Vivian Arend - High Risk

“Hi, Marcus. Good to see you climbing again.”

“Ted.” Marcus acknowledged him with a brief nod.

“Wanted to say hello.” Ted extended a hand to Becki. “Ted Martin. You’re the new instructor?”

Becki smiled politely as she shook his hand. “Working with David and the instructors.”

“Awesome. You’ll be at the gala next weekend, I assume?”

She nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Ted stepped back with a smile. “That’s great. Hope you’re enjoying Banff. We’ll see you around.”

He spun on his heel and trotted back to the team. Marcus took advantage of the moment, and they escaped, not stopping until they were seated in his truck.

Becki twisted to face him. “That was . . .”

“. . . really weird. Yeah. I wonder what he’s up to?” Ted knew better than to try to get Marcus to do a real interview, but that meet-and-greet had been strange. Marcus drove in silence, both he and Becki deep in their own thoughts.

She followed him into the house. After the disappointment of the failed start of training, they’d fallen into so much fun teasing each other on the scramble. She’d lost sight of that while distracted by the reporter.

Damn her brain for doing a yo-yo anyway.

She dropped her bag by the door. “You have any chocolate?”

Marcus laughed. “Is this a trick question?”

“It’s being asked by a frustrated female. I’d call it an important question to answer quickly.”

He caught her by the shoulder, rubbing the tight muscles. “What if I can relax you another way?”

“I suppose that means you have no chocolate.”

“Right. Guy pad. I have beer. . . .”

She twisted to face him, longing for something to change. “I enjoyed training. Sorry for being such a wet blanket at the end. I don’t like reporters.”

“Hey, I get it. Trust me.” He cupped her chin in his hand and stroked his thumb over her cheek. “Offer still stands. You want me to help you relax?”

What did she want? She went for honest.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to decide. I don’t want to have to think. I want to . . . not be in charge right now.”

His eyes flashed hot, and she swallowed hard as the lusts inside that had faded roared to full strength.

He nodded. “If that’s what you want, then I can definitely help you with that.”

He led her down the hall, this time to the master bath. She’d been in there briefly to shower, glancing longingly at the oversized soaker tub.

Now he stopped beside it and reached for her.

She stood motionless as he stroked his hand down her body, the sensation sparking her senses and helping the anxiety to fall away. “You have such a decadent house. Hot tub outside, Jacuzzi in here. Shower big enough for two.”

“I like my comforts. Take off your clothes.”

She stripped as he twisted the taps and filled the tub, holding her hand and helping her step into the water. Becki sighed as heat enveloped her, cocooning her in soft pleasure. Marcus arranged her in the bath, laying her back and lifting her arms to rest along the ledges.

“Wait right here.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, then paced away. She watched him go, admiration for his willingness to care for her overriding the lust she had for his ass.

She closed her eyes and luxuriated in the heat. At times it seemed she was always cold—a chill lingering in her body from the accident that clung to her soul like icicles. Here she felt safe, warmth trickling in not just from his actions and the sexual heat between them.

She didn’t know everything about Marcus, but she trusted him. Completely.

A sweet rich scent filled her nostrils, and she glanced up to find he’d returned. He sprinkled something around her, kneeling to put the tin aside and stir the water’s surface with his fingertips. A flowery aroma with tones of fruit surrounded her.

“What is that?”

Marcus leaned back, his hand still dangling over her. “Tea.”

She laughed. “No way.”

He shrugged. “The magic works on the outside as well as when you drink it. Now close your eyes and let me take care of you.

Maybe she was being selfish, but she totally loved every minute of what followed. He washed her, reaching into the water to touch and caress all of her. Slow, seductive motions. Thorough and yet brief. He didn’t linger as he stroked her breasts, took as long to wash her arms as the folds of her labia. But by the time he was done, she was both boneless with relaxation and buzzing with desire.

He helped her stand and walked her to the shower to wash away the fine bits of tea that still clung to her skin.

He dried her. Brought her to his bed.

“It should be my turn to take care of you,” she commented.

