Engaged (Challenge series, #2)

by Kiru Taye

  Paul chuckled as he kicked the door open with his feet. “You’re a featherweight,” he said.

  Her heart leapt from yet another compliment. He laid her down on the large bed with calm finesse, looking unruffled as if he hadn’t been carrying anything. His handsome face creased into a toe-curling smile when he stood back and surveyed her body. His dark eyes shone with the promise of what the rest of him would do to the rest of her. Her body and face warmed up with lustful expectation. She wanted all the things his eyes promised and more.

  “A girl could fall in love with you so easily with all these flattering remarks. I bet half the girls in Nigeria are in love with you already.” She lifted her lips in a becoming smile.

  Paul laughed softly, his eyes sparkling with warm humour before kneeling beside the bed and taking one of her feet in his hand. “Only half? Now, who’s singing praises?” he asked as he unstrapped the buckle of her wedge sandal and slipped the shoe from her foot.

  He placed a soft kiss on the topside of her foot. Her toes curled involuntarily as the tingle shot straight up her leg to her core. She’d never known her feet were erogenous zones.

  From the wet heat threatening to overflow her thong, she’d say Paul had found a sexy spot on her body without even trying very hard. He touched her with the skill of an expert and the familiarity of a long term lover. He brushed his lips against the spot again, one of his hands travelling up her leg in an excruciatingly slow caress.

  It seemed her entire body was sensitised, her nerve endings on hyper alert.

  Oh boy!

  Biting back a whimper, Ijay sank into the crisp cotton sheet as she fought to control the urge to moan out loud. She heard the sound of distant drums. It took her a while to realise it was the erratic beat of her own heart.

  Paul moved to the other foot, removing the straps and releasing her feet from the sandal. “I haven’t said anything which wasn’t true tonight,” he said, the warm air from his lips feathering her receptive foot.

  Ijay creased her face in a frown, trying to get her hazy brain to function. What was he talking about? What were they discussing? All her brain could process was the feel of his hands and mouth on her legs.

  “You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman. You have a sexy body I can’t seem to keep my hands off,” he continued in a low husky voice in between brushing his lips against her feet.

  As if everything else he was doing wasn’t enticing her into pleasurable heights, his words broke down the last dam of resistance. Any control she had over her body’s response fizzled away. He moved, kissing his way up her legs in alternate brushes. His large hands followed the trail of his lips.

  Her body trembled in response, her fingers clawing at the sheet beneath her. The effect of his touch was electrifying. There was no other sensation like it. She’d been aroused before. Not like this. As if her life depended on him stoking and quenching the fire raging within her body.

  When his lips grazed the inside of her hip, she nearly shot off the bed with the intense pleasure. Clamping her hips back down on the bed with his firm hand, he set about nipping and licking the insides of her thighs and hips. Exquisite pain pleasure shot through her body. She felt wet heat soaking her thong.

  “Please,” she moaned out shamelessly. To blazes with holding back. If she didn’t get some respite from the fever sweeping through her body, she’d certainly burn up.

  In response, Paul shook his head. “I’m not done yet,” he whispered against her scorching skin. Moving up her body, he carried on with the torturous and delightful nipping and licking on her belly. Then her breasts. First he caressed them with both palms in a gentle squeeze, making them feel heavy. Then he pinched the nipples through the lace until they stood erect. The graze of the lace sending more tingles through her body.

  Ijay debated removing her bra completely. She wanted to feel the lash of Paul’s tongue directly on her soft skin. Yet her fingers clung on to the bedding to stop her body leaping off the bed. She was already jerking and quivering with each touch.

  Oh, what the hell.

  She moved her hands. Instead of going to unhook her bra, they travelled to Paul’s chest and started undoing his shirt buttons. He paused from his nurturing, leaning back to give her more access. Silently he watched her actions, his dark gaze missing nothing. That she managed to get the buttons off was a miracle considering her fingers trembled.

