Sweet Surrender (27 page)

Stacy’s arm wrapped around her waist and gave her a firm squeeze. “As Marc would say, ‘
Veni, vidi, vici.
’ We came, we saw, and we conquered some bitch ass.”

“Uh, that’s Latin, Stace,” Jenna said softly, doing a bad job at suppressing a giggle.

“Latin, Italian, whatever…” Giving a Gallic shrug, Stacy smiled. “It’s all the same to me. Bottom line, Christina Barlow met her match and ran with her tail between her legs. Now it’s time to forget about them,” Stacy practically cheered. “This is your night. We’ve got more champagne and we definitely need to pack up that slew of naughty presents before the guys come to pick us up in a little while.” She lowered her voice to a whisper as they entered the room. “I saw the size of that butt plug and I don’t want Jared getting any ideas.”

Chapter Nineteen

The tempting aroma of coffee nudged her out of a dead sleep. Groaning, she covered her head, not ready to face the morning after and the bright light of day, but the hauntingly familiar scent had long since tickled her nose and taunted her taste buds enough to kick her caffeine craving into high gear. Unable to resist its pull, she dragged her aching body out from beneath the warm covers. Glancing at the bedside clock, she saw she’d slept almost to noon. That never happened. Where was Marc? Why hadn’t he wakened her?

More than a little hung-over, she drew on her fuzzy pink robe and slipped into the matching slippers. Her head pounded in disgruntled protest of her complete disregard and abuse from the evening before. After detouring to the bathroom for a glass of water and couple of aspirin, she resumed her sluggish zombie-like shuffle. All of her senses were on a hair trigger. Her ears rebelled at the soft scuffing sound her slippers made on the plush hallway carpet. They protested greatly the thump on every wooden stair, the aftermath of the alcohol making each step reverberate like a gunshot in her head. After plodding painfully down the stairs, she reached the kitchen at last where a full pot of coffee waited. A moment later, she was sipping a steaming cup, black and brewed strong from Marc’s heavy hand with the scoop. For once, she was grateful he liked it potent, because this morning that’s exactly what she needed.

She was on her second cup when a blast of cold air filled the room. Marc walked in from the garage, arms loaded with her shower gifts.

“Morning.”

“Unggggg,” was her grunted response as she took another sip.

“Paying the devil his due, I see.”

“Champagne is not my drink.”

“Neither are strawberry margaritas by the pitcher, it would seem.”

She’d forgotten ordering those midway through the party when the champagne had run out. She took a noisy unladylike slurp of liquid caffeine in abject misery.

“The combination of the two probably didn’t help. Did you take some aspirin?”

“Yes.”

“You should be drinking water instead of coffee, baby.”

“Touch it and lose some digits, handsome.”

He chuckled. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I won’t.”

“You girls seemed to have a good time last night. How much do you remember?”

“Everything until it was almost time to go home. I vaguely remember Jenna calling for tequila shots toward the end. After that, it’s fuzzy. No one was dancing half-naked on the table or passed out when you got there, were they?”

“No. Stacy was playing hostess and mother hen. She looked a bit frazzled but had you all well in hand.”

She smiled weakly at the image of petite Stacy corralling a pack of drunken bachelorettes. “Poor Stacy, with that security deposit hanging over her head she was the only grownup in the room last night.”

“Be warned. She’s plotting her revenge for when your turn comes to play hostess. She told me so herself.”

“I bet.” Jessie chuckled regardless of the dull ache in her head. As Stacy’s maid of honor, she was busy planning her party, which was only a few weeks off. “Did everyone make it home okay?”

“Of course, Jared and I had enough designated drivers and cabs on standby to get all the ladies home safe and sound.”

“Thank you for that, and for taking care of all the gifts.”

“I hope nothing was perishable. I left them in the trunk last night and it got down below freezing.”

Thinking of the edible panties, Jessie made a face. “Uh…”

Seeing her odd expression, he began to sift through the gift bags on the table. “Seriously? I was kidding. Who would give food as a shower gift?”

“Wait!” It was too late, however, as he pulled out a box labeled Candy G-string. The picture on the package showed a naked booty with the exception of the G-string, which looked exactly like the elasticized string candy necklaces she’d loved as a child. She didn’t remember getting those. That meant the Strawberry Delights, which were like fruit roll-ups, were somewhere in one of the other bags. Suspecting that Marc was thoroughly amused, she gave him a sidelong glance. Yep, his sexy grin was firmly in place. She was so not up to this game right now.

