Soul Chance (21 page)

“No.” Ari moaned as Ryder captured her clit between his fingers. “I never imagined wanting a spanking.”

“
Needing
a spanking, because let’s face it, you asked for this, Ari.” Ryder gave her clit a squeeze, making Ari moan.

She whined when he released his hold on her. Her pulse leaped upon hearing the rustle of clothing being shed. She was closer than ever to getting what she wanted.

“Now…” Ryder rubbed his cock between her stinging ass cheeks. “What was the count?”

“Seven.”

“Ah, yes.”

Ari gasped as Ryder pushed his cock into her, holding onto the bench with a low whimper as he thrust forward, filling her up. This was what she’d been craving all evening. Her entire body hummed at a different frequency. Ari relished the sensations building within her as she closed her eyes. She groaned when Ryder pulled his cock out. “More.”

His deep laugh brought a faint smile to Ari’s lips. “More?”

“Yes.” Ari yelped when Ryder gave her two more smacks. “Six. Five.” Ari panted. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know.” Ryder traced a circle on her back with his thumb.

Ari took pleasure in hearing that Ryder’s voice was as husky as hers. Knowing he got as much enjoyment from giving her spanking as she did receiving it always aroused her even more. Ari raised up on the balls of her feet with a tiny gasp as he sank his cock back into her. “Oh, yes. That’s what I want.”

Ryder kept still within her. It took effort to slow her breathing down with every inch of him deep in her pussy.

“What’s the count?” Ryder pumped into her twice then stopped, eliciting another wretched moan from Ari.

“F—five.” Ari gripped the bench harder, anticipating Ryder’s hand upon her backside. She focused on the name of the piano embossed on the wood in front of her. Ari exhaled, resisting the urge to look back at him when he didn’t continue the spanking. She wanted to swear when Ryder continued to make her wait.

Ari tightened her walls around his cock and Ryder swore, making her grin. She was pleased she could inflict a little sensual torture on him even in her vulnerable position. Her naughty gratification was short lived as Ryder pulled out of her and rained three stinging slaps across her each ass cheeks. “Four. Three. Two.” Ari gritted her teeth, breathing through the pain. Her pussy throbbed almost as much as her bottom.

“Two more.” Ryder brushed his palm over Ari’s back. “You know? I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of warming this ass with my hand. I’m almost sorry there are only two spanks left to give you.”

Sweaty and unsated, Ari felt her legs quiver. She attempted to lock them then cried out as Ryder finished her spanking. “Two. One.” Trembling all over, Ari drew in several deep breaths. “Two.” Ari paused a second as her voice wavered. “One.”

“Stand up and turn around, Ari.”

Ari obeyed, wobbly in her movements. She looked up at Ryder as he brushed away tears she hadn’t realized she’d shed, moved by his gentle touch.

“So beautiful.” Ryder bent his head, gave her a feather-light kiss on the lips then kissed her damp cheeks.

Ari wrapped her hand around his cock. “So hard.” She grinned at Ryder’s throaty laugh as he led her into the master suite. Her stilettos clicked on the wooden floor, the erotic sound dialing up Ari’s hunger for Ryder as they entered the bedroom.

Moonlight poured in over the bed through the sheers on the floor length windows. Without bothering to turn on the lights, Ari moved past Ryder and went over to the bed. She sat down, wincing when her aching bottom touched the cool sheets.

“Take off your bra.”

Ari reached behind her and unclasped her remaining piece of lingerie. She tossed the bra to the foot of the bed, took off her heels and lay against the pillows. Her gaze drifted over Ryder’s hard muscles to his stiff cock. Ari teased her nipple with one hand and beckoned Ryder with the other.

Ryder joined her on the bed, nudging her thighs apart as he covered her body with his. Ari slid her hand between them and guided him into her. Rubbing her clit, she mewled with each slow stroke Ryder gave her. Ari lifted her face and kissed him, whimpering as Ryder rocked her faster.

Ari’s orgasm took her by surprise. She gazed up at Ryder, passion-dazed as he kissed her again. Her mouth parted in a silent gasp as she surrendered to the sweet sensations rendering her boneless beneath Ryder. Ari moaned as Ryder came, overwhelmed by his final thrusts.

