Sexual Persuasion

by Sinclair, Maryn

  She withdrew it and straddled him, letting her breasts hover over his mouth, but slightly out of reach. When he lifted his head, she retreated. “No, no. You can’t come after me.”

  “What you’re doing is more than teasing. It’s torture.”

  “Is it?” She moved to the underside of his earlobe with tiny licks and nibbles, blowing gently on the dampened skin.

  He tried again to suck in her nipple, now distended like a grape, but she pulled away before he succeeded. This tortured her as well, but she had a plan, and she would have to hold out long enough to follow through.

  “You’re driving me crazy, because I can’t touch you,” he said. “You know that, don’t you?”

  “That’s the point. But I’m nowhere near finished. In fact, I’m just beginning.”

  Lowering one hand, she trailed her fingernails down his chest, through his tuft of black hair, barely making contact, lightly circling the rim of his areolae. Then closer, still grazing her nails in rings around his nipples. They puckered and tightened. Alex writhed, unable to stay motionless.

  Keeping her touch light, she flicked her tongue over them, moving from one side to the other. A slanted glance confirmed his delight as his penis twitched with each delicate motion. She took his hardened nipples into her mouth, sucking and biting, eliciting moans of sexual satisfaction that bordered on growls and intensifying the sharp pulses in her aching pussy. This tested her as much as him.

  A fine sheen of perspiration glistened on Alex’s chest; his fists clenched. She breathed in his intoxicating scent, now mixed with arousal, an aphrodisiac that weakened the control of her own sexual desires. She moved down, lapping his flat stomach and swirling her tongue around his belly button. Stroking his dark, heavily veined cock, she marveled at its length and girth. Then she started at the base and lightly licked her way up, followed by a stronger, rhythmic sweep of her tongue. Taking his shaft into both hands, she licked the tender head of his cock. A small spurt of fluid oozed from the tip, along with a sigh of satisfaction from Alex.

  Then she stopped.

  Alex’s eyes were shut. “Tell me I haven’t gone numb, because I can’t feel anything.” He opened his eyes. “What are you doing?”

  “Just seeing if you’re awake.”

  “Charlotte, I am awake, painfully erect, and if you don’t finish this, that whole control thing about not touching you is going straight to hell. Maybe you should have restrained me, because I don’t know how much longer I can last.”

  She smiled, and avoiding the tip of his cock, she opened his legs and cupped his testicles, then lowered herself to caress them with her tongue. They were full and tight and ready to release his fluids. She slowed, moving back to his cock, and unleashed delicate flicks to its head while rhythmically masturbating him.

  Finally she took him in her mouth, sucking gently at first, then harder, picking up the tempo. Moving back, she lubricated her middle finger with his semen and massaged the area between the base of his cock and his anus, then took him in her mouth again. When she determined he was on the verge of coming, she inserted her slick finger in his anus. Alex groaned sensuously. His body stiffened. Spurt after spurt of thick, hot liquid filled her mouth. She couldn’t swallow fast enough. When the flow ebbed, she licked the excess off his cock, still ramrod hard.

  “Jesus.” He sat halfway up and reached for her. “Can I touch you now?”

  She slid down next to him, and he took her in his embrace. “That was the best ever.” He kissed her. “It makes a difference when you care for someone.”

  “And trust them.”

  Alex took a long time to answer. “Yes.”

  “Trust is as important for you as it is for me. Why?” She could see he judged how much of his response to hold back. Because that was what Alex Andros was about. Not how much to say but how much to hold back.

  “Because I was untrustworthy once. I’d been too cavalier with someone who meant a great deal to me, and I swore I wouldn’t let it happen again.”

  She got up on one elbow. “You keep teasing me with that story. You want to tell me, but you can’t bring yourself to do it. Will you ever?” When he turned to her, she saw something in his eyes that made her sorry she asked.

  “I will, but not now. Okay?”

