by C. M. Albert
Callum stopped brushing and met Arianna’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said. When she nodded quietly, he kept brushing.
“The woman you were last with is a regular client. After her time with you, she gave explicit instructions to her concierge, who passed them on to me. As the director, it fell into my purview. And . . .” Arianna trailed off, blushing. “Quite frankly, when I looked up your file and read the request, I wanted it for myself. I wanted you,” she admitted.
Callum stopped mid-brush, his eyes meeting Arianna’s in the mirror. “Why? It sounds like you could have anyone.”
Arianna stood and turned to face him. “But I wanted you. Your profile, your passions, your drive . . . they mirror mine. And”—she lay her palms flat against Callum’s chest—“you’re pretty easy on the eyes,” she said, grinning.
Callum brought his mouth to hers, crushing it. They were breathless by the time they both came up, chests heaving, raw heat flashing between them. “So you wanted to fuck me then, did you?” A predatory look flashed in Callum’s eyes. He caught her hands in his own, dragging them down to his hardness. “Then fuck me.”
She wrapped her hands around his width, slowly stroking him to an even bigger erection. “I said make love, my friend—not fuck. The instructions were clear. My client wanted to push you out of your comfort zone, see if you could let down some walls, she said.”
Callum growled, remembering the sexy redhead she was referring to. He hadn’t taken her request seriously, though he’d issued her a demand, as well. During their time together, she’d played the role of dominatrix with him. He rarely allowed that, but was glad he’d authorized it with her. She’d been soft but spunky, though not a true femdom. She had a long road ahead of her to really be comfortable in that role, but he loved being her first—and he could tell he had been. He hoped for her sake that she was keeping up her end of the bargain. Perhaps he’d see to it, he thought, grinning. Two can play at this game.
Callum turned his attention back to Arianna, taking her in. It was his lucky fucking day that she’d chosen to fulfill this fantasy with him. Going slow wasn’t usually his thing, but he’d try just about anything once for this ballsy blonde.
“Then, by all means,” he said, taking her hand, “make love to me.”
Her breath hitched as electricity shot through their paired fingers. She swallowed, raising her eyes to meet his. A shared understanding passed between them, and lodged itself in Callum’s belly—hot and unfamiliar.
Arianna leaned over, picking up the white handcuffs from the vanity. She crooked her finger in his direction as she made her way to the bed.
Callum arched a single brow. “I’m pretty sure handcuffs aren’t a part of slow, passionate lovemaking.” Not from his experience, anyway.
Arianna laughed as he followed her. “Says who? All the better to keep you in line with,” she teased. “Otherwise, I don’t trust you not to push me up against the wall and fuck the daylights out of me again.”
Instant hard-on. “That’s always a possibility,” he said sheepishly.
Arianna tossed her blond silky hair over her shoulder as she glanced at him. Callum swallowed, his hand instinctively reaching out to caress her neck as he leaned in and inhaled. She smelled all soft and feminine, like flowers and citrus. He placed his lips on her neck for a long, slow kiss. She hummed as she relaxed into him. Callum covered her shoulders with kisses as he pulled her back against his chest. She still had far too many clothes on.
He reached around, dropping his hand inside those black silk panties, rubbing her mons as he sucked on the delicate flesh of her neck. Her hand followed suit, rubbing in sync with his fingers. He didn’t know how much more he could take—going slow wasn’t really his thing. He took the cuffs from her hand and tossed them to the bedside table before she could object.
Callum lowered the white dress shirt from her shoulders and watched as it dropped to the floor. Her back was exquisite. A blank canvas of creamy white skin and lean muscle. He wrapped a hand in her soft blond hair and used the other to guide her facedown onto the bed until she was lying flat on her stomach.
Callum spread her legs open and massaged one of her ass cheeks, admiring the soft globes of her flesh. “Callum—” she moaned, low and throaty. This time when he silenced her with his tongue, it was on a different set of lips.
