Only one light lit the space—a little lamp on the nightstand—but she could see Sam clearly. And Sam could see her. Terri tried not to feel self-conscious when Sam paused to appraise her work.

  “I’d love to shoot you like this…maybe someday you’d let me?” Sam traced a line down the outside of Terri’s thigh. “You’re gorgeous.”

  Nerves fired when Sam’s hand left her skin. She wanted to reach for Sam, to pull her on top of her, but when she tried to even sit up, she couldn’t. A lock of hair fell between her eyes as she tried to settle.

  Sam reached over and pushed the curl back into place. “You’ll have to ask for what you need.”

  Terri tugged against the restraints again. She wasn’t sure how long she’d last. Sam would untie her, she knew that, but she didn’t want to ask yet. “I need you.”

  “I know you do.”

  But she needed to feel more than Sam’s light touch. She needed to feel her weight pinning her. And she wouldn’t say it, but she was desperate to be covered. To have Sam protecting her. She was at Sam’s mercy because of restraints that she’d put her in and yet her need for Sam had only intensified.

  Sam took off her shirt. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and her breasts made perfect little peaks on her chest. Terri knew she wasn’t packing. She would have felt the cock when she’d pressed into her earlier as they’d kissed. But she didn’t want that tonight anyway. She wanted fingers pinching her nipples, lips bruising hers, and a rough hand holding her down. She sucked in a breath as Sam dropped her boxers.

  “I love your body.”

  “My body loves yours,” Sam murmured.

  There was nothing she could do when Sam moved on her. She couldn’t even grip her shoulders or run her hands through her hair. After a few failed attempts to at least try to touch Sam, she finally dropped her head back on the pillow. Sam’s lips distracted her some—kisses that moved from her lips to her neck and then trailed down to her cleavage.

  Sam found the snaps along the side of her panties and a moment later she’d torn them off. There was still a mess of straps and the lace bra still covered her breasts, but Terri had never felt so exposed.

  Sam met her gaze, as if knowing her thoughts. “I could do anything to you right now.”

  Sam drug her finger from Terri’s belly button down over her mound and then parted her slit. A shiver of need rushed through her. “I need you there.”

  Sam didn’t push inside, only lightly stroking Terri’s thighs. “Are you wet for me?”

  “I’ve been waiting all week.” Terri pumped up her hips, needing Sam to touch her.

  “You could have had someone else.” Sam parted her folds.

  Terri braced for Sam to thrust a finger inside, but she didn’t. She lazily circled her opening, only making Terri want her all the more.

  “I could have had someone else but I only wanted you.” Terri knew Sam wanted her to say that. But it was also the truth. She wasn’t playing a part in a game tonight. “I don’t want anyone else to touch me.”

  “Good.”

  When Sam bent her head to taste her, Terri strained against the ties. She bucked, but Sam only held her down. There was nothing she could do as Sam’s tongue coursed roughly over her clit. Terri clenched her fingers into fists. God, it was ecstasy, but she had no control of it. She cried out, but Sam didn’t stop. Thank God she didn’t stop.

  When she bucked her hips again, Sam was more forceful, and Terri let herself give in. She’d had plenty of lovers go down on her, but not being able to do anything except lie there and take it made the experience entirely new. She had to accept every attention to detail that Sam seemed intent on giving and that was a mind fuck all to itself.

  Minutes passed and Sam didn’t let up. Terri thought she might not come at all, despite how relentless Sam was with her tongue and how her clit twitched with pleasure. But her mind held her back. She couldn’t reciprocate, couldn’t even rake her nails down Sam’s back or hold her face against her.

  Now she wanted Sam to have a strap-on so this wouldn’t be all about her. She could let Sam get off fucking her, but relaxing enough to let her own body come was another subject entirely. And still, as her doubt swirled, Sam didn’t let up with her tongue.

