That’s it for me; hysterical laughter pours out, and I fear I will pee Lucian’s 1000-thread-count sheets before I am able to get myself under control. “Oh, my God, Rose; that is so messed up!”

  “What? You get to have possession of what’s hanging between his legs, and I’ll take the leg itself. Do you think he’s interested in that three-way?”

  “No,” I answer hastily, not knowing if that’s true or not. I am discovering he has some kinky tendencies, but there is no way I would ever consent to sharing Lucian with my friend. I sigh, “He is beautiful, isn’t he? I’ve never thought of a man that way, but he is. The best part is it’s even better under his clothes.”

  “Oh, shut up,” Rose groans. “That’s just bragging.”

  We talk for a few more minutes, and I agree to let her know if I’m going to be home that evening. I have a feeling she and Jake having been enjoying some privacy, and there is no way I’m walking in the apartment without them knowing; I have no desire to see Jake in action.

  Oh, no, he’s early! I was in the bathroom trying to fix my hair when I heard the front door. I am so turned-on I can’t imagine Lucian depriving me of sex for disobeying him. I haven’t touched myself again, but I’m not on the chaise like he asked. The startled look on his face is comical as I slide sideways through the living room, running to the chaise and literally falling down on it. I quickly spread my legs and look no doubt absurd. I have been excited but embarrassed all morning imagining myself here, naked. Lucian coming home early has made the decision for me. Without thinking about it, I run to do as he asked.

  My stomach twists as the room remains quiet. Surely, he won’t walk off and leave me like this. There is probably nothing remotely sexy about the way my chest is heaving from the run through the apartment. I look up to see him standing in the same spot, his expression intense as he takes me in. Lying in this position, completely exposed to him, is unnerving, and I find myself wanting to break the silence. “You’re early…I was just on my way to…do what you wanted.” When he still doesn’t say anything, I add, “I had ten minutes left!” A grins pulls at the corners of his mouth, and I find myself relaxing slightly. If I were an uninhibited person, I would be completely happy bringing myself to orgasm while just looking at him. He is just…delicious.

  He strolls over to me as if he has all the time in the world. He moves like a sleek jungle cat, and I am his prey. When he reaches me, he trails a finger down my chest and over the tip of my breast. The nipple hardens immediately, begging for his attention, and my breath catches. “You have to be prepared for last-minute…changes, Lia. Were you a good girl while I was gone?” When I nod my head, he trails his finger lower, over my belly button and to my mound. He pauses there, looking back at me. “You do know I can tell if you’re lying. Your pussy will be swollen and weeping for me if you haven’t been satisfied. Now, spread those beautiful legs and let me see.”

  Oh, my! My legs part automatically as he runs a finger idly over my slit. “Luc,” I groan.

  “You only ever call me that when you’re wet,” he muses. “I wonder why that is.” Before I can formulate a reply, he moves between my legs. I should be self-conscious, but each moment that passes just makes me want what he can give me even more. As he drops to his knees, I raise my hips, seeking his touch. His hand touches my inner thigh before going straight to where I need him. “You’re soaking wet; have you been thinking of me? Thinking of what I’m going to do to you?”

  “Yes,” I whisper, wanting to beg him to take me now. One touch to my clit, one finger inside me will set me off.

  He parts me and traces the lines of my inner lips. He reaches to take one of my hands, rubbing my finger where his were. “Feel how swollen you are. Moisture is seeping out of your pussy and pooling here.” He lowers my finger against the pucker of my ass, and I jump. “Don’t like being touched there, baby?”

  “No,” I answer automatically. Even though Rose and I have discussed it, I’m still not sure how I feel about it. He uses my finger to caress my tight hole for another moment before releasing it. Without thinking, I move to touch my clit, but his hand stops me before I can make contact. I growl in frustration, pulling against his hold.

