Chapter Four
Jared watched as Elahn walked from her car to the restaurant. The sexy sway of her hips as she strutted toward him caused his blood to heat. If he thought she was desirable in the dark, then she was absolutely stunning in natural little.
The Florida sunshine played in her light brown hair making it appear golden as it was held up by some female artistry with cascading curls that brushed her bare shoulders. The white shirt tied at the base of her throat, but left her shoulders revealed by cut outs. She had on a pair of burgundy slacks that were snug but didn’t quite reach her ankles. Then there were the matching heels that made him want to see them over his shoulders.
“Slow down, man.” He warned himself as he felt the tightening in his jeans. The fact he knew what it felt like to be inside her tight walls didn’t help cool his desire.
“You look beautiful.”
Her full lips, covered by a wine-colored tent stretched into a smile. “Thank you. You look nice too. The grey of your shirt compliments your eyes.”
He hadn’t even thought about that when he’d just grabbed a button down and jeans to take with him for after his shower when practice was over.
“Shall we go in?”
“Yes. I’ve never had Columbian food before, so I’m excited to try it.”
“There are practically Cuban restaurants on every corner in Miami, good, but this place is a treasure.” Jared opened the door for her and allowed her to proceed him.
“Welcome to Alexis. I’m Alexis.” A short woman with waves of dark-brown hair and blonde highlights greeted them. Her big smile made up for her stature.
“Thank you.”
“Good evening, Alexis.” He moved up beside Elahn.
“Ah, Jared, my friend.” Alexis crossed the space and with her arms wide like she did every time she saw him. “It is always good to see you.”
He closed the distance and gave her a bear hug that lifted her feet from the floor. “Same here. How’s Eric?”
When she was safe on the ground, she grabbed two menus from the hostess booth. “He has a flight today, but I will tell him you came by.” She glanced over at Elahn. “Who is this lovely lady?”
In this place he wasn’t on guard about his life. Alexis and her husband Eric always treated him life part of the family. Their son, who he’d gone to school with, worked for a company in California.
It was just his mother that raised Jared and his sister, Michelle. His mother lived in Denver with his sister and husband and took care of their two kids. It was nice to have people close who truly cared about him.
“This is Elahn. She’s a friend and the owner of Al Tuo Servizio and she has never had Columbian food.”
“It is practically all I’ve thought about all day. I’m excited and looking forward to it,” Elahn admitted.
“Well, Elahn, I will try not to disappoint.” Alexis led them to a booth in the back of the cozy restaurant before placing menus on the table.
Elahn took her seat and he claimed the one facing the door.
“This place is nice. It’s so out of the way from the main drag of Miami, how did you find it?”
“It is owned by a friend of mine’s family and I’ve been coming here for years. Usually alone,” he confessed.
“Thanks, for bringing me here.” She glanced at the menu. “Now, what should I order?”
“I’ll just order. You must start out with sopa de alverjita con cerdo.” He pointed to the item on the page of her menu.
“A split pea soup with ham and vegetables?” Her light brown eyes were bright when she glanced up. “That sounds really good.”
“It is. The few times I’ve been sick, Alexis had her husband deliver it to me. I swear it can raise you from a deathbed.”
“Wow, you should write reviews for a food magazine,” she teased.
“Maybe. When I’ve retired.”
“Retired from?” She stared at him expectantly.
He’d met women before who tried to pretend they didn’t know who he was. Elahn’s clear eyes and open expression declared she may not really know. “Major League Baseball. I’m the first baseman for the Miami Sharks.”
“Ah, baseball. I thought maybe football since you seem close to the Dares.”
“Used to play. I realized I’m better at baseball.”
“That’s a change. Those two professions are like peas and carrots.”
He smiled. “True, but I’m happier now. I was struggling in the NFL so I became depressed and frankly not the nicest person to be around.”
“It seems like when we are unhappy in our careers it can affect use greatly.” She stared down into her drink then met his gaze again. “Last year, I actually considered giving up my business and going to do something completely different.”
