Crimson Sunsets

by Lacee Hightower

  I nodded. “That’s a lot to tell, sweet thing.”

  I threaded my hands through her soft thick hair, easing her against my impatient lips and growing hard against her belly, but knowing this wasn’t the right time for that. The slight taste of strawberry warmed my nerves as my frantic tongue swirled against hers with everything I had. Every part of my manliness turned to steel at the sound of her growing soft groans against my lips. My eyes slid open to two doe-colored irises, alert and wide, hot with passion.

  Fifteen minutes ago, I was considering ending this once and for all. Now I was a man deeply in love, needing this woman more than air itself.

  I’d make this up to her if it was the last thing I ever did.

  Skiing. I wanted to do something special. I’d surprise my girl and take her to the slopes.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Hartley

  “Can I go? To Venture? I want to go with you tonight, JT.”

  His mouth dropped opened into a small grin of surprise, a little naughty looking. Like the sex god he was.

  “Do you now?” he asked, brushing his forehead against mine.

  “Those balls … could we try them again?”

  His smile widening, I ran my fingers across the sexy rough stubble outlining his jaw.

  “Sweet thing, last time we tried that, it seems like you turned into a rabid dog. And that was before you told me to go fuck myself.”

  “JT, last time it seems to me like we had fiery, hot, nasty sex in a public restroom because we couldn’t wait. Because I couldn’t wait.”

  “And because I was hard as nails.” He kissed the tip of my nose.

  I pressed my hands against his firm abs, lowering them over the prominence behind his jeans.

  “I want to try again. For you. I want to please you, Justin.”

  And I did. More than anything else I wanted to make him happy.

  My heart belonged to him. Every muscle. Every valve. Every beating pump.

  His eyes locked on mine. So warm. So completely full of love.

  “Baby, you already do.”

  Kissing his sexy jawline, I whispered, “I want to do this for you. Please.”

  He studied me for a minute and walked to the armoire where I knew he kept the balls. One day I’d ask him to show me what other kinds of things he had hidden in that drawer.

  My belly filled with a crazy pleasure I hadn’t felt the first time as he returned with the Ben-Wa balls in his palm. This impulse to please him was strong and I didn’t regret any of it.

  “You sure about this?”

  “Totally.”

  “Okay, then. You know what to do.”

  My heart raced with anticipation knowing what was coming. I inched up onto his large bed, watching him hold the apparatus that I hated the first time. He leaned over to pull down my panties, my hips automatically raising to his touch. The soft moan that strained through his chest was low and sensual as he looked at my open, already wet body, his eyes full of greed. Something in this moment made me feel even closer to him than I’d felt just seconds ago.

  “Come here, sweet thing.” With a sly grin, his hands wove through my hair as he pulled me in for a hug. He’d hugged me lots of time, but this time was different.

  We were growing closer every day.

  Becoming more and more dependent on each other.

  Every minute we spent together, he drifted just a little deeper into my heart.

  “You know you don’t have to do this, Hartley.”

  “I want to,” I whispered, no longer scared.

  “Very well. Lift those pretty legs, baby.”

  I did as he said, easing my legs up and apart. Every single thing about this was hot. I wanted to do it. Wishing myself luck, I just hoped I could this time.

  His expression dimmed as he carefully slipped the balls inside me. Still drenched from sex even after he had cleaned us both off with a damp towel, they slid in easily. I clenched as he ran one finger inside me, stirring the balls. Oh, God. It felt good.

  He eased off the bed, reaching for my panties. I stood, pausing at the peculiar commotion taking place inside my sex as the balls shifted. A combination of adrenaline and the simple fact that I was already so turned on again had my belly fluttering.

  “Wow,” I whispered, flexing my feminine muscles around the balls.

  “Feel okay?” he uttered, leaning over and kissing the top of my head.

  “I think so,” I whispered.

  “You’re so sexy,” he whispered, easing his jeans up over his semi-firm erection.

  My chest tightened at his words. I’d never loved him more than this moment.

