“I know that look. No, you don’t stink. I just wanna play some water games with you.”

She flashed back to the hot tub incident the night he’d meted out her penalties. After blowing him while he’d floated on the surface of the water, he’d fucked her tits again.

Slower, longer, taking more time to arouse her by playing with her nipples and letting her suckle just the tip of his cock. Then he’d bent her over the edge, perfectly aligning her clit with a water jet and mounted her from behind like a stallion and fucked her until she screamed her release.

“AJ,” he warned.

“And if I say no?”

“I’ll say tough shit, we’re doin’ it anyway.”

“Sorta thought you might say that.”

“Roll over. I need to untie your hands.”

He made quick work of the rope. Before she sat up, he trailed his lips down the curve of her right butt cheek, and back up the left. She tried to get up but he pushed his hand in the middle of her back and held her down.

“Ah-ah-ah. Not so fast. For this next lesson, you’re gonna be blindfolded too.”

Something cool slipped over her eyes. “Wait a minute…you said too.”

Cord slithered the rope across her spine and chuckled.

“You’re tying me up again?”

“Yep.”

“I’m starting to get worried about your penchant for bondage, McKay.”

His breath was hot in her ear. “Only with you. Only for you. Come on.” He tugged her upright and led her into the bathroom. “Small step up. Hands above your head. Back up. Perfect. Hold still.”

He tied her arms to the metal showerhead. “What in the world—”

“No talkin’. Don’t make me gag you, because I will.”

She stuck out her tongue.

He caught it between his teeth and gently bit down, then sucked it like he’d sucked her clit. “Last warnin’. Be right back.”

Her heart beat harder. She listened to bottles chinking against the tile and the sink being turned on and off. She heard him unbuckle and unzip his Wranglers, the whooshing thud as they hit the floor. Strange how tuned in she was to the sound of him stripping.

Cord stepped inside and said, “Cold?”

She sensed him drooling over her hard nipples. “Is it obvious?”

“Uh-huh. Let me see if I can’t warm you up.”

AJ expected him to turn on the shower, not fasten his mouth to her nipple. By the time he finished worshipping her breasts, he’d heated her up past warm to the boiling point.

Cord pressed his hot, naked body against hers. He nuzzled her throat. “Got something I want you to taste.”

“Didn’t I just do that?”

“Mmm. Funny. Open up.”

She shrank back. “It’s not soap, is it?”

“No. Open up and stick out your tongue.”

“Fine.” She did. A heavy, sticky dollop landed dead center. She closed her mouth and swallowed.

He murmured, “What is it?”

“Honey?”

“Good answer.” Droplets of that same sticky substance landed on her breasts. Her belly. The tops of her thighs.

“What are you doing?”

“Makin’ you my personal lollipop. I’m gonna lick it all off. Every. Single. Drop.”

Everything inside her went red-hot with want.

“Open up and stick out your tongue.”

She did. Something warm ran off the sides and down her chin. She licked her lips.

“Chocolate syrup.”

“Very good.” Cord drizzled warm syrup down her neck. He squirted so much on her breasts she felt it dripping from her nipples. He coated the inside of her thighs. Then he licked her chin and her lips before he blew her mind with another soul kiss. “Tasty. Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.”

“How many flavors am I gonna be?”

“Anxious to feel my tongue on you? Licking off every bit of sweetness?”

Her sex clenched hard. “Cord. You’re making me crazy.”

“I know, baby doll, that’s the point.” He used his teeth to tug her earlobe, sending goosebumps through her from her scalp to her curled toes. “Now be a good girl and stick out your tongue or I’ll turn on the shower and let it clean you off instead of me.”

“No! I—I’ll be good. I promise.” AJ stuck out her tongue. A solid blob this time. She closed her mouth and chewed. “Peach jam. Specifically your mom’s peach jam.”

“I’m impressed.”

“We have half a dozen jars at our apartment. It’s the one food thing Keely refuses to be without. She’s making me bring a couple more pints home to Denver when I go back.”

A beat of silence, then, “I’m not smearin’ jam on you. So, open your mouth for the next one.”

AJ wondered what’d thrown him. A reference to the fact she’d be returning to that apartment? Or the idea Denver would be her only home?

“AJ,” he warned.

