BLIND: A Mastermind Novel (40 page)

“Do they bother you?”

“Not at all, I just wasn’t expecting them.
”

He’d removed them the day he’d pleasured her in the chair.

Her fingers slowly grazed the shell of his ear, muffling the music for a few seconds. Stretching, her touch teased his sideburn and hair. “Your hair’s so thick.
”
She smiled.

She spent a long time running her fingers through his hair. It was intoxicating. When her touch returned to his face, she inspected his glasses, tracing the rims. The side of her mouth quirked, and he suspected that meant she liked discovering this identifying trait about him.

She brushed over his shoulder, squeezed his bicep, and traced each one of his fingers. His breathing turned irregular when she returned to his lower belly. As she caressed along his hips her chest lifted, her breasts pressing into her shirt. He could see the pucker of her nipples.

Shocking him, she swiftly moved her hand between his legs and he grunted as she cupped him. She sucked in an audible breath as the bulge of his pants filled her palm. “Mr. Stone.”

Moving quickly, he bent, snaking his hand under her hair, cupping the back of her neck. His mouth closed over her exposed shoulder, kissing and sucking her sweet flesh.

Her grip firmed, massaging through his pants as he climbed on top of her and yanked her shirt to her chest. Her supple breasts plumped as he held her and sucked on the succulent ivory skin. She moaned, her fingers tugging at his belt.

Landing open mouth kisses along the curve of her throat, he quickly undid the buttons of her blouse. Once he had her shirt open, he jerked the lace cups of her bra and fastened his mouth to her nipple.

She arched into him and cried out, her hips grinding into his thigh. His belt came undone and the heat of her palm scorched his cock, flesh to flesh, nothing in between. Jerking back, he caught her wrist.

“Please,
”
she begged.

He glanced at their position. Her bare breasts were red with traces from his stubble. Her nipples were engorged and wet. His belt was hanging undone and his cock was ready to explode. None of this was supposed to happen.

Quickly, he climbed off the bed and she eased up on her elbows. As she panted, his attention returned to her breast. Dear God, he wanted to keep going.

“Why are you stopping?
”
she snapped.

“Scarlet,
”
his voice was a mere rasp. “Scarlet, we can’t do this now.”

“Why?
”
Her brow was pinched, her lips tightening in frustration. “I want you. Don’t you want me?”

“Yes, but—”

“But what? This is getting impossible!
”
She reached for the blindfold.

“No!
”
He caught her hand, startling her, and she froze. Softening his tone, he said, “No, Scarlet. Not yet.”

“Why? You’re
killing
me. I don’t know how you can keep denying us.”

“Discipline,
”
he whispered.

“But what’s it worth if it’s making us miserable?”

It was worth his pride. Who knew how she’d react in the end, when all veils were removed? Showing himself to her might be
the end.
“Just a little longer, Scarlet, and then all the waiting will be over.”

She plopped back on the bed. “I don’t know how you’re doing this.”

“You felt me. I’m not immune to you.”

She mumbled something he didn’t catch.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Nothing.
”
She mumbled again.

“Scarlet, are you talking to yourself or talking to me under your breath?”

Shaking her head, she muttered, “This is why I’m sniffing your gloves and masturbating.”

He stilled. “You sniffed my gloves and masturbated?”

Her cheeks flushed. “Only once. Fine, twice, but they smelled like you and you were off in Milan doing God knows what.”

His mouth stretched in a cocky grin, wishing someone were there to hear such confessions. “Did you orgasm?”

Her mouth pinched tight.

“Ms. Farrow?”

“No,
”
she snapped. “I…I can’t do that without…you.”

Interesting. A slow burn began to smolder in his veins. “Do you need to come, Ms. Farrow?”

“Are you offering?”

“Perhaps.”

She slowly lifted her arms over her head and spread her legs. “Yes, Mr. Stone, I’d
very much
like to come.”

He’d never survive this woman. “Then you shall. Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, and you are not to touch yourself until then. Do you understand?”

“I hate you,
”
she grumbled.

“Don’t pout.”

“I’m sexually frustrated!”

So was he.

Chapter Seventeen

Capitulation

“I have to tell her.
”
Asher plopped down on the couch at the Think Tank. Elliot, Hunter, and Jet stared at him. “What?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Told you this wouldn’t work.”

“It’s about time.”

They all spoke at once.