  “Oh, no, baby, this is mine. You’ve waited this long; I know you don’t want to go another day without being fucked, do you?” Losing what’s left of my pride, I frantically say no, and he grins down at me. “Good girl.” He stands and pulls off his suit jacket, dropping it to the floor. He then pulls his dress shirt from the waistband of his slacks, unbuttoning it so slowly I want to scream. Finally, he shrugs it off and reaches down to pull his undershirt off behind it. His tattoo ripples as his big shoulders flex. My mouth has gone dry, and I am waiting with bated breath as his hands drop to his belt. When his gaze locks on my breast, I look down to find myself flicking my nipple. He would never believe I hadn’t been aware of the action until now. His eyes smolder, but he doesn’t comment. He pulls his belt from his trousers and drops it lightly across my stomach. Alarmed, I look at him for an indication as to what it’s for. He never said anything about hitting me. I…no, he wouldn’t.

  “Luc…please…don’t.” He looks at the belt, then back at me, and his eyes soften.

  He runs a soothing hand over my head, saying, “Baby, I’d never hurt you.” I relax slightly, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. As he straightens to remove the rest of his clothing, I am fixated on his belt. Why hasn’t he moved it if he’s telling the truth. My hand has long released my nipple as I focus on the leather strap lying across my stomach. “Lia…” I look up to see his huge cock jutting out, moisture glistening at the tip. All thoughts leave me and need takes over. “I had planned for you to suck my cock, but I think we both need to take the edge off now.” His hand encircles his girth, pumping lightly before saying, “Put your hands above your head and cross them at the wrists.”

  “Wh—what?” What reason could he possibly have for that? I am aching to touch him.

  “Do it!” he snaps, and I rush to comply. He picks the belt up and I turn to stone. He rests a hand on my shoulder as if reassuring me before putting the belt around my wrists and pulling it snug. “Since you can’t keep your hands off what is mine, they’ll stay tied while I fuck you.” My chest pushes out in this position, and I feel like a sacrificial lamb. He walks to the end of the chaise and again drops to his knees. He raises my legs until my ankles are at his shoulders. With no word of warning, he pulls back and slams into me.

  “Ahhh,” I scream, clenching against his sudden intrusion. “Luc, ahhh!” My tits bounce wildly as he sets a relentless pace. I feel wild and wanton with my hands tied, unable to brace myself, completely at the mercy of his driving body.

  “Fuck!” he shouts, powering forward again and again. As sparks shoot through my body, I know I’m on the verge of coming. He holds my hips firmly in his hands, pulling me to meet his thrusts. By this point, I’m yelling loud enough to be heard in the next city, but my only focus is the movement of his cock, gliding against my clit with every stroke. There is nothing I wouldn’t do in this moment to find my release. My hips jerk, trying to take him further inside me. I am right there when he pulls out. What the? He flips me as if I weigh nothing. I am now on my knees with my ass in the air and my tied hands under my head. I remember how deep he was in the rear-entry position on the kitchen counter, and I tingle in anticipation. He caresses the cheeks of my ass, making me squirm before pushing the huge head of his cock against the slick lips of my pussy. I wiggle my hips, trying to push him inside. Instead of entering me, he glides through my moisture, before slipping back against my ass. I still, afraid for the first time of what he’s going to do. Before I can brace myself, he suddenly slams back into my pussy, pushing my body up further onto the chaise. I’m back on the brink of coming when I feel something pushing against the puckered hole he has just left. His cock is buried inside my sex as my desire-muddled brain tries to decipher what is pushing slowly into the forbidden opening.

&
nbsp; “Luc?” Surprise and fear have delayed my impending orgasm as I try to look over my shoulder at him. I feel his hand on my back, stroking me reassuringly.

  “Shhh, don’t think, baby, just feel. I’m not going to hurt you, you know that.” His hand slips from my back and around to my clit. As he tweaks the bundle of nerves, he gently pushes what I now realize must be his finger into my ass. I freeze, trying to take in the sensations overtaking my body; it’s too much to process. It feels as if Lucian has invaded every part of me. The twinge of discomfort from Lucian’s finger in my ass only amplifies the feel of his cock buried inside me. He has stopped all movement except for his fingers moving against my clit. When I push back, his big body shudders and he pulls his cock out before slamming back in. The finger in my ass moves in tempo with his cock and within seconds, I’m blowing apart. My orgasm eclipses anything I’ve ever known. His pace increases and he swells impossibly large, setting off another wave of contractions inside me as I feel him shudder in release. “Fuck, baby, fuck!” he shouts as he sags against my back, his cock still twitching inside me.

