Chapter 7
Kara trembled as Simon swept her up in his strong, muscular arms and cradled her gently against his powerful body. Had she really just told him to take her to bed and do anything he wanted to her? Yes…she had…and she was shaking with anticipation. What she had told him was true. She was tired of fighting her attraction to him, an attraction that was so much more than a tiny bit of chemistry. Drawn to him as she had never been to another man, the struggle was futile, the outcome inevitable. Her body burned to be taken by him, and only him.
A smart, street-wise woman should probably fight the temptation. But Kara had never been enticed by a man like Simon Hudson. He was an enigma, a mystery that she hadn’t yet solved. Gruff, abrupt, brilliant…but also considerate, kind, and every now and then she caught a vulnerability that made her want to hold him close and soothe his battered soul. Kara had no doubt that at some point in his life, Simon Hudson had been hurt. Badly! How could she resist the yearning she had for him? She had to have one night with him, one chance to experience true desire. If she didn’t grasp this opportunity, Kara knew she would regret it for the rest of her life. It was gut instinct, but she had grown up tough and had learned to go with her intuition.
It had been screaming at her tonight, beating at her to accept Simon’s earlier proposition, telling her that she should take the chance to experience a passion and desire unlike anything she had ever experienced before and that might never come along again.
She felt her feet hit the plush carpet in Simon’s bedroom as he lowered her slowly to the ground, their bodies sliding together until she found her footing. His expression was volatile, his eyes dark with hunger and desire as his mouth came down on hers. Raw need ripped through her and she tightened her arms around his neck as he plundered her mouth, pulling the clip from her hair and burying his fingers, pulling her mouth tighter against his. One hand came down and gripped her ass tightly, pulling her up and against his hard erection, making her moan into his mouth with her desire for him to be inside her. She was already wet, ripe for his possession.
Needing some skin to skin contact, she reached for his shirt, desperate to touch his bare skin.
“No,” he barked as he ripped his mouth from hers and grasped her wrist.
“I just needed to touch you,” she panted, confused by his complete change of attitude.
“I need you naked. This has to go my way, Kara,” he told her quietly. “I told you what I wanted. I was completely serious.”
His voice was demanding, but Kara could hear a tinge of vulnerability in his statement. Wanting his possession more than she wanted her next breath, she stood back and pulled her t-shirt over her head. Popping open the button of her jeans, she lowered the zipper as she met his eyes with no shyness or hesitation. Shimmying out of the tight designer jeans, she let them drop to the floor, kicking out of them as they stopped at her ankles. She stood, her eyes never leaving his, in a very flimsy black silk bra and matching thong.
“Holy Christ. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he breathed reverently as he cupped her cheek and let his finger slide slowly over her face and down the side of her neck, until he reached the swell of her breasts, accentuated by the barely-there bra.
“It’s the expensive lingerie,” she told him softly, her breath hitching as he caressed the tops of her breasts lightly, making her shiver with desire.
“It’s you,” he answered, his fingers reaching for the front clasp of the bra. It gave way easily, spilling her breasts into his waiting hands. “You’re perfection.”
Kara shook her arms and the material dropped to the floor silently. She hissed as his hands roamed over her body, cupping the tender flesh of her breasts, his thumbs teasing her sensitive nipples. His fingers branded, leaving trails of heat wherever he touched.
“Although I love those panties, they need to go,” he insisted in a husky voice, a mere whisper, as his mouth nipped at the lobe of her ear.
They were gone in seconds, her desire to have him inside her intense, her core screaming for relief.
Longing and apprehension warred in her mind as she stood in front of Simon, completely naked. “Simon, I haven’t been with anyone for a long time.”
“How long?” he growled, his hand cupping her ass possessively.
“Five years. And even then I wasn’t very good in bed. There was only Chris, and I wasn’t enough to satisfy him,” she answered softly, trying not to let the insecurities of the past hammer against her brain.
“Did he fucking tell you that?” He insisted on knowing, his breath hot against her neck.
“Yes. He said that’s why he needed another woman,” she choked out, humiliated. She had believed Chris. Even though he was her first and only, she knew something had been seriously lacking.
“He was a complete idiot, Kara. You’re all the woman any man could want or dream about. Exactly what I need. It was his issue, not yours,” he grunted, placing his hands on both sides of her head and pulling her away from his body until his eyes met hers.
