Restless Spirits (7 page)

“You on my dick.” He spoke through his teeth, each word clipped.

She climbed into his lap and rubbed her wetness over his cock. “Like this?”

His lids lowered, and he bucked up against her. “Fuck. Yes.” She continued to grind into him, stimulating her swollen clit against his hip bone.

“You’re so wet, D.”

“For you, Pierce. I’m soaking for you.” She reached down and gripped his base and eased down on his cock. “You stretch me so good, baby.” Feet braced against the mattress, she rode him hard. His hips snapped in time with her rhythm. She pressed her palms to his chest, grinding into him.

“Yes, yes.” Her walls flexed, and he yanked on the scarves.

“Uh-uh-uh. I’ll give you what you need.” She rose up, slamming down over and over. He roared, fucking her harder. “That’s it, baby. Come for me.” His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he shot off inside her. The hot liquid pushed her past the brink, and she convulsed, riding the powerful wave. Exhausted, she collapsed on top of him and caught her breath.

“I hate to move, but I need to untie you, sexy.” She slid off him and crawled to the headboard. Removing the restraints, she rubbed his wrists and peered down at the giant pile of man goo. A satiated look covered his face as she snuggled beside him, propped up onto her elbow.

“Did you like it?” She watched his face, identifying the wide array of emotions flitting across his face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever come that hard in my life.” He chuckled.

“Careful, you’ll give me a big head.” She smiled, pleased he trusted her enough to let her be the dominant one during sex.

“You’d deserve it.” He smoothed back stray locks of her hair and closed his eyes. “I don’t want this to end here, Demi. I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight until we talk about what’s going to happen.”

“I don’t know what to say to that.” She didn’t want to shoot herself in the foot by saying the wrong thing, or mislead him in any way.

“I’ll make it simple. Are you planning on pretending this never happened?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I just don’t want to make promises I can’t keep.”

“I don’t expect you to move in with me. I just want to continue dating. Can you do that?” His eyes pleaded with her and she melted.

“You know I never could resist those eyes of yours, Pierce.”

“I know you, Demi. I understand your fear and the catalyst. We’ll go slow, but you have to keep the lines of communication open.”

She nodded and sighed. “I know. I’ll do my best. It’s not… I’m used to keeping it all surface.” The words burned her lips as they left. Admitting weakness felt like bearing her belly to a predator that could slash her clear through. She tentatively met his eyes, relieved when he remained silent. He ran his fingers through her hair. His acceptance made her believe maybe this would be worth the risk. No words were spoken as they relaxed and let sleep take them.

Chapter Seven

As they packed their bags, Pierce felt a strange mixture of sadness and accomplishment. They had done more than role-play. They’d changed their lives. Still, uneasiness rested in the pit of his stomach. It seemed too cut-and-dried. What made Demi so special, Bronwyn decided to reveal her story after all this time?

“You’re brooding.”

He looked up and smiled. “No, just sad to be leaving.”

“I’m surprised to hear you say that.” She smirked.

“Smart-ass.”

“Better than a dumbass any day. We did have an amazing time. You couldn’t have made it better.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome. I have one more surprise for you, if you’re ready to get out of here.”

“More?”

“Hey, this weekend was go big or go home.”

“You keep impressing me.”

He took her hands and led her from the room, eager to leave memories of the ghost behind them and solidify their new dating status.

After an hour and a half on the road, he took a ramp off the freeway.

“What are you up to?” she said.

“Just wait. I guarantee you’ll figure it out.” They rounded a corner, and she gasped.

“I know this road! I know where we are! This is the stretch of road used in the opening sequence to
Seeker
, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ahh. This is fricking amazing!” She bounced in the passenger seat like an excited child. “We’re going to get out and take pictures, right?”

“This is only part of the surprise.”

“Dude, what more could you possibly give me that would even come close to topping this?” she said.

“I can think of one thing.” He bit the inside of his cheek and stared ahead to keep a straight face. He’d cashed in a lot of favors to make this happen, but it’d be worth it to see her face. Being a sports agent had its perks. People liked games and athletes. It greased the wheels from time to time. He’d based this entire trip on the fact that the stars of the show would be filming new promo shots here. It wasn’t their primary location.

