Bound

CHAPTER EIGHT

IT was the most marvelous thing ever, being in Ronin’s arms as he carried her upstairs. She pressed her lips to the side of his throat, breathing him in. The scents of man, sweat, and rain completely filled her senses.

“I like that little hum you just made.”

“That’s because you smell divine and it’s romantic how you’re whisking me off to bed.”

He laughed softly.

Then they were in her bedroom.

“Last time I was up here, you had on way too many clothes.”

“Not the case now, is it?”

“No.” Ronin set her on the bed. He covered her mouth with a languorous kiss. She melted deeper into the mattress and tried to tug him down with her. He pulled away and said, “Be right back.”

Amery was too sated to ask questions. She stretched. The sheets were cool and a little damp from the open window. Pushing the pillows aside, she rolled over onto her belly, spreading her arms and legs into an X. She loved the decadent feeling of nakedness. Although she lived alone, she rarely slept in the raw—just another weird taboo lingering from her restrictive childhood.

The bed dipped—no surprise she hadn’t heard his approach—and she started to face him, but his hand on the middle of her back stayed the motion.

“Let me look at you.” He swept her hair aside and placed a kiss at the base of her neck. “I’ll start at the top and work my way down.”

Ronin kissed and licked and caressed the nape of her neck. Her shoulders. Her arms. Her spine. Provoking her body to the point she might come again if his soft lips and rough fingers continued to trail over her skin.

Then his hot mouth found the dimples above her butt and she felt him groan. His breath drifted past those spots as he rubbed his lips across the dents. Over and over. “Your hair is strawberry blond here too. It’s so fucking sexy I just want to take a bite out of you.”

The image of him marking her with his teeth caused her to shiver.

He said, “You’d like that,” a beat before she felt the nip of his teeth on her right butt cheek and then her left. The pointed end of his wet tongue flicked across the spot.

“You . . .” She started over. “Your mouth and your hands should be registered as lethal weapons.”

“Technically they are.” His fingertips floated over the back of her thighs. “Right now I want to use my lethal tongue on your cunt.” He moved and said, “Turn over.”

When Amery faced him, his eyes held a gleam, his mouth a smirk, and a long scarf dangled from his fingertips.

Holy. Shit. “Ah. What are you doing with that?”

“Teasing you.” He snapped the end and the soft material floated across her skin in a serpentine curve from her neck to her pubic bone.

She shivered from the sensation.

Ronin twirled her scarf around her breasts, left, then right, and her nipples hardened. He trailed the fabric up and down her thighs. “Spread your legs.”

As soon as she complied he teased her pussy with tiny swirls light as butterfly wings but as effective as the flick of a whip. She moaned and arched her back, wanting more.

“Amery.”

Her gaze zipped back to his.

“Do you want my mouth here?” He fluttered the scarf over her sex.

“Yes. Please.”

“Arms above your head.”

She didn’t hesitate. Why didn’t she hesitate?

Because this man’s touch sets you on fire.

“Beautiful. Cross your wrists.”

Ronin twined the scarf around her left arm and slowly tugged it upward until the fabric brushed the back of her hand. He secured her wrists together and then looped the scarf through the slats in her headboard.

Amery couldn’t take her eyes off his face. A sort of serenity had settled over him that absolutely entranced her. And those wonderfully rough fingertips trailed over every inch of her arms with lazy sensuality.

Then he grabbed another scarf from her dresser, the one with fringed ends. He dragged the fringe over both breasts, a smile curling the corners of his mouth as her nipples peaked. He twisted the scarf before he slipped it underneath her, crisscrossing the silky material above her left breast and below her right breast. He created a knot in the valley of her cleavage, and pulled the roped scarf taut beneath her between her shoulder blades.

She glanced down at his handiwork. Her small breasts did look good—maybe even tempting—highlighted with the silk scarves he’d twisted and wrapped around her.

Ronin lowered his mouth to her right nipple. He sucked. Vigorously. Then softly. Opening his mouth wider to bring more of her flesh inside. When she started to wiggle, he placed the heel of his hand on the rise of her mound and pushed her hips down.

His control of the situation, of her, ratcheted her need higher.

Amery bit her lip when he positioned himself on the bed between her thighs and planted kisses in a straight line over her belly button, her lower abdomen, stopping when he reached the start of her bikini line.

