Page 55 of Degrees of Control

Charlie sighed and let the waves come rolling over her head. Orgasming again was like drowning in hot syrup and being simultaneously stuck full of pins. Her body thrashed and arched and tore into his skin just to prove he was real, that this was all real. She felt sweat slick across her abdomen as James surged into her at full thrust. Material tore beneath his fingers. The babydoll was history.

“Come on,” she whispered. “Come inside me, James.”

He gave a strangled moan and pulsed deep inside her, a stream of curses pouring off his tongue. Then the fantasy, like all fantasies, ended.

James pulled away, re-buttoned his jeans and threw the condom in the bin. The tap surged behind her and she wondered how the stranger would have ended this scenario. By smacking her on the ass most likely.Thanks for the pussy, sweetheart, tell your man your cunt tastes like strawberries.

James didn’t do that. He pulled her shaking body into his arms and walked her into the living room, kissing her with slow, deliberate brushes of his lips. Charlie breathed deeply and it felt like her entire body exhaled. James laid her down on the floor, lowering himself beside her. The moment was so sweet Charlie didn’t care how many disgusting things she’d seen happen on the carpet.

“That felt fucking amazing,” he said, kissing at her neck. “Did you like it?”

She opened her mouth to say she was fine and an entirely different voice tried to speak.Please don’t hurt me.

“Charlotte? You all right?”

Please don’t hurt me, James.Charlie hugged her arms to her chest. “Yeah, I’m good. That was really intense but I liked it. I liked being the object of a stranger’s desire.”

James folded his big body around hers and the chasm in her chest closed somewhat. “I doubt that’s the first time you’ve been the object of a stranger’s desire, Blue-Eyes. In fact, I know it’s not.”

He stroked his fingers over the torn babydoll still clinging to her breasts. “You looked like a fuckin’ angel in that getup. Sorry I got carried away.”

Please don’t hurt me.“Don’t stress, technically it was yours.”

James huffed into her hair. “I wouldn’t say th—”

He sat up suddenly.

“What? What’s wrong?”

A strange rattle came from the hallway and there was the unmistakable sound of the front door being opened. She and James exchanged looks of alarm.

“You expecting anyone?” he asked.

“No. And no one else has a key except my roommate.”

James got to his feet and stomped toward the door. “Stay here.”

Ignoring him, Charlie slung his discarded T-shirt over her head and rushed into the hallway. She was just in time to see James bearing down on a bearded guy in a blue paisley shirt. It was Hawthorne, one of Belinda’s stoner friends. Judging from the crowbar he held, he’d just jimmied their front door. “Get away from me you fucking neocon!”

“Hey, Hawthorne,” Charlie called out. “What are you doing here?”

Hawthorn glanced around James and visibly relaxed. “Hey, short chick, where’s Belinda? She owes me and I need to collect, like now.”

“She’s in Canada. Did you break our door down?”

Hawthorne made a tiny gap between his thumb and forefinger. “Little bit. I knocked earlier, around four and no one was here.”

“Oh sorry, I was out. Belinda’s back on Tuesday.”

Hawthorne stroked his beard. “Hmm, that’s annoying. I’m really sorry, short chick.”

“That’s okay, are you all right? Did you need money for something important?”

“Naw, it’s okay. How’s your Tai Chi or whatever going?”

It was then that James, who had watched this exchange with a look of abject horror on his face, seized Hawthorne by his paisley shirt. “Get the fuck out of here. Now.”

Hawthorne rolled his eyes. “Relax, lover boy. There’s no need to get aggressive.”

---