Ash huffed. “She’s…amazing.”

“So tell her who you are and get on with a normal relationship,
”
Hunter said.

“I’m scared. So much is riding on this. She…we were dancing and
Across the Stars
came on. She knew it was from
Attack of the Clones
.”

“Is that Star Wars?
”
Jet asked, and they all snapped a unanimous,
“Yes!”

“Maybe she just watched it,
”
Elliot said.

“Or,
”
Hunter cut in. “Maybe she’s got a little nerd girl in her after all. Imagine that, all this time, Lettie Farrow was a geek.”

“She’s not a geek. She hasn’t shown any signs until last night.”

“Sometimes geeks look like ordinary people,
”
Elliot said.

Asher eyed his tie. It had molecular formulas on it. “Is that a new tie?”

Elliot glanced at his chest and smiled. “Yeah—
”
He frowned, registering the point Asher was making. “Whatever.”

“I think it’s great,
”
Jet said. “She likes you. You like her. Sounds simple enough to me.”

“She almost ripped off the blindfold last night.”

“Why? Did you piss her off?
”
Hunter asked.

“Not exactly. She was…frustrated.”

“With…
”
Jet asked.

“Our lack of sex.”

“Wait.
”
Elliot held up his hands. “She hasn’t seen you yet and she wants to
have sex
with you?”

“Badly,
”
Asher confirmed.

“That doesn’t make any sense!
”

“I know,
”
he agreed. “But if I don’t give her some relief she’s going to snap.”

“Just get rid of the blindfold and do her,
”
Hunter said.

Jet shook his head. “I say keep the blindfold and do her. A little kink never hurt anyone.”

“I don’t want to get rid of the blindfold yet and I don’t want to have sex yet. It’s too soon. I can’t sleep with her until I’m sure she’s okay with sleeping with
me.
The only way I’ve been able to build up my courage is by giving myself the time I need to prepare. I’ll show her who I am soon enough, and when I do, I’ll see if it matters to her. Only then, if she’s still interested, will we…make love.”

Jet arched a brow. “You sure you want to throw around that four letter word?”

He wasn’t sure of anything at the moment, but he knew if they got to that point it would be a hell of a lot more than sex.

Elliot stood. “Then why are we talking about this? You aren’t an animal. Just don’t have sex. Find something to distract yourselves.”

“Nah, Ash wants the sex. I can tell,
”
Jet said.

“Not blindfolded sex,
”
he repeated. “I want her to see me—the
real
me. I want to look in her eyes and…
”
It was difficult, exposing his honest feelings to the guys. Everything he felt for Scarlet ran deep. “I’m just not ready yet.”

“But she’s all fired up,
”
Jet recapped.

…
For Mr. Stone
.
“So what do I do?”

His friends contemplated his predicament. Jet shrugged. “You fake it until you make it, Ash.”

“I’ve been faking it all along.”

“No, you haven’t. All of this is you. This is just the first time you’ve unearthed your hard-ass setting and played a dominant role. So far the mystique seems to be working for both of you. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“Can’t you just think of it as role playing like in
World of Warcraft
?
”
Elliot suggested. “We know it isn’t real, but we also know we can’t walk away. Fantasy’s addicting.”

Hunter nodded and pointed to Elliot in agreement. “Yeah, give her a fantasy, Ash. You have a masterful mind, master her in other ways without crossing that line.”

Jet’s dark brow arched, the side of his mouth hooking in a half-smirk. “What gets her hot?”

Lots of things. The question was, could Asher deliver such things once he was no longer Mr. Stone and simply Asher? “I need to think about this. We have two more encounters and the last one’s the big reveal. This is my last chance to show her I can be what she needs.” Because once she was looking him in the eye, he wasn’t sure how
Mr. Stone
he could be.

While fantasy play was appealing, he didn’t want to live his life in a fantasy world. He wanted something
real
, something he could openly share with others. He wanted a place in her heart.

Sitting back, the truth sank in. Scarlet was giving him hope and hope could be a very dangerous thing. For the first time in over a decade he was risking everything and opening himself up to what could be the best thing in his life or the worst. Only time would tell.

Not only was he stressing about meeting her expectations as a man, he was now worried she might prefer his alter ego to the real him. Never once did he imagine he’d be in competition with himself.

He sighed and faced the guys. “I just want her to like…me.”

