“SHIT. I KNOW you only have a week left to find a place,” Luke said, still looking concerned. “Seriously, I’m sorry.”

“How sorry?” I said, my eyebrows raised.

He glanced up in surprise, shifting his weight back to lean against the kitchen counter. “Well, now, that’s an interesting question. Let’s just say I owe you.”

I took a few steps toward him. “Hmm … always nice to be owed a favor.” My gaze fell, as it frequently did, to his smooth, muscled chest. Several wicked thoughts crossed my mind, but I couldn’t quite figure out how to word them without sounding like a nymphomaniac. After a moment, I chickened out. “You probably shouldn’t be promising favors to someone who’ll need help moving soon.”

He laughed. “Nice try, but I was watching your face. Judging by the blush, that wasn't the kind of favor you were originally going to ask for.”

Damn. How did he know that? I sneaked a quick peek into his eyes, and he was still watching me intently. Then his expression softened and he said, “Of course I’ll help you move, dummy. I was planning to even before I managed to get you stuck inside on a Saturday.”

He took my hands and waited until I looked up at him to continue. “But to tell you the truth, I’m not really sorry that you’re stuck here with me. Trapped together. All day. Just you and me.”

My eyes partially closed at his low, husky tone even though he hadn’t made a move to kiss me. Unfortunately.

I finally found my voice. “In that case, since you owe me, maybe you could give me a back rub.” I’d gotten the idea from before when he was tracing letters on my back and sending shivers up and down my spine.

He snorted. “A back rub. Is that what they call it at Happy Acorns? Here in the real world, when a man is alone with a beautiful, partially-dressed woman, we call it a massage. A full-body massage.”

While I was still reeling from his erotically charged words, he winked. “Congrats. You just hit on another one of my superpowers.”

“You’re that good?” I said, arranging a skeptical look on my face even though every cell of my body was already convinced.

“Find out for yourself. But there are house rules at this particular massage parlor. I’m going to make your skin sizzle and your muscles melt into pools of bliss. But I do it my way. No back-seat driving.”

I gulped, not completely sure what I was getting into. “Okay.”

“That’s the best decision you’ve made since you chose pepperoni last night. Go get on the bed. Face down. Robe off.”

Luke’s orders made my skin sizzle, just like he’d promised, and he hadn’t even touched me yet. Unbelievable.

Turning, I shoved the sheets and covers out of the way. Guess it was a good thing we’d never made the bed. I untied my robe and let it fall from my shoulders. His eyes were on me as I stretched out. I folded my arms up under the pillow and turned my head away from him, letting my hair fan out. I shut my eyes and waited.

“Perfect,” he said. “Don’t move.”

He took his time. I heard him rummaging in the bathroom and then moving around the room. At one point, I felt him right behind me, but then he did something at the small nightstand and then moved away. I wondered how much of this was actually massage prep and how much was just to keep me waiting and wanting. Either way, it was pretty damn effective at getting me hot and bothered.

At last, I sensed him at the edge of the bed. When I tried to turn to see him, he put his hand on my head, stilling me. Reluctantly, I stayed put, and after a moment he removed his hand. And then came the unmistakable sound of his zipper being undone. My muscles tensed, and he laughed softly. “I bet you wish you’d faced the other way now.”

I heard his jeans drop to the floor, and my imagination happily filled in the visual to go along with the audio. A moment later, his weight shifted the mattress next to my hip. He swung his leg over and straddled me, sitting on my ass. It was a delicious feeling to be pinned down, but it was clear he was being careful not to put too much weight on me.

When his hands touched my hair, I flinched. He leaned forward and swept my chestnut strands off my neck. Warm air tickled my throat before I heard his words. “You really need to learn to relax, Darcy. Has anyone ever told you that?”

I nodded slightly, though of course, if I’d been alone in my room this morning, I would’ve been perfectly relaxed. And not having nearly as much fun.

He kissed my neck and then spoke softly into my ear. “Good thing you have all this luscious hair to cover you if I go too far and leave a mark on your neck.”

