Anthology - Behind the Mask Part 6

aGetting hard for you again.a He tipped her chin, held it so she looked directly into his piercing eyes. aI have so much need stored up for you, Iam probably going to have to close down the whole d.a.m.n fortieth floor for a week to preserve your reputation while I keep you here, ravis.h.i.+ng you over and over again.a She didnat know how to respond to that, but her body did. She saw by the intentness of his gaze that he registered the shudder that ran through her.

aSo,a he said lightly. aYouall marry me, then?a aYouare giving me choices, now?a She narrowed her eyes. aIf I changed my mind, would you invite your team back in for a renegotiation?a He laughed then, a male sound of appreciation that coated her with heat, and she pressed against him instinctively, making his eyes darken with renewed desire.

aFrom now on, I think weall keep our negotiations strictly a two-person executive session. Kiss me. And for once, donat be afraid of anything.a She reached up, brought her lips to his and lost herself, and it was the easiest thing shead ever done, to obey his command, now that shead surrendered herself to him. She deepened it, played with his tongue, enjoyed the feel of his canines p.r.i.c.king. Shuddering at his growl, she whimpered in delight when he s.h.i.+fted his grip and put her under him once more, parting her legs and putting himself against the opening of her p.u.s.s.y, making it obvious that his c.o.c.k was close to being able to take her again.

aTell me what you want, Savannah.a His voice was harsh with l.u.s.t, but his eyes were asking for more. For everything.

Cleopatra couldnat ever give up being perceived as a woman of power. Be just a woman, and no man like Marc Antony or Matthew Kensington would want her.

Thatas what you think, Daddy.

Tennyson Rule Seven: Never be afraid to face your destiny.

aI wantaa G.o.d, she suddenly wanted everything. aI want to live somewhere else. I want to have a yard, andalearn to garden. I want to have mismatching pictures.a His eyes told her he understood, which brought forth the thing she suddenly wanted the most. She pressed her face into his neck, her lips against his thudding pulse.

aI want to be your wife.a His arms tightened around her. aThose rules, the ones Geoffrey posted on the wall of his office that you havenat taken down? They come down tomorrow. From here on out, your life is governed only by one rule, the one I wouldnat tell you at the beginning, but that Iave told you several times now. Do you know what it is?a His lips were very close to hers, sending spirals of pleasure through her lower extremities, making everything tighten with need for him again. She opened herself to him further, felt his c.o.c.k slide into her tender opening.

aThat Iam yours,a she whispered throatily. aYours, forever and ever.a And youare mine as well.

aClose.a He looked at her, his sensuous mouth serious and firm, and she wanted it on her again. aRule One, the first and last rule youall ever need, Savannah, to get through anything. Are you paying attention?a aYes,a she whispered. But instead of letting him say the words, she spoke them first against his lips.

aI love you.a About the author: Joey W. Hill lives on the Carolina coast with her wonderful husband, a houseful of animals, and their dauntless sailboat, Shadowfax. She is published in two genres, contemporary/epic fantasy and womenas erotica, and has won awards for both.

Joey W. Hill welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Elloraas Cave Publis.h.i.+ng at 1337 Commerce Drive, #13, Stow, Ohio 44224.

Also by Joey W. Hill:.

Enchained anthology.

Forgotten Wishes anthology.

Holding The Cards.

If Wishes Were Horses.

Make Her Dreams Come True.

Natural Law.

Snow Angel.

Virtual Reality.

Mardi Gras.

Lacey Alexander.

Chapter One.

aMorning, sweet thing.a As the plate gla.s.s door fell shut behind her boss, Mia Sanderson looked up in time to see him whisk past her desk, into his office. She smiled too late, he was already gone. aMorning, Ty,a she called after him anyway.

Oh well, it didnat matter. None of the other smiles shead flashed his way over the past few years had suddenly seduced him, so she was reasonably certain todayas wouldnat have held the magic ingredient, either.

If you only knew, she thought, peering l.u.s.tily toward his office door. If you only knew how badly I want you. From his handsome face, his dimpled chin covered with just a bit of brown stubble, to the sandy blond hair that usually needed a trim but still looked perfect on him, to the well-built, slightly muscular body that looked as if it had been made to pleasure a womana"Ty Brewer was everything Mia desired in a man.