  He spoke the word respectfully, as if asking her permission. She nodded. “Okay.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Beginnings

  Alex got a pass this time, but he knew Charlotte wouldn’t give up until he told her everything. This was happening too fast, exactly like before. The situation with Davidson had escalated their connection. His physical response to her had been instant―magic that happens maybe once in a lifetime―in his case, twice. He couldn’t slow down the progression if he wanted to, any more than he could have the first time. Though he knew she fought the bond, she must have had the same reaction, or they wouldn’t be spooned together, drawing warmth, after enjoying great sex. If it ended, she would have to be the one to initiate it. And if it grew into something more, he’d make sure it didn’t end the same way it ended with Gianni. He couldn’t fuck up again.

  ~~~~~

  Alex lay in Gianni’s bed, looking at the ceiling. He thought of turning over but instead crawled out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. Supporting his torso over the sink, he looked into the mirror. Was that a gay man staring back? Did he look any different than he had yesterday? Whether he did or not, he looked like shit this morning. He’d slept maybe a couple of hours. Thoughts of what had transpired ran through his head as if he were a third party watching from some hidden place.

  Gianni never pressed, never went too fast. Alex figured he wasn’t Gianni’s first virgin, because he brought Alex along with the patience one would expect when teaching a child. Gianni kept the sex oral, and Alex was glad for that. He wasn’t sure he was ready for anything more so soon. Or at all.

  He washed up as best he could. When he left his apartment, he didn’t know he’d be out all night. He rubbed the stubble on his face. Nothing he could do about that. Squeezing some toothpaste he found in the medicine cabinet onto his finger, he did a poor imitation of brushing his teeth. A splash of water on his face followed. Then he slipped into his shirt and briefs and went into the kitchen.

  Gianni had prepared a much more substantial breakfast than Alex ever ate at seven in the morning. He stopped fussing at the sink and came over to give Alex a kiss on the lips. In the light of day, it seemed out of place, but the act still aroused him.

  “I hope you slept well,” Gianni said.

  “I caught a few hours.”

  “Sit. I made breakfast.” Gianni placed a dish of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of him, with a separate dish of toast. Juice and a cup already sat at the place setting. Gianni poured coffee into the cup.

  “Gianni, this is wonderful and thoughtful, but I can’t eat it. I never have more than juice and coffee. Maybe a piece of toast.”

  Gianni pouted. “But I made it special for you. You’ll hurt my feelings if you don’t eat every bite.” He came up behind Alex and kissed his neck. “Then we can go back to bed.”

  Alex didn’t know what to say. No way could he eat this feast. Besides, he needed to get to class. “Don’t you have class?”

  “Yes, but I’m skipping this morning for you.”

  “Well, I can’t. I have a must-attend lecture. I’ll eat what I can, but I don’t want you to be mad if I can’t finish.”

  Gianni’s pout turned into a frown. “Of course not. I should have asked. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I only want to make you happy. But please, cancel your lecture.” He began rubbing Alex’s shoulders. The massage felt good, especially after the restless night’s sleep. When Gianni’s hand crept down to his chest and gently brushed his nipple, Alex’s cock sprang to attention. No, he couldn’t start this now. He had to go.

  “I’m sorry. I really do have to go.”

  Gianni’s hand disappeared. “If you must.” />
  The temperature in the room chilled. Alex rose and faced him. “Look, I’ll call you later, okay?” He latched on to Gianni’s arm, bending to meet his downturned eyes. “Okay?”

  Gianni cocked his head and forced a smile. “Okay, Alex. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take you for granted. Of course you have class. I’ve been inconsiderate. Truth is, I should go to my class too.” He ran his fingers down the side of Alex’s cheek. “Last night was wonderful. I just wanted more of you.” His gaze dropped to Alex’s hard-on. “Seems you want more of me too.”

  Alex glanced at his tented briefs. “I do, but I can’t miss the lecture. Sit down and have coffee with me. Then we’ll catch up later. How does that sound?”

  ~~~~~

  Ever since his life had been upended at age fourteen, Alex had played by his own rules. He never succumbed to what others considered the norm. Gianni had been exciting―an adventure, yes, even the forbidden fruit. But it quickly became something else, then changed again. The remembrance of Gianni’s disappointment and his frowning face echoed in his mind as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. No, he hadn’t been Gianni’s first virgin, but he was his first love. No, not love―obsession.

