Swirl Read online

  “So, Bri, what can you tell me about yourself?”

  Shit, I knew that question was coming. Let’s see, I’m unemployed, overweight, and living back home with my mom.

  “Well, I’m twenty-four, no kids, I have my own car, and I just finished getting my Master’s degree,” I said. “How about you?” I desperately wanted the spotlight off of me. My plan was to avoid the embarrassing parts of my life at all costs.

  Connor scanned one side of the menu and then the other before responding. “I’m twenty-nine, independent, and I’m the leading pharmaceutical rep in this area,” he replied proudly.

  “Wow, impressive,” I said.

  Our server appeared from the shadows with pen and pad in hand. “Hello, my name is Sylvia, and I’ll be waiting on you tonight. Have you made your selections for the evening?”

  “Yes. I’ll have the steak, medium rare and a side of lightly steamed vegetables. I want them to still have a bit of crunch to them,” he said. “I’ll have a rum and coke from the bar and a glass of water.”

  Sylvia nodded and turned to me with her pen poised over the pad. I quickly scanned the menu and tried to find something that wouldn’t scream “fatty.” Everything that caught my eye was either swimming in gravy or covered in some type of creamy sauce.

  “I’ll just have the watercress salad with low-fat vinaigrette … and a glass of water,” I said.

  “What?” asked Connor. “That’s all you intend to eat?”

  I nodded and handed my menu to Sylvia. “No wait,” he said. “Do you like seafood?”

  “Yes,” I replied slowly.

  “Great. She’ll have the seafood pasta. Bring her a rum and coke and a glass of water as well,” he said, handing his menu to the server.

  My eyes widened at the brazen move he just made.

  He likes control.

  Sylvia paused for a moment and waited to see if I agreed with the order. Connor immediately cut the moment short. “That’ll be all,” he said firmly, casting a dark glare at her. She took the hint and scurried off to fill our orders.

  “What do you do for a living?” he asked.

  Think of something clever, think of something clever. I repeated the mantra to myself over and over as I tried to come up with an excuse.

  “Right now, I’m just exploring my options,” I said.

  “Oh,” he replied slowly, evidently catching the true meaning of my statement. “I see.”

  I nervously glanced down at the table and waited on him to make up an excuse to leave. Couldn’t say I would blame him, given the circumstances. The deafening silence was awkward and extremely uncomfortable. I looked up, ready with an excuse of my own.

  To my surprise, Connor had his eyes trained on me with an odd intense hunger that made me squirm.

  “Are you single?” he asked.

  I nodded and nervously wiped my sweaty palms on my dress.

  “I know this is going to sound a little forward, but do you want to go back to my place after dinner?” he asked.

  Holy shit. Is this really happening? I pinched myself just to be sure. And sure enough, it hurt like hell.

  “Yes!” I blurted out faster and louder than necessary. My outburst garnered a few glances in our direction, but I didn’t give a rat’s ass about those nosy people. I exhaled slowly and tried to smooth over my response. “I mean … if you want me to, then yes I’ll go.”

  Our food and drinks arrived at the same time and neither of us wasted any time digging in. I wanted to hurry up and shovel the food into my mouth as fast as possible.

  “Would you be interested in participating in a small focus group tomorrow? It’s for my job,” said Connor.

  I quickly worked to clear my mouth and nearly choked on the partially chewed food.

  “What’s it for?” I gulped, grabbing my glass of water to help wash down the lump in my throat.

  “It’s for women and you’ll be asked a series of questions based on your individual needs. It would help me out a lot and you’ll get paid for your participation,” he replied quickly.

  Paid? Now he’s speaking my language.

  “Sure, just let me know when and where. I’m stuffed, do you mind if we get our food to go?” I asked.

  A seductive smile spread across Connor’s face as he glanced down at my plate and then back to me. He knows I’m rushing just so we can get back to his place. “Ready to go so soon?” he teased.

  “You said you were full of surprises, and I’m curious to see what will happen next,” I replied as I leaned over the table, allowing him to peek at my cleavage.

