I didn’t answer. I was too focused on the Adonis reflected in the mirror. I couldn’t take my eyes off his glistening caramel skin. His delicious golden hair and the way his hands were gliding up and down the curves of my hips. It was making me crazy. A sudden sharp and painful stinging brought me back to earth as the paddle struck me spitefully on the behind.
“I said, do you understand?”
I panted through the pain and nodded. A loud crack echoed around the hall as the paddle slapped against my flesh again.
“I need to hear you say it, Layla.”
“Yes,” I whispered breathlessly. Leaning forward, he stared at me in the mirror.
“Good girl.”
Hearing those two words made my insides clench deliciously. My tongue licked across my lips as the heaving of my chest grew heavier. The tips of Jared’s fingers traced the curves of my breast before delving inside my black lace bra. Catching my nipple between his thumb and finger, he gently flicked and toyed with it. It sent a direct message rippling through my body to my sex. I wanted to press my thighs together; I needed to feel the pressure against my clit, but the spreader bar kept me firmly in place. I whimpered as Jared’s hand cupped my breast and massaged firmly.
“Oh, this house has missed that sound. It remembers those moans, groans, and desperate calls of pleasure you so freely give. It remembers the panting, begging, and deep sensual calls of your orgasms.”
The unforgiving slam of the paddle hit my sore, sensitive skin, and I yelped. It was painful yet incredibly erotic. I enjoyed the pain just as much as I did the pleasure that followed. My head dropped and Jared’s hand instantly reached around to lift my chin, forcing me to look in the mirror. His eyes were burning with desire, passion, and the heady combination of control and lust.
“You’re beautiful. You’re the most stunning creature to ever walk this Earth, and I want you to watch as I make every last inch of you mine.”
His thumb pulled on my bottom lip, and I quickly took it into my mouth, biting gently. He chuckled into my ear.
“You and your fetish for sinking your teeth into me.”
I bit down a little harder, and he hissed out a breath, pulling his thumb from my mouth.
“You bad girl. You realize I’m going to have to punish you for that.”
I stared at him in the mirror but said nothing. My eyes dared, begged, and encouraged him. Not that he needed it. Tossing the paddle aside, he held his hands over mine, above my head. Gliding them down my back slowly, he followed them with tiny kisses until he reached the base of my spine. I could feel him smile against my skin as his hands stilled and clutched my hips.
I held my breath, totally frozen, anticipating his next move.
“Do you want me to make you come, Layla?”
I exhaled sharply as his tongue licked the folds of my sex.
“Y … yes,” I stuttered.
The tip of his tongue slipped between the lips of my sex and gently grazed my throbbing clit.
“Oh, God! Please, Jared!” I begged.
Flicking, tickling, and teasing my clit with his tongue, he slipped two of his skilled fingers inside me and quickly located my sweet spot. Jared’s hands came with a built-in homing device locked onto every single one of my hot spots, and he knew exactly how to use it.
I ground my hips against his hand and mouth, rocking and riding back and forth. My orgasm built rapidly, faster and harder with every touch, tease, and movement of his fingers. I moaned, groaned, and cried out his name over and over again, as my climax grew closer and closer. My grip on the railing tightened, and I gazed at myself in the mirror as I came, loudly. My hair was swept around and hanging to the right side of my face and my mouth was open as I panted.
“Oh, fuck!”
Getting to his feet, Jared wasted no time in seeking his own happy ending. Plunging into me, he thrust roughly, forcefully, and quickly in and out. My body shook and my chest pressed against the staircase railing. It wasn’t painful; it was intense. My orgasm was still pulsing through me as each strong and solid thrust of his cock brought me closer to yet another explosive climax. I cried out, almost screaming, as his body slammed against mine.
“Come with me, Layla.”
“I can’t hold on,” I whimpered.
His hand slapped me harshly on the behind and I jumped. My ankles ached from the tight leather strapped around them, and my knees were weak. If Jared’s hands hadn’t been clutching my waist, I would have been crumpled on the floor.
Staring at me in the mirror, Jared bit his bottom lip and his brow furrowed. He was close; I could tell. His head fell back, and his mouth formed the perfect O.
“No, I want
you
to watch us, too. I want to watch as
you
fall apart,” I growled.
A grin spread across his lips.
“As you wish.”
Sliding his right hand around my hip and down, he pressed his fingertips against my clit and began to massage as his cock rammed inside me.
I couldn’t hold on any longer.
“I’m going to come, Jared! I can’t wait any longer!”
