The Arrangement

by Thayer King

  She felt the same way about him. His plundering shaft created a delicious friction that had her back arching and her eyes rolling to the back of her head. The hair on his chest abraded her nipples and kept them taut. He didn’t have to remind her to moan with him this time. Even though she bit her lip, she couldn’t hold in the pleasured sounds.

  The headboard hit the wall in hard rhythmic thumps echoing the way Asher rode her pussy. Ariadne felt too full of pleasure. It was burning her up, swelling large and bright, and pushing at her seams. It was too big for her flesh to contain. Ripples of heat coursed over her body, flushing her face and chest, radiating from her center where Asher was so deeply buried. Her heart beat a rapid tattoo beneath her breast. Before it was all over, she thought it might explode from her chest. She wanted to scream with it, the sensations were so intense. She dug her nails in his shoulders. He growled and fucked her harder. Could she have heard beyond the blood rushing in her ears, she might have been embarrassed by her loud moans or the wet smacking sounds of his cock filling her pussy.

  Asher’s movements grew frantic. His feet pedaled on the slick sheets as though he couldn’t get deep enough. She lifted her hips to his, fucking him back with equal fervor. His arms slid beneath her, one cupping her ass and tilting her into his thrust, the other wrapping around her shoulder and yanking her down onto his shaft. He swiveled his hips, sliding impossibly deeper and hitting her g-spot. The painful ecstasy shoved her over the precipice into the clenching waves of her first orgasm. She screamed his name.

  Groaning, he didn’t stop. Instead he slammed into her like a piston, extending the length of her orgasm until she feared she might pass out. But finally, he swelled within her, his flesh growing even harder. On a deep, harsh growl, he flooded her cunt with an endless stream of hot cum. It was so copious that it overflowed and trickled between the cheeks of her bottom as he continued to grind into her.

  In the aftermath, Ariadne gasped for air. She felt utterly depleted. Her legs fell away from his hips. Sex had never been like this for her. It was fine and often pleasant, but usually not worth the bother of having to struggle out of her bra and then put it back on. Asher’s rough breaths sawed in and out, ruffling through the sweat dampened hair at her nape. When he lifted himself onto his elbows once more, he surprised her by kissing her very gently. She’d expected him to move away. He’d probably had many similar experiences with women.

  His tongue explored her mouth softly as if he hadn’t been kissing her earlier. His kisses moved down her chin, over her the line of her jaw, and eventually ended at her ear. “I want you again,” he rasped. And sure enough, he was hardening inside her. “Can you take more?” he asked, but he was already thrusting again. She could do nothing but hold on as he took her once more.

  ***

  Asher hissed and arched his hips as Ariadne enveloped him within her heat once more. Her pussy was so tight that her hold on him was almost painful. He marveled that he could fit inside her as she settled over him with caution, taking only an inch at a time before sliding back up to the tip again. He might die before she’d taken him all the way inside.

  And it would probably serve him right. Had he been an honorable man, he wouldn’t have taken advantage of her. He’d pounced on her during a vulnerable time and at just the right moment. He fully expected her to regret their indulgences come the morning. And so instead of making love to her once, he kept impaling her on his cock over and over. If he was to have only one night with her, then he would make enough memories to last him a lifetime.

  He’d never stopped wanting her. He’d buried the urge and tried to push her to the back of his mind. But none of the women he’d ever been with made him feel anything. He wanted to love someone but he’d never been able to feel even a fraction of the emotion that Ariadne generated in him without even trying for anyone else.

  Ariadne whimpered. “Ash, I can’t.” Her thighs were trembling. Half his length speared her pussy. She braced her hands on his shoulders and tried to move off him.

  He gripped her hips. “You can. You’ve been taking me all night.” Which meant she was probably sore. And if he wasn’t a selfish bastard, he’d let her sleep.

  Hoping to distract her with pleasure, he stroked her clit with his thumb even as he pulled her down over his cock and thrust up at the same time. She gasped. Clenching his teeth, he did it again and again until he was fully seated in her pussy.

