Chapter Thirty

I keep my expression as deliberate as I can, resisting the urge to drop my mouth open. I take another sip of wine, only to draw the time out a little bit.

Then, “I don’t know.”

“The photographs would only be for your eyes and mine.”

I can’t stop a nervous giggle. “I certainly won’t be posting them on my account.”

“It would be a sure guarantee to increase your following a hundred-fold.”

Braden’s voice is even-toned, as usual. I almost think he’s serious.

“Is that the surprise? You’re going to tie me up and take a picture?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“What, then? What’s the surprise?” I smile, knowing full well he won’t divulge the secret.

He chuckles. “If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise. Nice try, though.”

Seth returns with our entrees. “Filet mignon au poivre with a hickory béarnaise sauce on the side. Zucchini blossoms a l’orange and gratiné of Yukon Gold potatoes and asiago cheese.”

I inhale the savory aroma, but my hunger has dissipated. For food, at least.

All I can think of is Braden tying me up in one of those intricate ways and then taking my photo.

And after that?

Fucking me senseless.

Braden cuts a bite of his filet, brings it to his mouth, chews, and swallows. “Delicious. Aren’t you going to try your dinner?”

I say nothing. Simply cut into my steak and bring a bite to my mouth. It’s tender and flavorful, but I can’t taste it. Not when I’m thinking about being bound in such an artistic and seductive way.

We don’t talk much, and soon Braden has cleaned his plate. I’ve taken all of about five bites.

“You aren’t enjoying your dinner?” he says.

“It’s wonderful. I’m just…”

His lips edge upward. “Contemplating?”

I nod.

“Does the idea turn you on?”

I nod again.

“Eat, then. You’ll need a lot of energy.”

“But you said—”

“I know what I said. I won’t be introducing you to anything new tonight, not when you have an important meeting first thing tomorrow. You’ll still need energy for this evening, however.”

I warm all over as tingles shoot through me.

Tonight.

I clean my plate.

Dessert turns out to be chocolate-orange mousse. By now I’m no longer hungry, and Braden asks Seth to wrap up our desserts for us.

“Please give Gabriel my compliments,” Braden says as he signs the credit card statement and hands it to Seth. “Everything was spectacular.”

“I’m delighted you enjoyed it, sir.” Seth bows, taking the receipt, and leaves the table.

“Ready, Skye?” Braden asks.

I’m ready, all right.

Good and wet and ready.

…

Braden’s bedroom in this Manhattan penthouse is different from his bedroom in Boston. It’s more minimal. No wardrobe holding exquisite toys. No weird little notches on the headboard where he can hook ropes and cuffs. No spackle on the ceiling from a suspension device.

Indeed, it seems almost normal, which confuses me.

What kind of lifestyle does he practice here? In this vanilla bedroom?

I’m excited to find out.

Except he already told me that I won’t find out tonight.

“Strip for me, Skye,” he says, his eyes smoldering.

I nod and peel off my garments, one by one, slowly and seductively. I get wetter each time a piece of clothing hits the floor.

He is, of course, still dressed.

“I won’t bind you to the headboard tonight,” he says, “but I want you to grab two rungs and keep your hands there, as if you are bound. Can you do that?”

“Yes.” I lie down and grab two rungs, my palms already perspiring.

“I haven’t forgotten, Skye,” he says.

“Forgotten what?”

His lips curve slyly upward. “That I’ve denied you orgasms the last few days.”

My body throbs. Does this mean…?

“Lift your hips,” he says.

I obey, and he shoves a pillow under my ass.

“Now spread your legs.”

I obey once more.

“Mmm. Beautiful.” He sucks in a breath. “Beautiful and always so ready.”

“So ready,” I echo.

“No more talking. Close your eyes and your ears. I want you to feel tonight, Skye. Feel everything I do to you.”

I close my eyes and nod.

“I’m going to eat you, finger you, fuck you, make you come again and again until you think you can’t come anymore. And then you’re going to come again. I’m going to coax ten orgasms out of you tonight. Ten, maybe twelve, maybe fifteen. You’re going to be fucking exhausted when I’m through.”

I gasp at his words. I’m ready. So ready.

He sucks in another breath. “You have no idea what you do to me. No idea how just looking at you, bound only by the strength of my will, legs spread, ready for anything, makes me wild with desire for you. No woman has ever gotten under my skin the way you have.”

I part my lips.

He sucks in a third breath. “Your mouth. Your lips. Fuck.”

I’m desperate for a kiss, but he denies me. He’s going straight in for the kill.

