Chapter Eight

 

Stephen kept his hand on her throat, kissing her resistance away as he swiftly undid the knots of her bikini top and let it drift to the floor. He reached for the breast Wendi had touched, pinching her nipple hard enough to send her to her tiptoes.

“Ahh, Stephen—”

“Yes, sir or please,” he reminded her, replacing his fingers with his mouth.

Tasha’s hands fluttered up to land on his shoulders as he sucked her nipple against the roof of his mouth, then opened wider to take more. She could feel every tug in her core, everything inside her focused on his touch, his mouth on her. “Please.”

His other hand dipped into her bikini bottom again, fingers sliding easily through the slick arousal soaking her sex. He groaned his approval, gently pulsing his grip on her throat. The conflicting sensations made her tremble. “Please.”

He lifted his head long enough make a demand. “Push your breasts together for me.”

She swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”

When she obeyed with shaking hands, Stephen rewarded her with a low groan against her breasts and a finger sliding into her sex.

“Jesus, I love hearing that. Maybe too much.” He thrust inside and traced both nipples with his tongue. “Did you like it, angel? Everyone watching while you kissed her? While she touched you?”

I liked you watching. “Yes, sir.”

“I’m not sure I did. It made me crazy. There I was, trying so hard to be careful, to remember why we’re here, then you kissed her and the next thing I knew, my hand was between your legs and all I could think about was tearing your mouth away from hers and filling it with my cock.”

She shuddered against him. “Please.”

“Fuck!” Stephen broke away from her and she felt his absence like an ache. “Take that off and get on your knees, Natasha.”

“Yes, sir.” She stepped out of her bikini bottoms and dropped to her knees without hesitation. She couldn’t think about anything but giving him what he wanted. What she wanted.

When she licked her lips, he groaned and tangled his hands in her curls. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

Pleasure warmed her like a shot of whiskey, heating her limbs, and she smiled up at him.

He shook his head. “So beautiful.”

Letting her go again, he walked toward the bed, leaving her shaking on the floor.

She frowned. Wasn’t he impatient for her? God knew she was impatient for him. Where was he going?

He opened the small chest in the corner and chuckled as he pulled out one package after another. “I saw all this earlier. The Burkes are thoughtful hosts, you have to give them that.”

Tasha watched curiously. She’d been to enough of these parties to know there could be just about anything in that chest.

“I think these will do.” He walked behind her, and when she started to turn, he said, “Don’t move until I tell you.”

He dropped to his knees behind her and tore open the packages. What kind of toys had he chosen?

As if he’d heard her, Stephen said, “This plug promises hours of enjoyment. We’re expected downstairs soon, but I’d rather test this out on you. What do you think?”

She thought she’d rather have him, but saying so wasn’t one of the options he’d given her. Yes, sir or please. That one simple command had rendered her powerless to do anything but accept him or safe out, and the last thing she wanted to do was end this.

“Yes, sir,” she said grudgingly.

“I was hoping you’d say that, angel. Lower yourself onto your elbows while I get you ready.”

Tasha did as he asked, quivering at the feel of his fingers massaging lube into her ass. She was still a little sore from last night, but she wanted to tempt him, to sass him…whatever it took to get him inside her. If it took a plug, she was down with that—though hopefully he wouldn’t wait hours to give her the real thing.

She blew out a ragged breath at the first push of the plug against her already sensitive flesh, whimpering as Stephen took his time, filling her inch by aching inch.

“God, I love your ass, angel.” He bit one cheek while pushing the plug in the rest of the way and then laughed at her yelp. “You did say biting was a thing, didn’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” she said with a small growl in her voice as her body stretched to accommodate the toy.

“That’s good, because you make me hungry.” He kissed the mark he’d just left on her skin and pulled back to open another package. “This one’s called the Wall Banger,” he murmured. “It’s so long I’m jealous, but in this case that might be a good thing. Would you like to see it?”

“Um, yes, sir?”

“You’re not sure?”

He held the dildo out in front of her so she could look it. Not only was it long, but it had vibration settings and a suction cup at its base.

Mary have mercy, what was he trying to do to her?

She licked her lips, which had suddenly gone dry. “Please...”

“Please what? I don’t think you want me to stop, do you, angel? I think you want me to stop wasting time. I think you want my cock in your mouth.”

Now he was getting it. “Yes, sir!”

She heard a heavy thud and closed her eyes, praying Brady didn’t knock the door down to make sure they were okay.

“Get up on your hands, now, Natasha,” he ordered, his voice deep and sexy, almost hypnotic as he guided her backward. “Back up toward the wall for me.”

His fingers dipped briefly into her sex and he groaned. “Baby, you’re so fucking wet. Back up just a—yeah—there it is.”

