Chapter 19
“There’s only so much willpower in the world and I have none left.” ~ Eli
Eli
“What? No limo?” Paisley jokes when we step out of the jet at Jettson’s Way.
“What’s the point? You aren’t impressed by limos.”
“It’s a vulgar display of wealth.”
“You said the same thing about the jet but it didn’t stop you from trying every seat, playing with the television, rummaging through the galley, and jumping on the bed.”
“I did not jump on the bed.”
I wag my phone at her. “I have a video.”
Her eyes narrow on me. “Which you will delete if you know what’s good for you.”
“And miss watching your boobs bounce as you jump? Pass.”
She rolls her eyes. “Men and boobs. I’ll never understand the attraction.”
“Really?” I step closer. “You aren’t intrigued by videos of men with six-pack abs? ”
“Have you been snooping around my computer?”
I chuckle. “Busted.”
We reach my SUV and I open the door for her. Once she’s inside, I lean across her to buckle her seatbelt and switch on the seat heating.
“I am perfectly capable of buckling my own seat belt.”
I kiss her shoulder. “Let me spoil you. You don’t let me buy you things.”
He shuts the door before I have a chance to correct him. I don’t let it go, though. The second he hops into the driver’s seat, I start in on him. “You buy me all kinds of things. A lace shawl that probably cost more than my house. A lunch with a Supreme Court Justice.”
“You can’t be mad at me for arranging for you to have lunch with a female Supreme Court Justice who’s famous for her work on civil rights.”
She glares at me. “I can and I am. You spent twenty thousand dollars to win the lunch.”
I shrug. “The money is for charity.”
“Some people don’t earn twenty thousand dollars in an entire year.”
“I know. It’s depressing.” I switch on the car and begin driving home. “Feel free to sleep. I know it’s late.”
Paisley giggles. “Sleep? I’m too wired to sleep. The keynote speaker was fabulous. I can’t stop thinking about what she said about how to make a man into a supporter of equal rights. And the dance performance was marvelous. The music is playing non-stop in the back of my mind. Whoever thought you could perform modern dance to classical music? Not to mention the fabulous food. Those cookies decorated with suffragette sashes were adorable.”
I smile. I’m glad she enjoyed herself. I was worried. Especially when the event started with Lucinda claiming we’d been a couple.
I reach across the console to thread my fingers through hers. “Does this mean you’ll accompany me more often to these events?”
She shrugs. “Maybe.”
I don’t push her. The maybe was enough of a hard win. But I’ll get her to agree to give me a chance eventually. I’m patient. And I’m not going anywhere. Smuggler’s Hideaway is my home now.
She swivels in her seat to face me. “What did you think of the keynote speaker?”
The hour drive back to Smuggler’s Hideaway flies by as Paisley dissects the event detail by detail. She already has ideas on how to improve future fundraisers. I’m not surprised. My Lace’s mind is always working.
I pull into my driveway and park.
She scans the area. “Where are we? This isn’t my house.”
“Nope. It’s mine.”
Her shoulders stiffen. “What are we doing here?”
“I’m not ready for the night to end.”
The tension in her body releases. “Me either.”
I squeeze her hand before releasing her. “Good. ”
I jump out of the SUV before scurrying around the front to her side. She already has the door open when I get there.
“I wanted to open the door for you.”
She stills. “Shall I shut it again?”
I smile at how adorably confused she appears and grasp her hand to help her out. “Next time, wait for me.”
“Who says there’s going to be a next time?”
I do, but I’m smart enough to keep my mouth shut.
I lead her to the house and into the living room. “Do you want a nightcap? I have every variety of Buccaneer’s Whiskey you can imagine.”
She considers my question for a moment before shaking her head. “If you drink, you can’t drive me home.”
I step closer to her. “You could stay here.”
The pulse in her neck thumps. “I thought sex was off the table.”
I groan. “I would love nothing more than to flip up this dress, bend you over the couch, and have my wicked way with you.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“I promised I wouldn’t seduce you. I want to show you there’s more between us besides sexual chemistry.”
“I think you proved your point when you snarled at any man who came within five feet of me.”
“I also snarled at the women.”
“I appreciate you being an equal opportunity snarler.”
I debate pushing the matter, but I want more than a moment with Paisley. I can’t have forever. But I want to enjoy her for as long as possible. Having sex tonight is not the best method to get what I want.
I palm her neck. “How about one nightcap and I take you home?”
“What kind of whiskey do you have?”
“Do you drink whiskey?”
“On occasion.”
She’s perfect. A woman who can match me wit for wit and also drinks whiskey. I couldn’t want more. Except to strip her bare and taste every inch of her skin. My cock twitches in agreement. It says forget the whiskey. Good thing it’s not in charge.
