“Oh, shit, that’s good,” she said.
Every time, she did it every fucking time, made him want her more. Maybe that was all this was—the electric physical connection between them.
Even as he thought it he knew he was wrong. They were lovers and friends and maybe something else. He wouldn’t let her shy away this time. He wanted to take this affair as far as they could, coax total honesty out of her. If she didn’t want him he needed to hear her say it, and to understand why.
Keeping one arm around her waist, he moved her slowly, using his hips to angle his lower body so he could thrust inside her. “You’re letting me do all the work, remember?”
“I remember.” He slid her slightly sideways so she could turn her head without hurting herself. They kissed and he thrust his tongue inside her mouth as he thrust inside her. He touched his lips to hers, opened his eyes, saw her watching him. “Cyn, you’re the best.”
He couldn’t tell her any more. He needed to take care of her and if he told her what he was feeling right now, she might walk away. Perverse women had crossed his path before and once he’d realized, he’d told them he was falling in love with them to make them leave. Cyn might do that, although he didn’t know why she shied away from deeper intimacy. She’d had a stable childhood but not a loving one from what he’d gathered. Maybe she didn’t know how.
They had that in common but he’d learned to embrace his emotions, not to be afraid of them. They made him a better musician.
An idea struck him the minute before he lost his mind in her. Was she scared of her emotions or how the music made her feel?
But conscious, rational thought left him then as he kissed down her neck and felt her stretch—only a little, because it would make her sore. Her breathing came more evenly and she made a sound in her throat. He kissed it, enjoying the vibration and gave her all he had, sinking inside her balls-deep. Fathoms deep.
“Sweetheart, let me. Oh, fuck, I will never have a shower again. Baths for me, every fucking time.” Being surrounded by the hot water and bubbles, that were currently popping crisply against their bodies, the sensation of taking this woman under the water, felt like nothing ever had before.
The city frolicked, lights going on and off in the buildings. He’d lain in this tub and enjoyed the view but never during sex. The sight steamed his libido to breaking point. Life went on, others would be fucking but not like this and not with this woman.
He spread his hand, touched her clit with the tip of his forefinger. “My, what big hands you have,” she murmured, then moaned again. “That’s good.”
Finding the hard tip of flesh peeking from between the thick, soft folds of her labia, he pressed it then did it again. Venturing farther, supporting her with his other hand, he pushed in, pinched.
“Oh!” She sighed and he watched her breasts respond, wished he had another hand to fondle and play. “Fuck, Riku.”
“That’s the idea.” He found his rhythm, easier when the water helped to make her more buoyant and the slickness imparted by the bubbles let their bodies slide together without friction. “Come to think of it the bath’s better while you’re ill. That’s it, baby, take it, take it all.”
He’d suppressed the danger of coming too fast but his arousal leaped. Heat coursed through him, making him want to thrust hard and deep, take it all and make her feel every inch of his cock. But she had to come. He adored feeling her clench around him, it invariably sent him over the edge. He’d do it for her and if he could hold on he’d get her to climax again.
He couldn’t. Hang on, that was. As soon as her pussy tightened in the first convulsion that signified her orgasm, he gave way. With one sharp cry, he felt the still, small moment before the world crashed around him in colors, emotion and an overdose of sensation.
Shuddering, he held her. He remembered to keep his hand away from her bruises, still recalled her injuries and took care not to make them any worse or hurt her.
“You drive me crazy, lady. The more we do this, the more I want you.”
“Tell me about it.” She laughed shakily. “You’re everything to me. Everything. Never, ever before—” She panted. Probably out of breath.
Gently he lifted her away and climbed out of the bath to dispose of the condom. They weren’t called little swimmers for nothing and he never took unnecessary chances. Especially with Cyn. For a second as he stood over the toilet in the next room he wondered how she’d take it if he made her pregnant. She couldn’t walk away from that.
Speculation, stupid. But deep inside a longing took hold, something he’d always denied. Kids weren’t part of his life plan. Never had been. But the thought of Cyn fruitful, her belly full of his child drew him.
His first thought, as always, was that there was a song in this somewhere. And there was but the notion lingered. He wrote his passions out, let them free in music, but not this time.
Briskly he dismissed the whole idea as stupid. He’d never do that to a woman. Fuck, he’d never do it to a baby. Not like his parents had with him.
Whatever he’d done hadn’t been enough for them. Remembering the way he’d tried to excel at everything and how they’d been too busy to notice, he didn’t feel sorry. He did as he always did when those memories crossed his mind. Not his problem but theirs, he told himself. Theirs to bear the tolerable marriage they’d made, the lives they’d made, separate but apart. The children they were slowly pushing away with politeness and no caring. He’d tried to pick an argument with them a time or two. They’d simply walked away, leaving him raving to nobody.
He didn’t want that for him and Cyn. His parents were high-flyers, good at what they did and they’d never given anything up after they married. No need. Their careers took them away from home a lot and so they spent more time apart than together. They’d forged a good business relationship. It hurt when he considered that kind of arrangement with Cyn and knew he couldn’t take it. She might though. It might be a way to snare her before he persuaded her she wanted more.
