Tied and True Read online

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  Chapter Three

  Lindsay leaned her head back against the wall outside Jared’s bedroom, grinning at the curses pouring from his mouth. Oddly enough, he said nothing directed at her in particular.

  Just foul worlds describing his immense frustration.

  She squirmed, so wet she felt as if she’d come herself. Lindsay fanned herself and closed her eyes. Jared Hunt was an Adonis, and touching him had been an exercise in pleasure. But watching him reach toward fulfillment, seeing his muscles strain for relief, had been as much an act of erotic art as having sex with him would have been.

  “Yeah, right,” she mumbled. She’d wanted nothing more than to strip naked and sink over that rock-hard erection. Between her contraceptive NuvaRing and the glimpse she’d had at his medical form at work showing him to be as clean as a whistle, she had no fears of any sexual repercussions. And hell, she’d been in a dry spell for what felt like forever. She wanted an orgasm so badly she could taste it. But that might mean giving Hunt pleasure, something she didn’t intend to do for some time. If at all.

  Lindsay pulled away from the wall and smiled. Though physically tired from the strain of his attack -- her hip was bruised -- and the adrenaline rush from breaking into his home and fighting with the big guy, she felt more alive than she had in years. She could only thank

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  her lucky stars she’d nailed him in the groin last night, or he would have mopped the floor with her.

  Having studied him sprawled out on the bed, she couldn’t help but dwell on his perfect build. Six-feet-four inches of prime male flesh and not an ounce of fat on him, which explained the difficulty involved in dragging him to his bedroom last night. She’d never have landed him on the bed without his help.

  But once again prior planning had saved the day. Bringing those secure ties had been genius. One never knew when they’d come in handy, as her older brothers were fond of saying. Of course, she highly doubted Derrick and Andy had intended for their little sister to use them on a naked man in his own house.

  “Hey, out there!” Hunt shouted.

  She frowned. Maybe she should gag him. She didn’t want the neighbors getting curious. Entering the room, she couldn’t help staring at him.

  “Yes?”

  “I have to go to the bathroom.”

  She smiled. In the wee hours of the night she’d thought about that. “Okay. I’m going to cut two of your ties, which should allow you to roll onto your side. Then you can hold this bucket and go.”

  He sputtered, and she chuckled, masking her laughter with a cough. If he hadn’t guessed her identity by now, he wouldn’t as long as she kept talking to a minimum and in a deep voice.

  “I’m not pissing while you watch.”

  She snorted. “You masturbated while I watched. What’s the difference?”

  The color rose high on his cheeks, and she wanted to run her fingers over his whiskered jaw. What damned fine genes.

  Jared clenched his jaw tight. “I said --”

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  “Relax, Mary,” she drawled the common taunt her brothers used on one another. “I have no desire to watch you. I’ll cut two of your restraints. Just yell for me when you’re done. But I’m not coming in unless your blindfold is on and you lay back on the bed, hands and legs apart.”

  He grimaced and after a minute nodded. “Can I at least have some clothes?”

  “No.” Shoot. Her voice sounded a lot huskier than she liked. She was going for a disguised sound, not an aroused one.

  Hunt said nothing, waiting.

  She carefully cut his left ankle and wrist restraints, leaving the bucket on the bed within reach. “You have two minutes.”

  Leaving the room, she knew he’d take off the blindfold to see what he might learn about her. Fortunately, she’d taken pains to remain anonymous. Using blankets, she’d darkened the room to a heavy shade. She could still see him under the muted light of the bathroom, which she’d left on for him to see by, but when she returned she’d turn it off again. And once he was safely tied again and blindfolded, Lindsay would remove the blankets. The better to see you, my dear. She laughed.

  Lindsay entered the bedroom after several minutes and noted his stiff posture on the bed. The small bucket she’d found under his kitchen sink sat on the nightstand.

  She dumped the bucket in the bathroom and then paused. This would be the tricky part.