  He’d told Charlotte it was all about trust. Yet he’d been dishonest by spouting meaningless responses when all she wanted to hear was the truth. How many times had he suggested she make up her own mind instead of listening to what others thought they knew? That wasn’t what she wanted to hear, and they both knew it. There’d been no shortage of helpful gossip, first from her attorney friend, then from Davidson. Both spoke without proof of facts, but you don’t need facts to plant ideas in someone’s head.

  “Is something bothering you?”

  Startled, he replied, “Just thinking.”

  “What are you thinking about? Or is that something I shouldn’t ask?”

  He rolled her toward him so he could see her face, about to offer another evasive answer. Instead, he kissed her, putting her off for another beat. “About how good your lips feel against mine.”

  “You’re a master at avoiding questions, but I can satisfy you, if that’s all you need.”

  “It’s not all I need, but it’s what I need now.” Their lips met in a slow, passionate kiss that erased his unsettling thoughts and brought him to the present. “Are you sorry I stayed?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want me to go home?”

  “No. I want you to stay the night.”

  He held her tighter, savoring the warmth of her body against his in the moments before they both drifted off to sleep.

  * * * * *

  The sun’s rays woke him. From Charlotte’s position nestled in his arms, Alex doubted either of them had moved during the night. He didn’t want to wake her, so he watched as she slept. He’d avoided a situation like this for so long, not that the opportunity arose. It hadn’t. He’d made sure of that. Not until he saw her at the auction and had been struck by lightning. Was it only little more than a day ago? So much had happened in that short time. Moe’s, Jack, the photos, and the fact that he’d exposed more about himself than at any other time, going back to his childhood. Just the sight of her got him hard.

  Her eyes fluttered open, and she focused. “I felt you watching me in my sleep.”

  “I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “I’m awake now, and I have to go to work.” Her gaze lowered to his erection. “Hmm, what do we have here?”

  “No surprise, waking up to you. Do I get another day?”

  “You know you will. You’ve known it from the start. So did I. Another day, and another. Until…”

  “Until what?”

  “Until I don’t know. Right now, we have to do something about that big dick pointing at me. You wouldn’t be able to get into your pants.”

  “I can’t help it. Every time I touch you, every time I look at you, I want to fuck you. There’s no other way to explain it.” He straddled over her. “But first, I want these.” He trailed his tongue over her nipples, delicately encircling them before gently sucking. A little nibble elicited a gentle sigh―a more substantial bite, a lustful gasp.

  “Ah, that’s incredible. My nipples are one of my prime erogenous zones―the mainline to my pussy.”

  He laughed. “I’ve already figured that out. Also your inner thighs and the top of your spine.” He stroked his finger between her pussy lips. “I see I’m not the only one who’s excited.”

  “That’s because I have the same reaction to you that you have to me. So take me, Alex, or I’ll be wet all day thinking about you. I may be anyway.”

  He moved down to suck her clit and stab his tongue into her entrance. Listening to her sounds of delight excited him. He inserted one finger into her, then two, opening her to take him. Then he eased in, at first slowly until he knew their mingled fluids protected the tender tissue of her vagina. He felt the surge of his orgasm build inside him almost immediately, in sync with her throbbing contractions.

  They were anything but silent. Her fingernails raked his sweat-soaked back at the shared moment of climax. Alex pumped into her until nothing remained, and he collapsed in a wilted heap, exhausted. Neither spoke for a long time. Her accelerated heart beat hard against his chest as he held her.

  “You reach a place inside me no man has ever reached.”

  Her silky voice seeped into his ears like warm honey. “You reach a place inside me too.” He wanted to say more, but he wasn’t quite ready to go there.

