Under His Spell (12 page)

She nodded. She absolutely remembered that. “You asked good questions. And you listened to the answer.” Jimmy had always been a good listener.

He nodded. “But once I had this company, I couldn’t spend meetings throwing up in the bathroom.”

“You could have hired a speaker, a professional marketer.”

He shook his head. “Not in the early days. I didn’t have the money. My mom suggested hypnotherapy.”

“You saw a hypnotist?”

He laughed. “Didn’t have the money.”

Oh my god. She got it. She knew exactly what he did. “You bought a book on hypnotism and tried to do it yourself.”

He nodded. “It’s what geeks do. They read. They study. They learn to do for themselves.”

“Did it work? Were you able to mesmerize yourself?”

He shook his head. “Not in the least. In the end it was Rick who gave me the answer.”

She waited, her own sundae forgotten. “Well?”

“He’d bought his club by then, but it was struggling.
Amateur night was a good draw, but he didn’t have enough acts. So he begged me to fill in. Said if I could go onstage and make someone quack like a duck, then I could face down a boardroom no problem.”

“And that convinced you?”

“Hell, no. But he’s my brother. He really needed some help. Plus he offered to pay me half the night’s profit.”

She snorted. “Was there any that night?”

“No, but it didn’t matter. He’s my brother. I’d tried everything else, and frankly, I could hardly be worse than the rest of the acts.”

She could well believe that. “So you did it. You just went onstage and did it.”

“Well, it took a few vodkas to get me up there the first night, but yeah, I did it. And it worked. I survived. I even got better onstage.” He took a big spoonful of his ice cream soup. “I don’t know if you remember, but I’m not that great onstage. I don’t have the charisma or showmanship that’s needed for a great stage act.”

She frowned. She remembered thinking he looked cute in his tux, but she didn’t remember him being especially funny or entertaining. Not until he dropped into his sexy voice and her mind found the way to turn off. “I thought you did fine.”

“Fine for a bar act. And only when someone cancels on short notice and Rick is desperate.”

“But—” she began. He cut her off.

“It worked, Nicky. I got over my fears, and better yet, I happened to be subbing in when an old high school fantasy walked in.”

She shook her head. She didn’t know whether to admire his determination to face his fear or be envious that even crippling shyness faded away under the force of his will. Both, she supposed. He was really smart and
really determined. Good things happened to people who had that combination.

“So,” she said, “you got over your fear.”

He nodded. “Which made a real difference when it came time to sell my company. And now I dabble.” He shrugged. “I play with stuff in my garage hoping for my next great idea. And as long as I’m confessing fears, let me tell you that I’m terrified I’ve already shot my wad, so to speak.”

She frowned. “Um…I don’t get it.”

“I’ve been brilliant. I’ve made my fortune. Maybe I’ve used up all my good ideas.”

She blinked. “You’re not serious, are you? I mean, think about what we did a few nights ago. Believe me—”

He flushed. “Those ideas aren’t hard to come by. But brilliant engineering concepts? I don’t know.”

“Maybe you just haven’t really tried. I mean, why would you? You’ve got everything you need.”

He shook his head. “It’s not about need. It’s about…I don’t know. Inspiration? Luck? Maybe I’ve used mine all up.”

“You haven’t. I’m sure of it.”

He looked at her. Then a moment later, he huffed and looked down. “Sorry. I can’t think engineering when you’re across from me. I keep thinking about your legs. And that black seam.”

She laughed, really laughed. The sound was light, and she realized her chest didn’t feel so tight. She wasn’t hypnotized and yet she could breathe. “Well, perhaps you’re just getting a different type of inspiration.”

“How soon can we go home?”

She leaned back, liking their byplay. Despite his words, she didn’t feel pressure to just leap into the car
and head to his sex lair. And when he mimicked her relaxed pose, she knew she’d read him right. “Soon,” she finally answered. “But not too soon.”

“Vague, imprecise words. Yeah, that’s just what we engineers love not.” But then he gestured to the waitress and ordered them both coffee and another sundae to share. Hot fudge this time.

“C
AN
I
SEE YOUR GARAGE
?” she asked.

