"That sounds good." She stifled another yawn. Why was it she could fly to New York and not get jet lagged, but bang the minute she flew back to the West Coast her body clock was totally off.
Eric opened the front door, then turned back to her. "Turn the alarm on when I leave."
Marina shook her head. "Bossy, bossy, bossy."
"Turn it on or I'll spank you."
His husky words sent shivers of anticipation through her veins. "Really?" She couldn't help but challenge him. "I'd like to see you do that."
"Cheeky woman." He marched over to her. "On a day you're not tired and we have lots of time." He brushed a light kiss over her cheek before leaving and shutting the door behind him.
She stood there stunned. Did he mean what he said? "Lock the door and turn on the alarm," he shouted through the door. "Now, Marina."
Marina jumped at his last two words. She crossed to the door, flipped the dead bolt and then punched in the alarm code.
"Good girl. See you soon."
She shivered. Time couldn't move fast enough.
Eric sat in his truck staring at Marina's front door. "What are you doing?" He turned the engine on and pulled out. It had been over a year since Marina had broken up with her ex-fiancé, and as far as he knew she hadn't dated anyone.
She still flirted with him, but today it seemed different. Was it because she was tired? He teased right back. When he teased her about spanking her, he fully expected her to jump down his throat, instead she challenged him.
Could it be Marina was into a bit of kink? He liked kink. Bedroom kink. Even though she called him bossy, he wasn't interested in dominating a woman outside the bedroom, except when it came to her safety. He liked independent women. And Marina was all that and more.
He pulled into the grocery store lot and parked. He dug her list out of his pocket, not much there. Just the basics. Well, let's see how she handled him shopping for her. He found a cart and strode into the store. She needed more than basics.
Right at five o'clock Eric knocked on Marina's door. She opened it and he couldn't help but grin. The tiredness from her face was gone.
"Let me help you." She reached for one of the bags in his arms. He let her take one and followed her into the kitchen. "Just set it on the counter."
"You look delicious." She did. The flowery print dress accented her deep red hair, and flattered her slim waist. His fingers itched to trace her tan skin exposed by the dress.
"Thank you." Her cheeks flushed and he hid a grin.
"I'll go get the rest of the groceries." He jogged out of the house before she could say a word. Three trips later he was done.
Marina stood in her kitchen with her hands on her hips. "This is a lot more than what was on my list."
"Yep. Let's get it put away so we won't be late for dinner."
She huffed out a breath and began putting the food into the fridge as he unpacked it. He didn't want to give her time to argue with him, not right now. The second they were finished he hustled her to his vehicle.
"About the groceries," she said once they were on their way to the restaurant.
"What about them?" He kept his tone casual. If they were going to embark into a relationship, he wanted her to know he wanted to make things easier for her. It wasn't about the money, it was about her.
"Eric, you bought more than I asked for. Why?"
"Because you needed more than you listed."
"Hitting the grocery store was on my list of things to do, tomorrow."
"Now you don't have to. Plus we have no idea what Mark and Lisa have planned for us."
Marina sighed. "You're right. Darn it. But that doesn't excuse what you did. I need to know how much you spent."
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. "I'm not telling."
"Eric." Her exasperation came through loud and clear.
He glanced at her quickly before returning his gaze to the road. "Honest answer to this question. Are you attracted to me?"
"Yes." The word was spoken softly.
"I'm attracted to you too. Don't you think it's time we acted on it?"
"By buying me groceries?" She crossed her arms over her chest, but all she managed to do was push her breasts up in her dress.
His mouth watered at the cream swells pushing against the fabric. Would her nipples be dusty rose? Or a pink? Big? Or small? Or....his dick twitched in his pants. Great, just what he needed, a boner before dinner.
"Among other things. But we can discuss this later." He pulled up to the restaurant valet. Within minutes they were led to an elegant table where Mark and Lisa sat.
The couple beamed twin smiles at them as they walked up. "Oh good, you're here." Lisa bounced out of her chair, hugging and kissing both of them.
Eric's nose itched from the smell of Lisa's perfume. He waited until Mark hugged Marina, before shaking his hand. Eric held a chair for Marina before taking his own.
Dinner was a lively event. Lisa explained what she needed Marina and Eric to do. Thank goodness she had the week off. Although she planned on checking bases with her boss on Monday to make sure he didn't need her to do anything.
Marina shook her head at Lisa. "What time is the fitting?"
"Monday at nine," Lisa finally answered after fiddling with her phone. "The final fitting will be Wednesday and we pick up the dresses on Friday."
"Is that enough time?" Marina heard it took weeks and weeks to get fittings done.
"Yes. My seamstress has already done the major work, this will just be the hem and any last minute changes. Plus I want you there to tell me which veil looks good and so on."