As for his daily endearment, sadly, head been calling her asweet thinga since she was thirteen. Head been a freshman at Tulane at the time, and he sometimes came home with her older brother, Tim, in the evening or on weekends. It didnat mean any more now than it had thena"and h.e.l.l, it had probably meant more then, now that she thought about it. At least then head seen something in hera"something cute maybe, something worthy, something that had earned her a little playful flirtation despite the difference in their ages.

Now the nickname and the wink that sometimes came with it were both habits, she supposed. She was sure he had no idea how she gobbled up the silly, playful words every morning, or how his wink turned her lace panties wet. Ty was a friendly guy, teasing and flirtatious, especially with women he knew well. And given that head known Mia fora"G.o.d!a"eighteen years now, it only stood to reason head flirt a little.

Although the realization of just how long theyad been acquainted was sobering, making her slump in her desk chair. It wasnat as if theyad been in constant contact all that time, of course, but she had been working for Ty for five years now, which pretty much indicated that asweet thinga meantanothing. Because if she knew anything about Ty at all, it was that he didnat hesitate to go after what he wanteda"in business or in pleasure. And head never gone after her.

Letting out a sigh, she peeked toward his door once more and began to imagine a different scenario. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s felt heavy and her p.u.s.s.y slightly swollen as she envisioned herself being a much bolder sort of womana aMorning, sweet thing.a She flashed him a s.e.xy smile, then reached out, curling one finger toward her in a motion that summoned him closer. aCome here. I have something to show you.a In the fantasy, the words left her in a silky, sa.s.sy tone shead never really used and didnat know if she even possessed.

Rounding the front counter and the desk situated behind it, Ty gave his head a playful tilt that said he was intrigued.

She stood up, revealing a short skirt and a black see-through blouse with a lacy bra underneath. Not that she would ever wear anything like that to worka"if she even owned ita"but this was a fantasy, so she pressed on.

aNice,a he said of the outfit, raking his gaze from her shoulders to her knees.

aThanks, but thatas not what I need to show you.a He raised his sandy-colored eyebrows in antic.i.p.ation. aIam all eyes, sweet thing. What have you got for me?a She gave a teasing pout and glanced downward. aI hope you wonat be upset.a aWell, letas find out.a Reaching down, she hooked one finger into the slit on the skirt and drew it slowly upward until her p.u.s.s.y was on display. aI forgot to put on my panties this morning. Very unprofessional of me. I hope you arenat angry.a When she lifted her gaze back to his, fresh heat burned in his eyes. Her nipples turned to tiny bullets against her bra.

aNot angry,a Ty said, a slow, s.e.xy grin growing on his face. aBut there are consequences for girls who forget their undies when going to work.a She lifted one fingernail to her lip in faux worry. aWhat are they?a aWell,a he said, his voice going lower as he stepped up to slide his hands smoothly over her hips, aitas a known fact that if you forget your panties, your boss is going to f.u.c.k you.a Mia bit her lip, her body flus.h.i.+ng with warmth. Glancing down, she could even see the reaction to her hot fantasya"her nipples had hardened not only in her imagination, but also in reality, now jutting through her bra and fitted yellow blouse.

She glanced again toward Tyas office. Do you ever notice them? Do you know theyare like that for you? Then she sighed. Or does it only make you think Iam chilled, despite that we live in one of the hottest cities in the country?

She shook her head, then decided there was no reason not to sink back into her fantasy, especially since shead just gotten to the good part.

aKiss me,a she said.

No. That was too tame. It was fine for the more romantic daydreams she sometimes indulged in, but todayas imaginings were all about heat, so she changed it to af.u.c.k me.a Then she eased her a.s.s onto her desk, parting her legs for him to step in between. As he worked to undo the b.u.t.tons on her thin blouse, she reached for the snap on his jeans.

