Page 28 of Her Double Desire

I run my hand over my head. “He thought so, too. When he came out of his depression, saw how I'd salvaged his father's business, he made me his personal consultant. It's a pointless title that just means we talk to each other candidly, and he pays me a lot of money for my honesty.”

“And your reliability,” she says, trying to catch my eye.

I do it, but only for a second. Then I stare back over the vineyards. “I guess.”

Veronica plucks at the grass, not pulling it out, just feeling it with her fingertips. “Were the sex parties your idea?”

“Not exactly. Shawn can be thanked for putting the seed in Oliver's head. We met him at a business convention one year, and I think something about his...” I chase the air for the right word. “Vibe? It pulled Oliver in. Shawn took us to a private party in the convention's hotel. It was essentially an orgy. I told Shawn off for bringing us into that situation, then dragged Oliver out of there.”

“What, why?”

“Oliver was seeing someone. A woman named Luna.” Fuck, I hate this story. I regret offering Veronica answers. But she asked, and deep down, I itch for her to understand who I am. “He left with me that night, but he stayed in touch with Shawn. That was when the sex parties came up.” I drop down next to her, gazing up at the periwinkle sky. “Everything changed after that.”

“So you hated the whole kinky party stuff?”

Chuckling under my breath, I roll my head so I can watch her. “I didn't mind the idea of the parties. And early on, I guess I even enjoyed them.”

Her blush is so damn addictive. “What changed it for you?”

My grin fades away. “She did.” The second I say it, I spot the pain in Veronica's face. Immediately I want to soothe her. “Not a girl I was seeing,” I explain. “Luna.” Shifting on the grass, I rest my elbows on my knees. “Oliver wanted to experiment, but he'd never cheat on her. He invited her to his first 'party.' He was worried she'd hate it.”

Veronica scrunches up her nose. “How could she not? I'd be upset if my fiance sprung something like that into our relationship.”

Leveling a somber look on Veronica, I swing my head. “You don't get it. Luna loved the parties more than Oliver did.”

She does a double-take. “What? How?”

“The experience opened up her mind. She had exhibitionism in her blood. It wasn't long before she asked if she could fuck some of the guests, coaxing Oliver into doing it with her. Then she graduated to having him watch her play with other men.” A wave of distress swallows me. My memories of those nights, seeing the pain on my friend's face, are still vivid. “In the end, Luna wasn't jealous, but Oliver was. Especially when she left him and began seeing someone on the side.”

“She cheated on him? That's terrible!”

“Oliver was torn apart by their break-up. I watched it all, did my best to help him through it. I think it's why he eventually leaned so heavily into the sex slave thing. The idea of someone who was devoted to pleasing him, obeying him, was... alluring.”

She tilts her head down, staring at her feet but not really seeing them. I wonder if she understands what I'm saying. If any of this is resonating.

Some of her hair falls forward, hiding her lovely face. I can't bear for her to be hidden; I reach out, tucking the pieces behind her ear. It reveals the tattoo on her long throat. The sight causes my emotions to war with each other.

Veronica's hazel eyes fixate on me. They're trending towards blue, like they're stealing the color from the sky. “Jared...” Her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip. She's going to say something else.

I don't let her.

“Mmmff,” she manages, my mouth capturing hers in a wild kiss. Weaving my fingers in her hair I nudge her to the grass until she's under me. I hadn't planned this. Now that I'm here, I try to go slow, my lips gliding across hers, giving her space to breathe.

Veronica doesn't want space.

Her nails dig into the back of my head, pulling me to her roughly. A rumble leaves my throat—her insistence is a fucking turn on. I knew she had a wild side, I'd seen it myself.Shawn made her come first.Abandoning our fun in the bath is a huge regret.

But I can make up for it now.

Reaching along her hip, I scoop up her dress and yank it high. Her leggings are soft under my palm—blocking me from her perfect skin. “Get these off,” I growl, grabbing the upper elastic where it circles her belly.

She shimmies out of them. When she's free, she grabs my jaw, making me kiss her again. Her tongue curls across mine until everything is buttery. “Ah,” she hisses, “the grass is cold.”

“Then let's warm you up.” With one hand I unloop my belt. The buckle clinks as I shove it down my legs, pressing my boxer-clad erection against Veronica's panties. Her whole body vibrates—it's fucking ecstasy.

I grind against her several times, in love with how her trembles roll across the head of my rock-hard cock. I almost—almost—don't grab a condom from my pant's pocket. What I'm doing... the way I'm pursuing my lust for this woman... is risky enough. No need to throw the chance of a baby into the mix.

“Jared,” she whimpers. Her hands wrap in my shirt; taking her cue, I throw it over my head, my short hair getting tussled. Leaning back on my heels, I luxuriate in the desire in her eyes. Her lips are parted in an “o” that's painfully erotic. It's not that I'm a stranger to woman being attracted to me. I just never wanted someone to respond as much as I want her to.

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