Lovers Unmasked

by Katee Robert

  Grayson slid out of the chair and down onto to the floor, careful not to dislodge her. The carpet was cool against his back, a direct counterpoint to her wet heat wrapped around his cock. She rose above him with a grin, lightly raking her nails down his chest. “Control freak on his back?”

  She had no idea how close to the truth she’d hit. The fact that he let her out of her bonds felt like a huge step, let alone this. “Only for you.”

  The moment stretched on, and a thousand words he couldn’t say created a silence he couldn’t break. Not in this moment. Not tonight. Soon, though. Danielle ducked her head, her hair temporarily shielding her face from view. She started riding his cock, her slow movements changing the entire tone of the encounter. The need didn’t dissipate, but the softer emotion inside him threatened to take hold and never leave.

  So be it.

  He pulled her down, kissing her even as he used his grip on her hips to keep her decadent rhythm. The feeling of so much skin sliding against his as she rode him nearly sent him over the edge. He existed on a precipice, riding it as if there were no danger of falling. As if he could continue on like this forever.

  All too soon, her rhythm became choppy, but he kept her going as she came, her whispering his name quite possibly the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. Then and only then did he give in, pounding into her as he lost control. She clutched his shoulders as his fingers dug into her ass, sealing them together as his hips came off the floor. His vision actually blacked out for a second while he relearned how to breathe.

  Fuck, that was intense.

  Grayson kissed her again, a slow playing of his tongue against hers, half considering keeping this up until he was ready to go another round, until Danielle slid off him with a laugh. “Slow your roll, cowboy. I need a breather—and probably a shower—before you start getting me all riled up again.”

  “Come home with me.” He spoke without really considering the implications. If she came home with him, he’d have to answer all sorts of uncomfortable questions—namely how a mail guy could afford a penthouse down on Vine Street.

  He had to tell her the truth, even though the prospect worried him far more than it had at the beginning of the night. Before, he’d known he enjoyed spending time with her and that he didn’t want to lose that small thing they had together. Now… Now he’d been given a taste of what being with Danielle really meant. She was the full package—and he still wasn’t sure how she’d react to finding out his true identity. He’d like to think she’d forgive him for the lie, but he wasn’t sure. And, because he wasn’t sure, he couldn’t force himself to open his mouth and ruin what was turning out to be a perfect night.

  She solved the dilemma for him. “Why don’t you come to my place? I’m only about three blocks from here.”

  Avoid any potential problems and get a chance to see her in her comfort zone? He jumped at the chance. “I’d like that.”

  She smiled. “Me, too.”

  Chapter Five

  It wasn’t really as simple as saying, “Come home with me.” Danielle eyed her catsuit—getting back into it was going to be a bitch. Somehow she was going to have to make it look like she hadn’t just been having the best sex of her life before walking out of here.

  There had to be a back door somewhere.

  Grayson came to the rescue. “Why don’t you wrap up in this? It should do for three blocks.” He set his cloak over her shoulders and the fabric slid sensuously over her skin despite the weight of it.

  She closed her eyes and inhaled, loving that she caught the barest whiff of his cologne. Up until tonight, Danielle hadn’t been willing to act like a creeper and risk getting caught sniffing him or his clothes. Now everything was different.

  Once again, a faint fear that everything would be ruined as a result of tonight rose, but she ignored it. She wasn’t going to worry about something that might never happen. He’d said nothing would change, and she had to take him at his word. Determined to outrun the doubts in her mind, she yanked on her panties and then slipped on her shoes. The cloak would have to be enough to get her home.

  While she was brooding, he’d fixed his pants and put his shirt back on. He picked up her suit and folded it far more neatly than she would have been able to. “Ready?”

  Taking his hand felt like a way bigger step than it should have. It was just sex. Sure, sex with someone she’d come to consider more than a friend, but it wasn’t like she’d gone and professed her undying love or something. Danielle’s chest twinged at the thought and she used the excuse of holding the cloak in place around her to slip her hand free of Grayson’s.

  She cared about him, knew she cared about him. There was no shame in admitting that. Grayson was unlike any man she’d ever met and, as much as she’d run her mouth with Chelsea, there was a whole lot more to this thing than wanting to bang the gorgeous mail guy. But how much more? That was the question, wasn’t it?

  “What are you thinking about so intently over there?”

  It was a question he’d asked her often enough over their coffee dates. The fact that she felt comfortable enough with him to space out instead of prattling on was something she’d never been willing to examine too closely. Danielle opened her mouth to say “Nothing” but then reconsidered. Why not be honest? Worst case, he’d make some excuses and go home alone, and she’d know now that he’d lied when he said things wouldn’t change.

  That didn’t sound like a great option. But what was the alternative? To spend more time in this delicious limbo and then get kicked in the teeth with the truth later on? No, it was better to know now.

  “I like having coffee with you.”

  He frowned. “I like having coffee with you, too.”

  “I really don’t want to lose that.” She felt like she was beating a dead horse. Hadn’t they just had this conversation? He said nothing would change, and she should probably just take him at his word instead of questioning him like she was some insecure twit.

