Читать книгу Beyond Temptation - Lisette Ashton - Страница 4

Robyn glanced across the table and decided she had to fuck him.

The thought sent a pulse through her loins and her breathing deepened. She could feel her cheeks redden and knew her dark-blue eyes were shining purposefully. After sliding off one shoe, she stretched her toes against the confines of her stocking. Beneath the table, she deliberately edged her foot towards him.

The dinner party was going surprisingly well, she thought. Its success was made remarkable by the fact that neither she nor her husband was milling around the guests and pampering egos. Robyn sat at the bottom end of the table, close enough to play footsie with Dominic and discreetly distant from the rest of the crowd. Her husband, Harold, was at the head of the table, lost in conversation with his secretary Sheridan. The delicate strains of Telemann’s Tafelmusik filled the air, adding to the baroque ambience of the evening.

Considering the weighty nature of the conversations she had engaged in earlier this evening, it shouldn’t have been a night for eroticism. Robyn felt sure that no one else in the room was thinking about sex, and that thought added fuel to her excitement. It made her feel daring and special and bold and unconventional. All of those moods enhanced her growing arousal.

As soon as her toes touched him, Dominic glanced up.

He gave her a curious smile. The fringe of his tousled blond hair dangled awkwardly over his cool grey eyes. Like every other man in the room, he wore full evening dress. The night had begun only an hour earlier but already Dominic had loosened his bow tie and popped the button on his shirt collar. The casual destruction of his well-groomed image gave him a distinctive appearance that set him apart from the other male guests.

Robyn’s desire for him turned into a desperate craving. It reminded her of the long month she had suffered when she quit smoking. A pulse throbbed between her legs, a rhythmic beat that increased her need with each quickening moment. When she caught sight of his playful grin she had to amend her thoughts. She didn’t just want Dominic: she needed him.

She cast a glance in Harold’s direction, checking that her foot-play had gone unnoticed. It was something of a relief to realise Harold hadn’t seen the exchange. But she should have known he would be oblivious to her. As was usual nowadays, he was engrossed in his conversation with Sheridan.

The secretary sat on Harold’s right-hand side as he regaled her with some lengthy anecdote that Robyn couldn’t hear. Her blonde hair was streaked with shots of pale blue and red, and the coloured locks bounced lazily up and down as she nodded her feigned interest in Harold’s monologue.

Robyn had no idea why Sheridan coloured her hair in such a way. With a touch of bitter jealousy, she suspected that it was the woman’s sad attempt to hold on to the last years of her youth before she struck the ripe old age of twenty-four. Not that Harold would have been paying any attention to Sheridan’s hair, Robyn noted cynically. The woman’s breasts weren’t overly large but – with her low-cut top and the benefits of a Wonderbra – she was displaying more cleavage than Robyn revealed in the shower. Harold’s gaze was fixed appreciatively on this sight. His smile was broad and lascivious.

Robyn didn’t mind his fascination with the secretary. She and Harold had each been pursuing their own interests since the start of their marriage and she knew they were both beyond jealousy. Admittedly, she didn’t care for Sheridan but she knew that in the past she had enjoyed the attention of lovers that Harold actively disliked.

The adage about two wrongs not making a right flitted through her mind. She cast the thought away with a frown, sure it wasn’t that particular issue that troubled her. Harold could screw whomever he desired, just as Robyn was free to enjoy the same privileges. It had been an unspoken rule of their relationship since the day they first met. She simply wished Harold would show a little more discretion with his latest flirtation, especially in front of their dinner guests.

Mentally dismissing her husband and his secretary she turned her smile back on Dominic.

‘You have a lovely home,’ Dominic said, leaning over the table.

Robyn glanced around the dining hall, a weary expression on her face, taking in the ornate chandelier, the oak-panelled walls and the framed oils. Heavy curtains fell from the dining room’s high ceiling to the floor. The silverware sparkled with a freshly polished lustre.

‘It keeps the cold out.’

‘Is that you?’ he asked, nodding at one particular painting.

Robyn smiled at the canvas. ‘Harold doesn’t like that one,’ she explained. ‘He seems to think it’s too exhibitionist to have my half-naked body displayed in front of our dinner guests.’

Dominic seemed to be considering her remark as he studied the painting. There was a playful smile on his lips.

‘I think it’s only right that you display your half-naked body to your dinner guests,’ he began. ‘I don’t think you realise how much some of them appreciate things like that.’

She smiled indulgently.

Beneath the table, she allowed her stocking-clad toes to brush beneath the cuff of his trousers. Her efforts were rewarded by the widening of his grin but he kept his gaze fixed on the painting as he spoke.

‘Is that one of Yale’s?’ he asked. ‘It seems to have the flair and the command of artistry I’d associate with Yale’s work – the depth and the bold, sensual strokes.’

‘Yale?’ Robyn frowned. The question made no sense and she wondered what had prompted it. ‘Yale, the American university?’

He shook his head. His patronising smile inched wider. The condescending glint in his eyes came close to quelling her need for him.

‘Yale Walters, the painter,’ he explained with infuriating patience. ‘I thought you would have heard of him, what with the column you write for Art.’

She shook her head.

‘No. Never heard of him.’

Not particularly caring about the conversation, she edged her foot higher, rubbing purposefully up his leg. The electric frisson of silk against his trousers sent a thrill shivering to the top of her thigh. With a salacious smile, she moved her toes closer to the growing bulge in his lap.

Dominic drew a startled breath.

As she watched, he glanced at the rest of the diners, confirming that what he was doing with Robyn remained unobserved. She liked that he was showing enough courtesy to value discretion. That would make things easier.

‘Who is this Yale?’ she asked.

Robyn still had no interest in the topic. The idea of discussing an unknown artist came close to spoiling her mood. But she carried on anyway.

If any of her guests had seen her smiling inanely at Dominic they might have suspected something. Past experience of publicly dallying with lovers had taught her to be circumspect. The pretence of a conversation made for the ideal cover while her foot rubbed at him. She knew that the only person who might be within earshot was her PA, Gayle, sitting in the chair to Robyn’s right. And, while she trusted the woman, and knew Gayle was beyond gossip and tittle-tattle, Robyn was still careful.

‘I went to university with Yale, a couple of years ago,’ Dominic explained. ‘But I saw him again just recently. He’s developing quite a reputation for his work. I’d hoped your husband could do a feature on Yale’s paintings in a forthcoming issue of Art. Yale’s an excellent artist in the tradition of Lichtenstein and Ramos but most of the critics are saying he conveys a more palpable air of realism. Part of the reason I wangled myself an invitation here tonight was so that I could make you aware of him. He’s too good not to get the exposure that your column could give him.’

He’s a bloody agent, Robyn thought scornfully. She tried not to let this revelation kill her mood. With a determined effort she concentrated on Dominic as a potential conquest rather than a prospective vulture.

‘Have you had a chance to talk to Harold yet?’ she asked, maintaining the charade of a conversation.

Dominic shook his head. ‘Perhaps you could arrange an introduction?’

‘Perhaps I could take you somewhere else instead?’ With forced meaning, she added, ‘Perhaps I could take you somewhere away from my husband? Personally, I think that would be more satisfying.’