“Why?” He frowned. She was so good at creating unique and amazing foods.
“Someone didn’t care for me trying to put myself in a class where I didn’t belong.”
“What? Who in the hell would say such a thing?” He balled up his fist and wanted to strike out at whoever would degrade Elahn. He’d only known her briefly, but this woman had already worked her way around barriers he’d erected in his life years ago.
“Do you know the Pattens?”
Thinking of names that he knew, he asked, “The ones that own all the exclusive golfing resorts?”
“The one and the onlys. I was dating their oldest son, Chris.” She shook her head. “Correction, we had a three year-long friendship,” she stressed the word. “That I apparently got the wrong impression about. So, his mother made sure that I knew I was not to ever be around her son or family again, so she blackballed me. Spread the word through all her friends that they were not to higher me and I could not be trusted.” Her hands shook.
He could see both the anger and pain still affecting her. Jared reached across the table and covered her hand with his. He didn’t think about what someone would think if they saw them, instead he put Elahn’s comfort first.
“I’m sorry that happened to you. More importantly, I’m glad you didn’t quit.” He caressed her smooth skin with his thumb.
“Thanks.”
A movement caught his eyes and he spotted Alexis coming back with water glasses and a traditional fruit drink. He pulled his hand away, but not before he saw Alexis lift her brows at their touching.
Alexis didn’t say anything about the hand holding as she set the drinks down before them. “Lulada. It is a drink with lulo fruit, sugar, water and ice.” She set down the four glasses and some napkins. “Have you all decided what you will have?”
“Yes, sopa de alverjita con cerdo first, then fritanga o picada Colombiana so she can taste a variety.”
“Good choice, hijo.” Alexis patted him on the shoulder and went away.
“I can see how much she cares about you.”
“I feel the same about them.”
“Are you close to your family as well?” Elahn picked up the drink and sipped. “Mm, that is good, sweet and refreshing.”
“Now, who is reviewing,” he joked.
“Hey, I have a reason. I’m going to figure out how I can incorporate this fruit into some dishes.” She glanced up looking unsure. “Do you think, Alexis would allow me to shadow her for a couple days? Watch her cook. I know some people don’t like to give away family secret recipes.”
“I don’t see why not. I have connections here and will give you a reference if you need it.” He offered her a smile. He drank from his water first, saving his fruit drink for when his food came out.
He leaned back in his seat. “To answer your question, yes, I’m close to my mom and sister, but they live on the west coast. Michelle is married, and my mom takes care of her two children while my sister and her husband work demanding jobs. My dad left my mother when I was in middle school and I haven’t seen him, but once since.”
“Let me guess, he showed up sometime after the draft?”
“Bingo.” He winked at her. “Wanting money and acceptance. He had some idea that I should take him on as an advising manager.” Jared shook off the disappointment of that memory.
“I’m sorry. It is sad to say, but athlete’s share that kind of story all too often. It can make a person jaded when even family cozy up to them just to get some of the limelight and money.”
“Not just family.”
Alexis came back with the soup and a large platter of food. “Enjoy.”
“Oh, my word. I don’t think I can even eat my share of all this.” Elahn eyes were rounded as she took in the heaping piles of food before her.
“No, worries, I normally eat one of these by myself, so whatever you don’t finish I’ll take care of.” He winked at her.
She laughed. “Goodness. I’m sure that is because you work out so hard daily you don’t have to worry about your waistline and backside.”
“I like your ass, just fine.”
Heat filled her eyes as she held his gaze. She licked her lips and glanced back down at the smorgasbord.
“You’re too kind.” She began with her soup and he watched her eyes roll back into her head as she moaned.
His stomach clenched at the sound. He wasn’t so confident anymore about being able to finish the food. Not with Elahn across from him sounding like sex incarnate. He wanted to eat something on the table, but it sure wasn’t what was on the platter. More like he would have loved to order the restaurant cleared out, then lay Elahn back over the table and bury his face between her thighs.
He had to shift and spread his knees wider, so he could be more comfortable in his jeans.
