3. Emma

Iav leaned forward and placed his hand on my bare knee, prickling my skin with goosebumps.

Instead of pulling away, I uncrossed my legs and eased forward a little so his hand automatically trailed up.

You slut!

And yet, did I feel embarrassed for doing it?

No.

I felt exhilarated.

It was all I could do not to throw myself across the table at him right now and tear his clothes off.

His thumb gently rubbed the soft skin of my inner thigh.

"How about we go somewhere quiet?" he whispered in my ear.

"Yes," I said. "I would like that very much."

Would I? Who the hell was speaking?

"Good," Iav said with a deep growl at the back of his throat.

He stood up, took me by the hand, and led me toward the exit.

I caught sight of my friends at the bar.

I reached over and took Olivia by the arm.

"I'm taking him back to the apartment," I said, unable to disguise the giddiness in my voice. "Can you guys give us a little time alone?"

The smile on Olivia's face was crooked, like someone had squeezed from the middle of a tube of toothpaste.

Her eyes roamed over to Iav and returned to me.

She lowered her voice.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Oh yes, very sure."

Olivia's eyes shifted between mine, her brow furrowed with concern.

"Okay," she said before leaning in close. "But remember. Use appropriate protection."

I rolled my eyes.

"I will. Don't worry."

I embraced Olivia, then Charlotte.

"Wish me luck."

Charlotte ran a confident eye over Iav.

"Oh, honey, I don't think luck is going to have anything to do with it."

I shovedthe front door open with my shoulder and stumbled into the entranceway.

My heels clattered against the tile floor and I almost pitched over.

It happened every time I returned home.

"Sorry. The door always sticks."

I wrenched the key from the lock, almost snapping it in half.

I backed away as Iav entered and tripped on the raised step leading into the front room.

"That's the step's fault," I said defensively. "I never understood why they built it that way."

Because they never intended for a klutz to live here, that's why.

"Hm?" Iav said.

His attention was focused entirely on my ass.

His eyes rose to mine and there was no mistaking the hungry look in his eye.

"You, uh, have to take your shoes off," I said. "Olivia's touchy about keeping everything clean and tidy."

I slipped my heels off—which were really portable torture devices—and gratefully tossed them in the shoe cupboard.

Iav slipped his polished black shoes off and placed them inside the cupboard beside mine.

I was surprised by that, and I wasn't entirely sure why.

Maybe because most men were untidy creatures?

Or maybe it was because he was so big, so strong, that I assumed he wouldn't take any notice of our rules.

But I was pleased he did.

Now he was in my home, I wasn't entirely sure what to do next.

Suddenly, the world lurched to one side.

I stumbled and pressed a hand to the wall to steady myself.

I felt a little woozy.

"Those mojitos must have been pretty strong," I said.

I looked down to find Iav's hands on me, holding me upright.

He towered over me, a small smile on his lips.

His scent was strong and overpowering, masculine like good aftershave.

He led me into the front room and placed me on the sofa.

"You live with your friends?"

I surveyed the living room.

There were too many cushions and teddy bears and soft blankets for there to be many guys around.

Then there were the easels where we liked to paint in the evenings together.

"Yes," I said. "There are three of us. Olivia and Charlotte. You met them at the club earlier."

"I'll get you some water," Iav said.

He searched the cupboards and found where the glasses were stored.

He filled them from a large bottle in the refrigerator.

"Do either of them have kids?" he said over his shoulder.

The world still turned sharply on its axis.

He was looking at Olivia's Howard the Duck doll, a fluffy monstrosity she'd had since she was a kid.

It might have been a fetching doll at one point but now it was ragged and worn beyond recognition.

"No. Just the girls who live here."

He handed me a glass of water.

I took a big gulp and let it rush down my throat.

It was cool and refreshing and made me feel better already.

"Will your friends be along any time soon?" Iav said.

I shook my head.

"Not for a while. Maybe not all night."

I hadn't meant for it to sound the way it did, even less that I would tell him the truth.

I really had no idea who he was, what he was capable of.

But by the way he was looking at me, I was about to find out.

Iav took the glass from me and placed it on the coffee table beside his own.

I was quick to scoot a couple of coasters under the glasses.

Olivia wouldn't be happy if the beads of water stained the wood.

Iav shuffled closer, filling the inches with his impressive body.

This is too fast, I thought. I shouldn't be doing this.

The thought skimmed across my consciousness and was gone as fast as it had come.

But I want to do it.

I felt his breath on my face as he pecked at my cheeks and pressed his lips to mine.

And still, I struggled to maintain control.

I wasn't sure what to do, where to look.

My instincts took over instead.

My lips parted and allowed him entry.

Then my legs did the same, and he rolled me over onto my back and ground his hard cock against me.

More. I want more.

I peered up into those majestic golden eyes of his.

He kissed me down my neck and raised my arms over my head, pinning them with his brute strength.

His free hand roamed over my breasts, which strained against my bra.

He released my hands and I placed one on the back of his head to pull him closer.

I guided his hand under my dress to caress my pussy that ached for him.

