Say You Do

by Weston Parker

  “You already paid for lunch, so this is my treat.”

  “I invited you out for dinner, so it’s mine,” I replied, watching as her eyes became slits before she shrugged it off.

  “Fine, but the only way I’ll eat is if you promise it will be my treat next time.” She held my gaze. “I mean it. We’re going to end up eating together again sometime, and when that time comes, it’s on me.”

  “Deal.” I didn’t like it, but I could see from the determination in her rigid stance that she wasn’t going to back off. I understood that—feeling like you needed to pay your own way.

  Money wasn’t a problem for me at all anymore, but that didn’t mean I’d forgotten how it sometimes felt like your independence was tied in with it from back when I hadn’t had any.

  Also, it wasn’t even really about the money here. Luna was doing me a huge favor and I didn’t want her incurring any expenses she might not have otherwise. As it was, she’d paid that employee today to stand in for her.

  If she had been a wedding planner, she would have been earning good money for the work she was helping me do right now. It wasn’t right, but somehow, I didn’t think she’d like it if I offered to pay her for her services, even though it would have been more than fair for me to do it.

  Piping-hot tacos were passed down from the counter and Luna covered them in a variety of sauces without asking if I wanted any. She stuffed two of the tacos into my hands when she turned and jerked her head in the direction of the park.

  “Try those. If you don’t like them like that, I don’t think we can be friends. Let’s go grab a bench. I’m glad we got here early. You won’t believe how busy this truck gets.”

  When I took my first bite, I understood why the truck was so busy. Speaking around the bite I’d just taken, I let my eyes go wide. “This is amazing.”

  “Isn’t it?” She smiled almost serenely down at her food. “It’s like a religion.”

  “Seconded.” I inhaled the rest of my taco and dabbed the side of my mouth with a napkin before starting on the next one. “What made you decide to bring me here instead of just having dinner at the restaurant?”

  Something flickered in her eyes as her chewing slowed. When she swallowed, it seemed like she was doing it for more than just to swallow the last bite of her taco. Almost like she was nervous about something.

  “I wanted to talk to you about something, but I’m not sure how to say it.”

  “The easiest way is usually just to say it.” My curiosity was piqued. I’d give her that much. “You haven’t seemed to have any trouble saying anything to me before.”

  “Yeah, but this is…” She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, releasing it slowly. “You don’t want a relationship and I’m ready for some freedom. Earlier when you asked me what I was looking for in this, I had to make sure you knew that I’m not looking to turn this into a relationship. There really are no ulterior motives to me helping you. I really do want some freedom, even if one day in a long, long time from now I do hope to settle down.”

  “Okay?” I frowned. “I get what you’re saying, but why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I think we could use each other,” she blurted out after a brief pause. The words came tumbling out of her mouth so fast, I almost didn’t understand them.

  But then I put the near unintelligible sounds together and my brows rose as my tongue flicked across the inner seam of my lips. “Use each other how?”

  “How do you think?” she muttered, her eyes seemingly stuck to her taco. “I’m sure you know this, but you’re a good-looking guy. I’m attracted to you, and unless I’ve read the way you look at me sometimes very wrong, you’re attracted to me too.”

  “So you want us to use each other for sex?” I said the words slowly, carefully enunciating each one. “Is that right?”

  “Yes. No strings attached. Would that be something you’d be interested in?”

  Could I believe what I was hearing? No.

  Would I be interested in it? “Fuck, yes. When and where?”

  A flush crept to the apples of her cheeks as she stood up. “My place. Right now?”

  “I can definitely go for that.”

  We practically jogged back to my car and I pushed the speed limit all the way to Luna’s place. Neither of us said a word, but I was turned on as fuck, and if the heat in her eyes was any indication, she felt the same way.

  She let her apartment door swing shut behind us, her hands moving to the thin sash around her waist but her gaze on mine. “No strings attached, right?”

  “No strings attached,” I confirmed.

  Luna didn’t waste any time after that. Her fingers tugged at the loose knot on the sash and then she reached up to her shoulders to push a strap off each of them.

  Before I could fully comprehend that this was really happening and that the hot, sweet florist with the innocent mouth and never-ending energy was actually stripping for me, her dress fell to the floor to pool around her feet.

  And she was stark. Fucking. Naked.

  Chapter 11

  Luna

  Risky wasn’t really my business, but I’d decided to throw all caution to the wind tonight. I was glad I had, though. Deciding to live a little was definitely paying off big time.

  Cyrus cycled through a montage of facial expressions when I dropped my dress, but the one that stuck was lust. Raw, primal lust that darkened his eyes as his pupils grew until there was only a hint of emerald around the rims. It made him look downright carnal, hungry even.

  Both of us just stood there for a moment, me with my hands on my hips and my heart hammering. Cyrus with shock, awe, and finally that mouthwatering expression of absolute lust.

  In the entirety of my twenty-eight years on the planet, I’d never felt as crazy or as vulnerable as when I’d propositioned him earlier. It would have been worth it even if he turned and walked out right now, just to have seen that look on his face. It was making me feel more desirable than I ever had before, which was a nice boost for my self-esteem even if nothing else happened.

