Glitz & Goals (Venom Next Gen #2)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Vivian

I watch as Grady plates up dinner and brings it to the table. He sets a dish in front of me with a flourish.

I cock my head as I take in the meal. “Huh. What is it with guys and chicken piccata?”

Grady winces. “What do you mean? You don’t like it?”

I shake my head. “No, I like it. It’s just… this is the only meal my brother cooks, too. But it’s delicious!” I add when Grady looks crestfallen. “I was just thinking, my brother used to eat unseasoned chicken breast by the pound until our old nanny insisted that he learn to make something with actual seasoning.”

Grady relaxes as he reaches for a wine bottle. “You had a nanny?”

“I mean, sort of. My childhood was… complicated.” I don’t go around advertising that I’m adopted, partly because explaining what happened to my bio-parents is guaranteed to be a huge buzzkill and partly because I don’t think about it much. For better or worse, I don’t remember my parents. My earliest memories are of Noah and Nanny Franny, and then Molly. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m betraying my bio-parents by not acknowledging them more, but the truth is, Noah and Molly are my parents. Viktor and Vanessa are my siblings. I can’t imagine life without them, and it seems pointless to make a distinction in my everyday life when my bio-parents are just images in a photo album.

Grady pours me a glass of wine, then takes his seat. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about family tonight,” he suggests. “Let’s just focus on us.”

I shake myself out of my wandering thoughts and smile at him. “If you insist. It’s a shame, though, because I was going to show you pictures of Biscuit.”

“Biscuit?” Grady repeats.

“The Cane Corso I grew up with. When I first saw Blade, a lot of really precious memories came rushing back.”

“Hmm, it sounds like that would fall under the canine exception clause.” He says it with a straight face, but his eyes flick down toward Blade, who is sitting equidistantly between us. At this small acknowledgment, the dog wiggles his butt, thumping his nubby tail against the hardwood.

“I’m not familiar with this clause.”

Grady cracks a smile and lifts his wine glass. “It clarifies that pet pictures are always safe to share.”

I pull out my phone, and Grady scoots his chair around the edge of the table to get closer to me. As soon as he does, Blade lifts his head and growls.

“Hey.” Grady frowns at his dog. “Knock it off.”

In answer, Blade scoots closer to me, taking up a guard position at my feet. He lowers his head and thumps his tail again, but his body language makes it clear that he’s on guard duty.

“Cockblocker,” Grady mumbles.

“It’s okay, Blade.” I get up and move my chair so that it’s right beside Grady’s. I make a big show of intentionally touching Grady’s arm before sitting down again. Blade whines, but he seems to accept that I don’t need protection right now. He drops his head back to the floor with a mighty thud.

“I can’t believe how much he likes you,” Grady says.

“Really? Because it kind of seems like you’re obsessed with me, too.” I take a bite of my chicken. It’s good, despite my ribbing, although I swear Grady must use the exact same recipe as Vik, right down to the abundance of capers and the lemon pepper.

“Intrigued,” Grady corrects. “Not obsessed.”

I wink at him. “Not yet.” Before he can think of a response, I flip my palm up and start scrolling through the pictures in my Biscuit folder. Most of the images are older, so they aren’t 3D, but Grady seems riveted nonetheless.

“Okay,” he says when I pull up an image of me and Biscuit in matching Elsa and Anna costumes, “that’s fucking adorable. You were a cute kid.”

“Past tense?” I tease.

Grady turns his head. He eyes me up and down, letting his gaze travel slowly over me. “Cute isn’t the word I’d go with now.” There’s a low note in his voice that I’m not familiar with, but damn, I like it.

“What would you pick?” Beneath the table, my free hand brushes his thigh, tracing the muscle beneath. Despite the slight hitch in his step, Grady is seriously fit. I wonder what he does for a living. I should probably ask, but I don’t want to break the spell. Just because I first saw him at the arena means nothing. Hundreds of men come and go from that place weekly. He could be a delivery man for all I know.

