by RG Alexander
Tasha could make an ally if she helped her out. Or at the very least, do her job and distract their host from Stephen.
“What did you have in mind?” Stephen’s eyes were hard but she could feel his erection stirring against her hip.
She turned back toward Wendi and let her smile soften. “Would you like to kiss me?”
Wendi nodded without waiting for her husband’s approval, something Burke would surely notice. “Yes.”
The slender blonde stood and approached her, kneeling on the cushion of the lounge chair in a position that ensured Burke and Stephen would be able to see everything.
Stephen was fully aroused now, his fingers bruising her skin as he struggled to restrain himself.
Tasha felt desire unfurl inside her—not because of the woman who was staring at her lips with curiosity and interest, but because he wanted to see this.
The idea that her straight-laced Finn was watching made her bold. She’d kissed women before—who hadn't? Some kisses were meant to soothe friends after they’d been masterfully topped, and others to titillate their male partners into action. As a rule, men had a difficult time hiding their desire at the thought of seeing two women together.
But this wasn’t just any man watching Wendi’s eyes widen with excitement as she lowered her head and pressed her lips to Tasha’s. This was Stephen, and Tasha wanted to drive him wild as much as she wanted to please him.
Two male groans drifted over to them as Wendi rubbed her lips lightly, clumsily, over Tasha’s mouth. She really was sweet. Horrible taste in men, but sweet.
“Wendi, if you want to tempt her, you’ll have to do better than that.” Burke almost sounded annoyed. “Use your tongue. Take what you want, don’t fucking dance around it. Otherwise what is the point?”
Wendi flinched and Tasha reached for and clasped the woman’s hand in hers supportively. God, she wanted to hit him. She could feel the girl’s confidence deflating with every passing second.
Lifting her lips, she looked over at Stephen. “Can I kiss her now, sir?”
Stephen nodded, understanding what she couldn’t say out loud. “Kiss her. Show them why I can’t resist you.”
A thrill of pleasure shot through her, though she knew his words were more for Burke than her. She turned back to Wendi and let her smile grow sensual. Using their tangled hands, she pulled the fabric of her bikini away from one breast, exposing it to the sunlight and anyone who was watching before she placed Wendi’s hand firmly over her hard nipple. “That’s better.”
Then she reached up with her other hand and pulled Wendi in for a kiss. A real kiss that would give her bastard husband no reason for complaint and Stephen a visual he wouldn’t soon forget.
Wendi gasped into her mouth and followed her lead, squeezing her breast and causing several groans, both male and female, as other people took notice of what they were doing.
Wendi’s free hand was tracing circles on the skin over her ribcage. It was nice. She was nice.
Tasha was just about to lift her mouth to end it when Burke spoke again.
“Touch her, Wendi. Suck on her nipple and put your hand between her legs. See if she’s as turned on as you seem to be.”
Before Tasha or Wendi could respond, she felt Stephen’s hand move from her hip down inside her bikini bottoms to cup her sex possessively.
Oh God.
She’d never imagined he could be that bold. Right here, in front of everyone. She’d told him he could, but she’d never…
Oh God.
“This is mine,” he growled. “I’m the only one who gives permission for that, Burke. Are we clear?”
“As crystal, Senator,” Burke murmured.
Tasha couldn’t contain her moan when Stephen’s fingers slipped between the lips of her sex. Her hand dropped to press his harder against her, her hips rocking as an unexpected but intense wave of need swamped her.
Right here. Touch me and show them I’m yours.
Stephen moved in close behind her, pressing his lips against her ear. “You like hearing me say that, don’t you? That this is mine?”
He rubbed her clit and she whimpered against Wendi’s mouth, nodding.
One finger slipped inside her. God, yes. Do it. Don’t stop, Stephen.
“You’re so sexy, Natasha. And wet. Do you need to come?”
Here? He would… Really?
She nodded again and Wendi moaned in excitement at the prospect.