  She didn’t move for a long time and he was on the verge of taking her beneath him once more. Biting her lip, she swiveled her hips and moaned. “Oh, Ash.”

  God, he could come just from hearing her moan his name like that. “Fuck me, Ari,” he ordered.

  She was going to drive him crazy. She was beautiful sitting astride him. Her body that she kept so modestly covered was enough to bring a man to his knees. Her full breasts swayed as she rode him. Her legs were spread wide enough that he could see his cock being enveloped inside her pussy. She lifted off him and came back down slowly. He let her control the pace for all of about two minutes. He’d never last. And he needed her to come first. With a hand to her spine, he brought her down to him so that he could reach her breasts. He latched onto a tight nipple and growled as her cunt tightened over his dick.

  He bucked beneath her. Moaning, she swiveled her hips in little circles. He switched breasts and pinched the other nipple between a thumb and forefinger. With his other hand, he teased her clit, stroking it until she was keening and fucking him hard.

  Asher groaned. His eyes practically crossed at the incredible suction of her cunt closing down on him. He let her nipple go, clamped his hands on her hips, and fucked her as though his life depended on it. He threw his head back as his orgasm rolled up his spine. His cock swelled and Ariadne came apart around him again, her pussy milking him dry. Each time, he came harder than the last.

  They were still moving together, twitching in the aftermath when there was a pounding on the wall behind the bed. “Would you two cut it out? We get the point. Go to sleep for fuck’s sake.”

  Asher exploded with laughter. Ariadne collapsed onto his chest, laughing as well, but she sounded exhausted. “Stop that,” she whispered. “I can’t do this again.” Her sheath had closed around him when he laughed and it stunned him that she had been attracted to him all this time and he hadn’t known it.

  He closed his arms around her and kissed her temple. “Go to sleep.”

  Humming sleepily, she moved off him and yanked the sheet up to her neck. It was a shame. He wanted to look at her body. He curled up behind her and threw an arm around her waist. They needed to clean up but he was too exhausted to get out of bed.

  Kissing her neck, he breathed in her scent and just enjoyed the sensation of holding her. Long after her breathing evened out with sleep, he held her close and watched over her.

  Chapter Seven

  “Did you really let that guy fuck you?”

  Ariadne snatched her arm out of Daniel’s grasp. Aunt Rebecca had fixed a large breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits, and grits. She’d been on her way to the bedroom to change to go shopping with her mom, Sierra, and Asher when Daniel yanked her into the den. Asher had gone out to the car to bring in her gown and his tux for the ball later tonight. “He’s my husband! What do you think?”

  “So this is real and not some crazy attempt to get me back?”

  “I don’t want you back, Daniel.”

  He nodded. “Your cousin thought it might be a ploy…until last night.” He eyed her speculatively. “You were never so…uh…enthusiastic when we were together.”

  When they were together, they’d rarely made love. He had a busy practice and frankly, his lovemaking was nothing to get excited about. Toward the end of their relationship, they barely saw each other. She now knew it was because he was dating her cousin on the side. “Well, I’m sure you’re much happier with Janice as well.”

  “Janice isn’t that responsive either
.” He straightened his tie and cleared his throat. “Um, so maybe we should talk. Maybe give things between us a try again?”

  Ariadne didn’t even bother to try to hide her disbelief or her disgust. “Are you kidding? I’m married.”

  “Yeah, but to a guy you told me that you hated about six months ago. Did you think I’d forgotten him? We spent the entire night New Year’s Eve trying to avoid him.”

  “Well, that was repressed passion,” she said, irritated to be saying it because it was true and she hadn’t realized it until last night and because she’d been so dead set against ever letting the excuse pass her lips. She’d barely been able to meet Asher’s gaze at the breakfast table this morning. She’d gotten out of bed while he still slept, showered, and then went down to breakfast. They hadn’t had a chance to discuss last night.