“I want this. I really do. I want you. I’m just a little nervous,” she admitted, her body still singing with arousal. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“Listen to me,” he grumbled as his hands fisted in her hair. “You could never, ever disappoint me. I want you so badly I’m ready to lose my mind. I have you. I have control. I make the decisions. You have nothing to do except to come, as loud and as long as you want to. You please me just by being here and wanting me. As long as I can make you come, I’ll be ecstatic.”
She sighed, her body relaxing. Simon would make it good. She already knew that. “Then make me come, Simon. Take me to bed.”
Simon picked her up and placed her in the middle of the bed, pulling the bedding down roughly until it lay crumpled at the end of the bed. Her ass was stroked by the black silk fitted sheet that still remained under her as she scooted up on the bed.
Simon sat on the edge of the bed, his hand reaching for the drawer beside the bed. He yanked four fur-lined handcuffs, complete with attached hardware, from the drawer, followed by a long strip of black silk.
“Complete surrender,” she murmured softly as she leaned back against the silk-covered pillows.
“Yes,” he answered softly, his eyes raking her body hungrily as he reached for her arm to attach the first cuff.
She had no doubt that Simon had done this many times before. He had her secured to the bed, spread-eagled, in less than a minute. She watched him, his eyes ravenous on her body as he went through the motions.
She was surprised by her own reaction. The more helpless he made her, as he attached each limb to the bed, the more aroused she became. Being spread out for his pleasure gave her a freedom she had never experienced. No decisions to make, no wondering what would please him. He was the master and all she had to do was wait for her pleasure. There was something so erotic about being bound to his bed that her hips rotated and she moaned softly as she yanked on the cuffs, feeling almost no give, but no pain.
“Are you going to gag me?” she asked curiously, but not afraid.
“Oh, hell no. I want to hear every little cry of pleasure, every sweet little sound that you make as you come for me.”
The heat flowing over her body spiked to boiling at his growling, sexy words. She closed her eyes, so desperate for release that she whimpered softly.
Opening her eyes again, she saw his face, fierce and ravenous, before he blocked her vision with a swatch of black silk, obliterating all of her sight, leaving everything pitch black. A moment of panic seized her, but she felt Simon’s hot breath hit her ear, his tongue tracing the edges as he whispered, “Being sightless will heighten every sensation, Kara. Every touch of my tongue will be sharper, more acute. Everything more arousing.”
“I’m aroused enough, Simon. For God’s sake, touch me before I die of longing,” she whined, waiting in the darkness to feel him.
She heard a low, rumbling chuckle as he left the bed, his clothes rustling as they hit the ground. The bed dipped with his weight as he returned. “You look so incredibly beautiful it’s hard to decide where to start. I’ve imagined this for so long. I can’t believe you’re really here with me. In my bed.” His voice was rough, graveled.
Kara was about to open her mouth to tell him to pick any spot, just please start now, when his mouth covered hers. His kiss was voracious and filled with longing. He was naked and she sighed into the embrace as she felt his blazing hot skin against hers. His marauding tongue and mouth claimed her over and over, while a wandering hand stroked her body, teasing her nipples, sliding over her hip, slipping between her bound, spread legs and into her wet folds.
She broke her mouth from his, panting as his fingers slipped into her tender flesh, brushing over her swollen, sensitive clit. “Please, Simon. Oh, God.” She needed him. Her whole body burned and she jerked at her bindings, desperate for more contact.
His lips moved down over her breasts, his tongue stroking and gently biting at one nipple, and then the other. He slid one finger into her channel, and then another, stretching her, opening her, making her wish he would fill her with his cock.
“Jesus, Kara. You’re so wet, so tight,” he murmured hotly against her nipple, his body tense against hers.
With her sight gone and her limbs bound, all Kara could do was feel, and Simon was playing her body like it was a musical instrument. It was heightening her senses…to an almost unbearable level. “I need you. Please.”
“Soon, sweetheart,” he crooned as that wicked tongue trailed down her abdomen, flicking into her bellybutton, before it finally laved the lips of her pussy, making her cry out and shudder with fierce, aching lust. His fingers sifted through the well-trimmed hair on her mound as that talented tongue slid along her slick folds, delving deeper and deeper as she released a series of short, incoherent, puling noises.
