Inhibitions

by Kimberly Bracco

  Tanner had texted me about half an hour ago to say he was on his way to pick me up. I’m just finishing retouching my makeup when I hear a knock I’m sure is him. Quinn isn’t home to answer, so I hurry to the front door. I haven’t laid eyes on this man in almost a week, so I’m beyond excited to see his handsome face.

  I pull open the door, a huge smile on my face. “Hi,” I say, raking my eyes up and down his body shamelessly, checking him out. I’d almost swear it has just gotten degrees hotter in here.

  “Well, hello to you, too.” He smirks, knowing full well I’m picturing him naked. He pulls me into his arms, dips me down, and plants his lips on mine. I guess he missed me too.

  “Miss me much?” I chuckle when he breaks the kiss and sets me back upright.

  “Sure did, especially after you sent those pictures,” He smiles and wiggles his eyebrows at me.

  “That was all Quinn’s idea,” I say, suddenly worried that he thinks differently of me after seeing those pictures and texts.

  “Remind me to thank her the next time that I see her. Are you ready to go?” He finally takes a minute to look me over.

  “Yup,” I tell him, purposely popping the ‘p.’

  “You sure?” A suggestive glint gleams in his eye.

  “Absolutely. Come on, I’m starving.” I head over to the console table next to our front door, grab my purse, and wait for Tanner to catch up.

  “Okay, if this is how you want to play it.” He smiles deviously, grabs my hand, and we head to the car.

  I can’t help but second guess myself now. Was that a good smile or a bad smile? His reaction to my outfit reminds me of Quinn’s Cheshire grin from before she took me to the sex store. I have a feeling that smile means trouble.

  “What’s the matter, baby?” Tanner asks once we’re settled in the car. I’m pretty sure that he knows what the matter is, but I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of saying it aloud. I’ve got my big girl panties on—and garters too. If he thinks he can intimidate me, then I’ll have to be just as devious.

  “Nothing, Tanner.” I smile at him, sliding my hand up my left leg as I cross it over my right to give him a glimpse of what’s hiding under my skirt. I hear the hiss of his breath catching in his throat, and I’m sure he’s noticed my garters. I internally fist pump, ecstatic that I can get to him the same way he gets to me.

  “Okay then. Tell me about your week.”

  I oblige, telling him about the places I had to check out this week, even about the bitch from the boutique I didn’t like. I recount my weekend adventure with Quinn, but he already knows all about that.

  I’m surprised when we pull up to the restaurant Tanner has picked for dinner. I’d been sure that with him picking, it would be some swanky, upscale place. But instead, it’s a small, intimate Italian place.

  “I do pay attention when you talk, Ashley,” Tanner explains. “I know you prefer quiet and laid-back as opposed to expensive and stuffy.” He guides me inside with a hand at the small of my back. I have no control over the shiver than runs through my body when Tanner touches me. It happens without fail every damn time.

  I catch the hostess checking out Tanner as she takes us to our table. The bitch has balls, I’ll give her that. I’m standing right next to him, and we’re clearly on a date. We’re standing so close to each other you probably couldn’t fit a piece of paper between us. Tanner’s hand is still on my back, in that spot reserved for lovers and significant others. I want to punch her. She has a stupid, love-struck look in her eyes, and I’m almost positive she’s starting to drool. She just stands there as though she’s waiting to do something but has totally forgotten what it was.

  Even after we sit down, the dumb bitch is still staring at my date, so I decide to make it obvious that she’s no longer welcome. I sit back in my chair, square my shoulders, and turn my full attention to her. When she still manages to ignore me, I clear my throat loudly. The moron standing next to our table staring idiotically is finally startled out of her stupor.

  “Thank you,” I say as she shuffles away, my tone sarcastically sweet.

  Tanner chuckles, and I’m sure he knows exactly what that little display was all about. “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

  “I don’t know if I would call myself jealous, but I was worried about the safety of the rest of the patrons. They could have slipped and fallen on the drool puddle she was leaving next to our table.”

