Ties That Bind Us Read online

  “Oh . . . that’s not exactly—”

  “I’m totally kidding, I’ve never even gotten a speeding ticket.”

  He was endearing, much different than I had pictured him when Angie conned me into this, and I was even starting to relax a little bit. Maybe even enjoying myself.

  “What else do you like to do?” he asked.

  “I love to travel. I get a little stir crazy if I stay in one place for too long.”

  If I was being honest, traveling was one of my favorite things in the world. It didn’t matter where, I just loved experiencing new places and cultures and not being tied to one location all my life. There was nothing quite like the feeling of experiencing a new country for the first time. The sights and sounds and smells. I craved the instability of it all—that you could hop on a plane or train and be in a completely new place in just a few hours, where no one knew who you were or where you came from. It was transient, never permanent. I was pretty certain I could spend my entire life searching out new places. I craved the free feeling it gave me; it was almost intoxicating. “I spent some time studying abroad in Greece and Spain in my undergrad and I’ve been dying to get back ever since.”

  Rob nodded in agreement with a distant look in his eye. “I know exactly what you mean. I used to travel a lot too. Now, I’m so busy with work I hardly have the chance. Right now, most of my focus is on finding the right woman and starting a family.”

  I pressed my lips into a thin line, hoping I could ignore his last comment and enjoy the rest of our evening.

  We ordered more drinks and some appetizers to share, and Rob and I had a great time getting to know each other. He was charming and safe, and looked exactly like the type of guy my parents would prefer me to bring home, but that was exactly the problem. I appreciated the security a guy like Rob provided, but what about the spontaneity and fun? What about the adventure and challenge and passion that a real relationship needed? Poor Rob was a nearly perfect guy, but he was about to be a casualty in my own personal battle. By the time dessert came around, I was anxious for the conversation I knew was inevitable. Luckily, Rob walked right into it and gave me my window of opportunity.

  “You know, Ava, I know this is fast, but I really feel like you and I click. I’d love to take you out again later this week. Do you like the opera?”

  “Rob, you’re a great guy, and I’ve had a lot of fun tonight, but I’m not really looking for a relationship, and I certainly don’t want to waste your time. I’m not sure what Angie told you, but I’m not in a position to settle down. I’m so sorry.”

  Rob smiled sympathetically but I didn’t wait for answer. I hated things like this, hated confrontation of any sort, and my instinct was always to bail as fast as possible.

  Leaving some cash on the table for the check, I hurried away, trying not to cause even more of a scene. It wasn’t until I was in a back hallway that I realized I had gone the wrong way. I couldn’t go back out the way I came—Rob would surely see me and that would just make things even more awkward for the both of us.

  At the end of the hallway, there was a doorway closed off with a black curtain. It was the only one not labeled as a bathroom or maintenance, and I had no idea where it led, but I didn’t have many options. Hurrying toward it, I ducked behind the curtain and was immediately almost knocked off of my feet by a waiter carrying a tray overflowing with food.

  “Watch it!” the waiter yelled, not paying another glance to me. If I thought it was busy and chaotic out in the dining room, it was nothing compared to this.

  I’d found myself in the kitchen of the restaurant, steps away from flaming grills and large wood fired ovens. The heat was almost as overwhelming as the noise of the cooks hollering back and forth to each other. Through the smoke, I could see another doorway a few yards away and made my move, trying to avoid another near collision.

  I slipped through the doorway, but what I saw on the other side wasn’t exactly an exit. It looked like an office. There was a large desk and tall filing cabinets, and it had the distinct smell of paper, old books, and cigars. Not exactly the exit I had been hoping for. What the hell was this place, a maze? Why couldn’t I find my way out of it?

  Because you didn’t use the entrance like normal people, Ava. I grimaced, covering my face with my hands.

  “Looking for something?” A husky voice came from behind me. Startled, I whirled around and was met with the dashingly handsome face of the stranger from earlier.

  “I was just . . . on my way out.”

