Bound by Love Read online

  He leaned across her back and whispered in her ear. “Are you ready for me?"

  She groaned when she felt the head of his cock move into her ass. “Yes!” She gasped.

  He pushed in, inch by slow inch, filling her beyond anything in her experience, and she wondered briefly if she could take him like this. Building an easy glide in and out, he reached under her and slipped something into her pussy. Her lust-fogged brain registered the cord stretched around her leg, attached to a small box. When the vibration started, she was amazed he'd managed to place the bullet on her G-spot. Five minutes ago she was sure she couldn't come again. Now she was desperate for it, and thrust back against him. Taking the hint he increased the rhythm so that he was ramming in and out of her. The sound of skin slapping skin was replaced by her keening when she came again, and his yell of release seconds later.

  They collapsed together on the bed. After a moment he gathered all the toys and dropped them on the table. He gathered her in his arms, pulled the sheet over them, and she drifted off to sleep.

  * * * *

  She woke to the sound of rushing water. Stretching her arms over her head, she glanced at the clock to see two hours had passed. Mack stood in the bathroom doorway, arms crossed over his chest, with a smile on his face that said I have a secret.

  She smiled back and rolled over, propping her head on one hand. It was the first chance she'd had to study his body undistracted and in the light, so she seized it. Broad shoulders narrowed to chiseled abs and long lean legs. Scars on one knee that she knew were from an old surgery. His penis grew hard under her gaze, and the look in his eyes changed from languid to hungry. An answering heat coursed through her body.

  He straightened and held a hand out to her. “Let's take a bath."

  She surprised herself when she sauntered bare assed before him to the Jacuzzi. She worked out, she ate right, but she'd never considered her body a thing of enticement. The appreciation evident in Mack's eyes was changing that.

  She climbed in the tub and leaned back, eyes closed, sighing in appreciation as the jets hit her body. The water rippled when he stepped in and took the place opposite her. Alone it would have been more than sufficient size; two was cozy. They laughed when water sloshed over the side.

  "Tight fit,” she said.

  "More than one thing around here's a tight fit,” he joked, wagging his eyebrows lasciviously.

  She laughed and splashed water at him.

  "Always a goofball."

  Grinning, he shrugged.

  "Someone has to lighten the mood. You're always too serious."

  "Am not."

  "Are too."

  She snorted. Great. Now they sounded like a couple of six year olds on the playground. She arched an eyebrow at him.

  "It wouldn't hurt you to be serious every now and then, you know."

  "Sweetheart,” he said, reaching for her upper arms and pulling her into his lap. “I've been pretty damned serious the last twenty four hours."

  "This is serious, is it?” she teased, waving a hand to point out she was sitting on his lap.

  "Oh yeah,” he murmured, his lips claiming hers.

  On a scale of one to ten, she rated it a fifteen. With one hand cupping the back of her head and the other wrapped around her waist, he pulled her flat up against his chest. The fine hairs there grazed and teased her nipples into hard points and his hard cock nudged her butt. Her blood caught fire. The kiss was slow, almost lazy, like the long day had been, as if he had all the time in the world to love her.

  With a groan he set her back on her side of the tub. She blinked in surprise and chuckled.

  "You are the master of restraint, aren't you?"

  He laughed with her, rubbing a hand over his face.

  "I used to think so. You blow my control."

  She arched an eyebrow. “I see. That's why I'm over here and you're over there?"

  "You,” he said, leaning over and lightly biting her bottom lip. “Need to pace yourself."

  Shocked by the answer, she sputtered in annoyance. What the hell was that about? Had she jumped his bones? Had she pushed for this little episode at all? He chortled softly, shaking his head.

  "Your social life's been a little lacking the last year, Nikki,” he said, obviously taking pity on her confusion. But then his voice dropped, turned cold, a dangerous glint appearing in his eye. “Unless there's some man in a closet somewhere I don't know about?"