Holy hell she was sweet. Callum pushed Arianna’s inner thighs higher, groaning when her legs slid up easily into a horizontal split before him. He grabbed his cock and began stroking. “Gymnast?” he croaked out.
“Cheerleader,” she said, laughing.
“Christ,” Callum whispered in awe, rubbing her ass as he buried his face between her legs. He would’ve devoured her under normal circumstances, but he gripped his cock, forcing himself to go slow.
His tongue darted out, tracing a line up one side of her hot center and down the other, loving the arc of her body as she pushed back to meet his mouth. He slid his nose up and down her glistening slit, making way for his tongue. She was like warm honey, thick and sweet as he plunged into her. He could eat her all day, but he was so swollen from lust he needed to feel her wrapped around his thick shaft. It would be so easy to push himself inside her from behind, keep her legs spread wide as he fucked her. But he was supposed to go slow, so he did.
He let her slowly ride his mouth, her hips rolling as she meet him stroke for stroke. He slipped a hand beneath her, finding her sensitive little nub. He knew it would be buzzing, ready. He rubbed it back and forth, applying just the pressure she’d need to see stars. It didn’t take long. “Oh, God,” she cried out, clutching the crisp sheets as she bucked against him. He rubbed her clit faster as he lapped his tongue up and down her sweet center. Her hole tightened as she pressed down, released.
Sighing with pleasure, she relaxed against Callum’s mouth as he slowed his pace, lightly flicking her nub and causing her body to shudder as it slid into a satisfied afterglow. She rolled over like a pampered cat until she faced him, then scootched up farther on the bed until her head rested against the soft down pillows. “Get up here,” she said huskily.
She rolled over, pulling a patented Sterling White condom from a porcelain container on the bedside table. Callum had used them with clients before, and they were like magic, barely perceptible on the skin.
He crawled up onto the bed, hovering his body just slightly above hers like a hungry cat stalking its prey. The look in her eyes was full of fire—and control. What a sexy fucking combination. Callum lay down, half of his body resting on her, the other half on the bed. They said nothing for a moment, just brown eyes meeting stormy blue ones.
Arianna reached up, running her hand over his face, tracing along his scruffy jaw in appreciation, and finding his lips. Her movements were so painfully delicious and slow. She pushed her finger into his mouth and watched as Callum took it in deep, sucking hard.
Callum ran his palm over her body, worshipping every dip and curve. He trailed his way down until he found her again, cupping her in his hand as he rubbed her, much slower this time. She arched into him, opening her legs for him. He groaned, covering her mouth with his. Her kiss was hot, demanding more. She grabbed his lower lip with her teeth and tugged, kicking his dick into overdrive.
Arianna gasped when he retaliated, slowly pushing two fingers inside of her, rubbing her pleasure spot deep within. Her hips arched, accepting them as deep as they would go. Callum nipped at her breast, taking her areola in his mouth and sucking it hard. She would have marks there in the morning, Callum knew. Love nibbles. He pulled at her nipple ring, tugging it to just the right limit before releasing, lapping the sensitive skin with his tongue. Her nipples were rock hard from arousal, her skin pebbling with goose bumps.
“Summer,” he rasped, “I need to be inside you again.”
Summer reached down, slowly rolling the condom on Callum with one hand. The soft trail of her fingers left him hard, wanting. She rolled onto her other side, pressing her firm bottom agai
nst him. Callum lifted her leg and slid deep inside, spooning her body as he rocked his hips back and forth. She arched back, opening her throat and mouth to Callum as he moved slowly, savoring the tight grasp she had around his cock.
“It’s Arianna,” she moaned. “I want to hear you say my real name when you make love to me.”
“Jesus, Arianna,” he groaned. He kissed her neck as he ground himself slowly, deeply inside her. They found a deliciously tantalizing pace of meeting each other partway, the deep thrust and bottoming out binding them. It wasn’t enough.
