ROSE CALLOWAY
Oh.
My. God.
Connor slowly pushes the last button through his black shirt, club music blaring in the background from a pair of speakers. He stands confident, tall and domineering, like a perfect marbled statue, never once looking away from me.
I refuse to cower and crumple into a frightened ball. So I sit stiffly, waiting for him to near me. Waiting forโI donโt know what. I have no idea what Connor Cobalt plans to do after that.
โShake your ass, sweetheart!โ Loren yells over the bass.
Connor doesnโt give in to Loโs wish, and I feel Scottโs penetrative gaze on me as he watches from the couch.
The moment Connorโs legs brush against my knees, all the air tightens in my chest, chained deep inside my ribcage. He places his feet on either side of my chair, still standing and towering above me. I absorb his position, and my heart has decided to dance on its own, clenching and flipping and fluttering. Basically spasming. My heart is doing an idiot dance, the equivalent of shaking stupidly on the floor.
And then he tilts my chin so I look into his bottomless blue eyes. Power radiates in his motionless stance.
My neck grows hot, and he pries my hands off the chair, guiding them to his ripped abs. I feel him in ways I havenโt before, the lines and hardness
of his muscles. I warm the longer I run my hands along his body. Iโve thought about this so much. About what it would be like to be beneath someone as strong as him. I just never allowed myself to give him that victory, in fear that heโd run off with it and leave me behind.
I realize Iโm practically eyelevel with his crotch. My ankles hurt as I cross them tighter together, forcing my legs shut.
My panties are soaked. Thatโs all it tookโhim standing above me.
Really, Rose?
I wait for him to shake his ass in my face or do some silly dance moves on my lap. But he doesnโt perform either.
Scott clears his throat and lets out a laugh. โConnor, are you sure you know what youโre doing?โ
Connor stares right into my eyes and says, โJe sais toujours ce que je fais.โย I always know what Iโm doing.
He unbuckles the belt to his slacks. And my heart pitches wildly. Really, my heart needs to go sit on the bleachers and take a serious timeout.
โYouโre not going to like me very much if you move. So stay fucking still.โ
Itโs not possible to move anyway. I am frozen to this chair.
He slips off his leather belt, and I fixate on it as he lowers to me. But instead of sitting on my lap, he rests his hands on my knees, breaking them apart, spreading my legs open. It allows him room to sit on the seat with me. The music still thumps loudly in the background, unraveling my senses.
My eyes widen in alarm, and I clutch his biceps. I try to breathe normally, but my lips are sealed shut, afraid, mostly, of any noises escaping. Pleasurable, fearfulโall of the above.
He suddenly grips me by the waist, the belt wrapped around his hand.
And he slides my back halfway down to a slumped position. One of his
hands grips the top of the chair. He now shrouds my face from the cameras, but in the same instance, he dominates me completely.
He unwinds the belt and brings my wrists behind my back. He binds them together, the leather snug on my skin. Connor knots the belt and then cups my face. He begins rocking to the beat of the music.
He grinds his pelvis into mine, following the rhythm and tempo so itโs not just dry humping. Heโs giving me a lap dance, and itโs more sensual than anything I could have accomplished.
I struggle to keep my eyes on his. I am so aware of the people in the room, of the cameras, of the fact that heโs onย topย of me, my legs hanging with uncertainty around him.
As his hardness digs into me, my nerves prickle, and my toes constrict in my high heels.ย Oh my Godโฆ
Is this really happening? In front of everyone? And soon-to-be nationally televised.
What did I get myself into?
His parted lips reach my ear. โNe pense pas.โย Donโt think.
Thatโs a little difficult, Richard.ย But I canโt open my mouth to form the words. His movements quicken with the music, rougher, and I grit my teeth hard to hold in a sound that tickles my throat.ย OhโฆGodโฆย This shouldnโt
arouse me this much. Not with everyone watching.
I shut my eyes for a second, my head tilting back. He still holds my face in a strong, controlling hand. His mouth is so close to my cheek as he moves. I donโt have to look to feel him studying me, watching me, a keen
eye on all my needs. He knows me too well.
He grinds hard, and a sharp noise jumps out of my mouth.ย Shit.ย Before I can dwell on what just happened, he takes his hand off the chair and slides
it to my thigh and up towards my bottom. My eyes shoot open, and I jerk my hands, but theyโre caught in his belt restraint.
I glare, and his smile grows, filled with that familiar arrogance.
I am much more aware of whatโs going on. I peek behind his arm and spot my sisters. Lilyโs mouth is permanently hung open, but Lo covers her eyes with his hand. So itโs safe to presume she caught Connor being wicked in public, which is a rare sight to behold. Heโs usually only so uncouth in private.
Daisy sits on the armrest of a couch, and she wears a big grin. Ryke and Lo just watch in curiosity. And Scottโฆas soon as I turn my head to look at the producer, Connor grabs my chin and forces me back to him.
โLui donneriez-vous ce quโil veut?โย You would give him what he wants?ย His eyebrow arches, and then his lips press to my jaw, kissing gently before sucking deeply.