  Cyrus curled his long fingers into fists at his sides, then cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. It would have been intimidating if it wasn’t so damn hot, but it was.

  “I guess you’re sure about this then?” His voice was as rough as a growl. “Because I’m not asking you again.”

  “I’m sure.” Not at all sure what I was getting myself into by trying to be with a guy like him, but sure that I wanted to find out. Gun to my head, I’d guess I was in for a pretty wild but spectacular night—if his body could cash the checks his expression was writing.

  I swallowed hard under his heated gaze but nodded. “I was the one who brought this up, wasn’t I? I brought you here, so yes, I’m sure. You don’t need to ask again.”

  He took another second to search my eyes. Then his gaze dropped to do a long, slow onceover of all the flesh I’d put on display for him. At the same time, his fingers unfurled and came up to start unbuttoning his shirt and his tongue darted out to lick his lips.

  I watched as he slid the first plastic disk free of its hole, his fingers deft but unhurried. Every inch of my skin felt caressed by his penetrating gaze as he took me in.

  Heat simmered in my lower belly and there was an ache starting to build between my thighs. I wanted to go to him, wanted to get this part of the evening of being exposed to him when he wasn’t over with, but it was like those eyes were keeping me rooted to the spot.

  We hadn’t even touched each other yet, and it was like he was already in control, already dominating me with nothing but his gaze. It was crazy.

  A tingle ran down my spine and settled right between my legs. The dullish ache became an almost uncomfortable one as I watched him tug his shirt out of his pants once it was unbuttoned and shrugged out of it.

  My mouth dried up at the sight of his ripped torso, his abdomen as chiseled and hard as the freaking pyramids in Egypt. Every block, every muscle was defined and crea
ted a distinct line between it and the next.

  Lips parting so I could run my tongue along them, I managed to tear my eyes away from his body just in time to see his mouth curve into a satisfied smile. “Like what you see?”

  His hands moved to the button of his slacks and there was a noticeable bulge sitting underneath them. I forced my lips to imitate his as I gave him a small shrug. “Only about as much as you do.”

  His smirk turned into a grin. A vaguely wild, manic one, but a grin nonetheless. If he hadn’t been in the process of taking off his pants and toeing his shoes off, I could easily imagine him rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

  “Oh, this is going to be fun,” he said quietly, his eyes never leaving mine even while it sounded like he’d said the words more to himself than to me.

  When his pants hit the floor, my insides clenched as I waited for him to get rid of the designer boxer briefs he was wearing, but he didn’t make a move to take them off. The bulge was more pronounced now, a lot more pronounced, but Cyrus didn’t seem to take any notice of it.

  Moving with the easy grace of a predator, he closed the distance between us and ran a single finger between the valley of my breasts. “The entire time we were together tonight, you weren’t wearing any underwear.”

  It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway. My gaze was transfixed on that finger, watching as it ran up and down the length of my torso. It was as if he couldn’t decide where to touch me first, but the calculating gleam in his eyes told me differently.

  “What if I’d said no?”

  I gulped because I didn’t even really want to think about that. “I’d have been humiliated beyond belief, but I would have kept helping you anyway.”

  “I don’t doubt that.” His fingers splayed and his palm ran down the center of my chest, along my stomach, and curled to cup my mound. “But what would you have done about this?”

  As if he knew how wet I was already, he dipped the same finger he’d used to touch me first through my slick lips. I barely stifled my answering moan, biting my lip and letting my head fall back instead.

  With his free hand coming up to grasp my chin and bring my eyes back to his, he used the other to put near perfect pressure on my sensitive bundle of nerves while his fingers found my entrance.

  They were so tantalizingly close to where I wanted them, but he didn’t move any farther than that. “Answer my question, Luna. Would you have touched this slippery pussy of yours all by yourself? Would you have rubbed your hard clit while imagining it was me doing it?”

  A whimper escaped me. I’d never had a man talk to me like this before, though I had known some people were into dirty talk. I just never would have thought I’d be one of them.

  Cyrus slid only the tips of his fingers into me, using the heel of his hand to make me moan again. “Still waiting for an answer, gorgeous.”

  His voice was a low rasp and I could feel his hardness pressing against my stomach. I was learning that he was some kind of master of self-control, though. If I didn’t give him an answer, I doubted he’d let it go.

  “Yes, I think I would have. Eventually. Once I’d gotten over the mortification.” I was proud of myself for getting the words out at all.

  I’d been right, though. At my response, he finally slipped the finger all the way in. “I want you to show me what you would have done, how you would have touched yourself.”

  “What?” My eyes opened wide through the haze of lust that’d had them at half-mast. “You want me to show you how I…”

  I couldn’t even say the word out loud, but Cyrus didn’t seem to have any problem doing it. His eyes were heated on mine, but they were also serious. “I want you to show me what you would have done to this pussy if I wasn’t here.”

  “Why? You are here, so—”

  Seemingly sensing my alarm, a small frown appeared between his eyebrows and his hand cupped my jaw and cheek. “Have you never shown anyone before?”

  Suddenly mute, I could only shake my head.

