Epilogue: The Dark Duet (13 page)

“That question wasn’t exactly meant for
James, was it?” I kept my tone pleasant.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, James.” She
stepped closer and playfully kicked at the tip of my shoe with her sneakered
foot. “You forgive me? Do I still get my surprise?”

I chuckled because I had no other
recourse. I had come to understand our relationship would be riddled with
moments where the past sucked all the joy out of the present. My only hope was
that with enough time, Livvie and I would build memories capable of trumping
our beginning.

“Yes, on both
counts. I’m much too excited about your gift to let you ruin it for us.”

Livvie looked up at me with a glare
that quickly became a smile.

“It’s for both
of us, eh? It’s not lingerie, is it? Because that’s more for you than it is me.
I’m not saying I won’t wear it, but I’m going to insist I get other presents
too.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I started walking
and Livvie quickly fell into step next to me.

“You’re sexy,” she whispered as she
dragged my arm across her shoulders. It made for awkward walking, but I didn’t
mind.

“Yes, I know. It’s a curse. Anyway, I was
hoping you could take the week of Christmas off from work. I want to take you
to Paris.” I pulled her close and placed a kiss on the top of her head. The
pink fuzz from her hat stuck to my lips. I lifted my arm from her shoulders and
picked it off.

From the corner of my eye, I observed
an older man watching me and Livvie. I wouldn’t have noticed him, except he was
alone and without shopping bags—or anything in his hands at all. He caught me
watching and tilted his head in greeting before turning to look at a window
display. I warily pulled my attention back toward Livvie. The old man wasn’t
anyone I knew and he hardly looked dangerous. I had left the world of intrigue
behind. Old men were only old men.

“
Paris?
You are so damn sweet when you want to be. I’ve already been to Paris though—last
year.” She bounced as she walked happily. “I can probably get the time off work,
though. It’s late for requests, but Giovanni is pretty good about that kind of
thing. I’m a student, so I don’t think he expects too much out of me.”

“Giovanni—is he handsome?” She seemed
surrounded by men sometimes: Reed, Marco, Rubio, and now Giovanni.

“Only in that tall, dark, and foreign
kind of way. Not my cuppa, really.” She grinned.

“Asshole.” I swatted her ass as we
walked. People were beginning to stare at us while we walked. I thought of the
old man and started to feel better about him watching us. It was more than
possible that Livvie and I were simply drawing attention to ourselves. Some
people even seemed to enjoy our antics. “Anyway, I know you’ve been to Paris
before. I read about it in that email you sent to your friend.”

“Don’t remind me,” Livvie said.

“I
am
reminding you. It didn’t seem like you had very much fun while you were in
Paris. You were lonely and some bastard stole your wallet. I thought we could
go together and make new memories. I’ve never really played the tourist before.
It could be fun. What do you think?” I took several swallows of coffee, pleased
it had sufficiently cooled.

Livvie’s eyes told me all I needed to
know. They were bright and excited.

“I think… you’re
amazing, James. No one makes me as happy as you do.” She hooked her arm in mine
and rested her head on my arm. She let out a little sigh of contentment that
warmed me better than the coffee.

“It’s settled then. I’ll make all the
arrangements. We’ll stay at the best hotel and eat at the best restaurants.
We’ll see all the best things and have the best sex.” I was shockingly giddy.
I’d never been the type before. I tried not to overthink it despite the
niggling worry always running in the background of my thoughts that warned me
how dangerous happiness could be.

“And I’ll be with the best boyfriend
ever!” Livvie did a little hop and spilled coffee onto her mitt and sleeve.
“Ah, boo! My glove is all wet. Oh well, at least it didn’t burn my hand.”

We stopped at the next trash bin and
tossed the coffee. Livvie stood still as I wiped her off as best I could with
my gloved hands. Once finished, I pulled off my gloves and put them in the
garbage along with hers.