  “Most people use the front entrance.” He arched an eyebrow at me, suspicious. The way his eyes traced my lips as I spoke was not lost on me.

  “Now where is the fun in that?”

  “By all means, don’t let me stop you.” He grinned widely, holding his arm out and gesturing to a door I hadn’t noticed.

  “Now that I ran into you, leaving doesn’t seem all that important to me.”

  He was even more perfect up close. I could tell I had amused him, but he was far too collected and poised to fully let on.

  “I can’t imagine why, your date seemed riveting.”

  I bit my lip, feeling a little outmatched by him. He had been watching me with Rob even after I thought he’d left. Normally, I was used to having the upper hand, but this guy reduced me to a puddle.

  “I didn’t catch your name.” He closed the distance between us, drawing me in with each calculated step. I hesitated for a second, debating whether or not I should tell him the truth. I had no idea where this was going to go, but I shouldn’t even be entertaining the thought of a guy like him. He basically screamed trouble.

  “How about Juliette?” I grinned, amused with the irony in my lie. He and I could never be together, a pair of star-crossed lovers.

  He drew even closer. Dangerously close. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off of him. It was almost torture. Maybe it was because I hadn’t had sex recently, or maybe it was the alcohol, but I had a feeling I would do just about anything this guy asked.

  He caught onto the irony in my Shakespeare reference, as he put his hand to my cheek and gently stroked my skin with his thumb.

  “Then I guess that makes me Romeo. What do you say we get out of here and go somewhere a little quieter, Jules?”

  “How about something to drink?” He draped his suit coat over a chair in the hotel suite. “You’re a whiskey girl if I remember correctly?”

  “Perfect.” Why was I feeling nervous around him? Normally, I felt like I had the upper hand in situations like this, but for some reason, this guy had thrown me off my game. The look on his face told me he knew it too. I didn’t like being in situations I couldn’t control, and everything about this guy screamed control.

  While he was making our drinks, I walked through the suite. It was much more than any hotel room I had been in before. The small entryway where we came in opened up to a spacious living- and dining-room area. A long dining table with high-backed velvet chairs was in the center of the room, set as if ready to host a dinner party. Towering floral arrangements added color and freshness, while the art that hung on the walls reminded me of pieces I had seen at the Met. The state-of-the-art kitchen was off to the side, and I could only imagine the masterpieces I could create on the granite countertops and endless array of appliances. I loved to mess around with cooking, but it was an art form when you had this kind of equipment at your disposal. He seemed to know his way around the kitchen, finding glasses and liquor quickly. For a brief moment, I wondered if he had done this kind of thing before.

  I continued into the living room, running my fingers along the smooth as silk leather couches. They were so pristine, it was hard to imagine they’d ever been sat on. A giant beanbag in the center looked like the perfect place to curl up and watch a movie, but when the TV was nearly the size of the wall it was hung on, there wasn’t a bad seat in the entire room. The exterior walls were made up of floor to ceiling windows, and we wer
e so high up that I could only see a few other buildings in the entire New York City skyline that were as tall as we were. Two other rooms broke off from this main space, and each was its own bedroom suite with a king-sized bed in the middle piled high with heavenly looking linens and pillows. Part of me wanted to fling myself into the mass of white fabric just to see if it was as soft as it looked.

  A few seconds passed, and I realized I wasn’t alone anymore. He was standing next to me, leaning against the door frame and holding two glasses filled with amber liquid.

  “I’m sure we’ll make it here eventually.” He chuckled and nodded toward the bed. “There is something I want to show you first.”

  “Lead the way.” I grinned, taking the whiskey from him. It was more than I was expecting, and if I was going to keep my wits about me tonight, I needed to take it slow.

  His hand grazed the small of my back, gently guiding me to the sliding door, and pressed a button on the wall. All of a sudden, the doors parted and the entire wall of windows disappeared so that the living room opened onto the patio.

