In a Bind. Stephanie Bond

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СКАЧАТЬ He put his arm in front of her mouth and she bit down to smother her cries. He buried his face in her hair, then climaxed with a powerful contraction of his hips. His muffled groan reverberated in her ear. In that moment, she felt utterly sated.

      He pulsed inside her for a long minute, allowing them both to recover. Then he gently unwound his tie from her wrists and helped to retrieve stray pieces of clothing. Zoe covered her breasts with her sweater and combed her hair back from her face with her hand. “I’d like to stay and freshen up.”

      He nodded and shrugged into his dress shirt, buttoning it and tucking it in with practiced ease. “Sure thing. By the way, that was amazing,” he said matter-of-factly as he threaded his belt through the loops of his slacks.

      She was staggered at how relaxed they both were, and conceded that not nearly enough oxygen had fully returned to her brain. The incident certainly qualified as mind-blowing.

      He looped the wrinkled tie around his neck and fashioned a loose Windsor knot. “Can I see you again?”

      Zoe blinked in surprise—she hadn’t seen that coming. She’d just assumed that he was a traveling businessman looking for a quickie. In fact, she hadn’t believed him when he’d said he’d never done this before. But no matter what his motivation or his circumstances, she couldn’t ignore her own. “No, that’s not possible. I’m—” she held up her left hand and her diamond engagement ring twinkled back “—I’m getting married in a month.”

      “Ah, I see,” he said with a little smile that hinted of disappointment.

      “I don’t regret what happened,” she said. “I wanted it, too. But I’m sure you understand why it has to end here.”

      “I do,” he said, then winked. “I guess that’s the groom’s line, though, isn’t it?”

      She winced, then nodded. Her mind flashed to the black velvet ring box in Colin’s jacket pocket, but she didn’t mention it—she wasn’t even supposed to know it was there.

      “Too bad,” he said, washing his hands in the sink and taking a minute to splash water on his face. For some reason, watching him wash up somehow seemed more intimate than what they had just shared. “It would’ve been a good time,” he said, tossing the paper towels in the trash. He stopped, his hand on the doorknob, his green eyes lit with renewed cheer. “Good luck, Zoe.”

      “Thank you,” she said, feeling awkward for the first time since their encounter.

      He started to say something, then changed his mind. His white upper teeth sank into his lower lip. “He’s a lucky bloke,” he said finally, then left and closed the door behind him.

      Zoe locked the door, then leaned into the sink to face herself in the mirror. She looked as if she’d been ridden hard…and had enjoyed it. Shame mixed with remorse started a slow drip as Kevin, whose face she could barely visualize before, now seemed branded on her mind. He would feel so betrayed if he knew what she’d done…and how good it had felt.

      So she would never tell him. She’d had her little fling with a man who made her knees weak and had even gotten a taste of light bondage. It was over…done. Now she could move forward with the life she and Kevin had planned together and wouldn’t have to wonder what she’d missed out on.

      Can I see you again?

      Moving quickly lest someone became suspicious of how long the bathroom had been occupied, she ran water in the sink and freshened up, then changed out of her uniform and into clothes that would travel well to the resort where she was staying in Sydney. Finally she rewound her hair into a thick knot at the nape of her neck.

      Can I see you again?

      When she emerged from the lavatory, passengers were beginning to rouse from their sleep. Light seeped into the cabin from windows that had been raised a few inches. She felt self-conscious as she made her way back to her seat, but no one seemed to know that she’d just had slam sex in the bathroom with a stranger.

      Can I see you again?

      Erica was awake and frowned at Zoe’s new outfit. They rarely changed clothes before leaving the plane. Zoe gave Erica a little wave that she hoped came off as casual before reclaiming her seat. But once she was settled, her gaze kept straying to the curtain that divided coach from first class.

      Can I see you again?

      “It wouldn’t work,” she murmured.

      “Did you say something?” the funky black-haired woman sitting next to her asked.

      Zoe turned. The woman’s eyes were indeed violet. How strange. Perhaps they were contact lenses. “No. I…was talking to myself.”

      “Helpful habit,” the woman said with a smile. “It’s amazing what you can talk yourself into.”

      “Or out of,” Zoe added ruefully.

      “Careful with that one,” the woman said. “There are always plenty of people around who are more than happy to talk you out of doing things. Don’t jump on the bandwagon.”

      Zoe smiled. “I’m Zoe. Is this your first trip to Australia?”

      “I’m Lillian, and yes, it is. I can’t wait to experience everything. You’ve probably been here dozens of times.”

      “Several,” Zoe admitted. “This is my last trip, though. I’m transferring to a domestic route so that I can be home more. I’m getting married soon.”

      “Oh, how lovely.”

      “Yes,” Zoe said, hoping she sounded more excited to the woman than she sounded to herself.

      “So this is your last hurrah as a single woman?” her companion teased.

      “Something like that,” Zoe admitted.

      “And afterward, maybe you can have that reunion with your old friend who wrote the letter.”

      Zoe nodded and smiled politely, but she knew that married Zoe would have to say goodbye forever to the Zoe who had written about her fantasies. Still, the letter had been the catalyst to indulging in the tryst in the lavatory. She had good memories to take home, something exciting to think about when she closed her eyes…

      She did manage to doze off for a little while, and then they were landing.

      “Why did you change clothes?” Erica asked when they met at the gate inside the terminal.

      “I spilled red wine on my sweater,” Zoe lied, rolling her suitcase toward customs and the exit. With their airline identification, they breezed through. She didn’t see Colin Cannon, but then being a native, he would’ve gone through a different line. As they walked by baggage claim, she couldn’t resist glancing over to see if she could spot him one last time.

      “Who are you looking for?” Erica asked suspiciously.

      “Er…the woman who sat next to me was so nice, I thought I’d wave goodbye if I saw her.”

      “Hurry, let’s get a taxi. I can’t wait to check out the resort.”

      Zoe СКАЧАТЬ