The breath rushes out of me. The moment his eyes meet mine again, I say, โIl ne peut pas mโavoir.โย He canโt have me.ย I should stop there. I shouldnโt add anything else. But I donโt want to lose this battle. I donโt make this easy for Connor. I give him the challenge he craves. โAucun
homme ne peut.โย No man can.
His lips find my ear again. โWeโll see.โ And then he wraps an arm around the small of my back, melding my body to his, and his other hand slips into my hair.
Before I can think about anything, he kisses me on the lips, his tongue parting mine, his whole body pushing against me. The place between my legs pulses for a heavy force, and my limbs tighten in rebut.ย Good Godโฆ
The music cuts off. And I realize that Connor has stopped rocking against me as soon as the song ended. Weโre kissing more passionately than
I can ever remember, his fingers grasping my hair, my wrists digging against the leather as I want, so desperately, to touch him back.
โAll right,โ Scott says. โThatโs enough.โ
His voice yanks me back into my head. I withdraw from Connor and turn my face before he can kiss me again. My body is flushed and sweaty, and my heart canโt stop pounding.
โWow,โ Daisy says, clapping, โthat was hot. Solid 10.โ
โHow much did I miss?!โ Lily cries out, trying to pry Loโs fingers off. โIt was way too scandalous for your pretty eyes, love,โ Lo says with a
grin. He drops his hand and kisses her on the temple.
I still try to catch my breath. Connor watches me carefully as he unties the belt. I keep my eyes narrowed at the wall.ย What just happened?
When Connor stands, I straighten up on the chair, but my muscles wonโt cooperate to do more than that.
โWe were supposed to see a lap dance,โ Scott says. โNot a porno.โ โDid I make you uncomfortable?โ Connor asks in his usual impassive
voice. He tucks his shirt back in his slacks and begins buttoning it. But he stays close to me.
Scott says nothing in reply.
โAllow me to accommodate your feelings then,โ Connor tells him. โThereโs the door. Youโll be much happier on the other side of it.โ
Loren almost breaks into a giant grin at the diss, but his hot-tempered glare pins to the producer instead.
Scott scratches his scruffy jaw and just nods. Then he heads into the kitchen. On television, I wonder whoโs going to come across as the bigger asshole in this scenario.
Ryke stands and says, โCobalt, were you or have you ever been a stripper?โ
โNo one would be able to afford me.โ
โIt wasย Magic Mike, wasnโt it?โ Lily asks. โYou had to have seen that movie.โ She turns to Lo and gives him round pleading eyes. โLetโs see it justย oneย time. Itโs not porn.โ
โChanning Tatumโs abs might as well be porn,โ Daisy interjects. Lo just kisses the top of Lilyโs head in reply.
She lets out a resigned sigh, and her eyes trail off in thought. โI do need a shower after watching that.โ Her cheeks immediately redden at the slip and her eyes bug. I can practically hear her thoughts:ย Did I say that out loud?ย Yes. Yes you did, Lily.
Daisy nudges her arm with a smile. โI totally call it after you.โ
Ryke and Lo groan, but Lily relaxes at the idea that sheโs not the only one aroused. Hell, I canโt move because I know just how wet I am. Connor basically just electrocuted me with his pantsย on.
Ryke stands up from the couch. โIโm going to the gym. Anyone want to come?โ
Daisy gasps. โYou masturbate at the gym?โ
He chucks a pillow at her face, and she catches it with a playful smile.
Loren turns to Lily, disbelief in his voice. โYouโre really going to take a shower?โ Iโve overheard their endless arguments about the bathroom since we moved in. Lily still hasnโt bathed, mostly out of fear that Scott will walk in. Iโd try to reassure her if I didnโt share the same fearโhence why I shower at five in the morning.
Lily falls silent, and Loren lowers his voice. โYou smell like sex,โ he whispers, but I can hear him clearly. โYou need to shower soon.โ
She stares down at her hands. โCan we shower together? I promise I wonโt do anything, I just… Iโll feel safer that way.โ
Thereโs a long pause before Loren responds, his tone soft but firm. โOnly if we wear bathing suits. I donโt want to be tempted, Lil. Not for six months.โ
Her face lights up, and she throws her arms around his neck.
I rub my sore wrists, unsure for a moment, lost in my own thoughts. Then, out of nowhere, Connor takes my hand and effortlessly pulls me to my feet.
He looks down at me, and I suddenly realize what couldโve happened today. I couldโve fumbled, couldโve embarrassed myself in front of him, maybe even on national television. Instead, he made me feel desirable, not mortified.
My chest tightens with gratitude, the words thank you ready on my lips. But before I can say anything, his thumb brushes my cheek, and he murmurs softly, โYouโre welcome, darling.โ
I let out a slow breath, relieved I donโt have to force the words anymore. The sound of clattering dishes echoes from the kitchen as Scott moves around.
I glance at Connor and whisper, โYou fucked with his plans. Heโll cry about it and move on.โ
Connor isnโt as hopeful. โOr heโs going to find something you canโt screw up.โ