Tate groaned, his cock throbbing painfully. “Point taken.”
He went to the closet where he’d draped his ties over a hanger and slipped free the three there, then unwound the one at his throat. After he handed them all to Karen, he shucked his shoes and clothes in short order. He fetched the small box of condoms he’d purchased and set it on the nightstand.
She knotted the ties together in sets of two, and fastened the end of one set around the base of the thick knob on his headboard. She tossed the other set to him and he did the same on his side of the bed.
“Lay down.”
A bead of moisture slipped down his cock, and a quiver passed through his body. He craved her so badly he wanted to pounce, roll her under him and take her hard and fast. It took every ounce of his self-discipline to do as she asked. He stretched out on the mattress, holding his arms wide so she could bind his wrists. Reflexively, he tugged at the ties and found he was truly trapped. His heart tripped against his ribs, and his excitement and anticipation ratcheted up by the moment.
A sexy little smile curved her lips, and the devious twinkle in her green gaze should have made him wary, but didn’t. He was up for whatever she had in store.
She got on her knees beside him and looked him over as thoroughly as he’d done for her. Then she frowned and poked an index finger into his chest. “This doesn’t mean we’re getting back together.”
He winced a little, but then shrugged. “I don’t think I ever asked you for that.”
Now it was her turn to wince. “Good, then we’re agreed. Just a short affair while we’re in Rome.”
He grunted in reply rather than lie. Time for some distraction. He eyed her taut nipples. “I want to suck you. If you’d bend forward just a bit, I could…”
Her gaze darkened and a deep breath made those luscious breasts rise. “Maybe. If I feel like it. Right now, I get to decide what we do or don’t do.”
“I do seem to be at your mercy.” He wiggled his bound wrists. “Whatever will you do with me?”
The smile that flashed across her face was brilliant. She sat back on her heels and looked at him like he was a chocolate truffle in her favorite candy store. She reached out a single finger and drew random patterns on his chest, circled his nipples, tickled his side until he squirmed, traced his hipbone, slipped down his leg to his foot. Then she started on the other side and worked her way back up. She touched him everywhere except where he craved it most. He was going to die before she was done with him.
“Karen, please. Please.”
“Please, what?” After leaning forward, she let a hot breath rush over his cock.
A hoarse sound dragged from his throat and he arched toward her mouth, but she straightened, the witch. Her brows arched innocently while he writhed in frustration, jerking at the bindings.
“Suck me. Ride me hard. Let me come. Please.” His voice was more demanding than pleading, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Suck you, huh?”
Sweat beaded on his skin, and he couldn’t stop moving, shifting against the sheets, his dick pulsing with lust. “Yes.”
“Okay.” A devilish grin formed on her lips, then she dipped down to suck his nipple into her mouth.
A growl was the only sound he could make, his body bowing off the bed. The ties snapped taut, and he gripped the silk above the knots in an effort to hold on to his sanity when she switched to the other nipple. Her slender fingers drifted down to encircle his cock and he choked on a breath. She stroked him, her thumb rolling over the bulbous crest.
Yes. God, yes. He gasped, “More.”
Her tongue trailed down the centerline of his chest, his abs, and then—thank you, Jesus—she licked his shaft from base to crown. Her hot, wet mouth closed over him and he moaned. His hips bucked, trying to push himself deeper. She chuckled and the vibration shivered down the length of his erection and he almost came then and there.
But she backed off, letting him slip free of her lips.
“Fuck,” he groaned. His eyes closed, jaw clenched, and a muscle ticked in his cheek.
“Aw, poor baby.” Sharp teeth nipped at the edge of his navel, and he jerked in shock.
His eyes flew open, and there was a gloating expression on her face. Her palms pressed to his chest and she brushed her lips over his. How had he not asked her to kiss him yet? The flavor of her filled his mouth—tart and sweet and so uniquely Karen. Their tongues dueled for control of the contact, their breathing ragged.
“Untie me, Karen. I want to touch you.”