Sitting upright, he unfastened my bra, letting the straps fall to the side. Light hands stroked over my back where it had been. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him surveying my skin, much like an artist might assess a blank canvas.

He reached toward the nightstand and a moment later he was holding a bottle of lotion I recognized from my bathroom. He poured some in his palms and rubbed them together.

Strong hands descended on my shoulders. It felt absolutely amazing. I guess I had been pretty stressed with the whole situation today. Waves of tension melted away as he rubbed and kneaded. Of course, a new kind of tension was building up in other parts of my body. Every time he leaned forward, I could feel his weight shift. And every so often, I could feel a warm extra pressure that I assumed was his cock brushing up against me.

His powerful fingers moved down to my shoulder blades, kneading in little circles. His hands were strong, and the pressure was just right to send shivers of excitement radiating outward from his touch. He never let his hands roam too far and tickle my sides, and I was grateful because I wouldn’t have been able to relax if I were worried about that.

It felt heavenly. He clearly knew what he was doing. Was a massage class part of a Hotel and Restaurant major? His thumbs traced up and down my spine, easing pain I hadn’t even been aware of having.

After about fifteen minutes of pure bliss, he leaned down and whispered, “Darcy … do you want to turn over?”

My pulse increased as I thought about it. Clearly the question was about more than just presenting my front to him. After a moment, I nodded, shyly. He eased his weight off me a little, and I twisted underneath him until I was on my back.

My bra had worked its way loose in the process. It was lying across the tops of my breasts, not covering much. But still … the next step seemed like a big one. To take it off and be nearly naked underneath him … it took a certain amount of courage that I wasn’t sure I had. But I wanted this. I wanted him. Luke was the perfect friend, so why couldn’t he be more? Why shouldn’t he be more?

Taking a quick breath as if to steel myself, I pushed my bra aside, letting it fall. Now Luke was looking at me fully, in the medium light that edged past the closed blinds. Before I could feel too embarrassed, he leaned forward, his mouth claiming mine. He supported himself with one arm, his free hand plunging between us, cupping my breasts, and pressing against a nipple, making it instantly hard.

I pushed one hand through his hair and ran the other one down his back. Soft fabric met my hand. It was finally time for me to squeeze and rub his ass, and I loved the way I could feel hard muscles under my fingers.

Luke’s mouth was strong against mine, and I felt rather than heard his moan as my hand explored his firm backside. I mashed my tongue against his, feeling my excitement build. His excitement was evident from the hard mass pressed against my pelvis.

His hand left my breast and traveled down my body. This time, as soon as he encountered my panties, he pushed them down. Apparently he was no longer content with touching me through my underwear. That was fine by me.

I squirmed and wiggled until my panties rolled down to my toes. Luke wasted no time. His fingers found my slit and rubbed up and down. He didn’t even have to dip inside me to find slick wetness. He pushed that moisture up to my clit and traced circles around it that made me squirm.

I wanted to get him naked too, before the delicious sensations took over and I lost all rational thought. I grabbed the waistband of his boxer-briefs, and he paused to do a one arm push-up, giving me better access. I carefully eased it over his powerful erection. Wow. Glad to know he was as turned on as I was.

Finally, finally, finally his naked body pressed against mine. Skin to skin. His weight on me felt incredible. I spread my legs, wrapping them around his waist. His hard cock rested between my thighs, and I could feel its length pressing against my slit where his finger had been a moment before.

He groaned, and when he spoke, his voice wasn’t as calm and controlled as usual. “I want you so bad, Darce.”

I wanted him too. But before I could respond, there was a pounding at the door. Dammit! Not now!

Luke didn’t even pause. “Ignore it,” he said, his lips attacking mine again.

But the knocking continued. I kissed him for a moment more and then worked my mouth free after a particularly loud bang. “But doesn’t she have a key?”

Luke groaned in frustration. “Chain’s on. Ignore it. Please, babe.”

But the insistent knocking wasn't letting up. I worked one hand under his shoulder and pushed upward. It was like trying to move a boulder. “She can unlock the deadbolt and look in, can’t she? And claim she was worried about my health or something.”