Dominic looked momentarily torn. Robyn decided she liked seeing him wear that expression.

‘I’d like you to take me somewhere away from your husband,’ he admitted. ‘I’d like that very much. But I did promise Yale I’d mention his name.’

Robyn shrugged, growing impatient. The pulse between her thighs was beating with an insistent desire that was not being hastened by Dominic’s insistence on trying to promote an unknown artist.

‘You’ve mentioned his name,’ she said sharply. ‘I’ll keep an eye open in case I get the chance to see one of his exhibitions. If I do, I’ll review him.’

‘That’s very generous. I’m grateful.’

‘Perhaps we can find a way for you to show your gratitude.’

As she spoke, she pushed her foot firmly against him. Her toes had begun to touch the swell at the front of his pants and she traced the urgent thrust of his arousal. The discovery of his size and eagerness added to her growing excitement.

With the combined distractions, and the promise of further intimacy to come, she began to feel more kindly disposed towards holding a conversation about artists and their work. She was an art critic by profession and this was her forte. She felt more than able to carry her side of the conversation without having to think about it. She was able to speak whilst her body engaged with more physical pleasures.

‘What’s his medium?’ she asked, working her heel against the base of Dominic’s erection. As she delivered the question, Robyn reached for a breadstick from a glass in the centre of the table. Toying with it, the tip resting upon her lower lip, she grinned at him.

Struggling to maintain his composure, Dominic shook his head. His cheeks flushed. He swallowed thickly.

‘Acrylics. He does erotic studies in acrylics. I believe he occasionally uses watercolours, gouache and some oils …’

‘How versatile,’ Robyn broke in. She rolled the tip of the breadstick on her lip, her gaze fixed on him as she spoke. Her eyes, normally the colour of a warm summer sky, shone like sapphires.

Dominic swallowed again and cast a glance at the rest of the diners before continuing: ‘… but he prefers to keep his artwork to acrylics. He says there’s something sensuous about the use of such a viscous medium.’

Robyn continued to toy with the breadstick. Daringly, she teased the tip of her tongue against the rounded end. Then she studied Dominic with heavy-lidded eyes as she pushed it slowly into her mouth. She was rewarded by Dominic’s deepening blush.

‘I really do think I should have a look at some of this Yale’s work.’

He nodded, seeming pleased by her apparent interest. ‘He rates you very highly as a critic. He says that you appraise work, rather than trying to pad out your column with viperous criticism and astringent soundbites.’

Robyn frowned. Again she felt close to forgetting her need for Dominic. He was a pretty boy, but he had some irritating ways.

‘You’ve been discussing me?’

Dominic’s easy smile was an obvious attempt to placate her.

‘He’s an artist and he regularly reads your column. We’ve talked about most of the critics. But yours is the only name that doesn’t make him kick his easel or spatter paint on his studio wall.’

Robyn said nothing, silently encouraging Dominic to continue.

‘When he heard there was an invite for this party floating around, he insisted I come and mention his work.’ Dominic gave her a pleasant smile. ‘He was particularly insistent that I should try and seek you out so I could make you aware of his existence.’

With her suspicions mostly assuaged, Robyn nodded. She pressed her foot against his hard swell and treated him to a reassuring grin. ‘Then you’ve mentioned his name,’ she allowed. ‘You’ve made me aware of his existence. And, as I said, if I ever get the chance to criticise his work I’ll try and do it fairly.’

‘I’m sure that will make him happy.’

Dominic was trying to look unaffected as she rolled her foot over the raging thrust of his erection. Robyn took a sadistic pleasure from the fact that he didn’t quite manage the expression.

‘That’s good,’ she purred. ‘I enjoy making people happy.’

‘Me too,’ Dominic whispered. ‘Perhaps we could do something together where we try to make each other happy?’

She could hear the lewd intent in his words. The warm wetness between her legs caused a tremor of anticipation. Once again discretion was at the forefront of her mind and she glanced warily in Harold’s direction.

His hand was on Sheridan’s arm and the pair were engrossed with each other. Robyn could see the light in her husband’s eyes and found she could read the expression effortlessly. Harold was excited by the woman with the multicoloured hair and he would do anything to have her.

For a moment, Robyn was saddened by the thought, realising it had been a long time since Harold had looked at her that way. She dismissed the threatening wave of melancholy and turned to her right.

Tapping Gayle discreetly on the shoulder, she said, ‘Dominic’s going to need directions to the little boys’ room in a moment. I trust you’ll point him the right way.’ She winked as she said the words, making sure that her unspoken meaning was understood.

Gayle glanced from Dominic to Robyn. When Gayle brushed the dark hair from her eyes Robyn noticed a frown creasing her PA’s forehead.

‘I thought you said Harold had been in a funny mood lately?’

Robyn shrugged. She tried to look indifferent but she did not like Gayle questioning her motives. She particularly didn’t like that Gayle was able to broach such a delicate subject.

‘Perhaps that’s why I’m thinking of spending some time with Dominic,’ Robyn suggested haughtily. ‘Dominic is not in a funny mood.’

‘You’re playing a dangerous game,’ Gayle said. Her dark eyes flashed with some unspoken warning that Robyn chose to ignore.

‘Perhaps I am playing a dangerous game,’ Robyn agreed. ‘But dangerous games are the most fun, aren’t they?’

Without waiting for a reply she slid her foot away from Dominic, eased it back into her shoe, and gracefully left the room.

* * *

As soon as she saw Robyn disappear through the door, Sheridan frowned and placed a hand on Harold’s arm to interrupt him.

‘Where’s your wife this evening?’

Harold glanced towards the foot of the table then scowled over the busy guests. His frown deepened.

‘She must have slipped out for a moment.’

The granite in his voice told her that he didn’t believe such a casual explanation. The sullen line of his jaw showed that he wouldn’t let the matter rest there.

Smiling at her own manipulative skills, Sheridan shook her head. The multicoloured streaks in her hair bounced gaily, enticing his attention back to her.

‘No matter,’ she assured him. ‘I’m sure she’ll be back in a moment. Now, you were telling me about this Scottish manor house you own …’

As he began to respond, Sheridan listened with an uninterested ear. She knew enough about Harold’s Scottish manor house already. She thought it was likely that she knew more about the building than Harold did. Trying to find something of interest to focus on while Harold continued to talk, she glanced around the room and studied the other guests.

She saw Gayle talking to Dominic. There was a sombre expression on the PA’s face as she spoke. Sheridan watched Gayle lead Dominic to the dining room door, where she spoke briskly to him before returning to her seat.

Dominic left the dining hall surreptitiously, and Sheridan knew she was the only one who had seen him go in the same direction as Robyn.

Idly, she wondered how she could convey this information to Harold without giving the impression that she was telling tales and trying to create a divide between him and Robyn.

* * *

Robyn stood at the top of the stairs.

She stared down at Dominic with a predatory smile. Her body rocked slightly to the distant pulse of the Tafelmusik. The gentle movement caused the hem of her dress to sway lightly to and fro. It was a contrived position and she used it to maximum effect. As Dominic climbed the staircase she knew he would be able to see beneath the hem. The gusset of her black panties was bound to be visible to him as he stared up at her.

She smiled, excited by her own boldness.

