4
JAKE HAD NO IDEA what he’d done to deserve this day, but he damn well wanted to find out so he could do it again.
Natalie was like no other woman he’d ever met. She was intelligent, witty, sharp and absolutely sexy. But she was also somewhat shy, or at least private. Definitely reserved when it came to sex. And yet she wanted so badly not to be. He was more than glad to help her out. In fact, it stunned him just what emotions and urges she brought out in him.
He had always firmly believed in seeing to his partner’s pleasure as well as to his own. But something about Natalie brought out twin urges to protect…and to dominate. He wasn’t all that surprised at the former. But the latter shocked him. He was definitely not that guy. And yet he’d never felt more natural than when he told her to walk across that room. Yes, he’d sensed she wanted direction, wanted to be absolved, at least a tiny bit, of the pressure of being in control.
But nothing had prepared him for the rush it had given him when she’d complied. Maybe it was because she’d done so with her head high. No meekness, definitely no submissiveness. It hadn’t been about domination or even control. It had been…primal. Visceral. This need to push her. Push her toward discovering her own pleasure…and toward discovering his. Maybe it was because he knew she’d push back.
And the idea of that happening rocked him even harder.
“Now?” he answered her command. And yes, it had been a command. He had never been one for that, either, never desired women who almost liked to punish men for giving them pleasure. But this command, it was about mutual pleasure. He could definitely identify with that.
And maybe that was the real thrill here. That they would push and shove, command and demand the absolute greatest degree of pleasure from one another.
He grinned down at her, hoping they both survived the onslaught. She squealed when he suddenly stooped and scooped her into his arms, holding her tight against his chest. “Bed or wall?”
Her eyes popped wide. He loved that.
“I beg your pardon?”
“No begging. I’m too far gone. I promise to make you beg next time, however. If that’s what you want.”
Her eyebrows narrowed. He loved that, too.
Then the most devilish smile curved her lips. “We’ll see who begs.”
He swore his knees went a bit woozy. Certainly his heart skipped one or two beats.
“Bed,” she said decisively. “Wall next time. If you’re lucky.”
“We’ll see who feels lucky when I’m done with you.”
He felt her squirm in his arms and knew he’d been right about the control issues. They would each test the other’s limits. And have the best damn time of their lives doing it. He wondered how long he could keep her here in this room where they could do anything and everything. No strings attached.
He carried her to the bed, aching just to slide her body down and onto his. But the brown paper bag on the bed stopped him. Her gaze fell on it at the same time. “Do you want to do the honors? Or would you rather me?”
He could see her getting ready to say she’d rather let him, but after the slightest pause, she said, “I’ll do it.”
She truly intrigued him. He realized he was like some bold adventure to her, that it wasn’t about him personally, but this secret thrill he’d come to represent to her. But rather than be insulted or offended by that, he had this undeniable urge simply to be the best damn adventure of her life. After all, it wasn’t like he wouldn’t be having a damn fine time, as well.
“I got several kinds.”
She smiled. “I know.”
“So just reach in and pick one. Unless you’ve decided you have a preference.”
He let her slide to a stand, then turned to yank the covers off the bed, while she dumped the bag out on the sheets. He sprawled across the bed, then smiled and beckoned to her with a crooked finger. “And the lucky winner is?”
Me, he answered himself, as she crawled across the bed, purple foil packet in hand.
She was comfortable in her own skin, he noticed, but mostly when she wasn’t thinking about the fact that she was naked in front of him. Part of him wanted to keep her distracted so she’d stay more at ease…and an equal part wanted to nudge her to confront it, to deal with it—and his part in it.
He rolled to his side, facing her. She didn’t look at him as she struggled to tear the package open.
“You want help?” His offer only made her more determined. He’d remember that.
She finally looked right at him…and tore it open with her sharp white teeth.
He’d do well to remember that, too.
“Okay,” she said, looking from the silky latex in her hand, to him. “Are you sure we got the right size?”
He couldn’t help it. He laughed. “Yeah,” he finally managed to say. “Here—” He held out his hand, but instead of taking the condom, he took her wrist and guided her hand to him. “Just put it like this.” He showed her. “Then roll it down. It stretches.”
He had planned on watching, but as soon as her slender fingers moved over him, pushing the latex down over his pulsing skin, he rolled to his back and groaned. He closed his eyes as she tugged and snugged it all the way to the base. He decided right then and there, he was never putting on his own condom again.
“Okay,” she finally said.
He forced his eyes open. “Maybe you need more practice.”
Her mouth dropped open, then snapped shut as she realized he was teasing. “You do have a whole bag full of them.” She was taunting. Daring.
He reached out and tugged her across his body. She yelped as he rolled her swiftly under him, pinning her arms gently but very firmly over her head. His legs held hers to the bed with no room for movement. He’d meant to taunt her back, make some smart-ass comment about seeing how many they could use in the next couple of hours.
But everything had changed the moment he had her helpless. There was not a shred of fear in her eyes. No. Exactly the opposite. Excitement, anticipation and…outright need shone from her dark eyes.
She wasn’t helpless, after all. She had him right where she wanted him.
“I’m going to take you, Natalie.” He knew it was the right thing to say when her pupils all but exploded in their rush to expand. “I’m going to fill you, every inch of you.” He nudged himself between her legs. “One…inch…at…a…time.” With each word he nudged a little more deeply. “I’m going to make you scream, Natalie,” he promised. She moaned softly, her hips pushing off the bed. He levered his body closer to hers, putting his mouth beside her ear. “With pleasure.”
He pushed slowly into her, keeping her legs pressed to the bed so she could barely arch into him. It was excruciating torture for them both…and unbelievably arousing. She was so wet for him, his control slipped—and slipped badly.
“Scream for me, Natalie,” he said hoarsely, and pushed all the way in, his hips coming down hard on hers.
She did scream, and bucked hard against him. He stilled, but only for a second.
“Again!” she rasped. “God, Jake. Do it again.”
“Yeah.” It was all he was capable of, and even that came out like a grunt. She was sweet and tight and goddamn if she didn’t take all of him and beg for more.
He pushed into her, making the bed jerk against the wall. Again. And again. And if he slowed down even slightly, she demanded it from him.
“Faster,” she gasped.