Zander seized Effie’s hand and practically dragged her upstairs, along the curving staircase. Without realizing it, she’d pried open a scab to reveal an extremely unhealed wound—his reluctance to get back to adventuring. At the top of the landing, he led her toward the master bath.
A huge Japanese soaking tub occupied the center of the bathroom.
“My God,” Effie said. “Wow. And you can take in the view while you soak.”
“Pick out a fragrance you like,” he said, indicating a row of bath salts sitting on the counter.
She cocked an eyebrow.
“I don’t give baths to women all the time if that’s what you’re thinking. I bought those for you,” he said, resuming his snappish, bossy persona. “Or, rather Mia, my assistant, picked them out at my request. They’re bubblicious or bubbleopolilis or some damn thing. I don’t remember what she called them.” He swished his hand through the air.
“I see.” She retreated into herself and shuffled toward the bath salts. “Thank you. You’re very kind.”
And there’s that damn polite voice.
“Ha! There’s a stretch.” A grumbling growl threatened to burst from his mouth.
She reached for one of the containers and pried off the lid. She took a sniff.
“This one’s nice,” she said.
“How do you know you won’t like another?” He cranked on the faucet.
The water spilled down the sides of the tub like a waterfall.
“I don’t. But I choose this one.” She tapped the lid.
He huffed out a sigh. “Look. I’m sorry I’m an asshole again. There are just some topics that aren’t up for discussion, like why I don’t compete anymore, got it?”
“Understood.” Her head bobbed up and down. When her head stopped moving, her gaze focused on the polished concrete floor.
“Look. I’d like a do-over, okay?” He tipped her chin up with the forefinger of his left hand. “I can be a jerk since my accident—and before you ask, I’d rather not talk about it. I haven’t always been this way. So, let’s do this. You get in the tub. Relax. I’ll go read or something.” More like jerk-off. “Then, I’ll take you home, all right?”
Her eyes grew wide and guileless. She lowered her gaze. “You can take a bath with me if you like.”
“Nah. Tubs aren’t my thing.”
Liar. He loved to soak after a long day, or after a workout. But usually, he removed his prosthesis. No way would he let Effie see his stump. Rejection coming from Trisha was one thing—to be rejected by this amazing woman would wreck him. If that happened, he didn’t think he could deal well.
She lifted her gaze toward him and frowned. “So, why do you have this incredible tub?”
He sidestepped the question by saying, “It came with the house.” After I designed it and paid to have it installed. “I’ll go take a shower. I’ve got another bathroom up here in the guest room. You take some space from me and my assholish behavior. I’ll be in a better mood when I return, okay?”
“You know,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. “You’d do yourself a favor by not putting yourself down.”
His eyebrows raised. “And I’d do you a favor by not lashing out. We do what we do. I’m trying. So, goddess, have a good soak. I’ll leave a robe on the hook just inside the door. The bedroom is right there.”
He pointed to the door opposite from the one leading from the hall.
“Okay,” she said. “And thank you for thinking of me. I mean, buying my favorite tea, purchasing bath salts. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness. There’s a nice guy in there when he’s not lashing out.”
She looked so sweetly innocent, he wanted to take her in the bathroom. Just bend her over the soaking tub and insert my cock from behind. A wicked smile replaced his annoyed demeanor.
“What?” she said, inclining her head.
“Nothing. Have a good soak.” He pivoted and headed down the hall.
Once inside the guest bath, he peeled off his fake-arm and set it on the counter. One of his many doctors advised removing it for bathing and showering so he could clean the skin underneath. Before getting in the shower, he locked the door, just in case. While he scrubbed himself clean, he debated about having sex with her then sleeping with her in his embrace. No way would he remove his arm. No fucking way. He didn’t usually sleep in it, but he could deal. He debated turning the lights out, like a 1950’s virgin, but thought better of it. I’ll keep them low, though.
When he emerged from the bathroom, clean shaven and artificial-arm in place, his mood had improved. Jerking off in the shower had helped. Still naked, he retrieved a woman’s robe from the guest room. He’d had Mia purchase a few things in what he hoped was Effie’s size. Striding down the hall, robe in hand, his excitement began to grow at the thought of pleasuring all over this woman. He tapped on the door and cracked it. “Robe’s right here,” he said, hanging it on the hook. “I’ll be in the bedroom.”
“Oh,” she said, her forehead furrowing. “I thought you were taking me home.”
“I thought we could have a chat first,” he said, his cock stirring to life. Instead, he planned to change the sheets—something he neglected to do on a regular basis lately. And, also scheme on how he might get her to spend the night.
“Okay. I’ll be right there,” Effie said, her eyebrows still bunched together.
“Take your time,” he said. “I need a minute to clean up my room.” In the hall, he grabbed a set of sheets from the bottom shelf—they were nice, seldom used, still in good condition, and soft.
In his bedroom, he dimmed the lights to a soft glow. He removed the dirty linen from his king-sized platform bed and replaced it with the clean ones. He pitched the unwashed sheets in the laundry hamper in his closet and stood for a moment, surveying his room.
Yeah. It looks clean enough.
The bed frame and headboard had been upholstered with soft brown leather. Two simple Rosewood side stands, with leather tops, flanked the bed. A 72” television could be lowered from the ceiling if he didn’t feel like gazing at the city and water view.
He sat on the bed and rolled onto his back, plumping the pillows behind his head. He grabbed the remote and flipped on some washout beats on his music system. His cock had already stiffened in eager anticipation of the beauty about to get in bed with him. He kept his gaze trained on the doorway. A few seconds later, his wait was rewarded.
“Hi,” Effie said, stopping just before entering the room.
Mia had picked out the perfect robe. The pink silk clung to Effie’s curves, spilling along her body until it brushed the floor.
“Wow. You’re beautiful, Effie.”
“I don’t know about that. But, thank you,” she said, ducking her head. “It helps to be clean.” Her gaze lifted to scan his body. “And you’re…hard again.” She sucked in her breath.
He chuckled.
“All for you. Come here,” he said, patting the space next to him.
She shuffled toward the bed and perched at the edge.
“This isn’t part of the sugar baby contract,” he said.
“Right. I remember.” Her head jerked back slightly. “So, what are you doing, then?”
He swallowed. Maybe she doesn’t want me like I want her. “I thought you might want to…I mean, I find you extremely attractive. But, you read the contract. Sex is forbidden. If sex were a part of these sugar baby contracts, we’d be shut down in a heartbeat. That’s prostitution. Not that other members don’t engage. You don’t have to do this.” His breath stuck in his throat as he waited to hear her answer.
“I see.” She clutched her hands together and rubbed them.
“Well, it’s late. So, I can take you home or…” Desperation to have her near clawed at his insides. “Or, you can stay here. You’re not obligated to do anything with me except sleep. I can even sleep in the guest room if you like.”
She shook her head.
“No,” she whisper-croaked. She cleared her throat. “No. Don’t go. I want to sleep with you. If that’s what you want, that is,” she added.
“Very much.” He reined in the flash of annoyance and forgave her the “slip and slide” into asserting his needs before hers. “Lay down next to me. Robe off.”
She inhaled sharply and shrugged out of her silken robe. Then, she crawled over and tucked next to him.
He placed his arm around her, pulling her close. “It doesn’t bother you, does it? This cold thing?”
He tapped her arm with his bio-hand.
“It’s a part of you…so…no. It doesn’t bother me.”
He rolled to his side and studied her face. Innocent beauty radiated from every pore. It stirred him in ways he couldn’t fathom. He prayed it didn’t stir the poison inside—that sick behavior he’d been caught in when with Trisha. “You’ve got bewitching eyes.”
He brought his live hand across to stroke her cheek.
“I like your eyes, too.” Tentatively, she placed her hand on his ribcage.
Scooting closer, he rocked his hips until the tip of his cock nudged her thigh, leaking pre-cum on her leg. Then, he wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her close for a kiss.
She smelled like bath salts and heat, shy passion and acceptance.
He pressed soft butterfly kisses on her closed lips. His cock jerked from the contact.
She pulled him closer and parted her lips. Snuggling into him, her lips connected with his, sending a thrill through his groin. A sizzling current passed between their mouths. He flicked her tongue with his. The taste of her kicked any good sense he might have about restraining himself to the moon.
She yielded to him, matching his movement. Her moans sent sharp spikes of pleasure roaring through his system. Unable to hold back, he thrust his tongue into her mouth. He wanted her. He wanted to ride her until they both were obliterated into a throbbing, pulsating pool of pleasure. He longed to bury all the pain and heartache from his past by plunging inside her sex, losing himself in the feel of her juicy pleasure around his cock.
She sucked hard on his tongue, making him ache with pleasure. A soft moan escaped her throat. She threw her leg over his hip.
He pressed closer, pressing into her nest of blond curls. Kissing her had to be one of God’s greatest pleasures. He kissed her and kissed her until stoned with pleasure.
Her hips rocked toward his, tempting him to push inside her. She kept vocalizing moans and humming into his mouth.
Finally, he tore his mouth from hers and said, “Sit on my face. I want to make you come.”
Her face lit up like he’d given her the Taj Mahal. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. Would you like that?”
“I honestly don’t know. I mean it looks fun. What do I do?”
“You mean you’ve never had a guy lick you out?” A surge of pleasure washed through him at the thought of giving her a new experience.
“I’ve explored it. But never a proper, um, licking out.” A nervous chuckle left her throat.
He rolled on his back and wiggled his fingers. “Straddle me. You can grip the headboard if you like. And I’ll make you feel really, really good.”
She rolled her lips between her teeth, stifling a smile. “Okay,” she said. “Are you sure? I don’t, like, taste weird or anything, do I?”