“Mmm.” Her hand went down to tease his cock and cup the soft sac beneath. “Are you sure you want to be let loose?”
“No. Yes. No.” There was a certain eroticism to the helplessness, and that made him want even more. Her. This. Now. “I have to slide inside you. I need to be inside you. Please, sweetheart.”
She slipped off the bed, walking around the end of it. After pausing to tickle his feet, she snagged a condom from the nightstand.
“Thank God.”
Laughing at him, she unwrapped the protection and covered him with it. He was so turned on, even that small touch was enough to make his breath catch. She moved to straddle his waist. The first brush of her wet sex against his cock and his hips shoved upward, trying to bury himself in her.
“Ah, ah, ah.” She shimmied upward so he couldn’t penetrate her, but that left her breasts within reach of his mouth. He turned his head and captured one stiff peak, suckling hard. She gasped his name, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He felt little shivers ripple through her, heard the panting sound of her breath, felt the heat of her skin as sweat glued their flesh together.
He released her nipple, and she shoved her hips back to take him deep. They both moaned when he was fully seated within her slick, silky passage. She bit her lower lip, then lifted and lowered herself on him. With each of her downward plunges, he pushed up, filling her completely. The tight squeeze of her pussy was incredible, perfect.
“You feel so good.”
She winked. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
She set a leisurely pace that was far, far too slow for him. He yanked at the ties, trying to push for greater speed, knowing there was nothing in the world more gorgeous than Karen’s face when she shattered. He wanted to watch her when she came for him.
“Kiss me again,” he whispered.
She leaned in to give him what he asked for. The tart-sweet taste of her was an aphrodisiac. He angled his hips, rolling his pelvis in a way he knew would drive her crazy. She whimpered into his mouth, and he sucked on her tongue, bit her lip. Suddenly her movements weren’t slow, but hard and fast and exactly what he wanted.
Breaking her mouth away from his, she threw her head back and let out a sob as she hit climax. He felt the flex and release of her inner muscles, and it was more than enough to make him explode. He jetted inside her, and a euphoric rush hit him. Still he never took his gaze from her expression, loving the way her eyes lost focus, and the bliss he felt reflected back from her green, green eyes.
She collapsed forward on to his chest, both of them gasping for breath, coated in sweat, and shaking in the aftermath. A sigh heaved out of him, and after long moments had passed his heart finally stopped racing. His shoulders burned from where the ties were stretched taut, and the discomfort of his position began to bring him back to reality.
“Okay, now untie me. My arms are starting to cramp and I can’t feel my fingers.”
“Oh, sorry!” She sat up, slipped off of him and worked at the knots. Concern shone on her face. “How on earth did these get so tight?”
“I pulled at them.” He grinned. “Couldn’t help it. You make me wild.”
She blushed, but managed a demure shrug. “It’s a gift, what can I say?”
The ties slipped free, and she rubbed his arms and hands for him. He closed his eyes and let himself savor the moment, the attention and caring. He’d missed this, missed everything about being with her. After a f
ew minutes, she lay next to him on the bed and sighed, the sound so thoroughly satisfied it made him smile.
He rose from the bed. “I’ll be right back.”
“Mmkay.” Her tone was soft and hazy, and she didn’t so much as twitch.
A quick trip and he’d cleaned up, then headed back, afraid if he left her alone too long she might decide to bail for the night. He had other plans. When he returned he found her exactly where she had been, eyes shut, bonelessly relaxed on the mattress. He had to admit to a little bit of pride at having pleased her so well.
But there was always room for improvement.
The sight of her naked form had predictable effects on his body, and he donned another condom. Then he crawled up the mattress, nudging her legs apart until he settled between them.
Her eyes flared wide. “Again?”
“Oh, yeah.” And then he thrust in deep and proved it.
Chapter Six
Tate woke up with the most amazing sense of peace that he’d ever felt in his entire life. A smile curved his lips before he even opened his eyes. Karen’s head rested on his shoulder, her body pressed to his side. God, yes. This was what he wanted, needed, craved every morning for the rest of his days.
