by Cathryn Fox
Once her tremors subsided, Dean slid up her body and gathered her into his arms.
The fire temporarily controlled, but by no means extinguished, her sigh of delight filled the room. “I was quite right to call for your services, Dean. You were definitely the man for the job,” she whispered.
Dean offered her a warm smile before his lips found hers for a long, lingering kiss. His tongue swept inside her mouth to tangle with hers. His fingers stroked the small of her back, then dipped down lower to tease her ass.
When his strong fingers inched open her cheeks, her body tightened and tingled and ached for him all over again. She gyrated against him.
“You’re insatiable,” he murmured, “just like I knew you would be.” Dean pushed against her so that she could feel his cock. Everything inside her throbbed and ached to lick him, to suck him, and to pleasure him in return. She spread her legs wider.
“Dean?” Her mouth watered, her body shook.
“Yeah,” he breathed the words into her mouth.
She touched her pussy. “I still feel hot, deep inside me.” Good God, she hardly recognized her voice, hardly believed how bold she was.
“That’s because you’re not out of the woods just yet, Jenna.” His deep, sexy tone raised her passion to new heights.
“No?” When their eyes met, sparks of desire flew between them.
He slipped a hand between her legs and stroked her folds. His dark eyes flared with lust. “Sometimes embers can smolder long after the fire is out.”
His words wreaked havoc on her senses. When he found her clit, she swallowed. “I had no idea.”
He nodded. “It’s true, and there is only one way - and one piece of equipment - that will allow me to get deep enough to really soak those embers.” He offered her a sexy wink and said, “It’s a good thing you told me to bring my hose.”
Excited at the prospect, Jenna drew in air, but was unable to fill her lungs. The man sure had a talent for knowing exactly what she wanted. Her whole body broke out in a sweat.
Just then her stomach grumbled, alerting Dean to her ravenous state. Although at that moment she was more ravenous for his “hose,” than she was for food. They both chuckled, but her laugher quickly died away when she caught the mischievous look in his eyes.
“What?” she asked.
“Don’t move,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
When Dean inched the bedroom door open farther, spilling more light into the room, Jenna became acutely aware of her nakedness. Never one to be comfortable in her own skin, she quickly crawled under the bedcovers. A moment later footsteps on the stairs heralded his return.
Dean stepped back into the room with a bowl of strawberries in hand and flicked on the lights. Surprise registered on his face when he spotted her tucked under the covers, the sheets pulled to her chin.
She crinkled her nose and bit down on her bottom lip. “Would you mind turning the lights out?”
He hesitated for a second before honoring her request. After flicking off the light, he made his way across the room. He placed one strawberry in her mouth and perched on the edge of the bed. Warm fingers brushed her hair from her forehead. Moonlight spilled in through the window, providing her with enough light to see the concerned look in his eyes. Her heart tightened. A barrage of emotions rushed through her.
“What is it?” he asked.
She shrugged and strived to make light of the situation. “I just prefer the lights off.”
He pitched his voice low and stroked her cheek. “But I want to see you, Jenna. All of you. Naked. When I slip my cock inside your sweet pussy, I want to see your face, your eyes, your mouth, and your breasts. I won’t have it any other way.”
She opened her eyes wide, alarmed. “I never thought it would be a problem.”
By small degrees, his body tightened, and he inched back, away from her touch. “Oh, it is a problem, a big problem.” In a motion so fast it took her off guard, he stood and glanced toward the door.
She gulped, her heart sinking to the bottom of her stomach. “You’re going to leave because I want to have sex with the lights off?”
Brow furrowed in concentration, he grew quiet for a moment, as though sorting though matters. She could almost hear his mind race but had no idea what he was thinking. After a long thoughtful moment, he glanced at her. With his voice full of conviction, he said, “Yes.”
