Everyone chuckled, and Clive reached underneath the tablecloth to squeeze Kate’s knee. He looked at her, willing her to meet his eyes. When she did, he said, “No, Kate isn’t odd. She’s beautiful, and brilliant, and amazing.”
There was a collective silence after his statement, and Clive turned a sheepish grin to the group. “Sorry, I guess I sound…”
He shrugged, knowing that what he’d said was exactly what he’d been thinking. There was no way he would apologize for that.
Kate’s mother, Nona, gave him a radiant smile. “Well, now, Mr. Thibodaux, I think you sound just fine.”
Mike gave him a stern look. “Just how did you meet Katie?”
“I told you, Dad, we’re neighbors. We live in the same apartment building.”
“What do you do for a living?” This came from Dana’s husband, Josh, who looked like he was enjoying the grilling just a little too much.
“I’m a professor,” he supplied, tightening his grip on Kate’s knee.
“What do you teach?” Dana asked.
“Human…Interaction in Modern Man.” He figured admitting to teaching human sexuality might be too close to the truth and could very well blow his cover.
“Do you do anything else besides teach?”
“Dad!” Dana and Molly gasped at the same time.
“Not that there’s anything wrong with that. A father has a right to be curious.”
Clive nodded in understanding. “I’ve written a book, actually. My parents were the first people to ask for my autograph.”
Tinsel Town
47
“And your parents? What are their occupations?” Kate’s father wanted to know.
“They own a sports shop in Louisiana. They and my sisters have been worried about my love life for years.” He stopped to give Kat a meaningful look. Somehow, it felt important for her to understand that she was more than the paycheck she thought he was getting. “My parents are visiting my sisters in Washington State right now.”
“Washington State?” Zach, apparently taking pity on him, tried to steer the conversation to something more mundane. “I love the Seahawks.”
“Do you like football, Clive?” Mike was assessing him with hard eyes.
“I do, sir. But since Kate doesn’t, I usually tape the games and watch them later.”
Nona nodded in approval. “That’s very considerate.”
“My daughter likes opera. Do you like opera?”
“Yes, sir, I’m afraid I do. I have season passes, actually.”
In one fell swoop, he’d let Mike Frazier know that not only was Kate being pampered, but that Clive also could afford to do it. Mike gave a curt nod, seeming satisfied with his answer.
Kate’s father wasn’t through, though. “Kate’s a wonderful violinist. Her music is very important to her.”
Clive agreed with a smile. “Third chair. But I think she’ll be at least second chair when they have tryouts this spring.”
“Music!” Molly grabbed hold of the topic to ease the atmosphere. “Kate, I need to give you the sheet music for the song I’d like you to play.”
Clive watched her father settle back, obviously done with his interrogation for now.
Underneath his hand, Clive felt the woman beside him ease. He sent her a quick wink, watched her blink, and decided tonight had all been worth it just to see her befuddled expression.
48 Flesa Black
Kate tried not to laugh as Clive opened their hotel room door. “You have an extraordinary store of patience.”
He gave her a pained look as he dropped the suitcases. “I can’t ever remember being questioned so thoroughly or so…so…”
“Blatantly?”
He nodded as he took a step closer. “I swear, it was like being ambushed, and I only had carrots to hide behind. I didn’t know whether to beg your mother for help or let your father rake me over the coals.”
“You do both.” She watched as his lips twitched and had to chuckle. “Where did you come up with that career bit? A professor at the college? And a writer to boot? It was perfect.”
He shifted his weight and looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Your parents didn’t seem to mind.”
“Why would they?” She felt light, buoyant, like she could float to the ends of the earth and off into space. “You’ve been wonderful.”
Tinsel Town
49
She stretched, happy as a cat, and stopped midmove when she saw the look in Clive’s eyes. Something inside of her glowed even brighter and gently lit the dark corners of doubt.
It was still hard to believe that someone like him could find someone like her attractive. He was so…and she was…well, if she were crude, she’d remember the old joke about things that were fun to ride until your friends caught you. But that thought wasn’t productive, nor was it fair to her…nor did it describe the very real look of desire on his face.