  She parted the shirt and he let it fall off his shoulders and arms, flinging it aside. She ran her palms in awe up and down his chest, enjoying the feel of the short springy hairs and the firm muscles beneath. He wasn’t bulky like a body builder. Just fit and well-toned like an athlete.

  She heard his breath hitch when her hands moved over his nipples. She played with them the same way he’d played with hers. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his breath increasing in rapid rates. Feeling emboldened by his encouraging response, she leaned up on her elbows and latched her lips onto his nipple, her palm sliding down to palm the stiff bulge straining in his trousers.

  Paul let out a tortured groan. Ijay’s lips widened in a triumphant smile. He opened his eyes and caught her smile.

  “Oh, you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” he teased with a wicked smile before moving back to remove his trousers and shoes.

  Seeing him standing in short stretchy boxers that clung to his hips and toned butt had her salivating. She rolled her tongue along her bottom lip. The urge to get her hands on him again overwhelmed her, the last of her inhibitions melting with her body.

  “If you look at me like that again, we’ll be going fast and furious in record time,” he said with a devious smile.

  “That sounds like a plan to me,” Ijay replied, reaching behind to unhook her bra.

  “Don’t you dare touch that bra. It’s mine to remove, just like you’re mine for the rest of the night,” he commanded before he walked out of the room into the lounge. The serious tone of his voice made her shiver with need. The way he said the word mine was so sexy. She realised she was happy to be his to pleasure even if it was just one night. The mischievous side of her wondered what the consequence of disobeying him would be. It was a night of adventure for her. She wanted to find out.

  In his absence, she unhooked the bra. “Oops. I did it already,” she grinned sheepishly as the bra fell off her shoulders.

  Paul returned to the bedroom, the pack of condoms in his hand. “Oh uh. Someone needs a little lesson in controlling her hands and obeying instructions.” He placed the opened box on the bedside table and strode to the wardrobe with a wolfish smile. Her heart raced as he removed a blue silk tie from the drawer. She wondered what he planned to do with it when he turned and walked back to the bed. Her eyes widened with surprised when he stretch the tie out between his hands.

  “What are you going to do with that?” she asked when he sat on the edge of the bed.

  He dangled the edge of the tie over her stomach, trailing the tip along her skin. It tickled and tingled all at the same time.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked in a slow drawl as he continued dragging the silk along her skin.

  Her eyes widened again in surprise at the question. She wondered where it was leading. She looked into his eyes trying to read his thoughts. They reminded her of the midnight sky, starry and tranquil, positive and intense. The way he made her feel confident and relaxed; the way she connected with him, she’d never bonded that way with any other man.

  Within a few minutes of meeting him, she knew she wanted to be with him intimately and not just physically too. Shame it was only going to be for one night. She didn’t have to worry, though. At this moment, she wanted to experience being with him fully whatever it entailed.

  “I wouldn’t be here with you if I didn’t trust you,” she replied, reaching out to him.

  He took her hand in his, stopping her from touching his chest. “I’m going to tie your hands and keep them above your head against the bedposts. If you don’t want me to, just say so.�
� He played a tattoo on the back on her hand with his finger, his gaze stayed up watching her face.

  “I’ve never been tied up before,” she said, pausing to bite her lip worriedly. She’d never done any sort of role play when it came to sex. The most adventurous she’d ever been was being on top of her partner. “Why do you want to do that?”

  “Restraining your hands will heighten the pleasure sensation for you. I want to give you the best night of your life. So will you let me?” His lips widened in an encouraging smile, his black eyes so intense she couldn’t look away.

  “And you won’t do anything crazy?” It felt immature asking but what the heck. He was about to bind her hands with his tie.

  “Like what?” His dark eyes held sparkling amusement as if he could read her thoughts.

  “I don’t know. Like chop me up into pieces and stuff me in the back of your car.” She giggled at ridiculous pictures her words painted in her head. If she even thought Paul was that crazy, she’d never have followed him out of the nightclub.

