The Darker Side of Pleasure (8 page)

“Just in time,” she told him. “I was beginning to miss you.”

He leaned over and brushed a coffee-scented kiss across her lips. Then he sat back and grinned. “I’ve created a monster.”

“Yes, you have.”

“My little nymphomaniac is going to have to wait.”

“Have I worn you out already?”

“Never. But I got a call from Tom this morning. I have to fly to Chicago to oversee a job there.”

“There’s no one else who can go?”

“Sorry, honey, but I headed up this project. It has to be me.”

Jillian sighed. She’d counted on having the rest of the weekend. “How soon do you have to leave?”

“I just booked a three o’clock flight.”

“You already took a shower,” she stated, taking in his wet hair, the fresh, soapy scent of him.

“Yes, but I still have to pack.”

“I’ll help you. We can have you out the door in half an hour.”

“I don’t need to leave for an hour.”

She set her coffee down on the nightstand, took his and did the same. “Then hurry up and come here.”

Cam grinned. “Getting a little bossy, my girl?”

But he leaned over and drew the sheet from her body, kissed the tip of one breast, then sucked her nipple into his mouth. She arched against him. The heat of his wet, sucking mouth shot straight to her sex.

“I learned it from you.”

He chuckled against her skin, dipped his head lower, trailing hot, wet kisses down her stomach. Spreading her thighs with his strong hands, he moved lower still. He gave her clit one long, slow lick, bringing it to life. “I guess I’m not in that much of a hurry.”

Jillian balanced the box of sushi on one arm and knocked on the door of Briana’s condo with the other. She heard scuffling from inside, then Briana called out.

“Come in! It’s open!”

She swung the door open and was greeted by Briana’s cat, Van Gogh, an enormous long-haired tabby with most of one ear missing. He must have smelled the sushi, Jillian thought, grinning down at the old tom.

Briana sat on the overstuffed dark red velvet couch with her bad leg on a pillow. “You went by Sushi to Dai For! You are my best friend!”

“I thought I already was your best friend.” Jillian set the box on the heavy Indonesian wood coffee table, then went to the small kitchen in search of plates, which she found easily. Briana’s place had been her home-away-from-home since the two had met, especially whenever Cam was out of town.

She returned to the living room laden with plates, napkins, and two pairs of black-lacquered chopsticks. She moved Van Gogh’s furry bulk off the couch and sat down to prepare their plates.

“I got some yellowtail for you. And some California rolls.”

“Mmm, my favorites!” Briana flipped her long, dark braid over her shoulder and grabbed for her plate.

They chatted through dinner about work, mostly. After the meal they sat on the sofa, sipping the Chardonnay Jillian had found in Briana’s fridge.

“So,” her friend started, “when are you going to tell me about this supernatural glow of yours?”

Jillian laughed. “What?”

“Oh, come on, Jillie. You’re lit up like a firefly, yet you sat here eating and gossiping about the gallery like everything was perfectly normal. Fess up, girl.”

Jillian’s cheeks went warm. Was it really that obvious? She tried for a casual tone. “Like I said on the phone, things have been really great with Cam.”

“It’s clearly not as simple as that, and I know you’re dying to tell. You’re a girl. We can’t go through anything, good or bad, without wanting to share it with our girlfriends. It’s genetic.”

“This is…really personal.”

“Ooh, even better!”

“Have I ever told you you’re incorrigible?”

“All the time. Now spill.”

“Bri, I don’t know if I can talk about this.”

“Okay, sorry. I’ll stop kidding around. I can see it’s more than that you guys have started having sex again.”

“It’s a lot more. I don’t even know where to begin.” Jillian took a sip of her wine, letting it cool her suddenly dry throat. “You’re right, though. I do need to talk about it. And you’re definitely the only person, other than Cam, I can trust with this.”

“You go ahead, honey. I’ll shut up and just listen.” Briana’s big hazel eyes sobered.

Jillian chewed on her lip. “Well, have you ever done anything…a little kinky?”

“Please. This is me. But, how kinky are we talking?”

“Um…how about bondage?”

“Really.” Briana’s generous mouth spread into a slow grin and her brows arched.

Jillian’s cheeks fired. “Bri. Please.”

“You just took me by surprise. But no, I’ve never tried bondage. Not that it hasn’t crossed my mind a time or two. But I think you need to do that with someone you really trust.”

“Exactly. That’s what it’s all about for us. Rebuilding our trust.”

“And how’s it going?”

“Good, I think. I just feel so…so different. Like we’ve discovered each other again. We’re so much closer already. I feel like I can really count on Cam. Not that there was ever a time when I couldn’t. But things were really rough after…after the baby.”

Briana reached out and put a hand on her arm. “I know, honey.”