My breathing becomes shallower, and I clench around empty air. I don’t usually go for older guys—the vibes I get from interested older men are usually kind of gross and predatory. Still, I get the feeling Grady can give me something I’ve craved for a while, and that I can trust him to respect my boundaries.

Plus, he gives off this air of authority that is so fucking hot. I bet he’d be willing to take charge if I asked him to. A little hand necklace. A little pinch if I get bratty. I little spanking when I need correction.

“Stunning,” Grady suggests. He leans closer, and his eyes fall to my lips. “Gorgeous. Sexy… oh, Blade, what the fuck! ” He tumbles sideways and practically falls out of his chair. Blade’s nose pokes up from beneath the edge of the table, and the big dog blinks innocently up at me.

“What happened?” I ask. “Did he bite you?”

Grady angles his body away from me, but I can tell that he’s cupping his groin with one hand. “No, he headbutted me. He loves smacking his head right into my groin, no matter how many times I scold him. That thick skull of his is unforgiving.”

“Aww, he just wanted to say hi.” I lower my face toward Blade’s and scratch either side of his face, squishing all that extra skin as I smother him with affection. “Were you feeling left out, buddy?”

Blade’s tongue lolls in a doggy grin.

“I get the feeling he’s going to stick to me like a burr,” I tell Grady. “Is there someplace you can put him where he’ll be safe but less, uh…” I shoot a pointed glance at Grady’s crotch. “Less of a personal problem?”

Grady lets out a short burst of laughter. “He’s got a crate in the spare bedroom. Come on, Blade, go to bed.”

Blade takes a few reluctant steps away from me. With some further encouragement from Grady and the promise of treats, he finally allows himself to be led off to the back room. I can hear Grady cooing over him, followed by whining when Blade realizes he’s going to be left on his own.

Grady emerges a few minutes later looking guilty as hell. “This is new for me. Usually, I can just crate him and put on his audiobook, and he’s happy. I’m pretty sure I’m the asshole here.”

I grin and take another bite of chicken. “Does he have audiobooks he likes?”

“Eh, you know. A Song of Ice and Fire, that sort of thing.” Grady shrugs.

“I had no idea your dog was so well-read.”

“He likes long books,” Grady jokes. “The kind that last all night.”

I waggle my eyebrows at him. “I know the feeling. I, too, like it long and rough.”

He pauses with the wine glass lifted halfway to his lips. “What?”

“Audiobooks,” I clarify. “I listen to them while I’m working. If they’re too boring, I tend to lose track of the story, but with Martin, my favorite characters are always in danger.”

“Ah.” Grady nods and sips his wine. “So, you’re a sadist.”

“Actually, I’m more of a masochist.”

Something flares in his usually kind eyes. Something hot and hungry. “Is that so?”

I reach for my wine and let my smile speak for itself.

It takes Grady a moment to find his words. When he speaks again, I’m surprised by the softness in his voice. “I do want to get to know you, Vivian. Just because you’re here and I um… cooked for you. I… don’t want you to feel like we have to do anything tonight.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I’m not here for a date . Grady’s practically my dad’s age, and I’m not looking for a relationship. He’s attractive, and I’m curious how much of his air of confidence will translate into the bedroom. I like his dog. I like the fact that he actually made me dinner.

Effort turns me on.

But it’s going to take more than a chicken piccata to change my mind about this being more than a one-night stand.

All I say is, “That’s sweet, Grady, but I was really hoping you’d fuck my pussy until I beg for mercy.”

Grady chokes on a bite of chicken.

I twist in my chair to meet his eyes. Mia and Jaime were right about my dry spell, but if I wanted a mediocre orgasm, I could take my favorite vibrator into the shower like everybody else.

“Here’s the deal,” I say because I’ve found it’s better to lay out my terms at the get-go. “I like dirty talk, I like being told what to do, and I like just enough pain to keep things interesting. I’m clean, but I’m not on the pill because the side-effects suck. What about you?”