My muscles tightened, and my insides clenched hard around him. Groaning and growling deeply, Jared’s eyes never left mine as we watched ourselves fall apart and climax together in the mirror. He rested his forehead against my neck. I hung loosely by my wrists as my whole body relaxed into his. My knees were bent and my arms were tired, but I was cocooned in a state of post erotic content.
“Oh, Layla. I’ve missed this.”
He breathed raggedly against my back.
“Sex?” I whispered.
Stepping away, he bent down and released my ankles from the spreader bar before holding it in his hand and grinning at me.
“No, this.”
I nodded and returned his smile. I had to admit, I’d missed our games and toys, too. Reaching up, he released my hands and I almost collapsed as the silk fabric fell to the ground. Scooping me in his arms, Jared kissed me deeply and with a loving care. He carried me up the stairs and into the bedroom where he laid me on the gorgeous vintage couch. I sighed heavily as he walked away to the bathroom, and the sound of water running, filled the silence between us.
“Take off your bra, lay on your front, and get comfortable,” he called out from the bathroom.
Doing as I was told, I turned onto my front and rested my arms beside me. Returning a moment later, Jared kneeled beside me and began pouring some orange massage oil into his hand. I gave him a puzzled look.
“I don’t want you to be sore tomorrow. Just relax.”
Taking my hand in his, he began rubbing the liquid gently into my hands, working up to my wrists, arms, and shoulders. It was heavenly. I could feel myself drifting off to sleep.
When he’d worked his way down my entire body to my toes, he gently lifted me into his arms once more, and carried me into the bathroom. The scent of lavender and the hazy glow of candles awoke my senses as Jared placed me into the warm bath. He slid in behind me and rubbed my shoulders.
Resting my head against his chest, I sighed.
“Do we have to go back to New York?”
His cheek pressed against mine; he kissed my neck tenderly.
“You know I do.”
I noticed the
I
and not the
we
in his reply.
“What do you mean,
you
do?”
Exhaling loudly, he shook his head. “I mean if you don’t want to go back, Layla, I won’t force you. You have a home right here in this house if this is where you’d rather be. I won’t be the reason for your unhappiness.”
My heart sank. “I’m not unhappy, Jared. I’m just … home sick. Besides, I’d be a lot unhappier here in this house without you. Will we be in New York for long?”
He nodded. “At least until Thanksgiving.”
“That means we’ll both be there on our birthdays, too. Doesn’t it?”
He nodded. “I won’t force you to come. But there is a deadline. I have to fly back in three days. Take your time and think about it. Visit your family and the girls.”
Lifting my hand, he furrowed his brow. “And please try and find that ring.”
I’d almost forgotten about that. I still wasn’t sure why it was so important to him, but I decided now wasn’t the time to bring it up. I had three days to make a decision, stay in Long Beach or return to New York and Europe. One meant being without Jared, and the other, meant being away from my family. Once again, I was stuck between a rock and a hard bodied, hot and heavy mess of a man.
Picking up the suntan lotion and squirting it onto Amy’s back, Mel peered over her sunglasses at me.
“So what do you think you’ll do? Stay here or go back to Europe?”
Lying back on my beach towel, I shrugged. “Don’t ask me that. You know I haven’t decided.”
Amy lifted her head from where it had been resting on her crossed arms, and winced as the sun hit her face.
“We’re not trying to sway your decision or anything, but even
you
have to admit that there are more reasons to stay than to go.”
I sat up, pulled my knees to my chest, and sighed deeply.
“And don’t you think I haven’t thought about
all
of them? Of course I have.”
“Then why are you having such a hard time? If Jared ‘tie me up and tie me down’ Garrett, really is the
one,
then he’ll still be the one when he gets back from Europe. You could go back to college. You could work in the coffee shop again, hang out with your friends, and even start singing at the bar!”
I stared at Mel wide-eyed.
“Really? You seriously think I would ever be able to hang out at Benny’s anymore?”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Why not? It’s just a bar.”
Amy nudged Mel in the ribs. “Sweetie, it’s not just a bar and you know it.”
“Well, whatever. He doesn’t even come around here much anymore. He’s too busy fixing engines and fucking around …“
Amy shot Mel a warning look and cut her off mid-sentence. “Fucking around with motorcycles. He’s working all the damn time and when he’s not, he’s writing music.”
I gave them both a suspicious look, but smiling back at me, they simply continued to lotion up and lay down in the sun.
“Does he ever … mention me?”
Mel shook her head. “Did you want him to?”
Yes, was the short answer to that question. Ollie and I weren’t just lovers; we were friends first. I missed him and everything about him. Even though every part of me was screaming that I wanted him to be thinking of me, I couldn’t tell
them
that. After all, I’d been the bitch who broke their friend’s heart.