Jim felt a surge of lust course through him, but he kept his expression smooth. They were just now heading home at midnight. After hours of talk at the diner, he’d driven over to their old high school just to see it. Since it was such a nice night, they ended up walking around, talking some more, and even holding hands.

Bizarrely enough, that was the most amazing part of the night. They were so at ease with one another that holding hands had seemed completely natural. When had that ever happened? Most of his dates either got bored or manipulative. Or were dumb as rocks. He’d dated a ton of rocks.

Actually, that wasn’t totally true. Most of the women he knew had brains, they just didn’t bother to use them. Nicky did. And she was always striving to learn more. That put her at Einstein level in his book.

“Earth to Jimmy! Come in, Jimmy!”

“Jim,” he responded automatically. “And I’m afraid that garage question sent all my blood away from my brain.”

“I just want to see it. Without the blindfold.”

“Oh. Okay.” He tried to hide his disappointment, but apparently failed. Nicky burst out laughing.

“It’s Sunday night! I’ve got to work in the morning. Did you really expect fantasy bondage play tonight?”

He glanced sideways. “Expect? Never. Hope…”

“I don’t do that on first dates,” she said primly.

She said it so firmly that he believed her. But then he saw the twinkle in her eye and the way her nipples were tight and hard, and his dick stiffened to the point of pain. Circumstances might prevent them from having more fun tonight, but she was certainly thinking about it.

“Whatever works for you,” he said. “I’m good either way.”

She laughed. “Liar. But thanks.”

“No, seriously.” He slowed the car at a traffic light and took the moment to touch her hand. “Tonight has been fabulous. I don’t think I’ve talked this much with a woman ever. I’m good with—”

She kissed him. Full on the mouth, tongue and everything. It was all he could do not to climb over the stick and take her right there. They didn’t pull apart until someone honked behind them.

“Um, right,” he said as he put the car in gear. “Um.”

“Your house. Garage,” she said.

“But, uh…work tomorrow. Late night. I don’t…um…” Crap, it was hard to think.

“It’s okay, Jim. Take me to your garage.” She intoned it like “Take me to your leader,” and he had to glance sideways at her for a clue as to what exactly she was thinking.

Bad move. Very bad move. Her cheeks were flushed,
her nipples were hard, and one shoulder of her dress had slipped down to reveal the curve of her breast and the fact that all he had to do was reach out one finger to slip it beneath the fabric and stroke a tight nipple.

“I am going to do you so hard,” he said without even realizing. Then the words penetrated his clouded mind and he nearly choked. Oh god, had he just said that aloud?

“Really?” she drawled, obviously enjoying the sexual byplay. “What if I don’t want to be done?”

Keep your eyes on the road! You can’t have sex if you crash!

“Then tell me now, because right now I want to handcuff you to a table, bend you over and thrust my dick into you so hard you’ll feel like you’re giving me a blow job.”

She choked on her laughter at that image, and he flushed. Yeah, that was rather crude.

“I suppose that’s one way of avoiding teeth,” she said sweetly. “But maybe I won’t wait. Maybe I’ll just slip off my dress right here and do myself while you’re forced to drive.”

“What?” he gasped. Fortunately, when he finally stopped at a red light and could look at her, she was sitting there prim as could be. “Don’t tease me like that,” he said.

She didn’t smile. Instead, she narrowed her eyes in thought. “Just how good a hypnotist are you?”

He shook his head. “Not that good, actually. You’re the best subject I’ve ever had.”

“Hmmm,” she said. “Do it now. Hypnotize me right here, right now.”

“Nicky, we’re at a red light.”

She pulled his face to hers. “Just try. Just drop into
that mesmerizing voice and tell me to trust you. Tell me I’m safe.”

He smiled at her. “Nicky, you
are
safe with me. You know that.” He didn’t consciously drop into his mesmerizing voice, as she put it. He didn’t do anything but try to project that he was sincere. She was safe with him. But the moment he said it, he saw the change in her. Her eyes grew soft, her expression became more seductive as she moistened her lips.

“Nicky?”