No. He was thinking all kinds of stupid-ass thoughts here, things that went against his convictions and his lifestyle. He’d never foist an unwanted baby on anyone, more for the baby’s sake than anyone else’s. He’d vowed long ago he’d never enter into an arranged marriage of any kind. So what was he thinking? Crazy shit because he couldn’t bear the idea of watching Cyn leave another time. Or leaving and then having her disappear from his life.
No fucking way.
He went back to her smiling, grabbing a hot towel from the rail as he passed. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
“Oh goody, are we doing it again?”
“Not fucking likely. Not tonight.”
He managed to stick to that resolution by the skin of his teeth. He found her something to wear in bed, using the frank admission that if she didn’t put this T-shirt on he’d keep her awake all night and then they’d miss their appointment in the morning. Having her naked and next to him would be too much to bear if he couldn’t do it again.
“So get some sleep. Unless you’re hungry?”
“Not one bit.”
He was but he waited until she fell asleep before he went to the kitchen to fix himself a quick sandwich. Going back to bed, finding his woman there was the sweetest thing he could remember in a long time. It felt disturbingly as if she’d filled the hole he’d unconsciously made for her when he’d bought this place. She fit here so well. With him.
Chapter Eleven
“You should definitely take time off work and rest,” the doctor said. After the discomfort of the X-ray and then waiting for the results, they were facing the evidence now. The white-coated man who seemed too young to have qualified touched the chart with a pointer. Surely he should be in Science Club, not here handling patients. He couldn’t even grow a proper beard, although the patchy effort of a goatee clung despairingly to his chin. “See? That’s a crack. Not a severe one and it’s not likely to break if you take care.”
“Should you strap it?” Rik
u asked. Cyn laid her hand over his. He was so edgy about this. She’d hoped for bruising only but she was out of luck. Bruising would have disappeared faster.
Dr. Patel grimaced. “We don’t do that these days, unless we have to. Your colleague who strapped her was army, where they often need to make patients ambulant. We civilians don’t and we’ve found it avoids complications if we let it heal naturally.” He repeated what they already knew, about resting, relaxing and breathing deeply.
“How long do I need to take off?” she said.
“I’d rather you rested this week completely.” Dr. Patel turned from the chart but Riku still stared at it. “Don’t do any heavy lifting, don’t climb ladders or wear high heels. Try not to fall.”
“I always do.” She smiled and thank fuck the doctor smiled back, lightening the situation a tad. “So I can go back next week?”
“What do you do?”
“I own and run three jewelry stores.”
“Don’t stay on your feet. I mean it. The best cure is not to overdo it.” He regarded her through narrowed eyes. “If you feel pain stop what you’re doing. Get a coffee and sit for a while. Listen to your body. If it tells you to rest then that’s what you do.”
“When will I be fully healed?”
“Six weeks should do it.”
She heard him in dismay. “That long?”
Riku’s hand moved under hers, turned it around so he could clasp hers. “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”
“From Chicago?” She made a scoffing sound. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know you will, because I’ll be here for you.”
That was right. He wasn’t due in the studio in Chicago for a week or two. “By the time you leave I’ll be well on the way to recovery.”
“You don’t get it.” He squeezed her hand so she turned to face him. “I’m going nowhere without you for the next six weeks. If you have to stay here and work then that’s what you do but not without me.”
“You can’t. You’re Riku Shiraishi. People will recognize you.” Feeble but the best she could think of right now. She wished she could come up with something more effective.
“They didn’t today.” He was right, fuck him. Without his wild clothes and wilder hair color people glanced at him and then looked away. He’d always attract some attention because he was so fucking gorgeous.
Cyn didn’t feel particularly gorgeous this morning. She had a few bruises on her legs to match the beauties that adorned her left chest area and one on her right arm where he’d caught her as he went down.
They’d taken an ordinary cab here today. When they’d exited the taxi and entered this building, the receptionist here, while giving him the eye, had merely taken her name and asked them to sit. She hadn’t recognized him, Cyn would stake her reputation on it. Just given him that smile—the one a woman gives a man she wants to know more about.
The bitch, Cyn thought without heat but with a lot of resignation. After all, with her unstyled hair, her un-made-up face, wearing a pair of jeans and a soft shirt, she was no prize. She couldn’t help it if all his attention remained on her, if he treated her with tenderness and solicitude. The thought made her a trifle smug. Even with her looking this way he had eyes for no one but her. She let herself enjoy it, savor the moment. Despite her bruised and painful state, life was good right now.
She had him for six weeks. Enough time for them to get sick of each other or at least for the tearing need for sex to wear off a bit. Perhaps then she’d be able to think straight.
She took a deep breath and winced. Served her right, forgetting her injury enough to try to behave normally. Instantly Riku was there, stroking her good side in an attempt to soothe her. She let him think he had and smiled. “It’s getting better.”
“I’ll give you some painkillers.” He proceeded to give such a long list of can’ts and don’ts, she decided she’d rather fight the pain her own way. With milder painkillers and a little judicious application of red wine. Although, if the pills meant she could have more adventurous sex, she’d certainly consider it, because she only had him for six weeks.