He bit Tasha’s earlobe sharply, still touching her. Teasing her. “Then thank this wonderful woman for a beautiful experience and head toward our room to wait for me. I’ll be right behind you.”
She pulled back obediently, her smile shaky as she mouthed a thank you to Wendi and reached for her bikini top, slipping it back into place.
Stephen hadn’t moved his hand away yet. Wendi sat back, her gaze lowered between Tasha’s thighs to watch. Everyone seemed to be watching her hips pump helplessly against her lover’s hand. “Stephen?”
His finger plunged deeper once. Twice. Tasha gasped and gripped his wrist with both hands. “Stephen? Did you change your mind, baby? Do you want me in the bedroom? Or here?”
He tensed and released her slowly, reluctantly removing his hand and coming to his feet to help her off the lounger. His eyes were a turbulent blue. “Go. Now.”
It was a command she had no desire to defy.
“Wait a second, Finn,” Burke said as she took a step away. “Don’t go disappearing for the rest of the night now. I thought we could all eat out here and get to know each other better.”
“The steaks will wait.” Stephen’s voice was deeper than usual. Unshakeable. “We both have women to see to first, wouldn’t you agree, Phil?”
“Of course.” Burke yanked Wendi down beside him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She smiled weakly at Tasha once more before burying her face in his chest. “You’ve got the right priorities, Senator.”
Tasha walked away without another word, her bare feet taking her through the small crowd that had gathered around the pool and into the house. Still more people were inside, talking or playing at the BDSM stations that had been set up in the movie theater-sized living room.
Too turned on by Stephen’s actions outside, she had no interest in any of them. She couldn’t get over what had just happened. What Stephen had done. He hadn’t hesitated with his intimate caress, hadn’t cared who watched him claim her with his fingers and his words… He’d left her reeling.
Despite her confidence in Stephen’s desire for her, it had always been there—the small voice that wondered if he’d never broken their rules before now, never pursued her when what was between them hadn’t dimmed with time or distance, because he didn’t want anyone else to know how he felt. Because he was ashamed of how he felt.
That’s your mother talking, she told herself sternly.
Maybe it was. Stephen was a good man. One of the best she’d ever known, right up there with Jeremy and her father. But her father had never written her back and Jeremy had never been hers—not the way she’d wanted Stephen to be.
His behavior was messing with her head, making her think about things—want things—she never had before. Things that weren’t realistic. Weren’t possible.
Someone reached for her hand before she made it to the staircase, spinning her around.
“Rivera? Tasha, what are you doing here? I saw you on Friday for the ceremony, and you never said a word about coming to Burke’s bash.”
She focused on the shirtless man in front of her with an apologetic smile. “Ken. Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
What was he doing here? And how could she have missed noticing him until now? Kenneth Tanaka wasn’t the kind of man you failed to notice. He was tall and muscular, with full lips, eyes such a light brown they were nearly golden and skin like warm honey. He was also covered in stunning tattoos and had ink-black hair falling in a silken braid to his waist. But it was his smile that made him truly beautiful. He got tea
sed a lot about that smile. People said when Tanaka smiled, angels fell and the devil got nervous.
He was using that smile on her now—until he looked into her eyes. Then it faded into concern. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
What’s wrong is you know me too well.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be here either,” she replied weakly. “You hate this kind of thing as much as I do.”
Ken was a dear friend and a master with rope, and they’d bonded years ago over Ruby’s lasagna and their common status as mutts—he was Scottish and Japanese, a devastating combination.
He grimaced. “Yes, well, I’m not here for my own enjoyment. Unfortunately I take my job as mentor seriously, and Burke specifically requested more demos than usual for this party. Variety. The man I’ve been working with begged me to come. It would have been irresponsible not to.”
Ken took his rope work very seriously, but Tasha still smiled. “Is he cute? This man you’re training?”
Her friend raised his eyebrow. “Of course he is. He’s also straight and too short to be my type. The beast watching you from the doorway, however, has a body that was made to be worshipped. I might hate you if you tell me he’s yours.”