Time seemed to stand still as his athletic gait carried him toward the bedroom door. But he didn’t leave. Instead he rooted through the pile of lingerie that she’d modeled earlier. “And you’re coming with me.” Holding a sexy red teddy poised on the end of his fingertips, he walked back to the bed and offered her his hand.
She narrowed her gaze, scrutinizing him. What the hell was he up to? She opened her mouth to ask but he cut her off and said, “I’m afraid that once again, drastic measures need to be taken.”
Chapter Four
Oh yeah, under these circumstances, Dean knew drastic measures were definitely in order. Jenna’s request to kill the lights before they fucked had shocked him at first, but after he reflected on her actions all evening, and the way she’d kept her body draped in darkness, understanding had begun to dawn.
Intuitive intelligence told him that on the outside she was a bold, confident career woman, yet underneath all that, she was plagued with insecurities. He knew exactly what he had to do to help her embrace her sexuality and show her that she was as sexy as she was smart.
As he considered his outlandish plan a moment longer, his gaze panned over the woman before him. The truth was, Jenna had a fantasy-inspired body that erotic dreams were made of. He knew firsthand. And said hands had the calluses to prove it. So why on earth did she keep her femininity hidden?
He wasn’t sure but he planned to get to the bottom of her self-doubt and shyness. He also planned to help her discover and embrace another side of herself, a sexy side that he’d glimpsed while he fucked her with his hands, his mouth, and his tongue.
Dean gripped her hand and pulled her to her feet. Her body collided with his. As his fingers slid through her hair, he angled her head and wet his lips. Lust hit him like a high-voltage jolt, urging him to turn the lights out, join her on the bed, and fuck her out of his system once and for all. He quickly banked his desires and took a moment to compose himself, refusing to let his lust rule his actions. He had other, more important matters at hand.
Dean inched back and drove his fists into his pockets. It was time to show this sexy woman just how desirable she really was. He nodded toward her red negligee. “Go ahead and get ready.”
Once she was dressed in a pair of jeans and a blouse, lingerie hidden beneath the clothes, he gripped her hand and led her through the house. Silence fell over them as they made their way to his car. To break the quiet, Dean flicked on the radio and negotiated his vehicle out of the driveway.
After they reached the freeway, he shot Jenna a glance. Hands folded on her lap, she worried her bottom lip. She’d been so quiet, so lost in her own thoughts since they left the house. Everything in him softened and tightened at the same time as he took in the sight of her. Longing shot through him, and he felt a curious shift in his gut. He closed his eyes briefly and made a silent vow to make tonight good for her…so damn good for her.
Needing to reassure her, he closed one hand over hers and said, “We’re going to this club I know.”
She forced a smile. “I see.” She paused and then asked, “So why the red-hot teddy then?”
He squeezed her hand. “Because it’s my favorite and you look damn sexy in it. Even if I can’t see you in it, I know you’re wearing it, and I can fantasize about it, can’t I?” Jenna smiled and looked down, a soft red hue crawling up her neck.
Dean touched her chin and brought her gaze back up to his. Her hair fell over her eyes, shadowing her expression. He brushed it away and tucked it behind her ear. “You are the hottest fucking woman I know, Jenna. And I’m going to prove it to you.�
��
Ignoring her dubious look for the time being, he concentrated on the directions. Less than a half an hour later, Dean pulled up in front of Risqué, a private club on the outskirts of town.
A few months back, after putting a fire out in one of the upstairs bedrooms, he’d been presented with a VIP pass – one he had not used. Had no desire to, really. Until now. But tonight…tonight he planned on making up for lost time.
Jenna read the sign, her eyes scanning the establishment with interest. “What is this place?”
Dean killed the ignition, released his seat belt, and cocked his head to get a better look at her. The sight of her wet lips beckoned him. He leaned forward, caging her between his body and the door. She pressed against him, as though seeking his heat, his contact. Her hands raced over him with hunger, generating warmth and need inside him. He loved the way she touched him, the way her body felt against his, and how she felt right in his arms.
