by Kells, India
Lani knew she was playing with fire and decided to return to the task at hand.
Langdon’s cock, thick and long was half erect and lying on his muscled thigh. She had given head before, and good ones, but this was on another scale.
Deciding not to analyze it too much, she lowered her head. He smelled of soap and musk, clean and male, and that made her mouth water. When she took him in her hands, it jerked in response. Unable to resist, she swiped her tongue over him from root to tip. When she swirled over his mushroom head, Lani noticed the faint taste of his essence.
Langdon didn’t emit a sound, but his hips moved a little bit, pushing himself into her hands.
Surfing an increasing wave of desire, she closed her lips around him and started to suck gently. She knew it was only the beginning, and when she peered at him, she was relieved to see him reclining, his hooded eyes meeting hers.
“Deeper. Take me deeper.”
Hypnotized, Lani relaxed her jaw and it helped her head fall, taking him into her throat before retreating. With her tongue, she felt every one of his throbbing veins and ridges. The more she allowed in, the more she could feel his pulse beating stronger.
As she was working him, his free hand untied her hair before wrapping his fist tight in the blue strands. Now both his hands controlled her, and she didn’t mind.
One hand circling his girth, the other used to keep her balance, Lani used all her skills and tricks. As he grew harder between her lips, as she learned how to pull sighs, groans, and gasps from him, the more eager she was to see his steel control crack, his glacial shield slip.
His commands and directions were curt and sharp as her caress intensified. His sudden shivering told her that he was close. There was a wildness in him, one Lani had been eager to see. He was pulling so hard on the leash, it was starting to become difficult to breathe. Somehow, the slight dizziness made everything clearer.
He pushed deeper in her throat, and Lani fought her gag reflex by swallowing hard. That was what pushed Langdon over the edge. With a roar that reverberated through her entire body, reawakening her lust, her captor spilled into her mouth.
Swallowing the best she could, it was the pure look of rapture on his face that filled Lani’s world. Gone was the dominant, or the three-piece suit businessman lost in the forest. Before her was a flesh and blood man, lost in pleasure.
As he softened in her mouth, she lapped the last drops of him before letting his cock slide out.
The hand woven in her hair relaxed, his blue eyes closed. But the hand on the leash didn’t. On the contrary, with a steady pull, he forced her to crawl back over him, straddling his thighs, nestling his softening cock with her naked sex.
He was still fully clothed, and she was still without a stitch on, but the contact was very intimate. Cut short in her reflection, Langdon let go of her leather restraint and removed it from around her neck.
Free, but not for long, one large hand came around the nape of her neck and pulled her forward. For the first time since she’d arrived, Max kissed her.
CHAPTER SIX
Back in the kitchen, sitting on the stool, and this time authorized to cover herself with a blanket until the fire picked up, Langdon was again in front of the stove, warming the pancakes he had made earlier. With a fresh coffee in hand, Lani was more disappointed by how Langdon had closed up as soon as their mouths parted.
Her lips still tasted of him, still felt him. For the first time since he’d started touching her, that kiss had been a true connection, that had nothing to do with sex or the envelopes.
Not that she was expecting any sort of fairy-tale, or happily ever after, but she longed to have some sort of connection. Too bad it had been a fleeting one.
“How are you feeling? Are you sore?”
Lani looked up from the dark swirls of her coffee to see Langdon putting thick pancakes on the plate before her. His eyes were assessing.
“I’ll reapply lotion where I’ve slapped you. After a warm bath, you shouldn’t have any marks left. There is a slight trace on your neck. I apologize for that.”
Langdon didn’t mind marking her ass, but show regret at leaving a bruise on her neck?
“I’m fine. I’m tougher than I look.”
He pushed the plate even closer to her. Lani didn’t know if she should laugh or be frightened at the quantity of food in front of her. “There is no way I can eat all of that. I hope we are attacking this small mountain of pancakes together.”
Langdon poured himself a cup and refilled hers. “It’s not that much food. I’m sure you’ll be able to finish most of it.”
As he turned to get butter and syrup, Lani sighed. She would eat as much as she could, but that probably meant only one or two pancakes, not all seven of them.
Taking her knife and fork, she started cutting one fluffy pancake and smiled as she grabbed the bottle from Langdon to drown all the yummy pieces in maple syrup.
Chewing slowly, enjoying the flavor, she swallowed and smiled before taking another bite. Langdon sat facing her and took a few more pancakes before drowning them in syrup. The fact that he ate from the same stack would probably hide the fact that she had trained herself not to overeat. Paint before food and all that. Old habits were difficult to change and there was no guarantee she wouldn’t have to continue with them.
The silence between them wasn’t as heavy as she thought it would be. The food was amazing, the coffee offered her a much-needed kick, and it was so peaceful around without the usual sounds of the city.
The sun was high and bright, and the wind blew the top layer of snow, making it look like a thin veil of diamonds.
“I wonder what is going through your mind.”
