Sweet Obsession: Windy City Kink, Book 1 (31 page)

He laughed. “I worked as a bartender in California my last couple years of college. I actually loved it, even though I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

She was thankful she’d included the bar in her design, since it was something that made him so happy.

When they’d finished eating and cleared away their dishes, Sasha showed him the lighting features she’d designed for night, accent lighting that highlighted plants and architectural details, the task lighting in the form of outdoor floor lamps that could be used to read by, the small lamps that washed walls with light to create ambient lighting.

“Tell me about the plants.”

“Sure.” They moved around and she pointed out the bamboo and Japanese maple trees. “The annual flowers can be changed every year, of course.” She pointed at grape vines starting to climb up posts. “Eventually the vines will cover over some of the lattice above. These pots have tulips and daffodils right now, but when they’re done I’ll replace them with summer annuals.”

“Hey, aren’t these violets?” He looked at her. “I remember you used to have pots of these in your bedroom. All different colors.”

“Yes.” She cast him a quick glance. “I hope you don’t mind I included them.”

“Of course not. I like them. They remind me of you. What are these flowers again?” He paused to touch the yellow, white and red petals.

“Camellias.”

“Right. They’re gorgeous.”

“I did some research so that I knew the meanings of some of the flowers,” she said, suddenly hesitant to tell him.

“Oh yeah? What do violets mean?”

“Honesty.”

“Huh. Really.” He gave her a slow smile. “What else?”

“The tulips mean trust and the daffodils mean respect.”

He fastened his intent gaze on her face. “Yeah.”

She nodded, her insides tightening. “And the camellias mean…um, the white ones mean waiting.” His eyes darkened. “The yellow ones mean longing. And the red ones mean…” She swallowed. “In love.”

She watched his face, the way his pupils dilated and his mouth softened. And he reached for her and drew her against him, wrapping his arms around her. She let herself sink into his embrace, her face pressed to his shoulder.

“All very appropriate,” he said in a husky voice. “Sasha. God.”

Her heart swelled up, punching hard against her ribs, her breath deserting her.

He drew back to look into her eyes. “Sasha. I love you. I always have.”

She stared back at him, heat suffusing her body. “Oh Jack. I love you too.”

“Want to make love to you out here,” he murmured. “Right now.”

Without a word, she turned and led him across the patio, to the separate seating area she’d created outside his bedroom. Here she’d created a cozy grouping with a sectional couch and a chair, all with thick cushions on the back and seating areas, along with a few cube tables that held more candles and plants.

The city lights cast enough of a glow from the tall buildings around them that they didn’t need to turn on the lamps that sat there, but she did turn on the patio heater with a quick smile at him, and she handed him the lighter to light the candles.

“The beauty of this furniture,” she said in a low voice, “is that you can move it around into endless combinations.” She shifted one of the corner pieces and then another, basically creating…a bed.

“Nice.”

“And there’s more storage here.” She opened a cupboard built against the wall, completely enclosed from the elements, and pulled out a soft blanket.

“Wait. I have something for you,” he said. “It’s in my bedroom. I’ll be right back.” He gave her temple a quick kiss and disappeared into his bedroom. When he returned, he carried a small box and they both sat on the bed. She looked at him curiously as she took the box.

It wasn’t wrapped, just a very elegant matte white box, and she lifted the lid off and set it aside. Inside were three pieces of what appeared to be gold jewelry, but she blinked a little as she studied them. “Um. I hate to sound ungrateful, but…what are they?”

His smile flashed white in the twilight evening. “Jewelry.”

“Well. I sort of figured that out. I’m just not sure where to put them.”

“Let me show you.” His voice had gone deep and smoky. “I’ve been dying to see these on you.”

“Okay.”

“Take your sweater off.”

She blinked. “What?”

He motioned with his hand. “Your sweater. And your bra. Take them off.”

Heat slid all through her as she lifted the hem of the long sweater she wore over black leggings. She set it aside, then unfastened her bra and slipped it off. She sat there in the open air, the night breeze teasing her nipples into hard little points. Her breathing quickened as Jack studied her.

“So pretty,” he murmured. He lifted one of the tiny gold rings that was far too small to fit on her finger. He opened it a little, then reached out and pinched her left nipple. Heat sizzled to her core and her body tightened. He rolled the nipple between thumb and forefinger until it was even more erect, and then she watched as he slipped the tiny gold ring into his mouth against his teeth. He leaned over and sucked her nipple into his mouth, and when he drew back, the ring enclosed her nipple. Her breath caught as he gave it a gentle squeeze to tighten it around her sensitive flesh. He looked up at her. “Like it?”

“Um…yes.”

Her heart beat faster as he put the other one on her right nipple. The squeeze of the metal was just tight enough to keep her nipples erect. He brushed his fingertips over them and gave her a satisfied smile. “Beautiful.”

She looked down at herself, her breasts full and round in the shadowy light, the nipples now held out and defined. “They could be…a little tighter.”

He made a small noise that might have been a groan as he reached out and pinched the tiny rings tighter. The sensation was exquisite, her nipples clasped in a soft bite of pleasure. Heat spiraled down to her pussy and she dragged her tongue over her bottom lip.

“And this…” He lifted the other piece from the box. She almost would have guessed it to be a hair pin, but with a wider opening, and slender chains adorned with sparkling crystals dangled from the open ends. “This is a clit clip.”

“Oh God.” More heat flashed through her veins.

He lifted his chin to indicate she should stand and she did so, slowly pushing the stretchy leggings down over hips and thighs. Her panties went along with them and she sat again to pull them all the way off, her ballet flats dropping to the floor.

“Lie back.”