“Why don’t you go shower?” He reached out and ran cool fingers along her bare waist.
“I think we both deserve a little…reward for getting through the afternoon.”
Anticipation tied her in knots and squeezed the air from her lungs. “Reward?”
“Um.” He nuzzled her jaw, nipped at her ear. “Remember your promise, Kate. Be a good girl and do what I say.”
She was already wet with desire, but she knew the rules. He’d been very clear with them. And she knew it would be worth it. He would make sure it was. She swallowed against a dry throat and hurried to do as he’d said.
She washed quickly but thoroughly and made sure she was properly shaved, because she knew he liked it. She dried, wrapped the towel around her body, and paused to take a deep breath. She was ready for whatever it was he wanted to show her. If she could just catch her breath.
With her heart pounding a crazy rhythm, she stepped out into the cool room. The curtains were drawn, the lights off, with only the dim glow of candles to lead the way. She saw him standing by the bed wearing only his jeans.
“You are so gorgeous.” His voice was dark, drawing her closer. When she was in front of him, he placed a kiss on her neck and inhaled her scent. “You smell so good.”
Tiny thrills trilled down her limbs, leaving goose bumps in their wake. He led her to the bed, gently pressed her down. She looked up, saw his eyes spark with desire, and nearly sighed.
50 Flesa Black
“Lay down,” he whispered hoarsely.
She did as he said and scooted up to put her head on a pillow. He climbed over her and carefully undid the towel that was anchored at her breasts. He stared at her chest for a moment, then shook himself. It wasn’t hard to feel the erection pressing against her stomach, and she knew he was just as turned on as she was.
“You want to try new things. I want to show them to you. One of those things involves ropes and cuffs.” He gave her a devilish smile before bringing a soft, covered cuff into her line of vision. “Would you like that, sweetheart? Would you like me to tie you up?”
Her tongue darted between her lips as she stared up into his eyes. “Yes.”
“I want to do more. You’ll like it, too.”
“Yes.”
His gaze glittered with satisfaction. Without another word, he gently latched the cuffs around her wrists, then moved away to bind her ankles. Anticipation was a tangible thing, burning her from the inside out. Already, her nipples were hard, her thighs moist, her clit pulsing.
When she was secure, he ran his hands up her thighs, carefully exposing her to his scrutiny. She had a moment of embarrassment, but it quickly vanished when he gave her a look of such longing that she moaned.
He kissed the soft skin, his lips trailing down one side, skimming across her tingling labia, and down the other side. Her toes flexed and pointed, curling in desire as he continued down her calf.
He shifted positions, coming from between her legs to lie beside her. His fingertips ran lazy circles up her stomach, over her rib cage, and finally to her breast. Wild, sweet sensations sizzled where he’d touched. She moved against the feelings, found her arms and legs locked, and experienced a new, heady desire.
Tinsel Town
51
He smiled, obviously knowing what she felt, and bent his head to her nipple. She moaned as he sucked at the hard peak, showing her no mercy as she struggled against the ropes. But those same ropes that were holding her down only served to build up her need.
The cycle was brutal, and alive with sensations that were impossible to name.
He gave her breast a final kiss and began to nibble his way down her torso, causing her to wriggle and gasp. She knew he was in charge, knew that she couldn’t command him with physical moves. And yet she also knew he would lead her through the sensual tidal waves and eddies before drowning her in satisfaction. The idea of it made her want more of him, more of his lovemaking, more of his attention.
His movements paused for an endless moment, then, suddenly, his tongue was swiping at her slit. She gasped in surprise and delight, her back bowing involuntarily.
“You like that, huh? I like it too.”
He licked again, this time slowly, and she cried out. He explored her leisurely, taking his time as he delved into her depths. His tongue made her crazed, snapped the need from slow churning to a constant cascade, filling her, drawing her up. She wriggled, tried to bring her legs up, and was speared with hard-edged need when she couldn’t move.
He found her clit, laved it lavishly, dipped back between her walls. Her voice echoed, bouncing off the walls as she writhed against him. He didn’t stop his ravaging, nor did he speed the tempo. Instead, he slid his finger into her, slipping it easily between her swollen walls. He pressed in, pulled out, driving her mad.
