Vivian Arend - High Risk

Oh, no. “Already have plans.”

What were the chances that simple announcement would be enough, and David would drop the topic?

“Bullshit. You never have plans. You feeling okay after the incident earlier this week?”

“I’m fine. Just . . .” Yeah, his chances were obviously slim to none of keeping his and Becki’s involvement under wraps from his brother for longer than twelve hours. “I invited Becki over for dinner.”

“Hey, that’s an awesome idea. I’ll pick up dessert. What time is she getting there?”

This was not happening. “It is awesome. But nowhere in there did I mention your name.”

“I hadn’t even thought of it, but it’s a great idea. I know you met her for drinks with the team, but I haven’t had a chance to—”

“David, you’re not invited. Period. Got it? You show up, and I’ll throw you out on your fucking ass.” Silence echoed for a moment before he heard his brother’s laughter. Oh jeez. “You’re such a shit.”

David chuckled around his words. “Yeah, and you deserve a few pokes every now and then for the asshole you can so wonderfully turn into when I least expect it. Fine. I will not show up at your place with ice cream cake and shooters. You need anything else?”

There was one thing to be thankful for. “You’re not going to lecture me and ask what the hell I’m doing with an employee of yours?”

“Why? You don’t work for me. You’re both adults. Besides, I’m pretty damn sure she can kick your ass all on her own if you get out of line.”

Marcus sat up, the footrest closing with a snap as the recliner shot to vertical. “You don’t need to sound so absolutely thrilled about that option.”

“You shouldn’t assume it’s not a distinct possibility. She’s not going to take any guff. Not from you, not from anyone. But at the same time . . .” David trailed off.

Marcus checked his watch “She’ll be here in a minute. You got anything else to say?”

“Just that while I think you’re adults and all that, don’t go too fast, okay?”

“Relationship advice from my younger brother who is, oh that’s right, currently not seeing anyone. Like I should listen to you about how to treat a woman?”

“I think you know how to treat her. I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about you.”

Twisted. And confusing. “You’re not making this easy, bro.”

David sighed. “You’ve been through a lot. The other day when I said I wanted my brother back? I meant it. I don’t want to see you crash any harder.”

His brother was concerned about him, not Becki? “I’ll be fine.”

The doorbell chimed and Marcus ditched David, happy to have avoided any further emotional bonding. He was still grinning when he opened the door to let Becki in.

She wore a dress. Her long legs showed all the way to midthigh, where the pale blue fabric stopped. Firm calves, lean but powerful quads. She had heels on—low heels, but heels nonetheless—and his jaw must have dropped a notch.

She wriggled a little as she stood there, holding her coat over her arms. “Umm, is something wrong?”

“You’re beautiful.”

Becki tilted back her head and laughed, the sound bursting out and making him realize he’d been staring instead of moving out of the way.

She held up her coat. “If you grab this, I’ll get the food. I didn’t want to try to balance it all at one time.”

“I can get it—”

“No worries. You hold the door.”

Marcus stared mesmerized as her hips swayed when she walked away from him, the bottom edge of the short skirt flaring around her thighs and flashing him glimpses of the skin beneath. When she opened the car door and bent over to grab something, the material rode even higher. Miles of smooth soft skin that was on his menu plan, no matter what she had in the box she pulled from the backseat.

He intended to taste each and every inch of her before the night was out.

Marcus stepped clear as she moved through the door, the scent of something meaty and rich wafting past his nose. Becki placed the box on the table and turned toward him.

“You have anything else in the car you need?” he asked.

She hesitated for a moment. “There’s a bag I can get later.”

She had brought things intending to stay the night. Marcus copied her nonchalance instead of grinning like a maniac. “I’ll grab it now so you don’t have to worry about it. You spread out dinner.”

Becki tossed him her keys, and he slipped into the cool evening air with a whole lot of amazing thoughts warming him. As incredible as the sex earlier that day had been, having Becki James in his home and knowing she wanted to be with him for more than a mad screw changed something.

Made him eager to see what new lessons they could discover together.

The low-grade fever burning through her simply wouldn’t fade. Dinner had been consumed, the dishes put away. The visit up to now had been relaxed and easy. Small talk and lots of laughter.

No blatant innuendo or sexual caresses, but he was right there all the time. Becki couldn’t move around the table without bumping hips or knocking elbows. She wasn’t sure if it was all his fault, either, as she caught herself standing one pace too close to him so that as he turned, there was nowhere for him to go but past her. Brushing torsos, flirting glances.

He grinned as he held out his hand. “Come on.”

Becki slipped her fingers into his and allowed him to lead her. “Where are we going?”

“Taking a tour.”

She wandered through the house at his side, admiring the dark furniture, the solid wood side tables, and the stone accents around the fireplace. The heat of his thumb as he caressed it back and forth over hers made tiny shivers run up her forearm.

“I love the bold colours in here,” Becki said, pulling him to a stop by the couch and running a hand over the soft leather. “It’s all so grown up.”

Marcus laughed. “Well, thank you, I guess.”

She stepped in front of him and wrapped her free arm around his waist. “Grown up is a good thing, Marcus. I had mostly thrift shop furniture and cinder-block bookcases at my old place. I’d never gotten to the point of settling in and making a home. Good for you.”

“I like my comforts,” he drawled.