Giving in to impulse, Dean dropped a soft kiss on her mouth. When their lips met, her sweet, delectable scent reached his nostrils and filled him with hunger. He inflated his lungs with her aroma, shocked at the way her feminine fragrance wreaked havoc on his senses. His tongue found the warmth of her mouth. Unexpectedly, fierce possessiveness exploded through him and rattled him right to his core.
He softened his voice, wanting to tell her the truth about where he was taking her, but not wanting to scare her off just the same. “It’s a private club.” He paused briefly and then added in a hushed tone, “where private things happen.”
He noted with satisfaction that her expression was one of curiosity, intrigue. She raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, Dean. What kind of private things?”
He eased away. “I’d rather show you, instead.” Without waiting for a reply, Dean climbed from his car, circled it, and opened Jenna’s door.
When she gave him a hesitant look, he held his hand out to her and chose his words carefully. “Trust me, Jenna.”
She stepped from the car and joined him on the sidewalk. Moonlight spilled over her gorgeous body and glistened in her seductive green eyes. She moved into his open arms, offering herself up to him completely, putting her trust in his hands.
He dragged her into his embrace, and in that instant, when her arms tightened around him, Dean realized just how much he liked her and how much he wanted to know everything about her, her likes, her dislikes, her dreams, her desires, and what incident in her past had caused her to feel so insecure about herself sexually. Perhaps it was the psychologist in him that reached out for such answers.
Or perhaps it was the man.
Either way, tonight he was on a mission, and nothing or no one would stand in his way - not even Brady’s voice ringing loud and clear in the back of his head, questioning whether his interest in her went deeper than one night of wild, animal sex.
With Jenna tucked under one arm, Dean pulled open the huge oak door and stepped into the spacious foyer. A few feet away another set of double doors stood before them, blocking the world out and guarding the patrons’ privacy inside. The sound of music and voices just beyond those security doors reached his ears. He glanced up to see a camera poised on them. A man’s voice came in through an intercom system.
“Can I help you?”
“Dean Beckman, VIP.”
“Present your card to the window to your left please.”
Dean flipped open his wallet and held his card up to a two- way mirror.
Jenna pressed against him. “Why all the security?” she whispered.
He put his mouth close to her ear. The way she trembled beneath his touch filled him with pleasure. “Security ensures privacy,” Dean whispered back.
“Please sign in,” the man said. “And don’t forget your mask.”
After signing them in, Dean reached into a treasure chest and pulled out two masks. A jeweled gold eye mask for her and a silver Casanova Mardi Gras eye mask for him. Once they donned their disguises, a buzzer sounded and Dean pulled open the security door. When they stepped over the threshold, Dean felt Jenna’s body tighten in his arms. He twisted sideways to gauge her responses to the erotic scene before them. She stilled, with surprise registering in her eyes, and her jaw dropped as she darted a quick glance around.
Shocked silence lingered. He remained quiet, letting her absorb her surroundings. As though she was taken aback, a sound caught in her throat. Her tenuous grip on his arm tightened and he could feel her tension. She drew a deep, shaky breath, let it out, and then turned to him.
“Dean, what is this place?” Her voice sounded alarmed, but the excitement in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed by him. It told him all he needed to know. Somewhere deep inside her existed a sexy siren, and with a little bit of coaching, maybe he could get her to come out to play. Once again Jenna panned the room, awareness dawning on her face.
Dean followed her gaze, taking in the sight of numerous disguised couples, all in various stages of undress, dancing, kissing, and engaging in other, more intimate activities, while making no attempt at discretion.
With its invitation-only membership, the classy establishment catered to the elite of the elite. Chicago’s high-society members paid dearly to maintain their confidentiality while engaging in…private affairs. Dean had been gifted with a courtesy VIP card to ensure their privacy remained intact after the fire.
The area was tastefully decorated in warm cranberry hues and plush upholstery, with soft lighting that gave a modicum of privacy. For those wishing for complete seclusion, the upstairs loft housed fantasy theme rooms.
