18. Hunter

Chapter 18

Hunter

then

My hands were sweaty and nerves skittered through me when Gerald pulled up to the Pyrentha hotel.

Yes, the plan is to meet up for casual sex. But when Spence said I was coming to his, I assumed he meant his home, not some random hotel room.

Gerald escorted me inside and brought me up the lift all the way to the top floor. Only when the doors opened directly into a residence did it hit me: this is his home.

Spence greeted me warmly, kissing me on the cheek and giving me a quick tour. He offered me a drink, which I refused. Then he took my hand and led me into the most gorgeous, well-appointed bedroom I've ever seen.

The entire space screams billionaire bachelor sex god, from the deep wood of the poster bed frame to the sleek, modern lines of the windows treatments. The décor is a blend of classic elegance and modern edge .

With a few taps to the buttons on a long panel of controls, he lowers the lighting, closes the curtains, and cues up a slow, sultry song that filters in from speakers hidden around the room.

We agreed to sex and nothing more, but now that I'm here, with the mood lighting and the sexy music playing, the stakes feel impossibly high.

I swallow down the lump in my throat, hoping like hell he can't tell how nervous I am.

Spence makes his way over to me, his movements languid and intentional, and when he's close, I'm enveloped in the spicy scent of his aftershave.

He tucks a tendril of hair behind my ear, then cups my jaw with one large hand and lowers his head until his lips brush against mine.

"You're nervous," he gleans.

Instead of feigning calm, I go with the truth. I bite my lower lip, look up into his sharp gray-blue eyes, and nod.

"I am. But I promise I want this."

Lips curling up into a half smile, he hovers lower still, but he doesn't truly kiss me.

A hint of emotion—or concern, maybe?—sparks behind his eyes.

Pulling back quickly, he assesses me up and down. "Please tell me you've been with a man before."

To answer the ridiculous question, I shoot him an unamused look.

He visibly relaxes, but he uses his thumb and forefinger to tip my head from side to side as he continues to assess me.

"Right. It's clearly not a lack of experience. Or attitude." He smirks. "But there's something else bothering you, yes?"

He's perceptive as hell.

I shrink under his gaze as he continues to analyze me.

Though I find that the longer I look into his eyes, the more relaxed I become.

I want to be here. I want to do this with him .

"You came here tonight asking me for sex and nothing more. That tells me that not only have you been with a man before, but that whomever it was is a person you want to forget."

My sharp intake of breath catches me by surprise. The ache that throbs behind my breastbone is nothing new, though.

Do I want to forget?

Never .

Do I need to forget so that I can move on and move past the daily temptation to book a one-way ticket back to North Carolina and beg for Greedy's forgiveness?

I do. I may not have realized it until this moment, but this is what I need to move on.

"Are you still okay with this arrangement, knowing you're a rebound?" I hedge.

Spence traces his thumb along my lower lip, then presses down until I open.

"So sassy, yet so damn responsive," he remarks. "I appreciate candidness and clear communication, Firecracker. There's no reason we can't be open and honest about what we're both after. Nor is there any denying the magnetic pull between us or the desire I have to fuck you into my mattress all night long."

Breath hitching, I scrutinize him, but only for a heartbeat. Bolstering my nerve, I suck his thumb into my mouth and swirl my tongue around the tip.

"We are aligned," Spence declares, popping his thumb out of my mouth. He backs up and, sitting on the end of the bed, plants his hands on the mattress and lounges back. "Strip for me, love."

Okay, then. We're doing this.

Though my heart is pounding, I smile coyly, then reach off to the side for the hidden zipper of my dress.

"No," Spence scolds, halting my movements completely. "I didn't ask you to undress. I said strip . "

I meet his gaze, searching. His tone is firm, and the way he watches me, with so much scrutiny but also desire, lulls me into a type of trance that has me hanging on his every word, waiting for him to continue.

"Put on a show," he commands, his tone rich and dark. "Reveal your body slowly. Tease me until I'm physically aching for you, Firecracker. I want there to be so much pre-ejaculate leaking from my cock you could lap it up off the floor like a dog."