They both eat in silence for a minute, enjoying the delicious food.
“You promised to tell me at dinner about why you have learned to put a marble wall of privacy around yourself.” She popped a potato into her mouth and chewed slowly.
Lifting his lulada, he drank most of it down before he started the conversation he didn’t want to have.
“Since I have been in college, I have been used to women wanting to be around me because of my fame.” He picked up a sausage and started eating it. “You learn to get used to it and know those women are not for serious dating and you don’t put your heart into it. Those women will drop you in a heartbeat for another player of the month.”
“But, something changed. Something or someone made your perception become even more jaded, I’m assuming.”
“Yup. My ex, Raquel. It was my rookie year when we met. She worked in the press office doing research. We met at the Thunders July 4th party.” He grabbed a fried plantain. “She was pretty and nice. Raquel acted like it didn’t faze her that I was famous. However, when we started going out and I’d take her to parties, she seemed to be doing more networking than being by my side.”
Elahn frowned. “What would she need to network, she already worked for the team.”
“She did, but she was getting stories on the different players and their wives and girlfriends, then selling it to the tabloids. She wanted her own talk show where she dished the latest on celebrities.”
“That’s downright conniving,” Elahn bristled.
Finished with a third of the food remaining on the platter, he sat back. “It was. What was worse was the fact she was my girlfriend and she used that to enter parties and events even when I wasn’t with her. Things I had no clue she attended. My teammates were pretty pissed about somethings she had said and revealed. My image was splashed over tabloids everywhere linked to her.”
He remembered those dark days surrounding his relationship with Raquel.
“What did you do?” She leaned forward, then placed her hand over his. It seemed to be her turn to offer him comfort.
It wasn’t until he felt her touch that he realized his fist was clenched tight. He relaxed his hand, turning it up so that he could hold her smaller hand. He enjoyed touching her, even in the simplest way.
“Only thing I could do. We were at a swanky Christmas gala with athletes and a bunch of A-list stars. Halfway through the night, I made a big scene in the middle of the dancefloor and told her I’d had enough, and it was over. Raquel retaliated by telling me she had signed a contract for a show the week before and she didn’t need some no-good quarterback.”
“Ouch. People like her make me believe the law should bring back individuals getting drawn and quartered.” Elahn cupped his hand between both of hers.
He chuckled at her squinted eyes and tightened mouth, evidence of her fury. To see her riled up on his behalf filled the vacant corners of his heart that Raquel had made him numb to feel.
“It became easier not to let anyone get close. Keep my life private except when I was on the ball field.”
She nodded. “Very understandable.”
“I do believe, Jared, this is the first time you left food on your plate.” Alexis came by to check on them.
“What can I say, I was enjoying the company too much.” Elahn began to pull her hand away, but he held fast.
“I can see why when she’s so pretty to look at,” Alexis teased. “Did you two save enough room for dessert?”
“Oh, no. I couldn’t even think about another bite without exploding.” Elahn placed her free hand over her stomach. “I must say it was amazing and I’d like to incorporate some Colombian fusion into my recipes. Would I be able to shadow you a few times to learn?”
For the first time since knowing her, Jared saw Alexis blush and appear shy.
“I would be honored.” Alex grinned and placed a hand on Elahn’s shoulder. “You just let me know whenever you want to come.”
“Thank you. I have some openings in my schedule next month if that’s not too soon.” Elahn smiled.
“Perfect.” Alexis started gathering the dishes. “I’m going to get this stuff out of your way.”
He reached toward his back pocket.
“Jared Xiaver Dean, if you pull out money, I’ll get Eric to help me turn you over my knee the next time you come in.”
His laughter erupted from him as he shook his head. “Really, Alexis.”
“You always go overboard for Christmas. So, the rest of the year I have to feed you to get rid of my guilt for enjoying the presents so much.” She held her wrist out to Elahn so she could see the sparkling bracelet that he’d just gotten Alexis a month ago.
“You have great taste, Jared.”