I marveled at the explosion in my chest that mirrored the one we shared on the dance floor.

Iav pulled his tongue from my mouth and peered at me beneath him.

Then he stuck out his tongue and waited.

I leaned forward and took it in my mouth, sucking on it like it was my favorite lollipop.

He let out a sigh of approval.

He ran his hands over every inch of my body.

I didn't even squirm when his hands cupped my ass and pulled me toward him.

I couldn't help but groan at his stiffening length.

I pressed against it to gauge my upcoming challenge.

Large.

Larger than any I'd had before, that was for sure.

He reached behind me and felt for the zipper of my dress.

He drew it down so slowly I felt every tooth tear free.

That was when I felt a slight tingle.

A shred of nerves?

Uncertainty?

I wasn't sure what it was but that mist that'd descended over me from the very first moment I met him began to lift.

I released his tongue from my lips and gently eased back.

I pressed my hands to his chest to hold him at bay.

He cocked his head to one side and shifted his weight off me.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing's wrong. It's just… This isn't something I usually do."

His cheeky smile curled one corner of his lips, forming a dimple in his cheek.

"There's no rush. Really."

I searched his features for any sign he was disappointed but found none.

"I'll be back in a sec."

I stood up and hastily clutched my dress to my chest as it began to slip down.

I held it up in my hands as I rushed toward the bathroom.

I shut the door and leaned against it.

I shut my eyes and let out a deep sigh.

What was I doing? I thought. I didn't do this kind of thing!

Olivia did.

Charlotte dabbled.

But not me.

I clenched my teeth and let out a growl of agitation.

I stamped my foot and shook my head.

If I didn't do this kind of thing, why string the guy along?

Because I did want to do it.

More than I could express.

Even more than a bar of chocolate at the end of a long shift.

I craved him.

It wasn't like I'd never felt that sensation before.

I'd just never acted on it.

Never.

I moved for the sink and leaned against the tabletop.

I peered at myself through the blemishless glass.

Olivia liked cleanliness at all times but she wasn't against being a little messy.

We had enough makeup and creams to set up our own pharmacy.

I never had to buy much.

The others used a lot more make-up than me, so I could pilfer what I needed from time to time.

Then again, I was the sole breadwinner, and I did most of the cooking, so I supposed it was a fair trade.

I peered at myself in the mirror.

I ran an eye over my face and disheveled dress.

"How do you get yourself in these situations?"

I filled a hand with water and splashed it over my face.

I dried it off and hastily set to replacing the makeup with a new layer.

The water did its job.

The mist of insatiable aching sexual hunger receded a little further.

I could see myself and the situation clearly now.

I'd met a man at a club and invited him back to my room.

That was all there was to it.

It didn't need to go any further than that.

In fact, I was determined for it not to.

If he wanted to see me again, we could meet in a coffee shop somewhere, get to know each other, then when we were ready, we could take it a step further.

I finished adding the makeup and checked it in the mirror.

I gave myself a curt nod.

If Iav was a good guy, he would understand.

I reached for the door handle and paused.

And if he wasn't a good guy…?

I didn't think so.

After all, when I broke the make-out session with him earlier, he hadn't gotten angry.

Why would he now?

I approached the front room and spoke before I got there.

"I just remembered. There's something I need to do tonight. Do you mind if we—"

Iav wasn't there.

"Iav?" I said, peering around.

He didn't reply.

I stepped from the room and returned to the entranceway.

"Iav?"

I passed the shoe cupboard and noticed his shoes were still there.

He had to be inside somewhere.

Maybe he needed the use of the bathroom and went looking for a second one?

"Iav?" I said, calling out again.

I listened for a moment but heard nothing.

"In here," Iav said.

I moved down the hallway and passed two of the bedrooms.

"Where?"

"Here."

Each of the bedrooms was of a different size, and as I was the eldest, the others graciously let me have the biggest.

None of the rooms had an ensuite, which proved the most fertile ground when it came to arguments.

A girl needed her space.

The only other room was a small broom closet we used to store cleaning equipment.

Olivia always made sure it was adequately stocked.

I reached the door to my room and smiled at the sight of Iav standing before my corkboard.

"I didn't know how long you would be," he said, "so I thought I'd have a poke around and get to know you a little. I hope you don't mind."

Strangely, it didn't.

"How'd you know this was my room?"

"This room somehow… feels like you."

"And what do I feel like?"

He thought for a moment, pursed his lips, and then his expression brightened.

"Delicious."

I barked a laugh.

"If you wanted delicious, you should have wandered into the kitchen."

"But you are delicious. The most delicious thing I've ever tasted."

He ran a finger along my cheekbone and tucked my hair behind my ear.

I gulped.

"Did you, ah, find anything interesting?"

Iav turned back to the photos on the corkboard.

I'd drawn an image of the world across it and pinned a bunch of photographs in each of the locations I'd been.

"You've traveled to all these places?"

"All the ones with photos, yes."

"You've traveled a lot."

"Not as much as I would like."

