by Wylde, Tara
“Let me,” I say, taking his hand. “Please. I should learn .”
He smiles. “Please do .”
I grasp his shaft and position the condom at the tip, rolling it down the rest of him with my other hand. He’s long and thick, and the latex stretches over it like a second skin .
“That’s perfect,” he moans .
“I think I’m ready,” I say, opening my legs wide. “What should I do ?”
“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” he says as he kneels between my legs. “We’ll have to take it nice and easy .”
I gasp as the tip slides against my outer opening and presses against my clit. The pressure and the pleasure combine, so that my whole world becomes a sensation .
“Easy,” he breathes. “Easy .”
“I’m ready,” I say, biting my bottom lip .
Chance moves his hips and the sensation is suddenly sharp. I gasp and grip his shoulders tightly as he slides the shaft in. Finally, he fills me all the way .
“Are you okay ?”
“I’m fine,” I sigh. “I’m more than fine .”
My hips tremble as he pulls out, then slides back in. Each stroke becomes easier, until we establish a rhythm, moving our hips in time with each other .
This is what everyone is always talking about. No wonder every rock song ever is about it .
“Sara,” he moans. “Oh, Sara. Finally .”
“I’ve wanted you inside me for so long,” I say. “It’s so good. Sooo good .”
Talking seems to have stoked our passion even more. Chance speeds up his strokes, going a bit deeper with each one. I respond with my own movements, driving my hips upwards to feel every last inch of him .
Our breath mingles as the pleasure mounts. His face is next to mine, my arms are around his neck, pulling him to me so that we can be as together as two people can be. Finally the pleasure becomes unbearable and I have to let go of everything .
“I can’t hold back anymore,” he pants. “I can’t – ”
“Come, baby,” I whisper. “Finally. After all these years, come .”
His entire body tenses like a steel spring beneath my fingers as I wrap my legs around him and ride the wave. Endless moments of ecstasy carry me higher and higher, my mind only aware of my body and his, until we can’t take anymore and we both collapse on the bed, exhausted .
We lay there, limbs tangled, sweat drying against each other’s skin, our breath slowly going back to normal. The feeling of satisfaction and closeness is so intense, I fear that moving will somehow break the spell .
Finally Chance leans into my ear and whispers: “How do you feel ?”
I smile. “Like I’ve been getting royally ripped off for a very, very long time .”
Chapter One Hundred Nine
3 5. CHANCE
This wasn’t supposed to feel like this. It was supposed to feel like a victory, like my plan was working. Like I was winning, somehow .
But that’s not what this was .
It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever felt. Sex with other women has always been just fun, something you did to finish a date, or because you felt the itch down there. You enjoy it and then you fall asleep .
Now lying here, gazing into Sara’s deep blue eyes, sleep is the last thing I want .
“So how do you feel?” she asks .
I hesitate a moment. What should I say ?
How about the truth? my conscience tells me .
“I feel like I ordered a Christmas gift fifteen years ago and it finally got delivered,” I say. “The best surprise of my life .”
She grins. “I’m a Christmas present ?”
The image of her with a big red bow wrapped around her hips pops into my mind’s eye, and my cock twitches a bit .
“That’s what it felt like,” I smile back .
“Imagine what it was like for me . To have my first time be so… so mind-blowing. Incredible. Unbelievable. A dozen other adjectives I can’t think of right now. It’s like finally trying ice cream and thinking ‘oohh! Now I get what everyone’s talking about !’”
I chuckle. “You’re a Christmas present and I’m ice cream. What flavor ?”
She leans in and nibbles my earlobe .
“Tiger,” she purrs. “Definitely tiger .”
Aaand I’m hard again. Luckily I always carry a second Trojan. We Marines have to be ready for action at all times .
Chapter One Hundred Ten
3 6. SARA
My mind is reeling as we lie here, panting, all over again .
How could it possibly have been better than the first time? No voices this time. No pain, only pleasure. Endless, limitless pleasure, for what seemed like forever. Is it like this for everyone ?
I open my mouth to say something and all that comes out is a deep sigh .
Chance grins. “Yeah, I was able to last a little longer this time .”
“Uh-huh,” I gurgle .
My brain is having trouble holding onto coherent thoughts, but the one that keeps buzzing back again and again is how angry I am at my mother .
Not exactly what you want to be thinking about at a moment like this, I know. But I can’t help feeling a deep resentment. She stole this from me for so long. She stole Chance from me. I know she was sick, but right now, I’m going to let myself feel this for a little while .
I finally manage to pull myself together enough to form actual words .
“Is it always like that?” I ask .
“No,” he says immediately. “I mean… yeah, this was pretty great. You know, for your first time and all .”
I give his six-pack a playful backhand .
“Careful with the flattery, I’ll get a swelled head,” I say .
He rolls onto his side so that he’s looking down at me .
“It was amazing,” he says. “Really .”
“Yeah, it was. Can we do it again ?”
His winces. “I don’t have any more condoms .”
