Just Press Play M.A. Ellis
Erin learned a great deal during one of the workshops at RomantiCon. But she never dreamed, when she asked her friends to help act out one of her sex scenes, that her tape player would fall into the hands of a ridiculously hot, younger man. Daniel loves older women and has lusted after Erin for years. He’s been waiting for the perfect time to approach her. He can’t wait to find out if she’s channeling her own desires into the characters in her book. Daniel thinks Erin is a secret exhibitionist and it’s finally time to step up and let her know he’s ready for anything she’s up for. Erin isn’t the only one adept at sexual choreography. Before she can say “watch me”, Daniel—riding crop in hand—has her bent over a table at a sex club, determined to fulfill every dark fantasy Erin has ever had.
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Just Press Play ISBN 9781419929021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Just Press Play Copyright © 2010 M.A. Ellis Edited by Pamela Campbell Cover art by Syneca Electronic book publication September 2010 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.
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Acknowledgement With heartfelt appreciation to the man who makes a trip to Aisle 17 of the local home improvement store a near-orgasmic experience. Your tutorial took it the rest of the way. Knowledge and patience—what more could a girl ask for?
Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Agent Provocateur: 3i, private equity firm BlackBerry: Research In Motion Limited Calvin Klein Jeans: Calvin Klein Trademark Trust Dora the Explorer: Viacom International, Inc. Fortune 100: Time Inc. Corporation Delaware Godfather: Paramount Pictures Corporation Gumby: Prema Toy Company, Inc. iPod: Apple, Inc. Playboy: Playboy Enterprises International, Inc. RomantiCon: Jasmine-Jade Enterprises Scrabble: Hasbro, Inc. Town Car: Ford Motor Company
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Prologue Daniel leaned over, resting his forearms against the railing of the deck as he watched the activity below. His two-year-old niece Laurel squealed with delight, her tiny legs moving as fast as possible as she raced toward her godmother’s open arms. Erin Benson dropped to her knees in the thick, manicured lawn and Daniel shifted, glad that everyone’s attention was focused on the birthday girl and not on the fact that he seemed to have sported a semi-boner. The curvy redhead who lived in the stately Tudor next door had that effect on him. She had for years. Less than an hour before, she had opened the door to his sister’s home, a Dora the Explorer party hat perched atop her head and her hazel eyes filled with laughter. That was when his dick had reminded him it served a purpose other than keeping the top of his balls warm. She had greeted him as she greeted everyone else—with a bright smile and a sound hug. It had taken all his control not to toss the wrapped box containing a miniature tea set to the floor and pull her closer, crush those massive breasts tight against his chest. He blinked, watching her wiggle her fingers at his niece, imploring Laurel to come to her instead of one of the other people vying for the toddler’s attention. Wouldn’t it be something if she offered you that same gesture? Naked of course. Middle of your bed. Sun streaming down around her body. “Nothin’ sexier than an older woman,” Daniel barely whispered. “I heard that,” said Zac, his best bud from childhood, who joined him at the rail and offered him a plastic cup filled with a cloudy red-colored concoction. “If we’re talking about your older-by-four-minutes sister—I concur. I like her now that she has a little more junk in the trunk. And those tits have only gotten better since she birthed the pint-
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sized banshee down there. You think she’s had work, because they seem way perkier than I remember.“ Daniel took a tentative sip of his drink. Zac had undoubtedly found good-quality vodka and some pineapple juice to add to the non-alcoholic party punch, but Daniel refused to swallow the I-fucked-your-twin-sister bait. It had been years ago, but his friend tended to bring it up whenever he was feeling bulletproof. Or simply looking for Daniel to beat the shit out of him. Zac was a little masochistic at times, but as crazy as he was, Daniel doubted he wanted to be laid out at a two-year-old’s birthday bash. He refrained from commenting on the fact that his friend probably could get it on with his sister, but Zac would have to be willing to do it as a threesome. Zac, Linda and her husband Paul. He was pretty certain his friend didn’t roll that way, and even more certain that his sister would have already approached Zac if she and Paul had found him an acceptable addition to their bedroom preferences. “So, Godfather,” Zac said in a pretty dead-on Brando impersonation, “you gonna make her an offer she can’t refuse?” Daniel remained silent, choosing instead to watch Erin pretend to fall over backward from Laurel’s leaping assault, rolling from side to side with his niece in her arms until the little one let out a high-pitched scream of happiness. “Of course you’re not.” Zac answered his own question. “You’re gonna stand with your dick in your hand and just lust from afar, aren’t you? Like you have from the day you met her. Five years ago. Five years. When we were enlisted to move her ex’s shit onto the front lawn. She was a crazy bitch then. I’m sure she’s even more insane now.” “She wasn’t crazy, dickhead. Just hurt. How do you think women feel when they find out their husband’s been screwing everything in sight? Oh wait,” Daniel said, playing the old-memories card that would undoubtedly shut Zac up. “Let’s call your mom and ask her opinion.” To some, it would have seemed a very low blow, but Daniel had been there for Zac as he had gone through the stages of grief surrounding his father’s infidelity. He had 7
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watched his friend—two-hundred-twenty pounds of solid man—dissolve into tears when it first happened. He had listened to his confusion. He had stopped him from doing something that would have alienated him from his family for good and probably landed him in jail for premeditated manslaughter. “All I’m saying,” Zac said softly. “Is grow a pair, man. You’ve passed up more than a few golden opportunities with her. You could have gotten it on with her after the baptism. Used the whole if-we’re-going-to-be-godparents-shouldn’t-we-get-to-knoweach-other-a-little-better scenario.” “Right, Zac. In the church’s fellowship hall? Oh yeah. Nothing screams ‘classy’ like a quick countertop fuck. Right there between the roaster full of pulled pork and a pot of mac and cheese.” “Damn. I still remember that mac and cheese. It was awesome,” Zac said in a reflective voice. “When’s the last time you had your pork pulled? By someone other than your friend Lefty? This whole monk thing has got to go, dude. And don’t give me that shit about you traveling here, there and everywhere. If you want what’s in your own backyard—or Linda’s backyard, rather—you gotta make a move. You’re a decentenough-lookin’ guy, maybe not as polished to perfection as me—” Daniel turned his head to offer his friend a you’re-shitting-me glance. “But if I was some over-the-hill babe who spent her days working in a midcity high-rise and her nights alone in that fortress next door…I’d fuck you.” Zac offered him a crooked smile. “Thanks for the warning, ass ranger.” Daniel shook his head and took a long swig of his drink and promptly started coughing. “C’mon, dude. This isn’t as perfect a setting as, let’s say, a wedding reception. But we get her to down a couple of these,” he shook his own cup from side to side, “you offer to walk her home—older-woman fantasy fulfilled.” “She’s not some gullible co-ed and I do not need to get women drunk to have sex with them. It never works out when you plot and plan. Haven’t you learned anything 8
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over the years? The best relationships come from spontaneity. You have to have enough faith that whatever’s meant to be is going to be.” “Well thank you Dr. Fuckin’ Phil. Or have you been boning up on some Far East tai chi, feng shui bullshit? You think she’s going to wake up one morning and it’ll just hit her? She’ll pick up the paper and see it plastered across the headlines or flashing on one of the scrolling subway ads? You think something is just going to flit across her computer screen saying ‘this is the day you need to go out and fuck someone half your age’?” “I’m not half her age. She’s only forty-one.” “And she ain’t getting any younger. I still say go for it. Today.” “Thanks for the advice, bud. But I’ll bide my time. Plus, my flight leaves at six tomorrow morning.” When he finally got the chance to bury himself in the lovely Ms. Benson’s warmth, it wasn’t going to be for a few hours. He’d wanted her too long for that. It was going to be long and drawn out. She’d be begging—hell, there was every chance he’d be begging but that wouldn’t matter. He’d show her all the things she’d been missing. He’d find out exactly what she desired and he’d fulfill each and every one of those dreams. He knew a great deal about the hidden fantasies of older women and he was about to consider exactly what Erin might like when Zac broke into his thoughts. “Five weeks in Japan. That corporate consulting is a tough gig. Gonna try out your hand at a little bukkake while you’re there?” His gross humor was always an indication that he was done trying to persuade Daniel. Done being serious. Which was perfectly fine. “You’re a perv, Zac. You realize that, don’t you?” “Yeah. But it’s a perversion some ladies love.” He tapped his cup against Daniel’s and grinned. “When you decide to forgo the shriveled, cavernous pussies, I know a sweet little Fortune 100 blogger who’d be more than happy to let you practice what you learn in the Orient.” 9
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“Really? She’d be waiting for me to expound on maximum profitability through workforce reconstruction and adaptation of improved management regime?” “Absolutely…if you did it while she was strapped to an exercise bench and you were tea bagging her.” “That’s just wrong,” Daniel said with a little laugh. “One man’s wrong is another man’s hot,” Zac replied with a laugh of his own. “You don’t know what hot is. Finely aged doesn’t mean dried up.” Daniel saw a little rubber ball sailing toward them, his sister’s subtle hint that he should get his ass off the deck and come play. He and Zac reached for it at the same time, deflecting it downward onto the grass, where Laurel ran to pick it up. “So you’ve said for the past few years but at least admit that doing the older ones does mean enough room to fit your dick, her vibrator and whatever the vegetable of the day is on that porn site you’re addicted to.” “You’re so full of sh—” Daniel stopped himself and looked down at Laurel, who was now standing at the bottom of the steps, offering him the ball. “You’re dead wrong, man.” He slapped his friend on the shoulder and bounded down the steps, waiting until Laurel ran toward her mother before turning toward Zac and offering him an antagonistic grin. “You have no idea what you’re missing, man. Besides, my dick doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for much of anything else, organic or artificial,” Daniel joked softly. “Just ask your sister.”
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Chapter One “That was utterly delicious, Erin. How ’bout it, sweetheart? You get enough to eat? I think you missed one little spot of Bolognese sauce.” Erin watched her neighbor Paul reach across the small table and wipe an imaginary spot from the corner of his wife’s mouth. He brought his thumb to his lips and licked it in a far from subtle manner. “Did you get it?” Linda asked in a tone that couldn’t help but invite further innuendo. “Oh, I got it,” Paul replied, giving his wife a hot look that had Erin bringing her glass of Chardonnay quickly to her lips. After years of friendship, she was well accustomed to their unabashed flirtatiousness. Usually it didn’t bother her in the least, but tonight she was a little on edge. She drained her glass, raising a questioning brow when both her friends looked her way. “Oooookay,” Paul said, pushing his chair away from the table. “Should I grab a second bottle from the wine cooler?” “Sure.” “No,” Linda said firmly, turning her attention to Erin. “What’s the deal, Two Drink Wonder?” “What?” Erin asked, enjoying the flowing warmth that snaked from her stomach to her face. “You’re obviously nervous or you wouldn’t be pounding the Pinot. Did something happen at the office?” Linda asked, reaching across the table and placing her hand on Erin’s wrist.
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Things at work had been a little tense these days but Erin had been there long enough that she wasn’t worried. Public relations of any sort weren’t about to dissolve overnight. PR for several of the nation’s top beauty conglomerates allowed her more than a modicum of job security. No, her day job wasn’t the problem. “Everything’s fine,” Erin said with a brilliantly non-convincing smile. “Just tell us,” Paul said, taking Erin’s other hand. “We’ve got plenty of time tonight since we have a sitter who doesn’t have to be home by ten o’clock because tomorrow is a school day.” “We can forego the game of Scrabble too. You constantly kick our asses anyway,” Linda said, pulling Erin’s arm upward as she stood. “Time to share, share or sit on a chair. Let’s head into your living room and get comfy.” Erin swallowed and took a deep breath. She’d never get a better opening than the one Linda had just tossed her way. “What if we headed to my bedroom instead?” She watched her friend’s eyes widen, heard the scrape of Paul’s chair as he scooted it closer and whispered, “Really? Are you serious?” Erin met his anticipatory gaze and exhaled the breath she’d been holding. Apparently her words hadn’t come out quite the way she had planned. She’d been brainstorming how to enlist their help since the day after she had sat in on a workshop at the erotic romance convention she had attended a few weeks back. RomantiCon had been a great experience, on numerous levels. She’d talked to her favorite authors, drooled over the hunky cover models, met other women and two men who were pursuing their writing dreams. The workshop was a masterful presentation by the publisher herself, a woman who undoubtedly could wear a crown of omnificence, although it was clear throughout the three-day conference that she preferred stylish hats above all other head ornamentation. Her suggestions had been enlightening. Complete with audience participation, props and numerous laughs, it dealt with choreographing the author’s action and sex scenes. 12
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Some of the women in the audience, the ones who were readers and not aspiring authors, were clearly there in the hope that some of the cover models would be present to help with the “sex scene” part. But Erin had been there for knowledge, not the beefcake. She knew she had what it took to be an author. She’d majored in business in college, but she’d minored in English and writing. She’d had poetry published in a few literary magazines. Her stuff was good. She was confident of that fact but it was just a matter of getting it out there. Having it read. Getting a contract. For that to happen, the manuscript had to be spotlessly perfect. “I need you guys—” “Are you sure?” Linda interjected, plopping back down into her chair. Erin saw the little sparkle in her friend’s eyes and tried to pull her hand free. It took a little effort but Linda eventually let go. “Holy shit,” Paul whispered. “I can’t believe you’ve finally come around. We’ll call Danny and see if he can spend the night so we don’t have to rush.” Erin’s eyes nearly crossed at the thought of them calling Linda’s twin brother—who had graciously agreed to babysit Laurel despite the fact that he’d just returned from an extended business trip—and telling him they wouldn’t be coming home due to the fact they were finally going to partake in the threesome the younger couple had been offering Erin since a month after her divorce was final. “No,” Erin said firmly, pulling free of them both and pushing her chair away from the table. She stood and planted her palms facedown on the tablecloth. “Not for that. I need you to help me with scene choreography.” “Scene choreography?” Paul said, his voice slipping into a somewhat dejected tone. “Oh my god,” Linda added, raising her hand to the neckline of her sweater and jiggling the fabric back and forth to allow a little extra air to circulate across her bosom. “For your book?”
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“Yes, for my book,” Erin added. “I’ve got great notes from RomantiCon and I want this scene—the first sex scene—to be so dead-on and perfect the editor will cream her panties, keep reading and tell herself she can’t live another moment without accepting the manuscript.” “Wow,” Paul said dejectedly. “Disappointed in you nixing the threesome. Interested in the panty creaming, however. Do go on.” Linda snorted. “Here I thought you’d had a come-to-Jesus moment, inspired by the women in that forum you log on to with a daily devotion that could put the strictest of novitiates to shame. An enlightenment that told you to go for a younger guy and his nearly-back-to-before-pregnancy-shaped wife.” Erin had to laugh. “There’s no way any spiritual moment would include group fornication. And quit fishing for compliments. You know you look as hot as you were before Laurel arrived.” “Hotter,” Paul said, walking around the table to stand behind his wife. Erin watched his hands reach around Linda’s body, clearly on a path to her breasts. Their innuendo never bothered her, but the touching—that was another matter altogether. Catching glimpses of them, whether they were trying to be secretive or whether they knew they had an audience, never failed to leave Erin more than a little unsettled. “Please,” Erin said, her words stopping him before he grabbed hold. “I have no issue with you two justifying your love of multiple bedmates but that’s not part of my makeup. It never has been and never will be.” “Obviously. How could you resist all this?” Linda asked, spreading her arms wide. “But you’re not ruling out the younger-guy thing, are you?” Paul crossed his arms over Linda’s chest and wiggled his brows. Erin didn’t answer. Frankly, she didn’t trust herself enough to look them square in the eyes and deny the fact. Thanks to the forum being attached to an online dating site where she continued to lurk, the possibility of finding a younger guy was all she’d been thinking about. 14
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These days when her mind wandered at work, it had nothing to do with which celebrity might be cajoled into doing a photo spread for a new product and everything to do with finely chiseled younger men who wanted her spread. In any manner—on her back or on her belly. Ass in the air or ankles wrapped behind her shoulders. Okay, that last one was a total impossibility in her present non-exercising state but one of the women on the blog swore by it. Talk of older women and younger men had permeated the conference as well. The publishing company had an entire line of books with that particular theme. She’d surfed the web like a maniac when she returned home and zeroed in on what appeared to be the premier cougar dating venue hoping for a little free research. She got that and a whole lot more. The latest entry, one that dealt with a six-foot-five-inch fireman and the forty-sevenyear-old woman who had found him in the chat room, had gotten Erin so revved up she had made a beeline for her hidden suitcase of battery-operated delights. It hadn’t mattered that it was midday, sun shining through her bedroom windows. She’d thrown herself down on the bed, closed her eyes and thought of England. Seventeenth-century England. Estates comprised of expansive rolling fields. Dark clouds hanging low in the sky, heralding the latest storm. Horses galloping headlong toward the safety of their stalls. Hot, half-naked stable hands in tight breeches, grabbing the reins Erin would toss at them, along with an order to take good care of her mount. An order delivered in a haughty tone of voice that the man had no desire to obey. He clearly proved his insolence by hauling her body into his arms and silencing any further orders with a long, mind-numbing kiss. Right before he dropped to his knees and tongued her clit to a blinding climax. It was immediately after her historical-fiction-induced orgasm that Erin decided she needed to focus on her book and forget about any real-life hotter-than-hell hookups. The likelihood of her having a sexy younger man parade into her life was all but nil. “Erin? Hello?” Paul waved his palm in front of her face and she blinked.
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“Will you two help me or not?” Erin finally asked. “Do we actually get to have sex in front of you?” Paul asked. “You may not go for the threesomes but maybe you’re a closet voyeur? We can work with that, can’t we, honey?” Erin felt her cheeks heat and consciously rolled her gaze toward the ceiling, hoping neither saw the telltale blush. There was no doubt in her mind that watching them actually have sex would be astounding. “Hah! You didn’t say no,” Linda said, wiggling out of his embrace. “But we’ll be your guinea pigs anyhow. Just remember, I am double jointed so some of the stuff might not be doable for mere mortals.” “I’ll keep that in mind, Gumby.” Erin laughed. “Let me grab the tape player and my manuscript. I printed it out earlier, hoping you’d agree. Meet you in the bedroom.” Erin hurried to her office and gathered what she needed. The workshop had stressed the importance of a taped recording of the scene and Erin had done just that. Clear and at a slower pace that would allow her “actors” to follow the directions. She walked through the living room, her spirits suddenly lifted. She had worried they might not agree. Which was stupid. Linda and Paul had been wonderful neighbors. Before and after her divorce. She’d been a little shocked to discover they were swingers, but in the big scheme of things, it could have been a hell of a lot worse. They weren’t on a most-wanted list, they weren’t hurting anyone and they were undeniably happy. “Here we go,” Erin said, handing Paul a fluorescent green ruler. “Put that in your belt. It’s your rapier.” “My what?” “Your sword. Small. Mainly used for thrusting attacks. And before you even go there, you can shitcan the double entendre. Come stand over here, Linda,” Erin said.