Ryder moved from between her legs, making Ari whimpered again as he shifted his body to lie beside her. Too tired to move, Ari slid her hand over to Ryder’s side and smiled when he interlaced his fingers with hers. “So good.”

“Indeed.” Ryder turned his head to look at her. “I was thinking about this at the most inappropriate times during dinner.”

“Mmm. You’re naughty.” Ari turned on her side, once again aware of her tender flesh.

“So are you.” Ryder gave her a mock disapproving look. “You flashed me your nipple from inside the kitchen when everyone else was in the pool.”

Ari giggled, feeling scandalous. “You dared me to.”

“Well, I can’t wait for the next party then.”

“Uh uh. I’m not doing any more dares at social functions.”

“We’ll see.” Ryder got up and came to her side. He held out his hands. “Come with me.”

Ari groaned. “I’m too sleepy and tender to move.”

“That’s why I’m making you a bubble bath.”

Ari smiled as she took hold of Ryder’s hands. “You always know exactly what I need.”

* * * *

An hour later, Ari nestled against the leather pillows on the couch, in full relaxation mode. She giggled when Ryder appeared with another glass of champagne. “Haven’t we had enough?”

“No way.”

Ari accepted the flute from Ryder and took a sip as he turned on the modern gas fireplace in front of them. She sipped her drink as he sat next to her on the couch.

“How do you feel?”

“Mmm.” Ari snuggled next to him. “Loved.”

“You are.” He put his arm around her and Ari sighed with contentment.

They drank their champagne in a companionable silence for a few minutes, both gazing at the flickering flames. Ari cast a quick glance at Ryder, knowing she’d never been happier, more in sync or in love than she was with him.

Ryder brushed his hand over her hair. “Are you too tired to share that song you were telling me about earlier?”

“Ooo…” Ari placed her glass on a coaster on the coffee table. “Of course not.”

Eager for Ryder to hear the song, Ari padded over to the piano in her fuzzy pink bathrobe. She stepped between the bench and the piano, remembering what had happened there only a short while ago. Ari rubbed her bottom through her robe, giggling when Ryder laughed. She sat down, placed her hand on the lid covering the keys then looked at Ryder. “Now, I’m trusting you not to judge the song based on my meager attempt to plunk out the melody I’ve got playing in my head.”

“You know I won’t.” Ryder came over to the piano to stand next to her. “Go ahead.”

“Okay.” Ari pushed back the lid on the piano and gasped. She stared in shock at the small black letters spaced out on the keys that read
Will You Marry Me?

“Oh, my, God.
Ryder?
” Ari turned to him, her eyes filling with tears as he got down on one knee in front of her.

“Ari, love may be a gamble, but living my life without you by my side isn’t worth the risk.” Ryder produced a small black box from his pajama pocket and Ari gasped again when he opened it, revealing a stunning solitaire inside. “Ari Dax, love of my life, song of my heart…will take a chance on us?”

Ari threw her arms around Ryder with a joyful squeal. “Yes!”

Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:

Ample Delights

Nichelle Gregory

Excerpt

Chapter One

“Terrah, can you add a few more sparkles to Jocelyn’s eye makeup?”

“My pleasure. Can you look up for me?” Terrah asked Jocelyn. She ignored the model’s bored sigh as she began to apply more blue rhinestones around her eyes.

The blonde bombshell could be a pain to work with, but today she was worse than usual.

Biting back a sigh of her own, Terrah dusted her brush on her hand before applying more of the smoky bronze eyeshadow to highlight Jocelyn’s blue eyes.

“How’s this?” Terrah asked, turning to Michelle.

The art director had been instrumental in helping Terrah build her portfolio when she’d first started by recommending her to other clients. Terrah had snagged some of the best jobs of her career because of Michelle’s confidence in and praise for her work.

“Perfect!” Michelle looked at her watch. “We start shooting in twenty minutes.”

“Perfect,” Jocelyn muttered as she scrutinized her appearance in the mirror. She got up from her chair, stunning in the couture evening gown that clung to her slender form, and walked away.

Michelle frowned. “She’s in a mood today.”

“I couldn’t tell.”

Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on the art director, and they both chuckled as Terrah stored her brushes.

“You’d think she’d be in a great mood”—Michelle shook her head as she fiddled with her iPad—“especially since she’s working with Nick today.”

