He’d never initiated sex with her again.
Six weeks later he was in the middle of mortar blasts and gunfire.
Sex was the one element of his relationship with his ex that had always suffocated him. He was too rough. Too bossy. Too needy. Before he’d left her standing in her apartment for the last time, she’d scorned him for his unrealistic desires. He looked down at his penis.
Yep, still hard.
He furrowed his brow.
Maybe she was right. There isn’t a respectable woman out there who’d put up with me.
Well, maybe one. At least he could hope, dream about her being able to take him. Hell, she took the pain; from the look of her back, she could withstand damn near anything. Adam leaned into the water, put his palm against the warm tile, and tipped his head under the steady stream. Yeah, she could take it. Somehow he knew she was up for whatever he could dish out. He leaned back and wiped the droplets from his face. He remembered seeing a woman’s back laced with red lines when he went to one of the clubs. The guy standing behind the sub was wielding a thin cane. Again and again he’d slap the cane against her back as the woman held on to the bar suspended above her head.
Is that how Lily got her marks? Had her arms been numb from being suspended above her head? Adam felt his cock twitch. He cupped his balls and spread his legs. Lily, on all fours, with her ass up in the air. Yeah, that was what he wanted to see. That round ass upturned for him to do whatever he pleased. He slid his hand higher and cradled the stiff shaft in his palm. God, he had to come again. Would she want a crowd to watch? Would she sway her lush hips in invitation for the riding crop he gripped?
Adam stroked harder. The image of Lily’s red ass where he’d bent her over his knee to spank her slammed into his thoughts, and he came again.
“Fuck. Fuck,” he murmured as he milked the last of the white liquid from the end of his cock. He laughed and grabbed the shampoo from the wire rack hanging behind the showerhead. “Lily, you’re going to drive me insane.”
TONY WATCHED LILY walk down the hall, tying the terry-cloth sash on her bathrobe. When she entered the spacious kitchen, he stood behind the center island, trying to hide the raging hard-on he’d been sporting since dinner.
“Adam will be here soon,” Tony said as he tipped a small glass jar in her direction. He twisted the metal cap and dipped his fingers into the salve. “Are you excited to see him again? Come here. Let’s get this on you. I have a feeling you’re going to be sore for a while.”
Lily sighed and whispered, “I
am
excited to see him again.” She untied the sash, letting the robe fall into a pile around her feet.
“Did you enjoy the shower?” He was pleased when she nodded. “Good. Now lean over the counter for me.”
She complied and stretched her torso over the smooth wooden countertop. Tony wedged his lean waist against her backside, pressing his groin against the round globes. Careful not to grind his cock too hard, he lightly circled his hips. Lily’s soft moan made his cock weep. God, he wanted to fuck tonight. It was going to take more concentration than ever to keep his dick in his pants and his hands to himself.
The first swipe of ointment across her reddened skin made her startle. With trembling fingers, he massaged the slick lotion into the marks he’d made. She never liked this part of her treatment, but she’d learned how important it was to take care of herself.
Tony felt her body relax against the counter as he worked the ointment into the tender skin below her shoulder. “I’m happy to hear that. I want you to be happy to see him. Your happiness means a lot to me. You know that, don’t you?”
She rested her cheek on her folded forearms. “Yes, I do.”
“Good,” he said and applied firm, smooth pressure as he massaged between her shoulder blades. With both hands he carefully kneaded the inflamed flesh. The skin had grown ruddy and swollen. He swiped his palm over the smooth areas on her back. His cock twitched. She rolled her hips again, and he fisted the back of her hair. A smart tug, and she whimpered.
“Stop it,” he said through clenched teeth. “Don’t do that again.”
She winced when he slapped her on the ass. He couldn’t help but smile as he helped her stand up. She turned around and her fawn-like eyes examined him before looking down at the floor. “I may be your trainer and protector,” he said as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “but you’re so hard to resist sometimes.”
“Tony, you’re so sweet to me,” she murmured before lifting on tiptoe to gently press her lips to his cheek. He closed his eyes, imprinting the feeling into his brain.