Grady blinks a few times. He dabs his mouth with a napkin. “I haven’t… I haven’t been with anyone in a while.” His throat bobs as he swallows. “I’m clean, too, but… I might be rusty on the dirty talk.”

“Then I guess you’ll need some practice?” I rest one hand on his rock-hard thigh and lick my lips. “Don’t you think?”

Suddenly, his muscles aren’t the only rock-hard thing about him. I grin, but resist the urge to let my hand drift higher. Consent is important, especially for what I have in mind tonight.

Besides, I want to hear him say it.

“I want you. Truly, you have no idea.” Grady runs one hand over his face. “Uh, do we need a safe word?”

“If I say stop, you stop. Simple as that. I’m not into non-con.”

“Right. Anything else I should know? Any hard limits? Any words you like or don’t like?”

Damn, he’s asking all the right questions. I think I struck the jackpot with this one.

“I like being tied up, but I don’t like having my wrists held down. I don’t like being called a slut or a whore, it’s disrespectful to women even during sexy time, but pretty much anything else goes.”

“Got it.” Grady’s pupils are blown wide, his warm eyes darkened with desire. “We should go upstairs.” And then, after a pause, “I want you in my bed, but you have to beg me for my cock first.”

Okay, that’s a good start.

Heat pools between my legs, which are a bit shaky when I try to stand. I’ve only eaten about half of my dinner, but I didn’t come here for the food, not really. Grady takes one of my hands to steady me and reaches for a candle with the other. I don’t ask questions. I just go.

He leads me upstairs by candlelight, which is a little too gothic for my tastes, but at least he flips the light on when we get to his room. It’s very bachelor pad, spare and neat, without much character. At least his bed is nice. The sheets look new, too.

Grady sets the candle on the dresser, far away from anything that might catch fire. He’s been moving so calmly and steadily that I’m taken aback when he spins toward me, scoops me up, and tosses me onto the bed. I laugh and squeal in surprise, but my laughs turn to gasps when he removes his tie and loops it expertly around my wrists. He knots it in place, then pulls me down to the end of the bed until my already wet panties bump against the impressive bulge of his groin.

The skirt of my dress falls loose around my thighs. Grady kneels to nuzzle between my legs, licking me through the thin fabric, fucking me with his long, talented tongue and pushing my panties up and into my swollen pussy. He doesn’t linger there long, unfortunately for me. Instead, he strips my panties away, then shucks off his slacks and whatever he was wearing underneath so efficiently that I don’t even get a glimpse.

My first thought is that his thighs look as good as they felt. Also, his ass is incredible. I wonder if he’s open to letting me take charge sometime; I once pegged a guy in college and I’m still riding the high.

Grady moves back to me, standing between my thighs so that his erection rests against me. His dick is beautiful, long and thick. It bobs up and down with a slight movement, leaving a smear of precum on a set of delicious abs. I think I’ll lick that spot off, but before I can even move, his fingers dig into the soft flesh of my thighs, and I’m aware that he’s watching my face, testing my limits. His hips buck against me, dragging through the slick heat of my already-building arousal.

“How long has it been, Viv?” He takes himself in one hand and rubs my clit with his tip. The sensation isn’t as intense as if he’d used his hands or mouth, but the visual is inspiring. “How long since you did this?”

“Too long,” I tell him.

“Poor thing.” His voice is low and rough. “It’s a shame. A pretty bare cunt like yours deserves to be fucked hard and often.”

I whimper, and something in Grady snaps. It’s like he wasn’t sure until now how much I wanted this, or if he was on the right track. Now, he knows.

He bends forward, leaning over me, his hand settling around my throat. He keeps his grip loose, but the faint pressure makes me clench, and I feel his dick twitch in response. He sucks my earlobe into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth.

“You want me to use you, don’t you?” he growls. “You want me to make you come on my cock, don’t you, you fucking gorgeous girl?” He ruts against me, and my thighs twitch at the pleasure of it.