  “She can drool all she wants. I couldn’t tell you one thing about her because I was too busy staring at my girl, who decided it’d be fun to wear her lingerie to dinner,” Tanner reassures me.

  I blush a little when he mentions my outfit and wonder if he’s trying to subtly tell me he doesn’t think it’s so cute.

  “Are there any more surprises for me somewhere in that outfit?” he asks, using a deep, husky voice I’ve only heard from him during sex. That voice that makes my panties so fucking wet.

  I shake my head no. I don’t want to speak right now. I don’t want him to hear the longing in it.

  A waitress, who thankfully is not mesmerized by Tanner, comes over and takes our order. I decide on the ravioli and a glass of pinot noir and Tanner orders the Marsala and a glass of Chianti. I use the lull in the conversation as an opportunity to take in the restaurant. It’s quiet and serene, exactly what I picture when I think of a restaurant I could find in Italy itself. The tables are each covered with red-and-white checkered table cloths and set with a single candle in the middle. The candles burn from inside hurricane lamps and give off a soft glow that adds to the ambience.

  I pull my roaming eyes back to our table to look at Tanner. I find him staring at me, and I wonder how long I’ve been lost in my thoughts of the restaurants of Italy.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t stop staring. This place is beautiful inside. You’re right, it’s quiet and peaceful,” I say, trying to explain my mental absence.

  “It’s definitely beautiful in here tonight,” he says, his eyes locked on my face.

  I feel my cheeks heat up. Thankfully, the waitress comes by with our glasses of wine just then. I pick up my glass, take a sip, and nod to the waitress to let her know it’s fine.

  “How come you never talk about your family, Ashley?” Tanner asks before sipping his own wine.

  I chuckle a little at the randomness of his question but answer truthfully, “We aren’t close like you and your family. I’m an only child. My parents and I have never really seen eye to eye. Especially my mother and I. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but it’s easier not talking to them all that often.”

  “That sounds sad.”

  “It can be, especially when I see families like yours. The closeness and understanding. My dad is very reserved, never really caring one way or the other as long as I’m content, but my mother… She’s another story. Nothing is ever good enough for her. She doesn’t care for my choice in career, didn’t care for the college that I chose, has never liked a single boyfriend I’ve brought home. She’s very loving, but also very opinionated. She has no problem telling you when she doesn’t like something, and she never likes what I do. So it’s easier to not tell her much. Then I don’t have to hear her tell me yet again about how I’m messing up my life.” I hadn’t really planned on telling him all that, but once I’d started, I couldn’t stop. Oh well, I’m not the only one in the world who has a mother who doesn’t approve of her life.

  “I’m sorry your mom doesn’t see the amazing person you are. You’re an incredible writer. Just look at what you did for me. Sometimes parents can be stubborn when they think they know what’s best for us. Trust me, I’ve been there a time for two.” He grins and grabs my hand across the table.

  “Thank you. So please don’t think that I don’t bring them up or around because I don’t want them to know about you. It’s just easier, you know?” I say before realizing I’d just assumed Tanner would want to meet my parents. Dammit, that was presumptuous of me. We aren’t officially boyfrie
nd and girlfriend. We’re just dating. I hope he doesn’t think I’m making more of our relationship than there is to it.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I feel my face turn red with embarrassment.

  “Nothing. Sorry. I didn’t mean to assume that you wanted to meet my parents or anything,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant.

  “Of course I would want to meet your parents. But only if you want me to. My parents are probably dying to meet you.”

  “Really?” I’m shocked that he’s even mentioned me to his parents.

  “Yes, I told them all about you.”

  The only thing I can do is smile back. I’m over the fucking moon that Tanner Garrison has told his parents about me.

  “Glad that your happy glow is back.” Tanner smiles widely at me.

  The waitress arrives with our dinner and we chitchat about everyday things over the food. Tanner tells me all about the team’s loss yesterday. He’s very logical about it though, admitting that it sucks to lose but you can’t win them all. He has a very optimistic attitude about everything, and I’m sure that’s a rare quality for a football player to have.

