“You won,” I whisper.
“I did,” he whispers back.
It happens like an explosion of fireworks.
His hand fists the soft cotton of my blouse. He yanks me forward.
Everything feels more in the darkness. The black clouds of nothing making my body tingle in anticipation and thrill.
As his lips crash against mine, I feel like I’m sitting on the precipice of the tallest roller coaster I’ve ever encountered. Ari’s tongue slicing across the seam of my lips sends me free falling down, no ending in sight.
I open my mouth as his tongue pushes in, fervor forcing me up onto my knees. With my hands on his hips, I pull him closer, eagerly swallowing the groan the movement forces from his vocal cords.
I’ve been possessed by the dark. Consumed with a need heightened by the closed-in walls. I’m locked in with him, my body craving the assurance only he can offer.
His lips taste like candy, soft and sweet, though his kiss is anything but. Head tipped to the side, he kisses me deeper. The slide of his tongue dominates. The caress of his lips is possessive.
I moan shamelessly. My body and mind are overcome by the man with his hands twisted in my shirt and his lips attacking mine.
Hands falling to my thighs, he pulls at the material glued to my skin, ripping my skirt upward to expose me completely. His palm slides between my legs, gripping my inner thigh.
“Tell me to stop, principessa.”
“Touch me.” I’m begging, the desperate need in my voice dripping between us in an open invitation for him to do whatever the fuck he wants.
Groaning he trails his fingers upward, finding me not only bare as promised, but damp with my craving for him. His groan turns into a growl, the growl morphing into a choked cuss word as his fingers find my center.
“Baby. Jesus. Fuck.”
My lips break away on a broken cry as two fingers slide inside me without warning. “Ari,” I whimper.
“So hot,” he answers, pulling out to push back in just as slowly.
Rubbing my inside walls, his breath kisses against my lips, the quick, sharp intakes of air mirroring my own.
With his free hand grasping my jaw, he drags me into a rich kiss, his tongue massaging my mouth in the same way his fingers do my pussy. I’m lost to the moment, completely consumed by my overzealous senses.
It feels so wrong. We’re trapped, pushed together into a circumstance neither of us could’ve anticipated. We started today as potential colleagues—now we’re ready to fuck on a cold concrete floor, our raw honesty and openness driving forward a need we can’t ignore.
It feels so right. My body responds to him in a way I’ve never experienced in my lifetime. I’m ready to combust. My orgasm claws its way closer with every talented push and pull of his fingers.
I want to explode.
I want to scream.
I want more.
“Slow down,” I plead.
“Come,” he commands, ignoring my plea.
“I don’t want to.” I sound as needy as I feel.
Tearing his lips from mine, he bites my bottom lip, his lust overwhelming every pocket of space around us. “One of many, Blake. Give it over. Promise next time will be even better.”
I groan, my eyes closing over in pleasure.
“Next time it’ll be my cock stretching you.”
My pussy spasms.
“Your sweet cum will be dripping along my dick.”
I cry out, my back arching.
Ari’s teeth pierce my neck. I scream, breaking into a million and one pieces with my stranger in the dark.
Chapter Six
He barely misses a beat. His fingers, still damp from my climax, grip against my thighs as he lifts me.
My skirt is around my waist. The cool air brushes against my clit, which is still throbbing in pleasure.
Sliding to his ass, he pushes his back against the wall, dropping my eager body onto his lap.
I waste no time fumbling around his crotch, searching for the one thing I want, the one thing I need.
A thick push of air dances against my face as my palm wraps around the sizable girth of his cock. “You’re thick.”
He only groans in response.
Teasing him against my hole, I drop down slowly, letting my body suck in the wide expanse of his head.
“Jesus.”
“Don’t come too quickly,” I murmur against his lips, letting my bottom lip drag against his.
My hand lifts as I sink deeper onto him. I can’t see the things I crave, so I need to feel. I trail my fingers along his neck, tracking against the corded lines protruding with blunt abandon.