"Okay." Marina put the appointments into her phone. "When do your parents get here?"
"Thursday." Lisa turned to Eric. "Eric, I'm going to need you to play chauffeur for some out of town guests."
"I'm all yours, Lisa." He stretched his arm out over the back of Marina's chair.
She shivered when his fingers brushed over her skin. What would it be like to have Eric at her beck and call? Naw, she really didn't want him at her beck and call, just in her bed.
Her mind wandered back to the conversation in his car on the way over. Yes, she was attracted to him as he was to her. So what did that mean? Was he going to act on it? And what was the thing with the groceries?
She'd have to wait for the answers to her questions until they were alone again. This wasn't a conversation she wanted to have in front of Lisa and Mark. Lisa had already warned her Eric was a player. Or was he? Yet since Eric moved here she couldn't remember seeing him with anyone. Maybe the man was discreet, she couldn't fault him for it.
The construction business Eric and Mark were partners in was booming, he probably just didn't have time. As for her...she stifled a sigh. She hadn't dated since Jerry the rat.
She dated Jerry for two years. She thought their relationship was solid. Especially when he swore he left his playboy days behind. That was until she came home to their apartment and found him in bed with three other women. It wasn't that she minded some kink in her love life, it was that Jerry cheated on her. He never expressed wanting to be with other women or wanting more than one woman.
It was only after she moved out Jerry told her he'd been having an affair with the women most of their time together. More than disillusioned, she was furious with Jerry and herself. Marina called her doctor's office. Even though she made Jerry wear a condom. She wanted to be tested to make sure she was clean.
Once that was done, Marina started shopping for a small place to call her own. She found the cottage and moved in.
Of course, Eric strolled into her life as her world with Jerry collapsed. Her body took notice but she fought the attraction. The last thing she needed was another play the field type of man in her life, but now? She glanced over at Eric.
His black hair gleamed under the restaurant lights and Mark had his full attention. So Marina studied him. Strong chin, nice shoulders, and an awesome chest. Eric was trim and fit. She bet he
was a stud in bed.
"Marina? Did you hear me?"
"Huh?" Marina turned to her friend. "Sorry I was wool gathering."
"Yeah, I bet." Lisa smiled. "Well anyway I've emailed you everything."
"Thanks." She'd look that over tomorrow.
After Mark paid for dinner, over hers and Eric's protest, Marina was back in Eric's SUV. She wanted to ask him about what he said before, but decided to wait until they got back to her place. This was a talk that needed to be done when she could see his eyes and body language.
"Come inside, we need to finish our discussion from earlier," she said when he pulled into her driveway.
"Agreed." He slid out of the vehicle, then jogged to her door to help her out. That was one of the things she really admired about Eric. His manners. He always held a door open for her, helped her in and out of any vehicle if he was present, and carried anything heavy for her. Even if she said she could do it herself.
"Would you like some coffee?" she asked once they were inside.
"No." He prowled around her living room.
"Okay. What did you mean when you said acting on our attraction?"
Eric stopped pacing and marched right up to her. His slate eyes sparkled with fire. "I meant this." His warm palms framed her cheeks before he lowered his head.
Marina froze into place as his lips moved over hers. Eric kissing her? Weren't they just friends? But she found herself leaning toward him. Her body was way ahead of her brain. Her arms rose to encircle his neck.
Her mouth parted as his tongue pushed for entrance. His kiss wasn't soft, it was hard and demanding. His tongue tangled with hers, dueled with it, sending hot pulsing waves of desire flashing through her veins.
She wasn't prepared for the instant lust. Yes, she fantasized about Eric, but she never thought he'd deliver. Now they were forged together by their lips, and she realized her hottest dreams fell far short of the reality. Her reaction to him was wildfire.
Her arms tightened around his neck as she wiggled closer to him. Her body wanted to crawl into his embrace, to feel his warmth, his strength, his care. She let out a moan as he lifted his head.
"More," she whispered.
"Much more, but first we talk." He swept her off her feet.
Marina gave a cry, but Eric didn't pause. He carried her over to the big love seat and sat down, cradling her in his lap.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered.
"Not really." She ducked her head.
His fingers cupped her chin lifting it. "You are." His gaze bore into her until she nodded in his hold. "How experienced are you?"
Marina swallowed. "Are you asking how many lovers I've had?"
He shook his head and released her chin. "I need to know how much you know about sex beyond the basics."
Oh. My. God. He was asking about kink? Hot flames flushed her cheeks. Marina closed her eyes, then opened them. "A bit."
He tilted his head. "I need you to explain a bit."
"I..." She glanced away from his handsome face. "I don't know how." Head down, she took a deep breath. "Are you asking if I want something more than missionary sex?"
A husky laugh filled the air. "Oh, much more than that."