When she saw the anticipatory light flicker in his eyes, she knew his gaze had been caught by her display. His pace up the steps didn’t quicken or slow but she noticed his gait now appeared ever so slightly awkward. Her smile broadened as she realised this was caused by the growing stiffness at the top of his leg.

He finally snatched his gaze away from the hem of her skirt when he was within two steps of her. Robyn stayed in the same position, allowing him to move closer. The scent of his aftershave caught in her nostrils and she inhaled his nearness.

‘Gayle doesn’t think we should be doing this,’ he murmured.

Robyn sniffed. ‘Gayle’s not paid to think. She’s only a PA.’

Not wanting to continue the conversation, she circled her arm around Dominic’s waist and guided him along the galleried landing towards her bedroom.

‘What does your husband think about this?’

Feigning indifference, Robyn shrugged.

‘I don’t believe Harold knows about this. But if you’re that desperate for his opinion, you could always ask him afterwards.’

Hoping the finality in her voice would end that avenue of conversation, Robyn pushed him through the bedroom door.

For a moment, they were locked in darkness. There was only the sound of his breathing, barely audible beneath the eager panting of her own burgeoning desire. Robyn could feel the heat of his lean, hard body close to hers.

In the lightless vacuum of the bedroom her arousal grew. The hectic pulse between her legs slowly transformed into a desperate ache that demanded satisfaction.

The lights came on accidentally. As Dominic took her in his arms and thrust her against the wall, Robyn’s shoulder caught the switch. She blinked against the sudden flood of brightness and smiled up at his boyishly handsome face. Unable to stop herself, she raked her fingers through his tousled blond locks.

‘Robyn,’ he murmured.

He had her pinned against the wall. His eager hands touched and caressed. He traversed the swell of her hips and the line of her waist. Moving upwards, his fingers brushed over the mounds of her breasts and caught the urgent thrust of her nipples. Grinning, he caressed the back of her neck and then stroked his fingers down her spine.

She sighed and prepared to melt for him.

Boldly, Dominic cupped the cheeks of her backside.

Robyn felt herself being pulled against him. His erection pressed forcefully into her stomach. The size of him was large enough to make her shiver.

She bit back a startled cry as he kissed her. His tongue slid into her open mouth. His lips bruised hers with the ferocity of his passion. The tingling between her legs had been urgent before. Now it was sharp and exposed, like a crackle of electricity. The heat of desire seared the flesh of her sex.

Her nipples ached with their need to be touched. Her inner muscles clenched repeatedly as she anticipated the pleasure to come. Her breath had turned to a raw and ragged panting.

‘On the bed,’ she whispered, when he eventually moved his mouth from hers. ‘Take me on the bed. I need you. I need you now.’

Dominic clearly needed no further encouragement.

He glanced quickly around the bedroom, seeming unaware of its sumptuous designer charms and stylised furnishings. His interest was focused entirely on her.

It didn’t matter to Robyn that he was overlooking the brilliant combination of pastel greens and antique brass that she had worked so hard to co-ordinate. The appraisal and the attention he was giving to her more than made up for any offence she could have taken. He carried her across the four brisk steps from the door to the bed. He completed the journey by hurling her onto the bed with an understated show of strength.

Robyn bounced in the centre of the four-poster, momentarily lost in an explosion of faux-suede sheets. She brushed long blonde locks away from her face and shook her hair back into some semblance of style.

When she glanced at him he was smiling down at her with a lusty grin.

Lowering her gaze she noticed the swell at the front of his pants had pushed the fabric out of shape. His erection was clearly large.

She caught an eager breath in anticipation. She was desperate for him.

When she landed on the bed, the hem of her skirt had ridden up. The tops of her stockings were exposed, along with a thin line of the pale flesh at her inner thighs. Although she couldn’t see, she suspected the crotch of her panties was also visible to him. Holding his gaze, she reached down and stroked a finger against the gusset of her exposed crotch.

The desire in his eyes gleamed.

‘Do you want me to take these off?’ she whispered.

Dumbstruck, he nodded.

Robyn raised her eyebrows. Her fingertip trailed lazily back and forth against the silky panel of fabric. The whisper of sensation was like an angel’s kiss against her crotch. She shook her head and prepared to ask the question for a second time.

‘Do you want me to take these off?’ she repeated slowly. ‘Or are you going to do it for me?’

The words were like a switch.

He dropped to his knees beside the bed and placed his hands on her stocking-clad thighs. Smiling into her face, he teased the tips of his fingers against the elasticated band of her panties. Slowly, he began to ease the fabric away.

Robyn was tempted to pull him on top of her and demand that he fuck her hard and fuck her now. She was horny and desperate to have him inside her. But she resisted the urge. She was going to have him eventually and knew that savouring each moment would bring its own reward in the ultimate explosion of her climax.

The panties were eased slowly away from her wanton flesh.

Her pussy lips, wet with arousal, kissed the gusset farewell. And then the fabric was drawn down her legs and over her ankles. When his fingers reached for the tops of her stockings, she placed a hand on his and shook her head.

‘Let me wear those,’ she said firmly. ‘I always believe that sex feels so much more illicit when I’m wearing stockings.’

‘You like illicit sex?’

‘Illicit sex is the best sort, isn’t it?’

His lecherous smile was as good as a nod of agreement.

Moving his head closer he said, ‘The stockings might restrict me a little. If I want to kiss your legs, I can only kiss the skin here.’

To illustrate where he meant he placed his lips against her inner thigh. His warm breath touched her bare skin and his tousled hair tickled her pussy.

Robyn drew a jagged breath.

Every muscle in her body was tense with revitalised excitement. The sensation bit a second time when he moved his mouth to her other leg. Although she couldn’t be certain, she thought he had moved his head higher.

Her heart pounded as he kissed her a third time.

His lips had shifted infuriatingly close to the crease between her legs. His hands caressed her through the sheer denier of her stockings. He was warming her flesh until she shivered. When he placed the fourth kiss against her, she shoved a fist into her mouth to suppress the scream of joy.

* * *

Gayle placed herself deliberately between Harold and the foot of the stairs. In an attempt to appear casual about the stance, she smiled at him and tried to think of an appropriate conversation opener. She had silently selected and discounted half a dozen before the urgency of the situation made her blurt the first thing to cross her mind.

‘I’ve barely seen you in the office for the past few months.’

Harold frowned. ‘We were talking yesterday,’ he reminded her. ‘That was when I gave you the invitation to this soirée.’

She gave an embarrassed smile and coughed apologetically. ‘I meant before that,’ she told him. ‘Where have you been hiding yourself?’

He looked away and made no attempt to disguise his sigh of exasperation. When he eventually answered her question, Gayle realised his gaze was fixed on the stairs behind her. As she watched him, she knew he was mentally tracing a route along the galleried landing towards his bedroom.

It was the same route Robyn had taken.

‘Because I only relied on your secretarial services while I was between PAs,’ Harold began, ‘it shouldn’t come as any surprise that we no longer see one another in the office.’

His eyes shone with defiance as he dared her to challenge this remark.

