by Indigo Sin
“Don’t be shy, sweetheart. You can touch all you want.” he crooned. He wanted her to come out of her shell, to be the feisty lover he knew she could be. She was there, just beneath the surface. He just needed to coax her out.
Monica hesitated slightly, but she rose to her knees in front of him, running the palms of her hands down his chest, over his taut abs. Her breath caught and her hands trembled, but she didn’t shy away. Letting her hands slide farther south, she cupped the bulge pushing at the front of his jeans, glancing up at him as if for approval. Seth sat back on the couch, lounging with an arm draped over the back, completely at ease. “Take your time. There’s no rush,” he assured her.
His cock didn’t agree with that piece of advice, though. It flexed painfully within its denim confines. Every touch of her hot little hands had him wound so tight he feared he’d come before he even got inside her. Seth watched as her head lowered, placing the lightest of kisses on his chest. Her breath was hot, ramping up his desire a whole other notch. Clenching his fists at the onslaught of sensation, he groaned, letting his head fall back while she peppered his neck with open-mouth kisses. Fuck, she was amazing. When her kisses reached his bellybutton, it felt like lightening coursed through his veins. Just the thought of how warm and wet her little mouth would be had his dick twitching, pulsing with desperation, but he endured her sinful torture, not wanting it to ever end.
His breath sawed in and out, ragged from the restraint it took to not flip her over and fuck her senseless. Monica’s fingertips hooked in the waistband of his jeans and tugged at them. Seth lifted, assisting her with the task, growling with relief when his cock finally sprang free. The swollen tip glistened with a perfect droplet of pre-cum, and when she wrapped her little hand around his length, he was certain that every brain cell in his head fried on contact.
Her gaze locked with his as her head lowered. Pure lust shimmered in those honey brown eyes. Warmth enveloped his shaft and his eyes rolled back into his head. “Fuck, Monica,” he hissed, threading his hands in her hair. The way she used her tongue, swirling it over his hard flesh…he was going to lose his mind. She worked slowly, sliding her mouth up and down his length until he was fisting the couch cushions in a death grip over his head. The sensations were overwhelming, and if her mouth felt this good, getting inside her would be a true test of his resolve. He was already holding back as it was.
He endured her sensuous torture for as long as he could manage, but when that familiar tingle started in his groin, he had to stop her. As much as it killed him, God, he had to stop her. Gritting his teeth, Seth lifted her head, sucking in a breath when she lashed at the underside one last time with her tongue. She was teasing him, the little minx. Reaching to his jeans, he pulled a condom from the pocket, hoping she didn’t see the slight tremble in his hands. Her nervousness seemed to return at the appearance of the condom, like she was having second thoughts about it, and he couldn’t really blame her. She’d obviously been through some shit in her life, and until he had any clue what that entailed, he was going to be very careful with her.
Seth handed it to her, taking hold of her hand briefly until she met his gaze. “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do, Monica. We don’t have to do this, but I promise you…I’ll take it slow, and I’ll make you feel damn good. Do you trust me?”
Her eyes flickered to the foil packet in her hand and back to his face before she swallowed hard. “You can’t be on top. I have to be on top,” she said, her voice breathy.
Seth nodded slowly. He was proud of her for exerting her guidelines, but a slow simmer of rage began building within at the thought that someone in her past had hurt her to the point she no longer gave herself completely over. If he ever found out who it was, the confrontation wouldn’t be pretty. “You’re in control. Got it,” he said, a slight smirk pulling at his lips.
Monica nodded before ripping the foil wrapper open with her teeth and rolling it over his cock slowly. His body was already on fire, and when she straddled his lap, it turned to an inferno. Cupping her ass in his hands, he held her poised over his erection. Her nails bit into his shoulders, and then she began to lower onto him. Seth clenched his jaw, blowing out a strained breath. She was hot, tight…perfect.
