Erotic Research

by Mari Carr

  When she didn’t reply right away, he continued, “I’m so sorry. I’ve never had unprotected sex before, Jules. Christ, I can’t believe I didn’t use a condom. I’ll take care of you, sweetheart. I swear it. No matter what happens I will always take care of you.”

  “Ross,” she said, interrupting his self-deprecation, “it’s okay. I’m on the Pill.”

  “You are?”

  “Yes,” she answered, clearly embarrassed by the conversation. “My, um, periods are pretty painful—cramps and all that. My doctor suggested birth-control pills. She said they would help and, well, they have.” Just when Ross thought she couldn’t flush any deeper, she proved him wrong. After what they’d just experienced together, he was floored by the fact she could still turn deep red by simply saying the word “period” to him.

  “Christ, Brown Eyes, you’re killing me.”

  “I am?” she asked quietly, still unable to meet his eyes.

  “Look at me.” He tilted her face up to his. “I’m glad you’re on the Pill, but I still owe you an apology. I’m the more experienced partner here and I put you at risk. I swear to you I’m clean.”

  “Ross,” Julia interrupted, “it’s not like I gave you much choice.”

  “Still, I’ve never been so careless…or so quick. I haven’t come that fast since I was fifteen,” he added, shaking his head in disbelief.

  Julia laughed. “Must be me,” she teased. “I’m so irresistible, you know.”

  “Is that right? You should have warned me.” He tickled her as she giggled uncontrollably. “All right, woman,” he said, “it’s time to get serious. We have research to do.”

  “Research,” she repeated with mock seriousness. “How could I forget? What did you have in mind?” Her deep brown eyes sparkled in the firelight.

  With the sheet pulled loosely around her and her long hair in disarray on the pillow, Ross could only stare—stunned speechless, taken aback by her tousled, well-loved look. His best friend had never looked so beautiful or so eager.

  “What?” she asked coyly.

  “You really are irresistible,” he said, the words escaping his lips without a thought.

  She rolled her eyes, but her genuine smile betrayed her pleasure at his words. “I was kidding, Ross.”

  Shaking his head, Ross reached for her, unable to resist her girlish delight at his simple praise. She was obviously starved for appreciation and attention and he fully intended to rectify that oversight, starting tonight.

  However, his unintentional slips were going to give him away before he was ready to reveal his true feelings. He needed to carefully guard his intentions. Julia needed time. Time to become accustomed to having him in her bed as a lover as well as in her life as a friend.

  “Up,” he ordered, pointing toward the bathroom. “Time for another first.”

  “Oh?”

  “That is unless you’ve already been skinny-dipping in a Jacuzzi with an editor with a gigantic hard-on.”

  Tapping her lips with one finger, Julia looked as if she were trying to recollect such an event. “Hmm.” Ticking off the list on her fingers, she asked, “Skinny-dipping, Jacuzzi and horny editor—all of them together, not separate, right?”

  “Let me put it this way, Brown Eyes,” Ross said, hands on his hips as he glared down at her from the side of the bed. “I find I enjoy being your first in all things, editorially and sexually, so maybe you shouldn’t try too hard to remember.”

  “Oh.” Julia giggled. “So I should let you play caveman while I pretend to be a chaste virgin and let you do all sorts of unspeakable things to me?”

  “Now you’re getting it.” Reaching down, he picked her up.

  “Ross,” she cried, swatting at him, “put me down. You’ll hurt yourself.”

  “Jules,” Ross berated, “if you make one more ridiculous comment about your weight, I’ll turn you over my knee again. I bench press more than you’ll ever weigh at the gym every day.”

  “But—”

  “No buts,” he interrupted, carrying her across the room to the bathroom. “Time for a nice hot soak. You must be sore.”

  “Not really.” She squirmed slightly. He sensed she was still uncomfortable with her nudity in his presence. He also suspected she was feeling painful twinges in unfamiliar places. A long, hot bath was just what she needed.