  “Let’s go.” He held out a hand.

  “Oh, wait. I need my purse.” I reached for my small handbag.

  “You might need these, too.”

  Justin tossed a set of keys toward me.

  “You’re letting me drive the Porsche?” I had absolutely no freaking idea how to drive a stick. He’d regret this in a matter of fifteen seconds once I was burning up the clutch.

  “Fuck, no,” he smiled.

  “They’re the keys to the Land Rover. You said you liked it. They’re yours.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Hartley

  Louder than usual music rippled through the air as we stepped through the back door of Venture. The lights flickered on the Land Rover as I pushed the key fob to lock the door. I reached for Justin’s lips.

  “I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too, sweet thing.”

  He gave me a freaking Land Rover.

  My heart was pounding. People were in abundance tonight, only multiplying the apprehension pounding behind my chest, let alone the action going on between my thighs.

  Everyone was impeccably dressed, most especially the women. My dress was short and red, clinging to my curves, but it was nothing in comparison to what the ladies around me wore. It was hard not to feel at least somewhat lacking and substandard.

  A masked gentleman reached out to shake hands with Justin as my skin covered itself in goosebumps at his hard, dark eyes raking up and down my body. They talked about nothing really, while my eyes roamed the room. Several men looked my direction only to quickly turn away as Justin’s eyes flashed a warning. The dark gaze was another look I’d never seen. It turned me on in a huge way. It was as if he was threatening them with his eyes without even opening his mouth, and they all knew that meant one thing—I was his.

  The sound of something slapping against flesh followed by soft crushing screams of pleasure, got my full attention. Whatever I was hearing was coming from upstairs in the dungeon. I couldn’t see them closely, yet the sound of the sub’s cries were growing. Mother of God, that was hot. The sudden surge between my thighs quickened my breath. Justin’s hand was deep inside his pocket. He’d hit the control to the Ben-Wa balls. My pulse raced as I watched his heated expression, my entire body clenching, a huge divergence from how I’d reacted the first time.

  “JT,” I whispered in only a soft moan, the masked gentleman walking away.

  “Come with me, baby.”

  He pressed a hand against my hip, directing us toward the stairs, the strange sensation of the balls giving me another sudden urge to clench as we walked up toward the Saint Andrew’s Cross.

  Oh. Damn.

  A guard standing beside the couple watched closely as a Dom whipped his submissive’s ass with a flogger. She had small trails of pink marks over her butt and upper thighs. I held my breath as the Dom brought back his arm and smacked the girl again in the delicate area right below the cheeks of her ass. Her head fell back while the Dom’s hand immediately began stroking her inner thighs, carefully caressing the rising welts on her skin. My God that had to hurt. I couldn’t imagine Justin doing that. Had he done it to Sam?

  “She’s being punished,” Justin whispered against my ear.

  He was hurting her, yet she was entirely turned on. The moisture seeping from her thighs was ample. Adren
aline rushed my body as Justin set off the balls inside me again, his eyes deep with intensity. My legs quivered while my vision blurred. I didn’t want to climax. Not like this.

  “Don’t come, Hartley.”

  His lips brushed against my sensitive neck. Suddenly, I craved his soft side. His lips on my body. His fingers exploring every part of me as he kissed the side of my neck and whispered sensuous words inside my ears. I wanted him to make love to me.

  “I love you, Justin.” My eyes filled with emotion, my hand reaching for his.

  “I love you, too, sweet thing. Come on, baby.”

  I’d never wanted him like this. I ached for his soft touch, my love for this man so strong that it seemed to be multiplying by every second.

  He slid his card through the lock on the Mystery Room. The door opened with a hitch and he gently urged it shut. It was so pretty. The bed was a large canopy-style with plush black bedding with elegant sconces on each side of the wall that matched the chandeliers in the room where we’d been for the auction. The carpeting underneath was a thick, plush taupe color with a swirly pattern. Assorted floggers and canes hung from the wall. Restraints dangled from each corner of the bed.