  He glanced down at my breasts and slowly met my eyes with a knowing look of amusement.

  “Just know some of my surprises are a little rough,” he whispered.

  “Oh I can handle anything you throw at me,” I purred.

  He signaled for Sylvia to come over and requested the check and to-go boxes.

  My head was telling me to slow down, but my hormones were running this show. Tonight the chips could fall where they may, and I would deal with the consequences tomorrow.

  Chapter Six

  I dangerously weaved in and out of traffic, struggling to keep up with the red mustang racing ahead of me.

  My palms were sweaty again, and my heart pounded like a bass drum. I wasn’t surprised when we crossed over to the nicer part of town. Expensive condos towered above us and I was curious to see which one belonged to Connor. After a few more sharp turns and ignored traffic lights, we slowly pulled into an underground parking garage. The mustang zipped into a parking space and I parked my dingy gray sedan next to it. Before I had the chance to open the door Connor appeared and did it for me.

  “You are the perfect gentleman,” I said.

  “Yes … for now,” he growled, grabbing my hand to help me out of the car.

  He led me over to the elevator and pushed the button. The doors opened instantly and he gestured for me to step inside. He pressed a few numbers on the keypad and the elevator started going up. It wasn’t long before it slowly came to a halt on the fifteenth floor. The doors opened, and I stepped out into the hallway. We had two options to choose from, left or right. Connor pulled me toward the left and opened the door.

  I assumed his lights had motion sensors in them because they immediately came on and illuminated the room.

  “Make yourself comfortable,” he said.

  The house was expertly decorated and looked like something one would see in a magazine. Everything looked delicate and expensive and I didn’t have the courage to touch anything. I found myself admiring a painting on the wall when Connor slipped his arms around my waist and nuzzled my neck.

  “You smell so good,” he murmured.

  My breathing quickly became more and more labored as I struggled to get air. The hardness of his erection poking me wasn’t helping my asthmatic situation either. With one arm still circling my waist, his other one snaked its way up to my breasts. He cupped one and gave it a hard squeeze causing a small yelp to pass my lips. That must have been the response he was looking for as he placed his lips on my neck and moaned. He dropped his arms and despite the minor pain he’d inflicted I wanted his hands back on my body. The sudden forward thrust of his hips into my ass took me by surprise and I stumbled over my own feet.

  “Walk,” he growled.

  I quickly regained my balance and inched forward a few steps. “Walk where?” I asked tentatively, not sure about what was coming next.

  He’s a little aggressive.

  I don’t mind a little pain with my pleasure, but if he pulled out a whip and a dog collar or some type of weird shit like that, I was going to leave.

  “To the end of the hall, now go,” he ordered giving me another push.

  Okay, Bri, you can do this. Just breathe and keep an open mind.

  The moment I entered the room, the lights popped on just like the ones in the living room. I barely had a second to look around before Connor turned me on my heels and cupped my face. His l
ips were soft but the kiss wasn’t. His technique was rough as he aggressively pressed his mouth to mine. He dropped his hands and shrugged out of the suit jacket without breaking our connection. I closed my eyes and relaxed, giving myself the opportunity to explore his mouth with my tongue. My arousal was building and I could feel the familiar wetness forming between my thighs. I pressed my body into his even though there wasn’t an inch of space between us to begin with. Connor abruptly moved back and loosened his tie.

  “Lose the dress,” he commanded.

  I wanted to snatch the dress off, but I didn’t want him to see all of the garments holding me together. “You mind if I use your bathroom? That alcohol is getting to me,” I sputtered.

  He nodded to the door to my left. “Come back naked,” he ordered.

  Naked?

  I knew being naked was part of the package, but being naked with the lights on was asking a bit much.

  “Can we ditch the lights?” I asked nervously.

  Connor sauntered over to the bed and sat down. He tugged his shirt out of his pants and started unbuttoning it. I waited on an answer, but he didn’t give me one.

  “Still going to the bathroom?” he asked.