She opened her mouth. More sticky liquid dribbled down her chin. “Chokecherry syrup.”

“You have highly developed taste buds, let’s see how mine feel against your skin.”

Cord began his onslaught at her neck and licked his way down. Sometimes fast.

Sometimes slow. Sometimes scraping his teeth on her flesh. Sometimes using suckling kisses.

But every sweep of his tongue, every hot breath, every groan and sigh only pushed her further to the edge. Her heart, her arms, her belly, her legs—all trembled. Her pussy in particular quivered for the feel of that brilliant tongue.

Finally he said, “Spread your legs.”

Her blood seemed to pound right out of her veins as she slid her bare feet across the cool tile.

“Do you remember the prize you won last night?”

“Uh. Yeah. Why?”

A buzzing noise sounded beside her right ear.

“No. Is that the…?”

“Yep. Picked up off the front seat of your car. Didn’t want your sister or your nieces and nephew to find it first. Plus I thought we might need it today. You know, for a little comparison.”

“Cord—”

“Oh, no need to thank me, baby doll. Watchin’ this plastic cock disappear into your pussy will be thanks enough.” The buzzing stopped. “I lubed it with K-Y, but hold still while I put it in.”

The vibrator slid in easily. Whoa. Talk about bizarre, having a plastic cock inside her; no warmth, no life, no heat, no pliancy. What was the appeal?

Then Cord turned it on and she knew.

“Oh-man-oh-man-oh-man.” The part inside her pussy vibrated differently than the one on her clit. The interior wand seemed to be spinning. Slow. Fast. Slow. Fast.

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It feels…weird. But in a good way. In a really good way all of sudden.” She felt him smile against her breast.

“I ain’t gonna turn it to warp speed. While it’s doin’ it’s thing, I’m gonna do mine.

God, I love your tits. Especially without the condiments.”

She arched when Cord sucked her nipple, which pressed the outside apparatus more firmly against her clit. Her whole body shook. The darkness, the sweet scents in the enclosed damp space, the hunger of Cord’s mouth, the feel of his hard body, and the loss of the use of her hands—all overpowering sensations. The unrelenting vibrations inside her pussy and on her clit were setting her on a path to the fastest orgasm of her life.

“It’s too much, it’s—” She gasped as the climax struck fierce as chain lightning, in intense bursts, flash after flash of light behind her eyelids and then it was gone.

The buzzing stopped. Cord removed the vibrator and his mouth was on hers. He untied her hands.

She sagged against him. He turned the shower on, letting the cold water hit his back until it heated. Droplets of water sprayed her face and scented steam filled her nostrils.

Cord washed her off as he kissed her; his rough hands seemed bigger when they were wet. He said, “I want you like this. Turn around.”

He braced her hands on the wall, bending her forward until she was nearly at a right angle. He kicked her feet apart, tilted her hips and slid into her to the hilt. And stopped.

“Cord?”

His chest pressed into her spine. “I want to fuck you like an animal—”

“Then do it. Take what you want. You have the reins.”

He groaned and sank his teeth into the back of her neck, sending a fresh batch of tremors through her body before he stood up and slammed home.

Over and over. Harder than he’d ever done before.

Cord didn’t speak beyond grunts. He just systematically fucked her into oblivion.

Good thing she’d braced herself. It was almost like he was trying to fuck her through the wall. When he came, snarling, pounding his flesh into hers, she swore even his semen burned hotter.

She sensed a shift in him. His breathing leveled, resembling a wave of shame as he retreated from her body with exquisite care. AJ walked her hands up the wall. She spun around blindly, reaching for him.

God, she loved this man. She loved his gruff, sweet, thoughtful sides. And his edgy side. She wasn’t in love with the perfect Cord McKay she’d been fantasizing over forever, but the real flesh and blood man. The real man. Flaws and all.

And she knew without a doubt he’d break her heart. His stubborn pride would stand in the way of them being together. She had too much pride to do all the work of making him see how good they could be together for the long haul if he’d just be patient. She’d been doing all the work in all aspects of her life and she deserved a man who would meet her halfway. She deserved a man she didn’t have to beg to love her.

AJ coiled her arms around his waist and kissed his chest, above his heart, making a wish. Please love me. Please see what we could have together. Please figure it out on your own.

“You okay?”

“Tired. Your water games wore me out.”