Free Forever Bound by Ella Ardent

won’t be the only one greeting our guests with a rosy glow.” She caressed
his balls, those slender fingers squeezing just enough. “I won’t be the only
one with something on my mind.” Then she took him in her mouth again and there
was nothing Ryan could manage to say in protest.
    She
was in charge, and he loved it.
    He
leaned back in the corner of the shower and surrendered to her caress, knowing
it wouldn’t take him long to lose control.
     
    * * *
     
    “And
here comes the happy couple,” Mark said.
    Steve
just moaned and rubbed his temples, then drained a glass of orange juice.
They’d done some epic partying the night before, but Mark thought it had seemed
emptier without Ryan.
    Maybe
he was just getting irritable. He’d never had such a run of bad luck with women
in his life.
    Steve
said that Kade and Fiona had gotten it on, even though Fiona denied it. Kade
never messed around and even the idea that he had gotten sex—while Mark
had gotten none—was annoying.
    Ryan
waved in their direction, then he and Jess went to sit with her mom.
    “It
just isn’t right,” Mark complained. “What about friendship?”
    “It’s
about more than drinking together,” Darren ventured.
    Mark
scoffed. “Of course, it is. It’s about keeping each other from making big
mistakes.” He gestured to the couple with his fork. “Look at them! She’s
gloating that she’s got him nailed down and taken him off the market. He’s like
a trained puppy.” Mark shook his head. “I’m telling you that there’s no snatch
worth giving up your freedom forever. It just can’t be worth it.”
    “Ah,
the confirmed bachelor,” murmured the waitress and the guys looked up as one.
She was petite with dark hair and a knowingness in her eyes. She was the one
who had given him a hard time the day before. “A familiar species.” She smiled
at Darren. “They hit harder when they fall.”
    Darren
laughed.
    Mark
bristled. “What do you know about it?”
    “You
get to see a lot in a resort that caters to weddings. You done with that
plate?”
    Mark
looked her up and down. She was cute, but he’d only seen her in the restaurant.
“You don’t work in the bar.”
    She
laughed. “Not if I can help it.”
    “Why
not? Tips would be better.” Customers would drink more just to have her come
back to their table. Mark knew all the tricks and she was that pretty. He’d
never have let her work in the restaurant.
    “Too
many wolves on the hunt,” she said with a shrug. “I’d rather have my beauty
sleep.”
    “So,
that’s why you’re so pretty,” Darren said, with a rare surge of charm.
    She
smiled genuinely. “Thank you for that. You almost make up for your friend’s
so-called manners.”
    “I
think you’re cute, too,” Steve contributed and she laughed.
    “Thank
you both, but don’t imagine I’ll be rewarding you with anything more than a
clean plate for the buffet.”
    She
turned to walk away, her tray loaded.
    “What’s
your name?” Darren called and she glanced back.
    “Laura,”
she said, smiled, then went back to work.
    “Laura,”
Darren said with satisfaction.
    “Don’t
kid yourself,” Mark informed him. “You could never be so lucky.”
    He
watched Laura go, and wondered if he could be so lucky, though.
     
    * * *
     
    Jess
felt wicked to be wearing the vibrator as she and Ryan went down to breakfast
together. That little butterfly was pushed right against her, releasing a
periodic hum that kept her wet and ready. Ryan cast the occasional playful glance
her way, and sat right beside her at breakfast, his hand landing at intervals
on her knee. Jess was thrilled, not just by the vibrator and the game, but by
her sense that they were a team.
    That
last encounter had softened Ryan’s resolve, leaving him charming and easygoing
all over again. Instead of him commanding her to wear the vibrator, they’d
agreed upon it. This was how Jess saw their relationship proceeding and she was
finally confident that