  I sighed and ducked into the sanctuary of the bathroom. My eyes scanned for something to cover my body with. Maybe a towel or robe? I spotted a plushy black towel with a monogrammed “C” on it and grabbed it off the rack. Placing it on the granite counter, I quickly freed myself from my clothes and shoes. I wondered if Connor was doing the same. As soon as I managed to roll the shaper down, I felt my air passages open and I ushered in deep breathes of air. I wrapped the towel around me to hide my imperfections and stepped out into the bedroom.

  Connor watched me with his intense blue gaze as I tried to seductively walk toward him. I was happy to see he was shirtless. It was clear he was no stranger to working out as each muscle was perfectly defined without a layer of fat to hide under. My heart dropped a little when I noticed he still had his pants on, but at least they were unbuttoned. I got within arm’s length of him and he yanked the towel away from me. Every roll, every stretch mark, and every dimple of cellulite was out in the open for him to see. Horrified, I tried to bolt back into the safety of the bathroom. He grabbed my hand and brought me to a standstill.

  I trembled as his eyes roamed over my body. Talk about a buzz-kill.

  “Your skin looks like caramel,” he murmured. “But do you taste like it as well?”

  Not only did his question take me by surprise but what he did next surprised me too. Instead of ordering me to cover my lumpy body and leave, he pulled me in close and latched on to my breast with his mouth. The warmth and gentle rolling of his tongue over my nipple made my knees weak. He wasn’t lying when he said he was full of surprises. My whole body tingled and I needed to feel him inside me. He switched sides and gave the other breast some much needed attention too. I was all moans and groans as I gave in to the pleasure.

  “Like I told you, I’m into a bit of rough sex and some other stuff,” he murmured.

  “How rough is rough?” I asked quietly.

  I’m open to explore … just don’t pee on me or something.

  He chuckled and caressed my ass with his hand before giving it a hard smack. I yelped loudly.

  “Rough enough that I like to add a little pain to the pleasure I give,” he whispered. “Can you handle it?”

  His hand slid up my thigh and he gently slipped one finger inside of me. My knees wanted to immediately buckle, but I willed myself to remain upright. My head dropped back as I opened my legs wider and titled my hips toward his hand. Unfortunately, the slow stroking of his fingers didn’t last long.

  He released me and gently guided me to the bed as he stood up. He took his time rolling down his pants and finally his boxers. The length of him bobbed up and down, seemingly relieved at being released from the tight confines of his clothes. His dick was thick, long, and hard, and absolutely aching to do its job. Going on instincts alone, I flattened myself out against the satin sheets and waited. Connor took position between my thighs and pulled me to the very edge of the bed. There was a brief rattle of a condom being opened and then silence.

  The initial thrust of his hips forced me to release a breath of air I wasn’t aware I’d been holding. A sharp pain ricocheted through my body, but it was quickly replaced by pleasure. He was thicker than I had anticipated and I wasn’t ready to accept the girth of him. I could feel him glide over every crevice inside my body and the nerves in each spot were electrified. He developed a slow, deep rhythm as the thrust of his hips melded our bodies together.

  “You like that?” he growled. “Hmm? You like that, bitch?”

  Um … excuse me? Bitch? Where the hell did that come from?

  “Yeah, you like it,” he groaned, “because you’re a dirty, filthy whore.”

  Okayyyy … the insults are a bit much. I’m all for dirty talk but this is pushing the envelope.

  We were a tangle of arms and legs as he expertly flipped me over onto my stomach. He took position and thrust back inside me with enough force to make me wonder if he was trying to come out the other end. His hand grabbed a fistful of hair and snatched my head back, eliciting a loud gasp from me. The rough sex was a turn on, minus the degrading insults. His hips fervently pumped in and out of me, and I reached back to gently put my hand on his thigh to stop him from thrusting so hard. He grabbed my hand and jacked my arm up behind me. The other hand found my clit and massaged it until it throbbed, begging for a release.

