Players (Lessons by Loki)

by Ross, Aubrey

  She moved her legs farther apart and canted her hips, giving him more room and a better angle. Not to mention the view. He started slow and steady, dragging the toy nearly out before pushing it back in. She needed to feel the slide and— She gasped and her thighs tensed as he found his target.

  “Hand me a pillow. No, two.” Without questioning the request, she handed him the pillows and he stacked them beneath her hips. “Sometimes pressure on the belly intensifies the sensation. Rock forward and let your legs unfold.” She instantly obeyed and his hands began to tremble. He’d never wanted a woman this badly. His balls would be blue for a month.

  He repeated the thrust and the dildo found her G-spot again. “Oh God,” she murmured. “How are you doing that?”

  Rather than allow her distraction, he swatted her ass. “Feel the fullness and the slide. Imagine that’s me inside you.” Her hands fisted the bedding and she instinctively lifted her hips. “Stay down.” He pressed against the small of her back, pushing her belly into the pillows and her gasping resumed with his next stroke.

  He wanted to cover her, to feel her tremble beneath him as his cock stretched her inner muscles. Instead he watched the dildo disappear into her body driven by his unsteady hand.

  “I’m so close,” she panted. “Can I move my hands?”

  “No.” He knew what she wanted. One touch on her clit and she’d go off like a rocket, but she needed to learn other pathways to pleasure, new and different ways of reaching the same destination. He slipped his free hand beneath her and squeezed her breast. “You’re bound and helpless and you don’t know what I’ll do. I’m so hard and I’ve waited so long.” Tension rolled through her body, lifting her hips. “Will I lose control and switch to your ass?” A muffled cry escaped her throat and she trembled. “I fuck men and women. Can I make something that wrong feel this good?”

  She cried out and shuddered, his words working just as he knew they would. He slowed the rhythm of his thrusting without pulling out. She shook then shook again. And just when she started to relax, he licked his little finger and eased it into her ass.

  With an even louder cry, she came again. Her anus squeezed is finger so tightly, it made him grin. Oh yeah, his curious little Katie-cat was going to enjoy anal pleasures. In fact he couldn’t think of too much he’d hesitate to suggest. She was passionate and open-minded. The perfect…what? Lover? Pet? Life partner? The last possibility rang through his heart like the reverberation of a gong. Suddenly feeling guilty and off-balance, he withdrew his finger and set the toy aside.

  She pushed to her elbows so she could turn her head far enough to look at him. “I’ve tried and tried to find my G-spot. How did you do it?”

  “Were you always lying on your back?” She nodded. “The angle is wrong like that and your fingers aren’t long enough. You might have found it with your vibrator, but you said you’ve never put that inside you.”

  She rolled to her back, her expression dreamy. “I came twice without anything touching my clit. I’m stupefied.”

  “I’m glad I could be of service.” He had to force his smile. “After all, I have a reputation to maintain.”

  Katie sat up, automatically dragging the sheet around to cover her body. “What about you?” She nodded toward his obvious erection. “I’m not letting you leave this room until we do something about that.”

  “It just about killed me to keep my promise; don’t ruin it now.” He scooted off the side of the bed and looked around, probably for his discarded shirt.

  “Can’t I touch you or,” she nervously licked her lips, “finish you some other way?”

  His gaze focused on her mouth then migrated lower. “I told you what I want. If you’re willing to bend the rules, I want to fuck your tits.”

  Tits. She shivered. She’d always hated that word, but somehow Josiah made it sound sexy. Could she really create enough friction with her breasts to make him climax? Climax. The word almost made her laugh. He wants to rub his love lance between passion’s pillows until his desire climaxes. She tried, and failed, to suppress a smile.

  He pulled her to the edge of the bed. With her kneeling on the bed and him standing on the floor, they were nearly the same height. “Why are you smiling like a naughty teenager?”

  “Misspent youth. I was hooked on my grandma’s bodice-rippers. They used phrases like ‘throbbing shaft of desire’ and no one thought it was strange.” She said it with enough mock drama to make him laugh. “Maybe that’s why I have such a hard time with less delicate euphemisms.”

  “I suspect before too long I’ll have you cursing like a porn star.”

  She shuddered and drew the sheet more tightly around her body. “I’m not sure I want to sound like a porn star.”

  They lapsed into silence, tense, yet filled with longing.

  “This lesson has been pretty damn perfect. Maybe it’s better if we leave it alone.” He tangled his hand in the back of her hair and kissed her, long and slow. The taste of her pleasure lingered in his mouth, an inescapable reminder of his selflessness.

  “I really don’t mind—”

  “I do.” He released her hair and stepped back from the bed, hands clenched at his sides. “If I unzip these jeans, all bets are off. I’ll fuck you until neither of us can walk.”

  All bets are off. He hadn’t met the phrase literally, but it shook her just the same. She wanted him, really wanted him. And not just for tonight. She wanted to see if there was any hope of a future together. It was foolish and naive. She knew what he was like, but that didn’t keep her heart from aching.

