By Invitation Only Read online

  It could have been as banal as a business dinner, if not for the mystery that surrounded the evening. They ate the dessert in silence. Tessa studied him thoughtfully, but each time he met her eyes, she slid hers away. There was something disturbing about his blue eyes. In fact, the entire situation was disturbing. What was she doing here? More importantly, when had she last felt this frisson of awareness at the back of her neck in the company of a man? How could she be drawn to a stranger?

  After he cleared dessert and wheeled the tray into the kitchen, he returned with a tray of coffee. “I thought we might have a cup in front of the fire.”

  Tessa shrugged and rose from the table. She followed him into a lounge, where a fire blazed in the hearth. Throw pillows dotted the floor, and a white sofa took up most of one wall. He set the tray on a low table and settled himself on the floor. Tessa hesitated, and he patted a space beside him. “My dress …”

  “What are a few wrinkles?”

  He had paid for it, so if he didn’t mind, why should she? She knelt beside him and gingerly settled herself until she was comfortable. The dress pooled around her and contrasted beautifully with the cream carpet. The fire was warm, and the coffee was rich. She added a dab of cream before she sipped the brew. They didn’t speak.

  There was an awkward quality to their silence, as if they were both searching for something to say. Could it be that her mysterious host was as unsure as she was?

  When they finished the coffee, Tessa knew there was no reason to linger. “Tell me why I'm here.”

  He ignored her as he busied himself with stacking their cups and saucers on the tray.

  “You promised to tell me why you brought me here.”

  He didn’t look up. “When the time is right.”

  “Now is right.”

  “Not yet.”

  Groaning with frustration, Tessa rose to her feet and walked to the nearby window, staring out into the night. White flakes fell from the sky steadily, and already the thick, wet snow covered the ground. This was not powder that would melt as soon as it landed, but the kind of snow that stuck. She had no intention of being trapped in this house with this crazy person.

  “I'm going now. I don't care why you've brought me here.”

  He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Tessa stiffened at his familiarity and tried to pull away. When his head descended, she held her breath. His lips tickled her ear as he asked, “Don't you?”

  She gasped when he kissed her earlobe. “Let go of me.”

  “You're free to leave at any time,” he reminded her, but he didn’t release her. Instead, he put his mouth on her neck and nipped her. Tessa stiffened with fear, but also surprise. His mouth felt good on her neck. She had never imagined herself to be the kind of person who could respond to a stranger, but she had to reevaluate her self-opinion as his mouth slid higher. He nibbled on her earlobe and caused her to moan.

  Drawing forth a reserve of willpower she hadn't known she possessed, Tessa turned in his arms. “Stop right now …” she trailed off when their eyes locked. His were dark with passion, and his arms tightened around her. Illogically, she felt no fear. Instead, his passion seemed to feed her arousal.

  She didn’t protest as his lips settled on hers to gently explore their plump contours. When his tongue slid inside her mouth, she groaned. Her hands came up, at first to push him away, but she plunged them into his thick hair. Her entire body began to tingle as he deepened the kiss, and liquid heat flooded her pussy.

  When he lifted his head, she protested, then blushed at her forwardness. What was she doing, making love with a stranger? Sanity started to return, but before it could find more than a tenuous purchase, his hands were on her breasts, and he stroked them through the velvet of the dress.

  Her nipples hardened in response to his palms as he massaged her through the velvet. Tessa arched her back and cried out as his left hand made its way to her zipper and slowly pulled it down far enough to free her breasts.

  Due to the design of the dress, Tessa was not wearing a bra, and her breasts sprang free eagerly. He cupped one in his hand and tweaked the nipple. “Beautiful,” he growled in a voice full of passion.

  His deep, rough purr sent shivers through Tessa's body. Part of her was aware that it was wrong to allow this man to touch her in such an intimate way. Another part of her rejoiced in the liberties he took. Apparently, there was a dark side to her passions she had never known of before.

