent every nerve ending sizzling. Then she moved.
“You’re so hard,” she murmured, landing in front of him again. “But your skin is so soft. It’s like satin over steel.” Blake sucked in oxygen as she leaned closer and set her lips against his chest. He bent his head, to get a stronger whiff of her hair and the movement pulled at his wrists. Every nerve tensed as her kisses continued across his chest. Her lips landed on the hard bud of his nipple and her pink tongue darted out for a taste. His hard-on strained against his jean’s zipper and desire coiled low and tight in his gut. Abbey moved in even closer, until her breasts connected with his bare chest. She eased her hands around and cupped his ass as her plush lips continued grazing over his nipple.
Too good. It was too fucking good. Just feeling her touch, her breath against his skin was almost enough to make him come. He wanted her so bad he might die from it.
He waited for her to stop. Waited for her to understand how he felt when it came to touching her. How much joy he got from it. How much pleasure. He wanted to ask if she understood, but he couldn’t pull enough oxygen into his lungs and his brain couldn’t form the words. The only thing on his mind was the need for more. More of her touch. More of her heat against his skin.
She never stopped. Her warm hands explored and tested every bit of his chest and back. Her hesitant touches grew bolder with every second. She took another pass around him and hugged him from behind, pressing the softness of her breasts against his back as her hands moved up and down his ridged abs.
“You’re so sexy,” she whispered against his skin.
He felt her smile and his first taste of victory brought a burst of euphoria he hadn’t expected. A tortured laugh erupted from his mouth. “Not half as sexy as you, Ab. Not even half.”
She moved to the front of him again, her eyebrows lifted high. “You’re going to argue with me while you’re tied up?”
“Not arguing,” he said with more confidence. “Just stating a fact.”
The gleam in her eyes hinted that she had a plan, and Blake narrowed his gaze. What was she thinking?
He discovered a few seconds later when she unbuttoned his jeans. Though he’d known the possibility was there that she’d take this as far as she could, he hadn’t really expected her to. Closing his eyes, he reveled in the feel of her taking down his zipper one small fraction of an inch at a time.
“Breathe,” she told him quietly in the same tone he’d used on her a number of times. “In and out,” she teased. She hooked her thumbs under the waistband of his jeans and proceeded to inch them over his hips.
“Ab.” His heart rate jacked up as his breathing faltered even more. He didn’t know if he meant to warn her or urge her on.
She looked up at him, her gaze full of emotion, full of appreciation. She stood on her tiptoes and Blake leaned his head down. Their lips met in a soft kiss, a small taste, a promise of something more. Her full lips brushed across his in the barest of touches as her hands worked his jeans down his thighs. Her eyes widened as she came across his security blanket. “Is this a knife?” she asked, easing his blade from his back pocket.
He nodded. “And one of my best friends,” he added, though it came out on a breath. Her hands moved up sensuously to cup his neck as she opened her mouth, deepened the kiss and urged him to do the same.
Yeah, like that was a problem.
His knife hit the floor, momentarily forgotten.
Blake wanted to dive in for more. Wanted to take her mouth in a furious kiss of possession and need. Needed to. Iron will kept him from breaking. This show belonged to Abbey. If he had any shot in hell at making her trust him—them—he had to let her lead this whole seduction. And that’s what it was. How far did she plan to go?
He had no clue, but he’d set himself up for this, so he’d take whatever she dished out. God, he wanted her so bad. Every pulse-pounding second with her mouth on his and her hands on his skin had his dick straining for attention.
After long minutes kissing, she pulled away. The sight of her lips, swollen from his kiss, had the caveman inside him beating his chest with possession. She was all his.
Her gaze flicked down to the massive erection breaking free from the waistband of his boxer briefs. With a determined stare into his eyes, she eased his jeans down the rest of the way to his legs, crouching in front of him. “Out,” she commanded. She looked up at him from her spot and impossibly his dick got harder. Blake tipped his head back and watched the ceiling to keep from climaxing just because of her eyes watching him. But like the obedient fool he was, he stepped out of his jeans and let her shove them away.
She rose in front of him completely dressed as he stood in his underwear. Then she began touching him all over again. Walking around him, letting her hands graze him everywhere. On a pass in front, she stroked her palm up the hard ridge of his erection and he clenched his teeth.
“That really is very impressive,” she said. “A little daunting if we’re being honest with each other.”
He didn’t want her worried. “Don’t be scared,” he whispered. “I told you there’s no pressure.”
She stepped back and his heart plummeted. She was done. Not willing to take the time to touch and explore him further.
Her hands went to the first button of her top. “Do you mind if I…?”
Was she freaking asking for his permission to strip? “Hell no, I don’t mind.”
One by one, she slipped the buttons through their holes then very deliberately eased the shirt off her smooth shoulders. Jesus, she was so amazingly beautiful. He loved her shoulders. Had never known anyone with such perfect posture, and her shoulders turned him on like a switch. Her breasts weren’t big but they were full and her nipples pebbled beneath the lace of her black bra. The low waistband of her shorts accentuated her flat stomach and hard abs.
“Ah, ah, ah,” she reprimanded. “Eyes, here.” She pointed to her own eyes and Blake had no problem with the new scenery. He loved her green eyes as much as every other body part.
She took another pass around him, touching him in all the erotic places that set his blood to boiling.
He needed mercy.
She had none to give.
Her hands roamed to the backs of his thighs and stroked down and back up on the insides. He spread his legs and gritted his teeth harder as her light touch nearly incinerated him.
She eased around him again, letting her skin slide along his before she stood in front of him, her thumbs inside the soft material at her hips. With their gazes locked, she slowly pushed her shorts down her long toned legs before kicking them aside.
Eyes riveted to her hers, Blake’s mouth watered at the sight of her in just a bra and matching black thong. His chest rose with deep breaths as she watched what she did to him.
“I think it’s time for another taste. What about you?”
Words wouldn’t come so he nodded
like a fool.
This time when she stepped forward he stretched to reach her mouth. He meant to own her, to drive her to the brink of insanity where she’d brought him. Waiting, wanting, needing her touch so desperately that his skin tingled with it.
She kissed him back just as thoroughly, her tongue dueling with his in a wet tangle. She pulled back, breathing hard, her hands around his neck as she looked up at him. “I think this was a good idea,” she said, catching his mouth in another hot connection before stepping back. Without breaking eye contact, she hooked her thumbs into his underwear and pulled them down his thighs. She stepped between his legs and took them the rest of the way off with her foot. “Out.”
He followed her simple command and stepped out of them. His raging dick wanted inside her heat desperately. Although this touching party had plenty of benefits, it didn’t include penetration of any kind.
When her gaze moved to his dick, it was as lethal as a touch. He twitched and a drop pearled at the tip. His chest rose and fell with harsh breaths and heat burned him up from inside.
Abbey’s gaze moved back to his as she slowly unclasped the front hook of her lacey bra.
His eyes riveted on her hands, to her slender fingers and short neat nails. He wanted to feel them dig into his skin as she held him tight.
The bra separated and she let it slip down her arms to the floor. Her erect nipples begged for his mouth, his hands. She moved around him again, gliding her hand over his sensitive skin. He wallowed in her touch and the picture of her bare ass with just that strip of black material parting it and curving around her hips.
She stopped in front of him, her arms around his neck, her lips on his jaw. Her pebbled nipples prodded his chest and Blake fought back the urge to release the knot and take her in his arms.