  She snorted. “Yeah right.” She cocked her head to the side and watched various expressions cross his face. Was he actually jealous? She savored the feeling of having a jealous man for a moment before dismissing the idea as ridiculous.

  "So about this control thing...” She let the question trail off.

  "Control,” he murmured, lifting one of her feet in his hand and firmly massaging. She groaned with pleasure and almost missed his answer. “If I didn't bother with control, I'd fuck you so much today you wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow. And then what would we do Sunday?"

  Her breath logged in her throat. Put like that, she was tempted to say, to hell with control.

  "Oh,” she answered weakly, still caught by the idea of having so much sex she wouldn't be able to walk.

  Mack wisely changed the subject. He spoke of people they worked with, his family, her family. It seemed he kept up a steady stream of nonsense while they soaked. The pulsing water and steam combined with his smooth voice to make her drowsy again. She must have drifted off because the next thing she realized he was pulling her out of the Jacuzzi and wrapping her in one of his large plush towels.

  He led her to the bed and tucked her in.

  "We have dinner reservations at seven. Why don't you take a nap?"

  "Hmm.” She grabbed his hand. “Lay down with me,” she said, a drowsy whisper.

  He grinned. “Thought you'd never ask.” He climbed in to gather her close.

  * * * *

  She was pulling a mascara wand through her eyelashes, when Mack came in to the bathroom. The man thought of everything. He'd not only packed her a bag of clothes that morning, but also grabbed her shampoo, conditioner, and make-up bag. She couldn't have planned better for the weekend herself.

  She smiled at his reflection and moved to apply mascara to the other eye, while he leaned casually against the counter and looked her up and down. Normally she would have been very self-conscious at the perusal. She was only half-dressed, in bra, thong, and thigh highs. But he seemed to destroy all her barriers.

  Finished, she screwed the wand back into the tube and tossed it in the bag. He'd asked her to wear her hair down so she ran a brush through it quickly, and then turned to don the rest of her clothes.

  "Wait,” he said. “I want you to wear this."

  He opened his palm to reveal a bullet vibe that appeared to have a cut off cord. She raised her eyebrows.

  "It's a remote,” he answered the silent question, opening his other hand to reveal the control.

  She looked at him a moment without a word then held her hand out for it. Rolling it in her fingers, she watched him out of the corner of her eye as he put on his tie. When he finished, he swatted her on the butt. She jumped at the light slap, blushing at memories of the previous night.

  "We'll be late,” he said, dropping a brief kiss on her lips. “I'm going to start the car."

  She wondered if he was worried about being late or knew she was reluctant to insert the vibe with him watching. Once he was gone, she put it in place and looked for her shoes. Her friends called them fuck me heels and she winced a little hoping the night wouldn't require a lot of walking. Glancing at her watch, she hurried to catch up and felt the first zing in her pussy as she settled the dress over her hips. Leaning against the counter, she held her breath. This would take some getting used to. When it stopped, she reached for a lipstick tube and caught her reflection in the mirror, stunned.

  Who was this satisfied looking woman? If he'd meant the weekend to relax her, to let her guard down, h
e'd certainly succeeded. She decided she liked the new confidence in her body, in the look that shone in her eyes, and the way she wanted to sway her hips when she walked. She smiled at the Nikki staring back at her from the mirror as all sorts of new possibilities arose in her mind.

  "Nikki,” he called down the hall. “Get a move on, babe!"

  She took a last long look at herself before hitting the light switch and walking down the hall. The ride was endless. At first he turned on the vibe at every stop, but by the midpoint of the drive it was completely random. Every time she jumped or gasped he claimed to be testing it, but his sly smile testified to other motives.

  By the time they got to the restaurant, Max's, she was in a heightened state of arousal, never knowing when to expect the now familiar buzz. With relief she realized he'd chosen a loud place. No one would be aware of the hidden vibe but them.

  They were shown to their table right away, and she ordered a glass of white wine, hoping it would help settle her nerves. He smiled at her like the Cheshire cat, as if he knew exactly what she was doing and planned to circumvent her.