They stared at each other for a moment, silence stretching and drawing out the anticipation. Then he broke the spell and drew her down the hall, past a guest bath and a small office. All the way to the master bedroom. No dark wood in here, only a bed big enough for all kinds of acrobatics plus a full line of floor-to-ceiling windows facing the mountain range. The deck outside the French doors supported a hot tub and sturdy wrought-iron furniture.

Becki swallowed hard as Marcus stepped behind her and leaned over to kiss the exposed nape of her neck.

“This room is also grown up, don’t you think?”

“Very.” No frilly decorations like candles or silk pillows, but the room screamed comfort. Seduction. A world apart from the IKEA bed she’d been bunking on in the dorms. His tongue teased her skin, tasting her, making all sorts of lovely after-dinner entertainments come to mind.

He trailed his fingers up her arm, his left forearm wrapped around her waist to pull her against him. There was no denying he desired her as the hard length of his cock made contact with her back. “Hot tub?”

“Lovely.” Becki twisted in his arms. “I hope you don’t mind me skinny dipping. I forgot my swimsuit.”

Marcus leaned over and brushed their lips together, only for a second before pulling back to speak against her mouth. “Why does that not surprise me?”

“Tell me you’re disappointed,” she whispered.

“I am.” She must have made a face because he grinned. “Don’t look so surprised. I was looking forward to ordering you to go without, and now you’ve stolen my thunder.”

Oh really? “Well, perhaps you’ll have to find something else to order me to do, then.”

He released her and stepped back, his expression tightening as he looked her over. “Now there’s an idea. What kind of commands would you enjoy, Becki? Shall we play that game in the bedroom as well as on the wall?”

What was he doing? “On the wall?”

He stepped to the high dresser to his right and held out a familiar dark swatch of fabric. The blindfold from the other day’s climb.

Suddenly all her fantasies of this evening were wiped clean. She had memories of all kinds of games with him, but they’d never used a blindfold during the wild romp so long ago. “Marcus . . .”

He shrugged. “Your choice.”

But he didn’t withdraw the blindfold.

She stepped forward, ignoring his offering for a moment, pressing herself tight to his body as she caught hold of his face and kissed him hard. She was the aggressor this time, and he let her explore. Let her stroke her tongue over his teeth, allowed her to nibble on his lower lip, her fingers slipping into his hair as she took what she wanted. Snatching a few seconds of control before she softened her touch. Eased back, their lips separating with a quiet sigh.

As she stepped away, observing the fire in his eyes, she slid her fingers along his forearm to his wrist, to his palm. She tugged the fabric free from his grasp.

Covering her eyes meant all her other senses kicked into higher gear. She listened for any indication of what might come next. She waited, shifting her balance onto the balls of her feet as she wondered exactly what he had planned. Because she was ready for anything he wanted to dish out.

It wasn’t that she heard him, but she felt him. Standing right beside her mere seconds before he stroked her arm again. Back of the knuckles? Fingertips? She wasn’t sure, only he teased from her wrist all the way to her shoulder, finishing with his lips.

“Very nice. Your nipples have hardened. Can you feel them pressing against your dress?”

She nodded, unable to speak past the knot of rising lust. If she could have said something, she would have told him she was also wet, an aching sensation growing between her thighs.

“As much as I loved this afternoon, I want you a whole different way this time. I find myself wanting to anticipate. To prolong coming together until we’re both ready to burst.”

“Try five minutes ago, then,” Becki managed to say, steadying herself more solidly on her feet in the hopes she wouldn’t melt into a puddle.

Her zipper released. One tooth at a time, the rasping loud in her ears as the fabric peeled back to allow a brush of cooler air over her heated skin. His hand landed on her shoulder and pushed off one strap, letting it fall to the side and expose the upper swell of her right breast.

This time she heard when he drew in a breath of air. Controlling himself, perhaps? Not that she cared if he lost control and threw her on the bed this moment. She was more than ready for him.

But the going slow was very nice as well. If nice was anywhere near the correct word.

“No bra.” Marcus slid his hand down her waist and over her ass. “No panties as well, or will I find a thong to explain why you have no lines?”

“Thong.” A very wet one by now, if she guessed right.

“Hmm.” The sound rumbled from some point below her, and she was the one to gasp when he touched the inside of her thigh, edging the bottom of her skirt up slightly as he reached underneath and caught hold of the fabric.

Without the ability to see, she found that her skin was far more sensitive, the rub of the material as he tugged it down her limbs sending out small tingles, all of which seemed to rebound back and hit her in the core. She caught his head in her hands. She brushed her fingers through his hair, leaning one hand on his shoulder as he indicated for her to lift her foot.

One breast was exposed, nothing else on under the flimsy layer of her sundress. Becki arched her back and waited, longing for him to touch her again.

When he wrapped his lips around her nipple, she gasped in delight. The other shoulder strap fell away, and the dress slipped down, catching momentarily on her hips before Marcus brushed it to the floor.

He kissed the other nipple, laving his tongue around the tip to moisten it before pulling off with a light popping sound.

She swayed on her feet as he withdrew. Naked, unable to see what he was doing. But she figured she knew pretty well he wasn’t disappointed.

“You’re grinning like a cat that’s got the cream,” Marcus pointed out.

“Nice analogy. I’m enjoying this blindfold thing. What are you planning next?”