Rose (Corked and Tapped Book 6) Read online

  She watched his fingers stroking up and down her arm. Her own hands were clasped together in her lap. She needed to know something. “Is this some kind of challenge? Because if it is, let me go home. I don’t want to be your experiment. I’m not some kind of math equation that needs solving. I’ll get hurt.”

  He squeezed her. “Not even close. I like you. Genuinely. I felt a connection and my body lit up like it hasn’t in a long time the moment I spotted you. That feeling skyrocketed when I kissed you senseless. It truly makes me sad that you haven’t had amazing experiences with men, but that’s not why I brought you here. I did so because I want to know you better. You’re cute and funny and sexy and smart. And…” his hand went up to thread through her hair, “…this hair. I’ve been dying to run my hands through it.”

  Butterflies danced in her stomach. “I’d like that,” she admitted.

  “Good. Now, let’s play the game. I’ll go first.” He didn’t stop to wait for her agreement. “Never have I ever been skydiving.”

  She shook her head, relaxing against him. “Nope. Me neither.”

  “So, we can do that tomorrow,” he teased.

  “Not a chance, but you go ahead. I’ll watch.”

  He chuckled. “Noted. She doesn’t like heights.”

  “Never said that. Heights are fine, but I’m not jumping from one.”

  “Got it. Your turn.”

  She chewed on her lip for a moment, thinking. She wanted to put herself out here. This was the guy she’d been sliding glances at for months in the lobby. The one who brought her back to his apartment so they could be alone. The one who’d kissed her before introducing himself and then acted nervous like it was the boldest thing he’d ever done. He had math prints on the walls of his apartment. Go for it, Rose. Leap. “Never have I ever had a one-night stand.”

  “Neither have I, Rose,” he whispered into her ear. “And I’m not having one now either. You’re staying two nights.”

  She giggled. How did he manage to get her to loosen up? “Awfully confident.”

  “Yes. My turn. Never have I ever been in love.”

  “Me neither. It seems like an illusion.”

  “Maybe.” He stroked her arm again, sounding unconvinced.

  “Never have I ever…” She almost blurted out her deepest secrets, but held them back.

  Dylan froze, and a moment later, he wiggled out from under her, dropped her flat on her back on the couch, and came over her body, facing her. He set his knees on the couch, weighing her down with his torso, his hands cupping her face. “Say it.”

  She flushed. “Let me come up with another one.”

  “Nope. Go with your first instinct. Say it.”

  She chewed on her lip again. “Never have I ever admitted something like this to a man.”

  He smiled. “Good. Start now.”

  “I’ve never had an orgasm.”

  He swallowed, his face going blank for a second before he licked his lips.

  She closed her eyes, feeling like an idiot.

  “Look at me, Rose,” he whispered.

  She opened her eyes, but turned her head to one side, pressing against his chest. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “Yes, you should.” He stroked her hair. “And I’m honored you would trust me with that intimate detail. And, you shouldn’t be embarrassed. I don’t think it’s that uncommon.” He paused. “Rose…please look at me.”

  She turned her head toward him, meeting his gaze. It wasn’t like she could take it back. She might as well face him.

  He smiled warmly. “It’s okay. It’ll happen when you’re with the right person at the right time.”

  She sighed. “I can’t even do it to myself. Don’t you understand what I’m telling you?”

  “Maybe you’re not the right person,” he teased.

  She groaned. At least he wasn’t making her feel like a freak.

  “’Kay. Let me propose something.”

  “Why do I think I’m not going to like this?”

  “You will. How about we move to the floor and you let me slowly seduce you. No pressure. I don’t want you to think about orgasms. In fact, pretend I told you you’re not permitted to have one. Just relax. Feel. Enjoy. Don’t think. Don’t worry about how you should or shouldn’t react. Let yourself just be in the moment.”

  She stared at him. Was he for real?

  “Think of it like a math problem. Proof that you’re not as uptight as you think you are. The end game is just pleasure, not climax.”

  She watched his face as he spoke. He was so damn kind and generous, it almost brought tears to her eyes. “Can I tell you something else?”

  “Anything.” He kissed her.

  “I’ve never felt this aroused before tonight, and that makes me nervous because what if you can’t get me there either? That will devastate me.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not going to get you there. You’re not permitted to orgasm, remember?”

  She couldn’t keep from smiling. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Nope. It’s a rule. I mean it. I’ve got several.” He rose onto his knees and grabbed her hands, pulling her upright until they were both standing.

  “Several?” she repeated, her voice cracking. Goose bumps rose on her arms.

  “Yep. You’re not allowed to touch me unless and until I give you permission.” He led her to the thick soft off-white rug in front of the television. Leaving her standing there, he rounded the coffee table to grab several pillows of various sizes and toss them onto the rug. He continued talking, “You’re not permitted to speak unless I ask you a direct question. No part of you is off limits to my exploration. The only way you can stop this game is by shouting out algebra. But, most importantly, you aren’t allowed to come.”

  He circled her body slowly while she let out a giggle. “Algebra?”

  He shrugged. “It’s not a word you would ordinarily accidentally say.”

