Edge of the Night (Night #3) Read online

  “So, you really can’t escape?” She trailed the tip of her finger up one biceps.

  “No,” he said, his voice raspy. His muscles stood out in sharp relief as he strained against the cuffs. The headboard groaned, but it was securely bolted into the wall studs. It wasn’t going anywhere. Not without magic, anyway.

  Her gaze trailed over him, every bare, tanned inch. His cock was a hard arc against his belly, a bead of pre-come seeping from the tip. She licked her lips. “We should have tried this before now.”

  His laugh was rough, and his chest bellowed with each quick breath. “All you ever had to do was ask, bellisima.”

  “You look good there, bound and at my mercy,” she taunted, leaning over to flick her tongue over his flat, brown nipple. It pebbled for her, and she smiled against it, catching it between her teeth to let him know she noticed his reaction.

  Air hissed into his lungs, his body jerked and a shudder rippled through him. “Erin.”

  The sound of metal squeaking against metal echoed in the room as he strained a bit against his bonds. She drifted her fingers down his belly until she could grasp his cock and stroke the hard length of his shaft. It was hot silk over steel, and she rolled her thumb over the bulbous head, smearing the droplet of moisture at the tip. She kissed her way down his chest, the ridges of his abs, past the indent of his navel. Scraping her teeth over the skin just below his bellybutton, she felt his muscles go taut, a shudder quaking his body.

  All the while she slipped her fingers up and down his thick shaft, and it throbbed in her hand. Low groans broke from him, and a heady wash of power crested within her. Yes. This. This was how she wanted to feel. This was exactly what she craved. Glancing up at his face, she saw his cheekbones highlighted with a flush, his pupils expanded until only a thin ring of brown iris remained. A sheen of sweat shone on his brow, his up-stretched arms framing his head. Gorgeous, but she wanted him completely wild for her.

  She rubbed her lips against his shaft, paused just long enough for him to rock his hips upward, but she didn’t take him in her mouth. Soon, but not yet. “I think we should make this a little more interesting.”

  His head turned on the pillow, his gaze sharpening on her face. “What does that mean?”

  “You’ll see.”

  She rose, felt the constriction of her clothing. His dark eyes locked on her, and she grinned as she tugged her shirt free of her slacks. Opening her blouse a single button at a time, she made a slow show of revealing her torso. One shrug sent the garment tumbling to the floor, leaving her in a soft cotton bra. Nothing fancy, but he didn’t seem to care. A muscle jumped in his jaw, his chest working like a bellows as his breathing sped.

  “Would you like more?” She slipped a fingertip down the strap of her bra and into the valley of her cleavage.

  Humor glimmered in his gaze, mixing with lust hot enough to scorch. “Yes. Please.”

  “Good answer.” Her nipples tightened, and she knew he could see their clear outline. He stared at her breasts, his tongue sliding along his bottom lip as if he could taste her flesh even now. She wanted his mouth on her, and her skin tingled from the craving.

  Kicking aside her shoes, she unbuttoned her pants and wriggled out of them and her underwear. She pushed them down and bent to tug off her socks. Then she was as naked as he was, and the look in his eyes made her feel even more powerful. Nice. She touched herself because she knew it would drive him mad. Pressing her palms to her midriff, she stilled for a long moment, then moved one hand up to pinch and twist her nipples one at a time. He groaned, the metal chain that held his handcuffs together rattling. She skimmed her other hand down to dip between her thighs. It was her turn to moan, her hips jolting forward into the contact. She let her head fall back, her fingers stroking over her clit, feeling the hot juices gather on the lips of her pussy.

  “Come here. Let me kiss you. Let me suck on your clit until you come.” His gaze was almost feverish, the cuffs digging into his wrists as he pulled at them. “I want your nipples in my mouth. I want your tongue sliding along my dick. I want you to ride me until we’re screaming from how good it feels.”

