The Ties That Bind Page 8

  Finally, reality intruded and she realized where they were.

  "I hope there weren't witnesses," she said.

  "With cameras," he added. "I'd hate to end up on some sex site on the Internet."

  She laughed.

  They fixed their clothes and Lisa swiped her hand over her hair. "My body is still throbbing."

  "Good," he said, taking her hand. "Because I'm not finished with you yet. Let's go back to the room."

  Nine

  They'd barely shut the door to their suite before Rick turned her around and kissed her again.

  She loved kissing. There were some serious nerve endings in her lips, and every time he pressed his mouth to hers, it sent shock waves directly to her pussy. She wondered if kissing had the same effect on his cock. As he leaned against her, pressing her up against the door while he thoroughly explored her mouth, his cock rocked against her belly, hard and insistent, and she decided that his mouth must be wired the same way--right to his cock.

  Then he shocked the hell out of her by sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her down the hall--so romantic, so sexy--and depositing her on her feet next to the bed.

  "I could have walked," she said.

  "You make it really difficult to be Prince Charming, you know." He shrugged out of his jacket and yanked off the tie, then started unbuttoning his shirt.

  What he was doing now was definitely charming. "Sorry. I did enjoy you carrying me. I could get used to it."

  His lips curled as he reached the last buttons on his shirt and dragged the hem out of his pants. "I like holding you. You feel good."

  She sat on the bed and held on to the bed post while he pulled the shirt from his shoulders and cast it aside, then undid his belt and drew down the zipper of his pants. He kicked his shoes off, dropped his pants and then his boxers until he was naked. She was at a decided clothing disadvantage here, since she wouldn't be able to undress without Rick's help. Plus, she was kind of mesmerized watching Rick take his clothes off. She'd never realized how sexy it was to see a man strip. She was definitely going to have to pay attention more often when he shucked his clothes.

  "I need help," she said.

  He came over to her, his cock already semierect, and knelt in front of her. He slid one shoe off. "With your shoes?" he asked, sliding the other one off and holding her foot in his hand, flexing her toes and massaging her foot.

  "Uh, no, but that feels really good."

  He lifted her foot and kissed the tip of each toe, continuing his oh-so-heavenly massage. He gently laid her foot down, lifted the other, and gave it the same care. He was so tender, making sure to avoid those spots that tickled, that all she was aware of were the spots that made her body tingle to life, that made her pussy swell and warm.

  When he'd finished, he stood and moved between her parted legs. "So what do you need help with?"

  His cock, now fully hard, presented itself at the level of her eyes. Any help with undressing was lost as she reached for him, holding his thick shaft with both hands as she tilted her head back, stroked him, watched his eyes drift half closed. He groaned as she rubbed her fingers over the soft head, swirling her thumb around the pearly liquid gathering there. She lifted her thumb to her mouth to lick off his salty flavor, then bent down and captured the head of his cock between her lips.

  Soft, unlike the rest of him, which was hard and throbbed in her hand. She stroked and sucked him, all the while watching his face, watching his reaction, loving the way his eyes closed, then opened, as if he wanted to savor the pleasure, but wanted to watch, too. And she wanted to give him something to watch. She released her hold on his cock and used her lips to take it into her mouth, inch by inch.

  "Jesus, Lisa," he said with a soft croak, reaching for her hair, stroking it with his fingers while she licked around his shaft, admiring the way her saliva made it glisten in the half-lit room, then grasped his cock between her lips again, using her mouth and throat to squeeze it all the way back until she had him deep. And oh, she loved capturing him like this, holding him enthralled. It gave her such a sense of power and delight.

  Rick groaned, fisted her hair in his hand, and began to guide her movements, slow and easy at first, then harder. She found it amazing that she could get so turned on by sucking his cock, but she did. Her pussy throbbed and her nipples felt tight and achy as she pulled his cock out of her mouth and licked the underside of his shaft. She was amazingly excited by all this.