“Shit,” Luke said, but I got the impression his frustration was more with me for stopping rather than the thought of Barbara catching us.

I pushed again, and he rolled to the side. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want your creepy manager seeing me naked.”

He slumped in defeat. “Don’t see how that’s a problem. You look great naked.”

I laughed at the sullen tone at which he’d delivered this compliment. “Okay, then, I don’t want her seeing you naked.”

I hopped off the bed and threw on my robe. I looked out the peephole and saw Barbara in full barracuda mode. Jeesh, she did have her keys out. I called through the door. “Yes?”

She froze, and then said she had some over-the-counter medicine for me. I politely declined, reiterating that I wanted to be left alone. She looked irritated that I didn’t open the door, but she probably knew she couldn’t insist.

I waited until she left, and then I backed away from the door. Strong arms grabbed me from behind, and I swallowed a shriek. The TV was still on, but I knew that another guest calling to complain about noise would mean the game was up.

Luke lifted me off the ground which couldn’t have been easy while I was struggling in his grasp. Damn, he was strong. He carried me past the kitchenette. He growled in my ear. “What do I have to do to keep you in bed—tie you to it?”

I froze as that erotic idea took hold and whipped my hormones into a frenzy. He laughed, clearly amused at my reaction. “Never would have figured you for that type.” He set me down on the floor by the bed, spun me, and somehow removed my robe in the process.

He lowered me onto the bed on my back, hovering over me, and spoke again. “I’m that type, though.” His voice was soft and rumbly and did delicious things to nerve endings all over my body. “Wanna give it a try?” It was then I noticed that he was still holding the belt from my robe.

I stared at the slinky maroon belt, feeling torn. I did want to try … or at least part of me did. It was something I’d only explored in my deepest, most private fantasies. But I was already lying on the bed, naked, fully exposed to a handsome man. That was embarrassing in its own right, so I definitely didn’t feel brave enough to admit to wanting to try being tied up.

Luke seemed to sense my hesitation, my conflicting desires. He sat down next to me, and didn’t comment when I shifted onto my side, making me feel a little less exposed. He ran his hand down my side, to my hip, and back up again.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“I know.”

His hand kept stroking me, and a small whimper escaped my lips.

“Here’s the thing, though,” he said. “I think you do want this.”

I didn’t say anything, continuing to all but purr under his petting.

“Darcy?”

“It’s just … it’s our first time.”

He grinned at that. “And first times should be boring and by-the-book, right?”

“No. I just mean—” but I wasn’t sure I could articulate what I meant.

“What if I told you that I didn’t know how to have boring sex?”

He was easier to deal with when he was being arrogant instead of quietly intense. “Yeah, right. If I could just get the number of the first girl you slept with in high school, I’d like to confirm that.”

He laughed. “Hey, that was the most exciting forty-five seconds of her life.” His fingers inched down my body and teased the underside of one of my breasts, weighing it in his hand. “Trust me when I say I’ve had no complaints since.”

“You're really that good?” I was relaxing enough to tease him back.

“I can prove it if you want me to.”

Hmmm, maybe this was the way to get what I wanted without having to directly ask for it. “Maybe you should prove it. I’m from the ‘Show Me State,’ after all.”

He laughed again and tweaked my nipple. “That’s Missouri. You’re from Ohio.”

Damn that stupid high school that introduced him to his first girlfriend and taught him geography. I squirmed as his fingers teased my nipple, alternating between rubbing and tugging on the stiff peak. He leaned over and replaced his fingers with his mouth.

Now one nipple was caught between his lips and the other in his hand. I was definitely squirming on the bed. He sucked, hard, and I moaned deep in my throat. But then he stopped. “Tell me you want me to show you the best night—I mean, Saturday morning—of your life.”

I arched into his touch. I sank the fingers of one hand into his hair and stared into his eyes. The sexy twinkle there made me want to tease him. I licked my lips and said, “I’ll never admit that.”