“Oh, my God! Are we going to drive by one of the sets?” She leaned over the console.

“Something like that.” He took a left and pulled up to the guard shack that led into a group of buildings.

“Pierce?”

“Hold on.” He pulled up and rolled down his window. “Good morning.”

“Good morning. Can I get your name and identification, sir?”

“Yes, Pierce Lane, party of two.”

The guard glanced down at his clipboard and nodded, taking the ID Pierce held out. “Okay, you check out. You’ll want to drive in, take a left, and you’ll come up to a parking lot on your right-hand side.”

“Thank you.” Pierce took his ID, returned it to his wallet, and pulled away from the shack, following the directions.

“P-Pierce?”

“Yes?” He risked a glance in her direction and smirked. Her eyes were as round as dinner plates.

“Are we going on set?”

He pulled into the parking lot, found an open space, and turned to face her. “Yes, we are.”

She fumbled with her seat belt, all but ripping it free, and threw herself into his arms. Her soft lips peppered his face with kisses, and he laughed.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She moved back into her seat and took a deep breath. “I am so not dressed for this. I mean, look at me.” She ran a hand through her windblown hair, and he licked his lips. The scoop-neck black T-shirt hugged her curves, and her jeans emphasized the flair of her hips and the round firm ass he couldn’t wait to smack. Her comic-print tennis shoes made her cool and casual at the same time.

“No, it’s perfect. If you were too dolled up, it’d scream rabid fangirl.”

She snickered. “Rabid?”

“I’ve seen the way this guy gets mobbed. Come on, they’re going to squeeze us in between scenes.”

She fidgeted as they walked into the building, like a child on her way to meeting a costumed character from her favorite cartoon.

“You going to make it?” He pulled her into his body.

“I’m not sure yet.” Her voice wavered.

He laughed. “You’ll be fine. “ They entered the darkened building, and a woman carrying a clipboard with a lanyard around her neck greeted them.

“Pierce?”

“Yes, and this is my guest, Demi.”

“I’m Sarah. It’s great to have you guys on set.” She smiled. “You’ll have about ten or fifteen minutes with Brandon, and then I’ll walk you around the set. “

“That’ll be wonderful,” he said, shocked at the quietness of Demi. He’d never seen the spitfire so subdued.

“I’m taking it you’re the big fan?” Sarah asked.

“Yes, pretty obvious, huh?” Demi shook her head, and Sarah laughed.

“Maybe a little.”

“Don’t be nervous. Brandon is a sweetheart,” Sarah said with a smile. She guided them through the converted warehouse, pausing outside of what looked like a break room with tables and chairs and a comfy couch against the far wall. Brandon stood across the room, sipping a cup of coffee as he talked to the other crew members. Sarah waved her hand, catching his gaze. He nodded and walked over with a smile that launched the show to stardom. Brandon was taller than him with a shaggy cut and strong features. The character Brandon played, Roman, was a mix of rugged good looks and charm. The rising star reminded Pierce of many athletes he knew.

“Hi, I’m Brandon.” He held out his hand.

“I’m Pierce, and this is Demi. Thank you for fitting us into your schedule.”

“For a set of Cowboys season tickets? I should be thanking you.” Brandon grinned and offered his hand to Demi. “It’s nice to meet you, Demi.” Brandon’s voice softened, and he shook her hand with a gentle touch.

“Hi.” Demi’s voice was adorably shy. She squeezed Pierce around his waist, and he grinned.

“So, you guys are fans of the show?” Brandon said.

“Oh yeah. We watch it weekly.” Pierce sent her a wink. He wouldn’t throw her to the wolves and out her in front of the man she’d grown to admire.

“Did you guys come up this way for the shoot?”

“Actually we stayed at The Eagle Inn and made a weekend of it. I’ve been planning it for months, but Demi had no clue.”

“Man, that’s an awesome surprise.” Brandon shook his head, awe in his voice.

“Yeah, it was.” Demi smiled up at him stupidly.

Brandon looked from him to Demi. “You two married?”

Pierce coughed, and Demi shook her head with a horrified expression her face.

