Hitting the Mark

Yeah, she just bet she did. A wave of anger killed the last of her pleasure buzz. Would it feel good when she duct taped his mouth?

Yep, fake it. She sighed and made a moan deep in her throat to speed things along.

He now moved inside her more purposefully, his breathing becoming more strained. She almost grinned. He’d bought it. This faking business wasn’t going to be so difficult. Who’d ever invented it sure had the right idea. Add a moan here and there and he’d be done.

Now wait a minute. Why should the lying bastard be having any fun? If she didn’t get to come, he shouldn’t, either. In fact, she’d never planned to let him enjoy this one last marathon of sex. Honestly, as long as he was screwing her outside of bed, she should at least get one last good screw from him in bed.

And now that wasn’t even working. Might as well jump to phase two of her plan.

Determined, she gripped his strong shoulders. Danni pushed him away, their bodies still joined.

“I have a game I want to play,” she said, dropping her voice to a provocative level.

A wicked glint sparked to life in his brown eyes. “You and your games.”

“I want to tie you up and then do naughty things to your body,” she told him as she traced a teasing line across his chest.

“Next time,” he said, his voice a promise.

She shook her head, turning her smile devilish. “No, it will be more fun this way. Our bodies will ache for completion, but we won’t let them have it until we turn up the heat even more. It will be almost tantric.”

Eric groaned deep in his throat. “I can never say no to you.”

Yeah, it was dealing with the truth he had a problem with. Double dealing with the truth.

Eric wrapped his arms around her, and for a moment she closed her eyes. Remembering. Remembering what it felt like to wake up in his arms this very morning thinking he loved her. Knowing she loved him. The solid strength of him. The promise of a future in his eyes. That sexy, sleepy smile on his face only for her.

He rolled so she straddled him. She gasped in pleasure as he delved deeper into her. Okay, the man had skills in bed. Her last boyfriend had never mastered the roll-over-and-still-stay-joined maneuver. Although that boyfriend had been upfront about his loserness and lack of ambition.

“I’m all yours,” he said.

“You just bet you will be.”

“What?” he asked, his eyes dark and lusty.

How’d he do it? Just how in the hell was he able to look so sincere, almost loving while all the time he was also happy to send her on a train ride to hell?

Danni shook her head and forced a smile. “Nothing. I have the rope in my bag,” she told him.

His gaze left her breasts and he met her eyes. His brows lifted. “You came prepared.”

He didn’t know the half of it.

He groaned again as she shimmied off his body. She fought back the wave of sadness, already missing the intimate closeness of being joined. She’d use an extra piece of duct tape on his mouth just for that feeling alone.

His gaze followed her as she padded along the carpet to her bag. Originally, she was going to tie him up after he’d given her a great time. Gripping the handle of the bag hard in frustration, she tossed it on the bedside table. Returning to the bed, she schooled her features to look seductive. Her eyes promised the naughty game-playing he liked so much. With a snap, Danni pulled out the rope. Thick, tight and knotted.

He blinked in surprise. “You’re serious. I expected a scarf or something,” he said, excitement lacing his words.

She’d like to hog-tie him. That is, if she actually knew how to do such a thing. Hog-tie him and beat him with a stick like he had her heart.

She sucked in the side of her lip. Now that was being a bit overdramatic. Even for her.

She winked then reached over and drew out a few delicate scarves. “The scarf I’ll put against your skin.” Jerk. “That way you won’t get chafed.” Rot in hell. “Wouldn’t want you showing up to work with burn marks.” And may it fall off.

Oh, no, she couldn’t let him show up for work looking less than corporate. Especially since she knew now just how important that job of his was to him. He could lie and cheat and then sleep like a baby. That’s a skill even she didn’t possess.

A hint of uncertainty lit in his eyes. “Trust me,” she urged, throwing back the same words he used on her half a dozen times.

Eric lifted his hand, and she forced her expression to stay sensual rather than triumphant. Yes. It was working.

Danni pressed a quick kiss on the warm skin of his wrist then slid the scarf in place. He even had sexy wrists, masculine and flexible with the right amount of hair. Oh, it was so unfair. With a quick twist, she secured his arm to the bedpost and used the same routine to bind his other arm and both his legs. Sitting back on her heels on Eric’s large bed, she admired her work.

Despite being such a jerk, Eric Reynolds was the best looking man she’d ever seen. Sprawled against the king-sized bed, his arms and legs tied up, he exuded power and force. Only a man utterly confident in his own strength and had trust in his woman would allow himself to be tied up. That’s what she’d counted on.

There’d be hell to pay if she didn’t work this one right.

Locks of his dark hair fell across his forehead, and she allowed herself one more time to touch the strands, stroke the hair away from his face. She trailed one finger along his sexy cheekbone and the harsh outline of his jaw. His lips, he had such beautiful lips. Wicked lips that made her want to do erotic things. Wicked lips because they told such wicked lies.

Eric sucked in a breath as she leisurely traced a path along his broad chest, and the flatness of his stomach. She smiled as she saw his penis rise, then harden even more. The only place he didn’t lie. But that was because he couldn’t. She tore her gaze from his body, focused once more on his lips.

One last kiss. She needed one more kiss to remind her what betrayal tasted like. Danni bent over and slid her tongue on his bottom lip. Despite being restrained, he moved his mouth so he kissed her fully. Her heartbeat quickened, and she felt her nipples tingle and tighten. He made her feel things. Want things.

And that’s why she had to do this. Why she couldn’t congratulate him on his great con and walk away. Because for a few short days he made her dreams come true, but then snatched them away.

The sounds of their ragged breathing filled his bedroom. She quickly broke contact and scrambled off him.

Frantic, Danni searched for her panties. Damn, that was one part of her plan she hadn’t fully thought through. But then, neither had she made allowances for ditching her clothes in such a hurry, and leaving them all over his suite.

“What are you doing?” Eric asked, his voice curious and oh, so trusting.

Forget her panties. Grabbing her jeans, she swiftly stepped into them and zipped them up. She didn’t look at him. “What do you think I’m doing? I’m getting dressed.”

“What?” Eric managed to sit up higher, his expression growing serious. She’d given too much slack in the legs. Oh, well. Hindsight.

After donning her bra and hastily buttoning her shirt, Danni slipped into her shoes. “I’m leaving.”

“What the hell…? Danni, this isn’t funny.” Eric tugged furiously at his bonds. They held. Good.

She finally met his gaze. “I’m not meaning it to be a joke,” she told him, her voice steady and sure.

Eric struggled against the rope. He must have realized she wasn’t playing.

“I wasn’t lying about being a Scout,” she said. “I really do know how to make good knots. Don’t worry, despite the Do Not Disturb sign I placed on the knob, I’ll call room service to come get you. After a few hours. That should give you plenty of time to reflect on your crimes.”

Cold, controlled anger replaced confusion in his eyes. A wave of unease made her shiver. She had to get out of there. Now. But she couldn’t have him yelling the place down. It was time to tape his mouth shut. Reaching for the roll, she made her way back to the bed. With every step she took, tension filled her.

“What are you planning to do with that?” he asked. He smelled of arousal, and now, unforgiving male. She knew he couldn’t get away, but that didn’t make the man’s intimidating presence any less daunting.