Players (Lessons by Loki)

by Ross, Aubrey

  “Are you always at home when you masturbate?”

  She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Where else would I be?”

  His smile broadened, yet his gaze remained warm. “In a car or a bathroom, an empty exam room at work, under the tablecloth at a restaurant. I can think of all sorts of places.”

  Suddenly she could picture them too, but it wasn’t her fingers rubbing and sliding over sensitive flesh, it was his. “Sorry. I’ve always been at home. In fact, I’ve almost always been in bed.”

  “Then that’s where we’ll start.” He motioned toward the stairs with the hand holding the plastic bag. “Take me to your bedroom.”

  She shook her head. “My bedroom is private. We’ll use the guest room. And what’s in the bag?”

  “The guest room is fine and you’ll see.”

  The staircase had never seemed so narrow or so long. She could feel Josiah behind her, matching her step for step as she climbed to the upper level of her house. Knowing she’d likely be undressing shortly after he arrived, she’d donned shorts and a simple tank top. But the outfit had never made her feel quite this exposed before.

  “I understand why you hide your figure at work, but why don’t I ever see you outside in shorts?”

  “I sunburn much too easily. It’s easier just to stay covered up.” It was a familiar lie; one she’d nearly convinced herself was true.

  His hand banded her upper arm and kept her from taking the next step. “You promised to be honest.”

  She looked back at him without turning around. “I do burn easily, but that’s not the only reason.”

  “It’s not the primary reason.”

  She tensed, annoyed by his confidence. “If you already know the answer, why ask me?”

  Reaching around her, he grasped her other arm and turned her to face him. He was standing one step below her, which put their eyes on a level. “I can’t help you unless you’re brutally honest, not just with me, with yourself. Why do you hide the shape of your body?”

  “I have big boobs and round hips. Dillon thought I’d look better if I lost twenty-five pounds.”

  “Do you consider yourself fat?”

  “My BMI is on the high end of normal for my age and height. I wasn’t self-conscious about my body until Dillon pointed out all my flaws, repeatedly. He kept buying me clothes two sizes too small, trying to ‘motivate’ me into ‘taking better care of myself’.” She emphasized the hatful words with finger quotes. “I lost a few pounds right after we met, but mainly it just demoralized me.”

  “Well, I’ve seen you naked or basically naked,” he clarified with a sexy grin. “Would you like to know what I thought?”

  “Probably not, but it’s obvious you’re going to tell me anyway.”

  “Your curvy hips perfectly balance your breasts, which are lush and soft and utterly addictive. Your trim torso and narrow waist give you a classic hourglass figure. In the fifties you would have been known as a bombshell.” He moved his free hand to her waist and pressed his face against her breasts. “I didn’t see much of your ass.” Then he slid his hand down over her hip and up inside her shorts, squeezing one of her ass cheeks. “We’ll have to take care of that right now.”

  She wiggled away and darted up the last few stairs so he didn’t see her fiery blush. A bombshell? Did he honestly find her body appealing or was he simply telling her what she wanted to hear? What she’d needed to hear the entire time she was saddled with Dillon?

  With a self-recriminating sigh, she pushed open the door to the guest room and flipped on the light. Josiah was a master seducer. He knew just what to say and how hard to push before he drifted away, leaving his partners hungry for more. Once again she thanked Loki for preparing her for this confrontation. If she hadn’t known about the bet, this would all be incredibly compelling.

  Josiah lounged in the doorway, watching her. “Get undressed. The sooner you become comfortable with your own nudity, the faster we can move on to more important concepts.”

  She peeled off her tank top and paused, her breasts still mostly covered with her bra. “And if I never get used to being naked?”

  “Then I’ll assign you homework.”

  One of her eyebrows arched. “What sort of homework would help with my self-consciousness?”

  “I’ll insist you watch TV naked and clean your house naked and eat dinner naked.”

  She laughed. “I get the idea.”

  “And, of course, I’ll need to verify that you’re doing your homework, so I’ll have to watch you do all those things without a stich of clothing on.”