Four years. The poor guy hasn’t felt the inside of a pussy in four years and last time it cost him nothing but drama. I’m determined to make this worth it. I’m determined to make certain he never, not for a single second of his life, regrets me.
His dick isn’t just thick—it’s long. He stretches me obscenely in ways I’ve never even dreamt of. The smooth velvet line of him brushes the inner parts of my body I’m certain are still virginized.
With his cock fully seated inside of me, I struggle to breathe. I roll my hips to readjust to his intrusion.
His hand flies to my neck, squeezing softly. “Give me a second, baby.”
Dropping my lips to his, I kiss him languidly, enjoying the taste of his lust. He kisses me back much the same, his hand still set possessively on my neck, the gentle caress of his lips a tantalizing contradiction.
His free hand pulls at my shirt. He refuses to break our kiss. He tugs at the cups of my bra, freeing my tits. With his thumb brushing over my nipple, I swallow the rough growl he lets loose into my mouth.
“Grind, principessa. Fuck me nice and slow while I play with your tits.”
My whole body quivers as I do as he asks, my pussy still coming down from the orgasm he gave me only minutes ago.
I move my hips in tender circles, consumed by the swell of him inside of me.
Hand tightening around the slim line of my throat, he pushes me back. It’s just enough for him to bend his neck to suck a nipple into his mouth. He growls around the stiffened peak. After letting it go on a harsh graze of his teeth, he sucks it back in, the heat of his tongue soothing the sting.
He pays the same attention to my right nipple. All the while I continue to undulate my lower half.
My breathing is heavy, deep moan-like whimpers lost into the cavernous feel of the frigid stairwell.
“Luscious tits, Blake.” He pulls back and even in the obscurity, I can feel him staring right at me. His hooded eyes bore into mine, which are currently wide with pleasure.
“I want to wipe your cum all over ’em and take my time licking it off.”
A gentle cry shakes in my throat.
“Would you like that? My tongue cleaning you up? Reckon you’d come again?”
“Yes,” I whimper.
“Mm,” he agrees. “I think so, too.”
His hands fall heavily to my hips. He grabs on. Holding them hostage, he thrusts upward. Hard.
“You broke me, Blake,” he groans.
Thrust.
“Didn’t stand a fucking chance.”
Thrust.
My body jerks with every forceful drive.
“Make you feel powerful, principessa?”
“Y-Ye-es,” I stutter, my head tipped back as he slams me down on every upward shove of his cock.
His large palms find my ass cheeks, squeezing hard enough to make me whimper.
Rhythm changing, he stops thrusting upward, remaining stationary as he jerks me forward.
“Back,” he demands. “Gently.”
I follow his instruction, sliding myself backward.
He repeats the action—a hard tug toward him, making me see stars. My clit glides against the strong touch of his lower stomach, throbbing at the friction.
“Close,” I tell him.
He only growls in response, failing to form coh
erent words. Every part of my body buzzes with the impending orgasm coiling within me.
“Kiss me, principessa. I need to taste how hard you come.”
With our lips fused together, I let myself go, my climax taking over. My teeth bite as I attempt to anchor myself to earth when I want nothing more than to fly high enough to never come down.
Ari takes it all eagerly, yanking at my hips harder and harder as he races toward his own climax.
We break apart, touching but not embracing. Ari’s hands bruise my ass cheeks with the intensity of his grasp. He comes loudly. The roar of release he lets loose explodes into the echoed space like a gunshot.
Chapter Seven
Reaching for my handbag, I dig inside in search of my phone.
I don’t let myself think about the fact that I just fucked an almost client. If the world found out, I’d be slaughtered. They’d brand me a fame whore. Ridicule me as nothing more than a woman desperate to get my name in lights.