“No. Of course not.”
Mel snorted a laugh. “Sure. And I don’t wish I was a billionaire with a sports car.”
Amy rolled over to look at us both. “Why do you insist on dragging this shit up, Mel? It’s over. Layla chose Jared and Ollie moved to Utah. Can everyone just move on?”
“Sure, babe. Just as soon as Ollie and Layla stop pretending that they’re not still totally hot for each other.”
Sitting bolt upright, I stared at Mel who was swatted on the arm by a furious Amy.
“What did you say?”
Mel sat up slowly and let out a long breath. “Look, I promised I wouldn’t say anything because I was practically threatened with singledom if I did, but this is beyond ridiculous! Ollie is not over you. He has not moved on and no matter how much you say you have, you haven’t either. I saw how you were that night when he was at the bar. You ran off faster than a bullet. You don’t do that if you don’t care.”
“I didn’t want everything to be awkward and forced!” I protested.
“Pfft … You mean you didn’t want to deal with the heartbroken guy and the sexual tension still lingering between you. It was more than just sex you two had, and the fact that you so desperately keep telling everyone and yourself that you’re over it, just makes it more obvious that you’re not. And neither is he! Jeeze. When are you both going to grow up, man up, and admit you still have feelings for each other!?”
Getting to my feet, I stomped angrily back and forth the length of my beach towel.
“Because I chose Jared! Because I love Jared. Because I can’t mend what I did to Ollie, but most of all, because it hurts too damn much knowing that I still love him! It’s broken, and I broke it!”
Sitting up, Amy shook her head at me. “You didn’t break it. It can be fixed, but the question is, would you want to? Like you say, you made your choice. Still think it was the right one?”
I looked down at her and closed my eyes, rubbing my temple with my finger and thumb. “Yes. I love Jared and he loves me. We have chemistry and heat, passion, and …“
“And that’s enough? Don’t forget, I know you better than anyone on this planet and Layla Jennings has never known exactly what she wants. So, can you honestly tell me that Garrett is what you want?” Mel interrupted.
Sitting back down, I held my head in my hands.
“He can be a little controlling. He’s jealous, overprotective, and let’s not forget what happened in Paris. But underneath it all, I can’t help but see that sweet and vulnerable guy that I fell in love with. I can’t forget the guy that leaves coffee mugs on my dorm room floor, or the one that sings Elvis in the morning while making breakfast.”
Stepping over Mel, Amy sat beside me and nudged my shoulder with hers. “But is he still that guy? You said it yourself, there’s passion, heat, and chemistry, but are you friends, too?”
I shook my head slowly. “We never were. We jumped in feet first and have been sinking deeper since. He can’t help the way he is.”
Mel chuckled. “You mean a controlling, overbearing, throws money at his problems, patronizing …“
“Melanie!” Amy snapped.
“She’s right, Amy. Though she could be a little more tactful,” I scowled at Mel.
“He
is
all of those things. In fact, can you guys keep a secret?”
They both nodded in unison.
“I think maybe Jared needs therapy.”
Mel slapped her palm to her forehead. “Well duh!”
Amy gave me a skeptical look. “And you really think he’ll go for that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. But I have to do something.”
The two of them glanced at each other before laying back down to soak up some rays. It was a long shot for sure, but maybe delving into his psyche a little, wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for Jared to do. At least I hoped so.
* * * *
Lucy, Elliot and Daniel settled into the house with amazing ease. With the distance between our room and Lucy’s, we hardly even noticed Elliot was there at all. Daniel was staying in Jared’s old room while Lucy and Elliot took one of the spare rooms. I was sure I’d heard footsteps in the hallway one night and felt fairly confident that Daniel and Lucy were secretly attempting to share a room. It wasn’t that it was a problem, but unfortunately, Jared had hearing like a jaguar and had almost leapt out of bed to investigate. Luckily, I was able to distract him with a session of ‘tie me up and tease me.’ But as I inspected my sore wrists, bathed the broken skin on my behind, and applied a pile of makeup to cover up the bags under my eyes, it was obvious that I was clearly going to need to talk to Lucy about being stealthier. Daniel was a great guy and Jared’s only real friend in the world, but that didn’t mean he’d be happy to discover that his friend was sleeping with his little sister.
Sitting at the breakfast table, I smiled as Daniel cooed and looked adoringly at Elliot who was snuggled warmly in his arms. Lucy sighed with content, and catching Daniel’s eye, smiled broadly at him.
“You’re a natural. Have you ever thought about having a family?”
I watched them with curiosity. This probably hadn’t been the family Daniel had imagined himself with, but he was certainly in love with both Lucy and Elliot. Shrugging, he continued to gaze at the baby.
