Raven heard the sharp intake of breath as his hands fell to his side, tightening into fists. She whirled past the kitchen, stopping just beyond the door, and swizzled her hips, rolling them shamelessly to a rhythm that demanded his full attention. Sashaying toward the master bedroom, she crooked her finger before disappearing through the door.
His footsteps clattered across the tile then muffled as he covered the carpeted areas. She watched the conflict—desire and control—play out over his face, then turned to give him a view of her seductive dance from the rear. She switched on the radio next to the bed, quickly scanned to connect with that same station, then turned back just in time to see a normally controlled Pierce lick his lips and swallow hard before charging in through the door.
Slowly, she released the sarong, then pulled the bathing suit straps down until the material fell open, exposing her breasts for a brief moment before she covered them with her arm.
His expression was so awe-stricken, she felt empowered.
Allowing the suit to fall to the floor, she never slowed her hips in their side-to-side assault on his senses.
Pierce slid onto the bed, never taking his gaze off her.
She moved to the rhythm, her shoulders, breasts and arms swaying as she danced, dipping down to pick up the sarong to use as a fabric shield.
Pierce swallowed, then folded his hands on his lap like a schoolboy in the principal’s office.
Raven only gave him a glimpse as she pulled the material back into position.
His eyes bucked wide, as his lips pressed together.
Raven laughed, the silky sound echoing in the bedroom. She lowered her body almost to the floor, swaying her hips every inch of the way, then snapped up, trailing a single hand over her legs, thighs, stomach, baring her breasts, and body completely. She lowered her hips again, picked up the bathing suit, and flung it at him so it nearly wrapped around his head.
Pierce gripped the material and pulled it down a little, giving him an unobstructed view of her impromptu striptease.
She now held the sarong against her buttocks.
Reaching up, he snatched the suit from his head and tossed it aside.
He beckoned to her.
She shook her head.
Pierce beckoned again.
She whipped around, flipping her silky hair back over her shoulders, dropping the sarong, and shaking her rear like a shameless hussy.
“Have mercy!” he yelled.
“Damn straight,” she shot back.
She danced a slow little salsa until she stood directly in front of him. A little footwork rendered her just out of his reach.
One bushy eyebrow shot up, and Pierce’s lips poked out playfully. His gaze traveled to her waist, following each move of her hips as though hypnotized.
Raven swayed one last time before moving toward him, his scent filling her senses. Slowly, he wrapped his lips around her nipple. A burst of fire started at the points of her exposed breasts and ended at the very tips of her pedicured toes. Biting her lip, she slowly embraced him, nearly erupting from the touch of his expert tongue.
Pierce teased gently while exploring the sway of her back with his hands, daring her to move away, daring her to stop him.
An earthy moan escaped her lips as she felt the power of his touch, wielded with each flick of his hot tongue on her aching flesh.
“Pierce?”
“Mmmm.”
“Pierce?”
He pulled away slowly, almost cautiously, and looked up at her. “Please tell me you’re not asking me to stop.”
“Hell no!” she managed to say. “But I’m losing,” she gasped, “my footing.”
He swept her off her feet, then laid her on the bed with gentle but careful precision. His lips touched hers, teasing them, parting them, then trailed gently down to her chin. He pulled the hair back off her shoulders, fanning it out above her head like a halo.
She felt as if the fires of hell were consuming her body. This was passion, real passion, and it was hers—unbottled, unquenched, and unforgiving. Good Lord, how had she gone without this for so damn long?
His lips captured hers in sweet, savage revenge. She swelled against him, and her thighs wrapped around his body.
Pierce planted his warm lips on the smooth curve of her throat, gently licking every inch. He pulled away, ripping off his shirt, his pants was the next casualty. His erection sprang out, greeting the world with a hearty hello!
Raven blinked twice, instantly calculating his size against her tight flesh. No matter how hot she was, there was no way in hell that would fit inside her. No. Fucking. Way!
She inched back on the bed, eyes wide with shock. “Pierce…”
He searched her face and looked down at his manhood standing at attention. “It’s okay. Trust me.”
Raven couldn’t stop looking, but her anxiety wouldn’t go away.
Pierce watched her intently without moving, disappointment etched in his handsome features and in his voice. “Say the word and I’ll put my boxers back on.”
“But I started this,” she whispered, still looking.
“Actually, I did, by bringing you here, but it doesn’t matter. We don’t have to do this now.”
“Will that,” she said, still staring at his huge member, “um,” she tried to swallow her fear, “be smaller the next time I see it?”
Pierce laughed as he stepped into his boxers, but didn’t pull them up. “I certainly hope not. It’s genetic.” He eyed her cautiously. “But I do know what I’m doing, and I’m experienced enough to handle you.”
She still hadn’t taken her gaze away from his massive hard-on. “I thought talking would make it go down a little—or something.”
“Your voice has always done this to me.”
Raven reached up, pulled her thumb and index finger across her mouth in a zippering motion.
Pierce roared with laughter that didn’t quite reach his dark brown eyes. He slowly reached for her. “Come here, baby.”