I’ve fought against those stereotypes my entire career. I may work in Hollywood, but I don’t want to be involved in its underworld. I don’t want to fall into its trap. I want to remain happily on the outskirts. I want to do my part without getting my hands dirty. I work my ass off to ensure my clients remain clean, even if it's only on the surface. I, myself, want to know that I am unsullied.
“Whatcha looking for?” Ari asks, his lips caressing up and down my neck.
“My cell,” I inform him, arching my head away to give him greater access.
“You had your phone the entire time?” He pauses.
“Yeah, it has no reception either.”
“I meant for light, principessa.”
“Oh,” I laugh. “I was a little preoccupied.”
“Would’ve been nice to see your face when you came,” he offers painfully tender.
Cell in my hand, I turn the flashlight on, casting the stairwell in a dim light once again. “Newsflash, Hollywood. We can do it again.”
His smile breaks open immediately, his tongue teasing across the top line of his teeth in open joy.
It’s then that I feel his pain. What I would’ve given to see his face when his climax claimed him.
He’s gorgeous.
Exceptionally so.
His smile is aimed wholly and solely in my direction, for me. He’s devastating to look at. Seeing him break apart at the seams, watching him fall into an abyss of pleasure at my doing, would be my most self-indulgent achievement.
As if he can read my thoughts, his hand cups my cheek, pulling me down to kiss me.
“What time does security usually arrive in the morning?”
I shrug. “They work overnight in the building. As soon as power is restored, they’ll spot us.”
Pulling back from our kiss, he tenderly lifts my bra cups back into place and my tugs my shirt down, covering me from any potential watching eyes. “You tired?”
I nod.
“Let’s get fixed up and we can grab some shut-eye while we wait for the electricity to turn back on.”
I stand on shaky legs. He grins at me, the gesture full of pride.
“Calm your farm,” I joke. “I went to the gym yesterday. I’m feeling the pain today.”
His eyebrows raise. “If you say so, baby.”
Readjusting my skirt, I feel his eyes on me. I lift my head. He watches me with reluctance in his eyes. “You’re fucking beautiful, Blake. I’m sure you’ve been told that a million times before, but Jesus, you’re like nothing I’ve ever seen. Everything about you is my perfection.”
Skirt in place, I step forward, dropping my arms over his shoulders. “I hate that people photoshop you. They’re missing how perfect you are in your realness. You’re beautiful, Ari.”
I kiss him before he can kiss me. I’m afraid it might be the last time I get to do it. I need to show him how much this moment meant to me. It wasn’t a sleazy fuck. It wasn’t a moment of desperation. It was two people coming together after letting themselves be real.
It was more of a connection than I’ve ever felt before.
Ari kisses me back with as much reverence.
I like you, he tells me.
A lot, he beseeches.
Tell me you feel the same, he urges.
We settle back on the floor, our clothes in place. Ari sits against the wall, me laying on his jacket, my head rested on his lap.
Fingers dragging through my ponytail, he stares down at me candidly. “Can I take your hair out?”
“Oh.” I sit up, dragging the tie from my hair to let it loose around my shoulders. “Of course.”
When my cheek is nestled against his lap once again, he combs his fingers through the free strands of my hair.
“Are you close with your brother?” he asks.
“Jesse?” I clarify.
“Is he your twin?”
“Yeah,” I breathe out softly, the gentle drag of his fingers lulling me into a semi-consciousness. “We’re super close. He’s my best friend.”
His hand stops for an indecipherable beat. “That’s nice.”
“Do you have siblings?” I yawn.
“Mm,” he confirms. “A sister. We don’t talk though. She decided her life plan was similar to my mum’s. I used to think I should do more to help her.”
“People can only be helped when they’re ready to help themselves, Ari. I learned that a long time ago. You can’t force someone to better their life when they don’t see a reason to do so. All you can do is offer help when she’s ready.”
Threading his fingers through mine, he lifts my hand, laying a gentle kiss on my knuckles. “Sleep, principessa.”