Nick Tasso.

Everyone in the world of fashion knew his name. He was one of the most sought-after male models in the business. Tabloid pictures of Nick and Jocelyn kissing in a club had circulated in entertainment news for months. Today would be Terrah’s first time working with him.

“Speak of the
gorgeous
devil…”

Terrah glanced up from her makeup case to see Nick approaching them. Her heart skipped a beat as her gaze skated over the Greek model.

Lawd, have mercy.

Nick Tasso was beyond gorgeous. Dressed in an elegant tux, he was positively lethal to any female with a pulse, and Terrah’s was racing. He was sexier in person than on the magazine pages she’d never admit to having stared at before arriving at the studio. His thick, dark brown hair gleamed almost black in the studio. He had beautiful…no,
mesmerizing
green eyes framed by long, sooty lashes on a profile the gods had surely chiseled with love, by hand. Terrah loved the way his olive skin contrasted perfectly with the pristine white tuxedo shirt, which he wore open, revealing taut abs beneath. His dark good looks
belonged
on the glossy pages of magazines, to be seen and adored by women all over the world.

Adored and ogled.

Terrah cursed under her breath, annoyed by her thoughts. She was used to working in close proximity with beautiful females and males. It was her job, and not once had she been physically attracted to a model.

Until today.

“Ready for me?” Nick asked, flashing them both a brilliant smile before turning his green eyes on Terrah.

His deep voice reminded her of warm leather, strong and soothing to the senses.

“I am.” Terrah patted the chair beside her. “Have a seat here.”

“You’ll be in good hands with Terrah.”

Michelle winked at her as Nick sat down. The art director walked off, and Terrah ignored the flutter of butterflies in her stomach as she fished around in her makeup case for the right powder for Nick. She selected a sponge for application, then pivoted on her heels to find Adonis looking right at her.

And that would be because you’re right in his face.

“This won’t take long. Can you take off your shirt? I don’t want to get makeup on it.”

“No problem.”

Terrah stepped out of his way as he stood up to shrug out of his tuxedo jacket and shirt. Her pulse quickened as her eyes swept over hard, defined muscles. She met his eyes and knew, finally knew, what it meant to be spellbound by a man.

How could she have thought his eyes were simply green?
They were aqua green.

Like the ocean.

Terrah straightened her back, annoyed by the flash of heat running up her neck to her cheeks. She prided herself on being a seasoned professional, unaffected by the plethora of male goodness she often found herself surrounded by. Besides, she refused to mentally moon over a pretty-boy model, especially one dating someone as vapid and annoying as Jocelyn. He was obviously into boring, bone-skinny blondes.

Terrah pressed the sponge to Nick’s face and quickly blended the foundation into his skin. It took all of her energy to focus on her task and not the strong line of his jaw or his ripped abs she lightly dusted. She was almost done when Jocelyn rounded the small partition in front of Terrah’s workspace.

“Nick, we need to talk.”

“Not now, Jocelyn.”

Terrah sensed rather than heard the steel in Nick’s voice. “It’s okay, I’m all done.” She stepped away from him, hoping they’d leave her area to have their lovers’ quarrel.

“Thank you,” Nick said with a warm smile.

“You’re welcome.”

Terrah returned his grin as he got up, grabbed his jacket and shirt and strode past Jocelyn. She couldn’t help watching the two models as they walked out of earshot, speaking in hushed tones. It was clear they were at odds about something from Terrah’s vantage point. Jocelyn was pissed off, and Nick seemed unconcerned about whatever was bothering her as Michelle effectively ended their little tête-à-tête by calling the models to their places.

Terrah moved toward the set, feeling the familiar surge of adrenaline rush through her as the photo shoot began. With a critical eye, she looked at her work beneath the bright lights. She admired the breathtaking design of the shimmering magenta gown molded to Jocelyn’s willowy frame. The blonde looked amazing, leaning into Nick’s sculpted body with her hand pressed on his smooth chest. This shoot was going to catapult Jocelyn into the supermodel stratosphere.

And I did the makeup.

Terrah grinned. She was pleased with her work and the direction her career was taking. Her smiled faded a little as her gaze wandered over to the photographer, who was busy snapping frame after frame.