  Rick grasped her wrists and leaned back. "Enough or I'll come in your mouth."

  She smiled up at him. "That would be nice."

  His eyes were slits of dark desire. "You're killing me, Lisa."

  She liked the harsh, gravelly tone to his voice, that barely leashed control he seemed to possess as he pulled her up to stand, then turned her around so her back was to him.

  "I love this dress," he said, pressing against her to kiss the nape of her neck. "It's very sexy."

  She shivered, her skin popping up goose bumps all over. "I thought you might."

  He moved closer, his body molded to hers as he cupped her breasts over the silken fabric of her dress. "Your breasts are beautiful in this dress. I like this part," he said, caressing the upper swells of her breasts where they rose above the fabric of the corset. The reaction of her body was instantaneous, like lightning sizzling through her veins.

  "I want to fuck you while you're wearing this dress." He laid his hand on her back and gave her a gentle nudge forward. The front of her thighs hit the mattress and she bent from the waist, planting her hands on the bed. Her ass shifted against his crotch, his hard cock rubbing the soft material of her dress.

  She felt Rick's hands on her legs, lifting her skirt, his fingers smoothing along her skin to reach under her panties. She quivered at his touch, forcing her legs to stop trembling as he drew her panties down her legs, then off. He used his knee to nudge her legs farther apart, then lifted her dress, draping the skirt over her hips.

  "You have the prettiest ass, Lisa." He took the globes in his hands, gave them a gentle squeeze, parted them, then slid one hand between her legs to cup her sex.

  She was glad she was holding on to the bed because her knees went weak. The pleasure was incredible, his hand sliding back and forth over her wet, ready sex.

  "Please," she whispered, biting her lower lip to keep from further begging for his cock.

  "Okay, babe."

  She heard him get the condom out and then he was back between her legs, his cock spreading her lips apart and sliding in. Her body welcomed him inside with a tight gripping that made her whimper in pleasure.

  Rick grabbed hold of the corset laces on her dress and began to rock against her, slowly at first, then picking up intensity. In this position he could fuck her with deep, penetrating thrusts, filling her, swelling against her, making her insane with pleasure that tore against her normal reserves and made her feel savage, primal, desperate to reach orgasm. She fisted the blanket and bucked back against him, needing more of his cock.

  "Harder," she said, pushing back again as he thrust forward. He responded by pulling on the laces of her corset, lifting her up against him, arching her back so he could fuck upward into her pussy. With the other hand he turned her jaw, met her halfway so he could take her mouth in a hard, passionate kiss. He moved his hand down the front of her dress, savagely pushing the front of the bodice down to bare her breasts so he could get to her nipples. He circled them with his palm, the roughness a harsh contrast to the softness of her flesh, inflaming her passions to a feverish level.

  "You get wetter when I touch your nipples," he whispered over her shoulder.

  She could feel it, the sensations both inside and out making her feel crazed and out of control. He pushed her forward again and rode her, driving up hard against her, his balls slapping against her sex as he thrust. She reached between her legs, wanting even more than this, needing to massage the throbbing ache centered at her clit.

  "Fuck. Yes. Make
yourself come for me," Rick said.

  The harsh tone of his command only fueled the flames of her fire even hotter. She rubbed her clit, feeling her pussy tighten like a vise around his cock. The dual action of her own hand and his tunneling cock brought her close to the edge.

  "Rick, I'm going to come."

  She'd no more gotten the words out than she spiraled out of control, unable to stop the vortex of sensations that hit her as she climaxed. She braced herself on the bed as Rick pushed her hard, then planted his hips against hers, gripping her buttocks as he shuddered against her, and came right after she did with a loud groan and a curse.

  Wiped out, she fell forward onto the mattress and Rick went with her, kissing the back of her sweat-dampened neck before rolling both of them to the side. Still inside her, he continued to stroke her with his cock while he smoothed his hand over her body and kissed her shoulder.

