Page 10

Micah

A t the end of the night, I’m torn between wanting to capitalize on this new boundary I’ve crossed with Raeann or leaving her wanting more so that by the time we finally do come together, she’ll practically be begging for me.

I want her to feel the way I do. I want her on the edge of her seat, like her heart beats only for the next chance to see me.

I’m not sure when I turned into this person, only that I’ll blame it on Raeann if anyone asks. There’s no other possible explanation.

Once again, Raeann’s arm is looped through mine as we head out the main doors. The wind takes her honey-blonde hair and streaks it across her face like she’s a mysterious woman in a painting.

“Well, I’ll see you…sometime,” she says.

“A date,” I remind her. She’s not getting away with downplaying it. In my head, we’re already a thing, and if she can’t even say we’re going out together, I have more to do than just casually inserting myself into her life.

Tab has walked a few paces ahead with Athena by her side, and after Raeann checks on them, she nods once, smiling. “I own you. I mean, I won you,” she clarifies, shaking her head.

Whether that was a slip of the tongue or not, she does own me, and I want her to stake her claim. Rise above the doubts in her head and live as freely as she can. “So, you’ll text me? Call me? Think of me?” I add, my voice pitching lower.

“I’ll…yes,” she says, cheeks pinking.

“Don’t make me wait.”

Her free hand comes up to press against her chest, and I imagine she’s checking to make sure she’s still breathing. “I doubt you’ll be waiting around listlessly.”

I stop and face her, lifting her chin with my finger.

“I have a game tomorrow. I’ll be thinking about you before, during, and after.

When I get home, I’ll think about you. Hell, I’ll probably dream about you.

I’d be so much happier if rather than only thinking about you, I got to spend time with you. ”

“You make it hard for me to respond,” she says, her chest flushing now, the pretty bloom of pink highlighting the swell of her breasts—what little I can see, anyway.

I’m second-guessing playing this game and just throwing all my cards on the table now, but I don’t want to scare her away. It’s like walking a tightrope between needing her to realize how much she wants me and me proving it to her right here, right now, like I did in the shadows in the event room.

“Should I call the valet for you?”

“Oh, we walked,” Raeann informs me. “I use any excuse to get Athena out of our small apartment to stretch her legs.”

“But it’s dark.”

“Tab is with me.”

When I don’t respond, she lifts her chin. “Athena would never let anything happen to us.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“No, really, it’s fine. We love to walk.”

Uneasiness squeezes my stomach. Just when I think I have her, she takes a few steps back, giving me another clear boundary. I have to figure out how to cross it. And quickly.

“It would be my honor to drive you all home so that I know you’re safe. Nashville can get pretty hairy, especially on a Friday night.”

“The fresh air is good for you,” Raeann remarks, her lips curving into a small smile.

Jasmine Esperanza walks out on the arm of her husband.

They stop next to me as Raeann and I are still staring at one another like we’re in a chess match.

The older woman touches my shoulder. “I’m so sorry I didn’t win you, Mr. Freeman.

” She emphasizes my name, but it doesn’t seem as if she was offended by the way I corrected her earlier.

It seems like she may have gotten off on it.

She leans over conspiratorially and whispers, “Edward set my max bid at one hundred thousand. I’m sure you understand. ”

I swallow, revulsion rifling through me. “It was a good number for charity.”

Raeann steps closer, and Jasmine sees her for the first time. “Oh, there she is. Our winner. How cute.”

“Thank you.” Raeann takes her place back where it was, her arm wrapped in mine. “Did you call the car yet, Micah?”

Jasmine peers between the two of us, and it’s clear she understands the implication Raeann has set. I’ll be calling the car for both of us.

Thank you, Jasmine. You actually did something helpful.

Luckily, a valet approaches us, and I give him my ticket. The Esperanzas’ vehicle arrives first, and the woman has the gall to wink at me before her husband helps her into the car.

“I don’t like her,” Raeann says as soon as her car door closes.

“Me neither.”

“Do people with money always act like that?”

“I have money.”

She shrugs. “You’re different. I think,” she tacks on, like she’s not ready to commit.

“I am,” I tell her as my SUV pulls up next to us.

“This is your car?”

“This is it.”

Tab walks toward us. “Please tell me we’re getting a ride.”

Raeann opens her mouth, and I sense a rebuttal coming, so I talk over her. “You sure are.”

“But the dog hair,” Raeann counters.

“That’s what they invented vacuums for, sweetheart.”

I hold the passenger door open for her while Tab and Athena hop into the back.

On my way to the driver’s side, I slip the valet a tip and then get in.

Raeann is peering at the interior with round eyes.

Athena shakes, the jingle of her collar and tags a soothing chime.

I slip her a treat from my suit jacket and give it to her.

If Athena trusts me, maybe Raeann will, too.

I pull away from the curb, heading toward the shop. It dawns on me that I should ask where they live, but I don’t. I already know, and the sooner Raeann realizes I’m serious about all of this, the better.

There are several spots up and down her street, so I take the closest one and cut the engine.

“Come on, Athena. Let’s make ourselves scarce.”

“I’m coming,” Raeann says, quickly releasing her seat belt and climbing out of the car. By the time I’m rounding the front, Raeann’s and Tab’s heads are together, furiously whispering. “He might be a serial killer.”

“He’s too hot to be a serial killer.”

“Said all of Ted Bundy’s victims.”

“If you think Ted Bundy is hot, we’ve got bigger problems than that delicious snack staring at you right now.” Tab peers up and meets my gaze. “Okay, bye!” She waves, dragging Athena into a door on the far side of the building that must lead to their second-floor apartment.

Raeann stands back, wringing her hands together and looking longingly at the door Athena and Tab disappeared behind.