My lungs seize in shock, and my pussy throbs with want. Did he really just call me—

"There she is," Spence murmurs with a tip of his chin. "Did you feel how your eyes widened just now? You're into degradation, I take it?"

My brain screams no! of course not! But my traitorous cunt throbs again.

"I—I don't know, exactly," I admit.

"Are you interested in finding out?"

"Yes," I reply without hesitation. With a gasp, I slap a hand to my mouth, but it's too late to take it back.

Spence's smirk turns wicked. "We're going to have even more fun than I thought," he tells me. "We'll use condoms for protection. Have you ever used a safe word during sex?"

My pulse throbs from my neck down to my toes. I'm dry-mouthed and yet salivating all at the same time.

"No."

"Pick one. It needs to be a word you wouldn't typically say during sex. My safe word is umbrella, and you're welcome to use that if you wish."

"Greedy," I whisper, saying the name aloud for the first time in weeks.

I cup my mouth again. What am I saying? What am I doing? Pain lances my chest, but Spence doesn't seem to notice.

"Very well," he declares. "Your safe word is greedy. Mine is umbrella. If either of us says either word at any time, everything stops. Communication is key, Firecracker. Do you have any hard limits I should be aware of?"

"I— "

Put on the spot like this, I can't think of any. In fact, my mind is a million miles away at the moment. I'm still stuck on the part where I said my ex's name out loud for the first time in months.

It's time to let go. I have to let him go.

I came here with a purpose, and I owe it to myself to see it through. I let Spence's aura soothe me as I shake my head in response to his question. What he's promising isn't something I knew I wanted or needed. And yet…

"Come here," he commands.

I step forward.

"No, not like that. Get on your hands and knees," he says.

Stomach fluttering, I do as I'm told.

"Now crawl to me, love. Crawl like the needy little slut you are so I can properly fuck your useless holes."

Wide awake, I lie flat on my back in what might possibly be the world's most comfortable bed.

My mind is reeling, because what just happened between Spence and me was the hottest, most satisfying sexual experience of my life.

He commanded my body in ways I didn't know it could be commanded. The pleasure was more intense than I knew was possible, sending me hurtling into a state of absolute bliss where, for the first time in forever, I felt nothing.

It. Was. Heaven.

It's also a problem.

Because no matter how I look at it, that was so much more than just sex.

He said the most vile things to me as he worshipped my body. He called me names, then praised me in a way that lit my insides on fire. I've never been turned on the way I was while being degraded by Spence.

Despite the hours-long session, I'm already craving another round .

Fuck. I need to get out of here before he wakes up.

Tonight was extraordinary. It was passionate and poignant. But it can never happen again. I don't trust myself to not latch on to this moment and chase this feeling. It's in both our best interests if I sneak out now.

When Spence's breathing is completely evened out, I slide to the edge of the bed, attempting to quietly slip out of the sheets.

Except there's nothing quiet about my escape. The damn sheets are made of slippery silk—charcoal gray silk, to be exact—and my subtle movements send me flopping onto the floor.

I land on my ass, thankfully, so the impact isn't too great. I try to stifle a laugh, but it's no use. Snorting, I cover my mouth and work to control my breathing.

Spence's head appears above me, his brows furrowed in concern.

"Are you attempting to sneak out on me?"

I shift subtly, searching for a position that is not so unflattering. But I'm splayed on the floor, naked and very thoroughly fucked. It's hopeless.

"I think it's called an Irish exit?" I offer with a sheepish grin.

He hits me with an amused smirk. "Not in Londontown, it's not. Come back to bed, love. We've barely slept. You don't need to run out in the middle of the night."

His tone is warm, his expression worried. Gone is the powerful, commanding Dom who was rocking my world a few hours ago. In his place, the serious, stoic man I'm learning can be just as gentle as he is domineering.

His offer is tempting. So very tempting.

Regardless, I know myself too well. My emotions aren't in a good place after the intensity of tonight. I promised him just sex. If I stay, my heart will be in shambles, at war with the truth of what transpired between us.

"It's okay," I insist. "I should go. I'll catch a cab."

