Playing For Love

by J. C. Grant

  “That was fun.” I tried to lighten the mood.

  He watched me. “Sweetheart, we're both fucked up. Don't shut down on me,” he demanded. “Are we okay?”

  When I nodded, he planted sweet kisses on my neck, up to my temple. “I love you,” he said on a relieved sigh. “Come on. Fergus is waiting.”

  He grabbed my hand and led me back to where he’d found me, where Fergus was waiting.

  “David,” Fergus greeted him.

  “Hey, man. I took one of the employee’s cars. I gotta get it back so she can leave.” Then David turned to me.

  I reached up, pulling him down into a sweet kiss.

  “I love you,” I breathed, too low for anyone else to hear.

  “Good.” He smirked.

  As I watched him walk away I had a flash of panic. He was savagely gorgeous, his face, his body, the way he moved, the graceful glide of his muscles, the brutal veins running over his forearms.

  How was I ever going to keep him?

  My chest ached with fear of losing him. I wanted to call him back, tell him to stay. Beg him to.

  This. Us. It wasn't normal.

  Once David was gone I lost interest in shopping.

  Fergus helped me to the car with my purchases, then followed me back to the gym.

  When I pulled into the drive and under the gym's portico, Fergus was right behind me.

  “Leave it here,” I told the valet as I got out.

  “Yes, Austin-Mrs. Taylor,” he stumbled over his words. He was cute, like a little puppy.

  “I'm here. I'm good,” I said to Fergus as I rounded my car.

  “Full service, Mrs. Taylor.” Fergus followed as I walked toward the entrance.

  “What's full service?”

  I startled at David's voice, deeper and rougher than usual.

  “Fuck, babe. Don't do that.”

  “What's full service?” he repeated to Fergus.

  “My babysitting duties—as your wife likes to call them. I stay with her until she's with you.”

  “Well, your job's done. She's with me now.” There was an edge to his voice. I didn't know what had happened between seeing him at the mall and now.

  “Of course.” Fergus nodded knowingly. “Anything else you need today?”

  “No, I think we're good.” His voice shifted to grateful. “Thank you. For today. Everything.”

  “That's what you pay me for.” He turned and left.

  I didn't understand their exchange but I'd had enough drama for one day. In all honesty I was ready for the day to be over.

  “Ready?” I wrapped an arm around David’s waist and looked up at him. “Did you get all your work done?”

  “Most of it. Had an urgent errand I had to run today,” he teased. “Just need to spend a few hours tomorrow getting the rest caught up. Before the movers show up at your house.”

  I had completely forgotten about the movers.

  “Let me grab our bag and Chance. Come with.” David wrapped a strong arm around my back, pulling me along with him.

  “How was he today?”

  “Perfect. He just chilled while I worked.”

  “And bugged me?”

  “It's my right. I can legally stalk the fuck outta you, bug you as much as I want.” He leaned in and rumbled softly behind my ear, “Hunt you down and fuck you in public places. Be all up in your business.”

  I suppressed a laugh. “I'm pretty sure being married doesn't make any of that legal.”

  “I disagree, Mrs. Taylor.” He pulled back and looked at me. Then added, “And I'm going to anyway.”

  David opened the office door and Chance greeted me, pressing his head into me, his tail wagging so hard his whole body was moving.

  “Looks like he missed you almost as much as I did.”

  “I think he missed me more.” I rubbed his big head and ears. Then he buried his nose between my legs. “Chance, no. Stop it.” I laughed and pushed at his head, trying to move away.

  “Hey, buddy. That's for me.” David grabbed his collar, pulling him away. “Not sharing that.”

  “Gross.”

  “I'm not sharing,” he said pointedly and I knew he was referring to our exchange during his sex interrogation. He slung our bag over his shoulder and picked up the leash off the couch. He nodded toward the door, silently telling me he was ready.

  “I'm kind of starving, babe,” I mentioned as I opened the office door.

  “What do you want? You wanna stay at the Chateau again tonight?” He pulled the door shut behind us.

  I considered it as we walked past the front desk. “No, not tonight.”

  He pushed open the main door. “So what do you wanna eat, Mrs. Taylor?”

  “I don't care, Mr. Taylor. Just feed me,” I demanded teasingly as we walked to the car, happy we had our playful banter back after the day we had.

  Opening our doors, he helped me get into the front while Chance hopped in the back, then shut our doors gently, in that way that moved me deeply. I watched as he rounded the car, the way his body moved, focusing on those thick muscled thighs as he settled in the driver’s seat.

  “Absolutely no preference?” He broke me out of muscle appreciation.

  “No,” I answered as he pushed the key in.

  When he didn't immediately put the car in gear, I looked over at him.

  He reached over, gripping my neck firmly, pulling me closer. His lips met mine in a violent kiss. Biting. Sucking. Then his hot, wet tongue dove in, sliding along mine in long, aggressive licks that reverberated in my sex.

  Oh fuck, yes, I thought as my pussy throbbed in time with his dominating tongue.

  “I missed the fuck outta you today,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine. “I thought finding you and fucking you would take the edge off.”