“That’s the
first time you’ve called me your boyfriend,” I mentioned softly. “We’ll buy new
gloves in that shop over there.” I pointed. “It wouldn’t hurt to find some
outfits for Paris. I rather like the idea of you in lingerie.” I bent down and
kissed her lips. Livvie took it upon herself to deepen our affections by
cupping the back of my head and pressing her lips once, twice, three times
against my own until I opened my mouth to her tongue.

Livvie’s kisses had gone from shy to
ravenous during the course of our relationship. I was surprised to discover my
growing taste for Livvie’s forwardness. She’d had such a demure nature in the
past and I’d loved to play The Wolf to her Little Red Riding Hood. I hoisted
her up into my arms and she wrapped her legs around my waist. A mother hurried
her children past and called us disgusting. I grabbed Livvie’s ass and squeezed
before I pulled away from the kiss and set her down. I tugged my coat down.

“I’d only kiss my boyfriend like that,”
she panted and giggled. I gave her one more kiss and managed to keep it chaste.

“I accept.
These lips officially belong to me, and mine they will remain. If I find them
anywhere near another man, he better be kin to you.” I was entirely serious.

“You manage to say the most romantic
things in the creepiest way possible. If I didn’t know you, I’d be scared of
you,” she said with a smile and a wink.

“Oh, I’m still scary.”

“Not to me,” she whispered. I felt a
little pinch in my chest.

“It’s only acceptable from you.” I
tilted my chin toward the shop I had mentioned earlier. “Should we do some
actual shopping on this shopping trip or are we only out to pervert young
children?”

“Can’t we do both?” she said with such
seriousness I had to struggle to keep a straight face. Did other couples banter
as much? I didn’t think so.

We returned to Livvie’s apartment with
as many bags as we could manage. There had been some trepidation on Livvie’s
part over allowing me to pay for our purchases, but I was quick to point out it
was my right as her boyfriend to shower her with gifts. I’d missed the
opportunity to court her properly, I had said, and it was only fair to allow me
to make up for it. I felt fifteen hundred Euros was a sufficient overture for
one day.

She had purchased bags, shoes, cocktail
dresses, new gloves, and enough lingerie to keep me ripping them off of her for
a few weeks. There was a particular pair of lacy thong panties I couldn’t wait
to chew my way through. Oh, and a red negligee without breast cups that was of
particular interest to me. I had looked for a red cape to go with it but came
up empty. The urge to hunt down Little Red would have to wait.

“Are you hungry?” Livvie asked. I could
barely hear her as I set the bags in the living room. Livvie had made her way
toward the bedroom.

“Yes,” I called out, “but I don’t think
you have anything in your cupboards worth—”

“Then get in here and eat my pussy!”
Livvie interrupted.

“You little bitch,” I muttered under my
breath and laughed. She got me. “You’re going to pay for that, Pet!” I yelled
as I made my way toward the bedroom while divesting myself of my gloves, coat,
and shirt. “I’m going to wash your filthy mouth out with cock.” I heard the
shower running in the adjoining bathroom. I kicked off my shoes, pulled on my belt,
and slid the rest of my clothing down my legs and off.

“Ooooh, I’m soooo scared,” Livvie
taunted. She was already in the shower and soaping the parts I fully intended
to put in my mouth. Ingredients for Mind-numbingly Sexy: 1 Livvie, Just add
water.

I wasted no time once I stepped into
the shower. I grabbed Livvie by her wet hair and tugged her back toward the
shower wall. The water was hot and it stung my cold skin. I liked the burn.

“Who do you
think you are, ordering me around? Didn’t I teach you better?” I licked a hot,
wet trail up the side of her neck while I slid my cock against her belly.

“It didn’t stick,” she panted hotly
near my ear. “Teach me again.”

Her words made my pulse race. There had
been moments between us in Mexico when I had witnessed glimpses of Livvie’s
brazenness. However, that’s exactly what they had been—glimpses. The Livvie I
had been dating was worlds beyond the Livvie I had held captive. After a
lifetime of being subjugated or, conversely, crushing the disobedience out of
others, it shocked me how much I enjoyed the back and forth.