  Sam’s hands moved from Terri’s breasts, pinching the nipples through the lace, to her hips and then back up to her neck. She loved the roughness in Sam’s touch and how she didn’t seem to have any pattern. One minute she was gripping Terri’s arm, the next she was slipping under her butt to reposition her. When Sam’s finger slid inside, Terri moaned. The pressure on her G-spot forced her to consider that she might come after all.

  One finger, then two, then three. Terri could feel the pressure increasing. She was able to move her legs enough to pull her knees up and spread herself more. When Sam murmured, “That’s four. I think you can take all five tonight,” Terri wanted nothing else.

  She felt Sam shift and then suddenly pull out. “Where are you going?”

  “I brought lube.”

  Terri waited for Sam to come back, her thoughts jumping from wanting to ask to be untied to wanting to force her body to come this way. When Sam came back to the bed, she kissed Terri’s lips.

  “Have you done this before?” Sam asked.

  “Been fisted or been tied up?” Terri shook her head. “Neither.”

  “You have to relax for it to work. Want me to untie you?”

  “No.”

  Sam coated her hand in lube and then dripped some on Terri. The coolness made her clench, but a second later Sam was on her, stroking her clit and parting her folds.

  “Show me how much you want this.”

  Terri closed her eyes and pumped her hips up. When Sam didn’t enter her, she dropped her hips and then tried again. “Please…”

  Sam’s fingers slipped in her then, and she murmured “thank you,” which seemed ridiculous but felt entirely right.

  “You’ll thank me again later,” Sam promised.

  By the stretching pain, Terri knew all four fingers were inside her again. Sam was riding her in slow strokes, easing her open. She wanted to watch when Sam’s thumb moved in, but when she looked down to check, Sam had dropped her head and all she could see was her tousled brown hair. In the next moment, she felt Sam’s tongue circling her clit again.

  “I’m gonna come if you keep that up,” Terri panted.

  “Don’t come.”

  Terri tried to fight back the orgasm, but Sam’s tongue felt too good and her muscles wouldn’t stop rhythmically clenching around Sam’s fingers. She’d been worried that she wouldn’t come and now she couldn’t stop it. “I don’t think I can help it.”

  Sam lifted her head, breaking the spell of her tongue. Terri felt her clit quiver. Dammit, she was so close. “Please let me come.”

  “Not yet…I love how slick you are, how open…” She turned her wrist, her thumb raking over Terri’s swollen clit. “But you can take a little more, can’t you?”

  Terri bit her lip. She wanted more, but she wasn’t entirely sure she could take it. Finally she nodded. Sam didn’t change anything she was doing; her fingers stayed in place and her thumb kept up the slow back and forth over her clit. Wetting her lips, Terri forced herself to say the words aloud. “I want you to fist me.”

  “Even if it hurts?”

  Terri nodded, hoping Sam would accept that. Words wouldn’t come to her lips and her mind was a mess of emotions. She looked up into Sam’s eyes, steel blue in the candlelight.

  “After you come, you’re going to want me again.”

  Terri nodded again. She’d do anything to please her. If Sam only knew…

  “You like belonging to me.”

  Terri’s breath quickened as Sam changed her angle. She was so close to coming, but Sam didn’t seem to care how her thumb was torturing her clit with pleasure.

  “Say it.”

  Terri wanted to say the words. Wanted it out in the open and wanted Sam to hear it. “I love being yours. Only yours.”

  “Good girl.” Sam leaned over her and kissed her lips. “Now you get your reward.” She shifted back and pushed her thumb inside.

  Waves of pleasure rolled through Terri as her muscles clenched on Sam’s wrist. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to hold back her moan and then even that wasn’t enough. When she let out the sounds she couldn’t hold back, Sam only pushed in another half-inch, letting loose a new shock of nerves.

  “Fuck me.” Terri panted.

  “Look.”

  Terri opened her eyes. Sam’s forearm was between her legs. Everything below her wrist was inside her.

  “You feel amazing.”

  Every slight movement Sam made was pure pleasure. “Please don’t come out.” Terri closed her eyes and dropped her head back on the pillow. Filled. That was the only word that came to mind, but the sensation of having Sam’s hand in her was so much more than that.