  It had never been like this before. Never. Not such wild, uncontrollable passion, this hard edge that had taken her beyond the point of reason. She was drained, emotionally and physically.

  "Come on," Rick said, sliding off the bed.

  She went with him, her body on autopilot now. He turned her around and untied the laces of the corset, pulled her dress off and draped it over the chair, then took her by the hand into the bathroom. He turned on the low-level lights so the bathroom was dimly lit, then ran water in the whirlpool tub while she leaned against the counter and yawned, enjoying the steam rising from the tub.

  Rick stepped in first, then held out his hand, holding hers while she climbed in and settled down in the water. He pulled her against him, her back to his chest, his legs spread so she could sit between them. He hit the jets and warm, frothy water swirled around them.

  Soon, every limb was a lead weight and she dropped her head helplessly against him.

  "I'm going to pass out on you," she murmured. "I hope you weren't planning to assault me again."

  The deep vibration of his laugh rumbled against her back. "I'm sure I could manage...somehow...to get it up again for you, babe, but only if you force me."

  She snorted. "Yeah, right. You're probably already thinking of ways you can fuck me in the bathtub."

  "Hey, you're the one who brought up sex in the tub. I'm just trying to relax you."

  "I am relaxed. Too relaxed. How will I ever adjust to real life again?"

  He reached around her, wrapping his arms under her breasts to pull her closer. "Reality isn't much different, is it?"

  She tilted her head back to stare up at him. "Are you kidding? This life is too easy. We've been living a total fantasy all week."

  He cocked a brow. "Have we?"

  "Yes. A great vacation filled with hot, sunny days and warm, breezy nights. Lazing about with nothing to do but swim, see the sights, loll about in the water, eat and sleep whenever we want."

  "Don't forget all that sex."

  "Yes. All the sex, too."

  He continued to stare down at her.

  "What?" she asked.

  "I'm waiting for your point."

  "Don't you see?" She shifted around so she faced him, pulling her legs in and crossing them over his. "It's not reality. None of this has been."

  "And that's a bad thing?"

  "No. Yes. I don't know." She pulled her hands through her hair. "I'm confused, I guess."

  "What do you want, Lisa?"

  That was the million-dollar question. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, this vacation will end."

  "Yes."

  He stared at her expectantly. God, how was she going to say this? She supposed the best way was simply to put it out there. "And I don't know how to...end things with us."

  His lips curled. He laid his hands on her thighs, leaned forward, and pressed his lips to hers. "Do we have to?"

  "I don't know, Rick. I don't know where we are. Like I said, this has been a fantasy. It's been wonderful. I've enjoyed the time with you so much. But it's not reality. It's not our lives, not who we are, who we've been for the past fifteen years."

  He leaned back. "You mean divorced. Separate."

  "Yes."

  "Is that what you want?"

  Did she? She didn't know anymore. "I can't say."

  "I arranged this week as a way for us to reconnect, Lisa. To rediscover each other, to see if we still had the magic."

  There was definitely magic between them. More so now than there ever had been before. But was it enough to sustain a relationship, to build a future on? She reached for his face, sliding her palm along his jaw. "It's been amazing. More than I could ever hope for."

  "But?"

  She sensed his tension, knew anger simmered just under the surface. But she owed it to him, and to herself, to be honest. "I just don't think it's enough. I think we're trying to recapture something that's long gone, Rick.

  "I think our time is past. I think it's time we both move on with our lives."

  His jaw clenched, the parts of his body touching her tightening, too. All the joy, the relaxation she'd felt tonight, evaporated in the steam rising from the water.

  She'd hurt him. And that tore her up inside, made her stomach clench with pain.

  "Is that how you really feel?" he asked, not making a move to rise from the tub, but draping his arms over the sides. He seemed casual and relaxed, but Lisa knew he was anything but. "Do you really feel like we're over, or is that the line you're using because you're afraid?"