  He didn’t touch any of them. Instead, he lifted me by my butt, my legs encircling his waist as he held me against the strength of his chest and kissed the absolute hell out of me. His eyes wide open, his lips melted against mine, his tongue deep inside, brushing over my teeth and the top of my mouth. I inhaled his taste, the beauty of his face, his crystal-clear eyes and hair that was spiked with delicate natural highlights. My hands trailed down his back, crossing the sexy curves of his ass and squeezing the hardness that I’d grown used to.

  He eased me onto the large bed and slipped me from my dress, kissing down my torso slowly as the silky material rolled off my body.

  Next, he removed his clothes while I marveled at his body. The way his fingers curled just so slightly as he pushed his jeans down. His hair that was trying to stick up just the tiniest bit on the right side behind his ear where he had a small cowlick. His eyes blinking as they stayed glued onto mine.

  He rolled on top of me, reaching down between my legs to remove the balls. My fingers curled against the thick comforter as I cried out at the sensation. He immediately reached for my breasts, squeezing hard as the heavy length of his erection slowly slid inside me. Our mouths joined together frantically as I lifted my legs, wrapping them around his narrow hips and opening myself wide, giving him every possible inch of my body.

  The sound of slapping skin was loud as I ground against him with my pelvis while he shoved his wide cock into me again and again.

  “Yes,” I whimpered, reaching for the ass I couldn’t possibly keep my hands off.

  “Oh baby, that’s it,” he growled, his mouth tangling against mine as we moved against each other mercilessly for minutes before slowing down the pace and concentrating on the heartfelt emotion swirling through our bodies. No longer frantic, we weren’t rushing. We didn’t need to catch up any longer. His balls slapped underneath me, driving me farther into this insane feeling of lust, combined with the deep-rooted love I felt. Like I might die if I didn’t have him anymore. Suddenly, seeing another sunset without him by my side would be nothing but going through the motions.

  My muscles tightened as the deep fluttering onset of orgasm swept up my belly. With a quick low groan, he was coming inside me as my fingers dug through his thick muscular butt. Something seemed different. I was fighting becoming emotional, suddenly filled with a sensation that this journey was just beginning.

  “I’m so in love with you, Hartley.” He flexed and pulsed as I ground against him even harder, dying for depth. Never wanting to leave this one spot.

  He reached for my clit, rubbing hard.

  “Come with me baby. I feel you tightening. You’re ready.”

  His sultry words sent me over the edge, my insides spiraling into release as he thrust one last time, holding still and deep while my body convulsed around his.

  “My sweet thing.” We held each other, his warmth still inside me as he started softening and slowly easing out.

  His eyes. I raised my head just a little. More than ever … I needed his beautiful eyes.

  “Oh, my God,” I whispered. “We just made love in the Mystery Room,” I giggled. “During club hours. Do we have to do the walk of shame now?”

  He pulled my face into his, pressing his swollen lips against mine.

  “There’s never a walk of shame with you, sweet thing.” He reached for my hand, lifting my wrist and kissing my fingers.

  “Oh, by the way. We’re going to Aspen. I’ve already handled your work schedule. In two days, you can check skiing off your bucket list.”

  Chapter Forty

  Hartley

  “I give up! This totally sucks!” With my ass parked on the snowy ground, my skis twisted in a tangled mess, my legs were cramping up underneath me for the millionth time. There wasn’t one part of my body that didn’t throb with soreness. Why was it so freaking easy for Justin to jump on the lift time and time again only to go up the black trails and ski down like it was the easiest, most natural thing in the world, while I waited in the bar for him to get done? I’d insisted I wanted to watch, when in fact, I was embarrassed to fall on my bruised ass again.

  I rested against the powder watching him laugh, fighting to untangle my throbbing legs.

  “It’s not funny!” Cocky fucking show-off!

  How the hell were kids that weren’t a day over three or four years old, skiing down trails that I didn’t have the courage to even attempt? Every single thing about my lack of coordination just pissed me off. Completely emotional over something meant to be fun, I’d cried a million tears already. Cursed a million words. I couldn’t even master getting off the lift without busting my ass.

