The Earl's Outrageous Lover (15 page)

He thought of all the things that might work, ideas that she could actually do without too much embarrassment or inhibitions.  “Be more suggestive from a distance.  Tease him more.  Get him to a place where he can’t maintain the control he constructs around his whole life.  You want him to be the man he is underneath that rigid control, right?”  he asked, knowing he wanted the same thing with Julianna.

“Right.”

“So do things he’s not used to.  Things he won’t expect.  And do it at a time when he can’t control the situation so that when there’s more privacy, he’s already to the point that you want him to be.”

Jessica laughed, her mind already going into overdrive as she thought about different ways to push Edward over the edge.  She’d done that over and over again in the beginning but she hadn’t even been aware of it.  But to do it on purpose?

She took a bite of her salad and her shoulders relaxed.  “I like the idea.  I think I’ll stop by the book store and get some specifics.”

James raised his eyebrows and shook his head.  “I have a funny feeling that you could come up with ideas all on your own.  I shudder to think of what crazy ideas books might give you.  They have the basics, but you tend to put your own spin on everything.”

Jessica was about to take another bite, but his comment stopped her and she smiled, tilting her head to the side.  “James, that’s probably the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me.”

James rolled his eyes.  “Shut up and eat, you strange woman.  And tell me what else is happening in your life.”

She did as he said and explained her job search, the strangeness of living in Edward’s house when she’d been living in her father’s house her whole life except when she’d gone away to school and the events coming up this weekend.

By the end of the meal, Jessica was so eager to come up with different ways to drive Edward crazy so that he would lose that horrible control of his she practically jumped up once the bill was paid, gave James a huge hug and hurried out of the restaurant.

She went directly to a bookstore and bought several titles that seemed like a good start, then headed back to Edward’s house to read them.  Ensconced in the middle of their bed, she read through one idea after another, becoming more and more turned on as she read through their suggestions.  She couldn’t wait for Edward to come home so she could try out some of their ideas.

When he walked in that night, she jumped off the bed, unaware that the afternoon had passed by so quickly.  She smoothed down her grey dress and slipped her red shoes back on, then gathered up all the books that were scattered over the bed, hiding them in her closet way in the back so he wouldn’t find them.

She hurried down the stairs, smoothing her hair as she went, hoping that Edward wouldn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.

“Hello Edward,” she said and reached up to kiss him on the jaw.

Edward saw her and bent down low, so the kiss that had meant to be just a peck turned into something more.  When he lifted his head, he noticed that her cheeks were a bit more red than usual.  “What’s wrong?”  he asked, holding her close as he looked at her eyes.  “Are you feeling well?”

Jessica’s hands immediately went to her cheeks and she stepped back.  “I’m fine.  Why?”

“Because your cheeks are flushed and your eyes look like you’re about to cry.”

She laughed and shook her head, her curls bouncing around her head and shoulders.  “Nope.  I feel wonderful.  How was your day?”  she asked, her fingers fiddling with the tiered, colorful necklace around her neck.  Her mind was going over and over the things in the books and she wanted so much to try them out, but wasn’t sure how to approach the issue.

Edward poured himself a scotch and a glass of white wine for her.  “What did you do today?”  he asked as he took a sip.

Jessica fiddled with her wine glass, still nervous.  “Um….I went out to lunch with James,” she said, not wanting to reveal that she’d read a bunch of books on sex because of that lunchtime conversation.

“How is he doing?”  Edward asked, knowing that Julianna was fighting her feelings for the man.  James would win, though.  Julianna should just give up the battle because James was just like him.  Edward always got what he wanted.  Well, almost he thought as he stared at his beautiful wife.  Right at this point, he wanted Jessica in bed, on her back and screaming out his name but that would have to wait until later tonight.

And he wanted her to love him.  With a sigh, he accepted that it probably wasn’t going to happen.  Maybe in time, he told himself.  Be patient.

“He’s doing really well.  Apparently he’s bought up the whole side of the waterfront with all the abandoned buildings.  He’s going to make them into apartments and condominiums.”