The dildo filled her sex, already tight from the plug, and Tasha moaned.

“Do you like that?”

Dazed and aching with arousal, she nodded. “Yes. Yes, sir.”

“I just have one more thing I need to do.”

He turned on the vibration in the dildo and then the plug, and Tasha cried out as the intense sensation almost knocked her over. “Oh God!”

“Yes, sir or please.” Stephen appeared in front of her, cupping her cheeks with his hands and planting his lips on her forehead. “Very good, Tasha. I wish you could see just how hot this is.”

His thumb caressed her lower lip and when she flicked out her tongue to taste it, he pushed it inside. Tasha started sucking and couldn’t stop. She needed his taste on her tongue. Needed something to ground her to the earth before she vibrated into a million pieces.

“Damn, Natasha,” he murmured. “You could make me forget why I’m doing this. Do you know why I’m doing this?”

She whimpered, giving a little shake of her head.

“Because I had to remind both of us that I’m the one you came here with. Stupid and Neanderthal, I know, and maybe that’s a part of that primitive rush you were talking about, but I can’t deny it. I want you. I need all of you and this is the only way I can get what I want.”

Tasha’s skin prickled with awareness—it almost sounded like he was staking his claim on her.

Stephen pulled out his thumb and she looked up in time to see him grip his erection and guide it toward her mouth.

Yes, sir.

Please.

He rubbed the head teasing across her lips. “So this is me, having all of you, Natasha. Taking everything. Your pussy. Your ass.” When he pushed forward, she opened to accept him eagerly. “Your mouth. Every inch of you belongs to me.”

Yes, sir!

Please!

She took as much as she could into her mouth, rocking backward to thrust herself onto the dildo, and then forward onto him. He was inside her, filling her, fucking her everywhere. Stephen. Oh God, she was close.

She pulled away long enough to beg. “Please!”

Stephen’s lashes were lowered over his eyes, his cheeks flushed and his lips stretched tight as he looked down at her. “What is it? Do you need to come?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m not going to stop you. I want to see how many times we can make you come before I lose control and end this. I want to break another record with you, angel. Just don’t stop sucking my cock.”

Pleasepleasepleaseplease.

The head of his shaft hit the back of her throat and she had her first orgasm. It blinded her and made her cry out against his hot skin. So good. Oh it felt so good.

Stephen’s hands tightened on her hair. “That’s it, Natasha. We’re just getting started. I’m not letting go of this too soon. I want it to last. Take that Wall Banger deeper, baby. Deep as you can go so you can come again.”

Yes, sir.

Stephen’s words reignited her need. She rocked between the fullness of the dildo and the taste of Stephen’s hot, salty flesh, lost in sensation. There wasn’t a coherent thought in her head—she was all emotion and need.

Stephen. It was always Stephen. Anything he wanted. Anything…

Her body shook with another climax, this one stronger than the last. She tongued his shaft hungrily, sucking the head between her lips and moaning until she heard his husky growl.

“Again.” He held her back by her hair, stopping her from setting a rhythm that would take him over the edge. Stopping her from taking him too deep. “Not yet, Natasha. I want to watch you come again.”

One hand left her hair to slide down her back until he was clasping the base of the dildo inside her. She heard a click and the vibrations increased.

No. No, she couldn’t take more. She shook her head, her lips still stretched wide and he caressed her hair gently, leaning back to watch her.

“Please,” she lifted her mouth to beg again.

“Come, Natasha.” His tone was soft, but commanding. “With my voice in your head, my taste in your mouth. Come for me until you can’t come without me.”

The vibration against her clit, inside her, everywhere…it was too intense. Pleasure so sharp it was almost pain. The waves of her climax had faded but they hadn’t disappeared. She sensed something building inside her—a tsunami, an avalanche—just waiting…

Tasha wasn’t sure she could take it. She ducked her head to lick the sensitive skin of the sac that was pulled tight against the base of his shaft.

“Fuck,” he growled, tugging on her hair. “What are you doing?”

She licked the seam behind the ball sac and then took it into her mouth, sucking gently and making his body jerk against her. Balancing her weight on one hand, she lifted the other up to slip it between his legs, following the trail that led to his ass while her tongue traced every vein and fold.

Stephen’s fist gripped her hair so tightly she almost cried out. “Stop, Natasha. I’ll give you what you need.”

She dropped her hand and took his shaft back in her mouth, her entire body humming in time with the vibrators inside her.

He wasn’t holding back anymore. He was holding her head still so he could fuck her mouth, pushing her back against the dildo. “Is this what you wanted, Natasha? You want me to lose control?”

Yes, sir.

Please.