  “So, it’s like a safeword,” she clarified, realizing this game had taken a turn into territory she had never considered exploring.

  “Sure. Like a safeword. You okay with that?” he asked from behind her.

  She shivered when he trailed a finger across her shoulders. “Yes.”

  “Good. We start now. My math equation. I’m only going to focus on the numerator. The denominator is for another time. My job is to solve it. Your job is to feel.” He stepped in front of her, tipped her chin back and met her gaze. “No orgasms. Not tonight. Got it?”

  She nodded, unable to keep from shaking her head at him. He really was a nerd. But hey, if he wanted to ravish her without her reaching climax, she could do that easily. She didn’t even care that his ploy was as obvious as the nose on her face. It would work. She could relax. The only flaw in it was that he would never know she couldn’t have orgasmed anyway. No harm. Later she could just say it was great, and they could go their separate ways. Thanks for the fun. At least the night was already better than any other she’d ever experienced. So what if she couldn’t reach orgasm? She was totally going to enjoy having Dylan’s hands all over her body. That part was certain.

  Chapter 4

  Rose closed her eyes as Dylan continued to circle her body. His fingers trailed along her shoulders and dipped into the V of her bustier every time. She began to crave more within moments, but he didn’t give it to her, and she had to remind herself she wasn’t permitted to speak.

  “I love how smooth your skin is.” His hands disappeared and seconds later were in her hair. Moments after that, he had the clip removed so that long curls fell farther down her back. She knew her hair was her best feature. People commented on it all the time.

  Standing at her back, Dylan ran his fingers through the length of it, over and over, until she tipped her head back and moaned softly. She loved the way he stroked through the thick length. It soothed her, helping her relax. She even released the grip she had on her hands in front of her, letting them fall to her sides.

&n
bsp; “I love this hair,” he whispered.

  She didn’t respond.

  Next, his hands landed lightly on her bare shoulders. He danced his fingers over the skin and down her arms before trailing back up. As he rounded to her front, he let the tips of his fingers drag in his wake, so lightly she couldn’t be sure he was even touching her.

  However, there was no longer any doubt when he swooped his fingers along the edge of her bustier. She sucked in a breath and lowered her gaze to watch her breasts rise and fall under his touch. Her skin turned splotchy.

  He slid one finger between her breasts and all the way down the center of the corset. “This is hot, and I almost hate to take it off, but I want to see you. May I?”

  She bit her lower lip and nodded.

  He somehow knew what needed to be done because he circled to her back and brushed her hair over her shoulders. The next thing she knew, he was untying the leather strings that held the entire bodice in place. It slowly loosened, releasing her chest from the tight confines.

  She reached up instinctively and held it in place while he worked. When the back fell completely away, she knew he could see her thong and nothing else.

  He didn’t comment on the fact that she was holding the entire costume up with her hands on her boobs. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her shoulder. His fingers began to trail up and down her back until she shivered. He traced the edge of her thong, making her purse her lips against the need to moan.

  Her legs didn’t want to hold her up much longer. Too much sensation was assaulting her.

  Dylan flattened his palms on her back next, smoothing them up and down. “Your skin is so damn soft,” he whispered. The tips of his fingers grazed the edges of her breasts over and over, making her nipples stiffen to hard peaks.

  She held on to the bustier tighter, trying not to moan. She was not a moaner. Not before tonight anyway. She’d never been this turned on. In fact, she’d been hot and bothered from the moment he approached even before he melted her with that first kiss. That hadn’t been a stretch considering she’d been dreaming about him for months, ever since the first time she spotted him in the lobby.

  His hands slid to her biceps and then cupped her shoulders as his lips landed at the top of her spine and then nibbled a path down her back. When he reached her thong, he dragged his tongue along the edge.

  She rose up on her toes in the high heels that were going to cause her to topple soon.

  Just when she thought he might go so far as to kiss her exposed butt, he reversed directions and kissed a path back up to her neck. He continued around to her ear and then set his hands on top of hers over her breasts while whispering, “Let go of the costume, Rose.”

  His fingers threaded with hers, lifting them away so the entire dress slid to the floor, leaving her in nothing but her heels and her thong.

  Dylan stepped closer until his chest grazed her back. His hands flattened on her belly and trailed upward, painstakingly slowly. By the time he cupped her breasts, they were heavy with need.

  She fisted her hands at her sides, her entire focus on breathing. She didn’t have any issues with her body exactly. She figured she was well-proportioned and average looking. But it was still unnerving for Dylan to stand behind her, staring over her shoulder at her boobs, holding them loosely in his palms.

  When he flicked his thumbs over her nipples, she flinched. It felt like there was some kind of connection between her breasts and her sex. She’d never experienced that kind of zing before.

  Dylan lightly pinched both nipples between his thumbs and pointers, gently pulling and twisting them while she began to squirm. “Stand still. Don’t move.”

  She tried, but commanding her to do so was almost worse. Worse in the sense that her arousal shot through the roof. She was beyond aware of how wet her panties were and already prematurely embarrassed to have him find that out. She’d never been this wet before, and he hadn’t even touched her down there yet.