Her breathing picked up, and a soft whimper fell from her lips as she descended. Holding her gaze, Seth basked in every second of her pleasure. “Fuck…you feel good,” he gritted out, sucking in a breath when he was fully seated inside her. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he held every muscle in his body taut with restraint. Monica made a throaty sound and began to move, rising and descending in a slow rhythm.
Holding her hips firmly, Seth watched where their bodies came together, melding into one. With each thrust, she increased her pace, moaning as she threaded her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Tingles of sensation lingered where she stroked, shooting to his groin, making his cock twitch inside her.
Her eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open as she shook her head. “I…I can’t…” she panted, grinding her hips harder against his. She was close…very close.
Seth slid his hand around her hip, letting the pad of his thumb brush over swollen clit. Biting her lips, Monica sucked in a breath at the contact. “Let go, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Just let it go. I’ve got you.” Leaning forward, Seth sucked a nipple into his mouth, tugging on the tight bead gently with his teeth.
An animalistic groan purred from her throat that made his nostrils flare in satisfaction. Sweat rolled down his neck as the heat in the room seemed to rise. Every sound she made went straight to his head like a drug, ramping up his adrenaline until he had his lip pulled back over his teeth in a masculine snarl. He let her take the lead for as long as he could stand it, but when she cupped her breasts, pinching her nipples between her fingers, his control snapped. Gripping her small waist, Seth assisted her thrusts, bringing her back down on his cock harder as he lifted his hips to meet her half way. Monica whimpered and threw her head back, allowing him to take the lead. God, she was gorgeous like this. Hair tousled, hanging over her shoulders in thick dark waves, eyes heavily lidded, laced with lust. Everything about her screamed feminine power and beauty, and she didn’t even know it.
Within moments, she came apart, bucking her hips and falling forward to bury her face in his shoulder to muffle her shattered cries. Every pulse of her core pulled him closer to the edge until he was teetering on the precipice. Holding back was impossible. The way she wrapped her sweat-slicked body around him drove him to his limits, until his cock kicked inside her as he took his release. Seth grunted against the top of her head with every spurt, holding her to him as tightly as he could while he emptied into the condom.
When they stilled, Seth closed his eyes, stroking his hand up and down the length of her back soothingly. “Are you all right?” She didn’t respond, but he caught the sound of her soft sob against his shoulder, and his heart sank. “Monica?”
Chapter Nine
I can’t do this.
Monica shook her head, ashamed that she’d let herself lose control like that. She barely knew him, and she’d given it up like it was nothing. Wiping the tears from her face, she climbed from his lap and scrambled to put her clothes back on before he could start asking questions. She needed to get out of there, go somewhere she could clear her head. She’d sworn that she’d never let another man manipulate her, and she’d shot that all to hell the second Seth had kissed her.
“Monica, stop, wait,” he pleaded behind her as she bolted through the door, half dressed. She couldn’t stop. The tears streamed down her face as she ran, desperate for the solace of the bedroom she was staying in. Pushing through the door, she slammed it shut before flipping the lock on the knob and backing away from it.
Seth’s heavy knock came moments later. “Monica…open the door. Please.”
Monica shook her head. Her chest ached with the force of her sobs. “Leave me alone.”
“This is my house, Monic
a,” he said quietly. “I have a key, so either you unlock it, or I’ll do it myself, but either way, I’m coming in.”
She remained silent, holding her face in her hands, too upset to even respond. Not surprisingly, the sound of keys drifted through the door, announcing that Seth had indeed made his decision. When he stepped into the room she moved to the far side needing to distance herself from him. From the things he made her feel.
He had pulled his jeans back on, but left them unbuttoned, and he was shirtless. She thought she’d hardened herself against her emotions, but the man who was steadily prowling across the room toward her shattered the walls she’d built effortlessly, and it scared the shit out of her.
“Please go away,” she whispered, holding her hands up while she backed away. “I can’t do this, I’m sorry.”
He stopped a few feet away, propping his hands on his hips. “Do what? What the hell did I do?”