"What are the post-it notes for?"

"Places I would like to visit someday."

"Any top of the list?"

"All of them. Every so often, I like to go on a trip, either alone or with friends. It doesn't even need to be far. Just down the road to an old building or a new museum or… Well, just about anywhere, really."

Iav smiled appreciatively.

"Have you traveled much?" I said.

"Some. But not as much as many. There's only really one place I wish to go."

"Oh? And where's that?"

He turned and pressed against me, his cock still hard as a rock.

He whispered in my ear.

"The place only you can take me."

A shiver shot like a bolt of lightning up my spine.

He turned his face to kiss me but I pulled back.

"I'm not sure I can take you there tonight."

I felt nervous.

My eyes drifted to the corner of my bed.

In the gap between the mattress and the frame, Olivia had installed a "protective measure".

There were several of them concealed throughout the room.

A knife under the mattress on this side, an iron rod underneath the desk acting as a fake leg on the other.

"A girl should always be prepared," she'd said. "For any eventuality."

Those security devices were why I chose to bring Iav to my room in the first place—in case I changed my mind.

I didn't want to find myself in an unknown place and at someone else's whim.

"Is something wrong?" Iav said.

"No. I just… I never do this kind of thing."

He smiled again.

Damn those dimples!

"You've said that already," he said.

He stroked my cheek and cupped my chin in his hand.

"Are you sure?"

That thick mist began to invade my senses once again.

"No, I mean yes," I said, feeling flustered. "I'm free for a coffee sometime. A glass of wine if you want to go a bit more upmarket."

Iav seemed taken aback.

Finally, he nodded, but he couldn't conceal the obvious look of disappointment on his face.

"Sorry," I said.

Iav waved a hand.

"You don't need to be sorry."

"I didn't mean to string you along. That wasn't my intention. Something came over me at the club and made me feel… different somehow."

"It's fine. We're entitled to change our minds."

He flashed those dimples at me again.

I mirrored my own back at him, pleased he'd taken the news well.

I knew he was a good guy.

"How about a toast?" he said, scooping up a pair of glasses. "To us."

He handed me one.

It was the same glass I'd drunk from before.

"Why not? To future meetings."

I took a sip and smacked my lips.

In that instant, I felt the change come over me.

That powerful burst of light blossomed in my chest once more, only this time it was a thousand times stronger than the kiss on the dance floor.

It filled my entire being head to toe.

The deep hunger washed over me like a tsunami.

I moved forward, knocked Iav's arm aside, and pulled his head down.

I slipped my tongue between his lips and slid the jacket off his shoulders.

Iav responded in kind, slipping off my dress.

I shrugged and let it slide down my body.

It snagged on my hips and I pushed the dress to the floor.

I stepped out from it and pushed Iav back onto the bed.

It was as if I no longer had any control over myself.

I might as well be a puppet, with someone else pulling the strings.

And not just anybody.

A nymphomaniac.

I pulled the shirt off over Iav's head and marveled at his chiseled torso.

I buried my eyes in his golden irises that flashed in the moonlight and set to smothering him with kisses.

I claimed his lips, his cheeks, his chin, his glorious chest.

A small voice in the back of my mind screamed:

What are you doing? You don't do this!

The voice was small and insignificant compared to the rising flood that drummed in my ears.

And easy to ignore.

I climbed on the bed and straddled him.

I felt his skin against mine, his pants turning tighter with every passing second.

I bucked and writhed on him.

I ground against him, desperate for him to be inside me.

I didn't only want him inside me.

I needed him inside me.

I craved him.

I reached down and plucked the buttons of his pants open.

Iav grinned at me, his gorgeous smile twisting his features, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw something in the shadowy recesses, something dark and dangerous.

A shadow.

I blinked and it was gone.

Not that it mattered.

I couldn't have stopped myself even if I tried.

And I had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

I bent down and pressed my lips to his.

I reached into his pants and released him from his restraining clothes.

I shimmied my underwear off and angled him toward my opening.

"Ready to go to that place you dreamed of?"

He nodded and his smile curled once more, looking even more sinister than the last time I saw it.

An impending sense of doom crept over me.

This is the last thing you should be doing.

The realization came on a plane I rarely traveled.

The thought was nothing but a swift parting of the thick mist, a momentary drift in a snowstorm.

Even if I was having doubts on some level, I couldn't see through that dense cloud.

I was as helpless as a deep-sea fish mesmerized by a bright light in the infinite darkness.

I knew the situation was dangerous but I was powerless to prevent it.

His cock tightened in my grip and I lowered myself toward it.

Crash!

The door flew inward so hard it smashed against my desk.

A shard of wood splintered off and sailed across my narrow room.

A shadow stood in the doorway.

He was tall and broad and from the little light that filtered into the room, I would have sworn he was Iav's twin.

The stranger raised a hand.

Moonlight glinted off something metallic.

My stomach fell through the floor and, in the presence of imminent death, my fear blew the mist aside.

He held a weapon.

It was aimed directly at us.

He fired three times, and every shot hit its target.