Page 29 of Taking What's Mine

Badly.

We settle on the couch, the lights dim in the living room. It’s quiet. Too quiet. I feel like neither of us has spoken a word since dinner. I honestly don’t know what the fuck to say to her. ‘Hey, get the toy out and diddle yourself.’ Yeah, that’s not what I’m going to say.

Her gray eyes pierce me as she faces me. “So…” she drawls out the word.

“So?” I question, my eyes watching the rise and fall of her chest.

“I guess we should get this over with, huh?” She gestures toward the ominous box resting on the coffee table between us.

It’s been like a weight, heavy and thick, bogging us down all through dinner. But I truly believe Isabel needs to use it on herself. I’ve heard about these private parties, and they’re not for the faint of heart.

“We have to sell it, Isabel. You and I need to be…comfortable with each other. Think of it as two people helping each other out…sexually.” I suck in a deep breath. “Like a booty call.”

She smiles, and it knocks the air out of my lungs. “I’ve never been into random hookups.”

Good to know, and I want to tell her that neither have I, but I keep my mouth shut. Instead, I pluck the box off the table, and open it. “There’s a first time for everything.” I rise from the couch, heading to the kitchen to open the vibrator packaging and insert some batteries into it.

Isabel follows me, resting her hip on the kitchen counter. “So, how are we going to do this? I lay under the covers on my bed and use it and you watch.”

Fuck.How am I going to be able to contain myself as she uses this thing on her? How will I resist pulling out my cock and shoving it deep inside her? It’s going to be hard—literally—but I have to show her she can trust me. I have to show her that I’m committed to this. To the story.

“I… I’m not sure.” I get the vibrator ready and grab the little bottle of lube that came with it. “I guess we can play around with it together. Nothing too crazy. At least, at first…” my words fall away when I notice the slight blush of her cheeks.

She nods. “We have to do this. It doesn’t mean anything.” She holds out her hand for me to shake. “Right?”

I grab her hand and squeeze it. “Right. Strictly professional. Doesn’t mean a thing.” I swear my voice cracks on the last word. However, I have to show her I mean what I say. “Let’s head back to the couch.”

“Oh, and Lincoln…”

“Yes?”

“No kissing. Emotions get tangled together when two people kiss.”

I nod, leading her to the couch in the living room. “Agreed. Maybe I should blindfold you? That way we don’t have to worry about gazing into each other’s eyes.”

She smiles. “I kind of like that idea. Makes it more mysterious.”

I nod, leaving her in the living room as I head into the back bedroom to find one of my ties. I return to the living room and hold up the tie with one hand. “We can use this.”

She nods. “Okay. I can’t believe we’re about to do this.”

I cross the living room, stopping when I reach her. My body towers over her, and I gaze down at her. Her gray eyes crash into mine, and I rest a hand on her elbow. “At any point you want me to stop, just say stop. And I will. No matter what we’re doing, it’ll be over. Got that, Isabel?”

She licks her lips and I watch the action slowly. “Got it.”

We’re both silent as she lowers herself to the couch. I hit the dimmer switch, lowering the lights until we can barely see one another in the soft glow of the lamp. I move behind her, setting the vibrator down on the couch next to her. She picks it up and flicks it on. The sound makes her jump slightly.

“Confession,” she whispers.

I nod for her to continue.

“I’ve never used one of these before. The men I dated in the past were never into assisted pleasure. I guess they felt they could do the job alone.”

My eyes bore into hers. She looks so vulnerable right now, and the sight of her is doing something to my chest. “Could they?”

She blushes. “Not really. Actually… no, not at all.”

Her confession presses at my heartstrings. I feel sorry for her that she’s never had anyone who could rock her world properly. Honestly, I want the job.

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