“And?”
“It aroused me.” He had to know that. “But not as much as the way you kissed me and played with me before you left my house this morning.”
“How turned on are you right now?”
Ella tightened her grip on the glass.
“Scale of one to ten. One being tepid.”
“And ten…?”
“Ready to come the second I slide my finger between your legs.”
She shouldn’t have asked.
“Eight?” he guessed. “Nine.”
Nine and a half. “Five or six.”
His lips quirked. No doubt, he recognized she was lying. “Shall we see, princess?”
“No!”
Walter jumped to his paws.
Scandalized, she glanced around the patio and exhaled when she realized no one was close enough to hear.
She petted Walter to soothe him. But Pierce’s smile was broader than ever. Damn him.
“So what’s the real answer, Ella?”
“Nine.”
“Meaning it would take me a minute or two to get you aroused?”
She closed her eyes. “Closer to a ten.”
“It’s a ten for me.”
“What?”
“I thought of you in the shower.”
“Did you…?”
He waited.
“I mean…”
“Ask.”
Walter sat again, and she angled her chin. “Did you jack off?”
“Yeah. But I didn’t come. I fantasized about you, about seeing the mark I hope is on your skin, about the thought of you playing with yourself, about giving you everything you want.”
One more time before he left. So tempting. So wrong.
Mr. and Mrs. Holden emerged from the house and stood near the food tent. Walter seemed to forget about Ella and dashed over to his owners. The other dogs gathered around him and jockeyed for position.
Morgan, composed and gorgeous, stood in front of the dogs, got their attention and signaled for them to sit.
As if choreographed, they all plonked down at the same time, looking regal and impressive.
After giving another hand signal, Morgan walked off to one side. A few people snapped cell phone pictures, and she wished she’d held onto her purse.
Mrs. Holden waved a hand, and her numerous rings winked in the overhead sun. “Thank you for coming to help us celebrate our thirtieth anniversary.”
The crowd clapped, and a few whistles split the air, making Bon Bon tip her head.
Pierce moved into place beside Ella, as if they were a real couple. She liked having him next to her so much that it terrified her.
“Please help yourselves to food,” Mr. Holden said. “Later, we’ll have cake, a champagne toast, and a band.”
The caterers pulled back the siding on the tent, removed lids and cellophane then left the area.
“Shall we?” Pierce extended a hand toward the tent.
Nothing could have surprised her more. “You need to interact with other guests.”
“I will do that later. For now, I like watching you, imagining the plug in you.”
While embarrassment gnawed at her, he grinned then picked up his water bottle as if he hadn’t said something scandalous.
She gulped down the rest of her wine before handing the empty glass to one of the servers.
In the buffet line, he introduced her to several of his parents’ friends, and as they walked toward a table, he rested his fingers at the small of her back. He’d done it at the bar, as well. She found it protective and possessive as well as endearing.
He guided her toward a table with a few empty seats. “Is this okay?” He pulled back a chair for her.
“You don’t have to sit with me, Pierce.”
He scowled. “Of course I do. I take care of my woman.”
She appreciated seeing this side of him, interested in others and asking thoughtful questions, all while glancing over at her on numerous occasions and being sure to include her in the conversation.
When asked what his job was, he kept his answer vague, making it sound as if he spent his days buried in administrative responsibilities.
“Watch out for those paper cuts, Holden,” one man said. He laughed at his own joke.
“Keep a first-aid kit in your desk drawer,” another added.
Pierce took a drink of water then leaned forward to ask the person across from him how business was.
Not long after dinner, some people, especially those with kids, began to leave.
The catering crew removed some tables and rearranged others. At the same time that the band was setting up, two men brought in big panels that resembled wood but seemed thin and somewhat flexible. They laid them over the flagstones and taped the seams together to create a dance floor.
“You don’t mind that teasing?” she asked him later, after the Holdens had sliced their cake and champagne had been shared.
He shook his head. “They don’t matter in my life any more than they did ten years ago. You, on the other hand…”
The band started, playing a slow, easy-listening song made popular by Otis Redding decades ago.
“Dance with me.”
Tonight, it was an invitation rather than the order it had been at the honky-tonk. “I can’t believe you want to dance.”
“I don’t. But I want you in my arms, and I figure it’s the only way you will let me put my hand on your ass.”
She grinned.
“Is that true?”
From beneath her lashes, she looked at him. “It could be.”
He stood then offered his hand, followed by his irresistible grin.
Instead of leading her in the direction of the makeshift dance floor, he surprised her by guiding her toward the privacy of the waterfall…which, she told herself, she should have expected.
Overhead, the sky was pink and orange, with beautiful swirling clouds, as the sun set behind the Rocky Mountains. The temperature had dropped a couple of degrees, so she didn’t object when Pierce held her close.
As he had last night, he led, but not in a dance step that she knew. This was more of an intimate sway. Without being told, she responded, lifting onto her tiptoes to lean into him and wrap her arms around his neck.
