Tinsel Town (9 page)

He slammed into her, groaning as her flesh expanded to accept him. Over and over, the friction of skin on skin taunted the orgasm that waited just underneath his skin. He heard her ragged sighs, growled at her broken gasps. Her hips rolled and pressed, forced him to follow, demanded he not stop. His balls tingled mercilessly, contracting to the point of near pain. The sound of revelers was a blur in the background, but the noise created an urgent, heart-pounding lust that shoved him closer to release. From somewhere far away, he heard voices calling out a countdown but couldn’t comprehend what it meant.

Then, he felt her tighten around him and slammed his mouth on top of hers. Half a breath later, she was screaming into his mouth as her walls rhythmically milked his cock and her fingers tore at his neck. It was all he needed.

His orgasm ripped through him like an angry wave of molten rock pouring through his veins, erupting from his shaft. He grasped her against him, his arms tight as his limbs quaked.

Bright, multicolored lights flashed behind his closed eyes and illuminated the dark as the deep aftershocks shook him.

He couldn’t be sure how long they stood there, cozy in their small cubby, but the world finally began its slow intrusion. He gave Kate a lingering kiss as he lowered her.

“That…incredible…” She breathed with a misty smile.

He carefully readjusted himself and zipped his pants. “You can say that again.”

She laughed. Her features were beautifully rosy, her eyes glazed with sexual release. “I had no idea. I might have to try this again.”

He thought of all the places he’d like to take her and imagined making love to her in all the hidden nooks and crannies. It was getting harder and harder for him to keep his secret.

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He wanted to tell her; she deserved to know that he’d wanted her not just because he’d been hired. And he would let her know. Just as soon as he’d planned the perfect way.

He pulled her closer when she reached up to nip his ear. “If you don’t stop, you’ll get a repeat performance.”

“And would that be so -- oh!”

Her head had turned, her eyes focused on the town square. He followed her gaze and smiled when he saw what she was looking at.

“They lit the tree,” she said.

He suddenly noticed the dimness of the alley had been overtaken by the color of the tree lights. “So that’s what I was hearing. It was probably what I saw, too.”

She looked at him with curiosity, but he only chuckled. Bending down, he swiped her torn panties up from the ground and tucked them into his pocket. He kissed her kiss-swollen lips, draped his arm over her shoulders, and led her back toward the town square, a very content man.

Tinsel Town

65

Kate stared in the steam-fogged mirror and contemplated her flushed face. She wasn’t in the mood to go shopping for her sister’s wedding gift, not after her run-in with Ethan and Heather the night before. But she also knew she would only be giving her ex and his wife power over her if she stayed in. Stayed in curled up with Clive. Stayed in experimenting.

Stayed in running her hands, her lips, her tongue over Clive’s hard body. Stayed in to bend to his will, to learn more, to experience mind-blowing orgasms and never-before-tried positions. He’d certainly helped her forget about the world last night in that alleyway. She was positive that he’d help her forget everything else again if she stayed here with him.

She felt her nipples harden, and her clit pulse to life. Insane, she thought, especially after the way he’d thoroughly satisfied her yesterday evening. Her body didn’t seem to mind the thought of another go, and if she were honest, neither did her mind. Too bad she couldn’t just grab something from the inn’s guest shop. Molly would definitely know the pretty little soaps weren’t exactly from a boutique.

Sighing, Kate resigned herself to another stroll around Johnsburgh. At least Clive would be with her, she thought, and brightened at the idea. He did seem to be fascinated with the overexcitement the holidays brought to the town. It would be a hoot to take him 66 Flesa Black

into Marla Pye’s World, where Marla Pye made every kind of conceivable pie. The international selection alone would probably boggle his mind.

Strange how she was thinking of him more and more as someone she enjoyed outside of sex. No, it wasn’t strange, she decided, and sank down on the toilet lid. He’d had this hold on her ever since she’d opened her door to find him standing there. When she knew she should have sent him away, she’d let him stay. Her common sense had gone the way of the Studebaker. But something in her had rebelled at the idea of letting him walk away.

Something still niggled at the back of her brain at all hours of the day and night. It only stopped when she was in throes of sex with Clive.