  “Put your blindfold back on. And not one move, genius, or I hit the “send” key on your computer, sharing your wonderfully naked and bound image to everyone in your mailbox.”

  He put the cloth back over his eyes and remained motionless, tense, but she could see her bluff worked like a charm. And was she ever glad for those restraints. Quickly grabbing two more secure ties from her bag, she refastened his wrist and ankle, conscious not to hurt

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  him by making the restraints too tight, and grabbed a nearby chair to sit on. Stripping off her ball cap, she ran her hands through her hair.

  “Now what, Lindsay?” he asked quietly.

  She froze, and then shrugged with a sigh. With a man as intelligent as Hunt, the odds were he would have figured it out sooner or later. She dropped her disguised voice but refused to remove his blindfold. His lack of sight gave her an odd sense of power, and she planned on keeping him under her control.

  “Who’s Lindsay?” she teased. “I’m just a helpful neighbor who was passing by.”

  He snorted. “Give me a break. I know what this is about. And I tried apologizing to you the other day --”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He sighed, his throat so tempting, so strong. “I need to tell you something, Lindsay. I’m not who --”

  She interrupted him by leaning in to nip at his throat. He tasted salty, so essentially male. She lingered over his pulse, sucking hard enough to leave a mark.

  “Oh, shit,” he groaned and arched toward her. “You’re going to torture me over those stupid remarks, aren’t you?”

  She grinned. If he only knew. She was so sick of always being good, and always getting the brunt of everything. Breaking the rules, not to mention the law, felt so very, very satisfying. And she was far from done. “‘Stupid remarks’? Why don’t you remind me about what you said?”

  “Come on, Lindsay. I was just trying to win Maclearn and Simmons to my side. And I’m sorry to say, you’re one hot topic of conversation with those two assholes.”

  His tone gave her pause. But seeing him at her mercy made her doubt his sincerity.

  Were their positions reversed, she might say anything for a shot at freedom.

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  “What did you tell them, Jared?” she fairly purred. As he recounted Wednesday’s conversation with the idiot twins, she left to grab a washcloth, bar of soap, and small pan of water from the bathroom and returned to his side. “So you think my breasts are real, hmm?”

  She ran a soapy washcloth over his erection, satisfied when it grew stiffer, and he groaned under her touch. She cleaned him thoroughly, all over, wanting him perfect for her play.

  After several minutes, his raspy breathing broke the silence. “What are you going to do?”

  She stared at him, pleased at his telling response. The man really did want her. Despite his stalker-like tendencies, the thought of Jared Hunt wanting her made her feel warm inside. Vanity be damned. She planned on taking something from him this time. A bit of pleasure, just for her.

  Lindsay leaned close to his mouth and watched him lick his lips. Stifling a groan, she breathed into his mouth, “I’m going to take…a shower.”

  Jared sucked in a breath. His balls ached, he wanted to come so bad. And she decided to take time out for a shower? Fuck. Payback was more than a bitch. Groaning at the cruel punishment he knew Jared Hunt deserved, he wished he’d decided to confront Lindsay about the odd happenings at Tron Corp
when it first appeared she was innocent of any wrongdoing.

  He lay still, taking deep breaths as he tried to ignore her lingering perfume. No longer there, yet just the scent of her made it impossible for him to relax. Hell, he felt as if he’d taken ten helpings of Viagra. If he could just get one hand free he could ease his suffering…

  Sighing, he eased on the wrist restraints and concentrated on the mess at work -- namely Simmons and Maclearn -- two shitheads certain to take his mind off sex.

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  Doing his best to ignore the shower and the gloriously naked woman in it, Jared brought the technology specialists to mind.

  Both men were in their late twenties, typical metrosexuals who believed well-groomed cuticles and overpriced suits would get them laid, provided a woman was stupid enough to overlook their massive egos and pathetic social lives. In Jared’s opinion, any guy who had to brag about sex wasn’t getting any. And Simmons and Maclearn were hands-down the unluckiest bastards he’d ever met.

