by Janae Keyes
Leaning my back against the bar, I browsed the ballroom filled with wedding guests. I spotted my parents looking very proud as they stood with the parents of the groom. Katie and Jordan met because of my dad. Dad’s job threw a big Memorial Day barbecue every year; Katie hadn’t attended since she was a teenager, but her plans for the day fell through, and she decided to join my parents, and I. Jordan’s dad worked for the same company, and he guilted Jordan into coming. He and Katie met and hit it off right away. They spent the entire time chatting and had plans for a first date by the end of the party. They were both computer science majors, and they just fit from the first moment. When Katie went to Japan, Jordan went along, and he was also able to snag a great job. They came home to celebrate the wedding with both families that were still firmly rooted in Northern California.
I let out a sigh as my eyes moved from the parents of the bride and groom to the bride and groom, they were chatting with friends. The happiness that radiated off of them was intense. There was no doubt that they were in love, or that I was secretly envious of what they had. I felt a tear at the corner of my eye, I wiped it away quickly, determined not to let my emotions get the best of me.
“Lemon Drop,” called the bartender. I turned sharply to the young man who held a frosted martini glass filled with a pale-yellow liquid. I took possession of the alcoholic drink and took a sip. Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to feel the cold liquid sliding down my throat, the bitterness of the lemon, and warmth of the vodka.
“Perfect, thanks,” I muttered to the bartender upon opening my eyes.
I strolled away from the bar and found myself leaning against a column as I watched the party in full swing. Guests young and old were on the dance floor, and the celebration of the love that two people shared was on fire.
Finishing off my cocktail, I set my glass down on an abandoned table and made a mental note to get another one as soon as I could, my pain was numbing, and though I knew it was only temporary, it was progress.
The song changed to the tune of a new pop tune that easily got stuck in my head, nod no matter how much you told yourself you hated the song. I was fairly certain it was the alcohol as I began to move my body to the beat. I wiggled my hips as I stood alone in my corner. This was a taste of who I was— fun—and I didn’t care what others thought. I danced to my own beat, and I allowed my art to fuel me. There was a possibility I was finding that girl again, though I still felt something was missing.
“I’ve always loved when you shook that beautiful round arse of yours,” purred out a voice that was unmistakable. I tried to think that I had imagined the strong voice and British accent of Lord Nathaniel Branagan, my Nate.
I turned, and standing in a crisp black suit with a coral tie that matched my bridesmaid's dress, was the man that single handedly stole and broke my heart. I couldn’t breathe, as his olive eyes looked me over. The man I wanted to hate was standing in front of me, and the only thing I wanted was for him to hold me close and never let go.
TWO
Taylor
“YOU,” I BREATHED out, unable to form a full sentence. I tried to fight my body that was urging me toward him, to be close to him. I was nervous, excited, angry, and filled with joy at the same time. I couldn’t decipher which emotion was the best to display. My mind was racing at what else to say, but my mouth was dry.
“Me,” he answered softly, and as if he could hear the call of my body, he came toward me, his hand settled on my waist before he pulled me close. “I told you that I was going to come to your sister’s wedding with you. I make good on promises to the people I love.”
He was charming me, I knew it, but I was allowing it. I ached to be charmed by him as he’d done in the past so well. I hadn’t realized how much I missed him until he was there with me, touching me.
Inhaling, I took in a whiff of his scent, pine, and myrrh. My body knew that scent, and it knew the feelings of love and comfort I got from the person who carried it. I swallowed, I knew I needed to fight and that this wasn’t a fairy tale. This man had broken my heart, but no matter how hard I tried in my mind, my body continued to be drawn to him.
“Now it’s that time, all the couples come to the dancefloor,” the DJ announced over the sounds of the pop song that was now fading into John Legend’s, All of Me. Hearing the piano intro to the song I smiled to myself.