He caresses the lips of my pussy.

“So slick and wet already. I can’t wait to taste you. To shove my tongue deep inside you.”

God, please.

He continues with his fingers, sliding them over and around my labia and then down to my asshole.

I tense for a second.

“Easy, baby. Relax.”

I attempt to obey him, and I find myself relaxing as he massages my anus.

“I can’t wait to take you here,” he says. “And tonight, we’ll begin that journey.”

I tense again.

“Relax,” he soothes. “You’ll be ready for what I do tonight. More than ready.” He circles my asshole with one finger. Then he positions his head between my legs and kisses my inner thighs. “Such a good position. I can see everything from here. Every luscious part of your pussy and your ass.”

He tongues my ass then, and I jerk at the attempted invasion.

“Easy. Let it go, Skye. Let your inhibitions go. You gave me control here. Remember?”

I remember.

I relax beneath him. He told me to feel, so I feel.

And it’s amazing.

His tongue is soft as it massages me but then firm when he tenses it into a point and probes the tight hole.

Relax.

Feel.

Still holding onto the rungs, I force my nerves to settle.

Braden swipes his tongue over my pussy and up to my clit, where he tenses it again and pushes against the sensitive button. I’m ready. So ready.

He probes my clit a few more times and then relaxes his tongue and swirls the tip around me. I’m so sensitive. One little movement and—

One of his long, thick fingers eases into me. “Mmm. Tight,” he says.

He moves the fingers slowly, touching every spot inside my pussy. It’s a dreamy feeling. He’s helping me relax.

“I’m going to put a finger in your ass,” he says, his voice low and hypnotic. “Just relax.”

His finger in my pussy is still moving in and out in a slow and deliberate pattern. His lips are around my clit, sucking gently, and I move my hips in circles, following his lips.

I’m relaxed.

And turned on.

And ready for anything—

“Ah!” I squeal.

Braden’s finger is in my ass.

“Easy. Relax. You’ll like this. I promise.”

I already do. I like it because it’s Braden inside me. Braden can do anything to me. I’ve given him my control, and I know he won’t abuse it.

He adds another finger to my pussy and licks my clit.

Then…he begins to move the finger in my ass in and out slowly, in the opposite rhythm from the fingers in my pussy.

Pussy full and then ass full.

Clit licked and sucked.

And oh my God…

I need to come. I need to come so badly.

Do I wait for permission?

“Come, Skye,” he says against my clit.

And I shatter. Everything. Everything and nothing all around me and all at once.

He probes my pussy and my ass, and with each probe, I soar higher and higher.

“That’s right, baby. Come for me. Come all over my face.”

He thrusts harder into my ass, and I find, to my amazement, that it’s thrilling. Ecstatically thrilling.

I feel.

I feel so much.

“Come again,” he orders.

I fly into another orgasm, a third and then a fourth. They roll through me, coiling into my belly and then bursting outward, sending sparks flying from my fingertips.

A fifth.

A sixth.

A… I lose count. They roll through me one after the other. One subsides and another begins. Up. Down. Up. Down.

“One more, Skye.” He fingers me relentlessly, touching the spot that drives me insane.

I can’t do it. Can’t give him one more—

But I do. I explode again as shards of electricity blaze through me.

“Again,” he commands.

I can’t. I know I can’t. I’m used up. Beautifully used up.

Then Braden growls. He truly growls.

And I give him one last orgasm.

It shoots through me like boiling honey in my veins. I cry out unintelligible words. I undulate violently. I grind against his face and mouth.

I soar and I soar and I soar, Braden still fingering me, still sucking me.

Until finally he releases me, moves backward slightly, and gently eases his fingers out of me.

I sink into the bed, still holding on to the rungs of the headboard. I want to let go, but I can’t. Braden’s will over me is that strong.

That controlling.

Somewhere in a haze around me, I’m vaguely aware of Braden undressing. I don’t see or hear him. I just know.

Then his cock is in my pussy, and he’s thrusting, thrusting, thrusting…

Again and again and again, against my sensitive clit and plowing into my tight pussy.

I’m spent, completely spent.

Braden can do anything to me at this point. Anything, and I’ll let him. If he wants my ass tonight, he can take it.

Any-fucking-thing.

Still he thrusts, and still I lie, open to him with my hands gripping the rungs.

“So hot,” he says through gritted teeth. “Want you so much. Fuck!”

He rams into me, releasing.

So sensitive am I from all those orgasms, I feel every spurt of his cock inside me.

I feel.

I fucking feel.