  His deep chuckle resounded in the room. “As you know already, my vehicle of choice is a black cab and the sharpest thing around me seems to be your wit. If you’re not comfortable with the idea of being bound I’ll put the tie away”

  “No, don’t. I’m curious and as I said I trust you so go ahead.” She was here already. She might as well go the whole nine yards.

  “If you want me to stop at any point just say the word blue. Can you remember that?” he said without making any move toward her.

  “Blue. Sure I can remember it.” She nodded.

  “Good,” he said, quickly brushing her lips with his. He straddled her body, his knees on either side of her waist and moved her hands above her head. She felt as he wound and knotted the tie around her wrists against one of the bedposts. It was tight enough to hold her wrists together but not too tight that it stopped blood flow. She assumed he must be some kind of expert with tying ropes because she felt truly bound.

  “Okay?” he asked when he leaned back and studied her curiously, his expression filled with tenderness.

  She was at his mercy. He could take advantage of her vulnerability. If he was some kind of loony, she’d be in big trouble right now. Yet he was still concerned about her wellbeing. Her heart flipped over with compassion.

  If she wasn’t careful she’d fall in love with him. She was already half-way there, surrendering her body to him with such careless abandon. That was only a fine line away from giving up her heart to him. She couldn’t afford to love someone else again. She couldn’t afford another heart break. Not so soon after Frederick. Not right now.

  Mentally, she shook her head. She had to stop being emotional and focus on the purpose of the night. This was just about sex. Nothing more. It wasn’t a relationship. Just a hook up. Tomorrow Paul would be gone and she’d get back to her normal life—being sensible Ijay. There was no point getting sentimental about it.

  “Of course I’m okay.” She wriggled her hips wantonly beneath Paul. “Now where’s the hot sex you promised me.”

  Chapter Four

  The sensuous movement of Ijay’s hips beneath Paul’s thighs kindled the slow burning desire in his body. From the moment he’d set eyes on Ijay, he’d ached for her; at first a dull throbbing ache in his groin. Now it roared into a rampant inferno, threatening his self control.

  The drive to his hotel and his sheer will power had subdued the urge when his body had wanted him to find the nearest enclosed space and claim her hard and fast against any flat surface. He would’ve sated his body’s need as well as hers and their encounter could’ve ended there. He hadn’t needed to bring her back here.

  Yet there was something about the way she’d kissed him, the way she’d given herself over to him. With such confidence and total trust that had gripped his heart in a clenching vice squeezing it until he was out of breath. Now he was overwhelmed with the need to give her much more than just his body except he didn’t know how to. He’d never done it before; never had to.

  Like now she lay under him in nothing more than the sheer scrap of a black lace thong, all of her exposed to his attentive gaze and his yearning touch. She was his to command, her hands bound above her head. Yet she did not cower. Neither was she afraid. In the depths of her brown eyes, he saw curiosity, lust and the same conviction she seemed to have every time she looked into his eyes.

  He wondered what she saw in him that gave her so much confidence. He didn’t trust himself. Yet it seemed she trusted him enough to put herself and the delivery of her pleasure in his hands. That he could do. He could give her the bliss she sought for tonight. He leaned forward; his hands braced either side of her chest, his body not touching hers. Yet her body heat surrounded him in a convivial embrace.

  “You’re going to get hot sex when I say so,” he whispered close to her ear, blowing warm air along the sensitive skin on her neck. He sensed her body vibrate in a sharp shudder.

  A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He banked it down. He loved the way she responded to him. So eager. So passionate. It pulled at the tight control he was holding over his own desires. For now he wanted to focus on her. He wanted to see her come apart with fulfilment.

  Closing his eyes he inhaled deeply, taking in her light fragrance—the floral scent of irises mixed with the musk of her arousal. Warm blood left his head and headed south. It swelled his erection even further and left him lightheaded with exhilaration; its pulsing motion in tune with his overactive heart rate. Giving in to the itch to taste Ijay’s skin, he licked the dip in her collar bone, feeling her pulse jump at the contact. She tasted salty and sweet, a delightful combination.