  Still smiling from his playfulness, she reached back and unhooked her bra. She watched his eyes lower as the undergarment slid down her arms. He either liked what he saw or he was a damn good actor. Probably a bit of both. She slipped her shorts and underwear down together then kicked them aside.

  “Turn around, slowly. I want to see all of you.”

  Awkward yet oddly exhilarated, she turned in a slow circle. By the time he’d looked his fill, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes gleamed with unmistakable interest. Reactions like those couldn’t be faked. He might have an ulterior motive, but he was genuinely attracted to her.

  “You trimmed your pussy hair even shorter than it was the other night.”

  How could he say such outrageous things so casually? Because they’re not outrageous to him. He didn’t think of sex as dirty or shameful. He was comfortable with words like pussy and cock, fuck and come.

  “Were you hoping I’d lick you again?” The question drew her more fully into the moment, instantly increasing the awareness pulsing between them. “Do you like having my mouth on you?”

  She licked her lips all the while fighting the urge to cover herself with her hands. “You know I do.”

  “Did you like having Chase’s tongue deep inside you?”

  A groan slipped out, despite her effort to maintain her composure. “Why do you keep asking questions you know the answers to?”

  He set down the plastic bag beside the bed then stalked toward her. “I want to hear you say it.”

  “I liked all the things you both did.”

  “Be specific.”

  “I liked having your mouth on me.”

  “On you where?”

  She wasn’t sure why men enjoyed hearing women say filthy things, but she hadn’t met one yet who didn’t. Even Dillon, with his inflexible ideals and Victorian morality, lost control when she whispered nasty things in his ear. “I loved the way you licked my pussy and fucked me with your tongue. I wanted to stay there all night. I wanted to let you and Chase take turns driving me crazy.”

  He jerked her to him, his hands firmly grasping her arms. “I can arrange that if you’re serious.”

  Even though her heart was pounding and her entire body ached with need, she had to push him away, had to make him work a little harder than he was used to working to get a woman into his bed. “It’s a fantasy like any other. It’s not meant to be real.”

  His fingers gradually relaxed and he stepped back. “Some fantasies are figments of our imagination. We picture things we know will never happen. But some are wishes, the private expression of our deepest needs.”

  “You think I need…what exactly do you think I need?”

  A visible disconnect calmed his expression and banked the fire in his eyes. He took a deep breath then motioned toward the bed. “Lie down. I have some more questions.”

  Of course he did. Questioning maintained his power over her. She was naked while he was fully dressed. He requested information and she was obligated to provide every awkward detail. She hesitated. The dynamic suddenly felt too much like what she’d endured with Dillon.

  “Take off your shirt first.” It was a test of sorts. If he refused, she’d end their interaction. Dillon had never been willing to compromise on anything. She wasn’t willing to feel utterly powerless ever again.

  “I’ll strip completely if that’ll make you more c
omfortable, but my clothes are a tangible reminder that I can only take this so far.”

  The excuse made sense, but she still couldn’t bend. “Just the shirt, so I won’t feel quite so vulnerable.”

  He took off his boots and socks then peeled off his T-shirt, leaving only his jeans and whatever, if anything, he wore beneath. “Better?”

  It wasn’t the first time she’d seen his chest, but the sight was no less impressive. He was lean and toned with the sort of build that promised speed and agility. “How does a hacker stay this fit?”

  He smiled, clearly pleased by the question. “I haven’t hacked in years and I work out my aggressions in our home gym.” After folding his T-shirt and placing it on a chair, he closed the space between them. “Now do as you’re told.” The sensual warmth in his tone softened the command.

  She pulled back the covers then climbed onto the bed. The sheets felt cool beneath her skin and she was intensely aware of his gaze following her every move. Not willing to squander the opportunity, she took her time, lingering on her hands and knees, offering him a teasing glimpse of her pussy folds and the plush roundness of her ass.

  “God, woman. Any man who doesn’t think you’re sexy as hell is a fucking moron.”