  “It’s the interviews after a loss that suck. Everyone knows you just lost, so why ask questions like ‘How does it feel to get your asses kicked?’ or ‘How hard was that sack?’ The one that always gets me is ‘What do you think you could have done differently?’ Umm, gee, I don’t know, played better and won?” he says sarcastically, shaking his head.

  I laugh. When you think about it, they are pretty stupid questions. “Promise you’ll tell me if I ask stupid questions when working on a piece?”

  “Yes, I’ll definitely call you out on stupid questions.” He chuckles too.

  We finish our dinner and then head back to Tanner’s Range Rover. Once we’re settled in and buckled, Tanner starts the car. But instead of heading out of the parking lot, he turns to me and slides his hand up my leg and under my skirt.

  “Ready to head back to your place to pay for teasing me with all this lingerie at dinner?” he asks, kissing the side of my neck while running his hand up and down the inside of my thigh.

  I gulp at his words. What does he mean by ‘pay’?

  “What’s the matter? Did you think you’d sit across from me all dinner long wearing that and I wouldn’t get retribution? I’ve had a hard on all night long, and I had to watch the men in the place staring at you, wishing that they could see what was underneath this. But they can’t, can they, baby? Because only I get to see what’s hidden in here.” He drags a finger along the tops of my pushed-up breasts. If this is how he reacts to a little visible lingerie, I may have to wear a corset every day from now on.

  “Do you like the sound of that? Going home and showing me what’s hidden underneath this?” He peppers my neck with kisses while the hand beneath my skirt pushes my panties aside.

  “Yes,” I answer, already a slave to his voice. How does this man do this to me in less than two seconds flat? Every damn time.

  “I know. Not only can I feel it, but I can smell just how aroused you are right now.”

  “Christ, Tanner!” That fucking mouth of his. I’ve never had a man speak to me like that before.

  “I can’t wait to get you home and see what you have for me under this skirt,” he says, stroking the slit of my pussy with his fingers, dragging my wetness up and around my clit. My whole body shudders. He pulls his hand out from under my skirt and puts the finger that was just playing in my wetness into his mouth, seductively licking my essence off of it.

  I’d almost swear that I hear my panties just melt away. Tanner doesn’t say another word. After he removes his cleaned finger from his mouth, he puts the car in gear and drives toward my apartment.

  **********

  I’ve been on edge since Tanner dropped his comment about retribution. I’m grateful that I live less than ten minutes from the restaurant because I’m about to die of anticipation. I have a feeling that this is what Tanner had planned all long. He’s priming me without even touching me. Slick bastard. I want to tell him I’ve figured out his game, but I like it, so I’ll play along.

  He hasn’t said a word since we left the parking lot, but I’m sure that’s part of the game. The goal seems pretty simple: keep Ashley in a perpetual state of eagerness—eager to know what he meant, eager to hear his next dirty words, eager to feel his hands or any other part of him on my body. Keep me so on edge that I explode. He may get his wish soon.

  When we enter the condo, it’s straight down to business, and it plays out like every fantasy that I’ve ever had combined into one. Tanner slams me against the door as soon as it’s closed. He pushes my arms behind my back until he can grab both wrists in one hand. His free hand pushes my skirt up around my hips, exposing my stockings and garters. I hear Tanner hiss out his approval again.

  “Damn, baby. This should be illegal. I can’t believe that all this was hiding under there,” he says, dropping to his knees. He runs his tongue along the garter straps. The heat from his breath being quickly cooled by the air conditioning makes my skin break out in goose bumps. Tanner reaches around to find the zipper of my skirt, unzips it, and pulls it to the ground.

  I step out of it and kick it to the side. Tanner sits back on his legs and lets his eyes roam my legs. The appreciation in his eyes has me thanking Quinn tenfold.

  Tanner releases my hands just long enough to remove my sweater and expose the corset. My sweater hits the floor soundlessly, leaving nothing to distract Tanner from taking in the view of my secret ensemble.