‘Of course. You have Sheridan now,’ Gayle remembered. ‘How could I forget her? That hair is so distinctive.’ She could have added that everything about Sheridan was distinctive but she suspected Harold was already aware of Sheridan’s many charms. Snatching at another conversational gambit she asked, ‘How’s Sheridan shaping up?’

This time Harold’s sigh was heavier. ‘Sheridan is shaping up very nicely, thank you,’ he replied. ‘Not only does she have the ability to spell correctly, she also allows me to visit the bathroom when I need to pee.’

Gayle tried to look surprised by her own foolishness but she couldn’t manage the expression with any conviction.

‘I’m sorry,’ she gushed. ‘I didn’t realise you wanted to get past me. You should have said. I just thought we were …’

She left the rest of her sentence unspoken as Harold pushed her to one side and began marching up the stairs.

He climbed four steps. The angry set of his body caused each footfall to pound as he moved away from her. Gayle could see he was an irresistible force heading to meet an immovable object, a spark waiting to set something alight. She suspected Harold finding Robyn in bed with Dominic could be sufficiently incendiary to create a terrible and devastating explosion.

With one last hope of saving the situation, Gayle called his name.

‘Harold!’

He stopped and turned to glower down at her. His frown was an unspoken question.

Panicked by the sudden need to say something, Gayle said the first thing that popped into her head. ‘Is my spelling really that bad?’

He didn’t bother replying. He simply turned his back on her and continued to march up the stairs towards the closed door of his bedroom.

* * *

There was an instant where Robyn thought she had heard someone call Harold’s name. But she couldn’t be certain. The sound came from a million miles away, muffled and muted by the layers of faux-suede that now surrounded her head. Not bothering to waste time on what was obviously a figment of her imagination, she concentrated on Dominic and his hungry mouth.

His tongue slid viciously against the lips of her sex.

Excitement had already made her wet but now she could feel her hole dripping with a strong, syrupy need. She yearned to pull his mouth away and have his body press against hers. But she didn’t allow herself to give in to that urge. The thrill he evoked in her clitoris was far too great for her to stop him.

Between her legs Dominic grunted with animal passion as he lapped wetly at her sex. She caressed the back of his neck, grinning broadly to herself. A rush of pleasure built in her body and she prepared herself for the explosion of the evening’s first climax.

For a moment, her mood was broken as she sensed a third presence in the room. Her face was buried beneath the sheets and she had to brush them away to see who it was. By the time she was able to look around, the third person was disappearing. As she gazed up from the bed, a dark-suited man stormed out of the bedroom. The door had closed on him before she could put an identity to his glimpsed back.

It could have been Harold, she supposed.

But it could also have been any broad-shouldered man in a tuxedo who was attending the evening’s party.

Dismissing the intruder as a lost guest searching for the bathroom, she glanced down at Dominic’s head. The sight of him buried against her intimate flesh was the final impetus her body needed. She allowed the rush of pleasure to flow through her loins.

He stared up at her.

The lower half of his face was hidden as he worked his tongue deep into her sex. The appreciation she saw in his eyes was heart-warming and Robyn was struck by the first flickering pulse of an impending orgasm. Groaning happily she bucked her hips forward and let the ripple of euphoria wash over her body. Pressing herself hard against the bed, she savoured every pleasurable tremor.

When she opened her eyes, Dominic was standing.

His hands worked clumsily on his belt. She could see the shape of his bulging erection pushing at the front of his pants. Once again she was struck by the urgent need to have his naked body pressed against hers.

And this time she was determined that would happen.

‘Wait,’ she gasped breathlessly. ‘Please, wait.’

He hesitated, uncertain.

She ignored the expression.

Turning her back on him, she crawled over the sheets to her bedside cabinet and pulled open the top drawer. She knew that from this position her exposed sex would be visible to him and she swayed her hips provocatively, knowing he would be looking.

She could mentally picture her own pussy after the tonguing he had just given. The lips of her sex would be peeled wide apart in preparation for him. The pale blonde hairs would be darkened with his saliva and plastered to the wet flesh around her hole. It was an intoxicating image and she couldn’t resist the arousal it inspired. His sigh of excitement told her that he was watching intently and she smiled to herself. With a devilish giggle, she reached inside the cabinet drawer, pondered over her choice for a moment, then turned back to him.

‘Here,’ Robyn said, tossing three small packets towards him. ‘Pick one.’ Moving quickly across the bed she joined him as he studied the packets she had just thrown.

‘Condoms?’ Dominic mused.

‘Which are you going to choose?’ Robyn grinned up at him. ‘Make a choice. Let me know what sort of lover you are.’

He toyed with the three packets, tracing his finger between the black one and the multicoloured one before he selected the orange packet. After studying it curiously for a moment, he dropped it back to the bed.

‘You pick,’ he told her, working on his belt. ‘I don’t mind.’

Robyn shook her head and stopped his hands.

‘I want you to pick one,’ she insisted. ‘You can tell a lot about a person by the type of condom they pick. I want to find out what sort of person you are.’

As she said this, she began to unfasten the belt for him. Her fingers quickly opened the clasp and then she was sliding the strip of leather free from the belt loops. With a deft movement, she teased his zipper downwards. The pulse of his erection trembled through the fabric of his pants. She quickened her actions, eager to encounter and experience his length. Enjoying oral from a comparative stranger was a pleasant enough experience – but it was no substitute for the real thing.

‘They’re only rubbers.’ Selecting one at random, he said, ‘I’ll pick this one.’

Robyn glanced at the black packet he held and shrieked.

‘You can’t use that one.’ Tones of mock-horror were clear in her voice. ‘You don’t know me well enough to use that one. Pick again.’

He studied the black packet suspiciously.

‘What’s so special about this one?’

She pushed his trousers down and found him naked underneath. His long eager length stood proudly to attention. The foreskin had peeled back and the dark red dome glistened wetly with pre-come. Robyn smiled at his cock and stroked her fingers against the warm flesh.

‘That’s a particularly “safe” brand of condom,’ she explained. Arousal added huskiness to her words. ‘It’s particularly thick and secure, for those more intimate sexual acts.’

He was still frowning, missing the point. ‘Aren’t all sexual acts intimate?’ he asked.

She rolled her eyes. She wondered how it was possible for someone to appear so attractive and desirable yet still be so thick-headed. It was almost as though they belonged to a different species.

‘It’s a rubber,’ he said dully. ‘I don’t get it. What’s so special about it?’

Stroking his length between her fingers, Robyn eased herself from the bed and placed her mouth next to his ear.

‘It’s thicker,’ she whispered. She blew the words with warm breath against the sensitive flesh at his neck. ‘It’s smoother. It’s very lubricated. And it’s ultra-safe. Because it possesses all those admirable qualities, you could use it to fuck my arsehole if I consented to such a depraved act.’

As she said the words, she felt his cock stiffen in her hand. His mouth turned on hers and he kissed her with ferocious passion.

‘I want to use this one,’ he told her brandishing the black condom. ‘I want to fuck your arse.’

Robyn drew an excited sigh. ‘No,’ she said firmly.

He frowned.

‘Not yet,’ she amended.

Taking the condom from his fingers, she said, ‘Pick again.’

‘By “not yet”, what exactly do you mean?’ Dominic teased. His fingers caressed her breasts through the fabric of her dress.