  This must have been what Erika had feared all along. They were only a few weeks into a marriage that was supposed to last for two years and she’d already slept with him despite her certainty that it would never happen. Just the thought of telling Erika about sleeping with Asher made her stomach twist in knots, but she knew she’d have to do it. Even if it never happened again, she knew her friend would find out. Ariadne was pretty sure that her guilt was visible. Erika would take one look at her and know.

  “Ariadne, I’m not an idiot. What’s really going on with you and that guy?”

  “He’s my husband,” she stated firmly. In every sense of the word, she added mentally. She didn’t know where she and Asher went from here. Sleeping with him had the potential to make the remainder of their faux marriage very awkward. “That’s all you need to know.” She started to leave and then stopped. “Oh, wait, there is one more thing. Even if I wasn’t with Ash, you and I would be done. Leaving me for my cousin was a shitty thing to do.”

  “Hey, she pursued me.”

  “That doesn’t matter. You owed me your fidelity. And instead you proved yourself incapable of loyalty. I guess I should thank Janice for showing me the truth about you before things got more serious between us.”

  When she entered the bedroom she was sharing with Asher, he was making the bed. He’d stripped the bed of the previous linens and piled them on the floor near the door. She immediately began to help him. They worked together silently. She fluffed the pillows and placed them on the bed when they were done.

  She moved to her bag. “I need to get dressed before we go to the mall.” After her shower, she’d redressed in the clothes she’d intended to sleep in last night. She bent and unzipped her suitcase.

  “Do you want to talk about last night?”

  “What is there to say?” She carefully avoided his gaze.

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Asher sighed. “You’ve been avoiding me. Do you regret what we did?”

  She picked up her shirt and shook it out. “I don’t know.” And she truly didn’t. She didn’t want to hurt Erika for anything in the world, but sleeping with Asher last night wasn’t the sort of experience she could regret. Being with him was simply amazing. When she looked up, Asher was grinning. She frowned at him. “What?”

  He laughed and she gritted her teeth. “Sorry. It’s just that I was certain you were going to tell me it was all a mistake. Uncertainty, I can deal with.”

  Deciding not to waste time pondering his meaning, she said, “I have to get dressed. You can either leave or turn around.” Surprisingly, he didn’t argue or make a smart remark. He simply smiled at her and turned around.

  The catered dinner was held at the lodge. The room had been decorated in this year’s chosen colors of turquoise and cream. Balloons and streamers hung from the ceiling. The committee for this year’s reunion had done an excellent job. So far, the event had flowed smoothly. She only wished she could be enjoying it more. Ariadne sliced into her grilled chicken breast. Her jaw was so tightly clenched she hoped she could eat it. She didn’t recall ever being thrown together with Janice so often at any of the previous family reunions. Yet here they sat assigned to the same table. At least Janice and Daniel sat a couple of seats down. But Janice had been going on and on about the extravagant plans for her wedding in such a loud voice that Ariadne knew that her cousin was doing it for her benefit.

  “That sounds lovely,” said one of her aunts. Ariadne thought it more likely that her aunt was trying to get Janice to shut up so they could all enjoy their meal in peace.

  “Yes, well, we thought the family would appreciate the opportunity to share in our wedding day. None of this running off to the Justice of the Peace for us.”

  Ariadne barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Asher gave her knee a squeeze before saying, “Ari and I couldn’t wait. We’ve known each other for years and the moment was right. I wasn’t going to give her the chance to change her mind.”

  Several of her relatives laughed. “What is it that you do?” Daniel asked.

  “I’m a lawyer.”

  “Ah,” Daniel said tightly. “You’ll understand if I don’t care for those in your profession. I’m a doctor,” he explained, his chest puffed out with pride. While Ariadne felt he had good reason to be proud of his accomplishments, Daniel tended to be pompous and he seemed incapable of recognizing the hard work of others.

  Asher nodded. “My firm does mostly pro bono cases.”

  “Oh? Is that why…?” He cleared his throat and gave Asher a condescending smile. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude.”