As if it was natural, Nate took my hand and led me in the direction of the dancefloor. I wanted to protest, but I also wanted his arms around me, holding me how he used to do. In the back of my mind, I knew I was being stupid. I needed to stand up for my heart and demand his words of apology, yet I couldn’t find my own words.
Nate’s hands went to my hips as he pulled me close to him. Naturally, my arms slipped around his neck, and I glanced into those olive eyes that I’d gotten to know so well over my summer.
Taking the lead, Nate pulled me along with him as we moved to the song that always seemed to make me cry. We didn’t speak as we moved along and I listened to the beautiful lyrics. Nate’s dancing skills had improved greatly. I kept my eyes glued to Nate’s while we moved, his hands, keeping a firm grip on me as if he was afraid to let me go. In the back of my mind, I was afraid for him to let go.
I blinked away a tear that fell down my cheek. Almost instantly, Nate removed a hand from my waist, and he used his warm fingers to wipe my tear away. Settling his hand on my cheek, he ran the pad of his thumb over my damp skin.
“Why do you cry, my darling?” he asked me in a whisper. I sniffed away more tears that were working to fight themselves loose.
“I’m crying because I gave you all of me and you never gave me all of you,” I confessed, my voice shaking. I never in a million years thought the words of that song would ever resonate with me, but it hit me right there, it hit me so hard I could have been knocked off my feet. I’d given everything to Nate, I allowed him everything he could ever want from me, but he’d never given the same amount back to me in return.
There was no way I would break down in front of my family and friends whose eyes I knew were glued to me at the moment as I danced with this handsome hunk of a man that nobody knew.
I slipped my hands from his neck and to his chest before I pushed him away. Once free from his grasp, I made my way directly to the exit. I weaved through the wedding guests and out into the hall, until the stairs, that I quickly jogged down. Hitting the lobby, I spotted a familiar face that made me smile. There was no mistaking that friendly smile and his short dark blonde hair.
“Langston!” I nearly yelled across the lobby, excitement filling my voice. The moment I reached him, he threw his big bear arms around me and gave me a squeeze. Langston was my first friend when I first arrived in London, and he was my lifeline when I had to escape.
“Taylor, it is so good to see you. We’ve missed you, Anne and I,” he gushed as he continued to squeeze me for another moment before letting me go. He paused for a short moment. “Nathaniel too,” Langston added. His big brown eyes looked down at me, and I was certain he knew. “You’ve seen Nathaniel?” he asked in a way that was more of a statement than a question.
I nodded in response before I looked to see his eyes fixated on something, his smile fading. I turned enough to see Nate entering the lobby. I let out a soft sigh at seeing him only minutes after I’d escaped his all-consuming pull.
“I guess I need to talk to him,” I murmured before I slowly began to trudge in Nate’s direction. I arrived right in front of him. Nate took no time to take my hand into his own.
“Taylor, I’d like if we could talk… in private,” he insisted.
“Okay,” I murmured in consent.
Nate held my hand firmly in his as we made our way to the elevators. We went through the ornate lobby, and I allowed him to take the lead as I had no clue where we were going.
The energy radiating through Nate’s hand and into me was intense. I tried to calm my thumping heart as we continued to move together. I hadn’t seen or hear
d from him in weeks, and he shows up as handsome and charming as ever. I knew I needed to find a resolve, and I had to stand up for the fact that he broke my heart, but under his touch, I was weak.
He slipped his hand onto the small of my back as we waited in a near silence at the elevators, the only sounds were those from the lobby and the wedding. As soon as the doors opened, he hurried to bring me inside with him before selecting a floor.
The moment the doors closed and we were completely alone, it was like we became magnetized to one another. Nate took me into his arms, and I fisted his shirt, pulling him as close as I could. He slipped a hand down to my ass and gripped on hard as he pressed my body roughly to the wall of the small moving box.
Nate’s lips were as soft as ever as he kissed me with force. With each passing second, the aching tension between us grew. He nipped at my lip causing a deep throaty growl to erupt from me.