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“You should have told me it was a pirate story. I’ve got a saucy wench costume and Paul has this sweet little flogger with—” “Don’t tell me.” Erin chuckled, holding up one hand. “The less I know about your personal proclivities, the better.” “Role-playing is not a proclivity. It’s a way of life,” Linda teased. “Perfectly natural.” “Fine. But it’s not pirates. It’s Britain—early eighteen hundreds. You’re part of the Earl of Belgrade’s winnings but the earl doesn’t realize who you are.” “Who am I?” Linda asked. “You’re the ward of the earl’s nefarious host, a man who secretly needs you compromised so he can get you out of the picture and have full control of your estate.” “So what’s the earl need the rapier for?” Paul asked. “He’s not going to force her, is he? Remember how you nearly took my freakin’ head off when you told us you were going to write a romance and I made that comment about ‘bodice rippers’? Holy shit, Erin. I’d never seen you so pissed before.” “Maybe he’s just going to pretend to force her,” Linda said, swaying her hips sexily as she walked over to her husband and wrapped one hand around his neck. “Maybe he knows that’s what headstrong women secretly crave. A little aggressiveness now and again.” She turned her head and shot Erin a pointed look. “Rule number one,” Erin said. She sat on the corner of the bed and flipped through the stapled pages until she found chapter three. “No rewriting the story to fit your favorite dress-up scenarios.” She grabbed the small tape player and held it toward them, smiling. “You are no fun at all, Erin. You know that?” Linda said. “But you are,” Paul suggested in a husky voice, yanking his wife’s hips against his lower body.
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“Ooooo, your earlship,” Linda said, giving Paul a long kiss. Complete with tongue. “Is that a small thrusting sword in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?” Erin hid her smile and shook her head. Then turned on the recorder.
***** They were twenty minutes into the visualization process when Linda’s cell phone buzzed a second time and she leaned around Paul’s body and looked at the text. “It’s Danny,” she said. “I’ve got to answer this.” Erin was thrilled with the progress they’d made in such short time. They’d walked through paragraph after paragraph of heroine-hero interaction, allowing Erin to recognize and reconfigure more than a few impossibilities—including the fact that her hero apparently had the longest penis known to man when he was standing a few feet away from her heroine, yet she was clearly able to feel his bulge against her throbbing nether regions. It seemed like such an amateur mistake. Something she should have caught on her own. “Hey, brother of mine. What’s wrong?” Linda asked, not moving from the position she and Paul had contorted into. Erin studied the two, fairly confident insertion would be possible if she had her hero ease the heroine off her toes. Actually lift her up about four inches and then thrust into her. Erin made a note in the margin of the manuscript, half listening to Linda. “Why don’t you just grab a bottle and bring her over here? I’ll rock her and you can be my stand-in. We’re helping Erin figure out sexual logistics for her book,” Linda said. “That’s not going to work. Danny’s too tall,” Paul added loudly. Good god. She had really wanted to keep everything quiet. She needed to make sure her friends knew that and didn’t tell another solitary soul. Not until the book was polished, submitted and hopefully accepted. “You’ll have to pretend to be me, baby,” Linda said, looking at her husband as she slid her legs from around his hips to stand on the floor. “Danny can be the hero.” 18
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Paul reached over and pulled the pages out of Erin’s hand. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. No way. As soon as the face-to-face scene is done it says the earl…blah, blah, blah…kisses heroine into senselessness. Bends her over the side of the bed…blah, blah, blah…her pale, heart-shaped ass—I like that, Erin. Great imagery. Here! I knew it had to be leading quickly to her proceeding to take ‘every glorious inch of his hard, throbbing cock’.” Paul shoved the pages in Erin’s direction and offered his wife a mock scowl. “I’m not bending over in front of your brother. We both know he didn’t get laid on his tour of Tokyo. He sees a nice ass, male or female, and he’s likely to drop the cloak of conservatism and get his freak on.” Erin smiled and slid off the bed. It was clear the choreography was over for the night. But for a second she thought, strangely enough, about Linda’s brother getting his freak on and what that might entail. “No no no,” Linda said into the phone. “Don’t bounce her. I did tell you Erin was writing a book. You probably had your ear attached to that damn Crackberry. I’m playing the sexy heroine and Paul’s an English lord who’s about to breach my maiden hymen.” “It’s a maidenhead,” Erin groaned but Linda ignored her. “No, smartass, the heroine hasn’t given birth to a howling toddler,” Linda said hotly into the phone. “If that were the case, Daniel, her freakin’ cherry wouldn’t be intact, now would it? My literary virginity is still there, Erin, right? Her ladyship hasn’t been doing every Mr. Darcy in sight, has she?” “Oh my god. Just tell Danny I’ll meet him at the front door,” Erin said, hurrying from the room. She heard Linda’s voice trail off. “It’s an erotic romance…” Erin rounded the corner of the foyer when she heard the doorbell chime. Danny must have been walking and talking at the same time to traverse the expanse of lawn
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that separated their homes so quickly. She opened the door to find Laurel at eye level, thumb in her mouth, tear stains on her chubby cheeks and her other hand grasping her bottle. Danny was holding her against his chest, his chin resting atop her blonde head. “I’m here with the ‘secret baby’ delivery,” he said in a smooth voice that sent an unexpected jolt through Erin’s body. She looked up into his twinkling green eyes and took a step backward, heart hammering. “That is what they call it, right? In those stories? When a baby shows up out of nowhere?” When the hell had he become so freakin’ sexy? She’d just seen him a little less than a month ago, for shit’s sake. He’d been dressed in khakis and a loose polo shirt. His garb had all but screamed “tee time at two o’clock”. But now, wearing a worn T-shirt and snug, faded jeans, he seemed a hell of a lot more approachable and even more attractive. Holy shit! She’d never had the urge to actually check out her friend’s sibling—not in a lustful way, at least. Not in a manner that had her thinking how wonderful it would feel to have him back her up against the wall and press the bulge of flesh his jeans were cradling to the tiny pulses that had begun to throb at the juncture of her thighs. He’d probably rock in the sack. Cougar alert! Cougar alert! Cougar alert! There it was. That’s what this was all about. Her unusual reaction was simply the result of the ramblings on the internet dating forum where she had been secretly lurking for the past three months. A little acorn of an erotic idea being planted in very fertile imaginations. Just because the others yearned to fulfill their fantasies of sex with younger men didn’t mean Erin would. Or could. Why the hell not? Because as brave as she’d been, more than a little of her self-esteem had been shattered with the divorce. It was so much easier to turn her attention to writing instead of to real men. The men in her stories weren’t shitheads. They didn’t cheat on their wives or roll over and fall into an immediate deep sleep after perfunctory sex. While 20
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they did tend to get her juices flowing, they weren’t flesh and blood. Not like the man standing before her. He shifted Laurel to one arm and offered his hand. “Nice to see you again, Erin. Sorry for the interruption.” Uh-huh. Right. The interruption. The interruption by a totally different Daniel than she was accustomed to. She couldn’t help herself, it was terribly rude she knew, but she let her gaze drift down his long body and up again. When she reached his face, his smile had tightened. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly, shaking his hand. It was warm and he gave her fingers a little squeeze that had her watching him closer. “You look so much different than the last time I saw you.” “At Laurel’s party,” he said, tilting his head at a sexy angle. He remembered. Erin found the fact odd. He’d barely spoken to her. He had seemed more interested in visiting with his friend. “Yes. At the party,” Erin said, motioning for him to come inside. He handed Laurel to her and walked a few steps into the foyer and then turned. “Do I look better? Or worse?” he asked, sticking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “I’m still a little jet lagged.” Jet lagged? Where the hell were the dark circles under the eyes? The overall look of exhaustion? No. He didn’t look anything except totally sexy. Erin’s eyes dropped to his waistband. If only the top few buttons of those jeans were undone, he’d give any one of the guys posted on the dating site a run for their money in the yum-o-licious department. Dear god! “Y-you look good, Danny.” “Wow,” he said, pulling his right hand out of his pocket and running it slowly up his long torso until it covered his heart.
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Erin’s gaze followed the journey and met his hot gaze. “Just good? That hurts, Erin. It really does.” She could tell he smiled by the way the lines around the corners of his eyes deepened, but she was so hung up on the way he’d said her name. How it sounded like a soft caress. How a stab of desire shot through her body. “Y-you look great,” she said, clearing her voice when it threatened to squeak. “Danny.” Could he hear her heart thumping? He must have because he gave her a huge grin and she found the wherewithal to walk toward him. Laurel waved her free hand, brushing it against Erin’s head a few times before laughing loudly, sticking the bottle into her mouth and sucking furiously. “The munchkin refused to eat. Apparently she likes you better than me. You look great too. I like the shorter hair,” he said, brushing the strands that Laurel had disrupted behind Erin’s ear. He paused, ran the pad of his thumb against the bottom of her lobe. Inadvertently, she was sure, yet she couldn’t contain the shiver that floated down her spine. “I just had it trimmed a little. For the conference I went to.” Small talk. That was good. A lot better than holding his niece while thinking how good it would feel if he wrapped his palm around the back of her neck and pulled her in for a long kiss. “Ah, the writing one. In Ohio, right?” She stared at him, making a concentrated effort not to allow her mouth to drop open in shock. “How did you—” “It’s a gift,” he said with a quick wink. “I tend to pay attention to the small stuff when Linda or anyone else is talking. You never know when some tiny little detail will help you out down the road. Get you a little advantage. Let you—”
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“There you are, my precious one.” Linda’s voice put a stop to whatever else he was about to say. She took Laurel from Erin’s arms and continued to coo. “After all these years, doesn’t Uncle Danny know what a sweet little lady needs to make her happy?” Erin shot a sideways glance at Danny, shocked to find him staring straight at her and not their goddaughter. “I know exactly what a lady needs, Linn. I bounced her a little bit. Up and down. Over and over. That generally works. But for once it didn’t seem to satisfy.” What the hell was going on? She was either delusional or her friend’s brother—her friend’s tall, toned and suddenly sexier-than-anything brother—was flirting with her. Her! “Well, she’s content now. That’s all that matters. I love it when she’s blissful.” “A little bliss right now would be perfect,” Danny added, his gaze hitting Erin from head to toe and every point in between. “I’m sorry she was a handful,” Linda said, totally missing the byplay. Erin was thankful for small miracles. She wasn’t sure what Linda’s reaction might be if Erin told her she was having impure thoughts about her brother. She knew for a fact her friend was rabidly protective of her twin when it came to matters of the heart. Or even matters of the penis. Erin had been on the eavesdropping end of more than a few of Linda’s sisterly telephone conversations. That thought was sobering. Danny might not be a player, per se, but the man wasn’t lacking in companionship. Not at all. “Hey, Dan-o.” Paul joined them in the foyer, Erin’s manuscript and tape player in his hands. “You’re able to placate most of the movers and shakers in the business world but one two-year-old proves to be your downfall? This totally sucks. Linda and I were just getting to a good part in the literary action.” “Sorry, Paul. I’ll make it up to you.” Danny laughed.
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“Make it up to the author,” Linda suggested in a light tone. “She’s the one who has the vested interest in whether the earl is a god among men or just your everyday runof-the-mill British horndog who blows his load in twenty seconds flat.” Erin shot her friend a glance, about to tell Linda she had a gift with words when Laurel dropped her bottle then immediately hurled the contents of her stomach in an arc that projected through the air and onto the marble floor. Then the howling began. “Oh my god,” Linda said in an apologetic tone. “Oh, fuck! Erin, I’m so sorry. Here.” Paul shoved her manuscript and the player into Danny’s hands and looked around helplessly. “Paper towels,” Linda said softly in an attempt to quiet Laurel. “I’ll get them,” Erin said, hurrying to the kitchen. Paul was on her heels and took the roll from her hands. “Can you get me a bucket of hot water and an old cloth? That stuff can eat straight through grout, I swear it can. Oh shit, Erin,” Paul groaned. “She got some on your sweater. You need to soak that, babe. Pronto.” Erin looked down at her arm and shook her head. “It’ll be fine. Really.” “No. Get the bucket then hit the laundry room. I’ll clean the floor. Seriously.” “Paul,” Linda’s voice yelled from the other room. “She got some on the Aubusson.” “Holy shit,” Paul muttered. “Rug cleaner too. Stat!” “It’ll be fine.” Erin laughed. There was a time she’d have flipped over the thought of anything marring any surface of her home. But age and the dissolution of her marriage had helped her appreciate what was really important in life. Linda sailed through the kitchen archway and tried to grab the paper towels from Paul’s hands. “I had Danny take her home. Don’t worry, Erin. Paul’s amazing with stain removal. Let me help,” Linda said.
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“Go home, honey. You know how she gets after this. If we ever want your brother to sit for us again, we can’t let him see the hellion that his niece truly is. I’ll get this.” “Paul and I will get it done in no time, Linda. Go on,” Erin urged. “I’m sorry we messed up the night,” Linda said. “You didn’t. It was great. You guys helped me a lot,” Erin said, giving her friend a quick hug. They’d definitely assisted with the writing, but equally as important, they’d inadvertently presented her with inspiration if she decided to try her hand at an older woman and younger man tale. She could probably craft one. With the right inspiration from the right guy. She laughed aloud at the ridiculousness of that thought and thanked her friend again. “You actually helped more than you’ll ever know.”
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Chapter Two Erin couldn’t wait to get on to the forum. She’d been a lurker but maybe tonight she’d be daring and join in the conversation. It was all that preoccupied her thoughts while she and Paul were performing clean-up duty. She had bid him farewell on the heels of promising an immediate soaking of her sweater and, true to her word, she had done just that, not bothering to throw on another top before heading for her office. There was every chance that nothing would come of her tossing out a comment that fate finally threw a younger man in her path. The looks Danny had given her were enough to convince her he might be interested. Erin had vacillated between rationalizing those looks as mere delusion due to his tiredness and the unlikely case of him actually wanting to hook up. She already knew what the ladies would say so her next hurdle would be figuring out how to meet him again if that was what she truly wanted. In a place conducive to seduction. Without a puking two-year-old dangling between them. Erin laughed and powered up the laptop and signed in. The forum was always busy on Sunday nights. She wouldn’t be lacking suggestions on the five “Ws” of research. Who, what, when, where and why. She knew for a fact there would be a follow-up “H”—how did it happen? Followed by the sixth “W”—which positions were involved? The women were brutally frank. The sensor-activated light attached to the back corner of the house flicked on and Erin typed away, not giving it a thought. She wouldn’t be sidetracked by one of the trash-raiding raccoons that was once again making its way toward her recently secured garbage bins. “Good luck, sucker,” she said aloud, reading a comment about grabbing life by the balls…and tonguing them gently.
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“Am I going to need it?” an amused voice questioned through the opened French door. Erin screamed. She couldn’t help herself. It came out a second before she realized she recognized his voice, although it seemed a little deeper, a little more alluring than it had when they were standing in the foyer. She spun around, her breath catching when she saw him peering through the screen, his raised forearms resting against the doorframe. Her heart thundered in her chest, echoing in her ears, and it took her two attempts to actually form a sentence. “What the fuck are you doing out there?” She only swore when she was excessively angry. Or horribly distraught. “Returning these, Miss Potty Mouth.” He moved and Erin followed the lines of his arms until she saw his hands. He slowly wiggled her manuscript and tape player back and forth. “Linda pushed me out the door with Laurel so fast, I forgot I had them. May I come in?” “No,” Erin said hotly. He’d scared her shitless. “No?” He slid the screen open and gave her a repentant smile. “I’m sorry I startled you.” She tried to slow her breathing. “Startled me? Centipedes ‘startle’ me, Danny. You nearly gave me a freakin’ coronary.” She placed her hand over hear heart and jerked her gaze downward when she realized she was sitting there half-naked before him. “Oh my god,” she squealed, spinning her chair around until her back was toward him. “Go away.” “I don’t want to,” he said in a smooth, utterly sexy voice that sent a little swirl of desire straight down her spine. “I know CPR. If your heart’s really in jeopardy.” “Shit,” she replied, rolling her chair across the hardwood floor until she could reach the cashmere throw that was lying on the ottoman.
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“Oh hell. Don’t cover up, Erin. This is too good to be true. Please.” She ignored him and whipped the throw around her shoulders and over her cleavage before she turned around again. “I saw you sitting there and thought, ‘Damn, maybe she’s watching internet porn and I’ll get one hell of a show’. I’ll bet you’re hotter than anything when you’ve ditched the jeans and you’re just sitting there in your panties. Waiting for your kink of choice to get you revved up enough that your hands move off the keyboard and somewhere a little softer.” Erin stared at him, shocked at what he suggested. “I do not watch internet porn. And I don’t masturbate in my office!” “No?” He lifted one foot upward and rested it on the floor just inside the door as he leaned farther forward. “No. I don’t.” “I do,” he said, giving her a wide grin. “It’s fun. It’s forbidden. You never know who might walk in. Don’t you periodically do things that are fun and forbidden?” Erin let her gaze roam up and down his body and didn’t answer. Fun and forbidden didn’t even begin to describe the new and enlightening version of Daniel Marsh. She needed to memorize the sight before her so she could use it at a later date, because it was way hotter than anything she’d dreamed up for her writing thus far. Hot, sexy male, standing in the doorway just waiting to be invited in, sculpted upper body veeing down in perfect proportion to his hips. Like some preternatural creature that had one thing on its mind—sinking sharp incisors and a steely cock into her at exactly the same time, offering her mind-numbing pleasure and maybe just a little pain. Her pussy gave a pre-orgasmic roll and Erin swallowed hard, clenching her ass cheeks tightly to stop the wave of desire. “You gonna let me in or not?” he asked in an innuendo-laced voice, lowering his arms as he stepped upward and teetered in the doorway.