“Blake,” Ari whispers, shaking me awake.
I blink twice and pull myself upright.
“I’m sorry, Miss Shay.” Another voice startles me.
Pushing the hair from my face, I bring the building’s security guard into focus. “I was just telling Mr. Hart we have a new guard on duty. He locked down the stairwells on his run through tonight before the blackout occurred.”
Ari, helping me upright, smiles at Patrick. “Tell him I owe him a beer or two.”
The old man looks awkwardly between us.
“You okay, Miss Shay?” Patrick glances at Ari suspiciously before resting his eyes on mine.
“Perfectly.” I touch his arm to reassure him. “Don’t mind him. He’s been caught in a dark, confined space for too many hours. Obviously the lack of oxygen is affecting him.” I wink.
“Well,” he huffs. “Yes. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
I follow Patrick quietly through the stairwell to the parking lot, Ari just as silent on my heels.
“Can I use your phone?” Ari asks.
I look over my shoulder. “Sure.”
I unlock it before handing it over.
Standing by my car, I shift on my feet gracelessly. “Obviously my offer stands to drop you to your hotel.”
He barely glances up at me, eyes trained on my cell as his fingers move fiercely across the screen. “Sounds good,” he murmurs distractedly.
Ouch.
“Cool, well, we should go then.”
The hurt in my tone is as obvious as my voice is soft. His dismissal is a knife of rejection felt sharply in my gut. The cocky Australian will likely depart with a small piece of my heart. He’ll take a sacred part of my soul that I handed over in a silly game of truth and lies.
Handing my phone back, he looks up, a killer smile on his face that causes my knees to tremble. I pray they don’t give out beneath me.
“What do you want to do today?”
“What do you mean?” I ask stupidly. “Don’t you have a flight to catch?”
He steps forward. “Just canceled my next two weeks. Thought I’d hang out in Seattle for a bit, get to know the sights.”
“Oh.” Again, I’m the epitome of cool.
“Yeah, oh.”
“Umm.”
“Listen.” He exhales softly, his hand comi
ng up to brush away an unruly lock of my hair. “We could tell ourselves what happened last night happened because we were caught in a stairwell with little else to do.”
I nod vehemently.
“Or we could be fucking honest with one another. Admit that you feel something fiery in here.” He taps my chest, right where my heart rests. “In the same way I do.”
I swallow deeply, unsure what to say.
“So, I have some unused currency…” he drawls.
“Huh?”
“A dare,” he whispers confidently.
“Blake Shay. . . I dare you to take a chance on me. I dare you to give us a shot. If nothing comes of it, we have a bit of fun. But I’m a gambling man, principessa, and I’m betting that you’re gonna be as addicted to me as I will be to you.”
I pretend that a whirlwind of butterflies isn’t fluttering so furiously inside my stomach I’m certain he can hear it.
I pretend that my cheeks aren’t pink with the schoolgirl crush I’m sporting on one of the world’s biggest celebrities.
I pretend that Ari Hart, a man who has remained celibate for four years hasn’t decided to put it all on the line for me.
I pretend all that as I step into his body, the palms of my hands resting comfortably against his chest.
I pretend all that as I smile up at him so wide, and he leans that little bit closer.
Then, I embrace it all when I whisper the words, “Challenge. Accepted,” right as his lips meet mine.
Want more of Ari Hart? He pops up in our standalone, CROSS YOUR HEART.
Download your copy here: Cross your Heart
Interested in Blake Shay’s story? You can meet her in REINING DEVOTION.
Download your copy here: Reining Devotion
About the Author
A blonde. A brunette. A tea lover. A coffee addict. Two people. One pen name. Haley Jenner is made up of friends, H and J. They’re pals, besties if you will, maybe even soulmates. Consider them the ultimate in split personality, exactly the same, but completely different.
LOVE IN LOCKDOWN: A Charity Anthology Page 13