  “Wow.” I was speechless as I stepped outside and took in the sights. It was breathtaking up here. The night sky was illuminated by the city lights, and even though we were so close to the hustle and bustle below us, it felt like we were a million miles away. The hum of the city wasn’t even audible up here. “This place is really amazing.”

  “It is, isn’t it?” he agreed, taking a big gulp of his whiskey.

  “I mean, I wish you would have gotten a better room,” I teased. “This place seems a little small.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” He chuckled, picking up on my sarcasm. “My usual room was taken. This was the best they could do on such short notice.”

  “Usual?” I arched my eyebrow. “You do this kind of thing often?”

  “This kind of thing? You mean share a drink under the stars with a beautiful woman?” Goodness, his smile was intoxicating. I could feel my knees quaking beneath me.

  I bit the inside of my lip, trying to keep my composure. “Con a stranger into leaving a bar with you for a one-night stand.”

  “I don’t remember much conning happening. It seemed pretty mutual to me.” He leaned his elbows on the railing, inching closer to me just slightly. “But if it makes you feel any better, rarely. I’m not really into the dating scene.”

  Now he was speaking my language.

  “It’s hard to find someone who sparks my interest the way you did.” He was even closer now.

  “You know nothing about me,” I reminded him. We’d only met a few hours ago at most.

  “I know you’re adventurous, otherwise you wouldn’t have agreed to come. And I know you know what you want. I admire the way you cut to the chase with that guy back at the restaurant. I know you’re beautiful, and witty, and I’d love to know your real name.” He gave me a hopeful smile, leaning in even closer.

  “Don’t you think it’s better this way? Keeping things as impersonal as possible? Isn’t that what you want? You don’t strike me as someone looking for commitment.”

  “And I know you’re perceptive.” He chuckled, then finished the rest of his whiskey. “You’re right, I’m not. I usually like to leave things with as few strings as possible.”

  “Then that’s what we’ll do, and tomorrow we’ll go our separate ways and everybody is happy.”

  “Deal,” he said, eyeing me as if he didn’t believe a word I had just said.

  The pull between us was magnetic. I found myself leaning toward to him, and before I knew what was happening, his lips brushed against mine. It was a small, gentle touch, but it ignited an inferno between us, and soon his hands were traveling all over me. He pressed his body against mine, easing me inside the room. I backpedaled until my ankles hit the couch and we both tumbled back into it.

  I took a second to appreciate how hot he was—those deep-brown eyes that felt like they could see into your soul, the colorful tattoos drawn on his skin, the way each of his muscles was so perfectly toned it looked like he was sculpted out of stone. He was gorgeous, head and shoulders above anyone else I’d ever been with, and once again, I felt outmatched.

  As he hovered above me, his lips trailed from my lips to my neck to my chest. The way he kissed me was like nothing I had ever experienced before—so sensual and commanding that I felt the electricity all the way down to my toes. His lips met mine again and he slipped his tongue inside my mouth, exploring every inch of it as he twined his fingers in my hair. With a gentle pull, he took full control over me. I was completely at his mercy with just a simple kiss.

  Our kiss turned hungry, like we were desperate for each other. I fumbled with the buttons on his shirt as he slipped my dress over my head and tossed it to the side. His fingers were like magic, unhooking my bra and pulling it off in one swift motion. He ripped at the buckle of his belt and took his pants off hastily. A flash of silver strapped to his ankle caught my attention. Was that a gun? I sucked in a sharp breath, unsure if I was scared or turned on. He picked up on my apprehension and took the gun and its holster off quickly, and set them on the coffee table.

  “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I swear, you’re safe with me.”

  And for better or worse, I took his word for it without another thought.

  He wasted no time in taking control, pinning my wrists above my head and kissing my lips briefly before working his way down my body. First my chin, then biting gently at my neck, to my chest, and finally stopping when his head was even with my breasts. He dragged his tongue along the sensitive skin and then pulled back slightly, blowing cool air against it and sending chills over my entire body. I jerked against his restraint of my arms, but he held me firmly in place. There was nothing gentle about this man, but I was loving every second of his domination and control.

