by Mari Carr
Hunter was ready to ignore them completely, but Paul had other plans when he stood up and blocked their path.
His former best friend looked pissed as hell, and Hunter wondered if Paul had been watching them as they flirted, kissed and planned their evening. “So you really are dating? I’d heard—”
“You heard wrong,” Hunter said, tucking Ailis closer. He glanced at the table and saw Rhonda. Her face was pale and she had dark circles under her eyes. Trouble in paradise?
That’s when he realized she was drinking a martini. His face must have betrayed his thoughts because she answered his unspoken question.
“I had a miscarriage.”
Paul turned toward her, shooting her a dirty look.
“I’m sorry,” Ailis said. “So sorry.” There was no denying the sincerity in her tone, even after everything Rhonda had done to her.
“Me too,” Hunter said, recognizing the anger he’d harbored toward her for the past year was gone. He suspected that had a lot to do with the fact he’d fallen head over heels for Ailis. His life was infinitely better now than it had been with Rhonda. She’d actually done him a favor by running off with Paul.
Rhonda didn’t reply. Instead, she took another sip of her martini, ignoring the way her husband was glaring at her.
“We’ll leave you to your evening,” Hunter said, anxious to get away from the couple. Talk about buzzkill.
Paul didn’t move as his gaze traveled from Hunter to Ailis. “Are you still waiting tables at your family’s pub?”
“No. Actually, I’ve moved on to bigger and better things.” She looked at him and smiled. “I’m managing the career of a rock star.”
Hunter grinned and winked, unable to resist getting his own dig in. “I do like to hear you say I’m bigger and better.”
Ailis laughed. “God. You’re incorrigible.”
Paul clearly didn’t like being ignored or insulted. “You’re not seriously calling that a career, are you? Tying yourself to a dreamer? Ailis, you need a practical plan. I’m sure Rhonda could put in a word for you at the marketing firm, help you get your job back. After all, it’s been a year. I would have hoped you’d moved on.”
Hunter stiffened, ready to invite Paul outside for a chat with his fists.
Ailis beat him to the punch. “I haven’t just moved on, Paul. I’ve moved up. You didn’t knock me down for long, so don’t stand there thinking you’re all that and a bag of chips.” She looked at Rhonda and gave her a sad smile. “Take care of yourself, Rhonda. I really am sorry. Goodbye, Paul.”
She took Hunter’s hand and they walked out of the restaurant.
“As much as I enjoyed you telling that son of a bitch off, I still want to go back in there and beat the shit out of him.”
“He’s not worth it, Hunter. He’s too arrogant to get it, with words or fists. I mean, I knew he had an overblown sense of self-worth, but I swear it’s gotten worse.”
Hunter nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. The guy was always cocky, but that,” he pointed back toward the restaurant, “that was next-league stuff. Something’s off with him.”
“And Rhonda. She looked really sad. I know she had a miscarriage so that’s completely understandable, but they just looked…”
“Miserable.”
She nodded.
Hunter knew what the real issue was with Paul. “I should probably go ahead and point out the obvious. He’s jealous as shit that I’m with you.”
He thought she would agree, so he was surprised when she shook her head. “No. I’m sure that’s not it. I mean, he dumped me. And he was never, not once, jealous when we were dating. He doesn’t seem to possess that gene.”
She was wrong. Way wrong, but he didn’t bother to correct her. As far as he was concerned, they’d already spent too much time thinking about the jackass. Time to get them back on track.
“Ailis.”
“Yeah?”
“You ready for your punishment?”
Just like that, the exes were forgotten, and they were right back to where they’d been at the table. They caught a cab, making out like teenagers in the backseat all the way to his place.
Once they were inside his apartment, he closed the door, locked it and twisted her around, pressing her back against it so he could kiss her the way he’d been dreaming about since walking off that stage earlier tonight.
When he’d heard his name and realized he’d made the cut again, all he could think about was her. This moment when he could take her in his arms and prove to her that they were perfect for each other—in and out of the bedroom.
She reached up, intent on wrapping her hands around his neck, but he had other plans. He grasped her wrists and dragged them above her head, holding them with one hand against the door. She shivered in response.
Bondage. He was going to introduce her to it, tie her up. His cock throbbed harder at the thought.
Reaching under her soft sweater with his free hand, he cupped her breast, squeezed it through her bra.
She tried to twist her head away, seeking a way to breathe. He didn’t let her escape. “You’re mine, Ailis. Completely.”
Ailis lifted one of her legs, wrapping it around his, trying to find a way to pull his cock closer to where she wanted it. “Hunter, please. Take me to your bedroom.”
He ran his lips along the side of her neck, then bit her earlobe. “I think you’re forgetting something.”
When he pulled away, her dazed eyes proved she’d probably forgotten her own damn name, so he reminded her. “Orgasms one and two are happening here. Now.”
Before she could reply, he retained his grip on her hands, dragging her farther into his apartment, straight to the couch. He sat down and tugged her into the position he’d described in the restaurant. Self-preservation reared its head as she struggled to escape, even though he knew she wanted what he was offering.