Jet blew out a slow whistle. “Look at you, admitting your feelings and showing your human side.
”
He slapped a hand on his back. “My boy’s all grown up!”

“It’ll be like watching Batman remove his mask and learning it was Bruce Wayne all along,
”
Hunter said, his face poised in awe. “It’s always a bit of a shock, but after a while, you realize he’s the same person, no matter what name he goes by.”

Elliot finally smiled. “And so the Padawan becomes a Jedi.
Already know you that which you need.
”

“Thank you, Yoda,
”
Ash joked.

Elliot shrugged. “Yoda’s my hero.
”

Drawing in a steadying breath, Asher nodded. One last evening of secrets, then…he’d tell her exactly who he was and hope with all he had that she could care for him as much as she cared for Mr. Stone, realizing they were one in the same.

****

There was something fundamental coming. Scarlet sensed it in the tone of Mr. Stone’s voice, the quelling silence of her dark surroundings, and by the way her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

Her coat was removed, as were her shoes. Every touch was refined yet reverent.  Integrity bled from him as he guided her to the room with the bed. His words seemed reserved for direction, each carefully chosen directive baring an acute effect on her senses.

“I want you to remove your clothing, Ms. Farrow.”

Would he not help her?

“I’m going to watch.”

His words gave her pause. After discovering his glasses and piecing together many scenarios in her head regarding the mystique of their relationship, the state of his vision crossed her mind. She’d considered perhaps he was blind and this was all a lesson in empathy. It would have explained why Pennyworth always drove.

Quietly, she asked, “You can see me?”

He chuckled. “You make it hard to blink, Scarlet.”

Good enough.

Her skin tingled as she slowly unsnapped her jeans and slid the zipper down. Peeling back her socks, she placed them on the floor then carefully folded her pants. Her shirt bore six buttons and she counted each one, her fingers trembling over the tiny pearl disks.

Slowly disrobing, he never interrupted her process, and she had no doubt he watched every move. There was no music tonight. The echo of her breathing played as a backdrop to each rustle of fabric and even the rasp of her fingers tucking her hair.

She imagined him sitting a distance away, leg casually crossed in some sophisticated manner, long fingers veiling his mouth, glasses masking all telltale reactions her performance evoked.

Swallowing tightly, she savored all the assumed reactions he might be suffering as she stripped down to nothing. When she stood, baring her soul to the man who had embedded himself there, she interlocked her fingers behind her back and waited for his direction.

“Please kneel.”

Jarred by his command, her lips parted in question, yet she uttered not a sound. Her body throbbed, every point of her senses awakened by her intense need. Slowly, she lowered her body to the ground with as much grace as she could manage.

The floor was chilled, despite the passing warmth of the room. Drafts of heat flowed from the nearby hearth and she found comfort in the familiar crackling of the burning wood.

“Have you touched yourself, Ms. Farrow?”

“No.”

“Good girl.”

“The next time we’re together, it will be the last time you wear the blindfold.
”

Her shoulders sagged with relief. Knowing the end was near gave her a new hope. She would finally look into his eyes and know exactly who this incredible man was.

His words were paced, drawing her attention to each syllable. “Blindfolds are used for a myriad of reasons, Ms. Farrow. Historically, theories claimed if a man did not see who wielded a sword, the accountability of his death becomes fully his. You’re in no danger, Ms. Farrow, but I believe, over the course of our liaison, the blindfold has allowed you to take accountability for yourself, emotionally, physically, and sexually. Would you agree?”

Her shoulders rocked, cool air kissing her skin, as she remained kneeling. “Yes, Mr. Stone.”

“Blindness also promotes a level of courage in place of natural instinct. Animals, such as horses, are also blindfolded. It allows them to be easily led. It also protects them, often used during barn fires, when such skittish animals would balk and stubbornly endanger themselves. Blindness provides the courage to move forward. Do you feel that you’ve gained courage from blindness, Ms. Farrow?”

“Yes, Mr. Stone.”

“Lady Justice also wears a blindfold. It keeps her impartial. She’s not influenced by money, fear, power or weakness. She’s blind to everything but the experience being conveyed to her. You may relax, Ms. Farrow.”

She lowered her bottom to her heels, searching for the most comfortable position while remaining on her knees. He wasn’t specific, but she liked the image of her naked form kneeling before him, enjoyed imagining herself as a sort of offering to the man that brought her to life.