  Her sex clenched, his words striking hot against her need. Not yet—there was so much more she would do to him. She wanted him to beg her by the time this night was over. She approached the bed, set a knee on the mattress. After reaching in to the bedside table, she pulled out the bottle of lube she kept there, along with the long, thick vibrating dildo she often used for self-entertainment when he wasn’t sharing her bed. Then again, he’d used it on her more than once when he was sharing her bed.

  Turnabout was fair play.

  The lubricant’s lid gave a creaking pop when she flicked it open. She heard his breath stop and she glanced up, offering him a smile that probably didn’t reassure him at all. Then again, it wasn’t meant to. “Spread your legs, Luca.”

  His throat worked, his eyes closed, but the sheets rustled as he did as she commanded. It took only a moment to bend forward and suck his upper lip into her mouth. He startled, his extra senses unable to predict her movements while the spellbound cuffs held him. But he responded eagerly enough, his tongue thrusting between her lips. The flavor of him filled her mouth, feeding the fire that licked at her insides. It threatened to consume her, to drag her away from her purpose. She let herself linger over his lips, their tongues twining, teeth nipping, breath rushing over each other’s skin.

  Quivering on the last thread of her control, she pulled back, breaking the kiss. He made a sound of protest, lifting his head as if to catch her lips again, but she moved backward on the mattress. Picking up the lube, she settled between his spread thighs. “This is going to be fun.”

  His laugh had a strangled quality to it. “Prove it.”

  A lilting little hum was the only answer she gave him before she leaned over to take his cock between her lips. She looked up at him, letting him see his dick in her mouth before she sucked him. His dark gaze glittered as he watched her, his nostrils flaring with every inhalation. Her fingers curled over his leg, the nails digging into his flesh as she moved up and down on him, her tongue working over his hot skin. A ragged cry ripped from him, his body bowing up.

  She glided her fingers down to cup the soft sac at the apex of his legs, loving the sound of his moans. Her hand slid inward until she could circle his anus with a fingertip. He seemed to freeze for a protracted moment, but he didn’t try to close his legs. Not that he’d have an easy time of it with her body between his knees. Sitting back, she squirted lube onto her fingers and used them to pierce his ass.

  “Gods, Erin.” The heavy muscles in his legs shook, and he choked off a groan.

  She worked more of the clear gel into him, adding a second and third finger while she kept her gaze pinned to his face. He watched her, not bothering to hide his reactions. His pleasure was all hers tonight—he was all hers tonight—and she liked that far more than she probably should.

  Now for the really fun part. She grabbed the dildo where it lay on the mattress, lifting it up for Luca to see. “What do you think?”

  “Oh Gods.” He threw her a slightly offended glance. “Did it have to be cotton candy pink?”

  She nodded in mock sympathy. “Poor baby. Next time, I’ll make sure to have one on hand that’s a suitably masculine color.”

  Not giving him a chance to reply to that, she pressed the dildo into the tight ring of his anus. He dragged in an audible breath, the cuffs squealing a metallic protest as he pulled against their hold. “Fuck. Erin. I don’t…I can’t…”

  “Oh, I think you can.” Her pussy clenched in greedy need as she worked each inch of the silicone cock into him. Jesus Christ, this was so far beyond a turn-on she might spontaneously combust.

  “That feels…fucking amazing.” His smile was edged with desperate hunger, and he slid his legs a bit further apart. His cock danced just below his navel, so hard and flushed red, it looked almost painful.

  She took him in her mouth, c
ontinuing to pump the dildo in and out of his ass. He arched his hips so the head of his cock hit the back of her throat. She captured his dick with her free hand, sliding both her fingers and mouth along the shaft. Faster and faster she moved, sucking him while he shuddered and groaned. She gazed up at him, humming around his cock.

  “No.” He shook his head, his entire body shaking as he fought to hold back. “I want to come inside you.”

  Letting him slide free of her lips, she arched her eyebrows. Her hand worked him hard, her fingers tight.

  “You’ll come when I tell you to come. Which is now.” She flicked the dildo on, and it vibrated deep within his ass.

  Hoarse cries ripped out of his throat. His neck corded, his body twisting on the mattress. He came, spurting fluids over his stomach. “Erin! Yes… Gods. Erin, Erin.”