“Ailis. Stop fighting me or this will be a real punishment. Not play.” He swatted her ass, just a gentle tap compared to what he planned to give her, and she settled down instantly.
“Real? Play?” She shook her head, her red hair hanging around her face so that he couldn’t read her expression. It didn’t matter. He knew her well enough to know she was way out of her realm right now.
He drew her skirt up to her waist, revealing the garter he’d spotted the second he’d picked her up tonight for the show. He unclicked the back two snaps. He wanted her ass completely bare for what came next. She shivered, aroused. “Right now, it’s play, because you’re excited, waiting with bated breath to see what I’ll do next.”
“Do it,” she whispered.
“You’re not in charge tonight, A. I’m calling the shots.”
Once again, he could almost see the wheels in her brilliant mind struggling to work out what that would mean for her. He decided the best way to handle her tonight was to keep her off-balance. The easiest way to do that was to stop her from thinking.
He spanked her, a hard, sharp slap that was loud in the quiet room.
Ailis tried to rear up, to scramble off his lap. He was ready for her, his left hand pressing firmly on her back, holding her in place.
She grabbed his leg, intent on pushing away. He halted her by placing three more smacks to her ass. He wasn’t taking it easy on her. There had been too many clues in their past escapades that told him she liked the bite of pain.
Ailis stopped trying to escape, especially when he ran his fingertips along her slit. God, she was hot as lava and so wet. His cock had been hard since the restaurant and he was tempted to unzip his pants, to give the poor guy some room. Problem with that idea was once it was out, it would go in…her.
She’d agreed to no condoms. That fact alone was wreaking havoc on his self-control.
“Jesus,” he murmured. He was fighting a losing battle with himself. He’d never wanted a woman this bad.
Ailis looked over her shoulder at him. The woman was too damn smart. For someone with limited sexual experienc
e, she was pretty freaking good at reading his tone and expression. “Rearrange the schedule.”
He shook his head, even though rejecting that idea was the last thing on earth he wanted to do. He lifted his hand and spanked her again, harder. Five times, six, seven. Ailis anticipated the blows, raising her ass toward them, inviting him to give her more.
She’d found purchase by gripping his left thigh tightly.
After the tenth smack, he pushed three fingers inside her tight pussy and she cried out loudly, rearing back and forth. She was closer to coming than he realized, than he’d expected.
He thrust his fingers in deeper, until he felt her inner muscles clench. As the first pulse of her orgasm struck, he withdrew his fingers, shoving just one into her ass.
She bucked like an unbroken bronco on his lap, coming hard. And loud. He’d be lucky if his neighbors didn’t call the cops. That concern led to a brilliant idea. In addition to the bondage, he was going to gag her.
He slowly stroked that single finger in and out of her ass as her climax began to wane. Once it passed, her grip on his leg relaxed and she hung over him like a limp rag doll.
“One down,” he said softly.
She snorted, just one breathy laugh before trying to rise. He helped her, drawing her head to his shoulder once she was upright, cradling her on the lap she’d just been “punished” over.
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he loved her. The words were right there, hovering, clamoring to get out.
But they hadn’t spoken them yet. His gut told him she wasn’t ready. Not to say them or to hear them. So he choked them back, the taste bitter.
She lay against him for several minutes, her breathing slowing. When she lifted her head, she cupped his cheek and kissed him. One soft, gentle, amazing fucking kiss.
“My turn?”
He was so blown away by how beautiful, how sweetly trusting she looked that he couldn’t recall what was on the list next. That oversight was remedied when she slid off his lap, kneeling between his open thighs.
She reached for his zipper, but he beat her there. His cock was too fucking hard, and as much as he wanted her hands on it, delivering the thing safely from anything with sharp teeth was paramount.
Once he’d unzipped his jeans, he stood and moved to her side. “This is a lot easier without denim in the way.” He dropped his jeans and boxers, then reclaimed his place on the couch as her gaze remained riveted to his cock.
“Bigger and better,” she whispered. He chuckled. That wasn’t what she’d meant when she was talking to Paul at the restaurant and it had still felt good to hear.
Now…
He gasped when she wrapped her hand around his cock with a firm grip. There was no hesitance in her movements. She started to stoke him and he realized this wasn’t going to take long.
Especially not when she bent her head lower and took the tip into her mouth.
“Fuck. I swear to God, what’s about to happen isn’t a reflection of my stamina. I want you too bad. You can’t make me wait a week again.”
She giggled around his cock, sucking him deeper, as if taking his words as a dare to send him over the edge even quicker. He pulled the pins from her hair, setting loose the few strands that hadn’t already fallen out. Then he used that silky mass against her, gripping it tightly, using it to pull her closer, then drag her just the smallest distance away.
Ailis let him set the rhythm, relinquishing control. One of her hands retained its grip on the base of his dick, while the other traveled lower, cupping his balls.
“Fucking. Killing. Me,” he said through gritted teeth.
She didn’t respond. She couldn’t. He wasn’t giving her any reprieve. Her submission, her willingness to follow his lead, was too much.