  I am wrecked, completely limp and boneless beneath him. Somehow, we have both ended up in a heap of tangled bodies on top of the narrow chaise; one wrong move by either of us and we’ll be on the floor. If I’m ever able to move or think again, I’m buying a diary and detailing this experience. There is no way I’ll ever have another sexual experience that will top what just happened. I recall Rose’s description of him and start to giggle. “Geez, was she right,” I say, my body shaking with amusement.

  I feel Lucian move, his weight lifting from my back. “What are you talking about?” he asks against my ear, sounding curious.

  “Mr. Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down, and Fuck Me Raw,” I gasp out as another wave of laughter chokes me. Lucian flips me to my back, looking adorably mussed and inquisitive. “Rose named you that, and it’s kinda true; you have to admit.”

  He looks like he’s holding back his own laughter but settles instead for a heart-stopping grin. “It looks like your friend is a pretty good judge of character then. Although, I’d only classify this as a ‘tie me down’ moment. We’ll have to work on the ‘tie me up’ soon. I also think I can do more with the ‘fuck me raw’ challenge.” As spent as I am a jolt of heat sizzles through me at his words. I have been perfectly content with no sex life for years, but Lucian is changing that. He’s showing me everything I have been missing, and it only makes me want more…with him.

  We make our way slowly toward the bedroom and clean up. Bossy man that he is, he then demands I return to bed, despite my protests, while he works for a while. I want to put up more of a fight, but I am too damned tired, and we both know it. My head is barely on the pillow before I am out. When I wake, we share some Chinese food Lucian has ordered and then we argue about me leaving. I want nothing more than to stay with Lucian again, but I know I have to go back to school the next day. “I don’t have any of my things here; it would be easier to go home.”

  “Sam and I can drop you on our way out in the morning. It’s already late, and there is no need in either of us going back out.” He turns back to the football game we have been watching as if the matter is settled.

  “Does anyone ever disagree with you?” I ask as I snuggle back against his chest. We are lying on the couch in front of his big-screen television in the living room. The lights of the city below twinkle through the floor-to-ceiling windows, lulling me into a state of utter relaxation.

  “Only you,” he says against the top of my head as he shifts me closer. I drift away to the sound of his steady heartbeat against my ear and his heat surrounding me. In such a short time, I have become so comfortable with him. Here, in his arms, is more peace than I’ve ever known, and for a moment, I panic at the thought of losing it. What happens when this is over, and I’m just another Monique he’s trying to avoid? For once, I understand completely the kind of sorrow the other woman must feel at seeing Lucian with someone else.

  “No! God, no! What are you doing!” I blink, disoriented. I’m being tossed around and someone is yelling the same thing over and over. Moving my hands, I feel…Lucian. My body is partly on top of his, and he’s trembling and jerking beneath me as if in agony. Even in my groggy state, I know he’s having a nightmare. His voice has gone hoarse from yelling. I gently try to wake him, to soothe his distress.

  “Luc…it’s Lia. Baby, wake up, you’re dreaming.” I continue to murmur softly to him until he starts to quieten. He is still shaking, but his voice has lowered, and I think he’s settling back into sleep. My body is relaxing when he starts to choke. His hands reach frantically for his throat and the sounds are so real I’m terrified that somehow, this time, something or someone is strangling him. “Luc...God, please wake up. Luc!” Suddenly, he rears up, and the momentum sends me flying through the air. I land in a sprawling heap against the coffee table, clipping my head on the way down. I lay there, trying to get my bearings, while Luc pants nearby on the couch.

  “Lia…” Lucian sounds confused as he calls my name. I hear a click and then the light of the lamp creates a yellow glow in the room; we must have both fallen asleep on the couch.