Lani turned to him and smiled. “Nothing much. I was thinking that it’s a beautiful place. And I was admiring how the snow moved in the gusts of wind. Nothing much or interesting.” Pushing away her plate, she surprised herself to see she had eaten three full pancakes and enjoyed more of her coffee.
“I don’t like how you dismiss yourself like that.”
Lani shook her head. “It’s not that. I wouldn’t change anything about myself, but I guess a man of the world like you, successful and rich must have much more interesting things to do.”
Langdon finished his last bite of pancake before putting his utensils down. “What do you think would be more interesting than the person I’m with?”
“Thank you. But I know you would have preferred not to have to deal with me at all, so there’s no need for small talk. Let’s focus on finishing those tasks.”
He clearly didn’t agree with her, but Langdon appeared to go along with her line of thinking. “We can talk about where we are at with the tasks as soon as you finish your breakfast.”
“One last sip and I’m done.”
Langdon looked down at her plate and back at her again. “You barely ate.”
“I ate enough, I’m no longer hungry.”
“Eat some more and we’ll talk.”
“If I eat more, I’ll be sick. So, end of that particular discussion.”
His expression didn’t believe her a second.
Lani was prepared for an interrogation, but he dropped the subject.
“I have opened more of the envelopes and you are passing them well. Once you are done, all this will make sense I assure you. However, the next task may be trickier than what you expected.”
Her heart somersaulted into her chest, but she would be damned if she would show any fear. Not now. “As long as it doesn’t involve permanent damage or an animal, I’m game.”
He arched an eyebrow. “That narrows my bag of tricks, but I should be able to manage.”
Lani blinked. “Was that a joke? Are doms even allowed to do that? Be still my heart.”
His mouth twitched at her teasing. “Former dom. Go get dressed. I put your clothes in the dresser. If you need more, look in the closet, you should find some pieces that should fit you. Choose something warm. Meet me back here.”
And on those words, he left her.
Lani tightened her grip on the blanket and straightened her shoulders.
If the next step involved clothes, it couldn’t be that bad, could it?
* * *
Showered and dressed, Lani twisted her hair in a functional knot before heading for the kitchen. Langdon was by the window, his back to her. He had put on a forest green turtleneck sweater and a sturdy pair of walking boots. His graying hair was slightly disheveled, making him appear younger, more relaxed and approachable.
Alerted to her presence, he turned, hands in his pockets, looking up and down at her. “Not your best look, my dear Lani.”
She looked down and laughed. He was right, apart from her own jeans and light sweater, she had complemented her ensemble with another woolen buttoned up cardigan that was shapeless. The mustard color was definitely its worst asset, especially with the blue of her hair.
“Don’t you think yellow and blue is the most gorgeous combination?”
“Of all the combinations you could wear, naked is when you are the most beautiful of all.”
Lani wanted to make a joke of it, dismiss it, but to be honest, she wasn’t sure how sincere his statement was, so she decided to let it go. “So, what’s the plan? I’m telling you, I’m not doing anything bared ass in the snow. It’s too cold.”
Langdon shook his head, heading toward the entrance. He handed her a pair of boots and an extra pair of socks. “It’s cold out and your running shoes won’t do. The size is way off, but with the socks it shouldn’t be so bad.”
Lani had to admit he was right. The outerwear she had come with wasn’t suited for the mountain. After donning the boots and stuffing herself in a coat that made her look like a puff of blue cloud, Langdon led her out. His black SUV was running in front of the door. She had to admit it was a nice touch, especially since the air was so cold and crisp.
He drove for a while following the snowy roads snaking down to the valley. When she saw the welcome sign for the town of Pine Hill, Lani turned. “You need something in town?”
Langdon nodded, eyes locked on the road. “Yeah, it’s something for our next task. And for once, I can share what it is with you.”
Her curiosity piqued, she turned both to tease him again, and admire his handsome profile. That man could make every woman in sight melt with a single look. And they wouldn’t know that his touch was even more lethal. “Can you? My uncle is full of surprises. I passed the first few tasks, and now, where am I?”
“The instructions said that you will have access to all the cards when you’ve successfully completed this journey. The particular card I’m talking about is about communication.”
“Are you making things up or is that the truth?”
This time he looked at her and he wasn’t at all pleased. “I thought we were past that and trusted each other.”
And it clicked in her mind. “That was the first task, wasn’t it? That trust thing? I don’t see why I have to open up and spill my dirtiest secrets, especially since you clearly don’t want to do the same.”
He didn’t say a thing, but the way his knuckles whitened on the steering wheel was a clear indication of his answer.
The village appeared around the last swerve in the road like a Christmas postcard. Small shops, beautiful little houses and all covered with snow, like beautiful, sparkling lace.
Langdon expertly navigated through the many vehicles and found a parking spot on a side street. Lani hopped out in the winter air and took a deep breath.
“Come, we have things to buy.”
He was a man of few words, Lani realized following him as he turned into the main street. The sun was giving this composition a very vivid vibe. Looking everywhere, Lani smiled, memorizing all the colors and textures, gathering ideas for the next time she got her hands on paint and a canvas.
Bombarded by ideas, she bumped into a wall. Or more precisely, Langdon’s back.