Unfortunately, he also needed to pee. He eased to the right, and Karen murmured in her sleep and rolled away from him, curling onto her side. Rising quickly, he went and took care of business, then brushed his teeth. It tasted like something had died in his mouth overnight, so toothpaste was a definite must.
Karen was yawning and rubbing her eyes when he got back. After walking over, he bent down to brace his hands on either side of her shoulders and kissed her. “Morning.”
“Hey.” She patted his jaw and yawned again. “What time is it?”
He dropped to the mattress beside her, then glanced at the clock. “About 8:30.”
“I should get up.” Stretching against the sheets, she let out little squeaky noises that made him laugh.
But his mirth faded when she really did get up and reach for her dress.
“Wait, wait. Not yet.” He hauled her back so she sprawled across his chest, claiming her mouth in a deep, thorough kiss. All thought trickled out of his brain as his cock went rigid. His heart began to pound, thrumming against his eardrums. His senses filled with her—tasted, touch, scent—soft and so sweet he ached.
“Shouldn’t you get that?” she asked against his lips.
Air shuddered into his lungs. “Hmm? What?”
Breathy laughter escaped her. “Your phone, Mr. Patton. It’s ringing.”
“Ignore it.” He tried to capture her mouth again, but she evaded him.
“Isn’t that your sister’s ring tone?”
It was. He muttered, “Shit.”
She chuckled, popping a quick kiss on his lips. “Later, Tate.”
She dressed and disappeared like so much smoke, slipping through his fingers. He didn’t like it, wanted her to stay forever, but he couldn’t expect that. Yet. He’d catch up with her in a little while. Last night had only made him more determined than ever to overcome their problems.
The phone had stopped ringing, but he pulled on a pair of boxers, grabbed his cell and called his sister back.
She picked up within seconds. “Hey, bro! I was just about to leave you a message.”
“Luckily, I saved you the effort.” He flopped onto the mattress and stuffed a pillow under his head. “What’s up, kid?”
“You realize I’m over thirty years old, right?”
He shrugged even though she couldn’t see it. “You’ll always be my kid sister. Deal with it.”
“Says the guy who ran away from home,” she retorted.
A direct hit. He tried not to flinch. “Was there something you actually wanted?”
She made a little noise. “Well, I was staying with Mom and Dad for a few days while I met with some people from the gallery to prep for my show.”
Anytime that Laurel was within ten miles of his parents, there was bound to be fireworks. Or nuclear warfare. “Sounds like fun.”
“So dry, so witty.”
He bit back a laugh and arched his eyebrows. “There was a point to this international phone call, I’m sure of it.”
“I’m house-sitting for you,” she replied loftily.
“Oh?” Now he didn’t bother to smother the chuckle. “I need a house-sitter?”
“Yes, because otherwise your sister is going to murder your father.” Her voice turned grim. “He’s been ranting for days because his son jumped ship and some of his clients want to jump with him. Some of his lawyers too.”
That brought Tate upright. “What?”
It was her turn to chuckle. “You haven’t checked your email, have you?”
“No, I unplugged. I’m on vacation.” His tone was more defensive than he liked, but he’d been a workaholic for a lot of years. It would be a hard habit to break, but he’d do it if it killed him. He resisted the urge to login now and verify what his sister said. He had an automated away message up—that would have to do. He was offline until he got back to the States, damn it.
“Wow, you really have turned over a new leaf.” Laurel sounded equal parts shocked and pleased. “I’m so proud of you. Really.”
Because he didn’t know how to react to praise anymore, since he’d rarely gotten any from his father and less and less from his wife as the years had worn on, he went back to the original topic. “So, you figure I owe you for pissing off Dad and you’re taking your payment by using my house as your personal bed and breakfast?”
“It’s old enough and pretty enough to be a B&B,” she enthused. “And I’m doing you a favor by house-sitting while you’re overseas. So thieves won’t think your home is easy pickings. You’re welcome.”