Before I've completely righted myself, Spence is out of bed.

"You will do no such thing." He strides forward, hovering over me as he assesses my naked form .

The room is dark, but not so dark I can't make out the harsh way he's glaring at me.

"We had sex," I tell him. "That's why I came. For sex and nothing more."

He scoffs at that. "We had absolutely mind-blowing sex. Don't pretend like that wasn't the most erotic, passionate experience of your life, Hunter. You're a terrible liar."

Oh . So he felt it, too? Shit. That only ratchets up the panic already working its way through me. I really do have to go.

I scan the floor in search of my panties.

"You need to be fucked again," Spence declares.

I whip my head around so quickly I see stars. The audacity of this man.

"It was cute earlier, but don't talk to me like that," I snipe back.

Spence raises one eyebrow, regarding me. "You've still got that attitude you walked in with. Clearly, what we just did wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. I underestimated how wound up you were, Firecracker. Give me another go."

I cross my arms over my chest. "Does that work on other women?"

He tilts his head to one side, his lips tugged down. "Does what work?"

"Just… that!" I wave my hand in his general direction. "You just say words and make demands with that sexy accent and get away with being a bossy asshole inside and outside the bedroom?"

A smile teases at one side of his mouth. "You think my accent's sexy?"

With a huff, I turn away. When I spot my dress hanging precariously off the end of the bed, I shift past him. Slipping it on without underwear, I announce, "I'm going. Thank you for a lovely evening."

"You're not going anywhere," Spence tells me.

Shimmying my dress up over my hips, I peek up to challenge him once more. "Who's going to stop me?"

His eyes narrow a fraction. But he makes no moves to come toward me .

I have to admit, though his bossy side gets under my skin, this dynamic between us is intriguing. He's calling the shots, and yet it feels very much like I'm the one in control.

"You are," he tells me with a shrug, confirming the power I hold in this room.

"It's always your choice, love, but you're a smart girl. Think about it. You can leave my residence and go back home to the empty flat with a hopefully charged vibrator, since you're still in desperate need of release."

He stalks toward me, his movements fluid. He's still completely naked, his semi-erect cock bobbing between his legs.

"Or…"

He traces one finger along my collarbone and down between my breasts, then tugs lightly on the neckline of the dress I'm trying to keep up.

"You can drop the dress, spread yourself out on my sheets once more, and let me devour your cunt before I properly fuck all the fight out of you."

I let go of my dress. Accidentally. I think.

It flutters to my feet at the same moment Spence lowers his head and brings his lips to my ear.

"I swear to you, Firecracker. I'll fuck you so well your bones will feel like jelly and you'll fall into the most blissful sleep."

Desire courses through me at the idea.

Fuck.

Fine.

Now that he's called me out on it, it's clear that I need another orgasm or two if I want to settle all this pent-up energy. I didn't even realize I was still worked up.

And yet… I worry my bottom lip between my teeth as unease bubbles up inside me.

We had terms. We made a deal. I don't want to go back on my word or get too deep into something that's one-sided .

"If I stay—"

"You're staying," he interjects.

"If I stay," I repeat resolutely, "it's still just sex."

Spence cups my jaw, his palm soft and warm. "That's what you're worried about?"

My heart pangs at the gentleness in his tone.

"Sex isn't one dimensional, love. Sex can be passionate. Full of emotion. Satisfying and uniquely fulfilling. People need different things from sex."

He brushes his thumb back and forth over my jaw.

"You were very obedient earlier," he murmurs, lowering his mouth to mine. He places a chaste kiss on my mouth and hovers there. "I want to explore that side of you—to push you, test you. If you are open to it, of course. Will you let me do that for you, Hunter?" Straightening, he looms over me. "Will you do exactly as I tell you if I promise it will result in a deeper satisfaction than you've ever fucking felt in your life?"

"Yes. As long as it's just sex," I remind him once more.

"Just sex," he repeats with a smirk. "Now get back in bed. Hold your hands above your head and spread your thighs as far as they'll go. I'm going to eat your cunt until you come so hard you cry. Then and only then will the real fucking begin."