  When his mouth supplanted his smooth hand, Tessa couldn't hold in a moan. His tongue flicked around the engorged peak before it darted away, only to return seconds later to increase her tension. Tessa grew even wetter and arched her hips as his mouth continued to wreak havoc on her senses.

  His hands were at her zipper, and he lowered it the rest of the way. The dress fell in a puddle at her feet. She stood nearly naked before him, wearing only thigh-high stockings and a miniscule pair of white, satin panties. He peeled off the hose and stopped every few inches to kiss a newly exposed area of flesh.

  Tessa abandoned herself to the sensations he provoked and tore at his jacket with urgent hands. He chuckled and raised his head to remove the jacket, tie, and black shirt with three efficient moves. Then she was in his arms again, with her soft breasts pressed against his lightly haired chest. His hands cupped her ass and massaged her cleft through the slippery material of the panties.

  She ached for him to touch the very heat of her and wriggled impatiently. He kissed her again as he moved one hand from her ass to stroke the outer lips of her pussy. One finger teased her clit through the panties, and Tessa's body shuddered.

  Her legs went limp, and he held her up as he brought her to the white sofa, where he pushed her down. He crouched on the floor in front of her and gazed at the damp crotch of her panties. His fingers stroked the side of her panties and occasionally flicked over her swollen, but neglected, clit. “You're so wet your panties are translucent.”

  Rather than be embarrassed, his words emboldened her. “Touch me.” Tessa didn't recognize her own voice. It was rough with passion, and there was an urgency she couldn't remember ever having experienced.

  “Your wish is my command.” He cupped her with his hand, gently grinding the palm of his hand against her lips.

  “Higher.”

  He laughed and slipped a finger inside her panties. His touch was light and expert, and her pulse quickened. Her hips thrust in time with his caresses, and soon her body shuddered with climax. Her pussy continued to contract, and he slipped two fingers inside her.

  “Are you ready for me?”

  She hesitated. If she said yes, there was no backing out. She had already gone too far with a stranger, but if they completed their union, she might not respect herself ever again.

  He wiggled his fingers, and she nodded. She ached, deep inside, when he withdrew his fingers from her pussy lips and rose to his feet. He felt around in the pocket of the trousers he still wore, until he had produced a condom. Then he unzipped his pants, and they fell to the floor. He stepped out of them and pushed off his briefs. When he returned to her, he wore nothing.

  His cock was thick, and pulsed with each beat of his heart. The head was engorged and so large it caused her eyes to widen. He wasn't overly long, but she knew he would fill her completely. Curly brown hair nestled at the base of his cock and obscured his balls. Tessa reclined as he knelt between her thighs.

  He gave her one last questioning look, obviously needing to hear her consent. “Yes,” she whispered.

  He moved forward to lie on her and used one hand to guide his cock into her tight pussy. As she had known, he was a snug fit. If she hadn’t been so wet, their union wouldn’t have worked. He stretched her almost to the point of pain before he stopped deep inside her. She could feel his heart beating through his cock, as they remained motionless for a moment, until she was accustomed to his breadth. Then he rocked his hips, and she matched the age-old rhythm he set.

  He thrust in
to her as deeply as he could, using one hand to grasp her hip, while his other hand tangled in her hair. Sharp pain flashed through her head when he tugged, and her pussy spasmed with the unique stimuli. Tessa tightened her thighs around his waist and strove to take in all of his cock. Once her pussy had adjusted to his size, it seemed to thirst for more of him. She pressed her breasts against his chest, and she moaned when the changed position caused his cock to rub against her clit.

  Tessa could feel herself building towards another orgasm, and she tightened her pussy to bring it about sooner. She hovered at the edge as he continued to thrust into her, and she whimpered when she couldn't find release. She dug her nails into his back so deeply she heard him yelp. She ignored his verbal protests and clutched him against her. She ached for release only he could provide.

