Wrapped Around My Finger (8 page)

I licked the wine from my lips. “I don’t want to hold back anymore.”

“I never thought you were.”

We’d never talked about sex. Never had to. Our bodies were drawn to each other in a way that didn’t need to be questioned. “I don’t want you to play a role. I want to be with you.”

He sighed. “You always are.”

Then why am I not enough?
I knew this feeling all too well. Okay, this was going badly. That wasn’t what he meant. Neither of us could put words to what we really wanted to say. It took a lot for him to tell me what he wanted. I knew it because I couldn’t do the same for him.

“That’s not what I meant. You joked that I was a control freak. But I hired you, so the ball’s been in my court the whole time. That’s not fair. We’re together now. And that means I want to know every part of you, not just when it comes to sex. The good, the dark, and you know what? Maybe there are some things that you’re afraid to ask for, too.”

His shoulders relaxed, and he exhaled as if he’d been holding his breath. “You get it.”

The waiter came with the bill, and Jagger paid it. Now wasn’t the time to argue about that.

“I do. By now you should know I don’t half-ass anything.” I giggled, I had to lighten the moment. For a couple minutes, we’d sucked the sun out of the sky. “I put my whole ass into it.”

“And you will be, all weekend long.” He grinned. “Something tells me I’ll lose my mind when I do this stuff with you.”

I put my hand against his chest when we stood to leave the restaurant. “Let’s play.”

L
eah

Jagger slammed me against the wall as soon as we got into his apartment. All the air went out of my lungs. The wall was cool against my cheek, a stark contrast from the heat the rolled off his body. His hips held me in place, and his breath was ragged against my neck. “This is all I’ve been able to think about doing since I saw you step on the escalator at the airport,” he said.

I turned my head as much as I could. His eyes were on fire. It flowed through my veins and found its center between my thighs. My pussy pulsed faster than my heartbeat. Our lips caught in a messy kiss, connecting anywhere we could. His stubble scraped against my cheek. It was the little things like that I missed about actually being with him. We couldn’t do that on the computer. I reached back, tangling my fingers in his hair. Jagger moaned against my lips, and his sunglasses crashed onto the floor. Shit, I hoped those weren’t expensive.

If they were, he didn’t care.

It was so hot. “You said it wouldn’t be a quickie.”

I shivered as he drew his finger underneath my tank top, lifting it, exposing my bra on one side. Total torture. I wanted him to rip my clothes off and take me against his front door, so anyone walking by could hear us. Instead, he traced the line of my bra slowly, curving with the lace. I started to catch my breath but gasped when he grabbed my tit hard and pulled my hair at the same time. “I’d make this last forever if I could.”

I’d have no complaints. His lips fell to my neck, my pulsed raced to meet his kisses. Nothing else existed but him. My knees buckled, but he had me pinned with his leg between my thighs. I tried to grasp the wall, but it was useless. He was the only thing saving me from freefall.

Jagger ground his hips against mine. The rhythm was similar to the last time we were together, a hypnotic roll. His erection circled against my ass. His tempo changed, rocking back and forth slowly like he was fucking me.

I pulled him away from my neck by his hair. “That reminds me—“ all my thoughts were fragments “—I’ve been listening to music at work. You’re right, it makes me more creative.”

He stilled. “Then I’ll put on some music.”

Much to my surprise, I didn’t fall when he walked away from me. I turned around, taking my first look at his home. It was bright and airy, with a breathtaking view of the ocean. If it wasn’t for Jagger coming toward me, unbuttoning his shirt, I wouldn’t have been able to take my eyes off of it. I didn’t get much of a look at the furniture, I wanted to keep up with him in the silent strip tease we’d started. I pulled my tank over my head. He’d already shown interest in my bra. I gave the man what he wanted.

“This isn’t what I expected,” I said as I pulled his belt out of the loops. I did it fast, and it snapped against my bare belly. Something changed in Jagger’s eyes when I rubbed the point of impact to lessen the pain.

“Give me that.” He held his hand out and I handed over the belt. “What didn’t you expect?”

“The music.” It was soft and acoustic, and a little bluesy. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the strip of leather. “Don’t use that on me.”