She trembled. ‘Maybe later.’

‘Only maybe?’

His fingers touched her more firmly as she thrust out her nipples. His stiff cock twitched with anticipation.

‘Pick another,’ she insisted. Arousal added urgency to each syllable. If he continued teasing for a moment or two longer she felt sure she would relent to his request. ‘Let’s see how excited you make me, and we’ll take things from there.’

Again, without giving the matter any more thought, he plucked a brightly coloured packet from the two remaining.

Robyn felt her heartbeat race as she saw which he had picked. Her fingers went to the buttons of his shirt, quickly unfastening them and revealing more of his body.

‘The fruit-flavoured one,’ she observed. Smiling into his eyes, she asked, ‘Do you want me to suck you?’

Again his cock twitched in her hand. The desperate pulse had indicated his answer before he had the chance to voice it.

‘Is that what this type is for?’

‘It’s what I use them for,’ she said simply. She eased the shirt off his body. His broad chest was smooth and hairless. His small nipples barely jutted forward but she lowered her lips to one of them and darted her tongue against the tiny bead of flesh.

Dominic drew a heavy sigh.

His hands worked on her dress and although Robyn hadn’t wanted him to strip her, she allowed him to slide the zip down. As soon as it was open, she merely had to shrug her shoulders and the garment fell from her body. She stood in front of him, naked save for her stockings.

In the palm of her hand, his eager length twitched. With a hungry gaze he took in her large breasts with the dark areolas and long, fat nipples. He reached out to touch them but she moved herself away.

‘Lie down,’ she encouraged, patting the bed. ‘It’ll be more fun on the bed.’

Instead of obeying, Dominic took her in his arms. His naked body was pressed against hers and her breasts were squeezed against his muscular chest. The tips of her nipples were crushed against him while his exposed erection throbbed hotly at her stomach. He stroked her back and buttocks with quick, passionate caresses. Then, for a second time, he lifted her onto the bed.

This time, he joined her.

When their mouths met he slid his tongue between her lips in an eager, intimate kiss. The distant flavour of her own pussy juice was on his breath and the taste rekindled her passion. She rubbed her hand against his swollen shaft, relishing each pulse that trembled from him. And yet, as much as she enjoyed his embrace and the sensation of having his length in her hand, the need to have his cock in her mouth was paramount. She writhed free from his arms. Dominic lay back on the bed and she stroked his hardness affectionately before opening the brightly coloured packet.

He grinned as she teased the flimsy sheath between her fingertips. His eyes shone with hungry expectation as she placed the rubber over his cock.

‘They’re not particularly sexy things, are they?’ he observed.

Robyn frowned and shook her head.

‘Quite the contrary. I find them very stimulating.’

To prove her point, she rubbed the unfurled condom against the head of his cock and drew it softly over the swollen dome.

He drew a shuddering breath and balled his hands into fists.

Smiling, Robyn began to roll the gaudy prophylactic over his length. Her hand was curled into a loose fist, allowing her to repeatedly smooth the condom down his stiff shaft. She continued to stroke his cock long after the sheath was securely in place. The tight band of rubber at its base bit into his flesh but Dominic didn’t complain.

With a critical eye, she examined her handiwork.

His balls, coated with a layer of short, curly hairs, were a tight sac. She moved her face forward and gently nuzzled against him. The scent of his arousal was only distant but she found the aroma to be maddeningly exciting. Unable to stop herself, she pushed her tongue against the base of his cock. She allowed the tip to touch just beneath the tight band of rubber at the base of his condom and she could taste the clean flavour of his sweat. Shivering eagerly she lifted her head and studied his face, trying to discern if he had found the stimulation as pleasurable and intense as she had.

‘Do you still think condoms aren’t particularly sexy?’ she asked.

‘You may have changed my mind,’ he allowed.

‘I’m sure you didn’t think that lacked excitement,’ she said with a grin. Her finger stroked the wet patch of flesh her tongue had left at the base of his shaft. ‘And I doubt you’ll say that this lacks excitement either.’ Still holding the base of his cock, she placed her lips over the head of his sheathed length and took him into her mouth.

Dominic drew another shuddering sigh.

His balled fists unfurled and he snaked his fingers into her hair. Rather than holding her against him, he seemed content to simply tease the locks between his fingers while she sucked.

Robyn worked her mouth around his shaft, ignoring the synthetic strawberry flavour. She traced her tongue over the flesh through the subtle layer of rubber, teasing each pulsing vein that throbbed between her lips.

His groans built to a slow crescendo.

She sensed he was already close to the point of climax. The thought filled her with a vague moment’s sadness but she banished that emotion very quickly. She doubted anyone would have noticed their absence from the dinner party just yet and that meant she might have the chance to use the contents of the black packet. The thought brought a dark excitement to her arousal and she quickly shifted position on the bed. Placing her pussy over his face, she continued to suck him as she lowered her sex to his mouth.

Dominic caressed the mounds of her buttocks before holding her tight against himself. As though he was following her on the lewd path that her thoughts had taken, he drew his tongue against the rim of her anus. A shiver tickled through her and she stopped sucking him for a moment. Holding her backside still she allowed him to push his tongue into the tight, forbidden hole.

A groan of ecstasy was torn from her lips.

At that moment she was oblivious to the guests downstairs.

* * *

The guests milled around in small, happy clusters, talking animatedly as they drank and joked together. Gayle stared up the steps towards Robyn’s bedroom door.

The angry frown continued to furrow her brow.

She held a half-full wine glass in one hand as she stood alone, bored and unhappy. Everyone else seemed to have found their own clique to join but she had been left alone since Robyn disappeared with Dominic.

Catching sight of Sheridan’s distinctive hair, Gayle made her way over to the woman. The secretary was standing by a door with her back to Gayle, her ludicrously short skirt displaying her long, shapely legs, while the cropped top that revealed so much of her cleavage also exposed her slender waist. From the front Gayle knew she would have been treated to the sight of the woman’s bare midriff and her pierced belly button. In one casually outstretched hand, Sheridan waved a half-filled wine glass. The rim was decorated with smears of lipstick.

Sheridan had already developed a reputation in the office for being a cockteaser and a bitch but Gayle wasn’t one to rely on other people’s opinions. She had thought the woman seemed pleasant enough on the couple of occasions when they had spoken. Now she could see an opportunity to talk to Sheridan socially, which would give her the perfect chance to form her own opinion.

Before Gayle could make her presence known, she realised Sheridan was already engaged in a conversation. Her head was nodding solemnly, creating subtle movement through the colourful peacock feathers of her hair. Her garish lips were thin with an expression of anger or impatience as she said, ‘Never. You can’t be serious. Go on. What happened then?’

Her partner in the conversation was in the other room and hidden from Gayle’s line of vision.

Gayle was about to walk away when she heard something that stopped her. It wasn’t her intention to eavesdrop but Sheridan’s exclamation sounded so intriguing that Gayle strained to hear more.

‘For fuck’s sake! You shouldn’t let her treat you like that. You should divorce her.’

Gayle heard a man’s voice respond. She recognised Harold’s gruff Yorkshire accent.

‘I don’t intend for it to carry on,’ he said brusquely. ‘This is the last time she’s going to embarrass me.’