  As he set her down, she reached for a towel, only to have him lightly swat her hand away.

  “No,” he said firmly. “No hiding. Not from me, not here. I like looking at you.”

  “I like looking at you too.”

  At her words, his already-rejuvenating erection rose to nearly full mast. Once the tub was filled, Ross added some soaking salts and turned on the jets before lifting Julia over the rim to place her on one of the benches.

  “Ah,” she breathed, sliding down deeper in the hot water, “this is heavenly.”

  Joining her, Ross had to agree.

  After years of friendship, the two were able to sit in companionable silence without feeling uncomfortable.

  Ross watched as Julia’s peaceful face lost some of its relaxed bliss. Her eyebrows lowered and the crease that often came between them when she was tense or worried made an appearance.

  That didn’t take long.

  He had expected her to begin to question the wisdom of their actions long before now. He forced himself to let her form her questions and concerns. He was ready to set her mind at ease. He’d plotted for weeks about this adventure and he was determined to have his own way.

  Ross was going to overcome her fear of loss to conquer her heart and claim it as his own.

  This was the battle of his life.

  Ross had no intention of surrendering or retreating. Before they left this cabin, it was her white flag he expected to see on the horizon.

  Trying to appear relaxed, Ross closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the edge of the tub. He didn’t have long to wait.

  “What happens when we leave here?” she asked.

  Ross opened his eyes, but didn’t lift his head. “Here?”

  “The cabin.”

  “What do you want to happen?” he asked, throwing the ball back into her court.

  “I—I don’t know,” she stuttered. No doubt she was shocked he was leaving it up to her. He rarely gave a woman the upper hand in his liasons and Julia knew it.

  “I mean, I can’t live without you as my editor or my friend,” she continued. “If what we’re doing here is going to jeopardize that, I want to stop right now.”

  “I will always be your friend, I promise you that, but I have every intention of riding this train to the end. There will be no stopping along the way for cold feet.”

  “Ross, we’re both adults. You know as well as I do sex changes things, complicates them. I know the relationships you’ve had, especially lately, are fairly casual, but even you have to admit, when they ended, everything ended. You don’t see any of your ex-girlfriends, period—not as friends, not even as acquaintances. I don’t want this to continue if we can’t go back to the way things were. I would hate not having you in my life anymore.”

  “What we do here isn’t going to affect our friendship. I’m not sure when you started seeing me as such a heartless prick, but you must know after all these years I’d rather cut off my left arm than hurt you. Besides, there is one major difference between you and the other women in my past that you seem to keep forgetting.”

  “What’s that?” Julia asked, attempting to move away from him on the bench.

  Ross halted her escape by wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her toward him.

  He grinned as he recalled her earlier comments. “What did you call them?” he asked. “Oh yeah, the Miss America brigade.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “I wasn’t best friends with any of them. Hell, I wasn’t even friends with them.”

  “That doesn’t seem like something to brag about.”

  Her dry words were
so familiar, Ross laughed.

  “Besides, you’re forgetting something important.”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “We’ve already done the deed, Brown Eyes, and there’s no taking it back.”

  Sighing, she leaned against his arm and he felt some of the tension leave her.

  Testing the water, he added, “Are you saying you would want to see this evolve into a real relationship?”

  His answer was painfully apparent as Julia blanched.

  “R-real relationship?” She glanced away from him. “Don’t be silly.”

  Well, he couldn’t blame her for not wanting to rush into a relationship with a confirmed bachelor such as himself.

  Clearly, he had a lot of work to do to convince Julia he was sincere. While he considered their long-term friendship a blessing, he’d be a fool not to realize it was a detriment as well. Julia knew him better than anyone in the world—his parents included.

  Which meant she knew that nowadays he never stayed with the same woman for more than a month. His last long-term relationship had been with Bridget and that ended over four years ago.