The doctor left the room and she was alone with Riku.
Every time she reminded herself of why she shouldn’t let herself go deeper with this man her resolve strengthened, her reasons firmed and multiplied. They had different lives, she was expanding her business and needed time to build it unencumbered. He had an all-encompassing career that took over his life, his parents didn’t like her…the list grew longer.
With Riku by her side, his tender care making everything better, she was in danger of forgetting all that.
Shit, a cracked rib. Still, time she stepped back and courted bigger clients. Janey had reminded her that Maddy, for all her lighthearted approach, had a firm hold on her side of the business and understood exactly what she was doing. The third store wasn’t doing so well and Cyn thought it might be the manager. She liked the managers to have definite personalities that they stamped on the stores but Sian, who ran the smaller Midtown store, seemed too cautious to take a firm direction. She’d planned to work there for a few weeks but she’d have to rethink it, or cut down her hours. “I need to get back to designing,” she said.
Riku followed her reasoning without hesitation. “Of course you do, after getting that new contract. You can use the dining room as your studio if that’s suitable. Do you think it has enough natural light?”
She almost laughed when she recalled the huge windows on two sides but remembered the pain it gave her and desisted. The dining room faced north and west. She liked that light, harsh, softened by the warmth of the sun toward sunset.
“I can work in the office. I have a studio above the small shop.” Another way to keep an eye on Sian. The poky room at the back of the Empire State Building store only served as a place to do quick assembly of beads into necklace, bracelet or set, the large table mainly used for lessons, not for design. Maddy used it as much as she did.
“No. I want to make sure you get your rest. Didn’t you hear the doctor? Plenty of rest, with gentle exercise.” Oh yes, she didn’t mistake that gleam in his eye and she had to admit, that exercise had more appeal than any other she could think of. Except it wasn’t always gentle. Maybe soon she could envision something more energetic without wincing.
She’d discovered a streak of submission with Riku. Not in the BDSM sense, she just enjoyed letting him take control from time to time. He was so much bigger than she. She loved the way he’d pose her for maximum impact, arranging her before asking her if she was comfortable and then making her distinctly uncomfortable. She drew the line at calling him “Sir” though. He might get ideas.
This caring Riku had a place as well. He made her want to curl into him like some feeble kitten and let him pamper her. Just for a little while, because too much of it would drive her insane.
The pain of her injury had kept her awake last night, and now she felt drained and tired. She suspected she would have been done in anyway after the magnificence of the concert but the pain had drained her resistance and her desire to fight back. She’d return as strong as ever. Just not today.
The doctor returned with the painkillers. He had treated her gently but her side still throbbed and the effort to hide how much it hurt exhausted her. People cracked ribs every day, fuck, sportsmen carried on their work with them. Maybe their painkillers were better than the ones she allowed herself.
“Six weeks of this?” She hadn’t meant to say anything but to put up with this level of pain for that long—she’d do it but it would exhaust her.
“You’ll feel a big improvement when the swelling goes down.” The doctor, impassive but sympathetic, a feat that deserved more study, glanced up from the notes he was making. “Take the pills for a few days and rest. They’ll make you sleepy but I’m only giving you enough for three days. After that, you may take the next pack. I’ll number them. They’re not as strong and they’ll last another three.” She tried to listen to his instr
uctions. Normally she’d have no problem but today her mind kept drifting off, as if it had a will of its own. She might take the medication occasionally but not as many as he said. Only when it hurt too much or she needed to do something strenuous. Like fuck Riku senseless.
“Thanks, Doctor. I’ll take it from here.”
Shit, had she dropped off? Surely not but she hadn’t noticed anything he’d said after he started droning on about the painkillers. She blinked and smiled, trying to appear alert, but she feared she hadn’t fooled the two men for a minute. “I’m sorry.”
“Home.” Riku got out his phone.
Oh right and this was just the excuse he needed to put off the dinner with his parents. That notion occurred to her as she drifted off once more. Smiling, because the last sight was of the doctor handing Riku a pen and piece of paper to the words, “My sister’s a big fan.”
She’d just bet she was, but the way the man was looking at Riku, the doctor’s sister wasn’t the only one.
* * * * *
After severe rest and eating as much as she could manage before her muscles ached from the exercise, Cyn felt a lot better. The doctor had been right about that part.
Monday morning she decided to get out of bed on her own. Riku was in the kitchen, scrambling eggs, something, he loftily informed her, he could do very well. While she’d slept the day away he’d gone to her apartment and packed up almost everything she owned there, as far as she could tell from what he and Ray brought back. Now piles of bags and boxes sat in an unused bedroom and most of her clothes hung in the other closet-room in the master. Oh yes, he had two of the fuckers. One for her.
Sitting up, she took an experimental breath and found that either she was getting used to the pain, or the rest had done her good. She made it to the bathroom on her own, discovered her rhythm, a way of moving that meant she could walk without jarring her sore ribs too badly. Not so bad after all. She found her painkillers and took two. She’d tried them yesterday and while they made her relaxed to the point of sleep, she could control the effect if she concentrated.
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