‘You said you were going to divorce her the last time,’ Sheridan pointed out. ‘You keep saying you’re going to divorce her, but you never do.’

Gayle swallowed nervously. She was desperate to hear Harold’s response. If Harold and Robyn separated, that would mean a major shake-up at the magazine. If such a thing happened, she doubted Robyn would continue to work with her husband. Gayle knew that could mean the end of her employment as the woman’s PA.

The thought was chilling.

She felt small and more than a little selfish for worrying about her own interests in the face of such an upheaval in Robyn’s life. A job was far less important than a marriage. But she was pragmatic enough to know that her own security counted for something. And she had spent most of the evening trying to prevent Harold being confronted with more examples of Robyn’s indiscretions.

With panic quickening her heartbeat, and her spirits sinking fast, she realised she was listening to a conversation that could dictate the future of her career.

‘You promised me that you’d divorce her if she did it again,’ Sheridan reminded him. Her voice had taken on a petulant whine that was ugly and unappealing. ‘You told me that you weren’t going to allow it to happen again. Don’t you remember making these promises, Harold?’

Gayle took a tentative step closer, wishing she could see Harold’s face or hear what he was about to say. She lifted her wine glass to her lips and drained its contents. All the time she was listening for Harold’s response.

‘It’s Gayle, isn’t it?’

As the words were spoken, Gayle felt a masculine hand fall heavily on her shoulder. Reluctantly, she turned to face the person talking to her.

* * *

Robyn placed the tip of his sheathed cock against herself and suppressed a tremor of elation. On her bedside cabinet she could see the spent red rubber resting on its brightly coloured packet. It shone wetly beneath the bright bedroom lights. Beside the rubber and its packet was the torn orange packet that had housed the condom they now used.

She held herself above him, determined to savour every moment of the intimacy. His naked body was beneath hers. His hands reached up and he teased her breasts as she squatted above him. The tip of his cock pressed firmly against her sopping hole.

‘Play with my clitty.’ The request came out somewhere between begging and commanding.

Dominic did not seem to mind being given instructions.

His fingers moved to her sex lips. The cool tips touched her warm, wet flesh. She glanced down at herself, enjoying the sight of the dark stockings against her pale flesh and the glimpse of his teasing hand. The view was so exhilarating she couldn’t resist the urge to impale herself on him. With a lunge and a sigh she lowered her sex onto his length.

They both stiffened as his cock entered her.

Robyn placed a hand over her mouth, silencing the scream of delight that she longed to release.

Beneath her, Dominic strained to contain a groan.

He wore the ribbed condom and, as it pushed into the warmth of her hole, she felt every subtle titillation against her inner walls. The sheathed length penetrated her sex fully.

Robyn felt the wave of an orgasm rush over her.

The condom was thickly lubricated and had tiny ridges along the shaft. With each slow millimetre of his entry and egress her pleasure spiralled upwards. The fingers at her pussy stroked the pulsing nub of her clitoris. Occasionally Dominic would guide a solitary finger around the sopping wetness of her cleft, deftly teasing the point where their bodies connected.

Robyn was almost giddy with the need for another climax.

Her body was weak with pleasure and she tried vainly to recall the last time she had enjoyed herself with such hedonistic abandon. It felt like ages since someone had pleased her so greatly and she congratulated herself for the salacious impulse that had made her want to bed Dominic. Staring at the bedside cabinet she idly wished there would be enough time to use the contents of the black packet. Dominic was a capable lover and she suspected he would be more than able to please her using that particular rubber. The idea was more stimulating than any of the ribbed veins on his current sheath.

When her buttocks touched his hips she realised most of his length was filling her. Her fingers squeezed at the base of his shaft, holding the rubber tightly in place. She deliberately stopped the last half-inch from penetrating her, certain her overstretched pussy couldn’t accept any more. If his cock had been any bigger it would have caused pain.

But Dominic’s size seemed perfectly suited for her needs.

Again she was struck by the image of having him penetrate her anus. The idea inspired a shiver of animal excitement. His thick shaft spread the lips of her pussy a little too wide and she tried not to think how it would feel to have her sphincter treated in the same way. But at the same time, she dwelt on the image and savoured the sensations it awoke in her loins.

His fingers returned to the pulsing ball of her clitoris.

He stroked the nub of flesh with a gentle caress. The featherlight pressure brought with it another wave of euphoria. As the climax struck she tensed every muscle in her body and relished the electric charge he set off. Using his other hand to tease the tips of her nipples, Dominic continued to stroke her clitoris and caress the lips of her sex.

Robyn controlled the pace as she slid herself up and down his shaft.

The sounds of her sex, slurping greedily on his length, filled the room. Robyn was almost deafened by the echo of her sopping pussy drinking noisily from his sheathed shaft. She glanced down and saw, even though they had started this bout of passion little more than a few moments earlier, he was already struggling to contain his eruption.

With a reassuring smile she stroked his cheek.

He grinned back at her and rubbed more swiftly at her pussy lips. His fingers brushed over her clitoris and then slipped inside her. Ignoring the fact that his thick length filled her sex, he eased a finger alongside its girth.

Robyn shook her head, trying to find the words to stop him.

Before she could form the sentence, he had eased his cock back slightly. She snatched a breath as he urged two fingers into the warm velvety depths of her sex. As soon as the fingers were inside, he pushed his length back between the pouting, overstretched lips.

This time, Robyn couldn’t stop herself screaming.

The sensation of being so full was intolerable. Her lips were stretched by his fingers and cock as he continued to plough into her. He probed ever deeper into her velvety darkness and the first prickle of pure joy washed over her. When he forced his erection deeper, Robyn relished the multiple pangs of elation.

Beneath the silken layer of rubber his cock twitched and throbbed. Dominic’s harsh groan was almost as heartfelt as the one she released when his climax pumped inside her.

A satisfied smile twisted his lips into a grimace. He raised himself from the bed and bucked his hips forward.

Savouring the last pleasurable tremor of his orgasm, Robyn guided his spent shaft from between her legs. She kept her hand on the base of his length, holding the rubber in place so as not to allow any of his semen to escape.

Sliding the sheath from his shaft, she beamed down at him.

‘You should come to our dinner parties more often.’

‘Try keeping me away,’ he said, laughing. As he spoke, he stroked the thrust of her long nipples.

Robyn shivered. She was touched by a tickle of irresistible joy as his fingers caressed the nubs of stiff flesh. She cast a glance towards the bedside cabinet, a wicked thought striking her as she contemplated the black packet.

‘How much time do you think we have left before someone notices we’re not in the room?’

* * *

Gayle glanced unhappily past the young man talking to her, wishing she knew what was happening.

Robyn was still missing from the dinner party, as was Dominic.

Although she couldn’t hear everything Harold and Sheridan were saying, she was close enough to catch disquieting snippets of their conversation. Words such as ‘divorce’ and ‘repercussions’ repeatedly floated between the pair. Gayle wanted to hear more but she was prevented from listening to them properly by Wayne from sales, the monumental bore who had trapped her against a wall.

She had never previously spoken to Wayne but she recognised him vaguely from the offices of Art. His loud, uninteresting voice kept intruding on the words she could glean from Harold and Sheridan’s conversation. And he seemed oblivious to her lack of interest in him.

