BLIND: A Mastermind Novel (26 page)

Still, she lied. “Yes.”

He pinched the soft skin behind her knee. “Liar. You took too long to answer. Allow me to enlighten you.”

He moved to her other foot. “The feet are said to be a highly sensitive part of the female body. Some women enjoy the tickling sensation of having their toes stroked or even licked.”

Dear God.
She didn’t think she was one of those women. Spending most of her workday on her feet, she found the area purely functional and would be more comfortable if his attention was elsewhere.

The sheet folded over her legs softly. A finger remained, lightly pressing to the base of her spine, dragging it slowly toward the nape of her neck as he rounded the table. His finger trailed over her shoulder and down her arm. He’d already touched there so the contact wasn’t as jarring.

“There are the wrists.
”
The pad of his thumb rubbed over the delicate veins there, making soft circular motions as he lifted her arm. Soft lips pressed into her sensitive flesh and she nearly combusted, mistakenly believing that area was safe.

His lips are literally touching you!
Dear God, they were soft.

She moaned and he replaced her arm under the sheet. His finger caressed her arm, both hands making a slow climb until they curled around her shoulders, pressing and soothing the deep tissue. Coasting his fingers upward, he slowly dragged the backs of his nails up and down the column of her neck until her nipples pebbled against the table.

“The neck is of course an erogenous zone, so sensitive and feminine. I like watching your neck when we’re together, seeing the telltale blush deepen your ivory completion, noticing when you swallow nervously. And then there’s that fluttering pulse of yours. You have a very beautiful neck, Ms. Farrow.”

Did he feel her pulse now? It was trembling with the subtlety of a jackhammer. Her breath shook as she slowly exhaled.

The rasp of his fingertips was enunciated as he caressed the shell of her ear. Her body shook as shivers traveled down her spine. His clothing brushed over her back as he leaned close and whispered, “And let’s not overlook the ears. Such a delicate little lobe, perfect for nibbling.
”

He gave it a gentle tug with his fingers and she gasped. His breath heated, leaving a dew of inconsequential moisture in the hollow area.

“Ears are fascinating things. While it can be quite erotic having them kissed, nibbled, or sucked, they’re also pathways to that principal sex organ I told you about—the brain.
”
His voice lowered. “Every word can be processed as erotic when the ear is stimulated. I could whisper math equations and make you wet.”

Mission accomplished.

He backed away, as her belly tightened with her thighs, and her folds grew damp. The situation catapulted to the next level. She’d never survive this.

His hands worked over the sheet, pressing into her lower back. As he glided his palms over her covered rear she tensed. The sheet again lifted off of her legs, this time really exposing her. Its folded weight gathered just beneath her bottom and she was excruciatingly aware of her uncovered thighs.

Words associated with unkind emotions fluttered through her mind.
Cellulite
.
Stretch marks. Freckles. Pudgy.

He tickled the inner part of her knee, that soft flesh no one ever noticed. “There are an astounding amount of nerve endings in the backs of the knees. I wonder…what would it feel like to have a man drag his tongue from here…
”
His finger dragged slowly upward. “…To here?”

Her breathing had passed regulated ten minutes ago. Now she was panting, quick, shallow breaths as her body begged for him to do something more brazen than he was already doing and her mind feared the same. It was the same tug of war he always produced in her, but this time it was more intense than ever before.

Her body was aroused to a degree she’d never known. She wanted him to touch her in places no one had touched in several years.

His fingers rode over her skin, making gentle whorls and easing the tired muscles at the backs of her thighs.
Keep going. Please. Oh God,
he’s getting closer.
Don’t go any farther!
Don’t stop!
Her mind fell into needy hysteria.

“The inner thigh, so close to heaven, is an obvious erogenous zone. Easily teased, but highly sensitive. Those tantalizing nerve endings are the prerequisite to fulfillment. This is the land of unspoken promises,
”
he said, softly massaging the tender flesh. “Once here, a woman will likely beg for you to continue.”

Just as her begging was about to burst forth in a way she’d never pleaded before, the sheet was lowered. Her lips tightened as she silently groaned in frustration.

Her irritation was abruptly distracted as the covering lifted from her shoulders and slowly dragged downward. Down, down, down, until she was sure he’d leave her bare. He didn’t. The soft fabric folded just past the base of her spine.

Her body calmed, contrary to the alert state of her brain, as he carried on massaging as if he were a professional. Special attention was given to each vertebra of her spine and she almost forgot
he
was the one playing with her.
Almost.

She should have known better. It seemed to be a special joy of his to give her a false sense of comfort thereby having a more potent effect when he next did something outlandish like—
expose her ass!

His nails gently scraped over the sensitive flesh and her entire body convulsed. “
This
can be a highly erogenous zone, Ms. Farrow. The flesh is highly sensitive, yet padded, allowing all variations of play. Some women simply like their bottoms fondled, while others enjoy having it groped, licked, penetrated, and even spanked. I look forward to learning your preferences.”