“Click,” she purred. Then she took a deep breath, stretching her hands high and back as far as they could go in his Corvette. Which wasn’t far, but it was far enough for him to see the outline of her breasts full and pointed. “You’re good,” she continued. “I’m right here on my happy island of pleasure.”

He was pretty sure that he’d had nothing to do with it. If she was hypnotized, she’d done it to herself. He’d merely provided the excuse. Fortunately, the light turned green. “Just relax, Nicky. I’ll have you home in a moment.”

“I am relaxed,” she murmured. “And I believe we were talking about you doing me hard in your garage, but that I don’t want to wait.”

“Just a few more minutes—”

“Ummmm, that feels good.”

He glanced over at her. Holy crap, she was indeed slipping her dress off her shoulders to tease her nipples. Just as she had threatened doing a minute ago!

“Keep your eyes on the road, Jimmy,” she said. “You promised to keep me safe.” Then she planted her stiletto heels up on his dash. He would have objected, except her tight skirt slid all the way up.

Oh my god, she wasn’t wearing any underwear!

“Nicky, you’re taking your life into your hands. I’m still a guy driving a car. I need some blood in my brain.”

“Ooooooh. I get a shiver right at the base of my neck when someone starts stroking my clit.”

Sweet heaven, while one hand was thumbing her nipple, the other was between her legs presumably doing exactly what…

He could smell her. Her musk was thick in the air and his brain was fading beneath the lust. “Nicky…” he ground out. “I never knew you to be a sadist.”

“You tie me up, I tie you up. Just in a different way. Stop sign.”

“What—shi—!” He slammed on the brakes, jerking them both forward. Thankfully there was no one behind him, but that wouldn’t last. He could see headlights coming around the corner a few blocks back.

“Jimmy!” she gasped in mock outrage.

He plunged a finger into her. She was so wet! Then he pulled it back to stroke her clit roughly before pushing it deep inside her again. He felt her shudder. Not a climax, but she was getting close. And so was he, damn it!

“We’re not even going to make it into the house, Nicky. As soon as—”

“Drive fast!” she gasped as she pushed him back toward the wheel. “But I’m not waiting.” And then she returned to stroking herself.

His one touch of her had been a mistake. It was hard enough listening to her excite herself. Those short gasps were the worst/best, as if she surprised herself with how aroused she was. Every time she made that little sound he nearly creamed himself. But he’d touched her, too, and her moisture was still coating his finger. He kept
stroking his fingers together as if it were her. It was all he could do given that he was speeding down suburban streets in the middle of the night.

“This is not safe!” he ground out, hoping to slow her down.

“Do you want to be in me right now? Do you want to be screaming my name when the rush hits?”

“Yes! God, Nicky, you’re killing me!”

“Ah…ah…oh, Jimmy!”

She screamed his name. She screamed his name and came while he was rounding the corner to his driveway. He’d never heard anything so damn sexy in his life. He jammed his thumb onto the button of the garage door opener, then he watched her while the thing climbed slowly open.

She was still undulating, though the motions were smaller and smaller. Her dress was off her shoulders, her breasts lifted high in the darkness. Her head was back, her neck exposed, and her mouth was parted in obvious bliss. Her hands were now resting, one on her belly, the other just above her knee. She looked like a woman who had just been well pleasured, and the sight was incredibly erotic. Not just because she was beautiful and obviously suffused with bliss, but because she’d come calling his name. His name.

“You can call me Jimmy anytime,” he said.

She smiled and didn’t even open her eyes. “Okay, Jimmy, how fast can you get a condom on?”

He slammed the car into the garage, hit the down button and was out of the Corvette before the garage door had done more than grind to life. He had a condom out of his wallet by the time he’d made it to her side of the car. In one smooth motion, he opened her door and jerked her out. Thank god she’d unfastened her seat
belt. He was challenged enough managing the buttons on his tux.

She laughed seeing his condition, but she didn’t offer to help. Instead, she stepped away from the car, turned her back on him, and slowly unzipped her dress from the top to the bottom in one long rrrrrrrrrr. The sound went straight down his spine and into his dick. He had no blood left anywhere else in his body. Meanwhile, she stepped out of her dress and ran a hand along the hood of his car.