  “You’re right.” She scooted back toward the headboard, dragging the sheet with her. Tonight had been far more emotional than she’d expected, but it wasn’t a complete loss. She hadn’t let him fuck her and she hadn’t begged for his love like some insecure doormat. Still, she needed to reestablish their roles. And more than anything, she needed to refocus on the fact that it was all a game. “Can we schedule lesson two?”

  He’d pulled on his T-shirt and was leaning against the doorjamb, struggling into his boots. “Can we renegotiate the terms of our agreement?”

  It was only natural that he wouldn’t want to subject himself to another session like tonight. “You want something more mutually satisfying?”

  After stomping into his final boot, he straightened and looked at her. “Can you blame me?”

  “Not at all.” She’d offered to take care of him, but she didn’t remind him of the offer. He was obviously determined to keep his promise. “During lesson two, I’ll satisfy you with my mouth, my hands, or my breasts.”

  She was proud of her candor until she heard his reply. “But your pussy and ass are still off limits?”

  She had to string him along, give him just enough to make him desperate for more. That was what he’d been doing for years. Offering his body while keeping his heart securely locked away. “During lesson two.” She shrugged, allowing the sheet to sag just a little. “Lesson three will require another negotiation.”

  “You’re learning fast.” His gaze gleamed and his jaw clenched. He hadn’t meant it as a compliment. “You come to me next time. I want to show you my playroom.”

  Just the thought of all the things he could do to her in his playroom made her burn all over again. “When?”

  “Take a couple of days to process everything. And to let me do the same.” He made it sound ominous as his gaze had turned stormy. This was the world he lived in, casual sex and mutual pleasure without emotional entanglements. So why did he seem pissed off?

  “Wednesday night?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to understand the emotions seething behind his calm expression.

  “Arrive at eight in nothing but a trench coat if you still want to play.”

  She nodded, her mouth too dry for words.

  He acknowledged her agreement with a stiff incline of his head then left the room.

  Collapsing onto her side, she covered her face with both hands and trembled. She’d done it
. She’d kept his interest without giving him what he wanted.

  But their battle of wills had just begun.

  Loki lingered in the shadow realm undetectable to humans. His being hummed with the energy he’d just consumed and yet he’d barely begun to sate his hunger. Each emotion created a slightly different “flavor”. Passion reminded Loki of Cajun food, spicy and hot, while uncertainty tasted smoky like overcooked bacon. When emotions combined or conflicted, they created complex layers of energy, like a slow-simmered stew filled with harmonizing components.

  Pulses of just such energy radiated off Katie. She was confused and uncertain, yet physically satisfied. He could have warned her that the bet was off, that Josiah’s interest in her was real. But that would have defused the conflict and Josiah would have escaped retribution for his past callousness.

  No, it was better, even necessary, for the misconception to remain. Josiah and Chase deserved this lesson. Even if Katie did not.

  She seemed so small, so helpless curled up like a child. Yet he could still see her face and the arch of her shapely body as Josiah fucked her with his fingers. Loki didn’t desire Katie in the human sense, but he had never felt so alone. He longed for a companion, someone with whom he could share these adventures.

  He tried to shake away the haze, but the emotions lingered. Their marathon lesson had summoned feelings Loki could barely recognize. He filtered emotions, straining out the energy without experiencing the bittersweet ache or dizzying rush of joy. So why had this situation been different? He wasn’t used to being affected by the chaos he created.

  Unwilling to analyze the cause, Loki allowed his physical body to form. “Are you all right?”

  “I thought you weren’t going to watch what happened tonight.” She lowered her hands from her face and found the pillows. Tossing them against the headboard, she scooted back and rested against them.

  “You knew I’d watch. Why pretend you don’t enjoy an audience. We both know better.” He smiled, but there was no conviction behind the expression “It was touch and go there for a while, but you managed to keep all of the balls in the air.” He laughed at his unintentional quip. “Probably could have picked a better metaphor.”

  “I’m still not sure who won that round.” She indulged in an exaggerated sigh. “I am so out of my league.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed and reached for her hand. Desperate for comfort, she scooted forward and placed her head on his shoulder. Her energy sank into him from each place they touched. He wasn’t intentionally feeding. He was just too hungry to resist. Again he absorbed more than energy. He felt her loneliness and frustration at not being able to resist Josiah’s charisma.

  Disconcerted by the strength of their connection, Loki eased back and lifted her chin with the curve of his index finger. “It might not be a clear victory, but you survived. So let’s analyze the battle so you can fight another day.” He winked at her and the tension began to dissipate. “Josiah seems genuinely conflicted. I think you’re getting to him.”

  Another pang of guilt assailed Loki’s composure. He stubbornly suppressed the pesky emotion. He had just begun to extract energy from this situation. He couldn’t afford to move on without digging deeper. Besides, Katie wanted to explore her sexuality and Josiah and Chase were masterful teachers. There was no harm in letting them play. If Katie had been less enthusiastic with the men, Loki would have sought out a new conflict.

  “Unfortunately, it goes both ways,” she told him. “I know he’s a player, that he has no real interest in me, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I’m having a really hard time not wanting this to be more than a game.”