I pout my lips out like Marilyn Monroe .
“Maybe we could do something that doesn’t need one,” he says .
“That’s better,” I grin. “I’ve got a lot of catching up to do .”
“Are you sure you’re really okay about it? No lingering guilt or anything ?”
“None,” I say simply. “But I don’t know if I would have been able to do this with anyone other than you .”
Whoa, Sara. What was that? You sleep with a guy once – well, twice – and you’re telling him he’s the only man who could have taken your cherry? Way to make him dash out the front door !
Except he’s still there, looking at me. He didn’t move an inch .
“I’m glad it was me,” he says. “I know that sounds selfish, but I don’t care .”
Now I don’t know what to think. I just want to lie here and sleep in his arms, and then wake up and make him breakfast. Does every girl feel like this about her first? Am I moving too fast because of tonight? Or is it because it’s Chance ?
God help me, am I falling in love ?
Did I ever even fall out of it ?
Chapter One Hundred Eleven
3 7. CHANCE
For someone who’s just getting started on all this stuff, Sara could challenge the final exam and ace it .
One hand soaps my back with her loofah sponge as the other strokes my hard shaft. My hands are propped against the shower wall to keep me from falling on my ass .
“I should go on the pill,” she says matter-of-factly .
“Uh,” I moan. “Sure. Okay. I mean, if you want .”
“Every woman I know is on it. Except Grace, of course. She has the same hang-ups as I have.” She grips my cock tighter. “Had , I mean .”
“Uh-huh,” I say as my hips respond to her strokes .
“Am I going too fast ?”
“No, it’s perfect,” I sigh .
“I mean… with us? Talking about birth control? With… everything ?”
“No,” I sa
y without thinking. “It’s great .”
Is it? I know that soon I have to start thinking about what we’re doing. In spite of everything, Sara still works for my enemy, and everything I’ve worked so hard to build is on the line .
But all I know right at this moment is that I never want this to end .
“I just don’t want to go too fast,” she says. “I mean, we’re just starting over… at least, I think we are. Are we ?”
I slide my cock out of her hand and turn to face her. The water sluices over my shoulders as she looks at me, eyes wide. The naked hope there hits me straight in the heart .
“You mean is this a one-time thing?” I say. “No. Not by a long shot .”
She smiles. How could I ever have thought of this as a conquest? It’s so much more .
Suddenly, Tre’s voice is in my head: It’s different because it’s Sara. You can’t think strategically in that situation .
I push the thought away and pull her closer, planting a kiss on those soft, full lips. She responds by taking the tip of my cock and gliding it around the entrance to her opening. Soon the two of us are bucking our hips again, holding onto each other to keep both of us from slipping and cracking our skulls .
As the explosion becomes inevitable, I grab her hips in my hands and lean back against the shower wall. We both tremble and shake with the ecstasy and the effort of holding ourselves up. Finally, the heat of the shower and between our bodies melds into a cloud of steam that makes me feel like we’re floating together in a cloud .
“God, I could get used to this,” she pants .
So could I. And that could end up being the fatal flaw in my plan .
Chapter One Hundred Twelve
3 8. CHANCE
“I thought I told you to take today off,” I say as Tre zombie-walks his way into my office. He looks like he’s been dragged through a knothole backwards, as Sully used to say .
“Can’t,” he mutters. “Company’s at stake .”
“I don’t think one day is going to make much of a difference either way,” I say. “Besides, you’re not going to be much use in this state .”
He lowers himself slowly into a chair. I notice he’s actually not wearing a tie today, for the first time ever, and I grin .
“I’m better now than you would be on your best day,” he says, rubbing his eyes. “How did it go last night? According to plan ?”
“Absolutely,” I lie .
“All right. Do you think it’s going to make any difference ?”
“I don’t know.” That much is the truth .
He sighs. “At the risk of sounding insubordinate, Chance, we need to get a handle on this thing. I’d be much happier if there was something more solid to hold onto than you getting Sara into bed .”
This is the real reason I didn’t want Tre here today. I don’t need him adding to my frustration and confusion .
“Look,” I say. “You just need to trust me on this .”
“You’ve been saying that for a while now, dude. And I do trust you. But you have to remember, I don’t have stock in Atlas. If the Sullivans sell, you have the option of selling and retiring rich .”
I glare at him. “It’s not that simple, and you know it .”
“All right, all right,” he says, nodding gingerly. “But whatever happens, you’re still rich. You’ve been pulling in big money for years now. I, on the other hand, will be out job hunting the day after the sale .”
“I know that,” I say, more sharply than I intended. “Why do you think I’m working so hard to keep it from happening ?”
“That’s just it. Are you working hard? Or are you just trying to sleep with Sara? Because, with all due respect, I’m not seeing a lot of results from that .”
“Look, Tre, with all due respect, I’m the boss here. And that means I’m juggling a lot of different balls right now. I need your help if I’m going to pull it off .”
He leans forward on the sofa and props his elbows on his knees .