  Of course, there was that vibe he kept feeling that the two meant more to each other than they let on. Which put a whole new twist on why they seemed so pissed off about Lindsay’s constant rejections. He rubbed his throbbing head against the pillow, glad the ache had dulled. But thinking about the puzzle of Maclearn and Simmons brought on an all new headache he didn’t want just now.

  Jared’s venture into Augusta, Georgia, was more a favor than a regular job. H&R

  Security had a solid reputation and was growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to his and his partner, Ethan Reaper’s, many successes. Ethan was currently on another case for the government -- top priority with H&R. But Ethan’s cousin had married Tron Corp’s CEO, George Hower, three years ago, which explained why Jared had turned a celebrity protection detail over to one of his best men and taken this task on himself.

  He yanked at his wrist and swore. What should have been an easy assignment had turned out anything but. Contrary leads kept turning up everywhere he looked. At first, Jared had been convinced someone in the Tech department was responsible for leaking vital contract bid information. Then he’d found evidence to implicate a twenty-year Tron veteran in Yields and Assessments. That hadn’t panned out. But then he’d hit pay dirt.

  Lindsay Riordan, the beautiful ice queen who reigned supreme over all things logistical, had a trail of dirty money. Her savings account had suddenly skyrocketed. He’d found confidential documents she had no business possessing on her computer and in her office. And during his not-exactly-legal venture into her home a few weeks ago, Jared had

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  found an unopened envelope detailing information exchanged with one of Tron Corp’s biggest competitors.

  So why did he now believe in her innocence? His body heated as he recalled the tasty blouses that hugged her breasts, the knee-length skirts that showcased her ass, and the waterfall of blonde hair she always wore pulled up in a twist that made him want to see it unbound and hanging over her shoulders -- her preferably naked shoulders.

  Shaking his head, Jared knew her innocence had nothing to do with his fierce attraction, thank God, and everything to do with his instincts. The evidence surrounding Lindsay’s guilt was too pat, too easy. It was almost insulting that whoever was framing her kept shoving clues in his face. Lindsay had always struck Jared as intelligent, so why would she leave such incriminating evidence showing her guilt in plain sight?

  Simply put, she wouldn’t. And the fact that someone wanted her implicated sent up warning signals. His last two leads had been confusing and almost too obvious, as if the guilty party needed practice in how to point out someone culpable of traitorous intent. The more Jared pondered the matter, the more he looked to the technology specialists. Most of the evidence had been electronically doctored, so who better to compile the information than the experts so familiar with the company?

  And Maclearn and Simmons weren’t exactly being subtle. They talked about Lindsay constantly, their immature lust grating and growing more annoying daily. Everything Jared had done prior to Wednesday’s crude conversation to bring the two dickheads into his confidence had failed. Lindsay had been the key that turned them.

  Now the assholes thought he was “the man” because he’d supposedly bagged their sexual fantasy. Not that he necessarily disagreed with their choice of desire. Shit. His cock stiffened again, and when he heard the shower stop, it grew harder.

  Lindsay Riordan was any man’s wet dream come to life. And he should know. He’d had enough of them since meeting her two months ago. Tall, leggy, blonde Lindsay possessed

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  clear, sky-blue eyes, sexy, pouty lips, and breasts that made his mouth water. The fact that she possessed intelligence and a sense of humor to go along with her physical assets was incredible, including the fact she was still single. After learning about her many rejections, and the fact she’d turned him down, Jared had wondered if she might be gay. A woman didn’t look like Lindsay and not have at least one man on the side.

  He still had a hard time figuring her out. She was normally very nice, pleasant to everyone, even the creeps who kept coming on to her at work -- not including himself in the creeps category, of course -- and she followed the rules to the letter, making her supposed decision to turn traitor to the company baffling. Even before the recent hefty deposits into her savings account she’d been financially well-off.

  “Missed me, did you?” her sultry voice interrupted his musings.

  “I don’t get you. I would never have pegged you as a woman to do this.” He jerked his hands and feet.