Tasha turned, thinking he was talking about Stephen, and instead found Brady in full bodyguard mode, his arms crossed over his massive chest, his narrowed gaze trained on them. She gestured for him to come over. “That’s my boyfriend’s bodyguard.”
“Your boyfriend?” Ken sounded mildly surprised. “I didn’t know you did boyfriends. What happened to your buddy system?”
“He happened,” she answered softly, wishing it didn’t have to be a lie. “A while ago. He’s kind of a public figure, so we don’t advertise our relationship.”
Ken gripped her chin with his fingers and forced her to look up at him. “You’re talking about the senator,” he said softly, his eyes narrowed. “I heard he was here. You came with him? You’re dating him?”
His direct gaze was making her nervous. “I did. I am. I know he doesn’t seem like my type, but I’ve known him for years. Trust me, he isn’t as vanilla as he seems.”
“I wasn’t expecting that,” he murmured, almost to himself. “But I can see it. Why wouldn’t he advertise? You’re a catch.”
“You’re sweet, but think about it, Ken. As soon as anyone got wind of the two of us together? Senator Squeaky Clean with someone like me? The media feeding frenzy could ruin his career.”
Ken frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that. I thought Owen’s brother was supposed to be smart. What kind of man cares about reporters when he gets to come home to you? Nobody hides Natasha Rivera in a corner.”
“Don’t throw Dirty Dancing quotes around or I won’t introduce you to Hot Body Man.”
Brady announced his presence by wrapping his fingers around Ken’s wrist and gently removing his hand from Tasha’s face. “Is this man bothering you?”
Ken’s laugh was a little breathless as he looked down at the strong fingers on his arm. “Now that’s a grip. Hurry and tell him we’re friends before he wrestles me to the floor and frisks me for weapons.”
Brady dropped Ken’s arm as if it were on fire.
Tasha leaned her head on Ken’s bare chest and smiled at the overprotective Finn. “We’re friends. Ken, meet Brady Finn, former Marine, bodyguard, sexy, single man about town.”
Brady glared, but she was undeterred. “Brady, meet Kenneth Tanaka, expert in basically every martial art in existence, host of the local strongman competition, computer hacke—computer genius and highly sought after rope master.”
She studied them both and sighed. You’d have to be dead not to respond to those gorgeous specimens. “Look Ken, someone taller than you. How often does that happen?”
“Not that often.” Ken held out his hand to Brady and smiled his magical smile.
Brady hesitated before giving it one shake and taking a telling step back. “If I’m not needed…”
Stephen put a hand on his shoulder as he appeared at his side. He didn’t look happy. “Brady, we’re going to our room.”
Obviously relieved, Brady nodded and marched away from them, heading up the stairs. Was he planning to sweep the bedroom again? Tasha didn’t have time to ask before Stephen wrapped one arm around her waist and started after him.
“Wait, I wanted to introduce you to—”
“No.”
“No?” She looked over her shoulder to see Ken shaking his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “That was rude, Stephen. Ken is a good fri—”
His arm tightened so he was practically dragging her up the stairs. “Not another word, Natasha. Not until we’re alone.”
When they were alone, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. And then another, and another, until he agreed to apologize to her friend.
Brady was walking out of the door as they arrived. “Clear,” he said quietly.
Stephen nodded. “Keep your eyes open.”
He pushed her inside, less gently than she would have liked, and closed and locked the door, leaning against it in silence.
Tasha spun around to face him, her hands on her hips, anger making it hard to catch her breath. “You’re an arrogant ass. Ken knows me and now he’ll never believe our story. Why? Because I don’t date assholes.”
Stephen, who’d changed into another pair of khaki pants and a polo shirt for the pool, started to strip in silence.
When his shirt landed on the floor she shook her head. “We’re not doing this, Senator. Not until we…get this sorted…out.”
