“Clothes off.” I slid some prosecuting attorney into my command and watched his eyebrow quirk in response. “You handled the cooking lesson. The fucking is mine.”
I tipped my head to the side, daring him to contradict me. Instead, he grinned and reached for the buttons on his shirt.
I could do this. I could totally do this. When I’d come up with my Charlotte-owns-the-fuck plan, I might not have taken into account the full impact of Ford in the actual flesh, but there was no backing down now. I bit my bottom lip and crossed my arms, pushing my breasts together while I watched Ford slip the polished cotton from his shoulders. His gaze met mine and I heard him exhale in a way that made it clear he was working as hard as me to maintain control. I had plans to make sure he failed.
He stripped off his shirt, giving me an unobstructed view of his chest—strong, tan, with a light dusting of hair—and I made an appreciative noise deep in my throat. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of looking at him, and my plan for the afternoon gave me plenty of time to do just that. He took in a deep breath, expanding his chest in a way that might have been distracting if he hadn’t already been reaching for the buckle of his belt. He slid the dark leather free from the waistband of his slacks with a snap that made me swallow. Hard.
In moments, he’d shed his pants and shoes, pausing just long enough to catch my gaze before sliding off his boxer briefs, baring himself completely. He stood in all his naked glory, his thick cock already hard enough to make me clench my hands to keep from reaching for him.
Fuck me.
“Now what, cher?” He watched me like a man completely comfortable in his own skin. Which, all things considered, he had every reason to be.
I let my gaze wander appreciatively over every inch of his gorgeous body, counting my inhale to regain control before the next bit of what I’d planned.
“On the bed, cher.” I mimicked his endearment but smiled so he’d know I meant it affectionately. “Lay down, head on the pillow, hands on the headboard. And don’t move them, no matter what.”
“Whatever you want.” He arched an eyebrow at me but didn’t waste any time, stretching out on the bed and positioning himself the way I’d instructed.
I reached for the buttons on my blouse, loving the way his expression focused more intensely on me with each button I slipped free of the silk. I made quick work of sliding the blouse off my shoulders, dropping it on the chair beside the bed. I’d debated how much clothing to remove before I joined him, but watching the way his gaze followed my movements made the decision for me. I reached behind me, putting a little extra arch into my back, showcasing my black lace-clad breasts in a way I hoped was as distracting for him as seeing him strip had been for me.
Unfastening the catch on my skirt, I slid the zipper down and pushed the fabric over my hips, letting it pool at my feet. I shifted my body sideways before bending to pick up the garment and was rewarded with Ford’s audible breath.Good.We were in this together, and we were going to stay in this together until I took him over the edge.
I paused for a moment, considering, before reaching around to unfasten the catch on my bra. Shimmying out of the lace, I stood in front of him wearing nothing but my pantiesand heels. He raised his head to look at me, and I saw the moment he considered letting go of the headboard. And the moment he reconsidered.
I tugged my bottom lip between my teeth, my gaze locked on his. My breasts felt tight, heavy, nipples pebbled in the cool air of the hotel room. I didn’t think I’d feel right again—whole—until I got Ford’s hands on my skin, and I’d told him he wasn’t allowed to touch me.Stellar planning.
It was okay; I had goals. My pleasure was one of them; making him lose himself in his was the more important. Loathe to step out of my heels a moment before I needed to, I hooked my thumbs in my panties and slid them down over my hips, kicking the damp scrap of lace out of the way. I’d been wet since before Ford arrived. Having him stretched out naked and oh so ready dialed up the volume on my arousal to dangerous levels.
Staying in control was more important now than ever. He’d been the master when we cooked together, setting the stage and giving me an experience I hadn’t expected. I wanted to give him back some of that.
“My God, you’re beautiful.”
The honest appreciation in his voice stopped me.
I’d started with the same insecurities most women did, but somewhere along the way, I figured most men didn’t care about the things we obsessed over, if they even noticed. It made it a lot easier to get comfortable with my body. Something about the way Ford said the words flipped everything upside down. Knowing he found me beautiful should have made me feel more confident, but the raw edge to his voice had just the opposite effect. There was no artifice. I didn’t get the sense he was angling for something. He was telling me his truth, and it made me vulnerable in a way I hadn’t felt before.
“Thank you.” I squeezed the words passed my suddenly tight throat and took a few steps closer to the bed.
The best way to get over my nerves was to get on with things. I stepped out of my heels, missing the extra inches immediately. Crawling up his body, I let my hair trail over his thighs, stopping to bite gently above the crease at his hip. His hard cock brushed my cheek, bobbing slightly at the touch. I nuzzled the dark patch of hair at the base, exhaling against his skin without letting my mouth touch him, and felt his stomach tighten. The urge to run my lips up his shaft and take him into my mouth was intense, but I forced myself to ignore it, kissing my way up his chest. His chest expanded as he breathed in, fighting for control.
The struggle and anticipation fit my goals. If I focused on that, maybe I could get through this without completely losing myself to the feel of Ford. To the taste of him. Inuzzled his neck, laying a trail of kisses up his throat, gently scraping my teeth over his jaw before catching his mouth with mine. He pressed up to meet me, deepening the kiss and stealing my breath.
Jesus, this man. If I wasn’t careful, he’d shred the last scraps of my resolve.
“I believe you said something about licking me off your fingers like powdered sugar,” I said, trying and failing to steady my voice. I needed to be ballsy as fuck to manage the next bit, something a lot easier to imagine than to do with Ford eager and willing under me. “Let’s try it without your hands.”
––––––––
I’D DIED, GONE to Heaven, been resurrected and then died again. And I had a feeling Charlotte was nowhere close to done with me. Keeping my grip on the headboard instead of reaching for her took every bit of concentration I had, and it took me a moment to catch up with the intent of her words.
“Fuck, yes.” I groaned out my response. I couldn’t imagine anything sexier than Charlotte taking her pleasure from me. I inched down the bed, making space for her. “Come up here, cher. Let me taste you.”
At my words, any uncertainty she might have been feeling seemed to vanish and she hit me with that glorious smile. The one she hid from so much of the world. The one I was blessed to get.
“Okay, but no hands or everything stops.”
I fucking loved the commanding edge her voice got. I planned to tend to her pleasure so thoroughly, she wouldn’t be able to stop, but I didn’t have a problem agreeing to her demand.
