by Dani Dundee
Ryan’s hands follow the curves of my waist and the swell of my hips. He breaks the kisses and kneels to tie one ankle and then the other. He’s so slow. Slow and thorough. The lightness of his touch tells me he pays attention and it helps me smother my impatience.
I should savor the moment instead of anticipating the future.
I take care of everyone all the time and I never think twice about it. Today, it’s my turn. My turn to have someone take care of me. And he’s perfect. He’s safe, vetted by the club. My thoughts drift away and I wonder what it would be like if he was my very own … and then I shake my head to push away those dangerous thoughts.
Nope, I will not go that way again. It’s safer to surrender to someone different every time. Of course, the safest would be never to surrender again but I can’t help myself, I crave this too much to give it away. Hell, I need it.
“A kiss for your thoughts, Tab.” Ryan’s voice comes from the other corner of the room. “What happened? You’re tight as a drum.”
I take a deep breath and let all my muscles relax.
“I was impressed by how attentive you are and how safe you made me feel.”
“And it scared you.” His voice is closer.
“Yes, it did,” I confess.
“That’s an interesting twist.” I hear a smile in his voice. Good, he understands. But my relief is short lived. I tense again as his lips touch my ears whispering to me, “Now I know just what to do to get you out of that beautiful head of yours.”
How ironic. To make me feel safe, he’s going to scare me.
***
CHAPTER FOUR
Absolute silence follows the sound of his voice.
I listen intently, tilting my head to the side where Ryan was standing a few seconds ago. Nothing. Not a sound, not even a breath. Nothing until delicious warmth pours onto me. An arabesque of scented wax is drawn on my breasts. The delightful heat begins to vanish and the soles of my feet tingle. Feathers? The soft part of a flogger? I wiggle my toes and my nipples freeze. Ice cubes? They peak under the cold and my entire body shivers. I hiss and he silences me with a kiss. I’m losing focus.
Don’t fight it, this is what you want.
This is my last thought as I let go.
The turmoil of sensations pulls my mind away from my body.
I’m floating across the room. Flying over my body tied to the cross. High in the sky, my mind’s eye sees through the blindfold on my face.
Ryan is next to me, always a hand on me. A constant touch reminding me that I am not alone. Nothing can harm me. A very powerful force is watching over me. Only him.
Bites and kisses. Scratches and caresses. Prickles and tickles.
Hot, cold, soft, rough, tender, Ryan draws me into a maze of sensations.
One step at a time I enter into a world he designed for me and become truly lost.
No more time. No more space. Just Ryan; Ryan and me.
He’s a majestic moon and I, a minuscule planet he plays with for the nights or maybe a satellite irresistibly drawn by his force.
When the cross spins on its axis I am truly lost, unaware that I have been freed of all restraints. I fall in his arms. I reach out for him and hold onto his shoulders as he carries me away.
He sits and cradles me in his arms. I melt against him absorbing his incredible heat. My body molds into his. He pulls a cloud soft blanket over us.
“Everything is fine. I’ve got you.”
He tightens the warm material around me.
“You were fabulous. You made me proud.”
I burrow my face in his neck. The sound of his voice is sweet as honey and his praise all I ever wanted.
“The way you responded to me was magnificent.”
I rest in his arms for the longest time.
Slowly I come down but, for once, I don’t mind.
I’m happy to be where I am.
I raise a hand and search for his face. I cup his jaw and pull him to me. I bring his lips to mine, silently thanking him with my kiss for taking such good care of me. The tips of my fingers explore his face and reach his scar. I draw its contour and press my palm to it. I don’t care what he looked like before; I think he’s perfect now.
The kiss lasts and our breath becomes one.
I desire him more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life. My body needs to merge with his and I tell him. Reaching between us, I feel him ever so ready through his leathers. I explore his length and his hardness. Our breaths catch at the same time.
We stand. I push down his pants. He pulls away my blindfold. I fall onto the bed and into his arms. His strange eyes looking into mine, I’m about to crumble under the weight of my desire.
“I am clean; do I need a condom?”
I forgot about that but he’s still holding on to a scrap of sanity.
I shrug. “All good.”
I so want him to plunge into me. I should have known better.
Ryan is all about control. There’s no haste. His rush is slow, his passion delicate.
I urge him on but he shakes his head and gives me his half smile.
He’s a superb feline biding his time.
“Shush,” he says. “We have the night. Let’s take our time.”
And take his time he does; until I plead and cry and scream his name.
Only after watching me come undone does he let himself go.
He’s silent but I can tell that he’s close by the speed of his heart I feel beating against his chest.
A final grunt and he rolls to the side, taking me with him. He’s still in me. I cuddle against him and breathe him in.
He smells like a man should. He smells like tender strength.
***
CHAPTER FIVE
We make love and we talk. There’s a tenderness in our gesture that amazes me. It’s like I’ve known him forever and trust he will never harm me.
There’s a well-stocked up fridge in the room. I find small slices of cheese as well as some crackers. We share a half bottle of a delicious French red wine while we have our picnic on the bed.