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“Not,” she whispered, emotions swirling around her brain. Do it. Erin wanted to. What better chance? It might be a debacle. He wants to fuck you. You can see it in those eyes. Why would someone like Daniel want her? You’re an idiot. “That’s fine. If you won’t let me in, here you go.” He pulled his arm back and tossed the tape player toward her and Erin immediately reached for it, dropping the corners of the wrap in the process. The soft fabric slid off her shoulders and down her back in a slow caress. One she chose to blame for the shiver that went through her. The fact that he’d tossed it to purposely dislodge her covering seemed too bizarre to consider. Until he spoke. “I was hoping you’d do that,” he said, pulling his full lower lip between his teeth as he wiggled his brows. She watched his gaze flit from her breasts to her eyes. “You’re still breathing pretty heavily. Is that because you feel guilty about lying to me? Just now? About the masturbating?” “I don’t—” “Sure you do,” he said in a mesmerizing voice. “The question remains if you do it in here. Where anyone outside could see in and watch you get yourself off. See if you like it fast. Or if you’re more of a slow, drawn-out sort of gal. Do you have a stash of toys hidden in the credenza?” Oh my god. She didn’t. But the idea that there could have been—and he was bold enough to ask about them—was somehow erotic. Equally erotic was his suggestion that the semicircle of glass windows would offer perfect viewing. A tiny bit of moisture tickled through
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her folds and she eased her thighs together. Now was neither the time nor the place to give further thought to her latent voyeuristic thoughts. “You should go.” Erin said. “Really? Just leave you now, so you can run to your room and get yourself off?” “I wasn’t surfing X-rated sites and I wasn’t sitting here, ready to play with myself. I was in a hurry to check email, hence the move straight from the laundry room where I disrobed for the sole purpose of presoaking my vomit-stained sweater—thanks to our goddaughter—and ended up half dressed.” There. A healthy dose of right-back-at-you logic should take care of her rapidly dissolving common sense. He pinned her with a steady gaze that seemed to indicate he could see straight through her pitiful ruse. The intense stare made her uncomfortable and inexplicably turned-on at the same time. It left little doubt as to why he was so successful at his career. “Do your nipples always turn rock hard when you’re checking your inbox? That’s gotta be hell on earth,” he said in a honeyed voice, ignoring her demand to stay where he was. He stalked slowly toward her. Erin clutched the tape player to her breasts, forearms effectively covering the twin points that were clearly outlined against the thin cotton of her bra. Embarrassed, she diverted her gaze to the center of his chest, watching him move closer and closer until he stopped an arm’s reach away. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. “Are you shaking your head no to your nipples getting hard? Because if you are, I’m going to have to be very ungentlemanly and call you a liar, Erin.” She heard the humor in his voice and wasn’t going to respond until his thumb brushed along her jawline and he cupped her chin in the palm of his hand. His touch was so unexpected, so shocking, that her eyes quickly opened.
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He slowly tilted her face upward and Erin didn’t know where to look. His mouth, his eyes, the lone dimple on his left cheek, the soft sweep of honey-colored hair against his forehead. All demanded her attention at once but in the end she settled on his deep green eyes. “This is all just too weird,” she whispered. “It doesn’t have to be.” His eyes twinkled as he leaned toward her, bending to brush his mouth softly against her parted lips. It was barely a touch but it was electrifying, and when she started to pull back, the fingers under her chin flexed just enough that she stayed right where she was and allowed him to press his mouth a little more firmly against hers. It was an assault, yet nothing brutal or sloppy. The straightforward, sweet caress was a hundred times more exciting than anything Erin had experienced. “I like the way you taste, Erin,” he whispered against her mouth. His tongue traced the seam of her throbbing lips and Erin barely contained a groan. He kissed the corner of her mouth and she couldn’t help licking the path his tongue had taken, picking up a hint of spearmint. His quick, systematic kisses touched her jaw, leaving a tingly path as he worked his way toward her ear. “I want to taste more,” he said softly before capturing her earlobe between his teeth and running his tongue around the tiny bit of flesh. He leaned forward and wrapped his strong hands around her upper arms, squeezing gently before sliding his lips away. “Do you like having your pussy stroked?” He pulled her out of the chair, holding on to her until she was standing, unwavering before him. Erin inhaled sharply, at a total loss for words. No one had ever talked to her that way. Part of her wanted to tell him to stop. That she couldn’t handle the overwhelming emotions that were starting to rise. God, the ladies would kill her if they knew she was ready to call retreat. She wasn’t being assertive. She wasn’t “going for it” as she should. An undeniably hot younger man was standing before her. Asking her blatantly personal questions that should have been making her blush. But they weren’t. They 31
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were making her ten times hornier than she’d ever imagined. But underneath the thrill of it all was a nagging kernel of doubt as to why was he even bothering with her. A woman ten years his senior. “It’s a simple question,” he said, releasing her arms and sliding his hands downward until he captured her wrists. He held her, no doubt able to feel her pulse drumming against his fingers, and she wet her lips, unsure what to say. “Do you want me to just find out for myself?” He reached for the snap of her jeans and the slight brush of his knuckles against her stomach made her gasp. Vanity had her tightening her abs and holding her breath. She felt the fabric loosen and she swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat. Trying to harness a modicum of control, she exhaled slowly and looked upward until she met his heated gaze. And immediately lost her nerve. “I don’t think I can do this, Danny.” Her voice was barely a whisper. He bent his head and brushed his lips across the other side of her jaw, following the curve until he reached the sensitive spot of skin where her neck and shoulder met. “Do you have a problem with my age?” he asked softly, nipping lightly at the skin. She clenched her fists as a wave of lust danced through her body with a leisureliness that went beyond maddening. “No…maybe,” she sighed, exasperated just a bit. “It shouldn’t be an issue—” “Then don’t let it. I’ve wanted you for a very long time.” He kissed his way to her shoulder then shifted his body to one side before trailing openmouthed kisses to the swell of one breast. “Years in fact.” That couldn’t be true. “It started out purely physical,” he said, as if he had heard her thoughts. “Seeing you in that little purple and white tennis outfit you wore the day Linda called and told Zac and me we only had two hours to get everything your cocksucker of an ex had out of the house and onto the lawn.”
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He dipped his head and strands of hair tickled her skin. With the tip of his nose he traced a path into her cleavage and up the swell of her other breast and Erin automatically shifted her weight to offer him full access. “It’s the way the little skirt rode up every time you bent over. How the matching panties hugged your tight ass,” he said, slowly retracing his actions until his lips were once again pressed against the side of her neck. “When you went down on all fours and pulled that storage container full of old Playboys out from the back of his closet—I almost came in my Calvins. Underwear and jeans. I could have shot a load heavy enough to soak through both.” Oh my god. She hadn’t given her garb a bit of thought back then. Hadn’t realized the effect it could have on a man with a healthy libido. It hadn’t done a damn thing for her ex. There hadn’t been any studly-golf-pro-and-innocent-tennis-protégé role-playing going on at 839 Waverly Court. Danny leaned back and gave her a sinful smile. “I whacked off to that image more times than I can count and Zac probably did the same. But it’s not as physical anymore.” An inexplicably crushing weight hovered over her heart and Erin quickly looked away. She didn’t need him to tell her she was nowhere near the woman she had been. The latitude to play tennis three times a week and hit aerobic classes the other two had vanished shortly after she’d tossed Harry out on his ass. Now she worked every day so she could afford to keep the house she loved. She was lucky if she made it to the gym at all. She knew with certainty she hadn’t been wet-dream material for quite a few years. Which was fine. She also knew she didn’t want to be anyone’s pity fuck. “Hey, Erin?” He grabbed her chin and forced her head around, made her meet his eyes. “You’re still smokin’ hot to me, honey. I’m not some naïve twenty-year-old, okay? I’ve made love to mature women before. I like it. A lot. And I prefer them to have some
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curves. If I wanted the waif look, I’d be trolling university bars or hitting the clubs in the city. I’m looking for a woman with a little more substance. Physically and mentally.” Erin stared into his beautiful eyes, trying to convince herself the look of pure honesty was a scam, that he was probably a giant bullshitter just like the majority of the male populace. But her heart was totally messing up that image. Big time. “Don’t even try to downplay that intelligence. You’ve shown everyone just how freakin’ smart you are. I know you landed that PR job on your own. Linda told me. No using friends or contacts from your vast social circle. Five years and you’re at the top. Do you know how fuckin’ sexy a powerful woman is?” “I’m not powerful.” It had been a challenge to speak. To form words to stop him when a part of her wanted to allow him to go on and on about her presumed greatness. She hadn’t been praised in a very long time. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed hearing those words coming from a lover’s lips. Lovers. They could be just that for one night. She could let him make love to her. Let him amaze her with expertise and stamina and adoring little words, which was what the allure of sex with a younger man really boiled down to, wasn’t it? “You hold all the power at this minute. Everything from this point forward is your decision,” he said. “Now, if you want my professional opinion—boy genius that I am— I’d tell you to take advantage of the pendulum swinging your way and capitalize, capitalize, capitalize.” He leaned forward and brought his lips back to her neck, lightly caressing the same spot with a slow, steady pressure that had her fingers curling hard enough that they threatened to crush the tape player she still clutched to her chest. Over the frantic pounding of her heart, Erin heard the distinct sound of the zipper of her jeans being lowered one tooth at a time. Slowly. Patiently. As if he had all the time in the world. But not me. It’s now or never, woman.
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She looked upward and met his expectant gaze and in that moment all she wanted was to touch him. To let go of the silly recorder that she thought was somehow protecting her and connect their bodies. The undeniable urge had her tossing the machine onto an oversized armchair and reaching upward to tunnel her fingers through his hair. It was smooth. Silky. When she brushed her short nails across his scalp, he latched on to her neck tightly, sucking the skin between his teeth and then lessening the pressure to run his tongue against the same spot. Over and over and over until Erin shifted her hips and brought her body against the hand that was hovering near her crotch. He pulled his head back and whispered against her neck as he slid his hand just inside the waistband of her jeans, stroking the elastic band of her cotton panties with his knuckles. “I’ll ask once more. Do you like having your pussy played with?” This is it. Do or die. Now or never. All the clichés known to man flitted through her brain. Followed closely by reason upon reason she should just say no. “By someone other than me?” Erin asked softly. It wasn’t the teasing tone of voice used by a woman who was sophisticated. A woman who knew what she wanted. He drew back and stared at her, his face emotionless, his eyes boring into her. She watched him watch her. His only reaction to her statement was the tiny clenching of his jaw. “Yeah.” He leaned to the other side and latched on to her neck once more and she rocked her hips forward just as he flipped his wrist and palmed her mound. The heat of his hand, the pressure of his middle finger against her clit, had her grabbing his biceps in a death grip as a quick, pre-orgasmic stab shot through her lower body. Desire overrode her last shred of sensibility and she circled her hips. In answer to her silent request he splayed his fingers over her vulva, leaving one delicious digit for her to grind against. She rode it, not caring how she must look. She couldn’t have stopped if she wanted to. Even when he leaned back and watched her. 35
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“How long’s it been since a man’s stroked these hot lips, Erin?” “About two seconds,” she whispered. The corner of his mouth quirked, a sexy little dimple making a brief appearance before it disappeared. “In all this time. No one but me then?” he asked in a very serious tone. She shook her head, pussy throbbing a little faster at the way his gaze gleamed for just a second. “With that piece of welcome news, I’m switching to Plan B.” He dragged his hand away from her heat to cradle her face. She whimpered at the loss of his intimate touch and groaned a second later when he melded their mouths and kissed her slowly. Deeply. Working his lips against hers with such finesse that she shifted her hips, rubbing her thighs together in an attempt to stop the cream that was seeping from her core. He kissed her until she was literally short of breath and had to pull away. Holy shit! He was amazing. “What was Plan A?” She had to ask, covertly sucking in some much-needed air. He offered her a crooked grin. “Plopping you down on the ottoman and yanking your ass to the edge. Dropping to my knees, ripping off your panties and devouring your pussy until you screamed for me to stop. And me refusing to stop.” Holy double shit! “I’m good with that,” she blurted, glancing at the ottoman while a surge of desire shot through her nether regions. He chuckled wickedly and the sound warmed her further. “Mmmm. Useful knowledge, Erin. I’ll file that away for later but for now, move your sweet little ass right over here.”
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Her ass wasn’t little. Or sweet. But she allowed him to maneuver her toward the wall of windows. He squared her body and she found herself looking out into the darkness. “That’s perfect. Now give me just a second.” She watched his reflection in the glass as he tried a few light switches before finding the one that turned on the recessed lighting that was strategically placed at each corner of the office. A moment later the bulb directly above her head was dimmed to a soft glow. He strode across the room and shut off the lamp on the end table as well as the one on her desk until the room was darkened then stooped and picked up her manuscript on his way back. “Now, let’s take up right here.” He pressed his body against her back and brought his arms around her. Erin leaned in to his warmth, unable to believe she was meekly standing half naked in his loose embrace. He flipped the pages and she reached out, trailing her fingers along his muscled forearms as he searched. “Ah. This is it. After the earl and his lady have banged themselves crazy in her bedchamber. For the record, Paul’s still pissed I interrupted that scene. Right here, where they’re in the solarium with the wind whipping outside and the sky turning cloudy.” “You read that far? That’s halfway through the book,” she asked incredulously. “I’m a quick reader…especially when it’s something captivating. Something that’s hot enough it gives me a hard-on. That first love scene definitely did that.” He brushed her hair behind her ear and Erin turned her head into his caress, shocked when he placed a gentle kiss upon her temple. “You’re very good, Ms. Erotic Romance Writer. Very, very good.” His breath teased the shell of her ear and a little wave of delight rolled down her spine. She didn’t want to overthink the reaction. Spawned by his words or his caress—she didn’t care which.
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“I’m glad you think—” “Except for one thing,” he added, moving his hands to her shoulders. “What—” He stopped her when she would have turned and confronted him. She might not be an experienced writer, but she had enough confidence in herself that she didn’t need someone not even remotely close to her demographic offering criticism. “Don’t get defensive. I said you’re a good writer and I meant it.” He held her gaze in the reflection of the window and Erin consciously relaxed the fierce look on her face. She had quickly adopted the sentiment of most authors—that each book was like a baby. Something to be nurtured to the point of perfection and then held very dear. “All I’m saying is that your male point of view needs a little tweaking. Or are your readers solely focused on your damsel in distress?” He slid his hands along her shoulders until his thumbs met and he slowly began to massage the knot of tension at the top of her spine. She closed her eyes and sighed. “She’s not a damsel, she’s a heroine,” Erin said, feeling her argumentative spirit begin to dissolve. He had wonderful hands. Strong. Soothing. Capable of doing god knew what if she didn’t fly off the handle like some Shakespearian shrew. “Feel good?” he whispered. “Mmmm.” It was all the response she could manage. “Would her ladyship like it if the earl was doing this?” Erin hesitated then nodded . “Definitely.” “So how much of yourself has been channeled into your heroine?” Just that quickly Erin’s body tensed. She’d always thought she wanted a perceptive man. Maybe she’d been terribly wrong. The last thing she wanted to talk about was what inspired her. “Relax, Erin. Hell, who doesn’t like to watch? At least on some level. It’s a pretty big turn-on, finding out you harbor a little kinkiness.”
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Erin swallowed against the dryness in her throat and wondered if she should believe him. His words had kicked her heart into a thrumming beat. “I don’t.” “Oh but you do, honey. You sure as shit do. It was all right there in black and white. I’m actually down with visually sharing the experience with others—to a point. But I wouldn’t be anywhere near as patient as the earl. I’d want your undivided attention a lot earlier. That’s where I think your take on men is skewed. And an audience once in a while lends an air of naughtiness, but all the time—” “They make love alone,” Erin defended. “In the master chamber.” “When?” She considered his question. It happened only once. “In the final scene,” she said softly. “After page upon page of erotic action. Grooms and scullery maids and even his best friend catching glimpses of the earl tappin’ her ass. That scene in the forest, with the stable master—big-time boner alert. And when they finally get some alone time it’s not until the last few pages.” “There’s no way you read that far. You couldn’t have.” “As soon as I realized there might be a way to show you how much I want you, I started skimming. Looking for the occasional ‘cock’ and ‘pussy’ to clue me in to the fact they were going at it again. Which helped me focus on other things.” “Such as?” “The dictation portion of this evening’s entertainment, my lady.” “Your what?” “Bear with me.” He pulled his hands away and strode to the chair where he retrieved the forgotten tape player. He came back to her side and handed her the machine. “Danny—”
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“This is going to be great, Erin.” He kissed her quickly on the mouth and slid the screen door open and walked outside. “I don’t understand,” she said, thoroughly puzzled. A moment later she heard the distinct sound of him pulling one of the heavy patio chairs closer to the window. “You will.” His deep voice came from the darkness. She saw a flash of white and knew he smiled briefly, but the rest of his shape was indiscernible in the dark. “You looked like that famous literary cat,” Erin said, shifting against the throbbing between her thighs. The slight movement forced her gaze to her reflection in the glass. The not quite crisp image of her in her opened jeans and bra was pretty alluring. “With any luck, there’ll be a little cream waitin’ for me when this is all over.” He laughed. His so typically male words and the timbre of his voice made Erin excessively wet. The idea that he was comfortably seated and watching her made her pussy throb. “When what’s all over?” Erin demanded, secretly admitting she couldn’t wait to see what was going to transpire. Her half naked. Him watching. “Press Play, Erin. Just press Play.”