“The last year has been kind of a blur for me. I mean, I go to work every day, function pretty well, do my thing. I come home at night. I cook dinner. We watch a little television. But it’s all felt so empty. Even when we were sitting right next to each other, there was no cuddling. No handholding. And that was my fault. I pushed him away.” Tears stung her eyes, but it was good to talk about it, to get it out of her system.

“Poor Cam. He’s been so patient with me. I thought he was nuts when he suggested this. But therapy was a disaster, and it got to the point where I knew we had to do something, or our marriage was going to be over. And I really love him, Bri. I couldn’t let that happen.”

Briana made a comforting cooing sound.

“So…there we were the other night. I was scared but excited, too. And when it all began, I panicked a little, but I got through it. It felt too good from the start. And it’s been this…I don’t know. Like a journey. And I’m figuring things out as I go. Does that make sense?”

“Absolutely. I think we can learn a lot about ourselves when we operate from that sort of primal place.”

“Exactly. And the sex is nothing short of amazing.”

“I could see that much on your face.” Briana was grinning again.

“God, am I walking around with a sign on my forehead, or what?”

“Yeah, kind of. But don’t sweat it. It sounds like what’s happening with you guys is more important than everyone around you wondering what you’ve been up to. Let them wonder.”

Jillian leaned in to hug her friend. “You’re good for me.”

“You know I love you, Jillie. And I’m so glad to see you feeling better.” Briana released her and settled back onto the pillows. “So, what did you bring for dessert?”

“Did you get everything on the list I gave you?” Cam’s deep voice came over the phone.

“Yes.” Her body surged with lust remembering her trip to a local sex toy shop earlier that day.

“Good girl.”

As always, those words sent a shiver of pleasure through her system.

“First, put me on speaker phone. I want both of your hands free. Then I want you to strip. I want you completely naked. Then go sit on the chair in front of your big vanity mirror. And take everything I asked you to buy and set it on the vanity.”

It only took her a minute to get undressed and sit, as Cam had instructed her.

“I’m ready, Cam.”

Already an odd calmness was seeping through her body, a lambent, sexual buzzing that made her feel excited, yet serene at the same time.

“Spread your legs open so you can see yourself in the mirror. I want you to be able to see your pussy. The mirror is low enough. Can you see?”

“Yes.” She was surprised that the sight of her own sex was exciting to her, but it was.

“Now spread your lips open with your fingers. And tell me what you see. What you feel.”

God, could she do this? If she stopped to think about it, maybe not. But she was on fire already, just from the sound of Cam’s disembodied voice in their bedroom.

“I can see…the pink folds.” She took in a deep breath.

“Go on, Jillian.”

“And…and my clit is swelling up already.”

“Are you wet, Jillian?”

“Yes!” Her voice was a quiet hiss in her ears.

“Good. I could tell you were, just by the sound of your voice. Do you know how exciting it is to hear you all out of breath like that? I love to know you’re turned on. But I want you more turned on. I’m going to make you come for me. And you’re going to do it. You’re going to do everything I ask. And you’re going to love it.”

Her sex contracted at his words. At the idea of what might be happening next. Her fingers were wet with her own juices already.

“Now pick up the vibrator and turn it on. Just touch the tip of your clit with it.”

She did as he asked. Holding the folds of her sex open with one hand, she used the other to grab the vibrator, turned the dial, and touched it to the hard, throbbing nub there. A bolt of pleasure shot through her.

“Oh!”

“Feel good, honey? I knew it would. Now hold it there. Let it vibrate against your clit. How does it feel?”

“Oh, God,” was all she could get out as the vibration rocked her, drove deep into the core of her sex.

“How good? Are you about to come?”

“Yes!”

“Then stop.”

Stop? He had to be kidding. But nothing in his firm tone allowed her to think she should do anything other than obey. She pulled the vibrator away, leaving her breathless and shaking at the edge of orgasm.

“Take out the clamps.”

With trembling hands she set the vibrator down on the vanity and picked up the small metal clamps. They were attached by a short chain running between them.

“Put them on.”

She pinched her right nipple between her fingers and tugged. It felt so good. Her whole body was burning with lust. And suddenly she craved more than anything to have those wicked little clamps pinching her nipples.

She applied the clamp and gasped as it bit into her rigid flesh. That sharp pinch dove straight for her sex. She was soaking wet now and barely able to hold still in the chair.

“Sounds like you’ve got it on. Now adjust the screws. Tighten it as much as you can. How does it feel?”

She twisted the screw a bit. “It hurts. Oh, God. It hurts, but it feels good.”

“I knew you’d love it, baby. Now do the other one.”

She obeyed. The clamps in place and tightened, her nipples burned with pain, and a sharp, stabbing pleasure she’d never felt before. Her entire body felt hot and shaky. And her nipples were absolutely screaming with sensation.

“Okay, baby?”

“Yes…yes, I think so.”

“Just breathe into the pain. Long, deep breaths.”

She pulled in a lungful of air, then another. It helped to steady her.