Read The Darker Side of Pleasure for Free Online Page B

the light sconces, the framed pictures on the walls, the large vases of flowers.
    The scent of garlic and freshly baked bread was in the air. The food here was wonderful, but tonight Jillian wasn’t thinking about the food.
    She found Cam already seated. He stood as soon as he saw her, ever the gentleman. He was handsome in his black slacks, crisp white shirt, and dark, narrow tie. When he leaned over to kiss her cheek, she caught the faint scent of good Scotch. It reminded her of the night before, and her limbs went warm and loose. She drifted into the booth. Cam slid over to sit beside her.
    “How was your day, baby?”
    “It was good, actually. Not terribly productive, but good. How was yours?”
    “The best I’ve had in a while.”
    He smiled, his gray eyes sparkling in the candlelight, and she was sure she detected a wicked glint there. She was feeling pretty wicked herself. Her near-orgasm earlier had done nothing to quench the need thrumming through her body since last night. If anything, she wanted Cam even more, had been thinking about him all day, desperate for his touch.
    They ordered their favorite pasta and a good bottle of Chianti. Jillian couldn’t wait to get home, already.
    Their wine came first and while they sipped at it Cam covered her hand with his.
    “We should talk about last night.”
    “Yes, I suppose so.” She rubbed her fingers over the fine, dark hair on the back of his hand, traced the heavy band of white gold encircling his ring finger.
    “Are you still okay with all of it?”
    Was she? She didn’t want to spend too much time analyzing it. There was something nagging at the back of her mind. Something about the idea of yielding to another person, even her own husband. She’d always been strong, completely in command, whether at work or in her personal life. Well, until she’d lost the baby. Then she’d sort of crumbled. She’d been trying ever since to put herself back together again. And something about submitting to Cam, even in bed, spoke to her of the intrinsic weakness she’d felt lingering in her system for months.
    But no, she didn’t want to think about that. She didn’t want to think about the enormous burden of guilt she carried. Because last night had brought her and Cam miles closer than they’d been since before the miscarriage. And it had felt damn good.
    “Yes, I’m okay with it. There’s still some mental stuff to process. Just give me some time with that. But the rest…yes, I think so.”
    She looked into his beautiful gray eyes, saw the corners of his sexy mouth turn up, the lust etched on his face. She loved that she could do that to him. Maybe there was something of power for her in this situation, even with Cam calling the shots in bed.
    “Come here.”
    Cam pulled her closer to him in the leather booth, took her hand, and guided it to the zippered fly of his slacks. He had a huge erection.
    “This is what you do to me, Jillian,” he whispered into her ear.
    She squirmed in her seat, her sex coming alive. Yes, maybe she did have some power here.
    “Spread your thighs for me,” Cam said in a low voice.
    “What? Here?”
    “Yes. Now.”
    She was surprised that she simply did it, with no more argument. When his hand slipped beneath the hem of her skirt, under the band of her panties, and found her already slick folds, she tensed momentarily.
    He told her quietly, “Nobody can see us under the tablecloth. Spread a little wider for me.”
    She did as she was told. His fingertips teased at the edges of her sex, stroking the full, tender lips. Brushing across the tender, engorged nub there.
    “Take a sip of your wine.”
    She lifted her glass with a shaky hand and held it to her lips, swallowed. She almost choked on it when he slipped a finger inside her.
    “Cam.”
    “Yes?” He sounded amused.
    “I can’t do this.”
    “You can. And you will. For me.”
    Yes. For him. Her hips moved of their own accord against his hand. As his thumb pressed onto