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Chapter Three Jesus, she was hot. The overhead light cast brightness and shadows in all the right places and Daniel clenched his fists, wondering why he had waited so damn long to make his move. He should have listened to Zac. That thought was as frightening as Erin not doing what he suggested. He held his breath, waiting to see if she would turn on the tape player. He prided himself on his quick thinking, and when he’d paged through her manuscript reading the highly erotic words, the proverbial light bulb had gone off. When he had turned on the player and listened to her soft voice recite the words she’d crafted, it had become clear there was more than the simple missionary-style mindset at work. He watched the rapid rise and fall of her breasts, giving himself a mental pat on the back for not reaching around and fondling them when he had stood behind her. It would have been so damn easy to peel down the thin material of her bra and caress the softness. Full and undeniably not fake. So easy to test their weight in the palms of his hands before seeing just how sensitive her nipples were. He shifted downward in the chair and spread his legs, giving his balls a little more room. Not that they’d need it. If she actually played along with his historical oration, his sac would be plastered against the base of his semihard cock in no time. Erin peered out the window, focusing her gaze about two feet higher than the top of his head. She obviously couldn’t see him, but she knew he was there. Just like her horny heroine secretly knew each time she had an audience. He really did want to see how much of the author was embedded in the character and just how amenable she was to sharing that fact. He’d purposely chosen a scene after the earl had shown his lady how effectively she could pleasure herself. It seemed the perfect means for Erin to get a
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little insight into the male mind while he discovered just how adventurous she might be. She glanced at the tape player, out into the darkness then back to her hands once more. Daniel waited, not realizing he was holding his breath until her index finger pressed the button and started the tape. She leaned to the side and placed the machine on the end table, and over the sudden acceleration of his heart, he heard his own voice. “Isabella leaned her forehead against the pane of one of the conservatory’s tall windows and watched the final rays of the sun transform into a purple-hued dusk. Outside, the steward and the gardener appeared to be in a very heated discussion, no doubt prompted by something the overbearing earl had found unacceptable.” They were her words—he’d dictated them precisely as she had written. But she’d soon find out that her hero wasn’t going to be walking up behind her and chastising her for disobeying his request that she wait for him in his room. He wasn’t going to show his power over her body and slowly strip her bare while the others covertly watched. No, in Daniel’s quick revision, the earl had been in the courtyard outside the conservatory, enjoying an evening smoke. He wasn’t completely certain that was historically accurate, but it was the best he could come up with when brainstorming scenarios that had her inside and him outside. “The earl stalked into the courtyard and quickly ordered the two men in his employ to make themselves scarce. He knew his lady well—knew she would disobey and end up in a spot as far away from his chamber as possible. He also knew she would have to be punished. Sweetly. With firm slaps to her shapely ass.” He saw Erin’s eyes widen and he smiled. She hadn’t cracked up at his voice or his words. That was a plus for his plan. He had thought it fairly predictable that he’d find her in her office after the choreography session and unexpected housecleaning. His career centered on anticipating a person’s logical next move. He assumed she’d want to make changes to her story.
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“He took a quick puff of his cigar and walked slowly toward the conservatory door. She was gorgeous. Headstrong. He doubted he’d ever get enough of her lush body. The feel of her nipples getting hard as he licked them, the sweetness that pooled at the base of her pussy. ‘Did I not tell you there would be a price to pay for ogling the hired help?’” Daniel smiled, completely delighted at the words. He’d done well. “I’m tired of you disobeying. It wasn’t part of the bargain. But my having access to your body was. Take off your clothes, my lady. Nice and slow.” Erin hesitated, but from the way she hooked her fingers in the waistband of her jeans, it appeared she wasn’t going to disappoint him. Slowly shifting her hips to the left, then right, then left again, she wiggled her jeans halfway down her thighs and Daniel swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected—he knew her panties were white and had lace trim—but it sure as hell wasn’t hip-hugging boy shorts. He’d never really been a fan. Until now. She let her jeans drop to the floor but didn’t step out of them. Her legs were in great shape and the slight fullness of her upper thighs was testament to the fact her countryclub lifestyle had fallen by the wayside. And Daniel didn’t care. All he wanted to do was wrap his hands around the fleshiness and spread her wide enough that he could cushion the side of his head on one thigh while his fingers leisurely explored her soft, slick folds. His cock leaped at the thought and he ran his open palm against his growing erection. The one thing he wasn’t going to do was whack off during the show. Or maybe he should rub a quick one out so when he finally took her to bed, he’d have the longevity every woman desired and every man wanted to provide. He’d needed women before. But he’d never really wanted one. Not like he wanted Erin. He hoped she would believe that fact because the earl was just about to repeat Daniel’s sentiment. “He stood outside, looking in upon her beauty. His cock was as hard as granite and he couldn’t wait to slide his length into her heat. There was no feeling on earth that 43
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rivaled making love to a woman you craved. Whether that longing had been present for days or months or even years.” Erin looked out into the darkness once more, brows shifting together in a little frown. He wanted to yell out that the words were the truth but he hadn’t allowed for extraneous commentary while recording. “‘Touch yourself the way I showed you earlier. I want every part of your body flushed with anticipation. If you do satisfactorily well…if your nipples end up deliciously tight and your fingers drenched with your juice, maybe the punishment won’t be quite as severe.’”
Erin would have marveled at how well crafted Danny’s dialogue was—if her panties weren’t ready to ignite. He’d taken a scene that she thought was hot and made it ten times more erotic by having the earl watch instead of the servants. She glanced down at the twin points straining against her bra. If Danny could see her clearly, he’d already know how effective his words were. Her nipples ached. As for her being drenched and the thought of punishment— “‘Touch yourself, Erin. Show me what you really like.’” Her heartbeat faltered at the use of her name. He’d thought this whole thing through, it seemed. Thought about her and her book. Incorporated both. She knew, in that moment, he’d been truthful and not just throwing out hot looks, sly innuendo and patent words that might coerce her into letting him make love to her. At her age she should have been happy for someone as sexy as Danny to try to persuade her to shed her panties but the fact he’d put a little effort behind what was surely a seduction—her first—made it all the more special. She hadn’t felt all that bold when she dropped her jeans to the floor. In fact, she was scared witless. But all the overheard conversations at the conference about “real life” inspiration had given her the boost she needed. Now, knowing he would undoubtedly
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offer her a night of wild lovemaking, she felt a little brazen. He was watching her. Waiting. She had no intention of letting him down. With exaggerated slowness she moved first one foot and then the other until she was no longer standing atop a pile of denim. She bent at the waist, keeping her eyes focused on the darkness as she slid the fingertips of her right hand between her cleavage and down the front of her body. She picked up the jeans and unceremoniously tossed them toward her computer chair, not caring if they actually made it that far or fell short. Inspiration assailed her and she reached toward the end table. She pushed the Stop button on the player. She wasn’t sure if there were any more directives coming but she didn’t need them. Not when she was embracing the sultry side she never knew existed. She didn’t actually have to masturbate. She could just run her hands here, there and everywhere and that should be fine. Exotic dancers did it all the time. Erin grabbed one of the many elastic hair bands lying around her workspace and pulled her hair back in a ponytail as she returned to her perch in front of the window. She looked at her reflection, pleased. Her neck had always been one of her best features and she ran her fingers along each side then across her collarbone. Taking a deep breath, she let her fingers drift to the swell of her breasts, brushing back and forth until a smidgen of desire startlingly rolled through her lower body. It brought with it a rush of another kind—one of control. The naughtiness associated with exhibitionism had always appealed to her, yet she had never voiced it. Her ex wouldn’t have understood. Not at all. But here was Danny. Playing along with her secret kink. In her mind and when she wrote her scenes, simply knowing someone watched was enough to satisfy. Now, with a living, breathing, sexy man on the other side of the glass, Erin realized she hadn’t known the true meaning of naughty. Go for it! She had no idea whose voice screamed that sentiment but she cupped her breasts, rubbing her nipples through the thin cotton of her bra, and just as Danny’s voice had 45
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commanded, painfully tight peaks were the answer to her caress. She didn’t stop until the throbbing in her pussy demanded something more and she slowly rolled the distended tips between her thumbs and forefingers pinching lightly until her moan echoed through the room. The imaginary cord that connected all the pulsing parts of her body clenched and Erin bit her lip as wetness slicked her folds. Shit. Could she really head in that direction next? Could she touch her aching clit and not climax right before his eyes? He’d said he wanted anticipation, not completion. She let her hands drift lower, trying to keep sexy thoughts swirling through her brain when she passed over her slightly rounded belly. She refused to think of the fact she should be doing crunches on a daily basis. Danny hadn’t run screaming from the patio so maybe he really didn’t care. Women of substance. The thought made her smile and she arched a brow then ran her palm over her mons in a very slow circle. She’d be fine. As long as the tips of her fingers avoided her clit, she’d be fine. She found a rhythm, one that stoked the fullness building inside and she shifted her hips against the sensation. “Oh yeah. That’s perfect.” The words escaped her lips and she heard the sound of metal scraping concrete. A second later Danny was at the door. “Change of plans.” His voice was huskier than it had been when he was effectively seducing her under the guise of the earl. He stalked into the room, his voyeuristic perch apparently forgotten. Erin took a step backward, her heart thundering as he pulled his shirt up his body and over his head in one fluid motion. He was ripped. To the point that her mouth actually watered. Better than anything she could have dreamed or written. Better than any group-mailed half-naked image. Better than any hottie on any blog. She watched him fumble with the button and zipper of his jeans before he splayed his large hands over her ass and yanked her lower body into his. He was rock hard and long, his thick cock nestling between her already swollen labia. 46
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“This is perfect. You’re so fucking hot, I can’t stand it.” He looked down into her eyes and Erin lost her breath. Desire shone there. Hot and intense. Promising. He moved one hand to grab the back of her hair and tilted her head. “I can’t decide what to do first—go down on you or hoist you into my arms and be totally selfish and bury my cock balls-deep.” His lips descended in a firm, unrelenting kiss that had her gripping his arms for support. When she realized he wasn’t about to let her tumble she ran her palms over his pecs, loving the little flex he offered before breaking the kiss. “The ottoman’s looking pretty good,” she whispered. He nipped at her neck and she thrust her pussy harder against his erection. “Fuck that,” he growled. He dipped his big body down and hoisted her over one shoulder. “Oh my god, what are you doing?” she asked, enjoying the view of his jeans riding low on his ass as he stalked across the room. “My best caveman impersonation. I know you dig that. I saw the book sitting on the chair. Which way’s the bedroom?” “To the right. And they’re not that kind of cavemen,” she said, her breath hitching when the arm around her lower thighs tightened and he ran his palm over the globes of her ass. “They’re models.” “Got it. Like the dude on the cover.” He stopped just inside the door to her bedroom. “Hit the switch, Erin. I have a feeling I’m going to like what I see.” She barely had time to turn on the light before he walked quickly across the plush carpet and stood in front of her triple dresser. “Oh yeah,” he whispered. “Baby, you’ve got great legs but this…this is what I’ve been dying for.
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With one finger he traced the outline of her ass cheeks, two big swooping curves to the right and back toward the left, and Erin struggled against his restraint. She had never liked her ass. Thought it was way too big for the rest of her body. “Be still,” he ordered. His palm connected to her right cheek with a sound crack. A jolt of desire rocketed straight toward her cunt and Erin fell forward, the air whooshing from her lungs as she reached down and grabbed his hips. Her flesh stung, and just as she was about to voice that fact, he landed another firm swat to the other cheek. Her startled gasp echoed through the room. A few breaths later she was able to slowly push herself upward until her body was nearly perpendicular with the floor. “I love white panties,” he said in a reverent tone. A second later his hand connected again and Erin tried to wiggle her clit against his shoulder. He only held on tighter and soothed her stinging flesh with a light circular caress. Except Erin didn’t find it soothing in the least. Each pass of his hand left her wantonly anticipating another slap. “Do you know why?” He pulled first one side of her underwear and then the other inward until they were tucked between her ass cheeks, exposing her fully. She remained silent. Waiting. “Because they always let a man know the truth.” His short nails barely scored the skin of one globe and Erin tightened her glutes, the motion making her clit ache all the more. She had the urge to beg him to rip her panties from her body and finger her. Just as she was. Propped against his shoulder. “Simple white panties let a man know that he’s doing something the woman he wants to fuck is enjoying.” He dipped his finger and ran it down the seam of her pussy lips, the tip of his finger stopping just shy of her clit, and Erin bit her lip. “It lets him know he’s doing something right.” He wiggled his finger against her heat, his knuckle and the wad of silk beneath it pressing into her opening and Erin groaned.
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“Mmmm. Look at that.” He moved his hand and traced what was surely a wet spot, his finger barely touching her labia. “Am I doing something you like or should I stop?” “Oh my god,” she said, trying to arch her back as he brushed his finger over her clit and began to slowly rub her. “You’re doing everything right.” Just as quickly as he had put her over his shoulder, he popped her body upward and lowered her slowly toward the floor. Before her feet could touch the ground, he held her at eye level. “So you don’t want me to stop?” She shook her head. “Say it,” he ordered. His commanding tone should have had her hackles rising. But it didn’t. It had the completely opposite effect. “I don’t want you to stop, Danny,” she replied in a firm voice He touched his forehead to hers and spoke softly. “That’s perfect because I don’t intend to.” Erin brought their mouths together, kissing him with a passion that surprised her. Despite the aura of dominance he was projecting he let her control the caress, let her have her way until she finally pulled her head away. “You liked when I swatted your ass. Maybe we can try focusing solely on that another night. What do you think?” Another night? “Are you down with everything you write about or are some things strictly fantasy on your part?” Erin didn’t know where he was headed, and her mind was still wrapping itself around the fact he had all but said this wasn’t going to be a one-night stand, so she answered honestly. “I really haven’t been a sexual adventurer, Danny. I’m pretty boring.” 49
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“I beg to differ. You’d have gotten yourself off for me in your office if my cock hadn’t demanded I stand up and let it be heard.” “Your cock speaks?” She laughed. “Oh yeah, honey. Loud and clear and at the most inopportune times.” “That’s weird. I can’t hear it. Maybe you should let me slide down to the floor for a better listen?” She’d love to run her hands over his erection. It was plastered between their bodies so she had a pretty good idea of its size. She’d stroke him then suck him. How long had it been since she’d run her tongue along the sensitive underside of a primed penis? “No way, tease. I want to throw out an addendum to that scene where the earl’s kneeling between your thighs, fingers in valiant search of your G-spot.” He walked her backward and set her down on the side of the bed. “They’re not my thighs, they’re my character’s thighs,” she replied. “Really?” He arched a brow and quickly pushed his jeans over his hips, allowing her first unencumbered view of his cock. Sizeable and thick and jutting out from a nicely trimmed thatch of pubic hair. Her gaze drifted to his perfectly shaved balls and she ran her tongue along her bottom lip, tilting her head backward to look him in the eye. “Honesty, Erin. First and foremost…” He placed his palm in the dead center of her chest and pushed. Her back hit the mattress and she quickly struggled to her elbows. “Those scenes you’ve written? I’m thinking they’ve got to be all your fantasies. I’m prayin’ that, after all these years, you’ll let me make them come true.” He was on his knees and had her ass to the edge of the bed before she knew what happened. She didn’t have time to worry about him spreading her thighs wide, placing one heel on the wooden side rail and hooking her other leg over his arm. “Fuck, your pussy is perfect. I can’t wait to taste you but if we’re going to follow the earl’s lead…open your mouth.”
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He rubbed his index finger along her bottom lip and Erin opened, sucking on his finger like some wanton porn star. He brushed it back and forth across her tongue and saliva pooled. She stroked him, licking his digit as she would his cock, swirling around it until he pulled his slicked finger free, his gaze never leaving her as he zeroed in with amazing precision on her opening. Slowly he slid into her tightness and she let her eyes drift shut at the gloriousness of being stretched. “Holy shit,” he barely whispered. Then cleared his throat. “The earl seemed to be a manual master. Tell me if I don’t live up.” He wiggled his finger and then began slowly advancing and retreating, never pulling fully out of her sheath. When he added another finger, her low, drawn-out moan filled the room. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. He was working a magic that she’d never known and her eyes flew open when he probed a particularly receptive area. She looked at him and he simply smiled—a little cocky but completely endearing. He held her gaze, his fingers stoking a fire, the fullness blossoming in her lower body. She clutched at the comforter, not sure she wanted him to continue. “Oh geez,” she groaned. “Oh geez?” He snorted. “Babe, I think we can do better than that.” Fingers slowing, he lowered his head between her thighs and ran his tongue up one side of her pussy until he reached her clit. With featherlight strokes he focused on the little cap of skin covering her nub. Up and over, back and forth until the throbbing intensified and she shifted her hips in an attempt to have him press harder. “Be still.” His hot breath brushed her pussy, then his mouth gently latched on to her clit. He feasted on her nub with light, tiny pulses that went on for what seemed like forever and had her pleading with him to please, please, please thrust his fingers faster. In answer he pulled her clit against his teeth, not releasing the suction, and her body tensed in anticipation.
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She didn’t want to move, afraid that if she did, the deliciousness of the moment would be lost. She waited for his tongue to touch her but what she received was a hundred times better. His fingers finally resumed their motion, firmly stroking her inner wall as he increased the suction of his lips, never completely releasing her clit. It was maddening, the building of tension both inside and out. She shifted her leg upward on his arm to pull him closer but his body stayed just where it was, refusing her silent request. “Ooooh fuck,” she moaned, her thighs starting to shake. The hand between her thighs picked up its pace, thrusting quicker. Harder. She’d have been worried about the aggression if the wild pulsing in her pussy hadn’t flamed to the point of near explosion. Her entire body began to quiver and she dropped back flat onto the bed, trying to mentally hold on to each mind-boggling sensation. “Ready to come for me, Erin?” “Yes,” she whispered, her lips suddenly dry. He hooked her other leg over his biceps, moving his free hand low on her belly. He flicked his tongue rapidly over her clit and pressed the heel of his hand into her flesh, and the fullness stretching her insides escalated until she arched her back, hanging on the brink of orgasm. “I’ve waited years to watch this,” he said hoarsely. His thumb took the place of his mouth and he buffed her clit, hooking his fingers at the same time, and a blinding flash of pure, raw desire assailed her. “You’re so fucking gorgeous, Erin. Let it all go for me.” She closed her eyes and the fullness consumed her as her orgasm exploded, desire seeping from her very core as she called his name over and over. He eased his fingers from her sheath and she grabbed his wrist. The thrumming of her heart echoed in her ears and she opened her eyes and met his desirous stare. “I want more,” she brazenly whispered. “I want you, Danny.”