“He does,” Alexis confirmed.
He squeezed Elahn’s hand. Spoiling those he loved was something that made him happy.
When Alexis walked away, Jared held Elahn’s gaze. “I’m not ready to let you go.”
She glanced down at their clasped hands, then up at him again. “I’m not either.”
“Come with me somewhere.”
It only took her a beat before she nodded. They left the restaurant. Outside he convinced her to take her car home and ride with him. She agreed. He followed her through the Miami traffic until they arrived in a complex of condos. He never parked as she got out of her car, then locked up before she slipped into the passenger seat of his pearl white Tesla.
They drove and exchanged stories of their youth until they got to one of the secluded areas of Miami beach. He pulled up to a smoke gray long two-story. He parked in the coverage garage.
“You know about Raz?”
When he glanced her way as he pulled into a parking spot, she was looking at him. “You know this place?”
“Yes, I’m a member. I have only been here twice. Honestly, I go to Darlow, their other location, because it is closer to my home when I—” her words broke off and she licked her lips.
“Want to watch?”
“Yes.” Her eyes seemed clear, confident without shame.
“I come here, because even though only members and invited guests know about them both, it is more likely I will be spotted in town. After the Raquel situation, I had to be careful, paparazzi were hounding me.” He turned off the car. “I come here so I don’t have to worry about being watched by outsiders.”
“What’s your kink?”
“Spanking.” He reached in the back seat for the small decorative box.
“Getting or giving?”
“Giving. I’m dominate to the bone. When I first got into the lifestyle I did participate in a few scenes as a sub, just to be sure, it didn’t go over well.” He handed her the box.
After she took it, she untied the wide gold ribbon first then opened it. “This is the best present.” She smiled up at him when she saw her black lacy panties in the box.
“Figured it was time to give them back.” He opened the door and got out the car.
“Maybe one day, I can see you in them again?” He took her hand and helped her out of the car.
Her laughter was like music. “Maybe.” She placed the box in her purse. “May I lock this up in your trunk?”
He pushed the button and the trunk popped open. After she set her purse inside, he closed the lid.
Taking her hand, he escorted her down the long corridor that led from the garage to the house. Once he used his passkey to swipe in, they were greeted by a club monitor. Jared knew all the monitors. On occasion he’d even filled in as one.
“Hey, Cannon. Who do we have with you tonight?” Legolas greeted Jared using his scene name.
Jared knew he was only asking so they could keep track of those coming and going, encase of emergency.
“This is—”
“Erembour. I’m a member, I go to the other site more.”
“Ah, a mythical creature who rides the shadows.” Legolas was a professor of Greek mythology and ancient legends at the local university.
Jared wasn’t shocked Legolas knew what Elahn’s name meant even if he didn’t.
“Legolas, is there anyone using 2V?” Jared question.
“One sec.” The tall thin man glanced down at the screens and pressed a few buttons. “The light is amber so yes.”
“Perfect.” Jared pulled her along with him. At the stairs he stopped. “Wait here for a moment, I need to get something.”
“Okay.” He left her only long enough to go into the men’s changing room and grab an item from his locker. Once he was back out, he took her hand again. He was becoming used to touching her and having her close at his side.
They journeyed up to the second floor.
“You know when we met in New York, I wondered if Jared,” she whispered for his ears alone, “Was your real name.”
“I thought the same about yours. It was pretty, but unique.” When they stood outside of the double doors of the selected room, he asked her, “What made you decide to give me your real name that night?”
She shrugged. “It just felt right. Everything that happened between us was so quick and intense, it was like a dream or really dirty fantasy.” She smiled. “I wanted something to be real.”
Instead of speaking, he reacted to the emotions swelling up inside of him. He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her, hard and deep. The taste of her and the feel of her silken tongue made him groan.
She sighed along with the vibrations of his sound.
He pulled away. “I have been wanting to do that since I first me you.”
“Next time, don’t wait so long.” She ran a finger of his lips.
First, he nipped the digit, then licked it. “Come on before your show is over.”