“You’re asking for a spanking,” he said, his voice deep and gravel-laden. “I wanted this to last. Fuck! Your mouth, angel… That’s right, I’m close. Suck me. Come with me.”

He shouted and the warm tang of his release filled her mouth. Tasha swallowed, desperate to take it all. All of him. Anything he wanted. Everything.

When the avalanche hit, there was nowhere for her to fall but the ground. Her hands collapsed beneath her, her forehead pressing hard into the plush carpet as her body shuddered again and again and again.

“Please,” she cried, her voice hoarse and the taste of him still on her tongue. “Please.”

In his thrall, she grasped helplessly at the carpet, unable to release herself. Still. Fucking. Coming.

“Natasha.” Stephen’s voice reached through the rubble of her consciousness. “Baby, let me…”

Some part of her knew what he was doing—he’d turned off the toys and carefully removed them. When his knuckles brushed the inside of her thigh, another orgasm crashed over her.

“Please,” she whimpered.

“Oh hell, angel.” He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. She heard water and smelled orange blossoms but didn’t lift her head from his neck to see why.

The sound of rushing water became a soothing white noise as Stephen sat on the edge of the bathtub and rocked her slowly in his arms. He was murmuring to her, words she couldn’t hear but the sound gentled her. It was his bedroom voice. His late night radio voice.

Her lover’s voice.

The quaking had subsided, but she was still feeling aftershocks. When she could think more clearly, she’d wonder why she’d had such a strong reaction, but the answer would be same as it always was—it was the man, not the play, that did this to her. Turned her into the kind of submissive she’d never wanted to be.

Made her need him.

The water had turned off. Tasha opened her eyes when she heard the splashing and realized he was getting into the giant garden tub, still holding her firmly in his arms.

“Bubbles?” She sniffled, smelling orange blossoms again as they sank into the hot, fragrant water.

“You looked like you could use some.” Stephen pressed her head against his chest and she felt her muscles relaxing. She didn’t realize she was crying until he wiped her cheeks and pressed his lips into her hair. “I need you to be honest with me Natasha. Is this the drop you told me about, or did I hurt you?”

“You didn’t hurt me.”

“I scared you, then.” His voice was grim.

She didn’t lift her head. It was easier to talk to him like this. She was still a bundle of firing nerves. “You surprised me. I’ve known you…well, we’ve known each other a long time. This is new.”

He was different. She hadn’t been on solid ground since she agreed to this. It was disconcerting because she was used to anticipating how he was going to react and respond. Now she had no idea.

“It’s old,” he corrected. “The way I’ve been feeling—out of control. Emotional. Territorial. I haven’t been here in a long time. It was sealed along with my juvenile record because I didn’t like what it did to me and where it was taking me.”

“You’re not that boy. You haven’t been for a long time.” She put her hand over his heart, as if she could soothe him. “Enjoying the dominance aspect of kink isn’t a gateway back to criminal activity, Stephen. It can be intense, I know, but desire isn’t dangerous.”

“I’m not too sure. I know who I am now. I wanted to be like Seamus, but we’re twins in appearance only. He’s a truly balanced man—warm and full of passion for his children, but stable. Owen, too. If I woke up tomorrow and realized I was in love with one of my best friends? That I was in love with a man? I’m not sure I would handle it as well as he did. There was no great emotional conflict or resistance. I know people who’ve known they were gay all their lives and some of them still don’t handle it as well as my brother did.”

He had a point. “Owen’s always been a pragmatist.”

“You know what he said to me? ‘I just knew. I kissed him and I knew. It’s like turning on a light you can’t turn off again. And who wants to live in the dark anyway?’”

Tasha smiled. “He said that? That’s so romantic.” 

“It was.” Stephen sighed. “Definitely took the wind out of any argument Seamus and I could have made on the subject. The point is they’re both pretty well balanced. Meanwhile, I went from one extreme to the other. From a street thug to class president. From reckless to…organized. I think that’s why I’ve been so worried about Jen. She takes after me.”

“That’s different. You knew what you wanted. She doesn’t. You made a decision to put aside anything that could distract you and focused on your goal. And you achieved it. You are a damn impressive man.”

His hand slid beneath the water and cupped her breast tenderly, as if he couldn’t help himself. “Thank you. And you’re right that I got exactly what I went after. But it’s occurred to me that how I went about it doesn’t reflect too well on my character. Anyone can find success on a path with no obstacles.”

Tasha lifted her head to glare at him in irritation. “Finn boy problems. I swear, sometimes I just want to put you all into one room and slap you until you get your heads out of your collective asses.”

Stephen blinked. “That’s a little harsh, Natasha Kathleen. And graphic.”

