Chapter 12
RYDER
Tonight is a rare night off, and Aspen has invited me over to her place for dinner.
Her roommate is out of town, and it would be nice to fuck my girl in a bed.
I want to take my time. We’ve been stealing moments here and there at Rooftop, and I’m sure we’re violating multiple health and safety regulations, but I can’t get enough of this woman.
Working with Aspen is so rewarding. She’s like a sponge, soaking in every word, and her cooking is phenomenal.
Regardless of how we feel about each other now, I know I made the right decision hiring her as my sous chef for Rooftop.
She’ll be running it in no time, and I have every faith that she’ll do a stellar job.
On my way over to her place, I stop at the liquor store, buy a bottle of tequila, and grab the rest of the ingredients for margaritas from the local market. I’ll be licking the salt off her naked body tonight. Slowly.
When I have everything I need, I head to her building and ask the concierge to let Aspen know I’m here. As the elevator doors ping open, a sullen-faced man looks me up and down before brushing past me into the lobby.
“Watch where you’re going.” I express as I hit the button for Aspen’s floor. He turns back with an angry look on his face, and I chuckle. I could take this guy with a blindfold on and one hand tied behind my back.
“Sure thing, pretty boy.” He’s lucky the doors close before I set my bags down and teach him a fucking lesson.
I shake it off, not wanting to sour my night with Aspen, and as I step out of the elevator, she’s waiting at her apartment door with the biggest smile on her face. “Hey, Ry. I told you not to bring anything,” she says as she takes in the sight of the bags in my hand.
“I thought some tequila was in order.” I lean in and capture her lips with mine before moving to her ear and whispering, “I’m going to make your naked body my very own serving tray.”
She shivers at the thought, and it has me rocking a semi already.
“I made us dinner. You should eat.” Her voice trembles.
“Oh, I’ll be eating, baby girl.” I’m going to devour every square inch of her body tonight, but for now, I follow her inside.
“Welcome to my home. Jude went back to Connecticut to see her folks for a few days, so we have the place to ourselves.”
“Wow.” I take a look around as I set the bags on the countertop. “Your apartment is amazing. Am I paying you too much?” I chuckle.
“Why do you think I have a roommate? I like my creature comforts.”
“What does she do?”
“She’s doing her Master’s in psychology right now, but her family is wealthy, so she hasn’t had to worry about money.”
“What are we eating?”
“Moroccan tagine.”
“You’ve been committed today. I figured we would be eating something quick and easy. You work in a kitchen almost every night.”
“Do you cook for guests at your house?” she asks with a wry smile, already knowing the answer.
“Of course.”
“I wanted to prepare a meal for you.” I’ve never actually had a woman cook for me. She’s too good for me. I know it, and I don’t fucking care. I’ve had a taste of her now, and I want it all.
“Thanks, baby girl.”
“Is that what you call all your women?” There’s not a hint of malice in her voice. She’s just so inquisitive.
“No. What kind of manwhore do you think I am? ‘All my women?’ There’s only you.”
“I know. I mean in the past. Your subs.”
“Are we going to discuss the lifestyle every time we hang out?”
“You told me I could ask questions.”
“Yeah, but that was before we were dating. I told you not to worry about it.”
“Why?”
I move to her back as she prepares dinner, shifting her hair off her neck before planting featherlight kisses just below her ear. “Because you’re perfect the way you are. I’m not corrupting you… much.” I grin against her skin as my hands begin to roam.
“Is that why you won’t show me your room?”
“My what?” I play dumb. Who the fuck has been filling her head with all this?
“Your private room. Eli told me that the hallway off the bar is full of private rooms that Doms use to ‘play’ with their subs.”
“Oh, did he? I’ll be sure to have a word with him tomorrow.”
“I asked. Don’t get mad at him.”
I’m fucking frustrated. I am trying to be a good guy here, and every time Aspen inquires about the lifestyle, my resolve cracks just a little.
“You don’t need to see the room because that’s not going to be part of our relationship.”
“What if I want it to be?” Please stop pushing.
“Are you asking me to be taken to that room and treated like a submissive?”
“Maybe.”
“So, you’d be fine with me shackling you to the wall, naked and wet for me?
Your legs spread wide with no way to alleviate the growing ache between your thighs.
” I let my hands wander down to her hips as she feels my cock hard at her back.
“Then, once I made you beg for it, I’d use a cane on your ass.
Punishment for pushing the subject when I told you to let it go.
Do you like the sound of that, baby girl?
” My hand cups her cunt through her jeans.