She shook her head.
“It doesn’t bite.”
“If it does,” she replied meaningfully, “I’m biting it right back.” Her unease subsided and tension drained from her shoulders as she looked down at him. “You promise to—”
“Be as gentle as possible.”
Moments passed as she ruffled unsteady hands through her hair. “God, I’ve never wanted a man this much.”
“I hope that’s a good thing,” he said, leaning back on the bed, waiting.
“I’m a grown-ass woman—I’m not supposed to be afraid.”
Pierce stroked a hand through her hair. “You can only take in as much as your body will allow.”
She looked up at him. “You know that for a fact?”
“I’ve never fully been inside any woman.”
She said nothing, but the thought of him with another woman disturbed her more than it should.
“Okay, here’s the deal, we shouldn’t do anything for now. I’ll get dressed.”
“Well, wait…don’t do that,” she protested, reaching out to halt his movements. “I mean it’s…it’s…it’s breathtaking.”
“I’m glad you think so,” he said, chuckling. “But while your voice is keeping me hard, the cool air on my ass is doing just the opposite.”
Raven pulled the comforter back and slid between the sheets, allowing space for him beside her.
“You done looking?”
She quickly shook her head.
He groaned.
Raven smiled, then nodded.
Moments later his warm body connected with hers as he lay beside her, pulling her into his arms. She reached out, stroking the smooth expanse of his chest, slowly lowering her hands to his hot, throbbing flesh.
“Cut that out!”
“I just want to get to know him.”
Pierce reached down, pried her fingers from around his erection. “Trust me, he says hello, best regards, welcome, aloha, buenos dias—all of that.”
> Her eyes widened as she whined, “I can’t touch him?”
“Baby, I’m trying like hell to talk him into sleeping.”
Raven peeked under the covers. “Is it working?”
“Not with you waking him up like that.”
“Oh.” She dropped the floral comforter back into place.
Pierce kissed her softly, exploring her mouth with a probing, demanding tongue. Slowly, like a drizzling rain giving way to a mighty thunderstorm, the heat overcame her—and any misgivings. When he slipped down to her breasts, enveloping them with a barrage of expert licks with his moist tongue. She gripped his hips, softly kneading the flesh like dough.
He blew a soft breath in the space between her breasts, igniting a fire deep within her once again.
“How do you do that?”
“Mmmm. Do what?”
“This?” She moved his hand between the delta of her thighs. She was so wet that if she moved, she would soak the bed. He penetrated the moisture with a single finger before pulling out and teasing her pearl. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
A low, throaty voice tickled her ear. “Woman, don’t play with me.”
She arched against his fingers, and he slipped another into her aching flesh, stretching her just a little. “Pierce?”
He glanced up at her.
“I want you…all of you.”
Pierce placed his lips on hers, exploring the moist depths, matching the rhythm and softness of the fingers skillfully teasing her pearl, forcing her to cry out, “Sweet Jesus!”
She angled herself to wrap her thighs around him.
He snatched his lips away from hers. “Raven?”
She whispered in his ear, “I want you.”
Pierce reached for the condom in the nightstand, whipped it out, and prepared to put it on. Angered and frustrated, he looked at the wrapper and growled, “These are supposed to be magnum!”
The pained look on his face was almost hilarious.
“I have one in my purse.”
His eyebrows shot up as he let out a long, slow breath.
“Ava gave it to me.”
He peered at her for a moment, a perplexed expression on his face. “And why would she give you a condom?”
“Are you sure you want to know the answer to that right now?”
Pierce frowned and plopped down on the bed as she scrambled around in her purse for a piece of foil-covered salvation. Was there something going on between Ava and Raven?
“I came close to getting some…um…you know…”
Pierce’s lips twitched causing her gaze to narrow on him.
“The brother didn’t have a condom and neither did I.”
“So he didn’t get any?”
“Nope. Not even a drive-by whiff to go. Ava wanted me to be prepared in case there was a next time.”
Pierce grinned as she continued the search. “So why a magnum?”
“Maybe she’s psychic. Maybe she knew you were…cumming.” The arch of her eyebrows left no doubt as to the spelling.
“Woman, we’re going to have to work on your humor.”
She lifted her hands victoriously and displayed the condom in the palm of her hand, whispering, “I’d rather we work on something else.” She raced back to bed, breasts jiggling with each step.
“How long ago was this?”
“About four years.”
Pierce took the condom, but instead of whipping it on, he turned the foil package over and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s expired, baby.”
Raven frowned at him. “They expire?”
“For one of the world’s best romance writers, you sure are naïve.”
Color flushed her cheeks as she stood and moved away.
Pierce scrambled off the bed and tried to take her in his arms.
She pushed him back as she averted her gaze.
“I’m sorry, honey. That was thoughtless of me.”
She nodded, folding her hands across her breasts as though to hide them as well.
“Come here.”
She didn’t move.
“Raven, come here.”
Reluctantly, she did.
“I said I’m sorry and I mean it, baby.”
“Okay.”
