I grip his hand tighter, pulling him up from his seat and away from the group. I have to fight the urge to not look at the table, or at Bryn, as I wrap my arms around his neck, leaning into him for another kiss. He wraps his arms around my lower back and meets me with the same gentle kiss as before. It’s effortless. No tongue. No open mouth. Just our lips touching. Staying locked on one another. It says everything I need it to say. He’s mine.

When we break from the kiss, I look at Bryn. If there was any doubt about the status of our relationship before, it was just erased.

Parker Cade Jackson is mine.

I lead Parker out of the ballroom and back down the webbed hallway toward the elevators. Neither of us speak during the ride to his floor, or when I lead him off the elevator. He takes the lead, pulling me toward his room.

He fumbles with his key card, and I can’t help but laugh.

He holds the door open for me and I enter the pitch black room slowly. I make my way past the small hallway, opening up into the main room, where my eyes land on the king sized bed.

As I turn around to face Parker, I feel him press into my back, exposing just how excited he is. Wrapping his arm around the front of my waist, he pulls me roughly against him, so I’m even closer.

I close my eyes.

“Aundrea,” he breathes out, lowering his head into the crook of my neck while pushing my red hair off my shoulder, exposing my bare skin. My eyes stay closed as I feel his lips come down. Leisurely, he traces small kisses up my neck and behind my ear. “Take this off,” he whispers as he runs his hands up and down my sides.

I open my eyes. I came up here thinking I would be the one in charge, but hearing his low command excites me. It makes me want to do anything he says. I’ll get my turn.

I push off him and begin to walk away slowly.

“Wait,” he calls from behind me.

I stop, not turning to face him.

I can see him out of the corner of my eye as he makes his way over to the bed and sits on the edge, tossing his wallet behind him on the bed.

“Okay, face me.”

I do as I’m told.

“Slowly undress, Aundrea. I want to watch you.”

Placing both hands on my hips, I walk seductively toward Parker. He doesn’t move. He just watches me with hunger in his eyes. The sly grin that’s forming makes me blush.

I’ve never done this before: seduced a man. I’m making up each movement as I go, hoping it doesn’t come off as amateur. It’s not as if I’ve taken Seduction 101.

Standing directly in front of him, I use my knee to push his legs apart so I can stand between them. Reaching behind me, with my eyes glued to his, I pull down the zipper of my dress, bit by bit.

“Jesus,” Parker says under his breath as I let the dress drop freely down my body, exposing my red-lace bra and matching thong.

I step out of my dress, showcasing the same red pumps I wore the first night I met him. I see the recognition on his face and the cocky smile I’ve grown to admire.

“So beautiful.” His fingers come up, hooking into the strap of my thong, curling into it and tugging me closer. His left hand comes up to my waist, while his right lets go of my thong and comes up to my neck, pulling me down to his lips. The kiss is slow and sensual. No tongue, and no greedy hands pulling each other closer.

Parker gives me a once over, traveling up and down my body, eyes filling with passion, want, need. When they land on my right hip, I see the shocked expression on his face, telling me he’s noticed the dark blue and purple marks mixed with a light green from my old bruise.

“Is that from the ice rink?”

I don’t need to follow his gaze. “Yes. I’m okay. Really.”

“Aundrea.”

“Parker, it’s okay. I promise.” I give him his own wink before letting out a soft smile.

My hands find the zipper to his jumpsuit and pull it down. His eyes find mine and I can see the anticipation in them. I help him slide his arms out first, then lower my body to the floor while pulling it the rest of the way down to his feet. I stand back up as he kicks his shoes off and steps out of it, tossing it aside, leaving him in his black silk boxers.

“I want you to move all the way to the top of the bed for me,” I say.

When he opens his mouth to speak, I shake my head at him.

“Shh,” I say, bringing a finger to my lips.

Stepping away from him, I motion for him to move to the top of the bed.

He moves until his back touches the headboard.

Walking over to his side of the bed, in my best slow Jessica Rabbit walk, I decide it’s time I give Parker a slow, torturous night of enjoyment. A night he won’t forget. One that neither of us will forget.

In one swift movement, I bring my lips to his so that they’re barely touching. Speaking in a low hushed voice, I say, “Someone has been a bad boy.”

“Shit, Aundrea,” Parker groans.

All embarrassment I might have had just left with those two words. It’s not the actual words, but the tone of his voice that tells me he likes it.

Finding the courage deep within, I slip my tongue out and lick his upper lip softly before continuing to speak in a barely there whisper, “I’m going to go very … very … slowly, so sit back, relax, and enjoy.”

I trace my fingernails lightly down his chest and over his ripped stomach muscles. I watch as my touch affects him.

Reaching over, I adjust the two large pillows, so he’s tucked neatly between. Picking up his left wrist where the handcuffs are still hanging, I ask, “Where is the key to these?”

“My wallet.”

