The gym is full and pumping with patrons a few days later when I summon Honor via text to come visit me. We haven’t seen each other since our date, but I’ve had her talking on the phone and texting regularly. There’s something comforting about having a woman I can text and call at my leisure. She’s the first person I text in the morning and the last one I talk to before I go to bed. Hearing her sultry, timid voice through the line eases my soul and calms the demons I work daily to keep at bay. Her voice gives me peace, allowing me to rest after a long work day. I can only imagine what it will be like when I have her in my bed. Sex is absolutely on the menu this week because I can’t hold back any longer. I’ve known her three weeks. Twenty-one days and some change. It’s the longest I’ve ever given a woman before getting inside her. Still, I’m not going to wait until Friday’s aerial class when I have the time to take her out again and woo her properly. I need to see her. Put my mouth on hers and sip from her goodness.

She’s light and sweet. Exactly what I need after a few days of working my ass off, growing my business, and teaching nonstop at Lotus House.

I feel her enter the gym before I see her. The air charges, sizzles at my back. Currently, I’m sparring with Trent in the ring. Bad idea to be distracted when a man like Trent Fox is in the vicinity. The second I’m off my game, he smashes a gloved fist into my ribcage.

“Ugh.” I bowl over, take a breath, and lift my gaze to his, clutching at my sore side. Damn it!

He’s grinning, white teeth looking blue around the mouth guard, sweat pouring down the side of his face. “Come at me.” He waves a glove toward his body. “Don’t tell me you’re tired already. I’ve barely broken a sweat,” the fucker goads me, but a flicker of white shimmers at my right, distracting me once more.

I turn my head and see my feisty best friend Mila Powers approaching Honor, Atlas hot on her heels. Shit, this is bad. Another punch hits my chest. “Fuck!” I roar and get my head back in the game before Trent makes hamburger out of me. He’d love it too. Dude’s been readying for battle with me for months. Finally on break from pro ball, it’s obvious he’s been putting in the practice time in the ring.

Once I get into it, I bum rush Trent and nab a one-two punch. One fist crashes against his abdomen, the other to his chin.

His head flies back, neck veins popping with the effort as he stumbles. “Shit!” He bounces against the ropes where I let him have a second to catch his breath. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up again as I feel eyes on me from my side. I bounce from foot to foot, backing up. I can just see Honor on the side of the ring, Mila chatting away.

I groan. “You done?” I ask Trent, hope filling my tone.

Trent grins again and glances to the side. “Why? You got a hot date with a leggy blonde?”

“Man, don’t you even think of looking at her.” I growl possessively. He loses his mind if anyone so much as makes a face toward Genevieve, and he thinks he can prod my beast? Hell no.

Trent shifts fully, places his gloved hands on his hips, and holds my gaze but calls out to our friend. “Hey, Mila, who you got with you?” He winks, and I grind my teeth into the guard, digging in with all my worth.

“Oh, you mean this tall drink of water, Fox? This lovely lady is Honor Carmichael. She’s here for Nick.”

“Really?” Trent pulls out his guard, lifts his gloved hand, and tugs at the ties with his teeth, loosening them. Good thing he has his own.

“Dude…” I warn as he removes both gloves.

“What? Chill. I just want to meet your girl.” He smiles an I’m-so-going-to-embarrass-you smile before heading to the opposite side of the ring.

I tug at my gloves, remove them, and then pull out my own mouth guard. “Hey, Dove. Glad you found the place okay.” I rip off my head gear and lean against the ropes, my body wanting instantly to get closer to her.

She nods shyly, her eyes looking exceptionally blue. She’s wearing a white sundress that is molded to her body perfectly and a light-blue cardigan. Half of her hair is up, parted down the center. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear she had been skipping through a field of daisies. Probably smells like it too.

I hold down the ropes, kick a leg over, and hop down next to her. Without saying anything, I slip my hand around her waist and tug her to my side. Her face tips up invitingly. I lean down and kiss her, long enough to get a tiny taste but not too long to embarrass her in front of my friends.

“Hi,” she offers with a small smile when I pull back.