“Are you alright? Better look forward, so you don’t get hit by a car.”
Probably to make sure she didn’t do exactly that, he took her hand in his warm one. They walked another block before turning on a side street. There were fewer people there, but the view of the snowy mountains was magnificent.
Again, not looking where she was going, it was Langdon who steadied her when he stopped walking.
“I don’t know how you’ve survived until now, looking everywhere but where you are going.” His voice was both amused and annoyed.
“The important thing is that I survived. What do you need to buy?”
Before he answered, her eyes went to the store’s signage and she froze. It was an artist’s supply store. “Why are we here?”
It was a feat for her not to tackle him and simply raid the store, but the last 24 hours told her to see the purpose behind Max’s actions first.
He let go of her hand, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I’m still haunted by the drawing you did on the window. I searched you on the internet and saw many of your paintings. They are good. No, scratch that. They are fascinating. I’m asking if you could paint something for me.”
Crossing her arms, Lani wasn’t sure how to interpret that. “Asking, not commanding?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Well, if you agree, I have a few conditions, but nothing difficult, I assure you.” The twinkle in his blue eyes told her that it would involve something kinky, but what he didn’t know was she was game to go very far to paint. It was an itch, almost as unbearable as the one he subjected her early this morning. “And an opening for our communication theme of the day. And an offering.”
“So, if I agree, you will be able to ask questions that I will need to answer, and I will be able to do the same thing to you?”
His jaw tightened and relaxed a few times before he replied. “I guess it’s the way it will go. Open communication.”
Lani nodded. “And I can paint whatever I want?”
Again, a hesitation, but he finally nodded. “And I will buy all that you require. Do we have an agreement?”
He extended his hand and she took it. “Did I just top a dom from the bottom?” Meant as teasing, the way his smile returned, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, made her fear she was the one who had been tricked.
This time, he sidestepped and opened the shop’s door for her to enter.
With a foot already in the trap, there was no other way to go but forward.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lani was like a kid in a candy shop. All she saw, all she touched, she wanted to take. Instead, and after a few deep breaths, she started to think about what she wanted to achieve. With her ideas and inspiration all over the place, it was a difficult thing to do.
Langdon followed her without a word as she circled the store with the owner. The man in his seventies was an old soul that connected quickly with her and was generous in his suggestions and advice.
Together, they compiled a basic kit, with all she needed for a painting or two. After some negotiation, the store owner was generous enough to sell her a couple of tailor-made canvases that suited Langdon’s needs.
Leaving them alone in the closed shop as he went to his home get the canvases, Lani ran her fingers over a paintbrush. “This is costing way too much money.”
Langdon looked outside before turning his attention to her. “You are going to be rich very soon. And famous. This is a very small price to pay to own one of your paintings. Now, lower your pants.”
The end of his sentence made so little sense, she thought she wasn’t hearing him correctly, but the hunger she saw firing into his eyes told her she had heard right.
It was the same one that started burning once more inside of her. How, in an instant could she forget about everything around her and be consumed by him.
Anybody could pass in front of the windows and look inside. The shopkeeper could come back. Somehow, she didn’t care. As he came to her, her hands went to the button of her pants. Still as a statue
he waited, but she wasn’t fooled.
Pushing her pants down to her knees, she wanted to start working on her cardigan when Langdon seized her hips and hitched her up on the counter.
Lani barely found her balance when Langdon swung her legs over his shoulders and buried his face between her legs.
His attack didn’t have any finesse or skills and she was grateful for it. Time wasn’t on their side, and Langdon knew it too.
Lani tugged at her cardigan and top until she was able to throw them aside.
Langdon’s eyes were on her as pleasure mounted. His tongue circled her entrance, but it wasn’t enough.
“Suck me, please, Langdon. Suck my clit.”
Unfortunately, the man moaned against her but didn’t obey. He did flick the tip of his tongue from time to time, but his goal was clearly to deny her release.
Fleeting shadows passed in front of the windows. Panic seized her. “Stop. Langdon. There are people walking outside. They will see me…”
He bit the inside of her thigh, making her jump, returning her attention to him. “Let them see. Let them see what I see. Let them feast on your body, envious of me when I make you come.”
He lapped at her folds like ice cream. “Own your pleasure.” Inserting two digits inside her quivering core, he curled them and applied ungodly pressure before sucking hard, finally answering her plea.
Lani’s heart hammered hard against her rib cage, caught between desire and fright, but she kept her eyes open. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see someone walking past, but in front of her was the only person whose attention she craved.
With one hand grasping strands of his hair hard for balance, Lani played with her breasts. Wetting her fingers with her tongue, she made circles around her areolas, pinching her nipples until a twinge of pain battled with the incoming wave of pleasure. “You want them to see me like this? Let them. I want the entire town to see me while I come. Most of all I want them to see you like this, with your mouth on my pussy. Oh yes, let them see.”
The low groan that came from him, in agreement with what she had said or not, was all she needed. His lips tight against her clit, and his fingers ramming hard and deep, Lani succumbed.