  “Now you can come for me.”

  “I think I’m past that.” As good as it felt, she didn’t think an orgasm was on the horizon anymore. She was fine with that. This alone felt perfect.

  “We have all night,” Sam said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Good.” Terri murmured. “I love your hand inside me.”

  “All you have to do is let go. Let me take you all the way.”

  Terri wanted to argue that she was tied up and Sam’s entire fist was inside her. What else was left to let go of? But she didn’t say anything, and she was aware after a moment of Sam’s tongue on her clit again. Then she felt Sam’s thrusting, subtle at first, but building enough to almost be uncomfortable before her body relaxed into the motion.

  Fine, Sam could do whatever she wanted. It felt too good to tell her to stop. She stopped tugging on the restraints and let her head sink into the pillow. Sam rocked into her, over and over, sending pleasure through her. She closed her eyes, thinking she never wanted Sam to pull out, and the pulse at her clit started up again. She didn’t understand how it could be possible, but all of a sudden there was no denying that Sam was going to get what she wanted.

  Without warning, she came. She arched her back, called out Sam’s name, begged her not to stop, then tried to squeeze her thighs together to hold her in place. She felt Sam’s caresses as she writhed against the ties.

  “I got you.”

  She heard Sam’s voice as if it came from somewhere far away, felt a gentle brush against her cheek when she strained again, then light kisses on her belly. But the orgasm didn’t let up. Wave after wave rolled through her body and she couldn’t do anything but let it happen. As soon as she was sure it was over, another rush swept over her. It happened again and again until she was certain she couldn’t handle anymore. What had Sam done to her? She’d never had any orgasm last this long, never been this undone.

  When her body was finally spent, she collapsed back on the mattress breathless and shaking. Sam had loosened the straps and now wrapped her free arm around her. Thank God she didn’t try to pull her other hand out. Minutes passed and the shaking gave way to a surreal calm.

  Sam touched her cheek, and she realized she was crying. “Was it too much? Did I hurt you?”

  Terri rocked her head side to side. Not too much. No. But how could she explain what she’d felt? “Don’t come out.” Her words were slurred and slow. She could hardly swallow and there was no point trying to move. She knew her muscles wouldn’t obey.

  How many minutes passed before Sam pulled out? She didn’t know. But she complained when it happened even still, not wanting the emptiness she felt without Sam’s hand inside her. Sam only touched her lips, telling her to rest. The handcuffs and ankle straps were undone completely and then a blanket was pulled up to her chin. Terri didn’t have to move—Sam took care of everything.

  She told herself that she’d only rest for a minute. Then she’d try to pleasure Sam. Try, because nothing could compare to what Sam had done to her. When Sam pulled her close, tenderly kissing her cheek, she felt the last little bit of herself that she’d held back let go. It was useless fighting it. She’d already fallen for her.

  Tomorrow she’d ask her out on a real date regardless of all the reasons it didn’t make sense.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Sam woke at the sound of a car honking. She tried to fall back asleep when the honking stopped, but then the realization that she was back in Sacramento hit her. Back, yes, but not to stay. That thought came with such a mix of emotions she knew there was no chance she’d get any more rest.

  It was morning, but early, and the rays coming in through the blinds cast only a weak light to the room. Terri’s arm was draped over her, and when she rolled carefully on her side, easing her arm off, somehow she didn’t wake.

  Sam breathed her in. The scent of her sex mixed with sweet vanilla lotion. Terri was as breathtaking in her sleep as she was awake. Sam let her eyes wander from the curve of her jawbone down her smooth slender neck. She’d already taken account of all the tattoos—a favorite being the plum blossom branch with the white dove about to land among the flowers. It wasn’t only the location that she liked, an inch above the swell of Terri’s breast, but the intricate detail of the pink flowers and the bird’s spread wings. The interlocking Celtic band on her right forearm was also nice, along with the pair of fish swimming in opposite directions at one bicep and an Egyptian third eye on the other. The sea of colors and patterns were mesmerizing and she envied the artists for the time they’d spent on the bit of skin Terri had granted each one.