Monica wiped her face with the back of her arm. Her eyes stung from the tears, but she held her head high. “I should have known this wouldn’t come without strings attached. I appreciate you offering to help us, but I refuse to use my body to thank you for your kindness.”
Seth’s arms dropped to his sides, a look of pure rage flashing across his features. “What? You think I offered to let you stay here in exchange for sex? Is that seriously what you believe?” His stare burned into hers, his jaw clenched tight.
Monica shrugged, unable to make eye contact. He was furious, and it made her uneasy. “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” she whispered.
Seth began to pace. She could feel the anger vibrating off his big body. “Look, I don’t know what the fuck happened to you that closed you off from affection,” he growled, his voice low. “But I can assure you, what just happened didn’t come with any strings attached.” Stopping near the bookshelf by the window, he turned back to face her slowly. “I like you, Monica. More than you know, and I’d die before I would do anything to hurt you. I don’t understand why that’s so hard for you to accept.”
She felt faint, overwhelmed by the entire situation. Why was he so insistent on expressing his feelings for her? It would last for a month or two, and then just like everyone else in her life, he’d be gone when he realized she had nothing to offer. “Because!” she yelled, quickly losing her patience. “It would never work, dammit!”
Seth went still. Very still. “Why not, Monica? Because you’ve got some secret past? I assure you, nothing you could ever tell me would scare me away.”
“That’s doubtful. Besides, you’re not just getting me, you’d be getting two teenagers,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around her midsection.
Throwing his hands up, Seth began to pace again. “You push me away every time I get anywhere close to getting to know you. You can’t tell me that you don’t feel it too, Monica. When you were shaking in my arms just minutes ago, you were relaxed, free. What the hell happened that keeps you at arm’s length?”
Monica cringed. “I don’t talk about it.”
“Well, maybe you should!” he shouted. Apparently even he was shocked by the way he let his voice rise, judging by the way he cursed under his breath as he turned back toward her. “Shit, look, I’m sorry. I just want to help you, and you won’t fucking let me in.” Seth held up his hand, stopping her when she opened her mouth to protest. “I know, you don’t want or need my help, but I don’t give a shit. I care about you, and I won’t allow you to self-destruct.”
God, she needed to get away from him. He was wearing her down, no matter how hard she pushed back. She was dangerously close to spilling her past to him, and that was one trip down memory lane that she never wanted to revisit. “I’m tired and I don’t want to talk about this right now. You can take us back to the apartment tomorrow. I think I’ve made a terrible mistake and given you the wrong idea,” she sighed, motioning to the door. She was on the verge of tears and she hated crying. Crying showed weakness.
Seth scrubbed a hand down his face, and she knew he wasn’t going to drop it. “You’re not going back to that apartment,” he informed her, shaking his head and slashing his hand through the air. “You can stay here until you get back on your feet, just like I promised. You can kick, scream, and hate me for the duration of your stay, but I cannot allow you and the kids to go back there.”
She tried to argue, but the pager on Seth’s pocket sounded with three steady beeps, interrupting her response. He pulled it free, checking the screen before cursing and shoving it back into his pocket. “Dammit, I have to go. I’m needed at the station,” he said, moving toward the door. “We’re not done talking, so don’t think you’re off the hook. You guys are welcome to anything in the house, so make yourselves at home. I shouldn’t be gone long.” He didn’t even turn around, leaving without another word.
Monica slumped down onto the bed before falling back with her arms over her head as the door closed behind him. The man pushed her to her limits, draining her of her defenses. If he hadn’t gotten that call, she probably would have given in and told him everything. No matter how much she fought him, something pulled at her. Did she want to believe him? Of course, but history had already proven that no one was to be trusted. Her own family had destroyed that notion years ago. Now that he was gone, though, she was starting to feel bad about the way she’d treated him.