  She loved the sound of her name on his lips, almost a benediction. Tonight, she was both his tormenter and his savior. That made her smile, and she began to stroke her fingers over his still semi-hard cock.

  Clenching his teeth, a tremor went through him. “I need…a minute…”

  Switching the vibrator to a higher setting, she rubbed the pad of her thumb over the crest of his dick. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Fuck.” He wrenched at his bonds—to get away or to get closer, she didn’t know. She doubted even he knew. “No, I’m not sure.”

  “That means you’re ready to go now?” She gave his cock one delicate lick, the salty tang of him hitting her taste buds. She sucked him in again and his shaft thickened in her mouth, making her moan.

  He chuckled. “Ready or not…”

  Time to tease him. She left the vibrator inside him, drew away from his cock, and began sliding her hands over every centimeter of him. She tickled the soles of his feet and made him startle and laugh. She ran her palms over the crisp hair on his calves, kissed the insides of his knees. His voice was ragged, broken and he spoke Italian. She wasn’t sure if he was cursing her or pleading with her, but she knew she’d never been more merciless. Or known that it could be so enjoyable. Her pussy throbbed, and she had no idea how much longer she’d last before she had to give in to her own needs. She slid her body over his, letting the rougher texture of his flesh stimulate hers, tease her nipples to tight peaks. He writhed on the bed, pressed as close to her hands and mouth as he could.

  She straddled his thigh, rolling her hips so that her clit rubbed against his muscles. He flexed his leg, pressing deeper between her thighs. Her pussy spasmed, and she could feel orgasm boiling within her already. Cupping her palms under her breasts, she teased her nipples, rolling and pinching them as she ground her sex down on his leg. Heat spiraled inside her, tighter than a spring, and she moved on him as fast as she could, her hips snapping forward in a desperate bid for release.

  “Gods.” In his gaze was dark fire that licked at her flesh, and his cock grew longer, thicker. “I can still feel some of your energy, even like this. You are the sexiest woman I have ever known.”

  That sent her careening over into climax. Her pussy clenching in pulses so intense she sobbed. He kept flexing his muscles, sending her flying. It was a rush of endorphins that left her giddy and hungry for more.

  Setting her palms on the mattress, she bit the side of his hip. “Still feeling energetic?”

  “Yes. More.” His pelvis lifted in invitation.

  She touched, bit and kissed him everywhere except where he wanted her to, then she took his discarded tie and rubbed the cool silk along his skin. She used the end to tease his nipples, then draped it across his eyes. He could shake it loose, but he let it rest where it was. She nipped the edge of his bellybutton with her teeth and tugged on the sensitive flesh. He said a few things in Italian that she was pretty certain were very, very naughty.

  “Should I ask for a translation, bellissimo?” At least, she thought that would be the male version of what he liked to call her.

  “Ha, no.” His grin under the tie was wry. “My brain is definitely not up to playing translator right now. That takes concentration I don’t have.”

  Moving so that she straddled his waist, she leaned down and brushed her nipple against his lips. He turned blindly, seeking that tip and sucking it deep into his mouth. A sound somewhere between a moan and a sob slipped from her throat. It felt so good. When she tried to pull back, he bit down, and a shock of pleasured-pain hit her. She shifted her other nipple to his mouth, and they went through the same process. Her hips moved of their own volition, and she ground her clit down on the hard ridge of his abs.

  “Erin,” he groaned, sweat running down the sharp angles of his face. “I need to be inside you. I need to feel you all wet and tight around me.”

  “Say please.” She reached back and pumped the dildo deep within him, twisting it while it vibrated. “Beg me to let you come again, Luca.”

  “Please.” His neck arched on the pillow, the tie over his eyes slipping away. “Please, Erin. Ride me hard. Fuck me.”

