by Ryleigh York
Soon, he finds a pace that makes my breasts bounce and my inner walls clench around him.
I whimper and my entire body arches off the bed. He feels so good, so right inside of me. I’ve never felt a physical chemistry this strong before. His body is so right for mine. I get my legs around him and he buries himself deep inside of me before he begins to move in and out of me.
I claw helplessly at the bed, my body out of control. He’s pushed me over the edge of something I can’t understand and all I can think about is how much more I want. I can feel my orgasm building as he pounds me, his cock huge and hard inside me.
My orgasm hits and my muscles clench around him, dragging him over the edge into an orgasm with me.
He grunts wordlessly and I remember that he doesn’t know my name. I’m desperate to hear it on his lips.
“Macey,” I gasp. “Say Macey.”
“Macey,” he says, his voice a sexy, rough growl.
We curl up next to each other on the huge bed and catch our breath. I finally have the chance I wanted to look at him. I run a finger along defined his six-pack. His body is a masterpiece.
“How often do you work out?” I ask.
“Every morning. It helps me shake off the ghosts of the night before when I start my day.”
I trail my hand up his biceps and wonder if I dare ask him what ghosts he’s fighting so hard against. I don’t know him, not really. It’s none of my business. But I want to know him, even if it’s only going to be for this one night.
“What ghosts?” I ask.
He studies me intently. “It’s easy to get caught up in work and not think about things, but at night there’s nothing to do but think. I worry about everything I left behind, the choices I made. I chose this city, high powered lawyer life, but it’s not always what it’s made out to be. There’s a lot of liars in this business, and plenty of people who will happily crush you under foot to get ahead. Sometimes I miss the simple way I grew up, on a ranch in Texas if you can believe it.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I think about Gavin and what he’s trying to do to me. “It’s not easy to be a paralegal, either. No one takes me seriously because I don’t have a law degree. They think they can push me around, get me to do their dirty work.”
“Don’t let anyone push you around.” His gaze is intent on mine. I feel like he’s looking past my eyes to the deepest parts of me. I’m afraid of what he’ll find there. The woman willing to trade her morals for her family? Is that what I am now?
I look away from him. The truth I’ve been struggling with is finally clear. I hate myself for letting Gavin blackmail me, but I’m not willing to let my family suffer for my pride and morals. If I don’t do what Gavin says, my family will lose the farm. If I do… I’ll lose myself.
I need a way out, but I have no idea what that is.
“Do you ever wonder if you’re losing yourself?” I whisper. “If all these choices you’re making are taking away the very core of what you used to think you are?”
“All the fucking time,” Lucas says. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I try to do the right thing, but it’s not always clear what that is. I worry all the fucking time.”
I rest my head against his shoulder. I can’t believe how strong the connection between us is. This doesn’t even feel like a simple fling anymore, but it’s too late to turn back.
My body still wants him. I want to stop thinking about everything that’s scaring me and lose myself in what he can make me feel again. I turn my head and press my lips against his sweaty chest. He’s salty and warm and my brain is already sliding back into its fog of lust.
I drag my lips up to his mouth and kiss him slowly, losing myself to the sensation of his lips on mine and our bodies intertwined. He rolls over until his body is back on top of mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and smile up at him.
“What next?” I ask. “Should we play with some whips and chains?”
He grins at me. “If you insist.”
My stomach twists. I hadn’t really meant it. I’d assumed he would laugh and suggest something easier, like… I’m not sure what. Lucas pulls me to my feet and I look over at the shelves of sex toys. I recognize some of them as dildos and vibrators, but I’m not sure what most of the things on his shelves are even for.
Lucas grabs a coil of rope and a short leather whip. I swallow and inch back toward the bed, my fear getting the best of me. I wonder if there’s still time for me to take back my suggestion and ask to see the fluffy bunny room instead.
“Hands in front of you,” he demands.
My arms tremble as I hold out my hands. He wraps the rope around my wrists and pulls me over to the post of the bed where he ties me onto it. He places one end of the rope in my bound hands.
“If anything goes wrong or gets to be too much for you, just pull this and the knot will unravel,” Lucas says.
I nod jerkily and clutch the rope in my hands. I already want to pull on it—but I’m also curious. I know sex with Lucas is good, but I have no idea how being dominated like this will feel. I want to know before I panic and chicken out. I trust Lucas to stop if I ask him to.
He moves me gently to show me how to bend over the bed, push my ass up in the air, and spread my legs. I breath carefully to avoid falling into a hyperventilating panic.
“If you like it, we’ll do more next time,” he says.
I nod silently, my nerves twisted into knots. Part of me is actually hoping that I don’t like it. Something about this feels incredibly dirty, which is turning me on more than I like to admit. I’m beginning to suspect that I’m not at all the vanilla person I thought I was. I’m not sure how to process that yet.
The first smack is unexpected. The whip slaps me lightly across my ass. I jump out of surprise from the sudden sting of pain. But it actually tickles more than it hurts.
I take a moment to regather my nerve. “Again,” I say. Lucas makes a small noise of pleasure, and strokes one firm hand over my backside. The bonds and position may make him in charge, but I know I’m the one who’s really in charge of this. I know he won’t push me farther than I want to go.