  “I’m here,” I say as I struggle to my feet. I approach him warily, ensuring he is indeed awake now. I rub the knot forming on the back on my head as I reach him. “Are you okay?”

  Looking bewildered, he asks, “What happened? Why were you on the floor?”

  I sit next to him, rubbing my hand on his back. “You had a bad dream.”

  Turning to me he says, “Did I scare you? Is that why you were on the floor?”

  “Um…no. I…fell off when you sat up.” His eyes zero in on my other hand, still rubbing the place that made contact with the table. He reaches out to feel the area I’m touching and bites off a curse as he feels the bump.

  “Fuck. Shit, baby, I’m sorry. I hurt you. I’m so sorry. Shit.”

  “Luc, it’s fine. Really, it’s not a big deal.” He ignores what I’m saying, insisting on dragging me into the bathroom to look at the bump. He lets loose with another string of curses before sitting me gently on the side of his bed. He runs into the kitchen and returns with an ice pack. After a few moments, I remove the pack, handing it back to him. “I think that’s good. Let’s go back to bed.” I yawn on cue and he gives me a soft smile, setting the ice down and tucking me into bed. When he leaves the room, I assume he’s just going to throw the ice away. When he doesn’t return, I realize he’s not coming back. I get out of bed and walk quietly toward the living room. The lamp is still on, and I see Lucian’s sleeping figure once again on the couch. On the table beside him is an empty glass with a bottle of scotch next to it. I ponder joining him, but I realize he is afraid to sleep with me again. Finding out he had indirectly hurt me tonight has shaken him. I back away; I loathe leaving him, but I’m giving him what he needs right now…space to breathe.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lia

  There has been little time to think in the last week with both Lucian and I battling the flu. When he and Sam dropped me at home this morning, it had suddenly hit me; my court date is coming up, and I had completely forgotten it. The happy bubble I have been existing in is effectively pierced.

  It’s obvious this morning that Lucian was still troubled by what had happened during the night. He checked the bump on my head again, and I assured him it didn’t hurt. I wanted to ask him about the dream, but I didn’t know how. The sound of him choking was bad enough, but his words last night had been even worse. He sounded so scared, so horrified; I knew these weren’t just random dreams. How long had this been going on? I can’t imagine waking up like that every night. I have had nightmares about my stepfather on and off, but nothing of that magnitude. He had given me a brief kiss and told me he would call when I stepped from the car earlier. I wanted to act like a teenager and demand to know when, but I just smiled instead and waved at him through the glass as the car pulled away. I felt a childish urge to cry and had no idea
why.

  It has been eight days since I’ve seen Lucian. He texted me a couple times to ask how I am doing, saying he has some things going on at work that are keeping him busy. Regardless of what he says, I know this is about the nightmare and his need to pull away from me because of it. I go about my life, and I continue to show up at his apartment on my usual schedule, but he is never there. Only the dirty clothes and unmade bed show me he is indeed coming home at some point. I try not to let it show, but the loss of his presence in my life is taking a toll on me. I miss him so damn much. I alternate between wanting to send him a nasty text and begging to see him again. Not stalking his office is one of the hardest things I’d ever done.

  Rose has tried to question me about it, but she finally backed off when I snapped her head off one time too many. I also have my court appearance coming up at the end of the week, and I am a bundle of nerves at the thought of seeing my stepfather and my mother. I feel lonely and depressed as I walk down the hallway to Lucian’s apartment. As I open the door and step over the threshold, I freeze. Even with no visual proof, I know he’s here. The smell of coffee is heavy in the air and as I stand quietly, the sound of someone moving around in the kitchen can be heard.

  I set my keys and purse on the entryway table and walk slowly in the direction of the sound. Lucian is standing at the island with his back to me. He’s dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt. His hair is damp, indicating a recent shower. I stand drinking him in, my eyes roaming over him hungrily. God, I have missed him so much. I see the moment he becomes aware of my presence; his body straightens, and his breath seems to catch. When he spins around, we both just look at each other. Finally, he gives me a lopsided grin, saying, “Hey, baby, I didn’t hear you come in.”