  “I missed you too,” I admitted, mesmerized by his mouth and the things it did to me.

  “So we don't have to do this every day?” he asked, hopeful.

  “Definitely not.” I couldn't stop thinking about all the things that mouth could do.

  “Thank fuck.”

  I huffed a small laugh and he smirked, his eyes happy and gleaming.

  He released me and sat back, putting the car in drive. He pulled up to the gate, waiting for it to open. At least he'd accomplished two things today, fucking me and getting the gate fixed.

  That was how Dawn had gotten in today. The exit gate was left open because the entrance gate was damaged.

  “Did Dawn damage the gate?”

  When the gate opened, he pulled out onto the main street. I watched the muscles in his arms shifting as he handled my car as expertly as he handled me.

  “Yeah,” he sighed wearily. He looked over at me and shook his head. “I'm sorry about this morning, sweetheart. I fucking hate that you had to deal with her.”

  “I've read some of the texts from Zach, babe,” I admitted, letting him know I knew he was dealing with plenty of crazy shit from my baggage. He shouldn't feel bad about Dawn.

  “Yeah, but that's typical guy shit. Dawn's mentally unstable.” After a moment, he added, “I was expecting this shit from Zach. I knew it was coming. I knew it was coming before we got married.”

  “How would you know that?”

  “It's a guy thing,” he evaded.

  I had a feeling the answer would expose another insecurity he didn't want to bring up. His hand moved to my thigh, rubbing. It was both sexual and comforting. Arousing me and relaxing me. A heady combination.

  Then ringing filled the car, and he ordered our food.

  I listened as he ordered perfectly for me. I shouldn't have been surprised with how closely he paid attention to me since the oatmeal incident.

  “No more food deliveries to the house for a while. No one on the property we don't personally know.”

  “Okay.”

  I understood, especially after today. Letting someone come up to the door was giving them full access. And who knew how crazy this girl really w
as or how long they would actually hold her.

  He parked in front of the restaurant.

  “Miss me while I'm gone,” he murmured sweetly before getting out.

  Watching the way his muscles moved and shifted under his clothes as he walked across the parking lot was getting me worked up. He was a fucking dream. My dream. And I was married to him. Sometimes it seemed unreal, like he was an elaborate fantasy. When he disappeared from my view, entering the restaurant, I grabbed my phone. Finding five new texts from Zach, I ignored them—one crazy a day was enough. Moments later, David returned and I laid back, closing my eyes, letting his smell consume me as my car rumbled to life. His hand moved between my thighs, rubbing lightly. Teasing. I gripped his thick forearm and melted into the seat as his touch turned firm, working me to orgasm while easily maneuvering us through traffic and home.

  David

  We didn't have sex last night, and it was eating me up.

  She'd been primed and ready in the car, but once we got home and ate, she'd crashed. She’d been too tired from the bullshit we were dealing with.

  I texted Elaine while I cooked, finding out if there was any new information on the threats Austin had received.

  Yesterday, when I left Austin at the mall, I was informed Dawn wasn't the only one leaving threats for Austin on our social media accounts.

  It was reported, but Fergus would be following her around for the foreseeable future, even when I was with her. I let Elaine know she could have a photographer come up to the gym if she wanted candid pics—only condition being they could only take pics of us, no one else. She agreed readily. I knew she would—she seemed more interested in helping Austin's career than mine, which was fine.

  Austin seeing Dawn was putting distance between us, at least that was my perception. The image of those strippers pressed against her and Noah wrapped around her were burned in my brain—so, I understood. I tried to bridge the gap I felt by finding her at the mall yesterday, only to come home and have it happen all over again—for our lack of sex.

  I took our breakfast into the bedroom, setting it on her nightstand, watching her a moment.

  “Sweet girl,” I whispered, pressing kisses to her temple and down her jaw. “Ready to eat?”

  “Mmm.” Her eyes opened, taking me in.

  When she sat up, I stacked pillows behind her and arranged the tray.

  As we ate and once she was more awake she asked, “What time are the movers going to be at my house?”

  “Two thirty.”

  “I want to drive separately to the gym. I want to go over to the house early to pack some stuff.”

  “I'll go with you,” I told her between bites.

  “You need to catch up on everything at the gym.”

  I studied her, looking for signs that she was feeling the distance I was or that she was trying to push me away. Something.

  Eventually, I admitted, “I don't like it.”

  “But you understand.” She poked her food with her fork. “Sometimes we have to do things apart. You need to catch up on your work. I need to pack my stuff.” Her tone was all business. And I hated it, because I couldn't read it.

  I watched her for a long moment, but didn't say anything else. She didn't defend her choice and I didn't want to push too far. We fell into silence, the only noise coming from the soft droning of the TV.

  I tried to figure out where she was emotionally as we got ready for the gym. She gave nothing away. I packed a change of clothes for us, then loaded up Chance into the truck, watching as Austin pulled out of the garage in her own car, which I still wasn't thrilled about.

  Forty-five minutes later, I parked in front of the gym and found her talking to Shawn.

  “Austin, we need to work out,” I called loudly as I stepped out of the truck, interrupting them. I got Chance out of the backseat and they carried on as if I hadn't said a word.