The second strike comes a little lower and harder causing me to gasp in shock. The sting gives way to a sharp, warm heat. It feels good. My skin is stinging and hot and my pussy is already getting wet. Lucas’ rough fingers caress the places the whip licked me and I moan and push back against his hand. I already want him back inside of me.
The next smack catches me off guard. It hits the back of my thigh instead of my ass. He rubs the spot like he did the others and I moan and squirm. Then I feel his warm lips and damp tongue kiss the spot.
I press back against the contact. “Fuck me,” I beg.
He responds by giving me another smack, with his hand this time. It’s the hardest one yet and I hiss as it lands. But then I feel something cool and realize he’s rubbing some kind of ointment on my raw skin. Apparently, he’s decided I’ve had enough for the night. I agree. I feel proud that I was brave enough to try it, but now I want his cock.
He finishes applying the salve, cooling off the rest of my skin. His hand feels so good applying it. I move my legs open wider to try to encourage him to touch more of me.
At last, he takes the bait and his cock presses against my entrance. “Do you want this?” he asks.
“Yes,” I groan impatiently.
He pushes inside of me and it’s somehow even better than it was before. I cry out with every stroke and he holds onto my waist and pants my name.
“So fucking good, baby,” he groans, his mouth nipping at the back of my neck.
I come fast and hard too turned on by everything he’s done to me to restrain myself. He moans my name as he orgasms, but he’s wearing another condom so I still can’t feel him come inside me.
I know I can untie myself, but I wait for him to do it, enjoying the feel of his fingers against the aching skin of my wrists. I’ve been rubbed raw by the ropes. I wonder how I didn’t notice while it wa
s happening. After carefully inspecting my skin with an almost pained expression, Lucas grabs me more of the ointment and rubs it on my wrists.
“That felt so good,” I admit.
“It was incredible,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before.”
I look up at him, but he’s focused on my wrists so I can’t meet his eyes. Nothing between us feels like a fling, and I’m beginning to suspect that he feels it too. Is it always this real? This fast?
I can’t let this last beyond tonight. I have a job to do and a blackmailer to satisfy. I can’t possibly keep up such a hot and demanding relationship. I don’t know what I’d do if someone found out. I would be more than humiliated. I wouldn’t be able to show my face again. I’ve built my reputation on being composed and put together, reliable instead of crazy. It’s a reputation that’s served me well. I have no idea how I could live down something as crazy as this if it got out. No, I can’t let this continue past tonight. But I’ll be damned if I don’t get everything out of it that I can.
I let out a heavy sigh at the realization. But Lucas mistakes it for discomfort, and gathers me in his arms.
Chapter 7
Lucas
I can’t stop touching Macey. I don’t want the night to end. I have no idea how I’m going to let her walk away. I’ve never wanted to keep a sub as my very own, but Macey makes me want to break every rule I have for myself.
Every moment I keep expecting her to tell me she’s had enough and walk away. That she hasn’t already is amazing to me. She’s so willing to push her own boundaries. She’s more daring than the women I’m used to, and she definitely has more stamina. I’m not even sure that I can keep up with her, which is saying something. It’s amazing.
Macey presses a finger to my lips. “I want one more thing,” she says.
I’m disappointed that she only wants one more, but I push the feeling down. “What is it?” Stay, I want to tell her. Never leave. Let’s see where this could go…
“Make love to me?” She lays down on the rug and I move gently over her. She smiles at me. A strange feeling starts to build inside of me as I kiss her. This isn’t like the animalistic sex we’ve been having. Every touch between us is sweet and gentle. I can’t stop watching her. The way she moves, the way her eyes sparkle. I’m inside of her, but we’ve moved past sex to another territory altogether. We build up friction between us as she clings onto me.
It’s not until we’ve both come and are laying tangled on the floor together that the difference hits me. There’s too much emotion between us for this to be normal sex. The connection is too deep. If I was being ridiculous I might call it making love, but I’ve only known her for a few hours.
I hold onto her and try to push the feelings back away. I don’t want to care about this woman that I don’t really know. Her hair is against my chin and I can smell her shampoo. I remember how we talked earlier. I’ve never exchanged more than three words with my usual conquests.
Macey watches me from the floor, her head tilted curiously to the side.
“Something wrong?” she asks.
“Yes.” I don’t know yet whether I need to ask her to stay or leave.
“Lucas?” She pushes herself up to her elbows.
“Are you coming back to Second Circle after tonight?” I ask her abruptly.
She blinks and draws back from me. “No. I only came because Alexis asked me. This isn’t my kind of place. And I swear this is really out of character for me.”
I don’t agree with her, but I don’t think now is the time to argue with her about it. “Whatever we’re doing here is only lasting one night,” I say.
She nods firmly. “One night. Tomorrow we go our separate ways.”
Tomorrow. She’s not leaving yet. The words fill me with a mix of relief and dread. Our fling has a timeline, but not one we’ve exhausted yet.
I hold out my hand to her and pull her to her feet, then lead her back to the bed. My body is wiped out and I fall back on the mattress. “Five minutes,” I say.