  “Relax, Jules,” he said quickly. “I know how you feel about relationships. That’s not what I’m pushing for.” The lie tasted bitter on his tongue and his temper flared briefly at her obvious relief.

  “So, we’ll just go back to being friends after this,” she said without question, as if trying to picture the end of this brief romantic interlude in a few days when the snow began to melt.

  Unwilling to risk putting a deadline on the most incredible sex of his life, Ross shook his head. “Sweetheart, the barn door is open and the cow’s not coming back. You can’t expect to give me only a sample of all the sweetness you have to offer and then not allow me to gorge myself at the feast.”

  “Good God.” Julia laughed. “I have no idea what you just said.”

  Ross joined in her laughter. “I’m not finished fucking you yet.”

  Julia winced at his crude comment. “So that’s what this is? Fucking?”

  Reaching out, Ross pulled her over to him, positioning her legs on either side of his hips until she was straddling him. Placing his erection at her opening, he gently prodded before adding enigmatically, “Researching.”

  With that, he placed his lips over hers, indulging in the most sensuous kiss of his life. With his lips and tongue, he gave her everything he had to give, slowly sliding into her tight, hot pussy until he reached the hilt. With firm hands on her hips, he lightly lifted her up, and then pulled her back down, setting a slow, easy pace.

  “Ride me, Brown Eyes,” he whispered against her moist cheek, the heat of their joining combining with the strong jets of water powerfully enough to create a tidal wave of passion.

  Increasing the speed, Julia amazed him as she took control of the trip, clinging tightly to him with her knees on his hips and her arms on his shoulders. Frantic to reach her peak, she set a grueling pace that left Ross desperate to hang on.

  Julia’s passionate nature was constantly astounding him, taking him unaware and leaving him reeling in the wake.

  “Ross,” she cried, her orgasm fast approaching. Leaning over, she kissed him, nipping his bottom lip, drawing blood, as her climax shook her entire body. “Oh God.”

  Losing himself in the strength of her powerful convulsions, Ross gave himself up to his second climax in an hour.

  How had he spent ten years in this woman’s presence and failed to notice the tigress caged beneath the surface?

  Julia placed her head on his shoulder and Ross felt her slipping into sleep. Tucking her more tightly against him, he lifted her from the water. He reached for a towel, then carried her back to the bed and placed her in the middle to gently dry her off.

  Exhausted from her exertions, Julia never stirred. Once she was dry, he climbed in beside her, wrapping her up in the soft blanket and his arms.

  “Sleep well, Brown Eyes,” he whispered as sleep came to claim him as well.

  Chapter Four

  It was still dark when Julia felt something stir behind her. Startled, she came fully awake, uncertain of her surroundings for a split second. A soft shhh wafted by her ear and she recalled everything. Ross, the research, the greatest sex of her life, an orgasm—no, three! All of it came back to her in a rush and she smiled into the dark room—feeling happier than ever before.

  Attempting to roll over, she stopped as she realized her hands were tied together above her head and anchored to the headboard. A slight tremor of fear coursed through her until she remembered she was with Ross, who would never hurt her.

  “Ross,” she started, only to be silenced by a light smack on her buttocks.

  “Hush,” he said harshly, his voice strangely different. “You will only speak when asked a direct question.”

  “What?” she asked, only to be spanked again, this time harder than the first.

  Leaning over her, Ross whispered in her ear. “Don’t make me gag you. I want you to be able to beg me for everything I’m going to do to you.”

  A shiver of anticipation flowed through her. With her hands securely tied, Julia had never felt so helpless—or aroused.

  Ross began to speak again, his voice farther away as Julia listened to him cross the room. The sound of logs being thrown onto the fire told her where he had gone.

  “There’s no use screaming,” he said, his voice again foreign to her. “Your ship has been sunk, your men killed. You are the sole survivor and your life will only be spared so long as you do as you are told.”

  A fantasy, Julia thought, considering his words. He’d taken her captive. Excited beyond belief, she remained quiet on the bed as Ross continued to draw the picture in her mind.