The answer was there, but she refused to admit to it. How foolish would it be to fall in love with an escort? She’d made a fool of herself over Ethan. Dare she do the same with Clive? Did she really have a choice?

Running a hand through her damp hair, she contemplated the tiled floor. Her heart, she decided, was a masochist. Because, despite her better judgment, that something she’d ignored had nurtured itself, had grown and thrived, and had become full-blown feelings.

Feelings for a man she couldn’t ever really have. She was an idiot.

“No, you aren’t.” Her voice was soft but determined as she lifted her chin.

Just because she felt this didn’t mean she had to admit it to him. Heaven knew she’d survived a broken heart before. She could do it again. And this time, it wouldn’t be because the man had played her for a mush-brained moron. No, this time, she would have control over the situation. She would be the one to end it, to send him on his way, to close the door and hold the memories of their days together close to her. She would be grateful to him for teaching her about sex, about her body, about what things she might want to explore further.

She would enjoy the rest of their time together, but she would also remind herself that it wasn’t real. It was a fantasy. And every fantasy came to an end.

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67

For right now, though, she was going to be happy for her sister, glad of her family’s love and support, and thankful that Betty had given her a very unique present. She would not let bittersweet longing spoil the time she had left.

She was smiling determinedly when she stepped out of the bathroom sporting only her towel. She pulled up short when she found Clive standing beside the bed with a predatory grin spread across his handsome face. She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but her skin began to tingle with anticipation.

“Are you all cleaned up?” he asked smoothly.

She nodded and swallowed against her dry throat.

“All ready to go out and face a day of shopping?”

“Y-yes.”

He lifted an eyebrow and crooked his finger. “Come here, I have a present for you.”

This was what she wanted; this was what he could give her; this was what she could accept without fear. She didn’t hesitate. She was across the room in record time. He trailed a finger down one bare shoulder and she shivered in delight.

He paused and studied her face for a moment. “Are you okay? You look a little…upset.”

She notched up her smile and concentrated on the heat of desire. “I’m fine. I’m just wondering what you have hidden behind your back.”

He hesitated for a moment, but finally relaxed. “I have something that will help the day be a little brighter.”

She watched as he pulled out an odd-looking pair of underwear. “What’s this?”

“Here, step into them and I’ll show you.”

“Um, but, with my size I’m not sure if they’ll --”

“Don’t worry, I found some in mouthwatering curves size.”

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Her slight embarrassment disappeared like ice in July. She cooperated as he went to his knees and helped her into the white underwear. She gasped when he paused to give her slit a little lick. When he adjusted the crotch, she realized they weren’t an ordinary pair of panties.

“What exactly are these?” She couldn’t help the anticipation that filled her words.

His eyes were bright with wicked light as he stood. “These are remote-control panties.”

She stared at him for a moment, trying to sort through his words. “Excuse me?”

“Remote” -- he took a step closer -- “control” -- he pulled a small rectangle from his pocket -- “panties.”

He pushed a button to demonstrate. She jumped as the small nub pressed against her slit began to vibrate noiselessly. The sensation was incredible, and she could feel her nipples hardening.

He watched her, looking thoroughly satisfied with her reaction. “Today while we’re out shopping with your sister, you’ll be wearing these. I’ll have the control, so you’ll never know when I’m going to hit the switch, or for how long. It will drive you crazy, but you’ll like it.”

She licked her dry lips, knowing he was right, and glad to have this new sexual adventure to occupy her mind. “I should wear a skirt.”

His grin was wide and wolfish. “Yeah, I think maybe you should.”

* * * * * *

Twice now she’d stopped midsentence and lost her train of thought. It was so unlike her that Dana had asked if she was sick. No, not sick, she thought, but held right on the brink of an orgasm that she thought might rip her apart.

Tinsel Town

69

“Kate? Kate, are you listening to me?”

She shook her head and swung her attention back to Dana. “Oh, I’m sorry. My mind must have drifted.”

“Um, drifted, yeah.” Her sister worried her bottom lip as her gaze swung over to Clive.

“What do you really know about this guy, Kate?”