He’d slipped off his pants and straightened, giving her the perfect view of his impressive body. He was still aroused. Extremely aroused. The tip of his hard shaft was glistening with pre-cum. She had the sudden urge to lick it.
Stephen walked toward her, gripping the base of his erection in one fist. He reached her, slid his hand into her hair and tilted her head back, kissing her with the kind of intensity that turned a girl’s bones to pudding.
When he finally lifted his mouth so they could both gasp for breath, Tasha complained, “This isn’t fair. Kissing me like that isn’t fair. I’m mad at you.”
“I don’t care,” he rasped, bending his head to scrape his teeth along her jaw. Her neck. “I couldn’t wait. Not long enough for you to find someone else to kiss in front of me, or to introduce me to one of your play partners. I need you.”
“It isn’t like—”
Stephen whirled her around and pressed her back against the wall, sliding the hand in her hair around to clasp her throat. She moaned in surprise and arousal.
“I don’t care,” he repeated in a low, dangerous tone. “Right now I only want to hear you saying ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘Please.’”
“Yes, Sir.”
Please.
Chapter Eight
Stephen kept his hand on her throat, kissing her resistance away as he swiftly undid the knots of her bikini top and let it drift to the floor. He reached for the breast Wendi had touched, pinching her nipple hard enough to send her to her tiptoes.
“Ahh, Stephen—”
“Yes, sir or please,” he reminded her, replacing his fingers with his mouth.
Tasha’s hands fluttered up to land on his shoulders as he sucked her nipple against the roof of his mouth, then opened wider to take more. She could feel every tug in her core, everything inside her focused on his touch, his mouth on her. “Please.”
His other hand dipped into her bikini bottom again, fingers sliding easily through the slick arousal soaking her sex. He groaned his approval, gently pulsing his grip on her throat. The conflicting sensations made her tremble. “Please.”
He lifted his head long enough make a demand. “Push your breasts together for me.”
She swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”
When she obeyed with shaking hands, Stephen rewarded her with a low groan against her breasts and a finger sliding into her sex.
“Jesus, I love hearing that. Maybe too much.�
�� He thrust inside and traced both nipples with his tongue. “Did you like it, angel? Everyone watching while you kissed her? While she touched you?”
I liked you watching. “Yes, sir.”
“I’m not sure I did. It made me crazy. There I was, trying so hard to be careful, to remember why we’re here, then you kissed her and the next thing I knew, my hand was between your legs and all I could think about was tearing your mouth away from hers and filling it with my cock.”
She shuddered against him. “Please.”
“Fuck!” Stephen broke away from her and she felt his absence like an ache. “Take that off and get on your knees, Natasha.”
“Yes, sir.” She stepped out of her bikini bottoms and dropped to her knees without hesitation. She couldn’t think about anything but giving him what he wanted. What she wanted.
When she licked her lips, he groaned and tangled his hands in her curls. “You’re so fucking sexy.”
Pleasure warmed her like a shot of whiskey, heating her limbs, and she smiled up at him.
He shook his head. “So beautiful.”
Letting her go again, he walked toward the bed, leaving her shaking on the floor.
She frowned. Wasn’t he impatient for her? God knew she was impatient for him. Where was he going?
He opened the small chest in the corner and chuckled as he pulled out one package after another. “I saw all this earlier. The Burkes are thoughtful hosts, you have to give them that.”
Tasha watched curiously. She’d been to enough of these parties to know there could be just about anything in that chest.
“I think these will do.” He walked behind her, and when she started to turn, he said, “Don’t move until I tell you.”
He dropped to his knees behind her and tore open the packages. What kind of toys had he chosen?
As if he’d heard her, Stephen said, “This plug promises hours of enjoyment. We’re expected downstairs soon, but I’d rather test this out on you. What do you think?”
She thought she’d rather have him, but saying so wasn’t one of the options he’d given her. Yes, sir or please. That one simple command had rendered her powerless to do anything but accept him or safe out, and the last thing she wanted to do was end this.