  Their gazes locked, and she was temporarily transfixed by the naked need reflected in his eyes, rimmed by thick, dark lashes. Did his need mirror hers? The heady sensation of giving into the forbidden swept through her, and she couldn’t have torn her gaze from his if she tried. The fluid way they reflected his emotions—passion, hunger, tenderness, and something less definable—fascinated her. A flush swept across his cheeks as she continued to stare into his eyes, and his gaze slid from hers.

  He kissed her on the mouth, and their tongues dueled, as his hand moved between their thrusting bodies. He pressed in on her clit and rotated slowly, until she started to come. Tessa’s pussy tightened around his suddenly bulging cock, and she was distracted from trying to catch his eyes again. He had grown so hard that it hurt. He lightly pinched her clit as he thrust into her deeper than ever.

  She bit her lip to avoid screaming when an orgasm swept through her. It ravaged her body and caused her to shudder. Her pussy squeezed around him several times, and she clamped her thighs around his waist tight enough to cause him to grunt. With a muted cry, he spilled his seed and flooded her pussy with warm wetness, though the condom muted the sensation.

  When the last wave of pleasure had faded, he did not immediately withdraw. Instead, he gathered her close to him, with her head on his chest. She could hear the rocketing beat of his heart as her ear was pressed against it. It slowly faded in crescendo, until it approached almost normal. He finally withdrew from her and left the room to deal with the condom.

  Doubts immediately assailed her. Tessa chastised herself for giving into desire with a man she didn't know. A one-night stand would have been bad enough, but this man was a complete stranger.

  She had worked herself into quite a state when he returned. “I have to go,” she said as soon as he entered the room. “I have to get out of here.”

  He frowned. “Come upstairs with me.”

  “What?”

  “I had it all set up to happen upstairs. Instead, my desire overwhelmed me, and I took you on the couch. Please come upstairs with me.”

  How could she when she had tarnished her own perception of herself so much already? How could she compound her error by repeating it? As Tessa asked herself those questions, she followed him up the stairs, with him holding tightly to her hand, as though he was determined she would stay. It seemed like her legs were independent of her brain, and even self-disgust could not break the thrall he held for her.

  The carpet was soft under her bare feet, and Tessa felt discomfited by her nudity. “Are we alone?”

  “Yes.”

  Although she should have been frightened by his admission, she felt relief. There was no one to see her nakedness, to know of her folly, to disturb them as they made love again.

  He opened the first door on the left, and she could see he had indeed prepared the room. White satin sheets covered the bed, several candles in holders were scattered throughout the room, and a bucket of iced champagne was on the nightstand, along with a selection of silk scarves. Near the scarves was a small collection of other things. She recognized lubes, feathers, a vibrator, and a cock ring amid the assortment.

  “Lie down.” His firm tone allowed no room for protest.

  Although not generally a timid or submissive lover, Tessa did as he asked, sprawling across the cool comfort of the satin. It sensuously caressed her body wherever it touched, heightening her renewed sense of arousal.

  “You have no idea how beautiful you are like that. How many times I've fantasized about seeing you lying across my bed, nude, with that glorious red hair spread across the pillows.” His voice held a note of awe, almost sublimated by raw anguish.

  Tessa blushed at his effusive compliments and was glad the mask partially hid her cheeks. When she remembered the mask, it began to itch. She slipped a finger under the satin to scratch, but could find no relief unless she took it off. “May I remove the mask now?”

  “Yes, but I'm keeping mine.”

  She frowned. “For how long?”

  “Just a little longer.” A small smile was evident on his lips.

  Tessa’s hands shook as she removed the mask and tossed it on the floor. Then she settled more comfortably and spread her arms and legs wide. “What will you do to me?”

  “I want to taste you.” Where his eyes strayed left no doubt about his intentions. “But I must blindfold you.”

  Her eyes widened. “What?”

  “I want to remove my mask to enjoy you completely, but I don't want you to see me until the time is right.”

  She resisted the urge to smirk. “I can remove a blindfold anytime I'd like.”

  He nodded. “That's why I also want to tie your hands.”

  Tessa frowned, unsure if she wanted to surrender that degree of control to him. She had never trusted anyone enough to do so before. “I don't know …”

  “Have I hurt you once this evening, Tessa?”