Dean felt a shiver race through Jenna’s body. “I’ve never seen-”
After looking over the crowd, her voice fell off and suddenly, out of nowhere, he felt his whole world shift. He tightened his hold on her. “Come on, let’s get a drink.” With determined strides, he cut a path across the dance floor until they came to a private booth in the back.
Jenna sat. Dean slid in next to her and summoned the waitress. Shifting in her seat, Jenna adjusted her mask and eyed the dance floor.
A few feet away a barely clad couple made no qualms about their desire for each other. Exhibitionists that they were, they danced to the music, their bodies rocking together, her back to his chest, soft ass to hard groin, hands roaming freely as they moved sensually to the seductive beat.
Dean studied Jenna’s reactions. Equal measures of surprise and delight crossed her gorgeous face. She spent a long moment watching the couple, lost in the erotic show. Dean gathered her in tighter. She fairly trembled in his arms. Obviously the sexy act had flustered her as much as it had him.
She swallowed, her face taking on a ruddy hue. Her voice sounded hoarse, labored, aroused. “Clubs like this don’t exist in my small hometown. Good God, I feel like a voyeur.”
He shrugged. “You’re supposed to. People come here for lots of reasons. To watch. To be watched.” He wondered which one she liked more.
“So why do you come here, Dean?”
Before he had time to answer the waitress arrived with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Dean filled their flutes and handed Jenna one. She took a big gulp. Dean bit back a chuckle.
“Thirsty?”
“That’s one way to put it.”
He pulled her impossibly close. Her green eyes sparkled with sensuality as they locked on his.
Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes dimmed with desire. Her mouth opened in invitation. With hunger consuming him, his tongue swept inside her mouth and tangled with hers in an animalistic mating dance. She tasted sweet, seductive, and sinful, like fine champagne. His whole body trembled with pent-up passion. A need he couldn’t seem to assuage whipped through him. Jesus, he ached to return to the valley between her legs, to taste her liquid silk, to push his cock into her and fuck her until he ingrained himself on her and erased the memory of every other man she’d been with. She made a sexy sound and shifted, her hands going to his shoulders, touching him with inti
mate familiarity.
A moment later, she pulled back, breathless. “Whew,” she murmured.
He grinned. “I can’t seem to control myself when I’m around you.” He cupped her chin, then let his hands wander. He pulled her against his chest, unable to get her close enough.
She glanced up at him and waved one hand around, redirecting the conversation. “So you never did tell me why you come here.”
He fingered the soft material of her blouse, ignoring her question, and deciding to get right to the point. “Tell me something, Jenna. Why do you design sexy lingerie but hide your sensuality behind baggy clothes?” He felt her body stiffen. She looked past his shoulders. Dean shifted, forcing her gaze back onto him. “I want to know.”
She didn’t bother to deny it. “Why do you want to know?”
“Because it’s important.” She was important.
After a long moment she folded her hands in her lap and gave a resigned sigh. “You’re a pretty perceptive guy, Dean.”
“I like to think so. After studying for my psychology degree for the past four years, and finishing up my thesis, I like to think I know a little something about human nature.”
“Thesis?”
“Yes, I want to go from active duty to counseling fellow firefighters emotionally scarred on the job.” He turned the conversation back to her. “So talk to me, Jenna. Why the insecurities?”
She rolled one shoulder and tried to make light of things. “After being teased relentlessly as a child, I’m just not comfortable with my body.”
He touched her cheek and softened his tone. “Why were you teased?”
“Because I was chubby, and I had braces and glasses. Not a beauty-pageant candidate, for sure.”
“I see,” he said, with everything beginning to make sense. He squeezed her hand in reassurance. “You’re not that girl anymore, Jenna. You’re a strong, smart woman, with a body any man would die to touch. And something tells me beneath all those baggy clothes exists a sexy siren just waiting to break free.”