“I’ll pour us some drinks.”
It takes every ounce of willpower in my body to step away from her. To walk to the bar and find two glasses. To pour us each a whiskey.
When I return to Paisley and hand her a glass of whiskey, she’s studying me with a confused look on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not certain how to proceed.”
I lift my glass. “Usually we clink glasses, make a toast about smugglers and mermaids, and drink our whiskey.”
“I mean how to seduce you.”
My cock twitches with such vehemence I nearly fall over. “What did you say?”
“I’m not used to seducing men. Or, rather, seducing men is usually as easy as indicating I’m available for a night of pleasure and then they take over. ”
I growl. “How many men have you had one-night stands with?”
She ignores me. “I guess direct is the way to go.” She downs the whiskey in one go and sets the glass on a table. “I’m not wearing any underwear.”
I freeze. “What?” I manage to croak out.
“I’m not wearing any underwear. No panties. No bra. Nothing. I am completely naked underneath this dress.”
My cock hardens and lengthens. It wants what Paisley is offering. I have one thing to settle first.
I fist her hair. “Are you telling me you spent an entire evening at an event with men staring at you while you were naked underneath your dress?”
“I didn’t stutter, although I don’t believe men were staring at me. They were too afraid of you.”
“As they should be.” I tug on her hair. “Were you planning to go to the event in Smuggler’s Hideaway without panties on?”
If so, I’ll have to punish her. I’ll spank her ass until she promises to never ever leave the house without panties on again. No one should have easy access to what is mine.
And make no mistake about it. Paisley is mine. She might not be mine forever. But she’s mine for now.
“I was still getting dressed when you arrived.”
“You were wearing shoes.”
“And? Is there an order for how I should dress? Do shoes always have to be last?”
“Stop joking with me. ”
“I’m not trying to joke. I’m trying to convince you to have sex with me.” She licks her lips. “The idea of you bending me over the sofa is especially appealing.”
I groan. “You’re making it awful hard to keep my promise not to have sex with you.”
She grabs hold of my cock and squeezes. “Yes, it is hard.”
“I want to prove to you there’s more to us than our chemistry.”
“I love chemistry. I have a college degree in chemistry. I think I have enough knowledge of chemistry. Let’s move on to the portion of the evening where you provide me with orgasms.”
“Orgasms? You want more than one?”
She shrugs. “I want two. I thought you might need a challenge.”
“I do love a good challenge.”
She nips my bottom lip. “I challenge you, Eli Raider, to give me more than one orgasm tonight.”
My blood heats as my hard length presses against my pants – intent on getting to the object of its desires.
“I’ll give you as many orgasms as you want tonight.”
“Just to be clear, I want at least three.”
“You said two before.”
“It isn’t a challenge unless it’s hard.”
I press her against the wall and shove my cock against her stomach. “I think I proved it’s hard.”
Her eyes flare. “You did.”
“You want me to bend you over the sofa? ”
“Yes, please.”
“You won’t claim our relationship is based solely on sex?”
“I won’t.”
I study her. Is she lying? Will she run away tomorrow? With heat pumping through my veins and my cock pulsing to its own beat, I find it difficult to care.
“Fuck it,” I murmur before I shackle her wrist and drag her to the sofa. I maneuver her so she’s facing it while I’m at her back. I massage those ass cheeks I’m slowly becoming obsessed with before leaning close to whisper in her ear, “Bend over.”
She doesn’t hesitate to follow my orders. I gather the silky material of her dress and lift it higher and higher until her bare ass is unveiled. I groan. I’m glad I didn’t know she wasn’t wearing panties all night. I wouldn’t have been able to resist dragging her to the nearest corner and sinking into her.
I place a hand on her lower back. “Bend over for me.”
“Widen your legs,” I demand once she’s bent over the sofa. She spreads her legs and I wish I could take a picture of her this way.
She glances over her shoulder at me and lifts her eyebrow. “I can’t orgasm from you staring at me.”
I dig my wallet out of my pocket and pull out a condom. I unzip my pants and let them fall to the floor with my underwear. Once I’ve donned the condom, I notch my cock at her entrance.
“This isn’t going to be slow. It’s going to be fast and hard.”
“Promises. Pro—”
Her taunt is cut off with a moan as I sink into her.
This is where I belong. This is where I’ll always belong. Paisley is mine. I’m falling for this stubborn woman who challenges me at every turn.
My throat closes as fear slithers through me. I can’t fall in love with Paisley. I can’t fall in love with any woman. Not when I can’t trust a woman to stay.
Paisley’s walls convulse around my cock and I push thoughts of love out of my mind to concentrate on the task at hand. Making Paisley come as many times as possible.
The fear can wait.