  “Oh,” she gasped out in a sensual excited voice.

  He slid lower and leaned back, marvelling at the perfection of smooth round breasts. They were neither big nor small. Their dark areolas looked like dark chocolate drizzled over caramel cream scoops. When he clasped them in his hands, they fit completely.

  Bending over, he took the under-swell of one between his lips, sucking at the soft satiny skin and loving the feel of it. He heard what sounded like a whimper from Ijay and she pushed her chest upwards encouraging him. He needed little encouragement with her. He wanted her. All of her.

  With her, he wrestled with a jumble of contradicting emotions; his mind was at peace, devoid of worries. Yet his body was ablaze with lust, at the same time. He sucked the fleshy spot harder before licking it. His fingers played with the other nipple, kneading and tweaking it to hardness. Then he swapped over and repeated the same thing on the other breast.

  Ijay panted, her skin hot to the touch, scorching his palms. Her body jerked with each caress he gave as he moved lower to her stomach. He loved that he was the one doing this to her. The one making her respond so fervently.

  When you’re gone, there’ll be someone else here in your place.

  His body froze. His lips hovered above her belly button, not touching her skin. A cold sweat broke down his back. For some reason that thought had his gut twisted in repugnance. A bitter bilious taste overwhelmed the salty taste of Ijay.

  That he didn’t like the thought puzzled him and annoyed him at the same time. He’d never worried about his exes moving on and finding new lovers before. And he’d been in longer term relationships with them. Ijay was only going to be in his life—his bed—for one night.

  Yet he was having a pang of conscience over her?

  It wasn’t as if he was going to ask her to wait for him. He wasn’t coming back this way in a long time, unless some emergency came up. So maybe he could look her up when he was in London next time. That could be months away. He wasn’t going to tell her to wait. He wasn’t going to wait either. Cold rage iced his blood blurring his view of Ijay’s flawless curves. His hands curled into fists.

  Damn it! He wasn’t like his father. He wasn’t going to make a woman a promise he couldn’t keep. So what the hell was the matter with him?

  “Paul, are you okay?” I
jay’s melodious concerned voice roused him from his torturous musings.

  He took a deep calming breath, inhaling her stirring scent. It refocused his attention on her, his hunger for her returning. He tongued her belly button. Her stomach muscles contracted in response.

  Giving her a sexy smile, he lifted his head and looked up at her face. Her brown eyes were still hazy with lust but her face was creased in a frown. He hated that his own misgivings were making her worry. He’d promised her hot sex and he was failing her. He was going to remedy that straight away.

  He reached down and palmed the vee between her thighs. Slipping his fingers into her thong, he pulled it down her legs and tossed it to the floor.

  “Just savouring you, sweet Ijay,” he said, parting her lower lips and swiping his tongue on blossoming bud. She let out a long pleased moan as her hips jolted off the bed.

  “You are as sweet as cherry pie,” he whispered against her skin before taking her velvety bud into his mouth again. He sucked and nibbled. She bucked and wriggled, canting her hips upwards. He slipped his fingers into her wet heat. Her inner walls clenched, coating his digits in her syrupy juices.

  He barely held it together, the need to be inside her warring with his need to fulfil her first. Feeling her body coil with tension, he worked her body with his mouth and hands.

  “Come for me, sweet Ijay.” He looked up at her passion-filled face, her brown irises rolled up.

  She didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence before she screamed and shuddered intensely. Holding onto her hip, he lapped up her juices, not letting go until her body’s trembling calmed. Inexplicably, a sense of satisfaction swept through him as he rose up on his arms and watched her sexy replete form stretched out against the white sheets.

  He leaned forward and kissed her swollen lips, letting her taste her own sweet flavour. She kissed him back passionately. Lifting his head, he grinned widely at her.