He glanced up at her. “How many times should I make you come with my mouth before I fuck you again?” He nudged her thighs open wider with his shoulders. He ran the pads of his thumbs up the inside of her pussy lips and opened her like a flower.

“Um . . . twice?”

“Good answer. Even if you’d said once, I would’ve made you come twice.”

Ronin licked her. Delicately at first. Then he flattened his tongue and dragged it up her slit. He drew circles around her clit. Tiny, barely there circles before he pushed through her tissues and jammed his tongue inside her pussy completely.

She wanted to arch up. Dig her heels into the mattress and grind her pussy into his face. But she feared if she tried to take control, he’d remind her he was in charge by withholding her orgasms.

So Amery focused on the strength of his shoulders pushing her thighs apart and the velvety softness of his tongue. His alternating use of tender licks and brutal sucks. The soft silk of his hair tickling the crease of her thighs. He flicked her clit with a firm tongue. Once he started that, Amery knew she wouldn’t last. Her legs trembled. She clenched her fists. So close. God, she could feel that pulsing need hovering just out of reach.

He made a growling noise against her sensitive flesh. Then he rapidly sucked her clit as his thumbs gently stroked the inner folds of her pussy.

The combination of relentlessness and gentleness sent her off like a rocket. She couldn’t help thrashing. The scarf around her wrists tightened and she could feel the blood pulsing beneath the bindings in the same cadence as the spasms in her sex. Spasms that intensified with every hard pull of his mouth.

Then it was over and she felt strangely bereft as Ronin eased back, still nuzzling and stroking her inner thighs, kissing the skin between her hip bones.

Why did Amery have the overwhelming urge to curl into a ball and cry? Because he’d just shown her that she wasn’t a cold bitch in bed? He’d proven that she could burn hot and fast with a man who took the time to find her fuse before he prematurely lit the match.

Those hard-skinned hands traveled up her sides. Ronin stroked the skin below the scarf crisscrossing her breasts. He crawled up her body, his hands pressing into the mattress beneath her shoulders, his warm mouth connecting with the skin below her ear. “Sweet baby. Has no man ever made you come like that?”

“No. It’s only been like this with you. The time with the candle wax and before downstairs and now . . . this.”

He dragged an openmouthed kiss down to her collarbone, the move so possessively erotic she knew he’d left a mark on more than just her skin. “I will make you come like that all the time. You’re beautiful all the time. But you’re especially beautiful when you unravel from my touch.”

“I want you to unravel for me too, Ronin.” She angled her chin and brushed a kiss across his forehead. “I want my hands in your hair, scratching your back, clutching your ass when you’re fucking me this time. Please untie me.”

Without a word he reached up and untied her. He checked her wrists for marks and rubbed her palms. “Any numbness?”

“No.”

“Tell me if you get strange tingling, okay?”

“Okay.”

Ronin snagged a condom off the nightstand.

Amery pushed up on her elbows. “Huh-uh. Hand it over. I get to do that this time.” She plucked the package from his fingers. “I’m glad you remembered them, because I’m fresh out.” She laughed. “Fresh out. Right. I haven’t needed them for several years.”

When Ronin cupped her chin and swept the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip, she darted her tongue out to taste herself on him. She’d never dared do that before.

He murmured, “Again.”

On the second pass she licked all the way around it and suckled the tip.

“Do you like that? Does it feel dirty?”

“Not dirty. Just naughty. And new.”

“Next time I eat your pussy I’m going to kiss you with a mouthful of your juices so you’ll know how delectable you taste.”

Her pulse jumped. She looked at the condom package clutched in her hand and ripped it open.

Ronin watched as she tentatively cupped his balls. He didn’t have much pubic hair. Her fingers drifted up his fully erect shaft, even longer and thicker than she’d imagined. She slid her hand up and down, seeing a milky dot of precome beading on the tip. She’d had this thickness inside her, so it seemed strange this was the first time she’d touched him like this.

That’s because he’s a control freak. The only reason you’re touching him now is that he’s letting you.

Amery didn’t care. She wanted him any way she could get him. If she’d had any sexual self-confidence at all, she’d attempt to roll the condom on with her mouth. Instead she enclosed the shaft in her fist and pushed it down until that male hardness was encased in latex.