She was surprised by Dana’s question, and she was afraid that her humming body was keeping her from hearing entire conversations. “What?”

“I know you’re lonely, I get that. But this guy…he just showed up in your life, out of nowhere.”

“Not out of nowhere, Dana. He’s my neighbor. He moved in a few months ago.”

“Yeah, but where did he come from? What happened to his last girlfriend? Does he want a family? Is he afraid of commitment?” Her sister sighed and laid a hand on Kate’s. “He seems almost too good to be true.”

Kate tried her best to look innocent. “He’s from Louisiana, she moved to another state for a job, and we haven’t exactly been talking golden anniversaries.”

“Look, I’m the last person to rain on your parade.” Kate snorted but Dana plowed on. “I get that he’s sexy, very sexy, and he’s extremely charming. But after Ethan --”

“Oh God, not him again!” Kate propped her fists on her hips in agitation. “I made a mistake, okay? A big, nasty, disaster of a mistake. I thought I loved Ethan. I thought Ethan loved me. I was wrong. But I’m not going to let one idiot in a sea of men ruin my life.”

Dana had a distinctly pained look, her skin fading out to parchment white as her eyes darted behind Kate. A sinking, disturbing feeling sank down into her stomach. With her luck, she knew her instincts had to be true.

“Hello, Ethan.” She turned and did her best not to hiss in annoyance. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to talk to you without your bodyguard hanging over your shoulder.”

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Dana coughed discreetly. “I’ll just go look at the…the linens.”

She slipped away without a sound, leaving Kate to stare at her ex. Ethan tucked his hands in his pants pockets and narrowed his gaze. Oh, she wasn’t going to like this, she was sure of it.

“Kate, you’re acting like a fool.”

Her eyebrows shot up and she very nearly growled. “I’m acting like a fool? And, pray tell, how exactly am I doing that?”

He cocked his hip and pursed his lips. “Your boyfriend over there. Everyone saw you two sneak off together last night just before they lit the tree. And when you came back, it was damn obvious what you’d been doing.”

“And since when is that any concern of yours?”

“You’re smarter than this. For God’s sake, you were engaged to me!”

A mocking smile spread across her mouth. “Which doesn’t prove your point about my mental aptitude, considering the fact you were fucking Heather in the bed I’d bought for us.”

“That has nothing to do --”

“It has everything to do --” Her voice had begun to rise, and suddenly, her panties began to vibrate. The sensation brought an immediate halt to her words.

Ethan let out a long breath and ran his hands through his hair. “I didn’t love Heather.

If you would have let me explain that to you, everything could have worked out.”

Kate swallowed as the vibrator stopped. She quickly brought her thoughts back together, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what Ethan had just said. “It doesn’t matter; none of this matters. You’re married to Heather, you have a child on the way, and your father-in-law has made sure you have a steady business at your law firm. You have your life, and it doesn’t include me. It should never, under any circumstances, include me.”

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71

“I feel badly for what I did, don’t you get that? I still feel…responsible for you, and for how you’re acting right now. Sneaking off to grab a quickie in the middle of town isn’t like you, Kate.”

The buzzing began again, and she had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from crying out. Her nipples were rock hard, tight peaks brushing against the silk of her shirt. She had the sudden urge to excuse herself, go to the ladies’ room, and bring her own orgasm on. Clive turned his eyes to her then, and she knew he saw her thoughts. He gave her a crooked smile and a barely perceptible shake of his head.

“Kate?” Ethan turned, looked at Clive, and let out a disgusted sound. “Good God, you can’t even go five minutes without him.”

“Shut up.”

He looked at her, shocked. “What?”

“You heard me. Shut up.” The panties stopped and she took a deep breath. “I am not your responsibility. I’m not the tenderhearted coed who fell at your feet in gratitude just because you gave me attention. I’m not the girl who felt inadequate next to all the other girlfriends you’d had. I’m not the person who took your quiet little hints that I wasn’t good enough because of my brains, or my weight, or my choice of careers. I’m different. Maybe it’s because I’ve grown up, maybe it’s because I found my own life, maybe it’s because I finally found a man who knows how to give me mind-numbing pleasure. Personally, I think it’s all of those things. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have something I have to do.”