“I’ve always thought of myself as a father one day. Though it would take a hell of a woman to be able to cope with my work schedule.”
Jared glanced up from his newspaper and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were interested in having a family, Daniel.”
“Well, I’m sure there’s a lot you don’t know about him. If you bothered to have a conversation with the people who work for you, maybe you’d be able to get rid of that stereotype all of your employees have when it comes to you,” Lucy snapped.
Calmly and slowly, Jared folded up his paper and placed it on the table. I watched in silence as the two Garretts prepared to lock horns. It usually proved to be a hell of a fight.
“I happen to like the assumptions and image that my employees seem to have of me. It keeps them on their toes. You can’t be someone’s friend and their boss. It doesn’t work.”
Lucy rolled her eyes “Oh please! You like that they’re afraid of you. You like that control and to feel powerful when we both know that you’re actually a pussycat in a lion’s clothing. And you’re wrong. You can be friends with the people who work for you.”
“Under me,” he interrupted.
“You see! You think so highly of yourself that you forget to be a human being, too! Jeeze, Jared. You’re twenty-three, not forty! Ease up, take a break and try living in the real world for a while. You might like it.”
Turning her attention to me, Lucy groaned. “You agree with me, don’t you, Layla?”
I almost choked on my grapefruit. Eyeing me with curiosity, Jared cleared his throat loudly.
“Yes, Layla, what
do
you think?”
I pushed my plate away and smiled at them both.
“I think that you two need a time out, and I have to haul ass to the coffee shop. I’m going to see Kate today. You two can scratch at each other till you’re raw, but we all know you’ll never agree. But for the record, I do think you can be friends with your employees. In fact, I think friendship is a great foundation for all relationships.”
Biting my lip, I looked at Jared who instantly got the message. That’s right, Mr. Garrett. There’s a conversation you and I need to have.
“Well, now that’s settled, I should be getting to the office so this lion can shake up the jungle a little.”
Daniel chuckled and handed Elliot to Lucy before standing quickly and straightening his grey suit.
“I’ll fetch the car.”
Jared stood and held up his hand to halt him. “No need. I think I’ll drive today. That way I can drop Layla off on my way.”
Daniel nodded and sat back down beside Lucy who looked elated at the thought of some alone time with the man she loved. Pulling my chair back and holding out his hand for mine, Jared smiled.
“My lady.”
Taking his outstretched palm, I shot Lucy a quick wink and followed Jared out to the car. He hurried around to my side and quickly opened the door for me before sliding into the driver’s side.
“I assume there’s something you need to get off of your chest?”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as he began pulling out of the driveway.
“Come on, out with it, Layla. I thought we were going to try this open and honest thing.”
I took a deep breath and sighed. “Jared, when we met, everything between us was so …”
“Intense? Passionate? Exciting? Wonderful?” he offered.
“Fast,” I interrupted.
He sat in silence.
“I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but don’t you wish we’d, I don’t know, gotten to know each other first? That we’d been … friends.”
His eyebrows pinched together, and he looked confused.
“We are friends.”
I shrugged. “Are we?”
“Aren’t we?” he shot back.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I want so desperately to be more than just your lover …”
“You are. So much more.”
“Am I? Sometimes I feel like your possession.”
He scowled and stared ahead at the road.
“I see.”
“You’re so jealous, possessive, and controlling. I mean, you had Daniel follow me in New York for crying out loud!”
“I’m concerned for your safety! I worry about you. I think after what happened between us and with Felix, I have every reason to be!”
I slumped back in my seat and growled in frustration. “I am not a child, Jared and you are not my father! I want you to be my boyfriend, not my bodyguard and watch dog!”
Pulling up outside the coffee shop, he sighed deeply and closed his eyes briefly before turning to me and taking my hand in his.
“So, what do you suggest we do to rectify this? I won’t ease up on security when it comes to you, and I will always protect you. I can’t help being jealous, Layla. I love you and you’re mine. I lost you once; I won’t do it again. Tell me what you want.”
I stared at our entwined fingers, the words on the tip of my tongue. Lifting my chin, Jared raised an eyebrow, waiting for my response.
“What do you want, Layla?”
My voice was shaky and my heart pounded as I spoke. “I think you need to speak to someone, Jared. Professionally.”
“You mean like a shrink?” he spat, clearly taken back by my words.
I nodded lightly. Letting go of my hand, he rested back in his seat and looked out of the window.
“You think I’m crazy? Unhinged?”
I shook my head and scooted closer to him, gripping my hands on his arm. “No. I just think maybe it would help if you could find out why you are the way you are.”