“You wouldn’t be able to sit for a week when I was done with you. ”
“I…”
“Exactly.” I turn her around in my arms. “Stop overthinking this, Aspen. I’m just a regular guy, and I want you.
” I’m a lying bastard. Just the thought of having her in my playroom is painful.
I wish it could be different, but I promised myself that I would never pull a woman into the lifestyle for me.
“Why?”
“Because you’re talented, beautiful, smart, funny. The list goes on.” She pushes up onto her tiptoes, pressing a reverent kiss to my lips.
“You said tequila, right?” There’s my girl with a wicked glint in her eye.
“I’ll make the margaritas while you finish up with the tagine. It smells amazing. Can you point me in the direction of your glassware?”
“Top cupboard to the right of the refrigerator.”
“Thanks.” I busy myself with making drinks, surprisingly at ease in Aspen’s kitchen.
Conversation flows effortlessly as we inhabit the same space.
We’re used to working in sync at the restaurant, but this is different.
More intimate in some ways. I never let submissives see this side of me.
It has me wondering why I can’t have both.
Someone who can fulfill my sexual desires, but outside of that, we have no common ground.
Or the girl of my dreams, who can’t be the submissive I crave.
Maybe some of us aren’t meant to have it all.
“Earth to Ryder.” I’m snapped back into the moment.
“Sorry, what?”
“The food is ready.”
“So are the drinks. Where do you want me?” I grab the glasses.
“Now, that’s a whole other question.” Aspen is every inch the little minx. She’s got that butter-wouldn’t-melt smile on her face.
“I’d feel guilty if we forgo your cooking and go straight to… dessert.”
“Would you really?”
“No.” I set the glasses down on the table before cupping her face in my hands. “I’ve been thinking about your sweet little cunt all day.” The rapid rise and fall of her chest tells me everything I need to know. “Put the plates down and take off your clothes.”
Without hesitation, she sets them down, then turns to face me as she unzips her jeans and shrugs them off. Her T-shirt is quickly discarded on the floor, and she stands before me in nothing but her underwear. She knew where the night was going by the thin scraps of lace that cover her.
“Is this to your liking?”
I lean in, caressing the shell of her ear with my lips. “Lose the underwear. As beautiful as it is, I want to see how wet you are for me, baby girl.” Her skin shivers at my touch. “Are you wet for me, Aspen?”
“Yes.” She takes a step back before slipping her bra and panties off, her eyes never leaving mine. I lift a glass, offering her a drink which she drains.
“Are you nervous?”
“I… a little.” She moves to cover her crotch.
“Arms at your side. I want to see your pussy.” I step into her, a few inches separating us. “Why are you nervous?”
“Because I…”
“Tell me,” I command.
“Because I’m worried I’m not enough for you in bed.” I sense there’s something she’s not saying. We’ve already slept together plenty.
“And…”
“And you have the perfect body. I don’t.”
“Look at me.” She does as I ask, completely naked before me.
“I fucking love your body. Your curves were made for me.” I trail my fingers from her collarbone, down over her breasts, watching as her perfect blush-pink nipples harden for me.
“I’m going to kiss every inch of your body before I bury myself inside you. ”
She’s panting by the time I take a step back to admire her.
“Legs apart, baby girl. I don’t want you relieving that growing ache.”
“Are you going to take your clothes off?”
“Does it turn you on to be naked when I’m fully dressed?” I know the answer. Everything I do is for a reason.
“Yes.”
“Then, no. I’m not taking my clothes off just yet.”
“Can I have another drink?”
“You need some Dutch courage to sleep with me? I’ve been balls deep in you plenty, and I don’t recall you being nervous.”
“I just… I want you to do something.”
“Ask for what you want, Aspen.”
“Something kinky.”
“Oh, you want to play, baby girl?”
“I want you to tie me up.” Fuck, I’m hard as a rock right now, but I know I can’t go full Dom on her.
“Pick up your panties and hand them to me.” She does as I ask. “Go to the bedroom and wait for me.” Her breathing is labored as she pads down the hallway. “Breathe, Aspen. I’ve got you.”
When she disappears, I grab the other margarita and head for the refrigerator. Ice is always a good introduction to vanilla ‘kink.’ I put some ice in her drink and go in search of a few other supplies before making my way to her bedroom.
I’m not prepared for the sight of her under the covers, looking so fucking sexy I could shoot my load, the sheets barely covering her breasts. She eyes me intently as I set a few things down on the nightstand before moving to the bottom of the bed.