  Dinner was enjoyable and exhilarating. Somehow the knowledge that a room full of people were unknowingly witness to Mack's torment of her was a complete turn on. Maybe she was an exhibitionist. Who knew?

  She was hot and wet, nipples visibly pebbled through her bra. The random purring of the vibe against her G-spot was enough to keep her on the brink of orgasm, but he added to the sensory overload with little gestures. A hand lightly trailed up her arm while his other drew circles on the inside of her thigh. At some point between courses, he leaned over for a long sultry kiss. She was unaware of anything but desire for him.

  She'd adjusted to the on again off again humming sensation in her pussy by the time the Death by Chocolate dessert arrived. The vibe did not go off while they shared the treat, but when the waiter took the plate away, Mack flipped the switch. She flushed and tried not to pant.

  Noticing the strain of the evening on him, too, she brushed his erection under the table. His eyes were shiny and the skin around them tense. His grip on the pen when he signed the check was so tight he bent the hard rubber enough to crack the side.

  Leading her to the car, he once again turned the vibe on and she gasped, clinging to his arm. He quickly handed her in, started the car and left the lot. She no longer tried to control her gasps as his fingers thrust their way past her panties to find her aching clit. She was so keyed up that she came as soon as he touched her, and her low cry filled the car.

  As she shuddered against his hand, her mind vaguely registered his pulling off the road into a small, secluded park. He removed her thong and, with a quick tug, took out the vibrator, then lifted her onto his freed and straining cock.

  "Ride me,” he demanded with a gruff voice, leaning the seat back.

  Sated, she grinned at the thought of getting a little bit of control for herself. Taking him into her, she sucked her breath in at renewed arousal. Was it possible to expire from too much pleasure? Maybe she'd be the first.

  She tried to torment him with a lazy pace. He let her for a while, but his eyes glittered, promising retribution. She shivered in anticipation. He must have taken it as a sign she was ready to let go again because he held her hips still and thrust into her.

  He built a quick, pounding rhythm. She was amazed at the bliss that once again spiraled through her. She'd never experienced such harmony with a man, and morosely vowed not to consider the little time left.

  Chapter Four

  He wasn't sure how the day got away from him. It started out in bed, of course, and that was a new experience. If he spent an entire night with a woman it was always at her house. Nikki didn't understand she was the only woman he'd brought home. He snorted. How could she? He didn't tell her.

  Then there was the episode on the kitchen table. Could he help it if he was unable to keep his hands off her, now that he had her naked and in his house—where she couldn't get away? He was a man after all.

  In desperation he'd suggested they go out. But even in public, he couldn't not touch her. At the Farmer's Market, his hand stayed tucked in her back pocket. At lunch, it rested so close to the top of her thigh, he could feel the heat and dampness of her pussy.

  He'd barely gotten them home, and was afraid he'd have another embarrassing car incident. Jesus. He hadn't done anything like that since he was a teenager.

  He smiled. In retrospect, however, he might have to give it another try. She'd been beautiful with the moonlight glowing on her skin, head thrown back in ecstasy.

  Although there was the missing condom. He hadn't done that since he was a teenager either. Normally the possibility of an unexpected pregnancy would have him quaking in his boots. In honesty, it was sooner than he'd like, he wanted more time with just the two of them, but it fit in with his plans for her.

  After a light dinner in the family room, he carried the plates to the kitchen and returned, determined to establish once and for all that she wasn't leaving. He found the room empty and searched the house for her with mounting frustration. Yet something inside told him he'd find her packing in the bedroom.

  He was right. Her smile was timid when he walked in and took up a position at the foot of the bed, arms crossed. She was fitting her personal stuff in a side pocket and straightened, arching an eyebrow at him.

  "What?” she asked.

  "Where do you think you're going?"

  She laughed, shaking her head.

