Sexual Persuasion (12 page)

Did she believe he had nothing to do with the illegal parts of Carpathian’s business?
And what about his sexuality? At worst, Alex was bisexual. Would the fact that he’d made love to men as well as women make a difference? She couldn’t accept that if it were still the case. Few women were that secure, and after Jack, her self-confidence had taken a beating. She was still in the process of gaining it back, despite her declaration that she was a new woman.

Her concentration wavered when Alex’s foot stroked the length of her leg in a slow, steady motion. As if he knew what she was thinking, he interrupted, changing the conversation.

“Where are you from?”

“Marblehead.
Very uninteresting biography.” She prattled on about her middle-class family, school, and college. “I’d taken a job at Trends because there weren’t many positions for art history majors. I thought the job would be temporary until something opened up, but I fell in love with working at the store and stopped looking. You know the rest.”

“An art history major, huh? At the risk of sounding like I’m pitching you a line, you’ll have to see my etchings. I collect Renaissance drawings. Some pretty good ones too.”

“Then I’ll definitely have to see them.”

He looked at her with those piercing golden eyes that simmered under his dark
lashes. She had no doubt they could melt diamonds. She expected Alex to make another move, but he only stroked her arm and continued the sensuous exploration of her leg. The gestures bordered on proprietary, a gentle reminder that he was there. As if she could forget.

He inched closer to her on the bed. “Today isn’t only about sex.”

“No, I don’t think it is.”

With his eyes firmly focused on her, he took her into his arms, pressing her to him. Extracting the pin holding her hair, he ran his fingers through the long strands while he kissed her with such sweet tenderness that emotion soared through her. A contented sigh escaped her throat. No, she thought, this wasn’t only about sex.

The sun cast patterns across the room. He got off the bed and opened the window, letting in the late-afternoon breeze and the faint scent of the Charles. She knew life went on beyond the confines of this room―cars whizzing by on Storrow Drive, people jogging on the Esplanade―but all she saw was Alex as he settled next to her. She ran her hand over his dark skin, amazed at its smoothness, then across his upper arms to his face, where a shadow of stubble had sprouted over the day.

Standing, she leaned over and planted a kiss on his mouth, then let his eyes scan her body with slow, deliberate appreciation. “I’m in control now,” she said. “But whatever I do, you can’t touch me.”

His brows lifted. “Not at all?”

“Only if I want you to.
If you try, I’m afraid I’ll have to restrain you.”

Alex’s lips quirked from a playful grin into a full smile.
“Charlotte, you are a constant surprise.”

She smiled back. “At least I’m not boring.”

“Oh, I’d say you’re hardly that.”

“So relax, Mr. Andros. I’m going to test
your control.” Feeling empowered, she brushed her mouth to his, nipping his bottom lip to inflict the slightest pain. He released a sensual
hmmm
, and her heartbeat quickened. Making sure he watched, Charlotte slipped her finger inside her pussy, wet with her juices, then brought it to his lips.

Alex accepted it into his mouth, visibly savoring the taste of her. “Delicious.”

She withdrew it and straddled him, letting her breasts hover over his mouth, but slightly out of reach. When he lifted his head, she retreated. “No, no. You can’t come after me.”

“What you’re doing is more than teasing. It’s torture.”

“Is it?” She moved to the underside of his earlobe with tiny licks and nibbles, blowing gently on the dampened skin.

He tried again to suck in her nipple, now distended like a grape, but she pulled away before he succeeded. This tortured her as well, but she had a plan, and she would have to hold out long enough to follow through.

“You’re driving me crazy, because I can’t touch you,” he said. “You know that, don’t you?”

“That’s the point. But I’m nowhere near finished. In fact, I’m just beginning.”

Lowering one hand, she trailed her fingernails down his chest, through his tuft of black hair, barely making contact, lightly circling the rim of his areolae. Then closer, still grazing her nails in rings around his nipples. They puckered and tightened. Alex writhed, unable to stay motionless.

Keeping her touch light, she flicked her tongue over them, moving from one side to the other. A slanted glance confirmed his delight as his penis twitched with each delicate motion. She took his hardened nipples into her mouth, sucking and biting,
eliciting moans of sexual satisfaction that bordered on growls and intensifying the sharp pulses in her aching pussy. This tested her as much as him.

A fine sheen of perspiration glistened on Alex’s chest; his fists clenched. She breathed in his intoxicating scent, now mixed with arousal, an aphrodisiac that weakened the control of her own sexual desires. She moved down, lapping his flat stomach and swirling her tongue around his belly button. Stroking his dark, heavily veined cock, she marveled at its length and girth. Then she started at the base and lightly licked her way up, followed by a stronger, rhythmic sweep of her tongue. Taking his shaft into both hands, she licked the tender
head of his cock. A small spurt of fluid oozed from the tip, along with a sigh of satisfaction from Alex.

Then she stopped.

Alex’s eyes were shut. “Tell me I haven’t gone numb, because I can’t feel anything.” He opened his eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Just seeing if you’re awake.”

“Charlotte, I am awake, painfully erect, and if you don’t finish this, that whole control thing about not touching you is going straight to hell. Maybe you should have restrained me, because I don’t know how much longer I can last.”

She smiled, and avoiding the tip of his cock, she opened his legs and cupped his testicles, then lowered herself to
caress them with her tongue. They were full and tight and ready to release his fluids. She slowed, moving back to his cock, and unleashed delicate flicks to its head while rhythmically masturbating him.

Finally she took him in her mouth, sucking gently at first, then harder, picking up the tempo.
Moving back, she lubricated her middle finger with his semen and massaged the area between the base of his cock and his anus, then took him in her mouth again. When she determined he was on the verge of coming, she inserted her slick finger in his anus. Alex groaned sensuously. His body stiffened. Spurt after spurt of thick, hot liquid filled her mouth. She couldn’t swallow fast enough. When the flow ebbed, she licked the excess off his cock, still ramrod hard.