  She chuckled. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know, Jared Hunt.” The bed dipped, and he caught his breath. “For instance, did you know how angry I was hearing you lie about me to those jerks, Maclearn and Simmons?”

  “Lindsay, I have to tell you why --”

  “And did you know I planned this whole thing out? Down to every detail,” she murmured. Jared could feel heat alongside him, and barely contained a primitive growl at the erotic sensation of having her body so near. Then she rubbed her skin against his, and he groaned when he realized she was naked, too.

  “That’s right, Jared. I’m not wearing a stitch of clothing.”

  Sweat popped out over his brow. He knew she was still pissed at him and was deliberately making him suffer. Already he burned to fuck her. Soft hands trailed over his thighs, up his cock, and rested on his abdomen.

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  “What do you want?” he groaned. “I’ll apologize. I’m sorry. Very, very sorry. If you’d just let me explain,” he rasped, as she took him in her hands and began stroking the underside of his shaft.

  “Why, Jared? Why would you be here on a Friday night when you could be out screwing any woman you want? You have to know how attractive you are. Why would you sit alone at a computer, looking at pictures of me as you come over your hands?”

  Her words were killing him, making him shudder at the need overtaking reason.

  “God, Lindsay. You know I want you. Stop torturing me, and let me go. I swear I’ll make things right.”

  “Yes, you will.” She leaned closer to whisper in his ear. “I’m tired of the lies, of the rumors.” Her breasts touched his chest, and he leaned into her, brushing against her taut nipples. “So you’re going to apologize, and you’re going to mean it.”

  He nodded. “Whatever you want, Lindsay.” She began rubbing herself over him, her nipples scoring his chest with heat, her thigh grazing his cock, sliding in the fluid that leaked from his tip. Then Lindsay opened her legs and sat astride one thigh, riding him and coating his leg with moisture.

  “Shit,” he growled. “Lindsay, baby, I promise I’ll explain everything to those assholes at work. I’ll tell everyone I lied. Just please, stop this, and take me inside you.” Jared couldn’t believe he was begging, but she had him so hot, so lost to truly feel her.

  “I have a better idea,�
� she purred. Crawling over him, Lindsay straddled his neck so that her scent, the sultry essence of woman and sex, drew him close. “Make me come. You owe me,” she breathed.

  “Oh, yeah,” he sighed, nuzzling her curls as he reached for her sweet pussy with his lips. “I’ll make you come, Lindsay. I’ll make you scream.”

  He nestled between her folds, spreading her with his tongue as he coated his mouth with her essence. God, she was so hot, so wet. And her aggressiveness only spiked his already

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  aroused state. Needing to taste her, Jared greedily nuzzled her flesh, searching and finding her clit easily.

  “Oh, ah,” she groaned, pressing into his mouth.

  He was in heaven.

  Her clit was full, near to bursting as he eagerly lapped and sucked on the swollen nub.

  Jared drank in her aroused cries as hungrily as he devoured her cream. Harder he stroked, trying to penetrate her with his tongue, but he couldn’t get as deep as he wanted at this angle.

  As if reading his mind, she shifted, and he drew her clit deep, nipping and pressing until she writhed over him like a woman in the throes of orgasm.

  “Jared, more.” She rode his mouth, her clit impossibly tight. “Please, Jared, more.”

  He grinned and complied, edging his teeth over her flesh and swallowing the gush of honey that jetted from her pussy. Fuck, but he wanted inside her as she spasmed, wanted to feel her body clasping his as she came.

  “Jared,” she cried and shook, coming over his lips, exploding like a nova, as he lapped up every drop.

  On and on she shuddered, her grip on the bed’s headboard rapping the wood against the wall. Moments later, Lindsay eased up from him, making him miss the sultry evidence of her passion.

  “Oh, Jared,” she breathed in his ear. “That was incredible.”

  He trembled from the effort not to thrust into something. Christ, but the sweet taste of her made him harder than stone. He’d been close to coming just from that alone. But he had to admit even this torturous frustration had been more than worth it.