Risking It All (23 page)

Kennedy’s fingers trembled as she bared her entire stomach, teasing him with just a hint of the lacy bra she wore. Her mind was racing just as fast as her heart at that point. A part of her still couldn’t believe she was actually allowing pictures to be taken of her like this, and the other part was incredibly turned on by it.

She didn’t have to wonder if she’d feel the same way if anyone else were taking the pictures. Everything she felt was because it was Memphis. She was comfortable yet nervous, excited but scared as hell. Stripping down for the camera was probably the most daring thing she’d ever done.

As an artist, she saw the beauty in it. The human body was a beautiful thing and one she loved to draw and paint as well. But she wasn’t the artist this time. She was the subject. She wasn’t the one creating the art but the one inspiring it.

And something about that kicked up her confidence.

She wanted to inspire Memphis. She wanted him to look at her as his muse. She wanted to be the only thing he needed.

Just as he was to her.

“Do you want to stop?”

Kennedy jumped at the sound of his voice and looked up to see him standing next to her.

“What?”

“I asked you if you were ready to remove your shirt and you froze,” he said, tracing his fingers along her knuckles. “Do you want to stop?”

“No.”

Her sweatshirt fell back into place as she sat up and kneeled in front of him on the bed. Kennedy held his gaze as she reached for his jeans and slowly tugged down the zipper. She spread the front open and then grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

“I want you with me, Memphis,” she said, dropping the shirt to the floor and reaching for his.

He let her strip him of his shirt and she ran her palms over his bare skin, raking her short nails over his chest and shoulders. She leaned closer to him and pressed her lips to his collarbone, kissing her way down his chest. He exhaled as she caught his nipple with her teeth and gently bit his flesh.

Memphis dragged his fingers through her hair as she nipped her way over his chest and down his stomach. She pushed his boxers down enough until he was exposed, and Memphis’s hand curled in her hair, fisting the black locks as she wrapped her hand around his cock.

Kennedy licked her lips, coating them before gradually sucking him into her mouth. Memphis moaned as he hit the back of her throat. She swirled her tongue around the head, tasting the tanginess of him for the first time.

She tightened her hand around the base as she stroked him and pulled her mouth away just long enough to blow cool air over the hot, hard flesh.

Memphis’s hips bucked as she took him back into her mouth and rolled her tongue under his length. She cupped his balls, lightly squeezing them as she sucked him harder.

Memphis suddenly tugged her mouth away, pulling on her hair so she was forced to look up at him. He leaned over her and kissed her hard, sweeping his tongue into her mouth with long, hard strokes.

Kennedy braced her hands behind her on the bed so she wouldn’t fall backward from the force of his mouth on hers and gave back just as good as she got. She sucked his lip between hers and sank her teeth into it, pulling it away from his mouth as she did.

Suddenly the flash went off on the camera and she jumped.

“Relax,” Memphis whispered into her mouth.

“How did you do that?” Kennedy peeked over his shoulder at the camera still set up on the tripod.

Memphis groaned at her curiosity and held up a little black device.

“Remote,” he answered, giving it to her to look at it. “This way I can be sure we only get the
tasteful
pictures you want.” He grinned at her as she handed the remote back to him. “Can we get back to what we were doing, please?”

“Well, since you asked so nicely.” Kennedy giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him onto the bed with her. “Are you sure you won’t be distracted by having to take the pictures?”

Memphis chuckled, the sound vibrating through his body onto hers.

“The only thing that’s going to distract me is you. We may not end up with a lot of pictures.”

Kennedy scratched the base of his neck and he hummed, closing his eyes. 

“That feels good,” he said. The camera flashed again. “Just try to forget it’s there, Kennedy,” he told her when she stilled.

“Look at you, the expert. Guess you’ve done this enough times to be completely comfortable with it, huh?”

She wanted it to sound like she was teasing him—like she usually would when it came to the activities with his many women. But even she heard the jealous bite in her tone.

Memphis opened his eyes and looked down at her so intently she had to look away.

“Kennedy?”