I look around the bed where I saw him toss it. Parker shifts, pulling it out from under him. He hands me the key skeptically.

“Thanks.” I unlock the free cuff, leaving the other in place securely around his wrist and reach over him to grab his right hand.

“Aundrea? What are you doing?”

“Shh, just relax,” I say with a hint of a smile in my voice.

“Easy for you to say.”

I take both his hands and bring them between the black wire headboard, where I lock his wrists lightly behind. I say a mental thanks to the hotel for this beautiful headboard that has now taken part in my night of enjoyment.

“Aundrea,” he says sternly.

“Trust me,” I whisper before bringing my lips down to his. He relaxes, opening his mouth to me. I take the opportunity to move my tongue inside where I meet his eagerly. We move together effortlessly. I don’t touch him besides our mouths. It’s a slow, genuine, kiss. It’s personal, sharing an unspoken conversation that our mouths have shared before.

“You taste sweet. Like strawberries,” he says between kisses.

I smile into his kiss before giving him one last peck and pulling away from him. I move to stand at the foot of the bed. Making sure his eyes are on me, I reach behind and unclasp my bra, letting it drop to the floor. His eyes change from passionate to hungry with a hint of fire behind them. It makes me feel wanted.

Sexy.

Placing one foot in front of the other, I make my way to the edge of the bed. With the key to the handcuffs still in my hand, I reach down to his ankle where the ball and chain are still locked. Unlocking it, I let it drop to the floor, followed by the key. Parker’s still watching me intently, which makes me warm with need. Need for him. His body.

Getting on my hands and knees, I make my way up his body, stopping at his waist.

I take in the bulge that has formed underneath his boxers, and run my fingers ever so lightly up and down. At the sound of Parker’s intake of breath through his teeth, I bring my hands to his waistband, pulling them off.

He’s absolutely enticing, and I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. I would do anything for this man, which both excites and scares me.

“Aundrea.”

His eyes are closed, and he whimpers with pleasure when I run my hands up his length as I trail kisses just below his bellybutton. I continue the kisses up his abdomen, chest, and neck. “Parker, I’m going to blow … your … mind.”

“Fuck! Aundrea, you can’t say that shit to a man you have cuffed!”

I scoot back down his body, letting my hair fall over his abdomen. I watch as he sucks in from the tingles it leaves behind.

Taking in the sight of him, I open my mouth bringing the tip of him inside. I don’t use my hands. They stay on either side of his legs.

“Shit.”

I bring him further into my mouth sliding him all the way back. His hips buck into me, causing a slight gag.

“Shit, sorry,” he apologizes between his teeth.

Bringing one hand to rest on his thigh, and the other to help me guide him further in, I ease him in and out of my mouth, slowly tasting him.

I begin to move my hand with my mouth. Slow and fast. Over and over again. I feel him tense and move my head faster, suck harder.

“Aundrea, baby, I’m going to come. Move your head.”

I don’t. I take him further—relaxing my throat until he’s reaching the back, opening it to him.

He tenses below me and his hips give a final thrust. There is a rush of warm, salty liquid that fills my mouth. I don’t wait; I swallow it down, savoring it.

“My God, Aundrea. That was … fucking amazing.”

Scooting off him, I get up and walk away from the bed.

“Where are you going? Please, do not say you’re going to leave me like this, Aundrea!”

Turning around, I give him a wicked grin. “What are you going to do about it? Come after me?” I laugh, walking into the bathroom.

“I’m not kidding, Aundrea! Un-cuff me!”

Giving my mouth a quick rinse, I turn off the light and walk back to him.

“Calm down.”

I find the key on the floor by my dress and unlock him.

The second he’s unlocked, he tugs at my waist, yanking me down on top of him. He moves so fast that one second I’m lying on top of him and the next I’m underneath him. I feel my wig shift to one side by the sudden change in position. At lightning speed, my hands fly to the top of my head, repositioning it. I’m thankful it just shifted and didn’t fall off. It’s also somewhat dark, so I know he wouldn’t have seen much. I laugh it off saying something about how I hate costume wigs.

“Take it off.” He reaches for it, but I grab his hand stopping him.

“I want to keep it on. It’s sexy.”

“You are something else. Do you know that?”

“No.”

“Well, you are.”

Parker leans down, giving me a kiss. It’s tender. Gentle. Our lips move together, but he doesn’t deepen it. We just kiss, our hands entwined by my side.

“You’re an amazing woman, Aundrea,” he finally says, allowing me to catch my breath.

I look up at him. He’s watching me intently. I can’t say what I want to. What I need to, so I do what I know I can. I show him.

Placing my hands on either side of his face, I slowly lower his face back to mine, giving him a sensual kiss. I put everything I feel into that kiss. The way he makes me feel. How he has changed me and he doesn’t even know. I was meant to meet Parker.

He brings out the best in me.

He brings out the life in me.