G.o.d, she loved it when Ty wore jeans. He ran a totally casual workplace, and most days found him in long, baggy shorts, but colder winter weather often brought out his blue jeans, and fortunately, the air outside was brisk today. Shead noticed the worn denim even in just the short glimpse of him shead caught. She adored the way they molded lightly to his b.u.t.t, and in front, to his s.e.xy bulge. And speaking of s.e.xy bulgesa Bending to kiss her, he pushed her blouse open, then lowered her bra straps from her shoulders so that the lace cups drooped enough for her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to tumble free. As he closed his hands over them, she finally got his jeans unzipped and spread wide, reaching in to pull out his big, hard c.o.c.k.

aOh, f.u.c.k me, Ty,a she said again, more urgently this time. Then she shared the truth with him. aIave wanted this for so long.a His smile was warm, happily surprised. aWell, why didnat you say so, baby?a Grabbing onto her a.s.s, he curled his hands around her flesh, firm and sure, and drove his stiff shaft into hera"wonderfully deep.

aMmm,a she purred without quite meaning to.

aYou say something, Mia?a Tyas voice sounded from within his office.

She flinched. aUm, no. Justatalking to myself.a Ty chuckled softly at hera"that was the easy sort of relations.h.i.+p they hada"then the office fell quiet againa And he was in her again. Thrusting in smooth strokes, each one packed with pleasure. Mia closed her eyes. She was unb.u.t.toning his s.h.i.+rt, running her hands over his chest, then pressing her bared, sensitive b.r.e.a.s.t.s warm against him.

aYou feel so good, baby,a he was murmuring in her ear, low and sweet. aWhy havenat we been doing this all along?a aI donat know,a she whispered up to him, abut it was definitely worth the wait.a aI want to make you come,a he said, sliding his hands further around her a.s.s and lifting her up off the desk. aI want to make you scream for me, sweet thing.a And, of course, he knew exactly the right angle at which to hold her and exactly when to slow his thrusts as she writhed against him, approaching climax. aSoon, lover,a she cooed. aVery soon.a aNow,a he demanded so harshly it stunned hera"and set her skin to tingling in a whole new way as he stared into her eyes, insisting on her o.r.g.a.s.m.

Oh yes, she could feel it gathering, getting closer and closer, climbing higher, higher, escalated by his rough command, and by his eyes, his s.e.xy, s.e.xy eyes, untila"aOh!a she cried out as it overcame hera"the hot, almost violent spasms of release rushed through her like a river of fire, and she bucked against him, riding it out, as he murmured, aThatas right, baby, thatas right. Keep coming. Youare coming so good for me, sweet thing, so f.u.c.king good.a The trill of the phone sent her leaping from her seat as if someone had just stuck a tack in her b.u.t.t. aJeez!a she squealed, then pulled herself together and s.n.a.t.c.hed up the receiver. aBourbon Street Messengers.a aHey Mia, itas Brad. Is Ty in yet?a Their tax guy. It was that time of year. aSure. Hang on.a She pushed the hold b.u.t.ton, then called, aTya"Brad on one.a She could feel Tyas grin as he said, aUh, you okay out there?a aFine, thanks,a she lied, cheerful but short. She was sweating profusely from the fantasy, and from the shock of being jarred back to reality.

Then came his familiar chuckle. aAfter five years of answering the phones here, I wouldnat think it would scare you so much.a And after five years of me mooning at you constantly, Iad think youad notice by now.

But then again, maybe he had noticed, and just wasnat interested. She was Timas little sister, after all, and she was pretty sure Ty wouldnat ever think of her in any other way. Which meant all her sweating was for naught.

Even now, she couldnat help recalling instances of his brotherly affection. Although he had no qualms about dating every wild woman in their wild city, he was always quick to give his opinion if he thought she was dating someone who wasnat good enough for her, or who aseems a little rough for you, sweet thinga, or ahas one too many tattoos, if you ask mea.

It always made her laugh, precisely because everyone knew Ty was no angel, yet he a.s.sumed she was, and he seemed to like her that way.

But those rough guys with tattoos, it turned out, were more her type than shead even known, and theyad taught her quite a bit about fun, and s.e.x. She might not own a see-through blouse, and she might not have ever left her apartment without panties, but on the inside, she definitely hovered on the edge of being a bad girl.