He opened the second door that led into the antechamber and was glad no one else was there. Most likely, it was because it was early for most to be at the club. By eleven at night until six in the morning it would be very busy.
Unlike in the smaller more private voyeur room in New York, this room had four chairs that sat along the wall. It was dim but not dark at all. He was glad, because he enjoyed watching Elahn as she took her enjoyment from the couple before them.
The pair in the room on the other side of the glass were in the full swing of their play. The small Asian woman was bond Shibari-style and suspended from hooks in the ceiling. Her Dom had tied her in a position that left her knees spread wide with her ass and sex availed to him. The wide straps of the flogger he wielded made a loud thud sound when he struck her, but by the soft blush of her backside it was proof it was only offering a sting not deeper pain as some thinner one could.
The submissive moaned instead of screamed, until he struck between her parted thighs a bullseye on her clit. Her whimper was loud before she began to beg for release—to come. Denied.
Jared looked at Elahn, she was already breathing heavy. When she started to sit, he stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“What?” Her pupils were already dilated.
“Before you get settled I want you to lift up your shirt and bra.”
She held his gaze.
He waited.
She didn’t move. “Are you going to dare me like last time?”
“No. This has to be because you want to do it. Want to please me, like I want to please you.”
Nodding, she took hold of the bottom of her shirt and walked it up. When she got to the lower part of her breasts, she paused to grip her bra then her breasts were revealed to him.
“I want to taste you?”
“Yes,” she said, husky and low.
Leaning down, he first went to one small breast, licking the large nipple before drawing it into his mouth. He sucked, and watched her fingers tightened as they held her clothing up.
She moaned and thrust the tight bud deeper into his mouth.
Moving to the other, he played with it until it was just as engorged as the first. Straightening his form, he pinched and pulled on her peaks to draw them out more. “How do you feel about clamps?”
“Um, I’ve seen them used on others, but never experienced them myself.”
He dug a hand into his pocket and grasped the item. “They will pinch. Since you like a little pain they maybe something you want often. If you don’t like it, I’ll remove them.” He held her gaze, ensuring she was all right with the situation.
“Okay.”
Cupping one of her breasts, he clamped one nipple then waited a beat before he moved to do the other.
Elahn’s eyes were shut tight and her body was trembling as she inhaled and exhaled, short, loud choppy breaths.
“Deep breaths in then exhale out slow.” He repeated it several times as he lightly caressed the underside of her breasts, calming her.
When her breathing regulated, and her eyes opened, he asked, “Better?”
“Yes.”
“You may lower your shirt.”
Her eyelids stretched as if she was considering the sanity of it, before she complied. When her hands bumped her sensitive nipples she cried out, but continued.
“Now, you can sit. Watch your show.”
~YH~
Elahn found it hard to focus on what was happening before her. Not only were the clamps stealing her attention, but Jared lightly stroked the back of her neck and the top of her thigh. Just light infuriating caresses that had her ready to burst or scream. She didn’t want the calm patient man beside her, she wanted the Jared from Paradis. The one who drove her to a hard, hot orgasm and then took her rough against the windowpane.
Right now, she was being tortured with need. What made it worse was that everything that the man was doing to the woman in the other room, she could do nothing, but imagine it was her and Jared. Right now, the man was alternating between licking the woman’s sex, spanking her ass with his bare hands and pinching her nipples hard until she was jerking against her bonds.
The count of how many orgasms the man had brought the woman to was lost on Elahn.
Unable to sit still, Elahn turned to Jared. “I need you to touch me.”
“I am touching you.” He glided his hand up her neck and buried his fingers into her hair and stroked his blunt nails along her scalp.
She was about to come out of her skin. “I need more.”
“Do you want to pleasure yourself?”
A couple weeks ago, that question would have been clear and easy to answer, yes. Now, everything inside of her screamed no. “No, Jared.” She used his real name since they were alone. “I want you to do it.”
How had this man altered her world in such a brief period?
His hands stopped moving. “If I touch you I won’t be able to stop until we are both coming. That can’t happen here, angel-mine.”