  "I think I'm going home. I have to gather the team tomorrow and catch a flight before noon. I haven't packed, I haven't watered my plants, and I haven't made any plans for my mail pick up or anything."

  She took a deep breath, and met his gaze. “So I'm going home."

  She was giving him her don't get in my way look. He fought the urge to chain her to his side. She did have to work. He liked that about her. But was there any reason she couldn't take care of those things—he'd even help—and come back here? Had the weekend been no more than an exploration for her, a passing interlude with the office bad boy?

  The hell of it was, he couldn't ask. Couldn't force the words out of his mouth. But he was damned if he'd let some other man benefit from the sensuality he'd awakened in this woman. His woman.

  He nodded. “I don't want this to end."

  She looked at him a long moment. “It was a weekend, Mack. The extended date you've been badgering me about for six months."

  Badgering? Is that the way she saw him?

  She zipped the bag and drew it over her shoulder.

  "I should get going."

  He grabbed her hand as she approached the door. “You don't want to break this off anymore than I do, Nikki."

  She took a deep breath and pulled her hand free. “Give me some time to think it over."

  He nodded. “How long will you be gone?"

  "Two weeks probably."

  "When you get back then."

  "Okay."

  "And come here when you get back,” he said. “Give me that much at least."

  She looked at him oddly. “There's no telling how late or early that will be."

  "Take a key then."

  He pulled the ring out of his pocket, removed the house key and placed it in her palm, curling her fingers closed over it.

  "I ... okay.” She made it to the door before he stopped her again.

  "You could be pregnant. Last night..."

  She paused at the doorway, hand on the doorjamb and shook her head. Looking over her shoulder she met his gaze.

  "No. I'm on the pill,” she answered.

  She walked down the hall while he stood rooted to the spot, visions of coming inside her with no barriers consuming him. He heard her car start. Damn. He hadn't even kissed her goodbye.

  * * * *

  The long week was over. At last.

  Tired, she threaded her way through the almost empty terminal. At 4 a.m. the red-eye crowd was beginning to trickle in. Following an interminable walk,
she arrived at the baggage carousel and waited for her luggage to appear.

  She'd crammed an eight-day investigation into five, but that had taken long hours and sleepless nights. After sending the rest of the team home on an earlier flight, she'd stayed to wrap up paperwork. It had stretched a few hours beyond what she expected, but the end of the long week was in sight at last. She sighed with relief when her bags glided into view.

  Her car was in long-term parking, and she sat a few minutes trying to get her foggy brain to make a choice. Sunday Mack gave her a key and insisted she go to his house when she got back in town. No matter how late. He wanted her answer ASAP. She wondered sarcastically if he had someone else lined up in case she said no.

  She leaned her head on the steering wheel, overcome with fatigue. The problem was she couldn't make up her mind. She'd waffled back and forth all week. She wasn't even sure what he was asking for.

  I don't want this to end, he'd said. What did that mean? He didn't want the sex to end? He enjoyed her company? What? Not one word about how he felt about her, or where the future might take them.

  She'd waited to hear ... what? That he loved her? She snorted. He called her every day while she was gone and nothing like that had crossed his lips. His calls were all business beyond an affable ‘how ya doing'.

  She couldn't continue if it was just sex to him, not with her heart so involved. She decided to go home and sleep on it. Tomorrow was soon enough to cut out her heart.

  When she turned the engine off, and realized where she'd driven, she laughed and shook her head at herself. When had she started thinking of his place as her home?

  Exhausted, she fished his key out of her bag and trudged to the front door. He'd left the light on for her. She sighed and turned to examine the neat street, breathed in deep the scent of blooming gardenias, and looked at the full moon hanging low in the morning sky. It felt right.

  With the decision firm in her mind, she smiled. Poor Mack. He wouldn't know what hit him.

  She walked in, closing and locking the door behind her with a soft click. Throat parched, she went first to the kitchen. At the sink, she drank two glasses of water before turning to head down the hall.