“Fuck it,” he said, giving up any attempt at prolonging this sweet agony. He tugged her hair harder as he pushed her mouth deeper along his dick. And then he was a goner.
He let go of her, so she could move away if she didn’t want him to come in her mouth. He should have known better. Timid Ailis didn’t shy away from anything when it came to sex. She tightened her grip on his cock as she drank down every drop of come.
He leaned back against the couch, stroking her hair when she rested her head on his thigh, giving him time to recover.
Once again, he fought the urge to open up, to tell her everything that was written in his heart. He actually opened his mouth to say the words, but she moved, distracting him.
As he watched, she stood and started to disrobe. It wasn’t a striptease. It was something so much hotter.
She held his gaze as she drew the soft sweater over her head. Her bra was the same deep red, lacy. It was designed more for seduction and less for support as her breasts were pushed up, creating the kind of cleavage a man dreamed of pushing his dick into. He really wanted to fuck those breasts.
But once again, she diverted his attention when she drew down the zipper of her skirt and shimmied it off.
She was still wearing her stockings, the front two clips firmly in place even as the back two dangled loose. Ailis slipped off her shoes, unhooked the garter and dragged it and the stockings off.
Her bra was the last to go.
Neither of them had spoken a word as she’d undressed. Once she was completely naked, she stood in front of him, her hands hanging at her sides, his view unhindered.
How much courage must it take for her to stand there, naked, silent, in front him?
He stood, needing to touch as he looked. His gaze traveled the length of her and back up again as he reached out to grip her hips, to hold her there. His.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
As he expected, she gave him that damned disbelieving smile and tiny shake of her head.
He’d let that response slide one time too many.
Hunter gripped her chin, forcing her face up to look at him. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he repeated.
This time, her eyes narrowed in confusion.
“Hunter,” she whispered uncertainly.
He leaned down and placed his lips against her ear. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. You’re mine, Ailis. I’m never going to let you go.”
She stiffened slightly at his admission. So much for shielding his feelings. It simply wasn’t possible with her.
And even if it did freak her out, he didn’t care. He wasn’t giving up on them, regardless of her excuses, her fears. They’d overcome them all and maybe then she’d understand exactly what she meant to him. Paul had abused her trust, but more than that, he’d shaken her self-confidence. Ailis was an intelligent woman who’d let her heart do the thinking in that first relationship, despite her better judgment. It was going to be difficult to convince her to do that again, to get her to take that leap of faith, trusting that he wouldn’t hurt her, wouldn’t leave her.
“Hunter. Please. Take me to bed.”
He’d promised her one more orgasm in the living room, but schedules be damned. Maybe she was hesitant to lose herself in him, but he didn’t suffer the same fear. He wanted to drown in her.
He clasped hands with her and led her to his room. The optimist in him was determined they’d be here tonight, so he’d tidied his entire apartment and put clean sheets on the bed prior to heading to the show. Not that he expected Ailis to notice that at the moment.
However, there was one thing he knew she’d see.
She gasped when they stepped into his bedroom and he lit the candle he’d put out on his nightstand. For the first time in his life, Hunter had been bitten by the same romantic bug he usually gave other guys shit about. He’d scattered red rose petals all over the duvet.
He put his phone next to the candle and fired up the music he’d selected. The first song, “All I Can See”, was a new one he’d written a few weeks ago before his talk with Mr. Collins. Before he’d managed to see what had been staring him right in the face for months
.
He recorded it this morning on some cheap equipment he had in his place. The quality wasn’t the best, but it was good enough.
Ailis hadn’t heard this song yet because he hadn’t known how to sing it to her without giving away he’d written it for her.
She sank down on the edge of the mattress as she listened, her eyes closed. He stood there, his gaze locked on her face. He didn’t sit next to her because part of him wanted to be ready to block the door if she tried to bolt.
There was no way to deny he’d written it for her when he sang about the lion within the mouse. It was a song about love and loss, then finding something you’d never noticed, something you never knew was there, and discovering a better person at the other end.
It wasn’t until the song ended that he realized he’d been holding his breath.
When she opened her eyes and looked at him, there were tears on her lashes.
“That’s…” She paused, as if struggling to speak. “My God, Hunter. I don’t know what to say.”
“You like it?”
“It’s amazing. I’ve never…heard…” She wiped away a tear as it slid down her cheek.
He sat next to her on the edge of the bed and took her hand. It was odd when he realized they were both naked. It felt natural to be here with her like this. The moment had grown too heavy, too steeped in things they weren’t quite ready for.
“Lay on your back, A. We’re behind schedule.”
She grinned, but managed to get the last word. “Thank you. For the song.” She kissed him quickly. Then she scooted to the middle of the bed and lay down.
He crawled over her, adding his own kiss to the mix before making the journey south. He took his time, enjoying the sights along the way. The mountains of her breasts, the valley between. She laughed when he added his travelogue narrative in with his kisses, sucks and licks.
When he finally reached his destination, he lifted his head and winked at her. “Time to check into the hotel.” With that, he pressed his tongue inside her. Her quiet laughter quickly turned to soft sighs that encouraged him to keep going.