Her back arched, straining against her bindings, as his firm, insistent mouth circled her needy bud, before finally latching over the nub, clamping it lightly with his teeth. White-hot need hit her like lightning, her body sizzling as he positioned the naked nub for his flicking, relentless tongue.
“Oh, God, Simon.” Her voice was hoarse and needy, begging him to let her climax. Every nerve in her body was alive and tingling, her core clenching with longing as the pressure built to an almost unbearable level.
His large hands slid under her ass, bringing her pussy tight against his mouth. The pressure increased on her clit and Kara could feel her climax rip through her, every inch of her body shaking as spasms gripped and released. Over and over. “Yes. Oh, yes.” Her head fell back and she moaned with abandon as her entire body went up in flames. Simon lapped at the juices that flowed from her, murmuring his enjoyment of every drop.
She shuddered, feeling his exquisite, burning, naked flesh against hers as he slid up and over her.
His mouth covered hers and she sighed into his kiss, tasting her own essence on his mouth. Dear God, she had never experienced an orgasm so strong, so intense. She returned the kiss, trying to make Simon understand the significance of what had just happened, of what she had experienced, by pouring every ounce of passion she felt into the embrace.
“That was incredible,” she breathed as she pulled her mouth away. Feeling his hard cock against her thigh, she squirmed, more than ready for him to take her, knowing it would fill more than one empty place inside her. Primitive and wild, she bucked against him, begging for his untamed possession.
“You taste like fine wine, Kara. I could have stayed there all day,” he mumbled in a ravenous, yearning voice. “You’re so beautiful. So very beautiful.”
“So are you, Simon. Please fuck me,” she groaned, her body pleading for him.
“Tell me that you want me, that you need me,” he demanded, his tone raw and harsh.
She could feel the head of his member nudging against her tight opening.
“Oh, shit. Condom,” Simon groaned painfully.
She lifted her hips, needing him inside her so badly that she was ready to scream. “I’m on the pill to regulate my periods. I’m covered. I’m clean.”
“I’m clean, too, and this would be my first time without a condom. I won’t last, but I want you this way. Nothing between us,” he warned her, his breath heavy and hot against her neck.
“I don’t care. Come inside me, Simon. I want you so much. I need you so badly,” she begged with a slight sob, completely out of control.
His hips thrust forward and she was instantly filled. He was big and she hadn’t had a man inside her for so long. Simon stretched her, forcing her walls to expand and accept him. Her slick, wet flesh gave way, allowing him entrance as his massive member lodged completely inside her.
“God, sweetheart, you’re so tight,” Simon choked, almost as if he were in pain. “So hot. You feel so damn good, so incredible.”
“Yes,” she panted, completely filled, completely taken by Simon. His big body consumed her, dominated her as he pulled back and entered her again, rubbing against her g-spot, driving her higher and higher as he increased his pace. His hips pistoned into her, one hand sliding under her ass to pull her up to meet him, making their skin slap together in a satisfying, forceful meeting.
In the dark, Kara absorbed every sensation, every thrust. Simon was making her body sing with pleasure and she grasped the chains on the cuffs, her fingers digging into the metal as she cried out his name. His body slammed into hers and she relished each thrust, every pump of his hips. Their bodies were both slick with sweat and they moved against each other in an erotic slide. A dusting of hair on Simon’s chest abraded her nipples as he moved, adding to her arousal, making her moan as she moved her head from side to side, not sure if she could bear the sensation overload.
“Come for me, Kara. Come. I want to watch your pleasure.” His low, seductive voice whispered to her, coaxed her, as his cock filled her again and again. Faster and faster.
When his hand moved between their bodies and boldly stroked her clit, she exploded as ecstasy seized her, seeing brilliant colors flash through the darkness as her body pulsed and her channel spasmed around his cock, milking him.
“Oh, Jesus, Kara,” Simon groaned. “You’re so sweet. And so damned hot.” His mouth came down on hers as he entered her one last time, as though he wanted to possess every part of her, spilling himself deep inside her with a harsh, tortured groan.
They both came back to reality slowly. Simon pulled away from her and rolled to her side, his head resting on her shoulder, his arms around her body, squeezing her possessively. Her lips searched, kissing the top of his head as she tried to catch her breath.