Seth made her feel things that she hadn’t allowed herself to enjoy in years. Her body tingled as the memory of his hands on her, the way he felt filling her, swept across her mind. It had felt good. She had enjoyed it, and that was the problem. Her control was slipping.
Rising from the bed, Monica made her way to the bathroom that connected to her room, staring longingly at the big claw-foot tub in the center of the room. She hadn’t enjoyed a hot soak in ages, and the little bottles of bubble bath that lined the shelf near the sink beckoned to her. It was a rare occasion that she indulged. Just this once, she thought to herself as she closed the door and pulled her shirt over her head. Tomorrow they could leave while Seth was at work, and go invisible again.
Twisting the knobs, the water poured into the tub, crisp, clear and inviting. Nearly moaning as the steam rose into the air, Monica looked through the pretty bottles of soaps, smelling each one until she settled on the bottle labeled Peaches and Cream. A thick froth of bubbles boiled from the water as she poured, filling the bath with the sweet luxurious scent. It was torture waiting for the huge tub to fill, but when it did, Monica wasted no time shucking the rest of her clothes and putting her hair up before turning the water off to step in.
With a sigh, she sank down into the decadent heat until every inch of her flesh was submerged to her chin. Monica groaned, letting her head fall back against the cool porcelain. It had been so damn long since she’d had a hot bath, she’d forgotten how wonderful it could be. A soft smile played at her lips while she soaked, letting the steam relax her aches and cares away. The world slipped into a fog as her eyes closed and a deep sigh fell from her lips. She could worry about the issue with Seth in the morning. Right now, her only concern was re-warming her bath over and over as it cooled.
Monica startled when she heard the click of the bathroom door opening. “Sarah? Is that you?” she asked, unable to see who had entered over the high side of the tub.
“It’s me.” Seth’s deep voice echoed off the tile walls and her body responded, sensitizing with just the sound of it.
Monica closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I thought you had to go to work.” She heard him move across the room, approaching the tub. On instinct, she covered her breasts, even though the bubbles obstructed most of the view anyway. “That didn’t take very long,” she muttered. Dammit, it didn’t matter what she did to push him away, he just kept coming back. But…she couldn’t deny that she was starting to like it, and it pissed her off.
A chair scraped across the floor, stopping behind the tub. “I just had to fill out some paperwork, nothing serious. Besides, I was gone for an hour,” he said
quietly.
Shit, had she been in the bath that long? Seth continued shuffling around behind her, and it was starting to make her nervous. “What are you doing?”
Seth’s chuckle was rough, sexy. “Just relax, okay? You’re always so damn tense.”
“I’ll spare you the ‘I don’t trust anyone’ speech, since you’ve heard it already,” she quipped.
“Sit up,” he ordered.
Monica went still, a flash of anxiety holding her in place. “Why?”
“Because,” he replied. She could practically hear the eye roll in his voice. “Just sit up. I’m not going to do anything crazy, I promise. Please.”
She hesitated, but slid up to a sitting position, hugging her knees for cover. Glancing back over her shoulder at him, she watched him reach for a bottle and a bath pitcher, placing both on the floor at his feet. His expression was unreadable. He appeared to be relaxed, yet his jaw was clenched, making the muscle near his ear twitch every so often. His hair was in disarray, as if he’d been running his hands through it in frustration, and it was undeniably sexy on him.
When he turned his head to meet her gaze, his blue eyes simmered with intention as he reached for her hair, tugging the elastic band that was holding it free. That one simple act sent shivers down her spine.
A smirk tilted the corner of his lips. “Head back, sweetheart.”
Monica swallowed nervously before looking away and letting her head fall back. A small gasp fell from her lips as a warm rush of water poured over her hair, soaking the locks and making them heavy against her back. Another deluge washed over her scalp, and Monica moaned in pleasure. It felt amazing. A cap was popped open, and then his hands were there, massaging a sweet-scented shampoo into her hair. His touch was firm, experienced…tender. Seth took his time working the soap into a full lather over every inch of her head, and it could only be described as heaven.