  Empowered by the praise, she tossed back her hair and slowly shifted to her back. She raised her hands over her head and bent one knee. “Now what?” Her voice sounded hushed and breathless, in keeping with her anxiousness.

  “Do you have a vibrator or do you just use your fingers to get off?” He sat on the edge of the bed, one leg drawn up in front of him. He was the stern instructor again, his shimmering gaze the only hint of the emotions swarming inside him.

  She hadn’t had sex in six years. Of course she had a vibrator. She’d just never expected to discuss it with anyone. “It’s in my bedroom.”

  “Describe it.”

  “Why?”

  He ignored her question and pushed on. “Does it do more than buzz? Can it stimulate your clit while it’s inside you? Does it create motion?”

  She wasn’t as ignorant as he presumed. She’d browsed online toy stores, so she knew there were toys that simulated just about everything. Still, she’d never seen a reason to place an order. Her trusty vibe, which had been part of her “deprograming”, was discrete and effective. She saw no reason to fix something that wasn’t broken. “It just buzzes. I don’t even put it inside me.”

  “Why not?”

  He seemed genuinely confused, so she explained. “I can’t come like that, so I don’t see the point.”

  “You never had an orgasm while Dillon was inside you?”

  Here we go again. She tensed and looked away from his assessing stare. Talking about Dillon was the fastest way to take her out of the mood for sex. “I don’t want to talk about Dillon.”

  “All right. I’ll demonstrate instead.”

  She whipped her gaze back to his face and the wicked gleam in his eyes sent anticipation zinging through her system. “Demonstrate what?”

  He pulled the plastic bag onto his lap and opened it. “How much better it feels when you have something to squeeze.”

  As soon as he asked about vibrators, she’d figured out that he had toys in the bag. Would he explain how each worked and then leave her alone so she could try them or did he have something more interactive in mind?

  “Use this on your clit.” He handed her a bullet vibrator, but he wasn’t finished. “And I’ll slip this inside you.” He held up a glass dildo. The dildo had the basic shape of a penis, but it lacked the detail of its latex cousins. “It doesn’t vibrate, but it will provide fullness and motion.”

  How did it provide motion? A fresh rush of heat brightened her cheeks as she pictured herself sprawled before him, while he fucked her with the glass dildo. “Where did you get these?”

  “I bought them yesterday after our lunch. They’ve never been used and I scrubbed them after I took them out of the packages.”

  She took the bullet vibe then motioned for the dildo. “I’d rather do it myself.”

  “Be my guest, but I’m not moving.”

  It was impossible to miss the challenge in his smile. He didn’t think she’d do it with him sitting right beside her. Silly man. Many of her fantasies included exhibitionist elements. She’d always suspected that she’d enjoy being watched and her experience with Josiah and Chase the other night had proved it.

  The glass dildo felt cool and substantial in her hand. She wasn’t even sure if she was wet enough to get the thing inside her. Undressing for him had ignited her desire, but thoughts of Dillon had extinguished the flames.

  She set the toys beside her on the bed and closed her eyes.

  “What are you imagining? Tell me about your most common fantasy.”

  That was easy, yet she wasn’t sure she wanted him to know. As soon as her thoughts turned sexual, she frequently pictured herself between Josiah and Chase while they each touched and teased her. “I don’t usually start with a specific situation in mind. I think of an image I found arousing, a scene from a movie or picture in a magazine.” She skimmed her hands down the sides of her body, brushing the outer swell of her breasts. “Then I imagine them here beside me, touching and tasting me.”

  “Them? Are there always more than one?”

  She took both her nipples between her fingers and thumbs and squeezed, pushing the sensation to the sharp edge of pain. “Not always, but sometimes. I have two breasts. It’s fun to imagine two mouths and four hands.” Tugging with firm pressure, she simulated two hungry mouths, sucking at her breasts, hardening her nipples. “Then they migrate in opposite directions. One moves up to kiss my mouth while the other slides down between my legs.” She continued to tease her nipples with one hand as she cupped her mound with the other.

