Wrapped Around My Finger

by Kristen Strassel

  Jagger slid his fingers out of me, his hips pistoning up in slow thrusts, riding my orgasm. My head fell to his shoulder as he climaxed.

  I’d never get sick of that feeling.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jagger

  “Holy shit,” Leah gasped, looking up at me from her beach chair with her mouth open. “Your shoulders are ripped up.”

  I’d relished the sting of the fresh wounds in the shower that morning, but I hadn’t paid too much attention to them because I had Leah’s slick, voluptuous body in front of me. It was our last day together. This woman was going to make me loathe Sundays.

  “Yeah, they are.” I grabbed her hand when I sat in the chair next to her. “And the best part is, everyone here will know you’re the one who did it.” And how we made each other absolutely crazy.

  Leah frowned. “Does it hurt?”

  “I like it. It reminds me of you.” The bottle of sunblock poked out of the beach bag. Leah was as white as the sand. “You need sunscreen.”

  “I’m ticking time bomb at places like this. I go from zero to fried in about a half an hour.” Leah sat forward and let me put sunscreen on her back.

  Everything about Leah was sexy, so it didn’t surprise me she had a hot bathing suit, too. It was two pieces, with a high-waisted bottom only separated from the bra-like top by about two inches. She looked like she belonged in a pin-up calendar. I rubbed the sunscreen into her skin, leaning in behind her. “Are you gonna do it?”

  I’d taken her to a topless beach. Miami had many, and it was no big deal to me. But the prospect of Leah on a topless beach... I’d have to make a run for the water so everyone here didn’t see how I felt about that.

  Leah looked around, taking a deep breath as she considered her options. She was the only woman wearing a top for as far as I could see. “Unhook it.”

  Her wish was my command. I took my time with the lotion, making sure I didn’t miss an inch of her bare back. Even though we lay in the full sun, goosebumps blossomed over her skin.

  “Thanks,” she muttered, taking the lotion from me. Her face was bright red. She squirted a line of lotion up each arm, across her chest, and on her belly. “This isn’t fair. You don’t have to take your pants off.”

  I raised my eyebrows from behind my sunglasses. “We could go to the nude beach.”

  “No, we can’t.” She laughed, and then looked down at her bare chest, smearing the sunblock over her tits. My sunglasses shielded my gaze; I couldn’t take my eyes off Leah. She settled back in her chair, eyes closed, and a faint smile on her lips. Her luscious tits were on full display and the world went on around us like they had no idea this incredible woman was in their wake.

  Leah opened her eyes and smiled at me. She had that faraway look like she’d dozed off. She took my hand and settled again, closing her eyes. Damn. It was the smallest thing, but it meant everything. I lay back, daydreaming that Leah could stay with me forever.

  An older woman walked away from the surf, straight toward us. Her tits swayed down near her waist.

  “Excuse me.” She startled Leah when she stopped. Leah’s eyes snapped open and she was stunned to see someone standing over her. “Are you that gal from the morning show? The one who does the renovations?”

  “Yeah,” Leah answered, her voice thin. This was exactly the kind of thing she was afraid of.

  “I watch you every time you’re on. You can come fix my house.” The lady laughed as Leah crossed her arm over her chest. “Sweetheart, if you can keep a hunk like that happy, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  She put her hand on Leah’s shoulder for leverage as she continued her journey.

  Leah’s blush spread all the way to her bathing suit bottom. She turned to me, jaw still hanging. “Can I please go die now?” She bypassed the bikini top and went straight for her shirt.

  I burst out laughing. Leah whipped me with her shirt, which just made it worse. I fell back in my chair and laughed my ass off. Every time I glanced at Leah, who was trying to give me her best mean look, it happened all over again. The corners of her mouth quivered, and finally she gave in and joined me.

  “The first rule of the topless beach is be cool,” I said when I caught my breath. I broke that rule too, unable to stop staring at her. But the difference was I woke up with her in my bed this morning. “I can’t believe that happened.”