Ronin tipped her face up. Then he crushed his lips to hers and dove in for a blistering kiss as he rolled her onto her back.

Her thighs gripped his as she waited for that first hard thrust. But Ronin slipped into her carefully, slowing the kiss down to match the speed of his movements. She threaded her fingers through his hair and held on.

He broke the kiss to say, “Cant your hips.”

Amery crossed her ankles behind his back, giving him a deeper angle. She arched but couldn’t feel the press of his chest against hers through the binding around her breasts.

She traced the muscles in his left biceps with her tongue while she curled her hands around his hips. Her thumbs slid into the deep groove of muscle running along both sides of his lower abdomen.

“Amery.”

Hearing her name as a demand, she turned her head and let his mouth reclaim hers.

This was such sweet heat. Bodies in motion. That crescendo building with every pump of his hips. She never wanted it to end.

Ronin grabbed her left knee, pushing it up and out. Then he twisted his pelvis, hitting her clitoris on every upward thrust, and his balls swung against her anus on each downward pass.

“Omigod.” She’d never felt anything so deliciously dirty.

“Like that, do you?”

Amery answered in a soft moan as he did it again.

And again.

And again.

And again until she came undone again.

His stamina, whether from martial arts discipline or just from practice between the sheets, was something to behold. Something to celebrate because she’d never felt like this before. Sexy. Freed. Wanted. The way he touched her stole her breath.

He pounded into her harder. “Hold on to me.”

She gripped the back of his neck.

“Look at me.”

Amery tilted her head down and met his gaze.

“Beautiful.”

Ronin arched back and came in silence even as his body moved frantically. He didn’t slow; he just shoved in deep and stayed there.

She licked another rivulet of sweat, rubbing her face in his damp flesh, marking herself with his scent. She might never shower again.

When he came back to himself, he nuzzled her cheek. Then he stroked her skin as he undid the scarf.

“That was . . .” She fought a yawn. “Incredible. But you wore me out in bed and in class, so I’m tired.”

“So sleep.”

“Will you stay?”

“Yes. Let me ditch the condom.”

Amery heard him in the bathroom. When he returned to bed, he snugged himself against her back and placed his palm flat on her belly, pulling her closer.

Maybe it made her weird, but she liked that he said nothing as they floated off to sleep together.

THE next morning Amery found herself alone in an empty bed and had a pang of disappointment that Ronin had left in the middle of the night.

No, he had his wicked way with you in the middle of the night.

She’d awoken from a deep sleep to his hands on her everywhere. Her breasts, her ass, her hair as he pulled her nipples into hard points. He’d slipped a finger into her pussy, then two, whispering, “You’re already wet for me.” He’d taken her like that, spooned to her back, her right leg draped over his as he entered her from behind. His breath hot in her ear. His fingers rubbing her clit. His cock driving into her until they both exploded. They’d even fallen asleep like that for a while.

Amery heard the shower shut off the same time “Wake up, sleepyhead” echoed up the stairs. “I brought you a cup of your favorite mocha java blend.”

She didn’t have time to straighten her hair, or put clothes on—she barely had time to clutch the sheet across her naked breasts before Chaz bounded into her bedroom. She really needed to remember to lock the door between her work and living space.

“You must be tired this morning if you’re still lying in bed.” Chaz paused at the end of the bed. “Wait. Are you sick or something?”

“No. But this isn’t really—”

“‘Or something’ applies this morning,” Ronin said from the doorway.

Chaz gasped.

So did Amery, but not for the same reason. Ronin Black was a vision of male perfection: water beading on his well-defined chest, his wet hair falling around his unshaven face, giving him that dangerously sexy look. The small towel wrapped around his lean hips above his washboard abs left little to the imagination.

“Oh. Oh, damn. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you had company because you never have overnight guests.” Chaz cranked his head around quickly. “I apologize, Master Black, for barging in. I’ll just set this coffee down and go.”

Then Chaz was gone.

Amery sighed. “I believe that’s the first time I’ve ever seen Chaz flustered.”

“Why? Because you’re using your bed for something besides sleeping?”

She grabbed the coffee and took a big swig. “No. Because you’re half-naked and that’s enough to make anyone flustered, faced first thing in the morning with”—she gestured to his body—“all that.”