“Grady…” I pant. My nipples are tight, and each time they brush my dress, I feel both desperate and overstimulated at the same time. “Grady, please…”

His tip eases into me, and his eyes flutter shut. I’m momentarily disappointed because, at this rate, it’ll all be over too soon.

This man knows how to move. It occurs to me that this might be one benefit of being with an older guy, at least one who pays attention to what his partner wants when she’s brave enough to ask for it. He buries himself in me, moving faster, fucking me just like I ask for until I turn to putty beneath him. I’m going to come, I’m going to—

Grady pulls out and steps back, pulling me with him until I all but melt into the floor at his feet. He rakes his hands through my hair, pulling my loose curls back from my face.

I blink up at him, still twitching and quivering from how close I came to orgasm.

Grady strokes my chin with one hand, pressing his thumb against my lips until I automatically open my mouth. Then he presses the back of my head, with his fingers still tangled in my hair until my lips brush his cock.

“I smell like you, don’t I?” he asks. “I bet I taste like you, too. That’s right, open for me. Show me how bad you want me.”

Confession time: I have a little bit of an oral fixation. I like dicks. I like touching them, and I like tasting them even more. My eyes close as I open my mouth and take the tip of Grady’s cock between my lips. Without any urging, I keep moving my head, until I can’t take any more of him. I moan, and Grady moans in answer.

When I open my eyes, he’s gazing down at me with more affection than this situation should warrant. He seems… fond of me. Kind of an odd vibe from a guy who’s currently fucking my throat.

I swallow him until my eyes water, then lean back a bit, sucking my way along his length.

“Such a good girl,” he says. “I love it when I see your tears because your sweet mouth is filled with my dick. Keep that up, and I’ll give you what you want. You want my cum, don’t you?”

I nod, even as my eyes sting from the pressure at the back of my throat.

Grady seems a little reluctant to be rough here, so I set the pace. The muscles of his thighs twitch and spasm as his balls tighten.

“Fuck,” he groans. “Viv…”

I hum in answer.

My mouth is immediately flooded with his release, salty and slightly bitter, and I keep sucking until he lets go of the back of my head and staggers away.

“Damn,” he says through a breathless laugh. “Viv, that was…”

Catching his eye, I make a big show of swallowing, then running my tongue over my swollen lips, lapping up the rest of his cum.

He immediately bends down to untie my wrists, but only long enough to yank my dress over my head and toss it aside. Then he lifts me up again. It’s ridiculous how safe I feel in his arms as he lies me back on the bed and rebinds my wrists to the headboard. He pulls off his shirt, too, and God, he’s beautiful. There are a few grays among the hairs on his chest and a slight softness around his middle, even though he’s obviously in good shape. I wouldn’t say that Grady has a dad-bod because he still has muscular arms and defined abs, but his build is markedly different from the guys in the Venom who are always horsing around in the pool. For a moment, I’m content just to stare at him, appreciating the lines and curves of his body. This man has lived a life, and it looks so damn sexy on him.

When he reaches for the candle, however, I suck in a breath.

“You like wax?” he asks, hesitating.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “Never tried it.”

“Is it okay?”

And somehow this, too, is perfect, even if it breaks the intensity of the mood. I nod.

“Close your eyes,” he says.

I do as he asks.

The anticipation is almost too much so that when his warm tongue laves across one nipple, I almost buck off the bed. He laughs to himself as I squirm and pant. The room is cool, thanks to the magic of AC, and the contrast only adds to my pleasure.

When the first drip of wax hits my other nipple, I let out a guttural cry. “Fuck, Grady, that’s…”

“Good?” he prompts.

“Yeah.” I squeeze my eyes shut and brace my feet against the sheets. “I think you’ve converted me, because— oh, my God. ” Another drop of hot wax sends my already sensitive skin into overdrive.”

“These tits are perfection, Vivian. I’ve been thinking about them ever since we met.” Grady continues to tease one of my breasts with his mouth and drip wax down the other for what feels like both a long time and not long enough.

