The Arrangement Anthology 1(110)
“Fine,” I bite back, “but this didn’t happen. My friends hate your guts and I don’t want Black to know I’ve been talking to you.”
Sean gives me a lopsided grin as he reaches around me and slips the bra on. His fingers brush against my skin as he fastens it in back. Involuntarily, I suck in a sharp breath at the light touch. I’m staring at myself in the mirror, with Sean—who is fully dressed and beyond beautiful—standing behind me. My stomach curls and I feel hot. I glance away, hoping he doesn’t notice, but now I’m noticing everything. I’m breathing too much, too loudly. I don’t know where to put my hands, but they feel stupid dangling at my sides. But the worst part is this bra. The front holds me up and adds a cup size, which makes my taut nipples glaringly obvious.
Sean looks up into the mirror, but he doesn’t step back. I feel his breath on my skin and resist the urge to climb on him. Because that’s what I want to do. With him here, looking at me like that, and standing so close—oh God—I want to touch him and feel his skin under my fingertips. I wish he wasn’t so fucked up. Or maybe, I wish I was more messed up so I could let him do what he wanted, but I can’t. I shiver thinking about it.
I see Sean’s gaze in the mirror. It locks with mine. After a moment, he says, “Is this for a client?”
“Yes.” There’s a lump in my throat that won’t go away. My fingers twitch at my sides. I want to touch him. I wish he’d turn me around, but he doesn’t. Sean stands so close that we should be touching, but we aren’t. Every inch of my skin is sensitive, dying for contact.
“It needs something else.” Sean pulls a bag out of his pocket. He must have purchased something before he came back. “This is what I’d want to see you in.” I take the bag. Sean’s fingers brush against mine. My heart pounds harder. I suck in air like I haven’t taken a breath in five minutes. It’s too loud, too raspy. “Open it.”
I look into the bag. There’s a black box at the bottom. I take it out and open it. Inside are two silver rings shaped in a C. There’s a single crystal on each one. I look up at him.
He smiles at me. “Put them on.”
My stomach flips. His voice is so much deeper. It’s that voice that makes me do stupid things. I take one out of the box and look at it. I’m not sure what it is, but it looks like an earring, so I pull my hair back and go to put it on my ear.
Sean smiles and takes my hand. He steps closer to me, pressing his front against my back. Sean moves my hand to my breast and breathes, “It goes here.”
His hand is on top of mine. I’m staring at him in the mirror, frozen. My brain is ringing warning bells, but I can’t move. After a moment, he turns me toward him and takes the jewelry from me. “Allow me.”
Sean leans closer to me and slides his hand up my waist. He cups the bottom of my breast and slips his hand over my nipple. My back goes ram-rod straight. My voice disappears as a bolt of heat shoots between the V of my legs. Sean rolls my nipple between his fingers, teasing it, before putting the silver C on me. Then, he squeezes it gently and the silver pinches me. I gasp silently as my lips make a little O. Sean watches my expression as he does the same thing to my other nipple. Then, he takes my shoulders and turns me back to the mirror.
“There you go, bestie. A totally fuckable outfit for a fun Friday night.”
My chest swells as it fills with air. It forces my breasts out and the little crystals sparkle. I look in the mirror and love this outfit because he likes it. I can’t speak. I can’t think. I stare at my breasts too long. When my eyes lift to see Sean’s in the mirror, I notice the same dark look he had the other morning.
Sean steps closer to me. His lips are so close to my neck. I tip my head to the side, hoping he’ll kiss me. I want him to touch me, but he doesn’t. I refuse to move. I don’t need him. I can control myself. But, Sean doesn’t leave. He doesn’t talk and his eyes remain hooded, as he drinks in my reflection. Every inch of my body is buzzing. I’m wound so tight that I think I’ll snap. That’s when Sean’s hand slowly drifts up my thigh without touching. I sense the heat from his palm. It makes my skin tingle and ache for his touch. Sean stops just above the bow on my hip. His fingers flick the string. I close my eyes and suck in a shaky breath.
“Ask me,” he breathes. Defiance strums through me. Or maybe it’s pride. Or both. Whatever it is, I say nothing which makes Sean give me the most seductive grin I’ve ever seen. “I know you want it. Ask me, Avery… “