Callum rolled Arianna onto her back so she could look up at him. If he was going to make love to her, she sure as hell was going to look him in the eyes when he did. He found her soft opening and pressed inside, his gaze never leaving hers. She parted her legs farther and arched her hips up, guiding him as he buried himself in her sweet depths. Though his strokes were slow, he meant business. It was as if he couldn’t get deep enough, close enough to Arianna. He wanted her in ways he couldn’t name.
She rolled her eyes closed, moaning as he ground his hips against hers. “Is this slow enough, love?” he growled.
He didn’t give her time to answer. This time he pulled almost all the way out and plunged back deep inside in one swift, hard thrust. Her body bounced back as he bottomed her out. Her lips parted on instinct, biting the lower corner as she moaned. “God, Callum!”
It was too much, he had to have her. His lips found hers, searching, demanding as he slid slowly back and forth. Their tongues pushed and circled, heating Callum from the inside. He dropped to his forearms so he could cup her face, biting her lower lip as he quickened his pace. Arianna gasped, wrapping her legs around his waist to pull him in as deep as he could go.
“Look at me, Arianna,” Callum said, dropping soft kisses to her lips as he drove her to the edge. She took his breath away when she looked up at him through her thick lashes, her velvety brown eyes melting something frozen deep inside his core. “I want you to come with me,” he said. “Are you close?”
Arianna dug her nails in his back in response, her eyes rolling closed as her body shook against his. She was still trembling when he slammed deep within her for his final three thrusts, coming hard as her name tumbled from his lips.
He collapsed against her, resting his head in the crook of her shoulder. “God you are sexy,” he said, his voice muffled in her hair. “I don’t know if that was slow enough for you, but it sure felt like making love,” he said, without thought.
Her hand stilled on his lower back when he said it. He could feel her breath hitch. She said nothing, though, as she kissed his shoulder, her fingers resuming their soft dance over his back.
He pushed himself up, rising to a stand as he stretched out the long length of his body. God, he felt limber and satiated. He grinned down at her, seeing the fire still in her eyes. He discarded the condom in the small trash bin under the bedside table, noticing the cuffs he’d tossed there earlier.
“Sorry I never let you use the handcuffs,” Callum said, laughing. Absently, he picked them up and dangled them from his finger. “Usually I’m the one putting them on, not the other way around,” he admitted. Though she likely knew that if she’d read his profile.
“It’s not too late,” she whispered, reaching up to snatch them from his hand. She laughed, falling back against the pillow just as the gentle chime rang out from above.
“Fuck!” Callum frowned, not ready for his time with Arianna to end. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, but there was something special about her that told him their story wasn’t over yet.
“Since you work here, can I see you again?” Callum asked. He knew the answer would be no, but two hours had been nowhere near enough time with this spunky, heated woman. They hadn’t even touched the tip of the iceberg together, he could tell. He hardened just thinking of all the ways he still wanted to take her—all the dark, delicious secrets he could show her.
Callum searched the room for his pants, remembering they were in the living room. He was on his way out to get them when she answered him quietly.
“Actually,” she said, fingering the fuzzy white cuffs, “it’s funny you ask.”
He turned, his body half in and half out of the bedroom. Callum’s fingers dug into the door frame.
“Avaline, my godmother, just recently changed the rule after a unanimous vote by the board.”
He turned, his body fully facing her, but not moving an inch to go back inside—yet.
“What?” he growled.
“Clients will soon be able to request a former lover. If the other person agrees, they can be matched any time the pair requests it. She’s also reducing the time allowed between visits for platinum clients to once every four weeks.”
Callum ran a hand down over his face. It wasn’t enough. It was a start, but it would never be enough with Arianna.
He stalked toward her, a dark, brooding look crossing his eyes as he took her in, white, silky skin against white, silky sheets. “And what if that’s not enough?” he demanded.
He watched as Arianna swallowed, licking her lips. Her chest heaved, no words spoken. She rose to her knees, crooking her finger at him again. He’d been told to slow down once; he had no intention of doing it again anytime soon. He wanted Arianna twenty ways to Sunday.