“Hmm?” She quickly blinked, trying to banish the tears that threatened to spill and embarrass her further.

“I’ve never done this with anyone before,” he confessed.

She turned her head to look at him so fast she was surprised her neck didn’t snap.

“What?”

He gave her an amused smile.

“I’ve never intimately photographed any woman I’ve been with before, and I’ve definitely never been in any photos, either.”

Kennedy tried to swallow, but her throat tightened making it almost impossible.

“You haven’t?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Oh.”

He chuckled.

“Guess I’m not the only one with a jealous streak, huh?”

Kennedy blushed and cast her eyes down to his chest.

“I wasn’t jealous,” she replied.

“Sounded like jealousy to me,” he sang.

“Can we get back to what we were doing, please?” She repeated his line.

“Well, since you asked so nicely.” 

Kennedy rolled her eyes, and he laughed.

“I don’t think I’m even in the mood anymore.” She pouted like a child

“Oh, no?” Memphis placed butterfly kisses along her jaw. “Getting warmer?” he whispered into her ear, making her shiver.

She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Not yet.”

“Hmm.” He put his hand on her knee and dragged his fingertips up her thigh and lightly over the crotch of her panties. “Now?”

“A little.” She shifted her hips so she could feel more of his hand.

Memphis sat up and pulled her up with him so they knelt facing each other. He took her hands and draped them around his neck as he brushed his fingers along her arm to her shoulders and down her back, stopping at her hips.

Kennedy shifted closer to him until she was pressed against him. His cock tented the front of his boxers, brushing against her stomach. She wasn’t sure when he had pulled his underwear back up; the only thing she cared about was that he pulled them back down.

“The way you’re rubbing against me, Kennedy, I think it’s more than ‘a little’,” he said.

“Maybe.”

Memphis dipped his head and kissed her neck, snapping another picture. This time Kennedy didn’t even blink. Whether he had intentionally meant to or not, he had made her feel incredibly special by telling her that he had never done this with anyone before, and that put her remarkably at ease.

Her bra straps slid down her arms as he unsnapped the clasp, and he placed a kiss on her shoulder as the camera flashed again.

Kennedy dropped her arms from his shoulders, and he peeled the bra off her. Memphis cupped her breasts, feeling the weight of them in his palms as he squeezed them together and rolled his tongue over both nipples.

Kennedy pulled on his shoulder so he’d move with her as she dropped back onto the bed. She pushed at his underwear and jeans, trying to rid him of the clothes so she could feel his skin on hers.

Memphis kicked them off as he moved his hands down her sides to her panties. He sat up and slipped them down her legs, eagerly nestling himself between her thighs once they were gone. He teasingly rubbed the head of his cock through her folds, pushing the tip into her wet heat before pulling away again.

Kennedy groaned and thrust her hips, grinding against him.

“Memphis,” she whimpered when he teased her again.

“Show me what you want.”

Taking the hint, Kennedy pushed on his shoulders until he was flat on his back and she straddled his hips. She leaned down and kissed him, running her tongue along his lips as she slowly rocked back and forth along his cock.

Memphis grabbed her ass and roughly squeezed her cheeks, and she laughed.

“Not as much fun when you’re the one being teased, is it?” She taunted him, rolling her hips.

A loud slap echoed in the room, leaving a sharp sting on her ass. Kennedy stilled, too surprised to say anything, but her body more than made up for what she lacked in words. Her heart raced at the feeling of being spanked, and every part of her quivered from it.

Kennedy looked down at Memphis as the sting slowly faded, and dared to rock her hips again. His hand connected with her flesh once more, and she gasped.

“Do you like when I spank you, Kennedy?” Memphis said, caressing the stinging mark left behind from his hand.

“Yes,” she answered, sounding breathless.

Memphis smacked her again a little harder, and she cried out, biting her lip and closing her eyes from the sting.

“Show me, Kennedy,” he demanded again.

Kennedy moved, kneeling above him and then sank down on him. She moaned as he stretched and filled her like no one had really done before. She stayed still for a minute and then began to move her hips in slow circles.