“I like to keep you on your toes.” Jagger tossed the belt on the couch behind him, and it disappeared in a sea of black leather. He ran his hands up my sides, but frowned when I flinched. “I meant the music. It makes me think of you, but I see you everywhere. Relax, Leah. There’s a lot of things I could do with the belt you might like. Don’t count it out yet.”

“We’ll see about that.” Sometime soon we were going to have to set some boundaries. But with Jagger sliding my bra straps down my arms, I didn’t exactly feel like negotiating. I reached back to unhook it, and it fell to the floor between us. Jagger’s hands were firmly on my shoulders as he claimed my mouth in a kiss, sliding his tongue along my lips and easing inside. I loved the way he kissed me so much. I let myself get lost in it—the swirl of the storm moments before everything became unrecognizable. I didn’t notice he had me up against the wall again.

Jagger stepped out of his pants, kicking them aside, and looked at me when I laughed. “What?”

“There’s no graceful way to do this standing up.” I shimmied out of my jeans, dragging my lacy panties down with them. They’d been chosen especially for the occasion, but why delay the inevitable. Every part of me was watering at the sight of his cock. We’d basically had a month of foreplay, and if it lasted much longer I’d be begging him to fuck me. Everything I had on was log jammed at my ankles. “I need help getting my boots off.”

He sunk to his knees, unzipped my boots and got rid of my jeans. I’d been wrong—there was a graceful way to do it. I braced myself against the wall as he pulled my leg out, removing one layer at a time. I’d barely put my foot down when he rose to his feet, taking me with him. I cried out, not expecting to be picked up. I wrapped myself around him, kissing the spot on his neck where his pulse throbbed furiously. His head fell back with a groan.

“I’m on the pill now,” I whispered. “Please just fuck me.”

That came out smoother than I expected.

Jagger positioned himself to slide inside me. I thought he’d grab my leg again, but he kept his hand between us and skimmed down to my clit. It was amazing to have nothing between us, to be able to feel every thrust, and at this angle, it was even better. He pinned me against the wall, impaling me with every stroke. His forehead rested against mine, our breath became one, but all I could see was stars.

I was going insane, the music fading in and out of my consciousness, electricity pulsing through my body every time he circled my clit. I clamped down on his cock, desperate for some measure of control, but I had none. I had surrendered myself completely to Jagger. My head fell against his shoulder as my orgasm racked my body. A trickle of blood ran slowly down his spine. I scratched the hell out of his shoulders and didn’t even realize it.

His rhythm slowed, and his shaft swelled. Jagger came hard inside me. I’d forgotten that feeling, and how complete it made me feel. He lowered me to the floor, parting my legs. They fell open—I didn’t want to deny him anything. He pushed them even wider and lowered his head. I trembled each time his tongue made contact, but he didn’t stop until he’d licked me clean.

I pulled his hair so his gaze met mine. Jagger was insatiable, meeting my mouth in a kiss. I loved the way he tasted, salty and forbidden. We kissed until the flavor was just a memory.

Jagger pulled me into his lap and put his arms around me. He kissed the top of my head. “I haven’t given you the tour yet.”

“So far this is my favorite room in the house.” I laughed, snuggling against him. I gave myself a chance to take it all in. The artwork hanging on the walls was warm and bright, like a hot Miami night. A large painting of a naked woman hung behind the couch. She was abstract and stylized, her curves exaggerated. I motioned to it. “That’s stunning.”

“Oh yeah? She’s my favorite, too. Just got it. Couldn’t take my eyes off her when I first saw her. So I bought her, thinking she’d be the first piece for the gallery. Called the artist and everything to set it up. But then I realized I was so drawn to that painting because she reminded me of you. So I want to keep it for myself.”

J
agger

“Have you ever ridden on the back of a motorcycle?” I offered Leah my spare helmet. From the frozen, open-mouthed expression on her face, I already knew the answer. “Tip your head forward.”

I slid the helmet down over her head. Her wide eyes were all that showed now, and I kissed the bridge of her nose before snapping down the visor. She laughed while I secured the strap.

“I feel like I just landed here from Mars.” She was completely hidden, between the helmet and my hooded sweatshirt I insisted she wear. Didn’t matter that it was seventy degrees, it got cold on the road, especially by the water.