  “You are so hot.” A smirk formed at the corner of his lips. “You liked that, didn’t you?”

  I nodded. “It feels incredible. I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

  “Patience, beautiful.” He returned his lips to my chest. He took my nipple in his mouth, sucking and flicking his tongue against it. His teeth dragged over it, eliciting just enough pain to drive me absolutely crazy. He was rough and commanding, but the feel of his body against mine took me so high I wasn’t sure I’d ever come down. I could already feel the slickness between my legs, my traitorous body giving my arousal away.

  I bent my knees, letting them fall open softly and exposing myself even more to him. He twitched in surprise at my willingness but quickly regained his composure. His head dipped between my legs and when I felt the flick of his tongue against my thigh, I let out a sharp gasp. How was it possible he already knew exactly where to touch me?

  My reaction only egged him on and he let my wrists go, dragging his fingers down my body painfully slowly until they reached my thighs. I could tell by the devilish look on his face that he knew exactly what he was doing to me, and he was enjoying every second of it. His eyes locked with mine as his fingers plunged inside of me. He stroked slowly at first and then quickened his pace, pumping ferociously as I arched my back, teetering on the edge of orgasm. He played with me like I was a puppet, dangling helplessly from his strings, and he was the domineering master watching me wiggle and squirm for his pleasure.

  “Mmm . . .” I could hardly form words, it felt so good. I raked my fingers along his back, holding on as if my life depended on it. No one had ever made me feel like this before—it was absolutely intoxicating. I’d never get enough of him.

  As if reading my mind, he reached into the pocket of his pants for a condom. I took it from him, tearing it open and then slipping it over his rock-hard length.

  “I wanted to make this a little more special for you, but I don’t think I can wait either,” he whispered.

  “It’s already been perfect. I want to make you feel good too.” I grinned and ran my fingers through his hair, pulling him to me until our lips connected a
gain.

  “Give me your ankle,” he ordered. I lifted my leg and he took it, resting it on his shoulder and stroking the sensitive skin of my thigh.

  “You’re sure?” he asked, checking to be sure I was still okay with all of this. How was it possible he was still a gentleman, even in the middle of rough, hot sex?

  I nodded, assuring him I was.

  He didn’t need any further encouragement and slipped inside of me. It took my breath away at first, filling me up to the very brim as he eased himself in. He moved slowly, letting me get used to it as his hips pumped against mine. My lips parted in a moan, but he stifled it with his kiss. “Do you have any idea how fucking beautiful you are?”

  A blush immediately came to my cheeks. Something about the way he said it made me believe it.

  His hips bucked against mine a little bit faster, our bodies moving together in perfect rhythm. I arched my back, gasping sharply as each thrust felt better than the last. I couldn’t contain my moans and screams, but he didn’t seem to mind. Faster and faster he pumped against me, driving me to the brink of orgasm.

  “You feel so good,” I purred, stroking his cheek.

  I could tell by his thrusts that he was nearing the peak, and a few seconds later, our bodies writhed against each other in pure ecstasy. We collapsed against each other on the couch, both panting and out of breath.

  “Wow.” His voice was husky as he draped his arm around my shoulder and I settled into his chest.

  “That was incredible,” I said, trying desperately to catch my breath, but still sky high in the clouds with pleasure.

  “I’m not sure I’ll be content with just once.” He chuckled.

  “Good thing we’ve got all night.”

  Chapter 2

  Nick

  Even the sound of her voice stirred something deep inside of me. She had hesitated briefly, but then agreed to leave the restaurant with me. Her company was great, the sex was even better. I had the most mind-blowing orgasm I’ve ever had in my life. Hell, I had the five most mind-blowing orgasms of my life. I had her on the couch, the floor, against the window of our fiftieth floor suite, in the shower, in the bed. The woman did something to me I’d never quite experienced before, and before the night I was over, I was even rethinking my one and done policy.