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He pulled his arm from her grasp and stood, grabbed her under the arms and maneuvered her fully onto the bed. She looked up at him through half-closed lids and opened her arms. He was nearly in her embrace when he halted and a look of worry crossed his face. “Shit.” He looked over his shoulder, paused, and turned back to her. “Condom?” She wasn’t sure if he was asking if she had one or if he needed one and she raised her brows in confusion. “I left my wallet at Linda’s. I don’t have anything—” “It’s fine. I’m…I’ve got it covered—” She curbed her explanation. There was no way in hell she was going to have an early-hysterectomy discussion with him while his beautiful cock was plastered against his stomach, a lone drop of pre-cum glistening at the slit. “I always use protection, Erin, so you don’t have to worry—” “I’m not worried, I believe you. Just come down here and kiss me.” He settled his big body over hers, resting on his elbows as he looked deep into her eyes and rocked his hips. His cock slid effortlessly over her slick pussy and he smiled, his sexy little dimple appearing once again. “Just kiss you?” he teased. “Fine. Kiss me and fuck me. Is that better?” He chuckled. “I’d like it better if it was ‘kiss me and make love to me’ but I’m so hard I doubt you’re going to see my finest moment of longevity. Your pussy’s so tight, I’m giving myself less than thirty strokes before I blow. So it’s definitely going to be fucking.” “That’s fine.” Erin smiled up at him and he shifted backward and grabbed her hips, going “no hands” to align his penis and push slowly into her body. His loud groan— and Erin’s softer one—blended into the most erotic sound she’d ever heard.
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“Is it fine, Erin?” he asked, pinning her with his emerald gaze as he slowly withdrew then started to thrust again. Erin rotated her hips, enjoying the way his eyebrows raised as he filled her. “It’s really fine, Danny.”
Reassess. That was what he had to do. Right now. With her wet pussy clenched around his cock and his balls rolling into his body. Thirty strokes was a fucking pipe dream with her sexy little circles and suddenly seductive glance. “Erin. Seriously. Don’t move for just a second…or sixty.” She offered him a wide grin and his heart slammed against his ribs. She was beautiful. Face flushed, eyes sparkling. And she was his. For now. Hopefully for longer if he had his way. But she definitely needed a lesson in obeying because her hips hadn’t stopped moving yet and his cock was overriding his urge to tighten his grip and force her to keep her lower body still. Damn, the things they could do. The things they could try together. He’d be willing to call in to work and take the next two weeks off just to start the exploration right this minute. Right after he got his impending premature release under control. Conversation, dude. That’ll do it. “Don’t you want to come again?” He pulled his cock nearly free of her body and then thrust into her with a force that had her eyes opening wide. “You keep that up and you’ll be left behind. I really can’t have that.” “Can’t you?” “No ma’am. I love the way you scream my name.” She narrowed her eyes but didn’t respond. “Too collegiate?” he teased. “A tad. And I don’t need to come again. Not right now at least,” she said with a shy smile. 54
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“Mmmm. Looking for the all-nighter, huh? I forgot my sleeping bag.” He offered another thrust, one that was totally controlled this time, loving the feel of her warm, slick walls gripping his cock. It had been years since he’d had the opportunity or the inclination to go bare and it was all the more perfect that it was Erin who was beneath him. “As well as your wallet. Which means Linda thinks you’re just here visiting and will eventually show up once Laurel’s asleep.” Shit. That was the god’s honest truth and if Erin wasn’t the woman of his dreams, the thought would have probably had his cock shrinking to the point of non-performance. “Yeah. She’s pretty predictable.” One more slow thrust and then he was going to have to pick up the pace. His balls were all but screamin’. “Get a move on, boy genius.” Her hands slid over his back and landed on his ass. He shifted his weight and pistoned his hips, driving into her in short, shallow strokes, hoping she’d go again. Her breathing changed, her nails dug into his ass and he drew from a reserve of self-control he didn’t know he had as he held his own release at bay. Her eyes drifted shut but opened a second later, her surprise evident. He merely smiled and worked his cock head against her sweet spot until she clutched at him and he felt the first wave of her orgasm. Then he gave up. He thrust, deep and hard until his body burned and he finally let go, shooting his cum into her heat in a blinding release that had him contentedly watching tiny gray stars dancing across his closed eyelids. “Wow.” Her little whisper had him rolling to his back and taking her with him. “Wow to the tenth power,” he added, brushing her hair behind her ears before cradling her face in his hands. He leaned in and gave her a soft, long kiss. Knowing he was about to do the one thing all the men’s magazines warned against. But he didn’t
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give a royal fuck because he was 100 percent certain that, at the moment, Erin was too blissful to find his words overly sensitive. “Thank you, Erin.” He turned his head and placed a chaste kiss on her temple. “Mmmm.” She curled herself along the length of his body, her warm breath teasing his nipple as she sighed. “My pleasure, Daniel.” “Was it?” He laughed, looking down into her upturned face, loving the way delight shone in her eyes. “Definitely. I think I’m going to have to do scene reenactments more often.” She snuggled closer, resting her head on his shoulder, and Daniel smiled at the ceiling, more content then he’d ever been. He’d somehow lost sight of his mission— helping her with her hero’s mindset, finding out if she personally needed getting off in public… He couldn’t remember. He’d have time to reevaluate later. Right now he was where he’d dreamed of being. In bed with Erin in his arms. The thought of her being with anyone else sent a stab of unfamiliar jealousy through his body. “Reenactments, huh? I’m your man, babe. Day or night.” “But what if I need someone who isn’t tall?” she asked. “I can walk around on my knees and pretend I’m Napoleon.” “Or someone who isn’t awesomely attentive?” “Then call me early in the morning before I’ve had that first shot of caffeine. It’s all about me until that point.” He laughed. “What if I don’t have a need for someone who’s built like a god?” She placed her palm on his chest and he took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing each finger. “Not to worry. I’m the devil personified at times.” “Don’t I know it, Danny,” she replied, the smile evident in her voice making his own grin deepen. “Don’t I just know it.”
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“Erin. Baby. Wake up. I’ve got to go.” Danny’s deep voice drifted through Erin’s mind and she blinked her eyes open in time to see him yawn. “I must have dozed off for a minute.” “Try twenty,” he laughed, disengaging his arm from around her shoulders as he sat up in the bed. “But no worries. I went down right after you.” “Mmmm. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Erin rolled to her side then onto her knees and wrapped her arms around his body, resting the side of her head against his back. His laughter reverberated beneath her ear and she hugged him tighter, enjoying the faraway echo. “Another hidden naughtiness I never knew about? Erin Benson, mistress of the innuendo.” “Oh yeah. That’s me.” She reluctantly released him and they slid off opposite sides of her huge bed. “Well, I can let the double-entendre thing slide, but I’m not about to forget anytime soon that you harbor more than a passing interest in ‘all eyes, front and center’.” She walked to the bathroom with an ease that surprised her, given the fact she was buck naked, and grabbed her robe. “It’s my characters, not me,” she said, tightening the sash and leaning against the doorjamb. She watched him disentangle his boxers and slowly pull them up his long legs. She really shouldn’t be ready to jump him again, but she was. Very, very ready. He reached for his jeans and she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her garment before she walked over and did something crazy like rip the pants out of his hand and toss them aside. Then proceed to stroke his more than adequate package into full hardness. He zipped his cock away and motioned for her to lead the way out of the bedroom. “No, babe. It’s you, under the guise of your lady heroine. You’re dying to be naughty. I know you are. And I think you just want an out. A means to justify your kinky little nature that no one knows about except me.”
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She picked up his shirt and pitched it at his chest, more than a little bereft when he pulled it on and covered up his toned upper body. “You’re crazy.” Erin hoped the little laugh she offered was convincing. “We’ll see.” He walked over and pulled her in for a gentle kiss, whispering against her lips. “I’ll text you. Be ready.” “For what?” she asked, watching him pull the screen open and step outside. She would have leaned forward and offered another kiss but he moved his arm and the mesh barrier was suddenly between them. “For anything, Erin. For everything.” He turned on his heel and promptly disappeared into the darkness.
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Chapter Four Six people want to watch how beautiful you are when you’re hanging on the brink…ready to come.
Erin clasped her phone to her breast and gasped, garnering the attention of the two women sitting across from her on the train. She cleared her throat, offered a small smile and slowly moved her phone back into viewing range. The message was still the same. Six people. What in the name of all that was holy was he talking about? Who sent texts like that during the Monday-morning rush-hour commute? Erin felt her face flush and quickly turned her head to look out the window. The low rises and graffiti-ridden concrete walls zipped by in a blur, a distinct contradiction to the nine hours that had elapsed since Danny had left her bed. She had shut the French door behind him, startled to see her serene reflection in the glass. Her initial reaction had been to log in to the dating website, but by the time she navigated to the place to leave an update, she had no desire to share the fact she had slept with the hottest of younger men. She wanted to keep Daniel and the pleasure he’d elicited all to herself. How beautiful you are. Was she being a complete moron believing he actually thought that? Words were easy for some men. They carried not the slightest bit of substance behind them, she knew from experience. Times from when “I love you” actually meant “I’m fucking everything in a skirt”. But last night, whether foolishness or fantasy, she’d believed every word Danny spoke. Which was why his current message was more than a little scary. Assuming he had been truthful, somehow between then and now he had taken his idea that she was a woman with a closeted kink factor and implemented a plan. A
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strategy that would prove his point. Which was what he was best at, if his sister’s high praise and his corporate track record were any indication. Ready to come. Yeah. She wasn’t likely to forget that part anytime soon. In fact, memories of his arousing touch had haunted her dreams, torturing her throughout the night. She’d tossed, she’d turned, she’d reached for her favorite vibrator only to turn it off five seconds later when it was more than obvious she wanted a man—one specific man—and not a machine. Six people watching them make love. Or fuck. Maybe it was just fucking when you had an audience. A little shiver ran through her body, discomfiting her more. She wasn’t sure if the thought was appalling or arousing. She sighed and looked at the phone again. Her thumb hovered over the OK button, ready to bring up the screen that would allow her to reply. She didn’t know what to say, how to respond. In the end she simply closed the phone and tried to figure out what to do next.
***** “Why hasn’t she gotten back to me?” The last word came out on a grunt as Daniel planted his feet in the sand and set the ball for a perfect spike by Zac. “Because you’re an idiot. Point!” Zac said, trotting over to give Daniel a very high five. “Could you two can the coffee-klatch shit?” The taller of their two-on-two opponents, both corporate attorneys, glared. “Yeah. It’s fuckin’ distracting,” the other player said. Daniel caught the ball that was forcibly thrown at his chest and headed for the back right corner of the court. “Suck it up, assholes,” Zac said. “Twenty, serving eighteen. Hope you two are ready to go down.” “Yeah,” one attorney said, chuckling. “Wanna give us your mystery woman’s number, Marsh? Sounds like it doesn’t take a whole lot of convincing to have her offering up a taste or two.” 60
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Daniel tossed the ball into the air and connected to it with a force that sent a ripple of pure pain down his arm, a pain that was quickly forgotten when the ball skimmed an inch above the net at rocket speed, completely unreturnable. It hit the man square in the solar plexus and dropped him to the ground. “Good game, guys. Same time next week, weather permitting?” Daniel asked with a smile. He didn’t wait for an answer. He headed toward his backpack and grabbed his water bottle. He tuned out Zac’s voice in the background, probably offering a little more trash talking. “That serve was a little over the top,” Zac said, walking up to his side and unzipping his soft-sided cooler. He pulled out a cold beer and tapped the rim to Daniel’s water bottle. “Now let’s talk about how you fucked up.” “I’m not convinced I did,” Daniel said. “She hasn’t texted back…so you either scared her or pissed her off. Which way you leanin’?” “Not sure,” Daniel replied, stepping aside as another group of players moved toward the court. “I’m going with ‘scared her’, because really, dude, you finally get in her bed and the next contact you have with her is throwing out an invitation for public sex. Why would you even imagine she’d go for that?” “Because it’s what she wants. I know it, Zac. And I want her to see that I’m fine with that.” “Fine with other guys watching her writhe around? Fine with them being there for every kiss and lick and thrust? Fine with her possibly wanting them to join in? Dude, I know Larry gives you VIP status at that club, but in this instance you’re so full of shit it’s not even funny. I know you—the real you. The one that definitely has a jealous streak hidden deep in your heart. You’ve never been good at sharing and we both know I still have the scar to prove it.”
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Daniel shook his head and started walking, Zac at his side. Just as he’d always been. Even after the day Daniel found his buddy kissing Marla Sutter—cheer captain, girls’ lacrosse champ, first true love, neighbor at his parent’s lakefront cottage. He’d grabbed Zac by the back of his T-shirt and sent him flying across the boathouse, never imagining there was enough force behind the action to send his friend into one of the rough wooden studs. Or that the rusty nail sticking out of the board would end up embedded in the back of Zac’s upper thigh, right where his ass met his leg. A shitload of yelling, a trip to the emergency room, complete with Daniel’s mother reprimanding him while she sat in the back seat with her arm around Zac. One tetanus shot had rounded out the day that neither of them would forget. “I think you’re totally overwhelming her,” Zac continued. “And how the fuck do you actually implement that sort of date, Danny? She doesn’t seem like the type of person who, when she hears ‘honey, we’re going to dinner then off for a sound caning at the Cloister’, would just breezily tell you to give her a second while she grabs her purse.” Daniel sighed and considered his friend’s words. He wasn’t wrong about Erin. Deep in his soul he knew it. Everyone had secret desires and, nine times out of ten, they manifested in a form completely unexpected. If he were honest with himself, there was a part of him that wanted to make sure he was the one who offered Erin the opportunity of exploration, not some other man who might slide in and home in on the fact she wanted to be bent over a table with her skirts in the air while everyone watched. Skirts in the air. “Jesus. That could work,” Daniel whispered as his brain raced. He’d have to plan carefully and it would take a boatload of cash, but who the fuck cared? As much as it would be hell on earth, he’d have to enlist Linda’s help. That would be tough when she started grilling him for details he had no intention of sharing, but he’d play the do-it-ifyou-love-me card. She’d used it on him tons of times over the years.
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“What could work?” Zac asked. “C’mon. I need to talk to Larry. In person. Now.” “Now?” Zac asked incredulously. “We reek of sweat, my hair’s in total disarray and you want me to walk into the tri-county’s premier sex club in a pair of board shorts and a Flyers T-shirt? Are you fuckin’ nuts?” “If you can’t lose your metrosexual tendencies for your best bro in the world, who can you ditch them for? Maybe one of the sports-themed rooms will be open and Mistress Kelly will reprimand you firmly for rooting for a losing team,” Daniel teased. “Holy fuck! Her with a whistle and a hockey stick—there’s a visual that’s got my dick turnin’ hard. But you’ll still owe me. And if you’re going to ask Larry if you can pick the voyeurs, then my ass better be one of them.” “No way in hell, Zac. It’s going to be guys she’ll never see again. Guys she’s never going to want to see again.” “Because you’re going to prove to her you’re the only one she needs?” “Exactly,” Daniel said firmly. “Where the hell are John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John when you need them?” Zac muttered. “Next you’ll be breaking out in a chorus of Hopelessly Devoted to You, for fuck’s sake.” “Shut the hell up and get in the car,” Daniel said, laughing. “If you can make it there without another smart-assed comment, I’ll procure you two hours with the lovely leather-clad Kelly.” “Two hours? You’re on, dude. Not another word,” Zac promised. “Not another fuckin’ word.”
*****
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Erin moved her thumbs over the cell phone’s keypad, reading her response twice before rapidly tapping the Clear key and erasing the words as quickly as she had typed them. It was her eighth attempt at offering a sophisticated comeback to his morning text from hours before. Something witty that didn’t scream “you’ve pegged me for the hidden slut I am”. What was the patented response to someone throwing out sexualkink bait? When it got right down to it, Erin really wanted to know what that bait consisted of. For research purposes, of course. Riiiiiight. She looked at his number and considered calling him instead. But what would she say? Both their business days were long past but “how was work?” seemed so damn lame. Her mind was just starting to drift toward all the things a man like Daniel might be doing on a Monday evening when her text tone sounded. His name. His number.
Give me one more night, Erin. Friday 8:00. A simple yes or no.
Simple? Hardly. Was it one more night with him or a night with him and the other people he’d mentioned in his first message. She was willing to bet the latter. The thought dampened her panties. Yes or no? One more night wasn’t really what she wanted. She’d realized that on the train ride home, maybe even before that if she was honest with herself. She wanted Daniel for more than a quick fling. But that didn’t seem to be his mindset. Before she could second-guess, she texted him a brief, convicted missive.
Yes. Friday. But 10 p.m.
There it was. A date. Not the way she was used to making one. No talking on the phone, no idle chitchat about inconsequential things before moving in for the details.
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No doubt it was the age factor at work. It was all about the texting. As if to prove her point, another message arrived.
I’ll keep in touch…one way or another.
“Okay, Captain Cryptic,” Erin said, unable to keep the grin from her face. She was pretty certain, if she found a mirror, the smile would look utterly ridiculous for a woman over forty. Hell, it would probably look stupid on a much younger woman, but she didn’t want to question why her heart felt suddenly lighter. When the doorbell rang it went from uplifted to thundering in her chest. “No way.” She set her phone on her desk and headed toward the front door. He couldn’t be there, standing on her stoop once again, could he? No. That sort of stuff only happened in the romantic machinations of the literary world. She rounded the corner and reminded herself it was after nine o’clock at night, despite the fact she lived in a very secure enclave of homes. Her heart beat a little harder as she slowed her steps and hit the switch for the porch light. “It’s only me.” Linda’s voice was muted through the heavy front door and Erin rushed forward to allow her friend inside. She was barefoot, wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe and holding a distinctly recognizable light pink box held together with a silky black bow. “Speedy-fucking-delivery,” Linda said, shoving the box toward Erin’s chest. “Here, take it. I’ll expect a big tip for the after-hours drop-off. “Agent Provocateur?” Erin asked in a confused tone, still staring at the box. Was it real or had Linda just reused the packaging? “Mmm-hmm. Someone must have been really good,” Linda replied, crossing her arms over her breasts and leveling Erin with a shrewd stare. “Or very naughty. Tell the truth, do I really want to know?” Erin raised a brow, not at all sure how to answer. 65
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“Since I know the sender, quite well in fact, I’m going to assume you’re being rewarded for a job well done as it pertains to the breaking of the celibacy cherry. What I’d like you to help me understand is why, my best friend in the world, you chose my baby brother to help with the task.” Erin’s stomach clenched at both Linda’s words and the fact her face had yet to shift into its usual jovial visage. It was the “oh shit” moment she had worried about. “I didn’t choose him, Linda. He came to me.” “Throwin’ him under the bus, Erin?” “It’s not like that. I swear to you—” “Oh, just can it,” Linda said with a sigh. “He said the same damn thing. That he couldn’t keep his hands off you. That you thwarted his every attention, blah, blah, blah. Until he played some tape he made and you turned into Exhibitionist Erin.” “What?” Erin exclaimed. She knew the bond Daniel and Linda shared but she never dreamed he would tell anyone particulars about their hookup. Shock and a decent amount of anger swirled through her body. “I haven’t told Paul…he’ll be so hurt to know you’re a kinkosaurus in your own right and you never shared.” Oh my god! Erin turned on her heel and headed toward the family room, Linda following close behind. She sat on the couch and set the box on her lap. Linda plopped down across from her on the matching loveseat and cocked her head. Erin looked down as she traced the cursive script with one finger, her anger ebbing. Danny would have a perfectly good explanation for drawing the queen of inquisitiveness into this. She couldn’t wait to ask him but until then… “I’m not saying a word.” “You don’t have to. Your silence speaks volumes. So how many times did he have you screamin’ his name?”