I send a silent thank you to Laura for imagining bad cases of midnight munchies when she conceived the club.
We make love again and fall asleep in each other’s arms.
It’s the crack of dawn when we’re awoken by the ringing alarm of his phone. Five thirty a.m. Who gets up so early anyway on a weekend? I want to slide away from the noise to the other side of the bed but he pulls me back.
We stare into each other’s eyes and I surprise myself. I’m not clingy. I usually don’t stay the night and when it happens, I certainly don’t do mornings. I’m polite and probably way too distant. But not today. Today I want to stretch out the time when I realize we have none left.
Does he also feel this incredible closeness between us? Probably not, since he kisses me quickly and turns around to sit on the edge of the bed and pick up his clothes.
“Steven said you would be perfect for me because you only do one night,” he says, looking at his pants as he’s getting dressed.
He bends over and for the first time I see all the scars on his back. His body has been battered and yet, despite or maybe because of the marks he bears, I think he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life.
He turns around and looks at me, his face grave.
“Tab, why do you only do one night?” he asks.
I roll onto my back and stare at the dark ceiling.
Of course, he’s not the first to ask. They often do but they don’t sincerely care. I tell them that I’m not interested by attachments and they let it go at that. Somehow, I think he really wants to know and that my usual rebuke will not work.
“Because I’ve been badly burned and it almost killed me,” I manage to explain.
Now I make do with physical attraction and cordial indifference. I can’t bring myself to tell him that.
Most men don’t look any further. Most of them are happy with a one night stand. It
’s a safe encounter. In one night there is not enough time to connect.
Well, that’s what I thought up till now.
“What about you, Sir?”
An instant of stiffness in his gesture as he puts on his shirt reveals that my way of addressing him startled him a bit. The smile on his lips shows me he likes it.
“Because I don’t want to burn anyone.”
His answer is just about as lame as mine!
He silently buttons the cuffs of his shirt.
He’s about to go and I miss his warmth.
I’m tired. I need to go back to sleep for a while. I close my eyes and wonder why I feel so disappointed. This is what I want after all.
I open my eyes again and Ryan is hovering over me. He captures my wrists and pulls my arms above my head. I love it. His face is very close to mine. If I raise my chin our lips will touch again.
“I think we make a great pair,” he ponders softly as if talking to himself.
I blink, unsure what to say.
He bends closer and caresses my lips with his. It’s like the shadow of a kiss.
Looking at me through squinted eyes, he says, “You don’t want to be burnt again and I don’t want to burn anyone.”
“A perfect match.” I try to make light of it but my heart is heavy.
“Since we’re so well suited, do you think we should play together again if I return?”
My heart stops for a second and my answer comes out spontaneously. “Wouldn’t that be against our own rules?”
“Indeed.” He shakes his head. “But then again, some rules are made to be broken.”
“Depends on the reason behind the rule. What’s the reason behind yours?”
I’m playing a dangerous game here. If I force him to tell me why he keeps his distance I will have to come clean, too.
“What I do for a living,” he says.
I raise my eyebrows. What kind of a reason is that? Most worthwhile jobs are very time consuming. Should all men with one remain single?
His expression becomes hard, his gaze distant. He lets go of my wrists and sits up straight. I watch him physically and mentally pull away from me as he says, “My job is dangerous. I could be dead tomorrow.”
The darkness in his eyes makes me believe him. That, and the scars on his body.
“What about your reason?” he asks.
“I’m unable to give most men what they need and want.”
I’m being evasive again but I don’t care. I keep my secrets to myself and will certainly not burden him with them, especially now that I know he thinks he’s walking toward an early grave.
Surprisingly my answer makes him laugh.
“I love riddles,” he says. He bends over again and drops a quick peck on the tip of my nose. “So if I get lucky again, I will come back to find the answer to that one.”
He gets ups and walks away. I turn off the light and roll onto my side. Adjusting the pillow to be comfortable, I find his black scarf. I bring it to my face. It still smells like him. I think I will keep it.
Funny how this little token of his presence makes me feel less lonely.
Maybe we’ll both get lucky.
Maybe he will come back.
Maybe we’ll play together again.
***
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About Olivia Rigal
Olivia Rigal is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes romance with a touch of spice.
Come ride with her bikers in the South Florida Heat or play with the Curve Masters.