Yet, for all that Livvie seemed
determined to push my buttons, her actions told a different tale. I was
beginning to see that her words were less about putting me in my place and more
about forcing me into a course of action that would lead me to behave… ungentlemanly.

“It’s that mouth of yours.” I kissed
her softly and I could almost sense her annoyance after expecting something
rougher. “It gets you into trouble every time.” Another soft kiss, and another.

Livvie made frustrated little sounds.
She tried to lean in and deepen the kiss but I selected that moment to remind
her of my fist firmly embedded in her hair. She winced.

“Did that hurt?” I whispered against
her lips and left another weak kiss. She made another frustrated sound and I
felt the warmth of her hands on my hips urging me toward her. I lifted my free
hand and traced her open lips with my fingertip. “I asked you a question, Pet.
I expect you to answer it.”

Livvie’s fingers pressed deeper into my
hips. Her eyes were gently closed. For whatever reason, she could never seem to
handle the directness of my gaze. I allowed it only because I enjoyed the way
she abandoned her self-control whenever she couldn’t see. I thought of all the
times I had blindfolded her to achieve the same results. Her tongue licked
suggestively at my finger as it circled her lips. She had
never
been so blatant in Mexico, not without first being reminded
of her need to survive. Things were different. She wanted me. She wanted to
give herself to me. I felt unworthy to accept such a gift, but it didn’t stop
me from clutching it fiercely to my chest.

Long seconds passed without an answer.

“Do what you’re
going to do.” Her voice was thick with lust.

I pulled her down by her hair slowly
but with the force of my grip behind it. She went down easily, with only a
small startled yelp to suggest her surprise.

“I said I was
going to wash your mouth out with cock.” I wrapped my hand around my hardened
flesh and traced her lips with the tip. “Open up.”

I licked my own lips as the lust
thrumming though my body grew in intensity. I watched Livvie’s lips purse
defiantly. She placed soft kisses on the head of my cock and slowly worked down
the shaft. It was nice to look at, but it offered no satisfaction. If she
wanted a lesson, I was obliged to give her one. I tapped her face with my
erection and she smiled wickedly. I gripped her hair rough and she gasped,
allowing me to put myself inside.

Warmth. I was surrounded by it. It was
a warmth that vibrated with every surprised murmur Livvie tried to make. I
thrust into it in degrees. I watched as Livvie’s lips stretched over my flesh
and inches of me disappeared into the heat of her willing mouth. I delved
deeper, until teeth scraped the sides of my cock and Livvie’s throat contracted
around me.
Yes! Right there.

I know there are a lot of women who
don’t like sucking dick, but god, do I love the ones who do. For a moment I felt
adrift in the sensation of Livvie’s warm, wet, and tight mouth wrapped around
my cock. The sensation was almost painful to pull away from. Every instinct in
my body was
insisting
that I push
harder, deeper, keep fucking—but I didn’t. I pulled out quickly. Livvie was
gasping. Loudly. A long trail of spit connected her flushed lips to the tip of
my cock.

“More?” I asked.
Livvie nodded and I pushed forward again. She sucked and my thighs started to
quake.

There was only so much I could do to
keep myself from getting too rough. I pulled my hands away from Livvie and my
cock and placed them on the wall in front of me. I felt more than heard
Livvie’s grateful sigh. I was rewarded further when her hands roamed from my
hips to my ass and she pulled me deeper into her mouth.

“Fuck!” I let
myself stay. I wanted to stay. It felt so fucking good. Livvie’s gag reflex
kicked in and I pulled away quickly. More gasping. More spit.

Livvie opened her eyes as she caught
her breath. There were tears in her eyes, but I knew she wasn’t crying. She was
wanton. Her head came forward and rubbed against my thigh in supplication. It’s
difficult to process all the things I feel when Livvie expresses herself this
way. If I were a wolf, I would howl. If I were a lion, I would roar. If we
lived in the jungle, I would bring her a wolf and a lion to feast on.

I reached down and stroked her wet
head. She tilted her face into my hand, eyes pleading, her mouth leaving kisses
in my palm. I had a thought:
Does she
love
me,
or does she love all the
things I do to her?