  “No, please, continue. I’m an open book. Ask away.”

  “Well, I was thinking that you can’t make a very profitable living that way and I wondered if that was the reason the two of you chose not to have a wedding. They can be very expensive.”

  Janice had a smug expression on her face. Ariadne was growing more irritated with the two of them by the moment. While she’d expected the family to have some questions for Asher, Daniel didn’t have the right to interrogate him.

  Her mother stepped in. “Asher doesn’t have to worry about money. His family is quite well-to-do. And I fully expect that they will have a wedding at a later date,” she ended on a firm tone.

  Asher grinned. “I have no objections.”

  ***

  After dinner the tables were cleared away. Music began and Asher took Ariadne into his arms. She was breathtaking in a gold gown that made her skin glow. She’d curled her hair and allowed it to flow freely over her bare shoulders. He could scarcely take his eyes off her. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

  She frowned up at him. “You already bedded me Asher. You don’t have to try charming me now.”

  He laughed. “And I want to bed you again, but I’m not lying to you.” He brushed her hair back to expose her skin. He kissed her neck and she shivered. Her hands tightened on his shoulders. He nibbled his way up to her earlobe and breathed in her sweet scent. His cock thickened in his pants. Their night together had done nothing to lessen her effect on him. “You smell so damn good.”

  “Asher, not here.”

  “Do you think I have plans to take you on the dance floor?”

  “I wouldn’t put it past you.”

  Over the years he’d fostered her bad opinion of him. There hadn’t been nearly as many women as she thought. Swirling her around, he spread a palm at the base of her spine so that she was intimately pressed against him. “I’ve never been an exhibitionist. Don’t worry. I won’t embarrass you in front of your family.”

  “Thank you.”

  “So your family does this every year?”

  “Yes. It varies a bit. Last year we held it at the beach in North Carolina. If everyone handles being on the yacht well tonight, there’s talk of taking a family cruise.”

  “Who organizes these things?”

  “There’s a planning committee of ten family members. Before we leave here, every adult who isn’t on the committee this year will have their name put in a drawing. It’s too much work to have the sam
e people on the hook each reunion. I was on the committee last year so I’m exempt also. You get a minimum two years off. You’re always free to volunteer.”

  “It’s wonderful that your family does this. My mom was the last of her line and my dad isn’t close to his family.”

  “As you know, my mom was artificially inseminated so these reunions mean a lot to me. I don’t have any other family.”

  It occurred to him then how much Janice’s betrayal must have hurt her. “Were you and Janice close?”

  She shook her head. “Thankfully, no.” Her eyes flicked to the couple. They were dancing on the other side of the room. “Still…if he’d left me for someone else, I wouldn’t have to see him ever again.”

  Asher followed her gaze. Janice rested her head on Daniel’s shoulder with her eyes closed. Daniel stared at Ariadne. “He wants you back,” Asher stated with certainty. As long as the other man’s overtures didn’t extend beyond staring, he didn’t care. But if he made a play for Ari, Daniel would soon become acquainted with the rarely seen less friendly aspect of his personality.

  Ariadne mumbled something and appeared to become overly fixated on a spot over his shoulder. Beneath her light application of makeup and her naturally cinnamon skin, he could swear he saw her cheeks redden.

  He frowned. “What was that?”

  She bit her lip. “He’s only interested because of last night.”

  “Last night?”

  She made a sound of disgust. “Yes. Our little show, remember? Now, he thinks I’m some sort of sexually uninhibited woman. But I’m no different. The difference is you.”

  Asher groaned. She may as well have stroked his cock. The woman had sealed her fate. There was no going back for him. He was never letting her go. Fortunately, he had two years to convince her that she couldn’t live without him either.

  ***

  Ariadne washed her hands. Staring at her reflection in the restroom’s line of mirrors, she studied her makeup. Her lip gloss had probably been gone since dinner. That hadn’t seemed to matter to Asher. He’d watched her like she was the only woman in the world.