  “No—”

  “I promise not to abuse your trust.”

  “You could try trusting me not to look.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “I don't think so.”

  “It seems a bit unfair that you expect my trust when you won't extend any.”

  “I suppose it does,” he agreed and held up a bright purple scarf. “May I?”

  With a deep breath, Tessa nodded and closed her eyes as he wound the scarf around her wrist. He pulled her arm lightly to bring it closer to the bedpost, where he secured it with a knot.

  The first wrist had been difficult for her, but she found letting him tie her second wrist to be nearly impossible. Only the reassuring smile curving his lips and the warmth in his eyes allowed her to go through with it. He fastened that wrist with a green scarf before he tied a black scarf around her eyes.

  She lay there, for all intents, helpless. Tessa was unable to move and unable to see. Her stomach clenched in knots as she tried to anticipate what he would do next.

  Tessa stiffened and relaxed, as she felt his warm breath caressing her thighs before his mouth settled on her pussy. He ran his tongue down her neatly trimmed lips, then quickly darted it out to touch her clit. The feeling was intense, heightened by her inability to see him. The anticipation was intense and caused her juices to flow faster as her stomach quivered.

  She felt the soft brush of his lips against her skin, then the soft wetness of his tongue as he gently laved her clit. Her thighs tightened automatically when his hand slid between them. She made an effort to relax as he stroked her. She gasped when his fingers parted her folds to allow his tongue better access. One impudent finger sought out the opening of her pussy and slipped inside, only to be followed by another.

  His tongue's tempo increased, and his fingers thrust in time with his darting tongue, until Tessa could not keep her hips on the mattress. She thrust impatiently against him, moaning when he took her clit completely in his mouth. His other hand slipped under her ass to gently squeeze her cheeks. She pressed herself against his hand, then moaned and arched against his tongue and fingers. She was unable to decide which she wanted more.

  He stopped squeezing her ass and began to stroke the cleft between her cheeks. As one finger probed her assh
ole, he grazed her clit with his teeth before he suddenly sucked all of her clit into his mouth. He flicked his tongue across the hood of her clitoris. His finger continued to probe her back passage, and she writhed against the double torture, until he sucked once, twice, three times in quick succession, and she came with a harsh sob.

  Tessa dug her heels, shoulders, and hips into the mattress and arched her back. The pulse waves of her orgasm hadn't even begun to fade when his cock plunged into her dripping pussy. She was still sensitive, and it was combination of pleasure and pain to have him filling her so completely. His cock stimulated her swollen clit and caused her to whimper.

  When he started to pull away, she gripped his ass with her hands, digging her nails into his cheeks, and held him against her. “Stay,” she whispered.

  “Yes.” He sounded breathless, and his voice was hoarse. He thrust into her a very few times before they were both moaning. She cried out as another orgasm engulfed her, simultaneously with his. He buried himself deep inside her for a long moment, and neither of them breathed.

  Suddenly her breath exploded from her, and he relaxed slightly before he withdrew from her body. Tessa waited until her heartbeat had slowed before she spoke. “Tell me your name.”

  There was dead silence, and then he untied the scarves around her wrists. A few seconds later, she felt the blindfold being untied with gentle hands. She blinked a few times to get reacquainted with the dim light before she turned her gaze on him.

  His face was older, with lines that hadn't been there before. It was still as ruggedly handsome as she remembered, and he carried his age well. His dark-brown hair was still untouched by gray. “You're looking well, Kendall.” A sense of calm had filled her upon seeing his face. In fact, she suspected she had known it was him on some deeper level all along.

  Tessa cringed when she remembered the way she had thrown herself at Kendall Hawthorne, the night before leaving town for college and forever, or so she had imagined. He was several years older than she, and Kendall's father was her father's employer, as he had been for more than half the town. She should have known Kendall wouldn't be interested in her, but she had foolishly built up his glances and teasing conversations into something more than they were.