She made a grab for the box. “Leave those. I’ll take care of them later.”

Naturally, her suggestion was ignored. “You don’t think I can actually stop after pulling out edible undies, do you? What else do you have in here?”

“None of your business.”

As she reached for the bags, which contained a whole lot worse than candy panties, he blocked her with his big body.

“C’mon. I want to see all the other sexy stuff you got. I bet there’s sexy lingerie in here.”

Her memory was fuzzy, vaguely recalling a black cupless bra and matching crotchless panties. “Marc!” This came out in a whine of complaint.

He paused in his pilfering to look at her, eyes sparkling with eager mischief. “You might as well give in now and let me see. I’ll just wear you down as always until I get my way. It might take a few hours of teasing, a little tickling, and a whole lot of kissing—everywhere.” Bending his head until his mouth brushed her ear; he licked along the outer shell. When she shivered, he nipped her lobe gently and continued in a seductive whisper. “Then if you’re still reluctant, I’ll strip you and play with your sexy body until you’re so hot and bothered you won’t be able to do anything except moan, ‘yes, Marc.’” His lips glided down her neck and nuzzled into the curve of her shoulder.

“Handsome?”

“Mm?”

“If those are supposed to be threats to earn my compliance, they’re not the least bit effective.”

The warm rush of his breath tickled her skin as he chuckled. “So what’s the plan? Naughty presents now with seduction to follow, or do we get naked first, your choice.”

“Would you be offended if I said naughty presents now? I need to finish my coffee and let my aspirin kick in. It will be much more fun when the U of M drum line isn’t pounding out Hail to the Victors on my temporal lobe.”

His hand clutched his chest and he groaned as if injured. “I’m fatally wounded! The honeymoon is over and we haven’t even had the wedding yet.”

“I’ll make it up to you with seduction and nakedness after the second or third pot.”

They both knew she’d give in after the first pot even with a hangover if he went full force with his seduction. “You’re on, but you sit on my lap while I check out your goods.”

She snorted at his sexual innuendo.

He winked at her without pause while laying out his plan. “And, since I have to delay my gratification for at least another pot or two, I am assessing the penalty of one toy. I get to use it whenever and however I want. I’ll leave the choice of which one up to you. Sound fair?”

“Could be fun, except there are some battery-operated vibrating things in there that could be noisy, so no exhibitionist venues or the deal is off.”

“And here I was planning to strip you naked in the middle of Ford Field as part of the next half-time show. Now I’ll have to come up with another idea.”

“Don’t even think about it,” she protested. “I know you have fifty-yard line seats.”

He snickered and she smacked him playfully before heading for the coffeepot to top off. “Is everything sexual with you?”

“Baby, I’ve got over a dozen bags of sex toys on my dining room table, a hot fiancée who promised me sex after she overdoses on caffeine, plus I get to use a yet-to-be-identified sex toy on said hot fiancée anyway I want it, so, yeah, it’s all sexual with me.”

She was smiling when she came back and he promptly settled her onto his lap, eager to dig in.

“This is like Christmas morning. You first,” he said, holding the first up like a grab bag, where she couldn’t see it.

Reaching inside, she found there were several items inside. She felt around for something safe, but everything was encased in plastic blister packs. Her fingers brushed over a flip-top cap and she snagged it, thinking that anything in a squeeze bottle would be safe. Closing her eyes, she held it up.

“Flavored massage oil, very nice. My turn.”

She opened her eyes and saw him set the bottle of Cinnalicious Body Oil on the table. In small letters on the label, she noticed the words ‘self-heating.’ She immediately imagined a variety of places the oil could be used and despite how her head felt, a tingle started between her thighs. She could practically taste the flavor of cinnamon on her tongue, which made her think of Red Hots. When she was a kid, she loved Red Hots, but the cinnamon-flavored candy always blistered her tongue. The aspirin and coffee must have been doing their thing because her brain quickly jumped from point A to point B. Red Hots on certain intimate body parts could cause far worse than a tingle or burning ache; a blistered pussy, for example. She squirmed in his lap at the thought.

When his big hand disappeared into the same bag, before she could think she cried out, “Wait!”

