Taut: The Ford Book

She shakes her head. “No. That’s the last thing you’d ask for. Either I give it willingly or you don’t want it.”

“How do you know me so well?”

She puts her hands on my shoulders and then rests her head on my chest, like we’re slow-dancing to the music of a captured sea. “We’re complements, you and I. Aren’t we?”

“Yes, you bring me to perfection.”

“I love my date.”

“It’s not over yet. We’re still in the first tunnel. Should we keep going?”

“Yes, but I’m afraid of what comes after.”

“Of me?”

“No.”

And that’s all she says as she pulls back and takes my hand. I let it go because she was referring to tomorrow. She walks forward, leading me away from our moment and back into our date.

We marvel at the fish. We walk through the tunnel and stop at all the tanks, and we look up at the sharks swimming above us with our mouths gaping open like children. We talk about the ocean and beaches we’ve visited and how many gallons of water are in these tanks. I hold her hand the entire time. She points at sea turtles. She makes a face at the Komodo dragon and quakes a bit when I point out the golden crocodile and the giant snake swimming in the water. She sits in front of the luminescent jellyfish for so long I have to pull her away. She lies on her stomach over the concrete bench around the stingrays and reaches down to touch them and then squeals and pulls back exclaiming they are slimy. I get her a stuffed pink dolphin and Kate an orange and white Nemo clownfish from the gift shop and leave a fifty-dollar bill on the counter.

She is happy.

Tomorrow isn’t even a blip on her radar when we leave the gurgling sounds of the underwater oasis behind and climb back into the car so we can be shuffled back to the Four Seasons. She leans into me the entire ride up the elevator, and then we stop and check in on Kate, but she’s sound asleep after drinking herself into a breast milk coma.

“I’ll come back and get her in a few hours,” I tell the babysitter.

And then I lead Ashleigh across the hall, pull her into our suite, and push her against the wall. “It’s time to end the date, Ash. Tell me what kind of promise you can give and I’ll hand over a kiss.”

She takes a deep breath and tilts her chin. The light is low in here, but her eyes sparkle a bit as she studies my face. “I can do a phone number.”

I lean down and touch my lips to her cheek, lingering for a moment, letting her warmth radiate into me, then pull back. “I can manage a peck.”

“Is it good enough for now?”

“It’s more than enough. Do you trust me, Ashleigh?” I ask her one more time.

“Yes,” she replies immediately. “I do, Ford.”

“Good,” I tell her as I stroke her cheek. “I’m so glad,” I whisper in her ear, sending a shiver down her entire body. I untie the ribbon around her throat that’s holding up her dress and the red fabric flutters to her waist, exposing her br**sts to me. I squeeze, but this time I am kind and considerate and gentle. They are hard and full and the milk drips out. She moans because they are tender, even though my touch is light. “I will be very careful with you tonight, Ashleigh. The spankings might hurt for a moment, but I promise to fully satisfy you many times.”

I kneel down and slip my hand over the top of her foot. She bites her lip and sucks in some air. I unbuckle her straps and slide it off, my fingertips lightly caressing the high arch and then her heel. She gasps again when I repeat the whole act on the other foot. Her dress is being held up only by the curve of her hips. It takes nothing more than a slight tug to make it whoosh to the floor at her feet. I lean forward and nibble her inner thigh and slip my hand around and cup her ass. I move up to the v between her legs and I bite her there too, gently, just above her most sensitive spot.

This time she moans.

“Do not come, Ashleigh.” She’s very close and I’ve barely touched her.

She bites her lip and nods her head, but her eyes are closed. I stand up before she loses control and brush the hair away from her eyes. “Your nightwear is in the hall bathroom. Go put it on and join me in the bedroom when you’re done.”

I watch her as she walks off, her hips swaying gently, her thighs brushing against each other, like she’s trying to stimulate herself. I smile at that. Because the first one will be easy. The first one will come out in a gush. She will writhe and scream. She will buckle her back and open her legs wider as she says my name over and over when I suck on her pu**y. And then she’ll be primed and ready for the more adventurous things I have planned for her tonight.

I’m going to take Ashleigh Li. I’m going to own her body in every way imaginable. I’m going to take her from behind. From above. From below. She’s going to beg me for more, beg for my c**k in her mouth, and beg me to do it again and again and again.

She will never forget me, even if she does walk out of my life tomorrow.

Chapter Thirty-Two

The master bedroom in our suite has a vast view of the Strip. I turn out all the lights and enjoy it for a moment, then flick on two small sconces above the headboard. The light is soft and amber in color. It will shower Ashleigh’s beautiful body with golden light. At the foot of the bed is a bench upholstered in a plush light blue fabric that accentuates the aqua and cream color scheme of the room. There are some small throw pillows on the bed and I put a few within easy reach of the bench.