  “Why would you lose it?”

  “We talked about this. Sex changes everything.”

  “Of course it will change things. Nothing stays the same.” He shook his head. “Would you like to have breakfast with me tomorrow, Danielle?”

  What the hell? “Well, I hadn’t planned on kicking you out of my apartment before you were dressed and fed.”

  “While that’s good to know, it’s not what I meant.”

  The pieces clicked into place and her jaw dropped. “Are you asking me out?”

  “Don’t look surprised. This isn’t the first time.” He paused. “Are you finally saying yes?”

  Was she? As terrified as she was of losing her coffee dates with Grayson, she wasn’t sure how she felt about an actual date. That was almost scarier than losing everything. It was why she kept turning him down—she didn’t want to rock the boat. Why mess with a good thing, right?

  She gripped the cloak with white-knuckled hands and then frowned. What the hell was she bitching about? He wanted to date her. She had a blast spending time with him, and the sex was off the charts. Why not try to date him for real? “I’m considering it.”

  He led the way to the elevator, his silence turning into something much less comfortable. She took in the tightness around his jaw and how stiffly he held his shoulders. Great, now she’d gone and stepped in it. As usual. “Why are you pissed now?”

  “You have to be the most gun-shy woman I’ve ever met.”

  It’s something she never would have called herself. Brazen? Sure. Out there? Oh yeah. Gun-shy? Not so much. “You’re mad because I have yet to fall all over myself to say yes to dating you?”

  “When you say it like that, you make it sound ridiculous.” And he didn’t sound any less pissed.

  They stepped into the elevator, and Danielle clutched the cloak more firmly around her. “The sex makes this different. You know this, and I know this. So excuse me for being a little cautious.”

  “You wouldn’t know cautious if it bit y
ou in the ass.”

  She jerked back, stung. That sounded exactly like something her father would say. No. Grayson isn’t anything like him. She needed to stop reacting without thinking and calm down. Just because he had sounded pretty damn superior there for a second didn’t mean a damn thing. This was the man who’d held her hand and comforted her after the last time Dad went off the rails at her. The guy who listened to her hopes and dreams and encouraged her when she hadn’t had the courage to tell anyone else in her life about it. He wanted her exactly how she was—he wasn’t trying to change her.

  And she wasn’t a little girl anymore, so desperate for approval and only receiving a verbal slap-down for her trouble. She took a deep breath. “Maybe not, but I’m also not an idiot. I said I’d consider a date, and I will. So stop pushing.”

  “I think you like it when I push.” He didn’t move, but he suddenly seemed a whole lot closer. He reached out and ran his fingers through the ends of her hair, not pulling or trying to maneuver her—just touching her with a propriety that made her weak in the knees.

  Who knew the daughter of General Kastien would have a submissive streak?

  A shrink would probably have a field day with the revelation.

  She watched as he moved his hands, nearly as dark as her hair, up to her chest, parting the cloak so he could touch her bare skin. “What do you think, Danielle? Do you like it when I push?”

  In some ways, hell yeah. Having him order her around in the office had gotten her nearly as hot as his touch did, but she wasn’t sure she liked the idea of giving him control outside the bedroom. She looked up into his brown eyes, and the words felt as if they were being dragged out of her mouth. “Sometimes.”

  “Would you like me to back off?”

  She licked her lips. “No.”

  “No?”

  “No, I don’t want you to back off.” In reality, she wanted him to shove her against the wall and fuck her right here, but the falling numbers were a reminder of how little time they had right now. Sure, they could pull the emergency stop lever, but that would draw attention, and she really didn’t want to lose her job over a handful of orgasms.

  Even if they were earth-shattering-forget-your-own-name orgasms.

  “Good.” He hauled her against him, taking her mouth as if he owned her.

  As Danielle wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him, she wasn’t sure he didn’t.

  …

  He had to tell her the truth. He knew he did. But as they climbed the stairs to her apartment and she let them in, he couldn’t find the right words. There had to be a better way than just blurting it out.

  Grayson stopped inside the door as she flitted about the room, turning on lights in her wake. From their conversations, he knew she had a roommate, and the clash in styles was easy to pick out. The classic beige three-piece sofa set surely wasn’t Danielle’s, but the brilliantly colored knit blankets laid haphazardly on them were. So were the shoes tossed into a pile near the front door, along with the case of energy drinks on top of the fridge. She didn’t like coffee—for all that they met in the coffee shop—but she drained those Monster things as if they were the best invention ever created.

  They’d long ago agreed to disagree there.

  While he was musing, she opened one of the doors. “Give me a second to get into something a little less cloak-and-dagger.”

  “Stop.”

  He loved how she instinctively responded to his commands. His pleasure was made even better by the fact that he knew she got off on it as much as he did—possibly more. Grayson motioned. “Come here.” When she took a step, he held up a hand. “Leave the cloak there.”

