I had no issue with the idea of her using a toy, but I wanted to be a part of it. I didn't know what possessed me to pick up that thing, but I was like a train that couldn't be stopped from that point on.

And when I saw that look in her eyes go from horrified to heated, there was no way I wasn't going to kiss her. For a moment, I wanted to ask for more, but some sense of decency prevailed. Thank God.

Although, as I plopped down at the foot of my bed, I cursed that sense of decency.

Ava was my little sister's best friend, for God's sake.

My little sister's best friend who I wanted to fuck so badly that my teeth hurt.

Listening to her describe how she wanted to be ordered around, maybe even tied to the bed, caused a myriad of images to flash in my head, and even now, after storming away embarrassed, I couldn't stop even more pictures from popping up in my mind. I could imagine her sweet, moaning lips parted, her writhing around on the bed begging for pleasure, her hands tied to the headboard with scarves as she asked—no, begged—for more.

What I wouldn't give to charge into that room, snatch her by the waist, and throw her over my shoulder like a caveman and show her what pleasurable dominance looked like. For all of her mouthy, innocent arguing, there was something inside of her that wanted somebody else to take over for a little while.

I stayed in my room like it was my penance. There was no way I was going to go out to the other areas of the apartment now, but I knew I couldn't avoid her forever. I was expected to go to that family dinner with her tomorrow evening, but how in the world was I going to face her? I wasn't just worried about embarrassment. I was worried about my self-control.

As it stood, I didn't know how I was going to get through the night without jacking off profusely to the thought of the images she'd described.

I knew I was in deep trouble when we'd been in the car driving back to my place and I kept asking her stupid questions about her family’s recipes. I didn't give a damn about the food, but the way she described the dishes made them sound like orgasmic experiences that exploded on one's tongue.

Watching Ava enthuse about anything had to be the sexiest thing on the face of the planet.

Your little sister's friend, a voice reminded me.

"Oh, shut up," I told it aloud. I threw myself on my back and grabbed a pillow to scream into it.

Tonight, I would go to bed and try to push aside these thoughts and pretend like there wasn't a goddess of a woman right across the hall for me, potentially playing with herself, maybe even to the thought of what just happened between us.

She had most definitely responded to what happened between us in that kitchen. The way her small hands dug into my shoulders and how her sweet little tongue had given as good as it got, I knew she was ready for me. All I would've had to do was be brave enough to slip a hand down the back of that waistband, slide it in between her panties and her ass, and dip my fingers in to see just how wet she was.

Without even realizing it, my hand had already found its way inside my pants, and I was stroking myself harshly to the thought of what she was doing now, hoping to God she was thinking of me while she did it. This release needed to happen. I needed some relief, and I swore to myself that this moment would be the last time I got myself off to the images of sweet, sexy Ava.

Then, I warned myself harshly, this plan of ours needed to be all business. I was hardly going to be able to keep my guard up from whoever was sending those vile messages if I was fighting my baser instincts for a woman who was most definitely not for me, no matter how much the way she melted into my arms said otherwise.

God, I could still taste her lips on mine, and I wanted so badly to taste her everywhere else. I could tie her up with those silk scarves, taste her everywhere until she writhed beneath me, and only then would I allow myself to dip my tongue into her hot wetness. That imagery alone was enough to make me explode into my hand.

I sat there, my cock in hand, breathing hard and feeling like a damn fool because despite my orgasm, my urge to go to Ava was now worse than ever. The little fantasy in my mind evidently was not going to do the trick. I growled out in frustration and prowled to my bathroom. A cold shower seemed to be in order.

***

I awoke with a start. I’d fallen asleep in the chair next to my window with my laptop in my lap. After a cold shower, I’d decided my best bet for pushing Ava and that hot mouth of hers out of my head was to throw myself into my business.

“Fuck, Ashbury,” I muttered to myself. I needed to pull myself together and get out there to face Ava. I needed to remember who was in control and act accordingly.

Once I got dressed and I exited my room, I could already hear Ava, muttering to herself as she worked. I was surprised to find her door cracked open, so I peeped inside and found a furiously working Ava, backlit by the morning sun. Her hands worked rapidly with a carving tool around her sculpture. I couldn’t really see the sculpture, as she was covering that up for the most part, but I didn’t really care about that.

I never thought I would find a woman in dirty overalls and a rag tied around her wild hair so damned intriguing. But somehow, that get-up now rivaled the sexiest lingerie set.

I managed to pick up bits of what she was saying to herself.

“I mean, shit, Ava, you could remember how Ma raised you…”

I bit back a smile as she continued. “Who the fuck does that? I mean, really? Pompous. Arrogant…” She stilled all of the sudden, her back partially turned towards me.

I waited with baited breath for her next move, knowing I should move away before she caught me, but wild horses could not have dragged me away at that moment. I was transfixed.

Ava raised her head but still didn’t look in my direction. “You know it’s rude to stare, Duke, not to mention how horribly impolite it is to eavesdrop.”

I swallowed hard, reminding myself that I needed to take some control here if I didn’t want this situation to grow worse.