“Then let me in on the whole plan,” he says. “Let me help you. That’s what I’m here for .”
I sigh. He’s right. There are a lot of wheels spinning inside other wheels here, and I do need him. But I’m just not sure he’s up for what I need him to do. Or whether I can trust him to pull it off. Too many questions without answers .
“All right,” I say. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you .”
Chapter One Hundred Thirteen
3 9. SARA
I’ve barely been able to focus on work this morning, and now Chance wants to see me in his office. Like that’s going to help me get anything done .
Still, maybe we could do a little… dictation while I’m there .
Jesus, girl, snap out of it! It’s barely been twelve hours since Chance popped your cherry and you’re already running over porno scenarios in your mind. Settle down !
I smile at Karen as I approach the foyer of his office .
“Hi, Sara,” she smiles back. “He’s just in with Tre right now. I’m sure he won’t be long .”
I can’t help but flash back to this same scene at Quentin Pearce’s office yesterday and marvel at the difference: that was like waiting for a root canal. This is like waiting for Christmas .
Thinking about that day reminds me of the conversation I eavesdropped on. What the hell was he on about? I can only assume he was talking to whoever he has lined up to buy Atlas if he manages to take it over. But who was it ?
And why was their relationship so antagonistic? Maybe it’s just the fact Quentin just brings the worst out of people. But maybe there’s more to it …
Suddenly the door to Chance’s office slams open and Tre comes stalking out. He looks terrible – well, as terrible as he could possibly look, anyway .
“You’re out of your fucking mind, man,” he barks as he passes Karen’s desk. “Count me out .”
Just then he notices I’m there. Then he turns to Karen and shakes his head .
“My apologies, ladies. That wasn’t meant for your ears .”
Karen smiles. “I’ll expect a bonus on my next check,” she giggles .
He turns to me. “I’m also sorry about last night,” he says sheepishly. “I don’t usually go overboard like that .”
“Grace has that effect on people sometimes,” I grin, laying a hand on his arm. “I’ve been on the receiving end myself a time or twelve. She loved seeing you again .”
“I enjoyed seeing her, too,” he says. “Tell her I said that, okay ?”
“I will.” I glance into Chance’s office and see the look on his face. “What was that all about ?”
Tre glowers and shakes his head. “Nothing you need to worry about. I’ve been dealing with this kind of stuff for years. Let’s just say that sometimes Chance thinks he’s a lot smarter than he really is, and I end up being the one who has to fix things .”
Yikes. It’s the first time I’ve seen this side of their relationship since we reconnected. They used to fight occasionally when we were kids, but that’s normal between brothers. A lot of the time, it was because Chance was jealous of what Tre had. Again, pretty normal for a kid in Chance’s circumstances. Even I wished Tre’s mom was my mom once in a while .
“Anything I can do to help?” I ask .
He stares at me for a few moments before answering .
“Tell him to smarten up,” he says. Then he shakes his head. “No, forget I said that. This doesn’t have anything to do with you .”
As I watch him stalk back toward his office, I can’t help but think he was lying to me .
Chance motions me into his office. “It’s good to see you,” he says as I shut the door behind me .
“You too,” I say. “Everything okay with you and Tre ?”
He frowns. “Nothing that I haven’t dealt with before. Sometimes Tre oversteps his authority and forgets that I’m the CEO .”
“Hm,” I say .
He cocks an eyebrow. “What ?”
“Just that you two used to squabble a lot when we were kids, and it usually turned out Tre was right .”
“Don’t you start on me, too,” he says, rolling his eyes .
He’s right. We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend – are we? We’re definitely not at the stage where I can start second-guessing him about anything, especially when, technically, he’s letting me actively work against him .
God, this is such a crazy situation .
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I didn’t mean anything, and I don’t know anything about this. I know you guys will eventually rise above it, so I’ll keep my mouth shut .”
He smiles and takes my arms, pulling me close .
“You don’t have to go that far,” he says, parting my lips with his and touching his tongue to the tip of mine .
Suddenly my mind is flashing back to dictation fantasies again, and I forget all about Tre .
Chapter One Hundred Fourteen
4 0. INTERLUDE: QUENTIN PEARCE
“I hope I wasn’t overstepping my bounds by asking you here personally,” Pearce says, pouring scotch from a crystal decanter into a pair of tumblers on the bar in his office .
“I’m being honest, it was a bit of a pain in the nuts,” says the man, sixty-ish with a shock of silver hair swept back from his high brow. His olive skin is in remarkable condition for someone his age .
Pearce hands him a glass and motions for him to sit .
“Normally I’m happy to follow the chain of command,” he says. “But I’m afraid dealing with your nephew has become, as you say, a pain in the nuts .”
The man’s bushy eyebrows rise. “Not a lot of people got the guts to say that to my face .”
“I’m not most people,” says Pearce, taking a full ounce of his scotch in a single gulp. “I don’t measure dicks, I measure profits. If there’s a problem with that, we can certainly part ways amicably .”