Her heart was thundering and she wished she could see Simon right now, his hair mussed, his eyes still smoky with spent passion. She was nearly destroyed by the depths of her feelings. Scared. Exhilarated. Confused. She was a jumbled-up mess at the moment, not quite sure how to feel or how to react. Sex had never been so all-consuming for her. What in the hell had happened?
Simon. Simon had happened. And she would never be the same.
She felt his kiss, a light caress to her lips, before he rolled out of bed. She heard the zipper of his jeans close and knew that he was getting dressed. It was only moments before she was free and the blindfold was being removed.
His hair was adorably mussed and his eyes were raking her nude body as though he was ready to have her again. Kara shivered, not only from her nakedness, but from the tortured look she saw in his eyes.
He scooped her up and carried her down the hall to her room. He pulled the covers back and deposited her in the middle of her bed, pulling the covers over her nude form. The room was dark, the only illumination coming from the window and the brightness of the moon, but she could see his frown.
Did he regret what happened? Was he upset that he had just slept with a woman he barely knew? So upset that he wanted to get rid of her, put her back in her own bed and forget their cataclysmic joining had ever happened?
Or perhaps, it had only been life-changing for her.
Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead lightly and whispered in a low husky voice, “Thank you, Kara. I’ll never forget tonight.”
Tears choked her, jamming the back of her throat. She couldn’t answer, couldn’t ask any of the questions she so desperately wanted to ask.
He exited the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Gone. Just like that. He hadn’t even wanted to sleep with her.
Kara let go of her tears, letting them slide down her cheeks as she rested her head against the pillow, wondering what had just happened. Having Simon dump her back in her room after the most incredible sexual encounter of her life was like being slapped in the face. With a heavy dose of reality.
He’s a billionaire, Kara. Wake up. Did you think he wanted anything more than a casual screw?
She had to remind herself that she was a big girl. She had gone into the encounter with her eyes wide open, knowing it was nothing more than one night.
Then why does this hurt so damn much?
Sliding quietly out of bed, Kara opened one of the drawers of her dresser and slipped into a nightgown before returning to her bed. She drew the covers tightly around her as her body quaked. Simon had been so hot, so warm. Now all she felt was cold and empty.
Pushing aside his rejection and her hurt feelings, Kara tried to reason out the situation. Regardless of what he felt for her, Simon had some issues. The restraints, the blindfold, not wanting her to see him when they had sex. Maybe he liked a little kink-she had certainly discovered that she liked it-but something more was going on in his head.
Something deeper.
Something darker.
He’d never had a girlfriend? That, in itself, was strange. He certainly didn’t lack sexual prowess. He was incredibly rich and as handsome as sin. Why had he never had a long-term relationship?
Kara rolled to her back, her mind racing. Simon’s problems were really none of her business and she doubted if he would appreciate her poking her nose into his life. But she wanted to help him. It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t care for her. He’d been nothing but generous and kind. If she could help him, maybe he could fall in love and have a relationship with a woman he could love some day.
Her gut twisted and her chest squeezed tightly at the thought, but she tried to ignore it. Simon deserved to be happy. She needed to be a friend and try to get to the bottom of his issues.
You want to be more than his friend, and you know it.
“Shut the hell up,” she whispered furiously to the dark room, flopping onto her stomach and pulling a pillow over her head, as though her actions would silence her treacherous thoughts.
It didn’t. And it took Kara quite some time to finally fall into a troubled, restless sleep that brought disturbing dreams of a handsome, dark-haired, dark-eyed man with an expression filled with anguish and misery, trying to fight demons that he couldn’t truly see. In the dream, Kara was an observer, trying desperately to reach the man in agony, holding her hand out to him, begging him to latch onto her, to let her help him. He started to slowly lift one hand, still stabbing at the dark with the other, trying to vanquish the clawing, dark shadows that threatened him. Finally, his hand met hers, his grip firm and she tugged with every ounce of strength she had, trying to bring him to her.
In the end, she couldn’t. The man yanked her into the darkness and she let out a terrified, blood-curdling scream as he pulled her to him, taking her into a deep, dark, whirling vortex.
He fell, and she went with him, knowing neither of them would ever escape.
*****
Please continue reading for an excerpt of Mine For Now Book Two: