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KENZIE
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THIS MAN IS RIDICULOUS.
Bold.
Wild.
Am I seriously contemplating his suggestion?
For four years, Joel was the bane of my existence during group projects. He rarely showed up to class, never contributed to the workload. And there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. The one time I mentioned changing partners, my professor denied me and tried to spin my dilemma into a learning situation on how to work with others.
“How can I be sure you’ll hold up your end of the bargain? Previous experience says otherwise.” Maybe seeing happy couples has affected me more than I thought because I never would have unloaded so much personal information on him otherwise. Plus, the idea of letting go for a few days and stockpiling pleasure-filled memories for future responsible me doesn’t sound half bad. I may not need a man in my life—I’m great at taking care of myself—but that doesn’t mean I’m too stubborn to turn down an opportunity for sex without the potential of heartbreak.
Abstinence has been my life for years as I’ve carefully avoided romantic entanglements, not quite cavalier enough to sleep with a partner without an emotional bond. But perhaps Joel’s the perfect compromise. Nothing serious will form between us, so I’ll be safe. And I know him well enough to have a connection, even if it’s as tenuous as a spider’s web.
“Care for a preview? Platonic or friends with benefits, just say the word, and I’ll prove myself.”
“Friends with benefits.” The decision blurts out without a second thought and with shockingly little judgment. What happens on campus stays on campus, right?
“Excellent choice.” He grins, a charming flash of white teeth and boyish enthusiasm. “How about a kiss for starters?”
Inhaling a lungful of crisp fall air, I let the shock of cold settle my nerves and nod.
Time to be reckless.
Responsibilities be damned... at least for now.
“Best make it good,” I warn, “Or else our deal will end with it.”
“Challenge accepted.”
His hands encircle my waist as he hoists me onto his lap, my legs spreading over his thighs and exposing my lace panties to the zipper of his pants. “Whoa.” My nails dig into his shoulders for security, and I struggle to orient myself after the abrupt movement. “Warn a girl next time.” Though color me shocked that Joel has strength enough to drag me around like a plaything.
It’s surprisingly hot.
“Noted,” he says before wrapping a hand in the neat bun of hair at the nape of my neck and urging me forward without preamble.
The kiss is hard. Dominant. Not what I would’ve expected from Joel, and definitely unlike any first kiss I’ve ever had.
Not that I’ve had many, but they’re usually tentative and controlled—not forceful and rough.
A heavy sigh stalls in my chest. Looks like I’ll need to show him what to do here, too. Untangling myself from him, I loosen my grip on his shoulders and smooth languid circles over his chest, trying to convey the message to slow down. To rein it in instead of blasting off like a rocket.
“What are you doing?” he asks, amusement trickling into his voice.
“Showing you how to kiss the correct way.”
The trickle becomes a river as Joel releases a hearty laugh, and I frown. Geez, he can’t even take seduction seriously.
“Obviously, this is a mistake,” I mutter. Scolding myself for believing this guy could help me in any sort of way this weekend, I quickly try to stand. This is my sign to suck it up and go back to the cocktail party, which has probably become the dinner by now, and forget about this strange interlude.
“Hang on.” Joel’s arms tighten around my waist, halting my progress. “You can’t quit on me, yet. Especially since you haven’t given me a fair shot.”
“I let you kiss me.” I point out with a roll of my eyes. And he failed the test.
“For two seconds before you tried taking control.” His rebuttal hangs in the air, but there’s no use denying the truth. I had to take over. “I know you’re used to controlling everything and making sure it’s perfect, but in this? With us? I’m in charge. You can have your way any other time.”
“Well, if I don’t like what you’re doing, I’m not going to just accept it.”
“How do you know what you’ll like if you shut it down too soon?” His eyes soften slightly at my mutinous glare. I may have agreed to try this arrangement, but I’m not a pushover. “Look, I’m not opposed to trying what you want. You’re used to things a certain way, and I understand. We like to stick with what we know, but I’d like to try my way first. Compromise, okay?”
His comment about sticking to the familiar rubs me the wrong way. Makes me feel like an old woman who refuses to learn or adapt. Makes me feel like I’m no fun at all, and I hate that perception.
“Fine.” I can be flexible. I can adapt. My eyes close in preparation for another attack of his lips, but instead he nips me on the chin with his teeth. My eyes snap back open. “Hey! I said, fine. You don’t have to punish me for voicing my opinion.”
“I’m not.” Joel shrugs, a mischievous gleam playing about his features. “I just wanted a bite.” Then his mouth drops to nibble along my neck, sucking hard at random intervals until he reaches my cleavage—ensuring I don’t return to the dinner tonight because my skin will be marked by him.
By love bites.
Hickeys.
Marks no one’s ever given me before.
“Sorry if I caught you off guard earlier, but I thought it best to show you exactly what you’ll be getting into this weekend.” Another lick and rough suctioning on the side of my breast, the blazing trail leading to my nipple. “My days can be stressful, and I’m guessing yours can be, too. Sex is my escape. Where I prefer to work out every strain and worry with vigorous fucking. That means I take what I want—no holds barred—and give it back tenfold. Slow and tender isn’t out of the question, but it’s not my default.”
Well, that explains a lot.
With a swift drag of his hand, Joel shifts my dress and bra to the side, exposing my breast to the night chill before the heat of his mouth draws it between his teeth, and my body jumps at the contact. A breathy gasp fogs the air as he works the sensitive flesh with his tongue, the large hands at my hips pushing me down on his erection in a grinding motion.
This is more than I expected.
More than a simple kiss to seal our deal.
It’s a blatant showcase of ownership to prove who’s in charge, and the knowledge is headier than I ever could’ve dreamed. Like Joel’s tapped into my deepest fantasy of having someone else be the boss for once. For someone else to guarantee things turn out alright.
Sex in the past has been perfunctory. Lackluster. It fell on my shoulders to pleasure my partner and myself.
But Joel’s having none of it.
And I’m not quite sure how to handle the feeling of freedom.