  “Oh, sure, you think it’s funny. She called you a hunk. She touched me.” Leah burst out laughing again, covering her face with her hand. “At least she likes the show.”

  “And your tits,” I reminded her.

  Leah kicked sand at me. “We should probably go anyway. I’m feeling a little overcooked.”

  **

  “When can you come to DC?” Leah hadn’t stopped since we got back to the apartment. She picked up her discarded clothes from wherever we’d forgotten about them and folded them in her suitcase and made the bed. “I don’t think I’ll be able to get away for a while.”

  I shut the kitchen sink off. She wasn’t going to spend the last of our time together doing dishes. “I’ll come soon. It might not be so easy once I get a job.” I knew that would make her frown. She was still hung up on me working with her. “Relax. We’ve made this work so far.”

  She closed her eyes and gripped the counter for balance. “I hate this part. Every goodbye feels like it could be the last one. I thought it would get easier, especially now that I’ve been here, I can picture what you tell me about. But I was wrong. It’s getting harder.”

  “What do you want to do about it?” I pulled her into me. The frown didn’t fade, and she put her hand over my heart.

  “I want us to have one life together.”

  “We do.”

  “I don’t want it to be something we have to steal from each other. I want routine. I want to know I’m coming home to you.”

  Her hand was still on my chest, or my heart would’ve splattered on the floor. “I don’t think of it as taking things away from each other. We’re giving each other something the other one doesn’t have.”

  Her eyes closed for another long blink. “I can tell you exactly what you give me. You make me feel like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world. And it’s not a looks thing. When you look at me, it’s like you sculpted me with your own hands.”

  “Like I created you for my own pleasure,” I whispered. She sighed as I kissed her neck. I tipped her chin to meet my gaze when I finished. “You make me feel like I belong somewhere. I’d been drifting endlessly, and I finally landed.”

  “You belong to me,” she said softly. “And I’ve never been happier.”

  “Even when old ladies come chat you up at the topless beach?”

  She whacked me with the dishtowel. I caught it before she could take it back, and our gazes locked in challenge on either side of the taut towel.

  “Are you sure you want to meet Zach?” I asked, praying she’d say no. “I can think of better ways to spend that time.”

  “Yes, I am.” She tugged on the towel, grinning when she caught me off guard. We were so close now. “We’ve got a couple of hours.”

  Fuck. I didn’t want to waste them hanging around with Zach. Every time I saw him, he reminded me of all the things I didn’t want to be anymore. It hit way too close to home. He wouldn’t pull me back into that lifestyle, but the closer I got to Leah, the uglier my past became. Leah let go of the towel, put her hands on my shoulders and kissed me. She had to go up on her tiptoes to initiate the kiss, and I loved that. The towel dangled from my fingers against her bare leg. We hadn’t changed out of our bathing suits yet.

  There was one thing from my past I wasn’t willing to let go of yet.

  Leah fell into step with me as I walked her to the bed. Her hands grazed my chest, down to my shorts, and ran over my cock, just in case there was any question we weren’t on the same page. She shrieked when we toppled down on the mattress. I pulled myself up, caging in her body like I’d caught my prey. She w
as locked in my gaze, the swirl of challenge and allure made the room spin. She tugged her shirt up over her head and lay back down, silent and still.

  Complete surrender. I’d do anything to keep her from getting on that plane.

  “Tell me one thing.” I had a hard time talking. “Why didn’t you want me to use the belt the other day?”

  She swallowed hard. “I thought you’d hit me with it.” Some memory flickered in her eyes. Fuck, she’d been hit before, and I’d bet it was Rich. That worthless piece of garbage did everything he could to drag Leah down to his level and he never succeeded. If I ever got that motherfucker alone...

  Leah writhed underneath me, either uncomfortable with the memory or growing impatient. Either way, I needed to fix it. Now.

  “Want to see what I actually had in mind?”

  Another hard swallow, but she nodded.

  I dipped down and kissed the bridge of her nose before getting up. The room spun, and it took me a minute to figure where we’d dropped my jeans the night before. I crawled back on the bed. “You sure about this?” Another nod. “If anything makes you uncomfortable, tell me. Put your hands together over your head.”