“Deal with it Stephen Michael, because I’m not through. You’ve led a charmed life. Great parents, great siblings, great career. The luck of the Irish, the Finn Factor, whatever Owen and Jeremy like to call it? You’ve got it. Only that’s not the whole story. Owen almost lost Jeremy because he forgot to mention he wanted more than sex from his insecure boyfriend. He just took it for granted. Seamus has white knight syndrome and a thing for wounded women, which has earned him a house full of children and so many responsibilities that he hasn’t had time for a single adventure of his own, or even a wild weekend that he could live to regret. We know what Jen’s going through, and after talking to Brady, it struck me that your father and uncle not speaking for over twenty years isn’t exactly healthy for the family dynamic. At least, not for Brady and his brothers.”

She took a breath and forged ahead. “You’re all wonderful but not one of you is perfect. Especially you. Yes you took away all your obstacles to achieve success, but you don’t seem happy. You’ve said your job is like quicksand, your house is too clean, your wallet is too organized and I don’t even think you own a pair of jeans anymore.”

“What do jeans have to do with anything?”

She shook her head. “You have your work, but you don’t have a life. You don’t have fun. Boredom is your new obstacle. That’s why you’re here. Why you volunteered to live dangerously when they first approached you. That,” she choked out a laugh, feeling tears well up again. “That’s why I’m here.”

Pretending to pretend.

Stephen stared at her in silent reflection, his blue eyes so beautiful she wanted to cry. She started to lower her head but he stopped her, cupping her cheek. “You’re here because I…” He shook his head. “Because I need you.”

Then he kissed her. Soft as butterfly wings. Carefully, as if she would break. Tasha knew there were fresh tears on her cheeks, but she could blame them on sub drop. Stephen would never know the difference.

He pulled back, looking at her as if she were a math problem he couldn’t solve. “I’m sorry I was rude to your friend. I’ll apologize when we go back down.”

“Thank you. I think you’d like Ken. He’s incredibly accomplished and very easygoing.”

“Have you slept with him?” He closed his eyes and took a breath. “Jesus, forget I asked. It’s none of my business.”

“No it’s not.” She bit her lip. “But just this once, I’ll put you out of your misery. Ken and I have played together because he’s a rope genius and he wanted my help with choreography for a sensuality in movement demo…” She noticed Stephen’s pained look and smiled. “He’s gay, Stephen. He’s gay and he’s very particular about his type. Height is a big deal for him, don’t ask me why. Even if I had the right equipment, I wouldn’t rate his attention because I’m too short.”

Stephen’s beaming smile made Tasha laugh.

“You’re acting like a child who doesn’t want to share his toys, you know that right?” she teased.

His smile dimmed. “I don’t. I don’t want to share you, Natasha. I don’t want to share this with anyone.”

“I know.” She snuggled back into his embrace, skimming her hand over the mountain of bubbles that covered them. “And as long as we’re here, Senator, I’m all yours. Burke’s wife can find someone else to make out with. Satisfied?”

“For now.” It didn’t sound like it, but she didn’t push. “We should get dressed and go back downstairs soon. They’re keeping dinner for us.”

Tasha moaned. “You expect me to get dressed and walk after that? I’m not nineteen anymore, you know. My body can only take so much.”

Stephen snorted in disbelief. “You’re right, you should stay up here and rest, old woman. When you come down don’t forget to put your teeth back in or we’ll have to put your dinner in the blender.”

She whacked him harmlessly on the chest. “Look, Senator Washboard, I’m only going to take so much sass before I lose my sense of humor.”

He reached under the water and tickled her. “You look, Spanky—if we don’t get out of this water soon, we’ll have failed our mission and I’ll have a lot more free time to punish you creatively, because I’ll be unemployed. Probably from some falsified scandal.”

“Okay.” She laughed, splashing as she sought to avoid his fingers. “Okay. Because you used one of my preapproved nicknames, I’ll concede your point. We’ve got work to do. And you have an apology to make.”

He helped her out of the tub and dried her off, and Tasha—feeling weak as a kitten—didn’t do anything to stop his ministrations. “I have an idea for tomorrow,” she told him. “Something that could move things in the right direction. Help frame our narrative.”

Stephen’s lips quirked. “What’s our narrative?”

“That you can’t resist me, but you can’t risk your peers and constituents finding out about me because I’m inappropriate. That I resent it and doubt your affections and behave like a brat in order to provoke you.”

Which, unfortunately, wasn’t as much of a stretch as it should have been.

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“I doubt it. But I’ve been too easy today. He’s going to need to see some tension between us so he thinks he has something to work with. So he can help you get what you want.”

“What would this involve?”

Tasha smiled. “Ken Tanaka and some rope.”