Once Upon a Dare

by Jennifer Bonds

  Olivia didn’t think she could take much more as his tongue stroked the elusive cluster of nerves with a thousand dirty names. When his fingers plunged into her, keeping pace with his tongue, it was almost too much to bear. Her body arched off the table, rocking against him and seeking an outlet for the tension that had coiled deep inside of her. She exploded, ecstasy flooding her body as her muscles went limp, her feet dangling over the edge of the table.

  Pushing herself up on an elbow, she watched as he climbed to his feet. The hunger burning in his eyes called to her. He was far from finished with her and she needed to give him something in return. After all, he wasn’t the only one who knew how to give pleasure. With steady hands, Olivia reached for his belt. She hooked her fingers in the waistband of his pants and jerked him close. “My turn.”

  Pressing her mouth to his, she ravished his lips. Their tongues battled for dominance, but in the end, she came out victorious. Cole would know the same pleasure he’d given her, but he also needed to know that she wouldn’t always succumb to him.

  Olivia wrestled with his belt, her kisses growing more savage as desperation set in. “Where the hell did you get this thing? Chastity Belts ‘R’ Us?” Frustrated, she pinched his bottom lip between her teeth and held him there, releasing him only when his pants dropped to the floor and she was able to free his erection.

  Stroking his length gently, she brushed her fingertips over the slick head.

  “Fuck.” He groaned. “That feels so good.”

  Cole wound his fingers through her hair, forcing her head back and exposing her neck to him. His mouth burned a trail of kisses down the curve of her throat and she struggled to remember that this was about him. If this was the last time they came together, she wanted to make sure it was memorable for both of them.

  Olivia dropped from the table, standing face to face with him. He wrapped his arms around her and she unbuttoned his shirt, running her hands over the chiseled muscles of his chest. He had beautiful skin, the kind most women would envy.

  “You’re perfect.” She smiled. “But I guess you already knew that.”

  Cole laughed. “Flattery will get you everywhere, sweetheart.”

  “Good to know,” she replied, “because I have a destination in mind, just a little further south.”

  His hands moved up her back and into her hair, snapping the rubber band that held her ponytail. He tousled her hair, losing his fingers in the strands of silk as she fell to her knees. Wrapping her hand firmly around his shaft, she sucked him between her swollen lips, taking him deep. She didn’t know how much he could take, but she’d find out soon enough. Olivia explored him with her tongue, teasing and stroking, finding dexterity she hadn’t known she possessed. He groaned for mercy she had no intention of giving.

  Before she could finish, he brought Olivia to her feet and crushed her body to his, wrapping her tight in his embrace. He kissed her fiercely, reigniting the fire between her legs.

  “Condom?”

  “In my wallet.”

  She grabbed his pants from the floor and handed them to him. He fished out the wallet and produced a foil square. He tore it open and unrolled it with experienced hands.

  Determined to finish what she’d started, she threw him back on the table with a predatory smile. He stretched out, grinning appreciatively as she pulled up her skirt and climbed atop, straddling him. His erection reached for her, begging for her touch.

  Wrapping her hand around his thick shaft, she guided him to her center, lowering herself onto him in one delicious thrust. As their hips came together, she knew they wouldn’t last long. She leaned back, enjoying the feel of his hardness sinking into her over and over. Riding him with a desperate rhythm, she ignored the pressure of the oak tabletop as her knees beat against it. Sex with Cole had that effect. Nothing else mattered when they were joined like this, wrapped in exquisite pleasure.

  “I love the way your tits bounce when you’re riding me. I could watch you all night.” And then his hands were under her skirt, massaging her inner thighs. She nearly lost her mind. His roving fingers made their way to the V between her legs and when he rubbed his thumb across her clit, she moaned with pleasure. A few more strokes and their bodies exploded in harmony. Cole groaned, his release coming deep inside of her as her body clenched tightly around him, milking every last drop of pleasure from him. When it was over, she collapsed on his chest, utterly spent.

  They stayed like that for a while, catching their breath. She couldn’t speak for Cole, but her mind was a blank slate in a state of post-coital bliss. When she felt his lips on the top of her head, her heart skipped a beat.

  Was that a kiss? A tender, gentle kiss? Shit.

  This was supposed to be about sex—only sex. Anything more than that was a string she couldn’t—wouldn’t—handle.

  Her thoughts whirled in her head. Pull it together, Olivia. Cole didn’t do romance. She was starting to see things that weren’t there. But he had stayed at her apartment all night to take care of her.

  Insta-regret reared its ugly head and as quickly as it had come, her peace was shattered.

  She pulled away from Cole and cast a wary glance at the table, which not ten minutes ago had her own bare ass on it. For God’s sake, people would be eating lunch there tomorrow! How gross was that?

  “It’ll be fine,” she reasoned. The cleaning crew would come through and shine the damn thing with some Pledge or something, right?

  “Olivia?”

  Cole stood and stepped up behind her, placing a strong hand on her hip. Her pulse quickened and she whirled on him, breaking the connection before she lost her nerve. He had a way of making her forget her resolve, as evidenced by their latest romp on the table.

  “Look, this cannot happen again,” she said, refusing to meet his eyes, afraid of what she’d see. She already felt like a first class bitch. Seeing it confirmed in those smoky gray eyes of his? No thanks.

  “What’s the big deal?” he asked, tucking in his shirt and zipping his pants. He flashed her a devilish grin, the one with the dimples that made her weak in the already shaky knees. “Pritchard said, and I quote, ‘I don’t care what it takes’. We’ll just tell him sex is part of the creative process.”

  “Cole, I’m serious.”

  “Who says I’m not?” he challenged, raising a brow and adjusting his tie with practiced fingers. “We’re good together. Why fight it?”

  Olivia shook her head and sighed. “Look, maybe it doesn’t matter for you. You’re the boss. And a man. People would still take you seriously if you screwed every woman in this agency. But for me? It’s trouble.”

  Cole had the audacity to laugh in response. “Sweetheart, as you keep reminding me, I’m your boss. Who exactly is going to get you in trouble for fucking me?”

  He did kind of have a point. They were already working long hours together. Maybe a few extracurricular activities could be kept a secret. It wasn’t like they were planning a future together. They weren’t even dating. She chewed her bottom lip, mulling it over.

  “Fine,” she finally conceded, deciding to jump in feet first and do what she wanted for a change, even if it meant breaking the rules. After all, if anyone deserved to have a little fun, it was her. She grabbed her bag and started shoving files in it. “We’re adults. We both like sex. Might as well hang on and enjoy the ride.”

  He looked skeptical. “But?” For all his angling, it was clear he hadn’t expected her to change her mind. She was pretty damn surprised herself.

  “But you cannot tell anyone. Sleeping with the boss is a credibility death sentence.” She slung the weighty bag over her shoulder and turned toward the door. “I have a full schedule tomorrow. We’ll pick up where we left off next week. We still have some time to come up with an angle for Vixen. We can’t lose focus now.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The sharp tang of disinfectant assaulted Cole’s nose as he stepped through the sliding doors of the White Plains emergency room. The ey
e-watering, throat-burning stink reminded him just how much he disliked hospitals. He hated the look, the smell, and most of all the fact that someone close to him had been admitted for care.

  As much as he loathed the place, he knew his little sister Anna hated it more. That knowledge alone kept him moving forward when he wanted nothing more than to make a U-turn and cleanse his lungs with the fresh spring air outside. Anna needed him and he had promised himself he’d always be there for her, no matter what. He was determined to make good on that promise, even if it meant facing the ER and Olivia’s wrath on the same day. He hated to miss the team meeting and the last thing he wanted to do was leave her hanging, especially now. They were finally on the same page with regard to sex and he didn’t want to screw that up, but blood came before business.

  Although their lives had taken different paths, he and Anna had remained close over the years. While he had chosen a life of corporate bliss, Anna was the consummate suburbanite with a white picket fence and a pile of unruly children who, although he loved them dearly, regularly reaffirmed his bachelorhood. Cole was nowhere near ready for kids.

  He scanned the crowded waiting room. It was a busy day and most of the cracked vinyl chairs were occupied with miserable looking souls seeking relief. Young, old, working class, and homeless, the emergency room was the great equalizer. There they all sat, ignoring the hum of daytime TV and waiting for the overworked doctors and nurses to call them back for treatment.

  No Anna though.

  Cole hoped her absence was a good sign. He’d have been royally pissed if she and her daughter were still waiting. Traffic had been horrendous and it had taken longer than expected to get to the hospital. The idea of his niece sitting there in pain all that time was unbearable.

  He turned his attention to the harried looking receptionist, who was juggling two phones and typing simultaneously. He had to give the woman credit. She was the epitome of efficiency. He anxiously waited for her to hang up the phones before approaching the desk.

  “Hello,” he started, giving her a dimpled smile. “My name is Cole Bennett and I’m looking for my niece, Lulu Kline. I believe she was admitted this morning.”

  The receptionist looked him over, the frazzled pinch of her lips softening as her gaze fell on his mouth. She batted her eyelashes and he had a pretty good idea what she was thinking.

  “Broken arm, right?” she finally asked, typing on the keyboard. Her fingers flew over the keys, although her eyes remained fixed on him.

  His stomach dropped. He’d hoped it was just a sprain or something. Lulu was an accident-prone child, but she’d never broken anything before. Unable to trust his voice, he nodded at the receptionist.

  “We were expecting you,” she explained, handing him a visitor’s badge. “Let me just call someone to escort you back.”

  Cole followed an orderly, who didn’t look much older than Lulu, through the labyrinth of exam rooms. When they reached 113C, he knocked lightly on the door. It swung open and Anna jumped to her feet. She sighed with relief when she saw Cole standing in the hall.

  “It’s about time,” she said, giving him a half-smile. Anna rushed forward and hugged him. Cole wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, which reminded him where Lulu got her frailness. Despite her feisty personality, Anna had always been delicate physically.

  When she finally released him, he stepped back and studied his sister. For all the traits they shared—dark hair, blue eyes, and fair skin—there were just as many they didn’t. Anna was petite, nearly a foot shorter, and had bone-straight hair, unlike Cole, whose hair was out of control if not trimmed twice a month.

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized, squeezing her hand. “I got here as soon as I could. Traffic was a mess. You okay? Where’s Joe?”

  “He’s at work,” Anna explained. She pulled her hand from Cole’s and sat on the bed next to Lulu, stroking her daughter’s hair. Lulu gave him a shy smile. She looked more like her mother every day. Seeing her there in cutoff shorts with a dusting of freckles on her nose reminded him of Anna at that age. “Joe couldn’t get away. Besides, you know how he feels about hospitals.”

  Cole’s temper flared. Lulu had a broken arm and Anna hadn’t been in a hospital in nearly two years, not since her miscarriage, and Joe couldn’t take the fucking afternoon off? He knew that being in the hospital would tear open old wounds for Anna, which was another reason Joe should’ve been by her side, regardless of his own discomfort. He was her husband, for chrissake, and his family needed him. What could be more important than that?

  “Lulu, why don’t you show Uncle Cole your cast?” Anna coaxed, changing the subject. To his surprise, Lulu smiled and it lit up her whole face.

  Cole took a deep breath and pushed his anger aside. He didn’t want Lulu to see him angry. Joe was her father and he loved her, despite his many other shortcomings. After all, they were a family and that was a sacred bond, one Cole was unlikely to ever experience himself.

  “Want to be the first to sign my cast, Uncle Cole?” Lulu asked, carefully holding up her plaster-covered right arm. She seemed to be in good spirits, which he attributed to the empty pill cup on the nightstand. At least they’d given her something to manage the pain. Cole was always impressed by the resilience of children, although it didn’t increase his desire to start a family of his own any time soon. There was no place in his busy life for midday hysteria or afternoons in the ER.

  “Lulu, how on earth did you break your arm?” he asked, shaking his head and eyeing her sternly. “You need to be more careful or you’re going to give us all gray hair.”

  “It wasn’t even my fault!” Lulu braced her good hand on her hip and cut her eyes at him. She was the spitting image of her mother. “It was Tommy’s fault!”

  “Was not either!” his nephew argued as he sauntered through the door with a can of orange soda in each hand. He put the drinks on the nightstand and rushed to Cole’s side, flinging his arms around his midsection. “It wasn’t my fault, Uncle Cole. We were just wrestling is all.”

  He ruffled Tommy’s hair. “Maybe you better take it easy on your sister next time, what do you say?”

  “Whatever! More like I better take it easy on him!” Lulu chimed in. Tommy scrunched up his face and stuck his tongue out at his sister, but said nothing. “If I hadn’t fallen off the-”

  “There won’t be a next time!” Anna corrected, giving both of her children a stern eye. “If I catch you wrestling in the house again, you’ll both be grounded until you die.” She pretended not to notice when the kids rolled their eyes.

  “So, where can I sign?” he asked, pointing to Lulu’s cast. He pulled a black pen from the breast pocket of his jacket. What the hell was he supposed to write on the cast of an eight-year-old girl, anyway?

  “Anywhere you want, but don’t write anything embarrassing!” Lulu giggled and offered her arm. He held it gently, afraid of pressing too hard and causing her discomfort. Placing the tip of the pen against her cast, he lightly scribed his name. “Can I be a flower girl in your wedding, Uncle Cole?”

  He jerked his hand back as though she’d branded him with a flaming hot poker. “What makes you think I’m getting married?”

  Anna snorted with laughter.

  Lulu shrugged. “Well, Mom said you had a new girlfriend, so I just thought…”

  “Anna?” Cole eyed her curiously. “Care to explain what my niece is talking about?”

  “What?” She crossed her arms and held Cole’s stare. “I had to tell her something to get her mind off the pain. And I know there’s someone new in your life, even if you insist on denying it. You’re thinking about settling down. Why else would you have bought an apartment?”

  “People buy homes all the time.”

  Anna smirked. “Yes, people do. But you’re not people. You’re Mr. I-never-stay-in-one-place-or-one-be—” She paused, searching for a more child friendly word. “Relationship-too-long.”

  Cole sighed heavily. Not only was Anna relentless, s
he had good instincts. He couldn’t get anything past her. That also meant she didn’t fall for his BS and lived by the sibling code, which she’d informed him on numerous occasions gave her the right to set him straight, even when her opinion left his oversized ego bruised and battered. Hell, especially when it left his ego bruised and battered. For some reason she was determined to teach him humility, although it hadn’t exactly taken.

  “It’s about time you settled down. Who’s the lucky woman?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear. “And when can I meet her?”

  “First of all, there is no woman,” he insisted, a little too forcefully, given he and Olivia weren’t actually in a relationship and never would be. Not that he was opposed to the idea of Olivia at his new place. That he could actually picture easily. “Second of all, why would you even wish that on me?”

  “Did you really just ask me why I would wish true love and happiness on my only brother?”

  “Anna, you of all people should know I don’t believe in that crap,” he reminded her. After all, hadn’t they been raised by the same single mother when their deadbeat father walked out? If watching his mother break her back scrubbing floors to provide for them hadn’t been enough to make him swear off marriage, Anna’s own struggle to keep her marriage afloat would have surely sealed the deal.

  There was no way he’d risk putting someone he cared about through all of that. Hell, it was the reason he preferred to keep his relationships strictly physical. An image of Olivia flashed in his head, and for the first time he wondered if he’d made a mistake. He respected the hell out of her and she deserved more than a quickie on the boardroom table. She deserved a man who could give her quiet nights making love by the fire, Sunday brunch, and someday, when she was ready, a family of her own.

  Even if he wanted those things, he’d never be that guy. London had taught him that. It had been an expensive lesson, costing him his company and his pride. No, all he could offer Olivia was here and now.