Traveling to my neck, Nate kissed and planted bites on my skin. I was allowing him to mark me as his once more and with each suck, kiss, and bite he was marking his territory.
The warmth that grew in my belly entrapped me. I hadn’t had that feeling since the last time we were together and to have that again, it was fervid and took me, hostage. My blood was humming through my veins, anticipating what was to come.
With a ding, the elevator doors opened. Nate yanked away, but pulled me with him by my waist. A buzzing of effervescence flew through me, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
We must have reached the room Nate intended to take me to because in only seconds he’d pulled a key card from his pocket and unlocked the door, pulling me inside with him. He kicked the door close and ripped his jacket from his body. Right away, his hands were once more all over my body as I grabbed his tie and loosened it. My fingers slipped down over his buttons and worked them off one by one until I was able to pull his shirt open. His tone chest was how it was before, and my core ached at the sight of his body.
Slowly, the zipper of my dress was pulled down my back, and the chiffon fabric fell in a puddle to the floor, leaving me clad in only a black thong and my strappy white heels.
“Absolutely gorgeous,” Nate muttered as he slipped his hands over my bare hips. He brought his lips back to mine and slowly began to lead me toward the king size bed in the room. The back of my knees hit the edge of the bed and Nate slowly laid me down.
Looking up at Nate, I watched as he fully removed his shirt. He tossed the fabric to the side before he went at his belt and pants immediately. He was lightning fast, and before I knew it, Nate had kicked off his pants and was hovering over my nearly naked frame in only his boxers. I noticed his coral tie was no longer around his neck, but in his hands.
“Hands up,” he demanded. “You know how I like you.” Like a puppy to its master, I blindly followed his instructions. I lifted my hands above my head and rested them on the pillows above me.
The silk of his tie slid along my wrists, making me shiver as he began to bind my wrists with his tie. I was tied up, just the way he liked me. I was once more surrendering myself to his explicit desires.
Lips touched my arm, planting kisses down my arms. The delicate touch of his lips is one of the things I’d missed the most. I wiggled as each kiss, aching for his lips on mine once more.
After he’d kissed both arms, his lips returned to mine. Biting, kissing, sucking at my lips. I yearned to have more of him. As his mouth made love to my own, I moved my bound hands down and placed my arms around his neck, holding him close to me.
Our kiss ended faster than I’d ever expected as Nate yanked away from me and forced my hands back onto the pillow. I was out of breath and panting as his olive eyes pierced me.
“What are you doing?” he growled at me, his voice strong and unwavering. I hadn’t thought and allowed my body to take control; that took the control away from Nate, and I knew he was not pleased.
“I’m sorry,” I rushed out, my heart pounding at the realization of my bedroom blunder. The look in Nate’s eyes instantly turned from one of lust to one of concern. I glanced away feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. Why did I feel guilty? I didn’t know. If anyone should have guilt, it was Nate for putting my heart through so much turmoil. He placed a hand on my cheek and rubbed the pad of his thumb over it softly.
“Did I frighten you, my darling?” he asked, his voice changing from his strong and dominating tone to one that was soft and gentle. He’d always been so careful with me and loving. I’d always known that he never wanted to hurt me and never would, at least not physically.
“No, no, you didn’t. I just wanted to feel you,” I admitted to him. I knew Nate loved full control of any bedroom situations, but after everything we’d gone through, I just wanted to be with him in an uncontrolled environment. Nate smiled instantly calming the pounding of my heart. “I know I was out of line Lord Branagan. I’m ready to be punished.” I knew how things went with Nate when I acted out of turn. I’d nearly forgotten the elation that rushed through my system when expecting the painful pleasure that came from punishment at the hands of Nate.
Not uttering a word, Nate moved his body from its spot hovering over mine. What was expected of me was obvious and I did as so.
With my hands still bound, I turned to my stomach before getting onto my knees, my elbows resting on the pillows. An audible growl came from Nate’s direction. I smiled to myself knowing I’d pleased him, and in return, I would be given pleasure.