  “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything hotter than you, baby,” Tanners says, circling me. He runs his fingers along the tops of my breasts just like he did in the car. Coming to a stop behind me, he sweeps my hair to the side and kisses my neck in the exact spot that makes my knees buckle. I feel his hands moving at my back, but I can’t tell what he’s doing through the thick fabric. That is, until my breasts are free and my corset hits the floor. “So beautiful.” He cups my breasts, using his thumbs to flick my nipples back and forth in a near perfect rhythm.

  “Mmm.” I hum out in gratitude, thankful for the sensations Tanner’s sending coursing through my body.

  “Like that?” he asks, using that voice that turns my insides into mush. I could probably come from the sound of his voice if I really tried. The deep timbre reverberates though my entire body.

  I nod against his chest. I love when we’re like this. He makes me feel so small but so safe, which is new for me. I’ve never felt this sort of contentment before with a man. How does he know how to play my body like a fiddle?

  “What did you buy other than lingerie on Saturday?” Tanner slides his hands down my sides and runs them over my hips. His fingers move at an achingly slow pace towards the apex of my thighs.

  “What are you talking about?” I know exactly what he’s talking about, but I don’t want to admit what I bought out loud.

  “I’m talking about the vibrating cock that you purchased.”

  “Maybe I didn’t buy one,” I say, trying to make him doubt his conviction.

  “That’s a shame because I’ve been picturing pleasing you with it all night.” He sighs in mock disappointment.

  Images of Tanner holding my vibrator are enough to have me dripping. How is it that everything he says makes me hotter and wetter? I’d always thought women who talked about melting for their men were full of shit, but I totally understand now.

  “Does the thought of me playing with you with your vibrator turn you on?” he asks, skimming his fingers over the area I want them most. “I think it does. You’re soaked, baby. Where is it?” he asks again.

  “My nightstand.” I give in, needing to see if the reality compares to the fantasy in my head.

  Suddenly, I’m scooped up and thrown over Tanner’s shoulder. He smacks my ass and heads to the back of my condo. “Where to, Ash?”

  “Back and to the right,” I tell him, lifting myself up and glancing behind me to
make sure he’s heading in the right direction.

  He opens the door to my room and tosses me onto the bed. “This one?” Tanner asks, pointing to the nightstand on the right side of my bed.

  I nod excitedly. I’m glad that I went with a normal vibrator instead of one of crazy ones Quinn had suggested. I would have been mortified if he pulled out the twelve-inch purple monstrosity that Quinn had thought was perfect.

  “You’ve been using it. Haven’t you?” Tanner asks with an eyebrow raised.

  How would he know that I used it this week? I start to panic, thinking maybe it has dried, crusty remnants on it or something. I always wipe it down, but maybe I hadn’t done such a good job last time.

  “Relax, Ashley, there’s nothing wrong with using it.” He must be able to see the doubt and worry on my face.

  “How do you I know I used it?”

  “Well, you just bought it. If you hadn’t used it, I’d assume that it would still be in the package. Not exactly rocket science to put two and two together, baby.” He smirks at me while climbing onto the bed with me. He turns the knob to turn it on, and he brings it down to my legs. He drags the vibrator up and down my legs slowly, one at a time. “Did you like using this?” Tanner uses his seductive voice again. He seems to have caught on to the fact that he can get me to do just about anything when he talks me to me like that.

  “It’s fast and efficient,” I sass him.

  “Is it now?” He grins as he drags the vibrator up straight to my clit and holds it there.

  “Ahhhh.” I moan, my back arching up. Then the vibration disappears.

  Tanner brings it back a few seconds later, making me moan once more. Then it’s gone again. He continues this for a few minutes until I get fed up.

  “Dammit, Tanner,” I growl. “Stop teasing me.”

  “You think this is teasing? I’ve been thinking about you playing with this since Saturday night. I’ve had images of you in different getups flashing through my mind for two days. I had to eat across from you wearing that damn corset. So who’s been teasing whom?”