“Perfect.” He pressed one palm to the center of her back with his fingers splayed. Then he moved the other to her bottom. “I could keep you here forever.”
A lump lodged in her throat. There was nothing she wanted more. The impossibility of it made her heart hurt.
The instinct for self-preservation urged her to pull away. But the yearning to be with him won. Ella reminded herself that once he left, she would hurt anyway. Might as well make it worthwhile.
They moved together, as if they were in a private, magical world created for the two of them.
“You’ve gotten to me, Ella. Being here with you instead of alone somewhere is torture.”
“Good.”
“You’ve got an evil streak.” The words, said into her ear, sent a shiver skipping down her spine.
In exaggerated shock, she asked, “Do you want me, Staff Sergeant?”
“Is it obvious?”
“You left me wanting earlier.” And the need had continued all day.
“I’ve warned you about your dangerous game.”
She smiled, enjoying the banter.
For the first time in her life, she rested her head on a man’s shoulder, knowing she was safe, protected. For now, she wanted to savor the moment.
All too soon the music faded. They swayed to a stop several seconds later, when others were returning to their tables.
He tucked her hand inside his as he led her back to their chairs. She’d never been with a man as attentive as he was.
As he had earlier, he pulled back her chair. “Would you like another glass of wine?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I need to drive home.”
“Holden, there you are!” A tall, thin man with a re
ceding hairline rushed over and stuck out his hand.
Pierce stood. “Harold Loughton? Haven’t seen you in years.”
“Since I was in high school.”
The two shook hands.
“What the hell are you up to? I know your dad wants you to join the firm.”
“May I introduce you to Ella Gibson? She’s a longtime friend of Morgan’s and mine. Ella, Harold Loughton. His father was in business with my dad. Harold went to work for the company after he graduated from college, if I remember?”
“Yep, yep. You’re absolutely right.” Harold nodded. “Good to meet you, Ella.”
The man grasped her hand and squeezed with far too much enthusiasm. She extracted herself from his grip without responding to his greeting.
“Mind if I join you?” Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed a chair, turned it backward then sat. Harold bounced his right leg, radiating perpetual-motion energy. “You still at Fort Bragg?”
“Yes.” Pierce uncapped his water and took a drink. She watched the way he looked at Harold. Cautious, questioning, distant.
“Aren’t you bored out of your mind? Ready for some real work? You know, you could make a difference in the world. I’m still working for your dad’s company. VP of Accounting. But I don’t go around bragging.”
“No?”
“Trying to keep all the money straight. He’s expanding again. Enough work to keep an army busy. Get it? Keep an army busy. And you’re an army guy!”
She wondered if the man ever took a breath.
“We could use someone to train store managers. I’m betting you’ve been taught some leadership skills. At least that’s what some of the veterans we’ve hired say about the service. Platoons and units and all that.”
“All that,” Pierce echoed, sounding as if he were in agreement.
“Hey, I’m serious, man. We could use some brains at headquarters.”
Since Harold seemed to be settling in for a long visit, she excused herself.
Pierce stood and squeezed her hand. “I’ll find you.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“I’ll find you.”
Since arguing with him would serve no purpose, she nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Harold.”
He lifted a hand in acknowledgment but continued talking to Pierce.
She visited with a few people as she made her way across the patio. Since Morgan was occupied, Ella decided it was a strategic time to leave. Better than saying goodbye to Pierce. That, she wasn’t sure she had the strength to do.
After looking over her shoulder to confirm he was still talking with Harold, she found Mrs. Holden. Since the dogs were gathered around their besotted owner, Ella petted them all, giving Walter a little extra attention. He angled his head to make it easier for her to scratch behind his ear. Smart boy. “Thanks for inviting me. I had a wonderful time. The food was great. The band is fabulous. You throw the absolute best parties.”
“I’m glad you could make it.” Mrs. Holden pulled her shoulders back, preening at the effects of the compliments. “You’ll have to join Morgan and me for mani-pedis some Saturday morning. They serve mimosas.”
“I’d enjoy that.” Before heading inside to collect her purse, she added, “Happy anniversary.”
Ella’s hand was curved around the front door knob when Morgan caught up to her. “Wait! Don’t you even think of walking out of here without talking to me!”
She dropped her hand and turned to face her friend. “That was a great party, Morgan. Everything was perfect.”
Morgan narrowed her eyebrows. “Did I see you dancing with my brother?”
“Yeah.” She might as well admit it so Morgan would leave her alone. “It was a pity dance. He saw me standing there alone with only Walter for company.” It hadn’t happened in quite that order, but she didn’t mind playing loose with the facts.
“That didn’t look like a pity dance to me.”
“I haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about.”
“I know what I saw.”
“You saw your brother being polite.”
She cleared her throat. “As if. The words Pierce and polite don’t belong in the same sentence. I’m telling you, this conversation isn’t over. I want answers.”
“There’s nothing to tell. You need to get back to your guests.”
Morgan’s scowl grew fiercer, more determined.
