Page 139 of Shame the Devil

Sliding that new barbell in took some lube. He’d known it would, because he’d studied. He had big hands, but they were clever hands. He could fix most things, and he could do this, too.

When he screwed the end of the barbell into place, he sighed. Then he gave it a rub and kept on doing it, and asked her, “How does it feel?”

She didn’t answer. She arched her back and opened her mouth. And about thirty seconds later, she was already coming.

After that, it got a little wild. He pulled out the semicircular pillow he’d bought and shoved it under her hips so she was raised up high, and she made a little noise in the back of her throat and put her hands up over her head. He untied the black ribbons over her breasts, one at a time, and took his time there, sucking her until she came again. Just from that. Just fromthat.

He was never going to make it. He’d meant to drag this out more. It wasn’t going to happen.

And when he said, “Turn over, baby. Get comfortable over that thing”—she did it. And Jennifer on her forearms and knees in black lingerie and stockings, her knees apart and her hands over her head … that washisbirthday present.

Oh, yeah.

He did it slow, rubbing that gold ball into her as he went. He waited until she was good and warmed up—by which he meant that she was calling out, coming hard, and grabbing at a sheet that twisted in her fists—then said, fighting for control the whole way, “I’m going to … touch you a little back here. That’s all I’m going to do. That OK? Or no?”

“Uh—yes.” She had her head on one side, was lying on one cheek, and he could see her mouth open and hear her panting.“Yes.”

“If you want me to stop,” he said, with the last of his control, “tell me so.”

She didn’t answer, just moaned, but when hedidtouch her? She tensed hard.

He stopped. “OK? That slippery feeling—that’s just lube.”

“Do it … some more,” she said, and, yeah, that was pretty good, too.

If there was any better feeling than being inside a woman while she was coming, while you had the tip of your finger in there just a little, and she was calling out, backing into you, and writhing some, like she was trying to get free? He didn’t know what it would be.

Except maybe looking at that woman now in her soft, pretty dress and her soft, pretty hair, your baby in her belly, your bracelet on her wrist, and your necklace around her neck,withthe padlock, because she wanted everybody to look at that padlock and wonder, and thinking about doing it all again tonight.

He’d never been a possessive guy. He’d had a good time and made sure a woman did, too, and then he’d gone on his way. But the things she stirred in him came from somewhere down deep. It wasn’t comfortable. It wasn’t easy. But it was undeniable.

Oh. She’d asked him for something. To come into the back of the plane and talk to him. So maybe she hadn’t liked all that after all. Even though she’d sure seemed like she was going for it.

He followed her back there, got on the couch with her, and asked, “Need anything? Water? Juice? You staying hydrated?”

“I’m fine,” she said. “It’s an hour flight. And you know, for a guy who babies me this much, you’re pretty demanding.”

“Well, yeah.” He took her hand. “That it, then? Was that too much?”

“What? No. Of course not. Did Iseemlike it was too much?”

“Well …” He knew Dyma and Annabelle couldn’t hear. He lowered his voice anyway. “Maybe a little. When you were sort of … twisting.”

“Because it felt so good, I could hardly stand it. I wasn’t expecting it to feel that good. How did I have all this inside me and never know it? It’s like … you opened the door to the secret garden, you know?”

“Oh, baby,” he said, “I know. So this what you wanted to tell me? Are you bringing me back here and begging me to do it all again tonight, just to make sure I’m as uncomfortable as possible today?”

She smiled. Sweetly. “No. I wanted your advice.”

“Oh. OK. Shoot. Keeping in mind that my expertise is pretty much limited to catching a football.”

“Harlan.” Her eyes were serious now. “Your expertise is so much more than that. You’re smart about people, for one thing. Smarter than any man I’ve ever known. Most men stay on the surface. You see so much further.”

Wow. That was a whole different kind of glow. He said, “Well, thanks. So—shoot, and I’ll do my best.”

“Dyma.” She spoke low, with a glance at the front.

“They both have headphones on,” he said. “Go.”