  His hand, coupled with his deep hard strokes, was about to pitch me over the edge. The first orgasm slammed into me with enough force that I momentarily became dizzy, and thought I saw spots before my eyes. Connor slapped my ass repeatedly, clearly not ready to be done with me yet. Each stroke made me moan and bite my lip. This one encounter was enough to keep my sexual appetite at bay for the next two years. Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, Connor pulled out, removed the condom and covered my ass in his warm wetness before collapsing onto the bed next to me.

  “I’ll be ready for the next round in a few minutes,” he said panting.

  Next round? Is he a man or a machine? I can’t handle another round of anything.

  “Actually, you have completely tired me out. I think we better call it a night,” I suggested.

  “Okay,” he chuckled.

  I gave a small sigh of relief and attempted to stand. My legs were weak and threatened to drop me down to the floor. I forced my feet forward to the bathroom and leaned against the door once it closed behind me. Connor was definitely a force to be reckoned with. I could question a lot of things about him, but his stamina sure wouldn’t be one of them. There was no point in forcing my aching body back into the body shaper. Besides, he’d seen all there was to see anyway. I took my time washing up, being especially gentle with my delicate sore parts. I slipped my dress on and scooped up my shoes before exiting the bathroom.

  “Leaving so soon?” he asked playfully.

  I glimpsed the new erection he was sporting, and felt the dull throb between my legs quicken. He was going to have to take care of that one by himself.

  “Yes,” I replied. “It’s late and I need to get all the rest I can get so I will be able to make it to the focus group in the morning.”

  With a sly grin of satisfaction, Connor grabbed the towel he’d taken from me earlier and wrapped it around his waist. “You’re right. You need to get some sleep. I’ll text you all of the details you’ll need for tomorrow,” he said.

  He walked me to the door and gave me a quick kiss goodbye before closing the door behind me.

  I’m going to sleep like a baby tonight, I thought with a smile.

  Chapter Seven

  I groaned my contempt for the buzzing alarm clock rousing me from my sleep too soon. Morning came faster than I wanted it to given my level of exhaustion. I needed at least six more hours of sleep in order to fully recuperate from last night’s activities. To
day I would have to skip my morning pit stop at the coffee shop. Based on the time and my overzealous swatting of the snooze button, I was running a little late. I jumped in the shower and carefully washed my body. My legs were a little sore, but I didn’t care. I smiled at the pleasant reminder instead.

  Today was going to be a ponytail and no makeup kind of day. I cursed myself for not getting up the first time the alarm went off. Cloaked in my oversized robe, I stood in front of the closet trying to narrow down my options. My phone vibrated, alerting me of new messages.

  I hope it’s Connor.

  My mouth transformed into a thousand watt smile as I glanced at the screen. I did have a message from Connor and five from Kirsten. Connor’s message had the information he mentioned last night.

  Connor: 112 Waylan Ave Suite 208. Be there at 9. Dress comfortably.

  Just like last night, he seemed to be able to anticipate everything. I was thankful he mentioned the bit about dressing comfortably, because I certainly didn’t want to embarrass him by showing up dressed wrong. My outfit, a T-shirt and yoga pants, was completed by a pair of running shoes I’d never used before. The address was across town in the business district and since I didn’t want to get trapped in the morning rush hour, I hurried on out the door.

  I had every intention on being on time, but the bumper to bumper traffic had other plans. Since traffic wasn’t moving, I grabbed my phone and looked at the messages from Kirsten. Each text she sent was funnier than the last.

  Kirsten: Are you there yet? How’s dinner?

  Kirsten: Hello! Give me an update! Don’t make me come down there.

  Kirsten: No response?! I hope you’re ignoring me because you’re naked.

  Kirsten: I should stake out your house so I can see you do the walk of shame.

  Kirsten: OMG really, no answer! I hope he hasn’t done something to you. Call me.

  A horn blared from behind, and scared the hell out of me. Traffic had started moving, but I hadn’t. I dropped the phone in my lap and inched up a little to close the gap I’d created. Not wanting to be bothered with typing a long drawn out text, I grabbed the phone and called Kirsten.