“Go.” So I can get out of here before Pierce notices I’m gone.
“I’m telling you…”
“You already made that threat. You need a new one.” Ella grinned and hugged her friend. “Give me a call.”
“Don’t think I won’t.”
“Not ever,” Ella promised. She fished her keys from her clutch then left the house, closing the door behind her with a decisive click.
She paused on the porch to draw in a breath. Then, before Pierce could come after her, she walked toward her car. Since so many people had already left, her car was isolated in the distance. The outdoor lighting was faint as she moved away from the house and no moon brightened the sky.
When she neared her car, she pushed a button to unlock it and turn on the interior lights.
She froze. Pierce stood next to the driver’s door, arms folded, his expression unreadable in the dimness. She sucked in a short, uneasy breath.
“Did you think you could escape without me noticing?”
“I hoped,” she admitted.
“Because…?”
“Please, Pierce. I can’t do this.”
“Do what? Leave without letting me kiss you goodnight?”
She took a shallow breath. “You’re dangerous.”
“What harm can there be in one kiss?”
The question hovered on the night air. Because she knew the answer, she remained silent.
“Come here.”
Yes. In the end, it wasn’t a battle. She dropped her keys into her purse then went to him. And now that she was so close, she could read him better, saw the set of his jaw and the hurt in his eyes. Hurt? How was that possible? She’d expected frustration, maybe even anger. But the raw flash of honest emotion made her wonder if this might be more than a simple weekend affair for him.
“Damn it. It’s impossible for me to think of anything else when you’re around.”
The car’s interior light faded, and the darkness seeped around them, leaving them shrouded in privacy.
Pierce put his hands on her shoulders and guided her around so that her back was to the car, using his body to shield hers. No casual passerby would see who he was with.
“A gentleman to the end.”
“You’re my woman.”
As if that says it all.
He feathered his fingers into her hair and pulled back her head. Then he nudged a knee between her legs. “Open your mouth.”
She surrendered…because she wanted to more than she wanted to hold on to her sanity.
Pierce touched her tongue with his own, in a seductive dance, and he tightened his grip. She was aware of the band still playing in the far-off distance, an upbeat song that electrified the night.
The kiss—his kiss—was hard and deep, devouring her, communicating the words he hadn’t said, the promises he wanted to make but never would. It wasn’t enough for her.
Ella returned his kiss and opened her mouth wider. She lowered herself so that her pelvis was a fraction of an inch above his thigh. He put his hand on her back for support.
The touch of her bare pussy to the rough material covering his muscled leg almost made her come. She groaned. She knew he had a plan to seduce her and was so confident of it that he’d told her all the stages. He’d aroused her, said sexy things, reminded her she was submissive. No doubt he had moved onto the third step, and so far, it was working.
Without shame, she rubbed herself against him.
He murmured something indistinct, but she recognized it as encouragement. She rocked her hips forward and her labia parted, exposi
ng her clit. The plug shifted deeper, filling her more.
Pierce ended the kiss, leaving her mouth swollen, her lips parted. He pulled her hair harder, forcing her to arch her back. She gasped and shifted her position.
“That’s it. Rub yourself on me.”
Operation Fuck Ella Senseless at the Party… Heightening her arousal was part of his strategy, but it didn’t matter. Need sucked rational thought from her brain.
He slid his hand beneath her dress and his palm warmed her flesh. She tried to say his name, but nothing more than a moan emerged.
He rained kisses down the column of her throat and ended at the tiny indentation at the hollow.
“Do it thirty times.”
“I can’t.” Shouldn’t. She would be begging him to fuck her soon and ripping off his clothes as he’d promised.
“You can.” He held her in position. “It would be better if I fingered your hot cunt at the same time.”
“Then do it.”
He hissed, and Ella gave herself a mental fist bump. Getting that reaction from Staff Sergeant Pierce Holden was no easy feat.
He offered a finger and she sucked, pantomiming giving him a blow job.
“That will be quite enough.”
When she didn’t stop, he captured her chin.
“How far would you like to take this?”
A ridiculous, reckless part of her wanted to push it until she achieved the reaction she wanted. Which was…? A spanking? A fucking? Making it as difficult for him to forget her as it was going to be for her to forget him?
She sucked his finger deeper into her mouth.
“Oh, Ella.” He exerted a small amount of pressure on her cheeks, and she was forced to release him.
He slid his hand between her legs.
“You may want to get busy. I told you to rub yourself thirty times. I meant it.”
“Yes, Sir.” She had to adjust her balance. And he jostled his leg, throwing her forward. Her breath whooshed out and she let out a loud oomph.
“One,” he prompted.
She recovered her breath and he inserted a second finger. The sensation, with their hands bumping and the plug moving, overwhelmed her. Still, she sought more.
“Delicious sub.”
Lost in their sensual, naughty, risk-taking play, Ella lost count of the times she’d stroked her clit.
Enticement (Master Class Book 2) Page 12