  Leah was never this quiet, but she did as I asked. I wrapped the belt around her wrists and fastened it. It swallowed the bottom of the tattoo that ran along the inside of her arm. Live for me. She got it when her sister died, when she caught Rich with Shelley, when her life had fallen to shit, as a reminder to keep going. She shivered when I ran my finger along the words.

  I didn’t tie the belt too tight because I knew I was dancing on the edge of her limits. She immediately tested the leather, straining against the tie. I expected that. But she didn’t panic. We hadn’t talked about this enough. When I did this kind of thing with clients, I practically went down a checklist, and I should’ve done that with her. I would’ve never expected that kind of reaction to the belt. But I was as nervous talking about this with her as she was.

  She was more than enough for me, but this could be really fucking hot. At least I knew we were on the same page with that. I brushed her hair out of her face. “Your cheeks are sunburned.”

  Leah chuckled. It came out easily. “Great. You’ll be able to connect the dots with all the freckles I’ll have next week.”

  “I’m sorry I’ll miss it.” My lips burned from the heat below the surface of her skin. I moved lightly over her face, trailing down to her chest.

  “Come back with me,” she pleaded softly. “We can ride the motorcycle all the way to DC.”

  I shook my head. “Too cold up there.”

  Her tits rose to meet my mouth with her deep breath. “Is it bad I forgot it’s still winter there? Nothing else exists but where I am with you.”

  “No, it’s not. I feel the same way.” I ran my thumb over her nipple and caught it in my mouth when it tightened. Leah arched her back to meet me. I curved my hand around her other tit and moved my tongue back and forth over the swollen nub. I gave it a long pull before moving to the other one. Leah was back with me now, moaning and twisting underneath me.

  She gasped when I sat up. “You totally messed up the bed,” I said. The comforter had bunched around her.

  “Good. When you come home tonight, you’ll think of me. It’ll smell like sex and suntan lotion. And I’ll be jealous because I won’t have that same thing waiting for me.”

  “Stay here.” I practically begged her as I eased her bathing suit bottom over her hips. Leah frowned, and it broke my heart. “Raven would love to finish high school in Miami.”

  Leah burst out laughing, her naked body rolling with it. One leg trailed up the other. I pushed my shorts off so I didn’t come in them.

  “Yeah, right. She’s already the president of our fan club. Although, it would be good practice for college, having to make all those new friends.” Her smile faded again. “I wish I didn’t have to leave.”

  Leah’s legs fell open. I didn’t have to touch her to know how ready she was for me. Her pussy glistened with anticipation, and my fingers slid along the length of her slit easily. She whimpered when I flicked my tongue over her clit, giving it the same lashing I’d given her nipples. Usually, by now she’d be pulling on my hair, directing and rewarding each stroke I made. I missed it. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t creative. Her leg landed on my back, and she curled her knee so her calf locked me into her pussy. Her hips rose from the mattress, and she pushed me closer.

  I slipped my fingers inside her, thrusting hard. Her muscles fluttered around me, and I slid out before she came.

  “Oh, come on,” she groaned when I unhooked her leg from my shoulders. Her body trembled, and her eyes burned with need.

  I reached forward, hooking my fingers in the slack I’d left between her wrists and the belt, and yanked her body off the bed. I held my arm over my head, and she dangled like a marionette. Her breath came quick, eyes wide, but Leah was going to get what she wanted. She straddled my lap, rolling her hips, doing her best to hit my cock. All it took was a slight adjustment to put it out of reach. She slumped with frustration.

  “How are you doing?” I asked, my smile too big for my face when she narrowed her eyes at me, thrusting her hips forward one more time to no avail.

  “I’m going to explode if you don’t let me have your cock right about now.” I let her get a little closer. “But other than that, I’m great. How are you, Jagger?”

  If I laughed I’d drop her. “Never been better.” I grabbed my shaft so I could drive it up inside her. She let out a satisfied sigh when I moved her closer, but let her head fall back in frustration when I pulled her up.