“Jesus.” He sat halfway up and reached for her. “Can I touch you now?”

She slid down next to him, and he took her in his embrace. “That was the best ever.” He kissed her. “It makes a difference when you care for someone.”

“And trust them.”

Alex took a long time to answer. “Yes.”

“Trust is as important for you as it is for me. Why?” She could see he judged how much of his response to hold back. Because that was what
Alex Andros was about. Not how much to say but how much to hold back.

“Because I was
untrustworthy once. I’d been too cavalier with someone who meant a great deal to me, and I swore I wouldn’t let it happen again.”

She got up on one elbow. “You keep teasing me with that story. You want to tell me, but you can’t bring yourself to do it. Will you ever?” When he turned to her, she saw something in his eyes that made her sorry she asked.

“I will, but not now. Okay?”

He spoke the word respectfully, as if asking her permission. She nodded. “Okay.”

Beginnings

Alex got a pass this time, but he knew Charlotte wouldn’t give up until he told her everything. This was happening too fast, exactly like before. The situation with Davidson had escalated their connection. His physical response to her had been instant―magic that happens maybe once in a lifetime―in his case, twice. He couldn’t slow down the progression if he wanted to, any more than he could have the first time. Though he knew she fought the bond, she must have had the same reaction, or they wouldn’t be spooned together, drawing warmth, after enjoying great sex. If it ended, she would have to be the one to initiate it. And if it grew into something more, he’d make sure it didn’t end the same way it ended with Gianni. He couldn’t fuck up again.

~~~~~

Alex lay in Gianni’s bed, looking at the ceiling. He thought of turning over but instead crawled out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom. Supporting his torso over the sink, he looked into the mirror. Was that a gay man staring back? Did he look any different than he had yesterday? Whether he did or not, he looked like shit this morning. He’d slept maybe a couple of hours. Thoughts of what had transpired ran through his head as if he were a third party watching from some hidden place.

Gianni never pressed, never went too fast. Alex figured he wasn’t Gianni’s first virgin, because he brought Alex along with the patience one would expect when
teaching a child. Gianni kept the sex oral, and Alex was glad for that. He wasn’t sure he was ready for anything more so soon. Or at all.

He washed up as best he could. When he left his apartment, he didn’t know he’d be out all night. He rubbed the stubble on his face. Nothing he could do about that. Squeezing some toothpaste he found in the medicine cabinet onto his finger, he did a poor imitation of brushing his teeth. A splash of water on his face followed. Then he slipped into his shirt and briefs and went into the kitchen.

Gianni had prepared a much more substantial breakfast than Alex ever ate at seven in the morning. He stopped fussing at the sink and came over to give Alex a kiss on the lips. In the light of day, it seemed out of place, but the act still aroused him.

“I hope you slept well,” Gianni said.

“I caught a few hours.”

“Sit. I made breakfast.” Gianni placed a dish of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of him, with a separate dish of toast. Juice and a cup already sat at the place setting. Gianni poured coffee into the cup.

“Gianni, this is wonderful and thoughtful, but I can’t eat it. I never have more than juice and coffee. Maybe a piece of toast.”

Gianni pouted. “But I made it special for you. You’ll hurt my feelings if you don’t eat every bite.” He came up behind Alex and kissed his neck. “Then we can go back to bed.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. No way could he eat this feast. Besides, he needed to get to class. “Don’t you have class?”

“Yes, but I’m skipping this morning for you.”

“Well, I can’t. I have a must-attend lecture. I’ll eat what I can, but I don’t want you to be mad if I can’t finish.”

Gianni’s pout turned into a frown.
“Of course not. I should have asked. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I only want to make you happy. But please, cancel your lecture.” He began rubbing Alex’s shoulders. The massage felt good, especially after the restless night’s sleep. When Gianni’s hand crept down to his chest and gently brushed his nipple, Alex’s cock sprang to attention. No, he couldn’t start this now. He had to go.

“I’m sorry. I really do have to go.”

Gianni’s hand disappeared. “If you must.”

The temperature in the room chilled. Alex rose and faced him. “Look, I’ll call you later, okay?” He latched on to Gianni’s arm, bending to meet his downturned eyes. “Okay?”

Gianni cocked his head and forced a smile. “Okay, Alex. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take you for granted. Of course you have class. I’ve been inconsiderate. Truth is, I should go to my class too.” He ran his fingers down the side of Alex’s cheek. “Last night was wonderful. I just wanted more of you.” His gaze dropped to Alex’s hard-on. “Seems you want more of me too.”

Alex glanced at his tented briefs. “I do, but I can’t miss the lecture. Sit down and have coffee with me. Then we’ll catch up later. How does that sound?”

~~~~~

Ever since his life had been upended at age fourteen, Alex had played by his own rules. He never succumbed to what others considered the norm. Gianni had been exciting―an adventure, yes, even the forbidden fruit. But it quickly became something else, then changed again. The remembrance of Gianni’s disappointment and his frowning face echoed in his mind as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. No, he hadn’t been Gianni’s first virgin, but he was his first love.
No, not love―obsession.

He’d told Charlotte it was all about trust. Yet he’d been dishonest by spouting
meaningless responses when all she wanted to hear was the truth. How many times had he suggested she make up her own mind instead of listening to what others thought they knew? That wasn’t what she wanted to hear, and they both knew it. There’d been no shortage of helpful gossip, first from her attorney friend, then from Davidson. Both spoke without proof of facts, but you don’t need facts to plant ideas in someone’s head.

“Is something bothering you?”