She leaned down to pick up the crumpled robe and pull it over her shoulders. “Don’t forget we have to get the plans together for the Voodoo Ball.” She slid past him and took a glass from the cabinet. “We have to get the invitations out by next week.” She poured a glass of orange juice and sipped it as she stared out the French doors. “It won’t be the same without him here.”
Tony walked up beside her and watched as the moon hung just above the tree line.
“But Adam will be here,” she said. “That’ll be interesting,”
“How so?” he asked.
“He’s a bit forward,” she shyly commented. “I mean, not in a bad way. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something keeping him guarded. Don’t you think?”
“I think he seems all right.” He turned to her. “You seemed a bit guarded in the beginning too, if I remember right.”
“Yeah, but that was different,” she said and pressed her hand against the glass pane. “I had needs and desires. I wonder if he even knew that Nicholas slept with men.” She huffed. “He’d probably disown him.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. Some men need a little of the right approach.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and turned her around. “You like to watch two cocks fucking,” he teased, letting her thigh nestle between his legs to feel the erection slumbering against his zipper.
A blush crept over her face, revealing the hidden truth. She slapped him on the chest. “Stop teasing me.”
“Teasing?” He turned her around and pressed her against the door, grinding his cock against her ass, leaning his nose against the nape of her neck to smell the scent of her honeysuckle shower gel. He inhaled deeply, forcing his brain to keep this scent in his memory forever. “Oh, poppet, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
BY THE TIME Adam stepped from the end of the path, it was nine thirty. Tony was standing on the veranda with a cloud of smoke billowing from the cigar he was already working on. Adam walked across the lawn, taking his time to steady his uneasy breaths. Where was she? Would she be glad to see him?
When Adam reached the back porch, Tony walked over to the steps and extended his hand. Adam gave it a firm shake. “Have a seat,” Tony offered.
Adam sat down in one of the large wicker chairs.
“Do you like Scotch or would you rather have a beer?” Tony asked.
“I’d take a Scotch.”
Tony poured the amber liquid into a short-stemmed glass. He handed it over to Adam along with a fat, rolled cigar. “Here, my good man. Let me get that.” Tony snipped the end of the Cuban before handing Adam the lighter.
Adam leaned back into the chair and puffed on the earthy tobacco. “So how in the hell did you get these?” He tipped the end of his cigar in Tony’s direction. “Wait, maybe I don’t want to know.”
Smoke drifted from between Tony’s lips as he said, “I have my ways. Trust me. It was easy. I have a patient who owed me a couple of favors. Besides, I like to have things I have to work for, forbidden things. I enjoy owning things.”
“I have a feeling you have a lot of people who owe you favors.” Adam laughed and leaned back into the chair. “This place is beautiful.”
Tony nodded. “Yes, it is. It has quite a history too.” He took a languid puff from the Montecristo. “Local stories tell of abominations done on this land. Men and women worked to death. It’s horrible to think such atrocities happened here. But there were other things that took place on this property too. Lurid things.”
Adam nursed the Scotch. “Really? What kind of lurid things?”
Tony glanced over to Adam and gave him a rogue’s smile. “Parties, voodoo, affairs of the heart. The usual.”
Adam’s lips curled into a mocking grin. “I see. All kinds of unsavory activity.”
“Tell me, how long were you in Iraq?” Tony asked abruptly, catching Adam off guard. “Lily told me you’d been there taking pictures.”
With a twinge, Adam took down the last of the Scotch. “I was there for a little over a year.”
“Must’ve been hard to see all of that.”
“That’s why I watched it behind a lens,” Adam said before taking another puff from the cigar. “Made it seem less real, I guess.”
“You must’ve been able to find some beauty over there through all the mess.”
“Yeah, the women were beautiful; their dark eyes drew you in. It was like they put you in some exotic trance or something. Most of the time they were covered up, so you couldn’t see what their bodies looked like, but, God, I could only imagine what kind of body would be attached to such gorgeous eyes. They were cautious of American men, though. So, you know, it wasn’t easy to get to know them. The people were all right. It’s a hard situation for everyone.”