Oh lord. Oh my lord. A thrill tumbled through her abdomen. She lifted her head and stared at the kitchen. Unable to meet his gaze, she whispered, "Kinky?"
"That's a start." His hand caressed her back in small circles helping her relax against him.
From excitement and embarrassment, her body grew warm and she wiggled on his lap.
"I've read about it, but have never experienced it."
"Are you interested?"
When she met his gaze, fire burned in his gray eyes, sparks of gold flashing. She shifted.
"Yes," she whispered, ducking her head.
"No more hiding." Warm fingers slipped beneath her chin, lifting her face until she was staring into his eyes. "Open, honest, communication."
She swallowed. "I can do that."
"What's wrong?" He slid his fingers to her cheek, caressed it as he spoke.
"Nothing."
"Marina, honest and open." He trailed his fingers over her neck, making her sigh and tilt her head back.
"I'm pretty sure I don't want to be bossed around all the time."
Eric laughed. "I don't want to boss you around." His lips caressed her ear. "Except in the bedroom."
Shivers of awareness flooded her blood stream. "I can handle that."
"You have a voice, Marina. I expect you to use it. If you don't like something, you tell me. Something makes you afraid, you tell me. I'm not into pain or degradation."
"Thank God for that."
"I want a lover who enjoys the kinkier side of sex."
"And what do you consider kinkier?"
"Bondage, flogging, and toys, those are my go-to items."
Visions of hot sex flashed. Her heart raced. "Sounds interesting." Hell, it was a whole lot more than interesting, her pelvic muscles clenched.
"Am I arousing you?" His voice was husky.
"Yes." She promised honesty and she'd give it to him.
"Good, because that is part of the fun. Arousing you until you can't stand it. Until you're begging me to fuck you."
She jumped at the word fuck, unused to frank talk.
"Have I shocked you?"
"No." She shook her head. "Just not used to such words."
"Seriously." This time he moved his arm so she was tilted in his hold so he was able to stare at her face. "Are you telling me none of your past lovers have ever said fuck to you?"
"Not in the context of sex." At his groan, she said, "Is that bad?"
"No, sweetheart." He brushed a light kiss over her lips. "It only means we have some ground to cover. Tell me more about what you know about kink."
"Mainly reading. I like the latest erotic romances." She worked at leaving the defensiveness out of her voice. She hated having to defend what type of books she liked to read.
"That's a start,” he said, obviously unfazed by her reading choices. “Safeword?"
"I've never had one, but we should have one." That much she knew.
"Let's go with the standard. Green, go. Yellow, slow down. Red, stop."
"That works." Marina shifted again, she was almost laying down in his arms, not that it was uncomfortable, but she was at a disadvantage. She had mixed feelings about that. His dominance turned her on, but it was going to take some getting used to. "Yellow," she whispered.
His eyebrows rose. "What's making you uncomfortable?"
"This position. I feel vulnerable in this position."
"Oh." He shifted until she was lying on the sofa with him on top. He was very careful to keep his full weight off of her. "Now?"
"I...." She couldn't get the words out of her dry throat. His erection pressed against her, causing her stomach to clench and her panties to grow damp. "Green. Damn it, Eric. You're teasing me."
"I told you I would." He shifted his hips making her groan. "Are you okay with me tying you up?"
Her breath was coming in short dry bursts and she couldn’t stop staring at his mouth. "Are we talking handcuffs, rope, neckties?"
"Neckties – never thought of using those. Yes, to all the above, add in rope and restraints."
When she met his gaze again, the heat in his eyes startled her and her belly did a slow flip. "Green," she whispered.
When she gave him the go ahead, his nostrils flared as a wolf-like smile turned the edges of his firm mouth. His gaze bore into her even more deeply. "Toys. Have you ever used a vibrator?"
She looked away as she squirmed.
"I'll take that as a yes.” His voice was deep. He paused for a moment until she turned her head back. When their faces were inches away, he said, “Any toy you don't want to use?"
"I haven't used many, so we'll have to take it one step at a time."
"Agreed." He leaned down until his forehead touched hers. "Flogging."
"I've only
read about it."
"Are you willing to try?"
"I don't want to be in pain."
"Pleasurable pain."
"Yes," she whispered as his lips covered hers. His tongue delved and tasted her mouth until he pulled away, gazed at her, then came in for another probing sample. She met his kiss. When he paused again to study her, she wrapped herself around him, trying to pull his body to hers, aching with greedy hunger, but he was too strong, and just smiled while she could only peck at his mouth. Only after she collapsed back into the sofa did he give her his mouth. She wrapped her legs around his ass, rubbed her pelvis against his hard-on, and laced her fingers around his neck as she melded her mouth with his. She wouldn’t let him away so easily now.
We Love Kink - Erotic Romance Anthology #1 Page 17