“I’ve always wanted to be the girl on top of a Corvette. You know, the one in the pictures with her breasts hanging out and her bottom thrust up.”

His pants were off. Hallelujah! He would have taken her then, but she’d said he always kept her safe. Safe meant condom. Condom meant more hand coordination. Bloody hell! Who designed these fracking foil packages?

Meanwhile, she’d boosted herself up onto his hood. She slid around to the front before he could manage the latex, then planted her stilettos on either side of his bumper, just inside the headlights, and slowly, coyly, rolled her spine down onto the hood of his car. She even lifted her hair so that it spilled gorgeously over his windshield.

Stilettos. Thigh-highs. Naked Nicky. On the hood of his car. Then she turned and looked at him.

“Do I look like a pinup?”

He used the last of his coordination to strip off his clothes. “You’re going to come on the hood of my car,” he rasped. “And then you’re going to do it again and again until you scream my name.”

“Pinups don’t scream. They’re silent.”

He shook his head. “Not you. I’m the hypnotist, remember? You’re going to scream.”

“You’re my island god,” she said as she watched him come close.

He stalked to the front of his car, grabbed hold of her legs and jerked her forward. He entered her at the same time. It was an incredible feat of dexterity or luck; he wasn’t sure which. He didn’t care. It was so sudden she gave one of those squeaking gasps again and he lost it completely.

He drove into her like a machine, hard and fast and without regard for her. He might have felt guilty but she didn’t seem to mind. She wrapped her legs around his ass and squeezed tight. The first spasms took him when her legs gripped him like a vise. He came like a geyser, but he didn’t stop. He
couldn’t
stop.

He felt the wave hit her with his next thrust. She convulsed around him and everything but her head rose off the hood. But she didn’t scream his name. He had no thoughts beyond the wrack of pleasure and that one fact—she hadn’t screamed his name and he wanted to hear it. His name in ecstasy.

“My name,” he gasped. “Say my name.”

Her breath was coming in time to his thrusts, but no words emerged.

“My name! I order it!” He used the same commanding tone he’d used two nights ago. His words were infused with every fiber of his being, and she responded as if she was still under hypnosis.

“Jimmy!” she cried as her body convulsed. “Jimmy!”

Her spasms pulled what was left in him out. Every drop went to her. Every part of his soul felt as if it went as well, poured into the amazing Nicky. He might
have whispered those very words as he collapsed beside her.

He didn’t know how long he lay there. Minutes. Hours. Didn’t matter. There wasn’t any part of him that didn’t need aeons of recovery. But eventually he felt her shift and he opened his eyes. She lay sprawled across the hood of his car, and he had never seen anything more beautiful.

“It’s hard work providing the perfect orgasms,” he drawled. “I’m wiped out.”

She arched a brow at him, but didn’t say anything. Eventually a brain cell fired and he straightened up off his car. “Not the perfect orgasm?”

She shrugged. “It was very nice.”

He studied her face and body. Her eyes were calm, her breathing relaxed. She had that air of absolute trust that only came when she was hypnotized, which meant he was more likely to get honest, open answers out of her.

“But it wasn’t the perfect orgasm for you, was it?”

“No.”

“What about before? Last night. On the…” What had she called it? “On your magical island? With all the men worshiping you as a goddess?”

Her lips curved into a sweet smile. “That was verrrry nice.”

“But not perfect, huh?” Her silence was answer enough. “What would make it perfect?”

She blinked, obviously thinking. But in the end, she shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Right. As island god, it was his job to figure it out. Well, it was a tough assignment to be sure, but he wasn’t about to quit. “Guess I’ll just have to work harder at it, huh?”

She didn’t answer, but he saw excitement spark in her eyes. And he wondered, abruptly, if she was still hypnotized. She certainly seemed alert and completely mentally aware. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost missed her next words.

“Maybe I can help some,” she said. Then she gestured about his elaborate garage/workroom. “This is quite the setup.”

He flushed. “Um. Yeah. Tinkering takes a lot of equipment.” Then, unable to stop himself, he reached out and stroked her cheek. She closed her eyes to better appreciate the sensation, which gave him more moments to revel in the softness of her skin, the warmth of her body and the fact that she was right here with him.