“Why are you hiding from me?”

“I’m not hiding. I’m making sure I don’t jump into anything.”

“Do I scare you?”

“Honestly, I’m on pins and needles every time you’re around.”

I search her face, focusing on the rose-colored skin of her chest. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Not necessarily.”

I stalk forward, and she reverses until her back hits my sleek black car. The pulse at her neck feathers, and my lips ache to kiss it. Consuming her would be the highlight of my life.

Leaning over her, I give her a smile. “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do. But you owe me a date.”

“That you paid for.”

“Consider it a down payment on our future together.”

“The card?”

“Use it. Buy yourself coffee. Buy yourself a new apartment. I don’t care.”

She runs her hands up and down her arms. “What if I like the idea of buying my own things?”

I take a strand of her hair, admiring it. “But you’ve been doing that for so long. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone take care of you for a change? Fulfill all of your desires?”

Her lids flutter closed, and I can’t tell if it’s my words or my body affecting her. Hopefully both. I lick the cute curve of her ear and watch in awe when shivers course through her.

“Say the word and I’ll end your suffering.”

“What, um, suffering?”

“The need aching inside you. Don’t deny it because the same one pulses inside me.”

“I—”

“I said don’t deny it. Tonight, when you’re touching yourself, I want you to imagine my cock sliding inside you.”

Her breath hitches.

“Yes, like that,” I nearly groan. “Pumping inside you, driving you higher and higher.”

Her gaze holds mine, her free hand brushing against her collarbone.

“Just know that the real thing will be so much better than you can imagine.” I pause, trying to wrangle myself under control. “Can you do that for me?”

She nods, her hand feathering over her chest as her gaze blazes with fire.

“Then text me.”

“Text you?”

“Text me,” I confirm. “Afterward.”

Raeann

A beach house renovation show sounds in the background as I try to get comfortable, shifting once again to lying on my back. Athena has decided to sleep on the floor because I’m changing positions too much.

I know what the real problem is. Micah Freeman.

The fire he stoked inside me earlier still burns.

I wish I could be the person who does what he says.

Who’d touch herself thinking about him and then text him with all the intimate details.

Even now, images of the concentrated look on his face imprints in my brain.

His cut body. Quickly, I get carried away, thinking of how he’d own me, worshipping every square inch of my skin.

I rearrange the pillow under my head. G et it over with , my brain says. You know you’re going to. Denying yourself this when he won’t even know if you did or not is stupid. What point are you trying to prove?

The other half of me wants to remain steadfast, refusing to give in because I’m probably just a fun fling for him.

I turn my head to find the black card on my nightstand.

Sure enough, it has my name on it. Raeann Gorman.

I don’t know what his limit is, but I’m definitely curious.

No way am I ever going to use it, but a part of me is also wondering how much of a fling I am if he’s giving me a black card attached to his credit.

There’s zero chance he does this for several girls, let alone one.

A flash of heat swamps me when I remember the way he slid it past my dress, grazing my breast.

I groan. Even the sheets on me feel like intimate touches at this point.

My fingers trail nonchalantly across my stomach, and before I even have the conscious thought, they travel lower. Over my belly button, right to my panty line.

Maybe I just brush over the panties .

I push my knees out, leaving me open, still wrestling with myself until the reminder of the gentle stroke of his cock pressed into my ass pops up again.

I moan, moving my finger to my clit, biting my lip to keep the noise of relief in check.

I circle my nub slowly, drawing the feeling out, fantasizing that it’s actually Micah touching me. The words he would say to me. I imagine him whispering into my ear, his taut body against mine.

But despite wanting to take it slow, my finger moves faster. The friction of my panties makes my heart rate skyrocket. I’ve always been able to make myself come quickly. No matter how many times I try to slow myself down, I keep circling and circling, my breaths coming out in pants.

“Text me,” he’d commanded.

I think not. This is for me.

I picture him parting my legs and tasting me. His attention fast and ferocious.

Oh my…

My hips move into my finger. God, I need this.

My other hand reaches for my breast, stroking my nipple.

For some reason, just my finger isn’t cutting it today.

I want more. I want everything he promised.

I want to be taken care of, starting with this.

I want his tongue on my clit and for him to eat like it’s his last meal. I want him to worship me.

I groan in frustration, my whole body vibrating. I’m so primed and ready. Dear God, I want it.

But there’s something lacking. The way he made me heat just with words. The places he took my mind.

“Micah…” I whine.

Briefly, I think about calling him, letting him hear what he started and can’t finish, but I have too much pride for that. I won’t beg for a man.

I bite my lip harder, slowing my movements and focusing on my clit. My toes curl into the mattress.

In my head, I give in. Please fuck me, I breathe. Please . Fantasy Micah complies, pumping his long cock inside me, hitting that spot. Tension radiates from me, making my movements jumpy.

I’m so close.

Please , I cry desperately in my head. Harder!

My fingers swirl faster again, this time with momentum behind them. Micah in my brain smirks down like he knew what he was doing all along.

Come. Hard , he demands.

A silent scream leaves my mouth as I convulse. My pussy contracts over and over, as if it’s stuck in a perpetual state of pleasure…until it finally releases along with the breath I held in my chest. Then I lie back on the bed, spent, panting.

He’s so in my head. Damn.

I think about texting him, but I don’t want to give in. Clearly, my body is on a whole different page, but I’d like to keep some semblance of autonomy. Of dignity.

I’ve felt trapped before, back in Eastern Tennessee. In that small town. I don’t want to feel that way again, even if it is with a dangerously sexy man who knows how to push all my buttons. It’s like he’s read my manual and studied it.

But the worst thing I can do is not be…free.