“I see.” Tony tilted his empty glass at Adam’s. “Ready for another?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Why not what?” Lily said as she walked out onto the veranda. She was carrying a tray with a glass globe pitcher filled with a dark red liquid. She stopped short of Tony and Adam. “What?”
“Let me help you with that.” Adam stood and took the tray. “Where do you want it?”
“On that little table would be fine, thank you.”
When Adam placed the tray on the painted table, Lily stared at him. Her blue eyes softened in the light-cast shadows
Adam sat back down, trying not to openly study at her supple body as she stood looking between him and Tony. She wrung her hands together, finally settling on putting them behind her back.
“I made some sangria,” Lily said. “Let me get you some.” She looked down at the tumblers the guys were holding.
Tony took a sip while Adam swirled the amber liquid against the sides of his glass to let Lily see the men were drinking Scotch.
“Oh, Tony, that stuff tastes awful. Adam, try some of this.” She turned to the table and poured two glasses of sangria. “This tastes so much better than that stale old stuff.”
Adam set the tumbler of Scotch on the floor beside the chair and took the sweet wine from Lily. The slight tremble in her fingertips made him want to pull her down onto his lap and whisper to her that everything would be okay. Instead, he skimmed his fingertip over her knuckles as he took the glass from her hand. She tipped her chin up and tilted her lips into the slightest smile. The sight was a beacon in his darkness. She smiled for him.
Before he could say anything, she scurried over to Tony. With a pat on his leg, she sat down on his lap and snuggled close to his chest. Adam took a drink, all the while wondering what it would be like to be Tony, to have the privilege of friends-with-benefits with such a sexy creature. He wondered what kind of
benefits
they toyed with. Had Tony made those marks on Lily’s back? Had she begged him to make them? Was there something else going on? In no way did Lily act like an abused girlfriend or someone doing anything against her will.
He stuffed the thought into the back of his mind and focused on the way she swayed her legs as she relaxed, drinking her wine. Every few swings, her long skirt skimmed up, and he caught a glimpse of her creamy pale calf.
“This is really good,” Adam said, trying to distract his thoughts.
Lily fidgeted on Tony’s lap until he placed his hand on her lower back, instantly settling her body.
How does he do that?
Adam watched Lily askance as she sipped the dark elixir. He was amazed as he studied her. She giggled, slowly whisking her legs back and forth. He wondered how she could fit the persona of a little girl in such a womanly body. He shifted in his chair, realizing how very badly he yearned for her to be curled up on his lap. The loose sweater she was wearing hung off one smooth shoulder. The billowy white knit teased him when she leaned over. He was appalled to find himself stretching to see what was hiding underneath. Was he a fucking teenager? Goddamn, he sure was acting like one.
TONY LEFT LILY and Adam on the porch to walk around the lawn, lighting the garden torches. He looked back. Adam and Lily were enveloped in the soft glow of the citronella candles. They sat in the chairs, barely speaking. Adam’s lips moved, and Lily politely nodded from time to time. The slight trembles coursing through her body while she’d sat on his lap had told him how nervous she was.
He knew his poppet longed to touch Adam and have him give her the pleasure she craved. The timing was going to be crucial. She wouldn’t welcome him readily unless she was encouraged to do so. Lily had become so accustomed to the feeling of not having a man’s touch without the accompaniment of pain; he feared she wouldn’t be able to find the sensual side of a man again. Or a healthy relationship, for that matter.
Tony knew it was time for her to flee her self-imposed prison and taste the pleasure of everything passionate. He loved her enough to show her that, and besides, if he planned on ever letting her go, he had to prepare her. Seeing as Lily was obviously taken by her new tenant, Tony concluded he would have to test this man to find out if he was going to be the right one to leave her with.
He couldn’t recall her ever feeling like this when he’d brought other men to the house. She’d always make an excuse to leave the room when Tony encouraged her to talk to the man he’d invited over. One look at Lily and the men were begging to be in her company, but she’d suddenly become exhausted and need to go to bed or find a reason to suddenly run an errand. Tony eventually stopped trying and found Renee. Lily had been excited to meet Renee, and Renee had been more than willing to take part in Lily’s lifestyle. Once he explained his obligation to Lily, Renee was eager to participate. The match was perfect. For them.