“If they all look like you, I’ll book on one of those one-way trips there.” I straddled the bike before putting my own helmet on.

“No way.” Leah’s voice was muffled. “You’re mine.”

Those two words melted everything inside me. “Damn straight. Climb on the back and hold on to me. I took the sissy bar off the bike because I hadn’t been expecting any virgins.”

Leah did as I asked, gripping my waist tightly as she got her bearings. “What the hell is a sissy bar and why do you think I’d need one?”

I turned to her as much as I could. I wished I could see her face, instead all I could see was the reflection of my own grin. “It’s a backrest. It caught too much wind and it slowed me down, so I got rid of it. Don’t tense up.” Her shoulders went down on command. “Move with me, not against me. Ready?”

The helmet bobbed up and down. I squeezed her leg before putting on my own helmet. It had been a long time since I’d ridden with anyone else. I bought the Harley with the idea of taking people out, thinking clients might like it since they were chasing a thrill. But Barry flipped out, some bullshit about liability. We could do whatever we wanted, as long as we didn’t put his ass on the line. The bike was my getaway, and riding was the way I cleared my head and got my thoughts in order. I didn’t mind inviting Leah in. The motorcycle was as much a part of taking pictures as my camera. It brought me closer to the earth; the grit, the dirt, the wind. The stuff I’d miss if I’d protected myself.

When I revved the engine and backed out of the spot, Leah tensed. I expected it; she did it every time she touched me at first, and I always wondered what went through her mind. If it was fear or excitement. Or a little bit of both. She loosened her grip after a couple blocks, her body resting comfortably against mine as we weaved through the streets of the city.

Traffic wasn’t an issue on a bike. I took the long way, which had been my plan as long as she didn’t freak out and hate the bike. I could barely hear her through my helmet and the wind, but I was pretty sure she’d cry out in surprise as we moved between stopped cars. But they weren’t protests because they ended in laughter. I’d know that sound anywhere.

She took off her helmet as soon as we stopped. I hated wearing one, too. She shook out her hair, sexy as fuck. “That was awesome. Now I know what a bird must feel like.” Her gaze shifted to our broken down, overgrown surroundings. “Where are we?”

“You wanted to see the places I photograph. This is one of my favorites. Come on.” I held out my hand to help her climb off the bike.

Leah’s head was on a swivel. “I love that this is the first place you brought me.” She took another step closer to me, tipping her head up in an invite for a kiss. That wasn’t what she wanted—she put her finger between us. “I can still feel the vibration of the engine.” She didn’t have to add where. I knew.

Now it was my turn to check out the surroundings. This place was abandoned, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t anyone around. Especially now that the amphitheater’s future hung in the balance. I’d become accustomed to looking over my shoulder around Leah. On her turf, someone was always there, even if it was just the ghost of assholes past. To be able to truly have my way with her, like I did the weekend of the reunion, got my motor running, too.

We walked to the concrete barrier hand in hand. “I’ll lift you up. Wait for me at the top and I’ll help you down the other side.”

Her jaw dropped. “We’re trespassing.”

“How do you think your viewers got all those awesome images inside the properties they want you to rehab?” I took advantage of her surprise and lifted her by the waist. She did the rest of the work and straddled the wall. It would piss me off if anyone else claimed to be so interested in urban exploration but knew so little about it, but Leah had been upfront. She’d only admired from afar. It was time for her to get an up-close look since she was about to get her hands dirty with the show.

I hoisted myself up, glad I’d taken a couple days off from the gym. I never would’ve made it if my arms were still sore. I stopped only to kiss Leah, but somebody had already gotten comfortable with danger. She urged me closer as she deepened the kiss.

Leah’s gaze fell to the patch of concrete between our legs when we finished. “The whole thing is so huge, there are so many facets of the show that I’m totally clueless about. I have to trust the other producers and the lawyers to get that part right. I always joke that I’m just there to make things pretty.”

“You give everything you touch a second chance. Don’t sell yourself short. You, of all people, know how important that is.” I tipped her chin up so she met my gaze, but I didn’t kiss her. Instead, I swung my legs around and jumped down.