“Whoa, sorry.” Brandon held up his hands.

“We’ve been best friends literally our entire lives. This is our first outing as a couple.”

“Man, you started things off at a high bar, didn’t you?” Brandon raised his eyebrows.

Demi laughed.

“Had to make sure I got the girl.” Pierce shrugged.

They continued with small talk, and he decided he genuinely liked the man.

* * * *

Stunned by the lengths Pierce had gone, Demi struggled to process her thoughts on the drive home. He’d crept in like a cat, and the aftereffect was slamming into her like g-force.

“You’re quiet.”

“I’m in awe.”

He smiled. “I’m going to enjoy that one while it lasts.”

“How in the hell am I ever going to pay you back? This was the surprise to end all surprises.” She turned her body toward him in the passenger seat.

“You not shooting me down was thanks enough, trust me.”

“Who is this smooth line-dropping man in the driver seat? It’s like you were made out of thin air.”

“No, I just never approached you with that…skill set. I was deathly afraid of ruining what we had. So I kept myself in check.”

“And now?” She held her breath.

“I don’t have a reason to, right?” He glanced over at her quickly.

“No.”

The tension in his shoulders eased, and they settled in for the lengthy drive home.

They pulled into her parking lot, and the building loomed in front of her like a rain cloud. Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed.

“I know. I don’t want the weekend to end either,” Pierce said. She turned to look at him, and he reached over, taking her hand. Butterflies flapped their wispy wings in her belly.
This is where we set the tone for our future. I’ve been running for years. It’s time to stop, let the past go, and move forward
. After all he’d done for her, she’d be a fool to let him slip through her fingers. It wasn’t the money spent, but the thought behind it all that moved her. He’d given her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and all he wanted in return was a chance to win her heart. As fast as she knew that gave him modern-day knight status. She’d never been the type who needed to be rescued, but a man who came bearing a weekend of cosplay and unconditional acceptance of her geek tendencies deserved to be held in high esteem. Heart pounding like a crazy beat in a techno song, she took the first step.

“It doesn’t have to.” She toyed with the hem of her T-shirt.

“Are you inviting me into your house?”

“Yes.” She peered up at him through thick lashes, floored by the blinding smile he bestowed.

“I accept.”

“You have work tomorrow,” she said, a last-ditch effort to give him an out.

“You’re worth getting up early for, D.”

Fighting the urge to melt in the seat, she cleared her throat. “Let’s get our things. I want to thank you properly for what you did today.”

“Thank me?” His lids lowered, and his pink tongue flicked out and licked his lips.

“Mm-hm. Words alone could never fully express how much this weekend meant to me. But I think with a little…artistic interpretation I can manage it.”

“You want to go inside and paint.” He arched an eyebrow. His lip curled up in an amused smirk.

“Sure, you can paint me white with your paintbrush if you want.” He moaned, and she grinned. “You like that thought, don’t you?”

“What I’d like to do is turn the tables.” He leaned over the console and wound her curls around his hand, pulling them taut. “And be the one in charge.”

She swallowed to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. Her pulse raced, and her nipples pebbled. His warm breath caressed the side of her face. “Will you let me have the control? Let me use that delectable body to fulfill my needs? I promise you’ll love every minute of it.” He tugged her hair gently, and she yelped. Liquid heat flooded her underwear. Her chest heaved. She struggled to take in more air. The silence turned to tension, and she sat stock-still, eager for his next move. “What do you say, Demi?” He nipped her neck hard. “Yes or no?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to make you crave me.” The rough tone made her gasp. Heat flooded her cheeks and moved down her body. He appeared on the passenger side and opened the door with their bags in his hands before she could get a hold on her emotions. A part of her wanted this desperately. Her mind swirled with visions of her at his mercy, his big hands holding her down as he administered sweet torture with his mouth. He moved in, unbuckled her seat belt, and guided her out of the car and into her house. The door shut behind him, their bags hit the floor, and he pinned her to the frame. Keys clattered to the floor, and he ran his fingers up her arms, raising them above her head. Gripped in one of his large hands, they rested against the door. Captivated and held down, she felt like a sexy sacrifice.