In an instant, his hands were at my sides, tickling me without mercy. I shrieked with laughter. “Shhh,” he said, though he was laughing, too. “You can’t get too loud or I’ll have to gag you with your panties.”

Though I didn’t want him to do that, the thought definitely turned me on. I clamped my lips shut, but giggles still leaked through as he kept tickling me. He climbed on top of me, and for a moment it was a full-on wrestling match. I railed out with my arms, my legs, but he matched me move for move. He was so strong. The weight of his body pinning me down was so erotic.

After a few minutes of delicious squirming and writhing under him, he ended up with one knee pressed between my legs, holding them open. My wrists were pinned above my head with his left hand. He snatched up the silky sash with his free hand and trailed it across my chest. Somehow it tickled even more than his hands had.

I wiggled and ground myself against his knee between my legs. “Cut it out,” I said with very little conviction.

His face was smug. He had me trapped, and he knew it. “I can do this all day, babe,” he said draping the smooth fabric down my side and then to my waist. “But if you have a better use for this belt, you let me know, okay?”

He tilted his head down and bit at my bottom lip while he continued to move the silk sash all over me. I squirmed under the maddeningly light caress. He was such a tease. I didn’t want this light touching, I wanted more. I had to have it.

“Please, Luke.” Anything to stop that erotic torment.

“Please what? Did you come up with a different way for me to use this?” He held the belt up for a moment, and then let the end touch my abs and trail down toward my pelvis. God, it tickled. And it made the ache between my legs grow. I wanted him so much.

“Please …”

“Tell me,” he demanded.

“Please tie me up.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard,” he said, kissing me briefly. He quickly bound my wrists together and then tied them to the post on the far right of the headboard. I tugged at the bonds. The belt was pulled tight around my wrists, but I thought I could probably twist out of it if I tried long enough. That was somehow reassuring even though I was far more excited than worried about what Luke was going to do next.

He grasped my hips and lifted, positioning me diagonally across the bed. I loved the way he could manhandle me, lifting and moving me as if I were weightless. With my arms stretched out above my head, I felt exposed but incredibly turned on.

Luke straddled my waist, again supporting most of his weight with his legs. His stiff cock pointed toward my breasts. I couldn’t help staring at the swollen purple head. “Nice to see that I’ve got your attention,” Luke observed.

He winked when I sheepishly met his eyes. “I know you’re going to enjoy this, but if you want me to stop, or untie you, just say so. Any questions?”

“Yes,” I said, a sudden surge of wickedness bubbling up inside me. “When are you going to shut up and put that inside me?”

“Hmm. That’s an awfully bratty attitude for a woman tied to the bed.”

He had a point there. He was studying me so diligently, I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. “So many different places to start …” he said.

I tried to thrust my hips up under him, but he was too heavy for that. It was frustrating. Here I’d finally decided that yes, I wanted to do this with him, and he was making me wait. It was maddening, but it also made me hot as hell. I’ve never been at someone’s mercy in bed before. It was a complete turn on. He’d given me two incredible orgasms, and I was eager for a third.

Luke laughed as he felt me writhe under him. “This is hot. A naked woman straining for my cock.” This, of course, made me blush more, which had probably been his goal.

He moved upright, lifting his ass off me. “How badly do you want it?” he asked. He crawled forward until he was straddling my chest. The swollen tip of his cock bobbed right in front of me. I reached out with my tongue, but it danced away. I lifted my head, got in a lick or two, but it was a moving target.

Staring down at me, Luke laughed silently at my attempts to take him into my mouth. It made me even more determined to catch it and wipe that smile off his face. I bet once I got the tip in my mouth, he wouldn’t want to take it out.

I was right. I finally captured the head of his cock between my lips, and I immediately went to work, swirling my tongue around, creating gentle suction, and massaging it with the inside of my lips.

Luke moaned and closed his eyes. He fed me more of his cock, and I made my tongue flat as he moved farther into my mouth. I sucked and bobbed my head as much as I could, twisting every few strokes. “Fuck, that feels good,” he said, and his voice was unsteady. It was good to know I’d done that to him.