Edward already knew this since he was a partner in the deal.  “It’s going to transform the waterfront,” he said, nodding his head.  “I’m going to go take a shower.  I’ll be back downstairs in ten minutes, okay?”

Jessica nodded, her mind feeling deflated since he was following his normal routine.  But what could she expect as she watched his retreating back.  Jessica hadn’t given him any alternative.  She’d just stood there looking up at him and wishing she had the courage to change things.

Well, it was time to seize the day, she told herself and she set the unwanted glass of wine onto the countertop of the bar, squared her shoulders and followed the man in question.  She was going to drive him crazy even if it drove her up a wall as well!

In their bedroom, she considered her options.  Thinking back to all the suggestions she’d read about in the books, she thought of one that she really wanted to try.  He’d never even let her come close in the past but the idea was so tempting she decided that tonight was her chance.  Especially when he was in the shower, it was the perfect opportunity.

She slipped the zipper on her dress down, leaving the necklace in place since it made her feel sexy, decadent.  She wanted to leave the shoes on, but they definitely weren’t waterproof so they were left behind as well.  Walking into the bathroom, completely naked except for her necklace, earrings and her wedding rings, she found him lathering himself down with that incredible soap he preferred.  As soon as he saw her, his hands stilled and he watched her approach.

She opened the glass door of the shower area and stepped inside, the steam instantly making her hair curl even more than normal.  She watched his eyes and smiled, enjoying his surprise.

“What are you doing?”  he asked, his voice already deep and husky, his eyes moving over her nakedness, hungry and devouring her.

“I thought I’d break up the routine a little bit tonight,” she said by way of explanation.  She continued moving towards him, her eyes watching him carefully, just as he was watching her.  She knew the moment he realized what she had planned because that very part of him that was her goal was no longer relaxed, but standing at attention for her.  Good, that would help her with what she had planned.

When she was close enough, she kissed the middle of his chest, her hands sliding down his soap-slick body.  She watched him carefully, her eyes not leaving his while he stood there, stunned by her ministrations.  Jessica felt sexy and powerful as her fingers wrapped around his manhood, not tightly but firmly and watched as his eyes closed.  Gaining confidence, she let her fingers explore the textures of that part of him that gave her so much pleasure.  She slowly lowered herself down until she was kneeling in front of him.  She opened her mouth but before she could get her first taste, Edward lifted her into his arms and took over.  He kissed her so passionately, she thought she might be getting her wish, but he stepped back, rinsed off, then dried her sweetly after carrying her to the bed.  He laid her there and kissed her everywhere, making her writhe underneath him.  And only then would he move inside of her, filling her up and moving until she was once again crying out his name as her release washed over her.

A long time later, when their breathing was slightly back to normal, he shifted so that he was leaning over her and looked down into her exhausted, brown eyes.  “What was that about?”  he asked gently but with a stern expression on his face.

She reached up and touched his cheek softly.  “I just wanted to do that to you.”

“It’s not necessary,” he said and kissed her neck.

She wanted to talk about what had happened, but he stood up, pulling her along with him.  “We need to hurry or our dinner will be cold,” he said and disappeared into his closet.  She grabbed her robe and considered following him, but she was just too angry right now.

Instead of putting her dress back on, she pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a tee shirt that skimmed along her waist, making her feel pretty with an athletic twist.  When he emerged from his closet in a pair of slacks and a sweater, she looked him up and down.  “Don’t you own a pair of jeans?”  she asked.

“Of course.  I don’t wear them to dinner though.”

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.  “Is someone coming to dinner?”  she demanded.

He smiled down at her murderous expression, finding her irritation with his clothes cute.  “Are you angry that I won’t wear jeans?”

She released her breath, blowing her hair out of her face.  “Of course not.  You can wear whatever you are comfortable in.  I was just wondering why you thought it was necessary to dress up when it will only be the two of us in the room.”