That’s it.
She couldn’t take anymore. She groaned and he lightly swatted her ass before covering it. “Problem, Ms. Farrow?”

So many words to say, but in the face of his inquiry she couldn’t voice a single one. “No.”

“Then I’ll continue.”

Of course you will.
Maybe he was a sadist and this was the introduction to torture. It sure
felt
like torture. Every part of her body was so sensitized, so stimulated, each twinge of pleasure had the strange effect of pain. She wanted
…
she wasn’t sure.
Something!

With her back still exposed, he skimmed his fingers up her side sending chills prickling in the wake of his caress. Her breasts were pressed against the table, which was oddly providing some form of relief until he trailed a finger over the side of her ribs.

“Of course we mustn’t forget the breasts. Out of respect for modesty I won’t ask that you turn over. I’m sure you’re well aware of the sensitivity in this area, perhaps even coping with the symptoms of arousal there now.”

She hated him. Hated him, but really, really liked him. It crossed her mind that any man this attuned to a woman’s body had to have some sort of sex record. His name and that picture of him she was searching for, was probably in the
Guinness Book of World Records
under world’s greatest player. She should really consider this as their relationship developed, because there were a lot of diseases out there a girl had to watch out for, and a man who likely had as many partners as Mr. Stone could very well possess one.

Great.
Now her mind had drifted to an unwelcome place and she was imagining labs and all sorts of unsexy things. This was why she sucked at sex.
Head in the game, Lettie!

“Stay with me, Ms. Farrow. There are two more.”

He massaged her back and hips, allowing her to drift and return to that lovely subspace. Her mind unraveled, relinquishing all forms of paranoia. If they ever got to
that
point they’d address their histories and proceed accordingly. There was no sense in worrying about that stuff now—

“The ninth erogenous zone is what, Ms. Farrow?”

Huh? What? Did he tell her and she missed it? “Umm…”

“I believe you know. Think. It’s what most assume is the most important place on a woman, but they would be wrong.”

Oh, that
…

“Tell me what it is, Ms. Farrow.”

She swallowed. She could say it. She was a grown woman. Her chest tightened. Forcing out the word, she rasped, “The vagina.
”
Biting her lips between her teeth she stifled the threat of any nervous, juvenile laughter.

“Is that what we’re calling it? Very well. Technical it is.”

He didn’t change position or attempt to reach anywhere near that zone. Rather, he kept his voice low and even, as he massaged her lower back.

“The vagina,
”
he said, a note of humor in his voice. “There are numerous nerve receptors in the female genitals, but most tend to favor clitoral stimulation or having the elusive G-spot fondled. You know, I do believe describing it technically can be arousing as well. I wonder what your reaction would be to exposing this part of your body, allowing a man as much time as he desired to explore and see such an intimate part of your anatomy.”

She was drenched. Not only that, she feared her next gynecological exam. He’d altered her thinking on the entire practice and she’d likely recall
this
moment at every annual appointment for the rest of her life. Wonderful. Not only was she naked, he was effectively stripping away her composure with each encounter.

“I’m afraid our hour is almost up, Ms. Farrow. Before I leave you to dress, I’ll tell you the last erogenous zone on a woman’s body, the most important of all.”

There was more?

“The lips,” he whispered. “The lips of a female are incredibly sensitive. They can be licked, toyed with, teased, and above all, kissed. They breathe out gasping sighs, pleas, and express a woman’s need. But beyond all, the lips invite a man to kiss other places. A kiss is perhaps the voice of permission given to a lover before he possesses all else a woman can offer.”

She’d never wanted a man to kiss her as much as she did in that very moment.
This
man. Fear that she’d embarrass herself because she was so eager to maul him was the only thing holding her still, that and her face shoved in the hole, breasts smashed against the table.

His lips pressed to the very center of her spine before the sheet covered her trembling body. “It’s been a pleasure, Scarlet.”

Her lungs released a pent up breath. Every part of her body gushed with need as her name whispered past his lips. He applied it like a reward, only given at the conclusion of their time, and with those two familiar syllables came the sense of deep earned praise followed by the sting of his farewell.

The door closed and she suspected he was gone. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to scream or cry, but she had no regrets.

****

Asher shut the door and threw his weight against the wood. His cock was so hard he needed a moment before he could take another step. His intention had been to get deeper into her mind, but he seemed to be the one to receive the mind fuck here.

There had never been a more intense need for a woman. What he suffered in those ticking moments was raw and brutally human. Everything in him demanded he make love to her, but he’d somehow managed to keep his composure, not letting his fierce desire spill out in his voice or touch.

Swallowing hard, his head tipped against the door. His fists trembled as he denied himself the right to burst through the door and take her once and for all.