  Beginnings were blurred by lust and discovery. The initial animalistic hunger could be fleeting. And because of that, he held back parts of himself, as he’d always done. The time wasn’t right. When it was, he hoped she would judge him as he wanted to be judged―in his completeness.

  ~~~~~

  “Relax,” Gianni said as he rubbed his thumbs at the base of Alex’s spine and onto the backs of his thighs. He kneaded his buttocks, relaxing the muscles, easing his caressing fingers between the cleft of his cheeks, parting the area around his anus. A different oil, this time emitting the sweet scent of almonds, wafted in the air. Alex lay silently as Gianni squeezed the cool liquid into his entrance and gently eased his lubricated thumb inside, working it deeper and in circles, withdrawing it, and replacing the thumb with two fingers, then three, working them, opening and stretching Alex’s entry, going deeper, until he pulled them out, and Alex felt Gianni’s cock slide in to take their place.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A Bigger Can of Worms

  Alex left Charlotte’s apartment and went home to shower and change. He drove across town to his office in the small brownstone near the state house he bought years ago. No name appeared on the door, and he never hired a secretary or receptionist. The phone number transferred to his cell. In all that time, he served only one client: Carpathian Enterprises. His law degree, along with a business degree, came in handy when dealing with Max’s empire, but neither hung framed on the wall.

  Anton Carpathian had wanted Alex to take control of his other “businesses,” but remembering the pain his father had caused so many people who had trusted him, Alex made clear to his mentor that even if Anton put him through school, Alex wouldn’t do anything illegal. If that didn’t work for Anton, Alex told him, he’d find other ways to bankroll what his scholarships didn’t pay. Anton agreed because Alex had inherited his father’s brilliance, and he wanted him on his team. Max felt the same way about Alex and agreed to the original bargain when he took over from his ailing father. In moments of clarity, Alex admitted he was fooling himself when he overlooked some dealings that clearly crossed the line.

  As a businessman, Max made few mistakes that Alex knew about. He assumed Max cleverly covered up the rest. Alex rarely had to defend Carpathian Enterprises in a court of law. When he did, he always won, which was why Darcy Haven said the DA’s office hated to go up against him. Alex’s legal work for Carpathian Enterprises branded him a “mob lawyer.” Doing a job well garnered a long line of detracto
rs, but that was the price of doing business.

  Jack Davidson’s accusation that Mike Branigan’s insider information helped Branigan and Max make a fortune caused Alex a serious case of heartburn. He immediately booted up the computer to cross-check the list of land sales in the area that fell under Branigan’s department. It took him three hours to put the scam together, going back over the last year.

  Knowing how Max did things helped. He found the sale of a parcel of land marked for a major development project before it was publicly announced. The buyer paid slightly under the asking price. He’d overheard Anton Carpethian say many times never to call attention to a crooked deal. Start dickering and someone will want to know who, what, and why. Of course he always denied participating in crooked deals, but Alex knew. It was one of the things he chose to ignore.

  One astute reporter sniffing around―and there were a few of those in Boston―could make this scheme fodder for the newspapers. A federal investigation would soon follow. Good writers checked their facts, but there were others who’d contributed to Max’s reputation by printing falsehoods. Many were retracted; a few went to court. Part of Alex’s job consisted of nipping the spurious reports in the bud.

  Alex had access to Max’s business records. He wouldn’t probe certain areas, knowing he’d find things he didn’t want to know. This time, he followed the purchaser, the Aurora Company―Max and his partner Branigan, he assumed―to a complex overseas multinational corporation hiding a series of untraceable shell companies, if anyone broke it down that far. Then Aurora turned around and sold it to the developers, netting Aurora millions.

  Knowing Max, he’d covered his tracks well. Sweet and neat. That was how Max described what he almost confided before Alex stopped him. He knew Max’s fingerprints, and the Aurora Company showed enough points of identification to convict Max in a court of law. At least if Alex prosecuted.

  The deal would have been legal if the information about the developer’s interest hadn’t come from Branigan’s office. People buy and sell property every day, some on nothing more than a hunch that the property would escalate in value. Then a chance existed the developer would scout other properties if the price of the land soared. Because of Branigan, they knew how much the developer would pay before setting their selling price. More valuable information coming from the inside.