Her mom used to bring in scented “feminine odor reducing” products from GBS, with names like Island Sunrise, and “discretely” leave them in her bathroom. They were supposed to leave her feeling “clean and fresh,” since apparently her natural scent was deemed unsavory. She tried one once, but it made her all itchy inside.
“Let’s find out.” He grinned at her.
She crawled up and placed her knees on either side of his head. Her hands clutched the headboard.
“Lower down,” he said. He reached between her thighs and spread her folds with his thumbs.
“Like this?” she said, easing closer.
“Perfect.” He flicked the tip of his tongue on her clit. “And, for the record, I love the way you taste.”
“Ohhh,” she moaned.
Next, he gave one long sweep from her opening to her clit.
She let out another “Ohhh.”
He licked softly, then hard, soft, then hard.
Her head fell back. She seemed to melt into him…relaxing against his mouth, uttering cries of ecstatic pleasure.
He stayed tuned to her every movement, finding the right rhythm and pressure, delighting in her responsiveness. His cock jerked and bobbed, fully engorged to the bursting point. He inserted his real fingers into her sex, sliding them in and out.
“God, Zander. That’s so good,” she breathed.
“Mmm,” he murmured, continuing to lap at her.
When she came, the most beautiful moan erupted from her mouth. “Zander!” she cried. “Oh, so, so good.” Her hips rocked against him. Finally, she pulled away and slid down, pressing her short body along his torso. “My God,” she breathed. Her forehead fell against the pillow next to his cheek. Her body grew limp, sinking into him.
His cock softened a little. With Effie draped over him, he scooted over a little until he could reach the side stand and fumbled with the drawer until it opened. He retrieved a rubber and opened it with his teeth and his free hand. He reached back into the drawer and felt around for a little sex toy he hadn’t used much.
Trisha was a prude when it came to sex.
Effie, with her gorgeous release of orgasm, might be more adventurous.
Holding the sex toy between his fingers, he nudged her hips with his. “Come back, goddess.”
She stirred back to life, propping her hands on his chest while rising to her knees.
“Lift up.”
She rose until he could reach between her silky legs.
He fit the cock ring clit stimulator over his dick and rolled the latex down his thick length.
“What’s that?” she said, dipping her head to scrutinize the device.
When she lifted her gaze back to him, his eyes bore into hers while a wicked smile played along his face. “It’s a vibrating cock ring. And a clit stimulator. Want to try for another orgasm?”
She shook her head. “I’m not…well, I’ve never done that.”
His cock began to stiffen so he slipped the silicone ring in place before it got too hard. “Let’s try. No pressure. It either works or it doesn’t. I never used this piece before, so…” he shrugged.
She bit her lips, squinted one eye and looked at him dubiously through the other.
“Let’s just try.” His dick lengthened and engorged at the sight of her beautiful body. Her breasts were God’s gift to mankind. They hung like perfect creamy globes, begging to be sucked and caressed. He reached out to massage them, then, tweaked her nipples between his fingertips, hoping his high-tech hand didn’t squeeze too hard.
“Okay,” she said.
“Okay. You ready for me? I’m so hard I could come looking at you,” he said. His heart pounded in his chest, begging to be let inside her beautiful soul.
“God, yes.” She trained her hypnotic gaze on him as he positioned himself into her sex.
He flicked the On switch on the vibrator and hissed at the stimulation. “You just…” He took a couple of shallow pants, trying not to come. “You just press down on this piece.” He fingered the channel meant to stimulate her clit.
Her eyes closed as she slowly slid down the length of him. She groaned as he filled her.
“You okay?” he said.
“Yeah,” she said, opening her eyes to half-mast. “Give me a minute.” Her eyelids closed again. “Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.” She rocked along his hips.
“Damn, baby.” He kept a grip on her hips. “Just move at a pace that works for you.”
“Okay,” she said again. Her eyes opened, and she studied him, while she rocked. “Shit, this is intense.”
“Good intense?” He smiled.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Oh, yes. Oh. Right there. Oh, shit. So intense. Right there. Fuck me, Zander. Fuck me.” A long, loud moan left her lips.
Her hips ground against him until finally, he couldn’t hold back.
The ring squeezed his shaft. The vibrations shot through him.
“Oh, fuck,” he growled, releasing into her. He let out a long, loud groan, thrusting into her. The release felt like he’d saved it up for a lifetime.
As he panted, she slithered on top of him, relaxing into his body.
“Wow, Zander,” she breathed into his neck.
“Yeah, wow,” he said. He hugged her to him.
Everything about her felt perfect. When had he ever come this hard? The only thing standing in the way of pursuing her as a girlfriend was a contract. At the end of their three months, he’d made it crystal clear that she had to disappear. The language his lawyers had included made it rock solid.
Kent had insisted, saying, “I won’t lose you to another poison bitch. The company needs you. I need you. Mia needs you. I won’t let you go dark.”
So, no further contact would be allowed. And he knew from all his business interactions that contracts had to be honored.
This might be the only contract in his life he’d ever broken. Unless, of course, it broke him first.