Ty would never believe it, of course. Head probably have a heart attack if he found out. The truth was, she supposed, that theyad just known each other too long. He had certain ideas about who she was, what she was abouta"ideas that had been true for a very long timea"but what he didnat realize was that shead grown up. For G.o.das sake, she was thirty-one years old.

Yet Ty, she knew, still saw the silly, playful teenager shead once been, the girl who was good for some laughs and a little harmless flirtation. And she guessed he also now saw her as a competent receptionist and accountanta"she was pretty much his Girl Friday at the bicycle messenger service situated in the heart of the French Quarter, where bike traffic often moved a lot quicker than vehicles. But when it came to s.e.x, she was certain he thought she was a much nicer girl than she actually was, not to mention a much nicer girl than she wanted to be. And that was definitely her loss.

Just then, the front door opened again, admitting Tyas best friend, Jack Wade. Jack ran a P.I. business just a couple of blocks away. aHey there, Mia.a aHey,a she returned with a smile. Shead known Jack nearly as long as Ty, since theyad both hung out with Tim back in college. Jackas dark good looks complemented Tyas sandy beach boy image perfectly. Shead even heard rumors among common friends that Jackas recent bride, Liz, had let the two guys share her one night early in their relations.h.i.+p. The very thought made Miaas p.u.s.s.y hum with desire.

aHe in?a Jack pointed toward Tyas office.

aOn the phone,a she said, abut he shouldnat be long.a Jack lifted his elbows to the counter and leaned over. aWell, while Iam waitina, I can tell you what I came to tell him. Liz and I are ringina in Mardi Gras with a big party Sat.u.r.day night, and youare invited. You bring the mask and the beads, weall provide the jambalaya and the alcohol. Think you can make it?a A party at Jackas place? Where Ty would almost certainly be in attendance? It wasnat the first such occasiona"Jack liked to throw parties from time to timea"but even knowing nothing new would transpire between her and her s.e.xy boss, it was still an invitation Mia couldnat resist.

She smiled up at Jack. aSure. Sounds fun. What time?a aStarts at eight.a He grinned down at her. aLizall be glad youare cominaa"she thinks youare sweet.a Mia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Even Jackas wifea"who by all accounts had been a prim and proper lady before meeting hima"thought she was sweet? She was doomed. But she forced a smile. aItall be nice to get to know her a little better.a Just then, they both heard Ty hang up the phone, so Jack made his way into the office.

aWell, if it isnat the old married man come to pay me a visit,a Ty greeted him with a laugh, and Mia decided it was time she do something constructivea"for the first time so far today.

Rising from her desk, she tried to ignore the slight swell of her c.u.n.t as she leaned in the office door. aTya"Dan and Annie are out on early runs, but Bobbyas not here yet and thereas a delivery due at Jackson Square by ten. Since itas quiet, Iam going to walk it down there before itas late.a Her boss nodded. aThanks for taking up the slack for him, sweet thing. Youare the best,a he concluded with a wink, and as usual, her p.u.s.s.y surged.

aYou ever think about settlina down, gettina married?a Jack asked in response to Tyas greeting.

Ty drew back with a slight laugh. Up until a year or so ago, that question wouldnat even have appeared on Jackas radar screen. But marriage had changed his best frienda"at least in some ways. aMe?a he asked. aNo way, compadre.a aCome on now, ami, itas not like I got the plague or somethina. In fact, you well know what I gota"a beautiful, sensual woman who loves to f.u.c.k as much as I do. Not exactly a life sentence or anything.a Oh yeah, Ty knew what Jack had in Liz, all right. And if he could find a girl like Liza"well, who knew, maybe the aMa word wouldnat sound so terrible. But as it was, he just didnat think it was in the cards for him.

aBesides, youare gettina just as olda"just as fasta"as me,a Jack added.

True enough. Head just turned thirty-six. Hard to believe, given that his libido felt like it belonged to a kid of nineteen, but he knew his mother and sisters back home in Michigan had just about given up on getting him married off. Which was just as well, the way he saw it. aYou know how it is with me and women,a Ty replied.