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Erin’s head snapped up, but before she could tell Linda to mind her own business, another barrage of unanswerable questions came her way. “Or how many times did you have him yelling yours is probably the better question, since you’re sitting with a good-sized box from one of the highest-end lingerie stores in the freakin’ country. Did you rock his world in ways he never knew existed? I wouldn’t have seen that coming—no pun intended—but it’s always the quiet ones. Isn’t that what they say?” Their gazes met and Erin remained silent. It was a battle of wills and Erin refused to be the first to give. She was surprised to find she felt little guilt. No. It was more a feeling of annoyance that Linda was butting in where she really didn’t belong. “Oh hell,” Linda finally said, flinging herself backward into the cushions. “Whatever. You’re both adults. I just don’t want Danny hurt.” Danny hurt? Was she serious? She doubted Danny was second-guessing his every move. Doubted that his heart started racing when he thought back to their time together. “Don’t hurt him.” Linda’s voice was edged with a hardness Erin had never heard before. Her friend’s gaze narrowed but Erin felt the devotion behind the stare. “How can I hurt him? He’s the one calling the shots. I think.” Linda relaxed and slowly nodded her head. “Wow. You’re fine with that? Letting him have his way?” “He’s more knowledgeable than I am.” She hesitated, not wanting to tell Linda any details that would have the woman pissed once more. “True. Let’s not delve any deeper into ick-land, please. Go ahead and open the box. I can’t wait to see what’s inside.” “What if it’s ‘ick’ material? They make some really racy stuff.” Erin couldn’t wait to see what type of lingerie was hidden away beneath the tissue paper.
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“Diaphanous anything isn’t icky. Especially if it’s for playtime use. It’s either going to be innocently sexy or blatantly seductive. Hurry it up.” A frisson of excitement shot through Erin and she pulled the ribbons off the corners of the box, tossed the lid aside and dug into the tissue paper. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down at the most beautiful corset she had ever seen. Made of heavy ivory-colored satin, it shimmered in the low light, and she gently grabbed the top of the bodice and pulled it from the box, holding it up to study it. A row of small hooks and eyes ran down the front, and when she turned it around, the back was held together with a crisscrossing pale blue satin bow. “Ooo-la-la, let me see,” Linda whispered, moving onto the couch next to Erin. “What else did he send? And where the hell’s the card?” Erin passed the corset to Linda before looking back inside the box and realizing there was another layer of clothing under more tissue. Delicate lace panties and a pair of lace stockings completed the ensemble. Stockings that were reminiscent of older fashion, the kind with the a matching length of blue silk worked into the top of the stocking, ready for its mistress to pull the ends together and hold it firmly in place by fashioning a precise bow. “It’s gorgeous,” Erin whispered. “Very virginal,” Linda said in an amused tone. “I wonder what he’s got planned for you?” Six people want to watch how beautiful you are when you’re hanging on the brink…ready to come. That overt text, coupled with the seductive outfit Linda was wiggling back and forth in front of her eyes, had Erin pressing her thighs together then crossing her legs against the unbearable little throbbing that had begun. “I don’t know,” Erin lied.
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“Hmm. Well, it’ll probably be something good. By the blush on your cheeks and that not-so-covert, orgasm-quenching thigh cross, it seems like Danny knows what you like.” Erin closed her eyes. That was exactly what she was afraid of.
***** The shoes arrived on Wednesday. An Italian brand Erin had never heard of. She immediately slid them on her feet, so impressed with their historically accurate design and pattern—a short flaring heel and gold brocade—that Erin had immediately done an internet search. The company was headquartered in Milan and they provided costumes for every major opera company in Europe and the States. When she saw the price of her particular pair, she eased them off and reverently put them back in their protective cloth sheaths and laid them carefully in the box. He was out of his mind. That was the only logical explanation. By Thursday night she was convinced her assumptions were accurate. A box was waiting in front of her garage door and she got out of her vehicle and picked it up, surprised it bore no special mailing stickers or labels. She brought it into the house and quickly opened it, reading the note that was taped to the tissue paper.
I can’t wait until tomorrow, Erin. I know you’ll look every inch
the
lady.
Remember,
I’ll
be
right
by
your
side,
your
pleasure first and foremost in my mind. Tomorrow evening your dreams—each and every one of them—come true. Danny
“Holy crap,” Erin said to the empty kitchen. She stared at his note, at the bold strokes of his handwriting, remembering his strong fingers as they worked their magic along the planes and valleys of her body. “Holy shit.”
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She didn’t think her constant state of arousal could get any worse. But it did. The unexpected gifts and the periodic texts, all reminders of the sexual adventure he was planning, made her hotter than she could ever remember. Exhaling slowly, she peeled back the paper and dropped her phone. The dress was gorgeous. A deep blue watered silk. Erin removed it from the box and laid it down gently on the granite countertop, smoothing the few wrinkles that had occurred during transport. She’d never seen anything quite as breathtaking. Even the couture pieces she periodically saw at corporate functions failed to rival the craftsmanship. The skirt was full and the bodice excessively low. Erin thought of the way the corset would thrust her breasts upward and quite possibly out of the gown. Which was exactly the height of style for her lady. Excitement raced through her. He was giving her the opportunity to live the fantasies she wrote about. To become her heroine. To experience some of the erotic ideas Erin dreamed of but never imagined she could act upon. But six people watching from the corners of the room? Was that what he had in mind? If it was, could she push away her inhibitions and just a few fluttering fears and let him lead the exploration? Could she?
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Chapter Five The startling strains of the techno-esque song her assistant had programmed into her cell phone echoed through the room and Erin looked at the unfamiliar number, trying to decide if she should let it go to voicemail. At the last second she pressed the button and said hello. “Erin. It’s Danny.” Just like that, a wave of desire rolled through her body. “I was going to try to do this all via text but…I really wanted to talk to you. See how you were doing. I can’t freakin’ wait to see you tonight.” “Me neither,” she replied. “Have you been thinking about me all week? Letting your mind mull over all the possibilities of what could happen?” His tone was low and husky and Erin closed her eyes, the loss of one sense heightening her hearing. She could hear a faint tap, tap, tap in the background and wondered where he was and what he was doing. Wondered if her voice could make him as hot as he had just made her. She stood and walked across her office to gently shut the door. “I’ve thought about you. A lot,” she added in what she hoped was a seductive tone. “And what about the possibilities?” “I-I don’t know what to expect,” she admitted, images of being sultry fleeing from her mind. “Want me to enlighten you…just a little?” “Yes, please.” She heard his little groan and gripped the phone tighter. 71
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“Shit, babe. Did you practice that? Look it up on one of your research sites? Or was that submissive little phrase yours and yours alone?” Erin remained still, letting the silence stretch. “Here’s what to expect. A silver Town Car will pull up to your door at ten o’clock sharp. The driver’s name is Allen. Always confirm whose car you’re climbing into.” Erin raised her gaze to the ceiling, offering up a silent yes, Dad. “You’re to come out the front door—not through the garage at ground level. I want your hips rocking as you walk down those front steps. That little movement shifting your pussy from side to side underneath your dress. Those panties teasing your softness.” Okay. Not so paternal after all. Thank god. “And I want you to remember that each step is going to bring you closer to me. To my fingers. My lips. My tongue. Oh, definitely my tongue. I plan to go down on you with more finesse than any earl. Or duke. Or fucking prince regent. What’s the proper historical term for the people who are going to be watching? Maybe participating if that’s what you’d like. Is it a court? I need to know, Erin. I want this to be perfect.” “I…it’s…I’m not—” The muted sound of knocking reached her ears. How she heard it over the drumming of her heart, she wasn’t sure. But Danny’s curse signaled the interruption was on his end. “Damn it to hell.” He raised his voice and ordered someone to go away. “Sorry. We’ll figure it out when you get to the club. Allen will escort you to the door and I’ll be there waiting. Then we’ll proceed to the arena.” “Arena?” she asked, her breath catching on the word. “Where else do people go when they want to be watched? It’ll be a tableaux of epic proportions, Erin. I’ll see you then.”
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The connection went abruptly dead. The arena. Images of muscled, half-naked men, all of whom looked like Daniel, assailed Erin’s mind. She imagined him strolling toward her, a long strap of worn leather in one huge hand, and Erin felt a trail of wetness tease her folds. A tableaux. Her heroine hadn’t seen this side of a strapping, so where the hell did that idea manifest? A wealth of personal proclivities had been making themselves known over the past few days. Epic? There was very little doubt that that was exactly what the evening would be. Epic.
***** Daniel paced the length of the hallway, muscles tightened by an unfamiliar tension. “Hey, Dan. If you’re going to keep that up, at least move to the other side of the rug so I have an even wear pattern.” Larry Esson stepped into Daniel’s path, effectively halting his steps. The bald, burly man crossed his arms over his chest and offered a very knowing smile. “This is priceless. I can’t remember the last time I saw you nervous.” “That would have been when he accidentally walked into the testicle-trampling venue and Mistresses Claudia and Lettia told him he was ten minutes late and the consequence would be one strap-on stroke up the ass for each minute he was tardy,” Zac said then laughed. “Fuck you both,” Daniel replied, looking at his phone for the fiftieth time, waiting for Allen’s text. The car should be arriving at the club any minute now. “That’ll cost you triple, my friend,” Larry joked. “The problem’s clear—you have a stake in this one, don’t you Danny? This isn’t the usual ‘let me throw you into this scenario and see how you do’, is it?” His hand clamped down firmly on Daniel’s shoulder. “Relax, man. Everything’s set. Just like you wanted it. You’ll knock her stockings off.” 73
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“Holy shit, did you tell her to wear stockings? That’s so fuckin’ hot. Tell me again why I can’t watch,” Zac asked. “I don’t mean right there in the room, but from behind the glass. Why not?” “Because you’re a perv,” Daniel and Larry said in unison, their laughter breaking the tension. Daniel was still smiling when Allen’s text came through.
***** “We’re almost there, Ms. Benson. There appears to be a bit of a backup with the valet.” “Thank you, Allen.” Erin met his gaze in the rearview mirror and offered him another appreciative smile. The man had amiably chatted with her from the time she walked toward the car. He had told her she was beautiful and she had blushed. Then blushed some more when he pointed out that her cheeks were very, very flushed. She’d been more than relieved when he handed her an iPod and informed her she needed to listen to it. “It appears to be a busy night,” Allen commented. Erin leaned forward and watched the people exiting their vehicles. None wore long dresses and she smoothed her hands over the silky fabric covering her knees, more than a little nervous. “I’ll pull up and escort you up the stairs. Danny will be waiting inside.” Danny, huh. No “mister” from him. Erin frowned, uncertainty coiling within her. Maybe he did this all the time—opening pathetically naïve women up to a variety of kink. Indecision fused with a rush of jealousy and Erin struggled to tamp it down. “Or maybe not.” The surprise in Allen’s voice had Erin following the path of the man’s stare. She saw the boots first. Hessians. Polished to a sheen that reflected the neon marquee. A pair of tight riding breeches were tucked in and Erin gasped at the way they hugged his lean hips and a great deal more. She watched him make his way down 74
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the short flight of stairs, stepping aside and offering a small smile to a group of women who had tufts of horse hair attached to the tight black skullcaps they wore. They turned and watched him walk toward the car, one of them calling out something Erin couldn’t hear. The back door opened and Erin slid across the seat, only to be stopped by him leaning inside, the billowing white shirt he wore gaping enough that she could see straight down to his rock hard abs. “I missed you, beautiful. You ready?” he asked, planting a quick but thorough kiss on her parted lips. “How many women have you brought here?” Erin blurted. Nice. Here it comes, crazy woman. That what-the-hell look. Might as well just get back in the car now and have Allen drive you home. His warm hands cradled her face and she saw him fighting to keep the smile from his lips. “One, Erin.” “One, plus me?” she asked, trying to decide if it would have been better to hear it was a handful instead. So it was her and another woman who had enthralled him to the point of bringing them here. “No. One person,” he said, taking her hands as he backed out of the car. She swung her legs around and was standing before him in the middle of the alley before she realized he had even moved. “Just you, Erin. Come on.” Just me. She let that thought roll around her brain as he held her hand and led her up the stairs and into the building. The décor startled her. She had been expecting something that resembled a Big Easy bordello but instead it was contemporary with a great deal of sleek lines and ultrasoft leather furnishings. “The guy who owns the place, Larry, is standing over by that pillar. Bald guy. Pretty buff. If you’d like to meet him, let me know. He generally stays on the fringe, totally unobtrusive.”
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“Unobtrusive is good,” Erin whispered. She wasn’t sure why she lowered her voice. Everyone else around them was chatting up a storm. Danny waited until they were through the throng of patrons before pulling her close to his side. His fingers curled around the curve of her hip, his palm warm against her skin, despite the layers of silk and satin that separated their flesh. “Do you realize how hot you are? Wearing more clothing than anyone else here, but ten times more desirable? I never thought about your hair. Pulling it up like that was masterful. Your neck, your shoulders—they’re just begging to be kissed. Licked. Nipped.” Desire clenched low in Erin’s belly. It seemed to tighten with each step they took down a long, increasingly darkening hallway. Wall sconces lit the way, the yellow glow of lamplight muted to the point of seductiveness. There weren’t numbers or names on the doors as she had expected. She had envisioned the one they’d be walking through being called the Voyeur Lounge or something equally obvious but small, silver reliefs adorned each panel. Danny slowed his steps and Erin looked at the door to her right, able to see the design clearly. “Saints?” she asked in a shocked voice. Danny chuckled. “That’s the religious schoolroom venue. We’re right up here.” Erin walked to the door at the end of the hall, her heart thundering against her ribs. She stood stock-still and stared at the door, the sculpted image of four men in a theater box, lorgnettes perched over their noses making her close her eyes and take a deep breath. “If you don’t want to do this, Erin, you don’t have to.” That was a challenge if she’d ever heard one, but she also knew that she could turn around and totally walk out the front door. Her mind waged a mini war as the seconds ticked by. She could try to fool herself and pass the whole experience off as an erotic research project. Justification was a good thing—until a woman came face-to-face with
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the fact she was lying to herself for no apparently good reason. Deep down she wanted to see how it felt having more than one set of eyes on her. “But I swear to you, you’ll be safe the entire time. The people inside are there for your pleasure as well as their own. They’re going to sit hidden in the shadows watching your vignette play out. They’re going to see each and every caress. Hear your sighs and moans and pleas. Watch you get off and in return, get off themselves. Just know that at any time, you can call a halt to it all.” She looked into his eyes—clear and intense—and nodded before she spoke. “With a safe word. Something unique. Something other than ‘stop’. Something like ‘hazelnut’ or ‘cornucopia’.” “Cornucopia?” His deep chuckled echoed through the hallway. “I was thinking something one syllable. Something easy. Like ‘red’.” “Oh.” Erin felt her cheeks flame the exact color he suggested. “Okay. Red.” “Anytime you feel you need it, babe. I mean it. This isn’t going to be some in-depth BDSM session, although I did ask Larry to provide a few props that were fitting to the setting, but you stop when it gets too intense on any level.” Props. The setting? Her manuscript hadn’t delved into anything that kinky, had it? The impact of what was about to happen slammed into Erin and she clutched her hands and pressed them into her stomach, much like any literary Victorian ingénue might do. “Understand?” “I do,” Erin replied, licking her lips. The sudden urge for control assailed her and she pressed her shoulders back and straightened her spine. “What’s the scenario?” “Oo-hoo. Look at you,” he smiled. “All ramrod straight and very proper…just like Lady Belgrade. You’ll find it very easy to play along. If all goes as I’ve planned, you’ll get to experience your deep-seated fantasies and maybe some you don’t even realize you harbor. Kiss me, Erin. Once for good luck and once because you just can’t resist.”
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“I can’t resist,” she replied honestly, rising onto her toes to brush her mouth against his. He smiled against her lips and backed away, turning the knob and easing the door open as he spoke. “That’s what I’m counting on, babe. That’s exactly what I’m counting on.”
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Chapter Six “The earl would like to see you, my lady.” The booming voice from behind the blue velvet curtain startled her and Erin turned her head, only to find Danny was no longer behind her. He was gone and the door they had just walked through was tightly shut. She looked to her left and to her right, smart enough to realize he had probably slipped behind the fabric. In that second everything became suddenly very, very real. She had no idea what sort of playtime he had devised, other than it was historical in nature. The fact that the iPod had offered the strains of a stringed quartet probably had something to do with what was about to transpire. A white-gloved hand snaked through the hidden seam where the curtains met and one of the heavy panels was drawn to the side. “If you will,” a heavily muscled, short man said in a haughty manner. Bare from the waist up, he wore black pants that clung to his body like a second skin. No butler in her historical research would have been as outrageously garbed or undeniably fit. Erin stepped through the curtain and was whirled around, strong hands at her shoulders hauling her against a very solid chest. “Where have you been, my lady?” His tone was firm and commanding, not at all like Danny. Definitely more “Daniel”. No. Lord Belgrade. She watched the muscles in his neck work as he swallowed and she mirrored the response, her mouth suddenly dry. “Answer me.”