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Table of Contents
Red Hot Candy
Table of Contents
The Things I Never Said by Jo Raven
Perfectly Equipped by Lacey Silks
Billionaires in Disguise: Rae, Kidnapped by Blair Babylon
A Fan-TAB-Ulous Night by Olivia Rigal
Take it Easy by Daisy Prescott
Before Flesh by Sky Corgan
Scorched into Submission by Daizie Draper
Pandora's Box by Sarah M. Cradit
Braving Love by SJ Mayer
Always Enough by Molly McLain
Mine In Dreams by Olivia Hardin
Like Home by Mira Bailee
Unshakeable by JC Valentine
Yearning to Yield by Pavarti K Tyler
First-Class Scoundrel by Liv Morris
Mated in Bearfield by Jacqueline Sweet
Le Moulin by JC Andrijeski
Jesse's Girl by Alison Foster
Dude by Gillian Cherry
Biker Billionaire's Bitch by Layla Wilcox
Swaying Fate by Irma Geddon
Gender Studies 101 by Dani Dundee
Disclaimers and Copyright Notices
TAKE IT EASY
by Daisy Prescott
TAKE IT EASY
A Modern Love Story Short
by Daisy Prescott
TAKE IT EASY © Daisy Prescott 2015
When Diane and Hailey join John and Tom for a weekend in the San Juan Islands, it won’t be the typical guys’ camping trip the former wingmen are used to having. Two couples, four friends in the woods… anything can happen.
CHAPTER ONE
I sat on the tailgate of John’s truck, watching the ferry wake churn the dark water into white froth. The ship’s engines hummed as we made our way north. My faded Mariners’ cap blocked the bright August glare from my face. The summer sun warmed my bare arms and legs despite the wind. A few seagulls rode the air currents above the wake, carefree.
Beside me, Hailey slowly swung her feet, her long, tanned legs exposed below shorts that covered little more than her ass. I liked her ass and legs. A feral part of me wanted her to wear one of those long skirts to keep other men from checking out my girlfriend.
Yeah, the Tom Cat found himself a girlfriend.
She was more than that, though. Someday she’d be a Donnely, too.
Not this summer, though. John went and got himself hitched and that was enough wedding stuff for one year.
I trailed my fingers up Hailey’s leg, causing her to squirm.
“Don’t start anything you’re not willing to finish,” she whispered. Her eyes were hidden by sunglasses, but I knew from the tone of her voice, she meant it.
“Ever had sex on a ferry?” I snuck a fingertip between the edge of her shorts and her inner thigh.
“No, and I’m not about to on a full, Friday afternoon boat headed for the San Juans.”
“That’s not a ‘never.’ I’ll keep those details in mind on one of those late night winter crossings where we’re one of a handful of cars and everyone else is trying to stay warm upstairs.” I nipped the skin of her shoulder. “Thanks for clarifying.”
“Stop teasing, Thor.” She turned her head and smiled.
I scratched the scruff on my cheek. I’d impulsively shaved off my beard a few weeks ago. Hailey had nicknamed me Thor. I was pretty sure it was a compliment.
John and his wife Diane strolled over to us, holding sodas from the galley.
Wife. I couldn’t stop calling her that. So weird to think my best friend was married. It had only been a month or so since the lumberjack tied the knot and I gave the greatest best man speech ever. I mean, how many toasts mentioned both geoducks and wood jokes yet were tasteful enough to avoid getting punched or embarrassing the bride? Only mine. Without a doubt, I put the “best” in best man.
“Hey, Mrs. Day, you excited to go camping?”
Diane glanced up at John. “I thought we were staying in a cabin?”
“You didn’t tell her we’re doing pack-in/pack-out tent camping with a ten mile, uphill hike to the spot? Whoa, man. You gotta give girls a heads-up on this stuff.” I stared at John, holding back my smile by biting my cheek.
“Tom Clifford, enough of your teasing.” Hailey pinched my bicep muscle in her version of a Vulcan grip.
“Ouch!” I yelped and scooted a
way from her.
“I know he’s teasing. I booked the cabin myself. Two bedrooms, two baths, porch, firepit next to the lake. That’s about as close to sleeping on the ground as I’ll get.”
“You didn’t mind that time we went to South Whidbey State Park.” John wrapped his big arm around her.
Diane’s cheeks reddened and she took a long sip through her straw. John chewed on a handful of corn nuts.
Okay, then. Clearly someone had some camping lovins in the woods. Wasn’t going to ask for details.
“What’s the plan for the weekend?” Hailey asked, ignoring the awkward moment John had created.
“Nothing. I plan to do nothing but take it easy. Sleep in. Fish. Eat. Have sex,” I answered.
Everyone laughed.
“What? She asked.” I took off my cap and ran my fingers through my hair. It was long enough to start curling. Hailey liked it longer. Said it gave her something to hold onto, so I’d let it grow.
“Sounds like a good plan to me.” John backed me up.
“All but the fishing works for me,” Diane added. “We’ll nap while you guys go hunt food.”
“You make us sound like cavemen,” I said.
The girls exchanged glances and laughed.
“If the name fits, Thor.” Hailey teased and jumped off the tailgate.
“Thor definitely suits him. He’s definitely an angry Norse god or long, lost Hemsworth brother.” Diane high-fived Hailey.
“It’s perfect, isn’t it?” she replied, a smug smile on her face.
John took Hailey’s spot next to me as the girls continued to congratulate themselves on their cleverness. With their similar brown hair, they could be sisters. Diane was shorter and curvier while Hailey had that Amazon look, all long legs and kickass…