She reclined, watching him, and he gently spread her legs. With his powerful focus on her pussy, he carefully parted her inner lips to reveal her clit then slid the clip over it. The delicate pinch had tingles building there, spreading through her body.

“Want you to wear these to the party tomorrow,” his husky voice urged her. “Beneath your clothes. I want to know that every time you move, your clit gets a little pinch, and your nipples are hard and sensitive under your dress.”

A warm buzz flowed through her veins.

“These mean you’re mine, Sasha.” He kissed her mouth. “Mine.”

Her heart swelled and she reached for him, the nipple rings sending shimmers of sensation straight to her womb, the clip on her clit making her ache even more. Her pussy gave a warm squeeze. “I love you,” she whispered.

He stood and removed his clothes, and she watched him bare his beautiful body to her. Hopefully not to others, as he undressed out there on the rooftop. In the shadows of the pergola, they weren’t likely visible to anyone else. When he was naked, he moved over her, pulling the blanket over both of them to keep the cool night air from them. Heat shimmered from the patio heater, although excitement was burning her up from the inside. When he moved over her, his naked body transferred even more heat, his skin scorching hot, the touch of his hand sending warmth all through her.

He caught her wrists in his hands and stretched them up above her head, lowering his mouth to hers in a long, intoxicating kiss. Pinned by his body, her mouth captured by his, her hands restrained, her heart opened. She was his. And beneath the night sky, clouds luminous with light from the city, glittering skyscrapers rising on one side of them and the endless black of the lake stretching out on the other, he claimed her with greedy demand, fierce hunger and tender possession.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jack watched Sasha mingling with some guests, smiling as she listened to what the woman said to her, nodding. She held a wine glass in her hand and her blonde hair flowed over her bare shoulders. The bright red dress with a criss-cross halter neckline hugged her breasts and waist and then flared out above her knees, and the red heels she wore damn near made him drool.

And he got hard every time he thought about the jewelry she wore beneath the dress, the little gold rings that squeezed her nipples into stiff points, the clip that pinched her clit and the little crystals that had to be brushing her inner thighs as she moved.

The evening was fun. Ines had done a great job of organizing things and all had gone smoothly. The hired bartender kept people’s drinks filled at the bar, and the caterer ensured that platters and bowls of appetizers were replenished. Music drifted around them on the night air through the hidden sound system, the playlist he and Sasha had put together that afternoon, laughingly arguing over Frank Ocean and the Black Eyed Peas.

His new rooftop garden was stunning and pretty much every single person there had told him so. He’d given Sasha all the credit and introduced her to so many people. Damn, he hoped this turned into more business for her. She was so freakin’ talented and he had the patio to show for it.

He watched Emma and Kevin in a private moment across the patio, leaning against one of the walls that overlooked the city. His chest tightened at the look on her face as she laughed up at something Kevin had said. They seemed good together. It made him a little nuts, thinking of her getting serious about some guy, but damn, what could he say? He wanted her to be happy. And Sasha kept telling him what a good guy Kevin was, so he’d pushed down his reservations and overprotective urges and just let things go.

“Great party.” Adam spoke behind him, and he turned.

“Thanks.”

“I talked to Ben Hooper. They’re interested in improving their security. I’m supposed to call him Monday and set up a meeting. You want me to include you?”

“Yeah. Please.”

Adam followed Jack’s gaze across the patio to where Sasha stood. “She’s having a good time tonight.”

Jack smiled. “Yeah. I hope so. She deserves it.”

“It is amazing.” Adam swept out a hand. “Great night for a party too.”

“Could be a little warmer. But with the heaters going, it’s comfortable.”

Some of the women had donned sweaters over their dresses, with the new structures that provided shelter from the wind, the heaters and the many bodies filling the space, it was fine. Jack looked at people sitting on the couches, snacking on appetizers and talking, others standing in small groups near the bar or the water feature. Others had even moved to the sitting area near the bedroom, and with a moveable lattice partition rolled aside, it opened it up to the rest of the patio. It was genius, really, one large party space that could easily be turned into several smaller intimate spaces.

He became aware of raised voices to his right and glanced at a couple who’d moved apart from the party and stood there talking. He couldn’t make out words, but the tone had changed to one of anger, and he watched the guy move closer to the woman in an almost threatening way. Her hands tightened on her drink and she stepped back, but he followed her, saying something in a hard voice, his face drawn into lines of anger.

“Who’s that?” he asked Adam quietly. Adam followed his gaze.

“Uh. Payton Smith. She’s the VP of operations at the bank—Michigan Trust. That’s her boyfriend.”

“Oh. I thought you were interested in her.”

“I was, until I found out she has a boyfriend.”

“They don’t seem too happy at the moment.”

Adam shrugged and sipped his drink. “Yeah. No idea what that’s about.”

“The deal’s done, right?”

“Contract’s all signed.”

The woman worked for Sasha’s dad. Sasha had decided not to invite her parents or her brothers. He’d been intensely disappointed by that, despite the fact that facing them again after what had happened was about as appealing as leaping off the edge of his twenty-eighth floor patio. Hell, he’d been more than disappointed, after what they’d shared last night.

At that moment, he and Adam were joined by a few of their staff he’d invited and he got into a conversation with them. Sasha had moved on to another group of people, friends she’d invited, and he watched her from the corner of his eye. He noticed that she listened a lot to other people, occasionally asking questions. It seemed that people liked to talk to her.

As did he.

It was about way more than just fucking. Or even about bondage. But goddamn, he wanted to wrap her up in his ropes with an intense ache.

Hell yeah, he was in love with her. But that didn’t change who he was. He was getting frustrated at not being able to express his true self with her. He wanted to be with her more than anything, but denying who he really was, was making him insane.