  He gave her breasts a squeeze, lifting them, pressing them together, taking her breath away. Finally, he released one and smoothed that hand up to her neck, tipping her head back against his shoulder. The way he had his fingers splayed over her neck, reaching down her chest and under her chin was so erotic.

  Her mouth fell open and she let her eyes slide closed. After all, he’d told her to feel. She could do that.

  His hand slid up to cup her face, and he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “Your full lips are so sexy.”

  She moaned. His words continued to arouse her. He hasn’t even done anything, she reminded herself. Except he had. He was seducing her methodically and expertly. Was it possible she simply had never been with the sort of man who had any idea how to entice a woman?

  Granted, she had limited experience, mostly from high school and college. The guys she’d gone out with had been young and as inexperienced as she was.

  She’d never been this aroused. Not even alone with a book and her fingers. The handful of times she’d had sex had been unimpressive, which in and of itself had solidified her belief that great sex was an illusion. She didn’t need it. She’d never felt the urge to try again.

  Tonight, though… Holy cow. Maybe she should try again.

  Dylan continued to graze his thumb over her lip and then slid it into her mouth. She instinctively closed her lips around it, flicking her tongue over the tip and sucking. Who was she?

  Dylan held her breast tighter when she drew his thumb in deeper. “Jesus, Rose, that is hot.” He slid his hand down to her belly, flattened his palm, and pressed her back against his front until she felt his erection against her. “Feel what you’re doing to me.”

  She moaned, releasing his thumb with a pop. She understood perfectly that she was emulating a blowjob, something she’d also never experienced. She’d never even hinted at such a thing, until now.

  He had cast a spell on her, and she was more than willing to accept the challenge.

  Dylan slid both hands down her waist and flattened them on her thighs. “Spread your legs,” he whispered in her ear.

  She rolled her face into his neck as she did as he demanded. Her knees were shaking. Her hands were trapped at her sides. Her fingers ached from clenching them.

  He dragged his fingers along the bottom edge of her thong, tracing along the tops of her thighs and then back down until he danced them across the elastic between her legs.

  She moaned.

  “Love that sound. Don’t hold back. You’re not allowed to come, but you can make all the noises you want.”

  Her mouth was dry, but she couldn’t concentrate on doing anything about it. All her focus was on the way he touched her, teasing the edges of her thong over and over without touching her where she needed him to.

  “You’re soaked,” he whispered.

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and shivered, feeling heat rise up her face. But she wouldn’t let herself be embarrassed. It was obvious Dylan was pleased.

  His fingers trailed away from her core and up around to the fronts of her thighs again. She panted, wishing he would have continued touching her more intimately. He slid his hands up and down her thighs as if warming them and then around to cup her butt and mold them to her cheeks.

  His hands kept moving around her body, smoothing over her thighs again and then her belly and breasts and chest and shoulders and down her arms before returning to her thighs.

  It seemed like forever, but with every moment that passed, she relaxed more into him, breathing easier, growing comfortable with his touch, wanting more.

  Chapter 5

  Finally, Dylan whispered in her ear again, “I’m going to have you lie down now before you collapse.” He slid around to her front, grabbed her hips, and eased her onto the thick, plush rug.

  She stared up at him, aware of her hair fanned out around her, her arms bent at the elbows resting by her head, her legs pressed together and extended straight.

  He stood above her, slowly unbuttonin
g the rest of his shirt and easing it off his shoulders until it slid away and he absently dropped it on the coffee table.

  She still had the urge to wear that shirt. She wanted to wrap up in it, bury herself in his scent, snuggle into the couch with it wrapped around her. Maybe that would happen.

  He came down onto his knees, straddling her legs. His hands landed once again on her thighs and smoothed up to her belly and then over her breasts before continuing up her biceps all the way to her wrists. He pulled them over her head as he went, finally flattening them against the rug. “Keep your hands here.”

  She bit her lip, unable to respond. Besides, he hadn’t asked a question. She wasn’t meant to respond.

  The tips of his fingers trailed back down her body, pausing at her nipples to circle them over and over until she arched her chest upward.

  Her head tipped back and she moaned yet again. It felt so damn good. Her body was coming alive under his touch. A tightness was building in her belly. She pinched her thighs together against the mounting pressure between her legs.

  Orgasms were an elusive concept to her, but if she were ever going to have one, she assumed it would start something like this.

  When Dylan leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth, she whimpered. She had to dig her fingers into the thick pile of the rug above her head to keep from flinging them forward to bury them in Dylan’s hair.

  He sucked the nipple gently at first and then harder before releasing it with a pop and blowing across the tip. Before she caught her breath, he treated the other nipple to the same process.

  By the time he pulled back and looked down at her, her breasts felt far larger than they had earlier. Full. Tight. Heavy.

  He suddenly lifted one knee and nudged her legs apart to settle it between them.

  She held her breath, watching him open her up, and then she gasped when he did the same with the other knee, forcing her wider. She gripped his legs with her knees, trying to limit the width.

  He smiled as he settled his hands on her thighs again and met her gaze. “Stop trying to control things, Rose. Relax. I’m going to torture you until you can’t think straight.”