Chapter 56

Later that evening, Mandy and I joined others walking along the boardwalk towards dinner. With the sun fully set, we crossed lighted circles beneath high lamps. A full moon shimmered across the dark ocean and illuminated the beach.

The quiet clink of the rings in her collar and her click-clacking heels kept my pulse roaring. The icy shower had done nothing to kill the desire I felt for her. Nor had the one she’d taken worked for her. Her nails were clawing at the skin of my chest. I’d left the black silk shirt unbuttoned to capture the cooling breezes.

“Mmm, I’m so glad you packed this dress for me,” she said while pressing tighter under my arm. “You know why I bought it?”

After a shrug, I gave it a scan. Lightweight and thin, the backless sundress’s orange and white flower-print enhanced her slender curves. When my trousers surged once more, she giggled.

“So, I could do this.” After gripping my wrist, she tugged my hand across her back and under the dress. As she shoved it further beneath the thin material, wrapping around her ribs, my fingers found and cupped her little tit. As I squeezed, she moaned and muttered, “Mmm, that’s better. All yours, master.”

“Slut,” I whispered.

With a quiet giggle, she shoved into my palm just as we approached the dining area. Despite my fingertips teasing a stiff nipple, her moan became a gasp as she examined the broad semicircular space.

Open to the stars, the sunken expanse was lined by large booths, also semicircular. The side facing the beach had a huge infinity-edge swimming pool. Along the edges of the padded flooring between the booths were stacks of small outdoor pillows and much larger cushions.

“Wow,” she whispered, then gulped.

As her gaze shifted to watch the other patrons, she trembled. Some couples sat alone. Others met and shared a booth. Still more exchanged partners before finding separate tables. A few places held three people.

Everything was calm and casual. Laughter and soft voices filled the night air among flickering flames atop tall poles and candles on the tabletops. But Mandy’s heart was hammering into my ribs as we followed an usher towards a booth.

Then it struck me like a lightning bolt.

With several couples looking our way, I forced a smile. Mandy had already attracted even more attention than Debbie had done. Suddenly I felt sick to my stomach.

As the universe staggered, I wanted to kick myself. Why’d I brought her there? The site of Debbie’s first meltdown, the beginning of her addiction to cock. Both to her relief at being set free, but to my dismay.

Yet another part of me kept my lips pursed tight. Mandy was not Debbie. She’d been quite clear: I was the only man she desired. With my heart clenched and aching, I glanced at her, and she grinned up at me. Just let her have the fun she damn well deserved. A grown woman, she could take care of herself.

But Debbie had said that, too. As we sat, I snatched a glass from the table to gulp water. Again, I looked at Mandy, who’d slid all the way around to sit beside me. Eyes wide, she was still scanning the crowd, finding their seats.

“This is fun,” she whispered while lifting her glass.

“What?”

“I’m trying to figure out who’s a player and who’s a watcher.” She chuckled before taking a long sip.

And gods above help me, I laughed. She was so damned cute. Playful. Not Debbie. Debbie had been laser-focused from the time we first arrived.

“Or both,” I said while letting the calm drift through me.

“Both?” Her eyebrow arched as she turned to me. With those pools shimmering in the candlelight, my pulse slowed.

“Sometimes they like to watch their partner with somebody else or, um, numerous somebody elses.” I shrugged. “Of either sex.”

It was only then that she stared intently at the piles of cushions and the padded flooring. When she returned to me, her face was pale, and her lower lip trembled.

“Look at me.” I gazed into her worried visage. “Nothing, and I mean nothing, occurs without permission.” Then it happened; my voice cracked as I added, “The, uh, only problem is when one partner disagrees with the other’s desires.”

Her brow furrowed so fast the air caught in my throat. Yeah, she knew me well. Perhaps too well.

“Tell me, Jim,” she whispered.

So, I did. All of it. We’d arrived together. And had departed the resort together. But the whole time, Debbie had been a woman possessed. Unstoppable. Hell, unslowable.