  “That’s understandable. You’ve never been this intimate with anyone before. Dillon might have taken pleasure from your body, but he never really shared himself with you. Josiah is making you feel all sorts of things and many of them aren’t just physical. You’re comfortable with him. You trust him.”

  “I like him.” She sagged against the pillows, careful to keep the sheet in place. “He’s the worst sort of user. I never expected to like him.”

  “Do you need another look inside his mind?”

  “I don’t think it’d help. The last time wasn’t enough to keep my heart from opening to him. More of the same will just make me feel like a fool.” She shook her head. “I can’t stop the feelings, but at least I’m aware that they’re wrong.”

  Loki paused, plagued by a conscience he hadn’t realized he possessed. If she was no longer willing, he needed to give her an out. “You don’t have to continue this. Call him on Tuesday and tell him you’ve changed your mind.”

  She considered it for a moment then shook her head again. “He wouldn’t let it go with a phone call. He’d knock on my front door two minutes later and probably bring Chase with him. The only hope I have is to stick to the rules for each lesson and then hit him with the truth just when he thinks I’ll finally let him go all the way.”

  Loki strolled to the front window and gazed across the street. Was Josiah as disconcerted as poor Katie? Loki hadn’t expected things to heat up quite this rapidly.

  “You never explained exactly what they have to do to win the bet.” She waited until he looked at her to continue. “Is it the first one to actually sleep with me or is it something more subjective?”

  “They weren’t specific.” He cringed, shocked by his own reaction. Lies had never bothered him before. Dishonesty was his stock and trade. But he’d promised Katie that he’d be honest with her.

  And for the first time since Katie had met him, she didn’t believe him. She didn’t call him on the lie, but he could feel suspicion emanating off her.

  Something unseen, yet tangible, swooshed toward him, or actually barreled through him. He gasped and swayed, barely catching his balance.

  “Are you all right?” She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest.

  He laughed. “I think your grandmother just told me to leave.”

  Katie tensed even more, her gaze suddenly sad. “Gran can’t stand liars. Is there something you need to tell me?”

  Unsure what he wanted to do and unbalanced by the unfamiliar emotions, Loki retreated. “I never argue with a ghost. I’ll check in again before you head over Wednesday night.”

  Loki flashed out of sight before Katie could argue, which only compounded her mistrust. He remained in the shadow realm to study her reaction. Maybe her response would help him understand his own.

  He’s holding out on me. She could think of no other explanation and it had to be something important or her grandmother wouldn’t have reacted the way she had.

  “Do you know what he’s hiding?” She looked around as if she expected a reply. He was under the impression they could only communicate through dreams. Katie felt a tingling warmth that helped her relax. “I love you too, Gran. And I miss you every day. Thanks for the warning.”

  This was just what he needed, a meddlesome ghost. As if live humans weren’t challenging enough.

  Chapter Eight

  The next two days were routine for Katie. She focused on work and refused to think about her troublesome neighbors. Loki left her alone, which only compounded her suspicion that he was hiding something from her. He’d been the driving force behind her involvement in this debacle, but now that she was in the middle of it, she was determined to see it through. With or without the trickster’s help, she was going to teach these men an important lesson. That was the problem with Loki. One never really knew where his loyalties lay.

  Wednesday morning was particularly busy, which helped the time pass quickly. She walked into the waiting area, prepared to call the next patient when someone spoke her name. Katie didn’t recognize the voice so she turned to see who had spoken.

  Vanessa stood beside the front desk, looking utterly out of place in a short, cherry-red skirt, white silk blouse, and sky-high pumps. Did the woman even own a pair of sensible shoes? This was a hospital not a nightclub. “I’m really busy, Vanessa. Unless you’re her
e for a mammogram, I don’t have time for you.”

  “Five minutes. That’s all I ask.”

  Katie closed her eyes and forced the tension in her shoulders to relax. She didn’t need this today and at work of all places. Slowly opening her eyes, she carefully guarded her tone. “I can break for lunch after this patient, but you’ll have to wait until I’m finished with her. She’s a paying customer. You’re not.”

  One of her shoulders raised in an infinitesimal shrug. “I’ll wait.”

  Katie plastered on a professional smile and called the patient’s name. The middle-aged woman needed a simple set of wrist x-rays so it wasn’t even necessary for her to change into a hospital gown. The entire procedure took less than ten minutes. Still, Katie hoped to heaven Vanessa would be gone when she returned. She told her coworkers she was taking her lunch break then went back to the waiting area.

  Vanessa perched on the edge of one of the chairs as if she was afraid it would soil her skirt. Not an unreasonable concern. Katie smiled. The hospital had been founded more than a century ago and had always been one of Denver’s busiest medical facilities.

  “I’ve only got thirty minutes, so you’ll have to talk while we walk.”

  Vanessa fell into step beside her, but didn’t say anything until they reached the bustling cafeteria. “Can’t we go somewhere a little less…noisy?” She looked around with such distain, it made Katie chuckle.

  “Not your usual scene?”

  “It’s not that,” she said with enough conviction to convince Katie she was sincere. “We need to talk about something personal. I don’t want to shout over the noise.”

  “Well, I’m starving and there isn’t enough time to go somewhere else. It’s this or nothing.”