“You’re not in charge.” He flipped her to her belly and straddled her, covering her skin with oil, squeezing her muscles and loosening all the fatigue. For having done a gentle climb, she was amazingly tired. His fingers dug in deep, pulling and working until she was totally relaxed and warm from the inside out.

“This is lovely,” she sighed happily. “Thank you.”

Marcus kissed her shoulder, moving off and sitting next to her hip. “We’re not done. You ready for more?”

More? Curiosity rose. “You’re in charge.”

“Exactly.” He paused. “Becki, I do anything you don’t like, tell me to stop.”

She lifted herself on her elbows so she could meet his gaze. “Are you worried I won’t enjoy what you’re about to do?”

“Oh no, I think you’ll enjoy it a lot, but I had to warn you. You have total control. Say stop, and I will.”

“Go for it.” Saying stop was the last thing on her mind.

Marcus brought her to the middle of the room, standing her on the soft area carpet in front of the fireplace. She smiled, head tilted to the side. He couldn’t resist pressing a kiss against her cheek before stepping away to flick on the gas control.

Becki laughed. “Did I say decadent? Spoiled rotten is more like it.”

“You get to enjoy the results. Are you complaining?”

“Not so far.” She stretched her fingers toward the flame. “I should move to a tropical island or something. Why am I here in the Rockies where it’s still snowing in May?”

He pulled over the footstool, placing it the perfect distance from the heat. “Because it’s the Rockies.”

“Right.”

She stared at him from under her lashes. Marcus waited long enough to make her squirm. “Sit.”

Becki moved slowly, centering herself on the footrest. She sat with her legs slightly apart. She rolled her neck slowly, stretching the muscles lazily like a cat.

“Comfy?” he asked, moving forward to squat at her side. He stroked his hand down her back and caressed her ass, circling up to trail his fingertips along her spine.

Her words seemed to contradict the shiver that rolled over her. “The leather is soft and warm.”

“Put your arms behind you,” he commanded.

She caught her fingers together. The position brought her into a slight arch, firm breasts thrust out proudly. He stroked his forefinger up her body and between the smooth rounds, pausing to cradle one in the palm of his hand.

Becki wiggled against him, obviously looking for more. And he was so willing to give to her. But first . . .

He leaned in and kissed her again. Just a tease. Pulling away before more than a whisper of response escaped her. Marcus grabbed his gym bag and pulled out the soft hemp rope he had coiled inside.

When he returned to the footrest, she was watching intently. Her smile was gone, replaced with something else.

“Are you afraid?”

She shook her head. Didn’t speak.

He dropped the rope to the floor, the mass hitting with a solid thump. Becki never broke eye contact. Focused on him and him alone. She’d played with ropes before, that much was obvious. As was the way she felt about them. “I can’t surprise you, can I?”

“I figured you knew your way around a rope or two.” She exhaled the words. Slow. Even. Already slipping into the mindset of being totally cocooned and protected.

Marcus bent and grabbed the rope about a foot from the end. Brought it up and draped it over Becki’s shoulder. Dragging the weight forward so it stroked her skin.

Becki squirmed, her intake of air a little more jerky. She caught herself before he needed to talk her through it, deliberately breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth—a climber’s refocusing trick, and Marcus smiled.

She knew what she needed. She trusted him to give it to her.

“Hold this,” he ordered, laying the rope end in her palms.

She opened them wide for a second before closing her fingers over the cord. He pressed her shoulders down, making her shift into a more relaxed position, hands close to her ass.

Then he began. He held the extra rope away by hooking it over his left elbow, allowing his right hand to control the loose portion. Up over her right shoulder. Across her torso and between her breasts. One loop settling around her body. The rest just above it. Trapping her in an erotic spider’s web.

Her breathing echoed softly, mingling with the crackle of the fireplace. Rain splashed outside the windows. A hushed noise from the rope as he manipulated it. His own laboured breathing as the sight of her turned him on more and more.

When he tucked the final loop into place so it wouldn’t come undone, he was as hard as a spike. “Still with me?”

“Hmm, yeah.”

Her eyes were closed as he knelt, her upper body swaying.