“Hi yourself.” I curve her closer to me so I can nuzzle into her neck where her wildflower scent is strongest. I inhale deeply, letting her essence wrap around all of my senses. “Want to introduce you to some of my friends, although it looks like Mila’s already skipped ahead.”

Honor giggles, and it’s the sexiest sound, all sugar-coated and sweet. I’d like to bite it off her lips back in my private office, but a humor-filled male voice intrudes. “You gonna make out all day or introduce your friends, bro?”

I roll my eyes and find Atlas with his arm looped around Mila’s shoulders, his curly hair a mop-like mess falling into his eyes.

“Where’d you come from?” I lift my chin in his direction.

“Just picking up my wildcat.” He grins. “So glad I have killer timing.” Atlas reaches out a hand toward Honor. “I’m Atlas Powers, by the way.”

Honor shakes his hand. “Honor Carmichael.”

He knocks his head to the side. “And this spicy Latina is my wife, Mila.”

“We kind of already met.” Honor smiles.

“I’m Trent Fox…” Trent offers a meaty hand.

Her eyes widen. “Oh, the professional baseball player?” Her pink lips open on a little gasp.

He glances at me and grins evilly. “That’s right, sweetness.”

I grind my teeth at his choice of endearment. He knows it pisses me off, too, the smug bastard.

“I’ve, um, seen you play. You’re very good. My father considers you one of his best assets,” she adds rather strangely.

Assets?

“Babe, what are you talking about?” I ask her.

She lifts a hand to her mouth and clears her throat before looking down and away. “Um…”

“Oh shit!” Trent curses. “You’re Honor Carmichael, Timothy Carmichael’s daughter.” He rubs a hand through his hair and then laughs. “Feel like I’m speaking to royalty. Shoot, your father’s the reason I’m considering another three-year contract.”

He was considering leaving pro ball? What?

“You quitting ball, man?” Atlas jumps in on that last admission, the same way I do, but for me it’s more internalized.

Honor’s father is Trent Fox’s boss? What the everloving fuck?

“I’m not exactly following. How is he responsible, and why didn’t you mention the fact that you’re considering leaving baseball to your best friends?”

Trent groans, lifts his soaked tank, and wipes his face with it. “Yeah, her dad owns the Ports and a couple other teams, but in the NFL, if I remember correctly?” He leaves the question open for Honor, but she just shrugs and twists her fingers around one another.

Shit, she’s shutting down.

I wave my hands between the crew. “How’s about you go back to the part about you quitting?”

“Ugh, I don’t know, guys. Viv and I are talking about it. She wants another baby; I’m not getting any younger, and the game is tough on the body. I miss my wife and kid when I’m gone. Not to mention, my leg has been acting up again, and I don’t know…” He lets out a frustrated breath. “Just getting old. But Tim, your dad, really wants me in for another three years. And he’s offering me a truckload of dough, making it hard to turn down.” He winks.

“Yeah, my father is good at throwing money at the things he wants. He never loses.” Her voice is flat, devoid of emotion. Suddenly, she turns to me and runs her hands down my chest. A zap of electricity rips through my overtaxed muscles.

“Um, I’m glad I got to meet your friends, but I think I’m going to go.” She hooks a thumb over her shoulder toward the door. Her entire body is ramrod straight and strung so tight, I feel her muscles bunch and jerk at her back.

I hook my arm around her waist and bring her up against my sweaty shirt. “Dove, you just got here. I want to show you around my place.” I look up at my friends but keep her next to me. “Guys, we’ll catch up later, and Trent, let us know what you end up deciding. Yeah?”

“Yeah, cool. I will. Honor, tell your dad I said hi, and I’m thinking about it. Okay?”

She gives a noncommittal “Mmm-hmm,” which is more of a mumble.

The rest of the crew disperses while I lead Honor by the hand back to my private office. When I close the door, the sounds of the clanking weights, the men pounding the punch bags, and the normal hubbub fades away. Everything narrows down to one thing… Honor.

“Nick, I…” Honor starts, probably planning to give me some spiel about needing to flee, but I’ll have none of it.

“Get your ass on my desk. Now,” I growl, my need for her ramping up to a thousand degrees.

She widens her eyes, swallows, and then runs her fingertip along the black, beat-up desk, littered with paperwork.