His hand came in contact with my backside, rubbing my buttcheek softly. I closed my eyes taking in the feeling of his hand on my skin before the sensation disappeared and contact between was gone.
With a smack, his hand collided with my ass. A loud slapping sound echoed through the room.
“Fuck,” I hissed in response. The pain of his hand spanking me reverberated through my body. The thing about the pain was that it was as pleasurable as it was painful. I moaned as his hand returned, rubbing away the sting. My juices began to run down my thigh as I’d experienced a burst of thrill that sent me over the edge.
“Thank you, my Lord,” I panted as I knew the response he’d expect from me.
“Lie on your back again, my darling,” Nate instructed.
I wobbled a bit on my knees, but I managed to flip over and return to a lying position for him. I planted my bound hands perfectly above my head as they were expected to be. My chest heaved up and down with anticipation as my eyes kept track of Nate.
Nate removed himself from the large bed and stood at the foot, his eyes taking me in while he slipped his fingers under the elastic of his boxers. He hurried and slid them down his legs, his erection springing free. I gasped at seeing it for the first time in a long time. My entire body began to ache with a fervent desire for him to take me.
“Spread your legs, my darling,” Nate requested, his voice firm and dripping with need. I did as told and spread my thighs apart for him, my eyes never leaving his face. He let out a groan, and his hand was around his shaft in the moment as he continued to look at me. He used his hand to stroke his member. I never knew I could be so turned on by watching a man touch himself.
“Please,” I whimpered out in need of a physical connection with Nate. His eyes were blazing with want, and it took no time before he was on the bed, planting delicate kisses and sensual bites along my thighs. He took the thin band of my thong and yanked the stringy underwear down my legs before discarding them behind him. He returned his lips to my inner thigh, kissing and biting as he went.
The moment he got close to my center, he kissed back down my thigh, leaving me panting and aching. The bites he left grew stronger and harder until I hissed at the sharp pain of his teeth sinking into my flesh. I closed my eyes to find my focus. I wanted to force him into action, but I knew that wasn’t how he liked things and I knew as long as I was patient, I would be rewarded with the most passion I could ever ask for.
I inhaled as Nate’s tongue came in contact with my dripping core. Already, I wa
s close to falling apart again but held my resolve. I yearned to feel every moment of bliss Nate planned to give me. The man I loved knew how to give me pleasure beyond reason.
Sucking and lapping he used his tongue to drive me toward the edge. Taking my clit between his lips he barely grazed my bud of pleasure with his teeth, causing me to squirm under him, my eyes rolling back in my head as I fought to keep my orgasm from coming.
Releasing my clit, his tongue went back to work, fucking me toward my threshold. My bound hands fought to be free, but Nate was versed in the art of bondage, and I would only be free at his will.
“My darling,” Nate murmured against my thigh. I could barely hear him through my own panting. “Darling, what do you want?”
“I want to come!” I yelped out in longing for the moment that I was able to jump from the ledge I was being held on. Nate chuckled, I felt the vibration of his laughter travel through my thick thigh.
“As you wish,” he declared before his mouth and tongue took me once more. With that, I fell, and I fell hard. I screamed out with everything inside of me. My eyes closed tight, toes curling under, and my body experiencing pleasure as it was meant to be.
There had been no time to come down from my high as my legs were spread wider and Nate was buried inside me. My back arched as I forced my body onto his. He pounded into me with need. Opening my eyes, I could see his face, a look of determination was plastered on it, and his olive eyes peered down into mine.
He bent over me, sucking one of my hard nipples into his mouth. I moaned as he sucked and bit. His mouth could work wonders on my body. After a minute he moved to my other neglected peak.
I worked to keep rhythm with Nate. Our bodies rocking together making beautiful music. I didn’t want this to end, to face real life again. This moment of connection and bliss was all I needed until the end of forever, to be with him in this way. Nate released my nipple and looked me directly in the eyes.