She smiled up at him, wishing he would choke on the olive in his martini. The man held a BlackBerry in one hand, as though the gadget was an additional cock. Gayle found herself wishing that someone would call him on it, allowing her the chance to escape.

‘Just who the hell is this Dominic, anyway?’ she heard Harold demanding. ‘Who invited him? Where did he come from?’

Gayle strained to hear Sheridan’s response.

‘It’s one of the original Ghias,’ Wayne was explaining. ‘I’ve had the paintwork restored and I’ve fitted an overhead cam on the V-8 engine that Lance and I slipped into her.’

Gayle inwardly cursed. Outwardly she smiled.

She heard Sheridan say, ‘… sending you a lot of letters about his protégé Yale Walters,’ but it was the tail end of a reply and she couldn’t make much sense of it without proper context.

‘Never heard of him,’ Harold growled.

From the corner of her eye, Gayle saw Sheridan’s shoulders rise in a gentle shrug. The gesture made her gaily coloured locks bounce provocatively. It was, she thought, an exciting and appealing look.

‘Dominic seems to think highly of him, he wanted you to …’

‘It meant we had to reshape the bonnet a little,’ Wayne went on. ‘And I guess it’s a bit noisier than your average motor. But if I turn the stereo up, I don’t notice.’

Go away, Gayle thought. Aloud she said, ‘How interesting.’

Her grin was a rictus. She wondered if she had ever been guilty of holding someone in such a conversation against their will. From her own perspective, she felt sure she was giving off all the signs of a person who didn’t want to be spoken to. Her arms were folded across her chest and she kept glancing at her wristwatch but Wayne seemed oblivious to these far from subtle gestures. He continued to wave his BlackBerry as he spoke, gesturing with it as he emphasised various points in his monologue.

‘Critique the bastard?’ Harold exploded.

His outraged words carried easily over Wayne’s drone.

‘Review the fucker? He’ll be lucky if I don’t cancel his subscription to the fucking magazine.’

Gayle cursed again, wishing she knew what was happening. She had the feeling Harold’s words were important but she had no way of knowing why.

She was suddenly aware that Wayne had stopped talking to her and that she was expected to say something in response. Quickly she searched her thoughts for an appropriate, glib comment that would pacify him. If the man thought she had been eavesdropping on the magazine’s owner and his secretary, she feared her reputation at the office would be ruined. Smiling into Wayne’s face, Gayle said, ‘It sounds very nice.’

His grin faltered. Her response wasn’t enough. He clearly expected to hear something more. He had been talking about his car and he wanted to know she was suitably impressed.

‘I doubt it could look worse than that misshapen monstrosity parked outside the front of the house,’ she with a laugh. ‘Have you seen it? It’s all black and lumpy and looks like a Transformer took a crap in the car park. It’s the one with those bright-green furry dice dangling from the rear-view mirror.’

Wayne frowned at her. The expression he wore seemed hurt and deflated. ‘That is my car,’ he said quietly.

A nervous giggle threatened to erupt from the back of her throat. This was one of those moments she knew she would be laughing about when she parted from Wayne’s company. But, for now, it was the epitome of excruciating embarrassment.

She tried to think of suitable words for an apology or retraction but the sound of Harold’s mounting anger distracted her. Gayle heard Sheridan trying to appease him but the PA’s words had no effect.

‘No,’ Harold bellowed. ‘I’ve had enough of this. This is my house and I’m not happy with this. I’m going to sort the pair of them out. I’m going to sort them out once and for all.’

As Gayle watched, Harold stormed into the hall and up the stairs.

And, although she had thought Sheridan sounded sincere in her attempts to temper Harold’s outrage, she could now see the smile that twisted the woman’s lips. She was shocked by the expression of triumphant cruelty that shone in the woman’s eyes.

* * *

After his second climax, Dominic put his clothes back on and Robyn slipped into her dress. She hadn’t bothered putting her panties on, happy to feel the cool air against her hot wet flesh as she prepared to mingle with the other guests.

‘What a shame we didn’t get to use that,’ he remarked, glancing at the unused black packet.

Robyn smiled. ‘There’s still time,’ she assured him. With an eager lunge, she had pushed him back to the bed. Her fingers worked quickly on his pants and within a moment she had lowered them so they were free from his hips. She pulled them down to his knees and examined his limp cock.

‘I’m not sure,’ he began cautiously. And then stopped himself. ‘I mean, I don’t think I can …’

His voice trailed off as she began to work her mouth against him. With a graceful arch of her leg, she had straddled him. She moved her hands from his length for a moment, hitching up the sides of her skirt so that his mouth could have unfettered access to her exposed pussy.

It only took seconds before they were locked in a sixty-nine position.

Dominic’s tongue was pressed between her legs. He teased the tip between her sodden pussy lips and the puckered rim of her anus. Waves of excitement washed over her as she felt thrill after thrill rippling through her body.

She still wanted him and longed to feel a final act of penetration to complete the evening. The unopened black packet grew warm in her hand. While she knew this was caused by her own sweaty palm she imagined it was the needful heat of the rubber inside. Mentally she could picture the hot black sheath filling her as Dominic rode it into her anus. The image was infuriatingly clear and she could almost feel the length’s imagined path as he penetrated her. She could imagine his thickness spreading the taut muscle of her sphincter wide. The idea sent a ripple of anticipation trembling through her bowels.

Not that there was much chance of Dominic penetrating her again this evening, she thought with a small sigh. Regardless of how much she worked her lips and tongue against his cock, Dominic remained flaccid.

She wasn’t completely surprised. He had already climaxed twice and they had been together for barely thirty minutes. The chances of him getting hard enough to fuck her backside looked bleak. Still she persevered, drawing the tip of her tongue against his soft length, relishing the taste of his skin and the subtle flavour of their mingled climaxes.

His hands caressed her buttocks. He stroked broad, exploratory circles. His touch sent shivers of pleasure along her spine. She moaned with mounting frustration and tested a playful nip against his balls.

He stiffened on the bed.

‘Too much.’

She chuckled down at him.

‘Not enough,’ she retorted. With a wicked smile, she opened the black packet and pulled the condom from inside. It felt slick between her fingers and she rubbed it playfully, enjoying the slippery wetness. Moving her mouth below his balls, she touched the tip of her tongue to his arsehole.

Dominic drew a startled breath and muttered a refusal.

Seeing his flaccid cock begin to fatten, Robyn ignored his words and continued to tongue his arse. The sour-sweet taste of his anus filled her mouth. The flavour was so subtle and intimate she was propelled to the brink of another orgasm. Watching Dominic’s cock stiffen as she tongued him only added impetus to her arousal.

‘You’re insatiable,’ he groaned.

‘Perhaps I just need satiating?’

His reply was a wordless groan that only encouraged her to thrust her tongue deeper. The muscles in his legs stiffened. He seemed so absorbed with the pleasure she gave him that his tongue moved away from her sex.

Robyn didn’t mind. Although she had been enjoying it, his attention to her was a distraction from what she trying to do for him. Slowly, Robyn drew the condom onto her index finger. It hung loose on the digit, the tip of her nail forcing its own shape against the slick black rubber.