Ronin smiled. “Keep piling on the flattery, and I’ll have you pinned to the bed flustering you again.”

Amery poked him on his bare chest when he perched next to her. “No fair flashing that smile at me first thing this morning either.”

He swiped her coffee, swallowed a mouthful, and set the cup aside. Then he pounced on her.

“Ronin!” she shrieked.

“Ssh, you wouldn’t want the people downstairs to hear you screaming my name. They might get the wrong idea.”

She twined her arms around his neck. “Close enough to the truth of last night.”

“And what an amazing night it was.” He nipped her neck and then lifted his head to stare into her eyes. “I don’t care if your friends know we’re sleeping together, but I do care if you give them a play-by-play.”

“I won’t.”

“I have to go.” He kissed her. “My sweet, bold Amery . . . I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”

By the time she left the bathroom five minutes later, there wasn’t any sign of him.

CHAZ avoided Amery all day. Molly seemed chattier than usual. How much of that was due to their conversation after class last night?

God. Had that only been last night?

How much things could change in a few short hours.

She had a productive day, including a few new client calls.

At five o’clock, Chaz approached her desk. “It’s officially the weekend and we’re kicking it off with happy hour.”

“First drink is on me. I’ll grab my purse.”

After she’d locked the front door, she dropped the metal screens in front of the windows.

“They really don’t look too bad,” Chaz offered. He looped his arm through hers. “Let’s head to Tracks.”

She stopped. “No.”

“No?”

After the advice she’d given Molly, she stood her ground. “While I love hanging out with you, I’m tired of you and Emmylou only taking me to gay bars.”

Chaz raised that imperious eyebrow. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Common sense maybe. In three years I haven’t once complained. I’m complaining now. I want to go someplace else. Someplace mainstream.”

“Oh, so you’ve finally got a man in your bed and you selfishly want to be the only one? I’d like a man in my bed too, Amery.”

“How can you throw that in my face?”

“Because you should’ve said something before now if you hated hanging out with me so much,” he sniped.

“I don’t hate it! For the last year you’ve harped on the fact that I don’t date.” She poked him in the chest. “Did it ever occur to you that the places you and Emmylou drag me to aren’t the right demographics for me?”

That shut down whatever smart retort he’d been about to make.

“Admit there are lots of awesome bars around here that we never go to and that’s just lazy on our part. I want to go someplace new. Be adventurous, Chaz.”

He rolled his eyes. “Why can’t you go to these bars with your straight friends?”

“I want to go with you. You’re my BFF,” she cooed.

“Girl. You are a totally different animal after you’ve gotten laid. Fine. We’ll both widen our horizons. I know just the place. I’ve heard their tapas are to die for.” They headed up the street, arm in arm. “I guess I should seize the chance to spend time with you because that’ll change soon enough.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Now that you’re doing the nasty with—omigod, could Ronin Black have a more banging body?—your free time will be at a premium. And the way he looked at you today?” Chaz sighed. “He wanted to karate chop me in the face for even being in the same room with you when you were naked.”

“Karate chop. Right. He’s a jujitsu master, not karate.”

He waved his hand. “Whatever. The point is, he didn’t even notice me drooling over his arms, his chest, and his abs. Most straight guys freak out about gays eyeing the goodies. He didn’t want me to get an eyeful of you.”

Amery rested her head on Chaz’s shoulder. “I love you. You make me feel better. Ronin is . . . enigmatic. I don’t know how long he’ll find me interesting.”

“Sugar cube, you’ve got enough baggage to keep him interested for a long time.”

“Oh, shut up. And for that, you’re buying the first round.”

PROBABLY a good thing she had a decent buzz when she got home and her cell rang. She needed a buffer for this call. “Hello, Mom.”

“Amery. How are you?”

“I’m fine. How are you?”

“Oh, you know. Busy, busy. We start summer session of vacation Bible school next week. Lots of prepreparation. I swear these women who volunteer are just there as a way for God to test my patience.”

She made a noncommittal noise.

“Have you heard from Aiden?”

“No. I think he’s lacking basic services in Afghanistan, not just phone service.”

“You don’t need to get snippy with me. I was just curious. He doesn’t keep in contact any better than you do.”