Jack leaned back slightly, quirking a grin. aNo, amia"how exactly is it?a Ty put his feet up on his desk, stretching out as well. aI know a lot of women who like to f.u.c.k and who do it d.a.m.n well. But Iave yet to meet one whoaa How to explain? aahas anything more to offer.a Jack blinked. aNot sure what you mean.a aJust that I never have any trouble connecting with chicks s.e.xually, but in my experience, girls who like to party arenat girls who make me feelawell, anything more than a stiff d.i.c.k.a Jack tilted his head. aI thought that once, too, but then Liz walked through my door and changed everything. Just takes findina the right one is all.a Ty gave his head a shake. aYou got lucky, but that doesnat mean thereas a Liz for every guy. The girls I meet are either a hundred percent cute and sweet, or a hundred percent down and dirty. I canat live without the down and dirty, so I have to live without the cute and sweet.a aQuite a sacrifice,a Jack quipped.

Ty flashed a light smirk. aBelieve it or not, the lack of substance gets a little old.a This time, Jack let out a hearty laugh. aYouare so full of s.h.i.+t. You forget, I was exactly where you are until a year ago. Findina the right woman is the greatest thing on earth, but either way, you canat tell me hot s.e.x gets old.a aMaybe Iam just reaching a point you never reached,a Ty suggested. He shook his head, half laughing at himself along with Jack, but still trying to figure out what he was attempting to convey. aIam justakinda bored lately, I guess. I mean, itas same old, same old after a while. Different girl, same experience.a aWhat exactly is it youare not gettina that you want so bad?a Ty lowered his feet back to the old hardwood floors beneath him and c.o.c.ked a slight smile toward his friend. Given the direction the conversation had taken, he was glad Mia had stepped out for a few minutes so he could speak freely. aHave you ever beenatied up by a woman?a Another chuckle echoed toward the ceiling, an easy grin gracing Jackas face. aSure. Liz and I play around with that sorta thing sometimes. We play around with everything.a aDoes it get you off?a Jack flashed an are-you-serious? look. aItas Liz. Everything Liz does gets me off.a aWhat if it were somebody else?a aWho knows. Canat say.a Ty leaned back in his chair once more. aI guess Iave just been thinking about that kind of stuff. Believe it or not, Iave never been with a woman who was into the bondage thing, and I suppose Iam looking for something new to keep s.e.x interesting.a Jack sat up a little straighter in his chair. aWell, you know, there are bars you can go to, places to meet women who are into that.a He nodded uncertainly. aI know. But Iam not sure Iam into the whole gagging, nipple-clamping thing. Nothing hardcore. I just wannaayou knowaexperiment a little.a aSounds like you need a wife, ami,a Jack said on a chuckle.

aWhat?a aGet yourself a wife and you can experiment with anything you want.a But Ty shook his head. aNo, get myself a wife like Liz and I could do that. But I donat think all wives are that accommodating.a And the truth was, Ty had been dating strictly naughty, s.e.xy girls for so longa"he didnat even know what he would look for if he were able to switch his attentions to sweet girls. That perfect combination Jack had found in Lizawell, he figured that was once in a lifetime, that she was one of a kind.

And besides, sweet girls and him? It just didnat add up.

Take Mia, for instance. She was about as sweet as they came, and he loved hanging out with her, working with her, b.u.mping into her at a bar or a party, but when it came time for intimacy, wellahe was just too accustomed to hot, wild s.e.x to want to give it up, and any good girl worth her salt would probably faint if he said he wanted her to tie him up and f.u.c.k his brains out.

aSpeaking of Liz,a Jack said, athat sort of leads to why I stopped by.a His voice drew Ty back to the conversation. aOh?a aMy lovely wife and I are throwina a party Sat.u.r.day night to kick off Mardi Gras. Eight oaclock. The usual suspects, plus some people from Lizas office.a aDid you invite Mia?a Jack nodded. aOf course. Why?a He shrugged. aSheas fun to hang out with.a Jack gave his head a speculative tilt, and Ty could almost read his thoughts before he spoke them aloud. aNow thatas who you oughta ask out. Miaas a sweetheart.a Ty simply laughed. aAre you deaf, Jack? I just told you, sweet girls and me are like oil and water. It would never work. And besides, sheas Timas little sister. Iave known her since she was a little girl. It wouldnat feel right if we got anywhere even close to s.e.x. Not to mention that sheas a great employee and I wouldnat want to risk f.u.c.king up our working relations.h.i.+p.a Jack sighed. aWell then, maybe youall get lucky and hook up with somebody else at our little fete.a aDoes Liz have any hot girlfriends who like to play with whips and chains?a Jack grinned. aThat youall have to find that out for yourself, my bon ami.a * * * * *