His eyes shifted to hers, a dark brow arching in question.

“Close your eyes like I did.”

One side of his mouth quirked up in response. “You wouldn’t be stalling, would you, baby?”

“Yes, if truth be told, I would.”

His full lips curved in amusement, but he closed his eyes. The bag rustled and Jessie bit her lip in anticipation as he pulled out the next item. As soon as she read Crystal Heart of Glass and saw the graduated phallic wand with the heart-shaped flange on the end, she sucked in a deep gulp of air and nearly choked. Her hand shot out and she stripped it from his grasp, shoving it under her robe as his eyes popped open. Cinnamon oil on a glass anal plug, holy shit!

“I’ve changed my mind. I’d like the seduction instead, please. Let’s get naked, big guy.” Rising, she tugged on his hand.

“Too late, we’ve started playing this game. Besides, now I’m intrigued.” He pulled her between his thighs and made her sit. “Show it to me.”

Her eyes clashed with his. “Un-uh.”

“Come on, Jess. How bad can it be?”

“Bad.”

“Show me.”

“Really bad.”

“Now, baby.”

Shaking her head emphatically, her face burned like fire. Undeterred, he slipped a hand inside her robe, his seeking hands easily relieving her of the embarrassing item. She closed her eyes, waiting.

“This isn’t bad at all. I’ve used a vibe on you plenty of times.”

“Yes, but that’s a butt plug… made of glass.”

“Yeah, we can have fun with this. Listen to this.” He began to read the package, low and sultry, his voice oh so sexy. “Sleek and smooth for both vaginal and anal penetration—”

She tensed involuntarily as he said the words anal penetration. Had he noticed? What was she saying? This was Marc… of course he noticed.

“Anal, that’s what freaked you out?”

“Look at the size of that, wouldn’t you?”

“I’ll be gentle,
cara,
and make it good for you. The other features sound fun too. It says ‘heat it up for a realistic feeling during play or cool it down and make you lover squeal with icy cold sensations.’”

“I need more coffee, maybe with some hair of the dog in it.”

He wouldn’t let her go, holding her firmly in place. “Baby, these are toys. They’re meant to be fun. It’s not any different from me using my tongue or fingers on you. We’ll still be together. This will only add a little twist to our lovemaking.”

“Looks more like a kink than a twist.”

“And what we do now isn’t kinky? Taking you over my knee, spanking you until your pussy is hot and you’re squirming across my lap, or begging for my fingers to bring you off. Most folks would say that’s kinky. Or when you ride me all wet and wild and—”

She stopped him, her hand pressing firmly over his mouth. “I give. Can you do me a favor though?”

He eased away from her hand. “Anything.”

“Take all of this stuff and hide it. Use it, don’t use it, whatever, just don’t tell me.”

He frowned. “I don’t understand, what—”

Her fingers stopped him, her face burning as she tried to make him see. “I love to play with you, handsome, I do, even more so because you set the pace and decide. I don’t have to think. You do it naturally, without giving me time to think about some of the things we do, and when it comes to all this,” she swept her hand out toward the toy-laden table, “I need that even more. I’m willing to try, but I get anxious when I think too much, so I want you to surprise me. Does that make sense?”

“It does,
cara.
You want me in charge. I know that. It’s been clear since the first time I kissed you in the locker room. Conversely, I like to control the play. That’s why we work, baby.” His lips beneath her fingers parted and he sucked the tip of one into his mouth. “These toys get you hot, but they make you feel naughty, don’t they? However, if I choose the play, if I’m the bad boy, you still get to be my good girl, don’t you?”

Her eyes locked on his mouth as he nibbled and kissed her fingers. “Is that silly?”

“No, it’s damn sexy.” He began to suck on her fingers as his hand dipped inside her robe and tweaked a nipple, pinching and rolling it.

“Marc,” she moaned, arching into his hand. “What am I going to do with you?”

“As you requested,
cara mia,
that will be my surprise.” His lips curved into a wicked grin and she knew his mind was racing, formulating ideas for their kinky play without even knowing the contents of the remaining bags. She had given him free rein. Her mind flashed to the beginner’s bondage kit, with its cuffs, blindfold, and paddle. Although she loved sex with him, she knew it would take time, a very long time, before she’d work up the nerve to ask for something like that, but if he took the lead… He was exactly right, she couldn’t say no.