Don’t take the bait.

“It’s hard to answer members of the congregation about how Aiden is doing when we, his parents, don’t even know. To top it off, he doesn’t acknowledge the care packages the congregation sends him, which also makes your father and me look like we raised him to act ungrateful.”

Yes, it was always about appearances with her parents. Not the scary fact that Aiden was in hostile territory getting his ass shot off every damn day. And knowing her mother, she’d played that “my only son is fighting for our country” card just to get sympathy from members of her father’s flock anyway. Amery shipped Aiden a package once a month and he always thanked her. She suspected he didn’t want the guilt and “Jesus Saves” pamphlets in with baby wipes and lip balm from the church members, and no response would be the fastest way to put an end to it. Not so, apparently.

“Enough about your brother. I’m surprised you’re home on a Friday night.”

Amery wanted to beat her head into the wall. Either she was a whore out at the bars sinning, or being at home on a Friday night made her pitiable. She grabbed a bottle from the fridge and twisted off the cap. “I went out earlier.”

“With a man?”

“With Chaz.” Amery gulped down a mouthful of beer.

Her mother snorted a sound of disgust. “Spending so much time with a man like him will keep decent men away from you.”

“What’s a decent man?” slipped out before she could stop it.

“Honestly, Amery, you don’t have to be so snotty. Decent men see Chaz’s lifestyle for the perversion it is.”

“I don’t see why you care. Chaz’s lifestyle isn’t affecting you at all.”

“It is if being friends with him is preventing you from finding a decent man, getting married, and having children. Most of your friends are already married. Quite a few have babies. As a matter of fact, I saw Jillian in church last Sunday. Her little girl, Parlay, is adorable.”

Parlay? Who the fuck picked such a dumb name for a kid? “I’m sure she is cute. Jillian and Tommy got divorced, right?”

“Yes, such a sad thing. He likes to drink.”

“I heard that Candy and Billy-John called it quits too. Didn’t he smack her around and she finally had enough?”

Her mother got quiet on the other end of the line.

“Seems your definition of decent men and mine vary, because neither Tommy nor Billy-John is a decent man in my mind. So I’ll stick to hanging out with Chaz.”

Her mother chuffed out the noise that reminded Amery of an annoyed bull. “I see you’re impossible to talk to as usual. Lord, help me; I don’t know why I bothered.”

She hated the quick sting those words still gave her. “Then why did you call?”

“Two reasons. First, I wondered if your business was in some sort of financial trouble. I received a phone call this week from a very rude woman who demanded details on your business practices and your personal life. “

What the hell?

“No need to curse, Amery.”

Shit. She’d said that out loud?

“Anyway, I set her straight and hung up on her after she refused to tell me why she needed the information.”

“I appreciate that. And I’m not having business problems, but even if I was I don’t understand why you’d get a phone call.”

“Which is why I mentioned it. Your father doesn’t need it to get out that his daughter is under some kind of investigation.”

And there it was . . . the concern wasn’t about her but about the pastor’s sterling reputation.

“The other reason I called was to remind you of your father’s anniversary party. Thirty-five years serving the Lord is a very big occasion in his life, and we expect you to be here to help celebrate it.”

Since she worked for herself she couldn’t claim her boss wouldn’t give her the time off. “If I come I’ll probably stay at the Super 8.”

“Aren’t you staying with us?” her mother asked sharply.

Hell no. “I assumed you’d save beds for out-of-town guests so they didn’t have to book a hotel room.”

“Oh. That’s probably a good idea.”

“I’ll let you know after I’ve made my reservation what day I’m flying in.”

“Flying in? That seems a little frivolous when you’ve got a nice car.”

Ten hours in the car one way? Uh. No.

“It would be nice if you’d get here a few days early to help with the cooking and cleaning.”

Maybe you should guilt Dad’s parishioners into doing it. She really needed to get off the phone before the snarky comebacks in her head started popping out of her mouth. “I’ll let you know about my, uh, schedule.”

Her mother’s disapproval hummed across the line. “I’ll be in touch. God bless.” She hung up.

“And bless your heart too.” She refused to let her mother ruin her good day and happy buzz. She popped a huge bowl of popcorn and settled in for a marathon night of bad TV until Ronin called.