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The roughness of his voice reverberated through her body, landing firmly in the hot folds of her pussy. She shifted her hips, only to have him step closer and walk her backward, his strong thighs guiding her toward the middle of the room. “I-I was—” Thoughts raced through her mind. Getting ready, the costume, her story itself, the music she’d been told to listen to on the ride over. He was waiting for the correct response. That she knew. “At the Ashfields’ ball?” Her tone sounded much too hesitant, even to her own ears, and Erin squared her shoulders as she looked into his eyes. “Yes. I was at the ball.” “The ball? When I specifically told you we would not attend?” Her ass hit the edge of a hard surface and Erin tried to turn her head to glance down but his large hand cupped her chin and held her stationary. “You disobeyed.” She dropped her gaze, not at all sure why it seemed like the logical thing to do. Or why gooseflesh broke out on her arms. The earl was preparing to give her a setdown and Erin’s heart began to race. She knew the scene he was creating and she knew it ended with the earl riding his lady doggie style with firm, fast strokes that had her begging for more. The truth—that she’d beg for him in a heartbeat—hit her with a force that was staggering. “I’m sor—” “Do not waste your breath, you wanton slut.” She was shocked by his words and her eyes snapped to his. His expression was severe but there was a bit of a twinkle in his gaze. He was enjoying himself. Maybe a bit too much. But she couldn’t look away. “Kenneth, ask her ladyship’s maid to join us. I’m in need of her services.” Her breath caught in her throat. Her maid? Surely he wasn’t— “You’ve been a very naughty woman, my dear. On many, many levels. You’ve flaunted your deliciously gorgeous body in front of anyone within eyesight, have you not?”
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Have you not? Oh my god, he’s good at this. But why wouldn’t he be? Danny was proficient at anything he put his mind to. He strove for excellence. Why would roleplaying in a local sex club prove any different? “I’m waiting,” he said softly. “Perhaps,” Erin replied. She heard the click of heels against the smooth concrete of the floor and stopped herself from pulling her head free and turning away from his penetrating stare. “Oh my dear, you definitely have. Should I tell you how many have watched as you’ve found release, either at my hands—or cock—as well as your own fingers?” “Sir?” A meek female voice echoed behind her and Danny exerted a little pressure, silently urging Erin to move forward as he took two steps backward. Erin literally jumped when soft, cool fingers brushed the back of her neck. “Proceed, Tina,” Danny said, releasing his grip and crossing his arms over his chest. “But very slowly, I think. Her ladyship likes things that way. Isn’t that right, Philip?” As the maid undid the top button of the dress, Erin noticed movement to her left and watched a man exit one of the private rooms and stand directly in front of the mirror. He was burly and wore the garb of an eighteenth-century groundskeeper. He was pretty close in appearance to the character in her book and Erin marveled at the effort Danny had expended to make the scene as true to life as possible. The man was her creation. Her Philip. Who had been privy to an eyeful of rowdy lust in the topiary garden. “Aye sir. That she does.” He crossed his arms over his chest and gave Erin a smug smile. “I’d like to feel her mouth on my cock.” Erin gasped, her gaze shooting to the man’s crotch before she quickly looked at Danny. There hadn’t been anything like that in her book. No threesomes. Nor had there been a lady’s maid who reached inside her heroine’s opened gown to caress the underside of each ass cheek. Erin tightened her glutes and tried to shift unobtrusively to the side but the woman followed. 81
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“That will be the lady’s choice, Philip,” Danny said, and Erin’s thoughts flicked back to the man. To both men. The things they could do to her if she allowed it. “What do you think, my lady? Would you find it a new dimension to your current debauchery to have me thrusting into your pussy while he fucks your sweet, sweet mouth?” “Danny!” Erin clutched at his shirt, closing her eyes when he leaned forward and nuzzled her neck, his familiar cologne a suddenly comforting scent. “Baby, relax. It’s all play. As much or as little as you want,” he whispered. “Behind each of those seven mirrors are watch lounges. All of them are filled. Or were filled. That’s where Philip came from. There are others who are watching. I know you like the idea. I think you crave it, quite frankly. There’s nothing wrong with that. Absolutely nothing. The wrongness comes by not owning up to the truth. Just take some deep breaths and really think about what you need from this experience.” “Need?” she whispered just as softly. At that moment the woman behind her shifted her fingers and carefully stroked the silky fabric of Erin’s panties, using firm, wide circles to rub her ass. She leaned forward, placed her chin on Erin’s shoulder and offered an opinion as she slid her hands under the elastic and nails scored her bare flesh. “Perhaps she needs a sound spanking.” Without thought, Erin shifted her hips backward and the woman chuckled, pressing her breasts against Erin’s back as she turned her head and kissed the sensitive spot below Erin’s ear. A shiver raced down her spine and she would have stepped away if not for Danny’s hard body. “A perfect suggestion, Tina,” he said in a voice tinged with huskiness. Erin refused to look at his face. She could feel the heat of embarrassment working its way up her neck and into her cheeks.
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“You’re blushing a very becoming shade of pink,” he said, and she heard the smile in his voice. “I’ll see if I can duplicate the color. It shouldn’t be that difficult since I recall how pale those perfect globes are. I think they’ll redden nicely.” Erin groaned low in her throat. A sound that should have been small and quiet and undetected. But not in the stillness of the room. “Back up, Tina, and take your lady’s gown.” Erin felt the fabric tighten over her shoulders and moved her hands to her sides with an obedience she didn’t have time to consider. The garment was slowly lowered down her body and she pressed her legs together, waiting to step out of the dress, nearly losing her balance when Tina placed a warm kiss at the base of her spine, the area exposed between the corset and her low-cut panties. Her surroundings were wreaking havoc with her senses. That was the only explanation for her wondering if the woman was going to move her mouth lower. Danny spun her around and she widened her stance and pressed her back against his chest, moisture dampening the tiny scrap of fabric between her legs as she got her first look at Tina. Surprisingly, the slender brunette appeared to be close to Erin’s age and she wasn’t in the mood for introductions. Her gaze was locked on Erin’s pussy and her lips were curved in a wicked smile. “Other than Philip and Tina and our faithful butler, do you know how many people have seen us slake our desire? Seen you in your favorite position? Bent at the waist, legs parted. Your pussy well presented, waiting for my cock.” Tina was forgotten as a bolt of pure desire shot to her core and Erin shifted her hips, the motion rubbing her labia together but not doing a damn thing to ease her throbbing clit. One by one, two men and a woman walked out of their perspective rooms and took up positions similar to Philip, each in front of one of the mirrors. There was no mistaking their vocations. The earl’s valet, the stable master and the cook.
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“Six. Your magical number. Ready once again to watch. You can assume that favorite position right now for their benefit.”
Daniel watched her head swivel as she looked at the people who were positioned in a semicircle around the room, his cock growing harder by the second. He’d picked the right lingerie for sure. The snug restraint hugged her curves perfectly. He looked down, enjoying how each rapid rise and fall of her breasts threatened to expose her nipples. He really didn’t want that to happen. Not yet. Once they were free he’d have to suck them, take them in his hands and tease just the very tips with his teeth until she was squirming. And those fucking stockings. He’d been standing way too close to get the full benefit. But soon. Very, very soon. He stepped away from Erin, the movement shifting his balls enough that the dull ache dissipated. He’d need control, especially with four other men in the room. He’d passed his parameters for the scene on to Larry and Larry had filled each of the invitees in on who was in command and the penalty for not following Daniel’s lead. They had been given advance copies of a loose outline of how they were to dress and what Daniel anticipated happening from a sexual standpoint. They weren’t to touch Erin unless she made the request. That caveat had seemed a good thing at the time but now, with her standing in front of him and the padded table in front of her, he wished he’d gone for the voyeur-only rule. Although seeing Tina crouched at Erin’s knees was pretty fucking hot. Erin hadn’t moved. She simply stared at their audience and curled her fingers into her palms. He found it amazing that she hadn’t tried to shield her body. Just as he had thought after reading her manuscript, she was receptive. That was wonderful. He really planned on staying in character, but he suddenly realized he wanted her to live her fantasy in the most real manner. One that she wouldn’t likely forget.
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Her shock had thrown her out of character, had her using his real name. He’d forgive her that because he was about to do the same. But with purpose. When it was over—when she’d begged and pleaded and screamed her release—he wanted her to remember it was just the two of them in those final moments. And that was how he wanted it to be for the unforeseeable future. “Walk to the end of the table, Erin. Bend over and rest your weight on your forearms. Think about what a truly bad girl you are and stick that ass out for everyone to see.”
Not “lady”. Not “baby”. Erin. All he had to do was say her real name in just the right tone and she was primed. When had that happened? And why? Because she was alone and horny? Because writing oftentimes made that last part worse? Because he was too damn handsome for words? Even when he was being Dom of the imaginary manor. There hadn’t been any corporeal punishment in her story either, but after this… She walked slowly toward the table, her low heels echoing across the floor. He should have chosen something a little more come-fuck-me if he intended for her to be in this position. She took her place and looked at the thin layer of padding atop the narrow rectangle. It didn’t look overly comfortable. But maybe that was the point. Placing her palms flat on the leather top, she confirmed her suspicion. “That’s very good. Now here’s the part where you think of all the dirty little things you’ve done. I need your ass bared, but you get to choose who pulls down your panties. You have six people who need to be rewarded by little deeds or some that are a bit more important. Consider your fantasies and choose wisely. Because at some point, if you’re looking for double penetration, it would suck to be left with only me and one of the ladies. I don’t think anyone brought their strap-on.” “Oh my god.” Erin closed her eyes and shook her head. DP and strap-ons? “I never said I wanted that.” 85
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“No. But there’s no need for constraint. We’re starting slow. Who gets panty removal?” he demanded. “Tina,” she replied quickly. There seemed to be safety with that answer. But she clearly heard the woman’s disgruntled hmmmpf as she walked behind Erin and, with little effort or expertise, grabbed the corners of her panties and yanked them down her legs. “Do I at least get them as a souvenir?” the woman mumbled. Erin was about to respond when Danny answered for her. “No you do not and your insolence will be addressed later, but for your dutiful service to your lady, you may deliver— Pick a number, Erin.” “Four.” It was her favorite number, the first thing that popped into her head. She was fairly certain she needed to go with gut instinct at this point in time. Overthinking wouldn’t be a good thing. “You may deliver the inaugural four whacks.” “Thank you Sir!” Erin heard the delight in the woman’s voice, which was quickly replaced with a firm tone that made Erin shiver. “On your elbows, as the Master ordered.” “The earl, Tina,” Danny replied. “Not Master.” “My apology, your earlship. If she doesn’t obey, may I double the swings?” Erin lowered her upper body, taking a deep breath to still her heart. There was no doubt she had enjoyed the way the woman had touched her, which wasn’t at all what she would have expected. Nor was the sharp crack that sounded just before the cheek of her ass seemed to catch fire. “Oh my—” The woman’s palm landed on her other cheek and Erin pushed herself upward off the bench. Danny materialized at her side and leaned down until they were at eye level.
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His hand covered her lower back, rubbing back and forth, immediately diverting her attention from her stinging bottom to the warmth that seemed to infuse the base of her spine. “Be happy you only asked Tina for four.” He smiled and arched his brows. “I didn’t ask for any,” she whispered. Her ass throbbed. She could feel the blood pounding beneath the skin. He ran his hand up her back and exerted enough pressure to force her body into its original position. “Mine will feel like heaven after this.” His? Tina’s hand connected again and Erin closed her eyes. There wasn’t anything remotely erotic about what was happening. It hurt. A lot. She shifted her legs tighter together. “Open your—” The woman’s sharp voice was interrupted by Danny’s calm tone. “One more, Tina. Then you may join the others.” He trailed his fingers back toward Erin’s ass and she tightened, waiting for the final slap. When it came, the air whooshed through her closed lips. He patted her lower back. Lightly. Soothingly. Erin relaxed her muscles. His hand never left her body as he walked around the end of the table and stood directly behind her. A single finger dipped into the cleft between her cheeks and she wantonly shifted her feet farther apart, her discomfort suddenly forgotten. “Why are you being punished, Erin?” She couldn’t answer. Couldn’t say a single word. But she pushed her hips away from the table, just enough that he had to know she wanted him to move his finger lower. Wanted him to somehow stop the little trail of cream she could feel running toward her clit. “Tell me.” His palm delivered a stinging slap to the tiny strip of skin where her thigh met her butt cheek, the sensation forcing her onto her toes for a moment. Instead
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of radiating pain, desire shot from the tingling blow straight to her cunt and she moved her hands to the edge of the table and gripped it tightly. “I won’t stop until you say it.” And he didn’t. He rained random slaps over the planes of her ass until her thighs were shaking. He grabbed her ass cheeks and spread them wide, the slight pressure from his fingers completely forgotten when he blew a stream of cool air over her engorged vulva. It was tortuous and she thrust her hips hard against the table, unable to hit an angle that would relieve the torment. A second later his palm cupped her sex, his middle finger aligned perfectly with her aching clit. “Is this what you want?” He tapped her nub repeatedly and Erin whimpered, nodding. “Tell me why your ass is red.” He stopped. Didn’t move. She waited, body quivering as a burning wetness broke out at the corners of her eyes. She wanted to come. Had really never wanted release as badly as she did at this second. “Because I was naughty,” she gasped, pressing against his hand. The pressure helped but it wasn’t enough. “Specifics.” His thumb rubbed the inside curve of one cheek and she shuddered. “I-I don’t know,” she groaned. “Because you like people to watch. Like right now.” His finger started the tattoo again and she opened her legs but he placed both his feet outside of hers to halt her progress. With two quick moves he forced her legs together, his hand large and hard between her snug thighs. Everything covered by his hand throbbed. “Say it and I’ll make you come.” “I want to be watched,” she finally admitted on a whisper. With admission came a hint of understanding but one she had no desire to consider at the moment.
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“Everyone is watching, Erin. Everyone.” His fingers danced over her flesh and in a flash of blinding whiteness her orgasm surfaced. It rocked her against his hand and she exploded, unable to stop moving her hips until the tiny aftershocks subsided. “Oh shit,” she mumbled, relaxing her shoulders until her forehead hit the padded tabletop. “Say ‘thank you’, Erin.” He chuckled, rotating his wrist and slowly sliding his hand between her thighs before dragging his fingers upward through her cleft once more. “Thank you, Danny.” Her hot breath bounced off the leather and teased her nose. “Now it’s time to let me show you how I say ‘you’re welcome’. You’re not the only one living out your fantasies. Flip over.” He eased her off the table and had her facing him before her legs could hold her up and she gripped his shoulders for support. He picked her up and gently set her bottom down on the table and from her peripheral vision she saw the spectators move a little closer. “They want to play too, but if you’re not into it, they won’t. You’ll have to say or motion you want them to join.” “I don’t,” Erin said quickly. Honestly. She realized in a heartbeat that Tina had been enough additional kink. The voyeurism and exhibitionistic allure was just that— fascination, not necessity. “You’re sure? This is a golden opportunity.” “I know exactly what kind of opportunity it is,” Erin said, reaching up and taking his face in her hands. For a minute he looked confused and she smiled. There was a little bit of delight knowing she’d thrown him off kilter, even if it was for just a second. “I don’t mind if they watch but it’s not really why I’m here.” “No? You don’t think that’s it?”
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She slid her hands down his neck and covered his pecs, sweeping across his muscles until she found his hard nipples. She gave them a little pinch and he moved closer. “I’m here because, for some unearthly reason I can’t consider at the moment, you want me,” she said, moving her fingers to the waistband of his pants. She’d tell him later he had looked more like a pirate than an earl. No doubt that would bring on a whole other game night. She undid the black sash and let it drop to the ground. “I want you, Danny.” “That sure as hell works for me, although our audience is probably pissed that we just broke from character with all this side talk.” “I’m sorry. I should have remembered there are always rules,” she replied. “Don’t worry. You’re allowed to tell me how much you want me. Anytime. Anywhere.” He hooked his finger in the top of her corset and pulled her upper body close, covering her lips with his in a scorching kiss. He plundered her mouth, stroking and thrusting his tongue in a manner that let her know where he wanted her thoughts centered. “You’ll wear this again for me,” he said in a husky, authoritative tone as he opened several of the hooks and eyes. “Isn’t that right?” “Yes,” Erin replied, waiting for him to touch her. The fabric was just loose enough that he was able to slip his fingers between the corset and her flesh and ease her breasts upward until they were fully exposed.
He brushed his thumbs over her nipples and Erin arched her back against the delicious ache his touch created. She tunneled her fingers through his hair and tugged his head downward. He circled the tip of his tongue around the hard point, flicking slowly until she couldn’t stand the torment. She pressed his head tight against her flesh and cried out when his lip-covered teeth clamped down. Juice flooded her pussy and 90
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she spread her legs and wrapped her heels around the backs of his thighs. He moved to her other breast and showered it with the same erotic temptation as he worked at the fastenings of his pants. She heard his muffled “motherfucker” and smiled. A second later he pulled away and spun his back toward the end of the table, resting against the wood as he pulled first one tall boot and then the other off and tossed them aside. His pants all but disappeared from his body and when he turned around, he whipped the billowy shirt over his head. Tall and hard and obviously pleased with himself, he gave her a devilish smile and bent down to pick up the forgotten sash. He wrapped the length of silk around his hand and Erin sat up just a bit straighter when he reached for his cock. “This table is designed for all sorts of delights but I doubt we’re going to get to them all.” He stroked himself twice, from base to tip, as he stepped to the side of the table and offered Erin his free hand. “Lie back.” She took his hand and eased onto her back, anticipation ratcheting her nerves as he let the length of silk unfurl onto her stomach. “Tied or blindfolded?” He stared down at her intently and waited. Bound or sightless. Unable to move from whatever wildly delicious thing he did or the inability to see his gorgeous face while he did them? She raised her arms and offered him her wrists, her pussy applauding her decision with tiny little pulses. She expected a smile but he didn’t offer one. He scooped up the silk and had her bound excessively fast. Her heart picked up its pace at his speed and expertise. He’d done this before, whether here or somewhere else, and she was surprised she didn’t feel a bit of jealousy. He eased her hands upward until they were stretched above her head. She felt movement, and when he stepped backward she automatically tried to lower her arms, only to find he’d attached the silk to the table itself.