  “My men found you and had every intention of taking you, using you themselves. Imagine how dismayed they were when I claimed you. It’s the captain’s right, you know, to choose his portion of the spoils first. We’ve been at sea for nearly six months. So many men desperate for a woman’s body. I may still give you to them. If you fail to please me.”

  Julia whimpered slightly, the fantasy becoming real to her. She was a character in her own book—Ross taking on a role of her own creation.

  Black Jack was one of her latest books and the fact that Ross was taking on the role she’d created with him in mind caused her to go wet with anticipation, wondering what he would do next.

  She was amazed to discover what a powerful effect his words had on her. Ross’s superior attitude, his tone of voice, his understanding of the character was so authentic she could almost imagine the room was swaying like a ship at sea.

  Closer now, Ross leaned over the bed, his hand lightly caressing her bare bottom. She was lying facedown on the bed, her naked body completely uncovered. In spite of the fact Ross had seen her nude before, somehow she felt more exposed as she considered Ross in his role as a pirate captain, seeing his captive sex slave for the first time.

  She adopted a frightened tone, mimicking her own heroine. “Please, Captain, I beg of you. Don’t hurt me.”

  Ross’s hand came down hard on her bare ass. “I have not given you permission to speak,” he shouted so loudly Julia began to shake in earnest.

  “It is time, madam, you learned your place here.” Grabbing her hips, Ross pulled upwards. “Bend your legs and put them under you.”

  Doing as he commanded only earned her a harder spanking. “Open your legs. I’m your master now and you will keep yourself open to me. I always want your pussy and ass in clear view. Do you understand?”

  “Y-yes sir,” she stuttered, the intensity of the moment, of the fantasy, almost driving her to climax. Clearly, Ross was embellishing the plot—adding an erotic dimension Julia couldn’t anticipate or resist.

  * * *

  Behind her, Ross didn’t try to hide his grin. How much the fantasy was exciting her was evident in the tremors shaking her body. He knew Julia would love role-playing in bed. She’d spent the last ten years acting out he
r own romantic fantasies on paper.

  Now he would give her a chance to experience them for real, with his own desires added in to spice things up. The main benefit in acting out some of her stories was that many of his fantasies seemed to be tied directly to hers.

  Dominating her in bed, seeing her tied up and helpless, his to command in all things, was by far the most exhilarating moment of his life.

  “Whenever I enter this cabin, you will stop what you are doing and throw yourself prostrate at my feet, facing away from me in just this manner. Do you understand?”

  “Yes sir,” she replied, her voice taking on a husky sound that drove him crazy. The image of her on the bed, hands tied above her head with her ass in the air and open to him was one he was certain to take to his grave.

  “Your clothing has been disposed of,” he added.

  “What?” she asked, fully enmeshed in her role.

  He slapped her ass hard three times, leaving the flesh hot and red.

  “Are you questioning your master?” he asked roughly.

  “No,” she whispered.

  “No what?” he demanded.

  “No sir.”

  “Have you ever had a man?” he asked gruffly, reaching out to prod at her wet entrance with rough fingers.

  “N-no sir,” she replied. Then bravely, adding in character, “Please, sir, I am a lady. I must save myself for my husband and my wedding night.”

  He met her comment with another spanking, this one harder than all the rest. The sight of Julia’s gorgeous backside, red from his hand, compelled him to continue fulfilling his own dark needs—the fact she was playing along and not shying away left him rock hard. Her pussy dripped with her undeniable desire.

  “There will be no husband,” he growled. “And your wedding night is tonight. This will hurt, my little virgin,” he added harshly as he placed his erection at the opening of her wet pussy.

  “Some day,” he continued, “you will beg me for what I am about to give you.” With that, he slammed into her, entering her completely in one powerful thrust. Julia’s screams of rapture and the tight clamping of her cunt drove him on.