  Though she sighed as she dropped it, there was no hiding the way her nipples pebbled or the flush rising beneath her skin. Her breasts bounced as she walked toward him, and he appreciated the way her hips swung, though he still wasn’t sure if she did it on purpose or not. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was the fact that there wasn’t a single thing about this woman that he found wanting. He valued her opinion, and her sharp wit, and the way she made him laugh even when he’d had a hellish morning.

  As he’d told her earlier, he wanted more than the little slices of time their coffee dates had offered.

  Grayson smoothed her hair back and framed her face with his hands. “Will your roommate be home tonight?”

  “Nope.”

  “Good.” He kissed her forehead. “Let’s watch a movie.”

  “What?”

  He laughed. “A movie. Lady’s choice.”

  “Uh-huh.” She propped her hands on her hips. “I don’t suppose you’re going to let me get dressed first, are you?”

  “Not likely.” He had no intention of watching a movie, either, but Grayson loved being able to keep her off guard like this. He dropped onto the L-shaped sofa and watched her dig through the shelf of DVDs. Her ass was right at eye level and he was almost 100 percent sure she’d done that on purpose. If so, he definitely appreciated her ability to tease, even if he had to grip the end of the couch cushion in order to keep from reaching for her. She grabbed a film and popped it in before heading toward him.

  Danielle turned off most of the lights and stopped next to the couch, a small frown on her face. He took the choice of where to sit away when he hooked an arm around her waist and yanked her into his lap. “There.”

  “Ass.” She wiggled into a more comfortable position, all the shifting making his cock jump to attention. He looped an arm under her shoulders and moved her up so she could lean against the pillows on one side of him and stretch her legs out on the other side.

  As the movie started, he was unsurprised to recognize The Goonies. Of course she’d pick that after quoting The Sandlot to him while naked and spread out on his desk. “Nice.”

  “I happen to have excellent taste in movies, among other things.”

  “I believe that goes without saying.” He waited for her to relax, enjoying the freedom of having her naked in his arms. This, even more than the sex, was something he craved. It had been so long since he actually dated someone for enough time to facilitate the casual touches so many people took for granted. Grayson had found that, as much as the last few women he dated had wanted him, they didn’t have much use for him outside of his bedroom and credit cards. His most recent ex never would have been caught dead cuddling on the couch, and that was part of the reason they were no longer together—along with the fact that she charged eight grand on his Amex card in a single day.

  Somehow, he knew he’d never have to worry about that kind of thing with Danielle. As if sensing him watching her, she glanced over and mock-glared. “Eyes forward, sir.”

  “I like my eyes where they are.” To prove his point, he slid his hand up the inside of her thigh.

  “You are a bad, bad man to interrupt this movie. For shame.” But she spread her thighs a little to give him better access.

  “I’m a shameful kind of guy.” And then he pushed a finger into her.

  …

  Grayson worked her with his fingers, rubbing over that spot guaranteed to make her lose her mind. They’d only been together tonight, and it was like he knew Danielle’s body better than her single long-term boyfriend ever had. Every time he touched her, she lost a little more height from the walls surrounding her heart.

  If she were going to be honest, he’d started doing that before he ever laid a hand on her. She clung to him and closed her eyes, not ready to deal with what the look on his face meant.

  Of course, he wouldn’t even let her have that. “Open your eyes.”

  God, why did he have to look at her as if she were the most priceless thing in the world—as if she were all his?

  Her orgasm loomed as he played with her, just out of reach. She tried to tilt her hips so his wrist would press against her clit, but Grayson easily held her in place. “Tell me something.”

  She was about to come, and he wanted to talk? What the hell was wrong with this guy? She gasped
a little when he twisted his hand. “What?”

  “What’s holding you back from agreeing to date me?”

  It was official—this man was insane. No one else would be bothering with a relationship talk while banging her until she was nearly out of her mind with pleasure. Then again, maybe it was all part of his plan. It was pretty genius, now that she thought about it. “Grayson…”

  He withdrew his fingers and circled her clit. “Answer the question.”

  What the hell did he want her to say? There wasn’t any reason for her not to date him, especially if she could look forward to this kind of treatment on the regular. Combined with how well they meshed on a nonsexual level, Grayson was pretty much the perfect guy.

  So why fight it?

  “I don’t know.”

  He plunged two fingers, and then three, inside her, watching her face the entire time. “Then why not?”

  She didn’t know. Danielle’s breath hissed out when he leaned down to suck on her nipple, putting the slightest of pressure on it with his teeth to make her head fall back. Since his hold still kept her from moving, she dug her nails into his shoulders, fighting not to lose herself. “What? You want me to be your girlfriend or something?”

  “That’s exactly what I want.” He moved to the other nipple. “But first I want you to come for me.”

  As if her body had been waiting for her permission, the pressure inside her wound to a near-painful degree. Then Grayson cupped her, his palm sliding against her clit in rhythm with the thrust of his fingers, and it was all too much. She buried her face against his shoulder and sobbed his name as she came.

  It felt as if every bone in her body turned to liquid, so she didn’t protest when he lifted her off the couch. “Bedroom?”

  Danielle motioned vaguely toward her room and laid her head on his shoulder. God, this man was something else. What was she supposed to do with him?