It was true. The two of them had already violated the rule once. “Then where?”
If he had wanted to drag her out to the beach caveman-style, at this point with so much desire surging through her veins, she would have allowed it.
“Come home with me.”
She nodded. There was no need for her to ponder it.
Rising, he held his hand out to her.
“What about the clamps.”
“Leave them. My place is not too far at this time of night.”
She would have argued against it, but that was just wasting time. Taking his hand, she got up and let him lead her out.
Every step jostled her breasts and sparked the arousal turning her core inside out. When they arrived at the car she sighed with relief. Her relief was short lived, the twenty-five-minute car ride wasn’t much better.
“Soon, Elahn. You can do this.” Jared’s hand caressed her knee, a calm, light touch.
She concentrated on his touch not her own body.
At his large home, Jared parked in the garage then came around to her side of the car. When he opened the door, he must of seen something in her face, because instead of asking her to get out, he just scooped her up. A quick hip bump at the door swung it shut.
At the door that led to the house, he pushed in a code on a keypad. When the door opened he wasted no time crossing the spacious house with long strides.
She didn’t even try and get a look at his house. Her full attention was on Jared and the heat in her breasts, both were turning her core to liquid.
He didn’t pause until he got to his room. Once there, he set her on her feet before claiming her mouth.
The kiss was amazing, but she wanted another part of his body connected with her own. She pulled away. “Jared, I want you inside me.”
“Good to know we are on the same page.”
They divested each other of clothing. Standing nude before him at the side of the bed, she gritted her teeth as first one clamp came off then the other.
“Beautiful.”
She looked down at protruding nipples. When the blood began to flow back into them a screamed burst from her mouth. The fire pain made her light-headed, but she couldn’t deny her clit was throbbing in time with the pulse.
He dipped his head and lightly licked one nipple and then the other. She arched her back and lifted her breasts to him. The wet titillation both soothed and hurt at the same time.
Jared lowered himself to his knees before her and glided his tongue between her swollen wet folds. When he located her clit, he began to circle and suckle it, she was lost. Between the hot pain in her nipples and the pleasurable manipulation of her sex she was coming hard.
He had one of her legs slung over his shoulder, and palm her ass in his large hands to hold her against his attentive mouth.
“Yes, yes….”
It seemed that he wouldn’t stop oral fucking her and she couldn’t cease coming. Her orgasms tripped over each other.
Finally, he eased her back onto his massive bed. She hadn’t even taken a moment to look at his room, she’d been in so much need. She would make the same mistake about Jared.
Panting, she stared at him.
He stood there as big and brawny as a historical Viking. Naked he was an extraordinary specimen, sleek and toned. She lowered her gaze to the part of him she desired to see most, his cock. Oh, man, did she get an eye full. The man was well endowed, with both girth and length.
She understood now why it had taken her a few days before she’d stopped feeling tender. None of that stopped her now. She knew what he felt like inside of her, how amazing it was. Jared had skills to go along with his gift and that made a world of difference.
Lifting her arms, she beckoned him to her.
“We are going to take this nice and slow this time, angel-mine.” He slipped an arm around her waist and dragged her up the bed until they were both in the center. “We have all night.”
“And I don’t want to waste a minute of it.” She pulled him down to her, kissing him, she tasted her own essence on his tongue.
Wrapping her legs around him, she drew him in.
He dragged his mouth as the head of his cock rested against her opening. “I need to get a condom.”
“I’m on birth control.”
“Fuck, yes.” He pressed forward, steady and started their journey toward nirvana.
They kissed and loved it each through the night. When they weren’t having sex, they talked only to end the conversation and begin round three or four.
At some point through the night, he prepared a warm bath for her to soak in, afraid he would injury her if they continued. Elahn was having any coddling, she pulled him into the bath only to straddle him and ride them both to a slow ecstasy.
The sun came up with him laying behind her, caressing her along her spine and telling her how beautiful she was and how happy he was to have her in his life.