Eventually, he sets the candle aside and shimmies down between my legs. This time, he licks my clit, working his fingers inside me to fuck me in long, slow strokes. I almost complain that I feel uneven, but my orgasm is long overdue, and I’m surprisingly close. Grady must be able to tell because he lifts his head to watch my face while his slick fingers spread me open, but his hands aren’t enough; I need both…

And then he’s crawling back up the bed to drip wax on my other breast.

“You fucker,” I growl. “Are you edging me?”

Grady’s smile is so smug, I want to bite him. “Maybe. What are you going to do about it? Better not get bratty and give me an excuse to turn you over my knee.”

I try to think of something witty to say, but I don’t have a lot of leverage here. Mental images of his huge hands slapping my ass cheeks and then slipping inside my pussy about send me over the edge. I’m so turned on I can barely think straight, and while I’m still mentally present, there’s something about letting someone else run the show that makes it hard to think. It’s like my brain has decided that Grady can be trusted with my pleasure, even though, so far, he’s the only one who’s gotten off.

“I want you desperate, Vivian,” he said softly as I writhe beneath him. “I want to wreck you. I want to make you come so hard that the next time you touch yourself, you can only think of me.”

Okay, that’s… pretty fucking hot. And at this rate, he’s on track for success and an A+ rating for a one-night stand. The next time he nudges my thighs apart with his face, I’m half desperate, half resigned. Since my hands are still bound to the headboard, I lift my hips and try to push them into his face. This time, he uses his mouth but not his fingers, and my pussy clenches around nothing, even though I remember how good he felt earlier, and—

“Now I’m going to be fantasizing about what you taste like, too.”

He reaches for a condom without being asked and rolls it onto his length with Olympic-level precision. And then he’s on top of me, and I open for him like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment. I stretch wide around his cock, and I do exactly what he wants. I fall apart.

Grady murmurs something against my throat as he keeps thrusting into me, and I’m not sure if I’m already coming again, if it’s just one long orgasm, or multiple bursts of pleasure fusing together. I can’t think of anything but him. The universe has ended, and there’s only his body and mine, the only two entities to survive the second big bang.

I’m finally settling back into myself, limp with pleasure when Grady’s dick twitches inside me, and he buries his face against my collarbone. He lingers there, supporting his weight on trembling arms, whispering my name over and over and over again.

Normally that would be a turnoff, but in this bubble of bliss we’re both inhabiting, it’s kind of perfect.

* * *

“I hope you don’t expect me to walk home,” I mumble into the pillow.

Grady stirs behind me. I thought he might have fallen asleep. Maybe we both did for a minute there. “You can stay,” he says.

That’s not me. I don’t sleep over with hookups. This is a one-time thing. Nothing more, so I don’t want there to be any chance for confusion. But I’m so comfortable, and when I check the feed of the ring camera on my holowatch, I can see that my parents are still out on the back porch at home. They had friends over. I’m not ready for that walk of shame. Even though I’m thirty-two years old, my mom always makes some kind of comment and then my dad gives me that look. You know, the one where he can’t believe I’m not still a virgin because he still sees me as perpetually six years old in his mind?

“Don’t make it weird,” I mumble and shift closer into his embrace. “Plus, we have to wash up.”

“Mhmm.”

“And you need to get this wax off my tits.”

“Mhmm.”

“And you came in my mouth, and I think it’s only fair you return the favor.”

That makes him sit up. “You think you can come again?”

I roll onto my back. “You had me suck my juices off your dick. I think it’s only fitting that you return the favor. Lick me clean.” It would be even hotter, I think, if he’d actually come inside me. The smell of latex isn’t exactly sexy, but I can pretend. Maybe someday. The thought of him bare clenches my inner muscles. But then I realize that means I’m future thinking. About a guy.

This guy.

Grady inches lower. “If you think you’ve got another orgasm in you…”

I run my fingers through his hair. “Only one way to find out.”

As it happens, we’re just getting started.