Once I’d fallen silent, she only stared. First, at me, but then across the space at the other diners, and finally beyond the pool, towards the glittering dark waves.

“And you brought me—here?” Her voice was low but forceful. “To the place where you lost your wife to that kind of compulsion. Why? I’ve already told you.” She spun to scour me with those blue lasers. “Yours is the only dick I want inside me. Ever! That’s non-negotiable. You and I also know that ... Well, I, um, enjoy women.”

“Yeah, I guess—”

“Shh, Jim. Let me finish. But, and here’s the big damned but. Let me make this as clear as I can.” She leaned close enough that her breath was a heated blast across my face. “I’ll never hook-up with anybody else without your knowledge. Not only that, but also knowing you’re comfortable with it. Not ever.”

“I brought you here because this is a playground for adults.” I sighed and scanned the other tables. Smiles. Laughter. Quiet voices. A few kisses and wandering hands. Louder laughs. “You can do anything with anyone you want here.

When I fell silent, my chest an iron cage, she started to open her mouth. But I held up my hand.

“It’s not like at home, where you’re stuck with the old neighbor guy.” I exhaled. “Or your inattentive husband. You deserve better than me, and him, at least for a week. You’re a hot-as-hell porn star.” As the iron tightened in my ribs and taut muscles across my body shuddered, my voice deepened. “Oh, and what you just said? Yeah, well, Debbie said the same thing. At some point, it simply didn’t matter. Besides, frankly, she was so happy, riding so many other men. How could I have told her ‘no?’”

When she sat back and stared, I was braced. With a huff, she’d stand and leave. Then go home and we were done. Sure, we’d crossed lines, but I’d tugged her over one too many.

In my core, I still believed the trip had been the right birthday present. It would kick off her well-warranted liberation from Charles. And from me. She deserved better.

Why?

Because I hunted abominations. Had done so for thousands of years. I’d seen more than enough women like her. Loved many of them. Yeah, I loved her so much it hurt.

But instead of standing, she let out a heavy sigh. With her head tilting and jaw clenching, she leaned towards me once more.

“You don’t have to tell me, ‘No.’ I’ve already stated that. And, goddammit, Jim, I love you.”

“Debbie did too,” I muttered with tears blurring my vision.

“You’re an idiot.” At her curt voice, I locked onto her face as it flooded with crimson. Brows tight, she was shaking. “I am not Debbie. I love you, Jim. Only you. Not gonna leave you.” She sighed. “May leave Charles, but whatever. Not gonna fuck anybody else. Not gonna let anyone fuck me, either. Only you.”

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, she held up a hand. Heart hammering my ribs, I kept silent.

“If I do not get a solid North-South head shake from you, then nobody, nobody, is touching me. Here. At home. Any damned where. Do you understand? I love you, Jim. Plus, I am absolutely not Debbie.”

While catching her breath, she noticed the nearby guests trying not to stare, but they had been listening. It made no difference; she grunted and leaned closer.

“Oh, and one more thing. Porn star? That was your idea.” After a slow inhale, she let out a low growl. “Millions of dollars I can never use. Ever. I mean, I appreciate it, but don’t use that against me. I am your porno star. Nobody else’s. What does this say?” She tapped a shiny red fingernail on the collar.

“Naughty, uh, little slut,” I answered in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, well, I wish it said what it should say.” When, confused, I cocked my head, she sighed. “Should’ve been Jim’s Naughty Little Slut. Jim’s..”

When she moved, every muscle tensed across my frame. She wasn’t heading away. Would she stab me? Or kiss me? Based on the startled gasps from the neighboring tables, our surreptitious audience didn’t know either. When she simply exhaled slowly while sliding under my arm, I was trembling.

“All I want is this, Jim.” She snuggled tighter to me with another lengthy sigh. “Thank you. But I’m not looking to cross any limits without you. I was as surprised as you by my attraction to women. But guess what really made it arousing?”

While lost in her bright blue pools, my heart couldn’t decide whether to race because sexy Mandy was beside me or freeze because those eyes were flooding with tears.