I see the tension on his face as he fights for control. “This will do nicely for now,” he says. He nods to the floor. “Come a little closer.”
I do, getting on my knees in front of him, and I keep up the rhythm, stroking his cock as he tells me his story.
“I didn’t want to be a cop,” he says. “Christ, Jamie, do you know what you’re doing to me?”
“I have some idea,” I admit. “Go on.”
“But when my dad was killed in the line, that’s what everyone expected of me.”
I pause my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you—I was young.” He lays his hand on mine. “Don’t stop.”
I tilt my head back and meet his eyes, and for a moment I think I will get lost in them. Then he goes on, telling me about how his family rebounded—him, his sister, his mother. “But I still wasn’t interested in wearing the uniform, having the badge. I considered the military, but that wasn’t my thing. I trained—a lot. Martial arts, boxing, weapons. But I wasn’t the military type. I wasn’t the intelligence type, either. Too much chain of command, and I like being my own boss.”
“What did you do?” I continue to touch him, but lightly. I want to arouse him, not overwhelm him. I want to hear his story.
“I opened a private security firm. Very high-end. Very exclusive. Very international. My family connections helped there. The company did well, and I decided to take it public. Nothing like that had ever been done before, and I caught Damien’s eye. He got in contact, and to make a long story short, ended up buying me out. Since then, we’ve become friends, and I moved up in his company.”
I frown. “So the company you started is just gone?”
“No. It’s a Stark subsidiary now. I ran it for five years before taking this job. I was getting tired of globetrotting and wanted a more permanent home base. I’m thirty. I wanted to think about a life. A family.”
I lick my lips and try to swallow the ball of jealousy that has caught in my throat. “A family,” I repeat as I draw my hand away from his cock and lean back. “You wanted to stay in LA because of a woman?”
“No,” he says, then tenderly strokes my cheek. “Not then.”
I try not to react, not to read too much into those casual words. But I can’t help but wonder.
His smile turns mischievous. “Actually, there is a woman, and she very much influenced my move.”
I narrow my eyes. “Oh?”
“My sister is at UCLA. I like being able to see her, help her out. Spoil her rotten.”
I think about my dress. About everything. “I imagine you do that very well.”
“Drives her crazy,” he admits cheerfully.
“What’s her name?”
“Moira,” he says. “Dad died when she was eight, so I’ve always felt a bit like a parent. She’s amazing,” he adds as I watch his face, studying this new side of the man who already has me falling.
He puts his hand over mine. “As much as I’m enjoying your touch,” he says, “I think it’s time to move on.”
“Oh?” His cock is hard beneath his jeans, and I’m hoping that he has plans to put that lovely erection to very good use.
“We have dinner reservations. You should change.”
“Right,” I say, standing up and hoping my disappointment doesn’t show.
I start to step away, but his voice stops me. “Wait,” he says. “First things first.”
I turn back, and there’s something in his tone that makes me wary.
“You left,” he said. “You ran, actually.”
I lick my lips. “I thought we were past that. Our new deal. Roulette. The ball on red.”
“And I’m very much enjoying our arrangement so far,” he says, which is a bit baffling as so far he hasn’t touched me. Not really. But that, I suppose, is all part of the tease.
But what he’s talking about now...I shake my head, uncertain. “What do you want?”
“It was a bad thing you did, Jamie. We both know it.”
“Maybe,” I say, still wary.
“Strip.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
He leans back, his arms stretched along the rear of the couch. He looks relaxed and powerful and most definitely in charge. “I said, strip.”