And I’m losing my mind.
Downstairs, I can still hear the team faintly. A burst of laughter. The bass of whatever playlist they’ve put on repeat. The world is still moving.
In here, it feels like everything’s boiled down to her and the scrape of wood against my floor.
The stick taps my thigh again, a small command. I spread a little wider, and she steps into the space she’smade, one hand sliding from the shaft to my shoulder to steady herself.
From this angle, she’s towering over me, dress hanging in translucent lines around her, stick behind her like a spine.
“You know what I remember?” she says, leaning down just enough that her hair brushes my cheek. “The first gala. You looked at my dress like you hated it for covering my body. It’s how you’re looking at this dress now.”
She drags the butt end of the stick up the inside of my thigh, stopping a breath away from where I’m straining against my shorts.
My hands snap to the armrests again.
“Stop teasing me,” I grunt.
“You threatening me, Captain?” She smiles, pleased.
“No,” I say. “I’m begging you.”
Her smile grows at my words and she moves. The stick slides away from my leg and comes up under my jaw, the curve of the blade nudging my chin up. It’s barely any pressure, but my head tips back all the same, instinct pulling at my muscles.
She looks down at me like she’s found her favorite view.
“Look at you,” she says softly. “Captain’s benched.”
I let out a strained breath. “Enjoy it. Doesn’t happen often.”
“Trust me,” she says. “I am.”
She keeps the blade under my jaw as she leans in. Not close enough to kiss. Just close enough that I can see the way her chest rises and falls a little faster than she’s pretending.
“I love you, you know,” she says conversationally. “That’s why I’m doing this the kind way.” She bends down in front of me, getting even closer.
“This is the kind way?” I arch a brow.
“Mm-hmm. I could have done this downstairs. With an audience.”
“Try it,” I say, a laugh catching in my throat. “See how fast I ruin the fucking party.”
Her eyes heat. She drops the stick away from my face, leaving my skin tingling where the blade was. Then she climbs into my lap. Weight, heat, the whisper of that useless dress against my skin.
My hands go to her hips on instinct.
“That’s better,” she says, looping her arms around my neck. “You’re much easier to handle when you’re not in motion.”
“I’m about two seconds from being in motion,” I say, fingers tightening.
She wiggles once, testing the leash. “You gonna be good?”
“Not a chance.”
“Me neither,” she whispers in a conspiratorial tone and starts gliding down my body until she settles between my legs.
She’s on her knees in front of me, chin tipped just high enough to meet my eyes. Her hands smooth over my thighs and I feel the muscle tense as they slide up. I watch as her fingers slip under the waistband of my shorts. She pulls them down slowly. My cock springs free, hard and already leaking precum, and her gaze drops to it immediately. Her mouth parts and her pink tongue slides out to wet her lips. My fingers grip the armrests so hard they hurt.
She meets my eyes again, heat pouring off her in waves.