  He muttered a curse. “I don’t know who you’ve been with, babe, but I’m willing to apologize on behalf of my entire gender.”

  “Why? Don’t you know what to do?” It was my turn to frown, but only until I saw what had to be the very epitome of confidence in his expression.

  “Trust me. I know what to do. I’d just like to see what you’d like me to do first. I’m not into making people uncomfortable, Luna. I don’t fuck to get only myself off and I don’t want you to feel like you have to pretend to like what I do because nothing turns me off faster than that.”

  A frisson of fear tightened my belly. “Are you one of those kinky types who like things that cause other people pain?”

  “There is pleasure to be found in a certain amount of pain.” He smirked and ran a light touch along my cheekbone. “But if you’re thinking I like the hardcore, sadistic things, then no. It’s not about that. I’d just like to see what brings you pleasure and I’ll take it from there.”

  “Pain doesn’t bring me pleasure,” I whispered. “Just so we’re clear.”

  “I didn’t think it did.” His expression was still carnal, his finger still moving inside me with expert level precision, but he also looked oddly… earnest?

  “Okay.” I released a shaky breath. “I don’t really get it, but okay. Let’s go to my bedroom.”

  He withdrew from me but kept a hand on the small of my back all the way to my room. Once there, he pushed me gently onto my bright purple bedspread, flicked on the lamp on the nightstand as if it was his, and kissed me until I was writhing again.

  When my hand slid between my legs, it was because I just couldn’t stand not being touched anymore. I’d all but forgotten I was doing this because he’d asked, and as my fingers tapped my hard bud, I groaned into his mouth.

  Cyrus slowed the kiss, breaking it off to trail his lips along the column of my throat, trailing the tip of his tongue down my collarbone and sucking a nipple into his mouth. My back arched as my hand picked up its movements.

  I felt his eyelashes moving against my skin, but that was the only indication that he was watching me instead of closing his eyes. He’d angled himself so he’d have a view of my most intimate parts, but he’d done it so subtly that I hadn’t even noticed it at first.

  Instead of making me self-conscious or horrified about what he was witnessing, I felt strangely empowered. More than that, I was more turned on than I’d ever been and my fingers flew across my bud until my neck arched and I felt the familiar stirrings of an orgasm beginning to build.

  Long fingers suddenly wrapped around my wrist to stop the movement. I cried out and my hips bucked, but then his fingers replaced mine, and before long, I was hurtling headfirst into an explosion of tingling warmth and bright colors.

  My orgasm ripped through me like a hurricane, hitting me hard and leaving me feeling battered in the best possible way. My breaths came in hard, fast pants but Cyrus’s mouth sealed over mine as his lips and fingers coaxed me back to earth.

  As sated as I was, all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep. Until my eyes blinked open and I saw the way he looked at me.

  His pupils had taken over almost completely now and there were dots of sweat on his skin that I doubted had anything to do with physical exertion. The muscles in his forearms were corded as he hovered above me, his throat working and his voice raw.

  “God. You’re beautiful when you come. I want to see it again.”

  My cheeks were warm from my orgasm, but I felt a rush of fresh blood joining the blossoming flowers on my skin. “I, uh, I’m not multi-orgasmic or whatever it’s called. I’ll take care of you, though.”

  Elbows finding purchase on my comforter, I tried to push myself up on my numb limbs. Cyrus’s lips stopped me, just as his hand started moving again.

  “We’ll see about that,” he murmured, then kissed a burning path down my body so slowly and leisurely that I knew he was on a mission to prove me wrong.

&n
bsp; It was only after proving to me two more times how very wrong I was that I heard his mumbled curse as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “My condoms are in my wallet out in your entrance hall. Give me a minute.”

  I wound my arms around his neck before he could move, bringing him back to me. “I have some. Hold on.”

  Surprise flickered across his face, but I rolled my eyes at him. “I might not curse, but I’m not a complete innocent. I do like sex and I believe in protection. It’s not only guys who can buy condoms.”

  He grinned like the cat that had gotten all the cream, but I guessed he just had gotten more of mine than anyone before him. “Point me in the right direction then, princess. I need to get inside you and I need it now.”

  Slightly shaky and with trembling hands, I reached blindly for my nightstand. I felt him shift off me and knew he must finally be getting rid of his pesky underwear.

  Cyrus got the hint about where my stash was and, moving faster than an Olympic athlete, managed to find a condom and roll it on before positioning himself over me.

  All I could do was blink back my surprise at how he managed to do it all so fast when I could barely move. His broad tip rested heavily at my entrance, his strong forearms on either side of my head.

  “I’m going to fuck you now, and I want to hear you. Feel free to say whatever you want. If you happen to curse, it’ll be our dirty little secret.”

  When he thrust into me, I nearly did curse. He felt so darn good that it took everything in me not to. I moaned instead. Loudly.

  Cyrus caught the sound in his mouth by bringing his back to mine and then kissed me soundly as he started to move. Boy, could the man move.

  Every thrust of his hips was like he was trying to deliver me to heaven personally, like he was determined to drive me higher and higher using nothing but his body. His lips never left mine, even when our kisses were broken by sounds of pleasure and eventually turned sloppy.