  Defenses up, she lifted her chin. "I'm not afraid, Rick. I just don't think you and me together is a wise idea."

  "Because?"

  "Because it's too much history."

  "All bad?"

  "No. Of course not. We have Kayla."

  "We have more than just Kayla between us."

  She rubbed her head, knowing where this was going. "Do we? There's always been Kay between us. She was the reason for our marriage, the reason we fought it out for three years before finally giving in and divorcing."

  "We divorced because we were too young, not ready, not able to handle a relationship and a child. We needed that separation until we both grew up."

  She nodded. "Yes. But still, would we have stayed together if Kayla hadn't come along?"

  He shrugged. "I don't know, Lisa. I think we would have. We're still together now."

  She let herself smile. "Not really. We're divorced, we share custody of our daughter. We raised her together. But everything has always been about Kayla. Now that she's heading off to college, I'm afraid there'll be nothing left for us to build on together."

  "There's a lot we can build on, Lisa. We have amazing chemistry, we love being together."

  "Great sex doesn't make a relationship. I'm afraid we're both holding on tight to the past because we're afraid to move into a future that doesn't include our little nuclear family. Maybe it's time we consider it."

  He took in a breath, blew it out. "You've dated other men since we've been divorced, haven't you?"

  "Yes."

  "Slept with a few?"

  "Yes."

  "Find that magic with anyone?"

  She looked down at the water, then back up at him. "No."

  "I dated a few women, slept with a few. No one...no one gives me what you do, Lisa."

  How could she feel so giddy and so awful at the same time? "I'm the mother of your child, Rick. I can't help but think your feelings for me are tied into Kayla."

  He pushed off the sides and stood, water dripping down his body as he stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel, not bothering to dry off. He dragged both hands through his wet hair and turned to her, his eyes gone storm dark with anger.

  "Our entire life isn't about Kayla. At least mine isn't. You and I aren't together, didn't come together and stay together, simply because of our daughter. And if you'd step back from the past twenty years for just a few minutes, step away from your fear of being alone, your fear of losing your daughter, of losing who you are, you might just see that I've always been there. And I wasn't j
ust there for Kayla. I was there for you, for every step you took, every time you fell, every time you needed me.

  "Not just for our daughter, but for you. That divorce decree was just a piece of paper, Lisa. I never left you. But you know what? I think you're right. I think it's time I did."

  He opened the door and closed it behind him, leaving Lisa still sitting in the tub, his words ringing in her ears and tears sliding down her cheeks.

  What had she just done?

  Ten

  Stupid. God, she'd been so damn stupid.

  Tears racked Lisa's body until she had nothing left to give. It hadn't gone the way she'd envisioned at all.

  But what had she expected? That Rick would just say that things would go on the way they had always been? That she could live in her safe little cocoon and nothing would ever change? She knew that couldn't happen. Not anymore.

  By the time Lisa had gathered her composure enough to get out of the tub, dry off, and throw on some clothes, Rick was packed and gone.

  Cold dread filled her at the realization that he'd left her, and she had no idea where he could be, no way to track him down, no way to reach him. She could try his cell phone, but would it work down here?

  What would she even say to him if she called him? She'd told him it wasn't going to work, her intent to thank him for a wonderful time, but to make it clear she didn't want to continue a relationship with him beyond their vacation. So he'd left. She'd gotten her wish, hadn't she?

  So why was she so freakin' miserable? Why did she feel she'd just made the worst mistake of her life? Why did it take such a cold slap in the face for her to realize how much she cared for him?

  He was right. Dead-on accurate with everything he'd said to her. She had been hanging on to Kayla, on to her role as Kayla's mother, afraid to take a step into adulthood and try life on her own. As a woman. She'd kept Rick at a distance all these years, still feeling that pang of longing for him but too damn afraid to say or do anything that could shatter the perfect world they'd created for Kayla. So they'd done this careful dance around each other, remaining friends--close friends--when they could have been so much more. All this time they could have been more.