Her utter lack of shame made him shake his head. She’d been that way since the day she was born. He rolled his eyes. “Uh-huh. Make sure you disarm the security system. You have your own code. And do not get paint all over my house. Work in the garage.”
She huffed. “I wasn’t planning to work while I was in town.”
“I know you better than that,” he said drily. “Keep your paints outside the house, Laurel. Anything you mess up, you’ll pay to fix.”
He could all but see her wrinkling her nose. “Fine, I’ll stick to the garage.”
“There you go.”
She hesitated. “Dad says you’re trying to get Karen back. He framed it in ruder terms than that, but…is he right?”
Considering the terms their father had used with Tate, he had no doubt what was said wasn’t worth repeating. So he didn’t comment on that and just answered the question. “Yes. If she’ll have me.”
“I hope she does,” Laurel replied quietly. “You know you’ll never find anyone who suits you better. She’s the best there is.”
Scooting back against the headboard, he nodded. “I know.”
In a far more chipper tone, his sister said, “Plus, sexy librarian. I told you that the day I met her.”
He snorted. “I remember.”
“And I was right.”
That day, that week when Karen had first been thrust into the chaos of his family—was burned pretty clearly in his memory. It had been the tipping point for whether or not he’d ask her to marry him. Could she put up with the insanity of being a Patton? Would she want to? She’d said she could handle it, and he’d promised not to turn into his father. They’d both been wrong. Or he had been first, and since he’d welshed on their agreement, she’d had no reason to stick around.
“She might not take me back.”
His sister gave a sympathetic hum. “You did go all Dad on her. And she’s not emotionally constipated and morally bankrupt like Mom, so she’s not the type to put up with that forever.”
“Our parents aren’t evil, Laurel.” As the sometimes-flaky artist, Laurel had absolutely never seen eye to eye with their image-conscious, controlled and controlling parents. On any issue. Ever. He’d been the go-betwe
en in so many fights growing up, persuading both sides to come to compromises—what other career could he have gone for than a lawyer?
“No, they’re not evil,” she agreed, much to his surprise. Laurel had grown up, matured enough to see the shades of gray in their family dynamic. Tate wondered when that had happened, and knew he’d missed it as he had so many other things in the years he’d worked for his dad. Laurel sighed. “And we turned out okay, but they never knew how to deal with children who didn’t turn out like them.”
True. He’d done his best to shield her, to convince his parents to give her room to be herself, but it had never been enough. “I’m sorry they gave you a hard time. I should have done more to—”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” She cut him off, turning severe. “You did everything you could to protect me from their look-the-other-way-during-little-affairs lifestyle. No one could protect me from their socialite expectations or their disappointment when I couldn’t meet them. The only difference between us is that you could meet those expectations—at least for a while—and I never could. But I’d rather deal with their disappointment than with my own if I turned into them.”
A knife of pain stabbed into his chest. That certainly drove the point home, didn’t it? “Welcome to my life right now.”
She made a regretful sound. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s still true.”
“You were always a good brother and a much better son than Robert and Francesca deserved, even if you weren’t the best husband.”
He shook his head. “It’s easy to be a good brother when you haven’t lived in the same time zone as me since you were eighteen and left for college.”
“Well, that might be changing. The West Coast has been calling my name lately.”
“Really?” He wouldn’t mind seeing her more often. Laurel could be crazy-making, but she was also a breath of fresh air in the otherwise stifled Patton clan. Though sometimes that air came at hurricane-force speeds.
“Yes, really. Now, can we get back to my point about your good/bad ratio?” He heard a rustling noise as his sister shifted the phone. “Look, you never cheated on Karen, never deliberately hurt her. That doesn’t excuse you, but you’re not a terrible person. I know you, and you’re all coulda-should-woulda in your head like you’re the biggest dickhead of all time. Well, you’re not. You’re the road-to-Hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions guy. Try not to beat yourself up too hard. You do deserve to be happy.”
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