Mia stood frozen in place at her desk. When shead returned to the office for her purse, Ty and Jack had been laughing about something and hadnat heard her come in.

They very clearly hadnat heard her.

Because they were talking about f.u.c.king, and being tied up. Her entire body had sizzled with shockaand arousal.

The conversation shead overheard had certainly confirmed one thing. Ty had no interest in her whatsoever as a lover. As shead suspected, he just didnat think of her that waya"apparently couldnat think of her that way.

The part that really caught her attention, though, was when head told Jack he wanted to be tied up. Her blood ran hot just envisioning Ty, naked and bound, at her mercy. Until this moment, she hadnat been aware that she wanted to experiment with bondage, either, but the heavy pulsing of her p.u.s.s.y said she did.

As she stood there, quiet, purse in hand, not quite sure what to do nexta"or how to sneak back out without them hearing the doora"an idea flashed in her mind. A really naughty idea.

Could she, the infamously sweet Mia, ever pull off such a thing?

If she wanted to try, it would take some work.

First, shead have to hit her favorite craft store down on Royala"they stocked tons of great glitter and feathers this time of year. And as luck would have it, her latest craft project was making Mardi Gras masks. It had started as a way to help her fifth-grade niece with an art a.s.signment for school, but now she suddenly realized the craft could have a much more personala"and satisfyinga"benefit. Shead have to do some other shopping, too, of course, but if she was seriously considering this, maybe she should start by making a special mask and letting that be her guide.

To her shock, the longer she stood there, the more concrete the idea became. Turning into something she would definitely do, something she had to do, in fact.

Because Ty had confirmed her suspicions. He thought women were either nice girls or naughty ones, with no in between. It was a shame, but not a surprise. She was crazy about Ty, but he was sometimes a very typical guyas guy. Clearly Jack had been enlightened by Liz, but Ty remained in the dark.

She knew now that Ty would never see her as anything but a good girl. And the truth wasa"given how long theyad known each other, and that he still kept in touch with her brother in New York, and that he seemed to like and even value her sweetnessa"she just didnat think she could ever bear to disillusion him and risk his high opinion of her.

But now that she understood all thata"and knew that, sadly, nothing romantic would ever take place between her and the object of her affectiona"she was going to give herself a really big gift this Mardi Gras season.

She was going to have Ty, once and for all.

He just wouldnat quite realize it.

She felt a wicked little grin unfurl across her face, antic.i.p.ating her plan.

aWell, Iad better get back to work. My cases arenat gonna solve themselves,a Jack said, giving Mia just enough time to duck down behind her desk as he exited Tyas office.

aHey, you making your world-famous jambalaya Sat.u.r.day?a Ty called behind him.

aWouldnat be a party without it, ami,a Jack said. aSee ya then.a aOkay, dude. Later.a Trying her best to think fast as Jack pushed through the door, admitting a whoosh of chilly air and the vague sounds of traffic and a honking horn somewhere in the distance, Mia popped up from behind the desk, let out a sigh, then slammed a desk drawer.

A few seconds later, Ty leaned through the doorway. aMia? When did you get back?a aJust now. Pa.s.sed Jack on the way ina"he held the door for me.a Which is why you only heard it open once. aForgot my purse,a she added, holding it up. aSee?a He looked puzzled. aIadidnat hear you say anything to Jack.a She blinked. aWeaexchanged nods.a aExchanged nods?a He was looking at her as if she might belong in a mental ward.

aYeah,a she said, dropping her gaze to her purse and the two small packages in her arms. aGotta go. Donat want these to be late,a she said, then rushed past him and out the door onto Bourbon, where she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Sheesh, that had been close.