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Without another word he moved between her thighs and grabbed her calves, pushing her knees toward her chest. He held her there for what seemed like eternity, staring down at her exposed flesh until Erin shifted her hips. His only response was to tighten his grip and lower his mouth to her drenched pussy. He went down on her with a slowness that had her toes curling painfully in her shoes. She rotated her ankles, wanting the shoes gone, and a moment later, without lifting his head or dislodging his skillful tongue, Danny pulled each of them from her feet and let them thump to the floor. He teased her clit with broad, crisscrossing strokes until she swore loudly and tugged at her restraints. Despite the wetness from his attention, she could feel her own desire seeping. The thought of him loving the taste of her juices prodded the onslaught of release. “Danny. Stop. I want to come. With you. Not like this.” She twisted her body away from his mouth but he wrapped his hands around the backs of her thighs and pulled her back to his lips. “Oh you will, baby. But you’re going now too. Then you’ll be dished another punishment for ‘telling’ me you want to come instead of ‘asking’ permission. You’ve done enough research to know I couldn’t let that slide.” She had a second to consider his words before the tip of his tongue flicked the top of her clit, exerting just the right amount of pressure every few strokes to ensure that, when he offered one firm, final tap, a small orgasm rolled free. “Mmmm. This is where I’ve wanted you Erin for all these years.” He stood up and guided her legs over his hips and she managed to keep them there despite the fact she just wanted to let them collapse against the table and let the little ripples of pleasure disperse. “I’ve dreamed of watching you float back down to Earth so I could turn around and make you come again.” Her pussy clenched at his words and the little ripples turned into small waves as he ran his cock head up and down her slick folds. Her muscles jumped every time he 92
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brushed her clit and she scooted closer to the end of the table, not caring how her sweaty skin stuck to the leather. “Soon, baby. But not quite yet. I do love the way your juices slick my cock though. I could get you off just like this, couldn’t I?” Erin twisted her wrists and grabbed the length of silk for support as he slid the ridge of his cock back and forth just below her clit, the stroke of his soft skin driving her wild. “That was a question. Answer.” “Yes,” she answered quickly, shifting her hips just a little to bring him into full alignment. “Then it really doesn’t constitute punishment, does it?” The heat of his body disappeared and Erin raised her head and watched him take a step backward. She barely curbed the urge to tell him to come back. “I think it’s time to let a few of the others reap their rewards. Nice and close. Would you enjoy a bevy of hands and mouths caressing every inch of your body? Isn’t that every woman’s dream?” She’d fantasized about multiple partners. What woman hadn’t? But now, with them only a few steps away… “Total honesty. No lies here. There’s no reason for them,” Daniel said. He leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair off her forehead and she closed her eyes and turned her face into his warm palm. “The truth, Erin. But think before you answer. This may very well be the only night they’re at your disposal.” She opened her eyes and looked up at him, an unexpected surge of satisfaction shooting through her at the possessiveness of his gaze. “Only one mouth,” she said softly, parting her lips in a silent plea. He stared at her intently before bending down and granting her a quick kiss. That one tiny action felt like a benediction and Erin released the breath she’d been holding.
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“I’d prefer your legs be bound,” he whispered. “But I really don’t want to take the time to break out the rope and work all the pretty knots.” Rope. And knots. Flashes of the numerous fetish sites she’d visited for research sent a wave of heat down the center of her body. “Your choice, baby. Pick the two people you want to hold your legs in place. Fully open and waiting.” “For what?” she whispered. “That depends on your choices.” Erin’s mind raced, spinning in circles as she thought of each of the people he’d enlisted for the evening. She’d seen them briefly but one choice was quite easy. The other took a bit more consideration. In the end she was pleased with the confidence of her response. “Philip. And the stable master, Jenkins.” He gave an almost imperceptible nod and the sound of heavy feet walking across the floor echoed through the room, their slow, measured walk a direct contrast to the hurried thrumming of her heart. “If you had picked the cook, you’d have found yourself at the end of a wooden spoon. Tina would have produced a feather duster, which you definitely would have loved.” Dear god. The men took their places on each side of the table and Erin tried not to flinch under their close scrutiny. Philip’s gaze roamed every inch of her exposed skin while the other man met Erin’s eyes and offered her a slow smile. Both were attractive. Rugged, actually. Exactly as she had imagined them in her mind before they had come to life in her story. “Jenkins,” Danny said. He extended his arm in the man’s direction, palm open. Erin watched the man lean to the right and reach downward toward his boot. Her eyes
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widened when he handed Danny a short black leather riding crop with a wide leather flap at the end. “This is what you get for picking the keeper of the horses.” He held the instrument a few feet from her face and with barely a flick of his wrist the flap moved rapidly up and down. “Gentlemen.” Indecision gnawed at her insides. She hadn’t expected a crop. It was imposing in thought and probably would be ten times more so when he plied it. And it didn’t take much of an imagination with her lying on her back to figure out the general area on which Danny was going to focus. A wave of sheer nervousness assailed her and her right foot started its age-old habit of uncontrolled jiggling. With lightening speed Jenkins wrapped his hand around her ankle and yanked her foot upward off the table until her leg was forced backward, her knee up to her breast. Instinctively she scooted her body backward and tried to turn her hip away. In less than a heartbeat Philip grabbed hold of her other foot and mirrored the position, leaving Erin fully exposed to the man standing at the bottom of the table, a very knowing gleam in his eye.
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Chapter Seven Erin froze when he gently placed the crop between her breasts and offered a few light taps. Insignificant little things that did nothing except make her more attentive. Which was probably what he wanted. When he began to slide the wide band of leather down her body she gave up considering his psychological theory in general and concentrated on how close the implement was getting to her pussy. Did he intend to draw the tab over her bare flesh or be as bold as some of the snippets of video she had watched and actually connect with her sensitive clit? Moisture leaked from her slit and she distinctly felt the slow, progressive path it was taking toward her asshole. “Creaming already, Erin, and you haven’t felt the first lick.” He ground the tab of leather against her nub and she rocked her hips, groaning. The men at her sides wrapped their arms around her legs and forced her ass back to the table, not relaxing their grips one bit. “I told you not to move. When are you going to listen, Erin?” The first blow shocked her. It was quick and sharp, a solid snap on the cheek of her ass that took a second or two after realization before the sting set in. “How was that?” Erin bit her lip and let her head rest back on the table, staring at the pitch-black ceiling. She had no intention of answering because, as the seconds ticked by, she realized what her answer would be. And she wasn’t quite ready to admit the truth. Not to herself and not to him. “Answers get rewards, Erin. Let’s try again.” The second crack landed on her other ass cheek, a little higher. A little firmer. “Like it?” Danny asked.
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“Or love it?” Jenkins added, running his palm down her hamstring until his fingers rested just above the blow. “Don’t hold your breath,” Danny ordered. She slowly exhaled, trying to relax, but the knowledge that another blow was coming had her tightening her lower body. “Or maybe she hates it,” Philip said, exerting a little more pressure. Erin glanced at the two men then met Danny’s anticipatory gaze. He waited and she simply stared at him. Until his arm swung backward. “I don’t like it,” she blurted. “It burns. After. It’s not what I expected.” He landed a quick thwack on the inside of her thigh and she shrieked, not from the pain but from the suddenness of his move. Of the new location. Of the fact that she thought she had obeyed. But before the discomfort could set in, Danny’s hand rubbed her thigh directly over the spot the crop had landed. His touch was different than before. Different from when his palm had delivered the erotic spanking. He’d mentioned a reward. The feel of his palm upon her was just that. It was a comfort of sorts and she wondered if she would have to do something specific to reap another caress. “That was very good, Erin. Despite the fact that you took a little too long to answer.” He started another series of strokes and she lay there, each connection eliciting a grunt, each answering caress turning the harsh sound into a lovely moan. The crop landed once more, a lighter tap on her extreme upper thigh, perilously close to her engorged pussy, and the men allowed her legs to move inward against the sensation. “Open,” Daniel commanded. Erin dropped her knees, heartbeat ratcheting to the point she could feel her pulse beat against the silk binding her wrists.
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She waited for what felt like an eternity, desire building, before the leather tab brushed her clit. Top toward bottom and back upward again at a pace so achingly slow Erin bit her lip to keep from crying out. She had anticipated the touch—assumed a full, unencumbered tapping would be next, not the leisureliness that was causing her thighs to shake. “Your pussy’s glistening,” he said, running his finger around her opening while still plying the crop. “So wet.” He thrust two fingers into her channel and she swore. A loud resounding “fuck” that had all three men looking at her and smiling. She closed her eyes, blocking out their faces and focusing on the delicious manner in which Danny was stroking her inner walls, each tiny curl of his fingers coinciding with an upward stroke of the crop that in less than a minute had her on the brink of coming. “Oh not yet,” he said in a somewhat cocky tone, easing his fingers free before landing one quick stroke on her clit that sent a shiver through her entire body. Erin lay panting, her breath flowing in and out of her slightly parted mouth, and she fought the urge to scream her frustration. She watched him lower his head, using his tongue to sooth her stinging flesh. One broad stroke skyrocketed her right back to the pinnacle. Another lick and her senses were reeling. Then everything turned into a realm of slow motion. Danny saying something to Philip and Jenkins and the men shifting her legs so she was utterly open, holding her knees with one arm as they faced her upper body and moved closer. She watched, knowing she could tell them to stop, but she didn’t. Not when Philip placed a chaste kiss on her abs. Not when Jenkins reached up and palmed her breast. When Philip repeated the man’s action, Erin looked down at Danny. His eyes challenged her. Demanded she not look away as he rotated his wrist and rapidly teased her clit with the thin edge of leather until her entire body was shaking. Fingers closed around her nipples and she groaned, the sound intensifying when the
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men tugged and squeezed, making the connection between pussy and breasts full, closed and entwined. “Please,” she begged, no longer caring how she sounded. “Please what?” He pulled the crop away for a moment then pressed it tight against her swollen bud. Erin wanted to ride it. Throw off the two burly men and grind against it like the wanton slut the earl had accused his lady of being. “I want to come,” she sobbed, heat coursing through her entire body. “Then come.” He tossed the crop aside and tunneled his hands under the cheeks of her ass. He lifted her off the damp leather and hauled her to the very edge of the table with a little assistance from the men who seemed to mysteriously meld into the periphery. He filled her with one quick, deep thrust, his thick cock stretching her, his perfect curve hitting her G-spot with severe accuracy. “Oh god yes.” “Oh fuck yes,” he mirrored, slapping his hands onto the top of the table near her waist. She watched the concentration on his face as he began rocking his hips, saw his gaze drift to her breasts as they bounced up and down in a steady rhythm. It felt delicious. The friction. The controlled strokes. The need to touch his skin and run her fingernails over his chest and his ass became paramount. Erin yanked at the sash but it held. Frustration welled and she pulled harder. “Don’t,” he ordered, his hips halting midthrust. He leaned over her body and placed one palm against her wrists before he entwined their fingers. “You’re making it tighter.” Erin couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the fact she was teetering on the brink of another orgasm and he was dead still. “Danny,” she choked. “Please don’t stop.”
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“Fuck! I didn’t realize how much I’d love hearing you plead. It’s such a fucking rush. I never imagined you could jack me up more than you already do. Beg me to kiss you.” It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to be lying in front of a group of strangers, tied to a table, utterly submissive. “Please kiss me, Danny.” His lips descended, his body moving upward in a wonderfully slow manner to allow him access to her mouth. She wrapped her legs higher on his waist and locked her ankles, keeping him right where she wanted him. He brought his other hand to her breast and captured her tight bud between his thumb and forefinger, rolling the flesh back and forth until Erin whimpered. He pulled his head back far enough to just look into her eyes. “What about this, Erin? Tell me how you want it.” The pressure eased until he was barely touching her distended skin. “Harder,” she whispered. He willingly obliged, squeezing just to the point of pleasure-pain. Erin’s body went rigid and he groaned. “Every muscle in your body is strung, including the ones wrapped around my cock. I’ve gotta move, baby.” Erin welcomed the frantic pounding, the hot sound of flesh hitting flesh as his thighs met her ass. He grabbed her legs and pulled them from around his body, forcing her thighs wide as he buried himself deeper. Heat, intense and sharp, bloomed in her lower abdomen and she raised her head and watched him thrust into the inferno. “You’re so damn beautiful.” She looked up and met his gaze and her heart faltered. The look of devotion was staggering and she closed her eyes, only to have them fly open a moment later when he switched rhythm and angle. Six strokes and Erin could hear her panting echoing through the room. His shallow thrusts had every nerve ending in her pussy and the surrounding area firing in short little pulses that nearly matched her breathing.
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“Oh my god,” she cried, the orgasmic wave rushing at her from nowhere. Her vision blurred and she closed her eyes, Danny’s body turning rigid above her. He thrust once more, deep and hard, his release accompanied by his voice calling her name on a long, low groan. It was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard.
Daniel rested his forehead between Erin’s breasts, the sounds of the surrounding “play” slowly permeating his scattered thoughts. He raised his head and looked to his right to find Tina crouched in front of the groomsman, her long hair swinging back and forth as he rested his head against the wall, lips quirked in a pleasant smile. Erin exhaled, long and slow, and he turned his attention to her, not surprised to see her eyes tightly shut. She could undoubtedly hear the others, like the cook and Philip grunting in the far corner where he stood unmoving, ordering the woman to do the thrusting. The undeniable wet, sucking sounds of a great blowjob were courtesy of the butler and the stable master, who had shed every stitch of clothing except for a red leather G-string. “How you doing, sweetheart?” Daniel asked, wondering if she’d be suddenly uncomfortable. “Good. But I want to be untied. Please.” His cock gave a little leap of recognition at that added “please” and he slowly eased out of her warm pussy before he felt compelled to take her again. They were definitely going to have to explore submissiveness sometime in the near future. He walked to the top of the table, pulled open a drawer and retrieved the safety scissors. With three quick snips he cut through the silk and watched her hands fall free. He put the scissors back and took her hands, rubbing her wrists to help the feeling return. He pulled her hands upward and placed lingering kisses on each of her fingers. He loved her hands. Couldn’t wait until they were home and she was running them over his chest. His back. His cock. 101
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He definitely wanted her out of the club. He’d lost himself in her softness and beauty and pure responses but now, with everyone back on a level playing field, he had the urge to cover her body and whisk her out the door. Zac once again had been right. Jealousy spiked but Daniel wisely pushed it aside. Just because she didn’t want extra people joining in didn’t mean she wasn’t going to catch her breath and go at it again. He’d offered her the venue, for shit’s sake. She blinked her eyes open and offered him a smile. He wanted to protect her all the more. “Can I get my panties back?” she asked, sitting up and readjusting her breasts before hooking the corset closed. Daniel snagged her forgotten panties and eased them over her toes and up her legs, enjoying the way she wiggled her hips from side to side as she covered her exposed flesh. He grabbed his pants and tugged them on just as she slid off the table, onto the floor and into his arms. “This was wonderful. Enlightening,” she said, rising on her toes and offering him a quick kiss. “Something you’d like to do again?” he asked, picking up her dress and holding it open, waiting to see if she was ready to go or wanted a little more of the evening’s entertainment. She placed her hand on his shoulder and stepped inside the fabric. “Not the public display of actual interaction. That was hot, but a one-time thing, I think. But I might be okay with coming back and watching,” she said, turning her head to the side, not quite able to hide her blush. “For research purposes, of course.” “Of course,” he confirmed with a small laugh. He quickly laced up the back of her gown and placed a kiss on her neck. “So maybe you aren’t an exhibitionist after all. You watch your characters from the outside. See them come together, watch them make crazy, wild love. Maybe you’re a closet voyeur.” “I doubt I’m a ‘closet’ anything after tonight.” Erin chuckled. 102
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“Mmmm. We’ll see about that,” he said, wrapping his arms across her chest. He maneuvered their bodies until they were facing the other people. “Want to stay and see what happens?” “Do you?” “I wouldn’t say no,” he replied. Erin turned her head and pillowed it against his broad chest. “I should have known all along you had a kinky side. You are your sister’s twin after all. There’s probably some study the two of you could volunteer to take part in. After that, I’d sign up to be your guinea pig.” He chuckled and hugged her tighter. “So research or retreat? What’ll it be, Erin?” She squeezed his biceps one last time before replying. “Let’s just go.” He released her and she turned and watched him look around before retrieving her forgotten footwear. “My place or yours?” He squatted down and held one shoe and then the other as she slid her feet inside. “Which one’s closer?” she asked. “Yours.” He pulled his boots on and whipped his shirt over his head, smiling all the while. “But mine has a huge window that looks down on the neighbor’s pool. They love to skinny dip. Just throwin’ that out there.” “If I had a fairy godmother, the woman would be grinning ear to ear at this moment,” Erin said, laughing. She took his hand when he offered it. Damn, that felt good. Fingers clasped as they walked through the curtain and opened the door. “My place is more secluded, though. There’s something to be said for that,” she offered. They walked down the hallway, meeting a few patrons as they went, and Daniel couldn’t help smiling at the congenial way she said hello to each one. She missed their startled looks, which was fine.
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“Mine has under-the-mattress restraints and a sweet, super-soft rabbit flogger.” He held his breath, waiting for her response. “Really?” she finally asked, the brightness in her hazel eyes offering a great deal of promise. “That can’t make the animal activists very happy.” “I don’t give a fuck whether anyone’s happy…other than you, Erin. That’s all I want. For as long as you’ll let me.” “Well when you put it that way, Danny, your place it is.”
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About the Author M.A. Ellis is a firm believer that everyone should pursue their dreams…no matter how long it takes to achieve them. She wrote her first short story, What I Want To Be When I Grow Up, more than a few decades ago. It was read by a total of seven people. (For those who are interested, the answer to that intriguing statement was a toss-up between a veterinarian and a nun.) Thanks to the encouragement of a creative writing guru at Northern Kentucky University, she stepped out of her neat little writing boundaries and penned an erotic poem, which ultimately led her to the vastly stimulating world of erotic romance. It’s a vocation she truly loves—equally as rewarding as furry, four-legged creatures and a heck of a lot more entertaining than Friday nights at the nunnery. When not devoting her time to crafting tales of hot encounters and steamy romances that always have a happy ending, M.A. concentrates on the delightful task of honing her master baking skills, eagerly focusing on the realms of cheesecake and chocolate which are, in her humble opinion, the only ‘C’ words that matter. She lives in northwestern Pennsylvania where temperatures rival those of Ice Station Zebra a good portion of the year—making it the perfect arena for devising stories where one spark can ignite a welcomed inferno. M.A. welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by M.A. Ellis Ellora’s Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV anthology Filigree and Fantasy Hallow’s Eve Hunk Love’s Ally Love’s Choice Seducing the Siren Shaken and Stirred The Cake Babe Twisted Steel and Sex Appeal
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
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