He kissed her on the top of her head and walked towards the door.  “Let’s go have this argument over dinner, shall we?”

She almost screamed when he walked out of the room, whistling as he descended the stairs.  He didn’t get it but that was also her fault.  Her mood had nothing to do with why he was more comfortable wearing slacks to dinner verses jeans.  It had everything to do with why he was more comfortable doing everything to her during sex and not allowing her to do anything to him.

Slowly, she followed him down the stairs, wondering how she was going to bring up the subject.  She was getting desperate, afraid that this might be the way it is for the rest of their marriage if she didn’t say something quickly.  He might start to think she was fine with what he did during her moments of passion, but she was truly starting to hate sex, wanting more of a functional role in the activity versus simply a passive recipient.

She hated his irritating, annoying and downright obnoxious control!

By the time the weekend rolled around, she still hadn’t had the courage to try again, but things were getting desperate.  Saturday night, she stood in front of her mirror, almost gritting her teeth with frustration.  She pinned an earring in, a pretty pair of diamond earrings that Edward had given her earlier in the evening.  Since they were getting ready to attend a dinner party with his business acquaintances, and the earrings went well with her black, sparkly cocktail dress, she decided to wear them instead of the glass beads she’d been intending to wear for the evening.

Unfortunately, Edward had been in and out of meetings so often lately, even coming home late from work so she hadn’t had a chance to talk to him, or even try out some of her new tricks on him.  She’d poured through the books she’d bought, trying to come up with various ideas but everything she did seemed to backfire on her.

She had a plan tonight though.  And if it didn’t work, she was going to stand up to him, maybe even handcuff him to the headboard.  And yes, she’d bought a pair of handcuffs this afternoon, just for that purpose, her frustration reaching new heights after last night’s lovemaking.

Edward came out of his dressing room, distracted and talking on his cell phone about something with numbers so large she couldn’t even fathom what he was working on.  He walked by her and bent low to give her a kiss, almost missing her cheek which showed how distracted he really was.

“Did you need to skip tonight?”  she asked when there was a break between calls.  She leaned back against her dressing table, crossing her arms over her chest.

He looked at her through his mirror as he straightened his bow tie.  “Why would you ask something like that?”  He grabbed his tuxedo jacket and pulled it on.  “Are you ready to go?”

Jessica watched as he walked out of the bedroom, taking another phone call on his cell phone.

As she saw this situation, she had two choices.  She could be angry with the obnoxious man and start yelling at him, making a scene to show him how frustrated she was.  In which case, she suspected that Edward would become mildly irritated by the change to his schedule and walk away anyway and Jessica still wouldn’t be able to make him understand her preferences.

Or, she could make him understand in her own manner.  She could distract him in her way, in her time when he was least expecting it.  Once she had his full attention, she could explain her frustrations and show him what she really wanted from their intimate relationship.

Plan B seemed like it would have a bigger impact.  And thinking back to one of the suggestions in a tiny little pink book, she thought she had the perfect way to get Edward’s attention.  And hopefully she could eliminate that horrible control issue he had when it came to sex.  At least she hoped so.

She walked down the stairs, the plan forming in her mind.  It would have to be at the perfect moment.  And early enough in the evening that he would have to think about it for a long time before he could do anything about it.

By the time they arrived, Jessica had her plan all worked out.  The party was in full swing and she greeted the hostess with enthusiasm.  About a half hour into the night, while everyone was sipping cocktails and nibbling on appetizers, Jessica excused herself from her group and moved off into the bathroom.  There, she wiggled out of her underwear, specially chosen underwear with lace around the edges that looked so pretty on, but would look much better very soon.

She tucked the underwear into her clutch purse and left the bathroom once again.  As she entered the living room, she looked for Edward.  Thankfully, because of his height, he was a head taller than most of the other guests in attendance.  She made her way towards him and smiled up at his handsome face when she reached him.  She was warmed when he automatically put his arm around her, pulling her close and making her feel welcome even if he continued his conversation with another couple.