  Baby, slide forward and tip your skis up. Then stand. That’s it.

  That only made me want to spit nails. That wasn’t just it.

  “I know it’s not funny, sweet thing. Not a fucking bit.” Chewing on his lip as he turned his perfectly shadowed jaw to the side, he fought grinning.

  “You’re laughing at me. I can see you, JT.”

  “Here. Give me your hand,” he said, his eyes twinkling like two bright shiny stars as he lowered his mirrored glasses. Now my stomach even hurt. All I wanted to do was get these stupid skis off and burn them to a perfectly ashy crisp.

  I’d wanted to learn to ski since I could remember, and now that I was in one of the most beautiful resorts in the country with the love of my life, I couldn’t even get off the bunny trail and ski down an average slope beside him. Beside freaking kids that only came to my knees.

  “Can you make it back to the lodge or do I need to carry your skis?” The laugh he was holding back was so obvious. I wanted to scream and possibly punch him in the throat.

  This was so much worse than I anticipated. It looked like so much fun. And easy. But then, I had no idea I had such a fear of falling.

  “I can do it!” I screamed.

  “Hartley. If you really want to learn this, you’ve gotta just go for it. Stop leaning back. Push forward on your skis and look over the top instead of straight down. Stop fighting it, baby.”

  Stop fighting it, baby, my ass!

  I pushed off, the ski storage rack only feet ahead of me, which I’d skied straight into more than once already. Entirely humiliating, we were on a freaking bunny slope! Full of damn toddlers! I leaned forward like Justin said, even though my natural reaction was the exact opposite. Once I started gliding, I eased my skis together just a little more. Justin was right beside me, not a worry in the world, skiing like it was child’s play and looking like the sex god he was in tight black ski pants with his hair creeping out underneath his toboggan and clad in mirrored sunglasses.

  “I’m doing it,” I yelled.

  “Perfect! Now, try stopping without snow plowing. Just lean into your skis, baby. You’ve got this.”

&nb
sp; The ski rack was coming up. Oh fuck.

  I inched my skis together and made a sharp turn to the left, coming to a complete stop.

  “I stopped! I didn’t fall on my ass! Oh, my freaking God! I did it!”

  “That’s my baby! See? What did I tell you?”

  Justin already had his skis off and stacked in the storage rack, leaning over to help me out of mine. I jumped up, my legs circling his as we fell straight back into the pile of snow, undoubtedly looking downright ridiculous.

  “I love you, JT.”I leaned over and kissed him. I didn’t care that people were right there around us. I didn’t care about anything but the moment. He’d remembered me telling him I wanted to learn to ski and even if I wasn’t worth a shit, it didn’t matter.

  “I love you, too, sweet thing. Let’s go. I think my girl may need a trip to the hot tub. You’re gonna be sore as hell tomorrow.”

  We were staying in a private estate on the Red Mountain. Surrounded by views of Highlands, Buttermilk and the Maroon Bells mountains, there wasn’t a room in the house that didn’t have a view. The interior was ultra-contemporary with a raised formal dining room and large floor to ceiling windows. Red leather chairs filled the living area with a large black and white striped couch in front of a massive stone fireplace. Outside was a large raised deck with a hot tub.

  The sound of Justin talking to his mom made my heart happy as I entered the living area after changing. She probably only wanted money, but he’d nevertheless returned her call. Hard as steel on the exterior, my sexy man had a hidden soft side. He couldn’t hate his mother even if he tried.

  “You didn’t have to hang up, babe. I like hearing you talk to your mom. How is she?” I hoped to meet her one day soon.

  “Seems good. Still working part-time for Hobby Lobby. I guess she’s happy.”

  In front of the roaring fireplace wearing black basketball shorts and no shirt, his hair was perfectly spiked in the front, his jaw covered in just the right amount of sexy stubble. He set his phone down on the mantle, a small smile inching up his face.