Soon his cock grew even bigger, bumping up against the roof of my mouth. He leaned forward, but when I started to gag, he pulled back. He had a condom in his fingers—he must have set it on the nightstand when he’d been getting the lotion. He scooted back and positioned himself between my legs. He fisted himself several times and then rolled the condom on.

“You ready for this?”

“Yes,” I said. Not that he couldn’t see that for himself with my squirming and the wetness between my legs.

He frowned. “That wasn’t very enthusiastic.” He spread his thighs farther apart which had the effect of opening my legs wider. He stared down at me and stroked his cock. “Maybe I should come on your stomach. I could come just from watching you like this.”

“No! I mean, please don’t. Please, Luke.”

“That’s a little better,” he said, his eyes still on my center.

It was pretty damn humiliating, but I wanted him so badly. “Please Luke, I need you inside me. I want you to stretch me, fill me up. Please.”

Now he looked at my face. “That’s my girl.” He wasn’t smiling now. He looked just as turned on as I was. I liked it when he took charge, but I also liked knowing that I turned him on as well.

He positioned himself at my opening, teased the head around, and then plunged inside of me. After nearly twenty-four hours of building up to this point, it felt amazing. I cried out and then caught myself, trying to keep my voice down. But let’s face it, if the Barracuda was on the other side of the door, we were dead anyway. And at the moment, I didn’t care.

Luke pulled back and then thrust into me again. It felt so good to be filled, to be stretched after such a long time. And having my arms bound made it more intense. I didn’t want to get away, but knowing that I couldn’t added an extra layer of spice.

His eyes were glued to my chest as he took me. My breasts jiggled with every thrust, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. If the erotic charge he got out of watching me bounce was inspiring him to new heights, I wasn’t going to complain.

I gasped as the sensations spread into all parts of my body. He thrust all the way in me and held himself there, making me squirm and feel the fullness. Then he withdrew, leaving just the tip in. Grabbing my thigh, he lifted my leg up to rest on his shoulder. When he pushed into me again, it was at a slightly different angle and even deeper. I hadn’t thought that was possible.

He teased me with a series of fast shallow strokes. I moaned incoherently, arching my back, my wrists tugging at the bond. He pulled back again, and this time his finger found my hard clit. He circled it once, twice, three times, and then plunged all the way into me, making me cry out again.

It was almost too much, his hard cock pounding deep inside me, his finger working its magic on my clit. My breath was coming out in short gasps, and his was, too. “Don’t stop,” I moaned. He looked like he had no intention of doing that.

The pressure built inside me. He looked close, too.

“Come for me, Darcy.” His voice was guttural and thick. I nodded frantically, unable to say anything. He pounded me into the bed, never letting up on my clit. My muscles tightened. I was so close.

His other hand reached up and grabbed my breast, squeezing, kneading. The combination of that roughness and the thorough pounding pushed me over the edge. I screamed and arched my back as the electrifying sensations hit. Seconds later, his cock shuddered inside me.

My body jerked this way and that, and one wrist slipped out of the silky sash holding me to the bed. Luke collapsed on top of me, his finger finally stilling on my clit. I grasped the back of his head, holding him close as we both drew in labored breaths.

I held him like that for a long time while we both came down. Finally, Luke slid out of me, and reached down to take care of the condom. I watched his face, searching for signs that he might feel differently about me now.

But he revealed no clues as he reached up and freed my other wrist which was somehow still trapped in the belt. The silence was beginning to make me uncomfortable, so I said, “Was that a regulation boy scout knot?”

“Apparently not. Guess I’ll lose my merit badge,” he said. “But I didn’t want to make it too tight. No offense, but it was pretty obvious that was your first time being bound.”

Still in the throes of post-orgasmic bliss, I didn’t even blush. It may have been my first time, but hopefully it wasn’t my last. I hoped I’d be spending a lot of time with him in the future. I hoped we’d build a relationship that lasted once we weren’t trapped in a room and I wasn’t living at his workplace.

Hopefully.