“On top of it?” She leans both hands on the desk behind her while I hold my position.

I cross my arms over my chest so she can see them flex. Her eyes go right to the movement, and she licks her lips.

“Ass to the desk. I won’t repeat myself.” My words brook no argument.

She trembles but, shockingly, leans back, curls her hands around the edge, and shifts her weight on top. “Then what?” Her voice is breathy, sultry, and I can tell from here she’s turned on, practically panting for it.

Commanding her was something I’d been toying around with. From our calls, her timid ways, and shy demeanor, I’ve figured out she needs a little push toward moving outside of her clearly defined box. It’s part of why I don’t think she knows what she wants to do with her inheritance or her life in general. I get the feeling my girl is floating in a place of uncertainty and unease. I want to be the one who breaks her of that. If me taking control, ordering her to get out of her head a bit, will ease the tension I see in her face and body, then, by God, I’m going to give it to her. With pleasure. Hers and mine.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the idea of me telling her what to do and her doing it makes me hard as granite.

“Slip off your sweater.”

She lifts her pale, shaking hands, unbuttons the single button, and shrugs her shoulders until it falls to the desk behind her. “And?” Her voice is rougher than normal, almost gritty.

I smile. “Lift up your skirt and open your legs so I can see your panties.”

Her doe eyes seem to get bigger as her hands move down her thighs in a slow caress that spears me straight in the balls.

“Do it,” I goad as my nuts swell and then tighten.

She’s not unaffected either. Her chest is moving more rapidly with her increased breathing, making her tits stretch against the cotton of her simple girly dress, showing me a nice pair of erect nipples pushing against the fabric.

“You like me watching you do what I say, don’t you? Teasing me with your gorgeous body in that flimsy dress?”

She bites her lip and lifts her chin as her fingers curve around the hem of her dress and drag it up her creamy thighs. A triangle of white lace is all I can see, but damn if I’m not going to touch.

“What do you want, Dove?” And right now, that endearment has never been so accurate. All in white, her wings spread out, leaving her center open and vulnerable just like the snow-white bird.

One of her eyebrows rises up on her forehead as she firms her jaw. A sense of pride fills my chest as I watch her find the courage to ask for what she wants. I get the feeling she’s not often asked for something she needs. The people pleaser in her is probably used to it being the other way around. A giver, not a taker.

“I want you to touch me, Nick.” Her words are small and insecure. I plan to break her of that.

“Touch you? Is that all?”

She shakes her head almost imperceptibly. “No.”

I drop my arms and get closer, though not close enough to touch. It kills me not to push her back on my desk, cover her body with mine, and pound into her wet heat. Because I know it’s wet. The room fills with the scent of our combined arousal, making my dick harder by the second.

“You want me to touch you, and what else?” I step in between her legs and run my nose close enough to her skin that she should be able to feel my heat along her neck without the physical contact.

“Kiss me.” She leans her neck to the side, and I move forward, laying a series of small kisses against her slender neck. The sigh she gives makes me want to dirty her up even more, but there’s time for that.

“Where do you want me to touch you?” I press both hands to her knees. “Here?”

She nods, and I smile against her skin.

I ease my hands up to the middle of her thighs. “Here, Dove?”

“Yeah…” She breathes out the word and rolls her head back.

The temptation of her smooth, succulent skin is too much, and I give in just a little, kissing and licking along her neck and the upper parts of her breasts.

“So good.” She hums, her eyes still closed.

“Where else do you need me?”

Her hands fall over mine on her thighs. She pushes my hands up toward her center. When I get to her pussy, I run both thumbs along the damp fabric I find waiting for me. I groan and press my thumbs into the lace. She tips her pelvis back against the desk, gifting me access to the heaven between her thighs.

“Do you want me to touch you here? Fuck you here?” I growl against her neck and bite down.

“Oh my, yes.” She rolls her hips in offering.

I ease my fingers into the top of her tiny lacy panties and shred the skimpy sides until the fabric falls away from her. She gasps, and that sound is all I need to lose control.

