“I still feel guilty for wanting you. For acting on it.” His smile became wicked. “Just not guilty enough to stop.”
“Do you tie me so you feel like all the blame for our coming together rests on you? Because I’m definitely half of this equation.” And while she enjoyed when he took control and made her come over and over again while she was forced to accept whatever he did to her, she would also like to be more than a recipient. She’d like to give him as much pleasure as he gave her.
After a moment, during which he watched the action of his hands as he continued to wash her skin, he again lifted his head. “That’s part of it,” he said. “I guess I like to feel miserable about my choices.”
How could anyone like to feel miserable?
“But the bigger part is even more selfish. I love the way you look when you’re all helpless and at my mercy. If you weren’t tied right now, I doubt you’d be holding still while I clean you.”
“I’d be plastered to your body so I could feel every inch of you against every inch of me. I want that.”
“I’d be happy to make all your wants a reality,” he said, working at one of the knots that kept her immobilized.
“You would?”
“All you have to do is ask.”
Her leg came free, and he massaged her hip to help her extend it. Her shoulder ached a bit as she straightened her arm and before she could complain, he massaged that joint as well. He untied her other leg and repeated the gentle massages on that side. She shifted to a seated position, wrapped her arms around him and pulled until he tumbled onto the bed on top of her. She pressed her chest and belly up against him, disappointed that they were both still partially clothed.
“Take your pants off,” she said, putting a hand on his chest and squirming for a bit of space so she could shed her shirt and bra.
His body stiffened, and his heart thudded faster beneath her palm. “I’m not ready for this.”
His eyes were wide as a spooked horse’s.
“I don’t want more sex,” she said. “Just some skin on skin cuddling.”
When her words didn’t relax him, she stroked his back with slow, gentle caresses. She figured she was stuck with above the waist petting for now. She was okay with that.
“Leave them on then,” she said. “It’s okay.”
“I’m already getting excited again,” he said with a breathless chuckle. “And we both know where that will lead if I take my pants off.”
She didn’t want to pressure him—much—but she was more than ready to go exactly where that would lead. He wasn’t, though. “Just relax,” she said, her voice low and hopefully soothing. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
“But I want to do it all. With you.”
He released a long breath and allowed the stiffness to flow out of his muscles, so that his weight was on her. She couldn’t stop herself from sighing in contentment. Yes, she needed this. To feel his body against hers. To be surrounded by his scent and his warmth. To delight in the tickle of his long hair brushing her neck. To hear his breath close to her ear. After a moment of lying in her arms, he shifted onto his side, drawing her against him. That was when her hands began to wander and her lips began to caress his neck, his jaw, his chin. She couldn’t be expected to just lie there when she had this much man in her arms. To her surprise, he didn’t stop her. His hands and lips began to wander as well. He left no inch of her unexplored, unkissed, and yet just when she was certain he was at a point of excitement where sex sans ropes was inevitable, he pulled away from her and climbed from the bed.
“We’d better head back to the venue,” he said, retrieving her panties from the floor and slipping them over her feet. “It’s getting late.”
She figured it was bad form to complain that she was excited and aroused when it had been her idea to cuddle, but they’d done so much more than cuddle. Eventually they’d make love together rather than him making love to her while she had no choice but to take and take and take some more, but apparently that wouldn’t be happening just now. She’d wait, wait for however long it took for him to allow himself pleasure without guilt. He was worth the wait. So she found her discarded clothing and made herself decent, noting that he was facing the wall with his hands on his hips as he waited for her.
“You don’t want to watch me dress?” she asked.
He shook his head, and she grinned. He was turned on too, she knew he was. It was his stupid little rule to keep promises that should have long ago been broken that prevented them both from being fully satisfied, but she’d wait. He was worth the wait.
When she finished dressing, she went to him, resting a hand on his back and dropping a kiss between his shoulder blades, where the gorgeous gray-scale rendering of a life-like stallion decorated his skin.
“The naughty naked lady is all covered now,” she said.
“You’d think years of celibacy would make this easier,” he said with a pained chuckle. “I think it actually makes it more difficult. I wish I could take everything you’re offering me, Dawn.”
“You can.” One arm wrapped around his waist, and she splayed her hand over the center of his chest. He covered her hand and held it there against his pounding heart. “The only thing stopping you is you.”
“I know. I make myself sick!”
She laughed. He was worth the wait. He had to be.
He’d better be.
*****
A limo was waiting to take them back to the venue, and Dawn didn’t complain as they slid into the cavernous back seat. She wouldn’t have minded a bit more snuggling while they rode, but Kellen whipped out his phone and checked his messages. He immediately burst out laughing. When Dawn nudged him and lifted her brows, he passed her the phone.
“Is that Owen?” she asked, squinting at the screen and the rather white ass filling it. “What is he doing?”
“Mooning cows.”
Dawn cocked one brow at him. “Why?”
“Letting off a little steam. I’m glad Jacob got him away from Lindsey for a couple of hours. They’re bringing back crawdads and jambalaya for dinner.”
Dawn’s stomach growled, and she covered it with one hand. “Good. I’m starved. Not naming any names, but someone distracted me from getting lunch.”
“That’s unfortunate. I enjoyed the most delicious honeyed dessert.”
Dawn crossed her legs and squeezed them together as her body very clearly remembered his sweet feasting.
When the limo pulled to a halt, the door immediately opened, and Gabe—looking very stern—practically yanked Dawn out.
“If you let me stay, I’ll talk Mel into a threesome,” said a pretty, young brunette to the crimson-Mohawked drummer. Gabe firmly shook his head. “Come on, Force,” the woman said. “We’d rock your world.”
“I don’t want to have a threesome with you, or anyone else for that matter. I’d just like a little time alone with Melanie, if you don’t mind.”