  “Talk to you later, Shawn,” she said as I walked over to them.

  I gave him a hard look before grabbing my wife's hand, pulling her inside.

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Like... fifteen minutes?”

  “Stop driving so fast,” I demanded.

  “Then why did you buy me that car?” she countered with attitude.

  “Not to fucking kill yourself,” I growled out. She didn’t respond. So I continued, “Why're you talking to him?”

  “I don't want your employees thinking I'm a gold digging bitch.”

  “Who gives a fuck what they think?” I demanded.

  Her jaw clenched but her expression was unreadable.

  I set Chance up in the office and put our stuff away before I pushed her through a hard arm workout, watching her body and her curves as she moved. I loved her body exactly the way it was. I loved everything about her the way it was. Right now, my plan was to make her too sore to drive to her house. To make her stay with me, give me a chance to close the distance I was feeling. So, I made her do an extra rep.

  “David, I can't move them.”

  “Come relax in the office,” I suggested. “Or sauna for a few.”

  She made an unintelligible noise and headed toward my office. I couldn't stop my smile from spreading across my face like the Cheshire cat as I followed her. I also couldn't stop staring at her ass.

  “David, how am I going to drive?” she complained as she laid on the couch next to Chance.

  “Stretch,” I suggested.

  I watched as she did as I said, while I sat at my desk feigning work. All I could think about was eating her—eating her pussy and ass until she was raw.

  “I'm going to take a shower,” she told me as she stood up.

  “One sec, sweetheart,” I muttered, getting up and coming around the desk to stand in front of her, chest to chest. I grabbed her ass and picked her up, giving her a sweet kiss. Then I threw her down on the couch.

  She let out a surprised yelp.

  I kneeled down and stripped her yoga pants off, yanking her shoes and socks off with them.

  “David,” she protested.

  God, I fucking love this girl more every day.

  “Two days in a row. No underwear. I love it,” I muttered, shoving her legs apart.

  “David, no.” She tried to cover herself with her hands.

  “Don't fucking start,” I warned quietly as I gripped her wrists, pulling them away. “I'm eating this pussy.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Austin

  When I pulled into my driveway, my skin was still tender from David’s savage feeding frenzy. Obviously brought on by some insecurity judging by the way he fucked my ass with his tongue, plunged two fingers into me, working my G-spot ruthlessly until I was a helpless begging mess. I wasn't sure what point he was trying to make, but I certainly wasn't going to stop him.

  I unlocked the gate for the movers and grabbed the mail from my overflowing mailbox—with everything going on, neither of us had remembered to get it. I dumped the mail in my trunk, knowing David would go through it later for me. His obsessive invasiveness had its perks. A lot of perks actually.

  It felt odd as I walked into my house after not being here for more than an hour at a time over the past three weeks. I quickly texted David, saving me from having to answer questions later.

  Austin: Here.

  12:42 PM

  David: Leaving soon.

  12:43 PM

  Putting my phone in my pocket, I headed for the guest room and started packing up my desk. Then I unhooked my computer and carried everything out, putting it in my trunk. I was feeling that arm workout.

  David: Almost there.

  1:20 PM

  If that was true, he'd left less than twenty minutes after me and there was no way he'd finished his work.

  Going to my room to pack more clothes, I called him.

  “Hey, you should've stayed and finished,” I said as I opened my drawers, trying to get an idea of what all I had left to pack. It was a lot more than I thought.
/>
  “Isn't it normal to wait until I say hello before you start in on me?” he deadpanned.

  “Shut up.” I pulled all my totes and the rest of my luggage out from under my bed. “Grab something to snack on.”

  “Like?”

  “I don't know.” I started dumping my drawers into the bags. “Something I like.”

  I stood, contemplating letting David deal with the rest of my clothes. It was too much and my arms were killing me.

  “I'm twenty minutes away. Tell me what you want... And don't carry anything to the car. I'll do it when I get there.”

  “Too late,” I said, carrying the brimming totes into the hall.

  “Damn it, Austin. I told you before you left.”

  “Just get me something to snack on,” I told him again.

  “Just leave it where you pack it. I'll carry everything out.”

  “Knock, knock.” My heart thudded hard when I heard a male voice come from the living room.

  “Who's that?” David's voice over the line was suspicious.

  “I don't know,” I breathed as my heart raced. “The movers I guess.”

  “Over an hour early? No one called me.”

  I peeked out of my room.

  “Just a second,” I called down the hall.

  “Austin?” the male voice called out.

  My body froze in fear. Then my insides were shaking, vibrating with anxiety.

  I knew that voice.

  And I never wanted to hear it again. I didn't have any reason to be afraid of him. Except I was terrified of facing my past. Any part of my past.

  When he stepped into view, my stomach knotted. David's voice called to me, but my pulse pounding in my ears made him sound far away.

  “Zach.” I could barely hear my own voice, but David must have.

  “Austin—”

  My phone slipped from my grip as Zach moved toward me with a slow, casual gait. His sandy brown hair was mussed; his blue eyes were shining. He looked concerned but pleased. I had never seen him look concerned about anything.

  Except himself.