Enough of this game. “Once I take it, Dove, it’s mine. You want to be mine?” I grit my teeth, offering her one last out. There is no going back for me. We’ve been playing with something serious for the past three weeks, easing into it, but I’m not fucking around. I know this woman is what I want, but I want to know that every inch of her is mine to take, to fuck, to one day possibly even love.

“Please, Nick.”

“Tell me you want this. To be mine?” I pet the lips of her sex, exhilarated by the wetness I find there. All for me.

Her eyes open, and they are dark, endless pools of lust. “I want you more than anything.”

“Fuck yeah,” I growl before taking her mouth in a punishing kiss.

She gives as good as she gets, her tongue warring with mine. She tastes of vanilla and mint, unique to her. I love every swipe of her flavor, but I need to really taste what’s mine.

“Lean back. Offer your pussy to me, Dove.”

Her body trembles as she nods. She places her elbows behind her and leans all the way back onto my desk. Her blond hair falls over the other side of my desk, along with papers, pens, pencils, and folders. I don’t give a flying fuck.

“Christ, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Put your legs on the desk and open wide.”

Her flat shoes fall to the floor with a loud thunk as her bare feet come up to the desk, momentarily hiding her nakedness. I’ll have none of that.

“Open for me.” I hold my hands in fists as she eases both legs open on the desk, baring it all.

I run both of my hands from her spread knees to the inside of her sex, where I pet the puffy pink lips that greet me. “You’re so soft, pink, and mine.” I open both lips with my thumbs, revealing all, before I hit my knees in front of the desk and lay my mouth over her wetness.

Her hands fly into my hair when I drive my tongue deep inside.

“Nick!” she cries out, but like everything I’ve come to know about Honor, even her sexy sounds are whisper soft. She moans, and her body tightens when I suck on her little clit and do a round of figure eights over the fat bundle of nerves. I want more of those sounds. She squirms and rocks her hips into my face, losing herself and getting into it. Just when I think she might be used to my ministrations, I lap at each lip and insert two fingers knuckle deep.

She’s tight as fuck and just as sweet. Her taste is thick and honeyed, like a bee’s nectar sipped right from the hive.

“Oh!” she calls and moans when I hook those two digits I planted, finding the spot that will make her cream all over my fingers. I rub and tickle that patch mercilessly. Her body rocks and rolls as she loses it to me.

“Nick, Nick, Nick,” she says as she locks her thighs around my head and arcs her body, orgasming all over my tongue. I lap her up, tasting, loving, drinking deeply from her body.

“I can’t fucking get enough,” I growl around her pussy. My face is dripping with her essence, and I lick my lips and pull away to take a breath. I’m dizzy with lust when I stand, stare at her open, throbbing cunt, knowing I’m never going to be done with this woman.

“You’re going to have to sit on my face, day and night, Dove. New fucking job for you.” I run my fingers through her pretty pussy and twirl around the reddened knot mindlessly with my thumb, deciding what I want to do next.

She jerks and sits up. “No, no, no. My turn.”

Before I can figure out what she’s got on her mind, Honor pushes my body back until I stumble a few paces, standing right in front of the leather couch I have on the opposite side of the room.

She hops off the desk, stands in front of me, and loops both hands around my gym shorts. Quick as shit, she tugs them down to my ankles. My erection pops up, happy to be free and pointed at the woman he wants to penetrate. I grip my dick and run my hand up the length until a drop of pre-cum exits the slit.

“Mine,” Honor growls low in her throat. Then she lifts both her hands to my chest and pushes until I fall into a seated position on my couch. Once my ass lands on the leather seat, her knees slam to the rug. She places a small hand around the base of my cock and licks the pearl at the tip.

“Shit, Honor. I didn’t expect you to return anyth…”

She cuts me off by swallowing me down her warm mouth.

“Shit. Fuck. Damn. Babe…” I get out and thrust my hips deeper. She takes it. Fuck, she takes it all. Every goddamned inch, way down her throat. I curl my hand into the hair at her nape and grip it hard. She moans, proving that she likes a little roughness. Hell, the perfect goddamned woman, and she’s all for me.

Honor pulls back and then laps at every inch, as if she’s getting to know my cock better. With one hand wrapped around my length, she rubs in her saliva, stroking up and down, tighter at the base, a thumb swirl at the top.