‘I’d already decided that we were going to use this one tonight,’ she said quietly. ‘And one way or another, I’m determined that we will.’ She glanced down at him, studying his face through the frame of their bodies, trying not to be distracted by the sight of his mouth so close to her pussy.

He met her gaze, oblivious to the condom on her finger.

His eyes opened wide as she pushed the tip against his rectum.

A cry of meaningless protest started from his lips but Robyn ignored him. She glanced at his cock and saw the length was hard and ready for her. Slowly, she eased her finger deeper.

‘Too much,’ Dominic hissed. ‘That’s way too much.’

She shook her head. Tresses of her blonde hair brushed against the flesh of his inner thighs.

‘That’s not too much,’ she assured him. ‘But this will be.’

She did two things simultaneously.

While pushing her finger deeper into his backside, she lowered her lips around his naked cock. He was rock hard and she knew he could have easily penetrated her now. But those thoughts were only distant. Lowering her pussy over his face, she sucked on the swollen tip of his erection.

He shook beneath her.

She felt sure he was exerting a monumental effort of willpower as he struggled to quash his climax. His shaft juddered against her lower lip.

Determined, Robyn sucked harder.

Her finger was deep inside him and she pulled it slowly away. His groans were barely muted by the pressure of her pussy lips. She knew he couldn’t resist the inevitable impulse much longer and she prided herself on having brought him to the brink of another orgasm so swiftly.

His sphincter tried to expel her finger in a sudden rush. She held the sheathed digit firmly, battling his body’s natural resistance. The cock in her mouth stiffened and she knew that she had pleased him too well. A second after that thought, she felt the pulse of his climax. His shaft trembled and then spat a spray of semen against the back of her throat.

His flavour was hot and oily and noisome. Greedily, she sucked every last drop of his seed.

He fell soft as soon he had climaxed. Her finger was pushed out by the intensity of his orgasm. Robyn’s own minor climax mimicked his. Swallowing the last droplet of his explosion, she turned to grin at him.

She licked her lips.

‘Wonderful,’ she whispered, and she meant it. He was still lapping at her sex and Robyn gently pulled herself from his reach. She placed a grateful kiss upon his lips, smiling when she realised her breath was tinged with the scent of his come.

She nodded down at his shrivelled length. ‘You’d best put that away if you intend joining the remainder of the party.’

He fastened himself up as she climbed off the bed. ‘I have to tell you now,’ he began. ‘The rest of your party is likely to be a serious disappointment.’

Robyn laughed and kissed him before straightening the hem of her skirt. ‘That’s just how it should be.’

She stepped into her shoes and wondered why she had found him so appealing. If he could have developed another erection, she would have happily used it. But she no longer felt the violent pulse that had caused her to drag him off to the bedroom. In truth she felt absolutely nothing for him.

Not that it mattered, she consoled herself. This was how life should be.

She was a married woman and, like her husband, she was allowed to discreetly play with other partners. It was better than being trapped in the restriction and claustrophobia of a conventional relationship. If someone caught her eye she was allowed to do more than just enjoy the fantasy of being with that person. And she didn’t have to betray her own moral code or disappoint the expectations of her partner. She could use anyone she wanted for the sake of satisfying her personal appetites. It was an arrangement that had always suited her in the past and she couldn’t see anything changing her opinion of it in the future.

Robyn took a step towards the bedroom door. ‘Perhaps we should get downstairs before our absence is noted?’ she suggested, hoping the words would encourage Dominic to move.

‘Will I be getting an invitation to your next dinner party?’

Nodding, she went over to the bedside cabinet and cleared the spent rubbers from the top. She reached into the open drawer, brought out a small black packet and handed it to him. ‘The next time you’re invited, bring this with you. We’ll see if we can work together to make better use of it.’

Laughing, he tucked it into the breast pocket of his jacket. He looked on the point of saying something else when the door behind him burst open.

‘What the hell is going on here?’ Harold demanded.

* * *

Two hours later the last of the guests had left.

As Robyn and Harold said their farewells and closed the door, she sensed the potential eruption of his volatile mood. Nevertheless, she was determined to make her point.

‘You really embarrassed me in the bedroom with Dominic.’

Harold’s glare was ferocious.

‘I don’t give a damn about you and your embarrassment. That was the last time I’ll allow it to happen. You have one last chance, woman, and I won’t be giving you a second one.’

‘One last chance? What the hell are you talking about?’

‘I mean it, Robyn. That was your last fucking chance.’

Robyn stared at him, shocked by the vitriol of his outburst. ‘Darling? What do you mean? What’s wrong?’

‘You were fucking him, weren’t you? Don’t try and deny it because I know it’s true. I saw him licking you out.’

Robyn shrugged. She had never been able to lie to her husband and, on this occasion, she saw no reason to bother attempting an untruth.

‘If you were watching, you could have joined in. I’ve never been averse to a threesome in the past. I always thought you were rather partial to them. What’s wrong? Did Sheridan blank you?’

He wore a thunderous expression. His finger pointed at her in accusation. ‘I’d thank you not to cheapen Sheridan’s behaviour so that it equates with yours.’

‘What the hell does that mean?’ Robyn demanded.

Her husband’s anger seemed to have come from nowhere. She wanted to remind him that they were in an open relationship – and had always been in an open relationship – but she sensed he would tell her that she had been wrong about that. The idea that she had imagined the unwritten rules that they lived by was too bewildering for her to contemplate.

‘You’re fucking Sheridan,’ she reminded him. ‘And I fucked Dominic. Where’s the crime?’

‘I am not fucking Sheridan,’ Harold hissed.

Robyn sniffed.

‘Bullshit,’ she spat. ‘The pair of you have been inseparable all evening. I’ve seen Siamese twins who’ve spent more time apart.’

He slammed his palm against the front door. The harsh sound echoed around the walls.

‘I’m not fucking Sheridan,’ he growled. ‘And I’ve already told you not to drag her down to your standards. You’d better listen to what I’m saying, Robyn, because I’m beginning to lose my patience. I demand that you don’t make me a cuckold again.’

Robyn wiped the back of her fist across her eyes, smudging her mascara. ‘Have you been working your way through a seventeenth-century dictionary?’ she asked. ‘Who the hell uses words like “cuckold” nowadays?’

His lips tightened but he didn’t respond to her remark about his word choice.

‘I’ll say this once and only once, so you better stop trying to be clever and start bloody listening. You’ve had your final chance tonight. If you go to bed with one more person other than me, it’s the end of our marriage.’

Robyn stared at him, wondering if this was some weird beginning to a role-playing game. It was the last hope of a desperate woman and she knew there was no real chance of that being the case. She could see none of the usual mirth that sparkled in Harold’s eyes as he spoke to her. He looked earnest and sincere as he delivered his ultimatum.

‘Climb into bed with another man, and that’s it. Our marriage will be over. I’ll cut you off without a single penny.’

‘You can’t be serious,’ Robyn gasped.

The cruel set of his smile told her that he was more than serious. ‘Try me, and see just how serious I am.’

In the light of his sombre expression, Robyn knew better than to try him. And, as the tears began to well in her eyes, she wondered how she could have misinterpreted the rules of their open marriage so badly.