She smiles and curls up next to me. “Ten minutes,” she says. “I’m worn out too.”
I wrap an arm around her middle and hold her close as I let myself drift into a shallow sleep.
Chapter 8
Macey
My eyes are grimy when I wake up. I’ve slept for more than ten minutes. I don’t think I even realized how tired I was. I push myself up and look at the clock. It’s a little past 3 a.m. I still have time before the first day of my new job.
I could slip out now and have time to get back to my apartment to catch some real shut eye before I get cleaned up and go in. Or I could spend more time with Lucas.
I shake his arm. “Lucas.”
He wakes up slowly and smiles at me. “What time is it?” he asks thickly.
“Not too late,” I say. I decide it’s about time to repay him for what he gave me earlier. I slide down his body and find his cock with my hands.
“Macey…”
I don’t wait to hear what he has to say. He’s already at half mast in my hands and it doesn’t take much urging from my mouth to get him all the way there. I love the way his hands dig into my hair and he calls my name as I get him off. He’s definitely awake now.
When I’m finished with him I flop back by his side on the bed.
“You’re crazy,” he says. “And I fucking love it.”
I laugh softly. I just don’t want to leave, but I don’t know how to tell him that. I’m not even sure how to explain it to myself. I didn’t mean to get attached. I try to tell myself he’s just a convenient escape from my worries, but I don’t believe it.
I lay my head on his shoulder. “Tell me about the ranch you grew up on,” I say.
His hand strokes my hair. “There’s not much to tell. I liked it there. Every day there was work to do, and it was all physically demanding. Nothing like what I do now. My job now is all thinking, talking, and manipulative bastards.”
“Then why do you stay?” I ask.
He pauses as if he’s really thinking about my question. “Because it matters. I’m not going to pretend that every client is a charity case, but there’s always a few that really matter and that makes all the rest worth it. Just knowing that they’re in a bad position and I can get them out of it. That’s the part of the job I love.” I feel his chest move as he sighs. “Not that I’ll get to do much of that part for a while. This goddamn deal is taking up all my time. I want to see it settled and done.”
I lay dreamily on his chest, thinking about what he’s just told me. He’s a good man. I’m sure of that part. Maybe that’s why this feels like more than a fling.
“What about you?” Lucas asked. “What job are you running from?”
I tilt my face into him to inhale his scent. “I’m not running from a job.” It isn’t a lie. It’s blackmail that I’m running from. “I’m worried about my family,” I confess. “I’m not sure they’re going to be able to keep the farm and I think leaving is going to just kill my father. His health has been getting worse and worse. I worry about him all the time. I never know what to do.”
“You’ll do what’s right,” Lucas says. “You’re a good person.”
I’m not so sure. Is playing Gavin’s game right? Or is letting my family suffer? I can’t ask Lucas. He thinks far too much of me for me to go wrecking it by telling him about the dilemma that’s tearing me apart inside. Besides, this is just a fling. I’m never going to see him again. He can’t solve my problems for me.
“I don’t want this to end,” I say. “I want to stay here with you.”
He pulls me tight to his body and I shut my eyes against the light I’m sure is going to break through at any moment and call an end to my night of recklessness.
Chapter 9
Lucas
I watch her fall asleep. Her face gradually relaxes and loses the worried wrinkles that had marred her forehead. I smooth my thumb across her skin and wonder what’s scaring he
r, and why she won’t tell me. I have a crazy urge to slay dragons for this woman, but I know it’s none of my business.
Normally, this would be the point where I woke her up and told her to head home. I’ve never kept a woman around for longer than it took to have sex before. The women never want to stay, either. We indulge in a fantasy that we all know the terms of.
I know the terms of my relationship with Macey. This should be the point where we part ways, but I can’t stand the thought of never seeing her again. I want to renegotiate the terms. Maybe she’d agree to a regular thing, or… a relationship.
With any other woman I’d never even consider a relationship. I’ve never seen myself as that kind of guy. Macey is pushing all my boundaries—along with her own. I’m not sure what I want from her, I just know that I’m not ready to give her up yet.
She rolls over in her sleep and dream mumbles something indecipherable. I wonder again what demons are chasing her.
If I ask her, will she even agree to see me again? Would she want to go on a date like a normal couple? I could take her out to dinner, hold her hand, take her back to my apartment…
I’m being foolish and I know it. This woman has cast a spell on me that I don’t quite understand.
Then there’s my job. I remember it guiltily. I need to give it my full focus. I can’t run off and dally about on dates. That’s one reason why I come to this club instead of seeking out a real relationship. I don’t have time.
I need to put my job first. I’ll never seal this deal otherwise.
I drift off to sleep with Macey in my arms, swearing to myself that I’m not going to think about her again.
Chapter 10
Macey
The next time I wake up, it’s daylight. I check my cell phone and swear. I should have been gone a half hour ago. I’ll barely have time to run back to my apartment and change before work, let alone take a shower.
I slide out of bed, trying not to disturb the man sleeping beside me. Lucas. I can never let myself see him again. I can’t come back here. Our time together is over for good.