“Suck me, Dove. All way the back. Want your lips on me.” I grip her hair tightly and tip her head back, touching her cheek with the head of my cock. “You gonna do what I say? Suck me the way I want you to?”

She nods, mewling with her desire.

“Words, baby. I want your words,” I remind her.

Her eyes are half-hooded and filled with desire. “I want to suck you the way you want it,” she whispers.

“Does it make you wet, sucking on me, knowing that beyond that door is a room filled with men and women who could come knock on the door at any time?”

She nods, even though I told her not to. I tighten my grip on her hair, pulling at the roots. “Words,” I grate between my teeth.

“God yes, Nick. Please, let me make you feel good.”

I ease her head back toward my cock so her mouth is hovering over the tip. The entire thing is bulging and ready to blow. It’s been too long since I’ve had a woman’s mouth on me.

She flicks at what she can reach with her tongue, sliding the tip into the slit at the top. I groan and let go of her hair, allowing her free rein to just get me off. “Just do me, babe. Do me how you want to. I’m so fucking gone for your mouth, your lips, your goddamned perfect pussy.” I thrust up into her mouth as she goes down, giving me the best blow job of my life. Poems and romance novels are dedicated to this kind of stellar head. I think Shakespeare probably wrote about it too.

“Fuck!” My balls draw up tightly. The edgy prick of pleasure and pain splits across my lower spine and flows through my groin. I curl my hand behind her neck. “Gonna come, Dove. You taking me down your throat?”

She hums and sucks harder, longer, with a wicked swirl at the tip before she takes me to the root, her nose against the close-cropped hairs at the base of my penis.

“Shit.” I cry out as the orgasm roars through my body.

“Fuck.” I thrust up into her mouth again, and she takes all of me.

“Damn.” The expletive leaves when the last of my release slides out of me and into her waiting mouth.

She swallows it all, lapping at me until every last shudder has left. I come to with her head resting on my lap, my softening dick a few inches from her face, and my fingers easing along the length of her hair.

Content.

Honor seems content, sitting on her knees, while I come down off my high. She’s giving me what I need in more ways than I could have ever possibly imagined. Submission and beauty.

I tap her cheek with my free hand. “You okay down there?”

She smiles, blinks prettily, and then nods.

“Dove, do I have to fuck your mouth again to get you talking to me?”

On that question, I’m gifted with her beautiful laughter.

“Crawl up here. I want your mouth on mine.”

“’K,” she says sleepily and stands as I pull up my pants and reach for her. She settles easily into my lap and against my chest.

I kiss her deeply and for a long, long time, wanting her to know that this was more than just a hook-up in my office. When I’m sure she’s been thoroughly thanked, I ease her back so I can look into her eyes.

“You know I didn’t intend this. I wanted to court you properly before we fucked.”

She smiles, and it lights up my heart. “I’m happy, Nick. Happy for the first time in a long time.”

I mull that over. “I have to get back to work. I’ve got clients to train and a gym full of people to keep safe, but I want to talk more about this. We good for now? We’ll talk more later after we’ve had some time to mull it over?”

“Yes. I’m so good.”

“Yeah you are.” I head-butt her forehead gently and kiss her lips again. She tastes a little like me and a lot like us. Basically, tasty as fuck. I want so much more, but instead, I stand and let her glide down my form to her bare feet.

I look around and notice the papers that were all over my desk are on the floor. Her panties are a shred of lace dangling off my ruler sitting in a cup. Everything’s a bit of a mess, but I’ll have to deal with it later. I sigh heavily, knowing it will be a late night, when all I really want to do is spend time with a goddess.

“Mind if I use your computer?” she asks randomly. “I want to look at a couple possible places for purchase. I’ll pick up the papers too.” She grins, and her cheeks pink up. So freakin’ pretty.

“Course you can. Mi casa es su casa.” I kiss her once more, turn her around, and smack her ass. “Go ahead before I bend you over and fuck you against my desk this time.”

Before I can hear a response, I turn on a heel and leave her behind. Looking at this woman in her sated glory would have me making good on that promise. Instead, I go back to the gym and dive into work. A smile on my face and a beautiful woman in my heart.