  Someday, maybe, she’d get Terri to tell her about the tattoos. She had a feeling there’d be a story—at least of which one she’d gotten first and why.

  Finally Sam looked away and took in the room. She’d hardly noticed the space the night before, but there was little to note, as it turned out. Aside from the bed and a dresser that looked unused, there was a reading nook by the window with a high-backed chair and a small table with a lamp. Typical guest room. Even the wall art felt sterile—a tapestry of greens and golds on one wall and a photograph of a sunset over snow-capped Sierras on another.

  That they were in the guest room instead of Terri’s room shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did. Clearly Terri hadn’t wanted what they’d done to happen in her bedroom. She was proving her point that this was still only sex and nothing more. Sam had fooled herself thinking they were connecting in all the messages they’d exchanged that week. Nothing had changed.

  As frustrating as it was to be the one wanting more, Sam wondered if it wasn’t some cosmic payback. How many times had she been the one who was detached and only interested in sex? With Terri she’d thought they had a deeper connection. Whether Terri wouldn’t let herself feel it or simply chose to ignore it made Sam alternatingly want to give up completely and work harder to convince her they had something worth risking heartbreak.

  But, damn, she couldn’t complain about the sex. What they’d done last night had loosed something wild in her. Seeing Terri tied up had been the stuff of fantasy. And what she’d let Sam do…

  Her cell phone buzzed and she slipped out of bed to quiet the call, searching the pockets of her suit until she found it. Doug. Wondering why he’d call at this hour, she carefully opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

  “What’s wrong?” She kept her voice low, hoping Terri would keep sleeping.

  “Sorry to call so early. I’ve been up all night trying to rip out my stomach lining.” He groaned, then coughed and groaned again. “I think I’m gonna be sick again.”

  “You sound awful.”

  “I need a favor. I’ve got a family photo shoot in San Francisco at ten. Any chance you can stand in for me? Now that your name is back on the website, everyone’s asking for you anyway.”

  Sam checked the time. She needed a shower, but if she skipped breakfast, she could make it to the city barring any traffic. As much as she didn’t want to leave Terri, maybe it was best not to spend another day with her. “Text me the address—and feel better.”

  “Thanks.” Another groan. “Next time I go back for a third plate of prawns, tell me I’ve had enough.”

  Sam ended the call and glanced at the closed door behind her. She decided to shower in Terri’s room to let her sleep a little longer. If that was crossing any lines, let Terri say something. She wasn’t going to shy away from an argument, but she didn’t want to be the one to bring it up again.

  It wasn’t until after she’d dried off from the shower, dressed, and brushed her teeth that she saw movement under the rumpled covers. Terri yawned, then stretched and rolled on her side as if planning on slipping back to sleep. But she rubbed her eyes and looked in Sam’s direction.

  “Why are you dressed?”

  “I have to leave. I was hoping you’d wake before I had to go.”

  Terri ran a hand through her tousled curls. The sunlight streaming through the blinds turned her locks a breathtaking red-gold. She sat up in bed and stretched again. “What time is it?”

  “A little after nine.” Sam finished buckling her belt.

  “Wait, did you say you were leaving?”

  “Yeah. Doug texted me. He thinks he’s coming down with something. Either that or he ate too many prawns at the wedding. He needs me to do a family photo shoot.”

  “This morning?”

  “I know the timing sucks, but word gets around if you cancel on people.” Sam went over to the bed and sat down. Terri reached across the covers and brushed her hand over Sam’s.

  “I really don’t want you to leave.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Sam couldn’t leave though without checking in first. “Can I ask you about last night?”

  “About the crying,” Terri guessed.

  Sam nodded. “Should we have not gone that far?”

  “We definitely should have gone that far. It was fucking amazing.” Terri sighed softly. “I think my body was overwhelmed—as cheesy as that sounds. I’ve never completely let go like that. And now you’re leaving and I can’t even try to return the favor. Not that I’d be able to match you.”