  There had never been a man who looked more commanding as he begged, but the contrast made her grin. She should punish him, tease him, toy with him a little more, but she couldn’t wait another minute. Her sex throbbed, and she could feel how wet she was, how ready. She wanted him inside her, wanted to be filled, stretched until she couldn’t take anymore. Shifting her hips downward, she took all of him in one quick thrust that left them both gasping. God, yes. This was exactly how she wanted it. Her way, at her speed. Which was fast. Her head thrown back, her hands behind her to brace on his thighs, she rode him hard, pleasing both of them, driving them to the edge of their endurance.

  The mattress creaked beneath them, and the headboard groaned from where he continued to pull on his bindings. Her lungs burned as they attempted to suck in enough oxygen, but she couldn’t stop. The frantic need to come rode her as surely as she rode him.

  “Please,” he gasped. “Come for me. I want to feel that energy seeping into my blood.” He jerked at the cuffs, twisting his arms. His voice dropped to a low, ragged growl. “I need it like a drug. I need you.”

  His body arched hard, lifting her knees off the bed and shoving his cock deeper than he’d been before. She sobbed as she came again, orgasm shredding through her system. A tear leaked from the corner of her eye as she kept moving, wringing every last drop of ecstasy out of her climax. Distantly, she heard him shout, felt his semen jet inside of her. Her limbs shook as aftershocks of orgasm quaked through her. Finally, she slowed to a stop, a long sigh escaping her.

  “That. Was. Fabulous.”

  His laughter was a low, sexy rumble of sound. Pushing her palms against his legs, she managed to lift her head and look at him. He wore the expression of a well-satisfied man. She could relate. Adrenaline still buzzed through her, tingles skipping over her skin.

  “Your wrists!” She jack-knifed upright when she caught sight of his chafed, swollen skin. There were small cuts where the metal bit in that were starting to bleed.

  “They’ll be fine the moment you uncuff me.” His voice was totally disinterested, and he yawned, his smile sleepy.

  She crawled off him, shivering when his cock slid free. “Where are the keys?”

  “In the same case you found the cuffs. There’s a hidden pocket inside.”

  Rooting around in the case turned up the key she was looking for, and she quickly removed the handcuffs. Even as she rubbed the abused skin, the scrapes and swelling healed until there was no evidence of anything they’d done.

  He tugged his hands free, wincing. “The vibrator is starting to get uncomfortable though.” He removed the offending object, rolled to his feet and headed for the bathroom. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  After setting the cuffs on the nightstand, she cleared off the many accessories she’d used tonight, and tucked the fitted sheet back around the mattress. Two of the four corners had managed to come loose. Then she flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. So playing the sexual aggressor hadn’t changed a thing,
but she still felt a little better. She’d call that a win. The rest could be sorted out later.

  She heard the toilet flush, the sink run and then the bathroom door opened. Luca joined her in bed, and she scooted over to make room for him. He lay on his side, his head propped in his hand. “Did you get what you needed tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He nudged her onto her side as well and curled around her, his chest pressed to her back, his face buried in the nape of her neck. “Close your eyes. Rest now.”

  And she did.

  Chapter Twelve

  Luca hadn’t slept this well in… Gods, he couldn’t even remember. Years. Decades. It was the peacefulness, the foreign feeling of utter contentment, that dragged him back to wakefulness. His jaw creaked as he gave a huge yawn, and he stretched his arms over his head and arched his back off the bed. He could sense Erin in the bathroom, heard her splashing water in the sink and the slight rasp of her toothbrush moving over her teeth. A whiff of her mint toothpaste reached his nostrils. Her pulse was slow and steady, which told him she was at ease—always a good sign after you’ve demanded to move into a woman’s home. He’d almost been expecting another confrontation this morning, after the high of last night had worn off.

  Last night had been…interesting. Then again, it beat the hell out of anything else that had happened the rest of the day. After the terrible end to an even worse case, maybe a night of pure, mindless ecstasy was what he’d needed. No thinking, no analyzing, no fighting, no control, just…experiencing. Nice when your needs intertwined so well with your lover’s.

  A smile spread across his face, and he sighed, pushing all his cares and worries away. If he could hold on to this feeling for just a little while longer, he wanted to do just that. Trouble was always brewing, but for the moment, everyone he cared about was safe, and he’d take that for the gift that it was.