He curled her into his arms, holding her for a moment. She parted her lips to speak, but closed her mouth, thinking better of it.
“Go on, baby.”
She sighed softly. “For the record, I write contemporary fiction, not romance.”
Pierce’s eyebrows drew in.
“Totally different formula and genre,” she said to his questioning expression. “I haven’t had as much experience as you think, Pierce. I may write some romantic interludes, but the times I’ve actually had sex with a man have been few and far between.” Then her expression become stony. “Hanging around with Simeon, I know you’ve been with a lot of women and…”
Pierce tensed. “So now I’m a player by association?” His tone was fierce. “I’ve had women—yes. Lots of them? No. Intercourse—rarely. Especially because of my size. I need to care deeply about a woman and maintain a certain level of control so I don’t hurt her.”
Raven looked away.
He tipped her chin up so her eyes met his. “Now, I will admit that most times it was just getting head—just a release. But I’m not anything like Simeon Cahill, and I resent that you would even take it there.”
Raven remained strangely still, for once at a loss for words.
“Contrary to popular belief,” Pierce whispered. “I can count the number of women I’ve actually slept with on this hand.”
“Me, too.”
His eyes grew wide with shock.
“I mean—oh God—not women, men, Pierce. Men!”
Pierce held in a laugh.
He might not find it so funny if she told him she on the verge of getting her wish to try it at least once. Maybe now was not the time to mention her much anticipated appointment at the Castle. “And what about the women who’ve—um—ahem.” She pointed to her mouth, then his groin, then thought better of her request. Raven held up a hand to ward off his answer. “Forget I asked. I don’t want to pass out.”
“Oh, it hasn’t been that many.” Pierce reluctantly raised his other hand.
She sighed and waited.
Then he reached out, and grabbed her hand and lifted it, too.
She grimaced, but didn’t say a word
Then he lifted her other hand and put up four fingers.
“Oh, damn, Pierce!” She yanked her hands back.
“Raven, I’m a grown man with needs.”
She nodded, but still didn’t look too pleased. “Why only oral?”
“Anything else is too—personal. Too close.”
“Oh.”
He pulled her close. “I didn’t have a real orgasm from that either. And I didn’t feel anything for them. They were using me to get whatever they could.”
She nodded and remained silent.
“Okay, maybe it looks bad on the back end, but…” Pierce ran a hand over his head. “The chance of me being a virgin or a saint was a crapshoot to begin with.”
“I know that, it’s just…” She shrugged. “I don’t have nearly the amount of experience you do. And I wasn’t looking for a virgin, but I thought I was leasing a car that had a lot less mileage.”
For some reason Pierce felt soiled. And the fact that she said leasing and not buying said plenty. He moved back, laid his head on the pillow. “Let’s get some sleep, Raven.”
“You’re mad at me.”
“No, I’m horny and I’m tired, but not mad. Go to sleep, Raven.”
She still didn’t move.
“So cuddling’s out of the question?”
Pierce turned back to her. Raven flowed into his arms, pressing her breasts against his chest as she wrapped her body around his. At least that was something.
Then his erection sprang to life.
❤ ❤ ❤
Neither one of them could sleep.
Did her inexperience mean she couldn’t please him? The fact that he got off on oral was cause for concern, too—she wasn’t an expert at that either. Not that she was a prude, but a man had to be someone special for her to wrap her lips around him. No one had ever been special in her book, and attempting to practice on her dildo hadn’t helped her much. She had no way to know if she’d hit the right spot, the rubber toy certainly wouldn’t tell her.
Next to her, Pierce’s breathing was shallow—he must be having trouble sleeping too.
“What are you thinking about?” she whispered.
“How do you know I’m thinking and not sleeping?”
“Your breathing changes when you fall asleep.”
Pierce opened his eyes, hesitated a few moments as though filtering his words. “Why don’t I tell you what I’m not thinking about—deadlines. I’m not thinking about artists arriving late to shows all the time, artists getting in or out of rehab, keeping sexcapades out of headlines, and keeping secret lifestyles a secret. I’m not thinking about ass-kissers and groupies. And I’m certainly not thinking about the fact that my partner has been hell-bent on running our dreams into the dirt.”
“Then what are you thinking about?”
“You, baby. Only you.” He pulled out of her arms. “Get up for a second. I want to do something.”
Pierce picked up the mattress, maneuvered it effortlessly through the doorway and carried it to their private balcony. Moments later, Raven overcame her shock, followed with the pillows and comforter, then returned for that single condom. An expired condom was better than none, right?
“Now suppose someone has a telescope in one of those buildings over there and thinks we’re doing something…naughty?” she asked.
“Then they’d be wrong, wouldn’t they?”
“Maybe…” She lifted her eyebrows.
His smile disappeared. “Woman, don’t play with me. My dick’s hard enough to do a pole vault.”
“Okay, so now we’ve cleared up what’s been poking me in the side all night.”
“Very cute.” Pierce nestled into the soft swell of her breasts and closed his eyes.
The Pleasure's All Mine Page 18