  “How can you even do that? You move me like I weigh nothing,” she groaned. I lowered her slowly. She leaned forward, kissing wherever she could connect with, my forehead, cheek, and nose. She gasped against my cheek when I slipped inside her. Our gazes locked, and I pulled her up and lowered her.

  Leah circled her hips, taking any control that she could. It felt so fucking good I stopped fighting her and let her do all the work. Her nipples grazed my chest with every rotation. She panted, and her inner walls pulsed against my shaft. I pulled her up again and let her drop. Leah wouldn’t be denied another orgasm. She rose to her knees and impaled herself on my cock, hard and fast. Her eyes sparkled with determination, and a slow, seductive smile spread across her face.

  Her eyes widened when I grasped her throat. I pistoned up, and we rode the waves of her orgasm. This woman was a goddess, the way she’d made her own rules to my game. She screamed when I came inside her. Leah shuddered and collapsed against me when she finished, resting her damp forehead on my shoulder as I lowered her. We were both a trembling mess by the time I loosened the belt and rubbed feeling back into her arms. I kissed her, words still jumbled in my brain and anything I tried to say would be complete nonsense.

  “That was insane,” Leah finally said, still breathing hard. “The whole thing. You had me hanging like a rag doll, and...” She shook her head. “You scared the hell out of me when you put your hand on my neck, but I’ve never come so hard before.”

  “It was fucking incredible.” I tipped her chin to meet my gaze. She nodded under my touch. I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. “I had no idea what I was going to do when I put the belt on you. I always think I’ve got a plan for you, and it goes to shit every time. You make me lose control.”

  Her gaze fell to her wrists, still red from the belt. She ran her finger along her tattoo, then looked back up at me. “I don’t think I was truly alive until I met you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Leah

  As soon as I saw Zach, I knew exactly why I didn’t pick him from the escort website. He was just like every other guy on there not named Jagger. Clean cut, guy next door handsome. Boring. The kind of guy that would blend into the furniture beautifully. I knew what I doing when I chose Jagger. I wanted a man who stood out in the crowd. It wasn’t only that he was drop-dead gorgeous, but even from that first pictur
e I knew he had a passion that couldn’t be denied.

  “So you’re the one who took this guy off the market,” Zach said when he sat down. “Never thought that was gonna happen. Thought the two of us would be rolling in our wheelchairs, terrorizing the nurses at the old folks’ home.”

  Charming. “Guess you need to find a new wingman.” I plastered a smile on my face and shifted my gaze between the bartender, who was taking his sweet-ass time making our drinks, and Jagger, who looked like he’d rather be having a root canal.

  There was a weird, underlying tension between the two of them. Now I understood why he hadn’t wanted to call Zach. Jagger never talked about anyone besides his clients. Never anyone that I thought he cared about. I’d wanted Zach to reassure me I was leaving Jagger in good hands when my plane taxied down the runway in four hours. That there was actually something here for him besides his heart-breaking passion for things that had been abandoned. Something told me I wouldn’t get my wish.

  “We’ll see about that.” Zach scoffed, leaning forward and grinning at me before he took a sip of his beer. If I’d hired this guy as an escort, I would’ve wanted a refund. “What do you think of Miami?”

  But I’d play nice. “Love it. Wish I didn’t have to go home.”

  Jagger squeezed my leg under the table. Interesting. He was usually pretty open with his affection.

  “This guy needs his freedom. Jag, did you take her to all your favorite places? Tryst? The Integrity Bar? Starlight?”

  Jagger shook his head, squeezing my thigh harder. “Those are your favorite places.”

  Zach shrugged. “You always have a good time when we go. Kaylee would’ve been disappointed to see you two walk in together.”

  “Shut up, Zach.” Jagger raked his hand through his hair and leaned back in his seat.

  “He has plenty of freedom,” I said through gritted teeth. We were doing the thing I hated, talking about Jagger like he wasn’t in the room. The wine went down too easy.