“That’s at the client’s discretion,” she said, slowly.
He stood in front of her, his hand reaching up behind her neck to grab the back of her head. He took the handcuffs from her hand, trailing the soft fur down her chest from her neck to the flat, taut lines of her stomach. Her body twitched in pleasure. She closed her eyes as he trailed them up her body again.
He leaned forward, his mouth to her ear. “This is definitely not over between us then, Arianna. But you’ll have no other while we’re fucking,” he said, backing up and pinning her with his eyes. “Do you understand? I won’t share you with anyone else.”
“You’ve shared before,” Arianna replied coyly. “Isn’t that the idea of the White Room, after all?”
Dark heat rolled through his veins. “That was before you,” Callum said. “Now it isn’t good enough.”
“After one afternoon?” she pressed.
“After one afternoon. Hell . . .” he said, raking his hand over his head. “I knew you were trouble the minute you walked through the door with a freaking camera.” He laughed, glad she’d forgotten all about that.
“I’d like that, Callum,” she said low, almost making him doubt if he heard her right.
“Which part?” he pressed, his hand going into her hair again, pulling her head closer to his so their eyes locked.
Her lips parted, sexy as fuck. He wanted to feel them wrapped around him. He wanted so many things with her. Most of all . . . he wanted to know more about her.
“All of it. But not in the White Room. If you want my body exclusively—as I’d have yours—no money can be exchanged. I told you I wanted you from the first time I read your profile, and I wasn’t kidding. I chose you for a reason.”
Callum swallowed, his cock tightening. It was more than that though. She stirred something within him that had long ago closed. For the first time in a long while, he had hope. Arianna was a beautiful woman. One he could fuck dirty and one he could make slow, passionate love to. One whom he wanted to snuggle up with on the sofa and eat cereal with in the morning out of the same bowl. And one he wanted to spread up against the window again and lick until she screamed out his name.
His mouth met hers, taking her slowly, with the confidence of knowing he’d get to see her again, and not a desperate last kiss to hold him over until his next encounter in the White Room with another stranger. God that sounded good. Something he never even realized he wanted.
He pulled back, knowing their time together had ended for the day, the chime long ago over. “I can’t wait to see you again,” he said, resting his forehead against hers.
“Who said anything about next time?” she asked.
Relief flooded his body. She dangled the handcuffs from her hand and stood, walking slowly toward the living room. “Are you coming?” she asked, her shiny blond hair swinging gracefully over her shoulders.
“There’s a desk chair I have a mind to cuff you to,” she said before walking from the room.
Callum closed his eyes, images of what she would do to him in that chair flashing through is mind. He wasn’t sure how he got so lucky. He’d walked into the White Room not knowing what awaited him sexually. Now, when he walked toward Arianna and the pleasure they were about to share, he knew exactly what to expect—and it was mind-blowing.
It was what lay ahead for his heart that he was unsure of now. He had a feeling he was a goner.
Hell, he already was.
11
Baron
BARON JAMES HADN’T returned to the White Room since his visit with Arianna. The naughty minx had shown up to his Sunday service wearing a demure lace dress that was far sexier than the little hair dresser getup she’d worn the last time he’d seen her. The corner of Arianna’s mouth twitched as Avaline introduced her goddaughter to Baron after church, asking if he’d like to join them for brunch. Arianna had entirely too much pleasure watching him squirm his way out of that one.
But the White Room called to him. His triathlon was over and he needed an outlet for the excess energy he had coursing through his veins. The church fulfilled his heart, replacing the romantic love he’d lost after the death of his beloved Sarah. But the White Room fulfilled other needs that he wasn’t willing to share outside of these sacred walls. As a pastor, he couldn’t easily engage in an open relationship without strings. And his heart was nowhere near ready for strings again.
The White Room was the answer to his prayers. Safety. Reliability. Anonymity.