“Maybe.”
“What do you have up your sleeve, donut dominatrix?”
“Nothing you can’t handle, hot stud.”
He growls before pulling me into another passionate kiss.
“Fuck this,” Holt grunts into my mouth. “Can anyone see us from outside?”
Huh?
“Not if I turn off the lights. This isn’t a busy street at night.”
“Do it.”
“What?”
“Turn off the lights.”
“We’re staying here?” I shriek.
“We are.”
Surely I misheard him.
“Here, here?” I ask. I even point to the floor.
“I thought I could make it upstairs to your place, but everything about this outfit frayed my resolve.”
His tone leaves very little if any negotiation.
My heart is beating so fast with excitement it's affecting my thinking. It’s the only explanation I have because before I know it my feet are moving on their own accord and I walk around the shop turning off lights.
“Done,” I say when I come and stand in front of him.
“Good.” Even in the dark, I can see a hint of a predatory glee in his blue eyes.
“The top and skirt, off.”
I swallow hard.
Shit.
He leans against the counter behind him and crosses his muscular arms over his strong chest. He also crosses one foot over the other at the ankle. His stance is intimidating.
I hesitate.
He waits in silence, his eyes boring into mine.
We’re at a standoff.
“Who can’t handle it now?” he borrows my words.
I haven’t come this far to chicken out now.
Reaching behind me with shaking hands, I pull down the zipper of my skirt and wiggle my way out of it until it pools at my feet. Wow. I’m really doing this. I step out of it, grab it and drop it on the counter. I then grab the bottom of my top and pull it over my head in one quick motion, leaving me standing in the middle of my shop in my lingerie.
Holt mutters something under his breath that sounds an awful lot like, “You’re killing me.”
“Even in the dark, I can tell that’s one hell of a combo,” he says.
“The color of the lingerie matches the skirt.”
God, that was so corny. I guess I’m nervous after all.
“I want to rip it off you, but it looks too good to destroy. Strip out of it for me,” Holt commands.
This is uncharted territory for me.
I stand there debating.
His eyes are on me, studying me.
Suddenly I’m very self-conscious. I inhale a deep breath, praying I don’t make a complete fool out of myself.
I’m awkward at first.
“Nice and slow, precious,” he says.
Still, my nervousness shackles me.
“I already have a hard on, so you have me. This is just a little icing on the cake,” he says in a raspy voice.
In that case.
His words boost my confidence.
I find the bad girl in me and let her loose.
I remove my panties like I’m a burlesque dancer at one of those showy performances at the MGM in Vegas. I even throw them at him. He catches them easily and brings them to his nose.
“Mmm,” he hums, inhaling my scent. “Smells like you’re ready for me, precious,” he grunts before tucking my panties inside the pocket of his jeans, but I don’t have time to object.
“The bra.”
I do as I’m told.
“Catch,” I say, laughing.
He does and tosses it over his shoulder.
I let out another laugh when the strap hooks over one of the iPads.
“You’re in a playful mood. I like it,” he says.
“Amongst other things.”
If I’m going to be daring, I might as well go all the way.
“Time to play, then.”
He pushes himself off the counter and walks towards me. With a slow and confident stride, he circles around me unrushed. The wait is excruciating. He comes and stands in front of me when he’s done teasing me. His hands reach out and cup my bare breasts, pulling and twisting my nipples as I arch into his grip.
Jesus.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he says in a whisper.
I swear I’m going to melt.
His hands move up to my scarf, he unties it and wraps it around his fist. “Was this part of the plan?” he asks.
It takes me a second to catch on.
“It complements the outfit,” I offer a one-shoulder shrug.
“Liar. You want me to tie you up again.”
This wasn’t premeditated, but I’m proud of my wardrobe selection.
“Maybe.”
“Tsk. You begged so beautifully the other night. Why the sudden shyness?”
“It’s a lot to take in.”
“What is?” he coaxes.
“For one, I’ve never had sex outside of the bedroom––”
“Remember, I said we’d avoid polo boy’s predictability at all cost.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“This is definitely not part of his repertoire.”
“Good. Anything else worrying your pretty little mind?”
I nod. “You tying me up a few nights ago was so sexy.” I pause. “It feels a little strange now.”
“Why’s that?”
“I could chalk off our first hookup as a passing thing between two people. Some might call it attraction––”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“True.”
“That’s exactly what it was for me.”
I fold my bottom lip between my teeth. “It was for me as well,” I confirm. It was more like an overwhelming desire, but he doesn’t need to know that. “Having you standing here… I guess it’s surreal.”
Sure, I was expecting him. But there’s a vast difference between fantasy and reality.
He wraps me in his arms. “There’s nothing surreal about it. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all day.” His voice is strained and his breath is hot against my hair.
“Your words are making me dizzy.”
My plea does little to deter him. “I want you, Everly. And I want you to surrender to me. You do it so well.”
I don’t even know how to answer that.
“Let me have my way with you again tonight, precious,” he says.
I look up at him and nod.
“I want to hear it.”
“Tie me up.”
“Is that how a good girl asks for something?” His domineering side is back in full force.
“Tie me up, please.”
“With pleasure.”
Holt turns me around so I’m facing the counter.
“Hands behind your back, precious,” he commands.
I obey.
He grabs my wrists and pulls them closer together. I let out a shuddering moan. He then wraps my silk scarf around my wrists before tightening it.
“Too tight?” he asks.
I shake my head. “No.”
“You’re sure?” he presses. “This is a very different position from the other night.”
“I’m okay,” I confirm.
“If it hurts, you tell me. Got that, precious?”
“Got it.”