  Unsure how he was reacting to her show, she opened her eyes. His lust-bright gaze was focused on her sex with obvious hunger. She slowly moved her hand to her belly then opened her thighs, offering him an unobstructed view of her slit. She’d never been this bold before, never dared to tease. He fisted his hands, nostrils flaring and feminine power surged through her, making her giddy. Could she snap his control? Make him beg to fuck her? And would rejecting him then be enough of a lesson or would this need to continue? A shiver raced down her spine but she wasn’t sure if dread or anticipation launched the tingle.

  It didn’t matter. She needed this just as much as he did. Needed to know she was desirable, if nothing else.

  She slid her hand from her thigh to her pussy, gently teasing the sensitive folds.

  “Are you wet?”

  “Not as wet as I was with your mouth on me.”

  He chuckled, a deep seductive sound. “Is that an invitation?”

  “An observation.” She fingered her clit, but she really wasn’t that wet yet and the caress felt awkward. All of this had felt so much better when Josiah and Chase did it for her.

  “Lick your fingers or better yet, let me help.” He crawled onto the bed and knelt between her thighs, then raised her hand to his mouth. His warm tongue circled her fingers, wetting them as he teased her taste from her skin. “Now touch your clit.”

  His tongue would have felt better and triggered an orgasm much faster, but this wasn’t about speed. She was exploring, learning what pleased her, instead of bowing to the desires of a partner. She found her clit and rubbed the sensitive knot in smooth circles. The caress felt nice, but it was hard to surrender when she had to keep reminding herself that his responses, his reason for being with her, was part of an elaborate game. Despite her emotional conflict, her folds grew slick and her body reluctantly awakened.

  He stayed between her legs, watching without touching. She focused on his face as she took the dildo and positioned it at her entrance. His eyes narrowed and he leaned closer. Her folds spread, surrounding the toy, clinging to the smooth surface, but her inner muscles remained resistant to the invasion. With just the tip inside her, she found the vibrator and turned it on. “
I think your way was better. I’ll use this while you use that,” she suggested with a wicked grin.

  “Whatever you want. I’m here for you.”

  The simple claim washed over her like an unexpected wave, cold and alarming. She had no doubt he wanted her body, but it would have been nice if he felt more than lust—and a determination to win some fucking bet. She swallowed hard and refocused on the ultimate goal, teaching him a much needed lesson. She touched the vibrator to her clit and her inner muscles squeezed so hard she ejected the dildo.

  Rather than push the toy back in, he touched her gently, caressing her folds then slowly penetrating her with his finger. He slid his finger in and out, establishing a steady shuttle. She stared at the ceiling and tried to relax, to enjoy the motion as well as the tension gathering beneath the vibrator. Pleasure curled and her clit tingled, but the sensations never peaked. She could hear laughter echoing in her mind and imagine cruel voices.

  Let’s seduce the frumpy neighbor.

  She hasn’t had a man in years.

  His finger slid out and didn’t return, so she turned off the vibrator and looked at him.

  “You’re nice and wet now, but you’re still really tense.” He took the vibrator from her hand and tossed both toys aside. “Talk to me. What’s bothering you?”

  She sat, drawing her legs toward her chest. “This feels wrong. I’m not sure I can…”

  He pulled her up and toward him until they both knelt on the bed. “You wanted a mentor, not a lover. Say the word and we’ll do this for real.”

  “But I want more than a lover, a lot more. And you’re not interested in a real relationship.”

  “Let me decide what I’m interested in.” He framed her face with his hands and searched her gaze for a long, silent moment. “No more games. Would you like me to stay and show you what passion really means or should we go back to being curious neighbors?”

  Resentment welled within her, filling her eyes with tears. She frantically blinked them back. She wanted this, ached for sexual freedom and the security of a committed relationship. It would be so easy to melt into his arms and lose herself in pleasure. But none of this was real! “You’ll break my heart.” A sob escaped along with a single tear. “I know you will.”