Just when she thought she might beg for release, a new sensation was added to the first.
A smooth, cool tip pressed into her other opening, and she stopped moving.
He paused and his voice came up to her. “You’re okay.”
Even though it was more of a statement, she replied. “Yes. I-I want to…I like what you’re doing.”
52 Flesa Black
He gave her another moment and then began tasting her again, slipping his fingers in, the small tip of a toy poised to enter her. When it began vibrating slowly, she gritted her teeth in frustration and tried to push down. She heard him chuckle, and was relieved when he carefully began pressing the toy into her tight opening.
“Oh, that’s so good.” She gasped, pulled at her bindings, groaned with the sensation of them.
The vibrator entered her smoothly, and the pulsating tremors, racing up and down her nerves, coiled at her clit where his tongue lashed. He increased his rhythm, teasing her, invading her body completely. It was almost too much, the feeling of his fingers, and his mouth, and the toy he wielded. Her head thrashed on the bed, wild need sucking her under even as her orgasm began pulling her up.
She was so close, almost ready to explode, when his tongue and fingers disappeared.
She sobbed with frustration, but he quieted her with an intense kiss. In one fluid motion, he slid into her, his cock pressing up into her most sensitive area. The vibrator still hummed inside of her, adding another dimension to his throbbing shaft. He didn’t stay seated; instead, with his hands on her hips to angle her down, he began to stroke deliberately. The ropes held her still as she pressed against him, and yet another spark was added to the fire bundled at her core.
“Now. Come for me now.”
She desperately wanted to, and he helped her get there. He shifted so that his every stroke was rasping against her distended clit, his hard, hot flesh slick from her. He bent and gave one nipple a hard tug with his mouth. That was all it took to shove her into orgasm.
The world turned a hazy red and white, the edges of her vision blurring as her body let go. Her body imploded, creating tiny explosions that met, melded, and poured through her like quicksilver. Her release was hard, brutal, and so complete that she thought she might die with it.
Tinsel Town
53
Her screams were barely subsiding when he slammed into her, once, twice, and then he was arching over her screaming through his own orgasm. He collapsed on her, careful to balance himself on his elbows so she wouldn’t receive the bulk of his weight. She closed her eyes, tried to remember to breath, and felt a deep laugh tickle up and out her throat.
“That was incredible,” she managed to say.
“I think you’ve killed me.” He gave a halfhearted grunt, and she nipped him. “Sure, pick on the half dead. That vibrator…”
He shifted and gently reached down to remove the still-humming toy. With a quick twist, he stopped it and moved back to begin unbuckling the cuffs.
“You could feel the vibrator?” she asked, too curious and much too satisfied to feel any sort of embarrassment.
“Damn right I could. I could feel it all through you. Nearly couldn’t hold on long enough for you to come.” He kissed his way down her body again, this time sweet, tender touches meant to soothe. As he unbuckled her ankles, he sent her a wicked smile. “I’m glad you liked that, sweetheart. I have a lot more planned for you.”
Her tired body still managed to tingle at the thought. “Um, I can’t wait to find out. I never knew…”
“Never knew what?” He eased up beside her and drew her into a spoon position.
“I never knew it could be like this. I mean, I’ve had sex before, but it wasn’t ever so exciting.”
“It’s always exciting when you’re with the right person.”
“I suppose the right teacher does make all the difference,” she said with a smile.
She felt him stiffen behind her, and had to wonder about it. Had she offended him in some way? But how? All she’d done was complimented his techniques. Heaven knew she adored his techniques.
54 Flesa Black
He relaxed and cuddled her closer. “Right now, this teacher is exhausted. It’s been a hell of a day, and some sex-crazed woman just took the last of my energy.”
She giggled, shocking herself with her girlish display. “You should rest and get your strength back. You might just run into the sex-crazed lady again, and I don’t think she’s the type who’d like to be denied.”
With a soft laugh, he picked the cover up from the corner of the bed and tucked it around them. A moment later, she was drifting off to sleep, her body and mind in complete repose.