Memphis grabbed her hips as she rode him, Kennedy locked eyes with him until she closed her eyes again and dropped her head back. Soon she started rocking back and forth, slowly at first and then faster until her breathing quickened, signaling to him that she was close. He reached up and tweaked her nipples, pinching them while she thrust harder and faster on him.

“More, Memphis,” she rasped.

Memphis reached behind her and his hand came down harder on her already stinging cheek as he continued to squeeze one nipple.

Kennedy groaned as her legs began to shake, and she felt herself spasm around his cock even more. He grabbed her hips, continuing to rock her even when the last shudder ripped through her.

“Don’t stop. Not yet,” he groaned, thrusting his hips up.

Kennedy braced herself on his chest as he slammed into her over and over again, until finally he pulled her down hard at the same time he lifted his hips off the bed, and she felt his cock pulse against her walls as he spilled deep inside her.

Kennedy sprawled out on top of him, out of breath and tired. She laid her ear over his chest and listened to the hammering of his heart as it started to slow down to its normal beat.

Memphis pulled the sheet over them and in her exhausted state she heard the click of the camera one more time. She smiled against his skin as she drifted off to sleep thinking about what he had told her.

She was the only one to have Memphis this way.

And that she would carry with her forever.

Chapter 13

Kennedy looked up from her book and peeked at Memphis, who was seated at the island, working on mockups for the magazine on his laptop.

    It was the second day of being the cabin’s hostages because of the raging snowstorm. The winds had finally started to calm down an hour ago, and she figured it might be safe to walk to dinner without the fear of being blown away or losing an appendage to frostbite.

“Memphis, I’m hungry,” she said, closing the book in her lap and scooting into a sitting position on the couch.

“Mm-hmm.” He clicked to a new image and scribbled something down on the stack of sticky notes next to him.

Kennedy huffed as she got up and wandered over to the small pantry cabinet. She scanned the shelves and scowled.

“I need more than cereal and beer,” she whined, turning around in a false pout.

The clicking of the keys stopped, and Memphis swirled around on his chair and faced her with an amused smirk on his face.

“You’ve been getting more than cereal and beer.”

Kennedy crossed her arms and tried to look serious while Memphis laughed and leaned back on the island with his elbows.

“I don’t think I’ll survive on
that
either.” She took one last look at the pantry shelves and sighed when Memphis turned his attention back to his computer. “I’m going to brave the weather and go to the lodge.”

“And leave the safety of our bubble?”

“We’re probably the only ones who have stayed holed up in their cabin all this time.”

“I seriously doubt that.” Memphis looked up from his work when she started putting on her coat. “Where are you going?”

“I told you. I’m hungry.”

“You’re seriously going to go outside? Have you
looked
outside?”

“Memphis, I’m
hungry
!” she moaned again.

He chuckled and stood, shaking his head.

“Follow me.”

Kennedy watched through suspicious eyes as he walked over to the fridge and pulled open the door.

“Come here.”

Reluctantly Kennedy dropped her coat and went to him. 

“If your plan is to starve me to death by distracting me with amazing sex, it isn’t going to work.” She made a point to grumble as she spoke.

“Does it look like I’m planning to distract you with sex right now?” Memphis leaned over the fridge door and grinned at her. “Just how amazing is it, though?”

Kennedy tried to fight back the smile but lost.

“That good, huh?” Memphis winked and straightened. “You’re not half bad yourself, Monroe.”

“Thanks. You’re such a charmer,” Kennedy replied dryly.

“You’re gonna love me when you look in here,” he told her, stepping back.

Too late.

Kennedy dropped her eyes as the thought raced through her mind. She pressed her lips together, afraid if she opened her mouth she’d blurt out the words and really fuck everything up.

She decided last night there was no way she would ever be able to tell him how she felt. Not really. He knew she loved him, just as he loved her. But to tell him she
really
loved him in a let’s-spend-the-rest-of-our-lives-together-tangled-in-bedsheets-making-babies kind of way— he’d be out the door so fast it would look like something from a cartoon where he didn’t even open the door, he just ran through it.