Page 32 of Bang Buddies With Benefits
The world was upside down one moment, and the next it was filled with all things Zac. His face, his scent, our chests colliding, followed closely by the meeting of our mouths. He kissed me with all the tension that’d built between us, running his tongue along my upper lip and then using it to pry open my lips. He delved deeper, claiming me in front of my former dance partner and the majority of my family and friends.
My knees nearly buckled, and as I worked to recover my breaths and come down from the dizziness that’d overtaken my brain and left me clinging to him tighter than ever, he whispered, “Tonight, I’m going to do such wicked things to your body that you’ll realize we’ve only experienced the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our chemistry.” His growing erection pressed against my lower belly, tormenting me with the promise of future debauchery. “And I expect you to be wearing something lacy or silky, extremely skimpy, and bright fucking red.”
* * *
Was I really going to cave into Zac’s demands? So easily, at that?
I pushed the unmentionables in my lingerie drawer to and fro, searching for the right outfit in my signature color—if such an insubstantial, flimsy garment could be called such a thing.
It was so unlike me not to put up more of a fight and make him really work for it. Then again, he’d survived a huge party with my entire family, taking everything in stride like a champ. From our traditions, to the never-ending merry-go-round of introductions, being handed a baby, and even a matchmaking ploy my aunt still refused to own up to, even though at the end of the night she suggested I call Rafael later and personally thank him.
My mind was on thanking someone else, and he was waiting in my living room. After telling my friends goodbye, he’d closed the door, turned to me, and said, “You’ve got your instructions. Let me know when you’re ready for me.”
The spot between my legs clenched, weeping slightly at the command that’d danced across my skin ever since he’d uttered it.
I lifted the red bra made of ribbons, with nothing but giant bows making up the cups. Then I fished out the matching thong. I grinned and bit my thumbnail, anticipating his reaction. While his impetuousness occasionally left me flummoxed and anxious, this was the part of it I enjoyed. With no worries to wrecking—schedules, careers, or the motorcycle he drove dangerously fast—I could sit back and enjoy his adventurous side, and how single-minded he could be.
My heart raced as I shimmied into the underwear.
Do I still have…? There they are.The springs on my bed lightly squeaked as I sat at the foot and pulled on the tights with the lacy tops. I attached the garters, readjusted as needed, and fluffed my curls.
One spritz of perfume, and a sense of nervousness I hadn’t expected drifted to the surface as I padded toward my bedroom door. Come to think of it, this was the first time we’d be having premeditated sex. It’d always been booty calls before, and while I’d often swapped out cuter, sexier underwear that matched, I’d never put so much effort into being with Zac.
My usual confidence wavered, and my stomach bottomed out. Longing still ran on a steady current, too, and this was just silly.
Where’s my phone?
I rushed over to my dresser, pulled up Zac’s contact info, and tapped the message bubble. Then I sought out the ass-shaped fruit emoji that’d revert tonight’s steamy session into nothing more than one of our usual encounters of the sexy kind.
Me:??
I gnawed on my thumbnail as I awaited the three dots and his eggplant reply, and since when was I someone who chewed on her nails?
Footsteps sounded in the living room, the thud of them growing louder, and my pulse rate synced itself to the same rhythm.
A squeal escaped as I rushed over to the door, and I shook out my arms, blew out a breath and put on my game face.
I swung open the door and poked out my head, keeping my body hidden behind the plywood. Zac’s arm was outstretched at the same level as the knob, so a second longer and he would’ve likely beat me to the punch. Now that I’d returned to myself, I couldn’t just hand over total control of our impending ride—there was submitting, and then there was allowing him the chance to put all those muscles to good use wrestling the reins from me. If he was up for the challenge, that was.
He lifted his arm higher, bending it at the elbow and bracing his forearm against the doorjamb as he leaned closer. He’d shed his jacket and unknotted his tie, leaving the two loose ends of black silk starkly contrasting his crisp, white shirt. “You summoned.”
I stuck one leg out of the open crack of the door, giving him the peepshow experience, as well as showing him I was wearing a whole lot of red. “Yeah, this devil needs a sex demon. Fair warning, I have what some refer to as a voracious appetite.”
The top couple buttons of his shirt were undone, providing the perfect view of the bobbing of his Adam’s apple, and his reaction caused desire to unfurl within me as well. “Funny, I have the exact same problem—although I’d say it’s more of a perk.”
He attempted to nudge open the door, but I kept my body in the way, barring his entrance. I’d always been more of a dig-in-your-heels-and-fight type gal.
“What’s the magic word?” I asked, adding extra eye-batting and hair twirling, since they were gestures he’d called me out on the very first night we’d met, and I knew he’d notice.
Sure enough, his jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in on me as he growled, “Now.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Try again.”
A low laugh emanated from him, and his words and posture haughty as he peered down at me through the sliver between the jamb and the door. “Oh, honey. It’s so cute that you think you get to be in charge tonight. When we were just fuck buddies doing the booty-call thing, that was all fine and well. With us heading into long-term fucking territory, it’s time to show you that you’re not only able to acquiesce, but you’ll soon bebeggingme to take control.”
My attempt to swallow went nowhere; my stubborn pride, on the other hand, roared to the surface. I anchored my foot firmly against the bottom of the door, reinforcing my barricade. “Big talk for a guy who does a lot of small talk behind the safety of a wooden counter. In my line of work, I require evidence and proof.”
“No, what you require is extra motivation and a reminder of what you’ll miss out on if you don’t learn to let go of your need to be in charge of everything.” The jingle of his belt buckle filled the air as he unfastened it, and then zing went the leather through he loops of his dress pants. Like Pavlov’s dog, I’d been conditioned to drool at that sound. My entire body perked up, my nipples pushing at the centers of the bows keeping them barely covered. “And I’m going to go ahead and give it to you.”
